The Meaning of the Cross

By Yanjin

When speaking of the cross, we are filled with a deep veneration. As for the reason why, it isn’t because the cross is made very exquisitely, or because of its unique shape, but because it has a kind of special meaning, because it’s a witness that the Lord Jesus was crucified and became a sin offering in order to save the whole of mankind. Now, around the world, no matter whether it is in cities or villages, we can see churches with the sign of the cross. The cross appears in different countries and nations; this is a sign that the Lord Jesus’ work of redemption has spread to the ends of the earth and become known to all.

What are the specific meanings of the cross? Let’s start from the Age of Law. At that time, Jehovah God issued the laws and commandments for the Israelites in order to guide man’s life on earth and let them know how to revere Jehovah and partake in all the activities of a normal human life. Only if they acted in accordance with the laws, could they receive the blessings of God. If they violated the laws, they must offer sacrifices to express their reverence for Jehovah God so that they could avoid being punished. At the end of the Age of Law, mankind was corrupted so deeply that they couldn’t keep the laws. They violated more and more laws, failing to have enough sacrifices, and thus faced the risk of being put to death. In order to redeem His people, God was first incarnated in the flesh, which is to say, came into the realm of man in the image of the Lord Jesus. He took on all mankind’s sin once and for all eternity with His sinless body nailed to the cross to serve as a sin offering. From then on, we mankind no longer needed to offer sacrifices after committing sins. As the Bible says: “For by one offering he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb 10:14). Because of the Lord Jesus’ redemption of mankind through crucifixion, the Age of Law was concluded, and mankind formally entered into the Age of Grace and gained the opportunity of continuing to survive.

As a book says, “Jesus represents all the work of the Age of Grace; He was incarnated in the flesh and crucified on the cross, and He also inaugurated the Age of Grace. He was crucified in order to complete the work of redemption, to end the Age of Law and begin the Age of Grace, and so He was called the ‘Supreme Commander,’ the ‘Sin Offering,’ the ‘Redeemer.’ … Even before being crucified, He had already opened the way to the cross in order to redeem mankind. At last He was nailed to the cross, sacrificing Himself for the sake of the cross, and He bestowed all of His mercy, lovingkindness, and holiness upon mankind. To humanity He was always tolerant, never vengeful, but forgave them their sins, exhorted them to repent, and taught them to have patience, forbearance, and love, to follow in His footsteps and sacrifice themselves for the sake of the cross.”

From these words, we can clearly see that the Lord Jesus’ purpose of coming among the people is to redeem mankind and defeat Satan through crucifixion, and thus save the people under the law and bring them into the Age of Grace. The disposition that the Lord Jesus expressed in the Age of Grace is mainly lovingkindness and mercy. On the one hand, it’s so that people could come before the Lord and enjoy His grace and love, and therefore be moved and accept His salvation. On the other hand, it’s so that believers in Him could take the way of the cross, follow Him to be forbearing and patient and love their neighbors as themselves. Just as the Lord Jesus said: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mat 16:24).

Since we began to follow God, we have experienced the abundant grace that God bestowed on us, and enjoyed His countless mercy and tolerance, and we can practice some teachings of the Lord Jesus. When encountering things, we no longer make a fuss with other people; we are forgiving and overflowing with love. However, have we ever considered whether the Lord Jesus’ being crucified is purely in order to redeem us, and whether there is the Lord’s deeper will behind it?

I thought of the Lord Jesus’ words: “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come” (Jhn 16:12–13). From these words of the Lord Jesus, we can know that, in the last days, the Spirit of truth will come, utter words to us and lead us to understand more truth. Just think. If there wasn’t the salvation of the Lord Jesus’ crucifixion, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience God’s work of the last days. Clearly, the Lord Jesus’ work of crucifixion is so important for us mankind.

At this moment, I was filled with gratitude toward God. It’s because of the salvation of the Lord Jesus’ crucifixion that many people turn back from the wrong path and return to God’s house, and it’s also because of the salvation of crucifixion that we mankind have the opportunity to confess sins and repent. If there wasn’t the salvation of the Lord Jesus’ crucifixion, we mankind would live in sin forever and be put to death because of violating the law, and then we mankind wouldn’t have existed to this day. If there wasn’t the salvation of the Lord Jesus’ crucifixion, God’s six-thousand-year management plan couldn’t move forward, nor could mankind be thoroughly saved. The cross represents God’s enormous love for mankind. It’s a witness that God redeemed mankind, and it’s also a symbol of God’s sanctity and selflessness. So, how can we not be filled with veneration while talking about the cross?