|
|
The Discipline of the Cross
by
Josprel
"I have been crucified with Christ: and I myself no longer live, but
Christ lives in me . . ." (Gal. 2: 20; "The Book").
"But all those things that I might count as profit I now reckon as loss
for Christ's sake. . . . I reckon everything as complete loss for the
sake of . . . the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I
have thrown everything away. . . . All I want to know is Christ and to
experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings
and become like him in his death, in the hope that I myself will be
raised from death to life" (Phil. 3: 7-11; "Good News Bible").
A negative world-view? Hardly! Only such a profound consecration can
protect us from being overwhelmed by the tides of a pleasure mad, flesh
pampering society. In times like these, clarifying the definition of the
cross, and appraising Calvary's discipline in our lives is especially
imperative.
Considered negatively, the cross signifies the death of our old nature.
Unredeemed humanity considers the discipline of the cross to be a
negative world view. But the Scriptures emphatically declare that the
believer's sin nature - "the old man" - was crucified with Christ Jesus at
Calvary. In identification with our Lord, we died. Our old man, who was
shackled in slavery to sin's dominion, no longer exists. Sin's tyranny
over us has been abolished. We are free, and are enjoined to regard
this as an accomplished fact (Romans 6: 6-18; Amp. Bible).
Considered positively the cross, with the subsequent empty tomb,
denotes our new birth: In actuality, the cross-life is a positive world view.
After our "old man" was executed with Jesus at Calvary, he also was
buried with Him in the tomb (Romans 6: 1-6; Amp. Bible). In union with
our crucified and risen Lord, we were ". . . buried with Him in baptism
in which [we] were also raised with Him to a new life" (Col. 2:12; Amp.
Bible).
As resurrected, cross-disciplined disciples, we view Calvary and the
empty tomb as our demarcation point. It was at Calvary that God
destroyed our old sin nature. And, in the tomb, through the resurrection power
of Christ, we experienced a rebirth. God created us ". . . in
fellowship and in union with Christ. He gave us the very life of Christ, the
same new life with which He quickened Him." As new creations, we
departed the tomb with our risen Lord (forever free of the death shroud of
sin; now everything is new (Eph. 2: 1-10; NKJ; 2 Cor. 5: 17-21 Amp.).
Considered from a life orientation perspective, the cross orbits us
around Jesus. He now is central to our world view. Disciplined by the
cross, we make Christ our priority in all aspects of life. Clearly
decreed by our Master, this imperative cannot be misunderstood. "Whoever
does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after Me . . . whoever
of you does not . . . surrender claim . . . to all that he has, cannot
be My disciple" (Luke 14: 26- 33; Amp.).
The discipline of the cross focuses all that we are or ever hope to
be, all our possessions and desires, in our crucified and risen Master.
He is our world view. Though it may appear paradoxical to the carnal
mind, it is our crucifixion with Christ that authenticates our
resurrection with Him. Like the risen Lord, our resurrection is validated by the
marks of crucifixion. In absolute union with Him we have been
eternally imprinted by Calvary, and we relate to this world as He does (1 John
2: 15-17; 4: 17; John 15: 16-21; Amp.).
To the sceptics of this present age, who refuse to believe that we have
risen to new life in Jesus, we display the evidence of this wonder. We
bear the marks of Calvary; we are disciplined by the cross!
-30-
© Josprel (Joseph Perrello)
josprel@verizon.net
About the Author
Josprel is an ordained minister who resides with
his wife, Maria, in Western New York - just across the Niagara River
from Canada. Niagara Falls is a short drive from his home. After
drifting from the Lord, he served three years with the U.S. Air Force.
Upon his separation from active duty, he returned to the Lord, studied
for the ministry, and received a master of theology degree. Josprel
serves as a clergyman in the evangelical denomination of his youth.
He is authoring two novels: "Beloved Apostate" and "Kanfal
|
|
Management