Welcome to the Unexpected Life

I had an remarkable discussion this evening (via Instant Messenger) with a decent friend of mine regarding the hope the person of Christ offers people versus the lack of hope I see offered by paganism. I will spare you the details of much of that conversation, as it might be of personal interest and I do not wish to cast my friend in a bad light. I cherish his friendship and admire his heart. But, something he said during the conversation really stuck out to me. As we were talking back and forth about Christ’s hope versus paganism’s lack thereof (from my POV and a Biblical standpoint, not his), he said, “Well, I for one am completely repulsed by crucifixes.” The thought was kind of left dangling--orphaned by a larger dialogue--and I never got an opportunity to comment about it. But, my mind has been wrapping itself around his statement all evening. Repulsed? By the cross?

For years, Christians have sung hymns such as ‘When I Survey The Wondrous Cross’. We have peppered our sanctuaries and worship centers with crosses. We have hung them around our necks and dangled them from our rearview mirrors. While there are many across the globe who have not heard the Gospel of the Cross of Christ for the first time, there are few people I know personally who are not familiar with, at least, the relic of Christianity itself. The cross is beautiful? Isn’t it?

Quick history lesson. Crucifixion was probably thought up by the Persians and perfected by those wonderful people affectionately referred to as the Roman Empire. There is evidence, that captured pirates were crucified in the port of Athens in the 7th century BC. Alexander the Great introduced the practice throughout his empire. He once crucified a general who disagreed with his campaign plans. Romans adopted the custom from Carthage and used it for slaves, rebels, and especially despised enemies and criminals. Condemned Roman citizens were usually exempt from crucifixion except for high crimes against the state, such as treason. The Romans used it during the Spartacus rebellion, during the Roman Civil War, and the destruction of Jerusalem. Crucifixion was considered an humiliating way to die. The victim was tied or nailed to a large wooden cross (Latin: crux) and left to hang there until dead. So, crucifixion was torturous on a good day and the closest one could come to hell on earth on every other day. One begins to get the idea.

With this in mind, I can understand my friend’s view. The cross sucks. It’s repulsive. It’s not something I desire. Honestly. Who desires to die excruciatingly? Who desires to die humiliated? Who gets up in the morning, goes to work, supports his family, and dreams of one day being stripped naked, whipped, nailed to a wooden beam, and put on display for the whole world to see? Can’t say I’ve done that lately.

Yet, the cross beckons me. Why? How?

I Corinthians 1:18-28 (KJV) states:

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are…

Rapper KRS-One raps in his song, ‘The Truth’, “See what if Jesus Christ, was hung upon a tree/Upon every church wall, that's exactly what you'd see/If Jesus Christ, was shot in the head with no respect/We'd all have little gold guns around our neck…” Some people actually do just that. While there is no way for me to prove his statement and I find much of the song’s rhetoric juvenile and misinformed, I think he tapped into something true.

Why do Christians find the cross beautiful rather than repulsive? Why do we look at the cross as a worthy symbol within Christianity? It is exactly for the reason that, upon a Roman cross Jesus Christ physically took our place as a worthy sacrifice for our sin. For some who read this, that statement is nothing new. But, for others, many of them my friends, it is something they do not yet understand. Because of our sin a division--a literal schism-- has been created between us and the Creator of the Universe. Because of our sin, we deserve nothing but the fires of hell. And, at the eleventh hour, Jesus Christ took our place upon the cross to redeem the world of that sin, and restore right relationship between God the Father and His creation (John 3:16-21).

What Christ left at the cross repulses me. My sin. My death. My debt. Every ugly thought I’ve had. Every terrible deed I’ve done. But, what Jesus bought me at the cross is exquisite--salvation from hell. Hope that as I walk through this life, God walks beside me. Hope that when I am called home, I will go to be with Him and know Him “face-to-face” (I Corinthians 13:12) for all of eternity. Religious practices, observances, and beliefs do not attain that. Christ alone secured our salvation. Salvation can be found nowhere but at the foot of a Roman torture device.

I freely admit, that seems foolish. Stupid even. Then again, the foolishness of God is wiser than men.