1196. The Place of the Cross in Real Salvation

The Place of the Cross in Real Salvation

"Him Who knew no sin He made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2Co_5:21,, A. S. V.).

There is only one path to righteousness; there is only one way to be saved and that is through the Cross. The song is true, "The Way of the Cross Leads Home."

There are three places where the Cross is fully set forth as the basis of real salvation.

1. In the Scriptures. The Cross may not be preached from the pulpit, but its story is printed on the pages of God's Word. The story of the Cross of Christ is of such frequent and continued occurrence that some one has said that there is a scarlet cord running from Genesis through to Revelation.

The Cross is not alone a theme of the Gospels, it is also in the Old Testament, in the Pentateuch, in the Psalms, in the Prophets. The Cross is in the New Testament, in the Epistles, in the Revelation. The Word of God centers around the story of the Crucified One.

2. In symbol. Not only in plain, Scriptural language do we find the message of the Cross, we also find it set forth by almost countless Scriptural symbols and signs.

In the Garden of Eden the Cross was symbolized both in the slain beast, which furnished the robe to clothe the naked pair, and in the opening of the side of Adam, from which the rib was taken that formed Eve.

The Cross is symbolically set forth, in the sacrificial offering of Abel; in the scarlet cord of Rahab, in the slaying of the Passover lamb.

The Cross was symbolized in the slaying of the ram by Abraham; and in the serpent uplifted in the wilderness.

The Cross was symbolized in the curtains of the Tabernacle, as well as in the sacrifices upon the brazen altar. The Cross was symbolized in the lives of many Old Testament saints. Such experiences as that of Joseph cast in the pit, or Jonah swallowed by the fish symbolized the death of Christ.

In the New Testament the Cross is symbolized by the Lord's Supper, in the broken bread and the poured forth wine; in baptism, wherein we are buried with the Lord in the likeness of His death, and raised in the likeness of His resurrection.

In all of the above the symbols of the Cross are symbols of real salvation. There is never a symbol of a mere martyrdom or of a mere idealistic sacrifice. The symbols always plainly, positively picture the substitutionary work of Christ upon the Cross.

3. In songful praise. There are many joy notes, both in the Word of God and in the hymns of the church, which give praise to the Cross of Jesus Christ.

When we come to that most graphic of all visions concerning the Lamb of God–the Book of Revelation, there is one paean of victory after another resounding, wherein salvation is made true through the Lamb that was slain.

In the 1st chapter it is the One Who loved us and washed us in His Blood; in the 5th chapter it is the new song, "Thou art worthy to take the Book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy Blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."

In the 7th chapter there is the great multitude who have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. These stand before the throne of God and praise Him with a loud voice because they are redeemed.

In almost the closing words of the Book the message is once more finally sounded forth, "Blessed are they who washed their robes that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and enter in through the gates into the City" (R. V.).

What is true of the songful praise of the Word of God is true of the hymns of the church. Our song books would be poor indeed if they were robbed of those hymns which sing of the Blood. What would we do without,

"Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the Blood,

From Thy riven side which flowed

Be of sin the double cure,

Save me now, and make me pure"?

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR