02 25th, 2021For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of Elohim (God). (1 Corinthians 1:18)
Dear reader, is the cross foolishness to you? Do you even know what the cross is? If not, please read this blog in its entirety. Your future will be determined by what you choose to do with this information.
The verse above is referring to the cross or tree that Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), the Savior of the world, died on. He was crucified or nailed to a cross made of wood by Roman soldiers almost 2,000 years ago. He was not nailed to the cross because he was guilty of some crime against Rome, but because it was our Creator’s will that he die for the sins of the world; not only for the sins of all who lived up to that time, but for all the sins of those who would commit sin in the future. That would include you. Whether you choose to believe it or not, you are a sinner. A sinner is anyone who has broken Almighty Yahweh’s (God’s) laws.
Have you ever stolen anything; lied about someone; worshiped idols of wood or stone; murdered someone; had relations with another man’s wife; coveted your neighbor’s wife or property; eaten pig or shellfish; lusted after a woman or man in your heart; hated anyone? If so, then you have sinned. Yahweh forbids people from doing such things. The payment for your sins will be death.
For the wages of sin is death; (Romans 6:23a)
You are not the only one who will die as a result of your sins.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of Elohim; (Romans 3:23)
Here is where the cross comes in. Yeshua took the sins of the world upon himself and paid the price for those sins. He took our punishment (death) upon himself so that we would not die. If you were guilty of some terrible crime worthy of death, but another came and sat in the electric chair or hung on the end of rope or was beheaded in your place, then that person suffered the punishment that you deserved. This is what Messiah Yeshua did for you. He sacrificed himself for your sake because he loved us so much.
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
The next day John saw Yeshua coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of Elohim, which takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of Elohim, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:4-6; 8; 11)
The people that stood around Yeshua as he hung on the cross mocked him by saying;
He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. (Matthew 27:42)
Little did they realize that he was in no need of saving. He voluntarily chose to die for their sake. Had he saved himself from that torturous death, we would all be dead men with no hope of life after death. Little did they realize that he was saving even those who mocked him.
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Master of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:8 )
Before Yeshua died he said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
How can a man utter such words about the people who put him through such an ordeal that would eventually lead to his death? Love. He loved his fellow man with the greatest love of all.
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
He loves you, dear reader, in that same way. Why did I say, “He loves you” instead of “He loved you”? After all, he died didn’t he. Yes, he died for you and me, but Almighty Yahweh did not leave him in the grave.
The Elohim of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the Elohim of our fathers, has glorified his Son Yeshua; whom you delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom Elohim has raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. (Acts 13:13-15)
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand; By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Messiah died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
Some doubted that Yeshua actually resurrected from the dead, including his own disciple, Thomas.
The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Master. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. (John 20:25)
Thomas eventually saw the risen Master himself and believed. Yeshua then said to him;
Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:29)
How about you, dear reader; do you believe Yeshua died for your sins and rose again from the dead?
But we preach Messiah crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; (1 Corinthians 1:23)
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of Elohim (God). (1 Corinthians 1:18)
Now that you know what the cross is and how it relates to you, do you think it is foolishness? If so, you will perish along with millions of others who chose not to believe. If you do believe, then you need to begin living your life in obedience to your Master and Savior.
And he (Yeshua) said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27)
The mind of a true believer needs to be oriented as the Apostle Paul’s mind was:
For I determined not to know anything among you, except Yeshua Messiah, and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2)
My prayer for you is that you will believe Yeshua died for your sins and rose again from the dead; that you will receive him into your heart to be your Master and Savior; and that you would begin to live in a way that is pleasing not only in his sight, but in the sight of Almighty Yahweh, your Creator.
And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
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