Easter 2006 - Pastor's Points of Light - Vol 53:3
Dear faithful,
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Rom. 3:21-26
In a few days, we will relive the central act of God’s creative and redemptive plan for the salvation of all mankind as we begin Holy Week. What is at the “Crux” of Holy Week both figuratively and literally is the crucified God—Jesus who takes away the sins of the world. The dictionary describes the word “crux” thus;
crux (kr ks, kr ks)
n. pl. crux·es or cru·ces (kr s z)
- The basic, central, or critical point or feature: the crux of the matter; the crux of an argument.
[Probably short for Medieval Latin crux (interpretum), torment (of interpreters), from Latin crux, cross.]
The Cross, planted at the center of created history is literally “the basic, central, or critical point or feature” of history. Its rays extend from that central point out, radiating back to the Creation of the world and out toward the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the world as we know it, the beginning of the new creation.
As a parish, over the last few weeks, some of us who have attended the Wednesday Bible Study, have been reflecting on the Cross of Christ as the heart of the gospel, the heart of God's great news in Romans 1-8. The Cross is the turning point and the plumb line of all wisdom and understanding. It is the chief principle of orthodox interpretation and tradition and stands as the fulcrum of Christian dogma.
It is therefore God's great answer to the human problem in Rom. 3:21-26—Sin. Sin, the problem no one wants to face yet the problem from which no man can escape, whose results are death. The answer and antidote to the universal problem is summarized by St. Paul in Romans 5:12-21.
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Just like Adam and Eve, hiding in the Garden, we want our sins to be hidden from God’s eyes, covered up. The early chapters of Romans make it clear that no one is excused and that all are exposed for their sin and stand accused.
The Cross is the public event which forces us to confront our sin. Like the 2 theives at His side, everyone must make a choice, to either hide their face, deny their culpability, deny the consequence of their decisions and actions, make excuses and reject the Power of the Cross or, to turn to Christ and face up to the problem and in Him see the solution! Like the repentant thief, the true believer too is the one who looks to the Cross and sees their hope, life and solution there. In repentance we see our life in the balance, with Christ Crucified as the Savior, hanging on the Tree of Life.
St. Justin Martyr refers to the true believers, as “branches of the Cross,” showing how we are related not only to Christ in His life, but in His death, sharing His victory over it, conformed to Him in the likeness of His Crucifixion. Being and becoming members of His Body we share in His Resurrection.
The love of Christ on the Cross becomes the love God desires to pour through us in our marriages, in our families, in our church, in all of our relationships within the body of Christ, and in our relationships with the world. May the Cross of Christ transform us, and remain central to all we think and do at our church, in our homes, and in our hearts, Amen.
In Christ’s love, I remain prayerfully,
Der Shnork
