Beams Of The Cross
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s I was recently thinking about the
cross on which Jesus died, I was reminded that it was basically constructed of
two beams. One pointed vertically toward heaven, and the other, the cross beam,
outward on the earth. Then the thought came to me that the directions that
these two beams pointed represent the two major principles involving the
salvation of mankind. May we meditate for a few moments on these truths.
The
vertical beam that pointed upward toward heaven should remind us that salvation
came down from God, and our only hope is to look upward. Man was capable of
sinning and bringing death, but he has never been able to bring life. Thus, the
only source of salvation is from God. The following selection of Scriptures
confirm this:
“For the grace of God that
brings salvation has appeared to all men.”
“in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.”
“For
God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son.”
“For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”
(Titus 2:11; 1:2;
John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8).
Yes,
there are millions who seem to think that they can devise the way of salvation
simply by the way they live, but they are sadly deceived. Just because their
way seems right, does not mean that it is right!
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its
end is the way of death” (Proverbs 16:25).
The Old Testament prophet was correct when he wrote: “O
LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to
direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).
The
horizontal beam of the cross, pointed outward toward the horizon of the earth.
If one could draw a line from one end of this beam all the way around the earth
to the other end of the beam, this could represent the outreach of the whole
world. Thus, the same cross that reached up to God, also reached out to
mankind.
This
is why Jesus commanded His apostles to carry the message of salvation to all
lost in sin.
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).
The only limitation that is placed on the saving
gospel is on the part of man, to either the acceptance it or rejection it!.
The cross of Jesus allowed Him to
be, “the author of eternal salvation to all
who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9).
—BBBristow