The Cross of Christ/Pastor E.H. "Jack" Sequeira


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Cross of Christ
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Cross of Christ
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Cross of Christ
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Cross of Christ
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The Cross of Christ
Chapter 1 Crucify Him!
By Pr E.H.Jack Sequeira

The greatest event that has ever taken place in the history of mankind is the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. As one well-known writer put it, “The sacrifice of Christ as an atonement for sin is the great truth around which all other truths cluster. In order to be rightly understood and appreciated, every truth in the word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, must be studied in the light that streams from the cross of Calvary.” (Gospel Workers, p. 315.)

The cross of Christ and the events surrounding it are recorded for us in the first four books of the New Testament, known as the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Approximately one third of these writings are concentrated on what is called the passion week.

The preaching of the cross was also the central message of the New Testament. Listen to what the great apostle Paul had to say about the cross of Christ: “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:17, 18; see also 2:2)

Please note that to Paul the preaching of the gospel is synonymous to the preaching of the cross; and it is the cross of Christ that is the power of God unto salvation. No wonder Paul refuses to glory or boast in anything else but the cross of Christ. (Gal. 6:14) This being the emphasis of the New Testament writers, we must likewise put as much emphasis on the cross of Christ as they did.

Since the birth of the Christian Church there have been several views or theories presented to Christianity concerning the atonement or the cross of Christ. Accordingly, we have the substitution theory, the satisfaction theory, the ransom theory, the moral influence theory, the governmental theory, and so on; each claiming to be the truth concerning the cross of Christ. But the cross is too big an event to fit into any one theory. All these theories have an element of truth. However, some of these theories become heretical not because of what they teach but what they deny. A good example is the moral influence theory, which denies the legal or forensic necessity of the atonement.

To appreciate the full significance of the cross of Christ, we will divide our study of this crucial and vital topic into three chapters. In these three chapters we will look at the cross from three different angles, each of them extremely important to us as Christians. In this first chapter we will look at how the crucifixion of Christ exposed Satan as a murderer and how it reveals to us the true character of sin; that even the smallest sin, at its very core, is crucifying Christ.

In the second chapter we will look at the cross in terms of what Paul said in Romans. 5:8—how it demonstrated the unconditional and self-emptying love of God. The third chapter will deal with the cross as the power of God unto salvation; how it redeemed humanity, not only from our sins (plural, i.e., our acts of sin which condemn us), but also from sin (singular, i.e., the law or principle of sin in our members).

Finally, after we have taken a good look at the cross of Christ, we will consider the resurrection. The resurrection of Christ does not only play an important part in our redemption but is also the source of our blessed hope as Christians. It is the greatest proof that Christ has conquered sin and the grave, both of which are crucial to our salvation.

As mentioned above, in this chapter we will turn to the cross of Christ and look at how it demonstrated, revealed, and exposed Satan as a murderer, and at the same time how it reveals to us the true nature of sin. In John 8:40-44, Jesus made a statement to the Jews. He said: “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” By this He simply meant that, “You are controlled by the devil and his desire you will perform.” Then Jesus added, “He was a murderer from the beginning.”

The question we must ask ourselves is what did Jesus mean by, “He was a murderer from the beginning.” In order that we come to grips with the full import of this statement, we must answer two further questions: 1. Who did Satan murder? 2. What did Jesus mean by the word “beginning”? Did He mean from the time Lucifer was created or from the time Lucifer became Satan?

Before we can answer these questions we first need to define the word murder. To human beings murder is the act of killing somebody. But in God’s eyes murder begins with a cherished desire or unwarranted hatred, as shown in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus made it clear, if you are angry with somebody without a cause, or if you hate somebody without a reason, you have already committed murder in your heart. (Matt. 5:21, 22) So, according to God’s law, murder doesn’t have to be an act. Murder is a cherished hatred against somebody else.

With this in mind, turn to Ezek. 28:15. In verse 14, Lucifer is described as “the anointed cherub.” In this chapter, the fall of Satan is linked with the fall of Babylon, because Babylon represents Satan’s kingdom. In verse fifteen we read these words concerning the anointed cherub, which is Lucifer: “Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” Now the Hebrew word, “iniquity” means “crooked” and when applied spiritually means “to be bent towards self.” Sometime in the history of Lucifer his mind became perverted. Instead of his love going toward God and toward his fellow angels it made a U-turn towards himself.

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