In Touch 4-7-05

In Touch Daily Devotional 
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Thursday April 7, 2005
The Cross: Why We Believe

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

The apostle Paul had impeccable credentials—education, background, and a position of authority. But when he encountered Christ on the road to Damascus, he discovered their absolute worthlessness. He learned that the only thing of eternal value on earth was that his Savior died on the cross for his sins. Paul understood this so thoroughly that he said he now counted as loss all that had been to his advantage (Philippians 3:8) and that his only boast was in the cross of Christ. (Galatians 6:14)

Paul attached importance not to his own résumé, but to a "criminal" on a cross and to the blood that was spilled out there. Although this appeared foolish to many people, the apostle knew that the cross was where God kept His long-awaited promise: to provide a Savior. It was there that the Son of God stooped low and took on the sins of the world—past, present, and future. The cross marked the place and moment that God's judgment was accomplished and His mercy was poured out. At the cross, God's redemptive plan was unfolded, the power of sin was broken, and forgiveness of sins was secured. Through bloodshed and death, new life was secured for all who receive Jesus Christ as Savior.

Today the cross stands as a mirror to reflect our unworthiness but also to reveal the magnitude of God's love. It serves as a magnet to draw people to the Lord (John 12:32) and a model of the sacrificial life. (John 15:13) A place of death has become a beacon of hope because it is there—through Jesus Christ—that we find salvation. (Acts 4:12)

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