The cross is the place of atonement and the place of redemption and grace. The cross is a place to die and where your new life begins. Jēzus Christ was the perfect Lamb of God (without blemish and spot), that took all the iniquities and sins of the world upon Him. Jesus became your Substitute and hang on the cross, which should have been your place. You should have hung there, due to your iniquities and sins. But because of God’s great love, God gave His only Son Jesus Christ to become your Substitute. Jesus took your punishment upon Him, tātad, you don’t have to carry it anymore. Jesus faced death, so that you won’t have to face death and the eternal punishment in hell anymore. Tomēr, many Christians don’t consider the cross a place to die but a place to keep sinning.
What does the word ‘cross’ nozīmēt?
The word cross comes from the Greek word: stauros (stow-ros), it comes from the base of no. G2476(strong concordance) un nozīmē ;
- a stake or post (as set upright),
- tas ir, (specifically) a pole or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment)
- figuratively exposure to death, tas ir, selfdenial;
- by implication the atonement of Christ: – krusts.
What did Jesus say about the cross in the Bible?
Jesus said the following about the cross: He that takes not his cross, un seko Man, nav Manis cienīgs (Metjū 10:38)
Ja kāds vīrietis nāks pēc manis, Ļaujiet viņam noliegt sevi, un paņem viņa krustu, un seko man. Jo kurš, izglābjot viņa dzīvību, to zaudēs: un ikviens, kurš zaudēs savu dzīvību, man to atradīs (Metjū 16:24,25)
Ikviens, kas nāks pēc Manis, Ļaujiet viņam noliegt sevi, un paņem viņa krustu, un seko man (Marka 8:34).
Take up your cross, un seko man (Marka 10:21)
Ja kāds vīrietis nāks pēc manis, Ļaujiet viņam noliegt sevi, un katru dienu ņem savu krustu, un seko man (Luke 9:23)
Whosoever doth not bear his cross, un nāc pēc Manis, nevar būt Mans māceklis (Luke 14:27)
Šajos pantos, Jesus is very clear. Jēzus teica, that if you really want to sekojiet Jēzum Kristum, you should take up your cross and follow Him.
What does it mean to take up your cross?
Nu, to answer this question, we must look at what took place at the cross. Jesus was crucified on the cross. He denied Himself, by becoming fully obedient to the will of God.
Jesus could have done His own will and disobey God. Jesus could have enjoyed His life on earth, maybe Jesus had become a very old man. But Jesus did not do that.
He crucified His will by becoming fully obedient to the will of His Father.
Jesus had only one thing in mind and that was to do the will of His Father, lay down His life, and fulfill God’s plan for His life.
God’s plan was to die for mankind and take the sins of the world upon Him, and become an atonement for mankind, and take back the authority that was taken by the devil and reconcile man back to God.
Jesus tells you to do the same. You should take up your cross daily, which means that you should crucify your will and do His will.
It means to be obedient to Jesus Christ and do the Father’s will and fulfill His purpose for your life.
It means to deny yourself, mirt sev, die to the lusts and desires of the flesh. Dying is a painful process. It’s not easy, but it is necessary in order to follow Jesus.
You have a choice
If you don’t want to lay down your old life and its habits, because you say it is too hard, or you can’t do it, because you don’t have the power to do it, then honestly you don’t hate your old life as a sinner yet. You still love doing the things you do and don’t want to say goodbye to these things. You don’t see any harm by doing them.
Most people want to hang on to their old life and add so called ‘Christian behaviour’. They become a member of the church, iet uz baznīcu, be friendly, veic labdarības darbus, lasīt Bībeli 5 vai 10 minutes before they go to sleep, say a quick prayer and that’s it.
Ļaujiet man jums pastāstīt, the more you hate sin and your old life and its habits, the easier it is to take up your cross and follow Jesus.
Jā, it will cost you everything. Tas tev maksās dzīvību. But your life becomes so much better!
It is a process to die to self. But if you really want to, then it is possible. It is all up to you. The Holy Spirit is there to help you, mācīt tevi, vadīt tevi, strengthen you and warn you.
Your life will become one great adventure with the Holy Spirit.
Ko Jēzus izdarīja nē say about the cross ?
Jesus did not say that the cross is:
- a permit to keep sinning,
- used to keep doing what you want to do,
- an excuse to keep living in sin and say that you are too weak and therefore keep coming back to the cross over and over again.
The cross is not a place to rest and not a place to camp, but the cross is your starting point.
Ļaujiet man pateikt skaidrībā, I don’t say that you have to forget the cross. Nē, you may never forget the cross!
The cross is the place where you die and you lay down your life
The cross is the place where Jesus Christ became your Substitue. It’s the place where you identified yourself with Christ and got born again. The cross is the place, where all of your iniquities and sins were taken away from you. It’s the place where you were reconciled with the Father, Jēzū Kristū.
But the cross must not become a camping place. Vieta, where you stay and get stuck in between your old and new life and stay there. Viss tāpēc, you can’t say farewell to your old habits, tavus grēkus. (Izlasi arī: Vecā vīra cīņa un vājums)
Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things(Filipiešiem 3:18)
If you keep doing your will and if your mind is set on the things of the world, you are an enemy of the cross.
If the things of the world and your will, are more important than doing the will of God and walking after the Spirit, then the Bible says that you are an enemy of the cross.
Vēlreiz, tev ir izvēle. But it is all or nothing, there is no way in between.
You can’t serve two gods. Either you will lose your life here on earth or you will lose your life in hell.
What did Paul say about the cross?
Paul said the following about the cross, Bet nedod Dievs, lai es slavētos, izņemot mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus krustā, ar kuru pasaule man ir krustā sista, un es pasaulei. Jo Kristū Jēzū apgraizīšana neko nelīdz, ne arī neapgraizīšana, bet jauns radījums (Galatiešiem 6:14,15)
Paul’s life was crucified with Jesus Christ. He took up his cross, nozīmē, that Paul denied himself and obeyed Christ.
Paul was sent to preach the gospel. Not in words, bet pie varas. Paul didn’t preach human philosophies and the carnal wisdom of the world, but Paul preached the cross, kas ir Dieva spēks.
Jo Kristus mani sūtīja nekristīt, bet sludināt evaņģēliju: nevis ar vārdu gudrību, lai Kristus krusts nepaliktu bezjēdzīgi. Jo sludināšana par krustu tiem, kas iet bojā, ir muļķība; bet mums, kas esam izglābti, tas ir Dieva spēks (1 korintieši 1:17-18)
You’re reconciled with God through the cross, through the blood of Jesus. Tāpēc, you have peace because you’re reconciled. The blood of Jesus made you righteous.
In Christ Jesus you have become righteous, svēts, unblameable and unreproveable.
Thpie He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, ar to nogalinot ienaidnieku (Efeziešiem 2:16)
Un, noslēdzis mieru caur Viņa krusta asinīm, caur Viņu, lai saskaņotu visas lietas ar Sevi; ar Viņu, es saku, vai tās ir lietas uz zemes, vai lietas debesīs.
Un jūs, kas kādreiz bija atsvešināti un ienaidnieki jūsu prātā ar ļaunajiem darbiem, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, lai jūs pasniegtu svētu un nevainojamu un neatgriezenisku viņa redzeslokā (Kolosieši 1:20-1:22)
All your sins, all of your trespasses, have been forgiven
Un jūs, būdams miris savos grēkos un savas miesas neapgraizīšanas dēļ, vai Viņš kopā ar Viņu ir atdzīvinājis, piedodot jums visus pārkāpumus; Izdzēšot priekšrakstu rokrakstu, kas bija pret mums, kas bija pretrunā ar mums, un izņēma to no ceļa, pienaglojot to Viņa krustā; Un izlutinot Firstistes un pilnvaras, Viņš tos atklāti izsauca, triumfējot pār viņiem tajā (Kolosieši 2:13-15)
Iedomājies, papers written full of your sins; full of your trespasses, that would have condemned you unto the death penalty, but are blotted out by the work at the cross.
It is like taking all of the papers with your trespasses that would have condemn you unto death, and throw them all into the fire.
Jesus did that for you.
Jesus took that blame fully upon Him. He took your death penalty upon Him, so that you could walk in righteousness in Him. Free of sin, free of guilt, free of condemnation.
Jā, all your trespasses were nailed to His cross. You start with a clean sheet.
Kad tu kļūsti dzimis no jauna, your spirit is like a baby.
The more you feed your spirit, by hearing and studying the Bible (Dieva vārds) and renewing your mind and doing the word of God, the quicker your spirit matures.
Tomēr, if you don’t feed your spirit but feed your flesh, your spirit will starve to death and eventually die. Vēlreiz, tev ir izvēle.
There will be different seasons in your life. But if you stay in the will of God and keep hearing and studying His Word and doing His Word, you will stand firm and walk as a son of God (tas attiecas gan uz vīriešiem, gan uz sievietēm) uz zemes.
"Esi zemes sāls”
