The true meaning of the cross is not always understood. Many Christians speak about the cross and preach the cross, huku wakiishi kama maadui wa msalaba. What is the significance of the cross according to the Bible and what does the cross mean in the lives of Christians?
Wakristo wengi wana uhusiano na Yesu na Baba kwa njia yao
There are many Christians that believe in Jesus Christ and repented and are born again, but don’t want to have anything to do with the moral part of the law. They don’t want to keep all kinds of rules and consider them legalistic. Na sheria ni sehemu ya dini na si sehemu ya uhusiano na Yesu Kristo.
Hawataki kuambiwa cha kufanya, but they want to be free. They want to live in freedom and have a relationship with Jesus Christ and the Father their way.
Katika hali nyingi, the relationship looks more like a LAT relationship (Living Apart Together) than a marriage. Kwa sababu mara nyingi, Christians only spend time with God when they have a need or problems in their lives.
When they’ve a need or problems, they need God to show up and supply their needs and fix their problems. Hata hivyo, the rest of the time, wanaishi kulingana na mapenzi yao wenyewe, kufanya kile wanachotaka kufanya.
Hata hivyo, going back to the fact that many Christians say that the moral part of the law is not relevant anymore, how come, that they say they are redeemed from the law, Wakati huo huo, they still live as carnal people to whom the law was intended. Hii ina maana gani?
The old carnal man keeps falling back into sin
The law of Moses was meant for the old carnal man, who lived in a sinful flesh from a fallen state and belonged to God’s chosen people by birth and the circumcision in the flesh. The sacrificial laws were meant for the old carnal man.
The sacrificial laws dealt with the (mtu binafsi) dhambi na maovu ya Mtu wa zamani wa kimwili, but not with the sinful nature of the old carnal man.
Damu ya wanyama haikuwa na nguvu ya kutosha kukabiliana na asili ya dhambi ya mtu mzee. That’s because animals are not equal to man. Nyama ya wanyama ni tofauti na nyama ya mwanadamu (1 Wakorintho 15:39).
The blood of animals could only deal with the sinful deeds that derived from the sinful flesh.
Kwa hiyo, the blood of animals could only make a temporary atonement for the sins of man. Ndiyo maana dhabihu zilipaswa kufanywa mara kwa mara.
Despite the sacrifices and the blood of perfect animals, man remained the same.
The old man was still trapped in the sinful nature of the flesh and could not be delivered from it.
Kila wakati, iliwabidi kuungama dhambi zao, tubu na kufanya suluhu kwa dhambi zao. Dhambi zao ziliondolewa na kusamehewa kwa njia ya dhabihu na damu ya wanyama hadi waliporudi kwenye tabia zao za zamani na kufanya dhambi tena.. Huu ulikuwa ni mchakato unaoendelea.
Damu ya wanyama ilitiririka mfululizo, but the sinful nature of the flesh remained present in the generation of fallen man.
Yesu alishughulika na asili ya dhambi ya mwanadamu aliyeanguka
This process continued until Jesus came and dealt with the sinful nature of fallen man that produces sin and leads to death.
Basi, kwa kuwa watoto wameshiriki damu na nyama, Yeye pia mwenyewe vile vile alichukua sehemu ya sawa; ili kwa njia ya mauti amharibu yeye aliyekuwa na nguvu za mauti, hiyo ni, shetani; na kuwakomboa wale ambao maisha yao yote kwa hofu ya kifo walikuwa chini ya utumwa (Waebrania 2:14-15)
Yesu hakuchukua tu dhambi juu yake. He carried the sins and iniquities katika Mwili wake na ukawa Badala ya mwanadamu aliyeanguka. Yesu alibeba adhabu ya dhambi, ambayo ni kifo, na aliingia kuzimu kisheria (kuzimu).
Hata hivyo, the death was not strong enough to keep Jesus in Hades. Baada ya siku tatu, Jesus rose from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit with the keys of hell and death. Jesus conquered the power of death and had taken the dominion legally back from the devil.
Jesus released the righteous prisoners of death and gave the ability to everyone to be delivered from the power of death and hell na upatanishwe na Mungu. (Oh. Mathayo 27:50-54; Yohana 1:11-13; Warumi 5:10; 2 Wakorintho 5:18-20; Waefeso 4:10; Wakolosai 1:21-23).
Yesu akaja na kusema nao, akisema, Nguvu zote nimepewa mbinguni na duniani. Nendeni basi, na kufundisha mataifa yote, mkiwabatiza kwa jina la Baba, na ya Mwana, na wa Roho Mtakatifu: na kuwafundisha kuyashika yote niliyowaamuru ninyi: na, lo, Niko pamoja nawe siku zote, even unto the end of the earth
Mathayo 28:18-20
The new creation is delivered from the sinful flesh through regeneration
Only by faith in Jesus Christ and becoming born again, mtu anaweza kukombolewa kutoka kwa mwili wenye dhambi. Kwa njia ya ubatizo in Christ and the baptism with the Holy Spirit, the flesh of the old man dies and the spirit raises from the dead and the new man receives the Holy Spirit.
The new creation has left the old behind and receives a new life in the spirit. Katika mamlaka ya Yesu Kristo na kwa uwezo wa Roho Mtakatifu, the new man has the ability to become a son of God (wanaume na wanawake) and walk as a son of God in obedience to God in righteousness.
The new man shall put away the carnal works of the old man, and do the will of the Spirit, whereby the new man shall come forth in the natural. (Soma pia: Je, unaweza kuishi maisha ya ufufuo bila kufa?)
The Holy Spirit has the same will as Jesus and the Father and confronts and reproves a person of sin. Kisha ni juu ya mtu huyo kumtii na kuondoa dhambi.
Kwa sababu mtu huyo si tena wa kizazi cha mwanadamu aliyeanguka na hana shetani tena kama baba.
The person belongs to the generation of the new man (uumbaji mpya) that is created in Jesus Christ. The new creation is born of God and has God as Father.
The new creations are the sons of God and together they are the church; Mwili wa Yesu Kristo.
The madhumuni ya kanisa is to raise the saints in the Word of God and equip them. Kwahivyo, they know the will of God and become equal to Jesus Christ and walk as Jesus walked in obedience to the Father’s will, preaching and bringing the Kingdom of God to the people.
Persevere in sin through ignorance and a lack of knowledge
Hata hivyo, the problem is that in many churches instead of sons of God, wanatheolojia, wazungumzaji wa motisha au wanaojitangaza, ambao bado ni uumbaji wa kale na wana namna ya utauwa, wako nyuma ya mimbari na wafundishe waumini.
Wanawafundisha kutoka katika mawazo ya kimwili na hekima yao ya kibinadamu, maarifa, na falsafa badala ya akili ya Kristo na kweli ya Neno la Mungu.
In order to get an audience and attract people and be exalted, Wanahubiri kile watu wanataka kusikia.
Through their sermons that revolve around the carnal man (Mwili), they ensure that the people become depended on them and that they stand above the believers.
By preaching carnal words and vain philosophies that derive from their carnal mind, instead of preaching the truth of God’s Word that derives from the mind of Christ, they keep the believers ignorant about the truth.
Kupitia uongo wao, wanawaweka katika utumwa, Na hivyo ndivyo shetani anataka.
Kupitia Ukosefu wa ufahamu wa Neno la Mungu, Christians keep living in bondage of their flesh. Wanaendelea kuufuata mwili na kudumu katika dhambi na hawawezi kuacha dhambi.
Kwa upande mmoja, wanaambiwa, kwamba hakuna dhambi zaidi. Kwa hiyo, they can’t walk in sin. Na kwa upande mwingine, they are told that they always remain a sinner. Therefore they will persevere in sin until the day that they’ll die. Kwa sababu tu kupitia kifo cha asili, watakombolewa kutoka katika mwili wao wenye dhambi.
False doctrines are preached to keep Christians in bondage
But that is a big lie that derived from the carnal mind of people, ambao walikuwa bado uumbaji wa zamani. This false doctrine is based upon human philosophies and personal experiences. If this doctrine would be true, basi kwa nini Yesu alikuja hapa duniani? Kwa nini Yesu alipaswa kuwa Mbadala wetu ili kushughulikia kwa mara moja na kwa wote tatizo la dhambi? Na nini kilitokea siku ya Pentekoste?
The people that came up with this false doctrine were unspiritual. Hawakutaka kuyatoa maisha yao ya kimwili. Na hivyo, they adjusted the gospel and truth of God to their own carnal experiences, matokeo, tamaa, na matamanio.
Na kwa sababu ya ukweli, kwamba waliteuliwa na kanisa kwa sababu walikuwa na diploma au Ph.D. and therefore obtained a certain status, the church adopted and applied this doctrine. To this day, this lie is still preached.
Christians are sidetracked
Kutokana na fundisho hili la uwongo, many Christians are sidetracked and many souls have been lost. While they could have been saved by preaching the right sermons according to the Bible (neno) na Roho Mtakatifu.
Kwa sababu ya uongo huu, many Christians have the idea that when they tubu na kuzaliwa tena (according to their theology), hawajasafishwa tu na dhambi zao za zamani, but also from their sins in which they persevere after they become born again. Because they can’t be redeemed from sin, but will always stay a sinner.
If the Bible says that Jesus came to redeem man and has redeemed man through His work at the cross, but the preacher or theologian says that man always remains a sinner, anayesema ukweli?
What has Jesus done at the cross according to these theologians or preachers? Kusudi la kuja kwake lilikuwa nini na maana ya dhabihu yake?
Kwa sababu ya ukweli, that many Christians are not truly born again and have no personal relationship with Jesus Christ; neno, bali amini, trust and lean on the words of preachers and theologians. They believe the words of people above the words of God.
Kwa maana kama kwa kuasi kwa mtu mmoja wengi walifanywa wenye dhambi, hivyo kwa kutii kwake Mmoja wengi watafanywa kuwa waadilifu
Warumi 5:19
dhambi badala ya mwili misumari msalabani
Badala ya kusulubisha miili yao, ambayo ndani yake asili ya dhambi hukaa na hiyo huzaa dhambi, wanazigongomea dhambi zao msalabani. Hawashughulikii tatizo la dhambi, ambayo Yesu alikuja hapa duniani. Badala yake, they keep living in the lies, ambazo huenezwa na shetani kupitia falsafa za watu wa kimwili.
Lakini ukweli ni, kwamba maadamu mwili wa mzee haufi, the person shall walk after the flesh and persevere in sin and shall keep doing the things that oppose the will of God.
Maadamu watu wanadumu katika dhambi, hawajakombolewa kutoka katika dhambi, but are still a mtumishi wa dhambi.
In some churches or at seminars there is even a wooden cross on the stage with pieces of paper, nails, and a hammer.
Wageni wanaweza kuandika dhambi zao au matatizo yao kwenye kipande hiki cha karatasi na kukipigilia msumari msalabani. Lakini hii ni tendo la kimwili la hisia (Mwili) na haina uhusiano wowote na Roho.
Because when they go home, they continue their lives and fall back into the same sin. Kama watu wa Mungu katika Agano la Kale.
That’s why many Christian, wanaodai kuzaliwa mara ya pili, na hawataki kuwa na uhusiano wowote na sheria, live the same way as the carnal people of God for whom the law was intended, Yaani: mzee wa kimwili, who is trapped in the sinful flesh.
Badala ya kushughulikia tatizo la dhambi, yaani sababu ya dhambi: mwili wenye dhambi, they try to deal with their sins out of their flesh by using all kinds of natural means and methods
Yesu alikufa kwa sababu ya dhambi ya mtu mzee
Jesus didn’t die for your sins so that you can keep walking in sins. But Jesus died because of your sins that derive from the sinful nature of the flesh of the old man.
Jesus died for the old man, mwenye dhambi. Kwahivyo, ndani Yake, Mzee (Mwili) akifa na mtu mpya (Roho) anafufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu.
Jesus not only dealt with the sins and iniquities of fallen man at the cross. But Jesus also dealt with the sinful nature of fallen man, ambayo ipo katika mwili. Hii ndio sababu, wakati mtu, ambaye ni kiumbe cha zamani (mwenye dhambi), huzaliwa mara ya pili, si mwenye dhambi tena.
Katika yeye ninyi pia mmetahiriwa kwa tohara isiyofanyika kwa mikono, katika kuuondoa mwili wa dhambi za mwili kwa kutahiriwa kwa Kristo: Kuzikwa pamoja naye katika kubatizwa, ambayo pia umefufuka pamoja naye kupitia imani ya operesheni ya Mungu, ambaye alimfufua kutoka kwa wafu (Wakolosai 2:11-12)
The person has become a new creation: haki ya Mungu katika Kristo. Mtu, ambaye amekuwa kiumbe kipya, haitavumilia tena dhambi. Kwa sababu wale, ambao ni wa Kristo wameusulubisha mwili wao pamoja na mawazo yao mabaya na tamaa zao. Kwa hiyo, hawatadumu katika dhambi bali watafanya matendo ya haki.
Kile ambacho sheria na damu ya wanyama havingeweza kufanya, Yesu angeweza! Yesu, Neno Hai, came in the flesh and became the Substitute of the disobedient, mzee mwasi, ambaye mwisho wake ni kifo cha milele katika ziwa la moto.
Wale walio wa Kristo wameusulubisha mwili pamoja na mawazo yake mabaya na tamaa mbaya
Wagalatia 4:24
The true meaning and result of the cross in the lives of believers
Msalabani, Yesu alishughulika na asili ya dhambi, ambayo ipo katika mwili. Kwahivyo, kila mtu, anayemwamini na kuzaliwa mara ya pili, watakombolewa kutoka katika asili ya dhambi ya mwili, ambayo huzaa dhambi na mauti.
The believer shall no longer produce sin from the sinful flesh, but righteousness from the Spirit (Oh. Warumi 6-8; Wagalatia 5:16-26).
Je! unataka kuondoa dhambi katika maisha yako? Kisha unachotakiwa kufanya ni: nenda kwa sababu ya dhambi. Nenda kwenye mzizi wa tatizo la dhambi, ambayo ni mwili. Maadamu mwili wako hautakufa, roho yako haiwezi kuinuliwa.
‘Kuweni chumvi ya dunia’
