WORD OF THE CROSS

Paul, an apostle, wrote, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved” (1 Corinthians 1:18). Paul mentions this as ‘the word of the cross.’ He later fully defines what he means, “It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us… our righteousness, sanctification and redemption” (1:30). He then adds, “in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31). That’s full coverage. We might be a Free Will Baptist, Quaker, Presbyterian, Holiness in the Lord, Methodist or Five Point Calvinist, Teardrops of Jesus… whatever… even a We Have it All Figured Out… but whatever we are …we must believe 1 Corinthians 1:30:31, then, Boast in the Lord. Otherwise I think we might be duped by goofy religion.

I believe ‘the work of God’ is ‘the work of the cross,’ or just as Thomas Hopco (1939-2015) Orthodox priest wrote, “The word of God is the word of the Cross.”

“I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” Jesus