Title: The Offense of the Cross
Text: Galatians 5: 6
Date: February 1, 2015
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Galatians
5: 11: And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer
persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
The apostle Paul did not preach that there is some work
the sinner must do to be saved. It is obvious, he did not, because he was
greatly persecuted. He said, “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision,
why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.”
Paul
preached the cross of Christ. He preached the cross of Christ because he was
sent of Christ for that purpose as is every true ambassador for 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 I determined
not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (1 Cor
1: 17; 2: 2)
THE CROSS OF CHRIST
To preach the cross of Christ is to preach who Christ is.
He is the eternal Son of God and the Son of David after the flesh; the GodMan;
the chosen of God; sent of God; the King of his people; the Savior of his
people; the Bread from heaven; the Way, the Truth, the Life.
To preach the cross of Christ is to preach why
Christ came. God sent Christ to manifest the righteousness of God, to fulfill
the law, to declare God just, to declare God the Justifier, to put away the sin
of those the Father gave to him in eternity; to redeem us, to reconcile us, to
make us one with God in him.
To preach the cross of Christ is to preach what
Christ accomplished. He finished the work the Father gave him to do: Christ
glorified the Father, Christ entered in once into the holy place having
obtained eternal redemption for us.
To preach the cross of Christ is to preach where
Christ is now. When he had by himself purged our sins he sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty on high; he is risen and his people are risen in him,
seated together with him.
To preach the cross of Christ is to preach what
Christ is doing now. He is reigning, ruling with all power, over all, in heaven
and in earth; calling out his people, filling all in all; will not lose one!
To preach the cross of Christ what Christ
shall do. He shall come again; he must reign till he hath put all his enemies
under his feet, the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death; then he shall
deliver up the kingdom to God.
You see, to preach the cross is to preach Christ’s person
and Christ’s work.
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST OFFENDS
I have
friends that profess faith in Christ. They are sincere. Most attend their
church regularly. Some are familiar with scriptures. They are moral, benevolent
people. Most even speak of God having the glory, of salvation by grace and of faith
in Christ. Yet, most of my friends become offended when they hear me preach the
cross of Christ. We have mutual friends with whom they differ in doctrine and
practice but they are not offended at their preaching. Yet, both, are offended
at the gospel I preach.
In
doctrine and practice, the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes all differed
greatly from each other. They all received
the other. Yet, all were offended at those who preached the cross of Christ. When
Paul was Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee of Pharisees, he offended at the gospel. He
persecuted those who preached the cross of Christ right along with his
religious friends.
But when Paul was converted, as soon as he
began preaching the cross of Christ, his old friends were offended and
persecuted him. On one occasion, as Paul told them what Christ had done for
him, they “lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the
earth: for it is not fit that he should live.” (Acts 22: 22) Over forty
religious men, said, “We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will
eat nothing until we have slain Paul.” (Acts 23: 13-14) Paul said of himself
and fellow preachers, we stand “in jeopardy every hour?” (1 Cor 15: 30) Paul
was: imprisoned for preaching the gospel. He said, “of the Jews five times
received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I
stoned.” He was persecuted by his “own countrymen, by the heathen, and by false
brethren”; “in the city, in the wilderness, and at sea.” (2 Cor 11: 23-26) It
was simply because he preached the offense of cross.
Our subject is “The Offense of the Cross.” What
is the offense of the cross? The preaching of the cross is offensive to sinners
because it gives all glory in salvation to God.
Someone reading this may think, “I want God
to have all the glory.” Yet, when you hear me preach the gospel of the cross of
Christ you are offended. Why? I only preach the scriptures; I show you in the
word of God; I give all the glory to God. So why are you offended if you
want God to have the glory? Have you ever thought maybe your heart is
fooling you? God says, “The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer 17:9)
THE GENERAL OFFENSE
In general, the preaching of the cross is offensive
because it gives the sinner nothing to do; leaving no room to boast, “That no
flesh should glory in his presence.” (1 Cor 1: 29) It is offensive because it declares
Christ has done it all, “That, according as it is written, He that glorieth,
let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Cor 1: 31) Not only does the cross remove all
room for boasting, it abases us, declaring us to be exactly what we are,
sinners in need of a sovereign, victorious, Savior.
No matter how religious, when the natural mind, hears the
gospel, it offends his pride of wisdom; his pride of ability; his pride of
merit; and his pride of superiority because it puts no distinction between him
and the worst sinner.
If Paul would have given sinners just one thing to do he
would not have suffered persuction. But then the gospel would have ceased also.
Paul said, “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer
persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.” (Gal 5: 11)
OFFENSIVE BECAUSE
CHRIST ALONE JUSTIFIES
First, the gospel offends the man who thinks he is
justified by his own works. Paul said, “Knowing that a man is not justified by
the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed
in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by
the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified…For
I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20: I am
crucified with Christ:…(Ga 2:16-20)
Be sure
your Bible makes the distinction between the “faith of Christ” and “faith in
Christ.” By Christ’s faith, as Head and Substitute of his people—by his
obedience—Christ justified his people from our sins. Now, through the law—through Christ’s obedience to the law, through
Christ dying by law, through Christ
fulfilling the law—all who were in
Christ when he was crucified were crucified with Christ and are now dead to the
law. The law does not recognize them as alive but as executed. Therefore,
through the law, I am dead to the law because I am crucified with Christ.
Now, if
that is offensive to you, it is because you have not ceased from your own
works. You are not resting in Christ. You are yet trying justify yourself before
God by your own obedience to the law.
OFFENSIVE BECAUSE
CHRIST GIVES AND SUSTAINS LIFE
Secondly,
the man who thinks he can make himself be born again and can live obediently to
God by his own strength is offended at the preaching of the cross. Paul said, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless
I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: And the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself
for me.” (Ga 2:19-20)
Some vainly imagine that sinners are born again by moral
reform. They do what the preacher constrains them to do: walk to the front, pray
the preachers prayer, learn a church creed, pass a church probationary period,
are baptized and join the church. They are told now you are born again.
But the Prince of preachers said, “No man can come unto
me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” (Joh 6:65) The Spirit of God
declares, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for
they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor 2: 14)
That wounds man’s pride of wisdom and ability. The
intellectual is offended that he cannot have life by his searching, that righteousness
is revealed by divine revelation. The debater is offended by the dogmatism and
authority of the gospel, that Christ is the way, the truth and the life; bow or
be damned! The reasoning, scientific man is offended because everything has to
be proven to him from things that are and he is ignorant of the fact that faith
is the evidence of things not seen. The will-worker is offended because he
wants the glory of giving himself life, for being the ultimate reason he’s
saved. Yet Christ says, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth
nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they
are life.” (Joh 6:63)
In
addition, most everyone in religion thinks they live the life of faith by their
own wisdom, strength and faithfulness. Paul said, “And the life which I now
live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me.” (Gal 2: 20)
Once born of God, it is true that believers live our
lives abiding in faith in the Son of God. But the only way is by the faith of
the Son of God, by Christ abiding in us. Christ said, “I am the vine, ye are
the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (Jn 15:5)
Friend, if this is offensive to you, then why? Do you
want Christ to have the glory? He alone must give his people spiritual life; he
alone must preserve us throughout the life of faith? The Spirit says to the
believer, “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until
the day of Jesus Christ.” (Php 1:6) If we know something of our sin and
helplessness then we delight that Christ keeps us. But the man who does not
know his own wretched, sinfulness is self-righteous and proud and therefore he is
only offended! Please here the apostle Paul, “I do not frustrate the grace of
God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
(Ga 2:21)
OFFENSIVE BECAUSE CHRIST
IS SANCTIFIER AND SANTIFICATION
Thirdly, most believe that once born of the Holy Spirit,
they make themselves more holy, more sanctified, by their own obedience to the
law. Paul said, “This only would I learn
of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of
faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect
by the flesh?” (Ga 3:2-3)
We not
only became guilty in Adam under the curse of the law, also, our first head gave
us a corrupt, dead, sin-nature. We must be justified, made righteous and we
must be sanctified, made holy, given a new heart.
When they pierced Christ’s side, two things flowed
out—water and blood. Justification is by his blood. Christ made satisfaction to
justice by giving his life in place of his people. So we are “justified freely
by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” (Ro 3:24)
Sanctification is represented by the water: Christ washes
us clean sending his Spirit effectually into our hearts, creating in us a new,
holy nature—making us “partakers of his holiness—without which no man shall see
the Lord; Partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is
in the world through lust. (Heb 12: 10, 14; 2 Pet 1: 4)
Both—righteousness and
sanctification—are from the same person, the same fountain—Christ Jesus our
Lord. The Spirit says, ““But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God
is made unto us…righteousness, and sanctification,…” (1Co 1:30) The prophet
said of Christ, “In
that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” (Zech 13: 1) So believers sing,
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Does it offend you that Christ is both Righteousness and
Sanctification, that the works of your flesh profit nothing? God will not
receive you as long as you are mad at Christ!
OFFENSIVE BECAUSE
BELIEVERS WALK BY FAITH CONSTRAINED BY LOVE
Lastly, sinners are offended because they imagine there
is at least one work they must add to Christ’s work. In Galatia it was
circumcision. They desired to bring believers back under the law as a rule of
life. But you can also include any work
you vainly imagine must be added to Christ when you hear Paul say, “Behold, I
Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For
I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the
whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified
by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the
hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did
run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (Ga 5:2-7)
The
believers rule of life is faith in Christ. “The just shall live by faith and
the law is not of faith.” (Gal 3: 11-12) Every work believers do is only by the
constraint of Christ’s love for us by the Spirit’s power working in us, not
because we have to, not by constraint of law. Believers worship and serve
Christ because we really want to.
Either
salvation is all of grace or all of works but it cannot be a mixture. “If by
grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no
more work.” (Ro 11:6) Read Paul’s word to Titus and note the work of Father,
Son and Holy Spirit, not of us,
Titus 3: 5: Not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6: Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus
Christ our Saviour; 7: That being justified by his grace, we should be made
heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
That is
the offense of the cross: all for whom Christ died are justified by Christ, through
God-given faith in Christ, not by any work we do; all for whom Christ died,
shall be born-again by Christ being formed in us and kept by Christ abiding in
us; all for whom Christ died, shall be sanctified by the Spirit of Christ
through the hearing of faith, apart from any self-sanctifying works of our
flesh and all for whom Christ died shall be saved, without adding even one work
to Christ. He is the Author and Finisher of faith, Alpha and Omega, Beginning
and End of salvation.
WHY DO SO MANY PREACH LAW AND WORKS?
Perhaps
you ask, “Why do other preachers constrain folks to do more and more, using the
law, using threats, using promises of reward.” God answers, “As many as desire
to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest
they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they
themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you
circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.” (Gal 6: 12-13)
My
friend, if you are offended by the gospel, will you hear me? If I gave you one
work to contribute then you would cease being offended. But then the offense of
the gospel would also cease. But I have no desire to offend you and no desire
to glory in what I constrain you to do. My desire is to see you saved by Christ
alone! Therefore I glory only in the cross of Christ because through the gospel
of Christ, he saved me and I know this is how Christ saves sinners. So I say
with Paul, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in
Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a
new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on
them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” (Ga 6:12-16)
I pray Christ
might be pleased to give us a broken and contrite heart to bow and cast all our
care on him! Salvation is of the LORD!
Amen!