That I may know Him,
and the power of His resurrection,
and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being made conformable unto His death;
If by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead. Philippians 3:10-11 KJV
Ever wonder why the cross is the symbol of Christianity instead of the empty tomb? In a certain style of thinking, the cross is a done deal that has put down the forces of evil. The devil doesn't matter anymore because he is a defeated foe and cannot harm those who claim to be the pre-selected self proclaimed perfected. The cross, according to the foolishness of this world, is a "negative" ideal and positive thinking people should be looking forward to the perfection of their souls in the resurrection; at home in infinite bliss ("infinite" is a mathematical fantasy and is not a worthy description of God).
Paul reminds us that the cross is the beginning point for salvation. The picture established in these verses is of the old apostle continuing to work with his back firmly pressed against the cross of Jesus. The resurrection is certainly in his sights as the goal and desire of his heart, but to abandon the cross is to abandon his hope in the power of the resurrection of Jesus. In fact, Paul models the most important anti-calvinist ideal when he says, "forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14. What lies behind? Whatever happened in the eternal realm (that you cannot prove biblically) before God created the heavens and the earth. Whatever circumstances brought you into this life and to the place where you now stand. For the calvinist, as well as for all others, the emphasis should be, "Get over yourself and your vain imagination and get your back up against the cross of Jesus." The view ahead is clear from there.
The devil may well be characterized as a defeated foe in relation to the eternal plan of God Himself but he is still a devastating force upon this earth (1 Peter 5:8). His most important aim is to keep humans from learning the power of the cross of Jesus; the power of forgiveness from sins. The best weapon in the arsenal of the devil is to make Christians into thorough going idiots that trust in legalism and politics and vain ideas about the perfecting of this world instead of evangelists with a passion for lost people. Lost people = individuals. One sinner at a time.
Sinner?
Come to Jesus.
Come to the Cross.
and the power of His resurrection,
and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being made conformable unto His death;
If by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead. Philippians 3:10-11 KJV
Ever wonder why the cross is the symbol of Christianity instead of the empty tomb? In a certain style of thinking, the cross is a done deal that has put down the forces of evil. The devil doesn't matter anymore because he is a defeated foe and cannot harm those who claim to be the pre-selected self proclaimed perfected. The cross, according to the foolishness of this world, is a "negative" ideal and positive thinking people should be looking forward to the perfection of their souls in the resurrection; at home in infinite bliss ("infinite" is a mathematical fantasy and is not a worthy description of God).
Paul reminds us that the cross is the beginning point for salvation. The picture established in these verses is of the old apostle continuing to work with his back firmly pressed against the cross of Jesus. The resurrection is certainly in his sights as the goal and desire of his heart, but to abandon the cross is to abandon his hope in the power of the resurrection of Jesus. In fact, Paul models the most important anti-calvinist ideal when he says, "forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14. What lies behind? Whatever happened in the eternal realm (that you cannot prove biblically) before God created the heavens and the earth. Whatever circumstances brought you into this life and to the place where you now stand. For the calvinist, as well as for all others, the emphasis should be, "Get over yourself and your vain imagination and get your back up against the cross of Jesus." The view ahead is clear from there.
The devil may well be characterized as a defeated foe in relation to the eternal plan of God Himself but he is still a devastating force upon this earth (1 Peter 5:8). His most important aim is to keep humans from learning the power of the cross of Jesus; the power of forgiveness from sins. The best weapon in the arsenal of the devil is to make Christians into thorough going idiots that trust in legalism and politics and vain ideas about the perfecting of this world instead of evangelists with a passion for lost people. Lost people = individuals. One sinner at a time.
Sinner?
Come to Jesus.
Come to the Cross.
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