According to the apostle Peter, the cross of Jesus Christ was the only answer for man’s sin problem (1 Peter 3:18). That is indeed what the Bible teaches (2 Corinthians 5:19-21). However, you and I are living in an “enlightened age” when the message of the cross is deemed “primitive,” and even in some evangelical circles is viewed as unnecessary and archaic (1 Corinthians 1:18; Colossians 2:8). According to Scripture, there are only two spirits operating in this world, one is the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9) and the spirit of antichrist (1 John 2:22; 2 John 7). “Anti” is a prefix that can mean either against Christ or replacement for Christ. In other words, if a person does not embrace the biblical view of Christ’s purpose for coming, he or she is either going to be actively opposed to what Scripture teaches or redefine what Scripture teaches about the purpose for His coming.
The culture Paul lived in did not welcome the message of the Christ’s cross (Acts 17:18). Why not? According to some it was not sophisticated enough; others deemed it an interference into the way they lived their lives. As it was then, so it is now. We are living our lives based upon one of only two worldviews. The one is found in Scripture and reveals to us the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, and the other is the prevailing and predominant view that is preached in the world, 7 days and week, 24 hours a day, non-stop.
Scripture tells us that the problem with man and the basis for all of his ills is sin (Romans 3:10-23). We are all born into this world as sinners (Psalm 51:5: Ephesians 2:1-3). We were born with a sin debt and a sin nature. The only remedy for our sin debt is the sinless, spotless Lamb of God (John 1:29). The only remedy for indwelling sin is the regeneration that takes place by grace through faith in the atoning sacrifice of The Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 3:3 -6). Apart from faith in God, Solomon sums up our lives with one word – “vanity,” which literally means, “meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2,3). Every single person reading this devotional is seeking meaning and purpose in life. “Why am I here? ” is the cry of every heart. The Answer to that cry is Jesus Christ (John 10:9,10). When we understand why He came, then we understand why we are here. Christ came to die for sinners. He came to give hope to the hopeless, strength to the weary, forgiveness to those who repent.
Have you ever seriously considered the claims of Jesus Christ and trusted in Him as the sole means for forgiveness of sin (Acts 4:12)? If your answer to that question is no, the Bible tells us that “Today, if you hear His voice, harden not your heart” (Hebrews 3:7-15). Call upon His Name right there in your seat; ask Christ for mercy and determine to love God and hate sin. If you are already in Christ, the question that you have to answer is this: Which worldview shapes your life, your decisions, and your values – the world’s (1 John 2:15-17) or the Bible’s? May we only boast in the cross of Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14)!
