The Offense of the Cross

“And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.” Galatians 5:11

The Cullinan diamond, also called the Great Star of Africa, one of the largest polished diamond gem at 530.2 carats now adorns the Sceptre with the Cross, one of the British crown jewels. A recent ad for a diamond cross read, “your faith deserves a shining tribute”. With such associations it is hard to imagine that the cross is an offense or an insult to anyone in the modern world.The cross may have gained popularity as a symbol, but the essential offense of the message of the cross has not ceased. And I am not referring to the quarters where the offense would be expected. For example, atheists objecting to the display of the cross in publicly funded places. I am not too shocked by that. There are some to whom the Christ of the cross is an offense, so it is no surprise that the cross of Christ is an offense. What I am bothered about are those to whom the Christ of the cross is not an offense, but the cross of Christ is. I remember having quite a lengthy discussion with a young man who had no trouble accepting Christ, even worshipping Him but when I diverted the subject to the message of the cross, He simply could not accept that Jesus would have to suffer on the cross for his sins. There are others I know who adore Christ, and heartily cheer the name of Christ, but are offended by the message of the cross.

Paul was writing to the same problem. There were those among the Galatians who could accept the cross as long as Paul preached the circumcision. In other words, cross would cease offending if it simply would accommodate human effort at salvation. But the cross in Paul’s day, as well as today is an offense because it is all-inclusive in one sense and all-exclusive in another.

It is all inclusive because it makes nothing of human effort. It invites one and all to the same cross of Christ. It levels the criminality of one sin or a hundred. At the cross, they are all the same – the saint and the sinner, the upright and the thief, the moral law keeper and the flagrantly disobedient. It gives preference to no one, it ignores all titles, it levels the ground and makes nothing of human effort. And this is an offense to those who think that their standing, their uprightness ought to amount to something. They want to have a part in their own salvation. These are those who think too little of their sin, and to much of their works. They do not like the broadness, this horizontal nature of the cross.
It is all exclusive in the sense, the Cross of Christ unequivocally states that there are no other alternatives to reconciliation with God. We have been hopelessly alienated and the only way is the way provided by God Himself. There are no other options. All can come, but all must come to the foot of the cross, cognizant of their sinfulness, thankful of His offer. And this is an offense to those who think too little of God’s Sovereignty, and too much of their autonomity. They do not like this narrowness, this vertical nature of the cross.

The cross is an offense because it is too infinitely parallel for some, and too infinitely perpendicular for others! It is God’s all-inclusive offer – no matter you’re your state, and it is God’s all-exclusive offer – there is no other way to be reconciled to God.

I pray if you haven’t done so, that you come to that cross of Christ today.

Danesh Manik