The preaching of Christ crucified is a stumblingblock to the Jews; in other words, it is offensive to them, and more literally, scandalous.[2] The Law of Moses was venerated by the Jews to the extent that they denied the Lord Jesus, of whom the Law of Moses spoke.[3] This truth, however, does not merely speak of the Jews of the Lord’s time, or the Jews of Paul’s day, but it also expresses the religious heart throughout any age that desires to achieve a righteous standing before God by religious works, actions, or activities. The cross itself, as God’s justifying work in salvation, and the preaching of the cross of Christ as the primary means by which He conveys its truth, removes every religious work of man from the realm of significance. Our religious works are not only useless in assisting God’s redemptive work in Christ upon the cross, but is also useless in assisting God’s means for conveying that truth. Our flesh wants so very much to help God out and to help His message out with our religious observance: by our sacrifices and our good deeds. However noble our intent, and however sincere our motivations, it does not help at all, but hinders; and only shows us to be unfaithful to the heavenly declarations of grace in God’s Word.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 15:39:20 +0000
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