From Me to You: May 2024

THE CROSS

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (I Cor. 1:18).

In a nutshell, so to speak, this verse of Scripture tells us the value of the cross, which is beyond imagination. To those of unbelief, the cross is just simply a figment of someone’s imagination, with no meaning whatsoever. The cross, being the power of God, is not understood by most in the modern church. So how is the cross the power of God? 

When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, He atoned for all sin—past, present, and future—at least for those who will believe. This great truth is critical. If we misunderstand that, then we misunderstand everything about God. So, how is the cross of Christ—that wooden beam on which Jesus died—the power of God? 

It is the power of God because it’s where Jesus atoned for all sin—past, present, and future—at least for those who will believe. And whenever the believer places his or her faith exclusively in Christ, as it regards the object of our faith—Jesus Christ and Him crucified—and we maintain it in that capacity twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, then the Holy Spirit, who is God, and who can do anything, will begin to work on our behalf. The Holy Spirit works exclusively within those parameters and, in fact, will not work outside of those parameters. 

Paul also said, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). This is the only way that the believer can have victory over sin. It is by our faith being placed exclusively in Christ and what He did for us at the cross—and maintaining it exclusively in what Christ did for us at the cross. That’s not hard to do; it’s very simple, very easy, but it seems to be difficult for many Christians. 

WHY?

The reason that it is difficult for most is because it lays aside self, and that is difficult for most believers. We like to think that we are able to do what needs to be done, whatever that might be. But we cannot do it. It’s hard for us to come to the place where we understand that and believe that. In other words, I cannot sanctify myself, and you cannot sanctify yourself. It’s impossible. I don’t care what you try to do; I don’t care what efforts you make; you will fail. And why should you have to do it when Jesus has already done it? So this is where the power of God comes in. When we place our faith exclusively in Christ and the cross, and maintain it exclusively in Christ and the cross, the Holy Spirit, which we’ve already stated, who is God, and who can do anything, will go to work on our behalf, giving us victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

I CORINTHIANS 1:18

Let me quote it again, please: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” If you want the power, which you must have to live this life as you ought to live, in effect, to make heaven your home, then the cross must be paramount in your life, your living, and your believing. 

I’ll not forget the day that the Lord gave me this great truth. I was on our daily radio program, A Study In The Word. We were studying the book of Romans. Loren Larson was with me. 

I began to deal with Romans 8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” And then the Spirit of God began to speak to my heart. It was unmistakable. And He began to speak words that I had never heard before, had never read in a book, and had never heard preached. He said, “The Holy Spirit works exclusively within the parameters of the finished work of Christ and will not work outside of those parameters.”

In other words, we have to have our faith exclusively in Christ and what He did for us at the cross. He went on to say, “If we attempt to live for God by any other means, by ignoring what Jesus Christ did at the cross, we will find ourselves walking in defeat, with defeat getting worse and worse all the time.”

The Holy Spirit insists that our faith be in Christ and what He did for us at the cross. This must not be ignored, laid aside, or forgotten. Jesus paid a terrible price at Calvary’s cross. And that price that was paid was not only for our salvation, but also our victory over the world, the flesh,and the devil. It’s not difficult, nor is it hard to understand. We just simply place our faith in Christ and the cross and maintain it accordingly.

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant far more than we understand. The entire plan of God was finished. The great work of redemption was finished. Victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil was finished. Victory in every capacity was finished. 

When I said those words, Loren Larson spoke up and said, “Can you give me Scripture for that?”

My mind instantly went to how I could give him Scripture, when I had only heard it a few moments before. But then I looked down at my Bible, and it was open to Romans 8 and my eyes went to verse two: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” I sense the presence of God even as I quote this verse. 

There’s only one way you can have victory over the world, victory over the flesh, and victory over the devil, and that is by placing your faith exclusively in Christ and the cross and maintaining it exclusively in that capacity. 

If you will do that, then you will find a new life to a greater degree than ever before. It is yours for the asking! It is yours for the taking! It is yours because the price has already been paid. 

In the Master’s service, yours, 
Jimmy Swaggart