The word of the cross was the gospel preached by the apostle Paul in every place. In his letter to the Corinthians, he declared, ‘I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified’. 1 Cor 2:2. In the same way, the word of the cross is the message of a lampstand church that will be proclaimed in all nations. We read in the book of Revelation that ‘every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him’. Rev 1:7. The word of the cross will cause men and women from every nation to mourn and compel them to believe and join the fellowship of His offering.
When we look upon Jesus Christ whom we have pierced, we behold the blood and water flowing from His side. The blood and water, by the Spirit of God, are the elements of process which deal with sin and impurity. But more than this, they are the elements of new creation. The word of the cross joins us to the circumcision of Christ so that the body of flesh is removed and, by resurrection power, we receive a new heart! For this reason, the apostle Paul proclaimed, ‘The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God’. 1 Cor 1:18.
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