We have been looking at the centrality of the cross in the Christian faith, in this short series

of messages, the cross conundrum.

Because without the cross, there can be no forgiveness of sin, there can be no salvation,

there can be no freedom from guilt, there can be no relief from guilt and shame. There can be no peace of mind.

There can be no eternal life with God in heaven. We saw in the last message specifically that

because of the message of the cross, because of the uniqueness of that message of the cross,

many people despise the cross. Many people

reject that cross. Many people are working over time to try to stamp that cross out of public life.

You see, the cross either going to give you a peace of mind or make you angry. The cross will either save you

eternally or will serve as a witness in the day of judgment. The cross will either reconcile

you with God the Father, where you can have salvation, eternal life with Him, or that cross

will be a witness against you in a day of judgment.

The cross either is going to remove and eliminate your guilt and condemnation from your life

altogether and you live a guilt-free life, or will serve as a constant reminder of your desire

of wanting to live independent of God.

The cross cannot be neutral. The cross is not a benign symbol. The cross cannot be ineffectual.

And that is why many people, as I said, are working over time trying to eliminate the cross from the public eye.

Let me remind you again that the cross was not an afterthought of God.

Jesus did not come from heaven and said, while I'm here, let me show them what love is all

about, as some people teach.

The cross is more than just a symbol of love.

The cross is the fulfillment of God's eternal plan from the very

...