Crucifixes – only half of the gospel

[samwise gamgee]

The apostle Paul attached great importance to the crucifixion of Jesus. Here are two things he said about it:

I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 ESV​

The crucifixion is important. When he died on the cross Jesus atoned for our sins and made it possible for us to have our sins forgiven and to become children of God. Many people use crucifixes, models of Jesus on the cross, as reminders of this event.

As important as the crucifixion is, it is not the entire story of salvation.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV
​

We are saved by the death and the resurrection of Jesus.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9 ESV
​

When Paul preached the gospel he always spoke of the resurrection.

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
Acts 17:17,18 ESV​

I am certain that those who use crucifixes believe in the resurrection but they don’t seem to understand its importance. And what do those who know nothing of the Bible think when they see crucifixes? They only see half of the gospel. If you want to use the cross as a symbol, it is better to use an empty cross to show that Jesus is no longer on the cross but has risen from the dead.

We do not serve a Jesus who is nailed to a cross. The Jesus we serve was resurrected and is now seated on a throne in Heaven. One day, perhaps soon, he will return to earth and sit on a throne here where everyone will see him and acknowledge that he is king.

 

[d taylor]

The resurrection is the born again (the spiritual birth) Jesus speaks of in John 3:3,4,5,6,7 and 8.
It was proof (along with the 7 miracles that was recorded in the Gospel of John) that shows/proves Jesus is the promised Messiah from Old Testament prophecies.

But all of the miracles including the resurrection should direct, the person looking for eternal life, to Jesus and not any of the miracles or acts/works they can do.

To believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah from Old Testament prophecies and to trust in Jesus (The Christ, Messiah) for His gift of His eternal life.

 

[Davidnic]

We fully understand the importance of the Resurrection and we also understand that without the cross there is no empty tomb.

And we serve the Jesus born in a manger, nailed to a cross, and risen from the dead.

It's not a different Jesus. Each step of His life is part of the story.

That includes remembering that there's often sacrifice to follow Him. When we look at the crucifix we are reminded that God so loved the world that He gave his only Son. That does not mean we don't understand the importance of the Resurrection.

And yes we do serve Jesus nailed to the cross. We serve Him in everything He did.

It was because they viewed the cross as a scandal that many Jews would not believe He was the Messiah.

They saw it as a defeat not a victory. The crucifix opposes that mindset. You can't separate the crucifix from the resurrection.


1 Cor 2:1-2
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

1 Cor 1:23
but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles

You can't divide the two. A crucifix is a valid symbol and does not mean a billion plus Christians do not understand the importance of the Resurrection, any more than it would mean those who use an empty cross do not understand His Sacrifice.

 

[anna ~ grace]

Crucifixes are awesome. They bring us nearer to Christ, suffering, help remind us to conform our lives to Him, crucified, and see value in suffering, even as we follow a Risen Savior.

 

[Ttalkkugjil]

The apostle Paul attached great importance to the crucifixion of Jesus. Here are two things he said about it:

I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 ESV​

The crucifixion is important. When he died on the cross Jesus atoned for our sins and made it possible for us to have our sins forgiven and to become children of God. Many people use crucifixes, models of Jesus on the cross, as reminders of this event.

As important as the crucifixion is, it is not the entire story of salvation.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV
​

We are saved by the death and the resurrection of Jesus.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9 ESV
​

When Paul preached the gospel he always spoke of the resurrection.

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
Acts 17:17,18 ESV​

I am certain that those who use crucifixes believe in the resurrection but they don’t seem to understand its importance. And what do those who know nothing of the Bible think when they see crucifixes? They only see half of the gospel. If you want to use the cross as a symbol, it is better to use an empty cross to show that Jesus is no longer on the cross but has risen from the dead.

We do not serve a Jesus who is nailed to a cross. The Jesus we serve was resurrected and is now seated on a throne in Heaven. One day, perhaps soon, he will return to earth and sit on a throne here where everyone will see him and acknowledge that he is king.

If the crucifix is only half the Gospel, then, logically, so is the empty cross. Seems both are needed.

 

[TuxAme]

We do not serve a Jesus who is nailed to a cross. The Jesus we serve was resurrected and is now seated on a throne in Heaven.

If it was good enough for John to continue to serve Him at this point by honoring his Lord's request to take the Blessed Virgin Mary into his home, then it is more than adequate for the rest of us to continue to serve Him even on the cross.

 

[Knee V]

Just so you know, your target audience doesn't take this kind of post seriously. We know what we believe, even if someone else thinks we don't.

If you want to see how we have a myriad of crucifixes and yet have a higher and fuller view of the Resurrection than anything you've ever encountered, come to an Orthodox Pascha service tonight.

 

[Unofficial Reverand Alex]

Allow me to flip your statement around:

Crucifixes are half of the Gospel!

If we don't display crucifixes, are we looking over half of the Gospel?

May God bless us all!

 

[Unofficial Reverand Alex]

 

[FireDragon76]

The apostle Paul attached great importance to the crucifixion of Jesus. Here are two things he said about it:

I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 ESV​

The crucifixion is important. When he died on the cross Jesus atoned for our sins and made it possible for us to have our sins forgiven and to become children of God. Many people use crucifixes, models of Jesus on the cross, as reminders of this event.

As important as the crucifixion is, it is not the entire story of salvation.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV
​

We are saved by the death and the resurrection of Jesus.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9 ESV
​

When Paul preached the gospel he always spoke of the resurrection.

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
Acts 17:17,18 ESV​

I am certain that those who use crucifixes believe in the resurrection but they don’t seem to understand its importance. And what do those who know nothing of the Bible think when they see crucifixes? They only see half of the gospel. If you want to use the cross as a symbol, it is better to use an empty cross to show that Jesus is no longer on the cross but has risen from the dead.

We do not serve a Jesus who is nailed to a cross. The Jesus we serve was resurrected and is now seated on a throne in Heaven. One day, perhaps soon, he will return to earth and sit on a throne here where everyone will see him and acknowledge that he is king.

Of course we know Christ is risen, but we also understand the image of Jesus death in terms of the ancient understanding of anamensis or memorial. In that sense, the Cross represents a timeless reality showing us God's love hidden in suffering.

 

[PloverWing]

Adding a bit to what others have said above: The crucifix is an image of the Incarnation for me, a picture of how God, in Jesus, experienced a human life, including human pain. I see the Incarnation, the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the resulting transformation of our lives as all aspects of the same event, and the crucifix is for me an image of all that.

 

[ewq1938]

If you want to use the cross as a symbol, it is better to use an empty cross to show that Jesus is no longer on the cross but has risen from the dead.

It's a good thought but the Roman's wouldn't have stood the cross back up after removing Christ's body from it so if one would use the symbol of the cross it should be depicted as laying on the ground.