Romans 5:7-9

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

The "Crux" is the Crux of the Matter

     "This is the heart of the matter."  Most of us have heard that said during conversation; when someone wants to make a particularly salient point, one that they believe encapsulates the very focus of the idea they are presenting, they may employ this adage, "now this is the crux of the matter".  The word "crux" is Latin and translates into English as the word "cross".  It is interesting that the Latin word for cross is used in a saying which is attempting to set apart a certain portion of one's conversation as being the most important part.  It is no mistake that this has happened.  Aside from the obvious involvement of the Cause of Causes, men who knew the importance of the cross to the body of Christian doctrine and fundamentals have used it in the past to highlight what they are saying by, in essence, claiming, "this is as important and central to what I am attempting to say as the cross is to Christianity".  (1 Cor. 15:13-17) Resurrection necessitates physical death, the death of the cross in particular in our discussion.
      The use of the term cross in the saying is for good reason—for it is true to say that the cross is the heart of the matter of Christianity, and without its truth and efficacy there is no resurrection, no redemption, no life after death, and no meaning to our present existence; no inalienable rights, and no real cause for what might be referred to as goodness, regardless of cultural moras.

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