ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST
By: Brother Albert Gran
Philippians 3:17-19
King James Version (KJV)
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
It fascinates me to contemplate this particular situation wherein our apostle Paul once invited the believers to emulate him in matters of a true redefined walk consistent to the life of grace in this dispensation of grace.
The overwhelming account of God’s act upon us for completion, sanctification, and grandeur started from him as a man set with the purpose to be the first among all the blessed people under the dispensation of grace, who is a new creature of God, and a man saved by grace through the precious blood of Christ.
We cannot just simply mark those who did not receive His blessings in accordance to the purpose for the election of grace with an acclaim of true justification in line with the preaching of the cross.
The remnant of grace in view of the election of grace began with the apostle Paul. He was set by God as our pattern in this present time when he demonstrated His grace and loving kindness during the time he became an enemy of Christ. Most of us were viewed as the same before we understood God's grace in our lives (Eph. 2: 1-2).
We have to simply acknowledge the most sensible idea why it needs for Paul to invite others to follow him as there were those apostles who were before him whose lives were also noteworthy in view of the gospel of the kingdom at hand, a kingdom declared under prophecy as a never ending kingdom which the Lord Jesus Christ shall establish on earth, and a kingdom which shall stand against the established earthly kingdoms.
Isaiah 9:6-8
King James Version (KJV)
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
Daniel 2:44
King James Version (KJV)
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Are you not wondering why it needs for Paul to say follow “me”? What’s the idea of it? Is there anything more sensible to appreciate the goodness of God for us Gentiles through Paul and his apostleship?
We will not speculate however to declare to anyone who name the name of Christ, that the heart of the gospel in this dispensation of grace is to declare the truth of God's grace based on His cross work without profiting from our human works.
Who are those others whom we need to mark as our examples too? They are those who walked in accordance to the gospel delivered by Paul to us. We can’t simply say that the gospel delivered by Christ to the “sons of men” in time past under the economy of law and the kingdom is the heart of today’s gospel and that we would consider it as the ultimate basis and a means we obtained access and hope in Christ. With this attempt, the cross of Christ as the heart of the gospel was marred with many salvation contents ending up to cover the finished work of Christ to that something man could do for his salvation in view of his own rational capacity. Many today believed they could do something to be saved and to earn for their salvation.
King James Version (KJV)
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, THAT IN ME FIRST Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
We have to consider the sense why it needs for Christ to demonstrate His grace FIRST to Paul while there were already those called apostles before him, the 12 apostles who declared the gospel prior Paul’s calling and election? Why it needs for God to set him as a pattern for the life everlasting when there were those who received the BREAD OF LIFE which come down from heaven in the circumcision ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ? I believed there’s one simple reason for that. God demonstrated a new everlasting life brought by the gospel of the cross, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ apart from works, laws, ordinances, statutes or commandments as what condition he made manifest in TIME PAST under the economy of law.
It’s a new everlasting life in THE BUT NOW wherein it’s an operation simply set by God when he opened the door for the Gentiles, so they could have chance to obtain peace with God, with lives even more blessed, and whose sins were totally forgiven. We're glad and more confident to preach the gospel of peace in view of the mystery truth by preaching Jesus Christ in accordance to the revelation of the mystery revealed to us through Paul in his epistles so that when you read you will understand the knowledge of His will (Eph 3:4).
While many today succumb to many different gospels believing it’s one whole thing and entity without dividing God’s plan, it resulted preaching mixed up gospels. Many today are following and marking men who were not patterns for the life everlasting set by God for today’s Gentiles with Paul.
Are we not aware that by doing this, those who mixed up the cross of Christ with apparent works of services described by Paul in verse 2 and 3 were called ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST?
Men's doctrines added the finished work of Christ especially those who establish their own works and believed for symbolic representations other than simply trusting the finished work of Christ. Their faith deviated God's relative purpose of reconciliation to restore eternal relationship with Him. It's also a fact God desired men to make friends with God however they viewed God's grace and mercy as nothing. For this cause, they became enemies of the cross of Christ.
Simply believe that Christ paid in full the penalty of your sins when he died, was buried, and was resurrected for your sins so you can live a new life in Christ whom Paul was set as our pattern.
Grace and peace!
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