Colossians 2:13-14 “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” What is the Cross to you? Is it the emblem of the Christian faith? Do you wear it around your neck? Some even tattoo it on their body. Do you have a cross on your Bible or your Bible cover? Is it in your church auditorium or on the outside of your church building?

Do you actually know what you are displaying? Before Christ’s death on the cross it was a symbol of torture by the Roman empire. Many times it was not a cross although it was spoken of as such. Many times it was a simple pole in the ground and the hands were nailed above the head instead of being outstretched.

But think about this a moment. We have the cross everywhere in Christianity. It has become commonplace and is worked into everything that is deemed to be Christian. It is our religious symbol and it stands (in our mind) as something special.

Honestly though, it is a symbol of pain. It is a symbol of agony. It is a curse.

Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” It actually seems to be an instrument of death provided by Satan himself. Satan knows scripture. Satan knows of the curse of the tree. I believe he guided the Romans in this form of torture and death. He planned for the Lord of Glory to be crucified on it. But little did he know that his instrument of torture, pain, agony and death would change the world.

1Corinthians 2:8 “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

“Had they known it” would change the world, they would have never put Christ to death. You see the wages of sin is death spoken of in Romans 6:23. For the fulfillment of the Law’s demands, each person had to die for their sins because the wages we were earning had to be paid. Praise a Holy, Loving God that planned for our salvation by sending Christ to die for us and pay the wages of sin for us.

Before you get all happy about the total sins of the world being forgiven, remember it is a gift you need to ask for, Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

It is necessary also to repent or acknowledge your sins and be willing to forsake them. Luke 13:3 “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

Death has a claim against all of us. It is only by the Grace of a Holy, Loving God that prevents the entire world fromn being sent to the place of death. The grave is only the stopping place for the body. The soul will spend eternity somewhere else. There is only two choices given to man. Heaven or Hell. Some people mock about hell, which means they do not truly understand hell. Do you think the hours on the cross is bad? What of an eternity of torture? Esus gave testamony of hell when he said, Mark 9:44 “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”

Make a decision for eternal life instead of eternal torment, pain and agony.

And remember this when you look at the cross. You are advertizing the devil’s tool to kill the Christ. It is a symbol of torture, agony and pain. It is a curse from God for any man hanged from a tree. Yet Christ bore it all so that you might have an opportunity to have eternal life. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Don’t waste the opportunity to be in glory instead of torment. Make a decision for Christ today. If you need help understanding this, come to church this Sunday morning and I will help you like someone help me understand the scriptures.