A Cross-less Christ

What Christ are you following?

The Bible warns us that in the last days, there will be great deception; even within the church there will be false teaching and doctrines of demons. ‘Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron’ (1 Timothy 4:1–2).

Some of the most powerful deceptions are those that share a lot of truth, but mix in error too. Because there is truth mixed in with error, it becomes hard to discern what is from God and what is a lie.

Jesus Christ will always be totally different from the world. If the Christianity you are following sounds like, looks like and has the same aims and purpose of the world, then it is a cross-less, Christ-less Christianity.

‘Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever’ (1 John 2:15–17).

If there is no cross in your Christianity, then it is not the Christianity of the Christ. Jesus said, “Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).

You cannot have resurrection, without death. You cannot have re-growth, without pruning. You cannot have reaping, without sowing. You cannot follow Him, without first forsaking your old self. There is no Christ, without a cross.

‘They that sow in tears shall reap in joy’ (Psalm 126:5).

Paul Backholer

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Paul is the author of:
Holy Spirit Power Go
The Exodus Evidence Go
The Ark of the Covenant Go
How Christianity Made the Modern World Go
Heaven - A Journey to Paradise and the Heavenly City Go