As Christians, we believe that God created human beings in God’s image and likeness, and that they were intended to live in harmony with God, with each other, and with the rest of creation. However, because of sin, human beings rebelled against God and fell into a state of alienation from God and from their true selves. The consequences of sin are evident in the suffering, injustice, and evil that pervade the world.
But God did not abandon those who were estranged. God sent the Son, Jesus Christ, to reconcile them to Godself and to restore their original dignity and destiny. Jesus Christ is the perfect image of God, the true human being, and the ground of our being. He lived a life of obedience, love, and service, and He died on the cross to atone for our sins and to overcome the power of death. By His resurrection, He inaugurated a new creation, in which all things are made new. He invites us to participate in His life, death, and resurrection, and to become His disciples and His friends. He sends us His Spirit, who empowers us to live as His witnesses and His agents of transformation in the world.
Therefore, as Christians, we can say that the cross is the ultimate answer to the question of humanity’s estrangement from God. The cross reveals both the depth of our alienation and the height of God’s love. The cross is the place where God meets us in our brokenness and heals us by grace. The cross is the sign of our hope and our joy, for it is through the cross that we are reconciled to God and to each other, and that we are restored to our true identity and purpose. The cross is the source of our strength and our wisdom, for it is by the cross that we are enabled to follow Christ and to bear witness to His kingdom. The cross is the symbol of our faith and our devotion, for it is on the cross that we see the glory of God and the beauty of God’s Son.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, You are the ground of our being, the image of the invisible God, and the Savior of the world. We praise You for Your love and Your grace, and we thank You for Your cross. By Your cross, You have reconciled us to the Father and to each other, and You have restored us to our true dignity and destiny. Help us to live in the power of Your cross, and to follow You in the way of the cross. Fill us with Your Spirit and make us Your witnesses and Your instruments of peace and justice in the world. Amen.
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