“17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:17-18
The “Message of the Cross” which so many refer to is NOT the following:
- 40 days of purpose PLUS the Cross of Christ
- 21 days of fasting PLUS the Cross of Christ
- secret power of speaking God’s word PLUS the Cross of Christ
- harbingers, shemitahs and blood moons PLUS the Cross of Christ
- prayer shawls and yamakas PLUS the Cross of Christ
- hail Mary’s and rosarys PLUS the Cross of Christ
All of these philosophies of men being taught from the pulpits as doctrine is vanity. They are the leaven which leavens the whole lump because they corrupt the Truth and seduce man into placing their faith in what they have done (fasting 21 days, hail marys, etc.) or lying signs and wonders (harbingers, shemitahs, oil secreting Bibles, etc.). This little bit of leaven is that which leads to the pride and self righteousness which comes before the fall…the destruction of one’s faith which is satan’s purpose.
“8 This people draw nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. 9 But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:8-9
For the preacher to wave in front of their congregation the silliness of such commandments and preaching them as doctrine is an abomination unto God Who gave His only begotten Son in order to reconcile us to Himself and our faith in Him, Jesus Christ, and what HE has done on Calvary’s Cross, is ALL that is required of man to be reconciled unto God. With our faith placed in the Cross of Christ, the Holy Spirit is commissioned to superintend the work of God in our heart and lives. Precept upon precept and line upon line, old things pass away and all things become new as we become a new creature IN Christ Jesus. By partaking in all of the other commandments of men in order to be closer to God, we deem the Cross of Christ as insufficient. Our consecration to the Word of God is morphed into ambition and our faithfulness into greed. God forbid no!! These wisdom of words being given as doctrine makes the Cross of Christ of no effect.
“6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in Him: 7 Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:6-8
Beware…lest any man spoil you through vain philosophy. The power of God is the Cross of Christ plus NOTHING.
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 