The Cost Of Preaching The Cross Of Jesus Christ

October 19

"And I, brethren, if I were still
to preach circumcision,
why do I still suffer persecution?
THEN THE OFFENSE OF THE CROSS
would have ceased."
Galatians 5:11

Paul was saying that if he were to preach religious practices according to religious laws, no one would come against him. But because he was preaching faith in the Cross rather than religious rites, the religious leaders were persecuting him.

It's the Cross that is an offense, because of its exclusivity. Jesus said there is ONLY ONE way to the Father, and that is offensive to religious people. Paul could easily have escaped persecution by simply following the status quo. He could preach any religious tenet and be honored for it -- EXCEPT preaching the Cross.

And so it is today. As long as you preach or teach commonly-held tenets of goodness and charity, you'll be honored.

Most religions teach that the way of salvation is through obeying the laws of their religion - so what do people think they are gaining by doing such things? Is there ANY merit in them? Absolutely not. None. Zero, and this is the point of the entire book of Galatians. If you bring in only the Cross of Christ with all that that means, you WILL be persecuted.

So why not just go along and follow the status quo, being careful not to offend anyone?

Because the Cross of Christ is GOD'S ONE AND ONLY PROVISION FOR THE SALVATION OF MANKIND.

Accepting the atonement Jesus Christ made for man is the ONLY way to salvation.

"Jesus said to him:
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
NO ONE comes to the Father EXCEPT through me."
John 14:6

Choose ye this day whom you will serve: the tolerance and acceptance of the masses, or the narrow and exclusive way of the only true God.