The Cross

The Cross

Peter exhorts us to abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul (1 Pet. 2:11-12), so that the Gentiles can see our honorable conduct.

Everyone has a sense for what is good and pure with the result that their soul is disgusted by the fleshly lusts—the animal instincts—the physical urges. Nevertheless, people are still taken captive, and the resultant corruption is great. We have been redeemed from this aimless conduct by the blood of Jesus. 1 Pet. 1:18-19. Peter says further in Chapter 4:3-5 that the Gentiles need to see this and think it strange. We must take up our cross if we are to follow Peter’s exhortation. Gal. 5:24. It is not so difficult to find that cross, but it is a different matter when it comes to taking it up.

Everyone understands this salvation and this battle, and after a person has become a decent citizen so that no one can say anything against him, his Christianity will become a badge of honor for him. The more wretched a person was, the more he will be honored. The least that is required of a Christian is that he stays away from these fleshly lusts that war against the soul. Nevertheless, the apostle says that the Word divides between soul and spirit. Heb. 4:12. When this occurs, we enter into a deeper salvation, with the result that we are conformed to the image of Jesus.

The first Adam became a living soul; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. We understand that becoming a life-giving spirit is much more. The first man was of the earth, earthly; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 1 Cor. 15:45-49.

We can meet many Christians who have taken up their cross with the result that they have victory over their fleshly lusts and live an unusually respectable life; but they are soulish—earthly. We can say that they have been lifted up to the plane of the first Adam. He was appointed to tend the garden and rule over the animals. These soulish Christians do not have a sense for anything except earthly things—whatever is beautiful and good in the eyes of man. Their worship services are as attractive for the soulish person as possible, and they think it very important what other people think.

In this state they can really enjoy life. They do not have a bad conscience, and they have no outstanding issues with their fellow men. They are free from the corruption of these bad lusts; they can live in peace and enjoy the earthly riches that they collect and deal with. We can often hear them say, “That isn’t sin, is it? Just look how God has blessed me! He doesn’t deny the person who loves Him any good thing. Well, even if it were only for this life I would still be a Christian, because it is so good.” And so they continue to enjoy life, as well as their good works such as generosity and hospitality, their sermons and work to win souls, etc.; they enjoy everything. But when the Word comes to divide between soul and spirit, they enter into a new phase of the battle. Only the few find the cross that will lift them up from being soulish and earthly to being spiritual and heavenly.

Paul says, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Cor. 15:19. The soulish person has a difficult time understanding this word. But we understand from this word that there wasn’t much that Paul could enjoy in this life. Paul followed Jesus who was perfected through sufferings. The soulish person speaks about Jesus’ battle, sufferings, and death for us, and he presents His sufferings as beautifully as he can so that the entire assembly weeps over Him. But in order to become spiritual, we have to follow Jesus, and then we begin to speak about us partaking of Jesus’ battle, His sufferings, and His death. Phil. 3:10; 2 Tim. 2:11-12. That puts an end to our enjoyment of the “good life.”

“For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer for it, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.” Read 1 Peter 2:20-25.

For many people it is difficult to suffer patiently when they are punished for their sin. Right away they think there is not enough love even though they are not willing to defend their fleshly lusts. But what about when we have done the good and have to suffer for it? There we meet a cross that only the few have a sense for taking up; but we will not become spiritual unless we do it.

Here Peter presents Jesus as an example. He poured out His soul—the first Adam who was earthly—to the point of death. Isa. 53:12. He did not revile again when He was reviled. Peter says it is no credit to you if you do not revile again when you are reviled for your sin; but how is it if you have done the good and you are reviled for it? Then a person thinks that this can’t go any further and he begins to defend his “Adam in Paradise” tooth and nail. He doesn’t understand the death of Christ because he is afraid of the reproach. You are misunderstood and a fool in people’s eyes because of the death of Christ. Your human glory vanishes, and you are no longer honored for your Christianity.

“When He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously . . . .” Here we see how humble and meek of heart Jesus was. He did not even think that He could pass the right judgment. He was the One who suffered, but since He was still not perfected, He committed it to the Father who judges righteously. Here there are great depths on the way down where we can find our cross. The cross that makes an end of the fleshly lusts is on the surface and is visible to most people. It lifts us up to the level of Paradise on which we are His people. Rev. 21:3. However, only the few find the cross on which the man of Paradise has to die. That cross makes us into the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem that descends from heaven. The first are earthly and remain on the new earth, but the last bear the image of the heavenly—they have become heavenly.