Born Crucified. It was the French preacher, Lacordaire, who said that the Church was "born crucified." This crucial fact has somehow been forgotten by much of modern christendom. While theology surrounding atonement, forgiveness and grace is abounding, and preaching regarding the death of Jesus Christ is as attended to as ever; the aspect of the gospel that puts us on the cross with Christ has somehow been forgotten. Why is true holiness lacking? Why does christianity seem powerless? Why do so many fall away so quickly? Certainly it has something to do with the fact that the cross is not having the effect on our lives that it should be. Too many are accepting Jesus and asking Jesus into their heart, while never taking up their cross daily and following him.
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." Mathew 16:24,25

The earliest followers of Jesus understood this principal. Paul wrote:
"It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him" 2 Timothy 2:11

The prerequisite to spiritual life is death to self. Being crucified with Christ guarantees our part in his resurrection.

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:6-11

There is something important for us to know here. Many times this principal Paul expounds upon in Romans is rushed over to get to more expedient verses, but the crucified life is a necessity for every follower of the Lamb. As with any other important truth in the word of God, it is only truly grasped by faith. For although you can intellectually assilimilate much of the Bible, you will never truly receive it until you take hold of it by faith. Such is so with this truth that Paul brings to us. A real grasp of this concept would be evident, in that it would lead to an utter and complete lack of sin in one's life. It would also be evident by a life absolutely set apart to God.

Understanding the place of the cross in our own lives is not optional. God has issued a death warrant on the flesh. He desires to expose and destroy the very root of our sin, in order to make us completely dependent on him. He wants us to die to self. Few christians have ever realized where God intends to take them and what his method of getting them there is. The status quo has enabled the majority to blend into a service (or two) during the week and feel that they are plenty christian. Jesus warned where this broad path would lead. I hope this website will cause you to explore the intentions God has for your life. I can assure you of one thing: His intentions include the cross; not as some distant thing that belongs to Jesus alone, but as a means of ridding you of your selfish tendancies. More effort and better resolutions will never do. You must "die daily", just like Paul. God will take you as far as you are willing to go. Each step will undoubtedly include more of God and less of you. What a blessed thought!

Jesse