Scripture References: Philippians 3:18
Can you imagine why anybody could become an enemy against the crossof Christ, as Paul tells us in the aabove verse of scripture? Now Paulis not telling us here that many would be an enemy of the truth andfact that Christ did die and was crucified on a cross, but rather it'swhat the cross represents that will cause many to become an enemyagainst.
There is a revealed truth concerning what Paul refers to as beingthe cross of Christ that very few people can see and understand. Theapostle Paul has much to say about this cross in his writings, but mostpeople are failing to understand the meaning of it and what it standsfor spiritually. The teaching of this cross does not pertain to theliteral cross that Christ was crucified on at Calvary, but rather itrepresents all the suffering that he endured on that cross as well asthe persecution he endured by the people in order to obtain eternalredemption for us. In Hebrews 9:12 we find these words saying,"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood heentered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemptionfor us."
This eternal redemption that Christ obtained for us isbelieved by millions of confessing Christians in world today, that thiseternal redemption has been imputed to them on their behalf basedmerely on a belief on the finished work that Christ accomplished atCalvary. This is merely believing that we can be redeemed and possesssalvation without us suffering and dying for it as Christ did. Christdid not die for his own redemption, but rather he died for ourredemption. His death on the cross for our redemption was only anexample for us meaning that as he died on a cross we too must die on across as well in order to be redeemed from a life of sin and back infellowship with God where there is no sin.. Now the cross that we mustdie or be crucified on is the cross that Jesus tells us to take up andfollow him, as stated in Matthew 16:24 that says, "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."
WhatJesus meant by him telling us to take up our cross is the veryreason why Paul said that many would be the enemies of the cross ofChrist. Look at what Paul tells us in Philippians 3:17 that says,"Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so asye have us for an ensample."There are multiplied millions of confessing Christians in the worldtoday that have not taken up their cross and following Christ as Pauldid, and when they are confronted with the truth of the matter theywill hate and despise the revealed truth of what our cross is that wemust take up and follow Christ. The cross that Christ was crucified onis an example for us, meaning that we also have to die by crucifixionon a cross as Christ also died by crucifixion on a cross. It was theapostle Peter that tells us these words in I Peter 2:21-22 that says,"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,leaving us anexample, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither wasguile found in his mouth:"What Jesus did to purchase our eternal redemption, which is eternalsalvation, is an example for us meaning that we also must die and becrucified on a cross in order for us to purchase that eternalredemption that he first died for. The cross that we must be crucifiedon is a spiritual cross where our sinful nature must be put to death.Christianity teaches that when Christ died on the cross they died withhim, and when Christ was buried they was buried with him, and whenChrist rose again they were raised with him, but this is not the truthof the matter. How we must die and how we are crucified with Christ isa spiritual truth that most will hate and despise making them enemiesof the cross of Christ, as Paul told us in Philippians 3:18. The crossof Christ will be hated and despised by millions when they are toldthat Christ's cross is an example for us meaning that we mustspiritually die and be crucified as Christ died and was crucified.Christ's death and crucifixion was done literally on a wooden cross,but our death and crucifixion is done on a spiritual cross as we walkin and obey the many truths revealed in the gospel of Christ. Listen towhat Paul tells us in Romans 6:3 that says, "Know ye not, that so manyof us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?"This baptism is certainly not water baptism, but is rather the baptismor the work of the Spirit that baptizes the believer into the body ofChrist where they become an entirely new creature in Christ. How doesthe Spirit baptize us into Christ? Notice what Paul says in Romans 6:4that says, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of theFather, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
We did not die with Christ when he died on the cross, and we werenot buried with him when he was buried in the tomb, and we did not risewith him when he rose from the dead the third day, as millions has beenled to believe today by the many false prophets doctrines that hasinfiltrated Christianity today as well as in times past. We arebaptized into his death by "BAPTISM"and not when hedied. We are put to death or crucified by the Spirit that baptizes usinto Christ that destroys our carnal sinful nature. The Spirit baptizesthe believer into Christ as he leads the believer into the revealedtruths of Gods word. It is the cleansing and creating power of the manytruths of Gods word that is revealed by revelation of the Spirit thatbaptizes the believer into the body of Christ where they become a newcreature in Christ, as Paul states in II Corinthians 5:17. This truthis the cross of Christ that deceived confessing Christians will hateand despise today. Today's multiplied millions of confessing Christiansstill live in and commit sin even as they still confess to be born ofGod, but John reveals their hypocrisy in I John 3:8-10 that says, "Hethat committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from thebeginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that hemight destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth notcommit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, becausehe is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and thechildren of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God,neither he that loveth not his brother." Right here is proven whois of God and who is of the devil. John reveals that they who commitsin is of the devil and those who are born of God do not and furthermore cannot commit sin. This is a truth that the deceived confessingChristian world today will deny, but they are only deceiving themselvesnot allowing Gods word to be true having the final say of the matter.What Gods word teaches about sin will not be accepted and believed bythe millions of confessing Christians today. We can hear the preachersdeny the doctrine of sinless perfection simply because they know theystill have sin in their life. For them to have sin in their life doesnot disprove what John says about it in I John 3:8-10. These ministerscannot confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh as the apostleJohn tells us in I John 4:1-3 that says, "Beloved,believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know yethe Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ iscome in the flesh is of God: Andevery spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the fleshis not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye haveheard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." Toconfess that Jesus Christ "is come" in the flesh does not mean just toconfess with your mouth and say that he "did come" in the flesh, (whichof course he did) and it also does not mean just to confess with yourmouth and say that he "will come"in the flesh, (which he will) but rather it means that Christ is comeand is spiritually in you at this present time and will be proven byyour testimony that you have. Listen to all the preachers confessingtheir sins they continue to commit, as well as those that they havedeceived. Are they proving by their testimony that the "life of Christ"is the life being manifested in and through their mortal flesh?
Listen to what Paul reveals about this in what he says stated in II Corinthians 4:10-11 that says, "Alwaysbearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the lifealso of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live arealway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesusmight be made manifest in our mortal flesh." Is the life of Christbeing the manifested life through all the deceived preachers and laymembers of the church today? No, why? Because the life of Christ is nota sinful life and Christ is no minister of sin like preachers aretoday. Will not this truth concerning the cross of Christ cause many tobecome an enemy of it like Paul tells us? He that has an ear to hear,let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.....amen