Even Demons Believe, Chapter Nine

Table of Contents

9. Why the Cross?

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  • You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.” (John 3:7)

We should not be “surprised” that we must be “born again.” We are so totally worthless, vile, and corrupt that a brand new person must be created. Like the demons, we are completely undone, and we are like them in every way. The only difference between a demon and a man is that man has a choice. He can choose to be born again or refuse that chance. Demons had their chance in heaven and their opportunity has long passed. Hope does not exist in hell and there will be none for those who are not born again according to God’s Word. As Paul declares, we are “worthless” and there is no one who “does good, not even one.”

  • All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. (Romans 3:12)

We must fully realize and be convinced by God, through the cross, who we really are.

  • We are rebellious, turning away from God.
  • We have become totally worthless.
  • We are unable to do a single good thing.
  • There is not even one person who honestly looks for God.

Apart from Jesus man does not have one good thing about him. Apart from being born again not a single ounce of good
dwells in a person. Paul goes on to declare the facts of who we are and the reason we must be born again.

Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths
are full of cursing and bitterness. eir feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the
way of peace they do not know. ere is no fear of God before their eyes. (Romans 3:13–18)

Look at your life and then look again at what Romans declares. Surely if you look honestly you will see that you are all these things and more:

  • Throat is an open grave.
  • Tongue practices deceit.
  • The poison of vipers is on your lips.
  • Mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
  • Feet are swi to shed blood.
  • Ruin and misery mark your ways.
  • The way of peace you do not know.
  • There is no fear of God before your eyes.

Without conviction from the Holy Spirit and acceptance of these facts, a man never submits to God’s way of salvation, for he always feels unjustly accused. God’s grace requires full surrender of all pride and self-justication, for God is “grieved” that he made you. As He looks at your life and what you have become, “pain” fills His heart.

  • The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. e Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. (Genesis 6:5–6)

As has been said, we are wicked to the core and God came to send all to hell who love being bad. God’s only solution is to start over with you. A completely new you must be created. A new you conformed to Jesus’ image, righteousness, and holiness. Jesus didn’t die so you could clean up your life a bit. God isn’t going to patch you up to keep your life happy. God is not like a doctor or psychiatrist who seeks to hold you together, knowing full well it will soon all fall apart.

You remain beyond hope of ever doing anything good in your current state, so God must start over. at is what it means to be born again. A complete new life starts and grows into adulthood over time. Growth requires a cross in your life that will slowly kill the old you, thus making room for the new you to grow.

The cross, however, must continue its work. When a man or woman stops carrying the cross, the new life God created starts to die because the old you begins to take over again. If this situation continues long enough, the new life God started totally dies and the person becomes more fit for hell than when God first started. Better that he never even started trying to be a Christian.

Disciples carry their cross “daily” and prepare themselves for death to self upon that cross. The “message of the cross” truly delivers a man from sin. As Paul declares, “it is the power of God” for those “being saved.”

  • For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Those who wish to rely on a simple, cheap grace salvation message are not actually “being saved.” Only those embracing the “message of the cross” are “being saved,” for that is where the “power of God” dwells

Truths To Ponder, Beliefs To Examine

  1. What opinion do you have about the way of salvation?
  1. What opinion do you have about the way of salvation?
  1. What opinion do you have about the way of salvation?

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