We run our website the way we wished the whole internet worked: we provide high quality original content with no ads. We are funded solely by your direct support. Please consider supporting this project.

cross

Nothing but Christ Crucified

One of the most remarkable expressions of the all-encompassing nature of the cross is reflected in an incidental, but extremely important, comment that Paul made in his First Letter to the Corinthians. He noted that when he brought “the testimony of God” to Corinth, he hadn’t come “with eloquence or human wisdom”. He instead “resolved to know nothing…except Jesus Christ and him crucified’ (I Cor. 1:1-2).

While this statement may be somewhat hyperbolic (did Paul really resolve to know absolutely nothing except Christ crucified?), it clearly implies that, for Paul, the entire gospel was found in the message of the cross. It implies that, when we understand what took place through the “foolishness of the cross,” we understand all that we need to know about God and about other humans. When you know the character of God revealed on the cross and what he thinks about us, as revealed on the cross, you’ve got the essence of all you need to know about anyone.

Excerpt from Benefit of the Doubt, pages 233-234

Photo credit: jean louis mazieres via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-SA

Related Reading

Which of the Miracles of Jesus Can Humans Do? (podcast)

Greg is asked about the miracles of Jesus, specifically which miracles do we have the potential to perform. He also gives a nod to the band Theocracy.  Episode 74 http://traffic.libsyn.com/askgregboyd/Episode_0074.mp3

The Final Battle in Revelation

I will conclude this series on the violent imagery in Revelation by addressing the infamous eschatological battle scene found in 19:11-21, for it is this graphically violent section of Revelation that is most frequently appealed to by those who argue against the claim that Jesus reveals an enemy-loving, non-violent God that is unconditionally opposed to…

The Ultimate Goal of Life & What Stands in the Way of It

What is the point of it all? What is the highest good? What is the point of life? Greg addresses these huge question in this sermon clip, where he introduces the idea of the beautific vision. The point of everything is to enjoy loving God in his is enjoying and loving us. But of course…

Lighten Up: My Favorite!

He always gives the best gifts.

What I Am, and Am Not, Doing In These Blog Posts

In this post I’d like to try to help some potentially frustrated readers by explaining what I am, and am not, trying to accomplish in this series on the violent portraits of God in the OT. First let me explain something. My forthcoming book, The Crucifixion of the Warrior God, fleshes out and defends a…

Lighten Up: The Jesus Eraser

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…” Ephesians 2:14 Image by David Hayward @ www.nakedpastor.com.