Lesson Four – The Work of The Cross
In the first lesson of this section we spoke about how Christ’s sacrifice being a defining moment when the Father made a way for all mankind to come back into a relationship with him This is an accomplished fact.
In the previous lesson we considered Jesus’s “born again” conversation with Nicodemus and noted that while our Lord was speaking of heavenly things Nicodemus’s mind was confined to carnal things. Another event that stands out is when Jesus rebuked Peter for his carnal stance in light of what Jesus was speaking of in the coming events. Peter could only see through the lens of a carnal mind, and would not accept that Jesus would be killed.
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“From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matt. 16:21-25)
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From Jesus’s perspective both Nicodemus and Peter should have been able to discern between carnal and spiritual things. Nicodemus was a teacher, supposedly of spiritual things, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?” (John 3:10) and Peter had served as a disciple of Jesus for three years. Should he have not had the ability to see and discern? Should this not be the life of a believer as “you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.”? (Rom. 8:9).
Immediately following Jesus’s rebuke of Peter He shared with His disciples the reality of life following Him – they must deny themselves. Taking up the cross in one’s life can be a painful journey and fearfully avoided by many Christians. Thus a life of victory therefore becomes a superficial life in the spirit. Jesus went to the cross voluntarily knowing the will of the Father and that death was unavoidable, and that victory can only be achieved through death.
Let’s briefly revisit what the Bible says about the flesh and the carnal mind:
- “it is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.” (john 6:63)
- “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6)
- “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God;” (Rom. 8:7)
- “for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” (Rom. 8:7)
- “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom. 8:8)
The Word of God is clear and definitive. God is so adamant against the flesh and its every activity; yet many believers will reject what appears to be the bad things of the flesh while ignorant that all flesh is to be rejected, even what seems good to his carnal mind. We are to follow the Apostle Paul’s instruction and “worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3)
Watchman Nee explains:
In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ” (Col. 2:11). We should be willing to allow the cross, like a knife in circumcision, to cut off completely everything that pertains to the flesh. Such incision must be deep and clean so that nothing of the flesh is left concealed or can remain. The cross and the curse are inextricable (Gal. 3:13). When we consign our flesh to the cross we hand it over to the curse, acknowledging that in the flesh abides no good thing and that it deserves nothing but the curse of God. Without this heart attitude it is exceedingly difficult for us to accept the circumcision of the flesh. Every affection, desire, thought, knowledge, intent, worship and work of the flesh must go to the cross.
To be crucified with Christ means to accept the curse our Lord accepted. It was not a glorious moment for Christ to be crucified on Calvary (Heb. 12:2). His being hanged on a tree meant His being accursed of God (Deut. 21:23). Consequently, for the flesh to be crucified with the Lord simply implies being accursed with the Lord. As we must receive the finished work of Christ on the cross, so must we enter into the fellowship of the cross.
(The Spiritual Man, Volume I, page 127)
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“Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” (John 21:18-19)