In the hymn “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” is the lyric, Beneath the cross of Jesus, I [gladly] would take my stand; The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land. This world we live in is a tired one. It requires us to use much courage and endurance to stand in the face of sin. Mankind has been disfigured by generations of disorder, hatred, addiction, hypocrisy, abuse and crime. Every once in a while, an event happens that seems to shake people to their core. These things shift careless minds from pleasure-seeking to considering God and evaluating their soul.
On September 10, 2025, a young man was killed in front of a crowd. He was assassinated for speaking truthfully to those who came to hear him. Many prayer vigils and marches for Christianity followed his death, both in the United States and in major cities of other nations. This was perhaps only an emotional response by some, while others may sincerely be waking up to their spiritual need.
In a time of constant conflict and awful headlines, this event stuck out as especially cruel and sickening. What a weary world indeed. No wonder Jesus called for us to be in this world but not of it. He was born at a time of great uncertainty and division. His life was threatened from the very start. His gospel was and still is the greatest cure to all that plagues mankind. However, it is only effective when people seek Him with their whole heart and do what the Bible teaches. In Matthew 16:24, Christ proclaimed, “…If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” This statement was not to maintain control over people, but it was to help us understand that we must be separated from our sin and the sin around us to really be a Christian. Similarly, the 10 commandments (Exodus 20) were written by God to keep people holy and to protect them from the evil consequences of sin. He has always sought to bring men back to Himself. He is the cure for every problem and evil that exists.
1 John 1:5 tells us “… God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” God’s character is everything true, holy, just, pure and good. It is in total contrast to evil. We know that He can not dwell with sin. It is His plan to cleanse people’s hearts from sin so that He can be with them, here in this life and forever in eternity. Jesus Christ willingly came to earth and died on a cross to be that sacrifice to atone, or reconcile, for your sins and my sins. Only He can change you from a sinner to a child of God. Only through Him can you avoid the eternal reaping of your transgressions.
Our society has put many blockades in place to prevent the consequences of wrong-doing; to manage sin in the lives of men and women. Whether public or private organizations, goodwill foundations or government funding, they all work toward undoing the mess that sin has caused. While they do their best to help people with their issues, the core problem is left unresolved. Sin still remains and grows in the soul of the sinner.
When Christ came, He didn’t set up social groups to help people manage sin, but He did deliver them out of their sin. He cast out evil spirits from a mentally depraved man named Legion and from an unstable woman named Mary Magdalene. He showed compassion on a lustful, adulterous woman, not by accepting her sin, but by changing her heart and telling her to never sin again. He called out those that would hinder a child in any way and delivered a severe punishment to those who were greedy right in the temple of God. He addressed the institution of marriage, proclaiming it to be between man and wife. He named out religious hypocrites and told them to repent. Even at His last hour, Christ forgave a man considered the lowest of the low, a thief dying on the cross next to Him.
Whatever sins are in your heart, whatever you have participated in, there is hope in Christ. This world is dark and growing dimmer yet, but for all that ails the soul, there is a perfect cure.
