Living the Cross-Centered Life

More than ever my sights are set on the cross and living the cross-centered life. I credit it all to God’s graciousness. He has been sending fresh winds of insight from unexpected corners of life – a chance meeting, a weekend retreat, a recommended book, an illuminated thought. The latest was an internet discussion group involving John Piper with this thought provoker, “The apex of the glory of God is seen in Christ and the apex of His glory is seen in the cross…therefore to be God-centered leads to Christ-centered leads to cross-centered.”

The message of the cross has so many aspects – deity, humanity, perfection, death, resurrection, atonement, salvation, reconciliation – to name a few. Everything that is involved in the message of the cross is the stuff that makes up a comprehensive doctrine. It’s the foundational basis of truth for living the cross-centered life. Yet more importantly than being able to articulate a doctrinal outline of the cross is for it to break through the structures and to sense it in our heart. In other words, the theology of the cross is not just an intellectual act but an interaction process that authentically thrills and transforms our heart.

So how does the cross break through and become a powerful reality? I’ll offer a few ideas that have been gleaned along the way. Just keep in mind these are growing possibilities not a Pharisaical "to do" checklist.

The Cross of Christ continues its heart-permeating work in us as we:
• Lean heavily on the Spirit’s supernatural interaction within us (mysterious and unexplainable as it is)
• Don’t lean heavily on ourselves (we are so prone to older brother moralism/legalism)
• Read about, dwell on, pray over, rejoice in and talk about its comprehensive message
• Ask God to apply its freeing power to specifics (like anxiety, pride, control issues, fear, anger, self-hate, emptiness…at their roots)
• Begin grasping and concretely affirming our belief through worship
• Are conscientious to live out of our true identity in Christ
• Remember His death at the Lord’s Table

The chance encounter I mention above was with Colombian missionaries Phil and Deene. His words after a late night conversation still ring in my ear. I leave them with you. “If you give yourself to this, you will be changed. It will come into effect.”