The Cross — The Forgotten Power of the Kingdom of God
Cross Carved Wooden Cross Crucifix Wayside Cross
London’s iconic cathedral is dedicated to St. Paul because he is the spiritual father of Christian Europe. He brought to Europe the seeds of God’s kingdom.
Greek democracies had disintegrated centuries before Paul. He entered Europe through Macedonia — the country from which Alexander the Great launched his empire-building conquests. There, Paul proclaimed a different kind of a kingdom — the kingdom of a crucified Messiah, the kingdom of heaven. He called his Gospel, “the word of the cross . . . the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1: 18)
Paul was on his way to Rome. That was the world’s most brutal city. Emperor Nero was to burn Christians alive as torches for his gardens. Rome had sophisticated art, wonderful architecture, great literature and a powerful army. Paul ignored those seductive trappings of a beastly civilization. He adopted as his only badge of honor, Rome’s most degrading symbol — the cross.
The cross represented Rome’s extreme brutality, far worse than the Islamic State’s beheadings. Rome used the cross to terrorize the world. That was its means to subjugate people and control slaves. The empire crucified Jesus to humiliate, mock and expose the powerlessness of the Jewish Messiah (Christ). Jesus willingly chose the cross, Rome’s ultimate weapon of terror, and made it his spiritual weapon to destroy Satan’s kingdom. Paul understood the power of the cross and followed Christ.
The Roman Empire was also built on military power. But Paul’s mission to Europe was counter cultural. He was determined to proclaim and live by a different power — the way of the Cross. He wrote, the “Jews demand [supernatural] signs and Greeks look for [philosophical] wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified . . . Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:22-25).
Prof Vishal Mangalwadi directs the Centre for Human Resource Development in a Unversity in North India. He has authored 20 books and lectured in 40 countries. His exposition of Indian philosophy and Western thought and culture In books such as “The World of Gurus”, and “The Book That Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization” are studied at university level.
Trending Now on Affluent Christian Investor
Universal Basic Income Has Already Been Tried: Here’s What Happened
Top Democrats Who Support Venezuelan Dictator
Higher Education Doesn’t Cause Higher Earnings
How A Personal Relationship With God Limits The Impersonal State
The Theological Foundations Of The Principles Of 1776
If Trump Is So Bad, Why Are Things So Good?
If Inequality Worries Ray Dalio, Then He Should Dial Up His Investment Risk
Economist’s Love Of Fed Is Really Love Of Power
Crisis-Ridden Turkey To Buy Russian Missiles Instead Of American Fighters
Remember The Media’s Obsession With This Recession Metric?
What Number Will Signal When the Dollar is About to Plunge to Zero Value?
King David on The Suffering Leader
The American Covenant: How American Independence Arose from the Colonial Pulpits
The Futility of Managing Your Own Reputation
Is It Better To Be Rich Or, Poor?
The Most Stupid People In The World
What This Washington Post Journalist Learned After 544 Days In An Iranian Prison
Follow Us
The Affluent Mix
Universal Basic Income Has Already Been Tried: Here’s What Happened... May 20, 2019 | Frank Vernuccio
Higher Education Doesn’t Cause Higher Earnings... May 20, 2019 | Daniel McLaughlin
How A Personal Relationship With God Limits The Impersonal State... May 20, 2019 | Jim Huntzinger
Economist’s Love Of Fed Is Really Love Of Power... May 20, 2019 | Roger McKinney
If Inequality Worries Ray Dalio, Then He Should Dial Up His Investment Risk... May 20, 2019 | John Tamny
Top Democrats Who Support Venezuelan Dictator... May 14, 2019 | Frank Vernuccio
If Trump Is So Bad, Why Are Things So Good?... May 14, 2019 | Daniel McLaughlin
Remember The Media’s Obsession With This Recession Metric?... May 14, 2019 | Jerry Bowyer
Crisis-Ridden Turkey To Buy Russian Missiles Instead Of American Fighters... May 14, 2019 | Charles Bowyer
The Theological Foundations Of The Principles Of 1776... May 14, 2019 | Jim Huntzinger
Tucker’s Attackers/Clinton Allies Ignore Bill’s Trips On Lolita Express... April 16, 2019 | David Gornoski
‘Progressive’ Christianity Is Actually Regressive Medievalism... April 16, 2019 | Roger McKinney
The Declaration Is Pro-State Sovereignty, But Anti-Slavery... April 16, 2019 | Jim Huntzinger
Berlin Wall, Venezuela Demonstrate Failure To Follow God’s Economic Policies F... April 16, 2019 | Kevin Cullis
One-Sided Harshness April 16, 2019 | Frank Vernuccio
Jesus’ Debt Warnings, Pt. 2: Torah And Debt Release... April 16, 2019 | Jerry Bowyer
What This Washington Post Journalist Learned After 544 Days In An Iranian Prison... March 13, 2019 | John Tamny
Socialism Is Not About Sharing – It’s About Killing... March 13, 2019 | Roger McKinney
Founding Fathers’ Plan: Governments Compete Over Us... March 13, 2019 | Jim Huntzinger
Rich People Who Don’t Shop At Wal-Mart Say It’s Bad For Poor People ... March 13, 2019 | Daniel McLaughlin
Jesus’ Debt Warnings, Pt. 1: “The Serpent Indebted Me”... March 13, 2019 | Jerry Bowyer
Who’s To Blame For The Socialist Resurgence?... March 5, 2019 | Terry Applegate
Join the conversation!
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, vulgarity, profanity, all caps, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain a courteous and useful public environment where we can engage in reasonable discourse.