The Cross of Christ: The Great Unifier

The Spirit calls me today in gentle whispers to my soul. He says, "The sword of division must come but the Cross is the great unifier of men".

As Jesus was preparing His Disciples for His death and departure through the brutal execution by crucifixion on a cross, He told them, in John 13:34-35, "A new command I give you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another".

Interesting that the Savior of the world, God in the flesh, told us to love each other and stated it as a command. He also said in John 14:15 "if you love Me you will obey what I command".

As a follower of Christ, I cannot get away from the mandate to love. Love is therefore a choice, a decision, not a warm fuzzy feeling that ebbs and flows from an emotional merry-go-round of circumstances.

On a deeply personal level, once I became a Christian, I no longer have the right to follow my own "rules of engagement" toward other people, especially others who call Jesus their Savior.

Unity among Christians who come from every tribe and every nation around the world is a testimony of epic proportions to an unbelieving world who denies God and rejects His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Cross of Christ is the great equalizer of men in that it is only through the sacrificial death of God's approved substitute that allows everyone and anyone to call Jesus their own Savior and be saved. It is such an equal-to-all pathway to Eternal salvation, it boggles the mind to wonder why it is rejected by most.

God's salvation requires no birthright from noble parents, and it cannot be bought or sold to the highest bidder. The Cross of Christ saves by an individual decision over the only life that we have the power to choose for...our own.

Just as the Cross of Christ is the great equalizer, it is also the great unifier of men. Those who have sought forgiveness and found Jesus Christ as their Savior have been adopted into an eternal family. Regardless of background, nationality or time and date of earth life, we all share the common belief and faith in the One True God and Jesus Christ, His Son.

We are bound forever in gratitude to the One who saved us from eternal punishment. We are pulled together as a huge family with brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all trusting the same God and the same Savior; all looking to the same Word of Truth by the same Spirit; all in eager anticipation of the same Eternal Kingdom of the same Eternal King.

The sweet Sovereignty of our Holy God has created us for relational unity, first with Himself and then with each other. The Cross is the great unifier. Gal 3:28 says, "you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ.

The sword of Christ is dividing the world. As the days grow more intense and the time of the return of our King draws near, we must remember well, our Lord's command, to love one another. "By this all men will know you are my Disciples if you love one another."

The Cross brings us all together, as we love our Lord we will love each other.

The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?