We lay special emphasis on the message of the Cross which is being relegated to the background in the churches today. The message of the Cross pivots on the teachings of Christ Jesus and His apostles under the New Testament. The message of the Cross, in other words, means the message of the New Covenant. The Devil, the old serpent, offers the fruit of the tree of the knowledge that would open the eyes so that “ye shall be gods, knowing good and evil” and that “was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise….” (Gen.3:3-6). Those who have been deceived by the cunning devil preach messages of the tree of the knowledge, quoting the Bible from one angle in the same manner as the Devil quoted the Scriptures while tempting Jesus. Such messages would make us arrogant, self-righteous, self-centered and covetous. But, the message of the Cross would make us humble, righteous, selfless and sacrificial. The message of the Cross mainly covers the following: World-evangelism, the need of the hour (Matt.28:19)
Revival of the churches and their restoration to the early New Testament pattern (Acts 2:42-47)
Ministry to the saints (Rom.12:13 & 15:26, Heb.6:10)and personal commitment to the one universal body of Christ
(I Cor.12:12-27, Eph.2:16 )
Not glorying in any thing or spiritual experiences except in the Cross of the Lord Jesus (Gal.6:14)
Witness to the world through the Christian discipleship by self-denial, cross-bearing and following Jesus (Matt.16:24-2)
Doing only the perfect God’s will in the ministry as Jesus did (Jn.5:30, 6:38 & 7:17, Rom.12:2)
Persecution for His Cross (Gal.6:12)
Loving the neighbour in the spirit of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) and sharing our material blessings with the poor like Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31 & Matt.25:31-46)
By relegating the message of the Cross, the churches end up in situations like the following:
The glory of the Cross which is of God and His Son is different and separate from the glory of this world. The glory of the kingdoms of the world was offered by the Devil to Jesus when He was tempted in the wilderness (Matt.4:8). But, Jesus chose the glory of His Cross. These days, the glory of His Cross is being replaced in the churches with the glory of this world by the false prophets and teachers.
Revival not breaking out
Preaching superfluously on material prosperity and not on suffering or cross-bearing
Preaching only on love and grace and not on sin, righteousness and judgment
Preparation of the Church for the second coming of Jesus with no concern for evangelism
Praise and worship services to God by the people whose heart is far from God and with sin having dominion over their life
Giving of tithes and offerings to the ministers with little concern towards the suffering “neighbour” and the “poor saints” of the House of God(Rom15:26)
Ministry through the spiritual gifts without charity (I Cor.13)
Service to the church without intercessory prayer and concern for the lost souls
Man-made reformation in the church without the dominion of the Holy Spirit on the lives of its ministers
Redundant scriptural knowledge with no spiritual ears to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit from the Word – “Knowledge puffeth……” (I Cor.8:1)
Self-righteousness sans simplicity and humility
Pride or spiritual arrogance
Expectation of service from others without serving them
Self-centeredness in place of Christ-centeredness
Self-importance without honouring others
Not producing disciples of Christ or ministers of God under the New Testament ministry but simply producing the outer-court “believers” under the Old Testament ministry or “Sunday Christians” and making them serve the Old Testament Levitical priests
Having fellowship with the members of the same denominational church with little concern for the universal Body of Christ
Feelings and personal experiences taking the place of the Word of God
Holiness by do’s and don’ts without surrendering the body to the dominion of the Holy Spirit (Rom.6: 13 & 12:1)