Taking Back The Crucifix

Too often we acquiesce to popular norms. We allow people to seize control  of the meaning of a symbol when it has multiple interpretations.  The greatest mistake in this was allowing Catholics to claim the Crucifix. Due to the Thirty Year’s War, and that most Romanites use crucifixes on their altars, the Crucified Christ image or Crucifix has come to be the symbol of the Catholic Church, and so many Protestants reject its use due to this and the fact they assume it isn’t depicting the whole Gospel, chiefly The Ressurection. I want to express how dangerous theologically and doctrinally it is to dislike the crucfix. To hand over the image of our Lord’s death for our sins is an abomination! Catholics do not have a copyright on our Lord’s sacrifice and suffering, the Apostles spoke openly of remebering Christ’s death and its importance: 

“So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it. Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19: 16-20, 29-30) 

“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:45-54) 

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-4)

“For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

“He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

“having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross,” (Colossians 2:14)

“And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10) 

“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2)

“So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense, But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 CORINTHIANS 1:23-24)

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36)

“But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14)

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.” (Galatians 3:1)

“Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

“For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.” (Romans 3:25-26)

Yes Christ did raise from the dead:

“This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.” (John 21:14)

“And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33)

“who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 1:4) 

“knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.” (Romans 6:9)

 “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel,” (2 Timothy 2:8)

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20)

To disdain the Crucifixion is to go against sound theology and doctrine. We believe Jesus Christ our Lord was crucified for our sins and rose from the dead, why then is the crucifix which depicts this glorious sacrifice such a sting to many Protestant brethren?  What is so hard about seeing a representation of God’s propitiation and great love in art form? I personally believe Satan has used the enmity between us Protestants and Catholics to foster a displeasure with Christ Crucified. Attend most Protestant Easter services and Good Friday is either omitted or is a dirge, when it should be a celebration that “It is Finished.” Certainly The Resurrection is equally important to the Crucifixion, the two are interlinked and are part of the full Gospel, but the way depictions of the Crucifixion provoke scorn in our Protestant circles is alarming. Jesus sacrifice on the cross is not the property of Catholics or any one denomination, but is the very truth of God for every Christian. If the devil can cause believers to dislike the image of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, he is winning a war theologically though ever so subtly. To dislike the crucifix is to dislike Christ’s atonement for mankind! It is to dislike the gospel! This is how crafty the serpent Satan had been, to use the Roman Catholic Church and monopolize the imagery of Christ Crucified so that Protestants will dislike the Crucifixion! Its a brain washing tactic of the evil one, to make the image of our Great God and Savior on the cross be repugnant to those who believe in Him and His Sacrifice! We must resist the enemy’s attempt to slander Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. 

The time has come to take back the Crucifix. It is a positive depiction of Christ paying our debt with His blood and death. It is the visual representation of God’s unconditional love for mankind. Wearing or displaying the crucifix is sharing the gospel in art form. It is to proclaim our Lord God’s saving power to all! Let us boast in Christ Crucified as the apostle Paul did! Let us reclaim the visual imagery of The Lamb who was slain! Take back the Crucifix! Wear it or display it with pride! Amen.