Uplift Christ

Ten thousand voices shout for our attention in the land, but Seventh-day Adventists dare not be swayed from preaching Christ and the cross. Many others are satisfied merely to speak about Jesus, but we are to exalt Christ and the cross. And among those who do uplift Jesus, we are to be foremost in exalting Christ and the cross. This is our mission. Like that intrepid apostle of mission, Paul, we are to know nothing but "Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

We turn to a famous passage, really a passage for preachers, 1 Corinthians 1:18- 31. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (verse 18). More accurately, "The preaching of the cross is to them that are perishing foolishness; but unto us which are being saved, it is the power of God. In the verses that follow we discover the threefold glory of the cross: the cross is the power of God, the cross is the wisdom of God, and the cross is the creator of the family of God.

The power of God

First of all, the cross is the power of God. The reasoning of the apostle in verse 18 is interesting. It takes an unexpected turn: "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are [being] saved"—we would expect the words "it is wisdom" to follow, but instead he says—"it is the power of God." This surprising outcome is especially directed to the problem of the Corinthians, who were intoxicated with the quest of wisdom. Growing up in their Greek environment, they had been drawn aside by the philosophy of the city's great thinkers. But Paul here dashes cold water on their drunken stupor and turns them from wisdom to power. Later he will talk about wisdom, but first they need to experience the power of God. He wants them to know that knowledge alone only puffs up, but love builds up.

Think of the human lust for power—the intrigue, the ambition, the machinations, the treachery, the trampling down of the weak by the crafty. When Matthew Bolton built the first steam-engine factory, he proclaimed, "Here I sell what all men crave—power!" Life without Christ is a pyramid, and on that pyramid people push and scrape, they struggle and they claw, they trample down the weak, to get to the top. The higher they rise, the fewer there are above them and the more below. But Jesus Christ takes the pyramid of life and turns it upside down so that, instead of trying to rise above our fellows by trampling them down, we carry and sustain them. He is the One who came not to be served, but to serve. And so at the apex of this new pyramid of life, the pyramid of Jesus, we find one Man, and He bears the whole world on His shoulders.

Our preaching and our message are about power. It is not human power or perverted power, but it is divine power—power to save, power to transform, power to serve. Paul continues his thoughts on power: "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (chap. 2:4, 5).

We are admonished: "Lift up the Man of Calvary higher and still higher; there is power in the exaltation of the cross of Christ."—Counsels to Parents and Teachers, p. 434. And again we are reminded: "It is the power of the cross alone that can separate man from the strong confederacy of sin."—Messages to Young People, p. 138. These words are especially for ministers: "If those who today are teaching the word of God, would uplift the cross of Christ higher and still higher, their ministry would be far more successful. If sinners can be led to give one earnest look at the cross, if they can obtain a full view of the crucified Saviour, they will realize the depth of God's compassion and the sinfulness of sin."—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 209,

Ellen White consistently in her writings exalts Christ and the cross. Despite what some may say, her writings are Christcentered. Several years ago when The Shaking of Adventism first came off the press, I was asked to write a review of it. The author, Geoffrey Paxton, an Anglican educator and theologian, makes certain suggestions in it about the relationship of Adventism to the Reformation and what ought to be the center of Adventism. This spurred me into the question "What is the center of Adventism?" So I went to Ellen White's writings and began to look through the three-volume index to her writings and to see where the emphasis falls. I began to notice how many references there were to the Sabbath, to the heavenly sanctuary, to the judgment, and so on. But one entry overwhelms all the others—that one entry having about 87 pages of references is "Christ."

And so, like the message of our predecessors, our message today must come with power. There must be power in our preaching. There must be power in our experience. There must be power in our lives. There must be power for those who hear our preaching. Jesus Christ is mighty to save still today. The Crucified One is able to change men and women, to take away guilt, to give peace, to show us who we are, to break the chains of drugs and alcohol and fornication, to transform men and women today into His divine likeness. I say the world has a right to expect this of our message. We are not dealing with theory, but power. We make high claims, and the world has a right to expect answers of us, to expect solutions that really work in these days.

The apostle writes: "God hath chosen the weak things [better yet, "the weak thing," that is, the cross] ... to confound the things which are mighty" (chap. 1:27). Who would have thought that the cross would be God's instrument to change men and women? Who would have thought that this instrument despised of men would be the power of God unto salvation? Christians have glorified the cross down through the centuries. They have used it to decorate churches, they wear it around their necks and on rings, and they have used it to recognize the honored dead. However, we can hardly begin to imagine what the cross truly meant for Jesus Christ. It was a thing of loathing, of shame, of humiliation. It was so ignominious that never was it used to put to death a Roman citizen. Remember that Jesus Christ was executed; thus the cross belongs in that grisly line that encompasses the firing squad, the electric chair, and the guillotine. We no longer think of it in such terms because He took it and transformed it forever. He found it a place of despair, but He made it His own, and it has become a source of power.

I once read an interesting book called Men of Power. It went through the great men, starting with a Caesar, who stood astride the world like a colossus, down to Charlemagne, that blond giant of a man who, when he came to be crowned, seized the crown from the hands of the pope and put it on his own head, to Napoleon, the skilled general, to Major Franco, who once executed a man for spilling soup on his uniform, and to other men of power. When I came to the end of the book the thought occurred to me that one chapter was left out. In human history there was a Man of power whose power surpasses anything recorded in that book. His name is Jesus Christ. Not by His sword or by airplanes and rockets and bombs, but by His cross, He has subdued kingdoms and has changed the course of human history in a way that no other individual has done. I ask myself, "Does my ministry show the transforming energy of the cross?" The cross indeed is the power of God.

The wisdom of God

The cross is the wisdom of God. Christ is "the power of God," writes Paul, "and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (verses 24, 25). From a human point of view, how ridiculous appears the cross! But the cross confounds human wisdom and lays in the dust all schemes of philosophy. Look at Jesus Christ and you find a bundle of apparent contradictions in Him, the Godman. See Him, the helpless baby lying in the manger. He is the king of the universe, but He lies there on the straw. See Him at Nazareth growing up. He is the one who's "got the whole world in His hands," yet is subject to His parents. See Him in His ministry. He is the source of all life. "In Him," as Ellen White has said, "was life, original, unborrowed, underived."—The SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, on John 1:4, p. 1130. But He is dependent now. See Him praying all night for power, for strength, and for guidance. And at last see the climax of this amazing life—the climax of God's act to save the world—when Jesus, the Godman, dies on the cross. The "foolishness" of God! A cross, a crucified Messiah—was there ever found such a basis for faith? No wonder it was offensive to the Jews! They wanted miracles, they wanted a strong man, they wanted "swords, loud clashing," and the "roll of stirring drums." And to the Greeks it was madness and even mockery. It was evidence of the "worthlessness" of this new religion. But man's supreme foolishness was God's supreme wisdom.

None may feel so low but Calvary gives hope. None may feel so forsaken but Calvary gives courage. None may feel so broken but Calvary gives healing. The foolishness of man is the wisdom of God. And conversely, the cross judges all human pretense, all attempts to commend ourselves to God, for it shows our lostness. Ernst Kasemann has written: "Morality and religiousness only intensify the lostness, since in arrogance or in despair we attempt the impossible, namely to effect salvation and to transcend the world. The cross of Jesus still remains a scandal and an offense for Jew and pagan insofar as it exposes man's illusion that he can transcend himself, work out his own salvation, and exalt himself against God by his own capabilities, whether of strength, wisdom, piety, or self-love."

The cross is the center of the universe, the point from which all else is measured, and the fulcrum of history. Because of the cross, heaven does not open to the learned, the strong, the famous, but to those who believe. Faith transcends human wisdom, and the glory of Greece and Rome is laid in the dust.

I grew up in Australia, and having attended public school, I can recall that under the British system of education we received not only grades but a mark for each subject, indicating one's standing, or rank. A word we often heard in that system was brilliant. To a young man having recently entered the church, a statement of Ellen White on the topic of brilliance meant much: "Call no man brilliant who has not the wisdom to choose the Lord Jesus Christ—the light and life of the world. The excellence of a man is deter mined by his possession of the virtues of Christ."—Letter 106, July 15, 1902.

Exalt Jesus

As Seventh-day Adventists, sometimes we may imagine that we possess a special type of wisdom. We may adopt an elitist or almost a gnostic type of attitude. However, our wisdom must be in the cross. I would appeal that we not be sidetracked by our opponents outside the church and certainly not allow dissident groups within the church to set the agenda for us. Let me explain what I mean. Sometimes we hear among us the objections "If we emphasize the cross we're going to be just like other Christians, but we have to be distinctive." We need to be reminded that our message is the everlasting gospel. We have great truths, truths long obscured, to give to the world, but they all center in Jesus and the cross. Whether it's the Sabbath, or the judgment, or the sanctuary, or state of the dead, or whatever, they all center in Jesus.

When we present them, I urge you, we must make Him the center of every one of these truths. If it's the Sabbath, exalt Him as Lord of the Sabbath. If it's the judgment, exalt Him as our High Priest, Mediator, and Judge. If it's the state of the dead, exalt Him as the Lifegiver who entered death's dark domain and broke its bonds forever. All doctrines are like spokes of a wheel, the hub being Christ. At times we have concentrated on the spokes. We assume that people know about the Hub, but we dare not do so. Every Adventist discourse should uplift Christ. "Theoretical discourses are essential," Ellen White says, "that people may see the train of truth, link after link, uniting in a perfect whole; but no discourse should ever be preached without presenting Christ and Him crucified as the foundation of the gospel."—Gospel Workers, p. 158.

I have been to Adventist services where if a stranger walked in he would wonder what was happening because he could hardly understand the jargon that was used. Every Adventist service should be distinctively Adventist, but it should be distinctive in a way that will appeal to the person walking in off the street, so that he cannot go from the service without saying, "Here are people who love Jesus Christ and really believe in Him." Let us strive to maintain that type of mix in every Adventist service.

On occasion we may hear a second objection: "If we exalt Christ and the cross we'll begin to sound like the dissidents among us." What a mistake if we fall into the trap offered by this objection! The cross is the high ground in the battle, like Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. Jesus Christ has one vantage point where He planted His flag firmly. May we never give up that ground! Let us not think that everything Desmond Ford, for instance, has taught for the past twenty years was ruled out of court by Glacier View. Let us not grant as suspect any emphasis on the cross and justification. Instead, let us preach Christ and the cross more clearly, more emphatically.

I am disturbed at the way language is being snatched from my vocabulary. For example, I no longer can recite those poems I learned in school about walking down the street, "happy and gay." I would lose my credentials if I did so! On occasion, if a minister uses the word gospel today, certain ones in his audience begin to get upset. On the one hand, some are waiting to catch the pastor unless he gives the gospel a particular definition such as "the doing and dying of Jesus." I have had people say after my meetings, "Sorry, we didn't hear the gospel from you. You didn't use the definition that you were supposed to use." On the other hand, with some individuals if the minister begins to mention the gospel, suspicion will be aroused—suspicion that he is a Fordite hiding in the closet, not yet coming out.

In view of this, I would urge: Let us get on with our job, undeterred. Let us refuse to be pushed aside from our duty. Let us exalt Christ and the cross. The Spirit probes me into asking, "Have I found God's wisdom—the wisdom of the cross? Do I cherish that wisdom above every earthly knowledge?"

The creative cross

The apostle continues: "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; . . . and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Cor. 1:27-29). Here is the Creator who in the beginning brought something out of nothing, and now He creates the family of God out of nothing. The ancient world looked on that early church, and it began to mock, "What a motley bunch! Where are the philosophers, where are the rich people, where are the noble-born people? Why, even their leader is a crucified carpenter!"

There was a famous critic of Christianity called Celsus, who laughed at Jesus. "What a singular teacher!" he said. "While all other teachers cry, 'Come to me, you who are clean and worthy,' this strange master calls, 'Come to Me you who are down and beaten by life.' And so being taken at his word by these impossible people, he is followed about by the ragtag and bobtail of humanity trailing behind him."

The Christian scholar Origen gave a devastating reply. "Yes," he said, "yes, but He does not leave them the ragtag and bobtail of humanity. But out of material you would have thrown away as useless, He fashions men, giving them back their self-respect, enabling them to stand upon their feet and look God in the eyes. They were cowering, cringing, broken things, but the Son has made them free." He is continuing to do it today, for He is the Creator of the family of God.

Since coming to the Adventist Review as associate editor a year and a half ago, I have taken notice of the letters to the editor, especially those directed to me that are in response to what I have written. I must admit that some of them are more like "fiery darts." What I am discovering is that the individuals who write these kinds of letters are generally very much down 'on the church. It has puzzled me because the same people often are very strong in exalting individual justification—the idea that the Lord accepts the sinner with all his flaws and faults. To me that is a strange contradiction. If the Lord, because of the cross, accepts me though I am flawed and weak, can He not do the same for the body of Christ, that is, the church? Yes, the church is flawed; yes, the church makes mistakes, but it is accepted collectively in the Beloved, just as much as He accepts me individually. God has chosen the weak things to confound those that are mighty.

At times we hear Celsus' charge repeated: "Not many great people have become Adventists, not many famous names, not many leaders, not many professors, theologians. Our work often may seem to be obscure, beset by weakness, but God is in this work. Not many great—that the power may be God's! Not many wise—that the wisdom may be His! Not many highborn—that the glory may be His!

Behold the people of the Advent. See the little congregation gathered on Sabbath morning for worship. See them, perhaps, sitting on their mats on the dirt floor in a little village hut, as I have seen them.

More than thirty years ago I decided for this people—decided clearly that this people would be my people. I recall that when I was about to be baptized into the church, my brother, who was just a few years older and not an Adventist, took me aside and said, "You ought to wait awhile. You know, wait at least till you're 18. You'll change your mind if you'll just wait." I am glad that I did not wait, for this is the people of God. I am not saying that we are the only people of God, for God has other people outside this fold. But I believe that He has raised up this people to give a particular message at this particular time of earth's history, and I believe He is working a miracle in the world that no other church can match. He is gathering people of all colors and races and languages. He is the Creator of the family of God through the power of the cross.

Paul summarizes his message by saying: "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30).

The cross and our identity

Again a thought from Ellen White: "Jesus Christ laid hold on humanity, that with His human arm He might encircle the race, while with His divine arm He grasped the throne of the Infinite. He planted His cross midway between earth and heaven, and said, 'I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.'"—Messages to Young People, pp. 137, 138. At the foot of the cross is where we find our identity. No matter what our country or nationality, we have one Christ and one cross. No matter what our color, we have one Christ and one cross. No matter what our language, we have one Christ and one cross. Whether we are male or female, we have one Christ and one cross. Whether we are illiterate or have a Ph.D., we have one Christ and one cross. Whether we are a millionaire or are struggling to pay purchases on our credit cards, we have one Christ and one cross. Whether we are 8, 18, or 80, we have one Christ and one cross. Whether we are a Rockefeller or a plain John Smith, we have one Christ and one cross.

The cross is the great leveler of man kind, and in doing so it is the great raiser of mankind, lifting us up to the status of sons and daughters of the living God. God is working a marvel and a miracle in our day, gathering out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people a new nation, a nation that will live with Him forever. And so "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I Unto the world" (Gal. 6:14).

May God forgive us because often we have not been foremost in exalting Christ in the cross! Sometimes we have felt we could leave that job to others, and too often in our ministry our badge has not been the crucified Lord, but instead we have looked out for our own interests. But our long-suffering Lord has not cast us off. Despite the frailty of our work, His Spirit has used and guided our words and our ministry. Now He calls us to preach with new conviction, with new clarity, with new power. He calls us to exalt Christ and the cross. That is the proclamation that will shake the world. "Of all professing Christians, Seventh-day Adventists should be foremost in uplifting Christ before the world. The proclamation of the third angel's message calls for the presentation of the Sabbath truth. This truth, with others included in the message, is to be proclaimed; but the great center of attraction, Christ Jesus, must not be left out."—Gospel Workers, p. 156.

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are [being] saved it is the power of God." "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God [the cross] is stronger than men." "Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Cor. 1:18, 25, 30, 31).