“For many are walking in such a way that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. I have told you of them often and tell you again, even weeping.”

— Philippians 3:18

I remember my old pastor telling me one time when he visited me at seminary, “James, remember that the enemies of Christ will always attack the Cross, the blood of Christ and this will be the object of their attack and their ridicule,” and I have found that to be so.

Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 1:22: “For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.” And so it is; there are those who seek miracles and unless they can find the miracle they can’t seem to believe. The Greeks sought after wisdom and philosophy, like the humanists of our time.

Paul adds, “But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks” (verse 23). Then He notes that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of the world.

Meanwhile, it is the blood of the Savior that is most despised and hated by an ungodly and unregenerate world. But as Paul says in Philippians 3:18 of the enemies of the cross, their end is destruction. That is one thing you need to remember about all of the wise men of this world—all of those who in their utter sophistication attack Christianity and Christians and the Bible and Christ and His cross—their end is destruction. What lies before them is naught but Hell. They are going away into everlasting perdition and pain.

I don’t hate the cross; I am eternally grateful for it. I trust you are too.

Lord, give me strength to always glory in the cross, as the attacks on You, Your Gospel, Your name, and Your cross continue to increase. Give us the strength to gladly bear reproach and shame for Your name’s sake…

BY HIS STRENGTH, WE CAN
LIFT HIGH THE CROSS.