sermonette: Syncretic Use of the Cross

A pagan symbol cannot be 'Christianized'
Martin G. Collins
Given 31-Jan-04; Sermon #649s; 15 minutes

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Even today in this secular Western world, the most common good luck good luck charm is the cross or the crucifix. Not only do many in mainstream Christianity wear them, but some professional athletes and a few actors and actresses and even idolized music stars such as Madonna. have been seen wearing the cross as either a necklace or a bracelet or in other areas maybe even tattooed onto their bodies. Simply by way of illustrating the foolishness of human reasoning, I ask this. If Jesus was executed today, by what method would it be? Would he be murdered by electrocution or by lethal injection? Earlier in the 20th century, someone with a shotgun may have executed Jesus. A little earlier maybe a hangman's noose would have been used. What if he lived during the time of the French Revolution? Would his head have been lopped off by a guillotine? Or perhaps that had he lived during the Catholic Spanish Inquisition, he would have been tortured to death by the rack. Now these are all methods all grotesque and horrible images of various methods of execution. They are terrifying and shameful ways to die. Now it may be that if Christ had been slaughtered with the use of one of these instruments, mainstream Christianity would be wearing it around their necks or painting it on their Bibles or fastening it to the tops of their churches. How foolish would a guillotine look mounted on the obelisk of a church roof. Let's start with me to John 1919. Well, these questions serve to expose the foolishness of human reasoning regarding how it thinks it should worship the Lord and Savior, and obviously there has to be another reason why mainstream Christianity. So willingly promotes the tool used to viciously murder our Savior. Now is there anything wrong with members of God's church wearing a cross? Isn't it just an innocent symbol of our religion? Let's look at the truth regarding the cross symbol. Here in John 19 verse 19, it says, now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross, and in the Greek that's taro, S T A U R 00. And the writing was Jesus of Nazareth Nazareth, the king of the Jews. So I wanted you to see that word cross used there and what the original Greek word was. We know that he was murdered on what the Greeks called the staru, S T T A U R 00 or Starros as it's sometimes used. And according to the new Bible dictionary, Starros means primarily an upright stake or beam. And secondarily, a stake used as an instrument for punishment and execution. Now this is common knowledge and easily verified by many, many historical writings, and the commentators agree as well. The study of word origins shows that Starros is a stake or pole as well. So there is no way of Uh Changing That meaning to anything else but that, and this Greek word was used in literature in reference to pieces of wood of various shapes, including those with cross pieces. The many references admit that no one knows exactly what the sorrow or stake or cross that Jesus was crucified on actually looked like, but most likely it was just a stake. So from where did the present cross t symbol for Christianity come? And more importantly, does Jesus Christ approve of its display? Now let's look briefly at some historical facts having to do with the cross. The cross was used centuries before Christ, for example, in the British Museum. There is a statue of the Assyrian king Sansi Vol, who was the son of Salmaneser. Around his neck is an almost perfect Maltese cross, and on an accompanying figure, that of Asher Nasser pal is a similar cross. Now the ancient Greek goddess Diana is pictured with a cross over her head in much the same way the Virgin Mary is represented by many medieval artists. And Bacchus, the Greek God of wine, is often pictured wearing a headdress adorned with crosses. The Egyptians used cross symbols in abundance, as did the Hindus. Different types of crosses were used in Mexico centuries before the Spaniards ever arrived, which means their origins were most likely prior to the time of Christ. And the cross has always been a major symbol of pagan religions, and there is rarely a commentary out there that will not admit that. It's just such common knowledge. Crucifixion of life criminals did not occur in the Old Testament. There are no examples given of death in that way. However, history shows that the Phoenicians and Carthaginians practiced crucifixion, and then later, of course, the Romans used it extensively, but it was primarily used for slaves and those of the lowliest level of criminals. The surprising thing is that the Christian use of the cross did not begin until the time of Constantine. Three centuries after Christ. As the 11th edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica plainly states. Archaeologists have not found any Christian use of the symbol before that time. And according to WE Vine in his expository dictionary of New Testament words under the article Cross, he says, quote. The shape of the ladder that is referring to the cross had its origin in ancient Chaldea and was used as a symbol of the God Tammuz. That's T A M M U Z, being in the shape of the mystic tau, that's the T with the cross member on the top. This was the initial of his name in that country and in adjacent lands including Egypt. By the middle of the 3rd century ADs, continuing with the quote, by the middle of the 3rd century AD, the churches had either departed from or had transvested certain doctrines of the Christian faith in order to increase the prestige of the apostate ecclesiastical system, pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. It was not until Christianity. became paganized that the cross came to be thought of as a Christian symbol. It was in 431 AD that crosses in churches and chambers were introduced while the use of crosses on steeples, that is obelisks or phallic symbols. did not come until come until about 586 AD. In the 6th century, the crucifix image was introduced and its worship sanctioned by the Church of Rome. Now people in mainstream mainstream Christianity may still argue that it is OK to Christianize the pagan cross. So what is wrong with the cross being used as a symbol of our union with Christ, not simply in virtue of our following his example, but in virtue of what He has done for us and in us. Now in his substitutionary death for us on the stake. We died in him and our old man is crucified with him. That by his indwelling spirit we might walk in newness of life, abiding in him and walking in the truth as he did. So turn with me just over a few pages, actually very close to the same page in John 1837. Now the syncretizing of pagan symbols with God's truth does not offer a true witness of God's way of life because it is a symbol that is borrowed from paganism. Therefore, using it as a is a breaking of the ninth commandment, you shall not bear false witness. Because using the cross is the advocating of a lie. Now here in John 1837. It says, Pilate therefore said to him, Are you? That is to Christ. Are you a king then? And Jesus answered, You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. So is the truth important to Christ? Absolutely. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. So We Could surmise from that that a person who uses a cross may not hear his voice. It's that serious. In Romans 1:18 through 20, you do not have to turn there, but Paul emphasizes that things involving God's existence and attributes are clearly seen, but unrighteous human beings suppress the truth. The things God wants human beings to know are willingly ignored and stifled. Through the addition of beliefs and traditions that conceal the truth. The truth is still there hidden behind a veil of lies that most people never attempt to remove. This process, this thought process is called syncretism, syncretism is the combination of different forms of belief or practice. And in popular usage, it's mostly applied to religion. Those who syncretize beliefs do not bother to logically combine the thoughts and principles, nor do they show any care for unity or agreement. Of these human reasonings without regard to propriety or integrity, they will often attach one belief or practice to their religion. And often people do the same, this very same thing with humanly devised graven images of angels that they place on their lapels or they have in their, their Bibles. With both cases, with both crosses and angels, idolatry is committed because they are symbols used to misrepresent God's true religion. Now crosses have been added to Christianity without Christ's approval. So who is the real author of this physical promo who is the real, who is the real author of this physical? I'm sorry, my eyes seem to be going on me. Who is the real author of this syncretism of the pagan cross symbol with Christianity? Constantine may have been one of the physical promoters of it, but demonic forces are no doubt ecstatic that their symbol of the pagan God Tamuz has been stamped onto syncretized mainstream Christianity. How the apostles did not trust in the old rugged cross as a virtuous symbol but as the accursed tree, a device of death and shame. And instead their faith was in what was accomplished on the cross, and through this faith they grew to know the forgiveness of sin and thanks to Christ's sacrifice. I'll turn with me to Hebrews 12 1. That's Hebrews 12 and verse 1. Now the author here is speaking of the race of faith. We'll read verses 1 and 2 of Hebrews 12. Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of true witnesses. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, that is not the cross, but looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross. It is S T A U R O N, saying Greek root word, despising the shame. There we see shame attached to the cross and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Now jump over with me to I Corinthians 1:17 as we wrap this up. It was in this sense that the apostles preached about the cross and glorified it. Now Paul wrote here in I Corinthians 1 and 17 and 18. For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. The message of the cross, not the cross itself, is the power of God. And such references to the cross never refer to a piece of wood that people might wear around their neck. The message of the apostles was concerning the one who hung hung and died on the cross. And when they spoke of the cross, they were speaking of the event of Christ's crucifixion and what it meant for humanity. Three times in the Book of Acts, they referred to it as merely and vaguely a tree. There is absolutely no evidence that God's true church ever used the cross symbol for any purpose whatsoever. Nowhere does the Bible command its use. It certainly would if God expected. Christians to use it. The important thing is Christ sacrificed for us and what he is doing now, not the exact shape of the wood on which Christ died, is what is important. But the mere fact that the traditional cross figures so prominent figures so prominently in pagan religious custom should give us pause for thought. Why reduce the glory of the Savior to something so temporary, so fragile, and so pagan? Therefore, a true witness represents the love of God. God, the love of God the Father and the love of Jesus Christ indeed and in truth.