The Cross

The Cross

“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.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

Why are atheists so opposed to the cross? They hate to see it anywhere, why? Bear with me as I explain why they hate the cross.

Atheists claim that they do not believe in GOD, for whatever their reason is they do not believe in GOD, Jesus Christ, eternal life, heaven, etc. Some are hard non-believers that do not believe in any super natural power or omnipotent being who is responsible for everything that is. There are some that just do not believe in the Judeo-Christian GOD. Why does not matter but the fact that they hate the cross and what they believe it represents or what they have been told that it represents does not make sense if they do not believe in GOD.

For everyone except atheists things that we do not believe in do not bother us, why should we care if to us it is not real? Why should I be bothered or offended that others believe in something that I do not believe in? I do not believe that there is life on other planets, I don’t care that others do, that governments spend millions of dollars to try to prove and fine them. That people pay money to reserve a seat on flights to Mars. While I think it is a waste of money or even stupid I don’t take offense that they believe it and try to prove it.

So what is the difference? People who call themselves an atheist but are offended at others for believing in GOD are not truly atheists, they are deniers. They deny GOD and seeing a cross or hearing someone talking about Jesus reminds them that they are denying the truth; for whatever their reason is; but they know in their heart that there truly is a GOD and that He is in control of their eternity and that they have rejected His gift of eternal salvation; for whatever reason.

Otherwise why would they say things like ‘god damn it’ or ‘jesus f****** christ’; these are curses and vulgar to most people. If GOD and Jesus do not exist than their names would mean nothing, they would not be vulgar they would have no effect when spoken as a curse. ‘god damn it’ is an actual curse but for it to be effective the speaker must believe in GOD. If those who claim to be atheists do not truly believe in GOD they would not use these or other vulgar curses that use GOD or Jesus Christ. I don’t believe in Odin the Norse god because I know that he is not a god, that he was not even a real person. I don’t go around speaking that name as a curse or as a vulgar term towards someone or something I am mad at. I don’t even think about the name Odin except when it is used in some mythological story. But, there are people today who believe in him and worship and serve him.

So the fact is that most people who claim to be atheists are not, they are deniers and their hatred of GOD and Jesus Christ are signs of that fact.

One more point about the cross specifically that is lost on atheists, non-believers and many Christians. Before Christ was crucified the cross was a curse to the whole world. The Romans perfected the cross as a form of corporal punishment that could take days for the victim to die. The cruelty of the cross was the point of it as Jesus Christ’s form of death as the Lamb of GOD who became sin for sinners and took upon Himself the punishment due every human being since Adam. The Bible teaches that Christ was crucified before the foundation of the world was laid in creation. GOD knew before He formed man in His own image and breathed into him His breath of life that man would sin and need to be saved from himself. Even before He was crucified Christ challenged those who believed in GOD to take up their cross and follow Him.

Since Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross it has become a symbol of hope and salvation and only those who reject GOD reject the cross and despise what it represents. They are deniers and rejecters not atheists!

“For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’” 1Corinthians 1:19 quoting Isaiah 29:14

Also study: Hebrews 12:1-2; Luke 24:13-27; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Peter 2:20-25; Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:23; Revelation 13:8-9; Mathew 10:37-39