There is a slogan “The Cross Covers It All”

It is chanted by those who do not want to look deeply at what Jesus did. They might believe that they are defending ‘that old-tyme religion’ or the Apostolic faith or even the ‘way of the Fathers’ but  they are not.

There is truth in a statement such as ‘the cross covers it all’ but only a limited truth.

Limited Truth

I wear a t-shirt to work. It has a picture of three nails on it and the slogan “Body-piercing saved my soul”. There is value and limited truth in that statement. I wear it to help me start conversations about Jesus with my fellow workers. It does not replace study of the Bible. It is a doorway into study of the Bible.

If the statement ‘The Cross covers it all’ is sufficient for our faith then what does it mean?. Two other Jewish males died on crosses beside Jesus on the same day. Did they save us too? Thousands of Jews were crucified during the Roman occupation of Israel. Was it the quantity of crosses that did something about sin?

Simple

People are looking for ways to make salvation understandable – with little effort.

They want to package it as a single event – the cross.

Salvation IS simple. Accept the offer Jesus makes to you. “I will take/accept your sin if you will accept My righteousness.” This is a simple act of our will and a decision based upon our understanding.

We need to comprehend and meditate on salvation to increase our appreciation and gratitude for it.

Horror and Suffering are Insufficient

The horror of crucifixion is not sufficient to account for 4,000 years of God’s dealings with humanity and His relationship with Israel – the Chosen people. We need to see the events of Holy Week as the culmination of all those years of preparation for our restoration/salvation.

John 1:5 “And the Light shone in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.” Comprehension is withheld from those who choose not to allow the light of Christ to enter them.

Apart from His light, salvation is incomprehensible. His light is a gift to us.,

Once that light is received, we can see. ‘I believe and therefore I see’.

Hell IS Necessary

People do not want it to be necessary for Jesus to have gone to Hell and suffer there.

They don’t want anything to do with Hell.

Was Jesus in suspended animation between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday? Satan had Jesus in his area of dominion (“the place prepared for the devil and his angels”Matthew 25:41). Jesus was subject to his authority there.

Do you really believe Satan just left Jesus alone?

the Harrowing of Hell

People also want to ignore the fact that “Jesus preached to the spirits in prison” 1 Peter 3:19 .

Once Jesus was declared righteous and received again by the Holy Spirit would He have left His kindred spirits in Hell? Would Jesus not tell the covenant-keeping dead that ‘everything is fine now.’ “Come home with Me while I call upon My Father and offer My Blood as proof of the completion of the covenant price.”?

Jesus took those who were in captivity as His captives and He gave gifts to men. (Psalm 68:18, Ephesians 4:8).

On behalf of humanity, Jesus gave the Father proof of the gift of His life – which was His shed-blood.

The blood of Jesus – the life of Jesus, was poured upon the Ark of the Covenant in the Heavenly Holy of Holies. That was the altar upon which God’s covenant with Adam had been ratified so it was the place where the violation of that covenant had to be verified.

The Cross Covers it all? – No. It was a necessary part of our salvation but it was only one part of all that Jesus did.

Love covers it all.

Now that is a statement I can entirely agree with.