The cross declared that the one who was hanging there was guilty of the vilest, the most awful crimes, and was utterly unfit to live, that he was rejected of man and accursed of God. Jesus, God's Son, was on Calvary's cross to bear the punishment of God against sin, and now God in infinite love sends out the word of the cross to all the world. Man at last is going to be judged by his attitude toward that cross.

If the cross as yet means nothing to you, you are lost. If you say, "I do not understand it at all. The very idea that a man, no matter how good he is, could be nailed to a cross and there make atonement for my sins makes no sense to me," then you are lost. "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish [are lost] foolishness" (1 Corinthians 1:18). What a terrible condition to be in. Not only are you in danger of being lost by-and-by if you continue to reject Christ who died for you, but you are lost, and should death come, you will go into eternity to be lost forever.

Look at the other side. "But unto us which are saved it is the power of God." Of whom is this speaking? People who once were lost but now are saved. Do you say, "I do not understand that, for nobody can be sure of his salvation until the day of judgment when he stands before God and the question is there decided"? That is not what the Bible teaches, dear friend. It speaks of people already lost and people already saved. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9).

One day an elderly woman went to hear two preachers and returned home saying she did not understand their messages. "The first man got up and talked to folk he said were saved already, to folk so good I did not know existed in our town. Then the other man got up and preached to folk so wicked that he said they were lost and going to hell. But there was not one word for me." According to her estimation, she was not lost and she was not saved. But God's Word says there are just two classes, "them that perish," and "us which are saved." The saved are those who have faced their sins in the presence of God and have seen in the work of the cross that which has satisfied God and that in which their hearts can rest. They are saved right here and now.

Perhaps you are in doubt about these things. Maybe you are a church member or profess to be a Christian, but you have doubts that you are really saved. If you have never been saved or have doubts, will you right now take your place before God as a poor, lost sinner and look up in faith to Christ who died on Calvary's cross and confess to Him you are the sinner for whom He suffered and that you now trust Him as Saviour? Do this now and you will be among those saved by the power of God. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

—Adapted from 1 Corinthians by H. A. Ironside, published by Loizeaux Brothers, P.O. Box 277, Neptune, NJ 07754.