The Meaning of the Cross of Christ

   "Christ took away our sins," preachers tell us.      
"The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all"(Isaiah 53.6).      
But how does it work, how does Christ's death pay for sin?      
Paul the Apostle tells us "He became sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5.21).      
So that it was sin that was crucified, killed.      
     
We are to mimic Christ on the cross  
by putting to death the sins in our lives.      
By "Mortify the deeds of the body"(Romans 8.13; Colossians 3.5),      
Paul is telling us to put them to death -      
Deeds like lying, cheating, fornicating, stealing, murdering.      
 ("Mortify" means kill.)    
   
Christ voluntarily gave up His life,  
"I lay down My life in order to take it up again.     
No man takes it from Me"(John 10.17-18).  
Likewise, we are to voluntarily "lay down our lives"    
in the sense of being willing to give up our sins,  
The things we love more than Christ.  
   
So life equals Golgotha a/k/a Mt Calvary,      
And Golgotha equals life, eternal life, for us,      
Those of us who "are crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2.12).      
     
Christ said, "I have set you an example that you      
also should do as I have done unto you"(John 13.15).      
Some preachers claim those words apply only to foot washing!      
False teachers who say Christ saved us by His blood,      
NOT by setting an example for us to follow -      
They don't know what they are talking about.      
They don't have a clue.      
It's all by example,example,example.      
If we don't follow His Divine example,      
gallons of blood - enuff to fill an ocean -shed from His body      
mean nothing.      
NOTHING AT ALL !!    
     
PS:The EXAMPLES of the prophets and judges    
and martyrs are presented in Hebrews 11.    
Paul's imitation of Christ is presented as an EXAMPLE    
For us to follow(2 Corinthians 11.23-33).   .    
Peter directs us to the EXAMPLE of Christ (1 Peter 2.20-21).  
"but if you endure when you do right and suffer for it,  
you have God's approval.For to this you have been called,  
For Christ also suffered for you, LEAVING YOU AN EXAMPLE,  
So that you should follow in His steps."