Chapter 3: The Glory of the Cross
What Really Happened When Christ Died
For most of history, religion has turned the cross into a symbol of guilt — something to make people feel ashamed, afraid, and obligated.
But Paul saw something entirely different.
Where others saw tragedy, Paul saw triumph.
Where religion saw loss, Paul saw victory.
The cross wasn’t a sad ending. It was the beginning of everything new.
The Cross Wasn’t a Plan B
If you ask most Christians why Jesus died, they’ll say, “He died so that if we believe, we can be saved.”
But that’s not what Paul preached.
Paul said Jesus died “for all,” not “for all who believe.”
He said Christ’s death wasn’t an offer — it was an operation.
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22
That’s not an invitation. It’s a declaration.
The cross wasn’t a backup plan because man messed up.
It was part of the plan from the beginning — “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Everything that went wrong in Adam was destined to be made right in Christ.
The same “all” that die in Adam are the same “all” that live in Christ.
Religion trims that word “all” down to fit its doctrines.
Paul leaves it exactly as it is.
The Cross Ended Religion
Before the cross, humanity lived under a system of performance.
Do good, get blessed.
Do bad, get cursed.
Try harder, keep the commandments, make the sacrifices, earn God’s favor.
But when Jesus cried out, “It is finished,” He wasn’t just talking about His suffering — He was talking about that entire system.
Religion kept trying to build ladders to God.
The cross tore them down.
At that moment, God proved that no human could ever reach Him by effort — so He came down and reached us instead.
That’s why Paul said,
“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sins against them.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:19
Notice: God was in Christ.
Not standing at a distance, watching His Son take the punishment.
He was the One inside the sacrifice, turning judgment into mercy and death into life.
The Cross Didn’t Make Salvation Possible — It Made It Certain
Religion still says, “Christ made salvation possible, but you have to accept it.”
Paul says, “Christ made salvation complete, and God will reveal it to you in His time.”
Those are two completely different gospels.
The first one puts man in control.
The second one gives all glory to God.
If Christ’s death only made salvation available, then the cross is only as strong as your decision.
But if Christ’s death actually reconciled the world to God, then salvation is as strong as God’s decision.
And God never changes His mind.
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He didn’t mean, “It’s started—now finish the rest yourselves.”
He meant exactly what He said: finished.
Complete. Accomplished. Sealed forever.
The Cross Revealed the True God
The world saw God as distant, angry, and ready to destroy sinners.
The cross revealed who He truly is — the One Who sent His Son to destroy our sin, and dies our death so He can give us His life.
Religion says God is holy but not near.
The cross says God is so holy that He steps into our unholiness, through His Son, to destroy it.
Religion says God’s justice means punishment.
The cross shows that God’s justice means restoration.
At the cross, God wasn’t venting His wrath — He was unveiling His love.
He didn’t demand blood to be satisfied; He gave His own Son to satisfy our need.
The cross was not God against Jesus. It was God in Christ against sin, death, and darkness.
The Death That Killed Death
Paul called death “the last enemy.”
But he also said it’s already been defeated.
“Our Savior Jesus Christ abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
— 2 Timothy 1:10
Think about that. Death — the very thing that terrifies every human being — is already abolished in God’s plan.
It still operates temporarily, but its future is already sealed.
When Jesus rose from the dead, He wasn’t just showing what could happen to one man.
He was showing what will happen to every person who’s ever lived.
His resurrection was the preview of humanity’s destiny.
Religion says most people will stay dead or suffer forever.
Paul says death will be swallowed up in victory.
The Cross Exposes Free Will as a Lie
The cross also exposes one of religion’s favorite illusions: free will.
If free will could save, the cross would’ve been unnecessary.
Christ wouldn’t have needed to die for us — we could’ve just chosen better.
But the truth is, man didn’t choose Christ; Christ chose man.
Paul said God “works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
That includes your faith, your failures, your timing, and your transformation.
Even the worst act in history — crucifying the Son of God — was part of God’s predetermined plan.
That alone destroys the myth of human control.
Our rebellion didn’t stop God’s plan; it revealed it.
Religion Turned the Cross Into a Transaction
Religion teaches that Jesus died so you can go to heaven if you do your part.
It turns the cross into a contract — your faith, your repentance, your commitment, your payment.
But Paul’s gospel makes it clear: the cross wasn’t a deal; it was a declaration.
It didn’t open the door for a few. It removed the wall for everyone.
The cross didn’t say, “Try harder.”
It said, “Come home.”
It didn’t say, “You owe Me.”
It said, “It’s already paid.”
It didn’t say, “Maybe.”
It said, “Forever.”
The Universal Victory of the Cross
Here’s where Paul’s message goes further than religion can imagine:
The cross didn’t just save individuals—it reconciled the entire creation.
“Through Christ, God was pleased to reconcile all things to Himself—things in heaven and things on earth—making peace through His blood.”
— Colossians 1:20
That verse doesn’t leave room for exceptions.
“All things” means everything.
That includes humanity, angels, fallen powers, and all creation.
The blood of Christ doesn’t just clean people—it cleans the universe.
The cross is cosmic.
It’s not about who goes where after they die—it’s about God restoring and perfecting everything He made.
Why This Message Still Offends
So why do so many churches resist what Paul taught?
Because the cross leaves no room for pride, fear, or control.
If the cross really means God already reconciled all, then religion has nothing left to sell.
No threats.
No conditions.
No “us versus them.”
The idea of a God who actually succeeds at saving everyone threatens the whole system.
But that’s exactly why it’s true.
The cross is not just powerful — it’s unstoppable.
Summary
The cross is not a symbol of what we must do—it’s the proof of what God already did.
It ended religion, defeated death, exposed free will as a lie, and guaranteed the restoration of all creation.
The glory of the cross is that nothing stands outside of it.
Not sin.
Not hell.
Not even death.
Everything that went wrong in Adam will be made right in Christ—because the cross was never a tragedy.
It was the greatest victory the universe will ever know.
ebooks and paperback books:
Tract: What If Everything You’ve Been Told About God is Wrong https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXBM4QGV#
Evil in the hands of a loving God https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR68ZSB3
Unlearning Christianity: Exposing Christian Myth https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQX7NX7D
In Perfect Control: God’s Sovereignty Over all Creatures and Every Detail https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FFQ8P9FW
Eternal Shores: A Love story of Grace and Truth https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPT3HJMQ
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