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Gal. 3:13

Jesus died on a tree. Is that the same thing as the cross?

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on April 29, 2012 at 11:18am

The Greek is xylon which translates

1) wood

a) that which is made of wood

1) as a beam from which any one is suspended, a gibbet, a cross

2) a log or timber with holes in which the feet, hands, neck of prisoners were inserted and fastened with thongs

3) a fetter, or shackle for the feet

4) a cudgel, stick, staff

2) a tree

It takes a tree to make a cross. I seen a man giving his testimony one time while in the meantime chopping these huge beams (not really beams because they were more like trees) to create a cross. This is another fulfillment of the law. Deuteronomy 2:13 his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lordyour God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

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Permalink Reply by Carla on April 29, 2012 at 7:30pm

Hi Feetbreeze,

I think this is another one of those things that JW's will try and use to attempt to discredit God's Word.

Don't fall into the temptation... If they want to argue whether or not it was a tree, or a stake, or an 'X', or whatever.... make the point that is not what's important.

So what does matter?

1 Cor 15:3,4... For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 10:8-11... But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, [fn]resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, [fn]resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE [fn]DISAPPOINTED."

1 John 2:2...² He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

2 Cor 5:17 ,18... Therefore if anyone is in Christ, [fn]he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,

John 3:3...Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born [fn]again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Romans 3:23-27...²³ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ²⁴ Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. ²⁵ For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, ²⁶ for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

²⁷ Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. ²⁸ So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

Hebrews 12:1-4...Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.^[a] Because of the joy^[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;^[c] then you won’t become weary and give up. ⁴ After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

Matthew 16:24-28...²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. ²⁵ If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. ²⁶ And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?^[l] Is anything worth more than your soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. ²⁸ And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

What does it mean to 'take up our cross and follow Jesus?' It means... That whatever Grace, mercy, kindness, forgiveness etc... that God has extended towards us, we are to extend to towards others. We are to think of others as better than ourselves, serve them out of the motivation that they will see God's Love and desire it for themselves. We are to die to our own selfish desires, and live for God's will and desires.

Matthew 16:13-17

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”^[c]

¹⁴ “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

¹⁵ Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,^[d] the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John,^[e] because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

If these loved ones want to know the One True living God, they need only ask Him to reveal HImself to them... and our Father in heaven will reveal it to them also.

Sorry the post is so long.. Hopefully this helps a bit.

Bless you, Carla

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Permalink Reply by feet breath on April 29, 2012 at 7:54pm

Hi. Thanks. The gospel is what's importent. I just don't want to get tripped up into an arguement that makes me feel like I'm going in circles. I don't want to be told "Oh, but it is importent if you want to serve Jehovah. And since we don't want to worship Him with any pagan practices (they'll possibly try to show me something in a JW book how the cross is pagan). I don't want the discussion shifted.-_- They are good at that at getting someone tounge twisted. :sighs: They're so connected to the organazation. And, if anyone says something (even if the JW gets suspcious) that doesn't agree with the organaztion than they'll ether try to help the poor person to see the truth/see them as ministers of Satan trying to plant seeds of doubt. Their spiritual blood line is the organazation. It has to be approved by the organization or they'll likely refuse to listen. Not to mention the person talking will be marked-the JW will keep an eye out on said person.

Another part of the gospel though, the resurrection. They deny it was physical.

The sad thing is they think they love God...

On a side note maybe you could pray for elisa isaac on here/ message her with advice. She's tempted to deny her faith...

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Permalink Reply by Carla on April 29, 2012 at 7:58pm

FeetBreeze, I feel your pain and frustration.. Just remember that with God all things are possible.

Gal. 3:13

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