5/23/24 Word Count – 803 Reading Time – 4 minutes

Most religions have their icons. For Christians the cross
and/or the crucifix are our reminders of the primary tenet of Christianity.

First, I will point out that in Christianity no icon is to
be prayed to or worshipped. They are there as reminders of important aspects of
our doctrine. And while they may represent our faith to us and others, they are
not necessary nor integral to our belief system.

I also want to point out that I am not in the business of
debating the differences among the different Christian doctrines. I am more of
a proponent of focusing on the things all Christians share than becoming
obsessed over the differences. I believe that there are a basic set of beliefs
that set Christianity apart from other belief systems. If you adhere to those
core beliefs your means of expressing those values is beyond the scope of what
I intend for this blog.

Nevertheless, doctrinal differences among Christians exist
and can be confusing. One such difference is the discussion of whether the
cross or the crucifix best represents the work done for mankind by Jesus
Christ.

If you are new to Christianity, or just curious, the
difference is that a cross icon is simply that, a cross. The crucifix is a
cross with the slain body of Jesus still nailed to it.

The bare cross seems to be preferred by Evangelical
Christians. To put it in its simplest terms, Evangelicalism is not a specific
denomination. Rather it is a movement within Christianity that seeks to restore
the fundamental, core values of Christianity that Evangelicals believe have
been diluted through the incorporation of social and cultural values adopted by
the church over time. 

All Christians believe that Jesus was/is the Son of God who
existed in physical form and was crucified, died on the cross, was buried and
rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Through this process Jesus was
able to make atonement for the sins of mankind.

In the Jewish tradition, Prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, sin,
disobedience to God’s laws, needed to be atoned for through animal sacrifices.
I know this idea of sacrifice as atonement for man’s disobedience is a puzzle
for most of us. I look at it like I look at laws of nature, gravity for
instance. Whether or not I have a full grasp of the way it works, whether or
not I believe in it, whether or not I agree with it, has no bearing on whether
or not it exists and applies to me. Even though I don’t understand the whole
idea of sacrificial atonement I accept it as a spiritual law.

 I am a Christian I am
taught that Jesus, through His position as the only Son of God and through His
perfect life, was sufficient sacrifice to make atonement for all of the sins
for all of mankind. And even though His sacrifice was sufficient to atone for
all of mankind, only those who believe in Him will receive the benefit of that
atonement.

So, that is a very rough and incomplete picture of how the
process of Jesus’ crucifixion works. There are 2 distinct parts to that
process. The first is the process leading up to His death, the crucifixion, and
then the part after his death, the burial and resurrection. My take on these
distinct events is that the crucifixion part had to do with the burden of sin
being placed on Jesus, which lead to His physical death, which in turn,
satisfied the spiritual requirement for sacrificial death as atonement for sin.
His burial was confirmation that He was dead and being in the tomb for 3 days
gave proof that he was completely and unquestionably dead. The resurrection
proved that Jesus had the power to manipulate the realities of both spiritual
and of material existence. Not only did this act prove Jesus’ claim to be the
Son of God but is seen as a victory over the powers of evil and sin.

To me, the crucifix represents Jesus taking on the burden of
our sins, and the empty cross represents His success in overcoming the
finalities of death and oppression of sin. Additionally, the resurrection is
proof that Jesus has the experience and understanding to guide us through the
process of attaining a desirable life after physical death as opposed to being
dragged down into an eternity of misery by the burden of our own sin.

So, rather than being opposing symbols of Jesus Christ, both
icons represent 2 events required for the completion of the most significant
task ever taken on by a man. Doctrines that recognize these icons as
representative of their doctrines and denominations are not in opposition but
choose to focus on 2 distinct aspects of the amazing work Jesus Christ did for
us.