Re: Reproach of the Cross

In every age there are always those who profess the name of Christ but who do not want to bear the reproach of the cross. They cannot stand to be looked down upon by the wise of this world. They are more concerned with making the gospel "respectable" than in declaring the "whole counsel of God." They have made a complicated system of "gears" so as to "gear" the gospel to youth, to the athlete, to the politician, to the movie star, etc. The whole program is deceptively dangerous for it appeals to the flesh in the name of the Spirit and invariably glories in size rather than in fidelity to the truth. --Bible Truth Society, New Zealand

        NO SCAR?
Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I  hear  thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star,
Hast thou no scar?

No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But  thine  are whole. Can he have followed far
Who has nor wound nor scar?
            --Amy Carmichael, Missionary to India

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. "He who hates Me hates My Father also. (John 15:18-23)

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. (Luke 9:23-24) (VW)