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By Rev. Gyakari
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
— Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
Many believers today find themselves torn between obedience to God’s Word and the ungodly demands of the world around them. The world’s system demands so much from us if we want to succeed in it, and it often pulls us away from being effective in the kingdom of God. The pursuit of wealth has become a powerful force dragging many into destruction. The pull of ungodly sexual pleasure has also ruined countless great destinies. It is tempting to say that the world today makes it especially difficult to live as an upright Christian — but in truth, it is no different from the world in which Christ and His apostles lived.
The Greco-Roman world of that era was deeply marked by ungodly sexual practices, and Rome ruled over much of the known world, including Israel, for centuries. The religious aristocracy had grown profoundly corrupt. Yet Jesus lived through all of it without sinning even once. How did He do it?
He saw the joy that lay ahead of Him. He fixed His eyes on the glory that would be bestowed upon Him when His obedience reached its full perfection. With that vision before Him, He endured the pain and the suffering. He endured being set apart from the world of sin. He endured a life of chastity and purity. He endured honesty even when it brought Him little comfort and left Him in want. He endured all of it — simply to obey God completely.
The cross, therefore, is not merely a symbol of death. It is a symbol of endurance, perseverance, and separation from evil. The cross tells the story of one Man who stood alone in the truth when everyone around Him was embracing the lie. The cross reminds us that when God has spoken, we hold firmly to His Word — even through persecution, even through loss, even through loneliness.
There is a life beyond this transient one — more glorious and more beautiful than anything this world can offer. There is a place of total rest and peace waiting for all who obey God to the end. The cross empowers us to keep going, because it reminds us that what is set before us is far greater than what we are asked to leave behind.
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