Monday, February 26, 2018

SIGNING THE CROSS


SIGNING THE CROSS AS A FORM OF PRAYER
The preaching of the Cross of Christ is the very life blood of our salvational message. To this I am sure we all agree. So, in this short article I would like to discuss the Cross as the symbol of our hope. More to the point: shouldn’t we as Oneness Pentecostals have a discussion on signing the Cross as an act of prayer and worship? Why should this most beautiful act of prayer be surrendered to those of the Roman Catholic persuasion? I might respond to my own question by saying: Signing the Cross is not the property of the RCC exclusively; Christians of all strips sign the Cross in their devotions to Christ. Only in the “low” Protestant churches is it absent. So, isn’t it time that someone raises his voice and asks the question, if not assert the affirmative, on signing the Cross?

 I would like to begin by stating that for over 40 years I served as an evangelist and pastor in the Apostolic Pentecostal movement in the western hemisphere. Anointing the head with oil when praying for the sick and for general blessings is common among all Pentecostal groups, whether Oneness or Trinitarian. Common, also, among us is for the minister to make the sign of the Cross with the oil on the forehead of the one being prayer over. I learned this from my elders in the 60's of the last century and have continued the practice to the present time. Why should we not enlarge on this signing to include the upper body and/or in blessing the people of God? In that the enemy hates the preaching of the Cross, here, in the signing of the Cross, we have yet another weapon in our arsenal to battle and ultimately defeat the devil.

I am not speaking of an innovation here. Signing the Cross has been with the Christian church from ancient times. From the earliest days, when believers looked to the Cross as a symbol of their faith, the Cross has been traced on everything pertaining to our religion. Around AD 200 Tertullian stated that the Christians wore their foreheads out with the sign of the cross. To those who complain that it is of Roman Catholic origin, we would recognize that the custom is indeed catholic, but with a small "c": meaning, universal.

The Western churches seem to favor crossing themselves from the left to the right, while the Eastern churches cross themselves from the right to the left. There are various reasons given for the different methods that will not be discussed here. Because we are Apostolic Orthodox we follow the method from Jerusalem and Antioch: i.e. from right to left.





Peter of Damascus (12th century) stated: “Then we should also marvel how demons and various diseases are dispelled by the sign of the precious and life-giving Cross, which all can make without cost or effort.”

The three fingers and single hand with which it is made represent the economy of the One Deity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The two fingers that rest on the palm of the one hand speak of our Lord
Jesus Christ crucified, and He is thereby acknowledged to exist in two natures and one hypostasis or person.

All manner of formulae have been spoken while tracing the Cross. When signing the Cross the believer may utter the following proscribed form of words: In The Name Of Our God And Savior, Christ Jesus. The fingers should touch the forehead on the word “God,“ the solar plexus on the word “Savior,” the right shoulder on the word “Christ,” and the left shoulder on the name “Jesus.” The movement of the hand will conclude by resting over the heart to demonstrate adoration for the Name just signed. 

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The Cross

Many are troubled by the preaching of the Cross of Christ. They say it is a pagan symbol; I dispute that! But even if it were, Christ baptized it with His own blood, redeemed it and made it forever the emblem of victory for every person who has ever lived. I can, and do, speak as one who knows: In the darkest times of life, in the deepest dungeons of despair the vision of the Cross births hope in the midst of the ruins of defeat. This I know for certain, if one has a firm grip on the Cross, it matters not that the whole world sweeps from beneath his feet -- he remains safe in the sureness of Calvary.

The armies of heaven line up behind the Cross and march into battle against the enemies of God’s Kingdom. Demons flee from its power and Satan hides his blood shot eyes from the brightness of its glory. The Light of the World was hung on the Cross thereby casting its shadow of influence around the globe -- world without end.

The Cross is no idol. Christians do not worship it as though the rough lumber has intrinsic power. No. It is not that. It is the Person of the Cross: He who is Deaths Conqueror transfixed on a spear; He who is the Creator wedded to His creation; it is the personification of Love that brought Heaven down to sinful mankind. From Glory to gory,  He came; from the Throne Room of Heaven to bloody straw, He came; from Angelic hails to the murderous nails of sinners, He came. So, then, it is the message the emblem of the Cross declares which is the Christian’s shield in battle and the standard to which he rallies. 

Dear friend, read, carefully, the following texts and answer for yourself why we sign the cross and encourages all Christians to do the same.

John 3:14
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up. NIV 

And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! NIV

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." NIV

"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." NIV

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – NIV

Having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. NIV

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. NIV

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. NIV

And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. NIV


And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. NIV

Those who want to impress others by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. NIV

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. NIV

And in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. NIV

For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.NIV
Apostolically Yours
Mar David Ignatius












Ignatius wrote during the apostolic age of the Church. We would like to introduce the Apostolic Orthodox Church International, a truly Apostolic church that Ignatius would recognize. Order your personal copy of this enlightening book from Amazon today. Order at the link provide here: 
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