C.J. Mahaney's Blog, page 12

The Cross and Resurrection (Series Recap)

Over the past two weeks Jeff Purswell has been answering some key questions about the relationship between the cross and the resurrection. Here's an index to the questions and Jeff's answers:

1: Will focusing on the cross lead us to neglect the resurrection?

2: Why focus on a crucified Savior when we serve a living Christ?

3: Will a cross-focus lead us to be more aware of our sin than of our new life in Christ?

4: Doesn’t the book of Acts stress the resurrection more...

5: Will paying so much attention to the atonement lead us to make too much of the cross?

[image error][The following post is part of a series addressing common questions about how Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection relate to each other in Scripture.:]



Question 5: With all the preaching and writing about the atonement that we see in evangelicalism, isn’t there a danger that the resurrection will get lost?



I don’t think there is, if teaching on the cross is handled responsibly. Once again, the cross and the resurrection are two aspects of a unified whole (see for instance 1 Corinthians 15:3...

4: Doesn't the book of Acts stress the resurrection more than the cross?

[image error][The following post is part of a series addressing common questions about how Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection relate to each other in Scripture.:]



Question 4: In the book of Acts there seems to be a greater emphasis on Christ’s resurrection than the cross. Shouldn’t we follow the early church’s example and emphasize the resurrection over the cross?



Interpreters of the book of Acts have long recognized the centrality of the resurrection—or better, the exaltation of Christ through his re...

4. Doesn't the book of Acts stress the resurrection more than the cross?

[image error][The following post is part of a series addressing common questions about how Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection relate to each other in Scripture.:]



Question 4: In the book of Acts there seems to be a greater emphasis on Christ’s resurrection than the cross. Shouldn’t we follow the early church’s example and emphasize the resurrection over the cross?



Interpreters of the book of Acts have long recognized the centrality of the resurrection—or better, the exaltation of Christ through his re...

3: Will a cross-focus lead us to be more aware of our sin than of our new life in Christ?

[image error][The following post is part of a series addressing common questions about how Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection relate to each other in Scripture.:]



Question 3: It’s through union with Christ’s resurrection that we have been raised to walk in new spiritual life. If we talk about the cross so much, won’t we end up focusing only on sin and ignoring this important aspect of the Christian life? Doesn’t a focus on the resurrection lead us to a more holy, victorious Christian life?



Texts that ...

2: Why focus on a crucified Savior when we serve a living Christ?

[image error][The following post is part of a series addressing common questions about how Christ’s crucifixion and Christ’s resurrection relate to each other in Scripture.:]



Question 2: Christ has been raised, and so both the cross and the grave are now empty. In light of this, isn’t it wrong to focus on a crucified Savior when, after all, we serve a living Christ?



This question creates a false choice—and a dangerous one—for how we are to view Jesus. The Savior we worship and serve is indeed a risen, gl...

2: Why focus on a crucified Savior when we serve a risen Savior?

[image error][The following post is part of a series addressing common questions about how Christ’s crucifixion and Christ’s resurrection relate to each other in Scripture.:]



Question 2: Christ has been raised, and so both the cross and the grave are now empty. In light of this, isn’t it wrong to focus on a crucified Savior when, after all, we serve a living Christ?



This question creates a false choice—and a dangerous one—for how we are to view Jesus. The Savior we worship and serve is indeed a risen, gl...

1: Will focusing on the cross lead us to neglect the resurrection?

[image error][The following post is part of a series addressing common questions about how Christ’s crucifixion and Christ’s resurrection relate to each other in Scripture.:]



Question 1: Sovereign Grace churches and leaders often use the phrase “cross-centered.” Doesn’t this phrase lead to an overemphasis on the cross and a neglect of the resurrection?



Phrases are no substitute for systematic theology, and I don’t think any of us would want our doctrine diluted down to a single adjective. However, this p...

The Cross and Resurrection (FAQ)

As the author of two books with the phrase “cross-centered” in their titles, I frequently receive important questions about the relationship between the Savior’s death and his resurrection and whether centering on his death will lead us to neglect his resurrection. Those questions come in various shapes and sizes like:

Why focus on a crucified Savior when we serve a risen Savior?
Will a cross-focus lead us to be more aware of our sin than our new life in Christ?
The sermons in the book...

[CO]MISSION UK Update

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Our first church-planting conference, [CO:]MISSION UK, was held July 8–10 at Christchurch in Newport, Wales. Dave Harvey spoke at the conference along with Pete Greasley, senior pastor of Christchurch. Pete is responsible for international church planting and care on behalf of Sovereign Grace Ministries in Australia, Germany, Africa, India, Sri Lanka, and the UK.

For an update on the [CO:]MISSION UK conference, I asked Pete a few questions.

C.J. Mahaney: I’ll begin with a...