The Cross: the world's most identifiable symbol

Pastor Hans Voortman

I don't think there is any symbol that is so immediately identifiable as the cross of Christianity. Its simple bold lines have declared a message that transcends the centuries. In fact it stands at the cross roads of history, acting as the dividing line between BC and AD.

The cross speaks many languages. It expresses many messages across all cultures. It stands as the most potent, visual reminder of the person of Christ, speaking to every era, and arresting every generation with the message of God's love for humanity.

In our logo-orientated world, visual imagery is so important. 'Stylised identification' is continually updated, but God has given to His church from its inception, a unique, powerful and yet simple logo for all time - the cross! Nike's tick pales into insignificance; Coca Cola's scrawl and McDonald's golden arches have yet to outlast this century! Even looking at other religions, none has a visual symbol that is so identifiably its own that so emphatically declares the centrality of its message.

The Apostle Paul understood the primacy of the cross when he wrote: 'For Christ did not send me ... with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 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' (1 Cor. 1:17-18). Elsewhere he states: 'He ... disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross ' (Col. 2:15).

 

A CROSS OF VICTORY

In confrontations with the evil forces of hell through the centuries, the crucifix has been displayed to do exactly what Colossians states - to disarm Satan. The very visual appearance of the cross seems to remind the demonic hordes of their demise. Particularly within the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, millions of people have found solace in the cross or crucifix as they have clung to it and, more importantly, held to what it represents. In that sense a symbol is but as powerful as that which it stands for - as the swastika struck fear of the Nazis into the hearts of many, or as people cringed under the tyranny of communism's hammer and sickle, what an opposite, liberating and releasing comfort the presence of the cross has brought to countless millions. Why? Because it's a cross of victory!

The Protestant reformation may have removed icons and crucifixes and focussed people away from the idolatry of much of the visual symbolism that the traditional church was steeped in, yet nonetheless, the central message of the cross remained. In the words of the popular reformation hymn,

'On a hill far away, stood the old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame,
And I love that old cross
Where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross.......
So I'll cling to the old rugged cross.....'

To Christians through the ages the cross transcended symbolism. It was the very victory statement of God over Satan. As Paul again put it: 'May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Gal. 6:14).

 

A DEFINITIVE SIGN

The cross has always represented to me a statement of boldness and definitive purpose. The cross is a strong symbol with direct and strong lines, crossing at right angles. It has none of the fluidity or lack of definition that the Taoist Yin and Yang sign has.

To me the cross speaks of absolutes - of right and wrong; of good and evil; of definition and separation. In contrast, the Yin/Yang symbolism portrays good and evil as all part of the one integrated whole - part of the circle of life. In the imagery of Star Wars there is the balancing of the good and bad side of 'The Force'. The line in the Taoist symbol between the 'dark side' and the 'light side' is a wavy line, showing accomodation between light and dark.

The dark and light sides also portray a dualistic view of two equal and opposite forces at work in the world. The cross, however, stands as a bold symbol, almost stark against the horizon. It declares not a 'wishy-washy' lack of definition, but in its strong lines, speaks of a judgement between good and evil. It reminds us of the victory of light over darkness, once and for all. 'Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Cor. 15:57). 'God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we walk in the light...the blood of Jesus His Son (shed on the cross ), purifies us from all sin' (1 John 1:5,7).

The message of Jesus is definite: 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father, except through me' (Jn. 14:6); 'He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life' (1 Jn. 5:12). Likewise, His cross cries out a similar message with its strong angles. Jesus stands at ninety degrees to the message of other religions. As His cross portrays separation, so His message speaks of Him as the only way.

 

A SYMBOL OF RECONCILIATION

In its shorter horizontal cross-member, and its longer vertical upright, the cross also speaks a message of relationships restored. The longer beam points upward, pointing us to our reconciliation to our heavenly Father. As the tree thrusts upward, so the cross points us to a heavenly Father who reaches down to us in Jesus. The cross was the point of reconciliation of God the Creator with His wayward, sinful creation. At the moment of Christ's death the veil of separation between man and God was torn in two (Mark 15:38). 'When we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son' (Rom. 5:10).

On the horizontal plane (the shorter cross-member), the cross brought reconciliation between humankind. Through the cross, humanity was drawn together, as brothers and sisters, into a great new family of God. Through Jesus, 'God was pleased ... to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross' (Col. 1:20).

 

A STATEMENT OF DIRECTION

The cross gives direction! As the 'cross' of the compass points to north and south, so the cross of Christ gives us our bearings in life - 'I am the way...' (John 14:6). Planted in the earth, the cross points to the stars, reminding us that our direction in life comes from above. Human beings are created for eternity - this earth is ultimately not our home - we are spiritual beings heading for Heaven. That's our final bearing and all our lives are to be lived with that heavenly perspective in mind. The Apostle Peter described us as 'aliens and strangers in the world' (1 Peter 2:11). Paul encourages us to 'set our minds on things above, not on earthly things' (Col. 3:2).

It's so easy to look to this earthly sphere for all our wisdom and direction, but in the cross we have a reminder of the symbolism of a map's reference point. When you know where North is you'll always find your way. When you know where Jesus is, you'll negotiate life safely. 'For in him we live and move and have our being' (Acts 17:28).

 

A FIRST AID IDENTIFIER

The Red Cross has become synonymous with help in the midst of human tragedy. The world's greatest aid organisation chose the cross as its symbol of first aid - what a reminder it is of Jesus as the true point of first aid. God sent Jesus who was 'made a little lower than the angels ... because he suffered death...that he might taste death for everyone' (Heb. 2:9). Jesus identified with the suffering of mankind.

In the cross He speaks of healing for a hurting humanity - body, soul and spirit. 'He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree (the cross), so that we might die to sins, and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed' (1 Pet. 2:24).

There is total healing in the cross of Jesus - no other symbol so clearly displays this love of Jesus 'who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame' (Heb. 12:2). As the Old Testament prophet Isaiah put it, 'he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed' (Isa. 53:5). The cross is a cross of healing!

 

AN EMPTY CROSS

As much as we may often symbolise the cross as a crucifix with Jesus upon it, the protestant church has tended to highlight an empty cross. Jesus didn't stay on the cross as a dead man, but the potency of Easter is, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!' (Luke 24:5-6).

The cross speaks of past tense. It's done! 'It is finished' (John 19:30). Jesus died 'once for all' (Heb. 10:10). The cross speaks of the uniqueness of Jesus, for He conquered death and He now rules and reigns. Hallelujah, Jesus is alive! Unlike other religious leaders, Jesus' tomb is empty! His cross is empty. He died, but He lives again and because He lives we too can 'live a new life' (Rom. 6:4).

The bare cross, perhaps more than anything else, reminds us that Jesus was far more than a martyr. He wasn't just a misdirected prophet or an over-zealous religious guru. The empty cross is the ultimate proof that Jesus was the Son of God. 'But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him' (Acts 2:24). Hallelujah!

What a potency is revealed in the cross of Jesus! It is far more than just a trinket of jewellery, or a 'hot cross bun' or a quaint historical reminder. The cross stands at the crossroads of human destiny. It casts its shadow over all of humanity. When you see it for all it is, you can't help but declare, as the centurion did at the foot of the cross, 'Surely this man was the Son of God' (Mark 15:39).

The cross! The world's most powerful statement!