The Preaching of the Cross

The preaching of the cross is Doctrinal preaching. It is the preaching of the mystery of Christ. The apostle Paul declared, “Unto me who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery.” (Ephesians 3:8-9) This preaching by which the mystery is made known and the power of God communicated is called variously: the preaching of the Gospel [1 Corinthians 1:17]; the preaching of the cross [1 Corinthians 1:18]; the foolishness of preaching [1 Corinthians 1:21] and the preaching of Christ Crucified [1 Corinthians 1:23].

The preaching of the Gospel divides mankind into two. It divides the world and the church asunder. When the preaching of the cross sounds forth, it appears as foolishness to them that perish but becomes the Power of God unto us which are saved, 1 Corinthians 1:18.

The preaching of the cross exposes the wise, the scribe, the disputer, the sign-seeker, the mighty, the noble and the understanding and finds them out to be too wise for the Gospel, too knowledgeable for the cross. And yet, the preaching of the cross finds out those who are the called, the chosen, the brethren. These are unwise after the flesh, foolish in the world, the despised, the nothings. Nevertheless, they are saved by the Power of God, called by the Grace of God and destined for the glory of God.