Christ Crucified

The apostle Paul told the Corinthians that he had resolved to know nothing except Christ and him crucified (1 Co. 2:2). In the context Paul meant that he was among the Corinthians not to impress them with his fancy speech or his great rhetorical skills, but to present Christ to them so that they could see him through the simple man that was the Apostle. As we can see from the letters he wrote, he could have impressed them with his great skill. He could have done great miracles in their presence. He could have told them where to get off and how to get there. He could have presented them with a man they would have been greatly impressed with. Instead he decided that what they needed was Christ, and him crucified.

As a result of his commitment to know nothing except Christ the contrast between how Paul and his contemporaries was stark. He didn’t look so different in his physical characteristics, though he probably smiled more than many, but he was certainly different in the way he thought and acted. Because he was absolutely committed to Christ, and bore his cross consistently, he was free to serve God without reserve. He could stand for God and his mission without regard for the consequences; and so he was beat up, locked up, and eventually lost his head…for Christ’s sake and for our sake. He knew nothing except Christ and him crucified.

Judging from the way history has played out, there have been many Christians, probably numbering in the millions, who thought and acted in imitation of Paul. They knew nothing except Christ and him crucified—and Christ Jesus changed the world through them. We have no idea what most of their names are, this is probably because they weren’t trying to impress us. They simply lived for Christ, stood for Christ, and in many cases died for Christ. But their testimony led others to the truths of the Gospel, to repent and turn to God in true humility. And these also took up their cross and knew nothing except Christ and him crucified; dead, sold out, poured out, contrite and humble. This pleases our great God.

In another place Paul tells us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). He tells us, in effect, to imitate Paul, because Paul is imitating Christ. Jesus humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. He offered himself a sacrifice for us. So lay down your lives as a sacrifice for him and for your brothers and sisters. Know nothing but Christ, and him crucified. Take up your cross and follow him; every day, every night; every hour; every minute; all the time. And this reminds us to confess our sins.
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