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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: Why is it that so many people – even rockers, rappers, and sports stars – wear crosses or tattoo them on their skin, but curse Him with their lips? – A.C.

 

Dear A.C.: The appeal of the cross is universal. Many see it only as a symbol of hope. When Jesus walked on this earth, great crowds followed Him as He healed the sick, raised the dead, and fed the hungry. However, the moment He started talking about the cross, many no longer followed Him, rejecting His message of sin and salvation (see John 6:66).

But there are also people of every race who have trusted in Christ who died on the cross for their salvation. The appeal of the cross touches the hearts [of the homeless] and penetrates into the mansions of the elite, bringing a peace and joy which money cannot buy. It gives people of every nation dynamic and purposeful living.

When a famous financier died years ago, it was found that the year before his death he had made his will, consisting of about 10,000 words and 37 clauses. The most important clause revealed his priority in life: “I commit my soul into the hands of my Savior, full of confidence that having redeemed me and washed me with His most precious blood, He will present me faultless before the throne of my Heavenly Father. I entreat my children to maintain and defend at all hazards, and at all costs personally, the blessed doctrine of the complete atonement of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ once offered, and through that alone.”

He acknowledged his vast wealth was as powerless as the beggar’s poverty to bring him salvation. He was dependent upon the mercy of God as all of us are, no matter what our situation in life may be.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)