[Texas_Guy]

I wish Protestants would just have the guts to say they hate the crucifix because it’s associated with the Catholic Church.

[metmom]

No, that’s not true.

It’s not a matter of *If it’s Catholic, it’s automatically hated.*

It’s a matter of the fact that Jesus is not still on i the cross, He died, past tense, and is now risen and seated at the right hand of the Father.

The crucifix a very overt misrepresentation of the current situation.

The resurrection is a critical part of salvation.

Paul tells us here......

1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

*Protestants* are celebrating His victory over death and the salvation it obtains for us.

Catholics are obsessed with participating in killing Him, as the sacrifice of the mass declares. I would not be glorying too much in the idea of participating in the killing of Jesus. The Roman soldiers were not the heroes in the story.

[MurphsLaw]

St. Augustine in the 4th century offered a perfect summary of why Catholics use a crucifix.

The death of the Lord our God should not be a cause of shame for us; rather, it should be our greatest hope, our greatest glory. In taking upon himself the death that he found in us, he has most faithfully promised to give us life in him, such as we cannot have of ourselves.

He loved us so much that, sinless himself, he suffered for us sinners the punishment we deserved for our sins. How then can he fail to give us the reward we deserve for our righteousness, for he is the source of righteousness? How can he, whose promises are true, fail to reward the saints when he bore the punishment of sinners, though without sin himself?

Brethren, let us then fearlessly acknowledge, and even openly proclaim, that Christ was crucified for us; let us confess it, not in fear but in joy, not in shame but in glory.

In the end, the crucifix reminds us that there is no resurrection without the crucified Christ, and that we are called to pick up our own crosses and follow after Jesus. He has shown us the example of true Christian living and we are to imitate him and his great love for all humanity, willing to do anything, even if that means giving up our lives for another person.

2 For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

[Elsie]

Quick!

Look in your OTHER hand!!