It’s almost impossible to overstate how central the cross is to everything we believe. Yet, sometimes, as a grace believer who rightly divides the Word of Truth, I catch myself pausing and asking: Are we really glorying in the right thing? Are we truly exalting the cross, or slipping into some easy, surface-level acknowledgment that ignores what Paul meant when he said, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14)?
This isn’t just nostalgia for a historical event or a symbol etched on a chain. The cross is the fulcrum on which the gospel pivots. It is raw, brutal, and mercilessly honest about the cost of grace. And here’s the kicker: our glorying is not anchored in our goodness, our effort, or even our faithfulness. It is solely in Christ’s finished work displayed there, hanging there, for all condemnation to bear.
Seriously, What’s So Glorious About a Cross?
If someone were to boast about a cruel form of execution, wouldn’t you think they were out of their mind? Yet Paul, the ultimate grace teacher, claims his source of pride is exactly that. The cross is not just an object of shame turned trophy. It’s the ultimate paradox of God’s wisdom versus human reason. What looks like defeat—a man mocked, tortured, crucified—became the vantage point for eternal victory.
For us who rightly divide, it’s fundamental to grasp that the cross was the endpoint of the Law and the gateway to grace. It shredded every legal demand stamped on us by the Law’s accusing finger. It’s the place where divine justice and mercy wed perfectly, not one penny of sin left unaccounted for, not one ounce of grace rationed. At the cross, we move from trying to win God’s favor to living in the reality of His favor freely given.
Grace Means No Scorekeeping
If someone told me I had to keep track of every misstep before God would allow me into His good graces, I’d likely give up. But that’s the point—God never intended for us to walk under law but under grace (Romans 6:14). The cross finished the ledger once and for all. There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
For us grace believers, that’s not just a comforting thought; it’s the heart of our gospel. We know salvation isn’t about ticking off a checklist of righteousness. It is about resting—not in self-made righteousness—but in the righteousness imputed from Christ’s finished work. The cross is the ground zero of that freedom. And proudly claiming our glory in it is our way of saying, “There’s nothing I can add, and there’s nothing I can lose.”
The Cross Destroys All Other Glory
Look, human nature always wants a pedestal. We love credit, likes, applause—things that puff us up. But when we glory in the cross, all that evaporates. Why? Because it reminds us of our utter weakness, His utter strength, and His utter sufficiency. It’s anti-self-reliance, anti-boast. Paul wasn’t glorifying his own work, suffering, or intellect; he was spotlighting a singular truth: Christ crucified is our only boast.
When you see a cross, you don’t just see a tool of death; you see the epitome of self-sacrificial love. That’s what separates grace from law. The Law says, “Prove it.” Grace says, “It’s already been proven.” Standing firm as grace believers means tearing down the altar of self and building a throne for the cross. If your glory rests anywhere else—whoa—check the foundation.
Letting the Cross Shape Your Walk
Glorying in the cross isn’t a one-time declaration. It’s a daily posture. It reshapes how we view hardship, identity, and success. Instead of chasing approval or fearing failure, grace frees us to live out God’s purposes with confidence. When trials hit, the cross whispers, “You are not condemned; you are chosen.”
I remember a season when life felt overwhelmingly unfair. I wanted to straighten out every curveball with self-effort. But it was during those tough days that I truly grasped the sufficiency of the cross. It took my performance-based mindset and blew it apart. The cross says, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith,” not on your own shaky efforts.
Getting Personal With the Cross
Here’s a thought: How often do we really meditate on the cross beyond Sunday’s casual nods? What if we carried that cross—figuratively, spiritually, emotionally—every day? Remember, Paul said, “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus” (Galatians 6:17). That wasn’t just for show. It represents identifying with Christ’s sufferings, His victory, and His purpose.
Carrying the cross is about remembering who we once were and what Christ did for us. It’s about humility, surrender, and radical dependence on grace that never tires or wavers. This isn’t a legalistic regimen; it’s an invitation to freedom and power.
Besides, glorying in the cross gives us a language when words fail us. When pain hits, when doubt creeps in, when hope feels thin, the cross speaks louder than a thousand essays on faith. It reminds us there’s no sin too great, no failure too deep, and no life too broken to be covered by grace’s all-encompassing power.
If you want to dive deeper into verses that celebrate the grace and power of Christ’s work for us, the resource at Verse for Today’s Bible verses is a rewarding place to start. Because sometimes, the Word is what lights up the shadow of the cross in the heart.
Understanding the cross rightly, then, changes everything. It uproots human pride and plants humility. It pulls us out of law’s prison and into grace’s wide-open fields. It alters our entire walk not by might, but by the Spirit, reminding us daily of the unparalleled glory found solely in Christ crucified.
If there’s one thing every grace believer needs—let it be this: stop the chase for personal glory; instead, pick up the cross Jesus already carried for you—and make that your boast forever. It’s not trendy. It’s radical. It’s true. And it changes everything.
For those moments when you need a fresh reminder of God’s incredible grace wrapped up in the cross, check out daily encouragement from Scripture. Sometimes, that’s exactly the boost we need to keep on glorying rightly.
When all is said and done, the cross remains the heartbeat of our faith and the wellspring of our glory. No wonder Paul was unapologetic about it. Neither should we be.