The Power Of The Cross of Christ

The battle for the Mt. Soledad cross war memorial site has been a long one. There have been numerous lawsuits with both victories, and crushing defeats on both sides. But the Christian side would not give up! They fought this long and arduous battle against that powerful, anti-Christian organization, the ACLU.

The ACLU has been relentless in this case. It will probably continue the fight (as noted in the article below) despite the fact that the original plaintiff (Paulsen) has died.

My friend Mark has a post at his Chester Street blog and shows a picture of the Mt. Soledad cross.

We have to ask ourselves, why was there such a vehement fight, in the first place, by an atheist and the ACLU over a cross that was built as part of a war memorial site?

Ultimately, the power of the cross overcomes any finite, human challenge. The ACLU and those who fight against it cannot change the eternal effects that the cross of Christ represents to those who call on the name of Jesus Christ and believe in His Name!

I think that God's Word can explain it better than I, or any human being can.

We can find many reasons, within Scripture, for why the cross is perceived as being "an offense" in general. But the main reason why it is seen as "particularly offensive" to non-believers is because their individual decisions to reject the Cross of Christ leads to an undesirable eternal destination for "those who are perishing."

Jhn 19:19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put [it] on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

1Cr 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

1Cr 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Gal 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Phl 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Phl 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.


Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;


Hbr 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

*******

TO: Christine
FROM: Alan Sears, President

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit Rules in Favor of the Mt. Soledad Cross!

Late Friday afternoon, we received the FANTASTIC NEWS that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled that the seventeen-year-long lawsuit against the Mt. Soledad cross is moot because of President Bush's order transferring the memorial site to the federal government. The ACLU has been providing legal assistance to get the cross removed since 1999.

ADF, and our ally, Liberty Legal Institute, had filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case on behalf of The American Legion and The American Legion of California, asking the court to dismiss the case.

ADF Legal Counsel Tim Chandler, who authored the brief, says: "At long last, this part of the crusade against a memorial beloved by our nation's veterans and their families is finally over. Now that the cross is under federal control, the 9th Circuit agreed that, with regard to this lawsuit, it was time to end the ACLU's protracted legal attack on this symbol dedicated to our nation's fallen heroes."

As wonderful as this victory is, it's just one more chapter in the ongoing legal battle over the cross. There is still another case brought by the ACLU pending in the court system about the constitutionality of the cross, so the battle is not yet over. And we again commend and thank Charles LiMandri and other lawyers working so very hard to defend this part of our heritage and liberty.

You can read a copy of the 9th Circuit's opinion at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/PaulsonAmicus.pdf.

We praise God for this tremendous victory for military families and those who have sacrificed so much to preserve our nation's freedom!

Learn more by reading the ADF press release...

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