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Author
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Topic: making the sign of the cross
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Good NewsforAll
Advanced Member
Member # 6156
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by Eden:
Hi, GoodNewsforAll. You said:
Personally, because I am not sure if it is acceptable, I would never make the sign of the cross.
Eden here:
Acceptable, to whom, to God?
Do you think God understands the sign of the cross or doesn't understand the sign of the cross?
When a human makes the sign of the cross, does it remind God of what His Son Jesus did for God and for humankind? I think it does.
I don't know the answer to those questions, so therefore I won't do it.
quote:
Eden here:
When great thankfulness comes on me for what Jesus did, I almost "have to" make the sign of the cross in that moment in reciprocal love. It is a sign of love when it occurs, but I don't know ahead of time when it will occur.
The Bible says we all have a conscience about different things. My conscience won't let me do it.
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The Pharisees tell us what not to do. Jesus tells us what to do.
Romans 10:15 As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
Posts: 400 | Registered: Oct 2006
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
Hi, GoodNewsforAll. You said:
Personally, because I am not sure if it is acceptable, I would never make the sign of the cross.
Eden here:
Acceptable, to whom, to God?
Do you think God understands the sign of the cross or doesn't understand the sign of the cross?
When a human makes the sign of the cross, does it remind God of what His Son Jesus did for God and for humankind? I think it does.
GoodNewsforALL continues:
To me, it is a very grave matter to desecrate the meaning of the cross. It may be ok for you Eden, but for my conscience it is not ok.
Eden here:
I think here you are showing a Protestant prejudice (I'm a Protestant too) that the sign of the cross somehow "desecrates the cross". I don't think it "desecrates" the cross but "glorifies", "reminds me" of the cross. And, shows God up above that I LOVE the work His Son did for me on the cross, that I may go free.
GoodNewsforAll continues:
We are not supposed to be involved in any vain repetitions. When you see Catholics making the sign of the cross, sometimes you feel as if they are doing it because it is part of their rituals and wonder how sincere they really are.
Eden here:
As for the vain repetitions of Catholics. Yes, Catholics have a routine thing that they say and do in Mass, and that includes, on the part of the parishoners, making the sign of the cross perhaps several times during a Mass. All of it has a purpose, namely to remind us in shorthand form (the Mass and the signs of the cross) what God and Jesus have done for us.
As for rote repetition, if a Catholic makes the sign of the cross but the Catholic has not had a personal realization that he is a sinner in need of Jesus's salvation on the cross, then whatever that Catholic does, IS vain and rote repetitions which will avail him nothing.
But in my case, I am a bornagain Christian, mostly a Protestant version ("the just shall live by faith"), so I am a believer, and I don't make the sign of the cross in any routine.
When great thankfulness comes on me for what Jesus did, I almost "have to" make the sign of the cross in that moment in reciprocal love. It is a sign of love when it occurs, but I don't know ahead of time when it will occur.
Be blessed, everyone.
Eden
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Good NewsforAll
Advanced Member
Member # 6156
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posted
Personally, because I am not sure if it is acceptable, I would never make the sign of the cross. To me, it is a very grave matter to desecrate the meaning of the cross. It may be ok for you Eden, but for my conscience it is not ok.
We are not supposed to be involved in any vain repetitions. When you see Catholics making the sign of the cross, sometimes you feel as if they are doing it because it is part of their rituals and wonder how sincere they really are.
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The Pharisees tell us what not to do. Jesus tells us what to do.
Romans 10:15 As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
Posts: 400 | Registered: Oct 2006
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
Hi, doGon. You said:
Always good for keeping away vampires......(couldn't resist)
Eden here:
doGon, do you equate what Christians believe (after having read the Bible) with a belief in vampires? Couldn’t resist, I understand, mirth is one thing, but Christians do not believe in vampires. We believe in what Jesus suffered for us on the cross on Passover Day.
doGon, let me ask u this question. How do you think Jesus managed to get himself killed exactly on the Passover Day, or, was that just “good writing skills” and “penmanship” on the part of these “uneducated Galileans”?
doGon, you say you are a “rational”, “thinking” man in your esignature. You know that when a man is in captivity, say in the USA Penal System, that the convict cannot say to the Judge and to your Captors, “please kill me exactly on Passover Day”. You know, doGon, that the Judge and the Captors will say, “we will kill you when we are well good and ready.”
So doGon, did Jesus manage to get himself killed ON the Passover Day, or is that just “good penmanship” on the part of these mostly uneducated Galileans/turned overnight into skilled writers?
Looking forward to what you have to say, I am, Eden.
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
I just love it when I make that sign of the cross. But mind you, Cathman30, I don't DECIDE to make it, as if by rote.
But every now and again, I feel such gratefulness that I end up making the sign of the cross, to signify in two strokes everything that the lovely Lord Jesus has done for me by suffering on the cross for me, so that we could all be free.
With love, Eden. The sign to me is like a shorthand, when it happens. But I don't DECIDE to make the sign of the cross.
Now, some may even say on this website, "oh, the sign of the cross was invented by the Roman Catholic Church, so I would stay away from it" (see, I think becauseHElives}.
But as Cathman30 says, the sign of the cross was probably invented to indicate who or what one was during the persecutions of the later 1st century and the persecutions of Christians during subsequent Roman 2nd, 3rd, 4th centuries, and so on.
It was what modern computer language calls a "shortcut", a "quick way" of telling another human being who was said to be a Christian that, "hey, I am a Christian too".
Shorcuts are real, and when I suddenly have that deep urge to make the sign of the cross, I am usually feeling very thankful for everything that Jesus has done for me.
with love, Eden
"only your heart couldn't be colder, but love has been following you."
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cathman30
First Post
Member # 6227
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posted
There is nothing wrong with making the Sign of the Cross. It is very Christian. It reminds one of their Baptism and was used by the Early Christians to denote who was a Christian.
In Christ,
Cathman30
Posts: 1 | From: SC | Registered: Dec 2006
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
Well, I love making the sign of the cross. It is not something that I particularly THINK about doing at a certain time; there are just moments, here and then, when I burst out into an almost spontaneous great "thank you!" in the form of a sign of the cross, onto my head, and my belly (to represent my unreachable feet), my right shoulder and my left shoulder, to represent together that everything I am is covered by the blood of Jesus.
I feel it like a short form of all that the Lord represents for me and what He has done for me.
I also like to do it for the angels:
1 Corinthians 11:10
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
That means the angels are watching. By making the sign of the cross, both the good angels and bad angels can see whose side I am on. I love making the sign of the cross.
Be blessed.
Eden
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doGon
unregistered
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posted
Always good for keeping away vampires......(couldn't resist)
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becauseHElives
Advanced Member
Member # 87
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posted
"The sign of the cross" was started by the Roman Catholic Church, I will continue to stay away from it.
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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WildB
Moderator
Member # 2917
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posted
Matt.12
[38] Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
[39] But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign;
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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BigHead
Community Member
Member # 6143
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posted
I think it is just only a habit.
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Hi, I'm Big head
Posts: 15 | From: Asia | Registered: Oct 2006
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
There are times when I love making the sign of the cross--it is like a short form of everything that the LORD and Lord mean to me.
Anybody else feel that way?
Be blessed.
Eden
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