THE BLOOD OF JESUS CLEANSES YOU FROM ALL SIN AND GUILT (1 JOHN 1:7). JESUS IS THE DELIVERER!!
The information below comes from the book "The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop
"The cross that Rome now worhips was also used in the Babylonian mysteries and was applied by Paganism to the same magic purposes and honoured with the same honours.
That which is now called the Christian cross was originally NO CHRISTIAN EMBLEM AT ALL but was the mystic Tau of the Chaldeans and Egyptians - the true original form of the letter T - the initial of the name of Tammuz - which, in Hebrew is radically the same as ancient Chaldee, as found on coins.There is hardly a pagan tribe where the cross has not been found.
The cross was worshipped by the Pagan Celts long before the death of Jesus.
The Druids selected the most beautiful trees as an emblem of the Diety they adored, cut the branches and affixed to the trunk to present the appearance of a huge cross and inscribed the letters Tau in several places.
In Mexico the cross was worshipped for ages before the Roman Catholic Missionaries came there as large stone crosses were erected probably to the "god of rain".
The cross widely worshipped, or regarded as a sacred emblem, was the unequivocal symbol of Bacchus, the Babylonian Messiah as he was represented with a headband covered with crosses. This symbol of the Babylonian god is reverenced at this day in all wide wastes of Tartary, where Buddhism prevails.The cross of the Manicheans, with leaves and flowers springing from it, is called the divine tree, the tree of the gods, the tree of life and knowledge, and productive of whatever is good and desirable, and is placed in the terrestrial paradise.
This pagan symbol (the cross) seems first to have crept into the Christian Church in Eqypt, and generally into Africa. The first form of that which is called the Christian cross found on Christian monuments there is the unequivocal Pagan Tau, or eqyptian "Sign of Life'.
The ansa or "handle" was afterwards dispensed with, and it became the simple Tau, or ordinary cross, as it appears at this day. The design of its first employment on the sepulchres, therefore, could have no reference to the crucifixion of Jesus. It was simply the result of the attachment to old and long-cherished Pagan symbols, which is always strong in those who, with the adoption of the Christian name and profession, are still, to a large extent, Pagan in heart and feeling. This, and this only, is the origin of the worship of the "Cross".
Mark 8:34 "And JESUS called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]."
When JESUS spoke these words HE HAD NOT BEEN CRUCIFIED. So why did JESUS say the words "take up his cross", and what do they mean?
In the Strong's Concordance the definition for cross is #4716 i.e. self-denial by imply - the atonement of Christ, fig. exposure to death; a stake or post or cross.
To the Jewish people the meaning of the cross was understood. Deuteronomy 21:22 and 23 speaks of the cross as a symbol of death and to commit a sin worthy of death a man would be hung on a tree. It also told them (and us) that the man who is hung on a tree is accursed by God. So they knew that this type of self-denial would be great. Death to the flesh, self, and following JESUS.
According to "The Cross in Tradition, History and Act" by William Wood Seymour, the cross was originally designed as occult symbols to be worshipped in Babylon and Egypt [many years before Jesus].
We must understand that the cross is a symbol of death, grief, sorrow and agony, and like other objects that we should not have in our home, we don't need to have a cross either, even around our necks. If you have seen any pictures of rock music singers, they almost all have crosses around their necks, in their ears, or other parts of their body. Almost every religion uses a cross, including voodoo (they also use rosary beads). Buddha temples have crosses on the building. So if someone sees a cross in your home, hanging around your neck or your car mirror, what god will they think you are serving?
Our witness is our lifestyle, and people will know by the Holy Spirit abiding within us that we are Christ's. Remember that the Lord said that if we bring a cursed object into our home we take the curse on us also. Deuteronomy 7:26 "Neither shall you bring an abomination (an idol) into your house, lest you become an accursed thing like it; but you shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is an accursed thing."
This does not take away the fact that our Lord and Savior was crucified on a tree. These trees were used by the Romans to kill people long before JESUS died on one.
Do you wear a MANGER around your neck which signifies the birth of JESUS? You get the point.
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