November 1 – 1 Corinthians 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.”

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We are not called to worship the cross, as a mature Christian I understand this and focus my adoration upon Him.  However, if I leave out the message of how God sacrificed His Son upon the cross, how it was foretold this would happen, it takes the fullness of His story out of the historical account.  We look to the cross as one of the many proofs this truly was the Messiah of whom the prophets spoke.

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“In succeeding centuries, the churches which came into being through an intermingling of pagan concepts with the true apostolic Christianity developed the practice of using symbolic crosses in the architecture of their buildings and as jewelry attached to the robes of their priests. Frequently this practice of dwelling on the personal death struggle of our Lord has caused these churches to put sculptured representations of Christ on their crosses, thus forming so called crucifixes. All this is inharmonious with the quiet spirit of worship and reverence that should attend a true Christian’s remembrance of our Lord’s sufferings and death. In fact, the revealed symbolism to bring these things to the attention of true worshipers is found in the ordinance of the sacrament.”

Bruce R. McConkie, MormonDoctrine, 172.