“The Old Rugged Cross”
The song begins: "On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame;”
It seems clear enough here that “the cross” is an “emblem”.
“And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain.”
I do not love the cross! I love the Savior who died on that cross. Perhaps somewhat like our needing to love sinners, but we are to hate sin. I despise the cross – the horrific death it represents, yet I “glory” in the cross – meaning I glory in what Christ did there!, but not “the emblem”.
Gal. 6:14 says: “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.”
Notice that the key is “by whom” – i.e. the focus is our Lord Jesus Christ, not the emblematic cross.
2 Cor. 10:17 "But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord" (not in the emblem).
The song goes on to say: “O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, Has a wondrous attraction for me;” The attraction for me is the Savior, not the old wooden cross.
A.W. Tozer wrote: "...popular...theology has emphasized the utility of the cross rather than the beauty of the One who died on it.... What he did for me seems to be more important than what He is to me."
”For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above, To bear it to dark Calvary.”
So true! And He did that for you and for me! Note - to bear “it” - “It” seems to represent the emblem, the cross – “it” really should be "them", representing “our sins”.
“In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, A wondrous beauty I see, For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, To pardon and sanctify me.”
There is no beauty in the wood stained with blood! There is beauty in the Savior and in what He did there!
“To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;”
I suppose this is poetic license once again – equating the cross with the Savior - but, it is to the Savior that I must be true!
“Its shame and reproach gladly bear; Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away, Where His glory forever I’ll share.” In Isaiah God says he will share his glory with no one!
Colossians 3:4 "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." We see Him in His glory, we appear with Him in [His?] glory."
The refrain -
“So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,”
No! I will cherish the Savior!
”Till my trophies at last I lay down;”
“Until”? Is that when the cherishing stops ?
”I will cling to the old rugged cross,”
No, I am to cleave to God!
Deuteronomy 11:22 "For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him";
Deuteronomy 13:4 "Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him."
”And exchange it some day for a crown”.
Can someone explain how this transaction works? The crosses I bear in this life will be gladly given up – but HIS cross is not mine to “exchange”. Exchange for a crown? Which one? Only one? Biblical crowns – well, that’s another study.
The song begins: "On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame;”
It seems clear enough here that “the cross” is an “emblem”.
“And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain.”
I do not love the cross! I love the Savior who died on that cross. Perhaps somewhat like our needing to love sinners, but we are to hate sin. I despise the cross – the horrific death it represents, yet I “glory” in the cross – meaning I glory in what Christ did there!, but not “the emblem”.
Gal. 6:14 says: “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.”
Notice that the key is “by whom” – i.e. the focus is our Lord Jesus Christ, not the emblematic cross.
2 Cor. 10:17 "But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord" (not in the emblem).
The song goes on to say: “O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, Has a wondrous attraction for me;” The attraction for me is the Savior, not the old wooden cross.
A.W. Tozer wrote: "...popular...theology has emphasized the utility of the cross rather than the beauty of the One who died on it.... What he did for me seems to be more important than what He is to me."
”For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above, To bear it to dark Calvary.”
So true! And He did that for you and for me! Note - to bear “it” - “It” seems to represent the emblem, the cross – “it” really should be "them", representing “our sins”.
“In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, A wondrous beauty I see, For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, To pardon and sanctify me.”
There is no beauty in the wood stained with blood! There is beauty in the Savior and in what He did there!
“To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;”
I suppose this is poetic license once again – equating the cross with the Savior - but, it is to the Savior that I must be true!
“Its shame and reproach gladly bear; Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away, Where His glory forever I’ll share.” In Isaiah God says he will share his glory with no one!
Colossians 3:4 "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." We see Him in His glory, we appear with Him in [His?] glory."
The refrain -
“So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,”
No! I will cherish the Savior!
”Till my trophies at last I lay down;”
“Until”? Is that when the cherishing stops ?
”I will cling to the old rugged cross,”
No, I am to cleave to God!
Deuteronomy 11:22 "For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him";
Deuteronomy 13:4 "Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him."
”And exchange it some day for a crown”.
Can someone explain how this transaction works? The crosses I bear in this life will be gladly given up – but HIS cross is not mine to “exchange”. Exchange for a crown? Which one? Only one? Biblical crowns – well, that’s another study.