CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

Introduction v

1. The Glories of the Cross 1

Viewing the Glory of the Paradigmatic Aspects of the Cross

2. The Cross as Our Standard 3

Conformity to Jesus’ Death the Only Standard of Love for All Our Relationships

3. Theology and Paradigmatic Aspects of the Cross 7

The Cross as a Paradigm—A Major Focus of New Testament Theology

4. The Cross and the Father’s Ultimate Intention 9

The Paradigm of the Cross–the Ultimate Expression of the Father’s Heart

5. All Things Work Together to Change Us 11

The Father Planned All Things to Conform Us to the Likeness of His Son

6. Repentance at the Cross 13

Daily Repentance Vital to Being Conformed to His Death

7. The Cross and the Kenosis 15

Christ’s Incarnation and the Paradigm of the Cross

8. Spiritual Blindness Regarding The Cross 19

Satan Has Blinded Us From Seeing Paradigmatic Aspects of the Cross

9. Dead to Sin, Living the Cross 21

Reckoning Ourselves Dead to Sin and Living Out the Paradigm of the Cross

10. New Believers, Baptism, and the Cross 25

Baptism as a Total Commitment to the Paradigm of the Cross

11. The Cross and Christian Maturity 27

Meaasuring Spiritual Maturity by the Paradigm of the Cross

12. Brokenness Releases the Glory of the Cross 29

Recognizing God’s Glory Within Us and Releasing It Through Brokenness

13. The Cross and Hating Sin 35

The Cross as a Paradigm of Our Attitude Toward Sin

14. The Paradigm of the Cross in Service 39

Jesus as a Bond Slave— the Radical Paradigm for All Our Service

15. the Cross and our Suffering 49

The Cross as a Paradigm for How We Deal with Suffering

16. the Cross and “Following” Jesus 53

The Cross as a Paradigm in Greek Words for “Follow”

17. The Cross and “Burden Bearing” 59

Bearing Burdens in Intercession and the Paradigm of the Cross

18. Grafted into His Death 63

Vital Union Enables Us to Bring Forth the Paradigm of the Cross

19. The Paradigm of the Cross in the Early Church History I 67

Part I: Martyrdom

20. The Paradigm of the Cross in the Early Church History II 69

Part II: Early Heresies

21. The Paradigm of the Cross in the Early Church History III 71

Part III: The “Imperial Church”

Appendix: Chapters in the Planning Stage for a Future Edition 73

Bibliography75

Conformed to

His Death

= LIFE!

© 1995, 1999, 2004 by International Bible Society ®

The Cross

as the

Ultimate Paradigm

for Every Aspect of

Christian Experience

———————

Ron Wilson