THE CROSS AGAINST ALL ILLUSIONS

 > THE CROSS AGAINST ALL ILLUSIONS

The Cross stands against every illusion that distorts truth, self, and God.

It exposes the false measures by which life is often judged—

appearance over reality,

comfort over obedience,

success over faithfulness.

What seems strong is revealed as fragile;

what appears righteous is tested and found wanting.

The Cross confronts the illusion of self-sufficiency.

It declares that no one redeems themselves,

that pride cannot heal the soul,

and that salvation cannot be constructed by human effort.

It overturns the illusion of cheap grace.

Grace is not permission without transformation,

nor mercy without repentance.

At the Cross, grace is shown to be costly,

and truth inseparable from love.

It dismantles the illusion of distant faith—

a belief that remains untouched by suffering,

unmoved by the neighbor,

and unchanged in practice.

The Cross brings faith into the open,

where it must be lived, not merely spoken.

Therefore, the Cross is not an ornament of belief,

but a revelation of reality.

It separates truth from pretense,

devotion from performance,

and love from indifference.

In every generation, the Cross remains the place

where illusions end

and truth begins. 

Pastor Steven G. Lee 

St. GMC Corps

May 1, 2026