Why do Christians still apply Old Testament pre-cross requirements to life after the cross?
Many believers still carry a pre-cross mentality, applying Old Testament requirements to life after the cross because they fail to recognize that the cross makes the difference. They think mercy and forgiveness must be begged for or prayed through, but Scripture teaches these are already accomplished in Christ.
Les explains that this happens because many still have the mentality of what Scripture said before the cross and try to bring it into the after-cross age. They imagine a person must “pray through,” beg for mercy, or approach God through human suffering, but there is nothing to pray through—Christ has already accomplished it by His death, suffering, victory, and resurrection. The door to the sheepfold is ground level, right in front of us, not unattainable. In the same way, mercy has already been accomplished and does not need begging, and forgiveness is not something to beg for; the believer is already forgiven. Les points to Colossians 2:13 and stresses that the cross makes the difference.