Billy Graham’s Foreword to Stephen Olford’s book Not I, But Christ (Crossway Books, 1995)

Nothing is more central to the Christian faith than the cross of Jesus Christ. And yet – as Stephen Olford points out in this eloquent and timely book - nothing is more neglected or misunderstood by many Christians today.

The cross of Christ is the foundation for our salvation, for Christ came from the Father “to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:20).

But the cross of Christ is also the foundation of our lives as believers, for God’s plan was that through the cross our old nature would be crucified, and the power of the Holy Spirit would be unleashed to change our hearts and lives.

Few people have meant as much to me across the years as Stephen Olford, and there are few preachers I respect as highly. I first heard him preach in 1946 when I was visiting Great Britain with Youth for Christ. Later we spent time in Wales, searching the Word of God together and exploring many of the themes he sets forth in this volume.

I am grateful he has put these studies on the meaning of the cross of Christ into a book so they can have a wider circulation. Biblical, balanced, and practical, it is a message sorely needed in our time. No reader can ponder its truth without being challenged and changed.

When we say, “Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20), it means more than the miracle and measure of His indwelling. It denotes the mastery of His indwelling. Paul had to state, “Christ lives in me,” (Galatians 2:20) before He could declare, “For me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). In that phrase he sums up the whole Christian experience. In that one comprehensive utterance is gathered up life FROM Christ, life WITH Christ, life IN Christ, and life FOR Christ. Paul, in effect, is affirming that “living IS Christ,” which parallels the statement “Christ…is our life” (Colossians 3:4). The victorious Christian life is the life of the victorious Christ living within.

by Stephen Olford from his book Not I, But Christ