“Years ago, in days when a country’s flag still stood for something, an Anglo-American was traveling abroad and had the misfortune to be seized by extremists who held him hostage under threat of death. An American and a British consul asked to see the prisoner as a prelude to negotiations. At a favorable moment the British consul stepped forward and threw the British flag over the prisoner, and the American did the same with the Stars and Stripes. ‘Now then,’ they said, ‘fire on those flags if you dare.’”1

Many years ago, as a teenager, I found myself captured by my sinful nature and its depravity. A ruthless and horrible taskmaster it was to me. All looked bleak, for I was under the sentence of death, “for the wages of sin is death…” (Rom. 6:23a). I was powerless in and of myself to effect my release, because I was “yet without strength” (Rom. 5:6a). All looked hopeless from where I stood; defeated, downcast, and powerless.

However, one day a man named Jesus, Who was of kingly stature and kindly demeanor, walked into my prison and wanted to see me. While the Accuser, who stood near by, accosted me, recounting my crimes and failures, suddenly Jesus stepped forward and threw over me the “Banner of the Cross,” for His “…banner over me was love” (Song of Solomon 2:4b). With victory in His voice, and defiance in His eyes, Jesus said to my captor, “Fire upon this banner at your own peril, for ‘there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…’ (Rom. 8:1a). Oh what joy, what rejoicing was mine as I claimed those words by faith.

Now with unrestrained praise I sing:

There’s a royal banner given for display/ To the soldiers of the King;/ As an ensign fair we lift it up today,/ While as ransomed ones we sing./ Marching on, marching on,/ For Christ count everything but loss!/ And to crown Him King, we’ll toil and sing,/ ‘Neath the banner of the cross!2

1 John Phillips, Exploring Genesis, (Chicago, IL; Moody Press, n.d.) p. 254
2 Words by Daniel W. Shittle (1840-1901).