Books Back to the Cross Book by Watchman Nee

Back to the Cross

By Watchman Nee

Overview

Back to the Cross is a collection of Watchman Nee’s early sermons and essays urging the Christian church and individual believers to reclaim the central, transformative message of the cross. Written in a time of social and spiritual crisis, the book asserts that true faith and vitality are only found by returning to Christ’s sacrifice as the essential foundation for all spiritual life and victory.

Central Themes

1. The Urgency of Returning to the Cross

Contemporary Apostasy: Nee observes a drift in the church into worldliness and ineffectiveness, arguing that only the cross can counter the prevailing darkness in both church and society.

Foundation for Renewal: The cross is presented as the only source for cleansing from sin and deliverance from self, calling believers to rededicate, review their spiritual condition, and seek deeper life in Christ12.

2. Double Work of the Cross

Penalty and Power: Nee distinguishes between salvation from the penalty of sin (forgiveness and justification) and salvation from the power of sin (liberation from the “old self”). The cross, he insists, addresses both578.

The Old Self: Humanity’s inherited sinful nature is depicted as beyond repair or improvement. God’s method is not to rehabilitate but to crucify the old self with Christ—this is the deeper “back to the cross” call58.

3. Living the Crucified Life

Practical Reckoning: Believers are instructed to continually “reckon” themselves dead to sin and alive in Christ. The battle against sin requires this ongoing return to the cross, relying on the Holy Spirit to bring daily experience of Christ’s victory7.

Holy Spirit’s Role: The Spirit applies the cross’s power in real-time, enabling believers to overcome temptation and the recurring efforts of the old nature78.

4. Spiritual Warfare and Victory

Intensity of the Battle: Nee highlights the intensification of spiritual conflict at the “end of the age,” with Satan’s attacks and deception increasing12.

Standing on Christ’s Victory: The only way to resist and overcome is by abiding in the victory already secured at Calvary—living as “co-crucified” followers, standing firm in faith against all opposition.

5. Call to the Church

Corporate Awakening: Nee appeals for the church collectively to awake from complacency, renew its calling as the “light of the world,” and bear effective witness by holding fast to the message and experience of the cross2.

Key Doctrinal Points and Practices

Who Should Read This Book

Christians seeking a deeper experience of sanctification and victory over persistent struggles.

Leaders and churches looking to re-center their teaching and practice on Christ’s cross.

Readers of faith literature, especially those drawn to spiritual renewal and overcoming inner obstacles.

Notable Takeaways

Victory over sin is not attained by willpower or self-effort, but by fully embracing the truth of our death and resurrection with Christ.

Daily renewal and empowerment come from returning to the cross as the ongoing source of cleansing and transformation.

The cross challenges both individual believers and the church to radical dependence on Christ, exposing the futility of human effort without Him.

1 BOOK