The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-03
| Living Christ ChristIike Living.

How comforting and inspiring
should he the thought that We are unit
ed to living Christ! 1t is truth to
which we should often let our minds
revert. We are too apt to think of
Christ as living and dying long ago in
Palestine, and to forget that He is a
living, personal Saviour, near to each
one of US. Even though We know
that He is alive, we often regard Him
as if He were far away, and so fully
engrossed with the great concerns OF
the universe that He is not willing to
condescend to bless and guide our in.
significant little lives. But we should
remember that as the branch is unit.
ed to the vine, or as the body is Joined
to the head, 80 we, by living
faith, are in union with Christ. We
should also bear in mind that, as the
branch draws its nourishmeht from
the vine, so we derive our strength
from Him and as the movements OF
the body are directed and controlled
by the head, so we. are swayed and
guided by our living Head. Not on
ly does He know the way that we
take, but He has even marked it out
for US, and He now goes with us bles-
sing and strengthening US along the
Journey. Because He lives, We live.
Because He lives, we are blessed with
the Fathers love, and we are enriched
with those gifts and graces which
the Holy Spirit was sent to impart.
In union with the living Christ
there is safety; here can we over
come the temptations of the evil one
here can we quell the risings of sin
here there is life abundantly; here
we are endowed with the beautifying
ennobling, and cheering fruits Of the
Spirit (Gal. v. %, 23).
1t is difficult to find an illustration
which will set forth the nature, the
blessedness, and the effect of our un'
ion with Christ, but perhaps the fol-
lowing from the pen OF the late Dr.
A. J. Gordon will throw some light
upon the subject: "In the part Of
New England where spent my sum
mer holidays ! have seen parable Of
nature. X 1t is an example OF
natural grating, if you have seen
such an instance. Two little saplings
grew up side by side. Through the
action of the wind they crossed each
other; by and by the bark of each
be came wounded, and the sap began
10 mingle, until in some still day
they became united together. This
process went on more and more, and
by and by they were firmly com.
pacted. Then the stronger began to
absorb the life from the weaker. II
grew larger and larger, while the
other grew smaller and smaller; then
it began to wither and decline till
finally it dropped away and disap'
peared. And now there are two
trunks at the bottom and only one
at the top. Death has taken away
the one; life has triumphed in the
other.
"There was time when you and
Jesus Christ met. The wounds o.
your penitent heart began to knit up
with the wounds of His broken heart
and you were united to Christ
Where are you now? Are the two
lives running parallel, or has the
word been accomplished in you, He
must increase, but [ must decrease?
Has that old life been growing less
and less and less? More and more
have you been mortifying it until al
last it seems almost to have disap'
peared ? Blessed are ye if such is the
case. Then you can say; L live
yet not Il but Christ liveth in me
and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by the faith of the Son o.
God, who loved me, and gave Him
self for me- "-Canada Presbyterian