Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-03-02

alive unto God and hence in Christ was
to become the fulfillment of the law.
That is. he was absolutely through with
the law as a means of salvation. but as
redeemed soul in Christ Jesus he was
TO become an expression of the righteous
law OF God. And Paul by speaking of
being crucifed with Christ and OF ris-
ing with Him from the dead. is reveal
ing the way in which that condition may
be realized. Crucified with Christ. Dy-
ing with Him. What does IL mean
Christ living in the believer. That life
a life of faith. Surely here is a Christian
experience which is not common. and
yet an experience which every disciple
OF Jesus should desire and seek after
Jesus wants and expects His followers to
reckon themselves dead unto sin. and
alive unto God in Christ Jesus"
ID second experience generally
OF the Christian to realize that he
is dead to sin and alive to God in
Christ Jesus. The first experience
comes at conversion. when, like Bun
vans Christian, we come to the cross
nave been carrying about rolls from
our shoulders and disappears in the
open grave before the cross. and we
realize that Jesus blood has cleansed
us from all sin. But then comes the
battle with sin. AS with Christian,
we go out on our way rejoicing. light
hearted and free. and forgetful almost
that we have ever sinned or can ever
SIN again. And Satan lets us alone
Tor a time, and we begin to think
that we have rid ourselves of him for
ever, but the willy enemy of mems
souls Is only waiting until the first
joys of the Christian experience have
worn away. and the desires and appe-
ttes OF the old man. the flesh. have be-
gun to cry again for recognition and
indulgence. Then he comes with his
allurements and temptations. and
draws the Christian away into sin. Then
come doubts and fears and distress Of
soul. We have gotten into the hilly
country Of the Christian life. 1t Is up
and down. In sin to-day Repent
ance, and confession and forgiveness
tomorrow. And so it goes. Satan
having dominion over us Sin having
conscious claim upon us. The flesh
constantly having victory over us. But
this is not what Jesus intended should
be the experience of the Christian lie
came to give complete deliverance from
sin, but that can be realized only as
the soul comes to understand that lie
Is dead to sin. and risen with Christ
into newness of life. When he De-
gins to understand this marvellous and
glorious truth, and, understanding II,
gives it practical expression in his life,
then he begins to know what it is 20
cruelty the flesh. with the appetites
and lusts. and to feel thai sin and
Satan no longer have dominion over
him
THIS second Christian experience. this
L realizing not only that Jesus has
died for our sin but that we have died
with Him and have risen with Him.
marks the life of victory and blessing
Crucified with Christ. On the cross with
Christ. All. Christian, do you realize
what it was that put your Lord on that
cross? Somehow you have gotten beyond
the cross. You realize that Jesus died on
the cross to save you, but now that Won
are saved. you think of the cross and
Jesus dying on the cross in connection
with the unsaved and sinful world. But
letus gObaCk and look. with tear-dimmed
eye and humble heart, upon that cross
and as We contemplate it let us try to-
understand its deeper meaning. Let us
forget all about the sinful world Let
us stand alone before that cross. II was
my sin that put the Christ upon that
cross. 1t was my sin which He bore upon
that cross. My guilty soul was on that
cross with Christ II It were not so how
can | hope or expect that my sin has
been atoned for? II there was any par
ticle Of sin not on the cross with Christ
then was it not atoned for. But IL was
all there. Christ became sin for ne
Our sin was with Him on the cross
Crucifed with Christ Then nv guilty
sinful. lost self was on the cross win
Christ II must be there. il am TO have
hope in the sacrifice which He there
made for sin. And II / was there II
see MY sin there on the cross. what docs
it mean? n means that death has como
to me on the sin side. Am going tn
claim salvation because of the sacrifice
which Jesus made on the cross and then
take my sinful flesh back again and full
fiji the lusts thereof? No. I'm Christ 7
died 20 sin on the cross. and II dead how
dare live as though were still alive
TO sin? They that are OF Christ. have
crucified the passions and the lusts
thereof" The fact that we belong to
Christ declares that as sinners we nave
been on the cross with Christ: that we
are dead on the sinward side That is
the fact in theory. and then comes the
practical working out OF that theory in
the life a realizing in actual expert
ence, that which we know to be the
theoretical fact.