The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-08-22

PtdAAAf as MY NA
Gold themselves in theil vast reaches
The opening words of the eighth
chapter of Romans brings us TO the
top of the mountain of Christian truth
from which the believer looks out over
the vast stretches of Gods grace, aud
cries out exultantly: There is now
no condemnation"
Condemnation is the result of guilt,
of unrighteousress. of a corrupt ma
ture, and the sense of pOwerlessness
to attain ones ideal. If these four
limiting %perplexing. cumbersome 'condl-
ton which are attached to all iiulnan
life in a greater or less degree could he
removed. the sense of condemnation
would be removed. Now this is pre-
cisely what God has done.
First. He has removed our guilt. Il
have blotted out as a thick cloud Thy
transgressions and as a cloud thy sins
return unto Me for | have redeemed
thee" If the question of method be
raised. If we ask how is this accom-
plished, the words of John 30 and
O.% Will supply Ait -.
Behold he Lamb of God which taketh
away the sin of the world" HE ap-
peared 10 put away sin by the sacrifice
of Himself In that saeiificial death.
He met and settled forever everything
involved in our SHINING. HE died, the
just for the unjust" In view of that
death and by virtue of it. the divine
proclamation in Acts 13 :3S is made
BE it known unto you therefore, men
and brethren. that through this man
Is preached unto YOU the forgiveness
of sins: and by HIN all that believe
are justified from all things" Guilt
is removed through the vicarions
| atonement of the Son of God. To :he
end of time this truth will be assailed
with objections. but as long as the
world stands. the awkward conscience
will turn to it as the one and only
appointed "city of refuge"
In the second place. Righteousness Is
imputed to the believer in Christ,
With all our seif-righteousness. there
is a sense of condemnation because OF
its insuffciency. The soul instructive
ly feels this. After has done the
hest he can, there Is this sense of in
adequacy and ineompleteness, a feeling
of s~hortcoming. and a conviction that
our own righteousness Is not valid be-
fore God even though It stands the
| scrutiny of man. "All things are naked
and open before the eyes of Him with
l--A - H. Motive "a = tS-ai
as action is seen by our God. Under
! such conditions, and standing on ones
own merits. it is impossible to shy:
There is therefore now no condemns
tion.r But Christ is made unto lis
righteousness. He not only move
our guilt but reckons over TO our ac-
count that divine righteousness which
nv His life and death He wrought out
for us. 1t is as Luther said: Lord
| Jesus. l am thy sin, thou art my right
Imputed righteousness is
clearly taught in the Bible. In one
chapter. Romans 4, the word Imputed
or ~ireckoned'' is used eleven times in
this connection. abraham believed
God and II was reckoned to Him TO
righteousness" Abraham is the norm
or standard in this matter. A divine
righteousness is provided in the gospel
and reckoned over TO the account OF
those who believe that gospel. On the
hasis of this imputed righteousness. IN
addition 10 the removal of guilt. one
may with increased emphasis affirm
.sTbara is therefore now no condemna
ton"
In the third place. a new life IS I'M
narted. Those TO whom a divine right
eonsness is imputed are made the
REGIMENTS of the divine life. In other
words when we are justified my
Christ we are also united TO Christ in
q sniritual, vital and vitalizing union.
As the branch is in the vine. so are
We in Christ. TO he in Christ Implies
that the life of Christ is in US. The
one is the compliment of the other.
In the fourth place. power is pro
vided. Condemnation may result from
.nowerlessness as well as from guilt.
The "wretched man" of Romans 7:2l
scries ont for power rather than for
-
cleansing. He longs for deliverance
from the dominion of the old nature
His need at this point is fully mel,
even as II is in every other respect
.'The spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath
made me free from the law of sin and
DEATH" Power is provided. even the
power of the Holy Spirit who is THE
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus"
In view of this four-fold provision
the soul triumphantly exclaims
"There is therefore now no eondem
nation to them that are In Christ
Jesus" for guilt is removed, righteous
ness is imputed, life is Impaired. ant
power is provided.
This is indeed a great salvationl
Christianity.
sIt bant and nnp+ar tx.-I-