Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-08-16

/ CHapIer or Romans brings us 10 tHe
top of the mountain of Christian truth
| from which the believer looks out over
the vast stretches of Gods grace, and
| cries out exuitantly: There is now
no condemnation"
Condemnation is the result of guilt
| OF unrighteousness, of a corrupt ma
ture, and the sense of powerlessness
to attain ones ideal. If these four
limiting perplexng, cumbersome condi-
| lions which are attached to all human
lie In a greater or less degree could be
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 l 20 and
Hebrews 9:26 will supply the answer:
Behold the Lamb of God which taketh
away the sin of the world" HE APP
peared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of Himself" In that sacrificial 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 1t. the divine
proclamation in Acts 10 :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 Him all that believe
are justified from all things Guilt
is removed through the vicarious
atonement of the Son of God. To the
end of time this truth will be assailed
with objections, but as long as the
world stands, the awkward conscience
will turn to 1t as the one and only
appointed Getty of refuge"
In the second place, righteousness Is
imputed to the believer in Christ.
With all our self-righteousness there
is sense of condemnation because of
it's insufficiency. The soul instructive
ly feels this. After one has done the
best he can, there Is this sense of in
adequacy and incompleteness, feeling
OI SuOTlCODluS, anu a COANlCLlOA tidt
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
whom we have to do" Motive as we'll
as action is seen by our God. Under
such conditions, and standing on ones
own merits, it is impossible to say:
ATTN, se,f
ton" But Christ is made unto us
righteousness. He not only removes
our guilt but reckons over to our ac-
count that divine righteousness which
by His life and death He wrought out
for u.s. 1t is as Luther said: Lord
Jesus, am thy sin, thou art my right
eousness" Imputed righteousness is
clearly taught in the Bible. In one
chapter. Romans A. the word imputed"
or "reckoned" is used eleven times In
this connection abraham believed
God and it was reckoned to Him for
righteousness" Abraham is the norm
or standard in this matter. divine
righteousness is provided in the gospel
and reckoned over to the account Of
those WHO DGilcVC ttidt SOSPCl. O1 tnC
[ basis Of this imputed Righteousness, in
addition to the removal of guilt one
may with increased emphasis affirm:
"There Is therefore now no condemna-
ton"
In the third place, new life Is Inn
parted. Those to whom divine right
eousness is imputed are made the
REGIMENTS of the divine life. In other
| words. when we are justified by
| Christ, we are also united to Christ in
| spiritual, vital and vitalizing union.
| AS the branch is in the vine, so are
we in Christ. To be 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-
| yided. Condemnation may result from
| powerlessness as well as from guilt.
The "wretched man" Of Romans 7:24
| cries out for power rather than for
cleansing. He longs for deliverance
| from the dominion Of the old nature.
| His need at this point is fully met,
| even as it is in every other respect.
"The spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath
4 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 condem-
nation to them that are in Christ
Jesus" for guilt is removed, righteous
ness is imputed, life is impaired. and
power is provided
This is indeed great salvationi