The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-04-18

8T[A IIdi sui u AhAA46-
w Human nature,
B@1A n H%A whether coarse or
cultured, has no objection to this. for
it gives occasion for self-praise and
the accumulation Of merit. The cross
destroys all this. Its message Is not
of something TO be done, but Of some
thing that has been done, something
on which the soul of man may resi-.
because il meets both his guilt anu
helplessness.
There are three outstanding reasons
why the believer glofies in the cross
of Christ. First, it meets the penalty
involved in sin. "Sin is transgression
of the law" The penalty involved in
the breaking of law can never be re.
mitted. That would be an unrighteuus
act. The glory OF the cross is due In
part to the fact TINT the penalty in-
VOWED in transsressions WAS mel and
paid in the death of Christ. God set
forth Christ 10 lie IA propitiatlon"-that
offering for sin which righteousness re-
quires. In scripture this offering is re-
ferred TO as the one act of righteous
ntoSs DcIduSE II HIT SNEiA AAEjAtEAS
requirement involved. Until this Is
believed there can never be peace with
Cod. After this is believed there eau
never be anything else but peace with
God. He made peace through the
blood of His cross, a righteous pence.
Believe it and assert it. Say with the
apostle: being now justified by his
blood. we shall be saved from wrath
through him." "T~ransgression work
eth wrath but, standing at the cross
and looking in faith at the one who
died for III sins. we can repeat the
words of l Thessalonians 1:10N"Je-
sus. who delivered us from the wrath
to come When the requirements of
law are satisfied then and only then
can conscience be satisfied. Inasmueh
as every claim Of the righteous law
has been met. conscience is at rest and
the heart is at peace.
In the second place. the cross is to
be gloried in as the basis for the build
ing of a true Christian character.
When the sinner believes that marvel
Gus piece of information. the gospel.
the good news of God concerning His
Son, he is not only Justified by faith.
but identified with Christ in a vital
and yitalizing union. so that he can
say, witt. the writer of our text. Il
have been crucifed with Christ new
ertheless | live. yet not | but Christ
liveth in me-" This is the source of
all our goodness. There is no true
Christian character apart from it. BY
nature we belong TO a fallen race; we
have fallen from holiness. Our Lord
Himself declared that .out of the
heart proceed evil things" and the
great apostle testified IN me dwell
eth no good thing" The problem of
dellverance from the corruption and
power of this fallen nature of ours is.
solved at Calvary. Not only did Christ
take our sins TO the cross. but lie took
us there. too-"0ur old man was cru
cited with Him. Our union with
Christ begins with union with Him in
His death. The purpose Of this is to
destroy the power of sin In us. though
not the presence of it. A thing may
exist. vet not reign It may operate
but not control. The command to
Christians is. LET not sin reign IN
your mortal bodies" The cross makes
this possible and actual in experience.
All down through the ages there a
issued from ii a stream Of spir-
itual power, l~iberating. separating.
sanctifying and energizing. On the Gne
side-the death side-the cross strikes
that old Adam life and destroys its do
minion. on the other side-the resur-
rection side-it provides that Q life
by which we are saved TO holiness and
true Christian character. In other
words. goodness IS the result of union
with Christ in death and resurrection.
Possibly the supreme mistake both in
the church and in the world is that Of
trying to make this old fallen natur
of ours fit for the presence Of God
Far better to adopt Gods way and. IN
the light Of His truth. reckon our
selves dead indeed MO sin. and alive
unto God in Christ Jesus"
Furthermore, we glory in the cross
as the place where Satan was over
come. This ought 10 be .b~roadcasted"
everywhere among Christian people.
We contend with the same spiritual
foes as did our Lord. He NOT only
hlotted out the handwriting of ordi-
nances that was against US. mailing II
to His cross. but He also spoiled the
municipalities and powers Of darkness.
triumphing over them in the cross. The
victory was complete; the Prince of
Darkness was utterly defeated. and
now the light of redemption shines
brightly and without obstruction
from the cross of Calvary. Why. then.
should we not glory in the cross? II is
the basis Of our peace the foundation
of all human goodness. and the place
where our adversary, the Devil, was
conquered.