1Co
1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto
us which
are saved it is the power of God.
(Excerpt)
The
Revelation of the Cross
In
Gal.3:13 we are brought back to the subject presented in Gal. 2:20 and
3:1,--the ever-present cross.
Gal
3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree
Gal
2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal
3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey
the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth,
crucified among you?
The
subject is inexhaustible, but the following few facts may serve to open it up
to our minds:--
1. The
redemption from sin and death is accomplished through the cross. Gal.3:13.
2. The
Gospel is all contained in the cross; for the Gospel is "the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Rom. 1:16), and "unto us
which are saved" the cross of Christ "is the power of God"
(1Cor.1:18).
Rom
1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek.
1Co
1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
3. Christ
is revealed to fallen men only as the Crucified and risen One. There is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby salvation may be obtained
(Acts 4:12),
Act
4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other
name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
and,
therefore, it is all that God sets forth before men, since He does not wish to
confuse them. "Christ and Him crucified," is all that Paul wished to
know; it is all that any man needs to know. Thus the one thing that men need is
salvation; if they get that, they get all things; but salvation is found only
in the cross of Christ; therefore, God puts before the eyes of men nothing
else: He gives them just what they need. Jesus Christ is by God set forth
openly crucified before the eyes of every man, so that there is no excuse for
any to be lost, or to continue in sin.
4. Christ
is set forth before men only as the crucified Redeemer; and since that from
which men need to be saved is the curse, He is set forth as bearing the curse.
Wherever there is any curse, there is Christ bearing it. We have already seen
that Christ bore, and still bears, our curse, in that He bears our sin. He also
bears the curse of the earth itself, for He bore the crown of thorns, and the
curse pronounced on the earth was, "Thorns also and thistles shall it
bring forth." Gen.3:18. So the whole creation, which now groans under the
curse, has been redeemed through the cross of Christ. Rom.8:19-23.
Rom
8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the
manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom
8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by
reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom
8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage
of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom
8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now.
Rom
8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption,
to wit, the redemption of our body.
5. It is
only on the cross that Christ bears the curse, for His being made a curse for
us was indicated by His hanging on the cross. The cross is the symbol of the
curse, but also of deliverance from the curse, since it is the cross of Christ,
the Conqueror and Deliverer. The very curse itself, therefore, presents the
cross, and proclaims our deliverance.
6. Where
is the curse? Ah, where is it not? The blindest can see it, if he will but
acknowledge the evidence of his own senses. Imperfection is a curse, yea, that
is the curse; and imperfection is on everything connected with this earth. Man
is imperfect, and even the finest plant that grows from the earth is not as
perfect as it might be. There is nothing that meets the eye that does not show
the possibility of improvement, even if our untrained eyes can not see the
absolute necessity of it. When God made the earth, everything was "very
good," or, as the Hebrew idiom has it, "good exceedingly." God
Himself could see no chance, no possibility, for improvement. But now it is
different. The gardener spends his thought and labor trying to improve the
fruits and flowers under his care. And since the best that the earth produces
reveals the curse, what need be said of the gnarled, stunted growths, the
withered and blasted buds and leaves and fruits, and the noxious, poisonous
weeds? Everywhere "hath the curse devoured the earth." Is.24:6.
Isa
24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell
therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and
few men left.
7. What,
then, is the conclusion of the whole matter? Is it discouragement? Nay;
"for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our
Lord Jesus Christ." 1Thess.5:9. Although the curse is visible
everywhere,-- "Change and decay in
all around I see,"- yet things live, and men live. But the curse is death,
and no man and no thing in creation can bear death and still live. Death kills.
But Christ is He that liveth, and was dead, and is alive forevermore. Rev.1:18.
Rev
1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
He alone
can bear the curse--death--and still live. Therefore, the fact that there is
life on the earth and in man, in spite of the curse, is proof that the cross of
Christ is everywhere. Every blade of grass, every leaf of the forest, every
shrub and tree, every flower and fruit, even the bread that we eat, is stamped
with the cross of Christ. In our own bodies is Christ crucified. Everywhere is
that cross; and as the preaching of the cross is the power of God, which is the
Gospel, so it is that the everlasting power of God is revealed in all things
that He has made. That is "the power that worketh in us." Eph.3:20.
Rom. 1:16-20, compared with 1Cor.1:17,18, amounts to a plain declaration that
the cross of Christ is seen in all the things that God has made--even in our
own bodies.
Eph
3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that
we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us
Rom
1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek.
Rom
1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom
1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God
hath shewed it unto them.
1Co
1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none
effect.
1Co
1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
The Glad
Tidings
By E. J.
WAGGONER
(Excerpt- To be continued)
*******
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