Part 27 (2/2)
In the beginning, life and righteousness were the gift of G.o.d to man.
Only the Creator could bestow the gift at the first; when lost, only creative power can restore it.
Man Cannot Justify Himself
The law of G.o.d declares all men sinners. Not only did Adam's posterity inherit of necessity a sinful nature, but every soul of man has wrought sin as the fruit of that nature.
”As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death pa.s.sed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Rom. 5:12.
”There is no difference,” Jew or Gentile, bond or free, they are in the same lost condition; ”for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of G.o.d.” Rom. 10:12; 3:23.
The sinner finds himself a transgressor, condemned to death by a holy law. He turns to it with the thought, ”I will do what it says, and become righteous and win life.” But he cannot undo the fact that he has sinned. A holy law can only cry, ”Guilty! guilty!” to one who has transgressed it. The law declares righteousness; it cannot give it. As the Scripture says:
”We know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before G.o.d. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:19, 20.
The guilt exists. No deeds that man can do can undo it or cover it from a righteous law. Not only that, but as soon as the law declares what righteousness is, the sinner finds that its demands are altogether beyond the power of his flesh to meet. It calls for a kind of work that fallen human nature cannot so much as approach. Paul cried out, when struggling under conviction, ”We know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” Rom. 7:14.
The carnal cannot bring forth the spiritual. But the law demands a spiritual work of righteousness. It is impossible for the carnal mind to undertake it. The Scripture says:
”The carnal mind is enmity against G.o.d: for it is not subject to the law of G.o.d, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please G.o.d.” Rom. 8:7, 8.
But the awakened sinner is yet in the flesh. He finds the law thundering his guilt and condemning him to death. He cannot wash away the past, nor hide it; he cannot obey G.o.d's law with a carnal mind, and that is all the mind he has. He is lost, and helpless of himself, but longs for a way of escape. Paul's cry in the same position is the cry of the despairing heart that has not found the Saviour, ”O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Rom. 7:24. Thank G.o.d, there is an answer to that cry, for every sinner.
”Plunged in a gulf of dark despair, We wretched sinners lay, Without one cheering beam of hope, Or spark of glimmering day.
”With pitying eyes the Prince of grace Beheld our helpless grief: He saw, and, O amazing love!
He came to our relief.”
The Free Gift of Christ
Following that despairing cry of human helplessness, ”Who shall deliver me?” there came the believer's shout of praise, ”I thank G.o.d through Jesus Christ our Lord.” He is the deliverer; for He ”gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us.” Rom. 7:25; Gal. 1:4.
The way of escape and salvation is the gift of G.o.d's love. ”G.o.d so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
No sinner has need to plead that G.o.d may be willing to forgive him; the Lord's infinite love that gave His Son to die, is pleading with the sinner to believe and accept salvation.
In order to be the sinner's Saviour, the divine Son of G.o.d must take man's place before the broken law. He came in human flesh, with all its weakness. ”I can of Mine own self,” He said, ”do nothing.” He trusted the Father, and lived a life of perfect righteousness in human flesh. He who knew no sin, bore man's sin in His body on the cross. ”The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” For man's sin He died, ”that He by the grace of G.o.d should taste death for every man.” In Him was met the penalty of the law. But it was a sinless sacrifice. He ”through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to G.o.d.” Heb. 9:14.
Therefore death could not hold Him. He rose in the power of an endless life to be man's advocate and priest and savior, ministering His grace and righteousness and life to every one who will receive them.
The righteousness that He wrought out for man in human flesh He longs to put into every human heart. As in His own flesh in Judea He walked and lived the life of righteousness, so now, by the Holy Spirit, He walks in human lives today. That means forgiveness, and deliverance from the power of the flesh, and a new life of power, and righteousness and justification wrought within by the divine indwelling Saviour. How may we receive Him with all this great salvation?--By faith; by believing His promises; ”that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.” Eph.
3:17.
Christ in all His fulness abiding within,--this is the wonder and mystery of the gospel, ”which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” It means an ever-present, ever-living Saviour, able to save to the uttermost.
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