‘For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. ” 1Corinthians 1:18
“And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.” Galatians 5:11
” (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.” Philippians 3:18
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
By the cross of Christ, becoming my cross, ends that terrible enemy — my ego. Ego runs wild with delight, wisening by each successive strain or constraint, but battles a constant foe, a crucifying agent, a killer extraordinary, that flattens it’s genius to the size of steam rolled pavement. What remains cannot be risen but another can. He is Christ (in me, the hope of glory.)
Dead ego has no scheme, it hasn’t a notion, it has no feeling, no wisdom. It, by dying, sets the scene for the miraculous. Aha its purpose! Life coming out of death. Friends we were born to die, not a savory fate, yet the power of God. Are we enemies of it, do we dispise its offense?’
Yes, foolish men and women we have become. We wait, without help, hope, love, or money for the one with whom we have to do. The lover of our soul will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. see Psalm 103:10 No, a coal of fire is laid upon the lips, unclean is made clean, we are transformed with the words, “neither do I condemn you.”
O the freshness of heaven’s thought! Not a stale formula, a broken record, a boring rehash. Instead , the rush of rolling stream, the might of wind, the blast of perfection and healing in its wings. Cleansing as it goes, we glory in its sphere, overtaken by its power and force.
Paul claimed a co-crucifixion with Christ in Galatians 2:20. However, following was a life, but a life lived in the human body of time, by the faith of the Son of God, who loved Paul and gave Himself for him.
My life seems to be a mere animal life “in the flesh,” but this is not my true life; “it is but the mask of life under which lives another, namely, Christ, who is my true life” [Luther].
lets look at Colossians 3:1-6
- 1st, Christ is seated at the right hand of the father.
- 2nd, I am to set my affection on things above to the exclusion of those things that are on the earth.
- 3rd, we are dead and our life is hidden. A fact.
- Fourth, we are with Christ in God, right now. Another fact.
- Fifth, When Christ shall appear then shall we we also appear with him in glory. See first John chapter 3 verse two.
- Number six, please mortify the deeds of the flesh, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection etcetera. And how do we do that? We do it by neglect. Yes we neglect and ignore these tendencies which appear in us much like before we were saved.
”For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. Rom 6:19-20
To yield means to position an attitude. Attitudinal positioning is a concept taken from William Newell and his book on Romans. An attitude is a highly developed mindset, which has taken form not overnight, but over many days. In short, it is taking awhile to develop. So we also through the Spirit and the Word develop a strong doctrinal position in which we take on the strong attitude of our finished work position.
In a sense we learn to serve righteousness which frees us from sin, whereas we had served sin which freed us from righteousness. And this righteousness no longer is my moral ability, neither is it my good works or good attitude, neither is it my pleasant personality or holy character. No it is the gift of God received by every believer at the point of salvation. Please observe Romans chapter 5 verse 17 and many other verses.
Romans 8:12 is an encouragement, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.”
Romans 8:13 “For if you so live, death is near; but if, through being under the sway of the spirit, you are putting your old bodily habits to death, you will live. “
Friends the book of Galatians teaches us that is we walk in the Spirit , we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Yes, indeed the secret to the Christian life is not something negative but a positive affirmation of all that was accomplished by Christ at Calvary. And it was all done for our sake. Our life is a simple appropriation of the amazing salvation purchased for every man.
Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Love you
