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The cross of Christ is lifted up between heaven and
earth. Here comes the Father and the whole train of holy angels;
and as they approach the cross, the Father bows and the sacrifice is
accepted. Then comes man, with his burden of sin, to the cross. It
is at the cross that Christ takes the burden of sin rolls it away.
Here mercy and truth have met together and righteousness and peace
have kissed each other. And Christ says, "I, if I be lifted up,
will draw all men unto Me."
As the sinner falls at the foot of the cross, he
begins to marvel, and is abased. What is the reason for this? Why,
he sees that there is a transgressed law, and that man cannot keep
it, but he sees Christ, and with hope and faith he grasps the arm of
infinite power and repents at every step.
The
knowledge of the law would condemn the sinner, and crush hope from
his breast, if he did not see Jesus as his substitute and surety,
ready to pardon his transgression and to cleanse him from all sin.
1.
What is the Bible definition for sin?
1 John
3:4 ____________________________________________________
2. What
happened to sin through the commandment?
Romans
7:13 __________________________________________________
Note:
This text shows the purpose of the law was not the creation of sin,
but the discovery of sin. It was not designed to increase the
amount of sin, but to reveal the exceeding sinfulness of sin already
existing.
3.
What is the law considered to be?
Romans
7:14 __________________________________________________
Note:
If this fact were more generally recognized, people would not try
to enforce the observance of the commandments of God. Since the law
is spiritual, it can be obeyed only by the power of the Spirit of
God. "God is Spirit" (John 4:24); therefore the law is the nature
of God. Spiritual is opposed to carnal, or fleshly. So the man who
is in the flesh can not please God.
4.
How many sins does it take to separate us from God?
Genesis
3:6, 7 _________________________________________________
Note:
The gospel demands holiness, righteousness. Whoever is looking for
the soon return of Jesus purifies himself even as Christ is pure.
We are called to live a life in Christ. It only took one sin to
excluded Adam and Eve from the garden.
5.
Why does the law bring us to Christ?
Galatians 3:24 _________________________________________________
Note:
To be justified means to be pardoned. Those who are justified by
God receive the righteousness of Christ; for the Savior has taken
away their sins. They stand before the throne of God justified and
accepted. They have crucified self, and Christ abides in their
hearts.
6. What
will a person justified by Christ refused to live in?
Romans 6:1, 2
_________________________________________________
Note:
The soul who sees Jesus by faith, despises his own righteousness.
He sees himself as incomplete, his repentance worthless, his
strongest faith but weakness, his most costly sacrifice as nothing,
and he sinks in humility at the foot of the cross. But a voice
speaks to him from the pages of God's Word. In amazement he hears
the message, “You are complete in Him.” Colossians 2:10.
7.
Why was the old man crucified with Christ on the cross?
Romans 6:6
___________________________________________________
Note:
That which is destroyed is the body of sin, and it is destroyed only
by this personal presence of the life of Christ. It is destroyed in
order that we may be freed from its power, and may no longer need to
serve it. It is destroyed for everybody, for Christ in His own
flesh has abolished "the enmity," the carnal mind; not His own, for
He had none, but ours.
8.
What did Christ become for us?
2
Corinthians 5:21 ______________________________________________
9.
What will be fulfilled in us as a result of Christ’s sacrifice on
the cross?
Romans
8:3, 4 _________________________________________________
10.
How is the born again experience to be maintained?
1 John
3:6 ____________________________________________________
Note: No
one abides in Christ, who understandingly breaks the law of God.
“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He
walked.” 1 John 2:6
11.
What keeps the born again Christian from his old life of sin?
1 John
3:9 ____________________________________________________
Note:
Therefore “abide in Him.”
12.
What is Christ’s invitation?
Revelation 3:20 ________________________________________________
Many have
an idea that they must do some part of the work alone. They have
trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, but now they try by
their own efforts to do what is right. But every effort like this
will fail. Jesus says, "Without me ye can do nothing." Our
growth in grace, our joy, our usefulness -- all depend upon our
abiding in Christ. It is by abiding in Him -- that we grow in grace.
But, I
ask, "How am I supposed to abide in Christ?" -- The same way I
received Him at first. "As ye have therefore received Christ
Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him" (Col. 2:6). You gave
yourself to God, to be His totally, to serve and obey Him, and you
took Christ as your Savior. You could not of yourself atone for
your sins or change your heart, but having given yourself to God,
you believed that He for Christ's sake did all this for you. By
faith you became Christ's, and by faith you are to grow up in Him --
by giving and taking. You are to give all -- your heart, your will,
your service -- give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements;
and you must take all -- Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to
abide in your heart, to be your strength, your righteousness, your
everlasting helper -- to give you power to obey.
Your
weakness is united to His strength, your ignorance to His wisdom,
your frailty to His enduring might. So you are not to look to
yourself, not to let the mind dwell upon self, but look to Christ.
Let the mind dwell upon His love, upon the beauty, the perfection,
of His character. Christ in His self-denial, Christ in His
humiliation, Christ in His purity and holiness, Christ in His
matchless love -- this is the subject for the soul's contemplation.
It is by loving Him, copying Him, depending entirely upon Him, that
you are to be transformed into His likeness. |
