{"id":3207,"date":"2015-02-28T06:01:06","date_gmt":"2015-02-28T06:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=3207"},"modified":"2015-02-28T06:01:14","modified_gmt":"2015-02-28T06:01:14","slug":"bulletin-edition-245-march2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=3207","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition #245 March 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was not the nails!<\/strong>
\n(J. C. Philpot)<\/p>\n

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Mark 15:34<\/p>\n

It was not the nails driven through His hands and feet;
\nit was not the crown of thorns placed upon His brow;
\nit was not the stripes which mangled His back;
\nit was not the languor and faintness under which He
\nsuffered\u2014which caused the Lord to die.<\/p>\n

It was not the mere bodily agony of the cross; it was
\nnot the mere pain, though most acute and severe, of
\nthe nails driven through His sacred hands and feet. It
\nwas not the being stretched upon the cross six hours
\nthat constituted the chief part of the Redeemer’s
\nsuffering. But it was the almost intolerable load of
\nimputed sin\u2014the imputed sins of millions. It was the
\ntremendous pouring of the wrath of God into His holy
\nsoul; it was the hiding of His Father’s face, and the
\nvery pangs of hell that there caught hold of Him.<\/p>\n

Our suffering Savior drank the cup of the wrath of
\nGod to the very dregs\u2014when our vile, dreadful, and
\nhorrible sins were laid upon Him!<\/p>\n

“Yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten
\nby Him, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:4<\/p>\n

“Yet it pleased the Lord to crush Him, and cause
\nHim to suffer, and though the Lord makes His
\nsoul an offering for sin . . .” Isaiah 53:10<\/p>\n

All true sanctification<\/p>\n

(Octavius Winslow)<\/p>\n

“Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us
\nfrom all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar
\npeople, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14<\/p>\n

There is no victory over the indwelling power of sin, and
\nthere is no pardon for the guilt of sin, but as the soul deals
\nwith the blood of Christ. The great end of our dear Lord’s
\ndeath was to destroy the works of the devil. Sin is the great
\nwork of Satan. To overcome this, to break its power, subdue
\nits dominion, repair its ruins, and release from its condemnation,
\nthe blessed Son of God suffered the ignominious death of the
\ncross. All that bitter agony which He endured, all that mental
\nsuffering, the sorrow of His soul in the garden, the sufferings
\nof His body on the cross\u2014all was for sin.<\/p>\n

See, then, the close and beautiful connection between the death
\nof Christ\u2014and the death of sin. All true sanctification comes
\nthrough the cross! Seek it there. The cross brought into your
\nsoul by the eternal Spirit will be the death of your sins. Go to the
\ncross! Oh, go to the cross of Jesus! In simplicity of faith, go with
\nthe strong corruption; go with the burden of guilt; go to the cross!
\nYou will find nothing but love there, nothing but welcome there,
\nnothing but purity there. The precious blood of Jesus “cleanses us
\nfrom all sin.” And while you are kept low beneath the cross, your
\nenemy dares not approach you, sin shall not have dominion over
\nyou, nor shall Satan, your accuser, condemn you!<\/p>\n

Your filth will be washed away!<\/p>\n

(J. C. Philpot, “The Clean Water Sprinkled” 1866)<\/p>\n

O, what loathsome monsters of iniquity\u2014how
\npolluted, filthy, and vile do we feel ourselves
\nto be\u2014when the guilt of our sin is charged home
\nupon our conscience! Have you not sometimes
\nloathed yourselves on account of your abominations?
\nHas not the filth of your sin sometimes disgusted you;
\nthe opening up of that horrible, that ever running
\nsewer, which you daily carry about with you?<\/p>\n

We complain, and justly complain\u2014of a reeking sewer
\nwhich runs through a street\u2014or of a ditch filled with
\neverything disgusting. But do we feel as much\u2014do
\nwe complain as often\u2014of the foul sewer which is
\never running in our soul\u2014of the filthy ditch in our
\nown bosom?<\/p>\n

As the sight of this open sewer meets our eyes\u2014and
\nits stench enters our nostrils, it fills us with self-loathing
\nand self-abhorrence before the eyes of a holy God.<\/p>\n

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you
\nwill be clean. Your filth will be washed away!”
\nEzekiel 36:25-26<\/p>\n

Justice sheaths its avenging sword in His heart!<\/p>\n

(Henry Law, “Gleanings from the Book of Life”)<\/p>\n

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin
\nfor us, so that in Him we might become
\nthe righteousness of God.” 2 Cor. 5:21<\/p>\n

It is a comforting thought, that the sins thus
\nremoved from the guilty and transferred to the
\nguiltless, leave the real transgressor relieved
\nfrom the weight of evil.<\/p>\n

Thus unrighteousness is removed.<\/p>\n

Jesus thus laden with iniquities, endures
\nall that sin merits and the law denounces.<\/p>\n

He approaches the altar of the Cross.<\/p>\n

He there presents Himself the willing victim.<\/p>\n

He there lays down His life, the all sufficient sacrifice.<\/p>\n

He there sheds His blood, worthy to make atonement.<\/p>\n

Wrath pours out on Him all its vials.<\/p>\n

Justice sheaths its avenging sword in His heart!<\/p>\n

The law pours on His head its total curse.<\/p>\n

He endures to the uttermost all that justice required.<\/p>\n

Where now are the believer’s sins?<\/p>\n

That which is blotted out can no more be found.<\/p>\n

None who are washed in His most precious blood
\ncan be borne off to hell. Satan can offer no charge
\nagainst those on whom no sin is found.<\/p>\n

Consider Jesus\u2013 Our Paymaster<\/p>\n

“He was oppressed.” \u2013Isa. 53:7<\/p>\n

The Hebrew word here rendered “oppressed,” signifies to exact, or, to demand payment. It is so rendered in the following passage–“The creditor shall not EXACT of his neighbor, nor of his brother, in the year of release.” The word taskmaster comes from the same root; and as there is no noun prefixed to the original, the words may be fitly rendered–it was exacted of Him, demanded, required, and He was ‘afflicted,’ or, He answered. A truer view of the office and work of the Lord Jesus does not exist; nor is there a more gracious and comforting point of light in which a poor, sin-burdened, guilt-oppressed soul can study Him.<\/p>\n

By nature all are God’s debtors, owing Him supreme love, perfect holiness, entire obedience, and unreserved service–yes, our whole being, body, soul, and spirit. To meet this great debt, we are–by nature, in consequence of the fall, morally and utterly unable–bankrupt of all righteousness and strength, having “nothing to pay.” No will, no heart, no might–in a word, there being in us no good thing. O my soul! ponder this your state by nature–owing an infinite debt to God, with no possible way of discharging a single fraction of the claim, deserving to be cast into the prison of eternal punishment until you have paid the uttermost farthing.<\/p>\n

But consider Jesus as the Church’s great PAYMASTER and SURETY. Jesus, in eternity, entered into a bond, signed with His own hand, and afterwards sealed with His own blood, to free us from all this great debt. In fulfillment of that covenant engagement, in the fullness of time He was born of a woman, made under the law, and by His perfect obedience and atoning death, He gave full satisfaction to the Divine government, and so Law and Justice exacted from Him the obligation He had undertaken to meet. And now was fulfilled His own prophecy concerning Himself–“Then I restored that which I took not away.” Jesus restored the glory of God, of which He had not robbed Him. He satisfied Divine justice, which He had never injured. He fulfilled a Law He had never broken, and so restored to it a righteousness He had never taken away. And He made satisfaction for sins He had never committed; and so, “He restored that which He took not away.”<\/p>\n

Sin is a debt–Jesus paid it when He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. Obedience is a debt–Jesus paid it when, by the obedience of One, many were made righteous. Death is a debt–Jesus paid it when He bowed His head on the cross and gave up the spirit. And when thus we behold Him dragged into the court of human justice, and sentenced to a felon’s death–and when we follow Him to the garden of His sorrow, sweating great drops of blood, and thence to Calvary, and see Him nailed to the accursed tree–suffering, bleeding, dying–what do we behold but the exacting from Him the full payment of the bond for the honoring of which He had entered into an eternal suretyship on His people’s behalf?<\/p>\n

What life and liberty are bound up in these words–“I forgave you all that great debt!” Believing soul, the debtor’s prison is no longer your abode. The bond is cancelled, and God, the Creditor, fully satisfied with the Atonement of His beloved Son, has given a full discharge both to Him and to us, in that He raised Him from the dead. No longer, then, look at your sins, unworthiness, nothingness, and poverty; but look to Jesus, and, looking constantly by faith at Him, walk in the holy, happy liberty of one all whose debt is cancelled, and for whom there is now no condemnation. Is Jesus your Paymaster, O my soul? Then He has equally engaged to provide for your temporal needs, to deliver you out of all your difficulties, and to enable you to meet all your worldly engagements. Surely He who has paid your greater debt to God, will help you honorably to pay your lesser debt to man. Octavius Winslow<\/p>\n

A union which will last forever!<\/p>\n

(John MacDuff, “The Christian’s Pathway” 1858″)<\/p>\n

“My Beloved is mine \u2014 and I am His!” Song of Songs 2:14<\/p>\n

This is the language of the Christian in the book of Canticles. How great is the blessedness involved in such an assurance! My beloved Jesus is mine . . .
\nin the dignity of His person;
\nin the suitability of His offices;
\nin the immensity of His love;
\nin the efficacy of His atonement;
\nin the riches of His abounding grace!<\/p>\n

His righteousness is mine \u2014 to justify me,
\nHis Spirit is mine \u2014 to sanctify me,
\nHis power is mine \u2014 to defend me,
\nHis wisdom is mine \u2014 to guide me, and
\nHis Heaven is mine \u2014 to receive me!<\/p>\n

And what does Christ say to the believer in return?<\/p>\n

“I am yours \u2014 and all that I have is yours! I have boundless and unsearchable riches \u2014 and those riches are for you! I have happiness to bestow, such as the mind in its largest grasp has never been able to conceive \u2014 and that happiness is for you! I have crowns and scepters at My disposal \u2014 and all those honors are for you! Yes, to him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My glorious throne!”<\/p>\n

The Christian’s exaltation and bliss is not a matter of doubtful disputation. And what makes it so certain? It is the blessed truth that the union which exists between him and Christ \u2014 is an indissoluble union! All other relations, however close and endearing, must be broken. That union of husband and wife; and soul and body \u2014 has no power to resist the assault of death, the great destroyer.<\/p>\n

All earthly ties must then be severed. But death, which breaks every other bond \u2014 only strengthens the bond between the Christian and Christ! Death, which quenches every other love \u2014 only kindles that of the believer for Jesus, into a purer and intenser flame! Death, which snatches every other object from our grasp \u2014 only brings us to the full enjoyment of Him, who is the fountain of life, the great center and source of all blessedness.<\/p>\n

Christian, rejoice in your union with Jesus!
\nThe changes of time cannot touch it!
\nThe storms of life cannot injure it!
\nThe sword of persecution cannot sever it!
\nThe damps of death cannot affect it!
\nThe malice of hell cannot move it!
\nIt is a union which will last forever! It follows, therefore, that you, if a partaker of it \u2014 will be rich forever, safe forever, dignified forever, and blessed forever!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was not the nails! (J. C. Philpot) “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Mark 15:34 It was not the nails driven through His hands and feet; it was not the crown of thorns placed upon His brow; it was not the stripes which mangled His back; it was not the languor […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3207"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3207\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3211,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3207\/revisions\/3211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}