December 14

/ am cnicijied with Christ.” — (Jalatians ii. 20.

THE Lord Jesus Christ acted in what He did as a great lhpiW public representative person, and His dying upon the cross was the virtual dying of all His people. Then ::ill His saints rendered unto justice what was due, and made An expiation to divine vengeance for all their sins. The f.postle of the Gentiles delighted to think that as one of Christ’s chosen people, he died upon the cross in Christ. He ilid more than believe this doctrinally, he accepted it confidently, resting his hope upon it. He believed that by virtue of Christ’s death, he had satisfied divine justice, and fouuy reconciliation with God. Beloved, what a blessed thing it i& trhen the soul can, as it were, stretch itself upon the cross cf Christ, and feel, “I am dead; the law has slain me, and I am therefore free from its power, because in my Surety I Lave borne the curse, and in the person of my Substitute the ?hole that the law could do, by way of condemnation, has been executed upon me, for I am crucified with Christ.”

But Paul meant even more than this. He not only believed m Christ’s death, and trusted in it, but he actually felt its power in himself in causing the crucifixion of his old corrupt niture. When he saw the pleasures of sin, he said, “I can- 2:t enjoy these: I am dead to them.” Such is the experience of every true Christian. Having received Christ, he is to this world as one who is utterly dead. Yet, while conscious of death to the world, he can, at the same time, exclaim with the apostle, “Nevertheless I live.” He is fully alive unto God. The Christian’s life is a matchless riddle. No worldling can comprehend it; even the believer himself cannot understand it. Dead, yet alive! crucified with Christ, and yet at the same t’me risen with Christ in newness of life! Union with the sufifering, bleeding Saviour, and death to the world and sin, are soul-cheering things. Oh fc more en joyment of theml