The Cross Of Christ

by T. Rylance | Category: The Cross Of Christ | Nov 1943

How sad it is that, after almost. two thousand years since the death of Christ, corrupt Christendom should still be setting forth its multitudinous, erroneous ways of salvation!

It is not to be wondered at that in a future day an alliance will be formed between this spurious religious system and the Beast of Revelation 17., the great dictator who shall yet arise and eventually be ranged against the Lamb in unsuccessful conflict (Revelation 17.14; Psalm 2.). Surely the lesson here for the people of God is unmistakable! The great harlot will be a trafficker in most commodities, and even souls will not be exempt (Revelation 13.). There is an abundance of pomp and ritual, but both in word and deed the Man of Calvary and His atoning work are set aside. As the soldiers mocked Him their cry was,- " If Thou art the King of the Jews, save T1hyself" (Luke 23.36, 37). They thought they could afford to scoff at a King dying, nailed to a cross and unable to save Himself.

Little do men know, in every walk of life, especially in their prime (as soldiers must be), how deep is their need as lost. sinners, and consequently they do not appreciate the value of the Saviour and His atoning work.

"Himself He could not save,

Love's stream too deeply flowed,

In love Himself He gave

To pay the debt we owed"

aptly tells of Him.

The strong may mock at the Lord Jesus giving His life in abject shame and sorrow, but that will continue for a short time only. One of the characteristics of the end of this age is that mockers will arise; but the scene is destined soon to be changed, for the One who was the central Object of derision on the middle cross (probably specially chosen) has been raised from the dead and is alive for evermore, seated at the right hand of the throne of God. By and by it will be His turn to mock (Psalm 2.), for all shall be judged by Him (John 5.27). All living in rebellion shall be punished when He comes to reign on the earth. Happy indeed are those who have seen in Him their Salvation, for of them He has said that they shall not come into judgement (John 5.24)!

As we consider further this sacred theme of the Cross we find that even the robbers who were crucified with Christ reproached Him (Matthew 27.44), but later on one of them became assured that the Lord Jesus was the true Messiah, and this he declared when he said "Jesus, remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom" (Luke 23.42).

To such appeals Christ is' every ready to respond and so, instead of this man dying a hopeless death, he had assurance from Him whose words shall not pass away that that very day he would be with Him in Paradise.

Men still seek to dictate to God in regard to His salvation, little realising that the word of salvation is close at hand, as Romans 10.8, 9 tell us-" The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart,: that is, the word of faith, which we preach: because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

The many around the cross might scoff and mock, but that man acknowledged his own sinfulness, rebuked his fellow for railing on Christ, attested the Lord's innocence and acknowledged His kingly claims. Is not this happy incident graphically foretold in the words of Isaiah 53.10, 11-" He shall see His seed He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied . How beautifully it illustrates the simplicity of God 5 way of salvation a salvation which meets man's deepest need I How it harmonises with the gracious

assurance given by the Lord Jesus HimselfHim that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out (John 6. 87)! The Saviour's response to the man's appeal is worthy of the God of love whom He had come to tell out. Here was a man on the brink of a hopeless death, yet the next moment, when he believed on Christ, he could look forward with confidence soon to being with his Saviour in Paradise.

Truly God's thoughts are not man's thoughts, and neither are man's ways God's ways (Isaiah 55. 8)! Well do we sing

"Great God of wonders, all Thy ways

Are worthy of Thyself, divine,

But the bright glories of Thy grace

Beyond Thine other wonders shine.

Who is a pardoning God like Thee,

Or who hath grace so rich and free?"

Although, in the varied companies of the Jews that stood around the cross, there were few who sympathised with the Saviour, it only fulfilled another marvellous prophecy (Psalm 88.18). For the space of three hours God veiled that awful scene in supernatural darkness, not indeed to ease the lone Sufferer's pain, but to hide that sacred visage from the gaze of men while He "laid upon Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53.6).

"Well might the sun in darkness hide,

And shut its glories in,

When the incarnate Maker died For man,

His creature's sin."

In that changing scene the Lord alone remained unchanged. "I Jehovah change not" (Malachi 3. 6); "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to-day, yea and for ever" (Hebrews 13.8).

Ere He laid down His life and dismissed His spirit He cried with a loud voice, not the voice of the conquered, but the voice of the Conqueror,-" IT IS FINISHED." None but God can know fully the wonders of the work of Christ and Him crucified, a work which enables Him to be "the Justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus" (Romans 3.26).

The record of the Cross provides an endless, devotional study of an immeasurable love, "the love of Christ which passeth knowledge" (Ephesians 3.18, 19).

In the time of Job's great sorrow there were those who came to bemoan him and comfort him and who, in silent sympathy, sat down with him upon the ground for seven days and seven nights, but in the deeper sorrow, the greater suffering of the Saviour, He had to say,

"I looked for some to take pity,

but there was none; And for comforters,

but I found none" (Psalm 69'. 20).

It has been fittingly said-.

Oh! for such love, let rock and hills

Their lasting silence break."

T. Rylance | Nov 1943
The Cross Of Christ