The Pascal Lamb was a Type, is twofold in its application. While it brings life to the Believer, it brings death to the unbeliever. To accept what Jesus did there, all on our behalf, guarantees eternal life (Jn. 3:16). To reject what He did there guarantees eternal death (Rev. 20:11-15).
DELIVERANCE
Unfortunately, there are millions of Christians presently who are held in the clutches of the Evil One, in fact, “entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1).
How could this be as it regards a Child of God?
Let the Reader understand that the only means of Salvation in Egypt, regarding the time of our study, were faith and trust in the Paschal Lamb, and its blood applied to the doorposts of the houses of the Children of Israel, and them safely ensconced in these particular houses. In fact, had anyone of the Children of Israel attempted to save themselves in any other manner, they would have been eternally lost. The Holy Spirit states in 1 Corinthians 5:7 that the Passover pictured Christ’s sacrifice of Himself in order to save sinners sentenced to die.
Two great facts appear in the Passover. Those two facts are: the certain doom of the firstborn, and his certain Salvation. He was doomed to death by God, not because of his conduct, but because of his birth. This latter fact he could not alter; and he was, therefore, hopelessly lost.
He was, however, absolutely saved, because of the value of the life sacrificed for him. He knew he was saved because God had pledged Himself to most certainly save all who sprinkled the shed blood upon their doorposts.
All sinners are justly doomed by God to death. But He loves them as He loved the firstborn and, therefore, the Lamb of God has suffered that death. His precious Blood, that is, His priceless Life, poured out, attests the fact. The Word of God promises eternal safety to whoever will seek Salvation in that atoning Saviour. The Believer in Christ knows, therefore, that he shall never perish; and this knowledge is based on two facts outside of himself: these are the preciousness of Christ’s Blood to God; and, the faithfulness of God to His own promise (Williams).
So what am I saying?
I am saying, as the Cross is the only means of Salvation for the sinner, likewise, it is the only means of Sanctification for the Saint. Millions of Christians, after trusting Christ and what He has done at the Cross as it regards their Salvation, have regrettably now shifted their faith from the Cross to other things. Consequently, when this is done, and sadly, it is done by most, the sin nature once again gains control over the Believer, and he finds himself now being controlled by passions and lusts, which he, within himself, is powerless to stop. And let the Reader understand the following:
If the Believer doesn’t understand the Cross as it refers to his Sanctification, then without fail, and irrespective as to how hard he might try otherwise, he is again to be “entangled with the yoke of bondage.” The Holy Spirit plainly said through Paul that in such a case, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law (seek to be justified by the law); you are fallen from Grace” (Gal. 5:4).
Let me make the statement again: Due to the fact that the Cross has been so little preached in the last several decades, and in fact, has been preached almost none at all as it regards Sanctification, almost the entirety of the Church falls into the category of “bondage entanglement.” This refers to Preachers as well as to the Laity. Without a proper understanding of the Cross (what Christ accomplished thereon), which means that our Faith is properly placed in the Sacrifice of Christ, the works of the flesh will most definitely manifest themselves in our lives in some way. Now those are not my words, but rather the words of the Holy Spirit through Paul (Gal. 5:19-21).
The only answer to this problem is the Cross, and Paul labeled it as
“walking in the Spirit.” What did he mean by that? WALKING IN THE SPIRIT.
Unless one walks in the Spirit, Satan will hold that Believer in bondage, Just as Pharaoh held the Children of Israel in bondage. Before we deal with the erroneous conclusions drawn by many Christians, let us first of all give the answer as to what Paul is addressing here.
Pure and simple, “walking in the Spirit,” is the result of “walking after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1).
This is done by the Believer understanding that everything he has in the Lord has come to him, and continues to come to him, through and by the great Sacrifice of Christ. The manner and the way in which these things are received, and continue to be received, are by simple Faith in that which the Lord has done at the Cross. Paul said:
“For we through the Spirit (this is the way the Holy Spirit works) wait for the hope of Righteousness by Faith.”
“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision (works); but faith which works by love” (Gal. 5:5-6).
Now how do we know this?
As we’ve already explained several times in this one Volume, Paul also said, which proves the point: “For the Law (a Law devised by the Godhead from before the foundation of the world) of the Spirit (Holy Spirit) of life (that which guarantees us all for which Christ has paid such a price) in Christ Jesus (this ‘Law’ is based on what Jesus did at the Cross) has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2).
In fact, the only “law” in the universe that is greater and more powerful than the “law of sin and death,” is the “Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.” Notice that it’s “in Christ Jesus.” Which refers to what He did at the Cross, and that exclusively.
So, if the Believer understands that the Cross is the means by which he receives all things from God, and that the Cross is to ever be the object of our Faith, Satan will never gain victory over him (Rom. 6:14). This is the means and the ways of “walking in the Spirit.”
ERROR
The problem with most Christians because they do not understand the Cross, is that “Christ profits them nothing” (Gal. 5:2). This means that because of their erroneous objects of Faith, whatever that might be, all that Christ did on the Cross on their behalf is wasted, at least as far as they are concerned.
Now what do most Christians think that walking in the Spirit actually is?
Were that Question to be asked point blank to most, they would automatically begin to list any number of “works” which would bring this to pass. They would tell you that “walking in the Spirit” is being more faithful to Church, reading more of the Word of God, having a stronger prayer life, witnessing to souls, giving more money to the Work of the Lord, etc.
While all of these things are good, and in fact things which every good Christian will definitely do, still, by the Believer making such things the object of his faith, instead of Christ, he has just transferred his Faith to “works,” which God can never accept. He accepts alone the Work of Christ on the Cross, and not at all our works. Now to be sure, if we properly understand Christ, and properly make the Cross the object of our Faith, most definitely, there will be good works which will follow, in fact, in even a much greater way than the Christian who is depending on works. But the difference will be this:
Whereas the Believer heading in the wrong direction will be doing these things in order to try to bring about faith, the one who properly understands the Cross will do these things because of his Faith. To be sure, the difference is great!
In fact, almost the whole of the Christian world presently is bogged down in “works,” which constitutes “law.” It is the same thing that Paul addressed in his Epistle to the Galatians. In fact, he bluntly said:
“Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing” (Gal.5:2).
Paul wasn’t speaking here of circumcision as it regards to a health practice. He was speaking of Believers who were being told by false teachers that in order to please the Lord, they not only had to accept Christ, but as well, the men had to be circumcised, and the little boy babies at eight days old. He was speaking of Believers making those things the object of their faith, and to be frank, it could be circumcision, or a thousand and one other things. Irrespective as to what it might be, if our faith is anchored in those things. “Christ shall profit you nothing.” And the tragedy is, the modern Church little understanding the Cross because it’s been little taught and preached these last several decades, falls under the category of a profitless Christ. In other words, all that He did on the Cross is to no avail for much of the modern Church, and simply because their faith is not in His Finished Work, but rather in other things.
If the Word of God is not faithfully preached, then there is no way that faith can grow in the hearts and lives of Believers (Rom. 10:17),
Humanistic psychology has made such inroads into the Church in modern times that any more the Word of God is little preached, but rather psychological jargon. And as well, and perhaps even to a greater extent, the “Word of Faith” doctrine, which in fact is no faith at all, at least that which God will recognize, has perhaps made greater inroads than even humanistic psychology. In fact, it has almost destroyed the faith, and I speak of true faith, of the modern Church. The purveyors of this particular error, and error it is, have so denigrated the Cross, until without a doubt, this must be Satan’s trump card, so to speak, for these last days. Paul plainly said:
“Now the Spirit (Holy Spirit) speaks expressly, that in the latter times (the times in which we now live) some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1Tim.4:1).
SPIRITUAL ADULTERY
When The Believer who is married to Christ, at the same time embraces the Law, he is looked at by God as a spiritual adulterer. Paul said so (Rom. 7:1-4). He likened this problem to a woman who is married to one man, and then marries another man as well. She in fact has two husbands, which is the very state of most modern Christians. We are married to Christ, but at the same time, we are flirting with the law, or even have embraced the law. Let me explain that:
When we speak of “Law,” most Christians don’t really know that of which is being addressed. They automatically think of the Law of Moses, thereby dismissing it as not applying to them.
In a sense that is true; however, the problem with the modern Believer is not so much the Law of Moses, as it is laws that we make up ourselves, or laws devised by our Church or Denomination, or Preachers, etc. In fact, we turn many good things into laws, but irrespective as to what it is, in the eyes of God, it is constituted as “law.” Our faith is to be exclusively in Christ, and what Christ has done for us at the Cross. If it is shifted to other things, we are looked at by God as a “spiritual adulterer.”
Does that mean that such a Christian is lost?
No it doesn’t. Paul himself functioned in such a state, and we speak of a period of time after his initial Salvation and being baptized with the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Seventh Chapter of Romans records this particular time in the life of the Apostle. He was trying to serve Christ by adhering to law, and the Lord revealed to him that in fact, he was committing “spiritual adultery.” The Apostle cried to the Lord, and out of this desperation, the Lord Gave him the great Revelation of the meaning of the New Covenant, which in effect, was and is the meaning of the Cross, which he gave to us in all of his Epistles, but especially the Sixth and Eighth Chapter of Romans.
But this one thing is for sure: if the Believer has placed himself in the position of “spiritual adultery,” his life will be a far cry from that which is intended by the Lord. In other words, even though he has more abundant life, he definitely will not be enjoying more abundant life (Jn.10:10).
And as well, and as stated, the works of the flesh will manifest themselves in his life, and the facts are, such a person, if remaining in that state, can definitely lose his soul (Gal. 5:21).
THE CROSS
All of this which I am attempting to teach you I have lived. And to be sure, I think for one to properly understand the Gospel, in one way or the other, one has to live the Gospel.
If the Reader thinks that I press the issue too much regarding the Cross (what Christ thereon accomplished,) then let the Reader understand the following:
The pendulum has swung so far the other way, and I speak of the opposite direction of the Cross, that greater pressure than usual must be applied, in order to bring things back to a proper equilibrium. In other words, the Cross has been so little taught and preached in the last several decades that any more, the modern church is all but Cross illiterate. To be ignorant on many things constitutes whatever it constitutes; however, to be ignorant on the Cross is to be ignorant of the very Gospel itself, with such ignorance bringing unmitigated disaster.
And as well, at times, and especially spiritual things, things have to be said over and over again, approaching them from every way possible, in order for the Believer to finally hear what is actually being said. As it regards the Cross, I have found that in order for the Believer to have a proper understanding of what the Bible teaches concerning this all important factor, first of all, one has to break through the shell of false doctrine and even unbelief. Most Christians think as one man wrote me the other day: “Why do you keep talking about the Cross? Every Christian already understands all about the Cross,” He asked! The truth is, very few Christians know anything about the Cross, beyond the initial Salvation experience; and the truth is, they actually know precious little about even that.
I believe the Holy Spirit is going to make the truth of the Cross of Christ so plain in these last days that the Believer is going to have to come down on one side or the other. In fact, I believe that the great foundation message of the Cross of Christ is going to be, and in fact is, the dividing line between the True Church and the apostate church. This line is not Denominations, particular Churches, or even particular doctrines, but is rather the Cross of Christ.
THE CROSS IS NOT A DOCTRINE, BUT
RATHER THE FOUNDATION
OF ALL DOCTRINE
While the Message of the Cross definitely contains doctrine, in fact, within itself it is not doctrine, but rather the foundation of all Doctrine. Any and every doctrine which is not based squarely on the foundation of the Cross of Christ will, without fail, go into error.
I’m sure that Jesus looked at what He did on the Cross, considering the great price that He paid, as far more than a mere doctrine. In fact, it is the New Covenant, proven to us by the description of the Lord’s Supper (1Cor. 11:24-31).
Actually, if one doesn’t understand the Message of the Cross, then one really doesn’t understand the Bible. Paul said: “For the preaching of the Cross is to them who perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the Power of God” (1Cor. 1:18). (JSM Commentariy)
