The CROSS of CHRIST speaks -- it preaches. It's an EXPOSITION of The TRUTH of GOD. The BLOOD of The CROSS speaks -- NOT like the blood of Abel (who was murdered by his brother Cain) that cried out for Vengeance, but the BLOOD of CHRIST speaks of better things -- of FORGIVENESS, of RECONCILIATION with GOD.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks -- that to be a man is a VERY important and a VERY serious thing. That the IMperishable, IMmortal SOUL of man is so VERY precious indeed to GOD -- SO utterly PRECIOUS that GOD IN CHRIST came down from His Majestic GLORY on High to RECONCILE man to Himself. GOD The SON left His Kingdom in Heaven to SEEK and to SAVE that which was LOST -- man's SOUL.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks -- that man's relationship with his fellow man will NEVER be right unless his relationship to GOD is put right FIRST. Over and above EVERYthing else -- of ULTIMATE importance is a RIGHT relationship with GOD. This RIGHT relationship with GOD is ONLY through CHRIST JESUS Whom GOD has SET FORTH as PROPITIATION (appeasement) through FAITH in JESUS' atoning BLOOD.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks -- that SIN, in essence is REBELLION against GOD, the breaking of relationship with GOD. SIN is man defying GOD -- breaking GOD's HOLY Law. It is man setting himSELF up, standing up to GOD, and defying GOD -- setting himSELF up as a god.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks -- that there IS a JUDGMENT upon SIN, and that SIN MUST be PUNISHED. Because GOD is WHO and WHAT He IS -- HOLY, RIGHTEOUS and JUST -- He HATES, abominates SIN. His WRATH is upon SIN.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks -- it is a truthful PROCLAMATION of the HOLINESS of GOD, the heinousness of SIN, the terrible problem of SIN, the terrible seriousness of man's REBELLION against GOD. It PROCLAIMS that the ONLY way for a HOLY and JUST GOD to FORGIVE SIN was to PUNISH SIN -- in and through His Only Begotten SON. CHRIST JESUS was 'stricken, smitten of GOD' upon The CROSS for man's SIN, yours and mine. The GOD-Man was the ONLY One good enough to be that PERFECT Sacrifice to pay IN FULL our SIN debt. CHRIST JESUS -- perfect in EVERY way, sinless and blameless, was a fit ATONEMENT for ALL of man's SINs.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks -- it is a Mighty DECLARATION that GOD has solved the VERY great problem of man's SIN. The CROSS, the BLOOD of The LAMB JESUS CHRIST is GOD's ANSWER to the SIN Problem. GOD Who is HOLY, RIGHTEOUS and JUST poured out His WRATH upon the SINs of man IN the body of His OWN SON. He struck HIM. He smote HIM. He CONDEMNED His OWN SON to DEATH on The CROSS.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks -- that the GOD-Man CHRIST JESUS was SET FORTH as PROPITIATION for SIN. The PRINCE of Peace was nailed on The CROSS, His Priceless BLOOD was shed. The Wonderful COUNSELOR suffered the shame and torture of the CRUCIFIXION. The LORD JESUS' Heart broke when GOD The FATHER of GLORY turned His HOLY Face away from Him -- GOD The SON, Who was MADE to BE SIN -- and GOD's HOLY WRATH was poured out on JESUS CHRIST for the JUST Punishment and Righteous JUDGMENT and CONDEMNATION on ALL the SINS of EVERY repentant man and repentant woman -- past, present and future.
The BLOOD of The CROSS speaks -- that 'the Wages of SIN is DEATH.' The SON's Death on The CROSS, His shed BLOOD, was GOD's way of dealing with the Problem of SIN. The CROSS, the BLOOD was GOD's public DECLARATION, His Mighty PROCLAMATION that He was PROPITIATED. His PURE Righteousness and HOLY Justice were appeased -- GOD IN CHRIST through The BLOOD's efficacy RECONCILED man to Himself.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks -- it is also a Gracious INVITATION. GOD inspired the prophet Isaiah to declare GOD's INVITATION of SALVATION: 'Let ALL the world LOOK to Me for SALVATION! For I AM GOD; there is NO OTHER.' (Isaiah 45:22) The LORD JESUS Himself declared this INVITATION: 'COME TO ME, ALL of you who are WEARY and CARRY HEAVY BURDENS, and I WILL GIVE you REST. Take my yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I AM Humble and Gentle at HEART, and you WILL find REST for your SOULS. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.' (Matthew 11:28-30) The BLOOD of The CROSS is preaching PEACE With GOD so that one may realize the PEACE Of GOD that surpasses all human understanding.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks this Amazing INVITATION to those who are FAR from GOD -- the failures, those who know they've gone wrong, those who are filled with shame, those who are weary and tired and forlorn in the moral struggle -- laboring to live a good and a clean and a straight life, but like Martin Luther, to NO avail. This Precious INVITATION is for those who've reckoned their SELF-righteousness as but FILTHY rags and their SELF-sufficiency to be SELF-deceit. This FREE INVITATION is for those who've recognized their UNworthiness and UNcleanness of Heart. This Life-Changing INVITATION is for those who are AFRAID of Life, AFRAID of DEATH, AFRAID of Tomorrow, AFRAID of the coming JUDGMENT. This Glorious and Gracious INVITATION is for those who feel utterly HOPELESS and completely HELPLESS -- for those who REPENT (TURN from) of their REBELLION and TURN to GOD for the FORGIVENESS of ALL their SINS through FAITH alone in CHRIST JESUS alone, fully SON of GOD and fully SON of Man -- The LAMB of GOD, slain on The CROSS, as the Perfect ATONING Sacrifice for the SINS of man.
The CROSS of CHRIST speaks to ALL... STILL. The BLOOD of The CROSS proclaims The GOOD News... STILL. Does The CROSS of CHRIST speak to you? Does the BLOOD of The CROSS cry out to you, saying -- COME! Let ALL the world LOOK to The LORD JESUS for SALVATION! For HE is The GREAT I AM THAT I AM -- HE IS GOD -- The GOD-Man... and there is NO OTHER.
(The notes above are from the sermon "A Public Declaration" -- preached by Dr Lloyd-Jones in 1964, which was included in his book "The CROSS" -- a 10-sermon exposition on Galatians 6:14 -- https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/galatians-6-14/a-public-declaration/. The follow-up sermon on Galatians 6:14 by Dr Lloyd-Jones is riveting, for it is perfectly applicable today, 2018 -- to the utterly debased moral state of the world. In Dr Lloyd-Jones assessment, it is the indirect JUDGMENT of GOD to this corrupt humanity for its RADICAL Rebellion -- https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/galatians-6-14/glorying-only-in-the-cross/.)
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