"Let the water and the blood Prom thy riven side which flowed Be of sin the double cure Save me from its guilt and power,"
2ncl. A symbol of the WORD which; a. "quickens" (Psa. 119:25) and: b. washes (Eph. 5:26), or cleanses (Psa. 119:9). We are "born" (I Pet. 1:23) of the WORD, and "sanctified»' (Jno. 17:17) by the WORD. The Spirit and the Word have a common symbol be- cause they perform the same functions; and because they always work together as one, not apart from each other, (c) BLOOD, 1st., demands judgment: the murder of , CHRIST is the most damna- ble crime of history; His BLOOD like that of Abel, "Crieth unto Me from the ground" (Gen. 4 : 1 0 ): 2nd. demands justification: it "speaketh better things than t h at of Abel" (Heb. 12:24), be- cause "being justified by HIS BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath through H i m" (Rom. 5 : 9 ). As the state of sin demands condemnation as the due, or wages of the sinner, so the state of faith demands justification as the due, or re- ward of CHRIST from the FATHER dis- tributed on CHRIST'S account to the be- liever. In either case it is a righteous transaction administered by the JUST GOD whose justice requires equally the conviction of t he sinner and the ac- quital of the saint. Let every humble and contrite heart find comforting as- surance in this "He is faithful and just (not generous here) to forgive us our sins (on the ground of the BLOOD), and to cleanse us from all unrighteous- ness (by means of the WATER )" (I Jno. 1:9). In lowliest humility be it said, GOD OWES THE BELIEVER JUS- TIFICATION! CHRIST PAID FOR THE GOODS TO BE DELIVERED TO FAITH. Receive the gift and receipt for it with a double Amen! (d) Nothing is more important than to apprehend this twin remedy for the twin ruin, and to discriminate the two. As we stand at the cross the order is "BLOOD AND WATER" (Jno. 19 : 34 ); beyond The Cross it is "water and blood" (I Jno. 5:6), justified to be sanc- tified; then sanctified because justified.
J Wow a Sinner's Needs Ml Are Met. I. THE CURSE OF SIN IS TWO- FOLD: 1. Condemnation to Death; 2. Corruption in Death. II. THE CURE FOR SIN IS TWO- FOLD: 1. Blood, for the condemnation. 2. Water, for the corruption. III. THIS TWOFOLD CURE IS A DOUBLE DOUBLE: 1. Thè blood demands: (1) Judg- ment; (2) Justification. 2. The Water Symbols: (X) The Spirit; (2) The Word. Notes.-jfr(a) John testifies (19:34) that "One of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water." We have here a fact (1) historical; (2) physio- logical; (3) Symbolical. (1) The strange thing actually occurred. (2) It was a phenomenon indicating a rup- tured heart; the blood separating into serum and coagulum ; a watery fluid and bloody clot filling the pericardium or containing membrane of the heart. (3) It was symbolical of the instru- ment of redemptive deliverance: blood, and the Spirit and Word. The apostle's strong emphasis on the event demon- strates its deep import: "And he that saw it bore record, and his record is true; and he knoweth that he saith true." (19:35). Its symbolic intent is intimated in: "This is He that c ame b y water and blood, even Jesus Christ, not by water only but by water and blood." (I Jno. 5:6). (6) Water is 1st, a symbol of the HOLY SPIRIT (Jno. 7:39) who: a. quickens the dead, thus checking mortification and restoring the harmony of the spiritual and moral elements of the soul (Jno. 6 : 63 ); and: b. cleanses us from our moral pollution by the "Washing" of the Spirit. We are "born" of (Jno. 3:8) and "sanctified" by the Spirit (I Pet. 1 : 2 ).
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker