His holy Son under the imputation of guilt. What a vin dication of the Lord Jesus Christ! What a condemna tion of the world! “Great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit” (I Tim. 3:15). Little wonder, then, that Paul makes the resurrection of Christ God’s assurance of coming judg ment (Acts 17:31). There is another blessed aspect to this. If, after His work of sin-bearing was com plete, God raised up His Son and glorified Him, is it not a proof that God has in righteousness accepted His redemptive work? God, who is infinitely holy, could not enthrone an imposter at His right hand. God is now able to be just even in justifying a sinner. Jesus is risen again for our justification (Rom. 4:25). He is enthroned for assurance (Rom. 5:10). The statement, “Ye see me no more” has perplexed many. Illumination upon these words is found in the experience of the Old Testament high priest and his relation to Israel. On the great day of atonement, he went into the holy of holies of the tabernacle to present the atoning blood. While the High Priest was within the veil and unseen, the congregation of Israel could not be certain of their acceptance with God. Hence, there was eager anxiety as they awaited his reappearance. This was the assur ance that God had accepted the propitiation offered on their behalf. Christ our High Priest has entered the holy of holies by His own blood; He has entered heaven itself. Until He comes out again to receive from the world His own, how could we be assured that His sacrifice for us was accepted ? He sent one from His presence to make known to us this blessed fact. The Lord Jesus having been glorified, the gift of the Holy Spirit was given as prom ised. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the Church is proof positive of the presence of Jesus in the midst of the throne. “ Therefore being by the right hand of Gold exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:33). “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgive ness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Acts 5:31-32). Why this twofold witness? The disciples could bear witness to the crucifixion and the resurrection, but not to the enthronement. The enthronement was beyond the ken of human vision. The Holy Spirit, cognizant of this, was sent down from the Father in the Son’s name. The whole circle of redemptive truth is attested. The Lamb of God on the cross is the Lord, our righteousness, on the throne.
This is consistent with the entire Paschal Discourse of our Lord. “ The Holy Spirit is revealed to us as an evangel of grace, and not as a sheriff of the law,” one has stated. The Holy Spirit convicts of judgment, “ be cause the prince of this world is judged.” With refer ence to part of His accomplishment at Calvary, our Lord declared: “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31). John refers to one of the reasons for the incarnation in the following passage: “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins . . . For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:5, 8). As far as the believer is concerned, Satan has been rendered inopera tive, for it is written: “ Forasmuch then as the chil dren are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). The accuser of the brethren is at last nonsuited and has been ejected from court; we have been delivered from his dominion. The world has a prince, the ill- omened, chaotic agglomeration of diverse forms of evil. The system of this world, based principally on greed and selfishness, has a monarch, but he has been judged and the execution of the sentence is assufed. Not only does the cross reveal the compassion of the Father; its fascinations and delights; next it brings its dis- tic thought is here! The world first comes to us with its fascinations and delights; next it brings with its dis- illusionments and tortures. Behind the world is its prince; but since he has been cast out by a stronger One than himself, and exists only on sufferance, his most potent bribes and lures, his most violent onslaughts, his most unscrupulous suggestions, must collapse. Be liever, meet him as a discredited foe. Little did he think that by his plottings, his entering into Judas, and his bringing together all the powers of darkness he was but hastening to his own doom. In the very hour of his own apparent triumph, the judgment of God fell upon him. True, he was bruising the heel of the woman’s Seed, but by it his own head was crushed by the mighty Victor. Thus we have the full conviction of the world by the Holy Spirit. Man stands without excuse before a thrice-holy God. Nothing is left but the blackness of darkness forever, or, blessed be God, full salvation. God has accomplished all that was necessary for your salvation. The Holy Spirit is verily present to produce this threefold conviction. Do you long to be delivered from the dominion of sin? Would you be clothed with the robe of Gospel righteousness? Do you yearn for freedom from the tyrannical power of the prince of this world? Believe the testimony of the Holy Spirit con cerning the Son of God. Receive Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, acknowledge Him as Lord. Your sins will be blotted out, righteousness will be imputed to you, Satan’s kingdom will be robbed of one of its citizens. You can travel the victory road in the power of the mighty Conqueror of Calvary.
OF JUDGMENT
Primarily, this is a further revelation of the Gospel and not judgment to come in the sense of retribution.
SEPTEMBER, 1965
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