December 25

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. - Romans 6:6

THE renewal of the mind begins by faith in a crucified Saviour. Oh, says the believer, it was the sight of the cross that first allured my soul from earthly things, and taught me to esteem as dross the mirth of fools and pomp of kings.

“All joy to the believer! He can speak,

Trembling yet happy, confident yet meek.

Since the dear hour that brought me to thy foot

And cut up all my follies by the root,

I never trusted in an arm but thine,

Nor hoped but in thy righteousness divine.”

Oh, what a change, says the believer, has the grace of God wrought in me!-what new scenes have opened before my mind. Oh, what new feelings do I possess!-what new fears, what new aversions, what new desires:-“Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Oh, that sight of the cross, how it melted my frozen heart, how it composed my troubled conscience, how it satisfied my longing desires, how it ended my rovings and sanctified my soul! Yes, and from that period sin is rendered odious and become embittered; for, as Cowper says,-

“The cross once seen

Is death to every sin.”

“Knowing this,” says the apostle, “that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” And we may also observe that, as the work commences in the cross, so it is carried on in the same way. The more our spirits are imbued with the truths connected with the cross of Christ, the more frequent and sweet will be the communings we shall have with him; and the more dead we become to this present evil world, the more shall we “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” It is important, therefore, for us to inquire how we stand affected towards this vain world. There are some, and we hail them, who have said,-

“Farewell, world; thy gold is dross,

Now I’ve seen my Saviour’s cross;

Jesus died to set me free

From the world, and sin, and thee.”

But, as to others, the world is their all in all. They cannot determine upon any thing without first asking, “What will the world think of me? What will people say of me?” What is this world, to which they are so alive? Is it not “vanity and vexation of spirit”? Are not its votaries ashamed to be enslaved by it? What has it done for them? Oh that they would leave it before they are eventually ruined by it! Oh that, with Moses, they would “choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;” and that, with David, they would pray unto God, “Save me from the men of this world, who have their portion in this life.”.

Oh that, when we are called to leave it, we may be able to say, with him; “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”