Death to Carnality No. 5

Let us notice a few more plain passages which teach or infer death to self.

"But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings, and the lambs and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse that they destroyed utterly * * And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night, * * Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites; and Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal."- l Sam. 15th chapter.

"I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."-Job 42:5-6.

"Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations." -Ezek. 36:31.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."-John 12:24-25.

"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."-Rom. 6:6.

The trial and crucifixion of Jesus was in many respects similar to the crucifixion of our "old man." Let us notice it.

It was only a few days previous to His betrayal that the multitudes cried, "Hosanna in the highest." In like manner souls are often the most ecstatic and triumphant just before the light shines upon them revealing the fact that they are still carnal. It seems the Lord prepares them to receive the startling message.

Next he began to be "exceeding sorrowful" and said His "hour had come." In like manner the soul who gets a sight of his heart as Job did, will "exceedingly fear and quake," and feel the crisis in his life has come; It means to get rid of these tendencies or succumb to them.

Next we find them witnessing against Him and condemning him to death. When judgment light begins to pour in on the "old man," various unkind and unclean feelings or actions that have been indulged in the past, come up as witnesses to testify that "it was this that caused it," and now it must die. Confession is not the crucifixion, it is simply the trial.

After they had unanimously condemned Him to death, they started for Calvary, but He was so weak through fasting and losing sleep, that he fainted under the cross. Many have experienced something similar, but though "faint yet pursuing" their enemies, supernatural strength was given until they felt they were able to overtake them and "beat them small as the dust."

Next we see him on the cross suffering the lingering death of crucifixion. After He had hung there several hours, He said, "I thirst," and just before the death struggle, He cried with a loud voice and said, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me." Lastly He said "It is finished," and bowed his head and gave up the Ghost.

Those who have really been "crucified with Christ," know in a sense how He felt when he said "I thirst" They also know what it is to feel that even God has left them alone to grapple with the reinforced powers of unbelief and discouragement. This seems to be the last mighty battle to be fought, but even after a soul has gone thus far, he can "come down from the cross" and "save himself." But those who will not listen a moment to mental depression, physical suffering, and carnal reasonings will shortly be able to say with Jesus, "it is finished," the carnal mind is slain, and my heart is cleansed from all unrighteousness. Hal1elujah!

It burdened souls were left to follow the leadings of the Spirit, even in those meetings where they are taught to consecrate for holiness, they would invariably strike the line of confession, and this would bring them to the point of crucifixion, where the Blood is applied and the witness given.