Not long ago I called upon a lady whom I had known for several years. During the conversation, I asked: "How long have you been a Christian?"
She replied, "I have been a believer for years, I may almost say from childhood; but I never knew `peace with God,' or my place as a Christian till this summer at one of your preachings. Then I saw for the first time in my life that there was a real living Man in the glory of God, and that Man was my Savior. I had been accustomed to think of Jesus as a Spirit, but never realized till then that He was a real living Man, alive in heaven."
How many are in the same condition? Believers in Christ they undoubtedly are. Their hearts have really trusted Him. They believe He died for them, but there they stop. They have never by faith seen Him alive in heaven.
These believers often sing, "Cling to the cross, the burden will fall"; yet somehow the burden does not fall, in spite of their clinging to the cross!
Friend, is this your present condition? Are you groaning in bondage, clinging to the cross, and longing for deliverance?
Is "clinging to the cross" the gospel of salvation? Does it rid believers of their burden, and give them "peace with God"? Does it bring them deliverance? Most certainly not.
A dear young Christian was met one day by a gospel preacher who had long known her, but had not seen her lately. After the usual salutation, he inquired, "Are you still clinging to the cross?"
"Oh, no!" said the young woman. "I'm not doing that now, sir."
"Indeed!" said he. "And can you do without the cross, then?"
"Oh, no, sir!" she answered. "I cannot do without it. It is the foundation of all my blessings. But the cross is nothing without Christ, sir! I have learned that Christ is neither on the cross nor in the grave, but on the throne. My Savior is up there in the glory. But I do give the cross its right place."
Beloved, yes! Everything depends upon whether Christ is on the cross, in the grave, or on the throne. Where is He? "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain:... ye are yet in your sins." 1 Cor. 15: 14-17.
But, said the Apostle, "Now is Christ risen from the dead," (verse 20) and believers are not in their sins.
Then where is He? The resurrection morning dawned on the women at the grave, and the angel proclaimed the glad tidings, "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." Matt. 28:66He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (Matthew 28:6).
The vacant cross, and the empty grave, alike repeat the blessed news, "He is risen," and the believer sees the Savior in the glory of God. Stephen "looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus." Acts 7:5555But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, (Acts 7:55).
God's throne is where we now find the Son of man, Christ Jesus! The glory of God shines in His face. Could He be there, if the sins were not gone? Could the glory light up His face, if the sins were still upon Him? No! No! A thousand times, No! Mark, then, the contrast between Christ on the cross, in the distance and darkness bearing our sins and forsaken of God; then see Christ on the throne, without our sins, accepted by God, "crowned with glory and honor." The glory of God shines in His blessed face. Now answer, are you clinging to the cross, or looking up to the throne where Christ is? The privilege of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is to answer, "I am looking unto Jesus."
Friend, Christ the Savior—crucified, dead, and buried—is Christ our risen Lord, the Man in the glory of God today—alive forevermore.