Chapter 13
Quickened — Crucified
That these two scriptural terms indicate two wholly different experiences must be apparent to any thoughtful person. In addressing the Ephesians, the Apostle says: “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” This takes place when a sinner repents and is born again. At that moment a new life — spiritual life — is imparted to the soul, and he is henceforth “alive unto God.” His moral or spiritual nature is thus quickened and made alive unto God. This is the need of every sinner; hence a mere intellectual assent to truth and joining the church; or mere resolution and reformation are insufficient. It requires the same power to bring a soul from the death of sin that it required to bring Lazarus from the tomb. No human manipulation can accomplish this. Only He who said, “I am the resurrection and the life” can accomplish it. Science declares that life can only be perpetuated as a result of contact with life. Until the soul comes into personal contact and vital union with Jesus, who said, ” I am the way, the truth and the life;” “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly,” will it abide in death, and so remain insensible to things that are spiritual and eternal. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (I. John 5:12.)
The term “crucified” signifies “put to death.” This is the object of crucifixion. Our sins are not crucified; nor is the physical man crucified; but the Apostle says “Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” This clearly indicates that there is something within us that must die. Crucifixion is wholly a different process from that of quickening and making alive. “Our old man” is not pardoned – but “crucified;” our sins are not crucified but pardoned. Surely anyone must see that these are not identical. We know of no method of interpretation (except an erroneous one) that would make these two words stand for the same experience. They are antipodal — opposites, — and whoever has the realization of these two words in experience, must know of two works of grace and two distinct experiences.
When Paul testified, “I am crucified with Christ,” he did not mean pardoned or quickened, but a wholly different experience. That the Scriptures deal with something wholly separate and apart from sin as an act– sins committed — must be clear to every Bible student. Such terms as “the carnal mind,” “the flesh,” “the law of sin which is in my members,” “sin that dwelleth in me,” “our old man,” “the body of sin,” and many other like terms, do not relate to sin as an act, but an inward heart condition; a nature; a something that lies back of sin as an act. Theologians speak of it as “depravity,” “the Adamic nature,” “inbred” or “original sin.” It is defined as “the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.” Not being an act on the part of the individual, it cannot be pardoned, but according to the Scripture, may be “cleansed,” “purged,” “crucified,” and “destroyed,” and so be wholly eliminated and eradicated from the soul. To doubt the possibility of a complete deliverance from this thing is to limit the power of the Holy One, and render such terms as “crucified” and “destroyed” utterly meaningless, — contradicting and denying the testimony of many thousands of intelligent and happy witnesses.
This crucifixion and consequent death of our “old man” means utter separation from every carnal affection; a death to sin in every form; a putting off of all the deeds of the old man, such as “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication,” etc., and the putting on of the “new man, which after God is created (not developed) in righteousness and true Holiness.” “Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” (Rom. 6:11.)
As the quickening of the soul into newness of life is obtained by faith, instantaneously, and so becomes an accomplished fact in experience, so, in like manner, the believer who will present himself as a “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,” may, by the reckoning of faith, find an instantaneous deliverance from the “old man” as an accomplished fact in experience. Blessed be God! “Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:3.)