CHANGED INTO ANOTHER MAN.
By L. A. S.
“And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou . . . shalt be turned into another man.” 1 Sam. 10:6. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17. We are saved from sin by a new creation. A new man is created, which is perfect and righteous, as was the first man when God made him. By a new creation we escape the sword of divine justice; for the new man is not held accountable for the sins of the old carnal man who has passed away. It will be worth everything to us in the day of Judgment if we can say to Justice, “I am not the man whom you seek; those sins recorded in the books, for which you have drawn your sword, were committed by that other man, who was carnal, and not by me. I am not the guilty party.” Thus has God, though just, provided for us a way of escape. But there is no escape for the old carnal man; that man must die. Hence it is written: “I am crucified with Christ.” Gal. 2:20. Also: “Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” The crucifixion of Christ was not to let the “old man,” the sinner, escape, but to provide for a new creation, in Him who rose from the dead. “If we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him.” Christ, who rose from the dead, liveth in us. It was to provide for a death that would not be eternal, but would be followed by a resurrection. It was necessary that Christ should die, in order that man might die unto sin without remaining forever dead. Those who die unto sin without Christ will die eternally. L. A. S.