Old Things Passed Away.
By P. A. Clough
WHILE conversing recently with a young friend, and trying to impress upon his mind the importance of keeping all the commandments of God, he quoted these words, “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” “Now,” said he, “I often hear this text urged as an objection to the law of God; and if it does not refer to that, if it does not prove that the law was abolished at the cross of Christ, what does it mean?” I readily turned to the text, and read: “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. Ah! then, the apostle was not talking about the law, but about the conversion of the man who had transgressed that law. If any man be in Christ, if he has humbly sought for pardon of all his sins by repentance toward God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he is indeed a new creature. Glorious transformation! old things, with him, will have passed away, and all things become new. Godly sorrow will work out such a thorough reform in that man’s life that it will be evident to all. If he has transgressed the law of God he will endeavor to do it no more; if he has been faithless in the atoning blood of Jesus, he will be so no more; in fact, he will be so humble, and live so near the Lord, that you will not be under the necessity of asking his neighbor in order to ascertain whether he is a Christian or not. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Matt. 7: 20. And while I reason on these things, and think of the simplicity of the word of God to those who earnestly seek to understand, my heart grows sad to think that so many who profess to be teachers in Israel will so persistently shut their ears and harden their hearts to the truth, and thus lead others on to destruction, “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof,” “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Tim. 3: 5, 7. “They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” Matt. 15: 14. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” “Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust; because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Isa. 5: 20, 24. P. A. CLOUGH.