At the cross alone

(J. C. Philpot, "Meditations on the Blessed Redeemer")

"Jesus has become our wisdom and our righteousness
 and sanctification and redemption." 1 Corinthians 1:30

"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord
 Jesus Christ, through which the world has been
 crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14

An experimental knowledge of crucifixion with his
crucified Lord, made Paul preach the cross--not only
in its power to save, but in its power to sanctify.

The cross is not only the meritorious cause of all
salvation--but is the instrumental cause of all
sanctification. As there is no other way of salvation
than by the blood of the cross--so there is no other
way of holiness than by the power of the cross.

Through the cross, that is, through union and
communion with Him who suffered upon it, not
only is there a fountain opened for all sin--but
for all uncleanness!

All our . . .
  pardon and peace,
  acceptance and justification,
  happiness and holiness,
  wisdom and strength,
  victory over the world,
  mortification of the body of sin and death,
  hope and confidence,
  prayer and praise,
  gracious feelings,
  spiritual desires,
  warm supplications,
  honest confessions,
  godly sorrows for sin,
spring from the cross!

At the cross alone can we . . .
  be made wise unto salvation,
  become righteous by a free justification,
  receive of His Spirit to make us holy, and
  be redeemed and delivered from . . .
    sin, Satan, death and hell.

To the cross we are to bring . . .
  our sorrows,
  our trials,
  our temptations,
  our sufferings,
to get life from His death,
pardon and peace from His atoning blood,
justification from His divine obedience, and
resignation to the will of God from His holy example.

At the cross alone is . . .
  the world crucified to us, and we to the world;
  sin mortified, and its reigning power dethroned;
  the old man crucified and put off, and the new man put on.

For the most part, it is only through a long series of . . .
  afflictions,
  bereavements,
  disappointments,
  vexations,
  illnesses,
  pains of body and mind,
  hot furnaces, and
  deep waters,
as sanctified to his soul's profit by the Holy Spirit,
that the child of God comes to the cross.