When Christ once died on Calvary

The Cross Terminating All Things

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Due to Satan’s rebellion and Adam’s disobedience, all creation has been defiled and corrupted. As the representative of all creation, Satan was appointed to rule over the preadamic world. When he rebelled, everything that he ruled over and represented was defiled and corrupted. Not only was the earth and everything in it affected by his rebellion, even the heavens and everything in them were defiled and corrupted. Thus, all things needed to be terminated. As the representative of all creation after God’s restoration of the universe, Adam was appointed to rule over all things on the earth (Gen. 1:26). When he disobeyed, everything that he ruled over and represented was defiled and corrupted (Rom. 5:12-19). Thus, the heavens and the earth and everything in them needed God’s termination. Based on His foreknowledge, God determined to meet this need with the cross of Christ in His eternal plan. Hence, the cross of Christ terminated all things in the heavens and on the earth in the old creation in addition to the other negative things.

According to the revelation in the Bible, everything in the old heavens and old earth—the old creation—was terminated on the cross of Christ. When Christ died on the cross, He died there not only in and with humanity but also with all creation. Hence, Christ’s death on the cross involved not only man’s death but also the termination of all creation.

Christ and the Cross
Chapter 13 The Negative Function of the Cross
CWWL, 1952, (LSM)

CHRIST BEING CRUCIFIED ON THE CROSS WITH ALL THINGS

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When Christ died as the Lamb of God, He died for us; that is, He died on our behalf. This is somewhat objective because it implies that He died on the cross by Himself, apart from us. However, He also died in the likeness of the flesh of sin, meaning that He died in the likeness of a sinner. This indicates that He identified Himself with us. The fact that He died in the likeness of the flesh of sin means that He died in our likeness. This is not objective but subjective to us. He joined Himself to us, the sinners. He even put us, the sinners who are the flesh of sin, upon Himself. Thus, He died in our likeness.

Then, when Christ died on the cross as the bronze serpent, He brought the devil with Him. However, we need to realize that the devil whom Christ brought to the cross is in us. On the day of man’s fall, the devil, Satan, as the personification of sin, entered into man (Rom. 5:12). From that day until now, Satan as sin has been dwelling in our flesh, in our sinful nature (7:18-20). Therefore, when Christ died in our likeness, He brought the devil with Him to the cross. Hallelujah, Christ died in the flesh! Since Satan was in the flesh, when Christ died in the likeness of our flesh, the devil died with Him. In His death He brought the devil with Him. Thus, Hebrews 2:14 says that through death Christ destroyed the devil, the one who has the might of death. When Christ was crucified in the likeness of the flesh of sin, He crucified Satan in the flesh of sin.

Vital Factors for the Recovery of the Church Life

Chapter 2 The Factor of the Spirit and the Factor of the Divine Life

CWWL, 1984, (LSM)

What a fun song! I love scripture songs!

Love the words, just needs a new tune.

Amen! Yes, the key is in Gal 2:20, no striving (in the flesh) but trusting in His perfect and complete finished work. Reckoning ourselves dead and alive in Christ. Christ liveth in me! It is no longer I but Christ!

I am totally surprised there are no comments or text quotes for this song. This has to be one of the highest songs of all time. To live the Christian life. This is the basic question we all face, how to really live it, right? We make a good show, but we always feel short, if we are honest with ourselves. The answer is in this song: we can't and won't live it....because He is the only one who can, and He does. He did not just die for us, He also lives for us, Hallelujah! If we take this as doctrine, we'll say: "Yes, I know, I was crucified with Him and resurrected, ho-hum, I learned that in grade school." But if you see it, if your eyes are really open, you will say: "unbelievable - it is right here in black and white and I missed it all this time - Not I, but Christ. Not I, but Christ. I found the secret. Not I, but Christ."