An Extract.
FOR years I had been a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and had therefore eternal life, because he that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life (John 6); yet I did not know it for certain. One day I might feel happy; the next have doubts and fears, as to whether I had ever been the subject of God’s saving grace at all. However, after some years, it was my happy lot to meet with one who was not only a believe in Christ, but who knew what it was to have eternal life. We would often converse on the things of God, and often would be the reply, “Ah! you get that in resurrection.” But what it meant I had not the least idea. I believed, of course, that Christ had been raised from the dead, and, like Martha, that there would be a general resurrection at the last day; but that there was, in the present time, anything for the believer in resurrection, was quite new to me.
By searching the word of God, and by simply bowing to what it said, it was soon discovered to me, that the believer in Christ was, by the mighty power of God, quickened together with Christ, raised up together, and made to sit together in Him in the heavenly places. (Eph. 2:5, 65Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:5‑6).) It was seen that there were two Adams, each the head of a creation. Adam in Eden was the head of the first creation of God, and we are all his children by nature, and partakers of his fallen state. It was seen, too, in the word of God, that Christ, the last Adam, had died and atoned for man’s sins; and that God had also on the cross condemned sin in the flesh, and made an end of it: for our old man was crucified with Him, and that old man is now put off. (Rom. 6:66Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6); Col. 3.) And further, that the last Adam not only died, and was buried, but was raised up again by the power of God, as the head of the new creation. On the cross He made an end of the old, and in His resurrection He is exalted at God’s right hand as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. (Eph. 1) The believer is one with the risen Christ. When this was seen, believed, and by faith apprehended, peace like an even river flowed into my soul, and mercy like a flood. It is now more than ten years since I saw an end of the old Adam creation in the cross of Christ, and that I was one in the risen Christ, the Head of the new creation, and there have been no more doubts, or fears, or misgivings, as to salvation.