It is one of the marvels of God's ways, that an instrument of shame, punishment and suffering, which makes everyone hanged thereon accursed, should become an instrument of transcendental glory.   Yet this very instrument of death brought the victim hanged thereon, under the curse of God.

     "His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." (Deuteronomy 21:23)   " Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (Galatians 3:13)

     Not only under the law, was the cross an instrument of shame and reproach, but the Roman Empire had long looked upon this, as one of the most cruel and shameful, deaths for criminals.   Yet, God has transformed the shameful, accursed tree, into a flame of glory, that shall grow more and more glorious, through all eternity.

      Long, long before the world knew, or dreamed of the tragedy of the Cross, God knew that what the devil meant for a shame, a reproach, a curse and defeat of His glory, would become the very center and foundation of it.

     Jesus looked ahead to the Cross, as the hour of His glory. (John 12:23,24)   While all was yet midnight darkness to the Jews, to the world, and even to His disciples, yet under the shadow of the Cross, in the face of shame and rejection by the people of the world, the glory of the Cross was burning in His heart.

     First, we want to think of the glory of the Cross, from God's side.   The Cross reveals God in His love, and His eternal purpose, to a prodigal world, as nothing else can do.

     "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (I John 4:10)   From this, and many other passages, we are taught that the Cross began, not with man, but with God.   The one problem with God, with this sinful, fallen world, was, how to spare it.

     On the side of man, there was nothing he could possibly do.   For he had become a helpless, polluted, condemned rebel.   If the world was ever to be spared, and men redeemed, God alone must make it possible.

     The full meaning of:   "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" to die for it, will never be fully understood.   He must remain just, and yet justify the unjust.   He is holy, and must ever be, a holy God, hating sin, and yet, a way to save the unholy and sinful, must be found.

     If such a highway of holy love, could not be found, there was no alternative, but to blot out this whole, glorious and beautiful, world He had created; yea, everything that dwelt upon the earth, even man, who was made in His own image.

     It was impossible for God to allow the world to stand, a day, without some means of redemption.   A propitiation must be had, or else out into the oblivion of darkness, must the earth, with all its creatures go.   Because it was polluted with sin, it rested under the curse of His holy law.

     But to destroy the whole world, meant triumph for Satan.   It meant that one of His own creatures, that once glorious, but fallen angel, was to defeat God Himself; cast a black shadow over His eternal love, and blot out the glory of the Cross.   Hence, we read of "The Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world."

     As Abraham, with a lonely heart, trudged up Mount Moriah to offer Isaac, the lad said, "Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

     And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering."

     Long, long ago, this scene had been acted out in the mind of God, and a lamb had been provided, so God could spare this sin-cursed world, even as Isaac was spared.

     This whole world had been laid on the altar, and like the knife of Abraham over Isaac, God raised the knife of His justice, over the world.   But a substitute was found.   All down through the Old Testament, we get pictures of this provision which culminated on Calvary.

     God saw the world, through the Cross, long before it was ever created.   The glory of the Cross, is at the bottom of this earth's coming into existence.   Knowing the future, and all that was to follow, it was the glory of the Cross alone, that caused God to create man.

     Whether we believe it or not, it is true as God's own eternal Word, that all owe our very existence to the Cross.   It took the wonderful glory of the Cross, to decide God, to create man at all.   It was, and is, this glory of the Cross alone, that spares this world today.

     It is a wrong concept of God, to look upon Him as one seeking to wreak vengeance upon a lost world.   Sin brings its own vengeance and retribution.   God has always sought the sinner for Himself.   It may seem extravagant, but we say it reverently; it seems that God, for His great love to man, was put to His wit's end, to find a way to justify him~~ to be just, and yet to justify the unjust, and save the sinner.

     This prodigal and, to the natural man, foolish, love of God, is seen in the Cross.   So simple, so wonderful in its condescension is it, that it is called, ":the foolishness of God."   But oh, blessed foolishness!   It is wiser than men, and its weakness is stronger than men.   We are too stupid, too carnal, to understand this foolishness of the Cross, but whenever we get our vision cleared up, we will see God's highest glory, wisdom, and love centered in the Cross.

     In the great plan of redemption, the first problem was not the sinner.   God loved the sinner, but hated his sins.   How could God be placated, how could He, whose eyes were too holy to look, with the least degree of allowance, upon sin, receive back to His bosom, a sinning race~~ sinful man?

     This problem, God solved.   Herein is the glory of the Cross.   "Not that we loved God but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins."   The glory of the Cross, from the standpoint of God, is that it was conceived with Him.   "Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." (Romans 3:25)

     The glory of the Cross is, in that while it covers sins, it declares God's righteousness.   "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."  (Ephesians 1:11)   The Cross was in sovereign accord with God's plan and will.   It sets forth His past, present, and eternal, love for the sinner, and establishes His own righteousness, in the salvation of the sinner.

   When we see Him as He is, and know as we are known, we shall find that the greatest glory of all, His works and wisdom in this universe, have their climax in the Cross.

     "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:   That no flesh should glory in his presence.   But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:   That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.   (Corinthians 1:27~31).

     The Cross cuts all the glory of the creature out forever, and yet, we shall see, that while the Cross is God's Cross, it is also the Savior's Cross, and especially the sinner's Cross.

     " O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"  (Romans 11:33)   The sum and glory of which is found in the Cross.

     This note just came from Albany, Georgia.   This Friday we will host our eighth annual Preaching Jubilee!   Please set your alarm, mark your calendar, or whatever you need to do to remember the event and plan to be with us at Gospel Light Baptist Church!

     Come prepared to preach and to hear preaching!   I'll be calling on preachers from the floor, beginning at 10 AM and going until supper time.   We will be feeding all of our guests lunch and supper at local restaurants.

     If you can get here and back, we'll take care of feeding and housing you while you're here!   If you need directions, use the Yahoo map at [26]www.brothermike.com.   The church is located at 237 Lockett Station Road, Albany, GA 31721.

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     We had a wonderful time, my father, my son and I, at the fellowship meeting in Cloverdale on the 24th of June.   There were preachers there form churches in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.   There were two missionaries there, Elder Dan Sheffield and Elder Joseph Blalock, who are working hard to establish churches; Dan Sheffield at Deer Island, Oregon and Joe Blalock at Skamokawa, Washington.   The Lord is working in His churches and we heard reports of new professions and new members.   It is always a great joy to attend these meetings, listen to good preaching, revisit old friends, make new friends, and hear how our Lord has blessed.

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     July 19th through July 25th, the First Missionary Baptist Church of Saint Helens, Oregon will be having their annual revival meeting.   Evangelist Elder Norman Byrd will be preaching the revival.   We should all pray for this meeting and if you can, travel there and attend.   I am sure you will hear some good preaching.

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     If you haven't been to the church link's page in a while maybe you should take a look.   There have been a lot of church web sites added to this list.   Some have been added that are new web sites but most have simply been found recently by me.

     You should make sure your church is listed.   If you are a member of an independent Baptist Church that is holding fast to the Landmarks of Faith given in God's Word and your church is not listed, I assure you this is an oversight on my part and purely unintentional.   Please feel free to E-Mail me with your church web address so that I can list your church too.   Your web site is not doing you much good if no one finds it.

     An old preacher, back in the mountains described it very accurately when he, said, "You can grab that old Baptist chain and shake it and it will rattle plumb back to Jordan." That is perpetuity.

Letters To The Editor

     Folks if you want to respond to something you have read in "Baptist Landmarks" please E-Mail your response to edit@BaptistLandmarks.org   Your response will be printed here.

     I would like to have a cartoon in each issue if possible.   If there is someone reading this paper who can draw cartoons that will cause us to laugh at the foolish things we sometimes do and cause us to think of how we could better serve our Savior, please E-Mail me and let me know.

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