In the type it was not the sufferings of the bullock or goat, but the DEATH, by which an atonement was affected, though they suffered, of course, because death involves suffering.

“The Man, Christ Jesus,” “tasted death for every man,” by being crucified – a gradual or lingering death – but the giving of his life in any manner would have paid the price. Now, all who would be “members of his body” must die to the world, give up the flesh life, so that they can, with Paul, “reckon themselves dead indeed unto sin.” (Rom 6:11). And “If Christ be in you, the body is dead,” “but the spirit is life.” (Rom 6:10).

If you are fully and entirely consecrated, your own natural will and desire all resigned to the will of “The Head,” “You are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:3), and you may add, “I (the new creature) live, yet not I (the flesh, the old man), but Christ lives in me (His spirit lives in me). The life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God.” (Gal 2:20). It is then “Christ in you” that is the only actuating or controlling principle. This bringing of the natural into subjection to the spiritual is a gradual death and requires time, and is therefore called “CRUCIFYING the flesh.” Jesus could do this entirely, because perfect, but we are imperfect, therefore our Head supplies the overcoming power through the spirit, making our supply of strength to depend on our faith in Him. “This is the victory that overcomes the world, even your faith.” In some ages it has been necessary for those who would follow the Master to walk to the stake, and thus “crucify the flesh.” While those who live to-day are not caused to suffer thus, they are nevertheless called upon just as really to crucify the flesh. And we believe to some it is to-day a greater trial to follow the Master and walk separate from the worldliness in the nominal church, “having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reproving them,” than to have gone to the stake to burn in an age when that was counted a matter of honorable distinction in the church.

Ah, yes, to be dead indeed, and crucified with Christ is also to be “made a partaker of His sufferings.” It is a reality which we fear is realized by but few of those who claim to be “followers of the Lamb.” If we follow Him, we will as surely be led to death as He was. If it caused Him to suffer, it will cause us to suffer also. You may expect it, for He said: “Whosoever will live godly shall suffer persecution.”

As His persecution came principally from a nominal church (the professing church), so we may expect the same. If they called the Master of the house, Beelzebub (viz., a deceiver, heretic, false teacher, or cult member and etc.,), the (true) servant should expect the same. “The servant shall not be above his Lord (without these false accusations).” If you get along smoothly, you have reason to fear that your life (and that which you profess) shows so little difference from that of the world (and the worldly church) that they don’t think worthwhile to persecute you. But if you follow the Master, they will say of you also: “Thou hast a devil, and art mad,” “Thou art beside thyself.”

This dying, or crucifying, requires frequently a long time, and often when you think you have, by grace given, mastered your old nature by your new, overcome your old will of the flesh by your new will of Christ “dwelling in you richly,” you find, as Paul did, that the old man may revive in a moment not expected, and require crucifying again. As Paul did, so must we keep our body under, and this killing and keeping under of our flesh nature continues to be a battle until physical death ends it. “Be thou faithful UNTO DEATH, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

This last seems to evade many of God’s professing children, with many under the false impression that they will not see death, but will escape this by being mysteriously raptured away, they forget the words of the Lord viz., “I said, “You are gods (mighty ones), and all of you are children of the Highest (begotten of His spirit, children of God). But you shall DIE (physically) like (all) men, and fall (die) like one of the princes (The First prince, Adam before his fall, and Christ Jesus our Lord the second).” (Psa 82:6, 7)

But it may be asked:

How is our death to the flesh any more of a sacrifice than the death (of others) of the world?

We answer that we (as believers and followers of Christ) were justified to perfect natural life by the death of Jesus, and God promises that if we believe this and then voluntarily give up that portion of natural life, which we now possess (this perfect natural life reckoned to us as the Lord’s consecrated followers), He will give us a higher life – the spiritual – and a higher body – the spiritual. And thus, reckoned as the body or bride of Jesus, we become “partakers (part-takers) of the Divine nature” and in the highest sense “Sons of God” and “Joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, our Lord,” who is and ever shall be “Head over all, God blessed forever.”

Again (Lev 16:27), the flesh of the goat was treated in the same manner as the flesh of the bullock; i.e., it was consumed with fire outside the camp. This is another proof that the goat of sin offering represents the body of Christ, for Paul (Hebrews Chapter 13) exhorts us that as Jesus suffered without the gate – “Let us (likewise) go forth therefore unto Him without (outside) the camp (the world), bearing His reproach.” Nor should it seem strange to us that we should be called on to be sacrifices with Him – to die with Him, if we expect to be glorified together. If we are to know the power of His resurrection (have spiritual bodies like Him) we must expect the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death, if by any means we would attain unto THE (principal or first) resurrection:” (Phil 3:8-11), for “If we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with Him.” (Col 2:20; 2 Tim 2:11; Rom 6:8-11).

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.” (2 Tim 2:12) “If so be that we suffer with Him that we may be also glorified together.” (Rom 8:17). “For even hereunto were you called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in His footsteps.” “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” (1 Pet 2:21 and 3:18.) Jesus suffered, even unto death, and we are to do the same – have “fellowship with His sufferings” – be “made conformable unto His death.” “Forasmuch, then, as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.” (To crucify the flesh.) “For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;” i.e., the sufferings when ended result in death of the flesh. “For unto you it is given on behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” (Phil 1:29).

And thus, as the sacrifice of the goat filled up the sacrifice of atonement and sin offering in the type, so our Head, having suffered, left some little (compared to His) suffering to be shared by us as his body, and we “fill up that which is behind of the affections of Christ.” (Col 1:24.)

Continued with next post.