0306. Bound with Grave Clothes

Bound with Grave Clothes

"And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin" (Joh_11:44, f. c.).

It is true that Jesus Christ died to save us from our sins; it is also true that when we are saved, we necessarily, acknowledge ourselves as sinners, and accept Christ as a Saviour from our sins.

It is not true that when we are saved, our carnal nature is destroyed, and our old man is annihilated.

The resurrection life, in Christ Jesus, includes the creation of a new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness.

This "new man" does not mean that the old man is no more. Lazarus was raised from the dead, but he remained bound hand and foot with grave clothes.

Illustration: Out West, a couple of boys, about twelve and fourteen years of age, were saved and afterward baptized.

A few days after their baptism, the mother approached us in tears, and said: "I am sure we have made an awful mistake, for my boys certainly are not saved." We asked: "What’s the trouble, my sister?" She told us that the boys had had a fight.

Looking into the face of this anxious mother, we inquired: "My sister, are you saved?" She immediately replied, "Yes, indeed, I know I am saved." Then we queried: "Have you ever had a fight since you were saved?" "Not with my fists," she said. "But, have you never had a fight at all; have you never sinned since you were saved?" She quickly said: "Oh, I understand it now."

Often young people are saved and, immediately, they have the idea that they will never sin again. They think the grave clothes are forever gone; that the rest of their days they will live free from sinning.

Alas! how quickly they are disabused. The flesh exerts itself, and they are utterly unprepared to meet the promptings, of the old nature, which they thought was gone; thus, they stumbled by the way.

Discouraged and chagrined, they imagine they were never saved. They are almost ready to give up in despair.

Why do Bible teachers, and preachers, not prepare the hearts of young converts for this very thing?

Regeneration is not the patching up of the old man, but the creating of a new man.

The soul that has been born again, will find that the grave clothes are still hanging about him.

The next study will tell us how to reach the place of victory and how Christ says: "Loose him, and let him go."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR