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Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ). Philippians 3:17-18.
He who knows the Crucified One in such measure that he forgets all other knowledge and erudition, and desires to know and to be informed of nothing more than of Him, knows Jesus in the same way as Paul knew Him. He has found the heavenly key to all knowledge concerning God, to all the mysteries of the Godhead. For the love of God which gave itself for us upon the cross, opens everything which otherwise would have remained hidden from us forever. This knowledge of the Crucified One is, however, not a common, ordinary knowledge; not such knowledge as one gleans from a newspaper article, when a matter is presented in a credible way. This knowledge is a living knowledge that permeates spirit, soul and body; a knowledge that lays hold of and sanctifies the whole man. For Paul says, even weeping, concerning some of the Philippians, who certainly also knew Jesus, the Crucified One; who gloried in this knowledge and trusted in it, "They walk as the enemies of the cross of Christ; their end is destruction. " Why? Because notwithstanding all that they knew of the Crucified One, they yet had their ’’belly’’ as their god, and gloried in their "shame." Therefore the knowledge of and the faith in the Crucified One must have such an effect upon your heart that He, the Crucified One, becomes your God and Lord; that you worship Him and not your belly; that you no longer serve the world, sin, or the flesh, but the living God. Love begets love. If you know that Christ has sacrificed Himself for you, you ought also to sacrifice yourself for Him. If He loved you unto the death on the cross, and if you know and believe in this love, how can your heart be without sacrificing love to Him? Can you now truthfully say, I know nothing save Jesus, the Crucified One? Woe to you if your tongue only says this while your mind and conduct show you to be an enemy of the cross of Christ.
Truly blessed is this station.
Low before His cross to lie.
While I see Divine compassion
Beaming in His gracious eye.
Here it is I find my heaven.
While upon the Lamb I gaze;
Love I much? I’m much forgiven,
I’m a miracle of grace.
