ChosenRebel's Blog

Today, worn out from two very physical days, I declined to go to church, opting for an impromptu day of rest. Stephnie said the service was wonderful and I am looking forward to hearing the message when it is posted online. In my reading, I picked up a book written 80 years ago, which opened with a story from 80 years before from the Civil War of the United States (1861-1865).

Before I relate the story, let me give some biblical context:

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Galatians 6:14

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

1 Peter 2:24

and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

The story comes from a book by L.E. Maxwell titled BORN CRUCIFIED: THE CROSS IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER, (Moody Press, 1945). 

“During the Civil War a man by the name of George Wyatt was drawn by lot to go to the front. He had a wife and six children. A young man named Richard Pratt offered to go in his stead. He was accepted and joined the ranks, bearing the name and number of George Wyatt. Before long Pratt (unfortunately) was killed in action. The authorities later sought again to draft George Wyatt into service. He protested, entering the plea that he had died in the person of Pratt. He insisted that the authorities consult their own records a to the fact of his having died in identification with Pratt, his substitute. Wyatt  was thereby exempted as beyond the claims of law and further service. He had died in the person of his representative. There we have the truth of identification in a nutshell. God’s way of deliverance is through death—through identification with our Substitute in His death and resurrection.   (p. 13)

Three pages later, Maxwell makes this observation:

“George Wyatt did not find deliverance by fighting the law or endeavoring to please the authorities. He took his death-position according to the Government record. He acts on the basis of ‘It is written.’ He had did in the person of his representative. Even so, I, too, have a Substitute and Representative. He entered a deadly combat and died my death. I have been ‘crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me’ (Gal. 2:20) That is a great fact. No amount of struggling on my part can make it more true. I am an actual partaker of Christ, and therefore, of His death and resurrection. Christ actually liveth in me. His is a life of death to sin and aliveness to God; it is mine to yield my all to Him—to believe and rejoice and rest in Christ.”  (p. 16-17)

Truth. Biblical truth about the work of our Wondrous Savior never grows old.

When you and I were born-again into the family of God, we were born into the life won for us by our crucified Savior. Let’s never forget that. Better, let’s live passionately for and like the One who lived, died, rose and is returning soon for us.