Incomprehensible Sacrifice

 

Rom 15:3  For even Christ pleased not himself…

 

Christ did not seek to please Himself. We must remember why God the Son, emptied Himself to become man. He came to die.1 He came to allow Himself to die and be separated from God the Father. He came to suffer the second death along with the first. This wasn't something easy for Him to do. He wasn't impervious to pain. His Godliness did not negate his feelings at all whatsoever, if anything, it deepened them.

 

Heartache is one of the worst of all feelings. Heartache was something He felt in a way we can't truly comprehend. He didn't have an advantage over us in how He felt. His pain wasn't mitigated by the Heavenly Father. He was a God who chose to take on human life and NOT use any of His Godly powers. Remember, He emptied Himself.

 

People think Jesus used His own power to work miracles. He didn't. 2 And it wasn't the Apostles using their own power to heal either. Not once did the power come from them. It was God the Father's power. Jesus did NOTHING of His own self. 3 The power that came out of Him when the woman touched the hem of his robe, was power He had from God the Father. 4 The Apostles were given the same power 5 - and it wasn't a power possessed by them, it always belonged to God who allowed them to use the power He gave to them.

 

The death of Jesus couldn't simply be the death of His body, He was still the God-man. The death of a God was something altogether different, it had to be. God the Father removed any power He'd given to Jesus. Jesus couldn't be given the power of the Father any longer. Jesus felt that separation acutely. He'd been one with Father and now… now He was called to separate Himself from Him. Remember, He wanted the cup He had to drink to be taken from Him. 6 He cried out in agony for the cup to be taken away. Agony!  He wasn't agonizing over the physical death He was headed towards, not that it was something He wanted to experience. His heart was breaking knowing what was coming would separate Him from Father and the pair of them had NEVER been separated, never. They were in existence from the beginning with each other, from everlasting to everlasting. 7 There was never a time they weren't one in agreement with each other. God with God. Then before our world was created and Mankind brought into existence, they declared one of them to be the Father and the other the Son. 8

 

We cannot fully fathom their togetherness, it's impossible.

Jesus did not have one up on us in His life upon earth, He couldn’t have, or else Satan would have used that to declare His sacrifice null and void. Satan would have cried foul so loudly the heavens of heaven would have reverberated with the sound. A God saving mankind by using God powers of their own, that would have proved nothing whatsoever. There would have been no real sacrifice at all on Jesus' part.

 

Jesus' life wasn't easy. Did He laugh? Yes. Did He have fun? Yes. But behind all of that, He knew what He was going to be sacrificing. How many times did He have to be alone to pray? His prayers, His communing with God- it wasn't any different than ours in action. God the Father didn't appear to Him and sit down to have a discussion with Him. Jesus had to speak to God as we speak to God, and listen to Him as we listen to Him.  Remember, Jesus did NOT have one up on us. 

 

You say He never sinned, that is true. But just as true is … He could have. There was NOTHING stopping Him from sinning except His desire to keep God the Father in His life.

 

He grew up learning of God the Father, and God the Father to Him was something wondrous. Do you remember in the Bible where Jesus says, "I and my Father are one." 9 Do you also remember this… "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" 10

 

We can be ONE with the Father and the Son! This is what Jesus wants! He wants us to be ONE with them! Jesus discovered the Oneness with His Father, very early on and it wasn't something Satan could point to and say, "Nope! That’s cheating!"  Yet we sit here deluding ourselves by believing Jesus had it much different than us, and that is why He could be sinless and we can't.

 

Is it impossible for us to be sinless? Yes, on our own, most definitely. Was it impossible for Jesus to be sinless? Yes, on His own, most definitely. He didn't stray from God the Father, ever. You still say that it's impossible for us not to stray, so Jesus had to have one up on us.  Wrong. That's the miracle, He proved it was possible for man to be one with God, knowing at any second He could sin.  Seriously. If the deck of cards is stacked, it's cheating. Jesus did not stack the deck or else Satan would have called Him out and Jesus would have lost, and if Jesus lost, He could never have saved us.

 

We do not want to believe this truth. We want to believe a God-man came to earth as a babe and with His own God powers He remained sinless. We tell ourselves that's the only way possible, refusing to believe in the depths of the sacrifice and ALL that Jesus truly did to save us! 

 

When He was twelve years old He went to the temple to do His Father's work. 11 Do you know at age twelve the Jewish boys who had access to being taught, knew vast portions of Scripture by that age? They did. Then the boys who showed promise in learning went beyond twelve years old for more extensive teaching.

 

Jesus recognized Himself in the Scriptures that He'd learned. Did He have an advantage in having that knowledge? No. Again, He couldn't have. He recognized it, and in that recognition His oneness with God was a focus of His life. God didn't given Him private tutoring lessons in order for Him to become the Messiah. He was born the Messiah, and He recognized that truth. He received power from God the Father, His faith in God was genuine. That power He received from God is power available to all of us.

Do you remember Enoch from the Old Testament? He walked with God.

Do you remember Elijah from the Old Testament? He was a great prophet of God.

Do you remember Moses from the Old Testament? He was a deliverer of God's people.

These three men weren't perfect, but they became so close to God they were given very special outcomes, only Moses experienced death before his resurrection, the other two never died.

 

Jesus proved that man could live in connection with God and be sinless in doing so.

Those three men proved that sinners could be forgiven and live in connection with God.

 

Jesus was given parents who knew His purpose and they surrounded His life with all things Godly from the time He was a baby through his childhood years and on up.  After His father died, His mother carried on giving Him an upbringing exposing Him to all things of God. You can be sure that from the moment Jesus had awareness of Himself intellectually as a child, He was drawn to God right from the start- and NOT because He was given a-  Get to Adulthood Free of Sin-  card. 

 

If we believe that  Jesus didn't prove mankind, people like you and I, can live a sinless life, then why did He do it? What good was proving a God-man could be sinless through His own God powers and privileges? It makes no sense at all. The wonder, the miracle, the incomprehensible to its fullest act, of Jesus from birth to death to life, is what He did for us. So much more than a God-man with God powers allowing Himself to die. What would that prove to Satan, or to all the worlds intelligences throughout all existence, witnesses to the world that succumb to sin? Nothing.

 

The world was created sinless and it became sinful through an act of disobedience. The world now can only be sinless again through perfect obedience, something this world will not have until Christ returns and the world is made new for all those who belong to God.

 

Love God, truly love God and love Him more than you love yourselves or any others. Then, love others as God loves you. We aren't told to love ourselves. Obedience to those commands of God is life eternal through Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus died the second death.

 

The first death is when our bodies become lifeless and we enter our long sleep.

The second death is for those who are not Christ's, it is permanent separation from God.

 

You say, wait, if it's permanent how did Christ rise from the second death, if indeed he died the second death? That's the miracle of Christ's death and resurrection.

 

Jesus died upon the cross, His body ceased to function entirely, He was lifeless beyond doubt. He wasn't just a man dying though, He was a God-man dying! His was no ordinary death, it couldn't be. Why did Jesus cry in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Father take this cup from me." 12  Remember we discussed just how close to the Father God, Jesus was? Inseparable- and yet Jesus comprehended that separating the inseparable was in His future, and the mere thought of it happening was crushing. 

 

Do you remember Jesus Christ's cry on the cross?

"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 13

 

Remember His dying shortly after that? 14 He could not live separated from His Father.

 

The darkness, the pure blackness, the emptiness, the crushing agony, broke His heart. He wasn't dying and thinking of a future with His Father and a new life upon rising.  He wasn't smiling knowingly as He slipped off to die with the hope that He would wake when His Father called Him from the grave. Why not? He did know He would be resurrected, He'd talked about it, 15 so why the awfulness when He knew His future, there has to be a reason, right?

 

Jesus' death unlike ours, was the sacrifice of a God, to seal the salvation of mankind.

Jesus's life proved mankind could live connected to God in full obedience without sinning. Then Jesus' death proved that the Eliohim's (the two Gods- Father and Son) were willing to sacrifice, and to be sacrificed, to save a creation of theirs. 

 

In life- man.

In death- God.

 

God the Father's sacrifice was just as great as God the Son's.

 

Anyone who has ever loved someone and had to watch them suffer and die, understands on some level.

 

Imagine having the power to keep your loved one from suffering and dying, and having to restrain yourself from doing so for a greater cause- because the pair of you decided to do this- to save mankind should they fall. Every pain, every tear cried, every agony that Jesus suffered all the way to the cross was felt by the Father. He watched and restrained His ability to end Jesus's suffering and to keep His death from happening. God the Father had the power to NOT separate from the one He'd never been separated from before, and He suffered through it all not using that power. God's agony was just as great as the Son's.

 

For three days they were completely and utterly separated from each other! Imagine how awful that had to be for God the Father. Jesus was in the grave in death's sleep, having gone into that sleep of death completely hopeless of ever being resurrected. His father had forsaken Him, there was no reason for Him to live.

 

Yes, Jesus knew He was going to suffer and die, but you can know something and then when that something becomes reality it's a whole new experience, something you never imagined- it happens to us all the time. Jesus had the knowledge, but the reality of His being severed from His Father, their relationship no longer existing was horrific and wiped out any thought of comfort from that prior knowledge. The pain was just too severe.

 

As the God-man was separated from God the Father Jesus truly believed it was the end of all things for Him in that moment and there was no rallying before He died in order to recall the plan of salvation. The breaking of His heart crushed the life from Him, and in that moment as far as he knew, it was crushed forever.

 

Think about it, really think about it. God the Father and God the Son, NEVER EVER without each other! From everlasting it had been this way! We think in the context of our world being created by the Father God and the Son God, we forgot that they'd existed in a way we can't fathom, before our world was ever created. They had more experiences in more ways than we can begin to imagine. Their togetherness in full and total agreement, in a harmony we have never ever known, was beyond our comprehension, but we have to try to imagine the littlest bit because it reveals the depths of the SACRIFICE of separating themselves. And it reveals how something of that magnitude would rip the very heart from Jesus upon that cross, taking all His rational thoughts from Him plunging Him in to the belief the separation would not be temporary but rather forever, after being FORSAKEN.

 

God the Father lived those three days in agony. Yes, He knew He would resurrect His Son, but that pain of separation was just as severe for Him. He didn't wait around those three days all happy- He was living in a way that He'd never had to before. He suffered the sorrow of Jesus's death, and all He'd gone through, and the horror of Jesus in His last moments when He had no hope.  That was the SECOND DEATH Jesus suffered, hopelessness.  And before you bring up Jesus talking to the thief on the cross and recognizing his own future resurrection, that was before He'd been forsaken.

 

Forsaken.

 

We grasp only in part what it means to be forsaken, or some do. Having someone forsake you- to tell you that you are beyond forgiveness is a horrible, horrible thing. To have someone you thought would always be there for you no matter what, forsake you, is devastating. We truly cannot begin to fully understand the devastation God the Father and God the Son experienced. Truly the Second Death- life forever without God to Christ meant existing no longer. The second death is existing no longer. 16 Our Savior, the God-man forever, and our Almighty God declared Father, paid the ultimate price to redeem you and I. We were worth such a sacrifice. Us, sin-filthy creatures, worthy of being saved-  the love our Gods have for us is incomprehensible.

 

God the Spirit- suffered as well, there was no way He couldn't have. He was a God that was a part of them, in full agreement with them. The suffering of the Father and the Son, was the suffering of the Holy Spirit.

 

Rom 15:3  For even Christ pleased not himself…

 

Is it any wonder we are not to please ourselves? That sacrifice and serving others, serving God should be our life's ambition.  I read recently - 'Whatever you want in life make sure you want GOD more.'  Nothing should be more important to us than God and that means serving God. Yet, how often is He really what we want most before all else? How often does His will collide with ours and we choose ours over His. Too often. Self-denial is something we know little about because we are taught to abhor self-denial. We are taught to think of ourselves and our own well-being first. We are taught that we are the center of the universe and we shouldn't have to suffer, so that when we do suffer we instantly martyr ourselves and bemoan our having to suffer.

 

Doing as we please, we call it self-preservation, we pride ourselves for taking care of ourselves because we believe it's the right thing to do, that God would want us to be happy. Lies! God wants us to be His, and being His often means a lot of suffering, read the Bible. Those who think suffering and denying themselves is not Godly, haven't read their Bibles.  Jesus tells us to deny ourselves. Jesus tells us to die daily. He wants us to die to self daily. He who denied Himself to the point of dying for us, is our example always. Read the parables He gave.

 

Remember that Good Samaritan? 17 He denied himself, he sacrificed to help another.

So many supposed God followers turned and walked away from that injured man, unwilling to sacrifice even their time, let alone anything else.

 

Christ pleased not Himself, so why do we think we need to please ourselves, that only if we are okay first should we then help others.

 

Satan has deceived us. He's molded and made us into the very things we shout are wrong. We call ourselves Christ-like while living anything but truly Christ-like. We say we love God but refuse to live as God taught.

 

God help us to see through the Satan made blinders upon our hearts and eyes. Help us surrender ourselves to you in self-denial, self-sacrifice, and living to help others know Your amazing love. God help us not to seek to please ourselves, but to seek to please You.

 

Footnotes

 

1

Philippians 2:5-8  LITV

For think this within you, which mind was also in Christ Jesus, who subsisting in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, having become in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, having become obedient until death, even the death of a cross.

 

2

Jn 5:30  KJV

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

 

3

Jhn_8:28  KJV

Then Jesus said to them, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM; and from Myself I do nothing; but as My Father taught Me, these things I speak.

 

4

Mar 5:30  LITV

And knowing instantly within Himself that power had gone forth out of Him, turning in the crowd, Jesus said, Who touched My garments? 

 

5 

Mat 10:1  KJV

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

 

Mat 10:20  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

 

6 

Mat 26:39  KJV

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 

 

Mat 26:42 

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 

 

Luk 22:44 

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground

 

7

Psa 90:2 

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.  (We know Jesus was there when the worlds were formed)

 

8 

Psa 2:7  KJV

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

 

Heb 1:3-5 KJV

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 

 

Jesus was UNIQUELY begotten, One of a kind begotten - a decree made Him the Son

 

Zec 6:12-13  KJV

And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

 

Heb 1:5  KJV

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 

 

Act 13:30-33  KJV

But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. 

And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee

 

Rom 1:3,4 KJV 

Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead

 

Isa 9:6 KJV 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

For in-depth study go here- https://www.adventistlaymen.com/Correspondence/UNIQUELY_BEGOTTEN_GOD.html

 

9

Joh 10:30 KJV

I and my Father are one.

 

10

Jhn_17:21  KJV

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

 

11

Luk 2:42-49  And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.  But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.  And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.  And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 

 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? 

 

12

Mat 26:39  KJV

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 

 

13

Mat_27:46 KJV

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

 

14

Mat 27:46-50 KJV

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

 

15

Mat 12:40 KJV

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

 

Mat 16:21  KJV

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

 

16

Rev_20:14  KJV

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 

Rev_21:8  KJV

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

 

Mal_4:1  KJV

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

 

We know what happens to stubble upon the ground, it is burnt up, there is NOTHING left of it. That second death is permanent annihilation. Death and the grave are gone. Satan and all that are his, are gone forever burned to nothingness.

 

17

Luk 10:30-27  KJV

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. 

 

Seekers of Truth

 Seekers of the truth. So many want to find the truth, they want to discern the signs of these times, and they wish to understand what the future holds for them. We're among those wanting just that and yet time and time again as we hold our discussions, our impromptu chats, where the state of our world, and the soon end to it seems to come up, we're left saying-

Who's to say we're right?

Many claim to have the answers. Many are willing to share their point of views. Some say look to your Bibles for the answers don't just believe what they're saying. And they're right. We will always exhort you to look to your Bible for the answers, always. We look to our Bibles and yet not being scholars, having no ability to determine the Greek, Hebrew and the translations there of, we are left often times having to rely on the translations of others.

If you're like us, and not inclined to take on the study of Greek and Hebrew, yet your heart thirsts after answers, you'll probably end up doing something that will create more questions rather than give you the simple answers you want, like us.

You need to take advantage of this marvelous creation of the internet and search out the interpretations of those who do have that proclivity to study, and learn the ancient languages.
Are we telling you to set aside the Bible and only use the internet? Trusting in other’s interpretations?

Never!

Pick up your Bible, pray for the Holy Spirit to enlighten you, ask Jesus to forgive you and give you understanding, and with a very humble heart...read. If God grants you enlightenment, share it with us, share it with others, and we'll do the same. We'll never claim to have all the answers. We'll never force our enlightenment on you. You can stop reading this right now as a matter of fact, and you don't have read a single word of our opinions. We're not looking for disputes. We're not looking to debate with you. We're looking for honest insight into the Word of God and we refuse to believe that only our ideas are right.

Hence, 'Who's to Say We're Right?'

We're simple people, we have no extensive education, if you're looking for that sort credential along with our opinions you'll have to go elsewhere. What do we have to offer you? Possibilities. What sort of possibilities? Truths.

Why do we advocate the sharing of possibilities? Because - Who's to Say We're Right, and on the other hand...
Who's to Say You're Right?

With the Bible as our standard and God as our guiding force, we will attempt like many others before us to reveal the truths as we see them. If more than one truth on the same topic is brought up, then that's just us looking at the possibilities and letting you know- that while we are praying for enlightenment- we're not going to be so shortsighted as to simply believe something because it has been taught to us, or it sounds good. We want to be open to God's Guiding Spirit and not close doors just because something sounds right.

Remember this-
Matthew 24:24 (King James Version) 'For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.'
Mark 13:22 (King James Version) 'For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.'

The temptation to pick a path that we think is the only path and block our minds to anything else might be a path forged by those who would deceive even the elect. We each need to study for ourselves, to seek these answers ourselves, to search for true revelation and pray that we're armed as God intends us to be-

Ephesians 6: 11-18
11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints

Luke 24 39-45
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them. 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.

We need our understanding opened by Jesus and it is our prayer that we will have understanding and be able to watch and discern the signs of the times as they unfold so we're not caught unaware, so we're not deceived. Yes, we encourage you to use the tools at your disposal, as we will-- the internet, the library, a friend, yes, I said a friend. Who's to say they won't have insight?

Pray, study, seek, find... and hopefully God will account us worthy and give us the understanding we need to be ready for him at his Second Coming.

Sinfulness of the Flesh- A.T. Jones

 'THERE is a serious and very bothersome mistake, which is made by many persons.

That mistake is made in thinking that when they are converted, their old sinful flesh is blotted out. In other words, they make the mistake of thinking that they are to be delivered from the flesh by having it taken away from them altogether. Then, when they find that this is not so, when they find that the same old flesh, with its inclinations, its besetments, and its enticements, is still there, they are not prepared for it, and so become discouraged, and are ready to think that they never were converted at all. And yet, if they would think a little, they ought to be able to see that that is all a mistake. Did you not have exactly the same body after you were converted that you had before? Was not that body composed of exactly the same material—the same flesh and bones and blood—after you were converted as that of which it was composed before? To these questions everybody will promptly say Yes. And plainly that is the truth. And now there are further questions: Was not that flesh also of exactly the same quality as before? Was it not still human flesh, natural flesh, as certainly as it was before?—To this also everybody will say Yes. Then also a still further question: It being the same flesh, and of the same quality,—it still being human flesh, natural flesh,—is it not also still just as certainly sinful flesh as it was before? Just here is where creeps in the mistake of these many persons. To this last question they are inclined to think that the answer should be “No,” when it must be only a decided “Yes.” And this decided “Yes” must be maintained so long as we continue in this natural body. And when it is decided and constantly maintained that the flesh of the converted person is still sinful flesh, and only sinful flesh, he is so thoroughly convinced that in his flesh dwells no good thing that he will never allow a shadow of confidence in the flesh. And this being so, his sole dependence is upon something other than the flesh, even upon the Holy Spirit of God; his source of strength and hope is altogether exclusive of the flesh, even in Jesus Christ only. And being everlastingly watchful, suspicious, and thoroughly distrustful of the flesh, he never can expect any good thing from that source, and so is prepared by the power of God to beat back and crush down without mercy every impulse or suggestion that may arise from it; and so does not fail, does not become discouraged, but goes on from victory to victory and from strength to strength. Conversion, then, you see, does not put new flesh upon the old spirit; but a new Spirit within the old flesh. It does not propose to bring new flesh to the old mind; but a new mind to the old flesh. Deliverance and victory are not gained by having the human nature taken away; but by receiving the divine nature to subdue and have dominion over the human,—not by the taking away of the sinful flesh, but by the sending in of the sinless Spirit to conquer and condemn sin in the flesh. The Scripture does not say, Let this flesh be upon you, which was also upon Christ; but it does say, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5. The Scripture does not say, Be ye transformed by the renewing of your flesh; but it does say, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2. We shall be translated by the renewing of our flesh; but we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The Lord Jesus took the same flesh and blood, the same human nature, that we have,—flesh just like our sinful flesh,—and because of sin, and by the power of the Spirit of God through the divine mind that was in him, “condemned sin in the flesh.” Romans 8:3. And therein is our deliverance (Romans 7:25), therein is our victory. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” “A new heart will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you.” Do not be discouraged at sight of sinfulness in the flesh. It is only in the light of the Spirit of God, and by the discernment of the mind of Christ, that you can see so much sinfulness in your flesh; and the more sinfulness you see in your flesh, the more of the Spirit of God you certainly have. This is a sure test. Then when you see sinfulness abundant in you, thank the Lord that you have so much of the Spirit of God that you can see so much of the sinfulness; and know of a surety that when sinfulness abounds, grace much more abounds in order that “as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” ' A.T. Jones

Sabbath

 

THOUGHTS ON THE SABBATH  by  J.N. Andrews

 

Those who observe the Sabbath of the Bible, are able to present as its foundation, a divine institution. “God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.” Genesis 2:3. To sanctify is “to separate, set apart, or appoint to a holy, sacred, or religious use.” Webster. It was by this act of the great Creator, that the Sabbath was made for man. Exodus 20:11; Mark 2:27. As God has never taken this blessing from the seventh day, and has never given to secular purposes the day which he here “set apart to a holy use,” the original institution still exists. As he has never sanctified another day as a weekly Sabbath, the Sabbath of the Lord is the only Sabbatic institution. Exodus 20:10.

 

As God made the Sabbath in paradise, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy, it follows that it is not Jewish, not a carnal ordinance, not a yoke of bondage, but a sacred institution made for the well-being of the human family, while yet upright. The great Creator rested first on the seventh day and was refreshed. Exodus 31:17. The Son of God who kept his Father’s commandments, followed this example, [John 15:10; Exodus 20:8-11,] and thus, also, did the entire church so far as inspiration gives us the facts.

 

After giving the institution of the Sabbath, the book of Genesis, in its brief record of 2370 years, does not again mention it. This has been urged as ample proof that those holy men, who during this period were perfect and walked with God in the observance of his commandments, statutes and laws, [Genesis 5:24; 6:9; 26:5,] all lived in open profanation of that day which God had blessed and set apart to a holy use. But the book of Genesis also omits any distinct reference to the doctrine of future punishment, the resurrection of the body, the revelation of the Lord in flaming fire, and the judgment of the great day. Does this silence prove that the patriarchs did not believe these great doctrines? Does it make them any the less sacred?

 

But the Sabbath is not mentioned from Moses to David, a period of five hundred years during which it was enforced by the penalty of death. Does this prove that it was not observed during this period? The jubilee occupied a very prominent place in the typical system, yet in the whole Bible a single instance of its observance is not recorded. What is still more remarkable, there is not on record a single instance of the observance of the great day of atonement, notwithstanding the work in the holiest on that day was the most important service connected with the worldly Sanctuary. And yet the observance of the other and less important festivals of the seventh month, which are so intimately connected with the day of atonement, the one preceding it by ten days, the other following it in five, is repeatedly and particularly recorded. Ezra 3:1-6; Nehemiah 8:2, 9-12, 14-18; 1 Kings 8:2, 65; 2 Chronicles 5:3; 7:8, 9; John 7:2-14, 37. It would be sophistry to say that this silence respecting the day of atonement, when there were so many instances for it to be mentioned, proves that that day was never observed; and yet it is actually a better argument than the similar one urged against the Sabbath from the book of Genesis.

 

The reckoning of time by weeks was established in Genesis 1; 2. This period of time is marked only by the recurrence of the sanctified Rest-day of the Creator. That the patriarchs reckoned time by weeks and by sevens of days, is evident from several texts. Genesis 29:27, 28; 8:10, 12; 7:4, 10; 50:10; Job 2:13. That the reckoning of the week was rightly kept appears evident from the fact that in Exodus 16, Moses on the sixth day declares that “tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” Verses 22, 23.

 

But if the opponents of the Sabbath, claim that a knowledge of the true seventh day was lost in the patriarchal age, we will now show that before God gave the ten commandments he pointed out the true seventh day in a manner which could not be mistaken. First. By a direct miracle. God caused the fall of a certain quantity of manna each day of the week to the sixth day when there was a double quantity. Exodus 16:4, 5, 29. Second. On the seventh day, which Moses calls the Sabbath, there was none. Verses 25-27. Third. That which was gathered on the sixth day kept good over the seventh, whereas it would corrupt in the same length of time on other days. Compare verses 23, 24, with verses 19, 20. This three-fold weekly miracle continued the space of forty years. Verse 35; Joshua 5:12. The fact is settled, then, beyond all controversy that the Sabbath of the Lord which was made in Paradise, was here directly pointed out by God himself. And to this important testimony we add the declaration of Nehemiah 9:13, 14, that God made known to Israel his holy Sabbath.

 

No one pretends that the true seventh day was lost by the Jewish church after this. And it is certain that as late as our Lord’s crucifixion they observed the true seventh day. They rested upon the day enjoined in the fourth commandment; namely, the day which the Lord rested upon and hallowed at creation. Luke 23:55, 56; Exodus 20:8-11; Genesis 2:3.

 

Since the record of inspiration closed, the Jews and the Christians, each scattered in every land under heaven, have carefully kept the reckoning of the week. If a mistake in this reckoning had been made, a discrepancy would at once manifest this. For it is certain that every Jew and every Christian under heaven could not at the same time make the same mistake. The fact that there is no such discrepancy is decisive testimony that such mistake has not been made. Consequently we have the true seventh day from creation.

 

When God gave his law in person, in the hearing of the people, by the fourth precept of that law he solemnly enforced the observance of the holy Sabbath. Exodus 20:8-11. In explicit language the great Law-giver states the reason why he made the Sabbath and the time when this act was performed. “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore [i.e., for this reason] the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” This is the reason why God made the Sabbath. It is the same reason that is stated in Genesis 2:3.

 

The act by which God made the Sabbath is here stated with distinctness. It was his act of blessing and hallowing his Rest-day. The time when this act was performed is here given as in Genesis 2:2, 3; namely, the close of the creation week. And it is worthy of note that in thus giving the fourth commandment, God calls the seventh day the Sabbath at the time when he thus placed his blessing upon it. This most effectually shuts the mouths of those who deny the institution of the Sabbath at creation.

 

The great design of the Sabbath was that there might be a standing memorial of God’s act of creation. Its observance would have saved the world from atheism and idolatry; for it has ever pointed back to God, the great first cause; and it has ever pointed out the true God, the great Creator, in distinction from “the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth.”

 

We have now considered three important facts in the history of the Sabbath. First, its institution at creation; second, the fact that the true seventh day was pointed out to Israel; and third, the grand law of the Sabbath, the fourth commandment. As we proceed in this investigation we notice three different Sabbaths. First, the weekly Sabbath of the Lord, the seventh day. Exodus 20:10. Second, the annual Sabbaths of the Jews, the first, tenth, fifteenth and twenty-third days of the seventh month. Leviticus 23:24, 27-32, 39. And third, the septennial Sabbath of the land, the seventh year. Leviticus 25:1-7.

 

The Sabbath of the Lord was instituted at creation, and at Sinai was embodied in the royal law, every precept of which according to James 2:8-12, is still binding upon us. But the Sabbaths of the Jews and the Sabbath of the land were instituted in the wilderness, and embodied in the hand-writing of ordinances with the feasts, new-moons and ceremonies of the Jewish church. That hand-writing of ordinances, which was a shadow of good things to come, was nailed to the cross by our Lord, thus taking all these festivals out of the way.

 

The most precious blessings are promised to those who observe the Sabbath of the Lord. Isaiah 56; 58:13, 14. And it is worthy of notice that this prophecy pertains to a period of time when the salvation of the Lord is near to be revealed. Hebrews 9:28; Isaiah 45:17. The blessing is promised to the sons of the stranger, the Gentiles, [Exodus 12:48, 49; Isaiah 14:1; Ephesians 2:12,] as well as to the people of Israel. If they will keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord while dispersed in the four quarters of the earth, God will bring them again to his holy mountain. The promises here made by the prophet shall be verified when the outcasts of Israel and the sons of the stranger shall come from the east and from the west and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God. Matthew 8:11.

 

Notice the distinction between the Sabbath of the Lord and the Sabbaths of the Jews as presented in the prophets. Of the perpetuity of the former let us judge after reading Isaiah 66:22, 23, where we are informed of its observance in the New Earth. But the Lord assures us by the prophet that the latter shall cease. Hosea 2:11. The fulfillment of this prophecy may be read in Colossians 2:14-17. The weekly Sabbath is styled “the Sabbath of the Lord,” “my Sabbath,” etc. Exodus 20:10; Isaiah 56:4; Ezekiel 20:12-24; 22:8, 26. The annual and septennial Sabbaths are styled “her Sabbaths” and “your Sabbaths.” Hosea 2:11; Leviticus 23:32; 26:34, 35, 43; 2 Chronicles 36:21; Lamentations 1:7.

 

Though the Scriptures nowhere teach or authorize the change of the Sabbath, yet they plainly point out the power that should do this. Let the reader compare Daniel 7:25, with the history of the Papal power, and carefully mark its acts of changing and mutilating the divine constitution, the ten commandments.

 

We have seen the grand law of the Sabbath embodied in the decalogue. We come now to the New Testament. That our Lord did not destroy that law, or lessen our obligation to obey it, he clearly teaches in Matthew 5:17-19. And we may with the utmost safety affirm “that the apostles did not disturb what their Lord left untouched.” Romans 3:31; James 2:8-12. We say therefore that the New Testament teaches the perpetuity of God’s law, and for that reason does not re-enact it.

 

Our Lord came to “magnify the law and make it honorable.” Isaiah 42:21. He kept his Father’s commandments, and solemnly enjoined obedience to them, pointedly rebuking those who made them void that they might keep the traditions of the elders. John 15:10; Matthew 19:16-19; 15:3-9. “The Sabbath was made for man,” says the Saviour, “and not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27. If the Sabbath was made for man, then it belongs alike to Jews and Christians, and to all our race. The statement carries the mind back to the creation of our race and evinces that the Sabbath was made in immediate connection with that event. On the one hand our Lord rebukes the Pharisaic observance of the Sabbath; on the other, he rebukes with equal force that class of modern teachers who affirm that the Sabbath of the Lord which Infinite Wisdom made for man before the fall, was one of those Sabbaths which were against him, contrary to him and taken out of the way at the death of Christ. Colossians 2.

 

The fact that those, who had been with Jesus during his ministry, “rested the Sabbath-day according to the commandment,” after his crucifixion, and resumed labor on the first day of the week [Luke 23:55, 56; 24:1] shows clearly that they knew nothing of the supposed change of the Sabbath. Yet Jesus testifies that all things which he had heard of his Father he had made known unto them. John 15:15. The fact that God has never sanctified the first day of the week shows plainly that it is not sacred time, and not a divinely instituted Sabbath. The fact that God has never required us to rest on that day shows that its observance in the place of the Sabbath of the Lord, is a clear instance of making void the commandments of God to keep the traditions of men. Mark 7:6-13; Proverbs 30:6.

 

That sanctified time exists in the gospel dispensation, or in other words, that there is a day which belongs to God, is clear from Revelation 1:10. That “the Lord’s day,” is the Sabbath-day is plain from Isaiah 58:13. As the Sabbath was made for man, we find it under all dispensations, and in every part of the Bible. Those therefore who profane the Sabbath, sin against God and wound their own souls.

 

J.N.A.

Delight in the LORD!

 

Psa 37:4  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 

Psa 37:5  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 

Psa 37:6  And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 

Psa 37:7  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 

Psa 37:8  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 

 

Delight thyself- make yourself happy.

Where do we find happiness?

What is our personal definition of happiness?

One might find happiness in solitude, another among people.

We are told to find our happiness in the LORD.

Whether alone or with others, happy with our situation or not, we are to find our happiness in the LORD and nowhere else.

 

This goes hand in hand with our seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness- Matthew 6:33, doesn't it?

 

And for our searching for God with all our hearts- Jeremiah 29:13

 

Also, for laying up our treasures in heaven- Matthew 6:20

 

Delighting ourselves in the Lord. 

 

Happiness for us is in the Lord.

 

We often take the temporal things surrounding us and try to find happiness with them. We imagine the scenarios in our lives that could finally make us happy.

We remember past happiness and long to go back to it.

We look at the trials and tribulations of our lives, the setbacks, rejections, catastrophes, and dwell on them as if they could interfere with our happiness.

 
IF our happiness is in the LORD, nothing can interfere with that!

 

He is with us whatever our lot in life- horror or contentment.

NOTHING and NO ONE can take the LORD away from us- it is impossible!

 

People can take everything we own, everything we care about, our family, our livelihood, the roof over our heads, they can strip away everything that makes us feel the least bit secure in life. People can imprison us, torture us, destroy all our loved ones, but they cannot remove the LORD from our lives- He's untouchable!

 

The greatest treasure we can ever have in this crazy world is the LORD and nothing and no one can take Him away, not ever, in any circumstance.

 
Is it any wonder we are told to put our treasures in heaven, our heart in heaven, our delight in the LORD?

 

If we TRULY do this, truly delight in the LORD we will be happy in Him- the eternal, the everlasting, our salvation from all the evils of the world, the hope we only find in Him eternally! 

 

We live knowing this awful world, this awful suffering, this awful place filled with lots of awful people doing awful things is only temporary!

Yes, we SUFFER now in many ways, even as we can cling to the eternal LORD and all He promises- our suffering now is only for a moment in light of eternity, even if it feels like the worst thing lasting forever ever.

 

Those who delight in the LORD, those who find their happiness in the LORD, have found the truth that everything but the LORD, is temporary to eternity.

Consecration- We are not our own, we are the Lord's

 

Present Truth Articles - Consecration 

 

'Consecration is simply the constant recognition of the fact that we are the Lord's and not our own. He who learns  that this is a fact and lives in the constant living presence and recognition of it as the great fact--he is  consecrated, and this is consecration.

 

Nor is this a hard thing to do in itself. People make it hard for themselves by thinking it to be something that it is not, and trying to accomplish it in a way that is not the Lord's way, and even then they miss it. And, in truth, going about it in another than the Lord's way, they cannot possibly do anything else than miss it.

 

Is it a fact, then, that we are the Lord's?--Of course it is; for it is written: "Ye are bought with a price."1Corinthians 6:20. And the price is, "the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1Peter 1:19. For He "gave Himself for us." Titus 2:14 This "price" was paid for every soul that is on earth, and for everyone who ever was or ever shall be on earth; for "He died for all." Having died for all; having paid the wondrous price for all; having given Himself for all, it is certainly a fact that all are His. Therefore it is written: "Ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1Corinthians 6:19-20

 

He not only gave Himself for us, but for all there is of us--yes, even for our sins. For again it is written that He "gave Himself for our sins." Galatians 1:4. And He did it "that He might deliver us from this present evil world;" that He might "purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works;" that He might present us "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24)--in one word, "that He might bring us to God." 1Peter 3:18

 

He so loved us that He wants to save us. But He cannot save us in our sins. He will save us from our sins.

 

And as our whole self is sin and sin only, in order to get us, in order to buy us, He had to buy our sins also. So in giving Himself for us, He gave Himself for our sins too. And as we are His, because He bought us with that great price, so also our sins are His, for He bought them with the same great price.

 

Then will you let Him have the sins which He has bought? or will you hold on to these yourself? Will you let Him have what is His own? Will you let Him do what He will with His own? And what will He do with these sins? Oh, He will forgive them! 1John 1:9. He will make them as white as snow. Isaiah 1:18. He will put them away. Hebrews 9:26. He will cast them into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19. He will remove them from us as far as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12. He will cast them all behind His back. Isaiah 38:17. And when they are all cast behind His back, He and His own throne will stand between us and them, as the pledge that we are free from them; and the rainbow round about the throne will be the sign--the token--of the everlasting covenant that our sins and iniquities will be remembered no more. Hebrews 8:12

 

Thus in giving Himself for our sins, He gave Himself to us. In giving Himself for us, He gave Himself to us. So when we let Him have our sins, we get Him instead. When we let Him have ourselves, we get Himself instead. Would you rather have Him than your sins? Then let Him have them. Make the blessed exchange today.

 

 Would you rather have His way than your way? Would you rather have His life than your life? Would you rather have His disposition than your disposition? Would you rather have His character than your character? Would you rather have Him than yourself? "To be sure I would," you say. Then, oh! let Him have you now; make the blessed surrender and exchange now and for evermore.

 

 This is consecration.

 

And thus it is …

a daily,

an hourly,

a constant recognition,

…in gratitude and thankfulness, that we are His own. So each day, "consecrate yourself to God in the morning. Make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.' This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate." Say, "I am the purchased possession of Jesus Christ, and every hour I must consecrate myself to His service." "Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ." This is consecration. And it is not a burden, but a living, everlasting joy.

 

Therefore, "reckon ye also ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. . . . Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you." "Sin shall not have dominion over you"--is that promise worth anything to you? It is worth all that God is worth to the one who reckons himself to be dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God through Jesus Christ; and who yields himself unto God, and his members unto God as instruments for God to use. To this one God has declared, "Sin shall not have dominion over you."

 

Thank the Lord for this blessed promise of freedom from sin and all the power of sin. And this promise He will make a fact in the life and experience of every one who reckons thus and yields to God. You furnish the reckoning, He will furnish the fact. You yield to Him, and He will use you. You yield to Him your members, and He will use them only as instruments of righteousness. And so, "sin shall not have dominion over you," for God is stronger than sin.'

 

 - A. T. Jones

Shall It Be Grace or Sin?

 EXCERPT- "Shall It Be Grace or Sin?"

'It can never be repeated too often, that under the reign of grace it is just as easy to do right, as under the reign of sin it is easy to do wrong.

This must be so; for if there is not more power in grace than there is in sin, then there can be no salvation from sin.

But there is salvation from sin; this no one who believe in Christianity can deny.

Yet salvation from sin certainly depends upon there being more power in

grace than there is in sin. Then, there being more power in grace than there is in

sin, it cannot possibly be otherwise than that wherever the power of grace can

have control, it will be just as easy to do right as without this it is easy to do

wrong.

No man ever yet naturally found it difficult to do wrong. His great difficulty has

always been to do right.

But this is because man naturally is enslaved to a power–the power of sin–that is absolute in its reign. And so long as that power has sway, it is not only difficult but impossible to do the good that he knows and that he would. But let a mightier power than that have sway, then is it not plain enough that it will be just as easy to serve the will of the mightier power, when it reigns, as it was to serve the will of the other power when it reigned?

But grace is not simply more powerful than is sin. If this were indeed all, even

then there would be fulness of hope and good cheer to every sinner in the world.

But this, good as it would be, is not all; it is not nearly all. There is much more

power in grace than there is in sin.

For "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." And just as much more power in grace than there is in sin, just so much more hope and good cheer there are for every sinner in the world.

How much more power, then, is there in grace than there is in sin?

Let me think a moment. Let me ask myself a question or two. Whence comes grace? From God, to be sure. "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." Whence comes sin?–From the devil, of course. Sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. Well, then, how much more power is there in grace than there is in sin? It is as plain as A B C that there is just as much more power in grace than there is in sin, as there is more power in God than there is in the devil. It is therefore also perfectly plain that the reign of grace is the reign of God; and that the reign of sin is the reign of Satan. And is it not therefore perfectly plain also, that it is just as easy to serve God by the power of God as it is to serve Satan with the power of Satan?

Where the difficulty comes in, in all this, is that so many people try to serve God with the power of Satan.

But that can never be done.

"Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt." Men cannot gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles. The tree must be made good, root and branch. It must be made new. "Ye must be born again."

"In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."

Let no one ever attempt to serve God with anything but the present, living power of God, that makes him a new creature; with nothing but the much more abundant grace that condemns sin in the flesh, and reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Then the service of God will indeed be in "newness of life;" then it will be found that his yoke is indeed "easy" and his burden "light;" then his service will be found indeed to be with "joy unspeakable and full of glory."

Did Jesus ever find it difficult to do right? Every one will instantly say, No. But why? he was just as human as we are. He took flesh and blood the same as ours. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." And the kind of flesh that he was made in this world, was precisely such as was in this world. "In all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren." "In all things"! It does not say, In all things but one. There is no exception. He was made in all things like as we are. He was of himself as weak as we are; for he said, "I can of mine own self do nothing." Why, then, being in all things like as we are, did he find it always easy to do right?–

Because he never trusted to himself, but his trust was always in God alone. All his dependence was upon the grace of God. He always sought to serve God, only with the power of God. And therefore the Father dwelt in him, and did the works of righteousness. Therefore it was always easy for him to do right.

But as he is, so are we in this world. He has left us an example, that we should follow his steps. "It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure," as well as in him. All power in heaven and in earth is given unto him; and he desires that you may be strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power. "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;" and he strengthens you with might by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith, that you may be "filled with all the fulness of God."

True, Christ partook of the divine nature, and so do you if you are a child of promise, and not of the flesh; for by the promises ye are partakers of the divine nature. There was nothing given to him in this world, and he had nothing in this world, that is not freely given to you, or that you may not have. All this is in order that you may walk in newness of life; that henceforth you may not serve sin; that you may be the servant of righteousness only; that you may be freed from sin; that sin may not have dominion over you; that you may glorify God on the earth; and that you may be like Jesus. And therefore "unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. . . . Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." And I "beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain."

A. T. J.

The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald

73, 35 , pp. 557, 558.

September 1, 1896