Receive My Spirit by John Norton Loughborough

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 10, 1868

“Receive My Spirit.”

By John Norton Loughborough

In the Review of Jan. 21, I noticed an exposition of the above text with which I do not differ, but some thoughts, still further, have been passing through my mind, not only on this, but on the words of Christ, spoken at the time of his death. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Christ had come to the important moment when the great object of his mission to earth was to be accomplished; his life to be made a sacrifice for the sins of men. He gives “his life a ransom for many.” He commends that sacrifice of his life to God. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,” my life. Virtually saying, Father, accept this sacrifice which I now make for the sins of man.

In the case of Stephen, he is the first martyr for Christ. His Saviour had said, he who will “lose his life” shall “keep it unto life eternal.” Viewing the glory of Heaven, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, losing his life for Christ, how natural that to his heart should recur the words of his Lord, and that he should call his attention to his promise. “Receive my spirit,” in other words, accept this sacrifice of my life, which I now offer in thy cause, keep my life “unto life eternal.” J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.