A. F. LEMON, M. D by A. F. Lemon

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Feb 11, 1904

A. F. LEMON, M. D

By A. F. Lemon

The Holy Temple—No. 5

A. F. LEMON, M. D

The Israelites were given the truth through Moses and the prophets. But they overlooked Christ, the great central figure of truth (John 14:6), and, seeking to be saved by obedience to the law as they interpreted it, watched every detail of life for fear they should be defiled. They thought they were preparing to meet Christ when he should come; but when he came, they did not recognize nor receive him. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

It would seem incredible that any of us should fail to know Jesus, or should reject his teachings, if he should come among us as he did among the Jews. But suppose he should visit us to-day, and come among us quietly, as a stranger of our own nation, dressed the same and speaking the same language as ourselves. Suppose that, having had his attention called to the subject of defiling the body, he should tell us that nothing that goes into the body from without can defile us; but that we (as temples of God) may be defiled only by the things which proceed from us; and being asked for further explanation, he should declare that what we eat can not defile us, because it does not go into the mind, but into the stomach, and passes through the process of digestion, by which all foods are purified. But the words we speak are the things which defile us, for they come from the heart. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, such as hatred, lust, jealousy, pride, dishonesty. These are the things which defile the man. See Mark 7:14-23.

Would we gladly accept such teaching from a stranger? or would we accuse him of teaching contrary to principle, and of misapplying the scripture that we thought applied only to the washing of hands? (It is so easy to overlook verse 19.) Would we be afraid to let him preach in our churches for fear he would encourage a disregard for health reform? The Jews accused him of sin in regard to his diet. Luke 7:34. Would we, like them, stumble at his teaching? What does he mean to teach us?

It is very plain that this instruction, agreeing as it must with the whole Bible, is not meant to give the slightest encouragement to any disregard of true health reform. But the Lord’s manner of introducing the parable shows that he meant it to teach a very important lesson, and one that it would be hard for people to receive. See verse 16.

Does not this parable, as well as the whole Bible, teach us that our salvation, our relation to God, our purity and freedom from defilement, our all, depend upon one all-important thing, a regeneration of the heart? Our own works count for nothing in the work of redemption. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” He would teach us that physical redemption as well as spiritual redemption, both being different phases of the same thing, depends upon him alone. See Rom. 8:23.

Of what value in the way of salvation is a clean diet in itself, apart from Christ? Have not the four hundred and fifty million Buddhists been religious vegetarians for centuries? Are they any nearer redemption to-day than when Gautama taught them, two thousand three hundred years ago, to hope for annihilation? Are the rice-eating Hindus, or the head-hunters of Borneo, any nearer the kingdom of God than the meat-eating English or Americans? Do we forget that the Scripture uses the horse as an example of lust and incontinence? Jer. 5:8.

But Christ would teach us that there is only one righteousness that we can attain to, “even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:22-24. We are to seek for this righteousness.

But where does health reform come in? The Bible tells us. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.”

Eph. 3:17. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13. If we have the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5), will that mind in us lust after the fleshpots of Egypt? And on the other hand, we can not eat and drink to the glory of God without a change of heart first. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

If we make it the chief object of our lives to let the Spirit of God dwell in us and lead us, the fruits of the Spirit will result. Then with hearts burning with love, the first fruit, we shall work unitedly to carry the last warning message to the world. We need to go to God constantly, with the humble prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. . . . Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”