The Essential Belief

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 1, 1911

The Essential Belief

WE all know the power of sin; we may all know a power greater than the power of sin. We have all known what it means to be conquered by sin; we may all know what it means to be “more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” And in this very experience is shown the value of our Christianity. The heathen pray to a god that can not save. There is a God who can save, but those who do not lay hold of the salvation provided do not have any advantage over the heathen.

There is constant danger of losing sight of the simplicity of the gospel. It has one definite aim, and that is to save from sin. The central figure in the gospel is Jesus, the Saviour of sinners. He gave himself for our sins. In him “we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.” “He was manifested to take away sins.” “Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

How, then, shall we obtain the victory over sin? How shall we avail ourselves of the benefit of the provision made for us in the gift of Jesus for our salvation? There is only one way, and that one way is within the reach of all. It is simply by believing. It is all of faith. “This is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith.” But faith must be definite. Faith for salvation is more than a longing for salvation. In the exercise of faith we actually accept the salvation. We reach out the hand of faith to take salvation, just as we reach out the hand of flesh to take any offered gift. And our Saviour has made very clear the belief essential for salvation from sin. “Except ye believe that I AM, ye shall die in your sins.” Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. A sinless life dwelt in sinful flesh, and condemned sin in the flesh. Divinity and humanity were united in the man Christ Jesus. When faith accepts this great fact, we do more than merely assent to a historic experience; personal faith in this union of divinity and humanity in the incarnation of Jesus, humanity’s representative, means that we personally were included in this experience. Thus we by faith in the Word and the promise take our place as members of the body of Christ, in whom divinity and humanity are united. Then the power of divinity works in our flesh to give us the victory over sin. Then we know “the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.” Then we can say, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.”

This faith is so simple, so definite, and so triumphant, that we urge all to exercise it. Study the Gospel of John for a foundation of your confidence that Jesus, the Man of Nazareth, is the Son of God. See the weakness of our common humanity, so far as the flesh is concerned, and then observe how divinity wrought through his humanity to conquer Satan, and to reveal the righteous character of the Father in heaven. This was not done for his sake, but for our sake, and we were included individually in that experience of victory. This will be manifested in our present experience if we simply believe it. Thus the salvation upon which we lay hold is the salvation of Jesus in our flesh, and manifested now in our mortal bodies through the faith which unites us with him. “Christ brought human nature into a personal relation with his own divinity. Thus he has given a center for the faith of the universe to fasten upon.”

“We have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.” “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” In Jesus of the New Testament we see the I AM of the Old Testament. This is the foundation of the gospel. The acceptance of this fact brings us into personal fellowship with divine power, and this is conquering power. This is the experience which is offered to all. Believe it to-day, and be saved to-day.