Christ, the Power of God
By Gustaz T. Ellingson
Power is something we all like to possess. We not only need physical power, but above everything else we need spiritual power,—power to overcome sin and the evil tendencies of our human nature. There is only one source of real, genuine power, and that is Christ. He is the fountainhead, whence all power originates. “All power is given unto me,” Christ said, “in heaven and in earth.” Matt. 28:18. Notice, he says it is given unto him. When did Christ receive this power? In “Great Controversy,” page 493, we read that “Christ the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,—one in nature, in character, and in purpose,—the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.” In the beautiful prayer which Jesus uttered just before his betrayal, he said, addressing the Father: “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” John 17:4, 5. Long before sin entered this world, through the wonderful foreknowledge of God the plan of redemption was laid in the councils of heaven. Christ offered to lay down his life in order to redeem man. Because he did this,—because he condescended to give up his exalted position in the courts of glory, take upon himself fallen human nature, live a life among sinful men, and finally suffer a most ignominious death, even the death of the cross,—therefore “God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:9-11. The apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesian brethren, that they might know “what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” Eph. 1:19-23. O, how much we need the power of Christ in our lives! Satan is working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness to draw men away from God; he goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; for “he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” His master mind is bent now on a last strenuous effort to thwart the purpose of God; but in Christ there is power to gain the victory over every sin. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered the enemy before us, and through him we can overcome. He says: “My grace is sufficient for thee.” “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”