Freedom in Christ by Mrs. E. M. Peebles

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 16, 1902

Freedom in Christ

By Mrs. E. M. Peebles

MRS. E. M. PEEBLES

I FEEL intensely anxious lest we shall still fail to grasp the fact of complete salvation, lest we still compass the mountain of unbelief, falling short of the mark and the possibilities of the gospel to set us free from sin.

The whole theme, the subject-matter, of our Sabbath-school lessons at present is to show the blessed truth, that, contrary to the doctrine of ancient Babylon, we do have a God who dwells in flesh; and since he cannot accept a divided heart, it follows that when we make a complete and full surrender of our heart and life to Christ, that he may fill us with himself, there is no room for his enemy and rival — Satan, or Antichrist. And “for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3: 8. The first place in which he wishes to destroy them is in a heart fully surrendered to himself. He destroys sin by his presence always, wherever that may be. “For our God is a consuming fire.” Heb. 12: 29. He cannot dwell in the same place with sin, and he is of “purer eyes than to behold evil.”

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.” Rom. 6: 12. Is it not making “provision for the flesh” to think that there must of necessity still be a little sin, still a little yielding to wrong habits? If the wrong habits still get the better of us, we are not conquerors, but still slaves — and conquered; and yet we read, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.” 2 Cor. 2: 14.

If wrong habits still get the better of us, let us stop at once, and deal faithfully with ourselves, and in the name of God stand with our feet planted firmly upon the desires of the flesh, and give the enemy no quarter until he is routed. Let us say, as David said of his foes, “In the name of the Lord will I destroy them.”

In Romans 7 we read the experience of one who desires and longs earnestly to be free, but who is still in bondage; in the next chapter we hear the ring of victory. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death;” and “God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” 2 Cor. 4: 10, 11. “That the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh,” must mean that Jesus has set up his kingdom in our heart, and “in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him.” Gal. 2: 9, 10. He is able to save to the uttermost, not from some of our sins, but, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

The Saviour still delays his coming: he is waiting for his people to allow him to come into his rightful place in the heart of each. The subjects of his kingdom, while on earth, must, like those who are now in glory, be in perfect subjection to him. He must be all in all. The cleansing of the sanctuary, while in progress above, must also include those who are so soon to be taken into it, but who are still on earth. Translation will not change the character. The day preceding the Saviour’s coming must see us as fully surrendered to God as the day following. We must be waiting for him in every sense of the word. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. . . . And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sin; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not.” 1 John 3: 2–6.

The secret of it all is in abiding in Christ. For example, if a sponge is submerged in a pailful of water, the sponge is in the water, and the water is in the sponge. Can there be anything else there except the two? When the sun rises, what becomes of the night? and when a bright light is brought into a dark room, what becomes of the darkness? If a cup is full of water, is there room for anything else in the cup? Just so, if I am in Christ, and he is in me, is there any room for Satan in me? Then if Satan is in me to the least extent, there is something wrong. Christ is not divided. He must be “all in all.” “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” 1 John 3: 9. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?”

What blessed possibilities lie just within our reach. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” 2 Cor. 4: 6, 7. Even our Saviour said, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” We are utterly helpless of ourselves. It is only in the abandonment of self that we can receive the blessed possibilities that are before us, and which he will see accomplished in the heart and life of those who will welcome him when he shall come.