The Bread of Life by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 4, 1902

The Bread of Life

By Editor

Editorial

Now

We live only in the present. Life is our constant now. We may anticipate the future, but our experience can only be moment by moment in a continuous now. It is therefore important for us to appropriate moment by moment in a present faith the provision made for a present salvation. Note these three blessed assurances: “Being now justified by his blood.” “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” Who could ask for more? The power of the endless life to make us righteous now, a life in Christ which is now free from condemnation, and the knowledge that by the new birth we have become the sons of God,—all this is fulfilled in us now as we now accept the mercies of God.

“Moment by moment I’m kept in his love, Moment by moment I’ve life from above; Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine, Moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.”

The Bread of Life

We are daily reminded of our dependence upon God for our existence. The weakness which we experience after abstaining from food for a time is a convincing testimony that we do not possess a source of strength within ourselves, and that we have strength only as it is given to us. If it were not necessary for man to eat in order to maintain life, he would soon assume that he was self-existent. The petition for “daily bread” is the request for life. The annual harvest is God’s provision for the world’s life, and is therefore the gospel in tangible form. It has in it the same lesson as the giving of the manna in the

wilderness. This is made clear by the words of Jesus to the Jews: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, It was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world. . . . I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. . . . I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.” Here is the divine interpretation of the whole question of eating and drinking. Christ is our life. The gift of Christ in the flesh was the gift of life to the flesh. A part of this gift of life comes to us through visible and material channels, as in the food which we eat and the water which we drink. When this gift is received by faith as a part of the complete gift of Christ as our life, our daily bread becomes to us, what it is indeed, “spiritual food,” “true bread from heaven.” Thus we feed upon the Word of God for the sustenance of both body and spirit, and we find in our own experience the fulfillment of the words of Christ, “He that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” “This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.” Our daily prayer should be, “Lord, evermore give us this bread.”

A Neglected Privilege

ALTHOUGH we have the authority of our Saviour’s example, and his own words, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet,” yet there are very few even of those who profess to take the Bible as a sufficient rule of faith and practice who practice the gospel ordinance of feet washing in the church. This is another illustration of the difficulty of breaking away from the corrupting influence of “the man of sin.” The circumstances under which this ordinance was instituted are quite fully described, the conversation with reference to it is recorded, and the explicit instruction of our Lord concerning its observance is written for our admonition. How, then, can we profess to be followers of Christ and obedient to his words if we refuse to accept his example and instruction in this matter? This reform

message has restored this ordinance to the church, and it should be preserved with jealous care. Every member of the church should bear in mind the words of Jesus, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”

The Advent Message

GENUINE faith in the advent message ought to be greatly revived and strengthened. The fact that “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” ought to stir every heart. The inquiry of the scoffers, “Where is the promise of his coming?” should not discourage any student of prophecy, for this is in itself one of the signs of the last days. We should not be surprised because some who have professed the advent faith should now be found saying in their hearts, “My Lord delayeth his coming,” as this has been foretold by the Master himself. These things are to be expected. But those who are waiting upon God for light concerning the fulfillment of his word ought now to grow strong in the faith that the day of the Lord is near. And this confidence ought to lead to increasing zeal to carry the warning message quickly to all the world. The situation is plain. The advent message must be proclaimed “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” in this generation, that the way of the Lord may be prepared. The word has been sounded forth anew that “there shall be delay no longer.” Now let the advent faith be revealed in a hearty consecration of means and effort to hasten the work of preparation. First let us give ourselves to this service, and then the specific way in which the gift will be revealed can be easily settled. Some will go to the ends of the earth, some will care for and strengthen the work at home, some will aid in preparing the workers, and all will give of their means as the Lord may prosper them. Instead of being cramped for means with which to push this work, there ought to be an abundance. The lack of means is the indication of the lack of that faith which opens the purses. But we are at the beginning of a new experience. There are indications of the awakening of the old-time faith in the advent message. This will be a time of test, and doubtless of separation, but it will open the way for a work of power, and those who believe will see the glory of God. We may with propriety adopt the statement of the apostle Peter, “All the prophets

from Samuel and those that follow after, if we may as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.” “Believest thou the prophets?”