THE SHORTEST ROAD TO PERFECT HEALTH.
By T. S. Parnelle
When, through the laws of nature, the Lord brings together elements to produce the nutritious juice which is extracted from fresh, ripe grapes, and which is the best of wine, he occupies more time than he did when, in Cana of Galilee, he brought the same kind of elements together in a moment, and so furnished the good wine for the feast. Yet this miracle by which his work for mankind was done in a moment without the use of the vine, was not contrary to the laws of nature. It is just as true that every possible avenue to perfect health is in complete harmony with strict obedience to the laws of health. God can not be expected to work a miracle to restore anyone who is unwilling to deny self in order to conform to the laws of health; neither does he ever work a miracle to place anyone where he can ignore any requirement of his law, either moral or physical. In whatever way a person may be restored to health, God expects that person to “sin no more,” and furnishes the power to accomplish what he expects. Enoch, who was made perfectly healthy by the operation of a law, higher than laws with which the world is familiar, was so perfectly submitted to every one of God’s requirements, that of him it could be said, He “walked with God.” “By faith Enoch was translated.” “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” There never was, there never will be, there is not now, any faith in God, except that which comes through his word. Enoch was translated because he received God’s word. The one who receives the words that will keep him from tasting death, will yield to every requirement of God that he may afterward find, as long as he keeps those words. We have been told through the Spirit of Prophecy that the Lord’s words have a wider meaning than we have been in the habit of seeing in them. They mean what they say, yet their meaning will be found only by those who make a full surrender to him. Even then, the deepest meaning is for those whom God reserves for translation. We are all in God’s hands. Many of the saved will not be translated. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth;” and yet his words “are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” Prov. 4:22. Without doing anything “through strife or vain-glory,” we may seek for all the meaning that God has for us. He says, “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” Light will yet break out that has been hidden since the day of Pentecost. Before Pentecost light had been hidden by sin, since the foundation of the world. Did Enoch and Elijah find that light? They were exceptions to the general rule. Who has been translated since Pentecost? Paul said, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” 1 Cor. 11:30. For what cause? The five preceding words are, “Not discerning the Lord’s body.” The Lord’s body is alive. The Lord has risen from the dead. His word is living and powerful. It is written not only in ink but in the lives of his people. His church is his body, as Paul says in other places: “For his body’s sake, which is the church” (Col. 1:24); “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” 1 Cor. 12:27. Right in connection with what Paul was saying when he said, “Not discerning the Lord’s body,” he says, “Despise ye the church of God?” How long it may take to learn never to despise the church, or even “the least” of God’s people, will depend on how long we are in learning to take God at his word. We can take him at his word as soon as we will drop self. “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness,” etc., ungodliness is self. Only the grace of God, which every one may reach out for and take by faith, enabled the disciples to get the victory, and gain the blessing of Pentecost. The love that was shed abroad in their hearts by his Spirit that was given, “seeketh not her own.” 1 Cor. 13:5. They and the new converts “were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own.” Acts 4:32. That love “thinketh no evil.” With it is always found that wisdom from above that is “without partiality.” There was neither partiality nor murmuring for a time; but “there” afterward “arose a murmuring” because somebody was neglected. Something had shut out the fullness of the gift of God. The spirit that neglects the poor is the same spirit that murmurs against the rich. That wrong Spirit is admitted to the heart by failure continually to look to Jesus: and, by looking, to remain like him. God is to be seen wherever his life extends. “The Spirit is life.” We read, “Whither shall I flee from thy Spirit?” We can not despise even the least of the Lord’s children without despising his life that is in them. He says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” So he says, “Let each esteem other better than themselves.” Self can not do this; but the gift of the Lord’s own life, to every one that believes, will enable us to. The Spirit of Christ, that it is death not to have (Rom. 8:9), will teach the believer to do the things recommended in Isaiah 58, among which are caring for the destitute and ceasing to point the finger of condemnation or even indifference at a brother’s sin. When the Spirit of God is allowed to lead us to this, among the good things promised is this: “Then . . . thine health shall spring forth speedily.” Until this is done no person will have faith to say, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.” Ps. 118:17, 18. Yet, to every one that will claim this promise, yielding himself to God, the power of God’s word will enable him to fulfill all these conditions.