IT IS NOT POSSIBLE by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 14, 1900

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE.

By Uriah Smith

PETER, speaking of the resurrection of Christ, said of him to those assembled on the day of Pentecost: “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” Acts 2 : 24. The strongest bonds known to this world are the bonds of death. In these bonds our Lord was placed in our behalf. He, the divine Son of God, was literally dead. The prophet says, “He hath poured out his soul unto death.” And when he had done this, he had satisfied the debt he undertook to pay. He did not see corruption; and it was not necessary that he should. Having given his life, nothing further could have borne any relation to our redemption.

But from these bonds he was released for this most comforting and encouraging of all reasons—that it was not possible that he should be holden of it. That is the word that comes from the throne of heaven, against all the combinations of the powers of darkness, and every enterprise set in operation against the work and purposes of God, with the hope and expectation that they may accomplish their evil designs. But that can not be. It is not possible. And when God says, “It is not possible,” no power of men, either singly or combined, and no efforts of spiritual wickedness in high places, may have any hope of succeeding in their malevolent, evil-loving designs.

Christ had been made superior to the power of death, by the command of his Father. The word “power” here would more correctly be rendered “right.” The plan of redemption provided Christ’s right to lay down his life, and his right to take it again. “This commandment,” he said, “have I received of my Father.” Therefore, though Christ was, for a time, wholly in the power of death to satisfy the conditions of the plan of salvation, that being done, there was no power, aside from that which had organized it, that could hold him further. So he was released from the pains of death, because it was not possible that he could be holden further of it.

Who can comprehend the comforting thought in that declaration: “It was not possible”? It is a setting forth of the relative strength of the powers of good and evil, of light and darkness, of our friends and foes. It is not possible that the power of evil can countervail in any respect the gracious purposes of God. It is not possible. Fall into line, then, with the designs and will of God. Then, though all the powers of evil may try to harm and destroy you, they can not prevail. It is not possible. God has a design that preoccupies the ground which their machinations attempt to enter. But they are too late; and it is impossible that anything can come in to frustrate the way God has marked out, except our own perverse spirits, working at cross-purposes with him.

But why was it not possible for Christ to be holden by the power of death?—It was not only because of the command of the Father in accordance with his great work of redemption, but because of his union with the Father; for in him was all the fullness of the Godhead manifested bodily. Because the propitiation he had offered was complete, the debt was canceled, therefore he must be free, The plan and purpose of grace involved the dealing with the members the same as with the Head. John 19 : 24. “This is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” John 6 : 39. Because of this promise to him, death could not hold him. The promise concerning him respecting his office was, “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.” “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever.” Ps. 45 : 6. Christ is the great Shepherd of the sheep, and was brought from the dead by the blood of the everlasting covenant. It was not possible for him to be holden of it. Heb. 13 : 20.

Death could not hold our Lord, because without his resurrection we should have had no surety of our own resurrection (1 Cor. 15 : 17), nor should we have any certainty of our justification. Rom. 4 : 25. But the Lord would not leave his people without the comfort and consolation of these great facts; therefore it was not possible that he should be holden of the pains of death. It was also necessary that we should have a personal representative in the presence of God for us. Heb. 9 : 24. Without the resurrection of Christ to honor and power, man never could have been raised, as it is promised that he shall be, to glory and immortality, and given possession over the works of God’s hands. Heb. 2 : 9.

The foundation has been well and securely laid, and we may extend the conclusions to all the conditions and environments of the work of God in the earth. How the gospel from small and feeble beginnings has prospered and triumphed over all forms of opposition that it has had to meet! But our Lord told the feeble instruments who were sent forth to establish the church, that the gates of hell should not prevail against it. Error has been rampant and widespread in the world, but it has not been able to smother and choke out the truth. The colossal systems of Greek philosophy, and the pagan Roman idolatry, which once so powerfully dominated the world, have, at least in form and profession, gone down before it.

Error, of course, will live; but truth will live also, and will hold the field when error has perished in its own corruption. And even when the Lord comes, he will find some faith on the earth. Luke 18 : 8. The scholarship and pompous boasting of all its foes have not been able, and will not be able, to overthrow the gospel. Christ, when on earth, baffled the wisdom and cunning of those who tried to catch him in his words. Much more will he do it through the operation of his Holy Spirit, as the closing struggle approaches. 1 Cor. 1 : 20. The poverty and ignorance of this world will never be able to nullify the gospel.

One of the triumphal notes of Christ’s ministry was, “The poor have the gospel preached to them.” Matt. 11 : 5. And the ignorant and degraded among men receive the truth. Matt. 4 : 16. The power, wealth, and fashion of this world, and the prestige of hoary-headed systems of false religions, shall not crush down and destroy the power of the truth. Acts 4 : 26. All the evil influences of this world shall not be able to quench the flame of life in the church. John 16 : 33. The bold and defiant power of unbelief shall not be able to stifle the voice of the word of the Lord. Matt. 16 : 18.

Carry the same principles out into individual experiences; for they apply there as well. It is not possible to hold anything in bondage that is God’s. The poor, struggling, discouraged sinner shall escape the bondage of sin and depravity and the power of Satan, and shall go free. Ps. 124 : 7. Tribulation, temptation, depression, shall not hold any one in captivity who puts his trust in God. Ps. 34 : 19; 116 : 7. The bodies of the saints can not be held in the bondage of the grave. 1 Cor. 15 : 23; 1 Peter 1 : 3–5. Yea, the whole groaning creation shall at last emerge into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Rom. 8 : 21–23.

But what about the special work of God for this time? Is there anything about this that is not possible?—Yes, failure. God has set before us an open door; and no man can shut it. He has ordained a great threefold message of warning to the world, to prepare them for his final scene, the coming of the Lord; and it is not possible that it should be arrested in its work. Is it possible for it to continue through all the perilous, exciting, bewildering scenes of the last days? Will not men lose their bearings, their faith, and their patience, and give up their hope?—Some will; for we are expressly forewarned that “some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” 1 Tim. 4 : 1. Will not the love of many wax cold?—So we are forewarned; but not all; for some will endure to the end.

It seems indeed strange that after the message has been well inaugurated, and has progressed in some measure of strength for years, all the time growing stronger, the signs of the times more vivid, the testimony of God’s word unshaken as to the great underlying foundations of our position, and the final movements that are to take place in heaven and earth, to bring the whole stupendous scheme of redemption to a close, and the evidences of the correctness of our position multiplying on every hand,—it seems strange, we say, to us that at such a time as this any should conclude, with apparent coolness and deliberation, that all our views and expectations are wrong, and there is nothing to this whole thing, and then, after having once been interested in, and loved, the truth, should turn back to some unsubstantial and wornout system of theology for spiritual refreshment and support. But we may look for just such things; for without this, the picture of the last-day times would hardly be complete.

But however inviting the prospect may be made to look, there is nothing to draw back to but “perdition;” while that for which we believe is the “saving of the soul.”

U. S.