p. 5 | REDEMPTION by J. E. Evans

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 5, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 18.

REDEMPTION

By J. E. Evans

No one question has engaged the mind of man more than that of his future state. All classes, in all ages, and of all religions, have been eager to decide it, and, notwithstanding the many conflicting opinions, each has supposed the matter fully settled. But human reason and speculation are not sufficient to decide so important a matter. Aside from the Word of God, the question must remain unanswered. Here we are not left to ourselves, but that Word which bears the unmistakable evidence of divine origin plainly reveals the purpose of God concerning His creatures.

The word “redemption” is commonly understood to mean “the deliverance of sinners from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God’s violated law.”—Webster. In these brief articles it is my purpose to show that the redemptive plan includes more than this, more than the restoration of the image of God in man, and to present a few thoughts concerning the power by which this plan is to be brought to a successful termination.

In the works of God in nature is sufficient evidence to satisfy the most skeptical mind that the beauty, order, and infinite variety displayed about Him everywhere, and in His own being, have not come by chance, but are the work of an intelligent supreme Power, One who well knew, and Himself devised, everything that would increase the happiness of earth’s inhabitants. O, how faint are our conceptions of the love and power of our heavenly Father! Still He seeks our good. Had man been placed beyond the possibility of sinning, he could never have fully known the value or strength of divine love. Nor could the created intelligences of sinless worlds have known the strength of that love, or the nature of sin, had not the scenes of this world’s history been permitted as an illustration. Therefore the present working out of the mystery of godliness and the mystery of iniquity will result in abounding glory to the Creator, and complete satisfaction on the part of all His creatures.

Apart from God nothing exists. His will determines right from wrong. Yet some sit in judgment upon the wisdom which devised a plan for man’s salvation. Here vain reason asserts itself, and refuses to accept anything which it can not fully comprehend, while around us are innumerable things in the book of nature which are accepted as facts without the aid of reason. Thus the mind of a created being, warped by sin, presumes to sit in judgment upon things over which it has no control, to disbelieve and condemn the One who has given him “life, and breath, and all things.” The One who sits as supreme judge is engaged in a useless task unless He possesses the power to carry into effect His decisions. Redemption is not an experiment. It is the open test of claims. The justice of God’s claims was denied, and reason professed to have found the way of true liberty. Now it must be proved that the principles given by God and enunciated by His Son Jesus Christ, are the only safe ones to follow.

Redeeming Power.

To fear God and keep His commandments is “the whole duty of man.” Eccl. 12:13. Jesus taught the same truth when He said to the young man, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:17. And He said to the lawyer who inquired of Him what constituted the greatest commandment of the law, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and . . . thy neighbor as thyself.” “All the law and the prophets,” He declares, hang upon this principle of love. We are exhorted to “owe no man anything, but to love one another.” Love is a duty required of all, and natural to the regenerate heart. Paul in Rom. 13:10 tells us that love is the fulfilling of the law. Again, in Gal. 6:2, he says, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” “The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” “For the love of Christ constraineth us.” We say that one machine is operated by electricity, another by steam; but we learn from Gal. 5:6 that the Christian’s faith is worked by love.

In this world, money has a redeeming power; it is a measure of power and influence. In the eyes of men it sometimes redeems a guilty person from reproach, and is looked upon as a virtue. This is one side of its redeeming power. Not so is the price paid for man’s redemption. He who so uses money in this cause must perish with it. Naught but the love of God shed abroad in the heart, and manifest in the daily life, can save a single soul. This is redeeming power. It is Gospel power. In the minds of all who experience it, God is redeemed from the many false charges preferred; and all such, aid in the great work of redeeming lost man. Like the machine used for pulling stumps, this power may seem to be slow in doing its work, but this is only on account of the hardness of our hearts, in which sin is so deeply rooted. But the needed power is there, and will, if permitted, extract the last root of sin. Great power is not always manifested in an outward display, but may be as imperceptible as the plant life which opens the hardened soil, and claims a place in the riven rock. This God would have His children learn. Like His tried servant Elijah, we must learn that there is more power in the “still small voice” of our Creator, uttered in love, than in the many pretended displays of that power which do, and may be expected to, appear in these last days of peril.

Like his followers to the present day, Satan thought that the claims of the divine law were arbitrary. He became jealous, and decided that his ability was not appreciated. This led him to institute rebellion in heaven, and incite all whom he could to take up arms against the government of God. He succeeded in persuading some of the angels that his cause was just, but they were not permitted to carry on their rebellion in heaven. All such were cast out. In Luke 10:18 the Saviour says, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” And Rev. 12:12, 13 tells us that Satan has come down to this earth, and has found a place in which he could carry out his principles, demonstrate the nature of his government, and prove the character of his claims. The history of this world has been the history of that rebellion since its leader was cast out of heaven. But all along the way some have been saying: “Why was all this allowed? Why was not Satan and his host destroyed, and all this train of sorrow and distress prevented?” But, dear reader, would not this have increased the imagined injustice on the part of God? Had this been done, others, no doubt, would have eagerly accepted it as additional proof that God was arbitrary, and wished only to have His own way. Not only so, but the intelligences of this and other worlds would never have known the character of divine love. Love is liberty, but not license; and he who knows the nature of love will exercise toward others true liberty—that liberty described above. The love of God will be the theme for continual study for saved ones through all eternity. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, . . . when we were enemies.” John 15:13; Rom. 5:8-10. Here divine and human love are contrasted, and that love revealed which is the fulfilling of the law.

“For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for naught; and ye shall be redeemed without money.” Isa. 52:3. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18, 19. The above scriptures declare the sinner’s only hope. ’Tis all in Christ. Nothing but a living faith and an abiding trust in His atoning sacrifice can ease the guilty conscience, or wash away the awful stain which sin has made. But in “Him is plenteous redemption.” Ps. 130:7. He redeems them from “trouble” (Ps. 25:22), “from all iniquity” (Titus 2:14), and “from the curse of the law,” which is “death” (Gal. 3:13; Hosea 13:14). He is the “living” Redeemer (Job 19:25), the “mighty” Redeemer (Prov. 23:11), “our Redeemer” (Isa. 47:4), “your Redeemer” (Isa. 43:14), and “my Redeemer” (Ps. 19:14).

In giving His only Son to save all who will believe, God has forever cleared Himself of the Satanic charges brought against Him, for selfishness has never, and can never, so manifest itself. Therefore the death of Christ as a vicarious sacrifice not only satisfied the demands of the holy law of His Father, but was unimpeachable evidence to the righteous character of God, and the justice of His claims.

J. E. EVANS.

New Orleans, La.