p. 2 | HIS SAVING KNOWLEDGE by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 14, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 40.

HIS SAVING KNOWLEDGE.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

“For the Word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Heb. 4:12, 13, R. V.

To the soul that does not know the Lord, this is one of the most terrible texts in the Bible. Since the day when Adam and Eve hid themselves among the trees of the garden, the consciousness of guilt has ever tended to make men afraid of God. The natural inclination of the sinner is to try to hide from God; he can not bear to have his misdeeds laid bare before the eyes of spotless purity. So the words, “all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do,” and, “Thou understandest my thought afar off,” are words that strike terror to the heart of the ungodly. So the natural man tries to forget the fact,—tries to forget his own sins,—foolishly imagining that his ignorance, or forgetfulness, or unbelief, hides the matter from the eyes of God.

But it is impossible to hide from God, for he is everywhere, filling all space. “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” Ps. 139: 7–10. This being the case, the best thing for men to do is to face the fact, and find the comfort that there is in it, instead of following the devil’s promptings, and endeavoring to hide from him who is love, “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” 2 Cor. 1: 3.

How is it that God knows all things? Is it by searching into the secret things, so that by study he arrives at knowledge that he did not possess before?—Impossible! for that would argue imperfection on his part. We may not seek to understand God’s capacities by a comparison with man. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” God himself is everywhere, the direct source of all life. Wherever there is life, wherever there is a created thing to be maintained in existence, there God is, and wherever God is there is all wisdom.

Notice that the Word of God pierces the joints and marrow, and soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. This is a natural consequence of the fact that “the Word was made flesh.” John 1: 14. God in Christ has forever identified himself with humanity. When Adam stood in innocence and uprightness, it was only by the indwelling Word, upon which he wholly depended. When he forgot his dependence, and struck out for himself, and thus fell, God did not forsake him, but descended to the depths with him, that he might lift him out again. So God is “not far from every one of us; for in him we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts 17: 27, 28. When men would seek to justify themselves for not obeying the commandments of God, by professing ignorance of them, the Spirit says to them: “Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above); or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead);” for “the Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart.” Rom. 10: 6–8. Christ, “the wisdom of God,” knows the sins of mankind, because “he is come in the flesh.” He bears the sins of the world, because the Lord has laid upon him the iniquities of us all. Isa. 53: 6. He knows them, because in human flesh he feels them. He knows them, because nothing can be done that does not touch him; no motion can be made without the power that comes alone from the Word. This is the true “Real Presence.”

How utterly useless, then, to think of hiding our sins from the Lord! We might as well try to hide from the Lord the knowledge of his own existence. Every one of those sins is stamped upon his being. They pierce his brow, his hands, his feet, even his heart, and press upon him so that “his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.” Isa. 52: 14. He must know, for every sin touches his own life.

And herein is the comfort to us in the thought of God’s knowledge of mankind. “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” Isa. 53: 11. He knows our sins, because he experiences their power, and by that knowledge he justifies many. How many?—As many as believe on him, as many as confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 10: 9, 13.

Christ bears the burden of the world’s guilt, and bears it easily. Our sin crushes us, and presses us down to destruction; but he swallows up death in victory. Tho sin crush out his life, yet he rises from the dead with the freshness of eternal life. Whoever knows this, and believes the truth, that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, will of course let the burden fall entirely on him who is able to bear it, and will thus be free.

So when we confess sin to God, we are not telling him any news. We are simply agreeing with his Word. He knew it all before, but he wishes us to be confidential with him. He is a faithful Friend, and will not betray our secrets. On the contrary, he will himself forget our

misdeeds, blotting them out of existence, so that even our adversary, the devil, can not find them, to taunt us with them. The only way to hide them from the world, is to tell them to God.

What a blessing and comfort, then, to know that God knows! “He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” And he cares, too. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” And, what is more, he is able to carry the burden for us, and give us peace and rest. “Cast thy burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.” Therefore unto him that is able to keep us from falling, who is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” to him who knows our sins, who pities our weakness, and who is mighty to save by his love and wisdom—to him be glory and praise forever and ever.

E. J. W.