The Commentary by Frank Hope

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 11, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 43.

The Commentary.

By Frank Hope

NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.

Walking in the Light.

GoD is light; James calls him the Father of lights. James 1:17. Light is the best symbol we have to represent Deity, for even as the existence of any life without light is impossible, so it is impossible for the existence of life without God. Light was the beginning of creation (Gen. 1:3) and will exist throughout eternity. Rev. 22:5. God is the center of all light, and so intense is that light that no man can look on it and live. Christ being made in the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of his person (Heb. 1:3), and being one with his Father, also partakes of this light. He is the "true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Says David, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" Ps. 27:1.

It is not possible for man in his fallen condition to behold the glory of God, so in his mercy God has given us his word to guide us to that glory. Says the psalmist, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Ps. 119:105. Says Christ, "Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you." John 12:35. Light will not always be granted us. If we reject the light that is shown us, it will depart from us. After every rejection it becomes harder to see, and will require a greater effort to gain that which it was our privilege to have; "for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth," and the farther he goes

from the light the darker it gets. "Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness; they shall be driven on, and fall therein." Jer. 23:12.

If we are in the light and walking toward it, it follows that the more we walk the greater the light will be. It is so with the word of God; the more it is studied and searched the greater will be the light given. Truth is ever progressive. There is more light in the church of Christ to-day than there was a century ago. This is expressed by the prophet Daniel; speaking of the time of the end, he says, "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 12:4. Great light is now shining on this earth; new and important truths are being brought to view. Are we searching for light? Are we running to and fro? or are we among those who love darkness and hate the light, lest our deeds should be discovered? John 3:20, 21.

THE blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4. Man transgressed the law, and it became necessary that he should die, for "the wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. But "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Christ shed his blood for man and so gave his life, for the "blood is the life thereof." To stand before God we must be free from sin; our robes must be washed in the blood of the Lamb, and with Paul we must be clad in the righteousness of Christ. Christ's is the only name under heaven whereby men must be saved. Acts 4:12. Salvation is only through Christ. Says John: "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:11, 12.

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves;" and the most disastrous self-deception it is, for unless a man sees and realizes that he is a sinner he cannot be saved. Christ came to this world to save sinners and not those who are without sin, for those that are whole need not a physician. Says he, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32. It is folly also for a man to hide his sin, "for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12:14. And we are told that "he that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Prov. 28:13. To obtain remission of sins confession is absolutely necessary. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

If we say we have no sin we make God a liar, for the word of God declares that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23. But God cannot lie, for with him there "is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17. Nor is it possible for the word of God to fail. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Matt. 24:35. Says David, "Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever." And that word says, "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Rom. 3:10-12. And again, "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Rom. 3:19.

"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." An advocate is one who pleads or makes intercession for another. Christ is pleading in our behalf in Heaven. In the Jewish dispensation a day of atonement was observed, and "on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord" Lev. 16:30. Now this "was a figure for the time then present." Heb. 9:9. Christ is the reality. "We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Heb. 8:1, 2. "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. 4:14-16.

WE know that we know God if we keep his commandments. And John again says, "He that doeth righteousness is righteous." What is righteousness? "All thy commandments are righteousness." Ps. 119:172. The law is the righteousness of God; it is a representation of his will, a likeness of his character. Then if we say we know God and yet ignore this only representation of his character we have, we must be liars. Said David, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." "The law of the Lord is perfect." Ps. 19:7. If so, then if we keep it we shall be perfect—the love of God is perfected in us. This is illustrated by the last church on this earth. Of this church which Christ is to take to himself it is said: "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." In Rev. 14 we see that the third angel, who gives his message just before the coming of Christ on the white cloud, says of this remnant people: "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12. And for this reason it is that they are "holy and without blemish." "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us." Deut. 6:25.

"HE that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." Says Christ, "Abide in me, and I in you; . . . for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:4, 5. To abide in Christ implies the closest possible connection with him, and to do this we must follow him, walking as he walked. Christ is the great pattern of holiness to his people; he is the only example set forth in the Scriptures. Good "apostolic example" is such only as the apostles followed Christ. "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." 1 Cor. 11:1. We are to walk as Christ walked, in meekness, in lowliness and brokenness of heart, through sorrow and persecution and it may be through the grave. Yet in all Christ comforts us: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Jesus has gone this way before me, and he knows the way. Let me follow him, and through him I too shall have victory over death and the grave.