ADDITIONAL NOTES | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 11, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 43.

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

PRIESTS are "ordained for men." God sets value upon human souls; not as they are in the natural, carnal condition, but what they are capable of becoming through grace. It is for these possibilities that Heaven has done all that has been done. Christ gave himself for this. The typical priesthood pointed forward to that of our Lord. It was all "for man."

BUT the priesthood was not for man temporally or politically. It was not ordained to give man wealth or position. The priests were ordained "in things pertaining to God," to "offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins," or, as stated in Heb. 2:17, "to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." They were the typical mediators between man and God in things pertaining to God,—the "all things that pertain unto life and godliness." 2 Pet. 1:3.

THOSE who profess to be the children of God and are mixing with political parties or clamoring for earthly power or position, or seeking to accomplish great reforms by civil law, may learn a lesson from this. God's ministers in this dispensation, even as in the Levitical, "are ordained for men in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Not that this is done in the same way, not that the ministers make reconciliation, but preach reconciliation, to beseech men to become reconciled to God through Christ, to build them up in the word of God. 2 Cor. 5:11; 6:10.

"SIN" is the transgression of the law. The root meaning of the original words from which it is translated in both Old and New Testaments is "missing the mark." To sin is to miss the mark. God's law is the great standard. It embraces all righteousness; it marks out the perfect way. Any deviation from this way is sin. Whether known or unknown, it is still sin, it is still missing the mark; but sins of ignorance are justified through Christ if the heart is right with God; and the heart right with God,—the new heart,—walks in all the light which is revealed. He who knowingly transgresses God's law, "wickedly departs." He who is truly converted to God, counts the keeping of God's law a delight. If such an one sins or misses the mark, the failure is caused by ignorance or weakness and not by intention.

ANCIENTLY the priest, in order that he might have compassion or mercy, or, as the margin expresses it, "reasonably bear with" the people, must himself be compassed with infirmities. Nothing gives us more compassion for men than to know their condition, to realize their infirmities. So Christ himself was "in all things made like unto his brethren;" he "suffered being tempted" in order that he might be touched with "the feeling of our infirmities." He was made perfect through sufferings; but not perfect in moral character; for he was ever without sin. He never missed the mark. But he must be perfect in meeting man's trials, infirmities, temptations. But as a priest, he differs from the Aaronic priests in this respect. They were priests while compassed with infirmities, he a priest after the sufferings and the temptations are over,—"perfected forever more." Heb. 7:28, margin.

WE have no reason to suppose that the only time our Saviour prayed with "strong crying and tears" was in the Garden of Gethsemane. There is no doubt but that was his greatest struggle with the powers of darkness, before his death upon the cross; but the forty days' fast, the fierce temptation in his physical weakness, the whole nights spent in prayer to God, the fervent prayers for his disciples, must all have been strong crying to God for help. John 17; Matt. 14:23; Mark 1:35; 6:46; Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28, 29; 11:1. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; yet he was nevertheless a wise and mighty sympathizing Redeemer.

WITH God goodness is true greatness. The value of things is measured by their source, their intrinsic value, and their capability to endure. Goodness is from God; man possesses it only as he receives it from God. It, being from God and of God, must be of great intrinsic value. And as it is an essential attribute of God, it will exist to all eternity. Education may be wrong in part or in whole. Earthly wisdom, riches, or power are evanescent, partake more or less of evil, and may degrade their possessor and make him more prolific of evil. But goodness is only good. Get all these other things possible, only let the basis of all be goodness—the righteousness of God through Christ.