CHRIST’S SELF-DENIAL by G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, Cal. · Jul 26, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 30.

CHRIST’S SELF-DENIAL.

By G.

THE perfect Man was so unlike other men. Because men were remarking His success to the disparagement of a supposed rival, He took Himself out of the way. A selfish man would have stayed under like conditions, and taken advantage of his popularity. The record says, “When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John, . . . He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.” John 4:1-3.

It was not popularity in the ordinary sense that Jesus was seeking. He came to seek and to save that which was lost—to save sinners. To this end He “made Himself of no reputation.” John had a mission to carry out, and altho his mission was to preach Jesus and promote His work, there were some who felt jealous because John’s prestige seemed to be waning.

If the people had really understood John and his mission they would have better understood Jesus and His work. Then they all would have expected John to decrease and Jesus to increase. There was no rivalry between Jesus and John, and they could have worked harmoniously together, and no doubt to better advantage. But when it began to be noted that Jesus was making more impression than John, and that fact was likely to hinder John’s work, Jesus was the one to go away rather than to injure John’s influence.

The natural man would have occupied the ground, and left John’s work to suffer by comparison. But the plan of salvation was not laid out on lines of selfish ambition. It is altogether a covenant of sacrifice, and the way to true exaltation is along the rugged path of self-denial.