Your ShelfYour Projects

WHY NOT LIKE CHRIST?

17%

Pacific Press Publishing Company · MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA · Feb 14, 1906

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 7.

Read the full edition

WHY NOT LIKE CHRIST?

By John C. Kastner

THAT men can not realize Jesus, and be like Him, is not because of abundance of God-given blessings and gifts, but because of the evil of their hearts. It is not because of want of good seed that the sower went to sow; it is because of the tares and thistles the enemy scattered, that we suffer, and fear, and seek protection by law of men against each other.
Supposing anybody would live up to every precept of the Sermon on the Mount, how long would he exist? Granted that he would fare as did Jesus, would God forsake him? It is our pride, our carnal lust, our unbelief, that are tormented. And we battle for such as tho they were our God-given rights. More, we baptize such Christian, justify and sanctify them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and wonder why our prayers are not accepted.
The cross we most fear is the one that crucifies such hopes and desires in us as never can inherit life eternal. The only faith acceptable to God we all can live up to, in spite of all the powers on earth and the hatred of men.
Christ has proved this.
JOHN C. KASTNER.