THE GREAT SALVATION by Geo. W. Reaser

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

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 44.

THE GREAT SALVATION

By Geo. W. Reaser

THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION.

"Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

"SALVATION belongs to God," but He is not alone in this great work of beneficence; He has an Associate. The Central Figure in the plan of salvation, from the standpoint of a union of divinity and humanity, is the Son of both God and man. Wonderful union, amazing condescension. The saving power vested in the Son is amply sufficient to rescue any and all members of the human family, from sin and its power.

He Bears Many Names;

wears many forms of loveliness, which have deep meaning, merited by the gift of Himself to save the lost members of Adam's race. The first name bestowed upon Him at His birth into the human family, was "JESUS," which is the Greek word for Saviour. He was thus named because He came to "save His people from their sins." In order to be a Saviour, He must possess more than human power, therefore His name is called "IMMANUEL," which means, "God-with-us," and He is clothed with all power in heaven and in earth.

Because He is our triumphant Leader in the plan of redemption, He is called "The Captain of our salvation." Perfect Captain; He never lost a battle; therefore we can have the utmost confidence in Him. He is, to all who obey Him, "the Author of eternal salvation."

He was "made perfect through suffering." We do not understand that the infinite Son of God was not perfect before He became a member of the human family, nor that He could not enter into our feelings as fully before as after His incarnation; but by His dwelling in flesh, our humanity can grasp the blessedness of the thought that He is one of us in all particulars, except in yielding to sin, and that He is in infinite touch and sympathy with us. Thus it is that He became a perfect Saviour to us. Through the Eternal Spirit He dwelt with God's people from the foundation of the world; and "in all their afflictions He was afflicted," but none could fully realize His presence or His power in our sinful flesh, till He became "Immanuel."

Given in the Beginning.

Immediately after the Fall, or as soon as man needed a Saviour, He was given in the promise of God to humanity, as the second Adam, all having been lost to the race by the surrender to Satan on the part of the first Adam.

When Eve's first-born son came into the world, she evidently thought the God-man had come, to deliver from the thralldom of sin, for she said, "I have gotten a man from the Lord." But instead of his being the God-man, the promised "Seed of the woman" who was to "bruise the serpent's head," the Saviour of men, contrary to her fond expectations, he was the first human slayer of man.

Instead of shedding his blood for his brethren, he shed his brother's blood, in cruel murder. However bitter the disappointment experienced by mother Eve, the promise could not fail; God had spoken the word; it must stand.

The Desire of All Nations.

Time sped on, families multiplied into nations; but all members of the human family, feeling the crushing power of sin, were longing for a Deliverer. Hence the True Seed is called the "Desire of all nations." The fulness of time came, the opportune moment in the history of the world, from every view-point, for the appearance of the Deliverer. When the hour-hand of the clock of the universe reached the designated time, the announcement was made, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." He was called "the Son of man," by the prophet five hundred years before He was born into the human family, and nearly twenty-five hundred years prior to the actual fulfilment of the prophecy, simply in anticipation of His being born "unto us." Dan. 7:13.

When He appeared, a few faithful ones were "waiting for the consolation of Israel." Among these was Simeon, who, being directed into the temple at the exact moment of His presentation, took "Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, . . . Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people."

Blessed privilege, to have taken the infant Saviour in his arms, to clasp Him to his breast, and feast his eyes upon the diminutive Figure which he held in loving embrace. But

An Infinitely Greater Blessing

than the outward observation of the Saviour, is to hold His blessed presence in our hearts. This, dear reader, is your privilege and mine, through the mystery of the incarnation of this Divine-human Saviour. Behold Him; feast your eyes upon Him, for He is "the One altogether lovely," the "Chiefest among ten thousand;" yea rather, invite Him into your soul-temple, and thereby entertain the Guest-royal of the universe.

This same Jesus, was not only born into our family, but was "the Only-begotten of the Father," "the First-born of every creature," one of the morning stars whose voices made the arches of heaven ring with praises to God, long before the foundation of the world, even from "the days of eternity." He was the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and in Him was vested the power to uphold all things.

While on earth He gave abundant evidence of His connection with God, by healing the lame and leprous, restoring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, by supplying bread to the multitude, turning water into wine, and by raising the dead. That connection with God brought creative power into His work.

He employs His creative power in the plan of redemption; otherwise it could not be effectual. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." The same power is required to transform a sinner into a saint, as that which Christ employed in bringing the world into existence; but this power is freely bestowed in the plan of salvation, and by appropriating it we are created anew in Christ Jesus, unto good works. Surely Jehovah has laid help upon One who is "mighty to save," and "He is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by Him."