Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 7, 1898
CHRIST, THE CONSOLER.
By X.
So THE artist calls our illustration. But in His work of consolation Jesus presents to the world no new character. As He tells us so many times in the Gospels, He came not to reveal Himself, but the Father. All the consolation that He offers is, therefore, the consolation of God; for “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.”
CHRIST, THE CONSOLER. “Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself . . . comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” 2 Thess. 2:16, 17.
TO CONSOLE means to encourage, to sympathize with, to comfort, to cheer, to relieve from suffering. The original word from which “consolation” comes in the New Testament is paraklēsis. It is much more frequently rendered “comfort.” It really means more than the common use of comfort, but includes the idea of exhortation or entreaty to comfort. It is a message, or call, from God of consolation or comfort which has the comfort in itself.
THE world generally is without comfort. In the heyday of health and prosperity it enjoys a certain kind of unsatisfactory comfort, largely blighted by fear of coming ill. But when the trouble comes, even the blighted comfort departs, and dull despair takes its place. Thus the “preacher” has well expressed it: “So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun; and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.” Eccl. 4 : 1.
BUT there is a great divine Consoler, God, revealing Himself thus in many different ways.
Here is a message to the comfortless ones: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”
WHAT a blessed benediction is such a message! How it soothes the hot brow like a cool breeze from a flower-laden land! How it proclaims peace to the fretted soul as Jesus spoke it to tempest-tossed Galilee! How it assuages the welling, tumultuous, flowing grief of the penitent chastened, humbled, mourning heart! “The God of all comfort!” Surely there is consolation and cheer for all in all things where comfort is needed. And here is another message of comfort, written nearly eight centuries before: “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem”—the city of peace. Isa. 66 : 13.
FOR God comforts by peace; for there can be no comfort in warring against omnipotent power. God has naught against us; for “God is love.” The “enmity” is on our part in the “carnal mind,” which “is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8 : 7. Therefore, when man by faith yields himself, lays down his arms of rebellion, and accepts of God’s way, he has peace, even the peace of God, and God comforts him, even as a mother the sorrowing, penitent child.
WHO does not know the tender comfort of a mother’s heart! When little ones we often fell into trouble which others could not appreciate, but mother could, and to her we went. When we did wrong, others condemned us, refused faith in our repentance, and left us to weep in despair and remorse; but mother drew us to her side, wiped away the hot, scalding tears, gently pointed out the wrongfulness of our course, encouraged us to do better, and comforted us2with a smile and a kiss. And, O, how many in stronger and older manhood would give worlds, if they possessed them, to feel once more the touch of mother’s hand, the sound of mother’s voice, the embrace of mother’s arms, the sweetness of mother’s kiss, as she comforted her child!
BUT mothers are mortal and limited. Many were mothers only in name. Many were foolish mothers who did not know how to comfort. And all have only human power, and, like all other mortals, die, and are laid to sleep. But One lives, aye, lives forever; and He declares: “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you.” “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.” Here is everlasting comfort.
GOD comforts by His Word. “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God.” Isa. 40 : 1. This is God’s message of comfort, which reveals that all flesh is grass, but that God is everything. It tells us to turn from the grass, to “behold your God.” What a message of comfort is Isaiah 40! Truly said the apostle: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation [comfort] grant you to be like-minded one toward another.” Rom. 15 : 4, 5. To the mourning saints at Thessalonica is given the sweet, glad tidings of a coming Saviour and King who will raise the dead; and the apostle concludes, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess. 4 : 14–18. The blessed Word is full of comfort.
GOD comforts us through Jesus, the Purchaser of all comfort. Christ brought to man all the comfort of God. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord [the Father] hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; . . . to comfort all that mourn.” Isa. 61 : 1, 2. And so He declares, “Blessed are they that mourn [for their sins]; for they shall be comforted.” It is for this reason that the beloved apostle writes: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate [Paraklēton, Comforter] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2 : 1. Yea, He is the divine Comforter to every soul who mourns over the sinfulness of sin. There are those who mourn because of the results or consequences of sin. These are not true mourners. He only truly mourns over sin who renounces the sin, and mourns because he sinned against a Being so good. But however dark the sin, the true penitent will find comfort in Christ. The broken-hearted, vile leper will hear in answer to his prayer for cleansing, the words, “I will; be thou clean.” The penitent palsied one will hear, “Thy sins be forgiven thee.” The poor, weak adulteress will go forward in new strength, girded in might, with the sweet message, “Go, and sin no more.” Penitent Peters who have denied their Lord in His humiliation may hear, as sent to them, “He is risen again.” Go to Him, sinner, and find everlasting comfort and good hope.
“BUT,” you say, “He is not here. How can I go to Him?” Yes, He is here by His own representative, which makes Him a mightier help than tho He were here personally. He is now everywhere. He said: “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter [Paraklēton, Advocate], that He may abide with you forever.” “He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak. . . . He shall glorify Me; for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you.” John 14 : 16; 16 : 13, 14. The mighty Comforter of God comes to every one, bearing in the great life-current of God the power, the personality, the presence of Jesus Christ. I have a friend who is twenty miles away. Twenty years ago I could neither see him nor hear him speak. Now, if in trouble, I can step to a telephone, ring him up, and hear the very sound of his voice as tho he were close by me. The very intonations are his. I would know it among a thousand. Scientific men tell us that in a little while we can converse without an intervening wire, and we can also see each other by the aid of electricity. But, O, with God, divine telegraphy, telephonism, telephotography, and telepathy are exact sciences, and He can bring to every one in harmony with Him His own comforting presence in many ways! And all this is wrought by the Comforter, the blessed Spirit of life, which Jesus gives to every soul needing comfort. Just as truly as the leper could go to Jesus while on earth, you may go to Him now. Let faith reach up with open heart, with every spiritual force attent, and God will speak comfort and peace to you. The Spirit of Christ is appointed “unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.”
BUT one more means of comfort and consolation: God desires that man shall comfort man. “Comfort yourselves together, and build up one another.” 1 Thess. 5 : 11. So we ought to comfort the penitent. 2 Cor. 2 : 7. So God comforted Paul “by the coming of Titus.” 2 Cor. 7 : 6. Did you ever feel, dear soul, that God has suffered you to have trouble, trial, affliction, and tribulation for some good cause? Or have you, like Jerusalem of old, shut yourself up to your own sad lot, and said, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow”? The prophet said, “She had no comforter.” She had none because she would not have. She would not be comforted; she would not learn the lesson. God suffers affliction to come that we may learn the better way ourselves, and “that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” O, there are comfortless, mourning, despairing hearts on every side! Bear to them the blessed tidings of God’s free grace and all-healing power. Has He saved you from your sin?—Then you know He will save them. Has He kept you through the trial?—Witness it to them. Let Christ by His Spirit use you to testify of Jesus the Consoler. And, finally, reader, may “our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” X.
TRUE LIBERTY.
By W. N. G.
THE world’s idea of liberty is found in its dictionaries. In the “Standard,” the most recent publication of the kind, we find the following:—
Liberty—The state of being exempt from domination of others, or from restricting circumstances.
Now note the primary definition of domination:—
Domination—Control by the exercise of power, or constituted authority; dominion; government.
According to these definitions, liberty would mean absolute freedom from control by constituted authority. And that is just the construction which the Socialist and the Anarchist place upon the word. It is the idea of the rebellious savage who cuts loose from the restraining customs of his tribe or the controlling power of his chief. This is the idea of the infidel who chides the Christian with being unduly dominated by the God in whom he believes. The self-styled “Free-thinker” assumes that the Christian’s thought or mind is unduly dominated by his belief of the Bible. The Antinomian deems it slavery to obey the law of God, and holds up freedom from such obligation as the climax of Christian liberty.
But all this is the carnal idea. The liberty that God would have His creatures enjoy is liberty to serve Him—the unrestricted privilege of obeying His law, and enjoying His favor. This was exemplified when He brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage, and made them the custodians of His law at Sinai. This, however, the “carnal mind” does not want. It wants all the blessing without any obligation. It is enmity against God; “for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7.
This carnal conception of liberty—exemption from constituted authority—is the Satanic conception. It was Satan’s pursuit of that kind of liberty that caused his expulsion from heaven. And when he caused Adam and Eve to disobey God, he imparted to them the same spirit, the same misconception of true liberty. He persuaded them that God was tyrannical, and was keeping from them a knowledge of good and evil, which it was their right to enjoy.
When they yielded to Satan, instead of gaining liberty, as they supposed, they came into bondage to him. They had simply changed masters; and instead of enjoying the wise rule of Him who desired only their welfare, they came under the control of one who cared only to exalt himself. But they were still subjects—they had not even attained the carnal idea of liberty. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Rom. 6:16.
Nor can this wrong conception of liberty ever be attained, for the reason that man is a dependent creature. Independent of the beneficence of God, he can do nothing for himself. Even in his best day, before he had forfeited the favor of God, he could not independently provide for himself. “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Gen. 1:29. And after his fall, God had to provide clothing for him, and gave him the skins of the3animals over which he had formerly had dominion. Chapter 3:21.
As men increased upon the earth, imbued with the idea that liberty meant self-exaltation, the stronger naturally dominated the weaker. Bondage of spirit begat bondage of person. That there might be some restraint upon the anarchistic nature of fallen man, the Lord instituted civil government. But, like every other gift of God in the hands of sinful men, this was perverted. Rulers became tyrants, and there followed the struggle for liberty of person. There were victories and defeats. One dynasty fell and another arose in its place; one system of government was overthrown to give place to another. But in the main it was but a reversal of conditions: the victories for liberty were at best superficial triumphs—temporary, experimental. Bondage for the masses still prevailed. Even the victors were still slaves of passion, of ambition, of Satan.
Again and again the cry for liberty is heard. Here arises a hero and shouts the tocsin, Liberty, liberty! He promises liberty to all his adherents. Thousands follow, and there is a carnival of blood, of suffering, of death, and a shout of victory. The smoke clears away, and what is in view?—Bondage; bondage of person for the defeated, and bondage of heart for the victors. The question arises, Why is the human struggle for liberty so long? and why is it so often repeated on the same ground?—It is because the world’s idea of liberty is so far from the true standard. To the world it can only mean what is expressed in the world’s definition,—freedom for self, self as an individual, or as an aggregation of kindred spirits.
What then is the true ideal of liberty?—It is that which strikes at the root of the bondage. Bruising the head of the author of evil (Gen. 3:15) is the only means of establishing a true and permanent liberty. This victory can only be gained by Christ, as “Captain of the Lord’s host.” It can only be obtained through Him, and only for the individual—“whosoever believeth.” His mission to earth was to “proclaim liberty to the captives” (Isa. 61:1); and, the world being in bondage to a powerful and unscrupulous master, “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12), than the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As for any others who may undertake to guarantee liberty, the Scripture says, “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption.” 2 Peter 2:19.
Neither army nor navy, neither general, nor admiral, nor sword, nor cannon, nor bullet, nor shell, nor torpedo, nor blockade, nor boycott, can procure for men the full measure of liberty that God would have them enjoy. Not all these can more than temporarily lift up some, while they destroy others. But “if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” This scripture brings out the contrast between human efforts and incentives to establish liberty, and the divine plan. The Jewish theory of the Messiah’s mission was that He would not only redeem them from the Roman yoke, but that He would place them above all other powers. They expected and desired liberty only for themselves, with their heels on the necks of all others. They would put to death the man who would even suggest that the Gentiles should have any benefit from the promised salvation.
But the true liberty so unites men in love that there is “neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is all, and in all.” Col. 3:11. Bringing it down to our own time, therefore, true liberty—liberty in Christ—would mean, neither Briton nor French, Scandinavian nor German, Italian nor Austrian, Russian nor Turk, Chinese nor Japanese, American nor Spaniard. If the principle of Christian liberty prevailed, each would “esteem other better than themselves.” Phil. 2:3. But we do not see this principle in any of the world’s strifes. Each nation is looking for the chief seat, regardless of consequences to the rest. The true Christian sees liberty only in Christ and through Christ. To all such the Spirit says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Gal. 5:1. Again it says, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Cor. 3:17. W. N. G.
TRUE FASTING.
By Ellen G. White
“Then came to Him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but Thy disciples fast not?” The disciples of John were very sorrowful. Their master was in prison, and their days were passed in mourning and frequent fasts. They had not accepted Jesus as the world’s Redeemer as fully as had John. They thought Christ needed to reform in His practice, because He did not do in every particular as John did. They saw how differently the disciples of Christ were being molded from themselves and the scribes and Pharisees. While they were mourning and fasting because of the imprisonment of John, they saw Jesus sitting and eating with publicans and sinners. Misinterpreting His object, they united with the Pharisees in condemning His practice.
Christ’s answer met both classes of complainants. “Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn,” He said, “as long as the Bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” The disciples of Christ had the Bridegroom with them. He was everything to them. It would not be appropriate for them to spend their days in mourning and fasting. They must now be catching the rays of light from Jesus, learning the spiritual nature of His kingdom, and the grace of His character, that they might work when He should leave them.
Christ was constantly working to instruct those who were to fill the office of apostles. The work for which the Lord was preparing them was to teach the commandments of God. Nearly two thousand years ago there was heard from the throne of God in heaven a voice of mysterious import: “Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; . . . burnt-offering and sin-offering hast Thou not required. . . . Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of Me: I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.”
Christ did not come to abrogate the law given on Sinai, but to enforce it. He was the foundation of the whole Jewish economy. That which He had spoken from Sinai was the foundation of the government of heaven, and was to be as enduring as eternity. He knew the strength of the law of Jehovah. He knew its immutability. It was because the law of God could not be changed to meet man in his fallen condition, that Christ clothed His divinity with humanity, and came to our world to take upon Him the sins of a fallen race. He became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Christ, in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, came to our world to reveal truth, to present God to the world in His true character. Would you know God? Look upon His only-begotten Son. “He that hath seen Me,” Christ said to Philip, “hath seen the Father.” Christ saw how men’s devices and ideas had been interwoven with truth, and He came to rescue truth from the rubbish of error, and reset it in the framework of the Gospel, presenting the law of God in its original dignity and purity. Who could so well cope with superstition and the misinterpretation of the Word of God as He who was the Author of all truth? Who was so well fitted to conquer the power of darkness as He who knew the enemy as an angel fallen? Who could so well rescue the gems of truth, which, through the devices of Satan, had been made to serve in companionship with error, as He who had given these truths?
Christ vailed His divinity beneath the garb of humanity. This was the only way in which He could approach men. Had He not done this, He could not have conversed with men, and gathered them around Him to hear the grand and elevating truths which were to be to them eternal life. It was a part of the plan that He should hide the brightness of His glory, that, during His earthly life, He should humble Himself to man’s estate. The world’s Redeemer was to make a solemn oblation of Himself. His divine greatness had long been the subject of prophecy. His work had long been foretold. He must identify Himself as the subject of prophecy. He, the Light of the world, must lighten every man that cometh into the world. If He displaced types and shadows, it was only because type had met antitype in Himself. He must occupy the place which the types had prefigured. He must stand out prominently as the only One who could redeem the world.
How could those who had the presence of God with them, believing in Him, trusting in Him, loving Him, daily being taught by Him, mourn and fast as did the Pharisees? The children of the bride-chamber could not fast while the Bridegroom was with them. But Christ knew that the days were coming when the Bridegroom would be taken away from them. Then when days of trial and temptation came, and the presence of the Comforter was not clearly discerned, the disciples could more consistently mourn and fast.
When He should approach the cross, and descend into the depths of humiliation; when His disciples should witness Him in whom their hopes of eternal life were centered, in the hands of wicked men; when they should hear His own nation clamoring for His blood, and see Herod and his soldiers plaiting the crown of thorns for His sacred brow; when they should see Him clad in the purple robe, and His persecutors bowing before Him, striking Him with the reed which they had placed in His hand; when they should see Him who they thought was to take His place on David’s throne, scourged as the worst of criminals, and the murderous Barabbas chosen in the place of their beloved Teacher; when they should see Him lifted up on the cross, and dying as a malefactor—then they would have cause to mourn and fast. Then their faith would be tried, and their hope and courage would fail.
But the Life-giver comes forth from the sepulcher. From above the rent sepulcher of Joseph there is heard a shout of triumph from the heavenly universe. Jesus is risen, and is again with His disciples, talking with them, opening to them the Scriptures, and testifying that Christ must needs have suffered, been crucified, and the third day have risen again. This Christ had told His disciples before, but they did not then want to hear it. The nature and character of His kingdom they could not4fully comprehend. But after His resurrection they were not left in darkness on these points. Christ Himself opened their minds that they might understand the Scriptures concerning Himself. And so when He led them out as far as to Bethany, “He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.”
These angel messengers had been commissioned to separate from the company who were escorting Christ to heaven, and go and tell the disciples that the same Jesus whom they had loved on earth would come again. Then the disciples remembered the words of Christ, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
“And they . . . returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.” What a period of triumph was this for the church! Jesus was not in Joseph’s new tomb. He had arisen, and had ascended to heaven. Heavenly messengers had told the disciples that He would come again. MRS. E. G. WHITE.
(Concluded next week.)
The Apostasy Still Developing
By C. L. Emerson
THE THREE BABYLONS. No. 10.
The Apostasy Still Developing.
As the church had eagerly accepted the heathen philosophy of Justin Martyr, it was ready for more; so in the latter part of the second century there originated in the church a system of philosophy known as the “Eclectic.” Such as wished to be Christians and philosophers too, belonged to this class. Mosheim speaks of them as follows:—
This philosophy was adopted by such of the learned at Alexandria as wished to be accounted Christians, and yet to retain the name, garb, and rank of philosophers. In particular, all those who in this century presided in the schools of the Christians at Alexandria (Athenagoras, Pantaenus, and Clemens Alexandrius) are said to have approved it. These men were persuaded that true philosophy, the great and most salutary gift of God, lay in scattered fragments among all the sects of philosophers; and, therefore, that it was the duty of every wise man, especially of a Christian teacher, to collect those fragments from all quarters and use them for the defense of religion, and the confutation of impiety.—“Eccl. Hist.,” cent. 2, part 2, chap. 1.
Remember to note a few points in passing this quotation. All the teachers in the theological schools of Alexandria thought true philosophy was the most salutary gift of God and was scattered through the writings of pagan philosophers. Now that no Gospel minister is worth the name if he can not dispense the most salutary gift of God, is evident. So no minister is worthy to be a minister unless he has studied the dusty rolls of antiquity and imbibed the ideas of the devil which he put in the minds of his servants. This refined knowledge was to be used to defend religion! It places Satan as the chief Gospel sentinel, setting him for the head watchman on the watch-tower of Zion, to confute impiety and defend Christianity! Now since the principles of heathen philosophy—trusting to man’s wisdom—are what developed heathenism, is not the above true?
“Clement of Alexandria was the chief exponent of this system of philosophy.” He had Origen as a pupil. “No one of the fathers, except Origen, has been more censured, in modern times, for an excessive attachment to philosophy.” “He overrated the value of philosophy, or human reason, as a guide in matters of religion.” He “construed the Bible allegorically and fancifully.” (See Mosheim, “Eccl. Hist.,” cent. 2.) He “taught with great applause,” so his teachings were well received. The carnal heart is much better pleased with fancy sketches and allegories than with the plain Word of God that condemns sin. The effect of this applause upon the pupils would be to stimulate them to leave the plain Word and deal in allegories. It was so. We cite Origen himself as an example.
Clement “was so blind and misguided as to engage in the hopeless attempt of producing an accommodation between the principles of philosophic science and those of the Christian religion”—no difference between the Word of God and the word of man—no difference between the cause and the cure of sin! (See Mosheim, “Eccl. Hist.,” cent. 2, sec. 25, note 2.)
Now it is evident that one who thinks he can accommodate the principles of two systems must believe they agree. Then he can see no difference and so could teach no difference. Here he has philosophy on a level with the Bible—not philosophy exalted to where the Bible should be, but the Bible pulled down into the mire with philosophy. He was a minister of heathenism instead of a minister of Christ. That he places the Bible (the Word of God) and philosophy (the word of man) on an equality, any one can see who will read “Stroma,” book 1, chapter 5. Mosheim says that these philosophers declared “that the difference between Christianity and philosophy was but trifling.”—Eccl. Com., cent. 2, sec. 26, note.
I give these only to show that at this time the Word of God as it is, had been given up and was regarded of no more authority than philosophy.
The next legitimate step was to regard all philosophy as true, and this was shortly done. When the Neo-Platonic system found place with Saccas as a leader, he declared all philosophy to be true. “He moreover held that the prevailing religions, and the Christian also, must be understood and explained according to the common philosophy of all sects.” Mosheim “Eccl. Hist.,” cent. 2, part 2, chap. 1, sec. 7.
If all religions must be explained by philosophy which always agrees with them, then all religions must agree. Then there is no difference between the teachings of the humble Galilean and that religion where they burned their children and committed adultery as religious acts.
Origen accepted this system of philosophy. He taught that the Bible has a carnal, a soulical, and a spiritual meaning. These are again subdivided. The carnal meaning is just what the Bible says, and he said that one who followed that would never attain to heaven, but he who followed the spiritual meaning, was sure of heaven. The carnal meaning, then, is just what God says. The spiritual is what Origen says that God says. If you follow what God says, you are sure to go wrong. If you follow what Origen says, you are sure of heaven. Thus has God’s Word been degraded by professedly Christian philosophers.
We read that “the influence of this man quickly spread over the Christian world.” “There is no one of the Christian fathers who is more highly commended than he.”—Fathers, pp. 217, 218. This means that the Christian world quickly came to believe that the Word of God as it reads, amounts to little, while man’s ideas of it are everything.
Well had it been for the church now had they discarded the Bible and adopted a book of fables, as their rule of faith. Then there would have been something with which to reclaim sinners. The Word would have been left. But when the Word is made to teach that white is black and black is white, what can be done?—Nothing for that church. The only message now is, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins.”
Origen not only decided that his interpretations were far ahead of God’s Word, but in “De Principiis,” book 4, chapter 1, sections 12, 15, 16, he calls God a liar out and out, and says there are plenty of lies in the Bible.
We started out with the proposition that if an apostasy was ever to develop in the Christian church, it would be caused by the church leaving God’s Word. We have briefly shown that this is the way the great apostasy was developed. Men left God’s Word, took their own way, and Satan took charge.
C. L. EMERSON.
TWO EXPERIENCES OF EPHESIANS, CHAPTER TWO.
By G. T. Wilson
In this chapter is presented to us very vividly the contrast between the saint and the sinner. The Lord has here made that state in which the sinner finds himself to appear as it really is,—a hateful, hard, lustful, wrathful, disobedient life. But He has set before us also the happy contrast of the one who has had his nature changed by God’s grace, and has lost his hateful, lustful disposition.
The Lord desires that we shall study these two experiences, and choose the one which will secure to us a home with the noble, princely, and happy household of the great Jehovah.
The Sinner’s Experience. The Christian’s Experience.
WHAT WE ARE BY NATURE.
Lying dead in sin.
By nature a child of wrath.
A degraded life of fleshly lust.
Satan’s child of disobedience.
Walks after the world’s ways.
Studies to gratify his feelings.
Enmity to God and man.
Wall of partition between him and God.
No hope, afar off, without God.
Alien from Israel of God.
Stranger to covenant of grace.
Jew hates the Gentile and God.
Filled with Satan’s spirit.
Sinner’s foundation, Satan.
WHAT WE ARE BY GRACE.
Quickened with Christ’s life.
Loved with great love by God.
Raised to sit with Christ, new life.
God’s child of obedience by love.
Walks in good works of God’s ways.
Studies riches of heavenly grace.
Enmity slain, love to God and man.
Partition wall broken down by Christ.
Made nigh by Christ’s blood.
Citizen with the saints of God.
No more stranger or foreigner.
Jew and Gentile reconciled to God and to each other.
Filled with God’s Spirit.
Christian’s foundation, Christ.
Here is set forth the service of Satan in contrast to the service of Christ. Satan’s service is one of wrath, enmity to God and man, and has no hope in it of a future rest or comfort, to cheer the weary toiler. At Satan’s instigation, the sinner doubts the tender love of Him from whom he receives every good gift, and, feeling inclined to fear God’s wrath instead of trusting His mercy,5he builds a partition wall of prejudice between himself and his best Friend, and sets enmity to guard it.
To acquaint the sinner, whether Jew or Gentile, with the Father of mercies, Jesus came and broke down this wall of prejudice and self-justification they had erected between each other and God, and took away all means of self-justification, by abolishing “the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances,” and set before them the one Sacrifice which God accepts, the Lamb of God, offered on Calvary’s cross for the sins of all mankind.
The moral law of Ten Commandments speaks wrath to the sinner, and he feels to resent its restraints. He is at enmity with its Author, and at variance with those of his fellow-men who do not embrace his way of thinking and doing. From the thunders of Sinai’s holy law he found no way to escape, till he looks to Calvary, and there he sees Jesus, the Innocent One, bearing on the cruel cross his penalty for sin. Seeing Him he learns how “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Then it is that the sweetness of God’s pardoning love bursts upon the enmity of the sinner’s heart, and his hatred to God and his fellow-sinners vanishes. O, it is wondrous love which does it; love bears all the barriers away, and causes the sinner to love God, who first loved him, and then to love his fellow-sinner, whom Jesus died to save as well as himself!
Blessed sacrifice of divine love! It reconciles the sinner to his God, and to his fellow-sinner, of whatever race or color. Man’s work in which he naturally boasts is set aside by it. It needs no addition of human works, but is perfect, and of sufficient value for all the world to avail themselves of it if they will. He tasted death for every man.
The moral law, which once sent terror to the sinner, is now his delightful study. Indeed, it is a chain of precious promises by the power of Jesus Christ in his soul; for it says, Thou shalt not, or canst not, do what thou once didst do. And when the tempter comes to lead him away, he exclaims, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God!” and he is kept by the power of God through faith.
Raised up to sit in heavenly places in Christ, created a new creature in Christ, he walks in the footsteps of his Master in good works.
Grace did it all; great love in God provided the sacrifice, and does the work in the new man, and the riches of divine love are the joyful study of the Christian, and the will of his Father in heaven, his glad employment constantly.
Dear reader, which is your experience? Have you ever tried the joys of the Christian’s experience? If you know only that of the sinner or the backslider, I invite you, in the name of my blessed Redeemer, to try a change of master. Try Jesus Christ’s rule of love, which brings a new and exalted and more happy position in this life, and fits us for eternal joys in the presence of our Saviour.
