p. 633 | Review and Herald, Vol. 77, No. 40. (10/2/1900)

Earlier text: It Is Always Morning Somewhere

STUDIES IN GALATIANS.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the passions and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

We have seen somewhat of the essential evil and deceitfulness of the works of the flesh. But, thank the Lord, there is a better picture.

The Spirit of God, which, in his fullness, is freely given to every believer, lusteth against the flesh, so that in him who is led by the Spirit of God the flesh can not do the things that it would. In such the Spirit of God rules, and causes to appear in the life “the fruit of the Spirit,” instead of “the works of the flesh.”

And though it be true “that they which do such things” as are described in the list of the works of the flesh, “shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” yet in the gift of the Holy Spirit, through the grace of Christ, God has made full provision by which every soul, in spite of all the passions, lusts, desires, and inclinations of the flesh, can “inherit the kingdom of God.”

In Christ the battle has been fought, on every point, and the victory has been made complete. He was made flesh itself—the same flesh and blood as those whom he came to redeem. He was made in all points like these; he was “in all points tempted like as we are.” If in any “point” he had not been “like as we are,” then, on that point he could not possibly have been tempted “like as we are.”

He was “touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” because he “was in all points tempted like as we are.” When he was tempted, he felt the desires and the inclinations of the flesh, precisely as we feel them when we are tempted. For “every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lusts [his own desires and inclinations of the flesh] and enticed.” James 1 : 14. All this Jesus could experience without sin; because to be tempted is not sin. It is only “when lust hath conceived,” when the desire is cherished, when the inclination is sanctioned,—only then it is that “it bringeth forth sin.” And Jesus never even in a thought cherished a desire, or sanctioned an inclination, of the flesh. Thus, in such flesh as ours, he was tempted in all points as we are, and yet without a taint of sin.

And thus, by the divine power that he received through faith in God, he, in our flesh, utterly quenched every inclination of that flesh, and effectually killed at its root every desire of the flesh; and so “condemned sin in the flesh.” And in so doing, he brought complete victory, and divine power to maintain it, to every soul in the world. All this he did “that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

This victory, in its fullness, is free to every soul in Christ Jesus. It is received by faith in Jesus. It is accomplished and maintained by “the faith of Jesus,” which he has wrought out in perfection, and has given to every believer in him. For “this is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith.”

He “abolished in his flesh the enmity” that separated mankind from God. Eph. 2 : 15. In order to do this, he took the flesh, and must take the flesh, in which that enmity existed. And he “abolished in his flesh the enmity,” “for to make,” in order to make, “in himself of twain,” God and the estranged man, “one new man, so making peace.”

He “abolished in his flesh the enmity,” in order “that he might reconcile both” Jew and Gentile—all mankind who are subject to the enmity—“unto God, in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity in himself,” Eph. 2 : 16, margin. “The enmity” was “in himself,” by being “in his flesh.” And there “in his flesh” he slew it and abolished it. And he could do this only by its being indeed “in his flesh.”

Thus Jesus took upon him the curse, in all its fullness, precisely as that curse is upon mankind. This he did by “being made a curse for us.” But “the curse causeless shall not come,” and never came. The cause of the curse is sin. He was made a curse for us, because of our sins. And to meet the curse as it is upon us, he must meet sin as it is in us. Accordingly, God “hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin.” And this “that we might be made the righteousness of God IN HIM.” 2 Cor. 5 : 21.

And though he thus placed himself entirely at the same great disadvantage as are all mankind,—made in all points like us and so, “in all points tempted like as we are,”—yet not a single tendency or inclination of the flesh was ever allowed the slightest recognition, even in thought; but every one of them was effectually killed at the root by the power of God, which, through divine faith, he brought to humanity.

And thus, “as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also HIMSELF LIKEWISE took part of THE SAME; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.” Heb. 2 : 14-18.

And this victory which Christ wrought out in human flesh, is brought by the Holy Spirit to the rescue of everyone in human flesh who to-day believes in Jesus. For by the Holy Spirit the very presence of Christ himself comes to the believer; for it is his constant desire to “grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Eph. 3 : 16-19.

Thus the deliverance from the guilt of sin and from the power of sin, which holds the believer in triumph over all the desires, the tendencies and inclinations, of his sinful flesh, through the power of the Spirit of God,—this is wrought to-day by the personal presence of Christ Jesus IN HUMAN FLESH in the believer, precisely as it was wrought by the personal presence of Christ in human flesh eighteen hundred and seventy years ago.

Christ is ever the same—“the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” The gospel of Christ is ever the same—the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever. The gospel of Christ to-day is the same that it was eighteen hundred and seventy years ago. Then it was “God manifest in the flesh;” and to-day it is the same—“God manifest in the” same flesh, the flesh of sinful men, human flesh, just as human nature is.

That gospel is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”—Christ in you just as you are, sins, sinfulness, and all; for he gave himself for our sins, and for our sinfulness. And you, just as you are, Christ has bought, and God “hath made accepted” in him. He has received you just as you are; and the gospel, “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” brings you under the reign of the grace of God, and, through the Spirit of God, makes you so subject to the power of Christ and of God that “the fruit of the Spirit” appears in you, instead of “the works of the flesh.”

And the fruit of the Spirit is—

LOVE—the love of God which is shed abroad in the heart by the Spirit of God. And instead of hatred or any of its kin ever being allowed, even in thought, no man can possibly do anything to you that can cause you to do anything but love him. For this love, being the love of God, is “the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever;” and loves not for reward, but for the mere sake of loving: it loves simply because it is love, and being only that, it can not do anything else.

JOY is “ardent happiness arising from present or expected good.” But in this case, the alternative “or” is excluded; for this joy is ardent happiness arising from present AND expected good; for the cause of it is eternal. Accordingly, it is everlastingly present, and is everlastingly to be expected. And, therefore, it is “exultant satisfaction.”

PEACE—perfect peace that rules in the heart—“the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,” and which “keeps the heart and mind” of him who has it.

LONG-SUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH.—This faith—pistis, Greek—is “firm persuasion; the conviction which is based upon trust, NOT upon knowledge [the faith of “the heart,” not of the head; the faith of Christ, not of the creed]; a firmly relying confidence cherished by conviction, and bidding defiance to opposing contradictions.”

MEEKNESS, TEMPERANCE.—Temperance is self-control. Thus, the Spirit of God delivers the man from subjection to his passions, lusts, and habits, and makes him a free man, master of himself.

“Against such there is no law.” The law of God is against nothing but sin. In human lives the law of God is against everything that is not the fruit of the Spirit of God. Therefore it is certain that everything in human life that is not the fruit of the Spirit of God, is sin. And this is but stating, in another way, the eternal truth that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

Therefore “if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” And because we do live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, “let us not”—yea, we shall not; yea, we can not—“be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

HOW JESUS LEFT THE WORLD.

“And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.” Luke 24:50. This was the last literal view the disciples had of their Lord in this world. That view was one calculated to inspire in them courage and good cheer. It was a view of their leader’s hands, as he was ascending to the glory of his Father’s heavenly courts, uplifted to them in benediction and blessing. They would remember him, and would think of him with this attitude of loving favor deeply impressed upon their minds.

This was in accord with all his previous dealings with them, and with all the children of men. He never revealed himself to any, other than in the spirit and aspect of love and mercy. When he left heaven to come to this world, it was under the unbounded impulse of infinite love. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” And when he left the world, after telling his disciples to be of good cheer for he had overcome the world, and assuring them that he left his peace with them, it was with hands uplifted in blessing that he took his leave of them. And then he ascended through the parting heavens to the throne of his Father, and the celestial choirs chanted the joyful anthem, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.”

How comprehensive had been his work! He had spoiled the grave; he had sanctified the earth, even wearing its crown of thorns; and now he blessed and consecrated the air, by ascending through it to the portals of heaven.

Everything was calculated to beget in the disciples all assurance of faith. After his resurrection, Christ had sojourned with them for forty days, long enough to establish his identity, to remove all doubt, to instruct his disciples, and to give them their great commission. He ascended from the mountain where he had often communed with them. This mountain looked down on Bethany, the place of his dearest earthly rest, and it was near to

Gethsemane, the place of his supreme agony. There had been many witnesses to his personality, more than five hundred persons meeting him at one time; and these witnesses were of simple and honest character, of mature years, and of cool and unexcitable temperament. The scene of the ascension itself was also remarkable, being very different from what superstition and imposture would have devised. There were no chariots of fire, nor horses of fire, no booming of cannon, no scenery, no pomp, no parade; but there was the power of the Godhead, in its sublime simplicity, working the whole scheme; and the best of the experience was the blessing Christ pronounced upon them, with uplifted hands.

His pronouncing a blessing was no unusual thing. His whole life was full of it; but here he parted from them with the blessing still proceeding from his lips. And it was authoritative, and had the highest sanction of Heaven; for he was just ascending to heaven in attestation of his Father’s acceptance of his work. It was a blessing full and free, as was indicated by his raised hands, as if he would shower upon them all that he had. It was a blessing for all beneath them, and for all beyond the sound of his voice.

Those hands uplifted in blessing had been pierced for their sins. Thus those who beheld him knew that they were the hands of Christ, and saw therein the purchase of their redemption. The whole transaction was an epitome of the gospel—pierced hands to purchase the gift, and then the benediction of eternal life. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Jesus, through his sufferings and death, has power to bless us out of the highest heaven. His last attitude as he ascended was that of blessing, which has been recorded for the contemplation of the world. Think for a moment what these hands now hold, and the power they sway. “All power,” he says, “is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” On behalf of his disciples he sways the scepter of providence, in small matters as well as in great. Those hands hold the scepter of his spiritual kingdom, the church, and all his work. They hold the scepter of the judgment, and of his future and eternal reign. He has ascended into heaven, and there ever lives to make intercession for us. Let us give ourselves and our all into those hands, which have never made any move toward us but to help and bless.

Wonderful hands of Christ! They had been stretched out to rescue Peter, when sinking in the waves of Galilee; they were the same hands that had been held in the sight of the disciples, doubtful and questioning disciples, on the third day after they had seen them laid lifeless in the tomb; the same which doubting Thomas must see before he would believe, and which the Lord not only permitted him to see, but also to put his finger in the prints of the nails, that his doubt might have no hook upon which to hang itself. Those hands were lifted up in blessing, when a cloud received him out of their sight. Ten days after, on the day of Pentecost, their power was realized, when Peter boldly declared to the assembled multitude, “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Those same hands, with their nail-prints of sacrifice and love, are still knocking at the hearts of all who can be reached by God’s mercy, and they still beckon onward the weary runners in the heavenly way.

The scene of the ascension was one of joy. The earthly life of the Master was ended; but his heavenly service was begun. There was no sign of mourning that this change had come—that his earthly work was over, and that the work he was to inaugurate in heaven was begun. His life was not curtailed nor limited, but expanded into that sphere where he could say, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

Between his personal presence here, and his bodily departure, to be seen no more among men, was a convulsive change, calculated to produce among the disciples a shock and trial hard to bear; but angels appeared immediately upon the scene to bridge over the gulf. They appeared, as the Lord disappeared. The disciples were wistfully gazing up to the spot where he had passed from view; and then the angels said, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

He went away with a blessing falling from his lips upon his watching people. Will he return in the same manner, with a blessing for his waiting people?—Yes, to all who are in that posture, watching and waiting for him. Christ never takes the initiative in the work of destruction, for the mere purpose of inflicting judgments and wrath upon the children of men. We would wipe off from his character the aspersions that the enemy has all along been so assiduously attempting to throw upon it; namely, that Christ stands before the world as an enraged and vindictive tyrant, waiting, watching, and longing to inflict upon men the most terrible destruction that his power can command. We are happy to affirm, from the testimony of his word and works, that he, the God of love, does not act from this principle. He ever acts solely from love for his people. Whatever is necessary for their good, he will carry out in strict accordance with his purposes and his promises; and whoever gets in the way of the accomplishment of that work, must be removed, even if it be by tribulation and wrath, as the result of his own position and action. No vengeful or cruel spirit can be attributed to Christ in this matter.

Alluding to the feelings of the people on the dark day, when they thought the day of Judgment had come, Whittier says,—

“All ears grew sharp To hear the doom-blast of the trumpet shatter The black sky, that the dreadful face of Christ Might look from the rent clouds, not as he looked A loving guest in Bethany, but stern As justice and inexorable law.”

To whom will the face of Christ be dreadful in that day?—Not to his people, who joyfully exclaim when they behold him: “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us;” but only to those who are not prepared to meet him, who will wail because of him, and pray for the rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them “from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come.” He comes to redeem his people, and comes, as it is only appropriate that he should come, in the glory of his Father and of all the holy angels. To his children this is a delight; but to all the wicked it is devouring fire. But Christ is not responsible for the fact that they have not prepared themselves to endure the scene, but vanish before the breath of his mouth and the brightness of his coming. Christ’s face is dreadful to the wicked, and justice stern, and law inexorable, because they have not so related themselves to him as to find in him a friend, although justice and law met for them in his life. The wicked simply get in the way of the work of the Lord, which must be carried out; and they perish, not because the Lord wishes to destroy them, or has any pleasure in their destruction,—for he says, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,”—but because, for the good of the saved, he must “gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.”

It is even so in the final destruction of the wicked at the end of the thousand years. Those on the left hand are sent away, with the words, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Even here, God does not destroy the wicked because he delights to do so. He does not say to the wicked, Depart into the fire prepared for you; but it was “prepared for the devil and his angels.” For those spontaneous generators of evil, nothing less than the eradicating fires which melt the elements with fervent heat, will suffice. For these the fires were prepared; and the wicked find themselves involved therein, simply because, of their own free will and volition, they have joined that side, and cast in their lot with them. God will not destroy, by coercing, man’s free will, but lets all make their own choice. But from start to finish, his throne is clear, and only love characterizes his dealings with his creatures.

When he came into the world, and when he left it; when he shall come again, and when finally he clears the field, and sets up his everlasting kingdom, he does that only which is necessary to carry out his beneficent designs of love and mercy to his people. But alas for those who place themselves as obstructions upon the track of his gracious purposes, and so perish in the ruin, when he finds it necessary to clear from the place of his kingdom “all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.”

CHRIST IN HOLY FLESH, OR A HOLY CHRIST IN SINFUL FLESH.

By Stephen N. Haskell

It is impossible for a finite mind to comprehend how the divine Son of God could come into a mortal body and be born of humanity, to “meet life's peril in common with every human soul, to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss.” He came “a helpless babe, subject to the weakness of humanity.”

This was “God manifest in the flesh;” for “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” To deny this would be to deny our only means of salvation. To say that he did not take humanity as it was, and as it is, would be to deny that the base of the ladder that Jacob saw rested on the earth, while the topmost round reached to the throne of God. Man could not raise himself one single iota, in order to reach the ladder. It must reach man where he is, that man may attain to the true standard of righteousness. It did not simply reach Adam as he was before he fell, bearing the image of God; but Christ took humanity in its lowest condition, all seared and marred by sin.

Human reason sees many contradictions in Christ; for human reason can not find out God. “Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?” Job 11: 7, 8. “In the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knows not God . . . because the foolishness of God is wiser than men. . . . God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things that are not, to bring to naught things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence.” 1 Cor. 1: 21–29.

It is by faith that we understand. A belief in God's testimony simply because God has spoken, is light to the soul. The divine Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, as of the only begotten of the Father. John 1: 14. Most wonderful thought! How it could be, is only comprehended by infinite wisdom. He took humanity in its fallen condition. “When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law [For what purpose was he made under the law?] to redeem them that were UNDER THE LAW, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Gal. 4: 4, 5.

Had not Christ been made under the law, as all mankind was by sin, he could not have redeemed them, so as to call them sons. To be under the law is to be a transgressor of the law, and condemned by the law. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Rom. 3: 19. Again, the same apostle says: “Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Tim. 3: 16. What is justification? Let the word of the Lord answer: “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” To be justified is to be made free from condemnation.

“Sin is the transgression of the law.” Mankind are condemned because they have broken the law of God. Christ was made under the law, to save those who are under the law. What did Christ have to do with sin?—“He hath made him TO BE SIN for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Cor. 5: 21. He bore

the sins of the whole world. “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” “Who his own self bare our sins in his OWN BODY on the tree.” 1 Peter 2: 24. He bore our sins in HIS BODY, and not in his character. He repented for the sinner. He was baptized for the sinner. He was justified for the sinner. He died the sinner's substitute. The sinner must walk in his steps, if he would have the righteousness of Christ. The enmity that was abolished was “in his flesh.” “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity; . . . for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.” Eph. 2: 15.

“He who stilled the angry waves and walked the foam-capped billows, who made devils tremble and disease flee, who opened blind eyes and called forth the dead to life, offers himself upon the cross as a sacrifice, and this from love to thee. He, the Sin-bearer, endures the wrath of divine justice, and for thy sake becomes SIN ITSELF.” . . . “The Desire of Ages,” trade edition, page 907. Again, on pages 361, 362: “Christ is the ladder that Jacob saw, the base resting on the earth, and the topmost round reaching to the gate of heaven, to the very threshold of glory. If that ladder had failed by a single step of reaching the earth, we should have been lost. But Christ reaches us where we are. He took our nature and overcame, that we through taking his nature might overcome. Made ‘in the likeness of sinful flesh,’ he lived a sinless life. Now by his divinity he lays hold upon the throne of heaven, while by his humanity he reaches us.”

This is fallen humanity with all its hereditary inclinations. He who was as spotless while on earth as when in heaven took our nature, that he might lift man to the exaltation of himself by his righteousness. Again, on pages 119, 120, of the same book, we read: “Notwithstanding that the sins of a guilty world were laid upon Christ, notwithstanding the humiliation of taking upon himself our FALLEN NATURE, the voice from heaven declared him to be the Son of the Eternal.” Once more, in speaking of the condition of Adam, the writer says, on pages 49, 50: “It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man's nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam, he accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of his earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.”

The Bible is the only reliable history of his ancestors. In the Gospel by Matthew four women before Mary, the mother of Jesus, are mentioned by name: Thamar (Matt. 1: 3), who acted the part of a harlot with her father-in-law (see Genesis 38); the harlot Rahab (see verse 5; also Joshua 2); Ruth, a Moabitess, a descendant of the daughter of Lot by her own father (see Gen. 19: 30–38); and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Bathsheba's course with David has been a reproach in the mouth of scoffers for thousands of years. This is not the way that men would naturally write a history of the ancestors of Christ. They would select the good women and the men of influence, whose birth and lives were exemplary. But it is God's way, and it presents hope to the fallen. Even if we have inherited tendencies and appetites of the worst kind, there is hope. It was Christ through David who said: “Behold I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” This states plainly the nature of the humanity in which Christ was conceived. The same prophet, in Ps. 22: 9, says: “But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.” This illustrates how it was with Christ, and how it is with every believer in Christ who has the righteousness of Christ.

Christ was the Son of God, equal with his Father. Yet to save a lost race he stepped down from his exalted throne, and came to this world, all seared and marred with sin; he went lower, and still lower, until there was no lower depth to which he could go, to encircle the human race with his human arm, and through his righteousness take them back to his throne. Through the prophet Isaiah God said, “Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins; thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.” Isa. 43: 24. He who has struggled against hereditary temptations for years, and often fallen beneath the tempter's power, can appreciate a Saviour like this.

The words of the apostle are full of meaning: “Verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.” “For we have not an high priest which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. 2: 16–18; 4: 15, 16.

Our Saviour, then, is a holy Christ in sinful human nature, who by his presence in sinful nature sanctifies fallen humanity, so that humanity, by the presence and holiness of the sinless Saviour, can be saved to the uttermost. And thus Jesus can save and does save to the uttermost all, however low they may have fallen, however held by hereditary traits, that will come to him and be sanctified, body, soul, and spirit. S. N. H.

ITS FOUNDATION.

By John Norton Loughborough

“Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16: 18.

The church of Christ is called a building. As it is essential to the security and permanence of a building that it have a firm foundation, so of this spiritual temple the Lord says: “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” Isa. 28: 16. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, said, “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 3: 11.

Of true character building in his church our Saviour said, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the floods arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.” Luke 6: 46–48. In the Ephesian letter, Paul writes: “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” Eph. 2: 19, 20.

In many scriptures the Lord himself is spoken of as the rock. Of these we will notice a few: “I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” Deut. 32: 3, 4. “Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.” Verse 18. “For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.” Verse 31. The inspired words of Hannah, after the birth of Samuel, are of the same import: “There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” 1 Sam. 2: 2. So are the words of David, when delivered “out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: ‘And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.’ ‘For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?’ 2 Sam. 22: 2, 32. Again, ‘The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.’ 2 Sam. 23: 3. Still further, ‘He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.’ Ps. 62: 2. Those who are ‘mindful of the rock of thy strength’ (Isa. 17: 10) will find him, indeed, as ‘the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.’ Isa. 32: 2.

Christ is not only called the rock, but he is also the “tried stone.” We read: “I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” Ps. 118: 21–23. In the New Testament we have inspired comments on this text. In our Saviour’s parable of the vineyard and husbandmen we read: “Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” Luke 20: 13–18.

If there remains doubt in any mind that this stone refers to Christ, assurance is made doubly sure by the words of Peter, before the rulers, elders, and priests in Jerusalem: “If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4: 9–12.

Of Christ as the foundation we read: “The church is built upon Christ as its foundation; it is to obey Christ as its head. It is not to depend upon men, nor be controlled by men. Many claim that a position of trust in the church gives them authority to dictate what other men shall believe and what they shall do. This claim God does not sanction. The Saviour declares, ‘All ye are brethren.’ All are exposed to temptation, and are liable to err. Upon no finite being can we depend for guidance. The Rock of faith is the living presence of Christ in the church. Upon this the weakest may depend, and those who think themselves the strongest will prove to be the weakest unless they make Christ their efficiency. ‘Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.’ The Lord ‘is the Rock, his work is perfect.’ ‘Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.’” —“The Desire of Ages,” page 491.

Of the foundation stone and the building upon it, we read in Peter’s epistle: “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone

of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” 1 Peter 2: 1–8.

Of the proper mode of building upon this foundation, we read, in Paul’s epistle to the Corinthians: “For we are laborers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” 1 Cor. 3: 9–15.

In Vol. III, page 165, of the “Testimonies for the Church,” we have the following reference to this text: “But God is all pitiful, gracious, and tender, and when light comes to those who have injured their health by sinful indulgences, and they are convinced of sin, and repent and seek pardon, he accepts the poor offering rendered to him, and receives them. Oh, what tender mercy that he does not refuse the remnant of the abused life of the suffering, repenting sinner! In his gracious mercy, he saves these souls as by fire. But what an inferior, pitiful sacrifice at best, to offer to a pure and holy God! Noble faculties have been paralyzed by wrong habits of sinful indulgence. The aspirations are perverted, and the soul and body defaced.”

Of the work accomplished for the upbuilding of the Israelitish church in the wilderness, Paul said: “All our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Cor. 10: 1–4.

Those who accept Christ as the Rock, and feast upon his word as the true meat and drink,—these are building upon a firm foundation, and can indeed sing,—

“On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.” J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

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