Experiences in Australia

“If Ye love Me, Keep My Commandments”

Discourse, given at Petone, N.Z.
Sabbath, April 22, 1893. EA 69.1

(402) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than thee shall he do; because I go unto My Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it.” EA 69.2

“If ye love me keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirits of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (403) I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me; because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” EA 69.3

A test is given to the followers of Christ. “If a man love me, he will keep my words . . . He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me.” EA 69.4

Christ was about to finish the work of sacrifice in behalf of man, to carry out to completion of the plan devised in the heavenly courts. “That the world may know that I love the Father,” He said, “and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.” The Son of God left his royal crown and kingly (404) robe, and clothed His divinity with humanity, that humanity might have a life that measured with the life of God. He lived a life of poverty that man might enjoy the mansions prepared for him in heaven. “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” the Saviour said; “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.” EA 69.5

Why did not Jesus come in bright array, clothed with the panoply of heave? The Son of God laid aside his glory, and took humanity, that He might be one with the human family. He was in all things made like unto His brethren. In his human life He was hungry and thirsty and weary. He shared the lot of man, and yet he was the blameless Son of God. He was a stranger and sojourner on the earth,—in the world, but not of the world; tempted and tried as men and women are tempted and tried today, yet living a life free from sin. Christ wanted men and women to know that He knew how to succor the tempted, that he saw and understood the distress and suffering and sorrows of mankind. EA 69.6

(405) In His human life the Saviour met and resisted the strongest temptations that could come to men and women. In the wilderness of temptation He met the wily foe face to face. After He had fasted forty days, Satan came to Him and said, “Command that these stones be made bread.” The Saviour met him with the words, “it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” EA 69.7

Then Satan took Jesus to Jerusalem, and “set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence; for it is written, He shall give His angels charge over Thee, to keep thee; and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest any time thou sash Thy foot against a stone.” Christ replied, “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” EA 69.8

It would have been presumption for Christ to cast Himself down at the bidding of Satan, and in refusing to yield to this sin, Christ has taught that we must not put ourselves on the ground of the enemy. We must not go to any pinnacle and throw ourselves down. We are here as probationers, and we must never act as though there were no devil to lead us into sin. (406) The temptations that come to us we cannot even give place on the mind without imperiling our souls. We need to know always that our feet are in safe paths. EA 70.1

Those who choose to associate with the disobedient and worldly minded need to heed the injunction, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord; and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Should it not be encouragement enough that we may have a living connection with the God of heaven. EA 70.2

When we go where sin is, we place ourselves where the angels of God cannot preserve us from evil influence. It is our privilege to know that Christ is constantly by our side. We are to put our trust in Him, and say, “He is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” EA 70.3

“Then the devil taking Him up into an high mountain showed unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto Him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them; for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever (407) I will I give it. If thou there wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan, for it is written; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” EA 70.4

“And when the devil had ended his temptation, he departed from Him.” EA 70.5

Just so for each temptation, we may present to the tempter the word of God, “It is written.” We are not to hang our souls on the strength of any human being. Our duty is to live by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Continually we should be gaining rich experiences in the Christian life. We cannot neglect this great salvation, only at loss to our own soul. EA 70.6

Every step from the manger to Calvary was marked with suffering and sacrifice. Think you that it was easy for the Lord of Glory to be taken by the mob in the garden of Gethsemane, to die the just for the unjust? Hear his pale, quivering lips repeat the words, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (408) Christ knew the offensive character of sin. He knew that the wrath of God for the sins of a whole world was upon Him. The mysterious cup trembled in His hand; the destiny of a lost world hung in the balance. Three times was the prayer offered. Then the Son of God accepted the sacrifice in becoming the substitute for man. The Saviour might have summoned legions of angels to his side. But no; he must tread the wine press alone. The sitting of the horrors of darkness was there, but the Son of God came off victorious. EA 70.7

You, too, in temptation can overcome in the name of Jesus, and gain, not a fading laurel of earth, but an everlasting crown. EA 70.8

What indignities and temptations the Son of God endured. He was hurried by the mob from the garden of Gethsemane, and forced from one tribunal to another. See Him as Pilate brings forth Barabbas, the robber and murderer and places him beside the Saviour. Christ is suffering agony and distress of mind, but He bears the image and superscription of the Divine. the question is asked, “Whom will ye that I release unto ye, Barabbas, or Jesus which is called (409) Christ. The hoarse cry is raised, Release unto us Barabbas.” It was the chief of the people, the people who claimed to know God who cried for the release of Barabbas. “What then,” said Pilate, “Shall I do with Jesus?” They answered, “Let Him be crucified.” EA 70.9

I want you to go over that scene in your minds. What dependence can be placed in human nature that is not under the control of the Spirit of God? The world knows not Christ today. The line of demarcation is plain between those who keep the commandments of God and those who keep them not. We cannot serve the world and please God. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” EA 71.1

Satan uses those who serve him to tempt others. We must not be tempted by their enchantments. We need to search the Scriptures for ourselves, that we may know where we stand. Do we want to be on the side with those who cry, Release unto us Barabbas, and crucify Christ? Is there one here who has been drawn away by the enchantments of the world. If there is such a one, you need a Saviour. You want to be fashioned (410) after the similitude of the Lord Jesus, and not after the similitude of the world whose cry is, Away with Jesus, and release unto us Barabbas. EA 71.2

We need to acknowledge the Saviour before men. The peace of Christ is of great value to us. Are we ashamed of Him to whom if we come, we may have life in the kingdom of God? We need to be consecrated to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. EA 71.3

Put the thoughts of God out of the world, and how much of true religion would we find. How much of pure, unalloyed service would men give. Christ was bruised for our iniquities. We cannot afford to refuse the power of the grace of God; for if we do not belong to Christ, we are classed in the Word with the unbeliever and the murderer. We pity them if there are such here. You do not want to be of that company who are ashamed of their Lord. EA 71.4

The apostle Paul inquired, “Who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth.” Christ would have us open the (411) chambers of the mind that the bright light of truth may shine in illumining the soul temple. EA 71.5

I feel an intense interest for your souls’ salvation. I left my home in America that I might speak the words of life to the people in these colonies. I want you to lose sight of everything but the great Center. We want you to bind yourselves to Jesus Christ by the chain of living faith. You know not how soon your life’s record may close. Have you made your peace with God? Does Jesus abide in your heart by living faith? “Behold, I stand at the door and knock,” He says; “if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with Me.” Do not keep the door locked any longer. It is your privilege to know that God acknowledges you among the faithful. Do you not want to hear the words spoken to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a few things; I will make you ruler over many things; enter thou into the Joy of Thy Lord.” EA 71.6

“As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should given eternal life to as many as thou hast given. And this is lifer eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true (412) God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” A knowledge that Christ is the Redeemer of the world will not save any soul; we must lay hold of Him by living faith. We are to know God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. And we cannot truly know Him without loving him. EA 71.7

Do you ask how much He loves you? I point you to Calvary. There you may behold the sufferings that Christ endured for you. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” When God gave Jesus He gave all heaven. He would make the sacrifice so full, that He could do no more. If we truly love Jesus, we shall become heirs of God. The Father will love us as He loves His Son. We become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly Kings EA 72.1

Many seem to be sad because of their religion. We should not go about begging pardon of the world because we are Christians. I beg pardon of Christ only; He has made every provision that we may have a Christian character. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; (413) but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. Christ said, Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than His lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” It was Christ’s highest joy to obey his father, and keep His law as the apple of His eye. Let the word of God have this effect upon our characters. I pray that the Lord God of heaven will let the light of his Holy Spirit shine upon you, and when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened, you will not ashamed of you record. I pray that in that day it may appear that your have not placed stumbling-blocks in the way of others, but that you have tried to clear the King’s highway. Let us exalt Jesus. Let us give Him our heart’s best and holiest service. And in return for this He says, “I will confess you before my Father, and before His angels.” EA 72.2