The Signs of the Times, vol. 21

October 10, 1895

“Breathing in the Gospel” The Signs of the Times, 21, 39-40.

E. J. Waggoner

“Common Things.” -How many go on day after day and year after year receiving the light of the sun, breathing the air of heaven, and never think of recognizing God in them. These things are regarded as only “natural,” the sun shines because it is natural for it to do so; the air is here as a regular, thing; the grain and the fruits grow because that is their nature; and these all are but common things. SITI October 10, 1895, page 641.1

Common to Heaven. —“Common things!” If it were possible for one who goes on day after day receiving these things from God without recognizing them continually and praising God for them,—if it were possible for such an one to get to heaven, he would think it a common thing to see the glory of God day by day, and would regard the water of life as a common thing. If a man sees the glory of God in his works here, and takes it as a common thing, he would regard the glory seen in the works of God in heaven as the same; for it is the same glory and the same power, only there it will be revealed in fuller measure than the eye of mortal man can endure. SITI October 10, 1895, page 641.2

Common Paganism. —A man may profess to be a Christian, may belong to the church, and may use the name of God in his prayers every day,—taking his name in vain,—but if he does not recognize God as a present, living Saviour, who in the gifts of food and drink, and air and sunshine, and everything, is simply giving as his own life and salvation, that man is simply in paganism. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, “for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16, 17. And the power of God is seen in the things that he has made. Verse 20. Therefore, as the Gospel is the power of God, we should see the Gospel in the things that are made, in the sunlight, air, food, and drink, and all things. The righteousness of God is revealed in them. It was the failure to recognize the power and righteousness of God in the things that are created, that made men base heathen. See Romans 1:18-28. SITI October 10, 1895, page 641.3

Breathing in the Gospel. —“The just shall live by faith.” But men live by breathing, whether just or unjust. When God made man, he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. The ungodly man has all his life been using that breath-not recognizing God in it-to speak his own words, and even to blaspheme. He has been making the Lord to serve with his sins (Isaiah 43:24), by perverting the breath of the life of God. But when that unjust man takes the breath by which he lives as being indeed the very breath of the life of God, and lives in the recognition of it, then he is living by faith. And faith justifies. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Such a recognition of the life of God implies a constant yielding to God to direct the life to his own glory. God has multiplied the means of grace, so that in all the things that he has made men may see him, and believe on him unto salvation. E. J. W. SITI October 10, 1895, page 641.4