The Signs of the Times, vol. 23

February 4, 1897

“The New Creation” The Signs of the Times, 23, 5.

E. J. Waggoner

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” “In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.” At the close of each day’s work “God saw that it was good;” and at the close of the sixth day, when everything was finished, “God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31. Man himself was perfect, and all was as good as God himself could make it. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.1

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Genesis 2:1-3. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.2

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:11. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.3

The Sabbath was the sign of the power of God’s word. He had spoken all things into existence; and now he rested in perfect confidence that his word would uphold that which he had created. The Sabbath of the Lord-God’s rest-is therefore the mark of a perfect, new creation. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.4

But man, to whom the dominion of the earth had been given, sinned. He sold himself to the enemy of God, and received death as his reward. By his sin the curse came upon the earth, so that God’s perfect, new creation was everywhere marred. But God was not defeated; his purposes can not be thwarted, for he “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Therefore his love devised means to insure the carrying out of his original plan. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.5

“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Christ was given to death, that man might receive the eternal life which had been lost through sin. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.6

But the cross of Christ is “the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18. The Gospel is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Romans 1:16. But ever since the creation of this world, the eternal power of God has been manifested in the things that he has made. Romans 1:20. Therefore the cross of Christ-the Gospel-is the same power that is seen in creation. The same power of God by which man was created in the beginning, is now manifested through the Gospel to re-create him-to bring him back to the perfection which he had at first. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.7

This is shown very clearly in the Scriptures. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,” or, as the Revision has it, “there is a new creation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Of course there can not be a new creature without there having been a new creation. So again, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before prepared that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10, margin. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.8

This new creation is signalized by rest. Christ says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. Whoever comes to him is recreated and made new,—and then he finds rest-restoration of God. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.9

As the new creation is the same as that wrought in the beginning, and by the same means, the word of God, so it has the same mark, namely, the Sabbath of the Lord, the seventh day. Notice these points:— SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.10

1. In Christ there is a new creation. In him all things are created in heaven and in earth. Colossians 1:16. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.11

2. With the new creation in Christ, there comes rest. Even so it was in the beginning. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.12

3. Christ is of God made unto us “wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” 1 Corinthians 1:30. He is the truth, and he sanctifies himself, that we may be sanctified through the truth. John 17:19. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.13

4. The Sabbath of the Lord, the seventh day, on which Christ rested when he had finished the new creation in the beginning, is the sign of sanctification, which comes only through Christ. We read, “Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” Ezekiel 20:12. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.14

So now, as at the first, the Sabbath is the sign of the perfect, new creation. God has not changed, his power has not changed, neither has his sign changed. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.15

But this is not the end. In the beginning God had a perfect earth as the abode of perfect men. So again he will have a perfect abode for the men who are made complete in Christ,—a new earth for his new men. He says, “Behold, I make all things new.” And again, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things.” Revelation 21:5, 7. “We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Peter 3:13. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.16

There will be the same new creation that was in the beginning, at the close of the first six days; for it will be “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:21. And since it is the same new creation, the same thing, namely, the Sabbath, will mark it; for we read God’s sure Word to the new men whom he has created in Christ:— SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.17

“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 66:22, 23. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.18

If we would be part of God’s new creation, we must have it in God’s own way, and not refuse to allow God to place his own seal of perfection upon it. E. J. W. SITI February 4, 1897, page 66.19