The Signs of the Times, vol. 23
September 16, 1897
“Disgrace and Accusation” The Signs of the Times, 23, 36.
E. J. Waggoner
Disgrace and Accusation.— The only disgrace that can come to any man in this world is the commission of sin. It is not the exposure and punishment of crime, but the crime itself, whether known or not, that constitutes the disgrace. Therefore the fact that a man has committed gross sin, is not necessarily a disgrace to him. That depends wholly upon whether or not he has repented of the sin. If he holds to the sin, the disgrace still clings to him; if he has repented, the disgrace is removed; because the grace of God removes the sin of him who repents, and where the grace of God abounds, there can be no disgrace. This is self-evident. This shows that there is no disgrace to the repentant sinner in the fact that people who do not know the grace of God still remember his previous misdeeds, and despise him. It is not what others think of us, but what we are, that determines whether or not we suffer disgrace. And so it is no disgrace for a man to be unjustly suspected or accused. The disgrace rests upon the false accusers alone. Many people will say, even after a falsely-accused person is proved to be innocent, “There must be something wrong that gave rise to the suspicion.” Such persons should remember that Christ, “who knew no sin,” was accused of the grossest misdeeds. He himself has said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” E. J. W. SITI September 16, 1897, page 564.1
“Fulness of Joy” The Signs of the Times, 23, 36.
E. J. Waggoner
“These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:11. There is something wonderful in these words, especially when we consider the circumstances under which they were spoken. “These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you.” That shows us that by receiving and retaining what Jesus says to us, we receive and retain his joy. Joy comes by believing the words of the Lord, as we read, “The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” Romans 15:13. Notice, it is “all joy” in believing, just as Jesus says: “that your joy may be full.” By receiving his words we get fullness of joy-perfect joy. SITI September 16, 1897, page 564.2
But that shows us also that he had perfect joy-fullness of joy; for it is his joy that we are to receive. “These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” We get fullness of joy through Jesus, simply because his joy is perfect. As men sometimes express it, his cup of joy was full. When was it that he expressed the wish that his perfect joy might remain in his disciples?—The very night when he was betrayed; while he was on the way to the place where he knew that he would be delivered into the hands of cruel men, to be mocked, and beaten, and scourged, and crucified. Ah, that is joy worth having,—a joy that is perfect in distress and affliction, a joy that is perfect in itself, and does not depend on circumstances! It is the possession of such joy, and that alone, that enables one to endure affliction. Jesus, because of the joy that he had continually before him, and present with him, “endured the cross, despising the shame.” Hebrews 12:2. SITI September 16, 1897, page 564.3
This joy is found, not in doubting, not in experimenting, but in trusting. There are millionaires that would give all their possessions for such joy, that delivers from painful anxiety, when the poorest man can have it by simply taking the words of the Lord and letting them work out their fulfilment in him. How can Christians be otherwise than glad, when they serve a Master who is gladness itself? E. J. W. SITI September 16, 1897, page 564.4