General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

OUR MESSAGE

H. E. OSBORNE

Reading for Sunday, December 22.

The whole gospel is summed up in the one expression, The revelation of Jesus Christ. In the unfolding of this gospel, from the time when it was first preached in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15) the hope of salvation from sin has been made to rest upon the manifestation of God in the flesh in the person of his Son. It was the seed of the woman who should bruise the serpent’s head. It was “to Abraham and his seed” (Christ) that the promises were made. It was “a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren” (Deuteronomy 18:15), whom Moses foretold. The whole book of Ruth sets forth the fact that the Redeemer would be a near kinsman according to the flesh. Isaiah gave his name as Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), or “God with us,” and taught that this Wonderful One would be united to the human family by birth. Isaiah 9:6. To David it was revealed that through the coming seed his house and his kingdom should be established forever. 2 Samuel 7:12-16. The prophet Daniel was divinely instructed as to the exact time when “the Messiah the Prince” should appear among men. Daniel 9:24, 25. And so “all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after” made this their theme, and “showed before of the coming of the Just One.” Acts 3:24; 7:52. GCB October 1, 1901, page 564.1

“When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son,” and “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Then “the people which sat in darkness saw great light,” for “in him was life, and the life was the light of men,” and “the life was manifested.” And thus all those intimations of the coming Messiah, whether they were expressed in verbal prophecies or in fact prophecies, found their fulfillment in the appearance of the Son of God upon the earth as the Son of man. This was the coming of the Lord, an event which had been the center of hope and glad anticipation for devout men during many centuries. From Abraham, who rejoiced to see Christ’s day, and “saw it and was glad,” to Simeon, “just and devout,” who was “waiting for the consolation of Israel,” all faithful believers had looked for and waited for the coming of the Lord. From the first disappointment, when Cain proved to be “of that wicked one,” instead of the expected Deliverer, there had been a long-continued delay in the realization of their hopes, until the cry went up, “Lord, where are thy former loving-kindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in truth? Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.” Psalm 89:50, 51. “He delays so long, they say he never will come.” GCB October 1, 1901, page 564.2

But though it was long delayed because of the unbelief of the people, yet nothing could turn aside “the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord,” the result of which would be “to reunite for himself under one head the all things in the Christ.” And so with the word of the angel to Mary that she had “found favor with God,” and there should be born of her one who should “be called the Son of God,” and with the announcement of “good tidings of great joy,” and the angelic host singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men,” the hope of the ages was consummated, and “the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” But before his public appearance as “the Messiah the Prince,” the anointed One, “the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” Luke 3:2-6. The burden of his work was to call men from their own self-exaltation and forgetfulness of God to a recognition of the weakness of the flesh and the eternal power of God, and to turn their thoughts to the coming of the Lord. “All flesh is grass ...surely the people is grass. The grass withereth.... but the word of our God shall stand forever.... Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come.” Isaiah 40:6-10. Thus the message of the coming of the Lord was given, the people were urged to repentance in view of the fact that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and the way of the Lord was prepared. And when Jesus came forth among men as the fulfillment of these prophecies, John said: “Behold the Lamb of God, which beareth the sin of the world.” GCB October 1, 1901, page 564.3

When “God was manifested in the flesh” in the person of his Son at the first advent, Jesus identified himself with the human family, veiling his glory in the flesh, that he might bear the burden of sin and its consequences, and bring “life and immortality to light through the gospel.” So “it behooved him to be made in all things 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.” Hebrews 2:17. But this is only a partial fulfillment of the promise of his coming. The fullness of the promise will be realized when he comes with unveiled glory, that as many of the human family as have confessed “Jesus Christ as in flesh having come” may be identified with him in all that he has and is. “Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” “Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me.” With his mind upon this glorious result, Jesus said to his disciples, just before his departure from them, “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.” John 14:2, 3. From the time of his ascension into heaven, when it was said, “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,” the hope of all true believers has been built upon “the promise of his coming” and the setting up of his everlasting kingdom. In that long period during which saints, times, and the law were given into the hand of “the man of sin,” the light of this truth was almost extinguished, but soon after the close of this definite time prophecy, and as “the time of the promise drew nigh,” the minds of men were stirred to study the prophecies, and the message of the Lord’s soon coming was revived. GCB October 1, 1901, page 564.4

The work of John the Baptist was to prepare the way of the Lord, and his message was found “in the book of the words of the prophet Esaias;” but on looking there, we see that his work would not be really finished until the way of the Lord is prepared for his return to this earth to give reward to his servants the prophets, and to them that fear his name, small and great. This is clear from the closing words of his message. “Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.” Isaiah 40:9, 10. Thus it appears that the advent message which has been sounding through the world during the past three quarters of a century is simply the final step in the work entered upon by John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord. It should therefore be a message given “in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17. It should call to repentance in view of the nearness of the kingdom of heaven. It should point out Jesus as “the Lamb of God, which beareth the sin of the world.” It should lift up a voice with strength, saying, “Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come.” It should bring to a focus all the prophetic utterances upon this great subject, setting forth in clear light the complete fulfillment of God’s revealed purpose in the death, resurrection, ascension, and priesthood of his Son; and should take up again the very words of the Great Teacher, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:15. And in all this it should minister the power and glory of the coming of the Lord as a present experience for complete deliverance from the dominion of sin, and such a revelation of the gospel of the kingdom, the kingship of Christ in the hearts of men, in “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” as will compel the whole world to make its final decision for or against “the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers.” This is the crisis of the ages, and we have now come to the crisis of that crisis; for after more than five decades of the judgment-hour period have passed by, and the vision still seems to tarry, some are saying in their hearts, “My Lord delayeth his coming;” but just now the cry must be taken up with renewed power, “Behold he cometh,” and the single purpose must be to give “the advent message to the world in this generation.” “THERE SHALL BE DELAY NO LONGER.” GCB October 1, 1901, page 565.1

But what is the real essence of this advent message? What is the definite result to be accomplished by it? The work is to proclaim the coming of the Lord and to prepare the way of the Lord. But sin is the only thing which hinders the Lord from having his way in the hearts of men, and therefore sin must be taken away in order that the way of the Lord may be prepared. “Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death,” and life is the only salvation from death. “We shall be saved by his life.” And “the life was manifested” in the flesh, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of man, Son of God, that he might bring human nature “into a personal relation with his own divinity,” and establish a definite basis for actual fellowship with his life, “that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” And this fellowship means cleansing from sin. For “in him was life; and the life was the light of men.” And “this then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” And “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we [God and man] have fellowship one with another, and the blood [life] of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5, 7. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.... So then they that are [have their being] in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not [do not have your being] in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” Romans 8:2-9. It is thus clear that cleansing from sin through fellowship with his life, ministered to us by the indwelling of his Spirit, is the message which must become a real experience in those who are prepared for the coming of the Lord. But this is wholly of faith,—faith in a personal, indwelling Saviour; faith in the manifestation of his life in the flesh; faith in the realization of the promise, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but you see me: because I live, ye shall live also;” faith in the personal coming of the Lord to the heart of each believer, in the coming of his representative, the Holy Spirit, to convict of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. This was the most complete provision which could be made for deliverance from sin. “Evil had been accumulating for centuries, and could only be restrained and resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power.” This is the actual experience of “the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” This is the simple experience of living by faith, freely receiving and freely giving out in service and praise the abundant life. Thus there is to be a revelation of Jesus Christ in the flesh, and such an outshining of the Light of life as will lighten the world with his glory, and so judge the world, as the preparation for the revelation of Jesus Christ in the clouds of heaven. GCB October 1, 1901, page 565.2

Having now seen something of the fullness of the meaning of this advent message, we may briefly consider what it means to give this message to the world. Our commission is not to preach a theory about Christ, or to establish a creed, but to reveal Christ in human conduct, and to minister the gospel of life to others. This should be the one aim of all classes of workers, ministers, teachers, canvassers, physicians, nurses, and in fact of every believer in the message. We shall all let our light so shine before men that they will see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. We shall go about doing good, as Jesus did. We shall minister to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and those in prison. We shall proclaim the signs of the Lord’s soon coming, “signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth;” but at the same time the very people who are proclaiming these truths will themselves be the chiefest sign that the coming of the Lord is near. “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.” A church with Christ as its living Head, doing the works of Christ and fully translating his word into human conduct, will in itself be the revelation of Jesus Christ, and will speedily prepare the way for his revelation in the clouds of heaven. The fact that Christ has come in the flesh to save from sin will be declared with a loud voice, and this in itself will be the message of his coming “the second time without sin unto salvation.” GCB October 1, 1901, page 566.1

And this message of the revelation of Christ in the flesh is the Lord’s own message of the everlasting gospel to the whole world in this time when God’s provision to save men from sin has been so largely perverted into an excuse for continuing in sin. This is “the mystery of godliness” which alone is able to deliver from the “mystery of iniquity.” This gives to God in Christ his rightful place as the everlasting King, and to man the highest place which he is capable of occupying, that of servant to such a Master. This will call those who have “worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” to the worship and service of “him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” While the “man of sin,” in fulfillment of the prophecy, “opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God,” this message replies, “But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” When the time comes again that all the world wonders after the beast, and all “shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” and life is given to the image of the beast, “that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed,” then this message of the true worship and service sounds with a loud voice, saying, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.” GCB October 1, 1901, page 566.2

And so the great controversy between Christ and Satan, which was begun in heaven, and afterward transferred to the earth, will be brought to a triumphant close by “the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun shall be ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” GCB October 1, 1901, page 567.1

Shall there not be a genuine revival of the true advent message? Shall there not be a complete consecration of heart and life, of talents and means, of time and opportunity, to the giving of this message to the world? Shall not “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” be heard again “in the spirit and power of Elias,” saying, “Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come.” So in a few short years “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come.” So shall the mystery of God be speedily finished, and the great voices in heaven shall say, “The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign forever and ever.” W. W. PRESCOTT. GCB October 1, 1901, page 567.2