The Present Truth (UK)
April 16, 1896
The Life-Giving Spirit
Truly convicted souls cannot be satisfied with forms, maxims, and traditions. The cry of the soul must be, “Give me the bread of life, lift up a full cup to my parched, spiritual nature, that I may be revived and refreshed. But do not intrude and interpose yourself between me and my Redeemer. Let me see Him as my helper, as the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Thou, O Lord, must be my helper. Thou wast wounded for my transgressions, bruised for my iniquities, the chastisement of my peace was upon Thee, and with Thy stripes I am healed.” PrT April 16, 1896, par. 1
Christ was crucified for our sins, and was raised from the rent sepulchre for our justification, and He proclaims in triumph, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Jesus lives as our intercessor to plead before the Father. He has carried the sins of the whole world, and has not made one mortal man a sin-bearer for others. No man can bear the weight of his own sins. The crucified One bore them all, and every soul who believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. PrT April 16, 1896, par. 2
The disciple of Christ will be fitted by His grace for every trial and test as he strives for perfection of character. By looking away from Jesus to some other one or to something else, he may sometimes make mistakes; but as soon as he is warned of his danger, he again fastens his eyes upon Jesus in whom his hope of eternal life is centred, and he plants his feet in the footprints of his Lord, and travels on securely. He rejoices, saying, “He is my living intercessor before God. He prays in my behalf. He is my Advocate, and clothes me with the perfection of His own righteousness. He is all I need to enable me to bear the cross, to endure shame and reproach for His name's sake. If He permits me to endure persecution, He will give me more grace, and the comfort of His presence, so that His name shall thereby be glorified.” PrT April 16, 1896, par. 3
There are souls famishing for the bread of life, thirsting for the waters of salvation, and woe unto that man who by pen or voice shall turn them aside into false paths. The Spirit of God is appealing to men, presenting to them their moral obligation to love and serve Him with heart, might, mind and strength, and to love their neighbours as themselves. The Holy Spirit moves upon the inner self until it becomes conscious of the Divine power of God, and every spiritual faculty is quickened to decided action. Jesus said, “I will send you another Comforter that He may abide with you for ever.” A deep, thorough work is to be wrought in the soul which the world cannot see. Those who know not what it is to have an experience in the things of God, who know not what it is to be justified by faith, who have not the witness of the Spirit that they are accepted of Jesus Christ, are in need of being born again. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” What can the world know of Christian experience?—Verily nothing. “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.” The great Teacher explained this instruction, saying, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit and they are life.” PrT April 16, 1896, par. 4
In this age the Word of God is not considered reliable. The word of Christ that cut so directly across human desires and indulgences and condemned popular habits and practices, that Word which was made flesh and dwelt among us, is ignored and despised. The teachings and example of Christ are not made the criterion for the life of the professed follower of Christ. Many who name the name of Christ are walking in the light of the sparks of their own kindling rather than following in the footsteps of Him whom they profess to acknowledge as their Master. They do not represent the same character that Christ represented in His pure, sincere love to God and His love for fallen man. They do not take God at His word and identify their interests with those of Jesus Christ. They do not form the habit of communing with Jesus, of taking Him as a guide and counsellor, and thus learn the trade of living a well-defined Christian life. PrT April 16, 1896, par. 5
Those who not only hear but do the words of Christ make manifest in character the operation of the Holy Spirit. The result of His internal action is demonstrated in their outward conduct. The life of the Christian is hid with Christ in God, and God acknowledges those who are His, declaring, “Ye are My witnesses.” They testify that Divine power is influencing their hearts and shaping their conduct. Their works give evidence that the Spirit is moving upon the inward man; those who are associated with them are convinced that they are making Jesus Christ their pattern. PrT April 16, 1896, par. 6
Those who are in connection with God are channels for the power of the Holy Spirit. If one who daily communes with God errs from the path, if he turns a moment from looking steadfastly unto Jesus, it is not because he sins wilfully; for when he sees his mistake, he turns again and fastens his eyes upon Jesus, and the fact that he has erred does not make him less dear to the heart of God. He knows that he has communion with the Saviour, and when reproved for his mistake, in some matter of judgment, he does not walk sullenly, and complain of God; but turns the mistake into a victory. He learns a lesson from the words of the Master, and takes heed that he be not again deceived. Those who truly love God have internal evidence that they are beloved of God, that they have communion with Christ, that their hearts are warmed with fervent love toward Him. The truth for this time is believed with sound confidence. They can say with all assurance, “We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of His Majesty. . . . We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts.” PrT April 16, 1896, par. 7
The inner life of the soul will reveal itself in the outward conduct. Let the Word of God bear its testimony in behalf of the messenger whom God hath sent with a message in these last days to prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” The wisdom of so-called intellectual men cannot be relied upon, unless they have learned, and are daily learning, lessons in the school of Christ. Men in their supposed wisdom may plan and devise theories and systems of philosophy, but the Lord calls them vain and foolish. The Lord says, “The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” PrT April 16, 1896, par. 8
No one has been created in Christ Jesus for mere self-enjoyment. He who lives to himself is not a Christian; for self-denial and cross-bearing are the portion of every true follower of Christ. We have been bought with a price in order that we may render willing service to our Master. Every hour that we have failed to acknowledge Christ as our personal Saviour, we have robbed God; for Christ purchased us by the ransom of His own blood. The Christian cannot serve the world, or yield to the claims of any power, relation, or society that will make him deny Christ, dishonour God, and prove disloyal to His holy law. The Christian is to surrender himself unreservedly to God. As His purchased possession God claims him for Himself, and will impart to the believer special favours, enabling him to be complete in Christ—more than conqueror through Him that loved him. PrT April 16, 1896, par. 9
Mrs. E. G. White.