The Signs of the Times
March 10, 1890
Look and Live
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ST March 10, 1890, par. 1
When the children of Israel were passing through the wilderness toward Canaan, they brought upon themselves the judgments of God by murmuring and complaining. They were bitten by fiery, poisonous serpents of the wilderness, and were smitten with death. A messenger came through the camp, with the news that a remedy had been provided. By the direction of Christ a brazen serpent had been lifted up, and those who would but look upon it would be healed. When this messenger [message] was announced, some of the sick and dying did not accept it. Here and there throughout the camp were heard the words, “It is impossible for me to be healed, because I am in such a dreadful condition. Those who are not in so bad a state as I am, may, perhaps, look and live.” Others thought they had a remedy of their own that could cure the poisonous bite of the serpent; but only those who accepted the message and looked to the brazen serpent were healed. This serpent represented Christ. He says, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.” ST March 10, 1890, par. 2
Man is poisoned by sin; but a remedy has been provided for the fallen race in the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Every hope that we have of salvation out of Christ is a vain hope. We cannot dishonor our Saviour more than by doubting that he will save us. Whatever may have been our life of transgression, however deep may be the stain of our sin, there is One who is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him. Jesus is the remedy for sin. We may have intellect, but human intelligence can devise no way of salvation; we may have earthly possessions, but that will not provide a ransom for the sin of our soul. Salvation is the gift of God through Christ, and the promise is, “Whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” ST March 10, 1890, par. 3
It is not enough to have a nominal faith. We must have faith that will appropriate the life-giving power to our souls. We suffer great loss because we do not exercise simple, living faith in Christ. We should be able to say, “He is my Saviour; he died for me; I look to him as my complete Saviour and live.” We are to look to Christ day by day. We are to regard him as our example in all things. This is faith. The true believer in Christ is represented by a branch connected with a living vine. The sap and nourishment of the vine extends through every vein and fiber of the branch, and thus the branch becomes knit with the life of the vine, and bears precious fruit. Every soul that abides in Christ will do the works of Christ. Those who love God will keep his commandments; for Christ has said, “I have kept my Father's commandments.” Jesus made an infinite sacrifice in leaving his majesty, to come to a fallen world, that he might lift up sinful man; and everyone that is connected with Christ, as the branch is united with the vine, will manifest the spirit of his Redeemer. ST March 10, 1890, par. 4
We honor our Lord and Master when we place implicit confidence in him. If we distrust the message that he has sent us, we shall be in a position similar to that of the Israelites who were bitten by the fiery serpents, but who would not look and live. If we accept the message of love that has come to us in invitations, exhortation, and reproof, it will prove life and healing to our souls. ST March 10, 1890, par. 5
We should not be satisfied with anything less than a close connection with Christ. Freedom and salvation are offered to us, and we should grasp the precious promises of God by living faith. But if we only partially believe, if we do not show in our experience the power of living faith that works by love and purifies the soul, we shall fail to meet the expectation of our Lord and Master. Jesus says, “Without me, ye can do nothing,” but if he abides in us and we in him, we can do all things through the power of his might. We should trust him as a child trusts his earthly parents. We should feel such love toward him that we cannot betray his confidence in us, or distrust him under any circumstances. We should have a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. We should be like the afflicted woman who pressed her way through the throng to touch the hem of Christ's garment. She gave no casual touch; it was the touch of faith; for virtue went out from Christ and healed her. Although the throng were pressing and crowding about the Saviour, he recognized the touch of faith. He turned and asked, “Who touched me?” His disciples looked up in wonder and replied: “Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me; for I perceive that virtue has gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” ST March 10, 1890, par. 6
Neither learning, oratory, nor wealth can bring men into favor with God; but simple, trusting faith will bring his blessing. We are to take God at his word. The experience that comes through living faith is the experience that God wants every one of us to have. We should reach out the hand of faith, and grasp the arm of infinite power. The simplest prayer that is put up in faith is acceptable to heaven. The humblest soul that looks up to Christ in faith is connected with the God of the universe. We may walk in the light as Christ is in the light. We are to look into the great mirror of God's law and see if our characters are condemned therein. If condemnation is resting upon us, we need not despair, for he has provided a way whereby we may not perish, but have pardon and life. The promise is given that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I am glad every day I live that this precious promise has been recorded for us. We may be filled with rejoicing that we have a living Saviour who is mighty to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him. Jesus desires you to ask much that you may receive much, and we need him with us at every step as we advance. When we see that there are defects in our characters, we must be zealous and repent and reform; for if we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Scripture declares that God will not hear us. Christ has given us an invitation full of mercy. He says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” There is nothing worse than a scarlet sin except the sin that can have no forgiveness in this life or in the life to come. ST March 10, 1890, par. 7
When I see my Saviour so full of mercy toward us, it seems to me that every heart ought to be melted into tenderness and gratitude toward God. Sin should be hated because it grieves our very best Friend; we should desire to know the truth even though it require a sacrifice, and no one who has stood in defense of truth has done so without sacrifice. Those who have living faith in Christ will pass through difficulties as did Paul. They will say with him: “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Paul measured the difficulties of the present with the glory of the eternal. And the glory to come so far overbalanced the suffering of the present, that he said it was not worthy to be compared with it. We must keep our eyes fixed upon the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus, and as we do this, we shall receive comfort, and peace, and joy. ST March 10, 1890, par. 8
(Concluded next week.)