The Bible Echo
April 9, 1894
Principle Never to be Sacrificed for Peace
In one of His confidential talks with His disciples, a short time before His crucifixion, Jesus bequeathed to His followers His legacy of peace. He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” The peace that Christ bequeathed to His disciples, and for which we pray, is the peace that is born of truth, and which cannot be banished by divisions caused by the truth. Without may be wars and fightings, jealousies, envies, hatred, strife; but these do not affect the peace of Christ, for it is that which the world neither gives nor takes away. His peace was that which was born of love for those who were plotting His death. But peace cannot be gained by a compromise of principle, and Christ did not for an instant seek to purchase it by a betrayal of sacred trusts. His heart was overflowing with love to every human being He had made; but this deep love did not lead Him to cry, “Peace and safety,” when there was no safety for the sinner. Christ understood the strength of Satan's temptations; for though sinless, He was tempted in all points like as we are. But He never lessened the guilt of sin. He was the Saviour, the Redeemer of the world, and came to save His people from their sins. BEcho April 9, 1894, par. 1
The love of Christ should have been discerned by those He came to save, in as much as He became poor that we through His poverty might be made rich. Jesus came to the world with an embassage of mercy. He was sent by the Father, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved, and to all that believe in Him He gave power to become the sons of God. In the rich loveliness of His character, zeal for God was always apparent. His righteousness went before Him, and the glory of the Lord was His rearward. BEcho April 9, 1894, par. 2
Christ hated one thing only, and that was sin. But although He represented in His spotless character the character of His Father, yet the world hated and refused Him. The human heart loves sin and hates righteousness, and this was the cause of the hostility of the world to Jesus. The atmosphere that surrounded His soul was so pure, so elevated, that it placed the hypocritical rabbis, priests, and rulers in their true position, and revealed them in their real character as claiming sanctity, while misrepresenting God and His truth. If Christ had given license to men to exercise their evil passions, they would have hailed this great miracle-worker with shouts of applause; but when He reproved sin, made open war upon selfishness, oppression, hypocrisy, pride, covetousness, and lust, they hunted Him down as a malefactor. He endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself until at last they cried out, Away with this fellow, and give us Barabbas. BEcho April 9, 1894, par. 3
Jesus could have been at peace with the world only as He left the transgressors of the law unreproved, unrebuked. And He has said, “The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.” The followers of Christ must often proclaim a message that is in direct opposition to the people's sins, prejudices, and customs; they are called upon to “reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.” Those who faithfully carry out this commission will be charged by the world with being the disturbers of its peace; they will be accused of stirring up strife and creating divisions. But they will only be bearing the reproach that fell on Christ, who denounced unrighteousness, and whose very presence was a rebuke to sin. BEcho April 9, 1894, par. 4
It is impossible for any one to become a true follower of Jesus without distinguishing himself from the worldly mass of unbelievers. If the world would accept of Jesus, then there would be no sword of dissension; for all would be disciples of Christ, and so in fellowship one with another, and their unity would be unbroken. But this is not the case. Here and there an individual is true to the convictions of his conscience, and he is often compelled to stand alone in the family or in the church to which he belongs, and perhaps finally, because of the course of those with whom he associates, to separate himself from their companionship. The line of demarkation is made distinct. One stands upon the word of God; the others upon the traditions and sayings of men. BEcho April 9, 1894, par. 5
There will never be any true unity existing between those who stand under the banner of the arch-deceiver, and those who stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. The followers of Christ may follow the things that make for peace; they may earnestly desire to overcome the spirit of discord with the spirit of kindness and love; but the enemy will stir up his agents to bring about strife and division. It is a grave mistake on the part of those who are children of God to seek to bridge the gulf that separates them from the children of darkness by yielding principle, by compromising the truth. It is surrendering the peace of Christ to make peace with the world, to fraternize with the world. The sacrifice is too costly to be made, to have peace with the world by giving up the principles of truth. BEcho April 9, 1894, par. 6
Those who have the mind of Christ will let the light shine forth to the world in good works, but that light will bring about a division. Shall the light therefore be hid under a bed or under a bushel, because it will mark a distinction between the followers of Christ and the world? It must be made apparent that the believers in the truth are antagonistic to the serpent and to his seed. It was the purity of the character of Christ that stirred up the enmity of a profligate world. His spotless righteousness was a continual rebuke to their sin and uncleanness; but no principle of truth was compromised by Christ to win the favour of the world. Then let the followers of Christ settle it in their minds that they will never compromise truth, never yield one iota of principle for the favour of the world. Let them hold to the peace of Christ. BEcho April 9, 1894, par. 7