The Bible Echo
November 12, 1894
Christ's Mission of Love
[A discourse given
on the camp ground at Ashfield, N. S. W.,
October 21, 1894.]
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:1, 2. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 1
To see Christ as He is, is one of the greatest blessings that can ever come to fallen humanity; and to know Him is to know the Father also. But how few today know the precious Saviour as He is! How few know Him and the Father! Many acknowledge Jesus as the world's Redeemer, but they know Him not as a personal Saviour; this is essential,—the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ. “Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.” “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” The knowledge of God is eternal life, and this knowledge is received only through Christ. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 2
“Every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself.” What hope?—Of seeing Jesus as He is, the living faith that lays hold of the arm of the infinite God, the faith that takes Christ as our personal Saviour. A casual view of Christ will not save one soul. Do you know Him by the vital connection of faith? He came to our world in order that, by taking human nature upon Himself, He might bring man into close connection with the living God. No angel could do this work; had an angel come from glory, who could have endured the light of his presence? After Christ was crucified, and laid in Joseph's new tomb, a great stone was rolled before the opening of that tomb, and a seal was put upon it, so that no man could steal away His body, and say that He had risen. But lo, a mighty angel from the heavenly courts is commissioned to roll away the stone. Clothed with the panoply of heaven, he parts the darkness from his track, and as the light rests upon the Roman guards, they fall as dead men to the earth. They cannot endure the light of his glory. Had Christ come with even the glory of the heavenly angels, His presence would have extinguished humanity. Fallen men could not have endured His glory. But He laid aside the royal crown and the royal robe; He clothed His divinity with humanity, that humanity might touch humanity. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 3
There was a wondrous work for Him to perform when He came to our earth. Satan seemed to be having things his own way. He claimed the earth as his, and styled himself the prince of this world. Christ came to dispute his claim, and to rescue the human race from his oppressive power. He came to break every yoke, to let the oppressed go free, to heal the wounds that sin had made. This was the work of the only begotten of the Father. Humanity was possessed with the power of demons; and Christ came to break the chains of sin. He came to demonstrate before angels and men, that through divine power, united with human effort, man could keep all the commandments of God. He could be complete in Christ. The battlefield was right here. In this little world, the conflict went on between the Prince of life and the prince of the powers of darkness. Which should triumph? All the heavenly intelligences were looking upon Christ, and taking cognisance of the battle. Christ was disputing the authority of Satan, and Satan was following Him at every step, bent upon overthrowing Him with temptations, determined to weary out and exhaust the love and forbearance of Christ toward the human family, that he himself might be able to ruin every one of them, and thus triumph over God. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 4
When Christ came, John, the forerunner, proclaimed Him just as He is. Pointing to Jesus, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” That is His work. Will you let Him take away your sins, or will you cling to them as a precious acquisition? Sin is the transgression of the law. Will you transgress the commandments of God? Will you trample them under foot, and publish, as Satan has done, that God has no law? He has a law to govern the heavenly intelligences; and He has a law to govern this kingdom upon the earth which Christ came to wrest from the hands of the usurper. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 5
When John prepared the way for the Messiah, his voice was lifted up in the wilderness. Why did he not go to men in the cities where they were?—For the very reason that it was next to impossible to arrest the attention of people who were all absorbed in the delusive enchantments of this world. He calls them away from the feverish excitement of the world, and brings them into the wilderness, where they can behold God in nature. There the God of nature imbued John with His Holy Spirit to give them the warning that was to prepare the way for the Messiah, to bear the message of mercy to our world, “Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 6
Christ was baptised by John in Jordan, and as He came up out of the water after His baptism, the heavens were opened, and the glory of God, symbolized by a dove of burnished gold, encircled Him, and from the highest heaven were heard the words, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This was an assurance to John that Christ was the Son of God. And what do these words say to us, to every member of the human family, whatever our country or position? To every one of us they are words of hope and mercy. Through faith in the provision God has made in the behalf of man, you are accepted in the Beloved,—accepted through the merits of Jesus. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 7
Many who read this account fail to comprehend its significance. It means that in behalf of humanity the prayer of Christ cleaved its way through the hellish shadow of Satan, and reached to the very sanctuary, the very throne of God. That prayer was for us; the answer was for us, it testifies that you are accepted in the Beloved. That very prayer that entered heaven, bears upward your prayers, my prayers, and the prayers of every soul that comes to God with a hungering and thirsting after righteousness. The merit of Jesus, His righteousness, gives fragrance to our prayers as holy incense that ascends to God. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 8
This is the very work that has been going on in our world since the gospel was first proclaimed in Eden. “The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head.” The weakest child of God, the most oppressed, may find in Jesus hope, mercy, and love without a parallel. Faith in Christ brings to us infinite power. We may lay hold upon the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Therefore not one soul needs to faint, not a soul needs to be discouraged. Whatever may be your weakness, however you may be compassed with infirmities, there is hope for you in God. Our precious Saviour came to save to the uttermost every soul that will come unto Him. He descended to the very depths of human woe; for our sake He became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich; rich in earthly treasure?—No. He made the world, it is His, and He placed it in its proper position as subordinate. God and eternity are to be exalted as supreme. To those whose minds are engrossed with earthly things, He lifts the voice of warning, He presents eternity to our view. He opens before you heaven, the threshold brightened with His glory, and the glory streaming through the open door. Thank God, the door is ajar. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 9
Mothers who have the care of children, train them for Jesus. The gates are ajar, and every mother's prayer, every mother's tears, every mother's entreaty for her children, is marked in heaven. The children and youth are the younger members of the Lord's family. The work resting upon mothers is to fashion these children after the similitude of the divine pattern,—to place the impress of God upon the character. Instead of taking these children to the horse race, the theatre, or the dance hall, give them to Him who gave His life that He might bring them to the heavenly courts, and crown them with glory, honour, and immortality. I entreat you, as parents, do not neglect the solemn responsibility that is resting upon you. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 10
Why is it that iniquity has reached such a height in our world, and that children and youth are so generally irreligious?—It is because fathers and mothers have thought more of reaching the standard of the world than God's great standard of righteousness. Will it pay? “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” You cannot afford to sin. “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” There is something for us to do to prepare for the future, immortal life. We are to do His commandments, just as He has given them in His word. BEcho November 12, 1894, par. 11
(Concluded next week.)