The
Uplifted Saviour
“. . . he came in humility,
showing that it is not riches, or position, or authority that the God of
heaven respects, but that he honors a humble, contrite heart, made noble by the power of the grace of Christ.” {RH, September 29, 1896
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September
29, 1896 The Uplifted Saviour.
By Mrs. E. G. White.
"And 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." Christ, the spotless Son of God, honored humanity by
taking upon himself fallen human nature. A suffering, tempted man, beset by Satan's
devices, his divinity clothed with humanity, he so lived on this earth as to
show, by his perfect obedience to his Father's will, what humanity could become
by partaking of the divine nature. {RH, September 29, 1896 par. 1}
In
humility Christ began his mighty work for the uplifting of the fallen race.
Passing by the cities and the renowned seats of learning, he made his home in
the humble and obscure village of Nazareth. In this place, from which it was
commonly supposed that no good could come, the world's Redeemer passed the
greater part of his life, working at his trade as a carpenter. His home was
among the poor; his family was not distinguished by learning, riches, or
position. In the path which the poor, the neglected, the sorrowing, must tread,
he walked while on earth, taking upon him all the woes which the afflicted must
bear. {RH, September 29, 1896 par. 2}
It
was the proud boast of the Jews that the Messiah was to come as a king,
conquering his enemies, and treading down the heathen in his wrath. But it was
not the mission of Christ to exalt man by ministering to his pride. He, the
humble Nazarene, might have poured contempt upon the world's pride, for he was
commander in the heavenly courts; but he came in humility, showing that it is
not riches, or position, or authority that the God of heaven respects, but that
he honors a humble, contrite heart, made noble by the power of the grace of Christ. {RH, September 29, 1896 par. 3}
Note by Ron: Notice the words by the POWER OF
THE GRACE OF CHRIST. In Romans 1:5 is says grace (power) is given for
obedience. So the grace of Christ includes His power; the power of His Divine
Nature to indwell our souls and regenerate us back into the image of God. Mainline
Christianity interpret grace as only pardon. They thus omit the power of the
gospel to renew and regenerate man. End note.
Christ closed his life of toil and denial in our behalf by a crowning
sacrifice for us. That the penalty of our transgressions might not fall upon
our heads, that we might be saved from ruin and degradation, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. As the
serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, even so the Son of Man was lifted up
on the cross, that by beholding him, we might be uplifted, elevated, and
ennobled. {RH, September 29, 1896 par. 4}
If
there is anything in our world that should inspire enthusiasm, it is the cross
of Calvary. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God." Christ, made unto us
"wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,"
should be humbly and thankfully received by us. His sacrifice should inspire us
with zeal to work in his service, calling upon others to behold in him
"the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." {RH,
September 29, 1896par. 5}
Christ's gracious presence is ever
speaking to us in his word, pointing us to the
One slain from the foundation of the world. To each one who will receive him he is the
hope of glory. Looking to him, we reflect his image to all around us. He is the
source of spiritual power, and if he abides in our hearts, the divine influence
will flow forth in our words and actions to all within the sphere of our
influence, begetting in them desires and aspirations for strength and purity,
for holiness and peace, for a joy that brings no sorrow with it. {RH, September
29, 1896 par. 6}
Christ is a living Saviour. Today he sits at the right hand of God as
our advocate, making intercession for us; and he calls upon us to look unto him
and be saved. But it has ever been the tempter's determined purpose to eclipse
Jesus from the view, that men may be led to lean upon the arm of humanity for
help and strength; and he has so well accomplished his purpose that men,
turning their eyes from Jesus, in whom all hope of eternal life is centered,
look to their fellow men for aid and guidance. {RH, September 29, 1896par. 7}
God
saw the danger into which humanity would fall by making flesh its arm, and
through his servants he has given directions and warnings. Christ is uplifted
in the pages of the Bible, that all may see that in him alone there is
"everlasting strength;" and unless the sinner makes it his life-work
to behold the Saviour, and by faith accepts the merits which it is his
privilege to claim, he can no more be saved than Peter could walk upon the
water unless he kept his eyes fixed steadily upon Jesus. "He that cometh
from above is above all. He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of
the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and
heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his
testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is
true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of
God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the
Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him." {RH, September 29, 1896 par. 8}
As
the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness by Moses, that all who had been
bitten by the fiery serpents might look and live, so must the Son of Man be
lifted up before the world by his servants. Christ and him crucified, is the
message God would have his servants sound through the length and breadth of the
world. The law and the gospel will then be presented
as a perfect whole. Those who accept the salvation so freely offered, have more than
a nominal faith, a theory of truth; they believe to a purpose, appropriating to
themselves the richest gifts of God's love. With assurance they can say,
"Of his fulness have all we received, and grace
for grace." "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ." {RH, September 29, 1896 par. 9}
"He that loveth not knoweth not God;
for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that
God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son
to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also
to love one another. . . . If we love one
another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us . . . . And we have
known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that
dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." It is the perpetual
life of all believers to love God supremely; and thus loving God, they will
love others as themselves. Life and hope will spring up in the hearts of those
who thus receive the message of Christ's love. The bright rays of the Sun of
Righteousness will fill them with joy and gladness. Looking upon their great
antitype, they can say, "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen
again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us." {RH, September 29, 1896 par. 10}
All
power is given into the hands of Christ, in order that he may dispense rich
blessings to men, and impart to
them the priceless gifts of his own righteousness. But many,
blinded by sin, have lost sight of Christ, and are groping in the dark shadows
of discouragement. Go to them with a heart filled with love and tenderness, and
tell them of the uplifted Saviour, who is the sacrifice for the whole world;
invite them to receive the righteousness of Christ, to claim justification
through faith in the divine surety; direct them to the all sufficient atonement
made for their sins, to Christ's merits, and his changeless love for the human
family. {RH, September 29, 1896 par. 11}
As
the high priest sprinkled the warm blood upon the mercy-seat while the fragrant
cloud of incense ascended before God, so, while we confess our sins and plead
the efficacy of Christ's atoning blood, our prayers are to ascend to heaven,
fragrant with the merits of our Saviour's character. Notwithstanding our
unworthiness, we are to remember that there is One who can take away sin, and
who is willing and anxious to save the sinner. With his own blood he paid the
penalty for all wrong-doers. Every sin acknowledged before God with a contrite
heart, he will remove. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling
the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the
blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to
God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"