Christ the Way of Life
The
Experience
of
Righteousness by Faith
"Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and
saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye,
and believe the gospel." {RH, November 4, 1890 par. 1}
Repentance is associated with faith, and is urged in the gospel as essential to
salvation. Paul preached repentance. He said, "I kept back nothing that
was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and
from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks,
repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." There is
no salvation without repentance. No impenitent sinner can believe with his
heart unto righteousness. Repentance is described by Paul as a godly sorrow for
sin, that "worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of."
This repentance has in it nothing of the nature of merit, but it prepares the
heart for the acceptance of Christ as the only Saviour, the only hope of the
lost sinner. {RH, November 4,
1890 par. 2}
As the sinner looks to the law, his guilt is made plain to him, and pressed
home to his conscience, and he is condemned. His only comfort and hope is found
in looking to the cross of Calvary. As he ventures upon the promises, taking
God at his word, relief and peace come to his soul. He cries, "Lord, thou
hast promised to save all who come unto thee in the name of thy Son. I am a
lost, helpless, hopeless soul. Lord, save, or I perish." His faith lays hold
on Christ, and he is justified before God. {RH, November 4, 1890 par. 3}
But while God can be just, and yet justify the sinner through the merits of
Christ, no man can cover his soul with the garments of Christ's righteousness
while practicing known sins, or neglecting known duties. God requires the
entire surrender of the heart, before justification can take place; and in
order for man to retain justification, there must be continual obedience,
through active, living faith that works by love and purifies the soul. {RH, November 4, 1890
par. 4}
James writes of Abraham and says, "Was not Abraham our father justified by
works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith
wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the Scripture
was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him
for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God. Ye see then how that by
works a man is justified, and not by faith only." In order for man to be justified
by faith, faith must reach a point where it will control the affections and
impulses of the heart; and it is by obedience that faith itself is made
perfect. {RH, November 4,
1890 par. 5}
Without the grace of Christ, the sinner is in a hopeless condition; nothing can
be done for him; but through divine grace, supernatural power is imparted to
the man, and works in mind and heart and character. It is through the
impartation of the grace of Christ that sin is discerned in its hateful nature,
and finally driven from the soul temple. It is through grace that we are
brought into fellowship with Christ, to be associated with him in the work of
salvation. Faith is the condition upon which God has seen fit to promise pardon
to sinners; not that there is any virtue in faith whereby salvation is merited,
but because faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy provided for
sin. Faith can present Christ's perfect obedience instead of the sinner's
transgression and defection. When the sinner believes that Christ is his
personal Saviour, then, according to his unfailing promises, God pardons his
sin, and justifies him freely. The repentant soul realizes that his
justification comes because Christ, as his substitute and surety, has died for
him, is his atonement and righteousness. {RH, November 4, 1890 par. 6}
"Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now
to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his
faith is counted for righteousness." Righteousness is obedience to the
law. The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he
is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness
is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the
Lord places the obedience of his Son to the sinner's account. Christ's
righteousness is accepted in place of man's failure, and God receives, pardons,
justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were
righteous, and loves him as he loves his Son. This is how faith is accounted
righteousness; and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace, from light to
a greater light. He can say with rejoicing, "Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by his grace, we should
be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." {RH, November 4, 1890
par. 7}
Again: it is written, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Jesus declared, "Except a
man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." "Except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God." It is not a low standard that is placed before us; for we are to
become the children of God. We are to be saved as individuals; and in the day
of test and trial we shall be able to discern between him that serveth God and
him that serveth him not. We are saved as individual believers in the Lord
Jesus Christ. {RH, November 4,
1890 par. 8}
Many are losing the right way, in consequence of thinking that they must climb
to heaven, that they must do something to merit the favor of God. They seek to
make themselves better by their own unaided efforts. This they can never
accomplish. Christ has made the way by dying our sacrifice, by living our
example, by becoming our great high-priest. He declares, "I am the way,
the truth, and the life." If by any effort of our own we could advance one
step toward the ladder, the words of Christ would not be true. But when we
accept Christ, good works will appear as fruitful evidence that we are in the
way of life, that Christ is our way, and that we are treading the true path
that leads to heaven. {RH, November 4,
1890 par. 9}
Christ's last great struggle with the power of darkness should ever be kept
fresh in the minds of all who believe in him as the propitiation for the sins
of the world. God would have us study the lesson taught by the experience of
the children of Israel, when they were bitten by serpents. Those bitten were
directed to look at the brazen serpent which had been uplifted in the camp, and
those who looked in faith lived. Today we are standing in a position similar to
that of the children of Israel. As we look upon the world in its moral
defilement, we see the poisonous serpents abroad, ready to sting us to death.
To the cross of Calvary, bearing a dying Saviour, we must look. "As Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted
up." Only the Lamb of God can take away our sins. We should think more of
this than we do. Our eternal interests demand that we show faith in Christ. {RH, November
4, 1902 par. 1}
In the words spoken by Christ when he gave a representation of true humility by
washing the feet of his disciples, I would appeal to all who name the name of
Christ: "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." Do you
see the uplifted Saviour? Do you know that it was for your sins that he
suffered and died? Do you do his will? Knowing is only a part of our duty. Our
eternal interests demand that we do also. But to many who have had great light
the words of Paul are sorrowfully appropriate: "O foolish Galatians, who
hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus
Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" Though Christ
had been set forth among the Gentiles, they had not had a personal sight of the
divine Sufferer, enduring the weight of the sins of the world. {RH, November 4, 1902
par. 2}
Christ crucified is to be presented by those who preach the word. The last
scenes of his life, in which he achieved a victory for the world, are not to be
set forth in a tame, listless manner, but earnestly, and by those who feel
constrained to keep the memory of these mighty deeds from growing old. The past
should be made a living reality, as if being transacted before us. But this
cannot be done by human ability. Those who preach Christ must have the help of
God's Spirit. Christ is our advocate in the heavenly courts, and he presents in
our behalf the sacrifice he offered on Calvary. This we are to present to
others. In this way we are to perpetuate the memory of the crucifixion. When
this is done, heavenly instrumentalities work at the same time upon the hearts
of the hearers. A power independent of human effort is felt. The speaker does
not labor in his own unaided strength. He is endued with a power that is wholly
from above. As the words flow from his lips, the Holy Spirit co-operates with
him; and the hearers are impressed, as though Jesus were in reality before
them. {RH, November 4,
1902 par. 3}
Through the preaching of the word and the administration of the sacramental
service, Christ has been set forth among us. The Lord's supper was ordained by
Christ shortly before his death, and the ceremony of feet washing was
instituted just prior to the Lord's supper. As we celebrate these ordinances,
we are to remember that Christ is present, making the occasion one of great
interest. Thus it will be to all who have a true sense of the situation. We
should search our hearts, and confess the sins that we have cherished. If we
are guided by the Holy Spirit, our thoughts will not be thoughts of
self-exaltation, but of severe self-censure and humiliation. Selfishness, evil
speaking, and evil thinking will be put away. We shall remember Christ's
action, as he girded himself with a towel. While the dispute as to who should
be greatest was still fresh in the minds of the disciples, Christ humbled
himself, and washed their feet, wiping them with the towel wherewith he was
girded. {RH, November 4,
1902 par. 4}
After Christ had washed their feet, he said unto them, "Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and
ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your
feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an
example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto
you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater
than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do
them." {RH, November 4,
1902 par. 5}
During this ceremony, the Holy Spirit was impressing the hearts of the
disciples, sweeping away the selfishness that they had shown in their dealings
with one another. Not long before, some of them had been offended because their
brethren sought the highest place. All this now appeared so insignificant, the
mountain was reduced to such a molehill, that shame took the place of
disputing. "He that is greatest among you shall be your servant,"
declared Christ. He that doeth service will humble himself, and in so doing, he
will be placed where the Lord can safely honor him, because he has the Spirit of
Christ. {RH, November 4,
1902 par. 6}
The Object of the Passover and of the Lord's Supper
The Jews had been strictly enjoined to celebrate the Passover. This
had been instituted at the time of their deliverance from Egypt. Then the children
of Israel ate the Passover supper in haste, with their loins girded, and with
their staves in their hands, ready for their journey. The manner in which they
celebrated this ordinance harmonized with their condition; for they had been
thrust out of the land of Egypt, and were about to begin a painful and
difficult journey through the wilderness. But in Christ's time this position
had been changed. In harmony with the rest that had been given them, the people
partook of the Passover supper in a reclining position. By God's direction,
wine was drunk; but this was not fermented wine; it was the pure juice of the
grape. {RH, November
4, 1902 par. 7}
The Passover was ordained as a commemoration of the deliverance of the children
of Israel from Egyptian bondage. God had directed that when their children
asked the meaning of this ordinance, the history was to be repeated, that the
wonderful deliverance from bondage might be kept fresh in the minds of all. The
ordinance of the Lord's supper was given to the disciples to be celebrated till
Christ should come the second time, with power and great glory. It is the means
by which he designs that the great deliverance wrought out for us as the result
of his sacrifice shall be kept fresh in our minds. {RH, November 4, 1902
par. 8}
When the ordinances are celebrated as the Lord has commanded, messengers from
the throne of God are present, listening to the words of confession and
forgiveness. The Holy Spirit quickens the sensibilities of those who thus obey Christ,
and turns their thoughts into spiritual channels. As the disciples of Christ,
they seem to be passing through the garden consecrated by the agony of him who
bore the sins of the world. They witness the struggle by which our
reconciliation with God was obtained. {RH, November 4, 1902 par. 9}
Reconciliation one with another is the work for which the ordinance of feet
washing was instituted. By the example of our Lord and Master, this humiliating
ceremony has been made a sacred ordinance. Whenever it is celebrated, Christ is
present by his Holy Spirit. It is this Spirit that brings conviction to hearts.
As Christ celebrated this ordinance with his disciples, conviction came to the
hearts of all save Judas. So we shall be convicted as Christ speaks to our
hearts. The fountains of the soul will be broken up. The mind will be
energized, and, springing into activity and life, will break down every barrier
that has caused disunion and alienation. Sins that have been committed will
appear with more distinctness than ever before; for the Holy Spirit will bring
them to our remembrance. The words of Christ, "If ye know these things,
happy are ye if ye do them," will be clothed with new power. {RH, November
4, 1902 par. 10}
"Verily, verily, I say unto you," Christ said to his disciples,
"He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth
me receiveth him that sent me. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in
spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you
shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he
spake. . . . He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it.
And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou
doest, do quickly. . . . He then having received the sop went immediately out:
and it was night." {RH, November 4,
1902 par. 11}
After Judas went out to do the mission of Satan in the streets of Jerusalem, he
was no longer favored by God, but abandoned. He found the council of Christ's
enemies, and completed the work he had begun. After he had gone, Christ's
countenance assumed a more cheerful aspect. The presence of the traitor had
placed him under a painful restraint. His last interview with his disciples was
sacred; but while Judas was there, he could not express his feelings. His
utterances revealed this restraint. "Ye are not all clean," he said.
"I speak not of you all." Now the restraint was removed. "Now is
the Son of man glorified," Jesus said, "and God is glorified in him.
If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall
straightway glorify him." Christ's face seemed radiant, so clearly was
divinity seen. He spoke to his disciples with the tenderest
affection. He wasted no words over the traitor's departure; he did not speak of
the dreadful ordeal through which he must pass. He must endure his suffering
alone. He seemed like an irrepressible, living spring of water. {RH, November 4, 1902
par. 12}
The disciples looked upon Christ with admiration and love. Divinity was seen in
humanity. He was transfigured, and exalted above everything earthly. He was
about to be separated from his disciples in a way that they did not expect. But
they caught the bright beams reflected from him, and lost all thought of
contention or desire to be first. Every word Christ uttered impressed them with
a sense of their co-partnership with him. {RH, November 4, 1902 par. 13}
It was at this time that Christ gave his disciples the precious instruction
found in the fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of
John. He knew that they must have special instruction; for unless divine power
were combined with human effort, their future work would prove a failure. He
was about to be separated from them. They would no longer have him as their
visible counselor, to take the responsibility in all matters. They must be
instructed; for were they to leave the divine agency
out of their efforts, they would not accomplish the work he had appointed them
to do. In all their ministry, upon which they should enter to bless humanity,
they must build upon a divine Christ. {RH, November 4, 1902 par. 14}
Today a great work is to be done. The Holy Spirit is to work through human
agencies. A partnership between God and the workers must be maintained. Man
works because God works in him; all the efficiency and power is of God. Yet God
has so arranged that all the responsibility rests with the human instrument.
These are the appointed conditions of partnership. Men are required to move
among men, doing a divine work. God designs that they shall have power from on
high, but if they fail to seek for this power, if they neglect to improve the
facilities which God has provided whereby they may reach the highest standard,
they fail to uplift fallen humanity. {RH, November 4, 1902 par. 15}