Overcome
as Christ Overcame
Overcome As Christ Overcame
The Signs of the Times-April 17, 1893
"Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part
of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil; and deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him
the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made
like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in
things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to
succor them that are tempted."
The world's Redeemer passed over the ground where
Adam fell because of his disobedience to the law of Jehovah. The only-begotten
Son of God came to our world as a man, to reveal to the world the fact that men through divine power could keep the law of God. Satan, the fallen angel, had declared that no man
could keep God's law, and he pointed to the disobedience of Adam as proving the
declaration true. But the Son of God placed
himself in man's stead, and passed over the ground where Adam fell, and endured
temptation stronger than ever was or ever will be brought to bear upon the
human race. Jesus resisted the temptations of Satan in the same
manner in which every tempted soul may resist the evil one. He referred the tempter to the inspired record and said, "It is
written." Christ overcame the temptations as a man, by relying solely upon
the word of God; and every man may overcome as Christ overcame.
Note by Ron: All who now say that it is impossible
to keep the law of God, are agents of Satan, repeating his sentiments. This is
of high offense to the highest good, crowing gift that heaven can bestow, the
gift of the Divine Nature Holy Spirit of Christ, designed to cure sin and
regenerate man back into the image of God. End note.
We need not place the obedience of Christ by itself
as something for which he was particularly adapted, because of his divine
nature; for he stood before God as man's representative, and was tempted as
man's substitute and surety. If Christ had a special power which it is not the privilege of a man to
have, Satan would have made capital of this matter. But the work of Christ was to take from Satan his control of man, and
he could do this only in a straightforward way. He came as a man, to be tempted as a man, rendering
the obedience of a man. Christ
rendered obedience to God, and overcame as humanity overcome[s]. We are led to
make wrong conclusions because of erroneous views of the nature of our Lord. To attribute to his nature a power that it is not possible for man to
have in his conflicts with Satan, is to destroy the completeness of his
humanity. The obedience of Christ to his Father was the same obedience that is
required of man. Man cannot overcome Satan's temptations except as divine power
works through humanity. The Lord
Jesus came to our world, not to reveal what God in his own divine person could
do, but what he could do through humanity. Through faith man is to be a partaker of the divine
nature, and to overcome every temptation wherewith he is beset. It was the Majesty of heaven who became a man, who humbled himself to
our human nature; it was he who was tempted in the wilderness and who endured
the contradiction of sinners against himself.
We are not to serve God as if we were not human, but we are to serve him
as those who have been redeemed by the Son of God and through the righteousness of Christ we shall
stand before God pardoned, and as though we had never sinned. We shall never gain strength in considering what we might do if we were
angels; but as obedient children we are to turn in faith to
Jesus Christ, and show our love to God through obedience to his commands. Jesus "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin." Jesus says, "Follow me." "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Jesus leads the way. Do not wait and continue in disobedience, hoping
circumstances may change, making it easier for you to obey. Go forward, for you
know the will of God. "To him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."
The Garden of Eden, with its foul blot of disobedience, should be
carefully compared with the Garden of Gethsemane, where the world's Redeemer
suffered superhuman agony when the sins of the whole world were rolled upon
him. Listen to the prayer of the only-begotten Son of God, "O my Father,
if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but
as thou wilt." And the second time he prayed, saying, "O my Father,
if this cup may not pass from me, except I drink it, thy
will be done." And the third time he prayed, saying the same words. Oh, it
was here the mysterious cup trembled in the hands of the Son of God! Shall he
wipe the bloody sweat from his agonized countenance and let man go? The wail,
wretchedness, and ruin of a lost world roll up before him. "And being in
an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of
blood falling down to the ground." "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening
him."
The conflict is ended. Jesus consents to endure the curse of sin. He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Here we see what was involved in Adam's disobedience, and what the
obedience of the Son of God means to us. Adam did not consider what would be
the consequences of disobedience. He did not set his mind in defiance against
God, nor did he in any way speak against God; he simply went directly contrary to his express command. And how many today are doing the very same thing, and their guilt is of much greater magnitude, because they have the
example of Adam's experience in disobedience and its terrible results to warn
them of the consequences of transgressing the law of God. So they have clear light upon this subject, and no excuse for their
guilt in denying and disobeying God's authority. Adam did not stop to reckon
what would be the result of his disobedience.
With the after sight we are privileged to have in this age, we can see
what it means to disobey God's commandments. Adam yielded to temptation, and we
have sin and its consequences laid distinctly before
us. Reasoning from cause to effect, we see it is not
the greatness of the act of disobedience which constitutes sin, but the fact of
variance from God's expressed will in the least particular, for this is a
virtual denial of God, a rebellion against the laws of his government. The happiness of man is found in obedience to the laws of God. In
obedience to God's law he is surrounded as with a hedge and kept from the evil. No man can depart from God's specified requirements, and set up a
standard of his own which he decides he can safely follow, and still find peace and joy. Were each one left to follow his own
way, there would be a variety of standards to suit different minds, and the
government would be taken out of the Lord's hands, and man would grasp the
reins. The law of self would be erected. The will of man would be made supreme;
and the high and holy will of God would be dishonored, disrespected. To what
extent man would choose to follow the promptings of his selfish heart it is
impossible to tell. But whenever man chooses his own way, there is controversy
between the man and God.
Since the
fall of our first parents, obedience has not been deemed an absolute necessity. Men have followed the imagination of their own hearts, which the Lord
has said is "evil, and that continually." The Lord Jesus declares,
"I have kept my Father's commandments." How? as
a man? "Lo I come to do thy will, O God." To the accusations of the
Jews he stood forth in his pure, virtuous, holy character, and challenged them
to point out a defect in his life. He said, "Who of you convinceth me of
sin?" The world's Redeemer came not only to be a
sacrifice for sin, but to be an example to man in all things. He was a teacher, such an educator as the world never saw or heard
before. He spake as one having authority, and yet he invites the confidence of
all. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden
is light."
The only-begotten Son of the infinite God has, by his words and in his
practical example, left us a plain pattern which we are to copy. By his words
he has educated us to obey God, and by his own practice he has showed us how we
can obey God. This is the very work he wants every man to do, to obey God
intelligently, and by precept and example teach others what they must do in
order to be obedient children of God. Jesus has helped the whole world to an
intelligent knowledge of his divine mission and work. He came to represent the
character of the Father to our world; and as we study the life, the words, and
works of Christ, we are helped in every way in the education of obedience to
God; and as we copy the example he has given us, we are living epistles known
and read of all men. We are the living human agencies to represent to the world the character
of Christ. Not only did Christ show us how we may become
obedient children, but he showed us in his own life and character just how to
do those things which are right and acceptable with God, so there is no reason
why we should not do those things which are pleasing in his sight.
We are ever to be thankful that Jesus has proved to us by actual life
that man can keep the commandments of God, contradicting Satan's falsehood that
man cannot keep them. The great Teacher came to our world to stand at the head
of humanity, to thus elevate and sanctify humanity by his holy obedience to all
the requirements of God, showing it is possible to obey all the commandments of
God. He has demonstrated that a lifelong obedience is
possible. Thus he gives men to the world, as the Father gave
the Son, to exemplify in their life the life of Christ.
Christ redeemed Adam's disgraceful failure and
fall, and was conqueror, thus testifying to all the unfallen worlds and to
fallen humanity that through the divine power granted to him of heaven man can keep the
commandments of God. Jesus, the
Son of God, humbled himself for us, endured temptation for us, overcame in our
behalf, to show us how we may overcome; by the closest ties he bound up his
interest with humanity, and gave
positive assurance that we shall not be tempted above that we are able; for
with the temptation he will make a way of escape.
The Holy Spirit was promised to be with those who were wrestling for victory, demonstrating the
power of might by endowing the human agent with supernatural strength, and instructing the ignorant in the
mysteries of the kingdom of God. The Holy
Spirit is to be our helper. Of what
avail would it have been to us that the only-begotten Son of God had humbled
himself, endured the temptations of the wily foe, and wrestled with him during
his entire life on earth, and died, the just for the unjust, that humanity
night not perish, if the Spirit had not been given as a constant working, regenerating
agent to make effectual in our cases what had been wrought by the world's
Redeemer?
The Holy Spirit implanted in the disciples, enabled them to stand firmly
against idolatry, and to exalt the Lord alone. The Holy Spirit guided the pens
of the sacred historians that the record of the precious words and works of
Christ might be presented to the world. The Holy Spirit is constantly at work seeking to draw the attention of
men to the great sacrifice made upon the cross of Calvary, to unfold to the
world the love of God to man, and to open to the convicted soul the precious
promises in the Scriptures. It is the Holy Spirit that brings to the darkened
minds the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. It is the Holy Spirit that
makes men's hearts burn within them with an awakened intelligence of the truths
of eternity. It is the Holy Spirit that presents before the mind the moral
standard of righteousness and convinces of sin. It is the Holy Spirit that produces
godly sorrow which worketh repentance that needeth
not to be repented of, and inspires faith in Him who alone can save from all
sin. It is the Holy Spirit that works to transform character by withdrawing the
affections of men from those things which are temporal and perishable, and
fixing them upon the immortal inheritance, the eternal substance which is
imperishable. The Holy Spirit recreates, refines, and sanctifies the human agents, that they may become members of the royal family,
children of the Heavenly King.
Jesus says: "Follow me." "He that followeth
me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Consider
it not a hard duty. The commandments of God are
his expressed character flowing out of a heart of love in thoughtful
plans that man may be preserved from every evil. They are not to exercise an arbitrary authority over man, but the Lord
would have men act as his obedient children, members of his own family. Obedience is the outgrowth and fruit of oneness with Christ and the Father. "By this we know that we
love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his
commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
When we unmistakably hear his voice and obey, every murmuring thought will be repressed; and we will leave all
consequences with Him who gave the commandment. If, as we see the footprints of
Jesus, we step in them and follow him, we shall have love and power.
The question is often asked, "What difference does it make which
day we keep for the Sabbath?" But it does make a difference; for the same
principle is involved as was involved in Adam's case. He was put to the same
test. For he was to prove by obedience his loyalty to God or
by disobedience to forfeit the right to the tree of life. Satan
presented this same specious question. What difference does it make whether you
eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or of any other tree of the
garden? Adam's sin consisted in doing the thing the Lord had forbidden him to
do, and this opened the flood gates of woe on our world. We should carefully meditate upon the life of Christ, and desire to
understand the reason why he came at all. We should search the Scriptures as
Christ has enjoined upon us to do, that we may know those things that are
testified of him. By searching we may find the virtues of obedience in contrast
with the sinfulness of disobedience. "As by one man's disobedience many
were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."
The Lord Jesus has bridged the gulf that sin has made. He has connected
earth with heaven, and finite man with the infinite God. Jesus, the world's Redeemer, as our example, could only keep the
commandments of God in the same way that humanity can keep them. "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust."
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a
glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to
glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." The glory mentioned is character, and by faith we become changed from
character to character. "And
be renewed in the Spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." "Ye are the
light of the world. . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
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