Things
New and Old
Or
Why I do What I do
“And as they
make known the rich treasures of God's grace, more and still more of the grace
of Christ will be imparted to them. . . . Through His own appointed channels
the Lord will impart a knowledge of Himself to every
seeker.”
While Christ was teaching
the people, He was also educating His disciples for their future work. In all
His instruction there were lessons for them. After giving the parable of the
net, He asked them, "Have ye understood all these things?" They said
unto Him, "Yea, Lord." Then in another parable He set before them
their responsibility in regard to the truths they had received. "Therefore," He said,
"every scribe which is instructed unto the
kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure
things new and old."
The treasure gained by the
householder he does not hoard. He brings it forth to communicate to others. And by use the treasure increases. The
householder has precious things both new and old. So Christ teaches that the
truth committed to His disciples is to be communicated to the world. And as the knowledge of truth is
imparted, it will increase.
All who
receive the gospel message into the heart will long to proclaim it. The heaven-born love of Christ must find expression. Those who have put on Christ will
relate their experience, tracing step by step the leadings of the Holy
Spirit--their hungering and thirsting for the knowledge of God and of Jesus
Christ whom He has sent, the results of their searching of the Scriptures,
their prayers, their soul agony, and the words of Christ to them, "Thy
sins be forgiven thee." It
is unnatural for any to keep
these things secret, and those who are filled with the love of Christ will not
do so. In proportion as the Lord has made them
the depositaries of sacred truth will be their desire that others shall receive
the same blessing. And as they make known the rich
treasures of God's grace, more and still more of the grace of Christ will be
imparted to them. They will have the heart of a little
child in its simplicity and unreserved obedience. Their souls will pant after
holiness, and more and more of the treasures of truth and grace will be
revealed to them to be given to the world.
The great storehouse of
truth is the word of God--the written word, the book of nature, and the book of
experience in God's dealing with human life. Here are the treasures from which
Christ's workers are to draw. In the search after truth they are to depend upon
God, not upon human intelligences, the great men whose wisdom is foolishness
with God. Through His own
appointed channels the Lord will impart a knowledge of
Himself to every seeker.
If the follower of Christ
will believe His word and practice it, there is no science in the
natural world that he will not be able to grasp and appreciate. There is nothing but that will
furnish him means for imparting the truth to others. Natural science is a
treasure house of knowledge from which every student in the school of Christ
may draw.
As we contemplate the beauty of nature, as we study its lessons
in the cultivation of the soil, in the growth of the trees, in all the wonders
of earth and sea and sky, there will come to us a new perception of truth. And
the mysteries connected with God's dealings with men, the depths of His wisdom
and judgment as seen in human life--these are found to be a storehouse rich in
treasure.
But it is in the written
word that a knowledge of God is most clearly revealed
to fallen man. This is the treasure house of the unsearchable riches of Christ.
The word of God includes the
Scriptures of the Old Testament as well as of the New. One is not complete
without the other. Christ declared that the truths of the Old Testament are as
valuable as those of the New. Christ was as much man's Redeemer in the
beginning of the world as He is today. Before He clothed His divinity with
humanity and came to our world, the gospel message was given by Adam, Seth,
Enoch, Methuselah, and Noah. Abraham in Canaan and Lot in Sodom bore the
message, and from generation to generation faithful messengers proclaimed the
Coming One. The rites of the Jewish economy were instituted by Christ Himself.
He was the foundation of their system of sacrificial offerings, the great
antitype of all their religious service. The blood shed
as the sacrifices were offered pointed to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. All the typical offerings were fulfilled
in Him.
Christ as manifested to the
patriarchs, as symbolized in the sacrificial service, as portrayed in the law,
and as revealed by the prophets, is the riches of the Old Testament. Christ in
His life, His death, and His resurrection, Christ as He is manifested by the
Holy Spirit, is the treasure of the New Testament. Our Saviour, the outshining
of the Father's glory, is both the Old and the New.
Of Christ's life and death
and intercession, which prophets had foretold, the apostles were to go forth as
witnesses. Christ in His
humiliation, in His purity and holiness, in His matchless love, was to be their
theme. And in order to
preach the gospel in its fullness, they must present the Saviour not only as
revealed in His life and teachings, but as foretold by the prophets of the Old
Testament and as symbolized by the sacrificial service.
Christ in
His teaching presented old truths of which He Himself was the originator,
truths which He had spoken through patriarchs and prophets; but He now shed
upon them a new light. How different appeared their meaning! A flood of light
and spirituality was brought in by His explanation. And He promised that the Holy Spirit
should enlighten the disciples, that the word of God should be ever unfolding
to them. They would be able to present its truths in new beauty.
Ever since the first
promise of redemption was spoken in Eden, the life, the character, and the mediatorial work of Christ have
been the study of human minds. Yet every mind through whom the Holy Spirit has
worked has presented these themes in a light that is fresh and new. The truths of
redemption are capable of constant development and expansion. Though old, they are ever new, constantly revealing to the
seeker for truth a greater glory and a mightier power.
In every age there is a new development
of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. The old truths are all essential; new truth is not independent of the old,
but an unfolding of it.
It is only as the old
truths are understood that we can comprehend the new. When Christ desired to open to His
disciples the truth of His resurrection, He began "at Moses and all the
prophets"
and "expounded unto them in all the scriptures the
things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27. But it is the light which shines in the fresh unfolding
of truth that glorifies the old. He
who rejects or neglects the new does not really possess the old. For
him it loses its vital power and becomes but a lifeless form.
There are those who profess
to believe and to teach the truths of the Old Testament, while they reject the
New. But in refusing to receive the teachings of Christ, they show that they do
not believe that which patriarchs and prophets have spoken. "Had ye
believed Moses," Christ said, "ye would have believed Me; for he wrote of Me." John 5:46. Hence there is no real power in their
teaching of even the Old Testament.
Many who claim to believe
and to teach the gospel are in a similar error. They set aside the Old
Testament Scriptures, of which Christ declared, "They are they which
testify of Me." John 5:39. In rejecting the Old,
they virtually reject the New; for
both are parts of an inseparable whole. No man can
rightly present the law of God without the gospel, or the gospel without the
law. The law is the gospel embodied, and the gospel is the law unfolded. The
law is the root, the gospel is the fragrant blossom
and fruit which it bears.
The Old Testament sheds light
upon the New, and the New upon the Old. Each is a revelation of the glory of
God in Christ. Both
present truths that will continually reveal new depths of meaning to the
earnest seeker.
Truth in Christ and through
Christ is measureless. The student of Scripture looks, as it were, into a
fountain that deepens and broadens as he gazes into its depths. Not in this
life shall we comprehend the mystery of God's love in giving His Son to be the
propitiation for our sins. The
work of our Redeemer on this earth is and ever will
be a subject that will put to the stretch our highest
imagination. Man may tax
every mental power in the endeavor to fathom this mystery, but his mind will
become faint and weary. The most diligent searcher will see before him a
boundless, shoreless sea.
The truth as it is in Jesus
can be experienced, but never explained. Its height and breadth and depth pass
our knowledge. We may task our imagination to the utmost, and then we shall see
only dimply the outlines of a love that is unexplainable, that is as high as
heaven, but that stooped to the earth to stamp the image of God on all mankind.
Yet it is possible for us
to see all that we can bear of the divine compassion. This is unfolded to the
humble, contrite soul. We
shall understand God's compassion just in proportion as we appreciate His
sacrifice for us. As we
search the word of God in humility of heart, the grand theme of redemption will
open to our research. It will increase in brightness as we behold it, and as we
aspire to grasp it, its height and depth will ever increase.
Our life is
to be bound up with the life of Christ; we are to draw constantly from Him,
partaking of Him, the living Bread that came down from heaven, drawing from a fountain ever fresh, ever
giving forth its abundant treasures. If we keep
the Lord ever before us, allowing our hearts to go out in thanksgiving and
praise to Him, we shall have a continual freshness in our religious life. Our
prayers will take the form of a conversation with God as we would talk with a
friend. He will speak His mysteries
to us personally.
Often there will come to us a sweet joyful sense of the presence of Jesus.
Often our hearts will burn within us as He draws nigh to commune with us as He
did with Enoch. When this
is in truth the experience of the Christian, there is seen
in his life a simplicity, a humility, meekness, and lowliness of heart, that
show to all with whom he associates that he has been with Jesus and learned of
Him.
In those who possess it,
the religion of Christ will reveal itself as a vitalizing, pervading principle,
a living, working, spiritual energy. There will be manifest the freshness and
power and joyousness of perpetual youth. The heart that receives the word of God is not as a pool that
evaporates, not like a broken cistern that loses its treasure. It is like the
mountain stream fed by unfailing springs, whose cool, sparkling waters leap
from rock to rock, refreshing the weary, the thirsty, the heavy laden.
This experience gives every
teacher of truth the very qualifications that will make him a representative of
Christ. The spirit of Christ's teaching will give a force and directness to his
communications and to his prayers. His witness to Christ will not be a narrow,
lifeless testimony. The minister will not preach over and over the same set
discourses. His mind will be open to the constant illumination of the Holy
Spirit.
Christ said, "Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life. . . . As the living
Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father; so he
that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me. . . . It is the Spirit that quickeneth; . . . the words that I speak unto you, they are
spirit, and they are life." John 6:54-63.
When we eat Christ's flesh
and drink His blood, the element of eternal life will be found in the ministry.
There will not be a fund of stale, oft-repeated ideas. The tame, dull
sermonizing will cease. The
old truths will be presented, but they will be seen in a new light. There will
be a new perception of truth, a clearness and a power that
all will discern. Those who have the privilege of sitting under such a ministry
will, if susceptible to the Holy Spirit's influence, feel the energizing power
of a new life. The fire of God's love will be kindled within them. Their
perceptive faculties will be quickened to discern the beauty and majesty of
truth.
The faithful householder
represents what every teacher of the children and youth should be. If he makes the word of God
his treasure, he will continually bring forth new beauty and new truth. When
the teacher will rely upon God in prayer, the Spirit of Christ will come upon
him, and God will work through him by the Holy Spirit upon the minds of others.
The Spirit fills the mind and heart
with sweet hope and courage and Bible
imagery, and all this will be communicated to the youth under his instruction.
The springs of heavenly
peace and joy, unsealed in the soul of the teacher by the words of Inspiration,
will become a mighty river of influence to bless all who connect with him. The
Bible will not become a tiresome book to the student. Under a wise instructor
the word will become more and more desirable. It will be as the bread of life,
and will never grow old. Its freshness and beauty will attract and charm the
children and youth. It is like the sun shining upon the earth, perpetually
imparting brightness and warmth, yet never exhausted.
God's holy, educating
Spirit is in His word. A light, a new and precious light, shines forth from
every page. Truth is there revealed, and words and sentences are made bright
and appropriate for the occasion, as the voice of God speaking to the soul.
The Holy Spirit loves to
address the youth, and to discover to them the treasures and beauties of God's
word. The promises spoken by the great Teacher will captivate the senses and
animate the soul with spiritual power that is divine. There will grow in the fruitful mind a
familiarity with divine things that will be as a barricade against temptation.
The words of truth will
grow in importance, and assume a breadth and fullness of meaning of which we
have never dreamed. The beauty and riches of the word have a transforming
influence on mind and character. The light of heavenly love will fall upon the
heart as an inspiration.
The appreciation of the
Bible grows with its study. Whichever way the student may turn, he will find
displayed the infinite wisdom and love of God.
The significance of the
Jewish economy is not yet fully comprehended. Truths vast and profound are
shadowed forth in its rites and symbols. The gospel is the key that unlocks its
mysteries. Through a knowledge of the plan of
redemption, its truths are opened to the understanding. Far more than we do, it
is our privilege to understand these wonderful themes. We are to comprehend the deep things of
God. Angels desire to look into the truths that are revealed to the people who
with contrite hearts are searching the word of God, and praying for greater lengths
and breadths and depths and heights of the knowledge which He alone can give.
As we near the close of
this world's history, the prophecies relating to the last days especially
demand our study. The last book of the New Testament scriptures is full of
truth that we need to understand. Satan has blinded the minds of many, so that they have been
glad of any excuse for not making the Revelation their study. But Christ
through His servant John has here declared what shall be in the last days, and
He says, "Blessed is
he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those
things which are written therein." Rev. 1:3.
"This is life
eternal," Christ said, "that they might know Thee the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." John 17:3. Why is it that we do not realize the
value of this knowledge? Why are not these glorious truths glowing in our
hearts, trembling upon our lips, and pervading our whole being?
In giving us His word, God
has put us in possession of every truth essential for our salvation. Thousands
have drawn water from these wells of life, yet there is no diminishing of the
supply. Thousands have set
the Lord before them, and by beholding have been changed into the
same image. Their spirit burns within them as they speak of His
character, telling what Christ is to them, and what they are to Christ. But
these searchers have not exhausted these grand and holy themes. Thousands more
may engage in the work of searching out the mysteries of salvation. As the life of Christ and the character
of His mission are dwelt upon, rays of light will shine forth more distinctly
at every attempt to discover truth. Each fresh search will reveal something
more deeply interesting than has yet been unfolded. The subject is
inexhaustible. The study of the incarnation of Christ, His atoning sacrifice
and mediatorial work, will employ the mind of the diligent student as long as
time shall last; and looking to heaven with its unnumbered years he will
exclaim, "Great is the mystery of godliness."
In eternity we shall
learn that which, had we received the enlightenment it was possible to obtain
here, would have
opened our understanding. The themes of redemption will employ the hearts
and minds and tongues of the redeemed through the everlasting ages. They
will understand the truths which Christ longed to open to His disciples, but
which they did not have faith to grasp. Forever and forever new views of the perfection and glory of
Christ will appear. Through endless ages will the faithful Householder bring
forth from His treasure things new and old. Christ’s
Object Lessons, Chapter Eleven