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Christ Teaches Heavenly Things, June 5
Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy
name.
Psalm 86:11
.
That which in the counsels of heaven the Father and the Son deemed essential
for man’s salvation is clearly presented in the Holy Scriptures. The infinite truths
of salvation are stated so plainly that finite beings who desire to know the truth
cannot fail to understand. Divine revelations have been made for their instruction in
righteousness, that they may glorify God and help their fellowmen.
These truths are found in the Word of God—the standard by which we are
to judge between right and wrong. Obedience to this Word is the best shield for
the youth against the temptations to which they are exposed while acquiring an
education. From this Word they learn how to honor God, and how to be faithful
to humanity, cheerfully performing the duties and meeting the trials that each day
brings, and courageously bearing its burdens.
Christ, the Great Teacher, sought to win the minds of men from the contemplation
of earthly things, that He might teach them of heavenly things. Had the teachers of
His day been willing to be instructed by Him, had they united with Him in sowing
the world with the seeds of truth, the world would be far different from what it now
is. Had the scribes and Pharisees joined their forces with the Saviour, the knowledge
of Christ would have restored the moral image of God in their souls.
But the leaders of Israel turned from the fountain of true knowledge. They
studied the Scriptures only to sustain their traditions and enforce their man-made
observances. By their interpretation they made them express sentiments that God
had never given. Their mystical construction made indistinct that which He had
made plain. They disputed over technicalities, and practically denied the most
essential truths. God’s Word was robbed of its power, and evil spirits worked their
will.
Christ’s words contain nothing that is nonessential. The Sermon on the Mount
is a wonderful production, yet so simple that a child can study it without misunder-
standing. The mount of beatitudes is a symbol of the spiritual elevation on which
Christ ever stood. Every word He uttered came from God, and He spoke with the
authority of heaven. “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are
life” (
John 6:63
). His teaching is full of ennobling, saving truth, to which men’s
highest ambitions and most profound investigations can bear no comparison. He
was alive to the terrible ruin hanging over the race, and He came to save souls by His
own righteousness, bringing to the world definite assurance of hope and complete
relief (
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 438, 439
).
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