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Redeemed by Christ’s Blood, February 26
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by
tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as
of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
1 Peter 1:18, 19
.
“‘Ye are not your own.... Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (
1 Corinthians 6:19,
20
). Will you give back to God that which He has ransomed with the price
of His own blood? Will you give Him your reasoning powers; will you set
them apart for His glory? They are His; He has bought them with a price.
Will you place yourselves in the school of Christ, that your conscience
may be enlightened, that it may be a good conscience, a faithful sentinel to
guard the highest interests of the soul? Christ has purchased the affections;
will you trifle with them, will you pervert them? Will you place them upon
unworthy objects, center them upon human beings and make the creature
instead of the Creator your God to worship? Or shall your affections be
purified, ennobled, refined, and made to twine about your Creator and
Redeemer? ...
God will not occupy a divided heart or reign from a divided throne.
Every rival that holds the affections and diverts them from the God of love
must be dethroned. The Lord demands all that there is of us, and there
must be no reserve. Christ has purchased us, we are His heritage, and we
are to be honored by being co-laborers with Jesus Christ. Wear the yoke
with Christ, and daily walk with God. How shall we do this? By laying
hold upon the help which God has provided. The Lord has said, “Ask, and
it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you” (
Matthew 7:7
)
God has bought us, and He claims a throne in each heart. Our minds and
bodies must be subordinated to Him, and the natural habits and appetites
must be made subservient to the higher wants of the soul. But we can place
no dependence upon ourselves in this work. We cannot with safety follow
our own guidance. The Holy Spirit must renew and sanctify us. In God’s
service there must be no halfway work
[64]
33
Manuscript 60, 1894
.
34
S.D.A. Bible Commentary 6:1088
.
61