Chapter 96—Breaks the Hold of Evil
Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
Romans 5:20
.
The gifts of Jesus are ever fresh and new.... Each new gift increases the
capacity of the receiver to appreciate and enjoy the blessings of the Lord. He
gives grace for grace. There can be no failure of supply. If you abide in Him,
the fact that you receive a rich gift today insures the reception of a richer gift
tomorrow....
The gift of Christ to the marriage feast was a symbol [
John 2:1-11
]. The
water represented baptism into His death; the wine, the shedding of His
blood for the sins of the world. The water to fill the jars was brought by
human hands, but the word of Christ alone could impart to it life-giving
virtue....
The word of Christ supplied ample provision for the feast. So abundant
is the provision of His grace to blot out the iniquities of men, and to renew
and sustain the soul.
Our condition through sin is unnatural, and the power that restores us
must be supernatural, else it has no value. There is but one power that can
break the hold of evil from the hearts of men, and that is the power of God in
Jesus Christ. Only through the blood of the Crucified One is there cleansing
from sin. His grace alone can enable us to resist and subdue the tendencies
of our fallen nature.
Satan is determined that men shall not see the love of God, which led
Him to give His only-begotten Son to save the lost race; for it is the goodness
of God that leads men to repentance. Oh, how shall we succeed in setting
forth before the world the deep, precious love of God? In no other way can
we compass it than by exclaiming, “Behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (
1 John
3:1
)! Let us say to sinners, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away
the sin of the world” (
John 1:29
)! ...
Look at the cross of Calvary. It is a standing pledge of the boundless
love, the measureless mercy, of the heavenly Father.
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