116
Counsels for the Church
enlightened and intelligent people. Energy is imparted to the soul by
searching its pages
The teaching of the Bible has a vital bearing upon man’s prosperity
in all the relations of this life. It unfolds the principles that are the cor-
nerstone of a nation’s prosperity—principles with which is bound up
the well-being of society, and which are the safeguard of the family—
principles without which no man can attain usefulness, happiness, and
honor in this life, or can hope to secure the future, immortal life. There
[90]
is no position in life, no phase of human experience, for which the
teaching of the Bible is not an essential preparation
Christ in All the Bible
The power of Christ, the crucified Saviour, to give eternal life,
should be presented to the people. We should show them that the
Old Testament is as verily the gospel in types and shadows as the
New Testament is in its unfolding power. The New Testament does
not present a new religion; the Old Testament does not present a
religion to be superseded by the New. The New Testament is only the
advancement and unfolding of the Old.
Abel was a believer in Christ, and was as verily saved by His
power as was Peter or Paul. Enoch was a representative of Christ as
surely as was the beloved disciple John. Enoch walked with God, and
he was not, for God took him. To him was committed the message
of the second coming of Christ. “And Enoch also, the seventh from
Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten
thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all.”
Jude 14, 15
.
The message preached by Enoch and his translation to heaven were a
convincing argument to all who lived in his time. These things were
an argument that Methuselah and Noah could use with power to show
that the righteous could be translated.
That God who walked with Enoch was our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. He was the light of the world then just as He is now. Those
who lived then were not without teachers to instruct them in the path
of life; for Noah and Enoch were Christians. The gospel is given in
113
Child Guidance, 507
114
Patriarchs and Prophets, 599