Self-indulgence in Religion’s Garb
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would not do for the love of Christ, they will do for the love of delicate
luxuries to gratify the appetite, and for love of worldly amusements to
please the carnal heart.
The conflict of Christ with Satan in the wilderness will be regarded
with sacred interest by every true follower of Christ. We should have
feelings of the deepest gratitude to our Redeemer for teaching us by
His own example how to resist and overcome Satan. Jesus did not visit
scenes of gaiety and feasting to attain the victory so essential to our
salvation; but He went into a desolate wilderness. Many do not even
contemplate this scene of Christ in conflict with the fallen chief. They
do not enter into sympathy with their Redeemer. Some even doubt
whether Christ really felt the pangs of hunger in His abstinence from
food during the period of forty days and forty nights.
He who suffered death for us on Calvary’s cross, just as surely
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suffered the keenest pangs of hunger as that He died for us. And no
sooner did this suffering commence than Satan was at hand with his
temptations. We have a foe no less vigilant to contend with. Satan
adapts his temptations to our circumstances. In every temptation he
will present some bribe, some apparent good to be gained. But in the
name of Christ we may have complete victory in resisting his devices.
It is more than eighteen hundred years since Christ walked upon
the earth as a Man among men. He found suffering and wretchedness
abounding everywhere. What humiliation on the part of Christ! For,
though He was in the form of God, He took upon Himself the form of
a servant. He was rich in heaven, crowned with glory and honor, and
for our sakes He became poor. What an act of condescension of the
Lord of life and glory, that He might lift up fallen man.
Jesus did not come to men with commands and threatenings, but
with love that is without a parallel. Love begets love; and thus the
love of Christ displayed upon the cross woos and wins the sinner, and
binds him repenting to the cross, believing and adoring the matchless
depths of a Saviour’s love. Christ came to the world to perfect a
righteous character for many and to elevate the fallen race. But only
a few of the millions in our world will accept the righteousness and
excellency of His character and fulfill the requirements given to secure
their happiness.
His lessons of instruction and His holy life, if followed, would
stay the tide of physical and moral wretchedness that has so defiled