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Confrontation
The victims of a depraved appetite, goaded on by Satan’s continual
temptations, will seek indulgence at the expense of health and even
life, and will go to the bar of God as self-murderers. Many have so
long allowed habit to master them that they have become slaves to
appetite. They have not the moral courage to persevere in self-denial,
and to endure suffering for a time through restraint and denial of the
taste, in order to master the vice. This class refuse to overcome as did
their Redeemer. Did not Christ endure physical suffering and mental
anguish on man’s account in the wilderness?
Many have so long allowed appetite and taste to control reason
that they have not moral power to persevere in self-denial and endure
suffering for a time, until abused nature can take up her work and
healthy action be established in the system. Very many with perverted
tastes shrink at the thought of restricting their diet, and they continue
their unhealthful indulgences. They are not willing to overcome as did
their Redeemer.
What a scene of unexampled suffering was that fast of nearly six
weeks, while Jesus was assailed with the fiercest temptations! How
few can understand the love of God for the fallen race in that He
withheld not His divine Son from taking upon Him the humiliation of
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humanity. He gave up His dearly beloved to shame and agony, that He
might bring many sons and daughters to glory.
When sinful man can discern the inexpressible love of God in
giving His Son to die upon the cross, we shall better understand that
it is infinite gain to overcome as Christ overcame. And we shall
understand that it is eternal loss if we gain the whole world, with all
its pleasure and glory, and yet lose the soul. Heaven is cheap enough
at any cost.
On Jordan’s banks the voice from heaven, attended by the manifes-
tation from the excellent glory, proclaimed Christ to be the Son of the
Eternal. Satan was to personally encounter the Head of the kingdom
which he came to overthrow. If he failed he knew that he was lost.
Therefore the power of his temptations was in accordance with the
greatness of the object which he would lose or gain. For four thousand
years, ever since the declaration was made to Adam that the seed of
the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, he had been planning his
manner of attack.