Essential Education
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The object of this great sacrifice should also be kept before them; for
it was to uplift fallen man degraded by sin that this great sacrifice was
made. Christ suffered in order that through faith in Him our sins might
be pardoned. He became man’s substitute and surety, Himself taking
the punishment, though all undeserving, that we who deserved it might
be free, and return to our allegiance to God through the merits of a
crucified and risen Saviour. He is our only hope of salvation. Through
His sacrifice we who are now on probation are prisoners of hope. We
are to reveal to the universe, to the world fallen and to worlds unfallen,
that there is forgiveness with God, that through the love of God we
may be reconciled to God. Man repents, becomes contrite in heart,
believes in Christ as His atoning sacrifice, and realizes that God is
reconciled to him.
We should cherish gratitude of heart all the days of our life because
the Lord has put on record these words: “For thus saith the high and
lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the
high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble
spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the
contrite ones.” The reconciliation of God to man, and man to God, is
sure when certain conditions are met. The Lord says, “The sacrifices
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of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou
wilt not despise.” Again He says, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are
of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” “Though
the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud
He knoweth afar off.” “Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is My throne,
and the earth is My footstool: where is the house that ye build unto
Me? and where is the place of My rest? For all those things hath
Mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to
this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit,
and trembleth at My word.” “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me;
because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the
meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim
liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are
bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of
vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them
that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of
joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the