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The Priceless Pearl, May 7
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly
pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all
that he had, and bought it.
Matthew 13:45, 46
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This goodly pearl represents the priceless treasure of Christ, as does the gold
hid in the field. In Christ we have everything that is needful for us in this life,
and that which will make up the joy of the world to come. All the money in the
world will not buy the gift of peace and rest and love. These gifts are provided
for us through faith in Christ. We cannot purchase these gifts from God; we have
nothing with which to buy them. We are the property of God, for mind, soul, and
body have been purchased by the ransom of the life of the Son of God....
Then what is it to buy the eternal treasure? It is simply to give back to Jesus
His own, to receive Him into the heart by faith. It is cooperation with God; it
is bearing the yoke with Christ; it is lifting His burdens.... The Lord Jesus laid
aside His royal crown, He left His high command, He clothed His divinity with
humanity, in order that through humanity He might uplift the human race. He so
appreciated the possibility of the human race that He became man’s substitute and
surety. He places upon man His own merit, and thus elevates him in the scale of
moral value with God.
Christ is the atoning sacrifice. He left the glory of heaven, He parted with His
riches, He laid aside His honor, not in order to create love and interest for man
in the heart of God, but to be an exponent of the love that existed in the heart
of the Father.... Jesus paid the price of all His riches, He assumed humanity, He
condescended to a life of poverty and humiliation, in order that He might seek and
save that which was lost.
Through the grace of Christ we may be strengthened and matured, so that
though now imperfect we may become complete in Him. We have mortgaged
ourselves to Satan, but Christ came to ransom and redeem us. We cannot purchase
anything from God. It is only by grace, the free gift of God in Christ, that we are
saved.
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