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Christ’s Death Brings Life, July 28
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son
to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:10
.
Satan had declared to his synagogue that not a single human soul would
maintain his loyalty to God’s commandments. One soul saved would prove this
statement to be false. One soul saved would demonstrate the righteousness of
God’s government. Created in the image of God, man must not be left for Satan to
rule and ruin. Christ came to this earth, and by a life of obedience showed that man
could obey. He canceled the guilt resting upon the sinner. That the sinner might
stand before God clothed with His robe of righteousness, He clothed Himself with
the robe of sorrow.
Who can fathom the suffering of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, as He
felt to its fullest extent the weight of the sin of the world? So keenly did He feel the
sinfulness of sin that for a moment the cup trembled in His hand, and all heaven
heard the agonizing cry, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me”
(
Matthew 26:39
). “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (
Luke 22:42
).
The omnipotent God suffered with His Son.
Stand before the cross of Calvary, and learn from it the cost of redemption.
With breaking heart the holy Sufferer upon the cross of Calvary looks up to God,
and cries, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (
Matthew 27:46
). The
angels of heaven sympathized with their loved Commander. Gladly would they
have broken their ranks and gone to His assistance. But this was not God’s plan.
Our Saviour trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him.
The plan of redemption was laid to bring salvation within reach of sinners.
Christ has carried out His purpose. His death has brought eternal life to all who
will accept Him as a personal Saviour. But many, many of those He died to save
refuse to return their loyalty. The world is fast becoming as it was before the
Flood....
Christ declares, “As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son
of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the
ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be” (
Matthew 24:37-39
).
Let not those who have had great light fold their hands, content to do nothing.—
Manuscript 66, July 28, 1901
, “Fragments: Work in the South.”
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