第九章 真实余民之回转
有些人读了这本书可能会感觉被伤了感情，因为我已经指证了一些肉体与属灵上的仇敌，它们现今正在攻击基督复临安息日会。有些人会感觉我应该说得再多一些，再有力一些。然而本书决不是对于我们所面对的所有危险的一次全面的学习。许多其它的问题本也可以考虑，但我主要关心的一直都是要把我们的教友在对身体的感官作出反应时那种致命的妥协暴露出来。作为一个运动（译者注：基督复临安息日会起源于复临运动）与单独的个人，我们已经逐渐地失去了与世俗的敌对关系，这种关系曾一度分别我们为“圣洁的国度，属上帝的子民。”
请不要误解，真实的余民教会必定要回到历史的、圣经的教义与标准上来，这些教义与标准向来一直是我们的显著特征。在教会这一方将会有痛苦创伤的经历。大量的人会因为太骄傲了以致不肯承认自己也有份于姑息纵容那些变节行为，他们必被筛出去。有些人会在新近与世俗的亲昵中感到如此舒适以至根本不想掉头回来。大部分人要离开教会加入仇敌的行列。看起来教会似乎是要倾倒了，但是却没有。相反，数量骤减后的这“一小群人”将在经验与教义上如此亲近于基督，以致晚雨要降在他们身上。在上帝的恩膏下，这洁净了的余民教会要出去发出“大呼声”。上帝要兴起许多普通的人，使他们大有能力地宣讲真理。他们的资格不是由于人的教育机构的训练，而是出于圣灵的恩膏。（《善恶之争》，606面）
哦，到那一天一直持守着真实的信仰不动摇，那真是要好得多了！那些现在赞同世俗化趋势的人将会发现要从现今似乎容易迈出的妥协步调中折回是多么痛苦艰难了。大多数人将不能虚已悔改他们的变节之罪。要他们热忱地接受那些他们长久以来公开鄙斥为狂热盲信与律法主义之事，将会太令他们为难了，他们做不到。即使当他们看到数千人回应了这一清洁的信息之时，他们也会像古时的犹太人一样，只会对那些被他们指为“制造麻烦的分裂分子”的人更加愤恨。
若本书能以某种方式使我们的眼睛睁开一点点，看到灵感的著作所清楚预言了的那一模式，可能会有助于使得一些人坚持现在正迅速消失的原则。
那些因为想与大多数人保持一致，就忽视公认的圣经原则，而接受微小改变之人，正在可怕地着手伤害他们的良知。
“正是在小事上的违犯，首先导致了人离开上帝。”——《评论与通讯》，卷四，233面
“在审判之日，许多人要因为他们以为不值得注意的罪被关在上帝圣城之外了。”——《时兆文章》，卷三，348面
“人类倾向看为是小的罪，可能是上帝所认为罪大恶极的。”——《证言卷五》，337面
使人清醒冷静的真理就是：这个教会此刻正在被筛选，为了给涉及十诫之一的安息日的考验做准备，正在对似乎看起来很小且无关紧要的事进行着详细审查。但以理和他的朋友们在巴比伦遇到了同样的事。假若他们没有在吃王膳这样相对小的事上立稳不动摇，就不会准备好面对俯伏敬拜金像的大考验。他们在次要领域的得胜坚固了他们以后，道德律法的考验就临到了。有些人甚至可能称这些领域为“灰色领域”。当然，但以理原可很容易说服自己去相信比起如此严格地遵照律法吃一顿饭，符合文化要求地在王的宴席桌上吃饭应该更为重要。但他并没有犯这个错误，没有调节自己的良心去适应对已知原则的一点点偏离。
可是现今许多在余民教会中的人却正在犯这个错误。他们正像但以理那样被迫要在某些领域改变做法，免得自己与世俗的联络或社会的需求产生不必要的冲突。但成千上万基督复临安息日会的教友却不像但以理，他们屈服了终身的信仰，对于以前从未有问题的做法含糊其词。夫妇们在手上戴起了戒指因为考虑“人们会怎么看呢？”。家里用咖啡招待客人们，并为周末造访者提供了电视机在安息日看。去电影院已是普通的事，酒也在某些复临信徒团契中日渐普及。还可以列举出许多可悲的例子，说明那些自称为上帝子民之人正在改变标准。我眼中流泪，看到朋友们忽然颠倒他们过去反对与世俗妥协的坚定立场，为了要与更受欢迎的大多数观点保持一致。
这一切意味着什么呢？这要导向何方呢？筛选很快就要变成大摇动。小问题将要变成安息日的大考验，大多数人将要一起放弃信仰。现在有没有可能知道谁会在背道的那一大群人之中呢？是的，你此刻就可以知道，当强迫受（兽的）印记时，你会站在哪里。这在以下话语中已经透露给我们了：“凡业已逐步屈从世俗的要求以致依附世俗习惯的人，必要向这些权势屈服，而不愿忍受嘲笑、侮辱、监禁、或死亡的威胁。”（《先知与君王》，188面）
你愿意把这灵感的启示应用在自己的生活与经验中吗？你现在的生活方式如何呢？信念已经改变了吗，行为习惯已经改变了吗？若然，请问问自己为什么会做出这些改变呢？这些改变要把你引向什么地方呢？它们是否属于“逐步屈从世俗的要求”这一模式呢？它们是要更谨慎地遵行上帝的圣言吗？你是否为了在周围人当中显得不那么“古怪”，而调整了行为的某些方面呢？
通过这些似乎无害的测验，每一位基督复临安息日会教友的品格就渐渐成型，不可逆转了。从世俗掉转，回头做长期的改变，这样的机会之门对那些已享受大光的人渐渐关闭了。很快，要赎回那些浪费的年日就为时恨晚了。
现在，趁着悦纳的时候，让我们抓住上帝的应许，要求基督的心意。敌人正在门口，但我们可以让居在心中的圣灵守护好心灵的通道，而把仇敌挡在门外。
关于借着成圣心意的能力不让世俗逼近，这样做的必要性我们原有许多要说。现在让我们就得胜世俗来听听整个问题的结论。怎样才能在世俗剧烈的情感诱惑中胜过它呢？就让保罗的见证作为本书所竭力阐述的真焦点吧。如果我们错过了这个，就错过了一切。“但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架；因这十字架，就我而论，世界已经钉在十字架上；就世界而论，我已经钉在十字架上。”（加6：14）
这节经文的实质是什么呢？在我的本性中如何才能把对世上之物的爱杀死呢？保罗说是通过十字架。丝毫没有仰赖人的力量或努力。得以胜过肉体的罪惟独来自耶稣为我们在十字架上所成全的。很明显，在耶稣的赎罪中就有为我们所特别供应的、使我们得胜世界其及罪中之乐的能力。
十字架只通过提供称义帮助我们向世界死去吗？我们所有人的确都需要被赦免，因为我们过去都屈服于这个世界的邪恶诱惑。或者问，在十字架上除了洗净罪疚，免于定罪外，还有没有其它的呢？特别是它如何拿走我们对世界的恋慕之情，以至于对其上的吸引我们变成是死的呢？保罗用最清楚的文字告诉我们，经由十字架使我们向世界死去成为可能。不是由于我们与敌人争战有什么能力。甚至我们对十字架的信心也并非是得胜之源。那只是把我们与能力的源头联结在一起的途径，但祂作为世界的救主而死才是真正的秘诀。那使祂有资格成为我们罪的替身，并成为救我们脱离罪的救主。这就是得到并保持基督心意的所在。让我们注视一下十字架那些事件奇妙而重要的意义吧。
我们所寻找的答案就隐藏在赎罪的道德伦理中。有些人质疑整个救赎计划的可行性，因为它违反了人间政府的一项基本法。
一个无辜之人背负一个有罪之人的刑罚，而后者就因此得称为义、不被定罪——这怎么可能公正呢？在世界上没有一个合法的制度会支持这样一个原则。允许被冒犯之人担当犯罪人之人的处罚，这样的计划有什么依据可为之辩护呢？
对于这些问题，有一个回答应该可以让最有怀疑精神的人满意了。万事都围绕着替代原则。请想一想，就会明白宝贵的饶恕是确立在替代行为之上的。公义要求以眼还眼，以牙还牙。犯罪人之人所做的必须相同程度地报应在他身上。如果一个人打了别人一拳，他就必须被回打一拳，等等。
但假使受了委屈之人决定饶恕犯错之人结果会怎么样呢。那样的话，原本可以合法要求的处罚就被撤消了，那有罪之人就不必遭受错误行为相应的处罚了。事实上，那被打之人同意接受了疼痛与损失，代替有罪的那方，为了使犯错之人不受刑罚。在这样的情况下，原谅人的那位事实上就使自己成为了替代者，承担了后果，那后果原本可以合法要求犯错之人承担的。
如果我免了一项债务，就是同意为了使欠债的人不用还那笔钱而遭受损失。如果我原谅了一次打击，就是同意为了使有错的人不用遭受同样的打击而接受了疼痛。
设想一下，一个被谋杀了的人，愿意从他的坟墓里，饶恕杀害他的人。他实际上就是为了使杀人者不死，而同意自己的死亡。这使得我们非常接近于赎罪的核心了。
为了饶恕我们，耶稣要遭受到我们的罪的合法结果，以使我们不用背负它们。“世人都犯了罪。”（罗3：23），“罪的工价乃是死”（罗6：23）。惟有用祂自己替代我们接受那死亡，祂才可以有资格饶恕我们。圣经说，“若不流血，罪就不得赦免了。”（来9：22）。赦免意味着饶恕。因此，祂在十字架上的死，就赋予了祂道德权柄可以饶恕我们。
虽然有些人被这项交易的道德规范所吸引，但我们中大多数人都视之为无私之爱难以形容的一次伟大表现。凡经历祂的赦免之喜乐的人都不会疑问那使之成为可能的方法。
现在请思考一下祂为我们赎罪作成和解的另一个确据。祂完全有权替代我们，因为祂取了我们堕落的人性。当祂度过了完美顺从的一生，并把我们有罪的本性带到了十字架之时，我们是与祂一同经历那经验的。这就是保罗为什么写道：“我已经与基督同钉十字架。”（加2：20）。“基督怎样借着父的荣耀从死人中才得活起来，我们也可以怎样依着生命之新样子行。”（罗6：4，吕振中译本）
我们认同祂的无罪一生与赎罪代死成为可能，惟独因为祂的道成肉身是取了我们的人性。倘若祂带着其它的肉体而不是堕落有罪的肉体到十字架，祂就不能“在肉体中定了罪案。”（罗8：4）。惟有和我一样本性的家人才可以代表我，或代替我。倘若祂是用我所永不可能经历或再生的本性来得胜的话，祂把这样的得胜归到我身上就只不过是假装的了。倘若祂是把其它不是罪身的肉体带到十字架，那就不可能是我的肉体了，因为我的肉体是有罪的。这样的话我就不能“与祂同钉十字架”了。
惟有通过祂成为我们的替身这一角色，我们任何一个人才能与祂同死同复活。这一切惟独通过分享我们的人性，就是会犯罪需要十字架赎罪的人性这方面——即我们堕落的、有罪的人性，才是有可能的。
这样我们就明白了，与基督同活的真正奥秘就在于与基督同死。“因为已死的人是脱离了罪。”（罗6：7）。对十字架的信心，包括它饶恕、洁净人的功劳，就产生了向肉体与罪夸胜的属灵新生命。
我们这一方要满足律法要求的任何努力，都是注定失败的——除非它们是以十字架为中心。正是那荣耀的牺牲与爱的行为，为每一位相信之人带来了称义、重生与成圣。耶稣，我们信仰的对象，“上帝又使他成为我们的智慧、公义、圣洁、救赎。如经上所记：‘夸口的，当指着主夸口。’”（林前1：30，31）
因此，即使我们在得胜中喜乐，也惟有夸十字架，即“就我而论，世界已经钉在十字架上；就世界而论，我已经钉在十字架上”的十字架。若允许我们人的任何反应，包括因得胜而来的激动，去减损对祂在十字架上完全的赎罪工作的认同，都将是悲惨的错误。在每一次祷告，每一次见证中，我们都需要感恩地承认：惟独因为祂为我们所成就的，世界才就我们而论钉在了十字架上。我们已经认识到若没有祂在十字架上代我们死，我们的罪就不得赦免。这为所有人提供了称义。此外，我们已发现成圣是可能的，惟独是因为祂具有我们堕落的本性，在我们的肉体中胜过了罪，以至祂能够在我们自己人性的经历中再造出得胜的生命。因而，我们能够夸口的就是祂的工作，而非我们自己的。“但我断不以别的夸口，只夸我们主耶稣基督的十字架。”你岂不要欢喜快乐地接受祂为你的替身，你的赦免，你的得胜吗？
“感谢上帝，使我们借着我们的主耶稣基督得胜。”——林前15：57
“感谢上帝，因他有说不尽的恩赐！”——林后9:15
教会与世界（附诗）
（作者不详）
在时代的变迁中，
教会与世界相隔远远而行；
世界哼着轻浮的曲子，
教会唱着高雅的圣乐。
“来吧，把你的手交给我，”欢愉的世界大声叫着说，
“和我同行在这条路上。”
但好教会藏起她那雪一样洁白的手，
严肃地回答说，“不，
我根本不会把我的手交给你，
我也不会与你同行；
你的路是通往永死的路；
你的话都是假的。”
“不啊，只要过来一点点和我同行，”
世界用和蔼的语调说；
“我所走的路是快乐的路，
那里永远有阳光普照。
你的路却是荆棘，坑洼与粗砺，
我的路又宽大又平坦；
我的路上铺满鲜花与甘露，
而你的路上却尽是眼泪与痛苦。
我头上的天空永远是蔚蓝色的，
没有缺乏，没有劳苦。我知道：
而你头上的天却总是阴云密布，
你的份是诸多的悲苦。
我的路，你看哪，是宽广美好的路，
我的门高大而宽阔；
地方足够大可以容纳你我
肩并肩同行。”
教会半羞涩地靠近了世界，
把她那雪一样洁白的手伸向了他；
老练的世界很快抓过来，一起拉着走，
他用低沉的声音说；
“你的打扮太简单了不能取悦我；
我要给你戴上珠宝，
华贵的天鹅绒与丝缎使你优雅，
在你的发间以钻石为装饰。”
教会低下头看看她那朴素的白袍，
再看看耀眼的世界，
她看到他俊美的嘴唇含着轻蔑的微笑
教会羞红了脸…
“我会换上昂贵一点的裙子。”
教会优雅地微笑着说。
于是洁白纯净的外袍褪下了，
世界用以取代之的是
美丽的丝绣，光亮的绸缎，
还有玫瑰，玉石与珍珠，
她那发光闪耀的头发垂落在额前，
新添了一千缕卷曲。
“你的房子太简陋了，”骄傲的老世界说；
“我要给你造一座像我那座一样的房子，——
带有布鲁塞尔的花边地毯，蕾丝窗帘
还有最好最好的家具。”
就这样他为她造了一座豪华美丽的房子，
看着非常辉煌；
她的儿子和她美丽的女儿们都居住在里面，
穿戴着紫色和金色的衣服闪闪发亮；
大厅里举行着展会与博览会，
世界和他的孩子们都在那里；
曾经用来祷告的地方而今充斥着笑声，音乐和宴会。
她预备了垫子安放在靠背长凳上，
让富人与伟人在他们的盛况与高傲中坐着自夸；
而贫穷的百姓衣着破烂，
只能温顺地坐在门外边。
怜悯慈悲的使者飞翔在教会上空，
轻声低语，“我知道你的罪。”
教会回头看看，轻叹一口气，她渴望着
要把她的孩子们聚拢进来；
但他们中有一些流连在子夜的舞会里，
一些在赌场，
一些在同性恋的酒吧里酣饮，
因而她默默不言。
于是狡猾的世界殷勤地对她说：
“你的孩子们不会有事的，
只是沉湎于无罪的运动；”
于是她靠在他的臂弯里
当她与世界同行之时，
微笑着，畅聊着，采集着鲜花；
千千万万受苦的生灵
被推向了永远的死亡。
“你的牧师全都太老太古板了，”
世界讥笑教会说，
“他们用可怕的传说吓坏了我的孩子们，
我不喜欢他们去听那些。
他们谈到硫磺，火与受痛苦，
还有永远死亡的黑夜；
他们谈到那只会叫人屏住呼吸说起的地方。
我要给你些更好的人，——
聪明，快乐而敏捷的人，——
他们会教导人们尽可以按他们所选择的方式生活，
而最终都会进入天国。
天父是慈爱，伟大，善良的，
温柔，真实而仁慈；
难道你认为他会把一个孩子带到天国，
而撇下另一个吗？”
这样他在她的房子里安排满了快乐的牧师们，——
他们才华横溢，伟大而博学，——
那些传扬十字架的朴素的老牧人们
便不在她的讲台上出现了。
“你施与穷人的太多了，”世界说，
“比你应该做的多得多了。
若穷人需要住处，食物和衣服，
为什么需要烦扰着你呢？
去吧，拿你的钱去买些贵重的袍子，
马匹，以及上好的马车，
珠宝，首饰，美味的食物，
还有最罕有，最昂贵的美酒！
我的孩子们最爱这些东西了；
如果你要赢得他们的喜爱，
就要跟他们做一样的事情，
走在他们所走的路上。”
于是教会紧紧地握着钱袋上的细绳
优雅地低下她的头，
轻声说，“我已经放弃太多了；
我会照做的，先生，就照你所说的做吧。”
这样，贫穷的人被呵斥着从她的门前被赶走了，
穷寡妇们的需求被拒之门外，
她们一路哭泣着回去，
而教会则把自己的长袍子拉到了一边。
世界之子与教会之子
亲密地手牵着手，心连着心同行，
惟有知道万事的主能分辨二者。
于是教会悠闲地坐了下来，说，
“我是富足，已经发了财，
一样都不缺，不需要做什么了，
尽可畅笑，舞蹈与宴乐了。”
狡猾的世界听到了，暗自发笑，
嘲讽地在一旁说：
“教会倾倒了，美丽的教会啊，
她的自夸和骄傲就是她的羞耻。”
使者靠近施恩宝座，
低声叹息呼唤她的名字，
圣徒停止颂赞圣歌，
羞愧地遮住了脸。
有声音穿过天堂的肃静传下来，
是从坐宝座的那里发出：
“我知道你的行为，并知道你怎样说，‘我是富足，’
却不知道你在我面前是那赤身、困苦、瞎眼，可怜的，
你若不悔改，
我就要从那里涂抹你的名字。
我劝你向我买火炼的金子叫你富足；
又要用属天的眼药擦你的眼睛，
使你可以看明你主的旨意。”
于是惊醒的教会深深地懊悔了，
从她那些世俗化的路上转回；
她打开心门，让叩门的基督进来。
祂的爱在她的心中燃烧，
祂赐给她白袍，赦免了她的罪，
他们一同坐下吃晚餐；
祂曾为她受了诸般的苦，
现在要与她一同分享宝座。
哦，基督的教会啊，请听圣灵的声音，
祂今天正从世上呼唤你。
国度里的每一教会啊
都从世界转回吧！
世界终将在永恒之夜堕落，
而悔改之人必得拯救！
Chapter 9 RETURN
OF THE TRUE REMNANT
Some who read this book may feel offended,
because I have identified some of the physical and spiritual enemies which
assail the Seventh-day Adventist Church today. Others will feel that I should
have said much more and said it more strongly. It is by no means a comprehensive
study of all the dangers we face. Many other issues could have been considered,
but my chief concern has been to expose the deadly compromises our people are
making by the way they respond to the physical senses. As a movement and as
individuals, we have gradually lost the adversarial relationship with the world
which once distinguished us as "an holy nation, a peculiar people."
Make no mistake about it, the true remnant
church will turn back to the historic, biblical doctrines and standards which
have always been our hallmark. It will be a bitter and traumatic experience on
the part of the church. A great number will be too proud to confess their
complicity in condoning the apostasy, and will be shaken out. Others will be so
comfortable in their new proximity to the world that they will have no relish to
return. A majority will leave the church and join the ranks of the enemy. It
will seem as though the church might fall, but it does not. Instead, the
decimated "little company" will draw so close to Christ, in experience and
doctrine, that the latter rain falls upon them. Under the anointing of God, this
purified remnant will go forth to give the "loud cry." God will raise up many of
the common people and make them powerful spokesmen for the truth. They will be
qualified by no educational institutions of men, but by the unction of the
Spirit. (The Great Controversy, p. 606.)
Oh, how much better it will be in that day
to have held the true faith without wavering. Those who are now approving the
worldly bent will find it hard to retrace the painful steps of compromise which
now seem so easy to take. Most will not be able to humble themselves and repent
of their part in the defection. It will be too embarrassing to embrace that
which they had for so long ' publicly scorned as fanatical and legalistic. And
even when they see thousands responding to the pure message, like the Jews of
old, they will only be more furious at those whom they have labeled as divisive
troublemakers.
Somehow, if this book can open our eyes just a little bit to see the clearly
predicted pattern described by the inspired writings, it might cause some to
help hold the fast-disappearing line of principle now.
Those who accept the small changes that are being made because they want to be
in harmony with the majority, ignoring recognized Bible principles, are doing
something terribly damaging to their consciences.
"It is transgression in the little things that first leads the soul away from
God." Review and Herald, Vol. 4, p. 233.
"In the day of judgment, many will be shut out of the City of God by sins which
they supposed to be unworthy of notice." Signs of the Times Articles, Vol. 3, p.
348.
"The sins which man is disposed to look upon as small may be the very ones which
God accounts as great crimes." Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 337.
The sobering truth is that this church is being sifted right now over issues
that may seem small and inconsequential in preparation for the Sabbath test
which will involve one of the Ten Commandments. Daniel and his friends faced the
very same thing in Babylon. Had they failed to stand firmly against the
relatively minor matter of eating the king's food, they would not have been
prepared for the major confrontation over bowing down to the image. The moral
law test came after they had been fortified by victory in areas of lesser
importance. Some might even call them "gray areas." Certainly it would have been
easy for Daniel to convince himself that conformity to cultural requirements at
the king's table was more important than being so rigidly legalistic about
eating one meal. But he did not make the mistake of adjusting his conscience to
accommodate a little deviation from recognized principle.
Many in the remnant church today are making that mistake. Like Daniel, they are
being urged to change their practices in certain areas to save themselves
unnecessary conflict with worldly associates or social demands. But, unlike
Daniel, thousands of Seventh-day Adventists are yielding life-long convictions,
and equivocating on practices that were never in question before. Couples are
putting rings on their fingers because of "what people might think." Families
are serving coffee to their guests, and providing TV sets for Sabbath viewing by
week-end visitors. Movie attendance is becoming commonplace, and alcohol is
gradually gaining popularity in certain Adventist communities. Dozens of tragic
illustrations could be given of shifting standards among God's professed people.
I have wept to see friends suddenly reverse their previous strong stance against
worldly compromise in order to harmonize with a more popular majority view.
What does it all mean? Where is it leading? The sifting will soon turn into the
shaking. The little issues will turn into the great Sabbath test, and the
majority will give up the faith altogether. Is it possible to know now who will
be among that large group of apostates? Yes, you can know this very moment where
you will stand when the mark is enforced. It has been revealed to us in these
words: "Those who have yielded step by step to worldly demands and conformed to
worldly customs will then yield to the powers that be, rather than subject
themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death." Prophets
and Kings, p. 188.
Are you willing to apply this inspired revelation to your; own life and
experience? What about your current lifestyle? Have convictions changed or
practices been altered? If so, ask yourself why those alterations were made, and
in which direction they are leading you. Do they fall into the pattern of
"yielding step by step to worldly demands"? Were they made to conform more
carefully with God's Word? Or did you adjust certain aspects of your behavior in
order to be less "peculiar" to those around you?
By
such seemingly innocuous tests, the character of every Seventh-day Adventist is
gradually settling into an irreversible mold. The opportunity to turn back and
make long-term changes is slowly closing up to those who have had great light.
Soon it will be too late to redeem the wasted years.
Now, in the times of refreshing, let us grasp the promises of God and claim the
mind of Christ. The enemy is at the gate, but we can keep him there on the
outside as we allow the abiding Holy Spirit to guard well the avenues of the
soul.
We
have had much to say about the necessity of holding the world at bay through the
power of a sanctified mind. Now let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter
as far as victory over the world is concerned. How can it be conquered in all of
its highly-charged, emotional appeal? Let this statement of Paul be the true
focus of all we have tried to present in this book. If we miss this, we miss it
all. "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Galatians
6:14.
What is the substance of this verse? How only can the love for worldly things be
put to death in my nature? Paul says it is through the cross. There can be no
focus upon human strength or effort. Victory over the sins of the flesh will
come only as a result of what Jesus accomplished in our behalf on the cross.
Evidently, there is a special provision in the atonement which enables us to
overcome the world and its sinful pleasures.
Does the cross help us die to the world by providing justification only? All of
us certainly need forgiveness for yielding to the evil enticements of this world
system in the past. Or is there much more involved in the cross than cleansing
from guilt and condemnation? Specifically, how does it take away our attachments
to the world, so that we become dead to its appeal? Paul tells us in the
clearest possible language that our death to the world is made possible through
the cross. It is not because of any strength we have in fighting the enemy. Even
our faith in the cross is not the source of victory. It is the vehicle to
connect us with the source, but His death as the Saviour of the world is the
real secret. That is what qualified Him to be our Substitute for sin and our
Saviour from sin. This is where the mind of Christ is both obtained and
maintained. Let us take a look at the amazing and significant meaning of those
events of the cross.
The answers we are looking for lie hidden in the ethics of the atonement. Some
people challenge the viability of the entire plan of salvation because it
violates one of the basic laws of human government.
How could it ever be right for an innocent person to bear the punishment of a
guilty person who is consequently declared to be righteous and uncondemned? No
legal system in the world would uphold such a principle. What defense can be
offered for a plan which allows the one who is offended to bear the penalty of
the one who offends?
There is an answer to these questions which should satisfy the most skeptical
mind. Everything revolves around the principle of substitution. A moment of
thought will reveal that the gems of forgiveness is rooted in an act of
substitution. Justice demands an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
Whatever the offender does must be visited back upon him in equal measure. If a
man gives a blow, he must receive a blow, etc.
But suppose the one who is wronged decides to forgive the offender. In that case
the penalty which could legally be exacted is canceled, and the guilty one is
not required to suffer the equivalent of the wrong done. In fact, the one who
suffered the blow, agrees to accept the pain and the loss instead of the guilty
one in order that the offender can go free of the punishment. In this case, the
forgiven actually substitutes himself to bear the consequences which could
legally be required of the offender.
If
I forgive a debt, I agree to suffer the loss in order to relieve the debtor from
paying the amount. If I forgive a blow, I consent to accept the pain in order to
relieve the guilty from suffering an equal blow.
Suppose for a moment that a murdered man, from his grave, could forgive the man
who killed him. He would, in effect, be consenting to his own death in order for
the murderer to be spared from death. This brings us very close to the heart of
the atonement.
In
order to forgive us, Jesus had to suffer the legal consequences of our sins so
that we would not have to bear them. "The wages of sin is death." Romans 3:23.
Only by substituting Himself for us in accepting that death, could He be
qualified to forgive us. The Bible says, "Without shedding of blood is no
remission." Hebrews 9:22. Remission means forgiveness. Therefore, His death on
the cross provided ethical authority for Him to grant us forgiveness.
Although some are appealed to by the ethics of this transaction, most of us will
see it as a tremendous indescribable demonstration of selfless love. None who
have experienced the joy of His forgiveness will question the method by which it
was made possible.
Now consider another vindication of His propitiatory atonement for us. He had an
absolute right to be our substitute because He shared our fallen human nature.
When He lived a perfect life of obedience and carried our sinful nature to the
cross, we were corporately with Him in that experience. This is why Paul writes:
"I am crucified with Christ." Galatians 2:20. "Like as Christ was raised up from
the dead, by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life." Romans 6:4.
Our identification with Him in His sinless living and atoning death is made
possible only because of His incarnate involvement with our nature. Had He
carried any other flesh than fallen sinful flesh to that cross, He could not
have "condemned sin in the flesh." Romans 8:4. Only someone in my family with my
nature, could represent me, or stand in as my substitute. It would have been
only a pretend situation for Him to impute His victory to me, if His victory was
obtained in some alien nature impossible for me ever to experience or reproduce.
Had He carried any other flesh than sinful flesh to the cross IT WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN MINE, because mine is sinful. Therefore I could not have been "crucified
with Him."
The only way any of us could die with Him and be resurrected with Him is through
His substitutionary role in our behalf. And that was made possible solely by
sharing that aspect of our nature that produced the sins requiring atonement on
the cross-our fallen, sinful nature.
Thus we see that the true secret of living with Christ is to die with Christ.
"For he that is dead is freed from sin."
Romans 6:7. Faith in the cross, with its forgiving, cleansing merits, produces
the new spiritual life which triumphs over the flesh and sin.
Any effort on our part to fulfil the requirements of the law are doomed to
failure unless they are centered in the cross. It was that glorious objective
act of sacrifice and love which brings justification, the new birth, and
sanctification to every one who believes. Jesus, the object of our faith, who
"is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
I Corinthians 1:30, 31.
So, even though we rejoice in the victory, we glory only in the cross by which
"the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." To allow any element in
our human response, including the thrill of victory, to diminish our recognition
of His all-sufficient, atoning work on the cross, would be a tragic mistake. In
every prayer and in every testimony, we need to acknowledge gratefully that the
world is crucified to us only because of what He did in our behalf. We have
learned that there can be no forgiveness of our sins without His substitutionary
death for us on the cross. This provides justification for all. Further, we have
discovered that sanctification is possible only because He overcame sin in our
flesh, with our fallen nature, so that He could reproduce that life of victory
in our own human experience. Thus, everything we could possibly boast about is
His work and not ours. "God forbid that we should glory, save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ." Will you not gladly receive Him as your Substitute, your
Forgiveness, and your Victory?
"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ." I Corinthians 15:57.
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." II Corinthians 9:15.
THANKS BE TO GOD!
THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD
The Church and the World walked far apart
On
the changing shore of Time;
The world was singing a giddy song,
And the Church a hymn sublime.
"Come, give me your hand," cried the merry World,
"And walk with me this way;"
But the good Church hid her snowy hands,
And solemnly answered, "Nay;
I
will not give you my hand at all,
And I will not walk with you;
Your way is the way to endless death;
Your words are all untrue."
"Nay, walk with me but a little space,"
Said the World with a kindly air;
"The road I walk is a pleasant road,
And the sun shines always there.
Your path is thorny, and rough, and rude,
And mine is broad and plain;
My
road is paved with flowers and dews
And yours with tears and pain.
The sky above me is always blue;
No
want, no toil, I know:
The sky above you is always dark,
Your lot is a lot of woe.
My
path, you see, is a broad, fair one
And my gate is high and wide;
There is room enough for you and for me
To
travel side by side."
Half shyly the Church approached the World,
And gave him her hand of snow;
The old World quick grasped it and walked along,
Saying in accents low;
"Your dress is too simple to please my taste;
I
will give you pearls to wear,
Rich velvets and silks for your graceful form,
And diamonds to deck your hair."
The Church looked down at her plain white robes
And then at the dazzling World,
And blushed as she saw his handsome lip
With a smile contemptuous curled..
"I
will change my dress for a costlier one,"
Said the Church with a smile of grace:
Then the pure white garments drifted away,
And the World gave in their place
Beautiful silks and shining satins,
And roses and gems and pearls,
And over her forehead her bright hair fell,
Crisped in a thousand curls.
"Your house is too plain," said the proud old World;
"I抣l
build you one like mine,
Carpets of Brussels, and curtains of lace
And furniture ever so fine."
So
he built her a costly and beautiful house,
Splendid it was to behold;
Her sons and her beautiful daughters dwelt there,
Gleaming in purple and gold;
And fairs and shows in the halls were held,
And the World and his children were there;
And laughter and music and feasts were heard
In
the place that was meant for prayer.
She had cushioned pews for the rich and great
To
sit in their pomp and pride;
While the poor folk, clad in their shabby suits,
Sat meekly down outside.
The Angel of Mercy flew over the Church,
And whispered, "I know thy sin:"
Then the Church looked back with a sigh and longed
To
gather her children in;
But some were off at the midnight ball,
And some were off at the play,
And some were drinking in gay saloons,
So
she quietly went her way.
Then the sly World gallantly said to her:
"Your children mean no harm,
Merely indulging in innocent sports;"
So
she leaned on his proffered arm
And smiled and chatted and gathered flowers
As
she walked along with the World;
While millions and millions of sorrowing souls
To
eternal death were hurled.
"Your preachers are all too old and plain,"
Said the World to the Church with a sneer
"They frighten my children with dreadful tales,
Which I like not for them to hear.
They talk of brimstone and fire and pain
And the night of an endless death;
They talk of a place which may only be
Mentioned with bated breath.
I
will send you some of the better stamp,
Brilliant and gay and fast,
Who will tell them that people may live as they choose
And go to heaven at last.
The Father is merciful, great and good,
Tender and true and kind;
Do
you think he would take one child to heaven,
And leave the other behind?"
So
he filled her house with gay divines,
Gifted and great and learned,
And the plain old men that preached the cross
Were out of her pulpits turned.
"You give too much to the poor," said the world,
"Far more than you ought to do;
If
the poor need shelter and food and clothes,
Why need it trouble you?
Go, take your money and buy rich robes,
And horses and carriages fine,
And pearls and jewels and dainty foods,
And the rarest and costliest wine!
My
children, they dote on all such things;
And if you their love would win,
You must do as they do and walk in the ways
That they are walking in."
Then the Church held tightly the strings of her purse
And gracefully lowered her head,
And whispered, "I've given too much away;
I'll do, sir, as you have said."
So
the poor were turned from her door in scorn,
And she drew her robes aside
As
the widows went weeping on their way;
With all their needs denied,
And the sons of the world and the sons of the church
Walked closely hand and heart,
And only the Master who knoweth all
Could tell the two apart.
Then the Church sat down at her ease, and said,
"I
am rich, and with goods increased;
I
have need of nothing, and naught to do
But to laugh and dance and feast."
And the sly World heard her and laughed up his sleeve,
And mockingly said aside;
"The Church is fallen, the beautiful Church
And her shame is her boast and pride."
The angel drew near to the mercy-seat,
And whispered in sighs her name,
And the saints their anthems of rapture hushed,
And covered their heads with shame.
Then a voice came down through the hush of heaven
From Him who sat on the throne:
"I
know thy works, and how thou has said,
'I
am rich,' and hast not known
That thou art naked, and poor, and blind,
And wretched before my face.
Unless thou repent I will cast thee out
And blot thy name from its place.
I
counsel thee to buy of Me
The gold that will make you rich;
And anoint your eyes with the heavenly salve
To
discern your Maker's wish."
Then the awakened Church with deep regret
From her worldly course returned;
She opened her heart to the knock of Christ
As
His love in her bosom burned.
And gave her robes and forgave her sins,
And together they sat and supped;
His proffered throne He shared with her
For whom He had suffered much.
O
Church of Christ, hear the Spirit's voice
As
He calls through the world today.
Would that every church throughout the realm
Would turn from the world away.
The world will be lost in eternal night,
But the penitent saved for aye.
Author Unknown
