EGW
It will not be a long period now before we shall have filled the years of our probationary time. If we do not rest in the grave, we shall see the Saviour coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. If we are sleeping, and are found obedient children to the commandments of God, we shall have part in the first resurrection, with those upon whom the second death shall have no power. Christ says to His people at this time, “And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:12-14. Precious words! They are more valuable than fine gold, even the golden wedge of Ophir. BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 1
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto My Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it.” John 14:12-14. BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 2
“If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.” “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself unto Him.” “If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth Me not, keepeth not My sayings; and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me.” Verses 15, 16, 21, 23, 24. BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 3
“As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you; continue ye in My love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:9-11. BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 4
These texts show in what honour Christ held the law of the Father. That law is now almost universally disregarded and made void; and with David it is our privilege to say concerning it, “It is time for Thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void Thy law.” “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all Thy commandments.” BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 5
We are not left in ignorance and darkness to travel an uncertain path. O, let us be grateful to our Heavenly Father for the great love wherewith He has loved us in making known His will; and to Jesus, who gave His precious life that He might have power to pardon transgression and sin. He will impart to us His character, so that we may follow His example of loyalty to God, and, through the grace which He will freely give us, become obedient to all of the divine law. And Jesus will be our strength as we follow on to know the Lord, walking in His precepts. BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 6
There are voices many that would lead us from the path cast up, the royal way of life and holiness; the way in which Jesus would lead us for the salvation of our own souls, and to make us labourers together with Himself. It is our part to exert all the powers that God has given us in doing His will, and when a stumbling block is placed in our way, to make it a new errand to the throne of grace. We may thus gain divine wisdom to walk in perfect obedience to a “thus saith the Lord,“ and to co-operate with Christ and heavenly angels in leading other souls to obey God's commandments, which we know “are not grievous.” BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 7
We are to study the lessons of Christ, and to follow His example. He said, “I have kept My Father's commandments.” Shall we keep them also, or shall we keep the commandments of men? We may find obstacles in the Christian pathway. Our precious Saviour, when He was educating and training His disciples to co-operate with Him in the great work of the gospel of His kingdom, found obstacles on every hand. The teachings of the rabbis, their customs and traditions, were piled, like a mass of rubbish, above the precious jewels of truth, so that they could not be discerned. The world's Redeemer rescued these jewels from the companionship of error, and re-set them in their order in the framework of truth. He declared to the priests, the scribes, and the rabbis, “Ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition, ...teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” The very same difficulties,—the sayings of men,—have to be met in our day; but the heart and life must be trained after the teaching and example of Christ. BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 8
Said Christ, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil [every specification in that law]. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:16-18. The heavens and the earth remain, testifying to the immutability of the divine law. Such plain and positive language as this will meet every sinner in that day when sentence shall be pronounced against the transgressors of God's law, and a blessed benediction shall be given to the obedient. BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 9
Hear the words of Christ again: “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Will the transgressor get to heaven, and there be treated as the least in that kingdom?—No; but the heavenly beings—angels, and Jesus and the Father—will account them the least of the Lord's created intelligences. They know not, intelligent as they may seem to be, the things that make for their peace,—the blessings of obedience to God's commandments. BEcho June 10, 1895, par. 10
(Concluded next week.)