“IN Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” Galatians 5:6.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.1

With those who were in mind when this scripture was originally written, circumcision was everything; and it was everything simply because of what it represented.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.2

And what circumcision represented to those people was works, and works only. It was the greatest of all works,—greater than creation itself,—because, as the rabbis put it, “So great is circumcision, that but for it the Holy One, blessed be he, would not have created the world.” “It is as great as all the other commandments;” “equivalent to all the commandments of the law.”—Farrar’s “Life of Paul,” chap. 22, par. 5, note; chap. 35, par. 4, note.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.3

Yet this which to them was so great, the Lord sweeps away, as with a blast, in the words, “Circumcision is nothing;” and in Christ Jesus, circumcision avails nothing. And, in view of what circumcision meant to them, this was simply to say that works are nothing, and in Christ Jesus works avail nothing.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.4

Then to all the others, who, in view of this, might be inclined to boast in their lack of works, and thus excuse sin, the word is given with equal force: “And uncircumcision is nothing;” “In Jesus Christ neither... uncircumcision availeth anything:” which, in its connection, was simply to say that the absence of works is nothing; and in Christ Jesus the absence of works avails nothing.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.5

So, then, works are nothing, and the absence of works is nothing. In Christ Jesus neither works nor the lack of works avails anything.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.6

This word of the Lord, therefore, utterly and forever excludes both classes from all merit, and from all ground of merit, in themselves, or in anything they ever did or did not do.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.7

And this is all as true to-day as ever. To-day, whether persons are out of Christ or in Christ, neither works nor no works avail anything. For it is written: “Are you in Christ? Not if you do not acknowledge yourselves erring, helpless, condemned sinners.... Your birth, your reputation, your wealth, your talents, your virtues, your piety, your philanthropy, or anything else in you or connected with you, will not form a bond of union between your soul and Christ.”—“Testimony for the Church,” No. 31, pages 44, 45.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.8

What then? Is everybody left in utter emptiness?—No, no! Thank the Lord there is something which avails for all, and avails forever. Though it be the everlasting truth that “in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision,” neither works nor no works avail anything; yet it is also the eternal truth that “in Jesus Christ... FAITH WHICH WORKETH,” does avail.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.9

Notice that it is not faith and works that avails, it is “faith WHICH worketh.” It is faith which itself is able to work, and does work,—it is this, and this alone, that avails for anybody, anywhere, at any time.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.10

Faith is only of God. Thus he who, in Christ Jesus, has the “faith which worketh,” has that which avails to show God manifest in the flesh, working the works of God. And thus “this is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.11

And so, while you are in Christ, “if there is any good in you, it is wholly attributable to the mercy of the compassionate Saviour.... Your connection with the church, the manner in which your brethren regard you, will be of no avail, unless you believe in Christ. It is not enough to believe about him; you must believe in him. You must rely wholly upon his saving grace.”—Id., pages 44, 45.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.12

“Hast thou faith?” Have the faith of God. “Here are they that keep... the faith of Jesus.”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.13

“Editorial Note” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 13, p. 200.

“WE know not what we should pray for as we ought.” Romans 8:26.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.1

Though the Lord has told us many things—indeed, everything—to pray for, yet for all this, we know not what to pray for as we ought, nor how to pray for it as we ought.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.2

And yet we are to “pray everywhere,” and to “pray without ceasing.”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.3

How can we, when we know not what to pray for, nor how to pray, as we ought?—O, bless the Lord! “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities;” and the “Spirit itself maketh intercession for us.”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.4

The Holy Spirit knows perfectly what we should pray for as we ought; for “the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.5

The Holy Spirit knows, likewise, precisely how we should pray as we ought; for he “maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.6

How, then, can we pray without the Holy Spirit?ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.7

Without the Holy Spirit we shall not pray for what we ought to, nor as we ought to.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.8

Without the Holy Spirit our prayers can not be presented according to the will of God. Yet it is only when we ask anything according to his will, that we know that he hears us. 1 John 5:14.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.9

Without the Holy Spirit, then, how shall we ever know that he hears us?ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.10

How fully, therefore, these considerations lay upon us the necessity that in our prayers we be consciously dependent upon the Holy Spirit! And as we are to “pray everywhere,” and “without ceasing,” these considerations simply open to us the great blessing of being consciously dependent upon the Holy Spirit “everywhere” and “without ceasing.” Thank the Lord! That in itself is infinite reward.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.11

This, too, opens to us that further great blessing of “praying in the Holy Ghost,” while “building up yourselves on your most holy faith.”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.12

For to pray everywhere, and without ceasing, consciously dependent upon the Holy Spirit, certainly is nothing else than to be praying in the Holy Ghost.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.13

And to know, and constantly recognize, that we know not what we should pray for, nor how to pray, as we ought; but that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us according to the will of God,—surely this can have no other effect than to make every one who would pray, consciously dependent upon the Holy Spirit.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.14

How much we all need just now to pray that precious prayer of the first disciples: “Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1. And how much we need to study the Lord’s answer to that prayer! Verses 2-13.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.15

“Beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 20, 21.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.16

“Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” “Ask, and it shall be given you.” For “every one that asketh receiveth.” “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” “Be filled with the Spirit” “whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.17

“Follow Thou Me” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 13, pp. 200, 201.

THE principle that each person shall mind his own business (1 Thessalonians 4:11), and let other people’s business alone (1 Peter 4:15),—in other words, that each person shall give account of himself to God, and shall leave every other person absolutely free to give account of himself to God and to nobody else,—is not only specifically stated in the Bible, but is emphasized by many illustrations.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.1

When Jesus was talking to his disciples just before he ascended to heaven, he asked Peter, three times, the question, “Lovest thou me?” Peter responded that he did, and Christ replied, “Feed my lambs.... Feed my sheep.” And then, as they were walking along,—Jesus, Peter, and John,—Peter turned to Christ, and said, “What shall this man do?” Jesus replied, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.2

The Scripture says that Peter turned and saw the other disciple following Jesus. That was what John was doing,—following Jesus. Peter, too, at first was following Jesus; but when he turned to see John, what then was he doing?—If he was following him at all, he must have been following him backwards. But backwards is no way to follow Jesus. Men must follow him with the face to him and the eyes upon him. The only way for Peter to follow the Lord was to keep on the way he was going. But he was so concerned with the other disciple’s welfare, as to whether he was following the Lord just right or not, that he himself must turn from following the Lord to behold the other who was following the Lord, and to inquire, Well, Lord, I am to do so and so; but what about this man? Jesus simply said, in other words, That is none of your business. What that man does is nothing whatever to you. Follow thou me.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.3

This illustrates the principle which the Lord Jesus established for the guidance of his disciples, and which he has drawn out in the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of Romans.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.4

Therefore it is written: “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” That is the point we are to watch. I am to watch myself that I do not put in your way an occasion for you to fall; and the only way I can do that is by keeping my eyes upon Jesus, and him only.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 200.5

Yet at this many will query, “Why, are we not our brother’s keeper?”—Yes. And it must not be forgotten that the man who first asked the question, “Am I my brothers keeper?” was brought to the point where he asked that question, by his disregard of the very principle which we are studying. If Cain had regarded the principle which is here before us, of following the Lord for himself, and letter Abel follow the Lord for himself, rendering allegiance to his own Master in everything which he did, he would never have been brought to the place where he said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” for the question would never have been asked him, “Where is Abel thy brother?”ARSH March 28, 1899, page 201.1

It was only when Cain had failed to follow the Lord, that he turned his attention to his brother; and because his brother’s ways did not please him, he began to sit in judgment upon him and to find fault with him. And at last Cain decided that his brother’s ways were so seriously wrong that he was not fit to be on the earth; and therefore the only reasonable and legitimate thing for him to do was to put Abel out of the way; and so he killed him. Why was not Abel fit to live?—O, because his ways did not please Cain, who set himself up to judge and correct Abel, and say what he should do, and how he should do it.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 201.2

This incident is placed at the very beginning of the Bible (Genesis 4:8, 9), and is repeated to the end of the Bible (1 John 3:12; Jude 11), as a warning to all people to regard the principle that we are to honor God ourselves, and follow him ourselves, and let others do the same.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 201.3

There is a secret in this which people do not realize. When an individual is following the Lord, and him only,—with his eyes upon the Lord, his whole heart devoted to the Lord,—and influence goes forth from him that is ten thousand times more helpful to the man who is the farthest away from God than can possibly be all the superintending that man can do when he takes his eyes away from Christ. People forget that it takes the power of God to convince a man of truth; and because a man does not go in the way which they think the Lord would have him go, or because he does not go readily enough to please them, or does not shape his ways satisfactorily to them, they grow impatient, and put forth their hands to undertake to steady the ark. And there the mischief comes in.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 201.4

There is no power but of God. “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” Psalm 62:11. We pray every day, “Thine if the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.” Fellow Christians, please never forget that Christians must depend on God’s power alone to influence people to do right.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 201.5

“Editorial Notes” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 13, p. 201.

“NO chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” The Lord said to Israel, “I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” When the three Hebrew children were cast into the fiery furnace, their bands were loosed, and they were set free. So always it has been with those who would do the will of God. He knows the end from the beginning; and though the way may be dark, he will lead us straight to the kingdom if we will let him.ARSH March 28, 1899, page 201.1

March 21, 1899

April 4, 1899