By John Thiel, mp3
The great love of the Lord has so vividly been portrayed before us to this point in time. We became very much enamoured as we saw this amazing love.
As we consider His amazing sacrifice, the Father who gave His only begotten Son who was equal with Him to come down here and engage at one with sinners such as you and I, He was numbered among the transgressors and as He was so numbered among the transgressors, the Father Himself was suffering right there. He the pure and holy God was suffering by being in touch with these grotty sinful human beings. We appreciated that this chain that was let down for us is indeed something that portrays to us how far down in the pit we actually are.
The only begotten Son of God consented to leave the heavenly courts and come to our world to live with an ungrateful people who refused His gracious mercies. He consented to live a life of poverty, and to endure suffering and temptation. He became a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And the Word declares, “We hid as it were our faces from him” (Isaiah 53:3). Of His own disciples, Peter, denied Him, and Judas betrayed Him. The people whom He came to bless rejected Him. They put Him to shame and caused Him untold suffering. They placed upon His head a crown of thorns that pierced His holy temples. They beat Him with a scourge, and then they nailed Him to the cross. Yet amid it all, no word of complaint escaped His lips. {TDG 216.4}
Christ bore all this suffering in order to obtain the right to confer eternal righteousness upon as many as would believe on Him. O, when I think of this, I feel that no complaint should ever escape my lips. {TDG 216.5}
When we are having a hard time, let us consider how much our salvation cost the God of the universe.–Letter 232, July 26, 1908, to Brother and Sister M. Hare, workers in the Southern States. {TDG 216.6}
Who am I that I should murmur and complain at difficulties and hardships if I want to follow Him? There is this golden chain let down from the throne of the monarch of the universe right down onto the very terrain of the sinner, lowered to its lowest depth.
Through Christ, God works to bring man back to his first relation to his Creator and to correct the disorganizing influences brought in by Satan. Christ alone stood unpolluted in a world of selfishness, where men would destroy a friend or a brother in order to accomplish a scheme put into their hands by Satan. Christ came to our world, clothing His divinity with humanity, that humanity might touch humanity and divinity grasp divinity. {6T 237.1}
There’s the chain.
Amid the din of selfishness He could say to men: Return to your center–God. He Himself made it possible for man to do this by carrying out in this world the principles of heaven. In humanity He lived the law of God. To men in every nation, every country, every clime, He will impart heaven’s choicest gifts if they will accept God as their Creator and Christ as their Redeemer. Ibid
All across this planet, the people of every nation and clime and background, Jesus has lowered the chain communicating heaven’s gifts, calling upon us to return to our centre – God. He Himself being the chain of divine and human linked together so that as He links up together with us and we link up together with Him as a human, we will then be linked with the divine to the very throne of heaven.
As we let this sink in (I cannot emphasise strongly enough that this should be our constant meditation and study; the degree of God’s amazing love in extending this golden chain to us) as we do this, each individual feels an individual and personal joy that this is for me if I embrace it, meditate upon it and make it my own.
We think it costs us something to stand in this position before the world; and so it does. But what has our salvation cost the heavenly universe? To make us partakers of the divine nature, heaven gave its most costly treasure. The Son of God laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown and came to our earth as a little child.—Manuscript 9a, 1908. {CTr 197.5}
To make us partakers of the divine nature, to link us sinners to the divine nature, is this right? If I will personally receive this within my heart, I actually am thereby connected with the divine nature.
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
To those of us who spend time in this knowledge, what may be extended to us? Grace and peace.
2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
What is this wonderful knowledge that we embrace and engage in and meditate upon and become overwhelmed and enamoured by that we will fall in love with this God? If we will do that, what will happen to us? We become partakers of the divine nature. We then link up to the divine nature. This is the amazing beauty of the story. Indeed there is such a thing as being partaker of the divine nature
There is such a thing as being partakers of the divine nature. We shall be tempted in a variety of ways, but when we are tempted we need to remember that a provision has been made whereby we may overcome. {CTr 197.4}
That’s what we forget most of the time
Those who truly believe in Christ are made partakers of the divine nature and have power that they can appropriate under every temptation. They will not fall under temptation and be left to defeat. In time of trial they will claim the promises and by these escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust. Ibid
To receive the divine nature is a reality and that is the golden link that links up with the next golden link of this chain so that I can overcome every temptation. This needs to be engaged in. If I don’t, if I let myself become distracted by the corruptions around us, we will not overcome temptation. We will go down. I hear it frequently from all of us, O dear, I’m not going to make it and it’s too hard. Is it really? What did I just read in regards to the great story of love? It was hard for Jesus. How can I say it’s too hard? Jesus conquered because He relied on His connection with the linkage of heaven and we may link up together as human beings.
The linkage with the divine nature is what is called new birth.
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
What is the seed that is incorruptible?
…by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. Ibid
Jesus was the Word. As we link together with the man Christ Jesus, the Word was made flesh so that we can link together in human flesh with Christ’s human nature. As we link together with the human nature of Christ, we are linking together with the ingredient of the divine nature in Christ. As we take these precious promises and we receive this precious Word, as you study it, as you make it your own (to receive Christ means to study His word) as we partake of this, we are made partakers of the divine nature, we are born again.
By looking constantly to Jesus with the eye of faith, we shall be strengthened. God will make the most precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting people. They will find that Christ is a personal Saviour. As they feed upon His word, they find that it is spirit and life. . {DA 391.1}
When you have read God’s word like this, haven’t you gone through experiences of joy? It’s life inside of you, it’s the divine nature making a link with us.
The word destroys the natural, earthly nature, and imparts a new life in Christ Jesus. Ibid
The word creates a new person, it destroys the old nature and it’s a metamorphosis. The grub is consumed and in its place comes a beautiful butterfly.
The Holy Spirit comes to the soul as a Comforter. By the transforming agency of His grace, the image of God is reproduced in the disciple; he becomes a new creature. Love takes the place of hatred, and the heart receives the divine similitude. This is what it means to live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” This is eating the Bread that comes down from heaven. Ibid
This is a beautiful summary of this amazing privilege of through the word becoming partakers of the divine nature, being born again. A new ingredient is in the human soul, an incorruptible seed. As you receive the word, as you meditate on it, there is something implanted inside, it’s called the incorruptible seed. As we rely on the divine nature in temptation, can we sin?
The Holy Spirit comes, the word destroys the natural earthly nature and imparts a new life in Christ Jesus. This is the way we become a new creature. Love takes the place of hatred, etc. As we do this we are imbibing the pure incorruptible seed. Can I sin when I rely on that divine nature?
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
There’s the word.
You cannot sin as when we link up with the divine nature and consciously meet the temptation, we will overcome. We cannot sin because this is an incorruptible seed. It is a seed that cannot sin; divinity cannot sin. If divinity is in your heart and you reach out for it, in temptation you cannot sin because he is born of God.
All who received Him would partake of His nature, and be conformed to His character. This involved the relinquishment of their cherished ambitions. It required the complete surrender of themselves to Jesus. They were called to become self-sacrificing, meek and lowly in heart. They must walk in the narrow path traveled by the Man of Calvary, if they would share in the gift of life and the glory of heaven. {DA 391.2}
I have heard from each one of us here, I want to be in heaven. Before I get to heaven I want to have the divine nature, I want to be born again. I want to embrace and fall in love with the Lord Jesus the way He has been laid out before me. As I do this, what is involved? It involves the destruction of the carnal nature. This involves the relinquishment of our cherished ambition. It required a complete surrender of themselves to Jesus, they were called to become self-sacrificing, meek and lowly in heart. They must walk in the narrow path traveled by the Man of Calvary. This is the function of the divine nature within and it creates havoc against the human carnal nature, it destroys it. This is not a magical instant activity. It is the work of the divine nature conquering the human nature, it causes it to be destroyed. This is uncomfortable.
Genuine faith is followed by love, and love by obedience. All the powers and passions of the converted man are brought under the control of Christ. {5T 219.4}
The powers and passions of our human nature were in Christ Jesus and it was connected with the divine. What did He do with the human nature inside of Himself? He controlled it; He didn’t let it control Him.
Have we got problems? Yes our problems are that we are often controlled by our human nature. Do you remember the study of God’s love in human chaos? It’s chaos with our human nature and the passions of the converted man are brought under the control of Christ.
His Spirit is a renewing power, transforming to the divine image all who will receive it. Ibid
I’m laying out before you these wonderful words of inspiration that give us the answer to the point that is a query in so many people’s mind in 1 John 3. He cannot sin; you cannot sin if the divine nature controls the powers and passions inside of a converted man.
It makes me sad to say that this experience is understood by but few who profess the truth. Ibid
In my effort to communicate this, I am praying the Lord will help us to understand, because few understand this interaction. That is the reason why we fail and tend to come short of being perfect. The Lord is trying to give us messages that are going to perfect us so we can be among the 144,000.
Very many follow on in their own ways and indulge their sinful desires and yet profess to be disciples of Christ. Ibid
We indulge our desires that are natural human desires.
They have never submitted their hearts to God. Ibid
Total surrender as Jesus did.
Like the foolish virgins they have neglected to obtain the oil of grace in their vessels with their lamps. I tell you, my brethren that a large number who profess to believe and even to teach the truth are under the bondage of sin. Base passions defile the mind and corrupt the soul. Ibid
“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” He feels that he is the purchase of the blood of Christ and bound by the most solemn vows to glorify God in his body and in his spirit, which are God’s. The love of sin and the love of self are subdued in him. He daily asks: “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” . {5T 220.1}
He remains in this mentality.
The true Christian will never complain that the yoke of Christ is galling to the neck. Ibid
Who does complain? The passionate human nature complains, but the true Christian who is linked up with the divine nature will never complain, because Jesus suffered all this. I look upon this amazing love and know He didn’t even complain when everything was going wrong for Him.
He accounts the service of Jesus as the truest freedom. Ibid
Jesus said, my yoke is easy and my burden is light. We have the truest freedom because my passions don’t control me anymore.
The law of God is his delight. Instead of seeking to bring down the divine commands, to accord with his deficiencies, he is constantly striving to rise to the level of their perfection. Ibid
This is the new birth and its activity. There is a new creature that works within, who does not sin although the human may not always connect in consciousness and then he slips and sins. People have said if 1 John 3 means what it says then I’m lost because I still sin. If I sin like King David I am absolutely shocked about myself if I am converted. Next time the same sin arises I will conquer it because of that seed inside when it is not asleep. That is what Sr White wrote about David. He woke up as out of a dream, he had put to sleep the divine influences inside of him. When he woke up he got rid of the sin. This is the linkage of the golden chain that secures the individual to God. As he is so secured and so firmly clear as to what all this means, when he is fully in that position and he has dealt with it completely in terms of understanding and engaging in the sense of the presence of God’s divine nature by those precious promises engaging in them, he becomes born again and he is baptised.
I have just laid out before those who wish to be baptised the process that leads towards baptism. Those who have been baptised can examine themselves whether they have been buried alive or whether they are really engaging in this activity.
Baptism is a most solemn renunciation of the world. {6T 91.3}
It’s a symbolic action of what I have come to do.
Those who are baptized in the threefold name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, at the very entrance of their Christian life declare publicly that they have forsaken the service of Satan and have become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. They have obeyed the command: “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing.” And to them is fulfilled the promise: “I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18. Ibid
Do you see what baptism is? It is a symbolic expression of something real that I have now completely entered into.
The vows which we take upon ourselves in baptism embrace much. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we are buried in the likeness of Christ’s death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection, and we are to live a new life. Our life is to be bound up with the life of Christ. {6T 98.3}
There’s the chain again. From the time of baptism that which I have learned up to that point now becomes the predominating mind activity.
Henceforth the believer is to bear in mind that he is dedicated to God, to Christ, and to the Holy Spirit. He is to make all worldly considerations secondary to this new relation. Ibid
When I take the step in baptism or I have taken the step in baptism, I have actually made a vow that everything of the earth will take second place to what God wants me to be and do.
Publicly he has declared that he will no longer live in pride and self-indulgence. He is no longer to live a careless, indifferent life. He has made a covenant with God. He has died to the world. He is to live to the Lord, to use for Him all his entrusted capabilities, never losing the realization that he bears God’s signature, that he is a subject of Christ’s kingdom, a partaker of the divine nature. He is to surrender to God all that he is and all that he has, employing all his gifts to His name’s glory. Ibid
When you read this without the appreciation of falling in love with God, you think this is going too far. I still have a bit of my own life here; not when you love Him, it’s all His. The question is not, do I have to? The question is, I love to. If I don’t love to, I have to fall in love with Him some more yet. That is the reality.
A union with Christ by living faith is enduring; every other union must perish. {5T 231.3}
That is a very personal individual decision making experience. When I have made that linkage, that golden linkage with my Lord and Saviour to such a degree, that golden chain encompasses at baptism something else, something more.
We read the words of John 17 and we think it is so nice, but when it comes to the actual proof of the life we recoil because the human nature doesn’t like it much. We are linked individually with Jesus in that golden chain of communication of the divinity and the humanity bound together
John 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Can you see the golden chain? The golden chain of each individual in Christ is then the chain that binds us together in Christ.
Many people have said to me when I come to the baptism, but I don’t want to join the church. That’s an oxymoron when you look at this. To be baptised into Jesus Christ means to be baptised into His church; that is what it means. As each individual is baptised into Christ as an individual, they are all bound together in the same Christ and they are His body. That is so simple. That is why I find it very bewildering that people say to me it’s a personal relationship between me and God, nobody else has got anything to do with it. Sorry, everybody else who is in Christ has something to do with it. When baptism in its true meaning is entered into, it binds us together according to this Scripture that is to be understood plainly.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
Oh no, do I have to be bound together with that particular individual that I think is a little bit strange? The strangeness is simply the human nature but there is something else in there, just like there is in me and in anybody else. As we are learning to live by the divine nature instead of the flesh we will love one another and we will be bound together as much as Christ is bound together with me and His disciples who were still having trouble with Him, but that didn’t matter. Here is this powerful representation. We are all baptised into one body not just personally baptised into Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but [that] the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Jesus is the head. This is what we do when we become baptised. There is a total surrender and linkage and captivating experience with God personally and then through that the wonderful bond that exists between Father, Son and Holy Spirit is now being entered into with other believers in God’s church. Every one of us is not a separate entity all on their own.
Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ: 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
This beautiful love of God just animates me, it keeps me going. It helps me to press together, compacted. It’s not because I don’t want to, it’s because I want to. I want to be part of the body of Christ. While we all have differences of background. While we are all different individuals, we are compacted by one common denominator. We are all pressing in together with Christ to let the divine nature rule me and conquer all my sinfulness and weakness. That is how we are all combined in the body that believes these things.
The Lord has not qualified any one of us to bear the burden of the work alone. He has associated together men of different minds, that they may counsel with and assist one another. {TDG 154.2}
That is what we read in Ephesians. Every joint supplieth.
In this way the deficiency in the experience and the abilities of one is supplied by the experience and the abilities of another. We should all study carefully the instruction given in Corinthians and Ephesians regarding our relation to one another as members of the body of Christ Ibid
The deficiencies in one are supplied by the joint of another according to the effectual working in the measure of every part. We are bound together in the church of Christ. As we are bound together and we are heading towards the purification of the 144,000 totally, here is the importance of the church.
People have said to me, it doesn’t matter if God’s people are scattered all over the earth in little companies and we don’t always bind together; everyone is doing their bit with Jesus. Sorry, God will bring all together into one fold and one shepherd under one truth. That is biblical, it cannot be interpreted that way. The only reason why people say it is because they are bewildered by the different organisations today.
The various organisations are in rebellion like Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. They are not in tune with the prophet Moses; Sr White. Moses of the day of the children of Israel in the wilderness is the same as EG White’s writings, there is no difference. It is a direct revelation by God to Moses and to Sr White as well. That is what happened. The people were in rebellion against Moses, you take too much upon yourself. What is that you are telling us? This doesn’t fit. This is rebellion.
People today who are in the ministry are in rebellion like Korah, Dathan and Abiram because they don’t submit to the counsel of the Spirit of Prophecy which is in harmony with all of God’s word, it’s in harmony with Moses, it’s in harmony all across the board. Man is in a debative mentality today. What is the condition of the world today? There is a spirit of independence that is all around us. It is in the atmosphere we breathe. As we are affected by the atmosphere we breathe, it will be impossible to become different unless we cling to Jesus in the way we have just studied and the way we understand His love.
Here in these last days God has a church and it is bound together and is being bound together. We are right in the processes of it and all must understand this binding chain.
Now those whom Christ calls his own, whom He has sacrificed so much for, will not, cannot, enjoy anything selfishly. Their interest will be identified with that of their Redeemer. To every one of them will be given opportunities to show their love for his dear name by consecrating to Him themselves and the possessions He has loaned them on trust. Jesus expects nothing less of them than that the claims of his kingdom, the boundless love he has manifested towards them, will awaken a response in their hearts, an interest that will overbalance every worldly consideration. {BEcho, February 12, 1894 par. 8}
An interest in Him that will overbalance every worldly consideration.
There must be no cessation of benevolent acts. New channels for their outflow will be opening around us in this day of preparation for the great event, the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. Ibid
As we are heading towards the second coming of Jesus and the last days of this earth, there is a preparation that will cause channels to be opened around us to outflow our benevolence to everyone around us.
Link after link they form a golden chain of love, binding heart to heart, and all hearts to Christ’s great heart of infinite love. When this love takes possession of the heart, the plans devised to spread the light of truth and extend the Redeemer’s kingdom will seem too small, the most costly offering too cheap. The icy spirit of selfishness will melt away, and in its place benevolence will well up like a living fountain to overflow and bless. Ibid
I have a good understanding of this in practice because as we are heading to the end, there are some of us who have still good financial security and others because they are standing faithful and loyal are thrown into such difficulties that we have to help them. Opportunities will open up. Haven’t we found this as a church? We are brought to let the flow of God’s benefit come to each individual in one way or another. As these opportunities are given to us, the fellowship within the church is exactly the same as it was in the days of the apostles after the outpouring of the former rain. They held all things in common. They had a church trust in which they could help those who because of their faith, were bereft of their needs of life. This is how it’s coming up. If we are members of God’s church, we will understand this if we are baptised into His body.
Men are bound in fellowship, in dependence, to one another. {6T 238.3}
That’s the church and some people don’t like it very much. I’m independent, I can look after myself, why can’t the other person look after themselves?
By the golden links of the chain of love they are to be bound fast to the throne of God. This can be done only by Christ’s imparting to finite man the attributes which man would ever have possessed had he remained loyal and true to God. {6T 238.3}
The only reason why we don’t have it is because sin has come in. Now He wants to bind us back together like that again.
Those who, through an intelligent understanding of the Scriptures, view the cross aright, those who truly believe in Jesus, have a sure foundation for their faith. They have that faith which works by love and purifies the soul from all its hereditary and cultivated imperfections. {6T 238.4}
Do you have some hereditary imperfections? Let the divine nature do its work. Keep it ever in mind and it will purify all those hereditary and cultivated imperfections. I have said to you many times, I am a German, I have the typical German heredity. I tell you if I wouldn’t have gone this far with the Lord, you would get the brunt of it because I have a pretty strong nature as a German and so do many of us in our own hereditary backgrounds. The fact is that the hereditary nature by having an intelligent understanding of the cross keeping it ever in front of my mind’s eye, will so humble me that it will conquer every hereditary and cultivated imperfection.
God has united believers in church capacity in order that one may strengthen another in good and righteous endeavor. The church on earth would indeed be a symbol of the church in heaven {6T 238.5}
The church on earth is part of the church in heaven, it is one.
…if the members were of one mind and of one faith. Ibid
That’s why the Lord is preparing us to be in tune with heaven.
It is those who are not moved by the Holy Spirit that mar God’s plan. Another spirit takes possession of them, and they help to strengthen the forces of darkness. Those who are sanctified by the precious blood of Christ will not become the means of counterworking the great plan which God has devised. They will not bring human depravity into things small or great. They will do nothing to perpetuate division in the church. Ibid
You can read this as a condemnation or you can read it as something to help you. That is the way I choose to read it. If I have made mistakes, then that is too bad, I’m going to continue to do this work. I will do nothing to perpetuate division in the church. If I have done it in the past, God forgive me as He shows I can repent and I will push on. We are learning to do this.
In conclusion, what does it mean to be baptised in practice? What does it mean to put this whole scenario of selflessness, of opening the heart to the love of God and letting it govern and clean me up and focus upon what I am supposed to be doing as I become a member, as I am baptised into the body of Christ and part of that body? What does it mean in engaging reality? We know the struggles that our human nature has upon us. we understand the battles each one of us is fighting.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another
What for? Not the way we usually do. This person isn’t very nice to me or this person is just not Christlike, or this person is doing that. That is not what we are considering. What are we to consider?
Hebrews 10:24 …to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
If I am a baptised member, I will be at every church meeting. That is what this is saying. I will be there to do my part; that is what a baptised member in the organism is. How can the organism function together if people remain absent whether it is in the spiritual realm or in the organised realm in the business meetings or the prayer meeting? Yes, it means a total commitment in every respect to the body of Christ. We will consider each other to help each other and our meetings are there to build us up so that we will finally be perfected before the Lord otherwise I can’t be perfected.
The believers at the time of the outpouring of the early rain were in the apostle’s doctrine and they held everything in common and they were in perfect unity. They went from house to house in their meetings to encourage and bless each other. This all the much more as we see the day approaching. This is where our church activity comes into focus. This is what happens when I become totally wrapped up with Jesus in this way.
There is necessity for diligence in prayer; let nothing hinder you. Make every effort to keep open the communion between Jesus and your own soul. {SC 98.1}
You do that on a personal level, but listen carefully:
Seek every opportunity to go where prayer is wont to be made. Those who are really seeking for communion with God will be seen in the prayer meeting, faithful to do their duty and earnest and anxious to reap all the benefits they can gain. Ibid
Because every joint supplieth. Why does she say prayer meeting? Because in the Adventist church even in her time the people didn’t go to prayer meeting, they had other sort of business affairs to take care of. They went to church on Sabbath and to the business activities but they weren’t at prayer meeting. That is why that was mentioned. In the bulletin there is also a quote there that is written there every week, that we will be there in the meetings.
There is work for all in the cause of God. The church in your own neighborhood requires care. Men of thought and self-denial are needed,–men who will work to keep up the interests of the church, even if their own worldly affairs suffer. You will give your thought and care to that cause whose prosperity you prize most highly. {RH, October 28, 1884 par. 15}
Where you treasure is, there is your heart also. When we become truly connected with the pearl of great price, we sell all we have. We purchase that one pearl and we are connected with that pearl. We become to Christ the pearl of great price. As we are together in this treasure, this treasure is everything to us. We love Him and we have fallen in love with this beautiful sparkling gem and in so doing we will be affiliated in perfect unity.
Christ has made an infinite sacrifice. He gave His own life for us. He took upon His divine soul the result of the transgression of God’s law. Laying aside His royal crown, He condescended to step down, step by step, to the level of fallen humanity. He hung upon Calvary’s cross, dying in our behalf, that we might have eternal life. Does it seem a small thing that He should endure all this, that we might be called the sons of God? Does it seem a small thing to you to become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King, partakers of an immortal inheritance? {OHC 17.3}
Such is the infinite goodness of God that through Jesus Christ’s merits He not only spares but pardons and justifies us, and through the righteousness of Christ imputes righteousness to us, and exalts and ennobles us by making us children of His adoption. We become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. He lifts men and women from their degradation and exalts them in righteousness. He calls them His jewels, and a peculiar treasure unto Him. They are trophies of His grace and power, and of His greatness and riches in glory. They therefore are not their own, but are bought with a price, and through the extraordinary office of the atonement of Christ have been brought into nearness and the most sacred relationship to Jesus Christ. They are called His heritage, His children, the members of Christ’s body, of His flesh and of His bones; yea, they are joined to the Lord by intimate relationship with Him. {OHC 17.4}
Wasn’t that a wonderful summary of everything we have been considering.
True church affiliation is that which is the outworking of a heart that has fallen in love with the man of Calvary. Check your relationship with Him if you hold any reservation toward the people of God. You know the Scripture of 1 John 4:20-21. If we say we love God and we don’t function in love to our brother, what are we? We are liars.
May God help us to see the perfect linkage of church affiliation with our personal affiliation of Jesus Christ.
