With the issue of women's ordination settled, it is good to be able to move to more important subjects in God's church. The loveliness of Jesus is the all important subject that we all need to concentrate on. It is by beholding this great love that we are transformed into the same image from glory to glory by His Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).
It is a beneficial study to compare the sanctification of Enoch with the sanctification of the thief and on the cross and how it is they became sanctified. By so doing we gain a better understanding of what it means to be a true Christian. Some do
| when one is converted he is transformed in character |
not understand when one is converted he is transformed in character. When justified, we are sanctified. I knew a pastor who did not ever want to say that one was "sanctified", past tense. He was never willing to admit that one could be sanctified. The thief on the cross was indeed sanctified when Jesus told him he would be in heaven. It was not a future event that would cause him to be sanctified. No, if we are not sanctified in this life, we shall not be sanctified when Jesus returns to take us home.
Enoch was sanctified when he was converted, but when he left this earth there was something very different about his character than the character of the thief on the cross when he died. It is that difference that we want to look at more closely.
We know Enoch was sanctified for he walked with God. "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." Genesis 5:22-24. Does this make Enoch something that we are not when we are converted, justified, and sanctified? There is a difference, but it is not that he was holy and we are not when we are truly in a converted state.
Many regard Enoch as a man to whom God gave special power to live a life more holy than we can live. But the character of the man who was so holy that he was translated to heaven without seeing death is a representation of the character to be attained by those who will be translated when Christ comes in the clouds of heaven. Enoch's life was no more exemplary than may be the life of every one who maintains a close connection with God.
Surrounded with influences so corrupt that God brought a flood of water upon the earth to destroy its inhabitants for their wickedness, Enoch was by no means free from temptation; yet in the midst of a society no more friendly to righteousness than that which surrounds us, he lived a life of holiness. Breathing an atmosphere tainted with sin and corruption, he remained unsullied by the prevailing iniquity of the age. For three hundred years he "walked with God."
It was through constant conflict and simple faith that Enoch walked with God. He realized that God is "a very present help in trouble." When in perplexity, he prayed to God to keep him, and teach him His wi
| the loveliness, of the divine character |
ll. What shall I do to honor Thee, my God? was his prayer. His will was submerged in God's will. His feet were always directed in the path of obedience to God's commandments. Constantly his meditations were upon the goodness, the perfection, the loveliness, of the divine character. His conversation was upon heavenly things; he trained his mind to run in this channel. As he looked to Jesus, he became changed into the glorious image of his Lord, and his countenance was lighted up with the glory that shines from the face of Christ. Signs of the Times, October 12, 1904.
What was the difference then between the thief and Enoch? He was more sanctified, he was more holy, he was more perfect in character. We mature after conversion in the same manner as did Jesus. "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." Hebrews 5:8,9. What does it mean "being made perfect"? Was not Jesus always perfect? Indeed He was. Our idea of perfect generally does not allow for growth in perfection, but Bible perfection does. It is maturity. Jesus matured. He was not ready for Gethsemane when He was twelve years old. "For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." Mark 4:28.
Each blade of corn is perfect, so is each truly converted Christian. Perfect in moral character. His motives are holy, just, and good. He may eat the wrong food and keep the wrong day, but it is out of ignorance. Christ sits on the throne of his heart. The truly converted Christian has the mind of Christ. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5. Those who have made a full surrender to Christ have become partakers of His divine nature. "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." 2 Peter 1:4.
This was the experience of Enoch and it was the experience of the thief on the cross. Both were filled with the Holy Spirit, both manifested the fruits of the Spirit, not one was missing while they were abiding in Christ and He in them. Was there a difference in the kind of fruit? No, both had love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, not one of these was missing. But, Enoch had more of this fruit. Enoch had an experience that was much different from the thief's. He had more time to develop both a knowledge of God's ways and strength of character. Therefore, God allowed greater temptations to come to Enoch. Remember the promise God has made to us? "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13. This is a conditional promise. The only way it works is if we are truly converted and are partakers of His divine nature. Without Christ, we cannot resist the smallest temptation. But, through Christ, we can do all things. Christ did not have to endure Gethsemane at 12, nor do we. But, Enoch could be tempted way beyond what the thief on the cross could bear. His sanctification was more perfect.
There are great trials coming to God's people. As it was with Israel of Old, so it with us today. Great deceptions abound. Satan has had 6,000 years to plan for us. The Omega of Apostasy is well beyond the understanding of a Laodicean people. But the wise will understand. Our wisdom can only be found
| spend that thoughtful hour each day contemplating the loveliness of Jesus |
in Christ. If we will spend that thoughtful hour each day contemplating the loveliness of Jesus, we shall be granted wisdom from on high. As we near the end, the line between truth and error is ever so close. We are only able to discern the difference if we are abiding in Christ and have spiritual discernment. "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14.
In the Sabbath School lessons we are studying Biblical Missionaries. The lesson continues to come home to us that if we wish to be missionaries for Christ, we must rightly represent Him in character, just as did the missionaries we are studying in the Bible. Otherwise, if we call ourselves Christians and misrepresent Him in character, we do damage to our God. We are here to not only tell of His goodness, but to reveal His goodness. That is only possible if we are abiding in Christ and He in us. We need to let His mind be in us that we might manifest each one of the fruits of His Spirit. Jesus had it right when He told Nicodemus he had to be born again. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:6,7.
It is not good enough to help someone to know he needs to be born again, that he is not right with God, and to leave him without a knowledge of what he must do in order to have this experience. Jesus told Nicodemus "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14,15. Jesus was speaking of the time when Moses was leading Israel out of Egypt. The people were rebelling against God, so He removed His hand of protection and allowed the serpents to come into camp. When a person was bitten, they would die. Moses was told to make a bronze serpent and hold it up before the people telling them if they would look, they would live. All who were bitten, if they looked upon the uplifted serpent, they would live. There was no magical power in the bronze serpent, it was a symbol of Jesus lifted up upon the cross.
We all have been bitten by sin. Our only hope is to look upon the loveliness of Jesus. If we will look, we shall live.
|
|
Topics and Links
If you know of one who would benefit from our newsletter,
|
