In this issue:
What was secured by the Death of Christ?
The knowledge of good & evil
David Clayton
It is a universally accepted fact that knowledge is good. Most of us would conclude that knowledge is good because it enables us to respond to our environment in an appropriate way. It enables us to deal with the circumstances that arise in life. As children we went to school to learn, and the whole purpose of this was to gain knowledge so that when we became adults and went out to face life we were able to relate to our circumstances in an appropriate way.
Critical Knowledge
One of the most necessary kinds of knowledge is a knowledge of our enemy. In fact, in times of war the person that is most hated of all enemies is a spy! An enemy soldier who is captured is usually locked up, but often when a spy is found he is executed. A spy is hated and despised because he has more power to do harm than an open enemy. The worst kind of enemy is the enemy who is in our midst and unknown! That is the enemy that we need to know. Ignorance of this kind of enemy can be very dangerous.
Many of us have probably heard of a bird called the cuckoo. The cuckoo is a very strange bird as it never builds a nest of its own. During the mating season, when it’s ready to lay an egg, the cuckoo goes and deposits its egg in the nest of another bird and then leaves it, and goes about it’s business! It finds a nest with maybe two eggs and it puts it’s egg right with the others. The owner of the nest comes back home and finds three eggs but of course, birds can’t count. She knows she left eggs in the nest and she comes back and finds eggs in the nest so she thinks everything is alright. So she starts to sit on these eggs with this strange bird growing under her. Finally all the eggs hatch and the cuckoo chick is bigger than the others so when the parent birds start feeding these chicks he pushes his head above the others and he gets most of the food. Soon the other chicks begin to starve. As soon as he grows a little bigger the cuckoo chick kicks out the other baby birds and finally he is left alone in the nest. The parent birds continue to feed this cuckoo chick until it grows big enough to fly away, and later, to find another cuckoo bird and to carry on the cycle of deception and destruction.
Now this baby bird that they feed and nurture and care for, destroys their own children. It is an enemy sitting in the nest but they feed and nurture it because they’re totally ignorant of the truth. This illustrates the point that it is important to know who the enemy really is.
Perhaps some of us might have heard of Ignaz Semmelweis. He was a Hungarian doctor who was born in 1818. During that era, approximately 10 percent of all the women who gave birth in a hospital died of later complications. This was not considered strange and it was taken for granted that it was just one of the hazards of child bearing. But Ignaz Semmelweis noticed something strange. Some women were being delivered by midwives, while those in the hospitals were being delivered by doctors, he noticed that about two percent of those who were delivered by midwives died while 10 percent of those who were delivered by doctors in the hospitals died and he thought this was very strange.
One day while Ignaz Semmelweis was with a group of doctors doing an autopsy on a dead body, one of the doctors pricked his finger with the scalpel, and he became sick and eventually died. Semmelweis noticed that this doctor manifested the same symptoms as the women who had died after giving birth in the hospitals. It occurred to him that perhaps what was happening was that these doctors were doing these autopsies on these dead bodies, then moving straight to these women who had just had babies and examining the birth passage with their dirty hands! Were the doctors in fact, killing the women?
Semmelweis set up a carbolic solution and made it a rule in his department that anybody who was going to examine a patient would have to wash his hands in this solution first. The death rate in his department dropped dramatically! It went down to almost zero! The astounding thing was that when this became known, the doctors in the hospital resented it and refused to comply because they thought it was too inconvenient to be always having to wash their hands. It was many years before this simple life-saving measure was implemented, and it was not before Semmelweis himself was dead.
Everybody thought that childbirth was killing these women, but actually, it was a different enemy. Those who were considered the greatest friends were actually the carriers of death, but ignorance kept the death rate high, because that’s the way ignorance is. Knowledge is important.
Undesirable knowledge
But let us now look at a perspective on knowledge that may give us a different understanding of its value. The Bible tells us that right at the beginning of the history of this world, Eve was promised a certain kind of knowledge. In Genesis 3:5 we find Satan speaking to Eve and he said to her:
…. God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:5)
God had set a tree in the midst of the Garden which was called “The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” We understand that this tree had to do with a certain kind of knowledge, and we have seen that knowledge is a good thing, it is something that people seek after. God told Adam and Eve, “if you eat of this tree you will die!” But now, Satan says to Eve, “What God told you is not true. God knows that in the day you eat from this tree you will be as God, knowing good and evil.”
Did Satan tell the truth?
The question I want us to consider is, did he tell the truth? Did they receive that day the knowledge of good and evil? The answer is yes! When Satan told them that they would “know” good and evil, he told them the truth. But sometimes we tell the truth in such a way that it becomes an untruth because we only tell a half of it. We don’t give the full understanding of what we are saying, and so our truth becomes a half truth which is as dangerous as a straight lie or even more dangerous, Too often, when we operate on the basis of only a half truth, we don’t really understand what we are involved in until we get caught up in it, too far to back out.
What it means to know
What was the full truth involved in knowing good and evil? What was it concerning this truth which Satan did not fully explain to Adam and Eve? In Genesis 2:25 it says,
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Gen 2:25)
The Bible does not say they were ignorant of the fact that they were naked, but it explains that in spite of this, they were not ashamed. The suggestion is that they were aware that they did not have on any clothes but this fact did not bother them at all. My frien dan co-worker, Howard has a little girl, Kay Kay, who is two and a-half years old. The other day I visited the home and she greeted me with, “Uncle David, I’m a girl and Lukie is a boy. let me show you!” and she was getting ready to show me! I told her, “No, no baby, you don’t need to do that.”She knows what nakedness is but she is not aware of the implications of nakedness.
It was a similar case with Adam and Eve. The Bible says that they were both naked but they were not ashamed. Nakedness meant nothing to them. The fact that they wore no clothes did not bother them at all. In Genesis 3:7, it says,
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Gen 3:7)
Now when we read this superficially it seems to be saying that, at this time they suddenly gained knowledge that they were naked but it doesn’t make sense to suggest that before this they never know that they did not have on any clothes. The Bible says that they KNEW! What it suggests is that the word “knew,” carries a different idea than simply, the acquiring of information. This knowledge that came to them was on a deeper level than simply information coming to their heads. It was an awareness that changed their perspective, an awareness that changed their view of themselves on a deeper level than simply a realization of a physical lack. In fact in verse 11 God says to them,
Who told thee that thou wast naked? (Gen. 3:11)
Now if you were wearing no clothes would somebody have to tell you this? The problem was not that they suddenly realized that they had no clothes on, the problem was that suddenly, the fact that they had no clothes on became a reason for them to hide from God when it had never mattered before. Their nakedness took on different implications. Suddenly they became aware of the meaning of nakedness. In their minds what had been perfectly good, what had been perfectly innocent suddenly became shameful. Suddenly they recognized that God was coming and they could not appear before him like this. Nakedness became not just a theory in the head, not just the awareness of facts but it became something that in their experience meant something.
In a few more years Kay Kay (Howard’s little daughter) wont want me to see her naked. It’s going to mean something different to her. In a few years time nakedness is going to mean “… time to look for a place to hide. I can’t let anybody see me like this!” Probably she will not want even her own parents to see her naked then. At that time she will know nakedness, she will understand in her personal experience the implications of nakedness instead of simply knowing how to define nakedness. Knowing something means more than simply being able to define it. This is the point. Adam and Eve did not know nakedness until they experienced nakedness.
Now let us apply this idea as we consider the name of the forbidden tree. The Bible says it was called the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” and Satan said, “in the day that you take of this tree you shall be as God knowing good and evil.”
Now consider this question: Did Adam and Eve know about evil? I believe they must have. God had told them that in the day they ate of the tree they would die. So they were aware of right and wrong and they were aware of death. The knew that there was something called “evil,” and they probably could have given a definition for it. They understood that certain actions would have made them enemies of God, but they had no personal appreciation of what this meant.
When they partook of that fruit an awareness came upon them that had not been known on this planet before. It was brand new and it was very strange because in that moment the person who had been their best friend became their worst enemy in their eyes. As soon as God appeared, who had never meant them harm, who had never promised them harm, who had never threatened them, who meant them nothing but good, they ran to hide! It was not because of what had happened to Him but because of what had happened to them. Now they knew evil and this is the effect that the knowledge of evil has upon us.
This useage of the word “know,” as meaning more than simply being able to define something, is very popular in the Bible. For example, in Genesis 4:1 we read,
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. (Gen 4:1)
Notice how the word is used here. Adam “knew” Eve, but this does not mean that he was simply acquainted with her or had some idea of the kind of person she was. This is referring to the close, intimate union between Adam and his wife which the Bible describes as them becoming “one flesh.” When he knew his wife in this way the result was that she conceived and bare a son. We see the word being used by Mary, the mother of Jesus in the same way. When the angel came to her and said, “you shall have a son and you will call his name Jesus”, Mary’s answer was, “how can this be seeing that I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34).
So when the Bible says that Adam and Eve came to know evil, it means that evil had become a part of their experience. Satan had not told them the full truth, they did become as God because God was the only Person who had this awareness of sin, apart from Satan and his angels. But God was the only person who could know sin without coming under its power because He is God. He knew what it would mean to know sin. But the only way they could come to know evil was by coming under its power and pulling it into their bosom. They had to became joined to it like a man to his wife. So when they came to this knowledge of evil, Adam and Eve recognized that they had been tricked, Satan had not told them the full truth, but by then it was too late!
An opportunity provided
It is interesting to consider that there was nothing actually wrong with the tree itself, or its fruit. It was just another tree sitting in the garden. The real difference was that God had made a law prohibiting them from eating of this particular tree. Normally when we ask somebody not to take what belongs to us, it is because we have need of the thing. But when God put the tree there and said, “don’t eat of this tree,” was it because God needed the tree? I mean He could have created a thousand more! Why put a tree there and say, “don’t touch this tree,” if He didn’t need it? You could almost say that this was an unnecessary rule. Why put a restriction there if you don’t need the thing that you’re prohibiting me from?
This should tell us very clearly that the tree was not the issue. God gave them the rule simply to provide them with the option to sin. Some might prefer if I say that God gave them the opportunity to choose between good and evil, but the reality is, God did not give man the option to choose good. When Adam was created, he was created perfect! He was made in the image of God, he didn’t choose it. It was his without choice. God made him that way. What God did was to give them any opportunity to choose evil because they already had good, what they didn’t have was evil and God gave them an opportunity to choose it.
Why would God do this? It comes back to the root of the controversy. Satan in heaven said to God, “You are not giving your creatures a fair chance, why do You always assume that your way is the best way? I have set up another system and if they choose my way it will be better, they will be happier and if You are fair, You have to allow people the freedom to choose.”
So God set up an opportunity for them to sin. That is all that the tree was, an opportunity to sin. But God gave them clear warning, “Don’t go near that tree because there is nothing at that tree except sin. The moment you encounter that tree you are going to sin, but remember, it’s the only place where there is this danger!” Of course, it didn’t have to be a tree. God could have taken a stone and put it there and called it “the stone of good and evil,” with the instruction that they should not touch this stone. So let’s not give the tree too much blame because the tree was nothing. The thing which really gave them an opportunity for sin was God’s commandment. If God had not made that rule they could have eaten from that tree for a thousand years and nothing would have happened. It was the rule that gave them an opportunity to know sin!
But did God want them to know evil? No! In their case they should never have known evil and things would have continued in this perfect state forever. But it was necessary that they should have been given a choice, it was necessary that they should be given an opportunity to choose Satan’s way, because God is a God who believes in freedom.
The knowledge of sin
Romans 3:20 tells us:
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 7:7 says basically the same thing:
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid! Nay, I had not know sin but by the law: for I had not known lust , except the law had said thou shalt not covet.
All my life I had the understanding that what these verses are saying is that, through the law we obtain a definition of sin. I know that this is the popular understanding of these verses. But is this what Paul is really saying?
Paul says, “I would not have known sin but by the law.” Now there are two possible meanings to his statement. As I pointed out, there are two ways in which this word “ know” is used in the Bible. One use of the word is to describe a theoretical knowledge, (such as a definition, an intellectual understanding). The other one is to describe a personal relationship, where there is personal intimacy, where something becomes a part of one’s experience. There are these two usages of the word “know” and the second one is used in the Bible more often than we recognize. Many times the Bible talks about knowing something and we think it is giving us a definition, when that is not what it is saying at all.
Now Paul says, “I would not have known sin but by the law” and as we continue to read in that very passage in Romans 7, we discover that what he is saying is that he came to know something personally and intimately which was an integral part of his experience. What did he come to know? What was it that he came to have intimate experience with? It was something which he calls sin !
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (20) Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (Rom 7:18-20)
The work of the law
How did he know that sin dwelt in him? How did he know that there was a power in him that he could not fight and which he could not resist, that was greater than him? He says, “ I had not known sin, but by the law … .” (Rom 7:7), “ I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died .” (Rom 7:9).
What Paul was saying was, “I like the law of God with my mind but I find another power existing in me which fights against the desires of my mind and makes me a slave to this sinful power which is in my body.” It is the law of God that makes him aware that there is sin at work inside of him. He would not have known sin but by the law because he says without the commandment sin was dead!
So according to Paul, the main purpose of the law is to make us know sin! That is, the law makes us aware of this power inside of us, this enemy on the inside who is stronger than we are and whom we cannot resist by any power which we possess of ourselves.
Can we see that this is the very same thing that happened to Adam. God gave him a law so he could have the opportunity of knowing sin. Adam might have said, “without the tree I would not have known sin.” Paul says, “I had not known sin but by the law,” (Rom. 7:7). The law given to Adam and the law given to us serves the same purpose. Both laws are intended to provide an opportunity for man to know sin.
A popular misconception
The popular understanding is that the role of the law is to define sin and these statements of Paul are usually used to support this idea. Paul says, “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” What Paul means is that through the law I become aware of sin, I become aware of the presence of this enemy inside.
The way of the law
Why is it that we cannot know sin without the law? It is because, although sin is our constant friend and companion, although sin is integrated into our very being, without the law we will always walk in perfect harmony with sin. We will never try to oppose it, we walk hand in hand as friends! Because we are in harmony, there is a side to sin’s nature which we have not discovered.
I am sure that most of us at some time or the other have tried to persuade someone to give his life to Christ. We are familiar with the answer: “I’m going to come, but I’m not ready yet!” Such people think that any time they choose they can stand up against sin and decide to live righteously! You have seen this illusion, this false idea. They believe that the power of change lies in their hands and it is just a matter that they haven’t made up their minds yet but someday they will and when they do then they will just turn around, and live a better Christian life than all you Christians! You have heard it! We have all met people like that. They think that they have the ability to just turn themselves around, they don’t know the truth because they have never yet met the law. They are walking hand in hand with sin, they are good friends and they think, “anytime I want I can turn and go the other direction.”
But the day comes when they encounter the law. They come to recognize that the requirements of the law apply to them, then they try to turn in the other direction, away from sin, and they try to move in a different direction from their life-long companion. This is when they find out who sin really is! Now they find out that they can’t get away that easily. They come to know sin like they did not know sin before! Let the whoremonger, the thief, the liar, the deceitful, malicious person try to put away these traits and he is going to discover who sin is! Paul tried it and he tells us what he discovered.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (Rom 7:21)
He expresses his desperate position with the words,
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Rom 7:24)
That is what he discovered when the law came into his experience, he came to know sin. There was a deadly parasite hidden inside, eating out his life, destroying him but for many years he did not know it. In ignorance he walked hand in hand with this deadly enemy.
So what did God do? God introduced a probe into his life, something meticulous that could search into all the corners and expose this deadly thing and bring it to light. Suddenly Paul recognized the truth, “there is a destroyer lurking inside of me, there is an enemy that I thought was my friend and I did not know it!” It was the law that brought him to this knowledge.
Hebrews 4:12 says,
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Heb 4:12)
That’s how the law of God works. It gets into the joints, into the marrow of the bones, into the thoughts of the mind, it divides and it splits and it sorts and when we come face to face with the law of God, suddenly we recognize how deadly is this disease that is in us eating out our lives! But if we stop with the law our condition is most woeful because we end up beaten, condemned and hopeless, for this is where the law can take us and no further. It can introduce us to sin, but it cannot deliver us from it. That was the purpose of the law, that is exactly what the law’s purpose is, the law is our school master to bring us to Christ (Gal. 3:24).
The person who does not know the law is better off than the person who stops with the law because the person who does not know the law is a happy sinner, but the person who stops with the law is a miserable sinner!! Both are still the slaves of sin, but it is better to be an ignorant happy sinner than to be a knowledgeable miserable sinner if that’s where you’re going to stop!
The difference with Adam
Interestingly we can notice that there is a difference between how the law works for us and how it should have worked for Adam. In Adam’s case did God want him to know sin? No! But in the case of Adam’s fallen descendants God wants us to know sin! In Adam’s case sin was outside of him. When the enemy is outside the gate you have no right to know him. In fact, if you get to know the enemy outside you are considered a traitor, you must keep him at a distance, let the enemy stay outside. Sin was outside and God wanted Adam to remain a stranger to sin. But when the enemy is inside, it becomes imperative that you know him. You need to know his power, to know his influence and most critically, you need to be able to recognize that he is an enemy. You need to know the enemy otherwise you’ll never be able to protect yourself against him.
A different Option
There are some Christians who believe that we come into this world in an in-between position, free to go left or right, free to choose to sin or not to sin. But this is not the truth. Adam was not created in that position, he was created good, and had the choice to choose evil if he so desired. Was the rest of humanity placed in the same position? No! We were not born with the choice that Adam had. All Adam’s descendants are born separated from God, corrupt, and in need of being born again! Adam chose to turn to Satan’s way, the way of self and he put all humanity there. In Adam’s case he had one option, the option to turn away from God and the righteous life which he possessed. In our case we also have one option (not two). We have the option to escape from Satan’s way by choosing Christ. In the condition in which we are born, we don’t have the option to choose evil. Adam already chose on behalf of all of us and we are born in that sinful, corrupt state, separated from God and incapable of doing righteousne ss.
Now, in Adam’s case, he did not sin because he was separated from God, it was not because he had a carnal mind. Adam made a free personal choice. Adam was not separated from God. He was created in union with God. But in the case of all other men, the situation is different. We committed sin long before we were able to make an intelligent choice. We sinned before we were even aware of what we were doing. Is it because everyone of us made the same choice that Adam made? No, the descendants of Adam did not have that option.
So God’s ways are wonderful. He used the law to try to protect Adam from knowing the enemy who was on the outside, but now that Adam has opened the door and let the enemy in, God uses the law to help us to identify the enemy so that we can get rid of him.
Don’t stop with the law
But although the law is a critical part of God’s plan it must find its rightful place in that plan. We must not stop with the law, we must not believe that in finding the law we have come to the place where God wants us to be! The law is the investigator, the examiner and it says, “you have a problem, you’re sick, you’re diseased!” But the law cannot go any further. It condemns and beats me down, but nothing else, and so Paul says,
For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (Rom 7:9)
The Greatest Knowledge
Adam’s problem was that he let sin in. Our problem is that we cannot get it out. So the law makes me know sin, but when I come to know sin, I must go a step further. John 17:3 says,
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)
Brothers and sisters we need to understand that the Bible is not talking about the theoretical knowledge like the foolish virgins have. It is talking about a dynamic experience where our lives become integrated into the life of God in a way similar to how a man “knows” his wife. I was acquainted with my wife but I never knew her in this sense until I had the intimate union where our two bodies became one. That is what the Bible means! When there is this kind of relationship usually it produces fruit – a child is born. When you know God, when you know Christ, fruit will be born, this will be the natural product of the union.
So the law takes you to the place where you know sin, but I beg you, don’t stop there! Go on to the next kind of knowledge, know God and know his son Jesus Christ, that’s where God wants you to be ultimately because that is what eternal life means. Christ came in and destroyed the enemy. The law found the enemy but Christ destroyed him.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Rom 8:3)
Christ found the enemy lurking within and condemned and destroyed him. Thank God for Jesus!
What Was Secured by the Death of Christ?
Ellen G. White
It became Him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in
the redemption of the world to save sinners by the blood of the Lamb.
The great sacrifice of the Son of God was neither too great nor too
small to accomplish the work. In the wisdom of God it was complete; and
the atonement made testifies to every son and daughter of Adam the
immutability of God’s law. The value of the law of Jehovah is to be
estimated by the immense price that was paid in the death of the Son of
God to maintain its sacredness.
The law of God is a transcript of his character; it portrays the nature of God. As in Christ we behold the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person, so also in the law the attributes of the Father are unfolded. Although the law is unchangeable, his having provided a means of salvation for the law-breaker does not in the least detract from the dignity of the character of God, since the penalty of man’s transgression was borne by a divine Substitute. The Father himself suffered with the Son; for “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.” Man, with his human, finite judgment, cannot safely question the wisdom of God. Hence it is unbecoming for him to criticize the plan of salvation. Before the theme of redemption, let man lay his wisdom in the dust, and accept the plans of Him whose wisdom is infinite.
God grants men a probation in this world, that their principles may become firmly established in the right, thus precluding the possibility of sin in the future life, and so assuring the happiness and security of all. Through the atonement of the Son of God alone could power be given to man to establish him in righteousness, and make him a fit subject for heaven. The blood of Christ is the eternal antidote for sin . The offensive character of sin is seen in what it cost the Son of God in humiliation, in suffering and death. All the worlds behold in him a living testimony to the malignity of sin, for in his divine form he bears the marks of the curse. He is in the midst of the throne as a Lamb that hath been slain. The redeemed will ever be vividly impressed with the hateful character of sin, as they behold Him who died for their transgressions. The preciousness of the Offering will be more fully realized as the blood-washed throng more fully comprehend how God has made a new and living way for the salvation of men, through the union of the human and the divine in Christ.
The death of Christ upon the cross made sure the destruction of him who has the power of death, who was the originator of sin. When Satan is destroyed, there will be none to tempt to evil; the atonement will never need to be repeated; and there will be no danger of another rebellion in the universe of God. That which alone can effectually restrain from sin in this world of darkness, will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. Fallen men could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ? The angels ascribe honor and glory to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God. It is through the efficacy of the cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the cross they would be no more secure against evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan. Angelic perfection failed in heaven. Human perfection failed in Eden, the paradise of bliss. All who wish for security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God. The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Our only hope is perfect trust in the blood of Him who can save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. The death of Christ on the cross of Calvary is our only hope in this world, and it will be our theme in the world to come. Oh, we do not comprehend the value of the atonement! If we did, we would talk more about it. The gift of God in his beloved Son was the expression of an incomprehensible love. It was the utmost that God could do to preserve the honor of his law, and still save the transgressor. Why should man not study the theme of redemption? It is the greatest subject that can engage the human mind. If men would contemplate the love of Christ, displayed in the cross, their faith would be strengthened to appropriate the merits of his shed blood, and they would be cleansed and saved from sin. There are many who will be lost, because they depend on legal religion, or mere repentance for sin. But repentance for sin alone cannot work the salvation of any soul. Man cannot be saved by his own works. Without Christ it is impossible for him to render perfect obedience to the law of God; and heaven can never be gained by an imperfect obedience; for this would place all heaven in jeopardy, and make possible a second rebellion.
God saves man through the blood of Christ alone, and man’s belief in, and allegiance to, Christ is salvation. It is no marvel to angels that the infinite sacrifice made by the Son of God was ample enough to bring salvation to a fallen race, but that this atoning sacrifice should have been made is a wonder to the universe. It is a mystery which angels desire to look into. The angels are amazed at the indifference and coldness manifested by those for whom so great a salvation has been provided. They look with grief and holy indignation upon those who do not seek to appreciate the unspeakable gift of God. Instead of offering adoration to God, finite men think themselves capable, without divine unction, of determining what is worthy of praise or blame in their fellow-men. But to be glorified by man is no glory. We should learn to value the praise of man at what it is worth. The Lord says, “Them that honor me I will honor.” Let every breath of praise, every word of exaltation, flow to him who is worthy, flow to Jesus, the Prince of life, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Elevate the cross of Christ. Elevate the Mediator. Lift up Jesus. In him is everything noble. Contemplate God in Christ. He is surrounded with angels, cherubim and seraphim continually behold him. Angelic voices day and night cry before him:
“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come…. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” “Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all nations shall come and worship before thee.”
But although God only is holy and worthy to be praised, human tongues are perverted to praise and glorify man rather than God.
The greatest gift that God could bestow upon men was bestowed in the gift of his beloved Son. The apostle says, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” There was nothing held in reserve. No second probation will ever be provided. If the unspeakable gift of God does not lead man to repentance, there is nothing that ever will move his heart. There is no power held in reserve to act upon his mind, and arouse his sensibilities. The whole character of God was revealed in his Son, the whole range of the possibilities of heaven is displayed for the acceptance of man in the Son of the Infinite One. The way for man’s return to God and heaven has no barriers. The matchless depths of the Saviour’s love have been demonstrated; and if this manifestation of God’s love for the children of men does not prevail to draw men to himself, there is nothing that ever will.
Those who will be saved in the kingdom of God will be those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The image of Christ will be perfected in every soul who accepts the gift of his grace, and those who are perfected through his grace, will stand before God equal in elevation, in power and purity, to the angels, and will be honored with them before the eternal throne. The angels of heaven will love those whom Christ has loved, and has bought with his own precious blood. The attention of all the inhabitants of all worlds will be directed to the cross of Christ, around which will cluster the exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The imagination becomes exhausted in its stretch to comprehend the wonderful work of redemption. The plan of salvation is too high to be fully reached by human thought. It is too grand to be fully embraced by finite comprehension. The apostle says, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Can we wonder that Heaven is amazed because men act as though the gift of God were valueless? What will be the eternal loss of those who reject so great a salvation, offered freely through the merits of God’s only-begotten and well-beloved Son! {ST, December 30, 1889}
Going Bananas
Lenworth frankson
The banana as we know it today is a specifically-grown species of the wild banana. It originated from seed bearing relatives in the Pacific and the South-East of Asia.
The wild banana was not edible, but it was discovered that by crossing two inedible, wild species, one could grow a sterile plant that bore the banana as we know it today. Because of its sterility, once this new edible fruit was discovered, it was spread using offshoots from the base of the plant. Some people argue this was the first fruit farmed by men. Weather this is true or not I have discovered that the health benefits from eating this fruit are numerous.
Bananas are one of my favorite fruits. Most people, I believe, enjoy eating them when they are yellow and ripe but others, including myself, at times eat the green ones boiled. This delicious fruit is one of the most helpful, energizing, and healing fruits that God ever created. Bananas are miracle fruits, due to the nutrients they contain as well as the diseases and conditions they help fight and prevent. It is said that two bananas a day should be included in your diet if you want to reap the rewards of such a powerful fruit. A single banana contains 16% of the dietary fiber, 15% of the vitamin C, 11% of the potassium and 20% of the vitamin B6 recommended each day. Research also shows that eating two bananas before exercising can provide enough energy to sustain a ninety minute workout.
There are three types of naturally occurring sugars, which we know as fructose, glucose, and sucrose. This amazing fruit has all three. Along with these sugars it is loaded with potassium. Because they are rich in potassium, bananas help the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body. Potassium is also helpful for reducing strokes and regulating blood pressure because of the way it promotes circulatory health.
One of the banana health benefits is that it can help stop constipation. Bananas have a certain type of fiber that helps to restore and maintain regular bowel functions. Instead of using laxatives that might have chemicals or other synthetic substances, eat bananas. Bananas are a natural source which lessen the likelihood of constipation without causing other bowel problems such as diarrhea. Bananas are jam packed with colon cleansing fiber. This helps promote and restore regular bowel movements, and is a safe, natural alternative to laxatives.
Studies show that eating bananas with your breakfast and at lunch breaks can improve students’ overall performance significantly. The potassium it contains helps to naturally energize the brain and makes students more alert and receptive.
Other studies have shown that eating bananas can take the edge off depression, due to the fact that they contain Tryptophan, which is a type of protein that gets converted in the body to Serotonin. Serotonin helps you relax, makes you feel happy, and generally improves your mood. Bananas contain vitamin B6 which helps regulate blood sugar levels, which, in turn, can have a positive effect on a person’s mood.
The inside of the peel is an excellent remedy for treating mosquito bites. Rubbing the inside of the banana peel on the affected area will help reduce the itching and swelling that is normally associated with these types of bites. You might even find that it works better than the creams or medications you find at the drugstore.
Bananas have been shown to help smokers kick their habits because the vitamin B12 and B6 they contain, along with the potassium and magnesium, helps in recovering from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
For people suffering from a deficiency in iron, bananas can help to give your body the iron that it needs. As a result, it help promote hemoglobin production so your blood can clot faster in case of a cut or serious injury.
The outside of the banana peel also has healing and beneficial properties for the human body. If you have a wart on your foot, wrapping a banana peel around it so that the exterior of the peel rubs against the wart will help it go away. To keep the peel in place, you can wrap tape around it.
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heart burn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. Using the banana as food may prevent intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide , a compound that nourishes friendly bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy bacteria infections. Thanks to fructooligosaccharides, good bacteria can increase both in number and functionality, increasing our body’s ability to absorb calcium. In addition, green bananas contain indigestible substances that are very nurishing to the cells that make up the mucus of the stomach. These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently.
We often hear people say an apple a day keeps the doctor away however, it might not be out of place to politely reply that instead of an apple, two bananas each day could keep the doctor away because it has four times the beneficial effects. The banana health benefits far outweigh those of the apple because it has many more vitamins and nutrients than its round counterpart. Bananas have two times as many carbohydrates as an apple, five times as much Vitamin A and iron and three times as much phosphorus. In addition, bananas are also rich in potassium and natural sugars. All of these factors combined should make us go “bananas” for a banana. This “super food” should be an integral part of a healthy daily regimen.
With all of the banana health benefits, it is easy to see why they are such a popular fruit. In many ways, their benefits are far greater than that of other fruits. They not only have more vitamins and minerals than some other choices, they also taste great and are easy to eat. However, having a diet that consists of only bananas as your fruit each day is not healthy and it can even be harmful to your health. Try to include several of your favorite fruits throughout the week because each of them has different benefits for your body. If you do not normally include bananas or any other fruit in your daily routine, find some ways to include fruit in your diet in order to improve your health and overall well-being. Bananas are definitely one of nature’s super fruits, and you should be eating them regularly. Your mind, heart, and colon will thank you. “ Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”—Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.)
Available Materials
Our audio CD message to be mailed out in February is entitled, “ My kind of love. ”
In this message we continue to explore the wonder of what Jesus
accomplished for humanity by His incarnation, life, passion, death and
resurrection. This sermon focuses on what he accomplished by submitting
to death. We are sure you will be blessed by this message!
If you would like to have a copy on CD but you are not on our regular tape-mailing list, then write to us or call and we will be happy to send it to you.
call: (876) 603-0821 or 361-8555 (Jamaica)
(304) 932-4543 (Elsewhere)
Useful Quotes
Sin is in the heart of man
Sin is a personal matter. A man is guilty only of his own sins, and
not of those which another has committed. Now I cannot sin where I am
not, but only where I am. Sin is in the heart of man; “for from within,
out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; all these
evil things come from within.” Mark 7:21-23. “The heart is deceitful
above all things, and desperately wicked.” Jer.17:9. Sin is in every
fiber of our being by nature. We are born in sin, and our life is sin,
so that sin can not be taken from us without taking our life. What I
need is freedom from my own personal sin,—that sin which not only has
been committed by me personally, but which dwells in the heart,—the sin
which constitutes the whole of my life. (The Glad Tidings – E.J. Waggoner, p.86)
A Stronger Mind
“If a man love Me,” Christ said, “he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” John 14:23. The spell of a stronger, a perfect mind will be over us ; for we have a living connection with the source of all-enduring strength. In our divine life we shall be brought into captivity to Jesus Christ. We shall no longer live the common life of selfishness, but Christ will live in us. His character will be reproduced in our nature. Thus shall we bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit—”some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.” {COL 61.3}
News on the Homefront
We regret to announce that as of the beginning of January 2009, our secretary, Sister Heather Baxter who has been a part of us for the past four years will no longer be with us at Restoration Ministries. Those of you who call us from time to time will miss hearing her voice on the phone.
We are sorry to lose Heather and she also expressed regret at having to leave, but she feels that it is the best thing for her to do at the moment. We certainly hope and pray that she will continue to be blessed and be a blessing in her new circumstances.
Sister Heather has decided to accept a position as a secretary at Belair High School. The good thing is that she is not too far away from us and will always be available to help us whenever we need her assistance.
Sister Karleen Williams will take up the job of secretary in Heather’s place and she will begin as of January 1, 2009. We are sure that our ministry will be benefited by Karleen’s input.
While we regret losing Heather, we are happy to have Sister Karleen as a part of the team. Karleen is a committed Christian lady who is very efficient and we look forward to working with her.
Prayer Requests
Tragedy hits the Williams’
Special prayers are requested on behalf of Brother Howard Williams’ family, and in particular on behalf of his wife, Karleen. On Sabbath evening, January 4 her father was taken to hospital experiencing some difficulty in breathing. He was admitted for observation, but within 12 hours he was dead.
This has been a shock and a traumatic experience for the family and especially for sister Karleen. She has been handling it well outwardly, but from time to time she cannot hide the pain and it shows.
Please pray for them in this trying time. Our Father is the God of all comfort and we are certain that He feels our pain and sees our tears. He will hear our prayers and help this family to bear their tragic loss.
A terrible accident
Brother Glen Ford of Smyrna was involved in a terrible automobile accident on December 30. We have not been able to visit Glen personally but the Smyrna website has given the following details concerning his accident and condition. This is the latest situation as of the publishing of this edition of Open Face.
Glen sustained multiple fractures and other injuries. Nobody else was hurt in the accident. Glen was pulling out of the Smyrna chapel road and did not see a large truck that hit him squarely. He has a badly broken left arm, both upper and lower. His left femur is broken and his right fibula is broken.
Surgery was performed on Friday afternoon to repair the broken bones, and Glen went through this surgery very well. The doctor reported that Glen had healthy hard bones and his vital signs were all good during the surgery.
Glen is making slow, but steady progress. He is less confused and off of almost all medicines and does not require pain medicine at this time.
While Glen is still somewhat mentally confused, he is able to follow all commands and seems to be aware of most things said to him and can respond to most simple “yes” and “no” questions or simple commands.
Your prayers on behalf of Glen would be greatly appreciated. We pray that God will grant him a speedy recovery and help both him and his wife Ann to bear the difficulty of this trying time.
Plan for these dates!
Jamaica Campmeeting
The 2009 Jamaican campmeeting will be held from Thursday April 9 – Monday April 13. This year we return to the Youth With a Mission campsite near Cross Keys in Manchester which has been our campsite for the past four years (with the exception of 2008 when the campsite was damaged by hurricane Dean).
Our theme for this year is “Families United in Christ.” One of the results which will be seen when the spirit of Elijah again returns to the earth will be that the “hearts of the fathers” will be turned to the children (Malachi 4:6). This year we focus on the family recognizing that the spirit of Christ will bring unity and harmony among His people on all fronts.
Guest speakers already confirmed are Dr. Steven Burks from Ohio, USA and Elder Ken Corklin of Pennsylvania, USA. Our focus on Christ remains undiminished and with the signs of the times so rapidly multiplying, we are expecting a wonderfully spiritual and solemn time. We encourage all who can attend to make every effort to be at this campmeeting.
As usual those attending will have the option of sleeping in the dormitories or of pitching their own tents. There are two dormitories, one for men and one for women so married couples who desire to be together are advised to take a tent and sleeping bags.
The main, mid-day meal will be provided, but each individual will have to take care of his own breakfast and supper.
Overseas visitors usually laugh when we suggest that it might get cold at the campsite, but it is a very windy area and sometimes does get chilly in the evenings. It would be advisable to at least take a jacket in case it gets cold.
Visitors from outside of Jamaica who wish to attend, please call 1(304)932-4543. We will make arrangements for pickup at the airport and accommodations, and to get you to the campmeeting. For those of us from Jamaica who have never attended and plan to come, here are the directions.
Leaving from Mandeville, travel towards the south, that is, the road which takes you by Northern Caribbean University (formerly West Indies College). Continue on this road for approximately 20 – 25 minutes until you come to Rudd’s corner. On the way you will pass Hillside, Knockpatrick and Newport. At Rudd’s corner, turn left on the road which leads to Cross Keys. Travel on this road for approximately three-quarters of a mile. You will come to a place where the road veers to the right, but right in front of you will be driveway with two pillars at the entrance with “Stone’s Hope” written on them. Turn in on this driveway and follow it to the end. It will take you to the campsite.
If you intend to attend this campmeeting, we would appreciate if you let us know a few weeks beforehand if possible. We are not certain of what the camp fee will be this year, but we will know in a short while and you can find out by calling the office (Jamaica, 603-0821, overseas 304-932-4543).
God bless you. We expect to have a great blessing and we look forward to seeing you there.
Florida Campmeeting
The Florida campmeeting this year is scheduled for Thursday, February 19 through Tuesday, February 24, 2008. It will be held at a group campsite called Doe Lake that is maintained by the US Forestry Dept. and is in the Ocala National Forest. You can check it out at the address in the box at the bottom of this page.Check-in time is 3:00pm on the 19 th and we must be cleaned up and out by 1:00pm on the 24 th .
It is a lovely area that will be exclusively ours during our retreat. It is on a lake, with a multi-purpose meeting building that has a huge kitchen, open to our use, that is equipped with a commercial sink and serving area, 2 toasters, 2 drip coffeemakers, 3 refrigerators and 1 chest style deep-freeze. It has NO stove or oven, and NO utensils or pots and pans, but it does have 2 small microwaves and multiple electrical outlets for the use of any cooking appliances you might like to bring with you such as: crock pots, electric skillets or griddles, waffle makers, electric hot pots etc. etc. Camp stoves are allowed at individual campsites, and campfires are allowed in fire rings, which are sprinkled throughout the camping area, as are water spigots. All will be responsible for their own meals, with the exception of the noon meal on Sabbath, which will be provided for all.
Don’t forget your lawn chairs, as the only seating in the meeting area is picnic tables. The bathhouse is new, nice, and fully tiled. There is an electric plug-in area that will support about 5 camping trailers, but NO sewage hook-up or dump station. Flashlights and lanterns will also be real handy as it gets VERY dark after sundown.
The campsite is a little difficult to find, but when you arrive you’ll be glad you did! The nearest main road is State Rd. 42 which runs east to west all the way from interstate 95 to highway 27/441 (which can be accessed from interstate 75 in Ocala). From Hwy. 42, turn onto 182nd Ave.Rd. (it only turns 1 way) at a blinking light where you’ll see a little country store called Brooks Grocery & Hardware . Continue on that road about 3 miles or so till you see a tiny brown sign that says 573 and 14, marking a dirt road that goes to the right (we’ll also post a Eden House Campmeeting sign there). The campsite is about 1 mile up that road on the right, well marked with a forestry service sign saying Doe Lake group camp . Enter and choose any site you wish to set up your camp. If you have an RV, follow the entry road all the way to the back, just past the meeting pavilion and you’ll see a post with plug-in capabilities for about 5 RV’s (you’ll need a looong cord) – park nearby.
If you desire a room in a hotel, the nearest place to find one is a town called Lady Lake that is about a 20 minute drive from the camp – call me if you need the names and phone #s for some of them or if you have any questions. – Jerri Raymond –(407)291-9565.
God Bless, and by His grace we’ll see you soon,
Jerri & Jim Raymond
www.recreation.gov/camping/Doe_Lake_Group_Site_Fl/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=75493&topTabIndex=CampingSpot
Open Face is published bi-monthly and is sent free to all who desire to receive it.
David Clayton: Editor and Publisher
P. O. Box 23 Knockpatrick
Manchester, Jamaica W.I.
Phone: (876) 904-7392
email: david@restorationministry.com
