That I May Know Him

herefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4. {TMK 71.1} The repentant believer, who takes the steps required in conversion, commemorates in his baptism the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. He goes down into the water in the likeness of Christ's...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3, 4. {TMK 70.1} "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9). Men need t...

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10. {TMK 69.1} The love of God was Christ's theme when speaking of His mission and His work. "Therefore doth my Father love me," He says, "because I lay down my life, that I might take it again" (John 10:17). My Father loves you with a love so unbounded that He loves Me the m...

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Hebrews 2:14. {TMK 68.1} Wondrous combination of man and God! . . . He {Christ} humbled Himself to man's nature. He did this that the Scripture might be fulfilled; and the plan was entered into by t...

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:4, 5. {TMK 67.1} The sincere Christian may indeed grieve as he sees the havoc sin has wrought, but only in a li...

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3. {TMK 66.1} How few have any conception of the anguish which rent the heart of the Son of God during His thirty years of life upon earth. The path from the manger to Calvary was shadowed by sorrow and grief. He was the Man...

The Remedy for the Hardened Heart, February 29 Satan may whisper, "You are too great a sinner for Christ to save." But while you acknowledge that you are sinful and unworthy, meet the tempter with the cry, "By virtue of the atonement I claim Jesus as my Saviour. I trust not to my own merits, but to the precious blood of Christ, which cleanses me. This moment I hang my helpless soul on him." Be not...

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Luke 23:33. {TMK 65.1} The cross of Calvary appeals in power, affording a reason why we should love Christ now, and why we should consider Him first, and best, and last, in everything. We should take our fitting place in humble penitence at...

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6. {TMK 64.1} In the Garden of Gethsemane Christ suffered in man's stead, and the human nature of the Son of God staggered under the terrible horror of the guilt of sin, until from His pale and quivering lips was forced the agonizing cry, "O my Father, if it...

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter 1:18, 19. {TMK 63.1} "'Ye are not your own. . . . Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are G...

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17. {TMK 62.1} When true conversion takes place in the heart, it is made manifest in a transformation of character, for those who are converted become Christlike. Pride no longer lives in the heart, sin seems abominable. The converted soul hates the thing that dep...

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2. {TMK 61.1} Jesus, the world's Redeemer, knows all His children by name, and on those who believe shall come the glory of God. . . . Those who behold Jesus become changed to His image, become assimilated to His nat...

John cannot find adequate words wherein to describe the amazing love of God to sinful man, but he calls upon all to behold the love of God revealed in the gift of His only begotten Son.

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. Proverbs 23:26. {TMK 59.1} Dear youth, the very best thing you can do is to enlist freely and decidedly in the army of the Lord. Surrender yourself into the hands of God, that your will and ways may be guided by the One who is unerring in wisdom and infinite in goodness. To withhold yourself from God is to rob God of that which is Hi...

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Matthew 13:44. {TMK 58.1} Without the kingdom of God we are lost . . . and are without hope in the world, but salvation has been provided for us through faith in Jesus Christ. He is the treasure, and when the r...

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14. {TMK 57.1} Through the ministry of the angels the Holy Spirit is enabled to work upon the mind and heart of the human agent and draw him to Christ. . . . But the Spirit of God does not interfere with the freedom of the human agent. The Holy Spirit is given to be a helper, so that man may cooperate with the Divine,...

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3. {TMK 56.1} The work dearest to the heart of Christ is that of drawing souls to Him.... Look at Jesus, the Majesty of heaven. [FROM A PERSONAL LETTER OF APPEAL.] What do you behold in His life history? His divinity clothed with humanity, a w...

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13. {TMK 55.1} "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). Thus the world's Redeemer illustrates the work of the Holy Spirit upon the human heart. The living agent, by an act of faith...

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12. {TMK 54.1} How did men treat Christ when He came? . . . "He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11). Thus it is today. This history is being repeated, and will be repeated again and again before the Lord shall come in the clouds of heaven. The decepti...

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:11. {TMK 53.1} A true shepherd knows and pities and helps the sheep that most need his help--those that are bruised and lame and feeble. "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd." {TMK 53.2} Far more intimately than the patriarch...

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14, 15. {TMK 52.1} Jesus says, "I know my sheep." Let us consider this statement. We are known by God before we receive Him. "I know my sheep." How do souls become Christ's sheep? By choosing to receive Him. But Christ had first chosen...

The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. John 7:46. {TMK 51.1} Of Christ's teaching it is said, "The common people heard him gladly" (Mark 12:37). "Never man spake like this man," declared the officers who were sent to take Him. His words comforted, strengthened, and blessed those who were hungering for that peace which He alone could give. O how tender and forbearing was Christ! how...

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 1 John 5:20. {TMK 50.1} The world's Redeemer did not come with outward display, or a show of worldly wisdom. Men could not see beneath the disguise of humility the glory of the Son of Go...

Freely ye have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8. {TMK 49.1} The blessed Redeemer has set us an example in living out the precepts of the law. He says to His followers, "Freely ye have received, freely give." We are to have an open heart to receive the rich treasures of heaven, and our hearts are to be opened to let those rich treasures out to others. Oh, we need to abide in Christ, then we will...

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Matthew 8:17. {TMK 48.1} Christ alone was able to bear the afflictions of the many. "In all their affliction he was afflicted" (Isaiah 63:9). He never bore disease in His own flesh, but He carried the sickness of others. With tenderest sympathy He looked upon the suffer...