spiritual eyesight

Editorial – Keeping Our Eyes On Jesus Christ

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When we keep our eyes on Jesus, especially the closing scenes of His life, the love of God and the law of God become linked together in our minds. Unless Jesus had loved us beyond our comprehension He would never have gone to the cross. But He would not have needed to go to the cross if there had not been a law that we had broken which would result in our certain death if the death penalty was not paid. Christ died for our sins. 1 Corinthians 15:3.

The question is, what practical effect will such a study and meditation have on those who engage in it? The result will be unity in the church and in Christendom. The roadblock to unity is first of all selfishness of heart and then its practical result—failure to keep the law of God. Notice the inspired counsel on this subject.

“Satan will work to bring in criticism and misstatements, and to lead men to want their own way. There is no safety for any one who retains his selfish habits. God calls upon every soul to take up the work of self-examination. If all will now take up the work God has given them, and be converted in the doing of that work they will grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Satan will make every effort to create disunion, and unless the love of Christ fills the heart there will be divisions. But divisions always dishonor God, and a great deal of time is spent in an effort to set things right, when it ought not to be necessary to spend a moment in this way.” Special Testimonies, Series B, 34, 35.

“Men hang with admiration upon the lips of eloquence while it teaches that the transgressor shall not die, that salvation may be secured without obedience to the law of God. If the professed followers of Christ would accept God’s standard, it would bring them into unity; but so long as human wisdom is exalted above His Holy Word, there will be divisions and dissension. The existing confusion of conflicting creeds and sects is fitly represented by the term ‘Babylon,’ which prophecy (Revelation 14:8; 18:2) applies to the world-loving churches of the last days.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 124.

“The Lord would have His church purified from all contention and strife. Every phase of character is to be in harmony with the character of Jesus Christ. Unity will then be seen as the sure result. Divisions are the fruit of Satan’s work. Those who love God and keep His commandments will ever reveal the meekness and lowliness of Christ, because they have learned in the school of the great Teacher. We need to be worked by the Holy Spirit.” Letter 24, 1900.

“Love to God comprises our duty to God; love to our neighbor, our duty to one another. Mutual love must be cherished at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances. This is the credential which we bear to the world, that God has sent his Son Jesus to die, to bring back the moral image of God in man: ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.’ This love cultivated, becomes an abiding principle, and is effectual in rooting out dissensions and divisions among brethren. Where envying and jealousies are cherished, there is every evil work. All this must be cleansed from the soul temple, and then God will work in much greater power for his people. But he cannot do this where those evil things exist; for should God bless, each party would be confirmed in his conviction that he is right and his brother wrong. In the place of love there would be contention over the very blessings bestowed. In the place of acting like Christians, and guarding one another’s interest, there would be a tearing and rending of one another, like brute beasts. Such a spirit is wholly in harmony with Satan, and is in accordance with his mind and purposes, fulfilling his will, doing his pleasure; for he knows the sure result is separation from God. Then he obtains full control over their minds and affections. And while professing to be children of God, they are to all intents and purposes children of the wicked one; for they act out his spirit and do his will. It is mutual strife in the place of mutual love, that if persisted in will prove their common ruin. Professed Christian churches are often ruined by their own unchristian course toward one another.” Review and Herald, June, 28, 1887.

The End

Editorial – Have You Lost Sight of Jesus, part 2

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Losing sight of Jesus is always dangerous. This is what caused the great apostasy in the early church. It will cause not only apostasy but unimaginable problems for us today. This is the progression of events that happened in the early church as recorded by Ellen White in The Acts of the Apostles:

1. The change from apostolic Christianity was gradual—many did not perceive that anything was happening.

2. The believers began to look for defects in others.

3. They discovered defects in others and began to dwell on these mistakes. (Notice they were not keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus. They had lost sight of the Savior and His love.)

4. They became more strict in regard to the forms of outward ceremonies. This was a first consequence of losing sight of Jesus.

5. They became more particular about the theory of the Christian faith. We hope to have more to say about this later. It became very important that everybody agree on theology and when they did not gigantic controversies erupted. Notice that this was one of the results of losing sight of Jesus.

6. They became less particular about the practice of the faith! In other words whether your theology was correct or not became of paramount importance but whether or not you lived out what you professed was not so important. When the vision is focused on Jesus your faith is part of your life and not just an intellectual assent to doctrine.

7. Since they were dwelling upon the mistakes of others they manifested great zeal to point out these mistakes of their fellow Christians. The root cause was that their vision was not on Jesus.

8. At the same time they came to overlook their own errors! (When we are constantly looking to Jesus, our own stark defects of character stand out in bold relief in comparison to the One we are concentrating on. (See Steps to Christ, 63–65.)

9. They lost the brotherly love which the early Christian church had. When we lose sight of Jesus and are studying each other’s character defects brotherly love disappears.

10. Worst of all they were unconscious of their loss! They had lost sight of Jesus and were about to go into the stygian darkness of the greatest apostasy in world history to that point and did not know it! (See The Acts of the Apostles, 548.)

Happiness and joy were going out of their lives, the love of God was shut out of their hearts (without the love of God in your heart you are lost no matter how much theology you know—Luke 10:25-28; I John 4:7, 8; John 17:2, 3) and they did not know the terrible dilemma they were in. Is there any chance that this could happen to God’s last-day remnant people? Is there any chance that we could go down a road that ends in utter darkness and gloom and not know where we are going being oblivious to our real condition? What is the solution?

“It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.” Desire of Ages, 83.

The people of God who go through to glory will be the ones whose eyes are fixed on Jesus:

“In the time of the end the people of God will sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land. With tears they will warn the wicked of their danger in trampling upon the divine law, and with unutterable sorrow they will humble themselves before the Lord in penitence . . . But the anguish and humiliation of God’s people is unmistakable evidence that they are regaining the strength and nobility of character lost in consequence of sin. It is because they are drawing nearer to Christ, because their eyes are fixed on His perfect purity, that they discern so clearly the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Meekness and lowliness are the conditions of success and victory. A crown of glory awaits those who bow at the foot of the cross. Prophets and Kings, 590.

The End