Review and Herald for 1963
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January 31. 1963 OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CH LIP CH * Grace and Law —Page 2 REV1 EW * Progress Across North a d Herald America-2 —Page 14 1 1i • 1.3,44.1,3i,o 411,4-7 PO The mansions in heaven are ready for the saints, but are we prepared to occupy them? By G. D. Keough, Teacher, Newbold College HEN Jesus neared the end It was in the interests of His disci- It was for this purpose that God had of His work on earth and ples as well as His own that He was now exalted Him at His right hand, Wwas about to return to His leaving them and returning to the "angels and authorities and powers Father, He assured His disciples that Father. If He did not go to the right being made subject unto him" (1 Peter His departure was an essential move hand of power, the Holy Spirit would 3:22). in the working out of the great plan not come upon them in His fullness, Jesus had told His disciples that of redemption. He counseled them but "if I depart," He said, "I will they would follow Him to the Father not to be apprehensive, but to con- send him unto you" (John 16:7). And later (John 13:36), and, He said, they tinue to have confidence in God and Peter on the day of Pentecost informed knew the way to get there (chap. also in Him. The purpose of His go- the multitudes that the manifestation 14:4). Thomas answered that they did ing, 'He said, was to prepare them a of the power of God that they were not even know where Jesus was going, place in His Father's house; and when then witnessing was the signal that so how could they know the way to He had accomplished this He would Christ's inauguration as Priest-King get there? Jesus said, "I am the way" come again for them. Never again on the right hand of God had been (verse 6). would He be separated from them. accomplished (Acts 2:32, 33, 36). Jesus This answer must have been very But the event of immediate con- had begun the work that He had de- puzzling. How could the traveler also cern to them and to Him was His scribed as preparing a place for them. be the way? the walker be identical going away. Though this experience His coming again depended on the with the road? Jesus meant, of course, would have overtones of sorrow, if completion of this work. that He was going to the Father and His disciples really loved Him they The coming of the Holy Spirit was they were to follow Him afterward; would rejoice at His departure, for the first fruits of Christ's return to the and the only way to God is to live a He was going to the Source of power. Father, the first demonstration of what life of harmony with God through With Jesus pouring upon them the His mediation would mean to the faith in Christ. Jesus said, "I have Holy Spirit they would do even greater church in her life and work, the first given you an example" (chap. 13: works than He had done (John 14:12, step in the preparation of a place for 15), but at that time the disciples 28). the believers in the economy of God. (Continued on page 8) Vol. 140 No. 5 Ce and ndments fill an important place, but only through grace can man be saved. By R. E. Finney, Jr. President, Wisconsin Conference leads not to happiness but to tragedy. harge, my commandments, my stat- He could tell the world what it so tes, and my laws" (Gen. 26:5). badly needs to know: That without That the principles of God's law law there can be no real happiness. ere given in the beginning is re- I believe that you can learn more ealed in the early chapters of the about the cure for crime in an hour ible. In Genesis 35, verses 1-4, we through contacts such as I have de- nd that Jacob understood the first scribed than through a university o of the commandments—that course in criminology. The tragedy en should worship no other gods be- of lawlessness is not a matter to be re God and that image worship is understood through a study of statis- rohibited. The book of Leviticus, tics, but through the study of human apters 18 : 21 and 19:12, specifically beings—human beings who know ates that profaning the name of what the wages of sin are. od is sin. The seventh-day Sabbath Not all lawbreakers are in prisons; presented in Genesis 2:1-4, and its most are not. We live, not in a city eeping is strongly enjoined in Exo- of lost men, but in a world of lost us 16:4, 23, and 25. That honor to men, for "sin is the transgression of arents was considered a virtue is the law" (1 John 3:4), and all have orne out in Genesis 9:22-25. Murder UTSIDE the city where you sinned. mentioned as sin as early as chapter live there may be another city. Since the life and happiness of :8-11. The seventh commandment O It will be smaller than the mankind are so inextricably inter- as known from the beginning, as is one you live in, but in many respects twined with the law of God, let us own in chapter 20:2-9. Stealing is it is a real city, a city within walls— seek the answers to some questions entioned as a sin in chapter 30:33. A city of lost men. I speak of it that about the law. If we find the answers Thus we see that the ten-command- way because there is not a man in a we shall be able to avoid the pitfalls ent law of God was from the be- penitentiary anywhere who does not of many false ideas about this im- nning; not, as some imagine, a law count the years he spends there as portant subject. iginating at Mount Sinai. Since this lost years. When did the law of God origi- so, why was the law repeated at Frequently, as a minister of the nate? How long will it endure? What ount Sinai? gospel, I visit the penitentiary near should be the Christian's attitude to- The reason is clear. The story of the city I live in. There, through ward it? What hope is there for the e Exodus shows that after several heavy wire screening, I talk to men lawbreaker? nturies in Egypt among the idola- who have become my friends since ous practices of the people of that they entered the prison. I hope to be Of Basic Importance nd, the Hebrew people became con- able to give some spiritual help to The first question of basic impor- minated by evil influences and lost them, and with it some companion- tance. The law has existed from the ght of many important facets of the ship and contact with what they beginning; it was not something ure religion of God. So at the mount speak of as "the free world." formulated by God as an after- od set forth His law in codified If you would find out what the thought. The law existed long before rm, and presented it in a manner wages of sin are during this life you the Jews camped around Sinai. The at would not soon be forgotten. can find out in any prison. The in- very fact that there was sin in the How long shall the law endure? mates are well able to tell you. They Garden of Eden proves that there was his matter is often misunderstood, know. Talking to a young man of law from the beginning, for sin is ✓ some have the idea that when about 30 one day I asked, "And how the transgression of law, and con- hrist came to this earth and died on long will it be before you can apply versely, "where no law is, there is no t e cross, the law was done away with. for parole?" A look of indescribable transgression" (Rom. 4:15). Abra- race supplanted the law, some sorrow crossed his face. ham is commended in the Scriptures ould say. "Fifty-seven years, sir." for having obeyed God's law long be- This is not so. The grace of God That man knows the results of law- fore Sinai: "Because that Abraham came operative in man's behalf at lessness. He knows that lawbreaking obeyed my voice, and kept my e time of the first sin, for if it had 2 REVIEW AND HERALD, January 31, 1963 not, no man could have been saved In all the Bible and in all literature saith, I know him, and keepeth not until Christ came. Adam sinned. Since there is nothing more wonderful than his commandments, is a liar, and the the Bible plainly states that "the the law. Imagine trying to formulate truth is not in him" (chap. 2:3, 4). wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23), in ten short statements a code that Now, seeing that the law of God Adam was thereby condemned to would cover adequately every field of still stands, and will stand throughout eternal death. But he did not need human behavior and that would be all eternity, how do we measure up to die that death, any more than did applicable in any country, among against it? If salvation were through the patriarchs who succeeded him.