FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   319   320   321   322   323   324   325   326   327   328   329   330   331   332  
333   334   335   336   337   338   339   340   341   342   343   344   345   346   347   348   349   350   351   352   353   354   355   356   357   >>   >|  
y. Jesus says: "He that seeth me seeth the Father: the Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. And from henceforth ye have both seen the Father and know him." Jesus was also called Emmanuel, which, being interpreted, is, "God with us." Do we, then, desire a correct knowledge of God the Father? Let us acquaint ourselves with his Son Jesus Christ, and we will have it, for he came to do the will of the Father. This was his explicit work; and he accomplished it, for he says in his last great prayer: "And now, O Father, I come to thee, having finished the work thou gavest me to do." Now I ask, Did Jesus ever show anything else than good will toward men? Is there not manifest love in every act of his recorded life? Did he not go about doing good? Did he not say: "No man hath greater love than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you"? God's love is seen in the life work and words of Jesus. Now, then, in what sense is Jesus Christ to be feared? In the very sense in which his disciples feared him. But this was not in the sense of being timid or fearful of his presence. On the contrary, they desired to be with him and near him, for they felt secure in his presence. They could take hold of his hands and see the nail prints, and the spear mark in his side. John leaned on his breast at table, and the women took hold of his feet. His word of comfort was: "Fear not," and he often repeated this in their ears. "Be not afraid; it is I." In all this we see the heart of our heavenly Father, for "the Son is the express image of him." In what sense, then, are we to fear God? Only in the sense of fear to go counter to his will. "Perfect love casteth out fear." The redeemed saints and angels who stand before his heavenly throne in perfect love know no fear of God, "for fear hath torment." But we, who still grovel on earth battling with the world, the flesh and the devil, have cause to fear offending his righteous and holy will. But this only when we are tempted to leave some duty undone or to commit some actual sin. As long as we walk in the good way of love, faith and obedience we have nothing to fear. To all such Jesus ever says: "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure [delight, joy] to give you the kingdom." "_And worketh righteousness._" It is in order now to speak on this point in the text. We know that God is just, "and there i
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   319   320   321   322   323   324   325   326   327   328   329   330   331   332  
333   334   335   336   337   338   339   340   341   342   343   344   345   346   347   348   349   350   351   352   353   354   355   356   357   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Father

 

heavenly

 

friends

 

presence

 

feared

 

Christ

 

battling

 

angels

 

redeemed

 

saints


grovel

 

torment

 
perfect
 

throne

 

Perfect

 
repeated
 

comfort

 

afraid

 

counter

 
casteth

express

 

pleasure

 

delight

 

kingdom

 
worketh
 

righteousness

 

obedience

 
tempted
 

offending

 

righteous


undone

 

commit

 
actual
 

recorded

 

knowledge

 

correct

 

acquaint

 
manifest
 
desire
 

greater


finished

 

gavest

 

accomplished

 

explicit

 

prints

 

henceforth

 

secure

 
prayer
 

breast

 

declared