p. 248 | THE WORDS OF CHRIST by James White

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, April 15, 1880

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 16

THE WORDS OF CHRIST.

By James White

It was at the transfiguration that the voice from Heaven was heard in reference to the glorified Saviour, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Matt. 17:5. The Son was one with the Father in creation, and he is one with the Father in the work of redemption. “I and my Father are one.” John 10:30. In the work of redemption Christ is clothed with all the power and authority of the Eternal One. “All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth.” Matt. 28:18.

The nature of the divine law was such that the first transgression had separated man from glorious Eden and the visible presence of his Creator. God could no longer communicate directly with Adam. He could, however, speak to fallen man through his Son. He who had undertaken the redemption of the human race, as mediator, was the only medium through which God could approach man. It was, therefore, the voice of the Son of God that proclaimed the moral code from Sinai. We hear him speaking the ten commandments, while lightnings flash, thunders roll, and the smoke ascends from the trembling mountain.

With the view that Christ participated in the work of creation, and that all power in Heaven and on earth was given to him in the execution of the plan of redemption, we affirm that there is no portion of the Sacred Scriptures of higher authority than the words of Jesus Christ.

Humiliating as it may be, we have to acknowledge that many Seventh-day Adventists shamefully disregard the words of Christ. Strict obedience to them would save our people nine-tenths, if not ninety-nine one-hundredths of all the church trials which are weakening our churches, discouraging our ministers, and detaining them from their work. Strict obedience is the only remedy. Reformation is the only hope of our people. Persistent disobedience will result in certain ruin.

We warn our people to be consistent. Why not as strictly observe the practical teachings of Christ to the church as the Sabbath of the fourth precept of the moral code? Are the words of Christ in the New Testament less sacred than anything that may be read in the twentieth chapter of the Book of Exodus? There are those among us whose unsanctified tongues will prate about the Sabbath, in a pharisaical spirit, while on them is the sin of casting the words of Christ behind them.

Said Christ to the pretending, self-righteous Jews, who were very strict on some points, while they were violating others of equal importance, “But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God. These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Luke 11:42.

No man can too highly exalt the moral code. The Sabbath of the fourth precept is holy, and it is a very great sin in the sight of God, for those who understand its claims to trample it under their feet. But we can hardly conceive of a greater sin in the sight of high Heaven than the violation of the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ, by those who profess to take the Bible entire as their guide, and who solemnly, in the presence of God, of Christ, of holy angels, and in the presence of their brethren, write their names to the “Covenant,” to keep not only the “commandments of God,” but the “faith of Jesus Christ.” Those who take the high and holy position of our people, and yet indulge in the spirit of gossip against certain of the brotherhood, and eagerly bend the ear low to the whisperings of the tongue of slander concerning those who may be both ignorant and innocent of what is being said behind their backs, should be regarded by the church as the tallest hypocrites that walk beneath the heavens, and utterly unworthy to have part with those of whom it is said, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Probably no portion of Christ’s teachings are of so great importance to the church as his words directing in the case of trespass, and at the same time there is no portion of his explicit injunctions so fully trampled under foot by his professed people. Mark the points:—

1. “If thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone.” This is the duty of the offended to the offender. This is a very humiliating step for the innocent party to take, and yet the most powerful means to reach the offender.

2. “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more.” These, as a matter of course, should be persons of good standing and judgment, to be called as witnesses in the case if necessary, that “every word may be established” between the offender and the offended.

3. “And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church.” Two important steps must first be taken before the several members of the church should be burdened with the case. These taken, without good results, the third painful one must also be taken.

4. “But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.” The extreme point is now reached in the course pointed out. The offender has been surrounded with circumstances the most favorable for his recovery. All has been done that could be done to save him; and the very best course has been taken to save the church from being divided over the case.

The definite statement of our Lord as to the course to pursue applies not only to trespass, but to all personal offenses and trials which have not come to the knowledge of the church. Its great object is the proper settlement of personal offenses and personal trials without the several members of the church being troubled with the knowledge of them. If the professed people of the Lord followed this distinct plan of Christ as a rule, and the violation of it were the exception, the case would appear more favorable. But it will not be denied that the violation is the rule, and obedience is the exception.

Neither will it be denied that in the popular churches of our day, almost every petty trial is blazed abroad, giving ample scope to the spirit of gossip, of universal prevalence. With many of them, the precious words of Christ relative to cases of trespass and the like, are too old-fashioned for our times, as in the case of the ten commandments. These churches have outgrown both the moral code of Jehovah, and these simple, practical words of his Son, applicable to all cases of personal offense. J. W.