the desire of ages-第81节

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eed；　and　My　blood　is　drink　indeed。　He　that　eateth　My　flesh；　and　drinketh　My　blood；　dwelleth　in　Me；　and　I　in　him。〃

To　eat　the　flesh　and　drink　the　blood　of　Christ　is　to　receive　Him　as　a　personal　Saviour；　believing　that　He　forgives　our　sins；　and　that　we　are　complete　in　Him。　It　is　by　beholding　His　love；　by　dwelling　upon　it；　by　drinking　it　in；　that　we　are　to　become　partakers　of　His　nature。　What　food　is　to　the　body；　Christ　must　be　to　the　soul。　Food　cannot　benefit　us　unless　we　eat　it；　unless　it　becomes　a　part　of　our　being。　So　Christ　is　of　no　value　to　us　if　we　do　not　know　Him　as　a　personal　Saviour。　A　theoretical　knowledge　will　do　us　no　good。　We　must　feed　upon　Him；　receive　Him　into　the　heart；　so　that　His　life　becomes　our　life。　His　love；　His　grace；　must　be　assimilated。

But　even　these　figures　fail　to　present　the　privilege　of　the　believer's　relation　to　Christ。　Jesus　said；　〃As　the　living　Father　hath　sent　Me；　and　I　live　by　the　Father：　so　he　that　eateth　Me；　even　he　shall　live　by　Me。〃　As　the　Son　of　God　lived　by　faith　in　the　Father；　so　are　we　to　live　by　faith　in　Christ。　So　fully　was　Jesus　surrendered　to　the　will　of　God　that　the　Father　alone　appeared　in　His　life。　Although　tempted　in　all　points　like　as　we　are；　He　stood　before　the　world　untainted　by　the　evil　that　surrounded　Him。　Thus　we　also　are　to　overcome　as　Christ　overcame。

Are　you　a　follower　of　Christ？　Then　all　that　is　written　concerning　the　spiritual　life　is　written　for　you；　and　may　be　attained　through　uniting　yourself

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to　Jesus。　Is　your　zeal　languishing？　has　your　first　love　grown　cold？　Accept　again　of　the　proffered　love　of　Christ。　Eat　of　His　flesh；　drink　of　His　blood；　and　you　will　become　one　with　the　Father　and　with　the　Son。

The　unbelieving　Jews　refused　to　see　any　except　the　most　literal　meaning　in　the　Saviour's　words。　By　the　ritual　law　they　were　forbidden　to　taste　blood；　and　they　now　construed　Christ's　language　into　a　sacrilegious　speech；　and　disputed　over　it　among　themselves。　Many　even　of　the　disciples　said；　〃This　is　an　hard　saying；　who　can　hear　it？〃

The　Saviour　answered　them：　〃Doth　this　offend　you？　What　and　if　ye　shall　see　the　Son　of　man　ascend　up　where　He　was　before？　It　is　the　spirit　that　quickeneth；　the　flesh　profiteth　nothing：　the　words　that　I　speak　unto　you；　they　are　spirit；　and　they　are　life。〃

The　life　of　Christ　that　gives　life　to　the　world　is　in　His　word。　It　was　by　His　word　that　Jesus　healed　disease　and　cast　out　demons；　by　His　word　He　stilled　the　sea；　and　raised　the　dead；　and　the　people　bore　witness　that　His　word　was　with　power。　He　spoke　the　word　of　God；　as　He　had　spoken　through　all　the　prophets　and　teachers　of　the　Old　Testament。　The　whole　Bible　is　a　manifestation　of　Christ；　and　the　Saviour　desired　to　fix　the　faith　of　His　followers　on　the　word。　When　His　visible　presence　should　be　withdrawn；　the　word　must　be　their　source　of　power。　Like　their　Master；　they　were　to　live　〃by　every　word　that　proceedeth　out　of　the　mouth　of　God。〃　Matt。　4：4。

As　our　physical　life　is　sustained　by　food；　so　our　spiritual　life　is　sustained　by　the　word　of　God。　And　every　soul　is　to　receive　life　from　God's　word　for　himself。　As　we　must　eat　for　ourselves　in　order　to　receive　nourishment；　so　we　must　receive　the　word　for　ourselves。　We　are　not　to　obtain　it　merely　through　the　medium　of　another's　mind。　We　should　carefully　study　the　Bible；　asking　God　for　the　aid　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　that　we　may　understand　His　word。　We　should　take　one　verse；　and　concentrate　the　mind　on　the　task　of　ascertaining　the　thought　which　God　has　put　in　that　verse　for　us。　We　should　dwell　upon　the　thought　until　it　becomes　our　own；　and　we　know　〃what　saith　the　Lord。〃

In　His　promises　and　warnings；　Jesus　means　me。　God　so　loved　the　world；　that　He　gave　His　only…begotten　Son；　that　I　by　believing　in　Him；　might　not　perish；　but　have　everlasting　life。　The　experiences　related　in　God's　word　are　to　be　my　experiences。　Prayer　and　promise；　precept　and　warning；　are　mine。　〃I　am　crucified　with　Christ：　nevertheless　I　live；　yet　not　I；　but　Christ　liveth　in　me：　and　the　life　which　I　now　live　in　the　flesh　I　live　by　the　faith　of　the　Son　of　God；　who　loved　me；　and　gave　Himself

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for　me。〃　Gal。　2：20。　As　faith　thus　receives　and　assimilates　the　principles　of　truth；　they　become　a　part　of　the　being　and　the　motive　power　of　the　life。　The　word　of　God；　received　into　the　soul；　molds　the　thoughts；　and　enters　into　the　development　of　character。

By　looking　constantly　to　Jesus　with　the　eye　of　faith；　we　shall　be　strengthened。　God　will　make　the　most　precious　revelations　to　His　hungering；　thirsting　people。　They　will　find　that　Christ　is　a　personal　Saviour。　As　they　feed　upon　His　word；　they　find　that　it　is　spirit　and　life。　The　word　destroys　the　natural；　earthly　nature；　and　imparts　a　new　life　in　Christ　Jesus。　The　Holy　Spirit　comes　to　the　soul　as　a　Comforter。　By　the　transforming　agency　of　His　grace；　the　image　of　God　is　reproduced　in　the　disciple；　he　becomes　a　new　creature。　Love　takes　the　place　of　hatred；　and　the　heart　receives　the　divine　similitude。　This　is　what　it　means　to　live　〃by　every　word　that　proceedeth　out　of　the　mouth　of　God。〃　This　is　eating　the　Bread　that　comes　down　from　heaven。

Christ　had　spoken　a　sacred；　eternal　truth　regarding　the　relation　between　Himself　and　His　followers。　He　knew　the　character　of　those　who　claimed　to　be　His　disciples；　and　His　words　tested　their　faith。　He　declared　that　they　were　to　believe　and　act　upon　His　teaching。　All　who　received　Him　would　partake　of　His　nature；　and　be　conformed　to　His　character。　This　involved　the　relinquishment　of　their　cherished　ambitions。　It　required　the　complete　surrender　of　themselves　to　Jesus。　They　were　called　to　become　self…sacrificing；　meek　and　lowly　in　heart。　They　must　walk　in　the　narrow　path　traveled　by　the　Man　of　Calvary；　if　they　would　share　in　the　gift　of　life　and　the　glory　of　heaven。

The　test　was　too　great。　The　enthusiasm　of　those　who　had　sought　to　take　Him　by　force　and　make　Him　king　grew　cold。　This　discourse　in　the　synagogue；　they　declared；　had　opened　their　eyes。　Now　they　were　undeceived。　In　their　minds　His　words　were　a　direct　confession　that　He　was　not　the　Messiah；　and　that　no　earthly　rewards　were　to　be　realized　from　connection　with　Him。　They　had　welcomed　His　miracle…working　power；　they　were　eager　to　be　freed　from　disease　and　suffering；　but　they　would　not　come　into　sympathy　with　His　self…sacrificing　life。　They　cared　not　for　the　mysterious　spiritual　kingdom　of　which　He　spoke。　The　insincere；　the　selfish；　who　had　sought　Him；　no　longer　desired　Him。　If　He　would　not　devote　His　power　and　influence　to　obtaining　their　freedom　from　the　Romans；　they　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　Him。

Jesus　told　them　plainly；　〃There　are　some　of　you　that　believe　not；〃　adding；　〃Therefore　said　I　unto　you；　that　no　man　can　come　unto　Me；

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except　it　were　given　unto　him　of　My　Father。〃　He　wished　them　to　understand　that　if　they　were　not　drawn　to　Him　it　was　because　their　hearts　were　not　open　to　the　Holy　Spirit。　〃The　natural　man　receiveth　not　the　things　of　the　Spirit　of　God：　for　they　are　foolishness　unto　him：　neither　can　he　know　them；　because　they　are　spiritually　discerned。〃　1　Cor。　2：14。　It　is　by　faith　that　the　soul　beholds　the　glory　of　Jesus。　This　glory　is　hidden；　until；　through　the　Holy　Spirit；　faith　is　kindled　in　the　soul。

By　the　public　rebuke　of　their　unbelief　these　disciples　were　still　further　alienated　from　Jesus。　They　were　greatly　displeased；　and　wishing　to　wound　the　Saviour　and　gratify　the　malice　of　the　Pharisees；　they　turned　their　backs　upon　Him；　and　left　Him　with　disdain。　They　had　made　their　choice；had　taken　the　form　without　the　spirit；　the　husk　without　the　kernel。　Their　decision　was　never　afterward　reversed；　for　they　walked　no　more　with　Jesus。

〃Whose　fan　is　in　His　hand；　and　He　will　throughly　purge　His　floor；　and　gather　His　wheat　into　the　garner。〃　Matt。　3：12。　This　was　one　of　the　times　of　purging。　By　the　words　of　truth；　the　chaff　was　being　separated　from　the　wheat。　Because　they　were　too　vain　and　self…righteous　to　receive　reproof；　too　world…loving　to　accept　a　life　of　humility；　many　turned　away　from　Jesus。　Many　are　still　doing　the　same　thing。　Souls　are　tested　today　as　were　those　disciples　in　the　synagogue　at　Capernaum。　When　truth　is　brought　home　to　the　heart；　they　see　that　their　lives　are　not　in　accordance　with　the　will　of　God。　They　see　the　need　of　an　entire　change　in　themselves；　but　they　are　not　willing　to　take　up　the　self…denying　work。　Therefore　they　are　angry　when　their　sins　are　discovered。　They　go　away　offended；　even　as　the　disciples　left　Jesus；　murmuring；　〃This　is　an　hard　saying；　who　can　hear　it？〃

Praise　and　flattery　would　be　pleasing　to　their　ears；　but　the　truth　is　unwelcome；　they　cannot　hear　it。　When　the　crowds　follow；　and　the　multitudes　are　fed；　and　the　shouts　of　triumph　are　heard；　their　voices　are　loud　in　praise；　but　when　the　searching　of　God's　Spirit　reveals　their　sin；　and　bids　them　leave　it；　they　turn　their　backs　upon　the　truth；　and　walk　no　more　with　Jesus。

As　those　disaffected　disciples　turned　away　from　Christ；　a　different　spirit　took　control　of　them。　They　could　see　nothing　attractive　in　Him　whom　they　had　once　found　so　interesting。　They　sought　out　His　enemies；　for　they　were　in　harmony　with　their　spirit　and　work。　They　misinterpreted　Hi