the desire of ages-第98节

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By　one　who　listened　to　these　words；　they　were　long　afterward　re…echoed　in　that　sublime　passage；　〃In　Him　was　life；　and　the　life　was　the　light　of　men。　And　the　light　shineth　in　the　darkness；　and　the　darkness　apprehended　it　not。〃　〃That　was　the　true　light；　which　lighteth　every　man　that　cometh　into　the　world。〃　John　1：4；　5；　R。　V。；　9。　And　long　after　Jesus　had　ascended　to　heaven；　Peter　also；　writing　under　the　illumination　of　the　divine　Spirit；　recalled　the　symbol　Christ　had　used：　〃We　have　also　a　more　sure　word　of　prophecy；　whereunto　ye　do　well　that　ye　take　heed；　as　unto　a　light　that　shineth　in　a　dark　place；　until　the　day　dawn；　and　the　daystar　arise　in　your　hearts。〃　2　Peter　1：19。

In　the　manifestation　of　God　to　His　people；　light　had　ever　been　a　symbol　of　His　presence。　At　the　creative　word　in　the　beginning；　light　had　shone　out　of　darkness。　Light　had　been　enshrouded　in　the　pillar　of　cloud　by　day　and　the　pillar　of　fire　by　night；　leading　the　vast　armies　of　Israel。　Light　blazed　with　awful　grandeur　about　the　Lord　on　Mount　Sinai。　Light　rested　over　the　mercy　seat　in　the　tabernacle。　Light　filled　the　temple　of　Solomon　at　its　dedication。　Light　shone　on　the　hills　of　Bethlehem　when　the　angels　brought　the　message　of　redemption　to　the　watching　shepherds。

God　is　light；　and　in　the　words；　〃I　am　the　light　of　the　world；〃　Christ　declared　His　oneness　with　God；　and　His　relation　to　the　whole　human　family。　It　was　He　who　at　the　beginning　had　caused　〃the　light　to　shine　out　of　darkness。〃　2　Cor。　4：6。　He　is　the　light　of　sun　and　moon　and　star。　He　was　the　spiritual　light　that　in　symbol　and　type　and　prophecy　had　shone　upon　Israel。　But　not　to　the　Jewish　nation　alone　was　the　light　given。　As　the　sunbeams　penetrate　to　the　remotest　corners　of　the　earth；　so　does　the　light　of　the　Sun　of　Righteousness　shine　upon　every　soul。

〃That　was　the　true　light；　which　lighteth　every　man　that　cometh　into　the　world。〃　The　world　has　had　its　great　teachers；　men　of　giant　intellect　and　wonderful　research；　men　whose　utterances　have　stimulated　thought；　and　opened　to　view　vast　fields　of　knowledge；　and　these　men　have　been　honored　as　guides　and　benefactors　of　their　race。　But　there　is　One　who　stands　higher　than　they。　〃As　many　as　received　Him；　to　them　gave　He　power　to　become　the　sons　of　God。〃　〃No　man　hath　seen　God　at　any　time；　the　only…begotten　Son；　which　is　in　the　bosom　of　the　Father；　He　hath　declared　Him。〃　John　1：12；　18。　We　can　trace　the　line　of　the　world's　great　teachers　as　far　back　as　human　records　extend；　but　the

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Light　was　before　them。　As　the　moon　and　the　stars　of　the　solar　system　shine　by　the　reflected　light　of　the　sun；　so；　as　far　as　their　teaching　is　true；　do　the　world's　great　thinkers　reflect　the　rays　of　the　Sun　of　Righteousness。　Every　gem　of　thought；　every　flash　of　the　intellect；　is　from　the　Light　of　the　world。　In　these　days　we　hear　much　about　〃higher　education。〃　The　true　〃higher　education〃　is　that　imparted　by　Him　〃in　whom　are　hid　all　the　treasures　of　wisdom　and　knowledge。〃　〃In　Him　was　life；　and　the　life　was　the　light　of　men。〃　Col。　2：3；　John　1：4。　〃He　that　followeth　Me；〃　said　Jesus；　〃shall　not　walk　in　darkness；　but　shall　have　the　light　of　life。〃

In　the　words；　〃I　am　the　light　of　the　world；〃　Jesus　declared　Himself　the　Messiah。　The　aged　Simeon；　in　the　temple　where　Christ　was　now　teaching；　had　spoken　of　Him　as　〃a　light　to　lighten　the　Gentiles；　and　the　glory　of　Thy　people　Israel。〃　Luke　2：32。　In　these　words　he　was　applying　to　Him　a　prophecy　familiar　to　all　Israel。　By　the　prophet　Isaiah；　the　Holy　Spirit　had　declared；　〃It　is　too　light　a　thing　that　Thou　shouldest　be　My　servant　to　raise　up　the　tribes　of　Jacob；　and　to　restore　the　preserved　of　Israel：　I　will　also　give　Thee　for　a　light　to　the　Gentiles；　that　Thou　mayest　be　My　salvation　unto　the　end　of　the　earth。〃　Isa。　49：6；　R。　V。　This　prophecy　was　generally　understood　as　spoken　of　the　Messiah；　and　when　Jesus　said；　〃I　am　the　light　of　the　world；〃　the　people　could　not　fail　to　recognize　His　claim　to　be　the　Promised　One。

To　the　Pharisees　and　rulers　this　claim　seemed　an　arrogant　assumption。　That　a　man　like　themselves　should　make　such　pretensions　they　could　not　tolerate。　Seeming　to　ignore　His　words；　they　demanded；　〃Who　art　Thou？〃　They　were　bent　upon　forcing　Him　to　declare　Himself　the　Christ。　His　appearance　and　His　work　were　so　at　variance　with　the　expectations　of　the　people；　that；　as　His　wily　enemies　believed；　a　direct　announcement　of　Himself　as　the　Messiah　would　cause　Him　to　be　rejected　as　an　impostor。

But　to　their　question；　〃Who　art　Thou？〃　Jesus　replied；　〃Even　that　which　I　have　also　spoken　unto　you　from　the　beginning。〃　John　8：25；　R。V。　That　which　had　been　revealed　in　His　words　was　revealed　also　in　His　character。　He　was　the　embodiment　of　the　truths　He　taught。　〃I　do　nothing　of　Myself；〃　He　continued；　〃but　as　My　Father　hath　taught　Me；　I　speak　these　things。　And　He　that　sent　Me　is　with　Me：　the　Father　hath　not　left　Me　alone；　for　I　do　always　those　things　that　please　Him。〃　He　did　not　attempt　to　prove　His　Messianic　claim；　but　showed　His　unity　with　God。　If　their　minds　had　been　open　to　God's　love；　they　would　have　received　Jesus。

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Among　His　hearers　many　were　drawn　to　Him　in　faith；　and　to　them　He　said；　〃if　ye　continue　in　My　word；　then　are　ye　My　disciples　indeed；　and　ye　shall　know　the　truth；　and　the　truth　shall　make　you　free。〃

These　words　offended　the　Pharisees。　The　nation's　long　subjection　to　a　foreign　yoke；　they　disregarded；　and　angrily　exclaimed；　〃We　be　Abraham's　seed；　and　were　never　in　bondage　to　any　man：　how　sayest　Thou；　Ye　shall　be　made　free？〃　Jesus　looked　upon　these　men；　the　slaves　of　malice；　whose　thoughts　were　bent　upon　revenge；　and　sadly　answered；　〃Verily；　verily；　I　say　unto　you；　Whosoever　committeth　sin　is　the　servant　of　sin。〃　They　were　in　the　worst　kind　of　bondage；ruled　by　the　spirit　of　evil。

Every　soul　that　refuses　to　give　himself　to　God　is　under　the　control　of　another　power。　He　is　not　his　own。　He　may　talk　of　freedom；　but　he　is　in　the　most　abject　slavery。　He　is　not　allowed　to　see　the　beauty　of　truth；　for　his　mind　is　under　the　control　of　Satan。　While　he　flatters　himself　that　he　is　following　the　dictates　of　his　own　judgment；　he　obeys　the　will　of　the　prince　of　darkness。　Christ　came　to　break　the　shackles　of　sin…slavery　from　the　soul。　〃If　the　Son　therefore　shall　make　you　free；　ye　shall　be　free　indeed。〃　〃The　law　of　the　Spirit　of　life　in　Christ　Jesus〃　sets　us　〃free　from　the　law　of　sin　and　death。〃　Rom。　8：2。

In　the　work　of　redemption　there　is　no　compulsion。　No　external　force　is　employed。　Under　the　influence　of　the　Spirit　of　God；　man　is　left　free　to　choose　whom　he　will　serve。　In　the　change　that　takes　place　when　the　soul　surrenders　to　Christ；　there　is　the　highest　sense　of　freedom。　The　expulsion　of　sin　is　the　act　of　the　soul　itself。　True；　we　have　no　power　to　free　ourselves　from　Satan's　control；　but　when　we　desire　to　be　set　free　from　sin；　and　in　our　great　need　cry　out　for　a　power　out　of　and　above　ourselves；　the　powers　of　the　soul　are　imbued　with　the　divine　energy　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　and　they　obey　the　dictates　of　the　will　in　fulfilling　the　will　of　God。

The　only　condition　upon　which　the　freedom　of　man　is　possible　is　that　of　becoming　one　with　Christ。　〃The　truth　shall　make　you　free；〃　and　Christ　is　the　truth。　Sin　can　triumph　only　by　enfeebling　the　mind；　and　destroying　the　liberty　of　the　soul。　Subjection　to　God　is　restoration　to　one's　self；to　the　true　glory　and　dignity　of　man。　The　divine　law；　to　which　we　are　brought　into　subjection；　is　〃the　law　of　liberty。〃　James　2：12。

The　Pharisees　had　declared　themselves　the　children　of　Abraham。　Jesus　told　them　that　this　claim　could　be　established　only　by　doing　the　works　of　Abraham。　The　true　children　of　Abraham　would　live；　as　he　did；　a　life　of　obedience　to　God。　They　would　not　try　to　kill　One　who　was　speaking　the　truth　that　was　given　Him　from　God。　In　plotting

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against　Christ；　the　rabbis　were　not　doing　the　works　of　Abraham。　A　mere　lineal　descent　from　Abraham　was　of　no　value。　Without　a　spiritual　connection　with　him；　which　would　be　manifested　in　possessing　the　same　spirit；　and　doing　the　same　works；　they　were　not　his　children。

This　principle　bears　with　equal　weight　upon　a　question　that　has　long　agitated　the　Christian　world；the　question　of　apostolic　succession。　Descent　from　Abraham　was　proved；　not　by　name　and　lineage；　but　by　likeness　of　character。　So　the　apostolic　succession　rests　not　upon　the　transmission　of　ecclesiastical　authority；　but　upon　spiritual　relationship。　A　life　actuated　by　the　apostles'　spirit；　the　belief　and　teaching　of　the　truth　they　taught；　this　is　the　true　evidence　of　apostolic　succession。　This　is　what　constitutes　men　the　successors　of　the　first　teachers　of　the　gospel。

Jesus　denied　that　the　Jews　were　children　of　Abraham。　He　said；　〃Ye　do　the　deeds　of　your　father。〃　In　mockery　they　answered；　〃We　be　not　born　of　fornication；　we　have　one　Father；　even　God。〃　These　words；　in　allusion　to　the　circumstances　of　His　birth；　were　intended　as　a　thrust　against　Christ　in　the　presence　of　those　who　were　beginning　to　believe　on　Him。　Jesus　gave　no　heed　to　the　base　insinuation；　but　said；　〃If　God　were　your　Father；　ye　would　love　Me：　for　I　proceeded　forth　and　came　from　Go