“Christ was strong to save the whole world. He wanted all. He could not endure the thought that one should be lost. He wept at the grave of Lazarus, that He could not save every one whom Satan’s power had laid low in death. He had given Himself a ransom for many, even all who would avail themselves of the privilege of coming back to their loyalty to God. John, pointing to Him, had said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world !”
And in all this conflict with the powers of evil, there was ever before Christ the darkened shadow into which He Himself must enter. Ever before Him was the price which He must pay for the ransom of these souls. As He witnessed the sufferings of the human race, He knew that He must bear a greater pain, mingled with mockery; that He must suffer the greatest humiliation. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, He knew that for that life He must pay the ransom on the cross of Calvary. Every rescue made was to cause Him the deepest humiliation. He was to taste death for every man.
ref: Hebrews 2:9
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death (dying unto sin) He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. .And deliver them who through fear of (and) death were all there lifetime subject to bondage . . . !” Hebrews 2:14-15, ref: Romans 6:10
ref: Romans 7:23 & I Corinthians 15:56
In His life on earth, Christ developed a perfect character, He rendered perfect obedience to His Father’s commandments. In coming to the world in human form, in becoming subject to the law (Romans 8:2-11), in revealing to men that He bore their sickness, their sorrow, their guilt, He did not become a sinner. Before the Pharisees He could say, “Which of you convinceth Me of sin?” Not one stain of sin was found upon him. He stood before the world the spotless Lamb of God.
“Surely He hath borne our griefs* (weakness, affliction and disease), and carried our sorrows* (anguish, affliction and pain): yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted (Matthew 27:43). But He was wounded for our transgressions (rebellion and apostasies), He was bruised for our iniquities . . . the chastise-ment which bought our peace was upon Him . . . and with His stripes we are healed !” Isaiah 53:4-12 & Hebrews 5:8
From the light of His exalted purity, the world’s Redeemer could see that the maladies from which the human family were suffering were brought upon them by transgression of the law of God. Every case of suffering He could trace back to its source. In every case He read the sad and awful end of unrepenting sinners. He knew that He alone could rescue them from the pit into which they had fallen. He alone could place their feet in the right path; His perfection alone could avail for their imperfection. He alone could cover their nakedness with His spotless robe of righteousness.
“O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in Me is thine help . . . I will be thy King: for where is any other that may save thee?. . . Look unto Me, and be ye saved (delivered, rescued, set free, healed and made whole), all the ends of the earth: for I Am God (Elohim – the Mighty One), and there is none else !”
Hosea 13:9-10, 14, Isaiah 45:22-25 & Numbers 21:5-9
Had all who claim to believe in Christ followed His example, what a different aspect would our world present today! This work has been neglected by the church; she has been remiss in following Christ in self-denial and self-sacrifice. She has not reached down to the depths of misery into which Satan has dragged those who have listened to his temptations; but we thank God that there is an opportunity to redeem the time, to bear the message of mercy to the highways and the hedges.
“And Jesus (Yehushua) came and spake unto them (us), saying . . . All power is now given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore . . . . into all the world, and proclaim the Glad Tidings to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized (I Thessalonians 2:13 & Titus 3:5-6) shall be saved (delivered, rescued, set free, healed and made whole); but he that believeth not shall be damned . . . ‘For God sent not His Son into the world, to condemn the world . . . but that the world through Him might be saved . . . . For all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to our own way; and the LORD (Jehovah, Yehuwah) hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all !’ . . . John 3:17 & Isaiah 53:6
‘For Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law (for its disobedience), being made accursed for us: for it is written, Cursed be every one that hangeth on a tree’ . . . Galatians 3:13-14 & Deuteronomy 27:26 ‘And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses* (side slip, error, or willful transgression or offense) !’
Colossians 2:10-13
“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name (Matthew 1:21-23) of the Only-Begotten Son of God !’ John 3:18
And these signs shall follow them that that believe . . . . In My name (Philippians 2:9-11 – in the power and authority which I have given unto you) shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new languages; they shall take up* (loose the hold of) serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not harm them . . . they shall lay hands on the sick (Acts 3:1-10 & Acts 5:12-20), and they shall recover !”
Mark 16:15-20, ref: Matthew 10:1-8, Luke 9:1-6 & 10:1-20
The world’s Redeemer is still the world’s Restorer. Today Christ is feeling the woes of every sufferer. When the evil spirit rends the suffering frame, the Saviour feels its curse. When fever is burning up the life-current, He experiences the agony as if it were His Own. And He is strong to deliver. Help has been laid on One that is Mighty. He encircles man with His long human arm, while with His Divine arm He lays hold of Omnipotence. He Who created man knows just how to rid the human machinery of the clogs that have weakened the action of nerve, brain, bone, and muscle, and poisoned the life-current of the body. He knows how to speak the Word, “Be whole,” and bid the sufferer, “Go, and sin no more.”
His last injunction to His followers, His representatives upon the earth, was to lay hands on the sick, that they might recover. When the Master shall come again, He will commend those who have visited the sick, and relieved the necessities of the afflicted.
– Youth Instructor, December 29, 1898 Quote –
“Christ feels the woes of every sufferer. When evil spirits rend a human frame, Christ feels the curse. When fever is burning up the life current, He feels the agony. And He is just as willing to heal the sick now, as when He was personally on earth. Christ’s servants are His representatives, the channels for His working. He desires through them to exercise His healing power . . . !” -The Desire of Ages, pp. 823, 824.
Quote – “The followers of Christ are to labor as He did. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the suffering and afflicted. We are to minister to the despairing, and inspire hope in the hopeless. And to us also the promise will be fulfilled, “Thy Righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rearward.” Isaiah 58:8 & Jeremiah 23:5-6. The love of Christ, manifested in unselfish ministry, will be more effective in reforming the evildoer than will the sword or the court of justice.
These are necessary to strike terror to the lawbreaker, but the loving missionary can do more than this. Often the heart will harden under reproof; but it will melt under the love of Christ. The missionary cannot only relieve physical maladies, but he can lead the sinner to the Great Physician, Who can cleanse the soul from the leprosy of sin . . . . Through His servants, God designs that the sick, the unfortunate, those possessed of evil spirits, shall hear His Voice (John 8:26, John 3:34, John 14:10-11). Through His human agencies He desires to be a Comforter such as the world knows not . . . !” ref: John 4:24 & 17:20-21
– Ministry of Healing, p.106-107 (DA, p.351-352) ref: Manuscript 65b, 1898. {Welfare Ministry, p.22}
Quote – “We must humble self today, tomorrow, and constantly. With a willing, sanctified heart we must co-operate with God. We are living in the time when Satan has come down in great power. He is walking about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. But the Lord is ready to take away the sin that hinders us from yoking up with Christ. If we wear the yoke of Christ (Matthew 11:28-30), He will be our Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23 & John 3:1-3) supplying every weakness with His strength, every inefficiency with His power of success. But if we take glory to ourselves He removes His excellency from us, and we no longer ride prosperously.
God designs that the sick, the unfortunate, those possessed of evil spirits, shall hear His Voice through us. Through His human agencies He desires to be a Comforter such as the world has never before seen. His Words are to be voiced, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye believe in God, believe also in Me.” John 14:27 & 14:1
The Lord has not given us the work of reasoning out the things that we do not comprehend until we are satisfied. We must take the Word as it reads !” – 21 Manuscript Releases, p.339
Quote – “Take up the stones, remove the rubbish from your hearts. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. God’s servants need constantly to lay hold with one hand of souls ready to perish, while with the hand of faith they lay hold of the throne of God. Souls possessed with evil spirits will present themselves before us. We must cultivate the spirit of earnest prayer, mingled with genuine faith to save them from ruin, and this will confirm our faith !” – Spalding and Magan Collection, p.89
“And faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God !” Romans 10:17 “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God ! For verily (of a surety) I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be removed, and be thou cast into the sea (Zechariah 4:6-7) . . . and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith ! Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire . . . for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give unto you the Kingdom . . . when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them !” Mark 11:22-24 & Luke 12:32
“For without faith it is impossible to please Him . . . for he that cometh to God, must believe that He is (I Am), and that He is (I Am) a rewarder of them that diligently see Him !” Hebrews 11:1-6
“And I say unto you ________ (your name), Ask, and it shall be given unto you; Seek, and ye shall find; Knock, and it shall be opened unto you (ref: Luke 18:1-8 & Matthew 11:12). . . . For if a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will you give him a stone? or if he ask for a fish, will you for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask for an egg, will you offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your Heavenly Father give good things (the Holy Spirit) to them that ask Him ?” Matthew 7:7-11 & Luke 11:5-13
Quote – “Work as in the presence of heavenly intelligences. God calls for loyalty, for faithfulness; for we have been bought with a price. Stand firm for the right, and you will be more than conquerors through Him Who loved you and gave His life for you. It is faith and prayer that cast out evil spirits. We may ask Christ with full assurance of faith for enlarged capacity for service, for increased power to help souls. But let us remember constantly that it is through the Holy Spirit that we receive power and efficiency.” – Signs of the Times, June 21, 1905
“And let him ask in faith, nothing wavering . . . . For the Words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit and they are Life !” James 1:6-8 & John 6:63
“And faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God !” Romans 10:17
“God designs that the sick, the unfortunate, those possessed with evil spirits, shall hear His Voice through us. Through His human agents He desires to be a Comforter such as the world has never before seen. His Words are to be voiced by His followers: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye believe in God, believe also in me !” – Spalding and Magan Collection, p.89
“As for Me, this is My Covenant (Oath and Promise) with them, saith the LORD . . . My Spirit that is upon Thee, and My Words which I have put in Thy mouth . . . shall not depart out of Thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of Thy seed (children), nor out of the mouth of Thy children’s children, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever !” Isaiah 59:21
And Jesus said . . . “If ye abide in Me (the Word of God), and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. For herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples !” John 15:7-8