Christ Proved That We Can Keep the Commandments

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Christ Proved That We Can Keep the Commandments

Today's Text: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Matthew 4:3

The Message:      If His divine nature had not been clothed with the garb of humanity, Christ could not have associated with the fallen race and have become their Redeemer. It was necessary for Him to know the power of all our temptations, to pass through all the trials and afflictions that we are called to pass through, in order to be indeed a Saviour.... Satan, the powerful foe who had been turned out of heaven, had long claimed to have dominion on the earth, and Christ came to conquer this foe, in order that we might, through divine grace, also obtain the victory over the enemy of our souls. Standing at the head of humanity, Christ by His perfect obedience demonstrated to the universe that human beings could keep the commandments of God.      Under all circumstances-whether in prosperity or in adversity, whether received or rejected, whether at the marriage feast or suffering the pangs of hunger-Christ remained faithful to every precept of God's law, and wrought out for our example a perfect life. He has endured every hardship that comes to the poor and afflicted. Without sin He has suffered weariness and hunger. He understands every inconvenience to which we may be put. From childhood to manhood He stood the test of obedience.      When Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted, He was led by the Spirit of God. He did not invite temptation. He went into the wilderness to be alone, to contemplate His mission and work. By fasting and prayer He was to brace Himself for the bloodstained path He must travel. But Satan knew that the Saviour had gone into the wilderness, and he thought this was the best time to approach Him. Weak and emaciated from hunger, worn and haggard with mental agony, Christ's "visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men." Now was Satan's opportunity. Now he supposed that he could overcome Christ.      The first temptation was on the point of appetite. There came to the Saviour, as if in answer to His prayers, one in the guise of an angel from heaven. He claimed to have a commission from God to declare that Christ's fast was at an end. The Saviour was faint from hunger; He was craving for food when Satan came suddenly upon Him. Pointing to the stones that strewed the desert, and that had the appearance of loaves of bread, the tempter said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."-Manuscript 155, 1902 (Sermons and Talks, 2:217, 218).

Commentary: My friend, God sent His Son in the form of human flesh that He could overcome sin for us.  He experienced all that we are to experienced and was tempted as we are tempted, yet without sin.  He lived a victorious life that He may give us that life in place of our own. There are many in the church today that are teaching that we cannot overcome sin in the flesh, that it is impossible for us to live without sin, and that we will continue to sin until we are glorified at the second coming. But this is a deception of Satan.  Christ proved that overcoming sin is possible and that each of us can and must overcome sin in our lives.  While this is impossible through our own efforts, we can gain the victory in Jesus Christ. The victory that He has gained in the flesh, He offers to us if we would but surrender our lives fully to Him.  As we thus surrender, He will come into our hearts and live out His life within us.  This is done through the indwelling of His Spirit within us.  Thus it is as the Scriptures say "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Colossians 1:27). The reason why there are so many in the church today that have not the experience of victory over sin is because they are looking unto another being to give them victory.  The trinity teaches that the Holy Spirit is not the Spirit of Christ, but the spirit of another.  That spirit is not the Spirit of Christ and as such has not come in the flesh and was tempted as we are tempted, neither did it overcome sin in the flesh.  The trinity teaches that this spirit called "God the Holy Spirit", is the one that dwells within us, but how can this being, who was never tempted with sin in the flesh, give us victory over sin?  The answer is that it cannot.  It is only by accepting the Spirit of Christ, who was tempted in the flesh and was victorious over sin, that we may also gain the victory as well. The trinity is the reason why God's end-time church is in the condition of Laodicea.  The Seventh-day Adventist church is truly "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:17), because it is worshiping the false god of the trinity.  The church has accepted the righteousness of a false god and as such does not have the righteousness of Christ, for He is show to be on the outside seeking to gain entrance saying "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:" (Revelation 3:20). The trinity is a deception of Satan, and unless we turn away from it and unto the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ, we cannot gain the victory over sin and be saved.  The trinity cannot give you victory over sin because it is a false image of God and leads you to depend upon an altogether different power than the power of God.   My friend, it is time to heed the message of the Faithful and True Witness to the church of Laodicea by zealous repentance and opening the door of your heart to the Spirit of Christ today.   God bless,

Video of the Week Jeroboam and the Historian - Daniel Mesa Daniel Mesa shows how the Seventh-day Adventist church has been corrupted by the trinity in the story of Jeroboam when the nation of Israel was split into two nations.