Against Overwhelming Evidence Pilot Still Wavered

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Against Overwhelming Evidence Pilot Still Wavered

Today's Text: And from henceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. John 19:12

The Message:      After Herod had done his satanic work, he sent Christ, without having pronounced judgment upon Him, back to Pilate, a man convinced, a man convicted, of the truth but unwilling to yield. Pilate seemed wrought upon by unseen influences to acknowledge his convictions in regard to the Holy One of Israel. His wavering mind was compelled to acknowledge that Christ was no pretender, that not a single trace of deception could be found in His words or deportment.... Before that satanic, maddened throng, he pleaded for the scourge in the place of the cross.      The determined priests and rulers designed that the scourge should not be left out, but nothing short of the cross would they consent to be His punishment. This is human nature today when under the control of Satan....      Pilate was unwilling to condemn Christ, and he thought he could, irrespective of the rulers, make an appeal to the sympathy of the human side of the character of the mob. He knew he had nothing to hope for in this line from the priests and rulers. He made a short speech declaring that he found no fault in Christ at all. He confirmed the testimony of Herod that the witnesses against Christ were worthless-they did not agree....      Pilate was moving against light and overwhelming evidence and conviction. The priests and rulers saw that they could obtain all that they desired. Pilate had evidence and justice on his side, and if he had taken his stand firmly on the ground of Christ's innocence, he would have saved himself the after remorse and despair of a man who had sacrificed innocence to the deadly enmity and hatred of an envious, professedly religious people. Jesus was scourged.      A message from God warned Pilate from the deed he was about to commit.... While Pilate was examining the prisoner, his wife was visited by an angel from heaven, and in a vision of the night she beheld Jesus and conversed with Him.... She heard the condemnation of Pilate and saw him give Christ up to His murderers. She awoke with a cry of horror. Calling for pen and paper, she wrote him words of warning. Now, in Pilate's dilemma, a messenger makes his way to him with the message from his wife, "Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him."-Manuscript 112, 1897.

Commentary: My friend, Pilot was presented with overwhelming evidence that Jesus was innocent of the charges against Him.  He saw that it was the envy and pride of the Priests that stirred up the hatred that was now being displayed.  He had interviewed Jesus and found no fault in Him, and though it was his desire to release Him, he was held by fury of the demands of the mob and finally consented to place Him in their hands. How many Pilots are in the church today, convinced of the truth about God, but unwilling to go against the leadership of the church lest they be put out.  In the Scriptures there is overwhelming evidence that the trinity is false and there is only One true God, and that Jesus is literally the Son of God; yet there are so many that resist the conviction to follow the plain sayings of holy writ. Those who resist the working of the Spirit of God upon their hearts; those who are convicted of the truth, but do not follow their convictions, will eventually grieve away the Spirit of God and be left in darkness. The trinity is a false representation of God and unless we look away from it unto the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ, we cannot be saved.  Jesus, the Son of the living God prayed to His Father saying , "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3).  He has declared that the Father is the only true God and that He is His Son.  Moses declared "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" (Deuteronomy 6:4).  The Apostle Paul declares "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." (1 Corinthians 8:6).  Timothy declares "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" (1 Timothy 2:5).  With this overwhelming evidence how is it that the church rejects the light of truth? My friend, it is time for us to stand up for the truth and declare the message of the One true God to the church and to the world, that all may be warned of the judgment to come.  If we faithfully do this, we will have done all that we can to shed the light of truth, and will be weighed in the balances and not be found wanting. God bless,

Video of the Week The Seal of God - Allen Stump This presentation from the 2018 West Virginia camp meeting studies the seal of God from Ezekiel 9 and the chapter on the seal of God from volume 5 of Testimonies for the Church by Ellen White.