December 8, 1893
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December 8, 1893
“Creative Power” The Bible Echo 8, 26.
Creative power is the distinguishing mark of Divinity. The Spirit of the LORD through the prophet Jeremiah describes the vanity of idols, and then continues: “But the LORD is the true GOD, He is the living GOD, and an everlasting King; at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power. He hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.” The earth was made by his power, and established by his wisdom. But CHRIST is “the power of GOD, and the wisdom of GOD.” So here again we find CHRIST inseparably connected with creation as the Creator. Only as we acknowledge and worship CHRIST as the Creator, do we acknowledge his divinity.BEST December 8, 1893, par. 1
CHRIST is Redeemer by virtue of his power as Creator. We read that “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins,” because that “by Him were all things created.” If He were not Creator, He could not be Redeemer. This is shown in the statement of the apostle but the gospel is the power of GOD unto salvation, which statement is immediately followed by another to the effect that the power of GOD is seen by means of the things that have been made. When we consider the works of creation, and think of the power manifested in them, we are contemplating the power of redemption.BEST December 8, 1893, par. 2
There has been a great deal of idle speculation as to which is greater, redemption or creation. Many have thought that redemption is a greater work than creation. Such speculation is idle, because only infinite power could perform either work, and infinite power cannot be measured by human minds. But while we cannot measure the power, we can easily settle the question about which is a greater, because the Scriptures give us the reformation. Neither is greater than the other, for both are the same. Redemption is creation. Redemption is the same power that was put forth in the beginning to create the world and all that is in it, now put forth to save men and the earth from the curse of sin.BEST December 8, 1893, par. 3
The Scriptures are very clear on this point. The Psalmist prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a right spirit within me.” The apostle says that “if any man be in CHRIST, he is a new creature,” or a new creation. And again we read: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of GOD; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in CHRIST JESUS unto good works, which GOD hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”BEST December 8, 1893, par. 4
Compared with GOD, “man is less than nothing, and vanity.” In him “dwelleth no good thing.” But the same power that in the beginning made the earth from nothing, can take every one who is willing, and make of him that which is “to the praise and glory of His grace.”BEST December 8, 1893, par. 5
The same word that created the earth also upholds it. We quote again the words concerning CHRIST: “For in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones, or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and unto Him; and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” To consist means to hold together. Therefore all things on the earth, and the earth itself, owe their continued existence to Christ. So Paul declared on Mar’s Hill, “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.”BEST December 8, 1893, par. 6
This upholding is by his word. Thus: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.” CHRIST is the divine Word; He is in the spoken word, and so, since all things hold together in Him, they are upheld by his powerful word.BEST December 8, 1893, par. 7
Read also the words written by the apostle Peter: “By the word of GOD the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” The same word that made the earth caused its overflow by a flood, brought it transformed from the waters, and still upholds it. That word, therefore, must indeed be substantial. It is more real and solid than the earth itself, even as the foundation of a thing must be more substantial than the thing. That word “liveth and abideth forever.” Therefore the one who trusts it will never be at a loss.BEST December 8, 1893, par. 8
There will come a time when “the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage;” when every island shall flee away, and “the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” But even in that awful time the Christian can say, “GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear.”BEST December 8, 1893, par. 9