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Pastor's Blog January 30, 2020
"The Source of Infinite Power"
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There is a curious truth about the situation in which we find ourselves: no matter how it is described, no matter what explanations are given or justifications are made in order to convince ourselves things are not as bad as they really are, and regardless of our attempts to alleviate the problem, we are still sinners. The truth of our very existence is that we already start in a pickle by being separated from God due to the sinfulness of our ancestors, and then we simply continue in that separation by diving headlong into that sinfulness ourselves. But there is also a frustrating reality about the solution to our dilemma: we are in need of a savior, but we lack any ability or power to save ourselves; our greatest need is for someone else, Someone who is not us, to enter into our situation in order to save us.
Ellen makes very clear in "Steps to Christ" that this is what we face on earth. On the one hand, our recognition of God's goodness and benevolence toward us, or the kindness and love of his character, or even the wisdom and justice of his law and the fact that its eternal foundation is the principle of love, is not enough to get us out of our mess; in fact, by itself this recognition only reminds us of how much we CANNOT do to fix our own mess (8-9; 1977 edition)!
But oh how beautiful is the other hand of our predicament, wherein we see that "through Christ, earth is again linked with heaven," and that "Christ connects fallen man in his weakness and helplessness with the Source of infinite power" (10)! How encouraging, confidence-inducing, and downright humbling it is to know that Jesus restores us to communion with God because he is both God and human (9) - in truth, he is "the only way to God" (10). We cannot make ourselves right with God, but the Righteous One can and does! And Jesus isn't alone in this work.
When talking about "the Source of infinite power," Ellen makes clear in the next paragraph that she is referring to God the Father (10); likewise, the Spirit of God labors long with us to make the truth of our sin problem and our promised salvation known to us (9). Friend, if you find yourself wrestling with feelings of guilt, why not focus your attention on Jesus and what he, the Father, and the Holy Spirit have already provided you in salvation?
(*) Steps to Christ 1977 edition; Chapter 2, “The Sinner’s Need of Christ”
God Bless.
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
