the desire of ages-第193章

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　sup　with　him；　and　he　with　Me。〃　Rev。　3：20。

The　resurrection　of　Jesus　was　a　type　of　the　final　resurrection　of　all　who　sleep　in　Him。　The　countenance　of　the　risen　Saviour；　His　manner；　His　speech；　were　all　familiar　to　His　disciples。　As　Jesus　arose　from　the　dead；　so　those　who　sleep　in　Him　are　to　rise　again。　We　shall　know　our　friends；　even　as　the　disciples　knew　Jesus。　They　may　have　been　deformed；　diseased；　or　disfigured；　in　this　mortal　life；　and　they　rise　in　perfect　health　and　symmetry；　yet　in　the　glorified　body　their　identity　will　be　perfectly　preserved。　Then　shall　we　know　even　as　also　we　are　known。　1　Cor。　13：12。　In　the　face　radiant　with　the　light　shining　from　the　face　of　Jesus；　we　shall　recognize　the　lineaments　of　those　we　love。

When　Jesus　met　with　His　disciples；　He　reminded　them　of　the　words　He　had　spoken　to　them　before　His　death；　that　all　things　must　be　fulfilled　which　were　written　in　the　law　of　Moses；　and　in　the　prophets；　and　in　the　Psalms　concerning　Him。　〃Then　opened　He　their　understanding；　that　they　might　understand　the　Scriptures；　and　said　unto　them；　Thus　it　is

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written；　and　thus　it　behooved　Christ　to　suffer；　and　to　rise　from　the　dead　the　third　day：　and　that　repentance　and　remission　of　sins　should　be　preached　in　His　name　among　all　nations；　beginning　at　Jerusalem。　And　ye　are　witnesses　of　these　things。〃

The　disciples　began　to　realize　the　nature　and　extent　of　their　work。　They　were　to　proclaim　to　the　world　the　wonderful　truths　which　Christ　had　entrusted　to　them。　The　events　of　His　life；　His　death　and　resurrection；　the　prophecies　that　pointed　to　these　events；　the　sacredness　of　the　law　of　God；　the　mysteries　of　the　plan　of　salvation；　the　power　of　Jesus　for　the　remission　of　sins；to　all　these　things　they　were　witnesses；　and　they　were　to　make　them　known　to　the　world。　They　were　to　proclaim　the　gospel　of　peace　and　salvation　through　repentance　and　the　power　of　the　Saviour。

〃And　when　He　had　said　this；　He　breathed　on　them；　and　saith　unto　them；　Receive　ye　the　Holy　Ghost：　Whosesoever　sins　ye　remit；　they　are　remitted　unto　them；　and　whosesoever　sins　ye　retain；　they　are　retained。〃　The　Holy　Spirit　was　not　yet　fully　manifested；　for　Christ　had　not　yet　been　glorified。　The　more　abundant　impartation　of　the　Spirit　did　not　take　place　till　after　Christ's　ascension。　Not　until　this　was　received　could　the　disciples　fulfill　the　commission　to　preach　the　gospel　to　the　world。　But　the　Spirit　was　now　given　for　a　special　purpose。　Before　the　disciples　could　fulfill　their　official　duties　in　connection　with　the　church；　Christ　breathed　His　Spirit　upon　them。　He　was　committing　to　them　a　most　sacred　trust；　and　He　desired　to　impress　them　with　the　fact　that　without　the　Holy　Spirit　this　work　could　not　be　accomplished。

The　Holy　Spirit　is　the　breath　of　spiritual　life　in　the　soul。　The　impartation　of　the　Spirit　is　the　impartation　of　the　life　of　Christ。　It　imbues　the　receiver　with　the　attributes　of　Christ。　Only　those　who　are　thus　taught　of　God；　those　who　possess　the　inward　working　of　the　Spirit；　and　in　whose　life　the　Christ…life　is　manifested；　are　to　stand　as　representative　men；　to　minister　in　behalf　of　the　church。

〃Whosesoever　sins　ye　remit；〃　said　Christ；　〃they　are　remitted；　。　。　。　and　whosesoever　sins　ye　retain；　they　are　retained。〃　Christ　here　gives　no　liberty　for　any　man　to　pass　judgment　upon　others。　In　the　Sermon　on　the　Mount　He　forbade　this。　It　is　the　prerogative　of　God。　But　on　the　church　in　its　organized　capacity　He　places　a　responsibility　for　the　individual　members。　Toward　those　who　fall　into　sin；　the　church　has　a　duty；　to　warn；　to　instruct；　and　if　possible　to　restore。　〃Reprove；　rebuke；　exhort；〃　the　Lord　says；　〃with　all　long…suffering　and　doctrine。〃　2　Tim。　4：2。　Deal

806

faithfully　with　wrongdoing。　Warn　every　soul　that　is　in　danger。　Leave　none　to　deceive　themselves。　Call　sin　by　its　right　name。　Declare　what　God　has　said　in　regard　to　lying；　Sabbathbreaking；　stealing；　idolatry；　and　every　other　evil。　〃They　which　do　such　things　shall　not　inherit　the　kingdom　of　God。〃　Gal。　5：21。　If　they　persist　in　sin；　the　judgment　you　have　declared　from　God's　word　is　pronounced　upon　them　in　heaven。　In　choosing　to　sin；　they　disown　Christ；　the　church　must　show　that　she　does　not　sanction　their　deeds；　or　she　herself　dishonors　her　Lord。　She　must　say　about　sin　what　God　says　about　it。　She　must　deal　with　it　as　God　directs；　and　her　action　is　ratified　in　heaven。　He　who　despises　the　authority　of　the　church　despises　the　authority　of　Christ　Himself。

But　there　is　a　brighter　side　to　the　picture。　〃Whosesoever　sins　ye　remit；　they　are　remitted。〃　Let　this　thought　be　kept　uppermost。　In　labor　for　the　erring；　let　every　eye　be　directed　to　Christ。　Let　the　shepherds　have　a　tender　care　for　the　flock　of　the　Lord's　pasture。　Let　them　speak　to　the　erring　of　the　forgiving　mercy　of　the　Saviour。　Let　them　encourage　the　sinner　to　repent；　and　believe　in　Him　who　can　pardon。　Let　them　declare；　on　the　authority　of　God's　word；　〃If　we　confess　our　sins；　He　is　faithful　and　just　to　forgive　us　our　sins；　and　to　cleanse　us　from　all　unrighteousness。〃　1　John　1：9。　All　who　repent　have　the　assurance；　〃He　will　have　compassion　upon　us；　He　will　subdue　our　iniquities；　and　Thou　wilt　cast　all　their　sins　into　the　depths　of　the　sea。〃　Micah　7：19。

Let　the　repentance　of　the　sinner　be　accepted　by　the　church　with　grateful　hearts。　Let　the　repenting　one　be　led　out　from　the　darkness　of　unbelief　into　the　light　of　faith　and　righteousness。　Let　his　trembling　hand　be　placed　in　the　loving　hand　of　Jesus。　Such　a　remission　is　ratified　in　heaven。

Only　in　this　sense　has　the　church　power　to　absolve　the　sinner。　Remission　of　sins　can　be　obtained　only　through　the　merits　of　Christ。　To　no　man；　to　no　body　of　men；　is　given　power　to　free　the　soul　from　guilt。　Christ　charged　His　disciples　to　preach　the　remission　of　sins　in　His　name　among　all　nations；　but　they　themselves　were　not　empowered　to　remove　one　stain　of　sin。　The　name　of　Jesus　is　the　only　〃name　under　heaven　given　among　men；　whereby　we　must　be　saved。〃　Acts　4：12。

When　Jesus　first　met　the　disciples　in　the　upper　chamber；　Thomas　was　not　with　them。　He　heard　the　reports　of　the　others；　and　received　abundant　proof　that　Jesus　had　risen；　but　gloom　and　unbelief　filled　his　heart。　As　he　heard　the　disciples　tell　of　the　wonderful　manifestations　of　the　risen　Saviour；　it　only　plunged　him　in　deeper　despair。　If　Jesus　had

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really　risen　from　the　dead；　there　could　be　no　further　hope　of　a　literal　earthly　kingdom。　And　it　wounded　his　vanity　to　think　that　his　Master　should　reveal　Himself　to　all　the　disciples　except　him。　He　was　determined　not　to　believe；　and　for　a　whole　week　he　brooded　over　his　wretchedness；　which　seemed　all　the　darker　in　contrast　with　the　hope　and　faith　of　his　brethren。

During　this　time　he　repeatedly　declared；　〃Except　I　shall　see　in　His　hands　the　print　of　the　nails；　and　put　my　finger　into　the　print　of　the　nails；　and　thrust　my　hand　into　His　side；　I　will　not　believe。〃　He　would　not　see　through　the　eyes　of　his　brethren；　or　exercise　faith　which　was　dependent　upon　their　testimony。　He　ardently　loved　his　Lord；　but　he　had　allowed　jealousy　and　unbelief　to　take　possession　of　his　mind　and　heart。

A　number　of　the　disciples　now　made　the　familiar　upper　chamber　their　temporary　home；　and　at　evening　all　except　Thomas　gathered　here。　One　evening　Thomas　determined　to　meet　with　the　others。　Notwithstanding　his　unbelief；　he　had　a　faint　hope　that　the　good　news　was　true。　While　the　disciples　were　taking　their　evening　meal；　they　talked　of　the　evidences　which　Christ　had　given　them　in　the　prophecies。　〃Then　came　Jesus；　the　doors　being　shut；　and　stood　in　the　midst；　and　said；　Peace　be　unto　you。〃

Turning　to　Thomas　He　said；　〃Reach　hither　thy　finger；　and　behold　My　hands；　and　reach　hither　thy　hand；　and　thrust　it　into　My　side：　and　be　not　faithless；　but　believing。〃　These　words　showed　that　He　was　acquainted　with　the　thoughts　and　words　of　Thomas。　The　doubting　disciple　knew　that　none　of　his　companions　had　seen　Jesus　for　a　week。　They　could　not　have　told　the　Master　of　his　unbelief。　He　recognized　the　One　before　him　as　his　Lord。　He　had　no　desire　for　further　proof。　His　heart　leaped　for　joy；　and