FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
November 5
THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 40)
The Dying Penitent Thief on the Cross an Eleventh Hour Saved Witness for the Dying Lamb of God!
“The bystanders caught the words as the dying thief called Jesus LORD. The tone of the repentant man arrested their ATTENTION. Those who at the foot of the cross QUARRELING over Christ’s garments, and casting lots over His vesture, STOPPED TO LISTEN. Their angry tones were HUSHED. With bated breath they LOOKED UPON CHRIST, and waited for the RESPONSE from those DYING LIPS.
“As Jesus spoke the words of promise [to the penitent thief], the DARK CLOUDS that seemed to enshroud the cross was PIERCED BY A BRIGHT AND LIVING LIGHT. To the penitent thief came the PERFECT PEACE of acceptance with God.
“CHRIST IN HIS HUMILIATION WAS GLORIFIED. He who is in all OTHER EYES appeared to BE CONQUERED WAS A CONQUEROR [in death!]. He was acknowledged as the SIN BEARER. Men may exercise power over His HUMAN BODY. They may pierce the HOLY TEMPLE [of His head and body] with the crown of thorns. They may strip from His [physical and temporal] RAIMENT, and quarrel over its division
[NOTE: Paul also calls the church as the “body of Christ.”]
BUT THEY CANNOT ROB HIM OF HIS POWER TO FORGIVE SIN [though the Antichrist and ‘MYSTERY BABYLON, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Rev. 17:5) blasphemously claims to have that power that exclusively belongs to God Immortal].
“In DYING He bears TESTIMONY to His OWN DIVINITY and to the GLORY OF THE FATHER. His EAR is not heavy that it cannot hear, neither His ARM shortened that it cannot save. It is HIS ROYAL RIGHT ‘to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him’ [Heb. 7:25]. He declared, “No man cometh to the Father except by Me, the way, the truth, and the life.’ John 14: 6]..” – E. G. White. The Desire of Ages, p. 751.
(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.