MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
January 1, 2025
The Third Person of the Godhead Series – Part 43
PEACE: THE THIRD ‘FRUIT’ OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part 1)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, . . “ Gal. 5: 22, KJV.
Christ’s last and parting legacy to His first disciples and all thereafter, was a legacy of peace. He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27, KJV.
How was His peace, which neither the world nor the religions of the world could ever give—be left with them when He was soon to die, and then later leave them behind on earth as He ascended to the Father in heaven after His resurrection?
Yes, indeed, by and through the Holy Spirit, Christ’s peace Giver as “the other Comforter,” His Representative and Vicegerent, verily the third Person of the Godhead!
The following is excerpted from the inspired book, The Desire of Ages by Ellen G. White, God’s end-times messenger in the order of Elijah and John the Baptist’s calling and nature of work. Pages provided at the end of the quotes. (All emphases and bracketed words mine):
“Before offering Himself as the sacrificial victim [‘the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world’], Christ sought for the most essential and complete gift to bestow upon His followers, a gift that would bring within their reach the boundless measure of grace. [John 14: 16-18 quoted. Pls. read for yourself].
“Before this the [Holy] Spirit had been in the world; from the beginning of the work of redemption [immediately after the fall in Eden] He had been moving upon hearts. But while Christ was on earth, the disciples had desired no other helper. Not until they were deprived of His PRESENCE would they feel their need of the Spirit, and then He would come.
“The Holy Spirit is Christ’s Representative, but divested of humanity, and independent thereof. Cumbered with humanity [as He eternally ‘partook of the likeness of sinful flesh’ in the incarnation, Rom 8: 3, 4: 1 Tim. 3:16; John 1: 1-3, 13; Heb. 2: 14-18] Christ could not be in every place PERSONALLY. Therefore it was for their interest that He should go to the Father, and send the Spirit to be His Successor on earth. No one could then have any advantage because of his location or personal contact with Christ [not even Mary nor Joseph]. By the Spirit Christ would be ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. In this sense He would be NEARER to them than if He had not ascended on high.
“‘He that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and MANIFEST MYSELF to him.’ [John 14:21. That is, thru the Presence in the divine Person of the invisible Holy Spirit].
Here’s how, when, where, and with whom Christ’s peace is bequeathed through the Holy Spirit is especially needed and experienced:
“Jesus read the future of His disciples. He saw one brought to the scaffold, one to the cross, one to exile among the lonely rocks of the sea, [‘Stephen was stoned; James was slain by the sword; Paul was beheaded; Peter was crucified; John was exiled. Yet the church grew.’ AA 597]; others to persecution and death [see Hebrews 11].
“He ENCOURAGED them with the promise that with EVERY TRIAL He would be with them [In and through His Holy Spirit]. THAT PROMISE HAS LOST NONE OF ITS FORCE. The Lord knows all about His FAITHFUL SERVANTS who for His sake are lying in prison or who are banished to lonely islands.
“He COMFORTS them with His OWN PERSONAL PRESENCE [in and through the Holy Spirit]. When for the TRUTH’S SAKE the believer stands at the bar of UNRIGHTEOUS TRIBUNALS, Christ stands by his side [invisibly, in the Holy Spirit]. All the reproaches that fall upon him fall upon Christ. Christ is condemned over again IN THE PERSON OF HIS DISCIPLE.
When one is incarcerated in prison walls, Christ RAVISHES the heart with HIS LOVE. When one suffers DEATH for His sake, Christ says, ‘I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive forevermore. . . . and have the keys to hell [grave] and death.’ Rev. 1:18. The life that is sacrificed for Me is preserved unto eternal glory.” – Desire of Ages, chap. LXIII, April 1950 New Edition. Pacific Press Publishing Asso., pp. 668-9.
To be continued next MWM, God willing. A spiritually-prosperous and sanctifying New Year 2025 to all, NMF.