Contemplating Jesus

So far every preacher of the third angel's message has been seen as a mere alarmist. The cunning enemy has raised many within the church ranks and led them to make hasty decisions about the coming of Jesus to discredit our messages today. As humans, we are exposed not only to arguments that appeal to reason but also to our emotions. On the one hand, if we depend simply on our reasoning it may lead us to a state of coldness and apathy. Our reasoning, eventually makes us rely only on our knowledge and our own capabilities. On the other hand, if we let ourselves be guided simply by our emotions we may make hasty decisions that are based on something that varies as often and unpredictably as the wind.

Jesus demonstrated his true character while in this world. It was a balanced character in terms of emotions and reasoning. At times, He wept, but when necessary He spoke in a straightforward and sometimes firm manner. Furthermore, in his character we not only see His love for the sinner but his disgust for sin.

What a privilege it must have been to have seen Christ face to face as he examined the heart of every man He encountered. We do not have a complete record of the conversations that Christ had with people but I can imagine a voice of compassion inviting the sinner to repent. Jesus supplied the needs of these people because of their faith. Then He invited them to a transformation of character, a transformation of life. "Your faith has healed you" *1 He would say while at the same time would invite them to "go, and sin no more". *2

A Christ-like character can only be obtained by contemplating Him each day. It requires an open and humble mind, with which after studying and not simply reading the Bible each day, we pray for the Holy Spirit. We cannot and should not place anyone else as an example other than Jesus.

Perhaps every person chooses their religion or their church for different reasons. Others simply try to do good without joining an organized religion. But we must first understand that we can do nothing for ourselves. Our nature is continually towards evil. No matter what explanation man wishes to come up, the reality is that it is impossible for us exist if it weren’t for God who created us. If you do not accept that God created us you will never find your purpose in life. The fact that He created us gives us the assurance that because Jesus died for us already, we now have hope of eternal life. Removing God from the equation puts the focus back on man whose nature is continuingly towards evil.

Note that the Bible speaks about things that are eternal. God is eternal, His word is eternal and His law is eternal. His law is eternal because it is based on the main point of God's character. The apostle Paul writes:

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away... And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. * 3

Now we return to the question posed by Paul in his letter to the Romans,

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" * 4

and we can answer it.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. * 5

The third angel's message is one of admonition and warning for our time. But every preacher, absolutely every preacher of this message must do it for love of God’s people. The Lord revealed signs of the end and gave us a strong, direct and powerful message. But it is based on the love He has for humanity and His desire for us to be saved. This love can only be born in us by contemplating Jesus every day. There will be hard times. We shall pass through great tribulations but if we delight in the LORD He will grant the requests of our hearts.*6 May our theme each day be Jesus and heaven. That is where we find the purpose of life. That our greatest hope may be contemplating Jesus face to face along with everything He has in heaven where we will dwell with our loved ones forever.



JESUS IS COMING!


1 * Matt 9:22
2 * John 8:11
3 * 1 Corinthians 13:8, 13
4 * Romans 8:35
5 * Romans 8:38, 39
6 * Psalm 37:4