Steps to Christ: God’s Love for Man (Chapter 1)
For the next 13 consecutive days I am (by God’s grace) going to be posting a daily blog based on a chapter out of the devotional by Ellen White, Steps to Christ. If you would like to obtain a copy of the book or read along online, you can do so by CLICKING HERE. Please keep in mind that different versions of this book, which has been translated in over 140 languages, contain different page numbers. As a result I will not be referencing pages numbers so as not to confuse you. The version that you can download both on your iPod and in print form (PDF) from the site above is the 1892 version of the book, which didn’t contain this first chapter that we are going to look at today.
CHAPTER 1: God’s Love for Man
The book starts with a very simple, yet profound statement, “Nature and revelation alike testify of God’s love.” At the beginning of this chapter, Ellen primarily focuses on the aspects of nature that testify of God’s love. She states that “even amid the suffering that results from sin, God’s love is revealed.... The thorn and the thistle--the difficulties and the trials that make his life one of toil and care--were appointed for his good as a part of the training needful in God’s plan for his uplifting from the ruin and degradation that sin has wrought. The world, though fallen, is not all sorry and misery. In nature itself are messages of hope and comfort. There are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are covered with roses.” Is it not amazing how God brings such blessing out of tragedy in our lives?
Can you think of a time when something tragic occurred in your life, later revealed God’s glory? In my life, I know that I look back at all the pain that I was in as a teenager confused and depressed. A life of stealing, lying, cheating, partying, etc. was turned around when Jesus revealed Himself to me.
Going back to the second part of the opening line of this book, Ellen then states, “The word of God reveals His character.” She mentions regarding nature that it “imperfectly represent(s) His (Gods) love.” Further she states that “the enemy of good (Satan) blinded the minds of men, so that they looked upon God with fearl that thought of Him as severed and unforgiving. Satan led men to conceive of God as a being whose chief attribute is stern justice,--one who is a severe judge, a harsh, exacting creditor.” It is because of this flawed view of the character of God, that we have the Bible to set the record straight. Jesus says, “When you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the father” (John 14:9). If you want to know what the character of God is really like, look to Jesus.
“He took man’s nature, that He (Jesus) might reach man’s wants. The poorest and the humblest were not afraid to approach Him. Even little children were attracted to Him. They love to climb upon His knees and gaze into the pensive face, benignant with love.”
Here are a few more lines that really jumped out to me:
“His life was one of self-denial and thoughtful care for others. Every soul was precious in His eyes.”
“In all men He saw fallen souls whom it was His mission to save.”
“He became ‘a Man of Sorrows,’ that we might be made partakers of everlasting joy.”
He (God the Father) permitted Him (Jesus) to leave the bosom of His love, the adoration of the angels, to suffer shame, insult, humiliation, hatred, and death.”
“But this great sacrifice was not made in order to create in the Father’s heart a love for man, not to make Him willing to save. No, no! ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.’ John 3:16. The Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation, but He provided the propitiation because He loves us.... ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself’ (2 Corinthians 5:19).
“Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice made by Christ in behalf of fallen man could express the Father’s love to lost humanity.”
“Jesus is ‘not ashamed to call them (you) brethern (brother)’ (Hebrews 2:11).
Blessings to you as you read this powerful chapter. Please let me know what stuck out to you as well as if you have any questions about this chapter.
Happy reading…
Matthew
New Haven, CT
Posted by matthew gamble on June 29, 2009 at 05:14 AM
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Greeting from Richland, WA! This book will forever be associated with the most important decision I could ever make in my life and that is to give it ALL TO JESUS. I look over the original copy I read during those super dark and uncertain days and I’m so thankful that the Holy Spirit led me to this book. What a beautiful picture of my Heavenly Father. I’m looking forward to re-reading this with you!
Posted by Jes on June 29, 2009 at 08:11 AM | #“There are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are covered with roses” still sticks out to me today brother Matt! I share those words when I testify of His goodness to others. I still remember one of my experiences as a missionary in Japan. One of my fellow missionaries advised me to share some roses with the housewives in our Bible class. I took him up on that suggestion on one Thursday just after I had spent some wonderful devotion time with Jesus. I bought several roses from a local flower shop, returned to our English school a bit late and handed them out to the housewives in our Bible class.
I shared the above quote with them from Steps to Christ along with advising them that this was a free gift from God. They were very pleased to received them. One of the roses lasted for about a month and a half after that day. The secretary of the English school testified of this and we praised the Lord for showing us His everlasting love through that miracle.
Posted by alfanso petty jr on June 29, 2009 at 08:16 AM | #You can also find the online audio versions at the following sites:
http://www.truthfortheendtime.com/index.html
http://www.ellenwhiteaudio.org/index.php
Posted by spacesda on June 29, 2009 at 08:42 AM | #I was drawn to the part “It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken.” We can not do it on our own; we must let Jesus do it in us. We can’t with or in spite of all our education, up bring from our parents or just effort on our part make ourselves pure. It is only as we come to Christ and allow Him to work in & thru us, relequishing all of self that He can make us pure and worthy of heaven. I did come to a realization in reading this that without Christ, heaven would not be appealing to us at all. What about those who think they are saved, going to church, even holding church offices but yet have not allowed Him full reign to purify them - are they, first, not really saved? Secondly, they go to church, enjoy “the Christ life” they would not enjoy heaven? And finally, how can you know if you are totally relequishing all to Him?? Personally, I struggle with feelings of unworthiness, low self esteem and wonder if I cut Jesus off from doing what He would like to do in my life.
Posted by Sheri Flower on June 29, 2009 at 10:57 AM | #One thing that really stuck out to me was the verse in Romans 5:6-8 on page 12. My version of the Bible (NIV) says, “You see, at just the right time, we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Christ died for us while we were sinners. People who didn’t want to hear a word he said, those were still the ones he died for. “He wept over Jersalem, the city He loved, which refused to receive Him, the way, the truth, and the life.” (page 9) He still died for those people. That would be even more than saying us dying for our enemies. Just something that I thought was really cool.
Please feel free to correct me on anything that I may have said was wrong.
Posted by Rachel Hershberger on June 29, 2009 at 05:17 PM | #Thanks for setting this up Matthew, Steps to Christ is definitely a poweful book that has led many people to Christ!
Posted by Reno Paotonu on July 15, 2009 at 12:19 AM | #Page 1 of 1 pages