Saul believed he was doing the work of Jehovah as a Pharisee of the Pharisees by persecuting the Christians. He got orders from the Sanhedrin to ferret them out from all quarters and make their life miserable. Saul beat Christians in the synagogues. He consented to the death of Stephen by holding the raiment of the murderers.

Saul was on such a mission to Damascus to bring Christians to Jerusalem for punishment when the risen Lord in His glory appeared unto him and said, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest” (Acts 22:7, 8).

Later, when writing to the Roman Christians, Paul the apostle declared, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16). He gives us some good reasons why we should not be ashamed of the gospel.

First, the gospel is good news. The good news is about Jesus’ incarnation, life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. That is what delivered us from our death row. We are like an abandoned ship in the midst of a vast ocean. A sinking ship is at the mercy of the cold waters. God has launched an all-out rescue operation and He is right there reaching down to lift us out of our trouble. “It is the power of God unto salvation.”

The gospel is the good news of Jesus on the cross as our Saviour. He is the Saviour who saves us from our sins. “Thou shalt call his name Jesus [Saviour]: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). But sin brings death, for James says that “sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:15). But God has demonstrated His power in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Therefore He has pledged to resurrect us from our life of sin. John the Baptist declares, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

We are thankful to the Lord that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). He preserves a people whom He will present without spot or wrinkle.

“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4).

Christ - the Master of the household

Christ, the Master of the household, has gone to prepare for us mansions in the heavenly city. We are waiting for His return. Let us honor Him in His absence by faithfully doing the work He has placed in our hands. While waiting, watching, working, we are to prepare for His return. If we are faithful, if we serve Him with full purpose of heart, He will receive us with the gracious words, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). He will receive us with honor. To us will be given a crown of glory that fadeth not away, and a new name, “which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” Those who follow Christ here will one day “follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth” (Revelation 2:17; 14:4).

Slowly, but surely, the wheel of Providence is turning. We do not know how soon our Lord will say, “It is done.” His soon coming is nearing. “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto Him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them” (Luke 12:35-37).

The Lord says, “I will scatter; and I will also gather together a people to serve me.” God’s judgments are in the land. To the whole world the warning message is to be given. In this important time, what is our responsibility to advance the work to save perishing souls? He calls upon all to watch, that when He comes, they may open to Him immediately. He asks us to bring forth much fruit.

God’s blessing will be upon us if we deny self for the sake of the work of the Saviour. The blessing of good works will follow us forever. We ought to be wise stewards by our right use of the Lord’s goods. “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4).

How can we be in this company?

“The Lord has a people on the earth, who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. He has His thousands who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Such will stand with Him on Mount Zion. But they must stand on this earth, girded with the whole armor, ready to engage in the work of saving those who are ready to perish. Heavenly angels conduct this search, and spiritual activity is demanded of all who believe present truth, that they may join the angels in their work.

“We need not wait till we are translated to follow Christ. God’s people may do this here below. We shall follow the Lamb of God in the courts above only if we follow Him here. Following Him in heaven depends on our keeping His commandments now. We are not to follow Christ fitfully or capriciously, only when it is for our advantage. We must choose to follow Him. In daily life we must follow His example, as a flock trustfully follows its shepherd. We are to follow Him by suffering for His sake, saying, at every step, ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him’ (Job 13:15). His life practice must be our life practice. And as we thus seek to be like Him, and to bring our wills into conformity to His will, we shall reveal Him.

“Are we following Christ with unswerving loyalty, keeping His life of perfect obedience, of purity and self-sacrifice, ever before us, that, by beholding, we may become changed into His image? Do we strive to imitate His fidelity? If we educate ourselves to say, Be thou my Pattern; if by the eye of faith we see Him as a living Saviour, we shall be strengthened to follow Him. Then with the undefiled we shall follow Him in the future life. As eye- and heart-witnesses, we can bear testimony to His majesty; for by faith we have been with Him in the holy mount.”1

How is Christ to be our Saviour throughout eternity?

“He will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time” (Nahum 1:9).

“A tested and proved creation will never again be turned from allegiance to Him whose character has been fully manifested before them as fathomless love and infinite wisdom.”2

“Through the plan of salvation, through the sacrifice of Christ, not only man, but his dominion, was to be redeemed. Because of the merits of Christ, all that man lost through sin was to be restored. The time would come when there should be no more curse, but the throne of God should be in the earth renewed, and His servants should serve Him. The promise would be fulfilled, ‘The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever’ (Psalm 37:29).

“Through the plan of salvation, a larger purpose is to be wrought out even than the salvation of man and the redemption of the earth. Through the revelation of the character of God in Christ, the beneficence of the divine government will be manifested before the universe, the charge of Satan against God refuted, the nature and result of sin made plain, and the perpetuity of the law fully demonstrated. Satan had declared that the law of God was faulty, and that the good of the universe demanded a change in its requirements. In attacking the law, he thought to overthrow the authority of its Author, and gain for himself the supreme allegiance. But through the plan of salvation, the precepts of the law were to be proved perfect and immutable, that at last one tide of glory and love might go up throughout the universe, ascribing glory and honor and praise to Him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever.

“The inhabitants of all worlds will be convinced of the justice of the law in the overthrow of rebellion and the eradication of sin. When man, beguiled by Satan’s power, disobeyed the divine law, God could not, even to save the lost race, change that law. God is love, and to change the law would be to deny Himself, to overthrow those principles with which are bound up the good of the universe. The working out of the plan of salvation reveals not only to men, but to angels, the character of God, and through the ages of eternity the malignant character of sin will be understood by the cost to the Father and the Son of the redemption of a rebel race. In Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, all worlds will behold the marks of the curse, and angels as well as men will ascribe honor and glory to the Redeemer through whom they are all made secure from apostasy. The efficiency of the cross guards the redeemed race from the danger of a second fall. The life and death of Christ effectually unveils the deceptions of Satan, and refutes his claims. The sacrifice of Christ for a fallen world draws not only men, but angels, unto Him in bonds of indissoluble union. Through the plan of salvation the justice and mercy of God are fully vindicated, and to all eternity rebellion will never again arise, affliction never again touch the universe of God.”3

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

“ ‘Now we see through a glass, darkly’ (1 Corinthians 13:12). We behold the image of God reflected, as in a mirror, in the works of nature and in His dealings with men; but then we shall see Him face to face, without a dimming veil between. We shall stand in His presence and behold the glory of His countenance.

“There the redeemed shall know, even as also they are known. The loves and sympathies which God Himself has planted in the soul shall there find truest and sweetest exercise. The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, the sacred ties that bind together ‘the whole family in heaven and earth’ (Ephesians 3:15) - these help to constitute the happiness of the redeemed.

“There, immortal minds will contemplate with never-failing delight the wonders of creative power, the mysteries of redeeming love. There will be no cruel, deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of God. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body.

“All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar - worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of God’s handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation - suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling the throne of Deity. Upon all things, from the least to the greatest, the Creator’s name is written, and in all are the riches of His power displayed.

“And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise.

“ ‘And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever’ (Revelation 5:13).

“The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.”4