March 20If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free — John 8:31, 32.
Divine Truth is never found except in the Divinely appointed channels, and those channels are the Lord and the Apostles and Prophets. To continue in the doctrines set forth in their inspired writings, to study and meditate upon them, to trust implicitly in them, and faithfully to conform our characters to them, is what is implied in continuing in the Word of the Lord. If we thus continue in the Word of the Lord, as earnest and sincere disciples, we shall indeed "know the truth"; we shall be "firm in the faith," and "able to give a reason for the hope that is in us," to "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints," to "war a good warfare," to "witness a good confession," and firmly to "endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ," even unto the end of our course—Z '03, 61 (R 3153). Our Lord assures us that God's Word is the Truth. Those who remain in His Word—continue as its learners and doers—will eventually know it as the Truth, from its self-evidencing power in the responsive heart. This will make them true learners of Christ, and with hearts subject to the Word, they will be freed from sin, selfishness, worldliness and error, and free to practice righteousness, truth, love and Kingdom-mindedness—P '30, 30. Parallel passages: Gen. 18:19; Ex. 19:5; 24:7; Num. 9:23; 14:24; Neh. 1:5; Psa. 1:2; 99:7; 111:10; 143:10; Isa. 1:19; Matt. 5:19; 13:23; Luke 6:46-48; John 8:36; 14:15. Hymns: 315, 22, 44, 154, 296, 54, 246. Poems of Dawn, 91: Into His Marvelous Light. Tower Reading: Z '14, 227 (R 5506). Questions: What has this text meant to me this week? How? Why? With what results? |
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INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT
OUT of disaster and ruin complete,
Out of the struggle and dreary defeat,
Out of my sorrow, and burden, and shame,
Out of the evils too fearful to name,
Out of my guilt and the criminal's doom,
Out of the dreading, and terror, and gloom;
Into the sense of forgiveness and rest,
Into inheritance with all the blest,
Into a righteous and permanent peace,
Into the grandest and fullest release,
Into the comfort without an alloy,
Into a perfect and permanent joy.
Wonderful love that hath wrought all for me!
Wonderful work that hath thus set me free!
Wonderful ground upon which I have come!
Wonderful tenderness, welcoming home!
Out of the terror at standing alone,
Out, and forever, of being my own,
Out of the hardness of heart and of will,
Out of the longings which nothing could fill,
Out of the bitterness, madness and strife,
Out of myself and of all I called life;
Into the light and the glory of God,
Into the holy, made clean by His blood,
Into His arms, the embrace and the kiss,
Into the scene of ineffable bliss,
Into the quiet, the infinite calm,
Into the place of the song and the psalm.
Wonderful holiness, bringing to light!
Wonderful grace, putting all out of sight!
Wonderful wisdom, devising the way!
Wonderful power that nothing can stay!
OUT of disaster and ruin complete,
Out of the struggle and dreary defeat,
Out of my sorrow, and burden, and shame,
Out of the evils too fearful to name,
Out of my guilt and the criminal's doom,
Out of the dreading, and terror, and gloom;
Into the sense of forgiveness and rest,
Into inheritance with all the blest,
Into a righteous and permanent peace,
Into the grandest and fullest release,
Into the comfort without an alloy,
Into a perfect and permanent joy.
Wonderful love that hath wrought all for me!
Wonderful work that hath thus set me free!
Wonderful ground upon which I have come!
Wonderful tenderness, welcoming home!
Out of the terror at standing alone,
Out, and forever, of being my own,
Out of the hardness of heart and of will,
Out of the longings which nothing could fill,
Out of the bitterness, madness and strife,
Out of myself and of all I called life;
Into the light and the glory of God,
Into the holy, made clean by His blood,
Into His arms, the embrace and the kiss,
Into the scene of ineffable bliss,
Into the quiet, the infinite calm,
Into the place of the song and the psalm.
Wonderful holiness, bringing to light!
Wonderful grace, putting all out of sight!
Wonderful wisdom, devising the way!
Wonderful power that nothing can stay!
