Gods Sabbath

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E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

Had such a method been in operation throughout the sickness and death of Lazarus, what a disaster it would have been for God’s work. The disciples were unanimous in their decision that Christ must go when He had to stay, and that He should stay when He had to go. Their judgments were diametrically opposed to those required by the work at a time when correct decisions were vital. They could not see beyond the immediate need to raise Lazarus. They were unable to perceive that had Christ re stored Lazarus from illness to health, the miracle that is the most positive evidence of His divine character would not have been performed. As this story adds its powerful witness to many other scrip tural evidences, light is shed on the wonders of God’s plan mak ing, which helps undermine our confidence in our own planning. In fact God commits the management of His work to Jesus Christ alone, for the Father “... placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in ev ery way.” Ephesians 1:22, 23. There is no alternative head for God’s true church. Only when God, through Christ, is the Plan Maker, can nothing go wrong. But when human beings take over this role, then no matter how deep their spiritual experience, how sincere their purpose, how unselfish their aims, how long and broad their administra tive training, or how dedicated they are to advancing God’s cause, nothing can go right. They will continually make deci sions which they regard as masterpieces of wisdom, but which are in reality exactly contrary to the divine purpose. Some may point to apparent successes resulting from human planning, as proof that it is overstating the case to say that when consecrated people are the decision makers, nothing can go right. While they admit that human beings sometimes make fearful blunders, they will claim that on occasions humans have made good plans that have markedly advanced the work of God. But we should not be deceived, for appearances can be very mis Early Church Organization