Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-23

that crowd. You will not only prove the
fact Of your Sonship to yourself and
to me, but to them also"
Think of what that meant to Jesus 1t
would avoid the misunderstanding, the
long discussions. the hatred and perse-
cution which He had to endure to prove
to these very people the fact of His
Sonship. 1t was a real temptation. 1t
took moral courage to resist taking the
easy way, to avOiu the spectacular and
the sensational.
But He replied: "Oh, yes, it's true He
will take care of me; but for that very
reason, it will be wrong OF me to ere
ate situation of my own accord that
will require Him to exercise that care. To
do this is to doubt that He would; it
is wrong to put Him to the test to prove
it. If the situation is of His making,
I know He will do as He said. Thou
shalt no. put to the test the Lord thy
God"
How often, my brothers, does this
temptation come to you and to me. 1t
takes mora. courage to stand UP for
the right. Do it, though, knowing, not
doubling, that God loves and cares.
THE SPIRITUAL TEST.
The devil, routed again, made a des-
perate effort. He took Him to a high
mountain, and using the supernatural
Der that he is a narchangel, clothed with
great authority, and not the hideous
creature depicted by medieval artists
he showed Him in a moment of time all
the kingdoms of this world and the
splendor of them, and throwing off his
mass, he said, all these will l wive you
if you will just fall down and worship
me. That was what he had been after
all along This was no empty promise
of Satan's. He had power to do as he
said for he is the god of this world still.
He could have given them.
But think. When Adam had been placed
in the garden, God gave him dominion
over all the creation upon the ground
of perfect obedience. Satan resented his
dominion being given to another, tempted
Adam, and won, bringing him and all
his heirs into subsection.
Now comes the second Adam, the man,
Christ Jesus. AS soon as He enters upon
His work to wrest from Satan the king
doms of the world, and bring them back
to God, Satan enters the lists with Him.
His subtlety having failed so far, he
played his best card, he offered to Jesus
all that He had come to win on one
condition. Had Jesus accepted it, He
would have been under Satan's dominion
like all the rest. But He refused. Sa-
tan having having removed his mask, He
said, Get the hence, Satan. for it is
written Thou shalt worship the Lord
thy God. and Him only shalt thou serve"
And Satan got thence. He moved off,
for while at least. Jesus, the man,
the second Adam, by perfect obedience,
had won. Oh! brother man, here is how
you and / may win, too. BY perfect
obedience, we may win the victory.
Trus Thin who has shown Himself
stronger than the devil. He ever lives to
make intercession for us. Our Advocate
is stronger than our Adversary. He has
wrested the dominion from the Usurper;
there is no need any longer for you to
be the servant of sin. He was called
Jesus, for it is He that should save
His people from their SINS Trust and
obey Him therefore, and live a regnant,
victorious life in Him; for in that He
hath suffered, being tempted, He is able
also to succor them that are tempted. We
have not an high priest that cannot be
touched with a feeling of our infirmities.
for He has been tempted in all points like
as we are, yet without sin. Let us there
fore come boldly to the throne of grace
and find mercy for past failures, and
grace to help in every time of need.