Quiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About the Tempter: 102. Five Facts

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Quiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About the Tempter: 102. Five Facts



TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About the Tempter (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 102. Five Facts

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Five Facts

Well, there are five simple facts which, I think, will make it quite clear that we may, and if we may surely we should, and surely we will. The first link in the chain is this: when God made man in His own image He gave him mastery over the earth. (Gen_1:26-28; Psa_8:4-8 He was made God's undermaster over all the creation, and over all the forces of nature. Man was created a prince. He was born to rule. That was God's wondrous love-plan for man.

The second bit to note is that man lost that mastery through disobedience. It is a primary law in God's world that what He gives is held only through obedience. Disobedience demits the title. Possession is kept only through full obedience to the trust-deed. That is an absolute law of holding what has been given to us by God. Obedience keepeth the title intact; disobedience breaks it at once. Man was subtly tempted to disobey. This was the tempter's whole thought. Man yielded. He disobeyed. In that he lost title to the dominion with which he had been endowed. Instead of being a master over the earth, he has been, in the main, a slave upon the earth.

The third link is this: man transferred that mastery or dominion to the one to whom he yielded obedience. He obeyed the evil one. In that obedience he became his vassal, his slave. "His servants ye are whom ye obey." (Rom_6:16.) Our Lord speaks of the tempter as the "prince of this world." But we do well to remember just what that means. He is the prince, but not the rightful prince. He himself has been untrue to God, and so lost his title to what was given him. He is a traitor-prince. He deceived man into that initial act of obedience to himself, and disobedience to God. So he became a usurper-prince. But the word "prince" stands out in both combinations. Though he is a traitor-prince, and a usurper-prince, he is still prince of this world. Man's obedience to him gave him an actual hold, and a strong hold too, upon this earth, and all of its life.

The fourth fact lets in a bit of glad, golden light. The Lord Jesus came. He was given the mastery of the earth, and of all things, down here, all afresh, by the Father, even as Adam had been. He Himself said "all things have been delivered unto me of My Father." (Mat_11:27.) That truth is repeated over three times in John's Gospel. (Joh_3:35; Joh_13:3; Joh_17:2.) He was the new Master of all things down here. But He could hold His mastery only by obedience. He was not an exception to this law of title-holding. He could not be. Obedience is an inherent law of life.

The great fact about our Lord that stands out in brightest light is that He was obedient. This was the touchstone of all His life. He obeyed, (Php_2:8; Heb_5:8; Rom_5:19.) even unto death, aye, the worst sort of death, that of the Cross. Without question the one thing the tempter aimed at all those thirty-odd years was to make obedience by Jesus just as hard as possible, in the hope of diverting Him from that narrow path. But our Lord remained true. He held the title to all things by His perfect obedience.

Then when He went back home again that title was confirmed to Him. He was seated "far above all rule, and authority, and power, and every name that is named not only in this world, but also in that which is to come." (Eph_1:20-22; Php_2:8-11; Col_2:10; 1Pe_3:22.) Mastery over all things pertaining to the earth was given Him by the Father. It was held by Him through perfect obedience. It was confirmed to Him on His return home. That's the fourth great link in this "take" chain.

And the fifth is this: He did all of this on our account. It was because we failed that He came. He did what we failed in. In all that He did He was acting in our stead. We love to talk of our Lord Jesus as our Substitute. When He climbed the Hill of the Cross, and poured out His life unto death, He was acting in our place. He was our Substitute, bearing the full brunt of our sin. Through Him, and His precious blood, we are set free. But I think, we do not use that word "Substitute" as much as we should.