The Way, the Truth, the Life

Our Lord was the "Way" in that only through his sacrifice, the "ransom," imputing his merit to sinners, could they be made acceptable to the Father or be received back again into fellowship with him. He was the "Truth" in the sense that only through his words, his instructions, his guidance, could there be any hope of coming into harmony with the spirit of God, the spirit of truth. He was the "Life" in that all the race was dead, under divine sentence—had forfeited the rights of life—and none could come again into life conditions except through him—through the life which he gave for ours. Thus he is our Ransom, or Way; our Teacher or Instructor in righteousness, in the truth, and our Life-giver;—"Neither is their salvation in any other." "No man cometh unto the Father but by me"—no man need hope for any place in any of the mansions of the Father's house by any other way, by any other truth, by any other life.—Acts 4:12; John 14:6.

And so also Christ will be the Way, the Truth and the Life to the world of mankind in the Millennial age. And as the Lord, by his sacrifice and offering, opened for the Gospel Church, his bride, an abode in the heavenly division of God's mansion, or house, so by the same sacrifice he redeemed and will restore and give to mankind (to as many as obey him—Acts 3:23) a home in the earthly divisions of the Father's house, which will then again become a Paradise of God.

Some one has said that "Truth is the rock foun­dation of every truly great character." Is this a Scriptural thought? Surely, it is. The greatest character who ever lived on earth, namely Jesus of Nazareth, He who mentally and morally towered head and shoulders above every living creature, said,. "I am the truth." (John 14:6.) How could Jesus be the truth? Truth is a principle or law governing righteous speech and conduct. When Jesus said, "I am the truth," did He mean that He was the principle or law of truth? Surely not. What he meant us to understand was, I am the exponent of truth, I am governed in everything I think, say, and do, by the principle of truth. Truth finds ex­pression in My words, and in My conduct. It is the foundation of My character-"I am the truth." Likewise it is the foundation of every truly great character. Through all the vicissitudes of life,. its blessings, its trials, its joys, its sorrows, its hap­piness, its sufferings, through the heights of pros­perity and the depths of adversity, truth is the same; -staunch, firm, immovable, calm, self-controlled, impassionate, faithful to the principles upon which it stands. It is like the giant oak that towers above our heads, whose every fiber is only strength­ened and made more enduring by the storms and winds which 'bend and sway its branches. Such is the character that is governed by the principles of truth. The storms of life cannot wrench it from its footing, for it is founded upon a rock, and Je­hovah God, the Fountain of truth, is that Rock.