Humanity the Lost Pearl

The kingdom of heaven is represented as being like unto a merchantman «seeking goodly pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.»

This parable has a double significance, and applies not only to man seeking the kingdom of heaven, but to Christ seeking his lost inheritance. Through transgression, man lost his holy innocence, and mortgaged himself to Satan. Christ, the only begotten Son of God, pledged himself for the redemption of man, and paid the price of his ransom on the cross of Calvary. He left the worlds unfallen, the society of holy angels in the universe of heaven; for he could not be satisfied while humanity was alienated from him. The heavenly merchantman lays aside his royal robe and crown. Though the Prince and Commander of all heaven, he takes upon him the garb of humanity, and comes to a world that is marred and seared with the curse, to seek for the one lost pearl, to seek for man fallen through disobedience. For our sake he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.

Satan is exercising his power over the human race. He accused God and Christ, misrepresenting the Father, and deceiving men in regard to the Prince of the hosts of heaven. More and more he was obscuring the knowledge of the only true God, taking possession of the minds of men, and afflicting their bodies. The messengers that God sent were refused, beaten, and killed. Christ came to the world to meet the wily foe, and to dispute his claim of sovereignty over the earth. He came to the world as a man, veiling his majesty and glory, clothing his divinity with humanity, in order that he might not extinguish the sinful race, but stand where man stood, to endure the temptations under which Adam failed. He became the substitute and surety for the fallen world, and submitted to every test that could be brought to bear upon his loyalty to God. He had only the advantages in the battle which are the privilege of fallen man. He was tempted in all points like as we are, but he met Satan with the weapon of God’s word, saying, «It is written.»

The warfare between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness was carried on under far more discouraging circumstances than was the battle between Adam and Satan. Christ’s life was a continual battle until he was offered up on Calvary’s cross. But in spite of Satan’s temptation, in spite of the trials and humiliations that came upon the Son of God, he carried out the divine mission of which the prophet Isaiah had written ages before. In the synagogue at Nazareth he read the words of the prophet, saying, «The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound [in unbelief and hopeless despair by the power of Satan]; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.»

This is the work that Christ, the merchantman, who comes to rescue his goodly pearls, is to do. He finds his pearl buried in rubbish. Selfishness incrusts the human heart, and it is bound by the tyranny of Satan. But he lifts the soul out of its darkness, to show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. We are brought into covenant relationship with God, and receive pardon and find peace. Jesus finds the pearl of lost humanity, and resets it in his own diadem. The same thought is brought out in the parable where the faithful shepherd leaves the ninety and nine, and goes forth to find the one lost sheep. Christ comes to save perishing souls. He did not come to labor exclusively for one favored nation, but to pour out his blessings upon a lost world. He came to demolish every wall of partition, to throw open every apartment of his temple. No true worshiper need meet any obstruction in approaching the God of the temple. He said, «I am the light of the world.» He would inspire the most sinful, the most debased with hope. He says, «Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.» When a soul finds the Saviour, the Saviour rejoices as a merchantman that has found his goodly pearl. By his grace he will work upon the soul until it will be like a jewel polished for the heavenly kingdom. «For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.» Mrs. E. G. White. ( To be concluded .)

Those who receive Christ by faith will be looked upon by Heaven as precious pearls for which the merchantman has paid an infinite price, and the human agents who find Christ will realize that they have found a heavenly treasure. They will be anxious to sell all that they have in order to buy the field which contains this treasure. As they contemplate the love of God, as the plan of salvation opens to their view, as the mystery of Christ’s condescension becomes plainer to them, as they see the sacrifice that he made for them, they count nothing too dear to give up for his sake. The more they dwell upon the wonderful love of God, the vaster becomes its proportions, and the brightness of the glory of God becomes too glorious for mortal vision.

The Lord God of heaven collected all the riches of the universe, and laid them down in order to purchase the pearl of lost humanity. The Father gave all his divine resources into the hands of Christ in order that the richest blessings of heaven might be poured out upon a fallen race. God could not express greater love than he has expressed in giving the Son of his bosom to this world. This gift was given to man to convince him that God had left nothing undone that he could do, that there is nothing held in reserve, but that all heaven has been poured out in one vast gift. The present and eternal happiness of man consists in receiving God’s love, and in keeping God’s commandments. Christ is our Redeemer. He is the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. He is the fountain in which we may be washed and cleansed from all impurity. He is the costly sacrifice that has been given for the reconciliation of man. The universe of heaven, the worlds unfallen, the fallen world, and the confederacy of evil cannot say that God could do more for the salvation of man than he has done. Never can his gift be surpassed, never can he display a richer depth of love. Calvary represents his crowning work. It is man’s part to respond to his great love, by appropriating the great salvation the blessing of the Lord has made it possible for man to obtain. We are to show our appreciation of the wonderful gift of God by becoming partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to show our gratitude to God by becoming a co-worker with Jesus Christ, by representing his character to the world. In great mercy the Lord has rolled back the thick darkness from before his throne, that we may behold him as a God of love.

Moses desired to understand the character of God, and he prayed, «I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. . . . And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.» In every word and action of Jesus Christ we are to recognize the voice and the attributes of eternal love; for «this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.» The Lord would have his followers enraptured with God through the knowledge of his paternal character.

The Lord looks upon souls as precious pearls, and through the merits of Christ we should esteem others as of great value, making every possible effort to cooperate with Christ in saving precious pearls for the glory of God. Satan is seeking to keep men in ignorance of the attributes of God, and is counterfeiting the angels of light in order that he may deceive souls, and thus cause their ruin. The Lord would have those who serve him show forth the love of Jesus Christ, that men may be able to detect the difference between the character of Christ and the character of Satan. We should be constantly on guard lest Satan shall obtain an advantage over us, and cause us to have a spurious spirituality. Christ has valued us as precious pearls, but Satan is constantly working to make us of no value in moral worth. Though the Lord has made every provision that man shall be transformed in character and made like unto himself, because iniquity abounds, the love of many waxes cold. Satan engages the attention, and causes the mind to become so engrossed with earthly, sensual things, that the knowledge of God is lost, and the soul is not inspired with the thought of the riches of Jesus Christ. The Lord does not propose to save us in companies. Individually we are to make our choice. One by one we are to appropriate the grace of God to the soul, and one cannot decide for another what course he shall take. The Lord says we are to «work out our own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.»

Those who decide to receive Christ, enlist themselves to be co-workers with him in saving the souls of others. In presenting Christ to their fellow men, they themselves grow in the knowledge of God and of Christ. As they lift Christ up, their eyes are anointed so that they can distinguish the relationship of Christ to the human family. They become wise, and in meekness and lowliness, as opportunity opens, they present to tried and tempted souls the sublime reality of the saving grace of God. Mrs. E. G. White. —