Present Truth Articles

Jesus Christ is the one only example for men to follow. To every man He commands absolutely, "Follow Me."Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me." "I am the door," "he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold,but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." "By Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved."The Lord Jesus is the one only person whom this world ever saw who met perfectly, in the fullest measure, everyrequirement of the perfect law of God. He was made flesh, and He in the flesh and form and nature of man, stoodin every place and met every temptation that any man can ever meet, and in every place and in everything He metall the demands of the perfect law of God. He did it from infancy to the prime of manhood, and never failed. "Hewas tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin." Therefore, as He is the only person whom this worldever saw who ever met to the full all the perfect requirements of the law of God, it follows that He is the onlyperson whom the world ever saw, or ever shall see, who can be an example for men, or whose example is worthyto be followed by man.

Therefore, when preachers and leaders of theological thought anywhere present before men any other example,even though it be the example of the apostles, and seek to induce men to follow any other example, even thoughit be proposed as apostolic example, such conduct is sin against God, and treason against our Lord Jesus Christ.And that there are men, in this day, Protestants too, who are doing that very thing only shows how far fromChrist the religious teachers of the day have gone. It is time that they and all men should be told, that the law ofGod is the one perfect rule of human duty; that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one perfect example that has beenworked out, in this world, under that rule; and all men who will correctly solve the problem of human destiny mustsolve it by the terms of that rule as exemplified in, and according to, that example. Whoever attempts to solve theproblem by any other rule, or according to any other example, will utterly fail of a correct solution; and whoeverteaches men to attempt to solve it by any other rule, or according to any other example, even though it be by "theexample of the apostles," both sets and teaches treason against the Lord Jesus Christ.

What, then, is the example of Christ in regard to keeping the first day of the week? There is no example about it atall. He never kept it. But where there is no example of Christ there can be no example of the apostles. Thereforethere is not, and cannot be, any such thing as the example of the apostles for keeping the first day of the week.

What, then, is the example of Christ in regard to keeping the seventh day? He kept the first seventh day the worldever saw, when He had finished His great work of creation. When He came into the world, everybody knows thatHe kept it as long as He lived in the world. And "he that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walkeven as He walked." Therefore, those who walk as He walked will have to keep the seventh day. His steps ledHim to the place of worship on the seventh day for thus "His custom was" (Luke 4:16), and He taught the peoplehow to keep the seventh day, the sabbath of the Lord (Matt. 12:1-12). And He has left "us an example that yeshould follow His steps." And all who follow His steps will be led by those steps to keep the seventh day, and toturn away their feet from the Sabbath, for such is His example.

Paul said "Be ye followers of men, even as I also am of Christ." Now was Paul a follower of Christ in the matter ofthe seventh day? Let us see: "And He [Christ] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as Hiscustom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read." Luke 4:16. And of Paul itis said, by the same writer, "They came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews, and Paul, as hismanner [customer] was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures."Acts 17:1, 2. Paul did follow Christ in His "custom" of keeping the sabbath day--the seventh day--therefore, if anyman will obey the Word of God by Paul, and will be a follower of Paul as he followed Christ, it will have to be his"custom to go to the house of God, and to worship God, on the seventh day.

For the keeping of the seventh day we have the commandment of God and the example of the living God (Ex.20:8-11; Gen. 2:3), and of the Lord Jesus Christ, both in Heaven and on earth, both as Creator and Redeemer. Andthere is neither command nor example for the keeping of any other day. Will you obey the commandment of God,and follow the divine example in divine things? or will you, instead, obey a human command and follow humanexample in human things, and expect the divine reward for it? Answer now as you expect to answer in theJudgment.