From the Easter Conference in Horten, 1925

Elias Aslaksen:

Romans 8:22-23; 2 Corinthians 5:4. The whole creation is in agony and sighs under the burden. However, we can think that it is different for us. We also sigh. Yes, but it is different for us who have victory, isn’t it? We also sigh under the burden; we also sigh within ourselves. We have the Spirit of adoption, but not the adoption itself. We sense that it is extremely blessed; therefore we long for it patiently. We sigh under the burden even though He blesses us ever so much. We are away from the Lord. It will be good once we have left this body behind. Oh, how we need to be patient, how we need to strive, how we need to be exceedingly patient, how we need to endure.

Hebrews 2:18. We are tempted to give up. Jesus was tempted to give up everything, the entire race. He had no better consolation than to look forward to what came afterward. Heb. 12:2-3. For the joy that was set before Him, not the joy that He possessed. He could not endure with the joy that He had. He who was God’s only begotten Son had to take the joy He did not have as a help. He suffered patiently for the joy He was to receive after He had finished the race. We must look forward to and eagerly wait for the right adoption. Jesus was tempted to give up. We shall walk in His steps who fought until bloodshed in order not to give up. All of us have the same temptations. It is inexpressibly great to be tempted, to suffer and fight and not give up. Giving up is disgraceful; everything else can be excused. Everyone is tempted and troubled. We grieve for a little while. Jesus also grieved. The joy He had could not sustain Him, but the joy that was set before Him could. We may think we are sufficient with the joy that we have; nevertheless, the time will come when we cannot endure without the joy that is set before us. He will put us into difficult situations. We are to be tested over and over again, and this tested faith will be found to His praise and honor. Blessed is the man who endures in temptations, who is tempted in every possible way—and endures. Then things are progressing well. Everything that can fail shall fail. God does not want to have anything that has not been properly tested. He is going to test us over and over again. We are being unclothed. We don’t want to be, but God is working to get the slag out of us. We all have the same sufferings; everyone has the same sufferings you have. The blessed thing is that we do not give up. Let us look forward to our rightful adoption; let us be exceedingly fervent, exceedingly bold.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 and Matthew 28:20. We know that Solomon was very wise. He was given wisdom above any other man, and he discovered that everything under the sun was vanity—also that people esteem the gifts more than the fear of God. What people usually esteem is not the truth; it is not the fear of God but rather the gifts. When he had said everything— the end of the matter— the conclusion of it was: “Fear God and keep His commandments.” The sum total of all wisdom is the simplest thing you can imagine: “Fear God and keep His commandments.” In spite of everything, there is nothing greater than this. How great the person is who has found wisdom, but there is no greater person than the one who fears God. The fear of God leads to wisdom, increases wisdom, and preserves us in wisdom; therefore it is of greater significance than wisdom itself. The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil. In spite of his wisdom, Solomon committed evil in the end.

The remarkable thing is that this is in agreement with “teaching them to observe [keep] all things that I have commanded you.” This was the sum total of everything that Jesus had on His heart when He departed from the disciples. We have to begin with keeping His commandments and continue with keeping His commandments. There is no greater depth, length, and breadth in the love of Christ than keeping His commandments. Nothing is of any benefit if we do not continue to keep His commandments. There is nothing greater than doing what we hear. The person who has a greater desire to do than to hear—the person who has that desire advances the furthest. The fact that obedience means doing what you hear—that obedience is greater than everything—is understood by very few people. Seeing that Jesus had to learn obedience by the things He suffered, we must do it all the more. Leading people to faith is a feast. No one sighs when he is about to go to a feast; but to lead people to the obedience of faith is a terrible, painful, long, laborious, and extremely sacrificial work which most people give up sooner or later. Obedience to the gospel is what counts. Obedience does not have anything to do with anything else than that it is written. He gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him. If you want to make progress, you have to be obedient. Bow before God in obedience, and you will receive the Holy Spirit. Therefore Jesus was anointed more than His companions. One doesn’t know about this, and yet it is the essence of everything. We are far from keeping everything He has commanded us. It is vital to abide in His word. You have been called to this ahead of any others. The church exists because of obedience.