His Certain knowledge - Chambers, Oswald

. . For he himself [saw] what was in man. John 2:25 (RV )

Our lord seemed to go so easily and calmly amongst all kinds of men when he met a man who could sink to the level of Judas he never turned cynical, never lost heart or got discouraged; and when he met a loyal loving heart like johns he was not unduly elated, he never overpraised him. When we meet extra goodness we feel amazingly hopeful about everybody, and when we meet extra badness we feel exactly the opposite; but Jesus knew what was in man, he knew exactly what human beings were like and what they needed; and he saw in them something no one else ever saw hope for the most degraded. Jesus had a tremendous hopefulness about man.

1. How Jesus thought about man

Everything Jesus Christ thought about man is summed up in the parable of the two sons (see Luke 15), viz. , that man had a noble origin, that he sinned will fully, and that he has the power to return if he will. Do we accept Jesus Christs view, or do we make excuses for ourselves? Oh well, i am trying my best, and i am getting a little better every day no one ever did! Numbers of us get a little worse every day. I didn’t mean to go wrong. It was not only our great forerunner who sinned wilfully, there is a wil- ful element in every one of us, we sin knowing it is sin. Socrates notion was that if you tell a man what is right, he will do it, but he neglected the big factor that a mans innermost instinct is not god. There is a potential hero in every man and a potential skunk.

Jesus Christs thought about man is that he is lost, and that he is the only one who can find him. For the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost (RV ). Salvation means that if a man will turn and every man has the power to turn, if it is only a look towards the cross, he has the power for that if a man will but turn, he will find that Jesus is able to deliver him not only from the snare of the wrong disposition within him, but from the power of evil and wrong outside him. The words of Jesus witness to his knowledge that man has the power to turn come unto me. Him that cometh to me i will in no wise cast out. As soon as a man turns, god finds him. The cross of Christ spells hope for the most despairing sinner on the face of the earth. . . . The son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins.

2. How Jesus treated men

Jesus Christ treated men from the standpoint of his knowledge of them, he is the supreme master of the human heart. Recall what he said for from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts. . . . Consequently he was never surprised, never in a panic. When he met the rich young ruler an upright-living, splendid young man, we read that jesus beholding him loved him, but he knew that at the back of all his morality was a disposition which could sin wilfully against god. If thou wilt be perfect . . . Then come the conditions.

Again, when Jesus met Nicodemus, a godly man, a ruler of the synagogue, he told him he must be made all over again before he could enter the kingdom of god. Or think how Jesus treated peter. Peter loved jesus, he declared that he was ready to lay down his life for him, and yet he denied him thrice. But Jesus never lost heart over him, he had told him beforehand. . . But i made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not: and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, stablish thy brethren (RV). Sin never frightened Jesus; the devil never frightened him. Face Jesus Christ with all the power of the devil: he was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Are you being tripped up by the subtle power of the devil? Remember, Jesus Christ has power not only to release you, but to make you more than conqueror over all the devils onslaughts. For he himself knew what was in man (RV ) consequently he never trusted any man whether it was john, or peter, or Thomas; he knew what was in them: they did not.

How wonderfully the apostle Paul learnt this lesson! Read his epistles dont glory in men, glory only in Jesus Christ and in his work in you. The holy spirit applies Jesus Christs knowledge to me until i know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing, consequently i am never dismayed at what i discover in myself, but learn to trust only what the grace of god does in me. How does Jesus Christ treat me? Let me receive the holy spirit and i will very soon know. He will treat me as he treats every man mercilessly with regard to sin. We say, o lord, leave a little bit of pride, a little bit of self-realisation. God can never save human pride. Jesus Christ has no mercy what- ever when it comes to conviction of sin. He has an amazing concern for the sinner, but no pity for sin.

3. How Jesus thought about himself

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. . . . [he] was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15). These verses reveal that it was in his temptation our lord entered into identification with our need. He took upon him our human nature, our flesh and blood, and the spirit drove him into the wilderness to be tempted by the subtle power of the antagonist of god. Having suffered being tempted he knows how terrific are the onslaughts of the devil against human nature unaided; he has been there, therefore he can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. God almighty was never tempted in all points like as we are, Jesus christ was. God almighty knows all that Jesus christ knows; but, if i may say it reverently, god in Christ knows more, because god in christ suffered being tempted, and therefore he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Those of you who have been saved by gods grace, have you accepted jesus thought about men and are you learning to treat them as he did? Or has your soul been rushed into a moral panic as you faced a difficult case? If so, you have never begun to think in Christs school. If you are rightly related to god there is no excuse for indulging in panic; the holy spirit will safeguard you from alarm at immorality, and put you in the place where you can fill up that which remains behind of the afflictions of Christ. If you suffer from panic, you hinder the holy spirit working through you. It is easy to be shocked at immorality, but how much education in the school of Christ, how much reliance on the holy spirit, does it take to bring us to the place where we are shocked at pride against god? That sensitiveness is lacking to-day.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. The portrait of many of us was sketched in these words of Jesus. Think of the worst man you know, not the worst man you can think of, because that is vague, have you any hope for him? Does the holy spirit begin to convey to your mind the wonder of that man being presented perfect in Christ Jesus? That is the test as to whether you have been learning to think about men as Jesus thought of them. The holy spirit brings us into sympathy with the work Jesus has done on behalf of men in that he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.