By Elias Aslaksen What a salvation! What a transformation! What a development! What a calling! What an absolutely indescribable love God has for us—that He really wants to perform such a staggeringly great and glorious and divine work in everyone who believes, from his heart, all the words of life in the New Testament concerning this matter. “The sons of man are all lies!” Ps. 62:9. That is how we are ruined by the sin in ourselves. “Indeed, let God be true, but every man a liar.” Rom. 3:4. Jesus said, “I am . . . the truth . . . .” John 14:6. It is our heavenly calling to be like Him, now, during the dispensation of grace; in other words, to become truth—pure truth in reality, in all possible areas! This is where Isaiah’s word in Chapter 53 is so undeniably fitting: “Who has believed our report?” V. 1. However, God be greatly praised for each one who really acquires a living faith in Jesus’ and the apostles’ words—because it will succeed through faith! This is the same thing as being saved from all possible forms of hypocrisy, because hypocrisy is lying! See Luke 12:1. Hypocrisy means that I give the appearance of it being better with me in every way than it really is. In other words, it is putting on a performance; it is acting. Then I receive honor for something that I am not in truth, instead of protesting against it with all my might in the name of truth. Hypocrisy is also in the same category as guile, a lack of uprightness, and dishonesty. We read something especially remarkable that is written about Jesus: He was without guile. Because He is the truth! In other words, a person can lie in several different ways—not just by telling a direct, base lie or by telling tall tales! Unfortunately, it is quite common to hide one’s own folly and lack of blessedness—and to be very afraid that someone will get to know about it! People are so occupied with justifying and defending themselves according to every possible rule of the game, instead of agreeing with the judgment of the light. What is it that people dread so much? They dread sinking in the eyes of people! However, they sink only in foolish people’s eyes. Because humbling yourself and going down is doubtless the most rewarding virtue you can find. Then, you are exalted in God’s eyes. Being afraid of humbling yourself is therefore, spiritually speaking, crazy! This is also why so many people neglect to ask for forgiveness for all kinds of things, despite the fact that they have every good reason to do so, and that it would in truth be the cause of happiness in their inner being! Because the aim is: only truth!

“We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” 2 Pet. 1:19. In the Swedish Bible it is written that we are to heed the prophetic light as a light that shines in a gloomy wilderness, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Paul writes, “In my flesh . . . nothing good dwells.” There are all kinds of thoughts and opinions in this wilderness, this dark place. In 2 Peter 1:16 we read about cunningly devised fables. God cannot put His stamp of approval on anything of that sort. But when the prophetic light from the exalted glory shines into the dark wilderness, and we hear the Word from heaven, then we can speak clear words of exhortation, edification, and comfort. Philip had four daughters who all spoke prophetically. All of heaven can acknowledge such words and say, “Hear Him!” Matt. 17:5. As His elect we must be in a certain state so we can hear His words from heaven. Jesus said, “Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.” Matt. 11:29. Then we will find rest. Only then can we hear. The first thing Jesus said to His disciples on the mountain was, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:3. Only in this poverty can we be rich. We must be where God can find us—on the foundation of the promises. Dean Wetterlund in Sweden called the humanistic-ethical thoughts “white flesh.” These people try to advance clever, human ideas without God and the prophetic Word, and as a result they are deceived. At the end of their lives they look into a hopeless darkness, without God and without hope. “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Gal. 5:24. This refers to the base as well as to the more refined manifestations of the sinful lusts. No one can find his way to an inner peace and joy without God. Living after your lusts is not real liberty, but only vain deceit. These lusts are not like the love of Christ that binds marriage partners and children together. Jesus makes this strong statement when He says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:34-36. God has a house where all those who have been set free from sin will dwell. They have been set free by the prophetic Word and light, and the foreboding wilderness of all kinds of human theories that are not in agreement with God’s Word has been driven far away, with the result that we will have a life that is peaceful, light, and good now, and then in all eternity. Those who live according to their sinful lusts and imagine they are free will not be able to avoid the judgment of God’s wrath. “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” Eph. 5:3-6. “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Cor. 5:1. No one who willfully breaks God’s laws and commandments can rightfully lay claim to God’s house, that eternal and glorious habitation. Let us pay heed to our high and holy calling and to our ministry, so that light can go up in the dark places and the Morning Star can arise in many a heart.Aksel J. Smith