THE FATHER BETWEEN

THE FATHER BETWEEN

The next phase of the victory is marked by the words, "For He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved." (Acts 2:25) Here is something distinct from that already considered. The first fact may be stated by the declaration, “I have not moved.” But here it is, “I should not be moved.” That is to say, not merely that there has been no movement from the place of submission to the Divine will simply on the basis of  PERSONAL CHOICE, but also that there has been no movement from that position in response to suggestion or TEMPTATION FROM WITHOUT. It is here that man (Adam and all afterward) fell. The fall of the angels was that of ceasing to set the Lord before their face, acting upon their OWN INITIATIVE. The fall of man consisted in his allowing himself to be moved from his loyalty to God, in response to a suggestion coming to him FROM WITHOUT himself. Man did not originate sin. He fell under the power of it by yielding to an attack made upon him FROM WITHOUT. In this realm also Jesus was victorious. Having held the citadel of HIS WILL against the possi­bilities of His subservient position, He held it moreover, against all attacks of the enemy FROM WITHOUT; a twofold holding. Recogniz­ing the presence of God Who was at His right hand as a wall of defense, He always acted by remaining in such posi­tion, so that God was between Him and every attack of the enemy (not so with Adam as well as ourselves); and thus the second phase of His victory over sin is that of REMAINING UNMOVED, in spite of every attack of the foe to change His relationship to God, by moving Him from the sphere of perfect trust.