What a Boundless, Fathomless Ocean
This is an excerpt of an article written by Octavious Winslow (1 August 1808 – 5 March 1878). Heaven reserves many surprises, and many will be there who back in the old days did not have the fullness of the truth (He was around in 1844). This side of earth, I will never understand why they did not see it, having searched so deep into the heart of God, as these expressions of the love of the Begotten Son for fallen humanity show.
Perhaps he will be one of those of whom Hebrews 11:40 says, "... that they without us, should not be made perfect." Since with God all things are possible, it could be that many will be in heaven that had the wrong doctrines but the right spirit. Thank the Lord no finite human being is in charge of the judgement!
And by the way, aren't Seventh Day Adventists a blessed people? Indeed. It bears repeating. We are a people upon whose path the light of present truth has been shining since 1844, standing by grace upon a firm platform of doctrinal truth unequaled to any other. And if His people humble themselves and pray and respond by seeking earnestly the Giver of those truths, will He not shed His Spirit in full measure?
Unless discernment fails me, what I'm hearing this son of God say is, “Herein is love.” [Agape] Wonder, O heavens! and be astonished, O earth! Desire of Ages, p. 49.
Cristina
Eternal love moved the heart of Jesus to relinquish heaven for earth—a diadem for a cross—the robe of divine majesty for the garment of our nature; by taking upon Himself the leprosy of our sin. Oh, the infinite love of Christ! What a boundless, fathomless ocean! Ask the ransomed of the Lord, whose chains He has dissolved, whose dungeon He has opened, whose liberty He has conferred, if there ever was love like His!
What shall we say of the ransom price? It was the richest, the costliest, that Heaven could give. He gave Himself for us! What more could He do?
He gave Himself; body, soul and spirit. He gave His time, His labor, His blood, His life, His ALL, as the price for our ransom, the cost of our redemption. He carried the wood and reared the altar. Then, bearing His bosom to the stroke of the uplifted and descending arm of the Father, paid the price of our salvation in the warm lifeblood of His heart!
What a boundless, fathomless ocean! How is it that we feel the force and exemplify the practical influence of this amazing, all commanding truth so faintly? Oh, the desperate depravity of our nature! Oh, the deep iniquity of our iniquitous hearts!
Will not the blood drops of Jesus move us? Will not the agonies of the cross influence us? Will not His dying love constrain us to a more heavenly life?
SO FATHOMLESS, BOUNDLESS, AND INEXHAUSTIBLE!
Christ is wonderful in His love. Love was the first and eternal link in the golden chain lowered from the highest throne in heaven down to the lowest depth of earth. That Christ should love us was the beginning of wonders. When we endeavor to comprehend that love, measure it, fathom it, scale it—we learn that it has heights we cannot reach, depths we cannot sound, lengths and breadths we cannot measure!
Such love, such divine love, such infinite love, such everlasting love, such redeeming, dying love, is an ocean whose eternal waves waft into our fallen world every wonder of God and of heaven.
That Jesus should love such beings as us—that He should love us while we were yet sinners—that He should set His heart upon us, choose us, die for us, call us, and finally bring us to glory, knowing what we were, and what we would prove to be—oh, this is wondrous love indeed! Plunge into this fathomless, boundless Ocean of love,
O sin-burdened one! It will cover all your sins, it will efface all your guilt; it will flood over all your unworthiness—and, floating upon its golden waves, it will gently waft you to the shore of eternal blessedness!
How often have you wondered why Christ should set His heart upon such a one as you! And is it not a wonder that, amid all your fickleness and backslidings and cold, base returns, this love of God towards you has not chilled or changed?
But do not rest, do not be satisfied with your present limited experience of Christ's wonderful love. It is so marvelously great. This Ocean of love is so fathomless, boundless, and inexhaustible, you may plunge, with all your infirmities, sins, and sorrows, into its fullness, exclaiming, "O, the depth!"
The well is deep! Drink abundantly, O beloved!
