CHRIST AS THE CENTRE OF ATTRACTION

D. R. Freeman

John the baptist’s testimony (John 1: 29–37) indicates Christ as the centre of attraction for God and for men. As Man here, the Spirit was drawn forth upon Him (John 1: 32), committed in the fullest way as “descending and abiding”. For men He must be the centre of attraction because of who He is John says “He was before me”—but also because of His suffering character as the Lamb, the One who was lifted up. John speaks of Him not only as the Son of God (John 1: 34), a divine Person, but also as the Lamb, God’s Lamb, showing that he understood the necessity for His death. It was this latter in his exclamation, “Behold the Lamb of God”, which affected his two disciples so that they followed Jesus. The walk of Jesus—for he sees Jesus as He walked—was attractive both to heaven and to men, having in view, but by way of the cross, the securing of conditions of rest both for God and for men. So the two disciples “abode with him that day”, thus anticipating the end of all the work and toil on account of which He came.

Kingston, Ont.