The Law of Contrast
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7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
Introduction
Introduction
Two Baptisms today, Myles and Theo
Weather
The Law of Contrast is the idea that you can’t really appreciate the value or beauty of something until you’ve seen or experienced it’s opposite.
Paul deals with this several times.
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
He makes a contrast in people so we can see who we are.
The purpose of the non-elect is to show the elect who they are.
Cain and Abel
Isaac and Ishmael
Esau and Jacob
Moses and Pharoah
Ruth and Orpah
David and Saul
Jesus and Judas
Like a white object standing against a dark background, the lives of these stand against one another.
(Bro. Branham and the elevator operator)
You know, we don’t enjoy the ups ’less we have the downs. Is that right? Did you realize we wouldn’t have any mountains if we didn’t have any valleys? You wouldn’t appreciate the sunshine if there wasn’t any night.
And a person sometimes, very, very good health, maybe they don’t know how to appreciate, ’less they had a real sick spell sometime, and almost died, and then they can appreciate your good health. It’s the law of contrast, I believe. 53-1108A - "Life Story"
Don’t be scared. God is driving the winds. God is driving the ark, He has all things provided. Why, Noah wouldn’t have had any victories, there wouldn’t have been storms and trials. If we’re just put through a little safe tunnel to run through, there’s no joy.
The storms of life, what makes us have the joy. We would never know what daylight was ’less we had some dark. We’d never know what a hilltop was ’less we had a mountain.
We’d never know what good health was ’less you had some sickness. You’d never know how to enjoy salvation ’less you was once a sinner. God has made all things, the law of contrast. He loves you. 55-0522 - "The Ark"
You would never know how to appreciate a day if you didn’t have a night. You would never know how to appreciate the sunshine if you didn’t have a cloudy day.
You would never know how to appreciate righteousness, unless you had some unrighteousness. You would never know how to appreciate good health, unless you’ve had some foul health, some bad health.
And that’s the reason I think that we’ll appreciate Heaven so much, because we’ve lived on earth once.
The reason that we appreciate the Holy Spirit so much, tonight, is because we lived so long in a church that told us there was no such a thing. The reason we appreciate it, tonight, because we have had the other side.
And that’s the way God has intended it to be, because His people has had their up’s-and-down’s. You never know how to appreciate a mountaintop, unless you’ve been in the valley.
And, so, you never know how to appreciate good water unless you’ve drank some bad sometime. All the way through, it’s a law of contrast. 56-1125E - "A Blushing Prophet"
Now, remember, we are finite. Our minds are finite. God is infinite. And infinite is perfect. God knew the end from the beginning. “Then,” you would say, “why would He permit sickness?”
I’ll ask you a question: Which was first, a Saviour or a sinner? A Saviour. Which was first, a Healer or a sickness? God permitted it, that He might project His love and power to the human race.
Why, when we are brought in the Presence of the Lord Jesus at His coming, there’ll be a million angels stand around the earth with bowed heads, listening at the Church sing the songs of redemption, not knowing what we are talking about.
They’ve never been lost. They don’t know what it means to be lost. You and I know what it means. They’ve never been sick. They don’t know how to rejoice over healing. They need no healing.
If there’d never been any evil, there would’ve never been no good to…If there’d never been no night, they’d never knowed nothing but day. You see the law of contrast? It must be that way. 58-0612 - "We Would See Jesus"
The law of contrast began in Eden.
In the garden of Eden, sin was so beautiful until it attracted Eve from righteousness, to sin. And in the same garden where there was a tree of Life, there was also a tree of death.
We would know it today as the law of contrast. That, where there is good, there is evil; where there is right, there is wrong. And we will never, no matter what our environment may be, ever be able to shake ourself from the presence of either.
Because, Paul said, “When I would do good, then evil is present.” The sinner will never be able to shake away from the Christian, the Christian from the sinner. There will be a witness there of right, and a testimony of wrong, always.
And you make your choice. You have to take one side or the other. 60-0221 - "Hearing, Recognizing, Acting On The Word Of God"
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
What is it? My flesh says tonight, “You are too tired. Your throat is too sore. You’ve been out in the wind today. You shall not go to church tonight.” That’s the law of the flesh.
“You just might as well call them up and tell Brother Neville that…Send the questions down and tell him to answer them.” But you see, I promised to do it.
Now, my mind, on the inside the Holy Spirit said, “You keep your promise.” But the flesh said, “You’re too tired.”
Now, the flesh say, “Now, there’s no need, you pretty little thing, you’re the prettiest little thing in school. Now, don’t you pay any attention to that holy roller mother of yours or that fanatic father.
You’re the best looking girl in school.” “You’re the prettiest boy, the best looking boy, the best built. You are the most popular there is in the city.” You see? And you yield your members to that, and where do you come out at? The little end of the horn every time. See?
Paul said, “My flesh wants always to yield to that.” Your flesh does too. See? But the law of the Spirit of God in the heart overcomes the flesh and makes the body obey what the heart says do. Hallelujah!
Look, then if it will do that for a sinner, then won’t that work for sickness too? The law of the Spirit of God in the heart that knows that “By His stripes we were healed,” they stand with their power and make that sickness in that body obey them, because it’s a devil.
Now, the law of sin and death works in your flesh, but the law of the Spirit of Life works in your heart. So your heart, your spirit in your heart will make your body obey what it says do.
That’s exactly right. Now, that’s what Paul said. Always the flesh, “I’m too tired; I’m unable; I’m not sufficient; I cannot do it.”
(Bro. Branham’s sister Delores)
Delores said, “What made me feel that way just at the time that I should have felt good?”
I said, “The devil. He seen you just ready to receive it. He said, ‘I’ll put a little damper on her: Phew! Fan her a little bit, you know, kinda cool down a little.’
But oh, my, that’s when you rise! Claim your God given rights.” That’s what Paul was meaning. “Always when,” he said, “when I would do good, evil is present.” 59-1223 - "Questions And Answers"
2 Corinthians 4:8a (KJV 1900)
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
Troubled
θλίβω (thlibō). vb. to crush, oppress, compress, trouble. This verb can describe a crowd pressing together, but—when related to the concept of suffering—refers to oppression or to affliction.
The enemy is all around us, oppressing us.
Yet not distressed.
A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament στενοχωρέω
στενοχωρέω (στενός and χῶρος, cf. English colloquial, I keep some one in a tight place), I press upon, cramp, restrain.
We are constantly afflicted, but not hemmed in.
We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; AMP
You know, that’s a trick of the devil, to oppress. But when the Christian knows his legal rights! Amen! When you can quote God’s Word, “I’ll never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” that takes all the oppression away.
And the clouds begin to clear back. But if you just know that God has promised, and God is faithful! He can keep His promise, or He would never promised it. 56-0902 - "The Handwriting On The Wall"
2 Corinthians 4:8b (KJV 1900)
8 ...we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Perplexed
The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words apŏrĕō ἀπορέω
to have no way out, i.e. be at a loss (mentally):— (stand in) doubt, be perplexed.
Despair
A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament ἐξαπορέομαι
I am at my wits’ end, I despair:
...we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair; AMP
(Three Hebrew Children)
(Disciples in the boat, despairing of life)
...he thought that they’d went off without their Lord. But what did He do? He had climbed up on top of a mountain and was setting up there watching that little ship, as she was bouncing in the sea.
Oh, I’m so glad tonight that He climbed the ramparts of glory and sets in the Majesty on high, and His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. And He watches you.
Just in the darkest of the hour, when every pitch seemed to be the last one, then Jesus come along, walking on the sea. I want you to notice: They were helpless, hopeless, despairing, and when they saw Him, they were scared of Him. The only thing that could help them, they were afraid of it.
May I say this tonight: In this great hour, and atomic age, when this world is in despair, when nations is against nations, and total annihilation could come within thirty minutes to the world, Jesus is coming, walking along in this darkest of hour, and the world’s afraid of Him, and they are saying it’s holy-rollers, and fortunetellers, and everything else could be called.
I’m so glad, that in this dark hour Jesus is walking along with His church, showing Hisself alive. This is the darkest hour this world has ever seen.
Since the dawn of time, never has it been like this. Never has it been so separated; never has the church been so tore to pieces; never has it been so denominationally eat up, so many differences, so many sensations and things going on in the church.
But right in the midst of it all Jesus comes along in this darkest of the hour to show Hisself and His love to His church. The darkest of hour, then Jesus comes along. 57-0302 - "And Then Jesus Came"
2 Corinthians 4:9 (KJV 1900)
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken;
We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; AMP
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words ŏrphanŏs ὀρφανός
ŏrphanŏs, or-fan-os´; of uncert. aff.; bereaved (“orphan”), i.e. parentless:— comfortless, fatherless.
2 Corinthians 4:9b (KJV 1900)
9 ...cast down, but not destroyed;
we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed; AMP
We fall down, but we get up.
Now we’re not a perfect people. We make our mistakes. We do things that’s wrong. But, you see, love covers all of that. We’re willing, when we see our mistakes, to come back and apologize to one another.
Yeah, that’s warriors. That’s really men and women that’s gallant. Any man can go out to the battlefield, that’s got nerve enough to walk out there; but when he gets knocked down, then get up and try it again, see. 65-1031M - "Power Of Transformation"
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
The law of contrast, Death and Life.
Paul was knocked down, but he got back up. This is death and life.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Paul used this power of the tongue when he spoke:
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
We need to teach our children the law of contrast.
I noticed one time, it was out when we was living on the farm, it was, there was under, a hog, under a apple tree, and them apples was falling off and hitting him on the head, and he eat apples all day long, and he never did look up to see where they was coming from.
That’s right. Well, that don’t only go on hogs, you don’t realize where that food comes from, you better look up and thank God for it, because He was the One Who gave it.
We don’t have no more security of the home. Send your children to school, what do they teach them out there? Many times, too many times, they teach them we come from apes, well, we don’t believe that. No.
And if a man’s no more than an animal then eat, drink, and be merry. That’s what makes so many juvenile delinquents, that’s what makes so many crimes committed, because if people’s no more than a animal, it makes him act like an animal.
We got to tell him he’s a son of God, born for the Kingdom of God, and he is somebody. This is just a negative, a picture, negative, waiting for it to be developed someday, and death is the only thing that can develop it.
It takes the contrast of death to develop the picture to life.
When you die out to yourself, a new picture starts on the inside, and then that new Creature, Christ Jesus, begin to show Itself through.
And one of these days, He will come and receive you up to Himself, then the whole thing will be changed, and then this negative shadow will become a positive. 61-0429E - "The Uncertain Sound"
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
You must die to live.
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
Conclusion
Conclusion
There must be good and evil, rich and poor, sorrow and joy. Let us surrender ourselves to death, so life can be manifested.