WE EXAMINE SOME kindred passages in John: “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? . . . the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves” (14:10–11). Here Jesus submitted the whole matter of His being in the Father and the Father’s being in Him to a simple test: the works—the outcome.
He gave the same test regarding His disciples: “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:20). The outcome was the criterion. There is no higher test; the outcome in every case, in everything, is the criterion. You do not gather figs from thistles nor grapes from thorns. The manifestation is the revelation of the inner nature. The amazing thing is that He applied that test to Himself. “Is the manifestation of My life in deeds what you would expect God to do? As you look up through My deeds to God, what kind of God do you see? Is the kind of God you’d like to see in the universe the kind of God you are seeing through My deeds. My works?” No more searching test concerning both Jesus and God could be applied than that. How does Jesus come out? The amazing thing is that the doubt is not as to Jesus’ character, but as to God’s character. The question is not, Is Jesus as good as God? but rather, Is God as good as Jesus? If God is as good as Jesus, then He is a good God and trustable. Nothing higher can be said of God than to say that He is a Christlike God. The highest adjective descriptive of God or man, in any language, is the adjective Christlike.
So Jesus comes out of His own test with flying colors. The standard works for God and man are the works seen in Jesus. This is no snap judgment—it is the judgment of the testing ages. Nothing has ever been subjected to a greater scrutiny than the character and deeds of Jesus. And nothing has come out more clear and more final.
O blessed Redeemer, we thank Thee that the ages have sifted and have tested Thee, and Thou hast come out pure gold. I say pure gold, but pure gold is impure alongside the white purity of Thy character. Thou dost judge our standards for Thou art standard. I thank Thee. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Jesus is an ultimate in character—for God and man.
