I Cannot Tell Why

In the book Desire of Ages page 494 par. 4, Ellen White writes,

The science of salvation cannot be explained; but it can be known by experience.

Of a truth it is that there are very few explanations to most of the “hows and whys” in the plan of Salvation. The following words by William Y. Fullerton are a blending of the inexplicable with the experienceable aspects of the science of Salvation. In this song also is to be found the summary of the great plan of Redemption which is the theme that should concern every soul living upon the earth.

I cannot tell why He whom angels worship,
Should set His love upon the souls of men,
Or why as Shepherd He should seek the wanderers,
To bring them back, they know not how nor when.
But this I know that He was born of Mary,
When Bethlehem’s manger was His only home,
And that He lived at Nazareth and labored;
And so the Savior, Savior of the world, has come.

“When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” KJV Galatians 4:4,5. It was Jesus who came “to seek and to save that which was lost.” KJV Luke 19:10. He is “the good shepherd” that “giveth His life for the sheep.” KJV John 10:11. Jesus left ALL for me and you.  He left all the unfallen worlds (Hebrews 1:3) to seek fallen humanity. In Christ, the Father poured  ALL heaven. What a wonder! Jesus “being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-8. Question is, why did He love us so? The Psalmist ponders on this thought and he also can’t help but cry out in song, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” KJV Psalm 8:4.

I cannot tell how silently He suffered,
As with His peace He graced this place of tears,
Nor how His heart upon the cross was broken,
The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know He heals the broken hearted,
And stays our sin and calms our lurking fear,
And lifts the burden from the heavy laden;
For still the Savior, Savior of the world, is here.

And so we see Him humbling Himself unto death, even the death of the cross. The agony and pain that Christ went through was excruciating, in fact, it is beyond the rating of a dolorimeter. Though we cannot tell how His heart was broken or how silently He suffered, we can know by experience that His pain on the cross relieves our pain and heals us from all of our diseases. “He was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. “With His stripes we are healed.” Desire of Ages page 25 par. 2.

I cannot tell how He will win the nations,
How He will claim His earthly heritage,
How satisfy the needs and aspirations,
Of east and west, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know all flesh shall see His glory,
And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,
And some glad day His sun will shine in splendor,
When He the Savior, Savior of the world, is known.

Before the end comes-when Christ shall return to reap that which He has sown (Revelation 14:14,15) Jesus said, the “gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness unto all nations” first. (Matthew 24:14). How this will happen may be beyond our computation and planning but this we know that  when He comes, His angels “shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” KJV Mark 13:27. To this elect we are told they are “before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; (He shall satisfy all their needs) neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” KJV Revelation 7:15-17. In this Elect, Christ will have achieved the purpose of the plan of Redemption which is to restore in man the image-character, glory-of God. God is love.  This is what God seeks in giving His Son—To perfect His love in us. And so as I close with the words of the forth stanza, it is my prayer that “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” KJV Romans 5:5.

I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
When at His bidding every storm is stilled,
Or who can say how great the jubilation,
When all our hearts with love for Him are filled.
But this I know the skies shall sound His praises,
Ten thousand thousand human voices sing,
And earth to heaven, and heaven to earth will answer,
At last the Savior, Savior of the world, is King!