Chapter 33—Tithes and Offerings
The mission of the church of Christ is to save perishing sinners. It
is to make known the love of God to men and to win them to Christ by
the efficacy of that love. The truth for this time must be carried into
the dark corners of the earth, and this work may begin at home. The
followers of Christ should not live selfish lives; but, imbued with the
Spirit of Christ, they should work in harmony with Him.
There are causes for the present coldness and unbelief. The love
of the world and the cares of life separate the soul from God. The
water of life must be in us, and flowing out from us, springing up into
everlasting life. We must work out what God works in. If the Christian
would enjoy the light of life, he must increase his efforts to bring
others to the knowledge of the truth. His life must be characterized
by exertion and sacrifices to do others good; and then there will be no
complaints of lack of enjoyment.
Angels are ever engaged in working for the happiness of others.
This is their joy. That which selfish hearts would consider humiliating
service, ministering to those who are wretched and in every way
inferior in character and rank, is the work of the pure, sinless angels in
the royal courts of heaven. The spirit of Christ’s self-sacrificing love
is the spirit which pervades heaven and is the very essence of its bliss.
Those who feel no special pleasure in seeking to be a blessing to
others, in working, even at a sacrifice, to do them good, cannot have the
spirit of Christ or of heaven; for they have no union with the work of
heavenly angels and cannot participate in the bliss that imparts elevated
joy to them. Christ has said: “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner
that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which
need no repentance.” If the joy of angels is to see sinners repent, will
it not be the joy of sinners, saved by the blood of Christ, to see others
repent and turn to Christ through their instrumentality? In working
in harmony with Christ and the holy angels we shall experience a joy
[382]
that cannot be realized aside from this work.
345