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His Grace Is Sufficient, June 7
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God
which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:12, 13
.
Every one of us has a work to do in our own salvation, which is to meet
every requirement of God. God does not do anything independent of the
agency of him for whom the work is to be done. His grace is sufficient to
work in and with them that are His, in the fulfillment of every promise, while
the one for whom this grace is supplied is to obey every command.
The effect of God’s claims is to cause His people to come out from the
world and be separate, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness. Without holiness “no man shall see the Lord” (
Hebrews 12:14
).
“Whosoever ...will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (
James 4:4
).
While the Lord is working with us, we must be working for ourselves.
When the Lord sends His servants to us with reproof, with cautions, with
warnings, we are not to turn away and refuse to receive the message because
it does not come from learned men. We are not to say, This message is not
needed. Every message sent to you by God’s messenger is for your good,
to teach you the way of salvation more perfectly. What means has God to
communicate His will to men, unless it be through His delegated messengers?
And are you not afraid to select that portion of the message that pleases you,
and reject that which crosses your track?
You must not give expression to your doubts. They are the suggestions
of Satan. If you do not respect the ways and means God has employed to
reach you, will you consider what means He has in reserve to reach your
case? Has there not been utterly a fault among you to criticize the ministers
of God, to speak lightly of those whom the apostle has enjoined upon you to
regard highly for their work’s sake? Will men and women with very limited
experience refuse to be helped by the very means God has ordained—His
ministers? ...
What kind of respect do you think your children will have for the messen-
gers of God after you have taken it upon yourselves to talk disrespectfully of
these men as you have done?—
Manuscript 37, June 7, 1887
, “Cooperating
With God.”
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