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Antidote for Apathy, January 10
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek.
Romans 1:16
.
There is no defect in God’s plan for the salvation of men. If the gospel is
not to every soul the power of God unto salvation, it is not because the gospel
is at fault, but because men are not practical believers, practical receivers of
the grace and righteousness of Christ.... The professed believers do not take
Christ as their personal Saviour, but follow Jesus a great way off. One reason
for this lack of personal religion is that they have not been educated in these
vital principles.
Another cause for the apathy and indifference in our churches is that the
younger members have not been patiently, perseveringly taught how to work
as faithful soldiers in Christ’s army....
Many have accepted the truth without digging down deep to understand its
foundation principles, and when it is opposed, they forget the arguments and
evidences that sustain it. It should be impressed upon all that true and abiding
knowledge can be gained only by earnest labor and persevering energy. Were
the minds of the people brought under discipline by thorough searching of
the Scriptures, there would be hundreds converted to the truth where there is
one today....
Many are as ignorant as the very heathen in regard to the way in which a
sinner can come to God and be justified before Him. They have no excuse for
their ignorance; for the inspired oracles declare, “The entrance of thy words
giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (
Psalm 119:130
). “The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (
Proverbs 9:10
)....
A religious experience that is not founded in Christ and Him alone is
worthless.... Men of intellectual powers need a clear, scriptural presentation
of the plan of salvation. Let the truth in its simplicity and power be presented
to them. If this does not hold the attention and arouse the interest, they never
can be interested in heavenly and divine things. In every congregation there
are souls who are unsatisfied. Every Sabbath they want to hear something
definite explaining how they can be saved, how they are to become Christians.
The important thing for them to know is, How can a sinner be justified before
God?—
Letter 23a, January 10, 1893,
, to Brother E. H. Gates.
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