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No Time for Strife, November 13
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came
upon all men unto justification of life.
Romans 5:18
.
In much of the service professedly done for God, there is self-emulation
and self-exultation. God hates pretense. When men and women receive the
baptism of the Holy Spirit, they will confess their sins, and, pardon, which
means justification, will be given them. But the wisdom of the human agents
who are not penitent, not humbled, is not to be depended on, for they are
blinded in regard to the meaning of righteousness and sanctification through
the truth. When men are stripped of self-righteousness, they will see their
spiritual poverty. Then they will approach that state of brotherly kindness
that will show that they are in sympathy with Christ. They will be able to
appreciate the high and elevated character of the work of Christian missions....
Many are readily satisfied with offering the Lord trifling acts of service.
Their Christianity is feeble. Christ gave Himself for sinners. With what
anxiety for the salvation of souls we should be filled as we see human beings
perishing in sin. These souls have been bought with a price.
The death of the Son of God on Calvary’s cross is the measure of their
value. Day by day they are deciding a question of life and death, deciding
whether they will have eternal life or eternal destruction. And yet men and
women professing to serve the Lord are content to occupy their time and
attention with matters of little importance. They are content to be at variance
with one another. If they were consecrated to the work of the Master, they
would not be striving and contending like a family of unruly children. Every
hand would be engaged in service. Everyone would be standing at his post
of duty, working with heart and soul as missionaries of the cross of Christ.
The Spirit of Christ would abide in the hearts of laborers, and works of
righteousness would be wrought. The workers would carry with them into
their service the sympathies and prayers of an awakened church. They would
receive their orders from Christ, and would find no time for contention or
strife.—
Letter 173, November 13, 1902
, to those assembled in council at
Battle Creek.
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