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An Abiding Motive, June 10
For the love of Christ constraineth us.
2 Corinthians 5:14
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In every act of life Christians should seek to represent Christ—seek
to make His service appear attractive. Let none make religion repulsive
by groans and sighs and a relation of their trials, their self-denials, and
sacrifices. Do not give the lie to your profession of faith by impatience,
fretfulness, and repining. Let the graces of the Spirit be manifested in
kindness, meekness, forbearance, cheerfulness, and love. Let it be seen
that the love of Christ is an abiding motive; that your religion is not a dress
to be put off and on to suit circumstances, but a principle—calm, steady,
unwavering. Alas that pride, unbelief, and selfishness, like a foul cancer,
are eating out vital godliness from the heart of many a professed Christian!
When judged according to their works, how many will learn, too late, that
their religion was but a glittering cheat, unacknowledged by Jesus Christ.
Love to Jesus will be seen, will be felt. It cannot be hidden. It exerts
a wondrous power. It makes the timid bold, the slothful diligent, the
ignorant wise. It makes the stammering tongue eloquent, and rouses
the dormant intellect into new life and vigor. It makes the desponding
hopeful, the gloomy joyous. Love to Christ will lead its possessor to accept
responsibilities for His sake, and to bear them in His strength. Love to
Christ will not be dismayed by tribulation, nor turned aside from duty by
reproaches
Pure love is simple in its operations, and separate from every other
principle of action. When combined with earthly motives and selfish
interests, it ceases to be pure. God considers more with how much love we
work, than the amount we do. Love is a heavenly attribute. The natural
heart cannot originate it. This heavenly plant only flourishes where Christ
reigns supreme. Where love exists, there is power and truth in the life.
Love does good and nothing but good. Those who have love bear fruit unto
holiness, and in the end everlasting life
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14
The Review and Herald, November 29, 1887
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15
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 7:952
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