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Appeal to Ministers
307
Ministers who teach unpopular truth will be beset by men who
are urged on by Satan and who, like their master, can quote Scripture
readily; and shall the servants of God be unequal to the servants
of Satan in handling the words of Inspiration? They should, like
Christ, meet scripture with scripture. Oh, that those who minister
in holy things would awake, and, like the noble Bereans, search the
Scriptures daily! Brethren in the ministry, I entreat of you to study
the Scriptures with humble prayer for an understanding heart, that
you may teach the way of life more perfectly. Your counsel, prayers,
and example must be a savor of life unto life, or you are unqualified
to point out the way of life to others.
The Master requires all His servants to improve upon the talents
He has committed to them. But how much more will He require of
those who profess to understand the way to life, and who take upon
themselves the responsibility of guiding others therein. The apostle
Paul exhorted Timothy: “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the
grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of
me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men,
who shall be
able
to teach others also.”
The glorious results that attended the ministry of the chosen
disciples of Christ were the effects of bearing about in their bodies
the dying of the Lord Jesus. Some of those who testified of Christ
were unlearned and ignorant men; but grace and truth reigned in
their hearts, inspiring and purifying their lives, and controlling their
actions. They were living representatives of the mind and spirit of
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Christ. They were living epistles, known and read of all men. They
were hated and persecuted by all who would not receive the truth
they preached, and who despised the cross of Christ.
Wicked men will not oppose a form of godliness nor reject a
popular ministry which presents no cross for them to bear. The
natural heart will raise no serious objection to a religion in which
there is nothing to make the transgressor of the law tremble or
bring to bear upon the heart and conscience the terrible realities of
a judgment to come. It is the demonstration of the Spirit and the
power of God which raises opposition and leads the natural heart to
rebel. The truth that saves the soul must not only come from God;
but His Spirit must attend its communication to others, else it falls
powerless before opposing influences. Oh, that the truth would fall