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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
None are living Christians unless they have a daily experience in the
things of God and daily practice self-denial, cheerfully bearing the
cross and following Christ. Every living Christian will advance daily
in the divine life. As he advances toward perfection, he experiences
a conversion to God every day; and this conversion is not completed
until he attains to perfection of Christian character, a full preparation
for the finishing touch of immortality.
God should be the highest object of our thoughts. Meditating
upon Him and pleading with Him, elevate the soul and quicken the
affections. A neglect of meditation and prayer will surely result in
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a declension in religious interests. Then will be seen carelessness
and slothfulness. Religion is not merely an emotion, a feeling.
It is a principle which is interwoven with all the daily duties and
transactions of life. Nothing will be entertained, no business engaged
in, which will prevent the accompaniment of this principle. To retain
pure and undefiled religion, it is necessary to be workers, persevering
in effort. We must do something ourselves. No one else can do our
work. None but ourselves can work out our salvation with fear and
trembling. This is the very work which the Lord has left for us to
do.
Some ministers who profess to be called of God have the blood
of souls on their garments. They are surrounded with backsliders
and sinners, and yet feel no burden for their souls; they manifest an
indifference in regard to their salvation. Some are so nearly asleep
that they seem to have no sense of the work of a gospel minister.
They do not consider that as spiritual physicians they are required to
have skill in administering to souls diseased with sin. The work of
warning sinners, of weeping over them and pleading with them, has
been neglected until many souls are past all cure. Some have died in
their sins, and will in the judgment confront with reproaches of their
guilt those who might have saved them, but who did not. Unfaithful
ministers, what a retribution awaits you!
The ministers of Christ need a new anointing, that they may
more clearly discern sacred things, and have clear conceptions of the
holy, blameless character which they themselves must form in order
to be ensamples to the flock. Nothing that we can do of ourselves
will bring us up to the high standard where God can accept us as His
ambassadors. Only a firm reliance upon God, and a strong and active