Unity in the Church
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meet from men who turned the truth of God into a lie; and the benefit
of the labor of these faithful servants of God is given to the world.
There are very few who realize the exalted nature of the work of
God in comparison with the temporal business cares of life. Jesus,
the heavenly Teacher, has given us lessons of instruction through His
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disciples. When He sent out the twelve, He instructed them that into
whatever city or town they should enter they must inquire who in it
was worthy of their attention and visits; and if a suitable place was
found where the people would esteem the blessing sent them,—the
privilege of entertaining the messengers of Christ,—there they were to
abide and there let their peace rest until they left that city. They were
not instructed to visit any and every house indiscriminately, urging
their presence upon the people whether they were welcome or not; but
if they were not welcomed, if their peace could not rest in the house,
they were to leave it and seek a house where the members were worthy
and where their spirit could rest.
When the messengers of Christ who go forth to teach the truth to
others are rejected and their words find no place in the heart, Christ
is rejected and His word despised in the messengers of truth whom
He has chosen and sent. This has just as full an application in this age
of the world as it had when Christ gave the instruction to His chosen
messengers.
When Christ was upon the earth, there were men who had no
respect or reverence for God’s messengers and no more regard for their
warning than for their own judgment; also in this age of the world there
are those who do not respect the testimony of God’s chosen servants so
highly as their own opinions. Such cannot be benefited by the labors
of God’s servants, and time should not be lost in degrading the work
of God to meet such minds. Christ said to the servants whom He sent
forth: “He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you
despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me.”
Christ gives power to the voice of the church. “Verily I say unto
you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:
and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
No such thing is countenanced as one man’s starting out upon his
own individual responsibility and advocating what views he chooses,
irrespective of the judgment of the church. God has bestowed the
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