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Beneficence
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There God gave to human beings an unmistakable evidence of the
love with which He regarded them. He “so loved the world, that He
gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
. The gift of Christ
reveals the Father’s heart. It testifies that, having undertaken our
redemption, He will spare nothing, however dear, which is necessary
to the completion of His work.
The spirit of liberality is the spirit of heaven. Christ’s self-
sacrificing love is revealed upon the cross. That man might be saved,
He gave all that He had and then gave Himself. The cross of Christ
appeals to the benevolence of every follower of the blessed Saviour.
The principle there illustrated is to give, give. This, carried out in
actual benevolence and good works, is the true fruit of the Christian
life. The principle of worldlings is to get, get, and thus they expect
to secure happiness; but carried out in all its bearings, the fruit is
misery and death.
The light of the gospel shining from the cross of Christ rebukes
selfishness and encourages liberality and benevolence. It should not
be a lamented fact that there are increasing calls to give. God in His
providence is calling His people out from their limited sphere of ac-
tion, to enter upon greater enterprises. Unlimited effort is demanded
at this time when moral darkness is covering the world. Many of
God’s people are in danger of being ensnared by worldliness and
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covetousness. They should understand that it is His mercy that mul-
tiplies the demands for their means. Objects that call benevolence
into action must be placed before them, or they cannot pattern after
the character of the great Exemplar.
The Blessings of Stewardship
In commissioning His disciples to go “into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature,” Christ assigned to men the work
of extending the knowledge of His grace. But while some go forth
to preach, He calls upon others to answer His claims upon them
for offerings with which to support His cause in the earth. He has
placed means in the hands of men, that His divine gifts may flow
through human channels in doing the work appointed us in saving
our fellow men. This is one of God’s ways of exalting man. It is just