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The Acts of the Apostles
Through the grace of Christ, God’s ministers are made messengers
of light and blessing. As by earnest, persevering prayer they obtain the
endowment of the Holy Spirit and go forth weighted with the burden
of soulsaving, their hearts filled with zeal to extend the triumphs of
the cross, they will see fruit of their labors. Resolutely refusing to
display human wisdom or to exalt self, they will accomplish a work
that will withstand the assaults of Satan. Many souls will be turned
from darkness to light, and many churches will be established. Men
will be converted, not to the human instrumentality, but to Christ. Self
will be kept in the background; Jesus only, the Man of Calvary, will
appear.
Those who are working for Christ today may reveal the same
distinguishing excellencies revealed by those who in the apostolic
age proclaimed the gospel. God is just as ready to give power to His
servants today as He was to give power to Paul and Apollos, to Silas
and Timothy, to Peter, James, and John.
In the apostles’ day there were some misguided souls who claimed
to believe in Christ, yet refused to show respect to His ambassadors.
They declared that they followed no human teacher, but were taught
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directly by Christ without the aid of the ministers of the gospel. They
were independent in spirit and unwilling to submit to the voice of the
church. Such men were in grave danger of being deceived.
God has placed in the church, as His appointed helpers, men of
varied talents, that through the combined wisdom of many the mind
of the Spirit may be met. Men who move in accordance with their
own strong traits of character, refusing to yoke up with others who
have had a long experience in the work of God, will become blinded
by self-confidence, unable to discern between the false and the true.
It is not safe for such ones to be chosen as leaders in the church; for
they would follow their own judgment and plans, regardless of the
judgment of their brethren. It is easy for the enemy to work through
those who, themselves needing counsel at every step, undertake the
guardianship of souls in their own strength, without having learned
the lowliness of Christ.
Impressions alone are not a safe guide to duty. The enemy often
persuades men to believe that it is God who is guiding them, when
in reality they are following only human impulse. But if we watch
carefully, and take counsel with our brethren, we shall be given an