Chapter 46—Treatment of the Erring
Christ came to bring salvation within the reach of all. Upon the
cross of Calvary He paid the infinite redemption price for a lost world.
His self-denial and self-sacrifice, His unselfish labor, His humiliation,
above all, the offering up of His life, testifies to the depth of His love
for fallen man. It was to seek and to save the lost that He came to earth.
His mission was to sinners, sinners of every grade, of every tongue
and nation. He paid the price for all, to ransom them and bring them
into union and sympathy with Himself. The most erring, the most
sinful, were not passed by; His labors were especially for those who
most needed the salvation He came to bring. The greater their need
of reform, the deeper was His interest, the greater His sympathy, and
the more earnest His labors. His great heart of love was stirred to its
depths for the ones whose condition was most hopeless and who most
needed His transforming grace.
But there has been among us as a people a lack of deep, earnest,
soul-touching sympathy and love for the tempted and the erring. Many
have manifested great coldness and sinful neglect, represented by
Christ as passing by on the other side, keeping as far as possible
from those who most need help. The newly converted soul often has
fierce conflicts with established habits or with some special form of
temptation, and, being overcome by some master passion or tendency,
he is guilty of indiscretion or actual wrong. It is then that energy, tact,
and wisdom are required of his brethren, that he may be restored to
spiritual health. In such cases the instructions of God’s word apply:
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual,
restore such an one in a spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest
thou also be tempted.” “We then that are strong ought to bear the
infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”
Romans 15:1
Mild measures, soft answers, and pleasant words are much better
fitted to reform and save, than severity and harshness. A little too much
unkindness may place persons beyond your reach, while a conciliatory
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Testimonies for the Church 5:603-605
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