God’s Call to Service
21
sit in darkness out of the prison house.”—
The Acts of the Apostles,
10
.
The people of the world are worshiping false gods. They are to
be turned from their false worship, not by hearing denunciation of
their idols, but by beholding something better. God’s goodness is
to be made known. “Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am
God.”—
Christ’s Object Lessons, 299
.
All who would enter the city of God must during their earthly
life set forth Christ in their dealings. It is this that constitutes them
[16]
the messengers of Christ, His witnesses. They are to bear a plain,
decided testimony against all evil practices, pointing sinners to the
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.—
Testimonies for
the Church 9:23
.
The disciples were to go forth as Christ’s witnesses, to declare to
the world what they had seen and heard of Him. Their office was the
most important to which human beings had ever been called, second
only to that of Christ Himself. They were to be workers together with
God for the saving of men.—
The Acts of the Apostles, 19
.
The divine Teacher says: My Spirit alone is competent to teach
and to convict of sin. Externals make only a temporary impression
upon the mind. I will enforce truth on the conscience, and men shall
be My witnesses, throughout the world asserting My claims on man’s
time, his money, his intellect.—
Testimonies for the Church 7:159
.
Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven’s chosen agency
for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace
as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will
be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are
witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power
that is divine. Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and
an experience differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our
praise shall ascend to Him, marked by our own individuality. These
precious acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of His grace,
when supported by a Christlike life, have an irresistible power, that
works for the salvation of souls.—
The Desire of Ages, 347
.
God cannot display the knowledge of His will and the wonders
of His grace among the unbelieving world, unless He has witnesses
scattered all over the earth. It is His plan that those who are partakers
of this great salvation through Jesus Christ, should be His missionaries,