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The Desire of Ages
All who have been born into the heavenly family are in a special
sense the brethren of our Lord. The love of Christ binds together the
members of His family, and wherever that love is made manifest there
the divine relationship is revealed. “Everyone that loveth is born of
God, and knoweth God.”
1 John 4:7
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Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known
little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through
the influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those
about them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished
the spirit of kindness; before the words of life had fallen upon their
ears, they have befriended the missionaries, even ministering to them
at the peril of their own lives. Among the heathen are those who
worship God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by
human instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of
the written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in
nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works
are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are
recognized as the children of God.
How surprised and gladdened will be the lowly among the nations,
and among the heathen, to hear from the lips of the Saviour, “Inasmuch
as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have
done it unto Me”! How glad will be the heart of Infinite Love as His
followers look up with surprise and joy at His words of approval!
But not to any class is Christ’s love restricted. He identifies Himself
with every child of humanity. That we might become members of the
heavenly family, He became a member of the earthly family. He is the
Son of man, and thus a brother to every son and daughter of Adam.
His followers are not to feel themselves detached from the perishing
world around them. They are a part of the great web of humanity; and
Heaven looks upon them as brothers to sinners as well as to saints.
The fallen, the erring, and the sinful, Christ’s love embraces; and every
deed of kindness done to uplift a fallen soul, every act of mercy, is
accepted as done to Him.
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The angels of heaven are sent forth to minister to those who shall
be heirs of salvation. We know not now who they are; it is not yet
made manifest who shall overcome, and share the inheritance of the
saints in light; but angels of heaven are passing throughout the length
and breadth of the earth, seeking to comfort the sorrowing, to protect