Balance in Faith and Works
35
every step we shall stumble and fall. Man’s efforts alone are nothing
but worthlessness; but cooperation with Christ means a victory....
Never leave the impression on the mind that there is little or nothing
to do on the part of man; but rather teach man to cooperate with God,
that he may be successful in overcoming.
Let no one say that your works have nothing to do with your rank
and position before God. In the judgment the sentence pronounced
is according to what has been done or to what has been left undone
(
Matthew 25:34-40
).
Effort and labor are required on the part of the receiver of God’s
grace; for it is the fruit that makes manifest what is the character of the
tree. Although the good works of man are of no more value without
faith in Jesus than was the offering of Cain, yet covered with the merit
of Christ, they testify [to] the worthiness of the doer to inherit eternal
life. That which is considered morality in the world does not reach
the divine standard and has no more merit before Heaven than had
the offering of Cain. [
Selected Messages 1:379-382
. For a letter to a
preacher warning against a one-sided presentation see
pages 377-379
.]
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