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Christians to Represent Christ in Every Act, December 20
But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
2 Thessalonians 3:13
.
What can we say to arouse those who profess to be the followers of Christ, to
a sense of the solemn responsibilities resting upon them? Is there no voice that
shall arouse them to work while the day lasts? Our divine Master gave His life
for a ruined world. Who will deny self, and make some sacrifice to save souls for
whom He died?
In every act of life, Christians should seek to represent Christ—seek to make
His service appear attractive. Let none make religion repulsive by groans and sighs
and a relation of their trials, their self-denials, and sacrifices. Do not give the lie
to your profession of faith by impatience, fretfulness, and repining. Let the graces
of the Spirit be manifested in kindness, meekness, forbearance, cheerfulness, and
love. Let it be seen that the love of Christ is an abiding motive; that your religion
is not a dress to be put off and on to suit circumstances, but a principle, calm,
steady, unvarying. Alas that pride, unbelief, and selfishness, like a foul cancer, are
eating out vital godliness from the heart of many a professed Christian! ...
Love to Jesus will be seen, will be felt. It cannot be hidden. It exerts a
wondrous power. It makes the timid bold, the slothful diligent, the ignorant wise.
It makes the stammering tongue eloquent, and rouses the dormant intellect into
new life and vigor. It makes the desponding hopeful, the gloomy joyous. Love to
Christ will lead its possessor to accept responsibilities for His sake, and to bear
them in His strength. Love to Christ will not be dismayed by tribulation, nor
turned aside from duty by reproaches....
Peace in Christ is of more value than all the treasures of earth. Let us seek the
Lord with all our heart, let us learn of Christ to be meek and lowly, that we may
find rest of soul. Let us arouse our dormant energies, and become active, earnest,
fervent. The very example and deportment, as well as the words, of the Christian
should be such as to awaken in the sinner a desire to come to the Fountain of life.
Then let us open our hearts to the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness.
Let us work cheerfully, joyfully, in the service of our Master. Let us praise Him,
not only by our words in the congregation of His saints, but by a well-ordered
life and godly conversation—a life of active, noble Christian effort. Let us give
diligence to make our calling and election sure, remembering that we shall triumph
at last, if we do not become weary in well doing.—
The Signs of the Times, June
24, 1886
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