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Unreserved Surrender, May 16
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
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God will accept nothing less than unreserved surrender. Half-hearted,
sinful Christians can never enter heaven. There they would find no happiness;
for they know nothing of the high, holy principles that govern the members
of the royal family.
The true Christian keeps the windows of the soul open heavenward. He
lives in fellowship with Christ. His will is conformed to the will of Christ.
His highest desire is to become more and more Christlike....
Earnestly and untiringly we are to strive to reach God’s ideal for us. Not
as a penance are we to do this, but as the only means of gaining true happiness.
The only way to gain peace and joy is to have a living connection with Him
who gave His life for us, who died that we might live, and who lives to unite
His power with the efforts of those who are striving to overcome.
Holiness is constant agreement with God. Shall we not strive to be that
which Christ so greatly desires us to be—Christians in deed and in truth—that
the world may see in our lives a revelation of the saving power of truth? This
world is our preparatory school. While here we shall meet with trials and
difficulties. Continually the enemy of God will seek to draw us away from
our allegiance. But while we cleave to Him who gave Himself for us, we are
safe.
The whole world was gathered into the embrace of Christ. He died on
the cross to destroy him who had the power of death, and to take away the
sin of every believing soul. He calls upon us to offer ourselves on the altar
of service, a living, consuming sacrifice. We are to make an unreserved
consecration to God of all that we have and are.
In this lower school of earth we are to learn the lessons that will prepare
us to enter the higher school, where our education will continue under the
personal instruction of Christ. Then He will open to us the meaning of His
Word. Shall we not, in the few days of probation remaining to us, act like
men and women who are seeking for life in the kingdom of God, even an
eternity of bliss?—
The Review and Herald, May 16, 1907
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