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Testimonies to Southern Africa
Christ said to the cavilling Jews, “I am the light of the world: he
that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light
of life” (
John 8:12
). The very fact that Jesus spoke the truth, and that
with certainty, is the reason why the Jews did not believe Him. He
said, “Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not” (
John 8:45
).
It was the truth that offended these self-righteous men. The truth
exposed the fallacy of error, and it was unwelcome. They would rather
close their eyes to truth, than humble themselves to say that they had
been in error. They did not love the truth, because it condemned
their teaching and practices. They did not love it even if it was truth.
Their own ungodly course made them cavillers against a ministry of
truth. They treated the truth as heresy and idle tales, and they deceived
themselves and deceived others. Christ said to the Pharisees, “And this
is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
We shall find exactly such blindness on every side; but we are
never to become discouraged, or to fail in setting forth the truth. Never
are we to become impatient, because Christ bore with us in all our
perversity, and He will teach us how to labour to present the truth as it
is in Jesus. Go forth in the power and Spirit of Christ. With this power
is combined the tenderest compassion for those who are in darkness
Let these words ring like musical bells in our ears and heart. “For
God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.” How urgently my soul pleads for the heavenly endowment. Of
myself I can do nothing. The power and the glory is all of God. “The
Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do:
for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”
“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The
words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself; but the Father that
dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.” I see the work of God is so
sacred, that I dare not touch it without the presence of Jesus by my
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side. All might, all power and all glory belong to Him who loved us
and gave Himself for us.
We are certainly nearing the close of this earth’s history, and God
hath commended His love toward us in giving us the truth that has
filled our hearts with such joy, that we may exercise love toward others.
Look to the Man of Calvary giving His life for the sins of the world.