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Abide in Christ, October 16
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it
abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
John 15:4
.
Christ suffers trial to come upon His followers that they may be led to seek the
Lord more earnestly. Then when trials come, do not think that the Lord is your
enemy. He purges for a reason. He does not want you to be discouraged; but He
would prove you, to see if you will be true to Him and will conduct yourselves
circumspectly under every circumstance. He does not want to drive you away, but
to drive you nearer to the Lord. In God is the Christian’s only hope in time of
perplexity.
Do not talk to others about your trials, for they have enough of their own to
bear, and our human friends cannot always understand. It is your privilege to go
to One who will always understand, because His life on earth was one of constant
trial and perplexity, borne without failure and sin....
It is not enough that now and then you offer a prayer, and now and then deal
righteously. You are to have the attributes of an abiding Christ working out in your
life constantly. How many of us have this experience? Yet we may have it, and
having it, we will be the happiest people on the face of the earth. With Christ’s
Word abiding in us, we shall give evidence that we have wholly received Him who
in His humanity lived a sinless life. In the strength of divinity we shall overcome
every tendency to evil....
The difference between the character of Christ and the character of other men
of His day was everywhere apparent; and because of this difference the world
hated Him. It hated Him for His goodness and His strict integrity. And Christ
declared that those who manifest the same attributes would be likewise hated. As
we near the end of time this hatred for the followers of Christ will be more and
more manifest.
Christ took humanity and bore the hatred of the world that He might show men
and women that they could live without sin, that their words, their actions, their
spirit, might be sanctified to God. We can be perfect Christians if we will manifest
this power in our lives. When the light of heaven rests upon us continually, we shall
represent Christ. It was the righteousness revealed in His life that distinguished
Him from the world and called forth its hatred....
The words of Christ are spoken for His people in all ages—for us, upon whom
the ends of the world are come.—
Manuscript 97, October 16, 1909
, “I Am the
True Vine,” a sermon preached at San Jose, California.
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