April 25, 1895

“Reputation” The Present Truth 11, 17, p. 264.

ATJ

IT is character alone that is acceptable to God. No brilliancy of reputation can dazzle Him. He demands truth in the inward parts. “God looketh on the heart.” And here people make a great mistake as often as in anything else. Thousands when called upon to obey the truth of God, will put first their reputation, and what they think is their influence, and will make their allegiance to God—their character—yield to these. Christ “made Himself of no reputation;” so likewise did he who was the figure of Christ, he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt.” So it will ever be. The disciple is not greater than his Lord. The people of God have ever been subject to reproach; the truth of God has always been unpopular, and men often have the opportunity to follow Christ most closely by, like Him, making themselves of “no reputation.” Often it becomes necessary for us to forfeit reputation before men, that we may perfect character before God.PTUK April 25, 1895, page 264.1

A. T. JONES.