The Sinner's Friend, April 2

The All-sufficient Christ

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24.FLB 98.1

Jesus is the sinner's friend, His heart is ever open, ever touched with human woe; He has all power, both in heaven and upon earth.^{7Testimonies for the Church 3:433.}FLB 98.2

In the person of Christ we behold the eternal God engaged in an enterprise of boundless mercy toward fallen man.^{8The Signs of the Times, January 27, 1904 (The Signs of the Times, August 20, 1894).}FLB 98.3

Christ came to this world to show that by receiving power from on high, man can live an unsullied life....FLB 98.4

He could say to whom He pleased, “Follow Me,” and the one addressed arose and followed Him. The spell of the world's enchantment was broken. At the sound of His voice the spirit of greed and ambition fled from the heart, and men arose, emancipated, to follow the Saviour....FLB 98.5

He passed by no human being as worthless, but sought to apply the healing remedy to every soul.... He sought to inspire with hope the roughest and most unpromising, setting before them the assurance that they might become blameless and harmless, attaining such a character as would make them manifest as the children of God.FLB 98.6

Often He met those who had drifted under Satan's control, and who had no power to break from his snare. To such a one, discouraged, sick, tempted, fallen, Jesus would speak words of tenderest pity, words that were needed and could be understood. Others He met who were fighting a hand-to-hand battle with the adversary of souls. These He encouraged to persevere, assuring them that they would win; for angels of God were on their side and would give them the victory.^{9The Ministry of Healing, 25, 26.}FLB 98.7

The Sinless One pities the weakness of the sinner....FLB 98.8

Men hate the sinner, while they love the sin. Christ hates the sin, but loves the sinner. This will be the spirit of all who follow Him. Christian love is slow to censure, quick to discern penitence, ready to forgive, to encourage, to set the wanderer in the path of holiness, and to stay his feet therein.^{10The Desire of Ages, 462.}FLB 98.9