Jesus died for mankind, and in giving His life He exalted humanity in the scale of moral value with God. The Son of the infinite God clothed His divinity with humanity, and submitted to the death of the cross, that He might become a steppingstone by which humanity might meet with divinity. He made it possible for man to become a partaker of the divine nature, and escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust. Christ is continually working to uplift and ennoble man, and He requires that every soul whom He has redeemed from hopeless misery, shall co-operate with Him in the great work of saving the lost. We are not to lay snares and make secret plans to draw souls into temptation.FE 291.1

O, if every one could see this matter as it is presented before me in all its bearings, how soon would they quit with the enemy in his artful work! How they would despise his measures to bring sin upon the human family! How they would hate sin with a perfect hatred, as they consider the fact that it cost the life of heaven's Commander, in order that they should not perish, that man should not be bound a hopeless captive to Satan's chariot, a degraded slave to his will, a trophy of his victory and his kingdom.FE 291.2

Who will link up with Satan? Who will wear his badge? Who will choose him as a captain, and refuse to stand under the blood-stained banner of the Captain of our salvation? Christ died for every son and daughter of Adam; and when the Son of God has expressed such amazing love, making this great sacrifice for the sinner, in order that through faith in Him he need not perish but have everlasting life, how can the subject of this great love be indifferent and stand in sin and disobedience, and not heartily confess Christ without one moment's delay? How can any one love to do evil? How can the youth prostitute their reasoning faculties to Satan, and give their influence to that which will weaken their own moral power and efficiency? In doing the will of Him who loves the world, and who gave His only-begotten Son to die for them, they strengthen every faculty of the soul, and increase their own happiness and peace.FE 291.3

The Lord has greatly honored men, by giving Jesus Christ to recover them from Satan's claims. Will you be recovered? Will you have the precious gift of Christ? or will you refuse His service? Jesus has said, “He that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.” He has said, “Without Me ye can do nothing,” and, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” Every one who seeks to do well in his own finite strength, will find his efforts a failure; but those who accept Christ by faith, will find Him a personal Saviour. They will enlist in His army, they will become His soldiers, and fight the good fight of faith. If they are students in the school, they will feel that they are enlisted to make the school the most orderly, elevated, and praiseworthy institution in the world. They will put every jot of their influence on the side of God, on the side of Christ, and on the side of heavenly intelligences. They will feel it to be their duty to form a Christian endeavor society, that they may help every student to see the inconsistency of a course of action that God will not approve. They will draw with Christ, and do their utmost to perfect Christian characters. They will take upon themselves the work of leading the lame and the weak into the safe, upward path. They will form Christian endeavor meetings to make plans that will be a blessing to the institution of learning, and do all in their power to make the school what God designed and signified that it should be. They will have in mind the value and efficiency of Christian endeavor meetings, in preparing missionaries to go forth to give the warning to the world.FE 292.1

Students should have their own seasons of prayer, where they may offer fervent, simple petitions that God shall bless the president of the school with physical strength, mental clearness, moral power, and spiritual discernment, and that every teacher shall be qualified by the grace of Christ to do his work with fidelity and with fervent love. They should pray that teachers may be the agents through whom God shall work to make good prevail over evil, through a knowledge of Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. May God give the students who attend our institutions of learning, grace and courage to act up to the principles revealed in the law of God, which is an expression of His character. Never be found disparaging the schools which God has established. If you have failed at any time, falling into temptation, it is because you did not make God your strength, because you did not have the faith that works by love and purifies the soul.FE 293.1

Let every sincere Christian who has a connection with our schools, be determined to be a faithful servant in the cause of Christ, and help every student to be faithful, pure, and holy in life. Let every one who loves God seek to win those who have not yet confessed Christ. Every day they may exert a silent, prayerful influence, and co-operate with Jesus Christ, the missionary-in-chief to our world. Let every soul—man, woman, and youth—grow in excellence of character and devotion, in purity and holiness, and live with an eye single to the glory of God, that the enemies of our faith may not triumph. Let there be such a binding together in the bonds of our holy faith, that our united influence may be wholly on the Lord's side, and may work for the transformation of those with whom we associate. Let it be made manifest that you have a living connection with God, and are ambitious for the Master's glory, seeking to cultivate in yourselves every grace of character by which you may honor Him who gave His life for you. May the love of Christ exercise a constraining power to draw others into the path cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in. When the students in our schools shall learn to like God's will, they will find it comparatively easy to do it.FE 293.2

If students see defects of character in others, let them be thankful that they have discerned these defects, and therefore may be put on their guard against them. You will, no doubt, see persons who are not learning the meekness and lowliness of Christ, but who love display, and are vain, frivolous, and worldly. The only remedy for such is to behold Jesus, and by studying His character they will come to despise everything that is vain and frivolous, weak and mean. The character of Christ is full of forbearance, patience, goodness, mercy, and unexampled love. By beholding such a character, they will rise above the littleness of that which has fashioned and molded them, and made them unholy and unlovely. They will say, “I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.” They will realize that “he that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”FE 294.1

Let every one who is seeking to live a Christian life, remember that the church militant is not the church triumphant. Those who are carnally minded will be found in the church. They are to be pitied more than blamed. The church is not to be judged as sustaining these characters, though they be found within her borders. Should the church expel them, the very ones who found fault with their presence there, would blame the church for sending them adrift in the world; they would claim that they were treated unmercifully. It may be that in the church there are those who are cold, proud, haughty, and unchristian, but you need not associate with this class. There are many who are warm-hearted, who are self-denying, self-sacrificing, who would, were it required, lay down their lives to save souls. Jesus saw the bad and the good in church relationship, and said, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” None are under the necessity of becoming tares because every plant in the field is not wheat. If the truth were known, these complainers make their accusations in order to quiet a convicted, condemning conscience. Their own course of action is not wholly commendable. Even those who are striving for the mastery over the enemy, have sometimes been wrong and done wrong. Evil prevails over good when we do not trust wholly in Christ, and abide in Him. Inconsistencies of character will then be manifested that would not be revealed if we preserved the faith that works by love and purifies the soul.FE 294.2

We are not compelled to choose as familiar associates those who reject the love of God that has been expressed in giving His Son to our world, “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Those who love God will not choose the enemies of God to be their friends. The question was asked, “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them which hate the Lord?” Will you prefer the association of the irreligious and disloyal, to that of those who are obeying the commandments of God? Will you choose to separate yourself from those who love God, and place yourself as far as possible from the channel of light? You want to keep in an atmosphere of purity and faith, and bring into your character principles that will be as solid timbers. Christians will not choose and cultivate the society of non-Christians. If the Lord gives you a special position in the world, as He did Joseph and Daniel, then he will sustain and keep you in the midst of temptation. But you will never be where you will find too much light, in our world. Then how perilous it is to choose the association of those who love darkness rather than light, and will not come to the light, lest their deeds should be reproved.—The Review and Herald, January 16, 1894.FE 295.1

Chapter 37—To the Students at Battle Creek College

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