April 13, 1891

“That They May Be One”

EGW

Christ prayed for his disciples “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” The unity of believers is to be an evidence to the world of the divine power and mission of Christ. This should be the mighty argument to convince the world that Christ is the Son of God, the Redeemer of fallen man. The love existing between believers is to be similar to the love existing between the Father and the Son. And this love in the soul is the evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are to love God supremely, and our neighbors as ourselves. It is in the lack of this love that thousands fail, and are found transgressors of the law. Supreme love for God will lead to love for our fellow-men, and the commandment of Christ is, “Love one another as I have loved you,” “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another.” We cannot have this love unless Jesus is abiding in the heart by living faith. The very unity of disciples, the love manifested one for another, will be evidence to the world that God has sent his Son into the world as its Redeemer. This unity and love will exist wherever the Spirit of the Lord abides; heart will be bound to heart, and works of righteousness will appear in the daily life.ST April 13, 1891, par. 1

Jesus saw there was constant danger that his disciples would lose the divine image, through Satan's suggestions of using policy toward one another, and he gave many lessons upon that sanctified, unselfish love that should be cherished by believers one for another. Love is the fruit of genuine sanctification. A true estimate of man is the thing that is lacking in the hearts of many professed followers of Christ. A confession of love, a profession of friendship, is not enough to meet the divine requirement; there must be deeds of kindness, feelings of tenderness, sincere sympathy and love toward our fellowmen. The fruits we bear will reveal the condition of our hearts, and give evidence of our sanctification through the truth. This sanctification takes in not only our greatest, but our smallest actions. The little things done for Christ's sake, humble acts of kindness, a cheerful disposition to do others good,—this is confession of Christ. There must be patient continuance in well doing, a wise improvement of talents. Jesus must be formed within, the hope of glory, before you can rightly represent him to the world in words and works. In every little matter of life, in your deportment, in your forbearance, patience, long-suffering, you make known to others whether or not you are abiding in the living Vine. Jesus must be revealed in our every-day life, by the practice of the virtues that he revealed in his life.ST April 13, 1891, par. 2

The church is made up of persons of different temperaments and of various dispositions; they have come from different denominations; for the Cleaver of truth has separated one here and one there from the great quarry of the world, and in the church of Christ all these various members must be cemented together by the Spirit of God. If the love of Christ is in the hearts of the members of the church, through the abundant grace of Christ, there will be oneness, unity, among brethren. We must close the door of the heart to every suggestion that shall have the least tendency toward keeping us from this state of harmony. We must not hamper the soul and cripple its powers by the indulgence of selfishness. Selfishness is sin, and it grieves away the Spirit of Christ. When we cherish unkind thoughts, and harbor suspicions against our brethren, we are cutting ourselves off from the channel of God's light and love. Jealousy is as cruel as the grave, and should never be cherished in the heart, much less expressed in the actions. How cruel it is to cherish evil surmising against those who are members of Christ's body! Accusation, condemnation, and revenge are all of Satanic origin, and evil thoughts of others should be at once rejected from the mind, for these things repulse, and separate the hearts of brethren. Satan rejoices when he can create division in the church of God; for weakness follows, and the things that remain are ready to die.ST April 13, 1891, par. 3

Those who keep the truth will be found faithful to God and to one another. While base passions will surge in the hearts of unregenerated men, while pollution will corrupt the multitudes, those who love Christ and one another with pure, unselfish love will stand in Christ-like nobility, free from the contaminations of the age. By a life of truth and faithfulness they will confess their Lord before men. Their separation from evil will be manifested by silence as well as by words. By purity of character, by forbearance, by the manifestation of unselfish love for others, by the peace and joy of heart, the living witnesses for Christ will be made manifest, and will preach effective sermons of the power of Christ in the soul. Thus will genuine sanctification be displayed.ST April 13, 1891, par. 4