February 20, 1896

What is of Value with God

EGW

“If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Those who are one with Christ, will present their petitions to the Father in the name of Christ, and will ask nothing that it is not his good pleasure to grant. Jesus continues: “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.” This is Bible election; for if we keep his commandments, we abide in him, and are elected in him.ST February 20, 1896, par. 1

The Saviour is our substitute and surety. He stands at the head of the human family. He has been subject to all the temptations that annoy and oppress us. He was tempted in all points like as we are, and therefore he is able (knows just the method) to succor those that are tempted. He was afflicted in all our afflictions. Christ is our refuge, our source of strength. In him all power is provided for us if his word abide in us, and it is for us to choose whether we will serve God or Baal.ST February 20, 1896, par. 2

Christ says, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” How few comprehend the fullness of this promise! The disciples did not take it in, they did not comprehend the meaning of these words, until the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them. Of him Jesus had said: “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” As we contemplate these words, our hearts should glow with love to our Saviour, because he has left nothing unsaid that concerns our salvation. Though we may be harassed and beset with trials and temptations that come to us through the devices of the synagog of Satan, yet we have one who is fully able, and always willing, to give us the very help that we require in the time of need. We have been invited to ask help, to come boldly to the throne of grace, to ask what we will, that it may be done unto us. And if the words of Christ abide in us, we are the elect of God, and will bring forth fruit in steady faith, cherishing the faith that works by love and purifies the soul from every moral defilement. “Much fruit” is the evidence that the words of Christ abide and work in the soul.ST February 20, 1896, par. 3

Those who live the life of the world, though they may be looked upon as educated and refined, manifest that they are selfish, that the words of Christ do not abide in them. They separate themselves from the needy and distressed, and use the gifts which God has intrusted to them to bless their fellow-men in exalting and glorifying themselves. They are interested only in that which will bring them the most money. The value of the man is measured in the world by the amount of money he possesses, and so men cultivate the love of money, place the world first, and make it manifest that the words of Christ do not abide in their hearts. They do not follow in the footsteps of our Redeemer, who gave his life for the ransom of the world. They separate themselves from those who are in poverty, from those who have not been favored with advantages to obtain an education. They value men according to the amount of money they have, but Jesus places an altogether different estimate upon the human soul. He is weighing men in the golden scales of the sanctuary, and inquires, “What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”ST February 20, 1896, par. 4

Christ announced that his mission was “to preach good tidings unto the meek.” He said, The Lord “hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion; to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called Trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” How perfectly these words harmonize with the words of Christ in the fifteenth chapter of John! If we may judge of men by their actions, we may think that the worldly-wise man looks upon himself as made of better material than the uneducated and uncultured, and esteems himself as altogether too high for association with this class. But his spirit, his attitude and actions, are delineated on the record above, and will determine whether or not he can be trusted with the eternal riches of heaven. Angels of God are marking the development of character, and weighing moral worth. No one will be trusted in heaven who has the spirit of the first great apostate, who lifted himself up, and became exalted in his own esteem, became envious of the Lord Jesus Christ, from whom he derived his glory, his wisdom, and beauty.ST February 20, 1896, par. 5

The Spirit of Christ

The character of the mission of Christ is delineated in the words of Isaiah which we have quoted. He did not come to minister simply to the highest grade of society. The Lord pitied those who felt their need of a Saviour, and those who are touched with the Spirit of Christ, if they have had better opportunities than others for cultivation, for refinement and nobility of character, will feel that they are debtors to those who have been less favorably situated, and they will minister as far as possible of their benefits to those who are wanting in these things. God has given this manner of work to his elect people. They are to reveal to the world that they are disciples of the greatest Teacher the world ever knew, and that they are working along the same lines as he worked. They are to open their treasures to those who need them, and this will bring them in contact with the very ones who appreciated the labors of Christ; for we read that the common people heard him gladly. Their hearts were not engrossed with the things of the world, and they could discern the things of eternal value. Those who are in high positions, who are intrusted with rich capabilities, are likely to worship themselves, to make themselves a center, to indulge themselves in intemperate desires, to fear to give back to God his own, and to neglect the example of Christ, who took upon himself the garb of humanity, in order that he might reach and lift humanity by his divine influence.ST February 20, 1896, par. 6

Christ designs that men shall be agents through whom his words of truth, hope, and forgiveness may come to the people. The disciples of Christ are to be channels for his righteousness, his gentleness, and love. They are to be Christ's representatives. This means that they are to act in Christ's stead. He has ascended on high, but he has commissioned his disciples to work along the very lines along which he worked when he was in the world. Christ followed the very best methods for reaching the hearts of men. The scribes and Pharisees did not approve of the kind of work that Christ was doing. His example cast reflection upon them, and laid bare their selfishness. They regarded themselves as educated and refined, and they brought accusation against him, saying, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” They asked the people what they thought of a man who was guilty of this. They classed him with sinners because he associated with sinners; but Jesus did not seem at all abashed by the charge. He looked keenly at his accusers, and said, “I came not to call the [self] righteous, but sinners to repentance.” They passed by the very ones who needed help, who would receive the light that they rejected, and who were nearer the kingdom of heaven than were those who looked upon them as sinners, whose society would contaminate their morals.ST February 20, 1896, par. 7

Christ came to lift up the fallen. He presented the parable of the Pharisee and the publican to represent to us the way in which Heaven regards the proud, pretentious boaster, and how God looks upon the soul who feels his true need, who knows himself a sinner, and longs for greater nearness to God. Such a one has more discernment of heavenly things than has the man who thinks himself an important personage, and esteems himself righteous. The further men separate from God, and the less they render obedience to his commandments, the more confidence they will place in themselves. Their thoughts will be selfish, and their actions after the same character. They will pride themselves upon their judgment in managing business, but will be very ignorant of the things which concern their future well-being. So infatuated will they be with the things of this world that the words which Paul addressed to the Galatians are applicable to them, when he says, “Who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?” They cast aside the things that are imperishable as matters of very little consequence. They think that riches mean greatness and honor, that they mean love of ease, selfish gratification, and display. They desire to command positions of power, to have the flattery and reverence of the world. They freely indulge in sin until their moral power is palsied. They make wealth an idol. At the shrine of wealth thousands upon thousands are laying idolatrous sacrifices. But it is not temporal wealth that makes men of value. Heaven does not estimate men in the same way as does the world. He who abides in Christ is found of value with God. The promise is fulfilled in him, “I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.”ST February 20, 1896, par. 8