September 12, 1900

Our Duty as Christians

EGW

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” Do not trust in your own strength. “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Do we make the preparation which it is our privilege that we may be able to stand against the enemy? Do we realize the sacred character of God's work and the necessity of watching for souls as they that must give an account? We must be vigilant, “knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.’ST September 12, 1900, par. 1

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”ST September 12, 1900, par. 2

These promises are the assurance that through the influence of the Holy Spirit we are strengthened to become like God in character. By beholding His purity and holiness, we become partakers of His nature, overcoming the selfishness of the natural heart. There is a power in truth that will always work if the human agent will heartily co-operate, allowing himself to be brought by faith into captivity to Jesus Christ. The Saviour's virtues and excellencies then become the savor of the whole being.ST September 12, 1900, par. 3

“And besides this,” the apostle continues, “giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”ST September 12, 1900, par. 4

This is not a surface work. It means a clear understanding of spiritual things, and a genuine sense of the practical working of the Holy Spirit upon mind and heart. “He that lacketh these things is blind, and can not see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” But “if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”ST September 12, 1900, par. 5

Through the application of the truths of the Gospel, men become laborers together with God. But those who while claiming to believe the Bible fail to practise the truth it contains, are blind and can not see afar off. This is why so many men and women live at cross-purposes with God. They do not live and work upon the Gospel plan of addition. Their religious experience is dwarfed.ST September 12, 1900, par. 6

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”ST September 12, 1900, par. 7

A mere creed, tho every jot and tittle of it may be sound, is not enough to restore in man the moral image of God. An ancestral faith, however tenaciously held, can not correct the evils of the natural heart. It is the willing mind, the earnest spirit, the hearty, self-denying efforts, imbued with love to God and man, which bring results approved by God. The whole heart must be given to God, else we shall fail to love Him supremely, and then, necessarily, we shall fail to love our neighbor as ourselves. We can not obey the law unless it is written on the heart. Only the truth as it is in Jesus can illuminate the soul, enabling us to do good and only good to those with whom we are associated.ST September 12, 1900, par. 8

There are those to whom the truth is not truth. The work of the Redeemer exerts no restoring influence upon their lives. The will of God is not obeyed. The countless mercies and blessings bestowed on them are received as a matter of course. What is the matter? They do not obey the injunction, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.”ST September 12, 1900, par. 9

Christ declares, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” To make a profession of faith while we fail, to receive the truth as a thirsty man receives water, leaves the soul as barren as the hills of Gilboa. The heart is the citadel of the being, and until the heart is surrendered to God, the enemy will claim it as his stronghold, and no power on earth can dispossess him. Christianity is not there. Its place is occupied by sophistry. Love for the Saviour and for those for whom He died is not there. There is no experimental knowledge of the words, “We are laborers together with God; ye are God's husbandry; ye are God's building.”ST September 12, 1900, par. 10

Are there not many like the fig-tree which bore no fruit? They seem to think that a profession of following Christ constitutes the sum of Christianity. Many dishonor the religion of the Bible by lowering the standard to meet their own attainments. They do not prepare themselves to meet the attacks of the enemy. They do not crucify self. They seem not to realize that they are to fight constantly against the inclinations of the natural heart. O, for more of the spirit of the Master! How much His children need it!ST September 12, 1900, par. 11

We are not obliged to forsake business pursuits in order to live the religion of Christ. We need not flee to the desert and dwell in the caves of the earth in order to obtain a closer walk with God. The Lord does not require us to be useless in society in order to serve Him. Indolence is not a Christian grace. We are to be zealous of good works, “not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”ST September 12, 1900, par. 12

In all business relations we must represent God, showing ourselves to be Christians. Men can serve God in business life if amid the temptations of the world they keep His religion pure and undefiled. The Christian is to set his aim high. He is to let his light shine before men, that they may see his good works, and glorify his heavenly Father. Amid the confusion and change of daily life, he is to hold fast his integrity.ST September 12, 1900, par. 13

God's will is to be our will and His way our way just as much when we are engaged in business as when we are on our knees in prayer. We are to maintain Christian principles under all circumstances, however trying. The religion of the Bible is for all times and all occasions.ST September 12, 1900, par. 14

True goodness is revealed by the bearing of good fruit. This goodness bears the endorsement of heaven. The religion of Christ makes all who possess it truly benevolent. It countenances no littleness, no mean transactions. True Christians have a nobility which allows none of the cheap, covetous actions that are a disgrace to the doer.ST September 12, 1900, par. 15

If we would work wisely and intelligently for God, our human passions, our hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong; must be brought under the control of a higher and more commanding generalship than human ability.ST September 12, 1900, par. 16

“Cease to do evil; learn to do well.” This is the lesson each one should learn day by day. We are to walk in accordance with the will of God, who is too wise to err, and too good to do us harm. The Redeemer met Satan's treacherous advances with the words, “It is written,” and with the imperative command, “Get thee behind Me, Satan.” Christians should receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save the soul. The Word of God is a tower of strength, into which they may run and be saved.ST September 12, 1900, par. 17

Mrs. E. G. White