Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 11 (1896)

Lt 51, 1896

Israel, Sister

“Sunnyside,” Avondale, Australia

March 28, 1896

Previously unpublished.

Dear Sister Israel:

The Word of God is given me to you, “We are laborers together with God” in working out your own salvation, and the achievements of personal religion. [1 Corinthians 3:9.] Whenever the human agent accomplishes anything, it is in co-operation with God, in obedience to His Word. God works through His agencies, and man works in harmony with God. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you, to will and to do of his good pleasure.” [Philippians 2:12, 13.] This is encouragement to you. It is His divine theory to guide you in all His plans, to do His good pleasure in His service. Declaim not against your inefficiency and defects of character. Jesus says, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” [Mark 2:17.] 11LtMs, Lt 51, 1896, par. 1

The human agent is to receive Christ as his personal Saviour. Jesus loves you. He will manifest Himself unto you. You are not to feel you are presumptuous in laying your hand in the hand of Jesus Christ, or in saying, “He is my Saviour. I receive the clear teaching of His Word. I will not try to manage this matter in my own strength, or in my own way. I take the Word of God as the voice of God speaking to me.” The Lord says to you, “Ye must be a laborer together with me.” Unless you co-operate with Him, He cannot work for your present and eternal good. You must talk faith and hope and courage. You must live by faith, not by feeling. 11LtMs, Lt 51, 1896, par. 2

God has given you moral powers and religious susceptibilities. He hath delivered up His own Son as a propitiation for our sins. He is our Redeemer. He manifests to us the light, the truth, and the way, and He requires you to fulfill the Scripture, “Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the light of my countenance and my God.” [Psalm 42:11.] The Lord gives you His Holy Spirit, and supplies providential opportunities and facilities for the training of your mind. This is done independently of you, and the matter will end here, unless when tempted you draw nigh to God, and co-operate with Him by believing that He saves you now, whatever may have been your past history. 11LtMs, Lt 51, 1896, par. 3

Grasp the promise. Forget the things that are behind, and lay hold of the Word of promise: “I will manifest myself unto you,” “I will come unto you,” and “abide with you.” [John 14:21, 23; 15:4.] You must work, and God will work. The work He requires of you is to believe in Jesus Christ whom He has sent to save you. Your soul is of value with God. You must pray and believe and obey. You must be a laborer together with God, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. 11LtMs, Lt 51, 1896, par. 4

Jesus loves you. He gave His precious life that you should not perish, but have everlasting life. Then lift up your eyes to Jesus. “Look and live.” [Numbers 21:8.] When despair would seem to sweep over your soul, continue to look to Jesus, and say, Get thee behind me Satan, I will have naught to do with thee. I hang my helpless soul upon Jesus Christ. He liveth to make intercession for me. My soul is precious in His sight. He that looks with interest upon the little brown sparrow, looketh upon me. Not a sparrow falleth to the ground without the notice of your heavenly Father, and if He thus notices the birds, how much more will He care for you who is formed in His image? He gave Jesus to be a propitiation for your sins, and not for yours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Now believe, and trust in Him, and talk faith. The spell is broken. Christ hath spoken, “Peace be unto you.” “In the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me ye shall have peace.” [John 16:33.] 11LtMs, Lt 51, 1896, par. 5

In much love I send you these lines. Believe and act upon them. 11LtMs, Lt 51, 1896, par. 6