The Southern Watchman
June 18, 1903
A Cause of Spiritual Weakness
The servants of Jesus Christ are to carry forward his work solidly and unitedly. Never are they to cherish a criticizing, fault-finding spirit. When such a spirit is cherished, a door is opened for the powers of darkness, and there comes into the work a blight that kills Christian activity. The Holy Spirit is grieved because of the disregard of the prayer that Christ offered just before his trial and crucifixion, that his disciples might be one. God has not made men judges one of another, but fellow-helpers. Do not spend in judging and condemning time that might be spent in encouraging one another, in suggesting ways and means for advancing the work of God in hard and difficult places. SW June 18, 1903, par. 1
Why are we not more spiritually minded? Why do we so readily yield to the temptation to bite and devour one another? It is because Satan is allowed to enter the heart with his temptations. His suggestions are received and acted upon, and hearts are grieved and wounded. The time and energy that should be wholly on the Lord's side, are used for the enemy. God's working forces are robbed of strength and courage, and their burdens are increased. Precious time is worse than wasted, and minds are filled with sadness and distrust. All this when every jot of strength, every power of mind and body, should be employed in a concerted action against the enemy of God and man. SW June 18, 1903, par. 2
The only safe course for God's servants to pursue is to work with an eye single to his glory, that the whole body may be full of light. To do this means to keep Christ's lessons ever in mind, and to do all in a way that he can approve, revealing the spirit that he revealed for those he calls his little children. SW June 18, 1903, par. 3
“A new commandment I give unto you,” Christ said, “that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” SW June 18, 1903, par. 4
If it is by the manifestation of this love that we are to convince the world that we are Christ's disciples, is it not time that we changed our course of action? Is it not time that we gave the world proof that we are Bible Christians, that we are keeping God's commandments? Shall we not cease to judge and despise and condemn one another? SW June 18, 1903, par. 5
We have our Bibles. Why, then, do we not practise the teachings of Christ? He says, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings; and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.” SW June 18, 1903, par. 6
Again we read: “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on Him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth Him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting; whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” SW June 18, 1903, par. 7
I entreat those who claim to believe that Christ is their personal Saviour to practise his teachings. Shall we not, from this time, believe in Christ, and show our faith by obeying his words? Will not those who proclaim the gospel to sinners believe the gospel, and by their obedience to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, testify to its power? Will not those who preach Christ live the Christ life? God calls upon those who have the light to walk in the light. Then their souls will be all light in the Lord. SW June 18, 1903, par. 8
True Christians find their happiness in obeying the words of the Saviour. They place no dependence upon worldly maxims. Their whole dependence is placed on the Source of all power. By beholding Christ, they become changed. Of what character, then, will be their speech? The following scripture shows. “And this I pray,” Paul writes to the Philippians, “that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” SW June 18, 1903, par. 9
Shall we not unite with the prayer of Christ and the prayer of Paul, and, in such holy companionship, make our experience rich in precious words of love and true courtesy and Christian politeness, “being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God”? SW June 18, 1903, par. 10
Bear in mind, my brethren, that here in this world we are being tested and tried. God calls upon the presidents of our conferences, upon our ministers, and upon those in positions of trust in our institutions, clearly to reveal to the world the miracle-working power to God, to show that they are true followers of Christ, “filled with the fruits of righteousness.” SW June 18, 1903, par. 11