The Signs of the Times
January 23, 1896
Grace Will Result In Liberality
Those who love and serve God will manifest the fact by loving and serving their fellow-men. Paul presents before us the example of liberal-minded converts, who in their deeds of charity exceeded his most sanguine expectations. Their love to their fellow-men was the result of giving themselves to the Lord. They surrendered themselves to the working of the divine Spirit, and their hearts were drawn out in tender, Christlike compassion for the relief of those who were needy and suffering. They recognized the obligation that rested upon them, and worked in harmony with the will of God, and thus glorified their heavenly Father. ST January 23, 1896, par. 1
Those who have the mind of Christ can not look with indifference upon human suffering. They can not be heartless, cold, and selfish. Those who are naturally inclined to tenderness and sympathy when unreservedly surrendered to God will cooperate with him in doing deeds of mercy, in relieving the distressed, tho it may call for the practice of self-denial. But those who do not cultivate gratitude to God for his mercy and love to them, who do not appreciate the great gift of Christ to our world, will not manifest sympathy for the suffering and needy, will not seek to comfort the bereaved, to minister to the fatherless and the widow. They may, like the Pharisees, make long prayers, and yet rob the widow and the fatherless, forgetting in their hardness of heart that the Lord will judge those who neglect the needy and the suffering as though they had neglected him in the person of his saints. ST January 23, 1896, par. 2
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.” The Lord has intrusted his goods to his human agents, and when the individual members of the church become doers of the words of Christ, they do not live to please and glorify self; but they live to do the highest service possible for Jesus Christ in serving their fellow-men. In so doing they gain an experience that is of more value than great riches. Tho the work calls for self-denial, tho their means may be limited, they seek for the relief of suffering humanity. They cherish the faith that works by love and purifies the soul from selfishness, and which brings them into close relation with God. When the truth first finds men, it finds them possessed of the spirit of the world; but it does not leave them with this spirit. When the truth is received, it begins to work the work of sanctification upon heart, and mind, and character. The truth purifies, elevates, and transforms the soul until men reveal a likeness to the character of Him who gave Himself to save a perishing world. Selfishness, self-serving, pride, extravagance, and display are the natural results of rebellion against God; but it is the work of Christ to subdue our evil practices, to detach our tendrils from earthly things, and to entwine them about God. He who receives the love of truth will be transformed in character; but if the truth is not welcomed into the heart, if the door closed against the entrance of the word of God, the heart and character remain unchanged. Those who resist truth, still cherish the love of the world. ST January 23, 1896, par. 3
It was the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia that resulted in liberality and unselfishness. Paul writes of their benevolence, saying, “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.” He says: “For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.” The people of whom Paul writes were under the oppressive hand of poverty, but even “their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.” The Holy Spirit wrought great changes in the character of those who sought after truth as for hidden treasure. The church of Macedonia became representative of what a church may be when enlightened by the word of God. They had tasted of the heavenly manna, and had been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and were transformed into the likeness of Christ. But the grace of God is able to do the same transforming work for the human character today. Paul says: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work (as it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor; his righteousness remaineth forever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness); being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God.” ST January 23, 1896, par. 4