The Review and Herald
June 5, 1900
Co-Workers With Christ
When the disciples were disputing as to which should be greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Christ called a little child to him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh! ... Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father.” RH June 5, 1900, par. 1
The human agent is a savor of life unto life, or he is a savor of death unto death. He either draws with Christ, or he draws away from Christ. Co-workers with Christ will manifest no harshness, no self-sufficiency. These elements must be purified from the soul, and the gentleness of Christ take possession. Never should unkindness be shown to any soul, for by the grace of God that soul may become an heir of God, a joint heir with Christ. Bruise not the hearts of Christ's purchased ones; for in so doing you bruise the heart of Christ. RH June 5, 1900, par. 2
A soul hurt is often a soul destroyed. Let those who have light and privileges remember that their very position of trust makes them responsible for souls. They will have to meet again around the great white throne the souls whom they have driven from Christ, bruised and wounded to death. RH June 5, 1900, par. 3
“Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,” the apostle writes; “and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” That is, Let not your coldness, your unkindness, turn souls from the path that leads to Christ. There are souls who need your words of encouragement, and these can not be helped by your unfeeling decisions, and words and looks of contempt. RH June 5, 1900, par. 4
Christ calls men to unity, to bind themselves together in the bands of Christian fellowship. Those who have named the name of Christ he calls to cease their criticism, and bind up with one another and with God. If God's people will work intelligently and harmoniously, he will work with them and through them. But if they spend time and energy in a strife for the supremacy, God will leave them in their weakness; for he will not work with unconsecrated elements. The word of God demands that we be one with Christ, as he is one with the Father, that, Christ says, “ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.” RH June 5, 1900, par. 5
The Redeemer did not shun man as man is inclined to shun his fellow men. When God condemned the guilty sinner because he was deserving of condemnation, the Majesty of heaven came near in all the fullness of the God-head. He looked upon the world in its fallen, corrupted state, and his heart of love was burdened because of the woe of his human creatures. He looked for the central power of all evil, and he beheld the great apostate, the fallen angel who had been expelled from the heavenly courts, and who had assumed the power and throne of God upon the earth. The Son of God read all the purpose of Satan to eclipse God from the view of man. And he knew that by paying the ransom he could end the reign of the enemy, and vindicate the justice of God. Therefore he clothed his divinity with humanity. He stooped to this fallen world that he might restore in man the divine image. RH June 5, 1900, par. 6
As his prophetic eye saw the results of his sacrifice, Christ exclaimed, “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” In the place where Satan has his seat, there will I set my cross. I will stand at the head of humanity. Through my merits man shall stand on vantage ground. I will be the great center to draw all men to God. As under the rule of Satan evil influences have conspired for the ruin of man, so under my rule the influence of my servants shall form a power to restore. The legions of hell will combine with the prince of darkness to oppose the laws of the kingdom of Christ; but to every man I will give his work, and with his work I will give power to win souls to God. Every human being who will receive and believe in me I will use in winning back the world to God. RH June 5, 1900, par. 7
The redemption of man means unity with Jesus Christ. The Saviour pledged himself to recover the principles of human dependence upon a plan that could save and reform man. He would make man a laborer together with God. By the sacrifice of himself he would enable every human being to be one with his fellow men and with God. All the elements of the human character he would make sanctified instruments to carry out the Lord's great plan to rescue souls from the snares of the enemy that they might behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. RH June 5, 1900, par. 8
This plan unites the believers to God as one man. One rule of life is the principle of action. A chain of mutual dependence, made fast to the throne of God, passes round every blood-bought soul. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” In the divine economy God has made provision that man may be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Reformative influences destroy the desire to do evil; the holy agencies of heaven sanctify the soul and choose the human agent to do service for God. It is the work of God to expel evil from the soul by connecting humanity with divinity. All difference and disunion are destroyed by a union with the great Center. God's people are made one with Christ, and the Father loves them as he loves his own Son. RH June 5, 1900, par. 9
Man stands in need of just such a firm, abiding life-principle, a principle which will connect him with God, and through God with his fellow man. And God stands in need of just such workers,—men and women who are pure in spirit, compassionate, humble, men and women who are one with Christ as he is one with the Father. Christ prayed to the Father: “The glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, ... that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” When God's people work together harmoniously and intelligently, Christ's request to the Father for them will be fulfilled. RH June 5, 1900, par. 10