The Missionary Magazine
March 1, 1898
Laborers Together with God
“The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” And “as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” When God gave Jesus to our world, He included all heaven in that one gift. He did not leave us to retain our defects and deformities of character, or to serve Him as best we could in the corruption of our sinful nature. He has made provision that we may be complete in His Son, not having our own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ. In Christ every storehouse of knowledge and of grace is at our command; for in Him dwells “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” HM March 1, 1898, par. 1
Christ has given His life for us; we are his property. “Know ye not,” He says, “that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” God's children are to show their love for Him by meeting his requirements, by giving themselves to Him. Then only can He use them in His service, that others, through them, may discern the truth and rejoice in it. HM March 1, 1898, par. 2
But the people of God are asleep to their present and eternal good. The Lord calls upon them to “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” He desires them to go to work in unity, in faith, and love. He desires that the work of reformation shall begin in the home, with the fathers and mothers, and then the church will realize the Holy Spirit's working. The influence of this work will go through the church like leaven. Fathers and mothers need converting. They have not educated themselves to mold and fashion the characters of their children aright. HM March 1, 1898, par. 3
As God's ministers, dear parents, you must use the precious remnant of time in doing the work he has left for you. He desires that by wise methods in your home you shall train your children for Him. Learn of Jesus; be doers of His word. When you do this, you will not become angry at things that take place in the home. You will not be harsh and cross, overbearing and exacting. Harshness and threats do no good. Parents must be kind if they would teach their children to love Jesus as their best Friend. HM March 1, 1898, par. 4
Children need to have religion made attractive, not repulsive. The hour of family worship should be made the happiest hour of the day. Let the reading of the Scriptures be well chosen and simple; let the children join in singing; and let the prayers be short, and right to the point. HM March 1, 1898, par. 5
The minister alone cannot do the work that needs to be done for our churches. The members must have the savor of salt in themselves. But if the salt has lost its savor, how can the families be salted? how can they be preserved from the corruptions and immorality that exist in this age? “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain yield both salt water and fresh.” HM March 1, 1898, par. 6
Christ is our Pattern. In Him was perfection of character—of outward manner and inward grace. He never spoke a discourteous word; He was meek and lowly in heart. When He saw the hypocrisy, the deception, and the wicked devising of the priests and rulers, when He saw them misleading the people by false interpretation of the Scriptures, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men, He was indignant at their boldness and their false statements. He could discern in all this the working of Satanic agencies. It was Satan and his angels whom He had to meet in the specious, deceptive reasonings of priests and rulers. Keen and searching were His denunciations of sin. He had a holy wrath against the prince of darkness; but He manifested no irritated temper. HM March 1, 1898, par. 7
Christ knew with whom He was contending; Satan knew whom he was resisting. Our Redeemer wrestled not against flesh and blood, “but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” HM March 1, 1898, par. 8
The follower of Christ will have these same agencies to meet. In his efforts to help his fellow-beings he will be opposed by the unseen forces of evil. But Christ has said, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Consider, my brethren and sisters, that you are in the service of God, that you have access to One who is a present help in every time of need. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” HM March 1, 1898, par. 9