Manuscript Releases, vol. 7 [Nos. 419-525]

MR No. 430—Relationship of Institutional Workers

A spirit of independence has been coming into our institutions and many feel that they are not amenable to anyone. The lessons of the Lord Jesus are not deemed worthy of acceptance as rules for the practical duties of life. Many have created a standard of their own, and are satisfied to walk in sparks of their own kindling. Christ says, “Without me ye can do nothing.” Then would it not be better to walk in the footsteps of Jesus? ... 7MR 71.1

The Lord Jesus has not spoken at random when He says there can be no union between Christ and Belial, and yet there is danger that the worldly element will be encouraged and developed that will be full of the subtlety of Satan, and the more intelligent the irreligious workers, the more and greater is the evil to those who are associated with them. 7MR 71.2

The Lord is seeking by the working of His power and grace to bring His people into a condition where eternal principles may live in their hearts, where indelible impressions may be made upon the souls, so that as Satan comes with his specious temptations as an angel of light, he may be overcome. His sophistry, his deceptions, his policy will work constantly for the subverting of souls, that he may be able to obliterate the marks of Christian discipleship from the servants of God, and draw them into confederacy with those whom he leads and commands, the enemies of Christ and the truth. We need to be thoroughly awakened from the spiritual paralysis that has come upon us. We have many of us lost our first love; and we love not our brethren because we have been breathing the malaria of the world. 7MR 71.3

You may say at the Health Retreat there is no danger of this at all; but I tell you there is danger. This work is continually going on. If souls are not overcome, if their feet do not go into strange paths, it is because they have their eyes anointed clearly to discern the wiles of the enemy, and have their lives hid with Christ in God, and a new, supernatural, divine life is linked with theirs. Those who are one with Christ do not boast of their wisdom or their capabilities, for they feel their inefficiency and weakness, and this leads them to hunger and thirst after righteousness. They trust in One mighty to save to the uttermost all that come unto Him and put their trust in Him. The value of the fellowship of those who love and serve God, the benefits of their counsel, will not, cannot be discerned by those who are mingling their interests with those who care not for the Lord or His truth. By beholding men become changed, and those who mingle with the world find the world more to their natural taste than do those who love and fear God, who seek to conform their lives to His requirements. But Jesus has said concerning those who do His will, “I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the wind blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” 7MR 72.1

Again He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth [not deception]; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not [Jesus, the author of truth], neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” What is the work of the Comforter? “And when he is come, he will”—praise, flatter, exalt? No;—“he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.”—Manuscript 3, 1892, 1, 4, 5. (“Relationship of Institutional Workers,” undated.) 7MR 72.2

Released May 23, 1975.