Necessity of
Cooperation With God And
Christ Our
Righteousness Part 5
*An Appeal for Acceptance of the
Message of Christ’s Righteousness
*Christ Our Righteousness.htm
Part 1
*Christ Our Righteousness.htm
Part 2
*Christ Our
Righteousness.htm Part 3
*Christ Our
Righteousness.htm Part 4
*Christ Our
Righteousness.htm Part 5
CHRIST OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
Part 5
By Ellen White
The foundation of Christianity is Christ our
righteousness…. {5T 725.2} {1888 112.1}
Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to
the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is
no light in them.
The Necessity of Cooperation With God
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, October 25, 1892
"Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
We are living in a time when we should individually ask ourselves, "How do
I stand related to God and eternity?" It will not matter to what nation we
may have belonged, or what sect we have followed; but it will matter upon which
side we have stood between good and evil. Daily you should ask yourself,
"Am I a Christian? Am
I a servant of sin, or am I following Christ? Am I renewed in the image of Christ by his
transforming grace? Has a moral change taken place in me? Do I count all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ? Do I feel that I am not
my own, but that I have been bought with the precious blood of Christ, and must
consecrate myself to his service?"
Let no soul risk his eternal future upon a
supposition. The Lord never designed that anyone should go blindfolded to
heaven. He who sincerely
desires to know, may understand whether his steps are tending heavenward or
earthward. In the living oracles of God a
description is given of the road leading heavenward, and the road leading to
perdition, and no one need
be deceived as to which one he is traveling. There is no need that one
should be lost. God willeth not the misery of any one of his creatures. It is
his desire that all men should come to repentance and to the acknowledging of
the truth. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life." The
Lord has provided ample means for our salvation; but he can do nothing for us
without our cooperation. Paul says, "We are laborers together with
God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building."
What honor has been bestowed upon man,
in that he is privileged to come into fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ; for if we suffer with him, we
shall also reign with him in glory. The command is given, "Work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling;" but this encouragement is
added: "For it is God
which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."
"We, then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive
not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time
accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the
accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" A power above and outside of man
is to work upon him, that solid timbers may be brought into his character
building. In the inner sanctuary of the soul the presence of God is to abide.
"And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the
temple of the living God; as
God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people." "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile
the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which
temple ye are." "What! know ye not 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."
"For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; in
whom all the building fitly framed together groweth
unto a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded
together for a habitation
of God through the Spirit."
Man does not build himself into a
habitation for the Spirit, but
unless there is a cooperation of man's will with God's will, the Lord can do
nothing for him. The Lord is the great Master worker, and yet the human
agent must cooperate with the divine worker, or the heavenly building cannot be
completed. All the power
is of God, and all the glory is to redound to God, and yet all the
responsibility rests with the human agent; for God can do nothing without the cooperation of man.
When a man believes in
Jesus as his personal Saviour, and accepts of his righteousness by faith, he
becomes a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is
in the world through lust; and he escapes from corruption through the
indwelling of the holy Spirit. Without divine nature, without the
influence of the Spirit of God, man cannot work out his own salvation. Said
Christ, "Without me ye
can do nothing." When human effort does not combine with divine
agency, how deficient is its influence; but he who is endowed with divine power can present Christ
to the world as one who is able to save unto the uttermost all who come unto
God through him. The angels of heaven are commissioned of the Lord God
of hosts to cooperate with human agency in lifting up
the standard of the gospel in every city, village, and town, both at home and
in foreign lands.
In every home there is missionary work
to be done; for the children in every family are to be brought up in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord. Evil propensities are to be controlled, evil tempers subdued, and the
children are to be instructed that they are the Lord's property, bought with
his own precious blood, and that they cannot live a life of pleasure and
vanity, have their own will and carry out their own ideas, and yet be numbered
among the children of God. The children are to be instructed with
kindness and patience. They are to be taught, line upon line and precept upon
precept, the requirements of a holy God. Let the parents teach them of the love of God in such a way
that it will be a pleasant theme in the family circle, and let the
church take upon them the responsibility of feeding the lambs as well as the
sheep of the flock. Let the church take a special care of the lambs of the
flock, exerting every influence in their power to win the love of the children,
and to bind them to the truth. Ministers and church members should second the
efforts of parents to lead the children into safe paths. The Lord is calling
for the youth; for he would make them his helpers to do good service under his
banner.
How sad it is that many parents have
cast off their God-given responsibility to their children,
and are willing that strangers should bear it for them. They are willing
that others should labor for their children, and
relieve them of all burden in the matter. From the indifference of their parents, many children are
left to feel that their parents have no care for their souls. This ought
not to be so, but those who have children should so manage their domestic and
business affairs that nothing may come in between them and the children, that
would lessen the parents' influence in directing them to Christ. You should
teach your children the lesson of the love of Jesus, that they may be pure in
heart, in conduct, and conversation. Teach them how to seek divine aid, how to
give themselves unreservedly to God.
The Lord would work upon the hearts of
the children if the parents would but cooperate with the divine agencies; but he will not undertake to do
that which has been appointed as your part of the work. Parents, you
must awake from your deathlike slumber. The church must arise from the dead,
that Christ may give her life.
The work of God is not divided; it is
one vast plan in which all have a part to act. God would have you laborers together with him for the saving of your own
children. The children must not be left to themselves to become the slaves of
Satan; those who have taken the responsibility of bringing them into the world
will be held responsible to a large degree for the characters they form. In
order to do their God-given work to save their own households, parents will
have to search the Scriptures to know the ways of the Lord. They should be much in secret
prayer, that they may be holy in all manner of conversation. Their
hearts should be filled with cheerfulness and thanksgiving, that there be no
talebearing, no false accusation, but only such themes of conversation as will
elevate and ennoble those who hear and take a part in it.
Parents should work to this end, that
themselves and their children may become missionaries for God. This means that
you should be vigilant, diligent in searching and teaching the Scriptures, pouring out your soul before God
in your closet, that you may not fail nor be discouraged.
Children are brought into the world without a
voice in the matter, and if parents do not work faithfully to save them for
Christ, Satan will supply their neglect by his own devices, that he may win
them to rebel against God, and war against his kingdom. Parents, unless you are
workers together with God, to save the souls of your children, they may be
lost. If they are, it will be through no fault of the Lord; for he loved your
children, and has given his only begotten Son, that they should not perish, but
have everlasting life. When Jesus was upon earth, and mothers brought their
children to him, he placed his hand upon their heads and blessed them. He would do the same today; for
he hath said, "Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come
unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
The mother's work begins when her child
is a babe in her arms, and she should realize that heaven is looking upon her
with intense interest, ready to cooperate with her efforts to rear her child
for God. In view of the responsibility that devolves upon parents, it should be
carefully considered whether it is best to bring children into the family. Has
the mother sufficient strength to care for her
children? And can the father give such advantages as will rightly mold and
educate the child? How little is the destiny of the child considered.
The gratification of passion is the only thought, and burdens are brought upon
the wife and mother which undermine her vitality, and
paralyze her spiritual power. In broken health and with discouraged spirits,
she finds herself surrounded by a little flock when she cannot care for as she
should. Lacking the instruction they should have, they
grow up to dishonor God and to communicate to others the evil of their own
natures, and thus an army is raised up whom Satan manages as he pleases.
You cannot bring up your children as you should without
divine help; for the fallen nature of Adam always strives for the mastery. The
heart must be prepared for the principles of truth, that they may root in the
soul, and find nourishment in the life. Parents, lay hold upon divine
help, and bring no more children into the world than those to whom you can give
a training and education that will fit them for this life and the life which is
to come. Follow the example of Abraham. The Lord said of him, "I know him,
that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall
keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." Human effort alone will not
result in helping your children to perfect a character for heaven; but with
divine help a grand and holy work may be accomplished, and you may be
able to present yourselves and your children before God, saying, "Here am
I, and the children whom thou hast given me." By Mrs. E. G. White.
(Concluded next week.)
The Necessity of
Cooperation With God (Concluded)
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald,
November 1, 1892
"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith
only. . . . For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works
is dead also." It is
essential to have faith in Jesus, and to believe you are saved through him; but
there is danger in taking the position that many do take in saying, "I am
saved." Many have said: "You must do good works, and you will
live;" but apart from Christ no one can do good works. Many at the present
day say, "Believe, only believe, and live." Faith and works go
together, believing and doing are blended. The Lord requires no less of the soul now, than he
required of Adam in paradise before he fell,--perfect obedience, unblemished
righteousness. The requirement of God under the covenant of grace is
just as broad as the requirement he made in paradise,--harmony with his law,
which is holy, and just, and good. The gospel does not weaken the claims of the
law; it exalts the law and makes it honorable. Under the New Testament, no less is required than was
required under the Old Testament. Let no one take up with the delusion so
pleasant to the natural heart, that God will accept of sincerity, no matter
what may be the faith, no matter how imperfect may be
the life. God requires of his child perfect obedience.
In order to meet the
requirements of the law, our faith must grasp the righteousness of Christ,
accepting it as our righteousness. Through union with Christ, through acceptance of his
righteousness by faith, we may be qualified to work the works of God, to be
co-laborers with Christ. If you are willing to drift along with the
current of evil, and do not cooperate with the heavenly agencies in restraining
transgression in your family, and in the church, in order that everlasting
righteousness may be brought in, you do not have faith. Faith works by love and purifies the soul. Through faith the holy Spirit
works in the heart to create holiness therein; but this cannot be done
unless the human agent will work with Christ. We can be fitted for heaven only
through the work of the holy Spirit upon the heart; for we must have Christ's
righteousness as our credentials if we would find access to the Father. In
order that we may have the righteousness of Christ, we need daily to be transformed by the influence
of the Spirit, to be a partaker of the divine nature. It is the work of the holy
Spirit to elevate the taste, to sanctify the heart, to ennoble the whole man.
Let the soul look to
Jesus. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world." No one will be forced to look to Christ; but the voice of
invitation is sounding in yearning entreaty, "Look and live." In looking to Christ, we shall
see that his love is without a parallel, that he has taken the place of the
guilty sinner, and has imputed unto him his spotless
righteousness. When
the sinner sees his Saviour dying upon the cross under the curse of sin in his
stead, beholding his pardoning love, love awakes in his heart. The sinner loves
Christ, because Christ has first loved him, and love is the fulfilling of the
law. The repenting
soul realizes that God "is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The Spirit of God works in
the believer's soul, enabling him to advance from one line of obedience to
another, reaching on from strength to greater strength, from grace to grace in
Christ Jesus.
God justly condemns
all who do not make Christ their personal Saviour; but he pardons every soul
who comes to him in faith, and enables him to work the works of God, and
through faith to be one with Christ. Jesus says of these, "I in them, and thou in me,
that they may be made perfect in one [this unity brings perfection of character];
and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as
thou hast loved me." The Lord has made every provision whereby man may
have full and free salvation, and be complete in him.
God designs that his children shall have the bright beams of the Sun of
righteousness, that all may have the light of truth. God has provided salvation
for the world at infinite cost, even through the gift of his only begotten Son.
The apostle asks, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up
for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Then if we are not saved, the
fault will not be on the part of God, but on our part, that we have failed to
cooperate with the divine agencies. Our will has not coincided with God's will.
The Redeemer of the
world clothed his divinity with humanity, that he might reach humanity; for it
took the divine and the human to bring into the world the salvation that was
needed by fallen man. Divinity needed humanity that humanity might afford a
channel of communication between God and man. Man needs a power out of and above himself to restore him
to the likeness of God; but because he needs divine aid, it does not
make human activity unessential. Faith on the part of man is required; for faith works by love and
purifies the soul. Faith lays hold upon the virtue of Christ. The Lord does not
design that human power should be paralyzed; but by cooperating with God, the
power of man may be efficient for good. God does not design that our
will should be destroyed; for it is through this very attribute that we are to
accomplish the work he would have us to do both at home and abroad. He has
given to every man his work; and every true worker sheds
forth light to the world, because he is united with God and Christ and heavenly
angels in the grand work of saving the lost. From divine association he becomes
more and more intelligent in working the works of God. In working out what divine grace works in, the
believer becomes spiritually great. He who works according to his
intrusted ability will become a wise builder for the Master; for he is under
the apprenticeship to Christ, learning to work the works of God. He will not
shun burdens of responsibility, for he will realize that each one must lift in
the cause of God to the extent of his ability, and he places himself under the
pressure of the work; but Jesus does not leave his willing and obedient servant
to be crushed. It is not the man who carries heavy responsibilities in the
cause of God who needs your pity; for he is faithful and true in cooperation
with God; and through union of divine and human effort, the work is made
complete. It is he who shuns responsibilities, who has no realization of the
privilege to which he is called, who is an object of pity.
The upbuilding of the kingdom of
God is retarded or urged forward according to the unfaithfulness or fidelity of
human agencies. Unfaithfulness to the cause of Christ makes manifest that love
is lacking in the human agent. It was the love of Christ that
constrained him to come and seek and save that which was lost. But the love of
Christ does not seem to constrain those who profess his name; for a deathlike
slumber is upon the human agents, and the work is hindered by failure of the
human to cooperate with the divine. Men may pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heaven," but fail in acting upon this
prayer in their lives. The living Christian is one who has not left his first
love, and his candlestick is not removed out of its place. But those who do not
maintain their consecration to God are blind, and cannot see afar off, and have
forgotten that they were purged from their old sins. But though you may be weak, erring, frail, sinful,
and imperfect, the Lord holds out to you the offer of partnership with himself,
inviting you to come under divine instruction. Uniting with Christ, you may
work the works of God. "Without me," said Christ, "ye can do
nothing."
We are to work the works of
Christ, to learn the lesson he presented to his disciples, and reflect his
character to the world. Isaiah says, "Thy righteousness shall go
before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward." This is the
righteousness of Christ which goes before us, and the glory of the Lord is to
be our rearward. Ye
churches of the living God, study this promise, and consider how your lack of
faith, of spirituality, of divine power, is hindering the coming of the kingdom
of God. Were
everyone of you living missionaries, the gospel would be speedily proclaimed in
all countries, to all peoples, nations, and tongues. This is the work
that must be done before Christ shall come in power and great glory. I call
upon the church to pray earnestly that you may understand your
responsibilities. Are you individually laborers together with God? If not, why
not? When do you mean to do your God-appointed work? God is working, the
agencies of heaven are at work that the prayer may be fulfilled, "Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Man is the
agent through whom God works for man, and yet how few have given themselves
unreservedly to work the works of God. Man can accomplish nothing without
Jesus, and yet it is so arranged in the plan of salvation, that its great
object cannot be consummated without human cooperation. Our work may appear
small and unimportant, and yet we are laborers together with God. Jesus has
given us every temporal and spiritual blessing; he died to make propitiation
for our sins and to reconcile us to God. He has sent forth light and truth,
that we should walk in the beams of the Sun of righteousness, and not in the
sparks of our own kindling.
"Behold, what manner
of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of
God: therefore the world knoweth
us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it
doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that
when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And
every man that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself, even as he is pure." He who hath this hope in him learns from the
Scriptures that he must be a worker together with God. There can be no such
thing as a slothful Christian. "For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present
world; looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem
us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of
good works."
Those who are waiting to behold a
magical change in their characters, without a determined effort on their part,
will be disappointed. With
our limited powers we are to be as holy in our sphere as God is holy in his
sphere. To the extent of our ability we are to make manifest the truth
and love and excellence of the divine character, and for this reason we must
draw from the living fountain. As the wax takes the impression of the seal, so
the soul is to take the impression of the Spirit of God, and
retain the moral image of Christ. We are to become partakers of the divine nature, realizing in our
experience the vigor and perfection of spiritual life.
We are to look unto Jesus, and
by beholding him, we are to become changed. "This is life eternal,
that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent." "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the
earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that
cometh from heaven is above all. . . . For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by
measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his
hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth
on him."
Jesus "came unto
his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his
name." Of these the Saviour says, "The Father himself loveth you,
because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God."
"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."
Christ came to
reveal to the world the knowledge of the character of God, of which the world
was destitute. This knowledge was the chief treasure which he committed
to his disciples to be communicated to men. The truth of God had been hidden
beneath a mass of tradition and error. The sacrificial offerings which had been
instituted to teach men concerning the vicarious atonement of Christ, to teach
them that without the shedding of blood there is no remission
of sins, had become to them a stumblingblock.
All that was spiritual and holy was perverted to their darkened understanding.
They were blinded by pride and prejudice so that they could not see to the end
of that which was abolished. Jesus came to change the order of things that then
existed, and reveal to them the character of the
Father. He drew aside the veil which concealed his glory from the eyes of mortals, and made manifest to the world the only true and
living God, whom to know aright is life eternal. By Mrs. E. G. White