Relation of Faith and Works
Click to go to our Home PageChap. 60 - Relation of Faith and Works Brother A. T. Jones: Christ offers Himself
as willing to save unto the uttermost all who come unto Him. He invites all to come to Him.
"Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). You
look in reality upon these subjects as I do, yet you make these subjects,
through your expressions, confusing to minds. And after you have expressed
your mind radically in regard to works, when questions are asked you upon
this very subject, it is not lying out in so very clear lines, in your own
mind, and you cannot define the correct principles to other minds, and you
are yourself unable to make your statements harmonize with your own
principles and faith. {1SM 378.1} The young man came
to Jesus with the question, "Good Master, what shall I do, that I may
inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17). And Christ saith unto him,
"Why callest thou me
good? there is none good
but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the
commandments." He saith unto Him, "Which?" Jesus quoted
several, and the young man said unto Him, "All these things have I kept
from my youth up: what lack I yet?" Jesus said unto him, "If thou
wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou
shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Here are
conditions, and the Bible is full of conditions. "But when the young man
heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions"
(Matt. 19:17, 20, 21, 22). {1SM 378.2}
Points to Guard This is the true
test--the doing of the words of Christ. And it is the evidence of the human
agent's love to Jesus, and he that doeth His will giveth to the world the
practical evidence of the fruit he manifests in obedience, in purity, and in
holiness of character. . . . {1SM 379.1} O my brother, walk carefully with God. But
remember that there are some whose eyes are intently fixed upon you,
expecting that you will overreach the mark, and stumble, and fall. But if you
keep in humility close to Jesus, all is well. . . . {1SM 379.2} There is no place
in the school of Christ where we graduate. We are to work on the plan of
addition, and the Lord will work on the plan of multiplication. It is through
constant diligence that we will, through the grace of Christ, live on the
plan of addition, making our calling and election sure. . . . "For if ye
do these things ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered
unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:10, 11).--Letter 44, 1893. {1SM 379.3}
No Compromise With Sin If there is given
to the angel of any church a commission like unto that given to the angel of
the church of Ephesus, let the message be heard through human agents rebuking
carelessness, backsliding, and sin, that the people may be brought to
repentance and confession of sin. Never seek to cover sin; for in the message
of rebuke, Christ is to be proclaimed as the first and the last, He who is
all in all to the soul. {1SM 380.1} His power awaits
the demand of those who would overcome. The reprover is to animate his hearers so that they
shall strive for the mastery. He is to encourage them to struggle for
deliverance from every sinful practice, to be free from every corrupt habit,
even if his denial of self is like taking the right eye, or separating the
right arm from the body. No concession or compromise is to be made to evil
habits or sinful practices.--Manuscript 26a, 1892. {1SM 380.2}
Cooperation With God We cannot afford to
neglect one ray of light God has given. To be sluggish in our practice of
those things which require diligence is to commit sin. The human agent is to
cooperate with God, and keep under those passions which should be in
subjection. To do this he must be unwearied in his prayers to God, ever
obtaining grace to control his spirit, temper, and actions. Through the
imparted grace of The Spirit of God
will answer the cry of every penitent heart; for repentance is the gift of
God, and an evidence that
Christ is drawing the soul to Himself. We can no more repent of sin without
Christ, than we can be pardoned without Christ, and yet it is a humiliation
to man with his human passion and pride to go to Jesus straightway, believing
and trusting Him for everything which he needs. . . . {1SM 381.1} Let no man present
the idea that man has little or nothing to do in the great work of
overcoming; for God does nothing for man without his cooperation. Neither say
that after you have done all you can on your part, Jesus will help you.
Christ has said, "Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). From
first to last man is to be a laborer
together with God. Unless the Holy Spirit works upon the human heart, at
every step we shall stumble and fall. Man's efforts alone are nothing but
worthlessness; but cooperation with Christ means a victory. Of ourselves we
have no power to repent of sin. Unless we accept divine aid we cannot take
the first step toward the Saviour. He says, "I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end" (Rev. 21:6) in the salvation of every soul. {1SM
381.2} But though Christ
is everything, we are to inspire every man to unwearied diligence. We are to
strive, wrestle, agonize, watch, pray, lest we shall be overcome by the wily
foe. For the power and grace with which we can do this comes from God, and
all the while we are to trust in Him, who is able to save to the uttermost
all who come unto God by Him. Never leave the impression on the mind that
there is little or nothing to do on the part of man; but rather teach man to
cooperate with God, that he may be successful in overcoming. {1SM 381.3} Let no one say that
your works have nothing to do with your rank and position before God. In the
judgment the sentence pronounced is according to what has been done or to
what has been left undone (Matt. 25:34-40). {1SM 381.4} Effort and labor
are required on the part of the receiver While
Submitting to the Holy Spirit
Jesus Accepts Our Intentions
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