Words to the Young
THE YOUTH'S INSTRUCTOR
August 24,
1893
Words to the Young
"Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear [to worldly associates]
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."
We are not to settle down, expecting that a change of
character will come to us by some miraculous work, when Jesus shall appear in
the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. No, my young friends, we are judgment-bound, and probation is granted
to us here in this life, in order that we may form characters for the future,
immortal life. If the truth of God is abiding in our hearts, it will
work by love, and sanctify the soul from every defilement. "And every man
that hath this hope in him, purifieth
himself, even as he is pure." There is no
chance to plead for the retention of one idol, for the cherishing of one wrong
hereditary or cultivated habit. We are
called upon to have complete government over our bodies, as God's special
habitation. The body is not to be treated carelessly. There is to be no reckless action, no needless imperiling
of any organ of the body or faculty of the mind.
We are not to indulge in any habit that will
weaken physical or mental strength, or abuse our powers in any way. We are to do all in
our power to keep ourselves in health, in order that we may have sweetness of
disposition, a clear mind, and be able to distinguish between the sacred and
the common, and honor God in our bodies and in our spirits, which are his.
If we
indulge in sinful practices through the gratification of appetite or passion,
we unfit ourselves for the service that we are called upon to render to God in
blessing humanity. If we injure the body by unlawful practices, we shall be
held accountable for our failure to act the part for which God has given us
talents and capabilities; for if we would live in harmony with God's
requirements, we should each have a part to act in doing good to all mankind. This fact should be kept before all those who claim to
be the sons and daughters of God,—that ye
are not your own, but have been bought with a price, and redeemed from the
slavery into which Satan has led all the children of men.
We are
pained to see that children are not better educated, that they do not realize
that they are under obligations to bring themselves under the rule of Jesus
Christ, whose possession they are, every day. Our very bodies and souls are
God's, and yet so little do our youth, children, and even those of more mature
years, realize this, that they make little or no effort to rid themselves of
their evil hereditary and cultivated habits. They seem content to be ignorant
of their duty to God and to their fellow-men.
This world
is the place wherein we are fitting up for the future, immortal world, and a
solemn charge has been given to us, that we should in no case defile the temple
of the Holy Spirit. Our heavenly Father
constantly provides for our wants. Our time, talents, influence, property, are
his, and by devoting ourselves to the service of God, our capabilities will be
ever growing in strength, in efficiency, and in power to do more advanced work. But if the body is
abused, it becomes diseased, and the relation between soul and body is so
intimate that one suffers with the other, and the temple of God is defiled. By virtue of creating
us, God has a right to our bodies, our souls, our
spirit. "Hath not the potter power over the clay?" God has actually
produced the entire being of man, and therefore ye are not your own. But we are
his by virtue of a still greater reason. He has paid an infinite price, in
order that we might render obedience to his requirements, and keep his
commandments. "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."
Paul uses
this argument to incite the Corinthians to surrender themselves to God. He
says, "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." To obey this injunction takes all there is in us. God has a double claim upon us; for we are his by virtue
of creation, and by virtue of redemption.
Let no one
deceive himself with the idea that his imperfections are not so grievous as are
the faults of others, and that therefore he will not have to watch, and need
not think soberly as to what will be his influence upon others. Those who do not
feel that God requires them to think soberly, and pray unceasingly, that they
may not be overtaken by temptation, are deluded by the enemy, and will not grow
in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Old and
young, we need to pray most earnestly and believe most trustingly, that the
merits of Jesus Christ will suffice to bring grace and strength and
determination to enable us to overcome every defect. O pray that "the eyes
of your understanding being enlightened, ... ye may know what is the hope of
His calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward
who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." How many who are retaining their own ways and habits and
practices, think that they cannot overcome, and so make no determined effort.
They accept the old natural hereditary tendencies, and cherish them, as though
they were the most precious jewels. If they
are reproved or counseled, they manifest a murmuring spirit, and retaliate upon
the one who watches for their souls as one who must give an account. Others show
disrespect to the one who points out to them the fact that they are
misrepresenting the Saviour by cherishing un- Christlike
traits of character. These poor souls need
to be converted. "But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have
heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put
off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according
to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye
put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true
holiness.... Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that
which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the
hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of
God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness,
and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with
all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven
you."
Note by
Ron: The clear implication is that we grieve the Holy Spirit of God by:
·
Bitterness
·
Wrath , anger and
clamor
·
Evil speaking out of
malice
·
Unkindness, lack of
tender heartedness
·
Failure to forgive
one another
Let none be
impatient and angry when friends set before them the errors, mistakes, and
dangers of the course they have been taking.
So long have they cherished their own ways, that they
have become self-confident, and do not discern that they have serious defects
of character which exert an influence over those with whom they are brought in
contact. They do not realize that their influence will cause others to cherish
a wrong spirit, to rise up against order and discipline, to disregard the
wishes of those who have the rule over them, and who watch over their souls as
they that must give an account. Shall those who are cherishing serious defects
of character, and sowing their evil seeds in the souls of others, continue in
this course of action? Let us read what the apostle has written in the word of
God: "Do all things without murmurings
and disputings."
How much murmuring and disputing is indulged
in by those who are counseled and reproved! They dispute with the one who
labors for their good. They refuse to
believe that their influence is anything but good and praiseworthy. They make
it manifest by their course that they do not believe that there is any reason
for words of caution from any one, and they show disrespect of authority. Is it
any marvel that they are not renewed in the spirit of their mind? But if they
become the children of God, they will make changes. The apostle thus describes
those whom God approves: "That ye may
be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."
If those
who witness our course of action see that our influence is not safe, there must
be crookedness somewhere, and it is best for us to put our souls under
discipline. If self-indulgence blinds our eyes to our faults, if pride rises up
against the reprover, and sets our will in defiance, let conscience be heard. Do not try to put away the reproof by saying it is too
small a matter to dwell upon. A defective character is not a small matter. Put forth an effort proportionate to the object which you
hope to attain, even the crown of eternal life, and be not slothful and
indolent in the matter of overcoming, when you are on the very borders of the
eternal world. Will it not pay to put to the stretch every spiritual muscle and
sinew, that you may come off victorious? Infinite
resources are opened for you in God. Then do not fail of being complete in
Jesus Christ.
Mrs. E. G.
White