Individual Preparation
Individual
Preparation, June 5
A new commandment I give unto you, That
ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John
13:34.
These words are not the words of man, but the words of our
Redeemer; and how important it is that we fulfill the instruction that He has
given! There is nothing that can so weaken the influence of the church, as the
lack of love. Christ says, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of
wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew
10:16). If we are to meet opposition from our enemies, who are represented as
wolves, let us be careful that we do not manifest the same spirit among
ourselves.
The enemy well knows that if we do not have love one for
another, he can gain his object, and wound and weaken the church, by causing
differences among brethren. He can lead them to surmise evil, to speak evil, to
accuse, condemn, and hate one another. In this way the cause of God is brought
into dishonor, the name of Christ is reproached, and untold harm is done to the
souls of men.
How careful we should be, that our words and actions are all in
harmony with the sacred truth that God has committed to us! The people of the
world are looking to us, to see what our faith is doing for our characters and
lives. They are watching to see if it is having a sanctifying effect on our
hearts, if we are becoming changed into the likeness of Christ. They are ready
to discover every defect in our lives, every inconsistency in our actions. Let
us give them no occasion to reproach our faith.
It is not the opposition of the world that will most endanger
us; it is the evil cherished right in our midst that works our most grievous
disaster. It is the unconsecrated lives of half-hearted professors that retard
the work of the truth, and bring darkness upon the church of God....
God would have us individually come into that position where He
can bestow His love upon us. He has placed a high value upon man, and has
redeemed us by the sacrifice of His only-begotten Son, and we are to see in our
fellow man the purchase of the blood of Christ. If we have this love one for
another, we shall be growing in love for God and the truth. E. G. White—The Review and Herald, June 5, 1888.