The Experience the Worker Needs

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«He that doeth righteousness is righteous.» It is perilous to know just what we ought to do, and yet fail to do it. Many think that they have faith because they have so often heard it spoken of; but they do not have faith unless it is woven into the experience. Some feel annoyed that these common-place truths, as they think, are so often presented before them. Repentance and faith and love are to be practiced, or they are of no value to those who profess to possess them. We need to be guarded on every side lest we shall be deceived. «Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?»

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Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, and in studying the character of Christ, and making him your pattern, you will have neither time nor disposition to measure yourselves among yourselves, or compare yourselves with others. There are tremendous questions to settle on the part of every soul. Ask yourself: «Am I clean, and pure, and holy before God? Am I washing my robes of character in the blood of the Lamb?» It is no time now for us to let our imaginations run upon the glowing splendors of the truth, and go into ecstasies over some charming phase of its appearance, and fail to weave its truth into practical life. Jesus speaks to every soul who is admiring the truth and yet failing to make it practical: «Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.»

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Let your whole life be a striving to enter in at the strait gate. We must press our way toward the mark for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus. We must fight the good fight of faith. We must turn our eyes away from the supposed defects and failings of others, and individually do the will of God. We are to live Christ, to follow the light. Jesus says, «He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.» We must have the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. He who gives himself up to the work of criticising others, on feeding his soul with the miserable husks of his brother’s imperfection, is in the wrong kind of business, and is far worse than the one he criticises There is a serious, sacred work to be done by every child of God, for the apostle says that according to the «riches of the grace of God» it is our privilege to «be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.» This is the experience which we all must have in order that we may be able to work for souls who are in danger of perishing. We should watch for souls as they that must give an account. At every step we should seek counsel of Jesus, that we may move in the very best way to save our fellow-men from ruin.

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A Christian cannot look calmly on while he sees a soul going in the downward path, associating with those who will demoralize and corrupt the morals, and yet refrain from warning him of his danger. In Christ’s stead he will seek to help him, and just in proportion to the brother’s danger is there a necessity of moving with caution and in accordance with principles of Christian courtesy. No inconsiderate movement should be made that will defeat the very object for which you work. You should work in tenderness as Christ would work, in order that you may retain your influence over the soul. Do not reprove in a harsh way, and pour out a tirade of words; but let everything be done with humility, with much prayer, that you may have wisdom in dealing with the erring. It is delicate work to present to a person his faults in such a way that you will not leave an impression upon the mind that you are acting as though you considered yourself superior. It is a nice matter to deal wisely and not arouse feelings of opposition, and cause pride to close the door of the heart against you, and thus make it impossible to do any good to him who is in danger. —