God’s Plan for Proclaiming the Gospel Message

«The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely.» These words outline God’s plan for the promulgation of the gospel. His instrumentalities, human and divine, are to unite in an effort to save the lost. Thus souls are to be rescued from the bondage of sin. God calls upon those who have taken his name to obey his orders. All are called to some part of his work.

«‘I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. I have united humanity and divinity, and my office invests me with all power in heaven and in earth. I have ordained that angels and men shall be employed in my work. Divine and human instrumentalities are to unite. I have given the churches instruction regarding what they ought to do. My work is to be carried forward until I shall arise and proclaim with a loud voice, ‘It is finished.’ I have opened a fountain of living water for a thirsty world. Agencies from the heavenly courts unite in urging the members of the church on earth to give the invitation to come to the water of life freely. Each one, feeble though he may deem himself, is to voice my words and to perform some part of my work. I call upon those who have received the truth to take up the work entrusted to them. Do your best. Proclaim the gospel invitation. Unite with those who are already at work. I testify that if any one shall alter the words of the prophecy of this book, engendering unbelief, causing my words to lose the practical application which I thus fully and authoritatively give them, I will visit him with signal marks of my displeasure.»

The Power of the Truth to Convict and Convert Souls. It is through the transforming influence of divine grace on human hearts that the power of the word of truth is revealed. The truth, proclaimed in regions where it has not yet been heard, makes an impression on hearts. It seems to have greater power to transform character than when presented to those who are familiar with its office work. Truth has little power on the hearts of those who walk contrary to it when by so doing they can gain advantage for themselves,—those who, while claiming to receive it, follow a course opposed to its principles. Such ones admit that they believe the truth, but they give no evidence that they are sanctified by the truth. The places in which it has never been proclaimed are the best places in which to work. The truth is to take possession of the will of those who have never before heard it. They will see the sinfulness of sin, and their repentance will be thorough and sincere. The Lord will work upon hearts that in the past have not often been appealed to, hearts that heretofore have not seen the enormity of sin.

Christ is the only successful antagonist that sin has ever encountered. Let the full light of his life stream into the souls of those who are in darkness. Under the direct power of the gospel, thousands have been converted in a day. When the sinner becomes sensible of the fact that only through Christ can he gain eternal life, when he realizes that obedience to God’s word is the condition of entrance into the kingdom of God, when he sees Christ as the propitiation for sin, he comes to the Saviour in humility and contrition, confessing his sin and asking for forgiveness. His soul is impressed with a sense of the majesty and glory of God. The power of an eternal life of peace and joy and purity is felt so deeply that an entire surrender is made.

I am instructed to say that some who outwardly appear the most fully given to sin will, when light flashes into the soul, make most successful workers in places where there are those who are just such sinners as they themselves once were.

I write this because those engaged in the canvassing work and in house-to-house labor often meet men and women who are coarse and forbidding in outward appearance, but who, if won to the truth, will be among its most loyal and staunch adherents. The spirit of truth is indeed of value in any church. Those whom the Lord uses may not always have outward polish, but if they have integrity of character, the Lord values them just as highly. Mrs. E. G. White —