Welcome to The Work And The Life – Steps To Christ, Chapter 8
In Short:
- How the effort to bless others will rebound in blessings upon yourself?
- Strength comes by exercise – in the spiritual as in the natural realm.
Let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. 1 Corinthians 7:24.
The spirit of Christ’s self-sacrificing love is the spirit that pervades heaven. This is the spirit that Christ’s followers will possess. They will desire to work as He worked for the blessing and uplifting of humanity.
Those will work and live for Christ. They will honor His name in seeking to save that which is lost.
The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28.
His joy was in the uplifting and redemption of fallen mankind. For this he counted not His life dear unto himself, but endured the cross, despising the shame.
In the same manner, natural outflow of love and tenderness to others will follow when your heart is softened by the grace of Christ. The truth exemplified in the life will exert its power, like the hidden leaven, upon all with whom it is brought in contact.
The effort to bless others will bring blessings upon ourselves
Those who are the partakers of the grace of Christ will be ready to make any sacrifice, that others for whom He died may share the heavenly gift.
If we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ and filled with the joy of His indwelling Spirit, we shall not be able to hold our peace.
There will be an earnest longing that those around us may behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29.
God chose to make us co-workers with Himself, Christ and the angels, that we might share the blessing, joy and the spiritual uplifting, which results from this unselfish ministry.
Every act of self-sacrifice for the good of others brings us closer to the Redeemer of the world, who was rich, yet for your sake became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9.
Moreover, it is only as we thus fulfill the divine purpose in our creation that life can be a blessing to us.
Strength comes by exercise
In winning souls for Christ you will:
- feel the need of a deeper experience and a greater knowledge in divine things
- hunger and thirst after righteousness
- plead with God, and your faith will be strengthened
- drink deeper from the well of salvation
- go to the Bible and to prayer in trials and opposition.
Thus you will grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ, and will develop a rich experience.
The apostle Paul has given a safe rule: Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. The humble, common duties of life are all to be performed with fidelity – heartily, as to the Lord.
Whatever our work can be, we may perform it to the glory of God as long as we make Christ first and last and best in everything.
Aside from these worldly employments there is given to every follower of Christ a special work for the up-building of His kingdom. It is personal effort for the salvation of men.
Weary not yourself with anxiety about success
The apostle said: Let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. With a loving spirit we may perform life’s humblest duties as to the Lord. Colossians 3:23.
If the love of God is in the heart, it will be manifest in the life. When the master of the house called his servants, he gave to every man his work.
You are not to wait for great occasions or to expect extraordinary abilities before you go to work for God.
Furthermore, you can only go forward quietly, doing faithfully the work that God’s providence assigns.
Thus your soul will be growing into the likeness of Christ. We are workers together with God in this life, and are thus fitting for the higher work and the joy of the life to come.
As in the natural, so in the spiritual world. The natural life is preserved moment by moment by divine power. Yet it is not sustained by a direct miracle, but through the use of blessings placed within our reach.
So the spiritual life is sustained by use of those means that Providence has supplied.
If the follower of Christ would grow up unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, Ephesians 4:13, he or she must eat of the bread of life and drink of the water of salvation.
They must watch and pray and work, in all things giving heed to the instructions of God in His Word.
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The whole heart must be yielded to God, or the change can never be wrought in us by which we are to be restored to His likeness.
Those who have experienced the love of Christ cannot be idlers in the Master’s vineyard. They will see opportunities for helping others in their steps to Christ.
Partaking of Christ’s love, they will labor for the souls of others. Let every soul copy the Pattern, and become missionaries in the highest sense, winning souls to Jesus.
May we all Repent, Confess, Grow up into Christ, and Rejoice in the Lord.
Previous chapter: Growing Up Into Christ »
Next chapter: A Knowledge of God »
Download more chapters:
- The Sinner’s Need of Christ »
- Repentance »
- Confession »
- Consecration »
- Faith and Acceptance »
- The Test of Discipleship »
- Growing up into Christ »
- A Knowledge of God »
- The Privilege of Prayer »
- What to Do With Doubt »
- Rejoicing In the Lord »
References:
- YI, Oct, 1892 – The Ellen G. White Estate
- King James Bible Version (KJV)
Why Wait Longer?
Your Creator And Redeemer Longs For You – Take Him At His Word
Learn to trust in God’s love and His power to save and restore His moral image in you.
The Spirit of God is pleading with you to seek for those things that alone can give you peace and rest – the grace of Christ and the joy of holiness.
Give to Christ your guilt and fear today. He can satisfy the craving of your heart. Believe the Son of God.
His hand is stretched out still. Why wait longer?
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