One
with Christ in God
The Lord calls
for men of genuine faith and sound minds, men who recognize the distinction
between the true and the false. Each one should be on his guard, studying and
practicing the lessons given in the seventeenth chapter of John, and preserving
a living faith in the truth for this time. We need that self-control which will
enable us to bring our habits into harmony with the prayer of Christ. The
instruction given me by One of authority is that we are to learn to answer the
prayer recorded in the seventeenth chapter of John. We are to make this prayer
our first study. Every gospel minister, every medical missionary, is to learn
the science of this prayer. My brethren and sisters, I ask you to heed these
words and to bring to your study a calm, humble, contrite spirit, and the
healthy energies of a mind under the control of God. Those who fail to learn
the lessons contained in this prayer are in danger of making one-sided developments,
which no future training will ever fully correct. “Neither pray I for these
alone,” Christ said, “but for them also which shall believe on Me through their
word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that
they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.
And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one,
even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in
one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them,
as Thou hast loved Me. “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me,
be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me:
for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the
world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that
Thou hast sent Me. And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it:
that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John
17:20-26. It is the purpose of God that His children shall blend in unity. Do
they not expect to live together in the same heaven? Is Christ divided against
Himself? Will He give His people success before they sweep away the rubbish of
evil surmising and discord, before the laborers, with unity of purpose, devote
heart and mind and strength to the work so holy in God’s sight? Union brings
strength; disunion, weakness. United with one another, working together in
harmony for the salvation of men, we shall indeed be “laborers together with
God.” Those who refuse to work in harmony greatly dishonor God. The enemy of
souls delights to see them working at cross purposes with one another. Such
ones need to cultivate brotherly love and tenderness of heart. If they could
draw aside the curtain veiling the future and see the result of their disunion
they would surely be led to repent. The world is looking with gratification at
the disunion amongst Christians. Infidelity is well pleased. God calls for a
change among His people. Union with Christ and with one another is our only
safety in these last days. Let us not make it possible for Satan to point to
our church members, saying: “Behold how these people, standing under the banner
of Christ, hate one another. We have nothing to fear from them while they spend
more strength fighting one another than in warfare with my forces.” After the
descent of the Holy Spirit the disciples went forth to proclaim a risen
Saviour, their one desire the salvation of souls. They rejoiced in the
sweetness of the communion with saints. They were tender, thoughtful,
self-denying, willing to make any sacrifice for the truth’s sake. In their
daily association with one another they revealed the love that Christ had
commanded them to reveal. By unselfish words and deeds they strove to kindle
this love in other hearts. The believers were ever to cherish the love that
filled the hearts of the apostles after the descent of the Holy Spirit. They
were to go forward in willing obedience to the new commandment: “As I have
loved you, that ye also love one another.” John 13:34. So closely were they to
be united to Christ that they would be enabled to fulfill His requirements. The
power of a Saviour who could justify them by His righteousness was to be
magnified. But the early Christians began to look for defects in one another.
Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of
the Saviour and of the great love He had revealed for sinners. They became more
strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory of the
faith, more severe in their criticisms. In their zeal to condemn others they
forgot their own errors. They forgot the lesson of brotherly love that Christ
had taught. And,
saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss. They did not realize that
happiness and joy were going out of their lives, and that soon they would walk
in darkness, having shut the love of God out of their hearts. The apostle John
realized that brotherly love was waning in the church, and he dwelt
particularly upon this point. Up to the day of his death he urged upon
believers the constant exercise of love for one another. His letters to the
churches are filled with this thought. “Beloved, let us love one another,” he
writes; for love is of God.... God sent His only-begotten Son into the world,
that we might live through Him.... Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also
to love one another.” 1 John 4:7-11. In the church of God today brotherly love
is greatly lacking. Many of those who profess to love the Saviour neglect to
love those who are united with them in Christian fellowship. We are of the same
faith, members of one family, all children of the same heavenly Father, with
the same blessed hope of immortality. How close and tender should be the tie
that binds us together. The people of the world are watching us to see if our
faith is exerting a sanctifying influence upon our hearts. They are quick to
discern 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 endangers us the most; it is the evil cherished in the hearts of
professed believers that works our most grievous disaster and most retards the
progress of God’s cause. There is no surer way of weakening our spirituality
than by being envious, suspicious of one an other, full of faultfinding and
evil surmising. “This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly,
sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and
every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is
sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 3:15-18. Harmony and union
existing among men of varied dispositions is the strongest witness that can be
borne that God has sent His Son into the world to save sinners. It is our
privilege to bear this witness. But, in order to do this, we must place
ourselves under Christ’s command. Our characters must be molded in harmony with
His character, our wills must be surrendered to His will. Then we shall work
together without a thought of collision. Little differences dwelt upon lead to
actions that destroy Christian fellowship. Let us not allow the enemy thus to
gain the advantage over us. Let us keep drawing nearer to God and to one
another. Then we shall be as trees of righteousness, planted by the Lord, and
watered by the river of life. And how fruitful we shall be! Did not Christ say:
“Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit”? John 15:8. The heart
of the Saviour is set upon His followers’ fulfilling God’s purpose in all its
height and depth. They are to be one in Him, even though they are scattered the
world over. But God cannot make them one in Christ unless they are willing to
give up their own way for His way. When Christ’s prayer is fully believed, when
its instruction is brought into the daily life of God’s people, unity of action
will be seen in our ranks. Brother will be bound to brother by the golden bonds
of the love of Christ. The Spirit of God alone can bring about this oneness. He
who sanctified Himself can sanctify His disciples. United with Him, they will
be united with one another in the most holy faith. When we strive for this
unity as God desires us to strive for it, it will come to us.
REFERENCE
Testimonies for
the Church,Volume Eight
Ellen G. White,1904
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