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"Ye are Complete in
Him," Part 2
Abstract of a
sermon at Melbourne, Australia, December 19, 1891
by Mrs. E. G. White
[For Part 1, click here.]
"Wherefore come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Does this mean that we are not to
associate with the world?--No, for how then can you bring to them the light of
truth if you do not come in contact with them? But you cannot do them good if
your association with the world leads you to beg the world's pardon for your
faith in Christ, for then you do not mold the world, but the world molds you.
Jesus has signified what is to be your position in the world. He says: "Ye are
the light of the world." "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life."
Since God has given us this
assurance, why is it that we see so many clouded, mixed experiences?--It is
because many of the professed followers of Christ have given heed to seducing
spirits and doctrines of devils. It is because they have not responded to the
drawing of Christ. When you respond to the drawing of Jesus, you draw others to
Him by your consistent life and Christian example, for by faith you become
rooted and grounded in the truth. You must search the precious Word of God,
that you may know what is truth.
Jesus prayed that His disciples might
be sanctified through the truth. Let no one think that he can permit himself to
indulge in any sin, however secret it may be, for God requires truth in the
inward parts, and in the hidden part wisdom. You need not feel complacency
because you are sure that your brethren do not know of your misdeeds. Does not
One who is acquainted with your brethren know all about your life? Does not He
read your heart as an open book? You cannot indulge in sin and still be a
witness for the Lord, for in works you deny Him. Where is the holy boldness
that should characterize your faith and prayers because you are not under
condemnation before man or God? Where is your ringing testimony on the side of
truth?
If you are indulging in any known
sin, you cannot utter words to the glory of God, because there is something in
your heart that condemns you. The Spirit of God is not in your soul. But let
the heart, with all its affections, be surrendered to God, and you will have
joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. Your intellect, your ability, your soul, body,
and spirit have been purchased at an infinite price by the Son of God, and all
belong to Him. And yet, though Christ has redeemed men, how few render to Him
that which is His own. How many rob Him in thought. Oh, shall we not gird up
the loins of our minds, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience
of Christ, and hope unto the end for grace that shall be given unto us at the
revelation of Jesus Christ?
We cannot enter heaven with any
deformity or imperfection of character, and we must be fitted for heaven now in
this probationary life. We want the deep movings of the Spirit of God, that we
may have an individual experience, and be complete in Him who is the fullness
of the Godhead. Through the power of the righteousness of Christ, we are to
depart from all iniquity. There must be a living connection of the soul with
its Redeemer. The channel of communication must be open continually between man
and his God, that the soul may grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord.
But how many do not pray. They feel under condemnation for sin, and they think
they must not come to God until they have done something to merit His favor or
until God has forgotten about their transgressions. They say, "I cannot hold up
holy hands before God without wrath or doubting, and therefore I cannot come."
So they remain away from Christ, and commit sin all the time in so doing, for
without Him we can do nothing but evil. Just as soon as you commit sin, you
should flee right to the throne of grace, and tell Jesus all about it. You
should be filled with sorrow for sin, because through sin you have weakened
your own spirituality, grieved the heavenly angels, and wounded and bruised the
loving heart of your Redeemer. When you have asked Jesus, in contrition of
soul, for His forgiveness, believe that He has forgiven you. Do not doubt His
divine mercy, or refuse the comfort of His infinite love.
If your child had disobeyed you, and
committed wrong against you, and that child should come with a breaking heart
to ask your forgiveness, you know what you would do. You know how quickly you
would draw your child to your heart, and assure him that your love was
unchanged, and his transgressions forgiven. Are you more merciful than your
merciful Heavenly Father, who "so loved the world, that he gave his
only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life"? You should go to God as children go to their parents. Ask
your Heavenly Father to forgive your errors, and pray that, through the grace
of Christ, you may be able to overcome every defect of your character.
Jesus came to this world to save His
people from their sins. He will not save us in our sins, for He is not the
minister of sin. We must respond to the divine drawing of Christ, and repent of
our sins, and unite ourselves to Christ as the branch is united to the vine.
Jesus says, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto
me." Jesus is drawing all men, and who will respond to this drawing? Many will
be greatly influenced by the life and example of those who profess to have
responded to this divine love that is drawing the hearts of men. Many will
watch you who profess His name, to see whether it makes you better men and
better women. They will watch to see if you are Christlike, kind and courteous
in your family. The Lord has said, "By their fruits ye shall know them."
Your home life will be an index to
your Christianity. A man's religion before God is no more or less than the
religion that is manifested in his family. Those who profess to be followers of
Christ will reveal in the home circle just what is their attitude toward
Christ. As the mothers brought their children to Christ that He might place His
hands upon them, and bless them, so parents should take their children to Him
today.
Talk to your children as though you
would have them Christ's children. The agencies of heaven will co-operate with
you in your work of drawing the children to Jesus. God is a lover of the
beautiful, but that which He most loves is a beautiful character. These lovely
flowers on the desk today are an expression of the love of God for us and for
what is beautiful. Flowers are the adornments that God has made for the earth.
Christ has said, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil
not, neither do they spin; and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these." Jesus tells us that there is
something higher for our consideration and aim than what we shall eat, and what
we shall drink, and what we shall wear, and that is beauty of character, that
shall last as long as eternity.
Jesus would have the fathers and
mothers teach their children of this beauty of character. He would have them
teach their children that God loves them, that their natures may be changed,
and brought into harmony with God. Do not teach your children that God does not
love them when they do wrong; teach them that He loves them so that it grieves
His tender Spirit to see them in transgression, because He knows they are doing
injury to their souls. Do not terrify your children by telling them of the
wrath of God, but rather seek to impress them with His unspeakable love and
goodness, and thus let the glory of the Lord be revealed before them.
(Concluded Next Month)
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|  God's
Word Our Assurance
Christ
Our Righteousness A Morning Talk
Through
Faith Alone Part 1
Through
Faith Alone Part 2
What
Was Secured by the Death of Christ
Seek
Those Things Which are Above Part 1
Seek
Those Things Which are Above Part 2
Christ,
Our Loving Comforter and Restorer
Work
to Show Christ to the World
"Let
Him Take Hold of My Strength"
Ellen
G. White's Last Recorded Letter
The
Joy of Giving
A
New Year's Day Letter
Christ
Our Hope
A
Letter of Comfort and Assurance
Prevailing
Prayer
A
Prayer of Consecration
Help
for the Tempted
God
Will Provide
Christ's
Righteousness Avails
Trusting
Christ
The
Fair Flowers of Promise
How
God’s Love is Manifested, Part 1
How
God’s Love is Manifested, Part 2
"Ye
are Complete in Him," Part 1
"Ye
are Complete in Him," Part 2
"Ye
are Complete in Him," Part 3
"I
Will Give You Rest"
Working
as Christ Worked
A
Life-Changing Experience
The
Character of God Revealed in Christ
What
God Desires Us to Be
God's
Plans the Best
A
Peculiar People
God
With Us
Ask
and it shall be given you, Part 1
Ask
and it shall be given you, Part 2
The
Meaning of God's Pardoning Love, Part 1
The
Meaning of God's Pardoning Love, Part 2
The
Foundation of Our Peace
One
Thing Impossible With God
Windows
Wide Open
The
Only Foundation
Christ
Spans the Gulf of Sin, Part 1
Christ
Spans the Gulf of Sin, Part 2
Homeward
Bound
A
New Year's Day Letter
Asking
to Give
The
Mighty and Inspiring Conflict
God's
Word a Treasure House
True
Success
Little
Things
You May Trust
Him
Hearts
Filled with Thankfullnes to God
Calamities
and God’s Love; Sin, Judgment, and the Shortness of Time
Lord
is Risen
The
Sabbath
Some Thoughts
for the New Year
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