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How God’s Love
is Manifested, Part 2
by Ellen G. White
In His work on earth, Christ lifts
the veil that conceals the invisible world from our view, and reveals the power
that is constantly exercised for our good. The same ministry which He performed
on earth was continued after His ascension to heaven. Through His
representative, the Holy Spirit, God in Christ still ministers to the children
of men.
Before He ascended to heaven, Christ
gave His disciples the promise, "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you
another comforter, that He may abide with you forever: even the Spirit of
truth: whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth
Him. But ye know Him: for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not
leave you orphans: I will come to you."
To those who in faith claimed this
promise it was speedily fulfilled. After Christ's ascension the disciples were
gathered together of one accord in one place. Ten days they spent in
heart-searching and self-examination, each taking his own case in hand; for it
had to be an individual work. As the disciples made humble supplication to God,
their differences were swept away. They became of one mind. Then the way was
prepared for the Holy Spirit to enter the cleansed, consecrated soul-temples.
Every heart was filled with the Spirit, whose influence came with copiousness
and power, as if it had been held in restraint for ages. What was the result?
Thousands were converted in a day. The sword of the Spirit seemed new-edged
with power, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow. The idolatry that had been mingled with the worship of the
people was overthrown. New territory was added to the church of God. Places
that had been barren and desolate sounded forth His praise.
The church became a vitalizing power.
Believers, themselves re-converted, were a living power for God and for His
kingdom. A new song was put into their mouth, even praise to our God. Every one
converted saw in his brethren and sisters the faces of angels. One interest
prevailed, one subject of emulation swallowed up all others,--to be like
Christ, to do the works of Christ. The earnest zeal felt was expressed in
kindly helpfulness, in kindly looks, and brotherly love. All strove to see who
could do the most for the enlargement of Christ's kingdom.
This ministry is the great need of
the church today. And in Christ's promise we are included. To us is offered the
great and measureless gift of the Holy Spirit. It is not because of any
restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow
earthward to men. If all were willing to receive, all would become filled with
the Spirit. When God's people will believe, when they will turn their attention
to that which is true, and living, and real, the Holy Spirit, in strong,
heavenly currents, will be poured upon the church.
All the principalities and powers of
the heavenly world are enlisted in the work of ministering for fallen man.
Angels are actively engaged in executing God's plans to bring man back from
rebellion to reconciliation with God. With intense earnestness they are
co-operating with God to bring to man moral efficiency, that in Christ he may
be more than conqueror.
Invisible armies of light and power
attend the meek and lowly ones who believe and claim the promises of God.
Cherubim and seraphim, and angels that excel in strength,--"ten thousand times
ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,"--stand at His right hand, "all
ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation."
God has manifested His love to men by
making them partners with Himself in the work of salvation. All to whom the
heavenly inspiration has come are put in trust with the Gospel. "We are
labourers together with God," called to represent Him as ambassadors of love.
We are to co-operate with the work of the delegates of heaven. And to us is
committed a work which even the angels cannot do. Man must be the channel to
communicate with man.
Through the ministration of angels
God sends light to His people, and through His people the light is to be given
to the world. Man is to be connected with his fellow-men, and as God's
instrumentality work in their behalf.
To us, in a sense that angels cannot
know, it is given to unite with God in His travail for the salvation of
humanity. To us it is given to swell the tide of His joy, and to bring honour
and praise to His exalted name.
In creation and in redemption, by
gift and sacrifice and service, God has manifested His love to us. And He
invites us to show our love for Him.
He says, "Whoso offereth praise
glorifieth Me." He desires us to appreciate the great plan of redemption, to
realize our high privilege as the people of God, and to walk before Him in
obedience, with grateful thanksgiving. He desires us to serve Him in newness of
life, with gladness every day. He longs to see gratitude welling up in our
hearts because we have access to the mercy-seat, the throne of grace, because
our names are written in the Lamb's book of life, because we may cast all our
care on Him who cares for us. He bids us rejoice because we are the heritage of
the Lord, because the righteousness of Christ is the white robe of His saints,
because we have the blessed hope of the soon-coming of our Saviour.
To praise God in fulness and
sincerity of heart is as much a duty as is prayer. We are to show to all the
heavenly intelligences that we appreciate the wonderful love of God for fallen
humanity, and that we are expecting larger and yet larger blessings from His
infinite fulness. Far more than we do, we need to speak of the precious
chapters in our experience. After a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, our
joy in the Lord and our efficiency in His service will be greatly increased by
recounting His goodness and His wonderful works in behalf of His children.
Such a testimony will have an
influence upon others. No more effective means can we employ for winning souls
to Christ.
And our love is to be shown, not only
in words, but in deeds, in personal ministry and sacrifice. Christ says, "Not
every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven: but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven." In His
prayer to His father He said of His disciples, "As thou hast sent Me into the
world, even so have I also sent them into the world." In the commission which
He gave to His disciples He included all who should believe in Him to the end
of time. "Go ye into all the world," He said, "and preach the Gospel to every
creature." "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils:
freely ye have received, freely give."
And by the Holy Spirit, through the
apostle Peter, we are admonished, "As every man hath received the gift, even so
minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of
God."
Thus it is that God desires to fulfil
for us His purpose of grace. By the power of His love, through obedience,
fallen man, a worm of the dust, is to be transformed, fitted to be a member of
the heavenly family, a companion, through eternal ages, of God and Christ and
the holy angels. Heaven will triumph; for the vacancies made by the fall of
Satan and his host will be filled by the redeemed of the Lord.
Published in The [Australasian]
Union Conference Record, June 1, 1900.
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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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