The Sabbath-School by Steel

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 1, 1882

The Sabbath-School.

By Steel

Incentives to Labor.

When the believer enters upon the life of faith, he is animated and encouraged by the hope of reward. This meets him at the very outset of his Christian career, and gives a peculiar character and aim to all that he does. He is in a "race," and looks for the "prize." With singleness of aim, he "runs" that he may "obtain;" and can say, with the apostle, "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." He is in a conflict, and hopes to gain the reward of the conqueror, to whom are given so many promises of honor, or of privilege, or of power—as of a right "to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God;" or to receive "the white stone;" or to sit with Christ upon his throne. He has a trust of "few things," and is encouraged to be faithful by the hope of being rewarded with the rule of "many things." He sows seed, with the expectation of a harvest to remunerate his toil. He reaps that he may receive wages. He surrenders present advantage, as Moses, having "a respect unto the recompense of reward." He endures the "light affliction which is but for a moment" that he may have wrought out for him "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." He sojourns in tents here as a stranger, that he may reach "the city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." "Through faith and patience" he endeavors to "inherit the promises." He suffers, that he may reign with Christ. He labors, that he may "enter into rest." He prepares for meeting with Christ, and looks for his appearing, that he may receive the crown of glory. He makes his earthly experience anticipative of the reward of Heaven.

These rewards, and the expectations founded on them, have been encouraged by God himself. The industrious pursuit of them is not, therefore, unbecoming; it is the fulfilling of the law. Of course the mercenary aim is not the ruling motive of the true believer. He labors from love; but so long as he is constituted as he is, he is susceptible of the hope of reward, and is stimulated by the prospect.

There is nothing sinful in the desire. Our Lord himself felt its influence support him in his darkest, sorest, heaviest hour. "For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame." The apostles felt the power of the promised reward. St. Paul entered into it with ardor, and was moved by it to more devoted action. Even at the last he could say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day."

The illustrations afforded in Scripture show that there is a reward for services done to the Lord and to the needy in his name. The alabaster-box has its constant fragrance, the widow's mite has its perpetual value, and the cup of cold water given to a disciple in the name of a disciple, shall in no wise lose its reward. He that converteth a sinner from the error of his way, not only saves a soul from death, and hides a multitude of sins, but receives his reward, and is glorified among those who have "turned many to righteousness," and on that account "shine as the stars for ever and ever."

Sabbath-school teacher! your work has its record in the court of the All-observant and Just. It will have its reward also from him. Your teaching and your usefulness to others will not stand in lieu of regeneration of heart. You cannot purchase Heaven by works of righteousness. You are not more fit for glory because you labor in the school and train the young in the way they should go. You must be saved by faith in Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. But your faithful, prayerful efforts to do good, for the love you bear to Jesus and your desire to save souls, will not be lost sight of, or passed over, or be unrewarded.—Steel.