Our Responsibility and Our Great Need by M. W. DE L'HORBE

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 16, 1907

Our Responsibility and Our Great Need

By M. W. DE L'HORBE

M. W. DE L'HORBE

In Matt. 24:14 we read these words:

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

We often read these words, and we read of the rapid progress of the message in all lands, how wonderfully all nations have been opened up for the entrance of the third angel’s message, and of the great work done by the various Bible societies in translating the Scriptures into nearly all languages and dialects, and scattering them “like autumn leaves” in every inhabited part of the globe.

But some, while contemplating the work that has been done, are liable to lose sight of the work that is yet to be done before we shall be privileged to see our Saviour coming in the clouds of heaven. We are too apt to rest satisfied with the work that others are doing, while we forget that each one of us has part of this closing work assigned to him, and that the Lord will require us to give an account of our stewardship.

It is true that we are living in the very last of the last days, and that “there shall be delay no longer;” true that we have accomplished as much in the last few years as in all the previous years, but it is also true that we have done but very little compared to the great work yet to be done. Nine tenths of the women of India never heard of a Saviour, and fewer still have had the opportunity of hearing the third angel’s message. Then there are the millions of China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Africa, South America, and the islands of the sea who are without hope and without God in the world. And all this work must be done, and must crowd the hour of setting sun.

When we as a people are fully united and become of one heart and one soul, as were the believers in the time of the former rain, then the Lord can use us to do a quick work in the earth. What was the result of the former rain?—Thousands were converted in one day, the sick were healed, the blind received their sight, the lame walked, the deaf ears were opened, and the dumb were able to speak. In the short space of a few years, the gospel was carried to the uttermost parts of the inhabited world.

Brethren and sisters, the time is at hand for the outpouring of the latter rain. And under its influence the work will be cut short in righteousness, and in a very short time the third angel’s message will be carried to every creature. We have the promise that the results of the latter rain will be greater than of the former. When thousands are converted in a day, and the Lord confirms the preaching with signs following, and we are scattered everywhere to preach the gospel, as were the believers in the days of the former rain, then converts will be seen flocking to the church from all parts of the earth.

Then, dear brethren and sisters, let us begin now if we are not already doing so, to plead with the Lord to visit his people and quickly prepare us for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the power of the latter rain. In “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VIII, pages 20, 21, we read these words:—

“To us to-day, as verily as to the first disciples, the promise of the Spirit belongs. God will to-day endow men and women with power from above, as he endowed those who on the day of Pentecost heard the word of salvation. At this very hour his Spirit and his grace are for all who need them and will take him at his word. . . . Let Christians put away all dissension, and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them ask in faith for the promised blessing, and it will come.”

What precious promises these are for us to-day! May the dear Lord help us to put away all dissension, and fully surrender ourselves and all that we have and are to him for service, living up to the light he has given us on health reform, that our bodies may be fit temples for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Now let us read Rom. 1:14-16, making a personal application of this scripture:

“I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

To whom am I a debtor? What is the debt that I owe? How can I best pay this debt? To whom shall I pay it?

When man fell from his sinless state and yielded himself to the power of Satan, he also mortgaged, or forfeited, the dominion of this earth which God had given him, and became subject to death. But God’s compassion was stirred, and he covenanted to give his only begotten Son to die in man’s stead, and to restore the lost dominion. So Christ died, and thus assumed the mortgage, or paid the debt for us, and became our creditor, and we are debtors to him.

But Christ has ordained that we pay the debt by giving this precious gospel which he has intrusted to us, to the world. So he tells us in this text that we are debtors to the world: “both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.” This statement includes every person living in the world. Christ gave the commission to his disciples, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15. So, the gospel is not only to go to every nation in this generation, but to every creature in every nation.

Paul tells us that the debt we owe is the preaching of the gospel, and he again states the same fact in 1 Cor. 9:16, and he there teaches that he is not making any sacrifice when preaching the gospel, but only paying his debt. “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.”

We will leave the last two questions to be prayerfully considered by the reader. If any who read this article have not read “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VIII, the writer earnestly requests them to do so, as it contains important instruction for the church at this time. Especially please read in connection with this article the two chapters entitled, “Our Responsibility” and “The Power Promised.” Toronto Junction, Ontario.