Love-A Call to Service by W. C. Hankins

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 2, 1910

Love—A Call to Service

By W. C. Hankins

W. C. HANKINS

Of “the fruit of the Spirit,” spoken of in Gal. 5:22, the one first mentioned is love. By many this fruit would seem the very easiest to be borne; but, on the contrary, it is perhaps the hardest of all. It is “the fruit of the Spirit,” and has no place in the carnal heart; it is only when we have been born again, and the Holy Spirit dwells in the new heart that God has given us, that we bring forth this most precious of all fruit—love.

But what does the Bible mean when it speaks of love? Does it mean the love of the parent for the child? of the husband and wife for each other? of brother for brother, sister for sister, friend for friend?—Yes, it means all this; for God uses the love existing in these relationships to illustrate to us his divine love. “Like as a father pitieth his children,” he says, “so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” Ps. 103:13. And how often, as we sing,—

“Like as a father pities his child, So the Lord pities the sinner defiled: Waiteth in kindness, pities our blindness, Longeth to welcome, though often reviled,”—

we catch a little glimpse of God’s surpassing love for us.

But that love which is “the fruit of

the Spirit” includes more than the love we have for those who love us. Jesus says: “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” And in Phil. 2:6-8 we are told how much he loved us,—that, “being originally in the form of God,” he “counted it not a thing to be grasped to be on an equality with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” R. V., margin.

This is the kind of love that those who are born of the Spirit will have. Paul had this love. “I say the truth in Christ,” he declared, “that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” Rom. 9:1-3. Paul, like Christ, did not think it “a thing to be grasped” for himself to obtain eternal life, but was willing to give up all hope of that life, if by so doing he might save his brethren. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.

When this love enters our hearts, it takes away all thought of serving God through fear of his final judgment upon the impenitent, and teaches us that, in deed and in truth, “love is the fulfilling of the law.” Rom. 13:10. Then with the Saviour we can say that “for their sake I consecrate myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.” John 17:19, R. V., margin. Thus our daily thought will be, What can I do that my brothers may be saved? and for their sakes we will consecrate ourselves every day to God, that through his help our own lives may be so pure and sweet that we can be used by him for the salvation of others. For their sakes we will be willing to leave all that we have,—home, friends, relatives, and country,—and go wherever the Lord calls us. Yea, for their sakes we will be willing to consecrate our money and our property to God, denying ourselves of all but the necessaries of life, that those whom the Lord calls to carry his gospel to the world may be supported in their work.

Everything to-day points to the soon coming of the Saviour. God’s judgments are falling on the land; men’s hearts are failing them for fear; the Testimonies tell us repeatedly that we have but a little time left in which to work. And yet, of the eighteen provinces of China, fifteen have not yet been entered by those to whom the Lord has entrusted the work of giving his last message of mercy to the world. A quick work must be done here in China, and it will be done. What we need to ask ourselves is, Do we love this people enough to consecrate ourselves and all we have to the Lord, to be used in finishing up the work that remains to be done?

If we do,—and all those who have been truly born again do,—then the coming year should see a number of strong young men and women on their way to China; and those who remain at home will supply sufficient means to support them, and enable them to carry on the work that needs to be done.

China has a hot and not very healthful climate, plague abounds in the land, and the people, like those of other countries, are not always to be trusted; but God is here, and where he is, we need not be afraid. Better to be in the midst of danger with him, than to be in a supposedly safe place without him.

Who will come and help finish the work in China? and who will supply the necessary means to send those whom the Lord impresses to come?

The harvest is ripe here in China, and now is our time to gather it. China is waking out of her long sleep; and in a few more years it may be too late for any work to be done here by foreigners. “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.” Matt. 9:38.

“Brother pilgrim, be not weary; Tune your harp for heaven and home, Where the heart is never dreary, And where tears will never come: Don your armor, be not sleeping; One short hour, and ’twill be past; One brief hour of toil and weeping, Then comes heaven and home at last.”

Kulangsu, Amoy, China.