p. 7 | Divine Equipment by J. M. HOPKINS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 19, 1911

Divine Equipment

By J. M. HOPKINS

J. M. HOPKINS

John Wesley once said, “The world is my parish.” So filled was his heart with the love of Christ, that his soul went out in earnest longing for the great brotherhood of humanity everywhere. Like that other faithful servant of God, the apostle Paul, he could say: “The love of Christ constraineth me.” And that is just the spirit—the spirit of service—that should and must possess every lover of God under the last solemn message to the world.

The holy prophets of the Old Testament were men and women of service. Jesus came to serve others, not to be ministered unto. All the noble New Testament characters were men and women of service. And now, when the world is to be warned of the soon coming of our Lord and the dire judgment that will quickly fall upon the earth, God wants all his people, everywhere, to be men and women of service,—men and women upon whom he can place his Holy Spirit, and thus thoroughly equip them for earnest, faithful, efficient service in every part of John Wesley’s parish, and their parish as well,—the world.

We praise God and rejoice for what has been done, and what is now going forward throughout the earth. Still there are many corners yet to be entered with the warning message against the worship of the beast and his image.

The Work of Cleansing

But God can never place upon sinful men and women this heavenly endowment, his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can not dwell in the heart or the body defiled with sin. This truth is clearly taught in the fifty-first psalm. In verse five David speaks of his sinful nature, and his condition before conversion: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” What was true of King David is true of every man and woman.

Another fact in David’s experience is also true of all mankind; namely, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” Verse 6. This is and must be the experience and the condition of every one who meets the mind of God. In order that this necessary and happy result may be secured, David prays: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” This must be the very first work accomplished for and in him. He must first be made free from all carnality and sinful defilement, because the Lord will never accept as his child, and employ in his service, one who cherishes and practises sin. Jesus is the “same yesterday, and to-day, and forever;” therefore this truth is just as patent to-day as it was ten hundred years before Christ.

Let us study these important lessons further. Having been made clean and freed from sin, David continues: “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.” Certainly he would be in a condition of happiness and rejoicing when thus restored to the favor of God. “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities,” he continues; and then, reaching the climax of his hope and prayer, he cries out: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit.”

Prepared to Teach Others

Notice the conditions that God imposes,—a thorough transformation of character and life, a baptism of the Holy Spirit, the heart filled with loyalty, love, and praise. “Then,” continues the psalmist, after all this has been accomplished in me by the power of divine grace, “then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”

Those, and only those, are the conditions of acceptance with God; that baptism, and only that baptism of the Holy Spirit, is the divine equipment for the Master’s service. Have you complied with the conditions? have you received the divine equipment necessary to do efficient work for God?

Another forcible example of this lesson is found in Acts 2, as follows: “Now when they heard this [the stirring words of Peter], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Verses 37-39.

To Every Man His Work

Dear brethren and sisters who are longing to see the work advance, whether you may be in the home land or in some far-off field, the same conditions and the same promises obtain now as ever. Humble your heart before the Lord, confess and forsake your sin, and consecrate yourself without reserve to him and his cause; and you may rest assured that you will receive just the fitting up you need in order to do the work he would have you do. This does not mean that God will make an eloquent preacher of every man or a successful Bible worker of every woman. He does not need all men for preachers. He desires some to be farmers, others to be mechanics, and others to engage in various other vocations. He wants mothers and fathers to train their sons and daughters for positions of usefulness in the many walks of life. And for all these fields of service, however lowly or humble they may be, each and all need divine equipment, “being filled with the Spirit,” to enable them to accomplish the best possible results for God and humanity.

Hewitt, Minn.