The Christ Love by Clara Edna Rosencrans

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 12, 1903

The Christ Love

By Clara Edna Rosencrans

CLARA EDNA ROSENCRANS

In dealing with the wrong-doer we must try to put ourselves in his place; try to think how we should wish to be dealt with if we were in his circumstances. Our own hearts will thus be made tender, and we shall know better how to deal with the one whom we wish to help. How Christ pitied the lost when he gave his life on the cross! How he rejoiced in his resurrection glory, when he knew that the price had been paid, and that salvation might be had by all who would seek it! We must feel, as did Christ, that no soul is beyond reach, no matter how low he may have fallen; that the love which watches always, may one day kindle an answering spark in a cold heart, numbed by sin, and burn away the dross.

Worldly wisdom will tell us that it is of no use, that the erring brought the trouble on themselves; but this is not the spirit that Christ manifested in coming to the world which was lost. Such love as his must be in our hearts if we would save the lost, and we must be willing to be anything, to give up the good opinion of the world, as he did; we must be willing to be called the friend of publicans and sinners, as he was. And if we have come close enough to Christ to feel the breathing of his Spirit, we shall not care for what the world says or thinks; we shall feel that it does not matter, if our hearts are right with God, and we are following in the footsteps of Jesus.

If we seek out the erring because we wish to help them, if we try to show a Christlike spirit in their presence, not falling into their evil ways, but seeking to lead them to the Master, such association can do us no harm. But we must live daily, hourly, in Christ's very presence, or we shall do more harm than good, both to ourselves and to those we wish to benefit. We should be careful of our example, lest we become a stumbling-block to some one who is trying to follow Christ, though it may be he is following afar off. We should let the life of Christ be manifested in our lives.

We need more of the self-sacrificing love that led the early church to give up the world, its good opinion, and all that it held dear; to count all but dross for Christ's sake, and to go forth without the camp, bearing his reproach. May God give us this love, deep down at the very fountain springs of our being, that we may know how Christ feels toward the lost!

You say you have found the Saviour? That the Christ love dwells within? Then prove it by going to succor Those who have fallen in sin.

If the Christ heart beats within us, We shall feel for the erring one, We shall bear the cross as he did, That a lost soul may be won.

This is to feel the Christ love, This is what Jesus felt, As all alone in the garden, In agony he knelt.

This is the love that prompted That death on the cruel cross, When he died for a world's redemption, And counted life but loss.

If you say you have found the Saviour, Think where that love must lead; Go forth in the dear Christ's footsteps, To help in a lost one's need.