The Missionary Spirit by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 27, 1902

The Missionary Spirit

By Editor

Editorial

The Missionary Spirit

A MISSIONARY is one who is sent by another. This is the meaning of the word. The missionary spirit is the spirit which desires to be sent. This is the spirit of the gospel. One who has the missionary spirit is listening for the call, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” and then promptly responds, “Here am I; send me.”

The Great Missionary

JESUS regarded himself as one who was sent to represent another. Over and over again he used the expressions, “The Father which hath sent me,” and, “He that sent me.” Such a form of reference to his Father occurs over twenty times in the Gospel of John alone. While it was the desire of Jesus to be sent to this world as its Redeemer, yet his will was so completely submitted to the will of his Father that he did not come of himself. He was sent by his Father, and he was sent to represent his Father. He said: “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”

The Missionary Commission

WHEN Jesus had finished his work which he had been sent to do, he commissioned his followers to represent him in the work of saving men. His words are: “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” And his parting command was, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” The followers of Jesus are missionaries, persons who are sent to represent another. This distinguishes them from those who go without being sent by the Lord, and who represent only themselves. The apostle Paul understood this commission, and regarded himself as a representative of Jesus and so completely identified with him that he applied to himself the prophecy which was uttered primarily with reference to the Messiah and his work. In justifying his turning to the Gentiles with the gospel message after the Jews at Antioch in Pisidia had refused to receive it, he used the prophecy recorded in Isa. 49:6, saying “For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” The life of Jesus was so fully manifested in the apostle Paul that he became a light of men and for salvation to all. Thus the Saviour of the world carries forward his work of salvation through men who by their union with him become saviors of others.

The Missionary Work

THE primary work of the missionary is to represent the one who has sent him. In reality this is his only work. There is much done by those who profess to be missionaries which is in no sense missionary work. One is not necessarily a missionary, and is not necessarily doing missionary work, simply because he has gone to a distant country to work under the direction of some board or conference. Those only are genuine missionaries, and are doing missionary work, whom the Lord has sent, and who really represent the Lord in their daily life and in the character of their work. Those who represent themselves, and work according to their own ways, are not the Lord’s missionaries, although they may be called missionaries by men. The true missionaries can say: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” Such missionary work as this is possible only when Christ dwells in the heart by faith. Paul’s experience as a missionary was the natural result of Paul’s experience as a Christian, which he expressed in these words: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me.” And this is the only basis of successful missionary work. We cannot of ourselves imitate the life of Christ. We can represent him only as he dwells in us and reveals himself through us. “It pleased God . . . to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen.” The man who has the same kind of a Christian experience as the apostle Paul had, will have the same kind of a missionary experience as he had. “Of the apostles of Christ it is written, ‘They went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.’ Still the heavenly universe is waiting for channels through which the tide of mercy may flow throughout the world. The same power that the apostles had is now for those who will do God’s service.” The cry is coming up from many a field, “Come over . . . and help us.” Some hearts have been touched by this call, and have said, “Here am I; send me.” And still the Lord is calling for genuine missionaries for the work nigh and afar off. The church of Christ must be a missionary church. Are we living members of the true church of Christ? “By their fruits ye shall know them.”