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WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 8, 1901

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 41.

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WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?

By William Warren Prescott

ELDER W. W. PRESCOTT.
(October 13-19.)
The principles which the Lord lays down for the true conduct of life among men are the principles revealed in His own character. The true interpretation of these principles will be found in the interpretation of His character as He is made known to the world in the person of Jesus Christ. In His mission to this earth He set forth in humanity and for humanity the true standard of character, and brought within the reach of man the power necessary for its realization in human experience. It was those who were “separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise,” whom He came to seek and to save. It was those who by their conduct had placed themselves at the greatest distance from Him who were treated by Him as though they were the nearest to Him. In doing this He left the throne of glory and “pitched His tent by the side of the tents of men.” And thus “in Christ Jesus ye who were formerly far off were brought nigh in the blood of Christ.” Moses asked, “What great nation is there that hath a god so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is whensoever we call upon Him?”
This makes it clear that according to the Lord’s own standard of action the one who needs help is the one to whom we should come near in ministry. Every soul in distress is our neighbor, whether he lives in the next house, or on the opposite side of the world; and in the application of this principle is found the test of our Christianity. Upon this foundation Jesus established the gospel. “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being originally in the form of God, counted it not a thing to be grasped to be on an equality with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, becoming in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” “Hereby know we love, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
In His talk with the lawyer, Jesus answered the question, “Who is my neighbor?” A man “stripped” and “wounded” and “half dead” offered the opportunity of neighborly ministry to the priest and the Levite, both of whom “passed by on the other side,” as far as possible from the case of need; but the Samaritan, despised by both priest and Levite, “had compassion on him, and went to him,” and ministered to his need. When asked, “Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor to him that fell among thieves?” the lawyer readily recognized the true principle, and answered, “He that showed mercy on him.” The poor man had been so ill treated that he had nearly lost what was to him the most precious thing in the world, for the thieves robbed him of a good share of his life, “leaving him half dead.” He needed some one who would minister to him that which he had lost, some one who could be a channel through whom life could flow from the fountain of life to him in his perishing condition. By treating him as a neighbor and coming near to him, the Samaritan became the connecting channel between the man’s need and God’s supply, and thus himself shared in the benefits of his own ministry.
The people of the world to-day are perishing for lack of that knowledge of God which is life. God has made His people the depositaries of truth, the real principles of life for body, soul, and spirit. This truth, which is the message of life to all the world, is to be given “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” A great work is to be done in order that the “whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Old forms of disease are spreading, and new forms are constantly appearing. Much of the suffering on every hand is due to the transgression of those simple laws which God has established as the basis of sound health. A knowledge of life-saving principles has been committed to us that we may impart them to others, and thus bring relief from their bodily suffering.
But the increase of disease and consequent physical suffering in the world is simply the index of the increase of sin and distress of soul, and there is one physician and one remedy for both. The opportunity to minister life for the healing of the body should be improved for its own sake, and the certain consequence will be to open up an avenue for the ministry of the same life to the soul. Even sickness which is brought upon men by their own wrong course may be overruled by the Lord to turn their thoughts toward Him. “Foolish men, by their course of transgression and by their iniquities, brought themselves low. Their soul loathed all food, and they drew near to the gates of death. And they cried to the Lord when they were in trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and rescued them out of their grave pits.”
The physicians and nurses in our various health institutions could fill volumes with the record of their experiences in pointing those to the Saviour from sin whose hearts and minds had been prepared by their deliverance from “their distresses.” And the same privileges and opportunities are open to all who will acquaint themselves with the principles of health, and those natural remedies for disease which can be employed by any intelligent person. In these God-given opportunities lies the greatest stimulus for faithful ministry. When we remember that the needy person is our neighbor to whom we are to show mercy, and we see how full the world is of persons in both physical and spiritual distress, what a call is thus made upon us to give freely to others the life-saving truth which has been given so freely to us. And this ministry will be blessed to our own good in an enlarged capacity to receive and to enjoy the fullness of God. “With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.” “Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go thou and do likewise.”

QUESTIONS.

  1. Is this relationship determined by place, or condition?
  2. By whose example is this decided?
  3. How did Jesus establish the true principle?
  4. In what instruction did He set forth this principle?
  5. What was the evidence that the Samaritan recognized a neighbor in the man who fell among thieves?
  6. What was the man’s condition?
  7. What was his need?
  8. What are we permitted to minister to the people?
  9. What emphasizes the need which the people have of thus ministering?
  10. What will open the way for the ministry of life to the soul?
  11. What evidence do we have of this?
  12. To what should this be a stimulus?