CHRIST'S AMBASSADORS by Ellen G. White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 29, 1900

CHRIST'S AMBASSADORS.

By Ellen G. White

MRS. E. G. WHITE.

As Christ represented the Father to the world, so Christ's followers are to represent the Son. “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Christ charges his disciples to shine as lights in the world, reflecting the light of God as they see it in the face of Jesus Christ. Again he compares his people to the salt. “Ye are the salt of the earth,” he says; “but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted?” Unless our daily lives reveal the saving properties of Christ, how can the world have a representation of the truth as it is in Jesus? That religion which has not power to enlighten and save perishing souls, is good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.

In his life work and his plans for reaching the people, Christ teaches us how we shall represent him. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness,” he says. “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding: that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching.”

God is the author of our faith, and when we each act our individual part, he perfects the work, glorifying his name in the finishing of it. God sees all the possibilities there are in men to work out his divine end; and those who are called to be laborers together with him, he will instruct to work according to his plans. As co-workers with Christ they will labor for the poor, the outcast, and the depraved. They will not fail nor be discouraged, for, imbued with the Spirit of Christ, they will see hope for the most hopeless. They will work in God's lines, realizing that man must be sought for and labored for in order to be made Christlike.

God never designed that one man's mind or judgment should be a controlling power. Whenever he has had a special work to be done, he has always had men ready to meet the demand. In every age when the divine voice has asked, Who will go for us? the response has come, “Here am I; send me.” In ancient times the Lord had connected with his work men of varied talents. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses with his meekness and wisdom, and Joshua with his varied capabilities, were all enlisted in God's service. The music of Miriam, the courage and piety of Deborah, the filial affection of Ruth, the obedience and faithfulness of Samuel,—all were needed. Elijah with his stern traits of character, God used at his appointed time, to execute judgment upon Jezebel.

God will not give his Spirit to those who make no use of the heavenly gift. But those who are drawn out of and away from themselves, seeking to enlighten, encourage, and bless others, will have increased ability and energy to expend. The more light they give, the more they receive. There is nothing isolated or selfish in the religion of Jesus Christ. Every true Christian will feel that he has something to do for the salvation of souls. The ambassadors for Christ, who assume the responsibility of watching for souls, must be closely connected with God. They will feel that they are not their own, but the Lord's, and that God has a right to use all their powers for the honor and glory of his name.

The time is hastening on when those who stand in defense of the truth will know by experience what it means to be partakers in Christ's sufferings. The great oppressor sees that he has but a short time in which to work, that soon he will lose his hold upon man and his power be taken from him, and he is working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish. Superstition and error are trampling upon truth, justice, and equity. Every power that is antagonistic to truth is strengthening. There is a work to be done in the earth, and God calls upon us individually to act a part in unfurling the banner of truth. There is great need of real missionaries and of the real missionary spirit. Many of us are far behind the providences of God. Because we do not see so much accomplished as we hope, we become discouraged. This is not as God wills. He desires us to work earnestly, engaging all the tact and wisdom he has endowed us with, and leave the results with him. We must realize that we are co-workers with Christ, and we each must have that faith which will take hold upon omnipotent power, a faith that can not be repulsed or baffled by the obstacles that Satan may oppose.

Paul was a living example of what every true Christian should be. He lived for God's glory. His words come sounding down the line to our time: “For me to live is Christ.” “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” He who was once a persecutor of Christ in the person of his saints now holds up before the world the cross of Christ. Paul's heart burned with a love for souls, and he gave all his energies for the conversion of men. There never lived a more self-denying, earnest, persevering worker. His life was Christ; he worked the works of Christ. All the blessings he received were prized as so many advantages to be used in blessing others.

Christ calls every man and woman to put on the armor of his righteousness and begin to work. I am at your right hand to help you, he declares. Tell all your trials and perplexities to your God. He will never betray your confidence. There is nothing so precious to Christ as his purchased possession, his church, the workers who go forth to scatter the seeds of truth. And none but Christ can measure the solicitude of his servants as they seek to save that which is lost. He imparts his Spirit as the self-sacrificing worker, with earnest, untiring efforts, labors to win souls from sin to righteousness. He is represented as bending earthward, listening to the cry of every needy soul. He is approving or condemning the actions of human beings, and he sends help to every soul who asks in faith. Then do not let your thoughts dwell on self. Think of Jesus. He is in his holy place, not in a state of solitude, but surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand of heavenly angels who wait to do his bidding. And he bids them go and work for

the weakest saint who puts his trust in God. High and low, rich and poor, have the same help provided.

Souls are starving for the bread of life, and unless God's chosen ones are faithful to their trust, these souls will perish. At the judgment bar of God we shall be called to account for every word we might have spoken but did not. Our lips need to be touched with a live coal from off the altar, that when the call comes, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” we may answer, “Here am I, Lord; send me.” Chosen of God, and sealed with the blood of consecration, we are to stand pointing souls to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Then our words will no longer be cheap and meaningless; for Christ will speak through us.

When Christ's ambassadors present the gospel in its simplicity, and the hearers respond to the word presented, nothing is more gratifying to the heart of Infinite Love than for these souls to come to him confessing their sins and giving expression to their faith; he delights to impart to them his righteousness. And angels rejoice when they see hearts opened to receive the communication of light and pardon and love. When thanksgiving arises from human hearts, heavenly beings take up the song of praise. The prophet Zephaniah represents the joy of Christ over the salvation of a lost soul: “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

And will not the soul redeemed render his tribute of love and homage? Yes, verily. With the psalmist he will sing, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward: they can not be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”

“Laborers together with God.” How few understand the full meaning of the words! We can not work by ourselves. God works, and we work. Let us study the words of Inspiration. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” “Ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.” The great Architect wants to form us into a holy temple for himself. Only those who are partakers of the divine nature can understand this. Those who walk even as Christ walked, who are patient, gentle, kind, meek and lowly in heart, those who yoke up with Christ and lift his burdens, who yearn for souls as he yearned for them—these will enter into the joy of their Lord. They will see with Christ the travail of his soul, and be satisfied. Heaven will triumph, for the vacancies made in heaven by the fall of Satan and his angels will be filled by the redeemed of the Lord.