A Precious Legacy by A. M. Lindsley

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 1, 1873

A Precious Legacy.

By A. M. Lindsley

Besides the gift of God's dear Son, there is yet another precious endowment recorded for our benefit, that we may at times lose sight of. It is found in the epistle of Paul to the Philippians, 1st chap., 29th verse, and reads, “For unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” God's people, in a world of sin and temptation, must needs pass through tribulation and anguish of spirit while on their journey to the promised inheritance. Our great adversary does not fail to act his part in throwing hindrances in the way of the struggling child of God. But if we can meet the buffetings of Satan in the spirit of the gospel, it is well. The great apostle Paul, while suffering at Rome in bonds, and great affliction, was able to sum it all up as gain to Christ. He had an elevated stand-point, and, looking and acting from that, he had faith to believe that Christ would be magnified in him by his afflictions, whether by living or dying. He was willing to help to fill up that which was behind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church, knowing that if he was partaker of the sufferings, he should also be of the glory.

The spirit of the gospel points to a life of self-denial. God saw fit, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of our salvation perfect through suffering. The way may often seem hard and almost impassable to the tempted and tried soul, when as yet his trembling faith has caught but glimpses of the prize which lies before him; he may even find himself saying, “I can never go through,” “It will not pay;” but let him get his heart on fire with love to God, and zeal for his cause, with a little of the faith of the great apostle, and his trials will assume a very different aspect. He can view them as gain to Christ, and not only to him and his cause, but he will realize the strength and excellency of the promise that our light affliction will work for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory. But let him at the same time be careful that his afflictions are not of his own making, else he will receive no reward. Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, is the rule. Let every step, although marked with blood, be made in the onward progress toward our journey's end, for we shall not pass this way again. In the end, who can tell the rich reward? It has not even entered into the heart to conceive how great the things in store for the faithful ones. “Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” 1 Pet. 4 : 19. A. M. LINDSLEY.