p. 242 | LOVE ONE ANOTHER by A. J. BRISTOL

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Apr 16, 1901

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

By A. J. BRISTOL

A. J. BRISTOL

(Battle Creek, Mich.)

“Love as brethren.” “Let brotherly love continue.” How many times are we similarly exhorted in the Scripture! But because the apostle (2 Peter 1:5-7) has placed the grace of love as the topmost round of the ladder, we are wont to leave it out of thought and ideal. We feel that as yet we are on the lower steps, and it will be time to think of this grace when we shall have climbed higher.

But while Peter puts love last, Paul places it first in his enumeration of the fruits of the Spirit. Gal. 5:22. Brethren, our calling is high, and let our ideals include the higher graces. In Rom. 5:5 we read that “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” By this question we are ever tested: “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?”

It certainly is time that we give careful and prayerful thought to the “bond of perfection;” for, except the hearts of God’s people, all things are now ready. While all about us there are marked evidences that the winds are being held, where is the love that impels to earnest activity in warning the world and sealing God’s servants? Alas, in how many cases has the enemy succeeded in fastening our eyes on the failings of our fellow workers, causing us to forget the perfection and power of the Master Workman. But are we to be of those whose love grows cold because iniquity abounds? Let us rather put aside all thought and strife for “our rights,” and cease our “provoking one another [save by our example of love and good works], envying one another.” It goes across the grain of the natural man; but God has said, “My grace is sufficient.”

The Saviour’s wonderful condescension in himself becoming the way of life for us, was some time ago deeply impressed on my mind. Being daily obliged to cross and recross a bridge over a broad river and deep chasm, at last I fell to musing of the bridge. How little observed and appreciated by those who enjoyed the blessing it afforded! Yet, uncomplaining, it lay to be daily trodden underfoot of men. So of Christ: “We esteemed Him not,” although by His prostrate body He spanned the deepest chasm ever known. So great was His love, that He bore all the slight and abuse of men, that we might pass safely the flood of sin and woe. “As He is, so are we in this world.” My brethren, at our present rate of progress when shall we have advanced to that place where we shall rejoice to be footbridges beside our Lord, and, from love to our brethren, gladly let them walk over us into the kingdom of God?”