WORKERS WITH CHRIST

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 20, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 40.

WORKERS WITH CHRIST.

MEN may work side by side without necessarily working together. Sometimes one may be so lazy that he gets in the way of his fellows. Sometimes he may go through the motions of their labor, but have none of their interest in accomplishing good work, and as much as possible. He works together with them in the true sense only when he enters into their spirit, shares their knowledge, and intelligently does his best to help them to work faithfully, by doing his own share of the common task thoroughly. These things need to be remembered when we talk about working together with Christ. Too often the words flow glibly from the tongue, when the speaker does not grasp their meaning properly. To be a true worker with him means at least three things.

It means to work for the same ends for which he works. He desires to have sinners brought to repentance, to have Christians controlled by mutual love and by an equally real and intense love of God, and to have the integrity and prosperity which naturally are fruits of the gospel pervade the world; and he desires all these that the glory and honor of God may be made impressive, and that God's love of mankind may be appreciated. But no man or woman who labors for anything less or other than these objects—for mere wealth, or social success, or culture, or power of any sort, or even for the name of being a benefactor to the world—is a worker together with him. Young people as they look on into the future and plan for their careers need to remember this, and also that no work pays, in the best sense, which is not that of a true worker with him.

It also means to work on the same principles as his, and with the same spirit. . . . He did the good that lay next to hand, without waiting for opportunities to do great and striking things; and so must we. He submitted to be misunderstood and misrepresented, to be neglected and even abused, to be treated with ingratitude—even by those for whom he had done most; and we must ask no higher degree of appreciation than he received. Working together with him involves profound self-sacrifice now as truly as it did in his case.

It also means accomplishing the same results which he accomplished, that is, the same in kind. Circumstances have altered vastly during the last nineteen hundred years; . . . but the fruits of our work may be, and ought to be, the same in their nature. When, as a consequence of the kindly efforts of any person, it becomes evident that others are supplied with what they have needed physically, are encouraged to pursue worthy instead of base aims in life, and, especially, are led to abandon their sins and to accept God's offered mercy with affectionate gratitude, it is safe to say that he is working together with Christ. And these results are due to the every-day efforts of just such men and women as we are, many of whom we know. They may grow out of our own efforts, if we desire.—Congregationalist.