TEMPORAL SUBSTANCE A TEST OF FAITH.
By Ellen G. White
God has intrusted men with means, to prove them, to see if they are willing to acknowledge him in his gifts, and use them to advance his glory upon the earth. The earth is the Lord’s, and all the treasures it contains. The cattle upon a thousand hills are his. All the gold and silver belong to him. He has intrusted his treasures to stewards, that with them they may advance his cause and glorify his name. He did not intrust these treasures to men that they might use them to exalt and glorify themselves, and have power to oppress those who were poor in this world’s treasure. God does not receive the offerings of any because he needs them, and cannot have glory and riches without them, but because it is for the interest of his servants to render to God the things which are his. The freewill offerings of the humble, contrite heart he will receive, and will reward the giver with the richest blessings. He receives them as the sacrifice of grateful obedience. He requires and accepts our gold and silver as an evidence that all we have and are belongs to him. He claims and accepts the improvement of our time and of our talents, as the fruits of his love existing in our hearts. To obey is better than sacrifice. Without pure love, the most expensive offering is too poor for God to accept. Many have their hearts so fixed upon their earthly treasure that they do not discern the advantage of laying up for themselves treasures in heaven. They do not realize that their freewill offerings to God are not enriching him, but themselves. Christ counsels us to lay up treasures in heaven. For whom? For God, that he may be enriched?—Oh, no! The treasures of the entire world are his, and the indescribable glory and priceless treasures of heaven are all his own, to give to whom he will. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” Men, whom God has made stewards, are so infatuated by the riches of this world that they do not discern that by their selfishness and covetousness they are not only robbing the Lord in tithes and offerings, but robbing themselves of eternal riches. They could be daily adding to their heavenly treasure by doing the very work that the Lord has left them to do, and which he has intrusted them with means to carry out. The Master would have them watch for opportunities to do good, and, while they live, apply their means themselves to aid in the salvation of their fellow-men, and in the advancement of his cause in its various branches. In so doing they only do that which God requires of them; they render to God the things that are his. Many willingly close their eyes and hearts, lest they should see and feel the wants of the Lord’s cause, and by helping in its advancement should lessen their increase by detracting from the interest or the principal. Some feel that what they give to advance the cause of God is really lost. They consider so many dollars gone, and feel dissatisfied unless they can immediately replace them, so that their earthly treasure may not decrease. They exercise closeness and even sharpness in dealing with their brethren, and also with worldlings. They do not scruple to overreach in deal, in order to advantage themselves and gain a few dollars. Some, fearing they will suffer loss of earthly treasure, neglect prayer and the assembling of themselves together for the worship of God, that they may have more time to devote to their farms or their business. They show by their works which world they place the highest estimate upon. They sacrifice religious privileges, which are essential to their spiritual advancement, for the things of this life, and fail to obtain a knowledge of the divine will. They come short of perfecting Christian character, and do not meet the measurement of God. They make their temporal, worldly interests first, and rob God of the time which they should devote to his service. Such persons God marks, and they will receive a curse rather than a blessing. Some place their means beyond their control by putting it into the hands of their children. Their secret motive is to place themselves in a position where they will not feel responsible to give of their property to spread the truth. These love in word, but not in deed and in truth. They do not realize that it is the Lord’s money they are handling, not their own.—Testimony for the Church.