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I Know Thy Works

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 16, 1857

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 10, No. 11.

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I Know Thy Works.

By Adam Clarke

The eyes of the Lord are throughout the earth, beholding the evil and the good; and, being omnipresent, all things are continually open and naked before him. It is worthy of remark that whatsoever is praiseworthy in any of these churches [the seven churches in Asia] is first mentioned; thereby intimating that God is more intent on finding out the good than the evil in any person or church; and that those who wish to reform such as have fallen, or are not making sufficient advances in the divine life, should take occasion from the good which yet remains, to encourage them to set out afresh for the kingdom of heaven. The fallen or backsliding who have any tenderness of conscience left are easily discouraged, and are apt to think that there is no seed left from which any harvest can be reasonably expected. Let such be told that there is a seed of godliness remaining, and that it requires only watching and strengthening the things which remain, by prompt application to God through Christ, in order to bring them back to the full enjoyment of all they have lost, and to renew them in the spirit of their minds.
Ministers continually harping on, Ye are dead, ye are dead, there is little or no christianity among you, &c., &c., are a contagion in a church and spread desolation and death wheresoever they go. It is far better to say in such cases, “Ye have lost ground, but you have not lost all your ground. Ye might have been much farther advanced, but through mercy, ye are still on the way. The Spirit of God is grieved by you, but it is evident he has not forsaken you. Ye have not walked in the light as ye should, but your candlestick is not yet removed, and still the light shines. Ye have not much zeal, but ye have a little. In short, God still strives with you, still loves you, still waits to be gracious to you; take courage, set out afresh, come to God through Christ; believe love, obey, and you will soon find days more blessed than you have ever yet experienced.”
Exhortations and encouragements of this kind are sure to produce the most blessed effects; and under such, the work of God infallibly revives.—A. Clarke.