Our Responsibility Toward God.
(From Les Signes des Temps.) "So THEN," says St Paul, "every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Rom. 14:12. In another place he says: "For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." 2 Cor. 10:18. The time is coming in which each of us will be obliged to render an account of his own conduct before God. We will be obliged to render account, not only for the evil we have done, but also for the good we have left undone. Our time, our strength, our health, our property, our talents, all belong to God, and we will be obliged to render account for these precious gifts which he has confided to us. We are not responsible for the sin of Adam nor for the fact that we belong to a fallen race, for these things are not our fault. But the fountain of grace and mercy has been opened by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are responsible if we neglect to repent of our sins. We are responsible if we neglect the gospel of Christ, and if we live in our natural state unconverted. Every sinner is responsible if he neglects the great salvation which has been opened to him. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is so rich and so abundant that the salvation of every sinner is rendered possible. "To-day if ye will hear his voice," says the apostle, "harden not your hearts." Heb. 3:7, 8. We are responsible for every day in which we neglect this gracious invitation; and the Spirit of God may be so long grieved by us that it may finally cut off our days of grace. The blood of Christ has the power to free the sinner of his culpability, but it will not do it without his co-operation. He must repent and obey the gospel. It is possible for him to do this to-day, and he is responsible for each day wherein he neglects to obey. The invitation of the gospel is extended to all classes of mankind. The poor and humble are not forgotten. Those who are ignorant and of weak understanding have as free an invitation as the rich, the noble, and the learned of the earth. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden," says Christ, "and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28. The invitation is addressed to all who feel the need of Christ. The condition is to give the whole heart to God without reserve. The time to accept this invitation is the present moment, and our eternal destiny will be determined by our decision. We are responsible for every hour in which we neglect the grace of God. The day of Judgment will call us to render an account for having refused to accept the gracious offer of pardon by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 2 Tim. 2:19. It is commanded that they walk as Christ walked, and an account will be demanded of them if they neglect to do this. They are the representatives of Christ on the earth, and they should render themselves worthy of Him who has called7them to glory and to righteousness. They have been bought with a great price. They should therefore glorify God with all the power of their being. They must not bury their talents in the earth. God has the first right over them. They must not consult their own convenience or their own interest, but the glory of God. If it were necessary the Christian should renounce his own life sooner than deny Christ. It is incompatible with Christianity that differences should exist among Christians. They should place themselves on a higher and purer plane, out of the reach of the great adversary who seeks always to cause trouble. The Christian will take heed to the counsels of the word of God. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Eph. 4:31, 32. It is impossible that quarrels should exist among those who are animated with this spirit. The Son of God hears only those sinners who humble themselves before him, and they must show suitable signs of repentance, before he will do anything for their salvation. "But God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8. Those who think they are the least at fault are very much disposed to believe that they are not at all responsible for the quarrels which may exist, and that they have nothing to do until those who are the more to blame humble themselves and take the greater burden of the cause of difficulty. But this is not at all the spirit of the Christian religion. Christ died for his enemies. He was put to death by the same race for whom he died. When men have his spirit in their hearts all their quarrels will come quickly to an end. Such persons are capable of regarding themselves the most in fault, and to consider that had they possessed the spirit of Christ, the evil others have committed would probably never have taken place. The spirit of Christ causes men to see that strict, stern justice is a dangerous thing, and gives them to understand that it is not he who is filled with honesty who is approved, but that it is he whom the Saviour fills. It opens their eyes to see how much the cause of God suffers, and is fettered, and in disrepute because of the evil influence of quarrels among the brethren. They look ahead to the day of Judgment and consider the exact account they must render to God, and can say in their hearts, "I will by the grace of God withdraw myself from this iniquity, let others do as they will, for I must be covered in the day of the anger of God, when he says, 'Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.'" Isa. 28:17. J. N. A.