The gospel is in verity the power of God unto salvation. It is more than good news, more than what we call the gospel story, more than a statement of truth, more, even, than a plan of salvation. Paul defines the gospel as the power of God unto salvation. Rom. 1: 16. We should not separate the gospel from the power of the gospel. It is impossible to save men without God's power; the gospel and the power of God are bound together.
The great commission directs us, as given by Matthew, "Go... make disciples." Luke expresses it thus: "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." It is not sufficient to preach, but we must also make disciples. That calls for power. It is the power of the gospel that calls men to repentance, and brings to them remission of sins. It is not simply a statement of truth, a declaration of belief, not simply the message that we are carrying, but it is the power of God in it all that constitutes the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And how much power is there in the gospel?
After Christ had hung on the cross, after He had been put in Joseph's new tomb, after He had come forth from the grave, the risen Saviour declared in this farewell commission: "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore." Do we need any more assurance than that? All the power in heaven and in earth is given to Christ, who holds it to bestow upon us. Surely, this being true, there is no need of a weak ministry. Consider this statement from "Gospel Workers," page 98:
"There is no need for weakness in the ministry. The message of truth that we bear is all-powerful. But many ministers do not put their minds to the task of studying the deep things of God. If these would have power in their service, obtaining an experience that will enable them to help others, they must overcome their indolent habits of thought. Let ministers put the whole heart in the task of searching the Scriptures and a new power will come to them. A divine element unites with human effort when the soul reaches out after God."
A question of four words is asked on the first page of Volume VIII of the "Testimonies:" "What is our work?" It seems a very simple question to ask, yet it is highly important that we have a clear conception of what our work really is. We have a multitude of activities in our church,—great activity in building up institutions, in organizing, in promoting; but in answer to the question, What is our work? the quotation says, The same as that of John the Baptist, of whom we read in Matthew 3:1-3:
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in. the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight."
That was John's work, and the same work is given us. John's work was not something that the people could not understand, but an appeal that spoke to their hearts. John preached in the wilderness—surely a strange place to proclaim a world message! But John had something that drew the people, and the same kind of work that John did will draw the people today. He called men unto repentence.
God calls for men who will prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord. The message is, "Prepare to meet thy God!" "Repent, and be baptized every one of you." That is the gospel that He calls us to preach, and I understand that just as the power of God accompanied the disciples and John, so will the power of God accompany those in this last day who preach that same message.
In physics we are told of two powers, one called the centrifugal (proceeding from the center), and the other, the centripetal (proceeding toward the center). The gospel has both these powers,—the power that separates, and the power that draws together; the power to draw us to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the power to send us to the ends of the earth.
Let us think about the power that draws us close to Him who said, "I, If I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." The gospel of Jesus Christ draws men and women together; and when this is done, God can give His power. On the day of Pentecost the disciples were all with one accord in one place." This was because, as we learn from the previous chapter, "these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication."
I am impressed with what I read in Volume VIII of the "Testimonies relative to the seventeenth chapter of John. It calls for oneness and unity in the church as a primary need:
"I pray that now as never before both ministers and church members may come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty powers of darkness. Study prayerfully the seventeenth chapter of John. This chapter is not only to be read again and again; its truths are to be eaten and assimilated."—Page 80.
It is high time to seek God and to heed these words:
"For their sakes [Christ prayed] I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me." John 17: 19-21.
Christ desires that we shall be one with Him as He is one with God. How can this oneness be brought about?
"The glory which Thou gayest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me." Verses 22, 23.
The only way that we can be one is to love one another. That is simple, isn't it? But how are we to love one another? Is that the natural attitude that we have toward one another? or is it something that comes down from God? What is it? We all know too well that it is more natural to hate one another than to love one another. Only as the power of the gospel is in our lives can we truly love one another. We cannot manufacture love, and put it into our hearts. We cannot compel our hearts to love one another. It will come through the Lord Jesus Christ as we seek Him in prayer and the study of His word. This will bring love into our hearts; and when we have it, we shall be responsive to the call, "Prepare to meet thy God." The surest evidence we can give to the world that this movement is of God, is that we are a united people, one in heart and soul, with one message to carry to the world.
We cannot afford to allow anything in this work to separate us from one another. "Talk not of differences of opinion, but unite in the love of the truth as it is in Jesus." That is what will make us overcomers. We must not spend so much time examining the opinions and failures of others, but more time in examining our own hearts. We must substitute something for our natural inclination to criticize. We must talk about something that is better, something that is different, so that the Spirit of God can come into our lives. When He abides in us, there will be a change; we shall not go on hurting, wounding, criticizing—doing the same things over and over again.
Think for a moment what a change would come into our lives if, instead of criticizing one another, we should pray for one another! There is something about praying for one another that unites us in Christian service, and increases our effectiveness in giving the gospel. We ought to pray often for one another, not all in public, but much in private, holding one another up before the throne of God and asking for power. I believe that if we would do that, it would draw us together as nothing else could, and we should see added power coming into this movement. We can never argue ourselves into unity and harmony, yet there is something about going into our closet and interceding with God, that softens our hard hearts, and gives us an entirely different view of 'things. As Ire give ourselves to prayer, the outlook changes, and new hope and confidence enter our hearts.
New power must come to us and to the hearts of our people before this work is finished. What will bring about this change? The call is first for a revival in the ministry; we must turn ourselves to God's way, and do His will. After the disciples had received the Holy Spirit, they went forth to proclaim the risen Saviour. Their one desire was the salvation of souls. Wherever they went, they kindled the love of God in the hearts of those with whom they associated. That was their work, and there is no better work in all the world. God gave the early disciples power that moved the world, and He will give us the same power—a power like that of John, that made potentates tremble, as we give the message, "Prepare to meet thy God."
But let us guard against the mistake made by those early believers, who after a time, began to look for defects in one another. "Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour, and of the great love He had revealed for sinners." A feeling that everything must be done according to a certain plan (your plan, my plan) ; being very particular about the theory of faith; and getting upset because somebody else believed just a little different,—that is what took away the joy of Pentecost. (Read the last paragraph of "Testimonies," Vol. VIII, page 241.) Such an attitude will take the joy out of any church. But I believe there is a company of people who are going to pray the prayer that the disciples prayed for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and who will receive that outpouring. It will be an individual work and a personal receiving. Then, and only then, shall we be able to give with power the message to the world, "Prepare to meet thy God."
Washington, D. C.
* Epitome of sermon at the recent Spring Council.
