Catching the World-Wide Vision*

It was never more important that we be united than today, for in union there is strength, in division weakness. Satan is constantly seeking to create division among the Lord's people. Thus we read in the "Tes­timonies :"

"If there was ever a time when the people of God should press together, it is now. . . . We cannot afford now to give place •to Satan by cherishing dis­union, discord, and strife."—Vol. V, p. 236.

The burden of our Saviour's last prayer was for unity. We need to meditate on this con­tinually, for the world and the popular churches are against us. The time approaches rapidly when there will be increasing difficul­ties in the nations, and they will discriminate against us also. All this calls for God's peo­ple to press together. We read in Romans 12:5: "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of an­other." Rom. 12 :5.

We must realize that there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus. "United we stand; divided we fall." Sister White's constant admonition was to press to­gether. In the world about we see aggressive nationalism. Each nation has erected about itself a wall of nationalism. The great World War gave birth to a number of new nations based on the principle that every nationality should be free and self-governed. This has created new hope in the heart of many na­tions. We see national leaders arousing their peoples to new aspirations, and a strong spirit of nationalism is being fostered in many lands. Even smaller countries are affected and are desiring independence. But, brethren, we are not of the world. The national aspirations that divide the world should have no place among us.

"Brethren who could work together in harmony if they would learn of Christ, forgetting that they are Americans or Europeans, Germans or Frenchmen, Swedes, Danes, or Norwegians, seem to feel that if they should blend with •those of other nationalities, something of that which is peculiar to their own coun­try and nation would be lost, and something else would take its place.

"My brethren, let us put all this aside. We have no right to keep our minds stayed on ourselves, our preferences, and our fancies. We are not to seek to maintain a peculiar identity of our own, a per­sonality, an individuality, which will separate us from our fellow laborers. We have a character to maintain, but it is the character of Christ. Having the character of Christ, we can carry on the work of God together. The Christ in us will meet the Christ in our brethren, and the Holy Spirit will give that union of heart and action which testifies to the world that we are children of God. May the Lord help us to die to self, and be born again, that Christ may live in us, a living, active principle, a power that will keep us holy."—"Testimonies," Vol. IX, p. 187.

Such modern national movements as we see about us, with their class hatred, are foreign to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Saviour looked upon all men as His friends. When we think of the strong nationalistic spirit which obtained in the time of Christ, we can realize how easy it would have been for Him to imbibe this spirit. On the contrary, He was unmoved, for in His heart was a deep love for all mankind.

Among the Jewish nationalists were those who fomented rebellion. In their attempts to be independent, thousands lost their lives. Jesus continually sought to instill in the hearts of the people that His religion ignored na­tional boundaries, that such a thing had no place in His teachings. Bitterness was ex­pressed on the inscription of the temple gate : "Let no foreigner enter within the screen and enclosure around the holy place under penalty of death." This was indicative of the national spirit cherished by the Jews.

The vision of Jesus, however, gives to the world a universal gospel, a message for every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. He showed that the God of the Jews is the Father of all mankind, that the kingdom to be ruled from Jerusalem was to become a world-wide kingdom. Jesus presents Himself not as the Jewish Messiah, but as the Saviour of the world. His counsel to the Samaritan woman and His parable of the good Samaritan are indicative of His attitude. Such teaching is larger than all national boundaries. The gos­pel of salvation was never designed for one race only, but was to take in all men wherever they might be found in all parts of the world. His command to His disciples was that they should teach all nations. They were to be witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The glorious commission to His followers meant preaching the glad tidings everywhere and making dis­ciples of all nations. On the day of Pentecost, seventeen nations were represented. This shows that as the apostles began their work, they had caught something of the world-wide vision of the Saviour. The early Christian martyrs and reformers reflected the same spirit. They crossed sea and land, endured un­told sufferings and hardships even unto death, that they might carry the gospel of the king­dom to every tribe and nation.