Gods Sabbath

T HE R EAPPEARANCE OF THE P ROBLEM

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ods adopted are correct. The only safe course is to become thor oughly acquainted with God’s ways and to follow them regard less of what the outworking might be. No responsibility rests on believers for any consequences which follow strict obedience to heaven’s commands. But when church members take it upon themselves to plan the work, then all the evil which follows is charged against them. “We should choose the right because it is right, and leave con sequences with God.... Christ’s ambassadors have nothing to do with consequences. They must perform their duty and leave re sults with God.” The Great Controversy , 460.2, 609.1. This means that if we understand the principles of Sabbath rest, we will not set out to achieve particular targets in numbers of missionary contacts, Bible studies given, souls “saved”, or money raised. Instead we will concentrate on learning how to understand and follow God’s program for our life. Once we are confident we are doing our Master’s will, we will recognize that any success which accrues is a confirmation of the procedures followed. Rather than looking to success as proof we are follow ing God’s plans, we will understand that only when such success is the result of right procedures can it be the assurance of God’s presence and blessing. God, in His great love and mercy, had taught these facts to the church leaders in Paul’s day and it was their duty never to forget them. They were zealous and hardworking men, but as they saw the Jews’ hostile reaction to Paul’s message and meth ods, they felt that he and his co-workers were endangering the church. And they feared the consequences. This tempted them to take matters into their own hands and they began to work with all their power to solve these difficulties. By taking au thority, they made themselves the problem solvers in God’s place and forgot that they had nothing to do with the conse quences; that their responsibility ended with knowing and do ing the will of their divine Leader. They formed solutions in their own minds which they insisted must be followed by work ers out in the field.