A word from William

God’s giving

Continuing a monthly series of messages that William Booth sent to corps to be read in Sunday meetings

5 J A N U A R Y 1 9 0 8

ONE of the most frequently quoted texts in the whole Bible is John 3:16: ‘God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (King James Version). No passage is oftener on the lips of Christian people and it is certainly worthy of all the honour it receives.

Notwithstanding all the references made to these wonderful words, the practical lesson which they contain is very often overlooked. Some people talk on this text as if the gift of Jesus was only intended to soothe the wrath of an angry God. Others speak as if the sacrifice to which it refers atoned, once for all, for our sins and that, since he died, we have nothing to do but believe it.

Now such statements cannot be correct. They represent God as an avenging enemy instead of what he is, our heavenly Father, and they make our salvation depend upon mere belief instead of on a life of faith and Christlikeness.

Let me tell you what the Bible really means.

God, looking down on the world, saw how ignorant we were as to sin, righteousness and judgement. He sent his Son Jesus Christ to dispel this ignorance and instruct us in the things concerning our salvation.

Then God, knowing how much easier it would be for us to learn the truth and practise it if we could see someone living it out before our eyes, sent Jesus to be our example as well as our teacher.

God saw that, before we could act out what we were taught, the old sins must be forgiven. So he freely gave his Son to die for our sins, and that gift shows the wonderful love of the great Father.

That seems to me to be the unmistakable meaning of this text. But let me come closer to your hearts. What is the practical bearing of this love on your lives?

You Salvationists say you are followers of God and that his Spirit dwells in you. You say that you love the world, which means that you love the ignorant and unkind and bad people around you. Is this so in reality or is it only talk? God gave proof of his love. What have you given the world in proof of yours? What are you giving today?

For example, how much of your thought does it really receive? Do you ponder over its sins and miseries and dangers and coming doom? I have no doubt you have many important matters to consider; but surely the honour of God and the needs of souls demand a little of your time and thoughts. Suppose you were to set apart a few minutes every night and morning to think about people’s sins and sorrows, the sacrifices God has made on their account and what you ought to do in the matter.

Then let me ask, how much of your sympathy and feeling do you give? Does your heart ever ache? Do your eyes ever weep when you see men and women forgetting the love of the Father and trampling on the blood of his Son? Does your soul ever groan as you watch them giving themselves up to wickedness and running down the broad road that leads to destruction? How much grief does a perishing world get from you?

And how much real labour do you devote to the world’s salvation? I dare say that many of you work very hard at your daily callings. But if you came home one evening, and found your neighbour’s house on fire, you would forget the toils and fatigues of the day and rush to the rescue of those in danger. And, no matter how you toil in other ways, you must be able to lend a hand to pull poor sinners out of the fire.

Then there is another equally practical question. How much money do you give to help to carry on the blessed work of salvation? If it were all added together, what would it amount to? If you were called to Heaven today, and the account of your actual givings to God was read out before the angels, would it make you blush for shame or rejoice with true joy?

Perhaps you are inwardly replying to my questions, ‘I have but poor gifts and very few precious things, and little money to give.’ Well, that may be quite true and yet, if you are making good use of what you have, that is all God asks.

So come along my comrades and let us begin the giving business once again. First, let us give ourselves to God and then our loved ones – and then resolve to spend and to be spent according to our different abilities for the salvation of the world.

God’s way with me

Three delegates from the 248th session at the International College for Officers and Centre for Spiritual Life Development share their testimonies

CAPTAIN ALEJANDRO GALLARDO

Sweden and Latvia Territory MY father is Chilean and my mother is Swedish. They met in Chile and were both serving as officers in The Salvation Army. Together with my three sisters and a foster brother, I grew up in a loving and caring family.

My grandmother moved in with us and became very important for my sisters and me. There were always people in our home. People in need, friends of the family and members of the corps. We always had cats, dogs, birds or mice – our home was crowded and noisy!

Growing up in Sweden, looking different, being different from others and having problems pronouncing the words right, caused bullying in school. However, thanks to the love I always felt from my parents, it did not have a bad effect on my life. As a child my faith in Jesus was very strong and I knew I was loved.

Growing up and becoming a teenager I got new friends, played soccer and tried tobacco and alcohol. Church was no longer relevant to me. It was a period that lasted for a couple of years. Then some of my Christian friends invited me and my other friends to a Christian youth event. We entered the hall where I immediately felt God’s presence and it took hold of my heart. I saw the joy in the other teenagers – a joy I did not have. What had I missed? My non-Christian friends left but I stayed.

I went to another meeting held at a sport arena; my father was there. During the meeting I struggled with mixed feelings. I knew in my head that God was for real, but I also knew what I had been doing. I was not God’s perfect child. I was not worthy of his love. A thought went through my mind that God would never accept me.

Suddenly I saw my father and went to him. He hugged me, I felt his warmth and smelt the scent of his uniform and I suddenly heard another thought in my mind: ‘Alejandro, I love you.’ I started to cry and felt a wave of love go through my body. It released me totally. I was forgiven, free and loved by God. My encounter with God has lasted for more than 35 years.

Today I serve as an officer at Västerås Corps. The name of my session was Messengers of God’s Love, and I have learnt that love overcomes everything. It has been a pure joy to be a messenger of love to people in need and see how love changes everything. I am so thankful to my friends who invited me to that youth event.

MAJOR MARK WAGHORN

United Kingdom and Ireland Territory AT a young age my sister and I were taken by my grandparents to Sunday school at a Baptist church, but I stopped going when I was seven. From then I had no church connection until I was 13 years old.

A new music teacher, a Salvationist from Grays, started at my school. Grays Corps had a rock band, Lightway, and when they were playing locally our music teacher invited children from school to go and see them. There were a few from school who would go each time, my older sister being one of them.

One weekend Lightway were playing in Maldon. My sister was going and, being an annoying younger brother, I invited myself along to see