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28 - Who is My Neighbour? - Christ's Object Lessons · Wisdom of the Ages Library

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Who is my neighbor? Based on Luke Chapter ten, verses twenty five through
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thirty seven. Among the Jews, the question who is my neighbor caused the
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endless dispute. They had no doubt as to the Heathen and the Samaritans.
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These were strangers and enemies. But where should the distinction be made among the
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people of their own nation and among the different classes of society. Whom should
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the priest, the rabbi, the elder regard as their neighbor. They spent
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their lives in a round of ceremonies to make themselves pure. Contact with the
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ignorant and careless multitude they thought would cause defilement that would require wearisome effort to
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remove were they to regard the unclean as neighbors. This question Christ answered in
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the parable of the Good Samaritan. He showed that our neighbor does not mean
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merely one of the church or faith to which we belong. It has no
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reference to race, color, or class distinction. Our neighbor is every person
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who needs our help. Our neighbor is every soul who is wounded and bruised
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by the adversary. Our neighbor is every one who is the property of God.
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The parable of the Good Samaritan was called forth by a question put to
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Christ by a doctor of the law. As the Savior was teaching, a
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certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I
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do to inherit eternal life. The Pharisees had suggested this question to the lawyer
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in the hope that they might entrap Christ in his words, and they listened
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eagerly for his answer. But the Savior entered into no controversy. He required
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the answer from the questioner himself. What is written in the law? He
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asked, how readest thou. The Jews still accused Jesus of lightly regarding the
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law given from Sinai, but he turned the question of salvation upon the keeping
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of God's commandment. The lawyer said, thou shalt love the Lord thy God,
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with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
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thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.
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Thou hast answered right. Christ said this do, and thou shalt live.
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The lawyer was not satisfied with the position and works of the Pharisees. He
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had been studying the scriptures with a desire to learn their real meaning. He
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had a vital interest in the matter, and he asked insincerity, what shall
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I do? In his answer as to the requirements of the law, he
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passed by all the mass of ceremonial and ritualistic precepts, for these he claimed
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no value, but presented the two great principles on which hang all the law
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and the prophets. The Saviour's commendation of his answer placed him on a vantage
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ground with the rabbis. They could not condemn him for sanctioning that which had
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been advanced by an expositor of the law. This do, and thou shalt
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live. Christ said in his teaching, he ever presented the law as a
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divine unity, showing that it is impossible to keep one precept and break another,
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for the same principle runs through all. Man's destiny will be determined by
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his obedience to the whole law. Christ knew that no one could obey the
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law in his own strength. He desired to lead the lawyer to a clearer
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and more critical research, that he might find the truth. Only by accepting
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the virtue and grace of Christ. Can we keep the law? Belief in
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the propitiation for sin enables fallen man to love God with his whole heart and
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his neighbor as himself. The lawyer knew that he had kept neither the first
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four nor the last six commandments. He was convicted under Christ's searching words,
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but instead of confessing his sin, he tried to excuse it, rather than
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acknowledged the truth. He endeavored to show how difficult the fulfillment of the commandment
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is. Thus he hoped both to parry conviction and to vindicate himself in the
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eyes of the people. The Saviour's words had shown them. His question was
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needless, since he was able to answer it himself. Yet he put another
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question, saying, who is my neighbor? Again? Christ refused to be
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drawn into controversy. He answered the question by relating an incident, the memory
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of which was fresh in the minds of his hearers. A certain man,
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he said, went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, which
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stripped him of his raiment and wounded him and departed, leaving him half dead.
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In journeying from Jerusalem to Jericho, the traveler had to pass through a
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portion of the wilderness of Judea. The road led down a wild rocky ravine,
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which was infested with robbers and was often the scene of violence. It
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was here that the traveler was attacked, stripped of all that was valuable,
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and left half dead by the wayside as he lay. Thus, a priest
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came that way. He saw the man lying wounded and bruised, weltering in
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his own blood, but he he left him without rendering any assistance. He
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passed by on the other side. Then a levit appeared, curious to know
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what had happened. He stopped and looked at the sufferer. He was convicted
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of what he ought to do, but it was not an agreeable duty.
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He wished that he had not come that way, so that he would not
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have seen the wounded man. He persuaded himself that the case was no concern
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of his, and he too passed by on the other side. But a
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Samaritan traveling the same road saw the sufferer, and he did the work that
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the others had refused to do. With gentleness and kindness. He ministered to
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the wounded man. When he saw him, he had compassion on him and
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went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine,
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and set him on his own beasts, and brought him to an inn and
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took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he
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took out two pence and gave them to the host, and said to him,
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take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come
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again, I will repay thee. The priest and the Levite both professed piety,
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but the Samaritan showed that he was truly converted. It was no more
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agreeable for him to do the work than for the priest and the Levite.
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But in spirit and works he proved himself to be in harmony with God.
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In giving this lesson, Christ presented the principles of the law in a direct,
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forcible way, showing his hearers that they had neglected to carry out these
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principles. His words were so definite and pointed that the listeners could find no
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opportunity to Cavil, the lawyer, found in the lesson nothing that he could
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criticize. His prejudice in regard to Christ was removed, but he had not
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overcome his national dislike to sufficiently give credit to the Samaritan by name. When
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Christ asked which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbor, unto him that
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fell among the thieves. He answered, he that showed mercy on him.
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Then Jesus said, unto him, go and do thou likewise show the same
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tender kindness to those in need. Thus you will give evidence that you keep
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the whole law. The great difference between the Jews and the Samaritans was a
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difference in religious belief, a question as to what constitutes true worship. The
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Pharisees would say nothing good of the Samaritans, but poured their bitterest curses on
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them. So strong was the antipathy between the Jews and the Samaritans that to
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the Samaritan woman it seemed a strange thing for Christ to ask her for a
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drink? How is it? She said, that thou, being a Jew,
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askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria For adds the
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evangelist, the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. And when the Jews
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were so filled with murderous hatred against Christ that they rose up in the temple
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to stone him, they could find no better words by which to express their
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hatred. Then say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast the
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devil. Yet the priests and the Levite neglected the very work the Lord had
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enjoined on them, leaving a hated and despised Samaritan to minister to one of
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their own countrymen. The Samaritan had fulfilled the command thou shalt love thy neighbor
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as thyself, thus showing that he was more righteous than those by whom he
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was denounced, risking his own life, he had treated the wounded man as
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his brother. The Samaritan represents Christ, our savior. Manifested for us a
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love that the love of man can never equal. When we were bruised in
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dying, he had pity on us. He did not pass by on the
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other side and leave us helpless and hopeless to perish. He did not remain
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in his holy, happy home, where he was beloved by all the heavenly
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host. He beheld our sore need. He undertook our case and identified his
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interests with those of humanity. He died to save his enemies. He prayed
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for his murderers. Pointing to his own example, he says to his followers
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these things, I command you, that ye love one another as I have
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loved you, that ye also love one another the priest and the levite had
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been for worship to the temple, whose service was appointed by God himself.
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To participate in that service was a great and exalted privilege, and the priest
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and levite felt that, having thus been honored, it was beneath them to
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minister to an unknown sufferer by the wayside. Thus they neglected the special opportunity
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which God had offered them as his agents, to bless a fellow human being.
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Many today are making a similar mistake. They separate their duties into two
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distinct classes. The one class is made up of great things, to be
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regulated by the law of God. The other class is made up of so
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called little things, in which the command thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself
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is ignored. This sphere of work is left to caprice, subject to inclination
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or in m Thus the character is marred and the religion of Christ misrepresented.
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There are those who would think it lowering to their dignity to minister to suffering
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humanity. Many look with indifference and contempt upon those who have laid the temple
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of the Soul in ruins. Others neglect the poor from a different motive.
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They are working as they believe in the cause of Christ, seeking to build
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up some worthy enterprise. They feel that they are doing a great work,
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and they cannot stop to notice the wants of the needy and distressed. In
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advancing their supposedly great work, they may even oppress the poor. They may
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place them in hard and trying circumstances, deprive them of their rights, or
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neglect their needs. Yet they feel that all this is justifiable because they are,
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as they think, advancing the cause of Christ. Many will allow a
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brother or a neighbor to struggle unaided under adverse circumstances because they profess to be
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Christians. He may be led to think that, in their cold selfishness,
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they are representing Christ. Because the Lord's professed servants are not in cooperation with
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him, the love of God, which should flow forth from them, is
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in great degree cut off from their fellow men, and a large revenue of
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praise and thanksgiving from human hearts and human lips is prevented from flowing back to
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God. He is robbed of the glory due his holy name. He is
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robbed of the souls for whom Christ died, souls whom he longs to bring
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into his Kingdom to dwell in His presence through endless ages. Divine truth exerts
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little influence upon the world when it should exert much influence through our practice.
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The mere profession of religion abounds, but it has little weight. We may
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claim to be followers of Christ, we may claim to believe every truth in
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the Word of God, but this will do our neighbor no good unless our
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belief is carried into our daily life. Our profession may be as high eye
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as heaven, but it will save neither ourselves nor our fellow men. Unless
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we are Christians. A right example will do more to benefit the world than
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all our profession. By no selfish practices can the cause of Christ be served.
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His cause is the cause of the oppressed and the poor. In the
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hearts of his professed followers, there is need of the tender sympathy of Christ,
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a deeper love for those whom He has so valued as to give his
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own life for those salvation. These souls are precious, infinitely more precious than
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any other offering we can bring to God to bend every energy towards some apparently
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great work. While we neglect the needy or turn the stranger from his right
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is not a service that will meet his approval. The sanctification of the soul
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by the working of the Holy Spirit is the implanting of Christ's nature in humanity.
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Gospel religion is Christ in the life, a living, active principle.
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It is the grace of Christ, Christ revealed in character and wrought out in
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good works. The principles of the Gospel cannot be disconnected from any department of
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practical life. Every line of Christian experience and labor is to be a representation
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of the life of Christ. Love is the basis for Godliness, whatever the
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profession. No man has pure love to God unless he has unselfish love for
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his brother. But we can never come into possession of the Spirit by trying
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to love others. What is needed is the love of Christ and the heart.
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When self is merged in Christ, love springs forth spontaneously. The completeness
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of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly
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from within, When the sunshine of Heaven fills the heart and is revealed in
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the countenance. It is not possible for the heart in which Christ abides to
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be destitute of love. If we love God. Because He first loved us.
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We shall love all for whom Christ died. Not come in touch with
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divinity without coming in touch with humanity. For in him who sits upon the
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throne of the universe, divinity and humanity are combined. Connected with Christ,
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we are connected with our fellow men by the golden links of the chain of
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love. Then the pity and compassion of Christ will be manifest in our life.
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We shall not wait to have the needy and unfortunate brought to us.
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We shall not need to be entreated to feel for the woes of others.
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It will be as natural for us to minister to the needy and suffering as
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it was for Christ to go about doing good. Wherever there is an impulse
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of love and sympathy, wherever the heart reaches out to bless and uplift others,
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there is reveal the working of God's Holy Spirit. In the depths of
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Heathenism, men who have had no knowledge of the written law of God,
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who have never heard the name of Christ, have been kind to His servants,
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protecting them at the risk of them their own lives. Their acts show
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the working of a divine power. The Holy Spirit is implanted the grace of
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Christ in the heart of the savage, quickening his sympathies contrary to his nature,
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contrary to his education. The light which lighteth every man that cometh into
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the world is shining in his soul, and this light, if heated,
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will guide his feet to the Kingdom of God. The glory of Heaven is
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lifting up the fallen, comforting the distress. And wherever Christ abides in human
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hearts, he will be revealed in the same way. Wherever it acts,
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the religion of Christ will bless where it works. There is brightness. No
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distinction on account of nationality, race, or caste is recognized by God.
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He is the maker of all mankind. All men are of one family by
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creation, and all are one through redemption. Christ came to demolish every wall
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of partition, to throw open every compartment of the Temple, that every soul
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may have free access to God. His love is so broad and deep,
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so full, that it penetrates everywhere. It lifts out of Satan's circle,
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the poor souls who have been deluded by His deceptions. It places them within
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reach of the throne of God, the throne encircled by the rainbow of promise.
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In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond or free.
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All are brought nigh by His precious blood. Whatever the difference in religious belief,
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a call from suffering humanity must be heard and answered. Where bitterness of
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feeling exists because of difference in religion, much good may be done by personal
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service. Loving ministry will break down prejudice and win souls to God. We
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should anticipate the sorrows and difficulties, the troubles of others. We should enter
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into the joys and cares of both high and low. Rich and poor freely
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have received. Christ says, freely give. All around us are poor,
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tried souls that need sympathizing words and helpful deeds. There are widows who need
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sympathy and assistance. There are orphans whom Christ has bidden his followers receive as
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a trust from God. Too often these are passed by with neglect. They
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may be ragged, uncouth, and seemingly in every way unattractive. Yet they
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are God's property. They have been bought with a price, and they are
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as precious in His sight as we are. They are members of God's great
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household, and Christians as his stewards are responsible for them their souls, He
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says, will I require at thy hand. Sin is the greatest of all
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evils, and it is ours to pity and help the sinner. But not
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all can be reached in the same way. There are many who hide their
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soul hunger. These would be greatly helped by a tender word or a kind
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remembrance. There are others who are in their greatest need, yet they know
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it not, They do not realize the terrible destitution of the soul. Multitudes
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are so sunken in sin that they have lost the sense of eternal realities,
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lost the similitude of God, and they hardly know whether they have souls to
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be saved or not. They have neither faith in God nor confidence in man.
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Many of these can be reached only through acts of disinterested kindness. Their
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physical wants must first be cared for. They must be fed, cleansed,
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and decently clothed. As they see the evidence of your unselfish love, it
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will be easier for them to believe in the love of Christ. There are
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many who err, and who feel their shame and their folly. They look
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upon their mistakes and errors, and they are driven almost to desperation. These
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souls we are not to neglect. When one has to swim against the stream,
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there is all the force of the current driving him back. Let a
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helping hand then be held out to him, as was the elder brother's hand
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to the sinking Peter. Speak to him hopeful words, words that will establish
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confidence and awaken love. Thy brother, sick in spirit, needs thee as
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thou thyself has needed a brother's love. He needs the experience of one who
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has been as weak as he, one who can sympathize with him and help
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him. The knowledge of our own weakness should help us to help another in
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his bitter need. Never should we pass by one suffering soul without seeking to
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impart to him the comfort wherewith we are comforted of God. It is fellowship
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with Christ, personal contact with a living Savior, that enables the mind and
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heart and soul to triumph over the lower nature. Tell the wanderer of the
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almighty hand that will hold him up of an infinite humanity in Christ that pities
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him. It is not enough for him to believe in law and force things
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that have no pity, and never hear the cry for help. He needs
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to clasp a hand it is warm to trust in a heart full of tenderness.
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Keep his mind stayed upon the thought of a divine presence ever beside him,
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ever looking upon him with pitying love. Bid him think of the father's
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heart that ever grieves over sin, of a father's hand stretched out, still,
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of a father's voice saying, let him take hold of my strength,
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that he may make peace with me, and he shall make peace. As
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you engage in this work, you have companions unseen by human eyes. Angels
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of heaven were beside the Samaritan who cared for the wounded stranger. Angels from
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the heavenly courts stand by all who do God's service in ministering to their fellow
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men. And you have the co operation of Christ himself. He is the
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restorer, and as you work under his supervision, you will see great results.
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Upon your faithfulness in this work, not only the well being of others,
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but your own eternal destiny depends. Christ is seeking to uplift all who
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have been lifted to companionship with himself, that we may be one with Him
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as He is one with the Father. He permits us to come in contact
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with suffering and calamity in order to call us out of our selfishness. He
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seeks to develop in us the attributes of his character, compassion, tenderness,
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and love. By accepting this work of ministry, we place ourselves in his
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school to be fitted for the courts of God. By rejecting it, we
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reject his instruction and choose eternal separation from his presence. If thou wilt keep
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my charge, the Lord declares, I will give thee places to walk among
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these that stand by, even among the angels that surround his throne. By
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cooperating with heavenly beings in their work on earth, we are preparing for their
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companionship in heaven, ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be
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heirs of salvation. Angels in heaven will welcome those who on earth have lived
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no, not to be ministered unto, but to minister. In this blessed
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companionship. We shall learn to our eternal joy all that is wrapped up in
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the question who is my neighbor? End of Chapter twenty eight.