The salvation of the soul requires the blending of divine and human strength. God does not propose to do the work that man can do to meet the standard of righteousness. Man has a part to act. Humanity must unite and co-operate with divinity. Grace and sufficiency have been abundantly provided for every soul. But in order to receive this, man must unite with his divine Helper. Unless of his own accord man consents to renounce his sinful practises, Christ can not take away his sin. Man must heartily co-operate with God, willingly obeying His laws, showing that he appreciates the great gift of grace. Feeling his dependence upon God, having faith in Christ as his personal Saviour, expecting efficiency and success only as he keeps the Lord ever before him,–it is thus that man complies with the injunction, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
But human effort is not sufficient. It avails nothing without divine power. Of himself man has not strength to wrestle with the powers of darkness. Therefore Christ clothed His divinity with humanity, and came to this earth that He might co-operate with man. To those who will receive Him and trust in His power to save, He imparts the virtue of His righteousness. He gives them power to become the sons of God. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, . . . full of grace and truth. . . . And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”
The human agent must remember that he has in himself no merits to present to God. Christ is the fountain of life, the source of immortality. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. The great, grand work of perfecting character can not be accomplished without the help that He is always ready to supply.
– The Signs of the Times, September 25, 1901