Things Given to Us

[Editor's note. Elder Robert Wieland would often speak of the 1888 message as something freely given to all of us and that we have to throw it away or resist it. I had wondered where he obtained this idea from the 1888 writers. I found it in this article. A nice confirmation of what Elder Wieland taught.]

Present Truth UK, January 3, 1895

"We have whatever has been given to us, unless we refuse to receive it, or throw it away, or lose it. This being the case, let us note some of the things that have been given us, that we may know how well off we are. 
The Word of God.-Jesus said to the Father, "I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me." John xvii. 8. All that the Father has said to Jesus, His only begotten Son, He has passed on to us, so that we may know that we are sons of God just as surely as we know that He is the Son of God. What a rich gift this is! 
Peace.-Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you." John xiv. 27. The world gives only where an equivalent can be returned; Christ gives to those who have nothing, and does not recall His gifts. If there is any man, therefore, who doesn't have peace, it is because he doesn't care for it, or doesn't believe the Lord's word. If we believe the word that He has given to us, then we have the same peace that Jesus had. 
Faith.-"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. x. 17. With the word of God comes the power to grasp and appreciate it. "For I say through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Rom. xii. 3. The faith that is given is "the faith of Jesus," so that by it we may live the same just life that Jesus lived, for "the just shall live by faith." 
Grace.-"But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." Eph. iv. 7, 8. If we have not received the grace of God in vain, we have salvation, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." Eph. ii. 8. And "the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men." Titus ii. 11. 
Glory.-"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory." Ps. lxxxiv. 11. He has given grace to every man, and the glory is ours also; for Jesus said to the Father: "The glory which thou gavest Me, I have given them." John xvii. 22. 
Christ Himself.-"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John iii. 16. He "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity." Titus ii. 14. But we have more than a share in Him; we each one have the whole of Him, if we but believe that He "loved me, and gave Himself for me." Gal. ii. 20. 
Everything.-The riches of Christ are unsearchable. Eph. iii. 8. In Him are all things. Therefore "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Rom. viii. 32. "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift." Having all things, there is no possible chance for complaining or discouragement. 
Don't Forget.-Let every one therefore continually say to himself: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Ps. ciii. 1-5.