Jesus longs to manifest His grace and stamp His character on the whole world. Though Satan works to hinder this purpose, it is His purchased possession, and He desires to make men free and pure and holy. He will not be satisfied till the victory is complete and He has a church without spot or wrinkle to present to His Father. As He leads us through the pearly gates of the golden city, the New Jerusalem, Jesus will look upon His redeemed children and see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied.
“How is it with those who profess to be His followers? Will they be satisfied when they see the fruit of their labors? What are the members of the church doing, to be designated ‘laborers together with God’ (I Corinthians 3:9)? Where do we see travail of soul? Where do we see the members of the church absorbed in religious themes, self-surrendered to the work and will of God? Where do we see Christians feeling their responsibility to make the church prosperous, a wide-awake, light-giving people? Where are those who do not stint or measure their loving labor for the Master? Who are striving to quell every dissension in the church, being peace-makers in Christ’s name? Who are seeking to answer the prayer of Christ, ‘That they all may be one …’ (John 17:21)?” The Review and Herald, January 6, 1891.
“When Christ shall come with a great sound of a trumpet, and shall call the dead from their prison house, then the saints will receive holy flesh. Then this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruptible shall put on incorruption. Then Christ will be admired in all them that believe.” General Conference Bulletin, April 23, 1901.
“All their woes will then be gone. Sickness, sorrow and death they will never again feel, for the leaves of the tree of life have healed them. Jesus will then see of the travail of His soul [Isaiah 53:11] and be satisfied, when the redeemed, who have been subject to sorrow, toil and afflictions, who have groaned beneath the curse, are gathered up around that tree of life to eat of its immortal fruit, that our first parents forfeited all right to, by breaking God’s commands. There will be no danger of their ever losing right to the tree of life again, for he that tempted our first parents to sin, will be destroyed by the second death.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 1, 1852.