If men would lay their earthly treasure upon the altar of God, and would work as zealously to secure the heavenly treasure as they did to gain the earthly, they would invest means cheerfully and gladly wherever they could see an opportunity to do good and aid the cause of their Master. Christ has given them unmistakable evidence of His love and fidelity to them, and has entrusted them with means to test and prove their fidelity to Him. He left heaven, His riches and glory, and for their sakes became poor, that they through His poverty might be made rich. After thus condescending to save man, Christ requires no less of him than that he should deny himself and use the means He has lent him in saving his fellow men, and by so doing give evidence of his love for his Redeemer and show that he values the salvation brought to him by such an infinite sacrifice. {3T 208.3}

Dersom mennesker ville lægge jordiske skatte på Guds alter og arbejde lige så ihærdigt for at sikre sig den himmelske skat, som de gjorde for at vinde den jordiske, så ville de med glæde anvende deres midler, hvor som helst der gaves anledning til at gøre godt og støtte Mesterens sag. Kristus har givet dem umiskendelige beviser på sin kærlighed og troskab mod dem og har betroet dem midler for at prøve og forsøge deres troskab mod ham. Han forlod himmelen, sin rigdom og herlighed og blev fattig for deres skyld, for at de for hans fattigdom skulle blive rige. Efter at Kristus således har fornedret sig for at frelse menneskene, kræver han intet mindre af dem end at de skal fornægte sig selv og anvende de midler, han har lånt dem, til deres medmenneskers frelse og derved lægge deres kærlighed til Frelseren for dagen og vise, at de vurderer den frelse, som Kristus ved et så endeligt offer har tilvejebragt for dem.