A Preparation for the Coming of the Lord
The Review and Herald
November 24, 1904
A Preparation for the Coming of the Lord
Mrs. E. G. White
Reading for Sabbath, December 10)
Sin is a hateful thing. It marred the moral
beauty of a large number of the angels. It entered our world, and well-nigh
obliterated the moral image of God in man. But in his great love God provided a
way whereby man might regain the position from which he fell in yielding to the
tempter. Christ came to stand at the head of humanity, to work out in our
behalf a perfect character. Those who receive him are born again. "As many as received him,
to them gave he power to become the sons of
God."
Christ saw humanity, through the working of
the mighty growth of sin, demoniacally possessed by the prince of the power of
the air, and putting forth gigantic strength in exploits of evil. But he saw
also that a mightier power was to meet and conquer Satan. "Now is the
judgment of this world," he said; "Now shall the prince of this world
be cast out." He saw that if human beings believed in him, they would be given
power against the host of fallen angels, whose name is legion. Christ
strengthened his own soul by the thought that by the wonderful sacrifice which
he was about to make, the prince of this world was to be cast out, and men and
women placed where, through the grace of God, they would regain what they had
lost.
What does the Lord require of his blood-bought
heritage?—The sanctification of the whole being,—purity like the purity of
Christ, perfect conformity to the will of God. My brethren and sisters, God requires this of
us.
Into the holy city there can enter nothing that defileth, or maketh a lie. God's word to
us is, "I am the Almighty God; walk before me,
and be thou perfect." "Ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have
severed you from other people, that ye should be mine." "Ye are
bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God's." "In him dwelleth all the fulness
of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all
principality and power." He "gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous
of good works."
We can, *we can*, reveal the likeness of our
divine Lord. We can know the science of spiritual life. We can honor our Maker.
But
do we do it? O, what an illustrious example we have in the life that Christ
lived on this earth! He has shown us what we can accomplish through
co-operation with divinity. We are to seek for the union of which he speaks when he says, "Abide in
me, and I in you." This union is deeper, stronger, truer, than any other union, and
is productive of all good. Those who are thus united to the Saviour are
controlled by his will, and are moved by his love to suffer with those who
suffer, to rejoice with those who rejoice, to feel a deep sympathy for every one in weakness, sorrow, or distress.
Higher than the highest human thought can
reach is God's ideal for his children. He wants our minds to be clear, our
tempers sweet, our love abounding. Then the peace that passeth
knowledge will flow from us to bless all with whom we come in contact. The
atmosphere surrounding our souls will be refreshing.
But how few there are who are making
determined efforts to reach this ideal. Satan is trying to keep the people of God
dwarfed, feeble, un-Christlike.
And too often he is successful. In our churches there are many who have not the
spirit of the Master, many who act as if they were in the world merely to please themselves. They forget that the enemy is assailing all who profess to be
children of God, trying to overcome them, so that they will disappoint and
dishonor the Saviour. They forget that the purity and unselfishness that
characterized the life of Christ must characterize their lives, else in the day
of God they will be found wanting, and will hear from his lips the irrevocable
sentence, "Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there
shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth."
I have been especially instructed in regard to
the danger of drawing apart, and of evil speaking and contention. We need to
bow before God in repentance because of our lack of love for one another, and
for him who died for us. The gold of love and faith is not abundant among us.
Many are holding on to the truth with but the tips of their fingers. The
precious time that should be spent in speaking of the Saviour's power to save,
is being spent by many in carrying evil reports. Unless they make a decided
change, they will be found wanting. Unless they have an entire transformation of
character, they will never enter heaven. A deep, thorough work needs to be done in the
hearts of those who profess to be children of God. Until they reveal the faith
that works by love and purifies the soul, very little genuine work for God will
be done in the world.
Note: New movement Adventism has drawn apart
from God by removing Him. Selected
Messages, Bk. 1, 204-205. God cannot coexist with apostasy. End
note.
Let our people take up their appointed
work,—the work of soul-saving. Let them not think that upon them has been
laid the burden of watching and criticizing the work of others. Those who put
their whole souls into the work that God gives them will have no time to
criticize the efforts of their fellow workers, no time to weaken the hands of
those who are straining every nerve and muscle to advance the work.
Note: Some confuse watching and criticizing
the work of others with sighing and crying for all the abominations which is
conditional to receiving the mark by the Man in Linen, Ezekiel 9. The watch and
criticize those who sigh and cry for all the abominations we are to warn one
another of--
Ezekiel chapters 2 and 3. These two chapters give instruction as to our duty to
warn our brothers and sisters of their errors so sighing and crying is not just
something we do only in the closet to ourselves.
Two
Types of Sighing and Crying
“In the
time of the end the people of God will sigh and cry for the abominations done
in the land. With tears they will warn the
wicked of their danger in trampling on the divine law, and they will humble
themselves before the Lord in penitence. The
wicked will ridicule their solemn appeals. But the anguish of God’s people is
evidence that they are regaining the nobility of character lost in consequence
of sin. It is because they are drawing nearer to Christ, because their eyes are
fixed on His perfect purity, that they discern clearly the sinfulness of sin. A
crown of glory awaits those who bow at the foot of the cross.” {SS 304.4}
End note by Ron
Let not any man or woman feel that he or she
has been appointed to carry evil reports from church to church, and from conference to
conference. I have been grieved beyond measure to see how easy it is for
persons to spend precious time in this cruel work. The proclamation of the
first, second, and third angels' messages is now to be our burden. Those who
spend their time in thinking and speaking evil are bringing to the foundation,
material represented by hay, wood, and stubble, which will be consumed by the
fires of the last days. They will one day see that their time has been spent in
weakening churches, institutions, and conferences.
Note: Again, some confuse carrying evil
reports with sighing and crying for all the abominations which we are
instructed to do. There is a huge difference. The leaders will never again show
God’s people their sins:
10His
watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot
bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
11Yea,
they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that
cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from
his quarter.
12Come
ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink;
and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more
abundant. Isaiah 56:10-12.
Begin at My Sanctuary -- "Here we see that the
church--the Lord's sanctuary--was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of
God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood
as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their
trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the
marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed.
These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit
His people in judgment. Thus 'Peace and safety" is the cry from men who will never again
lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions
and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just
vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish
together." E. G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 5, 211.
Ellen White says that Isaiah 58:1 is our work as
well:
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a
trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their
sins.” Isaiah 58:1.
Our very sealing is conditional upon sighing and
crying for all the abominations, so merely presenting Ellen White articles on
other principles of truth is not enough. In other words, merely citing all the
positive things is not enough to be sealed. There is a very unpopular work to
do as well.
“Who are standing in the counsel of God at this
time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of
God, and murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would reprove
sin? It is those who take their stand against them, and sympathize with those
who commit wrong?--No, indeed! These, unless they repent, and leave the work of
Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work, and in holding up
the hands of sinners in Zion, will never receive the mark of God's sealing
approval. They will fall in the general destruction of all the wicked,
represented by the five men bearing slaughter weapons. Mark this point with care;
those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the
Holy Ghost, represented by the man in linen, are those "that sigh and cry
for all the abominations that are done" in the church. Their love for
purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they
are represented as being in an agony, even sighing and crying.” {RH, June 8, 1886 par. 2}
In every generation God has sent His servants
to rebuke sin, both in the world and in the church. But the people desire
smooth things spoken to them, and the pure, unvarnished truth is not
acceptable. Many reformers, in entering upon their work, determined to exercise
great prudence in attacking the sins of the church and the nation. They hoped,
by the example of a pure Christian life, to lead the people back to the
doctrines of the Bible. But the Spirit of God came upon them as it came upon
Elijah, moving him to rebuke the sins of a wicked king and an apostate people;
they could not refrain from preaching the plain utterances of the Bible--
doctrines which they had been reluctant to present. They were impelled to
zealously declare the truth and the danger which threatened souls. The words
which the Lord gave them they uttered, fearless of consequences, and the people
were compelled to hear the warning.
Thus the message of the third angel will be
proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord
will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate
themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary
institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy
zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be
laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by
civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress
of the papal power--all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people
will be stirred. Thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard
words like these. In amazement they
607
hear the testimony
that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, because of
her rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven. As the people go to their
former teachers with the eager inquiry, Are these things
so? the ministers present fables, prophesy smooth
things , to soothe their fears and quiet the awakened conscience. But since
many refuse to be satisfied with the mere authority of men and demand a plain
"Thus saith the Lord," the popular ministry, like the Pharisees of
old, filled with anger as their authority is questioned, will denounce the
message as of Satan and stir up the sin-loving multitudes to revile and
persecute those who proclaim it. The
Great Controversy, p. 606-7.
“Reproofs always hurt
human nature. Many are the souls that have been destroyed by the unwise
sympathy of their brethren; for, because the brethren sympathized with them,
they thought they must indeed have been abused, and that the reprover was all
wrong and had a bad spirit. The only hope for sinners in Zion is to fully see
and confess their wrongs, and put them away. Those who step in to destroy the
edge of sharp reproof that God sends, saying that the reprover was partly wrong
and the reproved was not just right, please the enemy. Any way that Satan can
devise to make the reproofs of none effect will accomplish his design. Some
will lay blame upon the one whom God has sent with a message of warning,
saying, He is too severe; and in so doing they become responsible for the soul
of the sinner whom God desired to save, and to whom, because He loved him, He
sent correction, that he might humble his soul before God and put his sins from
him. These false sympathizers will have an account to settle with the Master
by-and-by for their work of death. {3T 329.1}
Anyone
familiar with my message being called too severe?
“The spirit of
hatred which has existed with some because the wrongs among God's people have
been reproved has brought blindness and a fearful deception upon their own
souls, making it impossible for them to discriminate between right and wrong They have put out their own spiritual eyesight. They may
witness wrongs, but they do not feel as did Joshua and humble themselves
because the danger of souls is felt by them.” {3T 266.}
“Some will not
receive the testimony that God has given us to bear, flattering themselves that
we may be deceived and that they may be right. They think that the people of
God are not in need of plain dealing and of reproof, but that God is with them.
These tempted ones, whose souls have ever been at war with the faithful
reproving of sin, would cry: Speak unto us smooth things. What disposition will
these make of the message of the True Witness to the Laodiceans? There can be
no deception here. This message must be borne to a lukewarm church by God's
servants. It must arouse His people from their security and dangerous deception
in regard to their real standing before God. This testimony, if received, will
arouse to action and lead to self-abasement and confession of sins. The True
Witness says: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. And again, As many
as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Then comes
the promise: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will
sup with him, and he with Me. To him that overcometh
will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I
also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” {3T 259.1}
End note.
God hates all such work. He will call to account all who engage in it. Let those who fear God and
believe his word put a guard on their lips. Let them be determined not to speak
words that will injure the cause of God, or give a
wrong representation of the work being done in any of his institutions. Let them be
careful not to speak words that will be a temptation to some
one else to withhold the confidence and the words of courage that ought
to be given to those who are severely tried, and who, perhaps, work early and
late to fulfil the many calls of duty, until it seems as if mind and body would
give way under the strain.
Words of suspicion and distrust, like the
thistle-down carried by the wind, are scattered far and wide, and can never be recalled.
Un-Christlike speech lies at the foundation of nine
tenths of all the difficulties that exist in the church. Satan's agents are
industriously trying to get professed Christians to speak unadvisedly. When
they succeed, Satan exults, because God's followers have hurt their influence.
We have no time, in these solemn moments, to contend with one another. Those
who give way to evil-thinking and
evil-speaking do not realize how much time they cause others to lose. God's
servants have been called upon to settle difficulties between brother and
brother, and time has been spent in this way that belonged to souls ready to
perish,—time that ought to have been devoted to the fulfilling of the gospel
commission.
My brother, my sister, be afraid to find fault,
afraid to talk against your fellow workers. You have enlisted to fight against
Satan's forces, and you have no time to fight against your fellow soldiers. The
truly converted man has no inclination to think or talk of the faults of
others. His lips are sanctified, and as God's witness he testifies that the
grace of Christ has transformed his heart. He realizes that he can not afford to talk discouragement or unbelief. He can not afford to be harsh or faultfinding. He has not
received orders to punish the erring and sinful by heaping abuse upon them.
Speak words of kindness, words of uplifting;
for this is the fruit borne upon the Christian tree. Overcome all harshness.
Eternity alone will reveal the harm that harsh words do to those who utter
them, and to those who hear. Hold firmly to the One who has all power in heaven
and earth, and although you often fail to reveal patience and calmness under
provocation, by no means give up the struggle. Resolve again, this time more
firmly, that you will be an example of Christian patience. Remember that those
only will enter heaven who have overcome the
temptation to think and speak evil.
"The work of righteousness shall be
peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever."
Christ will be to his people all that these words express if they will heed the
invitation to come to him. He will be to them life and power, strength and
efficiency, wisdom and holiness. God calls upon us to live the Christ-life, to
reveal this life to the world. When we do this, prejudice will vanish, and
difficulties will adjust themselves. We shall gather about the great
Missionary, our hearts filled with
gratitude and love.
My brethren and sisters, instead of spending
your time looking for and talking of the shortcomings of others, give
yourselves to the work that Christ did when in this world. How untiringly he
labored! In the temple and the synagogues, in the streets of the cities, in the
market-place and the workshop, by the seaside and among the hills, he preached
the gospel and healed the sick. His life was one of unselfish service, and it
is to be our lesson book. The work that he began we are to carry forward.
Brethren and sisters, how much work have you done for God during the past year? Do you
think that it is those men only who have been ordained as gospel ministers that
are to work for the uplifting of humanity?—No, no! Every one
who names the name of Christ is expected by God to engage in this work. The
hands of ordination may not have been laid upon you, but you are none the less
God's messengers. If you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, if you know his
saving power, you can no more keep from telling this to some
one else than you can keep the wind from blowing. You will have a word
in season for him that is weary. You will guide the feet of the straying back
to the fold. Your efforts to help others will be untiring, because God's Spirit
is working in you.
Have you told those with whom you have come in
contact what banner you are serving under? Have they been able to see, by the Christlikeness of your may be deeply impressed with the
importance of living holy lives, that the world may take knowledge of us that
we have been with Jesus, and have learned of him. Christian worth does not
depend upon brilliant talents, lofty birth, wonderful powers, but on a clean
heart,—a heart which, purified and refined, reflects the image of divinity. It
is the presence of him who gave his life for us that makes the soul beautiful.
It is not eloquent speakers that are needed so much as humble, earnest
workers,—men and women who have a childlike trust in God. It is the men of
prayer that are men of power. They will be enabled to lead sinners to the
marriage supper of the Lamb.
My brethren and sisters,
do not allow trifling things to absorb your time and attention. Keep your mind
on the glorious themes of the Word of God. A study of these themes will give
you a strength that will carry you through the trials and difficulties of the
last days, and bring you to where you will walk with Christ in white, because
you are worthy. In the Word of God, studied and obeyed, we possess a spiritual
guide and instructor by which the worst forms of evil in ourselves may be
brought under the discipline of his law. If the teachings of this Word were
made the controlling influence in our lives, if mind and heart were brought
under its restraining power, the evils that now exist in churches and in
families would find no place. Upon converted households the purest blessings
would descend, and from these households an influence would go forth that would
make God's people a power on the side of truth.
But there are many in our churches who know
little of the meaning of the truth for this time. They have not searched for
the truth with humble, contrite hearts. I appeal to the members of our churches
not to disregard the fulfilling of the signs of the times, which say so plainly
that the end is near. O, how many who have not cared for the salvation of their
souls will soon make the bitter lamentation, "The harvest is past, the
summer is ended, and we are not saved!"
O, that we would
remember that it is court week with us, and that our cases are pending! Now is
the time to watch and pray, to put away all self-indulgence, all pride, all selfishness. The precious moments that are now by many
worse than wasted should be spent in meditation and prayer. Many of those who
profess to be keeping the commandments of God are following inclination instead
of duty. As they are now, they are unworthy of eternal life. To these careless,
indifferent ones, I would say, Your vain thoughts,
your unkind words, your selfish acts, are recorded in the book of heaven. The
angels that were present at Belshazzar's idolatrous revelry stand beside you as
you dishonor your Redeemer. Sadly they turn away, grieved that you should thus
crucify him afresh, and put him to open shame.
"Who among us shall dwell with the
devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with
everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously,
and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of
oppressions, that shaketh his hand from holding of
bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood,
and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; he shall
dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks.... Thine
eyes shall see the King in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very
far off."
On Christ's coronation day he will not
acknowledge as his any who bear spot or wrinkle or any such thing. But to his
faithful ones he will give crowns of immortal glory. Those who would not that
he should reign over them will see him surrounded by the army of the redeemed,
each of whom bears the sign, The Lord Our Righteousness. They will see the head
once crowned with thorns crowned with a diadem of glory.
In that day the redeemed will shine forth in
the glory of the Father and his Son. The angels of heaven, touching their
golden harps, will welcome the King, and those who are the trophies of his
victory,—those who have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. A
song of triumph will peal forth, filling all heaven. Christ has conquered. He
enters the heavenly courts accompanied by his redeemed ones, the witnesses that
his mission of suffering and self-sacrifice has not been in vain.
November 24, 1904.
Reading for Friday, December 16, 1904
The Day of the Lord Is Near, and Hasteth Greatly
Mrs. E
An
Impressive Scene
Not long ago a very impressive scene passed
before me. I saw an immense ball of fire falling among some beautiful mansions,
causing their instant destruction. I heard some one
say, "We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we
did not know that they would come so soon." Others said, "You knew?
Why then did you not tell us. We did not know."
On every side I heard such words spoken.
In great distress I awoke. I went to sleep
again, and seemed to be in a large gathering. One of authority was addressing
the company, before whom was spread out a map of the
world. He said that this map pictured God's vineyard, which must be cultivated.
As light from heaven shone upon any one, that one was to
reflect the light to others. Lights were to be kindled in many places,
and from these lights still other lights were to be kindled. The words were
repeated,
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is henceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and
trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on
an hill can not be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a
candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven.
I saw jets of light shining from cities and
villages, and from the high places and the low places of the earth. God's Word
was obeyed, and, as a result, there were memorials for him in every city and
village. His truth was proclaimed throughout the world.
Then this map was removed, and another put in
its place. On it, light was shining forth from a few places only. The rest of
the world was in darkness, with only a glimmer of light here and there. Our
Instructor said, "This darkness is the result of men's following their own
course. They have cherished hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil. They
have made questioning and faultfinding and accusing the chief business of their
lives. Their hearts are not right with God. They have hidden their light under
a bushel."
If every soldier of Christ had done his duty,
if every watchman on the walls of Zion had given the trumpet a certain sound,
the world might, ere this, have heard the message of warning. But the work is
years behind. While men have slept, Satan has stolen a march upon us. No Time
to Lose
Soon grievous troubles will arise among the
nations.—trouble that will not cease until Jesus comes. As never before, we
need to press together, serving him who has prepared his throne in the heavens,
and whose kingdom ruleth over all. God has not
forsaken his people, and our strength lies in not forsaking him.
The judgments of God are in the land. The wars
and rumors of wars, the destruction by fire and flood, say clearly that the
time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand. We
have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The
prophecies of the eleventh of Daniel have almost reached their final
fulfilment.
From all the countries of the world the
Macedonian cry is sounding, "Come over and help us." God has opened
fields before us, and if human agencies would but co-operate with divine
agencies, many souls would be won to the truth. But the Lord's professed people
have been sleeping over their allotted work, and in many places it remains
comparatively untouched. God has sent message after message to arouse our
people to do something, and to do it now. But to the call, "Whom shall I
send?" there have been few to respond, "Here am I; send me."
When the reproach of indolence and
slothfulness shall have been wiped away from the church, the Spirit of the Lord
will be graciously manifested. Divine power will be revealed. The church will
see the providential working of the Lord of hosts. The light of truth will
shine forth in clear, strong rays, and, as in the time of the apostles, many
souls will turn from error to truth. The earth will be lightened with the glory
of the Lord.
Heavenly angels have long been waiting for
human agents—the members of the church—to co-operate with them in the great
work to be done. They are
waiting for you. So vast is the field, so comprehensive the
design, that every sanctified heart will be pressed into service as an
instrument of divine power.
At the same time there will be a power working
from beneath. While God's agents of mercy work through consecrated human
beings, Satan sets his agencies in operation, laying under tribute all who will
submit to his control. There will be lords many and gods many. The cry will be
heard, "Lo, here is Christ," and, "Lo, there is Christ."
The deep plotting of Satan will reveal itself everywhere, for the purpose of
diverting the attention of men and women from present duty. There will be signs
and wonders. But the eye of faith will discern in all these manifestations,
harbingers of the grand and awful future, and of the triumphs that will surely
come to the people of God.
Work, O work! keeping
eternity in view. Bear in mind that every power must be sanctified. A great work
is to be done. Let the prayer go forth from unfeigned lips, "God be
merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy
way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations."
Those who realize, even in a limited degree,
what redemption means to them and to their fellow men will walk by faith, and
will comprehend in some measure the vast needs of humanity. Their hearts are
moved to compassion as they see the widespread destitution in our world,—the
destitution of the multitudes who are suffering for food and clothing, and the
moral destitution of thousands who are under the shadow of a terrible doom, in
comparison to which physical suffering fades into nothingness.
Make
Christ the Refuge
Let church-members bear in mind that the fact
that their names are registered on the church books will not save them. They
must show themselves approved of God, workmen that need not to be ashamed. Day
by day they are to build their characters in accordance with Christ's directions.
They are to abide in him, constantly exercising faith in him. Thus they will
grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ,—wholesome, cheerful,
grateful Christians, led by God, step by step, into clearer and still clearer light.
Those who do not gain this experience will be
among the ones whose voices will one day be raised in the bitter lamentation,
"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved. Why
did I not flee to the stronghold for refuge? Why have I trifled with my soul's
salvation, and done despite to the Spirit of grace?"
Among those to whom fearful disappointment
will come at the day of final reckoning will be those who have been outwardly
religious, who have apparently lived Christian lives, but who have woven self
into all that they do. They have prided themselves on their morality, their
influence, their ability to stand in a higher position than others, their
knowledge of the truth. They think that these will win for them the
commendation of Christ. "Lord," they say, "we have eaten and
drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets." "Have we
not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast
out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works?"
But the Saviour says, "I never knew you:
depart from me." "Not every one that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven."
There is no discussion; the time for that is
past. The irrevocable sentence has been pronounced. They are shut out from
heaven by their own unfitness for its companionship.
Those who have bowed to the idols of the world
will gain no comfort from them in that great day when every
one will be rewarded or punished according to his works. But Omnipotence
will deal justly. Those who have made Christ their refuge will find that he
lives, and that he is conqueror. He will be their defense.
Encouraging
Words—the End Near
"The great day of the Lord is near; it is
near, and hasteth greatly." Every hour, every
minute, is precious. We have no time to spend in faultfinding and contention.
All round us there are souls perishing in sin. Every day there is something to
do for the Master. Every day we are to point souls to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Be always ready; "in such an hour as ye
think not the Son of man cometh." Go to your rest at night with every sin
confessed. Thus we did in 1844, when we expected to meet our Lord. And now this
great event is nearer than when we first believed. Be always ready, in the
evening, in the morning, and at noon, that when the cry is heard, "Behold,
the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him!" you may, even though
awakened out of sleep, go forth to meet him with your lamps trimmed and burning.
"Cast not away therefore your confidence,
which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that,
after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a
little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry." Look
up, look up, and let your faith continually increase. Let this faith guide you
along the narrow path that leads through the gates of the city of God into the
great beyond, the wide, unbounded future that awaits the overcomer.
Heed the encouragement in the words, "Be patient, therefore, brethren,
unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth
for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he
receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish
your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."
Let us be found "rejoicing in hope,
patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer." The Lord has made
every provision that we shall have strong hope. If we are true to our covenant
with God, the blessing is certain,—as certain as God's promise can make it. And
so great is the blessing that it will be a full and sufficient reward for all
the self-denial and self-sacrifice that for Christ's sake we have shown here
below.
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