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The Church and the World United “Sinners were not permitted to unite with
the church. Those only who are willing to forsake all
for Christ could be His disciples. These loved to be poor, humble, and Christlike.” Early
Writings, p. 225.2 Click to go to our Home Page
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The Church and the World United
After this I
saw Satan consulting with his angels and considering what they had gained.
True, they had, through fear of death, kept some timid souls from embracing the
truth; but many, even of the most timid, had received the truth, and thereupon
their fears and timidity immediately left them. As these witnessed the death of
their brethren and beheld their firmness and patience, they knew that God and
angels assisted them to endure such sufferings, and they grew bold and
fearless. And when called to yield their own lives, they maintained their faith
with such patience and firmness as caused even their murderers to tremble.
Satan and his angels decided that there was a more successful way to destroy
souls, one that would be more certain in the end. Although Christians were made
to suffer, their steadfastness, and the bright hope that cheered them, caused
the weakest to grow strong and enabled them to approach the rack and the flames
undaunted. They imitated the noble bearing of Christ when before His murderers,
and by their constancy and the glory of God which rested upon them, they
convinced many others of the truth. {EW 226.1}
Satan therefore
decided that he must come in a milder form. He had already corrupted the
doctrines of the Bible, and traditions which were to ruin millions were taking
deep root. Restraining his hate, he decided not to urge on his subjects to such
bitter persecution, but lead the church to contend for various traditions, instead
of for the faith once delivered to the saints. As he prevailed on the church to receive
favors and honors from the world, under the pretense of receiving benefits, she
began to lose favor with God. Shunning to declare the straight truths
which shut out the lovers of pleasure and friends of the world, she gradually
lost her power. {EW 226.2}
The church is
not now the separate and peculiar people she was when the fires of persecution
were kindled against her. How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! I saw that if
the church had always retained her peculiar, holy character, the power of the Holy Spirit which was
imparted to the disciples would still be with her. The sick would be
healed, devils would be rebuked and cast out, and she would be mighty and a
terror to her enemies. {EW 227.1}
I saw a very
large company professing the name of Christ, but God did not recognize them as
His. He had no pleasure in them. Satan seemed to assume a religious character
and was very willing that the people should think they were Christians. He was
even anxious that they should believe in Jesus, His crucifixion, and His
resurrection. Satan and his angels fully believe all this themselves, and
tremble. But if this faith does not provoke to good works, and lead those
who profess it to imitate the self-denying life of Christ, Satan is not
disturbed; for they merely assume the Christian name, while their hearts are still carnal, and he can use them in his service
even better than if they made no profession. Hiding their deformity under the name of
Christian, they pass along with their unsanctified natures, and their evil passions unsubdued. This gives occasion for the unbeliever to reproach Christ with
their imperfections, and causes those who do possess pure and undefiled religion to
be brought into disrepute. {EW 227.2}
The ministers
preach smooth things to suit carnal professors. They dare not preach Jesus and
the cutting truths of the Bible; for if
they should, these carnal professors would not remain in the church. But as many of
them are wealthy, they must be retained, although they are no more fit to be
there than Satan and his angels. This is just as Satan would have it. The
religion of Jesus is made to appear popular and honorable in the eyes of the
world. The people are told that those who profess religion will be more honored
by the world. Such teachings differ very widely from
the teachings of Christ. His doctrine and the world could not be at peace. Those who
followed Him had to renounce the world. These smooth things originated with Satan and
his angels. They formed the plan, and nominal professors carried it out. Pleasing fables
were taught and readily received, and hypocrites and open sinners united with
the church. If the truth had been preached in its purity, it would soon have
shut out this class. But there was no difference between the professed followers of
Christ and the world. I saw that if the false covering had been torn off from the
members of the churches, there would have been revealed such iniquity,
vileness, and corruption that the most diffident child of God would have had no
hesitancy in calling these professed Christians by their right name, children
of their father, the devil; for his works they did. {EW 228.1}
Jesus and all the heavenly host looked with disgust upon the scene;
yet God had a message for the church that was sacred and important. If received, it
would make a thorough reformation in the church, revive the living testimony
that would purge out hypocrites and sinners, and bring the church again into
favor with God. {EW 228.2}
The Reformation
Notwithstanding
all the persecution of the saints, living witnesses for God’s truth were raised
up on every hand. Angels of the Lord were doing the work committed to their
trust. They were searching in the darkest places and selecting out of the darkness
men who were honest in heart. These were all buried up in error, yet God called
them, as He did Saul, to be chosen vessels to bear His truth and raise their
voices against the sins of His professed people. Angels of God moved upon the hearts of Martin
Luther, Melanchthon, and others in different places, and caused them to thirst
for the living testimony of the Word of God. The enemy had come in like a flood, and the
standard must be raised against him. Luther was the one chosen to breast the storm,
stand up against the ire of a fallen church, and strengthen the few who were
faithful to their holy profession. He was ever fearful of offending God. He
tried through works to obtain His favor, but was not satisfied until a gleam of
light from heaven drove the darkness from his mind and led him to trust, not in
works, but in the merits of the blood of Christ. He could then come to God for
himself, not through popes or confessors, but through Jesus Christ alone. {EW
222.1}
Oh, how
precious to Luther was this new and glorious light which had dawned upon his
dark understanding and driven away his superstition! He prized it higher than
the richest earthly treasure. The Word of God was new. Everything was changed.
The book he had dreaded because he could not see beauty in it,
was now life, eternal life, to him. It was his joy, his consolation, his
blessed teacher. Nothing could induce him to leave its study. He had feared
death; but as he read the Word of God, all his terrors disappeared, and he
admired the character of God and loved Him. He searched the Bible for himself
and feasted upon the rich treasures it contained; then he searched it for the
church. He was disgusted with the sins of those in whom he had trusted for
salvation, and as he saw many others enshrouded in the same darkness which had
covered him, he anxiously sought an opportunity to point them to the Lamb of
God, who alone taketh away the sin of the world. {EW
223.1}
Raising his
voice against the errors and sins of the papal church, he earnestly endeavored
to break the chain of darkness which was confining thousands and causing them
to trust in works for salvation. He longed to be enabled to open to their minds
the true riches of the grace of God and the excellence of salvation obtained
through Jesus Christ. In the power of the Holy Spirit he cried out against the
existing sins of the leaders of the church; and as he met the storm of
opposition from the priests, his courage failed not; for he firmly relied upon
the strong arm of God, and confidently trusted in Him for victory. As he pushed
the battle closer and closer, the rage of the priests was kindled still hotter
against him. They did not wish to be reformed. They chose to be left in ease,
in wanton pleasure, in wickedness; and they desired the church also to be kept
in darkness. {EW 223.2}
I saw that
Luther was ardent and zealous, fearless and bold, in reproving sin and
advocating the truth. He cared not for wicked men or devils; he knew that he
had One with him mightier than they all. Luther possessed
zeal, courage, and boldness, and at times was in danger of going to extremes. But God raised up Melanchthon, who was just the opposite in
character, to aid Luther in carrying on the work of reformation. Melanchthon
was timid, fearful, cautious, and possessed great patience. He was greatly
beloved of God. His knowledge of the Scriptures was great, and his judgment and
wisdom excellent. His love for the cause of God was equal to Luther’s. The
hearts of these men the Lord knit together; they were inseparable friends.
Luther was a great help to Melanchthon when in danger of being fearful and
slow, and Melanchthon in turn was a great help to Luther when in danger of
moving too fast.
Melanchthon’s
farseeing caution often averted trouble which would have come upon the cause
had the work been left alone to Luther; and ofttimes
the work would not have been pushed forward had it been left to Melanchthon
alone. I was shown the wisdom of God in choosing these two men to carry on the
work of reformation. {EW 224.1}
I was then
carried back to the days of the apostles and saw that God chose as companions
an ardent, zealous Peter and a mild, patient John. Sometimes
Peter was impetuous, and often when this was the case the beloved disciple
would check him. This, however, did not reform him. But after he had denied his
Lord, repented, and been converted, all he needed to check his ardor and zeal
was a mild caution from John. The cause of Christ would often have suffered had
it been left to John alone. Peter’s zeal was needed. His boldness and energy
often delivered them from difficulty and silenced their enemies. John was
winning. He gained many to the cause of Christ by his patient forbearance and
deep devotedness. {EW 224.2}
God raised up
men to cry against the existing sins of the papal church and carry forward the
Reformation. Satan sought to destroy these living witnesses; but the Lord made
a hedge about them. Some, for the glory of His name, were permitted to seal
with their blood the testimony they had borne; but there were other powerful men, like
Luther and Melanchthon, who could best glorify God by living and exposing the sins of
priests, popes, and kings. These trembled before the voice of Luther, and his
fellow laborers. Through those chosen men, rays of light began to scatter the
darkness, and very many joyfully received the light and walked in it. And when
one witness was slain, two or more were raised up to take his place. {EW 225.1}
But Satan was
not satisfied. He could only have power over the body. He could not make
believers yield their faith and hope. And even in death they triumphed with a
bright hope of immortality at the resurrection of the just. They had more than
mortal energy. They dared not sleep for a moment, but kept the Christian armor
girded about them, prepared for a conflict, not merely with spiritual foes, but
with Satan in the form of men whose constant cry was, “Give up your faith, or
die.” These
few Christians were strong in God, and more precious in His sight than half a
world who bear the name of Christ, and yet are cowards
in His cause. While the church was persecuted, its members were united and
loving; they were strong in God. Sinners were not permitted to unite with the church. Those only who
are willing to forsake all for Christ could be His disciples. These loved to be
poor, humble, and Christlike. {EW 225.2}