Separation From the World
November 14,
1882
Separation From
the World
John the
Baptist was a man filled with the Holy Ghost from his birth. If any one could
remain unaffected by the corrupting influences of the age in which he lived, it
was surely he. Yet he did not venture to trust his own strength; he separated
himself from his friends and relatives, that his natural affections might not
prove a snare to him. He would not place himself unnecessarily in the way of
temptation, nor where the luxuries, or even the conveniences of life would lead
him to indulge in ease or gratify his appetite, and thus lessen his physical
and mental strength. By such a course the important mission which he came to
fill would have failed of its accomplishment. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 1}
He subjected
himself to a life of privation and solitude in the wilds, where he could
preserve a sacred sense of the majesty of God by studying his great book of
nature, and thus become acquainted with his character as manifested in his
wonderful works. It was an atmosphere calculated to perfect moral culture, and
keep the fear of the Lord continually before him. John, the forerunner of
Christ, did not expose himself to evil conversation and the corrupting influences
of the world. He feared its effects upon his conscience, that sin might not
appear to him so exceedingly sinful. He chose rather to have his home in the
wilderness, where his senses would not be perverted by his surroundings. We
should learn a lesson from this example of one whom Christ honored, and of whom
he said, Among those born of women there are none greater than John the
Baptist. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 2}
The first
thirty years of our Saviour’s life was passed in retirement. Ministering angels
waited upon the Lord of life, as he walked side by side with the peasants and
laborers among the hills of Nazareth, unrecognized and unhonored. These high
examples should teach us to avoid evil influences, and shun the society of
those who do not live aright. We should not flatter ourselves that we are too
strong for such influences to affect us, but we should, in humility, guard
ourselves from danger. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 3}
Lot chose Sodom
for his home because he saw advantages to be gained there from a worldly point
of view. But after he had established himself, and grown rich in earthly
treasure, he was convinced that he had made a mistake in not taking into
consideration the moral standing of the community in which he was to make his
home. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 4}
The dwellers in
Sodom were corrupt; vile conversation greeted his ears daily, and his righteous
soul was vexed by the violence and crime which he was powerless to prevent. His
children were becoming like these wicked people; for association with them had
perverted their morals. Taking all these things into consideration, the worldly
riches he had gained seemed small, not worth the price he had paid for them.
His family connections were extensive, his children having married among the
Sodomites. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 5}
The Lord’s
anger was finally kindled against the wicked inhabitants of the city. The
angels of God visited Sodom to bring forth Lot, that he should not perish in
the overthrow of the city. They bade him bring his family, his wife, and the
sons and daughters who had married in wicked Sodom, and they told him to flee
from the place; “for,” said the angels, “we will destroy this place, because
the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath
sent us to destroy it.” {RH November 14, 1882, par. 6}
And Lot went
out and warned his children. He repeated the words of the angel, “Up, get thee
out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city!” But he seemed to his
sons-in-law as one who mocked. And the daughters were influenced by their
husbands. They were well enough off where they were. They had great
possessions, and could not believe it possible that beautiful Sodom, in a rich
and fertile country, would be destroyed by the wrath of a sin-avenging God. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 7}
Lot returned
sorrowfully to the angels, and repeated the story of his failure. Then the
angels commanded him to arise, and take his wife, and the two daughters who
were yet in his house and leave the city. But Lot was sad; the thought of
leaving his children and his wife, for she refused to go without them, almost
broke his heart. They would all have perished in the terrible ruin of Sodom,
had not the Lord, in his great mercy, sent his angels to the rescue. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 8}
Lot was
paralyzed by the great calamity about to occur; he was stupefied with grief at
the thought of leaving all that he held dear on earth. But as he lingered, the
angels of God laid hold upon his hand, and the hands of his wife and two
daughters, and brought them out of the city, and charged them to flee for their
lives, neither to look behind them, nor to stay upon all the plain, but to
escape to the mountains. How reluctant was Lot to obey the angel, and go as far
as possible from corrupt Sodom, appointed to utter destruction. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 9}
Lot pleaded to
remain; he distrusted God. Living in the wicked city had weakened his faith and
confidence in the justice of the Lord. He pleaded that he could not do as he was
required, lest some evil should overtake him, and he should die. Angels were
sent on a special mission to save the lives of Lot and his family, but he had
so long been surrounded by corrupting influences that his sensibilities were
blunted, and he could not discern the works of God and his purposes; he could
not trust himself in his hands to do his bidding. He was continually pleading
for himself, and this unbelief caused the destruction of his wife. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 10}
She looked back
to Sodom, murmuring against the dealings of God, and was changed to a pillar of
salt, that she might stand as a warning to all those who disregard the special
mercies and providences of Heaven. After this terrible retribution, Lot no
longer dared to linger by the way, but fled into the mountains, according to
the directions of the angels. The sinful conduct of his daughters after leaving
Sodom was the result of wicked associations while there. The sense of right and
wrong was confused in their minds, and sin did not appear as sin to them.{RH November 14, 1882, par. 11}
The case of Lot
should be a warning to all those who wish to live a godly life, to separate
themselves from all influences calculated to lead them away from God. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 12}
Ancient Israel
was especially directed by God to be and remain a people separate from all
other nations. They were not to witness the idolatry of those about them, lest
their own hearts should be corrupted, lest familiarity with ungodly practices
should make them appear less wicked in their eyes. Few realize their own
weakness, and that the natural sinfulness of the human heart often paralyzes
our noblest endeavors. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 13}
The baleful
influence of sin poisons the life of the soul. Our only safety is in
separation from those who live in its darkness. The Lord has enjoined upon us
to come out from among them and be separate, and to touch not the unclean
thing, and he will receive us and will be a Father unto us, and we shall be his
sons and daughters. If we wish to be adopted into the family of God,
children of the Heavenly King, we must comply with his conditions; we must come
out from the world, and stand as a peculiar people before the Lord, obeying his
precepts and serving him. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 14}
It is no small
matter for a family in an unbelieving community to stand as representatives for
Jesus, keeping God’s law. We are required to be living epistles, known and read
of all men. This position involves fearful responsibilities. In order to
live in the light, we must come where the light shines. It is not well for the
people of God to lose the privilege of associating with those of like faith
with themselves; for the truth loses its importance in their minds, their hearts
cease to be enlightened and vivified by its sanctifying influence, and they
lose spirituality. They are not strengthened by the words of the living
preacher. Worldly thoughts and worldly enterprises are continually exercising
their minds to the exclusion of spiritual subjects. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 15}
The faith of
most Christians will waver if they constantly neglect to meet together for
conference and prayer. If it were impossible for them to enjoy such religious
privileges, then God would send light direct from Heaven by his angels, to
animate, to cheer, and to bless his scattered people. But he does not propose
to work a miracle to sustain the faith of his children. They are required to
love the truth enough to make some effort to secure the privileges and
blessings vouchsafed them of God. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 16}
Many devote
nearly all their time to their own temporal interests and pleasures, and grudge
the time spent and expense involved in going a distance from their homes to
meet with a company gathered together in the name of the Lord. The word of God
defines covetousness as idolatry; then how many idolaters are there, even among
those who profess to be the followers of Christ. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 17}
It is required
that we meet together and bear testimony to the truth. The angel of God said: {RH November 14, 1882, par. 18}
“Then they that
feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard
it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the
Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of
hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man
spareth his own son that serveth him.” {RH November 14, 1882, par. 19}
It will pay,
then, to improve the privileges within our reach, and, even at some sacrifice,
to assemble with those who fear God and speak for him. For he is
represented as hearkening to those testimonies, while angels write them in a
book. God will remember those who have met together and thought upon his name,
and he will spare them from the great conflagration. They will be
as precious jewels in his sight, when his wrath shall fall on the shelterless head
of the sinner. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 20}
Said our
Saviour, in his last prayer for his disciples, “I pray not that thou shouldest
take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” And, looking forward
to the future life, he prays for these chosen and faithful ones, “that they may
be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.” It is not a vain thing
to serve God. There is a priceless reward for those who, keeping themselves
“unspotted from the world,” devote their life to the service of their Creator. {RH November 14, 1882, par. 21}