Shall We Be Found Wanting?
Our
position in the world is not what it should be. We are far from where we
should have been had our Christian experience been in harmony with the light
and the opportunities given us, had we from the beginning constantly pressed
onward and upward. Had we walked in the light that has been given us, had we
followed on to know the Lord, our path would have grown brighter and
brighter. But many of those who have had special light are so conformed to
the world that they can scarcely be distinguished from worldlings.
They not
stand forth as God's peculiar people, chosen and precious. It is difficult to
discern between him that serveth God and him
that serveth Him not.
In the
balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be
weighed. She will be judged by the privileges and advantages that she has
had. If her spiritual experience does not correspond to the advantages that
Christ, at infinite cost, has bestowed on her, if the blessings conferred
have not qualified her to do the work entrusted to her, on her will be
pronounced the sentence: "Found wanting." By the light bestowed,
the opportunities given, will she be judged.
St.
Helena, California, April 21, 1903.
God's Purpose For His People
God has
in store love, joy, peace, and glorious triumph for all who serve Him in
spirit and in truth. His commandment-keeping people are to stand constantly
in readiness for service. They are to receive increased grace and power, and
increased knowledge of the Holy Spirit's working. But many are not ready to
receive the precious gifts of the Spirit which God is waiting to bestow on
them. They are not reaching higher and still higher for power from above that
through the gifts bestowed, they may be recognized as God's peculiar people,
zealous of good works.
"Repent, and Do the First Works"
Solemn
admonitions of warning, manifest in the destruction of dearly cherished
facilities for service, say to us:
"Remember
therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first
works." Revelation 2:5.
Why is
there so dim a perception of the true spiritual condition of the church?
Has not
blindness fallen upon the watchmen standing on the walls of Zion?
Are not
many of God's servants unconcerned and well satisfied, as if the pillar of
cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night rested upon the sanctuary? Are
there not those in positions of responsibility, professing to know God, who
in life and character deny Him?
Are not
many of those who count themselves as His chosen, peculiar people satisfied
to live without the evidence that of a truth God is among them to save them
from Satan's snares and attacks?
Would we
not now have much greater light if, in the past, we had received the Lord's
admonitions, acknowledged His presence, and turned away from all practices
contrary to His will?
Had we
done this, the light of heaven would have shone into the soul-temple,
enabling us to comprehend the truth and to love God supremely and our
neighbors as ourselves.
Oh, how
greatly Christ is dishonored by those who, professing to be Christians,
disgrace the name they bear by failing to make their lives correspond to
their profession, by failing to treat one another with the love and respect
that God expects them to reveal in kind words and courteous acts!
The
powers from beneath are stirred with deep intensity. War and bloodshed are
the result. The moral atmosphere is poisoned with cruel, horrible doings. The
spirit of strife is spreading; it abounds in every place. Many souls are
being taken possession of by the spirit of fraud, or underhand dealing. Many
will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of
devils. They do not discern what spirit has taken possession of them.
A Failure To Honor God
One who
sees beneath the surface, who reads the hearts of all men, says of those who
have had great light: "They are not afflicted and astonished because of
their moral and spiritual condition." Yea, they have chosen their own
ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions,
and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer;
when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before Mine eyes, and
chose that in which I delighted not." "God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a
lie," because "they received not the love of the truth, that they
might be saved," "but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Isaiah
66:3, 4; 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 10, 12.
The
heavenly Teacher inquired: "What stronger delusion can beguile the mind than the pretense that
you are building on the right foundation and that God accepts your works,
when in reality you are working out many things according to worldly policy
and are sinning against Jehovah? Oh, it is a great deception, a fascinating delusion, that takes
possession of minds when men who have once known the truth, mistake the form
of godliness for the spirit and power thereof; when they suppose that they
are rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, while in reality
they are in need of everything."
Rev 3:17
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of
nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and
blind, and naked
God has
not changed toward His faithful servants who are keeping their garments
spotless. But many are crying, "Peace and safety," while sudden
destruction is coming upon them. Unless there is thorough repentance, unless
men humble their hearts by confession and receive the truth as it is in
Jesus, they will never enter heaven. When purification shall take place in
our ranks, we shall no longer rest at ease, boasting of being rich and
increased with goods, in need of nothing.
Who can
truthfully say: "Our gold is tried in the fire; our garments are
unspotted by the world"? I saw our Instructor pointing to the garments
of so-called righteousness. Stripping them off, He laid bare the defilement
beneath. Then He said to me: "Can you not see how they have
pretentiously covered up their defilement and rottenness of character? 'How is the faithful city become an harlot!'
My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the
divine presence and glory have departed! For this cause there is weakness,
and strength is lacking."
A Call For Reformation
Unless
the church, which is now being leavened with her own backsliding, shall
repent and be converted, she will eat of the fruit of her own doing, until
she shall abhor herself. When she resists the evil and chooses the good,
when she seeks God with all humility and reaches her high calling in Christ,
standing on the platform of eternal truth and by faith laying hold upon the
attainments prepared for her, she will be healed. She will appear in her
God-given simplicity and purity, separate from earthly entanglements, showing
that the truth has made her free indeed. Then her members will indeed be the
chosen of God, His representatives.
The time
has come for a thorough reformation to take place. When this reformation
begins, the spirit of prayer will actuate every believer and will banish from
the church the spirit of discord and strife. Those who have not been living
in Christian fellowship will draw close to one another. One member working in
right lines will lead other members to unite with him in making intercession
for the revelation of the Holy Spirit. There will be no confusion, because
all will be in harmony with the mind of the Spirit. The barriers separating
believer from believer will be broken down, and God's servants will speak the
same things. The Lord will co-operate with His servants. All will pray
understandingly the prayer that Christ taught His servants: "Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10.
Testimonies
for the Church, Vol. 8, Page 247
|
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Shall We Be Found Wanting?
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