致负责岗位上的弟兄们
身居要职的弟兄们，你们处在危险中。我扬声发出警告。你们要小心。你们若不警醒，若不看好你们的衣服不沾染世俗，撒但就会作你们的船长。现在不该隐藏你们的本色，不该叛变。战斗愈演愈烈了。现在不是放下或埋藏我们的武器、让撒但在战争中得便宜的时候。锡安城墙上的守望者们必须十分清醒。要用毫不困倦的话呼叫与你们同作守望者的人：“早晨将到，黑夜也来”(赛21:12)。若是没人响应，就知道守望者是不忠心的。现在没有时间放松我们的努力，变得驯服无生气;没有时间把我们的灯藏在斗底下，“说柔和的话，言虚幻的事”(赛30:10)。不，不;锡安的城墙上没有地方给昏昏欲睡的守望者。每一能力都要完全彻底地为上帝使用。要保持你们的忠贞，为上帝为真理作见证。不要因世人所提的任何建议而转变方向。我们一点都不能妥协。在我们面前有一个尚在争论中的问题，这个问题对上帝的余民、对这世界历史的结束来说至关重要;因为这里关乎永恒的利益。我们要不断地仰望我们救恩的元帅主耶稣基督。耶稣在地上所做的一切都专注于荣耀祂的父。祂说：“父怎样吩咐我，我就怎样行”(约14:31)。“这是我从我父所受的命令”(约10:18)。祂一切所行的，都是在实现祂父的旨意，以致祂在地上的生活成了上帝完美的表现。神性与人性在基督里联合，是要向我们显明上帝意在使人与祂自己有最亲密的关系。如果没有祂，我们就不可能快乐。{SpTA01b 9.1}
最初的背道开始于不信和否认真理。我们要以信心的眼睛注视耶稣。当必然临到的日子来到，上帝的律法遭人取消时，真实忠诚之人的热心就该应急而起，而且应该更加热烈坚决，他们的见证也该更加明确果敢。但我们不要以挑衅的精神做任何事，我们的心若完全降服于上帝，就不会有那种精神。“在上有权柄的，人人当顺服他。因为没有权柄不是出于上帝的。凡掌权的都是上帝所命的。所以抗拒掌权的，就是抗拒上帝的命。抗拒的必自取刑罚。作官的原不是叫行善的惧怕，乃是叫作恶的惧怕。你愿意不惧怕掌权的吗?你只要行善，就可得他的称赞。因为他是上帝的用人，是与你有益的。你若作恶，却当惧怕。因为他不是空空的佩剑。他是上帝的用人，是伸冤的，刑罚那作恶的。所以你们必须顺服，不但是因为刑罚，也是因为良心。你们纳粮，也为这个缘故。因他们是上帝的差役，常常特管这事。凡人所当得的，就给他。当得粮的，给他纳粮。当得税的，给他上税。当惧怕的，惧怕他。当恭敬的，恭敬他。”“你要提醒众人，叫他们顺服作官的，掌权的，遵他的命，预备行各样的善事”(罗13:1-7;多3:1) 。{SpTA01b 10.1}
现在是上帝的子民负起身边责任的时候。要在小事上忠心;因为正确地做这些小事寄托着重大结果。不要因为你看需要做成的工作微小而不值得考虑就撇下它。要修造荒废之处，一有破口就尽快修补。要让大家都去作工，好帮助某个需要帮助的人。我们各教会中的大软弱是有一个原因的，而且那个原因难以消除。它就是自我。人们有多少意志都不过分，但是他们必须使之完全成圣归于上帝。他们需要跌在那磐石上，并且跌碎。每一个要进入上帝圣城之门的人必须钉死自我。教会中有些人一遇到令他们不喜悦的事，心中就兴起一种暴躁的精神，那是撒但的精神，而不是基督的灵。现在岂不正是时候，我们要恢复起初的爱心，彼此和睦吗?我们必须显明自己不仅是阅读圣经的，而且是相信圣经的。我们若与基督联合，就必彼此联合。“我赐给你们一条新命令，乃是叫你们彼此相爱。我怎样爱你们，你们也要怎样相爱。”“我们坚固的人，应该担代不坚固人的软弱，不求自己的喜悦。我们各人务要叫邻舍喜悦，使他得益处，建立德行因为基督也不求自己的喜悦，如经上所记，辱骂你人的辱骂，都落在我身上。从前所写的圣经都是为教训我们写的，叫我们因圣经所生的忍耐和安慰，可以得着盼望。但愿赐忍耐安慰的上帝，叫你们彼此同心，效法基督耶稣”(约13:34;罗15:1-5)。{SpTA01b 11.1}
我们人数的增加和设施的扩大意味着要工作;需要完全的奉献和彻底的忠诚。上帝在祂的工作中没有地方给半心半意的男男女女，他们是不冷不热的。基督说：“我必从我口中把你吐出去”(启3:16)。上帝需要全心全意的人。{SpTA01b 12.1}
有些人自豪于在接受他们所称之为“新亮光”的东西上非常谨慎;但他们却被仇敌弄瞎了心眼，看不出上帝的工作和道路。亮光，宝贵的亮光从天而来，他们却列队反对它。接下来会怎么样呢?这些人会接受上帝没有赐下的信息，从而甚至危害上帝的圣工，因为他们会树立错误的标准。一些若是愿意效学基督并且从亮光前进到更大亮光就可以很有用的人，却在一些事上成了实际的障碍，总是在质疑，浪费许多宝贵的光阴，对教会属灵的长进没有一点贡献。他们激起怀疑和恐惧。他们误导人，引人接受并不可靠的建议。他们看不远，看不透事情的结局。他们的道德力浪费在琐事上;他们小题大作，大题小作。{SpTA01b 12.2}
许多人依赖和荣耀了人的智慧，远过于信靠基督和宝贵的、使人成圣的现代真理。他们需要属天的恩膏，以便领会何为亮光和真理。他们感谢上帝自己没有局限在窄沟里，但他们却不看真理原则宽广深远的范围，也没有受上帝之灵启迪，不知道天上的广博。他们景仰人为的发明和发现，但他们是行在自己所点的火把里，离命定要使人有得救智慧的真正的基督徒行为原则越来越远。他们虽然努力传播福音，却使之与精华、与生命分离。他们说：“要让灯发光，”却把它罩上，以致它不能以清晰的光线照在他们需要明白的题目上。有些人用尽自己的一腔热情在若执行出来就必定会危害教会的计划上。{SpTA01b 12.3}
此时教会不应该转离至关重要的事，去注意不会带来健康和勇气、信心和能力的事。他们必须看见，并且用自己的行动证明福音是积极进取的。但是所赐下来越照越明直至午日的光变得暗淡了。在像棺罩那样包围着这个世界的道德黑暗中，教会不再发出明亮的光芒。许多人的光没有照耀出来。他们就像道德上的冰川。{SpTA01b 13.1}
锡安城墙上的守望者们应当警醒，昼夜不眠。然而他们若没有接受基督口中所出的信息，他们的号角就不会发出确定的声音。弟兄们，上帝要求你们传道人和平信徒要听祂在圣经中对你们讲话的声音。要将祂的真理接到心里，以便你们因它活泼的、使人成圣的能力而内心清净。然后要让适合当代的明确信息在锡安的城墙上从一个守望者传给另一个守望者。{SpTA01b 13.2}
这是一个普遍背离真理和公义的时期，而今我们必须修造久已荒废之处，并以兴致勃勃的努力，用功建立累代的根基。“你必称为补破口的，和重修路径与人居住的。你若在安息日掉转你的脚步，在我圣日不以操作为喜乐，称安息日为可喜乐的，称耶和华的圣日为可尊重的;而且尊敬这日，不办自己的私事，不随自己的私意，不说自己的私话，你就以耶和华为乐。耶和华要使你乘驾地的高处，又以你祖雅各的产业养育你。这是耶和华亲口说的。”“知道公义，将我训诲存在心中的民，要听我言：不要怕人的辱骂，也不要因人的毁谤惊惶。因为蛀虫必咬他们，好像咬衣服，虫子必咬他们，如同咬羊绒。惟有我的公义永远长存，我的救恩直到万代。耶和华的膀臂啊，兴起，兴起，以能力为衣穿上，像古时的年日，上古的世代兴起一样。从前砍碎拉哈伯，刺透大鱼的，不是祢吗?使海与深渊的水干涸，使海的深处变为赎民经过之路的，不是祢吗?耶和华救赎的民必归回，歌唱来到锡安。永乐必归到他们的头上，他们必得着欢喜快乐，忧愁叹息尽都逃避。惟有我，是安慰你们的。你是谁?竟怕那必死的人，怕那要变如草的世人。却忘记铺张诸天，立定地基，创造你的耶和华。又因欺压者图谋毁灭要发的暴怒，整天害怕。其实那欺压者的暴怒在哪里呢?我是耶和华你的上帝，搅动大海，使海中的波浪砰訇。万军之耶和华是我的名。我将我的话传给你，用我的手影遮蔽你，为要栽定诸天，立定地基。又对锡安说，你是我的百姓。”“我因锡安必不静默，为耶路撒冷必不息声，直到他的公义如光辉发出，他的救恩如明灯发亮。列国必见你的公义，列王必见你的荣耀。你必得新名的称呼，是耶和华亲口所起的。你在耶和华的手中要作为华冠，在你上帝的掌上必作为冕旒。你必不再称为撇弃的，你的地也不再称为荒凉的，你却要称为我所喜悦的，你的地也必称为有夫之妇。因为耶和华喜悦你，你的地也必归祂”(赛58:12-14;赛51:7-16; 62:1-4)。{SpTA01b 13.3}
当你们紧握真理的旗帜，传扬上帝的律法时，要让每个人都记住耶稣的真道是与上帝的诫命相连的。圣经描写第三位天使飞在空中，象征那些传扬第一、第二和第三位天使信息之人的工作。三位天使的信息是彼此相连的。这些伟大信息之长存永活真理的证据对我们来说意义重大，以致引起了宗教界的强烈反对。这些证据是不可磨灭的。撒但不断谋求将他邪恶的阴影投在这些信息周围，要使上帝的余民看不清这些信息的意义，它们时间和地点，但这些信息却是长存的。只要时间还在持续，它们就会在我们的宗教经验上施展它们的能力。{SpTA01b 15.1}
这些信息的感化力一直在加深扩大，在千万人的心中发挥积极的作用，并在各处成立了学校，出版社及卫生机构;这一切都是上帝的工具，要协助第一、第二及第三位天使飞在空中所代表的伟大工作，也就是警告世上居民的工作，使他们明白基督就要带着能力与大荣耀第二次降临。蒙启示的约翰说：“此后，我看见另有一位有大权柄的天使从天降下，地就因他的荣耀发光。他大声喊着说：巴比伦大城倾倒了，倾倒了”(启18:1,2)!这与第二位天使所传的是同样的信息——巴比伦倾倒了，因她“叫万民喝邪淫、大怒之酒”(启14:8)。那酒是什么呢?就是她错误的教义。她给了世人一个伪安息日而不是第四诫的安息日，并且重述了撒但最初在伊甸园告诉夏娃的谎言——灵魂不死。她已广传了许多类似的错谬，“将人的吩咐当做道理教导人”(可7:7)。{SpTA01b 15.2}
耶稣开始公开服务时，洁净圣殿脱离了渎圣的罪。祂的服务将近结束时，又一次洁净了圣殿。所以，在警告世人的最后工作中，也要向各教会发出两个明确的呼召;就是第二位天使的信息和从天上听到的声音说：“我的民哪，你们要从那城出来，……因她的罪恶滔天，她的不义，上帝已经想起来了”(启18:4, 5)。{SpTA01b 16.1}
上帝怎样召唤以色列人出埃及，使他们能遵守祂的安息日，祂也照样召唤祂的子民离开巴比伦，使他们不拜兽和兽像。大罪人企图改变节期和律法，藉着向世界提供伪安息日而高抬自己超过上帝。基督教界已接受罗马教的这个产物，哺育和培养它，藉着挪掉上帝的纪念，放置伪安息日而与上帝公然对抗。{SpTA01b 16.2}
在真理传开，对万民作见证以后，各种邪恶的势力都要开展活动。人心要受到许多呼声的干扰。“看哪，基督在这里!”“看哪，基督在那里!”“这是真理!”“我有上帝的信息。祂有大光赐给我。”路标会被移动。有人要摧毁我们信仰的柱石，决意高举伪安息日，取代上帝亲自赐福并分别为圣的日子，从而藐视上帝。伪安息日是用法律强制实施的。撒但和他的使者十分清醒，积极活动，顽强地利用人达到他在人心中删去上帝知识的目的。撒但开始施行他骗人的奇迹时，《启示录》所预言时候就到了。以荣光照耀地球的大能天使将宣布巴比伦的倾倒，并号召上帝的子民离开她。{SpTA01b 17.1}
我蒙指示：那些被仇敌弄瞎眼睛，未能摆脱撒但网罗的人，处在危险之中。因为他们不能辨认天上的亮光，容易接受虚谎，这势必影响他们思维，决策，提议和咨询的全部过程。上帝赐给他们的证据，对他们不起作用。他们因拣选黑暗，不拣选光明，而致盲目。于是他们发明一些他们称之为光的东西来指引自己的步伐，上帝则称之为他们自己所点的火把。上帝说：“你们中间谁是敬畏耶和华、听从祂仆人之话的，这人行在暗中，没有亮光，当倚靠耶和华的名，仗赖自己的上帝。凡你们点火，用火把围绕自己的，可以行在你们的火焰里，并你们所点的火把中。这是我手所定的，你们必躺在悲惨之中。”耶稣说：“我为审判到这世上来，叫不能看见的，可以看见，能看见的，反瞎了眼。”“我到世上来，乃是光，叫凡信我的，不住在黑暗里。”“弃绝我，不领受我话的人，有审判他的，就是我所讲的道，在末日要审判他”(赛50:10,11;约9:39;12:48)。{SpTA01b 17.2}
许多人拒绝上帝所说的话，反而把人的话当作亮光和真理来接受。人的智慧会引人放弃克己献身，并发明许多东西抵消上帝的信息。我们不能倚靠那些不与上帝密切联络的人。他们接受人的意见，却不能辨认真牧人的声音。他们的影响会使许多人迷路，尽管他们眼前有许多确据，为上帝的子民在当代应当掌握的真理作见证。真理是要使人们转向基督的，要激发他们的活力，折服并软化他们的心，使他们有热心和对上帝的忠诚与爱戴。安息日的真理绝不能被盖住。我们必须让它与谬论形成鲜明的对照。{SpTA01b 18.1}
随着末日的临近，上帝仆人的见证必变得更加坚决而有力，把真理的亮光照耀在长期掌权的错谬和压迫的体系上。上帝已赐给我们时代的信息，要我们把教会建立在永恒的基础上。凡相信现代真理的人必须依靠上帝而站立，而不是靠自己的聪明。要建立起累代的根基。这些人在天上的册子中，被记录为补破口的，和修复路径给人居住的。我们应当冒着最剧烈的反对，为真理而坚持真理。上帝在人的心中工作。人并不是在孤军奋战。伟大启示的力量来自基督。每一次讲道都应向人们呈现衪光辉的榜样。{SpTA01b 18.2}
宝座上方的虹，应许之虹，向全世界证明，上帝绝不会在祂子民的斗争中忘记他们。让耶稣成为我们的主题吧。让我们用笔用声音传扬上帝的诫命和耶稣的真道吧。能促使内心真正虔诚的，莫过于此了。当我们讲明事实上人是一个神圣道德政权的国民时，他们的理智就会教他们知道这是真理，他们应该效忠耶和华。今生是我们的宽容时期。我们被安置在上帝的训练和政权之下，要形成品格并养成习惯，好适合过更高尚的生活。试探会临到我们身上。罪孽增多;在你们最料想不到的地方，会展开最可怕的黑暗篇章，要使你心情颓废;但我们不必灰心，也不必丧胆，因为知道应许之虹就在上帝宝座的上方。我们要遭受很重的考验、反对、丧亲、苦难;但我们知道，耶稣经历过这一切。这些经验对我们来说是有价值的。其益处绝不仅限于短暂的今生，而是延及永恒的岁月。我们在人生一切的变迁中，藉着忍耐、信心和盼望，正在形成适合永生的品格。万事都将互相效力，叫爱上帝的人得益处。{SpTA01b 19.1}
我们必须参与其中的今生一切的场景，都要予以仔细研究，因为它们是我们受教育的一部分。我们应该用结实的木材建造我们品格的大楼;因为我们是在为今生和永生工作。而当我们接近这世界历史结束的时候，我们应该在基督徒的长进上越来越迅速地前进，否则就会明显倒退。{SpTA01b 19.2}
“我把虹放在云彩中，这就可作我与地立约的记号了。……我便记念我……所立的约，水就再不泛滥、毁坏一切有血肉的物了”(创9:13-15)。宝座上方的虹是一个永远的见证，证明“上帝爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生”(约3:16)。每当在人前讲解律法的时候，真理的教师都要指出宝座上弯着的应许之虹，就是基督的义。律法的荣耀就是基督;祂来使律法为大，为尊(赛42:21)。显明在基督里怜悯与诚实彼此相遇，公义与平安彼此相亲。当你仰望祂的宝座，向上帝献上你的痛悔、赞美和感谢时，你才完善基督化的品格，并向世人把基督表明出来。你才住在基督里面，基督也住在你里面;你才有那种出人意外的平安。我们需要不断地默想基督和祂引人入胜的美好可爱。我们必须指引心意归于基督，全神贯注在祂身上。每一次的讲道都要详述上帝的品性。{SpTA01b 20.1}
云中的彩虹是阳光与雨滴结合而成的。同样，围绕宝座的彩虹也象征着慈爱与公义的结合。不能单单维护公义，因为这会掩盖宝座上方应许之虹的荣耀，使人只看见律法的惩罚。要是没有公义和惩罚，上帝的政权就不稳定。只有审判与怜悯相结合，才能成就完备的救恩。是两者的结合才使我们在看见人类的救赎主和耶和华的律法时感叹说：“祢的温和使我为大”(诗18:35)。我们知道福音是一个完整的体系，显示上帝律法的不变性。它在人心中激起希望和对上帝的爱。“怜悯”邀请我们经过门户进入上帝的圣城。“公义”则要求只给予每一个顺从的人有充分的特权成为王室的成员和天上君王的儿女。如果我们品格上有缺欠，就不能通过“怜悯”为听从的人打开的门户，因为“公义”站在门口，要求每一个想见上帝的人有圣洁纯正的品格。如果把公义牺牲掉，让上帝的怜悯向全人类打开门户，而不管品格如何，在天上就会发生比撒但被驱逐以前更严重的不满和叛乱。天国的和平，幸福与和谐就会被破坏。从地上到天上的过程将不会改变人的品格。赎民在天国的快乐，来自今生按基督形像所塑造的品格。天国的圣徒必须首先在地上作圣徒。{SpTA01b 20.2}
唯有基督作出重大牺牲为世人争取的救恩才是有价值的，因为它要救人脱离罪恶——就是我们世界一切祸患痛苦的根源。“怜悯”向罪人伸手，不断地把他引向耶稣。如果他响应呼唤，认罪痛悔而来，凭着信心持住福音所提供的盼望，上帝就不会轻看他忧伤痛悔的心。就这样，上帝的律法并没有削弱，而罪的势力却打破了，怜悯的杖伸向了悔改的罪人。{SpTA01b 21.1}
怀爱伦
1890年11月写于纽约州萨拉曼卡
【To Brethren in Responsible Positions】
Brethren in responsible positions, you are in danger. I lift my voice in warning. Beware. Unless you watch, and keep your garments unspotted from the world, Satan will stand as your captain. It is no time now to hide your colors, no time to turn traitor, when the battle presses sore. It is no time to lay down or hide our weapons, and give Satan the advantage in the warfare. Watchmen on the walls of Zion must be wide awake. Call to your fellow-watchmen in no sleepy terms, “The morning cometh, and also the night,” If no response is made, then know that the watchman is unfaithful. It is no time now to relax our efforts, to become tame and spiritless; no time to hide our light under a bushel; to speak smooth things, to prophesy deceit. No, no; there is no place for sleepy watchmen on the walls of Zion. Every power is to be employed wholly and entirely for God. Maintain your allegiance, bearing testimony for God and for truth. Be not turned aside by any suggestions the world may make. We can make no compromise. There is a living issue before us, which will be of vital importance to the remnant people of God, to the very close of this earth’s history; for eternal interests are here involved. We are to look constantly to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation. All that Jesus did on the earth, was done with an eye single to the glory of his Father. He says, “As the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.” “This commandment have I received of my Father.” In all he did, he was working out the will of his Father, so that his life on earth was a manifestation of the divine perfection. The union of divinity with humanity in Christ, was to reveal to us God’s purpose to bring men into the closest connection with himself. We cannot possibly be happy without him.{SpTA01b 9.1}[1]
The original apostasy began in a disbelief and denial of the truth. We are to fix the eye of faith steadfastly upon Jesus. When the days come, as they surely will, in which the law of God is made void, the zeal of the true and loyal should rise with the emergency, and should be the more warm and decided, and their testimony should be the more positive and unflinching. But we are to do nothing in a defiant spirit, and we shall not if our hearts are fully surrendered to God. “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom?custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.” “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.”{SpTA01b 10.1}[2]
Now is the time for God’s people to take up the duties that lie next them. Be faithful in the little things; for on the right performance of these hang great results. Do not leave the work which needs to be done, because it appears to your judgment to be small and inconsiderable. Make up every waste place, repair the breaches as fast as they occur. Let no differences or dissensions exist in the church. Let all go to work to help some one who needs help. There is a cause for the great weakness in our churches, and that cause is hard to remove. It is self. Men have none too much will, but they must have it wholly sanctified to God. They need to fall on the Rock and be broken. Self must be crucified in every one who shall enter the gates of the city of God. The fierce spirit which rises up in the hearts of some in the church when anything does not please them, is the spirit of Satan, and not the spirit of Christ. Is it not fully time that we return to our first love, and be at peace among ourselves? We must show ourselves to be not only Bible readers, but Bible believers. If we are united to Christ, we shall be united to one another. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye love one another.” “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written. The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.”{SpTA01b 11.1}[3]
The increase of our numbers and the enlarging of our facilities means work; it calls for entire consecration and thorough devotedness. God has no place in his work for half-hearted men and women, those who are neither cold nor hot. Christ says, “I will spew thee out of my mouth.” God calls for men who are whole-hearted.{SpTA01b 12.1}[4]
There are those who have prided themselves on their great caution in receiving “new light,” as they term it; but they are blinded by the enemy, and cannot discern the works and ways of God. Light, precious light, comes from heaven, and they array themselves against it. What next? These very ones will accept messages that God has not sent, and thus will become even dangerous to the cause of God because they set up false standards. Men who might be of great use if they would learn of Christ and go on from light to greater light, are in some things positive hindrances, forever on the point of questioning, wasting much precious time, and contributing nothing to the spiritual elevation of the church. They excite doubt and fear. They misdirect minds, leading them to accept of suggestions that are not safe. They cannot see afar off, they cannot discern the conclusion of the matter. Their moral force is squandered upon trifles; they view an atom as a world, and a world as an atom.{SpTA01b 12.2}[5]
Many have trusted and gloried in the wisdom of men far more than in Christ and the precious, sanctifying truth for this time. They need the heavenly anointing, that they may comprehend what is light and truth. They thank God that they are confined to no narrow groove, but they do not see the breadth and far-reaching extent of the principles of truth, and are not enlightened by the Spirit of God as to heaven’s large liberality.They admire man-made inventions and discoveries, but they are walking in the sparks of their own kindling, diverging farther and farther from the genuine principles of Christian action, ordained to make men wise unto salvation. They strive to extend the gospel, but separate from it the very marrow, the life. They say, “Let the light shine;” but cover it so that it shall not shine in clear rays on the very subjects that they need to understand. Some exhaust the fervor of their zeal on plans that cannot be carried out without peril to the church.{SpTA01b 12.3}[6]
At this time the church should not be diverted from the main object of vital interest, to things that will not bring health and courage, faith and power. They must see, and by their actions testify, that the gospel is aggressive. But the light which is given to shine brighter and brighter unto the perfect day, burns dimly. The church no longer sends out the clear, bright rays of light amid the moral darkness that is enveloping the world as a funeral pall. The light of many does not burn or shine. They are moral icebergs.{SpTA01b 13.1}[7]
Watchmen on the walls of Zion are to be vigilant, and sleep not day nor night. But if they have not received the message from the lips of Christ, their trumpets will give an uncertain sound. Brethren, God calls upon you, both ministers and laymen, to listen to his voice speaking to you in his word. Let his truth be received into the heart, that you may be spiritualized by its living, sanctifying power. Then let the distinct message for this time be sent from watchman to watchman on the walls of Zion.{SpTA01b 13.2}[8]
This is a time of general departure from truth and righteousness, and now we must build the old waste places, and with interested effort, labor to raise up the foundation of many generations. “Thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing into Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually everyday because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts?is his name. And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people,” “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all the kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.”{SpTA01b 13.3}[9]
While you hold the banner of truth firmly, proclaiming the law of God, let every soul remember that the faith of Jesus is connected with the commandments of God. The third angel is represented as flying through the midst of heaven, symbolizing the work of those who proclaim the first, second, and third angels’ messages; all are linked together. The evidences of the abiding, ever-living truth of these grand messages, that mean so much to us, that have awakened such intense opposition from the religious world, are not extinct. Satan is constantly seeking to cast his hellish shadow about these messages, so that the remnant people of God shall not clearly discern their import, their time and place; but they live, and are to exert their power upon our religious experience while time shall last.{SpTA01b 15.1}[10]
The influence of these messages has been deepening and widening, setting in motion the springs of action in thousands of hearts, bringing into existence institutions of learning, publishing houses, and health institutions;all these are the instrumentalities of God to co-operate in the grand work represented by the first, second, and third angels flying through the midst of heaven, to warn the inhabitants of the world that Christ is coming the second time, with power and great glory. The Revelator says, “I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen.” This is the same message that was given by the second angel,—Babylon is fallen, “because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” What is that wine?—Her false doctrines. She has given to the world a false Sabbath, instead of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and has repeated the lie Satan first told to Eve in Eden,—the natural immortality of the soul. Many kindred errors she has spread far and wide, “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”{SpTA01b 15.2}[11]
When Jesus began this public ministry, he cleansed the temple from its sacrilegious profanation. Almost the last act of his ministry was to cleanse the temple again. So in the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches; the second angel’s message, and the voice heard from heaven, “Come out of her, my people, ... for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”{SpTA01b 16.1}[12]
As God called the children of Israel out of Egypt, that they might keep his Sabbath, so he calls his people out of Babylon, that they may not worship the beast nor his image. The man of sin, who thought to change times and laws, has exalted himself above God, by presenting this spurious sabbath to the world; the Christian world has accepted the child of papacy, and cradled and nourished it, thus defying God by removing his memorial and setting up a rival sabbath.{SpTA01b 16.2}[13]
After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, at a time when every conceivable power of evil is set in operation, when minds are confused by the many voices crying, “Lo, here is Christ; lo, he is there; this is true, I have the message from God; he has sent me with great light,” and there is a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith,—then a more decided effort is made to exalt the false sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God himself by supplanting the day he has blessed and sanctified. This false sabbath is to be enforced by an oppressive law. Satan and his angels are wide-awake and intensely active, working with energy and perseverance through human instrumentalities to bring about his purpose of obliterating the knowledge of God. When Satan is working with his lying wonders, the time has come, foretold in the Revelation, when the mighty angel that shall lighten the earth with his glory, will proclaim the fall of Babylon, and call upon God’s people to forsake her.{SpTA01b 17.1}[14]
The Lord has presented before me that those who have been in any measure blinded by the enemy, and who have not fully recovered themselves from the snare of Satan, will be in peril because they cannot discern the light from heaven, and will be inclined to accept a falsehood. This will affect the whole tenor of their thoughts, their decisions, their propositions, their counsels. The evidences that God has given are no evidence to them, because they have blinded their own eyes by choosing darkness rather than light. Then they will originate something they call light, which the Lord calls sparks of their own kindling, by which they will direct their steps. The Lord declares, “Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with?sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have at mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.” Jesus said, “For judgment I am come unto this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.” “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”{SpTA01b 17.2}[15]
By many, the words which the Lord sent, will be rejected, and the words that man may speak will be received as light and truth. Human wisdom will lead away from self-denial, from consecration, and will devise many things that tend to make of no effect God’s messages. We cannot with any safety rely upon men who are not in close connection with God. They accept the opinions of men, but cannot discern the voice of the True Shepherd, and their influence will lead many astray, though evidence is piled upon evidence before their eyes, testifying to the truth that God’s people should have for this time. The truth is calculated to turn men to Christ, to quicken their energies, subduing and softening their hearts, and inspiring them with zeal and devotion and love to God. The Sabbath truth must in no case be covered up. We must let it appear in plain contrast with error.{SpTA01b 18.1}[16]
As the end approaches, the testimonies of God’s servants will become more decided and more powerful, flashing the light of truth upon the systems of error and oppression that have so long held the supremacy. The Lord has sent us messages for this time to establish Christianity upon an eternal basis, and all who believe the present truth must stand, not in their own wisdom, but in God, and raise up the foundation of many generations; and they will be registered in the books of heaven as repairers of the breech, the restorers of paths to dwell in. We are to maintain the truth because it is truth, in face of the bitterest opposition. God is at work upon human minds; it is not man alone that is working. The great illuminating power is from Christ; the brightness of his example is to be kept before the people in every discourse.{SpTA01b 18.2}[17]
The rainbow above the throne, the bow of promise, testifies to the whole world that God will never forget his people in their struggle. Let Jesus be our theme. Let us with pen and voice present, not only the commandments of God, but the faith of Jesus. This will promote real heart piety as nothing else can. While we present the fact that men are subjects of a divine moral government, their reason teaches them that this is truth, that they owe allegiance to Jehovah. This life is our time of probation. We are placed under the discipline and government of God, to form characters and acquire habits for the higher life. Temptations will come upon us. Iniquity abounds; where you least expect it, dark chapters will open that are most terrible, to weigh down the soul; but we need not fail nor be discouraged while we know that the bow of promise is above the throne of God. We shall be subject to heavy trials, opposition, bereavement, affliction; but we know that Jesus passed through all these. These experiences are valuable to us; the advantages are not by any means confined to this short life; they reach into eternal ages. Through patience, faith, and hope, in all the changing scenes of earth, we are forming characters for everlasting life. Everything shall work together for good to those that love God.{SpTA01b 19.1}[18]
All the scenes of this life in which we must act a part, are to be carefully studied, for they are a part of our education. We should bring solid timbers into our character-building, for we are working both for this?life and eternal life. And as we near the close of this earth’s history, we advance more rapidly in Christian growth, or we retrograde just as decidedly.{SpTA01b 19.2}[19]
“I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.... And I will remember my covenant, ... and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.” In the rainbow above the throne is an everlasting testimony, that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Whenever the law is presented before the people, let the teacher of the truth point to the throne arched with the rainbow of promise, the righteousness of Christ. The glory of the law is Christ; he came to magnify the law, and to make it honorable. Make it appear distinct that mercy and truth have met together in Christ, and righteousness and peace have embraced each other. It is when you are looking to his throne, offering up your penitence and praise and thanksgiving to God, that you perfect Christian character, and represent Christ to the world; you abide in Christ, and Christ abides in you; you have that peace which passes all understanding. We need constantly to meditate upon Christ, his attractive loveliness. We must direct minds to Jesus, fasten them upon him. In every discourse dwell upon the divine attributes.{SpTA01b 20.1}[20]
As the bow in the cloud is formed by the union of the sunlight and the shower, so the rainbow encircling the throne represents the combined power of mercy and justice. It is not justice alone that is to be maintained, for this would eclipse the glory of the rainbow of promise above the throne; men could see only the penalty of the law. Were there no justice, no penalty, there would be no stability to the government of God. It is the mingling of judgment and mercy that makes salvation full and complete. It is the blending of the two that leads us, as we view the world’s Redeemer and the law of Jehovah, to exclaim, “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” We know that the gospel is a perfect and complete system, revealing the immutability of the law of God. It inspires the heart with hope, and with love for God. Mercy invites us to enter through the gates into the city of God, and justice is sacrificed [satisfied] to accord to every obedient soul full privileges as a member of the royal family, a child of the heavenly King. If we were defective in character, we could not pass the gates that mercy has opened to the obedient; for justice stands at the entrance, and demands holiness, purity, in all who would see God. Were justice extinct, and were it possible for divine mercy to open the gates to the whole race, irrespective of character, there would be a worse condition of disaffection and rebellion in heaven than before Satan was expelled. The peace, happiness, and harmony of heaven would be broken up. The change from earth to heaven will not change men’s characters; the happiness of the redeemed in heaven results from the character formed in this life, after the image of Christ. The saints in heaven will first have been saints on earth.{SpTA01b 20.2}[21]
The salvation that Christ made such a sacrifice to gain for man, is that which is alone of value, that which saves from sin, the cause of all the misery and woe in our world. Mercy extended to the sinner is constantly drawing him to Jesus. If he responds, coming in penitence, with confession, in faith laying hold of the hope set before him in the gospel, God will not despise the broken and contrite heart. Thus the law of God is not weakened, but the power of sin is broken, and the scepter of mercy is extended to the penitent sinner.---Ellen G. White---November, 1890. {SpTA01b 21.1}[22]
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