1956年11月8日
复临信徒要加入一场新的运动吗?
1893年6月12日写于新西兰特雷斯威灵顿
那些发表了《大呼声》小册子的人并没有与我商量此事。他们大量引用了我的著作，加上他们自己的解释。他们声称有来自上帝的特别信息要宣布基督复临安息日会是巴比伦，宣告她倾倒了，叫上帝的子民从她出来，并设法使证言支持他们的理论。这些出版物是误导人心的，增加已经存在的偏见，使我们更加难以接近他们，介绍上帝所赐为要警告世人的与这些小册子中所提出的理念性质完全不同的信息。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 1}
我两点半就起来了;我睡不着;重担在我身上。以色列人的历史在我心中涌现，许多要点那么清晰地催促着我，使我不敢保持沉默。我从三点钟到十二点半写了二十三页。我的灵在我里面激动。我感到对上帝子民的负担，不仅因为这一个作品，而且因为许多这种材料在临到信徒，声称是来自上帝的信息。“凭着他们的果子，就可以认出他们来”(太7:20)。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 2}
许多这样的小册子送到了邮局，指示邮件管理员说要寄给安息日复临信徒。惠灵顿的人充满了偏见。D.M.坎莱特的谎言的流传已经引起了偏见，以致几乎不可能接触那些人了，凡属这种性质的事都使人猜疑我们在秘密行事。C弟兄派发的这些小册子和电报具有确认这些猜疑的性质。这一切的事都使人们关闭心门反对我们。这种事正在挡住道路。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 3}
这些自以为在侍奉上帝的人是在仇敌一边，而不是在上帝一边。昨天我寄了二十三页的文稿到墨尔本，准备在我们的人中间发行。此前我寄了许多页论述同样的问题。这些材料不会预备好放在这个月的邮件中。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 4}
一点错误道理的酵，在撒但爪牙的鼓动下，会对那些在现代真理上没有根基不牢靠的人造成许多损害。若不固定在永恒的磐石上，就没有一个人能安全。我们完全有理由感激和信赖上帝。主耶稣认识那些属祂的人。祂受死为了拯救一个失丧的世界，祂正从世界召集出一支军队侍奉在祂的旗帜下。祂必献给自己一个荣耀的教会，毫无玷污、皱纹等类的病(弗5:27)。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 5}
我了解这两个人都在总会(1893年2月17日至3月6日在巴特尔克里克召开的总会会议)，就是S和C。他们在那里难道没能看出上帝之灵的显现吗?他们难道没能看见上帝敞开了天上的窗户倾降了福气吗?为何这样呢?证言一直在赐下，纠正和劝勉教会，许多人也实际应用了给老底嘉教会的信息，承认了自己的罪，心灵痛悔地悔改了。他们在听天上的商人耶稣的声音说：“看哪，我站在门外叩门，若有听见我声音就开门的，我要进到他那里去，我与他，他与我一同坐席”(启3:20)。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 6}
自称有奇妙亮光的这些弟兄同样有悔改和认罪的工作要做，从而清除自己心门前的垃圾，敞开心扉欢迎天上的贵宾。他们要是曾置身亮光的通道中，原会从天上领受最宝贵的福气，原会看见主确实向祂的子民恩慈地彰显了祂自己，公义的日头已经升起照耀他们。这原是在积极进行的宝贵的推销活动。基督给老底嘉教会的劝勉正在得到遵行，凡感到自己贫穷的人都在买金子(信心和爱心)，白衣(基督的义)和眼药(真正的属灵辨识力)。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 7}
这些弟兄为什么没有排好队，置身亮光的通道中呢?他们贫穷而不自知。他们不是在基督的战线作工，没有被祂的圣灵软化折服，反而如此盲目以致看不到来自上帝宝座的强烈光线照在祂子民身上。他们听不到那位真牧人的声音。他们在听生人的声音。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 8}
当我考虑这些被误导的弟兄们的软弱时，我内心深感忧伤，他们并不恳求上帝说：“上帝啊，赐福我，现在赐福我，叫我看出自己的错误。祢正在传给祢的子民曾交给凡人的最丰富的真理。这些民不是巴比伦;因为祢已赐给他们公义和平安和祢的喜乐，好叫他们的喜乐可以满足。”唉，为什么他们不向耶稣敞开心门呢?为什么不就在那里消除一切的障碍，好让公义日头的明亮光线照向世界呢?当上帝的福气到处渗透的时候，当祂的临格使人分为圣成为圣洁归于祂自己的时候，他们为何不将自己的心灵置于亮光的通道中呢?这是因为撒但已将他邪恶的阴影投在他们的道路上，要阻挡每一线亮光。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 9}
他们怎么能参加完上帝的能力如此显著的聚会，便宣布大呼声就是说守上帝诫命的人是巴比伦!撒但曾对基督说同样的话，那时约书亚站在使者面前。撒但宣称约书亚的罪那么大，基督不应该阻止撒但毁灭他。基督的话适用于这些弟兄，也适用于凡提出类似观点的人。“‘撒但哪，耶和华责备你!就是拣选耶路撒冷的耶和华责备你!这不是从火中抽出来的一根柴吗?’约书亚穿着污秽的衣服站在使者面前”(亚3:2,3)。谁给他穿上污秽衣服的呢?“使者吩咐站在面前的说：你们要脱去他污秽的衣服;又对约书亚说：我使你脱离罪孽，要给你穿上华美的衣服。我说：要将洁净的冠冕戴在他头上。他们就把洁净的冠冕戴在他头上，给他穿上华美的衣服，耶和华的使者在旁边站立。耶和华的使者告诫约书亚说：万军之耶和华如此说：你若遵行我的道，谨守我的命令，你就可以管理我的家，看守我的院宇;我也要使你在这些站立的人中间来往”(亚3:4-7)。撒但的工作就是用污秽的衣服盖在悔改、相信、守上帝诫命的子民身上;耶稣基督吩咐给他们穿上祂的义袍，就是在天上的织机织就的衣服。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 10}
我们的S和C弟兄一直在干什么呢?他们若是已蒙上帝委任做这种工作，就不会需要擅自使用怀姐妹的著作，不咨询她或对她说一声。他们若是这么信任主所赐给她去做的工作，为什么不与她商量，看看这个令人惊奇的信息是否符合主给她的指示呢?他们为何没有智慧按正路行事呢? {RH November 8, 1956, par. 11}
但他们的信息是假信息，与人自称出于主的类似信息具有同样的性质。它并不象点自上帝祭坛的明亮烛光。当主赐给祂的子民亮光时，那就是亮光。它不是黑暗和错谬，直接引人远离上帝所赐要加强和赐福并给祂子民希望的真光。这些人没有权利擅自使用主委托给祂谦卑的仆人要藉着做买卖来善用的货财，将之放在他们谬论的框架中，显得好像那是从天上来的上帝的声音，发出“大呼声”，说教会，就是遵守祂诫命的选民是巴比伦，并且呼召祂的子民从其中出来。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 12}
我没有这种信息要传;反而有性质完全不同的信息要传。我的工作是要寻找拯救失丧的、将亡的人，并象保罗一样教导他们，他说：“凡与你们有益的，我没有一样避讳不说的，或在众人面前，或在各人家里，我都教导你们;又对犹太人和希腊人证明当向上帝悔改，信靠我主耶稣基督。……我今日向你们证明，你们中间无论何人死亡，我于众人的血是洁净的。因为上帝的旨意，我并没有一样避讳不传给你们的。圣灵立你们作全群的监督，你们就当为自己谨慎，也为全群谨慎，牧养上帝的教会，就是祂用自己血所买来的。我知道，我去之后必有凶暴的豺狼进入你们中间，不爱惜羊群”(徒20:20-21; 26-29)。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 13}
此时使徒叫他们看到另外一等人：“就是你们中间，也必有人起来说悖谬的话，要引诱门徒跟从他们。所以你们应当警醒，记念我三年之久昼夜不住的流泪、劝戒你们各人”(徒20:30-31)。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 14}
在历代都有人以为自己有一项工作要为主去做，并且表现出对主一直在使用的人不尊重。他们并不正确地应用圣经，反而扭曲经文以支持他们自己的想法。那些引诱人离开主体的人无论怎样自称以宣扬他们自己发明的理论，都是在侍奉撒但，标新立异为使人心转离现代真理。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 15}
要警惕那些起来大肆攻击教会的人。上帝的选民要勇敢地抵制世界上敌对的风暴，把被践踏的上帝诫命高举起来，尊之为圣，因为他们是世上的光。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 16}
凡人怎么敢论断他们，称教会是妓女、巴比伦、贼窝、各样污秽可憎之雀鸟的巢穴、鬼魔的住处、使列国都因她邪淫大怒的酒倾倒、与地上的君王和伟人结盟、因奢华太过就发了财，并且宣称她的罪恶滔天，她的不义，上帝已经想起来了呢?难道这就是我们要向安息日复临信徒传达的信息吗?我告诉你们，不是的!上帝没有赐给任何人这种信息。但愿这些人在上帝面前谦卑己心，并以真实的痛悔悔改自己竟一时站在那控告者一边，他是昼夜在上帝面前控告弟兄的。……{RH November 8, 1956, par. 17}
任何一个在信心上有真正经验的人似乎几乎不可能会建议这样将圣经错误地应用在上帝守诫命的子民身上。假如这种假信息是这时候人人都必须听到的信息，“我的民哪，你们要从那城出来，”那么我们要去哪里呢?我们要在哪里才能保证寻得纯正、善良和圣洁呢?哪里才是狼群不会进去的羊圈呢?……{RH November 8, 1956, par. 18}
我的弟兄们啊，我告诉你们，主已经组建了教会，要藉着她工作。在信徒中间，可能有一些犹大;有急躁的彼得，在试炼的环境下会否认他的主;也会有约翰那样蒙耶稣所爱的人，但他也可能会怒火中烧，求火从天降下，消灭那些侮辱基督和真理的人。大教师却设法指教他们纠正这些现有的弊端。祂今天也这样对待祂的教会。祂指出他们的危险，把老底嘉信息摆在他们面前。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 19}
祂告诉他们，一切自私、骄傲、自高、不信和偏见，都是危险的。抱有这些情绪的人如果不悔改，就会像犹太人那样，被留在黑暗之中。但愿每一个人现在都力图回答基督的祈祷。但愿每一个人都用心、用恳求、用劝勉回应那个祈祷，彼此合而为一，就象基督与天父合而为一，并为此而努力。不要掉转武器攻击我们自己的队伍，而要转身反对那些敌对上帝和真理的人。要衷心回应基督的祈祷：“圣父啊，求祢因祢所赐给我的名保守他们，叫他们合而为一，像我们一样。……我不求祢叫他们离开世界，只求祢保守他们脱离那恶者”(约17:11,15)。祂献上的这个祷告也说明了跟从祂的人藉以成圣的过程：“求祢用真理使他们成圣”(约17:17)。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 20}
心门必须向圣灵敞开，因为这就是那位使人成圣者，而真理乃是媒介。必须接受那在耶稣里的真理。这才是惟一真正的成圣：“祢的道就是真理”(约17:17)。请阅读基督为合一献上的祷告吧：“求祢因祢所赐给我的名保守他们，叫他们合而为一，像我们一样”(约17:11)。基督不仅为祂当时的门徒祈祷，也为所有因祂门徒的话而相信祂的人祈祷，直到世界的末了。耶稣那时即将舍去性命，以彰显不朽的生命。祂在受苦的时候，在天天遭人拒绝的时候，竟展望到两千年以后末世人类历史结束前的教会。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 21}
主从那时起就建立了教会，历经沧桑，直至今日1893年。圣经为我们展示了教会的典范。信徒们要彼此团结，与上帝合而为一。当信徒们与真葡萄树基督联接起来时，他们就在基督里成为一体，充满同情，温柔和仁爱。如果有人在脱离遵守诫命之上帝子民的团体，开始用人的天平来衡量教会，开始对教会妄加论断，你就可以知道不是上帝在引导着他。他是走在错误的道路上。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 22}
经常会有浮躁不安的男人和女人起来，想要标新立异，创造奇迹。撒但正在伺机利用他们为他服务。上帝已经把工作分配给了每一个人。教会里有机会和特权帮助将亡的人。要用热心鼓励教会，而不要拆毁教会。教会中有许多机会可以行走在基督一边。我们如果心中充满热情，追求更深的成圣和圣洁，就会虔诚谦卑地在这个方面努力。教会需要朝气蓬勃，充满灵感，呼吸属天空气的人，给教会带来活力，尽管在麦子中长着稗子。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 23}
要是善良的人和谦卑的人愿意就地负起责任，去帮助将要死的人，他们就会成为教会的大福气。教会里有未悔改的人，要是那些如此渴望为主表热心的人愿意寻找这些可怜的人，并且以耐心和恒心作工，争取他们归于耶稣，上帝就会与他们同工。“我们是与上帝同工的”(林前3:9)，不要拆毁和毁坏，而要修复。“也要为自己的脚，把道路修直了，使瘸子不至差路”(来12:13)。在国内布道区有大量工作需要做成，在运用上帝赐给我们的才干作明智的改进方面也有大量的工作要做。我们可以藉着实践在祂的业务上成为高明的商人。我们需要在造福众生、学习救灵的行业上变得技术高明。这需要祈祷和恳切恒切的努力，并且愿意以谦卑的方式作工。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 24}
如果一直不必要地花在做上帝根本没有打发人们去做的工作上的钱，被节俭地以简朴安全的方式用于基督在世上的国度的建立和进展，而不是帮助撒但将耻辱投在基督的国度上，象撒但正在做的那样，给祂的教会穿上污秽的衣服，用上帝赐给他们为要显明他们的罪的督责和纠正催他们进入违心的处境;原会在基石上做成何等大的工作啊。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 25}
“若有人用金、银、宝石、草木，禾秸在这根基上建造，各人的工程必然显露，因为那日子要将他表明出来，有火发现;这火要试验各人的工程怎样”(林前3:12,13)。我劝告所有的信徒要学会保持高度的警觉，防止撒但把你们的心从上帝那里盗走，下意识地站到撒但的一边，不知道自己已经换了领袖，落入暴君的阴险权势之下。{RH November 8, 1956, par. 26}
我们作为教会务要十分警醒，要与上帝同工，帮助我们中间犯了错误的人。我们装备着属灵的武器，足以摧毁仇敌的堡垒。不要把炸药投向战斗中的基督教会，因为撒但正在竭尽全力做这样的事情。凡自称是上帝余民的人绝不要帮助他进行诋毁、指责和定罪。要设法恢复，而不是拦阻、破坏和拆毁。(《文稿》1893年第21号){RH November 8, 1956, par. 27}
8-Nov-56
Should Adventists Join Some New Movement?
Bank’s Terrace Wellington, New Zealand June 12, 1893
Those who have published the?Loud Cry?tract have not consulted me upon the subject. They have quoted largely from my writings and put their own construction upon them. They claim to have a special message from God to pronounce the Seventh-day Adventist Church Babylon, proclaim her fall, and call the people of God to come out of her, and try to make the Testimonies substantiate their theory. These publications are misleading minds, and increasing the prejudice already existing, and tend to make it more difficult to get access to them to present the message God has given in warnings to the world of altogether a different character from the ideas presented in these pamphlets.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 1}
I arose at half-past two o’clock; I could not sleep; the burden was upon me. The history of the children of Israel urged itself upon my mind, and many points were so clearly pressed upon me that I dared not keep silent. I wrote twenty-three pages between three o’clock and half-past twelve o’clock. My spirit was stirred within me. I felt a burden for the people of God, not only on account of this one production, but because of many such matters which are coming to the people, claiming to be messages from God. “By their fruits ye shall know them.”?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 2}
A number of these pamphlets came to the post office, with instruction to the postmaster to hand them to Seventh-day Adventists. The people of Wellington are full of prejudice. The circulation of D. M. Canright’s falsehoods has created prejudice, making it next to impossible to reach the people and everything of this character creates the suspicion that we are working under cover. These pamphlets and telegraph dispatches from Brother C are of a character to confirm these suspicions. All these things are closing the doors of the people against us. The way is being hedged up by just such things.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 3}
These men who think they are doing God service are working on the enemy’s side, not on God’s side. Yesterday I sent twenty-three pages of manuscript to Melbourne to be prepared for circulation among our people. Prior to this I sent a number of pages treating on the same subject. It will not be prepared to go in this month’s mail.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 4}
A little leaven of false doctrine, under the inspiration of satanic agencies, may work much harm to those who are not rooted and grounded and unmovable in present truth. No one can be safe now unless riveted to the eternal Rock. We have every reason to be grateful and trustful in God. The Lord Jesus knoweth them that are His. He died to save a lost world, and He is gathering out from it an army to serve under His banner. And He will present to Himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 5}
I understood that both these men were at the General Conference [held in Battle Creek, February 17-March 6, 1893], that is, S and C. Could they not discern there the revealings of the Spirit of God? Could they not see that God was opening the windows of heaven and pouring out a blessing? Why was this? Testimonies had been given correcting and counseling the church and many had made a practical application of the message to the Laodicean Church, and were confessing their sins and repenting in contrition of soul. They were hearing the voice of Jesus, the heavenly Merchantman, “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.”?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 6}
These brethren who claimed to have this wonderful light had the very same work of repentance and confession to do, thus clearing the rubbish from the door of their own hearts, and opening the door of their hearts to welcome the heavenly guest. Had they placed themselves in the channel of light, they would have received the most precious blessings from heaven. They would have seen that the Lord was indeed gracious, manifesting Himself to His people, and that the Sun of Righteousness had risen upon them. This was precious merchandizing actively carried on. The counsel of Christ to the Laodicean Church was being acted upon, and all who were feeling their poverty were buying gold (faith and love), white raiment (the righteousness of Christ), and eyesalve (true spiritual discernment).?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 7}
Why did not these brethren fall into line, and place themselves in the channel of light? They were poverty stricken and knew it not. They were not working in Christ’s lines, were not softened and subdued by His Holy Spirit, and were so blinded that they could not see the strong beams of light that were coming from the throne of God upon His people. They heard not the voice of the true Shepherd. They were listening to the voice of a stranger.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 8}
When I consider the infirmities of these misled brethren, I feel deep sorrow of heart that they did not plead with God, “Bless me, O God bless, now I see my error. Thou art communicating to Thy people the richest truths ever committed to mortals. These people are not Babylon; for Thou hast given to them righteousness and peace and Thy joy, that their joy may be full.” O why did they not open the door of their heart to Jesus? Why not have removed right there all that obstructs the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness that they might shine to the world? While God’s blessing was penetrating everywhere, while His presence was consecrating and sanctifying souls unto Himself, why did they not place their souls in the channel of light? It was because Satan had cast his hellish shadow athwart their pathway to obstruct every ray of light.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 9}
How could they come from that meeting where the power of God was revealed in so marked a manner, and proclaim that the loud cry was that the commandment-keeping people were Babylon. Satan was saying that same thing to Christ when Joshua stood before the angel. Satan was declaring his sins to be so great that he should not be restrained from destroying him. The words of Christ are applicable to these brethren, and to all who advance similar sentiments. “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before the angel.” Who clothed him with filthy garments? “And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by. And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; if thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.” The work of Satan is to cover the repentant, believing, commandment-keeping people of God with defiling garments; Jesus Christ commands them to be clothed with His righteousness, garments woven in the loom of heaven.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 10}
What have our brethren S and C been doing? If they had been commissioned of God to do this work they would not need to appropriate the writings of Sister White, without consulting her or saying a word to her. If they have so large confidence in the work the Lord has given her to do, why did not they advise with her, and see if this wonderful message was in accordance with the instruction given her of the Lord? Why did they not have wisdom to go to work in the right way??{RH November 8, 1956, par. 11}
But theirs is a spurious message, of the same character of similar messages that men have claimed to have of the Lord. It is not as the bright shining of a candle lighted from the divine altar. When the Lord gives His people light it is light. It is not darkness and error, leading directly away from the true light which God has sent to strengthen and bless, and give hope to His people. These men had no right to appropriate the Lord’s goods entrusted to His humble servant to trade upon and improve by trading upon them, and to place them in the framework of their errors, making it appear that it was the voice of God from heaven giving the “Loud Cry” that the church, His chosen people, who are keeping His commandments, are Babylon, and His people are called to come out of her.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 12}
I have no such message to give; but one of an entirely different character. My work is to seek to save lost, perishing souls, and to teach them as did Paul, who says, “I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.... I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.”?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 13}
Now he brings before them another class: “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 14}
In all ages of the world there have been men who think they have a work to do for the Lord, and show no respect for those whom the Lord has been using. They do not make right applications of Scripture, they wrest the Scriptures to sustain their own ideas. Whatever may be the claims of those who draw away from the body to proclaim theories of their own invention, they are in Satan’s service, to get up some new device to divert souls from the truth for this time.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 15}
Beware of those who arise with a great burden to denounce the church. The chosen ones who are standing and breasting the storm of opposition from the world, and are uplifting the downtrodden commandments of God to exalt them as honorable and holy, are indeed?the light of the world.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 16}
How dare mortal man pass his judgment upon them, and call the church a harlot, Babylon, a den of thieves, a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, the habitation of devils, making the nations drunk with the wine of her fornication, confederating with the kings and great men of the earth, waxing rich through the abundance of her delicacies, and proclaiming that her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembered her iniquities? Is this the message we have to bear to Seventh-day Adventists? I tell you No! God has given no man any such message. Let these men humble their hearts before God, and in true contrition repent that they have even for a time stood by the side of the accuser of the brethren who accused them before God day and night....?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 17}
It seems almost impossible that anyone who had a genuine experience in the faith should suggest such erroneous applications of Scripture as applicable to God’s commandment-keeping people. Supposing this spurious message is the one everyone must hear for this time, “Come out of her, my people,” where shall we go to? Where shall we find the purity, goodness, and holiness where we shall be secure? Where is the fold where no wolves will enter??{RH November 8, 1956, par. 18}
I tell you, my brethren, the Lord has an organized body through whom He will work. There may be more than a score of Judases among them; there may be a rash Peter who will under circumstances of trial deny his Lord; there may be persons represented by John whom Jesus loved, but he may have a zeal that would destroy men’s lives by calling down fire from heaven upon them to revenge an insult to Christ and to the truth. But the great Teacher seeks to give lessons of instruction to correct these existing evils. He is doing the same today with His church. He is pointing out their dangers. He is presenting before them the Laodicean message.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 19}
He shows them that all selfishness, all pride, all self-exaltation, all unbelief and prejudice, which lead to resistance of the truth and turn away from the true light, are dangerous, and unless repented of, those who cherish these things will be left in darkness as was the Jewish nation. Let every soul now seek to answer the prayer of Christ. Let every soul echo that prayer in mind, in petitions, in exhortations, that they all may be one even as Christ is one with the Father, and work to this end. In the place of turning the weapons of warfare within our own ranks, let them be turned against the enemies of God and of the truth. Echo the prayer of Christ with your whole heart: “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.... I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Also this prayer which He offers to interpret the process through which His followers are sanctified: “Sanctify them through thy truth.”?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 20}
The door of the heart must be opened to the Holy Spirit, for this is the sanctifier, and the truth is the medium. There must be an acceptance of the truth as it is in Jesus. This is the only genuine sanctification: “Thy word is truth.” O read the prayer of Christ for unity, “Keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” The prayer of Christ is not only for those who are now His disciples, but for all those who shall believe on Christ through the words of His disciples, even to the end of the world. Jesus was just about to yield up His life to bring life and immortality to light. Christ, amid His sufferings, and being daily rejected of men, looks down the lines two thousand years to His church which would be in existence in the last days, before the close of this earth’s history.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 21}
The Lord has had a church from that day, through all the changing scenes of time to the present period, 1893. The Bible sets before us a model church. They are to be in unity with each other, and with God. When believers are united to Christ the living vine, the result is that they are one with Christ, full of sympathy and tenderness and love. When anyone is drawing apart from the organized body of God’s commandment-keeping people, when he begins to weigh the church in his human scales, and begins to pronounce judgment against them, then you may know that God is not leading him. He is on the wrong track.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 22}
Constantly, men and women are arising who become restless and uneasy, who want to set up some new contrivance; to do some wonderful thing. Satan watches his opportunity to give them something to do in his line. God has given to every man his work. There are opportunities and privileges in the church to help those who are ready to die, and to inspire the church with zeal, but not to tear the church to pieces. There are plenty of opportunities in the church to walk in Christ’s lines. If the heart is full of zeal to press on to a deeper sanctification and holiness, then work in that line in all humbleness and devotedness. The church needs freshness and the inspiration of men who breathe in the very atmosphere of heaven, to vitalize the church, notwithstanding the tares are among the wheat.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 23}
If good men and humble men will take up their duty just where it is, to help those who are ready to die, they will be a great blessing to the church. There are unconverted men in the church, and if those who are so longing to show their zeal for the Lord will seek these poor souls and work with patience and perseverance to win them to Jesus, God would work with them. “Ye are laborers together with God,” not to tear down and destroy, but to restore. “Make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way.” There is an abundance of work that is needed to be done in home missions, and in exercising the talents God has given us, for wise improvement. We may become skillful as a tradesman in His business by practice. We want to become skillful in the trade of working to bless souls, learning to save souls. This requires prayer, and earnest, persevering effort, and a willingness to work in a humble way.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 24}
If the money that has been needlessly expended in the doing of works that God has not sent men to do at all, had been employed economically in ways that are simple and safe for the progress and upbuilding of Christ’s kingdom in the world, instead of helping Satan to cast upon the kingdom of Christ reproach, and clothing His church with filthy garments as Satan is doing, and urging them into false positions by using the reproofs and corrections that God has given them to show them their sin; what a great work would have been laid upon the foundation stone.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 25}
“Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” I would caution all believers to learn to maintain a godly jealousy over yourselves, lest Satan shall steal your heart away from God, and you slip unconsciously into work in Satan’s lines, without perceiving that you have changed leaders, and be found in the treacherous power of a tyrant.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 26}
We are as a church to be wide awake, and to work for the erring among us, as laborers together with God. We are furnished with spiritual weapons, mighty to the pulling down of the fortress of the enemy. We are not to hurl the thunderbolts against the church of Christ militant; for Satan is doing all he possibly can in this line, and you who claim to be the remnant of the people of God had better not be found helping him, denouncing, accusing, and condemning. Seek to restore, not to tear down, discourage, and destroy.—Manuscript 21, 1893.?{RH November 8, 1956, par. 27}
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