Our Responsibility by Eldridge G. Russ

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 10, 1866

Our Responsibility.

By Eldridge G. Russ

How great is our responsibility before God! We are living in an age when God is calling out all that are sincere, into the clear, blazing light of his holy word. His church has for long ages been in the wilderness, groping her way through the darkness of Papal superstition. To make straight the way and prepare for the second coming of his dear Son, the Lord has set his hand to the work of bringing his church up out of the wilderness, and purifying unto himself a peculiar people, who shall honor him by keeping all his commandments, and returning to the humble walk of the primitive Christian, and who will cast off all the evil habits and ways of this degenerate age. Sol. Songs, vi, 10; viii, 5.

The Lord has raised up instruments by which he has been bringing out the truth upon his word, link by link, until now, those who turn their feet into the testimonies of the Lord, can have the truth spread before them in a clear, connected manner. His servants whom he has sent forth to face a frowning world, to make straight the way, and condemn the world of unrighteousness—who have been instructed alone by the Holy Spirit, and sustained by the power of God—deserve our love and esteem, and above all, our most hearty support.

How much responsibility rests upon us, brethren, in the manner in which we live out these blessed truths which the Lord has seen fit to reveal to his remnant people. What a flood of light has been shed upon the sacred word through the agency of Spiritual Gifts, which God has graciously seen fit to place in the church for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ, and which are at this time restored unto us. If we live up to their teachings, we shall have to deny self, and especially our wrong appetites, very much; but would we not in this please God, who has instructed us in these things? Then would we not in a corresponding degree displease

God and grieve his Holy Spirit, by clinging to our old sinful habits, when such clear light has been given us? All will answer, Yes. If God has spoken, it is that we obey; for he never speaks in vain. Is not obedience to the teachings of these testimonies which God has given unto us, of equal importance with any other of his requirements? If we are slack and careless in regard to them, and think it of little importance whether we obey them or not, how must God look upon us? We certainly think it must be with a frown. May God give us willing hearts to walk in the light, that we may escape his terrible frown. Soon we believe God will work for his people in an especial manner, and we certainly do not want his frown upon us then!

It is comparatively an easy matter to lead people to the Sabbath; but when we come to these points of truth which call for self-denial, and withdrawal from the world, it is quite a different matter; and how much more so, when those who profess to be commandment-keepers lend their influence to discourage the idea of attaching any importance to obedience to those truths, and that too with the testimonies, (which they do not feel willing to reject) right before them.

In many places we find some who profess to believe the truth, setting themselves up against the teachings of the testimonies, if not in word, at least in their lives. They do not in any wise strive to live up to their holy teachings. We never find them advocating them, but if they do not feel free to publicly oppose them, or to throw in their doubts, they never offer a word in defense of them or their teachings. Notwithstanding the oft-repeated assertion that they do not disbelieve or reject the testimonies, it naturally strikes us that their lives speak forth their unbelief in plain terms. Where we find any life or zeal in such members, their great object seems to be to lead others to the Sabbath alone. We also find some faithful brethren and sisters, who in patience and gentleness try carefully to lead their friends into the whole truth, the testimonies not excepted. They move along carefully, and present such points of truth as they think the individual is able to bear, and cautiously lead the mind from one point of truth to another until they find their friends converted to all points of truth held by us as a people. Does not God look with greater favor upon such children, than those who are filled with doubts, and hold back part of the truth? God desires that his children should become established, and not that they should be so unstable and double-minded. Jas. i, 6, 7.

Either this is God's people, and God's truth, or else it is not. If it is his people, he will not permit them to teach false doctrines, and prosper while doing so. If it is not God's people, we do not wish to be found with them. But if it is God's people, and we believe it is, we want to be found united with them upon every point, all speaking the same things, minding the same things.

How discouraging and disheartening it is to those who love the whole truth, to see those whom they have been trying to lead into the truth, darkened, stumbled and halted by those whom they suppose to be of the same faith, throwing in their doubts upon the teachings of the testimonies, or some other points of truth. We have known persons who have been coming along willingly into all the truth, halted in this manner by some doubting and lukewarm professor of the truth casting in doubts, and they thus left for years, perhaps, to grope their way along in darkness, contending daily with their doubts and fears,—their enjoyment being all gone—they being neither with God's remnant, nor yet against them. How cruel it is to be filled with unbelief. How much injury one can do who doubts these great truths of God, and yet professes to believe them. May God deliver us all, brethren, from Doubting Castle.

I speak thus plainly because I once stood in the position of which I speak, filled with doubts and fears; and oh! the terrible gloom that hung over my mind. There was no enjoyment for me. I therefore know how to sympathize with those who are thus troubled by the evil One. But in the strength of God I arose and shook off my fears. I gave myself no rest, until I became satisfied that the work was of God. I have never dared to permit doubts to enter into my old mind since. I would shake off unbelief, for it dragged me down. When I believed, my soul was filled with light and joy. While in this doubting position I was satisfied that I was incurring the frown of God, for I did not share in his Holy Spirit, and I knew that the brethren were losing confidence in my honesty; for it is in the power of all, in the strength of God to cast unbelief out of the heart. In our stubbornness it is an easy matter for us to so steel our hearts against any point, that we will never more permit ourselves to believe. Rigid self-examination may save us from being thus deceived. May God help us to be believing. Brethren, we ought not to oppose the work and counsel of those servants of God whom he has so thoroughly tried, and raised up to lead out in this message. If we would please God, we must not be stubborn against their teachings, but love them for their very work's sake.

"Some have not learned to yield their will to their superiors, and how hard it is for such to bow to their Maker." They manifest the same stubbornness toward the Lord, that they do toward their fellow-creatures. How many mighty men and women have fallen because they have rebelled against the Lord. Many have run well till their wills were crossed, and they would not yield to God and his truth. Doubtless they were blinded to the fact that they were rebelling against God. Perhaps their minds were not raised higher than those who ministered to them in word and doctrine. This was the case with ancient Israel in the days of Moses the servant of God. This was also the case with Israel at subsequent periods in their history.

Brethren, let us be believing, and try and stand in unison with God's remnant people, that when the refreshing comes from the presence of the Lord, we may share in the great blessings. If this is God's truth and people, it will please him to have us believe, (Mark xvi, 16.) that we may have fellowship with them, and he will then be pleased to entrust us with his Holy Spirit. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. We believe, truly, that we shall all come to the unity of the faith that are saved, and the sooner we lay aside our preconceived views and antipathies, and walk in unison with God's people, the sooner we shall be prepared for our Lord's coming.

Precious moments are now passing, and if we continue in unbelief, we are going back instead of forward. May God help the sincere, that they may keep clear of the unbelief with which Satan desires to fill our minds, and help us all to realize the great responsibility which rests upon us, that we may walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, and share at last in his everlasting kingdom.

ELDRIDGE G. RUST.

Winfield, Mich.