LIVING CHRISTIANS AT THE SECOND ADVENT.
By Raymond F. Cottrell
WE often hear it asserted that it is of no importance to us to know when the advent is near, if we are only prepared for it; as if one could live in the day of God's preparation, amidst the fulfillment of signs in heaven and on earth, and pass the last conflict between truth and error, and the last persecution of the church in the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation upon the earth, from which all of God's people are to be delivered in connection with the resurrection from the dead, Dan. 12:1, 2, and not be aware that the end is at hand, and yet be a believer in Christ and the Bible! and hence perfectly prepared for what is coming, prepared for the last trial and the final deliverance! For the benefit of those who entertain such a view, we call their attention to the fact that the experience of the last of the church is clearly foretold in prophecy. In the first place, from the fulfillment of signs in the sun, moon, and stars, they will know that the advent is near, even at the doors. Matt. 24:29-35. Then, the prophetic numbers being unsealed, which were sealed up to the time of the end, a message is heard to the ends of the earth, "Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his Judgment is come," the fall of Babylon is announced, and the final warning is given against the worship of the beast and his image, and the impending day of wrath proclaimed. Rev. 14:6-12. The order of events is foretold, the programme is laid down, the experience of the church is clearly foreshown. What believer in God and his word can pass through all this, and still not be aware that the end is at hand? Who, without the benefit of hearing and heeding the last warning, will be all prepared to be delivered in the day of wrath? The living church, at the second advent, will have passed this, their foretold experience. Can they be believers, who can pass all this and not know it? Again, the character of the church at the second advent is foretold. They will be distinguished from merely nominal Christians from the fact that they "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." The fact that under a terrific warning a people are tested out from nominal Christianity, that keep the commandments of God, is proof positive that the others are not keeping them. This separation, effected by the last message, will lead to the last persecution. This persecution will come upon them because they "keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17; 13:15. From this they will be delivered, and they will stand with the Lamb upon Mount Zion, because they have his Father's name written in their foreheads, and not the mark of the name of the beast. Rev. 14:1. Here are two distinguishing characteristics. 1. They keep the commandments of God. If any desire to know what commandments are here referred to, the answer is, The very ones on which the Christian world is divided—the ones which are now in agitation among the people. Nothing can be plainer than this. Let those who would obey God keep those commandments of God which are in dispute. There is no dispute about the ceremonial or Jewish law. The contention is on the moral law or ten commandments. These, then, are the commandments. The Sabbath of this law is especially the bone of contention. This, then, is of special importance at the present time. And what is the only safe course? Keep the commandments. 2. The remnant of the church are distinguished from the others by having "the testimony of Jesus Christ." This is defined to be "the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19:10, compare Rev. 22:9. This is their second characteristic, and the second ground of the final war upon them. Amid the false spirit manifestation of these days, where will the true be found? The answer is, With those who keep the commandments of God. They will certainly be found with the last of the true church.