Editorial by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 17, 1909

Editorial

By Editor

Truth’s Final Triumph

THE forces of evil may combine to thwart God’s purposes and hinder his workings. It may seem for a little time that their efforts are effective; but “he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” His plans will carry, his purposes prevail. The divine arrow of truth may appear to be turned aside, but at last it will reach the mark, and accomplish its object. Evil may seem to triumph here, but truth will prevail throughout eternity. The knowledge through faith that this is indeed true, affords confidence and quietness in the conflict. We can calmly suffer apparent defeat to-day, if we know that to-morrow will bring the victory. We can meet the martyr’s fate in this world, if we know we may wear the martyr’s crown of glory in the world to come. It is this abiding faith in the final triumph of right which nerves the arm for the conflict, and makes strong and brave the heart to do and dare. Men may combine against God and his truth. They may propose, but the disposing is with him. He that says to the mighty deep, “Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further,” can cause even the wrath of man to praise him, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain. This Mighty One is the author of our faith, the God of our salvation. Surely we can trust to him all the future,—the finishing of his work in the earth, and his purpose in our lives. He will do all things well. We can securely trust to his wisdom and love.

God’s Victors

THAT God’s kingdom should not be a constant battle-ground, it was necessary that righteousness should be the characteristic of whatever or whoever was to be eternal. The everlasting Father would not make himself the slave of circumstance; therefore he would not establish in his realm a system which would make it necessary to immortalize iniquity; therefore the continued existence of all his creatures was made contingent upon their choice of righteousness.

Every individual to whom is finally sealed the gift of eternal life will receive that gift because of his choice of the ways of righteousness. That choice makes possible the bestowal of that gift.

Says the psalmist: “Blessed is the man unto whom Jehovah imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” Ps. 32:2. Freedom from guile and sin is God’s greatest blessing. The opposite must bring his condemnation and the fruitage of sin—death. If there is guile in the spirit, the tongue will make it known and help to root it deeper and stimulate its growth. Therefore we have this divine admonition: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Prov. 4:23. In perfect harmony with this is the following: “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of Jehovah are toward the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of Jehovah is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.” Ps. 34:13-16.

Similarly does Inspiration exhort us through Peter: “Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation.” 1 Peter 2:1. And further have we the example of our Sacrifice, whose steps we are commanded to follow: “Hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.” 1 Peter 2:21, 22.

Thus by both precept and example are we shown the way and the requirement. The lives of some will prove that the way has been followed, the requirement met; for we read of those who are among the redeemed host that “in their mouth was found no guile.” Rev. 14:5. As the words of the mouth are an indication of the condition of the heart, we know that the heart of such was guileless as well as the mouth.

Every one of whom that is said will be a victor, a conqueror in the name of God, an heir of eternity through the merits of Christ. The Lord himself so designates them in these words: “He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.” Rev. 3:21.

Every human heart is a battle-field, whereon truth and error, loyalty and disloyalty, sincerity and guile, righteousness and iniquity, life and death, meet in mortal struggle. In every individual struggle, heaven is intensely interested. “The eyes of Jehovah are toward the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” We are assured that the eyes of the Lord “run to and fro through the whole earth.” Zech. 4:10. For what purpose if not to observe the progress of that contest in individual hearts? Every human being saved out of this sinful world is a jewel to shine in the crown of our Redeemer. Christ will not think the price too great when these jewels of his grace are garnered out of this rebellious realm. Then “he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” Isa. 53:11.

But let us not forget the prerequisites of being numbered among those jewels. They are the guileless mouth, the guileless heart, the choice of righteousness, the appropriation of Christ’s sacrifice in our behalf. The fountain must be pure if the stream is to be pure. The choice of righteousness must spring from a heart that loves righteousness. The guileless mouth is possessed by him only who has a guileless heart. The appropriation of Christ’s sacrifice is possible to him only in whose heart the love of Christ is deeply planted and gladly nurtured. The conversation of such an one will not be filled with gossip about the faults and eccentricities of his neighbor. Those “lying lips” which are “an abomination to the Lord” will not be his. His tongue will form no impure word nor take up any slanderous reproach. His words will be a constant testimony to the goodness and righteousness of God, a wellspring of hope, and a savor of life unto life.

God demands that his people, who give to the last generation of sinners the last message of salvation, shall be such a

people. It is no small requirement; and in human strength it is an utter impossibility; but in God there is strength sufficient to make it possible. It will do no good simply to know that strength is there. It must be drawn upon to the extent of our needs. To a people that are among the smallest of earth God has given a task that might well appall the strongest people in the world. Only in his strength is success possible, and we can not expect that strength while we nurture iniquity. If ever a people was called upon to deny “ungodliness and worldly lusts” and “live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world,” it is this people. Only thus can God make us a power for the accomplishment of his purpose, or crown us victors when his work is done.

C. M. S.