Untitled article by D. F. NEWTON

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 12, 1867

DANGER, DANGER.

By D. F. NEWTON

“Go forward, press onward, a moment’s delay May thicken the shadows that rise o’er your way. This waiting and wasting the summers that fly, Will leave you a sluggard, to linger and die.”

DANGER? Certainly! imminent. Go on, on, else you are gone. What, stop short of salvation, full, entire, complete? How dare you, when it is for you, purchased at a price infinite? You believe in the conquest of sin triumphantly, every sin; and yet you stop short of it. Why suffer the Canaanites to dwell in the land? Has not God told you to destroy them, root and branch, forthwith, and not suffer them to live or breathe? Die they must, else you die. You conquer or are conquered! You triumph or they triumph! Your sins are pardoned. Your soul is converted. You love the truth. Praise the Lord for this.

Furthermore, you believe it your duty and privilege to rise above the world; be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding, rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. That perfect love is attainable in this life. That “holiness to the Lord” should be your motto, written on your forehead, gate and door post. And yet you linger, stop short of it. The pearl of great price is not yours. The baptismal power is not yours. The tongue of fire is not yours. You know your duty and do it not. What is this but robbery! robbing God, your own soul; you stumble yourself; you stumble others. What is the cause of the numerous backslidings, and apostasies? the crucifying of the Lord of glory afresh? the pernicious errors that are flooding the land! error on error, mischief on mischief, ruin on ruin, damnation on damnation? fires that burn to the lowest hell? Have not all these, and yet more, resulted from halting between two opinions, stopping short of the high and holy calling, the faith of assurance? You acknowledge the present low state of Zion, her dead, stupid, lifeless formality, and the cause is, you know, the lack of consecration, a faith that works by love and purifies the heart.

And here you are still halting between two opinions, exposed to these dangers, a stumbler of stumblers. Instead of being a blind guide, as you are, a wall of offence, a stumbling stone, think how much you might do; what glory to Jesus you could bring; what a sparkling crown might be yours, were you to obey God, take him at his word, follow on, and on, to light on light, hope on hope, joy on joy, salvation on salvation, glory on glory!

Christian perfection is the perfection of the Christian grace. This also we wish, even your perfection. Christ died to procure it. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.” Titus ii, 14. “The blood of Jesus Christ, his son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John i, 7. The Holy Spirit is waiting to impart it. He is frequently called the Holy Spirit, not because he is more holy than the Father and the Son, but because it is his office to communicate holiness. 1 Peter ii, 22. The Word is the instrument which the Spirit employs to effect it: “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.” John xvii, 17. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John xv, 3. “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. iii, 17. The ministry has been established to promote it. “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers: for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,” Eph. iv, 11, 12.

God commands it: “Walk before me and be thou perfect.” Gen. xvii, 1. “Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father, which is in Heaven, is perfect.” God promises it. “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.” Ezek. xxxvi, 25. “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matt. v, 6.

There are many examples of it recorded in the Scriptures. It will secure your safety. If you do these things ye shall never fail. It will conduce to your peace and triumph in death. “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace.” Psa. xxxvii, 37. “Lo an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter i, 11. It will qualify you for an exalted station in Heaven.” “He that soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully.” 2 Cor. ix, 6. “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever.” Dan. xii, 3.

Must have this superlative grace? Assuredly. How can you, how dare you, delay, live and breathe an instant, without laying your whole being on the altar, and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Read, write, pray, preach, testify for Jesus, and give thanks as you ought! open your lips at all, as the Lord requires, without this holy unction, this overflowing grace! Impossible. Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, as God commands, give thanks always, be careful for nothing, glorify your heavenly Father in every relation of life, without this tongue of fire? Never—never.

Must have it? Unquestionably, brother. Why hesitate a single moment? You do it at your peril. God commands you to present your body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto him, which is your reasonable service; to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding, to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might;—to be filled with the Spirit. It is your duty, your privilege, to obey God, have respect unto all his commandments, especially touching a holy, consecrated life. It is as much your duty to put on the whole armor of God, to be wholly and unreservedly given up to his service, as it is for any sinner to repent, turn from his great wickedness and open rebellion against the Most High. How can you, with any degree of consistency, warn impenitent sinners to turn from their wicked ways, flee the wrath to come, while you are living in open disobedience to a plain and positive precept? “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” The command to be holy now, to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, is just as plain and positive as the command to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Beloved, it is not optional whether you will, or will not, obey God in this holy, consecrated life; you are solemnly bound to do it, as a matter of positive requisition. The voice is louder than SEVEN THUNDERS from high heaven, “wash, and make you clean.”

“Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.” Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Your usefulness, your happiness, your safety, your eternal life, pend on this obedience. It is God that speaks, not man. Moreover, there are no lions in the way, no giants, the sons of Anak; the pathway is open, the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein. Touching this baptismal fire, the promises are ample. The Spirit is given to profit withal. The Spirit and the bride say, Come, and whosoever will, let him come. Brother, sister, will you have it? will you accept this offered mercy—this purchased salvation from all sin? Will you comply with the conditions, lay all upon the altar, give up all for Christ, bring all the tithes into the store-house, take God at his word? Will you do it? Will you do it now? Will you?

To obtain this blessing when all is on the altar, a holy, unyielding violence of faith or humble trust in God is necessary. Let that described by the poet be yours: > “Fix’d on this ground will I remain, > Though my heart fail and flesh decay; > This anchor shall my soul sustain, > When earth’s foundations melt away; > Mercy’s full power I then shall prove, > Loved with an everlasting love!”

Rest now and forever here, and you are now, and shall eternally be, the saved of the Lord.

D. F. NEWTON.