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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, January 28, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXXI, No. 7

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THE LAW AND THE TESTIMONY.

By Geo. W. Parker

“For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.”
This prophecy was not all fulfilled at the beginning of the gospel dispensation, and we can readily see that it also applies to the last generation of God’s church living upon the earth before the coming of our Saviour. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. xii, 17. Now if we profess to be the remnant people of God, how can we as consistent and rational beings dwelling in the light of truth now present with us, and given to this people through his word, and his servants endowed with gifts which were to distinguish the remnant even unto the end of the world; how can we, consistent with our eternal destiny, or in harmony with the word of God, and without violating the dictates of reason itself, stand doubting and wavering, not acting or laying hold upon the testimonies and their teachings upon the subject of reform? If we believe these teachings to be of God, why stand we halting between two opinions, deciding eternal destiny with a careless indifference? Awake, O Zion, and shake off this lethargy into which Satan has beguiled you by his siren song of peace and safety.
Upon the reforms especially, many act as stones of stumbling, especially to those who have recently espoused the truths of the third angel’s message. By our not entering into the reforms zealously, they reason thus: Why does not this brother or that sister who has been identified with the people of God so long, not act upon the teachings of the Testimonies? Without searching further they are judging the light of the Testimonies as it shines through its adherents. May God help us to be consistent doers of his will. The gifts are among us as they were promised to the remnant people of God. Then why stand we idle? Are we doubting? Are the Testimonies destitute of truth? If so, renounce them in full. Before you do so, we will suppose for a moment that we could extinguish the light they have already given. Then take your Bible and tear out the sacred pages which declare that these gifts shall be among you if you are the remnant of the true church.
But stop, says the honest believer in God’s word, you are taking rich treasures of comfort from the great storehouse of wisdom, the Bible. I admit it. So closely are these truths allied one with the other that you cannot let one lie dormant without affecting all the rest. If you doubt it, look at Babylon, who prides herself upon spiritual gifts of an entirely different nature, a base counterfeit of the genuine, and a manifestation of the power of deception and error. See the darkness in which they are groping,—not a single ray of light upon prophecy, no beacon light shining forth from the sanctuary. Eyes they have, and see not, ears have they, and hear not. Behold the idols they cherish. The Testimonies bid us to lay our idols down. See how faint their hope. The Testimonies bid us have a hope like an anchor to the soul, and which entereth within the veil. If one of the least of these testimonies are of God, so are they all; for the whole substance of their teaching is for the fulfilling of the law. Then if you or I live in careless indifference to these teachings, we transgress by such inaction or indifference.
The time has come for the people of God to go forward in faith, relying upon the Testimonies as they are in accordance with the teachings of the Scriptures. God will not always by his Spirit strive with man; and many, by reason of their lukewarmness, will be spewed out, and lose their Comforter, the holy Spirit. May God give us grace to go forward that we may escape the plagues poured out upon those who deny and combat his truths, and that we may enter the heavenly city. May we have the blessed privilege of following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These are some of the promises through Jesus Christ to a dying world. These promises are all based upon the keeping of the commandments of God. May we have grace to heed the Testimonies, and strength to overcome the world, the flesh and the Devil. Geo. W. Parker. Chicago, Ill.