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God's People Tested

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 13, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 35.

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God's People Tested

By MRS. ALMA DIKE

MRS. ALMA DIKE
God gave the beautiful garden of Eden to our first parents, with its tree of life, and he also gave them the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but told them not to eat of it. Then came the test; they fell, and so were driven out from their beautiful home.
Abraham, the friend of God, was tested. Joseph, Daniel and his three friends, and other noble men were tested.
Suppose Daniel's companions had simply knelt with the multitude at the king's command; they would not have needed to pray to the idol, but to God. They knew their life was at stake; but in the hour of temptation they remembered the commandment, “Thou shalt not bow down to them,” and God was greatly honored by his faithful servants.
But what about his people this side the cross? How can we show our love and loyalty to God? Is he testing us?—Yes, surely; for we find that the same royal law that was given to his people in the past, and to which many proved so faithful, is also given to us. The promise is, “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” Heb. 8:10. Then let us see that we stand loyal to the holy precepts.
Some say that Christ changed the law, but in Matt. 5 : 17 we read: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: . . . for verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
Pointing us to the cross, the Saviour says, All this I have done for you. I have died for your disobedience. What will you do for me? And our answer is, “We will show our love to thee by obeying all thy holy will; we will gladly give up everything that stands between thee and us, and through thy blood we will conquer. Then comes the assurance, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14.
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