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FORGETTING GOD

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 25, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 32, No. 10.

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FORGETTING GOD.

By Joseph Clarke

The influence which a remembrance of God and our relation to him has upon the development of character, is greater than is generally supposed. In fact it is the only true basis of moral character which is recognized as such in the word of God.
A person who does right merely because it is policy to do so, or merely because it is for his interest, or because he has been trained to do right, cannot be said to remember God. He performs his daily round of duties because poverty would come of neglect. He restrains his passions because of the disastrous effects of dissipation. He is honorable for the sake of a good name. His outward deportment is fair, and he keeps his heart from the contamination of vice by an industrious and moral habit of thought, and action, and study, upon the calling of his choice, and such subjects as fit him to converse with the refined and intelligent; but he seldom thinks of God. When he does, it is not with the feeling of a son to a father, but rather that of an alien to his rightful Lord; and, perhaps, rather a hatred to the character of God. If not, it may be a feeling of distrust, or a wish that he could, in some way, evade the strict survey of Jehovah, and that he might control his own destiny; or rather, to say the least, free himself from the obligations that the word of God imposes, or enjoins upon all free moral agents. Perhaps he hardly says this, or hardly would dare to think it in clear and well-defined trains of thought. But his opinions and views, deliberately expressed, show the drift of his mind, just as the straws indicate the direction of the wind.
We do not condemn the excellence of this character (and there are many such). No; all admire morality and stability of character, but we would show that true morality must have its basis in an affectionate remembrance of God, and his revealed will. We must be moral because of our relations to God; and, as his loving children, delight to do his will. If this regard to God exists in the heart, then his love is mingled in thoughts, words, and deeds, as the affectionate, obedient child acts and speaks in deference to his parents, while that morality which has not the love of God as its basis, acts, thinks, and speaks, in deference to public opinion, or education, or policy, or interest. Such a morality has its value. It is not to be lightly esteemed; only let its possessor realize that it is unsafe as a dependence in the day which is to try the hearts of men.
Another most important ingredient must be thoroughly inwrought into the character, else he will find it an insufficient support; for, although it may stand well the careless survey of the world, it will prove, in the end, a covering too short and too narrow by far.
Far be it from me to cry down an outward morality, and a correct life, according to the low standard of the world. No, I would say, Elevate the standard, and add the righteousness of faith. Then, when faith has cleared the way, it will be seen that all is vain unless it is brought to the standard of unerring truth. All that is founded in selfishness will fall in the day of trial.
No doubt Pilate was a man of noble principles, and of strict morality, for one of his class. He would have repudiated the thought of condemning an innocent man; but his morality was not based in love to God; and, high-toned as it no doubt was, it failed when a nation clamored for the blood of the Son of God, a man whom he well knew was innocent. The motives of his morality and sense of justice were a little too low; just low enough to fail.
Poor Pilate! we pity thy weakness; but we know thou didst act as most mere moralists would have done, nay, as well as the best of them; and we despair of doing any better, unless we base our morality on an affectionate remembrance of God, and a strict regard for his law.
At first the mere moralist may be too refined to join with the vulgar crowd in crying, Crucify him, but in the end he will at least sign the death-warrant of virtue, though unwillingly, and with a vain show of washing his hands.
Along with the noble Festus, and the refined Agrippa, are not a few of the highly-educated and polished of our contemporaries, both of the world and the professing churches; men and women, often possessing high and noble impulses, much beloved, and esteemed in the society in which they move. But, alas! their morality is too often a morality which stands irrespective of God in particular, careless of his law and his word, not cultivating any really sincere regard for him, and having no intimate communion with him, by his Spirit, his Son, or his word; having, perhaps, a form in which there is little, if any, love, or affection, or heartfelt esteem; but, instead of these, cold, icy forms, creeds, opinions, and doctrines, and these often manifestly erroneous. We say there are multitudes of just such moralists as we here describe.
Such moralists as these will, in the end, fail of everlasting life; not because of their morality, but because of their mistaking its nature; and because of its unsafe foundation. It lacks the main ingredients, faith, hope, and love.
How deadly would our atmosphere become if it were despoiled of one of its ingredients. We do not reject the loveliness of the moralist, but we would mingle in the light of the Sun of Righteousness with its healing rays.
How heavy and damp would our atmosphere become if deprived of the light of the sun to disperse the mists and vapors of night! So with moral character without the love of God. It is, in reality, a delusion, if depended upon to save the soul. Such a dependence will deceive to ruin.
If we would have a morality which will stand the test, we must gird to ourselves the whole armor of God, on the right hand and on the left. Nothing short of this will stand the scrutiny of Jehovah in the fearful and trying day. This calls for no laying aside of any virtue, moral principle of action, or honorable course of life. It calls for no diminutions of the amenities of life, but, well understood, it preserves and polishes them all. But it does call for a deep heart-work, a faithful study of self, and a comparing of the same with the word of God, which, in these last, eventful, perilous times, needs to be studied carefully and laboriously. Reader, let us seek for this excellent morality, this passport to Heaven, gained by drawing near to God.
JOSEPH CLARKE.