p. 425 | The Sabbath-School

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 21, 1882

The Sabbath-School.

Lesson for September 30.—John XVI.

“THESE things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.” The New Version has it “that ye should not be made to stumble,” which is preferable. Christ had just been telling the disciples that they might expect persecution. He had continually met with reproaches and persecution, and his teaching had been received with indifference and contempt. They must not expect better treatment than their Lord had received. Going forth into the world, full of love and zeal for the truth, they would naturally expect that all that would be necessary to cause others to accept it with the same ardor, would be to present it to them; and to have it rejected with scorn would be apt to discourage them. To prevent this, Christ forewarns them.

“THEY shall put you out of the synagogue.” To sever one’s church connections is not always an easy thing. With many, this is an insuperable obstacle in the way of their accepting truth, especially the truth upon the Sabbath. “If I should keep the Sabbath, I should be turned out of the church,” say some. Christ foretold this state of things. Right here let it be noticed that all the persecution that Christ foretold was to come from the professed church.

But being cast out of the synagogue, evidently means more in this place than simply being deprived of church fellowship. The greater excommunication deprived the individual of all civil rights. No one was allowed to transact business with the excommunicated person; he was an outlaw. Just this state of things existed during the period of papal persecution. “Heretics” had no rights that anybody was bound to respect; no one could offer them shelter or sustenance; no faith was to be kept with them. A similar state of things is pointed out in the prophecy as still future. See Rev. 13:16, 17. “And he causeth all, . . . to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast.” When the “image” is made, when Sunday is recognized in the Constitution of the United States, then those who refuse to observe it will be classed as criminals, and deprived of all civil rights. If present indications count for anything, this time is not far distant. We are forewarned of these things, that we may be prepared for them, and may not be caused to stumble and fall away from the truth when the persecution comes.

BECAUSE a man is honest in his convictions, it does not follow that his course is acceptable to God. Christ said: “The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” It will be considered as an act of worship, pleasing to God. This shows that the persecution will come from the professed servants of God. Men often say, “God will not punish me, if I am honest.” If that statement were always true, then we should expect those who have killed God’s servants, under the delusion that they were thus serving him, will be rewarded with a place in Heaven. No one will claim that. Paul persecuted the church, and he obtained mercy, because he did it ignorantly; but he had to repent and change his course before he found mercy. Had he made his previous honesty of purpose an excuse for continuing the same course, God could not have accepted him as his servant. And such a course would have proved that he had not been really honest.

WHY is it men exhibit such fanatical zeal for certain forms of religion as to lead them to persecute those who differ with them? Christ says, “These things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” John, in his first epistle, tells us what it is to know God: “And hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” In the religion of Jesus there is no room for a spirit of persecution. “But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits.” It is only when men depart from the purity of Bible religion that they manifest a spirit of intolerance. The gospel wins men by persuasion. The ardent Paul used no stronger means. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” We may be intolerant to this degree, that we rigidly exclude error from our own lives, but no man has any right over the conscience of another. We are simply to be doers of the law; God is the judge. It may be set down as a sure rule, that when professed Christians attempt, by the power of the civil law or otherwise, to compel others to believe or practice as they do, it is because they do not know God; they are not keeping his commandments.

It is possible for men to know and understand the truth of God. To deny this is to impeach the wisdom and goodness of God. The Bible is God’s revealed will. Those things that he does not wish men to pry into he has withheld; but “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Rom. 15:4. Men who are “unlearned and unstable” may wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction, but those who have the Spirit of God will be guided “into all truth,” for that is the Saviour’s promise. “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.” It is not self-conceit that leads the student of the Bible to say that he knows that certain things are to take place. Christ said of the Spirit: “He will show you things to come.” He will show things to come by shedding light on those portions of the Bible where the things to come are revealed. And Christ has commanded us to know when his coming is near. Ignorance in such a case becomes sin.

“THESE things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” A comforting ending to his discourse. “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” “We are appointed thereunto.” The powers with which we have to contend are mightier than we. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Our adversary “the devil walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” But Christ has overcome the world. He has had a contest with Satan, and has come off victorious. That is our only ground of hope. Because he has overcome, we shall overcome. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

E. J. W.