Our Message by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jul 6, 1905

Our Message

By Editor

(Concluded)

Now, further, in the very specific and direct application of this message, we come face to face with those scriptures in the fourteenth chapter of the book of Revelation which speak of the first angel and his message, and the second angel and his message, and the third angel and his message, and in these prophecies there are brought before us certain specific symbols, certain definite phrases, that we must deal with in this message. To deal with general truths of the gospel, and not to deal with these specific scriptures which give the setting for the gospel at this time, will not be to give the message that God has for this generation; even though the same scriptures are used, there is not the right use of the scripture at the time, in the setting of it, which will meet the mind of the Spirit of God, and which the Spirit of God will apply. The scripture given in that setting will have weight and conviction and light and power, which the same scripture out of that setting will not have. That is what will give a specific turn to the whole work of this message, even though old and familiar scriptures and old and familiar applications are made. When God has a specific work to accomplish at a specific time with a specific scripture, there is a meaning in that scripture which his Spirit only can bring out and apply, and which he will bring out and apply when it is given in the right connection. And this is because in every revelation there is an infinite depth. And this is not to say that we are getting something out of the Word of God that was never there, or that we have added something to it. That is not it; it is the Spirit of God making that application of scripture which belongs to it at that time to constitute his message for that time.

Now in the principles involved in this question of the beast and his image, when you have looked into it carefully, I think you will agree with me that the beast and his image are the very incarnation of the gospel according to man. That man of sin is called the mystery of iniquity in contrast with the mystery of godliness. While the true gospel according to God finds its incarnation and

its highest revelation in Jesus Christ and his direct teaching of the gospel as he gave it, the gospel according to man—so far as it is possible that there should be another incarnation similar to that—finds its highest expression in that system which we call the papacy, in which the pope takes the place as head of the church, the true head of the church of Christ, and in which every doctrine of the gospel of God is perverted, until it takes in the general scheme of the gospel according to man, so that although the papacy appears to be a church,—uses all the names of the church, uses all the phraseology of the gospel, and appears to be a full, clear, wonderful revelation of the gospel according to God,—in actual fact, according to the Scripture, it is no church at all, it has no right to the name of a church; it does not teach the gospel of Christ; it is simply an utter and entire perversion of that gospel of Christ.

Before we finish the work that is before us, all classes of persons will be plainly brought under these two classifications. The result of giving this message will inevitably lead to that. While it may not be that names will be dispensed with altogether, yet, before we close, it will be clear to all that there has such a union taken place among all who may in any degree represent the gospel according to man that the contest comes directly and specifically between the beast and his image on the one hand, and those who stand for the gospel according to God on the other hand; and there will be clearly and distinctly two classes. The work of giving this message is to do that work, is to bring that result; it is to bring out a people who teach the gospel according to God. It will be revealed in obedience to the commandments of God, in a character in entire harmony with the law of God, so that in its fulness, not simply as an imputed character, not simply as a substituted character, but in its fulness as a revealed character, there will be in humanity the same revelation of obedience to the commandments of God in the people that are prepared for translation as there was in the person of Jesus when he was here in the flesh.

You can see that this must be so, for reasons that will occur to your mind at once. In contrast with that will be the gospel according to man, in which everything will be perverted from the conception of God, from the idea of his being, his character, from the idea of Christ as one of supernatural birth,—incarnation,—the idea of his supernatural resurrection, his ascension,—everything will be set aside, and it will be a clear revelation of the gospel according to man in contrast with the gospel according to God.

Now I have just a few moments in which I wish to call attention so specifically to these things that you can make further application yourselves of these principles. And I say, first, that in our time, just now, there needs to be the giving of the message of the gospel according to God that will reveal to the world clearly and plainly the true gospel teaching concerning the personality of God. There needs to be a clear revelation of the teaching of the supernatural side of religion as contrasted with the natural side. There needs to be a clear and full revelation of the doctrine of righteousness by faith which will be revealed in obedience to the full commandments of God in contrast with that false idea which has come to have a place, which releases man from any relation to the law of God.

You can apply these principles yourselves. You know in the whole trend of affairs, that there needs to be a mighty voice that shall reveal the truth upon these questions. And if we have the right view of the work of the message for this time, this controversy will wax stronger, and these issues will become clearer, until it will appear that in this third angel’s message, and in this third angel’s message alone, will be found elements that will stand against the pressure that will be brought to bear to substitute the gospel of man for the gospel according to God. We have not reached that time yet. There are now those who are not directly connected with this message, who are, according to the light they have, standing firmly and clearly for the correct idea of God and his character and the way of salvation by faith rather than the perversion of it in the gospel according to man; but this contest is just fairly beginning, and already it is beginning to sweep off their feet some who thought they stood on firm ground. When this contest between the gospel according to God and the gospel according to man, reaches its height, it will be found that in this third angel’s message alone are the elements of strength and power that will hold to the truth. If that is not so, we do not need this message. That being so, we may hold to this message with the utmost confidence, and let the storm rage; but in doing that, we must know what the message is. Otherwise we can not hold to it through such a period as we are to pass through.

Now I say to you in all sincerity, I have strong sympathy for those who are beset with doubts and temptations; and I say that one who has been beset with doubts and fears and temptations concerning these matters can sympathize with and can better help those who are in that condition than can those who never have had a doubt or a temptation.

Now I do not say myself that it is any sin to be beset with fears and doubts and temptations, but I think that the one who, being beset with doubts, fears, and temptations, goes to the Word of God to settle the matter, and there finds a solid foundation for his feet, has a better standing ground than he had before his doubts and his fears and his temptations came. I do not have the utmost confidence or feeling of assurance about those who do not know what doubt and temptation mean. I do not believe there will be a people in this message that will go through to the kingdom of God, who will not be beset by doubts and fears and temptations; but when one is thus beset, instead of going to the gospel according to man to find comfort and help and salvation and to get a solid foundation, he should go to the gospel according to God, and get his foundation upon the Word of God. After that experience he is better prepared to help those who are placed under similar trials.

Here is a summary of the results that it is claimed have already been attained by putting the gospel according to man in the place of the gospel according to God:—

A pantheistic god instead of a personal God.

A human savior instead of a divine Saviour.

Infallible scholarship instead of an infallible Bible.

Modern thought instead of a “Thus saith the Lord.”

A development of religious ideas from the human mind instead of a revelation from God.

The natural in all things; the supernatural in nothing.

Reformation instead of regeneration.

Culture instead of conversion.

A change of environment instead of a change of heart.

The energy of the flesh instead of prayer and faith.

Interest in the secular, instead of zeal for religion.

Nobody afraid of hell, and nobody caring much about heaven.

Everybody coming out right anyhow, and nobody on the wrong track except those who cling to “the faith once delivered to the saints.”

I call that pretty nearly a true characterization of the present situation; and we are not very far into this contest even now. Of course the principles are all involved in it. But what I mean to say is, there has not yet come into this controversy between these two gospels that overmastering and overwhelming power that will sweep from his bearings every one who does not know that he is anchored to the word of God, and that this message is just as was the message of John the Baptist—the word of God given to us to proclaim for this time, a message that belongs to the hour, which we must give, and to which God will witness by his own Spirit.

Now take this thought further: In the International Encyclopedia is a short article on the new theology; and it sums it up in this way: “With various differences of emphasis and of the completeness with which the separate results of the new method are adopted, the new theology may be said to agree in the following points: The acceptance of evolution as the method of divine providence in the spiritual sphere as well as in the material.”

Do not say that evolutionists do not believe in divine providence. Certainly they do; they believe in everything; but when they say divine providence, they mean the manifestation of that providence under evolutionary law. There is where much of this deception comes in. The same phrases are used with an altogether different meaning. When I say divine providence, I mean according to my interpretation as I understand the Scripture; when an evolutionist says divine providence, he means the manifestation, the guidance, under evolutionary law; and that is an altogether different thing.

Only yesterday a member of the committee of fifteen to whom was referred the resolutions respecting the introduction of religious instruction into the public schools of the District of Columbia said to me, that, although he favored the idea, yet he believed it was a mistake. He said, “What is the use to put the ten commandments forward as the main thing to teach? Why, the first and second commandments have no application at the present time, anyway. The whole ten do not include a complete system of morals. They are largely nothing but negative prohibitions, and you can never build religion upon such a basis.”

Now that does not represent agnosticism, what is called, infidelity. That represents what most of them call the most conservative orthodoxy, and the very trouble that this man had on the committee was his conservative orthodoxy.

Returning now to the enumeration of the various points upon which the new theology is agreed, I quote further from the article in the encyclopedia:—

The employment of the methods of the higher criticism in the discussion of the origin and authority of both Testaments; the rejection of verbal inspiration and the substitution for it of greater, or sometimes exclusive, emphasis upon revelation; a subjective view of the atonement; increased emphasis on ethics in distinction from dogmatics, and upon sociological study and work, restatement of positions in eschatology, with a strong tendency to universalism. The tendency of the school is to minimize the supernatural (miraculous), and in the left wing to exclude it. Every important denomination of Christians has some share in this movement.

Now I wish to say, Every denomination is permeated by some of these principles that involve discarding the gospel according to God, and substituting the gospel according to man. There is not one of these denominations that is able to rise up and shake itself loose from this system. Why?—Because it has not taken the very Word of God as its message.

In the experiences of 1833, and 1840, and 1844, and from that onward, note that in order to turn aside the message of the advent movement and the message of the seventh-day Sabbath, principles were laid down which are simply flowering out now, and before any denomination can shake itself loose from these perversions of the gospel that begin to show themselves for what they are now, it must go back and adjust the original foundations.

I say that the only thing, the only movement, and the only message on the face of this earth to-day, and from now until the Lord comes, that can shake itself loose from this, that can rise above it, and reveal a clear message against every perversion of the gospel according to God, is the third angel’s message. I do not say that boastingly or foolishly; but I say that is fundamental to this question.

If there are several other movements in the world that can do this work that must be done in this generation, how do we know where we are? I do not say that there are not those outside of this movement at present who are loyally and earnestly doing the same work; but as this work goes on, I do say that there will be a power revealed in this work that will bring all such persons together, and the third angel’s message will gather to itself all those who are willing to stand firmly and clearly upon the platform,—the Word of God, the gospel according to God. All the others will be driven into another camp, and there will be only two camps. The final controversy will be between them. Then we shall see the direct controversy between the third angel’s message and the beast and his image. That is what we are preparing for, and every one of these perversions of the gospel to-day has its bearing upon that final controversy.

The message to-day is to go in such setting, with such clearness, and in such power, the gospel according to God, the message for this generation, as shall cut out the very roots of all these perversions, and take away their very foundation. Then God’s message to this generation shall be revealed with clearness and power to do its work, to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord.