Editorial by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 2, 1905

Editorial

By Editor

The Infallible Word

THERE is only one safe guide in dealing with the invisible things of the kingdom of God. We can rest with certainty upon the revelation which the Lord himself has made in plain language. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” The men through whom this revelation was made did not evolve their statements from their own imagination, neither did they reason them out through a course of philosophical study, but “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” God has spoken to us in the language of men so that we may understand his relation to us and the provision which he has made for us. When therefore we wish to know concerning these things, we must go to the Word of God. Some foolish men, puffed up with a sense of their own importance, are claiming that the words of some of the so-called great thinkers of to-day are just as much the revelation of God as the writings of prophets and apostles, and thus in their opinion “there are new Words to-day, and there are more Words to come.” Substituting reason and research for inspiration, they declare that “we have the ever-present Spirit which speaks essentially the same word that was spoken in the days of Isaiah and of Jesus.” This really destroys the special inspiration and authority of the Scriptures, and places the words of men and the Word of God on the same level. We unhesitatingly assert that this is the work of Satan, who is doing his utmost to prevent us from building upon the sure foundation. Do not be deceived by such satanic philosophy, no matter how high a standing the men may have who advocate it. Men are not writing Bibles in these days. God is not inspiring men to-day to write what contradicts the revelation given through Moses and the prophets. Let us not exchange God’s words for men’s words. “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.” Hold fast the faithful word.

Rebellion and Witchcraft

WHEN Samuel reproved Saul for disobeying the voice of the Lord in his dealing with the Amalekites, he said: “Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.” Saul had received explicit instruction from the Lord through the prophet concerning his course, but his desire to exalt himself and to make a great material display as a proof of his success led him to depart from this instruction. When rebuked for his disobedience, he sought to justify himself by declaring that he had followed the general tenor of the Lord’s command, and that any seeming departure from it was simply for the purpose of glorifying God. That which he had done for self-exaltation he professed to be for the purpose of making a sacrifice to the Lord. But God is not deceived by any wordy pretensions, and he designated Saul’s conduct as rebellion. But why was this act of rebellion classed with witchcraft?—Evidently because by “his presumptuous disregard of the will of God” Saul had entered upon the path which led him to the house of the witch of Endor. The success which had attended his course so long as he followed the counsel of the Lord departed from him when he refused to obey the words of the prophet, and in his extremity he had sought help from one of those necromancers from whose wicked practises he himself had attempted to purge the country when he was walking in the light. How had the mighty fallen! The lesson is for all time, and applies with special force in these last days. The snare of spiritualism is now set for those who determinedly refuse the way of the Lord; and the mere fact that a person has at one time denounced spiritualism when his spiritual vision was clear, will not prevent him from embracing this deception when he has fully set himself in rebellion against God. The path of whole-hearted obedience is the only safe path.