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The Way of Safety

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 24, 1903

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 80, No. 51.

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The Way of Safety

By L. A. S.

WE have reached the time when the enemy of righteousness is to work “with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish,” that he may deceive and bring under his power not only the people of the world, but if possible even the very elect. The only class who will escape his delusions will be those who receive “the love of the truth.” 2 Thess. 2: 10-12.
Safety at this time lies not in having the knowledge of the truth, but the love of it; in having the truth not merely in the head, but in the heart. The heart is the citadel of the soul. It is because of this that the admonition is given, “Keep the heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” Belief amounts to nothing if righteousness is not its fruit.
The greatest intellects of the world never have been, are not now, and never will be, arrayed on the side of divine truth. Unto the world the truth of God is foolishness; and “the foolishness of God is wiser than men.” Recently the papers have been speaking of the death of “the last of the great thinkers of the Victorian era,” Herbert Spencer. He was one of the world's “great thinkers,” but his intellect was not great enough to grasp the truth. That which was understood by babes was hidden from the wise and prudent. This is the difference between believing with the head, and believing with the heart. It is the difference between seeking after truth without God, and receiving truth through a channel connected with Omniscience. That channel is faith.
God can impart to the dullest mind more truth than the mightiest intellect in the world could obtain apart from God.
In these days strong delusion is to come upon all who receive not the love of the truth. Such will be given over to the delusions of Satan, and however wise in the wisdom of this world, they will be made to believe a lie, and accept the worst error in the place of the truth. And many who have a theoretical knowledge of the truth, and can give the arguments which show its Scriptural foundation, will be drawn into the great maelstrom of deception along with those who have never professed to regard it, and meet the common fate of the unbeliever. It will be a “strong delusion” that will come upon them, from which there will be no escape save through the special interposition of God in behalf of his elect. Already there are warning examples of the power of satanic delusions over minds that have known the truth, but held it in unrighteousness.
There is safety in the love of the truth; and why should not every person love the truth? The truth is light in the darkness; it is beautiful; it is glorious; it is the expression of the perfect character of him who is “chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely.” Why should not every one who can love that which is lovely, love the truth of God which is now sent out in a final message of mercy and salvation? If we love the truth, we shall not be idle in this hour of its final conflict with the world's confederacy of evil. L. A. S.