CHARLES P. WHITFORD by Charles P. Whitford

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 29, 1911

CHARLES P. WHITFORD

By Charles P. Whitford

Salvation

CHARLES P. WHITFORD

A GENTLEMAN who attends the Methodist church, and who seems to be a very zealous gospel worker, said to me, the other day: “The greatest fault I find with the Adventist people is that they talk continually about the Sabbath question.” To this remark I made no reply. After a moment’s silence, he continued: “I believe the all-important thing to do is to get salvation. What we need is the blessing of sanctification and the Holy Spirit; then if our conscience tells us to keep the Sabbath, why, let us keep it.”

It truly is all-important to get salvation; but what is salvation? Webster says it is “redemption of man from sin, and from liability to eternal death.” According to this definition, the individual who has obtained salvation has obtained freedom from sin. But what is sin? Let the Bible answer: “Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4. Since salvation is the “redemption of man from sin,” and since “sin is the transgression of the law,” what relation does one who has obtained salvation sustain to the law?—Surely he must be living in harmony with its requirements.

We hear a great deal to-day about getting salvation, and about being sanctified and holy; but we do not hear very much about the law of God, which points out sin. We do not hear very much about that law of which Paul spoke when he said: “By the law is the knowledge of sin,” and again, “I had not known sin, but by the law.” There are many people who claim freedom from sin who are every week violating the commandment which says, “The seventh day is the Sabbath.”

Seventh-day Adventists do not believe that all who do not keep the Sabbath will be lost. On the contrary, they believe there are many excellent Christians in all the churches. They believe, as stated in 1 John 1:7, that “if we walk in the light, . . . we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Let us each ask ourselves: Am I walking in all the light and truth that God in his love and mercy has permitted to shine upon my pathway? If we are, “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

There are many conscientious persons whose attention has never been called to the prophecy concerning a Sabbath reformation in the last days. They are walking in all the light they have seen, and are enjoying the favor of God and the blessing of the forgiveness of sins. But “light is sown for the righteous” (Ps. 97:11), and “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Prov. 4:18. When honest, God-fearing men and women are shown additional light and truth, they thank God for it, and allow their lives to be shaped into harmony with it. But when individuals stubbornly refuse to study the Word of God in reference to the Sabbath question or any other question, when they deliberately close their eyes and ears to the light, we can not understand how the blood of Christ could avail in cleansing them from sin. If we are sanctified, it must be because we love truth, and obey it. Jesus prayed for his disciples: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth.” I do not read anywhere in the Bible that we are to be guided in our religious faith and practise by the voice of conscience. On the contrary, the Lord says: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8:20. Again, in 2 Tim. 2:7, we read: “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.” In 2 Tim. 3:15 Paul, writing to Timothy, says: “From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” And finally, in verses 16, 17, he says that the Scriptures are able thoroughly to furnish the man of God unto all good works. In all these scriptures our minds are directed to the Word of God as a guide in matters pertaining to our duty toward God. In Acts 20:32 Paul says: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” If the Word of God is able to do so much for us, then in all candor I ask: When the question is raised as to which day we shall keep for the Sabbath, shall we allow so important a question to be settled by our conscience? or shall it be settled by the Word of God? When we are seeking the blessing of salvation from sin, shall we allow conscience to tell us what sin is, or shall we allow the Lord to tell us?

In all matters that pertain to our duty to God, we should study the Bible to learn what his will is concerning us. We know nothing concerning our duty to him except as it has been made known to us through his Word. This is what God gave us the Bible for. It is a revelation of God’s will to man. It reveals to us the great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. When our conscience has been enlightened by the Word of God, then, if it has not been seared as with a hot iron by oft and continued transgression of that Word, it will be quick to reprove us when we knowingly violate a single principle of God’s holy law. When we read the fourth commandment, which says, “The seventh day is [not was] the Sabbath: . . . in it thou shalt not do any work,” true loyalty to God would lead us to say, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Ps. 119:35. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” I John 5:3. To such as are true to the government of heaven the blessed promise is recorded: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14. May reader and writer have abundant entrance therein!

Orlando, Fla.