The True Gospel by L. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 19, 1903

The True Gospel

By L. A. S.

Editorial

The True Gospel

THE true gospel is “the gospel of God . . . concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead.” The true gospel teaches “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” The true gospel is “the gospel of the grace of God.” The true gospel is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; . . . for therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.” The true gospel for this generation must proclaim, “All flesh is grass. . . . Behold, your God! Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come.” “And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” “Repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

The Troubled Sea

IN his vision of the rise of the four great world-kingdoms the prophet Daniel saw “and, behold, the four winds of heaven broke forth upon the great sea.” In his vision of the closing scenes of this world's history the apostle John “saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree.” And to these angels came the instruction, “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” Strife and commotion mark the history of the nations of the earth. They are frequently founded by a revolution, and maintained by bloody wars. But in the last generation the spirit of strife is greatly intensified, and it is only through the special restraining influence of heavenly agencies that the closing work of the gospel can be carried forward. This is the situation which we face to-day. We look out upon a troubled sea. The spirit of the times is the spirit of unrest and tumult, and vain seem the efforts of well-meaning reformers to bring about a change for the better. Labor organizes to strive against capital, and capital organizes to strive against labor. The industrial world is becoming a great battle ground. And the principle of compulsion, of enforcing their demands upon others by revolutionary methods, is fast taking possession of the minds of men. And with all the rest, the public sentiment is being debauched; and the tone of public morality is being lowered by the reflex influence of the acts of public immorality, until the public conscience is becoming rapidly hardened. The most flagrant crimes are often condoned, especially if the perpetrators are prominent in political and social life, or a mob of many persons will commit crime in their determination to punish the crime of one person. And thus the evil thing spreads. We are truly facing troublous times, and there is only one remedy. The gospel message, “Fear God, and give glory to him,” will bring deliverance to every one who receives it, and the coming of Jesus will calm the troubled sea. Believe the message. Wait patiently for the coming of Jesus.

False Prophets

“BEWARE of false prophets.” Israel was troubled many times by false teachers, and frequent calamities came upon the people for listening to their words. There was one characteristic which was always to be observed of these prophets. They always prophesied smooth things to the people. They generally appeared when special admonition, or reproof, or perhaps judgments from God were needed, and they would tell the people that these reproofs or judgments were not needed, and were not from the Lord, but that some of their leaders were responsible for them. Thus when the Lord through Moses told those who had come out of Egypt that they should die in the wilderness, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rose up and declared that it need not be so, but that they might, if they would, go right on to the promised land. When God through the prophet Jeremiah told the people that because of their sins they should be many years in captivity to the king of Babylon, a false prophet rose up, and declared that within two years the Lord would break the yoke of the king of Babylon, and Israel would again be free. Other like examples might be given. The false prophet always finds a ready audience for his smooth statements; for they strike a responsive chord in every unsanctified heart. There is nearly always a demand for them, and this we are told is to be particularly true of the last days. When the end is at hand, when signs and judgments proclaim its nearness, and messages from heaven come to arouse and prepare the people for the day of God, they will say to their teachers, “Prophecy unto us smooth things.” Messages that reprove and cut are not popular in the church, not even with those who profess to be looking for Christ’s return. It is the smooth prophecy, that excuses and covers up things where close scrutiny is not desirable and promises an easy time if its suggestions are followed, that wins the popular favor. We are ready to believe that it is not God who is troubling us, but some man. But, beware, beware. The smooth prophecy leads to the rough experience, and ends in catastrophe, while the prophecy that cuts and hurts now leads to the haven of joy and peace. This is not a time of smooth things, but of a great crisis, of the climax of the long contest of righteousness with sin, of preparation for the greatest and most solemn of all earthly events. We must be prepared for the issue; or fail and lose eternity. Beware of the smooth words, that soothe and lull the conscience. Beware of false prophets. L. A. S.