Without Guile by W. A. Gosmer

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 17, 1903

Without Guile

By W. A. Gosmer

W. A. GOSMER

As the hour of human probation hastens to its close, the test of character comes correspondingly closer. The striving to bring every faculty of the being into the perfection of obedience, becomes more intense. It is also found that the experience of yesterday or of last year will by no means suffice for the requirements of to-day. The experience of the yesterdays stands related to the experience of to-day, only as a stepping stone to greater heights of righteous living. Nothing less than constant advance is called for at this time, and that with rapid strides. This is necessarily true as it stands related to the closing moments of God’s judgment hour; for “only a moment as it were remains in which to prepare for eternity.”

The magnifying of God’s holy law in our hearts at this time, reveals to us something of the wonderful scope of the commandment, which is “exceeding broad.” The sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, “is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, . . . and is a discerner [judge, German] of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” And as such, never will be satisfied until it can bear witness that our every thought has been brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

As the whole duty of man, commandment-keeping embraces the inward thought as well as the outward action. This is brought to view in Rev. 14:5, 12.

Of the remnant people it is written: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” and, “In their mouth was found no guile.” This is of far deeper import than the mere utterance of deceit, wickedness.” So that not only is of men, proceed evil thoughts, . . . deceit, wickedness.” So that not only is that deceit which is uttered by the lips, but “deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil.” Prov. 12:20. This being true, evil thinking is guile. It is simply a manifestation of the carnal mind, which is not subject to the law of God. But as “the thoughts of the righteous are right,” and as we are admonished to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so the mind, the thought, which is renewed, which is created in Christ Jesus unto good works, is subject to that law which is the judge of wrong thoughts. And the love which is the fulfilling of the law “thinketh no evil.” As this is true, so the carnal mind, which is not subject to the law, does think evil, and is subject to the judgment of the law. Again: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;” for “all unrighteousness is sin.” Therefore the unrighteous thought is sin, and as sin is the transgression of the law, unrighteous thoughts come under the condemnation of that law.

But there is an underlying principle back of all this; the evil thought, which is guile, deceit, has for its foundation the original sin. Sin was conceived in false premises and based on wrong conclusions. It originated in wrong thinking toward another, in order that self might be exalted. And having a false basis for its origin, it required nothing less than deceit to propagate it. Lucifer reasoned that if he could tear the Monarch of the universe from his throne, he himself could occupy that throne. This was a false conclusion; for it was putting the creature in the place of the Creator. To carry out this misconception, deceit and misrepresentation naturally came into requisition; and all for the sole purpose of exalting self. Thus Lucifer became the father of all deceit; for “when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own.” And as wrong conclusions, misrepresentations, deceit, guile, were only the expression of self-exaltation, in the very origin of sin, it still remains that evil thinking, which is guile and deceit, are but the outcome of the desire to exalt self. So guile is self-exaltation. And more than this; self-exaltation is self-deification, and is far removed from commandment-keeping; for it is idolatry. This is the mind of self-exaltation, of evil thinking, of guile; it is the mind that “is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be;” this is the mind that “abode not in the truth;” for “thy law is the truth.”

On the other hand, the mind of Christ is the very expression of the self-renouncing love of him, “who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” As a perfect commandment-keeper, Christ’s self-abasement was complete. Perfect commandment-keeping, therefore, is complete self-abasement. As sin originated by wrong thinking, that self might be exalted, so the finishing touch of commandment-keeping will be in the absolute abasement of self, which is the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. Such commandment-keeping as this, is the key to the reception of the Holy Spirit in all its fullness; for it is written: “We can receive of Heaven’s light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We can not discern the character of God, or accept Christ by faith, unless we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To all who do this, the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ ‘dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in him ye are made full.’” Here, then, is the secret of the last great outpouring of the Holy Spirit: perfect obedience, perfect fullness; “of one accord;” “of one mind;” “doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself. . . . Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

“Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” “and in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.”