The True Sayings of God
By Uriah Smith
“And He saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” Such were the words which John heard spoken by a voice from heaven, as recorded in Rev. 19: 1-9. They included all that preceded them in the chapter. They included (1) what is embraced in the “great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God;” (2) the judgment of the great apostate church; (3) the glorious and eternal reign of Christ, with His saved ones in His kingdom. These make up the substance of what the Lord has declared in reference to human history, as set forth in both the Old and New Testaments. And these are “the true sayings of God.” They are calculated to give us a right estimate of the true value of the Holy Scriptures. Their statements are free from all error, are certain, infallible, and able to make us wise unto salvation; for they are not the words of men, “but as it is in truth, the word of God.” 1 Thess. 2: 13. The word of God is composed of “true sayings,” not too severe nor too terrible to be uttered by a God of love, as some dare to hope; nor too old to be true, as novelty-hunters affirm; nor too simple to be divine, as the worldly wise insinuate. What have we to guide us? If we had no sure revelation from God, how could we discriminate between truth and error, on subjects so much beyond our understanding? But believing the Scriptures to be “the true sayings of God,” we will listen to them with attention, and judge of what others may say, by this infallible standard. We will receive these words with great assurance, and they will produce confidence in the understanding, and rest of heart. We will believe and obey their teachings, and value their prophecies and promises. We will expect the fulfillment of their predictions. We will cling tenaciously to revealed truths, and proclaim them with boldness. There is singular majesty and power in these revealed words of God. They are spirit, and they are life. This we see when the gospel is preached with the power of the Spirit sent down from heaven. There is a marvelous omniscience in the Scriptures. This is perceived by us, when this word of God, which is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, unveils to us our inmost souls. How often have they proved themselves true to us! They have warned us of the bitter fruit of sin; and how often have we tasted it. They have told us of the evil of the heart, that it is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; and how often have we been made conscious of it! They tell us of the peace-giving power of the blood; and the truthfulness of this we have proved by faith in Jesus. They tell us of the purifying energy of divine grace; and have we not seen many instances of it? They assure us of the efficacy of prayer, and affirm it by unquestioned examples. They assure us of the upholding power of faith in God; and have we not been upheld by faith in trial? They assure us of the faithfulness of God to His people; this is shown by His providence; and have we not seen instances of it? All things, according to His promise, work together for good to them that love God. The witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts confirms our faith in the Holy Scriptures. We believe, and are saved from sin by believing. Words which have wrought in us, and before us, such gracious results, must be “the true sayings of God.” Believing all these scriptures, we can accept as “the true sayings of God” the proclamation that our Lord is soon coming again in the clouds of heaven, with healing in His wings, for the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. We can believe that at His coming His voice will call from their dusty beds all the righteous dead who are sleeping in Jesus. We believe that then His reward will be with Him, to give every man according as his work shall be; that is, to declare the results of the investigative judgment, saying to those who have passed the test, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, and to the wicked, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you. U. S.