Practical Thoughts on Scripture Subjects.
By John Nevins Andrews
This is an expression used to designate that state of backsliding which characterizes most professors of religion. How many who acknowledge this state of partial devotedness to God, and equal or greater devotion to the world, still suppose that if they can have sufficient time they will reach Heaven at last. But this is a very serious mistake. This doing a little and then undoing it immediately, is a fatal mistake. Unless we retain what we have gained and steadily add to it, we shall surely never gain the kingdom of God. We must serve God with our whole hearts, or he will never accept us. If we do not live wholly for God, we shall come short of Heaven. OUR SINS MUST BE PUT AWAY.
Sin is that alone which will ruin us. It is wickedness in God's sight. It is the violation of his law. It is wholly evil and wrong. But while God abhors sin, he has shown the most tender pity for sinners. He has opened the most precious door of hope to them. He has offered to forgive them and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. But he has required godly sorrow, humble confession, and hearty reparation of wrongs wherever reparation is possible. Men must repent with genuine repentance. They can do it by the grace of God so effectually that their whole conduct shall be changed. If we do this, he will save us. If we do not thus put away our sins, we shall be cast with them into the lake of fire. THE SOCIETY OF EVIL DOERS.
How sad would be our condition if our lives were to be spent wholly in the society of the ungodly and profane. Our ears must ever hear words of iniquity. Our minds must ever be in contact with darkness and vileness. Our hearts ever pained with selfishness, pride, envy, and malice. Thank God for a purer atmosphere. The communion of saints is possible even on earth. And the time shall come when they alone shall live, and all other characters be brought to the silence of death. How great the importance of our forming characters of virtue. Thus only may we have immortality. There is never an hour of distress, confusion, and perplexity, and trouble, in which God cannot help us. It is our privilege to ask the help of God, and to really receive that help. Never despair because of helplessness when God is of such infinite strength. Do not forget God. Do not suppose that the burden is to be borne in our own strength. It is ours to labor, and God's to furnish the strength. Surely with such a mighty arm to lean upon, we can enter upon the great work with the utmost confidence and courage. God will help us. Let us act as though we believed it to be the fact. HE COMMITTED HIS CAUSE TO HIM THAT JUDGED RIGHTEOUSLY.
Thus did our Lord when he was falsely accused and unjustly condemned. Thus would it be wise for us to do whenever we are censured wrongfully. We need not be so anxious to justify ourselves. There is One that sees all, and that judges of everything without mistake. Let us be only anxious to find every wrong and confess it, and then we may leave every unjust accusation to him.
J. N. A.