p. 75 | The Two Sins

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 21, 1871

The Two Sins.

THE SIN OF UNBELIEF.

This is, we believe, the sin the apostle speaks of when he says, “The sin which doth so easily beset.” And indeed as we look about us, we come to the conclusion that it does “easily beset;” for we can see it all about us, on every hand, among the high and the low, the rich and the poor. Professors and nonprofessors are alike infected with this terrible disease. This unbelief may well be termed infidelity, not of that kind, the drama of which was enacted a few years since in France, which declared that there was no God, and death was an eternal sleep; but of a more subtle nature. It declares that there is a God, the God of nature, a first great cause. But as to what this God is, no one is able to tell. The commonly received ideas are that he is a kind of a vague, indescribable something, which is everywhere, and yet nowhere; that he is a God of love, so much so that he will never destroy anything he has ever created; that all men will be saved at last; that there is no such thing as evil, but what men call evil is “undeveloped good;” that there is no devil, save what is found within one's own self; that there should be no law, save man's own reason; and that the marriage ceremony is but a mockery, as parties are married at first sight.

By these sentiments, they strike right at the very foundation of all society. And more than this, to more effectually disarm and overpower those who may be inclined to venture to oppose these hellish principles, they dare deny that God has made a revelation to man. This is not done all at once, however; for they are subtle. They begin by finding fault with some portions of God's word; and as they draw their victims closer and closer, they denounce whole chapters, then whole books, and lastly away goes the whole Bible. Thus we are left without chart or compass, drifting, we know not where, on the sea of time.

These are some of the sentiments I heard, not long since, fall from the lips of a far-famed, “inspired orator.” And one of these prodigies of wisdom said to me not long since in a public manner, that Jesus Christ was no better than any other good man, and that his blood was of no more account than that of any other good man. Truly, this must be “treading under foot the Son of God, and counting the blood of the covenant of no effect.” Verily, why should we sleep? The devil is not asleep, if we are; he is improving his time, if we are not. May God help reader and writer to awake, and discharge the great responsibilities that rest upon us.