p. 124 | The Faith of Jesus

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 4, 1871

The Faith of Jesus.

We sometimes speak of S. D. Adventists as the only people who are keeping “the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Whereupon not a few, unwilling to be considered destitute of that characteristic, charge us with being exclusive, and claim a right to that distinctive appellation, equal with our own. But let us examine the ground of their claim. The expression occurs for the first and only time in Rev. 14. It is the announcement of the angel proclaiming the third message of that chapter. He says, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Where? Here; pointing to the company who are brought out by, and are giving, the message here brought to view. The announcement of a special message is here made; and it is said of the ones brought out by the message, These are the ones who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Does not the language imply that no others except those who believe in the message, are keeping the faith of Jesus? Most clearly. But how is it with those who claim that they keep the faith of Jesus in distinction from ourselves? Do they believe in this message, that it is now being given? Not at all. It is either in the past or in the future, or is passed by as a thing utterly beyond the powers of man to understand; yet with an inconsistency utterly unaccountable, they claim to be keeping the faith of Jesus, which is brought to view only in that message, which is developed by it, and is a characteristic of only those who are proclaiming it; while they do not believe it is now going forth. Let no one claim to be keeping the faith of Jesus, unless he believes in the message with which it is connected.