Professing Christ

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 24, 1874

Professing Christ.

A DYING man, who had for several years given much evidence of conversion, but had not publicly professed Christ, said to his pastor: “I deeply regret that I have not followed the Saviour in the ordinance of his appointment. I felt unworthy, and so delayed; but now I am sad that I did not move forward in the evident path of duty.”

There are cases like this to be met in nearly every community—persons who give good evidence of repentance and trust in the Saviour, but who have never joined themselves with the visible people of God. Like the dying man referred to, a sense of unworthiness keeps them back. They may be honest in this, but their course is a serious mistake. When one has a sense of forgiveness and of humble trust in the atoning Saviour, the question of a profession of religion is not to be decided by a sense of unworthiness. Of course all sense of personal worthiness is given up in conversion; and then we are to be willing to follow the Saviour in all his requirements. He is worthy, infinitely worthy, to be obeyed, and this must decide the question with every honest, penitent heart.

Christ has appointed the ordinances of his church, to be observed by his followers to the end of time. No one is at liberty to be indifferent to them. Though no indiscriminate haste should be used in inducing converts to enter the church, and though such persons should prayerfully meditate such a step beforehand, yet it should always be viewed as a duty of one who trusts in Christ and is desirous of doing the duty of the Christian life. If to any these words apply, let a pastor assure you, dear friends, that thoughts of neglected duty will be as thorns in your dying pillow.—American Messenger.