THE FALSE AND THE TRUE, OR SATAN'S SEALING WORK
By Mrs. E. M. Peebles
“BELOVED, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.” 1 John 4:1. In these days of “many voices,” how important that we be able to recognize the voice of the true Shepherd, and how thankful we should be that a sure test is given by which to try the spirits. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8:20. Do they by word and act show a disposition to obey God’s holy law? Many now claim the baptism of the Spirit, and talk eloquently of love, and of Christ, and of what God has done for them; but if you press upon them the claims of God’s holy Sabbath, they at once dismiss the subject. They “do not have to keep it.” They “are not under the law, but under grace.” “All time is holy,” etc. Recently a minister who made great profession to sanctification, upon being urged to accept the Sabbath, cited as proof that he was not required to keep it, the fact (?) that he had the baptism of the Spirit, and said that God could not baptize sin, which is certainly true. Whence comes the baptism such an one has? It is certainly a deception. To say that a man is honest is not sufficient. The heathen mother is honest and sincere in her belief that she must throw her child into the Ganges; but there is more excuse for her, because she has never heard of a better way; while of these deceived ones we read: “And for this cause [because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved], God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” 2 Thess. 2:11, 12. Some time in the past they made the choice between truth and error. The dividing line is very small at times; just the yielding of one little principle, and the whole after-current is changed. Satan has the field, and at once proceeds to weave his delusive snares. He is a wily foe. “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light,” and his ministers into ministers of righteousness. 2 Cor. 11:14, 15. Some time in the past these deceived ones let the favorable opportunity slip, when they might have received the truth; and Satan, clothed in angel robes, stands ready to counterfeit God’s sealing work. For answer to the question whence the baptism comes, I quote the following from “Early Writings,” page 45: “I saw two companies, one bowed down before the throne, deeply interested, while the other stood uninterested and careless. . . . Those who rose up with Jesus [when He went into the most holy place] would send up their faith to Him in the holiest, and pray, ‘My Father, give us thy Spirit.’ Then Jesus would breathe upon them the Holy Ghost. In that breath was light, power, and much love, joy, and peace. I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne; they did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne, trying to carry on the work of God.” They would pray, “‘Father, give us thy Spirit.’” Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace. Satan’s object was to keep them deceived, and to draw back and deceive God’s children.” A quotation from “Glad Tidings,” page 99, explains the condition of those who refuse to obey God’s law. Referring to 1 Sam. 15:22, 23, the author says: “The literal Hebrew reads, ‘Rebellion is the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is iniquity and idolatry;’ and how so? Plainly enough; for they are the rejection of God, and he who rejects God puts himself under the control of evil spirits. There is no middle ground. Rejection of the Lord is the spirit of antichrist.” Such are beside themselves with zeal and excitement. God wants us to be calm. His Spirit will lead us to an entire consecration of all the powers to God, as manifested in a life of perfect obedience to His holy law; while the counterfeit will appear excited and hurried, talking much of entire sanctification, yet never yielding obedience to the law. They will tell you, “Oh, yes; I will keep the Sabbath if God shows it to me,” but their god never shows it to them. Instead of accepting the sign of true sanctification (Ex. 31:13–17), they reject it. While it is not for us to judge individuals, it is for us to walk carefully, and try the spirits. We have the truth for these last days, and have no time to waste in becoming entangled with error and fanaticism. We need to walk softly in these “perilous times.” “If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” This kind of deception is far more dangerous than the self-evident error of Spiritualism and Christian science, being a clever counterfeit of true Christian experience: it is Satan’s sealing work, and we need to beware of it. It is indeed sad to see dear souls led away into such awful delusion; but if we allow our sympathies to run too far toward those who reject God’s law, we shall occupy the same position as the angels who fell because they sympathized with the great rebel in heaven; and if we associate with those whose minds are beclouded, our own minds will become befogged, and our spiritual sight dim. We need to have our eyes anointed with the heavenly eyesalve, that we may discern the spirits. The voice of the true Shepherd will always lead to obedience. “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” 1 John 5:3. “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.” 1 John 3:4, 6. We must walk by principle instead of by impressions and feeling, “Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”