That One Text by S. A. H. Lindsey

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 19, 1871

That One Text.

By S. A. H. Lindsey

“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Rom. 14:5.

SAID a nominal Adventist preacher, “Were it not for this one text, I would keep the Sabbath.” It appears that the evidences sustaining the Sabbath of the Lord were sufficiently clear, the arguments sound, and the duty plain and positive; but the apostle Paul, in direct opposition to the commandment of God, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy; . . . in it thou shalt not do any work,” informs us that we may be fully persuaded in our own mind; that is, we may do as we please, obey or disobey. So our friend interprets it. Some who oppose other points of our peculiar faith give us this exposition, “It is no matter what we believe if we are only sincere; for the Bible says, ‘Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.’”

We dissent from the first interpretation from the fact that all of God’s commandments are truth, and every one of them will endure forever. Ps. 119; 151; 160; and while it is the right of our great and wise Creator to legislate or enact laws for the government of created intelligences, it is our duty to cheerfully and lovingly obey.

We dissent from the second interpretation; for it is through truth alone that Christians are to be sanctified. John 17:17. Said the Son of God, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3. Error cannot cleanse the heart, no matter how sincere or conscientious its votaries. Its fruits are only evil, and the more sincere the more deplorable. The heathen mother, in the sincerity of her idolatrous faith, which is stronger than the ties of natural affection, casts her infant into the dark waters of the Ganges. The worshipers of Moloch, with devout sincerity, caused “their children to pass through the fire” in honor of that terrible god.

But what are we to understand by this scripture? Neither Christ nor his apostles gave any license to sin, or to disobey the truth. Said Jesus, “Go, and sin no more.” John 8:11; 5:14. Said Paul, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” Rom. 6:12. Said the beloved John, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” 1 John 2:1; see also Gal. 3:1. How is it, then, that we are to be fully persuaded in our own mind?

Is it not to be thoroughly convinced by candid investigation? The margin conveys this idea. Let every man be fully assured in his own mind. I may be persuaded by my own desires; I can only be assured by evidence. Then may we not claim this text as a call to investigation, honesty, and candor? The church in its early days was troubled with divisions and heresies; the mystery of iniquity was at work; the ceremonial system of the Mosaic dispensation had just expired, and some were but partial converts to the Christian religion. They observed days and months and times and years. Gal. 4:10.

The era they had entered demanded investigation. The noble Bereans engaged in the work. Acts 17:11. Nor were they alone. We have a clear intimation in Rom. 14:1, that others were searching the Scriptures, though not fully convinced. “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations [not to judge his doubtful thoughts, margin].” In Rom. 15:1, we have instructions how those who were strong (sound in the faith) should bear the infirmities of the weak (deport themselves toward those who were investigating). Some would receive the truth more readily than others, and there might not be a proper degree of patience exercised toward the more tardy; therefore the apostle thus exhorts, “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus, that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 15:5, 6. The inspired writers regarded harmony of thought, word and action, extremely desirable. Phil. 2:2; 3:15, 16, while divisions and dissensions were evils greatly to be deplored. 1 Cor. 3:3, 4. They were the fruits of the carnal mind.

The Bible was designed by its great Author to lead us through the darkness of this sinful world up to a world of light and purity. If we understand and obey its teachings, it will surely guide us there. But if we interpret it according to our own prejudices, or accept the perversions of fallible men, our future will not only be quite uncertain, but very doubtful.

S. A. H. LINDSEY.