p. 10 | Blessed While Keeping Sunday by L. D. SANTEE

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 28, 1907

Blessed While Keeping Sunday

By L. D. SANTEE

L. D. SANTEE

WHEN working among the people, showing the claims of God's law, and the need of yielding an entire obedience, even to the keeping of his holy Sabbath, we are often met with this question, “If Sunday is not the Sabbath, why have I been blessed so often for keeping it?” “God has blessed us,” they say, “for keeping Sunday, and that is proof to us that it must be right.” Let us consider this question carefully. Are they sure that God has blessed them for keeping Sunday? That he has blessed them while keeping it, we do not deny, but that is a very different thing from blessing them for it.

Let us consider this excuse a little farther. If Sunday-keeping had been an error (so they reason), God would not have blessed them in it. If such were the rule, it would work in everything else as well as in Sunday-keeping, and the conclusion would be that any one who receives the blessing of God, is free from error. This is the inevitable conclusion from this objection. But will our friends stand to this? Every denomination of Christians believes that all the others are involved in some errors of doctrine or practise, but will any one deny to all the others the blessing of God? Suppose the Methodist should say, God has blessed me for being sprinkled, but if sprinkling for baptism is wrong, God would not have blessed me in it; therefore sprinkling is right. What would the Baptist say to this? Just so of any difference of views or practise between any of the denominations.

But further, has God anywhere laid down this rule by which to test what is truth? Has he said, Whatever you have my blessing in, that is truth? All know that he has said nothing of the kind. But he says his “word is truth.”

But how can it be explained that so many have enjoyed the blessing of the Lord while in the observance of Sunday? That this has been the case, we freely admit. Multitudes, yes, the great majority of Christendom, have no doubt honestly observed the first day of the week, supposing they were keeping God's commandment thereby, and multitudes are at the present time so observing it.

God does not withhold his blessing from them, for they are honest in purpose, and it is the best light they have. But when light comes, and truth is developed, that light must be followed, and the truth obeyed, or condemnation will follow. Christ teaches that a person is responsible only for the light that he has. Thus he said of the Jews, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.” If a person is honest at heart, desiring to do God's will, and is walking up to the best light that he has, the Lord accepts him according to his good intentions and the amount of light that he enjoys; for it is required of a man according to that he “hath,” and “not according to that he hath not.” 2 Cor. 8:12.

Many have been soundly convicted of their duty to observe the Sabbath of the Lord, but it involved a cross and personal inconvenience, and perhaps pecuniary loss, and they were determined not to keep it if any possible excuse could be framed for such a course. Finally, they would grasp some flimsy pretext, and with it stifle their convictions, give up all idea of keeping the Sabbath, and claim that they enjoyed the same peace of mind as before. If they do, it is a false peace, brought them by an evil spirit. We are told to “try the spirits.” 1 John 4:1. By what shall we try them? “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. Then any spirit that gives you peace while you are breaking the law of God, is not in harmony with the Giver of that law.

The Spirit and the Word must agree, for the Word was given by the Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21. The world is full of evil spirits, but “By their fruits ye shall know them.” The spirits can be told by their attitude toward sin (“sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4). The Spirit of God will “reprove the world of sin.” John 16:7, 8. The spirit of Antichrist will palliate, or justify, sin. Many will have this counterfeit blessing while they are building on the sand. Matt. 7:21-23. The experience of many had led them to believe that they were accepted. How sad, when “the law of liberty” declares them “workers of iniquity.”

God says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.” Isa. 55:7. And Jesus said, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:17. The psalmist says, “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.” Ps. 119:6. When any spirit approves of your course while you are doing what you know is wrong, you may be sure that it is not the Spirit of God. His words are found in Isa. 48:18: “O that thou hadst harkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” Let me say, in closing, Be afraid of that blessing that allows sin without protest. Be afraid of the enjoyment that is not in harmony with the law of God. Do not be satisfied until you have the witness of the same Spirit that inspired the holy men of old.