Practical Thoughts on Scripture Subjects.
By John Nevins Andrews
OUR RECORD FOR THE JUDGMENT.
This is being made up day by day. How solemn is this thought. We are ourselves preparing the record out of which we shall be judged. We shall tremble when the books are opened. But why not act with fear and trembling now while the record is being made up. Now we have the decision in our own hands, but then it will have wholly passed out of our control. Then we shall have to abide the result of our own conduct. How ought we ever to tremble lest we sin against God! How ought we to review each day's proceedings to see if they be all right. How ought we to correct our conduct with the deepest solicitude and care, lest we go on with our sins uncorrected to the judgment. We cannot be too careful to make our record clean for the day of God. Surely this knowledge is of infinite value. Those who know Christ will be acknowledged by him at the great day. All other knowledge is comparatively of little account. To know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, we may with Paul gladly suffer the loss of all things. And those to whom the Saviour shall say, I never knew you, will be likely to estimate the knowledge of Christ of some value, when also it will be too late for them to acquaint themselves with him. Now it is possible for us to acquaint ourselves with him and be at peace. Let us not lightly esteem this most precious knowledge. When God gives light it is that we may obey and cherish it. If we do not follow it, we shall be left in darkness. Our only hope is that the rays of heavenly light will not leave us. If we do not disobey the heavenly instruction of the Spirit of God, we shall not be left in darkness. God pities us in our low estate, and is not willing that we should perish. Yet it is an easy thing to enter into the dark. How soon the light in us will expire when we fail to cherish it. And how sad the case of those who thus find themselves left in their own blindness and to the deceptions of the devil. The Spirit of God is all light, and the spirit of Satan is all darkness. What an awful condition we are in when we mistake the one for the other. “He that believeth shall not make haste.” Our work is urgent and time is short. Nevertheless we must always take time to consider with careful deliberation every question of importance that involves any just ground of doubt. It is our duty to know that every step is taken in God. But those who walk in a rash, hasty spirit, cannot stand in God's counsel, and will always be involving themselves in the snare of the devil. It is something that the grace of God will subdue in every one of us if we will drink into its peaceful and heavenly temper. It is the cause of many of the troubles now existing in the church everywhere. When we have fully died to self, we shall learn to live in the peaceful atmosphere of the Holy Spirit. It is easy to err from the right path. It is a work of pain and of time to return to the right. We may, by carelessness, wander far from God. But it will only be by carefulness and zeal and humiliation that we can return to the right. Let us beware of departing from God. It is not a light thing to do it, nor a small matter to recover from the evil when once we have fallen into it. It is easier to shun sin than to recover from its power. God gives us deep distress that we may be led to see our wrongs and repent. We are made to feel anguish of spirit, that we may realize our sinfulness in the sight of God. Pain is inflicted as a means of arousing us from carnal security. Thank God for anguish of spirit. Now let us act with deep humiliation in making genuine repentance of our sins. We may be sure that God sends our distress in mercy. But “he will not cast off forever;” “he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” The first thing in seeking God is to abase ourselves. Then we must reach out after him from the depths of our humiliation. God will help us when we do truly feel our need of him. We must be emptied of self; thus we may be filled with God.