p. 3 | How to Open the Way by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Assn. · Washington, D. C. · Jan 7, 1904

How to Open the Way

By Editor

Editorial

How to Open the Way

THERE were some statements in Sister White’s article two weeks ago which ought to be repeated and emphasized. They suggest the solution of the problem which we are constantly facing, and make that solution a very practical one. Note the plain instruction: “God calls upon his people to awake to their responsibilities. A flood of light is shining from his Word, and there must be a meeting of neglected obligations. When these are met, by giving to the Lord his own in tithes and offerings, the way will be opened for the world to hear the message that the Lord designs it to hear. If our people had the love of God in their heart, if every church-member were imbued with the spirit of self-sacrifice, there would be no lack of funds for home and foreign missions; our resources would be multiplied; a thousand doors of usefulness would be opened; and we should be invited to enter.” What will open the way for the world to hear the message?—Giving to the Lord his own in tithes and offerings. What will multiply our resources and supply the funds needed for the mission work?—The spirit of self-sacrifice in the heart of every church-member. Covetousness is idolatry. A covetous man is an idolater. An idolater is not a worshiper of the true God, and he can not be an ambassador for the true God. Idolaters in the church weaken the hands and hinder the work of the consecrated servants of the Lord. That spirit of covetousness which withholds from the Lord his own portion—the tithes and the offerings—is an offense unto God, and he who is ruled by it is thereby debarred from being the channel to the world of that gospel whose very essence is the unspeakable gift. Do we really desire the world to hear the message? Do we really desire to be invited to enter a thousand doors of usefulness? Let our answer be not in word only, but in the action which will bring the things desired.

Fulfilling Prophecy

THERE is something inspiring in the very thought that we are working in harmony with the purpose of God for this time, and that we have a part in the fulfilment of the prophecies written centuries ago. In the nature of the case it must be true that the last generation is a time of intense interest to all the heavenly beings who have a part to act in this great controversy, and it is indeed an exalted privilege to be associated with them in the final proclamation of the everlasting gospel. The words of the prophets which describe so fully the condition of the world in the last days, and which point out so clearly the work to be done in order to meet the mind of God for this time, should be earnestly studied. Of every feature of this advent movement it can be said, “As it is written in the prophets,” and the inspiration for every plan and policy for the giving of this message may be found in the thought, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets.” Truly we are “the children of the prophets.” What an incentive to loyalty and faithfulness to the God of the prophets!

The Truth in Jesus

AFTER referring to the daily walk of the Gentiles, whom he describes as “being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them,” the apostle Paul writes thus of all true believers: “But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.” He then defines the experience of being taught and knowing the truth as it is in Jesus: “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” In Jesus the truth found expression in the flesh. He was not a teacher of the philosophy of abstract truth, but he wrought the truth for us in his experience in sinful flesh in order that through our faith in him we might know the truth in Jesus in the experience of a changed life, the putting off of the old man and the putting on of the new. He who has a mere head knowledge of the truth, who gives an intellectual assent to the statement of the truth, does not know the truth as it is in Jesus. A knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus involves a revelation of the truth in our flesh, the experience of having the truth as our life. This is the Christian life. It was to this experience that the psalmist David referred when, after failing to reveal in his life the truth which he acknowledged with his intellect, he said in his prayer of repentance, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts.” The law of truth was in the heart of Jesus, and was by him translated into human conduct. Acting as our High Priest, and ministering to us his own life, he puts this same law into our hearts as the life of our life in the flesh, and thus we realize the experience of being taught the truth as it is in Jesus. This is the saving knowledge of the truth which transforms commandment-breakers into commandment-keepers. Blessed Jesus! Blessed truth in Jesus!

A Firm Foundation

THE blight of a deep-seated skepticism is being revealed on all sides. After more than half a century of sowing, the reaping time for this generation has come. Since this advent message began to call men to a practical faith in the Word of God, a faith which is revealed by obedience to the commandments of God, there has been an effort to escape this obligation, especially the plain requirement to observe the seventh-day Sabbath, and this has led to such a system of interpreting the Scripture as has prepared the way for a perfect flood of doubt and infidelity. Men’s opinions and men’s theories have been substituted for the plain teaching of the Word, unt’l

the sense of the sacredness of that Word has been largely lost. Added to this has been the acceptance of those claims of science falsely so called which have openly contradicted the testimony of the Bible, and this has fostered a feeling of uncertainty concerning all divine revelation. The natural and inevitable result of all this playing fast and loose with eternal truth is now appearing. In such a time as this a simple faith in God’s Word is to be highly prized and carefully cherished. Such a faith gives one solid ground upon which to stand, and a firm foundation upon which to build. The storm which is now rising, and which will soon break upon the world, will sweep away every house which is built upon the shifting sands of human theories and human interpretation, and will test the character of the rock foundation. Happy are those who build for eternity on the firm foundation. Happy are those whose minds are not confused by the lordly assumptions of a boastful but shallow infidelity. Happy are those who maintain a steadfast faith in the old-fashioned truths which have been the stay of many a soul in times of trouble. Such are they who will “build the old waste places,” and “raise up the foundations of many generations.”

“How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in his excellent Word! What more can he say than to you he hath said, Who unto the Saviour for refuge hath fled?”