Act Upon It by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Oct 15, 1903

Act Upon It

By Editor

Editorial

Act Upon It

Do you believe that this is the last generation? Act upon that belief. Do you believe that this advent movement is in the purpose of God, and his means for reaching the world with the final message of the gospel? Act upon that belief. Do you believe that this closing message ought to go quickly to the ends of the earth? Act upon that belief. Do you believe that you ought to consecrate yourself and your means to the work of hastening the coming of the Redeemer's kingdom? Act upon that belief. Faith and action are inseparably connected.

An Army of Workers

A BELIEVER is a worker. It is a contradiction of terms to speak of an idle Christian. There are just as many workers in the Lord's vineyard as there are true believers. When the Lord adds believers to the church, he adds workers to the church. A host of believers means a host of workers. If the personal application of these principles seems to cut off any whose names are on the church rolls, let them examine themselves to see whether they are in the faith. These principles will become manifested facts in the experiences just before us. Those who refuse to be laborers together with God in the final campaign of the great controversy will thereby declare that they have no real confidence in the leadership of the Captain of the Lord's host, and the decision not to follow Prince Immanuel will place them in the ranks of the prince of this world. It will thus appear that the attitude which this people now assumes toward the most earnest appeals which are being made to arouse them to service will make clear their real attitude toward the kingdom of God in the earth and in their own hearts. There can be no such thing as a body of believers in the Lord and his salvation whose only anxiety is to save themselves with as little sacrifice as possible of what the world holds dear. “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” “He that heareth, let him say, Come.” The great call of the hour is for an army of converted workers who can be worked by the Holy Spirit in presenting to the world the gospel message of salvation from sin, and a preparation to meet the soon-coming Saviour. The darkness deepens. The need of the world grows greater. The message must be given. The time has come for the fulfilment of the oath of the angel that “there shall be delay no longer.” It now rests with each individual to decide whether he has the faith in this movement which will lead him to give all for it. And this decision must be made soon.

Unwavering Faith

WHEN A WAVE sweeps over the surface of the ocean, there is a great commotion, and much apparent movement of the water, but there is no real forward movement. There is much stir, and whatever is on the surface of the water is almost irresistibly tossed about, but it results in no particular progress toward any definite point. On the other hand, there may be a genuine current setting steadily in a given direction, carrying everything along with it, and this without any particular disturbance on the surface. “He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

“Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel,” was the forecast which Jacob made of the experience of Reuben, although he spoke of him as “the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power.” When left free, water yields to any pressure brought to bear upon it, and takes its shape wholly from the action of forces outside of itself. It has no power of resistance which it can exert against outward influences. It responds to every wind that blows. The rock has a definite form which it maintains against the influence of outside forces. When the wind and water come against it, they are turned aside by the firmness of the rock. The doubter is like the wave of the sea. The man of faith is as firm as the rock. Genuine faith is unwavering. It lets God be true continually, “with whom can be no variation.” The faith of Israel was the human factor in changing the unstable water of the Red Sea into a solid wall. “The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.” In response to the same faith the walls of Jericho became as unstable as water. “The wall fell down flat.” The faith which will speedily bring the triumph of this message is the faith which believes God regardless of outward appearances, and which results in progress, and not merely a commotion. “Lord, give me such a faith as this.”