STANDARD OF THE JUDGMENT.
By John Oscar Corliss
IT is a self-evident proposition that, if a righteous judgment shall at last be rendered in the cases of all men, some equitable and righteous standard must be employed by which to decide the merits or demerits of every one. This must be accomplished by measuring the deeds done by each during his entire life. Eccl. 12:14; 2 Cor. 5:10. After the view given John in Revelation the tenth chapter, of the great disappointment in the matter of proclaiming the time for the end of the world, which we have seen was fulfilled in the autumn of 1844, he says there was then given him a rod, with which to measure not only the temple of God, and its altar of worship, but also the worshipers therein. Rev. 11:1. Inasmuch as the prophet, in the tenth chapter, represented the people of the great advent movement in their disappointment, so in the eleventh chapter he must continue to be the symbol of the movements to follow that work of 1844. Therefore when he says that a measuring rod was put in his hand with which to measure the temple and its worshipers, it signifies that, following the 1844 movement, some rule of measurement was to be given to a faithful people by which might be measured, not only the requirements of the temple of God, but also the standing of those who worship in that temple. This would certainly require them to proclaim specially, as those called to fulfil the prophecy, the measurement recorded by the application of the measuring rod put in their hands. The moral measurement of men, contemplated in the prophecy, can apply only to deeds, which assist in forming character. In deciding the nature of these a perfect rule,—one which indicates God's being and doing,—must be placed beside the one to be measured, so that a correct deficit, if existing, may be readily estimated. By one of His representatives God says: “I will make judgment the line, and righteousness the plummet.” Isa. 28:17, R.V. Thus righteousness itself,—the very character of God,—is made the plummet by which the degree of man's unrighteousness is determined. As this line is placed alongside of men's being and doing, the least defect, anywhere along the way, will be plainly shown. The reason why such a rigid rule is applied by which to test men, is that this is the final ordeal by which it is to be determined whether or not the one tested shall be permitted to enter life in the presence of God and the holy angels. Inasmuch as these heavenly beings are absolutely righteous, and can not countenance unrighteousness in any degree, the test of man's privilege to dwell with them, must be the righteousness which they have among themselves. Thus to be a candidate for eternal life, one must know God and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. John 17:3. It is not enough to know of God, but one must know Him, that is know His being, as He dwells in righteousness. The primary thought of righteousness is being rather than doing. Righteousness therefore does not come by doing, but by letting the Lord so dwell in us as to change our being into His being. When this has really been done, then we do His way, because His being is working in us both to will and do of His good pleasure. Phil. 2:13. But there must be a standard among men, because of sinfulness abounding, by which all may know what is the righteousness of God's being. This is plainly set forth in the Scriptures of truth. One inspired writer tells it thus: “My tongue shall speak of thy Word; ‘for all Thy commandments are righteousness.” Ps. 119:172. God being all righteousness, nothing of an opposite nature could proceed from Him; so then all His commandments are like Him,—righteousness,—because they proceed from Him, and must therefore be the expression of a true and holy mind. This, then, must be the true standard by which to decide the state of man's mind, as to whether it is fit to associate with the mind of those who now dwell in heaven. Rom. 8:6, 7. All this being true, it is not strange that the law of God is made the measuring rod by which to determine the acts of men,—the indicators of their state of mind. James 2:12; Rom. 3:19; Rev. 14:9-12. God's righteousness and His truth are eternally steadfast. Indeed, they are the same; for truth is but the expression of right being. Criticize it as one may, truth never disintegrates or decays. Its very nature makes it imperishable. That is the reason why Jehovah is a God of truth. Deut. 32:4. His law, emanating from Him, must therefore be also everlasting righteousness and truth. So the final decisions concerning men's standing in the sight of heaven, must be according to righteousness and truth (Ps. 96:13), when determined by the standard of the law of heaven. It is possible that with present lax notions about the requirements of God, some may be led to say that no man can possibly meet such a standard. Yet we are given the privilege of being filled with the fulness of God, whatever that is. Eph. 3:19. More than this, the gifts of heaven to men, to become prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, have been bestowed, to remain until the Lord's people so far partake of the knowledge of God as to be perfect, even to the “measure of ‘the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Eph. 4:11-13. When the number of this class has been made complete according to the design of God, then Jesus will come to gather His saints, who will be permitted to stand with Him on Mount Zion, having His Father's name written in their foreheads, because they were found without fault before the throne of God. J. O. CORLISS.