IN the Sabbath-school lesson in this issue is considered the subject of the judgment. An article in another column deals with ‘God’s System of Judging Men.’ In both the judgment is considered as a whole, the blotting out of sin as the work of Christ in the courts above, in the books of which all the records of character of earth’s children are written. Solemn and important indeed is that work, when God’s professed children of all ages pass in adjudication before that Court whose decisions are final, and from which there is no appeal. Solemn indeed the moment when the last case is decided, and the irrevocable sentence goes forth: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:11, 12. There is another phase which we wish to consider here that is of still greater importance to each one, and that is individual cases in which each one is interested specifically. It is true, for the Word declares it, that every deed we do, every word we speak, every thought we dominantly cherish, is recorded in the books of heaven, and that we shall be judged by the things that are written in the books. But the writing in the books is no arbitrary writing. The sentence of God is no arbitrary sentence. God’s scribes only write what we have before written. The sentence of the Judge utters only that which we, as individuals, have before decided. For it is not God’s pleasure to condemn. Jesus Christ was given of heaven—gave Himself—that we might not be condemned. “As I live, saith the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.’” Eze. 33:11. But God is a God of truth, and He must, in the passing of that final sentence, declare what is as it is. He sets before us His reasonable requirements—His holy law, the law of life, the only law of living in which life continues indefinitely. He makes the living of that law possible to every sinner through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Outside of that law of love and life in Christ Jesus is death. The transgression of that law is sin. “Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” The transgression of that law, or obedience to that law, is not written in the books of heaven till we, you and I, reader, write it on our heart, interweave it among the very fibers of our being, make it a part of our very character. The man who looks upon gold and gain as his chief object in life becomes covetous, sordid, grasping, oppressive, miserly. The man who worships at the shrine of sexual lust writes on every fiber of his being bestiality and licentiousness. It is so with every sin cherished and indulged; and recording angels write in the books of heaven the sins which we have written in our characters. On the other hand, the mind that dwells on the true, the honest, the just, the pure, the lovely, the good, as seen in all their perfection in Christ Jesus, engraves upon his heart’s tablets the eternal life of God; by beholding he becomes changed into the same image. And in his case, also, the shining scribes above write in the scrolls of heaven what the noble child of earth has written in his character. It is logically true that the blotting out of the record of sin on high will follow because, and only because, it has been blotted out by our choice here. When the blood of Jesus Christ (and the fountain is always open and flowing) washes from our heart and character, by our own choice, every stain of sin, it will be blotted out in the books on high. God will say, “He that is righteous, let him be righteous still.” And when we, by our choice, retain the sin and reject the cleansing, the God of truth will be forced to say, “He which is filthy, let him be filthy still.” How important, then, how infinitely important, dear reader, that you and I shall know that the sin is cleansed away, that day by day God’s law of life is being written by the Spirit of life and light in our characters. The only records that holy Heaven would eternally keep of sin is the marks of the crucifixion and the everlasting brotherhood of Christ’s eternal sacrifice of love. The only record that Heaven would keep of its children is their own living characters of light, forever shining forth the manifold beauty of God’s glory. We are nearing the time of Christ’s coming, when man must stand in strong, perfected character, “without spot or blemish,” “without fault,” before God. That he may do this, he must have the Spirit in its glorious fulness. But God can not so give His Spirit when sin still lingers in the heart. He can not honor sin. In fact, if His Spirit were given in its fulness to the soul in which sin was written, that soul would die, as did Ananias and Sapphira. God will not give His glory to another. How may we obtain the cleansing, the Spirit? Listen to His Word: “Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus.” Acts 3:19, 20, R.V. Where does every one need and desire the refreshing?—In his own heart. Where must the sins be blotted out, before the fulness of the refreshing comes?—In his own heart. O soul, judgment-bound, longing for cleansing and power, put away the sin; let Christ cleanse the heart, and blot out the sin, that you may have a fellowship with Christ Jesus never before known.