TEXT: Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them and be established in the present truth. 2 Pet. 1:12.
The Apostle here speaks of "the present truth." There are some truths which have an especial application at one time, which do not apply at another. These truths, when applicable, are so important that a man's salvation depends upon receiving them. Such truths as that there is a living God, that man is a sinner, that he must be saved through faith, repentance, &c., are always equally true and important. But not so of other truths.
For instance: God gave Noah a special message to the ante-deluvians. The Lord was in that message. While Noah was preaching it, that was present truth to the ante-deluvians. It was the important truth for that age. Those who rejected it were lost. Those who rejected, or even neglected Noah's message could not have the favor of God. None will dispute this. But now suppose that for a hundred years after the flood was over, Noah had kept on preaching precisely what he had for a hundred years before the flood, would that have been true then? Certainly not. It would have been entirely out of place, and had no relevancy whatever. Indeed, it would have been a falsehood. So we see that in this case what was important present truth at one time, was not at all applicable at any other time.
This has frequently been the case in the history of the church. We might sight many examples, but will give only one more. It is the case of John the Baptist. God especially raised him up to go before and herald in the coming of the Messiah. He had an especial message from Heaven to that generation. Could men neglect, or reject his message and still have the blessing of God? We know that they would not, for Jesus himself said that the Pharisees rejected the counsel of God against their own souls, in not being baptized by John, while the publicans and harlots justified God by believing John. Luke 7:29.
While John was preaching his message, it was the present truth for that time. Now suppose the same message precisely had been preached a hundred years after Christ's time, would it have been true? Certainly not. Or, if it had been preached a hundred years before that time, it would have been false; for the Messiah was not at hand. The same remarks are applicable to the time of Moses, the time of Lot, the time of Jonah, and to many other similar periods.
Every generation has its special duties and dangers, and God gives each age especial light and warning, adapted to that time. This light and warning must be heeded in order to secure the favor of God. This is what we understand by present truth. It is that special truth which is adapted to our time and no other.
These remarks are designed to show the necessity of heeding the proclamation of the second advent which is now being given. Many persons reason like this: "Granting that the coming of the Lord is at hand, what difference does it make whether we believe it or not, provided we are prepared for death? If we only believe in Christ, is not that sufficient?" To many this seems to be sound logic. But we are prepared to show that it is not.
What is the faith which God accepts? Is it simply a historical faith in God's work in the past? Many seem to entertain no higher ideas of faith than this. But this is a fatal mistake. A glance at God's dealings with the people in the past will settle this.
In the time of Noah, his message was generally rejected by that generation, and he was set down as a false teacher. But passing down a few generations to Moses' time, all men had come to believe and acknowledged that Noah's work was of God. Now the Lord raises up Moses to do his especial work for that age, different from that of Noah's. But many doubted Moses' mission, and rejected his work. Korah, Dathan, and Abiran, and two hundred and fifty persons, with many of the people, rebelled against Moses. See Numbers 16. Had these men been asked if they believed that Noah's work was of God, they would all unhesitatingly have said, Yes. But when they came to God's work in their own day, they did not believe that, and for this unbelief they were destroyed.
Passing on a few ages to Elijah's time, and all Israel had come to acknowledge Moses and his work as from Heaven. They were all very zealous in asserting their faith in him. Now God sends Elijah, another messenger, to them with a message of warning, especially adapted to their time. Him they held in doubt, and finally reject. They had great faith in God's work in the past, but none at all in his work in their own time.
So it was in the cases of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and nearly all the rest of God's servants. Nearly every one of them were martyred by the people to whom they brought their messages. But after they were dead, and that generation had passed away, everybody came to see and acknowledge that these men were the messengers of God. Then the children of those who had put them to death, would go and gather their bones, build them tombs, garnish their sepulchres, weep over their memories, and hold them in great esteem.
Listen to what Christ said with regard to this: "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we have been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets." Matt. 23:29, 30.
Probably our Lord was passing by, and saw them adorning the tombs of the old martyrs, planting evergreens, and shedding tears over the memory of their suffering. It seems, from his language, that if they were talking among themselves, stating that if they had lived in the days of these prophets, they would not have persecuted them as did their fathers; but would have obeyed their warnings. Doubtless, they thought so; but now notice the remarkable fact that these very men turn right around from the sepulchres of the martyrs, and kill the Son of God himself! They had great faith in all of God's servants, and their work in their own time. They could not talk too strongly concerning them. But when it came to the special work of God, in their own time, to the present truth which was applicable, and important for them to have faith in, they had no faith in it.
Will the reader carefully consider this question? Could their faith in God's work in the past save them, while they rejected what he was doing in their own time? Certainly it could not. Faith, then, is not simply a belief in what God has done; but it is confidence in what God is doing in our own time. Let us look at the reason of this.
After the battle for truth has been fought, the victory won, and the case decided, then it is a very easy matter to stand up for the victorious party, because it involves no risks, and requires no sacrifices. For instance, in the days of Elijah, if any man was known to favor him, he was hunted like a wild beast, and put to death. See 1 Kings 18:1-13. But in the time of Christ, the tide had turned. Everybody acknowledged Elijah as a man of God. Then a man could confess faith in Elijah and not imperil his life, or his worldly prospects. Indeed, it required no sacrifice whatever on his part, to make this confession. But let him confess that he believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah who was to come, and he would immediately be cast out of the synagogue.
Dear reader, please carefully consider the principle here involved, viz: That it seldom requires sacrifices to confess God's work which has already been accomplished in other ages, while it invariably requires the greatest sacrifice to confess and support the work of God at the time it is being done. Where will you find an exception to this?
The faith, then, which God accepts, is not simply a belief of what God has done in other ages: but it is more especially and emphatically faith in what God is doing in our own time.
We earnestly entreat the reader to carefully inquire what the signs of the times are; and what God's especial work is in our time. We solemnly believe that the last message of warning is now being heralded to the world, and that the scenes of the judgment are right upon us. If these things are so, it is of the greatest importance that you give heed to them. May the Lord help you to discern the signs of the times, and obey the present truth.