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THE SANCTUARY QUESTION

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 27, 1901

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 35.

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THE SANCTUARY QUESTION.

By S. N. Haskell

Three Ways of Sinning Against the Holy Ghost.

ELDER S. N. HASKELL.
  • (Concluded.)*
The dangers that threatened the Hebrew people just prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, are in the pathway of many who now think themselves in a good cause. The apostle states three distinct ways in which the sin against the Holy Ghost may be committed. As the messages borne to that people are also borne to us, it might not be out of place to notice them.
In the sixth chapter of Hebrews we read: “It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame.” That it may be better understood how it is done, it is illustrated by nature. “The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God.” The Holy Spirit rests upon individuals, not because they are right, but that they may respond in Christian graces. Those who do this are represented by the earth that bringeth forth herbs meet for man. But those who bear only thorns and briars, notwithstanding the rain may come upon them, are rejected, and are nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned.
It is utterly impossible to remain stationary in Christian experience, especially in this time in which we live. Christ, in behalf of His people, is confessing their sins in the heavenly courts; but if their sins are not confessed on earth, they cannot be confessed in heaven. If the heart is not daily examined and errors and sins confessed, they never will be blotted out in the court of heaven. Those who make no advancement in the divine life, becoming no better and purer in God’s sight, will in the end find themselves bearing only thorns, and will be burned. A crisis of the world is pending. The day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. It will come suddenly, and upon the careless and indifferent its coming will be fatal. To lightly esteem God’s mercies hardens the heart and blinds the mind, and those who do this, place themselves where mercy cannot reach them.
The second manner of sinning against the Holy Ghost is described in the tenth chapter. It is sinning willfully after receiving a knowledge of the truth. To deliberately attribute the power of God to Satan is doing what the Jews did on a certain occasion. Mark 3:28-30; Matt. 12: 22-32. To such there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. This was shown by those who despised Moses’ law and died without mercy. But it is far worse deliberately and willfully to transgress the law of God. Such a one counts the blood of the covenant wherewith, he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace. To all such the Lord says, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” They who trample under foot the blood that is offered for them in the sanctuary above by our High Priest, or even compare that blood in its saving power to any other blood on earth, count themselves unworthy of eternal life, and fall into the hands of the living God.
The third illustration of sinning against the Holy Ghost is spoken of in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews, beginning with the fifteenth verse: “Looking diligently lest any man fall from the grace of God [margin]; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Bitterness permitted to exist in the heart will result in an entire separation from God. It leads to hasty words, to hasty conclusions, speaking without thought. Such are represented by Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. There were commendable traits of character in Esau, but he was a passionate man. He did not control himself. What he wanted he determined to have, at any cost. He lost all reason, so that he could see only the desire of a passionate heart. “Feed me, I pray thee,” said Esau, “with that same red pottage; for I am faint.” Jacob said, “Sell me this day thy birthright.” Esau reasoned, “Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall this birthright do to me?” So the bargain was made, and the birthright was sold for a mess of pottage — for the gratification of appetite. There are those to-day who, like Esau, will sell their birthright for the gratification of their appetite, or some other passionate lust. This determination to have those things that please the fancy, irrespective of what the Lord says, will seal the doom of many.
These three ways of sinning against the Holy Ghost will be committed by many of those who profess to love God at the present day. Some will walk over one of these roads, and some over another. Such dangers, with such terrible results, should arouse the feelings of every candidate for the kingdom of God. All hearts should be aroused to prepare to meet God, to watch with all faithfulness lest when their cases come up in the judgment, they be unprepared.
The sanctuary question reveals the importance of people’s controlling their appetite in the day of atonement. “For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.” Lev. 23:29, 30. Every man was required to afflict his soul while this work of atonement was going forward. All business was laid aside, and the entire congregation of Israel were to spend the day in solemn humiliation before God, with prayer, fasting, and deep searching of heart.
Important are the truths concerning the sanctuary in this typical service. If it was so important in the type for the Lord’s people to afflict their souls and control their appetite during the entire day, it is a hundredfold more important in the antitypical day that the soul be afflicted and the appetite controlled. Our Saviour said, “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” The only safety in the antitypical day of atonement will be in giving heed to our Saviour’s words, “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness,” — eating improper food, and being overcharged with the cares of this life, — “and so that day come upon you unawares.” It was never right to sin, but certain things under certain circumstances, such as times of our ignorance, God might have passed by; but now the light has come, and it is important that we should have knowledge upon these points. Two things we as a people need: First, light to know what and how to do; second, a heart to walk in that light. It is in this that our salvation lies.
These are a few of the important truths made prominent in the book of Hebrews.