OUR GREATEST DANGER by A. L. Hollenbeck

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 25, 1900

OUR GREATEST DANGER.

By A. L. Hollenbeck

A. L. HOLLENBECK. (Mt. Vernon, Wash.)

God’s word teaches us that this is the time, above all others, when we may look for light from heaven. It is not some time in the future, but now, that we are to expect a refreshing from the presence of the Lord. As the army of Israel watched for “the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees,”—the appointed signal that the Lord would work for them,—so we should watch for the movings of God’s providence; for he is about to glorify his name through his people.

The way is prepared for the message to go quickly to all the inhabitants of the earth; but God’s people are not yet prepared for the work of gathering the harvest. They will not be prepared until they learn to lean upon God, until they make him their strength, and until Christ alone, and not self, shall be exalted. When they shall say, from a humble and reverent heart, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” then God can work through them for the salvation of souls.

When the angels of God finally cease their efforts in behalf of those whose works do not correspond with their profession, and hasten to the aid of those who are earnestly praying for light and for the Holy Spirit, those who are left behind will be easily allured by Satan to accept his counterfeit work; for he will undertake to counterfeit the very work and power of the Holy Spirit as manifested in the time of the “latter rain,” and he will make them believe that they are keeping pace with the message, and will even give them power to “prophesy, to cast out devils, and to do many wonderful works.” Matt. 7 : 22, 23. In their blindness, they will go along, as they suppose, with the message; but, oh, what a gulf separates them from the people of God!

The true followers of Christ, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, will soon be doing a work similar to that done by Christ and the apostles; while those who profess to know the truth, but have neglected to connect themselves with the only source of strength, will, under the direction of Satan, soon be doing a work similar to that done in the days of Christ and the apostles, which brought reproach upon the cause of Christ, and persecution upon the faithful workers. The work of the former will stand the test of God’s word; but the work of the latter will not bear its close scrutiny. The one class come to the Judgment questioning when they ever fed or clothed Christ, or ever visited him when he was sick. Matt. 25 : 37–40. The other class will come boasting of the great things they have done for the Lord. Matt. 7 : 21–23.

Clothed as an angel of light, Satan, with his counterfeit work, will advance parallel with the closing work of God. We may receive the Holy Spirit, which “awaits our demand and reception,” and at last wear the starry crown of victory; or we may neglect to heed the injunction, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost,” until we are ensnared by the deceptions of Satan, and at last are compelled to accompany the satanic host, as they go to meet their final doom.

With the mouth confession is made; but profession and possession are both proved by works. The people like to hear us confess what we profess and possess; but for proof that it is really so, they always prefer to consult our works. Let us confess unto salvation, that our works may go beforehand to judgment. And then let every voice proclaim, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” And, better still, let the character of everyone be such that the church and the world may look upon the Redeemer.