Consecration: The Danger of Self-Deception in Religion
By E. B. Saunders
The most terrible deception that can overtake a man is self-deception in religion. To be deceived by the devil and at the same time suppose that our peace is made with Heaven, is far worse than to lose earthly possessions or even life itself; because we are by it cheated out of eternal life. It seems to me that it is time that Seventh-day Adventists were awake on this subject. To be sure the Testimonies have spoken out plainly on it, and twelve or fourteen years ago there were some excellent selected articles on this point, in the Review; but we need something from the pen of living witnesses, whose hearts burn with holy consecration and love to God. This veil of deception must be torn from the hearts of many, or they will be lost. When I realize that fourteen of the best years of my life have been lost by this means, I feel like trying to warn others; and may others, who have taken deeper draughts at the living fountain, than myself be encouraged to help in this good work. But there are those who are puffed up in spiritual things, who feel that they do not sin, and boastingly speak of their attainments, who had better remain silent, or seek for the genuine baptism of the Spirit of God before offering a word on the subject. Many professors of religion seem to rest satisfied with a mere outward observance of religious duties. They are not hypocrites; for they honestly suppose that they are doing all God requires. Their religious duties are not put on to deceive others, but their ideas of true godliness do not reach the exalted standard God requires. The turning to keep the Sabbath has a blessing in it, because it is crossing to former habits; and some mistake this blessing for conversion; but the heart is not converted; evil habits and passions still rule the heart. The next step with such is to join the church; and the sacred ordinances of baptism, the Lord’s Supper, &c., are observed; but these do not change the heart. There is still a love for sin, at least there is not a repugnance to sin in some of its forms. There is sometimes a murmuring, hard spirit, even if words do not express it; a fault-finding (in the heart) with the providence of God, and a feeling as though God required too much; and his law was too holy, for reaching the thoughts and intents of the heart, it is out of the power of such professors to keep it. Hence they look upon God as a hard master, and with such the most trifling duties of religion are oftentimes a hard task. Yet these brethren and sisters, with these and many similar feelings, hope to be saved, hope to go through, hope to pass the final test of the Judgment. May the Spirit of God tear off the veil from such hearts. Dear brethren and sisters, you who feel that the requirements of God are too holy, and who find religious duties a burden, you are being cheated out of eternal life. And the fault is not in God, but in yourselves. You will find your hearts still clinging to some idol. Something occupies the place in the affections that God should occupy. The rubbish of this world so fills the heart that Jesus cannot enter. He desired to come in and sup with you. You may have wealth, honors, church fellowship, and all these things; but have you Jesus? Does your heart beat with rapture at the mention of his dear name, and is your soul bound up in one bundle of love to God, Jesus, the angels, and the people of God? Unless we have a heart filled with love, and an intense desire to please God, we are poor indeed. The straws we may gather with our dirt-rake will not supply the place of the Spirit of God. Earthly riches can bear no comparison to the wealth of the soul who has Jesus formed within the hope of glory. These things are an unknown tongue to many; they cannot understand it; and the reason is obvious; they have no experience. The truth is believed by them, but the Spirit of God has not subdued the heart. They have started to serve God just as they would perform a piece of work: in their own strength, not realizing the nature of the foe they must vanquish or the armor God would clothe them with. God does not help such ones, for they are unwilling to be helped. When they give up all, and yield the heart in perfect submission to God and earnestly entreat the Lord for help, placing themselves and all they have upon the altar, then our Heavenly Father will touch their hearts by his Spirit; and love, supreme love to God will fill the heart, and the countenance will shine with holy consecration. Then the armor (Eph. 6:11-18) of God will be found a perfect fit, and we can fight the battles of the Lord victoriously. Converted men have an intense love for God. The strongest expressions of language seem tame, incapable of expressing in its fullness this absorbing passion. Hannah could say, “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord. . . . I rejoice in thy salvation.” Mary could say, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour,” and David, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God.” “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee.” “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. . . . For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.” Yet David, Mary, and Hannah, seemed to express, only partially, the fullness of their hearts. There is a fullness in Jesus many have never experienced. We must have it, if we go through. We cannot buy Heaven, love to God alone is the passport we must have. Donations, loans, gifts to the cause of God, made without a heart glowing with love to God, will not purchase Heaven. But we can have the Holy Spirit, which will enable us to love God, and make our offerings acceptable in his sight. Dear brethren, be entreated to seek God, and get the eyesalve to anoint your spiritual eyes; then you will see this terrible self-deception in its true light. Do not let Satan cheat you out of the best of your life as he has me. But I am thankful that there is yet opportunity to redeem the time. Let us make haste to improve it.