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Saying and Not Doing

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 23, 1872

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 40, No. 6.

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Saying and Not Doing.

By C. Lawton

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven.” Matt. 7:21. Please take your Bible, and read to the 28th verse of the same chapter; also, James, 1st chapter, from the 22d to the 26th verse. These scriptures need no comment. They prove to a certainty the fallacy of not living out our faith in doing the whole will of God. A mere profession, or fair promises, will never take us through to the kingdom. And do not those who identify themselves with Seventh-day Adventists make a high profession? Certainly there can be no greater perfection than to keep all the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, and do we expect to enter in through the gates into the city with any less? Then why not take a bold, thorough, decided stand for the truth? Do we not believe God is purifying unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, and fitting them for translation, or the first resurrection. And the process we are to go through must be one that will separate us both in spirit and practice from the world; and if we live out all the light now shining on present truth, will not this cause a separation? and shall we not be a peculiar people? Certainly, we shall. Oh! then let the question come home with power to our hearts, Are we living out all the light? Can we be saved unless we do? Oh! are not the favor of God and the glorious reward that awaits the faithful overcomer of more consequence than the applause of the world? Oh! yes. I can say from the fullness of my heart, Let me suffer with my Master here. He has borne reproach for us, and his whole life was one scene of suffering; and if the Lord of glory will so humble himself, and suffer so extremely for us, shall we who are so depraved and fallen by nature, and depend wholly on the merits and atonement of our great High Priest to be saved from our sins, think it too humiliating to have the world frown on us because we do right? Is it asking too much to bear the cross, let it be ever so great? Oh! let the blush of shame tinge our cheek, and we prostrate ourselves at his feet, and implore his mercy for past neglect, and seek earnestly for that consecration which will subdue our pride and love of self and the world.
“Go to the garden, sinner; see Those precious drops that flow; The heavy load he bore for thee; For thee he lies so low.
“Then learn of Him the cross to bear, Thy Father’s will obey; And when temptations press thee near, Awake to watch and pray.”
C. LAWTON.
Jeff. Co., N. Y.