The Truth, No. 4: Sealing the Remnant Church
By R. F. Cottrell
By a special message of the gospel, foretold in the beginning of this dispensation, the Lord is now restoring his down-trodden truth to the last generation of his people, to prepare them to stand in the “hour of temptation” and “time of trouble” which will introduce the great day of wrath. Rev. 14:9–12. The servants of God must be sealed against the day when the winds of war shall be loosed. Rev. 7:1–4. They will need the whole truth for their defense in that terrible day when our High Priest shall cease his pleading. The prophetic command for our time is, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Isa. 8:16. The truth, to the remnant of the church, will be what the blood of the passover upon the door posts was to the Israelites in Egypt—a defense when the destroying angel shall pass through. In view of the coming of the day of Christ, an apostle says, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end.” 1 Pet. 1:13. And Jesus describes the position of his people at his coming as follows: “Let your loins be girt about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding.” Luke 12:35, 36. What is the girdle for the loins? Let Paul answer. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.” In the evil day described in Ps. 91, when thousands will be falling by the side of God’s people, the truth shall be their defense. “His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” And when the host of the redeemed shall approach the city of God, their final and everlasting habitation, it shall be commanded, “Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth [Heb., truths] may enter in.” Isa. 26:2. How perfectly in harmony with the testimony of the risen and glorified Jesus! “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14. Since the truth is so valuable, how shall it be secured? how shall we know the truth? A spirit of submissive obedience is of more value in searching and finding the truth than123mine enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.” Ps. 119:97–100. Concerning the time of the end, the angel said to Daniel, “The wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Dan. 12:10. The wicked, who break God’s commandments, are contrasted with the wise. In what consists the wisdom of the wise? How do they get understanding? Here is the answer. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments.” Ps. 111:10. The truth is important, because all men shall be judged by it. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:13, 14. “He cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” Ps. 96:13. “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; . . . in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Rom. 2:12, 16. Let us love and obey the truth, that we be not left “to believe a lie,” and so be condemned, because we “believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” R. F. COTTRELL.