God Still Sifting

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 31, 1914

God Still Sifting

It is the rule that new recruits to the message enter upon the work of its proclamation with great zeal. The message has captivated them and inspired them with new hope, and it is fitting that they should very zealously pass it on to cheer the hearts and bless the lives of others. But it is very ill-advised for them to fall under the delusion that it is their duty to sift the church of the indifferent and unbelieving. That is God’s part of the work, and he has ever maintained that he needed no Uzzah to steady the ark.

There are many too indifferent. There should be an awakening, but God always sifts the church before he begins any great work requiring triumphant faith and united action. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, their sympathizers, and all the murmurers in Israel, together with Achan, clinging to his wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment, were sifted out before Israel was prepared to march by faith into the promised inheritance.

Christ sought to prepare the early church for Pentecost. The sixth chapter of John records his instruction to his disciples as he plainly taught them that a more deeply spiritual experience was necessary to prevent their being sifted out from among his people in the coming hour of crisis. A large class refused his instruction, and “from that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” John 6: 66. It was a shaking time. “Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” Then came the immortal words of Peter in response, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” Verses 67, 68. Judas was sifted out; and the other disciples had the spirit of seeking the highest place, jealousy, murmuring, and covetousness sifted out of them before Pentecost.

The closing work of the last message will be marked by the greatest manifestations of faith and power for victory of any movement since the fall of man. It will be preceded by a sifting time during which the people of God will be “mightily shaken.” “Every selfish, covetous person will fall out by the way. Like Judas, who sold his Lord, they will sell good principles and a noble, generous disposition for a little of earth’s gain. All such will be sifted out from God’s people.” “The careless and indifferent . . . were left behind in darkness.”—“Spiritual Gifts,” pages 130, 132.