DRIFTING AWAY by Chas. B. Reynolds

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 23, 1879

DRIFTING AWAY.

By Chas. B. Reynolds

“Can ye not discern the signs of the times?” The evidences multiply around us that we are living in perilous times, amid the closing scenes of earth’s history. As we look around us, we realize the sad truth that “many are called, but few are chosen.” When we see one and another drifting away, giving heed to seducing spirits, growing lukewarm, wearying of the struggle, yielding to the fatal fascination and allurements of the world,—surely it were vain to deny that we have reached the trying, testing time. We cannot ignore the facts; and instead of shutting our eyes to the danger, it behooves us earnestly to cry to God for help, to keep double watch and ward over all approaches to the citadel of our faith, to strengthen one another’s hands, to confirm the feeble knees, while holding fast our profession and earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the saints.

We are admonished in view of the truths of the sanctuary—that great central light of our faith and hope—“to hold fast our profession,” and certainly the exhortation of the apostle to the Hebrews (chap. 4:14–16) is especially adapted to the present hour. We are not simply urged to hold fast, but encouraged with the blessed assurance of help in every time of need. Again, from Heb. 10:19–25, we learn that because we have faith in the atonement and mediatorial work of our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, therefore we should hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised. It is admitted that there is but one faith. “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Eph. 4:5. The apostle most clearly defines the faith which we should hold fast,—the faith of Jesus.

Dear reader, is this your faith? Are you holding fast? or are you yielding, dallying with temptation, drifting away from your first love? Are you building up the cause with all the zeal of your first conversion? or are you lukewarm, no longer seeing clearly your duty to sacrifice, blinded by the god of this world? Answer; and remember that according to your answer will be your destiny. You elect your portion for eternity. “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21.

God demands that we profess our faith not alone in words, but in acts also. This calls for some effort on our part. The Lord has warned us that we cannot truly confess him without raising the ire of the world, which, hating him, will hate his real followers. It is easy enough like Peter to be boastfully faithful and valiant when surrounded by Christians and favorable circumstances; but it is easier still to drift with the current and deny him with an oath, when alone in the society of those who scorn and deride him. The world is not a whit better now than in his day. It vacillates between heavenly virtues and hellish crimes, patronizing one for appearance’s sake while conniving at the other. Excess of vice or virtue it would punish with equal severity. Pure, genuine, zealous Christianity the world will not tolerate; for it is virtually a daily condemnation of the worldling, and a stinging reproach to the mere professor.

To live out a daily profession insures derision and persecution. “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Tim. 3:12. Ah, say you, once I was a good deal derided, persecuted, held aloof from, but not of late. Why? Because you have ceased to hold fast your profession; you are drifting away, drawing a little nearer to the world. This means that you are far away from God. Commandment-keepers claim to be entrusted with the last message of mercy to a dying world; this is the confession of our lips, is it of our lives also? Do we under all circumstances prove our faith by holding fast our profession without wavering? Hold back no longer from a frank and open avowal of your faith. “Quit you like men, be strong. Let no craven spirit make you shrink. What matters it, if for a little while we endure scorn and reproach? The call is sounding, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” A very little while, and this question will be of vital import to all. Stand forth in the strength of the Almighty, and own him God. In the love of Jesus, profess him, your hope, your Saviour. Act no more Peter’s weakness, but his strength born of repentance and experience.

Having made profession of our faith, the apostle exhorts us to hold fast. This language implies that energy must be put forth to resist opposing power. Subtle and continued attempts will be made to beguile us from our faith in its purity and fullness; but we must fight the good fight; all attacks upon any point of faith or practice whether open or insidious must be resolutely withstood. The testimonies harmonize with our experience that many and diverse are the attempts of the evil one to hinder a profession of faith, and to cause us to grow weary of maintaining all the holy and ennobling but most unpopular truths of the third angel’s message.

Our unaided human wisdom is quite inadequate to cope with the craft of Satan, our unaided human strength utterly unable to resist his assaults. To the believer, oftener than otherwise he appears as an angel of light; for he is wise enough to know that the most violent attacks provoke the strongest resistance. He is well aware that one traitor within the citadel, if his plans be not discovered, will accomplish more than a host without the walls. We are living at a time when all the mighty vigilance and subtle power of Satan is being exerted to deceive,—to allure us from God, from the truth, from eternal life.

The sifting, trying time is upon us; Satan, if it were possible, would deceive the very elect. Under the garb of great zeal and business ability, as well as under that of special sanctity, Satan will introduce his agents into the most sacred positions of trust, hoping that the discovery of their hypocrisy may discourage some, and bring ruin and confusion into the remnant church. No device will be left untried to induce the church collectively and the members individually to depart from their first love, to forsake the narrow way, and to glide down the smooth plane of worldly delights to eternal ruin.

For the truth as it is in Jesus, for the faith once delivered to the saints, we are called to contend. The enemy’s plans may for a time succeed; but the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. We have a great High Priest, who has been touched with the feeling of our infirmities. The foe with whom we have to battle, Jesus met alone; full well he knows his malignant fury and cunning devices. Satan knows his doom is near, and so struggles with the energy of despair. As time grows shorter so does his wrath increase, and if by the severity of his blows, or the success of any of his schemes he can make even a show of temporary triumph; he trusts thus to thin the ranks of the Lord of hosts and to weaken the cause he so cordially hates.

God rules and reigns. His truth shall triumph. Let others do as they may, let us hold fast our profession. Be not deceived, ensnared, beguiled into drifting away. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Rom. 8:35. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Soon, very soon, the race will be ended, the warfare over. God help us to stand firm. “Let us labor to enter into that rest,” lest any, tempted of Satan, drift away, and fail of the crown of eternal life.

CHAS. B. REYNOLDS.