Faith and Obedience by E. J. Church

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jul 8, 1875

Faith and Obedience.

By E. J. Church

"LET brotherly love continue." Heb. 13: 1. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace as in all churches of the saints." 1 Cor. 14: 33.

I believe our church members here in St Helena, are all united in believing this to be the truth of the third angel's message. We also believe that "Where there is no vison the people perish; but he that keepeth the law happy is he." Prov. 29: 18.

Our neighbors, some of them, tell us that we say too much about the law, and ask why we do not talk more about what Christ and the apostles said. They say that Christ abolished the ten commandments, let us see what he taught when he was on earth. In Matt. 5: 17, 20 he says: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill, for verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven."

Now let us see what he sent us from Heaven, by his angel, sixty-three years after his ascension. In Rev. 22: 14 we read: "Blessed are they that do his [God's] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." All who do not God's commandments, Christ will shut out of the city, and styles them as "dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolators, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." Verse 15. When we have so much at stake, let us believe what Christ and the inspired writers have told us, in preference to what any earthly friend can conjure up.

Christ tells us it is "not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matt. 7: 21-23. There are many who will expect to be received because they have believed so firmly on Christ, yet Christ will not know them because they have failed to do the will of God the Father. Who are the many that will have to depart from Christ on this account? Let us examine ourselves and see if it will apply to our case, and if it fits us in the least, let us now, while time is ours, do the will of the Father by keeping the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus; and if the commandments are grievous to us, let us renew our love to God, "for this is the love of God that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous." 1 John 5: 3. Let us cast off all selfishness, and say as our Redeemer said, "Thy will be done." E. J. CHURCH. St Helena, Cal.