THE TEST OF THE TRUE by M. C. W.

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 16, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 48.

THE TEST OF THE TRUE.

By M. C. W.

In another article is presented a part of the evidence with which God has forewarned us of the great deceptions of Satan which are to come upon the world. So varied will they be that they will reach and be adapted to all classes and conditions, so powerful that they will deceive all but the very elect. How may we escape them? How may we distinguish the false from the true? There are some characteristics which are always present to a greater or less extent in the various manifestations of Satan. We note a few of these.

1. When God forewarns men of judgments to come, false prophets will generally cry peace, and predict success to earthly enterprises. It was so in the time of Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Elijah and Micah. See Jer. 6:13-15; 1 Kings 22, and other passages. The sure word of prophecy points out that thus it will be when the faithful servants of God are preaching that the Lord's coming is near. 1 Thess. 5:1-3; Isa. 2:1-5. God warns men against the judgments to come, and entreats them to turn to him before the day of probation closes and the day of the Lord's wrath begins. Zeph. 2:1-3; Eze. 33:1-11; Rev. 14:6-11. But false prophets preach peace for the world; that the day of the Lord is a day of mercy and not of wrath, a time when greater opportunities will be offered men. They look to the day of the Lord as a time of salvation to all, and thus lead men to selfishly desire it. Truly did the prophet say of such: "Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and [with lies] strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life." Eze. 13: 22.

And of those who desire the day of the Lord, as a time of mercy, the Lord says:—

"Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear [more cruel and tenacious still] met him; or went into the house [for rest and shelter], and leaned his hand on the wall [for support], and a serpent bit him." Amos 5:18, 19.

And the same class here addressed had their holy feast-days, and solemn assemblies, made many offerings, and sang many songs. Verses 21-23. They had set up their own standard instead of God's.

2. Their work leads away from God's word, away from God, away from Christ, but leads to self, selfish honor, and interests. We do not say it will be claimed that this is its purpose; it will profess the very opposite; but "ye shall know them by their fruits," are the words of Christ. Matt. 7:16.

Mohammed claimed to be a prophet of God; he believed in the great prophets of God, and in Christ as one greater than himself, and wrought some miracles; but he erected his own standard, and turned men's thoughts and honors to himself. But John the Baptist, with one of the most honored and important missions that mortal ever knew, wrought no miracle, and died when all his influence had been submerged in the greater glory of Christ.

The tendency of the papal system is to exalt man. So is that of modern Spiritualism, and every other false ism. They have turned men from the worship of God; they have brought honor and exaltation to man. The devotees of the false religion may claim to be humble, may boast of it; in fact, may enter the slums of society, and even, like the pope, wash the feet of twelve beggars; but Christ is lost sight of in the glory taken to themselves. How many such reformations there are at the present time, the majority of the converts of which exist only in the presence of the one who led the work!

Some parts of the word of God may be exalted. Mohammed's great cry was, "God is one," a great truth, but, as has been remarked, he coupled with that a great lie, "Mohammed is his prophet." And so the truth of God was changed into a lie, and in consequence men worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator. Rom. 1:25. Even so the truth of Christ's coming, of the power of God in healing the sick, of what he has revealed concerning the gifts of his Spirit, each and all have been made convenient pack-horses to introduce damning error into the church of Christ, by perverting and misapplying them. Witness some of the fanaticism which has been manifest among some classes who are looking for the second coming of Christ; witness Christian science and many faith curists; witness Mormonism. The more important the doctrine, the worse will be the delusion of its perversion.

It will pervert, and turn men from the practical truth of the word of God, especially the law of God. The law of Jehovah is the great standard of right, holy, pure, and perfect in every respect. Everything contrary to that is a false, man-made standard, which detracts from the law, hence from the Giver of the law. "Ye shall know them by their fruits," says our Lord. But what is the standard of these fruits?—It is the rule of God's righteousness. So our Saviour continues: "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. God's will is his holy law. Ps. 40:8.

Jesus goes farther, he includes not mere profession alone in his condemnation, but he includes those who wrought mighty wonders in his name. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have 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 [lawlessness, violations of law]." Matt. 7:22, 23. Isaiah bears testimony of the same import. In speaking of the manifestations of the last days, he says: "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:20.

The very truth which such may hold has been changed into a lie, and becomes as powerful for evil in deceiving souls as it is for good when used in the right way, the way which leads to more light and more truth, to a better acquaintance with God. Truth exists not only in the theory expressed in the words through which it is revealed, but in its object as well. The truth, therefore, perverted from its original design, becomes error, light becomes darkness. Said our Lord to the Jews: "If thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness! If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matt. 6:23. Truth perverted is error, light perverted is darkness. Therefore those who are led by a wrong spirit, whose object is to build up

self, whose teachings turn men from God and his truth, have no light in them.

Neither can they be said to preach Christ, however much their words may laud the Redeemer of the world, who ignore or reject a portion of the word of God. That word came through Christ, he is the Incarnate Word, the Incarnate Law, the Incarnate Gospel—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. A rejection of the word of God is a rejection of the Christ of God, for all the word centers in him. The mission of Christ was and is to bring men into harmony with the law of God, or what is the same thing, in harmony with himself. He gave himself to redeem mankind from all lawlessness, to save men from sin (Titus 2:14; Matt. 1:21); whatever, therefore, degrades the law degrades Christ and his work. Whatever miracle or wonders may be wrought in the name of Christ are nothing if those who do the work are practicing lawlessness, or working iniquity. The wonders wrought in Christ's name professedly, only make more potent for evil the influence against the law of God and the church and work of Christ.

3. The great evidence of his work which God has given in these days is his holy word. Miracles may have been a sign sometimes in the past, but only when Satan was not permitted to work so mightily. The great evidence of the truthfulness of the divine mission of our Lord was not his mighty works, only as those works were in harmony with the Scriptures, which testified of him. Hence the appeals of the apostles were not to miracles primarily, but to the sure word of prophecy.

Those who live in the last days have all the evidences which have ever been given before, in all the centuries of the past. The people of God will not win their greatest triumph through mighty works, but through the truth. Not the theory of the truth, but the love of the truth. Those who do not receive the love of the truth, such a love as will unite them with God, the Author of truth, that will enable them to stand alone with God in the truth, will certainly be swept away by the strong delusions. 2 Thess. 2:9-12. The truth of God as it is in Christ will prove the shield and buckler to the people of God. Psalm 91. In the truth and by the truth through Christ they will be kept from Satan's snares, while those who look for great wonders will be deceived by the enemy. Truly the people of God can say with the psalmist:—

"I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth; for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." Ps. 138:2. M. C. W.