p. 627 | THE GIFT OF PROPHECY by Elder J. O. Corliss

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 14, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 40.

THE GIFT OF PROPHECY.

By Elder J. O. Corliss

BY ELDER J. O. CORLISS.

EVERY gift to be exercised in the church, or in its behalf, is from God, through Jesus Christ. When the Son of God ascended to heaven, he "gave gifts unto men" for this very purpose. Eph. 4:7, 8. "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying [building up] of the body of Christ." Verses 11, 12. All these gifts, as we see, are for the uplifting of humanity to the citizenship of heaven. That work is still in order. Are evangelists, pastors, and teachers necessary factors in its accomplishment? All are agreed that they are among the gifts of Christ, for this special purpose, and therefore cannot be dispensed with. Then by the same rule, the gift of prophecy, which is enumerated with them, is necessary also.

In the common mind, a prophet is held as an infallible being, with all the prescience of divinity, while a teacher in the church is simply regarded on a common level with all others of the same natural ability. A prophet, however, in the Bible sense, is a revealer of God's will to man. This may be done by either giving the sense of what has before been spoken by the Spirit, or in uncovering future events which affect the welfare of the church, though the latter may sometimes include the former. A teacher may also reveal God's will as given in his written word, but the gift of prophecy does more; it enables its possessor to utter, with the authority of inspiration, words of warning, exhortation, rebuke, or encouragement, and thus enforce the truths of the Bible with supernatural effect.

With this gift, the church not only has a constant guardian, but possesses also one of the most potent instruments for the conversion of sinners. This was true to such an extent in the early church, surrounded as it was with danger and perplexity, that the apostle exhorted all the members at Corinth to covet that gift. 1 Cor. 14:39. Indeed, there was good reason for this; for he said that if all the church were to prophesy, and an unbeliever were to happen in, he would be convinced of God's presence there, and fall on his face in worship, saying that God is in the believers of a truth. 1 Cor. 14:24, 25. So while the gift of prophecy may be superior to that of the teacher, it is but the operation of the same Spirit, in another degree, and is not necessarily separated from the other, since the work of each is in some respects identical.

In the seasons of its greatest peril the church needs the special protection of God. In the days of the apostles, the spirit of persecution ran high, and the power of God's Spirit was given in the measure needed to meet the exigencies of the times. The cause of persecution then was the revival of true piety in some of the members of the formal Jewish Church, which claimed to be the repository of God's truth. But instead of being what they professed to be, they were selfish, bigoted, and proud, and therefore deadly opposed to anyone whose life of humility and obedience to God was a standing rebuke to their Pharisaic hypocrisy.

The church which was then developed gave way to worldly policy, and the Dark Ages followed. When the Reformation of the sixteenth century again revived men to seek after God, the church of that day, as did the Jews in the days of Christ, claimed to have a monopoly of everything good. So when the light of truth began to shine out through the humble instruments whom God chose for that purpose, the professed church of Christ called loudly for a crusade against it all, and freely put to death those who were connected with the reform. But God was with them, and many were the instances of his interposition in behalf of his cause and people.

In spite of opposition, the Protestant church thrived and grew to such proportions that her own greatness has made her boastful and proud of the eminence attained. She has commingled with the world, and adopted its policy, until she, too, has ceased in a measure to walk with God. The apostle describes her condition when he says: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

This array of sins seems terrible enough to be confined to the very worst elements of society; but it will be noticed that the very ones here said to be guilty are those who have a form of godliness—church services—and yet deny the power of godliness. In consequence of this state of things, we are told that perilous times, that is, times full of danger, will come. It is easy to see that this will be but the history of early days repeated. Before the coming of the Lord Jesus to take his people to himself, he will send his reviving Spirit

abroad to draw to him those who "sigh and cry" for the abominations being done. As ever in the past, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will be the test of loyalty (Rev. 14:9-12), the keeping of which will cause the time-serving, ease-loving professors to look with hatred upon those who observe them (Rev. 12:17).

But amid all such surroundings, God has promised to be the hope of his people by dwelling among and in them by his Spirit, to instruct them in the way they should go. That time has now come, and the gifts of his Spirit are being manifested as in the days of old, pointing out the places where the danger lurks, giving words of heavenly wisdom, admonition, and counsel. This will continue till his people are brought safely through the perils, to stand with the Redeemer on Mount Zion, whom they shall see for themselves, and their eyes shall behold, and not a stranger. Job 19:27. Thank God that the crowning day is just at hand.