BEATING THE AIR | AdventAI

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

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

BEATING THE AIR.

BEATING the air is quite common in the church. The minister who spends his time and strength preaching against errors which do not exist in his community “beateth the air.” The preacher who preaches on secular topics and about the fringes of truth, and never comes home to the center of the gospel, who preaches to the intellect, and not to the heart, who delights the refined taste of the cultured, but never arouses the conscience of the ungodly, “beateth the air.” The church that conducts revival meetings for six weeks in succession without witnessing the awakening of one sinner or the revival of one lukewarm soul, beats the air. The Christian people who labor hard to build up Zion and pull down the strongholds of wickedness in the community by holding festivals and sacred concerts and other entertainments, are engaged in beating the air. They weary themselves out of breath and out of temper, but accomplish nothing. The soul that struggles to subdue lust, to overcome temptation, and to become righteous by fasting, by bringing to bear the strength of his will and all his energies, without giving his heart to God, beats the air. The more he struggles the worse become his entanglements and the more his strength is wasted. To overcome a sinful heart we must open the door and admit the Conqueror, who stands knocking. To pull down the strongholds of sin we must use the weapons God has provided, laying aside all carnal weapons. Effectual blows can only be dealt with the gospel of the Son of God.—Christian Advocate.