Editorial by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 2, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 47.

Editorial.

By Editor

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable."—2 Tim. 3:16.

"BE not deceived," reader. Men may say that God's word means many things, but what does God say? He does not say what he does not mean. He would not so deceive. He means what he says. Will you not seek to know what he says?

God's word is truth (John 17:17), and truth alone is all that will save us in the time of peril (Ps. 91:4). Nay, more, but it must be the truth, not only in form, but in its very spirit, in the love of it. See 2 Thess. 2:10-12. He who has the truth in the love of it, has Him who is the truth. John 14:6.

CHRIST was the manifestation of God. "God was in Christ." Jesus was "God manifest in the flesh." Whatever Christ was so is God. But Christ taught the perpetuity and absolute immutability of the Decalogue, and himself observed the Sabbath which he made. Is it not strange that men professing loyalty to him should misinterpret his words and belie his example? "He that saith he abideth in Him [God] ought himself also so to walk, even as He [Christ] walked." 1 John 2:6.

"HE that believeth in Me hath everlasting life." The belief here spoken of is not the nominal so-called Christian belief of the masses. There are many who pass for disciples, and profess to know God, who are not known of him, and have not even the first principles of saving faith. Bible faith is that belief which brings Christ into our lives, and into our lives in that way that we shall confess by that life that "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh." 1 John 4:2. Then will Christ come in unto us, and make his abode with us. Then shall we have in us the Christ life, the eternal life of God's dear Son. Reader, do you want eternal life? and do you want it now? "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." John 17:3. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:12.

HE who is genuinely converted to Christ, who has tasted of the wondrous mercy and love of God in giving his Son to die, will not spend his time in criticising the faults of his neighbors or brethren. The great truths of God, the wondrous pity of the Great Father to him and his faults, will shut from his mind the petty faults of his brethren. The "beam" in his own eye will shut from sight the "splinter" in his brother's eye. God's great and overwhelming love to him will, responded to, awaken that love within his own heart that will arouse no desire to criticise or accuse others, but to save them. The greatest, the surest, the only remedy for accusation and fault-finding is a view of the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. Beholding him, we will have charity for all.