WHO WEARS THE VAIL? by W. N. G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 28, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 26.

WHO WEARS THE VAIL?

By W. N. G.

A N Eastern exchange presents this problem to its denominational adherents:—

If our dearly-beloved Seventh-day Adventist brethren, who read the Bible with the vail before their eyes, manifest so much zeal in prosecuting their work, what ought we to do from whose faces the vail is removed?

Accrediting us with “so much zeal,” etc., is a credit for sacrifice in the work we are “prosecuting.” We confess that both our zeal and our sacrifice ought to be much greater than they are, yet we are mindful that “to obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Sam. 15:22); and it is because we teach the doctrine of obedience to the law of God that our contemporary accuses us of reading the Bible with a vail before our eyes. The writer of that paragraph evidently got his inspiration from a very common perversion of 2 Cor. 3:14. But the vail which was over the Jewish mind (referred to in that scripture) was their failure to see Christ in the sacrifices and services of the sanctuary, and in the Scriptures which His Spirit had dictated for their learning. This “vail was done away in Christ;” that is, those who accept Christ as the Saviour to whom the Jewish services pointed are not blinded by the vail. But the doing away of this vail did not do away with the necessity for the spirit of obedience; for it is done away in Christ,” and He was the embodiment of obedience to the law of God. By the Spirit of prophecy He said, “I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Ps. 40:7, 8. Again, He said to the Jews, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Matt. 5:17. The prophecy also says, “The Lord is well-pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify the law, and make it honorable.” Isa. 42:21. Those who read the Word of God with the spirit of disobedience, as did the unbelieving Jews, are they who read “with the vail before their eyes.” They cannot lay claim to faith in Christ or in His Word, as is shown in the question and answer of the apostle Paul: “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” Rom. 3:31. Of those who look upon the law as a vail hiding the reader from Christ, it can never be said, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12.