What Is in the Natural Heart

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, Cal., Kansas City, and New York · Nov 29, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, Nos. 48, 49.

What Is in the Natural Heart

WHAT is in the natural heart or mind of man? "Hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders." Gal. 5:20, 21.

2. To what do such dispositions and passions lead? "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?" James 4:1.

3. To what have these things always given rise among the nations of earth? "Wars and rumors of wars; . . . these things must come to pass; . . . nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." Matt. 24:6, 7.

4. As we near the end, what does the Lord say will take place? "Proclaim ye this among the nations: Prepare war; stir up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up, beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears; let the weak say, I am strong. Haste ye and come, all ye nations." Joel 3:9-12. See also Jer. 25:15-35.

5. What will stir men's passions up to this universal war? "They are spirits of demons, working signs, which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them together unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty." See Rev. 16:13-16, R.V.

6. Yet notwithstanding all this war preparation, what false cry will be heard? "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord. . . . And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." See Isa. 2:3-6.

7. Of what are we warned when this false cry of "many people" shall go forth? "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them; . . . and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. 5:3.

8. When will there be peace? When Christ "shall reign in righteousness" (Isa. 32:1), then "the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever" (Isa. 32:17).