Young Men

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Mar 25, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 13.

A Few Words to You.

THERE are many young men in religious schools and colleges who are this year either giving themselves to God or giving themselves anew to His service. In some instances this step has been taken as the result of quiet, deep conviction, and labors of godly parents and teachers; in others, it has been the influence of revivals. Some of the results of the latter are likely to be transitory, not, however, thru the fault of the revivalist, but thru failure of young men to separate from sin.

The Anointing of David, a Young Man after God's own Heart, to be King of Israel.

Young men, let the writer, who has been young like yourself, speak a few words to you. Pause and read them seriously. If you yourself do not need them, some other soul may need their truth thru you.

These are critical days, big with important events and decisions. Day after day is a crisis day with you. You are choosing for wo or weal, for bane or blessing. Your heart has been aroused, your conscience quickened, you are determined to repent and reform. This is well; but do not misunderstand the meaning of these weighty terms.

True repentance is not a matter of feeling, but of principle. There may be in it very deep feeling and emotion; there probably will be; but there may be also no deep feeling save cold, clear conviction of duty. In either case, act!

True repentance goes to the bottom. It will be manifest in no lingering, reluctant confession of wrong-doing, in no half-hearted undoing of wrong, in no balancing between expediency and duty, in no dodging of hard places, in no getting around the sin in question. True repentance probes to the bottom of the heart, and covers in its inventory the last item of sin.

Not to separate thus from sin is to hold yourself in partnership with Satan and among the secret adversaries of Christ despite your halting purposes.

You will make vital mistakes to wait and to think, and think, and try to remember the sins you ought to confess. That is not your business. The Spirit of God will convict, one by one, perhaps; it is your place to act and act promptly. Just as soon as you refuse to act upon conviction, you slight the Spirit of God, and will be left to yourself; and the most awful thing in this world is to have God leave us to ourselves and our selfish choice. It ends in destruction.

No half-way work will accomplish true reform or deceive your friends who know God. You may think it will; they will not dispute you; and you will think they believe you sincere (from sine, cera without wax), but they are not deceived. You will find this out when grand opportunities for service, splendid openings for usefulness, are offered to others, and you yourself are passed by. Men will not reprove you; they may smile upon you, but they choose others. You are not worthy to be trusted, and you know it, and so do they. All that will be left you will be chagrin, defeat, bitterness, and a lesser place. It is the fruit of your own sowing.

There are but three things in mind which should keep you back from proper, true, humble, heartfelt confession of sin:

1. You are too proud to confess and humble yourself. But such attitude says you are less ashamed to sin than to confess and separate from sin. Remember, "Pride goeth before destruction."

2. You love the sin, and do not want to put it away. Then be an honest sinner, go with the sin and death you have chosen; but cease the profession of Christianity.

3. You fear your friends will despise you if you confess. In this the devil deceives you. Nothing do they so long for as heartfelt confession. They would rather forgive the worst of sins than to know you harbored and held back the least. "He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper; but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy."

It does not take time to come into the truest, freest liberty of God. One hour, yea, one minute, will do it if the purpose is to get right, stand right, make all things right if possible. A day will execute the purpose in oral or in written confession.

God does not demand days and weeks for consideration. When Zacchaeus formed his purpose to do right, Jesus said, "To-day is salvation come to this house." But do not fail to carry out the purpose.

Then reform—re-form, form anew for God. Let His Spirit form you for the better, freer, happier life; and great usefulness, wonderful opportunities, and successful life will open before you. Reject, ignore, treat lightly, these principles, and you have no promise of success in God's work in this world or in the life to come.

Will you read these thoughts over at least three times, and then act? It is the vital truth of God to you. The writer has borne God's message. What will you do with it? STILL YOUNG.