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"BUT GROW IN GRACE

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 2, 1858

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 12, No. 16.

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"BUT GROW IN GRACE

By A. S. Hutchins

"AND in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. iii, 18. These are the words of the apostle Peter, after directing his brethren to the coming of the Lord, and speaking plainly of the "scoffers" of the "last days;" and the danger of being led away from the truth by error, and falling from our steadfastness.
In chap. iv of his 1st epistle he speaks of the present eventful period too plainly to be misunderstood. "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer." Verse 7. And in verse 17 of the same chapter he declares that "the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God."
To this important and solemn point we were brought by the proclamation of the First Angel's Message of Rev. xiv, 6, 7.
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
As the prophetic period of Daniel's vision, [Dan. viii, 13, 14,] of 2300 days, (years) brings us to the Fall of 1844, here, according to the declaration of the angel above referred to, we reached the judgment hour, as has been clearly and repeatedly demonstrated in the Review.
The disappointment of God's people in not seeing their Lord in 1844, has given place to scoffers, walking after their own lusts, as described by the Apostle, for the instruction of the remnant church.
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Pet. iii, 3, 4.
Scoffers will continue to scoff on, manifesting the darkness and blackness of their hearts, and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming?" "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Pet. iii, 13.
O, blessed promise! Who would not be faithful? who would not suffer in view of the new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness? "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless."
Notwithstanding thousands who were interested in the proclamation of the Lord's coming in 1844 have turned back, and shamefully denied their faith, still the humble, faithful followers of Jesus will continue to look for and love his appearing.
Says Paul, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." Heb. x, 38, 39.
Some will believe to the saving of the soul. Some will know, and can tell their whereabouts; our reckoning is not lost, the chart and compass, we have; and we may as properly sing to-day, "My Bible leads to glory," as under the sound of the first two Messages of Rev. xiv. Praise the Lord!
It is our privilege not only to "grow in grace," but also "in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
Those who were willing to follow in the bright shining light of Holy Writ, and who would be led by the Spirit of God, have followed the blessed Redeemer by living faith, into the second apartment of the heavenly Sanctuary, and understand his work there while in the solemn hour of Judgment, as it was understood in the type anciently by the Israel of God.
The Third Angel's Message [Rev. xiv, 9-12,] is now sounding. Under its proclamation the world will be divided into two visible classes. Those who love and obey the Commandments of God, and have the Faith of Jesus; and those who are found worshiping the beast and his image, and who receive his mark, and consequently oppose the Commandment-keepers.
But it is to be feared that many who have embraced the Bible Sabbath, do not heed the injunction of the Apostle, which stands at the head of these remarks.
To grow in grace, certainly requires some effort. Men will not grow in grace, they will not increase in favor with God, unless they struggle for it, unless they strive for it.
We have often heard the remark, "I have all the enjoyment that I live for." This is certainly all that any one should expect. But how much do you live for? Are you growing in grace? Are you overcoming daily? These are questions of importance.
The word of God teaches that it is a matter of the utmost importance that we go on from strength to strength, in the Christian warfare.
In proof of this, let us read the following testimony: "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
"And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity." 2 Pet. i, 5-7.
Here we are exhorted to advance in the Christian walk, step by step, adding one Christian grace to another, and increasing in strength and communion with God, till we can claim the richest and choicest promises and blessings as ours. May the attainments here described be earnestly sought for by such as desire them, "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Eph. iv, 13.
"For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
"But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."
"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. i, 8-11.
Mark the striking contrast made by the inspired penman between those who give all diligence to grow in grace, and those who stop short of it.
The former abound in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, and are fruitful in all good works; they "grow up into Christ in all things;" they become perfect men in Christ; while the latter do not care for a growth in grace. They are but babes in the cause of Christ, contented with former attainments, and often fall far short of this: they are blind, and cannot see afar off, and have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins.
What a lamentable condition to be found in as the wrath of God hastens on, and the last sound of mercy dies away! and yet thousands professing godliness may find their true and awful condition marked out by Peter in this text.
Multitudes connected with proud and popular churches, bound by human creeds and the opinions of their preachers and leaders, are blind and ignorant of the awful consequences of walking in darkness, and the sure and destructive storm that awaits the ungodly.
Neither the leaders nor the led have grown in grace for years, but have been on the retrograde; consequently darkness enshrouds them, and the chill of death comes over them, but they know it not!
Alas, alas, for the poor, fallen, sectarian churches! They have passed the happy day of their prosperity and glory, and are fast sinking into the embrace of the second death!
The present saving, sanctifying truth has no charms for them. Their blindness prevents them from seeing its beauty, its sacredness, its loving power. They call bitter, sweet; and sweet, bitter; they put light for darkness, and darkness for light.
Says Paul, "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 1 Tim. iv, 2-4.
It has ever been the will of God that his children should take the Bible as the rule of their actions, but especially is he calling the church of the last days to leave the inconsistent and self-contradictory creeds of men, and stand upon the Rock of truth, the blessed Bible.
Creeds do not admit of an increase of light and knowledge in the word of God. What was written forty years ago, or more, and bowed to then, must be acknowledged as containing all necessary truth now by those who endorse them as an expression of their faith, while the word of God teaches that "the path of the just is as the shining light, and shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
Says Bernard, "Men's books with heaps of chaff are stored; God's Book doth golden grains afford. Then leave the chaff, and spend thy pains In gathering up the golden grains."
But notwithstanding the present time is replete with perils, notwithstanding the devil and evil men labor hard to turn the Christian from his steadfastness, yet it is our privilege to know that we are growing in grace: and no one should be contented with his position without the testimony like Enoch that he pleases God. "For before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God."
The reason why the progress of some in this message is so slow, is because they make so little effort to overcome their wrong habits, and their evil practices. "Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil: learn to do well," saith the Lord.
No one living in the indulgence of known sin should expect to progress in the service of the Lord. He must cease to do evil, if he would "learn to do well."
"Wherefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speakings, as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." 1 Pet. ii, 1, 2.
Again, the Apostle instructs us that we must lay aside whatever impedes our progress, if we would successfully run the race set before us. "Wherefore," says he, "seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Heb. xii, 1. "So run that ye may obtain."
A lack of watchfulness and prayer hinders a growth of grace in some hearts. The pride of heart hinders others. The love of the world eats up the affections of many, and cripples, and weakens them in all their attempts to serve God. For "if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John ii, 15.
Others have not bridled the tongue, the busy tongue. That unruly member is not yet brought under subjection. Vain, hurtful, and sinful conversation is indulged in by some as though it was innocent and harmless indeed.
We pity those given to this sin; but here is a weight that must be laid aside, or prosperity need not be looked for in the Christian race. O, dear brethren, if you love life, and desire to see good days, refrain your tongue from evil, and let not your lips speak guile. 1 Pet. iii, 10. Strive for victory, labor for it; fast and pray earnestly till victory, sweet victory, is yours.
Of those who shall stand with the Lamb upon Mt. Zion, it is said, "And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God." Rev. xiv, 5.
May it be our constant aim, our continued study, to obtain a complete victory over whatever hinders our advancement in the cause of our heavenly Master, whatever lies in the way of a steady and sure growth in grace, that we may be perfect overcomers; for says the blessed Saviour, "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." Rev. ii, 7.
A. S. HUTCHINS.