“Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. xiv, 12.
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Chap. xii, 17.
In our last we noticed the distinction between the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus; that both are to be kept; and, therefore, the faith of Jesus is the gospel system, embracing all the doctrines and requirements spoken by Jesus in person, and those written by his inspired apostles. We also stated that our design was not to dwell at length upon the gospel system, and enter into all points connected with the faith of Jesus, but to call attention to that portion which relates to present duty.
A deep sense of duty to our brethren and sisters has led us to the consideration of this subject at this time. Many suppose that they are quite good Christians, whose words and acts, and their state of spirituality, fall far short of coming up to the elevated standard of the gospel.
Admitting that it is the will of Heaven that the church should have apostolic faith, power, and the gifts of the Spirit, they cannot reasonably be expected, while the church is almost destitute of the apostolic graces, good works and consecration. The early apostolic church was indeed powerful. It was no less holy. The standard of holy living was raised high. How pure, plain and pointed the doctrines of our Lord. They took deep root in the hearts of his followers, and were carried out by them in the words they spoke, and in all their acts. They gave all for Christ and heaven. They were separated from, and dead to, this world, therefore were hated by the world. To such a church the gifts of the Spirit could be safely given. They had sufficient humility and wisdom to use them to the glory of God.
But if apostolic power, and the gifts of the Spirit, should be freely given to the “remnant” in their present unsanctified, undisciplined state, it would most certainly prove their ruin in the end. There is not yet sufficient humility, grace and wisdom, in the body, to make a right use of such endowments. God has employed, and doubtless will use the gifts of the Spirit to accomplish important objects, and he ever has, and ever will, entrust them to those of experience and humility. To freely bestow them upon an inexperienced and unsanctified church, would54be like placing the keenest edged-tools in the hands of children.
Some seem to wonder that there are no more wonderful manifestations of the Spirit of God among them. Is it not rather a wonder that God does so much for them while they are so far from him? Such should return unto the Lord with repentance, mourning and bitter weeping, and learn that they must first obtain the gospel graces, and possess all the qualifications of a Christian, and then, perhaps, God may manifest his power among them.
“If ye abide in me,” said Christ, “and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John xv, 7. You have no grounds to claim the promise in this text, unless you abide in Christ, and his words abide in you. To be in Christ, and to abide in him, is no small thing. And in order for his words to abide in you, his plain teachings must be received, and strictly obeyed. No one can say that Christ’s words abide in them when they are at the same time living in violation of his requirements, and neglect to follow his plain teachings. It is presumption to claim the rich and precious promises of the New Testament, while living in violation of its requirements.
We will now examine some of the plain declarations of the New Testament relative to the duties of the disciples of Christ, and first we will notice those which relate to their words, or
The Tongue.
Says the Great Teacher, “How can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt. xii, 34-37.
Says the apostle James, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which, though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindlieth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
“For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed, of mankind: but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
“Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig-tree, my brethren, bear olive-berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” Chap. iii, 2-13.
Both the words of Christ, and of the Apostle, teach the same important doctrine, that the proud and evil, natural heart must first be subdued, and the grace of God take full possession of the entire man, before the tongue can be governed.
The Apostle declares that “if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” From this we learn that to govern the tongue is the greatest and most important work the Christian has to attend to. The natural man cannot tame the tongue. With “bits in the horse's mouth” he may subdue and tame the animal, and “with a very small helm” ships may be turned about; “but the tongue can no man tame.” What a description is here given of the tongue! “An unruly evil, full of deadly poison,” “a fire, a world of iniquity.”
Jesus testifies that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Then the trouble with an evil tongue is, the heart is corrupt. Bitter words come from a bitter heart. But what must be done for the tongue? The natural man cannot tame it. We answer, Let that hard heart break. Let the blood of Jesus be applied, which is able to cleanse it from all sin. Let the fountain be made perfectly clean, and the words that shall then flow from the heart will be sweet words. Praise the Lord!
Says James, “Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” There is, then, a remedy for the tongue. The grace of God is sufficient to purify the heart, and help to govern the tongue. Look forward to the 144,000 overcomers. “In their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Rev. xiv, 5. A great work must be accomplished for some, to fit them to stand on the Mount Zion.
Says the apostle Paul, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” Eph. iv, 29-32.
“Neither filthiness nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” Chap. v, 4.
“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Col. iv, 5, 6.
This last passage should be weighed well. From those that are without we may expect opposition, hatred and scorn. To ever meet this with calmness, meekness and wisdom, is no small thing to learn. Unbelievers are watching the remnant for their faults, and, it is to be feared that the rash, exclusive and retaliating spirit of some of the brethren has done much to hinder the progress of the cause of present truth.
Many who oppose Sabbath-keepers will not give them the credit of possessing christian courtesy, and a good spirit, unless they waver on their position, make the truth of little consequence, and fully fellowship those who break the commandments of God. We have no hope of suiting this class. It would be perdition to yield to their unhallowed influence. The truth is dearer to the child of God than life, and for it he should unwaveringly stand. And while he battles for the truth, he may manifest all the graces of the Spirit of God.
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, [margin, forbearing] in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves: if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth: and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Tim. ii, 24-26.
Those who have not wisdom and grace sufficient to obey these teachings of the Apostle, had better never open their mouth in defense of the truth, especially in the presence of the unbelieving. Such had better wait at some Jerusalem till they be endowed with power from on high, that they may bear the “fruit of the Spirit,” which is “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Gal. v, 22, 23.
Says Peter, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Pet. i, 13-16.
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Pet. iii, 14.
“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now and forever. Amen.” Verses 17, 18.