Walk Circumspectly by E. O. Meacham

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 26, 1857

Walk Circumspectly.

By E. O. Meacham

SEE then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Eph. v, 15.

God's law is perfect, converting the soul, and all his requirements are just, and demand implicit obedience from all created intelligences. He has never asked nor commanded any of his creatures to perform anything that they could not. Then when he says, "Give me thine heart," he means all (not a part) of the affections; the whole heart. He requires exact obedience on our part, promising rewards which are kept in store for the faithfully pious of all ages, from the foundation of the earth. The Apostle says, that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, to conceive the things which God has reserved in store for them that love him and keep his commandments. He declares himself to be a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him; and when men have deviated from the rule of right, and have gone contrary to his commands and precepts, thinking that he would not mark a sin of so small a matter against them, or that he would not be so particular as to demand exact obedience from them, they have brought themselves into condemnation, and have become obnoxious in his sight—vessels of wrath fitted for destruction.

He declares himself to be a holy God, one who cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. If then he requires us to present ourselves living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to him, we must renounce the world, its vain pomp and glories, its customs and fashions, its pride and its power, its wealth, its riches and vanities, with its lusts and unholy conversation, that we may be holy and acceptable to him, which is our reasonable service.

If God demands the heart, it must be the whole heart. It will not do to offer him something else. When Ananias and Sapphira kept back part of the price, God would not accept it, therefore was his wrath kindled against them, and he slew them.

He demands the strictest obedience to his requirements, and will accept of no half-way service. When he says, "Thou shalt keep holy the Sabbath-day," he does not mean the first day, but he means the seventh day—the day which he has hallowed and set apart from the rest, and sanctified as his own.

I have noticed that some who profess to keep holy the Sabbath, will themselves rest upon that day, while their children, or perhaps a relative who has come to visit them, will labor on that day, and not one word will be said to them. Brethren, this ought not so to be; for the law is as binding upon your children, and the stranger within thy gates, as it is upon you. But says one, "What difference will it make if my kinsman or neighbor who is boarding with me, works on the Sabbath, if I keep the day as it ought to be kept, will it not do?"

To such let me answer, God demands obedience; and "he that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." He required Ananias and his wife to bring all, but they were covetous and kept back a part of the price. He therefore commands you, and your children, and the stranger that resides under your roof, to keep holy his day, the seventh day, which he has sanctified and blessed.

In former times the transgressor was made an example, and the penalty of the law immediately inflicted; now it is otherwise, and God is still of long-suffering toward his erring children. But if the ancients "escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven."

The examples set before us in the Bible are for our profit as well as the ancients, and they are recorded for our admonition, and if we heed them not, we are certainly incorrigible.

Many at the present time transgress the law of God, and still go unpunished. With the Bible in their hands, and the light of the gospel shining all around them—with the prayers, admonitions, and entreaties of their friends, they hearken not to its commandments, and heed not its awful warnings. Will God's wrath always delay? Will he not be avenged on a people like this? and will he not sweep them away like the "refuge of lies" in the day of his anger and fierce wrath?

Now is the time to walk circumspectly, because this generation enjoys greater light and higher privileges than any other before it; and if we heed not the admonitions of the word of truth, all past generations will rise up in the Judgment and condemn this.

Dear reader, the Judgment is now passing, and are you redeeming the time? The days are evil. Men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. How is it with you, brother, sister? Are you consecrating all to Christ? or do you still follow this or that fashion, and are you still found engaging in light and trifling conversation? If so you are not redeeming the time. O heed the voice of divine wisdom, and walk circumspectly, not as fools, who put off Christ, but as wise, who put on Christ, and walk in newness of life.

As the Judgment is now about being passed upon the living, let me exhort you, dear reader, to walk circumspectly. As you value your life and your salvation, be circumspect. As you would escape all those things which must shortly come upon the earth, and stand before the Son of man, walk circumspectly and do not plead or even imagine for a moment that God will accept a substitute instead of that which he has commanded.

Remember that Jesus has said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

Walk circumspectly, by laying aside every weight and sin, every idle word, all jesting and foolish talking, all pride and deception, and all indulgence in every thing which God hates. Then will our light shine, and our influence will be like leaven hid in a measure of meal.

How powerful is example, especially in those who we know to be holy. How it reflects like a mirror, "the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men." It has saved thousands. Brother, sister, will thine save one? God requires us to be holy, and if we wish to be found without fault and stand upon the sea of glass, we must be pure in heart.

Let us then walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.

E. O. MEACHAM.