HOLINESS, OBEDIENCE TO THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.
By B. F. Robbins
The conditions of the covenants which God has made with his people in all dispensations, are designed by obedience to make his covenant-people a holy, sanctified people. The obedience of Abraham to the conditions of the covenant God made with him secured to Isaac and Jacob the fulfillment of the promise made to their father Abraham. Gen. xxvi, 3-5. “Because that Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes and my laws.” The conditions of the covenant with the children of Israel at Sinai were designed by obedience to make them a holy people. “Obey my voice.” Ex. xix, 5–8. “If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.” “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation.” Three days afterward God spake in the hearing of the people from the summit of Sinai, the ten commandments, as the conditions of the covenant, by obedience to which they were to be his peculiar treasure, and a holy, sanctified people. It is the design of the new covenant especially; for the conditions of the covenant are transferred from the tables of stone, and written by the Holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of his people. “For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.” The condition of obedience in the third angel's message is the condition of the covenants, and designed to accomplish the same work by obedience to bring out a holy, sanctified people, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. In fact, a real heart obedience to this message is holiness, because the commandments are God's prescribed rule of perfection or holiness. Now as believers in the message of the third angel, as those who profess to be the remnant people mentioned by the prophet Joel, and identified by the revelator by peculiar characteristics which make that remnant a peculiar people from all others, we must be holy, and the reasons why we should be are weighty. Because God commands us to be holy. “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” Jesus commands us, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” The apostles and primitive churches were holy, and this is evident from their lives and labors. The address of the inspired apostles to the churches of their age is an acknowledgement by the Spirit which inspired their epistles, that those churches were sanctified, and the attainments of apostolic Christianity should and must be the attainments of God's remnant people now. Our position amid the rapidly fulfilling prophecies of the last days, the end near, and the Master soon to come, the great work to be accomplished, makes the attainment of holiness indispensable to the remnant as a preparation for usefulness in the work before us, and for the coming of Jesus. But what are the conditions of holiness in order to its attainment? The same they ever were. The apostle Paul says to the Corinthians [2 Cor. vi, 17, 18], “Wherefore come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,” and “Touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” I know that in part at least we as a people have complied with the conditions mentioned here. We are separate from the corrupt churches of this age. We are separate, I trust, from the corrupt politics of this nation. Our sisters have renounced the corrupt fashions as prevalent in the nominal churches. But are we wholly separate? Is there no worldly conformity in our deportment and conversation? An entire separation is the requirement in order to be the sons and daughters of the Lord. The conditions require of us an entire transformation from the world, a renunciation forever of its customs, follies and fashions. But I am aware that the separation required will subject you and me to contempt and reproach from the church and the world, to the imputation of self-righteousness, of being singular, &c. Can we, like our Master, endure such things? Are we willing to be esteemed fools for Christ's sake? Can we sacrifice the esteem of friends, and be treated by them contemptuously and coldly? But again the apostle says [Rom. xii, 1], “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Here we are required to sacrifice or dedicate to God unconditionally, irrevocably, and eternally, all that we have and are, and the sacrifice to be actually laid upon the hallowed altar. Here is required a consecration of all we have, of all we love, to God, to be disposed of according to his most holy will. And while considering the nature of the sacrifice required as a living, entire, unconditional one, do we doubt our strength to make it? Remember, if determined to do it, the aid of the Spirit is promised, and his assistance will enable us to accomplish it. Now let me ask, Are we willing to make the sacrifice of ourselves, all our powers of body and mind, to the service of God, to be employed as his word and providence shall dictate? This implies a faithful discharge of duty, as required by his word and Spirit. Are we willing to consecrate all we possess to God? I know with most of us our worldly possessions are but little, for but a very few of the rich will receive the humbling truth of the last message. But are we willing to consecrate that little? Are we willing to resign our dear earthly friends to God's disposal? Our affectionate wives, our tender, loving husbands, our precious children—can we give them up to the disposal of God's most holy will for life or death? Are we willing to sacrifice our will, and sink entirely into the will of God in all things? Are we willing to sacrifice our unbelief, and make a covenant with God to believe his word, and live a life by faith on his Son? Are we willing at all times and in all places to bear testimony to the truth and faithfulness of our covenant-keeping God? Now here is the consecration required of us all as the condition to the promises of holiness, and is in fact but obeying the third angel's message; for that requires at least all that we have specified. But do we any of us hesitate in view of these requirements? Think how weighty and powerful the reasons which press us to immediate compliance with the conditions of holiness. Let me present a few reasons why we should decide to-day. 1. Because God requires it of us as our reasonable service. 2. Because it is the only reliable evidence that we are the sons and daughters of God. 3. Because holiness is an indispensable qualification on the part of the remnant church to receive the promised gifts of the Spirit; and because it is our only preparation for usefulness, and for the coming of the Master. Now permit me to answer two or three questions which may arise in the mind of the brother or sister who may read this: Will the consecrated and holy be free from the trials and conflicts of life? No; but they are the only ones really prepared to meet and overcome them. Jesus was tried, and many were his conflicts. Will they be free from the temptations of our enemies? No; Jesus was tempted; but temptations are not sin unless we suffer ourselves to be overcome by them. But do you, reader, inquire, How may I attain a clean heart? Do you say, I have sacrificed all to God: my all is on the altar? Then “This is the will of God even your sanctification.” Surely if our will is consecrated to God it is in harmony with the will of God. He wills you to be holy, and so should you will to be also. Does this look like presumption on your part? Is not the presumption on the other side in remaining unholy? Our will is a controlling influence, and it will control your decision. Dear reader, which will you make? Let me press the question, Will you be holy? I ask not, Will you be holy to-morrow, or at some future time, but now? God wills you to be holy now, and I ask, Is such your will? This is not a question of time, but of will; “for now is the accepted time.” “To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Let me ask my brother or sister, Have you resolved to sacrifice all upon the Christian's altar, most holy? for Jesus is our altar, and our sacrifice laid upon him is holy. Is unbelief sacrificed? If so, then one act of faith on our part completes the work. Believe that the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin. Not that it will, or that it can, but that it does now, and for me. Amen. If the blood of Jesus cleanseth now, then, blessed be God, I have a clean heart. The blessed work is done for me, and all the glory be to God. But you inquire how I may know this? What is the evidence upon which I may rely that I am sanctified wholly? The word of God is its own evidence, and we can expect none aside from his word. His word says, The blood of Jesus cleanseth. Do we present ourselves, our all, a living sacrifice? Then the testimony of the truthful God in his word is, It is holy and acceptable. Amen. Is not this sufficient evidence, and can we ask for any more reliable? No. Can we believe this testimony? O doubt not God's faithful word. But you may again inquire, Does the attainment of holiness place us above the liability of committing sin? No: there is still danger, requiring on our part constant watchfulness and prayer. But suppose that under the influence of temptation we should be drawn aside so as to bring ourselves under condemnation, and we lose our confidence? “My little children,” says John, “these things I write unto you that ye sin not. But if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Here is a perfect restoration to holiness on the condition of confessing our sins. Do we believe this promise? But in order to retain our confidence we must faithfully confess to our brethren our experience of the truth and faithfulness of God. It is for his glory and the encouragement of our brethren. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” And now where I have failed in my imperfect instructions upon this vitally important subject, may the Holy Spirit supply the lack in the mind of every reader. And O may there speedily be a cloud of witnesses to testify in truth to the power and efficiency of the blood of Jesus to cleanse from all sin. Amen.