Unnecessary Fears by A. S. Hutchins

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 25, 1862

Unnecessary Fears.

By A. S. Hutchins

“FEAR not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kiugdom.” Luke xii, 32.

It is not the object of this text to lessen our filial or reverential fear toward God; for we learn that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” that “the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever,” and that to fear God, and keep his commandments, “is the whole duty of man.” Eccl. xii, 13. Nor does it countenance a spirit of stupidity or lukewarmness; neither is it an unconditional guarantee of the kingdom of God to any one. The plan of salvation secures to no one the precious boon of immortality and eternal life, short of strict obedience to the revealed will of its wise and benevolent Author.

Says Jesus, “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.” Matt. vii, 21. And unto the Jews he said, “Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life.” To all those who through patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life looms up gloriously, beckoning us away from a world of sickness and sorrow, pain and death, to a land of uninterrupted felicity and everlasting rest.

In view of dangers that beset our pathway as we bend our footsteps to those blissful regions, there is occasion for fear. An artful and ever-busy enemy is continually upon our track. His wiles we should fear. The deceitfulness of sin and of our own hearts we should also fear. Well may we also fear lest we fall through unbelief as did the children of Israel in the wilderness. Their disobedience and fall are set forth as ensamples for our admonition, that we fall not after the same example of unbelief. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” “Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” To the devout Christian the exhortation of the apostle may ever come home, “Be not high-minded, but fear.”

Indeed, as we dwell upon our own imperfections and unworthiness, we should be overwhelmed and sink in keen despair amidst ten thousand tormenting fears, were we not assured that “if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Yes, we have an Advocate strong and mighty to save, who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, who is able to succor them that are tempted.

Here, then, is no occasion for the little flock to fear. Jesus is our Redeemer, our Saviour, our King, our Life, our All. Praise be to his holy and lovely name! “Let us therefore come boldly to a throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

The coming of our dear Saviour draws nigh. Not long will he delay. Now he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. The solemn, sacred truths of the three messages of Rev. xiv, 6–12, are trying, testing, purifying and preparing the remnant church for translation. We need not fear, dear brethren and sisters, this work will be accomplished. The church will be brought into the unity of the faith. Those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, will be in a state of readiness to meet the King in his beauty when he appeareth. The appropriate and joyful language of their hearts will then be, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.”

Dear reader, is this blessed hope yours to-day? If so, “fear not; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” As certainly as the first and second messages have sounded, so certainly the work of the especial preparation for the Lord’s coming has begun, and it will not be left unfinished.

The present work, with many things we have since had to learn, were wisely hidden from our view in 1844. But who that had a living experience in that work, can for a moment doubt but that the hand of the Lord was then and there leading out his people in joyful expectation of his immediate coming? But as we have already intimated, the whole truth was not learned under the proclamation of the messages of the first and second angels. A development of truths appropriate to the time in which we live, and surrounding circumstances, is as necessary now as ever; otherwise the path of the just would not be as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. As the faith of God’s people was strong and unshaken, that they should meet their divine Master at the termination of the 2300 days, the present preparatory work for that much-desired event of course was beyond their sight. And from that time many have manifested a determined unwillingness to learn any new truth. This seems to be the period of their discipleship in Bible knowledge. Here a firm and decided halt was made, as though they had come to the knowledge of the truth. The cleansing of the sanctuary, the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, are all overlooked. The third message is not acknowledged as present truth. Our hearts feel for these dear friends, and earnestly do we pray that they may yet see the beautiful connection and harmony there is in these messages.

But have not we who have long since acknowledged and embraced these leading truths, been very slow to learn? Have we not been plagued with many unnecessary fears, with groundless apprehensions? It seems to me we have. As I have thought of the feelings of some on the subjects of church order, systematic benevolence, &c., I have been reminded of Moses’ rod when transformed into a serpent. In fright he fled from before it. But when in obedience to the voice of God he put forth his hand and took it up, it became the same harmless rod. Thus it has been, and will continue, in our experience. Every step the Master bids us take is one of the most positive safety. Blind prejudice and fearful apprehensions see a thousand serpents, but willing obedience transforms them into innocent rods.

The subject of drafted Sabbath-keepers in the present war, has brought its fears, if we do not add its dread, terror, and fright. But I hope the minds of all have been relieved by the candid articles which have appeared in the Review. I can say that mine has in a great measure. I wait, watch and pray for clear light which I believe we shall have if we follow the advice of those who have written.

Now I propose, dear brethren, as an antidote to so many unnecessary fears relative to this work, that we learn from past experience not to start with such nervous timidity at every new point, but exercise more faith in God and in his purpose to gather his people into the unity of the faith. Let our faith be fixed and settled that we are now living in the gathering message, and that the same mighty hand that brought his people through the Red Sea upon dry land, will soon accomplish his work for the remnant church. Let our fear be turned into the right channel. Let our fear be that which is the beginning and end of wisdom. Fear God, and keep his commandments.

Let us have more confidence to believe that God will lead those whom he has placed at the head of the work. Let our united prayers go up to the throne of grace in their behalf, and for ourselves, that we may be led into all truth, and that the four angels may hold the four winds, that the third message may swell into the loud cry, and soon wind up in glory and everlasting triumph. “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

“Thou on the Lord rely, So safe shalt thou go on; Fix on his work thy steadfast eye, So shall thy work be done. No profit must thou gain, By self-consuming care; To him commend thy cause, his ear Attends the softest prayer.”

A. S. HUTCHINS.