p. 85 | The Truth a Heresy by B. F. SNOOK

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 10, 1863

The Truth a Heresy.

By B. F. SNOOK

THE time has been when the church was tested by the truth; when the church received the truth. The great prime truths of the gospel are the first and second comings of Christ. To his first coming cling all the graces and blessings of pardon, the Holy Spirit and sanctification. To the second are attached our hope for final salvation; for deliverance from mortality to immortality; with all the glories of his heavenly kingdom. This glorious doctrine was joyfully received by the primitive church and continued to be a cardinal doctrine so long as she retained her purity.

Gibbon says "The ancient and popular doctrine of the millennium was intimately connected with the second coming of Christ. The assurance of such a millennium was carefully inculcated by a succession of fathers from Justin Martyr and Irenaeus who conversed with the immediate disciples of the apostles, down to Lactantius who was preceptor to the son of Constantine."

It was not long, however, before the true and Bible doctrine of Christ's reign on earth was rejected as a poison heresy. Gibbon further says, "The doctrine of Christ's reign upon earth was at first treated as a profound allegory, and was at length rejected as the absurd invention of heresy and fanaticism."

This was in the days of Constantine when the former purity of the Church had been succeeded by numerous corruptions—when her primitive glory had departed. The enemy stepped in and imposed his fables and traditions upon her, and led her astray. And though many great and good men have since believed and taught the truth, the church, as such, has denounced and does yet denounce, the true doctrine of the millennium and second coming of Christ as heresy. Why is this the case?

1. We would observe that a belief of the popular doctrine of the immortality of the soul has done much toward overthrowing the belief of the truth. From this they believe in immediate rewards and punishments at death; thus setting the gospel aside which says, "Ye shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Luke xiv, 14; "God knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Pet. ii 7; and superseding the necessity of the resurrection, coming of Christ and the judgment.

The imaginary idea of an eternal home away beyond the bounds of time and space where righteous immortal souls dwell in perpetual bliss always singing, &c., has completely overthrown the Bible doctrine of a home in the new earth. The earth renewed, replenished, overspread with beauty, and blessed with rolling waves of righteousness which rise and flow from pole to pole, has no charms for them. They say that such a doctrine is sensual and earthy. Their natures rise against it. This, we opine, is for the same reason that good wholesome food is nauseating to the sick.—Not that the fault is in the food, but in the one who rejects it. So with these poor souls who are sin sick—chronic religious dyspeptics, whose appetites have feasted on error so long that truth is nauseating to them. They love to summons all their powers to hate it.—These are they who dream of golden days just ahead; who speak peace to their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts; who say, My Lord delays his coming. They are in Egyptian darkness; and well may they believe that when Christ comes, he will come as a thief in the night, for it will be certain to be unto them according to their faith.

But we rejoice that that event will not come upon all as a thief in the night. "But ye brethren," says Paul, "are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day: we are not of the night nor of darkness." 1st Thess. v, 5. The true Christian will therefore have knowledge of the great event and will be looking for it, and hence will not be in the dark when it comes.

The Lord is soon coming. The great and dreadful day of the Lord is at hand; and a guilty world is ignorant of the awful destruction which is fast coming, while the slumbering church is yet folding her arms upon her breast and saying, "A little more sleep and a little more slumber." Peace, peace, peace! "when there is no peace to the wicked saith my God." O for some clarion voice from heaven to arouse the sleeping saints from their deadly slumbers! O for the loud voice of the third angel's message to go forth and carry the news of the soon coming of Christ! Let the proud Pharisee cry, Heresy and delusion; but let the faithful servant cry, My Lord cometh. Get ready, get ready. May the Lord help us so to do.

B. F. SNOOK.