Christians Kneel in Prayer Above Burning RomeBible World
4:71 Peter 4:7
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
The end of all things is at hand and near, calling believers to be sober-minded and watchfully devoted to prayer in readiness for what is coming. That day and hour of the Lord's coming is given with no definite time, for it is beyond mortals and unknown even to ministering angels, known only to the Father, so setting a definite time by false interpretation perverts the word and brings truth into disrepute. To be sober is to live in self-controlled, serious and cheerful steadiness without frivolity and lightness, and to watch unto prayer is to remain spiritually alert as a faithful sentinel, guarding thoughts, words and actions and praying continually with belief and expectancy. This watchfulness is the only safety against Satan's devices in the last days, requiring a pure heart, moral transformation away from fleshly lusts, and steady growth in grace and knowledge of Christ. Because time is short the nearness demands earnest labor without delay to warn the world and proclaim the truth, with every believer doing personal missionary work and investing mind, means and affections in the cause rather than selfish gratification.
Words, Context and Timing
The end of all things is near, and for that reason believers are to be sober-minded and watchful, giving themselves to prayer in readiness for what is coming. That nearness makes the warning of the world urgent, so the truth is to be published and circulated and Christians are to prepare by helping ready a people and doing the work assigned to them amid calamities by sea and land, wars and rumors of wars. This readiness is joined with fervent love for one another above all things as a defining duty, for charity covers a multitude of sins. It is joined also with hospitality without grudging or complaint, with ministering each received gift as faithful stewards of God's grace, with speaking as the oracles of God, and with ministering in God's ability so that God is glorified through Jesus Christ. Brought into family life and practiced daily, this instruction takes foolishness out of life, gives deep religious experience, enables growth in grace, and gives peace and joy in the Lord.
The command belongs with arming with Christ's mind through suffering in the flesh, ceasing from sin, and no longer living the rest of time to human lusts but to the will of God. It counts the past time of lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries as enough, even when others think it strange and speak evil for not running with them to the same excess of riot. Against thorns and noxious weeds choking the gospel seed, it requires moral transformation, leaving old habits and the former life of sin, expelling Satan's attributes from the soul temple, keeping the heart under God's control, and overcoming objectionable traits of character so grace can thrive and the wheat is not stunted and killed out. Belief in the nearness of the close of earth's history must be shown by works, for genuine faith works by love and purifies the soul, and the short time for gaining moral fitness for everlasting life calls for putting self to death, living to God, and overcoming sin before Christ appears. The announcement was written when the destruction of Jerusalem was near at hand, pointing to that imminent judgment in which the persecutions the Jews had visited upon believers in Christ would soon be visited upon themselves.
The verse gives no definite time of the Lord's coming, for that day and hour is beyond mortals and unknown even to ministering angels, known only to the Father. Preaching definite time by false interpretation perverts God's word, gratifies the adversary, advances infidelity rather than Christianity, marks its preachers as false prophets by repeated failure, and brings last-day truth into disrepute, derision, and disgust so that people turn from it. The nearness remains true despite repeated failures of time-setters and the resulting unbelief and rejection of the near advent, for those failures discredit the predictors, not the biblical teaching that the end is at hand. That nearness should arouse every true follower to zealous action rather than to excitement that merely moves feelings and fears without principle and falls back into coldness, darkness, and sin when the set time passes.
Those who received the light of Christ's coming in 1843 applied the statement that the end was at hand to mean that earth's history would soon end. Conviction that the Saviour's advent was near came at the same time to men of faith and prayer in Europe and America and to isolated bodies in different lands solely by tracing the inspired record and studying the prophecies, producing the worldwide Advent Movement in different countries of Christendom at once, like the sixteenth-century Reformation. Even when believers are perplexed and disappointed after expecting Jesus to come, the word of the Lord is sure and cannot fail, so they are to cling to hope and not renounce faith, being disappointed but not discouraged, having done duty and lived up to precious faith, watching and holding in readiness for the Master at any time, waiting with hope and trust, and not neglecting assembling together for instruction, encouragement, and comfort so light shines into the darkness. Peter's words were written for every age with exhortations, warnings, and words of faith and courage to keep believers steadfast to the end, but they have special significance now, with light bearing more mightily upon God's people to fill the whole earth with its glory. That closing time has come to advance the work Christ came to do after fierce persecution sought to make Christianity extinct and error and heresy sought to bury truth, and it calls for serving God with undivided affection, whereupon heavenly intelligences will cooperate with human effort and the message will go with power irresistible to all who choose light rather than darkness.
Signs of Approaching End
Fulfillment of what Christ foretold shows the end is near, and unfolding of prophecy concerning past, present and future makes that nearness plain. The signs He predicted are rapidly being fulfilled, the nations are angry, and the time has come for the dead to be judged. Because the end is near, much important work still remains to be done beyond the places where work has been largely centered in the past. The church is to awaken and proclaim this message to those nearby and far away, carrying a message of healing to a world filled with sin with courage rather than unbelief or discouragement, giving urgency to the last message of warning proclaimed with faith.
The end at hand is the day of distress, anguish, plague, retribution and judgment for sin coming on the world as a thief in the night, with sudden destruction from which there is no escape. It comes swiftly and silently while many are saying peace and safety, and only watching and waiting for the Lord keeps from being taken as in a snare. The Judge stands at the door upon the very borders of the eternal world, books will be opened and each judged by deeds and by good left undone, and heaven's final declaration will soon fix each as holy or filthy, so time is short and awareness of the eternal world makes sin too perilous to indulge and calls for earnest work and readiness to advance the gospel now. Because only a small portion of God's great moral vineyard has been worked and few have received the last message of mercy, those fitting for solemn sacred work must make speedy preparation and be set to work at once to warn the world, not consuming precious time and money in unnecessarily large preparation or going deeper year after year into educational lines and scientific studies, losing the burden for souls and depending on book-knowledge and training for efficiency, but doing through grace the essential work for this time in the strength of the living Saviour who is now advocate in the courts of heaven, since efficiency depends on the Holy Spirit and what the Lord has promised and God can remove human ability in a moment. As the old world laughed Noah's warning of the flood to scorn, as Jerusalem unheeded Christ's warning of what would come for rejecting truth, and as Lot's family rejected his warning of Sodom's destruction as fanatical enthusiasm and were found unprepared, so the vast majority will disregard God's ambassadors announcing the near final end as superstition, while farmers, merchants, lawyers and tradesmen wholly engrossed in business are overtaken as by a snare, calling for sober watching unto prayer.
Calamities by sea and land testify that Christ's coming is near: earthquakes burying whole cities, shipwrecks, floods, fires, tornadoes, railway accidents, famine and accidents, with wars and rumors of wars. God no longer restrains the powers of darkness from vitiating the air with deadly miasma, bringing pestilence such as cholera and unexplainable diseases and diphtheria taking children. These are drops sprinkled from the vials of wrath and only faint premonitory convulsions and representations and warnings of much greater shocks to come when the crust is rent, lordly palaces become heaps of ruins, wealth gained by oppression is swept away, and the religious world is terribly shaken. Such disasters and divine judgments sweeping away costly structures are permitted to awaken professing Christians, warn the world, make sinners fear God, and call Christians to prepare by helping ready a people for that day and doing the work assigned to them. They fall while people transgress God's law, break His covenant, and reject the Sabbath for a spurious rest day, and God will not protect the property of those who do so.
The calamity that destroyed much of San Francisco warns that the time of God's judgments has come and perilous times are here, with judgment to follow judgment and more earthquakes to follow in other places so no city should feel secure, toward a day when nothing in this world will be certain. Passing events there with continuing judgments and accidents are signs the end is near, so people should work for Christ while they can and be ready for the day of judgment. Belief in this nearness is to be told by works as well as testimony, by fearing the Lord and refusing stylish costly churches for simple inexpensive places of worship, limiting spending in any one place so meeting houses can be built in many places, lest by a large costly building others are given cause to think security is felt while judgments are falling, unlike those who do not believe the Lord is coming soon and keep building without considering why San Francisco was wiped out. This urgency is linked to a coming test over worship, for a false sabbath has been exalted and people commanded to keep the first day, although Scripture gives no command to make it holy and it has no sanctity.
Rapidly increasing wickedness supports the declaration, with human sin reaching its limit and God soon answering with fearful plagues and wrath unmixed with mercy. Boldness, impiety, selfishness and independence are common, the standard of righteousness is low, iniquity abounds because people break God's law and covenant, turn from God and His righteous rule, and are increasingly influenced by seducing spirits, while youth face constant temptations and dangers calling for souls to be aroused to serious contemplation and true devotion. The world is fast becoming as in the days of Noah, given to selfish indulgence, eating and drinking carried to excess, men drinking poisonous liquor that makes them mad, with terrible reports of murders, robberies, railway accidents, violence, and deeds of violence. As transgression brought the flood, present transgression brings punishment when the earth discloses her blood, and as Noah warned of the flood so the near end, the coming of the Son of man upon people eating and drinking and unaware, must be proclaimed, with those who know the truth imparting light and lifting the voice in warning, watching and being ready every hour as the faithful wise servant giving meat in due season, lest saying the Lord delays His coming and living unfaithfully bring cutting asunder and a portion with the hypocrites. In view of this wickedness believers are to use entrusted talents according to ability, laboring diligently, earnestly, without selfishness or undue concern for sacrifice for the work that must be done before the Lord comes, whose coming is very soon so preparation must be made now, just now.
Scripture is not merely a record of God's dealings in the past and a revelation of present responsibility and duty, but an unfolding of future perils and glories. Believing the end not far distant leads to studying the Bible with prayer and tears, being more deeply impressed with its precious utterances, seeing the plan of salvation clearly revealed, finding comfort, hope and peace in believing in Jesus, feeling duty to make known its saving truths, and longing with illuminated understanding and glad hearts to shed its light upon those in darkness, as the Waldenses did in papal darkness. The same urgency applies in the last days, when Daniel and Revelation are especially relevant and should be studied carefully and with much prayer, with diligent attention to Scripture and earnest attention to Christ's coming.
The approaching end brings a time of trouble for God's people with deception and persecution. It includes a decree forbidding Sabbath keepers to buy or sell and threatening punishment or death unless they observe the first day of the week as the Sabbath. Amid conflict over the seventh-day Sabbath believers are to stay alert to deception and pressure to observe the first day, uphold God's law and Sabbath by appealing to His word, and watch unto prayer without which a Christian cannot be happy.
Meaning of Sober Watchfulness
Sobriety is sober-minded self-control, an even, steady frame of mind that is courageous and ventures something for truth's sake, serious but not gloomy or desponding, cheerful and even joyful, speaking the language of faith and hope and courage even under temptation. It forbids nonsense, frivolity, lightness, trifling, levity, indifference and carelessness as out of harmony with the holy character of truth, allowing no low witticism, since these give great advantage to evil. Yet it remains sunny and serene through God's peace, serving with undivided affection while lifted above worldly pleasures to live in purity, understand God's will, and share practical truth that moves others to take God's claims seriously. This requires educating heart and mind, cultivating the higher faculties, going to the bottom of things, bringing practical life into harmony with truth, and maintaining a consistent, humble, teachable and firm character rather than being unsettled by every new interpretation. It calls for order and discipline rather than excitement, confusion, noise and tumult, for thoughtfulness and stillness in contemplating revelation, dealing with sacred things, and doing calm, sensible labor to convince souls and build character, since excitement does not favor growth in grace and true purity, while strange performances misrepresent holy doctrine, make believers appear fanatical, and prejudice souls against the message for this time.
Being sober and watchful means putting away frivolity, jesting, joking, flattering attentions, common idle talk, vain light flippant speech, trifling familiarity, coquetry, flirting, and undue attention of men to women and women to men, whether married or single. Such levity starts an evil train of thought, sanctions grave sins, pollutes the soul, makes lasting impressions, makes girls coarse and bold, and is a positive denial of Christ, for words index the state of the heart and react upon thoughts and character, as the tree is known by its fruit. The admonition reaches everyday conduct, including conversation at meals, where frivolous loud laughter is out of place and inconsistent with representing Christ, while God's love should shape all that is done. True readiness is not merely professing that the end is near while remaining on the broad smooth road to death, but becoming dead to the world, leaving care for person, dress and pleasures and turning from hilarity and glee to think of the journey's end and walk the narrow rugged road to eternal life. Those who keep the words upon them yet look, dress, talk and act just like the vain, gay, thoughtless ones around them prove there is no distinction between them and the world, destroy the distinction required, and remain in the broad way while professing the narrow way.
Watching unto prayer means remaining spiritually alert as a faithful sentinel, guarding not only prayer itself but words, actions, thoughts and spirit. It keeps the mind on heavenly things and the Christian hope, supporting steady serious reflection and preparing character for Christ's appearing, while seeking divine guidance to walk in safety rather than acting on own judgment. It means weighing each step, keeping the soul open to heaven and closed to earthly influences, staying constantly on guard against deception, recognizing danger and weakness, and persevering in earnest determined appeal with surrender of soul, body and spirit. This vigilance resists slothfulness, exercises spiritual strength, withstands flattering inducements, and holds fast to faith against false satanic influences, not in finite human strength but strong in the Lord and in His might.
Watchful prayer is alert persevering communion with God needed for growth in faith and experience, praying continually with living active faith, patience, expectancy, thankfulness and hope. It does not pray and then run away afraid of receiving an answer, but believes things asked are received, keeps on believing without losing patience, walls the prayer of faith in with assurance, confesses errors, repents of sins, prays for one another that all may be healed, and trusts God to provide means and help for His cause and a place to worship Him. The fervent prayer of the righteous is never lost and will come because God's Word is pledged, though the answer may come unexpectedly, as when Jesus recognized Nathanael praying under the fig tree. It brings thoughts into subjection to Christ to be molded after His mind, enables walking with God as Enoch walked, brings daily transforming grace, treats prayer as privilege for wisdom, encouragement and strength amid surrounding dangers, and produces steady growth in grace and knowledge of Christ unto a healthy balanced life.
Watching unto prayer is the only safety against Satan's devices, especially in the last days when evil powers arrayed against faith seek entrance on every side to lead into greater evil and to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Without constant vigilance even long-tested souls may fall suddenly when temptation and assault come upon the unprepared, for feelings shaped by impulse and circumstance are unstable and cannot protect, so inward assurance and firm principles are needed. Believers must therefore stay alert and dependent on God amid temptation, resist rather than become disheartened or afraid as battles and the time of trouble hasten, hold firmly to Christ, and continue in humble work with grace in the heart and close connection with Christ unto righteousness and holiness. They are not left to face trial and conflict without help, for heavenly angels minister to them, and through heaven's help they may be victorious and more than conquerors.
Sober watchfulness joined with prayer marks moral strength and readiness for God's work and belongs with a heavenly-minded life that looks for the Saviour.
Character Holiness and Growth
Sobriety and watchful prayer require guarding the heart against pollution and keeping the soul free from defilement with the eye single to God's glory. Prayer must be joined with earnest effort to keep the heart pure and to resist worldly cares and pursuit of wealth that crowd out godliness, for prayer without such effort is a mockery. Sin separates from Christ and leaves the soul in peril, while fidelity and living faith keep under heavenly protection. Watchfulness means guarding against temptation, old habits, natural inclinations, appetite and passion and haughty spirit, because the Christian life is daily conflict with the enemy and without constant vigilance abused inclinations lead to backsliding. Higher Christian growth requires much prayer and constant watchfulness, with safety in recognizing human weakness and clinging to God's strength and His word.
Watching unto prayer leads to steady growth in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, producing a healthy balanced spiritual life. It uses precious hours to cultivate faith and perfect Christian character. Prayerful vigilance keeps spiritually steady and brings peace and the joy of the Spirit. It keeps the peace of Christ in the heart and prevents variance among believers, guards the garden of the heart against neglect where pride, self-esteem and self-sufficiency grow rank, and brings that peace into the family to form character that speaks in home life. It keeps words and tempers under God's control, giving sanctified life, steady faith under testing and freedom from quick provocation that makes believers witnesses adorning Christ's teaching.
With the end of all things at hand the human agent's work is to be sober and watch unto prayer in self-denial and self-sacrifice without discouragement or losing heart. Seeing all things near their end calls for determination to have God's will done in, by and through oneself, living as Christ lived as His property bought with a price to glorify God in body and spirit, by faith and submission becoming partakers of His love and doers of His will. This means accepting aloneness from children, brethren, friends or relatives yet not alone because God is with one, committing souls that one cannot save to God. It means refusing to let anything dear absorb mind and affections from searching Scripture and earnest prayer, expelling every idol from the soul temple, denying self and taking up the cross daily with joyful rather than regretful self-denial, enduring hardness as good soldiers instead of seeking ease, and covering duties nigh and afar with first duty to children and nearest relatives that cannot be neglected for the outer circle.
Because the end is near believers must be sober and watchful in prayer in serious alert devotion to stand through the testing time ahead, with a life shaped by God's word and holy teaching. This requires searching one's own heart with clear-minded prayerful watchfulness, turning heart and mind to truths of God's Word and making no delay in preparing for eternity. As each day brings judgment closer believers should draw nearer to God, seek deeper faith and fuller grasp of truth, and gain now an experience enabling standing when the controversy between truth and error intensifies. Keeping Christ's coming and judgment before the mind prepares for immortal life and shapes character, shown in faithful active work rather than carelessness, and includes resisting the devil steadfastly, refraining from evil speech, doing good and seeking peace.
Watching unto prayer brings the pledged presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the three highest powers in whose name the believer is baptized, to every striving soul. They impart grace and strength to all who watch unto prayer and purify the soul by obedience to the truth, making such a believer instrumental in leading others to accept Christ by faith. God is shield and defense for those who put whole trust in Him with faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Being one with Christ leads to praying and watching in prayer so God's righteousness is written in the heart and reflected in life, and beholding the Lord's glory brings one through the Spirit into that same image.
Christ now serves as mediator and will come as Judge rewarding each according to works, with intense faith, pure love and reflected light marking sober alert readiness. The decisive test is not profession or church membership but character developed in life, with approval to the faithful who have done well. Every person's daily work and character each day is exactly recorded in heaven, for God sees in secret night as day, so those blessed with great light must live circumspectly. The Lord is nearer now than when first believed and His day is at hand, yet thankfulness remains that judgment is not yet come because Jesus who gave His life is Intercessor. Life must be ordered as in the eye of the great Taskmaster with spirituality cultivated and character tested by God's standard, since a fearful account must be rendered at God's bar, the Judge standing at the door on the borders of the eternal world, requiring doing everything as in the immediate presence of God, angels and the Redeemer to keep feet from forbidden paths and souls pure spotless undefiled till grace is crowned with glory. Little time remains and should be used to develop character and choose conduct influencing others for good, with youth giving God all strength and powers of brain kept healthy to return what He purchased with blood.
The nearness demands change in workers claiming to believe, emptying self from the throne of the heart and giving Christ full place so little self and much Christ is seen. They must reveal faith working by love purifying the soul, with love dwelling in the heart and truth practiced. With probation days nearly ended it is time to awake out of sleep and live the higher life now for time and eternity, repenting while wrongs can be righted, coming under discipline to God and standing steadfastly for righteousness with assurance God will manifest power to the converted. Watching unto prayer means watching against habits of sin and over the tongue, watching for opportunities to do good, ever looking to Jesus and growing in grace and knowledge, forming a well-built harmonious character by addition laying grace upon grace in faith, patience, temperance, benevolence, courage and self-denial, rising stone on stone as God's building, steadily sober and devout, letting divine light shine on others' pathway.
With the end at hand watching means staying wide awake and thoroughly baptized with the Holy Spirit as the only safeguard for the last days, refusing to let business become an absorbing decoy and curse. Leading men, ministers and medical missionaries must use experience gained in trust to work for God's name in the great missionary work, not making reform consist in cooking and eating and drinking. The end is right upon us testing all, so those blinded must wake up for their soul's sake, see themselves as before God, discern what spirit they are of, remove stumbling blocks, turn to the Lord and walk humbly to stand in the light and not remain as a pilotless ship.
Urgent Worldwide Warning Work
The nearness of the end calls for earnest labor to proclaim the truth and warn the world, because people will soon face judgment and must be prepared to meet God. Time for work is short and the night in which no one can work is soon coming, so the work must be completed while there is still time, carried on earnestly and tirelessly while opportunity lasts, with light shining to warn and reform others without delay and without letting distractions divert attention. Hearts are to be turned fully to God in humility and obedience to His will, including warning the cities of their impending doom.
The warning must now be sent to all parts of the earth before the work of giving the last message of mercy closes, and faith must be shown by works through sympathy, prayers, means and hearty cooperation in supporting the publishing work that carries it. Publications are to make known that the end is at hand as part of the last gospel message, with truth published and circulated to spread heaven's light throughout the world because the warning of the world is urgent. That light is to reach many through an evangelizing ministry of the word in books, papers and periodicals, distributed by men and women of all stations and walks of life with young and old taking part, in daily contacts when riding on trains, visiting, conversing with neighbors, handing out papers and tracts, speaking a word in season, and praying that the Holy Spirit will make the seed productive. Christ stands in the printing establishment to make pressed truth a warning power, which requires the purest literature instead of commercial and objectionable work.
The great work to be done is to establish centers in all cities unacquainted with the warning, planting many small medical missionary plants all over the world until the whole vineyard is cultivated rather than exhausting means on a few large institutions in one place. The message of the coming is to be carried into new places rather than spending resources on repeated meetings in the same place or on expanding buildings, forming model churches that stop spending energy on those who already know the truth yet do not feed on Christ. Present truth is to be carried as a burning lamp to neglected southern cities and to unworked cities and to people perishing in ignorance and sin, where a tenth of that labor would have brought many to repentance, entering large cities humbly without self-exaltation and sending workers into harvest fields to hold forth words of life to those hastening to death. Giving this warning requires devoted, self-sacrificing aggressive warfare as opportunities offer and doors open, pleading for the Holy Spirit to accompany workers as they tell the gospel invitation of forgiveness through a crucified and risen Saviour, knowing hearers become responsible even though opposition is aroused. Being sober and watchful here means being wide awake, watching for opportunities to diffuse light, doing personal house-to-house labor inside and outside the church with earnestness, sobriety and a sense of solemn responsibility that gives weight to the work.
Everyone professing Christ has a part in sending the warning so people prepare to meet God, and the closing days call for awakening and bearing living testimony. Believers are to wake up, employ every possible means, tell neighbors, warn others every day, urge them to seek salvation, do personal house-to-house missionary work, hand out tracts, speak a word in season, seek opportunities to serve and be ready to give a reason for hope with the heart uplifted to God so the right words are spoken at the right time, praying the Holy Spirit will make the seed productive. Converted people strengthen others and help truth reach new places, while grace stands ready to work with every human effort yet will not substitute for God-given work, so light must be followed by dying to self, surrender to God, letting every ray shine in good works, serving as active soldiers in divine armor and joining divine power with human energy to break worldly enchantment. Diligent watchfulness and efforts to save those outside Christ are urgent duties because many ignorant people do not know the end is at hand and must be enlightened.
Because the end is at hand, mind, means and affections must not be perverted into selfish gratification and indulgence while starvation is at the very door of thousands and destitute foreign fields need the banner of truth unfurled in cities, byways and foreign missions. Means entrusted are to be invested in advancing the cause and bringing the gospel to others, placing possessions under the Lord's direction, being wide awake to honor God as laborers together with Him and doing all in power to bring truth before perishing souls. Spending on selfish pleasure misrepresents the religion of Jesus, denies Him in practice, counterworks the messages given to His messengers, and prepares people to be ensnared by last-day deceptions, while discreet outlay according to the greatness of the work brings imperishable treasure. Concentrating too much labor and expense in a few favored places while many cities are neglected gives evidence that belief in the nearness is not genuine and can make others doubt the truth taught.
The nearness calls for schools to be refined, purified and sanctified, with power and grace brought into the Sabbath school as the place where young men desiring ministry can best fit themselves by imparting knowledge gained. It is the very reason for investing means in school buildings and making large preparations in order to call youth away from cities where Satan has wrought upon minds under his dominion against reform. Fathers, mothers and children must not now seek the long course of education taken in former years nor hurry a daughter to medical college after a lifetime in school, but seek gospel simplicity as revealed in the Saviour's ministering life, with education in practical duties right where they are and counting the cost of example to others. Young people must bring souls into right relation to God and use the little time left for individual work, perfecting Christian character as a pattern and helping others into full harmony with truth, light and obedience, with parents continuing by letters, guidance, cheerfulness and help to teachers to fit children for God's service and tremendous realities without sleeping over them.
The warning is to be proclaimed as part of the message given to John on Patmos and identified with the third angel's message, calling for arousing, cleansing the mind, purifying the heart, and bearing decided testimony against every influence weakening that voice by presenting a plain Thus saith the Lord. Watching unto prayer is the work of laborers together with God in warning the world, presenting the living Word so it affects mind, heart and character and keeping the commandments continually before the people. Increased light and opportunities demand greater effort to carry that message widely at camp meetings and elsewhere without heresies that glorify men, studying Christ's simple methods, urging repentance and flight from coming wrath, spreading the message, praying for more workers, carrying a burden for perishing souls and rebuking lightness and indifference, since watching alone is not enough and each must account for talents, means and light with daily work recorded before God. Professing that the end is at hand without living as though Christ is at the door is not genuine, for belief must be visible in works and testimony that judgments have come and the world offers no certainty. It cannot coexist with devoting main strength to self, family and worldly business while neglecting souls and the soon coming, nor with living only for worldly concerns while neglecting worship, gratitude and preparation for eternity, nor with storing earthly wealth and preparing to remain in this world, for actions show whether the nearness is truly believed and spiritual strength requires effort. Certainty that the end is near gives urgency to the work and deepens concern for God's people when backslidden and unaware of their condition.
Faithful Daily Life Stewardship
Everyone in the family circle is to bring words and works into conformity with Christ's works and stand wholly under His control. Parents are to pray and remain vigilant, guarding strictly against intemperance in every form, teaching children the principles of true health reform and what to avoid to preserve health, and exercising great care to guard them against corrupting company and depraved associates. This vigilance is urgent because wrath has already begun to fall upon the children of disobedience amid crimes, sins and iniquitous practices revealed on every hand. Fathers and mothers have only a little time left to be daily converted and to live and speak as Christ's helpers, resisting Satan's influence in their families and leading others to Christ by example. They must work wisely without delay to help children form righteous characters, each family member strengthening the others in righteousness and truth and all preparing together for heaven, converted daily from every tendency that would keep them from standing in the judgment and showing in every position that Christ is the pattern.
The nearness of the end calls for self-denial and careful stewardship, planning and economizing, avoiding needless expense and display, and keeping spending within means rather than relying on emergency funds. Money is not one's own but the Lord's goods held in trust and traded on His account, to be used discreetly and economically with prayerful study of how it may best advance His cause and raise memorials in fields never yet entered. Building houses, places of worship or sanitariums requires carefully counting the cost, building savingly yet with taste, skill and nothing shoddy, with an eye single to God's glory and means kept in reserve for new fields needing money in the treasury at the proper moment. Watchfulness also forbids fraud in any business transaction and religion carrying the scant measure and deceitful balance, for such fraud is grievous sin and abomination because goods handled belong to God and must be used to His glory if men would be pure and clean, and those cherishing dishonest religion will be brought to confusion. Because the end is near men must walk humbly before God and may then take hold of His strength and make peace with Him, guarding against work that absorbs the mind and weakens interest in present truth, praying for guidance, examining whether practical efforts bring people to salvation, and resisting personal ambition and selfish choices about giving so as not to enter temptation.
In this time of peril believers must watch unto prayer and pray without ceasing lest increasing worldly entanglements engross the mind and exclude true godliness. This means not embarking in scheme after scheme and speculation after speculation for gain until temptation breaks down the fortress of the soul, not burdening oneself with cares that make love and zeal for Bible truth secondary, and not overtaxing brain and body for temporal matters while higher interests are neglected until service grows dull, talents are buried and the Christian sleeps at post. Evils long gathering will come suddenly like a storm and catch many unprepared, and though believers may not originate them, imprudent use of pen or voice can hasten them and leave them unable to answer resulting charges. God's workers must therefore guard against business opportunities and higher wages drawing them from presenting truth and doing the work appointed for the last days, keeping service from dishonoring the Lord and business dealing free from selfish sharpness and worldly schemes which God hates and will not endorse. All, and especially ministers and presidents of conferences, must watch in all business transactions and work out their own prayers in daily conduct in cooperation with Christ, allowing no move on the wrong side vindicating principles God condemns, no following of wicked examples by whomsoever set, and no bowing to human authority unless a plain Thus saith the Lord makes it safe, holding instead to mercy and justice.
Those called to ministry must give evidence of fitness for the sacred desk by living sober, watchful, prayerful lives, holy in all conduct, exemplary to believers, and careful over self and doctrine so as to save both themselves and hearers. Christ's ministers are to stay alert in prayer, coming boldly to the throne of grace with holy hands lifted without wrath or doubting, asking the Father in faith for wisdom and grace to know how to work and deal with minds. In handling a solemn sacred message they are to keep words careful and free from common or frivolous speech so God can impress hearts, reveal in labor the same unselfish spirit seen in Christ who left heaven to take humanity to redeem the race, and speak solemnly rather than at random with conversation centered on Jesus and truth as befits proclaimers of the second advent.
Workers doing sacred work must pray continually and remain watchful in prayer, feeling the sacredness of the task and seeking spiritual discernment rather than relying on self or cleverness. Watching unto prayer is the only way to put the whole being into the Lord's work with self in the background, for making self prominent soon becomes second nature, uplifting self instead of Jesus and absorbing sympathies instead of serving as channels of living water to refresh others, which is disloyalty to the crucified Lord. Handling sacred work without consecration as common and depending on selfishness leaves work unable to bless others and calls for repentance and reconversion, a warning appropriate for this time when so much remains to be done while some bear very little burden.
Watching unto prayer is the science of labor for every worker going forth in humble faith with the Lord going with him. It means working in dependence upon God knowing power is of God, as laborers together with Him looking to Him as Helper and source of strength, receiving from Him wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. It means wearing Christ's yoke and daily learning His meekness and lowliness, finding comfort and rest in Him, uplifting the cast down and causing hope to spring up in place of despair. Those engaged in important work for God are to take heed to watch unto prayer, make straight paths for feet lest the lame be turned out of the way, work with eye single to God's glory and sense of individual responsibility, trusting the Lord alone to make efforts successful as author and finisher of faith who has deep interest in the work and will help cooperators move onward and upward even after wrestling and trials.
Now because the great day is near and Satan rallies his forces, God's people must live watchfully prayerful, thoughtful, quiet, sober and holy in consistency, contemplating the truths of revelation. This requires order and discipline in God's service instead of excitement, noise, confusion and tumult, with thoughtfulness and stillness in dealing with sacred truth and calm sensible labor to convince opposers and patiently instruct awakened minds in needed character building. Excitement hinders growth in grace and true purity and sanctification of the Spirit, while strange performances, confusion and tumult misrepresent and dishonor holy doctrine, make believers appear fanatics, create prejudice preventing reception of the present message, and lead unbelievers to reject it. Speaking truth as it is in Jesus reveals a holy sensible calm, not a storm of confusion, and this alone will convince the gainsayer.
Believers living in the perils of the last days must watch and pray, putting entire trust in God and glorifying Him. Christ has entrusted His household and interests to them while in heaven, and they must remain faithful, alert and prepared so His sudden coming does not find them asleep, for Satan works through both smooth deception and open hostility and the human will sides with the enemy unless kept subject to God's will. Readiness for Christ's unexpected coming requires continual watchfulness and faithful work, not carelessness or sleep, expressed in sober temperate living, warning others of danger, examining self earnestly, and preparing now to meet the Saviour in peace or to die with assurance of a surrendered life lived in faith without delaying until sickness makes thought and action difficult. Calling heavenly angels is part of this guard from corrupting influences while living in God's presence with sincerity.
Christ Himself commands sober watchfulness unto prayer because the end is at hand, and in His life gave the example of prayer's necessity. All, whatever experience or supposed intelligence, must become learners receiving education in spiritual things in order to give to others. Sober watching means watching and praying always lest the heart be overcharged with excess or cares of life and enter temptation, since the time is unknown and that day will come as a snare upon all the earth, that all may be accounted worthy to escape coming things and stand before the Son of man. Prayer is necessary in Christ's example to guard against temptation and keep alert, with belief that things asked are received.
To watch unto prayer when others weaken hands and Satan hinders and blocks the way means looking away from every human agency to God and refusing discouragement. It means clinging to gospel hope, holding fast confidence in Jesus, fixing eyes on Him, setting the face as flint toward Zion, and pressing on in Christ's meekness and lowliness without retaliation in spirit or word while being pleasant toward all. Trying experience is to make the heart tender and helpful to comfort others needing comfort and pleasant words, paying little attention to annoyances while carrying forward God's work of saving ignorant, helpless and hopeless souls. This watchfulness also resists human impulses mistaken for God's guidance by seeking counsel with brethren and committing the soul to God as faithful Creator who keeps what is committed, trusting Him against the enemy and drawing near so He draws near in return. Staying alert in prayer is needed when facing injustice from brethren and feeling humiliated while guiltless and tempted to assert rights, holding the mind on Christ as surety and example who from youth to death suffered wrongfully yet patiently, bearing guilt while blameless so the guilty may go free through faith in His merits and be presented innocent through imputed righteousness which none can take away. Especially when disheartened it means laying hold of gospel hope and believing God will help to speak words cheering and encouraging and increasing faith in associates.
Prayer calls for solemn watchfulness in conduct, watching conduct and acting in harmony with prayers. Watching means cooperating with the prayer-hearing God, speaking and acting in harmony with what is prayed so trial proves faith genuine instead of showing prayer mere form, bringing closer union with Christ and increased blessing through increased faith by earnest persistent steadfast asking. It means seeking counsel from God and asking grace in faith believing He hears, with trust bringing His helping power, grace and Holy Spirit, and living prayers before God amid heavy responsibilities and strain.
Watchfulness joined with prayer belongs to ministers, physicians, teachers and managers handling solemn responsibilities, requiring remaining prayerful and alert, firmly keeping integrity and allegiance to Christ while ready to speak truth when exposed to temptation and contact with unbelievers. It means meeting difficulties with earnest prayer, humble hearts and individual responsibility to seek God's wisdom and daily guidance, being often in prayer to be made partakers of divine nature and enabled to resist the devil, watching words and actions and refusing a careless indifferent spirit grieving the Holy Spirit, following Christ's example of earnest frequent prayer. It calls for sober watchfulness preparing for the better world, staying faithful, not becoming absorbed in personal interests forgetting Christ and obligations to Him, guarding the soul, seeking how to honor God, remaining alert lest Satan gain advantage, and seeking counsel in God's Word against deceptive teaching. Studying God's Word with teachable spirit, praying and watching unto prayer, and working in needy fields go together, with angels opening understanding to see truth in beauty.
The call exposes how little faith there is and is applied to those forgetting complete dependence on God and accountability to Him. Those failing to watch unto prayer are reproved for forgetting they depend wholly on God and are answerable to Him. The end now at hand must be fully believed and practiced by professors, living as Christ's little children learning from Him, prepared every moment to witness unfolding wonderful events, reconsecrating life daily, opening the heart's door to welcome Christ and receive His love, turning from unimportant things, giving self to God and preparing for closing scenes. Such watchfulness accompanies firm reliance on God, moving forward in hope and gratitude and showing victory of faith even when God's working cannot be predicted.
Believers must remain watchful in everyday life, not only at meetings, walking carefully before God and living prayers by practicing principles of God's Word. Watching unto prayer means maintaining a thoughtful consistent course making religion precious and genuine rather than mere semblance, requiring truly changed hearts living out faith rather than possessing only its appearance. Christians must watch and pray without ceasing and live for God alone through individual effort to work out salvation with fear and trembling instead of leaning on others' experience and obeying self, departing from iniquity and learning to refuse evil and choose good. A snare is set in the path and Satan brings devices when and where least expected, so whoever is not watching at that moment will be taken and suffer decided loss, and such neglect causes declension and bars church prosperity. In peril they must resist sin and lukewarmness and hold to the Bible's high standard, since defection encourages others astray, being sober and watchful because the end is near with vigilant waiting, praying, working, thoroughness and growth toward perfection in Christ.
The nearness calls for earnest whole-hearted seeking of God with prayers marked by tenderness and love, deeper realization of the Saviour's love, and plea for greater wisdom. Through Christ's offered power believers receive power and wisdom to meet the enemy's attacks, keep faith in God and His Word, and pray for the Holy Spirit abundantly bestowed with willing giving and cleansing of homes. Because the end is nearer than realized, this demands coming into right relation to God, ceasing from sin and lust, daily overcoming worldly temptation and corruption through lust, laying hold of promises, covenanting by sacrifice, and securing reward by the Lamb's blood and word of testimony, with clear discernment refusing evil speaking and guarding the mind against letting another's feelings shape thinking and preaching.
With the end near there is no time for idleness, sleepy inattentiveness, half-hearted experience, or a life of pleasure opposed to God; faith must shape every action, word and moment with faithful diligent conduct in every part of life. Now is the time to be in real earnest, keeping the lamp from burning dim by desiring and receiving God's Spirit, with enthusiasm in those holding grand important truth. Realizing the end at hand means working with self-denial and self-sacrifice to bring truth to unbelievers, warn of danger, put remaining things in order, work for salvation of others, and keep souls from perishing in ignorance.
Weakness of character is evidence of failing to watch unto prayer. Watching unto prayer is how everyone exercises entrusted talents, by lifting to the extent of power and bearing one another's burdens. It means being God's true missionaries watching for souls as those who must give account, making association in physical and mental training an occasion for essential missionary work through Christian example in spirit, words and faithful discharge of duty, forming careful habits and character after the divine similitude instead of going contrary to God and becoming tempters through a polluted heart.
The end of all things is at hand and near, calling believers to be sober-minded and watchfully devoted to prayer in readiness for what is coming. That day and hour of the Lord's coming is given with no definite time, for it is beyond mortals and unknown even to ministering angels, known only to the Father, so setting a definite time by false interpretation perverts the word and brings truth into disrepute. To be sober is to live in self-controlled, serious and cheerful steadiness without frivolity and lightness, and to watch unto prayer is to remain spiritually alert as a faithful sentinel, guarding thoughts, words and actions and praying continually with belief and expectancy. This watchfulness is the only safety against Satan's devices in the last days, requiring a pure heart, moral transformation away from fleshly lusts, and steady growth in grace and knowledge of Christ. Because time is short the nearness demands earnest labor without delay to warn the world and proclaim the truth, with every believer doing personal missionary work and investing mind, means and affections in the cause rather than selfish gratification.
Words, Context and Timing
The end of all things is near, and for that reason believers are to be sober-minded and watchful, giving themselves to prayer in readiness for what is coming. That nearness makes the warning of the world urgent, so the truth is to be published and circulated and Christians are to prepare by helping ready a people and doing the work assigned to them amid calamities by sea and land, wars and rumors of wars. This readiness is joined with fervent love for one another above all things as a defining duty, for charity covers a multitude of sins. It is joined also with hospitality without grudging or complaint, with ministering each received gift as faithful stewards of God's grace, with speaking as the oracles of God, and with ministering in God's ability so that God is glorified through Jesus Christ. Brought into family life and practiced daily, this instruction takes foolishness out of life, gives deep religious experience, enables growth in grace, and gives peace and joy in the Lord.
The command belongs with arming with Christ's mind through suffering in the flesh, ceasing from sin, and no longer living the rest of time to human lusts but to the will of God. It counts the past time of lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries as enough, even when others think it strange and speak evil for not running with them to the same excess of riot. Against thorns and noxious weeds choking the gospel seed, it requires moral transformation, leaving old habits and the former life of sin, expelling Satan's attributes from the soul temple, keeping the heart under God's control, and overcoming objectionable traits of character so grace can thrive and the wheat is not stunted and killed out. Belief in the nearness of the close of earth's history must be shown by works, for genuine faith works by love and purifies the soul, and the short time for gaining moral fitness for everlasting life calls for putting self to death, living to God, and overcoming sin before Christ appears. The announcement was written when the destruction of Jerusalem was near at hand, pointing to that imminent judgment in which the persecutions the Jews had visited upon believers in Christ would soon be visited upon themselves.
The verse gives no definite time of the Lord's coming, for that day and hour is beyond mortals and unknown even to ministering angels, known only to the Father. Preaching definite time by false interpretation perverts God's word, gratifies the adversary, advances infidelity rather than Christianity, marks its preachers as false prophets by repeated failure, and brings last-day truth into disrepute, derision, and disgust so that people turn from it. The nearness remains true despite repeated failures of time-setters and the resulting unbelief and rejection of the near advent, for those failures discredit the predictors, not the biblical teaching that the end is at hand. That nearness should arouse every true follower to zealous action rather than to excitement that merely moves feelings and fears without principle and falls back into coldness, darkness, and sin when the set time passes.
Those who received the light of Christ's coming in 1843 applied the statement that the end was at hand to mean that earth's history would soon end. Conviction that the Saviour's advent was near came at the same time to men of faith and prayer in Europe and America and to isolated bodies in different lands solely by tracing the inspired record and studying the prophecies, producing the worldwide Advent Movement in different countries of Christendom at once, like the sixteenth-century Reformation. Even when believers are perplexed and disappointed after expecting Jesus to come, the word of the Lord is sure and cannot fail, so they are to cling to hope and not renounce faith, being disappointed but not discouraged, having done duty and lived up to precious faith, watching and holding in readiness for the Master at any time, waiting with hope and trust, and not neglecting assembling together for instruction, encouragement, and comfort so light shines into the darkness. Peter's words were written for every age with exhortations, warnings, and words of faith and courage to keep believers steadfast to the end, but they have special significance now, with light bearing more mightily upon God's people to fill the whole earth with its glory. That closing time has come to advance the work Christ came to do after fierce persecution sought to make Christianity extinct and error and heresy sought to bury truth, and it calls for serving God with undivided affection, whereupon heavenly intelligences will cooperate with human effort and the message will go with power irresistible to all who choose light rather than darkness.
Signs of Approaching End
Fulfillment of what Christ foretold shows the end is near, and unfolding of prophecy concerning past, present and future makes that nearness plain. The signs He predicted are rapidly being fulfilled, the nations are angry, and the time has come for the dead to be judged. Because the end is near, much important work still remains to be done beyond the places where work has been largely centered in the past. The church is to awaken and proclaim this message to those nearby and far away, carrying a message of healing to a world filled with sin with courage rather than unbelief or discouragement, giving urgency to the last message of warning proclaimed with faith.
The end at hand is the day of distress, anguish, plague, retribution and judgment for sin coming on the world as a thief in the night, with sudden destruction from which there is no escape. It comes swiftly and silently while many are saying peace and safety, and only watching and waiting for the Lord keeps from being taken as in a snare. The Judge stands at the door upon the very borders of the eternal world, books will be opened and each judged by deeds and by good left undone, and heaven's final declaration will soon fix each as holy or filthy, so time is short and awareness of the eternal world makes sin too perilous to indulge and calls for earnest work and readiness to advance the gospel now. Because only a small portion of God's great moral vineyard has been worked and few have received the last message of mercy, those fitting for solemn sacred work must make speedy preparation and be set to work at once to warn the world, not consuming precious time and money in unnecessarily large preparation or going deeper year after year into educational lines and scientific studies, losing the burden for souls and depending on book-knowledge and training for efficiency, but doing through grace the essential work for this time in the strength of the living Saviour who is now advocate in the courts of heaven, since efficiency depends on the Holy Spirit and what the Lord has promised and God can remove human ability in a moment. As the old world laughed Noah's warning of the flood to scorn, as Jerusalem unheeded Christ's warning of what would come for rejecting truth, and as Lot's family rejected his warning of Sodom's destruction as fanatical enthusiasm and were found unprepared, so the vast majority will disregard God's ambassadors announcing the near final end as superstition, while farmers, merchants, lawyers and tradesmen wholly engrossed in business are overtaken as by a snare, calling for sober watching unto prayer.
Calamities by sea and land testify that Christ's coming is near: earthquakes burying whole cities, shipwrecks, floods, fires, tornadoes, railway accidents, famine and accidents, with wars and rumors of wars. God no longer restrains the powers of darkness from vitiating the air with deadly miasma, bringing pestilence such as cholera and unexplainable diseases and diphtheria taking children. These are drops sprinkled from the vials of wrath and only faint premonitory convulsions and representations and warnings of much greater shocks to come when the crust is rent, lordly palaces become heaps of ruins, wealth gained by oppression is swept away, and the religious world is terribly shaken. Such disasters and divine judgments sweeping away costly structures are permitted to awaken professing Christians, warn the world, make sinners fear God, and call Christians to prepare by helping ready a people for that day and doing the work assigned to them. They fall while people transgress God's law, break His covenant, and reject the Sabbath for a spurious rest day, and God will not protect the property of those who do so.
The calamity that destroyed much of San Francisco warns that the time of God's judgments has come and perilous times are here, with judgment to follow judgment and more earthquakes to follow in other places so no city should feel secure, toward a day when nothing in this world will be certain. Passing events there with continuing judgments and accidents are signs the end is near, so people should work for Christ while they can and be ready for the day of judgment. Belief in this nearness is to be told by works as well as testimony, by fearing the Lord and refusing stylish costly churches for simple inexpensive places of worship, limiting spending in any one place so meeting houses can be built in many places, lest by a large costly building others are given cause to think security is felt while judgments are falling, unlike those who do not believe the Lord is coming soon and keep building without considering why San Francisco was wiped out. This urgency is linked to a coming test over worship, for a false sabbath has been exalted and people commanded to keep the first day, although Scripture gives no command to make it holy and it has no sanctity.
Rapidly increasing wickedness supports the declaration, with human sin reaching its limit and God soon answering with fearful plagues and wrath unmixed with mercy. Boldness, impiety, selfishness and independence are common, the standard of righteousness is low, iniquity abounds because people break God's law and covenant, turn from God and His righteous rule, and are increasingly influenced by seducing spirits, while youth face constant temptations and dangers calling for souls to be aroused to serious contemplation and true devotion. The world is fast becoming as in the days of Noah, given to selfish indulgence, eating and drinking carried to excess, men drinking poisonous liquor that makes them mad, with terrible reports of murders, robberies, railway accidents, violence, and deeds of violence. As transgression brought the flood, present transgression brings punishment when the earth discloses her blood, and as Noah warned of the flood so the near end, the coming of the Son of man upon people eating and drinking and unaware, must be proclaimed, with those who know the truth imparting light and lifting the voice in warning, watching and being ready every hour as the faithful wise servant giving meat in due season, lest saying the Lord delays His coming and living unfaithfully bring cutting asunder and a portion with the hypocrites. In view of this wickedness believers are to use entrusted talents according to ability, laboring diligently, earnestly, without selfishness or undue concern for sacrifice for the work that must be done before the Lord comes, whose coming is very soon so preparation must be made now, just now.
Scripture is not merely a record of God's dealings in the past and a revelation of present responsibility and duty, but an unfolding of future perils and glories. Believing the end not far distant leads to studying the Bible with prayer and tears, being more deeply impressed with its precious utterances, seeing the plan of salvation clearly revealed, finding comfort, hope and peace in believing in Jesus, feeling duty to make known its saving truths, and longing with illuminated understanding and glad hearts to shed its light upon those in darkness, as the Waldenses did in papal darkness. The same urgency applies in the last days, when Daniel and Revelation are especially relevant and should be studied carefully and with much prayer, with diligent attention to Scripture and earnest attention to Christ's coming.
The approaching end brings a time of trouble for God's people with deception and persecution. It includes a decree forbidding Sabbath keepers to buy or sell and threatening punishment or death unless they observe the first day of the week as the Sabbath. Amid conflict over the seventh-day Sabbath believers are to stay alert to deception and pressure to observe the first day, uphold God's law and Sabbath by appealing to His word, and watch unto prayer without which a Christian cannot be happy.
Meaning of Sober Watchfulness
Sobriety is sober-minded self-control, an even, steady frame of mind that is courageous and ventures something for truth's sake, serious but not gloomy or desponding, cheerful and even joyful, speaking the language of faith and hope and courage even under temptation. It forbids nonsense, frivolity, lightness, trifling, levity, indifference and carelessness as out of harmony with the holy character of truth, allowing no low witticism, since these give great advantage to evil. Yet it remains sunny and serene through God's peace, serving with undivided affection while lifted above worldly pleasures to live in purity, understand God's will, and share practical truth that moves others to take God's claims seriously. This requires educating heart and mind, cultivating the higher faculties, going to the bottom of things, bringing practical life into harmony with truth, and maintaining a consistent, humble, teachable and firm character rather than being unsettled by every new interpretation. It calls for order and discipline rather than excitement, confusion, noise and tumult, for thoughtfulness and stillness in contemplating revelation, dealing with sacred things, and doing calm, sensible labor to convince souls and build character, since excitement does not favor growth in grace and true purity, while strange performances misrepresent holy doctrine, make believers appear fanatical, and prejudice souls against the message for this time.
Being sober and watchful means putting away frivolity, jesting, joking, flattering attentions, common idle talk, vain light flippant speech, trifling familiarity, coquetry, flirting, and undue attention of men to women and women to men, whether married or single. Such levity starts an evil train of thought, sanctions grave sins, pollutes the soul, makes lasting impressions, makes girls coarse and bold, and is a positive denial of Christ, for words index the state of the heart and react upon thoughts and character, as the tree is known by its fruit. The admonition reaches everyday conduct, including conversation at meals, where frivolous loud laughter is out of place and inconsistent with representing Christ, while God's love should shape all that is done. True readiness is not merely professing that the end is near while remaining on the broad smooth road to death, but becoming dead to the world, leaving care for person, dress and pleasures and turning from hilarity and glee to think of the journey's end and walk the narrow rugged road to eternal life. Those who keep the words upon them yet look, dress, talk and act just like the vain, gay, thoughtless ones around them prove there is no distinction between them and the world, destroy the distinction required, and remain in the broad way while professing the narrow way.
Watching unto prayer means remaining spiritually alert as a faithful sentinel, guarding not only prayer itself but words, actions, thoughts and spirit. It keeps the mind on heavenly things and the Christian hope, supporting steady serious reflection and preparing character for Christ's appearing, while seeking divine guidance to walk in safety rather than acting on own judgment. It means weighing each step, keeping the soul open to heaven and closed to earthly influences, staying constantly on guard against deception, recognizing danger and weakness, and persevering in earnest determined appeal with surrender of soul, body and spirit. This vigilance resists slothfulness, exercises spiritual strength, withstands flattering inducements, and holds fast to faith against false satanic influences, not in finite human strength but strong in the Lord and in His might.
Watchful prayer is alert persevering communion with God needed for growth in faith and experience, praying continually with living active faith, patience, expectancy, thankfulness and hope. It does not pray and then run away afraid of receiving an answer, but believes things asked are received, keeps on believing without losing patience, walls the prayer of faith in with assurance, confesses errors, repents of sins, prays for one another that all may be healed, and trusts God to provide means and help for His cause and a place to worship Him. The fervent prayer of the righteous is never lost and will come because God's Word is pledged, though the answer may come unexpectedly, as when Jesus recognized Nathanael praying under the fig tree. It brings thoughts into subjection to Christ to be molded after His mind, enables walking with God as Enoch walked, brings daily transforming grace, treats prayer as privilege for wisdom, encouragement and strength amid surrounding dangers, and produces steady growth in grace and knowledge of Christ unto a healthy balanced life.
Watching unto prayer is the only safety against Satan's devices, especially in the last days when evil powers arrayed against faith seek entrance on every side to lead into greater evil and to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Without constant vigilance even long-tested souls may fall suddenly when temptation and assault come upon the unprepared, for feelings shaped by impulse and circumstance are unstable and cannot protect, so inward assurance and firm principles are needed. Believers must therefore stay alert and dependent on God amid temptation, resist rather than become disheartened or afraid as battles and the time of trouble hasten, hold firmly to Christ, and continue in humble work with grace in the heart and close connection with Christ unto righteousness and holiness. They are not left to face trial and conflict without help, for heavenly angels minister to them, and through heaven's help they may be victorious and more than conquerors.
Sober watchfulness joined with prayer marks moral strength and readiness for God's work and belongs with a heavenly-minded life that looks for the Saviour.
Character Holiness and Growth
Sobriety and watchful prayer require guarding the heart against pollution and keeping the soul free from defilement with the eye single to God's glory. Prayer must be joined with earnest effort to keep the heart pure and to resist worldly cares and pursuit of wealth that crowd out godliness, for prayer without such effort is a mockery. Sin separates from Christ and leaves the soul in peril, while fidelity and living faith keep under heavenly protection. Watchfulness means guarding against temptation, old habits, natural inclinations, appetite and passion and haughty spirit, because the Christian life is daily conflict with the enemy and without constant vigilance abused inclinations lead to backsliding. Higher Christian growth requires much prayer and constant watchfulness, with safety in recognizing human weakness and clinging to God's strength and His word.
Watching unto prayer leads to steady growth in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, producing a healthy balanced spiritual life. It uses precious hours to cultivate faith and perfect Christian character. Prayerful vigilance keeps spiritually steady and brings peace and the joy of the Spirit. It keeps the peace of Christ in the heart and prevents variance among believers, guards the garden of the heart against neglect where pride, self-esteem and self-sufficiency grow rank, and brings that peace into the family to form character that speaks in home life. It keeps words and tempers under God's control, giving sanctified life, steady faith under testing and freedom from quick provocation that makes believers witnesses adorning Christ's teaching.
With the end of all things at hand the human agent's work is to be sober and watch unto prayer in self-denial and self-sacrifice without discouragement or losing heart. Seeing all things near their end calls for determination to have God's will done in, by and through oneself, living as Christ lived as His property bought with a price to glorify God in body and spirit, by faith and submission becoming partakers of His love and doers of His will. This means accepting aloneness from children, brethren, friends or relatives yet not alone because God is with one, committing souls that one cannot save to God. It means refusing to let anything dear absorb mind and affections from searching Scripture and earnest prayer, expelling every idol from the soul temple, denying self and taking up the cross daily with joyful rather than regretful self-denial, enduring hardness as good soldiers instead of seeking ease, and covering duties nigh and afar with first duty to children and nearest relatives that cannot be neglected for the outer circle.
Because the end is near believers must be sober and watchful in prayer in serious alert devotion to stand through the testing time ahead, with a life shaped by God's word and holy teaching. This requires searching one's own heart with clear-minded prayerful watchfulness, turning heart and mind to truths of God's Word and making no delay in preparing for eternity. As each day brings judgment closer believers should draw nearer to God, seek deeper faith and fuller grasp of truth, and gain now an experience enabling standing when the controversy between truth and error intensifies. Keeping Christ's coming and judgment before the mind prepares for immortal life and shapes character, shown in faithful active work rather than carelessness, and includes resisting the devil steadfastly, refraining from evil speech, doing good and seeking peace.
Watching unto prayer brings the pledged presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the three highest powers in whose name the believer is baptized, to every striving soul. They impart grace and strength to all who watch unto prayer and purify the soul by obedience to the truth, making such a believer instrumental in leading others to accept Christ by faith. God is shield and defense for those who put whole trust in Him with faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Being one with Christ leads to praying and watching in prayer so God's righteousness is written in the heart and reflected in life, and beholding the Lord's glory brings one through the Spirit into that same image.
Christ now serves as mediator and will come as Judge rewarding each according to works, with intense faith, pure love and reflected light marking sober alert readiness. The decisive test is not profession or church membership but character developed in life, with approval to the faithful who have done well. Every person's daily work and character each day is exactly recorded in heaven, for God sees in secret night as day, so those blessed with great light must live circumspectly. The Lord is nearer now than when first believed and His day is at hand, yet thankfulness remains that judgment is not yet come because Jesus who gave His life is Intercessor. Life must be ordered as in the eye of the great Taskmaster with spirituality cultivated and character tested by God's standard, since a fearful account must be rendered at God's bar, the Judge standing at the door on the borders of the eternal world, requiring doing everything as in the immediate presence of God, angels and the Redeemer to keep feet from forbidden paths and souls pure spotless undefiled till grace is crowned with glory. Little time remains and should be used to develop character and choose conduct influencing others for good, with youth giving God all strength and powers of brain kept healthy to return what He purchased with blood.
The nearness demands change in workers claiming to believe, emptying self from the throne of the heart and giving Christ full place so little self and much Christ is seen. They must reveal faith working by love purifying the soul, with love dwelling in the heart and truth practiced. With probation days nearly ended it is time to awake out of sleep and live the higher life now for time and eternity, repenting while wrongs can be righted, coming under discipline to God and standing steadfastly for righteousness with assurance God will manifest power to the converted. Watching unto prayer means watching against habits of sin and over the tongue, watching for opportunities to do good, ever looking to Jesus and growing in grace and knowledge, forming a well-built harmonious character by addition laying grace upon grace in faith, patience, temperance, benevolence, courage and self-denial, rising stone on stone as God's building, steadily sober and devout, letting divine light shine on others' pathway.
With the end at hand watching means staying wide awake and thoroughly baptized with the Holy Spirit as the only safeguard for the last days, refusing to let business become an absorbing decoy and curse. Leading men, ministers and medical missionaries must use experience gained in trust to work for God's name in the great missionary work, not making reform consist in cooking and eating and drinking. The end is right upon us testing all, so those blinded must wake up for their soul's sake, see themselves as before God, discern what spirit they are of, remove stumbling blocks, turn to the Lord and walk humbly to stand in the light and not remain as a pilotless ship.
Urgent Worldwide Warning Work
The nearness of the end calls for earnest labor to proclaim the truth and warn the world, because people will soon face judgment and must be prepared to meet God. Time for work is short and the night in which no one can work is soon coming, so the work must be completed while there is still time, carried on earnestly and tirelessly while opportunity lasts, with light shining to warn and reform others without delay and without letting distractions divert attention. Hearts are to be turned fully to God in humility and obedience to His will, including warning the cities of their impending doom.
The warning must now be sent to all parts of the earth before the work of giving the last message of mercy closes, and faith must be shown by works through sympathy, prayers, means and hearty cooperation in supporting the publishing work that carries it. Publications are to make known that the end is at hand as part of the last gospel message, with truth published and circulated to spread heaven's light throughout the world because the warning of the world is urgent. That light is to reach many through an evangelizing ministry of the word in books, papers and periodicals, distributed by men and women of all stations and walks of life with young and old taking part, in daily contacts when riding on trains, visiting, conversing with neighbors, handing out papers and tracts, speaking a word in season, and praying that the Holy Spirit will make the seed productive. Christ stands in the printing establishment to make pressed truth a warning power, which requires the purest literature instead of commercial and objectionable work.
The great work to be done is to establish centers in all cities unacquainted with the warning, planting many small medical missionary plants all over the world until the whole vineyard is cultivated rather than exhausting means on a few large institutions in one place. The message of the coming is to be carried into new places rather than spending resources on repeated meetings in the same place or on expanding buildings, forming model churches that stop spending energy on those who already know the truth yet do not feed on Christ. Present truth is to be carried as a burning lamp to neglected southern cities and to unworked cities and to people perishing in ignorance and sin, where a tenth of that labor would have brought many to repentance, entering large cities humbly without self-exaltation and sending workers into harvest fields to hold forth words of life to those hastening to death. Giving this warning requires devoted, self-sacrificing aggressive warfare as opportunities offer and doors open, pleading for the Holy Spirit to accompany workers as they tell the gospel invitation of forgiveness through a crucified and risen Saviour, knowing hearers become responsible even though opposition is aroused. Being sober and watchful here means being wide awake, watching for opportunities to diffuse light, doing personal house-to-house labor inside and outside the church with earnestness, sobriety and a sense of solemn responsibility that gives weight to the work.
Everyone professing Christ has a part in sending the warning so people prepare to meet God, and the closing days call for awakening and bearing living testimony. Believers are to wake up, employ every possible means, tell neighbors, warn others every day, urge them to seek salvation, do personal house-to-house missionary work, hand out tracts, speak a word in season, seek opportunities to serve and be ready to give a reason for hope with the heart uplifted to God so the right words are spoken at the right time, praying the Holy Spirit will make the seed productive. Converted people strengthen others and help truth reach new places, while grace stands ready to work with every human effort yet will not substitute for God-given work, so light must be followed by dying to self, surrender to God, letting every ray shine in good works, serving as active soldiers in divine armor and joining divine power with human energy to break worldly enchantment. Diligent watchfulness and efforts to save those outside Christ are urgent duties because many ignorant people do not know the end is at hand and must be enlightened.
Because the end is at hand, mind, means and affections must not be perverted into selfish gratification and indulgence while starvation is at the very door of thousands and destitute foreign fields need the banner of truth unfurled in cities, byways and foreign missions. Means entrusted are to be invested in advancing the cause and bringing the gospel to others, placing possessions under the Lord's direction, being wide awake to honor God as laborers together with Him and doing all in power to bring truth before perishing souls. Spending on selfish pleasure misrepresents the religion of Jesus, denies Him in practice, counterworks the messages given to His messengers, and prepares people to be ensnared by last-day deceptions, while discreet outlay according to the greatness of the work brings imperishable treasure. Concentrating too much labor and expense in a few favored places while many cities are neglected gives evidence that belief in the nearness is not genuine and can make others doubt the truth taught.
The nearness calls for schools to be refined, purified and sanctified, with power and grace brought into the Sabbath school as the place where young men desiring ministry can best fit themselves by imparting knowledge gained. It is the very reason for investing means in school buildings and making large preparations in order to call youth away from cities where Satan has wrought upon minds under his dominion against reform. Fathers, mothers and children must not now seek the long course of education taken in former years nor hurry a daughter to medical college after a lifetime in school, but seek gospel simplicity as revealed in the Saviour's ministering life, with education in practical duties right where they are and counting the cost of example to others. Young people must bring souls into right relation to God and use the little time left for individual work, perfecting Christian character as a pattern and helping others into full harmony with truth, light and obedience, with parents continuing by letters, guidance, cheerfulness and help to teachers to fit children for God's service and tremendous realities without sleeping over them.
The warning is to be proclaimed as part of the message given to John on Patmos and identified with the third angel's message, calling for arousing, cleansing the mind, purifying the heart, and bearing decided testimony against every influence weakening that voice by presenting a plain Thus saith the Lord. Watching unto prayer is the work of laborers together with God in warning the world, presenting the living Word so it affects mind, heart and character and keeping the commandments continually before the people. Increased light and opportunities demand greater effort to carry that message widely at camp meetings and elsewhere without heresies that glorify men, studying Christ's simple methods, urging repentance and flight from coming wrath, spreading the message, praying for more workers, carrying a burden for perishing souls and rebuking lightness and indifference, since watching alone is not enough and each must account for talents, means and light with daily work recorded before God. Professing that the end is at hand without living as though Christ is at the door is not genuine, for belief must be visible in works and testimony that judgments have come and the world offers no certainty. It cannot coexist with devoting main strength to self, family and worldly business while neglecting souls and the soon coming, nor with living only for worldly concerns while neglecting worship, gratitude and preparation for eternity, nor with storing earthly wealth and preparing to remain in this world, for actions show whether the nearness is truly believed and spiritual strength requires effort. Certainty that the end is near gives urgency to the work and deepens concern for God's people when backslidden and unaware of their condition.
Faithful Daily Life Stewardship
Everyone in the family circle is to bring words and works into conformity with Christ's works and stand wholly under His control. Parents are to pray and remain vigilant, guarding strictly against intemperance in every form, teaching children the principles of true health reform and what to avoid to preserve health, and exercising great care to guard them against corrupting company and depraved associates. This vigilance is urgent because wrath has already begun to fall upon the children of disobedience amid crimes, sins and iniquitous practices revealed on every hand. Fathers and mothers have only a little time left to be daily converted and to live and speak as Christ's helpers, resisting Satan's influence in their families and leading others to Christ by example. They must work wisely without delay to help children form righteous characters, each family member strengthening the others in righteousness and truth and all preparing together for heaven, converted daily from every tendency that would keep them from standing in the judgment and showing in every position that Christ is the pattern.
The nearness of the end calls for self-denial and careful stewardship, planning and economizing, avoiding needless expense and display, and keeping spending within means rather than relying on emergency funds. Money is not one's own but the Lord's goods held in trust and traded on His account, to be used discreetly and economically with prayerful study of how it may best advance His cause and raise memorials in fields never yet entered. Building houses, places of worship or sanitariums requires carefully counting the cost, building savingly yet with taste, skill and nothing shoddy, with an eye single to God's glory and means kept in reserve for new fields needing money in the treasury at the proper moment. Watchfulness also forbids fraud in any business transaction and religion carrying the scant measure and deceitful balance, for such fraud is grievous sin and abomination because goods handled belong to God and must be used to His glory if men would be pure and clean, and those cherishing dishonest religion will be brought to confusion. Because the end is near men must walk humbly before God and may then take hold of His strength and make peace with Him, guarding against work that absorbs the mind and weakens interest in present truth, praying for guidance, examining whether practical efforts bring people to salvation, and resisting personal ambition and selfish choices about giving so as not to enter temptation.
In this time of peril believers must watch unto prayer and pray without ceasing lest increasing worldly entanglements engross the mind and exclude true godliness. This means not embarking in scheme after scheme and speculation after speculation for gain until temptation breaks down the fortress of the soul, not burdening oneself with cares that make love and zeal for Bible truth secondary, and not overtaxing brain and body for temporal matters while higher interests are neglected until service grows dull, talents are buried and the Christian sleeps at post. Evils long gathering will come suddenly like a storm and catch many unprepared, and though believers may not originate them, imprudent use of pen or voice can hasten them and leave them unable to answer resulting charges. God's workers must therefore guard against business opportunities and higher wages drawing them from presenting truth and doing the work appointed for the last days, keeping service from dishonoring the Lord and business dealing free from selfish sharpness and worldly schemes which God hates and will not endorse. All, and especially ministers and presidents of conferences, must watch in all business transactions and work out their own prayers in daily conduct in cooperation with Christ, allowing no move on the wrong side vindicating principles God condemns, no following of wicked examples by whomsoever set, and no bowing to human authority unless a plain Thus saith the Lord makes it safe, holding instead to mercy and justice.
Those called to ministry must give evidence of fitness for the sacred desk by living sober, watchful, prayerful lives, holy in all conduct, exemplary to believers, and careful over self and doctrine so as to save both themselves and hearers. Christ's ministers are to stay alert in prayer, coming boldly to the throne of grace with holy hands lifted without wrath or doubting, asking the Father in faith for wisdom and grace to know how to work and deal with minds. In handling a solemn sacred message they are to keep words careful and free from common or frivolous speech so God can impress hearts, reveal in labor the same unselfish spirit seen in Christ who left heaven to take humanity to redeem the race, and speak solemnly rather than at random with conversation centered on Jesus and truth as befits proclaimers of the second advent.
Workers doing sacred work must pray continually and remain watchful in prayer, feeling the sacredness of the task and seeking spiritual discernment rather than relying on self or cleverness. Watching unto prayer is the only way to put the whole being into the Lord's work with self in the background, for making self prominent soon becomes second nature, uplifting self instead of Jesus and absorbing sympathies instead of serving as channels of living water to refresh others, which is disloyalty to the crucified Lord. Handling sacred work without consecration as common and depending on selfishness leaves work unable to bless others and calls for repentance and reconversion, a warning appropriate for this time when so much remains to be done while some bear very little burden.
Watching unto prayer is the science of labor for every worker going forth in humble faith with the Lord going with him. It means working in dependence upon God knowing power is of God, as laborers together with Him looking to Him as Helper and source of strength, receiving from Him wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. It means wearing Christ's yoke and daily learning His meekness and lowliness, finding comfort and rest in Him, uplifting the cast down and causing hope to spring up in place of despair. Those engaged in important work for God are to take heed to watch unto prayer, make straight paths for feet lest the lame be turned out of the way, work with eye single to God's glory and sense of individual responsibility, trusting the Lord alone to make efforts successful as author and finisher of faith who has deep interest in the work and will help cooperators move onward and upward even after wrestling and trials.
Now because the great day is near and Satan rallies his forces, God's people must live watchfully prayerful, thoughtful, quiet, sober and holy in consistency, contemplating the truths of revelation. This requires order and discipline in God's service instead of excitement, noise, confusion and tumult, with thoughtfulness and stillness in dealing with sacred truth and calm sensible labor to convince opposers and patiently instruct awakened minds in needed character building. Excitement hinders growth in grace and true purity and sanctification of the Spirit, while strange performances, confusion and tumult misrepresent and dishonor holy doctrine, make believers appear fanatics, create prejudice preventing reception of the present message, and lead unbelievers to reject it. Speaking truth as it is in Jesus reveals a holy sensible calm, not a storm of confusion, and this alone will convince the gainsayer.
Believers living in the perils of the last days must watch and pray, putting entire trust in God and glorifying Him. Christ has entrusted His household and interests to them while in heaven, and they must remain faithful, alert and prepared so His sudden coming does not find them asleep, for Satan works through both smooth deception and open hostility and the human will sides with the enemy unless kept subject to God's will. Readiness for Christ's unexpected coming requires continual watchfulness and faithful work, not carelessness or sleep, expressed in sober temperate living, warning others of danger, examining self earnestly, and preparing now to meet the Saviour in peace or to die with assurance of a surrendered life lived in faith without delaying until sickness makes thought and action difficult. Calling heavenly angels is part of this guard from corrupting influences while living in God's presence with sincerity.
Christ Himself commands sober watchfulness unto prayer because the end is at hand, and in His life gave the example of prayer's necessity. All, whatever experience or supposed intelligence, must become learners receiving education in spiritual things in order to give to others. Sober watching means watching and praying always lest the heart be overcharged with excess or cares of life and enter temptation, since the time is unknown and that day will come as a snare upon all the earth, that all may be accounted worthy to escape coming things and stand before the Son of man. Prayer is necessary in Christ's example to guard against temptation and keep alert, with belief that things asked are received.
To watch unto prayer when others weaken hands and Satan hinders and blocks the way means looking away from every human agency to God and refusing discouragement. It means clinging to gospel hope, holding fast confidence in Jesus, fixing eyes on Him, setting the face as flint toward Zion, and pressing on in Christ's meekness and lowliness without retaliation in spirit or word while being pleasant toward all. Trying experience is to make the heart tender and helpful to comfort others needing comfort and pleasant words, paying little attention to annoyances while carrying forward God's work of saving ignorant, helpless and hopeless souls. This watchfulness also resists human impulses mistaken for God's guidance by seeking counsel with brethren and committing the soul to God as faithful Creator who keeps what is committed, trusting Him against the enemy and drawing near so He draws near in return. Staying alert in prayer is needed when facing injustice from brethren and feeling humiliated while guiltless and tempted to assert rights, holding the mind on Christ as surety and example who from youth to death suffered wrongfully yet patiently, bearing guilt while blameless so the guilty may go free through faith in His merits and be presented innocent through imputed righteousness which none can take away. Especially when disheartened it means laying hold of gospel hope and believing God will help to speak words cheering and encouraging and increasing faith in associates.
Prayer calls for solemn watchfulness in conduct, watching conduct and acting in harmony with prayers. Watching means cooperating with the prayer-hearing God, speaking and acting in harmony with what is prayed so trial proves faith genuine instead of showing prayer mere form, bringing closer union with Christ and increased blessing through increased faith by earnest persistent steadfast asking. It means seeking counsel from God and asking grace in faith believing He hears, with trust bringing His helping power, grace and Holy Spirit, and living prayers before God amid heavy responsibilities and strain.
Watchfulness joined with prayer belongs to ministers, physicians, teachers and managers handling solemn responsibilities, requiring remaining prayerful and alert, firmly keeping integrity and allegiance to Christ while ready to speak truth when exposed to temptation and contact with unbelievers. It means meeting difficulties with earnest prayer, humble hearts and individual responsibility to seek God's wisdom and daily guidance, being often in prayer to be made partakers of divine nature and enabled to resist the devil, watching words and actions and refusing a careless indifferent spirit grieving the Holy Spirit, following Christ's example of earnest frequent prayer. It calls for sober watchfulness preparing for the better world, staying faithful, not becoming absorbed in personal interests forgetting Christ and obligations to Him, guarding the soul, seeking how to honor God, remaining alert lest Satan gain advantage, and seeking counsel in God's Word against deceptive teaching. Studying God's Word with teachable spirit, praying and watching unto prayer, and working in needy fields go together, with angels opening understanding to see truth in beauty.
The call exposes how little faith there is and is applied to those forgetting complete dependence on God and accountability to Him. Those failing to watch unto prayer are reproved for forgetting they depend wholly on God and are answerable to Him. The end now at hand must be fully believed and practiced by professors, living as Christ's little children learning from Him, prepared every moment to witness unfolding wonderful events, reconsecrating life daily, opening the heart's door to welcome Christ and receive His love, turning from unimportant things, giving self to God and preparing for closing scenes. Such watchfulness accompanies firm reliance on God, moving forward in hope and gratitude and showing victory of faith even when God's working cannot be predicted.
Believers must remain watchful in everyday life, not only at meetings, walking carefully before God and living prayers by practicing principles of God's Word. Watching unto prayer means maintaining a thoughtful consistent course making religion precious and genuine rather than mere semblance, requiring truly changed hearts living out faith rather than possessing only its appearance. Christians must watch and pray without ceasing and live for God alone through individual effort to work out salvation with fear and trembling instead of leaning on others' experience and obeying self, departing from iniquity and learning to refuse evil and choose good. A snare is set in the path and Satan brings devices when and where least expected, so whoever is not watching at that moment will be taken and suffer decided loss, and such neglect causes declension and bars church prosperity. In peril they must resist sin and lukewarmness and hold to the Bible's high standard, since defection encourages others astray, being sober and watchful because the end is near with vigilant waiting, praying, working, thoroughness and growth toward perfection in Christ.
The nearness calls for earnest whole-hearted seeking of God with prayers marked by tenderness and love, deeper realization of the Saviour's love, and plea for greater wisdom. Through Christ's offered power believers receive power and wisdom to meet the enemy's attacks, keep faith in God and His Word, and pray for the Holy Spirit abundantly bestowed with willing giving and cleansing of homes. Because the end is nearer than realized, this demands coming into right relation to God, ceasing from sin and lust, daily overcoming worldly temptation and corruption through lust, laying hold of promises, covenanting by sacrifice, and securing reward by the Lamb's blood and word of testimony, with clear discernment refusing evil speaking and guarding the mind against letting another's feelings shape thinking and preaching.
With the end near there is no time for idleness, sleepy inattentiveness, half-hearted experience, or a life of pleasure opposed to God; faith must shape every action, word and moment with faithful diligent conduct in every part of life. Now is the time to be in real earnest, keeping the lamp from burning dim by desiring and receiving God's Spirit, with enthusiasm in those holding grand important truth. Realizing the end at hand means working with self-denial and self-sacrifice to bring truth to unbelievers, warn of danger, put remaining things in order, work for salvation of others, and keep souls from perishing in ignorance.
Weakness of character is evidence of failing to watch unto prayer. Watching unto prayer is how everyone exercises entrusted talents, by lifting to the extent of power and bearing one another's burdens. It means being God's true missionaries watching for souls as those who must give account, making association in physical and mental training an occasion for essential missionary work through Christian example in spirit, words and faithful discharge of duty, forming careful habits and character after the divine similitude instead of going contrary to God and becoming tempters through a polluted heart.