2 Timothy 2:19, commentary and pictures

The foundation of God that stands sure is Jesus Christ, altogether stable and immovable for all who build upon Him. That foundation bears a twofold seal, that the Lord knows those who truly belong to Him, and that everyone who names the name of Christ must depart from all iniquity. It stands firm even though the church contains both good and bad, and even when professed followers prove unfaithful, false teaching arises, and ministers apostatize, for human failure does not move what God has established. The Lord reads character without being deceived, guides, values and helps His own even when misjudged and discouraged, and keeps them from remaining in the enemy's snare. To depart from iniquity is an individual work no one can do for another, requiring purifying of self to become a vessel unto honor, fleeing sinful desires, confessing and forsaking every wrong, and living in obedience to God's law through beholding Jesus until changed into His image.

Foundation and Seal Defined

The foundation of God is Jesus Christ, and it stands firm and secure, and those who build their lives upon Him are safe because He is altogether stable, firm, secure and immovable. That foundation bears a twofold seal, that the Lord knows those who are His and belong to Him, and that everyone who names the name of Christ and bears His name must turn away from all wrongdoing and sin, in a call to a life of purity and readiness for God's service.

True missionary work built upon Jesus Christ furnishes the churches with this sure, sealed foundation, marked as those whom the Lord knows as His own. It brings glory to God in His people and moves the work forward under God's supervision with innumerable evidences that the work is genuine. Its workers do not seek to glorify self but praise God as designer and organizer of every holy, ennobling work, and they are not mere professors but true believers sanctified by the truth, because truth acted as well as preached has a purifying influence upon character, so that believers are recognized not merely by profession but by faith lived out.

God's Word and authority stand sure, done in truth and uprightness, unlike the fallible, imperfect and unreliable word of man, and unlike man's authority which bears only the signature of man and rests on weak, confused sentiments. God's authority stands supreme and bears evidence of its divine origin, and the sure foundation is the foundation on which truth has always been based. His promises can be trusted and prayer should continue, and living faith resting entirely in Jesus receives the promised blessing in God's time, in the way He directs and by the means He chooses. Only work carried out in keeping with the principles of the Word, and standing and working on the truth revealed in it, will stand forever and stand fast with heaven's approval, approved by the heavenly host and by the adopted family living on earth during the remnant of time before the close of this earth's history, so every believer is to unite inseparably with God's authority and all who do the Lord's work are to stand on that foundation and not come under man's generalship, for God's Word reveals His design.

The foundation stands sure in its fundamental principles with stability and final triumph as the work of God. When admonitions and reproofs cannot be understood, or circumstances seem perplexing and inexplicable, the lesson is to be content to wait and see what solution time will bring, rather than fixing the mind on one difficulty to the exclusion of all the rest and making a rash move to surrender the truth.

Steadfast Despite Unfaithfulness

Nevertheless the foundation stands sure though the great house, which is the church, contains both the precious and the vile, the good and the bad. As wheat is mingled with tares and as the gospel net gathers both good and bad fish, so faithfulness and unfaithfulness are found together, and mere belonging to the church does not remove each person's need to purify self from unrighteous teaching and corrupt ideas. The church militant is not yet the church triumphant, for tares remain among the wheat, yet the Lord knows who truly are His and loves His own even when they are mingled with the unfaithful.

The foundation stays firm when professed followers turn from instruction into worldliness and pride and disregard warning and reproof, bringing backsliding and loss of the life and power of true godliness, yet not moving what has been established. It stands sure even when advocates of truth are unsanctified by it and deny the faith by unholy lives and pervert the truth by a wrong course, and even when bigotry, formalism and unbelief among those who should have faith dishearten and sadden the soul. It remains sure amid false excitement and fanaticism that blunt discernment, and even when ministers who once preached the truth apostatize and join its enemies. Human faith and feelings may change, but truth does not change into a lie; failures do not dim it, lessen another's responsibility, or move what God established.

The same sureness holds despite false teaching that can undermine the faith of some, despite corrupting theories and unrighteous sentiments that lead from the sure word to unstable human devisings, despite human efforts to undermine it, and despite false spiritualistic ideas and doctrines that deny past experience. Against such opposition the truth on which God's people have stood, its pillars, old landmarks and evidences, and the firm basis of the faith once delivered to the saints, remain secure, certain and firm.

For this reason the verse is a word of encouragement and lofty cheer to be spoken when apostasy arises and rebellion is manifested, when difficulties and hardships arise in opening new fields, and when trials never dreamed of come. Then the call is to faint not but be of good courage, to brace up and press right forward in the simplicity of true godliness, in faith that works by love and purifies the soul and in willingness to pass through hardship and severe trial in order to become conquerors. Adversity and opposition do not mean the cause will come to naught, for the work rests on a firm, unshakable foundation and the Lord recognizes and keeps His own.

The unfaithful example of others, even responsible men, therefore gives no reason to doubt or to stumble. Each person is individually accountable for the light on his own pathway, and must cling to truth and to the Father's hand, must exalt the standard and bear it aloft even if standard-bearers faint and fall at peril of name, honor or life, and must watch and pray against temptation. The duty remains to stay faithful rather than become cold or distrustful because others have dishonored the cause, assured that God reads character and weighs motives, thoughts, intentions and purposes without being deceived.

Lord Knows His Own

The seal means the Lord knows those who truly belong to Him, for He reads character and weighs motives, thoughts, intentions and purposes without being deceived by profession or outward wrongdoing. He recognizes the steadfast who remain faithful to Him and His law, and He also knows those who do not believe. Even when professed Christians act wrongly or turn away, their failures do not undermine the basis of faith, for the foundation remains sure.

His heirs, joint-heirs with Christ, are wholly His and distinct from the world, for Christ has bought the whole human family with His own blood. An active, living faith that makes sons of God who reveal that God is love distinguishes His people from sinners, and the line of demarcation is becoming more and more distinct. Claiming His name must be shown by turning from sin and refusing worldly fashions, with moral courage to follow His self-denying example even before unbelievers.

The Lord guides those who are His in providence as He guided Cornelius, leads His workers as a parent guides a child, and in His providence directs the sowing of truth beside all waters where there are those who will take their stand for present truth. When erroneous sentiments spread and Satan seeks to cut a wide swath and blindfold men to true Bible teaching, the Lord keeps His own from remaining in the enemy's snare and brings them out straight again. Amid trials never dreamed of and difficulties in opening new fields, this gives unfailing confidence to brace up and press forward in simplicity of true godliness, with faith that works by love and purifies the soul and willingness to pass through hardship to become conquerors.

He knows, claims and values those who are His even when the world does not recognize their value, when enemies plot because they do not know the value He places on His chosen, and when they are misrepresented, misjudged and compassed with discouragements. Their names are written in the Lamb's book of life, and no one who knows God and recognizes His claims is overlooked, but each is valued by God and known in heaven, and He will preserve them as His treasured possession. He sees their dangers, knows the weight of their burdens, remembers their need of strength, and if they walk humbly before Him and make Him their trust He will give help in time of need and enable them to resist every temptation.

The verse assures the tempted, tried, discouraged, doubting, sick and gloomy not to despair, abandon trust, or let go of hold upon God and truth, but to come back to Jesus with all burdens, perplexities and cares, be cheerful and press on. Jesus knows every pang of anguish, loves the discouraged and doubting as His own, lives to make intercession, will not leave the bruised and broken, and can help His people in darkness so that sickness and gloom need not take away cheerfulness. It gives courage to trust Him rather than lose faith when trials come.

True followers are revealed by steadfast faith and love when trials test them, for those who trust in themselves or in claims of perfection may fail, but the humble who daily anchor souls to the eternal Rock stand unmoved because confidence rests in God. Safety from false doctrine, including a little leaven that harms those not rooted and grounded and unmovable in present truth, comes only from being rooted and grounded and unmovable and riveted to the eternal Rock. Jesus died to save a lost world and is now gathering out from it an army to serve under His banner, and He will present to Himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

That assurance answers the temptation to think God has forgotten someone, for His promises can be trusted and prayer should continue, and living faith resting entirely in Jesus receives the promised blessing in God's time, in the way He directs and by the means He chooses. God's work and cause do not depend on human wisdom or power and cannot be sustained or overthrown by them, for God sustains it and it continues toward fulfillment of prophecy. Therefore feelings of hopelessness must not control workers, but increased faith and trust make what seem impossibilities appear easy of achievement, with all heaven interested in the proclamation of the gospel.

Truth Vindicated in Prophecy

The foundation of God stands sure even when ministers who once preached the truth apostatize and join its enemies, for human faith and feelings may change but God's truth does not change. The third angel's message is that infallible truth, certain and firm, which Satan cannot turn into a lie and cannot make false by all his efforts. God's firm foundation remains unmoved even when believers have been deceived by false excitement and fanaticism that blunts discernment and spiritual eyesight, for God is true though every man fails. Those convinced of past false exercises and false spiritual exercises must not let Satan use fear of being deceived again to destroy faith in true godliness, to stop earnest fervent prayer for special aid and victory, and to drive them to cold formality and unbelief. Safety is to move understandingly and plant the feet on the platform of truth by gaining a correct settled faith in present truth, seeing and understanding the third angel's message, standing firmly on its truth, and prizing, loving, and obeying the truth, which guards against Satan's design to overthrow the deceived.

The verse affirms the firm basis of the faith once delivered to the saints, with its true pillars, old landmarks, past experience, and established evidences, and calls believers to recognize and hold fast to them rather than accept theories that uproot them and remove the landmarks. God's foundation remains secure despite efforts to undermine it, with the assurance that the Lord knows those who belong to Him and those who are His. This secure truth of God's Word remains firm against spiritualistic doctrines that deny the past experience of God's people, and believers are to stand firmly for that established truth.

Safety from false doctrine comes only from being rooted and grounded and unmovable in present truth and riveted to the eternal Rock. Even a little leaven of false doctrine harms those who are not thus rooted, grounded, and unmovable, so no one is safe now unless riveted to the eternal Rock, giving every reason for gratitude and trust in God. The Lord Jesus knows those who are His, He died to save a lost world and is now gathering out from it an army to serve under His banner, and He will present to Himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

God's foundation stands sure, yet true doctrine cannot save by itself; it must be joined to living faith in God.

Depart From Iniquity

Everyone who names the name of Christ must depart from all iniquity without exception, turning from sin and purifying the soul through obedience to the truth, cleansing both flesh and spirit and pursuing holiness in reverence for God. Mere profession, love in word only, or claim to know truth is nothing to God, and a life not agreeing with revealed will has little claim to the Christian name, for naming Christ calls for turning from sin and living in keeping with that profession, in holiness and obedience. Remaining sinful and defiled leaves believers unprepared to meet the Lord and weakens the church, and naming Christ while acting and dressing like associates who do not follow Him conflicts with that call, since belonging to Christ must be shown in conduct.

Departing is individual and no one can do it for another, but whoever purges himself becomes a vessel unto honor, sanctified and fit for the Master's use and prepared for every good work. Through such a one the Spirit works with ability and grace to preach gospel truth firmly, decidedly and clearly, resisting the working of the enemy through vessels of dishonor. That purifying means fleeing youthful desires and pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace, avoiding foolish disputes, and treating others gently and patiently to help them acknowledge truth and escape the devil's snare. It means cleansing from sin and wrongdoing in life and work so as to be a pure vessel fit for honorable service, speaking without deceit and free from evil, and it leaves ministers responsible to reprove, rebuke and exhort rather than excuse sin.

Departing means refusing corrupting theories, unrighteous sentiments and human devisings that lead away from the sure Word to unstable ideas, and searching the Scriptures with much prayer to find the path that leads to heaven. It means refusing the wine of Babylon which is doctrines of error, drinking the Holy Spirit, and being changed from character to character and from glory to glory under God's controlling power. It means letting the Word speak to the soul as counselor and guidebook, defining sin as transgression of the law, turning not to broken cisterns nor to human agents and revealings that draw the mind from inspiration to inexperienced humanity, but turning to God and to the Bible to learn the true standard of Christian character. It means refusing to be charmed by apostate talk, refusing to take a stand with Satan and his host or join transgressors of God's law, but being at enmity with the serpent, counting Satan a deadly foe, opposing him in Christ's name, battling for every inch and clothing oneself with the armor of righteousness. It means coming to Jesus as the one Mediator and Intercessor in whom is all sufficiency, telling Him failings, receiving instruction from His words, eating His flesh and drinking His blood, and becoming partakers of the divine nature through the Lamb of God who takes away sin.

Claiming that sinful indulgence cannot be overcome does not excuse it, for prolonged pampering of depraved appetites and lower passions lets them rule over reason and self-government, suppresses moral principle, desire for holiness and spirituality, withers growth, and leaves the soul in enslaving bondage. Repeatedly indulged appetites gain control until sensuality quenches desire for holiness and weakens spiritual life. Departing covers every form of wrongdoing, including meanness, dishonesty, selfishness and covetousness which is idolatry, enmity against brethren and uncontrolled tongues, unkind faultfinding that dwells on others' defects while blind to one's own, unjust gain, extortion and advantage of weakness, vanity, pride, love of the world in act, talk and dress, corrupt thoughts and speech, and careless, idle and foolish talk that denies Christ. Rather than criticize others or excuse faults by pointing to others' wrongs, each must examine self, confess and forsake sins, and make restitution, for unkind faultfinding grieves Christ and blights souls like desolating hail, careless words show He is not in the heart, and clean, fair, honest dealings are required.

Departing includes not only gross sins but every action unwelcome in heaven, in family or church; converts must leave them in this life and develop Christlike traits that make heaven possible, for earth is testing and preparation where grace forms Christ within and new birth must precede seeing heaven. Departing means confessing and forsaking sin, crucifying self, repenting before God and seeking pardon from those wronged until pardon is known, making restitution, and not covering sins or allowing exceptions even in least commandments or minor points. Willingness to break one leaves inability to keep any in spirit and truth and leads to breaking the whole law when tempted, while covering sins lessens sense of their sinfulness and keeps a person going in the same course, but God receives and pardons all who repent before God and brethren, and the light from Christ's face will shine upon them.

Departing requires drawing near to God and beholding Jesus until changed into His image, gaining sense of sin's exceeding sinfulness and discernment of its character, resisting the devil so God draws near, thinking on Jesus to refuse Satan, turning from the wicked's path, and not building self-righteousness over the fallen. It requires individual effort to work out salvation with fear and trembling instead of leaning on others' experience, serving God with eye single to His glory and living for Him alone rather than in obedience to self. It requires guarding soul barriers every moment against Satan coming like a flood with soul-fatal perplexities, guarding avenues of the soul by watchfulness and prayer without ceasing, since a snare is set in the path and Satan brings devices when and where least expected. It means resisting passions, habits and temptations that could mar God's work, gaining through watchfulness, prayer and Christ's grace moral strength, firmness of will and stability of purpose. No temptation excuses failure, because sin is always one's own act and earth and hell cannot compel it without consent of will and yielding of heart, so fidelity amid danger and deception requires constant reliance on Christ, frequent prayer, holding emotions and passions in subjection to reason and conscience, banishing unholy imaginings, and bringing every thought captive to obedience.

Departing is seen when Christ is cherished in the heart and His likeness revealed in life: increasing humility with increasing knowledge, submission, meekness, patience, calm deep strong love to His people, life divested of pretense, affectation, artifice and falsehood, radiant with an indwelling Saviour, in converse with God and labor to gather souls. A person's course and works testify whether child of light or darkness, for those united to Christ are living branches of the heavenly Vine who partake of its sap, show life and vigor, flourish and bear fruit to God's glory, with hearts not strangers to renewing grace and works wrought in God rather than selfishness. Mere feeling, impression, exaltation and fitful impulse are not this living religion, which draws life continually from Christ's life and drinks the living water that quickens the whole being into the Son's life, producing growth in grace as partakers of divine nature escaped from worldly corruption through lust. One who does not draw life from Christ is not a doer of the Word but a paralyzed member connected only in name, and advance with no idlers is required, laboring together in overcoming lest failure cause others to fail, putting away all iniquity so Christ will not be ashamed. True humble willing obedience marks children of adoption, peculiar in holy character and distinctly separated from the world, its affections and lusts, while love in word and not deed proves hearts strangers to transforming power.

Naming Christ calls for keeping His law and living loyally under it in thought, word and character, giving powers to His service rather than disregarding commandments. Christ gave His life to save from sin not to license breaking the law, and His example sanctifies followers in love to God and neighbor, especially those with great light and those who preach, who must live truth in purity and holiness with strict obedience, purification through repentance, humility and heart-searching. Professing to keep God's law while clinging to sin does not shield from judgment; refusing correction, repentance and obedience brings serious consequences, as ancient Israel and Jerusalem's desolation warn that judgments will not be delayed forever and correction through chosen messengers cannot be disregarded with impunity.

No one can serve Jesus and the world together but must cleanse hands and purify heart, bringing truth from the outer courts into the heart until character is transformed, taste refined, judgment sanctified, and life made kind, patient, long-suffering, merciful and tender with hasty temper and depravity overcome. Assenting to truth without doing it disobeys the seal and builds on sand, leaving the professor careless and uncleansed. Departing is pictured as washing garments and putting on the white wedding garment, and as holding firmly to God so He makes feet stand on high and holy ground. Those who bear Christ's name must not accuse or punish fellow believers for past sins but reach out in fellowship, nor judge a suffering or erring brother or sister but help them heavenward; treatment of the needy reveals the heart and whether first love lives. Everyone under Christ's banner must refuse sides with political parties, giving no influence to political strife and linking with neither party, for there is fraud on both sides and God laid that burden on no one, even as sorrow, trial and unexpected crises test faith.

Holiness and Faithful Service

To name Christ is to accept a duty of service, to be ready to serve and to share the light received. It means faithfully carrying out assigned duties without murmuring or complaining, making the most of privileges given. It means speaking so as to guide others toward what is right, with gratitude for divine goodness and love, for failure to speak of them shows ingratitude and an absence of Christ from the heart. It calls for shaking off lethargy and indifference and spiritual laziness, meeting responsibilities and representing Him in word and action so that His name is glorified. This requires personal knowledge of Scripture and a life of willing service rather than inactivity and self-interest, and an awakening to work for truth and the salvation of others.

The call rests on all who have named His name, not on ministers alone, to work for those around them, especially the sick and suffering with hearts softened by His love. It means making Him known through Christlike words and actions and taking part in His work of uplifting humanity. It means not passing by the drunkard and other poor helpless beings as priest and Levite did, but arousing and striving with all power to do the work He did by determined efforts to save sinners. Such labor remembers that He died for that soul and paid a heavy ransom, remembers the helplessness of tempted beings continually tempted to evil while others cooperate to bribe them, does not cease effort because of that temptation, and knows every soul saved will have life measuring with the life of God, with Jesus the great Physician of soul and body as efficiency for those who faithfully act their part as His instrumentalities. It means studying His self-humbling and suffering for human sin as the pattern to follow, until divine inspiration works repentance, confession, and humility of soul.

In a time of special evangelistic blessing the foundation stands firm, and members must not remain self-satisfied, indifferent, or backslidden and leave the season uninfluenced by truth proclaimed. They must take the teaching to heart and put it into practice by drawing near to God, searching hearts by the light of the Word, confessing and repenting of sin, and bringing truth into practical life. They must live in harmony, clear the way, help with means, be present at meetings armed and equipped to talk with the interested, pray daily and work for the lost, stay wide awake with gratitude, draw strength from Christ, and labor together with Him to sustain the work.

Naming Christ is a pledge to represent Him in character by godly example and purity bearing divine approval, developing character He can approve and turning from every form of wrongdoing. Belief must be put into practice to reveal sanctifying power through Christlike lives, with holy distinct lives that do not conceal loyalty even before unbelieving relatives or unbelievers, refusing worldly fashions with moral courage to follow His self-denying example. Lives are to show His character as He represents the Father, standing courageously for Him and adorning His teaching by well-ordered lives. Believers are to walk in love and oneness, guarding one another's interests with kindness and loyalty rather than criticizing differences, letting self be lost behind His glory.

The command is urgent because the end is near, the standard of morality lowered, principle abandoned, and the sins that brought judgment in the flood and in Sodom's destruction by fire fast increasing, though long forbearance has delayed certain punishment. Those professing to be the light of the world must depart from all iniquity, with thoughts, actions, motives, and character reflecting Him and godliness as they live in view of coming judgment. This means being at enmity with the serpent and his works of darkness, refusing to be charmed by apostate talk, refusing to take stand with Satan and his host or join transgressors of the law, counting Satan a deadly foe, opposing him in Christ's name, battling onward for every inch of ground, and clothing self with the armor of righteousness. It means keeping the law while claiming to believe truth and advocating it, resisting temptation to practice evil and indulge sin, commencing purification before God through repentance, humiliation, and deep heart-searching because believers are in the antitypical day of atonement, a solemn hour fraught with eternal results, and turning so the day of the Lord does not overtake them unexpectedly. Obedience thus separates professed followers from corruption even while the same spirit seen against Christ opposes truth and attacks its workers with baseless falsehoods for want of Bible arguments.

Everyone naming Christ, especially professed light-bearers and ensamples to the flock, must depart from all iniquity by using well the little remnant of time now left. This calls for complete consecration, especially in crisis, giving every faculty of mind and power of being entirely to God and gaining a strong hold on Him. Only such consecration keeps religion from failing in direst persecution, for deep love of God alone sustains amid trials just upon us.

The Lord proves and tests all who bear His name, but especially stewards in any department of His cause, for connection with the special work for this time brings much responsibility. The higher the position of trust the greater the responsibility, requiring humility, sincerity, self-distrust, straightforward rectitude, carefulness to give all praise and thanksgiving to God, and caution about relying on self. A Watcher stands beside all filling positions of trust, ready to reprove and convict of wrongdoing or to answer prayers for help, watching to see if those privileged with responsibility will look to God for wisdom and use every opportunity to perfect character after the divine similitude. If they deviate from straightforward rectitude He turns from them, and if they do not earnestly strive to understand His will concerning them He cannot bless or prosper or sustain them.

Those who teach and advocate truth are to live it in purity and holiness, obeying strictly, speaking without deceit and free from evil and every kind of evil despite deception and opposition. This requires wise and watchful discipline, especially of a gospel minister whose life and example strongly shape the people served. Those serving God and professing to believe truth must examine themselves closely to see whether they are in the faith and whether their offering is holy or unholy.

Naming Him requires truth enthroned in the heart and real thorough change from darkness to light, with profession joined to inward truth. Without that change even people entrusted with sacred responsibilities are blind guides and ministers of darkness.

Everyone naming Christ is called to daily conversion so as to work intelligently in His cause under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, with Christ watching with interest every reformatory movement carried forward. Departing means living personal religion perfectly conformed to His life, drawing life continually from His life and drinking the living water of grace that quickens the whole being into the life of the Son, producing growth in grace and fruit as partakers of divine nature escaped from worldly corruption through lust. Mere feeling, impression, exaltation, and fitful impulsive action are not this life, and one not drawing life from Him is not a doer of the Word but a paralyzed member connected only in name with the body. It requires advance and sound spiritual growth with no idlers, laboring together in overcoming, because failure in overcoming makes religious influence cause other souls to fail, since no soul is lost without drawing others down, and all iniquity must be put away so He will not be ashamed. It means searching the heart before God, lifting up Jesus, talking of His love and telling of His power, letting self be lost behind the glory of His person and the mighty power of the cross, rejoicing when His gospel is preached by whomsoever it is preached, and working individually together with God to draw souls to Jesus that they in turn will draw others to the Lamb who takes away sin, for a Christlike life lived in faith as personal Saviour makes the gospel effective and draws others to salvation.

Receiving divine blessings is conditional on walking with God, honoring Him, and turning from all iniquity. Everyone claiming His name must turn from wrongdoing and live pure Christianity, arousing backsliding believers to zeal and repentance. Great danger surrounds those neglecting this, especially when they most need His presence yet have least of it, lest with great light and privileges they become like the Jewish nation and teachers of Israel who could explain Bible truth to others yet did not practice it daily nor know Scriptures and divine power by experience, for light brings responsibility to respond, not merely to hold.

Those who really believe must let outward life testify through just and pure and diligent conduct with fellow men by grace and much of the Holy Spirit, doing missionary work in all the region round about. When bigotry, formalism, and unbelief among those who should have faith dishearten and sadden, and the worse the situation appears, they must have more light and life, cherish cheerfulness, and show the world they reflect the Sun of Righteousness. Kept thus in departure from all selfishness and iniquity, the church at work becomes full of life and vitality, especially workers educated and trained in schools, and the gospel borne in one locality is carried far and near even to earth's ends, making tracts of moral wilderness and regions of unsightly barrenness and drought like the garden of the Lord.

Guarding purity when faith is tested also means staying away from corrupting places and associations, and guarding against selfishness and carnal desires that sacrifice integrity and spiritual peace. Departure belongs to the true standard of Christian character following dependence on Jesus and instruction from His words, shown by clean, fair, and honest dealings.

Those not right before God, who do not cherish His love and tender sympathies but are hard, denunciatory, overbearing critics without His love in the heart and without experience of true religion, fail the test and must be born again or never enter the kingdom. Transforming grace must work upon affections, sanctifying the entire man, and when purged from such iniquity one becomes a vessel unto honor, sanctified and fit for the Master's use and prepared unto every good work. Those bearing His superscription bring mind into captivity to His will through conversion, the new birth, and falling upon the Rock and being broken, refusing the wine of Babylon which is doctrines of error, drinking the Holy Spirit, and being changed from character to character and glory to glory under controlling power.

Claiming Christ does not make piety, holiness, and Christian character optional; Christians must distinguish true godliness from sin and uphold that standard rather than excuse wrongdoing because someone is pleasing or entertaining, nor flatter or support conduct that is unchristian and spiritually harmful. This duty is especially important for people entrusted with upholding God's law and restoring what has been laid waste.