Philippians 2:16, commentary and pictures

Holding out the life-giving truth of God to others while shining as lights in a dark and perverse world is the plain call of the verse. That truth is the gospel word that gives eternal life, light and purity to all who receive and practice it, while disobedience leads to death. It can only be imparted by those who first receive it, so it requires a blameless life without murmuring and disputing, putting away strife and faultfinding, and working out salvation in earnest cooperation with God who works in the believer to will and to do. It is to be offered personally and plainly to all, lifting up Christ crucified and risen as the only hope, relieving suffering to gain access to hearts, and living so that others are drawn to follow Him. Faithful holding forth in this way will give ministers and all who labor reason to rejoice at Christ's coming and judgment that their running and toil were not wasted, a joy that rests on believers remaining faithful and bearing fruit, and every member shares this urgent non-transferable responsibility.

Words and Immediate Context

Holding forth means holding out the word of life to others while shining as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse world, so that faithfulness gives ground for rejoicing in the day of Christ that running and laboring have not been in vain. That shining is blameless living free from murmuring and disputes, and the joy at Christ's coming rests on such conduct and witness. The work belongs to believers, whose faithful holding out shows that labor spent for them was not wasted.

The word held out is the spoken word of God, the gospel and Scriptural truth, to be heard attentively and heeded when spoken in worship through His appointed servant because it keeps hearers from straying into wrong paths. It is to be prized above every earthly thing as of highest value, eternal life to all who eat of it by belief and practice, with elevating life-giving power to serve as a tree of life for the salvation of men, women, youth and children. It is living bread and nourishment for the soul to be opened to the unlearned and to those starving for it who have never heard the message of salvation. Its teachings are to be understood, believed and practiced, bringing spiritual life and ever-growing knowledge of truth, giving light, purity, goodness and faith that works by love and purifies the soul from defilement so believers may be presented faultless, a privilege serving both present and eternal good. Holding it forth means presenting the Word of the Lord to souls perishing in sins that they may be saved and carrying light into dark regions, which requires resolute determined effort, especially to cultivate the waste places of the earth where foreign missions languish, and only those who through belief and practice have experienced its life-giving power can do it. Disobedience leads to death, and perversion of Scripture stands opposed to truth.

Its immediate setting commands doing all things without murmurings and disputings in order to be blameless and harmless sons of God without rebuke. Taking the Christian name pledges truth to God, being bound up with Him and heavenly angels through deliverance from a tyrant's oppression, living a new holy life with all unbecoming discarded because believers are no longer their own property. Like a brave soldier obeying his Captain even at sacrifice of life, ruling self and overcoming hindrances to high holy resolves, mind and body as Christ's possession must be respected and improved day by day in preparation for the higher life in the kingdom. High principles are to be brought into the work, with obligations met as followers of Christ after the Pattern who revealed God by living His law, as clean bearers of the vessels of the Lord with untainted character, uncorrupted influence and names in the Lamb's book of life, recognized in heaven as laborers together with God. Truth received, believed and practiced forms a character fit for God's service, rising to highest achievement, living in unity and becoming a convincing argument for Christ's grace, while failure leaves light unshining.

Holding forth is joined to working out salvation with fear and trembling through harmonious cooperation with God, for no one can do it alone and God will not do it without human effort. When a person works earnestly, God works in him both to will and to do of His good pleasure and gives power to become a blameless harmless son of God. This requires the harmonious action of mind and heart with divine forces, doing God's work intelligently instead of leaving it for others and freeing self from religious responsibility. It comes through human effort united with God, dying to self, battling every harmful practice and habit until overcome, bringing all ability and talent into working order and perfecting character after the divine Pattern to overcome and inherit eternal life. It means practical exhibition of transforming power in daily life as living embodiments of Christ's grace, governed by wisdom, mercy and love and keeping God's commandments to represent Him correctly, winning souls instead of centering affections in self, living dwarfed nominal faith without hope, bringing discredit by worldliness and self-indulgence, and rearing barriers that turn souls away. Only what is first received can be imparted, so opportunities must first be improved to gain knowledge of the Word and vital experience, with those united to the church as living working agents imparting light, declaring truth and revealing His love and faithfulness.

It is joined to the lowly mind of Christ who humbled Himself to death on the cross. Honoring His name by action instead of dishonoring Him by self-exaltation means following His example of humility, practicing His virtues, revealing the new birth by good works and fruits of righteousness, and doing every duty in whatever calling with faith, obedience, cheerfulness, hope and courage without seeking supremacy. It requires thorough change of character before God can acknowledge believers as His children, order in the church, having the mind that dwelt in Jesus to conduct aright in God's church, and correct observance of the Sabbath. That path leads to confession of wrongs toward brethren and sisters, repentance, and shame and confusion of face before God for an unrighteous course.

The day of Christ is His coming and the coming day of judgment and reckoning when all the human family must meet the Judge over His broken law and be judged for deeds done in the body. Character will then be revealed and deeds brought to account, yet those who work intelligently, awake from sleep, honor the Redeemer, form correct habits and keep a record that can be met without shame shall not stand condemned. Confidence that faithful labor is not in vain remains firm despite slander, strong opposition and false accusation, by leaning on God for strength and remaining steadfast in Christ with assurance that work will be reckoned with. For fathers and mothers this means arousing to God-given work, glorifying His name, remembering the solemn record and the judgment upon children, setting an example leaving no excuse for wrongdoing, and counseling and reproving in prayer with a spirit God can commend.

Witness Through Holy Living

Holding forth the word of life is fulfilled by practical godly living that exhibits the transforming power of truth in daily life. It is reflecting heaven's light through a transformed life and shining as light amid moral darkness in a crooked and perverse world. It is honoring Christ by cherishing pure, holy principles, living blamelessly and harmlessly as sons of God without rebuke, and presenting in the life an illustration of the holy character of the truth professed. It is presenting and practicing the principles of the gospel, setting forth truth through Christian example, and putting profession into effect so that men seeing good works glorify the Father in heaven. Those who do this become missionaries for Christ and living embodiments of His grace, continually striving to help and bless others.

This living witness is shown in kindness, cheerfulness, happiness, humility, meekness, unity, love and patience. It lifts fallen humanity, warns of the binding claims of God's law as the transcript of His character, and makes Christ and the way of peace known so others are drawn to know God and follow Him. It adorns doctrine by manifesting grace and meekness and Christlike attributes, revealing outwardly the work of inward sanctification. It bears fruits of righteousness, copies Christ's meekness and humility, removes prejudice without lessening truth by concession, and is wise as serpents and harmless as doves so as not to increase opposition. It bears patiently with those in error and refuses to defend truth with an intolerant spirit that exhibits self, injures the cause, and discredits the sincerity of those who love truth.

It requires doing all things without murmurings and disputings, putting far away murmuring, strife, faultfinding, fickleness, impatience, domineering words and actions, and harsh dealing. Cherishing such traits is sinful and unchristlike, bears only diseased corrupt fruit that contaminates like leprosy, and cannot bear good fruit. It requires bringing spirit, mind, words and deportment into subjection to Christ, with less of self and more of Jesus, doing every phase of work with an eye single to the glory of God. It requires expressing goodness, mercy, compassion, tenderness and loving-kindness in words, deportment and character, putting away all that is harsh and coarse and rough. It requires being grafted into Christ the living vine and bearing the same quality of fruit the vine bears, seeking a closer walk with God in refining grace, and not disputing the upward lines of advance that Christ and conscience point out.

Only what is first received can be imparted, so holding forth requires first gaining knowledge of the Word and obtaining vital experience in the things of God. It requires taking time to study the Word, seek the Lord, look into the divine mirror to learn what kind of character is being formed, and bring truth into the inner sanctuary of the soul where it becomes a living reality. It requires receiving light in order to spread light, being living working agents united to the church to impart light to those in darkness and declare the truth and love and faithfulness of God. The Holy Spirit strengthens the mind, directs thought, opens the Scriptures to the understanding, and makes teaching effective so words carry the echo of Christ's voice and truth becomes a living reality to hearers. No one whose mind is filled with his own schemes, absorbed in ruling and correcting others, too full of business and worldly things to understand eternal life and feel saving grace, and too busy to act like a Christian in courteous words and kindly deeds, should do this work or act as shepherd of the flock.

Failure in this witness gives the world through defective character a distorted image of Christ, makes upon many minds an impression unfavorable to truth, turns souls away, and makes believers constant stumbling blocks. It hinders the advancement of God's work, rears barriers that turn souls away, brings discredit by worldliness and self-indulgence, and leaves a dwarfed nominal faith without God and without hope. It incurs guilt as unfaithful stewardship before heavenly intelligences waiting to cooperate to save souls. Without remedy of defects and formation of character after the divine similitude in symmetry and loveliness, the representation of Christ is miserable and counterfeit and grieves angels.

This obedient life includes keeping the commandments, being governed by the divine law of wisdom, mercy and love, and correctly representing Christ to convince others religion is genuine. It includes warning men of the binding claims of God's law as higher than the laws of the world, best done when vital energies are organized in church fellowship to reveal an enduring representation of the eternal world to men and angels. It includes obeying the laws of physical life, understanding physiology and how physical health affects mind and soul, leading people onward in health reform, and presenting healthful habits as part of the gospel. It requires thorough change of character, order in the church, having the mind that dwelt in Jesus to conduct aright in the church of God, and correct observing of the Sabbath, leading to confession of wrongs toward brethren, repentance, and shame before God for an unrighteous course.

Proclaiming the Life-Giving Message

Holding forth means offering the gospel simply and in its full beauty, in clear positive lines rich in nourishment, allowing truth itself to work on hearts rather than forcing minds. It is to be given so as to bring light and hope, not sadness, discouragement or hopelessness, presenting truth rather than dwelling on objections or entering into controversy. Words are to be touched with holy fire under the endorsement of the Holy Spirit, and spoken with the seriousness of standing together with hearers before the judgment seat of God, leaving nothing unsaid that might lead a soul to make peace with God. Its proclamation awakens from spiritual lethargy, convicts of sin and turns from transgression, with heavenly messengers close beside those who proclaim it.

Its center is lifting up Jesus the world's Redeemer and making Him known, for in Him the hope of eternal life is centered. Ministers are to make Christ crucified, risen, ascended and coming again the center of teaching, presenting Him as the sole hope and Savior for sinners, the stronghold of believers, and the wisdom and power of God, so that Jesus and not the minister is made known. His lessons are to be repeated without adding to Him, presented as truth as it is in Jesus in humility and love, with love and earnestness offering salvation to the penitent, strength to believers, peace to the troubled and grace in the Savior. The whole church, high and low, rich and poor, is to devise ways for all to hear, communicating truth by piety, devotion and Christlikeness of character that draws others, loving God supremely and neighbor as self, setting self aside and using example and teaching with light to bring others to know truth. Withholding abilities or talents leaves souls in darkness, while God Himself through human agents imparts light to those in darkness, arouses the indifferent, awakens sympathy, softens hearts and reveals the beauty and power of truth.

Holding forth means making God's word with its warnings and encouragement available to those in spiritual darkness who do not know the faith, so all have opportunity to receive truth if they will. It includes reproving, counseling and entreating the hungry and perishing, diffusing light nigh and afar off into highways and hedges, spreading the message widely especially to those who do not know truth because the world must be warned. Workers are not responsible to convict or convert, for only God's power softens hearts, while heavenly intelligences work with human effort in presenting life and salvation to those ready to perish. The message stands as a witness whether heard or refused, demonstrating God's power through the gospel of salvation as Christ is received as sin-pardoning Savior, with love shown by good works begetting love and manifesting healing grace in changed lives; turning from truth of heavenly origin becomes condemnation.

It must be carried personally and earnestly to sinners without waiting for them to come, sowing beside all waters the seeds of saving truth to every nation and kindred and tongue and people. Workers are to go everywhere into highways and hedges and dark places, giving Bible readings as home missionaries and as missionaries in foreign fields, every person entering the work given him in humble reliance on the Holy Spirit's power and expecting much from the inherent power of the gospel. Even those who seem hopeless, listless or unwilling are to be labored for faithfully without delay or uncertainty, persisting because a person may soon pass beyond reach and become ensnared, and because the time for labor is short and eternity near. This calls for diligence and strength and grace from God and a revival of the true missionary spirit, with grace given to every self-denying earnest servant, doing present work in the place appointed rather than leaving it or confining work to school or business perplexities, giving light in due season to those in need, which many will receive to God's glory.

It is the appointed work of ministers and gospel workers as the Lord's messengers and ministers of righteousness to stand before the people, preach, teach, give Bible readings at home and abroad, and share present truth through preaching and books. Believers are appointed in partnership with Christ to hold forth the Word so a perishing world may be saved, uniting interests with His and gaining needed qualifications, carrying words of life everywhere near and far as a work belonging to God and not under human control. It is done by speaking God's word with a sense of the judgment seat, working carefully and prayerfully before God while listening to His voice, guided and given the Holy Spirit in large measure, letting the Word go forth after Christ has opened the Scriptures to the understanding and presenting the treasures just as they read, as laborers together with God. Every believer under God's direction is to warn sinners and personally persistently urge them from ruin, actively sharing the word and letting faith shine through good works, with neglect bringing guilt. Ministry is not to be crowded out by business, boards, councils or physical labor, but requires preserving physical strength, training the voice to speak calmly and distinctly, and providing adequate support and resources so the work advances at the right time with fullest saving influence resulting in many souls.

Work for the body is joined with work for the soul by preaching and practicing the gospel in co-labor with Christ to reveal His tender pitying love to those ready to perish and warn those who never heard the last message of mercy with earnest longing for souls. Medical missionary work relieving physical suffering gains access to hearts to minister to soul need and prepare the way for more decided proclamation, with the godly physician speaking wisdom to lead souls to rely on Jesus. Holding forth includes obeying the laws of physical life and presenting healthful habits as part of the gospel, with ministers who understand physiology and its effect on mind and soul leading onward in health reform to higher standards. Even speaking the message of life to a small group brings comfort and encouragement.

It is done by living and teaching in a way that leads others to follow Christ, looking to Him and following Him, displaying holiness and bearing its fruit in personal life. Teachers are to seek God's counsel daily, walk worthy of calling, and praise God in daily conversation and conduct as well as in prayer, presenting in personal example what a living learning Christian is, which constrains other souls to become followers. Christians must not merely avoid harmful influence or wait to be asked, but actively and perseveringly exert positive influence for salvation through earnest work, godly example, prayer and appeals. Proclaiming while inwardly receiving the Word and living by it each day gives eternal life through Jesus Christ, leads to firm reliance on Jesus, directs the flock to look to Christ and not to erring man, educates all to search the Scriptures, and convicts those bold in sin.

Rejoicing and Labor Not Vain

Faithful holding forth by believers gives Paul and all who labor for them reason to rejoice in the day of Christ that running and laboring were not in vain. That rejoicing rests on conduct free from murmuring and disputing, on blameless and harmless living, and on shining as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse world and nation at Christ's coming. Holding out the word of life is the work of believers, presenting it as lights in the world, and it is the best instruction for the present time, so clear there is no excuse for walking contrary to the will of God, to be thankfully obeyed and earnestly fulfilled with the whole second and third chapters of Philippians studied without disregarding their lessons. Holding forth means every believer reveals the word in sanctified words made holy by the Spirit of God and in accordance with the principles of the gospel.

That rejoicing rests on the way believers accept labors and profit by them, giving evidence by words and lives that toiling efforts bore fruit. It is seen when they reflect divine light to lead others to know God and Jesus Christ by representing Christ through kindness, cheerfulness, happiness, and efforts to lift fallen humanity, and when their progress gives ministers comfort. It requires remaining faithful and standing firm, living blameless, harmless and without rebuke as sons of God, doing all things without murmurings and disputings, presenting the message of life to others, working out salvation with fear and trembling in union with God who works to will and to do, dying to self, battling every harmful practice until overcome, bringing ability and talent into working order, and perfecting character after the divine Pattern to overcome and inherit eternal life. Its fruit is bearing fruits of righteousness and being saved as lasting results for Christ, for truth not lived or imparted loses its life-giving and healing power, and failure would mean failure to present believers mature in Christ.

Preaching alone effects nothing unless Christians cooperate by letting light shine and holding forth the Word of life with zeal and fidelity with nothing diverting from it. Paul trembled for the entire result of his ministry if the church failed in this essential cooperation, feeling his own salvation imperiled if he failed in duty and the church failed to cooperate in saving souls. A laborer's work becomes vain and even his own salvation is put in jeopardy when those served neglect their burden, since each is answerable for the efficacy of the gospel and cannot shake it off by neglect, backsliding or forgetfulness. The church must be educated line upon line to advance step by step, to let light shine and hold forth the word, to become laborers together with God, arising and shining because light has come, communicating the Word, manifesting that the Word is quick and powerful, growing in grace and knowledge, aiming to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, because unused God-given powers decay and perish and every ray of light unimproved will witness against him in the day of judgment. If through ministerial failure the church receives the mold of the human instead of the divine and proves inefficient and unfaithful, knowledge, eloquence, miracles and views of eternal scenes avail nothing, a defeat and dishonor dimming hope of heaven, so the watchman must give the trumpet a certain sound on the third angel's message, letting no side issues hinder making truth positive and efficacious in conversion.

Not having run or labored in vain also means holding Christian character and coming off more than conqueror through Him that loved us by grace richly provided, at any cost, persevering to the intended end. It is shown when a minister does his first duty to make everything right, is strong in God and in the power of His might and not in his own strength, gives brethren and the world an example of what a Christian minister should be both in pulpit and out, daily learns meekness and lowliness in the school of Christ, and lives every day under converting transforming grace. Despite slander, strong opposition and false accusation the faithful can stand firm trusting God and leaning on Him for strength, assured their work will be reckoned with and not wasted, for a reckoning day is coming when all will be judged for deeds done in the body and character will be revealed.

Paul had this satisfaction even while toiling and even if offered upon the sacrifice and service of their faith, rejoicing with believers as he saw their progress. Even if poured out in service of their faith while they live blamelessly and harmlessly without complaining or arguing as lights in a crooked and perverse world, he can rejoice with them.

God watches over and blesses efforts made in His name, and His work will reach completion despite opposition as believers hold fast the word of life in carrying forward Christ's work. Heavenly intelligences and angels work with human effort, are close beside those who proclaim truth, open ways and furnish opportunities and cooperate with the human worker to make soul-winning fruitful, so those who exercise living faith and labor together with Him in sowing seeds of saving truth beside all waters to every nation do not run and work for nothing. Workers are not responsible to convict and convert, for only God's power softens hearts, while holding forth gives the message of warning and encouragement to those in darkness as a witness so all have opportunity to receive truth, and rejection of heavenly truth becomes condemnation. He provides means and sends earnest disciples to serve others, remembers those who labor in love to pass spiritual food to hungry perishing souls, and as those worked by the Holy Spirit search the Scriptures, walk in light received, and communicate precious truth in humble trust instead of only hearing for self, more light will certainly shine upon them in cooperation with heavenly agencies sent to impart power to the truth.

Universal Urgent Responsibility

Holding forth the word of life is the appointed work of believers, and faithfulness in it will bring joy in the day of Christ because labor has not been in vain. Every church member is called to shine as a light amid a crooked and perverse nation by holding forth the word of life, working together with God rather than leaving God's work for others and freeing himself from religious responsibility. This trust is personal to each believer and cannot be discharged by another, and it is fulfilled by living without murmuring or disputes and by setting forth truth through practical Christian example. Those who have heard Christ are to bear witness of Him by holding out the life-giving Word to all in every home and region, serving as His appointed agencies through whom the Unseen is made manifest, shining as the light of the world through pure holy lives and good works that glorify the Father, so that confession, love, self-denial, transformed character and consistent life become a living sermon by which the Holy Spirit convinces souls. Holding forth is the God-given work to keep at as a chosen light-bearer, receiving precious light from God and showing transformation of character by walking cautiously and softly before God, listening to the Leader, looking to Jesus, and planning and walking in God, rather than becoming bound up in business speculations, large improvements, unwise investments, borrowed money, ambitious projects and schemes from human wisdom, imagination and finite judgment. It means giving Bible readings as home missionaries and as missionaries in foreign fields, every person entering the work God has given him and sharing the word of life in humble reliance on the Holy Spirit's power with expectation from the inherent power of the gospel, calling for revival of the true missionary spirit in which grace is given to every earnest self-denying servant of God.

Leading brethren especially at this time are directed to present the word of life as lights in the world amid a crooked and perverse nation, so there may be rejoicing in the day of Christ that running and laboring were not in vain. Believers are to put confidence in the ministers of the conference where they live and in the officers of the church where they worship, draw near to their brethren, love them fervently with a true heart, encourage them to bear responsibilities faithfully in the fear of God, and be an example of believers in word, conduct, charity, spirit, faith and purity. Paul's instruction to the brethren including this verse is God's word to be practiced, with special fitness in its call to regard others and to possess the mind of Christ. The whole passage from Philippians 2:1-16 gives a lesson for all to study in seeking wisdom from God in most earnest prayer to learn the Lord's way, in seeing how transgression of the law required the blood of the Son of the infinite God to redeem, in hating the sins that wounded Jesus, and in keeping a contrite heart while viewing Jesus as a compassionate tender High Priest. The minister's work of holding forth the word of life must not be crowded out by too many burdens, for he needs time to study the Word, examine his own heart and seek the Lord in order to understand the hidden things of God. Holding forth means teaching the Word, preaching and speaking the Lord's Word, ministering in word and doctrine, presenting the subjects of truth essential for this time and feeding the flock of God, a required work appointed by God that must not be crowded out by details, board meetings, council meetings and organizing business, and doing this speaking work improves the talent for speaking, increases the talent for organizing, and benefits health.

The work must be done intelligently, presenting the life-giving message as lights in the world amid a crooked and perverse nation, living blameless and harmless without complaining and arguing while working out salvation with fear and trembling because God works within to will and to do His good pleasure, so that when all meet the Judge over His broken law they will not stand condemned. For fathers and mothers this means awaking from sleep to the work God gives them, honoring the Redeemer and glorifying His name, remembering their solemn record in the judgment and the judgment upon their children, setting an example that leaves children no excuse for wrongdoing, counseling and reproving in the fear of the Lord, seeking the Lord in prayer for a spirit He can commend, and forming correct habits under the deep impression of God's word. Proclaiming truth requires preserving physical strength and working intelligently, so workers can continue serving and be used by the Holy Spirit to carry out important work with power. Ruling self and improving mind and body as Christ's possession, forming correct habits, keeping a record that can be met in judgment without shame, and preparing in this life for the higher life in the kingdom belong to this intelligent faithful labor that lets nothing divert from honoring the Redeemer.

This direction is the best instruction for the present time, so clear that there is no excuse for walking contrary to God's will, to be thankfully obeyed and earnestly fulfilled and to be read and studied with the whole second chapter of Philippians and also the third chapter without disregarding their lessons. Those who teach the truth as the Lord's messengers in holding forth the word of life need adequate support and resources to carry out the work and advance it at the right time, so it can have its fullest saving influence. God appointed the treasury in tithe money to sustain ministers in that laboring missionary service of holding forth the word of life to others, and putting hands into that treasury and using it for common purposes such as church buildings, fuel and lights, while ministers go unpaid and foreign missions lack means, is unfaithful guardianship that dishonors God and causes Him to withdraw His blessing and His Spirit. First-fruits and offerings also sustain that proclamation so it is not hindered by lack of means, including mercy for the poor and suffering and advancement of the message in new fields.

Faithful labor brings many stars in the crown of rejoicing and a reward from God whose full amount of good eternity alone will reveal, gained by the solemn duty enjoined on all parents, teachers and ministers to be light-bearers and light-givers in family and church, sowing beside all waters with persevering fidelity and patiently laboring in kindly sympathy and love for unpromising, wayward, peculiar-tempered, perverse and dull children and church members who are generally neglected and shunned, rather than letting discouragement rest on them or shrinking from unpleasant duties, until undeveloped powers are developed and they are fitted to do good work for the Master and become most successful laborers for others who need help like themselves. Neglect brings guilt and condemnation when the record is met in judgment, for every ray of light not improved will witness against the neglectful in the day of judgment, and a laborer's work becomes vain and even his own salvation is put in jeopardy when those he labors for fail their God-given responsibilities, since each individual is answerable for the efficacy of the gospel and cannot shake off the burden by neglect, backsliding or forgetfulness, and preaching alone effects nothing unless Christians cooperate by letting light shine and holding forth the Word. A minister's rejoicing in the day of Christ depends on the faithfulness of those converted under his labors, so that he has not run and labored in vain, and the church must be educated line upon line to advance step by step, let light shine, hold forth the word of life, grow in grace and knowledge, and be presented perfect in Christ as laborers together with God, for unused God-given powers decay and perish, and if through ministerial failure the church receives a human instead of divine mold and proves inefficient and unfaithful, even knowledge, eloquence, miracles and visions of eternal scenes prove unavailing and hope of heaven grows dim, requiring the watchman to give the trumpet a certain sound on the main question at issue, the third angel's message, letting no side issues hinder making truth positive and efficacious in conversion.