And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Revelation 14:5 portrays the 144,000 redeemed from the earth and from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, who follow the Lamb wherever He goes and stand with Him on Mount Zion with the Father's name in their foreheads. No guile in their mouth means speech and life free from deceit, falseness, hypocrisy, exaggeration and idle words, with pure, truthful, gracious words flowing from a pure heart cleansed of secret motive and pretense. Without fault before the throne of God means every moral defect remedied and every stain cleansed, with robes washed white in the Lamb's blood and clothed in His righteousness as a spotless robe. This fitness comes by laying hold of Christ's merits and doing their part in overcoming sin through cleansing by the truth, daily growth, obedience, prayer and resistance until without spot or wrinkle. They are redeemed from among the living through great tribulation and the time of trouble, sealed with the seal of the living God while keeping God's commandments and the faith of Jesus, and stand finally victorious and delivered with the Lamb on Mount Zion.
The Company Described
The verse portrays the 144,000 as overcomers redeemed from the earth and from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. They stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion with the Father's name in their foreheads, undefiled, following the Lamb wherever He goes. They sing a new song that no others can learn, and its final mark is a mouth in which no guile is found, for they are without fault before the throne of God. That character is joined to preaching the everlasting gospel and practicing it in true missionary work after God's wisdom, with the third angel's message carried in clear, straight lines in its distinctive features to the whole world. They are the faithful who receive the seal of the living God while Satan accuses them.
They are truthful with no guile in speech and without fault before God's throne. Their lives on earth are marked by trusting, loving, willing obedience, and they belong to the company clothed with Christ's salvation with a living connection with Jesus Christ. Their white linen is the righteousness of the saints.
The verse belongs to the connected sequence of Revelation 13:1-14:5 running through past, present and future events to the complete redemption of those who have overcome the beast and its image and stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Revelation 14 presents truths connected with the everlasting gospel that distinguish Christ's church at His appearing, with the threefold message identifying a people who keep God's commandments and have the faith of Jesus. This is the last message of mercy committed to Christ's servants when Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of atonement, and immediately after its proclamation the Son of man is seen coming in glory to reap the harvest of the earth.
It belongs to a special movement under the messages of Revelation 14 relating to the past and the future and to Christ's closing work in heaven and His people's work on earth. Together with light on the sanctuary question and the Sabbath truth it is present truth given after the disappointment, carried from city to city and town to town to the cities of the East and shining on the pathway of the scattered believers concerning the near advent of the Lord, received gladly by some and turned from by others to the loss of their hold on God and His truth. It belongs to the last message of warning that all are to hear, while the prophecies of Revelation 12 to 18 are being fulfilled. The third angel's message is symbolized as a loud proclamation to be sounded everywhere as the world prepares for the closing work, and receiving its truth brings responsibility to act on it.
The meaning of the 144,000 and who will be included in that number is a mystery God has not revealed, not to be used for seeking new and strange doctrines nor worked upon by imagination, with full understanding to be given in heaven where Christ will open the truths of His Word and unfold mysteries that cannot now be grasped. One position identifies them as Jews who will acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah. Sealed believers who die beforehand remain part of the company, resting in the grave through the time of trouble and coming up at the voice of God to stand upon the earth with the 144,000, so that their death is gain and no cause for mourning except for the loss of their company, and results in good.
In vision they triumph after being delivered during the time of Jacob's trouble, with faces shining with the glory of God. Alone they are permitted to enter the temple on Mount Zion as a distinct company among the redeemed gathered in the new earth, where martyrs wear pure white robes and brilliant crowns, among saints who have come through great tribulation, remained faithful, and will share in the life and worship of the new earth. They have washed their robes in Jesus' blood and stood stiffly for His truth, giving them a perfect right in the city, and they ascend to the sea of glass and stand there in a perfect square, clothed in glorious white mantles from shoulders to feet, crowned by Jesus Himself with His own right hand, given harps of gold and palms of victory, each fully satisfied with his crown though crowns differ in brightness and in number of stars. Jesus opens the pearly gate and bids them enter in, and they march over the sea of glass to the gate and into the city to the tree of life and the throne of God, where a pure river of water flows from the throne with the tree of life on either side with trunks of pure transparent gold. Those who remain faithful may join them in visiting the worlds and seeing God's works.
No Guile in Speech
No guile means speech free from deceit, falseness and hypocrisy, simple, straightforward, truthful and pure in both speech and life. Such speech fits for fellowship with the holy ones, for those prepared to join them learn this plain truthfulness now. It is not only freedom from deception but purity that avoids jesting, trifling and unchaste conversation.
Guilelessness excludes foolish, senseless, false, careless, meaningless, silly and idle words, and likewise malice, pride, impurity and levity. Words are to be pure, clean, refined and gracious rather than coarse, rough or rude, reflecting purity of heart and noble character. The pattern is Christ, in whose lips was no guile, prevarication or falsehood, and idle or foolish speech dishonors Him by misrepresenting His character. The tongue cannot be mastered by human effort alone but only by divine grace. This purity of speech belongs to a holy character formed in following the example of unfallen angels, fitting for translation.
Guile is absent from the mouth because it is absent from the heart, with no guile in lips, motives, or undercurrent working and deception in practice. There is no secret underhanded pretense for any purpose, but openness as the day, living as seeing Him who is invisible. This requires turning from every evil way and separating from sin and sinners, with the soul-temple cleansed of moral defilement and self crucified. Secret deceptive working was Satan's way in the rebellion in heaven, and is shunned in every form however presented. Where truth is only comprehended by reasoning power without thorough conversion and Christ entertained in the house, religion denies Christ and leaves the home unsanctified and tainted, and corrupt, common, low, earthly, sensual conversation and boisterous ways prove inner corruption that becomes a savor of death to observing children instead of a savor of life.
Putting away guile means putting away all exaggeration, misstatements and everything untrue, and every secret work. It means putting away cheap, low conversation and actions in preparation for the pure and holy life of heaven. It forbids lying to gain advantage, taking another's property, or undermining another. It forbids indulging any impure thought, speaking any word approaching sensuality, or doing anything having the least appearance of evil, with moral powers ruling every thought, word and action and the senses guarded under the control of Christ's religion amid sensuality. It forbids self-love, evil thinking and evil speaking that depreciates brethren and magnifies supposed errors, for those strong in themselves who think evil and speak evil have guile in the mouth; fully believing in Christ and looking at the cross gives a right estimate of even erring men as purchased with His blood, leading to modest self-estimate, discernment of precious traits in brethren, faith in God and man, respect for God's children, and repentance of past mistakes.
Positively, lips speak only pure words suggesting pure, choice thoughts that elevate, ennoble and sanctify. Those without guile find highest joy in talking of Christ and His daily converting power on the soul, spending no time on defects of others or stirring up strife, but dwelling on the best characteristics of those for whom He died. There is no unkindliness in speech or attitude, but kindness, courtesy, grace and love with deep interest in spiritual things, learning here in this educating school the language of Canaan in harmony with heaven for entrance to the higher grade. With an eye single to God's glory and no moment given to trifling conversation, joking or trifling, they are yet the most cheerful and happy people because Christ is bound up in their life, using all entrusted to them to bless associates, comfort the poor and afflicted with comforting and kind words, and diffuse light as Christ did in scattering gems of truth that remain in hearts and draw souls. Entrance on this guileless condition belongs not only to the wise, the great, teachers of doctrine or busy zealous workers, but to peacemakers actuated by an abiding Christ and humble workers whose highest ambition is God's service.
Those with guile bruise, imprison, humiliate, grieve, bind, condemn and oppress fellow men to compel worship of an idol sabbath without Scripture authority and to make them untrue to God's law. They have deceit in mouth and spirit with falseness and hypocrisy, developing the attributes of Satan the falsifier and following another leader rather than the Lamb whithersoever He goes. Following the Lamb in heaven requires first following Him on earth in trustful, loving, willing, confident, truthful obedience as a flock follows a shepherd, not fretfully or capriciously, as children of God on Mount Zion girt for holy service and clothed in white linen which is the righteousness of the saints. Christ's example is opposite, for He came not to break down moral power but to restore it, to break oppression and release bondage to Satan. Those with guile show that if Christ were on earth as at His first advent they would follow Him as spies as did unbelieving Jews to condemn Him, and with opportunity and power would do as Nebuchadnezzar did in setting up his golden image in the plain of Dura.
Without Fault in Character
Without fault means every moral defect remedied, every stain cleansed by Christ's blood, and every harmful trait overcome, with murmuring, censure, fretfulness and every other source of discord put away, for only those prepared in character for heaven will be there. It is clean hands and a pure heart, not lifting the soul to vanity nor swearing deceitfully, walking uprightly, working righteousness and keeping truth in the heart. Freedom from all guile means freedom from professional falseness and hollow hypocrisy, not concealing convictions of duty from fear of persecution nor following the false shepherd, but maintaining principle at all hazard and following Jesus by walking uprightly and surely by a Thus saith the Lord. If such suffer for truth they share Christ's suffering and will share His glory, receiving blessing and righteousness from God as a grand, cheering and uplifting promise.
This state comes wholly through Christ, whose redeemed have washed their robes of character white in the Lamb's blood and are clothed with His salvation and righteousness as a spotless robe. They are pardoned, accepted, honored, sealed, and made eternally secure from the tempter, with their sins transferred to Satan, divested of self-righteousness and arrayed in Christ's righteousness. As they follow Jesus' example and keep Him as the perfect pattern, beholding Christ they are changed into His divine image and brought into harmony with His character. So redeemed from among the living, they pass through great tribulation and the time of trouble and endure God's judgments without an intercessor, yet are delivered and serve before His throne as truthful and without fault before God.
Thorough preparation and cleansing through the truth is required, and God cleanses all who submit to the purifying process. The provision for cleansing is made through Christ's blood, but people must take hold of its merits by faith and do their part in overcoming errors, sins and imperfections of character, gaining strength through His grace and power to stand victorious before God. This requires personal effort and responsibility that no one else can do for them, faithfulness in small duties, walking in God's light, prayer and resistance to temptation, daily growth in Christian character by cultivating the graces of the Spirit and faithfully obeying the light given. God permits the furnace fires of affliction to burn away dross, to refine and purify and cleanse from the defilement of sin and self-love, bringing people to know God and to become acquainted with Jesus Christ by walking with Him as Enoch did. Whole interest in the truth and in the preparatory work sanctifies through the truth and gives fitness for immortality, and the preparation must go on until God's people stand before His throne without fault, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, putting eternal things first and serving God willingly in His blessing and Christ's peace.
Such purity fits them to stand before God as candidates for heaven and is connected with the character required of those who receive God's seal, with no deceit in speech or hearts. Their pure speech and character are developed by following Christ step by step, overcoming unruly tongues and anything defiling the lips or heart. The truth elevates the receiver, refines taste and sanctifies judgment, making a people holy in character, comely in manners and free from deceit in speech, fitted step by step for translation to live with angels who never fell. This true thorough heart work appears in elevated, noble, agreeable and courteous conduct that secures respect and wins souls even while bearing pointed testimony, for separation from the world does not allow coarseness, roughness or low rugged expressions. Reaching this faultless condition requires living out holy faith by continually adding virtue to faith, knowledge to virtue, and the following graces.
It gives confidence in God's love and grace rather than doubt measured by feelings. Those described hold fast their confidence and do not depart from the faith once delivered to the saints while standing amid moral darkness and corruption. They live in the closest relationship to God as objects of His sparing mercy and pardoning love, and more than this as those over whom He rejoices and delights and for whom He is surety as a loving Father. He beautifies all who serve Him with a whole heart with the spirit of holiness, clothes them with righteousness, and loves those who do His will and express His image. All who are true and faithful are conformed to the image of His Son, made like Him, truthful in speech and blameless before His throne.
End-Time Trial and Triumph
The 144,000 are redeemed from among the living, having passed through great tribulation and the time of trouble, even the time of Jacob's trouble, and having endured the outpouring of God's judgments while standing without an intercessor. They are delivered because they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and their truthfulness and freedom from guile belong to their blameless standing without fault before God as they serve before His throne. After that deliverance they triumph with faces shining with the glory of God.
They are the faithful who receive the seal of the living God while Satan accuses them, sealed with the mark of truth through the Holy Spirit. That sealing belongs to those who grieve over sins in God's professed people because they love purity and God's honor and recognize sin's great evil, in the closing work of the church. In the final conflict over God's law they stand apart from the determined effort to destroy the Sabbath memorial of creation and to set a spurious sabbath in its place to bring worldwide apostasy against God's law. In contrast to professed Christians who are not sealed, who give a man-made institution the glory due to God's Sabbath and compel its worship as idolatry, they remain loyal to God and morally clean in His presence, refusing to bow to earthly decrees against the King of heaven as patient saints keeping God's commandments and the faith of Jesus, and so they escape the retributive judgments poured out without mixture of mercy upon unrepentant despisers of God's law.
They are the loyal and true who remain after the final sifting in a terrible ordeal that must take place, when Satan works miracles to deceive and sets up his power as supreme and the church appears as about to fall but does not fall. Then the sinners in Zion are sifted out as chaff separated from the precious wheat, and none but those overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony are found in that company without spot or stain of sin and without guile in their mouths. This means being divested of self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ, as a remnant purifying their souls by obeying the truth, gathering strength from the trying process and exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid surrounding apostasy, held in everlasting remembrance as graven upon the palms of God's hands. Finally victorious and delivered, they stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion bearing the Father's name instead of the beast's mark, and their defining character includes deep consecration and unity as those free from guile and without fault before God's throne.
Gospel Message and Doctrine
Revelation 14:5 describes the character of God's people in the last days, without guile in speech and without fault before God's throne, belonging to the 144,000 who stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion with the Father's name in their foreheads, redeemed from the earth and from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, undefiled, following the Lamb wherever He goes, with a new song no others can learn. That character is joined to preaching the everlasting gospel and practicing it in true missionary work carried forward after the wisdom of God and not after wisdom men devise, with the third angel's message, which includes the first and second, as of consequence to the whole world to be carried in clear, straight lines in its distinctive features. The first and second angels' messages have been proclaimed and the third is now being given to fallen churches and to those who have never yet heard the truth for this time, not only in lands far off but in neglected places close by where multitudes dwell unwarned and unsaved, in a long-delayed work now to be done with decided efforts. Work in the cities is of special importance, by carefully selected workers laboring two and two in harmony with experienced counsel under the direction and commission of Jesus Christ, and its proclamation makes prominent the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
By the messages of the first, second, and third angels they are separated from the churches and from the world and brought into sacred nearness to God, called as ancient Israel was called to stand as a light in the earth. They are made the depositaries of His law and entrusted with the great truths of prophecy for this time to communicate to the world, going forth as His agents and watchmen and light-bearers to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth, with nothing permitted to hinder the work. The love Jesus manifested in His sacrifice for redemption actuates all His followers to value souls and to preach the gospel to every creature, to save souls, to warn the world, and to exalt the Sabbath of Jehovah as a perpetual sign between God and His people.
Through the threefold message a class is brought to keep God's commandments and to worship God as Creator. This worship and obedience is especially connected with the fourth commandment, for the seventh-day Sabbath is the memorial of creation and a sign of loyalty to the Creator.
The warning of the third angel is the last message of mercy committed to Christ's servants when Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of atonement. Immediately after its proclamation the Son of man is seen coming in glory to reap the harvest of the earth.
Daily Life and Service
The warning message calls for genuine faith and spirituality shown in life apart from worldly practices, with lives giving faithful witness to that message. Those without guile and without fault hold fast integrity and cling to Jesus as refuge, obeying, living for and loving Him, with speech free from deceit. They keep themselves unspotted from the world while multitudes serve mammon, and are most happy and precious in God's sight through faith which works by love and purifies the soul. They exemplify lofty Christian principles by personal connection with the Source of light, constant improvement, cultivation of every faculty, and unbending uprightness and integrity distinguishing them as children of the most high God. A life connected with God and governed by Christ's principles is marked by purity and integrity, with affections set on heavenly rather than earthly things and upright dealings in every part of life including business.
For workers for God this means conversion with sound, virtuous character and a pure heart, with no deceit in speech and a life matching the truth taught. They must remember Christ is by their side and that every sinful practice however secret is open and visible before God. Though sin has marred the divine image in man, through Christ it can be restored, and only through earnest prayer and conquest of self can a person partake of the divine nature and rise toward perfection of character. This requires strong faith that expects much from God and puts little confidence in self, receiving according to faith, with purity of heart and thought and holiness of life and character. Such sanctified ministers are open as the day and free from every taint of evil, and a sanctified ministry and press become a power flashing light on this untoward generation to gather the Lord's commandment-keeping host with sanctified hearts to hear increased light and triumph over every opposing element.
True ministers know the value of the inward working of the Holy Spirit, are content with simplicity in religious services, give principal attention to study of the Word, and render praise from the heart rather than making much of popular singing. Above outward adorning they regard the inward adorning of a meek and quiet spirit, practicing truth in daily life as trees of righteousness bearing the fruits of the Spirit and revealing the eternal verity of God's kingdom. Within the family parents are to guard their words and raise their children, whom God has purchased with His blood, for immortal life and readiness to belong to Him in heaven. Students must seek Christ's cleansing presence continually so their characters are transformed and they may see the kingdom of God.
Children and youth receive eternal life in the city of God as the reward of home obedience, being helpful and submissive, not striving for their own way, striving against sin, believing and waiting and watching for Christ's appearing, submitting to parental authority, loving the Lord Jesus and representing Christ in character. They stand without spot or wrinkle before God's throne and enjoy His favor forever because they have formed lovely characters, guarded speech from falsehood and actions from all evil, and are crowned with everlasting life. Those in charge of a sanitarium are to be pure-minded and whole-souled men with no deceit in speech, from highest to lowliest conducting themselves with strictest propriety and never putting on affected false show to gain favor nor becoming common or familiar. Their manners and tone are to be guarded so patients receive no wrong impression, preserving a becoming dignity that favorably impresses visitors and patients and increases confidence in the institution.
Standing without fault involves being clean and holy with no guile in the mouth, in outward neatness, cleanliness and order as well as inward holiness, for heaven is neatness and order and a filthy person is not owned as a Christian and has no place there. God gave definite commands about cleanliness to Israel and has not changed. Light about health is given so His people can obey Him and glorify Him in body and spirit which belong to Him, reaching the hope of standing without fault before His throne through continued reform and forsaking every wrong. Those awaiting Christ's return and translation are to cleanse body and spirit, practice temperance, obey God's claims and take health reform seriously, since right habits support health, character, usefulness and ability to understand and live out truth, showing earnest interest in helping others learn these principles, being zealous in good works and guarding against sensual indulgence.
Those who receive God's commendation hold fast to truth and put away every form of falsehood, because God acknowledges no falsehood, and their faithfulness prepares them to be approved in the day of judgment. This purity is joined to being sanctified through the truth, with God's representatives united with one another and cooperating with heaven. Those who have heard the special warning messages are to gain an experience very different from the Jewish nation that rejected Christ, coming to their senses and making life an expression of genuine faith and spirituality. Their words are free from deceit, malice, pride, impurity and levity, reflecting purity of heart and noble character, and the tongue is controlled only by divine grace and not by human effort alone.
Revelation 14:5 portrays the 144,000 redeemed from the earth and from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, who follow the Lamb wherever He goes and stand with Him on Mount Zion with the Father's name in their foreheads. No guile in their mouth means speech and life free from deceit, falseness, hypocrisy, exaggeration and idle words, with pure, truthful, gracious words flowing from a pure heart cleansed of secret motive and pretense. Without fault before the throne of God means every moral defect remedied and every stain cleansed, with robes washed white in the Lamb's blood and clothed in His righteousness as a spotless robe. This fitness comes by laying hold of Christ's merits and doing their part in overcoming sin through cleansing by the truth, daily growth, obedience, prayer and resistance until without spot or wrinkle. They are redeemed from among the living through great tribulation and the time of trouble, sealed with the seal of the living God while keeping God's commandments and the faith of Jesus, and stand finally victorious and delivered with the Lamb on Mount Zion.
The Company Described
The verse portrays the 144,000 as overcomers redeemed from the earth and from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. They stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion with the Father's name in their foreheads, undefiled, following the Lamb wherever He goes. They sing a new song that no others can learn, and its final mark is a mouth in which no guile is found, for they are without fault before the throne of God. That character is joined to preaching the everlasting gospel and practicing it in true missionary work after God's wisdom, with the third angel's message carried in clear, straight lines in its distinctive features to the whole world. They are the faithful who receive the seal of the living God while Satan accuses them.
They are truthful with no guile in speech and without fault before God's throne. Their lives on earth are marked by trusting, loving, willing obedience, and they belong to the company clothed with Christ's salvation with a living connection with Jesus Christ. Their white linen is the righteousness of the saints.
The verse belongs to the connected sequence of Revelation 13:1-14:5 running through past, present and future events to the complete redemption of those who have overcome the beast and its image and stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Revelation 14 presents truths connected with the everlasting gospel that distinguish Christ's church at His appearing, with the threefold message identifying a people who keep God's commandments and have the faith of Jesus. This is the last message of mercy committed to Christ's servants when Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of atonement, and immediately after its proclamation the Son of man is seen coming in glory to reap the harvest of the earth.
It belongs to a special movement under the messages of Revelation 14 relating to the past and the future and to Christ's closing work in heaven and His people's work on earth. Together with light on the sanctuary question and the Sabbath truth it is present truth given after the disappointment, carried from city to city and town to town to the cities of the East and shining on the pathway of the scattered believers concerning the near advent of the Lord, received gladly by some and turned from by others to the loss of their hold on God and His truth. It belongs to the last message of warning that all are to hear, while the prophecies of Revelation 12 to 18 are being fulfilled. The third angel's message is symbolized as a loud proclamation to be sounded everywhere as the world prepares for the closing work, and receiving its truth brings responsibility to act on it.
The meaning of the 144,000 and who will be included in that number is a mystery God has not revealed, not to be used for seeking new and strange doctrines nor worked upon by imagination, with full understanding to be given in heaven where Christ will open the truths of His Word and unfold mysteries that cannot now be grasped. One position identifies them as Jews who will acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah. Sealed believers who die beforehand remain part of the company, resting in the grave through the time of trouble and coming up at the voice of God to stand upon the earth with the 144,000, so that their death is gain and no cause for mourning except for the loss of their company, and results in good.
In vision they triumph after being delivered during the time of Jacob's trouble, with faces shining with the glory of God. Alone they are permitted to enter the temple on Mount Zion as a distinct company among the redeemed gathered in the new earth, where martyrs wear pure white robes and brilliant crowns, among saints who have come through great tribulation, remained faithful, and will share in the life and worship of the new earth. They have washed their robes in Jesus' blood and stood stiffly for His truth, giving them a perfect right in the city, and they ascend to the sea of glass and stand there in a perfect square, clothed in glorious white mantles from shoulders to feet, crowned by Jesus Himself with His own right hand, given harps of gold and palms of victory, each fully satisfied with his crown though crowns differ in brightness and in number of stars. Jesus opens the pearly gate and bids them enter in, and they march over the sea of glass to the gate and into the city to the tree of life and the throne of God, where a pure river of water flows from the throne with the tree of life on either side with trunks of pure transparent gold. Those who remain faithful may join them in visiting the worlds and seeing God's works.
No Guile in Speech
No guile means speech free from deceit, falseness and hypocrisy, simple, straightforward, truthful and pure in both speech and life. Such speech fits for fellowship with the holy ones, for those prepared to join them learn this plain truthfulness now. It is not only freedom from deception but purity that avoids jesting, trifling and unchaste conversation.
Guilelessness excludes foolish, senseless, false, careless, meaningless, silly and idle words, and likewise malice, pride, impurity and levity. Words are to be pure, clean, refined and gracious rather than coarse, rough or rude, reflecting purity of heart and noble character. The pattern is Christ, in whose lips was no guile, prevarication or falsehood, and idle or foolish speech dishonors Him by misrepresenting His character. The tongue cannot be mastered by human effort alone but only by divine grace. This purity of speech belongs to a holy character formed in following the example of unfallen angels, fitting for translation.
Guile is absent from the mouth because it is absent from the heart, with no guile in lips, motives, or undercurrent working and deception in practice. There is no secret underhanded pretense for any purpose, but openness as the day, living as seeing Him who is invisible. This requires turning from every evil way and separating from sin and sinners, with the soul-temple cleansed of moral defilement and self crucified. Secret deceptive working was Satan's way in the rebellion in heaven, and is shunned in every form however presented. Where truth is only comprehended by reasoning power without thorough conversion and Christ entertained in the house, religion denies Christ and leaves the home unsanctified and tainted, and corrupt, common, low, earthly, sensual conversation and boisterous ways prove inner corruption that becomes a savor of death to observing children instead of a savor of life.
Putting away guile means putting away all exaggeration, misstatements and everything untrue, and every secret work. It means putting away cheap, low conversation and actions in preparation for the pure and holy life of heaven. It forbids lying to gain advantage, taking another's property, or undermining another. It forbids indulging any impure thought, speaking any word approaching sensuality, or doing anything having the least appearance of evil, with moral powers ruling every thought, word and action and the senses guarded under the control of Christ's religion amid sensuality. It forbids self-love, evil thinking and evil speaking that depreciates brethren and magnifies supposed errors, for those strong in themselves who think evil and speak evil have guile in the mouth; fully believing in Christ and looking at the cross gives a right estimate of even erring men as purchased with His blood, leading to modest self-estimate, discernment of precious traits in brethren, faith in God and man, respect for God's children, and repentance of past mistakes.
Positively, lips speak only pure words suggesting pure, choice thoughts that elevate, ennoble and sanctify. Those without guile find highest joy in talking of Christ and His daily converting power on the soul, spending no time on defects of others or stirring up strife, but dwelling on the best characteristics of those for whom He died. There is no unkindliness in speech or attitude, but kindness, courtesy, grace and love with deep interest in spiritual things, learning here in this educating school the language of Canaan in harmony with heaven for entrance to the higher grade. With an eye single to God's glory and no moment given to trifling conversation, joking or trifling, they are yet the most cheerful and happy people because Christ is bound up in their life, using all entrusted to them to bless associates, comfort the poor and afflicted with comforting and kind words, and diffuse light as Christ did in scattering gems of truth that remain in hearts and draw souls. Entrance on this guileless condition belongs not only to the wise, the great, teachers of doctrine or busy zealous workers, but to peacemakers actuated by an abiding Christ and humble workers whose highest ambition is God's service.
Those with guile bruise, imprison, humiliate, grieve, bind, condemn and oppress fellow men to compel worship of an idol sabbath without Scripture authority and to make them untrue to God's law. They have deceit in mouth and spirit with falseness and hypocrisy, developing the attributes of Satan the falsifier and following another leader rather than the Lamb whithersoever He goes. Following the Lamb in heaven requires first following Him on earth in trustful, loving, willing, confident, truthful obedience as a flock follows a shepherd, not fretfully or capriciously, as children of God on Mount Zion girt for holy service and clothed in white linen which is the righteousness of the saints. Christ's example is opposite, for He came not to break down moral power but to restore it, to break oppression and release bondage to Satan. Those with guile show that if Christ were on earth as at His first advent they would follow Him as spies as did unbelieving Jews to condemn Him, and with opportunity and power would do as Nebuchadnezzar did in setting up his golden image in the plain of Dura.
Without Fault in Character
Without fault means every moral defect remedied, every stain cleansed by Christ's blood, and every harmful trait overcome, with murmuring, censure, fretfulness and every other source of discord put away, for only those prepared in character for heaven will be there. It is clean hands and a pure heart, not lifting the soul to vanity nor swearing deceitfully, walking uprightly, working righteousness and keeping truth in the heart. Freedom from all guile means freedom from professional falseness and hollow hypocrisy, not concealing convictions of duty from fear of persecution nor following the false shepherd, but maintaining principle at all hazard and following Jesus by walking uprightly and surely by a Thus saith the Lord. If such suffer for truth they share Christ's suffering and will share His glory, receiving blessing and righteousness from God as a grand, cheering and uplifting promise.
This state comes wholly through Christ, whose redeemed have washed their robes of character white in the Lamb's blood and are clothed with His salvation and righteousness as a spotless robe. They are pardoned, accepted, honored, sealed, and made eternally secure from the tempter, with their sins transferred to Satan, divested of self-righteousness and arrayed in Christ's righteousness. As they follow Jesus' example and keep Him as the perfect pattern, beholding Christ they are changed into His divine image and brought into harmony with His character. So redeemed from among the living, they pass through great tribulation and the time of trouble and endure God's judgments without an intercessor, yet are delivered and serve before His throne as truthful and without fault before God.
Thorough preparation and cleansing through the truth is required, and God cleanses all who submit to the purifying process. The provision for cleansing is made through Christ's blood, but people must take hold of its merits by faith and do their part in overcoming errors, sins and imperfections of character, gaining strength through His grace and power to stand victorious before God. This requires personal effort and responsibility that no one else can do for them, faithfulness in small duties, walking in God's light, prayer and resistance to temptation, daily growth in Christian character by cultivating the graces of the Spirit and faithfully obeying the light given. God permits the furnace fires of affliction to burn away dross, to refine and purify and cleanse from the defilement of sin and self-love, bringing people to know God and to become acquainted with Jesus Christ by walking with Him as Enoch did. Whole interest in the truth and in the preparatory work sanctifies through the truth and gives fitness for immortality, and the preparation must go on until God's people stand before His throne without fault, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, putting eternal things first and serving God willingly in His blessing and Christ's peace.
Such purity fits them to stand before God as candidates for heaven and is connected with the character required of those who receive God's seal, with no deceit in speech or hearts. Their pure speech and character are developed by following Christ step by step, overcoming unruly tongues and anything defiling the lips or heart. The truth elevates the receiver, refines taste and sanctifies judgment, making a people holy in character, comely in manners and free from deceit in speech, fitted step by step for translation to live with angels who never fell. This true thorough heart work appears in elevated, noble, agreeable and courteous conduct that secures respect and wins souls even while bearing pointed testimony, for separation from the world does not allow coarseness, roughness or low rugged expressions. Reaching this faultless condition requires living out holy faith by continually adding virtue to faith, knowledge to virtue, and the following graces.
It gives confidence in God's love and grace rather than doubt measured by feelings. Those described hold fast their confidence and do not depart from the faith once delivered to the saints while standing amid moral darkness and corruption. They live in the closest relationship to God as objects of His sparing mercy and pardoning love, and more than this as those over whom He rejoices and delights and for whom He is surety as a loving Father. He beautifies all who serve Him with a whole heart with the spirit of holiness, clothes them with righteousness, and loves those who do His will and express His image. All who are true and faithful are conformed to the image of His Son, made like Him, truthful in speech and blameless before His throne.
End-Time Trial and Triumph
The 144,000 are redeemed from among the living, having passed through great tribulation and the time of trouble, even the time of Jacob's trouble, and having endured the outpouring of God's judgments while standing without an intercessor. They are delivered because they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and their truthfulness and freedom from guile belong to their blameless standing without fault before God as they serve before His throne. After that deliverance they triumph with faces shining with the glory of God.
They are the faithful who receive the seal of the living God while Satan accuses them, sealed with the mark of truth through the Holy Spirit. That sealing belongs to those who grieve over sins in God's professed people because they love purity and God's honor and recognize sin's great evil, in the closing work of the church. In the final conflict over God's law they stand apart from the determined effort to destroy the Sabbath memorial of creation and to set a spurious sabbath in its place to bring worldwide apostasy against God's law. In contrast to professed Christians who are not sealed, who give a man-made institution the glory due to God's Sabbath and compel its worship as idolatry, they remain loyal to God and morally clean in His presence, refusing to bow to earthly decrees against the King of heaven as patient saints keeping God's commandments and the faith of Jesus, and so they escape the retributive judgments poured out without mixture of mercy upon unrepentant despisers of God's law.
They are the loyal and true who remain after the final sifting in a terrible ordeal that must take place, when Satan works miracles to deceive and sets up his power as supreme and the church appears as about to fall but does not fall. Then the sinners in Zion are sifted out as chaff separated from the precious wheat, and none but those overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony are found in that company without spot or stain of sin and without guile in their mouths. This means being divested of self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ, as a remnant purifying their souls by obeying the truth, gathering strength from the trying process and exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid surrounding apostasy, held in everlasting remembrance as graven upon the palms of God's hands. Finally victorious and delivered, they stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion bearing the Father's name instead of the beast's mark, and their defining character includes deep consecration and unity as those free from guile and without fault before God's throne.
Gospel Message and Doctrine
Revelation 14:5 describes the character of God's people in the last days, without guile in speech and without fault before God's throne, belonging to the 144,000 who stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion with the Father's name in their foreheads, redeemed from the earth and from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, undefiled, following the Lamb wherever He goes, with a new song no others can learn. That character is joined to preaching the everlasting gospel and practicing it in true missionary work carried forward after the wisdom of God and not after wisdom men devise, with the third angel's message, which includes the first and second, as of consequence to the whole world to be carried in clear, straight lines in its distinctive features. The first and second angels' messages have been proclaimed and the third is now being given to fallen churches and to those who have never yet heard the truth for this time, not only in lands far off but in neglected places close by where multitudes dwell unwarned and unsaved, in a long-delayed work now to be done with decided efforts. Work in the cities is of special importance, by carefully selected workers laboring two and two in harmony with experienced counsel under the direction and commission of Jesus Christ, and its proclamation makes prominent the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
By the messages of the first, second, and third angels they are separated from the churches and from the world and brought into sacred nearness to God, called as ancient Israel was called to stand as a light in the earth. They are made the depositaries of His law and entrusted with the great truths of prophecy for this time to communicate to the world, going forth as His agents and watchmen and light-bearers to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth, with nothing permitted to hinder the work. The love Jesus manifested in His sacrifice for redemption actuates all His followers to value souls and to preach the gospel to every creature, to save souls, to warn the world, and to exalt the Sabbath of Jehovah as a perpetual sign between God and His people.
Through the threefold message a class is brought to keep God's commandments and to worship God as Creator. This worship and obedience is especially connected with the fourth commandment, for the seventh-day Sabbath is the memorial of creation and a sign of loyalty to the Creator.
The warning of the third angel is the last message of mercy committed to Christ's servants when Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of atonement. Immediately after its proclamation the Son of man is seen coming in glory to reap the harvest of the earth.
Daily Life and Service
The warning message calls for genuine faith and spirituality shown in life apart from worldly practices, with lives giving faithful witness to that message. Those without guile and without fault hold fast integrity and cling to Jesus as refuge, obeying, living for and loving Him, with speech free from deceit. They keep themselves unspotted from the world while multitudes serve mammon, and are most happy and precious in God's sight through faith which works by love and purifies the soul. They exemplify lofty Christian principles by personal connection with the Source of light, constant improvement, cultivation of every faculty, and unbending uprightness and integrity distinguishing them as children of the most high God. A life connected with God and governed by Christ's principles is marked by purity and integrity, with affections set on heavenly rather than earthly things and upright dealings in every part of life including business.
For workers for God this means conversion with sound, virtuous character and a pure heart, with no deceit in speech and a life matching the truth taught. They must remember Christ is by their side and that every sinful practice however secret is open and visible before God. Though sin has marred the divine image in man, through Christ it can be restored, and only through earnest prayer and conquest of self can a person partake of the divine nature and rise toward perfection of character. This requires strong faith that expects much from God and puts little confidence in self, receiving according to faith, with purity of heart and thought and holiness of life and character. Such sanctified ministers are open as the day and free from every taint of evil, and a sanctified ministry and press become a power flashing light on this untoward generation to gather the Lord's commandment-keeping host with sanctified hearts to hear increased light and triumph over every opposing element.
True ministers know the value of the inward working of the Holy Spirit, are content with simplicity in religious services, give principal attention to study of the Word, and render praise from the heart rather than making much of popular singing. Above outward adorning they regard the inward adorning of a meek and quiet spirit, practicing truth in daily life as trees of righteousness bearing the fruits of the Spirit and revealing the eternal verity of God's kingdom. Within the family parents are to guard their words and raise their children, whom God has purchased with His blood, for immortal life and readiness to belong to Him in heaven. Students must seek Christ's cleansing presence continually so their characters are transformed and they may see the kingdom of God.
Children and youth receive eternal life in the city of God as the reward of home obedience, being helpful and submissive, not striving for their own way, striving against sin, believing and waiting and watching for Christ's appearing, submitting to parental authority, loving the Lord Jesus and representing Christ in character. They stand without spot or wrinkle before God's throne and enjoy His favor forever because they have formed lovely characters, guarded speech from falsehood and actions from all evil, and are crowned with everlasting life. Those in charge of a sanitarium are to be pure-minded and whole-souled men with no deceit in speech, from highest to lowliest conducting themselves with strictest propriety and never putting on affected false show to gain favor nor becoming common or familiar. Their manners and tone are to be guarded so patients receive no wrong impression, preserving a becoming dignity that favorably impresses visitors and patients and increases confidence in the institution.
Standing without fault involves being clean and holy with no guile in the mouth, in outward neatness, cleanliness and order as well as inward holiness, for heaven is neatness and order and a filthy person is not owned as a Christian and has no place there. God gave definite commands about cleanliness to Israel and has not changed. Light about health is given so His people can obey Him and glorify Him in body and spirit which belong to Him, reaching the hope of standing without fault before His throne through continued reform and forsaking every wrong. Those awaiting Christ's return and translation are to cleanse body and spirit, practice temperance, obey God's claims and take health reform seriously, since right habits support health, character, usefulness and ability to understand and live out truth, showing earnest interest in helping others learn these principles, being zealous in good works and guarding against sensual indulgence.
Those who receive God's commendation hold fast to truth and put away every form of falsehood, because God acknowledges no falsehood, and their faithfulness prepares them to be approved in the day of judgment. This purity is joined to being sanctified through the truth, with God's representatives united with one another and cooperating with heaven. Those who have heard the special warning messages are to gain an experience very different from the Jewish nation that rejected Christ, coming to their senses and making life an expression of genuine faith and spirituality. Their words are free from deceit, malice, pride, impurity and levity, reflecting purity of heart and noble character, and the tongue is controlled only by divine grace and not by human effort alone.