Romans 13:11, commentary and pictures

Knowing the time means recognizing the urgency of the present hour, that now it is high time to awake out of spiritual sleep because salvation is nearer than when belief began, with no time to lose and no safety in delay. The night is far spent and the day is at hand, for the end of all things is at hand and Christ's coming, redemption and the completion of salvation draw nearer with each passing year and day while probation shortens and soon closes. The time is known by calamities on land and sea, wars, earthquakes, fire and flood, distress and judgments, and by moral darkness filling the cup of apostasy as in the days of Noah, which are God's means to arouse men and women to a sense of their danger. To awake is to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light and the Lord Jesus Christ, walking honestly, growing in grace, loving the neighbor and purifying life and household, and to work while opportunity lasts carrying the final warning to cities and all unwarned multitudes. Those who remain asleep in carnal security and self-confidence will be overtaken as by a thief in the night, so all must be always ready with every sin confessed and lamps trimmed and burning before it is everlastingly too late.

Knowing the Urgent Time

Knowing the time means recognizing the urgency of the present hour, for now it is high time to awake out of spiritual sleep because salvation is nearer than when belief began. As each year passes probation shortens and believers draw nearer to Christ's coming, so every energy is to be used to prepare, to live faithfully, to turn from worldly pursuits, and not to relax zeal, for there is no time to lose and no safety in delay. That urgency calls for active readiness and faithful Christian service and for working while opportunity lasts, including responding to the needs of the cities and obeying the Lord's charge. It is joined to love doing no harm to a neighbor and fulfilling the law, and to casting off works of darkness and putting on the armor of light, requiring long patience toward those who do not see as clearly because truth itself creates resistance in many hearts. The approaching day calls for turning from sinful conduct and living in readiness for salvation.

Sleep is spiritual dullness, slumber, lethargy and carnal security in which God's people are not fully awake. It is being rocked in the cradle of carnal security, blinded to individual spiritual need in these perilous times, absorbed in building up selfish interests, clinging to the world and lacking sacrifice. It includes self-indulgence, loss of zeal, and holding truth in unrighteousness that blinds discernment between sacred and common and lets animal powers rule over the moral and spiritual. Occasional awakenings are not enough if worldly cares and thoughts so occupy the mind that God, heaven and the soul are neglected and people fall back into deeper slumber. Awakening therefore means putting away all self-exaltation and absorption in selfish interests and working in unity and unselfishness with humility of heart, seeking the Spirit of God daily to be kept from evil thoughts, unwise actions and lifting the soul to vanity, for truth and righteousness alone will stand the test for this time.

The night is far spent and the day is at hand. The end of all things is at hand, the Lord is at the door, the day of the Lord is right at hand, and this is the time of the last days. Christ is closer now than at first faith, and the end is closer than when faith was first exercised. That nearness calls for solemn minds and earnest putting away of everything offensive to God, with elevation, purification, refinement and ennoblement by sacred truth, and warns that it is not safe to delay His coming. To wake is to be awake to discern the signs of the times and to give warning to the people, taking the opposite course from those who quiet alarm by crying peace, peace, and arousing men with the message of Christ's near coming, while those who put far off the day will have His coming as a thief in the night and be suddenly overtaken with destruction, but believers who are not of night nor of darkness must not sleep as others do but watch and be sober.

The first awakening when believers were awakened to accept present truth for that time deeply affected their hearts and led them to love one another. Awakening now means returning to that first love, unity and earnestness felt at first belief. It means leaving faultfinding, unbelief and speaking against one another, praying for ministers as watchmen, strengthening younger workers for the great work, coming from the outskirts of the camp to the front, bearing testimonies full of light and courage under Christ's teaching and blessing, loving Jesus more, standing unmoved under opposition, and letting sanctifying truth make the soul holy.

Salvation Nearer Than Believed

Salvation being nearer than when belief began means Christ's coming, redemption and the completion of salvation draw closer with each passing year and day, the great controversy is nearing its end, probation is shortening and soon to close, and the days of probation are nearly ended. As each year passes believers are brought nearer to that coming, so the time calls for waking from spiritual sleep, using every energy to prepare, living faithfully and turning from worldly pursuits rather than relaxing zeal. God's day is nearer now than when the truth was first accepted, and judgments in the land give solemn warning to be ready. The closing work still lies ahead and the time is urgent for proclaiming the message of warning to the world.

Because each year brings that coming nearer, the nearness calls for greater earnestness, zeal and fervor, since present dangers are greater and people are more hardened. Waking means redeeming the time because the days are evil, putting all God-given abilities, time, strength and influence into work for lost souls, improving and developing the mind to enlighten others, and faithfully using entrusted talents. Every believer including lay members is to carry a burden for souls, yoke with Christ, be a channel of light, and cooperate with heavenly agencies rather than grieve heaven by refusal and inaction. Each passing hour matters eternally, for heavenly work is preparing people for coming events, and words spoken, deeds done and the spirit of the message can shape souls toward everlasting life or eternal death. Despised privilege, wasted hours, misused strength and neglected duty are registered in the books of heaven and must be met in the judgment.

The end of all things is at hand, the Lord is at the door and the day of the Lord is right at hand, calling for solemn minds and earnest separation from everything offensive to God, with no safety in delaying His coming. Its nearness gives reason to thank God that people are not yet before the judgment seat but still have Christ as Intercessor. He loved each one and gave His precious life for each individually as though no other soul existed, making each of infinite value to Him.

Since the end is much nearer than when belief began, believers must maintain close connection with the Lord and not be surprised when strange things happen in the future. Such exhibitions include reckless life-risking displays such as men flying through the air to draw crowds, which do not save souls. They are inspired not by the God of heaven but by Satan.

The Son of man will come at an unexpected time, so the great event of meeting the Lord being now nearer than at first belief means believers must be always ready in the evening, at morning and at noon. Readiness means going to rest at night with every sin confessed, as was done when the Lord was first expected. When the cry Behold the Bridegroom cometh sounds, even those awakened out of sleep must go forth to meet Him with lamps trimmed and burning. That awakening is for the work of seeking and saving the lost in Christ's lines, seeking power from God, praying and never resting until imbued with the Spirit of God with Christ formed within as the hope of glory, letting light shine so truth triumphs, working in different ways and devising different methods while God labors with man to reveal truth and Himself as the sin-pardoning Saviour, and working intelligently with wisdom from God.

Signs That Time Is Known

Calamities on land and sea, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, tornadoes, and destruction by fire and flood with great loss of life and property testify that the end is at hand. Distress in the world and in the heavens shows that the kingdom of God is at hand, and there is no time to lose in advancing the work and moving forward in faith with many more faithful workers. Judgments of God are hanging over the cities, which will soon be visited by calamity like that which recently befell Italy, and the day of the Lord is hasting greatly. The nearness shown by these signs demands zeal, full purpose of heart in seeking the Lord, giving the last message of warning without delay, and directing sinners to the fountain that washes away guilt to ready a people for that day.

These calamities only appear to be capricious outbreaks of disorganized, unregulated forces. In them God's purpose may be read, for they are one of the means by which He seeks to arouse men and women to a sense of their danger. God's judgments have already begun to call through such events because the great controversy is nearing its end and salvation is nearer than when first believed.

The time is known by moral darkness, with the world rapidly filling up its cup of apostasy and becoming as it was in the days of Noah. It is known by changes and turmoil and violence and crime on all sides, an outlook that alarms even intelligent people. Seeing this evidence means not sleeping now but waking up with an arousing on all sides, becoming better prepared day by day, letting light shine, and setting in operation every agency for missionary work by bringing all powers into active service. It means making decided efforts to sustain those giving the last message of mercy and giving weight to the warning by practical religion, sanctification by the truth, and true following of the meek and lowly Saviour so as to win souls.

Wars, earthquakes and other calamities occur while the angels hold back the four winds until God's servants are sealed. The remaining opportunity is a gracious respite. Those who know the truth must use it without delay to warn the world.

Recognizing the events surrounding the Religious Amendment as a fulfillment of prophecy should rouse believers to meet the demands of the crisis and wake from spiritual stupor to prepare for it. Now is the time to awake out of sleep and not act as a church asleep while the Sunday question works its way to the front, but to be awake and active against those at the head of the Sunday movement who will wrestle for the victory and refuse to let them have it. Urgency is required because Satan is working to block the progress of the message by pushing for a Sunday law that would bring slavery in the southern field and shut the door to keeping the true Sabbath God gave men to keep holy, the law He proclaimed from heaven on Mt. Sinai that all who belong to the people of God must observe.

Knowing the time means understanding the importance of passing events, being earnest to gather up important truths for admonition at the end of the world, and acting with solemnity in view of the great day of God. Those who diligently and prayerfully search Scripture can understand approaching events and receive greater light as they follow the light already given, while neglecting or rejecting available light leaves people in darkness. There is no time for speculative ideas or haphazard movements, and all who believe the truth must feel its solemnity and make ready to stand in that day.

Holy Life of Awakened

To awake is to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, to walk honestly as in the day without rioting and drunkenness, without chambering and wantonness, without strife and envying, to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts, and to put on the whole armor of God. The night is far spent and the day is at hand, salvation is nearer than when belief began, and the time is known and urgent for waking out of sleep. Because truth itself creates resistance in many hearts, those awake show long patience toward those who do not see as they do.

Profession without living Christian principle controlling conduct and character dishonors God and leaves the soul an easy prey to temptation. Those without sanctifying truth in the life have no moral power to resist Satan's masterly efforts to involve married men and women and children and youth in impure practices, low and vile thought, common talk and deportment, wantonness, iniquity and adultery. Such profession stands exposed as a sign of the soon coming of Jesus Christ, calling those claiming sacred truth to be elevated, purified, refined and ennobled by it.

Awakening means growing in grace and being sanctified body, soul and spirit by the truth, breaking away from all health-destroying indulgences while all creation groans under the curse. That break gives clearer perception of true godliness and brings a wonderful change in religious experience. It requires rejecting intemperance and fleshly indulgence which weaken the mind and hinder appreciation of eternal things, turning from sinful habits and living under Christ's rule, living honestly and putting away works of darkness and putting on Christ. It means becoming intelligent about the body, refusing to let sin reign in the mortal body by obeying its lusts, making no provision for the flesh, yielding self and members to God as alive from the dead for righteousness, stopping encouragement and indulgence of wrong appetites at health's expense, and glorifying God in body and spirit as those bought with a price and temples of the Holy Ghost. Sleep is indulgence of appetite wasting physical energies, weakening moral power, deadening perceptive faculties so sacred and eternal things cannot be discerned, and bringing retribution for transgression of physical law, so awaking requires conversion in heart and mind and soul from self-indulgence to self-denial and self-sacrifice made possible because Christ gave His life to purchase redemption.

Applied to health work, awakening demands standing as watchful sentinels for health reform without compromise for patronage. It refuses to serve or sanction flesh meat that makes and keeps the sick sick, refuses to employ physicians or nurses unwilling to walk in the full light of health reform, and refuses to establish sanitariums for indulging perverted appetite. It is carried out by united labor of physician and minister with sanitariums established to preach true temperance.

Bible temperance and health reform are to be taken hold of intelligently through education of the intellect and awakening of moral sensibility, as part of the Bible's teaching on temperance. Each person has individual accountability to follow this teaching, and articles of diet are not made a test question.

Love works no ill to a neighbor and is the fulfilling of the law, so awakening means examining self to see if the love of God is possessed. It lays off roughness, thrusts, bitter words, uncharitableness and warlike defense of truth, and is clothed with the garments of Christ and humility. It calls Christians to urgent work to convince others and to great reforms made in the love of Christ. Because indiscreet spoken or printed words turn souls away from truth and help them decide quickly against it, those awake show long patience with those who do not see as they do. It means reading and re-reading the Scripture defining the fruit of true Christianity as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, and restoring one overtaken in a fault in meekness and bearing burdens to fulfill the law of Christ, leaving men chosen of God far more to His management and far less to human wisdom, refusing to lift self against a fellow laborer or forbid his service or take God's place over him, and seeking God wholeheartedly in humility to be worked by the Holy Spirit rather than exalting self.

Awakening requires putting away all self-exaltation and absorption in selfish interests and working in unity and unselfishness with humility of heart. It puts away selfishness, sin, dishonesty, unbelief, criticism and fault-finding, jealousy, hatred, envy, malice, evil tempers, surmising and covetousness, believing Christ died for the world and for each person, needing an abiding Christ and living message inspired by the Holy Spirit, not a divided heart or lifeless message. It means no longer working against God under Satan's control and darkness, no longer acting on principles of the power of darkness, putting off selfishness and darkness and unrighteousness, no longer abusing sacred principles of heaven, no longer claiming to be Christian while showing Satan's character, holding back truth in spirit, word and action, grasping authority that does not belong, and offering common fire while claiming to be the temple, lest the history and unbelief of Israel be repeated. It means carrying the torch of truth into dark places, stopping criticism of others and severely criticizing one's own words and motives, refusing the enemy's methods, holding confidence firm to the end, uprooting envy, malice, hatred and unbelief grown into sturdy plants and supplying love, patience, forbearance, kindness, benevolence, tenderheartedness and meekness in their place. It requires having the Spirit of God daily to be kept from evil thoughts and unwise actions and from lifting the soul unto vanity, and to keep from being blinded to individual spiritual need in these perilous times, because truth and righteousness alone will stand the test.

Awakening calls for personal religion and family piety, which give clear understanding of each one's part in building up God's cause, vindicating His downtrodden law, and uplifting Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away sin. It means living under great responsibility, watching unto prayer, guarding against habits of sin, keeping watch over the tongue, watching for opportunities to do good and bless others, ever looking to Jesus and growing in grace and knowledge of truth. It means living the higher life in the lower life of this world while working for time and eternity, forming a well-built harmonious character by addition, laying grace upon grace in good deeds, faith, patience, temperance, benevolence, courage and self-denial through Christ's provision, built stone on stone to catch divine light and shine on others in darkness while the universe looks on. Households are in great need of purification, fathers and mothers to purify themselves even as Christ is pure, to be perfect in their sphere even as God is perfect in His, to be conformed to heaven's will instead of backsliding. They put away murmuring and complaining as disrespect to God, since they live in His dwelling place as members of His family by creation and redemption, cherish respect and tenderness for associates, never mar and scar others' life and spirit, so that miracle-working power seen in life and character testifies they have been with Jesus. To awake is to be sanctified through obedience to the Father's will, to exercise all energy of character to improve, to cherish Christ's attributes, which gives happiness and enjoyment of the Sabbath and lifts to higher trust. Watching, waiting, working becomes the motto, using every power for the Lord above temporal interest without faintheartedness or fear because God is with them, meeting together for instruction in personal religion, family piety, division of labor and harmonious action.

Awakening means receiving precious Bible light appropriate for this time showing perils right upon us. That light leads to diligent study of Scripture and most critical examination of positions held, thoroughly and perseveringly searching all bearings of truth with prayer and fasting instead of resting in suppositions and ill-defined ideas. Faith must be firmly founded on God's word so that when testing comes and believers are brought before councils they can give a reason for hope with meekness and fear. Sleep is self-confidence feeling no need for more truth and greater light while Satan works on every side, an attitude not pleasing to God, so waking means a voice rousing to action. Those who diligently and prayerfully search Scripture can understand approaching events, while neglecting or rejecting available light leaves darkness, and those sincerely seeking God's will and following given light receive greater light. To awake is to accept every ray God gives and go forward to greater light, reaching heights and depths attainable, with present light as justification by faith, Christ our righteousness, bringing growth in faith and knowledge of Christ with minds filled with His excellency and character made like His.

Awakening means earnestly beginning repentance and reformation, searching Scripture to learn truth as in Jesus, giving self wholly to God and making entire consecration, urgent because Satan actively deceives and Christ is at the door. It means humbling the heart, experiencing genuine thorough conversion, for those who have seen and heard much to confirm faith yet lack repentance stand wrong with God and will repeat past plans unless humbled and converted into lasting unity. It means putting on the wedding garment Christ provided to be prepared to work in His lines, refusing grace in vain, interesting all in doing good, uniting heart and soul to uplift and enlighten, laboring with humble devoted reverence consecrating entire service and capabilities. It means realizing danger from fierce assaults and not being ignorant of devices, refusing carnal security, being wide awake watching and waiting, praying and working, for God alone prepares refuge and human wisdom is as straw without daily consecration and the Holy Spirit, with the soul at stake whether hid with Christ or perishing. It means coming into self-sacrificing position so work is accepted, recognizing accountability, having truth in heart not mere profession, receiving converting power to understand a perishing world, washing robes white in the blood of the Lamb, praying as never before until burden for souls rests on the heart, getting ready to meet the Lord, trimming lamps and keeping them burning and letting truth shine into byways and hedges. The presence of a few fanatics and deceivers gives no reason to condemn the work, any more than in Paul's or Luther's day. The awakened life is filled with willing humble obedience in supreme love to God and fellow men, a path shining more and more unto the perfect day.

Awakening means shaking off carnal security, self-indulgence, loss of zeal, and holding truth in unrighteousness that blinds discernment between sacred and common and lets animal powers rule moral and spiritual. It means studying true position before God, seeing defects, feeling great need of help only He gives, setting heart and house in order, and seeking the Lord with humiliation, fasting and prayer so prayers of faith ascend with holy hands without wrath and doubting, using present opportunity before it is lost. It means seeking the Lord with all the heart, loving God wholly and neighbor as self, so all heaven is at command and God works through believers. Waking now is necessary to stand in the latter rain, to have part in the first resurrection, and to come off conquerors, while those cherishing sin fail and cannot stand. Those awake gain knowledge of truth keeping them from Satan's temptations and miracles and God's wrath, and accept pardon making scarlet as snow by submitting to refining.

Those in responsible positions with greater light, knowledge and advantages must stop trespassing true principles by treating ignorant undisciplined youth harshly, impatiently, fretfully and murmuringly. Instead they educate them patiently in Christ's pitying spirit as children with everything to learn, emitting light as connected with Christ the source of truth, justice and righteousness, remembering Christ will deal with them as they deal with the unfavored.

Awakening means entering vital godliness and living connection with God, watching and waiting and praying and working with no time for indolence or following worldly customs and practices. It refuses careless eating and drinking and planting and building and marrying as in days before the Flood. Everyone having the light of truth catches divine rays from Jesus and imparts truth to others.

Earnest Work While Probation Lingers

Awakening means working while opportunity lasts because the time for labor is short and the work will soon be finished. Every believer including lay members must carry a burden for souls, yoke with Christ, be channels of light, use every ability, time, strength and influence where they are beginning in the neighborhood, and cooperate with heavenly agencies rather than grieve heaven by refusal and inaction. Waking means redeeming the time because the days are evil, improving the mind to enlighten others, and faithfully using entrusted talents, since despised privilege, wasted hours, misused strength and neglected duty are registered in heaven to be met in judgment. It calls for intense energy and untiring effort to warn people in every place, doing one's utmost to share present truth, circulate literature and guide those needing clearer light.

Knowing the time means recognizing the needs of large cities and unwarned multitudes kept before brethren, so now is the moment to obey the Lord's charge and respond to the needs of the cities. Messengers of God must be left free to labor for the multitudes rather than drawn largely upon for help, while thousands constrained by God and waiting not to be urged diffuse light, open distinctly revealed truth, and minister in unenlightened communities and regions beyond until a skillful living preacher can instruct families. Definite self-denying effort must carry present truth, the commandments and the third angel's message to every unworked city, centers of commerce, regions beyond and out-of-the-way places before doors close, with everything done under the Lord's direction as the end nears and the work closes. To awake is to raise an army of workers rather than one or two to reach different classes, to settle in great cities like London and labor there, many as self-supporting missionaries, while those remaining with every convenience Sabbath after Sabbath support and do not hinder or impose hard conditions on those sent destitute to foreign fields.

Awakening means sounding the warning note as faithful sentinels and watchmen, proclaiming the final message of salvation through Christ and obedience to God's law, arousing sleepers to danger lest they sleep the sleep of death, and telling the time of night because the world is asleep and churches do not recognize their visitation. It means leaving idleness and discouragement, putting God's work ahead of worldly interests, actively doing one's utmost, guiding people who need clearer light, circulating literature and organizing canvassing campaigns so publications carrying present truth go to all places to enlighten the world about what lies ahead. To awake is to become laborers together with God in untiring missionary effort, revealing God's love in unselfish ministry that bears fruits of righteousness, awakens others to see the sinfulness of selfishness and to believe the word just as it reads, and shows God's great interest in sinners. That awakening brings refreshing by the Holy Spirit as a new baptism in His love like Pentecost after Christ's ascension, when waiting praying believing disciples received fullness and power reaching every heart, so sanctified truth sends forth holy influence, lightens the earth with God's glory, encircles it with grace, and works on hearts showing the things of God.

Awakening must be done with well-defined plans, divine guidance and a heart touched by Christ's love, not rushing ahead blindly without knowing what to do. It requires reconversion, searching the heart, losing no time on unimportant issues and trifles that waste means and talent and lose present opportunities, and instead laboring earnestly and wisely with intense energy and untiring industry to warn those in highways and byways and in nearby unwarned cities while probation still lingers. It means giving a certain trumpet sound, speaking Thus saith the Lord and It is written, bringing from the treasure house things new and old for the great work in the moral vineyard, and giving the warning line upon line under the Holy Spirit so everyone may understand truth and take an intelligent stand as judgments are already in the earth and men will soon be forced to great decisions.

Awakening calls the whole congregation not ministers only, including ministers, teachers and physicians, to see opportunities long unimproved within reach and to work as Christ worked with self-denial and self-sacrifice so salvation may be seen through personal effort presenting truth as in Jesus. Church members must make decided efforts to sustain those giving the last message by practical religion manifesting Bible principles, sanctification and following the meek Saviour to win souls, must examine use of church funds for evidence of God's work and the Spirit's help, and must support schools like Avondale that prepare missionaries. Waking means repentance for lack of self-denial, entire consecration, refusing to fold hands and leave work for another, spending less on self-indulgence, adorning and unneeded facilities and giving that money to sacred work, educating children to do missionary work and bring offerings, while fields in India, Australia, the South and foreign lands remain unworked.

Awakening means lifting up Jesus the Man of Calvary in prayer and song, letting light flash into heart then shining to others, warning the perishing in sin, practicing self-denial in view of meeting them in judgment, keeping all ten commandments in supreme love to God and love to neighbor, and directing sinners to the fountain that washes guilt while helping ready a people as calamities, wars and rumors testify the end and the great controversy nearing its end. The call lays duty to seek the Lord with full purpose, give the last warning without delay under the Holy Spirit, unite to prove God's law perfect in converting the soul, follow on to know the Lord and do His will to see His salvation, and continue in earnest prayer and faith trusting God will bring purposes to pass. Amid fearful perils and perplexities human plans cannot solve, a divine hand is on the wheel with Father, Son and Holy Spirit working irrespective of human inventions, putting heaven's infinite treasures at command of struggling people to gather a people serving in righteousness who break every human yoke and bind none on others.

Awakening means laying hold of the gospel as God's power unto salvation to everyone believing, which when utilized is more than a match for the enemy, and God meets the call as an overflowing fountain of life, strength, efficiency and power. Waking means refusing to let the Sunday question advance while the church sleeps in negligent sleep serving selfish interests and planning in darkness, and being awake and active against those at the head of the Sunday movement who will wrestle for victory, refusing to let them have it. It means doing the great work left undone, uplifting the Lord's standard in cities where truth was never presented, and being prepared for the coming conflict between keepers of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment and keepers of the spurious Sabbath when difficulties increase and failure brings condemnation.

Danger of Remaining Asleep

Remaining asleep endangers a person's own eternal interest and that of the family, for sleep is clinging fast to the world, counting its treasure good and precious, failing to break loose from it, and lacking the spirit of sacrifice. To remain in that state is to stand in a fearful, critical situation requiring urgent action, for God works to cut people loose from the world to save them and their households, even through fearful and terrible loss. It is an urgent final appeal to stop resisting mercy and grieving the Saviour and to prepare to meet God before it is everlastingly too late, for the day of judgment will come at last and there is a line beyond which long forbearance will not pass. Much is at stake, even whether the soul shall be hid with Christ in God or left to perish with the wicked, and the only safety is to be wide awake, watching and waiting, praying and working, with daily consecration and the power of the Holy Spirit, since all human wisdom and reasoning are no more than straw without it.

The end is so near with a great work to be accomplished and God's people in peril, especially at the great center of the work, while many who profess to serve God dishonor His name, so now is no time to indulge carnal security but to realize danger from fierce assaults and not be ignorant of Satan's devices. Those who put far off the day will have His coming as a thief in the night and be suddenly overtaken with destruction, but those who are not of night nor of darkness must not sleep as others do but watch and be sober. To wake is to be awake to discern the signs of the times and to give warning of Christ's near coming, taking the opposite course from those who quiet alarm by crying peace, peace, and refusing to be rocked to sleep in the cradle of carnal security. If other means fail to arouse His people, heresies will come in among them to sift them, separating chaff from wheat.

Awakening means receiving precious Bible light appropriate for this time showing perils right upon us, letting that light lead to diligent study of Scripture and most critical examination of positions held, and thoroughly and perseveringly searching all bearings of truth with prayer and fasting instead of resting in suppositions and ill-defined ideas, so that faith is firmly founded on God's word and can give a reason for hope with meekness and fear when brought before councils in the testing time. The call remains binding to begin in earnest the work of repentance and reformation, to search the Scriptures to learn truth as it is in Jesus, and to make entire consecration to God, and the presence of a few fanatics and deceivers working their way into the ranks gives no reason to condemn the work as not of God, any more than in Paul's or Luther's day. The world is asleep and in danger and the churches do not recognize their time of visitation, so watchmen and messengers must sound the warning and bring those in darkness the good news of salvation through Christ and obedience to God's law.

Those who preach must themselves be awake and show by life and words that Christ is near and probation is ending, for the time calls for waking because salvation is drawing nearer and the last hours demand urgency with Christ at the door. Influence shapes other people's opinions, habits and destiny of souls, so Christians bear serious responsibility to wake and act. Being asleep is apathy, coldness and listlessness toward personal home missionary service, with only one at work where hundreds should be working, failing to bless families and neighborhoods by helpful unselfish lives and by words of kindness, sympathy and love that win others to the Saviour, even though knowledge of present truth has been kept before them for years. Sleep is self-confidence feeling no need for more truth and greater light while Satan is working on the right hand and on the left, before and behind, and that attitude is not pleasing to God, but a voice is heard rousing His people to action.

Remaining asleep means not realizing where one stands in God's sight, turning away from Christ while the spirit of commercialism absorbs the mind and eclipses the Light of the world, coming under control of other human minds, and professing to know God while denying Him in word and action. Waking requires no longer treating with indifference subjects that must be presented with clearness, and making the preparation essential for these last days, shaking off stupor without delay. Occasional awakenings are not enough if worldly cares and thoughts so occupy the mind that God, heaven and the soul are neglected and people fall back into deeper slumber. Churches that reject sin and show active earnest piety, stability, submission to God's word and faithfulness in religious duty help keep their light and blessings, but if they do not fully wake God may remove them as a candlestick. Delay can leave a slumbering people unprepared when the Bridegroom comes, for they may not recognize danger or loss of spiritual readiness.

Earnest appeals urge decided work now to prepare for the Lord's coming, because every effort will be made to seduce God's people. The crisis of earth's history has been reached and testing time has come, so it is high time to awake, to put away pride and forsake a noncommittal position, to take sides with Christ against the world, to make decided efforts for the right, to receive truth as the Word of the living God and meet the claims of the gospel, to learn the will of Him who gave Himself in self-denial and sacrifice that believers might become sons and daughters of God, and to arouse souls to eternal realities by a word in season arresting the careless and indifferent. The enemy seeks to replace God's standard while people fail to notice and to lull them to sleep into his deceptive snare, so the call to wake means rejecting Satan's influence, praying to God, breaking connection with the enemy, joining with Christ, and devoting self and all to God's service. Awakening takes a moral earthquake that brings men and women to realize their true situation, fills hearts with remorse, and moves them to cry to God for mercy.

That awakening comes through a living ministry that stirs people to conversion and breaks carnal security. Many churches must now awake from sleep and arouse to a new life shown in acts by which fellow men can know they have been born again, becoming sacred consecrated lives reflecting Christ's spirit in words and works, leaving lives of selfishness and the lost time of pretension and self-deception among teachers of the gospel. Now is the preparation time for eternal life calling for striving and sure work for eternity, because time is very short and what must be done must be done quickly. It calls for awakening from spiritual slothfulness and determined effort to develop symmetrical character while waiting for the Lord's appearing. To awake is to be sanctified through obedience to the heavenly Father's will, to exercise all energy of character to improve, and to cherish Christ's attributes, which gives happiness and enjoyment of the Sabbath and lifts to higher positions of trust, for believers are not ready for His appearing and must make diligent work for eternity.

The call applies to Battle Creek and all through America to reach a much higher standard in spiritual advancement than yet reached, to rise from sleep, to go without the camp and work for souls ready to perish, with night far spent and day at hand calling to cast off works of darkness, put on the armor of light, and redeem the time because the days are evil. Applied to professed Christians there, it means repenting of resisting known truth and dishonoring God and changing course without delay, turning from sinful works to live in the light because salvation is nearer than when first believed. Medical missionaries carry out this neglected work by giving God's final invitation to the prepared supper, showing the urgency of leaving familiar centers to work for the perishing. The solemn warning rests with special weight on those who know the truth, for signs testify the end is nearer than when first believed, and faith should work by love and purify the soul, a faith many do not show.

The greatest responsibility rests on those given greatest opportunities and privileges, and all are to work for Christ as His coming and salvation draw nearer. To awake is to be wide-awake minute men and faithful shepherds who meet spiritual needs, hold firm to God who sees and knows, work intelligently and disinterestedly to guide people, and do definite work with the trumpet giving a certain sound, amid changes, turmoil, violence and crime testifying Christ's coming is near. To be asleep is to neglect spiritual needs, to fail to prepare white garments to stand in the great day of the Lord, to sport in wickedness, to let the heart go toward covetousness, and to trifle with God. Waking requires studying God's Word so as not to be deceived, and being humble and obedient to walk in a plain path, feeling deep need of God and being converted daily to His service with Christ as Pattern.

Awakening requires no longer working against God under Satan's control and darkness, no longer acting on principles of the power of darkness, putting off selfishness, darkness and unrighteousness, and no longer abusing heaven's sacred principles. It means no longer claiming to be Christian while showing Satan's character, holding back truth's advance in spirit, word and action, grasping undue authority, and offering common fire while claiming to be the Lord's temple, lest believers repeat Israel's history and unbelief and fall through abandoning works of darkness and rejecting unrighteousness while conduct is visible to world, angels and humanity. The time calls all God's people to repent now, to interest themselves in doing good, and to unite heart and soul in earnest endeavor to uplift and enlighten fellow men. Awaking means putting on the wedding garment Christ provided to be prepared to work in His lines, refusing to receive God's grace in vain, and laboring with humble devoted reverence on every side, consecrating entire service and all capabilities.

Utmost effort through speaking at every possible camp meeting is required to wake God's people from stupor and lethargy. Churches are asleep and ministers must be appealed to to arouse them, for believers must shake off spiritual dullness, awaken from sleep, and stand firmly together with heart and soul beginning from present condition and needs, awaking to earnest action because last-day perils are upon them and the Lord's work is behind. The time for the church's work is short and its close is near with cities unwarned, so the church needs a revival and a life and power it does not now have. Sleep includes indulgence of appetite that wastes physical energies, weakens moral power, deadens perceptive faculties so sacred and eternal things cannot be discerned, and brings retribution for transgression of physical law, so awaking requires conversion in heart, mind and soul from self-indulgence to self-denial and self-sacrifice made possible because Christ gave His life to purchase redemption, carried out by united labor of physician and minister with sanitariums established to preach true temperance.