Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 3, 1893
Editorial.
By Editor
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable."—2 Tim. 3:16.
RIGHT doing is the fruit of right being. One can no more do right who is not right himself than a bramble can bear grapes, or a thistle figs. "He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He [Christ] is righteous." 1 John 3:7. And this statement the prophet prefaces with the warning, "Little children, let no man deceive you." God must make us righteous before we can do righteousness, and this he is more than willing to do; Christ died that he might do it.
THERE are many professed Christians who think that it is a great hardship to be separated from the world. The reason is that they have learned but one side of the separation. They look upon the separation from, and their hearts still long for the past. What they need to learn is that they are separated from in order that they may be separated unto,—from the world, unto Christ, from sin to righteousness, from trouble to peace, from folly to joy, from weariness to rest, from self to love, from death to life. Is not such a separation a privilege rather than a hardship? Look not on the from side but on the side of unto, with all its blessings.
IT is said that "lifeless imitation is decay." Right in the presence of the masterpieces of the Greek sculptors, medieval art produced nothing more than caricatures of the human form. They aimed to imitate, but their soul was not in the work. So with men who by their own strength seek to imitate Christ; so with the minister who seeks in his own wisdom to build after Christ. He will form but wretched caricatures of the divine. The only way to imitate Christ is to have Christ's life within. The only way to build after Christ is to have Christ building through us. An imitation of the long, heavy sermons of the past will not bring like results. They seem dry to us now, but when they were delivered, Christ spoke through the messenger, and the messenger preached Christ. But to preach these sermons over is not preaching Christ. We preach him, we truly imitate him, only when he dwells within.
THE Christian Statesman says: "But above all these things, that which must not be overlooked is the fact that the opening of the gates of the Fair on the Lord's day is the rejection of Jesus Christ as the nation's King." Sunday is not the Lord's day, but let that pass. What we wish to notice is this: When Jesus was on earth and men sought to make him an earthly king he departed from them. (See John 6:15.) He is ever the same. Those who seek to make him king of this nation, with themselves as self-appointed vicegerents, are the ones who are rejecting Christ. His kingdom is not of this world, and the fact that any part of the church is seeking to make him so is evidence that they know not Christ any more than did the blinded Jews eighteen centuries ago.
HOW TO WORK THE WORKS OF GOD.
JESUS CHRIST wrought the works of God. He was God manifest in the flesh. He emptied himself and God filled him with his Spirit, not in stinted measure, but "it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Jesus himself said: "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words I speak unto you I speak not of myself; but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." John 14:10.
Certainly he could work the works of God; he could not do otherwise than work the works of God, when he was emptied of himself and God dwelt in him in all fullness. His words were God's words, his works were God's works. Jesus Christ was like God because God dwelt in him.
How may we be like Christ? How may we work the works of God? We have no power in ourselves to make us like him. We have no riches by which we may purchase the transformation. We are utterly "without strength" to do this great thing of ourselves. We are "carnal, sold under sin;" the sinner is taken by his own iniquities and "holden by the cords of his sins." "None of these can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." How utterly unable man is to do God's will is shown in Rom. 3:7, and has been experienced in the life of every soul who has made the trial.
The only way by which man can become like Christ is to be "born again." To do this he must deny himself as did Christ. Matt. 16:24. He must renounce all of self and sin, and yield himself fully to God. Luke 14:33. He must acknowledge his sins and come to Christ as his only Saviour from sin, according to the promises of the word of God. He must believe this because God has said so. He must believe that God for Christ's sake forgives his sin, because he believes what God has said. He must trust in the word, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This is not true to the sinner because of any works he has done, is doing, or can do, it is true because God says so and he believes it. It is wholly of God's favor. This yielding to God, this submission to God's will, this confession of sin and faith in Christ, brings Christ to us as a pardoning Saviour, who forgives all our sins. It brings Christ into us as the life of God, so that we may say as did Paul, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Faith puts the Spirit of Christ within us, just the same as the Spirit of God was in Christ. Did Jesus meet the power of the enemy? It was by the Spirit of God (Matt. 12:28) which was given to him without measure (John 3:34). Even so will the Spirit of God through Jesus Christ be given to the man who renounces all and seeks for the Spirit that he may be filled. Luke 11:9-13.
The Spirit of God cleanses the heart, creates within a new spirit, new affections, new purposes and motives, makes of the man a new creature; in short, he is born again, born a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. (See Eze. 36:26, 27; 2 Cor. 5:17; John 3:3-5, and many other passages. This work is wrought by the Spirit of Christ which faith brings into the soul, "but if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. 8:9. So also that Spirit gives a new life to the soul who believes Christ. "The Spirit is life because of righteousness" (verse 10), and that life will work out the righteousness (right doing) of God. The righteousness of the law, which is also the righteousness of God, for to it the law testifies (Rom. 3:21, 22) is fulfilled in those "who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:4. Man could not by himself do God's righteousness; he does it because the law of life in Christ Jesus has made him free. Verse 2. Faith in the gospel of Christ, the mystery of God, does all this, it forms Christ within the hope of glory (Col. 1:27), and with Christ within we live Christ's life, we will work the works of God2through Christ. We cannot do otherwise than work the works of God. So Jesus answers the question, "What shall we do that we might work the works of God?" by replying, "This is the work of God that ye believe on Him whom he hath sent," and this faith is all; and all is in this faith.
THE TEN DIVISIONS OF ROME.
QUERIES are often arising as to just when the ten kingdoms of Western Rome arose, how long they existed as ten, when the first arose, when the last, their names, etc. In Dan. 7:7 is the prophecy of the beast as follows:—
"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns."
The prophet then continues:—
"I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; and, behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things." Verse 8.
Now the obvious import of the first clause of the eighth verse is that the prophet considered the ten horns, and that among these ten horns there arose another horn, before which there were three plucked up or destroyed. The fulfillment of the prophecy would therefore demand that at the time of the rise of the power symbolized by the little horn—the Papacy—there should be just ten kingdoms in Western Rome, no more, no less. What are the facts in the case? We give below the kingdoms, with the date of their entrance into the Western Empire, as they were given in the SIGNS of October 28, 1886. The references to Gibbon are from Milman's Edition (5 vols.), published by Porter & Coates, Philadelphia, 1880:—
1. The ALLEMANNI, A.D. 351, Suabia, Alsace, and Lorraine. (See Gibbon, chapter 10, paragraph 26; 12:20; 19:20; 36:5; 40:22.)
[NOTE.—The figures immediately preceding the colon give the number of the chapter, those which immediately follow the colon the number of the paragraph.]
2. The FRANKS, A.D. 351, Northeast Gaul. (Gibbon 19:20; 36:5.)
3. The BURGUNDIANS, December 31, A.D. 406. (Gibbon 30:17.) Located in Burgundy, A.D. 420. (Gibbon 31:39.)
4. The VANDALS, December 31, A.D. 406. (Gibbon 30:17.) Located in Spain A.D. 409. (Gibbon 31:36.) Settled in Africa A.D. 429. (Gibbon 33:35.)
5. The SUEVI, December 31, A.D. 406. (Gibbon 30:17.) In Spain A.D. 409. (Gibbon 31:36.)
6. The VISIGOTHS, A.D. 408. (Gibbon 31:2, 14.) In Southwest Gaul A.D. 419. (Gibbon 31:39.) In Spain, A.D. 467. (Gibbon 36:22; 38:2, 29.)
7. The SAXONS, entered Britain A.D. 449. (Gibbon 31:41, 42; 38:33, Green's England 1:17; Knight's England 5:6.)
8. The OSTROGOTHS, in Pannonia A.D. 453. (Gibbon 35:16.) In Italy A.D. 489, final conquest A.D. 493. (Gibbon 39:7, 8.)
9. The LOMBARDS, A.D. 453, in Pannonia and Noricum, banks of Danube. Weber's Universal History, section 180; Gibbon 42:2; Encyclopedia Britannica, article "Lombards." In Lombardy A.D. 567-8. (Gibbon 45:5-7; Machiavelli's History of Florence, chapters 1, 2.)
10. The HERULI, in Italy A.D. 475-6. (Gibbon 36:28-33.)
We have not taken time to verify all of the above references. Those we have verified we have found to be invariably correct.
The three which were plucked up were the HERULI, in Italy, by the Ostrogoths, in A.D. 493; the VANDALS, in Africa, by Belisarius, and the army of Justinian, in the latter part of A.D. 533; and the OSTROGOTHS, in Italy, by the same power, in A.D. 538.
There were, therefore, ten kingdoms existing in Western Rome between A.D. 476, the date of the establishment of the Heruli, and A.D. 493, when that kingdom was overthrown. It was just at this time that the little horn was seen coming up; and its spiritual domination, its "diverse" power, was established as "HEAD OF ALL THE HOLY CHURCHES" and "the true and effective corrector of heretics." Three nations perished before this power, and only three, leaving seven of the ten among which it arose. The ten arose when from the prophecy we should expect them. The little horn arose when there were just ten. The prophecy has been fulfilled in every specification relating to the past. It will be as specifically fulfilled in every prediction relating to the future. It is a part of that "more sure word," whereunto we do well that we take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place, until the daystar arise, and usher in the reign of righteousness, which knows no night of sin.
WHO ARE THE MORE CULPABLE?
MUCH has been said of late about the "breach of trust," the "violation of contract," the "disgrace of the nation," etc., etc., ad infinitum, concerning the opening of the World's Fair by the directors. The Chattanooga Methodist Advocate says in its wrath:—
Better, far better, that a cyclone should come out of the West and sweep the whole thing into Lake Michigan, than that this stupendous triumph of all that is great in man should be the occasion of giving a national insult to the Christian's God. Not the almighty dollar, but the Almighty Lord, must be supreme.
The Christian Statesman says in substance that if the claim as to jurisdiction and the action of the directors is sustained by the Federal Court, "it will be, not only a national disgrace, but, also, national repudiation of truth in business ventures." "To open the gates of the Fair on the first day of the week will be to, practically, deny this fact [the influence of the American sabbath in this country] and substitute for it that infidelity and not Christianity has been our chief inspiration." "The opening of the gates of the Fair on the Lord's day is the rejection of Jesus Christ as the nation's king."
The above are sufficient. Many more characteristic utterances in the same line might be quoted. Many of the religious papers emphatically declare the open gates of the Fair on Sunday to be a transgression of the fourth commandment of the Decalogue.
Now we wish to inquire, Who are the more culpable—these worldly directors at Chicago, admitting they have violated a contract as claimed, or the greater part of the professed Christian church, who claim God's word as the standard of truth and morals, and that all are obligated to observe the requirements of the Decalogue? The fourth precept of the Decalogue declares expressly and unequivocally that "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." It shows the day to be not any one day in seven, but the seventh of the seven, on which the Creator, Christ, rested, and which he hallowed and blessed. That his people might make no mistake in the numbering of the days of the week, God pointed it out by a threefold weekly miracle for forty years. (See Exodus 16.) That no mistake may be made regarding New Testament times, he shows by three different accounts of his life and labors that the Sabbath came the very day before the first day of the week. (See Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 23:56; 24:1.) All men of education know that there has been no change in the numbering of the days of the week since that time. The Jews scattered all over the world are a demonstration of this.
Moreover, Christ positively shows in his teaching that he came not to change the law even to one jot or tittle (Matt. 5:17-19; Luke 16:17), and his own shining example in observing the seventh day is left us on record.
Yet in the face of all this here is the greater part of professed Christianity declaring that the law of God is of no account in this respect. "Oh, yes, the law is obligatory," they tell us, "but the seventh day means first day," a day on which God never rested, which he never blessed or set apart.
Thousands of honest souls approach their teachers in pulpit and press every year with questions concerning the Sabbath like the following: "Why," they ask, "do we not observe the seventh day as God commanded?" "What Scripture warrant have we for observing the first day of the week instead of the seventh day, as commanded by God?" And thousands of times they are turned away with a sneer, a falsehood, a sophistical answer, anything to cover up the simple explicit command of God. The replies to these honest questions are as varied as falsehood always is. Once in a while a teacher is honest enough in theory, false though he may be in practice, to admit that Sunday as a holy day has no scriptural warrant, and that the seventh day is the only Bible Sabbath.
Many of these inquirers follow the quest to the light of truth in theory and practice. Many, many more ease their conscience with the falsehood, sophistry, or ridicule of their teachers, and go on as before. But what has been the effect on their life and conscience? It has nullified the Bible, it has made God to them one like unto themselves, it has broken down moral restraint everywhere, and society and the world are reaping the fruit. Who are the more culpable, the professed church or the world? Well did the prophet say: "Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things; they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them." "Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life." Eze. 22:26; 13:22. God pity those who are blinded by the false shepherds; God pity the shepherds.
THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT.
By Elder J. O. Corliss
BY ELDER J. O. CORLISS.
TRUE to its mission as the representative of Jesus Christ, the first work of the Spirit for man is to convince him of sin. John 16:7-9. This is necessary; for the heart, the very place where the Spirit desires to dwell, has become the abode of sin, and must be vacated, by the removal of the old, corrupting tenant, before the pure and holy Comforter can consent to take up his abode there. Yet this work of the Spirit is not done on its own behalf; for it speaks only those things it hears from whence it came. It first calls attention, therefore, to God's law, the instrument by which one receives a knowledge of his sins. Rom. 3:20. But that law being the expression of an infinite mind, even its prohibitions cannot be properly understood by an unaided, finite mind. More than this, the human mind is carnal, and cannot, while in that state, be subject to God's law, which is deeply spiritual. Rom. 8:7; 7:14. Man must therefore have that enlightenment which only the Spirit of God can give, in order that his mind become spiritual, and he be able to discern the heinousness of that which the law prohibits.
This being true, it is readily seen that, the deeper one has plunged into sin, the more instruction from above is needed to enlighten his darkened mind in relation to the far-reaching restrictions of the eternal law of Jehovah. Without this assistance man could not possibly repent of his transgressions of the law, because, of himself, he is absolutely incapable of understanding the extent of them. For this reason the Spirit of God comes in to quicken the conscience, and give strength for repentance. Such is the exceeding graciousness of our God that "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Rom. 5:20. These words "much more" signify the great power of God which his Spirit is. Sin abounds, or has a place, in the heart, but when the Spirit of God is permitted to come in, it abounds much more. In other words, the grace of God received will be much greater and more powerful than the sin could be, hence will take its place and reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ. Verse 21.
It is true that the first impressions received from the Spirit are not pleasant, for they convey to the mind visions of condemnation. But since the sin it reproves is leading down to sure death, if its destructive reign can be quenched, and the grace of God be permitted to reign unto eternal life, joy and peace are sure to fill the heart, and these are an everlasting comfort. But by what process is this gratifying condition obtained? Knowing the sad plight into which the whole world has fallen, the Saviour issues the most gracious invitation: "Come unto me, ALL ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28. What a blessed promise is this! We may obtain rest from the load of sin and woe with which we have been freighted. Then how gentle is the condition! In it no heavy requirement is imposed. It does not even ask anyone to lay off any part of his load of sin before coming, for the blessed Saviour well knows that would be an impossible thing to do. Moreover, he knows that he paid the price of his own blood for those very sins, and is therefore ready to receive the sinner with his sins upon him. So, bound as he is in affliction and iron, with his heart bowed down in labor, the sinner responds to the blissful invitation. Coming to the Father, he faithfully confesses his sins, and right there finds God faithful and just to forgive them, and to cleanse him from ALL unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
While God is pleased to have sinners freely seek his forgiveness for their transgressions against his law, he desires that they may come in faith, for he has said that "without faith it is impossible to please him." So, then, when anyone makes earnest confession of his sins to God, and pleads the merits of the blood of Christ in his behalf, it is his privilege to believe, then and there, that his sins are all forgiven, even though no happy flight of feeling obtains. But the confession of sin is necessary as an acknowledgment of God's righteousness. By his confession the sinner changes his position of hostility toward God to that of harmony with him—from enmity against him to peace with him. The unrighteousness of the penitent one is, in turn, declared cleansed away, and he is, by faith in the power of that word, released from all condemnation. Rom. 8:1. But in cleansing away the unrighteousness of the sinner, his past life record is also removed; for his unrighteousness was all the record he had, since his whole life had been only one continued series of selfish and wicked acts.
Something must therefore be done to make a record in harmony with his declared innocence. If he is not condemned for his past life, its record must show it. Therefore God speaks the righteousness of Christ, which is the record of a pure and holy life, in the place where the sinner's unrighteousness was, and so there is bestowed on him the record of a righteous life from his earliest moment. Rom. 3:25, 26. This is the reconciliation of the sinner to God, but is only the foundation of his salvation. That must come through the reception of the Holy Spirit, which is the life of Christ. With this dwelling within, the life and works of Christ will be exemplified at every step. This is made plain by the following: "If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." Rom. 5:10.
Reconciliation is, therefore, but the first step in salvation. The righteousness of God as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ must be exhibited in the life of the reconciled one, that his salvation may be complete. But in his efforts to do this, man finds himself entirely helpless. Signal failure has marked every trial to live aright. Must he therefore perish? Is there no help—no "balm in Gilead"? Fortunately, there is a comforting answer to such questions for all who have ears to hear what the Spirit says; for it is just at this point where its effective work may be done, a thing not possible until the needy one realizes his own helplessness.
One part of the great work which the Spirit does is to convince, or persuade, the world of righteousness—not righteousness as measured by the standard of finite minds, but that which dwells with Him who doeth all things right. But has not God, in some way, expressed his righteousness in words, that man may understand it? Certainly, God proclaimed his righteousness in his holy law. Ps. 119:172. But that law is the expression of an infinite mind. How can a finite mind hope to fathom its unceasing depths? While that law may appear to be but simple prohibitions of certain wrongs, easily understood, yet who knows the infinite scope of the words there used? How can the perfect righteousness of God be comprehended by those who never knew anything but the extreme opposite qualities? Such a thing is utterly impossible.
There is another way to look at this. All must be agreed that, in order to keep that law in strictness, and so do only things that are just right, nothing short of the extreme opposite of its inhibitions can possibly meet its requirements. But who can tell to what extent those right things expand? Who knows what God's standard of right is? Can the corrupt, finite mind of man measure the pure and infinite mind of Jehovah? Had man retained, unsullied, the image of God, in which he was created, and so lived in constant communion with his Creator, he would have maintained his spiritual mind, and so have been able to discern the righteousness of God in his divine utterances. But when he renounced his loyalty to God in Eden, he laid aside the spiritual mind given him of God, and accepted the mind of Satan, which is altogether carnal. With this mind he is unable to discover that righteousness which is discerned only by spiritual observation. 1 Cor. 2:14. In other words, that law which expresses God's righteousness, and which would have discovered its intent to man had he not become carnal, has now become weak through man's inability to understand it. The righteousness it unfolds it cannot reveal to man, because of his moral incapacity to receive it.
NO UNIVERSAL SALVATION.
UNIVERSAL eternal salvation is contrary to the teachings of the Bible, as abundantly proved by many texts. We cite one that is conclusive: In Matt. 26:24 our Lord declares of his betrayer, "It had been good for that man if he had not been born." Now if Judas Iscariot were to suffer untold and incomprehensible torment for millions of ages, yet if he were to be saved therefrom, and bliss bestowed532upon him, it would be good for him that he had been born. The first moment that he would enter upon that state of never-ending bliss would compensate for all the miseries of the past; for he would know that that moment was but the beginning of a happiness that would never end. However great the misery endured or the torment suffered, it is good for that individual to live who is sometime—however far distant—to be given eternal life and immortal glory. Judas is no exception, and it follows, therefore, that absolutely universal salvation is not true.
LET HIM WORK.
By Eliza H. Morton
BY ELIZA H. MORTON.
He who works in earth and heaven
Has a work to do
In the hearts of those who love him.
He would work in you.
He would by his Holy Spirit
Make his will your own.
He would give you gleams of glory
From his Father's throne.
Let him work, O helpless mortal;
Choose to let him do
What he sees is for his glory.
Let him work in you.
Hands and feet and mind and body
All to him belong;
Let him take and let him use them.
Yours a glad new song.
Let him work complete salvation.
All his word is sure;
Make a full, entire surrender;
Praise him evermore.
North Deering, Maine.
THE GOSPEL IN NATURE.
By S. N. Haskell
BY ELDER S. N. HASKELL.
THE more critically the Scriptures are read and every expression weighed, the more beauty will be seen in them. And not only so, but if we study the word of God with interest, and pray to understand it, new beauties will be seen in every line. God will reveal precious truth so clearly that the mind will receive sincere pleasure, and have a continual feast, as its comforting and sublime truths are unfolded. Truly, in the words of Elihu, “God thundereth marvelously with his voice; great things doth he, which we cannot comprehend.” He refers, when he uses this expression, to the lightning, snow, and rain, as a manifestation of His power, all of which, to a greater or less extent, are related to one another.
God “saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.” “By the breadth of God frost is given; and the breadth of the waters is straitened. Also by watering he weareth the thick cloud; he scattereth his bright cloud, and it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.” “Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge?”
Elihu, though living in the warm climate of Arabia, must have understood the philosophy of mist, lightnings, thundering, and rain, snow, ice, and frost, and must have recognized the living, creative power of God in their existence. He then concludes his testimony, after dwelling upon the changing condition of the atmosphere as being among the most wonderful things he could mention: “Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out; he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice; he will not afflict. Men do therefore fear him; he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.” Job 37:23, 24.
The Lord was pleased with this recognition of his power, and answered Job out of the whirlwind, taking up the same strain in the following manner. Referring to the time of the flood, he says: “When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it, and brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?” He then asks Job, “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?” And again: “Who hath divided a water course for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; to cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; to satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.” And again, “Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven?” Job 38.
Solomon makes a beautiful allusion to the same grand truth in the following words: “The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.” Eccl. 1:5-7.
In these, and many other references that might be given, we have the direct evidence of the controlling power of God in regulating those conditions which produce rain upon the earth. He who contemplates God in nature will discern an unseen Power controlling every natural law, and such an one can more fully comprehend and appreciate the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But in all this is there not another lesson to be drawn? is there not something deeper in its meaning, more far reaching in its design? and would he not have man understand and learn the great lesson of life, that he controls every circumstance, limits the effect of every power that is brought to bear against or for his people? Would he not impress his people with the fact that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” 2 Chron. 16:9.
It was in view of this comforting and mighty truth that the apostle declares: “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” “What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8:28, 31-39.
Such are some of the grand lessons drawn from seeing the power of God in nature. Such are the conclusions drawn in the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed by recognizing the creative power of God in nature. If such glorious truths can be elucidated by a drop of rain, by a flake of snow, by frost, ice, dew, and mist, what a field God presents before us for a lesson book to instruct all in the creative power that is manifested in the gospel of Jesus Christ!
CHRIST'S POWER IN US.
By Victor Thompson
BY ELDER VICTOR THOMPSON.
“EVERY way of a man is right in his own eyes; but the Lord pondereth the hearts.” Prov. 21:2. It is not the doing of an action, though it may seem ever so good, that makes the man acceptable to God, but the spirit and motive by which it is done. “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Sam. 16:7. If Satan can deceive the individual by persuading him to take praise to himself because of some good or philanthropic act, sin is committed. There is no doubt that Lucifer performed many great and noble things; but his self-love because of it occasioned his ruin (Eze. 28:14-18); and he desires to have others follow his course. If a good act is performed, he works to get the man to take credit to himself instead of giving God the praise, who gave him the spirit to perform it.
It is often stated that some of the most philanthropic men have not been Christians, but the philanthropist out of Christ, though he may take satisfaction in the thought that he has assisted the needy, is often liberal for the praise of men. It is good that the needy have been helped, but to seek the praise of the world is not the Christian motive. Jesus says:—
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” Matt. 6:1, 2.
Then there is sin somehow in every act that men do that is not done in faith in Christ. Faith in him evidently gives him the praise for the good acts we may do, as it recognizes it is only by his power and influence that we do good. Doubtless it is the Lord that moves on men to perform philanthropic acts, though they may not be connected with him by faith; but the philanthropist, not recognizing it, takes praise to himself. The Lord should be glorified in everything, that the universe may be taught there is no chance for goodness out of Christ, by whom all things are created; that even the “covering cherub” was dependent on his Creator for what he was in goodness, brightness, and power, and that he willfully destroyed himself in taking to himself the credit for what he was; and since the angels receive and retain their goodness through the power and influence of their Creator, it is folly to suppose that we, a sinful race, can in self accomplish good. Therefore Jesus says, “Without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5.
“The carnal mind . . . is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7.533Hence a change must take place in the heart and mind of man before he is subject. God's subjects obey his law; but as his law is spiritual, so his subjects are spiritually minded. And we get the Spirit of God in the mind only by faith in Jesus Christ. Gal. 2:20. We are then the sons of God, led in obedience by his Spirit (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 4:8), by which the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us (Rom. 8:4), hence the peace of mind of those who truly accept Christ by faith, "not having mine own righteousness, . . . but . . . the righteousness which is of God by faith." Phil. 3:9. "Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them." Ps. 119:165. Our hearts being controlled by the Spirit of God, we are influenced to love his law.
The Saviour teaches us that the two great divisions of his law are love; then we know that "God is love." And as all his attributes are infinite, so his love is exhibited to us in creative power. John 3:16; Eph. 2:10; Rom. 1:16, 17; 2 Cor. 5:17. Man out of Christ knows no such love, and finds no real peace and happiness. But God's creative love in the heart furnishes the "great peace" and love for his law. The law of love is written by the Spirit of God on the heart of the man in whom Jesus is received by faith. Gal. 1:16; 2 Cor. 3:2, 3; Heb. 8:10. "My son, give me thine heart." The Lord can tune it to accord with the music of his law of love; and it then experiences the peace that only God can give.
HEED THE LIGHT.
By George A. Carroll
THE prophetic light is of no value to those who will not employ it. Its rays may shine forth with electric brilliancy, but all is darkness to those who are willfully blind. The angry roar of the billows of coming judgment may break upon the ears of the apostate and the worldling, but the warning voice is unheeded amid the present pursuit of evil pleasures, and the forming of plans for future peace. Poor dupes of the "false prophet," how soon will the "sign of the Son of Man" blight your giddy fancies, and disclose to you how futile are your hopes of refuge in other folds than the fold of Christ! You look for peace, "and, behold, trouble"—"destruction cometh, and they shall seek peace and there shall be none." "The time is come, the day of trouble is near." "The rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded, violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness."
It seems strange that those who read the Bible can be so blind to its teachings, and the signs around them, and so stupefied with the siren song of this world's delusions, that they are oblivious to all sense of Bible teaching, and exercise what zeal they have in perverting the grand truths of the word of God, to their own destruction. "His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber." "They are shepherds that cannot understand; they look to their own way, everyone for his gain." "Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul." "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
How real the coming of the Lord now seems, while the signs are so unmistakably heralding his speedy approach to deliver his chosen and faithful people! While apostates and the world are seeking to combine their forces in the false hope of safety, let us who are endeavoring to follow the light unite in removing all dissensions by obeying the truth; and as its light illumines our pathway, we shall behold more perfectly the bond of fellowship that unites us to Him who is able to "save unto the uttermost all who put their trust in him." "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen."—George A. Carroll.