Editorial

Editorial – Are We Humble Enough to be Saved, part 1

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The Lord saves such as be of a contrite ( Humble ) spirit. Psalm 34.

None of us will be saved unless we humble ourselves before God.

“All who are finally saved will in this life humble themselves before God, and seek to do His will. Thus the influence that goes forth from them will be of the character that makes for peace, that strengthens piety, that increases spiritual efficiency.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 458.

Humility is one of the great lessons of the life of Christ from the stable to Calvary. It is a focal point of His teachings.

“In order that man might be in partnership with the great firm of heaven, Christ’s lessons, from the beginning to the close of His life, taught humility before God. This would lead man to a love for his brother,—a spirit of love and forbearance toward all for whom Christ has died. Genuine humility is expressed in the words: ‘Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, and of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.’ Humility is the lesson which Jesus has given in all His teachings all through His ministry, by both precept and example. He raised this precious attribute out of the dust in which it had been trodden, and clothed it with the garments of His own righteousness.” Review and Herald, June 21, 1898.

When we are humble we will be removed from a spirit to criticize our brethren.

“God calls upon His people to be converted, to become humble as a little child, that they may have childlike faith. Those who have grown hard and cold and unimpressionable, may have the form of godliness but they have lost the virtue that keeps the mind humble. ‘Blessed are the poor in the spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ Remove from the heart that criticizing spirit. God hates it. Those who yield to this spirit have given themselves up to do Satan’s work, and he stands by exulting.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 166.

Humility will keep us from murmuring and complaining.

“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’” These are not murmurers and complainers, but those who are content with their condition and surroundings in life. They do not cherish the feeling that they deserve a better position than that which Providence has assigned them, but manifest a spirit of gratitude for every favor bestowed upon them. Every proud thought and exalted feeling is banished.” Reflecting Christ, 61.

Humility will keep us from becoming hard-hearted.

“Unless we do cultivate humility in view of our own deficiencies, there will be developed in us an element of hard-heartedness akin to that in the character of Satan. Criticism and coldness and disunion in the church will undo the work of the Holy Spirit of God.” Signs of the Times, May 18, 1888.

Humility will enable us to receive any rebuke that God sends us.

“God sends to the church the greatest blessing he can give them in a knowledge of themselves. Satan is alluring them to sin that they may be lost; God gives a clear presentation of their sins that they may repent and be saved. The greatest danger of the world is, that sin does not appear sinful. This is the greatest evil existing in the church; sin is glossed over with self-complacency. Blessed indeed are they who possess a sensitive conscience; who can weep and mourn over their spiritual poverty and wanderings from God; who are poor in spirit and can receive the reproof God sends them; and who, with confessions and brokenness of heart, will take their places, all penitent, in humiliation at the cross of Christ. God knows it is good for men to tread a hard and humble path, to encounter difficulties, to experience disappointments, and to suffer affliction. Faith strengthens by coming in conflict with doubt, and resisting unbelief through the strength of Jesus.” Signs of the Times, June 15, 1876.

When humble we can endure the murmuring, reproach and provocation of others without retaliation.

“Consider the life of Moses. Meekness in the midst of murmuring, reproach, and provocation constituted the brightest trait in his character. Daniel was of a humble spirit. Although he was surrounded with distrust and suspicion, and his enemies laid a snare for his life, yet he never deviated from principle. He maintained a serene and cheerful trust in God. Above all, let the life of Christ teach you. When reviled, He reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not. This lesson you must learn, or you will never enter heaven.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 368.

The End

Editorial – Keeping Our Eyes On Jesus Christ

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When we keep our eyes on Jesus, especially the closing scenes of His life, the love of God and the law of God become linked together in our minds. Unless Jesus had loved us beyond our comprehension He would never have gone to the cross. But He would not have needed to go to the cross if there had not been a law that we had broken which would result in our certain death if the death penalty was not paid. Christ died for our sins. 1 Corinthians 15:3.

The question is, what practical effect will such a study and meditation have on those who engage in it? The result will be unity in the church and in Christendom. The roadblock to unity is first of all selfishness of heart and then its practical result—failure to keep the law of God. Notice the inspired counsel on this subject.

“Satan will work to bring in criticism and misstatements, and to lead men to want their own way. There is no safety for any one who retains his selfish habits. God calls upon every soul to take up the work of self-examination. If all will now take up the work God has given them, and be converted in the doing of that work they will grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Satan will make every effort to create disunion, and unless the love of Christ fills the heart there will be divisions. But divisions always dishonor God, and a great deal of time is spent in an effort to set things right, when it ought not to be necessary to spend a moment in this way.” Special Testimonies, Series B, 34, 35.

“Men hang with admiration upon the lips of eloquence while it teaches that the transgressor shall not die, that salvation may be secured without obedience to the law of God. If the professed followers of Christ would accept God’s standard, it would bring them into unity; but so long as human wisdom is exalted above His Holy Word, there will be divisions and dissension. The existing confusion of conflicting creeds and sects is fitly represented by the term ‘Babylon,’ which prophecy (Revelation 14:8; 18:2) applies to the world-loving churches of the last days.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 124.

“The Lord would have His church purified from all contention and strife. Every phase of character is to be in harmony with the character of Jesus Christ. Unity will then be seen as the sure result. Divisions are the fruit of Satan’s work. Those who love God and keep His commandments will ever reveal the meekness and lowliness of Christ, because they have learned in the school of the great Teacher. We need to be worked by the Holy Spirit.” Letter 24, 1900.

“Love to God comprises our duty to God; love to our neighbor, our duty to one another. Mutual love must be cherished at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances. This is the credential which we bear to the world, that God has sent his Son Jesus to die, to bring back the moral image of God in man: ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.’ This love cultivated, becomes an abiding principle, and is effectual in rooting out dissensions and divisions among brethren. Where envying and jealousies are cherished, there is every evil work. All this must be cleansed from the soul temple, and then God will work in much greater power for his people. But he cannot do this where those evil things exist; for should God bless, each party would be confirmed in his conviction that he is right and his brother wrong. In the place of love there would be contention over the very blessings bestowed. In the place of acting like Christians, and guarding one another’s interest, there would be a tearing and rending of one another, like brute beasts. Such a spirit is wholly in harmony with Satan, and is in accordance with his mind and purposes, fulfilling his will, doing his pleasure; for he knows the sure result is separation from God. Then he obtains full control over their minds and affections. And while professing to be children of God, they are to all intents and purposes children of the wicked one; for they act out his spirit and do his will. It is mutual strife in the place of mutual love, that if persisted in will prove their common ruin. Professed Christian churches are often ruined by their own unchristian course toward one another.” Review and Herald, June, 28, 1887.

The End

Editorial – Have You Lost Sight of Jesus, part 2

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Losing sight of Jesus is always dangerous. This is what caused the great apostasy in the early church. It will cause not only apostasy but unimaginable problems for us today. This is the progression of events that happened in the early church as recorded by Ellen White in The Acts of the Apostles:

1. The change from apostolic Christianity was gradual—many did not perceive that anything was happening.

2. The believers began to look for defects in others.

3. They discovered defects in others and began to dwell on these mistakes. (Notice they were not keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus. They had lost sight of the Savior and His love.)

4. They became more strict in regard to the forms of outward ceremonies. This was a first consequence of losing sight of Jesus.

5. They became more particular about the theory of the Christian faith. We hope to have more to say about this later. It became very important that everybody agree on theology and when they did not gigantic controversies erupted. Notice that this was one of the results of losing sight of Jesus.

6. They became less particular about the practice of the faith! In other words whether your theology was correct or not became of paramount importance but whether or not you lived out what you professed was not so important. When the vision is focused on Jesus your faith is part of your life and not just an intellectual assent to doctrine.

7. Since they were dwelling upon the mistakes of others they manifested great zeal to point out these mistakes of their fellow Christians. The root cause was that their vision was not on Jesus.

8. At the same time they came to overlook their own errors! (When we are constantly looking to Jesus, our own stark defects of character stand out in bold relief in comparison to the One we are concentrating on. (See Steps to Christ, 63–65.)

9. They lost the brotherly love which the early Christian church had. When we lose sight of Jesus and are studying each other’s character defects brotherly love disappears.

10. Worst of all they were unconscious of their loss! They had lost sight of Jesus and were about to go into the stygian darkness of the greatest apostasy in world history to that point and did not know it! (See The Acts of the Apostles, 548.)

Happiness and joy were going out of their lives, the love of God was shut out of their hearts (without the love of God in your heart you are lost no matter how much theology you know—Luke 10:25-28; I John 4:7, 8; John 17:2, 3) and they did not know the terrible dilemma they were in. Is there any chance that this could happen to God’s last-day remnant people? Is there any chance that we could go down a road that ends in utter darkness and gloom and not know where we are going being oblivious to our real condition? What is the solution?

“It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.” Desire of Ages, 83.

The people of God who go through to glory will be the ones whose eyes are fixed on Jesus:

“In the time of the end the people of God will sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land. With tears they will warn the wicked of their danger in trampling upon the divine law, and with unutterable sorrow they will humble themselves before the Lord in penitence . . . But the anguish and humiliation of God’s people is unmistakable evidence that they are regaining the strength and nobility of character lost in consequence of sin. It is because they are drawing nearer to Christ, because their eyes are fixed on His perfect purity, that they discern so clearly the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Meekness and lowliness are the conditions of success and victory. A crown of glory awaits those who bow at the foot of the cross. Prophets and Kings, 590.

The End

Editorial – A Moral Fitness for Heaven

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“All who are accounted worthy of everlasting life must obtain a moral fitness for the same.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 705. Just as you cannot obtain a commercial driving license or an airplane pilot’s license without showing that you are “fit” for the same, you cannot be taken to heaven unless you are fit to go there. What does this moral fitness involve?

Pride, self-love, selfishness, avarice, covetousness, love of the world, hatred, suspicion, jealousy, evil surmisings, must all be subdued and sacrificed forever. When Christ shall appear, it will not be to correct these evils and then give a moral fitness for His coming. This preparation must all be made before He comes. What shall we do to be saved should be a subject of thought, study and earnest inquiry.

“When tempted to murmur, censure, and indulge in fretfulness, wounding those around you, and in so doing wounding your own soul, oh! let the deep, earnest, anxious inquiry come from your soul, Shall I stand without fault before the throne of God? Only the faultless will be there. None will be translated to heaven while their hearts are filled with the rubbish of earth. Every defect in the moral character must first be remedied, every stain removed by the cleansing blood of Christ, and all the unlovely, unlovable traits of character overcome.” Ibid.

“You think it beneath your dignity, Brother C, to manifest love, to speak kindly and affectionately. All these tender words, you think, savor of softness and weakness, and are unnecessary. But in their place come fretful words, words of discord, strife, and censure. Do you account these as manly and noble? as an exhibition of the sterner virtues of your sex? However you may consider them, God looks upon them with displeasure and marks them in His book. Angels flee from the dwelling where words of discord are exchanged, where gratitude is almost a stranger to the heart, and censure leaps like black balls to the lips, spotting the garments, defiling the Christian character.” Ibid., 695, 696.

Our work in this world is to develop this heavenly character first ourselves and if we are parents we are to help our children to develop this character. “ ‘The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.’ In rightly training and molding the minds of her children, mothers are entrusted with the greatest mission ever given to mortals. … Mothers need to study the Scriptures more and the fashion plates less; for we are on this earth to form characters for eternal life. …

“Our characters are photographed on the books of heaven, and from these books we are to be judged.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, 115, 116.

Editorial – Have You Lost Sight of Jesus, part 1

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There is One who is altogether lovely. Unless our gaze is fixed upon Him, the heading and bearing of our life will never stay in the direction which is for our highest interest. Often, for people of all ages, life itself appears empty, hollow, and without satisfaction. But when the life is focused upon Him, everything comes into perspective. Duty, sacrifice, goals and aims, what to strive for and what to lay aside—all become clear. What do you see when you look toward Jesus for a “thoughtful hour each day”?

Jesus by a voluntary act of free-will offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. His sacrifice is for the sins I have committed, and I receive a personal pardon for sin when I repent, confess, and put my trust in Him.

Many Christians believe this and they think that it is “righteousness by faith.” Indeed it is part of it, but not even one person can be saved just by having his sins pardoned (justification, pardon and forgiveness are all the same thing). We know this for sure from Jesus’ statement to Nicodemus that unless a person is born of the Holy Spirit He cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:5.

There are other things that need to happen in order for you to receive the richness and fulness of the blessing that Jesus wants to give to you. Do you understand who the real Jesus is? The devil is constantly trying to confuse people either about the divinity or the humanity of Jesus. If you lose sight of the fact that He is a divine Person who is equal with the Father, (See Adventist Apocalypse, 368.) not only will you lose sight of the magnitude of the divine sacrifice, but you will not realize the value of His virtue or character either.

In heathen religions, in order to be holy, men perform various acts of penance, sacrifice and suffering. In some religions it is believed that the merits gained by one person for his good works can be transferred to another who has done less good works.

If we have real New Testament Christianity we do not do any works to gain merit, in fact we believe that as far as merit goes, the best and most godly Christian is utterly helpless and has no merit of any kind of his own. (See Philippians 3.) Any merit that we have as Christians is of grace and is given to us as a free gift when we put our trust in Jesus. His life and character being divine, His divinity places Him above the law. Since all created beings are created under law, the law is greater than any created being but the law is not greater than the Lawgiver. The obedience of the highest angel in heaven to the law of God is simply his reasonable and just duty as a created being and gives him no “excess” merit, power or grace to give to a fallen sinner.

But there is One who is above the law. His character has infinite excellence and virtue. Being the Creator, the rightful Owner and Sustainer of all things, He has the divine right to impart any blessings that He may choose, to those who realize their utterly helpless condition and ask for His help.

More than this, because of His abiding unchanging love for every person of the human family, He has an intense desire (that we mortals are prone to lose sight of) to give the priceless gift of His own perfected virtue to every human being who opens his heart to receive it. 2 Peter 1.

To receive this is to receive the character of Jesus or in simple language, we learn how to think the way He thinks, we learn how to talk the way He talks, we learn to act the way He acts, we learn to live the way He lives, we treat our enemies the way He treated His, in brief we live the life of Christ. This is New Testament Christianity.

The outward evidence that we are having this experience, is perfect obedience to the law of God. If I am not obedient, any theology or study or talk about salvation or holiness or righteousness is just talk, I am not yet experiencing the real thing. Anybody who thinks that good works are not important does not understand the first principles of either righteousness or faith. In the New Testament the law and the gospel are not two unrelated things but are bound together as one complete whole. Romans 8:1–4.

The End

Editorial – Will You be an Overcomer?

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“The last great day is right upon us. Let all consider that Satan is now striving for the mastery over souls. He is playing the game of life for your souls. Will there be sins committed by you on the very borders of the heavenly Canaan? Oh what revealings! The husband will know for the first time the deception and falsehood that have been practiced by the wife whom he thought innocent and pure. The wife for the first time will know the case of her husband, and the relatives and friends will see how error and falsehood and corruption have been clustering about them; for the secrets of all hearts will stand revealed. The hour of Judgment is almost here,—long delayed by the goodness and mercy of God. But the trump of God will sound to the consternation of the unprepared who are living, and awaken the pale nations of the dead. The great white throne will appear, and all the righteous dead will come forth to immortality. Whatever have been the little sins indulged will ruin the soul, unless they are overcome. The small sins will swell into the greater sins. Impure thoughts, private, impure actions, unrefined, low, and sensual thoughts and actions in the marriage life, the giving loose reins to the baser passions under the marriage vow will lead to every other sin, the transgression of all the commandments of God. Men that God has entrusted with noble talents will be, unless closely connected with God, guilty of great weakness, and not having the grace of Christ in the soul will become connected with greater crimes. This is because they do not make the truth of God a part of them. Their discipline has been defective, the soul culture has not been carried forward from one advance to another, inborn tendencies have not been restrained, but have degraded the soul. For all the natural weaknesses Jesus has made ample provision, that they may be overcome through his grace. If not overcome, the weakness will become a tyrant, a conqueror, to overcome them, and the heavenly light will become beclouded and extinguished.” Review and Herald, May 24, 1887.

“You may feel that you cannot meet the approval of heaven. You may say, ‘I was born with a natural tendency toward this evil, and I cannot overcome.’ But every provision has been made by our heavenly Father whereby you may be able to overcome every unholy tendency. You are to overcome even as Christ overcame in your behalf. He says, ‘To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.’ It was sin that imperiled the human family; and before man was created the provision was made that if man failed to bear the test, Jesus would become his sacrifice and surety, that through faith in him, man might be reconciled to God, for Christ was the lamb ‘slain from the foundation of the world.’ Christ died on Calvary that man might have power to overcome his natural tendencies to sin. But one says, ‘Can I not have my own way, and act myself?’—No, you cannot have your way, and enter the kingdom of heaven. No ‘my way’ will be there. No human ways will find place in the kingdom of heaven. Our ways must be lost in God’s ways.” Review and Herald, February 23, 1892.

“When there is a determined purpose born in your heart to overcome, you will have a disposition to overcome, and will cultivate those traits of character that are desirable, and will engage in the conflict with steady, persevering effort. You will exercise a ceaseless watchfulness over your defects of character; and will cultivate right practices in little things. The difficulty of overcoming will be lessened in proportion as the heart is sanctified by the grace of Christ. Earnest, persevering effort will place you on the vantage-ground of victory; for he who strives to overcome in and through the grace of Christ, will have divine enlightenment, and will understand how great truths can be brought into little things, and religion can be carried into the little as well as into the large concerns of life.” Youth’s Instructor, September 7, 1893.

“Every one who is to receive the overcomer’s reward must first overcome every sin; and not until he overcomes through divine grace, can he entertain hope of entering the haven of eternal bliss.” Testimonies to the Church Regarding Individual Responsibility and Christian Unity, 13.

The End

Editorial – Primitive Godliness

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Notwithstanding the widespread declension of faith and piety, there are true followers of Christ in these churches. Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming. The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world.” The Great Controversy, 464.

If you are not going to be deceived by the “false primitive godliness” by which most Christians will be, thinking that the whole world has been converted (see Selected Messages, Book 3, 427, 428), then we must know what primitive godliness is to be able to tell the difference between the true and the counterfeit.

What is primitive godliness?

Concerning the early Christians, Ellen White wrote, “The early Christians were indeed a peculiar people. Their blameless deportment and unswerving faith were a continual reproof that disturbed the sinner’s peace. Though few in numbers, without wealth, position, or honorary titles, they were a terror to evildoers wherever their character and doctrines were known. … It was for the same reason that the Jews rejected and crucified the Saviour—because the purity and holiness of His character was a constant rebuke to their selfishness and corruption. From the days of Christ until now His faithful disciples have excited the hatred and opposition of those who love and follow the ways of sin.” Ibid., 46.

Notice that primitive godliness involved (1) blameless deportment, (2) unswerving faith, (3) their doctrines were a terror to evildoers, (4) they had the same qualities of character that made Jesus a hated person—purity and holiness of character. God’s people in the great closing work of the gospel will have the same characteristics. Are you praying and striving for this every day? This can only be achieved by dying to self and allowing Jesus to have full control.

Editor’s Letter – Jesus Only

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In the time of the apostles, what was it that produced primitive godliness in the church?

“ ‘Jesus only’—in these words is contained the secret of the life and power that marked the history of the early church.” The Acts of the Apostles, 64.

“The life of the true believer reveals an indwelling Saviour. … The pure doctrines of the gospel never degrade the receiver, never make him coarse, or rough, or uncourteous. The gospel refines, ennobles, and elevates, sanctifying the judgment and influencing the whole life.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 67.

“Those who are learning at the feet of Jesus will surely exemplify by their deportment and conversation the character of Christ. Their spiritual life is sustained in the closet, by secret communion with God. Their experience is marked less with bustle and excitement, than with a subdued and reverent joy. Their love for Christ is a quiet, peaceful, yet all-controlling power. The light and love of an indwelling Saviour are revealed in every word and every act. Outward troubles cannot reach that life which we live by faith on the Son of God. Its richest, purest joys are felt when Christ is the theme of thought and conversation.” The Review and Herald, May 30, 1882.

“The love existing between believers is to be similar to the love existing between the Father and the Son. And this love in the soul is the evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are to love God supremely, and our neighbors as ourselves. It is in the lack of this love that thousands fail, and are found transgressors of the law. Supreme love for God will lead to love for our fellow-men, and the commandment of Christ is, ‘Love one another as I have loved you,’ ‘By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one for another’ [John 13:34, 35]. We cannot have this love unless Jesus is abiding in the heart by living faith. The very unity of disciples, the love manifested one for another, will be evidence to the world that God has sent His Son into the world as its Redeemer. This unity and love will exist wherever the Spirit of the Lord abides; heart will be bound to heart, and works of righteousness will appear in the daily life.” The Signs of the Times, April 13, 1891.

“Keep close to Jesus. By beholding Him you will become changed into His likeness. … You may have a theoretical knowledge of the truth, but this will not save you. You must know by experience how sinful sin is and how much you need Jesus as a personal Saviour.” Medical Ministry, 217.

Editorial – Wholly Grace

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The same cause that produced the primitive godliness in the first century will produce primitive godliness just before the final outpouring of God’s judgments on this world (see The Great Controversy, 464); namely, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It is by this means that the moral image of God is to be perfected in the character and we are to be wholly transformed into the likeness of Christ.

“It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now. … Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it. …

“Divine grace is needed at the beginning, divine grace at every step of advance, and divine grace alone can complete the work. … A connection with the divine agency every moment is essential to our progress. … It will never do to cease our efforts. If we do not progress, if we do not place ourselves in an attitude to receive both the former and the latter rain, we shall lose our souls, and the responsibility will lie at our own door.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 507, 508.

“The convocations of the church, as in camp meetings, the assemblies of the home church, and all occasions where there is personal labor for souls, are God’s appointed opportunities for giving the early and the latter rain.” The Faith I Live By, 246.

“Everyone is to keep himself separate from the world, which is full of iniquity.  … No one of us will gain the victory without persevering, untiring effort, proportionate to the value of the object which we seek, even eternal life.  

“The dispensation in which we are now living is to be, to those that ask, the dispensation of the Holy Spirit. Ask for His blessing. It is time we were more intense in our devotion. …

“Pray without ceasing, and watch by working in accordance with your prayers. As you pray, believe, trust in God. It is the time of the latter rain, when the Lord will give largely of His Spirit.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 511, 512.

Editorial – Unity

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Recently I was in a large group of people who were assembled at the local courthouse. A Baptist minister was talking to a friend just behind me, and although I wished to have some quiet time to read while I was waiting, his voice was too loud for me not to hear the conversation. He mentioned how Protestants have a habit of splitting up. Being a Baptist minister, he would no doubt be well acquainted with this, for there are many different kinds of Baptist believers. When I lived in Texas, a Baptist neighbor of mine, who did not like any of the Baptist churches in his area, started his own local Baptist church a few miles away.

The Roman Catholic Church has made large capital of this fact, and in their literature, the almost innumerable sects and splinter groups of Protestantism are compared in an unfavorable light with the “one and only” Roman Catholic Church.

Ellen White also has some pointed things to say about this in her writings, giving the major reason.

“The unity for which Christ prayed does not exist. Instead of one Lord, one faith, one baptism, there are numberless conflicting creeds and theories. Religious faith appears so confused and discordant that the world know not what to believe as truth. God is not in all this; it is the work of man—the work of Satan.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 233.

As we draw near the end of time, these numberless conflicting creeds and theories will increase.

“Satanic delusions and deceptions will increase as we near the end of earth’s history.” The Signs of the Times, June 4, 1894.

But in the midst of all the divisions that we presently see, and which will increase in both the world and among the professed followers of Jesus Christ, there will be developed a group of people who (1) do not participate in the surrounding apostasy and refuse to be a part of any group that is in open sin and at the same time (2) come into the perfect unity with one another that Jesus prayed for in John 17.

Every Christian who wants to be a part of this final remnant who will be ready to greet the Lord Jesus in peace and purity at His coming (Ephesians 5:25–27) should remember the divine warning: “It is impossible for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure.” The Review and Herald, January 2, 1900.

But it is not enough to fulfill only the first condition; we must also fulfill the second. With the divisions that have been present in all Protestant groups for hundreds of years it may seem impossible, but we will see how it will happen in future editorials.