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Martin Luther, part VII – The Diet of Worms

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Luther was conducted into the hall and brought to stand directly in front of the emperor. The chancellor of the Elector of Treves began speaking, addressing Luther first in Latin and then repeating his words in German.

“Martin Luther! yesterday you begged for a delay that has not expired. Assuredly it ought to have been conceded, as every man, and especially you, who are so great and learned a doctor in the Holy Scriptures, should always be ready to answer any question touching his faith. . . . Now, therefore, reply to the question put by his majesty, who has behaved to you with so much mildness. Will you defend your books as a whole, or are you willing to disavow some of them?” D’Aubigne, History of the Reformation, book 7, chap. 8

A deep silence settled over the room as every ear strained to catch Luther’s reply. What a moment! The fate, not only of the Reformation, but of nations was at that moment hanging in the balance.

Luther began by graciously saluting the emperor, the princes, and the lords. While he spoke firmly, he addressed the assembly in modest tones. “Most serene emperor! illustrious princes! gracious lords! I appear before you this day, in conformity with the order given me yesterday, and by God’s mercies I conjure your majesty and your august highnesses to listen graciously to the defense of a cause which I am assured is just and true. If, through ignorance, I should transgress the usages and proprieties of courts, I entreat you to pardon me; for I was not brought up in the palaces of kings, but in the seclusion of a convent.

“Yesterday, two questions were put to me on behalf of his imperial majesty: the first, if I was the author of the books whose titles were enumerated; the second, if I would retract or defend the doctrine I had taught in them. To the first question I then made answer, and I preserve in that reply.

“As for the second, I have written works on many different subjects. There are some in which I have treated of faith and good works, in a manner at once so pure, so simple, and so scriptural, that even my adversaries, far from finding anything to censure in them, allow that these works are useful and worthy of being read by all pious men. The papal bull, however violent it may be, acknowledges this. If, therefore, I were to retract these, what should I do? . . . Wretched man! Among all men, I alone should abandon truths that friends and enemies approve, and I should oppose what the whole world glories in confessing. . . .

“Second, I have written books against the papacy, in which I have attacked those who, by their false doctrine, their evil lies, or their scandalous example, afflict the Christian world and destroy both body and soul. The complaints of all who fear God are confirmatory of this. Is it not evident that the laws and human doctrines of the popes entangle, torment, and vex the consciences of believers, while the crying and perpetual extortions of Rome swallow up the wealth and the riches of Christendom, and especially of this illustrious nation? . . .

“Were I to retract what I have said on this subject, what should I do but lend additional strength to this tyranny and open the floodgates to torment of impiety? Overflowing with still greater fury than before, we should see these insolent men increase in number, behave more tyrannically, and domineer more and more. And not only would the yoke that now weighs upon the Christian people be rendered heavier by my retraction, but it would become, so to speak, more legitimate; for by this very retraction it would receive the confirmation of your most serene majesty and of all the states of the holy empire. Gracious God! I should thus become a vile cloak to cover and conceal every kind of malice and tyranny! . . .

“Lastly, I have written books against individuals who desired to defend the Romish tyranny and to destroy the faith. I frankly confess that I may have attacked them with more acrimony than is becoming my ecclesiastical profession. I do not consider myself a saint, but I cannot disavow these writings; for by so doing I should sanction the impiety of my adversaries, and they would seize the opportunity of oppressing the people of God with still greater cruelty.

“Yet I am but a mere man, and not God; I shall therefore defend myself as Christ did. If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil (see John 18:23) said He. How much more should I, who am but dust and ashes and who may so easily go astray desire every man to state his objections to my doctrine.

“For this reason, most serene emperor and you, most illustrious princes, and all men of every degree, I conjure you, by the mercy of God, to prove from the writings of the prophets and the apostles that I have erred. As soon as I am convinced of this, I will retract every error and be the first to lay hold of my books and throw them into the fire.” Ibid.

In closing, Luther drew the attention of the assembly to a judgment that they must each face: not a judgment beyond the grave but of the here and now. They were each, he pointed out, on trial. By their decisions, they were to determine whether their thrones were to be established or to be swept away in a coming deluge of wrath. “I might speak,” Luther continued, “of Pharaohs, the kings of Babylon, and those of Israel whose labours never more effectually contributed to their own destruction than when they sought by counsels, to all appearance most wise, to strengthen their dominion.” Ibid.

Luther’s Defense Repeated

Luther had spoken in German with great modesty and firmness. The imposing assembly, as well as his own emotion, had greatly fatigued him. The emperor, however, greatly disliked the German language, and it was now demanded of Luther that he repeat his defense in Latin. Frederick of Thun, the privy councilor of the Elector of Saxony, had been stationed by Luther’s side to see that no violence was used against him. Seeing Luther’s exhausted condition, he said, “If you cannot repeat what you have said, that will do, doctor.” Ibid. But Luther, after a brief pause, repeated his speech with the same energy he had presented his first. “God’s providence directed in this matter. The minds of many of the princes were so blinded by error and superstition that at the first delivery they did not see the force of Luther’s reasoning; but the repetition enabled them to perceive clearly the points presented.” The Great Controversy, 159

When he had finished speaking, the Chancellor of Treves said with indignation, ” ‘You have not answered the question put to you. You were not summoned hither to call in question the decisions of councils. You were required to give a clear and precise answer. Will you, or will you not, retract?’ Upon this Luther replied without hesitation: ‘Since your most serene majesty and your high mightinesses require from me a clear, simple, and precise answer, I will give you one, and it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the councils, because it is clear as the day that they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture, or by the clearest reasoning,—unless I am persuaded by the means of the passages I have quoted,—and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the Word of God, I cannot and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience.’ And then, looking round on this assembly before which he stood and which held his life in its hands, he said: ‘Here I stand, I can do no other; May God help me! Amen!’ ” D’Aubigne’s History of the Reformation, book 7, chap. 8

The words of the Reformer had a profound impact on the assembly. Many of the princes could scarcely conceal their admiration. In all, Luther had spoken for nearly two hours. The effects of Aleander’s address, given so eloquently before the diet but a short time before, had dissipated in less than a week; but Luther’s was to live on to stir men’s hearts for hundreds of years to come.

To their amazement, the princes discovered that the roles had completely reversed. But two hours earlier Luther had stood before them apparently condemned, but they found that they had now been summoned to stand before his bar. Unawed by the crowns they wore, or the armies they commanded, this simple monk had entreated, admonished, and reproved them. It mattered not what they might do with the Reformer; the victory was clearly his. Nothing that Rome might now do could reverse her defeat, or conceal the victory that had been won. What light has time shed on the words that he spoke! The history of the Catholic nations of Europe and the New World bear testimony to their truthfulness.

As soon as the assembly had partially recovered, the chancellor spoke. ” ‘If you do not retract, the emperor and the states of the empire will consult what course to adopt against an incorrigible heretic.’ At these words Luther’s friends began to tremble; but the monk repeated: ‘May God be my helper; for I can retract nothing.’ ” Ibid.

After Luther withdrew, the princes deliberated. The partisans of Rome could not bring themselves to concede defeat, and Luther was again summoned before them. The speaker for the diet again addressed him. “Martin, you have not spoken with the modesty becoming your position. The distinction you have made between your books was futile; for if you retracted those that contained your errors, the emperor would not have allowed the others to be burnt. It is extravagant in you to demand to be refuted by Scripture, when you are reviving heresies condemned by the general council of Constance. The emperor, therefore, calls upon you to declare simply, yes or no, whether you presume to maintain what you have advanced, or whether you will retract a portion?’—’I have no other reply to make than that which I have already made,’ answered Luther calmly.” Ibid. Firm as a rock, the Reformer remained unmoved by the waves beating about him. His firm, unshaken stand made a profound impression upon the assembly. Charles V arose, and with him all of the assembly. Deliberations were at an end until the morrow.

Two imperial officers formed Luther’s escort. Some imagined that Luther was being led forth to the scaffold, and a great tumult broke out. It was quickly quelled when Luther assured them that he was merely being escorted to his hotel.

Upon his return to his room, Luther was surrounded by Spalatin and other friends. Together they gave thanks to God for the events of the day. As they were talking together, a messenger from the Elector of Saxony came with orders for Spalatin to come to him immediately. When Spalatin arrived at the duke’s quarters, the duke had just seated himself for supper. Arising, he motioned Spalatin to follow him. As soon as they were alone in the duke’s bed chamber, he informed Spalatin of his resolution to more actively protect the doctor in the future.

Aleander recognized the impression that Luther had made upon the assembly. He saw that he must act quickly if he were to counteract the influence that was rapidly gaining ground. War was imminent between Charles and Francis. Leo X, desiring to enlarge his estates, was secretly negotiating with both parties. Aleander, however, sought to use the influence of an alliance with the pope against Francis as the means of influencing Charles, thereby deciding the fate of the Reformer. He knew that the life of a single monk was a mere trifle if it could purchase the pontiff’s friendship.

Charles Rejects the Reformation

On the day following Luther’s appearance, the emperor ordered a prepared message to be read to the diet. In the message, he affirmed his intentions to support the Catholic Church. While confirming the safe-conduct that he had extended to Luther, he expressed his resolve to move against the Reformer as soon as it should expire and to martial all of the resources at his command to crush the heresy.

Not all of the members of the diet were pleased with the address. Charles, in his youthful haste, had failed to comply with the usual form of consulting with the diet before forming his decision. On the other extreme, the elector of Brandenburg and several of the ecclesiastical princes demanded the safe-conduct given to Luther should not be respected. The Rhine, they said, should receive his ashes as it had the ashes of John Huss a century before. Against such a base proposal a number of the princes of Germany objected. The Bavarian nobles, though mostly papal, protested against the violation of public faith. Even George of Saxony, Luther’s avowed enemy, said, “The princes of Germany will not permit a safe-conduct to be violated. This diet, the first held by our new emperor, will not be guilty of so base an action. Such perfidy does not accord with the ancient German integrity.” Ibid., chap. 9. The proposal was turned down with scorn and indignation.

Charles, who was yet very young, shrank from the idea of committing perjury. He is reported to have said, “Though honour and faith should be banished from all the world, they ought to find a refuge in the hearts of princes.” A somewhat less charitable assessment was given by Vettori, the friend of Leo X, who alleged that Charles spared Luther only that he might be a check on the pope. Charles, it would seem, only half trusted Leo, and in the game of international intrigue in which he was then engaged, he believed that a living Luther would be a more valuable counter than a dead one. There was also reason to believe that he was not blind to the danger that public sentiment was running so high that should the safe-conduct be violated, his first diet could easily be his last one. Charles is, however, credited with having repented of his decision in after years. He is reported to have stated, near the close of his life, that he was not obliged to have kept his promise to a heretic who had offended a Master greater than he—God Himself. He might, he then believed, have stifled the heresy in its infancy.

The Safe-conduct Honored

The discussion as to what to do with the Reformer lasted two days. During this time, the emotions of the citizens ran high. According to some sources, there were four hundred nobles ready to enforce Luther’s safe-conduct, if necessary, with the sword. Sickingen, it was reported, had assembled many knights and soldiers behind the impregnable ramparts of his stronghold but a dozen miles from Worms. The enthusiasm of the people, not only in Worms but throughout Germany, as well as the intrepidity of the knights and the attachment that many of the princes felt for the cause of the Reformer, convinced Charles that it would be disastrous to follow the course proposed by the Romanists. Though it was only a question of burning a simple monk, the partisans of Rome had not the strength or courage to do so. To have violated the safe-conduct would have immediately convulsed Germany in a civil war. Luther was ordered to return home under the emperor’s safe-conduct, the violent propositions of Aleander having been rejected.

The Elector Frederick was delighted with the appearance that Luther had made before the diet, but he was not alone in his appreciation of the Reformer. From that time on, many others who heard him became friends of the Reformation. Some of them expressed their change of sentiment at the time, while with others it bore fruit years later. Though Frederick had determined more than ever to protect Luther, he knew that the less his hand was seen in the matter, the more effectively he could further the cause and protect its champion. He therefore avoided all personal contact with Luther.

On the morning of April 26, Luther, surrounded by twenty gentlemen on horseback, left Worms. A few days after his departure, the emperor made public an edict against him, placing him outside the pale of the law and commanding all men everywhere, once his safe-conduct had expired, to withhold from him food, water, and shelter, and to do all within their power to apprehend him. This edict was drafted by Aleander and ratified by a meeting in the emperor’s private chamber after Elector Frederick and those favorable to Luther had already departed. The edict was dated May 8, but in reality the imperial signature was not placed on it until May 26. The purpose of the antedating was to give it the appearance of carrying the authority of the full diet.

Luther had entered Worms under the anathema of the pope. When he left, to this was added the ban of the empire.

The End

The Swelling of the Jordan

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“If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” Jeremiah 12:5

Recently I spent two hours listening to a video tape, which, as nearly as I could tell, came from the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. Four speakers spent two hours explaining how, when, and why they are going to bring celebration worship into the whole North American Division. The voices were soft and gentle; the faces were smiling; but the message was unmistakably clear: If you do not like it, get out. There was no credence whatsoever given to the idea that those who object to celebration worship might have a valid reason for doing so. The whole discussion was based on the assumed principle that the people who do not want celebration worship just have a psychological problem and cannot handle change. You are to be patient with them as long as you can; but if you have tried everything else and they just will not accept it, then you just say to them very kindly, “We want you to be ministered to so we are going to find some place where you can go.”

As I understood, they had not decided yet whether it will be on Sabbath or Sunday; but for two hours every week, you will be able to phone in to an 800-number and they will tell you how to handle anybody resisting your attempts to bring celebration worship into your church.

Jeremiah Challenges God

In Jeremiah 12, the Lord is being challenged by Jeremiah. Very carefully Jeremiah is presuming to cast a little bit of reflection on the Lord because he does not understand what He is doing. “Righteous art Thou, O Lord, when I plead with Thee: yet let me talk with Thee of Thy judgments. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?” Jeremiah 12:1. In other words, Jeremiah is saying, “Lord, I am not criticizing You, You understand. I am not finding fault with You, but I certainly do not understand what You are doing. May I ask a question or two?”

The Lord looks on the heart and understands what is going on inside. He did not enter into any disputation with Jeremiah about his understanding. But if you look carefully at the words that follow, what He is really saying to Jeremiah is, “Jeremiah, you have a problem. You are putting understanding ahead of trust. If I were to try to explain the whole plan of salvation to you, you could not understand it. You could not wrap your head around all of that. You have to learn to trust Me whether or not you understand.”

We are going to be very deeply puzzled by things that we see taking place. Even though they are puzzling, perplexing, and bewildering, they must never affect our trust in God. We must never put understanding ahead of trust. We must learn to say with Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Job 13:15. The Lord is not worrying about the swelling of the Jordan. He knows what He is going to do. We are told that not one single cloud has ever risen over the church that He has not prepared for. Clouds are no problem to Him.

I want to review quickly and briefly with you just a little bit of what does lie ahead of us.

“The days are fast approaching when there will be great perplexity and confusion. . . . Every wind of doctrine will be blowing.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 80. Ellen White might have said it would be like a hurricane.

“God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, which will sift them, separating the chaff from the wheat.” Ibid, 707. I had a struggle with this statement. I had to get down on my knees like Jeremiah and say, “Lord, I am not criticizing You, but I have a question. Why are You letting heresies come into the church?”

“Before the last developments of the work of apostasy, there will be a confusion of faith. One truth after another will be corrupted.” Signs of the Times, May 28, 1894. Those who seek to confuse our faith begin with criticizing the sanctuary doctrine. But anyone who criticizes the sanctuary doctrine has to deal with the Spirit of Prophecy which strongly affirms that truth, so they end up taking a position against the Spirit of Prophecy; one thing comes right after another and you can see what is happening; one truth after another is being corrupted.

“In the very midst of us will arise false teachers giving heed to seducing spirits whose doctrines are of Satanic origin. These teachers will draw away disciples after themselves.” Ibid, January 7, 1904. This is a hard thing to understand, too. Why are people deceived and confused? Sometimes literature comes to my desk; and I look at it and think, How in the world can anybody be deceived by something as crude and clumsy as that? But people are being deceived.

“Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.” Testimonies to Ministers, 409, 410. Now a man does not walk in off the street and step into a Seventh-day Adventist church pulpit, does he? He has to be placed there by authorities that are higher. So what does this tell us about what will be happening in offices of authority, positions of authority? They will be assigning false teachers to the pulpits of Seventh-day Adventist churches.

“The enemy will bring in false theories such as the doctrine that there is no sanctuary. This is one of the points on which there will be a departing from the faith.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 53

Ellen White writes that there will be changes in our worship. (See Testimonies, vol. 5, 491.) I was attending a worship service in a church where they had a guest speaker who was a professor from some university. After the choir sang, he stepped up to the pulpit and said, “Now folks, if you were attending a concert and heard a musical number like that, would you not give some applause? Come on, give them some applause.” I thought, “Oh, dear Lord, this man has a doctor of philosophy, but he does not know the difference between the sacred and the secular. He does not know what worship is all about.” Things that might possibly be accepted some other place are not acceptable in church.

 

In Selected Messages, book 2, pages 36 and onward, Ellen White talks about worship with a bedlam of noise. She is addressing what had taken place in Indiana where a little group of people were doing some different things with worship services. They were using a big bass drum and lots of bedlam of noise, as she describes it. Writing to Elder Haskell, she said, “The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.

“The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan. . .”

An Invitation to Demons

I want to point out to you something that you might overlook as you read this section. Notice that Ellen White said that the same music would be all right if it were conducted differently. It is the way it is being performed that she is objecting to. But in six places in three pages she points out that Satan is present there; demons are present there; Satanic agencies are present there. Seventh-day Adventists have been very well protected against spiritualism by our belief about the state of the dead. What Seventh-day Adventist would accept an invitation to go to a seance where the spirits of the dead are being called up from the grave, presumably? Why, you would not give that a thought, would you? Listen folks, you can forget about seances. You do not have to go to a seance to get into direct contact with Satan; all that you have to do is go to a celebration worship program. If you think that statement is too strong, go back and read what she says. You can get into direct contact with Satan by going to the wrong kind of worship service.

“Before the final visitations 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 Great Controversy, 464. Do not give up your hope; something wonderful is just around the corner. “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.” Ibid. That is the good news; but before this can take place, we read: “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 [a counterfeit revival]. 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.” Ibid.

Now, this is a little bit cynical perhaps, but I think it is realistic; I think it is practical. If you are a preacher and you would like to have an opportunity to visit camp meetings across the land and preach to people, let me tell you what to do. If you prepare some sermons which subtly, ingeniously, and cunningly undercut the Spirit of Prophecy and the sanctuary doctrine, you will receive invitations from all over the country. “Come to our camp meeting.” Conference presidents will call you. Is that too cynical? I think it is real.

On the other side of that, you cannot put all of the blame on the preachers, folks. I have another supposition, and this is a supposition; you take it for what you think it is worth. My supposition is this: I have observed that these preachers do not need to present good, solid evidence. Maybe this is a little extreme, but this thought has occurred to me as I watch what happens. I believe that those preachers who are trying to undercut our message could stand up in front of the people and say, “Mary had a little lamb. Its fleece was white as snow. Now there you have absolute proof that you do not need to stop sinning;” and a lot of the people would say, “Ah, that is the great truth of God. That is what we have been waiting for.” They do not have to present strong, carefully researched evidence. Any garbage will work if you are appealing to the carnal spirits of human beings.

Changes in our theology are already here. There are changes in our worship, but they are going to get worse. There is going to be a great false revival, and the result is going to be the forming of two parties. You hardly need to go beyond a Sabbath School class in any church on a Sabbath morning to observe that there are two schools of thought working there; two parties are forming in the church.

Two Parties to Develop

“As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 400. Well, how can this be, both separation and unity? There is a separation into two parties, and the individuals within the two parties are drawing closer and closer to each other.

“Two parties will be developed.” Selected Messages, book 2, 114. People sometimes say to me, “Ralph, I see three parties out there.” Well, that is true in a sense; but in a sense it is not true. Kenneth Sample, the Calvinistic theologian who inherited the work of Walter Martin when Walter Martin died, looked at our church; and he saw three parties also. He said that in the Seventh-day Adventist Church today you have Calvinists, Liberals, and Historics. Well that is true enough. You see, the Liberal says that nothing is important anyway, so what do standards matter. The Calvinist says, “The Bible guarantees me the right to sin and nobody is going to take my right to sin away from me.” So they meet on the ethical platform, or should I say, the unethical platform. They come to it from different sides, but that is where they get together. I have seen this happen.

I watched a church business meeting where a nominating committee report was being discussed in which the question was, “Are we going to let some conservative Historic Adventist people be put into church office?” It was very, very obvious there that the Calvinists and the Liberals ganged up against the Historics. It was just as clear as could be.

“The wheat is being bound up for the heavenly garner. The true people of God are now pulling apart, and the tares are being bound in bundles to burn.” Letter 12, 1892. When somebody accuses you of pulling apart, show them this statement.

And then we have the final separation, the mass exodus. It will not be small. Remember that we read in Testimonies to Ministers, 409, “Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.” Many, not a few. Again the word many in Testimonies, vol. 5, 81,

“Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness.”

“The light given me has been very forcible that many would go out from us, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils..” Evangelism, 363

“As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition.” The Great Controversy, 608

“Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord’s army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 41. During the General Conference in Texas, years back, Elder H.M.S. Richards, who was still alive at that time, read this statement to the delegates from all over the world and then posed the question, “What is a company? What is she describing as a company here? We have our own definition today. A company is a Sabbath School group that grows and grows until it finally becomes a church. Is that what she is talking about or is she talking about something else? Is she talking about a conference? Is she talking about a union conference? A division?” My observation is that any of these definitions could be appropriate.How do we cope with these things? First of all, do not despair. “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, ‘Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.’ ” Isaiah 43:1–3

Let the Jordan overflow, who cares? “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee.” The Lord is perfectly able to take us through the troublous times ahead in the way that He sees best.

Trust Before Understanding

Now let us go back to where we started, folks. Our situation is pretty much like Jeremiah’s. The things ahead of us could be put in the same category as what was ahead of Jeremiah, with a little adaptation of course. It is a pretty gloomy picture. In the midst of all this, poor Jeremiah is saying, “Lord, I am not criticizing You; I am not telling You that You are making any mistakes; but would You please let me ask? I have some questions, Lord.” And the Lord’s response to him: “Jeremiah, I understand your questions, and I sympathize with your condition; but, Jeremiah, you have to put first things first. Do not put understanding ahead of trust. You must trust Me, Jeremiah.” Let us take that message given to Jeremiah as a message for every one of us. May God bless you.

The End

Jehu

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A time came when the Lord spoke to Elijah and said, “Then the LORD said to him: Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.” 1 Kings 19:15–17.

“And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, Get yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among his associates, and take him to an inner room. Then take the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, and say Thus says the Lord, I have anointed you king over Israel. Then open the door and flee, and do not delay.” “And when he arrived, there were the captains of the army sitting.” Jehu was the head over all the armies of Israel at this time. “I have a message for you, O commander. And Jehu said, For which one of us? And he said, For you, Commander. Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, Thus says the Lord God of Israel: I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab all the males in Israel, both bond and free.

“So I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the vicinity of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door and fled.” 2 Kings 9:1–3, 5–10

Anytime Jehu was involved, things happened really fast. “Then Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, Is all well? Why did this madman come to you? And he said to them, You know the man and his babble. And they said, A lie! Tell us now. So he said, Thus and thus he spoke to me, saying, Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you king over Israel. Then each man hastened to take his garment and put it under him on the top of the steps; and they blew trumpets, saying, Jehu is king!” 2 Kings 9:11–13

Jehu set out to fulfill the commission that the Lord had given him. He killed the king of Israel, and then Ahaziah of Judah was killed. Jehu then went on to Jezreel and had Jezebel put to death. The Lord had told him that he was to kill all of the house of Ahab because of their wickedness, “So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his close acquaintances and his priests, until he left him none remaining.” 2 Kings 10:11

Lost Doing A Good Work

Because Jehu did a work that God commissioned him to do, the Lord rewarded him. (See 2 Kings 10:30.) However, as I study the life of Jehu, I find nothing that assures us that Jehu will be in the kingdom of heaven. The Bible states that “Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord.” Verse 31. There is no promise of salvation to people who do not walk in the law of the Lord.

All of these stories in the Bible are given for us to learn lessons. The story of Jehu is a very interesting one. How is it that a man could be anointed by Elisha, do what he was supposed to do, have the Lord tell him, “I am going to reward you because you did what you were supposed to do,” and yet be lost?

Jehu had a number of problems in his life. One of those problems was that he was self-confident. Many people think that if you are self-confident, you are going to accomplish a great deal; but in the Christian life, self-confidence is one of the most dangerous elements that we encounter because a Christian’s confidence is to be only in the Lord.

Determined to Be Someone

What was Jehu’s second problem? He was determined that he was going to do something to really distinguish himself above other people. Do you remember that Jehu said to a companion, “I am zealous for the Lord. Come up with me and see it?” (See 2 Kings 10:16.) Jehu had a type of zeal but without knowledge. Writing of this type of error, Ellen White wrote that those who “cast aside all that has been said in regard to unity of sentiment and feeling, and trample upon the prayer of Christ as though the unity for which He prayed was unessential, that there is no necessity for His followers to be one, even as He is one with the Father. They go off on a tangent, and Jehu-like, call to their brethren to follow their example of zeal for the Lord.” Review and Herald, September 12, 1893. What is this tangent? “Men are to be condemned who start out with a proclamation of wonderful light and yet draw away from the agents whom God is leading.” Ibid.

So a person says, “Oh, I have this wonderful new truth.” They tell you the wonderful new truth and then start condemning all of the other people whom God has been using and say, “They do not know about this yet. They are not up to this yet.” This, she says, is the way that Jehu was. He wanted to lead others to follow his own example of haste and zeal which was not according to knowledge.

Another problem that Jehu had was that his religion was all activity. Remember the Bible talked about driving furiously like Jehu? Ellen White writes about this also. She says, “There are many whose religion consists in activities. They want to be engaged in and have the credit of doing some great work while the little graces that go to make up a lovely Christian character are entirely overlooked. The busy, bustling service which gives the impression that one is doing some wonderful work, is not acceptable to God. It is a Jehu spirit which says, ‘Come, see my zeal for the Lord.’ It is gratifying to self; it feeds a self-complacent feeling, but all the while the soul may be defiled with a plague spot of unsubdued, uncontrolled selfishness.” Signs of the Times, November 20, 1884. What was wrong? His religion consisted all in activity, but his heart was not changed. He was not developing the graces of a Christian character, a Christ-like spirit.

I referred to the fact that Jehu had a number of problems. He also had a problem of dissecting other people’s characters. Ellen White wrote to some people in the Battle Creek church who had this very same problem.

“You are not a converted people. The love of Jesus does not dwell in your hearts, and you are just as ready to fasten upon some other one to dissect his character, to become like Jehu in zeal to ferret out everything you can of a nature to condemn him, as you have been in the case of Bro. Bell. The spirit is there. The root of bitterness has not been dug out, but will spring into life and flourish wonderfully if it has a chance. The same suspicion, the same jealousies, the same spirit of insubordination, the same disrespect for men whom God has acknowledged as His servants, the same riding over authority that caused your present trouble, is not dead,—it is only quelled to arouse again in greater force, if a favorable occasion should offer. This spirit has never been expelled.” Special Testimony to the Battle Creek Church, 18

When you begin trying to determine everything that is wrong in the character of others, it has a reaction upon yourself.

Those who are like Jehu also tend to behave rashly. Do you know what it means to be rash? It is the tendency to make big, important decisions without carefully thinking the situation through. Of course, people who have this problem tend to think that everybody else is slow. Speaking of this problem, Ellen White wrote, “Many indulge a zeal like that of Jehu and rashly venture to make decisions in matters of grave importance while they themselves have no connection with God. They should humbly and earnestly seek wisdom from the One who has placed them in their position and should be very modest in assuming responsibilities. They should also lay the matter before the president of their conference and counsel with him. At some appointed time the subject should be patiently considered in the fear of God with much humility and sorrow for the erring who are the purchase of the blood of Christ with earnest, humble prayer. The proper officer should deal with the offenders.

“How different has been the course when, with self-assumed authority and a hard, unfeeling spirit, accusations have been made and souls have been thrust out of the church of Christ.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, 113

Have you ever met people who, if somebody commits a grievous error, their immediate response is, “Well, let’s just get them out. Let’s just disfellowship them.” That is the way that Jehu was.

One of Our Great Problems

Jehu went about to establish his own authority; and, friends, this has always been one of the greatest problems among the people of God. This has happened time and again. “During the night season has been presented before me the unfaithfulness of men who have occupied positions of responsibility at the great heart of the work. The counsels of this great center if kept pure and uncorrupted, would have been as the voice of God. But men have worked upon principles that are condemned by the Word of God and they have not heard nor obeyed the voice of God. Like Jehu they have driven furiously in a course to uproot the confidence of God’s people in men who are true to the Master’s cause. They have sought to establish their own authority while betraying the cause of God. While making decisions and devising and planning, they have tried to make their oppressive human orders as the voice of God to the people.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 17, 209. What were they doing? They were saying, “I am on the Lord’s side; but those people over there, they are not.” That was the way that Jehu was. He cast discredit on people whom God had been using.

Jehu assumed burdens that he was not able to carry. Ellen White, speaking about the leaders of the work, said, “Like Jehu, they have been driving furiously forward, to assume burdens which they cannot carry. It is because men know so little of true godliness, because they have so little genuine experience in the building up, little by little, of the work and cause of God, that they make long strides without God to lead the way.” 1888 Materials, 1630. While we do not want to go too slowly, there is such a thing as going too fast; and that is what Jehu did. He went too fast; he did things that were rash and not well thought through and assumed burdens that he was not competent to carry. He took long strides; he wanted to get the work done quickly.

I was interested in what Ellen White told our workers. She said, “Do not try to make everything go as fast as Jehu’s chariot wheels.” She wrote, “Men are slow to learn the lesson that the spirit manifested by Jehu will never bind hearts together. It is not safe for us to bind our interests with a Jehu religion. For this will result in bringing sadness of heart upon God’s true workers. God has not given to any of His servants the work of punishing those who will not heed His warnings and reproofs.” Review and Herald, April 10, 1900

Jehu had a spirit that, if you did not go along with his way of doing it, he would punish you.

Jehu was not gentle. Do you remember that Jesus said, “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart”? Matthew 11:28, 29. Jehu was not that way. Ellen White wrote about this character trait to our writers and editors. “The truth should be presented with divine tact, gentleness, and tenderness. It should come from a heart that has been softened and made sympathetic. We need to have close communion with God lest self rise up as it did in Jehu and we pour forth a torrent of words that are unbefitting, that are not as dew or as the still showers that revive the withering plants. Let our words be gentle as we seek to win souls.” Publishing Ministry, 307. Oh, friend, has your heart been made soft and sympathetic by the love of Jesus? When that has taken place, your religion is going to have a much greater effect on other people.

Jehu did what God wanted to have done, but he did not have the right spirit. Are we going to learn what Jehu apparently never learned? If we have Jesus inside our hearts, we will always see some way to reach the minds and hearts of others because we will be unselfish and thoughtful. Kindness opens the door to people’s hearts.

Greater Power Than Jehu

We are told that, “If we would enter into the joy of our Lord, we must be co-laborers with Him. With the love of Jesus warm in our hearts, we shall always see some way to reach the minds and hearts of others. It will make us unselfish, thoughtful, and kind; and kindness opens the door of hearts; gentleness is mightier far than a Jehu spirit.” Review and Herald, February 10, 1885. Would you like to have something that is more powerful than the Jehu spirit? Would you like to have power in your life? power to influence your children? power to influence other people? When you have the gentleness of Jesus and you speak to other people with tenderness and courtesy, that has greater power than all of the force that Jehu was able to muster. God wants to give you a superior wisdom, a superior power that will be able to go beyond the Jehu spirit and reach people’s hearts. Do you want it? Ask the Lord to give you a Christ-like, gentle spirit. Remember, it is far more powerful than the spirit of Jehu. It will give you access to people’s hearts. If you will ask the Lord for it, He will give it to you.

The End

Editorial – What God Has Joined, part 2

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Although, in extreme cases, separation is at times necessary, we note that this course was something that even the prophet of God left to the judgment of those who were in these trying situations—she did not advocate the separation of that which God had joined together and she gave serious warnings to anyone who would do this even when there was question as to whether the persons involved had a biblical right to marry in the first place.

Example 1: “Your letter has been received and read. I have had acquaintance with several such cases and have found those who felt conscientious to do something in similar cases to the one you mention. After having stirred things up generally, and torn to pieces, they had not wisdom to put things together to make matters better. I found that those who were so zealous to tear things down did nothing to build them up in right order. They had the faculty to confuse, distress, and create a most deplorable condition of things, but not the faculty to make them better.

“You have asked my counsel in regard to this case; I would say that unless those who are burdened in reference to the matter have carefully studied a better arrangement, and can find places for these where they can be comfortable, they better not carry out their ideas of a separation. I hope to learn that this matter is not pressed and that sympathy will not be withdrawn from the two whose interests have been united. I write this because I have seen so many cases of the kind, and persons would have great burden till everything was unsettled and uprooted and then their interest and burden went no further. We should individually know that we have a zeal that is according to knowledge. We should not move hastily in such matters, but look on every side of the question; we should move very cautiously and with pitying tenderness, because we do no know all the circumstances which led to this course of action.

“I advise that these unfortunate ones be left to God and their own consciences, and that the church shall not treat them as sinners until they have evidence that they are such in the sight of the Holy God. He reads hearts as an open book. He will not judge as man judgeth.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 164, 165

Example 2: “I have just read your letter concerning Will E. I regard the matter in the same light that you do, and think it a cruel, wicked thing that the father of Will E. Should take the course that he is taking; but I have not dared to answer his letters. If anything can come from me through you to him, I would say that his case cannot be improved by leaving the present wife. It would not better the case to go to the other woman in the question….

“I have not written to Will E., but know that if the father would repent before God and do his first works, and cease to consider himself as one that can help his son, he would ask himself the question, ‘Is my name written there, on the page white and fair?’ He might well begin to humble himself before God, and leave Will Wales with God.

“Let the father and brother make diligent work for themselves. They both need the converting power of God. May the Lord help these poor souls to remove spot and stain from their own characters, and repent of their wrongs, and leave Will E. with the Lord.

“I am so sorry for the man, for his course is in such a shape that it will not answer to be meddled with, for there are difficulties upon difficulties. I would say that the Lord understands the situation, and if Will E. will seek Him with all his heart, He will be found of him. If he will do his best, God will pardon and receive him.

“’Oh, how precious it is to know that we have One who does know and understand, and will help the ones who are most helpless. But the rebuke of God is upon the father and the brother who would drive to destruction and perdition one who stands in the sight of God under no worse condemnation than themselves, and yet they will so use their gifts of speech as to dishearten, discourage, and drive Will E. to despair.

“‘Will E. may hope in God and do the best he can to serve God in all humility of mind, casting his helpless soul upon the great Sin Bearer. I have not written a word to either father or son. I would gladly do something to help poor Will E. to make things right, but this cannot be done as matters are now situated, without someone’s being wronged.

“I understand perfectly the situation between Will E. and his first wife….and I knew how the case would terminate; for Will E. cannot endure to be a slave, his identity lost in a wife who made herself his judge in conscience, in his duty, and in his work generally.” Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, 225-227

Children’s Story – Rescue At Sea

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In the days of sailing vessels, a Moravian missionary who had been serving in Jamaica, along with his wife and their small daughter, set sail for Mississippi. As it was a trip of only a few days, the ship carried very few provisions. They had not gone far, however, when a storm arose and drove them far from their course. The storm was followed by a dead calm that settled down, making it impossible to sail.

As the days lengthened into weeks, their food and water was almost gone. Each day everyone was given a small biscuit to eat and half a pint of water to drink. Under the hot tropical sun, this was not nearly enough water, and the suffering from thirst became almost more than words can describe. The passengers’ tongues became so swollen from thirst that they could hardly close their mouths.Though they had offered many prayers for help, the day came when the supply of food was nearly gone. The missionary’s wife decided to spend the entire night in prayer, asking God to send someone to help them. Early the next morning, she finally fell asleep. Not long after she fell asleep, she was awakened by her husband’s voice.

“My dear,” he said, “we think we see a sail. I would not disappoint you, but if it is God’s will for us, it will come to our relief.”

As quickly as possible, they made their way up on to the deck. The distant ship was still too far away to be seen by the naked eye, but the passengers took turns looking through the ship’s spyglass. It certainly looked as if it were a ship. Yes; now they were sure it was a ship, but would it come their way. They had seen ships far in the distance before, but each time the ship had passed out of sight without having seen them.

But this ship was coming nearer and nearer. Soon they could see it with the naked eye. Still it kept coming closer until it came close enough that a small boat was let down and four men, one of them evidently the captain, stepped into it and came across to where the stricken vessel sat floating in the water.The captain was the first to come aboard. When he saw their desperate condition, he lifted his hat and solemnly said:

“Now I believe that there is a God in heaven!”

The ship that had rescued them proved to be one of the small steamers that towed sailing vessels into the harbor. By the rules that then bound them, they were only allowed to go a certain distance out of port to look for vessels needing their assistance. Following is the strange story that the captain told.One day after he had gone the full limit, he felt unaccountably impelled to go still farther, although there was not a vessel in sight. His mate remonstrated with him, reminding him of the fine to which he was subject if he continued on beyond the range that was permitted.

“I cannot help it! I have to go on!” was his only reply.

By and by the captain became desperately seasick, something that he had not experienced in twenty years. He became so sick that he was forced to take to his berth, yet he refused to turn back. The crew finally mutinied, for they were now growing short on provision. Thinking their captain had lost his senses, they determined to take things into their own hands and return home with the ship. At this point, the captain became so distressed that he begged them to go on, promising them that if they saw nothing to justify his action by sunrise the next morning, he would give up and promptly return home. The men reluctantly agreed to continue on through the night. When the day dawned, the man at the masthead reported a black, motionless object far out to sea.”Make for it!” exclaimed the captain, emphatically. “That is what we have come after.”

At that instant, the seasickness left him; and he took the post of command. On reaching the ship with the missionaries and seeing their terrible condition, although he had been an infidel for many years, the conviction came to him with overwhelming power that he had been supernaturally guided and that there was a God in heaven. Later, when he learned of how the feeble missionary mother had spent the entire night in prayer, he became fully convinced that He was also a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God.

This is a modern illustration of the fact that God “delivereth and rescueth, and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth.” Daniel 6:27

The End

Fanaticism In The Church

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In John 10, Jesus said that not one true sheep will be taken out of the Father’s hands; not one single soul needs to be lost. God has made ample provision; and yet the sad thing is that while God has made ample provision that all may be saved, so few people actually are saved. In the days of Noah, there were only eight. Today, in the last day and age, there will be just a remnant.

Few are saved because most of us have learned, like Eve, to trust our own wisdom as to what is right and wrong; but Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Can there be something that seems absolutely right and yet be absolutely wrong?

We know very well that millions of people are keeping Sunday, the wrong day, believing that they are keeping God’s holy day. Many people will be lost, not because they are deceived but because they do not believe the truth of the Sabbath when God presents it to them. They hold on to their false ideas, rejecting what is truth. As a result, millions will be lost while believing that they are serving God.

Satan’s greatest concern, however, is with Sabbath-keepers. The Bible says that he will come down with great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (See Matthew 24:24.) A true deception is one that we do not perceive but that we believe to be true. If we perceived it, it would no longer be a true deception.

Satan has a deception for every individual. We could not begin to unravel all of the deceptions of Satan, but I would like to go over some principles. There are two great areas in which Satan is trying to deceive people. Generally, we only look at the area of presumption. It is one great area of deception in which the majority of people are deceived. They presume that God will overlook a requirement or He will accept them in this area or that area. I believe that this is the great sin that we as a church are falling into. We acknowledge that we do not follow everything that the Lord says, but we presume that He will overlook areas of shortcomings. The New Theology is the theology of presumption in which we presume that God is not particular. This idea is sweeping hundreds of thousands of Adventists off of their feet.

Works and Fanaticism

But there is another area that is fully as dangerous as presumption—the area of legalism. Those who fall into legalism decide that they can do enough things to please God. They strive to be accepted of God for their good works. It is most often the case that they are led to fanaticism. The Lord tells us that in the last days we need to be especially careful of fanaticism.

While Satan is trying to keep the majority occupied in areas of worldliness, there are some whom Satan is trying to deceive in areas of fanaticism, knowing that he will never be able to deceive them with his other enticements. Ellen White says, “As the end draws near, the enemy will work with all his power to bring in fanaticism among us.” Gospel Workers, 316. Again in Selected Messages, book 2, 14, “Every phase of fanaticism and erroneous theories, claiming to be the truth, will be brought in among the remnant people of God. These will fill minds with erroneous sentiments which have no part in the truth for this time.” If the Lord says that the devil will work with all of his power to bring fanaticism in among us, then I believe that it will happen.

In the early Advent movement when God called people out of the liberal churches, many of them went on into fanaticism. The devil tried to keep them from accepting the Millerite message and the Adventist message. When he failed in this, he tried to push them into the area of works and fanaticism. Ellen White said, “At this very time, we are suffering from the reproach which was brought on the cause in the first message by unwise, ill-balanced minds who thought they were obtaining a wonderful experience which should receive the credence of all men. In our early experience, we had to encounter their ever-strange humility and false notions. The first labor given me to do was to reprove their man-made tests. The testimony which I bore against fanaticism gained me the envy, jealousy, evil-surmising, and criticism of those who participated in these movements.” The Paulson Collection, 130

The devil really does not care which camp he gets us into as long as he can keep us from following Jesus all the way. Whether we fall short of the Lord’s Word or go beyond His Word, it will suit his purpose.

Today we are indeed seeing every phase of fanaticism coming in like a flood among us. It is sweeping many of our people off of their feet, especially those who are the conservative people among us. Many people seem to be conservative by nature rather than because of a deep study of the Word. They are not rooted and grounded and cannot discern the true revival from some false, fanatical movement. Ellen White says in the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 907, “As we near the end of time, falsehood will be so mingled with truth that only those who have the guidance of the Holy Spirit will be able to distinguish truth from error. We need to make every effort to keep the Word of the Lord. We must in no case turn from His guidance to put our trust in man. Those who are guided by the Word of the Lord will discern with certainty between falsehood and truth, between sin and righteousness.”

I am alarmed as I have observed people saying “Amen,” enjoying the messages, and agreeing with everything that I say, but the next week when somebody else comes along teaching just the opposite, these same people are saying “Amen” and agreeing with everything that they say. Who is speaking the truth is not the point. The point is that not both can be true, yet people are drinking in both messages and have no discerning power to determine which message is the truth. We cannot be rooted and grounded in the truth merely by listening to tapes or listening to those whom we have faith in. We have to study the Word and the Spirit of Prophecy for ourselves.

Wisdom Above Inspiration

The first area of fanaticism that I would like to look at is one that probably does not seem important. It is the area of Christmas and Christmas trees. Ellen White does warn us that we should be careful not to become worldly in what we do on Christmas, or even with the Christmas trees. Though we have rarely had a Christmas tree and Christmas has never been an important part of our lives, nevertheless Ellen White says in the Review and Herald, December 11, 1879, “God would be well pleased if on Christmas, each church would have a Christmas tree on which shall be hung offerings, great and small, for these houses of worship.”

But when I point out to people that Ellen White talked about Christmas and about the birth of Jesus at Christmas time, their comment has been, “Ellen White was wrong in this area.” Now when I find people who know more of how we should act, what we should believe, how much different from the world we should become, and what is involved in keeping the commandments than the prophet of the Lord, it causes me great concern because it never stops there. Once they have established their wisdom above the prophet of the Lord, that same spiritual pride carries over into other areas. The belief regarding Christmas is only an opening wedge.

I searched through the Spirit of Prophecy and found twenty-two pages of statements on Christmas. It is interesting that for almost eleven years, Sister White wrote about Christmas every year in the Review and Herald.

Many people, realizing that Christmas has a pagan origin, have come to believe that it is wrong to give any recognition to Christmas. As Christmas is of pagan origin, they conclude that Christmas trees are something that must be pagan and are an abomination, and having a tree is, therefore, just like keeping Sunday. Therefore, if any church has anything to do with Christmas, it has apostatized. But Ellen White identifies this as being narrow minded. “May God forbid that any should be so narrow-minded as to overlook the event because there are uncertainties in regard to the exact time of Christ’s birth.” This Day With God, 360. Those are not my words; they are the Lord’s words. There is a vast difference between Sunday-keeping and Christmas. Sunday has replaced the Sabbath and led to the breaking of God’s commandment.

I remember one Christmas on which I gave a Christmas sermon. I thought that the Lord blessed, but some people told me afterwards that if I was ever preaching at Christmastime again, they would never come to hear because I had mentioned Christmas. To even recognize it, they felt, is the same as keeping Sunday. “Well,” I asked, “what do you do with the statements of Ellen White?” They replied, “Ellen White was wrong in this area.” Now you see, my concern is not Christmas but are we going to follow human wisdom or the Lord’s wisdom? Who understands best what constitutes rebellion against God? Whether or not other people have a Christmas tree is not the point, but their belief in the Spirit of Prophecy is. The Lord must give us balance, as none of us are very balanced to start with. For this reason, we have to lay aside our ideas and accept the Word of the Lord.

God has not forbidden that which allows us to fit into society which is not rebellion in nature. To keep Sunday is breaking the fourth commandment, so that is going to be part of the mark of the beast. To keep a twenty-four hour clock is not necessarily pagan, unless the Lord tells us that it is. As a result, in dealing with civil matters, we generallly use a civil clock, which is pagan. When it comes to keeping the Sabbath, we use God’s clock because we are dealing with holy time; and God has to decide how His day is going to be kept.

Going Beyond What God Says

I have found that once someone goes beyond what God says, it is harder for him to humble himself and come back to simple allegiance than it is to convert a person right out of the world. Fanaticism is the one hardest thing in the world to cure because there is a sense of holiness, a sense of righteousness that puts one head and shoulders above the common, lukewarm, Laodicean Christian. It is not easy to humble oneself and to let go of the fanatical idea.

I have also noticed that many people who take an extreme position on Christmas very shortly end up taking extreme positions in other areas. One area that is becoming popular is the keeping of the feast days.

Paul addresses the matter of continued adherance to the ceremonial law. “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe,” and notice what he is talking about, “days [the various daily ceremonies] and months and seasons [we have seasonal and monthly ceremonies] and years [the years, by the way, is the jubilee].” We have the Jubilee, we have the Passover, we have the Day of Atonement, we have these various things that were added at Sinai or after the Fall. He says, “I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.” Galatians 4:9–11

Now Paul is not saying, “Well, it is fine. Some of you keep the feast days, you who are really holy. For the rest of you, it is not really necessary.” He says, “I am afraid of you who are keeping these feast days, lest I have labored for you in vain.” In chapter 4:22 and onward, he talks about those who are holding on to the ceremonies given at Sinai and compares them to Hagar and Ishmael. In verse 30 he says, “Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? ‘Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.’ ” So Paul says that we are not to allow those who continue to keep the feast days to be a part and parcel of God’s holy church. By the way, to return to keeping the feast days of the ceremonial law is cause for disfellowshipping, according to Paul in Galatians. He says, “Do not allow them to remain. Cast them out.” What does it mean to cast out? If is a very serious thing in Paul’s mind. It is total apostasy in the area of fanaticism.

Total Apostasy

Look at what Paul says in the next chapter. He brings in circumcision. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.” Galatians 5:1–3. Now what is the whole law? The whole law means animal sacrifices, an earthly priesthood. He said that if you are going to keep the Day of Atonement, you have to offer an animal sacrifice; that is the rest of the law. If you are going to keep the Passover, you have to offer an animal sacrifice. If you are going to keep circumcision, you have to offer an animal sacrifice. You have to keep the whole ceremonial law; you cannot pick and choose. Now he says in verse 4, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Now, dear friends, do not think that this thing of going back and keeping the feast days is some new area of sanctification or some new light that has come into the church. It is total apostasy.

Speaking of the ordinance of humility and the Lord’s supper, we are told, “In this ordinance, Christ discharged His disciples from the cares and burdens of the ancient Jewish obligations in rites and ceremonies. These no longer possessed any virtue; for type was meeting antitype in Himself, the authority and foundation of all Jewish ordinances that pointed to Him as the great and only efficacious offering for the sins of the world. . . .

“If His disciples had not needed this, it would not have been left for them as Christ’s last established ordinance in connection with, and including, the last supper. It was Christ’s desire to leave to His disciples an ordinance that would do for them the very thing they needed,—that would serve to disentangle them from the rites and ceremonies which they had hitherto engaged in as essential, and which the reception of the gospel made no longer of any force. To continue these rites would be an insult to Jehovah.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1139, 1140

“None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict.” The Great Controversy, 593. It is time that we are fortifying our minds. Not one of us is going to make it through the times ahead unless we are fortifying our minds with God’s Word every day.

The End

Getting Out of a Bad Marriage, part 3

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There is peace in the thought that God works out all things after the counsel of His own will and that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Then it does not matter what comes against us; for in that it comes against us, it comes against the purpose of God; and that is as sure and firm as the existence of the Almighty can make it. Now who is against us? Satan is against us. That does not make any difference if he is. Satan has tried his power with Christ, and it has proved itself to be nothing. “All power in heaven and earth is given to Me” (see Matthew 28:18), says Christ. Then if all power has been given to Christ in heaven and in earth, and it has been given, where is there any left for Satan? There is none. In a contest with Christ, Satan has no power; so if we have Christ for us, nothing can be against us.

Bible Truth in Song

Some of us have been talking about the power of Satan in the past, but he has none; there is none left for him. Technically speaking, Satan is against us. Who is he? “The prince of the power of the air.” Ephesians 2:2. He brings pestilence; he brings disease; he puts things in our way and arrays them against us. But the very things which he arrays against us to work our ruin, God takes and makes them for us. They are all good. We often sing:Let good or ill befall, It must be good for me,Secure of having Thee in all, Of having all in Thee.

But we very often sing things that we do not believe at all. Now I would not have anyone sing these things any less, but I would have you believe them more. It is often the case that if you took the words from the music and put them into plain prose, there would not be anyone in a whole congregation who would believe or dare to say them. Let us believe them, not because they are in the hymn, but because they are Bible truth.

We are like the people who are represented by the prophet Ezekiel: “Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against [about] thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, everyone to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord.” That is to say, Come, let us go to meeting and hear the sermon. “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as My people and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.” Ezekiel 33:30–32

I say that a great many of these truths are just a song to many people. They hear them and are interested in them and then pass on, but they do not believe or do them. But the Lord has given them for us to both believe and to do, and they will be our strength. So everything works for good to them that love God. We cannot always see how or tell how; but God has said it, and we know it is so. There are many things that we cannot tell why we believe and to our very senses they do not appear to be so; but the very fact that God has promised that if we do believe them they will be so, makes them so, when we take hold and believe them. We can never know this till we do believe; but when we do believe, then we will know. So if God be for us, who can be against us?

Think of that lone prophet of God, Elisha. He was down in Samaria; the mountains were all around him. A whole host of armed men had come to take him. He stood alone with his servant, and that servant was afraid. He did not think in that moment, nor did he say, that the King of Israel ought to send a troop of horses or some infantry to defend him. The young man came to him and said, “Alas, my master! how shall we do?” Elisha prayed, “Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:15, 16

The whole mountain and plain was filled with chariots and horses, and any one of them was stronger than the whole host of the enemy. It is as true in our case as in that of Elisha, that “they that be for us are more than they that be against us (see verse 16);” and the only thing for us to do is to get our eyes open so that we may see that this is so. What opens our eyes? The Word, it is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path; and if we believe it, we will know that they that are for us are more than they that are against us.

All Things A Blessing to Us

He who is with us is the living God of Israel, Who has power to turn darkness into light and weakness into strength; and every evil thing that comes against us, He turns into a blessing to help us on our way.

“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?” Romans 8:32. Why will He with Christ also give us all things? Because all things are in Him. “Which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” Ephesians 1:23

He that hath put on Christ is “strengthened with all might!” (See Ephesians 3:16.) Why? Because God has placed Christ “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” Ephesians 1:21–23. Therefore, everything is in Christ. In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He has all power given Him in heaven and in earth. Do you not see that this being the case, it is a foregone conclusion that when God gave Christ for us and freely delivered Him up for us all, that in Him He does give us all things?

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3Christ has all power, and He hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Notice that the past tense is used. This has been done for us. Then why do we not have them? For just one reason—because we do not take them. We have been mourning for so long and saying that we want these things. Well, we can have them; they have been given to us, and there is no reason why we should not appropriate them to ourselves.

Suppose that I come to you and say that I am very hungry and I would like something to eat. “All right,” you say, “Just sit down here at the table and we will get something for you.” Soon you place the best of what you have on the table and tell me that there it is and now, eat. But I say, “O, I am so hungry and I do want food so much.” All right, take it and eat. “But I am so hungry and I do want something to eat. I have not had anything for days.” Well, take it. “Yes, but I do want food so badly.” You would say that I was out of my mind if I acted that way and did not eat of the food that was so freely placed before me.

Someone says, “If that is the way that the Lord does with these blessings that pertain to life and godliness, we are certainly foolish that we do not take them; but I do not think that the illustration is a fair one because we cannot see these things that the Lord has to offer, and we can see the food.” Neither do I think that it is a fair illustration, because it does not half fill the bill.

Unseen Realities

Did not you often think that you saw something that you did not see? Does not your sight often deceive you? Sometimes you think you saw a thing that you did not see and then again you saw things that when you came to look at them closely were not as they really appeared to be. But the Word of God never deceives. Therefore, I am more sure of the things promised in the Word of God than if I could see them. “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.” Romans 4:16

We think that anything that we can see is all right and sure. Therefore we get hold of a house or a piece of land or some other property and think that we have something because there is in our possession something that we can see. But the truth of the matter is that the only things that we can depend on are the things that we cannot see. (See 2 Corinthians 4:18.) We can see the earth, and we can see the heavens; but they are going to pass away. “But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” 1 Peter 1:25

With the psalmist we can say, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” Psalm 46:1, 2. The time is coming when the earth will reel to and fro like a drunken man and be removed like a cottage, and the mountains will skip away and pass over into the ocean. This is going to happen; and there will be some people at that time who will feel perfectly calm and trustful, but they will not be composed of men and women who have never learned to say that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose. The man who doubts God now will doubt Him then. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

All Good Things Belong to Us

Yes, we have everything; we are children of the King, of the Most High. What difference does it make if people do not own us? God owns us, and He knows us; and therefore if men heap on us reproach and persecution, the only thing that we can do is to pity them and labor for them; for they do not know the riches of the inheritance.

“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Romans 8:33. Well, there is one that will do it surely. We have his name, Satan. Here is a testimony concerning him. “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:10. Yes, Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He has done it day and night, and he is doing it still—laying everything he can to the charge of God’s elect. But he is cast down, and now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of God, and the power of His Christ. Christ has all power; how good that is.

But one says, “I believe all that, and I have confessed my sins, and I believe that God is faithful and just to forgive them and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness; but these sins keep coming up before me all the time!” Are you sure that it is Satan that brings them up? That is an important point; for if you are sure of that, and they do come up, you ought to be one of the happiest creatures alive.

Why does Satan bring these things up? Because he is the accuser of the brethren, and he is a false accuser; he is a liar and the father of it. Therefore, if Satan brings these sins up and accuses you, then you know that they are forgiven, because he would never have brought them up if they had not been forgiven. He could not tell the truth if he tried; and unless they had been forgiven, he never would bring them up, never in the world, because he would be afraid that you would confess them and they would be forgiven.

There is a time when God brings sins up before us, but it is when they have not been confessed. That is the only time. But it is the Comforter Who convicts of sin, so He comforts us in every place and in the very act of calling to our remembrance the wrongs that we have done. Then when God brings sins to my notice that I have not confessed, I will thank Him for the comfort. When Satan brings them up again, I will praise God again; for if they were not forgiven, Satan would never bring them up; but if they have been confessed, they have been forgiven.In Christ are mercy and truth met together. The same hand that holds the law, holds the pardon also. Remember that when the law was spoken from Sinai in thunder tones, it was in the hand of a Mediator, even our Lord Jesus Christ. Then the same hand which holds the justice and that which convicts of sin holds also the pardon. Thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.

“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.” Romans 8:35–37

“We have enemies to contend with,” says one. Do not talk about them or your trials and temptations, but talk of the power of Christ. All power has been given to Him. So when we wrestle, we will remember that it is not an even-handed battle; but we fight a fight of faith, and the power is given unto us whereby we can be more than conquerors through Him that loved us and gave Himself for us. Where sin abounded, there did grace much more abound.

Who are conquerors? They are those who have gained the victory. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12. It is not flesh and blood that we are fighting against, therefore flesh and blood are of no account in the defense. Then how do we meet the foe? “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Timothy 6:12

There comes in that life question again. “Lay hold on eternal life.” The only power that can resist evil is the power of an endless life, and He that hath the Son hath that life. We are to fight the good fight of faith. What is faith? Trusting in another. If I fight a fight with my fists, I do the fighting. If I fight the fight of faith, someone else is fighting for me; and I am getting the benefit. We are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us. Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Victory A Certainty

Well how is this? Christ has fought hand to hand with Satan here on earth. He conquered Satan and all of his host, and He has put down all might and dominion; for He has been placed above all “principality and power and might.” Ephesians 1:21. How great was the victory of Christ over them? Christ met these very enemies that we have to wrestle with, and He triumphed over them and spoiled them. (See Colossians 2:15.) He has gained the victory over them. What is the result? What always must be the result when a battle has been fought and one side has conquered the other completely?—Peace. Satan would not give in, so the Saviour conquered a peace.

“He is our peace.” “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27. As He has given us His peace and peace follows victory, so the victory has been gained already. And if we have Christ, that victory is ours already. We simply lay hold of the eternal life of Christ; and that is done by laying hold of His Word, which is spirit and life. Thus we bring Christ into our hearts, and so we have Christ and the victory that He has won for us.

Our Cause of Weakness

The great trouble with us is that sometimes we are afraid that Christ will gain the victory. Why? We have some darling sin that we do not want to give up; we are willing, we think, that all the rest should go but that, and so we are afraid that Christ will gain the victory and that that sin will have to be given up. We call Christ in to help defeat our enemy; and when He comes, He finds us on the side of the enemy. But if we will give up all of these things, Christ will give us something that is infinitely better. When we make up our minds from the Word of God that all that God has to give us is in Christ, that He is the fullness of Him that filleth all in all, we will realize that the meager things of this earth are not worth having compared to what is going to be given us.

In 1 John 4:2–4, we have reference to the wicked spirits with which we have to fight, and this assurance is given to the children of God: “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” So with Elisha we know that they that are for us are more than they that are against us.

Do we believe that Christ has conquered everything; that when we have Him, we have everything; and that there is no power of darkness that can do us any hurt?When our faith fully grasps this truth, we are crucified with Him. Our own lives have been given up to Christ, but we still live. Then it must be some other life that we live, and that life is the life of Christ. That is the life in which we glory. Christ is our life. He has the victory, therefore we have it. “Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11What is it to put on the whole armour? to stand in Christ complete? He is the truth, the Lord our righteousness. Shod with peace, He is our peace. It is Christ all through. Then take the sword in your hand; it is the Word of God, and Christ is the eternal Word.

“And ye are complete in Him.” Colossians 2:10. Having put on the whole armour, which is Christ, we are complete in Him. “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ!” Romans 13:14. He is the armour, and the armour is He. Thus it is that in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us and gave His life for us. There is nothing that can take the armour away from 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.” Romans 8:38, 39
The End

Food for Life – Is Cheese Edible, part 1

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This month we will look at another very serious problem which affects the health of millions and which holds a very prominent place in the diet of many Seventh-day Adventists; Cheese.

This most powerful statement comes to my mind and has to do with every phase of our daily diet. It is found in Counsels on Diet and Foods, 59, 1875. “The controlling power of appetite will prove the ruin of thousands, when, if they had conquered on this point, they would have had moral power to gain the victory over every other temptation of Satan. But those who are slaves to appetite will fail in perfecting Christian character. . . As we near the close of time, Satan’s temptation to indulge appetite will be more powerful and more difficult to overcome.” As Historic Seventh-day Adventists preparing to meet our soon-coming Jesus in the clouds of heaven, we recognize the importance of overcoming every hereditary and cultivated tendency to wrong.

When God, in His great love for His remnant church, sent the health reform message, He did not always give us the reasons for the restrictions that He placed on our diet. We were to move out in faith, trusting the divine hand that was guiding us. Now we are doubly blessed in having scientific research that vindicates the many questions that, in the past, were raised regarding the Spirit of Prophecy counsels.

Many years ago, the counsel to us was, “Cheese should never be introduced into the stomach.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 368. “It [cheese] is wholly unfit for food.” Ibid., 368. Today there is an abundance of supporting, scientific evidence.

The cheese found in super markets contains rennet, the enzyme coagulant used in the cheese for clotting purposes. This substance is an extraction from finely ground stomachs of calves. In addition, it may also contain an extender, pepsin, which is taken from the stomachs of swine. According to the cheese manufacturers, there is no way of ascertaining with certainty that the cheese you purchase does not contain this extender.

The Spirit of Prophecy also warns that mold can be deadly. As far back as 1985, newspapers carried warnings of bacteria found in a certain Mexican-style cheese which was responsible for thirty deaths in California and four serious illnesses in Fort Worth, Texas. Science News, 59, July 1976, carried the warning, “The mold that creates Roquefort and similar blue cheeses creates a dangerous nerve poison that causes convulsions in mice. The chemical is more concentrated in the heavily molded parts of such cheeses than in the white portions.” Also found in cheddar cheese and other common cured cheeses during the aging period is tyramine. Upon analysis, some cheeses were found to contain sufficient tyramine to affect the heart and raise blood pressure, even in amounts that are usually consumed at a meal.

Another serious concern is the high fat content of cheese. Dr. Julian Whitaker, director of the California Health Treatment Center, in an article in the Natural Health Bulletin states: “When large amounts of fats are eaten, the red blood cells stick together and stack up. This is called ‘rouleaux formation’ and limits the flow of blood cells through the capillaries. It creates ‘sludging’ with a thirty percent reduction of oxygen supply to the heart.” Surely we can see that our Creator knows what is best for the creatures that He has created!

Macaroni & Cheese Sauce

Place in a blender:

2 cups water

1 tsp sea salt

6 oz canned pimentos

1 tbsp onion powder

2 oz green chilies (not hot)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 ½ cups cashews

When thoroughly blended and smooth, pour into container and add 1 small 4 oz. can of sliced olives, drained, and the cooked macaroni. Mix well, pour into casserole, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Molded Cheese Loaf

1 cup water

1 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp green chilies (mild)

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp onion powder

2 cups cashews

1 tbsp garlic powder

4–6 tbsp Agar powder

8 oz can pimentos

1 cup water

Thoroughly blend first seven ingredients. Then add cashews and blend till smooth. In small pan, place 1 cup of water and Agar powder. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; add to the above mixture and blend thoroughly. Pour into long Velveeta cheese mold and refrigerate overnight. Place on platter and garnish with parsley. This loaf may be sliced for sandwiches or grated on salads. (Agar is a Japanese seaweed and may be used the same as gelatin for molded fruit salads. We do not use the commercial gelatins because of the animal sources used.)

The End

What Inspiration Says About – Qualifications of Ministers, part 2

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1. Prayer

Ministers should be instant in prayer. Among the ministers of Christ there is too little prayer, and too much self-exaltation. There is too little weeping between the porch and the altar, crying, Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thy heritage to reproach.” Too little is said about the love and compassion of Jesus. Christ is constantly interceding for sinners. Those who cooperate with Him must do a work which corresponds to that which he is doing in heaven. Review and Herald, March 24, 1903.

I wish I could impress upon every worker in God’s cause, the great need of continual, earnest prayer. They cannot be constantly upon their knees, but they can be uplifting their hearts to God. This is the way that Enoch walked with God. Ibid., November 10, 1885

Ministers who are truly Christ’s representatives will be men of prayer. With an earnestness and faith that will not be denied, they will plead with God that they may be strengthened and fortified for duty and for trial, and that their lips may be sanctified by a touch of the living coal from off the altar, to speak the words of God to the people. Testimonies, vol. 4, 529

If the ministers now laboring in the gospel field, yourself included, felt the necessity of daily examination of self and daily communion with God, they would then be in a condition to receive the words from God to be given to the people. Ibid., 371

2. Love and Courtesy

I wish you, my brethren, to bear in mind that Bible religion never destroys human sympathy. True Christian courtesy needs to be taught and acted, to be carried into all your intercourse with your brethren and with worldlings. There is need of far more love and courtesy in our families than is now revealed. When our ministering brethren shall drink in the spirit of Christ daily, they will be truly courteous, and will not consider it weakness to be tenderhearted and pitiful, for this is one of the principles of the gospel of Christ. Christ’s teaching softened and subdued the soul. The truth received into the heart will work a renovation in the soul. Those who love Jesus will love the souls for whom He died. The truth planted in the heart will reveal the love of Jesus and its transforming power. Anything harsh, sour, critical, domineering, is not of Christ, but proceeds from Satan. Coldness, heartlessness, want of tender sympathy, are leavening the camp of Israel. If these evils are permitted to strengthen as they have done for some years in the past, our churches will be in a deplorable condition. Every teacher of the truth needs the Christlike principle in his character. There will be no frowns, no scolding, no expressions of contempt, on the part of any man who is cultivating the graces of Christianity. Testimonies to Ministers, 156, 157

3. The Dress of the Minister

Our ministers and their wives should be an example in plainness of dress; they should dress neatly, comfortably, wearing good material, but avoiding anything like extravagance and trimmings, even if not expensive; for these things tell to our disadvantage. We should educate the youth to simplicity of dress, plainness with neatness. Let the extra trimmings be left out, even though the cost be but a trifle. Ibid., 180

The minister should be free from every unnecessary temporal perplexity, that he may give himself wholly to his sacred calling. He should be much in prayer, and should bring himself under discipline to God, that his life may reveal the fruits of true self-control. His language should be correct; no slang phrases, no cheap utterances, should fall from his lips. His dress should be in harmony with the character of the work he is doing. Gospel Workers, 145

Carefulness in dress is an important item. There has been a lack here with ministers who believe present truth. The dress of some has been even untidy. Not only has there been a lack of taste and order in arranging the dress in a becoming manner upon the person, and in having the color suitable and becoming for a minister of Christ, but the apparel of some has been even slovenly. Some ministers wear a vest of a light color, while their pants are dark, or a dark vest and light pants, with no taste or orderly arrangement of the dress upon the person when they come before the people.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 610

4. The Minister at Study

Ministers should devote time to reading, to study, to meditation and prayer. They should store the mind with useful knowledge, committing to memory portions of Scripture, tracing out the fulfillment of the prophecies, and learning the lessons which Christ gave to His disciples. Take a book with you to read when traveling on the cars or waiting in the depot. Employ every spare moment in doing something. In this way an effectual door will be closed against a thousand temptations. Had King David been engaged in some useful employment, he would not have been guilty of the murder of Uriah. Satan is ever ready to employ him who does not employ himself. The mind which is continually striving to rise to the height of intellectual greatness will find no time for cheap, foolish thoughts, which are the parent of evil actions.” Ibid., vol. 4, 412

Many of our ministers can present to the people only a few doctrinal discourses. The same exertion and application which made them familiar with these points will enable them to gain an understanding of others. The prophecies and other doctrinal subjects should be thoroughly understood by them all. But some who have been engaged in preaching for years are content to confine themselves to a few subjects, being too indolent to search the Scriptures diligently and prayerfully that they may become giants in the understanding of Bible doctrines and the practical lessons of Christ. The minds of all should be stored with a knowledge of the truths of God’s Word, that they may be prepared, at any moment when required, to present from the storehouse things new and old. Ibid., 414, 415

It will do you good, and our ministers generally, to frequently review the closing scenes in the life of our Redeemer. Here, beset with temptations as He was, we may all learn lessons of the utmost importance to us. It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour each day reviewing the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary. We should take it point by point and let the imagination vividly grasp each scene, especially the closing ones of His earthly life. By thus contemplating His teachings and sufferings, and the infinite sacrifice made by Him for the redemption of the race, we may strengthen our faith, quicken our love, and become more deeply imbued with the spirit which sustained our Saviour. If we would be saved at last we must all learn the lesson of penitence and faith at the foot of the cross. Christ suffered humiliation to save us from everlasting disgrace. He consented to have scorn, mockery, and abuse fall upon Him in order to shield us. It was our transgression that gathered the veil of darkness about His divine soul and extorted the cry from Him, as of one smitten and forsaken of God. He bore our sorrows; He was put to grief for our sins. He made Himself an offering for sin, that we might be justified before God through Him. Everything noble and generous in man will respond to the contemplation of Christ upon the cross. Ibid., 374

Continual application will accomplish for man what nothing else can. Those who are never content without the consciousness that they are growing every day will truly make a success of life. Ibid., 413

5. The Minister’s Family

The overbearing, dictatorial word must be left unspoken; then a precious victory will be gained. True happiness will be the result of every self-denial, every crucifixion of self. One victory won, the next is more easily gained. Had Moses neglected the opportunities and privileges granted him of God, he would have neglected the light from heaven and would have been a disappointed, miserable man. Sin is from beneath; and when it is indulged, Satan is enshrined in the soul, there to kindle the very fires of hell. God has not given His law to prevent the salvation of souls, but He wants all to be saved. Man has light and opportunities; and if he will improve them, he may overcome. You may show by your life the power of the grace of God in overcoming. Satan is trying to set up his throne in the soul-temple. When he reigns, he makes himself heard and felt in angry passions, in words of bitterness that grieve and wound; but as light has no communion with darkness, and Christ no union with Belial, the man must be wholly for one or the other. In yielding to self-indulgence, avarice, deception, fraud, or sin of any kind, he encourages the principles of Satan in his soul and closes the door of heaven to himself. Because of sin, Satan was thrust out of heaven; and no man indulging and fostering sin can go to heaven, for then Satan would again have a foothold there. Ibid., 345, 346

The largest share of the annoyances of life, its daily corroding cares, its heartaches, its irritation, is the result of a temper uncontrolled. The harmony of the domestic circle is often broken by a hasty word and abusive language. How much better were it left unsaid. One smile of pleasure, one peaceful, approving word spoken in the spirit of meekness, would be a power to soothe, to comfort, and to bless. The government of self is the best government in the world. By putting on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, ninety-nine out of a hundred of the troubles which so terribly embitter life might be saved. Many excuse their hasty words and passionate tempers by saying: I am sensitive; I have a hasty temper.” This will never heal the wounds made by hasty, passionate words. Some, indeed, are naturally more passionate than others; but this spirit can never harmonize with the Spirit of God. The natural man must die, and the new man, Christ Jesus, take possession of the soul, so that the follower of Jesus may say in verity and truth: I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Ibid., 348, 349

A minister of Christ should be thoroughly furnished unto all good works. You have made a miserable failure. You must show in your family that kindly consideration, that tenderness, love, gentleness, noble forbearance, and true courtesy, that is becoming to the head of a family, before you can make a success of winning souls to Christ. If you have not wisdom to manage the small number with whom you are closely united, how can you make a success of managing a larger company, who are not especially interested in yourself? Your wife needs to be truly and thoroughly converted to God. Testimonies, vol. 3, 556

When a minister has a child that is as peevish and fretful as yours, so frequently crying if crossed, and exhibiting passion, it is wrong to take the child around with him to be an annoyance to others. People will bear it because you are servants of Christ, but nevertheless you should have a sense of the impropriety of so doing. Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 236

If the child of a minister manifests passion, and is indulged in nearly all its wants, it has an influence to counteract the testimonies God has given me for parents in regard to the proper management of their children. Testimonies, vol. 4, 382

Is the wife exacting? Does she keep her own spirit under control? Is selfishness at times apparent, even when she is in a position of responsibility, connected with those who are urged to give themselves to the work? While her husband is preaching the truth and laboring for individual cases, to prepare them for the canvassing field, will her influence and example give force to his teaching? Jealousy and evil-surmising are calculated to do much harm to the persons with whom she is brought in connection. Such exhibitions have been made even in the presence of young persons who needed to learn what it means to be a Christian. These things are grievous matters before the Lord. When the servant of the Lord, who is bearing the message of truth to the people, sees anything of this kind in his home, he has a work to do in his own family; while he should ever deal kindly, in the spirit of tenderness, he should deal decidedly, whatever the consequences may be. Manuscript Releases, vol. 6, 42

Persons who have not acquired habits of close industry and economy of time should have set rules to prompt them to regularity and dispatch. Washington, the nation’s statesman, was enabled to perform a great amount of business because he was thorough in preserving order and regularity. Every paper had its date and its place, and no time was lost in looking up what had been mislaid. Men of God must be diligent in study, earnest in the acquirement of knowledge, never wasting an hour. Through persevering exertion they may rise to almost any degree of eminence as Christians, as men of power and influence. But many will never attain superior rank in the pulpit or in business, because of their unfixedness of purpose, and the laxness of habits contracted in their youth. Careless inattention is seen in everything they undertake. A sudden impulse now and then is not sufficient to accomplish a reformation in these ease-loving, indolent ones; this is a work which requires patient continuance in well-doing. Men of business can be truly successful only by having regular hours for rising, for prayer, for meals, and for retirement. If order and regularity are essential in worldly business, how much more so in doing work for God! Gospel Workers, 168

It is the motive that determines whether we are really ministers of Christ or of Satan:

All the shepherds who work under the Chief Shepherd will possess His characteristics; they will be meek and lowly of heart. Childlike faith brings rest to the soul and also works by love and is ever interested for others. If the Spirit of Christ dwells in them, they will be Christlike and do the works of Christ. Many who profess to be the ministers of Christ have mistaken their master. They claim to be serving Christ and are not aware that it is Satan’s banner under which they are rallying. They may be worldly wise and eager for strife and vainglory, making a show of doing a great work; but God has no use for them. The motives which prompt to action give character to the work. Although men may not discern the deficiency, God marks it. Testimonies, vol. 4, 377

The End

Meeting for Church Issues

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As the Seventh-day Adventist Church moved into the 20th century, the burden for evangelism rested heavily on the heart of God’s messenger. In June, 1909, before the leaders of the work gathered in Washington D.C., she presented a powerful appeal for more work to be done in the great population centers. In spite of her earnestness and the burden under which she labored, she realized, even as she made the appeals, that the brethren, for the most part, largely failed to understand the full scope of the message that she bore. (See Letter 32, 1910.)

It is true that during the months that followed, there were some efforts put forward to fund some work in the metropolitan areas; but as she acknowledged the meager efforts being put forth, Ellen White was constrained to say: “God requires of His people a far greater work than anything that has been done in years past.” The Later Elmshaven Years, 220

Elder A.G. Daniels, then General Conference president, after having directed some attention to this matter, allowed his energies to be diverted by other considerations. A short time later, while on the West Coast, he stopped by Elmshaven to report his progress in following the counsel that had been given, believing that it would certainly cheer Ellen White’s heart. Imagine his surprise when the messenger of the Lord refused to see him, sending word that when the President of the General Conference was ready to carry out the work that needed to be done, then she would see him. Clearly Ellen White recognized that there were times when it was appropriate to meet and discuss situations and there were also times when such a meeting would be productive of no good.

Today, those who are standing firmly for the truth are being severely buffeted by the various winds that are blowing, which threaten to shake their faith to its very foundation. As the shaking among God’s people becomes more intense, it would be well for us to again meditate on these familiar words: “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.” Life Sketches, 196

We can depend on the Lord to guide us through each and every situation. To the weakest one, deliverance is promised. “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick.” Ezekiel 34:16

There have been various times in the history of the church when internal dissension has threatened to tear apart the fabric of the whole. A prominent instance when this took place was when the church faced the crisis that resulted over the issue of circumcision. As a result of the seemingly unresolvable differences, a meeting was called, as recorded in Acts 15. The result of this meeting was a restoration of unity among the believers and a strengthened movement that was better able to fulfill the gospel commission.

In the distress over the disunity present today, some urge that various meetings be called among those who are teaching Historic Adventism, possibly patterning on the meeting of the early church leaders, as being the best way to restore harmony in the prosecution of God’s work. Before accepting or rejecting such a proposal, it might be well to consider all of the circumstances, and the underlying condition of the church, that surrounded the meeting of the brethren in Jerusalem that resulted in such decided good for the church. We will mention a part of what is left on record.

The meeting, as we have already noted, was the result of contention in the church over the subject of circumcision. Because of this, the members of the Antioch church requested a meeting to solve the difficulty. This meeting was initiated on a grass roots level. Paul and Barnabas, along with “responsible men from the church,” were asked to go to Jerusalem. The council was composed not only of apostles and teachers who had been prominent in raising up the Jewish and Gentile Christian churches, but also of delegates who had been chosen from the different churches in various places as well. (See Acts of the Apostles, 190–196.) The Lord honored this meeting by sending the Holy Spirit to guide them into the right decision.

As we saw earlier, there are, however, times and circumstances which could preclude a meeting. The Lord’s messenger has given us much council on meetings such as this. The following counsel is drawn from an article that appeared in Signs of the Times, May 26, 1890, in an article entitled, “Candid Investigation Necessary to an Understanding of the Truth.” We are seeking by grace to come into line with this council.

“We must have greater wisdom than we have yet manifested in regard to the manner in which we treat those who in some points of faith honestly differ from us. It is unbecoming in anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ to be sharp and denunciatory, to stoop to ridicule the views of another.”

“If a brother differs with you, do not become provoked; treat him with candor; do not overwhelm him with assertions. Do not handle the Word of God deceitfully, presenting detached passages of Scripture which you think favor your ideas, and withholding other passages which seem to weaken your position. Let God speak in His Word. If you think your brother believes an error, you should deal with him considerately, manifesting tenderness, patience, and courtesy. You should reason with him from the Word of God, comparing scripture with scripture, considering carefully every jot of evidence. In no case should his words be made a matter of ridicule, for ‘with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.’ ” [All emphasis supplied]

In the same article, the prophet warned us that this matter of ridicule is the first step taken down the road to persecuting those who do not agree with you. “The papal authorities first ridiculed the Reformers; and when this did not quench the spirit of investigation, they placed them behind prison walls, and loaded them with chains; and when this did not silence them or make them recant, they finally brought them to the fagot and the sword. We should be very cautious lest we take the first steps in this road that leads to the Inquisition. The truth of God is progressive; it is always onward, going from strength to a greater strength, from light to a greater light. We have every reason to believe that the Lord will send us increased truth, for a great work is yet to be done.”

From this counsel, we would understand that a meeting with those who have sought by ridicule to place in an unfavorable light those who conscientiously disagree with them could be productive of no good; for if we want the blessing of the Holy Spirit upon our meetings, we must not have a critical spirit. “The spirit of criticism unfits men for receiving the light that God would send them, or for seeing what is evidence of the truth.” There would be no profit in trying to meet to find truth if the spirit of criticism is present. All of this must be put away and repented of before we can be learners in the school of Christ.

There are other issues that we believe must be considered in making any decision to meet with the brethren. First of all, it is essential that hard speeches and ridicule that have been spoken be repented of. Second, when private communications have been which have sought to develop a basis for working out differences have been ignored, a public meeting would hardly seem appropriate. Evidently, Ellen White understood very well how to apply wise principles when it came to proposed meetings. As pointed out earlier, she refused to come down to the parlor from upstairs to meet with Elder Daniels. Why? Because she had written him letters which he was ignoring. She sent a message telling him that when he paid attention to the letters that she had written, she would speak to him. Obviously, the best interests of the work are not always met by holding a meeting. Perhaps the lesson we can best learn from the prophet’s example is that it is most important to follow the counsel of the Lord.

Whatever storm may fall upon us and upon God’s people, we may take courage in this promise. “Through centuries of persecution, conflict, and darkness, God has sustained His church. Not one cloud has fallen upon it that He has not prepared for; not one opposing force has risen to counterwork His work, that He has not foreseen.” Acts of the Apostles, 11, 12. The Lord is well able to bring a calm to the storm that is blowing. If we trust Him perfectly and look to Him for counsel, He will bring us through.

The End