The Signs of the Times
October 21, 1908
A Warfare
The new man in Christ is born to conflict, toil, and labor, born to engage in the good fight of faith. The warfare in which he is engaged is a hand-to-hand struggle, and will require to exercise of every energy. He must meet human beings of power and influence who are on Satan's side of the controversy; he must also meet unseen agencies of evil. “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.” But there is a power within his reach through which he can obtain the victory in every onset, power to make him more than conqueror over every temptation. ST October 21, 1908, par. 1
A Wily Foe
Satan watches his opportunity, when the Christian is unguarded, to seize from him the precious graces, but it is the privilege of the follower of Christ to obtain strength from God to hold every precious gift. He will often have severe conflict with the powers of darkness in order to retain them; or if he has lost a heavenly grace through lack of watchfulness, he will have a struggle to regain it. Fervent and effectual prayer will be regarded in heaven. When the servants of God take the shield of faith for their defense and the sword of the Spirit for war, they will succeed. When truth in its simplicity and strength prevails among believers, and is brought to bear against the spirit of the world, it will be evident that between Christ and Belial there is no concord. ST October 21, 1908, par. 2
The triumph of Christianity is dependent on the influence of its adherents. Manfully the Christian is to fight the good fight of faith. Lawfully he is to strive, never relaxing his efforts, day by day seeking for greater power to help those around him. His words are to be right words, pure and true, fraught with sympathy and love, his actions right actions, a help and a blessing to the weak. Never is he to grow weary in his work. He will meet with trial, but he must always be brave and cheerful, bringing joy and courage into other lives. ST October 21, 1908, par. 3
Obedience and faith must characterize us as the servants of Christ. Our Redeemer unfolded before His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the chief priests and elders, and be killed, and be raised from the dead the third day. He was already standing under the shadow of the cross. He fully comprehended the great work He came to do, and He would have His disciples understand the greatness of this work, and the responsibilities which would rest upon them in the performance of their duty in carrying forward His work when He should leave them. He said to them, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever shall save his life shall lose it; ... for what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.” ST October 21, 1908, par. 4
Loyalty Demanded
Those who hesitate to devote themselves unreservedly to God make poor work of following Christ. They follow Him at such a distance that they do not really know whether they are following in His footsteps or in those of the enemy. Why are we so slow to give up our interest in the things of this world, and take Christ for our only portion? Why should we wish to keep the friendship of our Lord's enemies and follow their customs and be led by their opinions? There must be an entire, unreserved surrender to God, a forsaking and turning away from the love of the world and earthly things, or we can not be His disciples. ST October 21, 1908, par. 5
The life and Spirit of Christ are the only standard of excellence and perfection, and our only safe course is in following His example. He will guide us by His counsel, and afterward receive us to glory. We must strive diligently and be willing to suffer much, in order to walk in the footsteps of our Redeemer. God is willing to work for us, to give us of His free Spirit, if we will strive for it, live for it, believe for it. Then we can walk in the light as He is in the light. We can feast upon His love, and drink in of His rich fulness. ST October 21, 1908, par. 6
Our country claims of fathers and mothers their sons; it demands that brothers and husbands be given up to leave their homes for the field of carnage and bloodshed. They must face peril, endure privation and hunger, weariness and loneliness; they must make long marches, footsore and weary, through heat of summer and through winter's cold; they run the risk of life. They are compelled to follow the commander. Sometimes they are not even allowed time to eat. And all this severe experience is in consequence of sin. There is an enemy to meet, an enemy to be resisted. Enemies of our country will destroy her peace and bring disaster and ruin, unless driven back and repulsed. “Conquer or die,” is the motto. ST October 21, 1908, par. 7
Thus it is with the Christian warfare. We have an enemy that we must meet, who is never off his guard one moment. The claims of our country are not higher than the claims of God. If hardships are borne and trials are endured by our soldiers fighting in behalf of their country to obtain the mastery and bring to obedience the rebellious, how much more willingly should the soldiers of Christ endure privation, self-denial, and taxation for His sake! ST October 21, 1908, par. 8