The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 76

October 3, 1899

“The Sermon. Christian Education ¹” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 40, pp. 631, 632.

THIS is the last Sabbath in the period of the summer school for teachers, of Battle Creek College, and it has been arranged that there should be a subject discussed to-day, in connection with education, and that I should be the one to discuss it. I will therefore speak to you on Christian education. I beseech you to hear me patiently, and to consider sincerely the principles to which I shall call your attention. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.1

To introduce the subject, I will read to you two texts expressing the world’s hunger, the world’s demand, in the matter of education. These two texts are taken, one each, from two of the most influential papers in the United States, and are but fair samples of many that I could bring. One of them appeared in the Outlook. It is not by the editor of the paper, but by a contributor. It reads:— ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.2

There must be in this country a better system of education, a system that is in closer touch with life, and that fits rather than unfits for life. There must be something in our common schools that will make for self-respect, and for that respect for others that is a part of true self-respect; something that will develop faithfulness and intelligence and pride in work; something that will link head and hands by indissoluble bonds. Domestic science and manual training in schools will gradually give a greater respect for manual labor; and with this respect should go a greater diffusion of manual labor; for the lack in our present system is quite as much on the side of employers as of employed. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.3

An intelligent and many-sided woman recently remarked to me that Queen Victoria would be a better woman if she made her own bed daily. While it may not be practicable for queens to make their own beds, or for the president of the United States to chop his own wood, there never will be faithfulness, respect, and intelligence on the side of the workers unless the same attitude toward work is found in the employers. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.4

That expresses one phase of the world’s longing, the world’s hunger, the world’s demand, in the matter of education. Here is another, originally published in the Chicago Inter-Ocean, by a master of theology in the Chicago University. He says:— ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.5

There is nothing more disappointing to evangelical religion than its great schools. The fearful stress which has fallen on the ... denominations during the last ten years has proceeded largely from the great schools fostered by these denominations.... The very foundations of religious teaching are being undermined by teachers in our great schools, just as they have been in a large sense in the German universities. What is known as “higher criticism” is simply working havoc with the rising minority in the three-named denominations. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.6

Now, listen to this:— ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.7

There is no school on the American continent where a young man can go and learn the Bible as a whole under the direction of deeply pious and thoroughly learned teachers. There are schools where a young man fitting for the ministry can go and spend three years, and have himself stuffed with speculative philosophy under the name of theology, and with infidelity under the name of “higher criticism.” This is a positive and a burning shame. The writer cherishes the hope that some pious man or woman of means will found a school in this country where men can be trained who will not only know the Bible from first to last, but preach it from first to last. That would be something new under the sun. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.8

Those two texts set before you the true need in all education, and show to you what the world is calling for in the education of this day. Now, I do not cite Battle Creek College as a complete exception to the statement that I read last: “There is no school on the American continent where a young man can go and learn the Bible as a whole under the direction of deeply pious and thoroughly learned teachers.” I say, I would not set Battle Creek College before that writer as the one school that he is calling for; but I am sure that the management of Battle Creek College is doing its utmost, and has made considerable progress in it, to make Battle Creek College exactly what is demanded there, and what has been demanded by the Lord for years. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.9

Seventh-day Adventists, professing to have light for the world, will be apostate, will utterly fail to fulfil their mission in the world, if they do not present to the world exactly what the world is longing for and calling for, in the matter of education. Battle Creek College has no place in the world at all if it shall not be such an institution as that which is here called for,—if it shall not be an institution where men can be trained who “will not only know the Bible from first to last, but preach it from first to last,“—an institution which will put forth the utmost endeavor to give to every one who enters its doors to take a training there, just as fast as time and opportunity will allow, such a knowledge of the Bible from beginning to end, from first to last, that wheresoever he goes, he will be able to use the Bible. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.10

It is no enough that this should appear only in preaching from the pulpit, but also in handiwork. The Bible is the book of Christianity. Jesus Christ is Christianity; and as our Saviour, as the Redeemer, as an example of Christianity, he spent nearly six times as much time in working at a trade, the carpenter’s trade, as he did in preaching in his official ministry, as he went about from place to place, preaching and teaching the people. And as Jesus Christ is Christianity, and a considerable portion of his life was spent in working with his hands, and in bringing God into his daily labor, and in making daily labor the service of God just as certainly as in making praying the service of God,—as that was the course of Christ, that must be forever the true course of Christianity. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.11

In our day, God has begun a movement which is to “establish Christianity”—the Christianity of Christ—“on an eternal basis” in the world, which is simply the basis of Christ himself. And as certainly as that movement of God succeeds, so certainly will this Christianity of Jesus Christ dignify labor in our day, as in his own day—common, every-day labor of the hands. It will lift that up, and make it the honor of every one in this world: an essential part of Christianity. This Christianity being received and being inculcated by those who become Christians upon this true basis, those who become preachers, evangelists, as was Christ, and as also was Paul, will not shun to join manual labor with their preaching, and will consider one equally as dignifying as the other, and as taking both to make complete Christians. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.12

That is what the Lord will do in this movement in this day, which he has begun, and which finally establishes Christianity upon an eternal basis in the world. Therefore, I say again, As Seventh-day Adventists who profess, none too loudly provided the material is there to justify the profession, that we are those by whom the Lord will establish Christianity upon an eternal basis in this world, and by whom the Lord will give this light to the world, we can not afford to slight any one of these things: because, to do so is to slight the very Christianity which is our profession; it is to miss our calling in the world. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.13

I say again, The Bible is the word, the book, of Christianity; and for Christian education to be given its place in the world, and to be made all that it must be in the world, it must come from the Bible: the Bible must be the beginning and the end, the all in all of such education. Such will be the work and the study of all those who will be such Christians, who will have the Christianity of Jesus Christ; for such was his preparation, such was his education. He did not attend the schools of the day. Yet, when he came preaching, and teaching the people, and drawing them to him by the power, the truth, the simplicity, of his preaching, the rabbis, the scribes, and the great ones, seeing what he knew, and the power of it, exclaimed, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” That itself shows that, though he had not been attending their schools, he knew more than they who were at the head of those schools. Yet his study, his whole preparation, was the word of God—the Bible, as it was then, and as it is now in the Old Testament. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.14

With both the Old and the New Testament, we have an advantage that he did not have. Christians to-day have an advantage in this world that Jesus Christ did not have, in having the New Testament all drawn out for us—the life of Christ, showing what was wrought in him; and also the epistles, showing the workings of it all in the world, and spreading the whole truth more fully before us. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.15

I will say that again; for it is important to be believed: In having both the Old and the New Testaments, Christians in the world to-day have an advantage that Christ did not have, who had only the Old Testament. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.16

I know the defense that will be made: that Christ was divine, and that in that he had an advantage that we do not have; that he could take these things from the Bible and easily understand them, because he came down from heaven, and we did not. To make such an argument as that is not Christianity at all: it is the utter denial of Christianity. Because Jesus Christ, though he came down from heaven, “emptied himself,” and never used, in this world, in the flesh, any of his own individual, personal divinity that he had before he came to this world. He became flesh: he became human, as human as any one in this world is to-day; as weak, as helpless, as any one in this world is to-day in himself. And he plainly says: “I can of mine own self do nothing.” That is just what he said about us: “Without me ye can do nothing.” ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.17

These two scriptures show that he placed himself exactly upon a level with us. And when he put himself there in human flesh, and upon the level of human flesh in this world, where he was unable to do anything of himself, he put his trust in God; and, by his faith in God, he drew from the Source of all power, of all knowledge, and of all good, into his life in human flesh, that which gave him all that he had, and made him all that he was, in the world, and all that he is to-day in heaven. And BY THIS he made it possible for every human being to become what he was then in the world, and what he is to-day in heaven. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 631.18

Otherwise, where shall we find Christianity? Otherwise, how shall people be saved? Otherwise, what did he come for? If his coming to the world was a make-believe; if he came here with a power in himself that you and I can never, never, have; and used means that you and I can never use, and that can never be within our reach, then how much has he done for you and me? How near has he come to us, and how near can we ever come to Christianity—to salvation? Christ in the flesh was God manifest in human flesh—just such flesh as yours and mine. And Jesus Christ came into the world in the flesh to show to all mankind how God will be manifest in human flesh in every one who will believe on him, who will trust in him, as Jesus Christ in human flesh trusted in him; so that, though Christ was the Son of God, and though he came down from heaven, having sat on the throne of God; yet, when he did come down, “he emptied himself,” and became as ourselves. And by that divine thing he brought God to us, and brings us to God, and connects us with God, the source of all power and of all good. And in that he showed to the world what man can become—what every soul in human flesh can become—by putting his trust in God, and depending upon God. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 632.1

And Christ became educated: he understood things. He understood the sciences. He understood the application of the sciences, in the things of daily life, as well as being merely educated. He understood philosophy. And in his teaching, those who were the learned ones of the law discovered that he had learning which they admitted was beyond them, and which astonished them. And yet he had never learned it in their schools. Now those schools of theirs were the schools of the Hebrews. They were the schools of the professed church of God in that day. He did not even attend these; must less did he attend the schools of the Greeks or the Romans, those which were entirely outside, separate from, all that is of God, or that is connected with him, and which were pagan entirely. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 632.2

Then, that tells to everybody in this world that there is such a thing as distinctively Christian education. It shows that a Christian education is not derived from the schools of the world; and that it is separate from, and can not be derived even from, church schools that are mixed up with the world by a church that is worldly. Then, that tells to every one in the world that Christian education is separate from paganism, which is utter worldliness; and is also separate from a professed Christianity that is connected with the world and is worldly. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 632.3

(To be continued.)

“Editorial” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 40, p. 636.

TO Nebuchadnezzar was shown a great image of gold, silver, brass, iron, and clay in succession from head to feet and toes. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.1

This image, in symbol, covered the world’s the world’s history from the time of Nebuchadnezzar till the end of the world. By it and the symbols of the seventh chapter of Daniel, it is shown that the fourth kingdom on earth from that time, would be divided, and would become ten kingdoms. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.2

And “in the days of these kingdoms,” the God of heaven would set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and which shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.3

Now in which part of the time covered by that image do you live? In the time of the head of gold, or the breast and arms of silver, or the sides of brass, or the legs of iron, or in the feet and toes of iron and clay mixed, partly strong and partly broken? We ask this question because the events of the time of that part of the image in which you live ought, in the very nature of things, to be of more interest to you, and should engage more of your attention and study, than that of any other part of it. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.4

Now everybody knows, who has looked at the matter at all that we now live in the time of the kingdoms represented by the toes of the image and the ten horns of the fourth beast of Daniel 7. You will say that that is correct. Very well then, which part or parts of that image have you studies most? With which part or parts of that image are you most acquainted? ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.5

Honestly, now, is it not the truth that ninety-nine out of every hundred, perhaps more, Seventh-day Adventists have spent far more time in studying the nations and their history that are represented in the other parts of that image, than they have in studying the kingdoms that are represented in the toes. In other words, far more time is spent in studying the times of the image of from fourteen to twenty-five hundred years ago than has ever been spent in studying the times of the image in which we ourselves live. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.6

Is that fair to the truth? Is it fair to the people who are now living, and who must know the truth concerning this time? Is it fair to ourselves? Is not that part of the truth which relates especially to our own time of more direct and living importance to ourselves and other people now living than that which related especially to the time and people of twenty-five hundred years ago? ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.7

This is not by any means to say that that portion which relates to the time of from fourteen to twenty-five hundred years ago has been studied too much. None of that has been studied too much; but that of our own time has been studied too little. The ancient parts have been studied out of all proportion to that part which particularly relates to the present. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.8

How many Seventh-day Adventists can name the ten kingdoms as readily as they can name the four great ones? How many can name the ten kingdoms at all? Three of the ten were “plucked up by the roots” by yet another one; leaving seven of the ten and the other one, in the days of which shall “the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.9

How many know what kingdoms these seven are to-day? How many know how these seven kingdoms stand as related to the affairs of the world to-day? How many know which of these seven are the strong ones, and which the weak? for they are “partly strong, and partly broken.” How many know what the strong ones are doing to-day in the “hasting” of the coming of the day of God? ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.10

In order that we should be intelligent present-truth Christians, ought not these things to be known by us? How can we be well informed as to the real signs of this time if we neglect the very ones, and the surest ones, that are given especially for this time? ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.11

EVERYTHING that the Lord has ever done for mankind since the sin of Adam, has been done solely to bring man back into harmony with his law. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.12

The establishment of ordinances, the giving of his law, the sending of his prophets, the sending of his Son, “that Prophet,” greater than all, the gift of his Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit—all, everything, that has been given, established, or employed by the Lord, has been to bring men to obedience to his law. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.13

In bringing men to his law he is bringing them to himself; for it is written: Thou “testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law” and “testified against them to turn them to thee.” Nehemiah 9:29, 26. Read carefully the whole chapter, and see the object of all that he did. Bringing men to his law is only turning them to himself; because “God is love,” and “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.14

No higher attainment than the love of God can ever be reached by any soul in the wide universe. And since it is the love of God, and only the love of God, “that we keep his commandments,” it is the very certainty of truth that no higher attainment than the keeping of the commandments of God can ever be reached by any soul in the wide universe. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.15

Jesus said, “I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love,” and “I and my Father are one.” There can not possibly be any higher nor any better attainment than oneness with God, than likeness to Christ, who is one with God. And as he kept the Father’s commandments and abode in his love, and abode in his love by keeping his commandments, so there is no higher nor better thing that could possibly be attainable than the keeping of the commandments of God. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.16

The greatest gift of God to men is the gift of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Yet with this wondrous gift to men, even in Christ nothing avails on the part of men “but faith which worketh by love.” Faith is the gift of God, and, working by love, works only by the love of God. And “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” Therefore it is certain that the one great object of the very gift of Christ, and of faith in him, is to bring men to keeping of the commandments of God, to faithful obedience to his law. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.17

The greatest gift God can bestow on men through Jesus Christ, the only means of his gifts to men, is his Holy Spirit. yet in this gift all that he does, all that he can do, is to cause men to know the love of God; for “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto me.” Romans 5:5. And since it is “the love of God, that we keep his commandments,” and “love is the fulfilling of the law,” it is perfectly plain that the one purpose of this greatest gift of God through Christ is the keeping of the commandments of God, faithful allegiance to his law. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.18

All the working of the Spirit of God, through all the diversities of operations, is to bring souls unto charity, the bond of perfectness, which is perfect love, the love of God. And “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” Therefore all the working of the Spirit of God, through his many gifts and operations, is solely to bring men to the keeping of the commandments of God. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.19

By all this therefore it is certain that the keeping of the commandments of God is the greatest blessing, the highest honor, and the richest gift that even God can bestow upon any soul. All other blessings, honors, and gifts are subordinate to this; they are given only to be conducive to this one thing; and they are to be used only as means of attaining this. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.20

For any person to use any of the gifts of God for any other purpose than to make himself a true keeper of the commandments of God is for that person to miss the will of God, and to frustrate the object of the very gift which he would use. To be willing to use the word of God, to use God’s gift of his dear Son, to use the gift of the Holy Spirit, or any of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, with any other aim than the perfect keeping of the commandments of God, is to miss the will of God, and to pervert the purpose of that word, or that gift. That one aim, and that alone, is true Christianity. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.21

This is what Christian perfection means. So to honor the law of God, is what it means to be a true citizen of the commonwealth of Israel. This is what means loyalty to the government of God, and allegiance to the constitution, the supreme law, of the Most High. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.22

Now are you a Christian patriot? Is the keeping of the commandments of God your one single aim? Are all the gifts and blessings of God counted by you as only contributory to this one single object? These questions are important. This whole subject as here presented, is of vital importance to Seventh-day Adventists just now. Please consider it carefully; for next week we expect to ask some more questions, and to appeal to some facts within your knowledge as a test of your answers to these and the coming questions. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.23

“Editorial Note” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 40, p. 636.

EVERYTHING that the Lord has ever done for mankind since the sin of Adam, has been done solely to bring man back into harmony with his law. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.1

The establishment of ordinances, the giving of his law, the sending of his prophets, the sending of his Son, “that Prophet” greater than all, the gift of his Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit—all, everything, that has been given, established, or employed by the Lord, has been to bring men to obedience to his law. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.2

In bringing men to his law he is bringing them to himself; for it is written: Thou “testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law” and “testified against them to turn them to thee.” Nehemiah 9:29, 26. Read carefully the whole chapter, and see the object of all that he did. Bringing men to his law is only turning them to himself; because “God is love,” and “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.3

No higher attainment than the love of God can ever be reached by any soul in the wide universe. And since it is the love of God, and only the love of God, “that we keep his commandment,” it is the very certainty of truth that no higher attainment than the keeping of the commandments of God can ever be reached by any soul in the wide universe. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.4

The greatest gift of God to men is the gift of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Yet with this wondrous gift to men, even in Christ nothing avails on the part of men “but faith which worketh by love.” Faith is the gift of God, and, working by love, works only by the love of God. And “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” Therefore it is certain that the one great object of the very gift of Christ, and of faith in him, is to bring men to the keeping of the commandments of God, to faithful obedience to his law. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.6

The greatest gift God can bestow on men through Jesus Christ, the only means of his gifts to men, is his Holy Spirit. Yet in this gift all that he does, all that he can do, is to cause men to know the love of God; for “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5. And since it is “the love of God, that we keep his commandments,” and “love is the fulfilling of the law,” it is perfectly plain that the one purpose of this greatest gif of God through Christ is the keeping of the commandments of God, faithful allegiance to his law. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.7

By all this therefore it is certain that the keeping of the commandments of God is the greatest blessing, the highest honor, and the riches gift that even God can bestow upon any soul. All other blessings, honors, and gifts are subordinate to this; they are given only to be conducive to this one thing; and they are to be used only as means of attaining this. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.9

This is what Christian patriotism means. So to honor the law of God, is what is means to be a true citizen of the commonwealth of Israel. This is what means loyalty to the government of God, and allegiance to the constitution, the supreme law, of the Most High. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.11

“Studies in Galatians” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 40, pp. 636, 637.

AS we have now passed the preliminaries, and have come to the study of the real substance of the book of Galatians, the first thing to be noted is the surpassing value of what is here to be studied. This is made known in chapter 1, verse 8, 9, in those remarkable words. “Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.1

This shows that if there could be any distinctions made among books of the Bible, then of all places in the Bible, the gospel, in its perfect sincerity, would be found in the book of Galatians. It would be found that whatever might be done with other books of the Bible, it must stand that in the book of Galatians the gospel is presented in such truth that even an angel from heaven could not alter it without incurring the curse. This being so, surely a study of the book of Galatians should enlist the most earnest attention and the deepest interest of every one who loves the gospel of Christ. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.2

In our studies we have reached chapter 2:15. And, after the introduction, here, in Paul’s appeal to Peter upon principle, is where the real consideration of the gospel upon its merits is first entered upon. So much so is this, that it is acknowledged by some of the best scholars that it is impossible to tell just where Paul’s speech to Peter ends and his definite word to the Galatians begins. This indeed is natural enough; because Paul’s address to Peter was an argument and an appeal for “the truth of the gospel” (verse 14), and the letter to the Galatians is the same identical thing. Therefore as his address and appeal to Peter was in very substance what his address and appeal must be to the Galatians, there was no need of any definite break to mark the point at which his direct word to Peter ceased and that to the Galatians began. Accordingly, after the introduction, chapter 2:15 is where is begun the direct re-presentation of the gospel to the Galatians. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.3

“We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.4

The word “law,” as used in these two verses is not any particular law demanding the definite article, “the law;” but in Greek is simply the word “law”—nomos—without any article. The word-for-word rendering is thus:— ARSH October 3, 1899, page 636.5

“We Jews by nature, and not sinners of [the] nations, knowing that a man is not justified by works of law [nomou]; but through faith of Jesus Christ, also we on Christ Jesus believed, that we might be justified by faith of Christ, and not by works of law [nomou]; because shall not be justified by works of law [nomou] any flesh.” ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.1

By this it is plain that it is law in general, the idea of law, that is considered in this text; that men are not justified by any law at all, nor by all law together; but solely by faith of Jesus Christ without any works of any law whatever. Evidently it could not be otherwise. For to specify some particular law, and assert that men were not justified by that law, would leave the question open to the implication that men might be justified by some other law. But “the truth of the gospel” is that men can not be justified by any law at all, nor by all laws together; but only by the faith of Christ; simply by believing in Jesus. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.2

The vital point in this appeal to Peter is not discerned without careful attention. It is this: We who are Jews by nature, who have all the advantages that pertain to the Jews, whose are the fathers, and the covenants, and the laws, and the ordinances, all given by the Lord himself directly to the Jews—we who are thus Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles; “even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by works of law; for by the works of law shall no flesh be justified.” The very fact that we Jews, with all the native advantages of all the laws of the Jew, have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by faith,—this in itself is open confession and positive evidence that there is no justification in law. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.3

And when this is so with us Jews who have all these advantages, what else can possibly be the hope of the Gentiles who have no shadow of any such advantage? When “even we” must be justified by faith, how much more must the Gentiles be justified by faith! When we who have all these laws can not be justified by them, but must be justified by faith, without them, what shall the Gentile do who has none of these laws at all, if he is not to be justified by faith without them? And when we have confessed that we can not be justified by these laws, how can we ask the Gentiles, which we ourselves were not able to bear, and which, by the liberty of the faith of Christ, we have thrown off? Therefore, “if thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews”—if you have abandoned the ground of the Jews, which, in order to be justified, is the right thing to do, and have gone over to the ground of the Jews, which, in order to be justified, is the right way to do, and have gone over to the ground of the Gentiles, why will you require the Gentiles to abandon their ground, and go over to that of the Jews, which we have confessed must be abandoned? ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.4

All this was simply, in other words, the very argument that Peter himself had made in his statement of the truth of the gospel in his own experience, in the council at Jerusalem. “Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them [note: not between them and us; but “between us AND THEM], purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, EVEN as THEY.” Note again: not they shall be saved even as WE; but we shall be saved, even as THEY. And “THEY” were justified by FAITH without the deeds of any law—they must be; for they did not have any; and “WE,” the Jews, being saved even as THEY, must be justified by faith without the deeds of any law, even though “we” had all the laws that ever were. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.5

Thus by the instruction of God and the demonstration of the Holy Spirit, it was made plain to all that Jew and Gentile are saved in precisely the same way—by a common faith in Jesus Christ, without any deeds of any law; and that by this faith of Jesus Christ the middle wall of partition between them is annihilated, and all are made one with God and with one another in the blessedness, the righteousness, and the joy of the glorious gospel of the blessed, and the joy of the glorious gospel of the blessed God, who is blessed, and shall be blessed forevermore. Amen. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.6

“Discreditable Advice” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 76, 40, pp. 637, 638.

A FAVORITE piece of advice of those who will not keep the Sabbath, to those who do keep it, is that they “obey the law of the land” and “the powers that be,” and keep Sunday. This advice is of such a character that it really deserves to be analyzed. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.1

Invariably this advice is given by those who not only believe in keeping Sunday themselves, but also in compelling all others to keep it. And their course in advising Sabbath-keepers to keep Sunday only because the law says so, betrays themselves as occupying one of two positions, one of which is most discreditable to themselves, and the other is utterly discreditable to Sunday as worthy of observance at all. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.2

In advising Sabbath-keepers to keep Sunday because the law requires it, they admit that they themselves would keep the Sabbath and not Sunday if only the law of the land required it. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.3

If they are honest in that, then they admit that Sunday has no sacredness at all, and has no claims whatever upon the conscience; that its only claim to recognition is merely human; and that the obligation to observe it is only in the merely human statute, just as the catching of oysters or the killing of game is prohibited except within certain dates. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.4

But there is not one of those persons who believes that concerning the Sunday. Every soul of them believes that there is some religious obligation that requires the observance of Sunday; that in some way there is involved in it a duty toward God. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.5

Then as they believe that in some way, however that way may be, there is some religious obligation, some duty toward God, involved in the observance of Sunday, when they advise Sabbath-keepers to keep Sunday, “because the law requires it,” and thus admit that if the law required the observance of the Sabbath instead of Sunday, they would keep the Sabbath, they know that their whole proposition is mere pretense. They know that they would not observe the Sabbath however much the law might require it; and that if the law did require it, they would denounce it as oppressive, persecuting, and a violation of the rights of conscience. And in so doing, they would be in the right, and they know that they would be in the right. And by that, they know that their advice to Sabbath-keepers to keep Sunday because the law requires it, is wrong; and that the law that does require it is oppressive, persecuting, and violative of the rights of conscience. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.6

Moreover, they know that such advice is contrary to the whole Bible, which they profess to believe, and which they even quote to sustain their pretense. They know that the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the den of lions, the words of Christ to his disciples, and the course of his disciples themselves, are all a divine protest against that which they advise. They know also that the whole history of religious progress in the world, which they themselves profess to honor, is a positive repudiation of the proposition that they make. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 637.7

When, then, is their proposition, their advice, in this, but a juggling with conscience,—their own as well as that of the others,—the playing of a trick with the Scriptures, and a deceiving of their own selve? ARSH October 3, 1899, page 638.1

And what for?—Simply that they may have their own way instead of God’s way. this is made certain by the fact that when God himself has rested a certain day, and appointed that day as a day of rest, they will persistently refuse God’s example and his appointment as to that day, and rest another day. It is not the resting they appose; for they themselves rest, and compel other people to rest. It is not resting a certain day that they oppose; for they themselves rest a certain day, and compel others to do so. It is simply resting on the day that God has chosen and appointed, that they oppose. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 638.2

Since, then, they themselves rest, and rest on a certain day, and rest that whole day, and count it so all-important that they must compel all others to do that same thing, and yet refuse to rest on the day that the Lord appointed for rest, and on which he himself rested,—this shows conclusively that it is an arbitrary taking of their own will and way against the will and way of God. That, in the last analysis, is the real essence of Sunday observance. ARSH October 3, 1899, page 638.3