Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 16 (1901)
Ms 97, 1901
Sin and Its Result
NP
September 24, 1901
Portions of this manuscript are published in CTr 19; RH 02/11/1902. +Note
All heaven took a deep and joyful interest in the creation of the world and of man. Human beings were a distinct order. They were made “in the image of God,” and it was the Creator’s design that they should populate the earth. [Genesis 1:27, 28.] They were to live in close communion with heaven, receiving and assimilating power from the great Source of power. Upheld by God, they were to live sinless lives. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 1
Satan determined to defeat God’s plan. We need not try to understand the motives which prompted the being next to Christ in the heavenly courts to bring envy and jealousy into the ranks of the angels. To many he communicated his disaffection, and there was war in heaven, which ended in the expulsion of Satan and his sympathizers. We need not puzzle our minds for a reason why Satan acted as he did. Could a reason be found, there would be excuse for sin. But there is no excuse. There is no reason why human beings should travel over the same ground over which Satan travelled. There is no need for them to follow the principles which led to his expulsion from heaven. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 2
After Satan was thrust from heaven, he determined to set up his kingdom on this earth. Through him sin entered the world, and death by sin. By listening to his misrepresentation of God, Adam fell from his high estate, and the floodgates of woe were opened upon our world. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 3
There is no excuse for Adam’s transgression. All his wants were generously supplied. He had need of nothing more. Only one prohibition was laid upon him. God said, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” [Genesis 2:16, 17.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 4
This prohibition Satan used as a means of insinuating suggestions of evil. “God doth know,” he said to the woman, “that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” [Genesis 3:5.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 5
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 6
“And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life; and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow, and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also, and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” [Verses 6-19.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 7
This lesson is for all mankind. By it God would teach that His Word is to be sacredly respected and His requirements implicitly obeyed. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 8
Through the ages Satan worked to instil his evil principles into the minds of men, till, when Christ came to this earth, He found the minds of His chosen people filled with the selfsame envy and jealousy against which He had warred in heaven. The Jewish leaders would not accept Christ because they were jealous of His popularity. They hated Him because He would not receive the ideas which they pressed upon Him. Unbelief was the sin of Israel. Their jealousy led to their downfall and ruin. The leaders were spiritually blind. And they made no effort to receive enlightenment, choosing rather to remain in darkness. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 9
Christ’s miracle of restoring the sight of the man who had been born blind was a wonderful evidence of the truth of His mission. When the people saw the transformation, they said to the man, “How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash; and I went and washed; and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he? And he said, I know not.” [John 9:10-12.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 10
Then they brought him to the Pharisees, “and again the Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I was healed, and do see.” [Verse 15.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 11
But with hearts hardened by prejudice and unbelief, the Pharisees said, “Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner. He answered, and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not; one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and ye would not hear; wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses; as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began, was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered, and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.” [Verses 24-34.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 12
So the Pharisees tried to make themselves even more spiritually blind than they were; and not content with closing their own eyes, they tried to close the eyes of the man who had been healed. They endeavored to smother his testimony. They saw that Jesus was working wonderful miracles, and they hated him, fearing that He would be honored above them. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 13
Can we afford to experiment with envy and jealousy? They are the cause of the wars, the strikes, the murders, which are so common in the world today. Is it not best to work on Christ’s plan—the plan outlined in the words, “Do unto others as ye would they should do unto you”? [See Matthew 7:12.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 14
“And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right; this do, and thou shalt live.” [Luke 10:25-28.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 15
Knowing that he was condemned by his own words, and wishing to justify himself, the lawyer asked, “And who is my neighbor?” [Verse 29.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 16
In answer, Christ related an incident which had lately taken place. “A certain man,” He said, “went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor to him that fell among thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus, Go, and do thou likewise.” [Verses 30-37.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 17
The command to love God supremely and our neighbor as ourself outlines the whole duty of man. On these two great principles hang all the law and the prophets. When these principles are followed, peace and happiness and joy are brought into the home and the church. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 18
Thousands who profess to love God and keep His commandments are making void His law. Especially do professing Christians disobey God by failing to reveal the unity which should be seen among the children of God. No one can enter the heavenly portals who fails to respect the principles which bind the members of the human family together. Those who love God will love one another. If the Spirit of Christ were cherished, it would unite human beings in their proper order. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 19
The Scriptures declare, “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” [John 1:12.] Those who are truly sons of God show by their Christlike lives that they are members of the royal family. They love God supremely and their neighbor as themselves. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 20
Through the unity of His people God desires to reveal the wonderful principles of heaven. Each is to unite with the other in carrying out the Master’s will, all working under the divine head. All are to blend together in perfect harmony, receiving from the same Source their power, their joy, their influence. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 21
When the truth is practiced, there will be no contention in regard to who is the greatest. There will be no strife for the supremacy. No one will follow dishonest practices for the sake of gain. There will be no robbery of God in tithes and offerings. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 22
When God’s people are obedient to all His commandments, the love will be cherished which brings peace and joy into the family circle. Then will the Redeemer be honored. Then will be obeyed the injunction, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:16.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 23
In the condition of the world today we see the terrible result of living for self. When man ceases to exert a heavenly influence, he still exerts an influence, but it is an influence for evil. If his influence is not hallowed by the sanctifying power of the truth, he is a worker of evil. His selfishness is an injury to him and to others. Every seed of evil which is sown reproduces the evil of the original sin, increasing the curse brought upon the world by disobedience. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 24
Cannot we see that God’s Spirit is being withdrawn from the world, which in its moral pollution is as it was before the flood and as it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah? So great is the corruption of the cities that the moral atmosphere is as the atmosphere of a pesthouse. Society is corrupted by the transgression of God’s law. From generation to generation sin has been exerting its evil influence upon society, bringing a continual increase of depravity and degradation, till soon there will come from the highest Authority in the universe the word, Shorten the days, lest there shall no flesh be saved. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 25
The world is becoming more and more devoted to the service of sin. Each age as it passes away bequeaths to the one following its accumulation of contamination. Satan is the god of the world. With despotic power he rules in temple, palace, and church, working with intense earnestness to overthrow every plan, human or divine, which is set in operation to counteract the increasing disregard of the law of God. The destructive evil of Satan’s agencies is dedicated to the work of keeping crime, destruction, and death in circulation. In the enemy’s hands, temptation has become a science for the overthrow of good. Under his control men sin by rule. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 26
Religion, opposed to God’s law though bearing the name of Christianity, aggravates the evil. Crime of the darkest hue is in circulation under the form of godliness. Satan takes his principles to the churches and gives them back to the world under the solemn names of law and religion. He works with power in his children of disobedience who are church members. The life of one who is a professed Christian, and at the same time a sinner in the daily life, is a terrible power for evil. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 27
Is it not time for those who claim to believe the truth for this time to awaken? Shall not the people who have had great light depart from all iniquity? Is it not time for them to set a more Christlike example? Should they not show with greater distinctness the power of the truth to sanctify human beings? 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 28
If we only knew the solemnity of the time in which we are living, if we only realized how greatly the world needs to see the power of Christ’s grace revealed in His followers, we would work more earnestly and diligently for the Master. The Lord calls upon His church to arise and shine amid the moral darkness of the world. His people are to be a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 29
Let those who believe the truth put their belief into practice by revealing the love and unity which pervade heaven. No man liveth to himself. Christians are to show such zeal, such earnestness in prayer, such determination to let the light shine, that many souls ready to perish will be saved. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 30
Let not the professed people of God think it a privilege to separate from conference organization, that they may show their supposed efficiency. This is entirely opposed to God’s order. There is need of perfect unity and love, and this will appear when we learn of Jesus. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 31
It is the plan of God that every church and every conference shall cherish the feeling of reciprocal dependence. We are to build one another up in the most holy faith, seeking the impartation of the Holy Spirit, that light may be reflected in clear, bright rays. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 32
Shall the sacred chain of dependence, which binds men together, be looked upon as slavery? Shall we allow the enemy to enter to cause discord and separation, to rob families of happiness and the church of usefulness? Shall we allow him to use us to prevent the great and blessed work of reformation? Who can say, It is well with my soul, while evil thinking and evil speaking are allowed to rule in the heart, causing disunion and strife? 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 33
Christianity transforms the character, bringing the will into harmony with the will of God. God’s people are plainly distinguished from worldlings because they follow God’s plan. 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 34
Sound an alarm! Wake up the mighty men! Remove from the church all that is offensive to God. God grant that all who are inclined to sow the seeds of jealousy and envy may be thoroughly converted. Church members need just what Nicodemus needed—a new birth. Christ says to them, “Ye must be born again.” [John 3:7.] 16LtMs, Ms 97, 1901, par. 35