From Here to Forever

Chapter 36—The Impending Conflict

From the very beginning of the great controversy in heaven, it has been Satan's purpose to overthrow the law of God. Whether this be accomplished by casting aside the law altogether, or by rejecting one of its precepts, the result will be the same. He that offends “in one point” manifests contempt for the whole law; his influence and example are on the side of transgression; he becomes “guilty of all.” James 2:10. HF 356.1

Satan has perverted the doctrines of the Bible, and errors have thus become incorporated into the faith of thousands. The last great conflict between truth and error is concerning the law of God, between the Bible and the religion of fable and tradition. The Bible is within the reach of all, but few accept it as the guide of life. In the church many deny the pillars of the Christian faith. Creation, the fall of man, the atonement, and the law of God are rejected either wholly or in part. Thousands regard it as an evidence of weakness to place implicit confidence in the Bible. HF 356.2

It is as easy to make an idol of false theories as to fashion an idol of wood or stone. By misrepresenting God, Satan leads men to conceive of Him in a false character. A philosophical idol is enthroned in the place of the living God as He is revealed in His Word, in Christ, and in the works of creation. The god of many philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists—of many universities, even of some theological institutions—is little better than Baal, the sun-god of Phoenicia in the days of Elijah. HF 356.3

No error strikes more boldly against the authority of Heaven, none is more pernicious in its results, than the doctrine that God's law is no longer binding. Suppose that prominent ministers were publicly to teach that the statutes which govern their land were not obligatory, that they restricted the liberties of the people and ought not to be obeyed; how long would such men be tolerated in the pulpit? HF 357.1

It would be more consistent for nations to abolish their statutes than for the Ruler of the universe to annul His law. The experiment of making void the law of God was tried in France when atheism became the controlling power. It was demonstrated that to throw off the restraints which God has imposed is to accept the rule of the prince of evil. HF 357.2