The Signs of the Times
September 8, 1887
Obedience and Its Reward
[Sermon delivered Sunday afternoon, June 20, 1886, at Orebro, Sweden.]
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:12-14. ST September 8, 1887, par. 1
Here is presented before us a period of time when everyone will receive according to the deeds done in the body. If it is so that in the heavenly courts a record is kept of our works and of our words, how important it is that we take heed to our ways. Every character will be tested by the standard of God's holy law. The great God of Heaven, our supreme Ruler, has rules, Statutes, and laws. These laws govern not only the intelligences of Heaven, but they govern every member of the human family; and we read in my text: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” We should show great want of wisdom were we to make no special preparation to be among the number that shall enter in through the gates into the city. ST September 8, 1887, par. 2
We should have an intense and earnest desire for eternal things, and put forth efforts proportionate to the value of the object which we are in pursuit of. The exhortations and the warnings which come to us from the prophets and apostles are all to educate us in character building, and to teach us what we must do in order to be saved. ST September 8, 1887, par. 3
I am so grateful that in this degenerate age we are not left in darkness to pick our way along amid the many voices that are heard to divert us from the path of holiness. We want to hear the one voice that says, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” Christ says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Then we inquire, Have we placed ourselves on the side of the Prince of Life? Have we placed ourselves under the banner of Prince Emmanuel? Have we, like Daniel, purposed in our hearts to be obedient to all of God's requirements? It is of the greatest consequence to us that we be found obedient children, walking in the truth. We do not want to be on the side of the great rebel who transgressed God's commandments and was thrust out of Heaven, and is teaching others to be disloyal to the God of Heaven. If we are not obedient to God in this life, keeping his commandments, how can we expect to have a right to eternal life? God will not take into his kingdom and give eternal life to those who will not come under his laws and statutes in this life. ST September 8, 1887, par. 4
We are in this world as probationers; we are here to obtain a fitness for the future immortal life, and should we devote the precious golden moments that are now granted us, these precious moments of probation, in finding our own pleasure, in doing our own ways, and seeking our own gratification, we should fail to secure a fitness for immortal life. If we lose Heaven we lose everything, and it would be better for us if we had never been born. But if we gain the precious Heaven of bliss we gain everything, and we may bless the day in which we were born. If we would dwell with the precious Saviour in the kingdom which he has gone to prepare for those that love him, we must seek to be like him here; we must bring him into our life and weave him into our character, and he will be unto us everything that our hearts can desire. ST September 8, 1887, par. 5
Our minds should be directed to the great source of light, and power, and happiness. Our heavenly Father has, in the gift of his dear Son, given us the greatest blessing that Heaven possessed. And when by living faith we accept this precious Saviour and he abides with us, then all Heaven is at our command; and whatsoever we ask the Father in his name he giveth us. All our troubles, all our perplexities, all our griefs we can bring to our dear Saviour. We need not hug our troubles to our breasts; we need not walk in perplexity, and in darkness, and in doubt; for Christ has said that those who follow him shall not walk in darkness, and every step that we take in following Christ is a step toward clearer light. We must expect to have difficulties, and opposition, and perplexities; all these are God's agents and will make our faith grow stronger. The sinews and muscles of our spirituality will be strengthened in overcoming the obstacles which we meet. By grasping the promises of God by living faith we can move Heaven. All Heaven is pledged to aid the faithful worker. We need not go in gloom complaining by the way of the roughness of the journey; for these light afflictions which are but for a moment are working “for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” ST September 8, 1887, par. 6
What we want is more of Jesus and less of self. And the more we keep the eye fixed upon the mark of the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus, the more we shall press toward the mark. It requires moral courage to be a Christian; but God demands all that there is of man in his service. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself.” How many of us are doing this today? How many of us will come short of entering in through the gates into the city? How many of us are devoting our time to the little things of this life, while we are neglecting our eternal interests? ST September 8, 1887, par. 7
You should bring all of Heaven that it is possible to bring into your present life. “Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price.” If you have any talent or intellect it is the Lord's, give it to him. If you have any power or influence it belongs on the Lord's side. It is your Creator that requires this at your hands. A great and infinite price has been paid for your redemption. For your sake Jesus laid aside his majesty and his glory, became poor that you through his poverty might be made rich. He left all his riches and glory and honor, clothed his divinity with humanity, and came to this world to save man, and yet that Saviour is compelled to say to many, “Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life.” He paid a great price to redeem every son and daughter of Adam. He would lift man from the lowest degradation of sin up to purity again, and restore to him his moral image. When the apostle saw the indifference of those whom Christ made such an infinite sacrifice, he inquires, “Who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth?” There is a power that takes hold of the senses of men and women that perverts their ideas so that they do not appreciate the love of Christ. You cannot afford to sin. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey?” We must show to the world by our lives and character that Christ has not died for us in vain; and when we place ourselves in right relation to God, then we become living channels of light to the world. Christ has said, “Ye are the light of the world,” and if we fail to have a connection with Christ what a lamentable condition are we in! The light of Heaven is not given to us and we cannot give it to others. It is the privilege of every one of us to be children of the light, and light bearers. ST September 8, 1887, par. 8