The Review and Herald

February 10, 1891

Sermon at Otsego

(Concluded.)

EGW

Satan has cast his shadow athwart the pathway of every human being, in order that he may misrepresent God to the world. He has clothed the character of God with attributes that are satanic, and wholly at variance with the truth. He has pictured him as a being full of revenge, as a lawgiver whose law is beyond the power of man to keep, and he has implanted enmity in the heart of the sinner, so that man unregenerated is in rebellion against God. This is the impression that Satan has made upon the human mind. Those who present the law of God as a transcript of the divine character will blend with their teaching that which belongs with the subject, and will present the love of the Father and the Son. When this is done, the shadow of the evil one will be removed from the hearts of men, and the clear light of Christ's love, illuminating the understanding, will reveal the character of God as of one who is infinite in mercy. Sinners will behold Christ as one able and willing to cleanse from all sin. They will behold God not in his wrath, but in the sunshine of his love. His love will be seen as beyond all human love, and without a parallel. RH February 10, 1891, par. 1

There are but two classes in the world,—the class that know God, and the class that know him not. The spiritual man belongs to the first class, the natural man to the other; and it is according to our estimate of the character of the Father and the Son that our class is determined. It is natural for the man whose soul is flooded with the love of Jesus, to see in God his father and his friend. He can and will teach others in harmony with the light which shines into the chambers of his heart. He will teach men the one way from sin to righteousness, revealing to the world the character of Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. Through the plan of redemption, a way has been provided whereby the sinner may be led from the depths of ruin upward to the paradise of God. This provision has been wrought out through an infinite sacrifice on the part of the Father and the Son. The love of God is expressed to man in the priceless gift of his Son; but Christ was given to a lost world, that we might be saved, not in our sins, but from our sins. RH February 10, 1891, par. 2

Sinners cannot be saved by their good works; for all the powers of man belong to God, and in whatever we offer to God, we must say with David, “Of thine own have we given thee.” The language of the truly repentant heart is, RH February 10, 1891, par. 3

“In my hand no price I bring.
Simply to Thy cross I cling.” RH February 10, 1891, par. 4

Jesus alone has power to save from sin, to free from the power of evil; and to doubt him who has laid down his life for us, is to grieve and insult the Father, who has in one gift poured out all heaven to a lost world. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Unbelief is an offense to God. A plan has been provided so broad, so perfect, that every sinner may find forgiveness and redemption. However great may be the sin, the sinner has no excuse for remaining away from Christ; for Jesus draws every soul, and all may respond to the infinite love of God. The sinner may put his will on the side of God's will, and may become a laborer together with God. All who truly accept of Christ will go forth to gather with him, and their sins will be left in the broad road, abandoned for the sake of Christ, and through his power. The path to heaven is a path of holiness; and he who walks in it, walks in the light as Christ is in the light. In following Christ, the light of the world, he will not fail nor be discouraged; for divine strength will be given that he may walk circumspectly, firmly, making advancement in the divine life. The follower of Christ will become one with him, he will look to Christ as the author and finisher of his faith, and the Father will be revealed to his soul as “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” RH February 10, 1891, par. 5

We are not saved as a sect; no denominational name has any virtue to bring us into favor with God. We are saved individually as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. And “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” We may have our names recorded on the books of the most spiritual of the churches, and yet we may not belong to Christ, and our names may not be written on the Lamb's book of life. Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” If we could reach heaven through our own merits and efforts, then Christ need not have come to the world, to endure suffering, reproach, and shame, to be subjected to humiliation, mockery, insult, and death. He made an infinite sacrifice, because it was the only way whereby man could be saved. Those who believe in Christ will reveal it in their life and character. By beholding Christ they will be changed into his image, and Christ will be represented to the world by his followers. If we are branches of the True Vine, precious clusters of rich fruit will appear in the life as the natural result. Practical faith in Christ will result in the doing of his words; the believer in Jesus will work the works of God. “We are laborers together with God.” “Without me,” says Christ, “ye can do nothing.” In and through the grace of Christ we can do all things. RH February 10, 1891, par. 6

How many complain of the straitness of the way, of the trials and conflicts of the Christian life, and say it is hard to leave sin, and practice righteousness. They talk of the power of Satan, instead of magnifying the grace of Christ. This is the baleful fruit of unbelief. It places Satan before Christ, and we dishonor God by glorifying the evil one. When you talk of your trials and conflicts, and feel that they are unbearable, you are giving evidence that you have left your first love. Christ no longer appears to you as the chief among ten thousand and the one altogether lovely. To you are the words of my text addressed, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” RH February 10, 1891, par. 7

We find a sad state of affairs existing among those who claim to believe in Jesus. There is no evidence in their character and life that they have a saving knowledge of Christ. The union existing between the branch and the vine typifies the union which the soul should have with Jesus, but there is no evidence that such is the relation between many a professed follower and his Lord. A hard, unsympathetic spirit, wholly unlike the spirit of Christ, characterizes the experience of many who claim to believe the truth. Little Christlike tenderness is manifested toward the unfortunate. Many lavish tenderness upon themselves, and upon their favorites, but the souls who most need attention, sympathy, and unselfish labor, are neglected. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” RH February 10, 1891, par. 8

How much a work of transformation is needed among all the churches and in all the world! The tender, pitying love of Jesus has been excluded from the heart, and self and its interests have closed the ears against the appeals of the widow and the orphan. As a result of this lack of service to the needy and unfortunate, many are lifted up in pride, and are full of self-esteem and Phariseeism. They are cold, hard, unimpressible. Jesus died to save sinners, and his professed followers should be laborers together with him. But instead of doing this, they wrap the garment of their own righteousness about them, and by their daily life prove themselves destitute of the grace of God. They are unapproachable, because they are bound about with selfishness and self-importance. They have no home religion, they have no neighborhood religion, they have no church religion. Their lives should be fragrant with deeds of love and mercy, a savor of life unto life; but instead of this, they are as destitute of loveliness as were the hills of Gilboa of dew and rain. Many of this class are placed in positions of trust, and they know not the Father nor the Son. They may be zealous in certain things, and have some characteristics essential to the positions they occupy; but Christ, who weighs actions in the balances of the sanctuary, says, “I know thy works.” “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly in a time and way least expected by them, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” RH February 10, 1891, par. 9

What has Christ not done that fallen humanity might be restored to uprightness, and be reconciled to God? Jesus is the great restorer. In consequence of sin, earth was separated from heaven; but Jesus bridged the impassable gulf, united the fallen world with heaven, linked finite man with the infinite God; upon the mystic ladder, Christ, every lost one may gain heaven. Through the plan of God, every soul who has an experimental knowledge of Christ is to be a co-laborer with him in the saving of other souls. You should ask yourself, “What am I doing for the salvation of those for whom Christ died? Wherein am I a laborer together with God?” The ransom for your soul was paid on Calvary's cross; such love Christ had for you, and now wherein do you manifest love for perishing souls? Do you love others as Christ has loved you? There are lost sheep to be brought to the fold. There are prodigals to be received with love and joy, and brought back to the Father's house. Where are the unselfish, disinterested efforts put forth for the uplifting of the lost, for the healing of the erring, for the nourishing of the weak? RH February 10, 1891, par. 10

It is possible for men to make changes in their life, to put away this or that indulgence in sin, and apparently to become Christians, while yet at heart they are as destitute of the love of Christ as is the veriest sinner. There is but one way to heaven, and it requires the consecration of all the powers of the mind, of all the affection of the soul, to Christ, by whom we have peace with God. It is not enough to be conscientious in your belief and practice: a man may be conscientious in bending his footsteps in a path that does not lead to heaven. That he is sincere does not prove that he is right. The sincere motives of his heart will not serve to change error into truth. Paul was conscientious in his persecution of the early Christians; but his conscientious zeal in a bad cause did not sanctify his actions, and bring him into favor with God. He believed that he was doing God service. But “he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.” We must test our conscience by the word of God. I tell you in fear and love, We must obey God's words, and work the works of God, having the mind of Christ, if we would be approved workers before him. RH February 10, 1891, par. 11

Let us not flatter ourselves that we are the children of God, when our lack of Christ's love is made manifest by our indifference to the souls for whom he died. “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another....We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” RH February 10, 1891, par. 12

A spirit of careless indifference toward our brethren has been coming into our churches, and the religion of many has become cold, selfish, loveless Phariseeism. The True Counselor has spoken words of the utmost importance to all our souls,—“Thou hast left thy first love.” What a loss is this! “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.” O, how many have failed to grow up into Christ, their living head! Instead of growing up into Christ, they have grown away from Christ, and have nourished the elements of character that have been like those of Satan. These characteristics of evil excluded Satan from the royal courts above, and they will exclude you from the family of God, “except thou repent.” Your heart must be softened and made susceptible to the influence of the Spirit of God, that you may grow up into a spiritual temple in Christ. The saints on earth must love as Christ loved, or they will not be saints in heaven. If your sympathies have become dried up, turn to God, humble your proud heart before him, fall on the Rock and be broken, and then Christ will mold you after his own similitude, and make you a vessel unto honor. RH February 10, 1891, par. 13

Those who do not represent Christ, are like sign-boards that cannot be read; and many who are in prominent positions are pointing the wrong way, or giving no light as to which is the road to the kingdom of God. Let the sign-board be ever so rough, the letters ever so plain, if they can be read, the traveler may find the right way. Let every one in our ranks, professing the name of Christ, see to it that he is not misguiding souls. Many are becoming confused, and losing all confidence in Christ, because those who claim to be Christians are not following the light of the word, but rather are swayed by their impulses, and guided by their own notions. The souls of many are hungering and thirsting to know the way to heaven. Let it be made plain through a representation of the character of Christ. Your cold hard-heartedness is misleading souls, and turning their steps into the way of ruin. Put on Christ, and walk in love as dear children. “Learn of me,” says the Great Teacher; “for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” We should guide the souls of men, not in our way, but in the new and living way which Christ consecrated with his own blood. In this way we may “run, and not be weary;” “walk, and not faint;” we may go on from strength to strength, from light to greater light, till the beams of the Sun of Righteousness illuminate all the chambers of the mind and heart. As the light is diffused, given to others, greater light will come. The reason why the churches sit in darkness and have no light, is that they have not given light, they have not been as a city set upon a hill, that cannot be hid. O that all would cultivate love for souls, and deny inclination! Then the love of Christ would burn in the heart, and souls for whom he died would rejoice in the revealed mercy of God. RH February 10, 1891, par. 14