Christ Our Righteousness

Greatest and Most Urgent Need

“A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work. There must be earnest effort to obtain the blessing of the Lord, not because God is not willing to bestow His blessing upon us, but because we are unprepared to receive it.... There are persons in the church who are not converted, and who will not unite in earnest, prevailing prayer. We must enter upon the work individually. We must pray more, and talk less. Iniquity abounds, and the people must be taught not to be satisfied with a form of godliness without the spirit and power.... COR 31.2

“We have far more to fear from within than from without. The hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world.... COR 31.3

“There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of God shall clear the way by removing every hindrance, so that the Lord can pour out His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent congregation. If Satan had his way, there would never be another awakening, great or small, to the end of time. But we are not ignorant of his devices. It is possible to resist his power. When the way is prepared for the Spirit of God, the blessing will come. Satan can no more hinder a shower of blessing from descending upon God’s people than he can close the windows of heaven that rain cannot come upon the earth. Wicked men and devils cannot hinder the work of God, or shut out His presence from the assemblies of His people, if they will, with subdued, contrite hearts, confess and put away their sins, and in faith claim His promises. Every temptation, every opposing influence, whether open or secret, may be successfully resisted, ‘not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’ COR 32.1

“What is our condition in this fearful and solemn time? Alas, what pride is prevailing in the church, what hypocrisy, what deception, what love of dress, frivolity, and amusement, what desire for the supremacy! All these sins have clouded the mind, so that eternal things have not been discerned.”-The Review and Herald, March 22, 1887. COR 32.2

What a solemn message, and yet how full of tender, helpful counsel! What hope is held before the church if she will but sincerely heed it! How sad that this great message passed with the annual files of the Review, to lie buried so long! Is it not time to bring again this message clearly and force fully to the attention of the church, as Ezra brought forth the forgotten book of the law of Moses and read the instruction it contained to Israel? COR 32.3