Manuscript Releases, vol. 5 [Nos. 260-346]

MR No. 270—The Remnant Church

Greatness without goodness is valueless. It is as a tinkling cymbal. The man who does not gather about him the rays of light that God has let shine upon his pathway will surely surround himself with the shadows of darkness. God designs that His people shall press closer and still closer to the light. Then they will go forward and upward.... 5MR 50.1

Satan has come down with great power, knowing that his time is short. The continued apostasy, the abounding iniquity, which chills the faith and constancy of many, should call the faithful ones to the front. Straight, clear, decided testimonies, freighted with the light for the time, will be given. Truth, undimmed by the furnace, will shine brighter and brighter until the perfect day. The Spirit and power of the coming One will be imparted in large measure to those who are preparing to stand in the day of God, who are hastening the second advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To these faithful ones Christ gives special communications. He talks with them as He talked with His disciples before leaving them. The Spirit of truth will guide them into all truth. God has lines of communication with the world today. Through His appointed agencies, He speaks to the people He is purifying, warning and encouraging them.... 5MR 50.2

Here is a precious promise; the purposes and plans of God are to be opened to His disciples. What is a disciple? A learner, ever learning. Coming events, of a solemn character, are opening before us, and God would not have any one of us think that in these last days there is no more that we need to know. This is a continual snare of Satan. He would have us meet coming events without that special preparation which is essential to guide them through every difficulty. He would have all stumbling their way along in ignorance, making self-conceit, self-esteem, self-confidence, take the place of true knowledge. The more satisfied anyone is with himself, and his present knowledge, the less earnestly and humbly will he seek to be guided into all truth. The less of the Holy Spirit of God he has, the more self-satisfied and complacent he will feel. He will not search earnestly and with the deepest interest to know more of truth. But unless he keeps pace with the Leader, who is guiding into all truth, he will be left behind, belated, blinded, confused, because he is not walking in the light.... The word of God is to be the man of our counsel.... All heaven is looking upon the remnant people of God, to see if they will make truth alone their shield and buckler. Unless the truth is presented as it is in Jesus, and is planted in the heart by the power of the Spirit of God, even ministers will be found drifting away from Christ, away from piety, away from religious principle. They will become blind leaders of the blind.—Manuscript 14, 1886, 1, 5, 6, 8-11. (“Christian Integrity in the Ministry,” 1886.) 5MR 50.3

Oh, that all might repent and do their first works. When the churches do this they will love God supremely and their neighbors as themselves. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. Divisions will then be healed, the harsh sounds of strife will no more be heard in the borders of Israel. Through the grace freely given them of God, all will seek to answer the prayer of Christ that His disciples shall be one, even as He and the Father are one. Peace, love, mercy, and benevolence will be the abiding principles of the soul. The love of Christ will be the theme of every tongue, and it will no more be said by the True Witness, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” The people of God will be abiding in Christ, and the love of Jesus will be revealed, and one Spirit will animate all hearts, regenerating and renewing in the image of Christ, fashioning all hearts alike. As living branches of the True Vine, all will be united to Christ the living Head. Christ will abide in every heart, guiding, comforting, sanctifying, and presenting to the world the unity of the followers of Jesus, thus bearing testimony that the heavenly credentials are supplied to the remnant church. In the oneness of Christ's church it will be proved that God sent His only begotten Son into the world.... 5MR 51.1

Jesus came to impart to the human soul the Holy Spirit by which the love of God is shed abroad in the heart; but it is impossible to endow men with the Holy Spirit, who are set in their ideas, whose doctrines are all stereotyped and unchangeable, who are walking after the traditions and commandments of men as were the Jews in the time of Christ. They were very punctilious in the observance of the church, very rigorous in following their forms, but they were destitute of vitality and religious devotion.... 5MR 52.1

The remnant church are called to go through an experience similar to that of the Jews, and the True Witness, who walks up and down in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, has a solemn message to bear to His people. He says, “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 and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” The love of God has been waning in the church, and as a result the love of self has sprung up into new activity. With the loss of love for God, there has come the loss of love for the brethren. The church may meet all the description that is given of the Ephesian church, and yet fail in vital godliness. Of them Jesus said, “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”—Manuscript 154, 1897, 3-7. (“God's Messengers,” undated.) 5MR 52.2

There is perfect harmony between the instruction of the Old Testament and that of the New. The Lord Jesus Himself gave to Moses the principles that were to be given to Israel. Lessons of mercy, goodness, generosity, and strict honesty were given by Christ in the Old Testament, and were repeated by Him when He came in human flesh to our world. Shall we not earnestly and prayerfully study these lessons and practice the principles which the Lord has given?—Letter 83, 1896, pp. 14, 15. (To Elder O. A. Olsen, May 22, 1896.) 5MR 53.1

God has a remnant people in the world—a people who are not following worldly policy. Of them we read in the Scripture, “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ”.... The Christian world has cast aside the Seventh-day Sabbath, and has exalted the false sabbath. But God has a people who will be loyal to Him. His work is to be carried forward. Churches are to be established as memorials of the people who bear His sign. These houses of worship, however humble, will continually proclaim the treason of Satan and the holiness of the Sabbath that was instituted when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.... Satan is presenting worldly attractions. The churches are teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. Ministers are crying, “There is no law,” failing to see that if there is no law, there is no transgression. It is time for us to show that we have a message from the Lord, a message of no human invention. Workers who will present the truth in its simplicity are greatly needed. The last message of warning is to be given to the world. As God's people bring the truths of His message into the daily life, practical godliness, purity, and holiness will be seen.—Manuscript 99, 1902, 1, 7, 10. (“Fragments,” typed July 12, 1902.) 5MR 53.2

The remnant people of God must be a converted people. The presentation of this message is to result in the conversion and sanctification of souls.—Letter 190, 1908, p. 2. (To Brother and Sister Simpson, June 15, 1908.) 5MR 54.1

Released June 22, 1971.