Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Lt 2, 1893

Sister Brown

Long Point, New Zealand

August 7, 1893

Previously unpublished.

Sister Brown,

I awoke at one o’clock this morning, and I had been speaking to the family of Sister Brown. I was saying words that the Lord had given me for them, speaking in great earnestness, for I felt the urgency of the case. I was saying, “Wherefore the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” [Hebrews 3:7, 8.] I feel constrained to urge you to accept the light which now shines upon your pathway, and to walk in newness of life. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 1

The Lord has given me words to speak unto you. It is not my own words, but the words the Lord has given me; and I dare not leave you, unless I shall urge you to a decision that you walk in the light as Christ is in the light. You will, in accepting the light, feel the pressure of increasing obligations. As you set your face in earnest heavenward, you will see your own weakness and inefficiency, and temptations to discouragement will press upon your soul. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 2

But bear in mind you have decisions to make. Study your Bibles. Examine yourselves. Cherish nothing that will constitute an idol and separate your souls from Jesus Christ, who is constantly saying, “Follow me.” “They that follow me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” [John 8:12.] I was addressing each member of the family by name, saying, Christ is inviting you, “Follow Me.” The principalities and the powers of darkness will urge you away from the narrow path of holiness that is cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 3

There were inducements presented to Christ, while humanity was upon Him, by Satan clothed as an angel of light, soliciting the Son of God while under the feebleness of that long fast in the wilderness of temptation. He presented before Christ the kingdoms of the world, saying, “If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.” Christ answered, “Get thee behind me Satan, for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” [Luke 4:7, 8.] 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 4

“The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not.” [2 Corinthians 4:4.] They do not see that they are serving the great apostate who rebelled against the law of God in heaven. Christ has died to redeem the world from the slavery of sin. There are many ministers who are blind leaders of the blind. They lead into false paths, just as Satan led the loyal angels to believe the law of God was imperfect. A large number in heaven espoused the cause of Satan and joined him in his rebellion and were expelled from heaven with him. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 5

Well, Satan has lost none of his shrewdness. He is set to do all the injury to Christ, whom he considers as his rival, that he possibly can. He has been educating himself in methods and inventions, ever since his fall, to turn souls from Jesus Christ to stand under his banner. He has indeed tried to corrupt the commandments of God, and he has made them by his own inventions appear as rigorous and burdensome. The great moral standard of character is clouded by his hellish shadow and lying inventions which deceive the whole world. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 6

Christ is the true light which has lightened the whole world. He came and died on the cross. Did He accomplish this to do away with the law of God? No! In His sermon on the mount, Christ declared that not a jot or a tittle of the law should fail or pass away, as long as the heavens and the earth remain. [Matthew 5:18.] He came to magnify the law and make it honorable, as stated in Isaiah 42:21. And thus will it be regarded by all who have the true light, and thus will it stand, thoroughly vindicated in the great day of God when every case is decided. The law of Jehovah stands firm as His throne. The cross of Calvary is the great unanswerable argument in that great day as to the immutability of the law of God and condemnation of all who had the light and refused light and accepted error to avoid the cross. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 7

I now lay before the members of this family their God-given responsibilities. You feel that you ought to be Christians. But will the matter end here? I ask you the question this day, Will you choose the service of Jesus Christ? You may have right impulses and say, “I want to be a Christian,” and go not one step farther. Christ calls for a decision. “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.” [Joshua 24:15.] Will you cease your robbing of God? He has paid the ransom money for your soul. Will you serve Jesus Christ who is your Owner? 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 8

Will you give heart and soul to Jesus and love and serve Him? Will you cut loose from Satan and bind your interest up with Jesus Christ, without one moment’s further delay? Will you come unto Him that you might have life? You know that He loves you, and if you will believe on Him as your personal Saviour, then you will be saved in His appointed way. “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” [Romans 10:10.] It is an individual work. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 9

Individually you carry with you a personal value of more worth than worlds can buy. “What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” [Mark 8:36, 37.] Nothing upon earth is of sufficient value to compute with the value of the human soul. Sin is a mortal disease. The wages of sin is death, the gift of God in the saving of the human soul is eternal life. We have as individuals a soul to save or a soul to lose. If the soul perishes through unbelief, it were better had that soul never have been born. Will you have Jesus Christ as your Saviour? He has given His life and made every provision that you shall not perish if you believe in Him. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 10

You can, every soul, have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He had compassion on fallen man, and when we were under the sentence of death, Christ came to our rescue. He had compassion upon us. He undertook the work of saving us, by giving up Himself to satisfy the justice and claims of the law. He abates not one jot or tittle of the law, but presents it in its pure holy character, and in dying on the cross testifies to its immutability. He satisfied all its claims, and when the human agent was robbed, bruised, and beaten by the cruel destroyer He had compassion, and healed our wounds and bruises by a balm extracted from His own broken heart. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 11

Was this great sacrifice made that man might always show contempt to the law of Jehovah, and sin be immortalized? No, but to make it possible that the sinner may obtain forgiveness of sins though they have so grievously offended God. But the sinner does not find pardon by abolishing one jot or tittle of the law, or by showing disregard for its claims. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 12

The lawyer asked the question of Christ, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Mighty question! The Lord lays the burden of the answer upon himself. “What is written in the law? How readest thou? The lawyer answered, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy might; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, thou hast answered right: this do and thou shalt live.” [Luke 10:25-28.] 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 13

Christ is our only hope. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. We are to love Jesus, and become like Jesus. By studying Him and beholding Him, we are to become changed into His image. I put the question to you individually, Will you serve Jesus? The sweet invitation of mercy comes to you today and says, “Give me thy heart. I will purify and refine it, sanctify and make it holy for the society of heavenly angels.” Will you have heaven? The Lord calls [to] you, “Follow me.” He wants every member of this family. Will you make the decision now that you will be a Christian? 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 14

You have a church in your own house. You stand separated from the world. You can help one another. Refine and uplift one another, and thus prove to be the Lord’s living agents. You cannot associate from choice with the wicked, and practice their evil ways which God’s law condemns, without deteriorating in character and bringing the truth into condemnation. If the natural inclination is followed in the pleasure loving amusements, our love for the pure and holy becomes feeble. We catch the spirit and love of the world. Our time is precious and cannot be squandered in trifling vanities and pleasures without great loss. 8LtMs, Lt 2, 1893, par. 15