General Conference Bulletin, vol. 6
Bible Study
W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, I. H. Evans, C. M. Snow, T. E. Bowen
PREPARATION FOR HIS COMING
May 18, 9:15 A. M. - R. S. OWEN
In 1 John 2:28 we read, “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” Only those who abide in Christ will be prepared to meet him when he comes in the clouds of heaven. It is a wonderful thought that, sinful though we may have been, yet we may stand before him, and not be ashamed. This is an experience which will be realized by somebody, for there will be a company who will look up with confidence, and say, “Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us.” GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.19
In the first verses of this chapter we learn of Christ’s interest in us, and of what he desires to do for us. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” It does my soul good to think that in heaven at the right hand of the Father sits my Elder Brother, my Advocate, who has become so completely identified with me that he is touched with the feeling of my infirmity. Righteousness is what we need, and he has righteousness for all. He has a sufficient amount of righteousness to be the propitiation and the complete and entire satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. He has an infinite store. GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.20
There are four tests brought to view in this chapter and those who successfully pass these tests will be the people who are abiding in Christ when he comes:— GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.21
1. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” You have placed yourselves on the right side of this first test, and profess to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.22
2. Love of the brethren. Verse 7. As a denomination, we have come out from various associations, and there comes the test as to whether we can love each other. God does not want us to love the peculiarities of our brethren and sisters, but we are to love them in spite of their peculiarities and weaknesses. GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.23
3. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Verse 15. This test teaches us that the love of God and the love of the world can not dwell in the same heart. GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.24
4. “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” Verse 18. Do we know that we are living in the last days? [Voices, Yes.] How may we know that this is the last time?—Because there are many Antichrists. GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.25
All will agree that Spiritualism is included among these Antichrists. I will make a broader statement, and say that every ism in this world that has for a foundation the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is included in this expression. The manifestation of false or counterfeit gifts is also a manifestation of Antichrist. Leaving out Spiritualism, we find the increasing manifestation of false gifts in these last days. How shall we know the genuine from the spurious? We are to try these gifts by the standard of the Word of God. The Bible becomes the touchstone by which we are to try these manifestations of spiritual gifts. Satan is rushing in the counterfeits to forestall the genuine. GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.26
“And 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 testimony of Jesus Christ is the particular gift which Satan hates. He recognizes its importance, and makes a special assault upon that particular gift, by which God has guided his people. From other scriptures we learn that this gift is especially given for the edifying of the body of Christ, a means by which the Lord warns his church, and prepares them to meet the deceptions of Satan. In this same chapter the apostle speaks of manifestations of the spirit of Antichrist, by which some were led to separate from the church. “They went out from us,” says the apostle, “but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us.” GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.27
By the gifts of his Spirit in the church, the Lord is to unite all upon the platform of truth. We know that not a plank of that platform is to be moved. GCB May 19, 1909, page 61.28