The Review and Herald
October 9, 1894
Consequences of Adam's Sin a Warning to Men
God is King, he is high and lifted up, and the train of his glory fills the temple. God is to be feared, he alone is to be worshiped. His laws are holy, the foundation of his government in heaven and earth. How weak and foolish is the position taken by finite opposers of his government, as they declare that the law of the Governor of all intelligences is abolished. Who put these words into the mouth of men? Certainly it is not the One who is mighty in counsel; for God will never contradict himself. RH October 9, 1894, par. 1
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned; and in keeping of them there is great reward.” One act of disobedience against the law of God on the part of the responsible human agent, could not be outweighed by a recompense of all the honors and kingdoms of this world. Yet Satan will present his most alluring temptations, and use his most deceptive arguments in order to persuade men to make void the commandments of God. Our only safety is in following the example of Christ, and meeting the tempter with, “It is written.” RH October 9, 1894, par. 2
It would be wisdom on our part to make a study of the temptations of Christ in the wilderness, and with humble, contrite hearts, seek to understand their import, and learn their significance to us as individuals. It is not safe for us to enter into controversy with Satan, or to linger to contemplate the advantages to be reaped by yielding to his suggestions. Sin is blinding and deceiving in its nature. Disobedience to God's commandments is too terrible to be contemplated for a moment. Sin means dishonor and disaster to every soul that indulges in transgression of God's holy law, which is immutable. RH October 9, 1894, par. 3
Although the consequences and the penalty of transgression of God's law have been clearly presented in the word of truth, many are proving disloyal to the God of heaven, and are teaching their children and the world at large by both precept and example, that the law of God is no longer binding upon the human family. Thus they are cutting souls adrift from the great moral standard of righteousness. In the near future it will be demonstrated that it would be better never to have been born than to have been a transgressor of God's holy law; for disobedience means dishonor and disaster. Light is being presented from the Scriptures on this vital question, and those who give no heed to the light will have to suffer the fatal consequences of their indifference to the heavenly message. RH October 9, 1894, par. 4
God has seen fit plainly to present in his holy word the consequences of the sin of Adam, which opened the flood-gates of woe upon our world, that men might be warned not to do as did Adam. The penalty of sin is death; and to listen to the deceitful temptations of Satan, to venture in the path of transgression, is to imperil the soul. We are not to follow the words of men, however wise they may appear to be, unless their testimony is in harmony with a “thus saith the Lord.” Temptations will come to us in the most seductive guise, but it is at our peril that we turn from the plain command of God to follow the assertions of men. To follow the word of the Lord, to embrace the truth, involves cross-bearing and self-denial; but it is not safe to do otherwise than to bear the cross. As you see the light, walk in the light. Let a solemn, unalterable purpose take possession of you, and resolve in the strength and grace of God, that henceforth you will live for him, and that no earthly consideration shall persuade you to disown the divine law of ten commandments, and thus disown your Saviour and your God. Seek your counsel of God, and you will find that the path of obedience to his commandments is the path of the just, that “shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” RH October 9, 1894, par. 5
The first step in the path of obedience is to surrender the will to God. This may seem a difficult thing to do; for Satan will present every possible objection, and will manufacture difficulties, and magnify perplexities before the mind; but take the first step, and the next step on the ladder of progress will be easier. The ladder of progress must be climbed round by round; but God is above the ladder, and his glory will illuminate every step of advancement. The path of faith and self-denial is an upward path; its way is heavenward, and as you advance, the misleading clouds of doubt and evil will be left behind. RH October 9, 1894, par. 6
No one need be blinded by any delusion. He who makes the word of God his guide and counselor, and will listen to no voice that would lead him to take the words of men instead of that word, will always dwell safely. Let him bring the principles of the law of God into his life to regulate and control his conduct, and his life will be a success. He will grasp the righteousness of Christ by faith, and becoming a partaker of the divine nature, will thus become a doer of the divine law. RH October 9, 1894, par. 7
Nothing but willing obedience on the part of those who profess to love God is acceptable in his sight. He has given to every man his work; but that work is in nowise of such a nature that the worker must needs show disrespect to any of the requirements of God's law. The wisdom and glory of every man's life is to make the ways and the will of God his will and his ways, and every one who takes a course that leads away from obedience to the law of God will meet with disappointment in his plans, failure in his life, and will suffer the loss of his soul at last. Who can afford thus to do? There is no madness in our world so disastrous as that which leads men to live in rebellion against God. We are now deciding our destiny for both time and eternity. RH October 9, 1894, par. 8
God has given us probationary time in order that it may be made manifest whether we will be loyal, obedient children, rendering obedience to his commandments, his statutes, and his laws, or whether we will persist in following a course of disobedience, and prove ourselves unworthy of eternal life. Those who will be doers of the words of Christ will have their names written in the Lamb's book of life; but those who will not obey God's law after light has come to them from the holy Scriptures, will be written among those whose fate is to perish. For those who choose to follow the traditions of men, and are willing to be turned from the truth of God unto fables, and who train themselves to walk away from the path of God's commandments, and will not listen to the law of God, but take up with the vain excuses devised by man to continue in disobedience, would not listen to the voice of God in the heavenly courts, and would bring rebellion a second time into heaven. When the Father speaks, they hear him not; but their ears are open to hear the suggestions of the enemy of God and man. RH October 9, 1894, par. 9
God has waited long, and he is waiting still, to have the beings that are his by both creation and redemption, listen to his voice, and obey him as loving, submissive children, whose desire is to be near his side, and to have the light of his countenance shining upon them. We are to bear the third angel's message to the world, warning men against the worship of the beast and his image, and directing them to take their places in the ranks of those who “keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus.” God has not revealed to us the time when this message will close, or when probation will have an end. Those things that are revealed we shall accept for ourselves and for our children; but let us not seek to know that which has been kept secret in the councils of the Almighty. It is our duty to watch and work and wait, to labor every moment for the souls of men that are ready to perish. We are to keep walking continually in the footsteps of Jesus, working in his lines, dispensing his gifts as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Satan will be ready to give to any one who is not learning every day of Jesus, a special message of his own creating, in order to make of no effect the wonderful truth for this time. RH October 9, 1894, par. 10
Letters have come to me asking me if I have any special light as to the time when probation will close; and I answer that I have only this message to bear, that it is now time to work while the day lasts, for the night cometh in which no man can work. Now, just now, it is time for us to be watching, working, and waiting. The word of the Lord reveals the fact that the end of all things is at hand, and its testimony is most decided that it is necessary for every soul to have the truth planted in the heart so that it will control the life and sanctify the character. The Spirit of the Lord is working to take the truth of the inspired word and stamp it upon the soul so that the professed followers of Christ will have a holy, sacred joy that they will be able to impart to others. The opportune time for us to work is now, just now, while the day lasts. But there is no command for any one to search the Scripture in order to ascertain, if possible, when probation will close. God has no such message for any mortal lips. He would have no mortal tongue declare that which he has hidden in his secret councils. RH October 9, 1894, par. 11
We are to be laborers together with God, and to follow Jesus’ method of teaching. We are to be busy, to be weighted with the last message of mercy to a perishing world. We are to have the truth planted in the heart, and teach it to others as it is in Jesus. The world is in a very solemn period; for souls are deciding what will be their eternal destiny. Satan and his angels are continually plotting to make void the law of God, and thus to enslave the souls of men in the toils of sin. The darkness which is covering the earth is deepening, but those who walk humbly with God have nothing to fear. No one but Christ can save a single soul. But who are willing to be co-laborers with Christ? We are to see far more done in the world than has yet been done. The reason why more has not been done in the past is that men have held so firmly to themselves, and have thought that they were capable of doing some great thing. Satan tempted them because they were self-sufficient. RH October 9, 1894, par. 12
The truth must be preached in its purity; for the speculations and suppositions of men and boasted eloquence, will amount to nothing in these days. What we must have is the converting, transforming power of the Spirit of God upon life and character, and we must become as little children. The Lord says to his workers, “A new heart will I give you.” O, what a work might be accomplished if every one who attempts to hold forth the word of life would do so in sincerity and truth, having learned and continuing to learn, of Jesus! What a work might be accomplished if the teachers of truth knew how to hide self in Jesus, so that Christ and not self might appear! O that all who profess the name of Christ would draw out their souls after God with yearning desire that they might be filled with his Holy Spirit. RH October 9, 1894, par. 13
The whole heart is to be given to God, else the truth of God will fail to have a sanctifying effect on life and character. But it is a sad fact that many who profess the name of Christ have never given their hearts to him in simplicity. They have never experienced the contrition of an entire surrender to the claims of Christianity, and the consequence is that the transforming power of the truth is not in their lives; the deep, softening influence of the love of Christ is not made manifest in life and character. But what a work of feeding the flock of God might be done if the under-shepherds were crucified with Christ, and were living unto God to co-operate with the Chief Shepherd of the flock! Christ calls upon men to work as he worked. There is need of a deeper, stronger, more constraining testimony on the power of the truth as seen in the practical godliness of those who profess to believe it. The love of the Saviour in the soul will lead to a decided change in the manner in which workers labor for the souls of those who are perishing. When truth occupies the citadel of the soul, Christ is enthroned in the heart, and the human agent can then say, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” RH October 9, 1894, par. 14