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【1888 Message】The Third Angel’s Message

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发表于 2019-9-30 06:01:29 | 显示全部楼层 |阅读模式



"The Third Angel’s Message"



by Alonzo T. Jones





A series of articles, in sequence, taken from the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 1900-1901.




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 楼主| 发表于 2019-9-30 06:12:41 | 显示全部楼层
本帖最后由 水珠 于 2019-9-30 06:14 编辑



The Third Angel’s Message.
What Is It?


THE expression "the Third Angel’s Message" has reference to the message borne by the third in a series of three angels, each one bearing a message, in the fourteenth chapter of Revelation. The messages of these three angels blend and culminate in the third, which does not cease to sound until the harvest of the earth is ripe, and made ready for the coming of the Lord to reap it.


The Third Angel’s Message itself, as it is announced in the words of the third angel, separated from the other two, is as follows: "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."


This is the Third Angel’s Message, as it would stand separated from the other two. But, in fact, it cannot be regarded as separate, and cannot be made to stand apart as if it alone were a single, separate message to the world; for the very first words concerning it are: "The third angel followed THEM." Thus, by the very first words of the message itself we are referred not only to the one, but to the two which preceded it. And the Greek word translated "followed" signifies not following apart, nor only following, but "following with," as soldiers follow their captain, or servants their master; therefore, "to follow one in a thing; to let one’s self be led." When spoken of things, it signifies to follow as a result; to follow "as a consequence of something which had gone before." Thus, as to persons, the third angel follows with the two which have preceded; and his message, as a thing, follows as a result, or consequence, of the two which have gone before.


Of the second one also it is written: "And there followed another angel." As with the third angel following him, so it is with the second angel following the first. And of the first one it is written: "And I saw another angel fly," etc. This is the first in this series of three. There follows with him another; and the third angel follows with them. There is a succession in the order of their rise; but, when the three have in succession risen, then they go on together as one. The first one sounds forth his message; the second one follows and joins with the first; the third follows them, and joins with them; so that, when the three are joined, and go on together in their united power, they form a mighty threefold, loud-voiced message. It takes all to make the Third Angel’s Message complete; and the Third Angel’s message cannot be truly given without the giving of all.


What, then, is the threefold message in its respective parts?—Here is the first: "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."


Here is the second: "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."


And here is the third: ""And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."


A glance at the wording of each of these messages will discover that thought in the Greek word "followed, which signifies "following as a consequence." The first bears the everlasting gospel, to preach to every creature, calling upon all to fear God and give glory to him, and to worship him, because the hour of his judgment is come. The rejection of this message produces a condition of things which is described as the consequence of such rejection, in the words of the second angel, which followed. And, because of the rejection of the first message, and because of the consequences of that rejection, as announced in the second, a condition of things is produced as a further consequence, which requires that the third angel shall follow them, proclaiming with a loud voice his dreadful warning against the terrible evils that have been produced as the double consequence of the rejecting of the first message.


And that the voice and work of the third angel blend with that of the first, is plain from his closing words: "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus;" because this is ever the object of the preaching of the everlasting gospel. It is the substance of fearing God and giving glory to him, and or worshiping "him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." And the keeping of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus is the only thing that will enable any soul to stand in the hour of his judgment, which the first angel declares "is come."


Immediately following the closing words of the third angel is "heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the death which die in the Lord from henceforth”—from this time forward; and immediately following this, are the words: "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud,Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."


And Jesus himself said, "The harvest is the end of the world."


Again: the third angel particularly warns all people against the worship of the beast and his image, whatever these may be; and, from Rev. 19:11-21, we find that the beast and his image are "alive" when the Lord comes in the clouds of heaven, and are "both" destroyed with the brightness of his coming.


These facts show that the Third Angel’s Message is a mighty, threefold, loud-voiced message, which goes forth to every nation and kindred, and tongue and people, just before the coming of the Lord; which ripens the harvest of the earth; and which makes ready a people prepared for the Lord. And so, it is the last, the closing, message of God to the world.


Such, in a word, in form, in arrangement, is the Third Angel’s Message. What the Third Angel’s Message is in spirit and in truth, will be considered next.


A. T. Jones.
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 77, No. 01, Jan. 2, 1900, p. 8.



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 楼主| 发表于 2019-10-1 06:49:42 | 显示全部楼层

The Third Angel’s Message.
What Is It in Spirit and in Truth?


WE have found that in word, in form, and in arrangement the Third Angel’s Message is a great threefold message, which ripens the harvest for the end of the world, and makes ready a people prepared for the Lord. And now we are to study what that message is in spirit and in truth.


In the first place, it is the everlasting gospel; and that gospel is "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." It "is Christ in you, the hope of glory." It is "God manifest in the flesh." "Therein [in the gospel] is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." And it calls men to the worship of "him that made heaven and earth, the sea, and the fountains of waters."


This preaching of the everlasting gospel, which is the third angel’s message, is, therefore, the preaching of "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." It is the preaching of Christ in men the hope of glory. It is the preaching of God manifest in the flesh. It is the preaching of the righteousness of God, which is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.


And since the gospel is the "power of God unto salvation" to them that believe; since Christ dwells in the heart, and God is manifest in the flesh, only "by faith;" since the righteousness of God is "by faith of Jesus Christ," and is revealed only "from faith to faith;" and since true worship of God is only of faith, because "without faith it is impossible to please him," it is perfectly plain that the Third Angel’s Message, in spirit and in truth, is all of faith. And since whatsoever is not of faith is sin, then whatsoever is of faith is righteousness. And since the Third Angel’s Message is all of faith, the Third Angel’s Message is righteousness by faith.


Further: this everlasting gospel is preached, calling all people to the worship of God, in view of the fact that "the hour of his judgment is come." And since men are to be judged by the law of God, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to the gospel (Rom. 2:12, 16), it is certain that this preaching of the everlasting gospel in the Third Angel’s Message, in warning all men concerning the judgment, is to prepare for that judgment every soul who is willing to be prepared. And since the only preparation for the judgment is perfect harmony of life, in body, soul, and spirit, with the law of God, this message inevitably calls all people to the keeping of the commandments of God. And, in very truth, the sole purpose of the gospel, which is altogether of faith, is the keeping of the commandments of God; for in Christ Jesus nothing avails but faith, which worketh by love,—the love of God: and "this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments;" and "love is the fulfilling of the law." And so the closing words of the third angel are but the sum of the great threefold message, so far as it pertains to the saints and to those who are prepared to meet the Lord, in its declaration: "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." And thus the beginning words, and the closing words, and all between, of the Third Angel’s Message, as it pertains to the saints, is summed up in the three words "righteousness by faith."


Thus, justification by faith is the Third Angel’s Message: the preaching of righteousness by faith is the preaching of the Third Angel’s Message. It is true that this threefold message announces the fall of Babylon, and calls out of her God’s people. It is true that this message also warns people against the worship of the beast and his image. But what could the announcement of the fall of Babylon, and the warning against the worship of the beast and his image, amount to, simply as such, without the power of God to save the people from Babylon, and from the worship of the beast and his image? Therefore the everlasting gospel, the preaching of righteousness by faith, is the Third Angel’s Message in spirit and in truth; because this is the very thing, and the only thing, that can make effective the announcements and warnings of the message.


Will it, by any, be thought too strong a statement that justification by faith is the Third Angel’s Message? Lest, by any possibility, any should think thus, we set down here some statements of authority, as to that truth. In the first-page article of the REVIEW of April 1, 1890, are the following words:—




Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the Third Angel’s Message; and I have answered, "It is the Third Angel’s Message in verity."




In a Testimony, dated Hobart, Tasmania, May 1, 1895, and published Nov. 18, 1896, are the following words:—




The Lord in his great mercy sent a most precious message to his people through Elders Waggoner and Jones.1‑ This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Savior, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to his divine person, his merits, and his changeless love for the human family. All power is given into his hands, that he may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of his own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the Third Angel’s Message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of his Spirit in a large measure. . . . This message of the gospel of his grace was to be given to the church in clear and distinct lines, that the world should no longer say that Seventh-day Adventists talk the law, the law, but do not teach or believe Christ. . . .


It has been Satan’s determined purpose to eclipse the view of Jesus and lead men to look to man, and trust to man, and be educated to expect help from man. For years the church has been looking to man and expecting much from man, but not looking to Jesus, in whom our hopes of eternal life are centered. Therefore God gave to his servants a testimony that presented the truth as it is in Jesus, which is the Third Angel’s Message, in clear, distinct lines. . . . .


This is the testimony that must go throughout the length and breadth of the world. It presents the law and the gospel, binding up the two in a perfect whole. See Romans 5 and 1 John 3:9 to the close of the chapter.




Thus it is plain, and is repeatedly confirmed, that the Third Angel’s Message in spirit and in truth, is righteousness by faith; the everlasting gospel; the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith in the keeping of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.A person may announce to the world the fall of Babylon, and may proclaim the warning against the worship of the beast and his image; and yet, if that person is not justified by the faith of Jesus Christ, and has not in him and upon him the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, he himself will be a part of Babylon, and will worship the beast and his image. The Third Angel’s Message is not a message in mere word: the message consists in the spirit and the truth of the gospel of God, which is righteousness by faith: the very keeping, in heart and life, of "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." And when he who would preach the Third Angel’s Message has that message in his life, and when that message is his life; when he is justified by faith, and lives by faith, and is clothed with the righteousness of God, which is by faith, and THEN announces the fall of Babylon and the warning against the worship of the beast and his image, there will be power in his message to deliver souls from Babylon, and to hold them back from worshiping the beast and his image. In his message there will be power to deliver souls from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God, which is the only true religious liberty.


And this is why the book of Galatians is so fully a part of the Third Angel’s Message.


!1 These names are printed in the Testimony as published. In justice to both the text and context, we could not leave out the names. Besides, the statement just as it stands is so plain that none can mistake just what message it is that was and is the message of Righteousness by faith.




A. T. Jones.
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 77, No. 02, Jan. 9, 1900, p. 24.




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 楼主| 发表于 2019-10-2 20:19:46 | 显示全部楼层

The Third Angel’s Message.  
What Is It in Spirit and in Truth?


ALL that is accomplished by this great threefold message is done in view of the fact that "the hour" of God’s "judgment is come." Therefore the one great object of the Third Angel’s Message is to prepare the world for the judgment: to prepare to stand in the judgment all who receive the message; and to ripen the world for the judgment in all who, by refusing the message which will prepare them to stand in the judgment, subject themselves to the judgment itself, in all its terror.

The word of the message itself is that "the hour of his judgment is come;" not that it will come, but that it "IS come." To every one, therefore, who receives this message, the judgment of God becomes an ever-present reality. All these stand always before the judgment seat, and put themselves voluntarily under all the tests of the judgment. This is so in the very nature of belief of the message; for when a message of God declares that "the hour of his judgment is come," what can such a message amount to in the belief of a person to whom it is not a present reality that "the hour of his judgment is come"? And when it is held by the believer that it is the truth that "the hour of his
judgment is come," what can such a belief amount to if that person does not place himself in the very judgment itself, as a present thing, and does not willingly subject himself to all the searching realities of that judgment?

This is emphasized by the further fact that this message is to make ready a people prepared to meet the Lord when he comes in the clouds of heaven,—a people who will be alive on the earth when the Lord comes, and who will be translated without seeing death. And all those who will be ready must be "accounted worthy to escape" all the evils that come upon the earth, and "to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:36. They must be accounted worthy before that coming occurs, or else they will not be worthy at his coming, and, therefore, can not be saved by him at his coming. And in this counting of each person worthy, or otherwise, the decisive word is, "He that is unjust, let him be
unjust still, and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Rev. 22:11.

Thus, by the very nature of the decision of the judgment in the cases of these living ones, in the time of the message that "the hour of his judgment is come," it is evident that there is no long process of examination and of balancing of accounts one against another; but that it is simply the recognition of the condition of each person, according as that condition is by his own choice. Just what he is at the moment when the crisis of the decision in his case is reached, that he forever remains. If he is righteous, the judgment recognizes it, and pronounces the word, "Let him be righteous still." And this word is so pronounced at that moment simply because he was already what this says that he shall be "still." If he is unjust, then the word of the judgment is, "Let him be unjust still;" and this is so said simply because that is what he is at the moment, whether the judgment were pronounced or not; and the judgment, coming to his case just at that moment, finds it so, and recognizes it, and says, "Let him be unjust still."

And why should it not be thus? Here is a message of God proclaimed to every nation and kindred, and tongue and people, saying to all, "Fear God, and give glory to him," especially because "the hour of his judgment is come." On one hand, here are the people who have received the message. That message has in it all the divine power of the everlasting gospel fully to fit them for the judgment; and their very acceptance of the message is a confession that they recognize the fact that "the hour of his judgment is come," and that they are in this "hour." And if, in spite of this, any of them lives as if he were not in "the hour of his judgment," and so shall be unprepared for the blessed word to be pronounced, "Let him be righteous still," and is prepared for the awful word, "Let him be unjust still," surely none but himself can be in any wise to blame for that. The decision is as it is because of his disregard of the very thing that he professed to hold, and the very thing that had called him to the profession which he holds.

On the other hand, here is a message, proclaimed to all the world,—to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people,—saying, with a loud voice: "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come." And here are vast multitudes of people who refuse to believe that there is any truth in the statement that "the hour of his judgment is come." They, therefore, go on in their way, utterly regardless of the truth that they are in the presence of the judgment. Then, when the case of any individual among these is reached, and the word must be, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still," this also is simply because of his own decision: the judgment pronounced is simply a recognition of the condition in which he is, and which he himself has fixed by his disregard of the message that would have altogether changed his condition, and fitted him for that other word, "He that is righteous, let him be righteous still."

A number of letters have been received at this Office, within the last few weeks, asking whether it is true that word had come by the Spirit of Prophecy that the judgment has already begun upon the living. As to that, we know of no word that has expressly said so. But why should any believer of the Third Angel’s Message be asking any such question? Does not the very message itself—the message which he professes to believe—say to him plainly, as plainly as the Lord can speak, "The hour of his judgment is come"? Has not this message said the same thing to every Seventh-day Adventist from the day that he first heard it?

This being so, is it possible that any Seventh-day Adventist has not yet learned that "the hour of his judgment is come," when that very word is what he heard, and has professed to believe from the day he heard it? And if any professed believer of the Third Angel’s Message does not believe this word of God, which, all this time, he has professed to believe, when it tells him that the hour of God’s judgment is come, then would he believe it if the Lord should tell him again? Is it possible that any one has lived under a profession of belief of this message, even for a day, and yet has not placed himself in the presence of the judgment, and has not subjected himself to all the
searching tests of the judgment? Is it possible that any one of these professing to believe the word that "the hour of his judgment is come," has not believed it at all, and has been acting all the time as he would not act if he did believe in reality that "the hour of his judgment is come"?

So far as concerns every believer of the Third Angel’s Message, each individual has fixed it that, with himself, the judgment has begun upon the living; for he is alive, and has accepted a message from God which declares to him that the hour of God’s judgment is come. Being alive, and having accepted such a message from God, by the very force of his profession, simply by the virtue of his belief, he enters alive, hourly, into the judgment. He lives in the presence of the judgment. He opens his life to all the searching tests of the judgment. And this being so with him, he will never have any inquiry to make as to whether any word has come that the judgment has begun upon the living.

There will be yet more on this; for this is the Third Angel’s Message.

A. T. Jones.
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 77, No. 03, Jan. 16, 1900, p. 40.



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 楼主| 发表于 2019-10-4 21:51:40 | 显示全部楼层


The Third Angel’s Message.
What Is It?


THE Third Angel’s Message—this great threefold message—is in every feature present truth. And when in its own words it is shown that this message is given in view of the fact that the hour of God’s judgment "is come," then when the time comes for this message to be given, it will be only present truth thoroughly to believe that "the hour of his judgment is come" in truth.


Indeed, that this message were ever given at all would be evidence in itself that the hour of his judgment is come; for no message of God can ever be given before the time. Therefore whenever this message shall be found sounding to the world, it will be then true that the hour of God’s judgment is come. And the word of the message that says so will be only the announcement of the fact that the hour of his judgment is come. And every one believing the message will believe that this is the fact: he will have to believe it, to be a believer of the message; because the very word of the message that he professes to believe says that this is so. And as certainly as he believes this, he will enter hourly into God’s judgment, and will constantly hold himself subject to all the tests of that judgment.


That message is now due in the world. It is being given to the world. For years this has been so. Therefore for years it has been, and it now is, present truth that the hour of God’s judgment is come. Thousands upon thousands of persons profess to believe that message. Thousands upon thousands have for years professed to believe that message. Therefore the principle is that this whole people of that message are entered hourly into God’s judgment, and, as constantly as they live, do subject themselves to all the searching tests of that judgment. All these, therefore, know that as for themselves, each individually, the judgment has begun upon the living; for they are living. To them the message of God has come that "the hour of his judgment is come;" they have accepted that message, and accordingly have entered into that judgment, and so they live constantly in the presence of that awful fact. Consequently we say again that with these there is no room for any such question as to "whether the judgment has begun upon the living."


And if there be any who profess to believe this message, and yet are living as they would not live if they knew that the judgment had come, and would make a revolution in their lives if only they knew that the judgment had come upon the living, but would not make this revolution if they could be certain that the judgment had not come, then to what purpose to them could be a message, even if it were sent directly from heaven to them personally, that the judgment had begun upon the living? In such case, any change that would be sought or made, would have no virtue whatever; and these persons would be no more prepared for the decision of the judgment than if they had heard nothing about it; the only change that would be made in such a life would be altogether out of fear of the consequences, and not out of any love of righteousness. Therefore, in the nature of things, in such a case the word could not be, He is righteous, "let him be righteous still;" because he is not righteous: he has not love of righteousness in his heart. This is demonstrated by the fact that, under the very profession of this judgment-message, he lived without regard to the judgment: he indulged evil things in his life,—things which he knew could not pass the judgment,—and he continued to indulge them until the startling word came to him personally that the judgment was come to him. Then, all at once, and only that he may pass the judgment, and escape the consequences of the evil things that he has indulged in spite of righteousness, he sets forth to make a grand revolution in his life!


But no such thing as that will ever work in the judgment of God. Whoever will pass in righteousness the judgment of God, will do so only because he has "loved righteousness, and hated iniquity," whether the judgment was begun upon him or not. He loves righteousness because it is righteousness, and he hates iniquity because it is iniquity; and he will no more indulge iniquity in his life with the judgment a thousand years away than with the judgment only a minute away.


There is, therefore, no room whatever for any professed believer of the Third Angel’s Message, for any Seventh-day Adventist, ever to ask whether the judgment has begun upon the living. Every true believer of the Third Angel’s Message, every true Seventh-day Adventist, KNOWS, because the word of God says it, and has said it for years, that "the hour of his judgment is come." It is here: it is a present thing as certainly as the world is here. And, knowing this, every true Seventh-day Adventist lives accordingly: he puts himself alive into the judgment; he reins himself up hourly before the judgment seat; because "the hour of his judgment is come." To the true believer of the Third Angel’s Message this is a fact: it is living truth.


And how shall he ever give this message to the world otherwise? Can he, with any force of truth at all, preach to another man that the hour of God’s judgment "is come," when he himself does not believe at all that it "is come," but only that it will come? Who is there in the world that does not believe that God’s judgment will come? But the Third Angel’s Message is not that the judgment will come; but that the very time, the "hour, of his judgment IS COME."


Since this judgment, in its decision when pronounced, is but a recognition and declaration of a condition that already exists, and is, therefore, practically instantaneous, it follows that the means of preparation for this awful decision shall be such that it shall be able to effect that preparation also instantaneously. And precisely this provision is that which is offered by the Lord in this great, glorious Third Angel’s Message; for it carries the "everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." And this everlasting gospel is "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." And those who are thus made righteous live righteously; because they "live by faith." This power of God is creative, and is, therefore, instantaneous in its action. And any soul loving and longing for righteousness, and hating and desiring to escape iniquity, who hears this message of the everlasting gospel, announcing that the hour of God’s judgment is come, and enters into the judgment in this hour, can be by that everlasting gospel prepared for the judgment. And while he holds himself in the presence of the judgment, subject to all its searching tests, and holds fast this everlasting gospel,—its power to save, and the righteousness that it reveals,—he is ready for the crisis of that judgment at any moment in the "hour;" because, when comes the critical moment in which his name is reached, he is righteous by the "power of God" and by the righteousness of God, which that gospel has given to him; and most gladly will the Judge speak the joyous words, "Let him be righteous still."


This, so far, is what the Third Angel’s Message is in spirit and in truth. And this is why it is that righteousness by faith "is the Third Angel’s Message in verity." That message of God declares that "the hour of his judgment is come." Do you believe it?




A. T. Jones.
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 77, No. 04, Jan. 23, 1900, p. 56.





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 楼主| 发表于 2019-10-11 22:32:38 | 显示全部楼层

The Third Angel’s Message.
What Is It?


THE hour of God’s judgment is come. This is the basic fact of the great threefold message, which forms the complete Third Angel’s Message.


The Third Angel’s Message is therefore the judgment message. This has been already shown to some extent, and will be seen more and more as we advance in the study of the message.


This message is to prepare for the judgment all who will be prepared for that crisis of human destiny. Accordingly all who accept this message will enter into the judgment, they will subject themselves to all the tests of the judgment.They will open the whole life to Him who is the Judge; for “God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:14. And because God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, all people are exhorted to “fear God, and keep his commandments.” Verse 13.This word in Ecclesiastes is complemented and emphasized in the word of this great threefold message, in which the everlasting gospel is preached to them that dwell on the earth,—to every nation and kindred and tongue and people,—saying, with a loud
voice, “Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come. . . . Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”


They that have sinned in the law, that is, with a knowledge of the law of God, “shall be judged by the law; in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” And since now the “hour of his judgment is come,” and since all to whom this message comes will be judged by the law of God, it is certain that all who accept the message will set their whole lives in the light of that law, that every secret thing that is out of harmony with that holy law may be searched out and put
away.For that law does reach the most secret things, the very thoughts and intents of the heart. “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca [vain fellow], shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” Matt. 5:21,
22.


Therefore with all who accept this message in sincerity, the prayer will constantly be, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps. 139:23, 24.


Every one who prays thus, every one who thus opens the life to God, and invites him in to search and see if there be any wicked way there,—every such one will be prepared for the crisis of the judgment whenever it may come. For then God will search the heart and purify the life, and make it all that it must be to be holy before God. And every one who does this will be led by the Lord in the way everlasting.And why should it ever be otherwise? And of all times, now, in the hour of his judgment, why should it ever be otherwise? For does not God see all the life anyhow? Are not all things “naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do”?


Can anything be hidden from him? Are not our secret sins set in the light of his countenance? Ps. 90:8. Has he not searched us and known us? Does he not know our very thought “afar off,” long before we think it?Since all this is true every moment of every life anyhow, what kind of person must he be who will pass along day after day and year after year as if it were not so at all? And since it is all true every moment of every life, and since we are now in the time when it is especially true in the fact that the hour of his judgment is come, what kind of person would he be who would professedly accept this message that the hour of His judgment is come, and then would pass along a single day as if it were not so?


No, no; no such thing as that can ever be, with the people of this judgment message. It comes to them as the judgment message, they accept it as the judgment message, and accordingly they enter hourly into the judgment. Since he has set our secret sins in the light of his countenance, we ourselves will set our secret sins in the light of his countenance. Since he has searched us and known us, we will hourly say unto him, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me.” Since all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of
him with whom we have to do, we ourselves will constantly hold all things naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.


Then God will occupy all the life, and will cleanse and purify it by his own presence, making it a fit habitation for himself to dwell in. Then he will clothe us with the garments of his own salvation, and will put upon us the robe of his own righteousness. And then, when the crisis in the judgment as to each individual comes, with Christ thus presenting us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, the glad work will thrill each soul, He “is righteous, let him be righteous still.” He “is holy, let him be holy still.
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”


Thank the Lord for such a precious message of faithful warning. Praise God for such a glorious message of justification, sanctification, and redemption.

A. T. Jones.
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 77, No. 05, Jan. 30, 1900, p. 72.






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 楼主| 发表于 2019-10-11 22:44:22 | 显示全部楼层

THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.  
What Is It as to Babylon?

"AND there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Rev. 14:8.

As we have before remarked, this word “followed" signifies not to follow alone one who has gone on before, but to arise and accompany one who is already on his way, and thus really, "to follow with," or "to go with." A good illustration of the thought is found in 1 Corinthians 10, where, speaking concerning Israel in the wilderness, it says: "They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them ["went with them," margin]: and that Rock was Christ."

Thus the angel of the everlasting gospel goes forth proclaiming that gospel to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. Afterward the angel with the announcement concerning Babylon joins the first angel, and goes with him.The word "Babylon," with the idea conveyed by it, is from "Babel." And the word "Babel" comes to us from the tower described in Genesis 11. And from the confusion of tongues created there, on account of the tower, the word now signifies "confusion."But this was not the original meaning of the word "Babel." This was the name of the city and the tower when the people began to build it, before their language was confused, and therefore before the word signified "confusion."

It is written that the people said one to another: "Let us build us a city and a tower." And the name which they then gave to the city was "Babel."

At that time the meaning of the word “Babel”—its original meaning—was "Gate of God." Accordingly, they said: "Let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven."

But, because of their pride and self-exaltation, their whole enterprise was turned so utterly into confusion that the word "Babel" lost its original meaning of "Gate of God," and bore only the meaning of "confusion." And thus, that which originally meant the "Gate of God " became only the symbol of "confusion."

And this original meaning of “Babel”—“Gate of God”—with its new meaning of “confusion," carries a lesson all the way through the whole subject of Babylon. It has its lessons now, in the phase of the Third Angel's Message which speaks of Babylon and her fall.

Accordingly, next week we shall notice how that which, in the Christian dispensation, originally was the "gate of God" became "confusion," —"Babylon the great, the mother."

A. T. Jones.
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 77, No. 06, Feb. 06, 1900, p. 88.

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钻石经典天池版主社区居民忠实会员社区劳模

 楼主| 发表于 2019-10-16 00:35:12 | 显示全部楼层


The Third Angel’s Message.  
What Is It as to Babylon the Mother?


"AND I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to
preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue,
and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his
judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the
fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is
fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication." Rev. 14:6-8.


In this quotation from the Scripture there is expressed a great principle concerning
Babylon in all its phases in the Christian age. The principle is that wherever the
everlasting gospel is disregarded, or its advancing light is not followed, even by those
who believe it, there is a moral fall and confusion as the sure result.


As we have before shown, the ancient meaning of "Babel," from which comes
"Babylon," was "Gate of God;" and because of the pride and exaltation of those who
were of this "Babel," confusion overtook them; and that which originally meant "Gate of
God," thenceforth meant only "confusion."


Now the church is "the body of Christ" in this world; and he says: "I am the way," "I
am the door." The church of Christ is the Lord’s appointed agency through which he
would call men unto himself, that they may find in him deliverance from this present evil
world. The church is therefore indeed and in truth the "Gate of God" to mankind; and the
faith of Jesus is that which gives access through this gate, to all the fullness of God.
If, then, the church, or any part of it, should become proud and self-exalted, and thus
there come a confusion of principles and relationships, it would follow that that which at
first was "Gate of God" would become confusion. What, then, says the Scripture?—It
tells that there would come "a falling away" from the truth of the gospel; that there would
come a self-exaltation in the church, through men arising, from the very midst of her
trusted ones, who would speak "perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." 2
Thess. 2:3, 4; Acts 20:28, 30.


Now the church in Rome was, in the beginning, pre-eminently a church of Christ. So
entirely was this so that she was an example to the whole world; for Inspiration has
declared, with thanksgiving, of her faith, that it was "spoken of throughout the whole
world." Rom. 1:8.


By this great and exemplary faith that church was clothed with the beautiful
garments of salvation and the robe of the Lord’s righteousness; she was endued with
the power of God and of godliness, before the eyes of all the nations. The beauty of the
Lord God was upon her, and she prospered, and her renown went forth to all the world
for her beauty, for its was perfect, through his comeliness, which he had put upon her.
But not satisfied with the exaltation that the Lord gave, which could remain only through
her own humility and purity of faith, the church grew haughty, and exalted herself. Not
content with the beauty of the Lord, which he had put upon her, she prided herself upon
her own beauty. Instead of trusting in him for her beauty, she trusted in herself. Not
content that God alone should be glorified in her, she "glorified herself, and lived
deliciously."


Trusting in herself, priding herself upon her own beauty, magnifying her own merit,
and satisfied with her own sufficiency,—this was in itself to put herself in the place of
God. Then it was natural enough that she should seek to draw disciples to herself,
rather than to the Lord. And having so exalted herself and magnified herself, and
trusting in herself, it was impossible for her to draw disciples to anybody but herself.
Thus came the apostasy. And thus, instead of remaining the church of Christ in truth,
manifesting to the world the mystery of God and of godliness, she became, though still
professedly the church of Christ, only the manifestation to the world of the mystery of
self and of selfishness, which is the very mystery of iniquity.


Thus, pre-eminent in both phases of this career was the church at Rome. She was
pre-eminent in faith, insomuch that her faith was "spoken of throughout the whole
world." She was also pre-eminent in apostasy, insomuch that this likewise has been
spoken of throughout the whole world, and for nearly eighteen hundred years.


There is another thought in the Scriptures, which illustrates this apostasy: In the fifth
chapter of Ephesians, the apostle speaks "concerning Christ and the church," under the
figure of the marriage relation, with Christ in the place of the husband, and the church in
the place of the wife. And the Word says, "The husband is the head of the wife, even as
Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Savior of the body. Therefore as the
church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. . .
. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." Verses 23-32.
The relationship of the church to Christ is thus plainly shown to be the same as that of
the wife to her own husband. As the husband himself, and not another man, is "the head
of the wife;" so Christ himself, and not another, is "the head of the church."


Now suppose another man should propose to put himself in between a husband and
his wife, to speak to her the sentiments of her husband in faith and morals, what would
the loyal wife do?—Everybody knows that she would resent such an intrusion, and
would promptly repudiate all such proffers. But suppose another man should not only
propose to put himself in the place of the husband to the wife, but that the wife should
agree to the proposal, and actually accept this other man in the place of her husband, to
speak to her the sentiments of her husband in faith and morals, then what would that be
but treason to her own husband, apostasy from her marriage vows, and adultery with
this other man? And what kind of faith and morals have you in that case?—Everybody
knows that that would be nothing but unfaithfulness and immorality.


Now the Bishop of Rome claims to be, and the Church of Rome claims that he is,
the head of that church. From Cardinal Gibbons we quote:—
Says the Council of Florence (1439), at which also were present the bishop of the Greek

and Latin Church, "We define that the Roman pontiff is the successor of blessed Peter, prince of
the apostles, and the true vicar of Christ, the head of the whole church, the father and doctor of
all Christians; and we declare that to him, in the person of blessed Peter, was given, by Jesus
Christ our Savior, full power to feed, rule, and govern the universal church."


The pope is here called the true vicar, or representative, of Christ in this lower kingdom of
the church militant; that is, the pope is the organ of our Savior, and speaks his sentiments in
faith and morals.—"The Faith of Our Fathers," pages 154, 155.


It was the Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D., that first addressed the Bishop of Rome
as "the head, of whom we are the members."


Thus the Church of Rome claims to be "the bride of Christ." She claims that she is
"the spouse of Christ." And yet she has accepted another man as the "representative" of
her husband, as the "substitute"—vicar—for her husband, to occupy the place of her
husband in his absence, to occupy the place of her husband in his absence, to speak to
her "his sentiments in faith and morals." She not only has accepted another in the place
of her husband, but she openly boasts of it, and actually proclaims it as the chiefest
evidence of her faithfulness, her morality, and her purity. How could the unfaithfulness,
the apostasy, the immorality, and the impurity of a church be more plainly shown than in
this which is her boast?


How could the complete abandon, the essential wantonness, the utter confusion of
moral principles, of a wife, be more clearly demonstrated than in citing the confirmed
fact of another man’s occupying the place of her husband to her, as evidence of her
faithfulness and purity? Would not such a boast, and for such a purpose, be the
strongest possible evidence that that woman’s native modesty and moral sense had
become utterly confused? Yet by her own words this is precisely the case of the Church
of Rome. She has accepted another to occupy the place of her husband to her. She
constantly boasts before the world that this fact is evidence of her faithfulness, her
morality, and her purity; and she insists that all the world shall fall in with her in this
course, in order that they may all be faithful and moral and pure! How could she more
clearly demonstrate that all true sense of faithfulness, of morality, and of purity has
become completely confused in her consciousness? That a confirmed adulteress and
harlot should boast of her iniquity as being the only way to righteousness, is certainly
nothing else than the very mystery of iniquity itself. And such, even according to her
own showing, is the Church of Rome.


Yet she did not stop even there: she went on and took to herself yet other men: she
committed fornication with the kings of the earth. Having lost the heavenly power, she
now sought for earthly power. Having forsaken the arm of the Lord, she sought the arm
of man. Having disconnected herself from the kingdom of heaven, she would now
connect herself with the kingdoms of earth.


Still trusting in her own beauty, and her own bedecking of herself with silk and gold
and precious stones and pearls, and holding in her hand the proffer of rich gifts to any
lover that would receive her immodest advances and form an alliance with her, she

finally succeeded, through Constantine, in gaining imperial favor, and in forming an
adulterous connection with an earthly lord. The now unholy church formed an unholy
connection with the unholy state.


Thus did she who had been espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ; she who had
been joined in the bonds of pure and holy marriage to him who is perfect in power, in
love, and purity; she who had known the blissful delights of his love,—thus did she
violate her virgin vows, break her marriage ties, and become a bold and vicious harlot,
and the very symbol of confusion. Accordingly the next view that is given of her is this: "I
saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having
seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color,
and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand
full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: and upon her forehead was a name
written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the
saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." Rev. 17:3-6.


And that all may have the best authority, outside of the Bible, that this Babylon does
refer to Rome, we set down here the statements of two standard works of the Church of
Rome. One of these is by Cardinal Gibbons, and says:—


"Babylon," from which Peter addressed his first epistle, is understood by learned annotators,
Protestant and Catholic, to refer to Rome.—"The Faith of Our Fathers," page 131.
The other is by the Very Rev. Joseph Faà di Bruno, D.D., Rector-General of the
Pious Society of Missions, and says:—


No one mistook what St. John in the Apocalypse designated under the figure of Babylon. In
the end of the first general epistle of St. Peter we have these words: "The church that is in
Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you: and so doth my son Mark;" in which passage
the word "Babylon" must be taken to mean Rome; in fact, it is not recorded either in Holy
Scripture or elsewhere that St. Peter or St. Mark had ever been to ancient Babylon in Asia; and
no ancient writer has ever said that this letter was dated really from ancient Babylon, or that it
was so understood by any one; on the contrary, it is recorded positively in the history of
Eusebius (book 2, chapter 15) as having been stated by Papias, the disciple of St. John the
evangelist and friend of St. Polycarp, that St. Peter, in his first epistle, which he wrote from
Rome, called Rome figuratively Babylon. The same thing is asserted by St. Jerome in his book
of "Illustrious Men," when he speaks of St. Mark.—"Catholic Belief," pages 323, 324.
Now since this Babylon signifies Rome, and since it is a church—a woman—that is
thus called Babylon, it follows with absolute certainty that it is the Church of Rome that
is this "Babylon the mother."


A. T. Jones.

Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 77, No. 07, Feb. 13, 1900, pp. 104, 105.



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 楼主| 发表于 2019-10-16 15:58:34 | 显示全部楼层

The Third Angel’s Message.  
What Is It as to the Reformation?


GOD would have healed Babylon, but she would not be healed. In the Reformation he sent a balm for her, if so be that she might be healed; but she would not receive it, and, therefore, the Lord was obliged to leave her to her own ways. In the Reformation the Lord sent his gospel anew, and with power, to all people; and at that time all the people were in Babylon, because all were under the dominion of Rome. Multitudes received the gospel, and walked in the light as it was then revealed. but as that was the first step out of darkness, there were other steps to be taken, to reach the fullness of the gospel: there was advance light in which to walk.


And here again history began to repeat itself. Many of those who had come out of darkness, and had taken the first steps into the light of the gospel, stopped there, became satisfied with that: they counted themselves sufficiently rich, and increased with goods, and therefore in need of nothing. And, as the consequence, they grew proud of what they had, exalted themselves upon what they had, and became exclusive. Then, as the gospel must go on, as the light must increase more and more unto the perfect day, it followed that all those who would walk in the advancing light, all who would receive more truth,—the fuller gospel,—were excluded from the company of those who were self-satisfied, and were obliged to go forward as had the others at the first.


Then, in turn, these became satisfied with what they had, grew proud of it, exalted themselves upon it, and became exclusive. But as the gospel must still advance, the light must shine yet more fully, and as those who would walk in the advancing light, and would receive more truth, could not do so and be recognized as of the company of those who had taken the former steps, they must, in turn, inevitably go on in a separate company.


On this subject Mosheim says:—


The doctrine of the Lutheran Church remained entire during this [seventeenth] century; its fundamental principles received no alteration, nor could any doctor of that church, who should have presumed to renounce or invalidate any of those theological points which are contained in the symbolical books of the Lutherans, have met with toleration and indulgence.


And again:—


The method . . . observed by Calvin . . . was followed, out of respect for his example, by almost all the divines of his communion, who looked upon him as their model and their guide.


Thus those people, instead of continuing to be reformers, became respectively Lutherans and Calvinists.


Thus each phase of advancing truth developed a separate denomination. And this is the whole philosophy of the principal divisions manifest in the different denominations of Protestantism. Primarily, of course, it should not have been so; yet, under the circumstances, as they developed, secondarily it becomes essential that it should be so. If those who started in the Reformation had continued to walk in the light as it shone more fully, if they had received advanced truth as they grew in the knowledge of the gospel, it is plain enough that there never could have been any other company, any new denomination: they would all have been reformers; there would have been one continuous and progressive reformation.


And that is as it should have been. But when, instead of that, those who had received light and truth refused to receive more; when they held that they had all the light and all the truth, and grew proud, self-exalted, and exclusive because of it; and when they excluded from their company those who would receive increased light and advanced truth,—then, in the nature of things, there was nothing else for these to do but to associate together in the fellowship of the light and truth that they had received, and in the spirit of the gospel to spread it to all people.


Then, history further repeated itself. These successive denominations, each in turn refusing to go further, and so rejecting truth, were turned from originally the "Gate of God" to "confusion." Each one, in turn, as the mother at the first, joined herself to another man: they accepted kings of the earth as their head, in place of Christ, the true Head,—entered into illicit connection with the kings of the earth. The Emperor of Germany to-day, as king of Prussia, is the head, the supreme pontiff, of the Lutheran Church in Prussia. In the Scandinavian countries also the Lutheran is the state church, and the head of the state there, is the head of that church. In England the sovereign ishead of the Church of England; and in Scotland the same sovereign is head of the church (Presbyterian) of Scotland. And so, because the same person is sovereign of both countries, the same person is head of one church in England and of another in Scotland: is an Episcopalian when in England, and a Presbyterian when in Scotland. And in New England the Congregationalists became the state church, as had the others each in her place; and each and all of them after the very example of "Babylon the Great, the mother."


From the colonial period forward, will be considered next week.


A. T. Jones.

Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 77, No. 08, Feb. 20, 1900, p. 120.







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 楼主| 发表于 2019-10-17 20:06:04 | 显示全部楼层
本帖最后由 水珠 于 2019-10-17 20:07 编辑


The Third Angel’s Message.  
What Is It as to Babylon the Daughters?


WE have seen that, up to the time of the planting of the American colonies, each denomination that had been developed by the advance steps of the Reformation had become joined to the state; and that the Independents, or Congregationalists, who had not joined themselves to the state in Europe, did so in the New England colonies, while
the Church of England was the established church in all the Southern colonies. Thus it came to pass that in the "New World," church and state were in every colony united, except in Rhode Island, and the whole influence of the colonial governments was enlisted in sustaining the illicit union of professed Protestantism and the state.


But in Virginia, immediately after the Declaration of Independence, the Presbyterians, the Baptists, and the Quakers took the lead in a movement that became universal and even national on this side of the sea. That movement was the total separation of religion and the state, bringing the churches back to the original "principles on which the gospel was first propagated and the Reformation from popery carried on." After a contest of nearly ten years, this splendid task was accomplished for the State of Virginia, "with the hope that it would endure forever."


The long and universal discussion of this great subject in the State of Virginia, had drawn the attention of all the other colonies to this great principle; and when, immediately upon the triumph of the principle in Virginia, the convention was called to form the Constitution, and frame a government, for the whole nation, this principle of the
total separation of church and state was established in the National Charter, and was recognized as a fundamental principle. And from this the influence spread, and caused that "in every other American State oppressive statutes concerning religion fell into disuse, and were gradually repealed."


Thus, in this land, and in this great nation, Protestantism was placed in its original attitude, as in the beginning of the Reformation, and as the first principles of the Reformation required; and also in the original attitude of Christianity as it was preached by Christ and the apostles, and as the fundamental principles of Christianity require. Thus Protestantism—the church, even in its different denominations—became clothed with a power that made her once more, and rightly, the "Gate of God." And the benign influence of this excellent example acted upon all the nations of the Old World, and led them forward in the path of light and liberty, which is the path of true Protestantism, which is the path of true Christianity, which is the path of the total separation of the church from the state: the path in which the church walks only with her true Husband, with her dependence solely upon God.


Then, in 1840-44 there came the time when, "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," God would send the message of "the everlasting gospel," proclaiming, to all men: "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Rev. 14:6, 7. Thus the church in this great nation, standing in an attitude the purest and the closest to God of any in the world,—in the nature of things, this church would be the chosen instrument by which God would spread that message of blessing and of warning to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Also thus, in the nature of things, this nation would be the place where that message would rise in its power, and from which it would spread to all nations.


Here was a wonderful blessing that God had for his church at that time,—a blessing by which she would have been indeed the "Gate of God" to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people" on the earth. It was a message that opened up to the church the length and breadth and depth and height of the glory of the everlasting gospel as it had never been seen before since the days when the apostles preached it in the fullness of its living power. In this message was "the mystery of God" revealed in all its fullness,—God manifest in the flesh,—Christ in men "the hope of glory." And all this blessing and glory was to be proclaimed to all the world in view of the fact that "the hour of His judgment is come;" and in order that men might be fitted to stand holy and without blame before God, ready in all respects to be translated without seeing death, at the coming of the glorious Lord.


But lo! instead of receiving this wonderful blessing; instead of rejoicing and being glad that God had sent to her a message that would clothe her with such power as would make her the instrument of God’s greatest work for the salvation of the nations, she refused the blessing, rejected the message of God, and would not walk in the light
that had come to her and to the world.


Then history again repeated itself. By thus rejecting the message of God, there was a "falling away" again from the truth, and she that had been the "Gate of God," became "confusion," and of her it had to be said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen."


Faith is the strength and salvation of the church, as of the individual. Faith is the breath of life of the church, as of the individual; and, like the breath of life, it must be constantly and momentarily used, in order to live by it; because "the just shall live by faith;" and faith comes by hearing the word of God.


Since, then, faith comes by hearing the word of God, whenever any word of God, any message of the word of God, is rejected, either by the church or by the individual, faith itself it rejected; because it is impossible to retain faith while rejecting that by which alone faith comes. Further: when any advance light or additional truth is rejected by a
church or by an individual, that church or individual not only rejects this advance light and truth, but rejects whatever light and truth such church or individual formerly possessed. A person refusing to breathe rejects not only renewed life, but loses the life that he already has.


This is strongly illustrated in the words of Jesus concerning the people of his day on earth, who rejected him: "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin." John 15:22. Before Jesus came, these people were walking in the light of faith as they then had it, and Jesus testifies that they were accepted in it. If those folks had died before Jesus came, they would have been saved,because "they had not had sin." But when he came with such light and truth and glory; when he spoke to them such words as had never been spoken to them; when he did among them such works as none ever had done; and they rejected it all and refused him, in so doing they rejected all true faith; not only the present faith in him and his message, but also the faith which they had before he came, and which made them accepted before God in their day before he came. Accordingly, Jesus further said: "If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated me and my Father." Verse 24.


Men cannot reject the truth of God, and still retain the truth of God: they cannot refuse to walk in the light, and still walk in the light: they can not hate Christ and God, and still be the brethren of Christ and the children of God.


Consequently, when in 1840-44 God’s wonderful message of the everlasting gospel of light and blessing and of truth, to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, bringing to them the presence, the power, the righteousness, of God, which would prepare them to stand in the judgment,—when this was rejected, and when God’s messengers whom
he sent to give it were hated and persecuted, then she which had been the "Gate of God" in her day, ceased to be the "Gate of God," and became only "confusion."


A. T. Jones.

Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 77, No. 09, Feb. 27, 1900, p. 136.





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