the great controversy-第95部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


corruption；　and　I　retained　no　strength。〃　Daniel　9：18；
15；20；　10：8。

When　Job　heard　the　voice　of　the　Lord　out　of　the　whirlwind；　he　exclaimed：　〃I
abhor　myself；　and　repent　in　dust　and　ashes。〃　Job　42：6。　It　was　when　Isaiah
saw　the　glory　of　the　Lord；　and　heard　the　cherubim　crying；　〃Holy；　holy；　holy；
is　the　Lord　of　hosts；〃　that　he　cried　out；　〃Woe　is　me！　for　I　am　undone。〃
Isaiah　6：3；　5。　Paul；　after　he　was　caught　up　into　the　third　heaven　and　heard
things　which　it　was　not　possible　for　a　man　to　utter；　speaks　of　himself　as
〃less　than　the　least　of　all　saints。〃　2　Corinthians　12：2…4；　margin；　Ephesians
3：8。　It　was　the　beloved　John；　who　leaned　on　Jesus'　breast　and　beheld　His
glory；　that　fell　as　one　dead　before　the　feet　of　the　angel。　Revelation　1：17。

There　can　be　no　self…exaltation；　no　boastful　claim　to　freedom　from　sin；　on
the　part　of　those　who　walk　in　the　shadow　of　Calvary's　cross。　They　feel　that
it　was　their　sin　which　caused　the　agony　that　broke　the　heart　of　the　Son　of
God；　and　this　thought　will　lead　them　to　self…abasement。　Those　who　live
nearest　to　Jesus　discern　most　clearly　the　frailty　and　sinfulness　of
humanity；　and　their　only　hope　is　in　the　merit　of　a　crucified　and　risen
Saviour。

The　sanctification　now　gaining　prominence　in　the　religious　world　carries
with　it　a　spirit　of　self…exaltation　and　a　disregard　for　the　law　of　God　that
mark　it　as　foreign　to　the　religion　of　the　Bible。　Its　advocates　teach　that
sanctification　is　an　instantaneous　work；　by　which；　through　faith　alone；　they
attain　to　perfect　holiness。　〃Only　believe；〃　say　they；　〃and　the　blessing　is
yours。〃　No　further　effort　on　the　part　of　the　receiver　is　supposed　to　be
required。　At　the　same　time　they　deny　the　authority　of　the　law　of　God；　urging
that　they　are　released　from　obligation　to　keep　the　commandments。　But　is　it
possible　for　men　to　be　holy；　in　accord　with　the　will　and　character　of　God；
without　coming　into　harmony　with　the　principles　which　are　an　expression　of
His　nature　and　will；　and　which　show　what　is　well　pleasing　to　Him？

472


The　desire　for　an　easy　religion　that　requires　no　striving；　no　self…denial；
no　divorce　from　the　follies　of　the　world；　has　made　the　doctrine　of　faith；
and　faith　only；　a　popular　doctrine；　but　what　saith　the　word　of　God？　Says　the
apostle　James：　〃What　doth　it　profit；　my　brethren；　though　a　man　say　he　hath
faith；　and　have　not　works？　can　faith　save　him？　。　。　。　Wilt　thou　know；　O　vain
man；　that　faith　without　works　is　dead？　Was　not　Abraham　our　father　justified
by　works；　when　he　had　offered　Isaac　his　son　upon　the　altar？　Seest　thou　how
faith　wrought　with　his　works；　and　by　works　was　faith　made　perfect？　。　。　。　Ye
see　then　how　that　by　works　a　man　is　justified；　and　not　by　faith　only。〃　James
2：14…24。

The　testimony　of　the　word　of　God　is　against　this　ensnaring　doctrine　of　faith
without　works。　It　is　not　faith　that　claims　the　favor　of　Heaven　without
complying　with　the　conditions　upon　which　mercy　is　to　be　granted；　it　is
presumption；　for　genuine　faith　has　its　foundation　in　the　promises　and
provisions　of　the　Scriptures。

Let　none　deceive　themselves　with　the　belief　that　they　can　become　holy　while
willfully　violating　one　of　God's　requirements。　The　commission　of　a　known　sin
silences　the　witnessing　voice　of　the　Spirit　and　separates　the　soul　from　God。
〃Sin　is　the　transgression　of　the　law。〃　And　〃whosoever　sinneth　＇transgresseth
the　law＇　hath　not　seen　Him；　neither　known　Him。〃　1　John　3：6。　Though　John　in
his　epistles　dwells　so　fully　upon　love；　yet　he　does　not　hesitate　to　reveal
the　true　character　of　that　class　who　claim　to　be　sanctified　while　living　in
transgression　of　the　law　of　God。　〃He　that　saith；　I　know　Him；　and　keepeth　not
His　commandments；　is　a　liar；　and　the　truth　is　not　in　him。　But　whoso　keepeth
His　word；　in　him　verily　is　the　love　of　God　perfected。〃　1　John　2：4；　5。　Here
is　the　test　of　every　man's　profession。　We　cannot　accord　holiness　to　any　man
without　bringing　him　to　the　measurement　of　God's　only　standard　of　holiness
in　heaven　and　in　earth。　If　men　feel　no　weight　of　the　moral　law；　if　they
belittle　and　make　light　of　God's　precepts；　if　they　break　one　of　the　least　of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　473

these　commandments；　and　teach　men　so；　they　shall　be　of　no　esteem　in　the
sight　of　Heaven；　and　we　may　know　that　their　claims　are　without　foundation。

And　the　claim　to　be　without　sin　is；　in　itself；　evidence　that　he　who　makes
this　claim　is　far　from　holy。　It　is　because　he　has　no　true　conception　of　the
infinite　purity　and　holiness　of　God　or　of　what　they　must　become　who　shall　be
in　harmony　with　His　character；　because　he　has　no　true　conception　of　the
purity　and　exalted　loveliness　of　Jesus；　and　the　malignity　and　evil　of　sin；
that　man　can　regard　himself　as　holy。　The　greater　the　distance　between
himself　and　Christ；　and　the　more　inadequate　his　conceptions　of　the　divine
character　and　requirements；　the　more　righteous　he　appears　in　his　own　eyes。

The　sanctification　set　forth　in　the　Scriptures　embraces　the　entire
beingspirit；　soul；　and　body。　Paul　prayed　for　the　Thessalonians　that　their
〃whole　spirit　and　soul　and　body　be　preserved　blameless　unto　the　coming　of
our　Lord　Jesus　Christ。〃　1　Thessalonians　5：23。　Again　he　writes　to　believers：
〃I　beseech　you　therefore；　brethren；　by　the　mercies　of　God；　that　ye　present
your　bodies　a　living　sacrifice；　holy；　acceptable　unto　God。〃　Romans　12：1。　In
the　time　of　ancient　Israel　every　offering　brought　as　a　sacrifice　to　God　was
carefully　examined。　If　any　defect　was　discovered　in　the　animal　presented；　it
was　refused；　for　God　had　commanded　that　the　offering　be　〃without　blemish。〃
So　Christians　are　bidden　to　present　their　bodies；　〃a　living　sacrifice；　holy；
acceptable　unto　God。〃　In　order　to　do　this；　all　their　powers　must　be
preserved　in　the　best　possible　condition。　Every　practice　that　weakens
physical　or　mental　strength　unfits　man　for　the　service　of　his　Creator。　And
will　God　be　pleased　with　anything　less　than　the　best　we　can　offer？　Said
Christ：　〃Thou　shalt　love　the　Lord　thy　God　with　all　thy　heart。〃　Those　who　do
love　God　with　all　the　heart　will　desire　to　give　Him　the　best　service　of
their　life；　and　they　will　be　constantly　seeking　to　bring　every　power　of
their　being　into　harmony　with　the　laws　that　will　promote　their　ability　to　do
His　will。　They　will　not；　by　the　indulgence　of

474

appetite　or　passion；　enfeeble　or　defile　the　offering　which　they　present　to
their　heavenly　Father。

Peter　says：　〃Abstain　from　fleshly　lusts；　which　war　against　the　soul。〃　1
Peter　2：11。　Every　sinful　gratification　tends　to　benumb　the　faculties　and
deaden　the　mental　and　spiritual　perceptions；　and　the　word　or　the　Spirit　of
God　can　make　but　a　feeble　impression　upon　the　heart。　Paul　writes　to　the
Corinthians：　〃Let　us　cleanse　ourselves　from　all　filthiness　of　the　flesh　and
spirit；　perfecting　holiness　in　the　fear　of　God。〃
2　Corinthians　7：1。　And　with　the　fruits　of　the　Spirit〃love；
joy；　peace；　long…suffering；　gentleness；　goodness；　faith；　meekness〃he
classes　〃temperance。〃　Galatians　5：22；　23。

Notwithstanding　these　inspired　declarations；　how　many　professed　Christians
are　enfeebling　their　powers　in　the　pursuit　of　gain　or　the　worship　of
fashion；　how　many　are　debasing　their　godlike　manhood　by　gluttony；　by　wine
drinking；　by　forbidden　pleasure。　And　the　church；　instead　of　rebuking；　too
often　encourages　the　evil　by　appealing　to　appetite；　to　desire　for　gain　or
love　of　pleasure；　to　replenish　her　treasury；　which　love　for　Christ　is　too
feeble　to　supply。　Were　Jesus　to　enter　the　churches　of　today　and　behold　the
feasting　and　unholy　traffic　there　conducted　in　the　name　of　religion；　would
He　not　drive　out　those　desecrators；　as　He　banished　the　money…changers　from
the　temple？

The　apostle　James　declares　that　the　wisdom　from　above　is　〃first　pure。〃　Had
he　encountered　those　who　take　the　precious　name　of　Jesus　upon　lips　defiled
by　tobacco；　those　whose　breath　and　person　are　contaminated　by　its　foul　odor；
and　who　pollute　the　air　of　heaven　and　force　all　about　them　to　inhale　the
poisonhad　the　apostle　come　in　contact　with　a　practice　so　opposed　to　the
purity　of　the　gospel；　would　he　not　have　denounced　it　as　〃earthly；　sensual；
devilish〃？　Slaves　of　tobacco；　claiming　the　blessing　of　entire
sanctification；　talk　of　their　hope　of　heaven；　but　God's　word　plainly
declares　that　〃there　shall　in　no　wise　enter　into　it　anything　that　defileth。〃
Revelation　21：27。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　475


〃Know　ye　not　that　your　body　is　the　temple　of　the　Holy　Ghost　which　is　in　you；
which　ye　have　of　God；　and　ye　are　not　your　own？　for　ye　are　bought　with　a
price：　therefore　glorify　God　in　your　body；　and　in　your　spirit；　which　are
God's。〃　1　Corinthians　6：19；　20。　He　whose　body　is　the　temple　of　the　Holy
Spirit　will　not　be　enslaved　by　a　pernicious　habit。　His　powers　belong　to
Christ；　who　has　bought　him　with　the　price　of　blood。　His　property　is　the
Lord's。　How　could　he　be　guiltless　in　squandering　this　entrusted　capital？
Professed　Christians　yearly　expend　an　immense　sum　upon　useless　and
pernicious　indulgences；　while　souls　are　perishing　for　the　word　of　life。　God
is　robbed　in　tithes　and　offerings；　while　they　consume　upon　the　altar　of
destroying　lust　more　than　they　give　to　relieve　the　poor　or　for　the　support
of　the　gospel。　If　all　who　profess　to　be　followers　of　Christ　were　truly
sanctified；　their　means；　instead　of　being　spent　for　needless　and　even
hurtful　indulgences；　would　be　turned　into　the　Lord's　treasury；　and
Christians　would　set　an　example　of　temperance；　self…denial；　and
self…sacrifice。　Then　they　would　be　the　light　of　the　world。

The　world　is　given　up　to　self…indulgence。　〃The　lust　of　the　flesh；　and　the
lust　of　the　eyes；　and　the　pride　of　life〃　control　the　masses　of　the　people。
But　Christ's　followers　have　a　holier　calling。　〃Come　out　from　among　them；　and
be　ye　separate；　saith　the　Lord；　and　touch　not　the　unclean。〃　In　the　light　of
God's　word　we　are　justified　in　declaring　that　sanctification　cannot　be
genuine　which　does　not　work　this　utter　renunciation　of　the　sinful　pursuits
and　gratifications　of　the　world。

To　those　who　comply　with　the　conditions；　〃Come　out　from　among　them；　and　be
ye　separate；　。　。　。　and　touch　not　the　unclean；〃　God's　promise　is；　〃I　will
receive　yo