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A PARABLE There were two women: One went to her servant and said, "Make for me a day which all will Respect and call holy." The other woman summoned her servant and said, "Make for me a name that none will defame, And all will regard blessed." The first servant returned saying, "I have made a holy day for you, And asked the governor to ensure It will be respected by all." The second servant returned saying "I have made a blessed name for you, And the governor has pledged to protect it From defamation forever." Who were the two women? How do we know the two women agree? "Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee...to deliver thee from the STRANGE WOMAN, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; which forsaketh the Guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life." Proverbs 2:11,16-19. "We must as a people arouse and cleanse the camp of Israel ...We are in danger of becoming a SISTER to FALLEN BABYLON, of allowing our churches to become corrupted, and filled with every foul spirit, a cage for every unclean and hateful bird; and will we be clear unless we make decided movements to cure the existing evil?" MR 449. "If doubts and unbelief are cherished, the FAITHFUL MINISTERS WILL BE REMOVED from the people who think they know so much. 'If thou hadst known,...even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.'" TM 410. "...a reformation must go through the churches. Reforms must be made, for spiritual weakness and blindness were upon the people who had been blessed with great light and precious opportunities and privileges. As reformers they had come out of the denominational churches, but they now act a part similar to that which the churches acted. We hoped there would not be the necessity for another coming out." 1888 Mat., pp. 356,357. "Satan is to make most powerful efforts for the mastery in the last great conflict. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES will be brought out and decisions made in regard to them. The FAITH of individual members of the church will be TESTED as though there were not another person in world." 7BC 983. THE INTRODUCTION As the sands of time run down, nearing the very end of all things, prophecy indicates where we are in the GREAT CONTROVERSY. No prophecy is of any "private interpretation" and many in this day are saying "the same things". There are others, however, who are still deluded and influenced by the "mystery of iniquity" and the spirit of the "man of sin". Could it be that they prefer the "spirit of antichrist" to the "Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption"? "While the Protestant world is by her attitude making concessions to Rome, let us arouse to comprehend the situation and view the contest before us in its true bearings. Let the watchmen now lift up their voice and give the message which is PRESENT TRUTH for this time. Let us show the people where we are in prophetic history and seek to arouse the spirit of TRUE PROTESTANTISM, awaking the world to a sense of the value of the privileges of religious liberty so long enjoyed." 5T 716. It is our attempt in this article to clear the water and make simple that which for many has been so confusing. It is "the truth as it is in Jesus" that we need and desire. It is the very life of God that has been emptied for us that we might become partakers of His divine nature. Because the Son of God has been Crucified Afresh, this article must be written and distributed as "the leaves of autumn". THE FAITH God told Abraham that he would be a father of a great multitude. Abraham had no children at this time and yet, by faith he knew that this would be true. Even though he was childless, he had confidence to use his new name-Abraham, which means "father of a great multitude". His circumstances did not prevent him from declaring "those things that be not as though they were." Faith in the word of God was his evidence that he had a son and that he was indeed the "father of a great multitude". "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." Isaiah 41:10. Jesus has promised to uphold you; therefore, believe that you will be upheld. He will fulfill this promise to you as verily as He fulfilled His promise to Abraham. You must believe in His promise and declare your confidence in Him, believing that He will continue to give you uninterrupted victory over all the power of the enemy forever. Just as Abraham's faith in the promise of God was imputed to him for righteousness, so will righteousness be imputed to you for your faith in the exceeding great and precious promises of God. To say that you don't know whether or not you will continue being upheld tomorrow or six months from now would be the same as Abraham saying that he didn't know for sure whether he would be a father of a great multitude. However, "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Romans 4:20-22. It is through faith that you know something is true even though you have not yet seen it. To be justified means to be given the righteous life of Christ. His life is everlasting. His life never sins. Even though you have not yet lived tomorrow, it is through faith that you know that, through the Holy Spirit, His everlasting, victorious life will be abiding in you tomorrow and forever. "...He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever." John 14:16. It is this faith in His word that allows the grace of God to cause this to be true. "According to your faith be it unto you." Matthew 9:29. "And I will betroth thee unto Me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness; and thou shalt know the Lord." Hosea 2:19,20. When one marries, he intellectually knows that it is physically possible for him to go back to his old girlfriends. However, in the wedding ceremony he still publicly declares that he will be faithful "until death do us part". If he told his bride that he could not say or know for sure that he would still be abiding faithfully with her tomorrow or six months from now, she would have reason for concern. However, in his marriage vow he confidently declares that he will always remain faithful to her. Jesus has made a vow to us: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5. And because "Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto Thee. For Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not Thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?" Psalms 56:12,13. Because of His vows or promises to us, we can, with assurance, declare with David, "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalms 23:6. "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Matthew 19:6. This was the faith of our father Abraham, and this is the faith of Jesus. It is the faith of the saints who "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus". Revelation 14:12. THE PRINCIPLES "Concerning [Christ] we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God..." Hebrews 5:11,12. We have not been "the people of the Book" as we once were. The majority have been satisfied with the instructions of pastors, Bible workers, and other "superiors" when the counsel has always been to "study to show yourself approved unto God." "Everyone must now search the Bible for himself upon his knees before God, with the humble, teachable heart of a child, if he would know what the Lord requires of him". 5T 214. "The spiritual darkness which falls upon nations, upon churches and individuals, is due, not to an arbitrary withdrawal of the succors of divine grace on the part of God, but neglect or rejection of divine light on the part of men." GC 377. By now we should have all been teachers in the school of Christ. However, the lessons of the past have not been heeded, and the result has been a confused, unlearned laity. "They [shepherds that scatter] disregard the commandments of God, choosing the traditions of men, making void the law of God, and promoting apostasy. The excuses they make are feeble and weak and will bring DESTRUCTION to their own souls and the souls of others..." 4BC 1157. "...religious faith appears so confused and discordant that the people know not what to believe as truth. The sin of the world's impenitence lies at the door of THE CHURCH". GC 389. It would be well to review some established principles which apply to individuals, people, nations, and churches with respect to religious liberty, church-state alliance, and the dynamics of persecution. The following compilation of quotes is not by any means an exhaustive list. However, it will suffice to stimulate the heart of the reader. REMEMBER: Even when a PRINCIPLE is taken out of its context, it will retain its integrity and can be applied in a variety of situations. Categorization of the principles are as follows: 1. INDIVIDUALS, 2. GENERAL, 3. STATE-RELATED, and 4. CHURCH-RELATED. INDIVIDUALS: "...The conscience should not be compelled even for the observance of the genuine Sabbath, for God will accept only willing service." 7BC 977. "Wherever the cause exists, the same results will follow. He who deliberately stifles his convictions of duty because it interferes with his inclinations will finally lose the power to distinguish between truth and error." GC 378. "Every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable alone to God for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience." George Washington. "...whoever shall trample upon God's law to obey a human enactment receives the MARK OF THE BEAST; he accepts the sign of allegiance to the power which he chooses to obey instead of God." GC 604. "...you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?" Romans 6:16. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:10.[Those who work ill to their neighbor make VOID the LAW of GOD.] (1). "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Matthew 22:39. "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Matthew 7:12. "If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is DOING NOTHING IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. Indifference and neutrality in a RELIGIOUS CRISIS is regarded of God as a grievous CRIME and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God. 3T 281. "Study carefully the divine-human character, and constantly inquire, 'What would Jesus do were He in my place?'...ALWAYS ACT FROM PRINCIPLE..." MH 491. "How many souls might be saved from temptation, and how much sorrow might be avoided, if all our workers were trained to be as true as steel to PRINCIPLE." CM 95. "We are ALWAYS to be as firm as a rock to PRINCIPLE. Bible principles are to be taught and then backed up by holy practice." 6T 418. "If we wish to enjoy heavenly society in the earth made new, we must be governed by heavenly PRINCIPLES here." 2T 133. "Whatever may be their profession, it is only those who are world servers at heart that act from POLICY rather than PRINCIPLE in religious things. We should choose the right because it is right, and leave consequences with God. To men of PRINCIPLE, faith , and daring, the world is indebted for its great reforms." GC 460. "Jesus Himself never purchased peace by COMPRO-MISE...He was too much their friend to remain silent while they were pursuing a course that would ruin their souls...The servants of Christ are called to the same work, and they should beware lest, in seeking to prevent discord, they surrender the truth. They are to 'follow after the things which make for peace' (Rom. 14:19); but real peace can never be secured by compromising PRINCIPLE. And no man can be true to principle without exciting opposition." DA 356. "THE PRINCIPLES OF GOD'S DEALING WITH MEN ARE EVER THE SAME." GC 343. "The Lord sets men in responsible places, not to act out their own wills, but His will. So long as they cherish His pure principles of government, He will bless and strengthen them, recognizing them as His instrumentalities. GOD NEVER FORSAKES THE ONE WHO IS TRUE TO PRINCIPLE." 3BC 1128. "Where RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLE governs, the danger of committing great errors is small...To have firm religious principles is an inestimable treasure. It is the purest, highest, and most elevated influence mortals can possess. Such have an anchor. Every act is well considered, lest its effect be injurious to another and lead away from Christ. The constant inquiry of the mind is: Lord, how shall I best serve Thee, and glorify Thy name in the earth?" 2T 129, "...all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" Matthew 26:52,53, NIV. "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." Matthew 22:21, NIV. BEWARE: "Unbelief will ever find excuse for doubt, and will reason away the most positive proof." DA 386. "While God has given ample evidence for faith, He will NEVER REMOVE ALL EXCUSE FOR UNBELIEF. All who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon, will find them." GC 527. "It is impossible for you to unite with those who are corrupt and still remain pure!...God and Christ and the heavenly host would have man know that if he unites with the corrupt, he will become corrupt." RH January 2, 1900. "If men keep the fourth commandment, they will keep all the rest." 7BC 981. "But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be HOLY." DA 283. "The Sabbath is a sign of Christ's power to make us HOLY." DA 288. "Supreme love to God and impartial love to man are the PRINCIPLES to be wrought out in the life." DA 498. "It is the service of LOVE that God values." DA 286. GENERAL: "In these two experiences recorded in the book of Daniel--the one of Nebuchadnezzar and the worship of his great golden image, the other of the conspirators against Daniel's service to God--all people are taught in the most impressive way, that the God of heaven...forbids all people to frame any law on any subject touching men's relation to God." A.T. Jones, (2). "It is certain that any connection whatever between religion and the State is SIN." A.T. Jones, (3). "Power, especially over-grown power, whets the ambition and wets all the witts to work to enlarge it. Therefore, encroachments on the people's liberties are not generally made all at once, but so gradually as hardly to be perceived by the less watchful; and all plaistered over, it may be with such plausible pretenses, that before they are aware of the snare, they are taken and cannot disentangle themselves." Samuel Webster, (4). "Persecution in its varied forms is the development of a principle which will exist as long as Satan exists and Christianity has vital power. No man can serve God without enlisting against himself the opposition of the hosts of darkness. Evil angels will assail him, alarmed that his influence is taking the prey from their hands. Evil men, rebuked by his example, will unite with them in seeking to separate him from God by alluring temptations. When these do not succeed, then a compelling power is employed to FORCE the conscience." GC 610. "Destroy the spirit [which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, and all lands everywhere], and you have planted the seeds of despotism at your own doors." Abraham Lincoln. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." Thomas Jefferson. "While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the MARK of the BEAST, the other, choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the SEAL of GOD." GC 605. "To receive the MARK OF THE BEAST means to come to the same decision as the beast has done, and to advocate the same ideas, in direct opposition to the word of God." 7BC 979. "Note: ...The history of all the religious persecutions since Bible times is but a repetition of this same story--the wicked persecute the righteous. And thus it will continue to be until the conflict between good and evil is ended. (See Psalms 37:12,14,32)", (5). "Let it be understood that Seventh-day Adventists can make no compromise. In your opinions and faith there must not be the least appearance of wavering..." CW 95. "...the fact that a movement to establish error is connected with a work which is in itself good, is not an argument in favor of the error. We may disguise poison by mingling it with wholesome food, but we do not change its nature. On the contrary, it is rendered more dangerous, as it is more likely to be taken unawares. It is one of Satan's devices to combine with falsehood just enough truth to give it plausibility." GC 587. "The Prince of heaven was called Beelzebub, and His disciples will be misrepresented in like manner. But what ever the danger, Christ's followers must avow their PRINCIPLES. They should scorn concealment. They cannot remain uncommitted until assured of safety in confessing the truth. They are set as watchmen, to warn men of their peril." DA 355. STATE-RELATED: "The State was, and is, the result of the apostasy of men from God." A.T. Jones, (6). "...with men's relationship to God, rulers and States can have nothing whatever to do." A.T. Jones, (7). "...no State can ever rightly require anything that is due to God; and that when it is required by the State, it is not to be rendered." A.T. Jones, (8). "The founders of the nation [U.S.A.] wisely sought to guard against the employment of secular power on the part of the church, with its inevitable result--intolerance and persecution." GC 442. "The Constitution provides that 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof'..." GC 442. "...the authority of this nation [U.S.A.] is to be exercised in enforcing SOME OBSERVANCE which shall be an act of homage to the papacy." GC 442. "To protect liberty of conscience is the duty of the state, and this is the limit of its authority in matters of religion. Every secular government that attempts to regulate or enforce religious observances by civil authority is sacrificing the very principle for which the evangelical Christians [of Sixteenth Century Germany] so nobly struggled. GC 201. "Note:...with the directing, prescribing, proscribing, or interfering with religion or its free exercise, civil governments can of right have nothing whatever to do." (9) "...the only position the State can take, and have the approval of God, is to guard the rights of every individual, permitting no oppression to come upon any one because of religious belief." ST February 27, 1912. "[Moses] became God's instrument in giving to men those principles that are the safeguard alike of the home and of society, that are the cornerstone of the prosperity of nations-- principles recognized today by the world's greatest men as the foundation of all that is best in human governments." Ed 69.
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