Chapter 37 : The Scriptures a Safeguard

“To the law and to the testimony. If they speak not according

to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” [Isaiah 8:20.]

The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard

against the influence of false teachers and the delusive power of

spirits of darkness. Satan employs every possible device to prevent

men from obtaining a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances

reveal his deceptions. At every revival of God’s work, the prince of

evil is aroused to more intense activity; he is now putting forth his

utmost efforts for a final struggle against Christ and his followers.

The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is

to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the

counterfeit resemble the true, that it will be impossible to distinguish

between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony

every statement and every miracle must be tested.

Those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of God will

be opposed and derided. They can stand only in God. In order to

endure the trial before them, they must understand the will of God as

revealed in his Word; they can honor him only as they have a right

conception of his character, government, and purposes, and act in

accordance with them. None but those who have fortified the mind

with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict.

To every soul will come the searching test, Shall I obey God rather

than men? The decisive hour is even now at hand. Are our feet

planted on the rock of God’s immutable Word? Are we prepared to [594]

stand firm in defense of the commandments of God and the faith of

Jesus?

Before his crucifixion, the Saviour explained to his disciples

that he was to be put to death, and to rise again from the tomb; and

angels were present to impress his words on minds and hearts. But

the disciples were looking for temporal deliverance from the Roman

yoke, and they could not tolerate the thought that He in whom all

their hopes centered should suffer an ignominious death. The words

which they needed to remember were banished from their minds; and

when the time of trial came, it found them unprepared. The death

of Jesus as fully destroyed their hopes as if he had not forewarned

them. So in the prophecies the future is opened before us as plainly

as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ. The events

connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation

for the time of trouble, are clearly presented. But multitudes have no

more understanding of these important truths than if they had never

been revealed. Satan watches to catch away every impression that

would make them wise unto salvation, and the time of trouble will

find them unready.

When God sends to men warnings so important that they are

represented as proclaimed by holy angels flying in the midst of

heaven, he requires every person endowed with reasoning powers

to heed the message. The fearful judgments denounced against the

worship of the beast and his image, [Revelation 14:9-11.] should

lead all to a diligent study of the prophecies to learn what the mark

of the beast is, and how they are to avoid receiving it. But the masses

of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth, and are

turned unto fables. The apostle Paul declared, looking down to the

last days, “The time will come when they will not endure sound

doctrine.” [2 Timothy 4:3.] That time has fully come. The multitudes

do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with the desires of the

sinful, world-loving heart; and Satan supplies the deceptions which

they love.

[595] But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible,

and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines, and the basis of

all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science,

the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and

discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the

majority,—not one or all of these should be regarded as evidence for

or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine

or precept, we should demand a plain “Thus saith the Lord” in its

support.

Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the

place of God. He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors,

to professors of theology, as their guides, instead of searching the

Scriptures to learn their duty for themselves. Then, by controlling

the minds of these leaders, he can influence the multitudes according to his will.

When Christ came to speak the words of life, the common people

heard him gladly; and many, even of the priests and rulers, believed

on him. But the chief of the priesthood and the leading men of the

nation were determined to condemn and repudiate his teachings.

Though they were baffled in all their efforts to find accusations

against him, though they could not but feel the influence of the

divine power and wisdom attending his words, yet they encased

themselves in prejudice; they rejected the clearest evidence of his

Messiahship, lest they should be forced to become his disciples.

These opponents of Jesus were men whom the people had been

taught from infancy to reverence, to whose authority they had been

accustomed implicitly to bow. “How is it,” they asked, “that our

rulers and learned scribes do not believe on Jesus? Would not these

pious men receive him if he were the Christ?” It was the influence

of such teachers that led the Jewish nation to reject their Redeemer.

The spirit which actuated those priests and rulers is still manifested

by many who make a high profession of piety. They refuse [596]

to examine the testimony of the Scriptures concerning the special

truths for this time. They point to their own numbers, wealth, and

popularity, and look with contempt upon the advocates of truth as

few, poor, and unpopular having a faith that separates them from the

world.

Christ foresaw that the undue assumption of authority indulged

by the scribes and Pharisees would not cease with the dispersion of

the Jews. He had a prophetic view of the work of exalting human

authority to rule the conscience, which has been so terrible a curse

to the church in all ages. And his fearful denunciations of the scribes

and Pharisees, and his warnings to the people not to follow these

blind leaders, were placed on record as an admonition to future

generations.

The Romish Church reserves to the clergy the right to interpret

the Scriptures. On the ground that ecclesiastics alone are competent

to explain God’s Word, it is withheld from the common people.

Though the Reformation gave the Scriptures to all, yet the selfsame

principle which was maintained by Rome prevents multitudes

in Protestant churches from searching the Bible for themselves.

They are taught to accept its teachings as interpreted by the church;

and there are thousands who dare receive nothing, however plainly

revealed in Scripture, that is contrary to their creed, or the established

teaching of their church.

Notwithstanding the Bible is full of warnings against false teachers,

many are ready thus to commit the keeping of their souls to the

clergy. There are today thousands of professors of religion who can

give no other reason for points of faith which they hold than that

they were so instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the

Saviour’s teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit confidence

in the words of the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How

can we trust our souls to their guidance unless we know from God’s

Word that they are light-bearers? A lack of moral courage to step

[597] aside from the beaten track of the world, leads many to follow in

the steps of learned men; and by their reluctance to investigate for

themselves, they are becoming hopelessly fastened in the chains of

error. They see that the truth for this time is plainly brought to view

in the Bible, and they feel the power of the Holy Spirit attending

its proclamation; yet they allow the opposition of the clergy to turn

them from the light. Though reason and conscience are convinced,

these deluded souls dare not think differently from the minister; and

their individual judgment, their eternal interests, are sacrificed to the

unbelief, the pride and prejudice, of another.

Many are the ways by which Satan works through human influence

to bind his captives. He secures multitudes to himself by

attaching them by the silken cords of affection to those who are

enemies of the cross of Christ. Whatever this attachment may be,

parental, filial, conjugal, or social, the effect is the same; the opposers

of truth exert their power to control the conscience, and the

souls held under their sway have not sufficient courage or independence

to obey their own convictions of duty.

The truth and the glory of God are inseparable; it is impossible

for us, with the Bible within our reach, to honor God by erroneous

opinions. Many claim that it matters not what one believes, if his

life is only right. But the life is moulded by the faith. If light and

truth are within our reach, and we neglect to improve the privilege of

hearing and seeing it, we virtually reject it; we are choosing darkness

rather than light.

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof

are the ways of death.” [Proverbs 16:25.] Ignorance is no excuse

for error or sin, when there is every opportunity to know the will

of God. A man is travelling, and comes to a place where there are

several roads, and a guide-board indicating where each one leads. If

he disregards the guide-board, and takes whichever road seems to

him to be right, he may be ever so sincere, but will in all probability [598]

find himself on the wrong road.

God has given us his Word that we may become acquainted with

its teachings, and know for ourselves what he requires of us. When

the lawyer came to Jesus with the inquiry, “What shall I do to inherit

eternal life?” the Saviour referred him to the Scriptures, saying,

“What is written in the law? how readest thou?” Ignorance will

not excuse young or old, or release them from the punishment due

for the transgression of God’s law, because there is in their hands a

faithful presentation of that law and of its principles and its claims.

It is not enough to have good intentions; it is not enough to do what a

man thinks is right, or what the minister tells him is right. His soul’s

salvation is at stake, and he should search the Scriptures for himself.

However strong may be his convictions, however confident he may

be that the minister knows what is truth, this is not his foundation.

He has a chart pointing out every way-mark on the heavenward

journey, and he ought not to guess at anything.

It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn

from the Scriptures what is truth, and then to walk in the light, and

encourage others to follow his example. We should day by day study

the Bible diligently, weighing every thought, and comparing scripture

with scripture. With divine help, we are to form our opinions

for ourselves, as we are to answer for ourselves before God.

The truths most plainly revealed in the Bible have been involved

in doubt and darkness by learned men, who, with a pretense of great

wisdom, teach that the Scriptures have a mystical, a secret, spiritual

meaning not apparent in the language employed. These men are

false teachers. It was to such a class that Jesus declared, “Ye know

not the Scriptures, neither the power of God.” [Mark 12:24.] The

language of the Bible should be explained according to its obvious

meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed. Christ has given [599]

the promise, “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the

doctrine.” [John 7:17.] If men would but take the Bible as it reads, if

there were no false teachers to mislead and confuse their minds, a

work would be accomplished that would make angels glad, and that

would bring into the fold of Christ thousands upon thousands who

are now wandering in error.

We should exert all the powers of the mind in the study of the

Scriptures, and should task the understanding to comprehend, as far

as mortals can, the deep things of God; yet we must not forget that

the docility and submission of a child is the true spirit of the learner.

Scriptural difficulties can never be mastered by the same methods

that are employed in grappling with philosophical problems. We

should not engage in the study of the Bible with that self-reliance

with which so many enter the domains of science, but with a prayerful

dependence upon God, and a sincere desire to learn his will. We

must come with a humble and teachable spirit to obtain knowledge

from the great I AM. Otherwise, evil angels will so blind our minds

and harden our hearts that we shall not be impressed by the truth.

Many a portion of Scripture which learned men pronounce a

mystery, or pass over as unimportant, is full of comfort and instruction

to him who has been taught in the school of Christ. One reason

why many theologians have no clearer understanding of God’s Word

is, they close their eyes to truths which they do not wish to practice.

An understanding of Bible truth depends not so much on the power

of intellect brought to the search as on the singleness of purpose, the

earnest longing after righteousness.

The Bible should never be studied without prayer. The Holy

Spirit alone can cause us to feel the importance of those things easy

to be understood, or prevent us from wresting truths difficult of

comprehension. It is the office of heavenly angels to prepare the

[600] heart to so comprehend God’sWord that we shall be charmed with its

beauty, admonished by its warnings, or animated and strengthened

by its promises. We should make the psalmist’s petition our own:

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy

law.” [Psalm 119:18.] Temptations often appear irresistible because,

through neglect of prayer and the study of the Bible, the tempted one

cannot readily remember God’s promises and meet Satan with the

Scripture weapons. But angels are round about those who are willing

to be taught in divine things; and in the time of great necessity, they

will bring to their remembrance the very truths which are needed.

Thus “when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the

Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” [Isaiah 59:19.]

Jesus promised his disciples, “The Comforter, the Holy Ghost,

whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things,

and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said

unto you.” [John 14:26.] But the teachings of Christ must previously

have been stored in the mind, in order for the Spirit of God to bring

them to our remembrance in the time of peril. “Thy Word have I

hid in mine heart,” said David, “that I might not sin against thee.”

[Psalm 119:11.]

All who value their eternal interests should be on their guard

against the inroads of skepticism. The very pillars of truth will be

assailed. It is impossible to keep beyond the reach of the sarcasms

and sophisms, the insidious and pestilent teachings, of modern infidelity.

Satan adapts his temptations to all classes. He assails the

illiterate with a jest or sneer, while he meets the educated with scientific

objections and philosophical reasoning, alike calculated to

excite distrust or contempt of the Scriptures. Even youth of little

experience presume to insinuate doubts concerning the fundamental

principles of Christianity. And this youthful infidelity, shallow as

it is, has its influence. Many are thus led to jest at the faith of their

fathers, and to do despite to the Spirit of grace. [Hebrews 10:29.]

Many a life that promised to be an honor to God and a blessing to [601]

the world, has been blighted by the foul breath of infidelity. All who

trust to the boastful decisions of human reason, and imagine that

they can explain divine mysteries, and arrive at truth unaided by the

wisdom of God, are entangled in the snare of Satan.

We are living in the most solemn period of this world’s history.

The destiny of earth’s teeming multitudes is about to be decided. Our

own future well-being, and also the salvation of other souls, depends

upon the course which we now pursue. We need to be guided by

the Spirit of truth. Every follower of Christ should earnestly inquire,

“Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” We need to humble ourselves

before the Lord, with fasting and prayer, and to meditate much upon

his Word, especially upon the scenes of the Judgment. We should

now seek a deep and living experience in the things of God. We have

not a moment to lose. Events of vital importance are taking place

around us; we are on Satan’s enchanted ground. Sleep not, sentinels

of God; the foe is lurking near, ready at any moment, should you

become lax and drowsy, to spring upon you and make you his prey.

Many are deceived as to their true condition before God. They

congratulate themselves upon the wrong acts which they do not

commit, and forget to enumerate the good and noble deeds which

God requires of them, but which they have neglected to perform. It

is not enough that they are trees in the garden of God. They are to

answer his expectation by bearing fruit. He holds them accountable

for their failure to accomplish all the good which they could have

done, through his grace strengthening them. In the books of Heaven

they are registered as cumberers of the ground. Yet the case of even

this class is not utterly hopeless. With those who have slighted

God’s mercy and abused his grace, the heart of long-suffering love

yet pleads. “Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise

[602] from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk

circumspectly, ... redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

[Ephesians 5:14-16.]

When the testing time shall come, those who have made God’s

Word their rule of life will be revealed. In summer there is no

noticeable difference between evergreens and other trees; but when

the blasts of winter come, the evergreens remain unchanged, while

other trees are stripped of their foliage. So the false-hearted professor

may not now be distinguished from the real Christian, but the time

is just upon us when the difference will be apparent. Let opposition

arise, let bigotry and intolerance again bear sway, let persecution be

kindled, and the half-hearted and hypocritical will waver and yield

the faith; but the true Christian will stand firm as a rock, his faith

stronger, his hope brighter, than in days of prosperity.

Says the psalmist: “Thy testimonies are my meditation.”

“Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every

false way.” [Psalm 119:99, 104.]

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom.” “He shall be as a tree

planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river,

and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and

shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from

yielding fruit.” [Proverbs 3:13; Jeremiah 17:8.]