From the very beginning of the great controversy in heaven it has
been Satan's purpose to overthrow the law of God. It was to
accomplish this that he entered upon his rebellion against the
Creator, and though he was cast out of heaven he has continued
the same warfare upon the earth. To deceive men, and thus lead
them to transgress God's law, is the object which he has
steadfastly pursued. Whether this be accomplished by casting
aside the law altogether, or by rejecting one of its precepts, the
result will be ultimately the same. He that offends "in one
point," manifests contempt for the whole law; his influence
and example are on the side of transgression; he becomes "guilty
of all." James 2:10.
In seeking to cast contempt upon the divine statutes, Satan has
perverted the doctrines of the Bible, and errors have thus become
incorporated into the faith of thousands who profess to believe the
Scriptures. The last great conflict between truth and error is but the
final struggle of the long-standing controversy concerning the law
of God. Upon this battle we are now entering--a battle between the
laws of men and the precepts of Jehovah, between the religion of
the Bible and the religion of fable and tradition.
The agencies which will unite against truth and righteousness in this
contest are now actively at work. God's holy word, which has been
handed down to us at such a cost of suffering and blood, is but little
valued. The Bible is within the reach of all, but there are few who
really accept it as the guide of life. Infidelity prevails to an
alarming extent, not in the world merely, but in the church. Many
have come to deny doctrines which are the very pillars of the
Christian faith. The great facts of creation as presented by the
inspired writers, the fall of man, the atonement, and the perpetuity
of the law of God, are practically rejected, either wholly or in part,
by a large share of the professedly Christian world. Thousands who
pride themselves upon their wisdom and independence regard it as
an evidence of weakness to place implicit confidence in the Bible;
they think it a proof of superior talent and learning to cavil at the
Scriptures and to spiritualize and explain away their most
important truths. Many ministers are teaching their people, and
many professors and teachers are instructing their students, that
the law of God has been changed or abrogated; and those who
regard its requirements as still
valid, to be literally obeyed, are thought to be deserving only of
ridicule or contempt.
In rejecting the truth, men reject its Author. In trampling upon the
law of God, they deny the authority of the Law-giver. It is as easy
to make an idol of false doctrines and theories as to fashion an by
but few. Thousands deify nature while they deny the God of nature.
Though in a different form, idolatry exists in the Christian world
today as verily as it existed among ancient Israel in the days of
Elijah. The god of many professedly wise men, of philosophers,
poets, politicians, journalists--the god of polished fashionable
circles, of many colleges and universities, even of some theological
institutions--is little better than Baal, the sun-god of Phoenicia.
No error accepted by the Christian world strikes more boldly
against the authority of Heaven, none is more directly opposed to
the dictates of reason, none is more pernicious in its results, than
the modern doctrine, so rapidly gaining ground, that God's law is
no longer binding upon men. Every nation has its laws, which
command respect and obedience; no government could exist
without them; and can it be conceived that the Creator of the
heavens and the earth has no law to govern the beings He has
made? Suppose that prominent ministers were publicly to teach
that the statutes which govern their land and protect the rights of
its citizens were not obligatory--that they restricted the liberties of
the people, and therefore ought not to be obeyed; how long would
such men be tolerated in the pulpit? But is it a graver offense to
disregard the laws of states and nations than to trample upon those
divine precepts which are the foundation of all government?
It would be far more consistent for nations to abolish their statutes,
and permit the people to do as they please, than for the Ruler of
the universe to annul His law, and leave the world without a
standard to condemn the guilty or justify the obedient. Would we
know the result of making void the law of God? The experiment
has been tried. Terrible were the scenes enacted in France when
atheism became the controlling power. It was then demonstrated
to the world that to throw off the restraints which God has
imposed is to accept the rule of the cruelest of tyrants. When the
standard of righteousness is set aside, the way is open for the
prince of evil to establish his power in the earth.
Wherever the divine precepts are rejected, sin ceases to appear
sinful or righteousness desirable. Those who refuse to submit to
the government of God are wholly unfitted to govern themselves.
Through their pernicious teachings the spirit of insubordination is
implanted in the hearts of children and youth, who are naturally
impatient of control; and a lawless, licentious state of society results.
While scoffing at the credulity of those who obey the requirements
of God, the multitudes eagerly accept the delusions of Satan. They
give the rein to lust and practice the sins which have called down
judgments upon the heathen. Those who teach the people to regard
lightly the commandments of God sow disobedience to reap
disobedience. Let the restraint imposed by the divine law be wholly
cast aside, and human laws would soon be disregarded. Because
God forbids dishonest practices, coveting, lying, and defrauding,
men are ready to trample upon His statutes as a hindrance to their
worldly prosperity; but the results of banishing these precepts
would be such as they do not anticipate. If the law were not
binding, why should any fear to transgress? Property would no longer
be safe. Men would obtain their neighbor's possessions by violence,
and the strongest would become richest. Life itself would not be
respected. The marriage vow would no longer stand as a sacred
bulwark to protect the family. He who had the power, would, if he
desired, take his neighbor's wife by violence. The fifth
commandment would be set aside with the fourth. Children would
not shrink from taking the life of their parents if by so doing they
could obtain the desire of their corrupt hearts. The civilized world
would become a horde of robbers and assassins; and peace, rest,
and happiness would be banished from the earth.
Already the doctrine that men are released from obedience to God's
requirements has weakened the force of moral obligation and
opened the floodgates of iniquity upon the world. Lawlessness,
dissipation, and corruption are sweeping in upon us like an over-
whelming tide. In the family, Satan is at work. His banner waves,
even in professedly Christian households. There is envy, evil
surmising, hypocrisy, estrangement, emulation, strife, betrayal of
sacred trusts, indulgence of lust. The whole system of religious
principles and doctrines, which should form the foundation and
framework of social life, seems to be a tottering mass, ready to
fall to ruin. The vilest of criminals, when thrown into prison for
their offenses, are often made the recipients of gifts and attentions
as if they had attained an enviable distinction. Great publicity is
given to their character and crimes. The press publishes the
revolting details of vice, thus initiating others into the practice of
fraud, robbery, and murder; and Satan exults in the success of his
hellish schemes. The infatuation of vice, the wanton taking of life,
the terrible increase of intemperance and iniquity of every order
and degree, should arouse all who fear God, to inquire what can be
done to stay the tide of evil.
Courts of justice are corrupt. Rulers are actuated by desire for gain
and love of sensual pleasure. Intemperance has beclouded the
faculties of many so that Satan has almost complete control of them.
Jurists are perverted, bribed, deluded. Drunkenness and revelry,
passion, envy, dishonesty of every sort, are represented among
those who administer the laws. "Justice standeth afar off: for truth
is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." Isaiah 59:14.
The line of distinction between professed Christians and the ungodly
is now hardly distinguishable. Church members love what the world
loves and are ready to join with them, and Satan determines to unite
them in one body and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into
the ranks of spiritualism.
What will you do?
Does it really matter what we do? With 350 different so-called
"Christian" denominations in this country alone, can we even know
which one is God's choice? The popular belief today is that we are
all heading in the same direction and to the same place. Each one
must find his own way to God and to heaven. But is this what the
Bible teaches? If indeed the law or rules of God are still in effect
for us today, does it make any sense at all that each person, or even
church, can decide what is right for them? It is important that we
understand, before it's too late, that there is only one way to God
and heaven; God's way!
Will you decide today that you are going to follow the teachings
of the Bible, and no other. All of the answers that pertain to our
salvation are given in the Holy Scriptures; "Study to show
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
2 Timothy 2:15