July 14, 1898
THE carnal nature is the architect of hell.
NOT all is Christian that appears angelic.
“THE weapons of our warfare are not carnal.”
THE gospel of God cannot be preached by the law of man.
ANY “moral reform” that is not wrought in the heart is a delusion.
CONSCIENCE is one of the things which the Sunday law aims to close up.
“CHARITY” is never found far from her sister graces faith and hope.
IT is useless to invoke the aid of human law in the warfare that is not against flesh and blood, but against “spiritual wickedness in high places.”
TRUTH and righteousness cannot fall to the ground while God remains upon his throne. That which embodies truth and righteousness needs no support from the civil arm.
IF law could make men better, there would be no need of the gospel.
NO AMOUNT of legislation can separate conscience from the Sabbath.
THE “snapshot” is a poor way to get a correct photograph of character.
ALL Christian institutions have their support in God; and they need no other.
THE institution of the Sabbath can be neither civil nor uncivil. It is purely religious.
ANY religion might as well go down [418] which cannot be sustained by love to God and to one’s fellowmen.
SOME of the most troublesome people in the world are those who have a surplus of conscience—enough for themselves and for all their neighbors.
THE test of Christianity is love; not that which men may call love, but the love of God. Christianity means being like God in our disposition toward others.
But what is the love of God? The Scripture says: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins;” and “God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” John 4:10; Romans 5:8.
As God loved those who were his enemies, so must Christians love their enemies. They must love all men and count all as their brethren.
But how is love of our enemies to be manifested? The answer is plain. If we are actuated by the spirit of God, our love for all men will be manifested in sacrificing for them even as God did. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on on [sic.] him might not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
How then ca the spirit of love—the love of God—be reconciled with the spirit of war? We cannot reconcile it. The spirit of love says that we should lay down our lives for our enemies. The spirit of war says that our enemies should lay down their lives for us.
The Christian warfare does not mean death to our enemies, but death to self. And if Christians are engaged in this warfare, they will not at the same time be engaged in any other.