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and to eternal things will be the great topic of life. But where, in
the popular churches of today, is the deep conviction of sin? where
is the spirit of consecration to God? The spirit that controls the
world rules in the church. Religion has become the sport of infidels
and skeptics because so many who bear its name are ignorant of its
principles. The power of godliness has well-nigh departed from the
churches. Heart union with Christ is a rare thing now. The majority
of church-members know no tie but that which joins them to an
organized body of professed Christians. Love of pleasure and thirst
for excitement are everywhere prevalent. Picnics, church theatricals,
church fairs, fine houses, personal display, have banished thoughts
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of God. Lands and goods and worldly occupations engross the mind,
and things of eternal interest receive hardly a passing notice.
Pleasure-lovers may have their names upon the church-records,
they may stand high as worldly-wise men; but they have no con-
nection with Christ of Calvary. The apostle Paul describes a class
who are “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form
of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” Concerning them he
says, “From such turn away.” [2 Timothy 3:4, 5.] Be not deceived by them, do not imitate their practices.
Notwithstanding the wide-spread declension of faith and piety
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in the churches, the Lord still has honest children among them; and
before his judgments shall be visited upon the earth, many ministers
and lay-members will separate from these bodies, and gladly receive
the special truths for this time. The enemy of souls desires to hinder
this work, and before the time shall come for such a movement, he
will arouse what appears to be great religious interest in the churches.
They will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the
work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will
spread his influence over the land. He hopes to deceive many by
leading them to think that God is still with the churches.
Many of the revivals which have occurred since 1844, in the
churches that have rejected the Advent truth, are similar in character
to those more extensive movements to be witnessed in the future.
The excitement manifested is well adapted to mislead the unwary;
yet none need be deceived. In the light of God’s word it is not
difficult to determine the nature of these religious movements. The
history of God’s dealings with his people in the past testifies that
his Spirit is not poured out upon those who neglect or oppose the
warnings sent them by his servants. And by the rule which Christ
himself has given, “Ye shall know them by their fruits,” it is evident
that these movements are not the work of the Spirit of God.
The scriptural doctrine of conversion has been almost wholly lost
sight of. Christ declared to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again,
he ca
divine grace, man must have a new life from above, or his profession
of godliness will avail nothing.
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The apostle Paul, in relating his experience, presents an impor-
tant truth concerning the work to be wrought in conversion. He says,
Modern Revivals
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“I was alive without the law once,”—he felt no condemnation; “but
when the commandment came,” when the law of God was urged
upon his conscience, “sin revived, and I died.” [Romans 7:9.] Then he saw himself a si
Paul, and not the law, that died. He says, further, “I had not known
sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said,
Thou shalt not covet.” [Romans 7:7.] “The commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.” [Romans 7:10.] The law which promised life to the obedient, pronounced death upon
the transgressor. “Wherefore,” he says, “the law is holy, and the
commandment holy, and just, and good.” [Romans 7:12.]
How wide the contrast between these words of Paul and those
that come from many of the pulpits of today. The people are taught
that obedience to God’s law is not necessary to salvation; that they
have only to believe in Jesus, and they are safe. Without the law,
men have no conviction of sin, and feel no need of repentance. Not
seeing their lost condition as violators of God’s law, they do not
feel their need of the atoning blood of Christ as their only hope of
salvation.
The law of God is an agent in every genuine conversion. There
can be no true repentance without conviction of sin. The Scriptures
declare that “sin is the transgression of the law,” [1 John 3:4.] and that “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” [Romans 3:20.] In order to see his guilt, the si
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standard of righteousness. To discover his defects, he must look
into the mirror of the divine statutes. But while the law reveals
his sins, it provides no remedy. The gospel of Christ alone can
offer pardon. In order to stand forgiven, the si
repentance toward God, whose law has been transgressed, and faith
in Christ, his atoning sacrifice. Without true repentance, there can
be no true conversion. Many are deceived here, and too often their
entire experience proves to be a deception. This is why so many
who are joined to the church have never been joined to Christ.
“The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” [Romans 8:7.] In the new birth, the heart is renewed by divine grace, and brought into
harmony with God as it is brought into subjection to his law. When
this mighty change has taken place in the si
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from death unto life, from sin unto holiness, from transgression and
rebellion to obedience and loyalty. The old life of alienation from
God has ended; the new life of reconciliation, of faith and love, has
begun. Then will “the righteousness of the law” “be fulfilled in us
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” [Romans 8:4.]
The doctrine of sanctification, or perfect holiness, which fills a
prominent place in some of the religious movements of the day, is
among the causes that have rendered modern revivals so ineffectual.
True sanctification is a Bible doctrine. The apostle Paul declared
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to the Thessalonian church, “This is the will of God, even your
sanctification.” [1 Thessalonians 4:3.] And again he prayed, “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole
spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ.” [1 Thessalonians 5:23.] But the sanctification now so widely advocated is not that brought to view in the Scriptures.