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7:1.] And with the fruits of the Spirit—“love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,”—he classes temperance.
[Galatians 5:22, 23.]
Notwithstanding these inspired declarations, how many pro-
fessed Christians are enfeebling their powers in the pursuit of gain
or the worship of fashion; how many are debasing their godlike
manhood by gluttony, by wine-drinking, by forbidden pleasure. And
the church, instead of rebuking, too often encourages the evil by
appealing to appetite, to desire for gain, or love of pleasure, to re-
plenish her treasury, which love for Christ is too feeble to supply.
Were Jesus to enter the churches of today, and behold the feasting
and unholy traffic there conducted in the name of religion, would he
not drive out those desecrators, as he banished the money-changers
from the temple?
The apostle James declares that the wisdom from above is “first
pure.” Had he encountered those who take the precious name of
Jesus upon lips defiled by tobacco, those whose breath and person
are contaminated by its foul odor, and who pollute the air of heaven
and force all about them to inhale the poison,—had the apostle come
in contact with a practice so opposed to the purity of the gospel,
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would he not have denounced it as “earthly, sensual, devilish”?
Slaves of tobacco, claiming the blessing of entire sanctification, talk
of their hope of Heaven; but God’s word plainly declares that “there
shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth.” [Revelation
21:27.]
“Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost,
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God’s.” [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.] He whose body is the temple of the Holy Spirit will not be enslaved by a
pernicious habit. His powers belong to Christ, who has bought him
with the price of blood. His property is the Lord’s. How could he
be guiltless in squandering this intrusted capital? Professed Chris-
tians yearly expend an immense sum upon useless and pernicious
indulgences, while souls are perishing for the word of life. God
is robbed in tithes and offerings, while they offer upon the altar of
destroying lust more than they give to relieve the poor or for the
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support of the gospel. If all who profess to be followers of Christ
were truly sanctified, every cha
turned into the Lord’s treasury, and Christians would set an example
of temperance, self-denial, and self-sacrifice. Then they would be
the light of the world.
The world is given up to self-indulgence. The lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, control the masses of the
people. But Christ’s followers have a holier calling. “Come out
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from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not
the unclean; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you,
and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” [2
Corinthians 6:17, 18.]
It is the privilege and the duty of every Christian to maintain a
close union with Christ, and to have a rich experience in the things
of God. Then his life will be fruitful in good works. When we read
the lives of men who have been eminent for their piety, we often
regard their experiences and attainments as beyond our reach. But
this is not the case. Said Christ: “Herein is my Father glorified, that
ye bear much fruit.” “As the branch ca
it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” “He
that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.”
[John 15:8, 4, 5.] The prophets and apostles did not perfect Christian character by a miracle. They used the means which God had placed
within their reach, and all who will put forth a like effort will secure
a like result.
Paul addressed his Corinthian brethren as “them that are sanc-
tified in Christ Jesus;” and he thanked God that in everything they
were enriched by him, “in all utterance and in all knowledge,” so
that they came behind in no gift. [1 Corinthians 1:2, 5, 7.] In his epistle to the Colossians he set forth the glorious privileges granted
to the children of God. Said the apostle: We “do not cease to pray
for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge
of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might
walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every
good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened
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with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience
and long-suffering with joyfulness.” [Colossians 1:9-11.] Such are the fruits of Bible sanctification.
Modern Revivals
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In setting aside the claims of the law of God, the church has lost
sight of the blessings of the gospel. Bible conversion and sanctifica-
tion,—a radical change of heart and transformation of character,—is
the great need of the churches of today. Revivals in which men
become members of the church without real conviction of sin, with-
out repentance, and without acknowledging the claims of the law
of God, are a cause of weakness to the church, and an occasion of
stumbling to the world.
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Chapter 23—The Investigative Judgment
“I beheld,” says the prophet Daniel, “till the thrones were cast
down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as
snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like
the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued
and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered
unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the Judgment was set, and the books were opened.” “And, behold,
one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came
to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And
there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all
people, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away.” [Daniel 7:9, 10,
13, 14.]
Thus was presented to the prophet’s vision the opening of the
investigative Judgment. The coming of Christ here described is not
his second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of days in
Heaven to receive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, which will
be given him at the close of his mediatorial work. It is this coming,
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and not his second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy
to take place at the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844. Attended
by a cloud of heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy