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Testimonies for the Church Volume 3
wisdom to deal justly, while loving mercy. They are not inclined to
see the necessity of mingling love and tender compassion with faithful
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reproofs. Some are ever needlessly severe, and do not feel the neces-
sity of the injunction of the apostle: “And of some have compassion,
making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the
fire.”
There are many who do not have the discretion of Joshua and who
have no special duty to search out wrongs and to deal promptly with
the sins existing among them. Let not such hinder those who have the
burden of this work upon them; let them not stand in the way of those
who have this duty to do. Some make it a point to question and doubt
and find fault because others do the work that God has not laid upon
them. These stand directly in the way to hinder those upon whom God
has laid the burden of reproving and correcting prevailing sins in order
that His frown may be turned away from His people. Should a case
like Achan’s be among us, there are many who would accuse those
who might act the part of Joshua in searching out the wrong, of having
a wicked, fault-finding spirit. God is not to be trifled with and His
warnings disregarded with impunity by a perverse people.
I was shown that the manner of Achan’s confession was similar to
the confessions that some among us have made and will make. They
hide their wrongs and refuse to make a voluntary confession until
God searches them out, and then they acknowledge their sins. A few
persons pass on in a course of wrong until they become hardened.
They may even know that the church is burdened, as Achan knew
that Israel were made weak before their enemies because of his guilt.
Yet their consciences do not condemn them. They will not relieve
the church by humbling their proud, rebellious hearts before God and
putting away their wrongs. God’s displeasure is upon His people, and
He will not manifest His power in the midst of them while sins exist
among them and are fostered by those in responsible positions.
Those who work in the fear of God to rid the church of hindrances
and to correct grievous wrongs, that the people of God may see the
necessity of abhorring sin and may prosper in purity, and that the name
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of God may be glorified, will ever meet with resisting influences from
the unconsecrated. Zephaniah thus describes the true state of this class
and the terrible judgments that will come upon them: