Basic HTML Version
The Church Appears About to Fall, July 14
But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath
forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should
not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget,
yet will I not forget thee.
Isaiah 49:14, 15
.
Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as
supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It
remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated
from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must
take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the
Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true,
without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths.... The remnant
that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying
process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy.
I know that the Lord loves His church. It is not to be disorganized or
broken up into independent atoms. There is not the least consistency in
this; there is not the least evidence that such a thing will be. Those who
shall heed this false message and try to leaven others will be deceived and
prepared to receive advanced delusions, and they will come to nought.
I am encouraged and blessed as I realize that the God of Israel is still
guiding His people, and that He will continue to be with them, even to the
end.
We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. We
cannot now enter into any new organization; for this would mean apostasy
from the truth.
The church, soon to enter upon her most severe conflict, will be the
object most dear to God upon earth. The confederacy of evil will be stirred
with power from beneath, and Satan will cast all the reproach possible
upon the chosen ones whom he cannot deceive and delude with his satanic
inventions and falsehoods. But exalted “to be a Prince and a Saviour,
for to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins,” will Christ, our
representative and head, close His heart, or withdraw His hand, or falsify
His promise? No; never, never.
[204]
209