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Fitting Up for Heaven, June 12
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore
God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for
them a city.
Hebrews 11:16
.
We profess to be pilgrims and strangers on earth, journeying to a better
country, even an heavenly. If we are indeed but sojourners here, traveling
to a land where none but the holy can dwell, we shall make it our first
business to become acquainted with that country; we shall make diligent
inquiry as to the preparation needed, the manners and character which we
must have in order to become citizens there. Jesus, the King of that land, is
pure and holy. He has commanded His followers, “Be ye holy; for I am
holy” (
1 Peter 1:16
). If we are hereafter to associate with Christ and sinless
angels we must here obtain a fitness for such society.
This is our work—our all-important work. Every other consideration is
of minor consequence. Our conversation, our deportment, our every act,
should be such as to convince our family, our neighbors, and the world that
we expect soon to remove to a better country.... Those whose faith is daily
confirmed and strengthened by their works will become acquainted with
self-denial in restricting appetite, controlling ambitious desires, bringing
every thought and feeling into harmony with the divine will....
The land to which we are traveling is in every sense far more attractive
than was the land of Canaan to the children of Israel.... What stayed
their progress just in sight of the goodly land?.... It was their own willful
unbelief that turned them back. They were unwilling to risk anything upon
the promises of God.... The history of the children of Israel is written as
a warning to us “upon whom the ends of the world are come.” We are
standing, as it were, upon the very borders of the heavenly Canaan. We
may, if we will, look over on the other side and behold the attractions of
the goodly land. If we have faith in the promises of God we shall show in
conversation and in deportment that we are not living for this world, but
are making it our first business to prepare for that holy land
[170]
18
The Review and Herald, November 29, 1881
.
173