Danger of Self-Confidence
575
be a decided loss. Unless there is an evident victory in favor of truth,
the matter is left worse than before the conflict. Those who might
formerly have had convictions in regard to the truth set their minds
at rest and decide in favor of error, because in their darkened state
they cannot perceive that the truth had the advantage. These last two
discussions did but little to advance the cause of God, and it would
have been better had they not occurred. Brother F did not engage in
them with a spirit of self-abasement and a firm reliance upon God. He
was puffed up by the enemy and had a spirit of self-sufficiency and
confidence not becoming a humble servant of Christ. He had on his
own armor, not the armor of God.
Brother F, God had provided you with a laborer of deep experience,
the ablest in the field. He was one who had been acquainted in his
own experience with the wiles of Satan, and who had passed through
most intense mental anguish. He had been permitted in the all-wise
providence of God to feel the heat of the refining furnace and had
there learned that every refuge but God would fail and every prop upon
which he could lean for support would prove but a broken reed. You
should have realized that Brother Andrews had as deep an interest in
the discussion as yourself, and you should have listened in the spirit of
humility to his counsel and profited by his instructions. But Satan had
an object to gain here, to defeat the purpose of God, and he stepped
in to take possession of your mind and thereby thwart the work of
God. You rushed into battle in your own strength, and angels left you
to carry it on. But God in mercy to His cause would not suffer the
enemies of His truth to obtain a decided victory, and in answer to the
earnest, agonizing prayers of His servant, angels came to the rescue.
Instead of an utter failure there was a partial victory, that the enemies
of truth might not exult over the believers. But nothing was gained
by that effort, when there might have been a glorious triumph of truth
[626]
over error. There were two of the ablest advocates of truth by your
side; three men, with the strength of truth, to stand against one man
who was seeking to cover up truth with error. In God you could have
been a host, had you entered the conflict right. Your self-sufficiency
caused it to be almost an entire failure.
Never should you enter a discussion where so much is at stake,
relying upon your aptness to handle strong arguments. If it cannot be
well avoided, enter the conflict, but enter upon it with firm trust in God