Should Christians Be Members of Secret Societies?
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societies. Consider that there is only one Proprietor of the universe,
and that every man, with his time, his intellect, his resources, belongs
to the One who has paid the ransom for the soul. God has a righteous
claim to constant service and supreme affection. God’s will, not your
pleasure, is to be your criterion. And though you should accumulate
a fortune less rapidly, you are laying up treasure in heaven. Who of
the church is resolved to maintain his spirituality? Who will develop
an experience that reveals Christian fervor, persevering energy? Who,
like Jesus, will not fail nor be discouraged, not in grasping means for
the service of self, but in laboring together with God?
All who are striving for the crown of everlasting life will be tempted
as was their Master before them. He was proffered the kingdoms of
the world if He would pay homage to Satan. Had Christ yielded to this
temptation, the world would have passed forever under the sway of the
wicked one. But, thank God, His divinity shone through humanity. He
did that which every human being may do in the name and strength
of Jesus. He said, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (
Matthew
4:10
). If this is the way you meet temptation, Satan will leave you, as
he left Christ, and angels will minister unto you, as they ministered
unto Him.
To those who have thought and talked of the great advantages to be
gained by worldly association, the Lord declares, through the prophet
Malachi:
“Your words have been stout against Me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say,
What have we spoken so much against Thee? Ye have said, It is vain
to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance,
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and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? And
now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set
up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered” (
Malachi 3:13-15
).
These are the thoughts of many, if the words are not spoken.
“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the
Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written
before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His
name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day
when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his
own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between
the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him