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Appeal to the Church
391
nourishment of the Vine. They will not be withered and fruitless
branches, but will show life and vigor, and will flourish and bear
fruit to the glory of God. They will be careful to depart from all
iniquity and to perfect holiness in the fear of God.
Like ancient Israel the church has dishonored her God by de-
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parting from the light, neglecting her duties, and abusing her high
and exalted privilege of being peculiar and holy in character. Her
members have violated their covenant to live for God and Him only.
They have joined with the selfish and world-loving. Pride, the love
of pleasure, and sin have been cherished, and Christ has departed.
His Spirit has been quenched in the church. Satan works side by
side with professed Christians; yet they are so destitute of spiritual
discernment that they do not detect him. They have not the burden of
the work. The solemn truths they profess to believe are not a reality
to them. They have not genuine faith. Men and women will act out
all the faith which they in reality possess. By their fruits ye shall
know them. Not their profession, but the fruit they bear, shows the
character of the tree. Many have a form of godliness, their names are
upon the church records; but they have a spotted record in heaven.
The recording angel has faithfully written their deeds. Every selfish
act, every wrong word, every unfulfilled duty, and every secret sin,
with every artful dissembling, is faithfully chronicled in the book of
records kept by the recording angel.
Very many who profess to be servants of Christ are none of His.
They are deceiving their souls to their own destruction. While they
profess to be servants of Christ, they are not living in obedience to
His will. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants
to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto
death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Many, while professing
to be servants of Christ, are obeying another master, working daily
against the Master whom they profess to serve. “No man can serve
two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or
else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God and mammon.”
Earthly and selfish interests engage the soul, mind, and strength
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of God’s professed followers. To all intents and purposes they are
servants of mammon. They have not experienced a crucifixion to
the world, with its affections and lusts. But few among the many