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Appeal to the Church
399
corruption that is in the world through lust. Should they who make
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so high a profession indulge in sin and iniquity, their guilt would be
very great. The Lord reproves the sins of one, that others may take
warning and fear.
Warnings and reproofs are not given to the erring among Seventh-
day Adventists because their lives are more blameworthy than are the
lives of professed Christians of the nominal churches, nor because
their example or their acts are worse than those of the Adventists who
will not yield obedience to the claims of God’s law, but because they
have great light, and have by their profession taken their position
as God’s special, chosen people, having the law of God written
in their hearts. They signify their loyalty to the God of heaven
by yielding obedience to the laws of His government. They are
God’s representatives upon the earth. Any sin in them separates
them from God and, in a special manner, dishonors His name by
giving the enemies of His holy law occasion to reproach His cause
and His people, whom He has called “a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people,” that they should show
forth the praises of Him that hath called them out of darkness into
His marvelous light.
The people who are at war with the law of the great Jehovah, who
consider it a special virtue to talk, write, and act the most bitter and
hateful things to show their contempt of that law, may make exalted
profession of love to God, and apparently have much religious zeal,
as did the Jewish chief priests and elders; yet, in the day of God,
“Found wanting” will be said of them by the Majesty of heaven.
“By the law is the knowledge of sin.” The mirror which would
discover to them the defects in their characters, they are infuriated
against, because it points out their sins. Leading Adventists who
have rejected the light are fired with madness against God’s holy
law, as the Jewish nation were against the Son of God. They are in a
terrible deception, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.
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They will not come to the light, lest their deeds should be reproved.
Such will not be taught. But the Lord reproves and corrects the
people who profess to keep His law. He points out their sins and
lays open their iniquity because He wishes to separate all sin and
wickedness from them, that they may perfect holiness in His fear
and be prepared to die in the Lord or to be translated to heaven.