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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
of God. Lands and goods and worldly occupations engross the mind,
and things of eternal interest receive hardly a passing notice.
Pleasure-lovers may have their names upon the church-records,
they may stand high as worldly-wise men; but they have no con-
nection with Christ of Calvary. The apostle Paul describes a class
who are “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form
of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” Concerning them he
says, “From such turn away.” [
2 Timothy 3:4, 5
.] Be not deceived
by them, do not imitate their practices.
Notwithstanding the wide-spread declension of faith and piety
in the churches, the Lord still has honest children among them; and
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before his judgments shall be visited upon the earth, many ministers
and lay-members will separate from these bodies, and gladly receive
the special truths for this time. The enemy of souls desires to hinder
this work, and before the time shall come for such a movement, he
will arouse what appears to be great religious interest in the churches.
They will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the
work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will
spread his influence over the land. He hopes to deceive many by
leading them to think that God is still with the churches.
Many of the revivals which have occurred since 1844, in the
churches that have rejected the Advent truth, are similar in character
to those more extensive movements to be witnessed in the future.
The excitement manifested is well adapted to mislead the unwary;
yet none need be deceived. In the light of God’s word it is not
difficult to determine the nature of these religious movements. The
history of God’s dealings with his people in the past testifies that
his Spirit is not poured out upon those who neglect or oppose the
warnings sent them by his servants. And by the rule which Christ
himself has given, “Ye shall know them by their fruits,” it is evident
that these movements are not the work of the Spirit of God.
The scriptural doctrine of conversion has been almost wholly lost
sight of. Christ declared to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The heart must be renewed by
divine grace, man must have a new life from above, or his profession
of godliness will avail nothing.
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The apostle Paul, in relating his experience, presents an impor-
tant truth concerning the work to be wrought in conversion. He says,