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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
are instructing their students, that the law of God has been changed
or abrogated; and they ridicule those who are so simple-minded as
to acknowledge all its claims.
In rejecting the truth, men reject its Author. In trampling upon
the law of God, they deny the authority of the Lawgiver. It is as
easy to make an idol of false doctrines and theories as to fashion
an idol of wood or stone. Satan leads men to conceive of God in a
false character, as having attributes which he does not possess. A
philosophical idol is enthroned in the place of Jehovah; while the
true God, as he is revealed in his word, in Christ, and in the works
of creation, is worshiped by but few. Thousands deify nature, while
they deny the God of nature. Though in a different form, idolatry
exists in the Christian world today as verily as it existed among
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ancient Israel in the days of Elijah. The God of many professedly
wise men, of philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists,—the God
of polished fashionable circles, of many colleges and universities,
even of some theological institutions,—is little better than Baal, the
sun-God of Phenicia.
No error accepted by the Christian world strikes more boldly
against the authority of Heaven, none is more directly opposed to
the dictates of reason, none is more pernicious in its results, than
the modern doctrine, so rapidly gaining ground, that God’s law is
no longer obligatory upon men. Every nation has its laws, which
command respect and obedience; and has the Creator of the heavens
and the earth no law to govern the beings he has made? Suppose
that prominent ministers were publicly to teach that the statutes
which govern our nation and protect the rights of its citizens were
not obligatory,—that they restricted the liberties of the people, and
therefore ought not to be obeyed; how long would such men be
tolerated in the pulpit? But is it a graver offense to disregard the
laws of States and nations than to trample upon those divine precepts
which are the foundation of all government? When the standard or
righteousness is set aside, the way is open for the prince of evil to
establish his rule in the earth.
It would be far more consistent for nations to abolish their
statutes, and permit the people to do as they please, than for the
Ruler of the universe to annul his law, and leave the world without a
standard to condemn the guilty or justify the obedient. Would we