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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
member of the church, every professor of the truth, will be Christlike
in character, in words, in actions.
Some who have been channels of light, whose hearts have been
made glad by the precious light of truth, have denied that truth by
assimilating to the world. They have thus lost the spirit of self-sacrifice
and the power of the truth, and have depended for happiness upon
unstable things of earth. They are in great peril. Having once rejoiced
in the light, they will be left in total darkness unless they speedily
gather up the rays that are still shining upon them and return to the
Lord with repentance and confession. We are in a day of peril, when
error and deception are captivating the people. Who will warn the
world, who will show them the better way, unless those who have had
the light of truth are sanctified through it and shall let their light so
shine that others may see their good works and glorify God? I wish I
could impress upon all the danger they are in of losing heaven. Joining
the church is one thing, and connecting with Christ is quite another.
Not all the names registered in the church books are registered in the
Lamb’s book of life. Many, though apparently sincere believers, do
not keep up a living connection with Christ. They have enlisted, they
have entered their names on the register; but the inner work of grace
is not wrought in the heart. As the result they are not happy, and they
make hard work of serving God.
“With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.” Remember
that your brethren are fallible creatures like yourself, and regard their
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mistakes and errors with the same mercy and forbearance that you
wish them to exercise toward you. They should not be watched and
their defects paraded to the front for the world to exult over. Those
who dare to do this have climbed upon the judgment seat and made
themselves judges, while they have neglected the garden of their own
hearts and have allowed poisonous weeds to obtain a rank growth.
We individually have a case pending in the court of heaven. Char-
acter is being weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and it should be
the earnest desire of all to walk humbly and carefully, lest, neglecting
to let their light shine forth to the world, they fail of the grace of God
and lose everything that is valuable. All dissension, all differences and
faultfinding, should be put away, with all evil speaking and bitterness;
kindness, love, and compassion for one another should be cherished,
that the prayer of Christ that His disciples might be one as He is one