Conditions Among God’s People
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On the other hand, there are some who, instead of wisely improving
present opportunities, are idly waiting for some special season of
spiritual refreshing by which their ability to enlighten others will be
greatly increased. They neglect present duties and privileges, and
allow their light to burn dim, while they look forward to a time when,
without any effort on their part, they will be made the recipients of
special blessing, by which they will be transformed and fitted for
service.—
The Acts of the Apostles, 54
.
Not Producers but Consumers
The professed followers of Christ are on trial before the heavenly
universe; but the coldness of their zeal and the feebleness of their
efforts in God’s service, mark them as unfaithful. If what they are
doing were the best they could do, condemnation would not rest upon
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them; but were their hearts enlisted in the work, they could do much
more. They know, and the world knows, that they have to a great
degree lost the spirit of self-denial and cross-bearing. Many there are
against whose names will be found written in the books of heaven,
Not producers, but consumers. By many who bear Christ’s name, His
glory is obscured, His beauty veiled, His honor withheld. There are
many whose names are on the church books, but who are not under
Christ’s rule. They are not heeding His instruction or doing His work.
Therefore they are under the control of the enemy. They are doing no
positive good, therefore they are doing incalculable harm. Because
their influence is not a savor of life unto life, it is a savor of death unto
death.—
Christ’s Object Lessons, 303, 304
.
Commandment Keeping a Cloak for Sin
The same danger exists today among the people who profess to be
the depositaries of God’s law. They are too apt to flatter themselves
that the regard in which they hold the commandments will preserve
them from the power of divine justice. They refuse to be reproved for
evil, and charge God’s servants with being too zealous in putting sin
out of the camp. A sin-hating God calls upon those who profess to
keep His law to depart from all iniquity. Neglect to repent and obey
His word will bring as serious consequences upon God’s people today