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Established in the Present Truth, July 31
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in
remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be
established in the present truth.
2 Peter 1:12
.
We believe without a doubt that Christ is soon coming. This is not a
fable to us; it is a reality. We have no doubt, neither have we had a doubt
for years, that the doctrines we hold today are present truth, and that we
are nearing the judgment. We are preparing to meet Him who, escorted
by a retinue of holy angels, is to appear in the clouds of heaven to give
the faithful and the just the finishing touch of immortality. When He
comes He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects
in our characters, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and
dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will all be accomplished
before that time.
When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those
who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification
and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But
those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy will remain so forever. No
work will then be done for them to remove their defects and give them
holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining
process and remove their sins and their corruption.... It is
now
that this
work is to be accomplished for us.
God is now testing and proving His people. Character is being
developed. Angels are weighing moral worth, and keeping a faithful
record of all the acts of the children of men.... That God who reads
the hearts of everyone, will bring to light hidden things of darkness
where they are often least suspected, that stumbling blocks which have
hindered the progress of truth may be removed.
There will be no future probation in which to prepare for eternity.
It is in this life that we are to put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness.
This is our only opportunity to form characters for the home which
Christ has made ready for those who obey His commandments.
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