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The Great Controversy
sweet raptures of immortal love, and thus prepared with a sanctified
nature to enjoy the rest and society of the heavenly inheritance.
“In these thoughts we would be understood to believe that the
salvation of heaven depends upon nothing which we can do in this
life; neither upon a present change of heart, nor upon present belief,
or a present profession of religion.”
Thus does the professed minister of Christ reiterate the falsehood
uttered by the serpent in Eden: “Ye shall not surely die.” “In the day ye
eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods.”
He declares that the vilest of sinners—the murderer, the thief, and the
adulterer—will after death be prepared to enter into immortal bliss.
And from what does this perverter of the Scriptures draw his con-
clusions? From a single sentence expressing David’s submission to
the dispensation of Providence. His soul “longed to go forth unto
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Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was
dead.” The poignancy of his grief having been softened by time, his
thoughts turned from the dead to the living son, self-banished through
fear of the just punishment of his crime. And this is the evidence that
the incestuous, drunken Amnon was at death immediately transported
to the abodes of bliss, there to be purified and prepared for the com-
panionship of sinless angels! A pleasing fable indeed, well suited to
gratify the carnal heart! This is Satan’s own doctrine, and it does his
work effectually. Should we be surprised that, with such instruction,
wickedness abounds?
The course pursued by this one false teacher illustrates that of
many others. A few words of Scripture are separated from the context,
which would in many cases show their meaning to be exactly opposite
to the interpretation put upon them; and such disjointed passages are
perverted and used in proof of doctrines that have no foundation in
the word of God. The testimony cited as evidence that the drunken
Amnon is in heaven is a mere inference directly contradicted by the
plain and positive statement of the Scriptures that no drunkard shall
inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:10
. It is thus that doubters,
unbelievers, and skeptics turn the truth into a lie. And multitudes have
been deceived by their sophistry and rocked to sleep in the cradle of
carnal security.
If it were true that the souls of all men passed directly to heaven
at the hour of dissolution, then we might well covet death rather than