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God’s Law Immutable
243
been honestly seeking to know and to do God’s will; now they
manifested their loyalty to God by keeping His Sabbath holy.
Many were the efforts made to overthrow the faith of Adventist
believers. None could fail to see that acceptance of the truth con-
cerning the heavenly sanctuary involved the claims of God’s law and
the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Here was the secret of the
determined opposition to the harmonious exposition of Scriptures
that revealed the ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. Men
sought to close the door which God had opened, and to open the door
which He had closed. But Christ had opened the door of ministration
of the most holy place. The fourth commandment was included in
the law there enshrined.
Those who accepted the light concerning the mediation of Christ
and the law of God found that these were the truths of
Revelation 14
,
a threefold warning to prepare the inhabitants of earth for the Lord’s
second coming.
The announcement “The hour of
his judgment is come” heralds a truth which must be proclaimed
until the Saviour’s intercession shall cease and He shall return to
take His people to Himself. The judgment which began in 1844
must continue until the cases of all are decided, both of the living
and the dead; hence it will extend to the close of human probation.
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That men may be prepared to stand in the judgment, the message
commands them to “fear God, and give glory to him,” “and worship
him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea and the fountains of
waters.” The result of acceptance of these messages is given: “Here
are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
Revelation 14:7, 12
.
To be prepared for the judgment, men should keep the law of
God, the standard of character in the judgment. Paul declares: “As
many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law, ... in the
day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.” “The
doers of the law shall be justified.” Faith is essential in order to keep
the law of God; for “without faith it is impossible to please him.”
“Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
Romans 2:12-16
;
Hebrews 11:6
;
Romans 14:23
.
The first angel called upon men to “fear God, and give glory to
him” and to worship Him as the Creator of heaven and earth. To
do this, they must obey His law. Without obedience no worship