The rest of Mrs. White's book, dealing with the final winding-up of things, reads more like a religious novel of the worst type, in which imagination has positively become intoxicated, reveling in details as wild as they are wicked. Certainly we can apply to her teaching her own words. It is "opposed to the teaching of the Scripture, to the dictates of reason, and to our feelings of humanity." When she turns this earth into a literal lake of fire (the only lake of fire she knows), she thus describes it: "The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depth are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst forth from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire... The earth's surface seems one molten mass—a vast seething lake of fire... The sins of the righteous have been transferred to Satan, he is made not only to suffer for his own rebellion, but for all the sins which he has caused God's people to commit... After all have perished who fell by his deceptions, he is still to live and suffer on. In the cleansing flame the wicked are at last destroyed, root and branch, Satan the root, his followers the branches."
Of all the lurid literalizing of details of judgment, I have never seen anything so offensive to the feelings of humanity, not to say anything as to its utter variance with the teaching and tone of Scripture.
I could give many more quotations from the book, but it seems to be idle to take time up with such puerilities as discussing Adam's height when he is raised, and the joy of seeing the vines his own hands had planted in an earthly paradise blooming in a heavenly one, and childish nonsense after this order ad nauseam.
It may be asked how it is that Seventh-Day Adventism has held its way so long and secured so many adherents. The writer unhesitatingly ascribes the fact to Satanic power, and classes its followers with Christadelphians, Mormons, Christian Scientists and followers of the late " Pastor " Russell, and of the late Judge Rutherford, now styled " Jehovah's Witnesses."
The fact that they have flourished as a sect so long, and numbered their adherents by thousands is no proof that they are correct, or Mohammedanism with its 200,000,000 votaries, judged by that standard, would carry off the palm for being right and true.
May God graciously use what has been written to deliver some already snared, and preserve any who stand in danger of being caught in Satan's wiles.
And now permit me to turn from this sad but necessary exposure of evil to ask my reader a personal question, Are you converted? Have your sins been forgiven? Are you saved?
As we reflect that every breath you draw brings you nearer to that eternity when all shams shall be exposed, when all sins shall meet with their due reward, you will forgive me if I press my question: Are you quite sure that all is well with your soul?
Let me put it to you briefly. God is infinitely holy, and must take account of sin. You have sinned. Scripture plainly declares that if the sinner is to bear his own sin, the punishment is eternal. Such an outlook is enough to make the writer most anxious that his reader should be sure beyond the possibility of a doubt as to the salvation of his soul.
The Gospel is indeed good news. It is to the effect that Jesus, God's Son (" who is over all, God blessed forever," Rom. 9:55Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 9:5)), came into this world in order to die upon the Cross, and become the Savior for fallen men. The work that He came to do He finished to God's eternal glory. He cried upon the Cross, " It is finished 1" and God put His Amen to that triumphant cry by raising the One who uttered it from the dead, and giving Him glory. A contrast is drawn in Hebrews io: 11-12 between the Jewish priests, whose work was never done, who were always offering up the same sacrifices which could never take away sins, and the Lord Jesus, whose one sacrifice is finished and perfect, never to be added to, sufficient for all the claims of God's glory, and sufficient surely for the salvation of every believing sinner. " Every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God " (Heb. 10:11, 1211And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:11‑12)).
As another has said, " The blood of Christ, which satisfies the JUSTICE of God, may well satisfy the CONSCIENCE of an awakened sinner."
How then can I, a hell-deserving, guilty sinner, stand in God's favor? God points me to His beloved Son, and bids me trust in Him. Do I need forgiveness? "To HIM give all the prophets witness that through HIS NAME whosoever believeth IN HIM shall receive remission of sins " (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)). When does the believer in Jesus receive the forgiveness of sins? The moment he or she believes on the Lord Jesus.
Awakened to my awful condition, do I cry out like one of old, "What must I do to be saved? " The answer is beautifully simple: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). When am I saved? The moment I believe on the LORD JESUS. It is a very wonderful thing that such a simple word as "Believe" at the beginning of the text should be followed by such a wonderful word as "Saved" at the end of it, but we can understand it when the name of "The Lord Jesus Christ" lies midway between the two words. To Him be all the praise!
What a Divine clearance for the believer! It is from all things. And then the scope of it: For whom is it? " ALL that believe." You ask, May I believe? Yes, it is to all who believe. However dark your guilty past may have been, however slighted your privileges, however hollow your profession hitherto, there is mercy and pardon for you even at this moment. It is not said to be for the elect only, but for " ALL that believe." Blessed words from God! Why not come believing, and get the comfort of them?
Do I want to know that I have everlasting life? "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life" (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)). When have I everlasting life? The moment I believe on the Son.
Salvation is blessedly simple. Yet, easy as it is, how possible it is to miss it. Multitudes do so by neglect. The work necessary for my salvation has been done outside of me altogether by Another, and that One none less than God's only begotten Son, become Man, who has completely satisfied all God's righteous claims, so that in perfect righteousness God can justify and save through Him. " If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)).
May God grant that every reader of these lines may have faith in Christ. If my reader is still an unbeliever, may God grant that this moment he may put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe to the saving of his soul. "Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)).
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