As a people, Seventh-day Adventists have come to a great and decisive moment in their history. The glory of the message that God has given them is being recognized by the world in a manner not experienced in the past. Several factors have helped to bring about this situation.
Such activities as the public relations work in our conferences, institutions, and churches; the Voice of Prophecy efforts; the Faith for Today telecasts; the publication of the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary; and the production of a class of books and literature that attracts the attention of the higher social groups—these, and other specialized means of bringing the fundamental Christian teachings before the world, have placed us in a very favorable position as a people.
We believe that this is in the providence of God. It has come about in order that the saving truths of God's last message of mercy to a distraught world can be given with great speed and power. This is the long-looked-for moment when God's remnant people may more fully take their divinely appointed place as heralds of mercy at a time when the whole world is staring into the abyss of destruction.
To us God says, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee" (Isa. 60:1, 2).
In view of this great moment of opportunity, we need to ask ourselves: Are we measuring up to the challenge of the hour? Are we true to the trust God has committed to us?
In this connection it is encouraging to note such words as the following:
"We do not know what great interests may be at stake in the proving of God. There is no safety except in strict obedience to the word of God. All His promises are made upon condition of faith and obedience, and a failure to comply with His commands cuts off the fulfillment to us of the rich provisions of the Scriptures. We should not follow impulse, nor rely on the judgment of men; we should look to the revealed will of God, and walk according to His definite commandment, no matter what circumstances may surround us. God will take care of the results; by faithfulness to His word we may in time of trial prove before men and angels that the Lord can trust us in difficult places to carry out His will, honor His name, and bless His people."—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 621, 622.
It is recognized that every responsibility presents a test as well as an opportunity. Every trust implies a risk. God took a peculiar risk when He made provision to carry out His eternal purpose through human instrumentalities. He took the risk, nevertheless, because He was prepared to take care of the results, if men would work in strict obedience to His Word. "By faithfulness to His word we may in time of trial prove before men and angels that the Lord can trust us in difficult places to carry out His will, honor His name, and bless His people."
Having come to this momentous hour in the proclamation of the third angel's message, we have also come to the moment of greatest test in our history. How encouraging it is to know that God "can trust us in difficult places," and that He has revealed the basis on which we can prove that trust.
From present experiences of God's people, where they have witnessed faithfully in strict obedience to His Word, we discover certain qualities that are most essential in the proving of our trust.
Spiritual Ruggedness
One of the first qualities revealed in proving our trust is spiritual ruggedness. This has always been true in the history of God's people. Ready examples of that are seen in the experiences of such men as Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, Daniel, and Isaiah. They were mighty men of faith. They followed in the ways of the Lord regardless of circumstances surrounding them.
Christ presents the most outstanding example of faith and obedience in doing the Father's will. The apostles gave witness of the same spiritual ruggedness. They would rather die than to disobey God. With their Master, each one of them could say:
"I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed" (Isa. 50:6, 7).
This same spiritual ruggedness, this determination to shun smugness and complacency, has characterized God's faithful witnesses throughout the history of the Christian church. It is present in the remnant church. One cannot fail to find it where God's commandment-keeping people are tested and tried by the peculiar circumstances surrounding them that call for strict adherence to the Word of God.
Brother K. in Russia was a good example among our workers in that country. In 1934, at the end of the first five-year plan destined to destroy faith in God, this brother with many others was arrested, cruelly tried, and then sent into Siberian banishment. The train on which he was traveling to Siberia was wrecked. There were many casualties, and Brother K. received fatal injuries. He died in the hospital almost immediately upon arrival at their destination in Siberia. No official notice of his death was given to his family in Moscow, but later they received a letter from one of his fellow prisoners. The letter read in part:
"During the entire wearisome journey of two weeks through the Siberian Steppes, he [Brother K.] lost no opportunity either by day or by night, to talk to me and others about the love of God and conversion. He told us the story of salvation from Satan's fall to the second coming of Christ and the deliverance of the righteous on the new earth. We found moments of silence when we prayed together. After I had told him my life's history, I experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in my life. I thanked God for His wonderful revelation to me on this journey into exile, and promised to serve Him from that moment onward, and to keep His commandments. As the terrible accident happened, when two trains collided, Brother K. suffered very painful bodily injuries, which resulted in his death. During all the time of pain and anguish we never heard one word of complaint from him. After he had expressed his last desire, namely, that we should notify and send Christian greetings to his family and the church in Moscow, he prayed his last prayer. He thanked God for the privilege of suffering with Christ and for the hope that his suffering would soon be over and he could go to rest until Jesus comes to take him home. His face shone. He truly died the death of a righteous man."
When the church in Moscow received this message, they held a memorial service. The place of worship was decorated with beautiful flowers as they remembered their beloved minister and church elder. The Scripture lesson studied on this occasion is recorded in Hebrews 13:3-7 (R.S.V.):
"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them; and those who are ill-treated, since you also are in the body. . . . Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith."
Our missionaries, on lonely mission stations, far from home and loved ones, often refresh visitors with their rugged faith and spiritual stalwartness. On one occasion was visiting one of our veteran missionaries in the Middle East. It was at the outbreak of World War II. We were in Jerusalem. After the evening meal I began to encourage this brother and his faithful wife to take their furlough in the homeland as soon as possible. They had forgone one furlough already and the second one was past due. After I had pressed the point somewhat, this dear missionary said:
"Please don't insist on our taking a furlough. We have taken several furloughs when our children were small. We would naturally love to see our children again after having been separated from them so many years. It would be such a joy to see the homeland again, too. But we prefer not to go home until we return permanently. Furloughs only cause us to miss home all the more, and the readjustment to mission life is so painful after we have had a taste of the comforts and ease of home. Please let us carry right on with our work without a furlough now."
The spirit with which these sentiments were expressed and the prevailing atmosphere of the conversation left no doubt about the earnestness of the missionary and his wife. The point was not pressed any further. Whether the missionary was right or not might be debatable, but there was no doubt about his ruggedness of spirit. Although his decision was contrary to my personal wishes, I have never ceased marveling at such a whole-hearted devotion to God and the interests of His work upon earth.
This same spiritual ruggedness is found among the youth of the Advent Movement. The case of one of our young educators comes to mind. While he was taking postgraduate work, preparing himself for his chosen profession, his parents and relatives were trying to interest him in the study of medicine. In telling about his last conversation with the son on this subject, the father said: "I haven't said any more to my son about this matter since he told me what he did the last time we were discussing the question." Then, after a brief pause, the father added, "The last time we were talking about this matter my boy said to me, 'Dad, I don't want to study medicine, because I would do it only for the money.'"
Here was a young man who had motives for service that were not measured in terms of material comfort or well being. He had given his life to a cause that requires sacrifice and would not be deterred from his decision. Together with hundreds of other young men and women throughout the ranks of the Advent youth today, this young man manifests the type of spiritual ruggedness that will prove the trust that God has placed with Seventh-day Adventists in these last days.
True Sense of Mission
Another essential quality required of God in the proving of our trust is a true sense of mission, a conscious and well-measured participation in the burdens of the work of God. The burdens of advancing the work of God are not to rest upon the shoulders of one man, nor of a certain select group of individuals. These burdens are to be shared by every follower of Christ.
Doubtless this is what the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote to Timothy: "Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God" (2 Tim. 1:8). Paul remembered what was involved in his calling to the apostleship among the Gentiles. He was told how much he must suffer for Christ. There was never a time in his long ministry when he was not enduring some suffering for the sake of his Master. Now, as he neared the end of his life, he appealed to Timothy, "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel."
To share in the afflictions or burdens of the gospel means to have a true sense of mission in connection with the urgency and needs of the cause of Christ. The gospel commission embraces the promulgation of the gospel to all the world, regardless of the surrounding circumstances and irrespective of the sacrifices entailed. There can be no standstill or resting on one's lees. Every soldier of the cross must be ready and willing to bear his share of the burden at any time or place where the Lord may indicate. This includes the will, more often than not, to carry on God's work with the most meager facilities and without the aid of a church or employed helpers. The true sense of mission does not expect everything ready and prepared in' advance, only to be entered upon and enjoyed.
The attitude of the apostle Paul to his work is worthy of emulation. He never put himself or his personal interests first, neither did he think of prestige, rank, or position. He was never eager to dazzle in the limelight at the cost of other men's work.
The sinister temptation that often assails the gospel worker today when he is called to another field of labor is well described in "A Letter That Was Never Written," published in the Canadian Churchman some years ago. Suppose, the author asks, St. Paul had written thus:
"Dear Sir and Brother:
"Doubtless you will recall the invitation you extended to me to come over to Macedonia and help the people of that section. You will pardon me for saying that I am somewhat surprised that you should expect a man of my standing in the church seriously to consider a call on such meager information. There are a number of things I would like to learn before giving you my decision and I would appreciate you dropping me a line, addressing me at Troas.
"First of all I would like to know if Macedonia is a city or country work. This is important, as I have been told that once a man begins in country work it is well nigh impossible to obtain a city parish. If Macedonia embraces more than one preaching place, I may as well tell you frankly that I cannot think of accepting the call. I have been through a long and expensive training: in fact, I may say with pardonable pride that I am a Sanhedrin man—the only one in the ministry today. (My training and abilities peculiarly fit me to be at my best in addressing a large assembly.)
"The day is past when you may expect a man to rush into a new field sans (without) some idea of the support he is to receive. I have worked myself up to a good position in the Galatian field, and to take a drop would be a serious matter.
"Kindly get the good Macedonian brethren together and see just what you can do in the way of support. You see, you have told me nothing beyond the implication that the place needs help. What is the social position of the leader of the Macedonian group? Is the church efficiently organized?
"I recently had a fine offer to return to Antioch at an increase of salary, and am told that I made a very favorable impression on the church at Jerusalem. If it will help the board at Macedonia, you might mention these facts, and also that some of the brethren in Judea have been heard to say that if I keep on, in a few years I may have anything in the gift of the church. I will say that I am a first-class mixer, and especially strong on argumentative preaching.
Solicitiously yours,
Paul
Promptness and Decision
A third quality requiring continuous cultivation is promptness and decision in the conduct of God's work. Fear, hesitation, and indecision have resulted in the loss of many battles. As men have taken counsel with their fears, instead of promptly moving forward into providential openings, Satan has been able to rally his forces and close opportunities.
On this particular point the Lord has given His people very definite counsel. In the book Gospel Workers, by Ellen G. White, we read:
"The cause of God demands men who can see quickly and act instantaneously at the right time and with power. If you wait to measure every difficulty and balance every perplexity you meet, you will do but little. You will have obstacles and difficulties to encounter at every turn, and you must with firm purpose decide to conquer them, or they will conquer you. . .
"I have been shown that the most signal victories and the most fearful defeats have been on the turn of minutes. God requires promptness of action. Delays, doubtings, hesitation, and indecision frequently give the enemy every advantage. . . .
"There will be crises in this cause. Prompt and decisive action at the right time will gain glorious triumphs, while delay and neglect will result in great failures and positive dishonor to God."—Pages 133, 134.
Occasionally men who have been employed in our work become critical and rebellious. They sometimes seek to divide our churches, and even to seek followers from among our people, and work in strong opposition to the cause of God. When such rebellious apostasies arise, the leaders in the churches and conferences must act promptly and decisively. By quick discernment and prompt action the plans of the enemy can be destroyed at the very outset. Promptness and decisiveness, combined with fervent love for lost and bewildered souls, will count gloriously for God.
By such action rebellious elements have been subdued and even leaders of such movements have found their way back into the fellowship of the church. Whole churches have been delivered from a state of criticism and confusion. Hundreds of persons have been saved from apostasy and are today enjoying a precious Christian experience with God's people.
In order, therefore, to prove before men and angels that God can trust us to carry out His will, we must cultivate these great essential qualities of worthiness. Without them it will be impossible to follow a course of strict adherence to the will of God. With them, well developed and properly exercised, the cause of God will always be in safe hands. Every crisis will be met and overcome to the glory of God. Hindrances, opposition, and indecision will be turned into valor and victories. The cause of God will stand forth with the glory of heaven amid the darkness and frustration of the world.
