第五章 没有时间听轻松之言了

 冲淡真理的增长趋势，使我忧心忡忡。一些复临教会的传道人不再宣讲兽的印记了，因为害怕他们的听众心烦。反对找麻烦的普遍态度已经将其狡猾的影响延伸到了许多本该不会上当之人身上。

 我们无权对决战的大事保持沉默。爱与机智是需要的，然而这信息必须得传。数百万人必须借着听到他们无法误解的语言宣讲的真理，才能不受欺骗。有时似乎我们所受的教育越多，就越害怕支持正义。我们有没有可能变得太过优雅，变得过分讲究姿态了呢？我相信上帝已经给了我们这个问题的答案。

 “撒但已设计了一种事态使第三天使信息的传扬受其限制。我们必须谨防他的计划与方法。我们不应使真理变调，也不应使现代信息无声。第三天使的信息必须予以强化及证实。启示录第十八章显明传扬真理之重要，非用大胆大力无以形容之。……在传扬第三天使信息上，过去曾有了许多虚张声势之举。我们并没有照其应有的方式，使它被明白而清晰地传开。”——《布道论》，230面

 “人们将利用各种方法，尽力减少基督复临安息日的人与遵守每周第一日的人之间显著的区别。主在异象中显给我看到一班名为基督复临安息日会的人，他们建议说那使我们成为特别子民的旗号或印记，不应该如此醒目地被举起来；因为他们宣称，这对于确保本会机关的成功，不是最佳策略。”——《证言卷六》，144面

 有没有这样一种危险呢？就是我们可能变得如此习俗化了，以致公共关系对于我们都要比把真理带给公众更为重要了。有证据显明这事正在发生。“奇妙真相”（Amazing Facts.其网站为www.amazingfacts.org）广播从基督复临安息日会大学广播电台中被取消了，因为它以直截了当地方式传播最后的警告信息。只有两个电台继续支持全天完整资讯的广播。以下是真实引用那些撤消我们合约的大学电台的经理者们实际所说的话。

 “决定取消贵台节目的背后有许多原因，但最重要的原因就是贵台节目与我们听轻松之言的总计划很不相容。”

 “我们原以为奇妙真相的传播方式会比实际上间接得多。极其强烈地强调教义，加上有力的处理安息日与星期日的问题，似乎与我们在——这里工作的要旨与动机不相合。通过我们电台的媒体直接‘攻击’我们的邻居和朋友一生的立场，对我们而言似乎不是一种明智的方式。”

 “我们将不能在——继续播出奇妙的真相。我确定贵台节目做得很不错，但不符合我们正在努力的那种传播方式。”

 “我们在努力要接近世俗的听众。贵台节目的宗教意味太过强烈了。”

 当然这些信件提供了戏剧性的证据，证明怀姐妹警告我们不可低调处理末日警告的紧急信息是正确的。这就是没有时间“听轻松之言”。上帝已经为我们传扬现代真理提供了多种途径，而我们却害怕使用它们。巴比伦电台恳求我们去用他们的设备，但“奇妙真相”却被告之：那为基督复临安息日会信徒所有并运作的四个电台的播出时间，它都不能以任何价格购买。如果我们现在就害怕让人知道我们的立场，那么当死亡的判决正面盯上我们时，将怎么办呢？

 在对比施洗约翰以这样的心志执行以利亚的使命时，怀姐妹写道：

 “许多自称信仰真理的人若是发表他们心中的真意思，就会说，我们何必说得那么明白呢?他们不如问说，当年施洗的约翰何必要对法利赛人直说，‘毒蛇的种类，谁指示你们逃避将来的忿怒呢?’(太3：7)他何必向希律王说娶兄弟之妻是不合理的，以致激动希罗底的怒恨呢?他因为这样坦白地说话，就丧失了自己的生命。”——《传道良助》，149面

 当这警告渐长为大呼声时，在这临近的危机中，我们有此应许：

 “在最危急之时，以利亚的上帝必要兴起一班人作为助手，来传扬那无法禁压的信息…必定可以听到严正责备的声音。上帝所指派的人必要大胆地斥责教会与世俗的联合。”——《先知与君王》，187面

 上帝的子民现在是否需要就教会与世界不圣洁的联合得到警告呢？我们已经发现“新神学”的谬误就是这种联合的直接副产品。一些复临教会的牧师害怕讲教义的题目，改革的信息或是成圣的主题可能会被批评为太严厉了，没有爱心。把人们从沉溺世俗中呼召出来，非常有可能被看为是“以行为为导向”。对于害怕向人们发出警告反对去犯已知之罪的那些人，上帝是否有话说呢？

 “这种轻视罪而能永远住在上帝对罪人之爱里的伪善的宗教；鼓励罪人相信当他继续犯罪并且自己知道那是罪时上帝也必救他。这就是许多自称相信现代真理之人正在做的事…务必竭尽每一神经，心灵和肌肉的力量来离开世界，离开其习俗、惯例与时尚。”——《信息选萃》卷三，155面

 怀姐妹在圣灵的直接感动下，就降低标准这一非常问题，写下了数百页最强烈的劝勉与警告。她无畏于那些指控，说因其强烈的言辞有些人可能会被冒犯。她说道：

 “E弟兄建议说，倘若我少说一些责任，多说一些关于耶稣之爱的话，就能取悦人心了。然而我希望就按着主的圣灵所感动我的说出来。主最知道这些人需要什么。我上午所说的来自以赛亚书58章。我完全没有拐弯抹角。”——《信息选萃》，卷三，64面

 “教会已经一再受到警告。上帝子民本分及危机，都已明白地显示出来了。然而属世的成分，在他们身上却仍显得极其强烈。那些导使生灵远离上帝的风俗、习惯、时尚多年以来已根深蒂固；以致人无视圣灵的警告与恳求，直到最后他们所行的在自己眼中看为正直，圣灵的声音就几乎听不到了。”——《证言卷五》，103面　另见《证言精选卷二》•一

 为什么我们今日几乎听不到关于这一危险的警告呢？如果在100年前随俗飘流之势就如此强烈的话，那么关于今日事态的可悲状况，先知会写些什么呢？

 我可以告诉你为什么在这个问题上的沉默令人耳聋。撒旦基于遥远的过去已经炮制了一个理论，说如今在复临教会中律法主义是个大问题。无人能够否认确实存在一些，然而我要说相比放任自由主义的问题，它还是次要的。人要非常偶然才遇得上一个真正的律法主义狂热者，但要拜访一间教会而不遇见好几个新自由神学的支持者，那是几乎不可能的。今日所需要的是去中和抵消那偏向宣讲廉价救恩的明显趋势。完全没有证据表明我们的教会正因太过强烈宣讲成圣的教义而受损害。可以找到多少材料，是胆敢直指余民教会内纪律松弛的明确区域的呢？实际上是没有的。我们把教友们淹没在信心、称义、爱、自我价值与饶恕的书籍中，那些题目完全没有错；它们也很重要。然而我们为什么没有大胆宣讲真正称义的圣化作用，以平衡此情形呢？

 答案是双重的。当然看起来我们大部分的作者和编辑都以为复临信徒已经过于行为导向了，而其他许多人则是害怕自己会被打上律法主义的烙印。同时，因为缺乏关于胜过罪、实际的敬虔之主题的真正复临教会的证道，我们的教友就灭亡了。

 已有多少书是被著述出来主要抗击世俗化向余民教会内部欺骗性侵袭的呢？考虑该问题出现的比例以及预言之灵对此的专论，在这一题目上原本应找到许多书才是。若你想看看因我们疏忽不敢大声传扬此警戒与忠告所引起的实际后果，下一次你参加复临信徒大型聚会时就请往四周看看。帐篷聚会或许是你观察的好地方。你会看到什么呢？虽然这是个宗教聚会，然而人将要徒然发现这些人大体上看起来与那些拥挤在巴比伦街道上的人群没什么太大的区别。

 在最近的一次帐篷聚会上，一位美丽的基督徒母亲分享了她对自己十几岁的女儿的担心，她穿着非常非常紧的牛仔裤到处游荡。这位母亲是最近悔改归主的，她的丈夫是一个共产主义者根本不相信上帝。然而他竭力反对女儿挑逗性的服饰。我们这位新悔改的教友非常迷惑的是：她新加入之教会的精神领袖似乎没有意识到这违背了端庄原则，而她那无神论的丈夫却能清楚地看出来。这是何等的注解！解说向世界敞开所造成的瞎眼呀！并且当我们作出调整去适应已知是错误的事物时，我们就变得更加瞎眼了。

 还在前几年，总会MV部在我们所主办的青年活动中还是强烈反对男女混泳的。现在不但对年轻人来说标准已经被更改了，而且对教会甚至传道团队来说，在野餐会与静修会中推广男女混泳也是相当正常的做法了。很少有牧师意识到那些活动与他们的圣召格格不入，极不相称。有一个同工确实注意到了这与上帝在旧约时代对其祭司的要求不相符合，祂吩咐他们上主的祭坛不可用台阶，免得在这一过程中暴露出他们的裸体来。（出20：26）

 我想就在这里我们看到了世界侵入教会所达到的令人担忧的程度。我们已经对世界的方式如此习惯了，以致于我们不再意识到我们远离了真理的原则。那些确实看到这一点的人常常就被指责为狂热者或是存心邪恶的。很容易理解为什么他们不愿意使自己蒙受这样坏名声的指控。然而，被分派了责任的守望者们必须指出危险来。我们不是在参与一场谁受人欢迎的比赛。真理必须被传讲，无论其是否取悦于人。只要我们用建设性的方式来传扬真理，帮助人们找到路回到上帝伟大的旨意中，就不可害怕人们会怎么说或怎么做。

 真正的问题是：持续的妥协已经使我们许多人没有能力辨别真理与谬误了。他们会以极大的真诚用这些话反对教会内的改革工作：“我看不出我做得有什么错误。”再没有比这更无望的光景了。惟有圣灵才能开启那些根本就不知道自己是瞎眼之人的眼睛。但愿他们能够看出他们的需要，他们的罪，他们的瞎眼，这样他们或许就要寻找医治之方了！然而却再三地听到这可悲的话，“我看不出…”“我看不出...”

 我们的教友卷入俗事之中，这已经导致全国（美国）许多的基督复临安息日教会取消了祷告会。他们太忙于工作，房子或其它物质方面的事，以致都没有时间参加周间聚会或祷告。在我们大量的教会中青年聚会已经成了过去的遗物，不再举行了。教会公告单上写满了每周活动的通知，然而许多实质上是社交性的。哀哉！圣经学习与祷告会在所举办之活动的长长列表中只占据一小部分。不过由于有一连串令人兴奋的活动，教会也被高度评价为是成功的。它所关注的最重要的事就是要让每个人都参与，然而都参与些什么呢？

 当然，不会是布道或救灵工作。在写作本书的几个星期前，我一夜又一夜地注意到忠心的四、五十位教友参加了群集着大量非复临信徒的大型布道会。东道主教会其他750名教友在哪里呢？我差不多能明白那间教会星期三晚上的祷告会为什么会被取消了。我们的教友为什么不能感受到生活在这一审判时期的严肃性呢？以色列人在赎罪日刻苦己心的态度应当在今日守安息日的人当中显明出来。

 那种态度是什么样的呢？是深深地关注，关注每一样罪都已经承认并得了赦免。他们怀着热切的关注，倾听着着大祭司身上的铃铛声，当他在至圣所为他们做中保代求的工作时，他们在灵里跟随着他。我们也当如此深刻地意识到在天上的圣所里正在展开的最后赎罪工作，并且当我们蒙福的大祭司在至圣所里为我们服务时要跟随着祂。

 我们每一天都要提醒自己我们并非仅仅是一个不同的教派。这个教会是上帝派定来恢复已损坏的真理根基的，并要把过去历代伟大的改革工作完成到底。

 可能产生的最大悲哀就是我们忘记了预言的使命，渐渐地堕入不冷不热的普遍模式中，这种不冷不热已经压倒了其它每一次的宗教运动。它不必发生在我们身上，然而我们却看到它发生了！那正潜入我们教会与机构中的微妙的变化，我们当中几乎无人不知，无人不晓。我们曾为此哀哭并恳切祈求，使我们不要成为该问题的一部分。然而我们在心灵深处自己知道，我们真的是。我们每一次疏忽灵修祷告，每一次拒绝见证的机会，都是在阻饶上帝对我们圣洁的计划。

 每一间基督复临安息日教会都应该成为布道活动的密集之地。我们已蒙呼召进入了这一令人兴奋的信息中，不是要暗自放松的。善恶之争远古的奥秘已经显明给我们，是为了一个目的——使我们可以与其他人分享。这一光荣信仰的每一位新成员马上就被授予圣灵的能力，成为一名见证人。男男女女都一样要认识到上帝的委托与任命，而开始做和好的个人之工。按手礼不是必要的。没必要所有人都从事于同一种工作，然而每个人都有一种恩赐可以用于救灵。

 再没有什么比传福音、圣经学习与个人传道之工会更为有效地抗击老底嘉的灵了。我们有太多人正在等待一些情绪上的特别经历，作为他们要投身一项见证活动的印记。然而我们已经拥有圣灵的应许，那就足够了。我们是凭信心而不是感觉得到这应许的。惟有那些凭借信心实行上帝诫命之人，才会得到晚雨，并成为大呼声的一部分。

 “在许多地方，都可看到献身的男女在将那曾向他们显明借基督得救之道的光传予他人。当他们继续发光，犹如那班在五旬节接受圣灵洗礼之人所行的一般时，他们就必愈来愈多领受圣灵的能力。这样，地就因上帝的荣耀而发光了。”——《使徒行述》，54面

 请记得接受圣灵洗礼的所有目的是使我们成为见证（徒1：8）。保罗宣称那是因信得着所应许的圣灵（加3：14）。我们怎么显明我们的信心呢？“信心没有行为是死的。”（雅2：26）。因此我们若真的相信我们有了所应许的见证的能力，就要开始凭信而行了。换句话说，我们就要开始做自己所能做的来分享我们的见证，不管是不是感觉自己身上有什么能力。怀姐妹写道，当那工作展开时，就会被“愈来愈多”圣灵的能力所供应。然后她宣称，“这样，地就因上帝的荣耀而发光了。”

 想想那岂不是太奇妙了吗？那些未曾有救灵经历的人，即使那能力来到，也根本不知道怎么使用。惟独那些已经正在救灵的人才会配得领受晚雨，加入大呼声之列；那些没有盖印经历的人一个也不能得救。这样，撒旦希望保持余民教会忙于除了救灵外其它所有的事，也就不足为怪了。他已经完善了那耀眼的使人麻木的大批属世的吸引力，以使一般的教友远离那本可预备他们变化升天的工作。

 看着这样属灵的瘫痪已经使许多圣徒在这危急之秋丧失了机动性，何等痛心啊！随着世俗化毁灭的进一步扩散，直截证言的号角声已经越来越微弱了。甚至教会外的人都能够察觉到被改变了的重点。

 在《今日基督教》杂志1984年10月版，一位前基督复临安息日会教友描述了正在发生的变化；这些变化正在改变她所称为“老派守安息日之人”的方法，即宣称“安息日是永生上帝的印记，星期日崇拜是兽的印记”。她说，“这仍然还是复临信徒官方的路线…但是缺少了一些热诚，现在在复临信徒圈子中，你很可能会听到非常不同的方式。”然后她讲述了两个非常著名的复临教会神学家，他们仍然继续宣讲安息日，但是却强调“日子的质量，而不是其在一周中的排列顺序…强调敬拜，而不是抨击那些不像复临信徒那样守安息日之人的命运。”

 对安息日与兽的印记更温和的宣讲甚至已经被那些不是本会教友的人清楚地看出来了，这是多么有意思啊。在这一非常流行的新教杂志里，琼▪克莱温（Joan Craven）是在说，复临信徒正越来越少关注他们所遵守的一周中特定的那一天。这会是怀姐妹所预言的末后那可怕背道的序幕吗？为应验这一预言，我们的教友当然会有这个程序，把律法的要求与第七日的安息日看得越来越不重要。克莱温女士已经注意到，我们的神学家们正在把人们引到对安息日不重视的路上。

 她那不同寻常地客观公正的文章所描述的走势，恰好跟以下事实所显明的趋势一样：我们对教皇权的和解态度，我们继续接受政府对我们机构的援助，我们正在进行中的与普世教会理事会（World Council of Church）的对话，我们对授予女性圣职的儿戏做法，以及根本不强调关于敌基督者伟大的宗教改革的预言。

CHAPTER 5 NO TIME FOR EASY LISTENING

I am concerned and troubled over the growing tendency to water down the truth. Some Adventist evangelists no longer preach on the mark of the beast for fear of upsetting their listeners. The ecumenical attitude against rocking the boat has extended its subtle influence over many who should know better.

We have no right to keep silent on the great issues of the final conflict. Love and tact is needed, but the message must be given. Millions must be undeceived by hearing the truth proclaimed in language that cannot be misconstrued. Sometimes it seems that the more educated we get, the more fearful we become to take stands for the right. Is it possible to get too much polish and become too cultured in our attitude? I believe God has given us the answer to this question.

"Satan has devised a state of things whereby the proclamation of the third angel's message shall be bound about. We must beware of his plans and methods. There must be no toning down of the truth, no muffling of the message for this time. The third angel's message must be strengthened and confirmed. The eighteenth chapter of Revelation reveals the importance of presenting the truth in no measured terms, but with boldness and power.. . . There has been too much bearing about the bush in the proclamation of the third angel's message. The message has not been given as clearly and distinctly as it should have been." Evangelism, p. 230.

"Men will employ every means to make less prominent the difference between Seventh-day Adventists and observers of the first day of the week. A company was presented before me under the name of Seventh-day Adventists, who were advising that the banner, or sign, which makes us a distinct people should not be held out so strikingly; for they claimed that this was not the best policy in order to secure success to our institutions." Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 144.

Is there a danger that we might become so institutionalized that public relations will be more important to us than getting the truth to the public? There is evidence that this is happening right now. The Amazing Facts broadcast was dropped from four Seventh-day Adventist college radio stations because of its straightforward approach in presenting the last warning message. Only two stations continued to carry the daily full-message broadcast. Here are actual quotes from those college station managers who canceled our contracts:

"There were numerous reasons behind the decision to cancel your program, but the overriding reason related to the program's incompatibility with our easy listening format. "

"We had understood initially that the approach of Amazing Facts would be much more indirect than it is. The very strong doctrinal emphasis with forceful treatments of the Sabbath-Sunday issue seems not to fit the tenor and motivation for our work here at _____ For us to be making a direct 'attack' on the lifetime positions of our neighbors and friends through the medium of our station does not seem to us a wise approach."

"We will no longer be able to carry Amazing Facts on ______. I'm sure the program is doing a great deal of good, but it doesn't fit in with the type of outreach that we're trying to do."

"We are trying to reach a secular audience. Your program comes on too strong on a religious note."

Surely these letters offer dramatic proof that Sister White was correct in warning us not to soft-pedal our urgent last-day warning message. This is no time for "easy listening." God has provided the means for us to proclaim the truth for this time, and we are afraid to use them. The stations of Babylon beg us to use their facilities, but Amazing Facts was told it could not buy time at any price on those four Seventh-day Adventist owned and operated stations. If we are afraid to let our position be known now, what will we do when the death sentence stares us in the face?

In comparing the Elijah ministry of John the Baptist with this attitude, Sister White wrote:

"Many of those who profess to believe the truth would say, if they expressed their real sentiments, What need is there of speaking so plainly'? They might as well ask, Why need John the Baptist have said to the Pharisees, '0 generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?' Why need he have provoked the anger of Herodias by telling Herod that it was unlawful for him to live with his brother's wife? He lost his life by speaking so plainly." Gospel Workers, p. 149.

In the approaching crisis when the warning swells to a loud cry, we have this promise:

"In the hour of greatest peril the God of Elijah will raise up human instrumentalities to bear a message that will not be silenced. . . . The voice of stern rebuke will be heard. Boldly will men of God's appointment denounce the union of the church with the world." Prophets and Kings, p. 187.

Do the people of God need to be warned now about the unholy union of the church and the world? We have already discovered that the "new theology" errors are the direct outgrowth of such a union. Some Adventist pastors are fearful that doctrinal subjects, reformatory messages or sanctification topics might be criticized as harsh and unloving. Calling people away from worldly indulgences is very likely to be labeled as "works oriented." Does God have anything to say to those watchmen who are afraid to warn people against the practice of known sin?

"This goody-goody religion that makes light of sin and that is forever dwelling upon the love of God to the sinner, encourages the sinner to believe that God will save him while he continues in sin. This is the way that many are doing who profess to believe present truth . . . there must be a straining of every nerve and spirit and muscle to leave the world, its customs, its practices, and its fashions." Selected Messages, Bk. 3, p. 155.

Sister White, under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit, wrote hundreds of pages of the strongest counsel and warning on this very matter of lowering the standards. She was unafraid of the charges that some would get offended at her strong words. Said she:

"Brother E suggests that it would please the people if I speak less about duty and more in regard to the love of Jesus. But I wish to speak as the Spirit of the Lord shall impress me. The Lord knows best what this people needs. I spoke in the forenoon from Isaiah 58. 1 did not round the corners at all." Selected Messages. Bk. 3, p. 64,

"The church has received warning after warning. The duties and dangers of God's people have been plainly revealed. But the worldly element has proved too strong for them. Customs, practices, and fashions which lead the soul away from God have been for years gaining ground, in defiance of the warnings and entreaties of the Holy Spirit, until at last their ways have become right in their own eyes, and the Spirit's voice is scarcely heard." Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 103.

Why do we hear so little about this danger today? If the worldly drift was so strong a hundred years ago, what would the prophet write about the sad state of things today?

I can tell you why the silence is deafening on this subject. Satan has generated an opinion, based upon the distant past, that legalism is the big problem in the Adventist church right now. No one can deny that some is present, but I contend that it is minor, compared to the problem of permissiveness. Once in a great while one meets a genuine legalistic fanatic, but it is hardly possible to visit a church without meeting several proponents of the new, liberal theology. The need today is to counteract the obvious bent toward cheap-grace preaching. There is no present evidence that our church suffers from too strong doses of sanctification doctrine. How much material is available which dares to pinpoint the specific areas of slackened discipline within the remnant church? There is practically nothing. We have swamped our people with books on faith, justification, love, self-worth, and forgiveness, and there is nothing at all wrong with those subjects; they are important. But why haven't we balanced the picture by speaking out on the sanctifying effect of true justification?

The answer is twofold. It certainly appears that the majority of our writers and editors have assumed that Adventists are already too works-oriented, and many others are afraid they will be branded as legalists. In the meantime, our people perish for want of real Adventist sermons on the subject of victory over sin, and practical godliness.

How many books have been written primarily to combat the deceptive inroads of worldliness into the remnant church? Considering the proportion of the problem, and the space devoted to it in the Spirit of Prophecy, there should be many books available on the subject. If you want to see the practical results of our neglect to speak out in warning and counsel, look around at the next large gathering of Adventists you attend. Camp meeting would be a good place to make your observations. What will you see? Even though it is a religious gathering, one will look in vain to discover much difference in the general appearance of these people and those thronging the streets of Babylon.

At one recent camp meeting, a beautiful Christian mother shared her concern for her teenage daughter who wandered the grounds dressed in very, very tight jeans. The mother was a recent convert and her husband was a communist who did not even believe in God. Yet he objected violently to his daughter's provocative attire. Our convert was puzzled that the spiritual leaders of her new church did not seem to recognize a violation of modesty which her atheist husband could see clearly. What a commentary on the blindness produced by exposure to the world! And we become more blind as we adjust to a toleration of that which we know to be wrong.

Not so many years ago, the MV Department of the General Conference took a firm position against mixed swimming in our sponsored youth activities. Not only has that standard been changed for the young people, but it is quite a normal practice for churches and even ministerial groups to promote mixed bathing at their picnics and retreats. Few pastors seem to recognize those activities as being unfitting and inconsistent with their holy calling. One worker did observe that it seemed to be out of harmony with God's command to His priests in the Old Testament not to mount the altar by steps lest they expose their nakedness in the process. (Exodus 20:26.)

I think it is right here that we see the alarming extent of the worldly invasion of our church. We have become so accustomed to the ways of the world that we no longer recognize our departure from true principle. Those who do see it are often charged with fanaticism or having an evil mind. It is easy to understand why they would be reluctant to expose themselves to such unsavory charges. Yet the dangers must be exposed by the watchmen who have been assigned that responsibility. We are not engaged in a popularity contest. The truth must be told whether it is pleasing or not. As long as we are telling the truth in a constructive manner to help people find their way back to God's great ideal, we must not be afraid of what men might say or do.

The real problem is that the continuing compromise has rendered many of our people incapable of discerning between truth and error. In great sincerity they will oppose the work of reform in the church with the words, "I can't see anything wrong with what I'm doing." No state is more hopeless than this. Only the Holy Spirit can open the eyes of those who do not even know they are blind. If they could only recognize their need, their sin, and their blindness, they might seek a remedy. But the sad words are heard again and again, "I can't see . "I can't see . ..."

The involvement of our people with the things of the world has led to the cancellation of prayer meeting in many Seventh-day Adventist churches across the land.

They are too busy with the job, the house, or other material concerns to find time for midweek fellowship or prayer. Youth meetings have become a relic of the past in large numbers of our churches. Church bulletins are filled with announcements about activities of the week, but many of them are social in nature. Alas, the Bible study and prayer appointments occupy only a portion of the long list of sponsored functions. But because there is a whirl of exciting activity, the church is rated highly successful. The chief concern seems to be to get everybody involved, but involved in what?

Certainly, it's not evangelism or soul winning. A few weeks ago from this writing, I watched night after night as the faithful forty or fifty members joined the largely non-Adventist crowd in the crusade auditorium. Where were the other 750 members of the sponsoring church? I could almost understand why the Wednesday-night prayer meeting had been canceled in that church. Why cannot our people sense the solemnity of living in the time of the judgment? The heart searching attitude of Israel on the day of atonement should be manifest among Sabbath-keepers today.

What was that attitude? Deep concern that every sin had been confessed and forsaken. With intense interest they listened to the bells on the high priest, and followed him in spirit as he moved about in the holy of holies interceding for them. Just as deeply, we must be aware of the final atonement which is unfolding in the heavenly sanctuary above and follow our blessed High Priest as He ministers for us in the most holy place.

Every day we should remind ourselves that we are not just another denomination. This church is on assignment by God to RESTORE the foundations of truth which have been broken down, and to FINISH the great reformation work of ages past.

The greatest tragedy which could ever occur would be to forget our prophetic mission, and slowly lapse into the familiar pattern of luke-warmness which has overtaken every other religious movement. It must not happen to us, and yet we see it happening! Hardly one of us is unaware of subtle changes which have been creeping into our churches and institutions. We have wept over it and prayed earnestly that we might not be a part of the problem. Yet we know in our heart of hearts that we are. Every time we neglect to study and pray, every time we refuse an opportunity to witness, we are frustrating God's holy purpose for us.

Every Seventh-day Adventist church should be a swarming beehive of evangelistic activity. We have not been called into this exciting message to relax in a corner. The age-old mysteries of the great controversy have been revealed to us for one purpose-that we might share them with others. Each new member of this glorious faith is immediately invested with the power of the Spirit to be a witness. Men and women alike are to recognize the commission and ordination of God to begin a personal ministry of reconciliation. The laying on of hands is not necessary. All do not have to engage in the same work, but everyone has a gift which may be used in soul winning.

Nothing will combat the spirit of Laodiceanism more effectively than evangelism, Bible studies, and personal missionary work. Too many of our people are waiting for some special emotional experience as a sign that they are to launch into a witnessing program. But we already have the promise of the Spirit and that is quite enough. We receive it by faith, not feeling. Only those who begin acting on God's command by faith will receive the latter rain and have a part in the loud cry.

"In many places consecrated men and women may be seen communicating to others the light that has made plain to them the way of salvation through Christ. And AS they continue to let their light shine, as did those who were baptized with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they will receive more and still more of the Spirit's power. THUS the earth will be lightened with the glory of God." The Acts of the Apostles, p. 54.

Please remember that the whole purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to make us witnesses. (Acts 1:8.) Paul declares that the promise of the Spirit is received by faith. (Galatians 3:14.) How do we show our faith? "Faith without works is dead." James 2:26. So if we truly believe we have the promised witnessing power, we will begin to act upon it in faith. In other words, we will start doing what we can to share our witness, whether we feel any power in us or not. Sister White wrote that AS that work is launched "more and still more" of the Spirit's power will be supplied. Then she declared, "THUS the earth will be lightened with the glory of God."

Isn't that a tremendous thought! Those who have had no experience in soul winning would not even know what to do with the power if it came. Only those who are doing it already will be qualified to receive the latter rain and participate in the loud cry, and none will be saved who do not share that sealing experience. No wonder, then, that Satan wants to keep the remnant church occupied with everything else except soul winning. He has perfected a dazzling, numbing array of worldly attractions to keep average church members away from the very work which would prepare them to be translated.

How painful it is to look upon the spiritual paralysis that has immobilized many of the saints in this critical hour of time. The trumpet tones of straight testimony have become more and more muted as the worldly subversion proceeds. Even people outside the church are able to detect the altered emphasis.

In the October, 1984 issue of Christianity Today, a former Seventh-day Adventist described the changes that

are transforming what she called "the old-style sabbatarian" approach which claimed that the "Sabbath is the seal of the living God and that Sunday worship is the mark of the beast." She said, "This is still the official Adventist line. . . . But it lacks a little warmth, and nowadays in Adventist circles you are likely to hear quite a different approach." Then she described two well known Adventist theologians who were still preaching the Sabbath, but who emphasized "the day's quality rather than the sequence in the week . . . . and worship, rather than belaboring the fate of those who fail to observe the Sabbath as Adventists do."

How interesting it is that this softer line in presenting the Sabbath and mark of the beast has been clearly recognized even by those who are not members of the church. What Joan Craven is saying, in this very popular Protestant magazine, is that Adventists are getting less concerned about the particular day of the week they observe. Could this be a prelude to the terrible end-time apostasy predicted by Sister White? To fulfill that prediction, our people will surely have to be programmed to see the claims of the law and the seventh-day Sabbath as less and less important. Ms. Craven has observed that our theologians are leading the way in the downplay of the Sabbath.

The trend which she described in her unusually candid article is the very same which is revealed by our conciliatory attitude toward the papacy, our continuing acceptance of government aid in our institutions, our ongoing dialogue with the World Council of Churches, our dalliance with the ordination of women, and a radical de-emphasis of the great Reformation prophecies about the Antichrist