Now Is Not A Time To Compromise

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Now Is Not A Time To Compromise Today's Text: The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come. Isaiah 21:12 The Message:      We are pressing on to the final conflict, and this is no time to compromise; it is no time to hide your colors. When the battle rages sore, let no one turn traitor. It is no time to lay down or conceal our weapons and give Satan the advantage in the warfare, but unless you watch and keep your garments unspotted from the world, you will not stand true to your Captain. It is no time for watchmen to slumber on the walls of Zion. Let them be wide awake. Call to your fellow watchmen, crying, "The morning cometh, and also the night."      It is no time now to relax our efforts, to become dull and spiritless, no time to hide our light under a bushel, to speak smooth things, to prophesy deceit. Every power is to be employed for God. You are to maintain your allegiance, bearing testimony for God and for truth. Do not be turned aside by any suggestion the world may make. We cannot afford to compromise; there is a living issue before us, of vital importance to the remnant people of God to the very close of this earth's history, for eternal interests are involved. On the very eve of the crisis, it is no time to be found with an evil heart of unbelief, departing from the living God.      The original apostasy began in disbelief and denial of the truth; but if we would triumph, we must fix the eye of faith steadfastly upon Jesus, the Captain of our salvation. We are to follow the example of Christ. In all that Jesus did on earth, He had an eye single to the glory of God. He says, "As the Father gave me commandment, even so do I." [John 14:31.] Divinity and humanity were united in Christ, that He might reveal to us God's purpose, and bring us into close union with Himself. This union will enable us to overcome the enemy, for through faith in Christ, we shall have divine power.      Our numbers are increasing; our facilities are enlarging, and all this calls for union among the workers, and for entire consecration and real devotion to the cause of God. There is no place in the work of God for halfhearted workers, for those who are neither hot nor cold.      Watchmen on the walls of Zion are to be vigilant, and sleep not day or night. But if they have not received the message from the lips of Christ, their trumpets will give an uncertain sound. Brethren and sisters, God calls upon you, both ministers and laypersons, listen to His voice, as speaking to you through His Word. Let His truth be received into your heart, that you may be spiritualized by His living, sanctifying power. Then let the distinct message for this time be sent from watchman to watchman on the walls of Zion.-Manuscript 152, 1897 *Note: I have added in the parts that were left out by the compilers for what ever reason, that the true sentiment of the author may be seen.  These parts are underlined. Commentary: My friend, we are ever to look unto Jesus, for He said "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6).  As we look unto Him, inviting Him into our hearts we will be one with Him, even as He is one with the Father.  His divine-human life will be manifested in our hearts and we will walk as He walked and we will be in harmony with God. We are living in the very last days of earths history, the prophecies have been fulfilled and the great time of trouble is just before us.  Now is not the time for us to compromise with the world.  Now is the time that we should be on our guard, watching and praying for the guidance of the Lord.  The messages that we should be giving to our fellow brethren is not a message of peace and safety, but a message to awaken them from their terrible stupor. Today the remnant church of God is truly in the Laodicean condition.  They have become comfortable in their supposed righteousness, thinking that they are right with God, but in reality they are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" (Revelation 3:17).  They are in this condition because they have forsaken the One true God for the false god of the trinity, and as such they have a false experience of righteousness by faith and cannot be saved in this conditon.  They are blind to their condition because the trinity has the form of godliness but lacks the power of the Son of God in their lives. The Holy Spirit has been accepted as their mediator, being is a different being from the Father and the Son, and as such they have accepted the spirit of another to connect them with heaven while the Scriptures declare "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" (1 Timothy 2:5). As watchmen on the walls of Zion, we are not to sit idly by while this great apostacy is taking place.  We are to give the trumpet a certain sound.  We are to be united with Christ and give the message of warning to the church.  That message is found in the message to the church of Laodicea given by the Faithful and True Witness of God through His faithful people.  As we become one with Christ, He will work within us to give this message to His people, and all those who receive this message with a broken and contrite heart will be filled with His Spirit. The last message of warning given to the people of God is the message to the church of Laodicea; a message that reveals to them their true condition before God because of their worship of the false god of the trinity.  This message shakes the church to the very foundation.  Those who accept the rebuke of the Lord, will unite with Him in giving the true three angels message to the world.  Those who resist and reject the message will grieve away the Spirit of Christ never to return, for their probation is at an end.  They have resisted the Spirit of God working upon their hearts and there is nothing more that He can do for them.  They have made their final decision and they join the ranks of the wicked. My friend, now is the time to harken unto the voice of the Lord.  "To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart." (Psalms 95:7, 8). God bless, Video of the Week The Doctrine of Christ - David Clayton What is the central focus, the key element of the Christian faith? What is the "doctrine of Christ?" Unless we understand this doctrine we may spend our energies seeking the wrong thing and never really enter into the experience that God wants us to have.