the great controversy-第10节

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actuated　those　steadfast　souls　were　revived　in　the　hearts　of　God's　professed
people。　There　is　an　alarming　indifference　in　regard　to　the　doctrines　which
are　the　pillars　of　the　Christian　faith。　The　opinion　is　gaining　ground；　that；
after　all；　these　are　not　of　vital　importance。　This　degeneracy　is
strengthening　the　hands　of　the　agents　of　Satan；　so　that　false　theories　and
fatal　delusions　which　the　faithful　in　ages　past　imperiled　their　lives　to
resist　and　expose；　are　now　regarded　with　favor　by　thousands　who　claim　to　be
followers　of　Christ。

The　early　Christians　were　indeed　a　peculiar　people。　Their　blameless
deportment　and　unswerving　faith　were　a　continual　reproof　that　disturbed　the
sinner's　peace。　Though　few　in　numbers；　without　wealth；　position；　or　honorary
titles；　they　were　a　terror　to　evildoers　wherever　their　character　and
doctrines　were　known。　Therefore　they　were　hated　by　the　wicked；　even　as　Abel
was　hated　by　the　ungodly　Cain。　For　the　same　reason　that　Cain　slew　Abel；　did
those　who　sought　to　throw　off　the　restraint　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　put　to　death
God's　people。　It　was　for　the　same　reason　that　the　Jews　rejected　and
crucified　the　Saviourbecause　the　purity　and　holiness　of　His　character　was
a　constant　rebuke　to　their　selfishness　and　corruption。　From　the　days　of
Christ　until　now　His　faithful　disciples　have　excited　the　hatred　and
opposition　of　those　who　love　and　follow　the　ways　of　sin。

How；　then；　can　the　gospel　be　called　a　message　of　peace？　When　Isaiah　foretold
the　birth　of　the　Messiah；　he　ascribed　to　Him　the　title；　〃Prince　of　Peace。〃
When　angels　announced　to　the　shepherds　that　Christ　was　born；　they　sang　above
the　plains　of　Bethlehem：　〃Glory　to　God　in　the　highest；　and　on　earth　peace；
good　will　toward　men。〃　Luke　2：14。　There　is　a　seeming　contradiction　between
these　prophetic　declarations　and　the　words　of　Christ：　〃I　came　not　to　send
peace；　but　a　sword。〃　Matthew　10：34。　But；　rightly　understood；　the　two

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are　in　perfect　harmony。　The　gospel　is　a　message　of　peace。　Christianity　is　a
system　which；　received　and　obeyed；　would　spread　peace；　harmony；　and
happiness　throughout　the　earth。　The　religion　of　Christ　will　unite　in　close
brotherhood　all　who　accept　its　teachings。　It　was　the　mission　of　Jesus　to
reconcile　men　to　God；　and　thus　to　one　another。　But　the　world　at　large　are
under　the　control　of　Satan；　Christ's　bitterest　foe。　The　gospel　presents　to
them　principles　of　life　which　are　wholly　at　variance　with　their　habits　and
desires；　and　they　rise　in　rebellion　against　it。　They　hate　the　purity　which
reveals　and　condemns　their　sins；　and　they　persecute　and　destroy　those　who
would　urge　upon　them　its　just　and　holy　claims。　It　is　in　this　sensebecause
the　exalted　truths　it　brings　occasion　hatred　and　strifethat　the　gospel　is
called　a　sword。

The　mysterious　providence　which　permits　the　righteous　to　suffer　persecution
at　the　hand　of　the　wicked　has　been　a　cause　of　great　perplexity　to　many　who
are　weak　in　faith。　Some　are　even　ready　to　cast　away　their　confidence　in　God
because　He　suffers　the　basest　of　men　to　prosper；　while　the　best　and　purest
are　afflicted　and　tormented　by　their　cruel　power。　How；　it　is　asked；　can　One
who　is　just　and　merciful；　and　who　is　also　infinite　in　power；　tolerate　such
injustice　and　oppression？　This　is　a　question　with　which　we　have　nothing　to
do。　God　has　given　us　sufficient　evidence　of　His　love；　and　we　are　not　to
doubt　His　goodness　because　we　cannot　understand　the　workings　of　His
providence。　Said　the　Saviour　to　His　disciples；　foreseeing　the　doubts　that
would　press　upon　their　souls　in　days　of　trial　and　darkness：　〃Remember　the
word　that　I　said　unto　you；　The　servant　is　not　greater　than　his　lord。　If　they
have　persecuted　Me；　they　will　also　persecute　you。〃　John　15：20。　Jesus
suffered　for　us　more　than　any　of　His　followers　can　be　made　to　suffer　through
the　cruelty　of　wicked　men。　Those　who　are　called　to　endure　torture　and
martyrdom　are　but　following　in　the　steps　of　God's　dear　Son。

48


〃The　Lord　is　not　slack　concerning　His　promise。〃　2　Peter　3：9。　He　does　not
forget　or　neglect　His　children；　but　He　permits　the　wicked　to　reveal　their
true　character；　that　none　who　desire　to　do　His　will　may　be　deceived
concerning　them。　Again；　the　righteous　are　placed　in　the　furnace　of
affliction；　that　they　themselves　may　be　purified；　that　their　example　may
convince　others　of　the　reality　of　faith　and　godliness；　and　also　that　their
consistent　course　may　condemn　the　ungodly　and　unbelieving。

God　permits　the　wicked　to　prosper　and　to　reveal　their　enmity　against　Him；
that　when　they　shall　have　filled　up　the　measure　of　their　iniquity　all　may
see　His　justice　and　mercy　in　their　utter　destruction。　The　day　of　His
vengeance　hastens；　when　all　who　have　transgressed　His　law　and　oppressed　His
people　will　meet　the　just　recompense　of　their　deeds；　when　every　act　of
cruelty　or　injustice　toward　God's　faithful　ones　will　be　punished　as　though
done　to　Christ　Himself。

There　is　another　and　more　important　question　that　should　engage　the
attention　of　the　churches　of　today。　The　apostle　Paul　declares　that　〃all　that
will　live　godly　in　Christ　Jesus　shall　suffer　persecution。〃　2　Timothy　3：12。
Why　is　it；　then；　that　persecution　seems　in　a　great　degree　to　slumber？　The
only　reason　is　that　the　church　has　conformed　to　the　world's　standard　and
therefore　awakens　no　opposition。　The　religion　which　is　current　in　our　day　is
not　of　the　pure　and　holy　character　that　marked　the　Christian　faith　in　the
days　of　Christ　and　His　apostles。　It　is　only　because　of　the　spirit　of
compromise　with　sin；　because　the　great　truths　of　the　word　of　God　are　so
indifferently　regarded；　because　there　is　so　little　vital　godliness　in　the
church；　that　Christianity　is　apparently　so　popular　with　the　world。　Let　there
be　a　revival　of　the　faith　and　power　of　the　early　church；　and　the　spirit　of
persecution　will　be　revived；　and　the　fires　of　persecution　will　be　rekindled。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（49）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　3

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　An　Era　of　Spiritual　Darkness


The　apostle　Paul；　in　his　second　letter　to　the　Thessalonians；　foretold　the
great　apostasy　which　would　result　in　the　establishment　of　the　papal　power。
He　declared　that　the　day　of　Christ　should　not　come；　〃except　there　come　a
falling　away　first；　and　that　man　of　sin　be　revealed；　the　son　of　perdition；
who　opposeth　and　exalteth　himself　above　all　that　is　called　God；　or　that　is
worshiped；　so　that　he　as　God　sitteth　in　the　temple　of　God；　showing　himself
that　he　is　God。〃　And　furthermore；　the　apostle　warns　his　brethren　that　〃the
mystery　of　iniquity　doth　already　work。〃　2　Thessalonians　2：3；　4；　7。　Even　at
that　early　date　he　saw；　creeping　into　the　church；　errors　that　would　prepare
the　way　for　the　development　of　the　papacy。

Little　by　little；　at　first　in　stealth　and　silence；　and　then　more　openly　as
it　increased　in　strength　and　gained　control　of　the　minds　of　men；　〃the
mystery　of　iniquity〃　carried　forward　its　deceptive　and　blasphemous　work。
Almost　imperceptibly　the　customs　of　heathenism　found　their　way　into　the
Christian　church。　The　spirit　of　compromise　and　conformity　was　restrained　for
a　time　by　the　fierce　persecutions　which　the　church　endured　under　paganism。
But　as　persecution　ceased；　and　Christianity　entered　the　courts　and　palaces
of　kings；　she　laid　aside　the　humble　simplicity　of　Christ　and　His　apostles
for　the　pomp　and　pride　of　pagan　priests　and　rulers；　and　in　place　of　the
requirements　of　God；　she　substituted　human　theories　and　traditions。　The
nominal　conversion　of　Constantine；

50

in　the　early　part　of　the　fourth　century；　caused　great　rejoicing；　and　the
world；　cloaked　with　a　form　of　righteousness；　walked　into　the　church。　Now　the
work　of　corruption　rapidly　progressed。　Paganism；　while　appearing　to　be
vanquished；　became　the　conqueror。　Her　spirit　controlled　the　church。　Her
doctrines；　ceremonies；　and　superstitions　were　incorporated　into　the　faith
and　worship　of　the　professed　followers　of　Christ。

This　compromise　between　paganism　and　Christianity　resulted　in　the
development　of　〃the　man　of　sin〃　foretold　in　prophecy　as　opposing　and
exalting　himself　above　God。　That　gigantic　system　of　false　religion　is　a
masterpiece　of　Satan's　powera　monument　of　his　efforts　to　seat　himself　upon
the　throne　to　rule　the　earth　according　to　his　will。

Satan　once　endeavored　to　form　a　compromise　with　Christ。　He　came　to　the　Son
of　God　in　the　wilderness　of　temptation；　and　showing　Him　all　the　kingdoms　of
the　world　and　the　glory　of　them；　offered　to　give　all　into　His　hands　if　He
would　but　acknowledge　the　supremacy　of　the　prince　of　darkness。　Christ
rebuked　the　presumptuous　tempter　and　forced　him　to　depart。　But　Satan　meets
with　greater　success　in　presenting　the　same　temptations　to　man。　To　secure
worldly　gains　and　honors；　the　church　was　led　to　seek　the　favor　and　support
of　the　great　men　of　earth；　and　having　thus　rejected　Christ；　she　was　induced
to　yield　allegiance　to　the　representative　of　Satan　the　bishop　of　Rome。

It　is　one　of　the　leading　doctrines　of　Romanism　that　the　pope　is　the　visible
head　of　the　universal　church　of　Christ；　invested　with　supreme　authority　ove