the great controversy-第130节

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the　whole　law；　his　influence　and　example　are　on　the　side　of　transgression；
he　becomes　〃guilty　of　all。〃　James　2：10。

In　seeking　to　cast　contempt　upon　the　divine　statutes；　Satan　has　perverted
the　doctrines　of　the　Bible；　and　errors　have　thus　become　incorporated　into
the　faith　of　thousands　who　profess　to　believe　the　Scriptures。　The　last　great
conflict　between　truth　and　error　is　but　the　final　struggle　of　the
long…standing　controversy　concerning　the　law　of　God。　Upon　this　battle　we　are
now　enteringa　battle　between　the　laws　of　men　and　the　precepts　of　Jehovah；
between　the　religion　of　the　Bible　and　the　religion　of　fable　and　tradition。

The　agencies　which　will　unite　against　truth　and　righteousness　in　this
contest　are　now　actively　at　work。　God's　holy　word；　which　has　been　handed
down　to　us　at　such　a　cost　of

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suffering　and　blood；　is　but　little　valued。　The　Bible　is　within　the　reach　of
all；　but　there　are　few　who　really　accept　it　as　the　guide　of　life。　Infidelity
prevails　to　an　alarming　extent；　not　in　the　world　merely；　but　in　the　church。
Many　have　come　to　deny　doctrines　which　are　the　very　pillars　of　the　Christian
faith。　The　great　facts　of　creation　as　presented　by　the　inspired　writers；　the
fall　of　man；　the　atonement；　and　the　perpetuity　of　the　law　of　God；　are
practically　rejected；　either　wholly　or　in　part；　by　a　large　share　of　the
professedly　Christian　world。　Thousands　who　pride　themselves　upon　their
wisdom　and　independence　regard　it　as　an　evidence　of　weakness　to　place
implicit　confidence　in　the　Bible；　they　think　it　a　proof　of　superior　talent
and　learning　to　cavil　at　the　Scriptures　and　to　spiritualize　and　explain　away
their　most　important　truths。　Many　ministers　are　teaching　their　people；　and
many　professors　and　teachers　are　instructing　their　students；　that　the　law　of
God　has　been　changed　or　abrogated；　and　those　who　regard　its　requirements　as
still　valid；　to　be　literally　obeyed；　are　thought　to　be　deserving　only　of
ridicule　or　contempt。

In　rejecting　the　truth；　men　reject　its　Author。　In　trampling　upon　the　law　of
God；　they　deny　the　authority　of　the　Law…giver。　It　is　as　easy　to　make　an　idol
of　false　doctrines　and　theories　as　to　fashion　an　idol　of　wood　or　stone。　By
misrepresenting　the　attributes　of　God；　Satan　leads　men　to　conceive　of　Him　in
a　false　character。　With　many；　a　philosophical　idol　is　enthroned　in　the　place
of　Jehovah；　while　the　living　God；　as　He　is　revealed　in　His　word；　in　Christ；
and　in　the　works　of　creation；　is　worshiped　by　but　few。　Thousands　deify
nature　while　they　deny　the　God　of　nature。　Though　in　a　different　form；
idolatry　exists　in　the　Christian　world　today　as　verily　as　it　existed　among
ancient　Israel　in　the　days　of　Elijah。　The　god　of　many　professedly　wise　men；
of　philosophers；　poets；　politicians；　journaliststhe　god　of　polished
fashionable　circles；　of　many　colleges　and　universities；　even　of　some
theological　institutionsis　little　better　than　Baal；　the　sun…god　of
Phoenicia。

584


No　error　accepted　by　the　Christian　world　strikes　more　boldly　against　the
authority　of　Heaven；　none　is　more　directly　opposed　to　the　dictates　of
reason；　none　is　more　pernicious　in　its　results；　than　the　modern　doctrine；　so
rapidly　gaining　ground；　that　God's　law　is　no　longer　binding　upon　men。　Every
nation　has　its　laws；　which　command　respect　and　obedience；　no　government
could　exist　without　them；　and　can　it　be　conceived　that　the　Creator　of　the
heavens　and　the　earth　has　no　law　to　govern　the　beings　He　has　made？　Suppose
that　prominent　ministers　were　publicly　to　teach　that　the　statutes　which
govern　their　land　and　protect　the　rights　of　its　citizens　were　not
obligatorythat　they　restricted　the　liberties　of　the　people；　and　therefore
ought　not　to　be　obeyed；　how　long　would　such　men　be　tolerated　in　the　pulpit？
But　is　it　a　graver　offense　to　disregard　the　laws　of　states　and　nations　than
to　trample　upon　those　divine　precepts　which　are　the　foundation　of　all
government？

It　would　be　far　more　consistent　for　nations　to　abolish　their　statutes；　and
permit　the　people　to　do　as　they　please；　than　for　the　Ruler　of　the　universe
to　annul　His　law；　and　leave　the　world　without　a　standard　to　condemn　the
guilty　or　justify　the　obedient。　Would　we　know　the　result　of　making　void　the
law　of　God？　The　experiment　has　been　tried。　Terrible　were　the　scenes　enacted
in　France　when　atheism　became　the　controlling　power。　It　was　then
demonstrated　to　the　world　that　to　throw　off　the　restraints　which　God　has
imposed　is　to　accept　the　rule　of　the　cruelest　of　tyrants。　When　the　standard
of　righteousness　is　set　aside；　the　way　is　open　for　the　prince　of　evil　to
establish　his　power　in　the　earth。

Wherever　the　divine　precepts　are　rejected；　sin　ceases　to　appear　sinful　or
righteousness　desirable。　Those　who　refuse　to　submit　to　the　government　of　God
are　wholly　unfitted　to　govern　themselves。　Through　their　pernicious　teachings
the　spirit　of　insubordination　is　implanted　in　the　hearts　of　children　and
youth；　who　are　naturally　impatient　of　control；　and　a　lawless；　licentious
state　of　society　results。　While　scoffing　at　the　credulity　of　those　who　obey
the　requirements　of　God；

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the　multitudes　eagerly　accept　the　delusions　of　Satan。　They　give　the　rein　to
lust　and　practice　the　sins　which　have　called　down　judgments　upon　the
heathen。

Those　who　teach　the　people　to　regard　lightly　the　commandments　of　God　sow
disobedience　to　reap　disobedience。　Let　the　restraint　imposed　by　the　divine
law　be　wholly　cast　aside；　and　human　laws　would　soon　be　disregarded。　Because
God　forbids　dishonest　practices；　coveting；　lying；　and　defrauding；　men　are
ready　to　trample　upon　His　statutes　as　a　hindrance　to　their　worldly
prosperity；　but　the　results　of　banishing　these　precepts　would　be　such　as
they　do　not　anticipate。　If　the　law　were　not　binding；　why　should　any　fear　to
transgress？　Property　would　no　longer　be　safe。　Men　would　obtain　their
neighbor's　possessions　by　violence；　and　the　strongest　would　become　richest。
Life　itself　would　not　be　respected。　The　marriage　vow　would　no　longer　stand
as　a　sacred　bulwark　to　protect　the　family。　He　who　had　the　power；　would；　if
he　desired；　take　his　neighbor's　wife　by　violence。　The　fifth　commandment
would　be　set　aside　with　the　fourth。　Children　would　not　shrink　from　taking
the　life　of　their　parents　if　by　so　doing　they　could　obtain　the　desire　of
their　corrupt　hearts。　The　civilized　world　would　become　a　horde　of　robbers
and　assassins；　and　peace；　rest；　and　happiness　would　be　banished　from　the
earth。

Already　the　doctrine　that　men　are　released　from　obedience　to　God's
requirements　has　weakened　the　force　of　moral　obligation　and　opened　the
floodgates　of　iniquity　upon　the　world。　Lawlessness；　dissipation；　and
corruption　are　sweeping　in　upon　us　like　an　overwhelming　tide。　In　the　family；
Satan　is　at　work。　His　banner　waves；　even　in　professedly　Christian
households。　There　is　envy；　evil　surmising；　hypocrisy；　estrangement；
emulation；　strife；　betrayal　of　sacred　trusts；　indulgence　of　lust。　The　whole
system　of　religious　principles　and　doctrines；　which　should　form　the
foundation　and　framework　of　social　life；　seems　to　be　a　tottering　mass；　ready
to　fall　to　ruin。　The　vilest　of　criminals；　when　thrown　into　prison　for　their
offenses；　are　often　made　the　recipients　of　gifts　and

586

attentions　as　if　they　had　attained　an　enviable　distinction。　Great　publicity
is　given　to　their　character　and　crimes。　The　press　publishes　the　revolting
details　of　vice；　thus　initiating　others　into　the　practice　of　fraud；　robbery；
and　murder；　and　Satan　exults　in　the　success　of　his　hellish　schemes。　The
infatuation　of　vice；　the　wanton　taking　of　life；　the　terrible　increase　of
intemperance　and　iniquity　of　every　order　and　degree；　should　arouse　all　who
fear　God；　to　inquire　what　can　be　done　to　stay　the　tide　of　evil。

Courts　of　justice　are　corrupt。　Rulers　are　actuated　by　desire　for　gain　and
love　of　sensual　pleasure。　Intemperance　has　beclouded　the　faculties　of　many
so　that　Satan　has　almost　complete　control　of　them。　Jurists　are　perverted；
bribed；　deluded。　Drunkenness　and　revelry；　passion；　envy；　dishonesty　of　every
sort；　are　represented　among　those　who　administer　the　laws。　〃Justice　standeth
afar　off：　for　truth　is　fallen　in　the　street；　and　equity　cannot　enter。〃
Isaiah　59：14。

The　iniquity　and　spiritual　darkness　that　prevailed　under　the　supremacy　of
Rome　were　the　inevitable　result　of　her　suppression　of　the　Scriptures；　but
where　is　to　be　found　the　cause　of　the　widespread　infidelity；　the　rejection
of　the　law　of　God；　and　the　consequent　corruption；　under　the　full　blaze　of
gospel　light　in　an　age　of　religious　freedom？　Now　that　Satan　can　no　longer
keep　the　world　under　his　control　by　withholding　the　Scriptures；　he　resorts
to　other　means　to　accomplish　the　same　object。　To　destroy　faith　in　the　Bible
serves　his　purpose　as　well　as　to　destroy　the　Bible　itself。　By　introducing
the　belief　that　God's　law　is　not　binding；　he　as　effectually　leads　men　to
transgress　as　if　they　were　wholly　ignorant　of　its　precepts。　And　now；　as　in
former　ages；　he　has　worked　through　the　church　to　further　his　designs。　The
religious　organizations　of　the　day　have　refused　to　li