Sabbath, <strong>December</strong> 7, <strong>2013</strong>StandardBearersA compilation from the Bible and theSpirit <strong>of</strong> Prophecy, with commentsby D. GuzmanThe timehas come for usto contemplate theLord, that He may putin our heart the desirethat today—more than ever, together asone—we <strong>ca</strong>n lift up the truth God hasgiven us for these last days <strong>of</strong> humanhistory in which we live. The churchhas reached a crucial and decisivemoment in which we need to clotheourselves in the armor <strong>of</strong> God to dealwith the powerful work <strong>of</strong> Satan andhis evil forces that flood the world withsubtle temptations to ensnare humanityand lead it to perdition.Let us pray to God that duringthis <strong>Week</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Prayer</strong> we may havepr<strong>of</strong>ound and serious reflections,and this oc<strong>ca</strong>sion may be morethan a merely haphazard andinsipid reading, finishing <strong>of</strong>f thereadings without a real spiritualexperience. No! Rather, may thesedays be full <strong>of</strong> heart searching with astrong decision to turn over our life,our families, and everything we haveto the loving hands <strong>of</strong> God, so that He<strong>ca</strong>n guide us today and forever, Amen.At the edge <strong>of</strong> eternityAs we unroll the scroll <strong>of</strong> prophecybefore us, the great I AM clearly showsthat we have reached the brink <strong>of</strong>eternity. We are now in the twilight<strong>of</strong> our earthly history. Just a thin lineseparates us from eternity. We areon the verge <strong>of</strong> the greatest crisis <strong>of</strong>all centuries. The pen <strong>of</strong> Inspirationclearly declares that “we are living inthe time <strong>of</strong> the end. The fast-fulfillingsigns <strong>of</strong> the times declare that thecoming <strong>of</strong> Christ is near at hand. Thedays in which we live are solemn andimportant. The Spirit <strong>of</strong> God is graduallybut surely being withdrawn fromthe earth. Plagues and judgments arealready falling upon the despisers <strong>of</strong>the grace <strong>of</strong> God. The <strong>ca</strong>lamities byland and sea, the unsettled state <strong>of</strong> society,the alarms <strong>of</strong> war, are portentous.They fore<strong>ca</strong>st approaching events <strong>of</strong> thegreatest magnitude.” 1The condition <strong>of</strong> God’s people inthe final daysAlmost 2,000 years <strong>of</strong> history havepassed since that glorious momentwhen the Redeemer <strong>of</strong> the world <strong>ca</strong>lledtwelve men to accompany Him in Hisearthly ministry. That was the beginning<strong>of</strong> what would later be <strong>ca</strong>lled theChristian church. What an awesomescene! What sublime work has begunto develop since then! What throbbingjoy the Master must have felt to see Hischurch being born! Surely also, theeyes <strong>of</strong> Jesus at the time, contemplatedthe future ahead <strong>of</strong> the long history <strong>of</strong>His church, even to the time when He8 The Reformation Herald, Vol. 54, No. 6
shall return, gather His own, and takethem to the mansions promised to Hischildren since the ancient times. Howdoes the Lord view His remnant peoplein these last days? What impressionmust His tender heart have felt uponbeholding our current condition? It islikely that the loving Saviour has feltsadness and anguish in His Being tosee our present situation as a people towhom He has entrusted solemn truthsfor these last days. With this in mind,let us meditate and consider our presentcondition while honestly askingourselves: Are we faithfully representingthe One who has <strong>ca</strong>lled us to beHis people? Do our actions clearly statethat we are living in the light God hasbestowed upon us? Is there a clear line<strong>of</strong> distinction between unbelievers—the worldly—in clear contrast to uswho claim to be the remnant people <strong>of</strong>God? Sadly we <strong>ca</strong>n say that the churchtoday, in almost nothing, <strong>ca</strong>n be comparedto the early Christian church thatJesus founded. The years have passed,and today we have a different church, achurch that is gradually allowing itselfto be dragged into the world. It is withhesitance and with great concern thatwe see and hear young leaders with thedesire to see the church grow, allowingworldly fashions and habits to be toleratedamong God’s people who havebeen <strong>ca</strong>lled to <strong>ca</strong>rry the bloodstainedbanner <strong>of</strong> Emmanuel. Let us makea fervent appeal to our young leadersin the heart <strong>of</strong> the work—even thoselaboring in small and humble churchesall over the world: Let us strive not tolower down the flag but rather to raiseit! This flag—this standard—the Lordhas placed in our hands, and He commandsus to keep it very, very high.The standard <strong>of</strong> the remnantWhat is the standard <strong>of</strong> God’sremnant people? Certainly, thestandard that divine Providence hasplaced in our hands is the one thatdeclares: “Here is the patience <strong>of</strong> thesaints: here are they that keep thecommandments <strong>of</strong> God, and the faith<strong>of</strong> Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). “The thirdangel’s message, embracing the messages<strong>of</strong> the first and second angels, is themessage for this time. We are to raiseal<strong>of</strong>t the banner on which is inscribed,‘The commandments <strong>of</strong> God, and thefaith <strong>of</strong> Jesus.’ ” 2God <strong>ca</strong>lls us to fly our flag andwork together“God <strong>ca</strong>lls upon all to lift thestandard bearing the inscription, ‘Hereare they that keep the commandments<strong>of</strong> God, and the faith <strong>of</strong> Jesus.’ He <strong>ca</strong>llsupon His people to work in perfectharmony. He <strong>ca</strong>lls upon those engagedin our medi<strong>ca</strong>l work to unite with theministry; He <strong>ca</strong>lls upon the ministry tocooperate with the medi<strong>ca</strong>l missionaryworkers; and He <strong>ca</strong>lls upon the churchto take up their appointed duty, holdingup the standard <strong>of</strong> true reform intheir own territory, leaving the trainedand experienced workers to press oninto new fields. No word is to be spokento discourage any, for this grievesthe heart <strong>of</strong> Christ and greatly pleasesthe adversary. All need to be baptizedwith the Holy Spirit; all should refrainfrom censuring and disparagingremarks and draw near to Christ, thatthey may appreciate the heavy responsibilitieswhich the coworkers withHim are <strong>ca</strong>rrying. ‘Press together; presstogether,’ are the words <strong>of</strong> our divineInstructor. Unity is strength; disunionis weakness and defeat.” 3The duty <strong>of</strong> church members andministers“Let faithful house-to-house workbe done. Souls are perishing out <strong>of</strong> theark <strong>of</strong> safety. Let the standard <strong>of</strong> truthbe lifted up by the church membersin their neighborhoods. Let ministerspitch their tent, and preach the truth tothe people with power, and then moveto another vicinity and preach the truththere.” 4A Christlike attitudeThe Lord’s messenger makes theappeal:“God is in earnest with us. Thoseonly who are converted will enter intothe kingdom <strong>of</strong> heaven. What would wethink <strong>of</strong> Christ manifesting no warmth<strong>of</strong> love, no disposition to help those inneed? Yet many who pr<strong>of</strong>ess to be Hisfollowers are cold and unsympathetic.They make little effort to help thosewith whom they come in contact. Theyare not transformed in character. Theirwords show that they are not converted.They have none <strong>of</strong> Christ’s tenderness.Their unamiable traits <strong>of</strong> character, theirlack <strong>of</strong> sympathy, show that they havelost their first love. They need to repentand be converted; for Christ is greatlydishonored by their selfishness. TheSaviour does not abide in their hearts,or they would be touched with thefeeling <strong>of</strong> others’ infirmities. They areself-centered, harsh, unaccommodating.“If, when Christ comes the secondtime, they are as they are now—harshin words, coarse in spirit, destitute <strong>of</strong>Christlike love—their <strong>ca</strong>ndlestick willbe removed out <strong>of</strong> its place. They willnot be ready to meet their Lord. O, thatthey would feel the necessity <strong>of</strong> puttingon the Lord Jesus! O, that they wouldseek to understand what is due fromman to his fellow man!“I tell you in the name <strong>of</strong> Jesus <strong>of</strong>Nazareth that there must be a reformationamong us as a people. Unlessmen reveal Christlikeness in all theirdealings with their fellow men, unlessthey obey the laws <strong>of</strong> heaven in everyparticular, they will never enter the city<strong>of</strong> God. There is no excuse for anyoneto fail. Christ’s character is before all,for study and imitation.“If one does a piece <strong>of</strong> work that isnot wholly perfect, shall his brethren“Let the standard <strong>of</strong> truth be lifted up by thechurch members in their neighborhoods. Letministers pitch their tent, and preach the truthto the people with power, and then move toanother vicinity and preach the truth there.”The Reformation Herald, Vol. 54, No. 6 9
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