Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

Power of Example 273us? so shall we be separated, I and Thy people, from all the peoplethat are upon the face of the earth.”How frequently ancient Israel rebelled, and how often they werevisited with judgments, and thousands slain, because they would notheed the commands of God who had chosen them! The Israel of Godin these last days are in constant danger of mingling with the worldand losing all signs of being the chosen people of God. Read againTitus 2:13-15. We are here brought down to the last days, when God ispurifying unto Himself a peculiar people. Shall we provoke Him as didancient Israel? Shall we bring His wrath upon us by departing fromHim and mingling with the world, and following the abominations ofthe nations around us?The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for Himself; this consecrationto God and separation from the world is plainly and positivelyenjoined in both the Old and the New Testament. There is a wallof separation which the Lord Himself has established between thethings of the world and the things He has chosen out of the world andsanctified unto Himself. The calling and character of God’s people arepeculiar, their prospects are peculiar, and these peculiarities distinguishthem from all other people. All of God’s people upon the earth are onebody, from the beginning to the end of time. They have one Head thatdirects and governs the body. The same injunctions that rested uponancient Israel, rest upon God’s people now, to be separate from theworld. The great Head of the church has not changed. The experience [284]of Christians in these days is much like the travels of ancient Israel.Please read 1 Corinthians 10, especially from the 6th to the 15th verse:“Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should notlust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, aswere some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat anddrink, and rose up to play.... Neither let us tempt Christ, as some ofthem also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye,as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and theyare written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the worldare come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lesthe fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is commonto man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be temptedabove that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to