May 2, 1968 Vol. 145 No. 18 - REVIEW AND HERALD • GENERAL CHURCH PAPER OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS The MATCHLE HRIST •A HYING -aside His, royal 4 robe tid . kingly, ,crow , lx Christ 'aothed His, di vinity with humanity, that. human' beings might be 4 raked from their degrada-'. tion,,-4-14 placed on vanta e. ound,'Christ could no , / have come to this 'ear kith the glory:that He ha in the heavenly courts. Sinful human beingi could . not have borne the 81 t ti • , 4 4. He veiled His:divinity with . theg4rb of, lintrignity,but t. t He dill. not part with His 1 divinity. A divine-bum. Saviour, He came to ,staid • i at the head of the fallen ,... 4 44 race, to share in their ex- perience from childhood to , manhood. That human beings might be partakers of the divine nature, came to 'this earth, and lived a life of perfect o e- dience."--ELLEN G. 1'. WHITE, Review and H • .. aid, June ipo 05 1959 BY THE REVIEW AND HERALD NARRY A DERSON, ARTIST - Revival and Reformation-1 ANY years ago, back in 1902 in fact, the servant of the M Lord wrote: "A revival and a reformation must take place, under the ministration of the Holy Spirit." —Selected Messages, book 1, p. 128. The need for such an experience among us today is most evident. We ee41/• are living on the borders of the eter- nal world. Everything about us tells that the coming of the Lord is very near. But are we ready for that event? This prospect of the Lord's return should grip our souls in such a way that we will not be satisfied until in REVIVAL practical daily experience we know revival and we know reformation. This is the call of God to His people today and this call is found in the challenging message of the Lord By N. R. DOWER through the apostle: "Wherefore see- Secretary, Ministerial Association, General Conference ing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For con- sider him that endured such contra- do their appointed work, and in do- hard to convince that this is so? God diction of sinners against himself, lest ing this work they must blend."— wants to repeat Pentecost and demon- ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ibid. strate even greater power, but we are Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, unprepared to enter into the experi- striving against sin" (Heb. 12:1-4). Revival ence. What soul conflict is pictured here. This is an experience for which Two things happened at Pentecost. We are to resist sin in any and all every church member and every First, the disciples were filled with the forms. We are to resist the spirit of worker in the cause of God must ear- Holy Ghost and with great power compromise prevalent in our day. We nestly pray. We are a whole genera- gave witness to the Lord Jesus, and are to resist the innumerable forms of tion behind in our work. We have thousands were added to the church. iniquity that have crept into our lives been years longer in this world than Second, falseness was not allowed to and, by the grace of God, overcome God intended we should be. This fact survive, as is evident from the experi- them. This involves conflict so severe presents cause for sober thought. ence of Ananias and Sapphira. At that blood, sweat, and tears may be How much longer will we have to Pentecost men were called upon to the price. We must come to the place stay in this sin-darkened world? commit themselves to Christ whole- where we would rather die than yield When will we recognize that a revival heartedly and in absolute honesty. to evil. What a need there is today for of primitive godliness is the most ur- Are we so anxious for the coming of this kind of devotion to righteousness gent need of our lives? When will we the Lord that we are willing to make and godly living! make this our first work? If not now, the same commitment? According to the Lord's messenger when? If not we, who? If not here, "It is our work, by confession, hu- revival and reformation are not iden- where? miliation, repentance, and earnest tical experiences: "Revival and ref- "There must be earnest effort to prayer, to fulfill the conditions upon ormation are two different things. Re- obtain the blessing of the Lord, not which God has promised to grant us vival signifies a renewal of spiritual because God is not willing to bestow His blessing. A revival need be ex- life, a quickening of the powers of His blessing upon us, but because we pected only in answer to prayer."— mind and heart, a resurrection from are unprepared to receive it. Our Ibid. spiritual death. Reformation signifies heavenly Father is more willing to This revival is coming. It is on its a reorganization, a change in ideas give His Holy Spirit to them that ask way. We see the evidences of it wher- and theories, habits and practices. Him, than are earthly parents to give ever we go, and this is most hearten- Reformation will not bring forth the good gifts to their children."—Ibid., ing. But we long for it to be more good fruit of righteousness unless it p. 121. widespread. We believe that it is is connected with the revival of the When will we believe and accept time for us all not only to confess but Spirit. Revival and reformation are to this great promise? Why are we so to forsake our sins. We must seek the 2 REVIEW AND HERALD, May 2, 1968 "imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowl- edge of God," and bring "into cap- tivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). This is prac- tical, sensible Christianity, and it is as relevant to the church today as it was to the church in Paul's day. "We have far more to fear from within than from without. The hin- drances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world."—Ibid., p. 122. It is the inconsistency in the lives of the church members that deters the blessing of God upon us and holds back the flood of converts that the Lord has promised. "Often have the professed advo- cates of the truth proved the greatest obstacle to its advancement! The un- belief indulged, the doubts expressed, the darkness cherished, encourage the presence of evil angels, and open the way for the accomplishment of Sa- tan's devices."—Ibid. These are meaningful facts dealing with our present condition, facts that point out the source of much of our lifelessness and lukewarmness. Bogged down in complacency and self-satisfac- tion, we need to awake to reality and call on the Lord for help and resurrec- tion power. "There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of God shall clear the way by removing every hindrance, so that the Lord can pour out His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent congrega- tion. If Satan had his way, there would never be another awakening, great or small, to the end of time. But we are not ignorant of his devices. It is possible to resist his power. When the way is prepared for the Spirit of RE, IEW PICTURES Al....AEN VAN DER WERFF, AHEW God, the blessing will come. When true revival comes we will witness preaching such as that of Peter at Pentecost. "Satan can no more hinder a shower of blessing from descending upon God's people than he can close Lord with all the heart and with great individually. We must pray more, the windows of heaven that rain can- earnestness of soul. The promise is much more, and far more earnestly not come upon the earth. Wicked that the blessing will come to those than we do. We must make the full men and devils cannot hinder the who have prepared for it. surrender of our lives to Jesus Christ. work of God, or shut out His pres- We know that there are those in We must know one Lord, one Master, ence from the assemblies of His peo- the church who are not converted in our lives—only one—then the ple, if they will, with subdued, con- and therefore will not unite in ear- power will come down upon us as it trite hearts, confess and put away nest, prevailing prayer for such a re- did upon the apostles at Pentecost. their sins, and in faith claim His vival. But this must not deter us. The This is the promise. It will be ful- promises. Every temptation, every op- whole church will never be revived. filled. posing influence, whether open or se- But those who desire above everything This means that our minds must be cret, may be successfully resisted, 'not else to be ready for the coming of the trained to dwell upon spiritual things.