A Word of Warning
Brethren in Christ, the present moment is of so solemn a character that I feel constrained to address you this word of exhortation. The time has arrived when one must speak plainly, and ask you where you are, and what you are about. You have, by grace, been gathered out of the seething mass of idolatry and wickedness which now threatens Christendom and the world with an overthrow more awful than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. The question now is whether you are sufficiently aware of the responsibility, as well as the blessedness, of the ground you are on and are walking like men and women whose eyes have been opened.
Satan’s object is to withdraw your attention from Christ, while you suppose you are on safe ground and have nothing to fear. He would destroy you with the very truth itself. For mark the subtlety: you are on safe ground, but only while Christ is your all in all. Interpose anything between your soul and Christ, and your Philadelphia becomes Laodicea, your safe ground is as unsafe as the rest of Christendom and your “little power” (Rev. 3: 8) is gone from you.
Satan has his eye especially upon you, for the purpose of putting the world in some form between your soul and Christ. He does not care how small the wedge is. Indeed, if you knew how little would meet his purpose you would be alarmed. It is not by anything glaring that he seeks to ruin you, but in small and seemingly harmless trifles—things that would not shock nor offend anyone as things go. From such a small beginning his deadly and insidious poison can begin to work with the aim of ruining your testimony and withdrawing you from fidelity to Christ.
Brethren in Christ, you are being infected with the spirit of the world. Your dress, your manner, your talk and your lack of spirituality all betray it. There is a dead weight, a restraint and a want of power that reveals itself in the meetings of the saints. A form of godliness without power is beginning to be seen among you, as plainly as it is seen in Christendom generally. As surely as you tamper with the world, so surely will you drift down to its level. It must be Christ or the world. It cannot be—ought not to be—Christ and the world.
Beloved, I am persuaded better things of you, though I speak in this way, and I have confidence in you that you will bless God for these few words. Nothing can be more glorious than the position you are called to occupy in these closing days. Saints have stood in the breach, have watched through weary days and nights these twenty centuries, and you only wait for the trumpet of victory to go in and take possession of the glorious inheritance. Other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours—and yet, you are lowering your dignity to the husks of this world, a world that is passing and hastening on to judgment!
Oh, awake, then, from your lethargy, put away your idols and false gods, wash your garments, and get up to Bethel, where you will find God to be better than ever you knew Him. Lay aside your last bit of worldly dress and guard your speech so that it is filled with Christ and His affairs. Let your prayers mingle with those of other saints at the prayer meetings—they never were more needed. Neglect no opportunity of gathering up instruction from that Word which alone can keep us from the paths of the destroyer, and let your life be the evidence of the treasures you have discovered in secret with the Lord.
Beloved, bear with me: I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. You belong to Christ and Christ to you. Break not this holy union! Let not the betrothed one be unfaithful to her bridegroom!