September 13, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE GIRDLE OF TRUTH: OUR SAFEGUARD AGAINST LYING AND LIARS
“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.”
Eph. 6:14, KJV.
“There is absolutely no safeguard against evil but truth. No man can stand firm for right in whose heart the truth does not abide. Thee is only one power that can make and keep us steadfast—the power of God, imparted to us by the GRACE of Christ.
“There are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe; but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to EXPLAIN their belief, they will be surprised to see how CONFUSED are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth.
“The Lord calls upon all who believe His Word to AWAKE out of sleep. Precious light has come, APPROPRIATE for this time. It is Bible truth, showing the PERILS that are right upon us. This light should lead us to a DILIGENT STUDY of the Scriptures, and a MOST CRITICAL EXAMINATION of the positions which we hold.
“Believers are not to rest on SUPPOSITIONS and ILL-DEFINED ideas of what constitutes truth. Their faith must be firmly founded upon the word of God so that when the TESTING TIME shall come and they are brought before councils to answer for their faith they may be able ‘to give a reason for the hope that is in them, with meekness and fear.
“The erroneous teachings of popular theology have made thousands upon thousands of skeptics and infidels. There are errors and inconsistencies which many denounce as the teachings of the Bible that are really FALSE interpretations of Scripture.
“Instead of criticizing [doubting, belittling] the Bible, let us seek BY PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE, to present to the world [around us] it’s sacred, life-giving TRUTHS, that we may ‘show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness unto His marvelous light [of truth].’(1 Pet. 2:9).
“The truth [specifically the doctrines that make up the Present Truth for these last days] stands firmly established upon the Eternal Rock—a foundation that storm and tempest can never move. Do not LOWER the banner of truth…..in order to unite with the solemn message for these last days, (by) doing anything that will tend to hide the PECULIAR features of our faith.” (E.G. White, God’s Amazing Grace, p.30).
The ‘peculiar features’ of our faith are the specific pillar doctrines of the “present, testing and sealing truths” for the last days. Let all make sure they truly understand what they claim to believe, now, before the testing time comes! We can do all things through the power of the grace of Christ working in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure! Bless all, NMF.