[Sermon at Orebro, Sweden, June 27, 1886.]
EGW
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” ST December 29, 1887, par. 1
Here is presented before us the great and solemn day when the Judgment is to sit and the books are to be opened, and the dead are to be judged according to the things written in the books. We must all meet the unerring record of our lives written in the books on high. We are probationers, on trial. God is testing us to see what kind of characters we will develop in this life. Angels of God are weighing moral worth. Our heavenly Father has sent us a message warning us of the fast-hastening Judgment, that we may prepare for that day of final reckoning. ST December 29, 1887, par. 2
I have questioned in my mind as I have seen men and women hurrying to and fro on matters of business or pleasure, whether or not they ever thought of the day of God, that is about to break upon us. We need not be in darkness as to what is coming on the earth. We cannot afford to meet that day without a preparation, and light has been given us from Heaven, that we may understand the requirements of God. “Search the Scriptures” is the command of Christ. “Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” There is a witness that follows us in all our actions of life. Our very thoughts and the intents and purposes of our hearts are laid bare to his inspection. As the features are produced upon the polished plate of the artist, so are our characters delineated upon the books of record in Heaven. Are you fitting up in the graces of Christ? Will your robe of character be white and spotless in the day of his appearing? Every interest should be shaped, and every action directed toward this all-important event. We should live daily in great humility before God, seeking the divine strength lest we fail of his grace and prove ourselves unworthy of eternal life. We should be “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” ST December 29, 1887, par. 3
You cannot afford to be found a transgressor of God's great moral law. You are to be judged by its precepts. If God had no law, there could be no Judgment, and the cases of men and women would not be called into the solemn tribunal, before the righteous Judge. If we have not been found in harmony with God's requirements in this life, we will be no more in harmony with his requirements in the future life. What excuse can we plead for disobedience to the law of God's Government? And what excuse can we render in the day when the motives of the heart will be tried? You may say now, “The whole world is out of harmony with God's precepts, and I cannot be singular,” but in that day you will not venture to present this before the God of Heaven and earth. When the books are opened, the character will be revealed, and every mouth will be stopped. You will be convicted of guilt before the revelation of your own life. Everyone unsaved will see where he departed from right, and will realize the influence his life of disobedience exerted to turn others from the way of truth. “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God,” and the quick and the dead shall stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ. The secret things will be made known. There was an eye that saw and a hand that registered the hidden deeds. ST December 29, 1887, par. 4
When Belshazzar had his great sacrilegious feast, there was present in the splendid halls a witness which he did not discern. The revelers were drinking their wine, and partaking of their luxurious feast, and praising the gods of silver and gold, extolling their own wisdom, magnifying their deeds, and dishonoring God, but right over against the wall, facing the king, a bloodless hand was tracing the terrible characters testifying of his true condition: “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” ST December 29, 1887, par. 5
The Lord is weighing character in the sanctuary today, and those who are careless and indifferent, rushing on in the paths of iniquity, will not stand the test. God has endowed us with reasoning powers, and he requires us to use them to his glory. He has given us this body, which he wishes us to preserve in perfect health, that we may render the best service to his cause. He has paid an infinite price for our redemption, and yet men and women dependent from day to day upon his mercies, for life, for health, for food, for all the blessings they enjoy, refuse to obey his laws, refuse to accept his Son as their Example and Saviour. ST December 29, 1887, par. 6
It may seem to you that obedience to God's law requires too much self-denial and sacrifice. Does it require more sacrifice than Jesus has made to save you? He has led the way, and will you follow? He says, “I have kept my Father's commandments.” He left the royal throne of glory. He changed the kingly crown for a crown of thorns. He placed his feet in the blood-stained path which led the way to Calvary, and he has stated to us that those who are partakers with him of his sufferings shall be partakers also with him of his glory. We shall never have to endure the shame, the insult, the mockery, the agony of the crucifixion, and the depth of woe and temptation that the Author of our salvation has endured for our sake; but we should ever keep before us the scenes of his humiliation, and never exalt ourselves in pride and self-sufficiency. ST December 29, 1887, par. 7
Christ was despised and rejected of men. Those he came to save could not see in him anything desirable. Should he come unto our world today without earthly honor or princely power, who would receive him as the King of glory? How many proud church members would be so ashamed of Jesus and the reproach that would be likely to be attached to them should they accept him, that they would refuse to follow him; but his matchless love led him to endure infinite sorrow and reproach that he might bring many sons and daughters to glory. Who is willing today to be on the Lord's side? ST December 29, 1887, par. 8
We cannot wait until the Judgment before we consent to deny self and to lift the cross. It will be too late then to form characters for Heaven. It is here and now that we must take sides with the humble, self-denying Redeemer. It is here we must overcome envy, strife, selfishness, love of money, and love of the world. It is here that we must enter the school of Christ and learn the precious lesson of meekness and lowliness of mind; and here it must be our aim and our earnest effort to be loyal to the God of Heaven, by obeying all his commandments. ST December 29, 1887, par. 9
Our only safety is in constant communion with God. Our petitions should ascend in faith that he will keep us unspotted from the corruptions of the world. Did not Jesus tell us that iniquity would abound in the last days? But his grace will be granted to us according to our day. Those who are open to the influence of the Spirit of God will receive strength to withstand the evils of this degenerate age. ST December 29, 1887, par. 10
Enoch walked with God three hundred years previous to his translation, and the state of the world was not more favorable for the perfection of Christian character then than it is today. How did Enoch walk with God? He educated his mind and heart to ever feel the presence of God, and when in perplexity his prayers would ascend to God to keep him, to teach him his will. “What shall I do to honor thee, my God?” was his prayer. His will was merged in the will of God, and his feet were constantly directed in the path of God's commandments. Enoch was a representative of those who shall be on the earth when Christ shall come, who will be translated to Heaven and never taste of death. It is fitting that we pray, as did David, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” ST December 29, 1887, par. 11
Many close their eyes, lest they shall see the truth. They do not want to see the defects in their life and character, and it disturbs them if you mention to them anything about God's law. They have discarded God's standard and have chosen a standard of their own. Their hearts are not inclined to keep the way of the Lord, for it runs in an opposite direction from the path they had marked out. But we want to warn you: Be not deceived by the first great adversary of God's law. When the Judgment is set and the books opened, your life and mine will be measured by the law of the Most High. Those who have washed their robes of character and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, will be found keeping the commandments of God; and when every man is judged according to the things written in the books, they will receive the commendation of Heaven and an eternal inheritance. ST December 29, 1887, par. 12