“Before” and “After”
The experience of the Christian church in apostolic times may give us insight into how this unfortunate spirit came about for them. In The Acts of the Apostles (1911), one of the last major literary works to come from the pen of Mrs. White, she discusses the galvanizing effect on the church of Pentecost, the “early rain” of the Holy Spirit:GVEGW 138.8
“After the descent of the Holy Spirit, when the disciples went forth to proclaim a living Saviour, their one desire was the salvation of souls. They rejoiced in the sweetness of communion with saints. They were tender, thoughtful, self-denying, willing to make any sacrifice for the truth’s sake. In their daily association with one another, they revealed the love that Christ had enjoined upon them. By unselfish words and deeds they strove to kindle this love in other hearts.GVEGW 139.1
“Such a love the believers were ever to cherish. They were to go forward in willing obedience to the new commandment. So closely were they to be united with Christ that they would be enabled to fulfill all His requirements. Their lives were to magnify the power of a Saviour who could justify them by His righteousness.” 47The Great Controversy, 556, 557; Early Writings, 90, 91GVEGW 139.2
This was her description of the “before” stage. Would that that stage had continued indefinitely. Unfortunately, however, “a change” came “gradually“: “The believers began to look for defects in others. Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour and His love. They became more strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory than the practice of the faith. In their zeal to condemn others, they overlooked their own errors. They lost the brotherly love that Christ had enjoined, and, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss. They did not realize that happiness and joy were going out of their lives and that, having shut the love of God out of their hearts, they would soon walk in darkness.”GVEGW 139.3