A CROSS IN ACCEPTING THE TRUTH BY: ELLEN G. WHITE

A Cross in Accepting the Truth

The truth of Yahuwah has never been popular with the world. The natural heart is ever averse to the divine teachings. Those who obey Yahuwah will never be loved and honored by the world. From the lips of the Great Teacher, as he walked in humility among the children of men, were heard the words, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Mark 8:34). Yes, we must follow our Exemplar. Did he seek for praise and honor of men? Oh, no! The Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, left his riches and splendor, his honor and glory, and, in order to save sinful man, condescended to a life of humiliation, poverty, and reproach. "For the joy that was set before him," he "endured the cross, despising the shame." (Hebrews 12:2).

Shall we, then, seek for the glory and honor of the world? I thank Yahuwah that we must renounce the love of the world, and pride of heart, and everything which tends to idolatry, in order to be followers of the Man of Calvary. I present before you, my brethren and sisters, his self-denying life. Why are we so sensitive to trial and reproach, to shame and suffering, when our Master has given us such an example? Who would wish to enter into the joy of their Master while they were unwilling to partake of his sufferings? What! the servant unwilling to bear the suffering and shame which the Master unselfishly bore for him! Shall the servant shrink from a life of sacrifice by which he may secure eternal happiness in the Paradise of Yahuwah? The language of my heart is, "Let me be a partaker with Yahushua of his sufferings, that I may finally share with him in his glory."

Those who have no love for Yahuwah will not love the children of Yahuwah. Listen to the words of Yahushua: "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you." (Luke 6:26). "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven." (Luke 6:22). "But woe unto you that are rich; for ye have received your consolation." (Luke 6:24). In the Gospel of John we read: "These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you, out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." (John 15:17-20). In his prayer for his disciples just before his crucifixion, Yahushua said: "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." (John 17: 14--16).

In his Epistle to the Romans, Paul beseeches his brethren, by the mercies of Yahuwah, that they present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Yahuwah, assuring them that this is their reasonable service. "And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of Yahuwah." James asks, "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with Yahuwah?" And he declares, "Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of Yahuwah." (James 4:4).

Many are in danger of making shipwreck of faith. They feel that it is a condescension in them to receive unpopular truth; and, while accepting the truth, they seek, to quite a degree, to retain the spirit of the world. This they cannot do; for the friendship of the world is enmity with Yahuwah. Says Paul, "Do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Yahushua." (Galatians 1:10).

Our Saviour will accept nothing short of the whole heart, the entire affections. Those who desire to so live as to shun reproach, are seeking a position above that occupied by their suffering Master while he was upon earth; and while engaged in this pursuit, they are separating from their Father in heaven, exchanging his love for that which is not worth obtaining.

Some feel that they have made sacrifices to obey the truth, when they have not received and practiced the truth in its simplicity; they have not yielded their pride, their love of the approbation of an unbelieving world. They have not realized the importance of obeying the command, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Master, and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you." (2 Cor. 6:16). I fear for such persons; I fear that their feet will slide, that they will refuse to walk in the humble, straight, and narrow way which leads to eternal life in the kingdom of glory. They see charms in this life. But Yahushua seeks to win them from the world by presenting the attractions of heaven. He says, "You cannot have me and the world. Which will you choose? Will you sacrifice Him who died for you for the pride of life, for the treasures of this world? Choose between me and the world; for the world has no part in me."

Vanity is one of the strongest principles of our fallen nature; and Satan is constantly appealing to it with success. Persons are not wanting who are ready to aid the great adversary in his work of destroying souls by flattering them as to their ability and the influence they could have in society, and to urge that it is a great pity for them to unite their interests with those of a people of humble faith. It is true that the masses who possess influence do not choose to sacrifice their worldly ambition, to separate their affections from the world, and to turn their footsteps into the narrow, humble path traveled by the world's Redeemer. They consider their talents and influence too precious to be devoted to the cause of Yahuwah,--too precious to be used to glorify the Giver. For the temporal advantages they hope to gain, they sacrifice enduring riches. For the flattery of men they turn from the approval of the Master, the maker of the heavens and the earth, and forfeit all right to the honor that comes from above.

How few appreciate the blessings Yahushua has brought within their reach by his life of unexampled suffering and his ignominious death. Says Paul: "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of Yahuwah. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." (1 Cor. 1:18-190. "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but Yahuwah hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and Yahuwah hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath Yahuwah chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence." (1 Cor. 1: 26-29).

In the renewed heart there will be a fixed principle to obey the will of Yahuwah because there is a love for what is just, and good, and holy. The mind will be an open medium, continually receiving light, grace, and truth from above, and communicating these blessings to others. The life of the Yahushuaian is not barren; he has his fruit unto holiness, and the end is everlasting life. But many stand halting between two opinions, undecided whether to serve Yahuwah or the world. They are unreconciled to the humble work of Yahuwah, and their influence is exerted in a wrong direction. Of those who profess the truth, few have an experimental knowledge of its sanctifying influence upon the heart. Their obedience and devotion are not in accordance with their light and privileges. They do not realize the obligation resting upon them to walk as children of the light and not as children of darkness. To all such I would say, Turn from the opinions of men to the law and to the testimony. Shut out every worldly consideration. Make your decisions for eternity. Weigh evidence in this important time.

We need not expect to escape trial and anguish in following our Saviour; for he has plainly told us that we shall suffer persecution. But earthly interests must be subservient to the eternal; for they can bear no comparison to the "durable riches of Yahushua." (Revelation 3:18) "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26).

Dear brethren and sisters, do not flatter yourselves that all obstacles to your worldly prosperity would be removed, were you to yield unpopular truth. Satan tells you this; it is his sophistry. But if the blessing of Yahuwah rests upon you, you will prosper; if you turn from him, he will turn from you. Yahushua knows all your wants, and he has left exceeding broad and precious promises. He says: "There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30). "Seek ye first the kingdom of Yahuwah and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) "Yahuwahliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." (1 Timothy 4:8).

These are precious promises. Can you not rely upon them? Can you not have implicit trust, knowing that He is faithful who has promised? Let your trembling faith grasp the promises of Yahuwah. Bear your whole weight upon them with unwavering faith; for they will not, they cannot fail.

By: Ellen White
Review and Herald
May 26, 1885.