Rinuboy Speaks “HOW READEST THOU?” “It is one thing to read the Bible through, Another thing to read to learn and do. Some read it with design to learn to read, But to the subject pay but little heed. Some read it as their duty once a week, But no instruction from the Bible seek; While others read it with but little care, With no regard to how they read, nor where. Some read to bring themselves into repute, By showing others how they can dispute; While others read because their neighbors do, To see how long ‘twill take to read it through. Some read it for the wonders that are there- How David killed a lion and a bear; While others read it with uncommon care, Hoping to find some contradictions there. Some read as if it did not speak to them, But to the people at Jerusalem. One reads with father’s specs upon his head, And sees the thing just as his father said. Some read to prove a preadopted creed, Hence understand but little that they read; For every passage in the book they bend To make it suit that all-important end. Some people read, as I have often thought, To teach the book instead of being taught; And some there are who read it out of spite. I fear there are but few who read it right. But read it prayerfully, and you will see, Although men contradict, God’s words agree; For what the early Bible prophets wrote, We find that Christ and His apostles quote. So trust no creed that trembles to recall What has been penned by one and verified by all”. [Cited in: “Bible Readings for the Home”, p. 226. (1963 edition, published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association)] “No error is truth, or can be made truth by repetition, or by faith in it. Sincerity will never save a soul from the consequences of believing an error. Without sincerity there is no religion, but sincerity in a false religion will never save a man. I may be perfectly sincere in following a wrong road, but that will not make it the right road, or bring me to the place I wished to reach” (Selected Messages, by E. G. White, bk. 2, p. 56). ARGUMENTS FOR SUNDAYKEEPING The reasons often advanced for keeping Sunday (the first day of the week, since the beginning of human history, time and calendars, through the ages) instead of the Bible Sabbath, the seventh day, are categorized as follows: One says the Sabbath has been changed from the seventh to the first day of the week. Another says that the Sabbath commandment requires only one day of rest after six of labour, and hence there has been no change. Some reason that all ought to keep Sunday, because although, as they affirm, God did not appoint a particular day, yet agreement is necessary; and to have any or every day a sabbath would be equal to no sabbath at all. Others, to avoid the claims of God’s law, assert that the Sabbath precept is one of those ordinances which were “against us”, “contrary to us”, “blotted out”, and “nailed to the cross”. Still, they admit that a day of rest and convocation is necessary, and therefore the day of Christ resurrection, they say, has been chosen. Another class says they believe it is impossible to know which is the seventh day, although they have no difficulty in locating the first. Some are so bold as to declare that Sunday is the original seventh day. Others, with equal certainty, say that those who keep the seventh day are endeavouring to be “justified by the law”, and are “fallen from grace”. Another class, with more liberal views, say they believe that everyone should be fully persuaded in his own mind, whether he keep this day, or that, or none at all. Still again, as if having found the great desideratum or missing link in the argument, men credited with even more than ordinary intelligence will sometimes declare that it is impossible to keep the seventh day on a round and rolling earth; yet, strangely, they find no difficulty in keeping Sunday anywhere, and believe that this day should be observed the world over! Lastly, and more terrible and presumptuous than all the rest, some, like Herod of old in slaying all the children of Bethlehem in order to make sure of killing Christ, go so far as to teach that all ten commandments have been abolished, in order to avoid the duty enjoined in the fourth. But as in that case God’s Anointed escaped Herod’s murderous blow, so in the judgment such will have to meet God over His broken law, and will find that the Sabbath precept stands there unchanged with the rest. Said Christ, “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:19.” [Cited in: “Bible Readings for the Home”, pp. 342-343. (1963 edition, published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association)]. “HOW READEST THOU!”
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 06:38:30 +0000
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