The One Heart

"And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear Me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them." Jeremiah 32:39.

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Unity-- quite impossible in Satan's kingdom-- is the experience of the Remnant Church of Rev. 12:17. This is something false religion cannot achieve. It is the gift of God through His Son. Perfect unity has not taken place in the professed Christian Church for many generations. Nevertheless, Jesus' work and prayer is not in vain. He said, "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me. And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou has sent me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me." John 17:21-23.

No, Jesus did not pray in vain. His true church has this unity. This unity is promised to His restored church. "And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear Me forever. . ." This "forever" is everlasting life that has been promised to those with THE ONE HEART walking in the narrow way. The world knows who are the children of God because of the unity they have with one another. We are settled that all the words of Christ are true. We know that we shall live in His Word so that all of His promises are fulfilled in our lives including John 17, which is "our church creed."

This single mind, which is the mind of Christ, does not go unnoticed by the powers of evil. Their jealousy and rage know no limits. "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Romans 16:17-18.

Satan does not often use direct force these days. He has been "converted after the modern order of things." He comes with "good words and fair speeches," but God's people are frank and honest. Instead of outright aggression the devil seeks to invade the church with those who look and act like Christians. The Christian who has received the Holy spirit can "detect sin under any guise." When sin is detected and the lights are turned on, those who are not committed to THE ONE HEART must flee.

"All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters. Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb. My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto Him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations." Hosea 9:15-17.

Those who are revolters by nature cannot find peace with the people of God. They cannot find peace with each other, and so, are destined to be wanderers. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." 1 John 2:19.

The Lord is now harvesting His people for the last time. The unity now experienced by His church is the fruit of harvest. There are those who are putting forth every effort to tell others that the harvest is not yet. "Delay, delay," they say. "Someday it will be time." "Someday the latter rain will be poured out!" Satan urges on his agents to confuse and destroy the power of this final movement. The instruction of God on this point is plain. Let us with contrite hearts, pray most earnestly that now, in the time of the latter rain, the showers of grace may fall upon us. Satan would have all wait for "a sign." His power rests in delay. Jesus said, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign. . ." Matt. 12:39. The Lord gives His people evidence, but He does not remove every possibility of doubt. Those who do not trust the word of God and His evidences will be left to wander. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.

Those who do not receive the filling of the Holy Spirit will be able to see our light and power, but they will not be able to discern our joy and peace since they, themselves, do not possess that quality. They will not be able to experience the gift of unity. They can only try to cover up their wolf with sheep's clothing. The message they herald is one about things to eat, things to wear, special doctrines to promulgate, and other yokes too heavy for even them to bear. These "sheep's clothing" mask the corrupt heart for a time, but under the discerning eye of God it cannot hide.

While the wheat and tares were to be left together until the harvest, something wonderful happens during the harvest. "So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more." Joel 3:17. "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, "YAH is OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Jer. 23:6. The sinners in Zion are sifted out. The truth of Christ's virtue causes them to flee. This is the movement of Revelation 18 which the believers have long desired. And "YAH is OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" is THE ONE HEART He gives to His people.

We shall in the future, as we have in the past, see all kinds of character developed. We shall witness the apostasy of men in whom we have had confidence, in whom we trusted, who, we supposed, were as true as steel to principle. Something comes to test them, and they are overthrown. Christ will keep all His children in perfect unity, but the sons of perdition will be overthrown-- He is not willing that any should perish.

The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness. The angels delighted in reflecting His glory and showing forth His praise. And while love to God was supreme, love for one another was confiding and unselfish. There was no note of discord to mar the celestial harmonies. But a change came over this happy state. There was one who perverted the freedom that God had granted to His creatures. Little by little Lucifer came to indulge the desire for self-exaltation. God Himself had established the order of heaven; and in departing from it, Lucifer would dishonor his Maker and bring ruin upon himself. But the warning, given in infinite love and mercy, only aroused a spirit of resistance. Lucifer allowed his jealousy of Christ to prevail, and became the more determined.

The angels joyfully acknowledged the supremacy of Christ, and prostrating themselves before Him, poured out their love and adoration. Lucifer bowed with them, but in his heart there was a strange, fierce conflict. Truth, justice, and loyalty were struggling against envy and jealousy. The influence of the holy angels seemed for a time to carry him with them. But again he was filled with pride in his own glory. His desire for supremacy returned, and envy of Christ was once more indulged.

Leaving his place in the immediate presence of the Father, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels. He worked with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealed his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God. He began to insinuate doubts concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings, intimating that though laws might be necessary for the inhabitants of the worlds, angels, being more exalted, needed no such restraint, for their own wisdom was a sufficient guide. If this prince of angels could but attain to his true, exalted position, great good would accrue to the entire host of heaven; for it was his object to secure freedom for all. But now even the liberty which they had hitherto enjoyed was at an end; for an absolute ruler had been appointed them, and to His authority all must pay homage. Such were the subtle deceptions that through the wiles of Lucifer were fast obtaining in the heavenly courts. Many of the angels were, however, blinded by Lucifer's deceptions.

Taking advantage of the loving, loyal trust reposed in him by the holy beings under his command, he had so artfully instilled into their minds his own distrust and discontent that his agency was not discerned. Lucifer had presented the purposes of God in a false light-- misconstruing and distorting them to excite dissent and dissatisfaction. While secretly fomenting discord and rebellion, he with consummate craft caused it to appear as his sole purpose to promote loyalty and to preserve harmony and peace.

There were some who looked with favor upon Lucifer's insinuations against the government of God. Although they had heretofore been in perfect harmony with the order which God had established, they were now discontented and unhappy because they could not penetrate His unsearchable counsels; they were dissatisfied with His purpose in exalting Christ.

The time had come for a final decision; he must fully yield to the divine sovereignty or place himself in open rebellion. He nearly reached the decision to return, but pride forbade him. It was too great a sacrifice for one who had been so highly honored to confess that he had been in error, that his imaginings were false, and to yield to the authority which he had been working to prove unjust.

Rejecting with disdain the arguments and entreaties of the loyal angels, he denounced them as deluded slaves. The preference shown to Christ he declared an act of injustice both to himself and to all the heavenly host, and announced that he would no longer submit to this invasion of his rights and theirs. He would never again acknowledge the supremacy of Christ.

The very work which he himself was doing, he charged upon the loyal angels. It was his policy to perplex with subtle arguments concerning the purposes of God. Everything that was simple he shrouded in mystery, and by artful perversion cast doubt upon the plainest statements of the Heavenly Father. And his high position, so closely connected with the divine government, gave greater force to his representations.

Satan could use what God could not-- flattery and deceit. He had sought to falsify the word of God and had misrepresented His plan of government, claiming that God was not just in imposing laws upon the angels; that in requiring submission and obedience from His creatures, He was seeking merely the exaltation of Himself. Satan had made it appear that he himself was seeking to promote the good of the universe. The true character of the usurper and his real object must be understood by all. He must have time to manifest himself by his wicked works.

This is the picture we must now come to understand in this present vile generation. There are those now doing the same things which have been done from the beginning. But, remember, the Church of Christ walks in perfect unity. Satan would have men believe that they are "deluded slaves" -- following after man. And this is how it will look to those deceived souls who, in their perverted perceptions, desire men to follow them instead. It is clear that true happiness comes only in complete conformity to the mind of Christ. This unity is not coerced by Christ or any "arbitrary authority of the Church." Even so, as Lucifer was driven from Heaven for his rebellion against God, so are those who seek to destroy souls driven from His Church. The way they are driven from the precincts of the saints is not by the methods of the world. No one uses a weapon or even a threat to chase the rebels from the camp. We simply hold up a spiritual mirror so they can see themselves as they really are. Their own reflection drives them away.

God requires willing submission from His subjects. We willingly yield Him perfect submission, for that is His gift to us. And The Creation 7th Day Adventist Church has perfect accord because of the perfect gift provided by the perfect sacrifice of YAH's "only begotten Son." We are one with Christ, and it is His mind to which we all submit. Not one of us are exempt from this submission. To the carnal mind this appears hateful and restrictive, for the carnal mind desires to control others. We claim the unity of THE ONE HEART which is our mind, spiritual strength and Guide. "'All ye are brethren.' As brethren we are identified with Christ and with one another. As brethren we are identical with Christ, and through His grace identical with one another."

Satan's kingdom cannot submit to the truth. And they will not yield to those in responsibility. Because of this, their kingdoms are confusion. They can only diffuse doubt, fear, discontent and failure. They can never truly obtain the kingdom of God for they are against it. In Heaven, they would cause the same confusion they design here. They would remain in resistance as Satan their father has done.

Just as in Heaven, all power and success depends on the perfect accord of all believers. This is only possible for those who have the gift of Christ's life. His mind in all the members guarantees perfect accord. If a Christian finds himself in error, he will repent, and maintain the perfect accord-- THE ONE HEART which circulates His blood throughout His body. "And I will give them one heart, and one way . . . forever . . . ." Jeremiah 32:39.