The harvest of Souls is what I am speaking of. It is rapidly coming down to an end. Has it not certainly done that when the angel states put in thy sickle and reap?
Re 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Would the harvest be ripe if there were more souls coming up to salvation? I must answer, no!. We know the harvest came to nil in the days of Noah and it will be the same this time, proof we have,
Lu 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Don't we notice witnessing has dropped off to where but an extreme few will venture any light and there has to be a reason for this.
I wonder if the "fire" has not gone nearly out in most who see themselves as Christians. I find all straight testimony forums now have gone dead or dearly so.
I find our LORD has been letting us know for some time that closing time for the reign of sin is fast coming for it to close.
For one thing this old world is no longer a fit place to live in may respects and may enumerate in a further post.
1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1Jo 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 1Jo 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Fortunately the Holy Spirit has not left the world completely, and there are signs here and there, especially in China, that souls are still coming to Christ. As the Holy Spirit slowly withdraws tho, we see wickedness becoming bolder and bolder, even in God's remnant church.
I don't know how God will find 144,000 souls to save alive to meet him in the clouds, but he will!
The problem seems to lay in the fact that but in a very, very few instances those being brought in by His Spirit to a church gathering are taught a false salvation theology, just believe and have faith and you are saved. A very smooth liberality has come in and is the norm in ALL Christianity. Faith based on presumption is not valid!
"Beware of Doctrine "Just Believe."--We shall meet with false doctrines of every kind, and unless we are acquainted with what Christ has said, and are following His instruction, we shall be led astray. One of the most dangerous of these doctrines is that of false sanctification. There are those who claim to be holy, and yet are breaking God's commandments. Their assertion that they are sinless is false and should not be received. . . . {Ev 595.2} Another doctrine that will be presented is that all that we have to do is to believe in Christ--to believe that He has forgiven our sins, and that after we are forgiven, it is impossible for us to sin. This is a snare of Satan. It is true that we must believe in Christ. He is our only hope of salvation. But it is also true that we must work out our individual salvation daily in faith, not boastingly but with fear and trembling. We are to use every power of our being in His service, and after we have done our utmost, we are still to regard ourselves as unprofitable servants. Divine power will unite with our efforts, and as we cling to God with the hand of faith, Christ will impart to us His wisdom and His righteousness. Thus, by His grace, we shall be enabled to build upon the sure foundation.--Manuscript 27, 1886. {Ev 595.3}
"We have no hesitancy in telling you that in order to obtain the immortal inheritance and the eternal substance, you must be overcomers in this probationary life. Everything that blots and stains the soul must be removed, must be cleansed from the heart. We must know what it means to be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lust. Are you willing to wage war against the lusts of the flesh? Are you ready to battle against the enemy of God and man? Satan is determined to enslave every soul if he can; for he is playing a desperate game to win the souls of men from Christ and eternal life. Will you permit him to steal from you the graces of the Spirit of God, and plant in you his own corrupt nature? or will you accept the great provision of salvation, and through the merits of the Infinite Sacrifice made in your behalf, become a partaker of the divine nature? God has given His only-begotten Son, that through His shame, suffering, and death, you might have glory, honor, and immortality.--Signs of the Times, June 15, 1891. {TDG 175.2}
Isa 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
It is a grim realization that even though there are millions of practicing Christians the harvest even now is practically nil.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
