Confused Because Essential
Though it is the crowning work of our salvation and of the setting up of the kingdom of Christ upon earth, yet the “investigative judgment” is one of the least understood and most mystified and confused Bible subjects of the age. Were it not essential to our salvation, the enemy would not have expended every possible effort to envelop it in darkness. Imperative, then, is the unremitting need to search the Scriptures “as for hidden treasure,” and to beseech God for the guidance of His Spirit in order rightly to understand this all-important subject. In vain, though, any search for truth unless the motive be to learn and to do the will of God. Hence, “if any man,” says Jesus, “will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God.” John 7:17.
Since the subject of the judgment is taught in types and in parables, and since the Lord explains that His teaching parabolically is so that only His disciples may know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 13:11), obviously, therefore,
None But His Followers Can Understand the Whole Truth.
“The kingdom of heaven,” He says, “is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Matt. 13:44-46.
In these parables, Christ clearly sets forth present truth as the indispensable condition to the establishing of His kingdom, and supreme effort as the indispensable condition to entering into it. Thus “none,” declares the Spirit of Prophecy, “but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict. To every soul will come the searching test, Shall I obey God rather than men? The decisive hour is even now at hand. Are our feet planted on the rock of God’s immutable Word?”—The Great Controversy, pp. 593, 594.
Let us come out of the stupor of presuming on God’s grace, yet regarding Him responsible for any consequent issue of our life. He has perfectly done His part in fully charting the narrow path to the kingdom; now let us do our honest best to follow therein to the end of the way, for the joy that awaits us there! But never shall we do so save in returning to the old landmarks by forsaking the Devil, who has turned God’s people from “the Way, the Truth, and the life” (John 14:6), into “a way which seemeth right unto a man,” but the end of which “are the ways of death.” Prov. 14:12.
For the complete text of this study on the judgment and the harvest in testimony, parable, ceremony, and number, please click the following link to download a PDF scan of the original tract entitled “The Judgment and the Harvest“, 3rd Ed., 1942 by V. T. Houteff. If you would like to have a print copy send to your home for your personal study, please send your request to upa5453@gmail.com or call us at 860 798-3672 and leave a message or a call back number.
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