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The Reformation Herald Online Edition

The Pilgrimage of the Remnant

Editorial
A Lengthy Pilgrimage
D. P. Silva
A Lengthy Pilgrimage

W hat is a pilgrimage? It’s more than just a journey. It normally implies an arduous, painstaking, self-denying walk with a sacred goal in mind. The apostle John speaks of the experience of those who are impressed to be preparing for the heavenly Canaan: “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 5:18–20).

As those who await the second coming of Christ during this final hour of human probation, our experience in these last days involves knowing Christ—and cooperating with His Spirit in a work of purification. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2, 3). The Lord does not promise an easy path—but He does promise a sure one.

For 100 years God has asked us to share His light with our world. He asked us to be His hands, His feet, and His voice in sharing His love in a world that is self-destructing.

How have we met our responsibility? We have manifested the strengths and weaknesses of human nature. Some moments we have relied on God and asked Him for grace. We have distributed thousands of copies of the Spirit of Prophecy volumes in countries where that meant risking death. We have shared the gospel with cannibal tribes in India and in Brazil. We have told of God’s love when it was convenient and when it was not.

But we are also humans. We have done nothing when God required us to do something. We have been timid when God asked us to be brave. We have argued with each other when God asked us to argue on His behalf in the world. We have disagreed with each other when God asked us to disagree with sin.

Through a century of triumphs and mistakes, victories and failure, God has protected us from abandoning the truths He gave us. When sin has tempted us, inviting us to weaken the demands of God, sacrifice His law, and weaken any expectation of Him completing His work in us, we have stood firm, even to the point of sacrificing our life rather than sacrifice God’s word. When temptations came to us to modify the faith once delivered to the saints to accommodate human reasoning and human selfishness, God has given us the strength to say “no.” In our commitment to the seventh-day Sabbath and to pacifism, in our marriage commitments and our dress, in exclusivity of the communion services and in our loyalty to the work of God’s prophet, and in many other important issues, we have been urged to abandon God and accept human standards instead. Over and over again, God has given the grace to say “no.”

May God forgive us where we have failed Him and give us grace to share His truths with the world around us by action, and where necessary, by words also.

Indeed, we are on a pilgrimage and have not yet arrived. But here and now, through God’s mercy, we still have an opportunity to make our calling and election sure. Very few will tread the narrow path to enter into the strait gate with the humble Nazarene. Let us keep our eyes fixed on our Saviour and determine to be among that remnant that will do so! “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: for he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness” (Romans 9:27, 28).