God has jewels in all the churches, and it is not for us to make sweeping denunciation of the professed religious world.
The Lord has His representatives in all the churches. These persons have not had the special testing truths for these last days presented to them under circumstances that brought conviction to heart and mind; therefore they have not, by rejecting light, severed their connection with God.
Among the Catholics there are many who are most conscientious Christians and who walk in all the light that shines upon them, and God will work in their behalf.
In the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation the people of God are called upon to come out of Babylon. According to this scripture, many of God’s people must still be in Babylon. And in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith.
Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness and alienation from God that exist in the churches which constitute Babylon, the great body of Christ’s true followers are still to be found in their communion.
Babylon’s Fall Not Yet Complete
“She made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:6-8). How is this done? By forcing men to accept a spurious sabbath.
Not yet, however, can it be said that ... “she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” She has not yet made all nations do this.
Not until this condition shall be reached, and the union of the church with the world shall be fully accomplished throughout Christendom, will the fall of Babylon be complete. The change is a progressive one, and the perfect fulfillment of Revelation 14:8 is yet future.
When do her sins reach unto heaven [Revelation 18:2-5]? When the law of God is finally made void by legislation.
God’s Last Warning Message
God has given the messages of Revelation 14 their place in the line of prophecy and their work is not to cease till the close of this earth’s history.
Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the result of rejecting the threefold warning of Revelation 14:6-12, the church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel, and the people of God still in Babylon will be called upon to separate from her communion. This message is the last that will ever be given to the world.
[Revelation 18:1, 2, 4, quoted.] This scripture points forward to a time when the announcement of the fall of Babylon, as made by the second angel of Revelation 14 (verse 8), is to be repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the various organizations that constitute Babylon.
These announcements, uniting with the third angel’s message, constitute the final warning to be given to the inhabitants of the earth.
The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power—all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred. Thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard words like these.
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