Right Conversation
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God. Psa. i:23.
BRO. WHITE: My mind, of late, has been dwelling upon the subject brought to view in the above text. As we are living in the days when evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, does it not become us to watch our conversation, that we may receive the blessing promised to him that ordereth his conversation aright.
We read in 1 Peter i:15, “But as He which hath called you is Holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” Now is it not time that we take heed to the many passages of Scripture bearing upon this point? Our Saviour says in Matt. xii:36, 37, “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
It seems that idle words, jesting, and filthy conversation, is one of the besetting sins of this age. Dear brethren and sisters, are we clear of this sin? If we are not, let us start from this time, and resolve that we will be guilty of it no longer. How often our ears are stung by the filthy conversation of the wicked about us. And it can truly be said by those who are trying to become pure and holy in the sight of God, as it was of just Lot; who dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. And we read in 1 Peter iii:10 “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.” And James says in chap. iii:13: “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” And Peter, speaking of the things that are to take place at the coming of the Lord, says, 2 Peter iii:11 “Seeing then that all these things shall he dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.”
Dear brethren and sisters, Jesus is soon coming, and are we getting ready? Are we making that preparation that we shall need, to stand before the Judge of all the earth at his appearing? Oh let us arouse ourselves and be awake to the times in which we are living. The war cloud is hanging over this earth. The nations are angry; but the four angels are holding the four winds of the earth, till the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. Let us work while the day lasts; for the night soon cometh when no man can work.
Jesus will have a pure church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Then let us purify our souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren. See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. I want to get,ready for the coming of the Saviour, and be numbered with the 144,000 in whose mouth will be found no guile, and sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.
F. F. LAMOREAUX. Grand Ledge, Mich., Dec. 27, 1863.
The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald January 5, 1864