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There is less excuse in our day for stubbornness and unbelief than there was for the Jews in the days of Christ. They did not have before them the example of a nation that had suffered retribution of their unbelief and disobedience. But we have before us the history of the chosen people of God, who separated themselves from him, and rejected the Prince of life. Though they could not convict him of sin, though they could not fail to see their own hypocrisy, they hated the Prince of life because he laid bare their evil ways. In our day greater light and greater evidence is given. We have also their example, the warnings and reproofs that were presented to them, and our sin and its retribution will be the greater, if we refuse to walk in the light. Many say, "If I had only lived in the days of Christ, I would not have wrested his words, or falsely interpreted his instruction. I would not have rejected and crucified him as did the Jews;" but that will be proved by the way in which you deal with his message and his messengers today. The Lord is testing the people of today as much as he tested the Jews in their day. When he sends his messages of mercy, the light of his truth, he is sending the spirit of truth to you, and if you accept the message, you accept of Jesus. Those who declare that if they had lived in the days of Christ, they would not do as did the rejectors of his mercy, will today be tested. Those who live in this day are not accountable for the deeds of those who crucified the Son of God; but if with all the light that shone upon his ancient people, delineated before us, we travel over the same ground, cherish the same spirit, refuse to receive reproof and warning, then our guilt will be greatly augmented, and the condemnation that fell upon them will fall upon us, only it will be as much greater as our light is greater in this age than was their light in their age. {RH, April 11, 1893 par. 7}
Those who allow prejudice to bar the mind against the reception of truth cannot receive the divine enlightenment. Yet, when a view of Scripture is presented, many do not ask, Is it true--in harmony with God's word? but, By whom is it advocated? and unless it comes through the very channel that pleases them, they do not accept it. So thoroughly satisfied are they with their own ideas that they will not examine the Scripture evidence with a desire to learn, but refuse to be interested, merely because of their prejudices. --TM 105
Men Call Evil Good, and Good Evil.
[Isaiah 5:19-23 quoted.] The class here represented, in order to exalt their own opinions,
employ a reasoning which is not authorized by the Word of God. They walk in the sparks of their own kindling. By their specious reasoning,
they confuse the distinction that God desires to have drawn between good and evil. The sacred is brought down on a level with common things.
Avarice and selfishness are called by false names; they are called prudence. Their rising up in independence and rebellion, their revenge
and stubbornness, in their eyes are proofs of dignity, evidences of a noble mind. They act as though ignorance of divine things were not
dangerous and even fatal to the soul; and they prefer their own reasoning to divine revelation, their own plans and human wisdom to the
admonitions and commands of God. The piety and conscientiousness of others are called fanaticism, and those who practise truth and holiness
are watched and criticized. They deride those who teach and believe the mystery of godliness, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." The principles
underlying these things are not discerned by them; and they go on in wrong-doing, leaving the bars open for Satan to find ready access to the soul
(RH Dec. 22, 1896).