GENERAL CONFERENCE.
BATTLE CREEK, MICH., 1891.
BIBLE STUDY.
LETTER TO THE ROMANS
BY ELDER E. J. WAGGONER
"And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them 
who are the called according to his
purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among
many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called:
and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them
he also glorified." Rom. 8:28-30.
You will notice that the verbs in these texts are
all in the past tense. The blessings and promises contained here are
true continually of those who are called of God, and of all who are called of God.
Q: Who are called?
A: "For the promise is unto you, and to your children and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call." He calls, "Whosoever
will." "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
Satan is against us.
Q: Who is he?
A: “The prince of the power of the air." (Eph.2:2).
He
brings pestilence, he brings disease, he puts things in our way, and
arrays them against us. But the very things which he arrays against us
to work our ruin, God takes and makes them for us.
If we would only give more credence to God's truth,
and less to Satan’s lies,
it would be better for us.
We are like the people who are represented by the prophet Ezekiel:
"Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking
against [about] thee 
by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and
speak one to another, everyone to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you,
and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord." That is
it,—they say, Come, let us go to meeting, and hear the sermon. "And they
come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my
people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with
their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their
covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one
that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they
hear thy words, but they do them not." Eze. 33:30-32.
I say that a great many of these truths are just a song to many people.
They hear them and are interested in them, and then pass on, but they do
not believe or do them.