It was a hot, sultry day on Trinidad during World War II. A group of U.S. sailors stationed there were expecting to work at the naval hospital. But their orders were changed to doing grounds work instead. For ten of those sailors this posed a major problem. They were Seventh-day Adventists and this day was Sabbath. They would have been willing to do hospital care as an act of mercy but they believed that grounds work was unnecessary labor and they refused. They were arrested and sent to prison for disobeying an order.
While in prison they again refused to work on Sabbaths even after being ordered to do so by high-ranking officers. They were threatened with court-martial for disobeying a direct command. Bravely six of the men continued to stand firm for the Sabbath. Four of them did not. Why? At one of their interviews with a major, he had on his desk some playing cards and cigarettes that had been confiscated from those four men. He had done his homework and knew that these were not in accordance with SDA belief. Their compromise had caught up with them and they crumbled under the pressure. They realized they would not be able to stand on the grounds of “religious beliefs” in a court-martial. The other six stood the trials and tests, which were many, and because of their faithfulness, the rules in the navy were changed, making it easier to keep Sabbath in the Navy for all that came after them. [A Matter of Conscience, by P. Harold Pervis, Sr. with Norma Jean Lutz]
This story has many lessons it it. What does it take to stand the tests that are rapidly coming on the world? Are we ready for those trials? These six men who stood the test were faithful Sabbath-keepers before they were drafted into the navy. We can be faithful in the coming crisis only if we are totally faithful in everything now because we love our Lord and are willing to do whatever He says and suffer for Him if necessary. They also weren’t hiding anything of compromise in their pockets. We can’t have any compromise hidden anywhere in our lives if we want to stand the trial. We must be obedient in everything that scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy tell us.
As a people we are to prepare the way of the Lord. Every iota of ability God has given us must be put to use in preparing the people after God’s fashion, after His spiritual mold, to stand in this great day of God’s preparation; and the serious question may be awakened in world-loving hearts, “What is eternity to us? How will my case stand in the investigative judgment? What will be my lot and place?” Many who suppose they are going to heaven are blindfolded by the world. Their ideas of what constitutes a religious education and religious discipline are vague, resting only on probabilities; there are many who have no intelligent hope, and are running great risk in practicing the very things which Jesus has taught that they should not do, in eating, drinking, and dressing, binding themselves up with the world in a variety of ways. They have yet to learn the serious lessons so essential to growth in spirituality, to come out from the world and be separate. The heart is divided, the carnal mind craves conformity, similarity to the world in so many ways that the mark of distinction from the world is scarcely distinguishable. Money, God’s money, is expended in order to make an appearance after the world’s customs; the religious experience is contaminated with worldliness, and the evidence of discipleship – Christ’s likeness in self-denial and cross-bearing – is not discernible by the world or by the universe of heaven. FE 311
Eating
Appetite may not seem like a major issue but it was significant in several stories in the Bible. Adam and Eve gave in to their appetite even though they certainly were not hungry. (Genesis 3) Esau thought a bowl of soup was more important than his birthright. (Genesis 25:29-34) The Israelites complained because the food God provided for them didn’t satisfy their taste buds and many died because of it. (Exodus 16:3; Numbers 11) Daniel and his three friends risked their lives when they committed themselves to eating only what God approved. (Daniel 1) Jesus did not give in to His appetite even though He was starving. (Matthew 4; Luke 4)
What is God’s plan for our diet?
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Genesis 1:29
How significant is appetite in the life of a Christian?
[Christ] realized the power of appetite upon man; and in behalf of sinful man, he bore the closest test possible upon that point. Here a victory was gained which few can appreciate. The controlling power of depraved appetite, and the grievous sin of indulging it, can only be understood by length of the fast which our Saviour endured that he might break its power.
It is impossible for those who give the reins to appetite to attain to Christian perfection. The moral sensibilities of your children cannot be easily aroused, unless you are careful in the selection of their food. Many a mother sets a table that is a snare to her family. Flesh meats, butter, cheese, rich pastry, spiced foods, and condiments are freely partaken of by both old and young. These things do their work in deranging the stomach, exciting the nerves, and enfeebling the intellect. The blood-making organs cannot convert such things into good blood. The grease cooked in the food renders it difficult of digestion. The effect of cheese is deleterious. Fine-flour bread does not impart to the system the nourishment that is to be found in unbolted-wheat bread. Its common use will not keep the system in the best condition. Spices at first irritate the tender coating of the stomach, but finally destroy the natural sensitiveness of this delicate membrane. The blood becomes fevered, the animal propensities are aroused, while the moral and intellectual powers are weakened, and become servants to the baser passions. The mother should study to set a simple yet nutritious diet before her family. CD 236
Are you following God’s way or your stomach’s way in your eating habits? How does God view this?
It is a duty to know how to preserve the body in the very best condition of health, and it is a sacred duty to live up to the light which God has graciously given. If we close our eyes to the light for fear we shall see our wrongs, which we are unwilling to forsake, our sins are not lessened, but increased. If light is turned from in one case, it will be disregarded in another. It is just as much sin to violate the laws of our being as to break one of the ten commandments, for we cannot do either without breaking God’s law. We cannot love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength while we are loving our appetites, our tastes, a great deal better than we love the Lord. We are daily lessening our strength to glorify God, when He requires all our strength, all our mind. By our wrong habits we are lessening our hold on life, and yet professing to be Christ’s followers, preparing for the finishing touch of immortality. CD 44, 45
Drinking
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
The effect of tea and coffee, as heretofore shown, tends in the same direction as that of wine and cider, liquor and tobacco. . . . Tea is a stimulant, and to a certain extent produces intoxication. . . . Coffee is a hurtful indulgence. It temporarily excites the mind to unwonted action, but the after-effect is exhaustion, prostration, paralysis of the mental, moral, and physical powers. . . . All these nerve irritants are wearing away the life-forces, and the restlessness caused by shattered nerves, the impatience, the mental feebleness, become a warring element, antagonizing to spiritual progress. . . . Those who resort to tea and coffee for stimulation to labor, will feel the evil effects of this course in trembling nerves and lack of self-control. CTBH 34, 35
There was no pop or cola or high-energy drink in Ellen White’s day but they fall into the same category of stimulants with their massive load of sugar, caffeine, and other chemicals.
Dressing
Is your clothing in accordance with scripture and Spirit of Prophecy?
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. Deuteronomy 22:5
There is still another style of dress which will be adopted by a class of so-called dress reformers. They will imitate the opposite sex, as nearly as possible. They will wear the cap, pants, vest, coat, and boots, the last of which is the most sensible part of the costume. Those who adopt and advocate this style of dress, are carrying the so-called dress reform to very objectionable lengths. Confusion will be the result. Some who adopt this costume may be correct in their views in general upon the health question, and they could be instrumental in accomplishing vastly more good if they did not carry the matter of dress to such extremes.
Does it matter what we wear? If God says that something is an abomination, will He later change His mind about it if our society approves it? Did you catch what is the result of this style of dressing? It is confusion of the sexes. Do we have that today? Absolutely. God’s people have abandoned the standard of God’s word and now they are reaping the whirlwind!
I was shown that the people of God should not imitate the fashions of the world. Some have done this, and are fast losing the peculiar, holy character which should distinguish them as God’s people. I was pointed back to God’s ancient people, and was led to compare their apparel with the mode of dress in these last days. What a difference! what a change! Then the women were not so bold as now. When they went in public, they covered their faces with a veil. In these last days, fashions are shameful and immodest. They are noticed in prophecy. They were first brought in by a class over whom Satan has entire control, who, “being past feeling [without any conviction of the Spirit of God] have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” If God’s professed people had not greatly departed from Him, there would now be a marked difference between their dress and that of the world. . . . The inhabitants of earth are growing more and more corrupt, and the line of distinction between them and the Israel of God must be more plain, or the curse which falls upon worldlings will fall on God’s professed people. 1T 188, 189
None of God’s commands can be ignored without reaping the results. Disobedience is disobedience. Do you want to stand faithful in the trials that are coming on God’s people in the very near future? One important step is to get rid of any sin, any compromise, hidden in your pockets!
Those who do not overcome in little things will have no moral power to withstand greater temptations. 4T 574