midst of heaven , He requires every person endowed with reasoning powers to heed the message . The fearful judgments denounced against the worship of the beast and his image ( Revelation 14:9-11 ), should lead all to a diligent study of the prophecies to learn what the mark of the beast is , and how they are to avoid receiving it . But the masses of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth and are turned unto fables . The apostle Paul declared , looking down to the last days : " The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine ." 2 Timothy 4:3 . That time has fully come . The multitudes do not want Bible truth , because it interferes with the desires of the sinful , world-loving heart ; and Satan supplies the deceptions which they love .
But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible , and the Bible only , as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms . The opinions of learned men , the deductions of science , the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils , as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent , the voice of the majority--not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith . Before accepting any doctrine or precept , we should demand a plain " Thus saith the Lord " in its support . Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of God . He leads the people to look to bishops , to pastors , to professors of theology , as their guides , instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for themselves . Then , by controlling the minds of these leaders , he can influence the multitudes according to his will .
When Christ came to speak the words of life , the common people heard Him gladly ; and many , even of the priests and rulers , believed on Him . But the chief of the priesthood and the leading men of the nation were determined to condemn and repudiate His teachings . Though they were baffled in all their efforts to find accusations against Him , though they could not but feel the influence of the divine power and wisdom attending His words , yet they incased themselves in prejudice ; they rejected the clearest evidence of His Messiahship , lest they should be forced to become His disciples . These opponents of Jesus were men whom the people had been taught from infancy to reverence , to whose authority they had been accustomed implicitly to bow . " How is it ," they asked , " that our rulers and learned scribes do not believe on Jesus ? Would not these pious men receive
Him if He were the Christ ?" It was the influence of such teachers that led the Jewish nation to reject their Redeemer . The spirit which actuated those priests and rulers is still manifested by many who make a high profession of piety . They refuse to examine the testimony of the Scriptures concerning the special truths for this time . They point to their own
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