Gods Sabbath

P AULS ’ S M ISTAKE

469

Through his deceptive tactics, Satan is able to use those who be lieve themselves dedicated to Babylon’s destruction, to build her without even realizing it. The members of Christ’s body today need to have a much greater awareness of Satan’s abilities and his tireless application of them. Those who do develop a healthy respect for Satan’s work by obtaining knowledge of his devices, will be far less likely to fall for his wiles. The men through whom Satan established the mystery of in iquity in the early Christian church were men of deep piety, im peccable morality, and consuming zeal for God’s work. There was nothing about their activities or appearance to suggest that they would become rebellious. But their good intentions could save neither the leaders nor the church from the evil effects of their chosen course. As soon as people set themselves in the place of Christ the great Connector over other members of God’s church, the seeds of the papacy have been sown. Vigorous growth follows, until eventually the apos tates confederate with the visible man of sin. Those who forsake the holy covenant will always do this eventually, no matter how stoutly they disclaim the possibility. The confederation may not take place in the lifetimes of those who first deviate from the right principles, but succeeding generations will witness it. The principles have not changed. The same spirit is still lead ing to the same results today. Therefore, the success of the move ment through which God will finally finish His work, depends on the utter refusal of its members to walk the pathway of the lead ers in the early Christian church, or to compromise as Paul did in this incident. It must be remembered that once the mystery of iniquity has been established in a movement, no recovery is ever made. In the past, every such movement has had to be re placed by a new one. So it will ever be. Once human beings have usurped Christ’s position as Head of His church, it can be His church no longer. Each of us must determine that we will not permit these evil principles to have any part in our lives or in our church. Safety and success lie in no other course. Evil Principles