EXCHANGE OF TRUTH FOR ERROR by F. Peabody

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, May 12, 1885

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 62, No. 19

EXCHANGE OF TRUTH FOR ERROR.

By F. Peabody

BY ELD. F. PEABODY.

“Thy word is truth.” Truth is precious. Nothing is equal to it in value. It cannot be bought, yet all can possess it. It is a gift from God, who wants men to have it, and keep it as a precious treasure. He will never compel men to accept or hold his truth, and after they have accepted it, and their minds have been enlightened by it, even then they can exchange it for error. This has been done, and certainly can be done now.

In Rom. 1:25 Paul describes a class who made this exchange. Whatever they may have thought to gain by the trade, the sequel shows it was a fearfully losing transaction. He says: “Who exchanged the truth concerning God for a false religion” (Diaglot). They had the truth; but he says in verse 28, “As they did not choose to possess the knowledge of God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do improper things” (Diaglot). No doubt they thought to be greatly benefited by making the choice they did; they could see great worldly gain in store for them. No doubt they had occasion to call some foolish or ignorant for not making the change.

But now we see what followed as a consequence. Verse 29: “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers;” and a long, black list of sins of the most terrible nature. We read in the 32nd verse that they knew the judgments or ordinances of God in regard to these things. They could not plead ignorance. They not only went so far as to do these things, but they had pleasure in those who did the same. This principle applies now as well as at the time Paul is describing. There always have been and are now men ready to exchange truth for error. Cain did it, and was led to commit murder, one of the sins Paul says such a course leads men to commit. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram tried the same, and were swallowed up in the earth.

There are numerous examples of people who made this foolish exchange, “written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.” This traffic still goes on, always at a terrible loss to those engaging in it; and yet there are thousands who will not be admonished. God’s word says Christ is to come the second time to awake his sleeping people and give them eternal life. This “blessed hope” the world has exchanged for the intoxicating theory that all have eternal life within themselves, and that most of those who die here go directly to heaven, and therefore there is no need of Christ’s coming. This we know is all false. God’s word proves it so.

Again, God’s word says the seventh day is the Sabbath; and thousands, admitting this, still deliberately exchange it for a counterfeit Sabbath, and then ask and expect the Lord to sanction the transaction. Here also like results follow. As the truth is pressed upon them, and they decide,

as thousands do, to make the change, giving truth for error, they are left to be “filled with all unrighteousness.” Yes; they become proud, envious, boasters, backbiters. They go with and take pleasure in those that do these things.