We all believe in God, read the Bible, keep the Sabbath and pray. Yet it may be that some of us will go to heaven, and others to hellfire and to eternal death. It may seem that the difference between these groups of people is small, but really it is not small. Those that go to heaven are the children of light, “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5

We are children of light because we love our brothers. “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:10–11

The difference between these two companies is love and hatred. Love is light and it comes from God. Hatred is darkness and it comes from Satan. The difference is that one loves everybody, even the worst people; the other does not like or love at least one person. Also, the difference is, one has God’s Holy Spirit and the other one has Satan’s spirit.

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” Matthew 12:43–45

Satan’s spirit entered even into the disciples of Jesus:

“And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” Luke 9:54–56

We must to very careful that the evil spirits will not enter into us. This kind of hatred is seen when someone speaks evil of others, and broadcasts their mistakes and sins to others. Jesus spoke the sins of the Pharisees directly to them and not to others. He said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” John 8:44

Ananias and Sapphira were members in the church of God, and they spoke a lie. This took their salvation away. It was a sin against the Holy Spirit. There was no forgiveness for them anymore.

When God is shaking the church He shakes out members who have committed the unpardonable sin, who cannot be saved anymore. They themselves do not realize it. They think that they will be in heaven, when it is not possible for them anymore.

“Light comes to the soul through God’s word, through His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 322

“Closely connected with Christ’s warning in regard to the sin against the Holy Spirit is a warning against idle and evil words. The words are an indication of that which is in the heart. ‘Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’ But the words are more than an indication of character; they have power to react on the character. Men are influenced by their own words. Often under a momentary impulse, prompted by Satan, they give utterance to jealousy or evil surmising, expressing that which they do not really believe; but the expression reacts on the thoughts. They are deceived by their words, and come to believe that true which was spoken at Satan’s instigation. Having once expressed an opinion or decision, they are often too proud to retract it, and try to prove themselves in the right, until they come to believe that they are. It is dangerous to utter a word of doubt, dangerous to question and criticize divine light. The habit of careless and irreverent criticism reacts upon the character, in fostering irreverence and unbelief. Many a man indulging this habit has gone on unconscious of danger, until he was ready to criticize and reject the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, ‘Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.’

“Then He added a warning to those who had been impressed by His words, who had heard Him gladly, but who had not surrendered themselves for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is not only by resistance but by neglect that the soul is destroyed.” –Ibid., p. 323

Millions today have committed sin against the Holy Spirit, and yet they continue in religion, even being fanatical about it. One member who is led by the Holy Spirit is being sanctified; he is more holy every day. He is doing more missionary work, and being more generous in his donations to the church; he prays more and is more patient, and he does not get offended when criticized. He is moving in the right direction.

Another member is losing ground, he is backsliding. He is not in every meeting anymore; he sees no value in them. He hardly does missionary work anymore, and his offerings are less than before. He is easily irritated and offended. He is being led by Satan, away from God, back into the world.

These two members may look alike from the outside, but one is blinded and the other has clear eyesight. One has Christ’s righteousness and the other has self-righteousness. The one that has the Holy Spirit also has the fruit of the Spirit. He loves even his enemies. He has fullness of joy; he never complains, nothing can make him unhappy.

He has peace that passes understanding. He is long-suffering and patient, like Job. He has gentleness, he is tactful and courteous. His goodness is similar to the goodness of Jesus. He has faith to move mountains, nothing is impossible to him. His meekness is like the meekness that Moses had. Also he has temperance, he can control himself.

Peter writes, “he that lacketh these things is blind.” 2 Peter 1:9

These two Christians who look alike from the outside, one of them commits sin, and the other one cannot sin because he is born of God.

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” 1 John 3:8–9

He that commits sin will die eternally, for the wages of sin is death. He that does not commit sin will be in heaven and have eternal life.

There is hope for sinners; if they come to Jesus, He will give them power to become the sons of God. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12

The judgment is going on in heaven, and we all will be judged according to our works, words, and thoughts. We must be fully on the Lord’s side; no one who is almost perfect will be accepted. For one sin Adam and Eve were cast out of paradise and for one unrepented sin in our lives we cannot enter in.

One day a separation will come in the church in the same way that it came to the ten virgins. All who have lost the Holy Spirit will be shaken out, and only the ones who are filled with the Holy Spirit will remain. The message that Paul was preaching he called, “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8), the hidden treasure that will turn the sinner into a saint.

Be not satisfied with a false when the true religion is available. Be not satisfied with lukewarm religion, but let the fire of God burn within you. Be not satisfied with human weakness when you can (with Christ’s help) be omnipotent, and by faith able to move mountains. Why be wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, when you are offered gold tried in the fire, white raiment, and eye salve to anoint your eyes. If you make the right choice in your life you will be taken by God into the eternal mansions and not be left to perish. May this be true. Amen.

Timo Martin