I was shown that Sabbathkeeping Adventists should not engage
in life insurance. This is a commerce with the world which God does not
approve. Those who engage in this enterprise are uniting with the world, while
God calls His people to come out from among them and to be separate. Said the
angel: "Christ has purchased you by the sacrifice of His life. 'What? know
ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye
have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.' 'For ye are
dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life,
shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.'" Here is the
only life insurance which heaven sanctions.{1T 549.2}
Life insurance is
a worldly policy which leads our brethren who engage in it to depart from the
simplicity and purity of the gospel. Every such departure weakens our faith and
lessens our spirituality. Said the angel: "But ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show
forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous
light." As a people we are in a special sense the Lord's. Christ has
bought us. Angels that excel in strength surround us. Not a sparrow falls to
the ground without the notice of our heavenly Father. Even the hairs of our head
are numbered. God has made provision for His people. He has a special care for
them, and they should not distrust His providence by engaging in a policy with
the world.{1T 550.1}
God designs that
we should preserve in simplicity and holiness our peculiarity as a people.
Those who engage in this worldly policy invest means which belong to God, which
He has entrusted to them to use in His cause, to advance His work. But few will
realize any returns from life insurance, and without God's blessing even these
will prove an injury instead of a benefit. Those whom God has made His stewards
have no right to place in the enemy's ranks the means which He has entrusted to
them to use in His cause.{1T 550.2}
Satan is
constantly presenting inducements to God's chosen people to attract their minds
from the solemn work of preparation for the scenes just in the future. He is in
every sense of the word a deceiver, a skillful charmer. He clothes his plans
and snares with coverings of light borrowed from heaven. He tempted Eve to eat
of the forbidden fruit by making her believe that she would be greatly
advantaged thereby. Satan leads his agents to introduce various inventions and
patent rights and other enterprises, that Sabbathkeeping Adventists who are in
haste to be rich may fall into temptation, become ensnared, and pierce
themselves through with many sorrows. He is wide awake, busily engaged in
leading the world captive, and through the agency of worldlings he keeps up a
continual pleasing excitement to draw the unwary who profess to believe the
truth to unite with worldlings. The lust of the eye, the desire for excitement
and pleasing entertainment, is a temptation and snare to God's people. Satan
has many finely woven, dangerous nets which are made to appear innocent, but
with which he is skillfully preparing to infatuate God's people. There are
pleasing shows, entertainments, phrenological lectures, and an endless variety
of enterprises constantly arising calculated to lead the people of God to love
the world and the things that are in the world. Through this union with the
world, faith becomes weakened, and means which should be invested in the cause
of present truth are transferred to the enemy's ranks. Through these different
channels Satan is skillfully draining the purses of God's people, and for it
the displeasure of the Lord is upon them.