Christian Life

Are Opiates Affecting Your Walk on the Narrow Way?

by

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:17–24

Opiates have been in the news quite a bit in the last few years. The first dictionary definition of the word is “a drug derived from opium that induces sedation or sleep, depresses respiration, and produces calmness or euphoria, and is associated with physiological tolerance, physical and psychological dependence, and addiction upon repeated or prolonged use.” A second definition is “something likened to a drug that induces rest or inaction or quiets uneasiness.” Synonyms for the effect of opiates include tranquilizing, deadening, stupefying.

However, opiate is used in inspired writings in an unusual and completely different way.

Let’s begin with a passage from Inspiration. “ ‘Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.’ Once they [the Ephesians] were corrupt, degraded, enslaved by lustful passions; they were drugged by worldly opiates, blinded, bewildered, and betrayed by Satan’s devices. Now that they had been taught the truth as it is in Jesus, there must be a decided change in their life and character.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 172

What are worldly opiates? If being drugged by them, it seems critical that we know what they are to avoid being in the condition that Paul attributes to the Ephesians.

We have already defined an opiate as a drug that induces rest or inaction or quiets uneasiness. So, we ask, What is it in the world that has that effect on us? What is it that induces inaction or quiets uneasiness?

There is one easy answer: anything that takes our minds off eternal realities. This would include such things as television, movies, fictional literature, amusements and amusement parks, the internet, social media in all its forms. When you stop to think about it, the list is really long. Satan has mastered the art of creating diversions that take the mind into territories that prevent his subjects from being ever mindful of eternal realities.

According to worldly sources, which often speak more truth than they realize, opiates induce rest. Inspiration confirms that.

“If the watchmen sleep under an opiate of Satan’s and do not recognize the voice of the true Shepherd, and do not take up the warning, I tell you in the fear of God, they will be charged with the blood of souls. The watchmen must be wide awake, men who will not slumber at their post of duty, day nor night. They must give the trumpet a certain sound, that the people may shun the evil and choose the good. Stupidity and careless indifference cannot be excused. On every side of us there are breakers and hidden rocks which will dash our bark in pieces, and leave us helpless wrecks, unless we make God our refuge and help.” The Review and Herald, December 24, 1889

Clearly, the effects of opiates can have eternal consequences.

“Those who neglect to search the Scriptures, choosing rather to read books of skeptical writers, or of writers who are frivolous or worldly, will be tempted to neglect prayer, to withdraw from religious meetings, to invest money in cheap literature, and will so educate themselves that all taste for the sacred oracles will be erased from the mind. Thus, will they be led to refuse to hear, to refuse to incline the heart to seek God while He may be found, to call upon Him while He is near, while He is still sending messages of reproof, warning, and entreaty.

“They say to all the tender entreaties of God’s Spirit, ‘Not now; I will go into another city, and buy and sell and get gain; and after that I will begin a new life.’ O do not be deceived by this suggestion of the enemy to wait, and that after a time you will repent. The longer you put it off, the less will be your inclination to turn to God and obey the invitations of mercy. The most discouraging development in your case is the very fact that you say, ‘Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.’ This is an evidence that conscience has become aroused, and then put to sleep again with an opiate. But think of this: conscience may never wake again! While God grants you life, while you are sure of probation, embrace your day of opportunity and privilege.” The Youth’s Instructor, December 7, 1893

It is a common practice, following surgery, to prescribe opiates as part of pain management. What I have discovered is that the drugs don’t necessarily alleviate the pain; they just induce a euphoria that overrides the painfulness of pain. The mind becomes beclouded to the pain. He is still in pain, but just doesn’t care. And that is the objective of Satan’s opiates.

“The enemies of truth are working with all their unconsecrated powers to hinder the advance of the message. The churches of the world are being drugged with the opiates of error. The great deceiver is making determined efforts to becloud the understanding of the people.” Spalding and Magan, 436

What are some of the opiates of error that Satan is drugging his victims with?

One of the most common, I think, is the power of the clergy. How many times do we hear from those we are witnessing to, “My pastor says … ,” or “My priest says … .”

It seems that for many people, it is easier to ask supposed ecclesiastical experts than it is to investigate for themselves. We often encounter this reaction after explaining the seventh-day Sabbath to an associate. They will come back after a day or two stating they asked their pastor and he explained that they observe Sunday as the Sabbath in honor of Christ’s resurrection, thus receiving the opiate needed to quiet their uneasiness.

Closely related to that is the power of loved ones. How many do we know who are bound by their spouses, parents, sons, or daughters, and fail to do what they know to be right, just to maintain peace in the family while their hearts are at war with the truth?

Another opiate of error is tradition. We all know how Christ addressed teaching for doctrine the tradition of men.

“Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, ‘Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.’ He answered and said to them, ‘Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, “Honor your father and your mother”; and, “He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.” But you say, “Whoever says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God’—then he need not honor his father or mother.” Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” ’ ” Matthew 15:1–9

Another opiate of error is inertia. It might be difficult to understand inertia as an opiate, but in the broadest definition of an opiate as something that induces inaction, inertia certainly qualifies. Inertia is defined as a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged. It is often far easier to continue doing what you always have done than it is to initiate a change in behavior. I’m sure we all have experienced this at some point in our lives.

I was raised a Sundaykeeper and for 50 years, observed Sunday as the Sabbath. Thankfully, the Lord opened my eyes to the error of my ways, but I still occasionally slip and call the Sabbath Sunday, or use the term “Sunday school.” They say “Old habits die hard,” and the truth of that leads me to a fifth opiate of error.

My seventh grade English teacher once wrote the word “HABIT” on the blackboard in all capital letters. She erased the H, explaining that after working hard to overcome a bad habit, we still had “A-BIT.” Working harder, we still had “BIT.” Working even harder we still had “IT.”

There is a passage in Inspiration that we’ve all read or heard more than once acknowledging the effects of failing to overcome our wrong habits.

“There are some who seem to be always seeking for the heavenly pearl. But they do not make an entire surrender of their wrong habits. They do not die to self that Christ may live in them. [Clearly, living for self is a wrong habit!] Therefore they do not find the precious pearl. They have not overcome unholy ambition and their love for worldly attractions. They do not take up the cross and follow Christ in the path of self-denial and sacrifice. Almost Christians, yet not fully Christians, they seem near the kingdom of heaven, but they cannot enter there. Almost but not wholly saved means to be not almost but wholly lost.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 118

We see from this passage that Inspiration recognizes wrong habits and worldly attractions as opiates—tranquilizing, deadening, stupefying “drugs”—that, if we do not break free, will prevent us from entering the kingdom of heaven.

“Who will turn away from every worldly attraction, from earthly enterprises that promise great gain and selfish gratification, and count all things but loss if he may win Christ? Winning Christ, we win everything. Jesus says He will be in us ‘a well of water springing up into everlasting life.’

“ … ‘Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.’ There is a necessity for a decided choice; for Jesus said, ‘Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’ ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.’

“He who is mighty in counsel speaks to you; will you hear His voice, will you obey His words? Jesus says, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ He invites you to step upon new and higher ground than that which you have occupied in the past. If your heart is filled with love to Christ, it will be demonstrated that He is stronger than the passions which have ruled you, whose indulgence have undermined noble impulses, and left the soul to the mercy of Satan’s temptations.

“ ‘Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price.’ The world is under the most solemn obligation to render to the Lord Jesus His purchased possession,—soul, body, and spirit. But because the people of the world ignore their responsibility to God, and refuse to accept the great gift of salvation, they are not excused from their obligation to be faithful servants of Christ. In serving their own lust, they make it manifest that they are not subject to the rule of Christ, but day by day are robbing God of that which is His due. They refuse to be the children of Christ, and choose rather to be the slaves of Satan. In astonishment at their blindness, we reiterate the words of the apostle, ‘Who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?’

“Christ invites the sinner to come to Him. With what loving entreaties He follows the sinner! When the heart of the sinner is touched, he yields his will to God’s will, and selfish inclination is no longer the controlling power; for the slavery of Satan is broken, and the soul brought into subjection to Christ. Impressed with the sense of the Saviour’s long-suffering, forbearance, compassion, and measureless love, the repenting soul is deeply conscious of his own unworthiness and guilt. He yields his will to the will of God, and longs to reveal his loyalty to Christ, watching for opportunities to speak forth His goodness and love. He sees in Jesus matchless charms, and his heart is captivated. He has tasted of the love of Christ, and the gratitude of his heart is expressed in speaking to those who do not know the goodness of the Lord. He becomes a partaker of the divine nature.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 27, 1892

May the Lord give us reason, grace, and moral strength to overcome the effect these opiates have on our spiritual journey and that Satan uses so effectively to thwart us in our efforts to walk the narrow way successfully.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

Policy versus Principle

by

“And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.’ Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.”
John 11:49–52

Many different factors influence our actions. In psychology, there is a concept known as Maslow’s Hierarchy, which was the result of an attempt to categories these influences. Abraham Maslow proposed what is now called “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” in the early 1940s, asserting that human motivation stems from a hierarchy of five fundamental categories: physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization.

In effect, our actions are motivated by the five fundamental categories in this hierarchy. Once the basic physiological needs of air, food, and water are satisfied—which in the lives of most of us are easily met—we move on to the next step in the hierarchy: the need for safety, such as personal security, employment, health, and property. Then comes love and belonging. Once those needs are met, we move on to concerns such as self-esteem, status, respect, and freedom. At the top of the hierarchy is self-actualization—the desire to reach one’s fullest potential.

Note that in this pyramid of basic human needs, Maslow does not mention developing a Christ-like character based on biblical principles. While intellectually this proposal may seem logical in worldly terms, it is seriously lacking in spiritual terms. Thus, this, like a lot of psychological theories, is a contrived invention of the corrupt human mind and not the result of the promptings of an all-wise Creator.

While psychology suggests that our life decisions are based on meeting our basic physical and mental needs, the Bible and inspired writings tell us that life decisions should be based on the principles clearly laid out in God’s word—the books of Proverbs and Psalms being excellent sources, in addition to the revelation of events in the lives of the patriarchs of God’s children, beginning with Adam himself and continuing through the record of Paul’s work given us in his epistles and larger works.

Augmenting the biblical record is the vast body of work of Ellen G. White. A study of these two sources would not only produce a well-rounded Christian character, but would also ensure a safe passage across the Jordan into the kingdom of eternal bliss and happiness.

Ultimately, what this comes down to today is whether we base our decisions on divine principles or worldly policy. Inspiration has much to say about both principle and policy.

Policy can be defined as a set of ideas or a plan of action for particular situations that has been agreed upon by a group of people. Thus, in one sense, Maslow’s Hierarchy is a policy for the conduct of daily life. However, it is completely lacking in Christian principles.

“The natural mind leans toward pleasure and self-gratification. It is Satan’s policy to manufacture an abundance of this.” The Adventist Home, 521. “This” means pleasure and self-gratification—the top element in Maslow’s hierarchy, which might be considered an attempt by Satan to counterfeit Peter’s ladder.

Inspiration provides an interesting example that illustrates a decision based on principle versus policy.

“In the joy of his new discipleship, Matthew longed to bring his former associates to Jesus. Accordingly, he made a feast at his own house, and called together his relatives and friends. …

“The entertainment was given in honor of Jesus, and He did not hesitate to accept the courtesy. He well knew that this would give offense to the Pharisaic party, and would also compromise Him in the eyes of the people. But no question of policy could influence His movements. With Him external distinctions weighed nothing. That which appealed to His heart was a soul thirsting for the water of life.” The Desire of Ages, 273, 274

In other words, Christ’s decision to attend the feast at Matthew’s home was based entirely on principle and not on policy.

Inspiration often uses the word policy, whereas we would use the word politics. Thus, when reading Inspiration and encountering the word policy, it is usually helpful to mentally substitute it with politics. Although that substitution doesn’t always work to clarify the passage, it often does. Like many words, the complete understanding depends on the context.

Back to our subject of policy versus principle in contrast with the high principles that influenced Christ’s life. We have this statement concerning the basis for the actions of the Jewish leaders in their deliberations about Jesus’ attendance at Matthew’s feast:

“When the rabbis learned of the presence of Jesus at Matthew’s feast, they seized the opportunity of accusing Him. But they chose to work through the disciples. By arousing their prejudices, they hoped to alienate them from their Master. It was their policy [their plan about what to do in this particular situation] to accuse Christ to the disciples, and the disciples to Christ, aiming their arrows where they would be most likely to wound. This is the way in which Satan has worked ever since the disaffection in heaven; and all who try to cause discord and alienation are actuated by his spirit.” Ibid., 275

The distinction between actions guided by policy versus principle is clearly expressed in Inspiration.

“Worldly policy and the undeviating principles of righteousness do not blend into each other imperceptibly, like the colors of the rainbow. Between the two, a broad, clear line is drawn by the eternal God. The likeness of Christ stands out as distinct from that of Satan as midday in contrast with midnight. And only those who live the life of Christ are His co-workers. If one sin is cherished in the soul, or one wrong practice is retained in the life, the whole being is contaminated. The man becomes an instrument of unrighteousness.” Ibid., 313

That’s a pretty scary thought. If our actions are based on worldly policy rather than on the undeviating principles of righteousness, we become instruments of unrighteousness.

The value of basing our decisions on principles versus policies depends on the principles we use as the basis for our decisions.

In determining the fate of Christ, the Jewish leaders based their decision on principle, just not the right one.

“In declaring that one man should die for the nation, Caiaphas indicated that he had some knowledge of the prophecies, although it was very limited. But John, in his account of this scene [this scene in which the Jewish leaders are plotting the death of Christ], takes up the prophecy, and shows its broad and deep significance. He says, ‘And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.’ How blindly did the haughty Caiaphas acknowledge the Saviour’s mission!

“On the lips of Caiaphas this most precious truth [that one man should die for the nation] was turned into a lie. The policy he advocated was based on a principle borrowed from heathenism. Among the heathen, the dim consciousness that one was to die for the human race had led to the offering of human sacrifices. So Caiaphas proposed by the sacrifice of Jesus to save the guilty nation, not from transgression, but in transgression, that they might continue in sin. And by his reasoning he thought to silence the remonstrances of those who might dare to say that as yet nothing worthy of death had been found in Jesus.” Ibid., 540

Thus, we have seen that the foundation on which we base life’s decisions should not be policy or politics but rather principles. And even then, the principles we use have to be the right ones.

May the Holy Spirit give us the guidance we need to make decisions based on righteous principles, decisions that will be approved in the courts of heaven.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

Sowing and Reaping

by

Earlier this year, I determined to study the concept of sowing and reaping. Perhaps I thought of it while setting out my tomato plants and anticipating a harvest of homegrown deliciousness. Or, it could also have been when Pastor John mentioned the concept in one of his sermons. But as I studied, I came across this definitive statement from Inspiration:

“The Lord has made it a part of His plan that man’s reaping shall be according to his sowing.” Healthful Living, 25

The Plan

The “plan” referred to in this quote is the plan of salvation, which adds weighty importance to the significance of being acutely aware of what we sow, for clearly, our eternal destiny depends on it.

Regardless of the cause that provoked this study, I began with Galatians 6:7, 8: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

An Important Concept

Early in my study, I realized that this is a fairly common concept mentioned many times in Scripture.

Reaping what we sow was an important concept for the Apostle Paul. Not only did he write about it in his letters to the Galatians and the Colossians, but he also mentioned it in his second letter to the Corinthians:

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” 2 Corinthians 9:6

“But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.” Colossians 3:25

The obvious corollary to that is that he who does right will also be repaid accordingly. We are left to determine for ourselves which kind of repayment we will receive based on the type of actions we commit and the kind of seed we sow.

Once again, we see that it is up to us to determine what kind of crop we will have.

Job

Moses also alluded to this concept when he recorded Job’s experience.

We generally recognize Job’s three friends as “miserable comforters.” However, the dubious counsel they gave Job occasionally contained a gem of truth. In one of Eliphaz’s diatribes, he stated, “Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.” Job 4:8

Even though it is clear from the context that Eliphaz meant this as an indictment of Job’s character, implying that Job’s troubles were the result of his supposed iniquitous behavior, if we remove it from the context, it remains a gem of truth. Although Eliphaz neglected to state it, the opposite is also true—those who till the soil with righteousness will receive a righteous reward.

Inspiration has much to say about this concept as well, revealing that there are many different aspects to sowing and reaping.

By Beholding

“You see that your brethren do not come up to the Bible standard, that there are defects in them, and you dwell upon these defects. You feed upon them instead of feeding upon Christ … .” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 334

If we continually and consistently dwell upon the faults of others, it is a universal law that those faults will become ingrained in our characters. But if we look ever to Jesus, the faults of others will fade as we will see more clearly our own faults and realize the necessity of change. “[For] by beholding we become changed. Let us look to Jesus and consider the loveliness of His character, and by beholding, we shall become changed into the same likeness.” Our High Calling, 334

There is a saying that you are what you eat. That is a statement of an obvious truth—in more ways than one. But it is also true that your character will be molded by whatever it is that you allow to occupy the avenues of the soul—your senses.

A More Detailed Example

“The soul does not become more and more like Christ by beholding evil, but like the evil which it beholds. The same love of self, the same indulgence of self, the same hastiness of Spirit, the same petulance of temper, the same sensitiveness and pride of opinion, the same unwillingness to receive counsel, the same unsanctified, independent judgment, will be manifest in those who criticize as in those who are criticized. They will act as if they had not Christ as their pattern and example.” The Review and Herald, August 15, 1893

“Those who feel it their prerogative to criticize their fellow men are doing the work of the enemy. The Lord has set none to correct the supposed errors of others; for by beholding these imperfections they themselves become harsh and self-centered. They compare themselves with themselves, and measure themselves among themselves. There are jealous and sensitive souls who foster their pride until, like an inflamed wound, it cannot bear the slightest touch. They fancy that they have been slighted, when no slight exists, until they create in themselves the very evils they imagine in others.” Ibid., November 21, 1899

So, You Reap What You Sow

In our original text from Galatians, Paul wrote, “He who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption.” The obvious question to ask from this statement is, What does it mean to sow to the flesh?

“Every seed sown produces a harvest of its kind. So it is in human life. We all need to sow the seeds of compassion, sympathy, and love; for we shall reap what we sow. Every characteristic of selfishness, self-love, self-esteem, every act of self-indulgence, will bring forth a like harvest. He who lives for self is sowing to the flesh, and of the flesh he will reap corruption.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 84

So, what we plant and cultivate in our hearts is what will grow and become our characters.

The following passage contrasts sowing to the flesh with sowing for a harvest of good.

“Fellow laborers, we are each sowing seed in the fields of life. As is the seed, so will be the harvest. If we sow distrust, envy, jealousy, self-love, bitterness of thought and feeling, we shall reap bitterness to our own souls. If we manifest kindness, love, tender thought for the feelings of others, we shall receive the same in return.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 30

The Harvest Sown in this World is Carried into the Next

“Those who have sought for the development and perfection of Christian character by exercising their faculties in good works will, in the world to come, reap that which they have sown. The work begun upon earth will reach its consummation in that higher and holier life to endure throughout eternity.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 83

What we need is to be educated in the perfecting of Christian character. Mrs. White gives us counsel that is useful in this education—counsel, as you might expect, that deals with the universal concept that the nature and quality of the harvest is the result of the earlier sowing.

“By the laws of God in nature, effect follows cause with unvarying certainty. The reaping testifies to the sowing. Here, no pretense is tolerated. Men may deceive their fellow men and may receive praise and compensation for service which they have not rendered. But in nature, there can be no deception. On the unfaithful husbandman the harvest passes sentence of condemnation. And in the highest sense, this is true also in the spiritual realm. It is in appearance, not in reality, that evil succeeds. The child who plays truant from school, the youth who is slothful in his studies, the clerk or apprentice who fails of serving the interests of his employer, the man in any business or profession who is untrue to his highest responsibilities, may flatter himself that, so long as the wrong is concealed, he is gaining an advantage. But not so; he is cheating himself. The harvest of life is character, and it is this that determines destiny, both for this life and for the life to come.

“The harvest is a reproduction of the seed sown. Every seed yields fruit after its kind. So it is with the traits of character we cherish. Selfishness, self-love, self-esteem, self-indulgence, reproduce themselves, and the end is wretchedness and ruin. ‘He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.’ Galatians 6:8. Love, sympathy, and kindness yield fruitage of blessing, a harvest that is imperishable.” Education, 108, 109

A Different Aspect of the Same Concept

“Every day, we are sowing some kind of seed. If we sow the seeds of unbelief, we shall reap unbelief; if we sow pride, we shall reap pride; if we sow stubbornness, we shall reap stubbornness, ‘for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’ ” Lift Him Up, 266

The following passage, published over a century ago, provides an accurate description of this concept as it is applied to society today.

“The widespread iniquity prevalent today may in a great degree be attributed to a failure to study and obey the Scriptures, for when the word of God is set aside, its power to restrain the evil passions of the natural heart is rejected. Men sow to the flesh, and of the flesh reap corruption.” Prophets and Kings, 624

Our Free Will

It is in the exercise of our free will that we sow. Whether we sow rebellion or obedience determines the nature of the crop.

“Lucifer took the position that as a result of the law of God, wrong existed in heaven and on this earth. This brought against God’s government the charge of being arbitrary. But this is a falsehood framed by the author of all falsehoods. God’s government is a government of free will, and there is no act of rebellion or obedience which is not an act of free will.” The Signs of the Times, June 5, 1901

By transgressing God’s law, regardless of the method or manner, we are sowing seeds that will yield a failed crop—one destined by universal law to be only discord, anarchy, and ruin.

Remember, part of the Lord’s plan is that man will reap according to how he has sown.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

The Sanctified Home

by

If we are ready when Jesus comes, He will take us with Him to heaven. Though we know very little about the social and family arrangements in heaven, we do know that angels are social beings, and Jesus has said that we would be like them. The important thing, however, is to understand that how we live here—as families, spouses, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and brothers and sisters in Christ—will determine whether or not we will be there. What we do know is that heaven, and ultimately the new earth, will be populated with a diverse congregation of people, all united by their love for God.

Happiness is where the heart is.

Many people feel that their home is where they will find happiness, and I hope that is true. But there is a more profound reason behind why God instituted the home and families, and Mrs. White gives us that reason when she wrote that our homes should be “a little heaven to go to heaven in.” (The Review and Herald, April 21, 1891). God established homes on earth as the practical classroom in which we are prepared to live as the saints will live in heaven. And if everyone in our home is living in this way, then our earthly home will exude the atmosphere of heaven. Therefore, learning how to have a sanctified home here would be a study of great importance.

To begin our study, let’s ask ourselves this question, “If Jesus were to come right now, would we feel perfectly at ease in heaven?” If the way we speak and interact with those in our family here would cause us to answer “no” to this question, then we have some work to do to be ready for heaven. Now is the time when we must individually work to develop a Christlike life and character (Sermons and Talks, Vol. 1, 206, 207; The Upward Look, 374). Our earthly home is where we can practice living as Christ did in His earthly life.

Mrs. White said that “it was heaven to be in Jesus’ presence” (The Ministry of Healing, 18). Most people think that heaven is a place with golden streets, pearly gates, and mansions, and that is all true. But heaven is heaven because Jesus is there. So, if we allow Him to dwell in our hearts and transform our lives, then we will have heaven within us every day.

Some homes are long-standing battlefields. Parents and children alike fight with one another, sometimes physically bruising and breaking the body, and sometimes with words that wither the spirit and cause lifelong desolation to the heart. God will not allow anyone who chooses to retain their selfish nature to be in heaven.

And so, it began.

When Lucifer rebelled against God and His government, war raged in heaven (Revelation 12:7–9). Christ and His angels fought against the devil and his angels until they were cast out of heaven. Thus began the great controversy—the war for the souls of humanity—between Christ and Satan. This isn’t just a story in the Bible; you can see it happening throughout the world. But worst of all, this war is being waged in our hearts and homes every day. Jesus seeks to make every home a little piece of heaven on earth, thereby saving every member of every family. Satan seeks to destroy everyone and everything.

Heaven, no matter where it is.

“No unpleasant words are spoken in heaven. There, no unkind thoughts are cherished. There envy, evil surmising, hatred, and strife find no place. Perfect harmony pervades the heavenly courts.” The Upward Look, 163

What a beautiful description of our earthly homes if only we would surrender our hearts to be a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.

“What a precious privilege is this—that we may be sons and daughters of the Most High, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ! What love, what matchless love, that, sinners and aliens as we are, we may be brought back to God and adopted into his family! …

“To everyone who surrenders fully to God is given the privilege of living without sin, in obedience to the law of heaven. …

“God requires of us perfect obedience. We are to purify ourselves, even as He is pure. By keeping His commandments, we are to reveal our love for the Supreme Ruler of the universe.” The Review and Herald, September 27, 1906

Me, me, me, I, I, I.

Strife comes when we say, “I want to do things my way. I want what I want.” This attitude is born from selfishness, which is the foundation of our naturally sinful self. In a home where family members all express selfishness and the desire to have things just as they want them, strife is the sure result because everyone sees themselves as the most important. If we want our homes to be like heaven, there can be no strife, for there is no strife in heaven.

When I fully surrender myself, the Holy Spirit can then do His work of transformation, and my selfish nature no longer holds the governing place in my life. Instead, my selfish nature has been transformed to respond to the government of God—one of love that loves God supremely and esteems others above myself.

Yes, he knows.

We live in a world cursed by sin and filled with strife and troubles of every kind. For millennia, mankind has dreamed and longed for heaven. He sings of its beauties and marvels, he reads Mrs. White’s description of what she saw when taken there in vision, and we plead in prayer that we might soon be there, yet it remains beyond our reach.

“He [Satan] knew that the value of heaven far exceeded the anticipation and appreciation of fallen man. The most costly treasures of the world, he knew, would not compare with its worth. …

“He had knowledge of the inestimable value of eternal riches that man had not. …

Satan knew what he had lost.” Confrontation, 30

Yes, Satan knows exactly how wonderful heaven is. And he is determined that you and I won’t have the opportunity to understand how wonderful it is nor how to get there. He fills the world with excitement, glamor, glitter, addiction, troubles, hardships, and selfishness. Our eyes are blinded to the beauty of heaven by the bright and shiny things around us. Our ears cannot hear heavenly voices for the continual cacophony of sounds heard throughout the world. He sends temptations that will speak to each one of us until it is nigh impossible for us to feel the wooing of the Holy Spirit. Satan’s philosophy is, why would they want heaven when I can make them feel so happy and satisfied here? But are we truly happy and satisfied?

“What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26

The Bible tells us that the day is coming when everything in this world that we possess or want to possess will be worthless. Ezekiel says:

“They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be like refuse; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord; they will not satisfy their souls, nor fill their stomachs because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.” Ezekiel 7:19

Nothing of this world can make up for losing heaven.

Destroy the family and …

“Well does Satan know what heaven is, and what the influence of the angels is. His work is to bring into every family the cruel elements of self-will, harshness, selfishness. Thus, he seeks to destroy the happiness of the family. …

“Let the father and mother always be guarded in their words and actions. The husband is to treat his wife, the mother of his children, with due respect, and the wife is to love and reverence her husband. How can she do this if he treats her like a servant, to be dictated to, ordered about, scolded, found fault with before the children? He is forcing her to dislike him and even to hate him.

“May God help fathers and mothers to open the windows of the soul heavenward and let the sunshine of Christ into the home life. Unless they do this, they will be surrounded by a mist and fog most injurious to spirituality.

“Fathers and mothers, bring sweetness and brightness and hopefulness into the lives of your children. Kindness and love will work wonders.” The Upward Look, 163

The devil brings contention and selfishness into every home and, if we are contentious and selfish at home, we will bring contention and selfishness into every other aspect of our lives, including church, work, friendships, and even gospel work.

Surrender. Now.

Alone, we are unable to prevent the devil from bringing these elements into our homes. However, when we surrender to the will of God, Satan no longer has control of our hearts. Jesus is waiting to give you the power to become His child. He longs to change your life and your home, and this is how He will do it.

To have a happy, sanctified home, we must have love. The whole world needs and wants love, but very few know how to get it. They try to force it, thinking it stems from a physical relationship or an overpowering feeling of desire. But you can’t buy it at the store, you can’t major in it in college, you can’t learn it on the job. No, there is only one source of true love, and 1 John 4:19 tells us what it is. “We love Him [God] because He first loved us.” God created us to be loving human beings and to love Him above all else. But sin changed us. No longer loving and pure, we are now selfish and sinful.

Too often, I meet people who are terribly discouraged because they have given love but have received none in return. Human beings can be so hard-hearted, and it seems no matter how much love you give, a hard heart does not reciprocate. It takes a long time for a hardened heart to realize what it needs; it may even take a long time for the Holy Spirit to soften a heart and help it accept God’s love. The only way to have true love in this world is by giving it away. And this is precisely what God did. The only remedy for a hardened heart is never-ending love.

Love is a precious gift we receive from Jesus. We only have love to give because He gives it to us. He gives it, and then we give it to somebody else. Giving and receiving love is one of the reasons we have heaven in our hearts and homes. However, to truly understand love, experience it, and share it, we must spend time every day with Jesus.

To understand how God’s love can change our hearts and homes, we must first understand that God created us because He wanted children to shower His love upon us and to receive love in return. But when Adam and Eve chose to believe the deceiver, God activated the plan of salvation which had existed from the foundation of the world. God gave all of heaven, everything He had, to save us. That plan culminated in Jesus’ death on the cross. God gave Himself, in the person of His Son, that They might save mankind from sin.

“God’s love for the world was not manifest because He sent His Son, but because He loved the world He sent His Son into the world … . Though sin had produced a gulf between man and his God, a divine benevolence provided a plan to bridge that gulf. And what material did He use? A part of Himself. …

“Had God given us less, we could not have been saved. But He gave to our world so abundantly that it could not be said that He could love us more. … God has exhausted His benevolence … in pouring out all heaven to man in one great gift. …

“God claims the whole of the affections of man, the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole mind, the whole strength. He lays claim to all that there is of man because He has poured out the whole treasure of heaven by giving us His all at once, reserving nothing greater that heaven can do.” Our High Calling, 12

“While we contemplate the cross, the Son of God assuming the mass of human guilt, the mystery of redemption seems wonderful. Jesus points us to the love of God; the Father provided this propitiation because He loved us, that there might be a medium through which He could be reconciled to man and man to Him. And our Lord, having committed Himself to the wonderful work of redemption, would withhold nothing necessary to the completion of His plan. He poured out all heaven to man in that one great gift.” The Signs of the Times, August 17, 1891

While the devil has a massive arsenal of spiritual weaponry to use against us in this war with God, God Himself has only one weapon that He uses to draw us to Him. Love. When we accept His love, then our preparation for heaven begins.

At the cross, I see what Jesus is like. And the more time I spend with Him, and the more I surrender to Him, the more like Him I will become—at home, at church, at work. My words and actions will be the same as His. I will love and care for my family as He loves and cares for them. Only in this way can I bring love into my home.

It rarely happens right away.

Have you ever considered just how long God waits before some of us respond? Think of all the happiness we could have had if only we had responded sooner. Marriage is often one-sided, with one spouse giving all while the other takes all and give little. Imagine if the relationship and home had been one where each spouse gave love to the other, regarding their spouse of greater value. Think of how happy the home could have been.

But even as you do your best, life is fraught with failure, and when you have trouble at home, there is Someone who understands. Jesus knows because He endured persecution from His family in His own home. He was accused all of His life of being born of fornication, an illegitimate son (John 8).

Sanctification means “to be made holy.” “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” Romans 7:12. The context of this scripture makes it very evident that Paul is talking about the ten commandments. He says that the law is holy. If you want to live a holy life, then your life must be in harmony with God’s law, and your family must keep God’s law if, together with you, they are to be a holy family.

The prescription for a happy home.

There are many homes, even professed Christian homes, that, in just a very short time, could be transformed from being a living hell to being like heaven. Every family member can choose to keep all of God’s law. God’s law is the prescription for a happy home and family. Many of the commandments deal specifically with the family.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

In Ephesians, we find that the fifth commandment is called “the first commandment with promise.” The Lord says that if you keep this commandment, He will give you a long life. Regardless of our age, we need to ask the Lord to teach us how to honor and respect our parents.

In the Old Testament culture, if a child cursed their parents, they were stoned to death. This is important to remember because the way we treat our parents here is the way we will treat them in heaven. Heaven is a place where people honor each other and give deference and respect to each other.

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Philippians 2:3

“You shall not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14

The seventh commandment recommends that honoring your spouse will bring happiness to your home. Adultery is the ultimate act of disrespect toward both your spouse and your vow to “cleave only unto” them (Genesis 2:24). Jesus said that “… ‘whoever divorces his wife [or husband], except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery … .’ ” Matthew 19:9

Jesus did not allow for divorce except in the case of adultery. Adultery is a terrible thing in a family—causing pain and leaving scars—preventing happiness in the home.

We do the same with God. We believe we can do what we like, and He will forgive us. It is true that if we are sincere in asking for forgiveness and are willing to repent of our sins, He will forgive; however, the scar remains on the soul for a lifetime, providing a doorway through which the devil can continually slip temptations.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.” Exodus 20:17

Coveting is like a wrecking ball to the happiness of your family. When we covet things outside our home and family, we place a higher value on things that are, and perhaps should be, out of our reach and care too little for what we have. My house is nice, but I’d rather have one like my neighbor. My wife is pretty and sweet, but my neighbor’s wife or the lady at the office is beautiful. My car is serviceable, but I’d rather have one that drives fast. The spirit of covetousness is a monster with an appetite that is never satisfied.

To have a happy home, we must each be sanctified.

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is the truth.” John 17:17

To be happy and holy, God’s great guidebook, the Bible, must be in the home and must be read. God’s word teaches us how to live. Studying the Bible and praying together opens the way for the Holy Spirit to begin His work of transformation in our hearts and minds. We need to have family worship if we are going to have a sanctified home.

“Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” Psalms 55:17

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24

“O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” Psalm 95:6

We must first yield our hearts to God, entirely consecrating ourselves to Him; then, there is no problem that He cannot solve on our behalf. But He does not force His way into our lives and homes. If we set aside specific periods of time, as David and Daniel did, to earnestly spend in prayer, telling Him about the problems in our homes, we can be confident that He will answer. The Lord has told us that we should pray every day to be divested of the selfishness that ruins the happiness, peace, and joy of our home (Our High Calling, 242).

Jesus was a person of prayer. “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place and there He prayed.” Mark 1:35

The Lord never tells us to do something unless it is necessary while we strive against our sinful natures. He promises that we can overcome all of our sinful propensities—inherent or cultivated—and resist the temptation to sin. However, this can only happen as we continue to pray and surrender. The devil declares that there is not a single unselfish person in the world who can obey the law of God. But is that true?

God says if I study His word and pray, if I surrender my heart and will to Him, if I look to Him always for everything I need, then He will provide the power and grace necessary to change me from a person who thinks only of himself, to a person who unselfishly serves God first and others second.

If everyone in my family is selfish, then our prayer must be, “Lord, help us to prove the devil is a liar, to prove that there is one person in my home who is unselfish.” Your best chance of helping others in your home, is to be unselfish and Christlike yourself. As you give love to others, the barrier of selfishness that destroys the happiness in a home is broken down and love and joy can reign in your home.

The Lord has been so gracious to us in our weakness and tendency to misunderstand that He has given us specific counsel regarding how to talk and act at home. Bible study, prayer, worship, thanksgiving, and praise are all essential parts of a happy home, but let’s not forget that we must love and obey the law of God.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5–9

When we follow God’s commandments, seeking always to do His will, then we are learning how to be happy.

Here are some actions that can make strong relationships and bring happiness into the home:

  • Expressing affection
  • Kindly attentions
  • Refined manners
  • Kind, loving words
  • Faithfulness
  • Gentleness
  • Humility, meekness
  • Patience
  • No envy
  • No pride
  • Understanding
  • Courtesy
  • Encouragement
  • Gratitude
  • Sympathy
  • Helpfulness

“We want a spirit of gentleness. We cannot live right in the family circle without it. In order to have the proper control of our children, we must manifest a spirit of gentleness and of meekness and of longsuffering. We do not want to have a faultfinding, fretful, scolding spirit. If we teach them to have a spirit of gentleness, we must have a spirit of gentleness ourselves; … if we would have them manifest a spirit of love toward us, we must manifest a gentle, loving spirit toward them. But at the same time, there need be no weakness or unwise indulgence on the part of parents.” The Review and Herald, December 21, 1886

We must exhibit gratitude in our homes. This may be one of the most difficult attitudes to bring into the home as we too often take for granted the members of our families and the things they do as part of the family. While it is sometimes needful to discipline a child, a “Thank you” or “I appreciate that so much” are simple ways to express gratitude, and young children flourish and grow when gratitude is expressed for their small efforts and obedience.

“We should be self-forgetful, ever looking out for opportunities, even in little things, to show gratitude for the favors we have received of others, and watching for opportunities to cheer others and lighten and relieve their sorrows and burdens by acts of tender kindness and little deeds of love. These thoughtful courtesies that, commencing in our families, extend outside the family circle, help make up the sum of life’s happiness, and the neglect of these little things make up the sum of life’s bitterness and sorrow.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, 539, 540

“It is by beholding love in their parents that children are led to obey the fifth commandment. …

Parents often stir up the worst passions of the human heart because of their lack of self-control. They correct them [the children] in a spirit of anger and rather confirm them in their evil ways and defiant spirit than influence them in the way of right. By their own arbitrary spirit, they thrust their children under satanic influences, instead of rescuing them from the snares of Satan by gentleness and love. … By their violent, unforgiving temper, make them adverse to all religion.” The Review and Herald, November 15, 1892

Every one of us has faults, and it is the devil’s handiwork to cause us to focus on the faults of others, particularly those of our spouses, until the faults are so significant that we can no longer see our own faults, nor do we appreciate the good things in them and the marriage.

The Lord wants us to do just the opposite. “Let all seek to discover the excellencies rather than the defects.” The Adventist Home, 105. We are to be quick to recognize the good qualities in our spouses. They must have them, or why else would we have married them?

“Love cannot long exist without expression.” Ibid., 107. There are many ways of expressing love, but it must be expressed.

“Around every family, there is a sacred circle that should be kept unbroken. Within this circle, no other person has a right to come.” The Ministry of Healing, 361

We should not share private matters or feelings with others outside our homes. We all have faults, and some of those faults are known only by our spouses and God. It is God’s will to cure us and save us from these faults. It is the devil’s purpose to have us share these private things with the world. When this is done, the faults and problems become more significant, and discouragement creeps into the marriage and home, ultimately leading to the loss of respect and, in some cases, love for one another.

“Determine to be all that it is possible to be to each other. Continue the early attentions. In every way, encourage each other in fighting the battles of life. Study to advance the happiness of each other. Let there be mutual love, mutual forbearance. Then marriage, instead of being the end of love, will be, as it were, the very beginning of love. The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven.” Ibid., 360

We are not to compel our spouse to do what we want. We should not try to control their lives by various means of manipulation. Men are more direct because they have physical strength. Women lacking that physical strength use emotional and mental manipulation. But in the end, it brings the same disastrous result.

“Neither the husband nor the wife should attempt to exercise over the other an arbitrary control. Do not try to compel each other to yield to your wishes. You cannot do this and retain each other’s love. Be kind, patient, and forbearing, considerate, and courteous. By the grace of God, you can succeed in making each other happy, as in your marriage vow you promised to do. …

“Both husband and wife should be willing to yield his or her way or opinion.” Adventist Home, 118

If we want to have a happy home, we must not think only of ourselves. We will not be happy in our marriages if we are not contributing to our spouses’ happiness, and our homes will not be happy if we are not helping others outside our homes find happiness as well. Some of the unhappiest people are those whose lives are entirely self-centered and who contribute nothing to the happiness of others. The truest happiness is to be found in unselfish service—at home, at church, in the community, in missionary work.

Saved Without the Loss of One

It must be the desire of every Christian that their family as a whole will be saved. This can be a reality, but if you want your family saved without the loss of one, then you must be saved. If you are not there, your family will not be complete.

The truth is, the majority of families will have someone missing. But God is willing to save every member of every family, and He will if they are surrendered to Him. It is crucial, then, that we surrender ourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit so that on that day, when the voice of Jesus is heard, and all His children are gathered to Him to be taken home, every family, with every member, will be able to meet together on the sea of glass, once lost souls, but now members of the eternal family of God.

Pastor John J. Grosboll is the Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be reached by email at historic@stepstolife.org or by telephone at 316-788-5559.

Did Jesus take the nature of Adam

by

Today God’s people are faced with a question that is designed in such a way as to deceive, if possible, the very elect. The question, “Did Jesus take the nature of Adam before the Fall or after the Fall” is asked in a way that will lead to one of two soul-destroying conclusions.

  1. We cannot overcome sin until Jesus comes.
  2. We unwittingly ascribe to the human nature of Christ the attributes of Satan.

Who Do Men Say …

In Matthew 16:13-18, Jesus asked His disciples a very important question, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” Their answer indicated that men only saw Jesus as a man; they did not discern His divinity, His divine nature.

Then Jesus asked His disciples, “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” They recognized Christ as more than just a man; they recognized His divinity blended with His humanity in one Person, the Son (humanity) of the living God (divinity).

“Was the human nature of the Son of Mary changed into the divine nature of the Son of God? No; the two natures were mysteriously blended in one Person—the Man Christ Jesus. In Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 21, 418

When two things are blended they become one. Jesus was fully human and fully divine; humanity and divinity were blended in one Person.

In the next verse, Jesus blessed Peter and said that flesh and blood did not reveal this truth to him. In other words, man cannot reveal to man the divinity of Christ, but God the Father revealed that the Man Christ Jesus was more than just a man; He was the Son of the living God and in His real and fully human body, “dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead.” This truth is what makes Christ the Rock, the foundation, upon which God’s church is built, and faith in this truth is essential to salvation.

The Scribes

There is another story, recorded in Mark 12:28–34, that directly relates to the divinity of Christ and complements the story in Matthew, but also adds the component of the law of God which is a transcript of God’s character. Together they begin to expose the error of the deceptive question that is facing God’s people today.

Scribe: “Which is the first commandment of all?”

Jesus: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”

Scribe: “Well, Master, Thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He: And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

The scribe recognized that love to God and man is the underlying principle, the foundation of all the commandments. But then what did Jesus say to the scribe?

Jesus: “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”

Why did Jesus tell the scribe that he was not far from the kingdom of God? Before looking at the answer we need to know what the kingdom of God is. Paul answers this question in Romans.

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:17

“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.” Isaiah 32:17

So why did Jesus tell the scribe that he was not far from the kingdom?

“The scribe was near to the kingdom of God, in that he recognized deeds of righteousness as more acceptable to God than burnt offerings and sacrifices. But he needed to recognize the divine character of Christ, and through faith in Him receive power to do the works of righteousness.” The Desire of Ages, 608

The kingdom of God is His righteousness and it is through faith in His righteousness that we receive power to do the works of righteousness. Faith in the righteousness of Christ is the basis of justification. But unless we recognize His righteousness in contrast to our unrighteousness, we cannot be justified and all efforts to obey the law of God will simply be legalism.

The Rich Young Ruler

Another individual in the Bible who is pointed out as not recognizing the divinity of Christ is the rich young ruler. His story pinpoints the very issue that prevents men from recognizing Christ, the Son of man, as also the Son of the living God. Matthew 19:16–22 records this story. The rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Before answering his question, Jesus asked him, “Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but One, that is God.” What is the problem with the way the young ruler addressed Jesus?

“The ruler had addressed Christ merely as an honored rabbi, not discerning in Him the Son of God. … On what ground do you call Me good? God is the one good. If you recognize Me as such, you must receive Me as His Son and representative.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 390

The word good in these verses refers to an “intrinsic goodness.” Jesus said that there is only One who is inherently good and that is God. The young ruler did not recognize the inherent goodness in Jesus and without recognizing His inherent goodness, we cannot recognize Him as the Son of God nor as His representative. Jesus came to this earth to represent His Father’s righteous character, and in order to represent His character, He had to possess it. So, did He?

“I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, Thou knowest. I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation: I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.” Psalm 40:8–10

The law of God is a transcript of His character, the very essence of His goodness and righteousness. The law was written in the human heart of Jesus. Therefore, the righteousness of this holy law was manifested in His life.

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. … For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” Matthew 12:33, 34, last part, 35

So, in addition to receiving Jesus as the Son of God, the rich young ruler needed to receive Him as His Father’s representative. But Jesus continued explaining what else was required, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” First, He essentially quotes the last six commandments but when He gets to the last commandment instead of saying, “Thou shalt not covet …” Jesus said, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

What is covetousness?

“All covetousness is condemned as idolatry.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 261

“Put away all selfishness, all covetousness.” The General Conference Bulletin, October 1, 1899

Are we born selfish? Or do we become selfish sometime after we are born and if so, how?

“Under God, Adam was to stand at the head of the earthly family, to maintain the principles of the heavenly family [the principles of the law of God]. This would have brought peace and happiness. But the law [of self-sacrificing love] that none ‘liveth to himself’ (Romans 14:7), Satan was determined to oppose. He desired to live for self. He sought to make himself a center of influence. It was this [selfishness] that had incited rebellion in heaven, and it was man’s acceptance of this [selfish] principle that brought sin on earth. When Adam sinned, man broke away from the heaven-ordained center. A demon became the central power in the world. Where God’s throne should have been [in the heart of man], Satan placed his throne. The world [representing men] laid its homage [loyalty], as a willing offering, at the feet of the enemy.

“The transgression of God’s law brought woe and death in its train. Through disobedience man’s powers were perverted, and selfishness took the place of love.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 33

Where does Inspiration say that God’s throne is to be?

“God has bought us, and He claims a throne in each heart.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 18, 48

“When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only as we love God supremely is it possible to love our neighbor impartially.” The Desire of Ages, 607

“Until self is laid upon the altar of sacrifice, Christ will not be reflected in the character. When self is buried, and Christ occupies the throne of the heart, there will be a revelation of principles that will clear the moral atmosphere surrounding the soul.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, 1098

The heart of man is to be the throne of God, but when Adam sinned, the powers of man were perverted with selfishness because Satan placed his throne in man’s heart.

“All sin is selfishness. Satan’s first sin was selfishness. He sought to grasp power, to exalt self. A species of insanity led him to seek to supersede God. And the temptation which led Adam to sin was the false statement of Satan that it was possible for him to attain to something more than he already enjoyed—possible for him to be as God Himself. Thus, seeds of selfishness were sown in the human heart.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 1763

Do the seeds of selfishness affect the nature or the character of man?

“We have hereditary tendencies to wrong. This is a part of self that no one need carry about. It is a weakness of humanity to pet selfishness, because it is a natural trait of character.” The Faith I Live By, 140

Yes, seeds of selfishness do affect the character of man, because selfishness is “a natural trait of human character.”

“By nature, man has no love for God. It is not natural for him to think of heavenly things. Satan has worked against God and His government, leading men to attribute to God the traits which belong to the power of evil. Christ came to this world to reveal the Father.” The Review and Herald, March 12, 1901

When Adam failed to maintain the principles of God’s law of divine love, the seeds of selfishness were sown in the human heart and selfishness took the place of love. Selfishness became the inherent, natural trait of character, the driving force in man’s nature.

Back to the rich young ruler

“Christ does not lessen the claims of the law. In unmistakable language, He presents obedience to it as the condition of eternal life—the same condition that was required of Adam before his fall. The Lord expects no less of the soul now than He expected of man in paradise, perfect obedience, unblemished righteousness. The requirement under the covenant of grace is just as broad as the requirement made in Eden—harmony with God’s law, which is holy, just, and good.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 391

“The lover of self is a transgressor of the law. This Jesus desired to reveal to the young man, and He gave him a test that would make manifest the selfishness of his heart. He showed him the plague spot in his character [thoughts and feelings]. The young man desired no further enlightenment. He had cherished an idol in the soul; the world was his god. He professed to have kept the commandments, but he was destitute of the principle [divine love] which is the very spirit and life of them all. He did not possess true love for God or man. This want was the want of everything that would qualify him to enter the kingdom of heaven. In his love of self and worldly gain, he was out of harmony with the principles of heaven [the law of God].” Ibid., 392

“A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things. God does not deal with actions so much as with the heart that prompts them.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 4, 440

“Holiness of heart will produce right actions. It is the absence of spirituality, of holiness, which leads to unrighteous acts, to envy, hatred, jealousy, evil surmisings, and every hateful and abominable sin.” Testimonies, Vol. 2, 445

Is sin limited to our actions?

“Until the requirements of the holy law were applied as the rule of life, fallen man could not understand his own guilt, nor realize his condemned, lost condition. Jesus made application of the law directly to the soul, and laid under its jurisdiction the will and desires and works of man. Wrongdoing and all thoughts and feelings condemned by the law are to be overcome.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 9, 235, 236

“The law of God takes note of the jealousy, envy, hatred, malignity, revenge, lust, and ambition that surge through the soul, but have not found expression in outward action, because the opportunity, not the will, has been wanting. And these sinful emotions will be brought into the account in the day when ‘God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.’ ” The Signs of the Times, April 15, 1886

The deeds of the law may be performed, there may be an outward obedience, but what is the principle in the heart that motivates the action? What is the principle in the heart that is being worked out in the life? The natural principle in the heart is what determines whether outward action is true obedience or legalism. Without the power to do the works of righteousness, obedience is legalism.

“Even the moral law fails of its purpose, unless it is understood in its relation to the Saviour.” The Desire of Ages, 608

Before looking at the purpose of the law we want to understand its relation to the Saviour.

The Requirement of the Law in Relation to Sinful Man and Christ

“The law requires righteousness—a righteous life, a perfect character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims of God’s holy law.” The Desire of Ages, 762

The law requires righteousness and a perfect character. Sinful man has neither one. What about Jesus’ finite human nature?

“Jesus volunteered to meet the highest claims of the law, that He might be the Justifier of all who believe on Him. We look to the cross, and see in Jesus a fully-satisfied and reconciled God. Jesus is righteousness. What fullness is expressed in these words!” The Review and Herald, September 2, 1890

“To human eyes, Christ was only a man, yet He was a perfect man. In His humanity, He was the impersonation of the divine character. God embodied His own attributes in His Son—His power, His wisdom, His goodness, His purity, His truthfulness, His spirituality, and His benevolence. In Him, though human, all perfection of character, all divine excellence, dwelt.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 16, 1897

In the next reference, notice how Inspiration uses the words character and nature synonymously in describing what happened when man sinned in Eden.

“When man sinned, all heaven was filled with sorrow; for through yielding to temptation, man became the enemy of God, a partaker of the satanic nature. The image of God in which he had been created was marred and distorted. The character of man was out of harmony with the character of God; for through sin man became carnal, and the carnal heart is enmity against God, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” The Signs of the Times, February 13, 1893

At the Fall, man became a partaker of the satanic nature because the seeds of selfishness were sown in the heart of man. Selfishness is the very essence of Satan’s nature and this is the nature, the character, that we inherit from Adam.

The next two references refer to the humanity of Christ. Notice the contrast.

“The Sun of Righteousness, shining amid the moral darkness in such distinct rays, revealed the contrast between sin and holiness, purity and defilement, and such light was not welcome to them [the Jews]. Christ was not such a one as themselves.” The Review and Herald, July 12, 1898

“Christ points us to the key of all His suffering and humiliation—the love of God. We read in the parable, ‘Last of all He sent unto them His Son, saying, They will reverence My Son.’ Again and again, the Jewish nation had apostatized. Christ came to see what He could do for His vineyard that He had not done. With His divinity clothed with humanity, He stood before the people, presenting to them their true condition.” Ibid., July 17, 1900

Without recognizing His divinity, we cannot see our true condition. And if we do not see our true condition as a partaker of the satanic nature and then ascribe our condition to Christ, whose character, whose nature are we ascribing to Him?

“Satan has worked against God and His government, leading men to attribute to God the traits which belong to the power of evil.” Ibid., March 12, 1901

What is the purpose of the moral law?

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24

“Christ had repeatedly shown that His Father’s law contained something deeper than mere authoritative commands. In the law is embodied the same principle that is revealed in the gospel. The law points out man’s duty and shows him his guilt. To Christ he must look for pardon and for power to do what the law enjoins.” The Desire of the Ages, 608

The purpose of the law is to bring us to Christ that we might be justified. If we recognize Christ as the Son of God in human nature, we will recognize the contrast between His natural righteousness [divinity] and our natural unrighteousness [humanity]; the difference between self-sacrificing love and the plague of selfishness or covetousness. This is the only way that we can recognize our guilt and the only remedy for our guilt is Jesus. We must look to Him for two things: pardon and power to obey.

“Pardon and justification are one and the same thing. Through faith, the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a child of sin and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject of Christ Jesus, not because of an inherent goodness, but because Christ receives him as His child by adoption. The sinner receives the forgiveness of his sins, because these sins are borne by his Substitute and Surety.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 9, 301

When we are justified, we become a loyal subject of Christ, not because of an inherent goodness. The law requires this inherent goodness and while we do not inherit this righteousness, Jesus did, and notice what He said in Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Mrs. White explains what Jesus meant when He said that He came to fulfill the law.

“He here used the word ‘fulfill’ in the same sense as when He declared to John the Baptist His purpose to ‘fulfill all righteousness’ (Matthew 3:15); that is, to fill up the measure of the law’s requirement, to give an example of perfect conformity to the will of God.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 48, 49

Jesus is our substitute in fulfilling the law’s requirement of righteousness, just as His baptism fulfilled the requirement of baptism for the thief on the cross.

“His mission was to ‘magnify the law, and make it honorable.’ Isaiah 42:21. He was to show the spiritual nature of the law, to present its far-reaching principles, and to make plain its eternal obligation.” Ibid., 49

If we confess our guilt and recognize that Jesus is righteousness and as our substitute filled up the measure of the law for us, then He will pardon us. This is the very essence of justification by faith. But faith does not end here. We must look to Christ not only for pardon [justification], but also for power to do what the law enjoins. What is the power?

“Love is power. Intellectual and moral strength are involved in this principle, and cannot be separated from it. The power of wealth has a tendency to corrupt and destroy; the power of force is strong to do hurt; but the excellence and value of pure love consist in its efficiency to do good, and to do nothing else than good. Whatsoever is done out of pure love, be it ever so little or contemptible in the sight of men, is wholly fruitful; for God regards more with how much love one worketh, than the amount he doeth. Love is of God. The unconverted heart cannot originate nor produce this plant of heavenly origin, which lives and flourishes only where Christ reigns.

“Love cannot live without action, and every act increases, strengthens, and extends it. Love will gain the victory when argument and authority are powerless. Love works not for profit nor reward; yet God has ordained that great gain shall be the certain result of every labor of love. It is diffusive in its nature, and quiet in its operation, yet strong, mighty, to overcome great evils. It is melting and transforming in its influence, and will take hold of the lives of the sinful and affect their hearts when every other means has proved unsuccessful. Wherever the power of intellect, of authority, or of force is employed, and love is not manifestly present, the affections and will of those whom we seek to reach assume a defensive, repelling position, and their strength of resistance is increased. Jesus was the Prince of Peace. He came into the world to bring resistance and authority into subjection to Himself. Wisdom and strength He could command, but the means He employed with which to overcome evil were the wisdom and strength of love. …” Gospel Workers (1915), 311, 312

“The divine beauty of the character of Christ, of whom the noblest and most gentle among men are but a faint reflection; of whom Solomon by the Spirit of inspiration wrote, He is ‘the chiefest among ten thousand, … yea, He is altogether lovely’ (Song of Solomon 5:10–16); of whom David, seeing Him in prophetic vision, said, ‘Thou art fairer than the children of men’ (Psalm 45:2); Jesus, the express image of the Father’s person, the effulgence of His glory; the self-denying Redeemer, throughout His pilgrimage of love on earth, was a living representation of the character of the law of God. In His life it is made manifest that heaven-born love, Christlike principles, underlie the laws of eternal rectitude.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 49

Rectitude involves both the mind and the conduct. Rectitude of mind is the natural inclination, the natural tendency or propensity to do what the law requires. Rectitude of conduct is doing what the law requires.

The issue in the controversy regarding the nature of Christ is justification. Jesus filled up the full measure of the law and brought into human nature the power of divine love, the power that we need to not only meet the law’s requirement of righteousness but also the power of divine love for true obedience to be sanctified. But before His divine love can be imparted to us in the life-long process of sanctification we must be justified; His righteousness must be imputed to us, put in our account. And before His righteousness can be applied to our record we must recognize our guilt of natural covetousness, natural selfishness, and confess this sin.

“If we say that we have [present tense] no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [justification] our sins, and to cleanse us [sanctification] from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8, 9 (brackets added.)

Prior to the conversion of Paul, he was a stickler for outward obedience but when Jesus revealed His divine nature to Saul on the road to Damascus, Paul was convicted of his sin. And what commandment did Paul say convicted him? “I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Romans 7:7

We have been warned

“The danger has been presented to me again and again of entertaining, as a people, false ideas of justification by faith. I have been shown for years that Satan would work in a special manner to confuse the mind on this point. The law of God has been largely dwelt upon, and has been presented to congregations, almost as destitute of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His relation to the law as was the offering of Cain. I have been shown that many have been kept from the faith because of the mixed, confused ideas of salvation, because the ministers have worked in a wrong manner to reach hearts. The point which has been urged upon my mind for years is the imputed righteousness of Christ. I have wondered that this matter was not made the subject of discourses in our churches throughout the land, when the matter has been kept so constantly urged upon me, and I have made it the subject of nearly every discourse and talk that I have given to the people.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 810

If we do not understand how the humanity of Christ is related to the law of God, we will have false ideas of justification by faith, which is the imputed righteousness of Christ. It is impossible to do the works of righteousness without first being justified, and before we can be justified we must be convicted that our condition of selfishness, our state of evil, is sin because it is an imperfection of character, out of harmony with the perfect character of God as manifested in His only begotten Son.

The law of God convicted the scribe of his duty that obedience [deeds of righteousness], is necessary for salvation, and because of this Jesus said that he was “not far from the kingdom of God.” But he also “needed to recognize that the divine character of Christ, that the kingdom of God was in Him.” This story does not reveal whether or not the scribe ever recognized His divine character and through faith in His righteousness received the power of divine love to obey. But Inspiration is crystal clear that without recognizing that His finite human nature possessed the divine attributes of His Father, the righteousness that the law requires, we will never gain an entrance into His kingdom, His righteousness.

Those who do not understand the difference between the human nature of sinful man and the human nature of the Son of God unwittingly ascribe to Jesus the attributes of the satanic nature, for that is what we inherit from Adam.

We may intellectually understand that it is our duty to obey the law of God, but until we are convicted of our guilt we will never receive the power, the divine love of God, to do the works of righteousness. And we will never be convicted of our guilt until we see the contrast between our condition of evil, our lack of righteousness, and the human condition of Jesus, full of righteousness and holiness. He was the personification of the law of God, the law of self-sacrificing love. Without His righteousness we are the personification of Satan’s law, the law of selfishness.

There are many scribes today in God’s church who recognize that deeds of righteousness are necessary; they profess to believe in obedience but they limit sin to a choice and thereby deny that our state or condition of evil is sin. Then they teach that the human nature of Jesus inherited all that we inherit from Adam. Lacking knowledge regarding the far-reaching principles of God’s law and how the humanity of Christ is related to His law, they unwittingly join Satan in working “against God and His government, leading men to attribute to God the traits which belong to the power of evil.” The Review and Herald, March 12, 1901

“Christ was the pattern minister. He was the greatest teacher the world ever saw.” Sermons and Talks, Vol. 2, 75

“Let it never be forgotten that the teacher must be what he desires his pupils to become.” The Review and Herald, January 10, 1882

“We are to look to the man Christ Jesus, who is complete in the perfection of righteousness and holiness. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is the Pattern Man. His experience is the measure of the experience that we are to gain. His character is our model.” Ibid., March 9, 1905

All scriptures are from the King James Bible.

Peggy Nixon has a deep love for the “truth as it is in Jesus.” She does not claim to be an expert on this subject but found that it opened to her a better understanding of righteousness by faith, both in justification and sanctification.  She can be reached at natureofchrist@gmail.com.

The Christian’s Privilege

by

“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

John 1:11–13

What is the difference between a right and a privilege?

According to legal scholars, a right is something that cannot be legally denied, such as the right to free speech, press, religion, and raising a family. A privilege is something that can be given and taken away and is considered to be a special advantage or opportunity that is available only to certain people.

This explains the difference in secular law between a right and a privilege. I would like to suggest, however, that in the religious realm, a right and a privilege are pretty much the same. We talk of the privilege we have to bow before the throne of grace and carry our petitions to the source of infinite power. While this is indeed a privilege, a special advantage or opportunity that is available only to certain people—and that would be those who believe in a superior power—it is also something that cannot be legally denied. While laws may well be passed that prohibit in a certain degree open prayer, nothing can stop someone from silently praying.

We indeed have a right to pray. While it is also considered a privilege to bow before our Creator, legally we cannot be prevented from praying. The time may well come when we have to pray silently, but as true believers, we know that God hears even our silent prayers.

In nearly every one of Paul’s letters, he exhorts his readers to understand the wonderful privileges they have as followers of Christ. He often expressed these privileges in terms of prayers. This is especially evident in his letter to the Ephesians.

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14–19

Here Paul writes of his desire that the brethren at Ephesus might come to understand the height, the fullness of the Christian’s privilege. He opens before us, in the most comprehensive language, the marvelous power and knowledge that we might possess as sons and daughters of the Most High. It is our privilege “to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man,” to be “rooted and grounded in love,” to “comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge.” But the prayer of the apostle reaches the epitome of privilege when he prays that “you might be filled with all the fullness of God.”

This is the exact same condition that Christ experiences in His relationship to His Father. “For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:9. Paul prays for that same fullness for us!

Let’s take a deeper look at this prayer. Paul prays that his readers—and indeed all Christians—might comprehend the love of Christ; then he acknowledges that that love passes knowledge.

It is incomprehensible.

It is an interesting contrast in understanding that we can comprehend the love of Christ, although it passes knowledge. The Greek word that is translated passes in this text can also be translated exceeds or excels. Christ’s love for us exceeds knowledge, although we can comprehend it and are aware of it. It is revealed to us in the fragrance of every flower, the song of every bird, the beauty of the sunrise. Indeed, throughout nature God’s love is revealed to us when we sense and perceive that love as He wants us to, as He has given us the privilege to, and indeed, the right to.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul sets forth the rich blessings granted to the children of God. He says: We “do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.” Colossians 1:9–11

Another prayer; another set of privileges for the Christian. Here, Paul prays that the Colossians, and again, all Christians, may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. What exactly does that mean? Knowing and doing God’s will is a salvational issue. There is absolutely no hope of my crossing the Jordan if I am not actively engaged in seeking to know His will and following through with action. If it were not important, the Holy Spirit would not have moved upon Paul to compose that prayer.

A walk worthy of the Lord.

Paul also prays that Christians may walk worthy of the Lord and be fruitful in every good work. Whether or not a person is worthy can be a hot topic. It is true that on my own I cannot now nor will I ever “walk worthy of the Lord,” as Paul puts it. However, as we all know, it is the Christian’s privilege to be clothed, by faith, in the righteousness of Christ, and therefore, be found worthy of everlasting life.

Indeed, we are promised in Zechariah 3 that the Angel of the Lord will perform the miracle of miracles by removing those character traits that defile us—our filthy garments—and replacing them with His own righteous nature.

“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at His right hand to oppose him.

“And the Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?’

“Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, ‘Take away the filthy garments from him.’ And to him He said, ‘See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.’

“And I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.

“Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here.

“ ‘ “Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the Branch. For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua: upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ ” Says the Lord of hosts, ‘ “And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,’ ” says the Lord of hosts, “Everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.” ’ ” Zechariah 3:1–10

I don’t fully understand every verse of Zachariah 3; however, the final verse depicts a time of peaceful and tranquil Christian fellowship that the saved will experience after the destruction of the enemy of peace. This experience is a privilege that is open to all.

We can engage in endless discussions about the legal difference between a right and a privilege. But in religious terms, I don’t think it matters that much. Although legally, while a right cannot be denied, I can choose to reject salvation. If I choose to disregard the privileges that I have as a believer in the salvation that Christ has afforded me by His death on the cross, I have no right to reside where the peace and blessings of Jesus reign supreme, and where “everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.” If I, by my own choices, am lost, then there is no place for me among the saved, neither here nor there.

It is my hope, indeed my prayer, that all who succeed in overcoming, which it is our privilege to do, will have a fruitful vine and a shady fig tree near their country homes in the earth made new and enjoy wonderful fellowship as we invite others to join us there.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

The Dream That Will Never Come True

by

In 1965, because of an injury, I was taken to the emergency department of a local hospital and was subsequently admitted. My uncle was my attending physician.

At first, it did not appear that my situation was serious. However, a few days later, early in the morning, I asked my nurse to call my uncle immediately because I knew something was wrong, but she didn’t do it. Three hours later, my uncle arrived. When he saw me, he knew that he needed to call my parents and have them come to the hospital. My nurse had thought that I was just apprehensive and that she knew better than me whether something was really wrong. She decided there was no need to bother my uncle, but as a result of that delay, I almost lost my life.

I was rushed into surgery. Later, as I was regaining consciousness, I thought maybe this was the resurrection, and I was just about to get happy, but as I opened my eyes, the pain hit, and I knew right away it was not. I had survived the surgery, but I would remain in the hospital for many days.

I will never forget those days. It was summer, and my room was on the first floor. Through my window, I could look outside at the green shrubs and grass, and the beautiful Colorado sunshine that made everything warm and inviting. I wanted to go outside, but I couldn’t. As if being stuck within the four walls of my room wasn’t bad enough, I was also connected to so many electrical and mechanical gadgets that I couldn’t even walk to the bathroom by myself.

During those days, Curley Putman—a country/western singer from Nashville, Tennessee—wrote a song made popular by Tom Jones—a famous international singer/musician from Great Britain. It was a very emotional song, and I liked to listen to it. Maybe, because of my experience in the hospital, I could relate to it.

It is the story of a Spanish Roman Catholic man sentenced for execution. Lying on the bed in his prison cell on the last night before his execution, he falls asleep and begins to dream. The words of the song chronicle his dream.

 

The old hometown looks the same

As I step down from the train,

And there to meet me is my mama and papa.

 

Down the road, I look, and there runs Mary,

Hair of gold and lips like cherries.

It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home.

 

Yes, they’ll all come to meet me,

Arms reaching, smiling sweetly.

It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home.

 

The old house is still standing

Though the paint is cracked and dry,

And there’s that old oak tree that I used to play on.

 

Down the lane, I walk with my sweet Mary,

Hair of gold and lips like cherries.

It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home.

 

Then I awake and look around me

At four grey walls that surround me,

And I realize, yes, I was only dreaming.

 

For there’s a guard and there’s a sad, old padre.

On and on, we’ll walk at daybreak.

Again, I’ll touch the green, green grass of home.

 

Yes, they’ll all come to see me

In the shade of that old oak tree

As they lay me ’neath the green, green grass of home.

The Green, Green Grass of Home, Curley Putman, 1965

That song became one of the most beloved songs of the 20th century and is still considered a classic today. Its lyrics were the inspiration for this study. We will look at some very hard scriptures because the Bible talks a lot about the hope of eternal life in heaven and why, for the majority of the Christian world, it will be but a dream that will never come true.

“And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved?’

“And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, “Lord, Lord, open for us,” and He will answer and say to you, “I do not know you, where you are from,” then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.” But He will say, “I tell you, I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed, there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.” ’ ” Luke 13:22–30

“Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.’

“And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’

“The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, “Go,” and he goes; and to another, “Come,” and he comes; and to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it.’

“When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!  And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ” Matthew 8:5–12

“ ‘To what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not lament.” For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” But wisdom is justified by her children.

“Then He began to upbraid the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.’ ” Matthew 11:16–24

“Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, “This man began to build and was not able to finish”? Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.’ ” Luke 14:25–33

This is a parable about the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews are spiritually rich, while the Gentiles are spiritually poor.

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ” Luke 16:19–31

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

“In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise, the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife.” Luke 17:26–32

The message found in these scriptures is unmistakable. People from every corner of the world believe they are saved, but most will find they are lost. How can this be? In the Christian world, two classes of people dream of having eternal life, but one class will see their dream drift away.

So, let’s study these two classes so that we can be in the class that will see its dream come true.

A perfect Pharisee. A perfect Laodicean.

The word Laodicea means “the judging of the people.” This is the description of the church today during the judgment.

“These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing”—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.’ ” Revelation 3:14–22. Laodicea says, “I am rich and increased with goods. I need nothing. Investigate for yourself, you won’t find any sin in me.”

In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees held this same belief about themselves. Jesus gave us a parable to demonstrate the difference between the proud and self-righteous who believe they need nothing and the humble sinner who recognizes that he needs salvation.

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

“And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’

“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:11–14

Scary, isn’t it? To think of being so deceived regarding your true nature that you cannot see that, despite all your pride and self-conviction, you are bereft of the humility of spirit that will open your eyes to your actual condition and need. Those who are in and will remain in the Laodicean condition will not be part of the 144,000, nor will they have a place in eternity. The Pharisees believed, and Laodicea believes that sin is just a choice, and if sin is just a choice and they did not commit sin, then they are not sinners.

Paul describes his experience as a Pharisee, saying, “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Philippians 3:5, 6

“I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.” Romans 7:9. To his own eyes, Paul appeared to be perfect. But when he met Jesus on the Damascus road, when his eyes beheld His infinite purity, he instantly knew what he was: a sinner, rotten on the inside, and needing to be saved.

Christians, including Seventh-day Adventists, have been and continue to be taught that sin is just a choice. Jesus didn’t choose to sin, I’m not going to choose to sin, so He and I are the same. What nonsense.

The same, and yet, different

Every person born into this world is born in sin; Jesus Christ alone was the exception, having been born into this world without a single taint of sin. Jesus was not exactly the same as we are, and we must never think He was. Do not reduce Jesus just to the level of a man. He was a man, but He was not like every other man in one single point.

“Christ’s life of humiliation should be a lesson to all who desire to exalt themselves above others. Though He had no taint of sin upon His character, yet He condescended to connect our fallen human nature with His divinity. …

“In humility Christ began His mighty work of lifting the fallen race from the degradation of sin, recovering them by His divine power, which He had linked with humanity.” Christ Triumphant, 232

“Though He had no taint of sin upon His character, yet He condescended to connect our fallen human nature with His divinity. By thus taking humanity, He honored humanity. Having taken our fallen nature, He showed what it might become, by accepting the ample provision He has made for it, and by becoming partaker of the divine nature.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 453

“It was a difficult task for the Prince of Life to carry out the plan which He had undertaken for the salvation of man, in clothing His divinity with humanity. He had received honor in the heavenly courts and was familiar with absolute power. It was as difficult for Him to keep the level of humanity as for men to rise above the low level of their depraved natures and be partakers of the divine nature.” The Review and Herald, April 1, 1895. Amazing statement.

A faulty definition

The Pharisees had a faulty definition of sin, and because of this, they thought they were okay. This erroneous definition of sin makes people believe they are okay. The Pharisee said, “I’m not like other men.” The Laodicean says, “I have ned of nothing.” It is a fatal mindset.

Wrong comparison

The Pharisee did not compare his life with Jesus’ life, but with other men. Since he is better, in his estimation, than other men, he is satisfied with himself. Consequently, he learns to despise others because they are not as good as he believes he is.

Motivated by self-interest

The Pharisee’s worship is motivated by self-interest. He worships the Lord because of the benefits he thinks he will receive. People around the world choose the religion they will follow and the church they will attend based on what will benefit them most and is easiest to follow, requiring the least sacrifice.

Ceremony and outward display

The Pharisee’s religion was comprised entirely of form, ceremony, and outward religious observances—a religion dealing only with the outward life—without any heart work. He was very spiritual, at least to the human eye. He helped the poor, held church offices, paid his tithe, and often prayed so that he could be seen and praised by men as being very religious, but his religion involved only the outward. His religion was not from the heart. Jesus said that the Pharisee’s heart was rotten, like a tombstone that appears beautiful on the outside but inside is full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. On the outside, the Pharisee was zealous for God, but inside, he plotted to murder the Son of God.

Proud and self-sufficient

As a result, the Pharisee became proud and self-sufficient—the most spiritually-dangerous condition. What greater delusion can there be than believing you are saved but are actually lost?

The disobedient Christian

The second class of Christians for whom eternal life in heaven is just a dream that will never come true are not Pharisees or Laodiceans. This class does not boast that they are without sin. This Christian has one giant problem that will keep him out of heaven.

“ ‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” ’ ” Matthew 7:21–23

This verse speaks of the Christian on the day of judgment. He is certain that he is saved, so much so that he argues with the Lord, reminding Him of all the good works he has done in His name. But what does Jesus say? “I never knew you; depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.” This Christian has just one big problem—he is disobedient.

However, there is another category of Christian for whom the dream of eternity spent with Jesus will become a reality.

Humiliation, repentance, and transformation

This Christian

  • Knows he is sinful and polluted. He is not deceived by the Pharisaic delusion that sin is just a choice.
  • Because he knows he is sinful and polluted, is often overwhelmed with guilt. Therefore, he comes to God confessing that he is lost, knowing his only hope is found in the unmerited love of God. He comes to God in repentance and humiliation, knowing and confessing that he is hopelessly lost without Him.
  • Understands that the human heart of all humanity, except for Jesus Christ, is deceitful above all things and incurably wicked. He knows that unless he allows the Holy Spirit to open his eyes, he cannot see his own sinfulness. Once the Holy Spirit begins the work of transformation in him, he is immediately convicted of sin, and he no longer can say he is okay.
  • In beholding Christ’s purity and excellence he can see his weaknesses, defects, and poverty. He realizes that he is lost and hopelessly clad in the garments of self-righteousness like every other sinner. Self now appears to him as nothing but shame, and he cries out to the Lord.

“No outward observances can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty himself of self. We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart, for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.

“It is not only at the beginning of the Christian life that this renunciation of self is to be made. At every advance step heavenward, it is to be renewed. All our good works are dependent on a power outside of ourselves. Therefore, there needs to be a continual reaching out of the heart after God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the soul before Him. Only by constant renunciation of self and dependence on Christ can we walk safely.

“The nearer we come to Jesus and the more clearly we discern the purity of His character, the more clearly we shall discern the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the less we shall feel like exalting ourselves. …

“Men who have lived nearest to God, men who would sacrifice life itself rather than knowingly commit a wrong act, men whom God had honored with divine light and power, have confessed the sinfulness of their own nature. They have put no confidence in the flesh, have claimed no righteousness of their own, but have trusted wholly in the righteousness of Christ. So will it be with all who behold Christ.

“At every advance step in Christian experience our repentance will deepen. It is to those whom the Lord has forgiven, to those whom He acknowledges as His people, that He says, ‘Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight.’ Ezekiel 36:31.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159, 160

This experience does not happen at baptism. Instead, as the power of Christ draws the sinner, he chooses to approach and look upon Christ on the cross, suspended between heaven and earth. In his mind and heart, he falls prostrate at the foot of the cross. It is then that a miracle happens. He is given a new heart and made a new creature, a true Christian, in Christ Jesus. God is the Justifier of man. When He looks upon him and finds nothing more to require, He will glorify him (Romans 8:30).

Jesus gave us the parable of the wedding feast to help us understand that salvation predestines everyone to be saved. Unfortunately, not every person will accept salvation, and their dream of living in heaven for all eternity will be nothing more than that—just a dream. But for those who accept God’s gift of salvation, heaven is waiting, her gates opened wide to receive all of God’s children home.

“ ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

“ ‘Again, he sent out other servants, saying, “Tell those who are invited, ‘See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.’ ”

“ ‘But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

“ ‘But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

“ ‘Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore, go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.”

“ ‘So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“ ‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” And he was speechless.

“ ‘Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” ’ ” Matthew 22:2–14

All are called, all are invited, but only those who accept salvation and surrender their lives to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, will be found wearing the wedding garment—the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Only these are chosen.

It is this wedding garment that Jesus is referring to when He says to the Laodicean, “buy from Me … white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed.” Revelation 3:18

Obedience opens the gates of heaven. Without it, man can never obtain the wedding garment. He cannot produce righteousness in or by himself, and he cannot receive it from Christ if he is disobedient to the law of God. Those who want to go to heaven must become obedient by the power of the Holy Spirit. The devil says that man cannot obey, and sadly many Christians believe him. It is true that we cannot do it alone, but God has promised each one who comes to Him in complete surrender of the will, will be given the grace and power to overcome.

“There is not one of us who will be placed in heaven with the mold of our own will.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 9, 259

“You are not able, of yourself, to bring your purposes and desires and inclinations into submission to the will of God; but if you are ‘willing to be made willing,’ God will accomplish the work for you … . ‘For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.’ ” The Signs of the Times, May 18, 1904

If any man doubts that he can overcome, he need only look in Revelation 2 verses 7, 11, 17, 26, and Revelation 3 verses 5, 12, and 21. Jesus says that we can and are to overcome. And Inspiration tells us that “All His biddings are enablings.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 333. Whatever God asks us to do, He provides the ability to do it.

“If we would seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, the principles of righteousness would guide our lives, and self-seeking would find no place in our hearts. The desire to do our own will would be submerged in the desire to do the will of God.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 20, 82

“Lord, take my heart, for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159

Pastor John J. Grosboll is the Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be reached by email at historic@stepstolife.org or by telephone at 316-788-5559.

Religion and Morality

by

Morality:
the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior

Religion:
a particular system of faith and worship

“The greatest want of the world is the want of men [women]—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.” Education, 57

Interestingly, the world has very little interest in understanding or even attempting to obtain the knowledge that there is a direct correlation between spiritual morality and actions. A popular belief has sprung up in the last decade or so, after the publication of such books as the DaVinci Code, that claims “every faith in the world is based on fabrication” used to maintain control over the peoples of the world; a fabrication that states the Bible is just a book, maybe even a good book.

I have often said that even if everything we know and understand about religion, as suggested above, is a lie, wouldn’t it be true that if every man, woman, and child on this earth followed the ten commandments, if everyone in the world “esteemed others better than themselves,” if they loved God and loved their neighbor, if we were less greedy and more giving, served rather than expected to be served, were more loving and less hate-filled, even if the end of all life was simply death with no God or heaven or eternity, the world would be a much better place. The Biblical principles espoused by most religions, when brought into the life, will result in doing and being good, making us all better people.

However, I do believe in God and heaven and eternity, and that it is only through the power and grace of God that man can live a moral life. The worldly people—those who believe they know what is best for themselves and determinedly seek to separate themselves from any relationship with God so that they can “be free” to do as they choose—perpetuate the deception utilized by Satan in heaven. Speaking of the sinless, holy angels, he suggested, “angels, being more exalted, needed no such restraint, for their own wisdom was sufficient guide. … He claimed that the unfallen intelligences of holy heaven had no need of law, but were capable of governing themselves and of preserving unspotted integrity.” The Truth About Angels, 37, 38

We know how well that assertion ended. One-third of the angels were expelled from heaven along with Lucifer, and here, he continues to suggest to those who follow him that they do not need to obey God’s commandments. Instead, they can govern themselves and should be free to determine their own course. The only difference is that instead of remaining able to preserve an unspotted integrity, they no longer feel the need for an unspotted integrity, or they believe that it will all be taken care of for them in the future.

Many have little interest in religion, believing it to be more opinion, conjecture, or even hope rather than science. Sciences of every kind—particularly psychology and neuroscience—have tied themselves into so many knots trying to develop ways of improving the human condition and techniques that will help people face the challenges of this life by changing a person’s beliefs, feelings, and behaviors only to find that they echo the ideas and techniques many religions have been using for millennia.

Today, science and a belief in God seem to clash, yet Inspiration tells us that without God, there is no science.

“By those who make the Scriptures their constant study, true natural science is far better understood than it is by many so-called learned men. Science, as revealed in Holy Writ, flashes light upon many hidden things in God’s word. The science of the Bible is pure, undefiled religion; it is the science of true godliness. And obedience to God, in all schemes of human benevolence—practical activity—is the science of salvation. The gospel is ‘the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.’ ” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, 251

“A knowledge of science of all kinds is power, and it is in the purpose of God that advanced science shall be taught in our schools as a preparation for the work that is to precede the closing scenes of earth’s history. The truth is to go to the remotest bounds of the earth, through agents trained for the work. But while the knowledge of science is a power, the knowledge which Jesus in person came to impart to the world was the knowledge of the gospel. The light of truth was to flash its bright rays into the uttermost parts of the earth, and the acceptance or rejection of the message of God involved the eternal destiny of souls.

“The plan of salvation had its place in the counsels of the Infinite from all eternity. The gospel is the revelation of God’s love to men, and means everything that is essential to the happiness and well-being of humanity. The work of God in the earth is of immeasurable importance, and it is Satan’s special object to crowd it out of sight and mind, that he may make his specious devices effectual in the destruction of those for whom Christ died. It is his purpose to cause the discoveries of men to be exalted above the wisdom of God. When the mind is engrossed with the conceptions and theories of men to the exclusion of the wisdom of God, it is stamped with idolatry. Science, falsely so called, has been exalted above God, nature above its Maker, and how can God look upon such wisdom?” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 186

“The science of redemption is the science of all sciences; the science that is the study of the angels and of all the intelligences of the unfallen worlds; the science that engages the attention of our Lord and Saviour; the science that enters into the purpose brooded in the mind of the Infinite …; the science that will be the study of God’s redeemed throughout endless ages.” The Truth About Angels, 298

Morality is best associated with religion as an outcome of it. True morality—like true religion—must be based upon Biblical principles. These principles, when practiced in life, will bring about change in the human mind and heart, which will result in moral thought and action.

“The sum and substance of true religion is to own and continually acknowledge by words, by dress, by deportment, our relationship to God.” Healthful Living, 119

“Morality cannot be separated from religion. Conservative tradition received from educated men and from the writings of great men of the past are not all a safe guide for us in these last days; for the great struggle before us is such as the world has never seen. …

“We are not one of us safe, even with past experience in the work, and certainly are not safe … unless we live as seeing Him who is invisible. Daily, hourly, we must be actuated by the principles of Bible truth—righteousness, mercy, and the love of God. He who would have moral and intellectual power must draw from the divine Source. At every point and decision inquire, Is this the way of the Lord?” Medical Ministry, 99

Sources: psychologicalscience.org/news/psychologists-are-learning-what-religion-has-known-for-years; goodreads.com/quotes/148789-every-faith-in-the-world-is-based-on-fabrication-that

Sovereignty – Supreme Power or Authority

by

“Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?’ Jesus answered, ‘You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.’

“From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, ‘If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.’ When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

“Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, ‘Behold your King!’ But they cried out, ‘Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’ ” John 19:10–15

In verse 10, Pilate asks Jesus, “Don’t you know that I have authority over you? I can have You crucified or I can release You.” And indeed, Pilate had supreme power and authority over Jesus at that moment in the great controversy.

Later, in the last part of verse 15, Pilate gave the Jews the opportunity to agree to Jesus’ release, but what did the Jews say?

“We have no king but Caesar!” Perhaps unknowingly, the people were choosing Caesar as their sovereign ruler—not God, and certainly not Jesus. Sadly for the Jews, regardless of the worldly leader they might choose to lead them, Jesus had the ultimate authority and power, and thus, sovereignty over the universe and everything in it on that day and still today.

Satan has sought to usurp Christ’s sovereignty for millennia.

“In the wilderness, Christ endured trials human beings cannot comprehend. Here, Christ was brought face-to-face with the subtle power of Satan, the fallen angel. The enemy pursued the same course with the Saviour that he did with Adam and Eve in Eden. He began by disputing the sovereignty of Christ. If you are the Son of God, he said, give me evidence that You are.

“Well did Satan know who Christ was, for when the Saviour went to Gadara, the evil spirits in the two madmen there cried out, ‘What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God? Art Thou come hither to torment us before the time?’ ” Christ Triumphant, 191

Not only did Satan dispute the sovereignty of Christ 2,000 years ago, but he is today doing everything he can to get us to do the same, using the same subtlety against us that he used against Christ in the wilderness of temptation. He may not come to us disguised as an angel of light, but he has a myriad of other disguises that are even more subtle and harder to recognize.

In the parable of the husbandman, found in Matthew 21:33–46, Christ provides an example in symbols of those who refuse to acknowledge His sovereignty. Christ’s Object Lessons clearly explains this parable.

“The Jewish rulers did not love God; therefore they cut themselves away from Him, and rejected all His overtures for a just settlement [of the harvest]. Christ, the Beloved of God, came to assert the claims of the Owner of the vineyard; but the husbandmen treated Him with marked contempt, saying, We will not have this man to rule over us. They envied Christ’s beauty of character. His manner of teaching was far superior to theirs, and they dreaded His success. He remonstrated with them, unveiling their hypocrisy, and showing them the sure results of their course of action. This stirred them to madness. They smarted under the rebukes they could not silence. They hated the high standard of righteousness which Christ continually presented.” Op. Cit., 293, 294

Christ presents a high standard for us to follow, but He is not a dictator.

“God does not compel anyone to love Him and obey His law. He has manifested unutterable love toward man in the plan of redemption. He has poured out the treasures of His wisdom, and has given the most precious gift of heaven that we might be constrained to love Him, and come into harmony with His will. If we refuse such love, and will not have Him to rule over us, [that is, we will not accept His sovereignty] we are working our own ruin, and we shall sustain an eternal loss at last.” Counsels on Stewardship, 127

“When Christ came into the world to exemplify true religion, and to exalt the principles that should govern the hearts and actions of men, falsehood had taken so deep a hold upon those who had had so great light that they no longer comprehended the light and had no inclination to yield up tradition for truth. They rejected the heavenly Teacher, they crucified the Lord of glory, that they might retain their own customs and inventions. The very same spirit is manifested in the world today.” Counsels on Sabbath School Work, 47, 48

“We will not have this man to rule over us.”

When man was created, God gave him/us free will. We do not have to comply with any aspect of His law or His testimonies. But Inspiration tells us:

“Every manifestation of creative power is an expression of infinite love. The sovereignty of God [extreme power and authority] involves fullness of blessing to all created beings. … The history of the great conflict between good and evil, from the time it first began in heaven to the final overthrow of rebellion and the total eradication of sin, is also a demonstration of God’s unchanging love.” Christ Triumphant, 7

How do we respond to this demonstration of God’s unchanging love? How do we acknowledge our appreciation of that love?

“When the Lord delivered His people Israel from Egypt and committed to them His law, He taught them that by the observance of the Sabbath they were to be distinguished from idolaters. It was this that made the distinction between those who acknowledge the sovereignty of God and those who refuse to accept Him as their Creator and King. ‘It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever,’ the Lord said. ‘Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.’ Exodus 31:17, 16.” Counsels for the Church, 261

Why is the Sabbath to be a sign, a perpetual covenant between God and His people? What acknowledgment do Sabbathkeepers make when they obey the fourth commandment?

“Every religion that wars against the sovereignty of God defrauds man of the glory which was his at the creation, and which is to be restored to him in Christ. Every false religion teaches its adherents to be careless of human needs, sufferings, and rights. The gospel places a high value upon humanity as the purchase of the blood of Christ, and it teaches a tender regard for the wants and woes of man. The Lord says, ‘I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.’ Isaiah 13:12.” The Desire of Ages, 286

To achieve that exalted position, that high value that God intends for man to have, we must be faithful stewards. We commonly think of being faithful stewards as being careful with our financial means. However, we must recognize that we are also stewards of God’s mercy and generosity.

Faithful stewardship

“Whatever we render to God is, through His mercy and generosity, placed to our account as faithful stewards. … Angels of God, whose perceptions are unclouded by sin, recognize the endowments of heaven as bestowed with the intention that they be returned in such a way as to add to the glory of the great Giver. With the sovereignty of God is bound up the well-being of man. The glory of God is the joy and the blessing of all created beings. When we seek to promote His glory we are seeking for ourselves the highest good which it is possible for us to receive. … God calls for the consecration to His service of every faculty, of every gift, you have received from Him. He wants you to say, with David: ‘All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee.’ (1 Chronicles 29:14).” God’s Amazing Grace, 62

In 1915, at Ellen G. White’s funeral service, Elder A. G. Daniells gave an address in which he listed seven views held by and continually stressed in Mrs. White’s sermons:

  • the sovereignty of God,
  • the divinity of Christ,
  • the efficacy of the gospel,
  • the inspiration of the Scriptures,
  • the majesty of the law,
  • the character of sin and deliverance from its power,
  • the brotherhood of man, his relationships, and responsibilities within that brotherhood

Her teachings regarding these great questions, her life of devotion to the Lord, and service to her fellowman were made impressive through the revelations given her by the divine Spirit.

Without exception, mankind is, by nature, selfish. Man’s initial reaction to the need to submit to the sovereignty of God, of making a complete surrender of heart, soul, and mind, is rebellion. “I want to do what I want to do.” However, that is not the way salvation works. It is only by complete submission to the will of God that any of us have any hope of crossing the Jordan.

As Seventh-day Adventists, we have a tremendous advantage over Satan’s subtle efforts to lead us astray. In addition to the Bible, we have the Spirit of Prophecy to give us guidance and understanding that, without the aid of the Holy Spirit, we have no chance of discerning truth from error. That aid is promised to all who submit to God’s sovereignty.

“The genealogy of our race, as given by Inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator. Though formed from the dust, Adam was ‘the son of God.’

“He was placed, as God’s representative, over the lower orders of being. They cannot understand or acknowledge the sovereignty of God, yet they were made capable of loving and serving man. The psalmist says, ‘Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: … the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, … and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.’ Psalm 8:6–8.

“Man was to bear God’s image, both in outward resemblance and in character. Christ alone is ‘the express image’ (Hebrews 1:3) of the Father; but man was formed in the likeness of God. His nature was in harmony with the will of God. His mind was capable of comprehending divine things. His affections were pure; his appetites and passions were under the control of reason. He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God and in perfect obedience to His will.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 44, 45

“Self-imposed limitations include those things He has not chosen to include in His plan which he might have included as long as they were not contrary to His nature. He did not choose to spare His Son; He did not choose to save all people; He did not choose all nations in Old Testament times; He did not choose Esau; He did not choose to spare James (Acts 12:2). Though He could have done any of these things without being inconsistent with omnipotence, He did not choose to do so in His plan. … Ultimately God is in complete control of all things, though He may choose to let certain events happen according to natural laws which He has ordained.” Basic Theology by Charles Ryrie (1986)

“Christian character is developed, not by a life of meditative abstraction, but by a life of earnest, unselfish effort. The time in which we are living calls for solid work—for work that is right to the point. We must meet the foe on the right hand and on the left. The lives of the combatants for the truth are not to be filled with bustle and excitement and display, to the neglect of personal piety. Vigilant watching is to be combined with earnest working. Every Christian grace is to be incorporated into the character. We are to be diligent ‘in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.’ (Romans 12:11.)” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 8, 310

None of this would be possible without acknowledging God’s sovereign authority in our lives.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

Satan’s Five Discouragements

by

The devil is a very busy individual. He mounts attack upon attack against God’s people, severely trying them until many become discouraged and want to give up. In his efforts to thwart the plan of salvation, he has attempted to discourage even God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Yes, friends, discouragement is the devil’s business.

For hundreds of years, the devil worked to hide that he was the real oppressor, instead convincing God’s chosen people that the Messiah would come to deliver them from an earthly oppressor. So, when Jesus came to save them from their sins rather than the Romans, most of the Jews rejected Him because He was not the Messiah they were expecting or, dare I say, wanted. They saw themselves as holy people, God’s chosen nation, but they failed to recognize that they were sinners more in need of a Saviour than rescue from an oppressive ruler.

“They could find no rest from the accusings of a troubled conscience. Thus, Satan worked to discourage the people, to lower their conception of the character of God, and to bring the faith of Israel into contempt. He hoped to establish the claim put forth when he rebelled in heaven—that the requirements of God were unjust and could not be obeyed. Even Israel, he declared, did not keep the law.

“While the Jews desired the advent of the Messiah, they had no true conception of His mission. They did not seek redemption from sin, but deliverance from the Romans. They looked for the Messiah to come as a conqueror, to break the oppressor’s power, and exalt Israel to universal dominion. Thus the way was prepared for them to reject the Saviour.” The Desire of Ages, 29, 30

“Humanity, becoming more degraded through ages of transgression, called for the coming of the Redeemer. Satan had been working to make the gulf deep and impassable between earth and heaven. By his falsehoods he had emboldened men in sin. It was his purpose to wear out the forbearance of God, and to extinguish His love for man, so that He would abandon the world to satanic jurisdiction.” Ibid., 34, 35

By making men and women so wicked and, as a consequence, creating so much wickedness in the world, the devil was attempting to wear out the forbearance of God.

“Satan was unwearied in his efforts to overcome the Child of Nazareth. From His earliest years, Jesus was guarded by heavenly angels, yet His life was one long struggle against the powers of darkness. That there should be upon the earth one life free from the defilement of evil was an offense and a perplexity to the prince of darkness. He left no means untried to ensnare Jesus. No child of humanity will ever be called to live a holy life amid so fierce a conflict with temptation as was our Saviour.” Ibid., 71

“No one upon earth had understood Him, and during His ministry He must still walk alone. Throughout His life His mother and His brothers did not comprehend His mission. Even His disciples did not understand Him. He had dwelt in eternal light, as one with God, but His life on earth must be spent in solitude. …

“Alone He must tread the path; alone He must bear the burden.” Ibid., 111

Are you tempted to be discouraged, believing there is not a single person in the world who understands? No one understood Jesus; not one person—not His mother, His family, His disciples, not even John the Baptist—understood what Jesus was about to do for mankind. If Satan tempts you to be discouraged because you feel all alone in the world, remember that you have a Saviour, and He walked His entire life alone, though surrounded by many people, in a world that chose not to understand Him.

“There were none on earth who could comprehend His divine mission, or know the burden which He bore in behalf of humanity.” Ibid., 326

“Satan excited the evil passions of men, in order to fasten his rule upon them. … From generation to generation he worked to blind the people to these prophecies, that they might reject Christ at His coming. …

“Since he [Lucifer] had lost heaven, he was determined to find revenge by causing others to share his fall. This he would do by causing them to undervalue heavenly things, and to set the heart upon things of earth.” Ibid., 115, 116

God said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17. And with these words, it became Satan’s determined effort to cause Christ to doubt them. He took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and said, “If You are the Son of God … .” If he could shake Christ’s confidence in God, he would win the great controversy. The plan of salvation would be ruined if Christ were to lose faith in the Father and work a miracle on His own behalf.

“Satan saw that he must either conquer or be conquered. The issues of the conflict involved too much to be entrusted to his confederate angels. He must personally conduct the warfare. All the energies of apostasy were rallied against the Son of God. Christ was made the mark of every weapon of hell.” Ibid., 116

Jesus became Satan’s focal point. All of his army came together to find some way to bring about the downfall of Jesus Christ.

“Many look on this conflict between Christ and Satan as having no special bearing on their own life; and for them it has little interest. But within the domain of every human heart this controversy is repeated. Never does one leave the ranks of evil for the service of God without encountering the assaults of Satan. The enticements which Christ resisted were those that we find it so difficult to withstand.” Ibid.

“In all ages, temptations appealing to the physical nature have been most effectual in corrupting and degrading mankind. Through intemperance, Satan works to destroy the mental and moral powers that God gave to man as a priceless endowment. …

“Our only hope of eternal life is through bringing the appetites and passions into subjection to the will of God.

“In our own strength, it is impossible for us to deny the clamors of our fallen nature. Through this channel Satan will bring temptation upon us. Christ knew that the enemy would come to every human being, to take advantage of hereditary weakness, and by his false insinuations to ensnare all whose trust is not in God.” Ibid., 122

Christ’s mission to this world was more than His death on the cross and the example of His life. Jesus came to reveal to man the true character of God, to break Satan’s power over man, setting his captives free. Jesus offered love, the power to overcome, and a new life with a changed heart and nature. But this aroused the devil’s ire, and he summoned all his forces to contest Christ’s work. And so it will be for those who choose to follow Christ in these final hours of the great controversy  (The Desire of Ages, 257).

In Matthew 16, Jesus told the disciples that He was to be crucified to redeem mankind, but this was so contrary to what they had always been taught they could not believe or accept it. Peter immediately began to argue with Jesus. But Jesus gave the most severe rebuke that He had ever given to any of His disciples because Satan was speaking through Peter, “But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’ ” Verse 23

“Satan was trying to discourage Jesus, and turn Him from His mission [of being crucified]; and Peter, in his blind love, was giving voice to the temptation. The prince of evil was the author of the thought. His instigation was behind that impulsive appeal. In the wilderness, Satan had offered Christ the dominion of the world on condition of forsaking the path of humiliation and sacrifice. Now he was presenting the same temptation to the disciple of Christ.” The Desire of Ages, 416

“Satan, the author of sin and all its results, had led men to look upon disease and death as proceeding from God—as punishment arbitrarily inflicted on account of sin. Hence, one upon whom some great affliction or calamity had fallen had the additional burden of being regarded as a great sinner.

“Thus, the way was prepared for the Jews to reject Jesus. He who ‘hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows’ was looked upon by the Jews as ‘stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted;’ and they hid their faces from Him. Isaiah 53:4, 3.” Ibid., 471. The disciples believed that the true Messiah would not be in a situation like this, therefore, this couldn’t possibly be the Messiah.

“To the heart of Christ it was a bitter task to press His way against the fears, disappointment, and unbelief of His beloved disciples. It was hard to lead them forward to the anguish and despair that awaited them at Jerusalem. And Satan was at hand to press his temptations upon the Son of man. Why should He now go to Jerusalem, to certain death? All around Him were souls hungering for the bread of life. On every hand were suffering ones waiting for His word of healing. The work to be wrought by the gospel of His grace was but just begun. And He was full of the vigor of manhood’s prime. Why not go forward to the vast fields of the world with the words of His grace, the touch of His healing power? Why not take to Himself the joy of giving light and gladness to those darkened and sorrowing millions? Why leave the harvest gathering to His disciples, so weak in faith, so dull of understanding, so slow to act? Why face death now, and leave the work in its infancy? The foe who in the wilderness had confronted Christ assailed Him now with fierce and subtle temptations. Had Jesus yielded for a moment, had He changed His course in the least particular to save Himself, Satan’s agencies would have triumphed, and the world would have been lost.” Ibid., 486

The devil knew that the salvation of our world rested fully on just one Person. He knew that he would rule the whole world if he could overcome Him. But it seems that the devil forgot who that Person is—the Creator of all things, who holds up worlds and maintains everything in its order, the One who grants mercy, grace, and pardon to a world in need of redemption, and the power to overcome, Jesus Christ.

“At this time [a few days before the crucifixion] Christ’s work bore the appearance of cruel defeat. … To His disciples the case seemed hopeless.” Ibid., 621

“In the wilderness of temptation, the destiny of the human race had been at stake. Christ was then conqueror. Now the tempter had come for the last fearful struggle. For this he had been preparing during the three years of Christ’s ministry. Everything was at stake with him. If he failed here, his hope of mastery was lost; the kingdoms of the world would finally become Christ’s; he himself would be overthrown and cast out. But if Christ could be overcome, the earth would become Satan’s kingdom, and the human race would be forever in his power.” Ibid., 686, 687

So what temptation did the devil press upon Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane? Complete and eternal separation from the Father, the fear that His sacrifice would be unacceptable, that He would never be one with God again.

“Satan and his confederacy of evil, the legions of apostasy, watched intently this great crisis in the work of redemption [in the Garden of Gethsemane]. The powers of good and evil waited to see what answer would come to Christ’s thrice-repeated prayer. Angels had longed to bring relief to the divine sufferer, but this might not be. No way of escape was found for the Son of God.” Ibid., 693

“And what was to be gained by this sacrifice? How hopeless appeared the guilt and ingratitude of men! In its hardest features, Satan pressed the situation upon the Redeemer: The people who claim to be above all others in temporal and spiritual advantages have rejected You. They are seeking to destroy You, the foundation, the center, and seal of the promises made to them as a peculiar people. One of Your own disciples, who has listened to Your instruction, and has been among the foremost in church activities, will betray You. One of Your most zealous followers will deny You. All will forsake You. … The sins of men weighed heavily upon Christ, and the sense of God’s wrath against sin was crushing out His life.” Ibid., 687

“Satan led the cruel mob in its abuse of the Saviour [during His trial]. It was his purpose to provoke Him to retaliation if possible, or to drive Him to perform a miracle to release Himself, and thus break up the plan of salvation. One stain upon His human life, one failure of His humanity to endure the terrible test, and the Lamb of God would have been an imperfect offering, and the redemption of man a failure.” Ibid., 734

“Satanic agencies confederated with evil men in leading the people to believe Christ the chief of sinners, and to make Him the object of detestation. Those who mocked Christ as He hung upon the cross were imbued with the spirit of the first great rebel. He filled them with vile and loathsome speeches. He inspired their taunts. But by all this he gained nothing.” Ibid., 760, 761

Just as Satan worked to discourage Jesus in the hope of causing the world to be lost, he now seeks to discourage you and cause you to be lost. Jesus has paid the price for the salvation of this world, but as individuals, we still retain free will, and it is here that Satan focuses all his power. If he can, through temptation and harassment, he will cause me to become discouraged, and if I give in to discouragement and give up, then I am lost. This is the devil’s whole purpose for all mankind.

Since the devil successfully uses discouragement against Christians and those who want to become Christians, let’s look at a few of his methods.

Health Problems

When your body is sick and weak, your mind is affected and there is no escaping it. The devil comes, whispering everything imaginable, telling you that you might as well give up. You haven’t been able to overcome, and you will never overcome. But remember, no matter how sick or weak you are, even if you are the worst sinner, you can trust yourself to Jesus Christ, and the devil cannot cause you to be lost. (See Hebrews 7:25; The Desire of Ages, 125.)

Financial Problems

Have you ever had to choose between doing the will of God or losing your job because you won’t work on the Sabbath, or have you sacrificed your education because you will not attend classes or tests on the Sabbath? This is another way the devil brings discouragement because of the financial burden that following the Lord seems to bring. Some people have said, “I am choosing to obey God even if it costs me my career.” Jesus was [and remains] the Prince of heaven. He sat on a throne, wore a crown, and carried a scepter. All the universe’s riches were His, yet He became poor in this world to save you. If you become poor and sacrifice everything to follow Jesus, you will have an everlasting reward worth more than anything this world can offer.

Hypocrisy

Character defects in family or church members can discourage those striving for heaven. Too often, hypocrisy runs rampant in Christians’ lives.

It is purported that Mahatma Ghandi said: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

For those looking ahead to the soon-coming of our Lord, a shaking time is coming. We must strive to remove from our hearts the selfishness and besetting sins that hold us back from developing the perfected character—the Christlike character—required by God to live in His presence. When the time of shaking is over, everyone who is not converted, every hypocrite, will be shaken out (Hebrews 12).

The book of Revelation was written primarily for the last days, but unlike the book of Daniel, it was not written for the whole world, but for God’s church (Revelation 1:1). “ ‘I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.’ ” Revelation 22:16. When Jesus comes again, He will take only His church out of this world; no one else is going.

Don’t misunderstand; over the history of this world, many people have lived and died, and never belonged to a church, never heard or spoke the name of Christ, but they will be saved and resurrected with the church triumphant. Those who have overcome (repeated seven times in Revelation 2 and 3) and who live through the time of trouble and are alive when Jesus comes again will be taken up from this world. God’s church will have the seal of God in their forehead, and it is clear that in the last days, if you do not have the seal of God in your forehead, you will suffer His judgments.

“They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” Revelation 9:4

If you want to be ready when Jesus comes, you must be a member of His church.

Throughout the Scriptures, a woman is used as a symbol of the church. Revelation 12 describes a pure woman as God’s church. Revelation 12:17 describes the last church on earth as a people who will keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus Christ (Revelation 14:12). They will also have the spirit of prophecy.

“Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10, last part

Revelation 17 tells us that those who are a part of Christ’s church when He comes will have three characteristics—called, chosen, and faithful. “ ‘These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.’ ” Verse 14. We will not be taken to heaven if we lack these three characteristics.

God tells us that we must be baptized with water, but it isn’t the water that is important. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change, a symbol of being baptized by the Holy Spirit, an acceptance into the body of Christ. God’s bride, His church, has “made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7). She has been given “fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen” (Verse 8) represents the righteous acts of the saints. And finally, God’s church is “called to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Verse 9). “By one Spirit [Holy Spirit] we were all baptized into one body [body of Christ, the church].” 1 Corinthians 12:13

My Own Defects of Character

We all (sorry, no exceptions) have character defects that we struggle to overcome. The devil wants you to believe that you can’t give them up. He whispers that you have done it a thousand and one times now, and you will never succeed. As long as you are in this world, you will face this struggle, but do not be discouraged. Sanctification is the process by which we overcome, and the struggle is a part of overcoming. The devil repeatedly tempted Jesus throughout His life, and he will do the same to you (John 15:20).

“The apostle Paul declares, ‘I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing’ (Romans 7:18). To those who have tried so hard to obtain by faith so-called holy flesh, I would say, You cannot obtain it. Not a soul of you has holy flesh now. No human being on the earth has holy flesh. It is an impossibility.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 32. Not one human being is free from struggle. That is why we pray. And Jesus promises that if we ask Him, He will help us.

“There’s no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, but will with the temptation make it possible for you to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13, literal translation. God has promised to give you all the help that you need, but, if you intend to win, don’t give up the fight.

False Theology

The devil tried to discourage Jesus by telling Him that because He had taken upon Himself the sins of the world, He would be forever separated from God because sin and holiness do not coexist (Isaiah 59:2). But the Bible says that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38, 39). And no matter the cost, man must be saved. For this reason, Jesus was tempted as no human being will ever be tempted. There is no human being so sinful that they cannot be saved. I am saved when I commit myself to Jesus and give my heart to Him alone, He then becomes sovereign in my life.

Jesus, as our Saviour, endured everything the devil brought against Him, and He did it to save you. The devil is trying to press the same discouragements upon us. He wants us to believe that we are beyond redemption and that our character defects can never be removed. But he is wrong. “ ‘The one who comes to Me I will by no case cast out.’ ” John 6:37, last part

If you put your trust in Jesus, He will save you.

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at 316-788-5559.