Daily Living

What Everyone Needs and No One Has

by

The righteousness of Christ is a major theme of the New Testament, so let’s look at seven facts about righteousness.

The first fact is a simple one. You must have righteousness in order to have eternal life. This can be conclusively proven from the Bible in many scriptures, but we’ll look at just two.

“Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

“He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; he who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes, a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the Lord; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change; he who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

“He who does these things shall never be moved.” Psalm 15

“Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil: he will dwell on high; his place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; bread will be given him, his water will be sure.” Isaiah 33:14, last part–16

Isaiah and David are both speaking of those who are righteous. You must be righteous or you will not go to heaven.

The second fact about righteousness is very startling. We see that in order to go to heaven we must be righteous, but the truth is, we have no righteousness. What we need, we do not have.

“All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6

“There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:10–12

Not one single person has the righteousness necessary for heaven.

The third fact about righteousness is its definition. What is righteousness? There are two definitions. The first is found in Romans 7:12

“So then, the law is holy and the commandment is holy and just and good.”

God’s law is righteous. Righteousness is that which is in harmony with the ten commandments.

What if a person breaks the law? “All unrighteousness is sin.” 1 John 5:17. “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. … He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” 1 John 3:4, 7, last part

So, righteousness is when the law is being kept because the law is righteous, and unrighteousness is when the law is or has been broken.

The second definition of righteousness is found in 1 John 2:1.

“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

This definition of righteousness says that Jesus Christ is righteous; so righteousness is that which is like Him. This definition does not conflict with the first, but rather they complement each other, because Jesus said in John 15:10, “I have kept my Father’s commandments.”

Righteousness, first, is that which is in harmony with the ten commandments, and then it is that which is in harmony with the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

The fourth fact about righteousness is that when you are perfectly righteous, then you are holy. I believe that inspired writings prove this, but I will let you study it out for yourself.

A fifth fact, regarding righteousness has to do with the motives of the heart—our thoughts and feelings. Jesus brought this out very clearly in the Sermon on the Mount. “ ‘For I say to you that except your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ ” Matthew 5:20

This was a shocking statement because the Jews thought that the scribes and Pharisees were the most righteous people on the face of the earth. And here, Jesus was saying that they had to be more righteous than they or they would not be able to enter heaven.

But Jesus went on to explain that righteousness has more to do with what is on the inside than what is on the outside. “ ‘You have heard that it was said by them anciently, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment [condemnation].”

“ ‘But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever will say to his brother, “Raca!” shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, “You fool!” shall be in danger of hell fire.’ ” Verses 21, 22

Jesus is not talking about the person who actually took a club or a spear or a sword and killed somebody. He says that if you are angry with your brother to the point of hatred, then you are guilty of murder, as if you had committed it as Cain did. John supports this in 1 John 3:15, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” On the outside, it looked like the Pharisees were keeping the law, but Jesus said in their hearts, they were not.

As human beings, we tend to look at what’s on the outside; that’s all we can see. But Jesus deals with what is unseen by man, the motives and desires of the heart. He spoke of this same thing in reference to the seventh commandment.

“ ‘You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’ ” Verses 27, 28

It may be true that we haven’t literally broken the law by actually killing someone or robbing a bank or sleeping with someone who is not our spouse, but if in our hearts we desire it above all things or harbor strong feelings against someone, then in the eyes of God, it is the same as if we actually broke the law.

The commandments go right to the heart. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12, 13

So, this fifth fact has to do with what is in the heart, not just what you say or do, but our motives and feelings, too.

The sixth fact about righteousness is that you cannot become righteous by simply deciding to do what is right and good. Paul tells us in Philippians 3 that he had already done that. He had determined to do what was right, he was born into the right race and family, he had been circumcised on the eighth day, he had practiced carefully and perfectly his religion, and he says in verse 6, “concerning the righteousness which is in the law, [I am] blameless.”

But notice what he says next in verses 7–9: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and might be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith … .”

Paul recognized that his righteousness was worthless to gain eternal life. He realized that he could go through all these forms and rituals and ceremonies, and he could keep the ceremonial law perfectly, and still not go to heaven.

It is the same in the Christian church today. Our name is on the church roll, we are baptized, we participate in the communion and foot washing services, we pay tithes and offerings, and hold offices. But not a single one of those things will make us righteous.

“That I might know Him and the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Verses 10–14

Paul knew that the righteousness he needed could come only from Jesus Christ. This is the seventh fact about righteousness. Righteousness has to do with the heart and we are all sinners. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. The human heart, left to itself, is filled with wickedness. We are incapable of generating righteousness.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

Deceitful and incurably wicked is the condition of the heart we all possess.

“I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells … .” Romans 7:18, first part. How much good? Nothing. None.

This shows us that we cannot be righteous by deciding to do good or even if we do good things. If we are to be righteous, we must receive righteousness from Jesus Christ.

So, we know where righteousness comes from. The question is, how can we receive it?

The 19th century was an optimistic age. Because of the teachings of evolution, people believed that as a species, we were getting better and better. The many inventions that were created during that time only reinforced that idea; so people believed they could do anything, even make themselves righteous. In theology, that is called perfectionism. The problem with perfectionism is that people believe they have made themselves perfect all while breaking God’s law.

The 20th century became a very pessimistic century. People were asking, How can I do it? I’m a sinner. I can’t. So a “new theology” was created; one that said Christ would do everything for us. All a person had to do was believe in Christ and they would be justified, and then Christ would do the rest. You could be living like the devil, but the Lord was going to save you if you just believed.

In actuality, the Lord is going to do everything, but not without your cooperation.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12

Someone might say that this is teaching salvation by works. In a way, it is.

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.” Verse 13

God wants to perform a work of righteousness in your life and mine. But He will do this only when we cooperate with Him. What does it mean to work out our salvation with fear and trembling? The Bible teaches that we do this by looking at ourselves and recognizing that we are filled with sin and need a good cleaning up.

Maybe we have already done some of this work, but we all have besetting sins; those darling sins that we just can’t seem to let go of. The Bible says to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us … .” Hebrews 12:1. It is these sins that we must bring to Christ and plead for His power and grace to overcome them, for only overcomers will see heaven. We cannot be free from sin without divine help, but, we must be willing to give it up. It is in this way that we are colaborers with Christ.

So many people spend their time bemoaning their condition rather than looking in faith to the Lord, who can and will change their thoughts, their hearts, their motives, and their feelings, which will produce a change in their words and their actions.

“The secret of Satan’s power over God’s professed people lies in the deceitfulness of the human heart. Their constant stumbling and falling reveal that they have not maintained a stern conflict with their besetting sins.” The Signs of the Times, December 13, 1899

Paul is an example of this stern conflict with besetting sins and the cooperation with the Holy Spirit to affect the necessary change in his life. Remember he says in Philippians 3 that he cannot change, but that he stretches, extends himself as far as he can, then he will press, pursue, struggle until he reaches the prize of the high calling of God.

The New Testament does not teach a backseat religion where we do nothing and just expect the Lord to do it all. New Testament religion is going to the Lord, admitting our inability to overcome our sins, and claiming His promise to do in our lives that which we cannot do for ourselves; to change us according to His good pleasure. In this way only are we able to be overcomers.

This change occurs only by stern conflict, supreme effort. And if we are not willing to maintain this stern conflict against our besetting sins and our own inherent nature, then we will not overcome, but will be overcome. That is what Paul is talking about in Philippians 3.

“They have not depended wholly upon Christ, because they have not realized that they are in peril of being overcome by these sins. It is the sin which appears small and unworthy of our notice against which we should be on our guard.” Ibid.

How true! It is the little sins that we don’t think even amount to much that, if not overcome, will become bigger and bigger until we lose all desire to give them up.

But we have in the courts in heaven an all-powerful Mediator.

“God is approached through Jesus Christ, the Mediator, the only way through which He forgives sins. God cannot forgive sins at the expense of His justice, His holiness, and His truth. But He does forgive sins and that fully. There are no sins He will not forgive in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the sinner’s only hope, and if he rests here in sincere faith, he is sure of pardon and that full and free. There is only one channel and that is accessible to all, and through that channel a rich and abundant forgiveness awaits the penitent, contrite soul and the darkest sins are forgiven.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 479, 480

Hebrews 7:25 is a text that we should commit to memory so that we can be encouraged when discouragement looms heavy upon us. “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

No one can truthfully say that they are too great a sinner for Christ to save. If you are willing to be saved in the way He wants to save you, He can and will save you.

“It is not because there is any flaw in the title which has been purchased for you that you do not accept it. It is not because the mercy, the grace, the love of the Father and the Son is not ample, and has not been freely bestowed, that you do not rejoice in pardoning love. … If you are lost, it will be because you will not come unto Christ that you might have life.” Our Father Cares, 92

When you are sick, your physician must determine what needs to be done to help you get better and then you decide whether you are willing to accept the treatment or not. As the Great Physician, Jesus can heal you from the sting of sin, which will cause you to die eternally, but He can only save you if you are willing to accept the cure that He offers.

In an emergency room setting, you would likely hear someone say, “Whatever it takes, I want to live.” We must come to Christ with this same whatever-it-takes attitude. We must be willing to put ourselves in His hands, for this is the only way we will be saved.

One of our biggest problems as human beings is that we do not realize just how defiled we truly are. When people realize that they are terrible sinners and that there is no way they can be saved, that means there is hope, because then they are ready to say, “Lord, I commit my case to You. Whatever it takes.” You see, friends, our prayers, our worship, our services are all defiled and worthless unless Christ adds His righteousness to them.

“The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin ascend from true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood, they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity, and unless the Intercessor, who is at God’s right hand, presents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God. All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He holds before the Father the censer of His own merits, in which there is no taint of earthly corruption. He gathers into this censer the prayers, the praise, and the confessions of His people, and with these He puts His own spotless righteousness. Then, perfumed with the merits of Christ’s propitiation, the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious answers are returned.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 344

We must have Christ’s righteousness or else we cannot be saved. Peter said, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. Jesus is the only One who is righteous, and only He will, through His Holy Spirit, give you the righteousness you lack if you will surrender to Him and become a coworker with Him in working out your salvation.

Christ came to this world to save mankind from sin. John 1:29 says, “Behold! The Lamb of God [this is John the Baptist speaking] who takes away the sin of the world!” How did He do it?

Paul confirmed that concept when he wrote, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus went to the cross knowing that all the sins that had been and would be committed from the beginning of the world until the end of time would be placed upon Him. He had no sin of His own for the righteousness of God was in Him, but He was made sin for us. When we confess our sins to Him, He takes away our sin, He bears it away from us, and then He gives to us His perfect righteousness in return.

Psalm 40 contains a prophecy of Jesus Christ and describes the basis of His righteousness, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” Verse 8

Jesus’ righteousness caused Him to delight in doing God’s will. And He rejoiced that God’s law was in His heart. And when He gives His righteousness to you, His law will be written in your heart and you will seek and enjoy doing God’s will. However, this is a process accomplished over time.

When you confess your sins, and exercise faith in Jesus, you will realize that you have no righteousness of your own and that you won’t be able to go to heaven without the righteousness of Christ, which is acquired by faith. So Jesus says He’ll give you His righteousness and take away your sins. And then the Holy Spirit starts to work. He begins writing on the heart the principles of God’s law and as that happens, we look at our sinful life and decide that we aren’t going to live, think, feel, or talk that way anymore. That is what always happens when a person receives Jesus and His righteousness.

The sinner says, “How can you save somebody that is as bad as I am?”

The Lord says, “I can save you perfectly. Anybody that comes to God through Me, will be perfectly saved.”

When the Holy Spirit begins to write God’s law in your heart, you want to do what is right. And that’s the kind of religion you want; one in which you do what is right because it is right and not just trying to keep from doing wrong because you don’t want to be lost.

Every day, as the Holy Spirit works the miracle of writing God’s law in your heart, you begin to want to do His will. You see, preparing for heaven, you are doing good according to God’s will more and more until you don’t want to do anything else. Down here in this world, we must fight, because we have a sinful nature to fight and an enemy who constantly tempts us to do wrong. And in our flesh, we cannot do anything good.

Paul explains this when he says that he brings his body into subjection. “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:27

In heaven, when you no longer have a sinful nature, you will never have to struggle with yourself. Every time you are struggling to overcome a besetting sin, just remember a time is coming when all the struggling and fighting will be over. Your sinful nature will be gone. The devil will be gone. The world we know today will be gone. All in the past. But, if it is going to be in the past, then we must receive the righteousness of Christ now. And finally, you will be doing what you want to do, living like Christ.

“Righteousness of Christ imputed to men means holiness, uprightness, purity. Unless Christ’s righteousness was imputed to us we could not have acceptable repentance. The righteousness dwelling in us by faith consists of love, forbearance, meekness, and all the Christian virtues.” Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, 134

We need to be righteous if we are to be saved, but we have no righteousness and we can’t generate it. There is only one place from which we can get it and that is from Jesus Christ. He has a sufficient supply for everyone, and if we will commit our lives to Him and choose to cooperate with the work He wants to do in our lives, then His righteousness will become ours.

God has something for us that is so much better than anything we can think of ourselves. Do you want God to work in your life, to work out His good pleasure?

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

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.

Gaining Primitive Godliness

by

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.”

Ephesians 4:11–15

When Jesus left this world, He gave spiritual gifts to His church. The New Testament enumerates in three places what these gifts of the Holy Spirit were. One is the text above in Ephesians 4, and the other two are found in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. Ephesians 4:13, gives the reason why He gave these gifts to the church, “… till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

Continuing in Ephesians 4:15, it says, “speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.” “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25–27. This is Christian perfection. So, when Jesus comes again, will there be a church that has reached Christian perfection?

We are living in the last days, and now is the time for the church to prepare to be presented to Jesus without blemish. Each of us must be striving to reach this Christian perfection if we want to be part of God’s final church. Isaiah says, “And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 4:3. Pastor W. D. Frazee expressed the same idea when he said, “There are some people who will be cleaned out because they won’t get cleaned up.” God will have a perfected church.

So let’s ask ourselves a question. Does Christian perfection occur in the blink of an eye or is it a process that takes time? If you are fighting the fight of faith, then you know it takes time. Every one of us has sinful habits that must be overcome. It takes prayer and struggle to gain control and overcome them.

Striving for Christian perfection is not to be put off to some far distant time with the expectation of being made perfect at the last minute, all the while continuing to sin and committing the same sinful acts over and over. This is unrealistic thinking, and anyone who studies the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, and with much prayer struggles to overcome sinful habits knows it.

As we come closer to the end of this world, we should be seeking the Lord more and prayerfully asking for this perfection of character. People all over the world, even in Adventism, say it can’t be done; Christian perfection is impossible. However, Inspiration tells us that regardless of what the world says, there will be a perfected people and they will receive the truth and take it to the world.

“Those who strive lawfully will have complete victory at last, but there is too much striving that is not done in the Spirit of Christ. We should strive to obtain the victory over every unholy passion of the soul, over every spiritual weakness, over every defect of character.” The Signs of the Times, April 14, 1890

“[E]ach one [must] strive with all his might to keep the victory over self and over every besetment, every wrong word and action.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 8, 224

We can see how this happens in this statement from The Great Controversy, 464: “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments [the seven last plagues] upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times.”

Religious history records that over the last 2,000 years there have been some very godly people in the world as well as periods of revival and reformation. Probably the greatest reformation in the last 1,500 years occurred in the 1830s and 1840s, but what is coming will be greater than anything since apostolic times.

“The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming.” Ibid.

God is building an army and we need to work as hard as we can right now to be a part of it to increase its ranks. This army is to take the three angels’ messages to the whole world, but to be part of that army, we must have primitive godliness given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s look closely at what primitive godliness is. Before Jesus came the first time, the Pharisees believed that if they perfectly kept the law, they would reach this higher level of godliness and then the Messiah would come. They decided that they needed to help the people by creating new rules. In fact, they created books full of rules. These rules were very specific in how the ten commandments were to be kept. For example, you couldn’t spit on a plant on the Sabbath because you would be watering it. You’ve read in the Bible about a Sabbath day’s journey. That simply meant that on Sabbath you could only walk so far and if you went farther, you would be breaking the fourth commandment.

But Jesus said of their rules, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20. They were working their way toward godliness but doing so in a manner in which it would be impossible to keep God’s law.

So here was the problem. “He [Jesus] answered and said to them, ‘Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?’ ” Matthew 15:3. In the process of making their rules, those very rules became more important to them than the ten commandments, causing the people to transgress them—the very thing they were trying not to do. How do you end up doing the exact opposite of what you intended? Could we end up doing it again?

The problem for the Jews was that they were keeping all these man-made rules and regulations, but neglecting to keep the most basic rule of all. Jesus said that the whole law hangs on two principles—to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind—the first four commandments—and to love your neighbor as yourself—the last six.

So what is primitive godliness and how do we get it? The word godliness means Godlikeness. What is it like to be like God? Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 18, says, “Righteousness is holiness, likeness to God.” So righteousness is the same as holiness, and holiness is likeness to God. It is conformity to the law of God, for “all Thy commandments are righteousness,” and “love is the fulfilling of the law.” Psalm 119:172; Romans 13:10. The apostle John also tells us that “God is love.” 1 John 4:16. So, righteousness is love. When we love God, we will keep His commandments. In keeping His commandments, we become righteous and holy. We will have a godly nature.

Under the old covenant, the law was written on tables of stone. But under the new covenant, God said, “ ‘This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, … I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.’ ” Hebrews 10:16. This suggests something more than just going to church on Sabbath, not telling a lie, or using bad language. Having the law of God written in your heart means that it becomes a part of you. A miraculous change occurs within you. Yes, you still go to church, and you don’t lie or use bad language, but now the law is no longer a list of dos and don’ts that get checked off on a daily or weekly basis. It becomes as natural to obey the law as it is to take a breath or blink an eye.

Jesus explained in the Sermon on the Mount that what is in the heart determines whether I am truly keeping the law. He said, “ ‘You have heard that it was said of those of old, “You shall not murder,” … but I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause is in danger of the judgment. He that says to his brother, “Raca!” is in danger of the counsel. But whoever says, “You fool!” is in danger of hell fire.’ ” Matthew 5:21, 22

It isn’t enough that I don’t kill someone. My heart must have no hatred or anger toward my brother. John states the same in 1 John 3:15, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

It took the crucifixion of Christ before the disciples understood this. For over three years, Jesus had taught them by word and action, what it meant to be Godlike. They did not truly understand how to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind, nor how to love others as God loves them. After His death, they all realized what true love was, and that they themselves lacked the inward change necessary to be like Jesus. It is at this point that Mrs. White says they had never loved Him more.

Jesus had promised the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to them. “The Spirit came upon the waiting, praying disciples with a fullness that reached every heart. The Infinite One revealed Himself in power to His church [those in the upper room]. It was as if for ages this influence had been held in restraint, and now heaven rejoiced in being able to pour out upon the church the riches of the Spirit’s grace. And under the influence of the Spirit, words of penitence and confession mingled with songs of praise for sins forgiven. Words of thanksgiving and of prophecy were heard. All heaven bent low to behold and to adore the wisdom of matchless, incomprehensible love.” The Acts of the Apostles, 38

All together in the upper room, in one accord, God’s church waited for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He brought penitence and confession, unity and incomprehensible love. They now understood the governing principles of God’s law. They loved God with all their being and would spend the remainder of their lives doing His will. This is primitive godliness.

“Lost in wonder, the apostles exclaimed, ‘Herein is love.’ They grasped the imparted gift. And what followed? The sword of the Spirit, newly edged with power and bathed in the lightnings of heaven, cut its way through unbelief. Thousands were converted in a day.” Ibid., 39

Unbelief was a problem that continues to this day. The Spirit of Prophecy tells us that men’s hearts today are harder than they have ever been. Without the Holy Spirit, do you think we will ever be able to convert anyone?

“What was the result of the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost? The glad tidings of a risen Saviour were carried to the uttermost parts of the inhabited world. As the disciples proclaimed the message of redeeming grace, hearts yielded to the power of this message. The church beheld converts flocking to her from all directions. Backsliders were reconverted. Sinners united with believers in seeking the pearl of great price. Some who had been the bitterest opponents of the gospel became its champions. The prophecy was fulfilled, ‘He that is feeble … shall be as David; and the house of David … as the angel of the Lord.’ Zechariah 12:8.” Ibid., 48

Mrs. White predicts in Testimonies, Vol. 5 that this prophecy will be fulfilled again—that the feeble will be like David and the strong will be like the angel of the Lord.

When the church is full of the Holy Spirit, when each member is filled with primitive godliness and there is unity and harmony among God’s people, the Lord will work in a way that we have never seen before. Far beyond keeping the letter of the law, we can only be a part of this work if we are filled with the righteousness that comes from loving God supremely and obeying His law. “Every Christian saw in his brother a revelation of divine love and benevolence.” The Acts of the Apostles, 48. Friend, this will happen again, more powerfully than ever before.

“One interest prevailed; one subject of emulation swallowed up all others. The ambition of the believers was to reveal the likeness of Christ’s character and to labor for the enlargement of His kingdom.” Ibid.

The believers had two purposes after the Day of Pentecost: to be like Christ and to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. As powerful as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was at Pentecost, a day is coming when the latter rain will fall and by its power, God’s work will be finished.

When the latter rain falls, it will be just a short time until we will see Jesus in the clouds of heaven. Are you eager to see Jesus come, or are you afraid to see Him?

If we are afraid for Jesus to come, then we are not ready for Him to come. We fear to see His face because we realize that there is something in our character, the way we think, or talk, or act, that must change. We want whatever makes us fearful of His coming to be removed. We cannot be taken to heaven with sin-blighted characters. But He can take our character imperfections away and help us overcome.

We must be overcomers of sin in our lives if we want to receive the latter rain, but we can only receive a perfect character by cooperating with the Holy Spirit. Sadly, Mrs. White says that the latter rain can be falling on people all around and yet we may not realize it. Our best friend in church could be receiving the latter rain and if we ourselves are not ready to receive it, we wouldn’t even know it is falling.

There is one important aspect of the outpouring of the former rain at Pentecost that is not discussed much in Adventist circles today. Acts 2:1 says, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” The Holy Spirit brings unity, but on the Day of Pentecost unity existed among those gathered in the upper room before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This wasn’t an ecumenical kind of unity, nor the kind where people just don’t talk about their differences, or the kind that covers up sin. Surrendered and united to God, in that upper room, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon each soul and they were made new, bringing a greater unity to this group that would become God’s church.

Friend, we need to pray. We need to have unity in our local church and our families, in our ministries and institutions, and we need to have unity around the world before we can have the power of the Holy Spirit. God will not give His Holy Spirit to us until we have been tested and God knows that He can trust us. We must pray, prepare, and perservere. We must overcome by the grace of God. We must ask the Lord to help us come into a spirit of unity and harmony.

It will take work, but God is equal to the task. He has promised that we are able to do everything He asks by His power and grace, if we trust in Him. He wouldn’t have asked us to do these things were it not His purpose to provide the way. All we must do is cooperate, surrender.

We must have victory in our lives if we want to receive the latter rain. We must love God with all our heart, soul, and mind—to have primitive godliness. The motive for our obedience must be because we love the Lord and our fellow men. We cannot have strife and hatred for each other. We must pray that the Lord will bring us to that condition of unity that we must have so that the Holy Spirit can be poured out and miracles can happen.

[Emphasis supplied.]

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.

What God Has Joined Together

by

“So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate.”

Matthew 19:6

What God puts together, man is not to divide. There are some things that belong together because God has put them together.

We are in a world and generation where everything that God has put together the devil is trying to tear apart. He aims at the home, the church, anything that God has joined together. He says separate, and he has a million imps at work to segregate, fragment, decimate, and cause disunion and anarchy—that is his program. “What God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Let’s look at some things that God has put together. “Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin. You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.

“Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.

“I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.

“Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the Lord will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway.” Psalm 85:1–13

Notice the two great traits or attributes that are said to meet together. In a beautiful repetition of Hebrew poetry the thought is emphasized. Mercy and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Another of the translations puts it this way: “Loving kindness and truth have met together.” Love and truth, in other words, are joined together in God’s program. The New English Bible translates it: “Love and fidelity have come together. Justice and peace join hands.” Another translation: “Love and loyalty now meet. Righteousness and peace now embrace.”

But why the emphasis on the meeting of these two great attributes? Because the devil has been trying for 6,000 years to separate them. We may call them justice and mercy. We may call them truth and love. One emphasizes a strict hew to the character of God; the other emphasizes His mercy and forgiving kindness. The devil is trying to separate them, but what God has joined together, let not man separate.

No one truly understands one side of the character of God on this matter unless he understands the other side. The two are not disassociated, they are not antagonistic. Each one is a reflection of the other. Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed and embraced each other. This was wonderfully and gloriously demonstrated at the cross. At the cross justice and mercy, love and truth met and embraced, the complete manifestation of the character of God.

A most vivid and sublime presentation of this meeting is found in Selected Messages, Book 1, 349: “The grace of Christ and the law of God are inseparable.” Inseparable means you cannot separate them. The devil says, “I’ll try, just watch me.” But God says, “You cannot do it.” There are many things passing for the gospel today that separate these two attributes and when you separate them, you really have neither one when you get through. “In Jesus mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. In His life and character He not only reveals the character of God, but the possibility of man. He was the representative of God and the exemplar of humanity. He presented to the world what humanity might become when united by faith with divinity.” Ibid.

Jesus was not only a substitute, He was a demonstration of what, by the grace of God, can be wrought out in the life of man.

“The only-begotten Son of God took upon Him the nature of man, and established His cross between earth and heaven. Through the cross, man was drawn to God, and God to man.” Ibid.

Here we see the sublime representation of what happened at the cross. Man was drawn to God, and God to man through the cross. Are you drawn to God through the cross? Did God love man more because of the cross? No. At the cross God saw a way, He demonstrated and revealed a way. God, representing justice upon the throne of the universe, saw a way that man could be pardoned without, in any way, weakening the structure and justice of the universe. He saw how man could be forgiven without setting the law aside. He saw how He could bend toward the repenting sinner without accepting or condoning the sin.

“Through the cross, man was drawn to God, and God to man. Justice moved from its high and awful position, and the heavenly hosts, the armies of holiness, drew near to the cross, bowing with reverence; for at the cross justice was satisfied.” Ibid.

Christ on the cross bore everything that justice required and tasted death for every man. He paid the debt. O I am so thankful for that love!

In The Desire of Ages, 762, these wonderful thoughts again are beautifully expressed: “God’s love has been expressed in His justice no less than in His mercy.” We think of the mercy of God as revealing His love. That mercy is infinite mercy. “Grace,” as we sing the song, “that is greater than all our sin.” An infinite love revealed in an infinite mercy. But this says that God’s love has been expressed in His justice no less than in His mercy. Justice is just as much an expression of God’s love as is His mercy. If we don’t agree with that, we either need a different view of justice or we need a different view of mercy. If we correctly understand God, we will see His love in His justice as well as in His mercy, and justice is the foundation of His throne and the fruit of His love.

The world is suffering today because of a permissive attitude toward lawbreaking. Criminals are roaming throughout the world, making life unsafe in both country and city. Why? There is a small chance that a criminal will be caught, a small chance that he will ever be convicted, and an equally small chance that if he is convicted that he will suffer the penalty to the nth degree. The law of averages is all on the side of the criminal and lawbreaking. Man has become so soft, so permissive, that the criminal, high-handed rebel that he is defies the law. The justice of God recognizes that the law must be enforced, wrapping up the peace and order of the entire universe.

What shall we say then of a so-called gospel, that would present the obedience of Christ as something which is a substitute for man’s obedience? It suggests that Christ died for man’s sin, and then man goes free to continue in transgression, yet he is saved because of the sacrifice of Christ. My friend, that is not the gospel.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation from sin, to everyone who believes. In the gospel of Jesus Christ, God’s love is revealed “in His justice no less than in His mercy. Justice is the foundation of His throne, and the fruit of His love. It had been Satan’s purpose to divorce mercy from truth and justice. He sought to prove that the righteousness of God’s law is an enemy to peace. But Christ shows that in God’s plan they are indissolubly joined together; the one cannot exist without the other.” Ibid. There would be no real, lasting, worthwhile, effective mercy in this universe if God’s justice could be set aside and destroyed. Equally so there would be no real justice if God’s mercy could be destroyed. Mercy and justice cannot exist without one another.

When the bride and groom are joined in the wedding service, sometimes they not only join hands but they embrace. There’s a kiss of love and this is the picture here. There is no war between justice, mercy, and the character of God. They are joined, indissolubly joined together. And what God has joined together, let not man separate.

This must be true in our experience:

Truth is knowing God’s will.

Righteousness is doing God’s will.

Faith is man’s response, believing the truth and doing the righteousness; both are made possible through the gift of Christ. He is the truth (John 14:6). He has given man the gift of faith. Faith is one of the gifts of the Spirit. He has given man the gift of righteousness, righteousness that covers every transgression that’s passed to the penitent, righteousness which not only covers him but enters his very mind and soul that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us.

“Walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1 KJV. This righteousness, truth, justice, and revelation of the will of God, knowing and doing it does not replace love. Love is not a substitute for righteousness, neither is faith a substitute for righteousness. Faith is man’s response to God’s truth and love is an expression of man’s response to God’s love manifested in obedience.

Galatians 5:5, 6 tell us: “For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” What avails? Faith which works through love. Faith is meant to work.

Do you know what people usually do when they purchase something, only to find that it doesn’t work? Send it back. James makes a very strong stand. He says that if your works aren’t the product of faith, then they are dead. Paul is right in harmony.

Working without either faith or love is legalism. The people of the world see those who strive to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus and call them legalists. But they don’t really understand what legalism is. Legalism is attempting to do right without God, trying to be righteous without the forgiving and sanctifying grace of Jesus Christ. It is trying to keep the law without the indwelling Spirit and the sprinkling of the blood. Trying to obey God alone, is impossible to do, but with God, nothing is impossible. Anything God says to do can be done.

Where the word of the King is there is power. As many as received them gave He power. Peter, writing in his first epistle to the people of God scattered throughout various parts of the world, said, “[E]lect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:2. This was meant to include us, written for our admonition as well. This precious grace is unto obedience; that’s the purpose of it. Paul, in Romans 1:5, reading the margin calls it “the obedience of faith.” Does faith obey? Yes. If it doesn’t obey, it is not faith; it is presumption. Jesus says, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:17

As I was meditating on these texts, I was thinking about the beautiful rainbow. What color is the rainbow? It’s all colors. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, indigo, merging and blending. All those colors are in every ray of light. In the morning sunlight as those rays of glory stream down, every one of them has all the colors in it. You can’t see it, but it is there. You get a rain shower in the right position with reference to your eye and the sun, and those millions of raindrops act like little prisms breaking up or refracting the light into its various colors. The drops of water don’t add any color; they merely show you what is already there.

At the cross, as the storm and tempest of wrath against sin broke upon the head and heart of Jesus Christ, divine justice and mercy were seen as an expression of the infinite love of God. And now, around the throne forever is that rainbow, representing the union of justice and mercy in the plan of salvation. What God has joined together, let not man separate.

I am afraid of any message attempting to emphasize one at the expense of the other, or any message which seeks to pit one against the other, any message which would hurl epithets against those who would join them together. We need both. White light includes red, blue, yellow, and all the various blends and combinations of all colors. So it is with the character of God, summed up in that one word love, for God is love.

As we view that character and bring it to the prism of Calvary, we see justice and mercy, life and death, glory and shame, forgiveness, justification, sanctification, and righteousness imputed and imparted. As we see all these colors, as it were, of the white light of God’s character, let us not seek to run off with one of those colors and say, “This is it, I’ve got the whole thing.” No, because you don’t have the whole thing. We need every color of the rainbow to make the white light of God’s perfect character.

“Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.” Psalm 85:10.

What God has joined together, let not man separate.

Pastor W. D. Frazee studied the Medical Missionary Course at the College of Medical Evangelists in Loma Linda, California. He was called to Utah as a gospel medical evangelist. During the Great Depression, when the church could not afford to hire any assistants, Pastor Frazee began inviting professionals to join him as volunteers. Thus began a faith ministry that would become the foundation for the establishment of the Wildwood Medical Missionary Institute in 1942. He believed that each person is unique, specially designed by the Lord, of infinite value, and has a special place and mission in this world which only he or she can fill. His life followed this principle and encouraged others to do the same.

Taking Christ for Granted

by

“His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it, but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.’ And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ ”

Luke 2:41–49

Verse 44 is key to the statement we just read: “But they, supposing Him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.”

According to Bible prophecy, God’s last church in this world will have the following characteristics: (1) it will keep the commandments of God, (2) it will have the Testimony of Jesus, and (3) it will have the same faith that Jesus had. (See Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 14:12.)

Jesus has promised to be with His church until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). But it is possible for the church in the last days to take for granted that Christ is with them while they live in a way that will result in their losing His promised presence, just as the vast majority of the leaders and almost the entire Jewish nation lost the Saviour, even though He had come to them in the flesh and blood, desiring to be with them forever. Only a few accepted the Son of God. Why? What was their major problem?

Elder F. C. Gilbert, a converted Jew who for many years was in charge of our work to bring Christ to our Jewish friends, had knowledge on the problem of the Jewish nation. He knew all about the Jewish language, the Jewish culture, and when he spoke and wrote it was with authority. Elder Gilbert wrote an article in Ministry magazine in December, 1933, about the Jewish church leadership at the time of Christ’s first advent. He explained that the Jews as a nation rejected their Messiah because of higher learning. The rabbis thought that they could reach the world through scholastic achievements.

He wrote: “It was suggested by the Greeks that the Jews send their talented young men to Alexandria for training and instruction in the philosophies, sciences, and learning of the Greeks.

“Many of the elders of Israel feared the results of such a course, the sages remembering the sorrowing of their ancestors who came into contact with heathen manners and customs. They counseled the younger men against such a procedure. These, in turn, argued that it would be an advantage for strong, thoughtful, vigorous young men who could enter the schools of Greece, as they might influence the philosophers and the Greek scholars to see the value and the beauty of the Jewish religion, and some of the learned Greeks might embrace Judaism. Still, the aged men of Israel advised against it. They maintained that should the younger men come into contact with the learning of the heathen, it might be ruinous to the future of the Jewish race. …

“Many of Israel’s influential men yielded to Greek urging. They said that God would help their young men to be true to their religion, and the training schools of Jewry would have a better standing in the eyes of the nations. The men of Israel were made to feel that the advantages of the Jewish scholars would be immeasurable. The young men would gain knowledge, influence, and prestige.

“Gradually the Jewish schools came to confer degrees upon their graduates. There were the Rav, or rabbi, the Tana, the Gayon, the Sadi, and the Rabbon. It was thought necessary for the graduates of the rabbinical schools to display their rank by wearing different clothing. Little by little an educational aristocracy was formed, which was called the Sanhedrin. This term is of Greek origin, the Hebrew name being Beth din ha-go-dol, Great House of Judgment.

“The religious schools continued to operate, but a marked declension in spiritual influence and power was apparent. Year by year the word of God was studied less, as studies based on culture and philosophy increased. Human concerns became exalted and God was less thought of.”

What a picture of the condition of the Jewish church because of higher education at the very time Christ came to this world!

The Desire of Ages, 29, confirms this. “As they departed from God, the Jews in a great degree lost sight of the teaching of the ritual service. … The Jews lost the spiritual life from their ceremonies, and clung to the dead forms. … In order to supply the place of that which they had lost, the priests and rabbis multiplied requirements of their own; and the more rigid they grew, the less of the love of God was manifested. They measured their holiness by the multitude of their ceremonies, while their hearts were filled with pride and hypocrisy.”

Quoting again from Ministry magazine, Elder Gilbert writes: “Because the leaders of Israel failed to accept the message of John [the Baptist] as coming from God, they were unprepared to receive the message of the Saviour, although He assured them that His life and advent were based on sacred Scriptures. The rabbis argued: ‘How knoweth this Man letters, having never learned?’ John 7:15.”

You see, Jesus never went for this higher education from Babylon.

“The Israelites did not realize that to be … unlike other nations was a special privilege and blessing.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 607

Oh, somehow I wish that we, as a church, would read and think that through today.

“God had separated the Israelites from every other people, to make them His own peculiar treasure. But they, disregarding this high honor, eagerly desired to imitate the example of the heathen! … As they depart from the Lord they become ambitious for the gains and honors of the world. … Many urge that by uniting with worldlings and conforming to their customs they might exert a stronger influence over the ungodly. But all who pursue this course thereby separate from the Source of their strength. Becoming the friends of the world, they are the enemies of God. …

“Thus it has been in every age of the world.” Ibid., 607, 608

We have not been able to reach the surrounding churches with our God-given three angels’ messages, and the sad news is that the teachings of Babylon have infiltrated our educational system, our preaching, and the books that are being printed. We are losing our cardinal truths as we mingle with the churches in the ecumenical movement. We need but two divine streams to close the door of apostasy—the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, and nothing more. These two heavenly sources will keep us in touch with Jesus and prepare us to be ready to meet Him when He comes.

Consider with me the doctrine of the sanctuary. No other people in the world except the Jews of old who were faithful to God’s truth understood the living Christ within the heavenly sanctuary teaching. For instance, every sanctuary emblem represents Jesus Christ—the Lamb, the bleeding victim; the laver, in which Christ washes away the iniquity; the candlesticks, Christ the light of the world; the showbread, Christ the bread of life; the altar of incense, the place where Christ presents our requests to God the Father; the ark, the law, a transcript of Christ’s character. Yet when the living Christ appeared to His people they rejected Him. Why? Because they had taken Christ for granted. They supposed they really knew Him when all they actually had was a form of religion, and for this God rejected the whole Jewish nation.

And what about us? We hear less and less today of the sanctuary, for it is within this doctrine that the true Christ is discerned. The majority will likewise reject Him in the time of judgment.

Consider more closely the truths of the heavenly sanctuary. Do you realize that you may know beyond a doubt that Christ entered the Holy place in heaven at Pentecost, there to act as our High Priest, cleansing our sins with His own blood? Do you realize that you may know with equal certainty that He entered the Most Holy place in 1844, and is this very moment standing before the ark of the ten commandments as our advocate until the final moments of this world? At that time God will declare, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11

When Jesus appears the second time, will you and I be ready to meet Him? Or will we have followed in the path of the Jews of old, been misled by the teachings of Babylon? Will we listen to educated men who teach that there is no sanctuary in heaven, that Christ kept the law for us; that we are saved by faith alone, so we need only believe and continue in sin until Jesus comes? Rather than studying for themselves to know the truth, millions accept these false teachings because they are being presented by doctors of divinity. They are preparing to reject Him as did the Jews and will not be ready to meet Him when He comes.

Let’s consider the Magi. “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and have come to worship Him.’ ” Matthew 2:1, 2. Can you imagine the sensation that this caused? All Jerusalem was astir. Even King Herod was alarmed. Had not prophecy precisely predicted that Bethlehem would be the King’s birthplace? The shepherd’s experience with heavenly angels was known to all the priesthood. Zacharias’ encounter with the angel was also known widely. The birth of John the Baptist was revealed to thousands, yet both the priests and almost all the Jewish nation knew not that it was time for the Messiah to come. Sadly, only a few were ready to meet the Messiah.

Consider with me the dedication of the baby Jesus. The Christ child was to conform to the law in every particular. God had promised the Firstborn of heaven to save sinners and this gift was to be acknowledged by His consecration in commemoration of God’s people being delivered from Egypt—Egypt meaning full deliverance from sin.

“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that He may serve Me. But if you refuse to let Him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ” Exodus 4:22, 23. After these judgments God commanded, “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.” Exodus 13:2. “… On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, … They shall be Mine: I am the Lord.” Numbers 3:13

When the tabernacle service was instituted, the tribe of Levi took the place of the firstborn. However, the firstborn was still regarded as the Lord’s and must be bought back by a ransom. Just as the blood on the doorpost saved the firstborn, so the blood of Christ was to save the sinner. What a message was to be found in this dedication of the baby Jesus!

Picture with me the baby Jesus in the arms of Mary. The priest does not seem to comprehend the divine significance, for to him this is just an everyday common occurrence. As he begins the dedication service, he sees nothing unusual in Joseph and Mary except that they are very poor, offering the smallest gift the law allowed. He takes the Christ child from Mary’s arms into his own and lifts Him high above the altar. This priest has no idea that this baby boy is the Majesty of heaven or that he is holding in his arms the King of glory.

God made every effort to alert His people in the day of Christ, so why was this priest not prepared for this divine moment? Because he took his religion for granted. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. At the precise moment of Jesus’ dedication as the priest lifted Him up before the altar, Simeon enters the temple and takes the Baby out of the priest’s arms and praises God that he has now seen the Messiah. How is this? Simeon took nothing for granted. He had been praying for the Messiah to appear. He has never before experienced such joy as he returned Jesus to Mary’s arms. And before the astonished priest he speaks, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation.” Luke 2:29, 30. Then he blessed the child Jesus, and Mary and Joseph also.

Immediately, God sends Anna the prophetess to alert the priesthood also. She, too, has taken nothing for granted. She has “served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” Verse 37, last part. She confirms Simeon’s testimony. “And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” Verse 38

Such an acknowledgement by Inspiration quickly spread to every priest, ruler, and scribe. So why did the priests and the people reject Him? The people supposed that they were correct. They did not study or pray for themselves to discover the truth. They took for granted what the church leaders said and believed it.

Now let’s return to the Passover visit when Jesus was 12 years old. The journey took several days as a large company traveled together. They passed historical sights and recounted the providences of God. Songs of victory filled the air when Jerusalem finally came into view and the whole company would burst into song, “Our feet have been standing within Your gates, O Jerusalem!” Psalm 122:2

During this Passover visit, Jesus takes His first look at the temple. He is captivated by the sights and the wonders. He beholds the white-robed priests performing their solemn duties. He sees the bleeding victim of sacrifice. He bows in prayer amidst the cloud of incense. Hour by hour the sanctuary truth unfolds to His mind. His every act of life seems bound up in this Passover ritual and new impulses are awakened within Him. Alone in the temple, He studies the sin problem, and the mystery of His mission unfolds before Him. God is teaching Him the facts of His mission.

“With most of the people in the days of Christ, the observance of this feast had degenerated into formalism. But what was its significance to the Son of God!

“For the first time the child Jesus looked upon the temple. He saw the white-robed priests performing their solemn ministry. He beheld the bleeding victim upon the altar of sacrifice. With the worshipers He bowed in prayer, while the cloud of incense ascended before God. He witnessed the impressive rites of the paschal service. Day by day He saw their meaning more clearly. Every act seemed to be bound up with His own life. New impulses were awakening within Him. Silent and absorbed, He seemed to be studying out a great problem. The mystery of His mission was opening to the Saviour.

“Rapt in the contemplation of these scenes, He did not remain beside His parents. He sought to be alone. When the paschal services were ended, He still lingered in the temple courts; and when the worshipers departed from Jerusalem, He was left behind. …

“While He [Jesus] was obedient in every particular to the word of God, He did not conform to the rabbinical rites and usages. … Jesus in the temple had been taught by God. That which He had received, He began at once to impart.

“Seating Himself at the feet of these grave, learned men, He listened to their instruction. As one seeking for wisdom, He questioned these teachers in regard to the prophecies, and to events then taking place that pointed to the advent of the Messiah. …

“The doctors turned upon Him with questions, and they were amazed at His answers. With the humility of a child He repeated the words of Scripture, giving them a depth of meaning that the wise men had not conceived of. If followed, the lines of truth He pointed out would have worked a reformation in the religion of the day. A deep interest in spiritual things would have been awakened; and when Jesus began His ministry, many would have been prepared to receive Him.” The Desire of Ages, 78, 79.

Can you imagine what would have happened had these priests listened to God? They supposed they knew it all for they had taken for granted that they were acquainted with God’s truth.

A day’s journey from Jerusalem, Joseph and Mary realized they had completely lost sight of Jesus. They had supposed that He was with them. They did not know that He had stayed in Jerusalem. They had become absorbed in visiting with their friends. How many like Joseph and Mary feel the presence of Jesus at a religious service, but lose the blessing on the way home?

“Jesus will not be found in the company of those who are careless of His presence, and who engage in conversation having no reference to their Redeemer, in whom they profess their hopes of eternal life are centered. Jesus shuns the company of such, so also do the angels who do His commands. These heavenly messengers are not attracted to the crowd where minds are diverted from heavenly things. These pure and holy spirits cannot remain in the company where Jesus’ presence is not desired and encouraged, and His absence not marked. For this reason, great mourning, grief, and discouragement exist. Through lack of meditation, watchfulness, and prayer, they have lost all that is valuable.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 2, 37

This is exactly what happened to Joseph and Mary as they left Jerusalem to return home. As the day closed they prepared to pitch their tent only to miss the ever-ready hands of Jesus. Suddenly it struck them that He had not been with them all day. They had taken it for granted that He had been by their side. Now they shudder with fear for they remember how Herod had tried to kill Him. They remember that they had been charged with heaven’s most precious gift. They reproached themselves as they retraced their steps. All through the long dark night until early in the morning they walked the silent streets of Jerusalem looking for the boy Jesus. For three days they searched every nook and cranny.

Finally, they see a crowd of early worshipers entering a room of the temple. Following, they hear a familiar voice—serious, earnest, youthful, filled with melody. There’s no mistake. They have entered the school of the prophets. They cannot contain their grief any longer as they listen to His meaningful answers. Mary cries out, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” Luke 2:48

Every ear listens for the answer. “And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ ” Verse 49. We are told in the Spirit of Prophecy that as the boy Jesus spoke, He lifted His hand and pointed to heaven. Jesus was already engaged in His life work. Joseph and Mary had neglected theirs and blamed Jesus.

In committing His Son into their care, God had given to Joseph and Mary the highest honor. “If Joseph and Mary had stayed their minds upon God by meditation and prayer, they would have realized the sacredness of their trust, and would not have lost sight of Jesus. By one day’s neglect they lost the Saviour; but it cost them three days of anxious search to find Him. So with us; by idle talk, evilspeaking, or neglect of prayer, we may in one day lose the Saviour’s presence, and it may take many days of sorrowful search to find Him, and regain the peace that we have lost.” The Desire of Ages, 83

How often we take Christ for granted!

“In our association with one another, we should take heed lest we forget Jesus, and pass along unmindful that He is not with us. When we become absorbed in worldly things so that we have no thought for Him in whom our hope of eternal life is centered, we separate ourselves from Jesus and from the heavenly angels. These holy beings cannot remain where the Saviour’s presence is not desired, and His absence is not marked. This is why discouragement so often exists among the professed followers of Christ.” Ibid.

How can God’s people mingle with the lost in attending rock concerts, in visiting sports arenas, where drinking, smoking, and profanity occur? How can one spend hours looking at movies in the theater or in the home, or reading novels that have been authored by Satan?

But you say, the youth are so young, they cannot understand. Look at the boy Jesus, only 12 years old. He understood because of the faithfulness of His parents. Parents, you, too, have a responsibility. God has given you a son or a daughter who is very precious in the sight of God. Are you having daily worship with them, teaching them to pray, and giving Godly counsel? Never forget, God gave you these children that you may lead them to Jesus to be saved for all eternity. Never, never take for granted that your child is with Jesus.

What of yourself? Could this be the reason you experience spiritual discouragement? “Many attend religious services, and are refreshed and comforted by the word of God; but through neglect of meditation, watchfulness, and prayer, they lose the blessing, and find themselves more destitute than before they received it. Often they feel that God has dealt harshly with them. They do not see that the fault is their own. By separating themselves from Jesus, they have shut away the light of His presence.” Ibid.

Don’t take Christ for granted. He’s heaven’s most precious gift. He’s the Pearl of great price. Don’t neglect one day in having morning devotions and searching to make sure you know that Jesus is with you in all that you do, and that the truth that you believe is the truth of God. “As we associate together, we may be a blessing to one another. If we are Christ’s, our sweetest thoughts will be of Him. We shall love to talk of Him; and as we speak to one another of His love, our hearts will be softened by divine influences. Beholding the beauty of His character, we shall be ‘changed into the same image from glory to glory.’ 2 Corinthians 3:18.” Ibid.

For more than fifty years, Elder Lawrence Nelson served the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a pastor, evangelist, and then in Conference, Union, and General Conference leadership. When God laid upon him the responsibility to “tell it like it is” to alert the people how the church was leading them into the worldwide ecumenical movement, he was forbidden to preach in any church within the Oregon Conference. Though nothing could be found in his preaching that was contrary to the doctrines of the church, he was considered divisive. As a result, Keep the Faith Audio Tape Ministry was born. Elder Nelson passed to his rest on April 18, 2012.

He That Loveth Not His Brother Abideth in Death

by

The completeness of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly from within; when the sunshine of heaven fills the heart, and is expressed in the countenance. There is no such thing as a loveless Christian. It is not possible for the heart in which Christ abides to be destitute of love. The heart that is cold and stern is not catching the bright, softening beams of the Sun of Righteousness.

Hear the testimony of the apostle John: “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, That God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. … We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in Him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

Take the question to your own hearts, and answer it as if before the Judge of all the earth. A reformation must take place in every family, in every institution, in every church. “Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” “Let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. … Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. … If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.”

These sacred lessons, if received into the heart, will bring about the reformation essential. Many will lose heaven unless they change their selfish, unlovable, unsympathetic ways, and learn that the Spirit of Christ is not selfish and forbidding, uncourteous and loveless. Unless those who stand in responsible positions in our institutions make decided changes in heart and character, they will be condemned as lukewarm, knowing not that they are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Unless we practice Christ’s ways, and receive His Spirit, we are none of His. He desires us to reveal His love in word and action. All that we do should flow from a deep, abiding principle of love,—a principle that is after the similitude of Christ, who is love and light and peace. But how little, how very little, of Christ’s character is revealed! The spirit of self-denial is becoming a rare thing.

Yet there is love in our churches. There are those who love God supremely and their neighbors as themselves. Their prayers and their alms come up before God as a memorial. The Lord does not lose sight of them. He is watching those who are walking in the light as fast as they receive it. They are the objects of His special care.

The law of Christ’s kingdom is in every respect to be carried out in this world. The inspired apostle declares, “Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.”

God desires to bind His family of workers together by common sympathy, pure affection. It is the atmosphere of Christlike love surrounding the soul of the believer that makes him a savor of life unto life, and enables God to bless his work. False philosophy alone is proud, exclusive, favoring only a few. In those who have this spirit the lowly awaken little sympathy. They possess no power nor disposition to uplift the degraded. But Christ binds men to Himself, to God, and to one another. True, sanctified philosophy makes all human elements one in Christ. It builds no walls of separation between man and his fellow men. Pure and undefiled religion makes the children of God one family, united with Christ in God. Connected as branches of the parent vine, they bear fruit to God’s glory.

The Review and Herald, March 27, 1900

To Obey God

by

Late last winter, Steps to Life received a request for baptism from Ryan Grandone, who lives in Montana and heard about our ministry from a friend. Ryan is new to Adventism, but it was clear from our correspondence with him that he had a sincere desire to know and follow the Lord’s will.

Our initial attempt to send him some study materials was thwarted by the enemy of souls, and the package was returned to us as undeliverable. We know that the devil doesn’t want anyone to know and accept the truth or obey the commandments of God, but God intervened, and Ryan eventually received the materials.

Knowing how the devil tries to interfere with our plans, as Ryan puts it, to “get right” with God, he related this experience:

I had been trying to get the Sabbath off permanently at my place of work for quite some time. Since the plant I work for operates 24/7 and is a production facility, this was a problem for my supervisors. I must have given them half a dozen different options that would have worked as far as scheduling goes. They were uninterested in my request and started to ignore me, hoping I would give up.

I knew that I had to have sundown Friday through sundown Saturday off—PERMANENTLY! I started to worry that I would lose my job and was deeply concerned about my future. I couldn’t stop thinking about how I could fix the problem and come up with a solution.

Then I realized that I couldn’t fix the problem. I couldn’t do anything without trusting in God for help! With this realization, I committed in my heart to do whatever I had to do in order to obey God. I walked into my supervisor’s office and told him that if they didn’t seriously look into my request, I was going to find another job.

A short time later I was informed that the company would be creating a new and special position for me. This new position had better hours with every weekend off and would be far easier on me physically. Not only had God provided for me for putting my trust in Him, He made the situation ideal for me. God went above and beyond!

It was a powerful lesson that I will never forget. Praise God Almighty!

“[T]hat 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.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:16–21

He Was Not Mine to Lose

by

I have mentioned my husband Roger’s death in other articles I have written over the last year and a half since joining the LandMarks staff. It has been two years this month since his unexpected passing. I would like to share my experience with grief. This may be more for me than the readers, but maybe my experience will bring one of you comfort and encouragement.

It had started as a beautiful, sunny Sabbath day. Roger and I had been to church and enjoyed a peaceful ride home. It seemed like every other Sabbath and there was no hint that it would end in a way I could never have imagined.

Within an hour of arriving home, he collapsed at my feet. I remember clearly the disbelief and fear that I felt as I yelled his name, patted his face, and begged him to wake up. I called 911 and then performed CPR, while I waited for the paramedics to arrive. My mind kept shouting, “How did this happen? He was fine. He was laughing.” Why?

The fire department in our little village is volunteer and all the firemen and paramedics were out in their fields harvesting wheat, so I’m not exactly sure how long I performed CPR before they arrived.

The 911 dispatcher was a young man, at least he sounded young. He was calm, supportive. His compassionate voice kept me updated on how soon help would arrive. He encouraged me when I said I was getting tired and wasn’t sure I could keep up the CPR. He stayed on the phone with me until everyone arrived. I don’t know who he was and I never got to thank him, but I hope somehow he knows how much of a lifeline he was to me that day.

I think everyone, even I, knew that Roger was beyond saving, but they all methodically did their jobs, making the supreme effort to bring him back. Once at the hospital, I waited less than ten minutes before the doctor came to tell me that he believed Roger had suffered a massive heart attack, a widow maker, and truly was gone. The only thought in my head was, “What will I tell his children?”

They let me sit with him for a while. I cried. I asked him why he left me. I asked God why He let him die. I went back through that last week trying to find some explanation for the unexplainable. But I didn’t find any answers.

I discovered that day that God often allows bad things to happen and doesn’t always make clear why. That’s not a complaint, it’s just a truth. I asked, “Why did You let this happen? You could have kept him alive or brought him back.” Even my four-year-old grandson said “God raised Lazarus from the dead. He could raise grandpa from the dead, too.” Yes, He could have, but He didn’t.

I went even further and asked, “If You were only going to give us five years together, why did You even bring him into my life at all?” That was the only moment of anger I really felt toward God and I quickly backpedaled on that one. Roger had brought so much happiness and love to my life. How could I be so ungrateful? And how could I feel anger toward Roger? I know that he would not have willingly left me.

So, as is my way, I threw myself headlong into doing what needed to be done. As long as there was something to do, I didn’t have to think about why or how alone and empty I felt.

I have to recognize how much Roger’s family did for me during this time. I have my own brother and his wife who came from a long distance to be with me for a while, but Roger’s family, his siblings and all their children, gathered around me and without them I’m not sure how I would have managed many of the things I had to do. They were open and giving beyond anything I could imagine. They told me I was part of the family, and I always would be.

I also have many friends who helped me; some waited with me at the hospital, others just stayed with me, in the beginning, so I wouldn’t have to be alone, and others helped me with the tasks that needed to be done to sell our home.

I won’t go into all the details since I have talked about this before. Suffice it to say that I was able to hold off facing my grief for just about a year. But grief must be faced at some point.

They say there are five stages of grief. The assumption, maybe only my assumption, that once a person dies, then those who are left behind begin the journey through the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. However, for me, kneeling on that floor, pumping on Roger’s chest, I passed quickly through denial, anger and bargaining, but I got stuck on depression and acceptance.

It was easy not to face these two as long as there were things to do, but about ten months after Roger died, I realized that I had pretty much finished all the business of our life together. I started having trouble concentrating at work. I would hear certain songs and cry uncontrollably. I would watch funny videos and think how much Roger would have enjoyed them. I would laugh and laugh and then realize I was crying and couldn’t stop. Nothing seemed right and all I wanted to do was walk out into the field behind my house and scream Why until I couldn’t scream it anymore; but I didn’t do that. I held off the whys for as long as I could, and then they came rushing back. “Why did You take Roger away from me?”

After I first came to Steps to Life, I was proofing an article for this magazine and came upon a quotation from an Ellen White book that I had never heard of before. I found it in our bookstore and checked the quotation, but then spent a little time browsing through it. I came upon a letter Mrs. White had written to some friends who had lost their daughter. I read this one sentence and I’d like to say that it chased away all the sorrow and emptiness, but it didn’t. What I can say is that it gave me strength. I had put my faith in God and He had steadfastly led me to the best place I could ever be, had made everything possible that needed to be possible, and then He led me to that sentence, “[Y]ou are sustained by arms that never tire, and comforted with a love that is unchangeable, enduring as the throne of God.” Daughters of God, 217

As if He hadn’t already proved His faithfulness to me, He restated it for me in print. Those who know me will understand why this is significant. I have many times said, and maybe you have, too, that I wish God would just leave me a note and tell me what He wants me to do. And there, He did just that. He told me that He had been, and He would be, taking care of me if I would let Him; that even if now wasn’t the time for me to know why, I could still know that He would be with me as I walked down this road of grief.

People had told me it was time to move on, but I asserted that I already had. My whole life had changed, everything. My husband was gone, I had lost my home, left a job I had loved doing for eight years, moved to another state, taken a new job I had never done before. Everything that I had known was gone or changed. How much more moving on did I have to do? But moving on is more than just moving around, so I decided that it was time for me to face my grief.

I searched for a Christian counselor in the Wichita area and the Lord led me to Susan. I have since counseled with her for almost a year. Turns out I had more grief to confront than just that associated with losing Roger. I had never faced the grief of losing my mother in 2012, and seems that losing things like a job you love, uprooting your life, leaving your friends, come with a kind of grief all of their own.

I want to recommend at this point that it is better to face grief early. I know we don’t want to, but I believe now that when we continually push away these feelings of loss, we are denying the power and love of God to help us through the terrible time. Like, we think if we work hard enough, we’ll be just fine. But could we instead be doubting that God can understand what we are going through, when all the while, there is no one who understands better? Or, maybe, do we think we can do His job better than He can?

Another point I might make is that there is no timetable for grief. We all grieve differently, and it takes different amounts of time for everyone to reach that final stage of acceptance. Don’t go by how a person looks or acts to decide if they have finally overcome grief. For many, grief is a personal thing. It may seem that they no longer grieve, but that doesn’t mean that someone might not still need encouragement and friendship.

I recently heard a quote, amazingly from a totally unsanctified source, but it struck a chord with me: “What is grief, if not love persevering?” I think that grief, to some extent, must stay with us, because who would ever want to lose the love they felt for the one they lost? Grief becomes a part of the life we live though no longer the controlling emotion. We will continue loving the person we lost, though sad that they are gone, but moving forward with the life God has planned for us while longingly waiting for that day when we will be reunited.

Susan wasn’t the only one God sent my way. I had the opportunity to visit with a family member of friends who had lost her husband some years ago. Speaking of her husband, she shared this realization with me, “He was not mine to lose. He belonged to God. He was only lent to me.”

That was a solid hit to the heart. Roger was mine. But the Bible says, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. … For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.” Psalm 50:10–12, last part. He knows the very number of the hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). Our names are inscribed on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16). He knew us before we were ever born (Jeremiah 1:5). Roger was not mine. I am not even mine. All things in this world, all of us, belong to God, our Creator and Redeemer.

I still miss Roger’s “Hi, my sweetie,” when he would come home at the end of the day. When something exciting or difficult happens, my first thought is still, “I’ll call Roger.” But, my life with Roger, in this world, is over. Whatever I was meant to know or learn during the time we were together I will now have to find out without him. As I have worked at Steps to Life, and as I have worked through my grief with Susan, I have discovered that I still have a work to do for Him. And that work isn’t just for the readers of this magazine.

There are people that He perhaps wants me to reach out to and tell the truth of the gospel to, and to share the experiences of my own life with. And sadly, since the beginning of Covid-19, I have had that opportunity more than once. But most of all, I think, no, I’m certain, that there is work I must have done in my own life—a work that God and I must do together. Perhaps we all need to reflect on that very thing. So many people in this world believe that they are sufficient Christians. But we cannot be true Christians if we have not died to self.

I have no children of my own, but I have grown to love Roger’s son and daughter, their spouses and children. It was with great joy that I received the news last fall that my stepdaughter and her husband were expecting their second child.

But in February, I received the heartbreaking news that the baby was stillborn at six months. My stepdaughter delivered a beautiful baby girl, but instead of celebrating the joyous birth of a granddaughter in May, we were attending her funeral in February. How my heart ached for them. I knew what must be going through their minds, but I no more had the answer for them than I did for myself, except this:

God does not deal in death. Satan is the one who brings death. Yes, God allows it, but He allows death for a time so that all can see the true character of Satan and sin. And as we all face the death of a loved one or a friend at some point in our lives, more often than not, we do not know why. What we do know is “that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. There is only one kind of death that God has any part in and that is when we die to self, for without His power and grace, we cannot do this alone.

My father-in-law, Roger’s dad, had been in a years-long battle with a number of medical conditions. He was an average man who loved his wife and kids and grandkids. We would tease him that a cat has nine lives, but he had more. So many times it seemed that he would soon leave this life only for him to recuperate. As his health continued to decline, some in the family questioned whether he would make it to his birthday this year, but he did, turning 86 in March. We had a wonderful party for him with a house filled with family, laughter, and love. But a little over a week later, He passed away and sleeps now, as does Roger, waiting for the Lord to come.

Roger’s and my granddaughter’s deaths were sudden and unexpected. Many people, like my father-in-law, die of illnesses that take months, even years, before death finally comes. None of us has a guarantee regarding how long it will be before death comes calling. Whether we are the one who is ill or a family member who provides care, it is so important that no one of us should look upon the days ahead as though we have all the time in the world to prepare to be ready for Jesus’ coming.

I have myself many times claimed this promise found in The Desire of Ages, 224, 225: “God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning, and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as coworkers with Him.”

Joni Eareckson Tada was a teenager when, in 1967, she broke her neck in a diving accident. She has lived for the last 55 years a life of continual pain and struggle as a quadriplegic. Yet her life has been devoted to God and to spreading His gospel around the world. But who is to say what her life and influence might have been had she not experienced this tragic accident. Joni has a ministry, part of which includes brief, inspirational talks on the radio. Let me share with you just a bit of one that was a great encouragement to me.

“There’s not a cross so heavy that it outweighs the grace given to carry it.

“In this wheelchair, every day I’ve got this incredible chance to prove it. … Age only makes my disability harder and heavier to bear. And when that happens, first thing in the morning when I sit up in my wheelchair; when I sit there, you know, kind of assessing things—my stiffness; my soreness; my goodness, there’s some new pain in my shoulder—when that happens, I remind myself that Christ did not call me to follow Him; He called me to die for Him. …

“It is daily dying to yourself and living for Jesus.

“Most likely you are not in a wheelchair like me; your cross looks different. But we both can agree, it is so hard and it’s really painful. And at times, it honestly feels utterly impossible. And if that’s you, then do what I do when I wake up, facing another day of quadriplegia, and a monthly anti-cancer shot that only exacerbates my pain … I groan and I say, ‘God, I cannot do this. But for some reason, You think I can. At least, with Your grace, You think I can. So I’m going to believe You. I’m going to believe that You’re not out to hurt me but to help me. I am going to take You at Your word and place my confidence in You and say, “I cannot do this. But I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” ’

“Friend, right there is the way you die to self and live to Christ. [O]ur Saviour has proven His trustworthiness in the worst of your trials. … Don’t you think that proves His loving intentions toward you? … So when it comes to your suffering, Jesus … extends to you His love, His grace, His help, His hope.”

We find this same promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation [test] has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Everything in this life is a test. Depending who we rely on during this testing, we will either build character fit for heaven or be a soul lost to self. We must rely upon God and His promise that if we place our confidence in Him, He will help us. God doesn’t intend that we will live this life without difficulty. Rather, He intends for us to live through our difficulties trusting in Him to deliver us from them, transforming our sinful self into a shining example of His character.

“It is moral worth that God values. Love and purity are the attributes He prizes most.” The Desire of Ages, 219

As I bring my thoughts on the subject of grief—and this is by no means all of them—to a close, let’s return to Daughters of God, 220, 221. To two different friends, both of whom had recently lost their life companions, Mrs. White wrote:

“What can I say to you in this, the greatest sorrow that has come to you in your life? Words fail me at this time. I can only commend you to God and to a compassionate Saviour. In Him is rest and peace. From Him you may receive your consolation. Jesus loves and pities as we have no power to do. Jesus Christ Himself does sustain you … . The disappointments and distress and perplexities, the bereavements we meet, are not to drive us from God but bring us nearer to Him.

“How we pant and are weary and agonized in carrying ourselves and our burden! When we come to Jesus, feeling unable to bear these loads one instant longer, and lay them upon the Burden-bearer, rest and peace will come. … Never let us lose sight of the promise that Jesus loves us. His grace is waiting our demand upon it. …

“Just repose in Jesus. Rest in Him as a tired child rests in the arms of its mother. … A compassionate hand is stretched out to bind up your wounds. He will be more precious to your soul than the choicest friend, and all that can be desired is not comparable to Him. Only believe Him; only trust Him.”

“My sister [my brother], no longer show any distrust of our Lord Jesus Christ. Go forward in faith, believing you will meet your husband [wife] in the kingdom of God. Do your very best to prepare the living to become members of the royal family and children of the heavenly King. This is our work now; this is your work. Do it faithfully, and believe that you will meet your husband [wife] in the City of God. Do what you can to help others to be cheerful. Uplift souls. Lead them to accept Christ. Never torture your soul as you have been doing, but be humble, true, faithful, and you have the word of God that you will meet when the warfare is ended. Be of good cheer.”

“God’s peace is greater than your pain, and His promise is greater than your loss.” Source unknown

And therein lies acceptance.

[Emphasis supplied.]

Judy Rebarchek is a member of the LandMarks team. She may be contacted by email at: judyrebarchek@stepstolife.org

Obstacles

by

Neither the Old nor the New Testament predicts that the world will be converted in the last days. In fact, it predicts just the opposite, that almost all the world will worship the antichrist. Only a small group of people, a remnant in comparison to the world’s population, will keep God’s commandments in the last days.

Jesus said the last days would be like it was in the days of Noah. He gave Noah a message and 120 years to declare it. Some believed, but were laid to rest before the Flood came. But of all the people still alive on the day the Flood came, only eight people believed enough to be on that ark.

Imagine, eight inside the ark and something north of a billion outside. If you were one of the eight, would you have been thinking “I could be outside with so many more people”?

Almost the whole world right now thinks that way—billions of people, all dashing rapidly to destruction. But a few people still listen to the three angels’ messages, and only this remnant will be saved from the destruction that is coming.

Let’s look at three scriptures that all speak about a similar subject. These scriptures are Zechariah 4:7, first part, Isaiah 40:3, 4, and Matthew 21:18–22:

“ ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!’ ”

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth.’ ”

“Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, ‘Let no fruit grow on you ever again.’ Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither away so soon?’ So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’ ”

So what are we to learn from these three scriptures?

Zechariah says that a great mountain will be turned into a plain. Is he talking about a literal mountain? Skeptics will say that they have never heard of such a thing. The Rocky Mountains, Mount Everest, the Himalayan Mountains, the Andes, they all are still where they have been. So these skeptics do not believe that this has happened or will happen. But this scripture isn’t about a literal mountain.

Isaiah 40 sounds like the construction of an interstate highway, where you smooth out the mountains and the valleys, so the road is straight and level. But this isn’t about the literal removal of a mountain and making rough terrain smooth to travel on. We know that Isaiah is predicting the work of John the Baptist, 700 years before he was born, as the one who would come to prepare the way for the Messiah.

And if Jesus’ purpose in Matthew 21 isn’t to simply curse a literal, unproductive tree, what is He talking about?

Obstacles, friends, are the difficulties and trials that are in front of us that seem as big as a mountain, too big to go around and too high to climb over. We have all been confronted at some point in our lives with something that seems completely insurmountable—no way through, no way around, no way over and hedged about on every side. Jesus is talking about a spiritual mountain or obstacle in our lives that we do not know how to overcome. So Jesus says in Matthew 21:22, “[W]hatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Simply believe, ask for guidance and assistance, and these apparent impossibilities can be removed.

The Christian is faced with both external and internal obstacles. Let’s look at some of the external obstacles first since they are the easier ones. The internal obstacles are harder.

In the New Testament, external obstacles are referred to as the world. First John 2:15–17 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust (craving) of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” These are the same three temptations that the devil brought to Jesus in Matthew 4.

The lust of the flesh consists of sensual temptations that include sexual passions and the appetite for food and drink and other harmful substances that are sinful. It is not a sin to eat and drink, but we can sin by what and how we eat and drink. This temptation is very successful for the devil.

The devil took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and said, “Throw yourself down. For it is written that the Lord will send His angels to protect you.” This temptation is known as presumption. Presumption is when someone claims the promises of God and believes that they will be saved, all while breaking His commandments (see Matthew 7:21–23). It is one of the most common sins in the Christian world today, so much so, that Mrs. White says that the devil is successful nine times out of ten with this temptation (Lift Him Up, 80). We don’t have a very good average when dealing with temptations of presumption.

It is often beyond comprehension just how easy it is to fall in love with the world. The devil promised Jesus the whole world. He didn’t take it, but there are people that will yield to temptation for just a little piece of worldly real estate; they are willing to give up eternal life for just a little something on this earth. But Jesus said, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” Mark 8:36

The external temptations that every Christian faces—every man, woman, boy, and girl—are present in any one of a variety of ways that will result in breaking the law of God and make the lawbreaker a member of the devil’s ranks. “He who sins is of the devil.” 1 John 3:8

So, if the devil can entice us, seduce us, terrify us into sinning, desiring the world, with its sensuality, presumption, and love for things and possessions, then we have switched to his side of the great controversy; and unless we repent, we lose our souls, and that is his ultimate goal.

No matter how difficult facing these external temptations can be, it is the internal obstacles that are the most difficult for a Christian to overcome.

As Christians, we are to surrender to Jesus Christ and acknowledge Him as our Saviour from sin and the Lord of our lives. The entire purpose of the Christian life is to become like Jesus, to be Christlike. “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:2. Becoming Christlike is hearing and doing what God says.

But many Christians who claim the name of Jesus too often forget the hearing and doing part. “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do the things which I say?” Luke 6:46. We cannot call Him Lord and not obey His commands if we are to be true Christians.

So let’s consider this: if a person wishes to be made Christlike, but there is something inside him or her that is not Christlike, what is the problem? There is an obstacle that must be overcome so that there is nothing left inside but the character of Christ. “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:3

God is able to remove even the most difficult obstacles outside, but it won’t matter if the internal obstacles are not removed first. It is only when the devil’s power over a person’s nature has been replaced by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that his power to cause difficulties in a person’s life can be overcome.

Individual Christians are not the only ones who experience obstacles; Christians as a church group also must meet obstacles. One of the greatest obstacles for a church is that of false teaching, or heretical doctrines. Jesus talked about this in Matthew 24, as well as other places in the Bible. He said that many false prophets would arise and deceive many (verse 24). When revival and reformation is happening in a church, then all kinds of heretical and fanatical doctrines will be seen, instigated by Satan to counteract that revival.

However, a much bigger obstacle for the church is found in Last Day Events, 156: “We have far more to fear from within than from without. The hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world. … [H]ow often have the professed advocates of the truth proved the greatest obstacle to its advancement!”

“If we hope to wear the crown, we must expect to bear the cross. Our greatest trials will come from those who profess godliness. … The opposition which Christ received came from His own nation, who would have been greatly blessed had they accepted Him. In like manner the remnant church receive opposition from those who profess to be their brethren.” The Review and Herald, August 28, 1883

Another obstacle, particularly for new Christians, is similar to something that the children of Israel said while wandering in the wilderness. They had given their lives to God, had chosen to follow and obey all that He said, but now they were experiencing more trouble in their lives than they had ever experienced before. People are tempted to think that if God is all powerful, and if He is really leading them, then they should be having an easy life, but they aren’t. Why?

“Trial is part of the education given in the school of Christ, to purify God’s children from the dross of earthliness. It is because God is leading His children that trying experiences come to them. Trials and obstacles are His chosen methods of discipline, and His appointed conditions of success.” Reflecting Christ, 362

Trials and obstacles are the appointed conditions to successfully take us from where we are to where we need to be if we would spend eternity with God. God never sends a trial that we do not need.

“God’s care for his heritage is unceasing. He suffers no affliction to come upon His children but such as is essential for their present and eternal good. He will purify His church, even as Christ purified the temple during His ministry on earth. All that He brings upon His people in test and trial comes that they may gain deeper piety and greater strength to carry forward the triumphs of the cross.” Ibid.

Trials and obstacles are God’s chosen methods of discipline and the appointed conditions of success, meaning God has something wonderful in store for us. Let’s look in the Bible for some examples of great men who suffered great obstacles.

Joseph’s life was one of severe trial—sold as a slave at a young age, forced to learn a new language, culture and customs, falsely accused and imprisoned. But the greater the future and destiny that God has for a person, the greater the trials He may allow. Because of his obedience and loyalty to God, Joseph ultimately, according to God’s plan, was exalted to a high position in Egypt, enabling him to save his father and his entire people from famine.

God made David perhaps the greatest king of Israel, but David made many very serious mistakes—a fugitive, an adulterer, a conspirator, a murderer. But when he repented and committed his life to obeying God, he was once again restored to God’s favor.

Daniel was taken captive to Babylon at a young age, but he remained committed to following the things he had been taught regarding obedience to God, specifically how he should eat and drink. While this was a hard trial for him to endure, his most difficult trial came when he was an old man. He had become the prime minister of Persia, but was hated by the other government officials. They conspired together to create a law that they knew Daniel would break because obeying it would mean disobeying God. The law required that all men would worship only King Darius for 30 days. If anyone failed to do so, they would be thrown into the lions’ den. We are all familiar with the story. Rather than attempting to hide his prayers, Daniel chose to continue to pray to God three times a day—as was his custom—with his face set toward Jerusalem. He was thrown into the lions’ den, but God sent His angel to save his life.

Friends, God knows how to deliver us from the obstacles that stand in our way, but He delivers us because we are faithful to Him, as were Joseph, David, and Daniel.

There are many reactions when obstacles come. For instance, someone might say, “Well, my spouse won’t accept the truth” or “I love my son/daughter so much that if he/she doesn’t go to heaven, I don’t want to go either.” Revelation 21:8 tells us, “But the cowardly [fearful] … shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” When the obstacle came, they gave up.

Another common reaction is unbelief. This is what the children of Israel did. Their unbelief was so bad that the Lord must have thought, “I can’t lead these people into the land of Canaan, because they are not ready. They don’t even believe in Me or that I am able to bring them into the promised land.” God could not do for them what He wanted to do because they did not believe.

A third common reaction is discouragement. Someone might say, “But you just don’t know how bad my situation is.” And they would be right. But God does know and He knows how to remove that obstacle or how to get the person through it. However, we will never get through the obstacles that come to us if we have a halting, unbelieving spirit.

Some people in the world today, think that the Christian religion isn’t true because they have encountered an obstacle that they didn’t overcome. They either gave up, experienced unbelief, or became discouraged and did nothing. However, the Christian religion does work because many people have overcome all kinds of apparently insurmountable obstacles when united with the power of God’s grace.

The children of Israel thought their trek through the wilderness to the promised land would be obstacle free because God was leading the way, but God allowed trials and troubles to help perfect their characters, and He does the same for us.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Christian churches in Acts 14:22, “[S]trengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’ ” In John’s vision recorded in Revelation 7:13 and 14, we are told that those who will be in God’s kingdom will be those “who come out of the great tribulation.”

The most serious obstacles that we must conquer are not external ones, but rather those that are internal such as pride, selfishness, covetousness, and love of the world. So how do we face them?

There are four necessary steps to successfully meeting our obstacles:

  1. Persistent prayer

“Men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” Luke 18:1

“ ‘There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, “Get justice for me from my adversary.” And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, “though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.” ’ Then the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’ ” Luke 18:2–8

What is the lesson found in this parable? Be persistent in prayer. As we fulfill the conditions of the promises that the Lord has made, we can believe that He will not go back on His word. When the insurmountable obstacle comes, we are to go to God in prayer and He will deliver us.

  1. Faith like Caleb

In Numbers 13, the children of Israel were camped at the border of the promised land. Twelve spies had been secretly sent to spy out the conditions and people there. Ten of the spies were afraid and expressed their fear openly, telling them that there were mighty giants in the land, and the people then took up the cry of fear and complaining, as they most typically did. But two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” Verse 30, last part.

Instead of exercising faith in the One who had brought them through the wilderness and the Red Sea, they refused to believe Caleb and, as a result, they were left in the wilderness to wander another 40 years before finally being permitted to enter the promised land. Even after 40 additional years of wandering, Caleb’s faith was strong and he prayed that the Lord would cleanse his inside obstacles away—any pride, selfishness, covetousness—so that he would have the power to overcome the outside obstacles and defeat the giants. He was 85 years old and yet, by the power of the Lord, he conquered the giants in the land.

  1. Action

We must pray and exercise faith, but we must also act. We must press against the obstacle.

“You will have obstacles and difficulties to encounter at every turn and you must, with firm purpose decide to conquer them, or they will conquer you.” Gospel Workers, 133

“Success will come to them as they struggle against difficulties.” Prophets and Kings, 595

We have to do something, press against the obstacle, ask for God’s help, and keep going.

“The obstacles they encounter, instead of leading them to seek help from God, the only Source of strength, separate them from Him, because they awaken unrest and repining.

“Do we well to be thus unbelieving? Why should we be ungrateful and distrustful? Jesus is our friend; all heaven is interested in our welfare; and our anxiety and fear grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We should not indulge in a solicitude that only frets and wears us but does not help us to bear trials. … It is not the will of God that His people should be weighed down with cares.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 293, 294

There are so many people who have a trial or difficulty in their lives, and they try so hard to overcome it, but fail, and since they failed, they just stop trying. What would have happened to the widow in Luke 18 if she had given up after the first try? Not a thing. But she was persistent and, in the end, the judge granted her request.

“There are strong and subtle influences to bind them to the ways of the world; but the power of the Lord can break these chains. He will remove every obstacle from before the feet of His faithful ones or give them strength and courage [faith] to conquer every difficulty, if they earnestly beseech His help. All hindrances will vanish before an earnest desire and persistent effort to do the will of God at any cost to self, even if life itself is sacrificed.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 147

  1. Correct physical habits.

These habits are very important and have a great deal to do with our state of mind and whether or not we will have the determination to attack and solve the problem with the help of God.

For example, if a person is using alcoholic beverages, the very first drink has an anesthetizing effect on the frontal lobe of the brain. This anesthetizing effect weakens the willpower. The devil takes advantage of that weakened state and sends the imbiber strong, sinful temptations. He may tempt them to try drugs or to smoke while he or she continues drinking. When we do things that weaken our bodies and minds or fail to do the things that strengthen them, the door is opened wide for the devil to work his will against us.

It is important for us to remember that when meeting an obstacle or trial, we should do so in accordance with a way that aligns with God’s direction. When we do this, He promises that mountains of difficulty will be removed. We must pray for strength in meeting them, but our obstacles will not be moved while we sit and expect God to do all the work. We must work with Him.

Christian men and women who meet their obstacles in the way the Lord directs—with prayer, faith, persistent action and following the right physical habits—will overcome them, one after another. It is God’s purpose in allowing obstacles and trials, so that we might become men and women of power who will not be moved.

“When hedged about on every side, this is the time above all others to trust in God and in the power of His Holy Spirit. We are not to walk in our own strength, but in the strength of the Lord God of Israel. It is folly to trust in man or to make flesh our arm. We must trust in Jehovah; for in Him is everlasting strength.” The Review and Herald, January 16, 1908

We are in a battle against the devil, against the world, but most importantly we are in a battle against our own sinful, carnal nature. The internal enemy is the most dangerous of all, but we can overcome this enemy if we are willing to fight.

“There are few who are really consecrated, few who have fought and conquered in the battle with self.” The Watchman, June 12, 1906

The Bible teaches that from the beginning to the end, if we want to inherit eternal life, we must fight this battle with self.

“Let the tempted soul remember … it is only by coming in contact with obstacles and difficulties and overcoming them that we become strong. Our necessity is God’s opportunity. If we will hold fast to Christ, every trial will work out for our good.” The Signs of the Times, October 17, 1900

“Christ has given us no assurance that to attain perfection of character is an easy matter. A noble, all-around character is not inherited. It does not come to us by accident. A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits and grace of Christ. God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must be waged against hereditary tendencies. We shall have to criticize ourselves closely, and allow not one unfavorable trait to remain uncorrected.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 331

This process does not happen in a day, but every one of us can be certain that we can become like Jesus Christ. We can surmount these internal obstacles in the character that are unchristlike. Then by facing our obstacles and trials head on with prayer, faith, persistent action, having the right physical habits, and following God’s direction, we will become just like Him.

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.

Why the Inside Comes First

by

Being ready for Jesus to come involves both inward and outward preparation, but what happens in the heart is the most important, and therefore must occur first.

In Psalm 24:3–5 we read: “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

Notice, there are two parts to the preparation for heaven. One is the need to have clean hands. This represents the outside of your body—what you say and do, what other people can see. It is important that your hands be clean, that you have done or said nothing that is contrary to the law of God, but that is not enough. You also must have a pure heart, because how we are on the inside eventually will be manifested on the outside.

Jesus was very particular in Matthew 23:25 about the need to be clean first on the inside, and then on the outside, too. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.” They realized that they needed to be cleaned up, but Jesus said their problem was that they were only interested in what could be seen, how good they looked on the outside, while inside they were full of wickedness. Then Jesus said in verse 26: “Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.” Jesus was telling them that if the inside is cleaned first, then the outside will also be clean.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that those who were clean on the inside would see God. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8. A heart cleansed from all defilement is a pure heart.

What defiles the heart? Jesus has made this very clear: “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” Matthew 15:19, 20. The heart must be cleansed of all that defiles. There are two parts to this inner cleansing process. The first part is what God does. The second part is what we do. We will look at the second part first.

The Bible clearly states that you and I have something to do so that our hearts will be cleansed and purified. John strongly expressed this when he said: “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:3.

James 4:7–10 outline several things that we are to do: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

Drawing near to God and resisting the devil are two complementary actions. You cannot resist the devil without drawing near to God first because you cannot resist the devil by yourself. But if you hang onto the things that defile the heart and stay close to the devil, then you will not draw near to God.

Then James says that we are not to be doubled minded. A double-minded person is trying to serve God and the devil at the same time. This is not possible. Remember Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Finally, we see that we are to be sorry and to mourn because of our defiled condition, and then humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord.

The wise man Solomon said in Proverbs 23:7: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” As you think, so you are. Peter said: “Therefore gird up the loins [the waist, as in putting on a girdle to control] of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13. Paul said, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2. So if we are to be purified, then our thoughts must be controlled.

Our words can affect our thoughts, so we also must be careful how we express ourselves. “[T]hat 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. Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another. ‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:22–27. We all have the blessings of the great mercy and love of God, and expressing our joy and thankfulness for those blessings will have an effect on our thoughts. The Ministry of Healing, 253 says, “No tongue can express, no finite mind can conceive, the blessing that results from appreciating the goodness and love of God. Even on earth we may have joy as a wellspring, never failing, because fed by the streams that flow from the throne of God.”

We must understand that our thoughts and feelings are not only encouraged, but strengthened by what we say. And since our hearts are defiled by evil thoughts, if we want to gain control of our thoughts, we should be expressing thankfulness and rejoicing to the Lord for His blessings and this will change our thoughts from evil to good.

A Christian life is revealed by Christian thoughts, words, and deportment. If we consecrate ourselves to the Lord every day, choosing to obey His law, then our choice will purify our thoughts. The Signs of the Times, September 1, 1890, tells us, “If your thoughts, your plans, your purposes, are all directed towards the accumulation of things of earth, your anxiety, your study, your interests, will all be centered upon the world. The heavenly attractions will lose their beauty. … Your heart will be with your treasure, … You will have no time to devote to the study of the Scriptures and to earnest prayer that you may escape the snares of Satan … .” If your only purpose is to gain money, property, position, power, fame, or success in this world, the Lord may give you all of those things, but you will become so overburdened with trying to achieve success in the world that you will have no time to devote to the study of the Scriptures and to earnest prayer. And as a consequence, you will not escape the snares of Satan.

Many have allowed their minds to dwell upon earthly things for a long time, and now they realize that if the current of their thoughts is not changed, they will be conformed to this world; there will be no transformation to ready the mind for Jesus to come. “When the mind has been long permitted to dwell only on earthly things, it is a difficult matter to change the habits of thought.” Lift Him Up, 144. Dwelling most of one’s life on earthly things will make it difficult to exclude the things of the world and think only of divine things.

It too frequently occurs that Christians gather together on Sabbath and talk about anything but spiritual things, because their minds have so long dwelt upon the things of this earth—how to make a living, a business, a job, investments, property, and other things having to do with the world. Mrs. White tells us that as long as we are in this world we will have to conduct worldly business, so these things are not evil in and of themselves. But if that is all you are thinking about and talking about, then your mind is being conformed to this world and you will not be ready for Jesus to come.

“That which the eye sees and the ear hears too often attracts the attention and absorbs the interest. But if we would enter the city of God, and look upon Jesus in His glory, we must become accustomed to beholding Him with the eye of faith here.” Ibid.

Are we filling our minds and hearts with Jesus? Are we allowing the things of this world to preoccupy our minds and thoughts so that we will not be ready to go to heaven? Are we conformed to this world?

“If we would enter the city of God,” here is how we are to do it: “The words and the character of Christ should be often the subject of our thoughts and of our conversation; and each day some time should be especially devoted to prayerful meditation upon these sacred themes.” Ibid.

If our minds are to be transformed, then we must daily spend time in meditation upon the words and character of Jesus Christ, or we will be caught up with the evil thoughts that will defile the heart and mind.

Do we spend as much time, or more, thinking and talking about Jesus Christ as we do in thinking and talking about worldly things? When a person loves someone, that someone is all they can talk about. They tell everyone about this wonderful person that they love. But here is the biggest problem for most people: though they say they love Jesus, they do not spend time in His word, nor meditate upon His character, nor talk about Him to their family and friends.

Many professed Christians are troubled because they have struggled for a long time with low and debasing thoughts. But friend, this is something you can talk about with Jesus. If you don’t want to be a victim of worldly, evil thoughts, if you want to be cleansed on the inside and be made pure, then Jesus is the only One to talk to. Only He, through the power of the Holy Spirit in the life, can change a heart so that the thoughts will reflect the purity of the soul. But Satan doesn’t want you to know this.

“… Satan has his evil angels around us; and though they cannot read men’s thoughts, they closely watch their words and actions. Satan takes advantage of the weakness and defects of character that are thus revealed, and presses his temptations where there is least power of resistance. He makes evil suggestions, and inspires worldly thoughts, knowing that he can thus bring the soul into condemnation and bondage. To those who are selfish, worldly, avaricious, proud, fault-finding, or given to detraction—to all who are cherishing errors and defects of character—Satan presents the indulgence of self, and leads the soul off upon a track that the Bible condemns, but which he makes appear attractive.

“For every class of temptations there is a remedy.” Gospel Workers, 417, 418. Praise God, there is a remedy for every temptation. “We are not left to ourselves to fight the battle against self and our sinful natures in our own finite strength. Jesus is a mighty helper, a never-failing support.” Ibid., 418.

Are you in trouble because of your thoughts and helpless to do anything about it? You need only to go to Jesus in prayer. When tempted, take your struggles to Him, for He is a mighty helper.

“The mind must be restrained, and not allowed to wander.” Ibid.

The mind is not an empty void. It must be occupied. Saying that we will no longer think about something is not the way to gain the victory in the struggle for pure and holy thoughts. The devil and his angels cannot read our minds, but they can put thoughts into our imagination. Concentrating on what we should not think about will not help us to have pure thoughts.

“The mind … should be trained to dwell upon the Scriptures, and upon noble, elevating themes.” Our High Calling, 88.

“Portions of Scripture, even whole chapters, may be committed to memory, to be repeated when Satan comes in with his temptations. …

“When Satan would lead the mind to dwell upon earthly and sensual things, he is most effectually resisted with ‘It is written.’ ” Ibid.

We must fight the battle to discipline our thoughts, to keep our minds restrained, preventing the imagination from wandering.

If our thoughts are disciplined, our words will be right. “ ‘Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.’ ” Matthew 12:33–35

“Many thoughts make up the unwritten history of a single day; and these thoughts have much to do with the formation of character. Our thoughts are to be strictly guarded; for one impure thought makes a deep impression on the soul. An evil thought leaves an evil impress on the mind. If the thoughts are pure and holy, the man is better for having cherished them. By them the spiritual pulse is quickened, and the power for doing good is increased. And as one drop of rain prepares the way for another in moistening the earth, so one good thought prepares the way for another.” The Faith I Live By, 222

What we look at and what we listen to all have an effect on our thoughts. These are the channels by which the mind is fed. The Bible is full of instruction on this point. “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.” Psalm 101:3, first part. David understood this all too well. Keeping before ourselves violence, immoral sexuality, swearing, and drinking is evil, and what is evil is sin, and sin is breaking God’s law. It doesn’t matter how you come into contact with evil, if you are participating in evil, you are sinning. The law of the mind is that by beholding we become changed, and the more we behold evil, regardless of its form, that is what we will be like. And in the end, we will not be ready for heaven, but rather hellfire. “In that day they will roar against them like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks to the land, behold, darkness and sorrow; and the light is darkened by the clouds.” Isaiah 5:30. “Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.” Isaiah 8:22.

We are free moral agents with a responsibility over what our eyes see, what our ears hear, over everything we subject ourselves and our senses to. Satan is trying to paralyze our senses so that we will be insensitive to the warnings and reproofs sent from God. He does not want us to heed them, lest they are received in the heart and reform the life.

“My brethren, God calls upon you as His followers to walk in the light. You need to be alarmed. Sin is among us, and it is not seen to be exceedingly sinful. The senses of many are benumbed by the indulgence of appetite and by familiarity with sin.” The Adventist Home, 401

“Sin means dishonor and disaster to every soul that indulges in it; but it is blinding and deceiving in its nature … [W]e should close every avenue by which the tempter may find access to us.” Ibid., 402, 403.

We are living in a cesspool, a morally-defiled world filled with wickedness, and our only safety is to be shielded by the grace of God every moment. We must cooperate with the heavenly agencies and not be presumptuous, walking right into temptation.

We must continually be on guard, watching every avenue of the soul by which Satan may gain access. We need to avoid reading, seeing, or hearing anything that would lead to impure thoughts. We need to place ourselves and our families where we cannot watch the evil and iniquity practiced all over the world. We must guard what we look at and listen to so that the terrible things going on around us do not become the subjects of our meditation and cause us to be defiled.

Radio, television, movies, music, social media, there are hundreds of avenues by which we today can become defiled. “The lust of the eye and corrupt passions are aroused by beholding and by reading. The heart is corrupted through the imagination.” Ibid., 408. How is it with your soul? Are you being conformed to this world by the music of this world, the sights and the sounds of this world, or are you being transformed by the renewing of your mind, by beholding Christ through His word?

Clean hands and a pure heart, the two requirements to be ready for heaven. We need to be memorizing the Scriptures and studying and meditating upon the character of Christ and His words every day. We must be in control of what we look at and listen to. This is what we must do. But everything that we do will be absolutely hopeless and useless unless God does something. “In describing to His disciples the office work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus sought to inspire them with the joy and hope that inspired His own heart. He rejoiced because of the abundant help He had provided for His church. The Holy Spirit was the highest of all gifts that He could solicit from His Father for the exaltation of His people. The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world’s Redeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure.” The Desire of Ages, 671

The heart is made pure by the inworking of the Holy Spirit. Unless you receive the Holy Spirit into your life, you will be unable to resist sin and overcome it. So we must be praying day by day that we might receive the Holy Spirit. Without this, the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross of Calvary would be of no avail. “Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church.” Ibid.

Human power is not enough, so Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church.

Friend, it is important that we cooperate with the divine agencies, but what God does is vital. We can never be made pure, we can never be made ready for heaven unless the Holy Spirit works a miraculous work of re-creation in our hearts. He does not modify our old life. Instead, He makes a completely new creature. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

It doesn’t matter what your past has been. If you are willing to fall on your knees before the Lord and say, Lord, I want to be born again, I want this change, help me to cooperate with the agencies of heaven, this miracle will happen in your heart and soul.

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.

Completeness of Life in Jesus

by

We live in a world where many people do not have much of a life. Many others feel that their cup is not even half full. Many people of all ages have been, and still are, desperately searching for completeness, for a satisfaction, a wholeness they cannot seem to find. They search for completeness in the temporary pleasures of sin and think if they could have this or enjoy that, they would then be complete. The devil spreads out so many sinful distractions and temporary pleasures, and the human race is chasing after them, trying to fill some void inside, but they only find misery.

We are aware of so little that goes on in the world, but Jesus said that when He comes, all things will be revealed. Paul says in Romans 2 that the secrets of men will be judged in that day. If you want to be ready for that day, you need to be in Christ so that your sins can be forgiven and blotted out.

This is a simple, introductory study from Colossians 2 on the subject of forgiveness and the blotting out of sin. It shows us that in Christ, life can be complete. Adam’s problem in the Garden of Eden was that he believed his life would not be complete without Eve, so much so that he was willing to sin so that she would remain a part of his life. But the completeness he thought he would have turned into trouble. He and Eve argued and blamed each other and there was no satisfaction in the life that followed. They did not find the completeness they sought because completeness is only found in Jesus Christ.

So how can we be complete, not half full or half empty? It requires faith in Him who has provided for every deficiency. Colossians 2:6 says, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Paul returns again and again to the theme of walking in Christ. Walking in Christ is to receive Christ. How do we receive Christ? As we understand God’s character and His love more and more, we will learn to accept Christ in our hearts.

The devil has tricked the people of the world into believing that God wants to restrict their freedom and happiness. They say that God’s law is just a list of dos and don’ts that keep them from having a good life. In reality, God’s law was given to keep man from doing the immoral, illegal, and unhealthy things that will bring harm to them physically and keep them separated from God. It is important to understand that God has something better to replace anything we lose in this world, including our lives. If we are following Jesus, we will eventually receive something infinitely better than any worldly thing we may give up. God changes our mind about everything in the world, and we will see that keeping God’s law and allowing Him to change us will bring us happiness.

So the first step to receiving Christ is realizing how much God loves us and wants us to be happy, and that He is willing to give us all the best things. He has prepared a place of happiness where there is no disappointment, pain, suffering, or loneliness. In fact, Ellen White has written that God created man and woman for happiness, so if we follow God and His way, we will find happiness in Him, even if we have problems in this world. We find this assurance in Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”

The people of this world love sinning because they continually want, and they believe if only they can have what they want, it will bring them happiness and completeness. But instead, they find only emptiness and sorrow, trouble and misery, incompleteness. They may find a thrill for a time in drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling, or other forms of immorality, but none of these things will bring them true satisfaction or completeness.

In 1 Corinthians 15:3, last part, the Bible tells us that Christ “died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” Studying the cross changes how the mind perceives sin. Sin is no longer desirable, nor can we believe that it could bring true happiness, because the truth is, sin—our sins—killed Jesus. The more we know, the more we will hate sin because we see what it has done and is doing. When we hate sin, the Bible says we will want to repent, because we understand that continuing in sin makes us as responsible for crucifying Christ as were those who drove the nails into His hands and called for His death. The deeper our repentance becomes, Christ is then able to work miracles in our behalf and we will walk in the way of righteousness, loving and trusting Him more.

Repentance is a change of mind and heart, a recognition that we have been ruined by sin and that there is no hope to be found in this world without Jesus. We must have a new heart, a new spirit, and a new life, but we can only find these in Christ. We must first receive Him so that we can live a Christlike life every day.

Continuing in Colossians 2, we are warned that we must be careful not to let anyone rob us of the prize that God has for us. We cannot allow ourselves to be separated from Christ through worldly philosophy. Paul says in verse 9, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Jesus is not a junior God. He is the completeness of divinity, and, because of His divinity, He can do for us what no other being can do. Paul, continuing in verse 10 says, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” This scripture is written in the present tense, but it will not be completely fulfilled until we are in heaven. God has many things in mind for us and until we have received those things, we are not yet fully complete.

In Colossians 2:11, Paul writes that God wants to take away the body of our humiliation, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ …” Circumcision represents the cutting away of sin from the life.

Before we can have a new body we must first have a new spirit and a new mind. This is the work of God. “… [B]uried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” Colossians 2:12, 13.

Jesus does this work, and when we are baptized and raised again in Him, verse 14 says, “… having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Something is referred to in this scripture that used to exist, but does not exist anymore. What is this thing that no longer exists? It was something against us, written by the hand of man, an entity called decrees or ordinances. Paul says this entity was: 1) hostile toward us, 2) taken out of the way by Him [Jesus], and 3) nailed to the cross. Three times he states that this entity no longer exists.

He says that these decrees and ordinances were handwritten, and this is an exceedingly important point, because if they were handwritten, we immediately must see that he is not, in any way, talking about the ten commandments. Man writes using his whole hand. God writes with His finger.

God does not use His hand to write. We find three times in the Bible where God wrote something. John 8 in the last part of verse 6 says: “But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.” This verse tells us explicitly that He wrote with His finger.

In Daniel 5:5, we find the account of Belshazzar’s feast. “In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote … .”

And finally, Deuteronomy 9:10 tells us how God wrote the ten commandments: “Then the Lord delivered to me two tablets of stone written with the finger of God … .” Imagine the power it took for God to put His finger on the tables of stone and etch the words of the law into that stone. This clearly tells us just how permanent He intended His law to be.

As Christians, we believe that we are to let the Bible interpret itself, so let’s go to the Bible to see just what was this entity, these decrees or ordinances, written by the hand of man, not by the finger of God, that were nailed to the cross and taken out of the way.

The Bible tells us in Acts 15:10 that these decrees and ordinances were a “yoke on the neck” or a yoke of bondage. Peter says that neither we nor “our fathers” could keep these ordinances. In Galatians 5:1–6, Paul again writes about this yoke of bondage, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Ephesians 2:14–18 and Hebrews 7:16 refer to these decrees and ordinances, this yoke of bondage, as a law of fleshly commandments, handwritten by man, once against us, but now nailed to the cross.

While on Mt. Sinai, Moses received the ten commandments written by the finger of God, but he also received instruction from God, which he himself wrote by hand, that became what we know today as the ceremonial law. In Galatians 3:19, Paul describes this ceremonial law as having been added because of transgression and this law would exist until the Seed [Christ] should come. The ceremonial law required that if a person sinned, he or she had to bring a sacrifice to the sanctuary to be offered up in their behalf, and Paul said that only a sinner was required to keep the ceremonial law. But if a person was tired of sin and instead committed his or her life to obeying God’s commandments and began to live without sinning, they would not have to bring these many sin offerings to the sanctuary.

When Jesus was on earth, He never brought a sin offering to the temple. Why? Because Jesus was sinless. He kept the law and always did the will of His Father.

The book of Leviticus outlines the various aspects of the ceremonial law:

  1. Sacrifices
  2. Offerings
  3. Feasts (set times)
  4. Levitical priesthood
  5. Earthly sanctuary and its rituals

Paul says in Hebrews 13:14, “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.” We have an altar in the heavenly sanctuary at which Paul says the worshipers in the earthly sanctuary did not have a right to worship. Some people still believe that Jerusalem in Israel is where we must go to worship, but that was part of the old covenant. There is no enduring city on earth where we are told to go to worship under the new covenant.

There are large parts of the Torah written by Moses that were not a part of any ceremonial or ritual law; they were simply explanations concerning the ten commandments that were meant to provide us with a better understanding of the ten commandments and to keep us from being easily deceived by the devil’s smooth talk.

An example of this is Leviticus 11 which contains the listing of unclean foods with the admonition that they should not be eaten. Does that have anything to do with the sanctuary? Absolutely not! But it does have to do with the sixth commandment. Two thousand years ago people had to accept this by faith, but today we have science that proves that there are certain foods that will kill you. They don’t all kill you right away or people wouldn’t eat them. It was sinful to eat these foods before the ritual law was given, so these food laws were not part of the ritual law.

If we study Leviticus 18 and 20, we find that they explain the meaning of the seventh commandment. The Bible tells us many times in the New Testament that no fornicator or adulterer or anyone of this nature will be in the kingdom of heaven (see 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Galatians 5:16–21; Revelation 9:20, 21; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15). Leviticus 19 gives additional explanation regarding the second, fifth, and seventh commandments.

After Paul discusses the ceremonial or ritual law, which was added because of transgression, he tells about Jesus’ experience on the cross of Calvary, “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:14, 15. The “principalities and powers” Paul refers to here is the devil. Because of the cross, Jesus triumphed over the devil and all his host and it was guaranteed that he and his kingdom would be destroyed.

As long as a person continued in sin, the ceremonial law had to be kept and followed, and sacrifices continued to be made. Hebrews 10:1–4 explains this: “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”

Colossians 2:16 says, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths … .” People like to argue about this text. Let’s look at the whole context surrounding it. Paul has, in verses 7 and 8, raised the issue of false teachers attempting to control the religious experience of those in the Christian church by teaching the philosophy of the world. When we study church and secular history, we find that there were two apostate groups at work. One was the gnostics and the other judaizers. Gnosticism is a terrible thing. It is so bad that almost all of the New Testament writers wrote against it. Some scholars believe that the gospel of John was written mainly to combat gnosticism in the Christian church. Paul consistently teaches against gnosticism in his epistles, but especially in Colossians 2. Gnosticism taught in part that it did not matter what a person did with their body as long as their mind was pure, however that is not what the New Testament teaches. Imagine, sinning and committing all forms of vile wickedness with the body and expecting to keep the mind pure and holy. The gnostics attempted to convince the early Christians that they could lead them to a higher Christian experience, but Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “[C]asting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” The Bible says that we all will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be judged according to the deeds done in the body.

The judaizers taught that you could not be perfect unless you followed all the law of Moses and kept all the Jewish traditions. Based on the types of food and drink outlined in Numbers 6 and 28 and Leviticus 6 and 23 associated with the various feasts and ceremonies of the ceremonial law, these judaizers were judging the members of each new church that Paul established on what they ate and drank. So Paul is saying in Colossians 2:16 that they were not to let the judaizers pass judgment on them because of the food they ate or what they drank. Nor were they to be judged over the feasts, the monthly ceremonies or the weekly sabbaths associated with certain holy days, which were a shadow of things to come.

What were the festival sabbaths? There were different festival sabbaths (weeks) in the ceremonial law in addition to the seventh-day Sabbath. They were:

  • The first day of the Passover week (Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 23:5–7; Numbers 28:17, 18)
  • The seventh day of the Passover week (Exodus 12:16; Numbers 28:24, 25)
  • The first day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:24, 25; Numbers 29:1)
  • The tenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 16:29–31; 23:27–32; Numbers 29:7)
  • The fifteenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:34, 35; Numbers 29:12)
  • The twenty-second day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:39)
  • The fiftieth day (Pentecost), known also as the “feast of weeks” (Leviticus 23:15, 16, 21; Deuteronomy 16:9, 10)

As with their food and drink, Paul is telling the Christian churches that they were not to allow the judaizers to judge them on the keeping of these festival sabbaths nor the other feasts and ceremonies. Paul is specific that in proper context, all these things are merely shadows [types] of things to come. All of this had to do with the ceremonial law and Hebrews 8:5 and Hebrews 10:1 distinctly state that all of the ceremonial law—food, drink, new moons, sabbaths, feasts, sacrifices—were all connected to the earthly sanctuary and all foreshadowed heavenly things to come.

“[B]ut the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.” Colossians 2:17, last part, 18. Paul is telling the early Christians that they were to let no one judge them or dictate to them what their religious experience should be, but rather they should go to the body of Christ. He had already told them in Colossians 1:18, 24 what was the body of Christ, “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. … I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.” He is telling them, and us, not to listen to the world, but to go to the church. These worldly teachers would have you believe and follow their doctrines and worldly teachings regardless of whether it contradicts God’s word or not. But if you go to the church, to seek out a godly elder or deacon and ask for spiritual advice, they will tell you to believe what they say only as it is in harmony with the Bible.

The church in Paul’s day, just like the church today, was being attacked. Have you noticed recently that Christianity as a whole is being opposed more and more by the world, and this opposition will increase as we approach the coming of Jesus; so much so that if it were possible, even the elect will be deceived. Do not seek out the world for advice. Do not be consumed by worldly philosophy. Do not be cheated of your reward. Do not go to the world, for neither it nor its teachings will make you complete. Only by walking in Christ are we made complete. He has already fulfilled the promise of a new heart, a new mind, and new spirit. If you know Christ, then you will know the completeness of His life in you. [Emphasis supplied.]

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.