Editorial

Editor’s Letter – Five Minutes

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More can be done in five minutes than many people think.

“I saw that the remnant were not prepared for what is coming upon the earth. Stupidity, like lethargy, seemed to hang upon the minds of most of those who profess to believe that we are having the last message. My accompanying angel cried out with awful solemnity, ‘Get ready! get ready! get ready! for the fierce anger of the Lord is soon to come. … A great work must be done for the remnant. Many of them are dwelling upon little trials.’ Said the angel, ‘Legions of evil angels are around you … that ye may be ensnared and taken. Ye suffer your minds to be diverted too readily from the work of preparation and the all-important truths for these last days. And ye dwell upon little trials and go into minute particulars of little difficulties to explain them to the satisfaction of this one or that.’ Conversation has been protracted for hours between the parties concerned, and not only has their time been wasted, but the servants of God are held to listen to them, when the hearts of both parties are unsubdued by grace. If pride and selfishness were laid aside, five minutes would remove most difficulties. Angels have been grieved and God displeased by the hours which have been spent in justifying self. I saw that God will not bow down and listen to long justifications, and He does not want His servants to do so, and thus precious time be wasted that should be spent in showing transgressors the error of their ways and pulling souls out of the fire.” Early Writings, 119, 120.

However, not only great good, but great evil can be done in five minutes.

“In laboring with the erring, some of our brethren had been too rigid, too cutting in remarks. And when some were disposed to reject their counsel, and separate from them, they would say: ‘Well, if they want to go off, let them go.’ While such a lack of the compassion, and long-suffering, and tenderness of Jesus was manifested by His professed followers, these poor, erring, inexperienced souls, buffeted by Satan, were certain to make shipwreck of faith. However great may be the wrongs and sins of the erring, our brethren must learn to manifest not only the tenderness of the Great Shepherd, but also His undying care and love for the poor, straying sheep. Our ministers toil and lecture week after week, and rejoice that a few souls embrace the truth; and yet brethren of a prompt, decided turn of mind may, in five minutes, destroy their work by indulging the feelings which prompt words like these: ‘Well, if they want to leave us, let them go.’ ” Testimonies, vol. 2, 18, 19.

Restoration or destruction can take place in just five minutes. Some people leave a trail of destruction behind them while others are as instruments of God, healing and restoring that which has been broken. Where do you stand?

Editorial – Separation, Necessary or Just Advice?

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The Scripture says, “what participation has righteousness with lawlessness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14. The lawless are those who break one or more of God’s commandments and teach others to do so. We are to love these people enough to tell them the truth of the Three Angel’s Messages. But as long as they have heard and not accepted the Three Angels’ Messages in entirety and are not living by them, they are described in the scripture as the “unclean,” (those who break God’s law are described throughout scripture as defiled or unclean) the “children of the world,” the “children of darkness,” the “world,” and unbelievers,” etc. This does not mean that they are not professed Christians, but they are still part of what the book of Revelation calls “Babylon” and are called to come out. Revelation 14:8-12. As long as they remain in Babylon in their lawbreaking condition, God’s faithful children must be separate from them. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Notice how clear the counsel of God is: “Those who join themselves to worldly men, that they may carry out their unsanctified purposes, make a fearful mistake; for they forfeit the favor and blessing of God.” This Day With God, 354.

“You are not to unite with unbelievers in medical work.” Medical Ministry, 45.

“Let not God’s people in any of our institutions sign a truce with the enemy of God and man. The duty of the church to the world is not to come down to their ideas and accept their opinions, their suggestions, but to heed the words of Christ through His servant Paul. (2 Corinthians 6:14, 15 quoted.) This means in a special sense marriage with unbelievers, but it covers more ground than this: it means in our instrumentalities ordained of God, in our institutions for health, in our colleges, in our publishing houses.” Testimonies to Ministers, 271.

“The children of the world are called the children of darkness. They are blinded by the god of this world, and are led by the spirit of the prince of darkness. They cannot enjoy heavenly things. The children of light have their affections set on things above. They leave behind them the things of this world. They fulfill the command, ‘Come out from among them and be ye separate.’ Here is the conditional promise, ‘I will receive you.’ Christ from the beginning has chosen his people out of the world, and required them to be separate, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. If they love God and keep his commandments, they will be far from having the friendship, and loving the pleasures, of the world. There is no concord between Christ and Belial.” Review and Herald, June 25, 1861.

“’Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean.’ This means that the children of God are in no case to be contaminated with the spirit of the world, to receive its evil suggestions, nor to come under its influence. Be afraid of uniting with the world in secret societies, or of being bound in bundles with them. Be afraid of communicating to the world that which concerns the cause of God; for they would have no sympathy with those who love the truth of God.” Review and Herald, July 31, 1894

“Satan is constantly seeking to strengthen his power over the people of God by inducing them to enter into alliance with the hosts of darkness. And to accomplish this he endeavors to arouse unsanctified passions in the heart which is naturally prone to evil. It is not safe for Christians to imitate the example of the ungodly, or to yield to their influence. The wisest counsels of the wicked are not to be relied upon.” Signs of the Times, October 6, 1881.

“May the Lord bless his people with spiritual eyesight, to see that the children of God and the world can never be in copartnership. Whosoever will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God…Let us not form unholy bonds of union, with the friends of the world; for God has pronounced his curse upon all such unions…Let not the world’s direction and propositions be given to God’s people to control them. Woe be unto him whose wisdom is not from above but from beneath! Men of superficial piety, by their desire to receive patronage, to obtain fame, betray the most sacred interests into the hands of unbelievers. Let not money be obtained by touching or sanctioning any unclean practices.” Testimonies to Ministers, 276, 277.

The End

Editorial – The Forbidden Fruit

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Eve found out, to her great sorrow, that God meant what He said when she and Adam, her husband were forbidden to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Concerning this prohibition, Ellen White says, “The tide of woe that flowed from the transgression of our first parents is regarded by many as too awful a consequence for so small a sin, and they impeach the wisdom and justice of God in His dealings with man. But if they would look more deeply into this question, they might discern their error. God created man after His own likeness, free from sin. The earth was to be peopled with beings only a little lower than the angels; but their obedience must be tested; for God would not permit the world to be filled with those who would disregard His law. Yet, in His great mercy, He appointed Adam no severe test. And the very lightness of the prohibition made the sin exceedingly great.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 60.

But there is forbidden fruit today, and multitudes are eating it and will be deprived of eating of the tree of life. This month we will look at just one of these forbidden fruits described in the Bible. Although it is forbidden, many who call themselves Adventists are eating of it today. Concerning this fruit we are told that we are not to touch it, or taste of it, and we are not to finger it (handle it).

Many people have read this strict injunction in Colossians 2:20 without bothering to check out what it is talking about. It is described by a pronoun, which means that we must look in previous Scriptures to discover what it is. Colossians 2:20, 21 says, “If then you died with Christ from the fundamental principles of the world, why, as living in the world are you under ordinances—do not touch, do not taste, do not finger.” [Literal translation.] Obviously, what we are not to touch or taste or even finger, are ordinances.

What are these ordinances? Paul said that they are handwritten ordinances, which makes it impossible for them to be the Ten Commandments, because the Ten Commandments were not handwritten, but were written by the finger of God. Every time God wrote something, as recorded in the Bible, He wrote with His finger; when man writes, it is handwritten. Paul said that these ordinances were blotted out and that they were contrary to us and against us, and that they were taken out of the midst (removed) and were nailed to the cross. He also states that these ordinances involved food and drink and feast days and new moons and Sabbaths which were shadows of things coming. Future editorials will deal more with the ordinances of the Lord’s house.

Editorial – Impossible Ordinances

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Concerning the ordinances mentioned in Colossians 2:14–23, which Paul says not to touch, taste or finger (handle), he continues by saying that these things have indeed a reputation of having wisdom in self-imposed worship and humility and in unsparing abuse of the body not having any value to protect against overindulgence of the flesh. (See verse 23.) In his epistles, Paul accuses those who desire to teach Christians to keep the ceremonial law of doing so for the satisfaction of the flesh. For example: “As many as desire to look good in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only that they be not persecuted for the cross of Christ. For not even those having been circumcised themselves keep the law, but they desire you to be circumcised so that in your flesh they may boast.” Galatians 6:12, 13. [Literal translation.]

What is it about keeping the ceremonial law that involves unsparing abuse of the body, self-imposed worship, and, furthermore, allows a person then to boast in his flesh? In the time of the apostles, the Jews and those Christians who attempted to keep the ceremonial law did not keep it only in the manner as prescribed by Moses, but also as taught by the Jewish scribes and doctors. Concerning this, one writer describes it as follows: “Feasts, rituals, sacrifices, pilgrimages, tithes, Sabbaths, and fasts—these were all alike but expressions of the profound determination to keep God’s law as expounded in the synagogue. … For scrupulosity, unhesitating logic, conscientiousness as regards the moral aspect of every act of life it stands unparalleled. … Pharisaism laid upon the people burdens impossible to be borne. The rabbis’ insistence upon tithes and other religious charges must have been burdensome in the extreme, but even more deadening must have been their insistence that righteousness was impossible except through an unbroken observance of the Mosaic and the Moral Law; for who among the people could hope to master the accumulation of rabbinical teaching? In proportion as legalism grew, did the old prophetic teaching retreat, and life became less a direct service of a loving Jehovah and an ever increasingly fettered and hopeless succession of impossible tasks.” (A History of New Testament Times in Palestine, Shailer Mathews, A.M., D.D., New York, The MacMillan Company, 1914, 176–178.)

The abuse of the body and self-imposed worship involved, first, all rules by which eating or drinking or traveling or even acts of mercy and kindness were forbidden or restricted because of either the seventh day Sabbath, or ceremonial sabbaths, feast days, or certain weeks, months, or years. Second, the person who was successful in doing all these things (like Saul of Tarsus) could look down on others who did not succeed in the rigor of the system and could glory in their superior righteousness, which righteousness Paul said was rubbish (Philippians 3:8).

Editorial – Watch: the Time of Reckoning is Near

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“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:35–37 KJV).

“The restraining Spirit of God is even now being withdrawn from the world. Hurricanes, storms, tempests, fire and flood, disasters by sea and land, follow each other in quick succession. Science seeks to explain all these. The signs thickening around us, telling of the near approach of the Son of God, are attributed to any other than the true cause. Men cannot discern the sentinel angels restraining the four winds that they shall not blow until the servants of God are sealed; but when God shall bid His angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of strife as no pen can picture. …

“Could the curtain be rolled back, could you discern the purposes of God and the judgments that are about to fall upon a doomed world, could you see your own attitude, you would fear and tremble for your own souls and for the souls of your fellow men. Earnest prayers of heart-rending anguish would go up to heaven. You would weep between the porch and the altar, confessing your spiritual blindness and backsliding.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 408.

“When Jesus ceases to plead for man, the cases of all are forever decided. This is the time of reckoning with His servants. To those who have neglected the preparation of purity and holiness, which fits them to be waiting ones to welcome their Lord, the sun sets in gloom and darkness, and rises not again. Probation closes; Christ’s intercessions cease in heaven. This time finally comes suddenly upon all, and those who have neglected to purify their souls by obeying the truth are found sleeping. They became weary of waiting and watching … .They became indifferent and careless, as though His coming were yet in the distance. But while their interest was buried up in their worldly gains, the work closed in the heavenly sanctuary, and they were unprepared.

“If such had only known that the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary would close so soon, how differently would they have conducted themselves, how earnestly would they have watched! … Those not found waiting and watching are finally surprised in their unfaithfulness. The Master comes, and instead of their being ready to open unto Him immediately, they are locked in worldly slumber, and are lost at last.”  Testimonies, vol. 2, 191, 192.

Editorial – Remember the Sabbath Day…

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There are three major positions that Christians take concerning the Sabbath of the fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8–11). The majority position of Christians today is that the Sabbath does not need to be kept for a variety of reasons.

The most straightforward reason is the reason that has been given by Roman Catholic theologians, namely: “Question: Which is the Sabbath day? Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day. Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 336) [other sources say 364] transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.” Peter Gehermann, The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, Second Edition, 1910, p. 50.

Other reasons given are that Sunday is observed in honor of Christ’s resurrection and simply because it has become a custom to worship God on this day or to rest on this day. Scholars have attempted to prove that the apostles, especially the apostle Paul, actually instigated the change but there is no real proof of this, as we will later see.

There are two minority positions taken by Christians today concerning the Sabbath. The first one is that we need to keep the law of Moses, which, of course, includes the seventh day Sabbath, and all the other laws written by Moses. The second minority position is that there are actually two codes of law in the Old Testament—one which is eternal, moral and unchangeable and the other which was temporary for the dispensation of the Old Covenant and not in force anymore.

Interestingly, proponents of all three positions have gone to the early and later church fathers, ancient Christian sources, for support of their position. Before investigating further, we need to know what sources we are going to depend on for authority. The Roman Catholic position is that tradition has authority as well as the Bible and not only written tradition but oral tradition. The Protestant position is that only the Bible should have authority in matters of faith and doctrine.

“The grand principle maintained by these Reformers—the same that had been held by the Waldenses, by Wycliffe, by John Huss, by Luther, Zwingli, and those who united with them—was the infallible authority of the Holy Scriptures as a rule of faith and practice. They denied the right of popes, councils, Fathers, and kings, to control the conscience in matters of religion.” The Great Controversy, 249.

Editorial – Tradition

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The Roman Catholic belief is that tradition is equally valid with the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments but the Protestant position is that only writings inspired by God are valid as authority in matters of faith and religion. What is your position?

In an attempt to prove that tradition has authority, it is common for Roman Catholics to quote II Thessalonians 2:15: “Therefore brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, either by word or our epistle.” This text is supposed to support the authority for oral tradition (“by word”) and written tradition (“an epistle from us”). These churches had received instruction both orally and in written form from the apostles and they recognized, as we also recognize today, that this instruction was inspired of God and had divine authority. Peter refers to the writings of Paul as inspired Scripture (II Peter 3:15, 16) and the rule of the early church was that if the writing was from an apostle then it had divine authority and was part of Scripture. But if the writing was not from an apostle, then it did not have divine authority and was not part of Scripture. The only question then and the only question now is, Is this epistle or book from an apostle of Jesus Christ or not?

Today, it is impossible to know for sure whether what is called “apostolic tradition” is actually from the apostles or whether it is a product that has been corrupted during the last 1900 years. This same problem existed in Jesus’ day. There was a multitude of ancient tradition that was held to be authoritative, but Jesus did not espouse the use of any tradition as authoritative in religious matters. This is why New Testament Protestant Christians today do not espouse the use of any tradition as authoritative—because there is no proof of divine source. In Jesus’ day, the method used to show that a writing was divinely inspired was to attach the name of a prophet as the author, or attach the writing to a book of the Bible, just as later it became a practice to claim that some tradition or written document had an apostolic source.

Jesus had the following to say about these traditions: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:8, 9.

Paul taught that following tradition could deprive one of eternal life (see Colossians 2:8). All traditions, customs and teachings from any source must be tested by the inspired word of God.

Editor’s Letter – The Standard

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In this world there are standards. There are standards for weights and volume measurements, for length, and also standard measurements of time. Without standards there would be chaos. Without standards in the spiritual world there is also disorder and chaos. “Satan well knows that success can only attend order and harmonious action. He well knows that everything connected with heaven is in perfect order, that subjection and thorough discipline mark the movements of the angelic host. It is his studied effort to lead professed Christians just as far from heaven’s arrangement as he can; therefore he deceives even the professed people of God and makes them believe that order and discipline are enemies to spirituality, that the only safety for them is to let each pursue his own course, and to remain especially distinct from bodies of Christians who are united and are laboring to establish discipline and harmony of action. All the efforts made to establish order are considered dangerous, a restriction of rightful liberty, and hence are feared as popery. These deceived souls consider it a virtue to boast of their freedom to think and act independently. They will not take any man’s say-so. They are amenable to no man. I was shown that it is Satan’s special work to lead men to feel that it is in God’s order for them to strike out for themselves and choose their own course, independent of their brethren.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 650.

God’s spiritual standard that will bring order and prevent the divisions that endanger the churches is His law.

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20.

The whole duty of man is summarized in the commandments of God (see Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14).

To keep the commandments of God is everything (see I Corinthians 7:19).

The Ten Commandments law will be the standard in the final judgment (see James 2:10–12).

The saved from the last generation will be commandment keepers (see Revelation 14:12; 12:17).

Multitudes of professed Christians will be lost because they have lived in transgression of God’s law (see Matthew 7:21–23).

Not even part of a letter of the Ten Commandments can ever be changed (see Luke 16:17).

It is sin that is responsible for all the trouble in the world and in the church. “Sin is a disorganizer. Wherever it is cherished—in the individual heart, in the household, in the church—there is disorder, strife, variance, enmity, envy, jealousy, because the enemy of man and of God has the controlling power over the mind.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 377.

Editorial – The Standard, Part II

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Just as an inaccurate standard of time or length or weight will produce serious consequences, an inaccurate moral standard will produce serious moral consequences.  “A wrong conception of the character, the perpetuity, and the obligation of the divine law has led to errors in relation to conversion and sanctification, and has resulted in lowering the standard of piety in the church. Here is to be found the secret of the lack of the Spirit and power of God in the revivals of our time.” A New Life [Revival and Beyond], 10.

“The law of God is an agent in every genuine conversion. There can be no true repentance without conviction of sin. The Scriptures declare that ‘sin is the transgression of the law,’ [1 John 3:4] and that ‘by the law is the knowledge of sin’ [Romans 3:20]. In order to see his guilt, the sinner must test his character by God’s great standard of righteousness. … Without true repentance, there can be no true conversion. Many are deceived here, and too often their entire experience proves to be a deception. This is why so many who are joined to the church have never been joined to Christ.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 297.

“In the closing work of God in the earth, the standard of His law will be again exalted.” Prophets and Kings, 186.

In 1886, Ellen White wrote a letter to leading Adventist ministers about the importance of uplifting the standard of God’s law. Following are excerpts from that letter: “I [Ellen White] want to speak to the ears of our people in America in every church. Awake from the dead, and Christ will give you life. Souls are perishing for the light of truth as it is in Jesus. We are standing upon the very borders of the eternal world. … There must be intensity brought into our faith and in the proclamation of truth. I tell you, a new life is proceeding from satanic agencies to work with a power we have not hitherto realized. And shall not a new power from above take possession of God’s people? The truth, sanctifying in its influence, must be urged upon the people. There must be earnest supplications offered to God, agonizing prayer to Him, that our hopes as a people may not be founded on suppositions, but on eternal realities. We must know for ourselves, by the evidence of God’s Word, whether we are in the faith, going to heaven or not. The moral standard of character is God’s law. Do we meet its requirements?” Selected Messages, Book 2, 382, 383.

The law of God—the only true, infallible standard of character in our world “is the standard of the character they must attain in order to be among God’s family in the heavenly courts.”  The Review and Herald, March 22, 1898.

Editorial – The Higher Standard

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In the world there are standards in every area of life. In the church, there are also standards relevant to our religious life—standards of conduct, standards of speech, and standards relating to even our thoughts (see the Sermon on the Mount—Matthew 5). The Ten Commandments were pointed out by Jesus in His sermon as the standard, not only of our conduct and speech, but even our thoughts. In this editorial, I want to point out the highest standard for the Christian.

“There is no higher standard than the life of Christ.” Medical Ministry, 160. The Ten Commandments are the standard, and when we hear them we are hearing the standard of character that God has for all of His children. But when we look at the life of Christ, we actually see what the standard is when lived out in the life of a person. The life of Christ provides for us not only the precept, but an actual perfect example of what a person is like when living out the principles of the commandments. Since seeing is a more powerful teaching device than hearing, and since the mind will accept what is seen over what is heard, the life of Christ provides a perfect standard and the highest standard for which we are to strive.

This is what the Lord wants to do in our lives: “God has called His people to glory and virtue, and these will be manifest in the lives of all who are truly connected with Him. Having become partakers of the heavenly gift, they are to go on unto perfection, being ‘kept by the power of God through faith.’ 1 Peter 1:5. It is the glory of God to give His virtue to His children. He desires to see men and women reaching the highest standard; and when by faith they lay hold of the power of Christ, when they plead His unfailing promises, and claim them as their own, when with an importunity that will not be denied they seek for the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be made complete in Him.” The Acts of the Apostles, 530.

The devil claims that this cannot be done, but the Lord predicts that it will happen in every one of His children: “It has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him.” 1 John 3:2. NKJV This is the experience to which God is calling you. It will happen in your life as you cooperate with the divine agencies sent to this world for your salvation.