Editorial

Editorial – The Silent Sermon

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“Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life.” Philippians 2:14–16, first part.

A few of the traits of character that result in making believers shine as lights in the world are listed below:

The love of Jesus in the heart produces traits of character that the Christian will shine as lights. They will be patient, kind and respectful to others and easy to be entreated. They will be courteous. In dealing with others they will display meekness and gentleness with no harsh or domineering words or actions. They will show no partiality treating all the same. Their hearts will be pure doing what is right themselves and extending mercy to others who do not act accordingly. Their speech will be Christlike.

“Christ’s knowledge was great, his wisdom deep; but it was without pretense. It found expression in words beautiful with the grace of simplicity, yet clothed with dignity and power.” The Youth’s Instructor, March 19, 1903. “Un-Christlike speech lies at the foundation of nine tenths of all the difficulties that exist in the church.” The Review and Herald, November 24, 1904.

“Into the city of God there will enter nothing that defiles. All who are to be dwellers there will here have become pure in heart. In one who is learning of Jesus, there will be manifest a growing distaste for careless manners, unseemly language, and coarse thought. When Christ abides in the heart, there will be purity and refinement of thought and manner. …

“Only like can appreciate like. Unless you accept in your own life the principle of self-sacrificing love, which is the principle of His character, you cannot know God.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 24, 25.

“All spiritual culture Christ has provided for His children. If Jesus is abiding in the soul, the heart is filled with the holy graces of His Spirit, which makes itself manifest in the transforming of the features. If you would have beauty and loveliness of character, the divine law must be written upon the heart and carried out in the life.” Testimonies on Sabbath-School Work, 22.

“Christ presents His loveliness of character for you to copy.” Manuscipt Releases, vol. 11, 312.

“A profession is nothing in the sight of a holy God. If the truth does not produce beauty of soul and loveliness of character it is of no benefit to the one who claims to believe it.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 1472.

Editorial – Destiny

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It is widely believed in the Christian world today that a person is saved by making a profession of faith. This profession of faith is either confirmed or denied by a change in lifestyle.

How is it with you? Over and over Jesus emphasized in His parables the truth that character determines destiny. Read about the Good Samaritan, the parables about the talents and the unjust steward.

“In the time of harvest ye shall ‘return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not’ (Malachi 3:18). Christ Himself will decide who are worthy to dwell with the family of heaven. He will judge every man according to his words and his works. Profession is as nothing in the scale. It is character that decides destiny.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 74.

“Christ lifts the veil from the future and bids all to behold that it is character, not position, which decides man’s destiny.” Ibid.,123.

“Actions repeated form habits, habits form character, and by the character our destiny for time and for eternity is decided.” Ibid., 356.

“Angels from the heavenly courts stand by all who do God’s service in ministering to their fellow men. And you have the co-operation of Christ Himself. He is the Restorer, and as you work under His supervision, you will see great results.

“Upon your faithfulness in this work not only the well-being of others but your own eternal destiny depends. Christ is seeking to uplift all who will be lifted to companionship with Himself, that we may be one with Him as He is one with the Father. He permits us to come in contact with suffering and calamity in order to call us out of our selfishness; He seeks to develop in us the attributes of His character–compassion, tenderness, and love. By accepting this work of ministry we place ourselves in His school, to be fitted for the courts of God. By rejecting it, we reject His instruction, and choose eternal separation from His presence.” Ibid., 388, 389.

One of these days, we will all meet up with the consequences of the character we have developed. “Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man’s destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy’s offer to guilty men.” The Great Controversy, 491.

Editorial – Testing Our Teachings

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Whatever our defects and short-comings, we should not be discouraged. “Our greatest sins which separate our souls from God are unbelief and hardness of heart. Why is it that we are so unbelieving and unimpressible? The reason for it is, we are filled with self-confidence. We feel self-sufficient. If we receive some token of God’s blessing, we take it as a guarantee that we are all right. …

“How the enemy has brought his own spirit into our work! We do not love one another, as Christ has enjoined upon us, because we do not love Christ. If your track is crossed in any way, if any one differs in opinion from you, then in place of feeling humility of mind, in place of carrying your burden to Christ, and asking Him for wisdom and light to know what is truth, you draw from Him, and are tempted to present your brother’s views in a false light, that they shall not have influence. We know that this manner of spirit is not of God, no matter by whom it is manifested. …

“We should feel the necessity of searching the Scriptures for ourselves. … for, says the prophet, ‘if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them’ (Isaiah 8:20). …

“The Lord sends light among us to prove of what manner of spirit we are. We are not to deceive ourselves. … If we only understood the evil of this spirit of intolerance, how we would shun it! We join ourselves to the enemy of God and man when we accuse our brethren, for Satan was an accuser of the brethren. We bear false witness when we add a little to our brother’s words, and give them a false coloring; and in the sight of God we are not doers, but transgressors of the law. We are not on the Lord’s side; we are on the side of him who hurts, destroys, and tears down the cause of truth. We should pray for one another, instead of drawing apart. …

“We are to follow the Example. A flood of light shines upon us, and all jealousy should be put away; for jealousy is cruel as the grave. Purge out the old leaven; for a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Let us love one another. … Let us remember how forbearing and patient He [Jesus] was with the erring children of men. We should be in a wretched state if the God of heaven were like one of us, and treated us as we are inclined to treat one another.” The Review and Herald, August 27, 1889.

Editorial – As We Draw Near the End

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As we draw near the close of the age of grace, it becomes ever more important to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, for it is only in this way can we be prepared for the crises that is so rapidly approaching. “You now have an opportunity to attain to the greatest intellectual power through the study of the Word of God. But if you are indolent, and fail to dig deep in the mines of truth, you will not be ready for the crisis that is soon to come upon us. O that you would realize that each moment is golden. If you live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, you will not be found unprepared.” Our High Calling, 355

Secondly, there is no other avenue, or process, by which we are enabled to be overcomers. “Jesus endured the temptations of Satan in our behalf, that in His name we might come off more than conquerors. But we can overcome only by believing in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. We must know what is written in order that we may not be defeated by the sophistry and enchantments of Satan. The wily foe will work upon our minds in such a way that he will lead us to follow in the way he has gone, and cause us to dream of greatness, worldly honor, and distinction.” Signs of the Times, September 18, 1893

Thirdly, there is no other way to obtain success in our religious experience. “God prescribes the terms, and specifies every condition upon which we may receive His gifts. With the one party there is infinite power, wisdom, mercy, and goodness; with the other party is weakness, and ignorance, and helplessness and sin. Even the faculties and resources of men, which God will accept in cooperation with the divine, are ours only in trust. In the great condescension of God to admit human finite beings as co-laborers in the saving of the world, He makes it a condition that the human agent shall receive counsel from God, diligently obeying every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. And our success in the religious life will be according to the integrity and thoroughness with which these conditions are fulfilled.” 1888 Materials, 1103

Fourth. This is the only way to avoid being deceived. “There is no need of any soul being deceived. The teaching of priest and rabbi cannot make the word of God of no authority. It is the duty of each man to know what the Scriptures teach and to take his position in harmony with the truth. The Lord has commanded us to ‘search the Scriptures.’ We are instructed to ‘prove all things,’ to ‘hold fast that which is good.’ God has given us an unfailing test to apply to every man’s life and doctrine. Says the prophet, ‘To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.’ We are not to live by the doctrines of men, not by a fragment, or a perversion of the truth; but by ‘every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’” Signs of the Times, March 30, 1888

Fifth. There is safety in no other course. “How many are betrayed into sin, because they have not, through prayerful study of the Word of God, realized the sinfulness of sin, and found out how they may steadfastly resist it. When temptation comes upon them, they seem to be off guard, and ignorant of the devices of the enemy. We are living in perilous times, and as we draw near the close of earth’s history, there will be no safety for those who do not become familiar with the Word of God. I would warn the disciples of Christ of the impending days of peril, and beseech you to prepare for the time of test and trial; for everything that can be shaken, will be shaken. Do we now obey the Word of God, and live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God?” Youth’s Instructor, May 18, 1893

Sixth. It is the only way to be saved. “To believe in Christ, we must come to Christ and follow Him. Repentance toward God means the confession and forsaking of all sin. It means the confession and forsaking of all sin. It means laying hold of Christ as a personal Saviour, and continuing to hold fast to Him as the chief good. He is our Prince, our Saviour. Only through Him can we approach the Father. Loving Him day by day and hour by hour, eating His flesh and drinking His blood, taking Him as the man of our counsel, living by every word that proceedeth out of His mouth,—only thus can we reach heaven.” Review and Herald, August 13, 1901

Only those who actually live by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God are acknowledged by the Spirit of Prophecy to be part of the church. “Those who keep God’s commandments, those who live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, compose the church of the living God.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 949

The church militant is marching onward toward the heavenly Canaan from faith to greater faith, from obedience to a more perfect obedience, from light to a brighter light.
If the Lord wills, next month we will look at the most dangerous religion in the world.

Editorial – Feelings

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When God created mankind He not only gave the ability to think intellectually but also the ability to feel. When sin entered the world, mankind began to have to deal with negative feelings and feelings of despair and despondency. In the Bible we not only have books like the Song of Solomon but also books like Job and Lamentations. Dealing with feelings of despair and despondency is beyond the scope of this editorial, but following are some excerpts from Ellen White’s letters to one of our leading ministers, S. N. Haskell, who was sometimes plagued with feelings of despair.

“You ask me why it is that you awake in the night and feel enclosed in darkness? I often feel the same way myself; but these desponding feelings are no evidence that God has forsaken you or me. … Gloomy feelings are no evidence that the promises of God are of no effect.

“You look at your feelings, and because your outlook is not all brightness, you begin to draw more closely the garment of heaviness about your soul. You look within yourself and think that God is forsaking you. You are to look to Christ. …

“Entering into communion with our Saviour, we enter the region of peace. … We must put faith into constant exercise, and trust in God whatever our feelings may be. … We are to be of good cheer, knowing that Christ has overcome the world. We will have tribulation in the world, but peace in Jesus Christ. My brother, turn your eyes from within, and look to Jesus Who is your only helper.” Selected Messages, vol. 3, 324.

“I felt sorry when I read your letter breathing so depressed a spirit. Read Ephesians 2:4–22. This Scripture has been given me for you. Read it carefully, as you never read it before. It is full of instruction. …

“Bear in mind, the time will never come when the hellish shadow of Satan will not be cast athwart our pathway to obstruct our faith and eclipse the light emanating from the presence of Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness. Our faith must not stagger, but cleave through that shadow. … Our faith is not in feeling, but in truth. …

“We have the companionship of the divine presence, and as we realize this presence, our thoughts are brought into captivity to Jesus Christ. Our spiritual exercises are in accordance with the vividness of our sense of this companionship. Enoch walked with God in this way.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 387–389.

For inspired counsel on dealing with feelings of despair and despondency, read the chapter in The Ministry of Healing entitled “Mind Cure.”

Editorial – Rest

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Even a casual study of the life of our Lord during His incarnation reveals that, “Throughout His life on earth, Jesus was an earnest and constant worker. He expected much; therefore He attempted much. After He had entered on His ministry, He said, ‘I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.’ John 9:4. Jesus did not shirk care and responsibility, as do many who profess to be His followers.” The Desire of Ages, 72.

Before He entered on His ministry He was an earnest worker in Nazareth: “While on earth Christ lived in the home of a peasant. He wore the best garments His parents could provide, but they were the humble garments of the peasants. He walked the rough paths of Nazareth and climbed the steeps of its hillsides and mountains. In His home He was a constant worker, and left on record a life filled with useful deeds.” In Heavenly Places, 214.

“He commenced His life of usefulness in childhood. … Between the ages of twelve and thirty, before entering upon His public ministry, He led a life of active industry.” The Review and Herald, January 6, 1885. In His ministry, Jesus was never idle.

Jesus is still working for each one of us. His work is constant—He never sleeps or goes on a vacation. How long is He going to be doing this constant intercession? “Our need of Christ’s intercession is constant.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1078.

He will not stop until the case of every individual in this world is decided for life or for death. You and I each have a case pending in heaven; the Apostle Paul said, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” II Corinthians 5:10.

We have been given a time of probation so that we might prepare and be ready for the judgment. After the judgment is over, the whole universe will enter a period of rest. It is exciting to look forward to. Will you have a part in it?

“Not until every case is decided will Christ be at rest. …

“He came to redeem humanity, and He will continue to send message after message to save His flock from Satanic delusions. He will not cease to send His messages until the redeemed universe shall be at rest.” This Day With God, 91.

Editorial – Why do Seventh-day Adventists Exist?

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Daniel 2 ends with all governments and kingdoms of this world destroyed and the setting up of the kingdom of God that will last forever and never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44, 45). Daniel 7 ends with the dominion of the little horn being destroyed and the kingdom and dominion being given to the people, the saints of the Most High, and all dominions serving and obeying the Most High forever (Daniel 7:27). Revelation 1:7 predicts, “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.”

This coming of the Lord back to our world to save His children and to judge the world in righteousness is mentioned again in Revelation 6:15–17, in Revelation 7:14–17, and again under the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11:15–19, where it is proclaimed that the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

It is mentioned again immediately after the three angels’ messages in Revelation 14:14–20. This is also the main subject of Revelation 19. The result of this appearing is described in the latter part of Revelation 19 and in Revelation 20–22.

Clearly we see that the return of Christ is one of the major themes of Bible prophecy. We could go to prophecies in both the Old and New Testaments that speak about it because, “The doctrine of the second advent is the very keynote of the Sacred Scriptures.” The Great Controversy, 299.

But the question that should concern us all is, Will I be ready for His appearing? The Old Testament prophet says, “… the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” Joel 2:11, last part.

To prepare the world for this most awesome event when our present world shall pass away, the Lord has given us several gifts.

First of all He has given us the Bible, which prophesies this coming event and tells us how to prepare for it.

Second, He has given us special specific messages that will prepare us for that event—the three angels’ messages in Revelation 14:6–12, especially for those living in the time of the end—the time of judgment when punishment will be metered out. This message reveals that the people who are ready for the Lord’s appearing will be commandment keepers with the same faith, doctrines and teachings that Jesus had and taught.

And third, the Lord promised that since the last generation would be living in the most deceptive time of world history (Matthew 24:24), He would send to His people an Elijah prophet—the gift of prophecy to guide them safely home (see Malachi 4:5, 6).

Editorial – Weighed and Wanting

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“The Lord is soon to come; there must be a refining, winnowing process in every church, for there are among us wicked men who do not love the truth. There is need of a transformation of character. Will the church arise and put on her beautiful garments, the righteousness of Christ? It is soon to be seen who are vessels unto honor.”

Malachi 3:18–4:2, first part, is quoted and then she writes, “Here are brought plainly to view those who will be vessels unto honor; for they will receive the latter rain. Every soul that continues in sin in the face of the light now shining upon our pathway, will be blinded and accept the delusions of Satan. We are now nearing the close of this world’s history. …

“Time, precious time, has been lost in wanderings and backslidings from God. Every character is to be weighed in the balances of the sanctuary; if the moral character and spiritual advancement do not correspond with the opportunities and blessings, ‘wanting’ [Daniel 5:27] is written against the name. …

“All who claim to be children of God should seek daily to understand why they believe by searching the Scriptures for themselves. Those who humbly study the character of Jesus will reflect his image more and more. The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the church is looked forward to as in the future; but it is the privilege of the church to have it now. Seek for it, pray for it, believe for it. We must have it, and Heaven is waiting to bestow it. …

“Trials are to come upon God’s people and the tares are to be separated from the wheat. But let not Ephraim envy Judah any more, and Judah will no more vex Ephraim. Kind, tender, compassionate words will flow out from sanctified hearts and lips. It is essential that we be united, and if we all seek the meekness and the lowliness of Christ, we shall have the mind of Christ, and there will be unity of spirit.”

Taken from The Review and Herald, March 19, 1895.

Editorial – Be Ready

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The second advent movement was raised up to proclaim God’s last message of mercy and warning to the world, the message contained in Revelation 14:6–12. This message is, first of all, a message of judgment. The judgment is a major theme of the Bible. Moses, David, Solomon, the prophets and the apostles speak about it again and again. Ellen White had a dream concerning the executive judgment 35 years and one day after the great disappointment in 1844, described in volume 4 of the Testimonies. May you not be in the number that she vividly described from this dream:

“Another book was opened, wherein were recorded the sins of those who profess the truth. Under the general heading of selfishness came every other sin. …

“One class were registered as cumberers of the ground. As the piercing eye of the Judge rested upon these, their sins of neglect were distinctly revealed. … They had not such confessions to make as had the vile and basely corrupt; but, like the fig tree, they were cursed because they bore no fruit. …

“This class had made self supreme, laboring only for selfish interests. …

“The names of all who profess the truth were mentioned. Some were reproved for their unbelief, others for having been slothful servants. … Each was to demonstrate a living faith in his family and in his neighborhood, by showing kindness to the poor, sympathizing with the afflicted, engaging in missionary labor, and by aiding the cause of God with his means. …

“The words spoken to these were most solemn: ‘You are weighed in the balances, and found wanting (Daniel 5:27). You have neglected spiritual responsibilities because of busy activity in temporal matters. …’

“The question was then asked: ‘Why have you not washed your robes of character and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14)? God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that through Him it might be saved (John 3:17). My love for you has been more self-denying than a mother’s love. It was that I might blot out your dark record of iniquity, and put the cup of salvation to your lips, that I suffered the death of the cross, bearing the weight and curse of your guilt. The pangs of death, and the horrors of the darkness of the tomb, I endured, that I might conquer him who had the power of death, unbar the prison house, and open for you the gates of life. That life of bliss which I purchased for you at such a cost, you have disregarded.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 384–387. [Emphasis author’s.]

Editorial – The Wheat and the Tares, part 1

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Before Jesus comes again we will have many situations that will have to be met which will be more perplexing than anything we have previously experienced. In order to be ready to meet these emergencies, we must now be developing a character that only comes as we are growing daily in a knowledge and practice of the truth. Last month in this editorial we considered a number of statements from the Spirit of Prophecy which indicated that we do not have a moment to lose in this character development. This month we will continue to study the preparation that is so necessary for each of us to obtain.

“We are nearing the close of this earth’s history, and we need to place ourselves in right relation to our dear Saviour, who gave His life for us. We have not a moment to lose. We are fitting our characters for eternity, preparing for habitation in that city that Christ has gone to prepare for those who love Him….All who will form characters after the divine similitude will receive a welcome to that holy place.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, 266

“Christians will have new scenes and new trials to pass through, where their past experience cannot be a sufficient guide. We need to learn of the divine Teacher as much now as at any period or our lives, and even more. And the more experience we gain, the nearer we draw toward the pure light of heaven, the more shall we discern in ourselves that needs reforming….The path of the just is a progressive one, from strength to strength, from grace to grace, and from glory to glory. The divine illumination will increase more and more, corresponding with our onward movements, qualifying us to meet the responsibilities and emergencies before us.” God’s Amazing Grace, 311

If we are to be ready for these emergencies, which we must soon meet, we must be continually growing in our knowledge and practice of the truth. What we know today will not be sufficient for tomorrow. If we are daily drawing nearer to Jesus, submitting our will to Him, He will, by His providences lead us through just the experiences we need to prepare us for what we will soon have to face. This is not, however, an experience that can be gained in a moment, but is something we must grow into.

“If we would become like Christ and receive His fashion of character, we must in little things train the soul to daily progressive sanctification. We have no time to lose.” In Heavenly Places, 66

“In our knowledge of truth, there is first a beginning in our understanding of it, then a progression, then completion; first the blade, then the ear, and after that the full corn in the ear. Much has been lost because our ministers and people have concluded that we have had all the truth essential for us as a people; but such a conclusion is erroneous and in harmony with the deceptions of Satan; for truth will be constantly unfolding.” Signs of the Times, May 26, 1890

If we do not progress in our knowledge of the truth, we will be left behind. See Testimonies, vol. 5, 80, 81. New truth, however, will never contradict old truth but will be an unfolding of it. An example of advancing truth and how knowledge of the truth unfolds may be seen in our present understanding of the parable of the wheat and the tares. Years ago Adventists correctly believed and taught from the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy that the wheat and tares would grow together until the harvest which was the end of the world (see Christ’s Object Lessons, 75). You will find this in essentially all Adventist literature on this subject published years ago.

During that time we did not countenance open sin in our churches. Today there have been many changes. Things are now tolerated that would never have been sanctioned a short time ago. Today there are those who are sanctioned who teach that you can be a Christian while still sinning. These are not the tares Jesus was talking about in the parable—they are part of the synagogue of Satan and should be disfellowshipped.

With this change in standards, has come a distortion of understanding regarding the wheat and the tares. While historic Seventh-day Adventists have never believed that the tares were open sinners (see Christ’s Object Lessons, 71)the distortion that open sinners are the tares and must be tolerated in the church until the Second Coming (or until the National Sunday Law weeds them out) has developed. This opens the way to many dangerous theories. The Lord is willing, next month we will look more closely at the progression of understanding on the wheat and the tares.