Editorial

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.

Editorial – The Judgment

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The judgment is referred to several hundred times in the Bible. God does not inspire His prophets and apostles to emphasize things that are unimportant. The emphasis given to the judgment in the Bible shows us that this is a subject that we should all become familiar with and understand. The judgment is far more important than whether or not you should die, because for the Christian, death is simply a temporary separation. However, the judgment will either unite or separate people for eternity.

Following are five facts about the judgment:

  1. God’s judgment of mankind includes every single person who has lived on this earth. II Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10; Jude 15. For some people, it will be as though they had not been. Obadiah 16.
  2. The first phase of any judgment is an investigation. If the person being judged is acquitted, that is the end of the judgment, but if he is convicted, two more phases of judgment follow—the sentencing and finally the execution of the sentence when the convicted person must pay the penalty imposed by the sentence.

In God’s judgment, there is first an investigation. The Bible speaks repeatedly about this, often in symbolic language. For example, in Zephaniah 1:12, the prophet makes note of a search. (A search is an investigation.) Notice also that this search or investigation of God’s professed people comes when the day of the Lord is at hand (Zephaniah 1:7).

A court battle with Satan as the prosecuting attorney and Jesus Christ as the advocate of God’s people is described in Zechariah 3. In this judgment scene the salvation of God’s professed people is dependent on their walking in God’s ways—keeping His commandments (verse 7) and having their iniquity removed.

  1. No judgment can take place without a standard for making a decision of guilt or innocence. The standard for God’s judgment is the law of God, the Ten Commandments. James 2:10–12; Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14.
  2. Every action and word and thought and feeling of every person who has ever lived is reviewed in the judgment. See Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14; Matthew 12:36, 37; Isaiah 66:18; Psalm 139; I Corinthians 4:5.
  3. If you are to be acquitted in God’s judgment, your name must be entered and remain in the Book of Life. Revelation 20:15; Revelation 13:8; Luke 10:17, 18; Revelation 3:5; Daniel 12:1, 2; Philippians 4:3; The book of life contains the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. Great Controversy, 480. Exodus 32:33; Ezekiel 18:24; Acts 3:19–21; Matthew 10:32, 33.

If you are a professed Christian, your name has been registered in the book. How does your page in that book look today?

Editorial – Unite or Separate

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God does not inspire His prophets and apostles to emphasize things that are unimportant. The emphasis given to the judgment, mentioned several hundred times in the Bible, shows us that this is a subject that we should all become familiar with and understand. The judgment is far more important than whether you should die or not because, for the Christian, death is simply a temporary separation. The judgment, however, will either unite or separate people for eternity.

Below are five facts about the judgment:

  1. God’s judgment of mankind includes every single person who has lived on this earth. 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10; Jude 15. Some people will be “as though they had never been.” Obadiah 16.
  2. The first phase of any judgment is an investigation or court hearing. (If the person being judged is acquitted, that is the end of the judgment; but if he is convicted then there follow two more phases of judgment—the sentencing phase and finally the execution of the sentence when the convicted person must pay the imposed penalty.) In God’s judgment there is first an investigation. The Bible speaks about this repeatedly, and often in symbolic language. For example in Zephaniah 1:12, the Lord states through His prophet that He “will search Jerusalem with lamps.” Note that a search is an investigation. Notice also that this search comes when the day of the Lord is at hand (Zephaniah 1:7). A court battle with Satan as the prosecuting attorney and Jesus Christ as the advocate of God’s people is described in Zechariah 3. In this judgment scene the salvation of God’s professed people is dependent on their walking in God’s ways—keeping His commandments (verse 7) and having their iniquity removed. Although the people being judged are God’s people on earth, this judgment occurs in heaven (see Daniel 7:9–14). This judgment begins while the gospel is being preached and before the third angel’s message is proclaimed (see Revelation 14:6–12).
  3. No judgment can take place without a standard for making a decision for acquittal or conviction. The standard for God’s judgment is the law of God, the Ten Commandments. James 2:10–12; Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14.
  4. Every action and word and thought and feeling of every person who has ever lived is reviewed in the judgment. See Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14; Matthew 12:36, 37; Isaiah 66:18; Psalm 139; I Corinthians 4:5.
  5. If you are to be acquitted in God’s judgment, your name must be entered and remain in the Book of Life. Revelation 20:15; Revelation 13:8; Luke 10:17, 18; Revelation 3:5; Daniel 12:1, 2; Philippians 4:3; The book of life contains the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. The Great Controversy, 480. Exodus 32:33; Ezekiel 18:24; Acts 3:19–21; Matthew 10:32, 33.

If you are a professed Christian, your name has been registered in the book. How does your page in that book look today?

Editorial – Purity

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“For three hundred years Enoch had been seeking purity of soul, that he might be in harmony with Heaven.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 87.
Only the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8).

“A great price has been paid for the redemption of man, and none who are untruthful, impure, or unrighteous can enter the kingdom of heaven. If men do not make Christ their personal Saviour, and become true and pure and holy, there is only one course for the Lord to pursue. He must destroy the sinner, for evil natures cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Thus it is that sin, if not destroyed, will destroy the sinner, just as Satan designed it should.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, 273.

The people who are finally saved at last will be people who have been seeking for purity as Enoch did. Here is an abbreviated prophetic description of their final struggle.

“The tempter stands by to accuse them, as he stood by to resist Joshua. He points to their filthy garments, their defective characters. He presents their weakness and folly, their sins of ingratitude, their unlikeness to Christ, which has dishonored their Redeemer. He endeavors to affright the soul with the thought that their case is hopeless, that the stain of their defilement will never be washed away. He hopes to so destroy their faith that they will yield to his temptations, turn from their allegiance to God, and receive the mark of the beast. …

“ ‘Are these,’ he says, ‘the people who are to take my place in heaven and the place of the angels who united with me? … Behold their selfishness, their malice, their hatred toward one another.’…

“The assaults of Satan are strong, his delusions are terrible; but the Lord’s eye is upon His people. Their affliction is great, the flames of the furnace seem about to consume them; but Jesus will bring them forth as gold tried in the fire. Their earthliness must be removed that the image of Christ may be perfectly reflected; unbelief must be overcome; faith, hope, and patience are to be developed.

“The people of God are sighing and crying for the abominations done in the land. … With unutterable sorrow they humble themselves before the Lord on account of their own transgressions. …

“The people of God afflict their souls before Him, pleading for purity of heart.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 473–475.

Will you be one of these people?

Editorial – Students of Prophecy

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“As a people, we should be earnest students of prophecy; we should not rest until we become intelligent in regard to the subject of the sanctuary, which is brought out in the visions of Daniel and John. This subject sheds great light on our present position and work, and gives us unmistakable proof that God has led us in our past experience. It explains our disappointment in 1844, showing us that the sanctuary to be cleansed was not the earth, as we had supposed, but that Christ then entered into the most holy apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and is there performing the closing work of his priestly office, in fulfillment of the words of the angel to the prophet Daniel, ‘Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed’ (Daniel 8:14).” The Review and Herald, November 27, 1883.

“In history and prophecy the word of God portrays the long continued conflict between truth and error. That conflict is yet in progress. Those things which have been will be repeated. Old controversies will be revived, and new theories will be continually arising.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 47.

Often we concentrate our attention on trying to understand from prophecy the meaning of events taking place in our world and that is all right to do. However, it is even more important to understand what is happening in heaven.

Concerning what is happening on earth, “we are to consider the dealings of God with the nations of the earth. We are to see in history the fulfillment of prophecy, to study the workings of Providence in the great reformatory movements, and to understand the progress of events in the marshaling of the nations for the final conflict of the great controversy.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 379, 380.

“Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort, they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. …

“When this work shall have been accomplished, the followers of Christ will be ready for his appearing.” The Southern Watchman, January 24, 1905.

“The present activity of Satan in working upon hearts, and upon churches and nations, should startle every student of prophecy. The end is near.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 537.

Editorial – Reign of Peace

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Much can be learned by the sincere seeker for truth by studying the apparent contradictions in the Bible. Here is one such “apparent contradiction.”

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government will be upon His shoulder: and His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

This is a prophecy of the Messiah, but when the Messiah came He said, “Do not think I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).

The universal reign of peace spoken of by Isaiah does not occur until after the second coming of Christ and this is one of the many reasons Christians look forward to His soon appearing in the clouds of heaven. That is why the angels sang at His birth, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14).

Even though this universal external and internal peace will only be enjoyed after the second coming of Christ, nobody can experience this who has not first received inner peace. When Jesus left to His disciples a legacy of peace (John 14:27), this was an internal rather than an external peace because He said that they would not have peace on the outside in this world (John 16:33). This internal peace cannot be bought or sold or acquired by man’s intellect. It can be acquired only through Christ.

The first step in obtaining peace in your heart is to learn the lesson of penitence at the foot of the cross, because it is sin that has destroyed our peace. It is only as we surrender to the Lordship, the sovereignty, of Jesus, surrendering our will to His will, that we can receive forgiveness through the blood of the atonement that Jesus has made for us on the cross of Calvary. The gospel is a message of peace because only Jesus can bring to you peace on the inside.

When a person surrenders himself to Jesus, the Holy Spirit begins to take possession of the heart and the life begins to be transformed. Sinful thoughts are put away and sinful actions are renounced and the anger, strife, and envy that are so much a part of human existence are exchanged for love, humility and peace.

There is no peace for the wicked (Isaiah 57:21) but holiness of mind brings peace. Doing God’s will in dependence on divine power brings the peace of Christ into the heart. As we enter into communion with Christ we enter the region of perfect peace.