Salvation

Good News for Pharisees and Sadducees

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Have you ever played the game called follow-the-leader? Boys and girls have played it for years. I can remember leading the other children in the neighborhood through the swimming pool with their clothes on, through the mud, off the highest steps of the porch, and in, through, or off any other ridiculous place I could think of. They came right along behind, because we were playing follow-the-leader.

Even though follow-the-leader is considered a childhood game, most of us continue to play it in one way or another. The entire advertising industry is built on this tendency of human beings to follow the leader, to do what they see someone else, some leader, doing.

Sheep are notorious for following the leader. At a slaughterhouse in New York City, New York, a goat was trained to jump into the chute as soon as the gate opened. The sheep always followed. Just before the slaughtering section, there was a little side door. When the goat reached that point, he jumped out, the side door slammed shut behind him, and the sheep kept going to their death. The goat went back for another group of followers. The people at the slaughterhouse had come up with an appropriate name for the goat—Judas! The game of follow-the-leader repeatedly ended up tragically, at least for the sheep.

Following Religious Leaders

At the time of Christ, people followed religious leaders. There were two main groups, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The leaders were off course, and the people followed. Both leaders and people went astray. Jesus told a parable about this follow-the-leader syndrome, perhaps one of the shortest parables He ever told. It is found in Luke 6:39, 40. “He also told them this parable: ‘Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.’ ” Perhaps we could paraphrase it this way: “The followers will invariably be like their leaders, and rarely will a follower rise above his leader.”

We could mention one name—Hitler—to give a classic example of the danger of people blindly following the leading of other people. And the German people are no more gullible than the rest of us. All of us are prone to follow leaders. Sometimes the most self-centered leader is the one who attracts the most self-centered followers.

The tragedy in the days of Christ was that a whole nation perished because they went blindly following their religious leaders instead of studying Scripture for themselves. The great danger we face as a church today is that we will depend upon other people. This is one of the primary reasons for disunity. We are not in the habit of studying Scripture for ourselves. Many study a lot of the teachings of various leaders, but not so many study the Scripture for themselves.

I would like to assure you that this is not an attack on organized church leadership. People often choose for leaders those who have no official leading position in an organized church structure. This is rather a warning against following anyone, regardless of his occupation. We are to be followers of Christ. No leader is to be followed blindly, even though most people who do so would not admit to blindness. The proper function of a leader is to help people to see for themselves.

We need leaders. God believes in leadership. According to Scripture, even heaven has its system of leadership. But the function of the leader is to lead the people to know Jesus for themselves. The purpose of leadership is not to hand truth to people for them to accept without any further investigation. There is an old adage that says, “You can give a man a fish, and you will feed him for a day. You can teach a man to fish, and you will feed him for a lifetime.”

Paul was a mighty leader in the early church. He was not blind, and he taught the truth he received from God. But the Bereans checked it out for themselves. They had the perfect combination. Their lesson to us is this: If we are in the habit of checking truth for ourselves, we will not be misled.

Who They Were

The Pharisees and Sadducees at the time of Christ were only representatives of the entire nation. The people who followed the Sadducees became like their leaders. The people who followed the Pharisees became pharisaical. We are not just having a history lesson when we look at these religious leaders from the time of Christ. Their characteristics are still present in the church today, both in leaders and followers, for those on every level of the church who are spiritually blind.

In terms of behavior, the Pharisees were the conservatives and the Sadducees were the liberals. The Pharisees observed many more rites and ceremonies and traditions than did the Sadducees. But both groups were legalists, because both had their attention on their performance instead of upon God.

The Pharisees were traditionalists, according to Mark 7 and Matthew 15, and were very loyal in their support of that which had been handed down from the fathers. The Sadducees were the intellectuals who loved to discuss hard questions, such as the status of marriage in heaven. The Pharisees were perfectionists. The Sadducees were imperfectionists.

The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection from the dead, physically or spiritually. They did not believe in the power of God worked out in the life. They did not accept the judgment and believed that only the first five books of the Scriptures were inspired. Among the Sadducees were some of Jesus’ worst enemies.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were violently opposed to each other. The Jewish nation at the time of Christ had much theological discord. The people lined up behind the leaders, some following Pharisees, some following Sadducees.

Neither the Pharisees nor Sadducees were converted to the teachings of Jesus. Neither group could offer a realistic hope of salvation to the weak person. Neither group had time for the harlots and thieves and publicans. Both groups misinterpreted Scripture, misinterpreted the law, misinterpreted prophecy, and misinterpreted the kingdom of heaven that Jesus taught. The principle that man can save himself by his own righteousness was the principle of both groups, even though they had a great theory of justification, and the blood of the lambs flowed freely at their sacrificial services.

Jesus called both groups hypocrites because of their external religion. The essence of Jesus’ teaching, which was self-surrender, found no acceptance in their thinking or experience. Neither group had experienced the supernatural work of the Spirit upon the heart. They had never experienced the new capacity for knowing God, which is not even present in the unconverted heart. That is why there was so little meaningful Scripture study, so little truly private prayer, so little relationship with God. The capacity was not even there. While these hypocrites were meticulous Sabbath keepers and tithe payers and health reformers, there was so little on the inside that responded to the truths of God’s Word, that they ended up tying the Scriptures to their wrists and foreheads in an attempt to substitute for what they lacked on the inside. There was no room for God’s Word in their hearts. Self was the center of their focus. Nobody is more selfish than a Pharisee. And the new birth, which would have brought about the death of the Pharisee, because it changes the heart, was threatening to those who were interested only in changing the outside.

Reasons They Disliked Jesus

The religious leaders did not like Jesus because He received sinners, the open sinners whom they despised.

They did not like Jesus because He was more interested in the true meaning of the Sabbath than in the external regulations they had invented.

They did not like Jesus because He did not observe their traditions, fasts, washings, and ceremonies.

They did not like Jesus because He was not impressed with their external goodness.

They did not like Jesus because of His teaching of self-surrender, the very thing they feared more than anything else.

They did not like Jesus because He did not live up to their expectations as the Messiah.

They did not like Jesus because He did not treat them with the respect they craved.

And, most of all, they did not like Jesus because of the condemnation they felt in His presence.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were victims of salvation by works, and, in spite of the meticulous appearance they tried to maintain before the crowds, they all had their hidden problems. This made them uneasy in the presence of Jesus, whose purity was a rebuke to their sins. They did not like Jesus because they did not want to give up on the idea of saving themselves.

Another reason why they did not like Jesus was the manner of His coming. They had expected that the religious leaders would be the first to herald the coming of the Messiah. To be passed by, to be informed of His birth by ignorant shepherds and heathens from another country was more than their pride could take. They refused to accept that God could be trying to communicate to them through these channels. Once they had made their position public, they were too proud to retract it and continued to the end to deny the testimony of their own senses.

Their motivation for being religious was an attempt to gain the temporal blessings that came as a result of moral living. They liked to see the grasshoppers stopped at the fence line when they had paid their tithe. They liked the respect of the people. And although they were at swords’ points with one another, they finally united in the end at the crucifixion of Jesus. Both groups were legalists; both groups were against Jesus, and both groups were wrong.

It is true that they had a limited acceptance of Jesus. They did not reject Him altogether, in spite of the fact that they did not like Him. They believed Him to be a prophet. They accepted Him as a miracle-worker and healer. They accepted Him as a great teacher. But they did not accept Jesus as Saviour, Lord, and God. Lordship is where they drew the line. And their limited acceptance led to total rejection in the end. The people, who were following blindly along, also ended up rejecting Jesus, in spite of the tremendous evidence that He was exactly whom He claimed to be. The people were sometimes astonished at the lack of acceptance Jesus found with their leaders, but they continued in the end to follow the leaders they had chosen.

Could it be possible to be in the camp of the Pharisees or Sadducees today? Is it still possible to be a conservative legalist, who hopes to get into heaven by his own works? Is it possible to be a great defender of the traditions that have been handed down from the fathers and still to miss recognizing and accepting the living Christ? Or is it possible to be a Sadducee today, who finds his security in a liberal standard of conduct, who does not believe in the resurrection from being spiritually dead, and who does not accept that God has power for him to overcome sin? Is it possible today to join those who discard their belief in the judgment and who are selective as to which of the inspired writings they will accept? Is it possible to hold a theory of righteousness by faith in Jesus when it comes to justification, but to reject the righteousness by faith that is worked out in the life, in favor of trying hard in your own strength?

Whether you find yourself a Pharisee or Sadducee today, the picture looks pretty black. It looks like bad news right down the line. But there is good news for the Pharisees and Sadducees of today, just as there was good news for the Pharisees and Sadducees in the days of Jesus.

Jesus Loves Pharisees Too!

The good news for Pharisees and Sadducees is that they are loved by Jesus just as much as every other sinner in this world is loved. “While Jesus ministered to all who came to Him, He yearned to bless those who came not. While He drew the publicans, the heathen, and the Samaritans, He longed to reach the priests and teachers who were shut in by prejudice and tradition. He left untried no means by which they might be reached.” The Desire of Ages, 265. Christ is able to save Pharisees and Sadducees and all of the people who have been followers of these leaders and have partaken of their spirit. Jesus is still seeking to bring each one to know Him personally, to come to Him personally, and to accept personally His gift of salvation.

What is the good news for the Pharisees? The good news is that being a Pharisee is not the unpardonable sin. The disease of hypocrisy is not incurable. Jesus has the power available to change even the Pharisee and Sadducee so that they are righteous inwardly as well as outwardly. You can join the exceptions to the rule. You might join one of the leading Pharisees who came for a nighttime visit with Jesus to discuss the subject of religion, but who went away to experience the new birth of which Jesus told him in their interview. He found the vital relationship with God and gave of his riches to support the early church after the crucifixion of Jesus.

You might join a man named Simon, who held a feast to pay Jesus back for healing him of his leprosy. But he ended up accepting Jesus at his own feast and became a follower of Jesus.

You can join the friendly scribe who came to Jesus for the purpose of trapping Him and humiliating Him before the people, but who saw in Jesus’ words a wisdom beyond his own. And Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark 12:34.

At the end of Jesus’ ministry here on earth, when the Pharisees and Sadducees had finally united in their enmity against Him, the Sanhedrin was gathered together to determine how to rid themselves of this Jesus. After the discussions had continued for some time, Caiaphas rose to his feet. With a sneer on his face, he said to the leaders who were assembled there, “ ‘You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.’ He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.” John 11:49–52.

That is the good news for Pharisees in one sentence: It is better for you that one man die for the people. Listen, friendly scribe who comes to ply Jesus with questions, It is better for you that one Man die for the people. Listen, Nicodemus, who comes under cover of darkness, It is better for you that one Man die for the people. Listen, Simon, the leper, It is better for you that one Man die for the people.

Listen, Pharisee and Sadducee, wherever you are today. You can give up on the double life, give up your external performance covering your inner emptiness, and come to Jesus for the free gift of salvation. It is expedient for you, it is good news for you, that one Man should die for the people.

And one Man did die. Ever since that time, it has been good news. If you are playing follow-the-leader, you will miss the good news. But you can be an exception and follow Jesus today.

Domingo Nunez is Director of Outreach Ministry for Steps to Life. He may be contacted by telephone at: 316-788-5559, or by e-mail at: domingonunez@stepstolife.org.

How to Get Your Name in the Book, Part I

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The parable of the ten virgins, as read in Matthew 25:1–13, is one of the stories Jesus told that shows us very clearly that not everybody who thinks they are going to be saved will actually be saved. That should cause solemn contemplation for all of us. You see, all of the virgins, at the beginning of the evening, thought they were going to the wedding supper, but they did not all get there.

It is a common belief among many churches that we are all going to the same place, but the Bible teaches differently. We need to face up to the fact that there really is a heaven to win and there is also a hell to shun. Read Revelation 20:15: “And if anyone was not found having been written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.” Not everybody is going to the same place. This verse identifies one place. The other place is identified in Revelation 21:27: “There shall in no case enter into it [that is, the holy city] any thing that is defiled or the one doing an abomination or the person who lies, rather, those who have been written in the book of life of the Lamb.” An abomination is something that is abhorrent and, in this case, especially something that is abhorrent to God. God abhors everything that is impure, unclean, polluted, or unrighteous; three things are mentioned in this text.

So, Revelation 20:15 says that if you are not written in the book of life, you are going to be cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 21:27 says that nobody who has not been cleansed from his pollution or defilement will enter into the city; only those whose names are written in the book will enter.

Two Options

In this article, we will first study how to get your name in the book, and, second, what to do so that it does not get blotted out of the book. There will be many people who come up to the end, thinking that they are going to be saved.

“To the marriage supper of the Lamb will come many who have not on the wedding garment—the robe [Christ] purchased for them with His lifeblood. From lips that never make a mistake come the words, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?’ (Matthew 22:12). Those [thus] addressed are speechless. They know that words would be useless. The truth, with its sanctifying power, has not been brought into the soul, and the tongue that once spoke so readily of the truth is now silent. The words are then spoken, ‘Take them out of My presence. They are not worthy to taste of My supper’ (cf. Luke 14:24).” The Upward Look, 301.

Jesus described this for us in the Sermon on the Mount. This is a verse of Scripture read in almost every meeting of a Prophecy Seminar, because this is a verse that was written especially for those living in the last days. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heavens, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in the heavens. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? In Your name we have cast out demons, and in Your name we have performed many miracles.’ And then I will confess to them, ‘Never at any time have I known you.’ ” Matthew 7:21–23.

Can you imagine what a shock that would be? These are Christians! They have called Jesus “Lord.” They come up to the Day of Judgment and say, “Lord, we know that we are saved, because we have the Holy Spirit. We were prophesying in Your name. We were working miracles in Your name. We were casting out demons in Your name. We know that we are saved.” But He says, “No. I have never known you.”

Have you ever considered that many people will receive much light and power in the last days from the devil? You see, these people have the light and the power. They could work miracles. They could prophesy. They could cast out demons. But Jesus says to them, “Then I will confess to them, ‘Never at any time have I known you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.’ ” In other words, you who break My law, you are not a subject of My kingdom because you break My law.

Oh, if we could just grasp the full force of that, we could, in the Christian world, quit arguing about which day to go to church and a lot of other things. Some Protestant churches today are so mixed up that they cannot figure out whether or not they should hire homosexual pastors. We could quit arguing about all kinds of things that are going on in the Christian world today if we would just realize that Jesus said, “When I come again, if you have been breaking My law, you are going to be rejected.”

In Luke 13, we read about Jesus going through the various cities and villages teaching, making His way towards Jerusalem (verse 22), and then it says, in verses 23–28, “And a certain one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who will be saved?’ And He said to them, ‘Struggle to enter through the narrow gate, because I say to you, many will seek to enter in and will not be strong enough. From what time the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you began to stand outside and to knock on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us,” and, answering, He will say to you, “I do not know you, where you are from.” Then you will begin to say, “We ate before You, and we drank, and You taught in our streets.” And He will say to you, “I do not know you, where you are. Depart from Me, all those working iniquity.” There will be weeping and gnashing of the teeth, when you see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God.’ ”

All those outside the wedding banquet will be wondering at those that have on the wedding garment without spot and wrinkle. But they, all the people that said, “You cannot keep God’s Law,” are going to be outside. They are going to see the people that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, did keep His Law.

First Shall Be Last

“They shall come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. But, behold, they are last who shall be first, and the first shall be last.” Verses 29, 30.

This has always been a very scary passage of Scripture to me, because I had the great privilege of growing up in a Seventh-day Adventist home. But the Bible says, “The first shall be last.”

So, how do you know that you will not meet with disappointment? Oh, you have to have your name in the book. How do you get your name written in the book?

Missionary Spirit

Luke 10:17 is one of the few verses in the New Testament that has a textual variation, and the best scholars cannot figure out for sure which reading is right, but we will find out when the Lord comes. There are some manuscripts that say that Jesus sent out 70, and there are some manuscripts that say He sent out 72, but I have decided I do not need to be in that controversy. So, we read:

“They came back with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us through Your name.’ And He said to them, ‘I beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven. Behold I have given you authority to trample upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means injure you: [one of the most wonderful promises in the Bible] however, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names have been written in the heaven.’ ” Luke 10:17–20.

Jesus said, “Do not be glad because you can work miracles. What you really need to be glad about is that your name is written in heaven.” You see, what your eternal destiny is makes all the difference.

As I have gone through the Bible, this is just one of the passages that talks about those whose names are written in the book of life. Another such text is Philippians 4:3 where Paul wrote: “And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and [with] other my fellowlabourers, whose names [are] in the book of life.”

One of the important things that I have noticed is that the people written about in the Bible, whose names are written in heaven, are missionary workers. Do not ever forget that!

The Spirit of Christ is a missionary spirit. He left the throne of glory, laid aside His kingly robe, and laid down the scepter of absolute power. He laid aside His crown, and He came down to this world. Ellen White said, “Christ, at an infinite cost, by a painful process, mysterious to angels as well as to men, assumed humanity. Hiding His divinity, laying aside His glory, He was born a babe in Bethlehem.” The Upward Look, 90. It is a mystery that we will never fully comprehend, even in heaven!

In Luke 19:10, it says, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” The Spirit of Christ is the missionary spirit, and if we do not have the Spirit of Christ, we are none of His. (Romans 8:9.) We must never forget that.

If you have no burden on your soul for those that are lost, you had better start praying, because you do not have the Spirit of Christ. If you do not have the Spirit of Christ, you are not His; your name is not in the book. No one is written down in the books of heaven as a Christian who does not have a missionary spirit. (See Review and Herald, April 13, 1886.)

Confess Christ

How do we get our names written in the book? “Therefore whoever shall confess Me before men, I also will confess him before My Father who is in the heavens. But whoever will deny Me before men, I also will deny him before My Father who is in the heavens.” Matthew 10:32, 33.

If you want your name to be written down, Jesus said, “You need to confess Me before men.” If you are living in the United States, and have lived in the United States all of your life, perhaps the full significance of that statement does not reach your mind, because you are living in a land where there is religious liberty, to the present time.

Peter denied Christ when Jesus was at His trial. Have you ever tried to figure out what in the world drove him to do that? It was fear; he was afraid. Millions of people, even today, are not confessing Christ because of fear. Sometimes these fears are quite justified. We have church members who, because they have confessed Christ and chosen to be His disciples, have been divorced by their spouses. Sometimes confessing Christ costs something. There are people who have been driven away from home because they have confessed Christ.

Cost of Confession

In thousands of cities in the Roman Empire, for 300 years after the days of Christ, when those in charge decided they wanted to get rid of the Christians, they would set up a heathen altar in the center of the city, put a fire on it, and place some incense off at the side. They would then require everybody in town to march past the altar, pick up some incense, and throw it onto the fire. As the people did this, they were to exclaim, “The Caesar is the Lord.”

This was done deliberately because the leaders knew that a Christian could not and would not say that. When a Christian would come by the altar, he or she would say, “Christ is Lord.” Then the Christian would be separated from the others and martyred. We will learn one day how many people were martyred because they would not deny the name of Christ.

Several years ago while I was in England, I was taken to Cardiff, Wales, where the remains of a Roman garrison have been made into a museum. An amphitheater was even there. The amphitheater was where the Romans played. That was where they had their sports, and the Romans had some very cruel sports. The Romans enjoyed watching leopards, lions, and other ferocious animals kill and eat human beings. That was part of their entertainment. One of the signs at the amphitheater recorded that, in 309 a.d., two Roman soldiers who had become Christians were killed.

When Jesus said, “If you confess Me before men, I will confess you in heaven,” that cost something. It has cost millions of people their temporal lives.

Obedience Required

When you and I are willing to confess Jesus as our Lord and Saviour—that is what we do when we are baptized—then we are allowing Him to be the boss in our lives, and we are declaring that we will obey Him.

Jesus asked, in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and you do not do what I say?”

We must confess Jesus as our Lord and as our Saviour from sin. Unless we are willing to maintain that confession, even if it costs us our lives, we are not yet converted. The Lord might allow us, just as He has allowed a number of other people, to come to a situation where we have to choose between whether we are going to confess Jesus and die or deny Jesus and live.

This was the experience of Peter. He denied Jesus so that he could live, but later on, as recorded in Acts 3, 4, and 5, he confessed Jesus boldly. He was beaten, but he declared, “We are still going to preach; as long as we have breath, we are going to preach.” (See Acts 5:42.)

A Spiritual Religion

Read Romans 10:8–13: “But what does it say? ‘The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word which we preach) [quoting there from Deuteronomy]: Because if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and you believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart is belief unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Every one who believes on Him shall not be ashamed.’ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is rich unto all who call upon Him. For ‘every one who calls upon His name shall be saved.’ ”

I love the Christian religion because it is the most spiritual of all religions. You do not become a Christian simply by going through a ritual or a ceremony. You become a Christian when, with your heart, your spirit, and your mind, you confess and say, “I choose for Jesus Christ to be the Lord of my life. He has promised to be my Saviour from sin.”

“If you make that choice,” the Lord says, “if you choose Me as your Lord and as your Saviour from sin, I am going to save you someday at the end of the millennium.”

Wonderful Promise

One of the most wonderful promises in all of the Spirit of Prophecy is given at the end of The Great Controversy. Ellen White there tells what the devil is going to see. The devil is still fighting, but at the end, “He sees that his hellish plots have been powerless to destroy those who have put their trust in Jesus. As Satan looks upon his kingdom, the fruit of his toil, he sees only failure and ruin.” The Great Controversy, 669. He is going to see that all of his plots, all of his machinations, all of his temptations, all of his cruelties, all of his seductions, everything that he has put on the line to win the great controversy has been powerless to destroy one person who put his or her trust in Jesus.

If you have not already made the decision to surrender all to Him, I hope you make that decision today so that your name can be written in the book. If you have chosen Him as the Lord of your life and you trust Him to save you from the guilt and power of your sins, then your name is written in the book. Your name can be written in the book today, just like the thief on the cross. When confession is made, salvation is assured.

It is wonderful! I love to dwell upon this point; it is so wonderful because every single person could be saved. No one has to be one of the foolish virgins. Every single one of us could be saved.

Name Retained

After you make the decision to choose Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, there is something else you need to do.

Revelation 3:5 says, “Blessed is he who overcomes. He shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot his name out of the book of life.” This text implies that you could have your name blotted out of the book, but if you overcome, your name will not be blotted out. You will be given white raiment.

In Exodus 32:33, we read that the Lord told Moses, “The one who has sinned against Me is going to be blotted out of My book.” So, in addition to having your name written in the book of life, during the time of the judgment, your name must be retained in the book of life and not erased or blotted out. What can you do so that your name will be retained in the book of life and not blotted out?

Overcome

Revelation 3:5 gives the answer to that question. If your name is going to be retained in the book of life, you must be an overcomer, a conqueror. There are three things you must overcome: (1) You have to overcome what the Bible calls the world. (See 1 John 5.) (2) You have to overcome the devil. (See James 4.) (3) You have to overcome the flesh, the sinful nature. (See Romans 6, 8; Galatians 5.) You have to overcome those three things.

After hearing Adventist preachers preach about those things, and then seeing their congregations become discouraged, saying, “What am I going to do?” I decided that I would not tell people to overcome, unless we had done a study on how to do it. I believe we all see from the Bible that we have to overcome if we are going to have our names retained in the book of life, but the question is, How?

The Power

The power to overcome, of course, comes from the Lord. You and I do not have power to overcome on our own. Only the Lord has power to overcome, and we must receive this power from the Lord if we are going to overcome. The Lord has plenty of power, and this is a great comfort to me.

Ellen White wrote that Jesus has made ample provision: “For all the natural weaknesses Jesus has made ample provision, that they may be overcome through His grace.” Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, 91. [Emphasis added.]

“Christ was crucified to save the world. For his enemies, for a race in rebellion against God, our Saviour suffered the most excruciating agonies that human flesh could endure. He has made ample provision for sinners, that they need not perish. In the light of his death-agony on the cross, we may know that whosoever will truly repent and receive him as a personal Saviour will receive everlasting life.” Review and Herald, September 24, 1908. [Emphasis added .]

Do you know what the English word ample means? It means, “plenty.” It is not a situation where there is not quite enough; there is plenty. Jesus has ample power to save the person that is the most degraded, to save the person that is the most defiled, to save the person that is in the bottom of the pit of sin. Jesus has plenty of power.

Why, since He has plenty of power, is not everyone an overcomer? If there is plenty of power, why were there foolish virgins? Because the entire plan of salvation is a cooperative process. God is the only One that can make it happen, but God will not make it happen unless you and I cooperate.

To be continued . . .

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

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

Imputed and Imparted

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The two words, imputed and imparted, are seldom used these days, yet they are so meaningful in God’s plan of salvation. The Lord has impressed me to devote this presentation to an understanding of imputed and imparted righteousness so we may be ready to meet Jesus when He comes.

As we read the following statement by Ellen White from the Review and Herald, June 4, 1895, we can see that there is a vast difference between imputed and imparted righteousness. “The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven; the second is our fitness for heaven.”

In Ephesians 5:27, God describes His church:

“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

I am sure that each of us has at some time visited a home where the carpets were spotless and had just been vacuumed. The walls had recently been painted, and there were no dirty dishes in the sink. How beautiful the windows were as well; they were so clean that they just sparkled in the sunlight. In the bedroom, the bedspread was without a wrinkle. In fact, the entire house was so clean and inviting that you would have liked to live there.

In this text, God is not describing the carpets or the windows or the furnishings, for we are the church He is describing. As individuals God has a final objective for each of His people. He wants every member to become holy and without blemish. When this objective is realized, His church will become glorious, without spot or wrinkle. Praise God! This will be accomplished, for we read, in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification.”

Sanctification

Before we study imputed and imparted righteousness, let us study the process of sanctification, for sanctification is the means that God will use to accomplish His glorious purpose for His church. God’s sanctification process brings holiness within us, and holiness is righteousness. Let me be a little more specific. A righteous person is an individual who has experienced the giving of himself wholly and without reserve both in mind and body to God so that through the power of the Holy Spirit God is able to transform the character to become spotless in Christ Jesus.

Allow me to use a Bible illustration to make this process so simple that even the children can understand. Let us take the example of John, a disciple of Christ. Usually we think of him as a most loving disciple; and artists always seem to picture John as leaning on the bosom of the Saviour, looking up into the face of Jesus with tenderness, love, and compassion. But I have news for you! This was not the nature of John’s character when Jesus called him to be a disciple. The Spirit of Prophecy describes John as having a violent spirit. (See The Acts of the Apostles, 557.)

You and I are acquainted with violence. We lock our car doors and make sure the windows are up when we travel through some of our large cities. One never knows when some thug will try to open your car door when you stop at a traffic light and thrust a gun in your face.

Contrasts

John had a violent spirit, which Jesus was able to change. The Saviour daily warned, cautioned, and reproved John. How did John react to such reproof? He discovered his deficiencies, and he humbled himself. John resisted his evil tendencies and used every possible energy to overcome. Slowly, but surely, John made progress. He yielded his resentful, ambitious temper to the molding power of Christ.

Are you struggling with an evil temper? Do not give up! God can give you the victory just as John obtained a loving character. The secret key to John’s change of character is found in the fact that he desired to be like Jesus. He wanted the love of Christ to completely transform him. Thus God was able to do a work of sanctification within him, and the results were amazing.

This “Son of Thunder,” as the Bible describes him in Mark 3:17, was someone to fear. Before he met Jesus, he was the kind of a fellow about whom, if you saw him coming down the street toward you, your first inclination would be to step into a store or turn down a side street to avoid meeting him, for you never knew what he might do.

John permitted Christ to completely change his life. Later in life God was able to give him a divine revelation in which he beheld the ascended Redeemer in heaven. Christ was able to give him a mighty revelation of end-time events, revealing to him the final destruction of Satan’s kingdom. It was the sanctifying power of God that changed John from a violent sinner to a loving saint.

In contrast, let us examine the life of another disciple, Judas. This fellow attained only a form of godliness in his daily walk with Jesus. Judas likewise observed the same patience, meekness, and tenderness expressed by Jesus; but Judas would not humble himself. Instead of desiring a change in his life, he resisted the divine love. He refused to acknowledge his failures.

John and Judas represent the two classes of individuals that are found in God’s church today. Both classes profess to believe.

While John warred earnestly against his faults, Judas daily violated his conscience. He chose to yield to temptation rather than yield his will to Christ. In doing so, he refused the wisdom of heaven. Judas chose to walk in darkness. Secretly he cherished evil desires, even covetousness, filling his mind with sullen thoughts. Worst of all, he harbored doubt as to whether Christ was the Son of God.

Doubt

Will you permit me to pause here and briefly address doubt? Some years ago, when I was the youth director of the Southern Union Conference (Decatur, Georgia), I often met a young man by the name of Walter Rae. He was a young minister who attended workers’ meetings where I spoke. I discovered that between meetings he liked to gather a group of the young ministers around him and tell them of his latest discoveries in the writings of Ellen White in which she had used the same words as some other author, thus creating doubt about her inspired writings.

I took this young man aside and told him that if he continued to cast doubts upon her writings that some day he would lose confidence and become an enemy of God’s truth. How well I remember his answer: “Why, Elder Nelson, I believe Ellen White’s writings. She was a prophet of God. I would never, never turn against her writings.”

But I firmly insisted, “If you continue to dwell upon doubt, mark my words, you will someday become an enemy of God’s mouthpiece.” After years of such doubt, he finally wrote the book, The White Lie (M&R Publications, Turlock, California, 1982), denying the validity of the ministry and the writings of Ellen White.

I plead with you; you cannot harbor doubt and remain committed to God. So it was with Judas. He continued to doubt Christ’s claim to be the Son of God, and Satan finally gained a full control of Judas—even while he was a professed believer and one of His disciples.

Equal Opportunities

I hope my comparison of these two disciples has alarmed you, for both had the same opportunity to study the divine pattern. Both were daily associated with Christ. Both listened to Christ’s teachings. Both possessed serious defects in their characters. Both had the same access to divine power. But mark the difference. John surrendered his life to become more and more like Jesus. He became a doer of the Word. John became sanctified through his faith in Christ while, on the other hand, Judas resisted the transforming power of grace and was finally brought into the bondage of Satan while still professing to be a disciple of Christ.

Forgive me, but I must ask you this question, Are you a John or a Judas? I know you have been attracted to Jesus or you would not be reading this magazine. You have become a professed believer in Him, so you are actually a disciple of Christ. But I must ask you again, Are you a John or a Judas? Oh, how I trust that you are a John in your daily life, that you are permitting Christ’s righteousness to daily sanctify you by His transforming grace.

Abiding in His Love

When we want an example of what sanctification can accomplish, we look to John who, by experience, teaches in his Book of 1 John 3:3, “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” Such an experience is accomplished through submission to the will of God. This is why John said, in 1 John 2:6, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

We must never be satisfied with empty profession, for sanctification can be summarized in these words penned by Ellen White: “As God is holy in His sphere, so fallen man, through faith in Christ, is to be holy in his sphere.” The Acts of the Apostles, 559.

The secret of attaining such a goal in this life is to be continually abiding in the love of God. John learned this by experience. In 1 John 4:16 we read, “We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” Yes, it is that simple. When Christ abides in the heart, the life will reveal practical godliness. The character will become purified. Pure doctrine will blend with works of righteousness. Heavenly precepts will mingle with holy practice. This is what we call sanctification. It is a lifelong experience.

Lifelong Experience

“Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, a day, but of a lifetime. It is not gained by a happy flight of feeling, but is the result of constantly dying to sin, and constantly living for Christ. Wrongs cannot be righted nor reformations wrought in the character by feeble, intermittent efforts. It is only by long, persevering effort, sore discipline, and stern conflict, that we shall overcome. We know not one day how strong will be our conflict the next. So long as Satan reigns, we shall have self to subdue, besetting sins to overcome; so long as life shall last, there will be no stopping place, no point which we can reach and say, I have fully attained. Sanctification is the result of lifelong obedience. . . .

“So will it be with all who behold Christ. The nearer we come to Jesus, and the more clearly we discern the purity of His character, the more clearly shall we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the less shall we feel like exalting ourselves. There will be a continual reaching out of the soul after God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the heart before Him. At every advance step in our Christian experience our repentance will deepen. We shall know that our sufficiency is in Christ alone and shall make the apostle’s confession our own: ‘I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.’ ‘God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.’ Romans 7:18; Galatians 6:14.” Ibid., 560, 561.

Difference Between

This brings us to the core of our subject. In this salvation process, what is the difference between imputed and imparted righteousness? Inspiration answers this question with the clearest definition I have ever found. “The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven; the second is our fitness for heaven.” Review and Herald, June 4, 1895,

Let us define the meaning of these two words. Imputed means, “to instantly credit to one’s account.” Imparted means, “to give daily from one’s abundance to another.” Imputed takes place instantly; imparted takes place continually, even for a lifetime.

Now we are ready to closely examine the phrase “imputed righteousness.” This is the term used to explain what takes place when we ask God for forgiveness for past sins that we have confessed. Because He instantly justifies us by imputing Christ’s righteousness to our record of sins, therefore we can stand before God as though we have never sinned. Because of this, God gives us a title to heaven.

An Allegory

Permit me to illustrate further, for I want you to grasp what is actually involved by using this allegory of myself. Let us say that I am a young, married man with a wife and two small children to support, but I have a problem—I have lost my job. I am having difficulty finding another job. In the meantime, the house rent is in arrears, and my wife tells me there is no more food in the house. The cupboards are bare. The children are hungry.

Fortunately I have a small savings account, so I go to the bank to get some money with which to buy food and pay some of the pressing bills. I stand in line waiting my turn. Finally I approach the teller’s window with my withdrawal slip in my hand. I have signed my name on the slip, and I hand it to the teller, asking for $100. The lady at the teller window has a strange look on her face. In fact she looks troubled. Finally she says, “Mr. Nelson, I cannot give you the $100 because you have already overdrawn your account in this bank for $100. In fact, you owe the bank $100.”

“What!” I am stunned. I had no idea I was in that much financial trouble. Not only am I out of a job and I have many bills, such as the house rent, but now I owe the bank! Today my children are hungry. What am I going to do?

Behind me, in the same line, is a very godly man who knows me, for I have worked for him from time to time. God has greatly blessed this gentleman with much, and he has helped many in their time of need. Seeing my dilemma, he steps forward and speaks to the teller, saying, “Take a hundred dollars out of my account and credit it to this man’s account.” I can hardly believe my ears! Instantly I do not owe the bank a penny. My account is paid in full. This friend has imputed credit from his account to my account. In other words, he has given me something that is not my own, yet when credited to my account, it cancels my debt. I turn around with a big smile and a handshake. I thank this godly gentleman and walk out of the bank, but then I stop. It is almost too good to believe.

As I pause to grasp the situation and decide what to do to get some food for my family, this same kind, loving man comes up and puts his arm around my shoulder. With the other hand he places a hundred dollar bill in my hand and says, “Mr. Nelson, you are still in need. Your children are hungry. Go to the market and buy the needed food.” How can I show my gratitude and my thanks to this man?

In this allegory, we have discovered the meaning of imputed and imparted righteousness. This man tells me that I am in need of much more help. He tells me, “This is what I want you to do. Each morning, call me on the telephone and tell me how much you need for the day as long as you are in need of help.” Thus, my daily needs are met by this good man. He imparts to me each day just what I need to meet my necessities. I cooperate with him by calling him daily. Then I take care of my business needs such as shopping.

How God Provides

This is exactly how God provides for the sinner’s need. Not only does He instantly impute forgiveness for our sins of the past, while canceling our debts, but He covers these sins with Christ’s righteousness. This gives us title to heaven, yet we need something more. We need the imparted righteousness of Christ for a daily sanctification, for when the righteousness of Christ is applied to our hearts, it gives us power to daily overcome all temptations and sins. Furthermore, through this sanctification process, we become victorious Christians, for the Holy Spirit is able to daily fit us for heaven where we will never sin again.

Christ demonstrated in His daily life while He was on earth how this is to take place. “Christ’s humanity was united with divinity, and in this strength He would bear all the temptations that Satan could bring against Him, and yet keep His soul untainted by sin. And this power to overcome He would give to every son and daughter of Adam who would accept by faith the righteous attributes of His character. . . .

“He showed that the sinner, by repentance and the exercise of faith in the righteousness of Christ, can be reconciled to God, and become a partaker of the divine nature, overcoming the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 223, 224.

What a power this is that is available to all of us! Ellen White states also that, “Men may have a power to resist evil—a power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master; a power that will place them where they may overcome as Christ overcame. Divinity and humanity may be combined in them.” Ibid., 409.

Lesson of the Virgins

Let us recall the story of the ten virgins. The story of the ten virgins illustrates the experience of the church that shall live just before Christ’s Second Coming. (See Christ’s Object Lessons, 406.) This refers to you and to me.

Read Matthew 25:1–10: “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five [were] foolish. They that [were] foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”

Difference Between

Though not apparent at first, there is a vast difference between the wise group and the foolish group. “The foolish virgins do not represent those who are hypocritical. They had a regard for truth, they advocated the truth, they were intending to go forth to meet the bridegroom. They are attached to those who believe the truth, and go with them, having lamps, which represent a knowledge of the truth. When there was a revival in the church, their feelings were stirred; but they failed to have oil in their vessels, because they did not bring the principles of godliness into their daily life and character. They did not fall upon the rock Christ Jesus, and permit their old nature to be broken up. . . .

“Practical piety will not be attained by giving the grand truths of the Bible a place in the outer courts of the heart. The religion of the Bible must be brought into the large and the little affairs of life. It must furnish the powerful motives and principles that will regulate the Christian’s character and course of action.” Review and Herald, September 17, 1895.

In this same passage, the wise virgins are described as follows: “Those who earnestly search the Scriptures with much prayer, who rely upon God with firm faith, who obey his commandments, will be among those who are represented as wise virgins.” Ibid. The wise virgins keep God’s commandments through faith.

The foolish virgins were not truly born again; their old natures were not broken up. They had neither imputed nor imparted righteousness. They may have had periods in their lives when they were justified and were being sanctified, but this did not continue. “The foolish virgins have been content with a superficial work. They do not know God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 411. They had not the indwelling Holy Spirit to furnish the powerful motives and principles that would have influenced their actions and changed their characters. Alas, while they loved the truth, had good intentions, and even taught the truth, they did not follow the example that Jesus had demonstrated.

The Foolish

Now, let us consider the foolish virgins further down the stream of time. We will note that the difference between the two groups widens and becomes more apparent. During the “tarrying time,” the lamps of the foolish virgins grew dim and went out. If the lamps in the parable represent a knowledge of the truth, as stated by Ellen White, what then does this mean?

Ellen White tells us that the foolish virgins become agents of Satan to utter his falsehoods and transmit his darkness: “The enemy has men in our ranks through whom he works, that the light which God has permitted to shine upon the heart and illuminate the chambers of the mind may be darkened. There are persons who have received the precious light of the righteousness of Christ, but they do not act upon it; they are foolish virgins. They prefer the sophistry of the enemy rather than the plain ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ When the blessing of God rested upon them in order that they might become channels of light, they did not go forward from light to a greater light; they permitted doubt and unbelief to come in, so that the truth which they had seen, became an uncertainty to them.” Review and Herald, August 19, 1890.

“Those who hide their light will soon lose all power to let it shine. They are represented by the foolish virgins; and when the crisis comes, and the last call is made, ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him’ [Matthew 25:6], they will find that while they have been mingling with the world, their light has gone out. They did not continue to provide themselves with the oil of grace. The peace-and-safety cry hushed them to slumber, and made them careless in regard to their light.” Ibid., August 23, 1898. Though the foolish virgins had heard the precious message of the righteousness of faith, of justification and sanctification by faith, they had not acted upon it.

As we near the end of time, the foolish virgins in the church grow more and more careless as they mingle with the world and allow doubt and unbelief to ensnare them. Not until the crisis comes suddenly upon them will they realize that their lamps of truth have gone out, that the truth, which they once embraced, has become to them obscure and uncertain.

Instead of presenting truth to the world, they will have been proclaiming Satan’s errors—such as the New Theology and that which takes place in Celebration. Is not this the part of the parable of the ten virgins being fulfilled in our very midst this very day? “Testing times come to all. How do we conduct ourselves under the test and proving of God? Do our lamps go out? or do we still keep them burning?” Ibid., September 17, 1895.

The Wise

Consider the facts. The five wise virgins had extra oil for their lamps. When asked by the foolish virgins to give them some of their oil, they refused. Why? Because the oil of the Holy Spirit changes the character by its sanctifying process. Therefore, the wise virgins had been fitted for heaven and were ready for the bridegroom. “That oil is the righteousness of Christ. It represents character, and character is not transferable. No man can secure it for another. Each must obtain for himself a character purified from every stain of sin.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 234. Now you can understand why the wise virgins could not give of their oil.

A Personal Experience

Our fitness for heaven is obtained through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is a lifelong process in which Christ’s righteousness is imparted to our characters daily, just as the need arises. This is a personal experience and cannot be transferred. Husbands cannot go to heaven on their wives’ characters just as wives cannot go to heaven on their husbands’ characters. When children reach the age of accountability, they cannot go to heaven on their parents’ characters. We must each individually have a daily infusion of the imparted righteousness of Christ in an experience with Jesus.

I feel like shouting this far and wide and praising God, for He has provided for each of us complete salvation. It is found in imputed righteousness, which is instantly available when we ask for forgiveness of past confessed sins, and He will impart His righteousness for our daily needs when we ask in faith. Ellen White expressed it this way: “Christ bears the penalty of man’s past transgressions [this is imputed righteousness], and by imparting to man His righteousness, makes it possible for man to keep God’s holy law.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentaries, vol. 6, 1092.

What About You?

Beloved, are you a wise virgin? Are you aware of these precious gifts of righteousness? Are you daily pleading with God for His righteousness? Are you permitting the imparted righteousness to daily transform your character? Are you living each day in anticipation of the soon-coming Saviour, when you may go to heaven with Him where you will never sin? Are you preparing to live in the presence of the sinless, holy angels? Remember, this ultimate experience will take place for the wise virgins when the latter rain is poured out, for this will fit them for translation.

“Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness [the Holy Spirit], and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 187.

“The heavenly character must be acquired on earth, or it can never be acquired at all.” Maranatha, 46.

Pray that God will reveal any unconfessed sins to you that you may claim His imputed righteousness to cover such sins by being repentant and asking for forgiveness. Daily seek a fitness for heaven through His imparted righteousness that you may be among the wise virgins and become fitted to live without sinning.

For over 60 years Pastor Lawrence Nelson served as an evangelist and minister for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Of that time, he served 13 years as the director of evangelism for youth at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Upon retirement from the General Conference, he continued to pastor, but when, as a result of his stand for truth, he was denied the opportunity to continue his pastorate, he started Keep the Faith Audio Tape Ministry, recording his sermons and making them available to individuals. Before his retirement from this ministry in 2004, over 18,000 audio tapes were being sent around the world each month.

How to Get Your Name in the Book, Part II

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What must we do so that the power of God will be revealed in our lives, enabling us to be overcomers? There are a number of points I wish to give you. I will give you the texts, and you can study them on your own.

Walk in the Spirit

We must learn how to walk in the Spirit, not after the flesh. Study Romans 6, 7, and 8. We should study these three chapters together. We will never understand this subject unless we study all three of them together. Study also Galatians 5.

Ellen White wrote that, “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. 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.” The Desire of Ages, 671.

Since Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, the power of sin has been developing and working in the human race for centuries. Sin can be overcome only in the power of the Third Person of the Godhead. Who is the Third Person of the Godhead? It is the Holy Spirit. So we must learn how to walk in the Spirit.

Learn to Fight

We must fight! Now, this is unpopular today. A lot of people want an easy religion, where they just call on the name of the Lord then relax, and He does everything. This is not Bible religion. Study the first several verses of Hebrews 12. Study 1 Corinthians 9:24–27.

Unfortunately, the Bible translators use what is known as euphemisms to soften the message sometimes, because the biblical language is so strong. Most Bible translations have softened 1 Corinthians 9:24–27.

In this passage, Paul is talking about fighting with his own sinful nature. He says, “I fight, not like somebody that is beating the air,” and then he uses a very strong word. It is a word that is used when you beat somebody up and make him all black and blue with bruises. That is, literally, how this word is used in the Greek; somebody is taken and, in street language, is beaten to a pulp. Paul uses this word, and says, “This is what I do to my body, to my flesh, to my sinful nature; I am strict with it.”

Hebrews 12:4 says, “You have not yet resisted unto blood, fighting, striving, struggling against sin.”

Do not think that you will overcome and be saved if you are not making any effort. You have to be like Jacob and say, “Lord, only You can save me, but I am never going to quit trying.” (See Genesis 32:25, 26.)

Lay Aside Sin

In the first verses also of Hebrews 12, Paul says that we are to “lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets or entangles us.” Every person has one or more easily besetting or entangling sins.

We are not all the same. Everybody does not have exactly the same besetting sin, but everybody has at least one besetting sin with which to struggle and overcome. “If you cling to any besetting sin, you will find the gateway too narrow for you to enter. Your own ways, your own will, your wrong habits and unchristlike practises [sic], must be given up if you would keep the way of the Lord.” The Signs of the Times, June 22, 1904.

Paul says, “Lay aside every weight.” He is using a figure of speech from the runners’ world. The idea is that a runner straps the weights onto his legs and runs with them every day. But when it is actually time for a race, the weights are left off, and the runner feels like he is running on air.

Paul says, “Lay aside the weight. It is not practice time; you are in the race now; lay aside every easily entangling sin.” Oh, friend, for the sake of your own soul and salvation, please spend some time studying that phrase and praying about it. What is the easily entangling sin that you need to lay aside? If you are going to lay aside an easily entangling sin, allow me to give you a crude illustration so you will have something to start thinking through.

I have dealt with a number of people whose easily entangling sin is alcoholic beverages. Now, if that is a person’s easily entangling sin and if he wants to lay that aside, it would be very unwise for him to decide to go to witness to people in the bars and taverns. In fact, that person should try to stay away from any place where alcoholic beverages are being used.

My wife and I have attended many parties where alcoholic beverages were used. It did not bother me, because I have never drunk, and I am not tempted by alcohol. I can witness to people in a situation like that, and it is not troublesome for me. But if using alcohol is your besetting sin, you better not go to a party like that. You better do your witnessing somewhere else.

You see, whatever is your besetting sin, you need to do everything humanly possible to not put yourself in the way of temptation. If you put yourself in the way of temptation, that is presumption. Should you deliberately place yourself in such a position, the Lord will have to work a miracle to get you out of there undefiled.

Pray Without Ceasing

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul says, “Pray without ceasing.” Do you remember the time when the disciples were trying to cast a demon out of a boy, but they could not do it? Jesus said to them, “Oh, faithless generation. How long am I going to endure you? Bring him to me.” Mark 9:19. Then Jesus cast out the devil, and, afterwards, the disciples came to Him, asking: “Lord, why could we not cast him out?” Verse 28. Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief. Truly, truly I say to you, this kind does not go out except by prayer.” Verse 29.

If you have a besetting sin that you cannot overcome, you need to go to your closet, fast, and pray, “Lord, I am not going to quit struggling. I am not going to quit praying, until You give to me the victory over this.”

Memorize Promises

Memorize your Bible, especially the promises. Read Psalm 119:9, 11: “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!”

Music as a Weapon

Use Christian song—not “Christian” rock and roll or rap or hip hop—as a weapon when you are tempted. Paul says we should do this: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16. Use the words from Christian songs as a weapon against temptation.

Did you know that Jesus did this? Ellen White wrote:

“With a song, Jesus in His earthly life met temptation. Often when sharp, stinging words were spoken, often when the atmosphere about Him was heavy with gloom, with dissatisfaction, distrust, or oppressive fear, was heard His song of faith and holy cheer.” Education, 166.

Then, “Let praise and thanksgiving be expressed in song. When tempted, instead of giving utterance to our feelings, let us by faith lift up a song of thanksgiving to God. . . . Song is a weapon that we can always use against discouragement.” The Ministry of Healing, 254.

“If you sit in heavenly places with Christ, you cannot refrain from praising God. Begin to educate your tongues to praise him, and train your hearts to make melody to God; and when the evil one begins to settle his gloom about you, sing praise to God. When things go crossways at your homes, strike up a song about the matchless charms of the Son of God, and I tell you, when you touch this strain, Satan will leave you.” Review and Herald, August 5, 1890.

Follow Health Message

If you want to overcome, you must follow the health message that God has revealed in inspired writings. This is so important that I could write a whole article just on this point to show why, if you do not follow health reform, you will not be an overcomer. But, for now, consider the following:

“Let the young men and young women determine to love God supremely and to do His commandments. Under circumstances the most trying, let them remain faithful to duty—especially in their attitude toward the principles of health reform. Instead of being half-hearted reformers, let them make a whole hearted reformation, in all things practicing chastity and temperance. Let none begin to reform, and then stop. Resolve to overcome the wicked one.” Messages to Young People, 9, 10.

I wish I could find an English translation that translates 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17 correctly. The reason these translations do not translate it correctly is because of one word that can mean two things. This word can mean either “to defile something” or it can mean “to destroy something.” This passage gives a parallel statement, and since it is a parallel statement, whichever way it is translated should be the same both times. Translators almost never do this.

One translation can be: “. . . that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, and whoever defiles it, God will defile him.” Most people do not like the idea of God defiling somebody, so they do not translate it that way. The only other way to translate it yet keep it parallel, as it is written, is this: “Anyone who destroys his body, God will destroy him.” This, I believe, is the correct translation.

If you are not following the health message and you are deliberately doing something that is destroying your body, what does the text say that God is going to do to you? He is going to destroy you! If you want to be an overcomer, you must follow the health message.

Mrs. White also counsels that James 1:16–27 provides for us “God’s great remedy for the diseases of the body and soul. It is God’s health reform prescription. The whole chapter is a practical one. I advise all to follow the instruction; for if they take heed to it day by day, they will triumph at last with the overcomers.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 8, 1.

Weep Not

In Nehemiah 8:9, Ezra told the people of Israel not to weep. In the book carrying his name, it is recorded that, “Many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes.” Ezra 3:12. They were weeping because of their problems and because the second temple was not nearly as beautiful as the first. They were told, “Do not weep. Do not allow yourself to be sad, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10.

This is something it would be good to individually study further. If you want to be an overcomer, you need to study about being thankful and having the joy of the Lord.

Ellen White says, “A praise meeting should be held, a simple service of thanksgiving to God. There would be much more power in our camp meetings if we had a true sense of the goodness, mercy, and long-suffering of God, and if more praise flowed forth from our lips to the honor and glory of His name. We need to cultivate more fervor of soul. The Lord says: ‘Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me.’ Psalm 50:23.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 62.

“Well now, commence to praise God. And praise Him with heart and soul and voice. The devil does not want you [to], because you would be a living witness to them that you had drunk of the living waters, and he does not want you to praise God.” Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, 213. The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Avoid Temptation

Do not deliberately walk into temptation, or, if I could state it in even more simple language, do not look at or listen to sin.

“The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: ‘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 33:14–16. This passage is talking about the time when the sinners in Zion will be terrified because Jesus is coming. Verse 17 continues, “You are going to see the King in His beauty, and you are going to see the land that is very far off.”

Do you know what “the land that is very far off” is? It is that land that is over 600 light years away. Who are the people who will see this? Some of their characteristics are mentioned, and one of the characteristics given is that these people stop their ears; they do not allow their ears to hear evil. Neither do they allow their eyes to watch bloodshed. They will not look at it; they will not listen to it.

Our people are being destroyed spiritually because of what they are looking at on television and on videos, reading in magazines, and listening to musically. They are listening to sin. They are looking at sin. And then they wonder why they cannot overcome sin!

All Powerful

The Lord has plenty of power so that the weakest and the most sinful can overcome. The question is, are you and I going to cooperate? Pray and ask the Lord to help you to cooperate, for if you are going to be inside the city, your name must be written in that book. For that to happen, you must confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. If your name is not going to be blotted out of that book in the Day of Judgment, you must overcome, so you may be clothed with the change of garment.

You must realize your absolute dependence upon God, that you have no power of your own. You have no ability or strength to overcome the world, the devil, or the flesh except you look to Him and choose to cooperate with Him.

Pray that the power of the Third Person of the Godhead may be exercised in your life, that you might not only be born of the Spirit, but that you might walk in the Spirit, not fulfilling the lust of the flesh, not loving the world, and not falling for the temptations of the evil one that seem so enticing to the sinful human nature.

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

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

A Glimpse of Eternal Realities – The Kingdom of Glory

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“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”  John 14:1–3 KJV

All who are eagerly anticipating the soon return of their Redeemer have no doubt thought from time to time about what life is going to be like in heaven. Although we are told in 1 Corinthians 2:9 that “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him,” in His tender regard for His people, our Creator has given us a few hints of that eternal existence.

We know with a certainty, for example, that there will be no more pain, no sickness or death, and that God will wipe away all tears. We are promised that in Revelation 21:4. We know that there will be permanent dwellings for the faithful to live in that Jesus Himself has prepared. Jesus promised that in John 14:1–3.

Revelation 22:3 tells us that the two-fold curse cast upon the earth because of man’s sin will be removed. The earth was cursed when Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:17) and again when Cain slew Abel (Genesis 4:11, 12). Methuselah’s son, Lamech, Noah’s father, refers to the curse of the ground in Genesis 5:29 when he chose Noah’s name, “saying, ‘This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.’ ”   Imagine how bountiful our gardens will be in heaven when this two-fold curse is removed!

An even more amazing promise is given in Revelation 21:3: “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’  ”

All of these wonderful benefits will be preceded by the precious words of our Redeemer when He says, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34 KJV).

In addition to the Scriptural promises we are given, Seventh-day Adventists have been blessed with a more detailed glimpse of eternal realities through the writings of Ellen G. White, who—for the benefit of the faithful—has seen in vision and related in her writings the blissful realities of heaven of which Scripture only hints.

In remarking on the earth made new as seen in one of her many visions, Sister White notes: “The earth originally given to man as his kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the great plan of redemption. All that was lost by sin has been restored.” The Great Controversy, 674.

The amazing aspects of heaven that can be gleaned from the Spirit of Prophecy are provided in exquisite and enticing detail primarily in two places in the writings of Sister White: the final chapter of The Great Controversy, “The Controversy Ended,” pages 662–678, and the final chapter of Education, “The School of the Hereafter,” pages 301–309.

In addition to the detailed description of heaven given in these chapters, which we will review shortly, other gems are sprinkled here and there in the writings of God’s prophet to the remnant. One example, and a very precious one, is in Testimonies, vol. 8, 254, where it is written that Jesus will lead the redeemed beside the living stream flowing from the throne of God and will explain the “dark providences” through which on this earth He allowed us to experience “in sorrow and amazement” in order to perfect our characters. (See Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4b, 99.)

Another gem is recorded in volume 3 of Spiritual Gifts, page 83, where the descent of the Holy City is described: “As His [Jesus’] feet touch the mountain, it parts asunder, and becomes a very great plain, and is prepared for the reception of the holy city in which is the paradise of God, the garden of Eden, which was taken up after man’s transgression.” It is difficult for the mind to grasp a city with a magnificence so overwhelming. Imagine a city so grandiose that within its confines is the Garden of Eden, “more beautiful, and gloriously adorned than when removed from the earth.” Ibid., 83, 84.

Because we have an enemy who seeks unceasingly to lead anyone and everyone away from the narrow way onto the broad road with inconceivable subtlety and deception, every life is tainted from time to time with the dark shadow of Satan falling across their daily walk. By reviewing the delights of the heavenly kingdom from time to time, we can anticipate identifying with an experience Sister White had in one of her visions. When the redeemed were asked by Brethren Fitch and Stockman what experiences they had passed through prior to Christ’s return, she wrote, “We tried to call up our greatest trials, but they looked so small compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that surrounded us that we could not speak them out, and we all cried out, ‘Alleluia, heaven is cheap enough!’ ” Early Writings, 17.

Following are a few of the elevating and encouraging delights—“the exceeding and eternal weight of glory”—described in the above-referenced chapters cited earlier from The Great Controversy  and Education:

  • No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God. GC, 675.
  • No one will need or desire rest. Ibid., 676.
  • The people of God will “ever feel the freshness of the morning and shall ever be far from its close.” Ibid.
  • The redeemed will hold open communion with the Father and the Son. Ibid.
  • The acquisition of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. Ibid., 677.
  • Jesus will reveal the “riches of redemption.” Ibid., 678.
  • He will also explain the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan. Ibid.
  • Eden restored will be present within the boundaries of the Holy City. Ibid., 674.
  • The redeemed will walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day. Ibid., 676.
  • There will be no tree of the knowledge of good and evil to afford an opportunity for temptation. Ed., 302.
  • Restored to God’s presence, man will again be taught of God. Ibid.
  • The “records of creation” will be available for endless study. Ibid., 303.
  • The veil that separates the visible and the invisible worlds will be drawn aside, revealing things that can only be vaguely imagined now. Ibid., 304.
  • The redeemed will understand what is owed to the care and interposition of the angels and the ministry of angels in their life. Ibid., 305.
  • The guardian angel who stood by the side of each saint will recount the many times he interposed to provide guidance and safety. Ibid.
  • Among the daily social experiences of the hereafter will be
  • Pure communion with holy beings. Ibid., 306.
  • A harmonious social life with angels and the faithful of all ages. Ibid.
  • Sacred fellowship that binds together “the whole family of heaven and earth.” Ibid.
  • Music and song such as no mortal ear has heard or mind conceived. Ibid., 307.
  • Every power will be developed and every capability increased. Ibid.
  • All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s children. Ibid.

The list is infinite and unfathomable. When contemplating this wonderful future, we are reminded of the statement of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:19: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”

“We need to have more distinct views of Jesus and a fuller comprehension of the value of eternal realities. The beauty of holiness is to fill the hearts of God’s children; and that this may be accomplished, we should seek for divine disclosures of heavenly things.” Steps to Christ, 99.

Using the reasoning ability that God has given us as we “seek for divine disclosures of heavenly things,” the mind thrills with anticipation of a life devoid of sin and its consequences. This imagined list, too, is infinite and unfathomable.

In addition to the incredible aspects of life that Scripture and Inspiration give us, free from the efforts of the tempter and his evil agents to lead us into sin, we can add our own list of heavenly benefits if we free our minds from the confines of our earthly ties and let them roam freely, unbounded by conventional thought.

Among the more mundane things we might include in our contemplations are the following:

  • No worries about where we put the keys, for keys will not be necessary since there are no thieves in heaven.
  • No need to read labels for unhealthy contents of our food. There will be neither labels nor unhealthy foods.
  • No political bickering.
  • No worries about meeting budgets or paying bills.
  • No worries about where to educate our children.
  • No concerns about the weather.
  • No automobile maintenance or concerns about gas prices.
  • Time to engage in any and every hobby we have ever wanted to pursue.
  • Time to develop any talent we want, from playing any musical instrument to laying bricks.
  • Opportunity to design and build a country house, perhaps using techniques that do not exist on earth now, in any kind of environment we desire: mountain, desert, forest, prairie, lakeside, tropical, moderate, frigid.

The list is indeed limitless and unfathomable. We can only conclude, as he concluded in his epistle, “And there are many other things …, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen” (John 21:25).

The possibilities that lie before us in “eternal realities” are available to anyone and everyone who seeks them, diligently and faithfully obeying and following the instructions our loving Creator has given us to guide us in our daily lives here on earth.  The joy of an eternity of ever-new bliss in the presence of our God and the Lamb of our salvation is the joy that was set before that Lamb as He toiled during His life on earth to open the plan of salvation to all mankind.

May that joyful experience be yours.

All Bible quotes NKJV unless otherwise noted.

 John R. Pearson is the office manager and a board member of Steps to Life. He may be contacted by email at: johnpearson@stepstolife.org.

The More Excellent Ministry, Part I

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The Book of Hebrews contains a lot of information in an area to which we need to give a little thought. This article will address the Christology of the Book of Hebrews, the Christology of the apostle Paul in Hebrews. When you think of the word Christology, you think of theology—theos is God; logos is wisdom and knowledge. Hence, theology is the knowledge of God. We use that to talk about the nature of God and the work of God. Christology is the nature of Christ and the work of Christ.

Hebrews is the treatise on Christology given to us by the apostle Paul, and it is unique; it is different from the others. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we have what you could call a Christology by narration. These books of the Bible tell the story of what Jesus did. Oh, yes, they tell you things that He said as well, but it is a little different from John. So, you have a Christology that builds their case for the work and nature of Christ by telling you what He did.

John shifts the emphasis quite a bit toward what Jesus said, so we would call that a Christology by quotation. He builds his case for the Christology of the nature and work of Jesus Christ by telling us so many, many things that Jesus said about His own ministry, about His own relationship with His heavenly Father and with us here upon this earth. This provides a different kind of Christology.

In Hebrews, we have a Christology by comparison. Paul sets up ten comparisons for us to examine, but there is a reason for this. The apostle Paul was by far, as we recognize, the best educated of the apostles. He was trained in the rabbinical schools. You might say that he went to the Harvard of his time and place, sitting at the feet of Gamaliel. He was very, very well versed in the Scriptures and in the teachings of the faith. He knew it much better than did any of the other apostles.

Special Class

Not only that, he had a two-year special class in Arabia. When he was on his way to Damascus, the Lord confronted him and told him to do what He said. Now, let me explain again. The apostle Paul was much more educated than any of the other apostles. He had the training of the Rabbis; he sat at the feet of Gamaliel; in addition to that, he was trained by Jesus Himself in that two years in the desert in Arabia.

As he was traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus, he was confronted by the Lord and told that he must do what he was told to do by the Lord. You remember that story. He went to Damascus and began to preach about Jesus Christ, and the people rose up against him, so he went from there into the desert of Arabia and remained there two years. During that period of time, we are told, “Jesus communed with him and established him in the faith, bestowing upon him a rich measure of wisdom and grace.” The Acts of the Apostles, 126.

We might think, at first glance, that the other apostles had an advantage over Paul in that they traveled with Jesus for three and a half years and learned so much from Him directly, but the apostle Paul was not left out. Jesus privately communed with him, because he was a very special person. With all of his training, with all of his understanding, with all of his background, the Lord knew that he could do a mighty work once he got his mind straightened out and was established in the faith.

Points of Evidence

There are certain things that we quickly discover when we start looking for evidence that the apostle Paul understood things better than the other apostles did.

  1. He understood about taking the message to the Gentiles. He went to great lengths to try to explain that to others in Romans 10 and 11, where he talked about how there is a cutting of an olive tree and a grafting in of the branch of the Gentiles, and he enlarges on that.
  2. He understood the distinction between the moral law and the ceremonial law. You may not have ever given this any thought, but through my Bible study, I once prepared a paper on the subject. I discovered, as I analyzed all of the uses of the words law, laws, commandment, and commandments in the New Testament, something that I had not realized before.

If the writings of the apostle Paul were removed from the New Testament, we would have no way of knowing that the ceremonial law had passed away. We would still be sacrificing lambs. He was the only one who dealt with that subject; the others acted like they never heard of it. None of the other Bible writers make any mention of that whatsoever. We are indebted to the apostle Paul for our understanding about the distinction between the moral law and the ceremonial law. If you compare Romans 7 and Hebrews 7 and also Colossians 2 and Ephesians 2, you will find very clearly how he laid out the two laws in comparison one with another.

The apostle Paul knew about the message to the Gentiles that the others only faintly understood. He knew about the distinction between the moral law and the ceremonial law that the others never mentioned; if they understood it, they never told us so. And he knew something else that was very, very significant, and it was a burden on his heart.

Paul knew that the typical ceremonies—the lambs and all of that, the beautiful temple, and all of those things that went on in the temple—must soon altogether cease. “He [Paul] knew that the typical ceremonies must soon altogether cease, since that which they had shadowed forth had come to pass, and the light of the gospel was shedding its glory upon the Jewish religion, giving a new significance to its ancient rites.” Sketches From the Life of Paul, 65.

You and I hear that and say, “So what?” Well, put yourself in the place of the Hebrew, the Jew who accepted Jesus Christ. There was nothing in this world so dear to him as the temple. Their temple was a marvelous building, even by modern standards. The ceremonies there were magnificent, and everything there was majestic, beautiful, and charming in every way. It was the very center of the culture of the Hebrew nation. Paul knew that that was going to be done away, and then what would happen to the faith of the Hebrew Christian?

He had to do something about that. He had to do something about that to prepare them for the awful day when the temple would be destroyed, and they would look for priests, and there would be none. They would look for sacrifices, and there would be no sacrifices. They would look for the very heart of their nation’s culture, and it would not be there. It would be gone, destroyed.

Paul had to do something about that, and in order to do that, he wrote the Book of Hebrews. We are going to look at the beginning of the Book of Hebrews, but let us introduce it with a few lines from The Desire of Ages, 36, where Ellen White addresses the temple and its ceremonies. “The very priests who ministered in the temple had lost sight of the significance of the service they performed. They had ceased to look beyond the symbol to the thing signified. In presenting the sacrificial offerings they were as actors in a play. The ordinances which God Himself had appointed were made the means of blinding the mind and hardening the heart. God could do no more for man through these channels. The whole system must be swept away.”

Paul knew that, and he had to do something about it for the benefit of those Hebrews, not Gentiles, who were deep in their love for the culture and the traditions of Israel. He had to do something about that to help them meet the crisis that was coming. To do so, he set up a series of ten comparisons in the Book of Hebrews.

Comparison One

The first comparison is a comparison of Christ with the prophets. Hebrews 1:1 says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.” All right, we are going to look at the prophets for a moment, and then we are going to look at Jesus.

“Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Verses 2, 3.

To the mind of the genuine, spiritual Hebrew, a prophet was a reverenced person, a highly honored person, a highly respected person. They had great honor and respect for the prophets, but Paul is saying, “Look at the prophets, and then look at Jesus. Jesus is ever so much greater than the prophets.” Is that not very clear?

Second Comparison

Next, he compares Jesus with the angels, beginning with verse 4. “Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

And then he goes into the Book of Psalms and gives a whole series of quotations from that book to reinforce his argument that Jesus is better, higher, and greater than the angels. Verses 5 and 6: “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?” (That is from the Psalms.) “And again,” (another quotation from the Psalms) “I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again,” (a third quotation) “when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” Obviously, Jesus is greater than the angels are.

“Of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne, O God,” (he says that God is calling Jesus God) “[is] for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows: And,” (a new quotation now) “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands.” Verses 7–10.

Surely you get the idea from these few verses. The rest of chapter 1 is filled with quotations from the Psalms, exalting Jesus Christ, addressing Jesus Christ as God, seeing Him as God, and seeing Him as sitting on the throne of God.

Look at the last verse of this first chapter in which Jesus is compared with angels. Talking about the angels, Paul said, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Verse 14.

Now we need to jump down to Hebrews 2:5, because he puts in one verse there about angels: “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.” But God has put in subjection the world to come to Jesus. Jesus is greater than the prophets. Jesus is even greater than the angels.

Godliness

The apostle Paul, besides being teacher of Christology, teacher of theology, was also a preacher of practical godliness. That is recommended to us in the Spirit of Prophecy. In between his ten comparisons that we are going to look at, he puts passages dealing with practical godliness. It is a little bit of the same idea as the apostle Peter. In 11 Peter 3, he is talking about the Second Coming of Christ and the destruction of the earth and the fire that will cleanse the earth, and then he says, in verse 11, “In view of all these things, what manner of persons ought we to be?” He gives inference to the practical godliness aspect.

So we are going to pass by Hebrews 2:1–4, where Paul is talking about practical godliness. It is wonderful, and it is good, but that is not the study of this article.

As We Are

Beginning with Hebrews 2:6, Paul does something that is very interesting to me, and carries it all the way through the end of the chapter. He has just started exalting Jesus Christ, higher and higher—higher than the prophets, higher than the angels—but then a sudden thought occurs to him. “But do not forget, He is my brother; He is your brother; He is just like we are. He is not so high that we cannot get to Him.”

Paul fills the rest of chapter 2 with that, and he tells us that Jesus took on the flesh and blood of the children of Abraham. “For verily he took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren.” Verses 16, 17.

Third Comparison

In Hebrews 3, Paul moves on to his third comparison. Jesus is greater than Moses. What name, other than Abraham, was so revered in Israel as much as the name of Moses, the great lawgiver, the great leader, the great establisher of the nation in the days of the covenant at Sinai?

“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses [was faithful] in all his house.” Hebrews 3:1, 2. Remember that in the Bible the word house is often used where you and I would use the word family. So, you see, we find that to be true here, as you will see shortly. Substitute family for house as you read the following verses.

“For this [man],” that is, Jesus, “was counted worthy of more glory than Moses inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some [man]; but he that built all things [is] God. And Moses verily [was] faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Verses 3–6.

So here we have Christ as greater than the prophets. Christ is greater than the angels. Christ is greater than Moses. I think it should be clear to us now what Paul is trying to do. When everything is swept away and everything is gone, Jesus Christ is still going to be there.

Hebrews 3:7–5:3 all deals again with practical godliness, urging upon us the kind of godly life we should live in view of the things that Paul is laying before us.

Fourth Comparison

And now we come to Hebrews 5:4 where Paul tells us that Christ is greater than Aaron: “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as [was] Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another [place], Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Verses 4–6.

This Melchisedec theme will come back all the way through chapter 7. Intermittently, Paul throws it back and back. Christ is like Melchisedec, not like Aaron, but like Melchisedec. As he offers his evidence here, you read in verse 6, “a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Verses 7–10 continue: “Who in the days of his flesh,” speaking of Jesus, “when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.”

Paul argues presently that Melchisedec is one who has no record of where he came from or where he went or anything about him. He picks up on that. Now, we hear people today asking, “Who was Melchisedec? Whose son was he? From where did he come?” And we do not have any good answer for that, even in our time.

Paul picks up on that, seeing Melchisedec as a symbol of Jesus Christ who did not come from a lineage that we know a lot about, but is of a higher order of the priesthood. So, he says, now, that Christ, in this fourth comparison, is greater than Aaron, the founder of the Levitical priesthood.

And then practical godliness is presented again, beginning with Hebrews 5:11 and continuing through chapter 6:1. We cannot pass this last verse without at least reading it, because it is loaded with meaning. “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,” (Paul is going to come back to the doctrine of Christ) “let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.”

Do you know what I see in that? If you have the right doctrine of Jesus Christ, you will have the right doctrine of perfection. If you have a wrong doctrine of Jesus Christ, you will have a wrong doctrine of perfection, and we see that all about us.

Transition to Abraham

The practical godliness theme continues through chapter 6, until we come to the last verse, verse 20, and then Paul returns to Melchisedec. “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”

Paul enlarges on this, and there is a transition, you see. He has been talking about Christ being greater than Aaron because He is like Melchisedec, and then he enlarges on the Melchisedec theme by bringing Abraham into the picture. Watch carefully as we go to chapter 7. “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all . . .” Verses 1, 2, first part.

And then Paul talks about Melchisedec, which means “king of righteousness.” That is given in verse 2, and in verse 3, he mentions that we have no genealogy for Melchisedec, so he compares that to the Son of God.

In verse 4, he returns to his basic argument that Abraham is not as high as Melchisedec, because Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec: “Now consider how great this man [was], unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.” Verses 4–6.

Now notice the line in verse 7: “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.”

Paul is saying that Christ is greater than the prophets. Christ is greater than the angels. Christ is greater than Aaron. Christ is greater than Abraham, and his reasoning is presented there.

To be continued . . .

Dr. Ralph Larson has completed forty years of services to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as pastor, evangelist, departmental secretary, and college and seminary teacher. His last assignment before retiring was chairman of the Church and Ministry Department of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Far East. His graduate degrees were earned from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and Andover-Newton Theological Seminary in Boston, Massachusetts. He now lives in Cherry Valley, California. His evangelistic sermons have resulted in more than five thousand persons being baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Heaven and Earth Reunited

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Pentecost is usually thought of as the time when the power of God was poured out and those present spoke in tongues, but in this article, a most heartwarming, emotional and stimulating text will be highlighted that hopefully will be riveted in your minds forever.

John 20:17 reveals what happened when Mary discovered that Jesus was alive after His crucifixion, death and burial. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.”

The hope is that somehow this text will have a new and tremendous meaning, and that we may experience and exclaim with the Apostle Paul, “I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:14–19).

In the typical sanctuary service of ancient Israel it was customary for the high priest to lay aside pontifical robes and to officiate in the white linen dress of an ordinary priest. So likewise the Son of God came down to this earth from heaven and He laid aside His royal robes, clothing Himself with humanity to offer Himself as a ransom for humanity. Paul, speaking of this in 1 Corinthians 5:7, last part, says, “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.” He did this to fulfill the requirements of the Passover, for as the word of God reveals, Christ Himself became the priest and Christ Himself became the victim. Thus He made an atonement for our sins, but in God’s blueprint for complete salvation He foresaw the need for yet some additional steps in order to restore man to his rightful place.

The atonement provided only for the forgiveness of sins, but sin had separated humanity from God so something more needed to be done to reunite man with his Creator; therefore God devised additional plans so that this could be accomplished. If these details were followed precisely this would make it possible for finite man to comprehend how heaven and earth, which were now separated, could be reunited in oneness, making it possible for you and me to actually become part of the family of God.

Immediately after the Passover Sabbath on the first day of the week, we read in Leviticus 23 verses 5, 9–11, “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord’s Passover.” “The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.”

It was on the first day of the week that the sheaf was to be waved before God by the priest.  Jesus fulfilled this in person since He was the wave sheaf.

You remember that the Passover lamb was slain on Friday at the ninth hour, which was 3 o’clock in the afternoon as we reckon time today and that great curtain in the sanctuary separating the holy from the most holy which was some 60 to 70 feet in height was ripped from top to bottom by none other than God Himself. At that precise moment the priest was about to kill the sacrificial lamb, but because of this terrifying experience the lamb slipped away, and, in its place, Jesus was crucified at the exact moment that the lamb was to be slain.

During the Sabbath hours after His crucifixion, Jesus lay in a sleep of death in the tomb, but on the first day He is to awake and present the wave sheaf offering. Divine prediction must be fulfilled, for Christ was the wave sheaf. He became the firstfruits by His own resurrection. Thus He was able to comply with the stipulation which was laid down by God a thousand years before.

Let’s see how He did this. This first sheaf of grain was to be presented on the first day following the Passover Sabbath. Consider what actually took place. It is still dark. The gravestone covering the tomb’s entrance is still in place. The Roman seal is unbroken and around the tomb stand the Roman guards. If you look by Divine perception you will see a host of evil angels but looking more closely you will see a heavenly host immediately surrounding the sepulcher. Matthew tells us what took place. “And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it” (Matthew 28:2). This was the same angel that took the place of Lucifer. Instantly, when this angel arrived all of the evil angels fled and the soldiers fell as dead men. This mighty angel rolled that great stone, which was at least 6 feet in diameter, as if it were a pebble. And then he cried out, “Son of God, come forth; Thy Father calls Thee.” Immediately Christ comes forth from the tomb as the angelic host sings with great joy, “Thou hast vanquished Satan and the powers of darkness; Thou hast swallowed up death in victory!” The Desire of Ages, 780.

But something else has taken place as Jesus arose. It’s a startling event, for an earthquake has opened a multitude of other graves. Individuals arose from their graves who had given their lives as a testimony to God’s truth. These resurrected saints are the Savior’s trophies of victory over the power of death. No longer are they captives of Satan. They are now redeemed, brought forth from the grave, the firstfruits of the end time resurrection. Christ had raised many others from death when He was here on this earth. For example, there was the son of the widow of Nain. There was the ruler’s little daughter, and there was Lazarus who had died and had been buried for three days. Each of these had to die again. But these resurrected saints who arose when Christ arose would never die. They were raised to everlasting life.

Shortly after these saints had arisen out of their graves, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. Imagine her amazement as she discovers that the tomb is empty. She fears that someone has stolen the body of Jesus. “And they [two angels] say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto Him, Sir, if Thou have borne Him hence, tell me where Thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away.” You see, her eyes were so filled with tears that she could not see clearly. Continuing, “Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto Him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God” (John 20:13–17).

There is something about this that we have in common. We are now the family of God and God is our Father. Something is about to occur that makes this possible, something that will reunite heaven with earth. What is this wonder? Christ is about to ascend to heaven where He will present Himself to the Father as the wave sheaf, the symbol of the first resurrected life of the great harvest to come.

Immediately, Jesus leaves this earth, He leaves Mary and goes to heaven where He is to approach His Father for the express purpose of presenting Himself as the wave sheaf. Apparently travel in space is no problem for Deity. One moment He is talking to Mary and the next moment He is billions of miles away standing before His Father. There He presents Himself as the firstfruits of the resurrection. It is a private meeting and it is not open to the universe. Here the assurance is given that Christ’s sacrifice has been accepted.

“He [Christ] ascended to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard the assurance that His atonement for the sins of men had been ample, that through His blood all might gain eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men,” and please mark these words: The Father said “that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son.” The Desire of Ages, 790. [Emphasis supplied.]

Amazing! Can you comprehend that? Naturally the Father loves His Son, but we who have been sinners, we who have damned Him, we who have done all kinds of evil things, can it be that God still loves us? Oh yes, we have always believed that but, loved us as much as He loved His Son? That’s what a family is all about, isn’t it? To be in the family of God and to be loved individually as much as God loves His Son, it boggles the mind.

No sooner had this short visit been accomplished with the Father then He immediately returns to this earth. During His absence, other women have arrived at the tomb. The Desire of Ages, 793: “After He had ascended to the Father, Jesus appeared to the other women, saying, ‘All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshiped Him’ (Matthew 28:9).” He wouldn’t let Mary touch Him as He first had to go to heaven to present the wave sheaf. “Then said Jesus unto them, ‘Be not afraid: go tell My brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me’ (verse 10).” Ibid. The time has now arrived that He can assure the disciples that He has fulfilled His pledge. Isaiah 13:12: “I will make a man more precious than fine gold.” No question about it. We can become sons and daughters of the family of God, each loved as much as God loves His Son who died for us. Praise His holy name! Oh, what God has planned for us!

Now He says to these women, Tell the disciples, Go into Galilee where I am going to instruct them for the next 40 days. In Acts the first chapter, verse 3, we read, “To whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs.” There they handled Him, they slept with Him, they ate with Him, they talked with Him, they were with Him 40 days. No question about it, Jesus was alive. But there must be 50 days, not 40, that must take place before the next great event which is called Pentecost. It will be at this coming celebration when the covenant will be ratified with His church. It was ratified with God when Christ presented Himself as the wave sheaf, but at Pentecost it is to be ratified to the church.

Why is this? Had not Christ already died for the atonement? Christ had already arisen in victory over death and already presented the wave sheaf to His Father in heaven. Then why must there be a Pentecost? Because something else is needed to unite heaven with earth. The church of God must be given divine power to give the gospel to the entire world and this cannot take place until additional firstfruits are presented to God the Father in heaven before the universe.

Every divine stipulation that you find in the Scripture must be fulfilled; nothing fails. Leviticus 23:15–17: “And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete [that is, 49 days]: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord.”

These verses draw our attention once again to this special group that were resurrected when Jesus arose. They arose with Him on the resurrection day. They represent the family of God on this earth. They are the pledge of assurance that the resurrection of all the righteous will take place when Christ comes the second time. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

So it was in this divine plan that when Christ, after His resurrection had presented the wave sheaf to His Father, that He would go back to earth and return again to heaven, this time bringing a great multitude of His trophies to present them as the family of earth, to be united with the family of God.

But before this takes place a multitude of captives from the grave must first perform a special work. They are to go into the city of Jerusalem and to declare to the honest in heart that Christ had indeed risen from the dead. They were to be living proof that He had risen. This was necessary for several reasons. The priests had paid the soldiers to lie by commanding them to say that His disciples came by night and stole Jesus away while they slept. That in itself was quite a deception because any soldier knew that if he went to sleep at his post he would be killed.

Furthermore, the Sadducees who were supposed to be God’s ministers in His temple during the day of Christ had for centuries taught the people to disbelieve in the resurrection. For a hundred years they had preached the devil’s doctrine that there was no resurrection. So God is going to make sure there is no misunderstanding. Imagine, when these risen saints came to a person’s home and knocked at the door and said, “Look at me; I just arose from the grave with Jesus of Nazareth.” There could be no question about it. Here was living proof, for they declared that when Jesus arose, they arose with Him. Can you imagine the impact that this made?

Here is a lesson for us. In those days the ministers were teaching Satan’s lies to the people so that they would not accept Jesus when He came. We are told that the same evil power today will have his men preaching from the hellish torch of Satan. (See Last Day Events, 179.) They will again be teaching false doctrines and if you believe them you will not be ready to go home with Jesus when He comes. We must study continually. God’s word never leaves an honest soul in doubt.

For 40 days these risen saints went from house to house and from person to person telling the good news. The Spirit of God led them to honest souls, proving beyond a doubt that Jesus had indeed risen. “These went into the city, and appeared unto many, declaring, Christ has risen from the dead, and we be risen with Him.” The Desire of Ages, 786.

In Isaiah 26:19 prophecy had predicted this: “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise … and the earth shall cast out the dead.”

Every prophecy in the Bible is always fulfilled to the exact letter. But more than this, these risen saints were to give assurance to us who are alive today that God always keeps His promise, for we soon shall witness a coming resurrection ourselves. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). What a day that is going to be!

“The voice that cried from the cross, ‘It is finished,’ was heard among the dead. It pierced the wall of sepulchers, and summoned the sleepers to arise. Thus will it be when the voice of Christ shall be heard from heaven. That voice will penetrate the graves and unbar the tombs, and the dead in Christ shall arise. At the Saviour’s resurrection a few graves were opened, but at His second coming all the precious dead shall hear His voice, and shall come forth to glorious, immortal life.

“The same power that raised Christ from the dead will raise His church, and glorify it with Him, above all principalities, above all powers, above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come.” The Desire of Ages, 787.

Oh beloved, there are some mighty wonderful things to happen soon.

Now back to the 40 days Christ spent with His disciples before returning to heaven with His trophies. He knows that there is needed time in heaven to prepare for a glorious homecoming. Besides this, His disciples will need time to prepare for heaven’s overflow of that great celebration at which time heaven will bestow the Holy Spirit in its fullness, ratifying the covenant with His church.

Now let us follow this step by step. Jesus the risen Saviour is about to return victoriously to heaven bringing with Him His trophies. For 40 days Jesus has authenticated to His disciples that He is the living Saviour. No longer must He be associated with the tomb. Now they must think of Him as being alive, a glorified being, indeed, our Great High Priest who is in heaven’s sanctuary now for us.

Next, Jesus chooses a spot for His ascension. It will be the Mount of Olives upon which His feet will again rest at the close of the millennium when Jesus brings the New Jerusalem to this earth. As Jesus bids His disciples goodbye, they watch as He slowly ascends from among His disciples and they hear clearly the very last words that He ever spoke on this earth: “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

As the disciples watched, a cloud of glory hides Jesus from their sight. As the chariots of angels receive the Savior, the air is filled with the sweetest music as the angelic host sings. It is now that two angels reveal themselves and speak. “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). These are the same two angels who were His personal body guards while He was here on earth throughout His mission. They longed to go with Jesus to heaven but in love for the disciples they linger behind to remind His faithful disciples that Jesus would come again.

In the meanwhile, the multitude of captives who arose with Christ had joined the Savior in the clouds. They are on their way to heaven with Jesus as He returns to the Father. These risen saints are of the first fruits. This is what Paul meant when he said, “When He [Christ] ascended up on high, He led captivity captive” (Ephesians 4:8).

As Jesus ascended with His trophies, all heaven is astir in preparation to welcome the Savior. Jesus leads the way and the multitude of His captives follow as the escorting angels begin to cry, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in” (Psalm 24:7). Then those angels who were on the walls of Jerusalem cry back, “Who is this King of glory” (verse 8, first part)? Not that they didn’t know, but they loved to hear it. Back came the words, “The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle” (verse 8, last part). Again, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in” (verse 9). “Who is this King of glory” (verse 10, first part)? Back comes the words, “The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory” (verse 10, last part).

Now look closely as this mighty reception takes place at the walls of the New Jerusalem. The gates are opened as Jesus and the redeemed that arose with Him sweep through the gate into the city itself. There they go to the center of that great city where that throne encircled by a rainbow is found. Here the countless sons of God, the representatives of unfallen worlds, and the billions of unfallen angels also assemble to celebrate Christ’s triumphant return. This is the same heavenly council before which Lucifer had accused God and His Son. Here are the representatives of the sinless worlds over which Satan has sought to establish his dominion. They are all eager to celebrate the triumph of their king. But wait … Christ raises His hand and “He waves them back. Not yet; He cannot now receive the coronet of glory and the royal robe. He enters into the presence of His Father. He points to His wounded head, the pierced side, the marred feet; He lifts His hands, bearing the print of the nails. He points to the tokens of His triumph; He presents to God the wave sheaf, those raised with Him as representatives of that great multitude who shall come forth from the grave at His second coming.” The Desire of Ages, 834.

Now watch as Christ approaches closer to the Father. Imagine the joy as God beholds the family of earth that are now before Him who are resurrected with Christ, the trophies of the Saviour. Recall the pledge that the Father and His Son made before sin entered. Recall the covenant promise to redeem sinners. Listen once again to that cry on the cross when Christ cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Watch as Christ now presents the trophies to the Father with these words, “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am” (John 17:24). Listen as the Pentecostal celebration takes place, when you hear the words of God that justice is satisfied. Satan is forever vanquished. At last Christ’s struggling children are now accepted by God, for where Christ is, there His church shall be. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Psalm 85:10). Behold the Father’s arms as He encircles His Son.

“With joy unutterable, rulers and principalities and powers acknowledge the supremacy of the Prince of life. The angel host prostrate themselves before Him, while the glad shout fills all the courts of heaven, ‘Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing’ (Revelation 5:12).” The Desire of Ages, 834.

Now the words of Christ have full assurance. My God is your God. My Father is your Father. Oh if we could only comprehend this when troubles come—that we have a Father we can go to. Never forget He has told us that He loves us as much as He loves our Savior, Jesus Christ. What kind of life would we live in this world if we really realize that we are now sons and daughters of the Almighty, for the family of earth is reunited with the family of God. This is why Revelation 5 states, “Every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, … heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (verse 13). Words cannot adequately express the joy that the family on earth is now united with the family of heaven. This Pentecost celebration should ring a bell every day in our lives. We belong to Jesus. We are His. We were bought. We were redeemed. We are sons and daughters of Divinity. God is our Father, for Pentecost had finally arrived.

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1–4).

This earthly celebration is important for us because the Savior’s sacrifice is now accepted by the universe. The gospel story is beyond question. Now the Holy Spirit fills the heart of each disciple on this earth with a spirit that leads God’s church to victory. When we speak of Pentecost our memories should recall Calvary’s atonement that was accepted, that the enemy of death itself has been defeated, that Christ has ascended with His risen saints giving us full assurance of a final resurrection soon to take place. Pentecost assures us that we are now the family of God. This, the joy of Pentecost, should be our daily experience. Every day let us remember the words of Jesus, “I ascend unto My Father, and your Father, to My God, and your God.”

 

For more than fifty years, Lawrence Nelson served the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a church 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.

The More Excellent Ministry, Part II

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As stated at the beginning of Part I of this article, the Book of Hebrews contains a lot of information in an area to which we need to give a little thought. This article will address the Christology of the Book of Hebrews, the Christology of the apostle Paul in Hebrews. When you think of the word Christology, you think of theology—theos is God; logos is wisdom and knowledge. Hence, theology is the knowledge of God. We use that to talk about the nature of God and the work of God. Christology is the nature of Christ and the work of Christ.

Hebrews is the treatise on Christology given to us by the apostle Paul, and it is unique; it is different from the others. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we have what you could call a Christology by narration. John shifts the emphasis quite a bit toward what Jesus said, so we would call that a Christology by quotation. In Hebrews, Paul gives a Christology by comparison.

In Part I, we had worked our way through Hebrews to the seventh chapter.

Levites

In Hebrews 7:10, 11, and going on from there, Paul talks about the Levitical priesthood. This discussion of the Levites finishes out chapter 7, and we have here that Christ is greater than the Levites. This is the next comparison.

Verse 22 introduces a subject that Paul enlarges upon later: “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.” Some people say that the word, better, is the key word in Hebrews. Jesus is better all the way through—better testimony, better covenant.

Better

Hebrews 8:6 begins talking about the better covenant: “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”

What are the better promises? The better promises of God. In the first covenant, the promises of the people figured largely, but in the new covenant are the promises of God. This is enlarged upon all the way through chapter 8.

Let us return, though, to the first few verses of chapter 8, because here we find that there is a better sanctuary. You see, after comparing Christ with prophets, Christ with angels, Christ with Moses, Christ with Aaron, Christ with Abraham, and Christ with Levites, Paul now compares the covenants and the sanctuary.

“Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Verses 1, 2. The better sanctuary! If Paul could only get the people to accept all of these things, they would not be disturbed at all when the temple is destroyed.

The discussion of the better sanctuary picks up again in chapter 9. “Then verily the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.” Verse 1. The sanctuary is then described. This is all very interesting and very valuable, but we have the picture that Paul is comparing the two covenants; he is comparing the two sanctuaries; and now he is comparing the two dedications.

Two Dedications

The two dedications—the earthly sanctuary dedication—and the heavenly sanctuary dedication are now compared.

“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:13, 14. Paul again enlarges upon this subject, and then, in verses 21 and 22, he states:

“Moreover he” (that is, Moses) “sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

But now, notice the change.

“[It was] therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these;” (that is, the earth purified with these) but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Verse 23.

So, he says that a dedication ceremony was conducted when the earthly tabernacle was finally built and in order, but had never been used. During this dedication ceremony, Moses sprinkled the Ark of the Covenant and all the things that were there with the blood of dedication, but Paul states that the one in heaven was sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Ellen White wrote on that a statement, which has been misunderstood by some, when she said, “Still bearing humanity, he ascended to heaven, triumphant and victorious. He has taken the blood of his atonement into the holiest of all, sprinkled it upon the mercy-seat and his own garments.” The Youth’s Instructor, July 25, 1901. Some people have not recognized that that was the dedication.

Two Sacrifices

Beginning with verse 24, Paul settles in for his long comparison of the two sacrifices: “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”

Paul’s emphasis has been on quality. Christ is greater. Christ is higher. Christ is better. Christ is more glorious. Now he compares the two sacrifices and points out, over and over again, one particular thing: the sacrifices made on earth had to be done repeatedly, but the sacrifice of Christ was so much greater, it only had to be done once.

This will be shown several times as we go through the next few verses, beginning with verse 25: “Nor yet that he should offer himself often, . . . ”—not often. If we were making a comparison list of the earthly and the heavenly, on the first entry under the heavenly caption would be “not often.”

“ . . . as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year” (on the earthly side, you would put, “every year”) “with the blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world:” (and there is the second “not often” referring to the heavenly) “but now once” (there is the third reference—once, but not often) “in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once” (here again, this is another “once”) ‘‘offered to bear the sins of many.” Verses 25–28.

A Continuation

The same thing continues in chapter 10:

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually” (put that on your list under earthly) “make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year.” Verses 1–3. (On the earthly side, put “every year.”)

More of this type of thing continues all the way through to verse 11: “And every priest standeth daily” (put “daily” under the earthly column) “ministering and offering oftentimes” (put “oftentimes” under the earthly column) “the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever,” (put “one forever” on the heavenly side) “sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” Verses 11–14.

Do you see what Paul is telling us here? He is reinforcing, over and over and over again, that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is infinitely greater, infinitely better than the sacrifice of animals. He says that the animals could not of themselves take away sin; they are symbols of the greater.

The remainder of the Book of Hebrews is on practical godliness. Although it is wonderfully rich material, we will leave it for another time.

Ten Comparisons

Is the apostle Paul’s message of Christology clearer now? Let us review the ten things he has compared:

  1. Christ and prophets. Christ is greater than the prophets.
  2. Christ and angels. Christ is higher and greater than the angels.
  3. Christ and Moses. Christ is greater and higher than Moses.
  4. Christ and Aaron. Christ is greater than Aaron.
  5. Christ and Abraham. Christ is greater than Abraham.
  6. Christ and the Levites. Christ is greater than the Levites.

Paul then compares:

  1. the two covenants,
  2. the two sanctuaries,
  3. and finally the two sacrifices.
  4. He also compares the two dedications in the sanctuaries.

With these ten comparisons, Paul tries to prepare the Hebrew’s mind, knowing that when the Hebrew would bow in the early morning for his morning worship, in his mind he would be thinking that at this moment, or sometime near this moment, in that glorious temple in Jerusalem, “A priest is sacrificing a lamb to cover my sins.”

Now, the Hebrew is going to bow down in his early morning worship, but there is not going to be a lamb in the temple. What emptiness! And the same thing will happen when it is time for his evening worship. As he bows in his home for his evening worship, his mind goes to the fact that there in that glorious temple, at this hour, a priest is sacrificing a lamb for his sins. But now there is not a priest; there is not a lamb; there is not a temple. What an awful emptiness the Hebrew could experience!

The Greatest

But if Paul has managed to persuade the Hebrews of what he is telling them, if they have internalized this and really taken it into their systems, they are not concerned about it at all, because Jesus Christ is still there. He is the greatest sacrifice of all.

They do not need to look around for a Levite, and be disturbed because they cannot find any Levites.

They do not need to look around for a priest and be disturbed because they cannot find any priests, because the greatest Priest of all is there.

Oh, there are so many places where we could compare the Hebrews’ situation with our modern situation!

Atonement

Let us look to the Spirit of Prophecy and see the richness of Ellen White’s understanding of the writings of the apostle Paul, as well as her understanding of everything else in the Bible.

Ellen White makes reference to the atonement, using the phrase, “made atonement,” at least 11 times. Read these:

“He [Christ] bore the curse of the law for the sinner, made an atonement for him, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish.” God’s Amazing Grace, 177.

The apostle Peter, commenting on the writings of the apostle Paul, said, “There are some people who wrest them to their own destruction.” (11 Peter 3:16.) Here are some passages from Ellen White’s writings that some people “wrest to their own destruction.” That will become clear as we proceed.

“He [Christ] has made an atonement for us.” In Heavenly Places, 71.

“Christ has made an atonement for the sins of the whole world.” Lift Him Up, 235.

“Christ has made an atonement for you.” Medical Ministry, 44.

“Christ has made atonement for every sinner.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1178.

“Jesus has made atonement for all sins.” Ibid., vol. 5, 1145.

“He [Christ] made an atonement.” That I May Know Him, 100.

“On the cross of Christ the Saviour made an atonement for the fallen race.” The Signs of the Times, December 17, 1902.

Notice in this next quote a combination thought, making and made in one paragraph. There before the throne of God, “He [Christ] is making intercession for those who by faith come to God. He presents them to the Father, saying, ‘By the marks of the nails in My hands, I claim pardon for them. I have made an atonement for them.’ ” Ibid., December 30, 1903. [Emphasis added.] Christ is making atonement while, He says, “I have made atonement.” Now, hold that in your mind as we go along. Do not wrest this.

“Jesus . . . made an atonement for us.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 14, 81.

“He [Christ] has made an atonement for sin.” Battle Creek Letters, 56.

Quality of the Atonement

Next, we have the phrase, “full atonement.” Ellen White is talking about the quality of that atonement, as was Paul.

“Christ made a full atonement.” Lift Him Up, 345.

“How full the atonement of the Saviour . . . .” Testimonies, vol. 4, 124.

“The precious blood of Christ was of such value that a full atonement was made for the guilty soul, and this was to Paul his ‘glory.’ ” The Signs of the Times, November 24, 1890.

“For which He [Son of God] had now made a full atonement.” The Youth’s Instructor, May 2, 1901.

Then, Mrs. White uses the word, complete, incorporating it into the phrase, “complete atonement.”

“God has accepted the offering of His Son as a complete atonement for the sins of the world.” The Faith I Live By, 91.

“In the wisdom of God it [the atonement] was complete.” The Signs of the Times, December 30, 1889.

“In every part his sacrifice was perfect; for he could make a complete atonement for sin.” The Youth’s Instructor, June 14, 1900.

“We are to rejoice that the atonement is complete.” Review and Herald, November 11, 1890.

“His [Christ] atonement was complete in every part.” The Signs of the Times, July 31, 1901.

Additional Phrases

“[Christ] offered in man’s behalf a complete sacrifice to God. By virtue of this atonement, He has power to offer to man perfect righteousness and full salvation.” The Faith I Live By, 50.

“He [Christ] planted the cross between Heaven and earth [watch this], and when the Father beheld the sacrifice of His Son, He [the Father] bowed before it in recognition of its perfection. ‘It is enough,’ He [the Father] said. ‘The Atonement is complete.’ ” Review and Herald, September 24, 1901.

“A perfect atonement was made.” Lift Him Up, 319.

“Then a perfect atonement was made.” That I May Know Him, 73.

Atonement for Us

Then we will look at present tense phrases: “Our great High Priest is making the atonement for us.” The Great Controversy, 623.

Right here is where the Calvinist begins to scream, “No, no, no! You are belittling the cross of Jesus Christ. It was all done on the cross.” No, it was not! Christ is now making an atonement for us.

“Today He [Christ] is making an atonement for us before the Father.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7-A, 481.

“Our Mediator stands before the mercy-seat making an atonement for his people.” Review and Herald, May 6, 1884.

“Jesus is engaged in a special work in our behalf, making an atonement for us.” Ibid., November 24, 1885.

“He is making an atonement for his people.” Ibid., April 8, 1890.

“Christ is in the heavenly sanctuary. And what is He doing? Making atonement for us. . . . He will make an atonement for all who will come with confession.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, vol. 1, 127.

Final Atonement

We now come to a difference. These things that we have just read have been seized upon by the Calvinists among us and by the Calvinists that are not among us. The Calvinists who are not among us rage at them; the Calvinists who are among us are embarrassed by them, because of the argument of the Calvinists that it was all done on the cross, which is totally unscriptural. But here we find Ellen White’s superior knowledge clearly revealed to us. The richness of her understanding—her total grasp of the theology, the Christology—of the situation, because we have a new phrase introduced: “final atonement.”

“So in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment . . . .” The Great Controversy, 480.

“The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 357.

If we read through the first 15 chapters of Leviticus, we will find 18 statements where it says that the sinner comes and an atonement is made. In 8 of those 18 statements, the words are added, “the sin is forgiven.” Then, in the sixteenth chapter, we read about the great day of atonement. Five verses there tell us that those very same people must have an atonement made for them on the great day of atonement. That is the final atonement. Those who argue that there is no final atonement simply are not following Scripture.

“His [Christ] work as high priest completes the divine plan of redemption by making the final atonement for sin.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, 157.

“As the priests in the earthly Sanctuary entered the Most Holy once a year to cleanse the Sanctuary, Jesus entered the Most Holy of the heavenly, at the end of the 2300 days of Daniel 8, in 1844, to make a final atonement for all who could be benefited by his mediation, and to cleanse the Sanctuary.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, 162.

Understanding

Ellen White understood the apostle Paul very, very well. She understood the whole Bible very, very well. This understanding came not because she was so brilliant, not because of her own abilities, but because the Holy Spirit led and guided her. Ellen White is telling us the truth of this whole message.

The apostle Paul’s message was given to turn the people’s attention away from buildings. Do not fasten your faith to a building. That building may be swept away someday.

Do not fasten your faith to a priesthood, a ministry. That priesthood may be gone someday.

Do not fasten your faith to the sacrifice of lambs and bullocks and goats; that all ended one day.

Fasten your faith to the One who never changes. He always will be there.

If we understand correctly those things that are written for our instruction and guidance, we recognize that there is likely to come a time for every single one of us when all earthly supports will be gone. It is going to boil down to the same experience that came to Joseph and Daniel. We must come to the place where we look realistically at the situation and say, “I am down here, and my Lord Jesus Christ is up there. That is all there is, but that is enough.”

Our great High Priest is standing before the throne of God, and we know that He is never going to leave that job until that job is done. He is always there, always doing His work, and He will do it until His work is totally finished. We have nothing to fear, except our human weakness and our human inabilities, and the Lord can take care of that, if we will let Him.

Dr. Ralph Larson has completed forty years of services to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as pastor, evangelist, departmental secretary, and college and seminary teacher. His last assignment before retiring was chairman of the Church and Ministry Department of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Far East. His graduate degrees were earned from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and Andover-Newton Theological Seminary in Boston, Massachusetts. He now lives in Cherry Valley, California. His evangelistic sermons have resulted in more than five thousand persons being baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Obedience Determines Destiny

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Among Christians today, a frequently debated question is, Do we really have to obey God exactly? Some people say that it is impossible to obey God exactly and completely, so we should just try to be as good as we can. Others think that we do not even need to try, since God will save us just the way we are. What is the Bible’s answer to this important question? There are several Bible stories that we will examine to help us discover that answer.

In the Garden of Eden, Eve did not think that it was really very important that she obey God exactly, so she ate a piece of fruit that God said not to eat. As a result of this seemingly small deviation from God’s command, the floodgates of misery, woe, sickness, suffering, death, strife, and war were opened up for all of her descendents.

Cain was another person who did not think it was important to obey God exactly. He thought that he could choose the part of God’s command he wanted to follow, so when God instructed them to bring a lamb as a sacrifice, he brought a sacrifice, but instead of a lamb, he brought the fruit of his own hands to offer to God. What response did he receive from God? “And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So God said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why is your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is at the door.’ ” Genesis 4:4-7. Cain was worshipping the Lord. He was even bringing an offering to the Lord, but he did not follow the divine instructions. His obedience was not exact.

A Rebellious People

This failure of the human race since the time of Adam to recognize that God means what He says is also seen in the story of the children of Israel in the wilderness. When God worked a miracle every day to provide manna for their food, He gave them special instructions about its preparation and use. In Exodus 16:19, 20, we read, “And Moses said, ‘Let no one leave any of it [the manna] till morning.’ ” Did they follow these simple instructions? “Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.” They refused to listen to God’s counsel through Moses. They did not think it was important to obey exactly.

When they disobeyed God, they saw the results. And it would seem logical that they would have learned to obey God when He gave them instruction, but when He told them to gather a double portion for the Sabbath day and not go out on the Sabbath to gather food, they again tested God. “Now it happened [that some] of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.’ So the people rested on the seventh day.” Exodus 16:27–30.

Human beings seem to have a hard time learning that God means what He says even though His requirements are few. There are only Ten Commandments in the whole moral law. There is not an encyclopedia or books and books of laws. His Law is simple enough for a child to understand, but God is particular as to whether or not His Word is obeyed.

It is important to obey God exactly. In fact, your eternal destiny is determined by whether or not you obey God exactly. Exact obedience does not earn salvation, but the gift of salvation is not given to those who are rebellious against God and are not particular to obey Him.

A Disobedient Prophet

The story of the prophet sent to rebuke king Jeroboam and to prophesy what was going to happen to him because of his idolatry adds to our understanding of the seriousness of this point. After the prophet gave His message, the king was so angry that he ordered his seizure. As he pointed his finger toward the prophet, his whole hand withered up, and he could not move it—his hand was paralyzed. In terror, he pled with the prophet, “Oh, please, pray for me!” So the prophet prayed for him, and the Lord worked a miracle and restored his arm to perfect function.

Here he had very plain evidence, in his own body, that the Lord had spoken to him through this prophet. He realized that it would only be wise to listen to this prophet, so he said to him, “Come home with me and eat with me.” But the prophet said, “No!” “ ‘If you were to give me half your house, I would not go in with you; nor would I eat bread nor drink water in this place. For so it was commanded me by the word of the Lord, saying, “You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came.” ’ So he went another way and did not return by the way he came to Bethel.

“Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works the man of God had done that day in Bethel; they also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king. And their father said to them, ‘Which way did he go?’ For his sons had seen which way the man of God went who came from Judah. Then he said to his sons, ‘Saddle the donkey for me.’ So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it, and went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak.

“Then he said to him, ‘[Are] you the man of God who came from Judah?’ And he said, ‘I [am].’ Then he said to him, ‘Come home with me and eat bread.’ And he said, ‘I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. For I have been told by the word of the Lord, “You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.” ’

“He said to him, ‘I too [am] a prophet as you [are], and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, “Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.” ’ (He was lying to him.) So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.

“Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back; and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and have not kept the commandment which the Lord your God commanded you, but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which [the] Lord said to you, ‘Eat no bread and drink no water,’ your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.” ’

“So it was, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back. When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse. And there, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown on the road, and the lion standing by the corpse. Then they went and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.

“Now when the prophet who had brought him back by the way heard [it], he said, ‘It [is] the man of God who was disobedient to the word of the Lord. Therefore the Lord has delivered him to the lion which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to him.’ And he spoke to his sons, saying, ‘Saddle the donkey for me.’ So they saddled [it].

“Then he went and found his corpse thrown on the road, and the donkey and the lion standing by the corpse. The lion had not eaten the corpse nor torn the donkey. And the prophet took up the corpse of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. So the old prophet came to the city to mourn, and to bury him. Then he laid the corpse in his own tomb; and they mourned over him, [saying], ‘Alas, my brother!’ ” 1 Kings 13:7–30.

To Whom Do You Listen?

The problem for this prophet was that he listened to another prophet who lied to him, claiming to have a message from an angel. Do you realize that when God speaks, even if an angel should tell you to do something different, you are going to lose your soul if you disobey the Lord?

The apostle Paul makes this clear: “If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8. When God speaks, you will lose your soul if you listen to anybody else and disobey—even if it is an angel.

We need to learn this lesson today, for many people are going to eternal destruction who could be saved if they understood that whether you obey or disobey makes the difference between whether you will have eternal life or eternal death.

Notice what Moses said to the children of Israel about this very point. “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong [your] days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendents may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He [is] your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:15–20.

New Covenant Obedience

Moses said, “I am setting before you life and death determined by your obedience.” However, some will say, “But, I am living in the new covenant today.” Do you realize that the requirements of the new covenant are even stricter than the requirements of the old covenant? (Read the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7.)

In the new covenant, Jesus said that it is not enough to keep the Law of God on the outside; you have to keep it from your heart. He declared the necessity of obedience in John 5:28, 29: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” Jesus links the type of life that you live to your eternal destiny. Obedience or disobedience determines your eternal destiny.

The apostle Paul repeats the same warning as he speaks concerning God, “Who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law [are] just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; . . .).” Romans 2:6–13.

Another New Testament writer speaks to the same subject: “If you really fulfill [the] royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.” James 2:8–12.

It is clear that James is talking about the moral law, the Ten Commandments. Breaking one of these commandments makes you guilty of breaking them all. Obedience or disobedience will determine the eternal destiny of men and women, boys and girls.

The Bible predicts that obedience will distinguish God’s true people from His professed followers in the last days, when Jesus predicted that “Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” Matthew 24:12. God’s last day people are described in Revelation 12:17: “And the dragon was enraged with the woman [the symbol of a church], and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring [the last of God’s people], who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Commandment Keepers

God’s people in the last days will be commandment keepers. Again, in Revelation 14:12, we read: “Here is the patience of the saints; here [are] those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” God’s people are here contrasted with the disobedient, those who receive the mark of the beast. (See Revelation 14:9–11.)

The last chapter of the Bible says again, “Blessed [are] those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14. The next verse describes those who do not obey God’s commandments. Three times in the last three chapters of Revelation God contrasts the obedient with the disobedient, so we will not make a mistake. Eternal destiny is determined by whether you obey God exactly.

But today there is a worldwide deception concerning the Law of God. Some people think that you cannot keep it. Others think that you do not need to keep it. But the worst deception of all is when people think that they can change or adjust the requirements of God’s Law, and that then they are keeping it when actually they are breaking it. This is especially true when people claim to be keeping God’s Law while they are breaking the fourth commandment, the Sabbath commandment mentioned in Exodus 20:8–11.

Through Jesus, God’s mercy has been manifested to men, but mercy does not set aside justice. The law reveals the attributes of God’s character, and not one jot or tittle of it can be set aside to meet man in his fallen condition. God did not change His Law. He sacrificed Himself in Christ to redeem man from the curse of the law.

The law requires righteousness, a righteous life, and a perfect character. But this man does not have, so he cannot give it. He cannot meet the claims of God’s holy law, but Christ came down to earth as a man, lived a holy life, and developed a perfect character. These He offers to give to man as a free gift, if man will receive it.

More than this, Christ imbues a man with the attributes of God’s own character, so He can develop, within this human being, the attributes of the divine character, that the principles of the law might be fulfilled in the life of the Christian. (Romans 8.) By His life and death, Christ proved that God’s justice did not destroy His mercy, as the devil’s deception claims. He showed that sin could be forgiven, that the law is righteous and can be perfectly obeyed. The law was not abrogated, which would immortalize sin and place the whole world under Satan’s control.

Because the law could not be changed, Jesus died on the cross and established the law. However, Christ’s death on the cross is the very act which the devil claims destroyed the law. He has led men to believe that the moral law, the Ten Commandments, was nailed to the cross, when, in fact, Christ came to do just the opposite.

Since the beginning of the great controversy, Satan has claimed that the law, spoken by God’s own voice, is faulty and that some specification can be set aside. The last great deception that Satan will bring upon the world will be on this same point. Bible prophecy foretells that in the last days Satan will assail one of God’s commandments, and lead men to keep a man-made law instead of God’s Law. Will the devil need to make you break the whole law? No, he knows that those who keep the whole law but offend in one point are guilty of all. (James 2:10.) He knows that if you consent deliberately to break one precept, that brings you under his control. So, the devil will work on the minds of men so that they will set up their laws to counterwork the Law of God and seek to compel the consciences of others to enforce their man-made laws.

This warfare against God’s Law will continue until the end of time. Every man is going to be tested. Obedience or disobedience is the question to be decided by the whole world. Every single human being is going to choose between the Law of God and the laws of men. Here the dividing line will be drawn. There will only be two classes. Every character will be fully developed, every person will demonstrate whether or not he will keep all the Law of God. What will your decision be?

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

Victory in Jesus, Part I

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The topic of overcoming sin has been one of interest to me for a long time. When I was younger, I did not totally understand how to meet the temptations that came to me. I only knew that there was no way I could, of myself, keep from evil; it was like being in literal bondage. No matter how much I wanted to be free, there was no way that I could overcome this evil. You know, it does not matter in what kind of home you are raised, you still inherit sinful tendencies. Children have battles to fight as well as adults.

I want to share some things with you about overcoming that I have learned from my experience. I know they work, because I know what God has done for me, and I know it is nothing of myself; I can take no credit.

“We have no sympathy with that discipline which would discourage children by hard censure, or irritate them by passionate correction, and then, as the impulse changes, smother them with kisses, or harm them by injurious gratification. Excessive indulgence and undue severity are alike to be avoided. While vigilance and firmness are indispensable, so also are sympathy and tenderness. Parents, remember that you deal with children who are struggling with temptation, and that to them these evil promptings are as hard to resist as are those that assail persons of mature years. Children who really desire to do right may fail again and again, and as often need encouragement to energy and perseverance. Watch the working of these young minds with prayerful solicitude. Strengthen every good impulse; encourage every noble action.” Child Guidance, 263, 264. [Emphasis added.]

Importance of Overcoming

To be among those who go through to the end, we must be overcomers. Revelation 21:7 says, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

Revelation 12:11 tells us how this happens: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

Overcoming is important. When the Lord has given us the victory over something, we have a testimony to tell others of what the Lord has done for us. We can tell others how the Lord has given us the victory.

Overcoming the Devil

We must overcome the devil. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” 1 Peter 5:8, 9. “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Revelation 12:12.

Sometimes we may have the tendency to think that, as Christians, we have a hard lot and that the people in the world do not have as many trials. I read a story once that illustrates the point. A man and his slave went hunting one day, and as they hunted, they talked. The man said to the slave, “Why is it that you Christians have so many trials, problems, and struggles? I do not seem to have too many.”

As they continued hunting, the man shot two ducks. One died, but the other was just wounded, so the man sent his hunting dog after the wounded duck. It was then that the slave could respond to the man’s question. “Those ducks,” he said, “are just like you and me. I have been wounded by sin, so the devil is after me.”

It is so true! Each of us has been wounded by sin, and we are striving to overcome it, but the devil is after us to make us give up totally.

Overcome the World

We must overcome the world. “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14. “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 of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of 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.” 1 John 2:15-17. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27.

We cannot deny that there are pleasures in the world, but remember that they are temporary. Sometimes it is hard when you have to work with worldly people and everything that they do is something that you would and could not do with a clear conscience. The whole life of a worldly person has a different focus than that of the Christian; their focus is self-serving. It is difficult to be in a worldly environment. One feels rather alone, because there is no one there who can relate to the Christian’s lifestyle. Generally the only thing you have in common is work. There is a temptation in this world sometimes to think that when we deny the world we will miss out; we will be all alone when those with whom we work are out there having a “good time,” and you choose to not do what they are doing. It looks as if those people have everything, and we are denying ourselves of it all. The world is definitely a temptation.

Overcome Sinful Nature

We are born with inherited traits to evil tendencies and certain sins because of our makeup. “. . . keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:7. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” Psalm 51:5.

We are in a hopeless state; we cannot overcome on our own. “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? [Then] may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.” Jeremiah 13:23. “The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. “If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that [it is] good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:16-24.

The flesh is something that we must fight every day while we are in this sinful world. It is an ongoing battle, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:31: “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”

A Daily Fight

Ellen White penned: “Success in the Christian warfare means watchfulness and a daily crucifixion of self.” In Heavenly Places, 260.

“I find that I have to fight the good fight of faith every day. I have to exercise all my faith and not rely upon feeling; I have to act as though I knew the Lord heard me and would answer me and bless me. Faith is not a happy flight of feeling; it is simply taking God at His word¾believing that He will fulfill His promises because He said He would.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 539, 540.

“Day by day we are to fight the good fight of faith. Day by day God will give us our work; and though we can not see the end from the beginning, we are to examine ourselves daily to see if we are in the path of righteousness. We must strive to overcome, looking unto Jesus; for in every temptation he will be at our side to give us the victory. Every day should come to us as the last day in which we may be privileged to work for God, and much of it must be given to prayer that we may work in the strength of Christ. This is the way in which Enoch walked with God, warning and condemning the world by manifesting before them a righteous character.” Review and Herald, May 8, 1913.

“For every class of temptations there is a remedy. 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. His followers should develop symmetrical characters by strengthening weak traits. They must become Christ-like in disposition and pure and holy in life. None can do this in their own strength, but Jesus can give the daily grace needed to do this work. None need fail or become discouraged, when such ample provision has been made for us.” Gospel Workers (1892), 418.

“The evil that led to Peter’s fall [in denying Christ at His trial] . . . is proving the ruin of thousands today. There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable.” A New Life, 41. [Emphasis added.]

Our Sinful Nature

“The apostle Paul clearly presents the relation between faith and the law under the new covenant. He says: ‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ‘Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.’ ‘For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh’¾it could not justify man, because in his sinful nature he could not keep the law¾‘God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit’ (Romans 5:1; 3:31; 8:3, 4).” God’s Amazing Grace, 140. [Emphasis in original.]

“God declares, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one’ (Romans 3:10). All have the same sinful nature. All are liable to make mistakes. No one is perfect. The Lord Jesus died for the erring that they might be forgiven. It is not our work to condemn. Christ did not come to condemn, but to save.” In Heavenly Places. 292.

“The sinful nature of man was weak, and he was prone to the transgression of God’s commandments. Man had not the power to do the words of God; that is why Christ came to our world, that He might give him moral power. There was no power in heaven or in earth but the power of Christ that could deliver from the [sentence illegible in original]. He came to meet the difficulty and to remove it. His own arm brought salvation. God sent forth His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh that He might condemn sin in the flesh and reveal the fact to heaven, to the worlds unfallen and also the fallen world, that through the power of divine grace, through partaking of the divine nature, man need no longer stand under the curse of the law or remain in transgression.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 14, 82, 83.

Battles

“You must individually battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. The word of God is called ‘the sword of the Spirit,’ and you should become skillful in its use, if you would cut your way through the hosts of opposition and darkness.” Christian Education, 116.

“To follow Christ is not freedom from conflict. It is not child’s play. It is not spiritual idleness. All the enjoyment in Christ’s service means sacred obligations in meeting oft stern conflicts. To follow Christ means stern battles, active labor, warfare against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Our enjoyment is the victories gained for Christ in earnest, hard, warfare. . . . We are enlisted for labor, ‘not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life’ (John 6:27). . . .

“Every soul must count the cost. Not one will succeed but by strenuous effort. We must spiritually exercise all our powers and crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts. Crucifixion means much more than many suppose. . . .

“It is a constant watchfulness to be faithful unto death, to fight the good fight of faith until the warfare is ended and as overcomers we shall receive the crown of life.

“I can see my Redeemer, in whom I have fresh encouragement to trust as a never-failing Source of strength.” In Heavenly Places, 117.

“Those who are dead to self will not feel so readily, and will not be prepared to resist everything which may irritate. Dead men cannot feel. You are not dead. If you were, and your life were hid in Christ, a thousand things which you now notice, and which afflict you, would be passed by as unworthy of notice; you would then be grasping the eternal and would be above the petty trials of this life.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 425.

Our Condition

In January 2006, some articles about how the brain rewires itself were put together by Time magazine and CNN. We certainly do not know all there is to know about the brain, but what we do know is fascinating.

Our brain is not static, either physically or chemically; it is always changing. When a person learns something new, that experience alters the structure of the brain. So neurotransmission not only contains current information, but is learning and can alter the subsequent neurotransmission. If an experience is notable enough, it will actually produce new synaptic connections and prune away old ones, or strengthen or weaken existing ones, meaning that our brain circuitry can actually be changed. Changes can be long lasting, even permanent. A good portion of our genes are involved in building the brain, but genes are not the whole story. Our brains are changed by the experiences and environment in which we exist. “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” Ephesians 4:23. (See Dr. Neil Nedley, Depression the Way Out, Nedley Publishing, Ardmore, Oklahoma, 2001.)

When we say a word, think, or make decisions, certain synapses in the brain are activated. Some synapses in the brain are stronger than others, which makes us more likely to perform certain actions and thoughts than others. Because of what we have done in the past, the brain tends to use the strong connections, which is easier than forming new paths. For example, if you were in the habit of having dessert after every meal for the past 15 years, it would be really hard to not have it; your brain is wired to have that dessert. By making good choices today, we are shaping our brain to make better decisions in the future. <www.askdoctorjoshua.com> (May 2007).

Behaviors become strengthened through repeated exercise. This strengthening alters the brain. It is modified with great effort of will and repetition of a new behavior. With more time, the deeper a habit becomes embedded in the brain, and it becomes easier to fall back into old habits. This explains why it is harder to teach an old dog new tricks.

The Bible describes it this way: “The sin of Judah [is] written with a pen of iron, [and] with the point of a diamond: [it is] graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars.” Jeremiah 17:1. It says that the sin is engraved with a pen of iron on the heart!

Literal Slavery

Being in bondage to sin is as literal as slavery. “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.” Proverbs 5:22, 23. “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Romans 7:23. “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 11 Peter 2:19.

Each time we sin, we tell ourselves that we are free to choose and that we can change. This is the devil’s bargain, and it is true. However, each time we sin, it becomes easier to sin the next time and harder to not do so¾until we realize that we are in bondage. We do not just choose one day to be in bondage to a habit or sin; it happens over time.

Sin is self-reinforcing, leading to deeper and deeper entanglement from which it becomes humanly impossible to free ourselves. Most sins are pleasurable, self-reinforcing, and natural. In fact, they can become as addictions. Sin is natural.

Everyone has sinned. In Romans 3:9, 10 we read: “What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” “Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Romans 8:7. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17. “The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good.” Psalm 14:1.

To be continued . . .

Jana Grosboll serves Steps to Life as its Network Administrator. She may be contacted by e-mail at: janagrosboll@stepstolife.org