Articles – Page 159 – Steps to Life

God’s Special Gift for His Last Day Church, Part III

February 26, 2020 by John J. Grosboll

In Matthew 24, Jesus said that there would be many false prophets. Ellen Harmon, later Ellen White after she married James White, a minister, told the people to check her out. She said, “Now, I know my work is a supernatural work and it is either of God or the devil, but you will have to check it out and decide.” (See Testimonies, vol. 5, 671.)

We must check out anyone who claims to be a prophet. A few years ago when I was at a camp meeting that we were conducting, a man came up to me and said, “I am a prophet.” I do not scoff at anybody who claims to be a prophet, because the Lord could send us a prophet at any time. But there us a text in the Bible that says to prove all things. It is 1 Thessalonians 5.

So when this man told me that he was a prophet (actually it was his friend standing by me who told me that the man was a prophet), I had some questions. Then there was a lady from France several years ago who said that she had the gift of prophecy. I do not scoff at that, but I have some questions for her, too. In fact, if you, or I or anybody said, “I believe that the Lord has sent me the gift of prophecy,” we should be checked out by the church to see whether we meet the tests of a prophet, which are in the Bible.

Tests of a True Prophet

I will list ten, and I will give some texts.

If a person is a true prophet, they will tell the truth. The Bible says that it is impossible for God to lie. They will make predictions that come true, according to Jeremiah 28:9.

A true prophet will prophesy in the Lord’s name. 2 Peter 1:21.

A true prophet will not give some private interpretation of Scripture. 2 Peter 1:20.

A true prophet will point out the sins of the people of God. Isaiah 58:1. If a person is a true prophet, they will not just come to you with some lovey-dovey message and never tell you about your character defects, which need to be changed. That is a hard test for many so-called prophets to pass.

A true prophet will warn God’s people of coming judgment. Isaiah 24:20, 21 would be one example.

A true prophet will build up, or edify, the church. They will not tear it apart. 1 Corinthians 14:3, 4.

A true prophet will teach in harmony with preceding prophets and with the Law of God. Isaiah 8:20 says, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word,…there is no light in them.” This is one of the most important ones of all, and many so-called prophets cannot pass this test.

A true prophet will recognize the incarnation that Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh. 1 John 4:1-3. This is an exceedingly important test, also. Many so-called prophets cannot pass this one either.

A true prophet will not lead people into some kind of fanaticism, some crazy idea that you find out too late has ruined your health, or your family, or something else in your life. They must have good fruit. When you listen to what a true prophet says, you will have good results in your life. Let me give you a quick example.

Sometime past there was a person, I do not know if this person actually claimed to have the prophetic gift, but they professed to have a special message from God for His people. They went around to different churches in the West Coast of the United States, then moved eastward. Wherever they went, one of the things we began to notice was that families would break up. Wives would be leaving their husbands, and they would follow this man here and there. When I saw that, I said, “That man is not a true prophet. It is not good fruit. A true prophet does not go around breaking up families in God’s church.” Jesus said that a true prophet would bear good fruit. (See Matthew 7:15-20.)

Some day I am going to show the evidence in the life and work of Ellen White, and let me tell you there is a mountain of evidence, to prove that she was a prophet. I am not embarrassed; I am not afraid; I have studied this. I do not believe this because somebody told me; I checked it out myself for several months. I wanted to know for sure, and there is no question! The evidence is overwhelming! God sent us a special messenger who was more than a prophet. When we read what she wrote, it leads us right back to the Bible. I have been reading her writings for over 40 years, and over and over again I have read something that she wrote which I did not know. I said, “Does the Bible teach that?” So I would start checking out the Bible and there it was. I had not noticed it.

But I do want to spend just a little time on the last test of all:

A true Bible prophet must have visions and dreams—period. That is what the Bible says. “Then He said, [This is God speaking to Aaron and Miriam.] ‘Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to Him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.’” Numbers 12:6. Notice, if anyone claims to be a prophet, the Lord says if he or she is really a prophet He will make Himself manifest to that person. How? In a vision and in a dream.

Now what happens to a prophet when they are in vision? The book of Daniel gives us a fuller description of a prophet in vision than any other place in the Bible, although there are a few other descriptions. The most complete description of a prophet in vision is in Daniel 10:7. Daniel gives the record of this vision. He says, “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men that were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.”

So the other men realized that something supernatural was happening. That is what occurs when a prophet is in vision. Other people in the room realize that something supernatural is happening. What is this supernatural thing? Look what it says in Daniel 10:8. “…I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength.”

Continuing in verse 9 we read, “Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground. Suddenly, a hand touched me.…” Then he receives instruction from the angel about the latter day; and then it says, “And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men [That is Jesus Christ.] touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to Him who stood before me, ‘My Lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. For how can this servant of my Lord talk with you, my Lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.’” Daniel 10:16, 17.

A Prophet in Vision, Does not Breathe

Daniel says, “How can I talk to You Lord, when I am not breathing? There is no breath left in me.” You know, if you took a mirror right now, and if you put this mirror right in front of your face and speak, moisture will gather on the mirror, because when you talk the air is coming out of your mouth. It is only one of the ten signs, but it is a significant one. A prophet in vision does not breathe. That is a supernatural experience. Now, friends, this is something that is pretty hard to fake.

When I was a freshman in college, I was in a swimming class and, of course, we had to swim under water and do different things. One of the things the instructor had us do was to hyperventilate then we would hang onto the side of the pool and put our head in the water. We were timed to see how long we could hold our breath.

The longer you can hold your breath, the better you can swim underwater. There are professional divers whom, I am told, can hold their breath under water for three and a half minutes after they have hyperventilated. There is some danger involved in that. I could not do it for three and a half minutes. I tried, and I was one of the last ones in the class to lift my head out of the water. My head was under the water for one minute and fifty seconds.

Do you know how long Ellen Harmon White held her breath while she was in vision? I would like to share a few eyewitness accounts. You see, you have to have eyewitnesses if you are going to know that a person is a prophet.

Eyewitness Account

Merritt Kellogg, md, writes on May 29, 1853: “Sister White was in vision about twenty minutes or half an hour. As she went into vision, everyone present seemed to feel the power and presence of God and some of us did indeed feel the Spirit of God resting upon us mightily. We were engaged in prayer and social meeting Sabbath morning at about nine o’clock. [Generally Ellen White went into vision in public when she was in a religious meeting, and often when she was praying.] Brother White, my father, and Sister White had prayed and I was praying at the time. There had been no excitement, no demonstrations. We did plead earnestly with God, however, that He would bless the meeting with His presence and that He would bless the work in Michigan.

“As Sister White gave the triumphant shout, ‘Glory, glory, glory,’ which you have heard her give so often as she goes into vision, Brother White arose [That is her husband.] and informed the audience that his wife was in vision. After stating the manner of her visions and that she did not breathe while in vision, he invited anyone who wished to do so to come forward and examine her.

“Doctor Drummond, a physician, who before he saw her in vision had declared her visions to be of hypnotic origin and that he could give her a vision, stepped forward and after a thorough examination turned very pale and remarked, ‘She does not breathe.’ I am quite certain that she did not breathe at that time while in vision nor in any of several others, which she has had, when I was present.

“The coming out of the vision was as marked as her going into it. The first indication that we had that the vision was ended was in her again beginning to breathe. She drew her first deep breath long and full in a manner showing that her lungs had been entirely empty of air. After drawing the first breath, several minutes passed before she drew the second, which filled the lungs precisely as did the first. Then a pause of two minutes and a third inhalation after which the breathing became normal.” This was written by a medical doctor. (See General Conference Bulletin, 1893, 59, 60, by M. G. Kellogg, M.D., Battle Creek, Michigan, December 28, 1890.)

The Unbeliever

In 1857, there was a man present when she went into vision who did not believe in the visions, did not believe there was anything supernatural. In the same way, Elder White stood up and invited anybody who was present to examine her. They tried all kinds of things. They would take a candle and put it in front of her mouth when she was talking to see if there was any air coming out. The fire would not flicker. They would take a mirror and put it in front of her mouth to see if any moisture gathered on the mirror. No moisture collected on the mirror.

But this man, Brother Bordeau, decided to be much more direct. He put his hand right over her mouth to see if there was breath; there was not any evidence of breath. He had been told that she did not breathe and he said, “Well, I am going to check this out.” So do you know what he did? He took one hand and put it over her nose, closing off the air passages, and he put the other hand over her mouth. And then everybody began to watch. Would you not watch such an experiment?

Everybody watched. One minute went by. Two minutes went by. Three minutes went by. Five minutes went by. What happens in five minutes? A few years ago when I was in Texas, a lady was choked for four or five minutes by somebody who was in her garage. Now she was still alive, but after that she was a vegetable for as long as she lived. If you are choked for four or five minutes and if you survive, you have such severe brain damage that you are a vegetable the rest of your life. You cannot talk; you cannot hear; you cannot understand; you cannot communicate. You just lie there in bed. You are a vegetable. That is it after four or five minutes.

However, Brother Boredau kept holding on for more than five minutes. He kept on six minutes. Seven minutes. Eight minutes. Nine minutes. Ten minutes. (See Statement of D. T. Bourdeau, February 4, 1891, quoted in J. N. Loughborough, The Great Second Advent Movement, 210.)

At ten minutes all of a sudden he became very frightened and he just got up and went out of the room. He could not take it any longer. Now, nothing happened. There were times when she was in vision for over two hours without breathing. The people who saw that said, “The Lord has sent to us a prophet. The Lord has sent us somebody who is more than a prophet, a special messenger to prepare us for His Second Coming.” (See Statement of D. T. Bourdeau, February 4, 1891, quoted in J. N. Loughborough, The Great Second Advent Movement, 210.)

Special Light from Heaven

I want to tell you, friends, I have read Mrs. White’s books. I consider these books to be of greater value than all the books I studied to get my Master’s Degree, my Doctor’s Degree or any other degree. These books are more valuable to me than any of those things, because these books contain special light from heaven.

Suppose somebody reading this knew a world famous physician, and I was sick. So you said to me, “I have a relative who is a world famous physician. I think He could help you, and I would like to get you an appointment so that you can see Him.” If you were sick, would you want to see this person?

But, friend, these books contain the wisdom of the Great Physician. The information I have found in these books has saved me from great, great suffering.

We still have these books available. Today we can get the writings of Mrs. White in three volumes. We have taken many, many of the books and put them into three volumes so that we can take them with us wherever we go. I have the entire Ellen White writings now on CD ROM on my computer. I take it with me wherever I go, anywhere in the world, so I can check things. I am asked questions, because some people think that I am a theologian. I am not actually that smart. It is just that I have access to light from heaven that leads me back to Bible truth.

Knowing Him Better

I want to tell you, friends, I have read these books for over forty years and I have checked them over, I believe, thousands of times. I have checked them over and over again with the Bible. They always agree. The knowledge in these books and this writing has led me closer to Jesus, they have helped me to know Him better.

My dear friends, if there is somebody reading this who has never been exposed to this information before, if you are that person, let me tell you something. I am not trying to push something off on you. All I am saying is, “Check it out. Check it out. Just get down on your knees and say, Lord, is this really true? Have you really sent to us a special messenger? Please help me to see the evidence. Check it out.”

The Bible says to prove all things. Hold fast that which is good. I have checked it out, and I found that it is good.

Here are a few things in Ellen White’s writings about what is going to happen in our time. See if she told the truth. This was written before the First World War, before the development of worldwide Communism, before the Second World War, the development of the atomic bomb and the riots in our cities. This was written before all of those things happened.

Current Events

She said the conditions in our cities were going to get more and more objectionable. (See Testimonies, vol. 7, 82.) Has that happened? The time was going to come when the power of the labor unions would be very impressive. (See Ibid., 84.)

She said the time was going to come when the atmosphere was going to be polluted in our cities. (See Ministry of Healing, 262.) They did not have cars when she wrote that. She said the time was going to come when there was going to be great unrest among the nations and there was going to be great wars and millions of lives were going to be lost. (See Review and Herald, May 26, 1891; Ibid., November 17, 1910.)

By the way, back when she said that, because of the recently discovered theories of evolution, people were saying, “The world is getting better and better.” Ellen White said the time was coming when there was going to be more trouble than there had ever been in the world. There was going to be millions of lives lost in great wars. (See Signs of the Times, April 21, 1890.) Has that happened?

Right after the turn of the twentieth century she wrote that very soon grievous troubles were going to break out among the nations that would not cease until Jesus comes.” (See Review and Herald, November 24, 1904.) Has that happened? She said a time of great anarchy is coming in the world. (See Patriarchs and Prophets, 101.) She said there was going to come a time when gigantic monopolies would be formed. Has that happened? You are seeing it happen right in front of your eyes.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

But why are we happy anyway? Because we have special light from heaven that not only explains the darkness around us, but shows us also the light at the end of the tunnel and how to be ready for the soon coming of Jesus.

Friend, I have so much in my heart. I want to invite you, oh, please, if you have never checked these things out, do so. It will be one of the greatest blessings that will lead you to an understanding of Bible truth.

Over and over again I have been in situations where people ask me how I know so much about the Bible. They think that I must be smart. It is not that I am smart; it is just that I am like the early disciples who went to listen to John the Baptist. I want to listen, to read the special messenger, to get information about how to get ready for the Second Coming, and I have been greatly blessed. I would like for you to have the same blessing that I have had. Just check it out.

Food for Life – Millet Pancakes

February 26, 2020 by Marjorie Coulson

“The present enfeebled condition of the human family was presented before me. Every generation has been growing weaker, and disease of every form afflicts the race. Thousands of poor mortals with deformed, sickly bodies, shattered nerves, and gloomy minds are dragging out a miserable existence. Satan’s power upon the human family increases. If the Lord should not soon come and destroy his power, the earth would erelong be depopulated.

“I was shown that Satan’s power is especially exercised upon the people of God. Many were presented before me in a doubting despairing condition. The infirmities of the body affect the mind. A cunning and powerful enemy attends our steps, and employs his strength and skill in trying to turn us out of the right way. And it is too often the case that the people of God are not on their watch, therefore are ignorant of his devices. He works by means which will best conceal himself from view, and he often gains his object.

“Man came from the hand of his Creator perfect in organization and beautiful in form. The fact that he has for six thousand years withstood the ever-increasing weight of disease and crime is conclusive proof of the power of endurance with which he was first endowed. And although the antediluvians generally gave themselves up to sin without restraint, it was more than two thousand years before the violation of natural law was sensibly felt. Had Adam originally possessed no greater physical power than men now have, the race would ere this have become extinct.

“Through the successive generations since the Fall, the tendency has been continually downward. Disease has been transmitted from parents to children, generation after generation. Even infants in the cradle suffer from afflictions caused by the sins of their parents.…

“The violation of physical law, with its consequent suffering and premature death, has so long prevailed that these results are regarded as the appointed lot of humanity; but God did not create the race in such a feeble condition. This state of things is not the work of Providence, but of man. It has been brought about by wrong habits—by violating the laws that God has made to govern man’s existence. A continual transgression of nature’s laws is a continual transgression of the law of God. Had men always been obedient to the law of the Ten Commandments, carrying out in their lives the principles of those precepts, the curse of disease now flooding the world would not exist.

“When men take any course which needlessly expends their vitality or beclouds their intellect, they sin against God; they do not glorify Him in their body and spirit, which are His. Yet despite the insult which man has offered Him, God’s love is still extended to the race, and He permits light to shine, enabling man to see that in order to live a perfect life he must obey the natural laws which govern his being. How important, then, that man should walk in this light, exercising all his powers, both of body and mind, to the glory of God!” Counsels on Health, 18–20.

Recipe – Millet Pancakes

Place in Blender:

2-1/2 cups distilled water

½ teaspoon sea salt

1-1/2 cups tofu

1/3 cup Fruit Source Granules

1-1/2 cups millet flour or sweetening of your choice

Let stand 10 minutes. Pour on non-stick skillet. Can be used as crepesand filled. Variation: Use half oat flour or cornmeal.

Children’s Story – God Made Me Too

February 26, 2020 by Elizabeth B. Jones

When John brought out his blue shirt to wear, it was much too small for him.

“Oh, my,” said Mother, “see how much you have grown!”

‘Yes,” laughed John; “this shirt won’t do at all.”

“How do I grow, Mother?” he wanted to know.

“God planned our bodies,” said Mother. “He plans for boys and girls to grow.”

“Suppose I keep on growing until I’m taller than this house?”

“You won’t,” laughed Mother. “You’ll grow to be just right and then you won’t grow anymore.”

“I wonder about a lot of things about me,” said John. “I wonder how my ears can hear and my eyes can see. Did God plan that too?”

“Yes, God gave us eyes to see and ears to hear. He made us so we can feel and talk. Now find another shirt, John, and run out to play.”

When John ran out on the porch he found the baby kittens playing there.

“The kittens are growing too,” he said to himself. “Soon they will be big like their mother.”

He picked up the little yellow and white kitten and held it against his cheek. Its silky fur felt soft and tickly, and it purred a happy song right in his ear.

“I’m glad that I can see and hear and feel,” thought John; “I’m glad God made me as I am. I like being me.”

In the Bible, King David wrote a song because he was so happy, and he sang this song to Jesus. . .”I will praise Thee; for I am. . .wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:14.

Restoring the Temple – Nutrition, Eat Well and Live Well, Part I

February 26, 2020 by Sheryle Beaudry-RN,C

How many times have you filled your car’s tank with premium gasoline (perhaps only a memory now, with today’s gas prices) or carefully fertilized your houseplants? We understand that the machine is only as good as the fuel it was given. You would never put fertilizer in your gas tank, or pour gasoline over your houseplants. You know what is best—and worst—for running each ‘machine,’ whether it is mechanical or natural. Yet when it comes to the human body, we treat food as merely something to fill our bellies and please the palate. When improper substances are added to the tank the machine breaks down. Anyone can understand the logic, yet it wasn’t until 1988 that the Surgeon General C. Everett Koop released the Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health, which was the government’s first formal recognition of the role of diet in disease. Because the study of the body has never been emphasized in most schools, the vast majority does not give this delicate machinery a second thought. Until it breaks down.

While Greek and Latin, which are seldom of any advantage, are made a study by many, physiology [the study of how the human body works] and hygiene are barely touched upon. The study to which to give thought is that which concerns natural life, a knowledge of oneself….It is the house in which we live that we need to preserve, that we may do honor to God who has redeemed us. We need to know how to preserve the living machinery, that our soul, body, and spirit may be consecrated to his service. As rational beings we are deplorably ignorant of the body and its requirements….This living machinery should be understood. Every part of its wonderful mechanism should be carefully studied. Physical life cannot be treated in a haphazard manner. Awaken to your responsibilities. Healthful Living, 13,14

A healthy diet provides energy to every cell in our bodies; supplies essential nutrients that the body is unable to make itself; and provides the raw materials for cell maintenance and growth. If you are missing one or more essential nutrients you are malnourished. It is possible for the overnourished individual to be malnourished,¹ which is the profile of the common human, particularly in the Western civilizations.

For hundreds of years isolated groups of people, such as American Indians and the poorer classes, did not commonly have diseases such as heart disease and cancers. Those were considered the rich man’s diseases, for only the wealthier classes could afford to have meats, pastries, and other rich foods appear regularly on their table. When technological progress allowed even the poorest of people access to rich and refined foods, the incidence of heart disease skyrocketed.

According to the American Cancer Society, one third of cancer deaths are related to poor nutrition.² Many medical practitioners believe the numbers to be far higher. The annual cost of cancer in the United States alone amounts to $107 billion.³ Coronary artery disease results from reduced blood supply to the heart. It is known that diet is the major factor in preventing and treating heart disease, yet more than half of Americans have cholesterol levels above the recommended maximum of 200mg/dL. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer and cost the United States $286.5 billion in 1999.⁴

What foods contain the nutrients essential for our growth? Not surprisingly, the perfect diet was given to us not by a government agency in the 20th century, but by God to our first parents.

“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Genesis 1:29

Through God’s Eternal Truth, we know that fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains provide all the fuel and nutrients our bodies require for health and vitality. Ellen White also comments on this:

Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. These foods, prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful and nourishing. They impart a strength, a power of endurance, and a vigor of intellect that are not afforded by a more complex and stimulating diet. Ministry of Healing 296

At least three-quarters of Americans eat less than the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables.⁵ The average Western diet consists of meat, dairy, and highly refined foods such as white bread, and most bakery products. Vegetables and whole grains appear as afterthoughts in small portions on the plate, if they appear at all.

But doesn’t my bowl of Sugar Bombs that I eat each morning contain 100% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals? The label also says it contains wheat, isn’t that good for me? Let’s examine that for a moment. The little wheat kernel, packed full of nutrition, takes a trip from the farm to the mill where it is processed into soft white flour. In doing this, the parts that contain the majority of the vitamins and minerals and all the fiber—the germ and the bran—are removed. Often, these nutritious parts are sent back out to the farm where it is fed to livestock. Then, the manufacturers add a selection of cheap vitamins (that the body cannot easily absorb) so that they can now label their product as enriched. Does this sound like the height of nutrition to you?

Although many choose to take supplements, vitamins and minerals are best absorbed from food and are naturally balanced in food sources.⁶ These foods are best eaten as close as possible to how they came from nature. What could be better than a fresh juicy peach on a warm summer day or a bowl of steamed vegetable stir-fry to enliven a winter’s afternoon? How many of our diseases could be prevented by eating for nutrition instead of merely satisfying the taste buds? There’s a saying familiar to most dieters: a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. Although not as catchy, it could be paraphrased into: a moment on the lips, a lifetime of paying for the damage.

Nutrients are required for life and health. Junk food and refined foods are poor sources of nutrition and can contribute to disease. Nature provides the ideal sources of fuel in the form of whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Let us awaken to our responsibilites.

Do You Really Love Jesus? Part I

February 26, 2020 by Tim Simkin

Do you love Jesus? Do you really love Jesus? I hope that you do, and I hope I do. I want to study with you one very important aspect of having love for Jesus which, if we understand it, will bring us into much more unity.

In Revelation 12:17 it says, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Is the devil extra mad at just those who keep the Ten Commandments? No. It is good to keep the Ten Commandments, but I tell you, there is more to it than just keeping the seventh–day Sabbath and the other nine commandments. It says, “…and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Some people, even those who claim to be Seventh-day Adventists and claim to believe in Ellen White, say that this verse is not a prophecy about Ellen White and the Spirit of Prophecy. Even though Revelation 19:10 says the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, some still deny this. If they do claim to believe in Ellen White, then let us see what Ellen White has to say about it.

As a true prophet, she does not go around bragging, claiming that this verse in Revelation is about her. True prophets do not brag. That is one of the marks of her being a true prophet. But consider this quote in Testimonies to Ministers, 114, “We have the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” She is referring to Revelation 12:17. But she continues, “We have the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, which is the Spirit of Prophecy.” So if you are going to believe in Ellen White, then you are going to believe that Revelation 12:17 is about the Spirit of Prophecy.

In Revelation 19:10 and Revelation 22:8, 9, John the Revelator starts to worship the angel, and the angel says, “No, worship God. I am thy fellowservant and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus and thy brethren the prophets.”

If you compare those verses, one verse puts in the testimony of Jesus and the other verse puts in the prophet, the testimony of Jesus and the prophets. That is all the prophets, of course, not just Ellen White, but other Bible prophets as well, constitute the testimony of Jesus Christ.

“Our work is to proclaim the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Selected Messages, book 2, 116. What is our work? It is to preach the law to the world, the seventh–day Sabbath, the Ten Commandments, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of Prophecy.

Two great errors of doctrine that are mentioned in The Great Controversy, 588 are the natural immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness. But there are really three fundamental subjects, according to Mrs. White, which are very important in the end time.

“The subjects of the Sabbath, the nature of man, and the testimony of Jesus are the great and important truths to be understood; these will prove as an anchor to hold God’s people in these perilous times.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 300.

What is important according to this quote? The Spirit of Prophecy, the testimony of Jesus, is very important. It is right up there with the Sabbath and the state of the dead.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5, 6.

If you have read the New Testament, you know what Jesus said John the Baptist was the Elias which was to come. In Luke 1:17 it even quotes from Malachi 4:6, “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.” So John the Baptist was a fulfillment of this Elijah prophecy. But it was not only John the Baptist who was to fulfill this prophecy, because the great and dreadful day of the Lord is primarily, throughout the Scriptures, referring to the Second Advent.

Elijah, the prophet before the Second Advent, was also to fulfill this prophecy of Malachi 4:5, 6. Once again Ellen White did not brag; never once did she say, “I am the Elijah prophet.” In fact, she never even said she was a prophet. This alone is pretty strong evidence, in and of itself, that she was a true prophet.

She not only knew her mission as a prophet; she knew her mission as a fulfillment of the Elijah prophecy. “To claim to be a prophetess is something that I have never done. If others call me by that name, I have no controversy with them.” “Others have called me a prophetess, but I have never assumed that title. [Do you see the humility?] I have not felt that it was my duty thus to designate myself.… [Now read carefully.] My work includes much more than this name signifies. …My commission embraces the work of a prophet. …It embraces much more than the minds of those who have been sowing the seeds of unbelief can comprehend.” “I know that many have called me a prophet, but I have made no claim to this title. …My work includes much more than the word ‘prophet’ signifies.” Selected Messages, book 1, 34, 36, 32.

Why is this important? What significance is this in relation to the Elijah prophecy? Well, in Luke 7:26, Jesus said, referring to John the Baptist, the second Elijah, “…what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.” This is the very same phrase that is referred to of Ellen White, “Much more than a prophet.”

John the Baptist was the second Elijah who was sent before the coming of the first advent of the Lord to prepare the way for the people to be ready. Scriptures regarding that may be found in Luke 1; Luke 3; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3, and John 1:23. John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way of the Lord and make straight the path.

Well, Ellen White, the third Elijah, was sent to prepare people for the Second Coming of Christ. “…the very means that God has chosen to fit up a people to stand in the day of the Lord.” Selected Messages, book. 1, 45. So she is what? preparing people to stand in the day of the Lord.

It is true that Jesus said of John the Baptist, “…Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” Matthew 11:11. Of course, that refers to greater in mission and message. We are all sinners; we are all equal through the cross, in that sense, but John had a greater mission and message than any among those born of women.

However, when Jesus said that, was Ellen White yet born? No, she had not yet been born. Notice what God said to Ellen White about her mission and message: “Dedicate yourself to the highest work ever committed to mortals.” Selected Messages, book 1, 39. Would that be higher than John the Baptist? Yes, it would.

Another way we know that Ellen White is the third Elijah is because the second Elijah came in fulfillment of the time prophecy of Daniel 8 and 9. 457 B.C. down to 27 A.D. is when John the Baptist came on the scene to prepare the way for the Messiah. Well, take the same time prophecy and 2300 days, 457 B.C. down to 1844, is when Ellen White received her prophetic mission shortly, after the disappointment.

But, some may say, Ellen White is not the Elijah prophet because she herself said, “Somebody is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, and when he appears [Male or female? Male], men may say, ‘You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message.’” Selected Messages, book 1, 412.

So they say that she herself said that the Elijah prophet was yet in the future and that this prophet would be male in gender. However, if you examine the context of that statement, she was actually referring to the situation in the Minneapolis General Conference, 1888, the problems there and the people who were rejecting the authority of the Spirit of Prophecy. (See Ibid., 406–416.)

She was modestly referring to herself by saying, “is to come” (future tense) and “he” (male gender), she was speaking so that she was not bragging or saying, “I am the Elijah prophet, you are rejecting me.” Really, it was not Ellen White herself, it was the message from God, the testimony of Jesus that they were rejecting. (Also see Testimonies to Ministers,Appendix Notes for page 415, 534, 535.)

The male pronoun, “he,” also is used no doubt because the original Elijah the Tishbite was a male, as was John the Baptist. God even called two men before Ellen White, remember? But the apostle Paul said something similar in 2 Corinthians 12. He is addressing the very same subject—people who were undermining his apostolic and prophetic authority—and he is defending his authority as modestly as he can. (See also 2 Corinthians 9, 10, 11.)

Paul says, “I knew a man, . . . And I knew such a man, . . . How that he was caught up into paradise.” 2 Corinthians 12:2-4. Who was he talking about? Himself! The same type of situation as we just discussed with Mrs. White. Consider also the story of John the Baptist. The people came and asked him, “Are you Elijah?” What did he say? “I am not.” If John the Baptist can say, “I am not the Elijah prophet” and still be the Elijah prophet, surely Ellen the Adventist can say, “When he comes,” and still be the Elijah prophet.

Some people say that Ellen White was not really the Elijah prophet; but the Elijah prophet really includes all of God’s people at the end of time who are faithful and give the Three Angels’ Messages. Have you ever heard that? They claim that is the fulfillment of the Elijah prophet in Malachi 4. There are several Spirit of Prophecy quotes that seem to refer to that, also. But what you need to notice is the difference between the word “prophet” and the word “message.” We are all to help spread the Elijah message. We can all be Elijah messengers. None of us are the Elijah prophet. Ellen White was the Elijah prophet. (See Testimonies, vol. 3, 62; Prophets and Kings, 142, 186; Gospel Workers, 150; Early Writings, 233.)

We should look at Matthew 17:10, 11 also. Jesus here is referring to John the Baptist and the disciples are asking why the scribes say that Elias, or Elijah, must first come. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” Matthew 17:11.

Why did all things need to be restored? How long had it been since there was a living prophet? It had been about 400 years since Malachi, the last living prophet. The devil had had 400 years to twist the truth and deceive people more and more, so the Elijah prophet came to restore all things after a long period of no living prophet.

What about Ellen White? Was there a long period of no living prophet when Ellen White came? It was even longer. The world had gone through the Dark Ages. Ellen White came to restore all things. When you read the Spirit of Prophecy, you find that all of the things modern Christianity has twisted up are straightened out in the Spirit of Prophecy. Praise God, all things have been restored!

However, the next verse is even more important. “But I say unto you, That Elias [or Elijah] is come already, and they knew him [her] not.” Matthew 17:12. The same thing has happened; the very same thing, sad but true. That is another identification of a true prophet. Down through history, true prophets have not been readily accepted. They were stoned to death and rejected!

Let us look now at the Third Angel’s Message. What does that message include? The mark of the beast and the commandments of God (See Revelation 14:12.), but it is not just the Sabbath commandment, the commandments are plural. As we have already read in Revelation 12:17, the remnant not only keep the commandments but they have the testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy.

There are many Sabbath–keeping religions. Some religions believe the truth on the state of the dead. Neither one of those things make them Seventh-day Adventists or makes them ready for the Second Coming of Christ—as good as they are, in and of themselves.

Belonging to the General Conference does not make you a Seventh-day Adventist, either. The 2300 day prophecy of Daniel 8:14, the sanctuary, the cleansing of the sanctuary, the Three Angels’ Messages and the Spirit of Prophecy are the things that are unique to the Seventh-day Adventist message. They are very important if we are going to be prepared for the Second Advent of Christ.

That does not just mean you and me; it includes preparing others during the Loud Cry to be ready. “As the end draws near and the work of giving the last warning to the world extends [What would that be, giving the last warning to the world,—”Earth’s Final Warning,” the Loud Cry? ], it becomes more important for those who accept present truth [What would that be? the Three Angels’ Messages.] to have a clear understanding of the nature and influence of the Testimonies, which God in His providence has linked with the work of the Third Angel’s Message from its very rise.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 654. So what is linked to the Third Angel’s Message? The Testimonies. And it is more important, as the Loud Cry goes out, that people understand the nature and influence of the Testimonies.

“…the Testimonies have their place in the Third Angel’s Message.” The Ellen G. White, 1888 Materials, vol. 2, 684. “We had regarded the testimonies as interwoven with the Third Angel’s Message.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 13, 52.

In case it is not clear yet, look at this quote: “The proclamation of the Third Angel’s Message, the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus, is the burden of our work. The message is to be proclaimed with a loud cry, and is to go to the whole world.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 75. I do not know if it could get any clearer. Those giving the true Loud Cry are not only going to be presenting the Sabbath and the state of the dead, but they are going to be defending the Spirit of Prophecy.

Some think they are part of the Loud Cry. “These persons are disposed to conceal the fact that in connection [Notice this again.] with the work of the Third Angel’s Message the Lord through the Spirit of Prophecy has been communicating to His people a knowledge of His will. They think that the truth will be received more readily if this fact is not made prominent. [Have you ever heard that? Do not bring the Spirit of Prophecy out to these non-Adventists; just read the Bible to them; just quote the Bible.] But this is mere human reasoning.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, vol. 2, 808.

Let us look at the seriousness of the rejection of the Spirit of Prophecy, which is rampant among professed Seventh-day Adventists. I am sad to say that this is true everywhere I turn.

Many will profess to be a Seventh-day Adventist, profess to believe in the Spirit of Prophecy and to love Jesus. But do they really love Jesus, if they reject the Spirit of Prophecy and the Spirit of Prophecy is the testimony of Jesus? “…the Lord came to me in the night season and spoke precious words of encouragement concerning my work. . . . With regard to those who have turned from the light sent to them, He said: ‘In slighting and rejecting the testimony that I have given you to bear, it is not you, but Me, your Lord, that they have slighted.’” Testimonies, vol. 5, 688.

Who are they slighting? Jesus! It is not the testimony of Ellen White; it is the testimony of Jesus. They do not love Jesus as much as they say they do. Jesus said, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” Matthew 15:8.

“There can only be two classes. Each party is distinctly stamped, either with the seal of the living God, or with the mark of the beast.” Last Day Events, 215. In the end, you are either going to receive the seal of God or the mark of the beast. Many people are not only losing their salvation now, but many who are Saturday–keepers are going to lose their salvation and receive the mark of the beast because they have rejected the Spirit of Prophecy. They will not keep Sunday as the Sabbath, yet they will still receive the mark of the beast.

“Not all who profess to keep the Sabbath will be sealed.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 213. If you are keeping Sunday, are you professing to keep the Sabbath? No, so there are some who will be keeping Saturday, professing to keep the Sabbath, who will not be sealed, and they will receive the mark of the beast.

“When you find men questioning the testimonies, finding fault with them, and seeking to draw away the people from their influence, be assured that God is not at work through them. It is another spirit. . . . they find fault, and condemn the very means that God has chosen to fit up a people to stand in the day of the Lord.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 45. If we are not prepared to stand in the day of the Lord, we are not going to receive the seal of God. If we reject the testimonies, we are going to receive the mark of the beast.

“Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully. …Oh, how many… [are found] in the time of trouble without a shelter. …Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, . . . will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building.” Early Writings, 71.

We have already studied that John the Baptist was the second Elijah; Ellen White is the third Elijah. Those who rejected the testimony of John the Baptist were placed “where they could not readily receive the strongest evidence that He was the Messiah [Jesus]. Satan led on those who rejected the message of John to go still farther, to reject and crucify Christ.” Early Writings, 259.

To crucify Christ literally was the worst thing that has even been done and ever will be done. It was done by those who rejected the message of the second Elijah, and it is happening again, spiritually. We crucify Christ spiritually by rejecting Him and His testimony. Those who are rejecting the message of the third Elijah will not be ready for the Second Advent.

Not that it has not been clear enough already, but the more we read from the Spirit of Prophecy, the more it shows how very important this subject is and how serious it is that the people are undermining its authority.

“I saw the state of some who stood on present truth [In other words, they claimed to believe the Three Angels’ Messages and the Sabbath.], but disregarded the visions. . . . I saw it was a small thing to speak against the instrument [referring to Ellen White herself], but it was dangerous to slight the words of God. I saw if they were in error and God chose to show them their errors through visions, and they disregarded the teachings of God through visions, they would be left to take their own way, and run in the way of error, and think they were right, until they would find it out too late. Then in the time of trouble I heard them cry to God in agony, ‘Why didst Thou not show us our wrong, that we might have got right and been ready for this time.’ Then an angel pointed to them and said, ‘My Father taught, but you would not be taught. He spoke through visions, but you disregarded His voice.…’” Selected Messages, book 1, 40. Just like that quote we read before from Early Writings, people will come up to the time of the plagues and then see that they needed to be “hewed by the prophets.”

“The truths committed to me, as the Lord’s messenger, stand immortalized, either to convict and to convert souls, or to condemn those who have departed from the faith.…” Publishing Ministry, 359.

“My Saviour declared me to be His messenger. ‘Your work,’ He instructed me, ‘is to bear My word…. The messages for these last days shall be written in books, and shall stand immortalized, to testify against those who have once rejoiced in the light, but who have been led to give it up because of the seductive influences of evil.…’” Selected Messages, book 1, 32.

“What reserve power has the Lord with which to reach those who have… accredited the testimonies of the Spirit of God to no higher source than human wisdom? In the judgment what can you who have done this offer to God as an excuse for turning from the evidences He has given you that God was in the work?… You cannot neglect God’s messages of warning, and cannot reject them or treat them lightly, but at the peril of infinite loss.” Testimonies To Ministers, 465, 466.

People everywhere are treating the Testimonies lightly. Not only rejecting them, but also treating them lightly, puts the soul in peril.

“Through His Holy Spirit the voice of God has come to us continually in warning and instruction, to confirm the faith of the believers in the Spirit of Prophecy…. Those who are indifferent to this light and instruction must not expect to escape the snares which we have been plainly told will cause the rejecters of light to stumble, and fall, and be snared, and be taken.” Selected Messages, book 1, 41.

“One thing is certain [No question about it here; one thing is certain.]: Those Seventh-day Adventists who take their stand under Satan’s banner will first give up their faith in the… Testimonies of God’s Spirit.” Selected Messages, book 3, 84.

“Let not those who seek to hedge up my way and destroy the influence of my words, deceive themselves with the belief that they are doing God service. They are serving another master, and they will be rewarded according to their work…. Rebellion will exist as long as Satan exists.” Selected Messages, book 1, 72. What does she call this? “rebellion.” Undermining the authority of the Spirit of Prophecy, casting doubt upon it, is rebellion.

“When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts til he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 211.

Well, you say, what if someone does not even believe that Ellen White was a true prophet or qualifies as a true prophet? “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:18, 19.

They are already condemned if they do not believe. Light has come into the world. When Jesus was here, the light came in through John the Baptist and through Jesus Himself, and people were condemned if they rejected the light, regardless of whether or not they believed. It says, “He that believeth… is not condemned. He that believeth not is condemned….”

We are not talking about those who have not had the opportunity to study the question of whether Ellen White was a prophet of God. We are talking about those who have had the opportunity, but because they loved darkness rather than light, they say, “I do not believe that Ellen White was a true prophet.” They are condemned anyway and we cannot make the judgment as to whether they have had enough light or not. The principle, however, is very clear. “…because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.…” Hosea 4:6.

“If you feel just as safe in following your own impulses as in following the light given by God’s delegated servant, the peril is your own; you will be condemned because you rejected the light which heaven had sent you.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 688.

“These words were spoken to me: ‘Your work is appointed you of God. Many will not hear you, for they refused to hear the Great Teacher.’” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 29. Almost all of them rejected Christ, right? Does that justify them because they said I do not believe Christ is the true Messiah? No, we just read that. They are condemned anyway. “‘Many will not hear you, for they refused to hear the Great Teacher; many will not be corrected, for their ways are right in their own eyes.’” Ibid.

In fact, this has been a problem, not just since the days of Christ, but since Old Testament times. In Jeremiah 25:4, we read, “And the Lord hath sent unto you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not harkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.”

“And He said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against Me: they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house).…” Ezekiel 2:3-5.

Why is it that they were rebellious? It says, “…yet shall [they] know that there hath been a prophet among them.” Verse 5. We just read this same thing from the Spirit of Prophecy. Rejection of the Spirit of Prophecy is rebellion. That is what it says here, rejection of the prophets.

“Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.” II Chronicles 24:19. In II Chronicles 36:16 we are told, “But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.” Verse 17 says this rejecting the messages of the prophets is why He brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans and they were taken captive into Babylon.

Have carnal hearts changed in this day and age? No, sad to say, they have not. In fact, down through history the professed people of God have claimed to accept previous prophets and maybe even lived by what was written, but the present prophet has always been rejected.

The same thing is happening now. Previous prophets are accepted and believed, but when it comes to the present prophet, Ellen White, she is rejected.

“When once men have admitted doubt and unbelief of the testimonies of the Spirit of God, they are strongly tempted to adhere to the opinions which they have avowed before others…. The doubts indulged through ignorance, pride, or love of sinful practices, rivet upon the soul fetters that are seldom broken. Christ, and He alone, can give the needed power to break them.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 46. Praise God! Jesus can break the soul fetters!

Again, I can testify that this is true. When people admit with their mouth (or even worse in writing) doubts about the Spirit of Prophecy or things that the Spirit of Prophecy teaches, they are unwilling, in almost every case because of pride, to admit that they were wrong and to change and submit to the authority of the Spirit of Prophecy.

Let us get into some specifics. “The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish.’ (Proverbs 29:18.) Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God’s remnant people in the true testimony. There will be hatred kindled against the Testimonies which is satanic. The workings of Satan will be to unsettle the faith of the churches in them, for this reason: Satan cannot have so clear a track to bring in his deceptions and bind up souls in his delusions if the warnings and reproofs and counsels of the Spirit of God are heeded.” Selected Messages, book 1, 48.

In this quote we not only see the principle, the prophecy of the deception of making of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God in unsettling confidence, but it says Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways with the remnant people, who have their confidence unsettled.

In Part 2 we will look at some of the ingenious ways the devil has used to unsettle the faith of the remnant.

To be continued . . .

Break Every Yoke

February 26, 2020 by David Bauer

Do you remember the experience of Moses where the children of Israel had sinned? God said, “Look, let me destroy them. Let them go and I will make of you a new beginning and a new nation and you will be the promised people.”

“And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.” Exodus 32:31, 32.

There is a book, friends, which contains the names of God’s people. If God would not forgive the children of Israel for the golden calf, Moses was willing to give up his leadership, and the chance for his descendents to be the promised people and the great nation that is going to receive the covenant. “If you cannot forgive the sin of the children of Israel,” he said, “blot me out of the Book of Life.” Do you know what that means? That means that he was willing to give up his right to heaven.

God then told Moses what His policy is. “And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” Verse 33. Now how many of you have not sinned against God? That is the way to get your name out of the Lamb’s Book of Life, right? We are all sinners. So your name goes into the Book of Life, and your name can go out of the Book of Life if you are a sinner. What hope is there for us if we have sinned against God?

Let us take a look at the Bible, for there we find how to keep our name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5.

These two Scriptures contain the doctrine of the Investigative Judgment. You get your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. If you continue in sin, your name will be taken out of the Lamb’s Book of Life. But if you overcome, with God’s help it will be left in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Very simple. Now then, there has to be an investigation of the names in the Lamb’s Book of Life, right?

And it makes a difference, friends, whether you are continuing in sin or whether you overcome. If I took the position that evangelical Seventh-day Adventists take, that you cannot stop sinning, then, of course, I do not want an Investigative Judgment, because if I cannot stop sinning, my name will be blotted out of the Book of Life. So, along with their idea that you cannot stop sinning, they have to do away with the idea of an Investigative Judgment, because if they do not, friends, the people who accept the idea that they cannot stop sinning are all doomed to be lost.

If you believe that you can overcome, then your name will be left in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and you are going to be in a select group of people at the end. “…all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8. Whom shall they worship? The first beast of Revelation 13. Who is that? It is the Papacy and, indirectly, it is the devil.

Now, friends, this select group of people, those who overcome and whose names are left in the Lamb’s Book of Life, are the only ones who will not worship the devil. It is important that your name remain in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Church Books vs. Heaven’s Books

How do you get your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life? How do you know that it is there? I have actually cringed and felt like standing up and saying, “No, it is not so,” when I have been in Seventh-day Adventist meetings and heard the minister say, “As soon as you are baptized and voted into the Seventh-day Adventist Church, your name is inscribed in letters of gold in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

No, friends, that is not how you get your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I dare say that the majority of the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church never have their names put in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

“And I intreat 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.” Philippians 4:3.

Now, friends, you have to be a fellowlabourer, a true yokefellow, and then you may be assured that your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life. In other words, it is not a matter of baptism and being voted into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is a matter of accepting the invitation of Christ found in Matthew 11:28–30, where He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you [You must take the yoke of Christ if you hope to have your name inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life. You must be a true yokefellow, wearing the yoke of Jesus and no other yoke.] and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

After Isaiah tells us that what the children of Israel were doing was not what God wanted, he says, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” Isaiah 58:6. You cannot wear two yokes at a time.

Breaking the Yoke

The yokes that Isaiah calls to be broken are the things that, for many, many years, I did not understand, and I do not believe that most people understand them. I do not believe that the people of the denomination, or the leadership in particular, understand what he is talking about and what this appeal means.

There is more than one yoke. There is the yoke of Christ, and if you are wearing that yoke, then you may be positive and certain that your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life. If you are wearing any other yoke, you have no assurance at all that your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Christ says His burden is light. That is the big difference between the yoke and the burden of Christ and that of any other yoke that you can find.

If we continue reading in the book of Matthew, we find that Christ gives a little sermon on the church of His day. “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” Matthew 23:1–4.

What was the purpose of their life? “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.” Verses 5–7.

Yokes of Bondage

Now, friends, this is a description of another yoke. What kind of a yoke? It is a yoke of bondage, of heavy burdens. All other yokes, except the yoke of Christ, are yokes of bondage, of heavy burdens, and these are the yokes that we are called to break in Isaiah 58. Was it a political yoke that they had foisted on the people, or was it a church yoke? They were sitting where? Not on the throne of King David, but in Moses’ seat.

In my reading I came across an address by Ellen G. White. Sometimes I think we should not use her name. I think we ought to say we have an address from the Holy Spirit to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, because that is what she says we have. She says that if you slight the Testimonies and belittle them you have thereby insulted the Holy Spirit. I take this as a message from God. (See Testimonies. vol. 5, 234.)

The Holy Spirit Speaks

In my studies of the early pioneers, the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and Ellen G. White, I find that Mrs. White did not go around looking for problems in the church about which she could write testimonies to people. It was her nature to always look on the good side and always give people the benefit of the doubt. She was always on the positive side and she had difficulty writing these kinds of testimonies.

When Sister White writes these things, friends, it is the Holy Spirit speaking, not Sister White. She was not a genius who knew all the things that the brethren were doing and all that was going on in the church. Those things had to be revealed to her by God. So she says, “I write thus fully, because I have been shown that ministers and people are tempted more and more to trust in finite man for wisdom, and to make flesh their arm. To conference presidents, and men in responsible places.” Testimonies to Ministers, 480.[To whom is she talking? To the world? No! She is talking to the leaders in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.] “I bear this message: Break the bands and fetters that have been placed upon God’s people.” Ibid., 480, 481. I am afraid that most baptized Seventh-day Adventists have taken a church yoke on their necks, instead of the yoke of Jesus. I did, and I fully believed, for most of my life, that the yoke of the church and the yoke of Jesus were one and the same.

I believe that most Seventh-day Adventists regardless of the group they belong to, believe that the yoke they have taken is the yoke of Jesus. And when I first read this quote, it did not fit my thinking. It did not fit what I wanted to believe. What I am going to say, friends, may not suit your thinking or your beliefs, either.

“I bear this message: Break the bands and fetters that have been placed upon God’s people.” Ibid. Every Seventh-day Adventist, according to this testimony, is wearing bands and fetters put on them by conference presidents and men in responsible positions. “To you the word is spoken, ‘Break every yoke.’” Ibid. How many? Every one except Christ’s, because you cannot wear the yoke of Christ until you have broken from off your neck every other yoke, whether it be the yoke of the church, the yoke of the American Medical Association, Labor Unions, Fraternal organizations, the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club, or you name it. All of these organizations put a yoke upon your neck. Yet we do not perceive this because our thinking is not tuned to it.

Divorces from God

I worked for the Seventh-day Adventist Church for 27 years as a minister. I grew up in the church. Before I went into the ministry, I worked at the Glendale Sanitarium; I worked there when it was really doing sanitarium work. I worked in an academy. I went through our schools, friends, and I did not know that I was wearing a yoke. I thought I was wearing the yoke of Jesus. I had my doubts at times, because the yoke of Jesus was always described as being light, easy. “To you the word is spoken, Break every yoke, [What yoke is she talking about? Well, she tells us.] Unless you cease the work of making man amenable to man.” Ibid.

Have you ever been called to account to the church for what you did? Have they ever come to you and said, “You cannot do this?” or, “You do that!” “Unless you cease the work of making man amenable to man, unless you become humble in heart, and yourselves learn the way of the Lord as little children, the Lord will divorce you from His work.” Ibid.

We are to treat one another as brethren, as fellow laborers. In other words, fellow yokefellows, as Paul calls it, wearing the yoke of Christ, not any other yoke.

“… as men and women who are, with us, seeking for light and understanding of the way of the Lord, and who are jealous for His glory. God declares, ‘I will be glorified in My people.’” Ibid.

Friends, there is going to be a group of people in this world who are going to throw off every other yoke and wear only the yoke of Christ and glorify God. The world is going to be lightened with the message they bring. Is that not what it says?

So, “God declares, ‘I will be glorified in my people;’ but the self-confident management of men has resulted in putting God aside, and accepting the devisings of men.” Ibid.

That is exactly what the Pharisees were rebuked for all the time while Jesus was here. “Ye teach for doctrines the traditions or commandments of men.” (See Matthew 15:9.)

Books of a New Order?

When I was born there was no General Conference working policy. There was no General Conference educational policy. There was no church manual. When people wanted to know what to do, they only had two places to go: the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. When I was three years old, the brethren put together the first General Conference Constitution and By-laws and Working Policy. I do not remember the exact number of pages then, but now it is over 500 pages of rules and regulations to be followed by you and the leaders of the church. If time goes on, it will probably expand to a thousand, and the next thing we will have to do is train scribes to interpret it!

We need them right now, because when I used to attend committee meetings where the brethren would be laying plans, I would say, “Do you not know that in the Working Policy it says such and such?” And they would say, “No, we do not,” because nobody can remember 500 pages of rules and regulations, not even the leaders.

A few years back I checked on the educational policies. I went to the local church school, pulled open the teacher’s file and took out the Pacific Union Conference Educational Code. Then I pulled out the supplement, because the rules of men are never adequate and consequently they are always adding to them. I counted 1,000 pages! This was not fine print, like the General Conference Working Policy; this was 1,000 mimeographed pages of rules to govern the colleges and church schools in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

When I was nine years old, the first Church Manual was issued. The statement as to the reason for voting a church manual was, “We hope this will stop the headlong plunge of the church into apostasy.” Has it?

The first Church Manual was advisory. It had no authority; nobody had to follow it or pay any attention to it. But in 1946, when I had been in the ministry one year, the General Conference in session gave full authority to the Church Manual. This is a yoke, friends, made by men and put on your neck and on their own necks.

Would you like to know what the apostle Peter and the brethren in Jerusalem had to say about the yoke of the Jewish Church? Acts 15:10 tells us the people in Jerusalem were starting down the same headlong rush to put a yoke other than the yoke of Christ upon the church:

“Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples? [How long did it take the early Christian church to start putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples? Why, they had just barely gotten started. A yoke] which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear.” Oh, friends, all human yokes are heavy, difficult. The yoke of Jesus and His burden is light.

You may say, “Well, I do not think I have a yoke on my neck.” Maybe you feel quite comfortable with it because you have gotten so used to it. Or maybe, like I did for many years, you believe that the yoke of the church is the yoke of Jesus. Sometimes I wondered how He ever thought to say that His yoke was easy and light, though, and I used to really puzzle over those two words describing the yoke of Jesus when I had the two confused.

Calling Sin By It’s Right Name

I have been puzzling over this question of yokes for years and years. What was Sister White talking about? I know that we cannot be amenable to mankind. I know that making men responsible to man puts God aside, and that was at least part of the yoke. “For years our physicians have been trained to think that they must not give expression to sentiments that differ from those of their chief. Oh, that they had broken this yoke.” Series B, 28.

The belief that you cannot express an idea that differs with the pastor or the church is a yoke that you must break. I cannot break the yoke from off your neck unless I put it there. And even then, you may not let me remove it. Only you can break a yoke off your neck. These physicians had accepted a yoke which required them to agree with the boss, the head of the Battle Creek Sanitarium and Hospital, even though they differed with him.

Sister White said, “Oh that they had broken the yoke.” Ibid. Have you worn that yoke and kept your mouth shut? Have you accepted that yoke? If so, you had better break it, because they did not, and Mrs. White said, “Oh, that they had called sin by its right name!” Ibid.

Have you ever been quiet when you should have spoken out and called sin by its right name? A yoke you have to break. A yoke the church puts on your neck. I know, because they put it on my neck and when I threw it off, they immediately rushed in to replace it.

Oh, friends, the yoke to keep quiet, to not disagree with your boss, your leader, so you do not call sin by its right name is a yoke you have to break before you can wear the yoke of Christ.

Mrs. White continues, “They would not be regarded in the heavenly courts as men who, though bearing weighty responsibilities, have failed of speaking the truth in reproof of that which has been in disobedience to God’s Word.” Ibid.

A Yoke of Silence

This yoke that the brethren impose upon the necks of the ministry, upon the necks of the laity, and anyone else, is a yoke of silence when it comes to denominational policy and procedure. If you dared to open your mouth, you were a faultfinder, condemner and criticizer.

It was not until the brethren disfellowshipped me that the yoke of the church was actually fully removed. I am not saying you have to be disfellowshipped, but I would like to see Seventh-day Adventists fully remove the yoke of the church from off their neck without being disfellowshipped. All you have to do is to throw off the yoke that has you not disagreeing with the leadership, the one that has you not calling sin by its right name, not reproving things that are contrary to God’s Word.

I cannot support things contrary to the Spirit of Prophecy. The only program that I hope anybody can trust me to support is the one found in the Bible and in the Spirit of Prophecy. That which is found in the Church Manual and Working Policy I cannot support if it is contrary to the Bible and to the Spirit of Prophecy.

So continuing in Series B, and again addressing the people under the Alpha of apostasy, here is what was wrong that caused the church to go into the Alpha of apostasy: “Our physicians have lost a great deal out of their lives because they have [1] seen wrong transactions and [2] heard wrong words spoken, [3] and seen wrong principles followed, and have not spoken in reproof, for fear that they would be repulsed.” Ibid., 29.

The yoke of man silences you so that you will not object to a policy of the church that is contrary to the Spirit of Prophecy.

Anything else that is contrary to the Bible and to the Spirit of Prophecy is a yoke of man who says, “Do not speak out, be a loyal Seventh-day Adventist.” Are you wearing that yoke? Have you refrained from speaking out about something? Have you seen wrong principles followed and not spoken in reproof? It worked on me, friends, for years. I wore a yoke of silence when I should have spoken out, and yet the brethren always thought I was speaking out too much. But I kept quiet too often, friends.

If things need adjusting at the heart of the work, what do we do? Well, friends, if we do not speak out, if we wear this yoke of silence, God will take care of things, but how much better it would be if we did it ourselves. Every wrong within the Seventh-day Adventist Church is going to be taken care of, either by God or by the membership.

Worst Sins are Unrevealed

Sister White states: “The abominations for which the faithful ones [These are the ones who did not wear the yoke of silence.] were sighing and crying were all that could be discerned by finite eyes, but by far the worst sins, those which provoked the jealousy of the pure and holy God, were unrevealed. The great Searcher of hearts knoweth every sin committed in secret by the workers of iniquity. These persons come to feel secure in their deceptions and, because of His long–suffering, say that the Lord seeth not, and then act as though He had forsaken the earth. But He will detect their hypocrisy and will open before others those sins which they were so careful to hide.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 211.

The sad thing I have observed is that people take the yoke off from their necks that is imposed by the Adventist Church, and run right over to some other group and put that yoke on their necks. The only yoke I am interested in you having around your neck, is the yoke of Jesus, so your name will be in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

The yoke of Jesus has no stress, no tension, no frustration. It is a yoke of victory. It is a yoke of being an overcomer. It is a yoke that is easy and the burden is light. Oh, yes, it promises you persecution, but it says you will be able to “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad when man shall persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely.” (See Matthew 5:12.)

When you wear the yoke of Christ, then and then alone, you are God’s free man. If you are not wearing the yoke of Christ, then you are in bondage. You cannot be God’s free man until you become Christ’s servant. You must! God will not place the yoke upon your neck. You must willfully choose to take the yoke of Christ. He says, “Take My yoke.” He does not say, “Accept it and I will put it on your neck.” He says, “Take up the cross.” He does not say, “Lean over and I will put it on your back.”

No yokes can be forced on your neck. You may die resisting it, but you do not have to accept any yoke.

The Final Warning

“The Final Warning,” is a chapter in The Great Controversy that we need to study and restudy. If you take the yoke of Christ, understand that you are enlisting the opposition of the hosts of darkness. Your life will become very interesting. You will probably not have another boring day. “Evil angels will assail him, alarmed that his influence is taking the prey from their hands. …Evil men, rebuked by His example, will unite with them in seeking to separate him from God by alluring temptations.” The Great Controversy, 610.

You want a lot of the luring of temptations? You just put on the yoke of Christ.

“When these do not succeed, then a compelling power is employed to force the conscience.” Ibid.

You have an interesting life ahead of you, never a dull moment.

Mrs. White tell us: “It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn from the Scriptures what is truth, and then to walk in the light and encourage others to follow his example.” Ibid., 598.

We had better get busy on the first and highest duty of every rational being.

“We should day by day study the Bible diligently, weighing every thought and comparing Scripture with Scripture. With divine help we are to form our opinions for ourselves, as we are to answer for ourselves before God.” Ibid. I beg of you, throw off every other yoke and put on the yoke of Christ because your life depends on it; your eternal life depends upon it. Soon, very soon, your name will be called in the Investigative Judgment and it is either going to be blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life, or it is going to stay.

The General Conference Inquisition? Part II

February 26, 2020 by Ralph Larson

If I were to ask you, What is the similarity, the likeness, between a bank president and a town drunkard, what would you say?

If I were to ask you, What is the similarity between a bartender and a college professor, what would you say?

And, if I were to ask you, What is the similarity between a thief and a scientist, what would you say?

What about a gambler and a college president? What is the similarity between them?

I think I know what you would say, and I think I know what you are thinking right now. I believe you are thinking, “Ralph, those are dumb questions. There is no similarity at all between those people.”

But I would respectfully have to disagree with you. I believe that there is a point on which these people are not only similar, they are practically identical. It is on the point of self-idolatry, which Ellen White describes as “the foundation of all sin.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 27.

Self-idolatry lies at the foundation of all sins.

When we hear the word “idolatry” we think of idols and images, things carved out of wood or stone, before which people bow and pray, and even offer sacrifices. In Honolulu I lived for awhile across a narrow street from a Bhuddist temple where the people bowed and prayed before an image of Bhudda. In Japan, I visited a temple of a thousand Bhuddas. There were actually a thousand idols there, standing on their feet in order to use less room than the more familiar seated Bhuddas. Sri Lanka, the island kingdom to the south of India, is a land of many idols and images. Idolatry is not always practiced with images of wood or stone. In Manila I watched a man and a woman walk with bare feet across a bed of hot coal, and afterward bow before the fire and pray to it.

I have seen idols and images of many gods, but I have never seen an image or idol of the god “self,” have you? Yet self-idolatry must be very common, if it lies at the foundation of all sin. We may remember that Lucifer laid the original foundation, as we read in Isaiah 14:12–14: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

When we read these words, we think that surely this was the ultimate insanity, for a created being to think that he could put himself above his own Creator. Such craziness could happen only once in the history of the universe, we feel sure. But actually, this self-idolatry is happening every day, all around us. People on every side of us are daily saying, “I will be like the most High; I will make my own rules; I will be my own god.” Why do they do this? Because of a grim reality that we do not often think about but should. We remember that in Genesis 3:15 the Lord said to Satan, “…I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.” Let us look carefully at some Spirit of Prophecy comments on this verse:

The Lord says, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman.’ The enmity does not exist as a natural fact. As soon as Adam sinned, he was in harmony with the first great apostate and at war with God; and if God had not interfered in man’s behalf, Satan and man would have formed a confederacy against heaven, and carried on united opposition against the God of hosts. Signs of the Times, July 11, 1895.

“There is no natural enmity between evil angels and evil men; both are evil through transgression of the law of God, and evil will always league against good. Fallen men and fallen angels enter into a desperate companionship.” Youth’s Instructor, October 11, 1894.

Note carefully—the evil in both men and angels is defined as transgression of the law of God. That would include everyone in the world, except sincere Christians, for they are all transgressing the law of God. This is the basic point in their similarity. Do you see now why I said there is a point in which the people I mentioned are not different at all? We may divide them into two separate groups. We would put the bank president, the college professor, and the scientist in one group and the drunkard, the bartender, the thief and the gambler in another group and say that the two groups are completely different, but we would be wrong. Except for the few Christians who might be found in the first group, they are all alike in their transgression of the law of God. On this point there is no difference between the drunkard and the bank president or the thief and the scientist, or any of the others who were mentioned. They are all practicing self-idolatry. They are all saying, “I will be like the most High.” In their rejection of God’s Law they are rejecting God, and putting self on the throne, just like Lucifer did.

They are also alike in their association with fallen angels. There is no enmity between them, and they are in a “desperate” companionship, although they may not realize it. And what of their relationship with Christians?

Evil will always league against good.

If you question that statement, just read the newspapers for awhile. They will convince you. I used to read the well-known statement by Ellen White, which calls for men who, among other things, are not afraid “to call sin by its right name.” (See Education, 57.) I would wonder then why calling sin by its right name should require courage, but I do not wonder any more. People are being criticized, denounced, and even sued for calling sin by its right name in our time. The “bad guys” are declaring war on the “good guys” all over the country. Even the Bible is being attacked because it clearly states that certain practices are an abomination to God.

Add it up. There is no enmity between fallen angels and fallen men. Fallen angels and fallen men are in a “desperate companionship.” Fallen angels and fallen men are alike in their transgression of God’s Law. Fallen angels and fallen men are united in a league against good, for evil will always league against good.

Once we get this picture clearly in our minds, we are better able to understand some of the peculiar things that are being done around us by highly trained and highly educated persons. I once hired a university student to help me do some work on my evangelistic equipment. As we worked, he told me about some of his classes. One of his professors, he said, made a point of telling the students, every few days, that Christianity is dead. “He must be a frightened man,” I said.

“Why? What do you mean?” the student asked.

“If you really believed that a man was dead,” I answered, “would you go back and stick your knife into him every few days? It looks to me like your professor is afraid that Christianity is not dead.”

I digress to make a point of which you might not be aware. You have probably understood that Christianity must not be discussed in public school classrooms. This is only partially true. You may freely discuss Christianity in the public school classrooms as long as you are putting it down, discrediting it. If the professor mentioned above had taken time, every few days, to tell his students something favorable about Christianity, he would soon have been in trouble. Evil will always league against good. We must not draw the conclusion that highly educated men are exceptions to this rule. They are not. On this point they are not different from the drunkard, the gambler, or the thief.

Getting Away with Murder

I read with astonishment how a highly respected judge, on the Raphael Perez case, (The General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists of Silver Spring, Maryland vs Raphael Perez and the Eternal Gospel Church of Miami, Florida, Case #98-2940-CIV-KING) let the lawyers for the General Conference “get away with murder,” to use a familiar expression, in the first few minutes of the trial. The first witness that they called to the stand was a Seventh-day Adventist lawyer named Clark Floyd. The questioning went approximately like this:

“Do you have any degrees in theology?

“No.”

“Are you a member of any theological society?”

“No.”

“Do you subscribe to any theological journals?”

“No.”

“Your honor, I move that this witness be dismissed because he is not qualified to testify in this case.” Ibid., Court Transcript

And the judge dismissed him! And he dismissed the second witness in the same manner. What a mockery of judicial procedure!

What should the judge have done? He should have addressed the lawyer and said to him very firmly, “Counsel, this is not a theological court, it is a court of civil law. We are not dealing with questions of theology; we are dealing with a matter of civil law. You will please confine your questions to matter of civil law, and say no more about theology.” But the judge permitted theological questions all the way through the trial. How are we to understand this? Evil will always league against good. Was the judge consciously trying to do evil against Raphael Perez? Possibly not. He may not have even been aware of what he was doing, but the wrongful trial and the wrongful decision make us keenly aware that Bible Christians cannot expect justice from worldly courts.

This is underscored by the results of the appeal to a higher court. The last report that reached me was that this court was trying to settle the matter through arbitration, whereas they should have declared it a mistrial because of the mixture of theological matters with matters of civil law. This is contrary to the constitution, which guarantees our freedom of religion. But we should not be surprised. Evil will always league against good.

Most Americans are familiar with the tragic story of Aaron Burr, who challenged Alexander Hamilton to a duel because of some small matter, and shot and killed Hamilton, while Hamilton, who did not believe in duels, fired his shot into the air. But public opinion turned strongly against Burr, and his life went downward and downward until he finally committed suicide. Most Americans know that story, but few people know of the experience that lies behind it. While Burr was a student at Princeton University, an evangelist came to town and preached the gospel. Burr attended several of the meetings, and felt a strong conviction that he should become a Christian. Feeling the need of some advice, he asked the President of the University what to do. The President said: “I cannot tell you whether you should be a Christian. You will have to decide that for yourself. But I would advise you to wait until the meetings are all over, and the evangelist has gone on to his next appointment, then think it over and make your decision, by yourself, as to what you want to do.”

Burr accepted this advice. He ignored all of the evangelist’s appeals, and waited until the meetings were over. Then one night, while Burr’s fellow students were studying in their dormitory rooms, they heard a sudden noise. Looking out, they saw that Burr had thrown open his dormitory window, and was leaning out and looking up at the sky. He looked for a long moment, and then the other students heard him say:

“Goodbye, God. I have made my decision.”

That is the experience that lies behind the tragic story of Aaron Burr. We know that the president was not a Christian, because no Christian would ever give that kind of advice to anybody. The president may have thought that he was giving Burr good advice, but he was a fallen man in league with fallen angels, whether he realized it or not. Evil will always league against good.

Put not your trust in princes.

We have to face it, folks. We cannot put our trust in princes of science, or in princes of education, or in princes of industry, or in princes of politics. And we cannot put our trust (are you ready for this?) in princes of the church. Let us go without further delay to the very heart of the problem.

The August 2000 issues of the Adventist Review and Ministry magazines present a report to the church regarding the activities of such independent ministries as Hope International, led by Ron Spear; Hartland Institute, led by Colin Standish; and Remnant Ministries, led by Russell Standish. It proposes that 12 months will be given to them in which they may either submit to the authority of the church or suffer the consequences. The report is filled with grossly false allegations. I have written a firm rebuttal of the false allegations, which is in the November issue of LandMarks magazine, and so I will not repeat them here. But it is my painful duty to point out that these false allegations were concocted and published by princes of the church. It is an appalling, unbelievable, spectacle, but we must face it. As in all times of trial, we go to the inspired writings for guidance. Here is a sampling of what we find there:

As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the Third Angel’s Message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become themost bitter enemies of their former brethren. The Great Controversy, 608. [Emphasis supplied.]

The “men of talent and pleasing address” may well be princes of the church. And carefully consider this:

Through his evil angels, Satan contrives to form an alliance with professedly pious men,…He knows that if he can induce men, as he induced the angels, to join in rebellion, under the guise of servants of God, he will have in them his most successful allies in his enterprise against heaven. Under the name of godliness,he can inspire them with his own accusing spirit, and lead them to charge God’s servants with evil and guile. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1142. [Emphasis supplied.]

Words of Hate

Would you like to sample a foretaste of what she was writing about? Roy Adams, associate editor of the Adventist Review, provides us with a sample. In a book that he wrote called The Nature of Christ he uses the following words to describe historic Adventists and their leaders:

Sour, festering, self-appointed, infected with the virus of judgmentalism and suspicion, disease, martyr complex, seasoned controversialists, spirit of accusation, outraged, aghast, scandalized, pathetic, self-confessed expert, misguided, wrong-headed, steeped in their cherished position, impenetrable to any theological logic, irresponsible, almost dishonest, deluded self-appointed gurus, disgruntled, pious self-appointed prophets, turncoats, charlatans, and scoundrels, like Jim Jones and David Koresh. The Nature of Christ,

He then describes our reasoning and our writings in these terms:

Mumblings, innuendos, broken faith with the church, specious theology, perfectionistic agitation, picayune, disgusting, speciousness, repetitive, exasperating, subtle spin, overblown, vacuousness, subtle legalism, anger, irritation, anger to new heights, radical articulation, fuss, ingenious theological gymnastics, willfulness, mischief, dishonesty, far-fetched explanations, artificial and contrived, totally fabricated, thoughtlessly, narrow, shallow, facile admonitions, simplistic pietism, shrill, provincial, manipulate, dogmatism, trap of perfectionistic legalism, heated, quoted piously, specious reasoning, vehement, inordinate insistence, maliciously accusing, sharpened tongues, navel-gazing, and self-flagellation. Ibid.

An Accusing Spirit

Look again at what Ellen White predicted. The devil will inspire professedly pious men with his own accusing spirit, and they will charge God’s servants with evil and guile. Did she know what she was writing about? Need we wonder what part Adams will take in the court procedures against true Adventists who are on trial for their faith? And how can we doubt that Ellen White was inspired? You would think that she had been shown a copy of Adams’ book. And the book carries on its back cover recommendations from Adventist scholars and from then General Conference President, Robert Folkenberg. Make no mistake about it, dear friend. The report and the ultimatum to historic Adventists that were prepared by princes of the church and published in the Adventist Review and in Ministry magazine, with all of their grossly false accusations, are not to be taken lightly. They are obviously inspired by the same spirit that inspired Adams.

As for the theology that Adams recommends to his readers, here is a sample. In his argument against the idea of character perfection, Adams says that some sins, called chata’ah in Hebrew, cannot be overcome, that they are not counted against us, and that they have nothing to do with our fitness or unfitness for heaven (See Ibid., 97). Let us therefore go to the Old Testament to see what kind of sins are there defined as chata’ah. The list includes:

The sin of adultery into which Potiphar’s wife tried to lure Joseph. Genesis 39:9.
The selling of Joseph into slavery by his brothers. Genesis 50:17.
The sin of idolatry. Exodus 23:33.
The rebellion of Korah against Moses, for which he died. Numbers 16:22.
Eli’s sons’ rebellion against the Lord, for which they died. I Samuel 2:25.
The planned murder of David by Saul. I Samuel 19:5.
The multiple sins into which Jereboam led Israel, which caused God to reject Israel. I Kings 14:16.
The sins of Manasseh, who filled Jerusalem with blood and caused Israel to do worse than the heathen. II Kings 21:9, 16.

These sins, according to Adams, cannot be overcome, are not counted, and have nothing to do with out fitness or unfitness for heaven. Need we wonder what spirit is inspiring all of this? Put not your trust in princes, not even the princes of the church.

So How Shall We Relate to These Horrifying Circumstances?

Rejoice. The evidence shows that the end is near; thank God that we have been given ample warning in advance through the precious writings of the Spirit of Prophecy. Marvel again at the uncanny accuracy of Ellen White’s words: Professedly pious men will charge God’s servants with evil and guile.

Do not Panic. The God who was able to tell us in advance about the great apostasy in Adventism is well able to bring us safely through that apostasy and the great time of trouble that will follow it.

Do not Retaliate. Bitter as it is to be betrayed by church leaders, and to see our beautiful truth trashed by persons in high church office, we must not return evil for evil. Jesus was calm and undisturbed while being falsely accused, and by His grace we may do the same. It may be that some of the false accusers and truth trashers will yet repent and be saved.

Stay Close to the Lord. Read, read and reread the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. Guard carefully your prayer program, and cultivate the habit of talking to God while about your daily affairs.

Keep Your Guard Up. Put no blind confidence in anyone. We can no longer take it for granted that persons in high church office will be truthful with us, either in their words or in their writings. The situation is grave now, and it will certainly get worse as the end draws near. But we have read “the last pages in the book,” and we know how it is going to end!

Courage in the Lord!

Wonder and Perish

February 26, 2020 by John J. Grosboll

God has set His hand to finish His work and you can see it—if your eyes are open. But have you ever tried to tell somebody something and either it was so wonderful or so terrible that they just could not believe it? Did you know that God has that problem?

God talks about this problem in Isaiah 29:14 the Lord said, “I am going to work a wonder among you and you are going to be astonished. Just pause and wonder.” Then in Ezekiel He said, “You think that it is going to be a long time before these prophecies are fulfilled but it is going to happen right now.”

Friends, what has happened before is happening again. That, which some people are looking forward to a long time into the future, is happening right now, and they do not realize it.

Watch, be Utterly Astounded!

This is God speaking: “’Look among the nations and watch—Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days, Which you would not believe, though it were told you.’” Habakkuk 1:5.

The Lord says, “Look! Look and see what is happening in the world.” Do you see anything happening in the world? Do you see any signs that we are right at the end? The Lord says, “Look at what is going on in the world and be utterly astonished.” Utterly astounded by what? Well, the Lord says, “I am going to work a work in your days—not a hundred years from your day, but I am going to work a work in your generation, in your lifetime. If I told you what I am going to do, you would not believe it.”

I wonder, can you believe what God says He is going to do, or are you among the people who are astounded by what they see, and they just cannot believe that it is really happening?

Habakkuk 1:5 is quoted in the New Testament. As you know, those of you who speak more than one language, a word can be translated more than one way into another language. I want you to look at this text in the New Testament because, when they quoted it and it was translated, they used a few different words.

Wonder and Perish!

Let us see how the apostles quoted it. The apostle Paul is preaching, and he is preaching especially to his Jewish brethren. He says,

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware [Now, notice. Here is a warning.] therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: ‘Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, A work which you will by no means believe, though one were to declare it to you. Acts 13:38-41.

Who are these people about whom the apostle Paul is talking? He says, “Watch out that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you.” Then he quotes the text from Habakkuk, “Behold, you despisers. Marvel and perish!” Or the Old King James Bible says “…Wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.”

I want to tell you, friends, this verse from Habakkuk 1:5 was fulfilled in the life and times of Jesus, and it was fulfilled again in the life and times of the apostles. Now as the Jews looked out at the world, when Jesus was here, they saw that something was happening, and they were astonished by what they saw. They were astonished when they saw people who had been blind from birth who could now see.

Astonished, but not Saved

They had reports of an individual who had been in the grave for four days and was alive. They actually saw that person, and they got so mad when they saw him that they decided to kill him. They knew that something was happening. They were astonished by what they saw. But even though they marveled, even though they wondered, they were not saved.

That is what it says, marvel and perish, wonder and perish. They knew that something was happening, but they would not confess that God was in it. They said, “This Man is working miracles by the chief of the devils.”

They knew that something big was going on when the apostles went all over the world, and they saw the Christian churches arising. In fact, there were so many churches in the lifetime of the apostle Paul that he wrote to Titus and said, “Go and ordain elders in every city.” (See Titus 1:5.) Why did he have to do that? Because there was a church in every city.

The leadership knew that something was going on, and Paul was appealing to them, “Watch out that this prophecy does not come true for you; that you marvel, that you see something is happening, but you will not believe that it is the work of God. You say it is something else.”

Marvel and perish. Who are these people? They are the people who profess to be the true people of God but they will not accept; they will not cooperate with what God is doing in the world. They fight it. Is that not what the Jews did?

The Condemnation of the Jews

Now for some reason, I do not know why, there are some people who get upset when we preach about this subject. They say, “Please do not compare us with the Jews.” Friends, I must tell you that Ellen White compared us to the Jews over and over again. In fact, she says, “Let every soul be careful lest he prove himself to be among those who despise and wonder and perish, who turn from Christ in the person of His saints, and bring upon themselves the condemnation that fell upon the Jews.” Signs of the Times, May 26, 1890.

So, what is the warning? Well, she says watch out lest the very same thing that happened to the Jews happens to you. Let us look at this Scripture about the despisers who wonder and perish from the viewpoint of a very well known parable of Jesus. This parable helps us to understand what the apostles and prophets were talking about when they said, marvel and perish, wonder and perish.

In the Greek New Testament it says that Jesus told the Jews a dark saying, or a riddle, a mystical saying, and they did not understand what He was talking about.

A Dark, Mystical Saying

What was this proverb, this dark, mystical saying that they did not understand? It was the parable of the sheepfold. This is a very interesting parable, and it has many interesting symbols in it. It says:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. John 10:1

The New King James Bible calls it an “illustration” in verse 6, that is a dark saying, a mystical saying, a proverb, a riddle. They did not know what He was talking about, so He goes on to explain. This is one of the most wonderful parables that Jesus told, because of its meaning.

…Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:7–11.

Jesus talks about the hireling and the wolf that enters in. He says again, “I am the good shepherd; and I know those that belong to Me and I am known by them.” And then He talks about laying down His life for the sheep, and He talks about there being only one flock, one fold, one shepherd. (See John 10:12–16.)

Then Jesus is talking to the Jews and the Jews surround Him and they say, “How long do you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (See verse 24.) Jesus said, “I have already told you and you would not believe what I told you. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. (See John 10:25, 26.)

Notice, these people were astonished; they were marveling; they were astounded by what they were watching, but they did not believe. So they perished.

…you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one. John 10:26–30.

Notice the symbols in this parable. We look first of all at the fold which Jesus calls the sheepfold. What is the fold? “The church of Christ is very precious in His sight. It is the case which contains His jewels, the fold which encloses His flock.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1118.

What is the Fold?

So the fold is the church. A fold is a place that has walls of protection around it. “…the church is very precious in His sight. It is the case which contains His jewels, the fold which encloses His flock, and He longs to see it without spot or blemish or any such thing. He yearns after it with unspeakable love.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 261.

There is, friends, a fold. Are you in it? The fold is the church. Now I meet some people who say, “Well, I want to go to heaven, but there are so many hypocrites in the church. I am just going to go alone.” There are a lot of people like that in the world today. “God has a people whom He is leading, guiding, and instructing. They must be subject one to another.” This Day With God, 295. You see, you cannot be subject to one another if you are all by yourself. Have you ever thought that through?

“If one undertakes to go alone, independently, to heaven he will find he has chosen the wrong path that will not lead him to life.…” Ibid. How many people do you know who have decided that they are going to go to heaven alone? They lose their way spiritually.

God would not establish the church if we did not need it. We need each other. We need to be helping each other toward heaven. We are not going to go to heaven all alone. Now, we need to be ready to stand alone at any time for Jesus, just like Daniel did, but we are not going to heaven alone.

God has a people whom He is leading, and if we try to go alone, independently, we will find we have chosen a path that will not lead us to life. There are many sheep today that are out of the fold. It is dangerous for a sheep to be out of the fold. We are not condemning anybody who is out of the fold, but we would still like to get them back in the fold. It is safer there.

Listening for the Shepherd’s Voice

“He came to help us live without sin. This He calls bringing us back to the fold.” The Story of Jesus, 77. What is it that draws us back into the fold? An eastern shepherd does not go to his sheep with a club to beat them back into the fold. That does not work. Sheep do not respond very well to that. They just get all confused and do not know where to go or what to do. In the East, where Jesus spoke this parable, they knew what He was talking about because we are told when he leads them out, he calls his own sheep by name. (See John 10:3.) As the sheep learn their name from the shepherd, they learn to respond and follow when their name is called.

We are living in a time when the true Shepherd is calling for His sheep to come back into the fold. Have you heard His voice? Are you listening for His voice? No one can return to the fold, of course, without the drawing of the Holy Spirit. “It is His love that encircles us, bringing us back to the fold.…” In Heavenly Places, 76.

The fold is where you belong. It is dangerous outside of the fold. People say, “There are hypocrites in the church.” Well, let me tell you, there are even more hypocrites out of the church. Are you in the fold? If you have strayed from the fold, would you like to come back?

Jesus said in John 10:16, “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be [one fold] one flock and one shepherd.”

The Church Organization is Not the Fold

The fold is the church. Now there are some people who get a little mixed up on this, and they think that the fold is the church organization. Now, I believe in church organization. I have always believed in church organization. We have elders; we have deacons; we have church board meetings; we have church business meetings, and we try to conduct all of our business in an orderly way because heaven operates in order. It does not operate in chaos and confusion. So, we believe in church organization, but the church organization is not the fold. That is very important to understand.

Here is an illustration that will show that is the case. In John 9 the story is told of a man whom the Jews decided to kick out of the fold. He was a Jewish man, a member of the church, and they decided to disfellowship him.

Ellen White comments on the experience of this blind man. She says,

The sheep was cast out of the fold for being a living witness to the power of Christ. Many have been cast out of the church whose names were registered upon the Book of Life. Wolves in sheep’s clothing were ready to cast out of the fold and devour one who was entitled to the Lord’s pasture; but Jesus, the True Shepherd, sought him, [You find that in the last few verses of John 9.] and gave him a place within the fold. Signs of the Times, December 4, 1893.

I have pondered that statement many, many times. It says that Jesus went to this man, the blind man whom He had healed, and He gave him a place in the fold. We know that the fold is the church. Now I want to ask you, How do you think that happened? Did Jesus go to Caiaphas and say, “Look, I have restored sight to this man, so I want you to put his name back in the church book”? Is that how it happened? No.

In the Fold of Jesus

Well, then, what does it mean? It says He gave him a place in the fold, in the church. You see, the church is not what people think it is. It is not the church organization. The real books of the church are kept in heaven. Did you know that? I like that. That man’s name was written in the book and Jesus gave him a place in the fold. If you are a believer in Christ, if you have chosen to surrender your life to Him and follow Him, He will give you a place in the fold. The Bible tells us that “God is no respecter of persons.” (See Acts 10:34.)

There may be some church in this world that disfellowships you. The Jewish church disfellowshipped this man, but Jesus gave him a place in the fold. Notice, in John 10:16 He says there is one shepherd. Now some people cannot figure that out. What that means is that there is one chief Shepherd, and He has other shepherds who are under Him.

One Head of the Church

Peter talks about these under-shepherds who are appointed by the Lord to do His work; but there is one chief Shepherd. That is an important point to understand. People were confused in Jesus’ day, and people are still confused today about who the shepherd is or about how many there are. There is one chief Shepherd, every other under–shepherd is under His authority. According to the Bible there is only one Head of the church, there are not two or three. (See Ephesians 1 and 4.)

But now we come to a third point, and this one is exceedingly important for you if you want to have eternal life. “’To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” John 10:3, 4.

Notice, it says, “the sheep know his voice.” We are living in a time when there are many voices. Have you noticed? And the different voices are not all saying the same thing. Here is the question: Can you distinguish the voice of the true Shepherd from all the other voices?

Let me give you a tip on how to distinguish the true Shepherd’s voice from all the other voices. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. (See Hebrews 13:8.) Since He does not change, since He is the same, if the true Shepherd speaks to you through any messenger today, what He says to you now will agree with what He said 2000 years ago; it will not contradict. Does that make sense?

The Voice of the True Shepherd

Many voices today are saying that all you have to do to be saved is love Jesus, just have a relationship with Jesus; even if you sin, it is all right because He will forgive you. Do not worry about it. But that is not the voice of the true Shepherd, because that is not what Jesus said in the Bible.

Jesus talked about this in the Sermon on the Mount. He said, “’Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled.’” Matthew 5:17, 18.

What did Jesus say about the Law? He said that it was not going to pass away, it was going to stay the same. Ellen White talked about this. In 1895 she wrote:

The voice that magnifies the Law of God we recognize as the voice of the true Shepherd; but we know that those who would make of no effect the commandments of God, are false shepherds, who would exalt tradition above the commandments of Jehovah. Signs of the Times, July 4, 1895.

If the preacher, teacher, Sabbath School teacher, friend, brother or whomever you are studying with and listening to, magnifies the Law of God, that is the voice of the true Shepherd. But if they tell you, do not worry about it; the Lord loves you, and He will save you anyway. That is the voice of a false shepherd.

Jesus said until heaven and earth pass, not the smallest part of the Law is going to be changed. This fold has a door. Did you notice that? And that door is narrow. You cannot drive a truck through it. Jesus said it is a narrow gate, a narrow way, and He said we must agonize to go through the narrow gate.

Over the Wall

Some people say, “Well, I cannot get all my baggage through the door, so I am going over the wall.” Jesus talked about that, too. Do you know the voice of the Shepherd? The true Shepherd’s voice will magnify the Law. Unfortunately there are many people in the church today, even in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, who do not recognize the true Shepherd’s voice. They cannot tell the difference between the voice of Christ and the voice of a stranger.

The result is that the church, right now, is going through some dark times, and it is going to get darker before it gets brighter.

Dark hours of trial are before the Church because they have not obeyed the warnings and reproofs and counsel of God. What a bewitching power comes upon human minds to do contrary to the oft repeated will of God, and close the eyes and stop the ears, when Jesus is calling to them to hear His voice. He says, ‘My sheep hear My voice.’ The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, vol. 3, 1002.

Mrs. White talks about people in the church who close their ears and shut their eyes so they will not hear and see what Jesus is trying to communicate to them. Jesus is saying, “If you are My sheep, you would hear My voice.” What is going to happen?

The dark hours of trial are to come to every one as a part of his education for higher work, for more devoted, consecrated effort.… Before the great trouble shall come upon the world such as has never been since there was a nation, those who have faltered and who would ignorantly lead in unsafe paths will reveal this before the real vital test, the last proving, comes, so that whatsoever they may say will not be regarded as voicing the True Shepherd. Ibid.

Revealed

Now that is a very interesting statement. Did you get what it is talking about? Before the great time of trouble comes, those who would ignorantly lead in wrong paths, it says, the Lord is going to arrange things so that they are going to be revealed. That is why you see some of the strange things happening today. The Lord expects you to be learning from what you are seeing and hearing. Do not be like the people who are just astonished, and go ahead and perish.

Mrs. White says, “…so that whatsoever they may say will not be regarded as voicing the True Shepherd.” A time of trouble is coming, friends, and if you are listening to the wrong voice, you are not going to make it. Mrs. White said, “The time of our educating will soon be over. We have no time to lose in walking through clouds of doubt and uncertainty because of uncertain voices.” Ibid.

To whom are you listening, friend? There is counsel after counsel in inspired writings, and in the Bible, about people who used to be in the light but are not now. If you are reading the word of the true Shepherd, you know that what they are saying today is not the voice of the true Shepherd, even though 20 years ago what they were saying might have been.

They are revealing who they really are. Are your eyes open? Are your ears open? Are you comparing what you are hearing with the Bible? Does it agree?

The fourth point is, to me, one of the most interesting points in the story. Notice this sheepfold, this church in John 10, has a door, and the sheep go in and out through the door. Jesus goes in and out through the door. In verse 2 it says, “’But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.’”

I am the Door

But notice also it says in verse 7, “…Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.’” A double symbol is used here. Jesus says He goes through the door, but then He says that He is the door. This door is the same door that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 7. It is the narrow gate, a narrow door. Jesus says that He Himself goes through this door. If you want to be part of the flock, if you want to be in the fold, you have to go through this door.

Now let us think, for just a moment, about going through the door. Any time you go through a door, there is a time before you go through the door, then you are going through the door, and then there is a time after you have gone through the door and are on the other side. Does that make sense? Remember that.

Now I am going to ask you some questions. Was it always true, throughout all eternity, that Christ was a Divine Person equal with the Father? Yes. There are many Scriptures and many inspired passages to show that. Jesus said there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with His Father. He was a Divine Person. So, when Jesus says that He goes through the door, that could not at all apply to His divinity because there never was a time when He was not divine.

But let me ask you the second question. Was there a time before Jesus Christ had become a man? Yes, there was. You see, going through the door has to do with the divinity of Christ. He always had that. It has to do with the fact that there was a time before He went through the door and there is a time after He went through the door. It has to do with the humanity of Christ.

This is one of the major themes of the New Testament! Remember Jesus used to say you are to be in Me and I am to be in you? (See John 14:20; 15:4.) And a Christian is a person who is Christ–like. In other words, Christ is living His life in Him. Not the life of a god, but the life of a man, because Christ had a perfect humanity.

Going Through the Door

To go through the door means that, just as Christ united His divinity with humanity, we unite our humanity with His divinity. Going through the door represents a union of divinity and humanity. In order for Jesus to go through the door He had to unite humanity to His divinity. If He had not done that, Ellen White says there is no way we could have been saved. (See Review and Herald, December 30, 1909.) There is no way.

If He had not come down to this world and become one flesh with us, there would be no way that we could be saved. But it is also true that unless we become one spirit with Him, there is no way we can be saved either. We have to go through the door just like He went through the door. He went through the door by uniting His divinity with humanity. We go through the door by uniting our humanity with His divinity.

Peter talks about that in 2 Peter 1:3, 4. It says we have become “partakers of the divine nature.” Oh, friends, that is what is involved in going through the door and becoming part of the church. If you have not gone through that door, even if you have been baptized by water, you are just playing church.

There are some people who decide to get inside the church without going through the door. Have you ever met someone who said, “I am listening to what you are preaching. I see that I am supposed to keep the Law of God; you say I am supposed to keep it perfectly, and I want to, but I cannot. I want to overcome this; I want to overcome that, and I cannot do it; I have tried a hundred times.”

I do not argue with anybody like that because what he or she is telling me is the truth. But do you know why it is the truth? Because there is no union of divine power with their humanity. Do you know how long we can keep ourselves from sinning if we are not united to divinity? Mrs. White says we cannot do it for one moment. (See The Ministry of Healing, 180.)

Why cannot we overcome? People are looking for a new gospel, a new theology, a different way to get to heaven because they have tried and tried, and they cannot do it. They think the Lord is going to have to save them in their sins.

Baptized into One Body

The reason that the sheep cannot overcome is because they have not yet gone through the door. That is what baptism represents. (See Romans 6 or 1 Corinthians 12.) It says in 1 Corinthians 12:13 “…by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…” The body is the church, the fold. And we become members when we are baptized with one Spirit—that is the Holy Spirit.

Baptism by water represents baptism by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8 says that when you are baptized by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit gives the power to put to death the deeds of the body so you can overcome sin. You could not do it before, but the Holy Spirit will give you the power to do it. The only way you will overcome a besetting sin is through the power of the Holy Spirit. Are you asking for the power of the Holy Spirit to come into your life every day?

I hope you will pray about this and ask the Lord to help you to go through the door and not try to just climb over the wall to get into the church. There are a lot of people doing that today.

Jesus is the Door

There is not room to enter in at the strait gate and carry the things of this world along. He who would enter in at the strait gate must make an entire consecration of his all to God.… he who would carry the world with him, will never enter in at the strait gate. There is no room for one to walk the narrow way and yet carry along evil surmisings, doubts, criticisms, jealousies, and unkindness. Review and Herald, March 28, 1912.

Do you want Him to lay that aside so you can go through the door? Do you want to go through the door? That is where the safety is.

Oh, yes, we come now to some other people who are inside. Do not get discouraged about it, because the Shepherd is still watching over His sheep, whether they are outside the fold or inside the fold. When people become members of the church, after awhile they come to the pastor and they say, “I thought, when I became a member of the church, that it was going to be heavenly in here and that I was going to be with the saints. I am with some people that I cannot understand what is happening!”

Well, the reason that people have those kinds of experiences is because there are people in the church who did not go through the door. They climbed over the wall. Jesus called them wolves in sheep’s clothing. (See Matthew 7.) As I studied this, I found out that these wolves in sheep’s clothing, who are also called the blind leaders of the blind and hirelings, are the people specified in inspiration who will “wonder and perish.”

They will be astonished at what they see happening. They cannot comprehend some of the things that they see going on in the church because there are people in there who have not gone through the door, the thieves and the robbers.

Not Really Part of the Flock

Ellen White talked about these people. She said,

This strait, and self-denying path is too narrow for many to walk in who profess godliness. They want an easier path and are climbing up some other way. They refuse to follow in the footsteps of our Redeemer. Christ calls all such thieves and robbers. They take the name of Christian” [Notice, they have come into the church, and they call themselves Christians, and they are in the fold with the sheep.] which does not belong to them. This Day With God, 155.

In other words, they are not really part of the flock; they are not really in the church. They are in the fold but they are not really part of the group. Just like a person who does not go through the door into your house but climbs through the window. They are not part of your household, even though they are inside. There are people like that in the church. They are not part of the flock, even though they are inside, all zipped up in their sheep’s clothing.

They take the name of Christian, which does not belong to them, because they do not represent in their life the life of Christ. They claim the privileges which belong to the sons of God while they are none of His. They live selfish lives upon the earth and have done nothing for the truth and the salvation of souls as they ought to have done. Sad indeed for these self-deceived ones. They will never see heaven, because they are not willing to share the shame, the reproach, that Jesus suffered for them. Ibid.

…we should consider it the highest exaltation to be accounted a child of God, an heir of Heaven; and we should rejoice that we can walk with Jesus in His humiliation. But our Saviour assures us that there are some who would like to climb up some other way than the toilsome, self-denying way of the cross. They would avoid reproach and shun sacrifices. Christ calls such thieves and robbers. If we are not willing to breast the storm of opposition, if we choose to float with the current, we shall lose eternal life.” Signs of the Times, July 31, 1884.

Do not say, “I am too weak.” Remember, if you go through the door, you have Omnipotent power on your side. You could be the weakest person around; it does not matter. If you have been united to divine power, you are going to have all the strength and power that you need.

Thieves and Robbers

So who are the thieves and robbers? Oh, they are the Pharisees. They are the blind leaders of the blind. They are the wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are those who wonder and perish. They are in the church, but they are not actually part of the church. In Christ’s day, they were the leaders of God’s professed people. Ellen White says that these people are counted as true by many of their brethren but they end up being part of the synagogue of Satan. They are none of Christ’s and He does not accept them as being His own.

These people who wonder and perish are in the fold, but they end up being part of the devil’s church, the synagogue of Satan, just like the Jews in Christ’s day. (See Early Writings, 30.) They say, “We are God’s professed people” and Jesus said, “You are actually the children of the devil.” (See I John 3:10.)

The Lord has shown me that we are in just as much danger [of rejecting truth] in our day as were the people in the days of Christ. The Lord is speaking through His delegated messengers; but the same unbelief is exhibited. Men close their hearts against Jesus and hold themselves in the veriest bondage to Satan, supposing that they are preserving their dignity as free men; that they are maintaining their right to think and act for themselves, to believe or doubt; and like the despisers of the gospel in the apostolic times, they wonder and perish. Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 283.

What is Our Danger?

What is our danger? Our danger is rejecting what God is doing in the world. We have leaders in Adventism today who say, “Oh, all these newspaper ads, you ought to just stop that. All this distribution of The Great Controversy, just stop that. It is not time now.” Well, friends, if it is not time now, when is it going to be time? Do you want to wait until you are in prison and then try to distribute it?

The Bible says, “wonder and perish.” I want to tell you this is not just about apostolic times. This is happening today! We have multitudes of professed Adventists today who are wondering; they are astonished; they see that something is happening—but they do not believe that they are going to perish.

There will be, even among us, hirelings and wolves in sheep’s clothing who will persuade the flock of God to sacrifice unto other gods before the Lord. We have reason to know how Paul would act in any emergency. ‘The love of Christ constraineth us.’ (II Corinthians 5:13.) Youth who are not established, rooted and grounded in the truth, will be corrupted and drawn away by the blind leaders of the blind; and the ungodly, the despisers that wonder and perish, who despise the sovereignty of the Ancient of Days and place on the throne a false god, a being of their own defining, a being altogether such an one as themselves—these will be agents in Satan’s hands to corrupt the faith of the unwary. The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, vol. 2, 484, 485.

It says they despise the sovereignty of the Ancient of Days. Well, what sovereignty do they want? They set up a false god. What is the false god? It is the same false god that the Jews set up in the days of Christ. The false god that they set up was their church organization, which they put in the place of God Himself.

Friends, it is no idle talk when somebody says that Jesus is the Head of the church. And watch out what Jesus impresses a group of people to do, lest in fighting it you be found to be fighting the Lord Himself. Let us get right down to the bottom of the problem. Seventh-day Adventists have been given the mission to take the Three Angels’ Messages to every single person in the world.

There is a Cross Involved

But here is the catch. Here is what keeps people from doing it. Here is why they are afraid to do it. It is the same thing as in the days of Christ. You see, there is a cross involved in taking the Three Angels’ Messages to all the world, because the majority of people will not accept it, and they will oppose it. Obviously, Babylon will oppose it.

In order to avoid going through the strait gate, enduring persecution, enduring opposition, we are in the time right now when the majority of Adventists are in the process (I am not saying it is final, I am not saying they cannot turn around.) of turning traitor to the Three Angels’ Messages because of the cross involved in promulgating it.

That is the bottom line. In Jesus’ day you could not be saved if you were not willing to take up your cross, and you cannot be saved if you are not willing to take up your cross today. It is not enough to know the truth. These people who were astonished, who were wondering and who have perished, they knew truth but they would not submit to it and follow it.

How is it going to be with you, friend? Are you willing to take up your cross and say, “Lord, I am willing to do whatever you want me to do to get Your work finished in all parts of the world.” Or are you just going to stand back and be astonished at what you see going on and say, “No, it is not time now, there would be too much trouble if we did it now. We have to wait for a different time.”?

Let me tell you, it is not going to get easier next year. It is not going to be easier in three or four years. It will only get harder. Do not be one who is astonished at what you see, but you do not have any part in it and end up perishing. Millions of Jews lost eternal life that way. Millions of Seventh-day Adventists are about to lose eternal life today. Do not let it be you.

Bible Study Guides – Word Made Flesh

February 26, 2020 by Unknown

October 20–October 26, 2002

Memory Verse

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.

Suggested Reading: The Desire of Ages, 19–26; “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 903–905.

Introduction

“The Lord Jesus condescended to clothe his divinity with humanity, and to stand as a representative of God upon earth, an example of what God would have humanity become through the grace of Christ.” Review and Herald, November 12, 1895.

“Jesus was the Commander of heaven, one equal with God, and yet he condescended to lay aside his kingly crown, his royal robe, and clothed his divinity with humanity. The incarnation of Christ in human flesh is a mystery. He could have come to earth as one with a remarkable appearance, unlike the sons of men. His countenance could have shone with glory, and his form could have been of remarkable grace. He could have presented such an appearance as to charm the beholder; but this was not according to the plan devised in the courts of God. He was to bear the characteristics of the human family, and the Jewish race. In all respects the Son of God was to wear the same features as did other human beings. He was not to have such beauty of person as would make him singular among men. He was to manifest no wonderful charms by which to attract attention to himself. He came as a representative of the human family before heaven and earth. He was to stand as man’s substitute and surety. He was to live the life of humanity in such a way as to contradict the assertion that Satan had made that humanity was his everlasting possession, and that God himself could not take man out of his adversary’s hands.” Signs of the Times, July 30, 1896.

1 How is the eternal existence of Christ revealed in the Bible? Micah 5:2; John 8:58; 17:5; Psalm 145:13.

note: “In speaking of His pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God.” Signs of the Times, August 29, 1900.

“Heavenly angels had seen the glory which the Son of God shared with the Father before the world was, and they had looked forward with intense interest to His appearing on earth as an event fraught with the greatest joy to all people.” The Great Controversy, 313.

2 What other important work, besides the creation, did Christ accomplish? Isaiah 43:1; John 1:29.

note: “Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Every drop of blood shed by the Jewish sacrifices pointed to the Lamb of God. All the typical offerings were fulfilled in him. Type met antitype when he died on the cross. He came to make it possible, by the sacrifice of himself, to put away sin. He paid the ransom for our redemption. We are bought with a price; and Christ calls upon us to let him take our sins, and impute to us his righteousness.” Review and Herald, July 19, 1898.

3 What understanding should we have about the divinity of Christ, even after His incarnation? Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22, 23; Philippians 2:5–11.

note: “Although Christ’s divine glory was for a time veiled and eclipsed by His assuming humanity, yet He did not cease to be God when He became man. The human did not take the place of the divine, nor the divine of the human. This is the mystery of godliness. The two expressions human and divine were, in Christ, closely and inseparably one, and yet they had a distinct individuality. Though Christ humbled Himself to become man, the Godhead was still His own.” Signs of the Times, May 10, 1899.

4 It is important for us to remember what fact about Christ’s humanity? 1 Peter 2:22; John 14:30, 31.

note: “Amid impurity, Christ maintained His purity. Satan could not stain or corrupt it. His character revealed a perfect hatred for sin. It was His holiness that stirred against Him all the passion of a profligate world; for by His perfect life He threw upon the world a perpetual reproach, and made manifest the contrast between transgression and the pure, spotless righteousness of One that knew no sin. This heavenly purity annoyed the apostate foe as nothing else could do, and he followed Christ day by day, using in his work the people that claimed to have a superior purity and knowledge of God, putting into their hearts a spirit of hatred against Christ, and tempting His disciples to betray and forsake Him.” Signs of the Times, May 10, 1899.

5 For what purpose was divinity united with humanity? John 1:14; 14:7–10.

note: “The Saviour was deeply anxious for His disciples to understand for what purpose His divinity was united to humanity. He came to the world to display the glory of God, that man might be uplifted by its restoring power. God was manifested in Him that He might be manifested in them. Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers, that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God as He was.” The Desire of Ages, 664.

“In contemplating the incarnation of Christ in humanity, we stand baffled before an unfathomable mystery, that the human mind can not comprehend. The more we reflect upon it, the more amazing does it appear. How wide is the contrast between the divinity of Christ and the helpless infant in Bethlehem’s manger! How can we span the distance between the mighty God and a helpless child? And yet the Creator of worlds, he in whom was the fulness of the Godhead bodily, was manifest in the helpless babe in the manger. Far higher than any of the angels, equal with the Father in dignity and glory, and yet wearing the garb of humanity! Divinity and humanity were mysteriously combined, and man and God became one. It is in this union that we find the hope of our fallen race. Looking upon Christ in humanity, we look upon God, and see in him the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person.” Signs of the Times, July 30, 1896.

6 By accepting Christ as our Redeemer, into what new relationship do we enter? John 1:12, 13.

note: “The old nature, born of blood and the will of the flesh, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The old ways, the hereditary tendencies, the former habits, must be given up; for grace is not inherited. The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes, new tendencies. Those who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit, have become partakers of the divine nature, and in all their habits and practices, they will give evidence of their relationship to Christ.” Review and Herald, April 12, 1892.

“God makes no compromise with sin. A genuine conversion changes hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong. The religion of God is a firm fabric, composed of innumerable threads, and woven together with tact and skill. Only the wisdom which comes from God can make this fabric complete.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1101.

7 What words of Christ should be echoed in our experience? John 8:29.

note: “Human nature is ever struggling for expression, ready for contest; but he who learns of Christ is emptied of self, of pride, of love of supremacy, and there is silence in the soul. Self is yielded to the disposal of the Holy Spirit. Then we are not anxious to have the highest place. We have no ambition to crowd and elbow ourselves into notice; but we feel that our highest place is at the feet of our Saviour. We look to Jesus, waiting for His hand to lead, listening for His voice to guide. . . .

“When we receive Christ as an abiding guest in the soul, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The Saviour’s life on earth, though lived in the midst of conflict, was a life of peace.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 15.

8 How is God manifested in us when we establish the new relationship? John 14:15–18, 21, 23; 1 John 4:12.

note: “We are not to serve God as if we were not human, but we are to serve him as those who have been redeemed by the Son of God and through the righteousness of Christ we shall stand before God pardoned, and as though we had never sinned. We shall never gain strength in considering what we might do if we were angels; but as obedient children we are to turn in faith to Jesus Christ, and show our love to God through obedience to his commands.” Signs of the Times, April 10, 1893.

“As Jesus was in human nature, so God means His followers to be. In His strength we are to live the life of purity and nobility which the Saviour lived.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 289.

9 What promise is ours as we accept Christ? Philippians 4:13; Hebrews 2:16–18; 5:2.

note: “Christ in the weakness of humanity was to meet the temptations of one possessing the powers of the higher nature that God had bestowed on the angelic family. But 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.” Review and Herald, January 28, 1909.

“Christ came to give to the world an example of what perfect humanity might be when united with divinity.” Selected Messages, wBook 1, 260.

10 What action is necessary on our part for us to know Christ better? John 5:39.

note: “No man, woman, or youth can attain to Christian perfection and neglect the study of the word of God. By carefully and closely searching His word we shall obey the injunction of Christ, [ John 5:39 quoted]. This search enables the student to observe closely the divine Model, for they testify of Christ. The Pattern must be inspected often and closely in order to imitate it. As one becomes acquainted with the history of the Redeemer, he discovers in himself defects of character; his unlikeness to Christ is so great that he sees he cannot be a follower without a very great change in his life. Still he studies, with a desire to be like his great Exemplar; he catches the looks, the spirit, of his beloved Master; by beholding he becomes changed.” Counsels on Sabbath School Work, 17.

“In the Word the Saviour is revealed in all His beauty and loveliness. Every soul will find comfort and consolation in the Bible, which is full of promises concerning what God will do for the one who comes into right relation to Him. Especially will the sick be comforted by hearing the Word; for in giving the Scriptures God has given to mankind a leaf from the tree of life, which is for the healing of the nations. How can anyone who reads the Scriptures or who has heard them read, lose his interest in heavenly things, and find pleasure in amusements and enchantments of the world (MS 105, 1901)?” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1134, 1135.

11 As a result of our communion with Christ, what transformation should we experience? Romans 12:2.

note: “Man, fallen man, may be transformed by the renewing of the mind. . . . “A real work is wrought by the Holy Spirit upon the human character, and its fruits are seen; just as a good tree will bear good fruit, so will the tree that is actually planted in the Lord’s garden produce good fruit unto eternal life. Besetting sins are overcome; evil thoughts are not allowed in the mind; evil habits are purged from the soul temple. The tendencies, which have been biased in a wrong direction, are turned in a right direction. Wrong dispositions and feelings are rooted out. Holy tempers and sanctified emotions are now the fruit borne upon the Christian tree. An entire transformation has taken place. This is the work to be wrought.—Elder E. P. Daniels and the Fresno Church, pp. 8, 9.” Ye Shall Receive Power, 50.

12 If we really want Christ to be our Redeemer, what must we do? Revelation 3:20.

note: “The Lord knocks at the door of your heart, desiring to enter, that he may impart spiritual riches to your soul. He would anoint the blind eyes, that they may discover the holy character of God in his law, and understand the love of Christ, which is indeed gold tried in the fire.” Review and Herald, February 25, 1890.

“Jesus stands knocking,—knocking at the door of your hearts,—and yet, for all this, some say continually, ‘I cannot find him.’ Why not? He says, ‘I stand here knocking. Why do you not open the door, and say, Come in, dear Lord?’ . . . Open the door now, and empty the soul-temple of the buyers and sellers, and invite the Lord to come in. Say to him, ‘I will love thee with all my soul. I will work the works of righteousness. I will obey the law of God.’ Then you will feel the peaceful presence of Jesus.” Review and Herald, August 28, 1888.

Bible Study Guides – “God So Loved the World”

February 24, 2020 by Unknown

May 19, 2001 – May 25, 2001

MEMORY VERSE

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

STUDY HELP: Maranatha, 105.

Introduction

“If there is anything in our world that should inspire enthusiasm, it is the cross of Calvary. ‘Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.’ 1 John 3:1. ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ John 3:16. Christ is to be accepted, believed on, and exalted. This is to be the theme of conversation—the preciousness of Christ.. . .” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 338.

“For God So Loved”

How does the Bible describe man’s condition without God? Ephesians 2:2, 3.

NOTE: “Many are without God and without hope in the world. They are guilty, corrupt, and degraded, enslaved by Satan’s devices. Yet these are the ones whom Christ came from heaven to redeem. They are subjects for tenderest pity, sympathy, and tireless effort; for they are on the verge of ruin. They suffer from ungratified desires, disordered passions, and the condemnation of their own consciences; they are miserable in every sense of the word, for they are losing their hold on this life and have no prospect for the life to come.” Maranatha, 226.

How does God regard fallen, sinful man? John 3:16, first part; Ephesians 2:4.

NOTE: “‘God is love’ is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green—all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God and to His desire to make His children happy. . . . God has bound our hearts to Him by unnumbered tokens in heaven and in earth. Through the things of nature, and the deepest and tenderest earthly ties that human hearts can know, He has sought to reveal Himself to us. Yet these but imperfectly represent His love. Though all these evidences have been given, the enemy of good blinded the minds of men, so that they looked upon God with fear; they thought of Him as severe and unforgiving. Satan led men to conceive of God as a being whose chief attribute is stern justice,—one who is a severe judge, a harsh, exacting creditor. He pictured the Creator as a being who is watching with jealous eye to discern the errors and mistakes of men, that He may visit judgments upon them. It was to remove this dark shadow, by revealing to the world the infinite love of God, that Jesus came to live among men.” Steps to Christ, 10, 11.

“God So Loved the World”

What is the extent of God’s love? John 3:16, first part.

NOTE: “Selfishness would make a monopoly of eternal life. The Jewish nation thought to confine the benefits of salvation to their own nation; but the world’s Redeemer showed them that salvation is like the air we breathe, like the atmosphere that belongs to the whole world. Every soul can be enriched by the love of God. The selfishness that would number Israel is an offense to God; for God’s gift belongs not to a select few but to the whole word.” Review and Herald, November 12, 1895.

What did Jesus say would be the effect of His sacrifice on Calvary? John 12:32, 33.

NOTE: It is believed by many Christians that God’s love is extended to a select few, that the majority of mankind has been chosen by God to be recipients of His wrath. The Bible, however, makes clear that God’s love encompasses the world.

“The sinner may resist this love, may refuse to be drawn to Christ; but if he does not resist he will be drawn to Jesus; a knowledge of the plan of salvation will lead him to the foot of the cross in repentance for his sins, which have caused the sufferings of God’s dear Son.” Steps to Christ, 27.

“Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows us all by name. He knows the very house in which we live, the name of each occupant. He has at times given directions to His servants to go to a certain street in a certain city, to such a house, to find one of His sheep. Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died. The distress of every one touches His heart. The cry for aid reaches His ear. He came to draw all men unto Himself. He bids them, ‘Follow Me,’ and His Spirit moves upon their hearts to draw them to come to Him. Many refuse to be drawn. Jesus knows who they are. He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care. He says, ‘My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.’ He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth.” The Desire of Ages, 479, 480.

“That He Gave His Only Begotten Son”

How was God’s love for mankind demonstrated? John 3:16, first part; Romans 5:8.

NOTE: “In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken. Through the eternal ages He is linked with us. ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.’ John 3:16. He gave Him not only to bear our sins, and to die as our sacrifice; He gave Him to the fallen race. To assure us of His immutable counsel of peace, God gave His only-begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature. This is the pledge that God will fulfill His word.” The Desire of Ages, 25.

“The greatest gift that God could bestow upon men was bestowed in the gift of His beloved Son. The apostle says, ‘He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?’ There was nothing held in reserve. No second probation will ever be provided. If the unspeakable gift of God does not lead man to repentance, there is nothing that ever will move his heart. There is no power held in reserve to act upon his mind, and arouse his sensibilities. The whole character of God was revealed in His Son, the whole range of the possibilities of heaven is displayed for the acceptance of man in the Son of the Infinite One. The way for man’s return to God and heaven has no barriers. The matchless depths of the Saviour’s love have been demonstrated; and if this manifestation of God’s love for the children of men does not prevail to draw men to Himself, there is nothing that ever will.” Signs of the Times, December 30, 1889.

How does this wonderful love practically aid us in our Christian life? Romans 8:31, 32.

NOTE: “Why do you not cease from sin? You may overcome if you will co-operate with God. Christ’s promise is sure. He pledges Himself to fill the office of personal Intercessor, saying, ‘I will pray the Father.’ He who could not see human beings exposed to eternal ruin without pouring out His soul unto death in their behalf, will look with pity and compassion upon every one who realizes that he can not save himself. He will look upon no trembling suppliant without raising him up. He who through His own atonement provided for man an infinite fund of moral power will not fail to employ this power in their behalf. We may take life’s controversies and troubles to His feet; for He loves us. His every word and look invite our confidence. He will shape and mold our characters according to His will, and every day we shall be found asking, ‘Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?’” Review and Herald, October 30, 1900.

“That Whosoever Believeth in Him”

What is to be our response to the love which God has shown us in Christ? John 3:16; John 1:12.

NOTE: “You may say that you believe in Jesus, when you have an appreciation of the cost of salvation. You may make this claim, when you feel that Jesus died for you on the cruel cross of Calvary; when you have an intelligent, understanding faith that His death makes it possible for you to cease from sin, and to perfect a righteous character through the grace of God, bestowed upon you as the purchase of Christ’s blood. The eyes of fallen men may be anointed with the eye-salve of spiritual comprehension, and they may see themselves as they really are—poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked. They may be brought to realize their need of repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. The plan of salvation is not appreciated as it should be. It is not discerned or comprehended. It is made altogether a cheap affair; whereas to unite the human with the divine, required an exertion of Omnipotence.” Review and Herald, July 24, 1888.

What examples show us what it means to believe in Jesus? Matthew 8:5–10, 13; Matthew 9:27–29.

NOTE: “God must be served from principle instead of from feeling. Morning and night obtain the victory for yourselves in your own family. Let not your daily labor keep you from this. Take time to pray, and as you pray, believe that God hears you. Have faith mixed with your prayers. You may not at all times feel the immediate answer; but then it is that faith is tried. You are proved to see whether you will trust in God, whether you have living, abiding faith. ‘Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.’ Walk the narrow plank of faith. Trust all on the promises of the Lord. Trust God in darkness. That is the time to have faith. But you often let feeling govern you. You look for worthiness in yourselves when you do not feel comforted by the Spirit of God, and despair because you cannot find it. You do not trust enough in Jesus, precious Jesus. You do not make His worthiness to be all, all. The very best you can do will not merit the favor of God. It is Jesus’ worthiness that will save you, His blood that will cleanse you. But you have efforts to make. You must do what you can on your part. Be zealous and repent, then believe. Confound not faith and feeling together. They are distinct. Faith is ours to exercise. This faith we must keep in exercise. Believe, believe. Let your faith take hold of the blessing, and it is yours. Your feelings have nothing to do with this faith. When faith brings the blessing to your heart, and you rejoice in the blessing, it is no more faith, but feeling.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 167.

“Should Not Perish”

What precious promise is given to those who exercise faith in Jesus Christ? John 3:16. Compare John 10:27, 28.

NOTE: “The Lord Jesus Christ has infinite tenderness for those whom He has purchased at the cost of His own sufferings in the flesh, that they should not perish with the devil and his angels, but that He may claim them as His chosen ones. They are the claim of His love, of His own property; and He looks upon them with unutterable affection, and the fragrance of His own righteousness He gives to His loved ones who believe in Him.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 261.

What is the connection between disobedience and perishing? Deuteronomy 8:19, 20. Compare Psalm 1:6.

NOTE: “In the act of dying, Christ was destroying him who had the power of death. He carried out the plan, finished the work which from Adam’s fall He had covenanted to undertake. By dying for the guilt of a sinful world, He reinstated fallen man, on condition of obedience to God’s commandments, in the position from which he had fallen in consequence of disobedience. And when He broke the fetters of the tomb and rose triumphant from the dead He answered the question, ‘If a man die, shall he live again?’ (Job 14:14). Christ made it possible that every child of Adam might, through a life of obedience, overcome sin and rise also from the grave to his heritage of immortality purchased by the blood of Christ.” In Heavenly Places, 44.

“But Have Everlasting Life”

What wonderful prospect awaits those who believe in Jesus? John 3:16; Romans 6:22.

NOTE: “Would you become assimilated to the divine image? . . . Would you drink of the water which Christ shall give you, which shall be in you a well of water springing up into everlasting life? Would you bear fruit to the glory of God? Would you refresh others? Then with heart hungering for the bread of life, the Word of God, search the Scriptures, and live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Your soul’s sanctification and righteousness will result from faith in the Word of God, which leads to obedience of its commands. Let the Word of God be to you as the voice of God instructing you, and saying, ‘This is the way, walk ye in it.’ Isaiah 30:21. Christ prayed, ‘Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.” John 17:17.” The Faith I Live By, 21.

What is the connection between eternal life and obedience? Matthew 19:16–19.

NOTE: “Christ does not lessen the claims of the law. In unmistakable language He presents obedience to it as the condition of eternal life—the same condition that was required of Adam before his fall. The Lord expects no less of the soul now than He expected of man in Paradise, perfect obedience, unblemished righteousness. The requirement under the covenant of grace is just as broad as the requirement made in Eden—harmony with God’s law, which is holy, just, and good.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 391.

How is such obedience possible? II Corinthians 10:5; Romans 8:26–32.

NOTE: “By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God’s commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 312.

Tests of a True Prophet

A Prophet in Vision, Does not Breathe

Eyewitness Account

The Unbeliever

Special Light from Heaven

Knowing Him Better

Current Events

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Recipe – Millet Pancakes

Church Books vs. Heaven’s Books

Breaking the Yoke

Yokes of Bondage

The Holy Spirit Speaks

Divorces from God

Books of a New Order?

Calling Sin By It’s Right Name

A Yoke of Silence

Worst Sins are Unrevealed

The Final Warning

Self-idolatry lies at the foundation of all sins.

Evil will always league against good.

Getting Away with Murder

Put not your trust in princes.

Words of Hate

An Accusing Spirit

So How Shall We Relate to These Horrifying Circumstances?

Watch, be Utterly Astounded!

Wonder and Perish!

Astonished, but not Saved

The Condemnation of the Jews

A Dark, Mystical Saying

What is the Fold?

Listening for the Shepherd’s Voice

The Church Organization is Not the Fold

In the Fold of Jesus

One Head of the Church

The Voice of the True Shepherd

Over the Wall

Revealed

I am the Door

Going Through the Door

Baptized into One Body

Jesus is the Door

Not Really Part of the Flock

Thieves and Robbers

What is Our Danger?

There is a Cross Involved

October 20–October 26, 2002

Introduction

1 How is the eternal existence of Christ revealed in the Bible? Micah 5:2; John 8:58; 17:5; Psalm 145:13.

2 What other important work, besides the creation, did Christ accomplish? Isaiah 43:1; John 1:29.

3 What understanding should we have about the divinity of Christ, even after His incarnation? Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22, 23; Philippians 2:5–11.

4 It is important for us to remember what fact about Christ’s humanity? 1 Peter 2:22; John 14:30, 31.

5 For what purpose was divinity united with humanity? John 1:14; 14:7–10.

6 By accepting Christ as our Redeemer, into what new relationship do we enter? John 1:12, 13.

7 What words of Christ should be echoed in our experience? John 8:29.

8 How is God manifested in us when we establish the new relationship? John 14:15–18, 21, 23; 1 John 4:12.

9 What promise is ours as we accept Christ? Philippians 4:13; Hebrews 2:16–18; 5:2.

10 What action is necessary on our part for us to know Christ better? John 5:39.

11 As a result of our communion with Christ, what transformation should we experience? Romans 12:2.

12 If we really want Christ to be our Redeemer, what must we do? Revelation 3:20.

May 19, 2001 – May 25, 2001

Introduction

“For God So Loved”

How does the Bible describe man’s condition without God? Ephesians 2:2, 3.

How does God regard fallen, sinful man? John 3:16, first part; Ephesians 2:4.

“God So Loved the World”

What is the extent of God’s love? John 3:16, first part.

What did Jesus say would be the effect of His sacrifice on Calvary? John 12:32, 33.

“That He Gave His Only Begotten Son”

How was God’s love for mankind demonstrated? John 3:16, first part; Romans 5:8.

How does this wonderful love practically aid us in our Christian life? Romans 8:31, 32.

“That Whosoever Believeth in Him”

What is to be our response to the love which God has shown us in Christ? John 3:16; John 1:12.

What examples show us what it means to believe in Jesus? Matthew 8:5–10, 13; Matthew 9:27–29.

“Should Not Perish”

What precious promise is given to those who exercise faith in Jesus Christ? John 3:16. Compare John 10:27, 28.

What is the connection between disobedience and perishing? Deuteronomy 8:19, 20. Compare Psalm 1:6.

“But Have Everlasting Life”

What wonderful prospect awaits those who believe in Jesus? John 3:16; Romans 6:22.