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If the Foundations be Destroyed, Part I

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In Amos 4:12, we are told to “prepare to meet thy God.” Are we prepared to meet Jesus? Are we ready for probation to close? In this article, the foundation will be laid for Part II, in which the subject of the image to the beast will be presented. We will discover how near is the close of human probation. There is coming a time when our sins will either be blotted out of the book of life or will remain there as a witness that we are guilty against the government of heaven. That very subject should be uppermost in our minds as we prepare to meet Jesus.

Psalm 11:3 asks, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” If the foundations are being destroyed in a country or in a church, what should the righteous do? There is only one thing to do! We must stick to the original foundation. We must not get off that foundation. We must not leave it!

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 3:10, 11, says: “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” There is no other foundation; there is only One. There are not many foundations upon which we can build; there is only One. If the foundations are being destroyed, Jeremiah 6:16 counsels, “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.”

A Different Foundation

Since the beginning of earth’s history, the devil has constantly been trying to lay a different foundation. Think back to the Garden of Eden. The devil tried to lay a different foundation than that which had been laid through God. Knowing that God had told Adam and Eve that if they ate of this one special tree they would die, the devil laid another foundation. He said, “You shall not surely die.” Genesis 3:4. The devil has been constantly, from generation to generation, trying to lay a different foundation than that which has been laid in God’s Word.

Luke 19:41, speaking of Jesus, says, “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, ‘If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things [which belong] unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.’ ” The Jews did not understand the time of their visitation. Have you asked yourself why they did not know?

The Rejected Foundation

A foundation was laid in Daniel 9:24–27, and God gave a probationary time to the Jewish nation. “God first sent His prophets to ancient Israel, but their message was not heeded, and as a last resort He sent His Son . . . .” Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, 94. God had been sending prophet after prophet to keep His people on the foundation. As a last resort, at the end of the 490-year period of Daniel 9, Jesus came to His people Himself to show them the foundation platform that they should be on, because they had left it. Jesus told them that they did not know the time of their visitation. Should this be a warning to us also? Should we be asking ourselves whether or not we know that the time of our visitation is near?

Why did the Jews not know the time of their visitation? They had started laying a different foundation. All of those lambs that they were killing pointed to Jesus, the Lamb of God, but they had started laying a different foundation that became a very lucrative business for them. Did the Jews understand salvation? No, they did not understand the principles of salvation through Christ.

Misapplied Prophecy

In The Desire of Ages, Ellen White says that the Jews misapplied prophecy. They were taking the prophecies of Jesus’ Second Coming and applying them to His first coming. (See, for example, pages 30, 387, and 458.) They were taking prophecies of His glorious coming and the conquering of all enemies and applying them to His first coming. The devil laid a different foundation there, did he not? So, when Jesus came and walked among them, they said that He could not be the Messiah, because what they had studied did not fit the description of what they could see with their eyes.

Ought we be careful as to how we study prophecy? Do you suppose we could fall into the same trap as the Jews did? You better believe it! We better be careful that we do not become like the Jews and become so dogmatic in our understanding of prophecy that we think our understanding is the way it has to happen. We could walk into the same trap as did the Jews of old.

When Jesus came, He told them that they did not know the time of their visitation. Their probationary period was about to close, and they did not even realize it. The temple upon which they had put so much emphasis was about to be destroyed, and they did not even know it. They laid a different foundation.

So, if the foundation be destroyed, what are the righteous supposed to do? They are to stick with the foundation that has already been laid. Do not move off that foundation. Ask for the old paths. “The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me [Ellen White] again and again to illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ . . . .” Selected Messages, Book 1, 406.

History Repeated

Do you suppose the devil would like to lay a different foundation for Seventh-day Adventists today, so that we would repeat what happened to the Jews in the time of Christ? His tactics worked then. Things that work in this world we continue to repeat, do we not? It is the same thing with the devil today. His foundation caused a whole nation to go down in ruin, and the devil would like to see that happen again today.

How the enemy sought every occasion to take control of the minds of the Jews! He was successful in taking control of the minds of the Jews through false prophets, false doctrines, and false prophecies; he laid a different foundation. He controlled their minds by misapplying Scripture.

Today, the devil is seeking to blind the minds of God’s servants that they might not be able to discern the precious truth. God is telling us, through His prophet, that the devil is going to try to lay a different foundation for you and me. We will now see that the devil is indeed trying to lay a different foundation, but we should not be pointing fingers at anyone or any church. We need to point to ourselves to make sure that we are on the firm and true foundation.

General Departure

In the May 2, 2002, Adventist Review, an article was published that sanctioned Sunday worship. It reads, at the end of the article, “There’s no question that the seventh day is holy time. But when you’re hungering for something more, there’s nothing wrong with worshiping on Sunday too.” Kay Kuzma, “Challenges and Changes,” 14. Do you suppose the devil would like to lay a different foundation here?

The author continued, “Just don’t give up one for the other. Plus, it’s a great way to witness to others about the Bible truth you’ve found.” Is that not a keen way of witnessing, going and worshiping on Sunday? Is that how we are supposed to witness? Absolutely not! Do you suppose the devil is trying to lay a different foundation here?

An article was published in The Signs of the Times, June 1999, about who the antichrist is. Is the devil trying to get Seventh-day Adventists off the foundation of who the antichrist is? In this article, the writer is following the line and the thinking of evangelical Christians today that the antichrist is going to arise in the future during the seven-year tribulation.

The Signs of the Times has, for years, been the witnessing missionary magazine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I was pretty excited when I found this article, because when I looked at the front cover of the issue in which it appeared, I said to myself, “They are going to expose who the antichrist is in this witnessing magazine!” But as I started reading, my mind became confused, because the article did not agree with the Bible and with what I had been reading and studying.

In one part, the author says that the antichrist teaching is only a New Testament teaching. When I read that, I said, “Wait a minute! What have I read in Daniel 7?” As I continued reading through the article, I had the feeling that something was wrong.

Something is desperately wrong with what is being taught in this magazine. The devil is trying to lay a different foundation from what has already been laid in the Word of God and in the Spirit of Prophecy.

As time progresses, we are going to see a general departure from the truth, from the foundation that has already been laid in the Bible and in the Spirit of Prophecy. To what is all of this leading? It is leading to the image of the beast. As Christians today have misapplied Scripture in applying the antichrist to the future, they are going to accept the mark of the beast, and they are not going to know it, just as the Jews were unaware that they were about to be destroyed and have probation close on them. This teaching is going to do the same to Seventh-day Adventists as it will do to all other Christians. This is what the devil is trying to lead people to do.

Only a Part

Let us go back in history and study this image to the beast, so we may understand just how close we are. The following statement was written by Ellen White: “It was apostasy . . .”; what is apostasy? It is a rejection of the truth. It is what Paul calls a falling away; when you turn your back on the truth. When you turn your back on the truth, you accept something false in its place. You fall off the foundation. “It was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid of the civil government, and this prepared the way for the development of the papacy—the beast. Said Paul: ‘There’ shall ‘come a falling away, . . . and that man of sin be revealed.’ 11 Thessalonians 2:3. So apostasy in the church will prepare the way for the image to the beast.” The Great Controversy, 443, 444.

So, “apostasy in the church will prepare the way for the image to the beast.” As the church departs from the truth and turns its back on it, it accepts false teachings. This is what prepares the way for the image to the beast. I want you to remember that even at that early time, Paul saw “creeping into the church, errors that would prepare the way for the development of the papacy.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 51. At that time, idolaters were led to receive a part of the Christian faith. Is a part good enough?

I have been studying with some people who were once a part of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, but they fell away and became Pentecostal. At the time they became Seventh-day Adventists, the pastor with whom they were studying led them to receive a part of the gospel message. After they were baptized, the church put them into a teaching position. Then, further truth, which had not been presented to them before, was sprung on them. As a result, they became so discouraged that they left the church and became Pentecostals. You see, it is not enough for us to teach a part of the Seventh-day Adventist message. We must teach it all or not teach it at all. We must not be ashamed of the truths that we know.

A brother recently came into the Seventh-day Adventist Church through a prophecy seminar that was held in Vancouver, Washington. He was so excited! He began to read Ellen White’s books and started sharing with the other members of the church what he was reading in her writings, but the brethren in the church he was attending told him, “Do not talk about those things here.”

He questioned this, asking, “Is this not the prophet of your church?”

They replied, “Well, yes, but we do not talk about it, and we do not read from her writings from the pulpit.”

When the new brother asked, “Why not?” the answer was given, “She was a prophet for her time; she is not a prophet for now.” He soon left that church and began attending a Sunday-keeping church. It is not enough to have and believe just a part of the message. We cannot be ashamed of anything that we believe.

It does not matter whether or not the Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses say that they have prophets; their prophets are counterfeits. We have a prophet, and she is a true prophet. We are not to be ashamed that she is a true prophet. Now, that is easy for us as Seventh-day Adventists talking about Ellen White to say among ourselves, but state that in an evangelistic series and see what happens. If we start telling others about Ellen White, the point will come that she is the best thing that the church could ever have. Do not ever be ashamed of her writings; they are essential.

Concessions

“Idolaters were led to receive a part of the Christian faith, while they rejected other essential truths. They professed to accept Jesus as the Son of God and to believe in His death and resurrection, but they had no conviction of sin and felt no need of repentance or of a change of heart. With some concessions on their part they proposed that Christians should make concessions, that all might unite on the platform of belief in Christ.” The Great Controversy, 42.

So the idolaters were led to receive a part of the Christian faith while they rejected other parts. They amalgamated together, and those things that the pagans would not accept, the Christians left off. As the Christians left the foundation of truth, they accepted fables and false doctrines. It was proposed that Christians should make concessions. In other words, they were to capitulate on what they believed; they were to compromise that all might unite on a platform or foundation of belief in Jesus. Sounds good, does it not? But Jesus has some specific teachings. Doctrines are important.

However, the pagans said, “Let us join together and unite on a platform of belief in Jesus.” As good as that may sound, it is not enough. We must accept the teachings of Jesus, and that is what the Jews did not do. Their probationary period was fast closing in around them, and they did not know it.

As we continue in this study, we will come to see how close we are to the image to the beast and the close of human probation.

To be continued . . .

Pastor Mike Bauler serves as pastor of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be contacted by e-mail at: mbauler@earthlink.net.

Vain Promises of the World

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The story of a shipwreck is recorded in Acts 27. The apostle Paul was shipwrecked as he journeyed to Rome, a prisoner awaiting trial before Caesar. In verse 4, we can read that the ship’s captain avoided difficulty, caused by contrary winds, by taking a different course. As a result, we see that they “sailed slowly.” Verse 7. It would seem that they just sailed along, not worrying too much about where they were going or what they were doing. They refused to accept the counsel given them by God’s messenger. Paul cautioned that if the voyage were made, there would be hurt, not only to the ship and to the goods, but also of life. But because the centurion would rather believe the owner of the ship than God’s messenger, he did not follow Paul’s counsel. (Verses 10, 11.) Because it was a more comfortable setting to travel, they did not heed the messenger’s voice.

Soft Wind

Read Acts 27:13: “And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained [their] purpose, loosing [thence], they sailed close by Crete.” What happens next in the story? It says that the “wind blew softly,” and when it blew softly, they thought it was safe. It says that they thought they had “obtained their purpose,” and so they set sail. They thought that now they could disobey what God’s messenger had said, because the wind was now blowing softly. It was perfect for sailing, they thought. They could now make it to the place in which they wanted to harbor, because the south wind was softly blowing.

To what in our lives might we liken that south wind softly blowing? Here God had sent them a message through His prophet, the apostle Paul, but they did not want to follow it. They then thought that they had verification for not following that about which God had warned them, because it looked like the wind that was blowing would take them to where they desired to be. The south wind softly blowing was giving promise of smooth sailing! And so they set out.

Devil’s Promises

We speak often about the promises of God, and we should, but do you know that the devil has promises too? Here the devil is promising, we could say, a safe trip; a safe journey without being shipwrecked; a safe trip in violation of what God had said. And they accepted this false promise and set sail, expecting a safe trip. They trusted the deceiving promises of the enemy.

Does the enemy have promises for soft south winds blowing for us today? What do you think some of those promises might be? It is good to identify some of these promises so that we are not deceived by the south wind as it softly blows.

Has the temptation or the thought ever come to you that if you would get out into the world you would have more fun? It is a soft wind blowing. The devil prompts, “You would have a lot more fun if you would do this or something else. You will not shipwreck. You will just have more fun.” We all would like to have fun, would we not?

The devil tries to blow a soft south wind; he tries to give some promise that in the world it is going to be more fun, more exciting; there is going to be more pleasure. Many, many people set sail in the wrong direction, because they are listening to the promises that the devil brings.

Some things that the devil wants us to think are fun in this world include music and movies. They are not that bad, you may think; they will not hurt; they just provide a good time. And they hoist their sails because of the soft south winds—the promises of more fun, of more pleasure in the world, and they do not realize that it is leading them forward to shipwreck. The devil does not care why or how you start sailing towards shipwreck; he just wants to get you sailing into the tempestuous winds, that you might go down into the ocean.

Wisest Man

There was a young man in the Bible who had one of the most promising beginnings of anyone. His father was a prophet. His father wrote portions of the Bible, and this young man wanted, especially in his youth, to follow and obey God. So much did he want to do this that, as he was praying, the Lord appeared to him and said, “Ask Me. What do you want?” The young man asked for wisdom! The Lord told him that he could have fame, riches, whatever he desired; and Solomon said that what he wanted and needed was wisdom. God gave him wisdom; he was the wisest man. (11 Chronicles 1:7–12.)

Seven years later, after the temple was finished being rebuilt, the Lord appeared to Solomon again to renew that vow with him, saying that if he would follow Him, not only would He give to him wisdom, but everything else. So Solomon continued to follow the Lord. (11 Chronicles 7:17–22.) Solomon, who began on such a good course, who had more promise than perhaps any other young person in the Bible, ended up shipwrecking his life. What does the Bible give as the reason why Solomon shipwrecked his life? Nehemiah 13:26 says that “outlandish women” caused Solomon to sin.

Solomon did not think he was going to end up with 300 wives and 700 concubines. If you would have told him that at the beginning, he would have said, “No way; that is ridiculous!” What was it that started Solomon down that wrong course? He listened to the soft south wind blowing. Solomon listened to the promises of the devil—“Oh, you can have more fun! It will not matter; it is not a big deal! It makes perfect sense for you to take the King of Egypt’s daughter for your wife, and, besides, she may become converted!”

Depressing Book

Some people think that the Book of Ecclesiastes is a depressing book, and I can understand why, because a man who knew what he could have achieved wrote it—a man wrote it who came to the end of his life and realized that his life was ruined. We perhaps cannot even fathom coming to the end of our lives, but Solomon came to the end of his life and realized that he had wasted the best of everything.

Solomon repented, but notice what counsel he gives to us in Ecclesiastes 2:1–11. He is telling his experience, and I believe it is very instructive for us, especially for young people: “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also [is] vanity. I said of laughter, [It is] mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what [was] that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all [kind of] fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got [me] servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, [as] musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all [was] vanity and vexation of spirit, and [there was] no profit under the sun.”

Grasping the Wind

Did Solomon have anything this world had to offer? Did he have everything this world had to offer? Sometimes we think, Oh, if I just had this amusement, then I would be happy. Solomon did not just listen to CDs; Solomon had the bands performing in front of him! Was he happy? Sometimes young people think, Oh, if I just had a boyfriend or a girlfriend, then I would be happy. Did Solomon have quite a few of these? Was he happy? No! He still was not happy! We think, Oh, if I just had what my friend has, then I would be happy. Did Solomon have everything that his friends had? Yes, he did, and a lot more; but he was not happy. He was only happy when he was following God.

Solomon lamented, “I had all the money a person could want. I had all the girlfriends a man could want. I had all the pleasure and all the music anyone could want.” But as he looked at it, what was it to him? Nothing! In one place he calls it grasping for the wind. (Proverbs 30:4.) Have you ever tried to grasp the wind? Do you get much when you reach out for the wind? You only get a handful of air. And Solomon said that was all everything was; it was just like grasping for the wind. It was nothing!

The devil, however, saw that this trap was successful with Solomon, and the devil is still using this game to win your soul and mine. He says, “You would be happy if you just had this; you would find enjoyment in listening to this music,” or whatever it is. Perhaps he entices you with alcohol. Some people may think it is fun for a while, but when they wake up the next morning, the resulting hangover or headache is not fun. Thinking about alcohol rationally, it would not make any sense at all to use it. Why would anyone want to have a little fun so that they can feel terrible the next day?

That is what everything in the world is like. Oh, it looks fun! It looks inviting! And the devil encourages, “Just do it! It will not matter. It will be fun; you will enjoy it! Everybody is doing it!” The devil promises pleasure, but Solomon tells us that there is no true pleasure apart from obedience to the Lord. His life is on record that we might know not to be deceived by the soft south wind blowing.

A Thousand Days

Notice what Solomon’s father, David, said in Psalm 84:10, 11: “For a day in thy courts [is] better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God [is] a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good [thing] will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

David said, “I would rather spend one day in God’s favor than one thousand days outside of it.” How many years are in 1,000 days? Almost three years. David said, “I would just rather spend one day with God’s blessing than three years outside of it.” The only lasting, true happiness in this world is in God’s court. He said, “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. I would rather be a janitor with the Lord’s blessing than to be in that beautiful palace of this world without it.” And then he tells us why; because “no good [thing] will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” How many things that are good does the Lord withhold from us? Not one thing!

So, if the Lord asks us not to do something—not to turn the television on to the shows that everybody is watching or not to listen to the music to which everybody is listening—is it a good thing that the Lord is withholding? It is not. It is just something that is going to bite us in the end.

God tells us that He has our best good in mind. He wants us to be happy; He wants us to know what true happiness and true joy are. That is why He is warning us about the deceiving pleasures of this world.

The pleasure may be anything of this world, and it may be different for different individuals. Whatever it might be, the devil has a promise for each one of us. He has a temptation for each one of us, and it is going to be different for everyone. For some of us, the pleasures of this world might have no attraction, but something else does, and the devil whispers, like that soft south wind blowing, “It is all right; you can sail; you can go; try it just once.”

Fool’s Gold

Are you familiar with fool’s gold? In 1849, there was a gold rush in the United States. That is how California became the most popular state in this country; it was from that gold rush. There was a man at a mill, and he looked down and saw a pretty, gold rock. He picked it up to examine it more closely, and he discovered it was a nugget of gold. When the word got out, everybody started going to California to find gold.

The miners that looked for the gold had a way in which they could tell the difference between fool’s gold and real gold. Fool’s gold looks good. It is pretty; it is shiny; it looks like real gold; but the way to know if it is real is to bite down on it. Gold is a soft metal. When you bite down on it, it will leave an imprint. You cannot do that with fool’s gold. If you bite down on it, you will break your teeth!

The devil has lots of fool’s gold in this world. It looks good; it looks pretty; it looks shiny; but it is worthless. You cannot sell fool’s gold for anything. And when you really bite down into the world’s fool’s gold, it breaks your teeth.

God has true riches; God has true pleasures; God has true joys. But those true riches, pleasures, and joys come only by refusing to listen to those soft-whispering promises that the devil gives. God has our best good in mind.

Tempestuous Winds

Let us look at Acts 27 again, and read what the result was of listening to the soft whispering promise of the devil—that soft south wind blowing he made sound so inviting and so good. “But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.” Verse 14.

At first the wind blew softly, and it seemed like they had obtained their purpose. It seemed like they were going to be able to do what they wanted to do, but then a tempestuous wind came up very quickly. Those smooth promises—the soft wind—that the devil gives sound sweet and beautiful at first, but then they turn into tempestuous trouble.

I had a friend, much older than I, and he listened. We had given Bible studies together, but he listened to the deceiving promises of the devil. He thought it was the only way he was going to be happy. After a little while, he made a statement that I will never forget. He said, “The broad road is pretty rocky too!” There are lots of bumps and trouble in the broad road, even though it, at first, seems so sweet, so soft, and so pleasant. But, then, that tempestuous wind comes up.

“When neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on [us], all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.” Verse 20. Because they listened to those sweet, whispering promises that the devil gave, what was the result? Not only did a tempestuous wind come up, but also they did not see the sun or stars for days.

We may read that and say, “So what?” But travelers in those days were dependent upon seeing the sun or the stars for guidance. What did it mean if they could not see these things? It meant that they were lost. They had no GPS (global positioning system). Using the stars as guides, those living in the Southern Hemisphere looked for the Southern Cross. Those in the Northern Hemisphere looked for the Big Dipper and North Star. They would guide their boats and their travels by the stars. But in an ocean in the middle of nowhere, without chart or compass, these sailors had no idea where they were going. This is also the result of listening to the promises of the devil.

Then, notice that although it began with a soft wind that was blowing and the thought that they could make it to their desired destination, hope departed. That is what the devil wants to do to each of us. He begins with a soft wind, saying, “Do not worry; you will have fun. You will make more money.” And then a tempestuous wind starts to blow, and we find ourselves out in the middle of the sea with no guidance. He wants us to lose all hope, and the end result is shipwreck.

Safety

Do you want to be shipwrecked? The only safety is to determine in your heart right now that you are not going to listen to those soft south winds. You are not going to listen to the promises of the devil that you will have more fun or make more money, that you will have more pleasure or more honor or whatever it is. Do not listen to him! You have an anchor—an anchor sure and steadfast, an anchor of the blessed hope, an anchor of Jesus who has died and resurrected and is interceding for you and is coming again for you.

I am sure you do not want to bite into the fool’s gold of this world. We have to make a decision every day that we are not going to follow the promises of the world, so we might truly escape shipwreck. Thousands and probably millions of people will be lost and shipwrecked because they listened to the promises of the world. Will you choose in your heart not to be one of them? Will you decide by God’s grace not to listen to those vain promises but to say with David, “A day in your courts is better than a thousand without your blessing”?

Cody Francis is currently engaged in public evangelism for Mission Projects International. He also pastors the Remnant Church of Seventh-day Adventist Believers in Renton, Washington. He may be contacted by e-mail at: cody@missionspro.org.

The Pool of Bethesda, Part III

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Have you ever considered that the seven days of creation are a revelation of the steps of becoming a converted person? Each day represents a step in conversion! If you study just Genesis and apply the principles of Genesis, you will get into heaven. Every word is a revelation of God’s plan to restore His image in the soul of man.

For example, on the first day, God said, “Let there be light.” Genesis 1:3. Where were you before God touched your life? You were in darkness, without shape or form. God said, “Let there be light,” and that light came into your heart and lighted your path. Christ is the Light of the world. (See John 1:6–9.)

Allow me to clarify this for you. On what day did God create the sun? Did He create the sun before He created the plants? No, He created the plants before He created the sun! (Genesis 1:11–19.) The sun was created on the fourth day, but many people have believed that the light of the first day, when God said, “Let there be light,” was the sun. That was not the sun, because the sun that we see in the sky depends upon the Light of the world, the Son of righteousness who comes with healing in His wings. (Malachi 4:2.)

Matthew 5:14 says, “Ye are the light of the world.” Jesus is the Light, and if you have Jesus in you, then you are going to be the light. No darkness will be there. As soon as you step into a place, there is going to be light. Insects are drawn to light; they are rather pesky creatures. Considering this, consider that when you are filled with the Light, you are going to attract a lot of folk that you will perhaps want to put your foot on and squash, but they are God’s creatures. If you are not attracting individuals of every type, something is wrong with you; you must have Light.

The Halt

A third type of person was at the pool of Bethesda. John 5:3 identifies the impotent, the blind, and the halt. When you think of the word halt, you perhaps think of lame, but I would invite you to consider another meaning for it: “to stop or to be motionless.”

Ezekiel 37:1–5 reads, “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.”

If God can take a valley of dry bones with no motion and put life into it, what can He make with that which already has life, just not the life that He wanted it to have? God can take nothing and make something out of it.

I want so much for you to understand this, because we have a work to do. The devil has come down with great wrath. He is angry with the woman, and he is to make war with the remnant of the seed who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17.) The devil is angry at no other church but this church. He is angry at this church because God has entrusted this church with the light. As long as the devil can keep us deceived and fighting among ourselves, he is happy.

The Bible continues, in Ezekiel 37:6, 7, “And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I [am] the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking.”

When God puts His people together with truth, there is going to be a shaking. In fact, the shaking is already here. All those sinners in Zion will be shaken out, and God will have a people. He will put life into those people.

“Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds.” Verse 9.

You see, God is holding back these four winds until He puts His seal upon His people. (See Revelation 7.) We are in the sealing time now. The sealing time is the settling into the truth, both spiritually and intellectually, so that you and I cannot be moved, that we might have that final seal. It is a settling in that we cannot be moved with every wind of doctrine.

Motionless Prey

The way the devil catches prey is to paralyze it with a roar. The ground trembles; the prey feels the tremble, and it becomes paralyzed. It does not know which way to go. It becomes motionless, and the devil can easily trap it. A moving target is difficult to catch! When people are not witnessing for the Lord, they are motionless. They are spiritless. They have no Spirit.

The gospel commission is given in Matthew 28. When you look at the word gospel, what are the first two letters? G and O. God is telling us that we must go. It is time to work. We need to roll up our spiritual sleeves and go to work for God. We need to get out of the pews and stop being motionless. We need to ask God for His Spirit so we can go to work for Him.

This action is not brought about at the pool of Bethesda. It is only brought through the power of the Holy Spirit. When it falls upon His church, it will be on fire for the Lord. As soon as you come to know God, you have got to tell someone about it!

The Withered

The last representation we read about at the pool of Bethesda is the withered. I am certain you have seen a withered celery stalk or a withered carrot. It has lost its quality. It is limp; it is useless.

In 11 Timothy 2:20, 21, we read: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, [and] prepared unto every good work.” God is telling us that in His house He has different vessels, and He wants to prepare them for His use. In every house, in every church, in every ministry, God wants people He can use.

It is not how long you live that matters, but it is how well you live for the Lord. I am a young 58. I am not youthful, but I am useful. Those people who are 40 years of age and older are not youthful, but they are going to be useful. Those who are younger than 40 years are youthful, but they can be useful too. The Bible says, “The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the grey head.” Proverbs 20:29.

Matthew 5:13 states: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

What is the purpose of salt? It is used for seasoning. When you put the salt on the food, does the salt become the food? When you season something, the salt adds flavor to it. It is mingled with the food, but it is distinct. It gives flavor.

God said, “You are the salt of the world.” Therefore, as Christians, we are not to become like the world, but we are to give flavor to the world. We are to provide the right impression that God wants the world to have.

We should give the right impression to the world that the God who created heaven and earth is a God of mercy and love, but He is also a God of particulars. He is not going to save us in our sin.

If the Christian is watching pornography, how can the Christian teach the world not to watch pornography? If the Christian, in a business transaction, uses an unjust balance, how can he or she testify to being a Christian while not being fair in trade?

A Christian should be transparent with nothing to hide. It has been said that character is what you do when nobody else is watching or will find out. In other words, what you do when no one else is around is character.

Jesus said, “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.” John 15:5. When you abide in Christ, you not only bring forth fruit for yourself, for when fruit appears on the tree, it is for other people to pluck. When people see fruit in your life, they are able to pluck it and benefit from it; they see Jesus. You are useful.

God talks about talents in Matthew 25:14–30. Every person has at least one talent. You might not be familiar with your talent; you might not know what it is, but you can ask God to reveal it to you. If you do not use that talent, it will be taken away from you. It will be useless.

Usefulness—whether it is playing the piano or playing the violin, do it to God’s glory. If it is working on the computer, do it to God’s glory. If you are working on automobiles, do it to God’s glory. Be useful!

Healing Waters

The true healing waters are described in Ezekiel 47:12: “And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.”

Inspiration tells us, “After the entrance of sin the heavenly Husbandman transplanted the tree of life to the Paradise above; but its branches hang over the wall to the lower world. Through the redemption purchased by the blood of Christ, we may still eat of its life-giving fruit.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 288. There is healing in those leaves; those leaves are the type of promises of God’s Word.

Instruction for the attire of Aaron as he served in the sanctuary included, “A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.” Exodus 28:34. If you have eaten a pomegranate, you know that it is rather hard on the outside, and it has a lot of seeds on the inside. They are edible seeds, and they are encased in a juicy, red substance. Have you ever tried counting the seeds of a pomegranate? I have. I counted up to 300 or 320 seeds and I stopped counting. I gave up! It seemed an impossible task to count all of the seeds.

Why do you think the pomegranate was used on the hem of the priestly robe? Why not a mango or a kiwi? The pomegranate is a virtual seed basket.

Luke 8:11 explains, “The seed is the word of God.”

Peter said, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” 11 Peter 1:2–4. Every seed contains the promise of God. Every seed of the pomegranate is encapsulated in red; every promise of God is backed by the blood of Jesus. You can bank on those promises!

Healing Waters

In the sanctuary, the colors of blue, scarlet, and purple were used. The blue represents loyalty. “The children of Israel, after they were brought out of Egypt, were commanded to have a simple ribbon of blue in the border of their garments, to distinguish them from the nations around them, and to signify that they were God’s peculiar people.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 473. They were to be commandment keepers. Blue represented obedience. The sky is blue. God wrote His law on sapphire; that is true blue. Blue represents loyalty and obedience.

Scarlet represents sacrifice. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Isaiah 1:18.

In Leviticus, an example is given of the cleansing sacrifice. “And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water: And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times: And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet: But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.” Leviticus 14:49–53. One bird was killed. The live bird was dipped into the blood of the dead bird and then set free. The blood of the dead bird represents the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ. His blood sets us free. Scarlet represents sacrifice.

Royalty is represented by the color purple. The Saviour was mocked. A crown of thorns was placed upon His forehead and a purple robe was placed about Him as His accusers saluted, “Hail, King of the Jews.” (Mark 15:17, 18.)

Purple represents royalty. Blue represents obedience. Red represents sacrifice. God is a master artist. What two colors do you put together to get royalty? red and blue. When you mix obedience with sacrifice, the result is royalty.

God wants people with obedient hearts, hearts of sacrifice.

“Sin brings physical and spiritual disease and weakness. Christ has made it possible for us to free ourselves from this curse. The Lord promises, by the medium of truth, to renovate the soul. The Holy Spirit will make all who are willing to be educated able to communicate the truth with power. It will renew every organ of the body, that God’s servants may work acceptably and successfully. Vitality increases under the influence of the Spirit’s action. Let us, then, by this power lift ourselves into a higher, holier atmosphere, that we may do well our appointed work.” Review and Herald, January 14, 1902.

We do not need to be at the pool of Bethesda. All we need is the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thomas Jackson is a health evangelist and Director of Missionary Education and Evangelistic Training (M.E.E.T.) Ministry in Huntingdon, Tennessee. He may be contacted by e-mail at: godsplan@meetministry.org or by telephone at: 731-986-3518.

The More Excellent Ministry, Part I

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

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

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

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

Special Class

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

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

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

Points of Evidence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comparison One

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

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

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

Second Comparison

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

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

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

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

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

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

Godliness

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

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

As We Are

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

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

Third Comparison

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

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

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

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

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

Fourth Comparison

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

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

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

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

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

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

Transition to Abraham

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

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

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

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

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

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

To be continued . . .

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

Obstacles, Pt. I

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In Zechariah 4:7, it was predicted that a great mountain was going to become a plain: “Who [art] thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel [thou shalt become] a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone [thereof with] shoutings, [crying], Grace, grace unto it.” Read the following two Scriptures and then see if you can figure out to what all three of these Scriptures are referring, because they are actually all talking about a very similar subject that we will study in this article.

Read next about a prediction of the work of John the Baptist who was to come to prepare the way for the Messiah. This passage was written 700 years before the time of John the Baptist. The New Testament says, and John the Baptist himself says, that he came to fulfill this prophecy: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of Jehovah; make straight a way in the desert, a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill shall be brought low.” Isaiah 40:3, 4. Now, about what is that talking? Then verse 4 continues: “And it shall be the steep ground for a level place, and the rough places shall become a plain.”

This almost sounds like the construction of an interstate highway, where the mountains and the valleys are smoothed out so the road is straight and level, and travelers may drive their vehicles over 70 miles per hour on it.

Jesus talked about this very same principle in Matthew 21. Skeptics and non-believers, to criticize Christians and to try to prove that the Bible is not true, have used this passage. All they have proved, though, is that they do not know what the Bible is saying. “And early in the morning, He returned to the city, and He was hungry. And seeing one fig tree in the way, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. And He said to it, ‘Let no fruit grow on you from now on forever.’ And immediately the fig tree was withered away. And the disciples, seeing, were astonished, saying, ‘How quickly the fig tree has dried up!’ And Jesus, answering, said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only what is done to the fig tree shall you do, but also if to this mountain you shall say, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” it shall be done. And all things whatsoever you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.’ ” Matthew 21:18–21.

Spiritual Mountains

Skeptics and scoffers have said to Christians that they have never seen or heard of any mountains being cast into the sea. They will argue that the Rocky Mountains are still where they were, and the Sierras are still where they were. Mount Everest and the Himalayan Mountains are still where they were. The Andes are still where they were. They say that even though Jesus said that if we believe and pray, then the mountains are going to be cast into the sea, they do not believe, because the mountains are all still there, and they have never seen this happen. The problem is, they do not know what the Bible is really saying.

Jesus was not talking about literal mountains, just as Zechariah 4:7 was not talking about a literal mountain. Isaiah 40 was not talking about a literal road; John the Baptist never built highways.

Well, then, what are these texts talking about? They are talking about the obstacles—the difficulties, the trials that are in front of you that are like a mountain. You cannot get over it or around it or through it, and you are stuck. So, what are you going to do? The Bible is full of stories where God has illustrated the experience of His children in past ages who were hemmed in with all kinds of obstacles, trials, and troubles.

Jesus was talking about a spiritual mountain or difficulty or obstacle in your life. He was not talking about the Rocky Mountains or the Andes Mountains. He was talking about the spiritual obstacles in front of you that you do not know how you will get around. You do not know how you are going to overcome them. He said, “If you will pray and believe, these apparent impossibilities that are in front of you can be removed.”

Obstacles of the Christian

What are the obstacles that face the Christian? The Christian is faced with both external and internal obstacles. We will first look at the external obstacles. They are the easiest ones. The internal obstacles are the harder ones.

The external obstacles that the Christian faces are first of all what the Bible calls “the world.” The New Testament has a lot of discussion about this. 1 John 2:15–17 gives the obstacle that the Christian has in the world: “Do not love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Because everything that is in the world—the lust (that is, the craving) of the flesh and the craving of the eyes and the ostentatiousness (or the pride of life)—is not from the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away and the craving of it, but the one doing the will of God remains forever.”

So, the external obstacle is of the world, and what is in the world? It is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Incidentally, these three temptations are the three temptations that the devil brought to Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 4.

The lust of the flesh is the sensual temptation, temptations in regard to sexual passions and appetites for food and drink and other substances that are sinful. Now, it is not a sin to eat and drink, but you can sin eating and drinking.

Presumption

Then the second temptation, the lust of the eyes, is the desire to make a display. Remember what the devil did to Jesus? He told Him, “Come up here on the temple and cast Yourself down. The Lord will protect You. He has announced Your Messiahship. Everybody will believe You, because You will be known all over the world as the One who jumped off the temple and did not get killed.” That is the temptation to presumption.

Sensual temptation is the first temptation; the devil comes to everyone with that. It is usually successful, but if the devil does not succeed in getting you to fall for sensual temptations, then he is going to come to you with the second temptation of presumption.

Ellen White wrote that when the devil comes to people with the temptation of presumption, he is successful nine times out of ten! (See Testimonies, vol. 4, 44.) We do not have a very good average when we are dealing with temptations of presumption.

Presumption is when people claim the promises of God, but they do not fulfill the conditions. It is one of the most common sins in the Christian world today. There are millions of Christians who claim God as their Father; who claim Jesus as their Saviour; but they are not doing the will of God. They say, “We are going to heaven,” but the Bible says that they are not.

Jesus said, “Not everyone that says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ is going to enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will come to Me in that day and they will say, ‘Lord, Lord, You have made a mistake! We know that we are saved, because we have cast out demons in Your name. We have prophesied in Your name. We have performed many miracles in Your name.’ Then I will say unto them, ‘I never knew you.’ ” (Matthew 7:21–23.)

Can you imagine what a shock that will be? to be a Christian, to go to church every week, to come right up to the day of judgment, and say, “Lord, I know I am saved,” and have Him respond, “No, I never knew you.” “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” Verse 23, last part.

This is the besetting sin of the Christian world today. People think they can be saved while they are breaking God’s Law. The Bible does not teach that.

So, the temptations from the world are lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (that is, the love of the world). I am always amazed at how easy it is for us to fall on the temptation of love of the world. The devil promised Jesus the whole world. He would not take it. But there are people that will fall for just a little piece of real estate—not a piece the size of Wichita or the size of Kansas. If the devil offered you all of the city of Wichita, Kansas, would you be willing to give up eternal life to get the whole city? If he offered you all of Kansas, would you be willing to give up eternal life to get the whole state?

Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36. A lot of people are falling for that one today, just as in Jesus’ day. So, the world is the first external temptation.

The Devil

The second external temptation that Christians face is the same one that Jesus faced, and that is the devil. The devil comes to every Christian, every man and every woman, every boy and every girl. The devil comes with various temptations to get you in some way to break the Law of God, because he knows that if you do that, you are on his side. The Bible says, in 1 John 3:8, that everyone who sins is of the devil. And sin is defined in 1 John 3:4: “Sin is the transgression of the law.”

So, if the devil can entice you, seduce you, terrify you, some way get you to sin, you are on his side of the great controversy. That is his whole goal. You are going to lose your soul if you stay there on his side.

Those are the external temptations: the world, with sensuality, presumption, and the love of things, and, then, the devil.

Internal Obstacles

Next we must consider the really bad obstacles that the Christian has to face, and those are the internal obstacles.

If you are not a Christian, you can become a Christian today. In a Christian religion, you do not have to do penance; you do not have to do all kinds of things like that to become part of the body of Christ. You become a Christian by surrendering your will, your mind, to Jesus Christ. If you surrender to Him, and acknowledge Him as your Saviour from sin and as the Lord of your life, then you become a Christian, even if you have not yet been baptized. You can choose to do that right now.

Jesus said, in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and you do not do what I say?” So, you cannot call Him Lord and not obey, but if you are a Christian, you have a goal. What is your goal? In 1 John 3:2, we read, “Beloved, now are we the children of God; and it is not yet apparent what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; we shall see Him as He is.” When Jesus appears, we are going to be like Him, so what is your goal, if you are a Christian? Your goal is to be Christlike. Jesus called it the narrow way that leads to eternal life. (See Matthew 7:14.)

Christlike

Let us think this through. If your goal is to be Christlike but there is something inside of you that is not Christlike, what is your problem? You have an obstacle. Your goal is to go to heaven and have eternal life, but you are not there yet. You have an obstacle that you have to overcome to get there.

You see, anything in your character that is not Christlike is an internal obstacle that you must overcome if you are going to be ready for Jesus to come. Do you understand that concept? It is discussed in 1 John 3:1–3, and it says, in verse 3, “Every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.”

If there is something in your character that is not Christlike, that is an internal obstacle that you have to overcome if you are going to be ready for Jesus to come. And those, of course, are the far more serious obstacles that the Christian has to meet. The internal obstacles are far more difficult and far more serious than the external obstacles.

You see, God has the ability to remove obstacles. God has the ability to take away the devil’s power on the outside, but it would not do any good to take away the external obstacles if the internal obstacles were not removed first. Just think that one through. That is why, before God removes the devil’s power over you on the outside, which will happen when you are taken to heaven, He must first remove the devil’s power over you on the inside.

Those are the obstacles that the Christian has to overcome. Incidentally, not only are there obstacles for individual Christians, but there are obstacles for groups of Christians, for churches. Churches have obstacles to meet too.

Church Obstacles

One of the great obstacles for the church is the obstacle of false teaching, or heretical doctrines. Jesus talked about this a great deal, including in Matthew 24. He said that many false prophets were going to arise, and they were going to deceive many. Whenever you see revival or reformation happening in any church, you will find the devil trying to push off onto that church all kinds of heretical and fanatical doctrines. It never fails.

Do you know from where the greatest obstacles for the church come? Ellen White wrote, “We have far more to fear from within than from without. The hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 122. From where is our greatest danger, our greatest opposition, going to come? It is going to come from professed believers, from other Christians. “How often have the professed advocates of the truth proved the greatest obstacle to its advancement!” Ibid.

“If we hope to wear the crown, we must expect to bear the cross. Our greatest trials will come from those who profess godliness. It was so with the world’s Redeemer; it will be so with his followers. . . . The opposition which Christ received came from his own nation, who would have been greatly blessed had they accepted him. In like manner the remnant church receive opposition from those who profess to be their brethren.” Review and Herald, August 28, 1883.

Does the greatest opposition come from your enemies? No, it comes from the people whom you think are your friends. That is where it is the most dangerous too.

More Trouble

One other question that needs to be addressed before we look at how to deal with these obstacles is a question that many people have in their minds, especially people who have newly become Christians. This is a very perplexing question to many new Christians. Have you ever thought, or heard someone say, “I have given my life to Christ. I have chosen to follow Him, and now I am in more trouble than I have ever been before in my life. When I was out in the world and I was practicing all the sins of the world, I was not having a tenth of the trouble I am having now that I have decided to follow the Lord. What is this?” People are tempted to think that if God is all-powerful, and if He is really leading them, then why are they experiencing so much trouble?

There is a reason for it, and it really is true. When you decide to follow the Lord, you do have more trouble than you had before. Let me explain how that happens and why that happens.

“Trial is part of the education given in the school of Christ, to purify God’s children from the dross of earthliness. It is because God is leading His children that trying experiences come to them. Trials and obstacles are His chosen methods of discipline, and His appointed conditions of success.” The Acts of the Apostles, 524.

So, what are the appointed conditions of success? They are trials and obstacles, because there is no other way that God can get you from where you are now to where you need to be. Did you know that God never sends to us a trial that we do not need? Now, that is a hard statement. People can hardly believe that. They can hardly believe that God does not allow trials to come to us that we do not need. They say, “Lord, something is wrong here. Preacher, I do not have enough faith to believe this.” Maybe some of you do not have enough faith to believe it, but that is what inspiration says.

“God’s care for His heritage is unceasing. He suffers no affliction to come upon His children but such as is essential for their present and eternal good. He will purify His church, even as Christ purified the temple during His ministry on earth. All that He brings upon His people in test and trial comes that they may gain deeper piety and greater strength to carry forward the triumphs of the cross.” Ibid., 524, 525.

Trials and obstacles are God’s chosen methods of discipline and the appointed conditions of success, and if you are going through severe trials and obstacles, that means that God has something wonderful in store for you when you get past them. Study your Bible; study the great men of the Bible. I will give you a few examples, which you can study on your own.

Joseph

The man Joseph is one of the greatest men ever written about in the Bible. He became the Prime Minister of the strongest nation in the world, and he became known worldwide as the savior of the people. Before God exalted him to that high position, did he have to go through some trials, some really severe trials?

Yes, first of all he was sold as a slave, and was taken away from his family when he was about 17 years of age. He was taken to a foreign land where he had to learn a new language, new culture, and new customs. Then, when he became successful, his master’s wife accused him to his master. She first tried to commit adultery with him. He would not do it, so then she accused him to his master, and he was wrongly thrown in jail. As a slave, he had no way to get out of jail, and he spent years there. He would have been in that jail for the rest of his life if the Lord had not delivered him.

Does that sound like a pretty hard trial? That is perhaps a harder trial than some of us have been through. You see, the greater the future and the destiny that God has for you, the greater the trial that He may allow you to go through to get there.

David

Consider the man David. David is one of the greatest men in the Bible, even though he made some very serious mistakes. Did God allow David to go through a period of trial before He allowed him to become the king of Israel, probably the greatest king that Israel ever had? Yes, David was on the run for his life for about ten years. He was a fugitive, running from here to there, always in danger of being killed. You can read the story in the books of Samuel.

Daniel

Daniel, also one of the greatest men ever to be recorded in Holy Scripture, was taken captive when he was around 17 years of age too. He was taken to a foreign country where he decided that he was not going to drink alcoholic beverages or eat unclean foods. He risked his life for his convictions when he was just a young man. Read the story in Daniel 1.

But that was just the beginning of the trials and tribulations that Daniel had. Some of the hardest trials he had came when he was an elderly man. He was the Prime Minister of the greatest nation in the world, and the other officials of the government became jealous of him. They decided they would get rid of Daniel, and they determined that the only way to get rid of him, because they could not find any fault in him, was through his religion. So they had a law made that if an individual worshiped anybody other than the king for 30 days, he would be thrown into the lions’ den.

Daniel had to make a decision. He had always worshiped God publicly in the window of his house, three times a day, and he was tempted to say, “Well, I will close the window today when I pray, and they will not be able to see me.” That was the temptation the devil brought to him. “I will go to my closet, and I will still pray three times a day to the God of heaven, but I will close and lock the door and nobody will hear me. Nobody will be able to arrest me, because they will not know.” But that had not been his practice, and he knew that that would give the impression that he was being obedient. He was not willing to even give the impression that he would worship anybody but the God of heaven, even if it meant being thrown into the lions’ den. God had not told him that He would deliver him! But He did.

God has not told you in advance what He is going to deliver you from either. When you see the obstacle, all you can see is the obstacle. It looms before you just like the lions’ den. Oh, friend, whatever the obstacle, God knows how to deliver you at the right time. But God could never have delivered Daniel from the lions’ den if Daniel had not been faithful, and God cannot deliver you when you meet an obstacle unless you are faithful.

To be continued . . .

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

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

Editorial – Our Great Need

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We should know what we must do to be saved. We should not, my brethren and sisters, float along with the popular current. Our present work is to come out from the world and be separate. This is the only way we can walk with God, as did Enoch. Divine influences were constantly working with his human efforts. Like him, we are called upon to have a strong, living, working faith, and this is the only way we can be laborers together with God. We must meet the conditions laid down in the Word of God, or die in our sins. We must know what moral changes are essential to be made in our characters, through the grace of Christ, in order to be fitted for the mansions above. I tell you in the fear of God, we are in danger of living like the Jews,–destitute of the love of God, and ignorant of his power, while the blazing light of truth is shining all around us.

The present activity of Satan in working upon hearts, and upon churches and nations, should startle every student of prophecy. The end is near. Let our churches arise. Let the converting power of God be experienced in the hearts of the individual members, and then we shall see the deep movings of the Spirit of God. The forgiveness of sins is not the sole result of the death of Jesus. He made the infinite sacrifice, not only that sin might be removed, but that human nature might be restored, rebeautified, reconstructed from its ruins, and made fit for the presence of God.

We should show our faith by our works. A greater anxiety should be manifested to have a large measure of the Spirit of Christ; for in this will be the strength of the church. It is Satan who is striving to have God’s children draw apart. Love, O, how little love we have–love for God and for one another! The Word and Spirit of truth, dwelling in our hearts, will separate us from the world. The immutable principles of truth and love will bind heart to heart, and the strength of the union will be according to the measure of grace and truth enjoyed. Well would it be for us each to hold up the mirror, God’s royal law, and see in it the reflection of his own character. Let us be careful not to neglect the danger signals, and the warnings given in his Word. Unless heed is given to these warnings, and defects of character are overcome, these defects will overcome those who possess them, and they will fall into error, apostasy, and open sin. The mind that is not elevated to the highest standard, will in time lose its power to retain that which it had once gained. “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.” “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

God has selected a people in these last days, whom he has made the depositaries of his law; and this people will ever have disagreeable tasks to perform. “I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars; and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.” It will require much diligence and a continual struggle to keep evil out of our churches. There must be rigid, impartial discipline exercised; for some who have a semblance of religion, will seek to undermine the faith of others, and will privily work to exalt themselves.

The Lord Jesus, on the Mount of Olives, plainly stated that “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” He speaks of a class who have fallen from a high state of spirituality. Let such utterances as these come home with solemn, searching power to our hearts. Pamphlet 157.

Bible Study Guides – Promises of Victory

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April 22, 2007 – April 28, 2007

Key Text

“The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” Psalm 121:7.

Study Help: Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, 343, 344.

Introduction

“God proves His people in this world. This is the fitting-up place to appear in His presence. Here, in this world, in these last days, persons will show what power affects their hearts and controls their actions. If it is the power of divine truth, it will lead to good works. It will elevate the receiver, and make him noblehearted and generous, like his divine Lord. But if evil angels control the heart, it will be seen in various ways. The fruit will be selfishness, covetousness, pride, and evil passions.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Professors of religion are not willing to closely examine themselves to see whether they are in the faith; and it is a fearful fact that many are leaning on a false hope. Some lean upon an old experience which they had years ago; but when brought down to this heart-searching time, when all should have a daily experience, they have nothing to relate. They seem to think that a profession of the truth will save them. When they subdue those sins which God hates, Jesus will come in and sup with them and they with Him. They will then draw divine strength from Jesus, and will grow up in Him, and be able with holy triumph to say: ‘Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ” Testimonies, vol. 1, 188.

1 What is sin? 1 John 3:4; 5:17.

note: “God did not make the infinite sacrifice of giving His only-begotten Son to our world, to secure for man the privilege of breaking the commandments of God in this life and in the future eternal life. This is an infamous lie originated by Satan, which must be made to appear in its false, deceitful character. This law that Satan so much desires to have regarded null and void, is the great moral standard of righteousness. Any violation of it is an act of transgression against God, and will be visited with the penalty of the divine law. To all the inhabitants of the world who make void the law of Jehovah, and continue to live in transgression, death must surely come.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1116.

2 What examples are given by the wise man of what sin is? Proverbs 24:9; 10:19.

note: “We may deny Christ by our worldly conversation and by our pride of apparel. You have a circle of friends who are a snare to you and to your children. You love their companionship. Through association with them, you are led to dress yourselves and your children after the fashions followed by those who have no fear of God before their eyes. You thus show that you have friendship with the world. . . . Does your intercourse with these friends incline you to visit the closet and ask divine love and grace, or does it estrange your mind from God?” Testimonies, vol. 5, 437.

3 When the Saviour magnified the law, what did He say it covered? See Matthew 5:21–28.

note: “It [God’s law] extends to the deep secrets of man’s moral nature and throws a flood of light upon that which has been concealed from the sight and knowledge of men. What the hands may do or the tongue may utter—what the outer life reveals—but imperfectly shows man’s moral character. The law searches his thoughts, motives, and purposes. The dark passions that lie hidden from the sight of men, the jealousy, hatred, lust, and ambition, the evil deeds meditated upon in the dark recesses of the soul, yet never executed for want of opportunity—all these God’s law condemns.” The Acts of the Apostles, 424.

“The righteousness which Christ taught is conformity of heart and life to the revealed will of God. Sinful men can become righteous only as they have faith in God and maintain a vital connection with Him. Then true godliness will elevate the thoughts and ennoble the life. Then the external forms of religion accord with the Christian’s internal purity. Then the ceremonies required in the service of God are not meaningless rites, like those of the hypocritical Pharisees.

“Jesus takes up the commandments separately, and explains the depth and breadth of their requirement. Instead of removing one jot of their force, He shows how far-reaching their principles are, and exposes the fatal mistake of the Jews in their outward show of obedience. He declares that by the evil thought or the lustful look the law of God is transgressed. One who becomes a party to the least injustice is breaking the law and degrading his own moral nature.” The Desire of Ages, 310.

4 What standard of moral perfection is to characterize those waiting for the coming of the Lord? 11 Peter 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23. To what state of character must we attain in order to see God in peace when He comes? Hebrews 12:14. Compare Exodus 3:2–5; Joshua 5:13–15.

note: “The Scriptures teach us to seek for the sanctification to God of body, soul, and spirit. In this work we are to be laborers together with God. Much may be done to restore the moral image of God in man, to improve the physical, mental, and moral capabilities. Great changes can be made in the physical system by obeying the laws of God and bringing into the body nothing that defiles. And while we cannot claim perfection of the flesh, we may have Christian perfection of the soul. Through the sacrifice made in our behalf, sins may be perfectly forgiven. Our dependence is not in what man can do; it is in what God can do for man through Christ. When we surrender ourselves wholly to God, and fully believe, the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. The conscience can be freed from condemnation. Through faith in His blood, all may be made perfect in Christ Jesus. Thank God that we are not dealing with impossibilities. We may claim sanctification. We may enjoy the favor of God. We are not to be anxious about what Christ and God think of us, but about what God thinks of Christ, our Substitute.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 32, 33.

5 Through whom is victory over sin gained? 1 Corinthians 15:57.

note: “The Christian will feel the promptings of sin, but he will maintain a constant warfare against it. Here is where Christ’s help is needed. Human weakness becomes united to divine strength, and faith exclaims: ‘Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ 1 Corinthians 15:57.” The Great Controversy, 469, 470.

6 What will the armor of God enable us to do? Ephesians 6:13.

note: “The gaining of eternal life will ever involve a struggle, a conflict. We are continually to be found fighting the good fight of faith. We are soldiers of Christ; and those who enlist in His army are expected to do difficult work, work which will tax their energies to the utmost. We must understand that a soldier’s life is one of aggressive warfare, of perseverance and endurance. For Christ’s sake we are to endure trials.

“Victories are not gained by ceremonies or display but by simple obedience to the highest General, the Lord God of heaven. He who trusts in this Leader will never know defeat. Obedience to God is liberty from the thraldom of sin, deliverance from human passion and impulse. Man may stand conqueror of himself, conqueror of his own inclinations, conqueror of principalities and powers, and of the ‘rulers of the darkness of this world,’ and of ‘spiritual wickedness in high places.’ [Ephesians 6:12.]” In Heavenly Places, 259.

7 How continuous may be our victory through Jesus? Where is this victory manifest? 11 Corinthians 2:14. What further assurance of victory is given us through Him who loves us? Romans 8:35–37.

note: “The love of God does not lead Him to excuse sin. He did not excuse it in Satan; He did not excuse it in Adam or in Cain; nor will He excuse it in any other of the children of men. He will not connive at our sins or overlook our defects of character. He expects us to overcome in His name.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 316.

“The tempter’s agency is not to be accounted an excuse for one wrong act. Satan is jubilant when he hears the professed followers of Christ making excuses for their deformity of character. It is these excuses that lead to sin. There is no excuse for sinning. A holy temper, a Christlike life, is accessible to every repenting, believing child of God.” The Desire of Ages, 311.

8 From what does the psalmist say the Lord will preserve us? Psalm 121:7. Compare Isaiah 56:2. How will submission to God affect the enemy? James 4:7.

note: “Satan carefully studies the constitutional sins of men, and then he begins his work of alluring and ensnaring them. We are in the thickest of temptations, but there is victory for us if we fight manfully the battles of the Lord.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 97.

“Every Christian must stand on guard continually, watching every avenue of the soul where Satan might find access. He must pray for divine help and at the same time resolutely resist every inclination to sin. By courage, by faith, by persevering toil, he can conquer. But let him remember that to gain the victory Christ must abide in him and he in Christ.” Ibid., 47.

9 What standard of life did Jesus set before the man healed of an infirmity? John 5:14.

note: “The Saviour in His miracles revealed the power that is continually at work in man’s behalf, to sustain and to heal him. Through the agencies of nature, God is working, day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment, to keep us alive, to build up and restore us. When any part of the body sustains injury, a healing process is at once begun; nature’s agencies are set at work to restore soundness. But the power working through these agencies is the power of God. All life-giving power is from Him. When one recovers from disease, it is God who restores him.

“Sickness, suffering, and death are work of an antagonistic power. Satan is the destroyer; God is the restorer. . . .

“When Christ healed disease, He warned many of the afflicted ones, ‘Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.’ John 5:14. Thus He taught that they had brought disease upon themselves by transgressing the laws of God, and that health could be preserved only by obedience.” The Ministry of Healing, 112, 113.

10 What power is promised to the believer? Ephesians 1:17–22.

note: “Satan cannot hold the dead in his grasp when the Son of God bids them live. He cannot hold in spiritual death one soul who in faith receives Christ’s word of power. . . . God ‘hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.’ Colossians 1:13. It is all offered us in His word. If we receive the word, we have the deliverance.” The Desire of Ages, 320.

11 How did the 70 testify concerning the power given to them? What additional assurance was given? What was a greater cause of rejoicing? Luke 10:17–20.

note: “Christ’s followers were to look upon Satan as a conquered foe. Upon the cross, Jesus was to gain the victory for them; that victory He desired them to accept as their own. [Luke 10:19 quoted.]

“The omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit is the defense of every contrite soul. Not one that in penitence and faith has claimed His protection will Christ permit to pass under the enemy’s power. The Saviour is by the side of His tempted and tried ones. With Him there can be no such thing as failure, loss, impossibility, or defeat; we can do all things through Him who strengthens us.” The Desire of Ages, 490.

12 In whom are we complete? Colossians 1:19; 2:9, 10.

note: “The mighty power of the Holy Spirit works an entire transformation in the character of the human agent, making him a new creature in Christ Jesus. When a man is filled with the Spirit, the more severely he is tested and tried, the more clearly he proves that he is a representative of Christ. The peace that dwells in the soul is seen on the countenance. The words and actions express the love of the Saviour. There is no striving for the highest place. Self is renounced. The name of Jesus is written on all that is said and done.

“We may talk of the blessings of the Holy Spirit, but unless we prepare ourselves for its reception, of what avail are our works? Are we striving with all our power to attain to the stature of men and women in Christ? Are we seeking for his fullness, ever pressing toward the mark set before us,—the perfection of his character? When the Lord’s people reach this mark, they will be sealed in their foreheads. Filled with the Spirit, they will be complete in Christ, and the recording angel will declare, ‘It is finished.’ ” Review and Herald, June 10, 1902.

Adapted from “The Victorious Life,” Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, California, 1924.

Bible Study Guides – The Mission of Jesus

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April 15, 2007 – April 21, 2007

Key Text

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10.

Study Help: God’s Amazing Grace, 257.

Introduction

“Christ came to bring salvation within the reach of all. Upon the cross of Calvary He paid the infinite redemption price for a lost world. His self-denial and self-sacrifice, His unselfish labor, His humiliation, above all, the offering up of His life, testifies to the depth of His love for fallen man. It was to seek and to save the lost that He came to earth. His mission was to sinners, sinners of every grade, of every tongue and nation. He paid the price for all, to ransom them and bring them into union and sympathy with Himself. The most erring, the most sinful, were not passed by; His labors were especially for those who most needed the salvation He came to bring. The greater their need of reform, the deeper was His interest, the greater His sympathy, and the more earnest His labors. His great heart of love was stirred to its depths for the ones whose condition was most hopeless and who most needed His transforming grace.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 603.

1 What was the mission of Jesus to this world? Matthew 1:21; Luke 19:10.

note: “From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency.” The Desire of Ages, 22.

“While Christ opens heaven to man, the life which He imparts opens the heart of man to heaven. Sin not only shuts us away from God, but destroys in the human soul both the desire and the capacity for knowing Him. All this work of evil it is Christ’s mission to undo. The faculties of the soul, paralyzed by sin, the darkened mind, the perverted will, He has power to invigorate and to restore.” Education, 28, 29.

2 By what name did a prophet say the infant Saviour should be called? Matthew 1:23.

note: “ ‘Emmanuel, God with us.’ This means everything to us. What a broad foundation does it lay for our faith. What a hope big with immortality does it place before the believing soul. God with us in Christ Jesus to accompany us every step of the journey to heaven. The Holy Spirit with us as a comforter, a guide in our perplexities, to soothe our sorrows, and shield us in temptation.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, 18.

3 Whose nature did Jesus take upon Himself? Why did He do this? Hebrews 2:14–18.

note: “It was Satan’s purpose to bring about an eternal separation between God and man; but in Christ we become more closely united to God than if we had never fallen. 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 gave His only-begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature. . . . God has adopted human nature in the person of His Son, and has carried the same into the highest heaven. It is the ‘Son of man’ who shares the throne of the universe. It is the ‘Son of man’ whose name shall be called, ‘Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ Isaiah 9:6. . . . In Christ the family of earth and the family of heaven are bound together. Christ glorified is our brother. Heaven is enshrined in humanity, and humanity is enfolded in the bosom of Infinite Love.” The Desire of Ages, 25, 26.

“Christ, who knew not the least taint of sin or defilement, took our nature in its deteriorated condition. This was humiliation greater than finite man can comprehend. God was manifest in the flesh. He humbled Himself. What a subject for thought, for deep, earnest contemplation! So infinitely great that He was the Majesty of heaven, and yet He stooped so low, without losing one atom of His dignity and glory! He stooped to poverty and to the deepest abasement among men. For our sake He became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 253.

4 What testimony is borne concerning Jesus’ life? 1 Peter 2:22; John 19:4.

note: “Before the believer is held out the wonderful possibility of being like Christ, obedient to all the principles of the law. But of himself man is utterly unable to reach this condition. The holiness that God’s Word declares he must have before he can be saved, is the result of the working of divine grace, as he bows in submission to the discipline and restraining influences of the Spirit of truth. Man’s obedience can be made perfect only by the incense of Christ’s righteousness, which fills with divine fragrance every act of obedience. The part of the Christian is to persevere in overcoming every fault. Constantly he is to pray to the Saviour to heal the disorders of his sinsick soul. He has not the wisdom nor the strength to overcome; these belong to the Lord, and he bestows them on those who in humiliation and contrition seek him for help.” Review and Herald, September 19, 1912.

5 For whom did Jesus die? Romans 5:6–8.

note: “Jesus did not seek you and me because we were his friends; for we were estranged from him, and unreconciled to God. It was while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us. But he has promised to give us his Holy Spirit, that we might become assimilated to his nature, changed into his image. Therefore we must put away everything like passion, impatience, murmuring, and unrest, and find a place for Jesus in the heart. We must have the buyers and the sellers cleared out of the soul-temple, that Jesus may take up his abode within us.” Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, January 15, 1892.

6 To whom are we to look for salvation? Isaiah 45:22–25; Hebrews 12:1, 2. Compare 11 Corinthians 3:18. How did Jesus illustrate this in His night talk with Nicodemus? John 3:14, 15. Compare Numbers 21:5–9.

note: “Many make a serious mistake in their religious life by keeping the attention fixed upon their feelings and thus judging of their advancement or decline. Feelings are not a safe criterion. We are not to look within for evidence of our acceptance with God. We shall find there nothing but that which will discourage us. Our only hope is in ‘looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.’ [Hebrews 12:2.] There is everything in Him to inspire with hope, with faith, and with courage. He is our righteousness, our consolation and rejoicing. . . .

“As we rely upon His merits we shall find rest and peace and joy. He saves to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 199, 200.

7 Upon whom has help for salvation been laid? Psalm 89:18, 19. Compare Isaiah 63:1–3. How many are within the reach of this great salvation? John 3:16; Isaiah 1:18.

note: “Your salvation depends on your acting from principle—serving God from principle, not from feeling, not from impulse. God will help you when you feel your need of help and set about the work with resolution, trusting in Him with all your heart. You are often discouraged without sufficient reason. You indulge feelings akin to hatred. Your likes and dislikes are strong. These you must restrain. Control the tongue. . . . Help has been laid upon One that is mighty. He will be your strength and support, your front guard and rearward.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 698.

“Whatever molding and fashioning needs to be wrought in the soul, Christ can best do. The conviction may not be deep, but if the sinner comes to Christ, viewing Him upon the cross, the just dying for the unjust, the sight will break every barrier down. Christ has undertaken the work of saving all who trust in Him for salvation. He sees the wrongs that need to be righted, the evils that need to be repressed. He came to seek and save that which was lost.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 178.

8 Through whom are we washed from our sins? Revelation 1:5. To what extent is Jesus able to save? Hebrews 7:25.

note: “God is approached through Jesus Christ, the Mediator, the only way through which He forgives sins. God cannot forgive sins at the expense of His justice, His holiness, and His truth. But He does forgive sins and that fully. There are no sins He will not forgive in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the sinner’s only hope, and if he rests here in sincere faith, he is sure of pardon and that full and free. There is only one channel and that is accessible to all, and through that channel a rich and abundant forgiveness awaits the penitent, contrite soul and the darkest sins are forgiven.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 912, 913.

9 What assurance have we that the Lord remembers His people? Psalm 40:17; Exodus 28:29.

note: “[Exodus 28:29 quoted.] What a beautiful and expressive figure this is of the unchanging love of Christ for His church! Our great High Priest, of whom Aaron was a type, bears His people upon His heart.” Gospel Workers, 34.

“Christ, the great High Priest, pleading His blood before the Father in the sinner’s behalf, bears upon His heart the name of every repentant, believing soul.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 351.

10 What is Christ made to every believer? 1 Corinthians 1:30; 11 Corinthians 5:21.

note: “If there is anything upon the earth that should inspire men with sanctified zeal, it is the truth as it is in Jesus. It is the grand, great work of redemption. It is Christ, made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.

“The Lord has often made manifest in His providence that nothing less than revealed truth, the word of God, can reclaim man from sin or keep him from transgression. That word which reveals the guilt of sin has a power upon the human heart to make man right and keep him so. The Lord has said that His word is to be studied and obeyed; it is to be brought into the practical life; that word is as inflexible as the character of God—the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 80, 81.

11 How is man’s helplessness to save himself expressed? John 15:5; Jeremiah 13:23. By what illustration does the Saviour show wherein the strength of the believer lies? John 15:2–4, 7.

note: “The connection of the branch with the vine, He said, represents the relation you are to sustain to Me. The scion is engrafted into the living vine, and fiber by fiber, vein by vein, it grows into the vine stock. The life of the vine becomes the life of the branch. So the soul dead in trespasses and sins receives life through connection with Christ. By faith in Him as a personal Saviour the union is formed. The sinner unites his weakness to Christ’s strength, his emptiness to Christ’s fullness, his frailty to Christ’s enduring might. Then he has the mind of Christ. The humanity of Christ has touched our humanity, and our humanity has touched divinity. Thus through the agency of the Holy Spirit man becomes a partaker of the divine nature. He is accepted in the Beloved. . . .

“The branch becomes a part of the living vine. The communication of life, strength, and fruitfulness from the root to the branches is unobstructed and constant.” The Desire of Ages, 675, 676.

12 To whom will the redeemed through all eternity ascribe praise? Revelation 5:9, 10; 19:1, 5–7.

note: “Before entering the City of God, the Saviour bestows upon His followers the emblems of victory and invests them with the insignia of their royal state. The glittering ranks are drawn up in the form of a hollow square about their King, whose form rises in majesty high above saint and angel, whose countenance beams upon them full of benignant love. Throughout the unnumbered host of the redeemed every glance is fixed upon Him, every eye beholds His glory whose ‘visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.’ [Isaiah 52:14.] Upon the heads of the overcomers, Jesus with His own right hand places the crown of glory. For each there is a crown, bearing his own ‘new name’ (Revelation 2:17), and the inscription, ‘Holiness to the Lord.’ In every hand are placed the victor’s palm and the shining harp. Then, as the commanding angels strike the note, every hand sweeps the harp strings with skillful touch, awaking sweet music in rich, melodious strains. Rapture unutterable thrills every heart, and each voice is raised in grateful praise: ‘Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.’ Revelation 1:5, 6.” The Great Controversy, 645, 646.

Adapted from “The Victorious Life,” Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, California, 1924.

Bible Study Guides – Power of God’s Word in Overcoming

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April 8, 2007 – April 14, 2007

Key Text

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11.

Study Help: Lift Him Up, 281.

Introduction

“The life of God, which gives life to the world, is in His word. It was by His word that Jesus healed disease and cast out demons. By His word He stilled the sea and raised the dead; and the people bore witness that His word was with power. He spoke the word of God as He had spoken it to all the Old Testament writers. The whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ. It is our only source of power. . . .

“The word of God is the standard of character. In giving us this word, God has put us in possession of every truth essential to salvation. Thousands have drawn water from these wells of life, yet there is no diminishing of the supply. Thousands have set the Lord before them, and by beholding have become changed into the same image. But these searchers have not exhausted these grand and holy themes. Thousands more may engage in the work of searching out the mysteries of salvation.” Gospel Workers, 250, 251.

1 What is said of God’s Word in heaven? Psalm 119:89.

note: “God’s truth is the same in all ages, although differently developed to meet the wants of his people in various periods. . . .

“The word of God covers a period of history reaching from the creation to the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven. Yea, more; it carries the mind forward to the future life, and opens before it the glories of paradise restored. Through all these centuries the truth of God has remained the same. That which was truth in the beginning is truth now. Although new and important truths appropriate for succeeding generations have been opened to the understanding, the present revealings do not contradict those of the past. Every new truth understood only makes more significant the old.” Review and Herald, March 2, 1886.

2 How were the heavens made? How was the power of the Lord manifested? Psalm 33:6, 9. How were the worlds framed? Out of what were the things which are seen not made? Hebrews 11:3.

note: “In true science there can be nothing contrary to the teaching of the word of God, for both have the same Author. A correct understanding of both will always prove them to be in harmony. Truth, whether in nature or in revelation, is harmonious with itself in all its manifestations. But the mind not enlightened by God’s Spirit will ever be in darkness in regard to His power. This is why human ideas in regard to science so often contradict the teaching of God’s word. . . .

“In the formation of our world, God was not indebted to pre-existing matter. On the contrary, all things, material or spiritual, stood up before the Lord Jehovah at His voice and were created for His own purpose. The heavens and all the host of them, the earth and all things therein, are not only the work of His hand; they came into existence by the breath of His mouth.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 258, 259.

3 Of what are men willingly ignorant? How are the present heavens and earth kept? 11 Peter 3:5–7.

note: “The wisdom of men may or may not be valuable, as experience shall prove, but the wisdom of God is indispensable, and yet many who profess to be wise are willingly ignorant of the things that pertain to eternal life. Miss what you may in the line of human attainments, but this you must have, faith in the pardon brought to you at infinite cost, or all of wisdom attained in earth, will perish with you.” Review and Herald, November 24, 1891.

“The same creative energy that brought the world into existence is still exerted in upholding the universe and continuing the operations of nature. The hand of God guides the planets in their orderly march through the heavens. It is not because of inherent power that year by year the earth continues her motion round the sun and produces her bounties. The word of God controls the elements.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 185.

4 By what forceful figures is the power of God’s Word set forth? Jeremiah 23:29.

note: “All should copy the Pattern as closely as possible. While they cannot possess the consciousness of power which Jesus had, they can so connect with the Source of strength that Jesus can abide in them and they in Him, and so His spirit and His power will be revealed in them. . . .

“The faithful witnesses for Christ and the truth will reprove sin. Their words will be like a hammer to break the flinty heart, like a fire to consume the dross.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 254.

5 What is the regenerating agency in the new birth? 1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18.

note: “[John 5:24 quoted.] In every command and in every promise of the word of God is the power, the very life of God, by which the command may be fulfilled and the promise realized. He who by faith receives the word is receiving the very life and character of God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 38.

6 What are some of the characteristics of God’s Word? Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23. How should this Word be received? What will the Word of God do? 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

note: “Only he who receives the Scriptures as the voice of God speaking to himself is a true learner. He trembles at the word; for to him it is a living reality. He opens his understanding and his heart to receive it. . . .

“A knowledge of the truth depends not so much upon strength of intellect as upon pureness of purpose, the simplicity of an earnest, dependent faith. To those who in humility of heart seek for divine guidance, angels of God draw near. The Holy Spirit is given to open to them the rich treasures of the truth.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 59.

7 When God’s people in distress cry to Him, what is sent to heal their troubles? Psalm 107:19, 20.

note: “All the worth and greatness of this life is derived from its connection with heaven and the future, immortal life. God’s everlasting arm encircles the soul that turns to Him for aid, however feeble that soul may be. The precious things of the hills shall perish; but the soul that lives for God, unmoved by censure, unperverted by applause, shall abide forever with Him. The city of God will open its golden gates to receive him who learned while on earth to lean on God for guidance and wisdom, for comfort and hope amid loss and affliction. The songs of angels will welcome him there, and for him the tree of life will yield its fruits. . . .

“Not one of us is excusable, under any form of trial, for letting our hold upon God become loosened. He is our source of strength, our stronghold in every trial. When we cry unto Him for help, his hand will be stretched forth mightily to save.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 328, 329.

8 When the centurion’s servant was sick, what did he ask that Jesus might do to heal him? Matthew 8:5–8. What reply did Jesus make? What was the result? Verse 13.

note: “A centurion’s servant was lying sick of the palsy. Among the Romans the servants were slaves, bought and sold in the market places, and often treated with abuse and cruelty; but the centurion was tenderly attached to his servant, and greatly desired his recovery. He believed that Jesus could heal him. He had not seen the Saviour, but the reports he had heard inspired him with faith. . . . In the teaching of Christ, as it had been reported to him, he found that which met the need of the soul. All that was spiritual within him responded to the Saviour’s words. But he thought himself unworthy to approach Jesus, and he appealed to the Jewish elders to make request for his servant’s healing.” The Ministry of Healing, 63.

“The Jewish elders had commended the centurion to Christ because of the favor he had shown to ‘our nation.’ He is worthy, they said, for ‘he hath built us a synagogue.’ But the centurion said of himself, ‘I am not worthy.’ Yet he did not fear to ask help from Jesus. Not to his own goodness did he trust, but to the Saviour’s mercy. His only argument was his great need.

“In the same way every human being can come to Christ.” Ibid., 65.

9 What effect did the word of Jesus have upon the stormy sea? Mark 4:37–39. What did this cause them to say? Verse 41.

note: “Every man’s experience testifies to the truth of the words of Scripture, ‘The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest. . . . There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.’ Isaiah 57:20, 21. Sin has destroyed our peace. While self is unsubdued, we can find no rest. The masterful passions of the heart no human power can control. We are as helpless here as were the disciples to quiet the raging storm. But He who spoke peace to the billows of Galilee has spoken the word of peace for every soul. However fierce the tempest, those who turn to Jesus with the cry, ‘Lord, save us,’ will find deliverance. His grace, that reconciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of human passion, and in His love the heart is at rest. ‘He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven.’ Psalm 107:29, 30. ‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ‘The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.’ Romans 5:1; Isaiah 32:17.” The Desire of Ages, 336, 337.

10 What will be the effect of the Word when hidden in the heart? Psalm 119:11.

note: “The Saviour took upon Himself the infirmities of humanity and lived a sinless life, that men might have no fear that because of the weakness of human nature they could not overcome. Christ came to make us ‘partakers of the divine nature,’ and His life declares that humanity, combined with divinity, does not commit sin.

“The Saviour overcame to show man how he may overcome. All the temptations of Satan, Christ met with the word of God. By trusting in God’s promises, He received power to obey God’s commandments, and the tempter could gain no advantage. To every temptation His answer was, ‘It is written.’ So God has given us His word wherewith to resist evil. Exceeding great and precious promises are ours, that by these we ‘might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’ 11 Peter 1:4.

“Bid the tempted one look not to circumstances, to the weakness of self, or to the power of temptation, but to the power of God’s word. All its strength is ours.” The Ministry of Healing, 180, 181.

11 By what is the heart cleansed? John 15:3.

note: “The Bible is not exalted to its rightful place among the books of the world, although its study is of infinite importance to the souls of men. In searching its pages the imagination beholds scenes majestic and eternal. We behold Jesus, the Son of God, coming to our world, and engaging in the mysterious conflict that discomfited the powers of darkness. O how wonderful, how almost incredible it is, that the infinite God would consent to the humiliation of his own Son that we might be elevated to a place with Him upon his throne! Let every student of the Scriptures contemplate this great fact, and he will not come from a study of the Bible without being purified, elevated, and ennobled. The truth will be opened to the mind, and applied to the heart by the Spirit of God. . . . When there is little attention given to the Word of God, divine counsels are not heeded, admonitions are in vain, grace and heavenly wisdom are not sought that past sins may be avoided and every taint of corruption cleansed from the character.” The Bible Echo, October 15, 1892.

12 What great weapon does the Holy Spirit use? Ephesians 6:17.

note: “In the Bible we have the unerring counsel of God. Its teachings, practically carried out, will fit men for any position of duty. It is the voice of God speaking every day to the soul. . . . The work of the Holy Spirit is to enlighten the darkened understanding, to melt the selfish, stony heart, to subdue the rebellious transgressor, and save him from the corrupting influences of the world. The prayer of Christ for His disciples was: ‘Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.’ [John 17:17.] The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, pierces the heart of the sinner and cuts it in pieces.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 441.

Adapted from “The Victorious Life,” Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, California, 1924.

Bible Study Guides – The Word of God

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April 1, 2007 – April 7, 2007

Key Text

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39.

Study Help: Selected Messages, Book 1, 15–21.

Introduction

“God committed the preparation of His divinely inspired Word to finite man. This Word arranged into books, the Old and New Testaments, is the guidebook to the inhabitants of a fallen world; bequeathed to them, that by studying and obeying the directions, not one soul would lose its way to heaven.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 944.

“The writers of the Bible had to express their ideas in human language. It was written by human men. These men were inspired of the Holy Spirit.” Ibid., 945.

1 What does Jesus say concerning the Scriptures? Of whom do they testify? 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.” Counsels on Sabbath School Work, 17.

2 How is the Scripture given? How much of the Scripture is given in this way? For what is it profitable? 11 Timothy 3:16. What will it do for the man of God? Verse 17.

note: “The Bible points to God as its author; yet it was written by human hands; and in the varied style of its different books it presents the characteristics of the several writers. The truths revealed are all ‘given by inspiration of God’ (2 Timothy 3:16); yet they are expressed in the words of men. The Infinite One by His Holy Spirit has shed light into the minds and hearts of His servants. He has given dreams and visions, symbols and figures; and those to whom the truth was thus revealed have themselves embodied the thought in human language.

“The Ten Commandments were spoken by God Himself, and were written by His own hand. They are of divine, and not of human composition. But the Bible, with its God-given truths expressed in the language of men, presents a union of the divine and the human. Such a union existed in the nature of Christ, who was the Son of God and the Son of man. Thus it is true of the Bible, as it was of Christ, that ‘the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.’ John 1:14.” The Great Controversy, v, vi.

3 By what agency were holy men of God, or prophets, moved to speak? 11 Peter 1:21. Who spoke to the fathers in times past? Through whom did He speak? Hebrews 1:1. Who speaks to us in the last days? Through whom? Verse 2.

note: “The writers of the Bible had to express their ideas in human language. It was written by human men. These men were inspired of the Holy Spirit. . . .

“The Scriptures were given to men, not in a continuous chain of unbroken utterances, but piece by piece through successive generations, as God in His providence saw a fitting opportunity to impress man at sundry times and divers places. Men wrote as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 945.

“The Bible is written by inspired men, but it is not God’s mode of thought and expression. It is that of humanity. God, as a writer, is not represented. Men will often say such an expression is not like God. But God has not put Himself in words, in logic, in rhetoric, on trial in the Bible. The writers of the Bible were God’s penmen, not His pen. Look at the different writers.

“It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired.” Ibid.

“His [Jesus] word, the ever-present evidence of His divinity, had a convincing power that reached their [Samaritans] hearts. Christ was pained that His own people, to whom the Sacred Oracles had been committed, should fail to hear the voice of God speaking to them in His Son.” The Desire of Ages, 198.

4 Whose were the words spoken by the prophet Ezekiel? Ezekiel 1:1; 3:10, 11. What responsibility rested upon him concerning the message given him? Ezekiel 33:7–9.

note: “The position of those who have been called of God to labor in word and doctrine for the upbuilding of His church, is one of grave responsibility. In Christ’s stead they are to beseech men and women to be reconciled to God, and they can fulfill their mission only as they receive wisdom and power from above.” The Acts of the Apostles, 360.

5 What care was demanded of Jeremiah in delivering his God-given messages? Jeremiah 26:2.

note: “Jeremiah called their [the nation of Israel] attention repeatedly to the counsels given in Deuteronomy. More than any other of the prophets, he emphasized the teachings of the Mosaic law and showed how these might bring the highest spiritual blessing to the nation and to every individual heart. . . .

“On one occasion, by command of the Lord, the prophet took his position at one of the principal entrances to the city and there urged the importance of keeping holy the Sabbath day. . . .

“Thus the prophet stood firmly for the sound principles of right living so clearly outlined in the book of the law.” Prophets and Kings, 411, 412.

6 How much higher are God’s thoughts than man’s thoughts? Isaiah 55:8, 9.

note: “[Job 11:7, 8; Isaiah 55:8, 9; 46:9, 10 quoted.] It is impossible for the finite minds of men to fully comprehend the character or the works of the Infinite One. To the keenest intellect, to the most powerful and highly educated mind, that holy Being must ever remain clothed in mystery.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 698, 699.

“Even the prophets who were favored with the special illumination of the Spirit did not fully comprehend the import of the revelations committed to them. The meaning was to be unfolded from age to age, as the people of God should need the instruction therein contained.” The Great Controversy, 344.

7 What assurance is given us concerning God’s Word? Isaiah 55:10, 11.

note: “Receive into the soul by faith the incorruptible seed of the word, and it will bring forth a character and a life after the similitude of the character and the life of God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 38.

“Entreat the heralds of the gospel of Christ never to become discouraged, never to regard the most hardened sinner as beyond the reach of the grace of God. The one apparently hopeless may accept the truth in the love of it. He who turns the hearts of men as the rivers of water are turned, can bring the most selfish, sin-hardened soul to Christ. Is anything too hard for God to do? [Isaiah 55:11 quoted.]” Gospel Workers, 267.

“Often our merciful Father encourages His children and strengthens their faith by permitting them here to see evidence of the power of His grace upon the hearts and lives of those for whom they labor.” Ibid., 515.

8 What do the words of the Lord contain? John 6:63, 68. What does the apostle call these words? Philippians 2:16, first part.

note: “God will make the most precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting people. They will find that Christ is a personal Saviour. As they feed upon His word, they find that it is spirit and life. The word destroys the natural, earthly nature, and imparts a new life in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit comes to the soul as a Comforter. By the transforming agency of His grace, the image of God is reproduced in the disciple; he becomes a new creature. Love takes the place of hatred, and the heart receives the divine similitude.” The Desire of Ages, 391.

“The apostle Paul felt a deep responsibility for those converted under his labors. Above all things, he longed that they should be faithful. . . . He knew that preaching alone would not suffice to educate the believers to hold forth the word of life. He knew that line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, they must be taught to advance in the work of Christ.” The Acts of the Apostles, 206.

9 What is the place of the Word in the Christian’s armor? Ephesians 6:17. (Compare Revelation 1:16.)

note: “God is merciful, and with the truth rejoicing, purifying, ennobling the life, we can do a sound and solid work for God. Prayer and faith will do wonderful things. The Word must be our weapon of warfare. Miracles can be wrought through the Word; for it is profitable for all things.” Evangelism, 489.

“I must be an example to others. I must meditate upon the word of God night and day and bring it into my practical life. The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is the only sword which I can safely use.” The Adventist Home, 180.

10 What is Christ called? Why is He so called? John 1:1–4; Revelation 19:11–13.

note: “The One appointed in the counsels of heaven came to the earth as an instructor. He was no less a being than the Creator of the world, the Son of the Infinite God. The rich benevolence of God gave Him to our world; and to meet the necessities of humanity, He took on Him human nature. To the astonishment of the heavenly host, He walked this earth as the Eternal Word. Fully prepared, He left the royal courts to come to a world marred and polluted with sin. Mysteriously He allied Himself to human nature. ‘The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.’ [John 1:14.] God’s excess of goodness, benevolence, and love was a surprise to the world, of grace which could be realized, but not told.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 400.

“Who is Christ?—He is the only begotten Son of the living God. He is to the Father as a word that expresses the thought,—as a thought made audible. Christ is the word of God. . . . His words were the echo of God’s words.” The Youth’s Instructor, June 28, 1894.

11 How are we cleansed from sin? John 15:3; Psalm 17:4. How may we be kept from sin? Psalm 119:9, 11. What will the words of the Lord be to us? Jeremiah 15:16.

note: “There always have been and always will be two classes on the earth to the end of time—the believers in Jesus, and those who reject Him. Sinners, however wicked, abominable, and corrupt, by faith in Him will be purified, made clean, through the doing of His word.” My Life Today, 77.

“Satan well knows that all whom he can lead to neglect prayer and the searching of the Scriptures, will be overcome by his attacks. Therefore he invents every possible device to engross the mind.” The Great Controversy, 519.

“The Word of God is our sanctification and righteousness, because it is spiritual food. To study it is to eat the leaves of the tree of life. Nothing is more uplifting to God’s servants than to teach the Scriptures just as Christ taught them. The Word of God contains divine nourishment, which satisfies the appetite for spiritual food.” Evangelism, 138, 139.

12 By what do we grow? 1 Peter 2:1, 2.

note: “The word of God is the seed. Every seed has in itself a germinating principle. In it the life of the plant is enfolded. So there is life in God’s word. Christ says, ‘The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life.’ John 6:63.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 38.

“The understanding takes the level of the things with which it becomes familiar. If all would make the Bible their study, we should see a people further developed, capable of thinking more deeply, and showing a greater degree of intelligence, than the most earnest efforts in studying merely the sciences and histories of the world could make them. The Bible gives the true seeker an advanced mental discipline, and he comes from contemplation of divine things with his faculties enriched; self is humbled, while God and His revealed truth are exalted. It is because men are unacquainted with the precious Bible histories, that there is so much lifting up of man, and so little honor given to God. The Bible contains just that quality of food that the Christian needs in order that he may grow strong in spirit and intellect. The searching of all books of philosophy and science cannot do for the mind and morals what the Bible can do, if it is studied and practiced. Through the study of the Bible, converse is held with patriarchs and prophets. The truth is clothed in elevated language, which exerts a fascinating power over the mind; the thought is lifted up from the things of earth, and brought to contemplate the glory of the future immortal life.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 130.

Adapted from “The Victorious Life,” Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, California, 1924.