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Question & Answer – What is the Bible meaning of leaven and meal?

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“Another parable spake He unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened” (Matthew 13:33).

“When leaven is introduced into meal, it penetrates to every part, till an entire change takes place. So it is with the work of the Holy Spirit upon the human heart. The truth received and believed introduces new rules, new principles of action into the life. A new standard of character is set up—the life of Christ. Those who thus receive the truth depend on Christ, and they receive more and still more strength, and greater and still greater light. Daily they expel from their hearts vanity, selfishness, self-righteousness.

“As they receive the spirit of Christ, light shines from them in clear, distinct rays. They have a solemn sense of eternal realities. There is a renewal of the entire mind and heart. As the leaven introduced into the meal leavened the whole, so the leaven of truth, if introduced into the heart, will absorb to itself all the properties of soul, body, and spirit. …

“Transformation of heart means an entire change of the entire man. ‘Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,’ Christ declared (John 3:3). This change of heart is unseen; for it is an inward work, and yet, it is seen, because it works outward from within.

“Has the leaven of truth been at work in your heart? Has it absorbed the whole heart, the whole affections by its sanctifying power? …

“Our first work is with our own hearts. The true principles of reform should be practiced. The heart must be converted and sanctified else we have no connection with Christ. While our hearts are divided, we shall never, never be fitted for usefulness in this life or for the future life. As intelligent beings, we need to sit down and think whether we are really seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. The very best thing we can do is to think soberly and candidly whether we desire to put forth the effort necessary to obtain the Christian hope and secure the Christian’s heaven. If through the grace of Christ we decide that we do, the next question is: What is there that I must cut away from my life in order that I shall not stumble?” This Day With God, 48.

Keys to the Storehouse – A Discordant Note

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I really struggled when I first became a Christian. Yes, I was raised in the Catholic school system for many years thinking that I was a Christian and that I was not going to hell because I was a member of the church. I received the shock of all shocks when I started studying the Bible with an acquaintance and found that there was no ever-burning hell and there was more to salvation than going to church on Sundays. But beyond that was the realization that I was sinful according to the Bible. What you need to understand is that I had a lot of self! I was good—I thought! I was not a sinner—I thought!

We may all “profess” to be Christians, but there are some things that will reflect in our hearts and lives that help us to understand where we are in our Christian walk. What are some of the attributes of an unrenewed heart?

“In his sinless state, man held joyful communion with Him [God] ‘in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Colossians 2:3). But after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God. Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart.

  • It is not in harmony with God, and
  • finds no joy in communion with Him.
  • The sinner could not be happy in God’s presence;
  • he would shrink from the companionship of holy beings.
  • Could he be permitted to enter heaven, it would have no joy for him.
  • The spirit of unselfish love that reigns there—every heart responding to the heart of Infinite Love—would touch no answering chord in his soul.
  • His thoughts, his interests, his motives, would be alien to those that actuate the sinless dwellers there.
  • He would be a discordant note in the melody of heaven.” Steps to Christ, 17.

I found that I really was a “discordant note” among Christians because I was so much of the world. I gave my heart to the Lord and an amazing transformation then took place. Have you searched your heart lately? Does it fit into heavenly places or is it more at home in this world? Is your heart renewed or un-renewed? Your heart is either one or the other!

Make a heart commitment right now and quell the discordant note.

 

Heavenly Father:  Thank You for the gift of a new heart, a renewed heart that You proffer to each one of us. I do not want to be a discordant note, or to shrink from the companionship of angels or of Christian brethren because I have not accepted that new heart. I thank You for the joy of being able to sit quietly in heavenly places here on earth and for the prospect of being admitted into heaven at Your coming. Amen.

 

Inspiration – Watch and Pray

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“Take ye heed, watch and pray” (Mark 13:33), were the words of our Saviour spoken in reference to the time of the end, and His second coming to take His faithful children home.

First, you are to watch. Watch, lest you should speak hastily, fretfully and impatiently. Watch, lest pride should find a place in your heart. Watch, lest evil passions should overcome you, instead of your subduing them. Watch, lest a careless, indifferent spirit comes upon you, and you neglect your duty and become light and trifling, and your influence savor of death, rather than life.

Second, you are to pray. Jesus would not have enjoined this upon you, unless there was actual necessity for it. It is well known to Him that of yourself you cannot overcome the many temptations of the Enemy, and the many snares laid for your feet. He has not left you alone to do this; but has provided a way that you can obtain help. Therefore He has bidden you to pray.

To pray aright, is to ask God in faith for the very things you need. Go to your chamber, or in some retired place, and ask your Father for Jesus’ sake to help you. There is power in that prayer that is sent up from a heart convinced of its own weakness, yet earnestly longing for that strength that comes from God. The earnest, fervent prayer will be heard and answered. Go to your God who is strong, and who loves to hear children pray, and, although you may feel very weak, and find yourself at times overcome by the Enemy, because you have neglected the first command of our Saviour, to watch, yet do not give up the struggle. Make stronger efforts yourself than before. Faint not. Cast yourself at the feet of Jesus, who has been tempted, and knows how to help such as are tempted. Confess your faults, your weakness, and that you must have help to overcome, or you perish. And as you ask, you must believe that God hears you. Plead your case before God, through Jesus, until your soul can with confidence rely upon Him for strength, and you feel that you are not left to do the work of overcoming alone. God will help you. Angels will watch over you.

But before you can expect this help, you must do what you can on your part. Watch and pray. Let your prayers be fervent. Let this be the language of your heart, “I will not let Thee go unless Thou bless me.” Have a set time, a special season for prayer at least three times a day. Morning, noon, and at night Daniel prayed to his God, notwithstanding the king’s decree, and the fearful den of lions. He was not ashamed, or afraid to pray, but with his windows opened he prayed three times a day. Did God forget his faithful servant when he was cast into the lion’s den? O, No. He was with him there all night. He closed the mouths of these hungry lions, and they could not hurt the praying man of God.

Children, you cannot live without food; you would soon feel the cravings of hunger, and your bodies would pine and die. You need spiritual food just as much, and often, as your body needs temporal food. Three times a day is none too often to draw strength from heaven, or sap and nourishment from Christ, the living vine. Read the words of our Saviour in Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.”

The Youth’s Instructor, October 1, 1855

Life Sketches – Health and the Early Church

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The apostle Paul taught the early church to be aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle and how you treat your body. He goes so far as to say that the way you treat your body could even result in losing eternal life.

In the city of Corinth there occurred many different athletic events. The most ancient and highly esteemed of them all were the foot races, which were held at stated times and places with great pomp. Being patronized by kings, nobles, and statesmen, persons of rank and wealth who engaged in these exercises shrank from no effort and discipline necessary to obtain the honor of victory. These races were governed by strict regulations from which there was no appeal.

Before the names of the candidates could be entered upon the list as competitors for the prize, they were required to undergo a severe preparatory training. Every indulgence of appetite and other gratification which could in the least affect their mental or physical vigor was strictly forbidden. As the contestants in the race made their appearance before the eager and waiting crowd, their names were heralded, and the rules of the race were expressly stated. The prize was placed in full view before the competitors. They all started together, the judges sitting near the goal line so they could award the prize to the person who was victorious, also seeing to it that no one took some unlawful advantage.

Great risks were run by the contestants in these contests. It happened sometimes that somebody overexerted themselves, just as athletes have done in our time, such that as they reached the finish line they fell over dead.

As a person reached the goal there was shout after shout of applause from the vast multitude that echoed around the surrounding hills and mountains and the judge, in full view of the spectators, would present the winner with the emblems of victory – a perishable laurel crown, and a palm branch to carry in his right hand. This crown was worn with great pride. Not only the one who won the race, but also his parents received their share of honor, and even the city where he lived was held in high esteem for having produced so great an athlete.

It is this experience that Paul presents as a striking figure of the Christian warfare. Notice what he says: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate [exercises self-control] in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27).

Notice the seriousness of what the apostle Paul is saying here. The body must be disciplined and be under strict control. The words Paul used in the Greek New Testament are much stronger language than has been translated into our English Bibles. He says that we must have our body under strict subjection and have absolute self-control; if not, we will be disqualified.

“To be carnally [fleshly] minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Romans 8:6, 7). Paul says here that it is the unconverted person who doesn’t have control over his body.

The Holy Spirit gives to the Christian the power to be in control of his life. By just reading certain portions of the writings of the apostle Paul some people get the wrong idea of his message. They read only the portions that have to do with forgiveness of sin. You cannot do anything to earn forgiveness of sin. Forgiveness of sin comes as a gift of grace alone. The inheritance of eternal life is an infinite gift, and there’s no way that you can earn it. All are saved by grace by a gift of God. Salvation is an inheritance offered free to the entire human race, but it has conditions.

Those who desire to receive the gift must comply with the conditions. In the first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul gives several examples from the Old Testament that are especially applicable to people who are living in the end of time. He says concerning the children of Israel, “All our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness” (1 Corinthians 10:1–5). “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages [“world” KJV] have come” (verse 11).

What are these things that are examples for the people that live in the ends of the ages? He says, “These things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted” (verse 6). When God took the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt into the wilderness, He gave them a program that involved health reform and dietary reform. But many of them rebelled against having a change in their diet that would bring them into a more healthful condition.

Notice what happened: “Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving [lusting]; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: ‘Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes’ ” (Numbers 11:4–6)!

Asaph, in contemplation of the wilderness wanderings, said they “ate angel’s food” (Psalm 78:25) and “were well filled” (verse 29). God did not provide for them an impoverished diet; God gave them a superior diet. Among the millions of people there was not one feeble one among all their tribes. (See Psalm 105:37.)  Though they were eating angel’s food and were healthy, they wanted to go back to the kind of diet they ate in Egypt. The diet of Egypt resulted in all of the different degenerative diseases that we have today, a diet that will produce atherosclerosis, arthritis, heart disease and cancers. God prepared for them the kind of diet with which they would not suffer any of those diseases, but still they complained saying, “We want to eat flesh foods.”

Paul said this is an example for people who are living in the last days and warns against lusting after and craving evil things, things that God did not create for you to eat. In 1 Corinthians 10:7, Paul also lists something else. He says, “Do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ ” Here reference was made to worshiping the golden calf. (See Exodus 32.) Paul warned that many would follow the children of Israel in lusting after that which was forbidden, causing them to lose eternal life.

Sexuality was mentioned as being a special problem in the world in the last days. Paul said that just before the children of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land, thousands fell in one day due to the sin of sexual immorality. He said, “Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell” (1 Corinthians 10:8).

The experience at Baal Peor is recorded this way: “Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.’ So Moses said to the judges of Israel, ‘Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.’ And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand” (Numbers 25:1–9).

Being undisciplined, the children of Israel got involved in idolatry, sexual immorality, fornication and adultery and many of them lost their souls as a result. Take the warning, Paul said that what happened to them is an example for those who live in the time of the end. It is not worth forfeiting your eternal inheritance for sexual pleasure.

1 Corinthians 10:9, 10 says, “Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer” (literal translation). The children of Israel being tempted, murmured and complained, tempting Christ. By His miraculous power, the Lord had protected them from the poisonous serpents in the desert for their whole journey, but when the Lord removed His protecting hand, the people found out that life in this world without God’s protection wasn’t nearly as safe as they had thought it was.

Friends, the whole world is under the grace of God at this present time, provided for us through the cross of Calvary. But the Bible teaches very clearly in the book of Revelation that the time is coming when God’s grace that is shielding our world is going to be removed. There is coming a time when the people of this world (that is, those who have sinned away their day of grace) are going to experience what it is like to be in a world without grace, where there is no mercy. If you accept Jesus as your Saviour, the Bible predicts that in that awful time no plague will come near your dwelling. But the way that you live, the way you treat your body, affects your eternal destiny. You can lose your eternal destiny; you can lose the gift of salvation, by treating your body in a sinful way. (See 1 Corinthians 9:24 to 27.)

Notice Numbers 21:5–9: “And the people spoke against God and against Moses: ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water [that was a lie], and our soul loathes this worthless bread.’ So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.”

Jesus used this experience to illustrate the gospel to a leader of the Jews by the name of Nicodemus. Jesus said to him, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:14–16, literal translation).

Friend, every person in the world has been bitten by that ancient serpent the Bible calls the devil and Satan. We have been bitten by the instigator of sin; so much so, that the Bible says that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. But if you will look, if you will commit your life to the Saviour of the world, if you will choose to follow Him as your leader, surrender to Him, and choose Him as your Sovereign and obey Him, then you can be healed from the sting of sin. Paul said point blank that if you destroy your body you yourself are going to be destroyed. You don’t have to destroy your body instantly by taking a gun; you can destroy your body by taking different kinds of drugs or partaking in many other unhealthful practices. Paul was a very strict teacher of health reform.

After Paul told the church in Corinth how that it was necessary for them to be in strict control of their bodies, he knew that they would be tempted. They had been so used to living in sin. Notice what he says to them, one of the most wonderful promises in all the Bible: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:12, 13).

He goes on to say, if you are a Christian, every detail of the conduct of your life should be in harmony with God’s will by stating, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (verse 31). That is the Christian’s motto – the way you eat, what you eat, how you eat, the way you drink, what you drink, whatever you do, it should be to the glory of God.

To the person who does not pay attention to these requirements, Paul says, “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:18–20). The Christian is to be sanctified, not only in his mind and in his spirit, but he is to be sanctified in his body. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:22 and 23.) God wants to sanctify not only your mind, but also your body, to bring your entire life into perfect conformity with His will. Paul says, Don’t you know your body is to be the temple, the dwelling place, of the Holy Spirit. What you have is from God. You are not your own because you were bought at a price.

The price at which your body and soul were bought was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. No one in the world belongs to himself or herself; it’s just that most people don’t recognize it.  We have been bought with an expensive price.

Paul issues a strict and severe warning about those who do not pay attention to this counsel on how to treat your body, choosing to do as they want. He says: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17)? Then there is a play on words that we usually translate two different ways, but the same word is used so it actually should be translated as follows: “If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

O, friend, there it is. Paul says that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you. If you defile or destroy the temple of God, God will destroy you.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

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

Children’s Story – The Kingdoms

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It was a fine day in June, many years ago. Frederick William, king of Prussia, a country in Europe, wanted to get away from the noise of the city. So he went for a walk along a quiet road throughout the country.

As he walked along, he listened to the songs of the birds. He picked some wild flowers that grew by the way. After a while he came to a little schoolhouse. The children were at play. It made him glad to see the children happy.

Soon they were called to their lessons. The king followed them into the schoolroom. At first the children were almost afraid to be in the presence of the king. But his kind face and pleasant ways soon won them. He was pleased to see how well they recited their lessons. After a time the teacher asked him to talk to the children.

“I will now ask you some questions,” said the king, “and the child who gives the best answer shall have a prize.”

Then the king held up an orange.

“You know that we all live in the kingdom of Prussia. But to what kingdom does this belong?” he asked.

The children were timid. They did not know just what to say. Every one sat quite still. At last a bright little boy spoke.

“It belongs to the vegetable kingdom,” he said.

“How do you know?” asked the king.

“It is the fruit of a plant, and all plants belong to the vegetable kingdom,” said the boy.

“That is a good answer,” said the king. “You shall have the orange for your prize.”

Then the king took a gold coin from his pocket. He held it up so that all the children could see it.

“To what kingdom does this coin belong?” he asked.

“It belongs to the mineral kingdom, sir,” said another boy.

“Why so, my lad?” asked the king.

“Because it is a metal, and all metals belong to that kingdom,” the boy answered.

The king was pleased.

“You are quite right,” he answered. “You shall have the coin for your prize.”

The children were delighted. With bright eyes and smiling faces they wondered what he would say next.

“I will ask you only one more question,” said the king, with a twinkle of fun in his eye. “Tell me, children, to what kingdom do I belong?”

The king thought someone would say, “To the animal kingdom.”

The children looked at him, but no one spoke. They were a little afraid, because he was the king.

At last, Christel, a little blue-eyed girl, looked up into his kind eyes.

“I think you belong to the kingdom of heaven,” she said softly.

For a moment there was a breathless silence in the room. You might have heard a leaf fall as all eyes turned to little Christel. Even the surprised king hardly knew what to say.

Then he caught the timid child in his arms and kissed her again and again. With tears in his eyes, he said, “May God help me to prove the truth of what you have said!”

From that day, the Lord had a better servant, the people a wiser king.

The Prince of the Power of the Air

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When Lucifer, or Satan, as he is now called, was cast out, he realized that he had lost heaven forever. His nature was now changed completely, and his heart was filled with anger and hatred toward the entire government of God. His history shows that from that time his motto was, in the language of Milton, “Evil, be thou my good.” His change of name indicates his change of character. Lucifer means light-bearer. The word devil means the opposite—darkness. He is now the prince of darkness.

Revenge now filled that heart where once the love of God abode, and all his powers were exerted against God and His work. Every artful device of Satan and the evil angels has since been used to lead men to follow them in sin and rebellion against God.

It is well for man to know the strength of the foe he has to meet. Satan and his angels have on earth the same wisdom, and much of the power, which they had in heaven before their fall. To this is added six thousand years’ experience in their terrible work.

In heaven Satan’s influence was so great as to deceive and lead into rebellion a vast number of the holy angels. If his influence in the very courts of heaven was so great, can we not readily understand how it is possible for him to lead mankind astray?

With such power and influence as he has at his command, we can never overcome Satan in our own strength. If we let go our hold upon God, we step onto the enemy’s ground, and he will always be there to meet us. Under such conditions we are sure to be “taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:26).

But we need not be overcome by the enemy. Christ has twice conquered this foe—once in the battle in heaven, when Satan was cast out; and again as a man on earth when He met all his temptations, and came off victorious. Hence Satan is to Christ a conquered foe. If we trust our Lord fully, He will give us strength in every hour of need, and thus we may become “more than conquerors through Him that loves us” (Romans 8:37).

Not only does Satan seek to draw man away from his allegiance to God, but he uses also the elements of the earth, sea, and sky to work his destruction.

Paul calls Satan “The prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). The name is well applied; for it is he who causes the terrible cyclones, the tidal waves, and other awful disasters. Only the restraining hand of God prevents him from bringing devastation to the whole world, more awful than has yet been known.

The experience of Job, as recorded in the first chapter of that book, is evidence that Satan controls, not only the hearts and actions of wicked men, but also, as far as permitted, the very elements. When God allowed him to afflict Job, four great calamities came upon him in such quick succession that one bearer of evil tidings could not finish his report before another was waiting with his account of disaster. They were as follows:

First, a band of Sabeans fell upon the servants who were plowing, and slew them, and took away the oxen, and the asses that were feeding beside them. It was Satan who stirred up these wicked men to do this deed.

Second, fire from above burned up the sheep as they were feeding, as well as the servants who were caring for them. This storm of fire was brought down by Satan for the purpose of causing this very destruction.

The text reads, “The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them” (Job 1:16). This was the language of the messenger, giving an account of the disaster as he understood it. By a reading of the twelfth verse we can not avoid the conclusion that these calamities were not sent by God, but were the means the Lord permitted Satan to use in his effort to destroy the integrity of Job.

Third, three bands of Chaldeans fell upon the camels, and carried them away, and slew the servants who were keeping them. These Chaldeans were idolaters, hence were servants of Satan, and were led and influenced by him in this raid upon the property of Job.

Fourth, a wind from the wilderness smote the house where the sons and daughters of Job were eating and drinking and killed them all. This awful bereavement was the last of the four great calamities brought upon him at this time. In this instance the winds obeyed the will of Satan, so justifying the statement made by Paul, that Satan is “the prince of the power of the air.”

Awful disasters and terrible calamities are abroad in the earth to-day. As wickedness is increasing in the land, God is removing His restraining power, and Satan is having a freer hand to do the work in which he delights.

Satan is a hard master, for he takes pleasure in bringing disaster and suffering and misery upon even his own subjects. This is in sharp contrast with the loving, tender care which God delights to manifest toward His people. When Israel was in bondage in Egypt, and that land was afflicted because of the hardness of the heart of the Egyptian king, God preserved His people; the plagues did not come near them, and there was peace in their homes in the land of Goshen.

As we near the close of probation, a short time before Christ comes, awful plagues will be poured out upon the inhabitants of the earth, of which the plagues upon Egypt were only a shadowy type. (See Revelation 16.) These plagues will be visited upon those who have stubbornly refused the offers of God’s mercy. The prophet Daniel speaks of this as “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time” (Daniel 12:1).

But during this time God will protect His people as He did Israel in Egypt. Daniel 12:1 reads further, “At that time Thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” And David says of the righteous in this time, “Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. … There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling” (Psalm 91:8, 10). God’s care is ever over His people for good, for He loves them, and they are to Him as “the apple of His eye.”

As we near the end, Satan will become more and more active in bringing disaster upon the world. The apostle-prophet John says of this time, “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:12).

As the coming of Christ draws near, the deceptions of Satan will increase in power, and become more startling and convincing. Christ said that “great signs and wonders” shall be shown; “insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24). It is only by being firmly and thoroughly grounded in the Word that we shall be able to detect those deceptions, and be saved from their evil consequences.

The “working of Satan” is to be “with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish” (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10).

“And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven [the atmospheric heavens, which surround this earth] on the earth in the sight of men” (Revelation 13:13).

Satan brought fire from heaven, and burned the flocks of Job for the purpose of destroying his confidence in God. In the latter days he will repeat such miracles for the purpose of establishing confidence in himself.

“And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do” (Revelation 13:14). Christ pointed to His miracles as evidences of His divinity. (See John 10:38; 14:11). Satan ever seeks to counterfeit the work of God. In the last days he will support the claims of his apostate church by the evidence of miracles.

In the last days “the spirits of devils” are to “work miracles,” and “go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14).

In Hebrews 2:14, we learn that the devil has “the power of death.” This is true, because sin brought death, and Satan is the author of sin. He claims all who die as his own. Death is not a friend, but a deadly foe. Paul says, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). Death is the child of sin, and Satan is its father. Only the power of God can bring the dead from “the land of the enemy,” at the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:22–26).

But some glad day sin and death and Satan will be destroyed together. Paul declared that Christ, by His death, opened the way by which He “might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).

The Lord, speaking of Satan through the prophet Ezekiel, says, “Therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee … and never shall thou be any more” (Ezekiel 28:18, 19).

[All emphasis author’s.]

Past, Present, and Future, James Edson White, 103–109.

The Peace Which Passes Understanding

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“Great peace have they which love Thy law:

And nothing shall offend them.”

Psalm 119:165 (KJV)

The objective of one’s study of God’s word should be two-fold: (1) to obtain a better and deeper understanding of the plan of salvation and (2) to discern more clearly the character of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who is to be our example in all things. Our study can be wasted effort, however, if we become bogged down in “side issues” unrelated to these two objectives. It is important to remember that there is a ditch on each side of the road, and the enemy of souls doesn’t care which ditch we fall into.

On one side is the literalist, who believes that every word in the Bible is inspired. On the other is the generalist, who claims that some of the Bible is inspired, but some of it isn’t. He sometimes feels qualified to make the distinction between what the Holy Spirit has impressed upon the writer and what is simply an uninspired statement.

To give balance to our understanding, our loving Lord has provided this clear statement on the subject of inspiration:

“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.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 21.

Just as the authors of the Bible served as God’s penmen, so the translators served as His mouthpiece. Not one of the Bible writers spoke Old English. The common languages of their times were Greek and Hebrew, and less commonly, Aramaic. Thus we owe a great debt to William Tyndale and others like him who translated the original manuscripts into the languages of the common people of their day. A special debt of gratitude is owed to James Strong, who oversaw an exhaustive indexing of the King James Bible, which was published in 1890 as Strong’s Concordance.

The purpose of Strong’s Concordance was not to provide content or commentary about the Bible, but rather to provide an index to the Bible, which allows the reader to find where specific Greek or Hebrew words appear in the Bible and allows a student of the Bible to re-find a phrase or passage previously studied. It also lets the reader directly compare how the same word may be used elsewhere in the Bible. In this way Strong provides an independent check against varying translations and offers an opportunity for a greater and more technically accurate understanding of text.

With that in mind, let’s look at the Bible text at the head of this article.

Though almost all Bible versions agree unanimously on the translation of the first phrase of this verse, affirming that those who love the law enjoy great peace, the translation of the second part of the verse varies somewhat in different Bible versions.

Let’s begin by looking at translations of the Hebrew first, giving our attention to the Hebrew word that is translated as “offend” in the King James Version.

The Hebrew word is mikshôl  (Strong’s number H4383). The entry in Strong’s Concordance states:

Masculine from H3782: a stumblingblock, literally or figuratively (obstacle, enticement (specifically an idol), scruple): – caused to fall, offence, X [no-] thing offered, ruin, stumbling-block.

For a deeper understanding of the meaning of this word, we can look at the Hebrew word from which it is derived.

H3782 [kâshal]: A primitive root; to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication to falter, stumble, faint or fall: – bereave [from the margin], cast down, be decayed, (cause to) fail, (cause, make to) fall (down, -ing), feeble, be (the) ruin (-ed, of), (be) overthrown, (cause to) stumble, X utterly, be weak.

It is perhaps a bit puzzling why the translators of the King James Version chose offend as the translation until you look up that word in Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary. There you will find many different variations of the meaning, such as to attack, to displease, to shock, to annoy, as well as several others. The sixth definition is as follows:

“To disturb, annoy, or cause to fall or stumble.”

Then Mr. Webster gives Psalm 119:165 as an example of the use in this connotation:

“Great peace have they that love Thy law, and nothing shall offend them.”

It is interesting—and again, a bit puzzling—that Mr. Webster chose Psalm 119:165 as an illustration of “offend” by quoting the translation that did not use the definition he just gave, undoubtedly because the KJV was the only English translation widely available at the time. Apparently, he had access to some kind of a Hebrew reference to know the connection between stumble and offend.

Most other Bible translations have chosen a different translation of the word under discussion here:

New King James Version: nothing causes them to stumble.

International Standard Version: nothing makes them stumble.

American Standard Version: they have no occasion of stumbling.

English Standard Version: nothing can make them stumble.

God’s Word: nothing can make those people stumble.

Young’s Literal Translation: they have no stumbling-block.

American Revised Version: they have no occasion of stumbling.

 

We cannot know precisely what David intended to convey when he wrote this specific text, but by comparing “here a little and there a little,” we can perhaps gain a deeper understanding of what the Holy Spirit intended us to grasp from this text.

The obvious question that comes to mind when reading Psalm 119:165 is, Why does a love of the law prevent one from stumbling, from being cast down or faltering in his or her Christian walk?

To obtain an answer to this question is why I turned to Strong’s in the first place. I could not see the logic implied in the Scripture that loving God’s law is a defense against being offended or stumbling.

In turning to Strong’s Concordance to see the different contexts in which the original Hebrew word is used I hoped to gain a more robust understanding of its meaning.

Some form of that word occurs 15 times in the KJV Old Testament and is translated in several different ways.

 

Translation Occurrences
Stumblingblock 6
Offense 2
Block 1
Fall 1
Offend 1
Ruin 1
Ruins 1
Stumbling 1
Stumblingblocks 1

 

There is a passage in Isaiah that provides a more typical contextual example of the use of both Hebrew words—mikshôl and kâshal. Here the Lord is warning Isaiah about the dangers of yielding to popular thinking and customs.

“For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:

 

‘Do not say, “A conspiracy,”

Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy,

Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.

The Lord of hosts,

Him you shall hallow;

Let Him be your fear,

And let Him be your dread.

He will be as a sanctuary,

But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense [mikshôl]

To both the houses of Israel,

As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And many among them shall stumble [kâshal];

They shall fall and be broken,

Be snared and taken’ “ (Isaiah 8:11–15).

 

Thus it seems logical that those who love the law abide by that law in their daily walk, having the assurance that “great peace” is theirs. Regardless of the external stimuli they experience, regardless of the attraction of worldliness, regardless of the influence of friends and family, they maintain their firm hold on the truth. Because they love the law, they cannot be shaken from the path of truth and righteousness. It is those who have only a superficial understanding of the law, who acknowledge it with their lips but not with their hearts, who will be caused to stumble or be shaken out.

The following quotes from Inspiration provide an even deeper understanding of the certainty of the peace experienced by those who love divine law.

“David was greatly tried in his day in seeing men pouring contempt upon God’s law. Men threw off restraint, and depravity was the result. The law of God had become a dead letter to those whom God had created. Men refused to receive the holy precepts as the rule of their life. Wickedness was so great that David feared lest God’s forbearance should cease, and he sent up a heart-felt prayer to heaven, saying, ‘It is time for Thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void Thy law. Therefore I love Thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold’ (Psalm 119:126, 127).

“If David thought in his day that men had exceeded the limits of God’s mercy, and that God would work to vindicate the honor of His law and bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end, then what influence should the widespread iniquity of our day have upon those who love and fear God? When there is widespread disobedience, when iniquity is increasing to a swelling tide, will the professed Christian world be evil with the evil, unrighteous with the unrighteous? Shall we place our influence on the side of the great apostate, and shall universal scorn be heaped upon God’s law, the great standard of righteousness? Shall we be swept away by the strong tide of transgression and apostasy? Or shall the righteous search the Scriptures and know for themselves the conditions upon which the salvation of their souls depend? Those who make the word of God the man of their counsel will esteem the law of God, and their appreciation of it will rise in proportion as it is set aside and despised. Loyal subjects of Christ’s kingdom will re-echo the words of David and say, ‘It is time for Thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void Thy law. Therefore I love Thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold’ (Psalm 119:126, 127). This is the position those will occupy who love God sincerely and their neighbors as themselves. They will exalt the commandments in proportion as contempt increases.”  “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1152, 1153.

“The law is an expression of God’s idea. When we receive it in Christ, it becomes our idea. It lifts us above the power of natural desires and tendencies, above temptations that lead to sin. ‘Great peace have they which love Thy law; and nothing shall offend them’—cause them to stumble. There is no peace in unrighteousness; the wicked are at war with God. But he who receives the righteousness of the law in Christ is in harmony with heaven.” The Faith I Live By, 83.

In direct contrast to the promise the faithful are given in Psalm 119:165, there is the following warning in Isaiah: “ ‘There is no peace,’ says the Lord, ‘for the wicked’ ” (Isaiah 48:22).

There is an illustration of the lack of peace experienced by those who forsake God’s law in the story of Asa, who sought to reform Israel after a long period of apostasy.

“Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: ‘Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them. And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded’ ” (2 Chronicles 15:1–7)!

Often the peace that the law-keeper experiences is an inner peace that comes from knowing that he or she is complying with the instructions given in God’s word. Things can be tumultuous emotionally and perhaps even physically, but those who abide in Christ—despite all of the unpleasant or distracting outside influences—can have an inner peace that others simply cannot understand—a peace that “surpasses all understanding.”

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6, 7).

Inspiration gives the faithful further assurance of the peace that comes from obedience to God’s word in the following passages:

“Obedience to God is liberty from the thralldom of sin, deliverance from human passion and impulse. But we have to meet and contend with men who employ all their power in slandering those who are loyal to God. Their wit and their God-given reason are devoted to making it appear that obedience to the commandments of God is an irksome service. But those who advocate the claims of the law of God testify, ‘Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them.’  ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul’ (Psalm 19:7). The Lord presents truth in contrast with error, and presents also the sure result of accepting truth, the experience that always follows willing obedience. It is peace and rest.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 247.

“God presents to the world two classes. For the one—the wicked—He says, ‘There is no peace’ (Isaiah 48:22). Of the other, ‘Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them’ (Psalm 119:165).” That I May Know Him, 120.

“Christ has bought us with a dear price, but yet He will recompense our service to Him. We may feel sad and weep over our poor service to Him who has given us such unmeasured evidences of His interest in and love for us. But the recompense will not be in exact proportion to the amount of work done, but in accordance with the motive and the love which prompted the doing of the work. The recompense will be of grace. His own abundant mercy will be displayed not because we have done anything worthy, but on account of His unmeasured love. Christ will say to the faithful, sincere worker, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; … enter thou into the joy of thy Lord’ (Matthew 25:23). And even now angels of God take cognizance of our works of love and righteousness and we shall not be forgotten even in this life. In keeping His commandments there is great reward. ‘Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them’ (Psalm 119:165). Christ lays no more upon His servants than He gives them strength to perform. He will not cast them off in their adversity. When heart and flesh fail He will be the strength of their heart and their portion forever.” Sons and Daughters of God, 233. [Emphasis added.]

The Lord promises great peace, “even in this life,” even in the “here and now” to those who rely on His mercy and grace as they face life’s daily challenges. How absolutely critical it is that God’s children understand the great peace that those who love the law experience “even in this life” and the recompense of abundant grace the faithful are promised.

It cannot be denied that we are near—if not already in—the time when even the elect will be deceived by the enemy of souls. If we have not developed a true, heart-felt love of “Thy law,” what hope do we have of remaining firmly on the pathway that leads to the streets of gold? What hope do we have of experiencing the peace that passes understanding, even in this life?

 

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

A Fractured Remnant

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I can remember when I was young, hearing Adventist preachers tell people that although there were many different identifying marks of Babylon in the Bible, you only needed to know two things to find God’s people in the last days. They were called a remnant and the remnant is the last of anything. The remnant keep the commandments of God and they have the testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy (Revelation 19:10). They said, if you know those two things, you can find God’s people.

I decided that I wanted to be part of God’s remnant people when Jesus comes and because of that, anything that happens to God’s remnant people is of great concern to me. It is not something that I just look on as a spectator or observer. God’s remnant people are so important to me that although there are some in God’s professed remnant church who consider me an enemy, I still pray for them to be saved. It is a great concern to me when I see God’s remnant people fractured. Why is that happening? What is going on?

This is not the first time God’s people have been fractured. Hosea 5:11 says: “Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked by human precept.”

Another time God’s people were fractured is mentioned in Matthew 26:31: “Then Jesus said to them, ‘All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: “I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” ’ ”

I’ve tried to imagine that, and I cannot comprehend what it must have felt like to be the Lord. He came to this world to willingly pay an infinite price to save people, a price that would cost unbelievable suffering and sorrow but when He did, every single person forsook Him. This is something that God’s people at some point in the future will experience.

The remnant is a small number of people scattered all over the world. It is easy to comprehend being in a situation where it seems as if you are the only one left who believes and everybody in the world has forsaken you. You are all alone with nobody left, but you still have faith. When we look at the fracture among God’s people today, we need to remember what God is getting us ready for.

Inspiration says, “As we approach the last crisis it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord’s instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head—the papal power—the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth he will work to divide and scatter its advocates.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 182.

This worldwide union will “have one mind” and make war against the Lamb. They cannot go to heaven to make war, so they make war against the Lamb by attacking His people in this world. At the same time, the devil unites his forces and tries to divide and scatter those who advocate the truth.

It is important to understand who is behind all these problems. If it seems those against you are in your family or local church, don’t think that they are your enemies. It is the devil who is behind what is going on. He is using them as pawns, and they are often unaware that they are being directed by a superior force. That is why Jesus said to pray for your enemies. (See Matthew 5:44.) The real enemy is the evil spirit that is using that person as a pawn.

As the devil wars against the truth, he will work to divide and scatter its advocates by jealousy, evil surmising, and evil speaking, which are instigated by him to produce discord and dissension. If only we could overcome those three things, we could solve problems more quickly than almost anything else we could do.

“The members of Christ’s church have the power to thwart the purpose of the adversary of souls. At such a time as this let them not be found at variance with one another or with any of the Lord’s workers. Amidst the general discord let there be one place where harmony and unity exist because the Bible is made the guide of life. Let the people of God feel that a responsibility rests upon them to build up His instrumentalities.” Ibid.

Ellen White says a deeper problem lies in our families. She says, “He knows that the spirit governing in the home will be brought into the church.” The Upward Look, 163.

You can be sure that if there is trouble in your church, there is trouble in the homes of the members in your church. “How many there are who reveal selfishness and unkindness in their dealings with one another. How many professing Christians seem never to be satisfied unless they are engaged in strife? How many home circles are broken because the members receive and act upon Satan’s suggestions? Well does Satan know what heaven is, and what the influence of the angels is.” Ibid.

He’s been there. He knows what it’s like.

“His work is to bring into every family the cruel elements of self-will, harshness, selfishness. Thus he seeks to destroy the happiness of the family. He knows that the spirit governing in the home will be brought into the church.” Ibid.

You can’t talk about the family without talking about husbands and wives. She says, “The husband is to treat his wife, the mother of his children, with due respect, and the wife is to love and reverence her husband. How can she do this if he treats her like a servant, to be dictated to, ordered about, scolded, found fault with before the children? He is forcing her to dislike him and even to hate him.” Ibid.

The devil often uses men to talk in a wrong way and destroy the happiness in the family.

The strength of the church and also the nation is the family. Strong families strengthen the church. With a lot of broken families in your church, your church will be weak.

Some of the causes of weakness in the church

Personal dislike – Within families there can be two people who have absolutely opposite temperaments; they think and reason differently. One may say: I have a rational mind. Why can’t my wife figure this out?

Because we are so different, it is easy to develop dislikes for each other while co-habiting. There are husbands and wives who have developed personal dislikes for each other, sometimes just because they don’t agree on some point.

Some things Ellen White wrote about the church also apply to the family. After all, if you are Christians, your family is a little church.

“Let us be careful how we pass sentence of condemnation of one for whom we may be cherishing dislike because he does not meet our ideas, for the sentence will reflect upon ourselves, and do far more harm to us than to the one we condemned. Christ would have His church strong in unity. Let us all praise God that we are not to be judged according to finite man’s discernment, which is very liable to be perverted.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 195.

Friend, sometimes there is intense dislike for somebody in a person’s own family. None of us are perfect; so we need to have mercy on other family members. Maybe the thing you dislike most in a person is something they are aware of and are working on to overcome and they need encouragement. It is much harder to overcome something if someone is criticizing you and tearing you down. Pray that the Lord will help you to love those difficult family members. Without the right feelings toward them it will be impossible to love church members.

 

Rebellion – Many years ago George Vandeman wrote a book called A Planet in Rebellion. Ellen White wrote in Selected Messages, vol. 2, 58: “Rebellion and apostasy are in the very air we breathe. We shall be affected by it unless we, by faith, hang our helpless souls upon Christ.”

Rebellion is in the air. This is a special problem in families with children. The Bible says, “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23.)

How do you deal with the problem of rebellion in your family? Ellen White wrote: “My soul is sick and discouraged in regard to those who have been so long rebellious in Waukon [a city in Iowa]. Souls in Waukon have rebelled and stood fast in their rebellion, and very recently they have professed to see themselves, and their stubbornness is changed to a spirit of witchcraft or divination. I call upon all who have the cause of God one particle at heart to rise in the name of the Lord and put down the manifestations among them.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 352.

Children must know that whether they are rebels or not, there are rules in your home that are not going to be changed. Ellen White said to one father who had a problem with a son who wanted to smoke, you need to say to your son, I want the angels of heaven to abide in my home, and so I cannot allow smoking, drinking, or carousing. You cannot bring your girl friend over to my house to sleep with overnight. You can’t do that here. I have rules in this house.

Rebellion is never solved by letting down the rules. A son like that should be told that if he is determined to live that way, he will have to leave home and live wherever he chooses, because there are rules in your father’s house.

However, in addition to having rules, in a situation like this the Lord must be sought for wisdom to know what to do so that this child or person will understand that we still love them. In fact, that we love them so much that we would die for them. How can we help them to find that out? One thing is for sure, making a house with no rules is not showing them love. Rebellion is a huge problem affecting not just homes, but churches.

Evil Surmising – Ellen White wrote, “The church is made up of persons of different temperaments and of various dispositions; they have come from different denominations. … If the love of Christ is in the hearts of the members of the church, through the abundant grace of Christ, there will be oneness, unity, among brethren. …  Selfishness is sin, and it grieves away the Spirit of Christ. When we cherish unkind thoughts and harbor suspicions against our brethren, we are cutting ourselves off from the channel of God’s light and love.” The Signs of the Times, April 13, 1891.

Many things happen in this world which may seem to be suspicious but of which we have limited facts. When you see a situation in your family or your church and you don’t know all the facts, remember, you can put either a positive or negative spin on that. Some people always put a negative spin on everything. They often get in trouble, which extends to their families and the churches they attend.

“Jealousy is as cruel as the grave, and should never be cherished in the heart, much less expressed in the actions. How cruel it is to cherish evil surmising against those who are members of Christ’s body! Accusation, condemnation, and revenge are all of Satanic origin, and evil thoughts of others should be at once rejected from the mind …” Ibid.

Jealousy comes directly from the devil. It is he who stirs us up to accuse and condemn one another and to get even with one another. We all at some time have had evil thoughts come into our minds about others, but they are to be rejected.

Overbearing or Arbitrary Spirit – Ellen White wrote, “While at family prayer that night at Bro. S.’s I was again taken off in vision, and that portion of the vision that had passed from me was repeated, and I was shown the overbearing course of R. and C., that their influence in the church was to cause division. They possessed an exalted spirit, and not the meek spirit of Christ.” Spiritual Gifts, vol, 2, 181.

It only takes a couple of overbearing people to cause division in a church.

Pride of Opinion – “ ‘For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end’ (Ephesians 3:14–21).

“Here are brought to view the possibilities of the Christian life. How far short of reaching this standard falls the church of today! Strife, discord, selfish pride of opinion, self-exaltation,—self, self, self,—all this is manifest in those who claim to be followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. When shall we awake?” The Ellen G. White, 1888 Materials, 1794.

Believing my opinion to be better than your opinion divides churches. It divides families. It creates all manner of unhappiness because we think we are so much smarter and know so much better than somebody else.

If you would like to become a really wise person, ask the Lord to help you to look in an objective analytical way at the position of the person that thinks totally opposite from you. You may just learn something.

 

Impulsive and Erratic Movements – “The religious life of some is characterized by impulsive movements. They are as likely to be erratic as to be correct. Some are impatient and restless, while others are indolent and indifferent, and there is such a diversity of opinion and action that there is division instead of harmony in the church.” The Review and Herald, October 22, 1889.

This behavior can never produce a harmonious church in unity. Erratic, impulsive behavior results in division in the church.

Hard-heartedness – “The reason why there are so many hardhearted men and women in the world is that true affection has been regarded as weakness, and has been discouraged and repressed. The better nature of these persons was stifled in childhood; and unless the light of divine love shall melt away their cold selfishness, their happiness will be forever ruined. If we wish our children to possess the tender spirit of Jesus, and the sympathy that angels manifest for us, we must encourage the generous, loving impulses of childhood.” The Desire of Ages, 516.

Jesus said, “What God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6). However, the Jews then questioned why Moses had told them that they could divorce their wives and put them away (verses 7, 8). Jesus told them permission was given, not because it was right, but because of the hardness of their hearts. (See Deuteronomy 24:1–4.)

Lack of Discipline – There is very little discipline in churches today. People can do just about anything and still be a church member, but this will result in receiving the curse of God.

“God charged Eli with honoring his sons above the Lord. Eli had permitted the offering appointed by God as a blessing to Israel to be made a thing of abhorrence, rather than bring his sons to shame for their impious and abominable practices. Those who follow their own inclination, in blind affection for their children, indulging them in the gratification of their selfish desires, and do not bring to bear the authority of God to rebuke sin and correct evil, make it manifest that they are honoring their wicked children more than they honor God. They are more anxious to shield their reputation than to glorify God; more desirous to please their children than to please the Lord and to keep His service from every appearance of evil.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 578.

Sinful Neglect – “Though we have an individual work and an individual responsibility before God, we are not to follow our own independent judgment, regardless of the opinions and feelings of our brethren; for this course would lead to disorder in the church.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 30.

Each must realize that they are neither king nor pope. In church matters all must get counsel with other people.

Disrespect – Disrespect destroys families; it can also destroy a church. Ellen White says when the problem is with the husband: “There are many living martyrs today who suffer in silence.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, 372.

These victims are not dead, but they are considered martyrs. Could it be when we get to heaven that there may be people there with red around the border of their garment that we never knew were martyrs? Who are these living martyrs?

“They are abused with the tongue and who are tantalized, who are hurt and wounded by coarse, harsh denunciations, whose lot seems to be to live and to suffer, receiving comfort only from Jesus, who is the source of their strength. Such souls are missionaries. They are Christ’s noble ones, and their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

“Remember, Jesus knows it all—every sorrow, every grief—He will not leave you to sink, for His arms are beneath you. You may be an enlightenment to a whole neighborhood if you are indeed patient, kind, forbearing. In this, my sister, consider your questions answered.” Ibid.

“When discouraging words are spoken to you, do not reply unless you can return a pleasant answer. When you are tried and tempted by unkind words, do not retaliate. Say to yourself, ‘I will not disappoint my Saviour.’ ” Ibid., vol. 8, 442.

“One mother says her husband is an unbeliever. She has children but they are taught by the father to disrespect the mother. She is deeply burdened for her children. She does not know what course she can pursue.” Ibid., vol. 3, 368.

“Because Satan uses the father of your children to counteract your work, do not be discouraged; do not give up the conflict. Do as you wish them to do. Treat your husband with kindness at all times and on all occasions, and bind your children to your heart with the cords of love. This is your work; this is the burden you have to bear. Talk not your home trials to anyone but Jesus; pour them into His ear.” Ibid., 369.

What can be done when communications between disparate parties have broken down?

  1. Look for an opportunity to be a good Samaritan. Remember, when the Samaritan passed the Jew who was wounded, Ellen White says he knew that if the situation were reversed, the Jew would just spit in his face and go on. He knew the wounded man was an enemy. He said, You are in trouble, so I am going to help you out anyway. The Bible says this story is actually a prophecy about the Messiah, “They that hate Me without a cause are more than the hairs of My head: they that would destroy Me, being Mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I did not take away” (Psalm 69:4).
  2. If you have said or done anything that is wrong by which the other party is offended, confess your mistake to them and ask for forgiveness. You don’t need to mention what they’ve done, but if you have done just one thing against them, confess it, tell them you are sorry, and ask for forgiveness.
  3. Pray and be brave enough to say, Lord, I am willing for You to do whatever it takes to save my child. Don’t pray that prayer unless you are serious. I know a mother who prayed that prayer, and in a short time later, her son got cancer, from which he eventually died. But before he died, he came back to the Lord. That is not the pleasant way to come back to the Lord, but when Jesus returns this mother and son will be reunited.
  4. A rift between parent and child will not be healed by giving money. Ask God for special wisdom whether you should actually give to your child what he or she is asking for as it may not be wise.
  5. If your son or daughter or perceived enemy is suffering with a medical problem or some other kind of serious problem, even if they are on the pathway to hell, it is proper for you to do something to try to alleviate their problem. They may see Jesus in you. Remember, Jesus healed ten lepers but only one said, Thank you.

If there is one in ten, or even one in a hundred that reaches salvation because of what you did to help them, it would be worthwhile and there will be rejoicing in heaven.

 

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

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

 

Editorial – Where is Your Flock? (Jeremiah 13:20)

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“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

“Instead of pleasantly asking their children to do what they wish done, parents often order them in a scolding tone, and at the same time administer a censure or a reproach which the children have not merited. Parents, this course pursued toward your children destroys their cheerfulness and their ambition to please you … .  Upon whom rests this great sin? If home had been made attractive, if the parents had manifested affection for their children, if they had wisely sought innocent enjoyment for them, and taught them the lesson of cheerful obedience, they would have touched an answering chord in their young hearts, and willing feet and hands and hearts would have carried out their wishes. By speaking kindly to their children, and praising them when they try to do right, parents may encourage their efforts, make them very happy, and throw around the family circle a charm which will chase away every dark shadow, and bring cheerful sunlight in. Mutual kindness and forbearance will make home a paradise, and attract holy angels into the family circle; but they will flee from a house where there are unpleasant words, fretfulness, and strife. Unkindness, complaining, and anger shut Jesus from the dwelling.

“Some parents fail to give their children a religious education, and also neglect their school education. Neither should be neglected. Children’s minds will be active; and if they are not engaged in physical labor, or occupied with study, they will be exposed to evil influences. It is a sin for parents to allow their children to grow up in ignorance. They should supply them with useful and interesting books, and should teach them to have hours for labor and hours for study and reading. Parents should aim to elevate the minds of their children, and to improve their mental faculties. The mind left to itself, uncultivated, is generally low, sensual, and corrupt. Satan improves his opportunity, and educates idle minds.” The Signs of the Times, April 17, 1884.

Editorial – The World’s Great Need

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What does the world need today? The people of this world look at the skyrocketing statistics of crime, pauperism, and degradation of the environment. They see the erosion of civil and religious liberty and the hatred that has developed between various races, nations, and religions. They see the development of new diseases, the increase in the old diseases, and the natural disasters occurring all over the world.

They hear what the various statesmen and thought leaders who are seeking solutions to all these problems say, but, “The world needs today what it needed nineteen hundred years ago—a revelation of Christ.” The Ministry of Healing, 143. However, when a revelation of Christ is made, the world will not recognize it. They will cry out for the destruction of those people who make such a revelation. Why is it that the very thing that contains the solution to the world’s problems will be rejected by them and hated? Why did the world hate Jesus when He came the first time? The following is not an exhaustive list of reasons; many more could be given.

  1. He could not be persuaded to go along with the popular customs of society. “Jesus had come to teach the meaning of the worship of God, and He could not sanction the mingling of human requirements with the divine precepts.” The Desire of Ages, 84. [Emphasis added.]
  2. He called sin by its right name. “The world loved those who were like itself; but the contrast between Christ and the world was most marked; there could be no harmony between them. His teachings, and his reproofs of sin, stirred up its hatred against him.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, 337, 338.
  3. He always told the truth. “The very fact that Jesus spoke the truth, and that with certainty, is the reason why the Jews did not believe Him. He said, ‘Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not’ (John 8:45).” Testimonies to Southern Africa, 37.

Most people think that they want to know the truth but sometimes the truth is exactly what they really do not want to hear, and they develop a hatred against the one declaring a truth that is unpopular and unpalatable to the natural heart.

  1. Jesus taught that we must faithfully perform every duty. He did not commend any who were not faithful workers. (See Matthew 25:14–30 for example.) “Unconsciously every true follower of the Master will say, ‘Are there not but twelve hours in the day? and am I not working at the close of the day? I must walk in the light as one of the children of light. I must lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset, and run with patience the race that is set before me. I am striving for a crown of glory that fadeth not away.’ ” The Signs of the Times, June 3, 1903.
  2. Jesus could not be swayed from the right way even once, no matter what the risk or cost or loss involved in doing right. (See Matthew 4:3—10 for example.) “[Jesus] dwelt among men an example of spotless integrity. His blameless life flashed light upon their hearts. His sincerity revealed their insincerity. It made manifest the hollowness of their pretentious piety, and discovered iniquity to them in its odious character. Such a light was unwelcome.” The Desire of Ages, 243.

There will be a final and full revelation of the character of Christ in these last days, and it will be received just as it was received when He was here. (See The Desire of Ages, 680; Ephesians 5:25–27.) Are you praying and preparing to make such a demonstration, a revelation of the character of Christ to the world?