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Question & Answer – I can understand forsaking all but how can I hate my family as stated in Luke 14:26

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“If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:26

The word hate in this text is explained in the following:

“Hate referred to in Luke 14:26, means a less degree of love. We are to have supreme love to God, and our friends are to be loved secondarily. Our love for husband, wife, brother, sisters, father, or mother, must be inferior to our love to God.” The Review and Herald, September 16, 1862.

Some will put God’s word aside so that peace may be kept in the family or among friends. This shows God that we love our family or friends more than Him. See the following comment:

“Our love for these dear relatives must not be blind and selfish, and cause us to forget God. When these ties of relationship lead us to prefer their favor by disregarding the truth, we love them more than we love Jesus, and are not worthy of Him.” Ibid.

If we love others more than we love God, choosing their ways over God’s ways, then we have no shelter. We are told:

“In that fearful time when we need an arm to protect and shield us, stronger than any human arm, stronger than the arm of father, brother, or husband, and shall call upon Him that is mighty to save, He will not hear us.
“He will bid us to

  • lean upon those whom we preferred before Him,
  • whom we loved above Him,
  • whom we would not forsake for Him.

“He will say, Let them deliver you, let them save you. I gave you proof of My love. I left the glory of My Father, and all My majesty and splendor, and came into a world cursed with sin and pollution. For your sakes I became poor, that you through My poverty might be made rich. I bore insult and mockery, and died a shameful death upon the cross, to save you from hopeless misery and death.

  • Yet this did not excite your love enough to obey me,
  • and lead you to prefer My favor above the favor of earthly friends, who have given you
  • but feeble proofs of their love. I know you not; depart from Me.” Ibid.

Luke 14:33 says, “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.”

To hate father, mother, wife, children, brethren, sisters, and his own life means to love God first and to put Him first.

Inspiration – Consecration

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The people of God will be tested and proved. A close and searching work must go on among Sabbathkeepers. Like ancient Israel, how soon we forget God and His wondrous works, and rebel against Him. Some look to the world and desire to follow its fashions and participate in its pleasure, just as the children of Israel looked back to Egypt and lusted for the good things which they had enjoyed there, and which God chose to withhold from them to prove them and thereby test their fidelity to Him. He wished to see if His people valued His service, and the freedom He had so miraculously given them, more highly than the indulgences they enjoyed in Egypt while in servitude to a tyrannical, idolatrous people.

All true followers of Jesus will have sacrifices to make. God will prove them and test the genuineness of their faith. I have been shown that the true followers of Jesus will discard picnics (in 1800s picnics consisted of extravagant feasting and frivolity), donations, shows, and other gatherings for pleasure. They can find no Jesus there, and no influence which will make them heavenly minded and increase their growth in grace. The word of God obeyed leads us to come out from all these things and be separate. The things of the world are sought for, and considered worthy to be admired and enjoyed, by all those who are not devoted lovers of the cross and spiritual worshipers of a crucified Jesus.

There is chaff among us, and this is why we are so weak. Some are constantly leaning to the world. Their views and feelings harmonize much better with the spirit of the world than with that of Christ’s self-denying followers. It is perfectly natural for them to prefer the company of those whose spirit will best agree with their own. And such have quite too much influence among God’s people. They take part with them, and have a name among them, and are a text for unbelievers and the weak and unconsecrated ones in the church. These persons of two minds will ever have objections to the plain, pointed testimony which reproves individual wrongs. In this refining time these persons will either be wholly converted, and sanctified by obeying the truth, or they will be left with the world, where they belong, to receive their reward with them.

“By their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:20).” All the followers of Christ bear fruit to His glory. Their lives testify that a good work has been wrought in them by the Spirit of God, and their fruit is unto holiness. Their lives are elevated and pure. Those who bear no fruit have no experience in the things of God. They are not in the Vine. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4, 5).

If we would be spiritual worshipers of Jesus Christ, we must sacrifice every idol and fully obey the first four commandments. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37, 38). The first four commandments allow no separation of the affections from God. Nor is anything allowed to divide, or share, our supreme delight in Him. Whatever divides the affections, and takes away from the soul supreme love to God, assumes the form of an idol. Our carnal hearts would cling to our idols and seek to carry them along; but we cannot advance until we put them away, for they separate us from God. The great Head of the church has chosen His people out of the world and requires them to be separate. He designs that the spirit of His commandments shall draw them to Himself and separate them from the elements of the world. To love God and keep His commandments is far from loving the world’s pleasures and friendship. There is no concord between Christ and Belial. The people of God may safely trust in Him alone and without fear press on in the way of obedience.

Testimonies, vol. 1, 287–289.

Keys to the Storehouse – I Yearn for the Day

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“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Hebrews 1:9.

This most wonderful Scripture refers to Jesus, but I yearn for the day to see this character representation reflected in each of God’s professed people, including myself. One of my daily Scripture prayers is, “Let this mind be in me which is also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5 personalized.)

With the mind of Christ, we also will love righteousness and hate iniquity. That word, iniquity, is the same word as transgression found in I John 3:4, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” When we ask for the mind of Christ, we are asking that we may also love righteousness and hate the transgression of the law, hate sin. Jesus hated sin but He loved righteousness.

And, if you will notice one more thing in Hebrews 1:9, it was because Christ loved righteousness and hated iniquity (sin), God anointed Him with the oil of gladness. That oil of gladness was the Holy Spirit. This is a real incentive to receive Christ; we also will love righteousness and hate sin.

“ ‘As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name’ (John 1:12). His promise is that if we accept His invitation, we shall be anointed with the oil of gladness, which is emptied from the two anointed ones into the hearts prepared to receive it. Shall we claim the promise? Shall we not receive the anointing of the holy oil?” The Southern Watchman, June 11, 1903.

Do you want the mind of Christ? He is knocking at the entrance into your heart. Will you open the door and allow Jesus to enter and bar every means that Satan can use to break in? If those doors are not barred, you will never hear God say to you, “thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity,” and you will never be anointed with the oil of gladness. Oh, what a sad loss, all because of loving iniquity and hating righteousness! Oh, what a terrible thing the devil has done to those who allow him to turn them around backwards and away from their Saviour!

Father, Oh, how I want the mind of Christ so that I may love righteousness and hate sin! My desire is to be anointed with the oil of gladness and to walk always in heavenly places. I choose today to take control of all of my senses and close every door in my life that Satan may have cracked. I willingly open the door to my Saviour, to receive Him for my very own, and to accept His righteousness and hate sin in its many forms. Amen.

Children’s Story – Vision of Young People

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The visions that were given to Sister [Ellen] White were always given to help people to do the right thing. God wants us to do right.

While Sister White was spending some months in New Zealand in the early days of our work there, she held some meetings in the large city of Wellington. These meetings extended over a period of a number of days, and Sister White was quite weary when the series was completed. There was one young lady present who had just become a Seventh-day Adventist, and she invited Sister White to come to her family home on Parrametta Bay, and spend a few days resting there.

When this young lady returned to her home and told her mother that she had invited Sister White to come and stay at their home, the mother was not very happy. She had not been an Adventist for very long and she felt she was unprepared to entertain the Lord’s prophet. Then too, there were a number of teen-aged children in the family who were not members of the church and naturally, they were doing things Seventh-day Adventists don’t do. But the invitation had already been given to Sister White, and on the afternoon train, she arrived at Parrametta. She was taken to the home located on a large farm overlooking the bay. She was cordially received and as she was quite weary, she went to bed early. In fact, she went to bed before she had met all of the members of the family where she was staying.

That night a vision was given to Sister White and at four o’clock in the morning, she got up and dressed and began to write what had been shown to her. The message was addressed to the mother of this family, for in the vision she had been shown the experience of some of the members of the family.

In the letter, Sister White told about the vision. She said, “The angel of God said, ‘Follow me.’ ” Then she seemed to be in a room in a rough building. She saw several young men playing cards there. They seemed very much interested in the card game and they did not seem to notice that anyone had come into the room. Sister White also saw girls there. They were watching the card game. She heard what the young people said, and she was almost ashamed to be there. She could feel that the atmosphere in the room was not the kind to uplift the mind and make the character noble.

Then Sister White turned to the angel and asked, “Who are these young people, and what does this scene represent?”

The angel said, “Wait—.”

Then she seemed to be in another place. But here were the same young people. They were drinking beer and other alcoholic drinks. She saw what the young people did and heard what they said while they were under the influence of these drinks. Their words were impure, boisterous and boastful. Again, she asked the angel, “Who are these young people?”

The angel answered, “These young people are a portion of the family where you are visiting.” Then the angel went on to say that Satan, the great adversary of souls, the great enemy of God and man was there and in charge of what was going on. Satan and his angels were leading these young people to their ruin.

Then in the vision, Sister White saw the angel step over to one young man and place his hand upon his shoulder and call him by name. As the angel spoke the name, Sister White recognized that it was the family name where she was staying. The angel pointed out the dangers of cardplaying and of gambling and of drinking. The angel plead with this young man to turn from these things and to give his heart to the Lord. All this, Sister White wrote to the mother that early morning hour, even before she had met these young people.

It was expected that Sister White would spend only two or three days at this home, but there came heavy rains and there were landslides which blocked the railroad track and she could not leave for a week or ten days.

The earnest Christian life which Sister White lived in that house made a deep impression upon the boys and girls of this family. They saw that she was not extreme or fanatical. Her counsel was so understanding and helpful. The young people wanted their lives to be like hers. She encouraged them to take their stand for the Lord. Nearly all of the children in this large family accepted the truth and became loyal, earnest Adventists. Some of their grandchildren are in the work of God today.

Based on Ellen G. White’s letter to the mother, and A. L. White’s conversation with some of the children and grandchildren of the family.

Campfire Junior Stories from the days of S.D.A. Pioneers, The Review and Herald Publishing Association, Washington, D.C., 16, 17.

Current Events – Christians Targeted

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“Never, never was there a time when the truth will suffer more from being misrepresented, belittled, demerited through the perverse disputings of men than in these last days.” Letter 136a, 1898.

According to South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo, which cites sources in China, singer Hyon Song-wol was among other singers, musicians, and dancers arrested and publicly put to death by firing squad [August 20, 2013]. Mum Kyon-jin, head of the Unhasu Orchestra, was also executed, along with members of both that orchestra and the Wangjaesan Light Music Band. Family members and bandmates watched as authorities killed the dozen performers with machine guns, one source said. A source told South Korea’s largest daily newspaper that some of the victims also faced accusations of possessing Bibles. All were regarded as political dissidents, and their families have been shipped off to prison camps, according to the source. www.spin.com, August 29, 2013.

Kafr Hakim, Egypt (CNN) – For 67 years, the Virgin Mary Church has been a peaceful refuge for Shenouda El Sayeh, much like the Giza province village of Kafr Hakim where it rests and where he has lived all those years. But, as he swept its floors on Thursday, it was painfully obvious things had changed. The night before, a mob—chanting against Coptic Christians had torched and looted the Virgin Mary Church.

Christians all around Egypt are cleaning up in the aftermath of a spate of attacks, which came on the country’s deadliest day since the 2011 revolution. Bishop Angaelos, the Cairo-born head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, said he was told by colleagues in Egypt that 52 churches were attacked in a 24-hour span, as well as numerous Christians’ homes and businesses. www.cnn.com, August 16, 2013.

Christians and Muslims used to peacefully coexist in Syria. Unfortunately, the last two years of civil war have erased this peaceful coexistence, leading Christianity to face an “existential threat” in Syria. According to reports, over 300 Christians have been killed during the civil war, even though they did not participate in hostilities. Christian leaders, including priest and monks have been targeted by extremists and hundreds of thousands of Christians have fled the country seeking safety as a refugee outside Syria’s borders. Please pray for these persecuted people. www.persecution.com, August 21, 2013.

Peru has been urged to investigate the mass killing of Christians and other civilians. Over the course of two decades of guerrilla warfare in the 1980s and ’90s between left wing rebel groups and the Peruvian government an estimated 100,000 dead, most of whom were civilians. Massacres also targeted Christians and church leaders opposed to the group. Ten years after a groundbreaking 2003 report was published on the atrocities committed, the Peruvian government has yet to prosecute many of those responsible for the deaths, including the abduction, torture and murder of a Protestant pastor in 1989. www.persecution.com, August 2013.

Without a Wedding Garment

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The parable of the wedding garment, given in Matthew 22:1–14, opens before us a lesson of the highest consequence. By the marriage is represented the union of humanity with divinity; the wedding garment represents the character which all must possess who shall be selected by the king to attend the wedding banquet.

As we look at the parable more closely, we find that this invitation of the king has been extended to the people of this world for thousands of years. Verses 1–7 apply to the Jewish nation during the time of the Old Testament through the time of the ministry of Jesus in the first advent. The Jews refused to recognize Jesus as the Lamb of God Who had come to ratify the new covenant by His death on the cross. They refused to believe that Jesus ascended to heaven to open the holy place of the sanctuary in heaven. Therefore they cut off the means by which they could receive the wedding garment. The king was enraged by the refusal of the people to accept this gracious invitation. “He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city” (Matthew 22:7) in A.D. 70.

From the time of the first advent to the present time, the king has continued to send this gracious invitation to the people of this world. “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.” Matthew 22:8–11.

These verses describe the great gospel invitation that has been going forth to the world during the ministry of Christ in the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven. Jesus opened the sanctuary in heaven on the day of His resurrection when He confirmed the ratification of the covenant with His Father.

“Jesus refused to receive the homage of His people until He had the assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father. He ascended to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard the assurance that His atonement for the sins of men had been ample, that through His blood all might gain eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son. Christ was to complete His work, and fulfill His pledge to ‘make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir’ (Isaiah 13:12). All power in heaven and on earth was given to the Prince of Life, and He returned to His followers in a world of sin, that He might impart to them of His power and glory.” The Desire of Ages, 790.

All through the history of the Christian church the invitation has been and is still being given to the people of the world to come to Jesus in the sanctuary in heaven that they may receive the wedding garment.

Satan stepped between the people and Christ while He was ministering in the daily service in the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven. He declared the Pope to be the head of the church in place of Christ. Next he directed the people to confess their sins to the priests who could never forgive their sins or provide them with a wedding garment. During the centuries that followed the knowledge of Christ’s ministry in the sanctuary in heaven was lost to the church.

But the knowledge of the ministry of Christ in the sanctuary above to provide the wedding garment was to be restored. “And he said to him, ‘For two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.’ ” Daniel 8:14 RSV. Again the invitation to the wedding banquet went out to the world. “So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Matthew 22:10. People responded to the invitation and the banquet hall was filled.

Finally the king entered to examine the guests to see if everyone was properly attired in the wedding garment. Matthew gives the following description: “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.” Verses 11, 12.

What is the wedding garment that this man failed to acquire? “In the parable of Matthew 22 the same figure of the marriage is introduced, and the investigative judgment is clearly represented as taking place before the marriage. Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests, to see if all are attired in the wedding garment, the spotless robe of character washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb (Matthew 22:11; Revelation 7:14). … This work of examination of character, of determining who are prepared for the kingdom of God, is that of the investigative judgment, the closing of work in the sanctuary above.” The Great Controversy, 428.

“By the wedding garment in the parable is represented the pure, spotless character which Christ’s true followers will possess. To the church it is given ‘that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white,’ ‘not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing’ (Revelation 19:8; Ephesians 5:27). The fine linen, says the Scripture, ‘is the righteousness of saints’ (Revelation 19:8). It is the righteousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that through faith is imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Saviour.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 310.]

“The man who came to the feast without a wedding garment represents the condition of many in our world today. They profess to be Christians, and lay claim to the blessings and privileges of the gospel; yet they feel no need of a transformation of character. They have never felt true repentance for sin. They do not realize their need of Christ or exercise faith in Him. They have not overcome their hereditary or cultivated tendencies to wrongdoing. Yet they think that they are good enough in themselves, and they rest upon their own merits instead of trusting in Christ. Hearers of the word, they come to the banquet, but they have not put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness.” Ibid., 315.

The reader could wisely ask, at this point, “How can I receive the wedding garment? How can I be sure I have the wedding garment on?” Thankfully the answer to these questions is very simple. It is found in the parable of the ten virgins. “The followers of Christ are to ‘wait for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding’ (Luke 12:36). But they are to understand His work, and to follow Him by faith as He goes in before God. It is in this sense that they are said to go in to the marriage.

“In the parable it was those that had oil in their vessels with their lamps that went in to the marriage. Those who, with a knowledge of the truth from the Scriptures, had also the Spirit and grace of God, and who, in the night of their bitter trial, had patiently waited, searching the Bible for clearer light—these saw the truth concerning the sanctuary in heaven and the Saviour’s change in ministration, and by faith they followed Him in His work in the sanctuary above. And all who through the testimony of the Scriptures accept the same truths, following Christ by faith as He enters in before God to perform the last work of mediation, and at its close to receive His kingdom—all these are represented as going in to the marriage.” [Emphasis added.] The Great Controversy, 427.

In this quotation, it is clearly seen that it was the wise virgins understanding of the “truth concerning the sanctuary in heaven and the Savior’s change in ministration” that were given entrance in to the wedding banquet. “By faith,” the wise virgins, “followed Him in His work in the sanctuary above.”

That it is the wedding banquet the virgins attend is made clear in the following references:

“They [the wise virgins] were not to be present in person at the marriage; for it takes place in heaven, while they are upon the earth. The followers of Christ are to ‘wait for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding’ (Luke 12:36). But they are to understand His work, and to follow Him by faith as He goes in before God. It is in this sense that they are said to go in to the marriage.” Ibid.

“Having received the kingdom, He will come in His glory, as King of kings and Lord of lords, for the redemption of His people, who are to ‘sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,’ at His table in His kingdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 22:30), to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Ibid., 426.

The case of the wise and foolish virgins is also represented in the parable of the wedding banquet in Matthew 22. “In the parable of Matthew 22 the same figure of the marriage is introduced, and the investigative judgment is clearly represented as taking place before the marriage. Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests, to see if all are attired in the wedding garment, the spotless robe of character washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb (Matthew 22:11; Revelation 7:14). He who is found wanting is cast out, but all who upon examination are seen to have the wedding garment on are accepted of God and accounted worthy of a share in His kingdom and a seat upon His throne.” Ibid., 428.

The necessity of understanding and cooperating with Christ in His closing ministry in the sanctuary above is explained in the following reference:

“Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour’s mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God. … The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill. Every individual has a soul to save or to lose. Each has a case pending at the bar of God.” Ibid., 488.

This ministry of Christ in the sanctuary of the new covenant is just as important to our salvation as was His death upon the cross. “The intercession of Christ in man’s behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon the cross. By His death He began that work which after His resurrection He ascended to complete in heaven. We must by faith enter within the veil, ‘whither the forerunner is for us entered’ (Hebrews 6:20). … The salvation of man is accomplished at an infinite expense to heaven; the sacrifice made is equal to the broadest demands of the broken law of God. Jesus has opened the way to the Father’s throne, and through His mediation the sincere desire of all who come to Him in faith may be presented before God.” Ibid., 489.

It is our acceptance of and our participation with Christ in the confession of our sins and His atonement for them with His blood that we can receive the wedding garment. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9. Listen to the invitation of Christ: “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.” John 7:37 KJV.

Not only must we receive the wedding garment ourselves, but when we receive it, it becomes our privilege and responsibility to tell others where they also can get it.

“All who have received the light upon these subjects are to bear testimony of the great truths which God has committed to them. The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men. It concerns every soul living upon the earth. It opens to view the plan of redemption, bringing us down to the very close of time and revealing the triumphant issue of the contest between righteousness and sin. It is of the utmost importance that all should thoroughly investigate these subjects and be able to give an answer to everyone that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them.

“The intercession of Christ in man’s behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon the cross. By His death He began that work which after His resurrection He ascended to complete in heaven.” The Great Controversy, 488, 489.

“God’s people are now to have their eyes fixed on the heavenly sanctuary, where the final ministration of our great High Priest in the work of the judgment is going forward—where He is interceding for His people.” Evangelism, 223.

“In order to endure the trial before them, they must understand the will of God as revealed in His word; they can honor Him only as they have a right conception of His character, government, and purposes, and act in accordance with them. None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict. To every soul will come the searching test: Shall I obey God rather than men? The decisive hour is even now at hand. Are our feet planted on the rock of God’s immutable word? Are we prepared to stand firm in defense of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12)? The Great Controversy, 593, 594.

“As the ministration of Jesus closed in the holy place, and He passed into the holiest, and stood before the ark containing the law of God, He sent another mighty angel with a third message to the world. … The third angel closes his message thus: ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus’ (Revelation 14:12). As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers.” Early Writings, 254.

“As a people, we should be earnest students of prophecy; we should not rest until we become intelligent in regard to the subject of the sanctuary, which is brought out in the visions of Daniel and John. This subject sheds great light on our present position and work, and gives us unmistakable proof that God has led us in our past experience. It explains … that Christ then entered into the most holy apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and is there performing the closing work of His priestly office, in fulfillment of the words of the angel to the prophet Daniel, ‘Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed’ (Daniel 8:14).” Evangelism, 222.

Not only do the wise virgins receive the wedding garment through the ministry of Christ in the most holy place, but this truth is also the anchor that keeps them from being swept away by the storm during the latter rain. “Many saw the perfect chain of truth in the angels’ messages, and gladly received them in their order, and followed Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who understand and receive them will be kept from being swept away by the many delusions of Satan.” Early Writings, 256.

The three angel’s messages are a vital witness to the ministry of Christ in the most holy place to provide the wedding garment. “I saw a company who stood well-guarded and firm, giving no countenance to those who would unsettle the established faith of the body. God looked upon them with approbation. I was shown three steps—the first, second, and third angels’ messages. Said my accompanying angel, ‘Woe to him who shall move a block or stir a pin of these messages. The true understanding of these messages is of vital importance. The destiny of souls hangs upon the manner in which they are received.’ ” [Emphasis added.] Ibid., 258, 259.

In conclusion, those who go to Jesus, Who is still mediating in the most holy place, with confession of sin will receive the wedding garment. “All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life. The Lord declares, by the prophet Isaiah: ‘I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins’ (Isaiah 43:25). Said Jesus: ‘He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.’ ‘Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven’ (Revelation 3:5; Matthew 10:32).” The Great Controversy, 483.

Dear friend will you be found with a wedding garment when probation closes or will the King find you “without a wedding garment”?

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

Maurice Hoppe is Director of the Steps to Life training programs and a member of the Steps to Life Board. The Training Program for Ministers and Church Leaders is a correspondence course that prepares individuals to serve as pastors or Bible workers. Preparing for the Final Conflict is a correspondence course for the laity. Both of these courses teach present truth that will be an anchor for the soul during the storm of opposition and persecution just ahead. He and his wife also have a correspondence course offered through Revelation Ministry. He can be contacted at: mauricehoppe@stepstolife.org.

The Quiet Place

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The Bible has very specific marks for identifying the Roman Catholic Church as the anti-christ of Bible prophecy. In II Thessalonians she is referred to as the mystery of iniquity. There are some very interesting things written about this from history, the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible of how she could deceive people, Protestants and Adventist groups alike, into praying the rosary.

In the book, Last Day Events, 164, are three paragraphs that are not in the public domain. The entire document, called “The Personation of Satan,” is available from the White estate on request.

Referring to right near the end of the probationary period, it says, “Satan sees that he is about to lose his case. He cannot sweep in the whole world. He makes one last desperate effort to overcome the faithful by deception. He does this in personating Christ. He clothes himself with the garments of royalty which have been accurately described in the vision of John (Revelation 1:13–16). He has power to do this. He will appear to his deluded followers, the Christian world who received not the love of the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness (transgression of God’s law), as Christ coming the second time (II Thessalonians 2).

“He proclaims himself Christ, and he is believed to be Christ, a beautiful, majestic being clothed with majesty and, with soft voice and pleasant words, with glory unsurpassed by anything their mortal eyes had yet beheld. Then his deceived, deluded followers set up a shout of victory, ‘Christ has come the second time! Christ has come! He has lifted up His hands just as He did when He was upon the earth, and blessed us.’ …

“The saints look on with amazement. Will they also be deceived? Will they worship Satan? Angels of God are about them. A clear, firm, musical voice is heard ‘Christ is come. Christ is come!’ ” How could they say such a thing unless they had previously seen Christ? I believe they have, and I will show here from the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible that they have seen him many times, just not in this appearance. Those who stubbornly retain even one cherished sin will say, “Christ is come, Christ is come!” and be deceived. Sin, in its very nature, is deceiving.

There is a type of prayer that seems to bring Christ down from heaven into your mind so that you can actually converse with Him personally. About 500 years ago this method was called, “The Spiritual Exercises of Loyola.” Today it is called “Contemplative Prayer.”

Ellen White says, “Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.” The Signs of the Times, June 18, 1902. The reverse of this is, I can bring God down to me any time I want, just as long as I’m in this state of mind. The deluded followers of Christ can say, “Christ is come, Christ is come,” because they have seen Him or who they think is Him many times right here in their own lives.

There are some important principles about prayer that we need to take into account:

In I Kings 8:46–49 is the story of Solomon when the temple he built was dedicated. He said, “If they sin against Thee, [he said if] (for there is no man that sinneth not), and Thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto Thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; and so return unto Thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto Thee toward their land, which Thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which Thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for Thy name then hear Thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven Thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause.”

The condition for God hearing and answering prayer is confession, repentance, and turning away from sin. (See Psalm 55.) The devil would like to develop a method of prayer that allows you to converse with him and have a religious experience while still living in sin.

God can reach down to us no matter where we are but raises our prayer to Him in His holy temple. Jonah was in the belly of a fish with seaweed wrapped around his head and said, “When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thine holy temple.” Jonah 2:7. His prayer was directed to heaven. He wasn’t asking God to come down in the belly of the fish with him; he said, “My prayer ascended up to heaven.” Prayer does not bring God down to us; it lifts us up to God.

It would be wise to realize that the devil is a student of Bible prophecy. In fact, we are told in the Spirit of Prophecy that the devil knows the Bible better than anyone. His intelligence far exceeds that of men, and only by a diligent study of the Word can he be beat. In the sixteenth century, two movements were raised. Martin Luther, born in 1483, grew up in a home that was very, very strict. He completed his college studies, but during those years he began to feel that his soul was not right with God. His father wanted him to be a lawyer, so after he graduated from college he went on to the university to further his study in that field. He was a very bright and intelligent man and the monks wanted him to join them. After a short time in the university he dropped out of law, and searching for a way to find peace in his heart and to be right with God, he joined the monastery. But he found no peace there. He beat himself, and sometimes so severely that he would go unconscious and lose much blood. He also fasted for many days on end in his search for peace.

Finally a man came to Martin Luther and said, “Martin, God loves you. You don’t need to go through all these strict austerities to try to find peace in your heart with God. Accept His love into your heart.” Martin Luther began reading a Latin Vulgate on the wall of his monastery and began to find the love of God. He began to discover that God would supply the grace to enable him to be forgiven and find that peace he so desired. Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation, the reformation that you and I need to complete.

Another man was born eight years later in 1491, Ignatius Loyola. He also struggled with the same burden that Martin Luther had in his own life, going through the same rituals, whipping himself, fasting and living in monasteries to try to find the peace that he desired. These two monks were destined to follow entirely different paths. Ignatius, instead of feeling that his remorse was sent to drive him to the foot of the cross, persuaded himself that these inner reproaches proceeded not from God, but from the devil, and he resolved never more to think of his sins. He erased them from his memory and buried them into eternal oblivion.

Luther turned towards Christ; Loyola only fell back on himself. This is very interesting. One falls upon Christ, the other falls upon himself. If you don’t like your sins and you try to erase them, as Loyola did, the devil is going to give you an experience. Visions came along to confirm Loyola in the conviction to which he had arrived. His own resolves had become a substitute for the grace of the Lord. His visions had become his substitute.

His own imaginings had supplied the place of God’s word. He had looked upon the voice of God in his conscience as the voice of the devil, and accordingly the remainder of his history represents him as given up to the inspirations of the spirits of darkness. One day Loyola met an old woman, as Luther in the hour of his trial, was visited by an old man. But the Spanish woman, instead of proclaiming remission of sins to the penitent, Manresah predicted visitations from Jesus. Such was the Christianity to which Loyola had recourse.

Loyola did not seek truth in the Holy Scriptures, but imagined in their place immediate communication with the world of spirits. He soon lived entirely in ecstasies and contemplation. These numerous apparitions had removed all his doubts. He believed he was right with God because of the experiences that he was having. He believed, not as Luther believed by faith what is written in the word of God, but because of the visions he had seen. This is very fascinating history as we look at what is happening in modern-day times. This is not old stuff buried in history; this is new stuff, resurrected for Christianity today.

Just about 40 or 50 years ago Vatican II, which was called the ecumenica, had a specific agenda of how to bring the Roman Catholic Church and all the Protestant churches, and all the Muslem churches, as well as everybody else, into union with one another.

Notice a statement found on their website: “The theology of the church forged at Vatican II provided the relationship of the church with the other Christian traditions in more positive terms than had hereto been the case. The council gave the green light for full participation of the Catholic Church in a search for Christian unity which had already been under way for over 50 years.” www.vatican2voice.org/4basics/themes.htm

Not too long ago there was a segment on the news about the importance of Vatican II, because it was an anniversary. It was reported that the theme of the documents of Vatican II was reconciliation, and they allowed for Catholics to pray with other Christian denominations and encourage friendship with other non-Christian faiths.

It’s very interesting that they would mention prayer as a means to bring Christian unity. Now I ask, “Could the Roman Catholic Church teach Protestants and even Adventists to pray rosaries?” The Roman Catholic Church went on a quest to evangelize the world, including Protestants, because you and I are considered separated brethren, separate from the Mother church. Notice this apostolic letter, which was written in 2002, and its reference to the rosary.

John Paul II, Apostolic letter, 2002:

“It can be said that the rosary is in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of the Vatican II Constitution. To recite the rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ. I desire that during the course of this year, the rosary should be especially emphasized and promoted in various Christian communities [not just Roman Catholic!] But the most important reason for strongly encouraging the practice of the rosary is that it represents a most effective means of fostering among the faithful that commitment to the contemplation of the Christian mystery which I have proposed in the apostolic letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte, as a genuine training in holiness.”

Do you have holiness of heart when you pray to God while you are still living in sin, and you know it? No.

“What is needed is a Christian life distinguished above all in the art of prayer.” Remember, Roman Catholics were given permission to pray with other Christian denominations. What are they teaching us? “We should not be surprised that our relationship with Christ makes use of a method. God communicates Himself to us respecting our human nature and its vital rhythms. Hence, the Christian’s spirituality is familiar with the most sublime forms of mystical silence in which images, words, and gestures are all, so to speak, superseded by an intense and ineffable union with God.”

What is this mystical silence he is talking about? It is contemplative prayer, a spiritual exercise of Ignatius Loyola, which teaches you to pray through meditation. Meditation is mentioned in the Bible, but it’s much different than the meditation you see nowadays. In contemplative prayer, you empty your mind of all your thoughts and activities, and you enter into a quiet place, and there, you empty your thoughts and focus in on one of the mysteries he is speaking about, and that’s the only thing you focus in on. Keating, who is a Jesuit, has written many books that are used in our Seventh-day Adventist universities today.

He describes this silence you come to, and in the meditative process of prayer you repeat words over and over again, as in the rosary, which is why it has been emphasized. As the rosary is repeated, your mind comes into a state of quietness, and there you see in your mind the face of Jesus, or the face of the Father or you see Mary, and you go in and you can converse with one of them, one on one. Remember, prayer does not bring God down to us; it lifts us up to God. Most religions have engaged this system of prayer, and it is willingly accepted among many groups today.

This is a mystical silence. In the book, The Secret History of the Jesuits, by Edmond Paris (Chick Publications, Chino, California, 1975), is a statement that Loyola made that sounds very similar to John Paul II’s statement. In talking about the methods of prayer in his life, he states, “The third way of praying is by measuring the words and periods of silence.” In reference to the rosary you will see this word mentioned over and over again, entering into this quiet place, this stillness, this silent time, in your own mind, and there you have an experience with God within you.

Continuing the John Paul II Apostolic Letter 2002: “A discovery of the importance of silence is one of the secrets of practicing contemplation and meditation. Just as moments of silence are recommended in the liturgy, so too in the recitation of the rosary, it is fitting to pause briefly after listening to the word of God, while the mind focuses on the content of a particular mystery.” You can see this official letter on the Vatican website, www.vatican.va.

While in Africa, I walked by a Muslim with beads in his hands. Like Catholics, Muslims pray on beads. He was about ready to go to prayers, and I asked him what was in his hand. He told me that they were his prayer beads. There were 90 beads on the string and he prayed every single one of them, rolling them through his hand. I calculated in my mind that 90 beads prayed the five times each day that Muslim’s are required to pray, add to 450 times per day praying the same prayer. Continual repetition of the same phrase causes a hypnotic state. Statistics show that of a population of around 7 billion in 2013, there are 1.6 billion Muslims and 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in the world. Add to this number the non-Christian religions, Buddhists and other Eastern religions that embrace this same method of prayer or trance using prayer beads or sticks of incense and you find that it numbers in excess of half the population.

The devil is preparing the world for something big. When you see him coming as Christ and everybody is saying, “Christ has come, Christ has come,” you can know that they have seen this person before in their own minds and they recognize him, for they have been hypnotized. The spiritual exercises of Loyola have been resurrected in these last days, especially after Vatican II, evangelizing the world through this method. Today it is called centering prayer—bringing the mind into the center and entering into the quiet place!

On the website, www.centeringprayer.com, Thomas Keating says: “Centering prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us.”

Eve was told the same lie in the Garden of Eden. “Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” This same thing is happening here in contemplative prayer. It says this presence of God is within us and it says, “closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself is God in us.”

Looking at what is going on, the following text in Matthew 24:23, 24 is very fascinating: “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” They are going to show us “great signs.” The Greek word is semeion, which means miracles or wonders, something to wonder at. These wondrous signs from the devil are going to be so hypnotic that even the elect could be deceived.

Then verses 25 and 26 say: “Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” Who are these personators? They are false christs and false prophets, and if they tell you Jesus is in the desert or secret chambers, do not believe.

In the desert I can understand, but what does it mean by “the secret chambers”? This expression is often translated as inner rooms. The original Greek word for inner rooms means a dispensary or magazine. This is a chamber on the ground floor or interior of an Oriental house (generally used for storage or privacy, a spot for retirement)—secret chamber, closet, storehouse. A dispensary or a magazine is an old term. Gun shells like bombs and things were put in what we call a magazine, a holding place, a storehouse of some sort. If you were to go to this place, you would be given something in this secret chamber.

The text says that this could deceive even the elect. How could this be if God’s elect are studying their Bibles, or has something else been substituted for the study of God’s word, an experience maybe?

Could these secret chambers or inner rooms where we retire and go to pray, entering into these silent meditations to find Christ, the deception that Jesus warned about? The devil will love to give an experience to all who seek God but refuse His cleansing power. “I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the throne; they did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared to be by the throne, trying to carry on the work of God. I saw them look up to the throne, and pray, ‘Father, give us Thy Spirit.’ Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace. Satan’s object was to keep them deceived and to draw back and deceive God’s children.” Early Writings, 56.

“Satan determines to unite them [church members] in one body and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of Spiritualism.” The Great Controversy, 588.

Spiritualism is the uniting factor that joins all the churches together, regardless of religion. “Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will also be deluded. Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium.” Ibid.

Paul says, “Even him [the lawless one], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth.” II Thessalonians 2:9, 10.

Why didn’t they love the truth? They loved the experience that they were having more than they loved God and His word. “They received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Verses 10–12.

To be saved in sin is a very attractive lie, one that the devil loves to promote. I John 5:17 says, “All unrighteousness is sin” and I John 3:4 says, “sin is the transgression of the law.” People are going to come to a point in earth’s history where they are going to love breaking God’s law, while claiming Christ and having a “form of godliness” (II Timothy 3:5).

The devil is working to sweep the entire world into one mind by using these methods of prayer. Revelation 17:13 says, “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” The beast is the papal power. It is going to have the lending hand of Protestants and worldlings alike.

“The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country [America] will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.” The Great Controversy, 588.

I believe that hand is already extended, and we are welcoming the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church into our communion. There are people who do not have a love for the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness, in breaking God’s law. God is going to send them strong delusions. That powerful delusion of Satan coming as Christ is going to sweep in the whole world except for a little group of people, the remnant, who have put away sin in their life.

The devil is going to give an experience to people who won’t put away sin just like he did with Ignatius Loyola. He will give visions, dreams, and all kinds of experiences. He is a master at trickery.

“Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden. ‘Ye shall not surely die.’ ‘In the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil’ (Genesis 3:4, 5). Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism.” The Great Controversy, 561.

His coming as Christ is the masterpiece of his deception.

“They must have some means of quieting their consciences, and they seek that which is least spiritual and humiliating. What they desire is a method of forgetting God which shall pass as a method of remembering Him.” Ibid., 572. Loyola wanted his conscience to be quiet, so he cast his sin off into oblivion and the devil supplied him with visions and ecstatic experiences.

The new spirituality is teaching that we can have an experience with God while living in sin. When you come into this quiet place where you see these apparitions in your mind, it is the devil speaking to you, not God. Prayer does not bring God down to us. We are viewing the enemy himself. And when he appears as this majestic being from heaven, like in Revelation chapter 1, the majority will say, “Christ has come. Christ has come!” They will know him because they have seen him over and over again in their experience.

Our only defense is God’s word. The true method of prayer is to get on your knees and confess your unworthiness, your sinfulness, and ask God to search your heart. When you cooperate with the heavenly agencies, by God’s grace, sin will be eliminated from your life.

If you don’t have a real experience with the only true God, the devil will certainly give you one, a method of forgetting His word, but at the same time passing as a Christian.

These new methods of prayer are deluding many people. We need God’s grace to enable us to put sin out of our lives. May our hearts and minds continue to be lifted up to heavenly things.

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

Mike Bauler was ordained into the ministry in 2005 and serves as pastor of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. Prior to locating in Portland, Pastor Bauler served as a Bible worker for Steps to Life Ministries. His goal is to help give the gospel to the greater Portland area with an emphasis in helping his Bible students discover the truths in Bible prophecy, which are so often neglected today. His wife, Amanda, a family nurse practitioner, and their daughters Hannah, Esther and Abigail assist him in his ministry.

The Christian Life

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The Christian life is a life lived with Christ, abiding in Him (John 15: 4), a life rooted and built up in Him (Colossians 2:7). It is a life lived in the love of God (Jude 21), a life lived by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25), a life led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:18). The Christian life is a life regenerated, a life made new by the power of God.

The word submission is a very appropriate word that sums up the attitude of the Christian in his or her relationship to Christ. The posture of the Christian is a surrendered will. F. E. Belden describes it in these words:

  • Thy way, not mine, O Lord, However dark it be; Lead me by Thine own hand, and choose the path for me. I dare not choose my lot; I would not if I might; Choose Thou for me, my God, so shall I walk aright.
  • The kingdom that I seek is Thine; so let the way that leads to it be Thine, else I must surely stray. Hold Thou my cup of life; with joy or sorrow fill as best to Thee may seem: Choose thou my good and ill.
  • Choose Thou for me my friends, my sickness or my health; choose Thou my cares for me, my poverty or wealth. Not mine, not mine the choice, in either great or small; Be Thou my Guide, my Strength, my Wisdom, and my All.

[F. E. Belden was the author of the famous Seventh-day Adventist church hymnal called Christ in Song. He was also a nephew of Ellen White, the son of Sarah Belden, Ellen’s sister.]

The idea cherished by the world is the self-reliant man. But what men call self-reliance never gets beyond man’s dependence on himself. Man’s claim to superior knowledge, the conceit of self-sufficiency, the flaunting of pride, is fatal to the Christian life. Any claim we make for the glory of man can only render our fall and depravity more complete. To be ruled by self-seeking means to lose everything.

There is only one possibility left for survival: to find our true self in Jesus Christ. You see, the Christian experience is not an improvement of the self-life that merits congratulations. We affirm our manhood and womanhood always in utter dependence on Christ.

Key Texts

The key texts for this message are recorded by the apostle John in chapter 6 of his gospel, verses 38–40: “For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

The scenes, which led up to Jesus uttering these words, are as follows: The day before He had fed five thousand men with five barley loaves and two fishes. Thereupon the people would have made Him king, but He withdrew Himself and afterward walked on the water to His disciples. The next day Jesus was teaching in Capernaum, and the people flocked to hear Him, but Jesus reproved them. “Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” John 6:26. Then He declared Himself to be the bread of life to believers.

As the bread of life He came down from heaven on a definite mission, “… not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.” Verse 38. I would like to draw our attention briefly to the expression “Bread of Life” with emphasis on the word “Life.” It is said that bread is the staff of life, thus it could be considered the universal food for mankind. The life that Jesus referred to transcends the physical temporary life of all creatures on this earth. The life He spoke of is what the Greeks called Zoe, the life principle shared by all living things, the antithesis of death. It has to do with spiritual life and, more particularly, of everlasting life to which the one that receives Christ and believes in Him is given access.

So, as we focus on our key texts, Jesus taught that as the Bread of Life He came down from heaven not to do His own will but the will of Him that sent Him. In this statement is embodied the true meaning of what constitutes being a Christian. Jesus emphatically states the one and only purpose for coming to this earth, which is to do the will of My Sender. Christ declares that He has no separate will from His Father. The Christian must understand the reason for being a Christian, and that is to do the will of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Repeatedly our Saviour acknowledges the will of His Father: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10; “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.” John 4:34; “I can of Mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me.” John 5:30; “Saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.” Luke 22:42.

In order for us to know what it is to live the Christian life we need therefore to understand what is the Father’s will to which Jesus referred. We see Jesus’ explanation of the Father’s will in verses 39 and 40 of John’s gospel chapter 6: “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Here Christ reveals the “Father’s will” as follows:

1

Every person who truly comes and surrenders to Christ and remains so, will be kept by Christ even to the last days. This statement speaks to the fact that “on being a Christian” means a complete surrender to the will of Christ instead of my will! It addresses a full and complete commitment to Jesus. This commitment means the point of no return. We place ourselves entirely at Christ’s disposal. We acknowledge His full claim as the Master of our lives. It is this lack of surrender and commitment to Jesus that prevents many a Christian from remaining true to Christ; consequently, He cannot keep them. So, bear in mind the fact that Christ works out His will in us only to the extent of our surrender and commitment. Without this surrender and commitment our Christian profession is in vain!

Illustration – Martin Luther, in one of his legends, tells of Satan, who called a council of his chiefs to defeat the Christian. Said one, “I let loose the wild beasts on many Christians. Their bones now bleach the sands in the arena.” “What of that?” said Satan. “Their souls are still saved.” Said another, “I drove the storm against a shipload of Christians, and they all perished in the sea.” “What of that?” said Satan. “Their souls are all saved.” Said another, “I have labored for ten years to lull Christians to sleep and get them to be neutral. At last I have succeeded.” Then Satan shouted for joy and all the angels of hell rejoiced together.

2

That everyone who seeth the Son and believeth on Him will have everlasting life. This implies beholding Christ with the eye of faith. Men must see Christ in order to obtain everlasting life. They are naturally blind. The Scripture proves that, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” II Corinthians 4:3, 4. The Holy Spirit’s job is to open our eyes that we may see not merely ourselves, our sins, our helplessness; but Christ, His righteousness, His peace, His grace, His salvation. This emphasis on faith clearly shows that intellectual assent is not enough; those who will have part in the resurrection of the righteous are those who have faith acting beyond the limits of their natural senses.

Ellen White explains further the meaning of believeth: “Those who claim to believe the word of God, and yet cherish their own hereditary and cultivated traits of character, are the greatest stumbling blocks we shall meet as we present the grand, holy truths for this time. Those who believe present truth are to practice the truth, live the truth. They are to study the Word and eat the Word, which means eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. They are to bring that Word, which is spirit and life, into their daily, practical life. It is the bread from heaven, and it will give life to the world. Power will be given to every man and woman who will eat of the bread that came down from heaven. Oh, cannot we take this in? Cannot we comprehend it? Why is our imagination so dull? ‘This is the will of Him that sent Me,’ said Christ, ‘that every one [how comprehensive, how far-reaching] that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day’ (John 6:40). If this, the life of Christ, be in us, what may we not accomplish in His name? ‘As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name’ (John 1:12).” The Review and Herald, August 13, 1959.

3

I will raise him up at the last day. To all those who live the Christ life here on earth the promise is, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.” John 11:25, 26. Here is pictured the salvation story, the redemption of the human race. The Father’s will was Jesus’ mission. This was the driving motivation of Christ, and it certainly will be the constraining force in the life of the true Christian. It may be summed up this way: to glorify God and to bless humanity. The servant of the Lord establishes the purpose of our being; she states, “Many misunderstand the object for which they were created. It was to bless humanity and glorify God, rather than to enjoy and glorify self.” Sons and Daughters of God, 289.

Jesus not only understood this but He lived it every day of His life and so it will be for the true follower of Christ! In The Youth’s Instructor, March 12, 1896, we are told the following: “The followers of Christ are to imitate His example, and scatter broadcast the seeds of divine truth. They are to tell all with whom they come in contact, that Jesus Christ came into our world and assumed our nature, in order that God might be glorified in humanity, in order that humanity might be uplifted and glorified in Christ. All heaven rejoices at the redemption of the lost race. Christ rejoiced in the secret consciousness of what He purposed to do for man. He desires to do far more abundantly than we are able to ask or think. The fountain of His inexpressible love is inexhaustible, and it flows toward all those who believe in Him, who are willing to practise self-denial and to suffer reproach for His name. When we submit to truth, we submit to its Author. The Holy Spirit works within us, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Through sin the heart and the mind have been defiled and enfeebled, but Jesus came to impart moral power, to reshape moral taste, to fashion man after the divine similitude, and to elevate humanity in the scale of moral value with God. If we would learn of Christ, we must have the faith which works by love and purifies the soul. Faith is valueless if it does not work by love and expel from the soul all selfishness, all pride and self-righteousness. Assent to the truth will never win heaven; but those who tremble at the word of the Lord, who desire to know and do His will, will not be disappointed in their hope of heaven.”

Jesus modeled what it truly means to be a Christian, for while here among us He perfectly subordinated His will to His Father, therefore leaving us a perfect example, and gained eternal life for us. We now must understand that by complete subordination of our will to Jesus we become agents of salvation to our fellowmen. By the practicality of our profession, people will be led to make total and permanent surrender and commitment to Christ. They will come to see and believe on Him who only is able to raise them up even though they die. This is really the only true and lasting hope that they have, that we have, that the world has. We are their hope, and that’s why Jesus commands us, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

The servant of the Lord affirms, “If all who have a knowledge of the truth will daily put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and by a well-ordered life and godly conversation correctly represent what they claim to believe, a work may be accomplished in the salvation of souls that will make Heaven rejoice.” The Review and Herald, February 12, 1889. Speaking of practical Christianity, she states, “The beauty of his (the Christian’s) well-ordered life and godly conversation inspires faith and hope and courage in others. This is Christianity in practice.” Ibid., August 28, 1897.

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-882-3900.

When it is too Late to Recover

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One of the first things that you are taught when you learn to fly an airplane is how to recover from a stall. If you are flying level and your airspeed gets to be too low, the airplane will stop flying and just drop. That is not serious generally, for in a small plane like a Cessna 150 or 152, you can recover in two or three hundred feet, but the larger the airplane, the more distance it takes to recover. To practice this maneuver you must have sufficient altitude. Stalling without sufficient altitude can be very dangerous and even deadly. The standard procedure to follow when going too slow and stalling is to give it fuel, push in the throttle and gain speed and you will come right out of it.

It is customary when purchasing a plane to take it up with an instructor, or someone that has experience with that particular plane, for a test run before taking delivery. A personal friend and Seventh-day Adventist minister was taking delivery of an airplane he had purchased and took it on the test flight. It was flying fairly low and stalled. Unfortunately, the plane was flying too low and it slammed into the ground instantly killing both occupants. In 1991 that very same thing happened to a 737. A sports team was coming in for a landing in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The winds were very gusty that day which makes it one of the most dangerous times to land, because you are flying into the wind and you have to have your flight speed up high enough so if the wind drops, you are still above stalling speed. The wind was gusting anywhere from 15 to 40 miles per hour, and the pilot failed to keep the correct airspeed. While the airplane was coming in for a landing, the wind pulled back and all of a sudden the plane just went straight down and instantly killed everybody. A stall is not dangerous when there is plenty of altitude, but coming in for a landing when the plane is low, there is not enough time or distance to recover.

We are headed toward the Holy City. We are almost home and ready to make a heavenly landing. Care must be taken to not stall, for soon it will be too late to recover.

The warning of the third angel is found in Revelation 14:9–12; it says, “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.’ Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

The reason for this warning given by the third angel is because of what the powers of this earth are going to do in the end of this world’s history. It is described in Revelation 13:14–17: “And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

Now, for over 150 years, Seventh-day Adventists have been preaching the three angels’ messages to the world. Some Seventh-day Adventists have heard it so much that it no longer affects them. It is in the back of their mind; they believe it, but think it probably won’t happen in their lifetime. The messenger of the Lord has something to say about this way of thinking.

“The day is at hand when the destiny of every soul will be fixed forever. This day of the Lord hastens on apace. The false watchmen are raising the cry, ‘All is well’; but the day of God is rapidly approaching. Its footsteps are so muffled that it does not arouse the world from the deathlike slumber into which it has fallen. While the watchmen cry, ‘Peace and safety,’ ‘sudden destruction cometh upon them,’ ‘and they shall not escape’; ‘for as a snare [a trap] shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.’ It overtakes the pleasure-lover and the sinful man as a thief in the night. When all is apparently secure, and men retire to contented rest, then the prowling, stealthy, midnight thief steals upon his prey. When it is too late to prevent the evil, it is discovered that some door or window was not secured. ‘Be ye also ready: for in an such hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.’ People are now settling to rest, imagining themselves secure under the popular churches; but let all beware, lest there is a place left open for the enemy to gain an entrance. Great pains should be taken to keep this subject before the people. The solemn fact is to be kept not only before the people of the world, but before our own churches also, that the day of the Lord will come suddenly, unexpectedly. The fearful warning of the prophecy is addressed to every soul. Let no one feel that he is secure from the danger of being surprised. Let no one’s interpretation of prophecy rob you of the conviction of the knowledge of events which show that this great event is near at hand.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 335, 336.

Our only safety is to be ready at all times. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His time because they were not able to read the signs of the times.

About forty years ago I was first informed of a development that could bring about the fulfillment of the prophecy of being unable to buy or sell. Recently, I have become aware that this development is happening much more rapidly than most people realize. It is not happening in the United States, but all around the world and is developing secretly so that most people do not even know that it is happening. However, many of the relatively few who do know about it are scared to death about what it portends for the future, and these people don’t even know the three angels’ messages.

Most do know that the United States money supply has been increased by trillions of dollars in the last three or four years. But what many do not realize is that dozens of central banks, including the United States Federal Reserve Bank, are starting to abandon the paper money system and force us to a new traceable digital currency. The New York Times has reported that the United States government is shredding and burying billions of dollars in landfills, enough to fill 1,750 dump trucks per year. This shredding program has been going on for years to rid the system of worn out dollar bills. Recently they are destroying currency faster than they are replacing it, and are shredding so much cash, that they have been forced to outsource this to private companies. Landfill fees have been getting so high that they have been forced to find new and unusual ways to dispose of all this unwanted paper. ABC News reported that the dollars are piling up so quickly that the Federal Reserve will need to spend $650,000 to build a new vault in Dallas, Texas, to hold them.

What is this endless destruction of paper money all about? It appears that the plans are to flip us into an age of digital, traceable currency and bring to an end the use of cash. In 2011, the United States Treasury printed fewer $5 bills than it had in over 30 years, and no $10 bills were printed at all. In regard to coins, it costs the government about 9 cents to make a nickel, and about 2 cents to make a penny.

There is no legal requirement for businesses to accept dollars as payment, and businesses are starting to refuse cash. Many airlines no longer accept cash for food and drink during flights. Apple stores won’t accept it for an iPad or an iPhone. The State of Louisiana has made it illegal to buy many things with cash.

The Economist magazine said recently, “Cash, after millennia, as one of mankind’s most versatile and enduring technologies, looks set to melt away.” This same thing is happening overseas. In Mexico, there is a bill before the legislature to make it illegal to pay cash for real estate. In Greece, all cash transactions worth 1,500 Euros or more are against the law as of January 1, 2012. In Italy, all cash transactions over 5,000 Euros will be banned.

What does this mean to you? It means you will not be able to transfer a large sum of money anonymously, and every financial transaction that you make will be easily monitored and controlled by the government. Now, we have been on this road for over 50 years, but the pace has become much faster in recent months. Over 90 percent of our money supply is digital. The government is not printing more money but transactions are being made through computers.

Many do not believe that cash will ever disappear, however there is a bill in the United States Congress right now that would remove legal tender status from United States Treasury coins and Federal Reserve Notes. If that bill should pass, paper money would not be money anymore. The United States Treasurer has announced plans to switch to digital payments that will save, they say, nearly three hundred million dollars a year by eliminating millions of paper checks.

The Social Security administration recently switched from paper check to a new digital currency system to distribute billions of dollars in monthly benefit payments. Here is what one analyst said: “There’s not much time left, before the United States government prints their last dollar bill.” Dozens of central banks, including the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States, are about to force us into a traceable currency. And when that happens, it will be the simplest, easiest thing in the world to enforce the mark of the beast so you cannot buy or sell, as it is predicted in Revelation 13:15 and 17.

These things have been developing slowly over the last 50 years. But, like a lot of things, it is just going slowly and then all of sudden it happens. Ellen White said this about the rapidity of these things being fulfilled at the end: “The work of the people of God is to prepare for the events of the future, which will soon come upon them with blinding force.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 4, 74.

Blinding force is something that happens so fast you can’t see it; it blinds you to even try to see what is happening. Ellen White, when writing the book The Great Controversy, said, “I was moved by the Spirit of the Lord to write that book, and while working upon it, I felt a great burden upon my soul. I knew that time was short, that the scenes which are soon to crowd upon us would at the last come very suddenly and swiftly, as represented in the words of Scripture: ‘The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night’ (I Thessalonians 5:2).” Selected Messages, Book 3, 113.

Peter also tells us that the last events of this earth would come very suddenly and swiftly. He says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.” II Peter 3:10.

The ability to buy and sell is a test over the law of God. The mark of the beast is the change in the law of God, specifically the change in the time of the law of God as mentioned in Daniel 7:25. And the change of the Sabbath is the sign or mark of authority of the anti-christ. We are told in Evangelism, 234, 235. “No one has yet received the mark of the beast. The testing time has not yet come. There are true Christians in every church, not excepting the Roman Catholic communion. None are condemned until they have had the light and have seen the obligation of the fourth commandment. But when the decree shall go forth enforcing the counterfeit sabbath, and the loud cry of the third angel shall warn men against the worship of the beast and his image, the line will be clearly drawn between the false and the true. Then those who still continue in transgression will receive the mark of the beast.

“With rapid steps we are approaching this period.”

The great test of loyalty will be over the fourth commandment and this test is going to occur before probation closes, before the work closes up. Ellen White says, “The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 80.

Think about what you would do tonight if you could not buy or sell. Only the Lord will be able to sustain His people through that period. The just shall live by faith. Though the 144,000 live until the Lord comes, it will look like they are going to be killed. They would rather be killed than disobey God. This is the mindset necessary to go through to the end and be part of the people who are ready to meet Jesus when He comes.

“This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who prove their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin, and accept the Sunday sabbath, will receive the mark of the beast.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 15.

If you receive the mark of the beast, it is too late to recover, just like an airplane that stalls when it’s coming in for a landing—it’s too late!

“The substitution of the laws of men for the law of God, the exaltation, by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama. When this substitution becomes universal, God will reveal Himself. He will arise in His majesty to shake terribly the earth. He will come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity, and the earth shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain (Isaiah 26:21).” Testimonies, vol. 7, 141. Things are being put in place so that central governments can control every financial transaction that occurs. When that happens, it will be very easy on a central computer, if you don’t have proper ID, to block the code so that your card won’t work. Instantly, you will not be able to buy and sell. What will you do then?

“In the last vision given me, I was shown the startling fact that but a small portion of those who now profess the truth will be sanctified by it and be saved.” Ibid., vol. 1, 608. This means that the majority now professing the faith will turn away from it for their temporal needs.

“I was pointed back to ancient Israel. But two of the adults of the vast army that left Egypt entered the land of Canaan. Their dead bodies were strewn in the wilderness because of their transgressions. Modern Israel are in greater danger of forgetting God and being led into idolatry than were His ancient people. Many idols are worshiped, even by professed Sabbathkeepers.” Ibid., 609.

“To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few—this will be our test. At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason.” Ibid., vol. 5, 136.

We are rapidly approaching the test that will come to each of us individually. It is one thing to stand and preach about it, or sit and listen to it, but it will be another thing when hungry and thirsty and you can’t buy and sell.

The survivors will, like the three worthies on the plain of Dura, say, Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us but if He does not, let it be known that we will not bow even if we lose our lives. (See Daniel 3:17, 18.)

This is how Ellen White described it: “The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness.” Ibid., 81.

Time is running out. At this final test the wheat will be separated from the tares. “Said my [Ellen White] accompanying angel, ‘Fearful is his work. Awful is his mission. He is the angel that is to select the wheat from the tares, and seal, or bind, the wheat for the heavenly garner.’ ” Early Writings, 118.

We are preparing to come in to land at our heavenly home. The landing strip is in sight and there is still time to throttle up and make a safe landing by choosing to surrender your life to Jesus Christ and make the commitment, “Lord, I am committing my life to You, and whether I live or die, I am going to follow You and obey You.” Divine power will be given to you and you will be amazed that now you can overcome habits that you never thought possible.

Everyone is to receive a mark, some will have a mark of deliverance—the seal of God. Others will have a mark of destruction—the mark of the beast. At the close of probation one group is going to be saved and there is no way they can be destroyed. The other group of people that have the other mark are going to be destroyed, and there is no way they can be saved.

After receiving the marks, it is too late to change. “Our own course of action will determine whether we shall receive the seal of the living God or be cut down by the destroying weapons. Already a few drops of God’s wrath have fallen upon the earth; but when the seven last plagues shall be poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation, then it will be forever too late to repent and find shelter.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 212.

This is going to come suddenly, at a time when least expected. The signs of the times show that we are almost there, and it will be too late to pick up speed, just as the 737 stalled as it was coming in for landing and went straight down because it was too late! Spectators watched as it hit the ground. If the plane had stalled while still high enough in the air, it could have recovered but you don’t dare stall on the approach, for it is then too late to recover.

Soon there will be no more atoning blood to wash away the stains of sin. Jesus is about to leave the most holy place. Just being a Sabbath-keeper is not enough. “Not all who profess to keep the Sabbath will be sealed. There are many even among those who teach the truth to others who will not receive the seal of God in their foreheads.” Ibid., 214. That is scary!

If Paul said he had to keep his body under or he could be rejected (1 Corinthians 9:27), that would apply to me and it would also apply to you. “They had the light of truth, they knew their Master’s will, they understood every point of our faith, but they had not corresponding works. These who were so familiar with prophecy and the treasures of divine wisdom should have acted their faith.” Ibid. Pray earnestly that you are not in that class.

The spiritual condition of those who receive the seal of God is seen in Revelation 7:1–3 and Revelation 14:1–5. Compare this condition with Revelation 7:1–3. Plead for righteousness while there is still time: “Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them.” Ibid., 215.

When God has a people in this world whose souls are cleansed from every defilement, they will receive the “latter rain.” James 5:7.

Do not despair; your case is not hopeless if you come to Jesus. All things are possible, if you can believe that Jesus can remove all the spots and stains out of your character if you are willing to let go of those bad habits no matter what they are. But, He will never force anyone to let them go and take away their free will. Victory is available to all of those who cooperate with the heavenly agencies. Before we can be ready to receive the latter rain and to give the loud cry, these stains have to come out. This is impossible for us; it is the Lord’s work, but we must cooperate with the divine agencies and be willing to let go.

“There are sinners in Zion who need to repent of sins that have been cherished as precious treasures. Until these sins are seen, and thrust from the soul, until every faulty, unlovely trait of character is transformed by the Spirit’s influence, God cannot manifest Himself in power.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 366.

Imagine the family and church where each person had the unlovely traits of character removed. “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times.” The Great Controversy, 464.

Ellen White wrote in The Signs of the Times, August 19, 1886, “If we have become the disciples of Christ, we shall be learning of Him—every day learning how to overcome some unlovely trait of character.”

We are approaching the time when it will be too late to stall and then recover. Every moment is precious, and we need to seek God day and night that every unlovely trait of character may be removed from our characters that we might become a perfect reflection of the character of our precious Saviour, Jesus Christ.

(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 of Free Seventh-day Adventists in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Editorial – “We shall be like Him” I John 3:2

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Are you like Jesus? If you are to become like Jesus you must know what He is like. This is one reason that we should study the life of Jesus every day. In a letter to her son and daughter-in-law, Edson and Emma White, in 1874, Ellen White gave a detailed description of Jesus’ character. She said:

  • He was patient, meek and had lowliness of mind.
  • He was at variance and at war with the whole ungodly world, yet He did not give way to passion and violence manifested in words and actions, although receiving shameful abuse in return for good works.
  • He was rejected and despitefully treated, yet He retaliated not.
  • He possessed self-control, dignity, and majesty.
  • He suffered with calmness and when abused returned only compassion, pity, and love.
  • Christ never murmured, never uttered discontent, displeasure, or resentment.
  • He was never disheartened, discouraged, ruffled, or fretted.
  • He was patient, calm, and self-possessed under the most exciting and trying circumstances.
  • All His works were performed with a quiet dignity and ease, whatever commotion was around Him.
  • Applause did not elate Him. He feared not the threats of His enemies.
  • He moved amid the world of excitement, of violence and crime, as the sun moves above the clouds.
  • Human passions and commotions and trials were beneath Him. He sailed like the sun above them all.
  • Yet He was not indifferent to the woes of men. His heart was ever touched with the sufferings and necessities of His brethren, as though He Himself was the one afflicted.
  • He had a calm inward joy, a peace which was serene. His will was ever swallowed up in the will of His Father.