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Following Counsel

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There is no better example of a people as a whole ignoring divine counsel than that of ancient Israel. The Lord predicted Israel’s rebellion, which was the direct result of their failure to heed divine counsel.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that I may inaugurate him.’ So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting. Now the Lord appeared at the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood above the door of the tabernacle. And the Lord said to Moses: ‘Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, “Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?” ’ ” Deuteronomy 31:14–17

Why was God not among them? Because they refused to heed His counsel.

Just before ascending Mt. Nebo where he was destined to die, Moses recounted the history of God’s people and made his final attempt to make them realize their true condition.

“Moses closed his last instructions to the people by a most powerful, prophetic address. It was pathetic and eloquent. By inspiration of God he blessed separately the tribes of Israel. In his closing words, he dwelt largely upon the majesty of God, and the excellency of Israel, which would ever continue if they would obey God, and take hold of His strength.” The Story of Redemption, 172

But as he was recounting the history of God’s people, he also noted, “For they are a nation void of counsel, nor is there any understanding in them.” Deuteronomy 32:28

We can presume from that description that those who have counsel from the Lord do indeed have understanding—when they obey that counsel. We can further assume that those who fail to heed counsel lack understanding.

It is evident from an analysis of Moses’ recounting that ancient Israel had lost its way. Considering that the “past is prologue,” we need to look at today’s situation within the church to see if history is repeating itself, and inquire: Is the Seventh-day Adventist church veering from the plainest counsel that the Lord has so lovingly supplied, just as ancient Israel did?

It can indeed be asserted that as a people, Seventh-day Adventists have disregarded explicit instructions provided by our Creator, just as the Israelites did more than 3,000 years ago.

Consider this: The Catholics are operating many Adventist medical institutions. Broad-road preachers are invited to speak in Adventist churches. For many years representatives of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists have not only attended ecumenical counsels, but actively participated in the ecumenical movement. There is little, if any, difference between the Adventist educational system and that of the world. The General Conference more than once has filed lawsuits against fellow believers.

In Deuteronomy 5:32, 33, after having reviewed the ten commandments with the Israelites, Moses concluded, “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.”

In other words, “If you heed My counsel, it will be well with you.”

Then in Deuteronomy 6:5, Moses gives what has come to be known as the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

Christ emphasized the significance of this commandment when a Pharisee questioned Him. “Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:35–40

We can assume that since the questioner was a lawyer, he was undoubtedly familiar with the law and knew the answer to his question before he asked. Clearly, he was “testing Jesus” to see if He was really who He claimed to be. Note, too, that the lawyer refused to acknowledge His divinity, addressing Him merely as “Teacher.”

Turning back to Deuteronomy 6, Moses repeats the counsel he had just given in chapter five: “You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you.” Verse 17

This is advice that it would be well for Seventh-day Adventists to heed today, especially with regard to “His testimonies.”

This is a repeated fulfillment of the Lord’s prediction against ancient Israel found in Deuteronomy 31. How can God’s people expect to receive divine blessings if we refuse to heed divine counsel?

The book of Job provides some excellent examples of counsel heeded and counsel ignored. After a bit of badgering by his “miserable counselors,” Job expresses his faith in God: “With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.” Job 12:13

After much back and forth between Job and those counselors, Elihu, who had remained silent while Zophar, Eliphaz, and Bildad had condemned Job, spoke extensively and somewhat eloquently on God’s justice, goodness, and omnipotence.

Then beginning in chapter 38, it seems that God had had enough of all the debate and self-justifications and turned directly to Job. “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: ‘Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?’ ” Job 38:1, 2

After a thorough grilling by God in a series of questions and statements that provide amazing insight into God’s character, “Then Job answered the Lord and said: ‘I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, “Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?” Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, “I will question you, and you shall answer Me.” I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.’ ” Job 42:1–6

Thus ends one of the many lessons we can learn from Job’s experience.

We also learn from the book of Job that there is both good and bad counsel. This is made plain in the opening verse of the book of Psalms.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” Psalm 1:1

A more contemporary way to state this verse might be “Blessed are those who don’t listen to bad or unrighteous advice, who disregard the efforts of the enemy of souls to lead them astray, and who do not engage in ridicule and mockery.”

It can be stated that all who expect to reside on the far side of the Jordan must reject bad advice, ignore Satan’s efforts to lead them astray, and must not engage in ridicule.

“I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.” Psalm 16:7

We bless the Lord by heeding His counsel, by doing exactly what Moses instructed the children of Israel to do in Deuteronomy 5 and 6.

“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:10, 11

The truth of this passage is very evident when we see all that is happening in the world today. In spite of the fact that there are regular, high-level meetings among the leading nations of the world to try to resolve one problem after another—poverty, homelessness, climate change, regional and global conflicts—time and events continue to careen onward toward the fulfillment of prophecy.

Look at David’s recap of the history of God’s people found in Psalm 106.

“Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, but rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea. Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power known.

“He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up; so He led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. The waters covered their enemies; there was not one of them left. Then they believed His words; they sang His praise.

“They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel [adhere to His advice], but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.” Verses 7–15

The remainder of the chapter tells us what occurred because of that failure.

So, we should ask ourselves if we are doing as ancient Israel did. Are we ignoring the counsel we are given in God’s word—whether it is in the Bible or in the testimonies so lovingly provided through God’s prophet to the remnant?

For example, we are told, “The effect of cheese is deleterious.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 47

“Cheese should never be introduced into the stomach.” Testimonies, Vol. 2, 68

Cheese “is wholly unfit for food.” The Ministry of Healing, 302

Even with this decisive counsel regarding the perils of eating cheese, many Adventists persist. Note that cheese is one of the very few foods that counsel definitely and unequivocally says not to eat.

In 2003 and 2004, I attended a conference Adventist church for the first time. At one of the first fellowship meals, one of the members had brought a cheese pizza from a national pizza chain. Being familiar with the inspired counsel regarding cheese, I was surprised and mentioned to one of the members of the church what Sister White said about cheese. He was shocked and said he had never heard that before. This from a life-long Adventist!

A few months later, the church was assigned a new pastor. To introduce himself to the church board, he hosted an informal dinner for them. The main course was cheese pizza, again from a national chain. When the church leaders are ignoring the plainest counsel we are given, how can the church members be blamed if they do likewise? This is why we are to know and heed the counsel in God’s word, looking to it for guidance and not to our fellow man—even if that fellow man is the pastor!

Another example of counsel that is frequently ignored is contained in Sister White’s response to a letter she had received from someone who was struggling to overcome.

“I have just read your letter. You seem to have an earnest desire to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. I encourage you to do this. I counsel you to discard everything that would cause you to do halfway work in seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Put away every indulgence that would hinder you in the work of overcoming. Ask for the prayers of those who can comprehend your need of help.

“There was a time when I was in a situation similar in some respects to yours. I had indulged the desire for vinegar. But I resolved with the help of God to overcome this appetite. I fought the temptation, determined not to be mastered by this habit.

“For weeks I was very sick; but I kept saying over and over, The Lord knows all about it. If I die, I die; but I will not yield to this desire. The struggle continued, and I was sorely afflicted for many weeks. All thought that it was impossible for me to live. You may be sure we sought the Lord very earnestly. The most fervent prayers were offered for my recovery. I continued to resist the desire for vinegar, and at last I conquered. Now I have no inclination to taste anything of the kind. This experience has been of great value to me in many ways. I obtained a complete victory.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 484, 485

During Sister White’s third visit to England in 1887, she made the following diary entry:

“I had presented much more upon general principles, but that did not set things right. The idea was so riveted in their minds that their own way was perfect, that the very ones who need to reform did not take hold of the matter at all. I was obliged to say decidedly, as did Nathan to David, ‘Thou art the man.’ It made a decided stir in the camp, I assure you. I told them that the preparation of their food was wrong, and that living principally on soups and coffee and bread was not health reform; that so much liquid taken into the stomach was not healthful, and that all who subsisted on such a diet placed a great tax upon the kidneys, and so much watery substance debilitated the stomach.

“I was thoroughly convinced that many in the establishment were suffering with indigestion because of eating this kind of food. The digestive organs were enfeebled, and the blood impoverished. Their breakfast consisted of coffee and bread with the addition of prune sauce. This was not healthful. The stomach, after rest and sleep, was better able to take care of a substantial meal than when wearied with work. Then the noon meal was generally soup, sometimes meat. The stomach is small, but the appetite, unsatisfied, partakes largely of this liquid food, so it is burdened.

“The salads are prepared with oil and vinegar, fermentation takes place in the stomach, and the food does not digest, but decays or putrefies. As a consequence the blood is not nourished, but becomes filled with impurities, and liver and kidney difficulty appear. Heart disturbances, inflammation, and many evils are the result of such kind of treatment, and not only are the bodies affected, but the morals, the religious life, are affected.

“I told them that unless they should change their diet, physical, mental, and moral degeneracy would surely be the result. Plain, good, substantial food must be given to our bodies, else there will be a poverty of the blood.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 2, 143, 144

It can readily be acknowledged that these are hard sayings. Giving up cheese and anything and everything with vinegar in it—mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, salad dressing—indeed makes us peculiar people, but that is what God wants us to be, isn’t it?

There is a passage that speaks directly to the attitude of a person facing this decision. Speaking of new Christian converts, Inspiration says, “… But they faint beneath the fiery test of temptation. They cannot bear reproach for Christ’s sake. When the word of God points out some cherished sin, or requires self-denial or sacrifice, they are offended. It would cost them too much effort to make a radical change in their life. They look at the present inconvenience and trial, and forget the eternal realities. Like the disciples who left Jesus, they are ready to say, ‘This is an hard saying; who can hear it?’ John 6:60.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 47, 48

There is another hard saying that can be considered a clear example of the circumcision of the heart that Paul writes about in Romans 2:29: “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” This “heart circumcision” refers to the giving up of those things that you cherish in your heart that impede your Christian growth.

Matthew 10 begins with a census of the twelve apostles. Then beginning in verse 5, we have a record of Christ’s instructions to them as He sends them out to begin their work in the vineyard. He tells them to begin with the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He tells them to have faith that their needs will be supplied while engaging in this work. He warns them that they will experience persecution and to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. He encourages them that though they may experience threats, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” Verse 28, first part

Then He states what may be considered one of the hardest sayings in all Scripture:

“ ‘Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to “set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law”; and “a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” ’ ” Verses 34–36

If that isn’t hard enough to accept, He adds, “ ‘He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.’ ” Verse 37

This is indeed a hard saying. Making the decision that this counsel requires is a decision that is faced by anyone who is the lone Adventist in their family. Placing the love and requirements of God before the claims of family members is extremely trying and difficult. In fact, many find it impossible and make no concerted effort to do so, thereby perhaps losing eternity.

I’m sure that the apostle Paul loved his family as any husband and father would. Inspiration tells us that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. One of the qualifications for membership in that group was that any member had to be a family man—married with children. Yet, in all of his writings, Paul makes not a single mention of, nor the faintest allusion to, his family. He even went so far as to say to the Philippians, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8

How can that be? How can we have the joy that the Christian experience is to provide when we have given up those who are nearest and dearest?

The fact of the matter is that we cannot experience the joy of the Christian walk unless we fully claim the promises in God’s word, having faith that what He promises, He will deliver.

There are a couple of inspired passages that provide insight into how a Christian can successfully face life’s challenges and the demands of the Christian walk.

“Shortly before His crucifixion Christ bequeathed to His disciples a legacy of peace. … This peace is not the peace that comes through conformity with the world. It is an internal rather than an external peace. Without will be wars and fightings, through the opposition of avowed enemies, and the coldness and suspicion of those who claim to be friends. The peace of Christ is not to banish division, but it is to remain amid strife and division. …

“The peace that Christ gave to His disciples, and for which we pray, is the peace that is born of truth, a peace that is not to be quenched because of division. Without may be wars and fightings, jealousies, envies, hatred, strife; but the peace of Christ is not that which the world giveth or taketh away.” Our High Calling, 328

“Sanctification, unity, peace—all are to be ours through the truth. The belief of the truth does not make men gloomy and uncomfortable. If you have peace in Christ, His precious blood is speaking pardon and hope to your soul. Yes, more, you have joy in the Holy Spirit, through accepting the precious promises. Jesus says, ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ John 16:33. Therefore the world shall not overcome you if you believe in Me. It is a world that I have conquered. Because I have overcome, if you believe in Me, you shall overcome. …

“All that Jesus has promised, He will fulfill; and it is greatly dishonoring to Him for us to doubt Him. All His words are spirit and life. Accepted and obeyed, they will give peace and happiness and assurance forever. … Christ declares that He has given us peace; it belongs to us. And He has spoken these things, that in Him we may have that which through infinite sacrifice He had purchased for us—what He holds as ours. This peace we need not seek in the world, for the world has it not to bestow. It is in Christ. He will give it, in spite of the world, notwithstanding its threats and decrees, its alluring, deceiving promises.” Ibid., 329

“All that Jesus has promised, He will fulfill.” He will wipe away all tears, including those we shed when we “suffer the loss of all things and count them as rubbish,” even when “all things” include our loved ones.

“The compassionate Saviour, who treated with tenderness the very chief of sinners, who never spurned true meekness and penitence, however great the guilt, uttered the most scathing denunciations against those who did not appreciate the light from heaven; who neither walked in the light themselves, nor extended its cheering influence to those in darkness. Will He be better pleased with us if we neglect our heaven-sent blessings and responsibilities?” The Youth’s Instructor, September 24, 1896

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” Matthew 19:29

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

If You Inherit the Righteousness of Christ

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“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11, 12

“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:30, 31

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.” Romans 5:17, 18

“In the gospel of Christ Jesus, … the terms of salvation were fully revealed. The law stands in all its original force and purity; not one jot or tittle was to be set aside or altered; for the law is the transcript of the character of God. But the Lord made a covenant of grace whereby His mercy is extended to fallen man, and provision is made so ample and powerful that souls ruined by the fall may be uplifted to glory, honor, and immortality. … Encircling the throne of God is the rainbow of the covenant, a symbol of the pledged word of God that He will receive every sinner who gives up all hope of eternal life on the ground of his own righteousness, and accepts the righteousness of the world’s Redeemer, believing that Christ is his personal Saviour, able to save him from his sin, and to keep him from falling. Unless Christ is the ground of our hope, we shall not inherit eternal life.” The Signs of the Times, September 5, 1892

“We need to ask ourselves the question, What shall I do to inherit eternal life? … The sinner may be pardoned if he accepts Christ as a personal Saviour. There is only one condition—the acceptance of the robe of Christ’s righteousness.” Sermons and Talks, Vol. 1, 138

Bible Study – Good Works

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May 21 – 27, 2023

Key Text

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Study Help: Faith and Works, 47–50; 95–98

Introduction

“The unselfish labor of Christians in the past should be to us an object lesson and an inspiration. The members of God’s church are to be zealous of good works, separating from worldly ambition and walking in the footsteps of Him who went about doing good.” The Acts of the Apostles, 109

Sunday

1 SOLELY BY GRACE

1.a. What is the sure foundation of our salvation? Ephesians 2:8, 9

Note: “Salvation is God’s free gift to the believer, given to him for Christ’s sake alone. The troubled soul may find peace through faith in Christ, and his peace will be in proportion to his faith and trust.” The Review and Herald, January 29, 1895

1.b.        What is the role of good works in our spiritual life? Ephesians 2:10

Note: “The Lord has ordained that good works shall be rewarded. We are accepted through Christ’s merit alone; and the acts of mercy, the deeds of charity, which we perform, are the fruits of faith; and they become a blessing to us; for men are to be rewarded according to their works. It is the fragrance of the merit of Christ that makes our good works acceptable to God, and it is grace that enables us to do the works for which He rewards us. Our works in and of themselves have no merit. When we have done all that it is possible for us to do, we are to count ourselves as unprofitable servants. We deserve no thanks from God. We have only done what it was our duty to do, and our works could not have been performed in the strength of our own sinful natures.” The Review and Herald, January 29, 1895

Monday

2 DEAD WORKS

2.a. What is the meaning of the expression “dead works”? Hebrews 9:14

Note: “True sanctification means perfect love, perfect obedience, perfect conformity to the will of God. We are to be sanctified to God through obedience to the truth. Our conscience must be purged from dead works to serve the living God. We are not yet perfect; but it is our privilege to cut away from the entanglements of self and sin, and advance to perfection.” The Acts of the Apostles, 565

“If God has chosen us from eternity, it is that we might be holy, our conscience purged from dead works to serve the living God. We must not in any way make self our god. God has given Himself to die for us, that He might purify us from all iniquity. The Lord will carry on this work of perfection for us if we will allow ourselves to be controlled by Him. He carries on this work for our good and His own name’s glory.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 200, 201

2.b.        How can we be purged from dead works? Isaiah 6:5–7

Note: “Let every soul who claims to be a son or a daughter of God examine himself in the light of Heaven; let him consider the polluted lips that make him ‘undone.’ They are the medium of communication. …

“How many words are spoken in lightness and foolishness, in jesting and joking! This would not be so did the followers of Christ realize the truth of the words, ‘Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.’

“Harsh and unkind words, words of censure and criticism of God’s work and His messengers, are indulged in by those who profess to be His children. When these careless souls discern the greatness of God’s character, they will not mingle their spirit and attributes with His service. When our eyes look by faith into the sanctuary, and take in the reality, the importance and holiness, of the work there being done, everything of a selfish nature will be abhorred by us. Sin will appear as it is—the transgression of God’s holy law. The atonement will be better understood; and by living, active faith, we shall see that whatever of virtue humanity possesses, it exists only in Jesus Christ, the world’s Redeemer.” The Review and Herald, December 22, 1896

Tuesday

3 DEAD WORKS (continued)

3.a. What is the result of works which lack faith? Romans 14:23 

Note: “We are not perfect, but it is our privilege to cut away from the entanglements of self and sin, and go on unto perfection.” The Upward Look, 99

“The Pharisee goes up to the temple to worship, not because he feels that he is a sinner in need of pardon, but because he thinks himself righteous and hopes to win commendation. His worship he regards as an act of merit that will recommend him to God. At the same time it will give the people a high opinion of his piety. He hopes to secure favor with both God and man. His worship is prompted by self-interest.

“And he is full of self-praise. He looks it, he walks it, he prays it. Drawing apart from others as if to say, ‘Come not near to me; for I am holier than thou’ (Isaiah 65:5), he stands and prays ‘with himself.’ Wholly self-satisfied, he thinks that God and men regard him with the same complacency.

“ ‘God, I thank thee,’ he says, ‘that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.’ He judges his character, not by the holy character of God, but by the character of other men. His mind is turned away from God to humanity. This is the secret of his self-satisfaction.

“He proceeds to recount his good deeds: ‘I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.’ The religion of the Pharisee does not touch the soul. He is not seeking Godlikeness of character, a heart filled with love and mercy. He is satisfied with a religion that has to do only with the outward life. His righteousness is his own—the fruit of his own works—and judged by a human standard.

“Whoever trusts in himself that he is righteous, will despise others. As the Pharisee judges himself by other men, so he judges other men by himself. His righteousness is estimated by theirs, and the worse they are the more righteous by contrast he appears. His self-righteousness leads to accusing. ‘Other men’ he condemns as transgressors of God’s law. Thus he is making manifest the very spirit of Satan, the accuser of the brethren. With this spirit it is impossible for him to enter into communion with God. He goes down to his house destitute of the divine blessing.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 150, 151

3.b.        What is the source of dead works? James 2:17, 26

Wednesday

4 THE SOURCE OF TRUE GOOD WORKS

4.a. How do true good works come into being? Isaiah 26:12; John 7:37–39

Note: “Love is the basis of godliness. Whatever the profession, no man has pure love to God unless he has unselfish love for his brother. But we can never come into possession of this spirit by trying to love others. What is needed is the love of Christ in the heart. When self is merged in Christ, love springs forth spontaneously. The completeness of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly from within—when the sunshine of heaven fills the heart and is revealed in the countenance.

“It is not possible for the heart in which Christ abides to be destitute of love. If we love God because He first loved us, we shall love all for whom Christ died. We cannot come in touch with divinity without coming in touch with humanity; for in Him who sits upon the throne of the universe, divinity and humanity are combined. Connected with Christ, we are connected with our fellow men by the golden links of the chain of love. Then the pity and compassion of Christ will be manifest in our life. We shall not wait to have the needy and unfortunate brought to us. We shall not need to be entreated to feel for the woes of others. It will be as natural for us to minister to the needy and suffering as it was for Christ to go about doing good.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 384, 385 [Author’s emphasis.]

4.b.        What did Paul say about the basis of his spiritual life? Galatians 2:20, 21 

Note: “Paul realized that his sufficiency was not in himself, but in the presence of the Holy Spirit, whose gracious influence filled his heart, bringing every thought into subjection to Christ. He spoke of himself as ‘always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.’ 2 Corinthians 4:10. In the apostle’s teachings Christ was the central figure. ‘I live,’ he declared, ‘yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.’ Galatians 2:20. Self was hidden; Christ was revealed and exalted.” The Acts of the Apostles, 251

Thursday

5 DIVINE PURPOSES FOR GOOD WORKS

5.a. What did Christ say about the purpose of good works? Matthew 5:16

Note: “Practical work will have far more effect than mere sermonizing. We are to give food to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and shelter to the homeless. And we are called to do more than this. The wants of the soul, only the love of Christ can satisfy. If Christ is abiding in us, our hearts will be full of divine sympathy. The sealed fountains of earnest, Christlike love will be unsealed.

“God calls not only for our gifts for the needy, but for our cheerful countenance, our hopeful words, our kindly handclasp. When Christ healed the sick, He laid His hands upon them. So should we come in close touch with those whom we seek to benefit.

“There are many from whom hope has departed. Bring back the sunshine to them. Many have lost their courage. Speak to them words of cheer. Pray for them. There are those who need the bread of life. Read to them from the word of God. Upon many is a soul sickness which no earthly balm can reach nor physician heal. Pray for these souls, bring them to Jesus. Tell them that there is a balm in Gilead and a Physician there.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 417, 418

5.b.        What will be the result of faith which works by love and purifies the soul? Galatians 5:5, 6; Romans 8:24

Note: “In the night of spiritual darkness God’s glory is to shine forth through His church in lifting up the bowed down and comforting those that mourn.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 417

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    What is the place of good works in Christian life?

2    What are dead works?

3    What is the relation between justification by faith and good works?

4    What is the source of all good works?

5    How can the world know that we really believe in Christ?

Copyright 2005, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – Faith

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May 14 – 20, 2023

Key Text

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’ ” Romans 1:16, 17

Study Help: Education, 253–261

Introduction

“Christ did not fail, neither was He discouraged; and the disciples were to show a faith of the same enduring nature. They were to work as He had worked, depending on Him for strength. Though their way would be obstructed by apparent impossibilities, yet by His grace they were to go forward, despairing of nothing and hoping for everything.” The Acts of the Apostles, 23

Sunday

1 SAVING FAITH

1.a. What is the Bible definition of faith? Hebrews 11:1 

Note: “We can have the salvation of God in our families; but we must believe for it, live for it, and have a continual, abiding faith and trust in God.” Child Guidance, 484

“The prayer of the publican was heard because it showed dependence reaching forth to lay hold upon Omnipotence. Self to the publican appeared nothing but shame. Thus it must be seen by all who seek God. By faith—faith that renounces all self-trust—the needy suppliant is to lay hold upon infinite power.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159

1.b.        What is written about the creation of the universe? Hebrews 11:3; Psalm 33:6, 9

Note: “God spoke, and His words created His works in the natural world. God’s creation is but a reservoir of means made ready for Him to employ instantly to do His pleasure.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1081

Monday

2 OVERCOMERS BY FAITH

2.a. What is recorded about Abel? Genesis 4:4; Hebrews 11:4

Note: “In every offering to God we are to acknowledge the one great Gift; that alone can make our service acceptable to Him. When Abel offered the firstling of the flock, he acknowledged God, not only as the Giver of his temporal blessings, but also as the Giver of the Saviour. Abel’s gift was the very choicest he could bring; for it was the Lord’s specified claim. But Cain brought only of the fruit of the ground, and his offering was not accepted by the Lord. It did not express faith in Christ. All our offerings must be sprinkled with the blood of the atonement. As the purchased possession of the Son of God, we are to give the Lord our own individual lives.” The Review and Herald, November 24, 1896

“Fallen man, because of his guilt, could no longer come directly before God with his supplications; for his transgression of the divine law had placed an impassable barrier between the holy God and the transgressor. But a plan was devised that the sentence of death should rest upon a Substitute of superior value to the law of God. In the plan of redemption there must be the shedding of blood, for death must come in consequence of man’s sin. The beasts for sacrificial offerings were to prefigure Christ. In the slain victim, man was to see the fulfillment for the time being of God’s word, ‘Ye shall surely die.’ ” Ibid., March 3, 1874

2.b.        What was the main difference between Cain and Abel’s offerings? Genesis 4:3–5

Note: “Cain thought himself righteous, and he came to God with a thank offering only. He made no confession of sin, and acknowledged no need of mercy. But Abel came with the blood that pointed to the Lamb of God. He came as a sinner, confessing himself lost; his only hope was the unmerited love of God. The Lord had respect to his offering, but to Cain and his offering He had not respect. The sense of need, the recognition of our poverty and sin, is the very first condition of acceptance with God. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 5:3.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 152

Tuesday

3 OVERCOMERS BY FAITH (continued)

3.a. Summarize the biography of Enoch. Genesis 5:21–24

Note: “Did he [Enoch] see God by his side? Only by faith. He knew that the Lord was there, and he adhered steadfastly to the principles of truth. We, too, are to walk with God. When we do this, our faces will be lighted up by the brightness of His presence, and when we meet one another, we shall speak of His power, saying, Praise God. Good is the Lord, and good is the word of the Lord.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1087

3.b.        What was Enoch’s reward? Hebrews 11:5

Note: “We can have what Enoch had. We can have Christ as our constant companion. Enoch walked with God, and when assailed by the tempter, he could talk with God about it. He had no ‘It is written’ as we have, but he had a knowledge of his heavenly Companion. He made God his Counselor, and was closely bound up with Jesus. And Enoch was honored in this course. He was translated to heaven without seeing death. And those who will be translated at the close of time, will be those who commune with God on earth. Those who make manifest that their life is hid with Christ in God will ever be representing Him in all their life practices. Selfishness will be cut out by the roots.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1087

“Be ambitious, for the Master’s glory, to cultivate every grace of character. In every phase of your character building you are to please God. This you may do; for Enoch pleased Him though living in a degenerate age. And there are Enochs in this our day.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 332

“If you will only watch, continually watch unto prayer, if you will do everything as if you were in the immediate presence of God, you will be saved from yielding to temptation, and may hope to be kept pure, spotless, and undefiled till the last.” Gospel Workers, 128

Wednesday

4 OVERCOMERS BY FAITH (continued)

4.a. What is written of Noah? Genesis 5:28, 29, 32; 6:8, 9, 13, 14, 22; Hebrews 11:7

Note: “The descendants of Seth were called the sons of God—the descendants of Cain, the sons of men. As the sons of God mingled with the sons of men, they became corrupt, and by intermarriage with them, lost, through the influence of their wives, their peculiar, holy character, and united with the sons of Cain in their idolatry. Many cast aside the fear of God, and trampled upon His commandments. But there were a few that did righteousness, who feared and honored their Creator. Noah and his family were among the righteous few.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 1, 66

“While Noah was giving his warning message to the world, his works testified of his sincerity. It was thus that his faith was perfected and made evident. He gave the world an example of believing just what God says. All that he possessed, he invested in the ark. As he began to construct that immense boat on dry ground, multitudes came from every direction to see the strange sight and to hear the earnest, fervent words of the singular preacher. Every blow struck upon the ark was a witness to the people.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 95

4.b. What title did God Himself apply to Noah? Genesis 7:1; 2 Peter 2:5

Note: “Of the vast population of the earth before the Flood, only eight souls believed and obeyed God’s word through Noah. For a hundred and twenty years the preacher of righteousness warned the world of the coming destruction, but his message was rejected and despised. So it will be now. Before the Lawgiver shall come to punish the disobedient, transgressors are warned to repent, and return to their allegiance; but with the majority these warnings will be in vain. Says the apostle Peter, ‘There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning.’ 2 Peter 3:3, 4. Do we not hear these very words repeated, not merely by the openly ungodly, but by many who occupy the pulpits of our land?” Patriarchs and Prophets, 102, 103

Thursday

5 ABRAHAM–A FRIEND OF GOD

5.a. How was Abraham justified before God? Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1–5

Note: “The first and the last are to be sharers of the great, eternal reward, and the first should gladly welcome the last. He who grudges the reward to another, forgets that he himself is saved by grace alone.” The Review and Herald, July 10, 1894

5.b.        How was Abraham justified before the whole universe? James 2:18–26

Note: “In order for man to be justified by faith, faith must reach a point where it will control the affections and impulses of the heart; and it is by obedience that faith itself is made perfect.” The Review and Herald, November 4, 1890

“The faith that does not produce good works does not justify the soul.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 397

“Faith works by love and purifies the soul. Faith buds and blossoms and bears a harvest of precious fruit. Where faith is, good works appear. The sick are visited, the poor are cared for, the fatherless and the widows are not neglected, the naked are clothed, the destitute are fed. Christ went about doing good, and when men are united with Him, they love the children of God, and meekness and truth guide their footsteps. The expression of the countenance reveals their experience, and men take knowledge of them that they have been with Jesus and learned of Him. Christ and the believer become one, and His beauty of character is revealed in those who are vitally connected with the Source of power and love.” Ibid., 398

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    What is faith?

2    Why did God accept Abel’s offering?

3    How did Enoch walk with the Lord?

4    How was Noah considered by God, and why?

5    What is the basic difference between faith and presumption?

Copyright 2005, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – Grace

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May 7 – 13, 2023

Key Text

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. … And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:14, 16, 17

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 167–177

Introduction

“Those who labor for souls must attain to a deeper, fuller, clearer knowledge of God than can be gained by ordinary effort. They must throw all their energies into the work of the Master. They are engaged in a high and holy calling, and if they gain souls for their hire they must lay firm hold upon God, daily receiving grace and power from the Source of all blessing.” The Acts of the Apostles, 205

Sunday

1 UNDERSTANDING GRACE

1.a. What is grace? John 1:14–17

Note: “Grace is unmerited favor, and the believer is justified without any merit of his own, without any claim to offer to God. He is justified through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who stands in the courts of heaven as the sinner’s substitute and surety.” Amazing Grace, 182

1.b.        To whom is God’s grace offered? Titus 2:11

Note: “In the council of heaven, provision was made that men, though transgressors, should not perish in their disobedience, but, through faith in Christ as their substitute and surety, might become the elect of God, predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. God wills that all men should be saved; for ample provision has been made, in giving His only-begotten Son to pay man’s ransom.” The Faith I Live By, 157

Monday

2 THE PURPOSE OF GRACE

2.a. What is the main purpose of God’s grace? Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11

Note: “The Lord saw our fallen condition; He saw our need of grace, and because He loved our souls, He has given us grace and peace. Grace means favor to one who is undeserving, to one who is lost. The fact that we are sinners, instead of shutting us away from the mercy and love of God, makes the exercise of His love to us a positive necessity in order that we may be saved.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 347

2.b.        Who needs grace? 1 Timothy 1:15

Note: “Without the grace of Christ, the sinner is in a hopeless condition; nothing can be done for him; but through divine grace, supernatural power is imparted to the man and works in mind and heart and character. It is through the impartation of the grace of Christ that sin is discerned in its hateful nature and finally driven from the soul temple. It is through grace that we are brought into fellowship with Christ, to be associated with Him in the work of salvation. Faith is the condition upon which God has seen fit to promise pardon to sinners; not that there is any virtue in faith whereby salvation is merited, but because faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy provided for sin. Faith can present Christ’s perfect obedience instead of the sinner’s transgression and defection. When the sinner believes that Christ is his personal Saviour, then according to His unfailing promises, God pardons his sin and justifies him freely. The repentant soul realizes that his justification comes because Christ, as his Substitute and Surety, has died for him, is his atonement and righteousness.” Faith and Works, 100

2.c. What poignant thought from a diary entry of Sister White relates to us all?

Note: “This day has been a day of perplexity and trial. We feel deeply our need of the grace of God. These small trials are worse to bear than heavy afflictions. Shall I ever learn to be perfectly patient under minor trials? I know that I shall be tempted and proved until self shall be hid in Jesus. My earnest prayer to God daily is for divine grace to do His will.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 20, 209

Tuesday

3 GRACE—POWER FOR TRANSFORMATION

3.a. How are we to overcome sin? Romans 6:14

Note: “Before the believer is held out the wonderful possibility of being like Christ, obedient to all the principles of the law. But of himself man is utterly unable to reach this condition. The holiness that God’s word declares he must have before he can be saved is the result of the working of divine grace as he bows in submission to the discipline and restraining influences of the Spirit of truth. Man’s obedience can be made perfect only by the incense of Christ’s righteousness, which fills with divine fragrance every act of obedience. The part of the Christian is to persevere in overcoming every fault. Constantly he is to pray to the Saviour to heal the disorders of his sin-sick soul. He has not the wisdom or the strength to overcome; these belong to the Lord, and He bestows them on those who in humiliation and contrition seek Him for help.

“The work of transformation from unholiness to holiness is a continuous one. Day by day God labors for man’s sanctification, and man is to cooperate with Him, putting forth persevering efforts in the cultivation of right habits. He is to add grace to grace; and as he thus works on the plan of addition, God works for him on the plan of multiplication. Our Saviour is always ready to hear and answer the prayer of the contrite heart, and grace and peace are multiplied to His faithful ones. Gladly He grants them the blessings they need in their struggle against the evils that beset them.” The Acts of the Apostles, 532

3.b.        What is promised to all who surrender to Christ? Matthew 16:24–27; James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6–10

Note: “The only safety for the youth in this age of pollution is to make God their trust. Without divine help they will be unable to control human passions and appetites. In Christ is the very help needed, but how few will come to Him for that help. Said Jesus when upon the earth, ‘Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.’ In Christ all can conquer. You can say with the apostle, ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.’ Again, ‘But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.’ ” Child Guidance, 467

Wednesday

4 FRUITFUL CHRISTIANS

4.a. What is the fruit of a Christian, and how is it borne? Galatians 5:22, 23; 2 Corinthians 9:8

Note: “The prayer of the living Christian will be ‘to be filled with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding, that they may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering, with joyfulness;’ ‘In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’

“Here is the true knowledge which should be desired, and possessed by every Christian. This knowledge will not lead to ungodliness. It will not break down the constitution, nor bring a gloomy cloud over the mind; but will impart substantial joys, and true happiness. This wisdom is divine, and flows ceaselessly from a pure fountain which gives peace, joy, and health.” An Appeal to Mothers, 32, 33

4.b.  What enables us to continuously bear fruit? John 15:5

Note: “As the graft receives life when united to the vine, so the sinner partakes of the divine nature when connected with Christ. Finite man is united with the infinite God. When thus united, the words of Christ abide in us, and we are not actuated by a spasmodic feeling, but by a living, abiding principle. The words of Christ must be meditated upon and cherished and enshrined in the heart. They should not be repeated, parrot-like, finding no place in the memory and having no influence over the heart and life.

“As the branch must abide in the vine to obtain the vital sap which causes it to flourish, so those who love God and keep all His sayings must abide in His love. Without Christ we cannot subdue a single sin or overcome the smallest temptation. Many need the Spirit of Christ and His power to enlighten their understanding, as much as blind Bartimaeus needed his natural sight. ‘As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me.’ All who are really in Christ will experience the benefit of this union. The Father accepts them in the Beloved, and they become objects of His solicitude and tender, loving care. This connection with Christ will result in the purification of the heart and in a circumspect life and faultless character.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 355 [Author’s emphasis.]

Thursday

5 GROWING IN GRACE

5.a. How can believers grow in grace? 2 Peter 1:2–8; 3:18 

Note: “It is the Lord’s desire that His followers shall grow in grace, that their love shall abound more and more, that they shall be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the praise and glory of God. …

“One of the divine plans for growth is impartation. The Christian is to gain strength by strengthening others. ‘He that watereth shall be watered also himself.’ This is not merely a promise; it is a divine law, a law by which God designs that the streams of benevolence, like the waters of the great deep, shall be kept in constant circulation, continually flowing back to their source. In the fulfilling of this law is the secret of spiritual growth.” The Signs of the Times, June 12, 1901

5.b. What do we need to grow in God’s grace? Psalm 119:9–11, 105; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Proverbs 4:23

Note: “Diligent heart-keeping is essential to a healthy growth in grace.” Our High Calling, 161

“How is it possible that we may grow in grace? It is possible to us only as we empty our hearts of self, and present them to heaven, to be molded after the divine Pattern. We may have a connection with the living Channel of Light; we may be refreshed with the heavenly dew, and have the showers of heaven descend upon us. As we appropriate the blessing of God, we shall be able to receive greater measures of His grace. As we learn to endure as seeing Him who is invisible, we shall become changed into the image of Christ. The grace of Christ will not make us proud, cause us to be lifted up in self, but we shall become meek and lowly in heart.” The Signs of the Times, January 16, 1893

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    What is grace and to whom is it offered?

2    What is man’s condition without God’s grace?

3    How can we be overcomers?

4    What is the result of God’s grace in our life?

5    What is essential for us to grow in grace?

Copyright 2005, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – Knowing God

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Christian Character (2)

April 30 – May 6, 2023

Key Text

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

Study Help: The Ministry of Healing, 409–426

Introduction

“The knowledge of God as revealed in Christ is the knowledge that all who are saved must have. This is the knowledge that works transformation of character. Received into the life, it will re-create the soul in the image of Christ. This is the knowledge that God invites His children to receive, beside which all else is vanity and nothingness.” The Acts of the Apostles, 475

Sunday

1 WORLDLY WISDOM

1.a. What is written about worldly wisdom? 1 Corinthians 1:19, 20

Note: “In their pride of intellect and human wisdom may be found the reason why the gospel message met with comparatively little success among the Athenians. The worldly-wise men who come to Christ as poor lost sinners, will become wise unto salvation; but those who come as distinguished men, extolling their own wisdom, will fail of receiving the light and knowledge that He alone can give.” The Acts of the Apostles, 240

“Many of the greatest scholars and statesmen, the world’s most eminent men, will in these last days turn from the light because the world by wisdom knows not God.” Ibid., 241, 242

1.b.        What special effort should we make in behalf of learned men? Matthew 22:9

Note: “God’s servants are to improve every opportunity to communicate the truth to these [eminent] men. Some will acknowledge their ignorance of the things of God and will take their place as humble learners at the feet of Jesus, the Master Teacher.” The Acts of the Apostles, 242

Monday

2 TRUE WISDOM

2.a. What does Scripture teach about true wisdom? Proverbs 1:2, 3, 5, 7; Jeremiah 9:23, 24

2.b.        Where can we find this true wisdom? Isaiah 34:16; 1 Corinthians 1:22–25, 30 

Note: “There is no branch of legitimate business for which the Bible does not afford an essential preparation. Its principles of diligence, honesty, thrift, temperance, and purity are the secret of true success. These principles, as set forth in the book of Proverbs, constitute a treasury of practical wisdom.” Education, 135

2.c. As we seek such wisdom, what also should we bear in mind? Romans 11:33

Note: “We can never by searching find out God. We must not attempt to lift with presumptuous hand the curtain behind which He veils His majesty. … We can so far comprehend His dealings with us, and the motives by which He is actuated, that we may discern boundless love and mercy united to infinite power. Our Father in heaven orders everything in wisdom and righteousness, and we are not to be dissatisfied and distrustful, but to bow in reverent submission. He will reveal to us as much of His purposes as it is for our good to know, and beyond that we must trust the Hand that is omnipotent, the Heart that is full of love.” The Great Controversy, 527

2.d.        What qualifies us to receive that wisdom which God intends for us to have? Psalm 25:9 

Note: “The Bible is yet but dimly understood. A lifelong, prayerful study of its sacred revealings will leave still much unexplained. It is the deep movings of the Spirit of God that is needed to operate upon the heart to mold character, to open the communication between God and the soul, before the deep truths will be unraveled.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 82

Tuesday

3 KNOWING THE FATHER

3.a. What is essential for us in order to know God? Jeremiah 24:7; John 3:3

Note: “The refining influence of the grace of God changes the natural disposition of man. Heaven would not be desirable to the carnal minded; their natural, unsanctified hearts would feel no attraction toward that pure and holy place, and if it were possible for them to enter, they would find there nothing congenial. The propensities that control the natural heart must be subdued by the grace of Christ before fallen man is fitted to enter heaven and enjoy the society of the pure, holy angels. When man dies to sin and is quickened to new life in Christ, divine love fills his heart; his understanding is sanctified; he drinks from an inexhaustible fountain of joy and knowledge, and the light of an eternal day shines upon his path, for with him continually is the Light of life.” The Acts of the Apostles, 273

3.b.        How can we attain to a knowledge of God? Matthew 11:27; John 1:18

Note: “Only by knowing God here can we prepare to meet Him at His coming.” In Heavenly Places, 250

“The world by wisdom knows not God. Many have talked eloquently about Him, but their supposed sound reasoning, their subtle arguments, bring men no nearer to Him, because they themselves are not in vital connection with Him. … A correct knowledge of God is not a hearsay report, but an intelligent, experimental knowledge. …

“Only by knowing Christ can we know God.” The Review and Herald, July 20, 1897

“Christ is the perfect revelation of God. Let those who desire to know God, study the work and teaching of Christ. To those who receive Him and believe on Him, He gives power to become the sons of God.” Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 94

“The heavens are full of rich blessings, and it is our privilege to have the joy of Christ in us that our joy may be full. We have not because we ask not, or because we do not pray in faith, believing that we shall be blessed with the special influence of the Holy Spirit. To the true seeker through the mediation of Christ the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit are imparted in order that the receiver may impart a knowledge of saving truth.” Sabbath-School Worker, February 1, 1896

Wednesday

4 KNOWING JESUS CHRIST

4.a. Why is it vitally important to cultivate a knowledge of Christ? John 14:9

Note: “ ‘This is life eternal,’ Christ declared, ‘that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.’ These words mean much. It is only by knowing Christ that we can know God. The Sent of God calls upon all to listen to these words. They are the words of God, and all should give heed to them; for by them they will be judged. To know Christ savingly is to be vitalized by spiritual knowledge, to practice His words. Without this, all else is valueless.

“Christ came to this world to reveal the Father. What patience, what pitying tenderness, what divine compassion, what strength of purpose, He manifested! He did not fail nor become discouraged. He was the embodiment of purity, and His love was without a parallel. At every step He practiced self-denial and self-sacrifice. In His death He was the revelation of the reconciliation between God and man. By taking our nature, He bound Himself to us through eternal ages. He is our representative and head. He represents our race before God, still and forever bearing the humanity of the race. He pleads before the Father the perfect righteousness of all who accept Him.” The Signs of the Times, January 27, 1898

4.b. What is our knowledge of Christ to involve? 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30

Note: “To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ, which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere intellectual assent to the truth. He who waits for entire knowledge before he will exercise faith, cannot receive blessing from God. It is not enough to believe about Christ; we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power.” The Desire of Ages, 347 [Author’s emphasis.]

Thursday

5 DIVINE WISDOM VS. HUMAN WISDOM

5.a. How does the apostle Paul compare divine wisdom with human wisdom? 1 Corinthians 1:18–21

Note: “To each of us God has committed sacred trusts, for which He holds us accountable. He designs that man shall be so educated as to develop his mental and moral powers, that he may have a well-balanced mind and a symmetrical character. But education alone will not prepare him to answer the object of his creation. He needs the grace of God, and divine aid awaits his demand. Divine power united with human effort will enable him to do good and glorify his Creator.” The Signs of the Times, April 3, 1884

5.b. Why do so few learned men accept the true gospel? 1 Corinthians 1:25–31; Matthew 11:25, 26

 Note: “Because of the pride and ambition of the children of men, God has chosen to perform His mighty works by the most simple and humble means. It is not the men whom the world honors as great, talented, or brilliant, that God selects. He chooses those who will work in meekness and simplicity, acknowledging Him as their leader and their source of strength. He would have us make Him our protector and our guide in all the duties and affairs of life. …

“The Majesty of heaven works by whom He will. His providence sometimes selects the humblest instruments to do the greatest work, for His power is revealed through the weakness of men. We have our standard of reckoning, and by it we pronounce one thing great, and another small; but God estimates not according to the standard of men; He does not graduate His scale by theirs. We are not to suppose that what is great to us must be great to God, and what is small to us must be small to Him.” The Signs of the Times, July 14, 1881

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    What is the basis of false wisdom?

2    How can we be wise in the sight of God?

3    What kind of knowledge can we have about God?

4    How can we know God?

5    What is the main distinction between false and true wisdom?

Copyright 2005, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Recipe – Pear Cream

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Pears

About 88% of pears in the U.S. are grown in Washington and Oregon. They grow best in this region due to its volcanic soil, clean mountain water, warm spring days, and cool nights. They are in season and at their best from August-November, but are available most of the year.

While you may be most familiar with Bartletts and Boscs, there are more than 5,000 different varieties grown around the globe. Other top varieties include Anjou, Comice, Starkrimson, and Asian, which is also known as an apple pear.

Pears rank higher than almost any fruit when it comes to dietary fiber, with six grams or 21% of the daily value in just one pear. For the value of fiber, look no further than your gastrointestinal tract and the helpful bacteria that live there. Fiber helps maintain balance, regularity, and reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. Dietary fiber also slows digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract, leaving one feeling fuller longer, and slows absorption of sugars, reducing sugar spikes and cravings. Soluble fiber in pears also serves as a prebiotic, feeding the good bacteria in your gut.

Antioxidants can help to decrease inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation increases the risk for chronic disease like diabetes and heart disease. Regularly eating fruits like pears can help decrease the risk of chronic disease.

Pears ripen best off the tree, from the inside out. They may be hard, green, and unripe when bought fresh, but when pressing the stem area gives to pressure, it is ripe and ready to eat. Use pears to make delicious crisps, tarts, pies, cobblers, puddings, sauces, dried leathers, jams, and butters.

Sources: gleanersnutritionhub.org/blog/national-pear-month: usapears.org/articles/everything-there-is-to-know-about-pear-nutrition; agmrc.org/commodities-products/fruits/pears

Recipe – Pear Cream

Ingredients

1 cup cashews or Brazil nuts

1-2 tsp. vanilla flavoring

2 15-oz. cans unsweetened pears in own juice or 3 large pears, steamed with 1 cup water until soft

Pinch of salt

Process

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour over waffles, pancakes, granola, cooked cereal, etc.

In Harmony with God

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“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifested in the flesh.”

1 Timothy 3:16

In the old covenant, God’s law was written on stone, but in the new covenant, His law is written on a fleshly tablet—the heart. “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.” 2 Corinthians 3:2, 3

Jesus is a perfect, living example of the ten commandments written in the heart and lived out in the life. We can read this in Psalm 40:8. “I delight to do Your will, O My God, and Your law is within My heart.” The context of this verse makes it clear that this is a prophecy regarding the Messiah.

Since Jesus is our perfect, living example of how the ten commandments are to be lived out in the life, anything that is in my life, anything that I think or say or do that is not Christlike is a violation of the ten commandments, and therefore is sin. This is the new covenant understanding of what sin is.

Just as God was manifested in the flesh of Jesus Christ, He wants to be manifested in my flesh and in your flesh. In fact, unless this happens in your life and my life, we will never be in the kingdom of heaven. Let me repeat that. If God is not manifested in your flesh and my flesh, as He was in the flesh of Jesus Christ, then we will not be in the kingdom of heaven.

Mrs. White wrote the following regarding the purpose of the plan of salvation. “In order to understand what is comprehended in the work of education, we need to consider both the nature of man and the purpose of God in creating him. We need to consider also the change in man’s condition through the coming in of a knowledge of evil, and God’s plan for still fulfilling His glorious purpose in the education of the human race.” Education, 14, 15

There are four things in this quotation we need to study:

  1. The nature of man
  2. The purpose of God in creating him
  3. The change in man’s condition through the knowledge of evil
  4. God’s plan for fulfilling His purpose in the education of the human race

When God created man, He said, “ ‘Let Us make man in Our image, and in Our likeness.’ ” The purpose of the plan of salvation is to restore in mankind, in all who will accept His salvation, the image of God.

When I was seven years old, I began reading my Bible through for the first time. I read the first chapter of Genesis and contemplated that man was created in the image of God. I thought that we must then look like God. I have hands and eyes, feet and ears, so God must have those, too, I thought. But I was a child, and as I grew into adulthood, I started thinking differently about the terms likeness and image.

Being in the likeness of something has to do with resemblance, being a copy, representing someone, acting like someone, specifically bearing the character or power of another. Children may have the same color eyes and hair as their parents, but they also may adopt their parents’ mannerism and habits, they may sound like them, walk like them, they may have the same moral character and spiritual beliefs as their parents. People will say of them, “You are just like your mother,” or “You are just like your father.”

God wants you to become like Him. He wants people to look at you and me and see Him in our words and actions, in our compassion and love. “Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God’s ideal for His children. Godliness—godlikeness—is the goal to be reached.” Ibid., 18

“When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker. ‘God created man in His own image’ (Genesis 1:27), and it was His purpose that the longer man lived, the more fully he should reveal this image—the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator. All his faculties were capable of development; their capacity and vigor were continually to increase. Vast was the scope offered for their exercise, glorious the field opened to their research. The mysteries of the visible universe—the ‘wondrous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge’ (Job 37:16)—invited man’s study. Face-to-face, heart-to-heart communion with his Maker was his high privilege. Had he remained loyal to God, all this would have been his forever. Throughout eternal ages he would have continued to gain new treasures of knowledge, to discover fresh springs of happiness, and to obtain clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the wisdom, the power, and the love of God. More and more fully would he have fulfilled the object of his creation, more and more fully have reflected the Creator’s glory.” Ibid., 15.

That was God’s purpose when man was created, but when man sinned, it seemed to the whole universe that God’s plan would never be fulfilled.

Man was created to be like his Creator in every way, and it was God’s plan that as he continued to live, he would more and more fully reveal or reflect His image. “The glory of God is His character. While Moses was in the mount, earnestly interceding with God, He prayed, ‘I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory.’ In answer God declared ‘I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.’ ” The Signs of the Times, September 3, 1902

“In the beginning, man was created in the image of God. He was in perfect harmony with the nature and law of God; the principles of righteousness were written upon his heart.” The Great Controversy, 467

In his original state, Adam was in perfect harmony, not only with the law of God, but also with the nature of God. The principles of righteousness were written on his heart. You will recall that nature, heart, mind, and character are used synonymously in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. It is the natural thoughts and feelings, the disposition and affections that make up a person’s character. Adam’s natural thoughts and feelings, his disposition and affections were in harmony with the nature and law of God; he reflected the character of God.

First John 4:16 tells us that “God is love.” This is His nature. Adam was in harmony with the nature of God because the principles of righteousness were written in his heart. A principle is “a law of action in a human being,” in other words, an innate propensity common to the human species. And when man was created, his nature was in harmony with the nature of God.

Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is about the ten commandments. Verse 172 says, “My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.” The principles of righteousness are the principles of God’s commandments. Paul says, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:10. Ellen White describes it like this: “Love must be the principle of action. Love is the underlying principle of God’s government in heaven and earth, and it must be the foundation of the Christian’s character. This alone can make and keep him steadfast. This alone can enable him to withstand trial and temptation.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 49

So, what causes the Christian to obey God? Obedience is the outworking of a principle within. “The essence of all righteousness is loyalty to our Redeemer, doing right because it is right.” That I May Know Him, 118

“Love is power. Intellectual and moral strength are involved in this principle, and cannot be separated from it. The power of wealth has a tendency to corrupt and destroy; the power of force is strong to do hurt; but the excellence and value of pure love consist in its efficiency to do good, and to do nothing else than good. … Love is of God. The unconverted heart cannot originate nor produce this plant of heavenly origin, which lives and flourishes where Christ reigns.

“Love cannot live without action, and every act increases, strengthens, and extends it. Love will gain the victory when argument and authority are powerless.” Gospel Workers, 311, 312

After man sinned, when he was no longer in harmony with the character and love of God, we are told that, “Christ came to our world to represent the character of God as it is represented in His holy law; for His law is a transcript of His character.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 1, 44

Christ came and lived the very principles of the law of God; the principles that are the very nature of God (Steps to Christ, 60). It is God’s purpose that as the law was written in the heart of Jesus (Psalm 40:8), so they will be written in our hearts. This is His promise to His people under the new covenant. “ ‘This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ says the Lord. ‘I will put My law into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people.’ ” Hebrews 8:10

To be in the kingdom of heaven, the law of God must be written in your heart. It was once a natural part of the nature of man, but once man sinned, selfishness took its place and became the all-governing principle of the human heart and mind.

“All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.” The Desire of Ages, 668

Imagine it! To be so aligned with Christ that you would rather die than sin; that all you want, all you think about is to do the will of God. To know God so well that you literally hate sin. Have you ever eaten something and hated it so bad you would never eat it again? I’m reminded of a child with their lips firmly closed together, absolutely refusing the food mom is trying to spoon in their mouth.

If sin isn’t like that for me, then I don’t know God. If there is any sin that has not become hateful to me, if I have chosen to become a Christian, but there is still some darling sin that I am hanging on to, then I do not know God. But once the sinful things I used to love become hateful and terrible to me, then I can say that I know God and that He has changed me so that I now hate sin and once again love righteousness.

As part of his nature, Adam also had other powers of mind that were created in the image of God, such as his judgment, his reason, his intellect, and his affection, but these, too, were ruined when Adam sinned.

“When man came from the hand of his Creator, he was perfect in organization and beautiful in form.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1082. What does it mean that “he was perfect in organization”?

“Those who would have clear minds to discern Satan’s devices must have their physical appetites under the control of reason and conscience. The moral and vigorous action of the higher powers of the mind are essential to the perfection of Christian character.” Messages to Young People, 236, 237

This speaks of the higher powers of man’s mind. His will, judgment, reason, and conscience were regulated according to the truth, the law or the will of God, and therefore, they controlled the lower powers of the body.

“Before his fall Adam was free from the results of the curse. When he was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He was created perfect in thought and in action.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 141

Our actions, good and bad, have their very foundation in the mind. The thought must exist before the action can take place. People must sin in their mind before they can sin with their lips or their hand. “Man was originally endowed with noble powers and a well-balanced mind. He was perfect in his being, and in harmony with God. His thoughts were pure, his aims holy.” Steps to Christ, 17

“In the counsels of heaven God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. … So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him.’ The Lord created man’s moral faculties and his physical powers. All was a sinless transcript of Himself. God endowed man with holy attributes, and placed him in a garden made expressly for him.” The Youth’s Instructor, July 20, 1899

“God did not create man sinful. Adam came forth from the hand of his Maker without the taint of evil.” The Signs of the Times, August 26, 1897

All moral evil is sin. Therefore, the taint of evil can also be called the taint of sin. To be tainted with evil or sin means to be sinful. So, God made man upright with intellectual and moral powers. He was not created sinful, but was created without the taint of evil. “God made man upright. He gave him noble traits of character, with no bias toward evil. He endowed him with high intellectual powers, and presented before him the strongest possible inducements to be true to his allegiance.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 49

When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature a likeness to his Maker. He was noble, pure and holy, with no tendency to evil. The purpose of the new covenant is to restore men and women to the perfection they possessed when created. Christ alluded to the significance of this restoration in His conversation with the scribes and Pharisees.

“ ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.’ ” Matthew 23:25–28

Notice, the people who crucified Jesus appeared clean on the outside, but on the inside they were unclean and full of wickedness. They worked to look good to the world, but they had failed to do the heart work necessary to make the inside clean so that the outside would then be truly clean.

Let’s say a bomb exploded inside your house and caused a lot of damage—ruined your furniture, blew out a couple walls and made holes in the ceiling, broke all the windows and left burn marks and peeling paint outside. You hurriedly replaced the windows and had the exterior of the house repainted, making sure that all signs of the damage were no longer visible. You stand back and smile because now everyone will see that the outside looks like new again. But inside, you just cleared a path and made do, making no repairs, not even making sure that the house was still in stable condition.

That’s what the scribes and Pharisees were doing. Sin had made a horrible mess on the inside of their lives, but they were only concerned with cleaning up what people could see.

God doesn’t work that way. He is determined to clean up the inside first. In our spiritual lives, with the inside clean, the outside actions and words will be clean also. When God gives us a new heart and mind, then our character will be like Christ’s character. This is the purpose of the plan of salvation under the new covenant. God’s purpose is to restore perfection in man’s physical, mental, and moral nature so that it once again reflects the likeness of his Creator.

Remember, the image of God is His glory and the glory of God is His character. God’s character was reflected in the character of Adam because the law of God, the principles of righteousness, were written upon his heart, and the Holy Spirit was the ruling power in his life. The law of God is a transcript of His character, and it is also, Ellen White says, an expression of His very nature.

Lucifer told God that he wanted a change in the law, but what he was actually telling his Creator was, You change. And today, people are still saying that. They look at the ten commandments as rules too restrictive to bear and they want to be free to adjust or do away with them as they please.

But the ten commandments are a transcript of God’s character, His very nature, the embodiment of the great principle of love that prompted God to create man in the first place. When God made man, He placed these precepts in his heart. They were a part of his very nature. Obedience to the law kept every thought and action in harmony with God’s own nature.

After man sinned, however, man’s nature was governed by selfishness, and it became necessary for God to write the ten commandments in stone so that man could read them and know what God required of him. But it wasn’t enough to have the law written down. So God sent His Son, in person, so that we, sinful man, could see Him live out the principles of God’s law—principles of righteousness and love so strong that Jesus was willing to die to redeem us, so that we might once again have these principles written in our hearts and perfectly reflect the nature of God.

“Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.  But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.  For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.  For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:1–6

Jesus Christ was a perfect reflection of the glory of God, the law of God, the nature of God. “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Verse 6. The purpose of the new covenant is to restore in you and me a perfect reflection of the law of God, the nature of God, the thoughts of God, the character of God.

Let it be our constant prayer to be changed so that the new covenant can be worked out in our lives; that the law may once again be written in our hearts, so that our lives will be in harmony with God and our characters will be like Jesus.

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

Health – Depression

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Not all that long ago, depression was known as melancholia and looked upon as a resulting state of mind when a loved one died, a person lost their job, or maybe things just weren’t going the way a person hoped they would, so they would sigh and find it hard to get through the day.

But we now know that depression is classified as a mental illness and it has become, for some, an everyday way of life. Hopelessness and fear consume them, and too many come to believe that suicide is the only way to find peace.

“Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.”

It affects how you feel, how you think and behave, and it can cause a number of physical and emotional problems. A person can have trouble just getting through a normal day, sometimes even feeling as if life isn’t worth living.

It seems odd that it is during the holiday season filled with joyful celebration and the start of a new year with the potential of fresh beginnings, that we find the number of suicides and instances of depression and discouragement to be higher than at almost any other time throughout the year.

Many things can contribute to depression such as feelings of low self-esteem, bullying, conditions in the world, loss of a job or loved one, long debilitating illness—as occurred during the personal and societal changes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The symptoms of depression can include

  • Feelings of sadness, hopelessness
  • Angry outbursts and frustration
  • Loss of interest and pleasure in normal activities
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Tiredness and lack of energy
  • Reduced or increased appetite with resulting weight loss or gain
  • Anxiety
  • Slowed thinking
  • Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
  • Difficulty in concentration
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Unexplained physical problems

Anyone who has any of these symptoms or others like them should talk to a friend, a loved one, someone you trust, or it might be time to consult with your physician.

Source: mayoclinic.org/disease-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes

“Nothing is so fruitful a cause of disease as depression, gloominess, and sadness. Mental depression is terrible.” Testimonies, Vol. 1, 702

We must, however, always remember that we know the One who cares for us in a way no one else does or even can. Jesus is always here and He loves us (see Christ’s Object Lessons, 100).

“Do not give way to depression, but let the comforting influence of the Holy Spirit be welcomed into your heart, to give you comfort and peace.” This Day With God, 305

“A contented mind, a cheerful spirit, is health to the body and strength to the soul … .

“Many of the diseases from which men suffer are the result of mental depression.

“Because God’s love is so great and so unfailing, the sick should be encouraged to trust in Him and be cheerful. To be anxious about themselves tends to cause weakness and disease. If they will rise above depression and gloom, their prospect of recovery will be better … .” Mind, Character, and Personality, Vol. 2, 482

“A person whose mind is quiet and satisfied in God is in the pathway to health.” My Life Today, 150

“Let nothing depress you. It will not pay to allow yourself to become cast down. Satan is pleased when he can work his will in this respect. You are to look to the One who has never failed you, who will never leave you. You need not be discouraged, notwithstanding there may be many things of a discouraging nature to meet … .

“Let us gather to our souls the sure encouragements the Lord has given, and read often the precious promises of His word. Christ is our Mediator and our Redeemer.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, 62–64

Today, in this world of ever-increasing sin, depression and discouragement have a stranglehold on many people, even, or maybe more so, on professed Christians. Studying God’s word, reliance upon His promises and the arm of the Holy Spirit, prayer, a positive frame of mind, helping others in need, spending time in the sunshine, breathing in the fresh air, and making certain that we have adequate exercise and rest are all effective defenses against depression.

However, it is not wrong if a person feels the need to consult with the appropriate physician and/or counselor because of sadness and depression, and this should not be looked upon as lack of faith in God. God is the Great Physician, and He can and will help us when we ask according to His will for our lives. But He also has given man the knowledge and skill to help himself. We should ever look to Him who knows all things and does all things for our best good when we seek counsel from man; but we also must use the counsel that God has given us. He created us. He made every part of our body and mind to work efficiently when we maintain it according to His guidance. We are colaborers with God in our spiritual health, and He has also provided that man may be a colaborer with Him in his physical health.

[Emphasis supplied.]

Nature – Daddy Longlegs

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Daddy Longlegs are quite fascinating. Equally fascinating are the false and misleading accounts regarding the nature of these creatures. Many of these accounts have been passed down from generation to generation with the validity rarely challenged. Do they have fangs? Are they venomous? Do they bite, even humans? Are they even spiders? Let us explore the facts. The fossil record shows that daddy longlegs have been around for quite some time.

Myths

It sounds silly today, but as early as the 1600s, English farmers believed that daddy longlegs had a scythe (sickle) that assisted them with each harvest and killing one was thought to be bad luck. Some farmers believed that holding a daddy longlegs with one leg free would help them locate the direction of their lost cattle. And the poor among the French longed to see one in the evening, because they believed it was a sign of good fortune, hope, and happiness.

Environment, Defense & Feeding

Currently, of thousands of daddy longlegs species, six are critically endangered with a high possibility of extinction, eight are endangered, and two are vulnerable. Their habitat is being destroyed, degraded, and even lost due to man-made factors such as coffee growing, urban development, runoff pollution, and cave tourism.

Daddy longlegs live on every continent except Antarctica. In the temperate northern hemisphere, their legs tend to be longer; a male’s legs are also longer than a female’s legs. Their preferred environment is dark and moist, although they can also thrive in the desert. In your house, they would prefer a crawl space, your basement, or garage. Outside they live under logs and rocks, in tree burrows, and in sodden grassland. They have a 2-7 year lifecycle; taking a single year to develop from an egg into an adult.

Interestingly, daddy longlegs do not produce silk, therefore you will only find them in a web if they have fallen victim to the web spun by another type of spider.

Daddy longlegs are social creatures. They gather in thick, clustered communities of at least 300,000 individuals called aggregations. Researchers think that they aggregate for mating, temperature and humidity control, and to deter predators. When threatened by a parasite or predator, the entire aggregation signals a warning by excreting a foul scent. They then bob in a disorienting motion. Finally, they scatter quickly and individually. This foul scent is also used to communicate with one another, perfectly explaining the synchronized defense tactic. Other defenses include blending in with the surroundings, use of its armored body, playing dead to repulse, or willfully detaching a leg or legs to disorient a predator. Loss of a leg or legs is a permanent disability that occurs in at least 60% of their community.

They are poor-sighted creatures with a single pair of eyes, each one mounted on an eye turret that act as light sensors. You may wonder how they acquire food with such limited vision and no web in which to catch an unsuspecting meal. Researchers have concluded that they are most receptive to the light emitted by glowworms, which is a noteworthy portion of their diet. Although they are primarily scavengers of decomposing vegetable and animal matter, they are also opportunistic predators. As omnivores, they also eat plants, fungi, carrion (dead things), invertebrates (certain insects, like centipedes) and snails.

Daddy longlegs use small, hairy appendages near their mouth as sensory organs called pedipalps. These are not fangs nor venomous glands that cause harm by injecting venom into the prey to subdue it. The hairs secrete a poisonous and microscopic, glue-like substance that quickly subdues its prey, even those twice its own size. Although the poisonous secretion may cause harm through topical contact or ingestion by another creature, it is weak and therefore, not strong enough to harm humans.

Researchers have not, to date, found any evidence that daddy longlegs have fangs, are venomous, nor that they are capable of biting humans. Equally as important, they are not spiders.

In spite of their poor eyesight, daddy longlegs are able to sense their surroundings with the sensitive tips of their eight legs. The two longest legs are used as feelers while three legs are lifted and the other three legs touch the ground at the same time. This movement is compared to basketball dribbling or a bobbing motion. They keep these sensory organs in optimal condition by sliding one leg at a time through their mouth, in a motion called leg-threading.

Mistaken Identity 

The term, “granddaddy or daddy longlegs” is commonly used with reference to three different creatures: the crane fly, the cellar spider, and the harvestman. Only one is truly a spider. Only one is truly a daddy longlegs.

The crane fly is not a true spider so it is not a daddy longlegs.

The cellar spider is an arachnid in the family Phocidae. It has a two-part segmented body, eight legs, and eight eyes that are clustered together on the foremost segment of its body. It is a true spider, but it is not a daddy longlegs.

The harvestman is an arachnid in its own separate order Opiliones. It has a single, pill-like body without segments, eight legs, and a single pair of eyes. It does not have fangs or venom glands nor is it able to bite. The poisonous secretion found on its pedipalp hairs is actually a “glue” that subdues its prey, either by topical contact or ingestion. The more the prey struggles, the more stuck it becomes. It does not produce silk to spin webs. The harvestman is a true daddy longlegs.

As with daddy longlegs, there may be times in our lives when people mistake our nature, abilities, and limitations. There may also be times in our lives when people believe things about us that simply are not true. At times, we may become our own harshest critic; finding ourselves listening to the lies of the enemy without much resistance, surrendering in hopeless defeat.

Daddy longlegs are clueless to the myths and mistaken identities that have been imposed upon them, but we humans, we know what we think about ourselves, and more often than not, are aware of the beliefs and feelings that others have about us.

Beloved, let us not surrender in hopeless defeat, for we know that the thoughts imposed upon us cannot compare to the truth known by the Lord, the spiritual gifts and talents given by the Holy Spirit, and our true identity and life that is hidden in Jesus Christ. What a blessing it is to know the beauty of proving all things, knowing the power by which we may rebuke falsities, and to hold fast to that which edifies and is good. Stand firm in truth.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 Corinthians 10:4–6

​Sources: spiders.ucr.edu/daddy-long-legs; treehugger.com/facts-about-daddy-longlegs-will-surprise-you-4864488; livescience.com/are-daddy-longlegs-the-most-venomous-spiders; budgetbrotherstermite.com/daddy-long-legs-myth-facts; news.fnal.gov/2018/10/daddy-long-legs-15-interesting-facts; callnorthwest.com/2019/11/the-myth-of-the-grandaddy-long-legs; entomologytoday.org/2014/10/02/harvestmen-use-glue-to-capture-prey

Image credit: By Olei – Self-published work by Olei, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=331894