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Nature – The Chicken Egg

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A fertilized chicken egg is a very special creation. Before even thinking about a chick developing in an egg, it is interesting to ponder a few questions about the shell:

How does a chicken manage to get a shell around that slippery, raw, fertilized egg?

How does a chicken know it needs to make a shell with porosity so that the chick will be able to breathe?

How would mindless evolution know how to manufacture such a shell?

It turns out that the chicken has little to do with the formation of an eggshell—the egg actually grows the shell around itself! It does this using processes that are also seen in bones and seashells. Around the egg is a membrane, and evenly spaced on the membrane are points where columns of calcite (a form of calcium carbonate) form. These columns stack together side by side to form the shell. The shell itself is highly specialized. Each eggshell has about 10,000 tiny pores. The developing chick needs these pores to breathe.

Within the first few days after the egg is laid, blood vessels begin to grow out of the developing chick. Two of these attach to the membrane under the eggshell and two attach to the yolk. By the fifth day, the tiny heart is pumping blood through the vessels. The chick feeds from the yolk with the yolk vessels and breathes through the membrane vessels. The chick gives off carbon dioxide and water vapor as it digests the yolk. These waste products are picked up by the blood vessels and leave through the pores in the eggshell. … So here’s another question:

What makes those blood vessels grow out of the chick, and how do they know where to go and what to attach to?

By the nineteenth day, the chick has gotten very big and the oxygen it has been getting through the pores in the shell is no longer sufficient to sustain its life. How does it know what to do next? A small tooth called the “egg-tooth” has grown on the end of its beak and the chick uses this to peck a hole into an air sack at the flat end of the egg. The air sack provides only six hours of air for the chick to breathe, so instead of relaxing and breathing deeply, the chick pecks a small hole through the shell to gain access to the outside air. Two days later, on the twenty-first day, the chick “hatches” out of the shell.

Each step in the development of the chick defies evolutionary logic because if even one step in the process is missing or out of order, the chick will die. Timing is absolutely crucial!

The process must be orchestrated by God our Creator. The impersonal plus time/plus chance is not an adequate explanation for the wondrous complexities of life as we observe it. There had to be a Designer and His name is the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1; Colossians 1; Hebrews 1).

Sources: Dr. Jobe Martin, The Evolution of a Creationist (Rockwell, Texas: Biblical Discipleship Publishers, 2013), pages 209-211 and howstuffworks.com

Keys to the Storehouse – Unto the Least

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“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13

As humans, we think that if we put our very lives on the line for someone, we are fulfilling this scripture. For example, police officers, paramedics, and fire fighters who are the first to rush into a dangerous situation to save the lives of complete strangers at the risk of, and often the cost of, their own; doctors and nurses who expose themselves to potentially deadly diseases in order to care for the sick and the dying; parents who will sacrifice life or limb to protect the life of their child; or the person who will sacrifice their life for what is right, just because it is right.

So is it true that the above have fulfilled the intent of John 15:13? Yes, I believe so; however, there is more to laying down one’s life than just being willing to die for someone. While a noble act, what about giving, sacrificing in your life for someone? First John 3:16-18 tells us, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? … let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

In order to become the sacrifice necessary to save mankind from eternal death, Jesus had to sacrifice everything. He chose to be a man, to bear not only his physical weaknesses, but the weaknesses of his human nature (albeit without sin). He gave up His heavenly home and while on the cross, He was separated from the Father because of the sin of the world He carried. He left the love and praise of the heavenly angels and came to earth to live in poverty, tempted, scorned and rejected by the very ones He came to save. He lived a life that would be the example that man should follow so that he could develop the character needed to reach heaven. He showed man how to love even those who did not love Him. And then, He died for them.

If we are truly to fulfill the intent of the scripture to lay down one’s life, we must be willing to sacrifice everything: our property, our possessions, our wealth, our plans, our time, and yes, perhaps even our lives. The world groans as it suffers the painful burden of sin’s effects and consequences and the people of the world groan in their hearts, even if they aren’t aware of it, for lack of the one thing that could relieve their cares, fears, sorrows, and burdens – Jesus Christ. And how can they know Him, if they are never told, never shown? We must sacrifice our lives to Him so that He then can give us the love that makes it possible for us to sacrifice our lives for them.

Dear Lord, let it not be said of us: “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me,’ ” but rather “ ‘inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these, … you did it to Me.’ ”

(Matthew 25:42, 43 last part, 40).

[All emphasis supplied.]

Story – The Praying Engineer

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One winter, several years ago, there was a good deal of religious interest in a certain Midwestern town, and among those who joined the church was a little fellow twelve years of age, named Allen. His mother was a widow. Four years before, she had moved from their home in Vermont to this town in Wisconsin.

On the Sabbath evening of the day when he joined the church, Allen was sitting in the twilight with his mother.

“Allen, tell me what led you to want to be a Christian. Was it your home teaching, your lessons in the Sabbath school, the regular preaching of the pastor, or has it all come through the influence of the revival meetings?”

Allen looked up into his mother’s face.

“Mamma, it was none of these. Do you remember when we were coming from Vermont to live here four years ago, that I wanted to go on the engine and ride with the engineer? You were afraid to let me till the conductor, whom you knew well, told you that the engineer was a remarkable man, and that I would be just as safe on the engine with him as in the parlor car with you.”

“I remember that very well,” said his mother.

“Then,” continued Allen, “you allowed me to ride on the engine, where I was to stay till you or the conductor came for me. When we were about ready to start from the station where I first got on the engine, the engineer knelt down for just a little bit, and then got up and started his locomotive. I asked him many questions about its different parts and about the places and things which we passed by, and he was very patient in answering. Soon we stopped at another station, and just before we started he knelt down again. As he did this often, I tried to see what he was doing. Finally, after we had passed several stations, I made up my mind to ask him.

“ ‘My little lad, do you ever pray?’ ” he asked me very earnestly.

“ ‘Oh yes, sir! I pray every morning and evening,’ ” I replied. “ ‘Well, my dear boy,’ said he, ‘when I kneel down, I pray. God has allowed me to hold a very responsible place here. There are, perhaps, two hundred lives now on this train intrusted to my care. A little mistake on my part, a little failure to do all my duty, a little neglect, a little inattention to signals, might send all or many of these two hundred souls into eternity. So at every station I kneel for just a moment, and ask the Master to help me, and to keep the many lives He has put into my hands from all harm till we get to the next station. All the years that I have been on this engine, He has helped me, and not a single human being of the thousands that have ridden on my train has been harmed. I have never had an accident.’

“I have never before mentioned what he did or said, but almost daily I have thought about him, and resolved that I would be a Christian, too.”

True Education Reader, Fifth Grade, ©1933, 29–31.

Inspiration – The Book of Books

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All would pronounce the Bible the most interesting book they ever perused if their imagination had not become perverted by exciting stories of a fictitious character.

If we study the word of God with interest, and pray to understand it, new beauties will be seen in every line. God will reveal precious truths so clearly that the mind will derive sincere pleasure and have a continual feast as its comforting and sublime truths are unfolded.

To the diligent Bible student new light, new ideas, new gems of truth will constantly appear and be eagerly grasped, for it is impossible for any mind to comprehend all the richness and greatness of even one promise of God. One catches the glory from one point of view, and another the beauty and grace from another point, and the soul is filled with the heavenly light.

After the first acquaintance with the Bible the interest of the earnest seeker grows rapidly. The discipline gained by a regular study of the word of God enables him to see a freshness and beauty in truth that he never before discerned.

The Bible may be studied as a branch of human science would be; but its beauty, the evidence of its power to save souls that believe, is a lesson that is never thus learned. It is a leaf from the tree of life, and by eating it, by receiving it into our minds, we grow strong to do the will of God.

Those who bring to the investigation of the word a spirit of which it does not approve, will take away from the search a spirit which it has not imparted. We should take up the study of God’s word with humble hearts. All selfishness, all love of originality, should be laid aside. Long cherished opinions must not be regarded as infallible.

Those who study the Bible simply to find texts to prove their theory or vindicate their opinion, will not be enlightened by the Spirit of God. Not through controversy and discussion is the soul enlightened. We must look and live. We must search the scriptures in order to receive life for the soul.

When the heart is brought into harmony with the word, a new life will spring up within, a new light will shine upon every line of the word, and it will become the voice of God to the soul. Then the truth of God’s word will be regarded with new interest, and will be explored as if it were a revelation just from the courts above. Every declaration of inspiration concerning Christ will take hold of the in-most soul of those who love Him. Envy, jealousy and evil surmising will cease. The Bible will be regarded as a charter from heaven. Its study will absorb the mind, and its truths will feast the soul.

Several times each day, precious golden moments should be consecrated to prayer and the study of the Scriptures, if it is only to commit a text to memory, that spiritual life may exist in the soul. We should take one verse and concentrate the mind on the task of ascertaining the thought which God has put in that verse for us until it becomes our own, and we know “what saith the Lord.”

The mind must be restrained and not allowed to wander. It should be trained to dwell upon the Scriptures; even whole chapters may be committed to memory, to be repeated when Satan comes with his temptations. Even while you are walking on the streets, you may read a passage and meditate upon it, thus fixing it in your mind, and God will flash the knowledge obtained into the memory at the very time when it is needed.

We should open the Scriptures with reverence, and never allow one expression of lightness and trifling to escape our lips when quoting from them. As we take our Bible into our hands let us remember that we are on holy ground.

There is little benefit derived from hasty reading of the Scriptures. One may read the whole Bible through, and yet fail to see its beauty or comprehend its deep hidden meaning. One passage studied until its significance is clear to the mind, and its relation to the plan of salvation is evident, is of more value than the perusal of many chapters with no definite purpose in view and no positive instruction gained.

If Christians would earnestly search the Scriptures, more hearts would burn with the vivid truths therein revealed. Their hopes would brighten with the precious promises strewn like pearls all along through the sacred writings. In contemplating the history of patriarchs and prophets, the men who loved and feared God and walked with Him, hearts will glow with the Spirit that animated these worthies. As the mind dwells on the virtue and piety of holy men of old, the Spirit which inspired them will kindle a flame of love and holy fervor in the hearts of those who would be like them in character, and as they gather the golden truth from the word, the heavenly Instructor is close by their side.

In the word is poetry, wisdom, history, biography and the most profound philosophy. Here is a study that quickens the mind into a vigorous and healthy life, and awakens it to the highest exercise. Studied and obeyed, the word of God would give to the world men of stronger and more active intellect than will the closest application to all the subjects which human philosophy embraces. It would give men of strength and solidity of character, of keen perception and sound judgment: men who would be an honor to God and a blessing to the world, for it enlarges the mind, expands, elevates and endows it with new vigor, by bringing its faculties in contact with stupendous truths.

Even unconsciously we imitate that with which we are familiar. By having a knowledge of Christ—His words—and His Lessons of instruction, we instinctively borrow the virtues of the character which we have so closely studied and become imbued with the Spirit which we have so much admired. The West Michigan Herald, October 26, 1904.

How Do I Tell My Family?

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I have a confession to make. I don’t know how to witness to my family and friends.

I was raised a Seventh-day Adventist. I’ve studied the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. I’ve had the privilege of personally knowing some of the leading ministers in our faith.

But when it comes to sharing this knowledge and what I know to be right with my family and friends, I don’t know how. Why? Because I don’t know enough? No. Because I don’t want to offend anyone? Well, yes, maybe. But I think there is another deeper reason, a more personal one.

How can I tell anyone about the transforming, saving power of God that can change their life when I don’t think it has changed mine? Not because God doesn’t want to change me or doesn’t have the power to change me, but because I have not surrendered myself to His grace and power to effect that change in me. There, I said it.

Paul says in Romans 7:14, 15, 18, 19, “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. … For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” And I cry out with Paul in verse 24, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

A short time before I moved from Nebraska to Kansas, I was given the opportunity to talk with a young man that my husband and I had befriended. It was the first time in the four years we had known each other that he had expressed an interest in religion. I told him that it wasn’t religion that mattered, but having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I pointed to my Bible and told him that if he wanted to know about God, if he wanted to know how to have a personal relationship with Him, that was where he would find out how.

You’re probably giving me a thumbs up.  Good job, right? I believe I told him the right things, but the difficulty for me is the knowledge that while I know what to say, I don’t myself always do what I tell others to do. And it is this fact that keeps me from stepping forward and proclaiming the power of God.

I know what God can do because the Bible tells me. It is undeniable that God has done many things for me my whole life, particularly after my husband’s death, but I still find it so hard to give up the worldly things that have been so much a part of my life for so long; and these things interfere with my desire to study more and to spend time in prayer. How often do we say, “I just don’t have the time,” but in reality, we fill our lives with things that do us no good and keep out the One who wants to share our lives; the only One who can help.

I need a change, a complete change in my life; one that comes only by prayer and study of God’s word, and this is what I find so hard to do. It’s what I want to do, but I don’t.

“The work of gaining salvation is one of co-partnership, a joint operation. There is to be cooperation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection. But he is wholly dependent upon God for success. Human effort of itself is not sufficient. Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God. On the one side there is infinite wisdom, compassion, and power; on the other, weakness, sinfulness, absolute helplessness.

“God wishes us to have the mastery over ourselves. But He cannot help us without our consent and co-operation. The divine Spirit works through the powers and faculties given to man. Of ourselves, we are not able to bring the purposes and desires and inclinations into harmony with the will of God; but if we are ‘willing to be made willing,’ the Saviour will accomplish this for us, ‘… bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5).” The Acts of the Apostles, 482.

Friends, this is what I need. Maybe it’s what you need, too. If we are to be effective witnesses for God, then we must surrender to His Spirit. He will not change us if we are not willing to allow the changing.

“He who would build up a strong, symmetrical character, he who would be a well-balanced Christian, must give all and do all for Christ; for the Redeemer will not accept divided service. Daily he must learn the meaning of self-surrender. He must study the word of God, learning its meaning and obeying its precepts. Thus he may reach the standard of Christian excellence. Day by day God works with him, perfecting the character that is to stand in the time of final test. And day by day the believer is working out before men and angels a sublime experiment, showing what the gospel can do for fallen human beings.” Ibid., 483.

The end is no longer near. Jesus. Is. Coming! There is a world to warn. Family and friends need to be given the opportunity to choose for themselves as the Holy Spirit works in their lives. They must be given the truth with compassion and loving kindness; offending them should not be a concern if in the end, they accept Christ.

But while we are witnessing, we cannot neglect the work needed in our own lives so we are not left behind at Jesus’ appearing. If you aren’t right with God, now is the time because time is almost up.

Let this be our daily prayer: “I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13, 14).

[All emphasis supplied.]

Judy Rebarchek is a member of the LandMarks team. She can be contacted at: judyrebarchek@stepstolife.org

The Best and Worst Example

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I’ve heard it said that a Christian is the best and worst example of Christianity. The best when he or she does the will of God, obeys His commandments and loves his or her neighbor. The worst when he or she claims to be a Christian, but does not live or act according to Christian principles.

It seems a lot of people wear a Christian coat, but have had no change of heart or mind. Instead of following God’s way to be a Christian, they make up their own way, taking that coat off and putting it back on as it suits them.

Mahatma Gandhi had this to say about Christians:

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians—you are not like Him.”

This opens the door for Satan’s critical accusation, “Such are Christ’s people.”

“Christ is grieved today at the manifestation of unchristlike spirit and unchristlike actions among His professed followers. Many who bear His name are bringing reproach upon His cause by their unchristian words and deportment.” The Review and Herald, September 30, 1909.

“Let everyone attend most critically to himself. ‘Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.’ Body and mind must be carefully and strictly dealt with, that unchristlike traits of character and tendencies to wrong may not bear sway. … Every departure from righteousness becomes a force that works against the Lord Jesus.” The Southern Watchman, January 19, 1904.

“Many professing Christians are so engrossed with earthly cares that they have no time for the cultivation of piety. … Unsanctified inclinations and desires must be cut away as a hindrance to growth in grace.” Pacific Union Recorder, December 22, 1904.

Being like Christ, being a Christian, means that a person has had a complete change of heart, a heart that specifically and consistently chooses to do the will of God every moment of the day.

“To everyone who offers himself to the Lord for service, withholding nothing, is given power for the attainment of measureless results.” Christian Service, 257.

“Our only safety is in living in hourly communion with the high and holy principles of the Word. As we read and study the Scriptures, Christ will commune with us. …

“The Word of the eternal God is our guide. Through this Word we are made wise unto salvation. Its principles are to be ever in our hearts and on our lips. ‘It is written’ is to be our anchor. Those who make the Word of God the man of their counsel realize the weakness of the human heart and the power of divine grace to subdue every unsanctified, unholy impulse. They are almost constantly in prayer, and they have the guardianship of the holy angels. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of God lifts up a standard for them. There is harmony in the heart; for the principles of heaven bear sway.” Pacific Union Recorder, December 22, 1904.

We must never give the devil the opportunity to say of us, “Such are Christ’s people.” Daily we need to ask the Lord to live in our hearts, to make us more than just a coat-wearer, claiming Christianity, but not living the life of a Christian. We must become more and more like Him every day until that glorious morning when we will look upon His face and declare in one loud and joyous voice, “Behold, this is our God, we have waited for Him and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him. We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).

Mind Your Time

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In the book Christ’s Object Lessons we find the chapter titled “Talents” beginning on page 325. In this chapter Ellen White discusses several talents given to God’s people.

“The talents that Christ entrusts to His church represent especially the gifts and blessings imparted by the Holy Spirit.” Op. Cit., 327.

In addition to the gifts given by the Holy Spirit, there are other talents Mrs. White refers to as “gifts and endowments, whether original or acquired, natural or spiritual.” Op. Cit., 328. These include:

  • development of your mental faculties
  • self-control
  • speech – this involves more than an ability to speak in public, but how we speak in general
  • influence – how we live, as well as how we speak
  • health
  • strength
  • money
  • kindly impulses and affections; and
  • time

The focus of this article is the talent of time. How many of us have actually thought of time as being a talent? If you’ve not read this chapter in Christ’s Object Lessons before, it is likely you haven’t thought of it in that way.

Our time on this earth is limited. It is a probationary time to be used specifically for character development. Ellen White tells us, “A character formed according to the divine likeness is the only treasure that we can take from this world to the next. Those who are under the instruction of Christ in this world will take every divine attainment with them to the heavenly mansions. And in heaven we are continually to improve. How important, then, is the development of character in this life.

“The heavenly intelligences will work with the human agent who seeks with determined faith that perfection of character which will reach out to perfection in action. To everyone engaged in this work Christ says, I am at your right hand to help you.

“As the will of man co-operates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings.” Op. Cit., 332, 333.

Doesn’t that make how we spend our time extremely important? And could it be said that how we spend our time can be an indicator of what our relationship is with Jesus Christ? Time spent is time gone. There is no other talent of which God requires a more “strict account.”

If we are not spending our time in the business of becoming more and more like Christ every day, then we are wasting that time. And as we draw nearer and nearer to His second coming, that simply means less time to get ready, maybe even not enough time. So, on what are we spending our time?

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that what we look at, spend our time on, is what we will become. Mrs. White says it this way: “As the mind dwells upon Christ, the character is molded after the divine similitude. The thoughts are pervaded with a sense of His goodness, His love. We contemplate His character, and thus He is in all our thoughts. His love encloses us. If we gaze even a moment upon the sun in its meridian glory, when we turn away our eyes, the image of the sun will appear in everything upon which we look. Thus it is when we behold Jesus; everything we look upon reflects His image, the Sun of Righteousness. We cannot see anything else, or talk of anything else. His image is imprinted upon the eye of the soul, and affects every portion of our daily life, softening and subduing our whole nature. By beholding, we are conformed to the divine similitude, even the likeness of Christ. To all with whom we associate we reflect the bright and cheerful beams of His righteousness. We have become transformed in character; for heart, soul, mind, are irradiated by the reflection of Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us. …

“Jesus Christ is everything to us—the first, the last, the best in everything. Jesus Christ, His Spirit, His character, colors everything; it is the warp and the woof, the very texture of our entire being. The words of Christ are spirit and life. We cannot, then, center our thoughts upon self; it is no more we that live, but Christ that liveth in us, and He is the hope of glory. Self is dead, but Christ is a living Saviour.” The Faith I Live By, 150.

So, if this is not the way I am living my life, if Jesus is not everything to me, then shouldn’t I wonder if I am spending my time on the wrong things? We are told that we are what we eat. The Bible says we are that to which we surrender. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness” (Romans 6:16)?

This world offers so many things–things that many of us have spent a lifetime doing, believing that those things weren’t that bad, and maybe they aren’t, in and of themselves. But were we, are we, doing them at the expense of spending the time in God’s word, in prayer, in witnessing, in caring for our fellow man? How much time have we spent and will never have back? “… time squandered can never be recovered. We cannot call back even one moment. The only way in which we can redeem the time is by making the most of that which remains.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 342.

How much time do we spend on social media or watching TV, reading materials or books or listening to music that do nothing to uplift our souls to God, playing games, time spent on the computer, even at work or exercising (which is important to be healthy, but can also become an idol)? Brothers and Sisters, are we spending the time getting ready for heaven as if that’s the only thing we want or are we doing what we want and if there is any time left, we give it to God? We go to church, maybe prayer meeting, too. Maybe we have a quick few minutes in the morning to read a short devotional and say a few words of thanks for God’s protection during the night and then it’s off to work. And at the end of the day, we might read a little or pray a little if we can stay awake long enough. Isn’t it time to do some self-examination of our lives? We should listen to what we say, look carefully at what we do and even what we don’t do. We must consider what really matters to us in light of eternity.

If we want to be like Jesus, how can we be if we don’t spend any time getting to know Him? Mrs. White says that we should spend, every day, a thoughtful hour studying the life of Christ. Do I? Do you? Do the things we choose to spend our time doing keep us from spending time with Him? It’s an important question because even many of the good things that we do, the way we do them, can keep us from strengthening our personal relationship with Jesus. Can you comprehend that? Unless we have a personal relationship with Jesus first, nothing we do, even if it’s good, will be of value. Without Jesus, we can do nothing, we are nothing. John 15:4–6 says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

I have said this many times: Jesus’ coming is no longer near. It is here. Many of us have spent our whole lives doing what we wanted to do and, consequently, have done very little to be ready for that day. We have spent our lives soothing ourselves with the idea that Jesus has been coming for centuries. He may not come in my lifetime either. But what we fail to remember is that our days are numbered. It is true that any one of us may die before Christ comes, but only God knows when that day is. Doesn’t it behoove us then to get ready and be ready every day, lest that day come and when weighed in the balance, we are found wanting, with our name blotted out of the Book of Life?

We must understand that “the value of time is beyond computation.” As with our whole life, our time belongs to God. Our life, our time, our possessions, everything that deals with man belongs to God, loaned to man with the expectation of development and improvement. Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you” (John 15:16).

“Every moment is freighted with eternal consequences. …

“Life is too solemn to be absorbed in temporal and earthly matters, in a treadmill of care and anxiety for the things that are but an atom in comparison with the things of eternal interest. Yet God has called us to serve Him in the temporal affairs of life. Diligence in this work is as much a part of true religion as is devotion. … Every man and woman who is truly converted will be a diligent worker” Christ’s Object Lessons, 343.

Earth’s probation is almost over. Our probationary time on this earth could end at any moment. God is withdrawing His sustaining hand. Now is the time to turn away from the things of this world. Now is the time to surrender to God and plead for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The time we have spent is gone. All we have is now.

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).

[All emphasis supplied]

Judy Rebarchek is a member of the LandMarks team. She can be contacted at: judyrebarchek@stepstolife.org

Acceptable in the Sight of God

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“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

1 Timothy 2:5

There are more than two billion people in the world who claim the name of Jesus as their Saviour, calling themselves Christians. Yet Jesus said that few will be found worthy to go to heaven when He comes back. That is a sad thing to think about. Out of two billion professed Christians, a small amount, only a remnant, will truly, completely follow Him.

Jesus warned Jerusalem and the people of that day that sudden destruction was coming to the city and they would need to flee when they saw the signs. To His disciples He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37)!

Jesus knew that very few would be saved from destruction just years later when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman armies. But for all His true believers and followers, He gave this warning in Matthew 24:13-16: “… Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”

In 70 AD, the Christians who remembered the warning, fled the city when the opportunity was presented, thus escaping the devastation that occurred in Jerusalem. The temple was totally destroyed, with not one stone left on top of another and only a remnant of people were saved. “And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward” (Isaiah 37:31).

Throughout the history of the world, we have been given warnings of coming destructions, yet we have not understood. The lack of understanding is because we have not truly studied and asked the Lord to help us know His truth. Jesus is our God and Mediator as it says in 1 Timothy 2:5, and He is also our Teacher. He desires every man, woman, and child to be saved. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3, 4).

The problem God has is convincing His people who claim Him as their Saviour, to “come to the knowledge of the truth.” Jesus has given us an ample amount of evidence of His truth, yet His professed followers do not believe it, and if we do not believe His truth, how can we be saved? Jesus does not want us to be deceived by false teachers or false prophets. He wants us to study for ourselves and find His truth in the word of God. Jesus said to His disciples in John 8:31, 32, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

We must abide or live by the word of God if we are to know and understand the truth. Those who do only a casual reading or none at all, will lose heaven. They will be deceived into believing things that are not true. Peter talks a lot about this in his epistles. He warns us of the deception that was coming even in his time. Now it has been almost 2,000 years later and false teachings are throughout Christendom. Speaking of these teachers, he writes in 2 Peter 2:18, 19: “For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.”

When we talk about false teachers, we are talking about ministers, pastors, priests, Bible workers, or anyone who states something that is not according to the word of God. And the only way we can know if it is true or not is to study the Bible for ourselves and not rely on the interpretation of others. We should do a thorough study of any subject that we hear people talking about. The truth will only set us free if we are studying the truth for ourselves.

Who will be saved? That is a question that has been asked by each person who desires to go to heaven. Jesus told us through His revelation to John that there was a certain criterion to being saved. It was not instantaneous, but rather a commitment. Jesus said, “ ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God’ ” (Revelation 2:7). “ ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death’ ” (Revelation 2:11). “ ‘He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels’ ” (Revelation 3:5).

These are but three of the seven times Jesus encouraged us to follow His example and overcome. What must we overcome? Sin! We are all condemned under the sentence of death because of our sins. In fact, Paul reminds us that every man has sinned, and the punishment for that sin is death. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 3:23; 6:23).

We are all born with a sinful nature. No one can overcome that sinful nature except through Jesus Christ. In order to overcome sin, we must submit to Christ in all things. We must give up the things of this world. This world and the things in it have been contaminated by Satan, and he is now the owner of the worldly attractions, the big cities, the excitements that all lead to sin.

Jesus has come to take us out of that type of living. He says, “Come to Me, all you who … are heavy laden [with sin] and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He will help us overcome every temptation that Satan puts forth to make us fall into sin, but we must ask for that help. Jesus will never force us to do anything that we do not want to do.

However, He will not allow anyone into heaven who has not overcome sin in his life. That is why He sends us the Holy Spirit to help protect and mold our character to learn to hate sin and its consequences. Jesus gave us His gift of grace so that we could be free from the condemnation of sin. Once we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we must overcome sin through His power. “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Romans 6:22).

When we submit our will to the will of Jesus, He frees us from being slaves of sinful acts and gives us the power to resist sin. But be not deceived, if we do not overcome sin, we will be lost. Even though Jesus gave us the gift of His life, which paid for the sins of the world, if we continue in sin, then we have not truly accepted His gracious gift. It would be like saying, “I don’t want it” and throwing it back in His face.

Truth seems to be a fleeting thing these days. Everyone has their own definition of truth. Most “truth” that you see in the newspapers or on television, and especially on the Internet, is “truth with a twist,” spun to promote Satan’s agenda.

Jesus, however, can be trusted to give the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He has only one agenda and that is to save mankind from Satan’s rule. Jesus states His truth clearly and without compromise. The truth of Jesus is not of this world, and His truth has nothing to do with any worldly agenda. His truth is centered on how to live a life that will be accepted in heaven. So how do we become acceptable in God’s sight?

“Our Saviour, during all His sojourn on earth, shared the lot of the poor and lowly. Self-denial and sacrifice characterized His life. All the favors and blessings we enjoy are alone from Him. We are stewards of His grace and of His temporal gifts. The smallest talent and the humblest service may be offered to Jesus as a consecrated gift, and with the fragrance of His own merits He will present it to the Father. If the best we have is presented with a sincere heart, in love to God, from a longing desire to do service to Jesus, the gift is wholly acceptable.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 280.

We must first accept Christ as our Saviour and Mediator and turn away from our sins. We can only do this through love for Him. We love Him because He first loved us, and through that love we submit our will to Him. Next, we must learn what it means to love. Love for God is obeying all that He asks of us. Understanding His truth starts with keeping God’s commandments. Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

If we are going to keep the commandments of God, then we must love each other. The apostle John writes, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us the commandment” (1 John 3:23). Jesus gave the same commandment in John 15:12: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Some believe this means just to love your friends, and possibly some of your church members. But Jesus made it clear we are to love everyone as He loves them. He went around doing good to people who never accepted Him as their Saviour. He fed them with fishes and bread, He told us that if a man requires our cloak, we are also to give him our shirt (Luke 6:29). He said when we feed or clothe the poor, visit those in prison, giving them the words of Life, it is the same as if we were doing it to Him (Matthew 25:34–45). Paul said to live a peaceful life and obey the government and laws of the land. “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:1, 2).

Obviously, if the governments of the world require us to break God’s law, then we have to make the choice to follow God rather than man. Peter and John had to make that choice when they were told not to preach in the name of Jesus. They followed Jesus and gave the gospel to the world anyway, even under torture. (Read Acts 4 and 5.) It is notable that they disobeyed to preach the word of God. God says to obey those He has set up over the nations unless to do so breaks one of His ten commandments. His commandments are clear and to the point. He does not ask us to add to them or take away from them to support our own ideas. In fact, He offers a curse on those who do. “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it” (Deuteronomy 12:32).

If we are to know His truth, we will be seeking to understand what is written in His word. We will not be deceived by idol worship because the Bible plainly says not to worship or even bow down in front of any object (Exodus 20:4, 5). We will know that dead loved ones cannot visit us, and they are not in heaven today, because the Bible clearly says that they are in the grave and have no consciousness (Ecclesiastes 9:5). As we study, we will see that God has a better plan for our lives. He does not torture non-believers in a fiery place to burn forever, but will utterly destroy all who will not follow Him (Malachi 4:1). We will know that the Bible shows that the Sabbath is a special time that God has made to spend with each of us and will keep it even when the new earth is created (Isaiah 66:22, 23).

To be acceptable to God, we have a work to do. Our work will be more precious than gold and silver. We will become transformed into a different type of person. Paul writes, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). This “living sacrifice” is a daily submission to God for holiness and service to others. Our thoughts should be contemplating Jesus all day long. We should not let the things of this world influence our thoughts, but our thoughts must dwell continually on doing the work of God.

“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:3). This is the definition of a full submission to Jesus. Paul sums up what it means to be accepted by God in Ephesians 5:8–10: “… (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” I pray we are all striving to find out what is acceptable to Jesus and our Father in heaven so that we can spend eternity with Them and the unfallen worlds.

Michael C. Wells is director of Anointing Oil Ministries.

The Unrecognized Christian

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The most important thing for a Christian is to be recognized by the Lord when He returns. In Matthew 25:12, 13, we read that there will be many people who call themselves Christians, but they will be unrecognized by the Lord when He returns. This is one of the most terrible things that could happen to an individual. If you are a Christian, you expect and say that the Lord is coming to save you and to take you out of this evil world. He will take you to a place where there will be no more suffering, death nor sorrow, and all the problems we have to deal with will be gone. But, what if He returns and does not recognize you? Jesus says this will happen to some people and what the Lord says always turns out to be true.

A literal translation of Matthew 7:21, 22 says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in the heavens. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name we performed many powerful works [or miracles]?’ …”

My brother Marshall believed Jesus gave this prophecy especially to Christians living in the last days, those people who called Him Lord, but argued with Him regarding their fitness for heaven. But Jesus says to them, “No, not at any time did I know you. You were filled with a spirit, but it was the wrong spirit. You did supernatural things, but you practiced lawlessness.” The same word is used in the literal translation of 1 John 3:4: “He that commits sin transgresses also the law, and sin is the transgression of the law.”

Transgression and lawlessness are the same. Both mean the breaking of God’s law. Every human being needs to understand this because in the final judgment the Lord will ask only one question: Did you keep My law?

When we explain this to our Protestant and Roman Catholic friends, they call us legalists and say that we believe we are saved by keeping the law. But we believe we receive no merit by keeping the law. Instead, we are saved by grace alone through faith. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a person is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5, literal translation).

The Desire of Ages, 19, says, “Our little world is the lesson book of the universe.” How can we know if someone has been born of the Spirit or not? Paul says, “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit lusts against the flesh” (Galatians 5:17, first part). These are contrary to one another. He also says, “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are these …” (verses 18, 19, first part) and then he lists approximately 17 things (verses 18, 19–21, first part). “… I also told you in time past that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (verse 21, last part). Those who do these things are breaking the law, but those who are born of the Spirit are not.

Paul explains the same thing in more detail in Romans 8. He shows that through the Holy Spirit you will receive power to put to death the works of the flesh. He says the person that is unconverted (carnal) is not subject to the law of God and cannot be (verse 7). But then he says, “If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (verse 13). So through the power of the Spirit the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us who believe (verse 4). Only those who receive the Holy Spirit will be given the power to obey.

Maybe you are discouraged because there is some sin in your life that you have tried to overcome, but can’t seem to gain the victory over. The only way you will overcome that besetting sin is through the power of the Holy Spirit working in you. The Lord has promised to give you the Holy Spirit to work a miracle to enable you to overcome if you will only ask.

We read in The Review and Herald, June 21, 1898: “Christ’s subjects are those who keep His commandments. These only are counted as His subjects. If, after the light has come, the disobedient continue in transgression, they are subjects of the kingdom of the prince of this world.

“But the heavenly principles that distinguish those who are one with Christ from those who are one with the world have become almost indistinguishable. The professed people of Christ are no longer a separate and peculiar people. The line of demarcation is indistinct. People are subordinating themselves to the world, to its practices, its customs, its selfishness. The church has gone over to the world in transgression of the law, when the world should have come over to the church in obedience to the law. Daily the church is becoming converted to the world. Professing Christians are slaves of mammon [Greek: real estate, property, gold, silver, material possessions]. Their indulgence of appetite and extravagant expenditure of money for selfish gratification, greatly dishonor God.

“Contrary to worldly kingdoms, Christ does not find His subjects—He makes them. Those who stand under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel are the subjects of a kingdom not recognized by worldly kingdoms, whose subjects have wandered from their allegiance to God, from their obedience to the law of His kingdom. These are accounted as dead in trespasses and sins. They are destitute of the Spirit of God, which worketh in the children of obedience.” So, this is the most important question a person must ask themselves: Will the Lord recognize me as a Christian, as one of His children when He returns? In the final analysis that is all that matters. No matter how you are recognized in this world, if Jesus does not recognize you, it will be the most terrible thing to ever happen to you. “Christ’s subjects are those who keep His commandments. These only are counted as His subjects.” Ibid.

Jesus was not recognized by the world as the Redeemer; He wasn’t even recognized by the church or by His own family, and if you are really a Christian, you also will be unrecognized by the world.

The Signs of the Times, July 11, 1895, says: “The world knows not the followers of Christ. They do not recognize their holy origin, and they will not be in harmony with them any more than they were in harmony with Jesus, their Lord.” Then Ellen White lists five reasons why the world did not recognize Jesus:
His righteous zeal for the honor of God,

  1. He unsparingly denounced sin,
  2. He unmasked the hypocrisy and pretense to piety,
  3. The loveliness of His own unblemished character, and
  4. He contended against lust and hypocrisy.

If we are truly Christians, these characteristics will be manifest in our lives and the result will be: “Those who become the sons of God cannot avoid coming into conflict with the hosts of apostasy. ‘The world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not’ (1 John 3:1, last part).” Ibid.

We already know that a true Christian will not be recognized by the world, but what is harder still is when a Christian is not recognized by his own church. In the early part of the fourth century the leaders of the church of Rome and other bishops made an arrangement with the Roman Empire, and in A.D. 313 an edict was passed ending the persecution of the Christians so that Christianity could become the state religion of the pagan Roman Empire. It adopted the name the Holy Roman Empire and they called themselves “Catholic” from the Greek meaning according to the whole.

A group of Christians known as the Donatists were much closer to apostolic Christianity than the Catholic church of the fourth century. The Catholic church went to the Roman government and the Donatists were told that because only Catholics were Christian, they could not call themselves Christians. The Donatists, mainly in North Africa, were unrecognized as Christians. They believed it was wrong to enforce the Christian religion by the will of the state, that the state did not have the right to tell them what they should believe. Consequently, the Donatists were disfellowshipped.

I was reminded years ago of the Donatist controversy when we here at Steps to Life were told we could not call ourselves Seventh-day Adventists. For 1,700 years, many forceful ways have been developed to disfellowship people. The most forceful way was to burn them at the stake. The Roman Catholic church did this during the Dark Ages and called it an “act of faith.” One such individual being led to the place of execution was told, “We are going to cut you off [disfellowship] from the church militant.” This person replied, “But not from the church triumphant.”

The Signs of the Times, December 4, 1893: “Many have been cast out of the church whose names were registered upon the Book of Life. Wolves in sheep’s clothing [John 9] were ready to cast out of the fold and devour one who was entitled to the Lord’s pasture; but Jesus, the True Shepherd, sought him, and gave him a place within the fold [the church].”

John 9 explains the process of disfellowshipping. In the story of the man, blind from birth and healed by Jesus, we see that if a person confessed that Jesus was the Christ, they would be cut off from the church. This was such a frightful consequence that this man’s parents lied for fear of being disfellowshipped. But the man said, “Lord, I believe!” and they “cast him out” (John 9:34).

There are Christians who clearly follow the will of God and obey His commandments, who, by so doing, will have their names inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life, yet, they are disfellowshipped by the church. Why? Because the professed people of God do not recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit and listen instead to another voice. The Holy Spirit will never lead a church to disfellowship someone whose name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, but it happens many times. As we approach the end of the world, almost everyone will feel that they are filled with the Holy Spirit, but for some it will be the wrong spirit. So it is very important to be able to distinguish the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit from every other voice.

“Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain.” The Faith I Live By, 333. If we are not living up to the light that we have, when the latter rain [of the Holy Spirit] falls, we will not recognize it. So we must ask ourselves, are we living up to all the light that we have?

“We should improve every opportunity of placing ourselves in the channel of blessing. … The convocations of the church, as in camp meetings, the assemblies of the home church, and all occasions where there is personal labor for souls, are God’s appointed opportunities for giving the early and the latter rain.” Ibid., 246. Christ has said, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst” (Matthew 18:20).

“At every meeting we attend our prayers should ascend, that at this very time God will impart warmth and moisture to our souls.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 509. Are you taking advantage of the spiritual opportunities that you have? The convocations of the church, like camp meetings and the regular church services, are God’s appointed means where He plans to pour out His Holy Spirit. Take advantage of the opportunity to attend these meetings so, when the Holy Spirit is poured out, you will be there to receive the blessing.

“Unless those who can help in _____ are aroused [awaken] to a sense of their duty, they will not recognize the work of God when the loud cry of the third angel shall be heard. When light goes forth to lighten the earth, instead of coming up to the help of the Lord, they will want to bind about His work to meet their narrow ideas. … the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning.” Ibid., 300.

We are asleep and must pray for an open mind and receptive heart, willing that whatever God’s chosen way is for our lives, even if it is contrary to our human planning, we will choose it and not our own way.

If you want to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit, you need to be studying your Bible. Second Peter 1:19–21 says that holy men of God spoke as they were moved [carried] by the Holy Spirit. The Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit. “This Holy Book has withstood the assaults of Satan, who has united with evil men to make everything of divine character shrouded in clouds and darkness. But the Lord has preserved this Holy Book by His own miraculous power in its present shape—a chart or guidebook to the human family to show them the way to heaven. … the guidebook to the inhabitants of a fallen world, bequeathed to them, that by studying and obeying the directions, not one soul would lose its way.” Sons and Daughters of God, 190.

In this day and age, people in all walks of life are busy and we must make a choice, by the grace of God, in spite of all the things that are in our lives, to study God’s word and pray. We cannot rely on the people who preach to us to teach us all we need to know. We need to be studying the Bible on our own.

“We cannot render to God supreme love and honor if we do not recognize the Holy Spirit which the Lord sends.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 2, 38. If I do not recognize the Holy Spirit, I cannot be a Christian; I cannot render to the Lord supreme love and honor. “The Holy Spirit represents Jesus Christ. He is our refuge unto whom we can run and be safe. …

When truth takes possession of the heart, the Christian will be brought into conflict, and in this conflict he will need the whole armor of God; for he has to fight the good fight of faith. There are opposing elements in his own household, even in his own heart, and nothing but the free Spirit of God can ensure for him the victory.” Ibid.

Even if you are not recognized by anyone in this world, you must make a covenant with the Lord to receive the Holy Spirit in your life so that Jesus will recognize you as His when He comes.

God reads the heart. He knows what is in your mind. He knows when you make a decision. Now is a wonderful opportunity, while the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, to tell the Lord you want to be born of the Holy Spirit every day, to have victory in your life through His power, so that Jesus will not look on you at the end and say, “I don’t recognize you.”

[All emphasis supplied.]

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

Editorial – Look to Me and Be Saved

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Even before Christ came to our world incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth, the Redeemer of this fallen world, it was God’s plan for His chosen people, the children of Israel, to take the message of salvation to all the world. The prophet wrote, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people” (Isaiah 56:7).

But we have an even more wonderful message than could be proclaimed in Old Testament times. We are to tell the world that our crucified and risen Saviour is now an all-powerful mediator seated upon a mediatorial throne in heaven, still giving audience to the people of this world.

The devil knows the almighty power that is in the message we bear to an apostate world. “Satan invents unnumbered schemes to occupy our minds, that they may not dwell upon the very work with which we ought to be best acquainted. … Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour’s mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The precious hours, instead of being given to pleasure, to display, or to gain seeking, should be devoted to an earnest, prayerful study of the word of truth.” The Great Controversy, 488.

“Christ said. ‘Go, teach, bring into discipleship, all nations. Give them the knowledge of the truth of My gospel, which is founded on truth. Lead them to understand that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are heaven’s loving, powerful agencies for the accomplishment of the work of representing God in the world. Lo, I am with you in this work … . I will be with you and all who succeed you, till the end of time, in the work of preaching the gospel.’ ” Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, 15.

This explains why God’s people must be organized in order for God’s work to be done and finished in this world. “God has given the most sacred, solemn message of warning to His appointed agencies. … [They were to be] separate from the idolatrous nations that were deep in apostasy and idolatry, and present a character for excellence and entire obedience, teaching the highest standard of spirituality, far, far above all worldly policy and all idolatry.” Ibid., 188.