Prisoners of Hope — A Time

As we near the close of time, we all recognize that conditions in the physical world such as calamities; earthquakes; accidents by air, sea and land; conflict; immorality; killings; deceit; and unprecedented confusion exist because the conflict between Christ and Satan on this earth is reaching a climax.

Not only do we see physical signs, which portend the end of all things, but we see signs in the churches. We see signs also in the Seventh-day Adventist Church which indicate that we have reached a time which the Lord predicted would come, as foretold in the Spirit of Prophecy. We have reached, I believe, a very serious time not only in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but in each one of our lives, a time when each of us must make a choice as to whether we will follow God or man.

This Is A Time

This is a time when two parties have developed in the church. Ellen White wrote, “The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 114.

This is a time when the last of apostasy is seen lifting its head. It is a time when we have thought that to compromise with worldly churches would give us greater strength and power to carry on God’s work. (See Eternity magazine, September 1956.) It is a time when beliefs of the reformers and evangelicals appear to be more readily accepted than the fundamental beliefs established by the Lord. It is a time when certain basic beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists may be in question, and a time when a shaking may well reach its climax.

This is a time when the testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded; a time when the third angel’s message should be not only truly understood, but promulgated in its fullness; and a time when the Lord wants this to be done. It is a time when the sanctuary question, the nature of Christ, and the plan of salvation should be given special attention; a time when Laodicea and each one of us should cease to be wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

It is a time when we should determine anew that we will not hold on to, cherish, and hug that one pet sin. This is a time when each of us should give our will completely to Christ, be born again, given a new heart, put on the wedding garment equivalent to accepting Christ’s perfect character, the divine nature and so be given the power necessary to live above sin and obey His commandments. “Christ in the weakness of humanity was to meet the temptations of one possessing the powers of the higher nature that God had bestowed on the angelic family. But Christ’s humanity was united with divinity, and in this strength He would bear all the temptations that Satan could bring against Him, and yet keep His soul untainted by sin. And this power to overcome He would give to every son and daughter of Adam who would accept by faith the righteous attributes of His character.” Ibid., Book 1, 223.

It is a time when the so-called impossible should not only become possible, but should permeate our lives and spill over into the lives of others. It is a time for us to live lives like Enoch and Elijah. We have reached a time when each person must study in order to understand the issues at stake and to escape the snares of Satan.

Rejected Message

“I saw that the testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded.” Early Writings, 270. Now, the testimony of the True Witness – Christ – has to do with several things, repentance and the third angel’s message being among them.

We have again come to a time (the first time being 1888) when we should determine whether or not we have rejected the Lord’s message to us. Might it be that the same message of love given in 1888, which was rejected, we again reject today? In Christ’s Object Lessons, 271, we read, “To learn of Christ means to receive His grace, which is His character.”

“The Scriptures plainly show that the work of sanctification is progressive. When in conversion the sinner finds peace with God through the blood of the atonement, the Christian life has but just begun. Now he is to ‘go on unto perfection.’ [Hebrews 6:1.]” The Great Controversy, 470.

“None are living Christians unless they have a daily experience in the things of God and daily practice self-denial, cheerfully bearing the cross [the cross and the yoke are symbolic of giving the will to Christ as well as of service] and following Christ. Every living Christian will advance daily in the divine life. As he advances toward perfection, he experiences a conversion to God every day, and this conversion is not completed until he attains to the perfection of Christian character, a full preparation for the finishing touch of immortality.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 505. [Emphasis added.] This appears to me to be a time when we should plan to meet God’s standard.

Salvation and the Sanctuary

“As we near the close of time . . . we should devote ourselves to the study of the plan of salvation, that we may have an appreciation of how highly Jehovah has valued the salvation of man.” Review and Herald, October 7, 1890.

“We are in the great day of atonement, and the sacred work of Christ for the people of God that is going on at the present time in the heavenly sanctuary should be our constant study.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 520.

“The religion of Christ means more than the forgiveness of sin; it means taking away our sins . . . .” Christ’s Object Lessons, 420. Should we not be thinking about living above sin?

Now is the time to devote ourselves to the study of the plan of salvation. Now is the time the heavenly sanctuary should be our constant study. These are the two subjects which, in my mind, God gives us special instruction to study. Dr. Geoffrey J. Paxton, in his book, The Shaking of Adventism (Zenith Publishers, Wilmington, Delaware, January 1977), says that we are in a life and death struggle as to the nature of the gospel. I will attempt to show you what this means.

“We are not called to worship and serve God by the use of the means employed in former years. God requires higher service now than ever before. He requires the improvement of the heavenly gifts. He has brought us into a position where we need higher and better things than have ever been needed before.” Review and Herald, February 25, 1890.

As we think about all of this, it may seem to some a hopeless task and an unapproachable goal. Neither of these apply. I do not represent myself as having any new light only old light. The time has come when we should come to grips with the problems the Lord says we have, and not only know what these problems are, but get solutions to them.

As we consider, under the subject of salvation, such topics as the nature of Christ; the sanctuary; the straight truth; the divine nature; the shaking; man’s condition of being wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, may we not only see causes for our condition, but a solution and a cure for the conditions which confuse and plague most of us.

I have talked with some who believe we have no problems; that those who believe we have problems are either fanatics or offshoots. The time is here when we should look at things as they are and not as they appear or the way we may be told by some that they are. How can we read Revelation 3:14-22 and possibly conclude that we may meet our Lord in peace at His coming if we continue such a course?

It Is Time

One statement, appearing in the August 1, 1894, issue of Review and Herald, shortly after 1888, indicated the condition of that time and ours; it tells us why we are wretched and naked. One of the biggest questions is how we may become clothed in God’s clothing, of what this consists, and not only how we put on this clothing, but how we may keep this clothing clean. The statement referred to above follows: “What is it that constitutes the wretchedness, the nakedness of those who feel rich and increased with goods? It is the want of the righteousness of Christ. In their own righteousness they are represented as clothed with filthy rags, and yet in this condition they flatter themselves that they are clothed upon with Christ’s righteousness. Could deception be greater?” It is time we should become clothed in God’s clothing.

“Those who will be true to God and to duty will be menaced [threatened], denounced [condemned openly], and proscribed [condemned as dangerous]. They will ‘be betrayed [to deliver as an enemy by treachery] both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends.’ [Luke 21:16.]” Testimonies, vol. 5, 473. It is a time when we should love those who are true to God.

It is a time when we should look to God for wisdom. We need to recognize and appreciate His great love for us, as well as Christ’s death on the cross, His resurrection, and that He alone can save us. We need to know that we must be born again and given a new heart, that we must give our wills completely to Christ and become partakers of the divine nature.

We have reached a time when the following quotation should be prayerfully considered:

“For all that you have and are, dear friends, you are indebted to God. He has given you powers that, to a certain extent, are similar to those which He Himself possesses; and you should labor earnestly to develop these powers, not to please and exalt self, but to glorify Him.

“This earth is the Lord’s. Here it may be seen that nature, animate and inanimate, obeys His will. God created man a superior being; he alone is formed in the image of God and is capable of partaking of the divine nature, of co-operating with his Creator, and executing His plans; and he alone is found at war with God’s purposes.” Ibid., 311. [Emphasis added.]

May I repeat, this is a time when we should seriously consider the above quotation. It is a time when we must become like Enoch and Elijah, because we, like them, may be translated to heaven without seeing death.

It is a time when each one of us should study as to how we may become a partaker of the divine nature, as mentioned above, because it is through this means that God wants to give us the power to live and to become like Jesus.

Surely, we are all “Prisoners of Hope”!

Raymond L. Knoll, M.D. was born May 11, 1907. Becoming a Seventh-day Adventist in 1923, he has a love and devotion to the Holy Bible and to the writings of Ellen G. White. Graduating from a community college in Alberta, Canada, in 1928 where he majored in mathematics and science, he continued his education at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, graduating with a B.A. in mathematics and a minor in science. After teaching several years in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he entered the College of Medical Evangelists Medical School in Loma Linda, California, graduating with his M.D. in 1944. A freelance writer, he wrote and published the book, How to Live To Be 101 and Be Able To Enjoy It!