Lynette Golia

Story – David Brainard

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Apostle to the American Indians

At the dawn of the seventeenth century, the memorable “Mayflower” brought to the shores of North America a man and a woman who were to be the grandparents of the great missionary.

Far up amidst a group of hills near Hartford, Connecticut, nestled the cottage where on April 20, 1718, this missionary was born. His name was David Brainard. When he was a mere youth, both his parents died. He did not attend school until he was past twenty years of age. Nevertheless, his education was not neglected. He loved to read the Bible, as is shown by the fact that one year he read the whole volume through twice.

At the age of twenty-four, Mr. Brainard received a license to preach. At this time, he responded to a call to labor among the North American Indians. Although it was in the dead of winter, he started to his field without delay. At that time the American continent was largely peopled by the red race. But few white people had ever gone west of New York, and but little was known of the Mississippi Valley.

The field assigned him was a region at that time inhabited solely by the Indians. On his journey he passed through New York City, then only a small town. After leaving New York he traversed the wilderness with his lone horse, depending entirely upon the hospitality of the Indians for his daily needs, crossing the mountains, facing bleak winds, struggling through deep drifts of snow, having nothing but the limitless blue tent of heaven for a shelter, yet regarding these afflictions lightly when compared with the bitter agony of the Saviour.

Immediately upon reaching his field he set to work to learn the language of the Iroquois, the difficulty of which can be inferred from the word “question,” which in the Indian language contains thirty-six letters. The work that John Eliot had done in reducing the Indian language to a written form, was of inestimable value to David Brainard.

The influence of this earnest Christian over the red man can be seen by the fact that he persuaded an entire tribe to emigrate so that his interpreter might work for them.

After several months of labor, he returned to New Jersey to be ordained, but upon returning to his mission field, he was met by the hostility of the traders. These unprincipled men, instead of trying to uplift their red brothers, carried to them that soul destroying enemy—strong drink. The gospel of Jesus brought to them by Mr. Brainard was having its influence to turn these deluded people away from this vice, and the traders felt as did those men from whom Paul took away “the hope of their gains,” by leading the people to turn away from the evils of divination and serve the true God.

Mr. Brainard heard of a great feast that was to be held the following day, and he knew it would be a time of drunkenness and crime for many of the Indians. What could he do to turn this tide of evil from them? Retiring to the quiet shadow of the woods, he prayed as so often our Saviour prayed, through the entire night, pleading for strength and wisdom to show the Indians their sin. The following day he was enabled by divine grace to break up the tumult, and to speak the word of life to interested listeners.

The Spirit of the Lord was working like leaven upon the hearts of the Indians, and soon there was a great revival. Entire tribes came scores of miles to hear the words of salvation. Ninety-five percent of his hearers were prostrated before the Lord. Their cry of anguish is touchingly expressed in this moving stanza [see in the image above].

This life of hardship and exposure proved too much for Mr. Brainard’s health, and it was at last discovered that he was a victim to that dread disease, tuberculosis. He suffered greatly, and was finally taken to his home and friends. For many weeks his life hung in the balance, and before he reached the age of thirty years his work on earth was finished.

His spirit always rose when it seemed that the end was near. The earnestness of his life is expressed in these words from his diary: “My heaven is to please God and glorify Him; to give all to Him, to be wholly devoted to His cause—that is the heaven I long for, that is my religion and happiness. There is nothing in this world worth living for but doing good, and finishing God’s work, doing the work that Christ did.”

True Education Series, Book 6, ©1912, 352–355

A View of the Conflict

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In vision I saw two armies in terrible conflict. One army was led by banners bearing the world’s insignia; the other was led by the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord’s army joined the foe; and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God. An angel flying in the midst of heaven put the standards of Emmanuel into many hands, while a mighty general cried with a loud voice: “Come into line. Let those who are loyal to the commandments of God and the testimony of Christ now take their position. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters. Let all who will come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.”

The battle raged. Victory alternated from side to side. Now the soldiers of the cross gave way, “as when a standard-bearer fainteth.” But their apparent retreat was but an effort to gain a more advantageous position. Shouts of joy were heard. A song of praise to God went up, and angel voices united in the song, as Christ’s soldiers planted His banner on the walls of fortresses till then held by the enemy. The Captain of our salvation was ordering the battle and sending support to His soldiers. His power was mightily displayed, encouraging them to press the battle to the gates. He taught them terrible things in righteousness as He led them on step by step, conquering and to conquer.

At last the victory was gained. The army following the banner with the inscription, “The commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” was gloriously triumphant. The soldiers of Christ were close beside the gates of the city of God, and with joy the city received her King. The kingdom of peace and joy and everlasting righteousness was established. God’s will was done on earth, as it is done in heaven.

Now the church is militant. Now we are confronted with a world in midnight darkness, almost wholly given over to idolatry. But the day is coming when the battle will have been fought, the victory won. The will of God is to be done on earth, as it is done in heaven. Then the nations will own no other law than the law of heaven. All will be a happy, united family, clothed with the garments of praise and thanksgiving—the robe of Christ’s righteousness. All nature, in its surpassing loveliness, will offer to God a constant tribute of praise and adoration. The world will be bathed in the light of heaven. The years will move on in gladness. The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold greater than it is now. Over the scene the morning stars will sing together, and the sons of God will shout for joy, and God and Christ will unite in proclaiming, “There shall be no more sin, neither shall there be any more death.”

This is the scene that is presented to me. But the church must still fight against seen and unseen foes. Satanic agencies in human form are on the ground. Men have confederated to oppose the Lord of hosts. These confederacies will continue until Christ shall leave His place of intercession before the mercy-seat, and shall put on the garments of vengeance. Satanic agencies are in every city, busily organizing into parties those opposed to the law of God. Professed saints and avowed unbelievers take their stand with these parties. This is no time for the people of God to be weaklings. We cannot afford to be off our guard for one moment.

“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

“This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

“Let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ; … stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; and in nothing terrified by your adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”

There are revealed in these last days, visions of future glory, scenes pictured by the hand of God, and these should be dear to His church. What sustained the Son of God in His betrayal and trial?—He saw of the travail of His soul, and was satisfied. He caught a view of the expanse of eternity, and saw the happiness of those who through His humiliation should receive pardon and everlasting life. He was wounded for their transgressions, bruised for their iniquities. The chastisement of their peace was upon Him, and with His stripes they were healed. His ear caught the shout of the redeemed. He heard the ransomed ones singing the song of Moses and the Lamb.

We must have a vision of the future and of the blessedness of heaven. Stand on the threshold of eternity, and hear the gracious welcome given to those who in this life have co-operated with Christ, regarding it as a privilege and an honor to suffer for His sake. As they unite with the angels, they cast their crowns at the feet of the Redeemer, exclaiming: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. … Honor and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.”

There the redeemed ones greet those who directed them to the uplifted Saviour. They unite in praising Him who died that human beings might have the life that measures with the life of God. The conflict is over. All tribulation and strife are at an end. Songs of victory fill all heaven as the redeemed stand around the throne of God. All take up the joyful strain, “Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and lives again, a triumphant conqueror.”

“I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”

“These are they which came out of much tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more; neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” “And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.”

Will you catch the inspiration of the vision? Will you let your mind dwell upon the picture? Will you not be truly converted, and then go forth to labor in a spirit entirely different from the spirit in which you have labored in the past, displacing the enemy, breaking down every barrier to the advancement of the gospel, filling hearts with the light and peace and joy of the Lord? Shall not this miserable spirit of fault-finding and murmuring be buried, never to have a resurrection? Shall not the incense of praise and thanksgiving ascend from hearts purified and sanctified and glorified by the presence of Christ? Shall we not in faith lay hold of sinners, and bring them to the cross?

Who will this day consecrate themselves to the service of the Lord? Who will now pledge themselves not to affiliate with the world, but to come out from the world, and be separate, refusing to pollute the soul with the worldly schemes and worldly practises that have been keeping the church under the enemy’s influence?

We are in this world to lift the cross of Calvary. As we lift this cross, we shall find that it lifts us. Let every Christian stand in his lot and place, catching the inspiration of the work that Christ did for souls while in this world. We need the ardor of the Christian hero, who can endure the seeing of Him that is invisible. Our faith is to have a resurrection. The soldiers of the cross are to exert a positive influence for good. Christ says, “He that is not for Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.” Indifference in the Christian life is a manifest denial of Christ.

Should we not see in the world today medical missionaries who in all the features of their work are worthy of the name they bear, who aspire to the doing of deeds worthy of valiant soldiers of Christ? We are living near the close of the great conflict, when many souls are to be rescued from the slavery of sin. We are living in a time when to Christ’s followers the promise specially belongs, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, He who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, bids us let our light shine brightly before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven. In such rich measure has light been given to God’s people that Christ is justified in telling them that they are to be the light of the world.

To our physicians and ministers I send the message: Lay hold of the Lord’s work as if you believed the truth for this time. Medical missionary workers and workers in the gospel ministry are to be bound together by indissoluble ties. Their work is to be done with freshness and power. Throughout our churches there is to be a reconversion and a reconsecration to service. Shall we not, in our work in the future, and in the gatherings that we hold, be of one accord? Shall we not wrestle with God in prayer, asking for the Holy Spirit to come into every heart? The presence of Christ, manifest among us, would cure the leprosy of unbelief that has made our service so weak and inefficient. We need the breath of the divine life breathed into us. We are to be channels through which the Lord can send light and grace to the world. Backsliders are to be reclaimed. We are to put away our sins, by confession and repentance, humbling our proud hearts before God. Floods of spiritual power are now to be poured forth upon those prepared to receive it.

Let us now consecrate ourselves to the proclamation of the message: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Divine and human instrumentalities are to unite for the accomplishment of one great object. “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

“They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.” Pamphlets, 109, 1–7

We All Have Idols

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My mother was just a child when her family became Adventists. She raised me and my brother in Adventism, and it is the only religious doctrine I have believed to be true. However, like so many other Christian religions around the world, even Adventism has strayed from the principles of Bible truth. Let’s look at one area where the church has become quite slack: modesty and the wearing of jewelry.

This will not be a comprehensive study on the wearing of jewelry, but an example of how we can easily create idols, though sometimes totally unaware.

My mother raised me with the belief, according to historic Adventism, that wearing jewelry of any kind was biblically wrong, and, except for a short period of time during my misspent youth, I have not worn jewelry, nor have I really had a desire to wear it. I have always viewed jewelry as being necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, and piercings. It never occurred to me that watches, pins, and even scarves could be looked upon as jewelry or adornment.

Let me share a couple of experiences to illustrate my point.

Both my mother and I loved to wear pins. We often wore suits, and a pretty pin displayed on the lapel seemed to be the perfect finishing touch. But one Sabbath, when a new Adventist came to my mother at church and asked how a sparkly pin was any different from a necklace or a ring, it challenged my mother to reconsider her thoughts.

We discussed this conversation and realized that this babe in Christ saw more clearly than we did. Our conclusion? No more pins. It was hard to give them up, but we felt that God had used this experience to make us aware of a darling sin that needed to be overcome. It also helped us to better understand that things that we didn’t see as being wrong could be a stumbling block for someone else. So, they had to go.

This experience also convicted us about the watches we wore. Both of us had a large assortment of watches, some you could call utilitarian, but others were shiny with different stones or fancy tooling. We decided that it wasn’t only the amount of bling on a watch that might make it inappropriate, but also the fact that we both had spent a great deal of money on our individual watch collections, just as we had on our pins.

Another experience was with an older, non-Adventist woman. I used to wear scarves—a trend in the ‘80s and ‘90s. One day, I folded a scarf and tied a knot in the middle, then tied it around my neck so that the knot hung down against my chest. I thought it looked very stylish, but she asked me how wearing a scarf in that way was any different than wearing a necklace.

There really was no difference. The motivation in the way I dressed and presented myself was no different than the one adorning themselves with jewels. The way we dress reflects the spirit that motivates us and it would be wise to be aware of how we present ourselves and how that may be perceived by others.

The idea of having to be concerned about what other people think about us is concerning, however, the truth, from a spiritual perspective, is that our thoughts and actions must take into consideration the impressions we give to those around us that we don’t become a stumbling block to those seeking a  Christian lifestyle. What we do and say, how we appear before others, can all be effective in leading someone to Christ or causing them to turn away from Him, perhaps forever. “In all things show yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.” Titus 2:7, 8

We must remember that anything we care about more than we care about God is an idol. God said, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3. An idol isn’t just a statue that people bow down before and worship. It doesn’t even have to be something that is bad for you. If God brings something to you, revealing to you that it is against His will and commandments to say it or do it, then, if we truly want to live according to His will, we must surrender these things to Him. Otherwise, they become an idol.

An idol can be food, a car, a house, exercise, jewelry, apparel, philosophies and doctrines, television, music, social media, the type of entertainment we pursue, a celebrity, sports, a hobby, or even a loved one. If any of these things, if anything—even things that aren’t necessarily bad—comes between you and your relationship with God and seeking always to do His will, then you have formed an idol before Him. All of these things are part of this world and because of sin, we tend to justify the need for them and for many other things.

A person could say, “But I must eat and wear clothing. I must have a home and a job. I must have a way to get to work and to church. I want to enjoy the beautiful things in this world.” All of these are blessings from God. But if all of our time, money, resources, affections, and energy are spent on things of this world, with little or nothing left for the development of a relationship with God and a Christ-like character, then we have made this world and the things in it our idol. You see, if we cling to these things, then how can God protect us, provide our necessities, when the time of trouble that is coming breaks over us like a crashing wave? Will we rely on our job or our home to protect us? Will we look to the money we’ve earned to buy food? If we put our trust in worldly things, then our faith is not grounded and anchored in God.

So, here is the truth (and I use “you” to represent us all):

If you prefer to spend your time watching television, playing online games, or being on social media rather than being in prayer and studying God’s word, then you may be creating an idol.

If you love foods that are not healthy for the body God created for you, or if you love good food, but eat to excess and are not interested in eating according to the guidance God has given—remember, our bodies are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19)—then consider you may be creating an idol.

If you prefer to listen to music or spend your time and resources to attend concerts and buy CDs or downloads that draw your heart away from spiritual things, rather than devoting your time and resources to furthering the spreading of the gospel, then you may be creating an idol.

If you prefer to spend your time reading worldly books, magazines, and online websites rather than reading the Bible and other spiritual material that will bring you into a closer relationship with God, then you may be creating an idol.

If you buy a house that far exceeds your needs and means just because it’s the house you’ve always dreamed of, and it takes all your time and money for its upkeep and causes you to feel that you have nothing to help support your church’s outreach programs or the mission work—for we are to be God’s messengers of the gospel to the world (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15)—then you may be creating an idol.

If you have a closet overflowing with clothes and shoes and you keep buying more, if you are impeccably dressed, with bright, shiny jewelry, but pay little attention to the inward adornment of the heart, and do not pay tithe because you say you do not have enough money (Matthew 6:28–30; Malachi 3:8) , then you may be creating an idol.

If you look up to and revere an athlete or a movie or television celebrity and think, “I wish I could be just like them and have fame and fortune,” rather than seeking to be like Jesus and to store up your treasures in heaven, then you may be creating an idol.

If you are clinging to a philosophy or doctrine that misrepresents the character of God or is contrary to His commandments, arguing the point and cherishing it until your perception of God is the only reality you will believe and only keep the commandments you choose, then you may be creating an idol.

If you long for a relationship with your spouse, parent, sibling, child, or any other loved one to the exclusion of Jesus—as Adam did when he chose Eve over love and obedience to God (Matthew 10:37–39)—then you may be creating an idol.

There are many other ways to create idols because, in this world of sin, there are so many things that the devil uses to sway our attention away from obeying God’s commandments and seeking to have a saving relationship with Him. Sounds rigid, doesn’t it? The world screams, “You have too many rules. I want to be free!” But they don’t understand that bondage is found in sin and true freedom comes only by obeying God.

John the Beloved tells us to “… keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21

All who have spent their time and money chasing after the things of this world, if they are honest, must tell you that idols are demanding taskmasters, expensive, and they extract a heavy toll on the body, the pocketbook, and, saddest of all, spiritual growth.

Ask the Lord to reveal the areas in your life where you are prone to creating the idols that will steal from you your crown and everlasting life.

“If we would be spiritual worshipers of the true God, we must sacrifice every idol. … for they separate us from God.” The Review and Herald, July 15, 1884

“This matter is of great importance, and it is urged upon you to save you from the sin of idolatry. …

“Grasp the word of the Lord as the treasure of infinite wisdom and love; this is the Guidebook that points out the path to heaven. …

“You may sever yourself from every idol, and link yourself to the throne of God by the golden chain of grace and truth.” Maranatha, 48

“God has given us many things in this life upon which to bestow our affections, but when we carry to excess that which in itself is lawful we become idolaters. … Anything that separates our affections from God and lessens our interest in eternal things is an idol. Those who use the precious time given them by God—time that has been purchased at an infinite cost—in embellishing their homes for display, in following the fashions and customs of the world, are not only robbing their own souls of spiritual food, but are failing to give God His due. … God will not share a divided heart. If the world absorbs our attention, He cannot reign supreme. If this diminishes our devotion for God, it is idolatry in His eyes.” That I May Know Him, 322

“Men may not bow down to idols of wood and stone, but all who love the things of the world and take pleasure in unrighteousness have set up idols in their hearts. The majority of professed Christians are serving other gods besides the Lord.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, 238

“An idol is anything that human beings love and trust in instead of loving and trusting in the Lord their Maker. Whatever earthly thing men desire and trust in as having power to help them and do them good, leads them away from God, and is to them an idol. Whatever divides the affections, or takes away from the soul the supreme love of God, or interposes to prevent unlimited confidence and entire trust in God, assumes the character and takes the form of an idol in the soul temple.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 330

If, when God brings to our attention things that need to be removed from our hearts, we push back and fight against the Holy Spirit’s transforming power, rationalizing that He couldn’t possibly mean that we have to surrender something so insignificant, our very resistance and argument proves that it is an idol.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15–17

“Many and varied are the idols which we cherish; idols that engross the mind and harden the heart, so that sacred things are not rightly valued. Oh that the lessons given to ancient Israel might so impress our hearts and affect our lives that we would fully turn from idols, to serve the living God.” The Signs of the Times, August 18, 1881

“Many set up idols in their hearts—idols of selfishness, idols of pride, and love of display. Eternal things lose their value. Withdraw the influences which God has provided to preserve and strengthen our spirituality, and it decays and dies. We must be continually seeking to draw near to God, and to learn His will. We must become more unlike the world, and more like Christ in character.” Ibid., June 30, 1881

It is time for us to fall on our knees and ask the Holy Spirit to show us all the things that must be removed from our lives. Every altar that we have created to this world must be completely destroyed. We must open our hearts to the leading of the Holy Spirit, we must open God’s word and diligently study its sacred records, for it is there that we more fully learn of His unending love for us.

“Self-denial and the cross lie directly in the path of every Christian who is truly following Christ. Jesus says: ‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’ Will every soul consider the fact that Christian discipleship includes self-denial, self-sacrifice, even to the laying down of life itself, if need be, for the sake of Him who has given His life for the life of the world?” Counsels on Stewardship, 289

Judy Rebarchek is the managing editor of LandMarks magazine. She can be reached at judyrebarchek@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

Are Opiates Affecting Your Walk on the Narrow Way?

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“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:17–24

Opiates have been in the news quite a bit in the last few years. The first dictionary definition of the word is “a drug derived from opium that induces sedation or sleep, depresses respiration, and produces calmness or euphoria, and is associated with physiological tolerance, physical and psychological dependence, and addiction upon repeated or prolonged use.” A second definition is “something likened to a drug that induces rest or inaction or quiets uneasiness.” Synonyms for the effect of opiates include tranquilizing, deadening, stupefying.

However, opiate is used in inspired writings in an unusual and completely different way.

Let’s begin with a passage from Inspiration. “ ‘Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.’ Once they [the Ephesians] were corrupt, degraded, enslaved by lustful passions; they were drugged by worldly opiates, blinded, bewildered, and betrayed by Satan’s devices. Now that they had been taught the truth as it is in Jesus, there must be a decided change in their life and character.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 172

What are worldly opiates? If being drugged by them, it seems critical that we know what they are to avoid being in the condition that Paul attributes to the Ephesians.

We have already defined an opiate as a drug that induces rest or inaction or quiets uneasiness. So, we ask, What is it in the world that has that effect on us? What is it that induces inaction or quiets uneasiness?

There is one easy answer: anything that takes our minds off eternal realities. This would include such things as television, movies, fictional literature, amusements and amusement parks, the internet, social media in all its forms. When you stop to think about it, the list is really long. Satan has mastered the art of creating diversions that take the mind into territories that prevent his subjects from being ever mindful of eternal realities.

According to worldly sources, which often speak more truth than they realize, opiates induce rest. Inspiration confirms that.

“If the watchmen sleep under an opiate of Satan’s and do not recognize the voice of the true Shepherd, and do not take up the warning, I tell you in the fear of God, they will be charged with the blood of souls. The watchmen must be wide awake, men who will not slumber at their post of duty, day nor night. They must give the trumpet a certain sound, that the people may shun the evil and choose the good. Stupidity and careless indifference cannot be excused. On every side of us there are breakers and hidden rocks which will dash our bark in pieces, and leave us helpless wrecks, unless we make God our refuge and help.” The Review and Herald, December 24, 1889

Clearly, the effects of opiates can have eternal consequences.

“Those who neglect to search the Scriptures, choosing rather to read books of skeptical writers, or of writers who are frivolous or worldly, will be tempted to neglect prayer, to withdraw from religious meetings, to invest money in cheap literature, and will so educate themselves that all taste for the sacred oracles will be erased from the mind. Thus, will they be led to refuse to hear, to refuse to incline the heart to seek God while He may be found, to call upon Him while He is near, while He is still sending messages of reproof, warning, and entreaty.

“They say to all the tender entreaties of God’s Spirit, ‘Not now; I will go into another city, and buy and sell and get gain; and after that I will begin a new life.’ O do not be deceived by this suggestion of the enemy to wait, and that after a time you will repent. The longer you put it off, the less will be your inclination to turn to God and obey the invitations of mercy. The most discouraging development in your case is the very fact that you say, ‘Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.’ This is an evidence that conscience has become aroused, and then put to sleep again with an opiate. But think of this: conscience may never wake again! While God grants you life, while you are sure of probation, embrace your day of opportunity and privilege.” The Youth’s Instructor, December 7, 1893

It is a common practice, following surgery, to prescribe opiates as part of pain management. What I have discovered is that the drugs don’t necessarily alleviate the pain; they just induce a euphoria that overrides the painfulness of pain. The mind becomes beclouded to the pain. He is still in pain, but just doesn’t care. And that is the objective of Satan’s opiates.

“The enemies of truth are working with all their unconsecrated powers to hinder the advance of the message. The churches of the world are being drugged with the opiates of error. The great deceiver is making determined efforts to becloud the understanding of the people.” Spalding and Magan, 436

What are some of the opiates of error that Satan is drugging his victims with?

One of the most common, I think, is the power of the clergy. How many times do we hear from those we are witnessing to, “My pastor says … ,” or “My priest says … .”

It seems that for many people, it is easier to ask supposed ecclesiastical experts than it is to investigate for themselves. We often encounter this reaction after explaining the seventh-day Sabbath to an associate. They will come back after a day or two stating they asked their pastor and he explained that they observe Sunday as the Sabbath in honor of Christ’s resurrection, thus receiving the opiate needed to quiet their uneasiness.

Closely related to that is the power of loved ones. How many do we know who are bound by their spouses, parents, sons, or daughters, and fail to do what they know to be right, just to maintain peace in the family while their hearts are at war with the truth?

Another opiate of error is tradition. We all know how Christ addressed teaching for doctrine the tradition of men.

“Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, ‘Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.’ He answered and said to them, ‘Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, “Honor your father and your mother”; and, “He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.” But you say, “Whoever says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God’—then he need not honor his father or mother.” Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” ’ ” Matthew 15:1–9

Another opiate of error is inertia. It might be difficult to understand inertia as an opiate, but in the broadest definition of an opiate as something that induces inaction, inertia certainly qualifies. Inertia is defined as a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged. It is often far easier to continue doing what you always have done than it is to initiate a change in behavior. I’m sure we all have experienced this at some point in our lives.

I was raised a Sundaykeeper and for 50 years, observed Sunday as the Sabbath. Thankfully, the Lord opened my eyes to the error of my ways, but I still occasionally slip and call the Sabbath Sunday, or use the term “Sunday school.” They say “Old habits die hard,” and the truth of that leads me to a fifth opiate of error.

My seventh grade English teacher once wrote the word “HABIT” on the blackboard in all capital letters. She erased the H, explaining that after working hard to overcome a bad habit, we still had “A-BIT.” Working harder, we still had “BIT.” Working even harder we still had “IT.”

There is a passage in Inspiration that we’ve all read or heard more than once acknowledging the effects of failing to overcome our wrong habits.

“There are some who seem to be always seeking for the heavenly pearl. But they do not make an entire surrender of their wrong habits. They do not die to self that Christ may live in them. [Clearly, living for self is a wrong habit!] Therefore they do not find the precious pearl. They have not overcome unholy ambition and their love for worldly attractions. They do not take up the cross and follow Christ in the path of self-denial and sacrifice. Almost Christians, yet not fully Christians, they seem near the kingdom of heaven, but they cannot enter there. Almost but not wholly saved means to be not almost but wholly lost.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 118

We see from this passage that Inspiration recognizes wrong habits and worldly attractions as opiates—tranquilizing, deadening, stupefying “drugs”—that, if we do not break free, will prevent us from entering the kingdom of heaven.

“Who will turn away from every worldly attraction, from earthly enterprises that promise great gain and selfish gratification, and count all things but loss if he may win Christ? Winning Christ, we win everything. Jesus says He will be in us ‘a well of water springing up into everlasting life.’

“ … ‘Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.’ There is a necessity for a decided choice; for Jesus said, ‘Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’ ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.’

“He who is mighty in counsel speaks to you; will you hear His voice, will you obey His words? Jesus says, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ He invites you to step upon new and higher ground than that which you have occupied in the past. If your heart is filled with love to Christ, it will be demonstrated that He is stronger than the passions which have ruled you, whose indulgence have undermined noble impulses, and left the soul to the mercy of Satan’s temptations.

“ ‘Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price.’ The world is under the most solemn obligation to render to the Lord Jesus His purchased possession,—soul, body, and spirit. But because the people of the world ignore their responsibility to God, and refuse to accept the great gift of salvation, they are not excused from their obligation to be faithful servants of Christ. In serving their own lust, they make it manifest that they are not subject to the rule of Christ, but day by day are robbing God of that which is His due. They refuse to be the children of Christ, and choose rather to be the slaves of Satan. In astonishment at their blindness, we reiterate the words of the apostle, ‘Who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?’

“Christ invites the sinner to come to Him. With what loving entreaties He follows the sinner! When the heart of the sinner is touched, he yields his will to God’s will, and selfish inclination is no longer the controlling power; for the slavery of Satan is broken, and the soul brought into subjection to Christ. Impressed with the sense of the Saviour’s long-suffering, forbearance, compassion, and measureless love, the repenting soul is deeply conscious of his own unworthiness and guilt. He yields his will to the will of God, and longs to reveal his loyalty to Christ, watching for opportunities to speak forth His goodness and love. He sees in Jesus matchless charms, and his heart is captivated. He has tasted of the love of Christ, and the gratitude of his heart is expressed in speaking to those who do not know the goodness of the Lord. He becomes a partaker of the divine nature.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 27, 1892

May the Lord give us reason, grace, and moral strength to overcome the effect these opiates have on our spiritual journey and that Satan uses so effectively to thwart us in our efforts to walk the narrow way successfully.

John R. Pearson is the office manager and Steps to Life board member. He can be reached by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org or by phone at 316-788-5559.

Appeal on Immortality

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Men of reason and common sense, give your serious attention to the following points. Read your Bibles again. Read carefully, read prayerfully. See if these things be true or not. Dare to think for yourselves. Do not trust to commentaries. Do not build your faith on bodies of divinity. Go to the fountain head of truth. “The words of the Lord are tried words.” “The law of the Lord is perfect.” This cannot be said of the writings or opinions of any man, or number of men, however wise or holy they may be. To err is human. God and His truth alone are infallible. Show yourselves true Protestants, and cast away the “traditions of men.” You have the Bible. The wisest and holiest of the “fathers” had no more. Your ministers have nothing else to guide them—at least they ought not. “The Bible, and the Bible alone, is the book for Protestants.” Go then to your Bibles, and see if the God-dishonoring doctrines to which I am directing your attention are found there or not. Excuse me if I tell you, that, however full of these doctrines human books and sermons may be, God’s Bible does not contain them.

Rather, believe that man is mortal and condemned to die, but Christ is “come that they [mankind] may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Is It Reasonable

… to suppose that God created man an immortal being, and yet never once in His holy word informed us of the fact?

… to suppose that if man naturally possessed immortality, God’s word would recommend us to seek for it, as it does in Romans 2:7?

… to suppose, that if men were naturally immortal, God’s word would so plainly assure us that “God only hath immortality?” 1 Timothy 6:16

… to suppose that words, when found in the Bible, must have a meaning attached to them, which no man in his senses would ever think of attaching to them in any other book? For instance, the words life and death, when found in the Bible, must (as theologians tell us) mean “happiness” and “misery”; but, if found in any other book in the world, they would simply mean “existence” and “cessation of existence.”

… to suppose that in all the vast multitude of passages in which Christ promised eternal life to His followers, He did not literally mean what He said? This He could not, if all men have immortal life by nature. In that case, the wicked would live with the righteous throughout eternity.

… to suppose, in all the vast multitude of passages in which death is threatened as the punishment of the sinner, that loss of happiness is all that is meant? An unhappy man is as truly alive as the most happy being in existence; and if he be immortal by nature, will continue alive through all eternity. In no plain, common-sense language can any immortal being be said to suffer death.

… to suppose that infinite wisdom would invariably use language which was only calculated to mislead mankind, or which none but doctors of divinity could unravel? Would God speak in riddles to men in the great matters which concern their salvation?

… and more in accordance with the wisdom and love of God to suppose that He would give His creatures such a revelation, as plain, common-sense people could easily understand? He has done so; if men would use their reason in reading the Bible, as they would do in reading any other book.

… to believe that men go to heaven or hell immediately at death, and then hundreds or thousands of years afterward are taken out to be judged, and to see to which they deserve to be sent? Should we deem it right to send a man to a state’s prison for ten years, and then bring him out for trial to see if he deserved such a punishment? And “shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

… that such prominence should be given in Scripture to the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead, if that event only means a “reunion” of a lump of clay, with the conscious thinking and real man—the soul; and which is said by theologians to be as capable of happiness or misery, without the body as with it?

… to talk about a “death that never dies,” when there is not a word in Scripture to sanction such a contradictory phrase? Would it not be equally reasonable to speak of the reward of the righteous as a “life that never lives?” Is there not as much common sense in the one as in the other?

… to be so constantly, both in sermons and prayers, talking about “immortal souls,” “never-dying souls,” “deathless spirits,” and other such expressions, when there is not from Genesis to Revelation one single passage to warrant the use of such language?

… to say that eternal death and eternal torment are synonymous expressions (as theologians tell us)—for how then can it be said in Revelation 21:4, “There shall be no more death?”

… to believe that a hell of fiery torment and ceaseless misery is to exist forever, when God says, “Behold, I make all things new?” Revelation 21:5

… to believe in the eternal torment of the wicked, when more than two hundred passages of Scripture plainly affirm that they shall “die,” be “consumed,” “devoured,” “destroyed,” “burnt up,” “be as though they had not been?”

… to believe that the righteous in their glorified state can be indifferent to, and unaffected by, the endless sufferings of countless millions of their fellow beings; among whom would probably be found parents, children, husbands, and wives? Is it possible that they will be destitute or deprived of qualities which are considered most lovely and godlike in this life (piety, sympathy, compassion, commiseration for others’ woes)? Will insensibility to the woes of the wretched ever become a virtue? Will that which is a vice in this life, become a grace in the glorious future life? Is the standard of virtue thus variable, that what is vicious here, is to be gracious hereafter?

… to believe that a God of infinite rectitude will punish with eternal torment the heathen who have never heard of Christ, and who therefore could not reject Him? Is it possible that God can cast into one indiscriminate mass of fiery torment, the least wicked among the heathen, together with the most guilty in this Christian land, for such must be the case if their souls are immortal, and if their torment is to be eternal? There can be no degrees in that which is infinite. Is it not far more reasonable to believe the apostle’s words literally, “For as many as have sinned without the law, shall also perish without law?” Romans 2:12

… to believe that God is such a vindictive Being, that His justice cannot be satisfied with the death of the offender? To believe that He must be constantly pouring floods of fiery wrath upon the wretched being through the ever-rolling cycles of eternity?

Is it not far more reasonable to believe that immortality is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord? Romans 6:23

Forty Questions on Immortality

  1. Who is immortal? “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1Timothy 1:17
  2. Are not all men possessed of immortality? “He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords: who only hath immortality.” 1Timothy 6:15
  3. Are not all men created immortal? God “alone has immortality.” 1Timothy 6:16
  4. Is there any way by which men may obtain immortality? “By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2Peter 1:4
  5. Is this immortality revealed by Plato or Socrates, or by familiar rapping spirits, or in nature—or is it through Jesus Christ and His gospel? “By the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 2Timothy 1:10
  6. Who has power to bestow immortality upon man? “… the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
  7. Will God give this gift to all persons whatever their works may be? God “will render to every man according to his deeds.” Romans 2:6
  8. What will be the portion of those who are contentious and obey not the truth? “But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil.” Romans 2:8, 9, first part
  9. To whom will God impart immortality? “To those who by patient continuance in doing good, seek for glory, honor, and immortality.” Romans 2:7
  10. What shall be their reward? “Eternal life.” Romans 2:7
  11. Upon what conditions may we obtain this blessing? “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.” 1Timothy 6:12, first part
  12. When do men obtain immortality? Is it at death or at the resurrection? “And the dead will be raised incorruptible.” 1Corinthians 15:52, last part
  13. How shall those who are not dead become incorruptible? “We shall be changed.” 1Corinthians 15:52
  14. When will this change take place? “At the last trump.” 1Corinthians 15:52
  15. How suddenly will the change occur? “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.” 1Corinthians 15:52
  16. Will this change be a change of the internal, or the external and physical, corruptible man? “For this corruptible must put on incorruption.” 1Corinthians 15:53, first part
  17. What, then, becomes immortal? “This mortal must put on immortality.” 1Corinthians 15:53, last part
  18. What scripture will be fulfilled when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality? “Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1Corinthians 15:54, last part
  19. Who will be raised from the dead? “All that are in their graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth.” John 5:28, 29, first part
  20. Will the unburied arise? “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades [the grave] delivered up the dead which were in them.” Revelation 20:13
  21. Will different classes of characters arise in the resurrection? “There will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” Acts 24:15
  22. For what are the good raised? “They that have done good unto the resurrection of life.” John 5:29, first part
  23. To what will all others be raised? “They that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:29, last part
  24. Will a man’s destiny at last be in accordance with his previous life? “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7, last part
  25. What will be the portion of the ungodly? “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption.” Galatians 6:8, first part
  26. What will be the reward of the saint? “He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Galatians 6:8, last part
  27. Where now is the Christian’s life? “Your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3
  28. How, then, should we live? “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9
  29. What will be the fate of those who sow to the flesh? “They will utterly perish in their own corruption.” 2Peter 2:12, last part
  30. Is it possible for man to be utterly destroyed? “Fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28, last part
  31. What is the wages of sin? “For the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23
  32. Is this death merely a bodily death? “The soul who sins shall die.” Ezekiel 18:20, first part
  33. If the wicked turn away from his wickedness and do right, what then? “He preserves himself alive.” Ezekiel 18:27, last part
  34. When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits sin, what will be his fate? “Because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.” Ezekiel 18:26, last part
  35. As he first dies in his iniquity, and then dies for his iniquity, what must this last death be called? “The second death.” Revelation 21:8
  36. What is the result attained by the man who converts a sinner from the error of his ways? “He will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:20, last part
  37. What has God placed before us to excite us to action? “I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing.” Deuteronomy 30:19, first part
  38. How does God manifest His love to men? “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
  39. What is our Saviour’s complaint concerning mankind? “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” John 5:40
  40. What is the command of God to all? “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies, says the Lord God. ‘Therefore, turn and live.’ ” Ezekiel 18:31, 32

Source: adventbeliefs.com/assets/BBR/17/Appeal-on-Immortality-James-White

Representatives of Christ

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“But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

These words, spoken by Jesus just before His ascension, clearly states that as Christians we are to be representatives of Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

“What fruit does Christ expect from His disciples? The exerting of an influence like the influence exerted by the Redeemer. He expects us to follow His example of perfect goodness, living in obedience to all His commandments. Thus it is that we become Christlike. …

“Justification is the reward of faith in the righteousness of Christ. His imputed righteousness brings everyone who accepts Him as a personal Saviour into conformity to the will of God. … He who follows Christ must live in obedience to the law of God. Sin and holiness cannot unite.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 18, 96

“No yoke that Christ has not framed is to be bound upon the necks of God’s people. Let those who have been wearing yokes of human devising cast them aside at any cost, and take the yoke of Christ. This is the instruction that God has been given me for the past years and has been repeating the past few days.

“Our heavenly Father knows how weak we are. He understands our necessities and our capacities. He has not left us to be guided or controlled by any human  will. We are to follow the word, ‘It is written.’ We gain purity of soul through the blood of Jesus, which is efficacious to cleanse us from all sin.”

“ … The work is to be done that will cause the earth to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. This work can be done only by the whole church acting their part under the guidance and in the power of Christ.” Ibid., 98-100 (All emphasis supplied.)

Prepared for the Seal

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October 19 – 25, 2025

Key Text

“And in their [the hundred and forty and four thousand] mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Revelation 14:5

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 648, 649

Introduction

“Those who have learned of Christ will ‘have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.’ Ephesians 5:11. In speech, as in life, they will be simple, straightforward, and true; for they are preparing for the fellowship of those holy ones in whose mouth ‘was found no guile.’ ” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 69

Sunday

1 NAME AND CHARACTER

1.a. What does it mean to pray in the name of Jesus and to have the Father’s name written in the forehead? John 14:13–15; 15:16; 16:23, 24

 

Note: “To pray in Christ’s name means much. It means that we are to accept His character, manifest His spirit, and work His works.” The Desire of Ages, 668

“The seal of the living God will be placed upon those only who bear a likeness to Christ in character.” The Faith I Live By, 287

“In every act of life, you are to make manifest the name of God. This petition calls upon you to possess His character. You cannot hallow His name, you cannot represent Him to the world, unless in life and character you represent the very life and character of God. This you can do only through the acceptance of the grace and righteousness of Christ.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 107

1.b.  How important was a name in Old Testament times, and what did a name reveal? 1 Samuel 25:25; Genesis 27:36; 32:27, 28 When a person’s character changed, what happened to his or her name? Genesis 17:5, 15, 16; 32:28

 

Monday

2 CHURCH ASSOCIATION

2.a. What does a woman symbolize in the Scriptures, and what does it mean not to be defiled with women as a condition to be sealed? Isaiah 4:1; Hosea 2:2, 20; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 14:4, first part. What does the term “Babylon” mean? Revelation 17:4, 5

 

Note: “The term ‘Babylon’ is derived from ‘Babel,’ and signifies confusion. It is employed in Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate religion. In Revelation 17, Babylon is represented as a woman—a figure which is used in the Bible as the symbol of a church, a virtuous woman representing a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church.” The Great Controversy, 381

 

2.b. Can we say that anyone connected with a false church is defiled? 2 Corinthians 6:14–18. At what point does defilement begin? Revelation 18:4

 

Note: “[In the early centuries,] after a long and severe conflict, the faithful few decided to dissolve all union with the apostate church if she still refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry. They saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of God.” The Great Controversy, 45

“He [God] would teach His people that disobedience and sin are exceedingly offensive to Him and are not to be lightly regarded. He shows us that when His people are found in sin they should at once take decided measures to put that sin from them, that His frown may not rest upon them all. But if the sins of the people are passed over by those in responsible positions, His frown will be upon them, and the people of God, as a body, will be held responsible for those sins. In His dealings with His people in the past the Lord shows the necessity of purifying the church from wrongs. One sinner may diffuse darkness that will exclude the light of God from the entire congregation. When the people realize that darkness is settling upon them, and they do not know the cause, they should seek God earnestly, in great humility and self-abasement, until the wrongs which grieve His Spirit are searched out and put away.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, 265

Tuesday

3 FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS

3.a. What does “in their mouth was found no guile” mean? Revelation 14:5; James 3:2; Matthew 5:37; 12:36, 37. How does the Sabbath become a sign of sanctification? Exodus 31:13; Isaiah 58:13

 

Note: “My brethren and sisters, how are you employing the gift of speech? Have you learned so to control the tongue that it shall ever obey the dictates of an enlightened conscience and holy affections? Is your conversation free from levity, pride and malice, deceit and impurity? Are you without guile before God? Words exert a telling power. Satan will, if possible, keep the tongue active in his service. Of ourselves we cannot control the unruly member. Divine grace is our only hope.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 175

“The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of … men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God—candidates for heaven.” Ibid., 216

3.b.  How do the sealed believers follow the Lamb here on earth? Revelation 14:4, middle part; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 John 2:6; 3:3–7

 

Note: “In the midst of a world by its iniquity doomed to destruction, Enoch lived a life of such close communion with God that he was not permitted to fall under the power of death. The godly character of this prophet represents the state of holiness which must be attained by those who shall be ‘redeemed from the earth’ (Revelation 14:3) at the time of Christ’s second advent. Then, as in the world before the Flood, iniquity will prevail. Following the promptings of their corrupt hearts and the teachings of a deceptive philosophy, men will rebel against the authority of Heaven. But like Enoch, God’s people will seek for purity of heart and conformity to His will, until they shall reflect the likeness of Christ. Like Enoch, they will warn the world of the Lord’s second coming and of the judgments to be visited upon transgression, and by their holy conversation and example they will condemn the sins of the ungodly. As Enoch was translated to heaven before the destruction of the world by water, so the living righteous will be translated from the earth before its destruction by fire.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 88, 89

Wednesday

4 EXHORTING ONE ANOTHER

4.a. What is shown by the fact that the sealed believers sigh and cry for all the abominations which are done both in the land and in the church? Ezekiel 9:4; Hebrews 10:24–26

 

Note: “The day of God’s vengeance is just upon us. The seal of God will be placed upon the foreheads of those only who sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 212

“The leaven of godliness has not entirely lost its power. At the time when the danger and depression of the church are greatest, the little company who are standing in the light will be sighing and crying for the abominations that are done in the land. But more especially will their prayers arise in behalf of the church because its members are doing after the manner of the world. …

“In the time when [God’s] wrath shall go forth in judgments, … humble, devoted followers of Christ will be distinguished from the rest of the world by their soul anguish, which is expressed in lamentation and weeping, reproofs and warnings. While others try to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent, those who have a zeal for God’s honor and a love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any.” Ibid., 209, 210

4.b.  Will anyone be saved if one does not show concern for the souls of fellow believers as well as of those living around him or her? Ezekiel 33:7–11

 

Note: “The Lord seeks to save, not to destroy. He delights in the rescue of sinners. ‘As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.’ Ezekiel 33:11. By warnings and entreaties, He calls the wayward to cease from their evil-doing and to turn to Him and live. He gives His chosen messengers a holy boldness, that those who hear may fear and be brought to repentance.” Prophets and Kings, 105

“If wrongs are apparent among [God’s] people, and if the servants of God pass on indifferent to them, they virtually sustain and justify the sinner, and are alike guilty.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, 265, 266

Thursday

5 ABSOLUTE VICTORY

5.a. In order to obtain perfect victory and be sealed, what are some of the prerequisites? John 15:5; Revelation 14:12; 2 Peter 1:5–11

 

Note: “God demands that the appetites be cleansed, and that self-denial be practiced in regard to those things which are not good. This is a work that will have to be done before His people can stand before Him a perfected people.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9, 153, 154

“He [Satan] fell for the same reason that thousands are falling today, because of an ambition to be first, an unwillingness to be under restraint. The Lord would teach man the lesson that, though united in church capacity, he is not saved until the seal of God is placed upon him.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 969

5.b.  What is the song that the 144,000 learn which no one else can learn? Revelation 14:2, 3. What must be their specific victory? Revelation 15:2, 3

 

Note: “Although church and state will unite their power to compel ‘all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond’ (Revelation 13:16), to receive ‘the mark of the beast,’ yet the people of God will not receive it.” The Great Controversy, 450

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    How important is it to have the Father’s name in our foreheads, and what does that mean?

2    How does one get defiled with women in a prophetic sense?

3    What does it mean to be without guile?

4    Why do we need to have a concern for the spirituality of other members as well as of those around us?

5    What role does our diet have on perfect victory?

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Twelve Tribes of Israel

by

October 12 – 18, 2025

Key Text

“When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.” Deuteronomy 32:8

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 106, 465–469

Introduction

“The true children of Abraham would live, as he did, a life of obedience to God. … A mere lineal descent from Abraham was of no value. Without a spiritual connection with him, which would be manifested in possessing the same spirit, and doing the same works, they were not his children.” The Desire of Ages, 466, 467

Sunday

1 THE GOSPEL PROMISE

1.a. What was the first promise given to Abraham, and how does that promise depict the gospel? Genesis 12:1–3; 15:6; 22:18; Galatians 3:8, 9

 

Note: “He [Abraham] trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It was this faith that was accounted unto him for righteousness. The covenant with Abraham also maintained the authority of God’s law.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 370

1.b.      What is the gospel? Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:17, 18; Colossians 1:20. How was Calvary illustrated to Abraham in a practical way? Genesis 22:2–13; John 8:56–58

 

Note: “The offering of Isaac was designed by God to prefigure the sacrifice of His Son. … All the agony that Abraham endured during that dark and fearful trial was for the purpose of deeply impressing upon his understanding the plan of redemption for fallen man.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1094

Monday

2 CHRIST—THE MAIN PROMISED BLESSING

2.a. Did Abraham understand the blessings that were to come through faith in the cross of Christ? Galatians 3:13, 14; 2 Corinthians 5:21

 

Note: “When to Isaac’s question, ‘Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ Abraham made answer, ‘God will provide Himself a lamb;’ and when the father’s hand was stayed as he was about to slay his son, and the ram which God had provided was offered in the place of Isaac—then light was shed upon the mystery of redemption, and even the angels understood more clearly the wonderful provision that God had made for man’s salvation. 1 Peter 1:12.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 155

2.b.      How does Paul explain the important promise made to Abraham? Galatians 3:16, 27–29; Colossians 2:10–13. What blessings do we receive through Christ, the Seed of Abraham? Romans 3:23–25; Titus 2:11–14

 

Note: “Though they [the people of Israel ‘according to the flesh’] had despised God’s mercy and forfeited their blessings as His chosen people—yet God had not cast off the seed of Abraham; the glorious purposes which He had undertaken to accomplish through Israel were to be fulfilled. All who through Christ should become the children of faith were to be counted as Abraham’s seed; they were inheritors of the covenant promises; like Abraham, they were called to guard and to make known to the world the law of God and the gospel of His Son.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 476

“Descent from Abraham was proved, not by name and lineage, but by likeness of character. So, the apostolic succession rests not upon the transmission of ecclesiastical authority, but upon spiritual relationship. A life actuated by the apostles’ spirit, the belief and teaching of the truth they taught, this is the true evidence of apostolic succession. This is what constitutes men the successors of the first teachers of the gospel.” The Desire of Ages, 467

“No one will be entitled to the heavenly inheritance who has not been purified, refined, ennobled, and sanctified. Then let us be diligent to make our calling and election sure.” The Messenger, May 10, 1893

Tuesday

3 HEAVENLY CANAAN

3.a. What did the inheritance promised to Abraham include? Genesis 17:8; Romans 4:13. Why couldn’t he inherit immediately the land of Canaan? Genesis 15:16

 

Note: “The heritage that God has promised to His people is not in this world. Abraham had no possession in the earth, ‘no, not so much as to set his foot on,’ Acts 7:5. He possessed great substance, and he used it to the glory of God and the good of his fellow men; but he did not look upon this world as his home. The Lord had called him to leave his idolatrous countrymen, with the promise of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession; yet neither he nor his son nor his son’s son received it. When Abraham desired a burial place for his dead, he had to buy it of the Canaanites. His sole possession in the Land of Promise was that rock-hewn tomb in the cave of Machpelah.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 169

3.b.      What was Abraham’s hope, based on God’s promise—a hope that is shared by all the faithful? Hebrews 11:8–10; Daniel 7:27; 2 Peter 3:13. How did he consider himself in this world? Hebrews 11:13–16

 

Note: “The word of God had not failed; neither did it meet its final accomplishment in the occupation of Canaan by the Jewish people. … The gift to Abraham and his seed included not merely the land of Canaan, but the whole earth. So, says the apostle, ‘The promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.’ Romans 4:13. And the Bible plainly teaches that the promises made to Abraham are to be fulfilled through Christ. All that are Christ’s are ‘Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise’—heirs to ‘an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away’—the earth freed from the curse of sin. Galatians 3:29; 1 Peter 1:4. For ‘the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High,’ ” Patriarchs and Prophets, 169, 170

Wednesday

4 HEIRS OF THE KINGDOM

4.a. What are the people like who will inherit the heavenly Canaan? Matthew 5:5; 1 John 3:2, 3; Isaiah 60:21

 

Note: “A title to a possession in this world must be without flaw, or it is valueless, and the right of inheritance is not given. And will heaven be given to those who have a faulty title? The apostle reveals the line through which the heavenly inheritance is to come. He says: ‘If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.’ If we are Christ’s, our title to the heavenly inheritance is without flaw, for we are then under the only saving covenant, the covenant of grace; and through grace we shall be able to make our calling and election sure by putting on the excellency of Christ in faith, in spirit, in character; for no one will be entitled to the heavenly inheritance who has not been purified, refined, ennobled, elevated, and wholly sanctified. Those whose lives are hid with Christ in God, who have been clothed upon with His righteousness, will have a right to the inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.” The Signs of the Times, May 2, 1892

4.b.      What target regarding character is set before us to be reached before we can receive the seal of God’s approval? Ephesians 3:19; 4:13; Colossians 1:26–28; 2:10. When the people of God have attained to the stature of complete men and women in Christ, what declaration will be made concerning the work of the gospel? Revelation 10:7

 

Note: “We may talk of the blessings of the Holy Spirit, but unless we prepare ourselves for its reception, of what avail are our works? Are we striving with all our power to attain to the stature of men and women in Christ? Are we seeking for His fullness, ever pressing toward the mark set before us—the perfection of His character? When the Lord’s people reach this mark, they will be sealed in their foreheads. Filled with the Spirit, they will be complete in Christ, and the recording angel will declare, ‘It is finished.’ ” Our High Calling, 150

Thursday

5 ENTRANCE INTO THE HOLY CITY

5.a. How many gates are there in the New Jerusalem, whose names point to distinct character traits, and which are open to the redeemed? Revelation 21:10–12

 

5.b.      Mention some of the characters that will find no open gate and that will be debarred from entering the Holy City. Revelation 21:27; 22:15; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10

 

Note: “Amid the ransomed throng are the apostles of Christ, the heroic Paul, the ardent Peter, the loved and loving John, and their truehearted brethren, and with them the vast host of martyrs; while outside the walls, with every vile and abominable thing, are those by whom they were persecuted, imprisoned, and slain. There is Nero, that monster of cruelty and vice, beholding the joy and exaltation of those whom he once tortured, and in whose extremest anguish he found satanic delight.” The Great Controversy, 667

“Into the city of God there will enter nothing that defiles. All who are to be dwellers there will here have become pure in heart. In one who is learning of Jesus, there will be manifest a growing distaste for careless manners, unseemly language, and coarse thought. When Christ abides in the heart, there will be purity and refinement of thought and manner.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 24, 25

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    In essence, what is the gospel, and how was it preached to Abraham?

2    Who is Abraham’s seed? How is it possible to be a part of that seed?

3    What inheritance was promised to Abraham?

4    Describe the character required to receive the promised inheritance.

5    What are the conditions of admittance into the Holy City? Who will be kept out?

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Special Resurrection

by

October 5 – 11, 2025

Key Text

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. Some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

Study Help: Early Writings, 285

Introduction

“Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand.” The Review and Herald, March 9, 1905

Sunday

1 TWO CLASSES

1.a. What event will announce the imminent deliverance of the saints? Joel 3:16; Hebrews 12:26; Revelation 16:17, last part, 18

 

Note: “Dark, heavy clouds come up and clash against each other. In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters. …

“That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty earthquake.” The Great Controversy, 636, 637

1.b.      Who are resurrected when God’s voice resounds before Christ’s return? Daniel 12:1, 2; Matthew 26:63, 64; Revelation 1:7. Will those raised to everlasting life be among those who will hear God’s covenant?

 

Note: “Graves are opened, and ‘many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth … awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt’ (Daniel 12:2). All who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. ‘They also which pierced Him’ (Revelation 1:7), those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.” The Great Controversy, 637

Monday

2 ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR THOUSAND IN NUMBER

  1. When will God deliver the everlasting covenant to His people and give the day and hour of Christ’s coming? Daniel 12:2

 

Note: “When Jesus leaves the sanctuary, then they who are holy and righteous will be holy and righteous still; for all their sins will then be blotted out, and they will be sealed with the seal of the living God. But those that are unjust and filthy will be unjust and filthy still; for then there will be no Priest in the sanctuary to offer their sacrifices, their confessions, and their prayers before the Father’s throne. Therefore, what is done to rescue souls from the coming storm of wrath must be done before Jesus leaves the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary.” Early Writings, 48

“Soon we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming. The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake. When God spoke the time, He poured upon us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God, as Moses’ did when he came down from Mount Sinai.

“The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious star containing Jesus’ new name. At our happy, holy state the wicked were enraged, and would rush violently up to lay hands on us to thrust us into prison, when we would stretch forth the hand in the name of the Lord, and they would fall helpless to the ground.” Ibid., 15

Tuesday

3 ADDITION OR INCLUSION?

  1. Did the early Advent people believe that those who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message are included in the number of the sealed saints? Revelation 14:12, 13

 

Note: “As he [John] looked with intense interest he beheld the company of God’s commandment-keeping people. They had upon their foreheads the seal of the living God, and he said: ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.’ … ” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, 15

“Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 970

Wednesday

4 ADDITION OR INCLUSION? (CONTINUED)

4.a. What should be our goal under the third angel’s message? Matthew 24:13; Hebrews 4:14

 

Note: “The Lord manifests His grace and His power over and over again, and this should teach us that it is always profitable under all circumstances to cherish faith, to talk faith, to act faith.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 928

4.b.      What scriptures show the ultimate triumph of God’s remnant church? Philippians 1:6

 

Note: “In holy vision the prophet saw the ultimate triumph of God’s remnant church. He writes: ‘I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory … stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.’ Revelation 15:2, 3. ‘And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with Him a hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads.’ Revelation 14:1.’ In this world their minds were consecrated to God; they served Him with the intellect and with the heart; and now He can place His name ‘in their foreheads.’ ” The Acts of the Apostles, 590, 591

Thursday

5 TWO DISTINCT RESURRECTIONS

5.a. Who will be resurrected at the second coming of Jesus? John 5:28, 29, first part; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17. What will the righteous receive at this resurrection? Revelation 22:12; 1 Corinthians 15:51–55; 2 Timothy 4:7, 8

 

5.b. What will be the main occupation of the righteous during the millennium? 1 Corinthians 6:1–3; Revelation 20:4–6

 

5.c. Who are resurrected after the 1,000 years are over and the wicked have been judged? John 5:28, 29, last part; Revelation 20:5, 7–10

 

Note: “At the end of one thousand years, Jesus, the king of glory, descends. … The city of God comes down and settles upon the mighty plain prepared for it. Then Jesus leaves the city surrounded by the redeemed host and is escorted on His way by the angelic throng. In fearful majesty He calls forth the wicked dead. They are wakened from their long sleep. What a dreadful waking!” Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 3, 83, 84

“At the close of the thousand years the second resurrection will take place. Then the wicked will be raised from the dead and appear before God for the execution of ‘the judgment written.’ ” The Great Controversy, 661

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    Describe the special resurrection when two groups will be raised from the tomb at the voice of God, just before the coming of Christ.

2    With what Bible verses does the Spirit of Prophecy identify the last remnant church that will be ready to meet Christ?

3    Describe the two general resurrections to take place, one at the coming of Christ and the other one thousand years later.

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Sabbath as a Test

by

Sealed for Eternity

September 28, 2025 – October 4, 2025

Key Text

“And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed … .” Revelation 7:4

Study Help: Early Writings, 36–38, 42–44, 280–282

Introduction

“I then saw the third angel. Said my accompanying angel, ‘Fearful is his work. Awful is his mission. He is the angel that is to select the wheat from the tares, and seal, or bind, the wheat for the heavenly garner. These things should engross the whole mind, the whole attention.’ ” Early Writings, 118

Sunday

1 THE SEALING WORK

1.a. What must be done before the winds of contention are allowed to blow? Revelation 7:1, 3 (compare Daniel 7:2; Jeremiah 25:32). What will happen when these “winds” are released? 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3

 

Note: “John sees the elements of nature—earthquake, tempest, and political strife—represented as being held by four angels. These winds are under control until God gives the word to let them go. … [The] mightiest of angels has in his hand the seal of the living God, or of Him who alone can give life, who can inscribe upon the foreheads the mark or inscription, to whom shall be granted immortality, eternal life.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 444, 445

1.b.      How do we know that the time of probation, in which sinners are invited to turn to the Lord, will not be extended forever? Luke 13:23–25; 17:28–30; Jeremiah 8:20. What evidence shows that the sealing work must be completed before the plagues begin to fall at the final close of probation? Revelation 22:11

Monday

2 AN OPENED DOOR

2.a. When was the door of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary opened? Revelation 3:7, 8; 11:19; Daniel 8:14

 

Note: “The time for the commandments of God to shine out with all their importance, and for God’s people to be tried on the Sabbath truth, was when the door was opened in the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary, where the ark is, in which are contained the ten commandments. This door was not opened until the mediation of Jesus was finished in the holy place of the sanctuary in 1844. Then Jesus rose up and shut the door of the holy place, and opened the door into the most holy, and passed within the second veil, where He now stands by the ark, and where the faith of Israel now reaches.” Early Writings, 42

2.b.      Since the Sabbath has been revealed as a part of the law of God, and since the Day of Atonement clearly identifies obedience to that selfsame law, has the Sabbath been a test since 1844, or are we to wait for a future Sabbath test? Acts 17:30; John 15:22

 

Note: “The present test on the Sabbath could not come until the mediation of Jesus in the holy place was finished and He had passed within the second veil; therefore Christians who fell asleep before the door was opened into the most holy, when the midnight cry was finished, at the seventh month, 1844, and who had not kept the true Sabbath, now rest in hope; for they had not the light and the test on the Sabbath which we now have since that door was opened. I saw that Satan was tempting some of God’s people on this point. Because so many good Christians have fallen asleep in the triumphs of faith and have not kept the true Sabbath, [some] were doubting about its being a test for us now.” Early Writings, 42, 43

“Satan was trying his every art to hold [these] where they were, until the sealing was past, until the covering was drawn over God’s people, and they left without a shelter from the burning wrath of God, in the seven last plagues. God has begun to draw this covering over His people, and it will soon be drawn over all who are to have a shelter in the day of slaughter.” Ibid., 44

Tuesday

3 THE THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE

3.a. How does prophecy describe the restoration of the Lord’s Sabbath and the work of the sealing angel? Isaiah 56:1, 2, 6; 58:12, 13; Ezekiel 9:1–11; Revelation 14:9–12. What will be their attitude toward sin in the congregation for those who are preparing to receive the seal of God?

 

Note: “This sealing of the servants of God is the same that was shown to Ezekiel in vision.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 445

“Who are standing in the counsel of God at this time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of God and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would reprove sin? Is it those who take their stand against them and sympathize with those who commit wrong? No, indeed! Unless they repent, and leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work and in holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, they will never receive the mark of God’s sealing approval.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, 267

“The true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord and the salvation of souls at heart, will ever view sin in its real, sinful character. They will always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins which easily beset the people of God. Especially in the closing work for the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are to stand without fault before the throne of God, will they feel most deeply the wrongs of God’s professed people.” Ibid., 266

3.b.      Although many will be saved without the knowledge of the Sabbath truth, can believers in the third angel’s message be sealed without being tested on the commandments of God and the Sabbath? Ezekiel 20:12, 16, 19, 20; Revelation 12:17; 14:12

 

Note: “Those who would have the seal of God in their foreheads must keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. This is what distinguishes them from the disloyal, who have accepted a man-made institution in the place of the true Sabbath. The observance of God’s rest day is the mark of distinction between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 970

Wednesday

4 THE FINAL ISSUE

4.a. Since the light of present truth began to shine, focusing the attention of God’s people on the heavenly sanctuary, the law of God, and the Sabbath (Revelation 11:19), can we as believers in the three angels’ message be saved without having the seal of God? James 4:17

 

Note: “Only those who receive the seal of the living God will have the passport through the gates of the Holy City.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 970

“Those who reveal the meek and lowly spirit of Christ are tenderly regarded by God. They may be looked upon with scorn by the world, but they are of great value in His sight. Not only the wise, the great, the beneficent, will gain a passport to the heavenly courts; not only the busy worker, full of zeal and restless activity. No; the poor in spirit, who crave the presence of an abiding Christ, the humble in heart, whose highest ambition is to do God’s will—these will gain an abundant entrance. They will be among that number who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” The Desire of Ages, 301, 302

4.b.      What question will become quite clear under the final conflict regarding the Sabbath issue? Malachi 3:18

 

Note: “The final issue on the Sabbath question has not yet come, and by imprudent actions we may bring on a crisis before the time. … We must work cautiously, presenting the truth by degrees, as the hearers can bear it, but keep close to the word.” The Southern Work, 71

“The worshipers of God will be especially distinguished by their regard for the fourth commandment, since this is the sign of God’s creative power and the witness to His claim upon man’s reverence and homage.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9, 16

“The world can only be warned by seeing those who believe the truth sanctified through the truth, acting upon high and holy principles, showing in a high, elevated sense, the line of demarcation between those who keep the commandments of God and those who trample them under their feet.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 980

Thursday

5 THE FINAL ISSUE (CONTINUED)

5.a. How many are to be sealed in the time of the end? Revelation 7:4; 14:1–3

 

Note: “The decree is to go forth that all who will not receive the mark of the beast shall neither buy nor sell, and, finally, that they shall be put to death. But the saints of God do not receive this mark. …

“To every soul will come the searching test, Shall I obey God rather than men? … Who are prepared to stand firmly under the banner on which is inscribed, ‘The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus’?” The Signs of the Times, November 8, 1899

5.b.      Describe the troublous times that are coming upon the world, according to prophecy. Luke 21:26; Isaiah 24:1–6; 33:16

 

Note: “The time will come when men will not only forbid Sunday work, but they will try to force men to labor on the Sabbath.” The Southern Work, 69

“It requires moral courage to take a position to keep the commandments of the Lord. … It takes moral courage, firmness, decision, perseverance, and very much prayer to step out on the unpopular side. … You may have to suffer distress, you may go hungry sometimes; but God will not forsake you in your suffering. He will test your faith. We are not to live to please ourselves. We are here to manifest Christ to the world, to represent Him and His power to mankind.” The Review and Herald, September 3, 1895

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    What are the four winds that are being held back, and why are they held in check?

2    What door was opened before the servants of God in 1844?

3    What is the work of the third angel of Revelation 14?

4    Why was the Lord’s Sabbath not a test for God’s people before 1844—and why has it been a test ever since?

5    What question will be clear to all under the final test?

Copyright 2010, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.