Issue: 2020 April

Children’s Story – Who Will be in Heaven?

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“Mother, who will be in heaven?” Scott asked one bright sunny day as he watched her weed the garden.

Mother looked up from her weeding.

“Who will be in heaven?” Mother repeated the question. “Hmmm, let’s see.” Scott knew this meant she was thinking what to tell him.

“You know, I believe this garden has the answer for you,” Mother told him after awhile. “Let’s look at it.” She pointed to the plants she had been weeding.

“What plants are these?” she asked.

“Carrots,” Scott answered. He knew because he had eaten them.

“And these?” she asked, pointing to a different row.

“Onions.”

“And these?” Mother asked again.

“Corn,” Scott answered quickly.

“Why do carrots grow in one place, onions in another, and corn over there?” Mother asked.

Scott grinned. He thought that everyone should know the answer to that question. “Because that’s what was planted,” Scott said.

“True,” Mother told him. “And this is the thing you should remember. Like seeds, people die and are buried in the ground. If they belong to Jesus when they die, they will belong to Him when they are raised from the dead. God has said this is so. So, the people who go to heaven will be the ones who love Jesus here on earth.”

Just as the old seed dies in the ground, our bodies will disappear and we will get new bodies for heaven. We will be with Jesus forever if we loved and served Him when we lived on earth.

“Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, shall enter into heaven, just those who do the will of their Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

Dear Jesus, we thank You because You are the Resurrection and Life. We know no one will come to the Father but by You. Help us to love You always so that when You come to get us we will be ready to go to heaven. In Thy dear name, Amen.

Happy Moments With God, Margaret Anderson, ©1962, 141, 142.

Inspiration – God is Stronger

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My mind has been burdened over the matter of writing on Old Testament history. I am troubled to see my brethren and sisters bringing into the daily life so little Bible truth. In order for us to be overcomers we must realize that there is a battle to be fought. We rejoice to know that through the strengthening power of God’s grace we are sure to win. God is stronger than all the powers of the fallen foe.

The apostle Paul says: And now abideth faith, hope, and charity [love]. In all our words and acts these three Christian graces are to be interwoven. “The greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). If we will cultivate Christlike love, we can have this grace in large measure.

The early Christian church left their first love. To John on the Isle of Patmos was given the message: “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne and hast patience, and for My name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Revelation 2:1–5).

As members of God’s remnant church, we must pray with firm faith for the gift of the grace of love. Love is the fulfilling of the law, and is manifested altogether too little among those upon whom has been shining great light. Genuine religion is life and light to every believer.

The Christian graces are given not as ornaments to win admiration, but as talents to be used in accomplishing a work for God. We are to heed the words of Paul, “Quit you like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour 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 armour 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 wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:10–18).

If it was impossible for us to meet these requirements, they would never have been given. In divine grace there is a wonderful power. It can subdue the outbursts of passion in professing believers.

No one should ever permit his mind to get into such a state that he will speak the words prompted by Satan. To accuse the brethren, to discourage them in their work, is to personify Satan and to be his helping hand by putting into the minds of others the evil leaven of criticism, as leaven is put into meal. This evil leaven, so thoughtlessly introduced, leavens the whole lump. The apostle Paul says: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:14, 15).

How long will those who claim to be Christians tolerate the evil of listening to the criticisms of their brethren, and, in turn, communicate these criticisms to others, thus strengthening one another in an evil work? How long will they question the good work that is being done by a few, and stand in the way as hindrances? To clear the pathway of the accumulated rubbish placed there by accusers of the brethren takes precious time, and robs faithful workers of their strength and hope and faith. God’s work can be carried on among unbelievers with far greater success than among those who, like the Pharisees, desire to have all things shaped and carried on in accordance with their ideas and preferences.

Bible Training School, June 1, 1903.

Angelic Watchcare – Protection Under Persecution

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“But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated.” Hebrews 10:32, 33

There are three provocative phrases in the above text:

  • “You endured a great struggle with sufferings”
  • “You were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations”
  • “You became companions of those who were so treated”

If you have been raised as an Adventist from birth, it is less likely that you have had this experience, but Paul was writing to Hebrews who had converted to Christianity later in life.

“The Jerusalem Council had already released Gentile converts to the Christian faith from the ritual requirements of Judaism, but the silence of the Council with respect to the duty of Jewish Christians in this matter implied that the latter were still obliged to comply with them. Nevertheless, a large and influential body of Jewish Christians never assented to the release of the Gentile believers from the requirements of the Jewish legal system, and actively sought to impose their point of view on Paul’s converts.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary, 452.

Historically, decades—even centuries—prior to Christ’s advent, there were certain faithful souls who had maintained faith in a coming Redeemer.

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve were promised a Redeemer following their fall from grace. In fact, they hoped that the power of redemption would be vested in their firstborn.

Moses, who forsook the pleasures of sin, communed with his Redeemer on a regular basis and knew Him to be the salvation of Israel.

Abraham, who “waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God,” “command[ed] his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him” (Hebrews 11:10; Genesis 18:19).

Job “was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” (Job 11). Even in the midst of his tremendous afflictions, Job maintained his faith in his Redeemer. “And he said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong” (Job 1:21, 22). Even when provoked by these three “miserable comforters,” Job maintained his faith by declaring, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).

Enoch is another example of one who foresaw a coming Redeemer. Jude wrote of him, “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him’ ” (Jude 1:14, 15).

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel—all the Old Testament prophets—maintained faith in a Messiah to come. However, by the time the Messiah actually appeared, centuries after the last book of the Old Testament was written, faith in the atoning blood of a self-sacrificing Saviour had shifted to faith in the blood of bulls and goats.

Thus, when a Hebrew, a member of the established church, chose to turn from the centuries-old ritual of animal sacrifices and follow this radical Upstart who claimed to bring salvation through faith rather than force, that converted soul indeed suffered reproaches and tribulations—even to the point of execution.

My personal experience confirms the validity of Paul’s assertion. When I accepted the Advent truth, I faced extreme opposition from my wife—who eventually filed for divorce, and from my employer—who threatened me with isolation and brought my refusal to work on the seventh day before the board of directors.

Not only did I suffer reproaches and tribulation for my decision to follow Christ, the young man who introduced me to the truth, with whom I became a Christian brother in the fullest sense of the term, a “companion so treated,” suffered as well. He eventually had to seek employment elsewhere and resign his position.

Incurring this kind of treatment is not a pleasant thing to experience. Were it not for the cautions in God’s word that warn us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8), we would easily be caught off-guard and dislodged from the path of truth and righteousness.

In my particular case, I was not familiar enough with Scripture at that time to know the many promises God’s word contains nor the cautions it gives about the persecutions of Christ’s followers. And interestingly also, when I tried to share my newfound faith with professed Christians, I usually met the same kind of opposition that I had received from my wife and my employer. One faithful Sunday keeper, when I explained from Scripture that the true Sabbath was the seventh day, replied, “I just don’t think it’s that important.”

However, although we are cautioned about the determination of the enemy of souls to “devour” Christ’s followers, we are also given many wonderful promises in God’s word to enable us to endure his efforts—the reproaches and tribulations that seem to inevitably come with a decision to walk in the light.

One promise we are given that is especially appropriate is found in Isaiah 9:6, 7: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

“That time,” referred to in verse 7, could reasonably be reckoned to have begun with Christ’s presence on this earth when the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. It was confirmed when His apostles asked Him about the destruction of Jerusalem. We know that His answer addressed not only the fate of Jerusalem, but the events leading up to His second coming as well. There is a passage in The Great Controversy that summarizes that confirmation of “that time” very well.

“When Jesus revealed to His disciples the fate of Jerusalem and the scenes of the second advent, He foretold also the experience of His people [Who are “His people?” We are not left in doubt about that. They are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).] … He foretold also the experience of His people from the time when He should be taken from them, to His return in power and glory for their deliverance. From Olivet the Saviour beheld the storms about to fall upon the apostolic church; and penetrating deeper into the future, His eye discerned the fierce, wasting tempests that were to beat upon His followers in the coming ages of darkness and persecution. [538–1798—the 1260 years of Daniel’s and John’s prophecies.] In a few brief utterances of awful significance, He foretold the portion which the rulers of this world would mete out to the church of God.

“ ‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. [That happened during the Dark Ages when the Catholic church ruled the world—at least that part of the world that played a role in the great controversy, and it will happen again just before Christ’s second coming.] … For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened’ (Matthew 24:9, 21, 22).

“The followers of Christ must tread the same path of humiliation, reproach, and suffering which their Master trod. The enmity that burst forth against the world’s Redeemer would be manifested against all who should believe on His name.” The Great Controversy, 39.

We are warned about that troubling path of humiliation, reproach, and suffering throughout Scripture. Let’s look at just a couple of the most familiar ones.

In Philippians 1:29 Paul tells God’s people, “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”

In 2 Timothy 3:12, Paul advised Timothy, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” However, in the previous verses, Paul had preceded that hard saying with words of comfort: “But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me ” (verses 10, 11).

We have that same promise that the Lord will deliver us out of all persecutions, afflictions, and trials. We who are Christ’s faithful followers have that same assurance that the Lord will deliver us out of them all! There are many confirmations in Scripture and in the Spirit of Prophecy that give us that assurance.

One of the strongest is in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

This promise can be claimed by anyone who is facing difficulties of any kind in their daily walk, whether it is the enemy of souls seeking to devour you or persecution for your faith in any form.

One of the most uplifting assurances of divine assistance in our daily walk with Christ is in The Desire of Ages:

“In all ages, angels have been near to Christ’s faithful followers. The vast confederacy of evil is arrayed against all who would overcome; but Christ would have us look to the things which are not seen, to the armies of heaven encamped about all who love God, to deliver them. From what dangers, seen and unseen, we have been preserved through the interposition of the angels, we shall never know, until in the light of eternity we see the providences of God. Then we shall know that the whole family of heaven was interested in the family here below, and that messengers from the throne of God attended our steps from day to day.” The Desire of Ages, 240.

There is also an especially reassuring promise in the devotional Maranatha.

“In the day of fierce trial He [Christ] will say, ‘Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast’ (Isaiah 26:20). What are the chambers in which they are to hide? They are the protection of Christ and holy angels. The people of God are not at this time all in one place. They are in different companies, and in all parts of the earth.

“I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst.

“During the night a very impressive scene passed before me. There seemed to be great confusion and the conflict of armies. A messenger from the Lord stood before me, and said, ‘Call your household. I will lead you; follow me.’ He led me down a dark passage, through a forest, then through the clefts of mountains, and said, ‘Here you are safe.’ There were others who had been led to this retreat. The heavenly messenger said. ‘The time of trouble has come as a thief in the night, as the Lord warned you it would come.’

“In the time of trouble just before the coming of Christ, the righteous will be preserved through the ministration of heavenly angels; but there will be no security for the transgressor of God’s law. Angels cannot then protect those who are disregarding one of the divine precepts.

“In the closing period of earth’s history the Lord will work mightily in behalf of those who stand steadfastly for the right. … In the midst of the time of trouble—trouble such as has not been since there was a nation—His chosen ones will stand unmoved. Satan with all the hosts of evil cannot destroy the weakest of God’s saints. Angels that excel in strength will protect them, and in their behalf Jehovah will reveal Himself as a ‘God of gods,’ able to save to the uttermost those who have put their trust in Him.” Maranatha, 270.

“Trust in Him” is an essential key to the fulfillment of God’s promises in your life. Another essential key—maybe even more important—is obedience to His will.

There is a passage in Christ’s Object Lessons that brings to view a third key to the fulfillment of God’s promises.

“To human beings striving for conformity to the divine image there is imparted an outlay of heaven’s treasure, an excellency of power, that will place them higher than even the angels who have never fallen.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 163.

Thus, we see three essentials to a successful Christian walk: trust, obedience, and striving—personal effort. Scripture makes it clear that we have divine in each one of those essentials.

Let’s continue by looking at a few of the wonderful promises from God’s word. These are only a few of the hundreds or actually, thousands, that it contains.

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

Who are those whose minds are “stayed on” God? Again, they are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).

One of the most wonderful promises for maintaining the peaceful assurance of God’s protection is contained in Philippians 4:6, 7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Peter gives an equally assuring promise in 1 Peter 1:3–5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Claiming these promises by faith, and acting on them, will enable us to say with confidence, as Paul wrote to Timothy in the last letter he wrote before his execution, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing”  (2 Timothy 4:7, 8).

How could those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus not love His appearing, as Peter referred to in his last epistle—an event that will end the sin and suffering of this corrupt world and bring an absolute end to sin and affliction forever.

[All emphasis supplied.]

[All Bible quotes NKJV unless otherwise noted.]

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

It Is Finished

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For many years I have been intrigued with a verse of Scripture which I believe is one of the most sublime of all inspiration. It is found in Psalm 85 verse 10:

“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”

When one reads this text for the first time, he is captured by its poetic nature and aroused by its romantic thought, but when one gives himself to prayerful study of this text he is filled with amazement as he begins to realize the very thoughts of God in achieving victory in the great controversy between Christ and Satan.

Today, mankind is faced with many unsolved questions. Each differs widely depending on where one lives, but our subject is of more importance than any problem found in this world today. We are dealing with a question of how to find permanent peace. I am not talking about the present war with terrorists around the world, nor the present peace movements on foot, yet in a way, these world efforts to obtain peace are connected with Satan’s ambition to destroy the peace of the universe.

Perhaps we should first question, How can this be? And the answer is: Because Satan had attempted to prove that the righteousness of God’s law is the enemy of peace. This is why the Son of God came to live on this earth, to reveal His Father’s eternal peace plan proving that His law and everlasting peace are inseparably joined together, that mercy and truth cannot exist without each other.

May the Holy Spirit guide us in our search for Divine understanding that we may realize the meaning of Christ’s final words on the cross when He cried, “It is finished.” His words forever ended any doubt throughout the universe as to the final outcome of the war with Satan.

The Scripture declares without question in Psalm 119:142, last part, “Thy law is the truth.”

The life of Christ on this earth proved beyond a doubt that God’s law is righteous and can be perfectly obeyed with Divine help. By the death of Christ on the cross He proved that Satan’s charges were utterly false, that justice did not destroy mercy in forgiving sin, that heaven’s peace will extend throughout all eternity and can be realized only on God’s terms.

I trust by now that we are beginning to comprehend a small portion of those dramatic words that Christ uttered on the cross when He cried, “It is finished.” It is no wonder when these words were uttered from His dying lips that all heaven broke forth in a mighty shout of victory. Usually when death comes in this life, it brings great anguish, for all hope has finally vanished. Death is the state of hopelessness. But this was not so when Christ died. Those dying words of Christ, “It is finished” was a cry of victory. The battle had been won. It was a time for rejoicing, for Christ had accomplished the task He had come to do. In dying He became a conqueror. All heaven participated in the Savior’s victory. Shouts of triumph echoed from one unfallen world to another throughout the vast universe.

Do you question why? Because Heaven’s peace had now become a reality. Satan, who for ages had harassed the angels of God and the inhabitants of sinless worlds, was no longer permitted to disrupt heaven’s harmony. He had become a defeated foe and, what’s more, he knew it. This is why his hatred for God has now turned to revenge. This is why he is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.

Those divine words, “It is finished,” mean that redemption was no longer a possibility but was now an accomplished fact, not only for us but for the peace of the unfallen worlds. It was not until the moment of Christ’s death on the cross that the character of Satan was clearly revealed to the angels of God and to the unfallen worlds. The arch apostate had so clothed himself with deception that even the remaining holy angels did not fully understand the principles of Satan’s kingdom. How could this be? We must realize that Satan was a created being, so wonderful, so powerful, and so great in his glory that he was above all created beings. He was actually next to the divine Godhead.

Inspiration speaks of him as “Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12, last part). Lucifer was of the highest order of all creation. He was used by God to carry out the purposes of the Godhead to the universe. Angels trusted him. They never questioned any of his commands, but after Satan made the decision to take the place of Christ, God could no longer use him. The power and wisdom that he had used to achieve God’s purposes he now used to deceive. It was a most difficult task for God to unveil Satan’s character.

One often wonders why God didn’t immediately destroy Satan when he determined to overthrow God’s throne, but at that time, only God in His divine wisdom knew that rebellion is never overcome by force. Therefore, God rightly chose to resist such evil by revealing His goodness, His mercy, His truth and His love. Henceforth Satan would try to prove his false claims by using the power of force while God chose His divine principles as the only means to prove that truth and love can achieve a peaceful kingdom.

So, in Heaven’s council God took action with eternity in mind. It was decided that time should be given Satan to develop his government so that the universe might see the final results. Thus, during the next four thousand years Christ worked by truth and love to uplift man while Satan worked with his deception to ruin man.

Finally, the time came for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem. Satan immediately attempted to kill the Babe. No child has ever been tried as the Christ Child. Satan used every possible means within his power to keep Christ from developing a perfect character in childhood and to prevent Him from maintaining a faultless manhood. The devil did everything possible to disrupt His three years of holy ministry, which was dedicated to providing an unblemished sacrifice. Satan’s storm of wrath continually beat upon Him, but the more Satan attempted to force Him to sin the more firmly Christ clung to His Father.

Unnumbered created beings were absolutely captivated as they beheld Christ’s struggle with death in the Garden of Gethsemane, a death that exceeded that of the cross, forcing bloody sweat that fell to the ground from His pores. These sinless creatures watched and wondered. Three times they heard Him pray for deliverance until heaven could no longer endure the sight and the angel Gabriel was sent to strengthen Jesus.

All heaven beheld as Christ was betrayed into murderous hands. They watched the violence with which He was treated as He was hurried from one tribunal to another. They heard the sneers spoken of His lowly birth. The angels were amazed at the denial and cursing of His beloved disciple. They beheld thousands of demons turning the hearts of men against their Creator. What a picture is revealed! Jesus seized at midnight in the garden and mistreated from palace to judgment hall, two times arraigned before priest, twice before the Sanhedrin. By mob violence He is taken to Pilate who chastised Him and then sent Him to King Herod who cruelly handled Him. Finally, He is brought back to Pilate who condemned and scourged Him.

All heaven was watching as that whip with sharp metal attached to the many strands dug deep into the Saviour’s back, removing strength from His body, making it impossible for Him to carry the cross and He falls to the ground. Surely your heart is touched as we have joined with the universe in watching the nails driven through His hands and feet. We can actually sense the pain as the cross is lifted and dropped into the hole. And our eyes fill with tears as we watch His labored breath grow quick and deep. All this and more because the sins of the world have been heaped upon Him.

We cannot but marvel with heaven that Jesus prays amid such suffering, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Watch with contempt as we see the devil’s legions of demons inspiring the mob with the words, “If Thou be Christ, save Thyself” (Luke 23:39, last part). But in all this Satan gained absolutely nothing. Not one sin could be found in Jesus Christ. Suddenly Jesus gives that astonishing cry, “It is finished” as His head falls forward in death.

John tells us what happened in heaven at that very moment. Revelation 12:10 says, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” At last Satan’s disguise is torn away. His administration is laid wide open before the unfallen angels and the universe. Satan had revealed himself a murderer. How true were the words of Christ, “He was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44). Never again would the angels of God in heaven have to listen to Satan’s accusations as he had taunted them at Jerusalem’s pearly gates. The last link of sympathy for Satan was forever broken.

Yet the angels of God did not know the depth of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. This mystery of iniquity must be fully revealed, so Satan’s existence must continue a little longer. For some two thousand years more they must see the full contrast between the Prince of Life and the prince of darkness.

Satan had declared that God’s law could not be obeyed, that God’s justice was inconsistent with His mercy, that it was impossible for a sinner to be pardoned for sin. He must be punished. And if sin should be forgiven, God could no longer be a God of justice because Satan himself had been banished from heaven and refused pardon. But beloved, let us pause for a moment and think this thing through clearly. Lucifer had been the covering cherub next to God. No one in the universe knew more fully and understood more clearly God’s government of love. Yet he openly rebelled, knowing full well that God is a God of love. But man was deceived by Satan’s sophistry. Man, at creation, had lived but a very short time and did not know the heighth and breadth and the depth of God’s love. There was hope for fallen man when given time to realize God’s love and thus be drawn back to God by beholding His character. God’s mercy and justice must be made manifest to sinful man. He must understand that mercy did not set aside God’s justice, that God’s law revealed the attributes of His character and in heaven’s sanctuary not one jot or tittle could be changed in that divine law.

So, wonder of wonders, what does the Godhead do? In order to prove to man that God is filled with love and mercy, Christ sacrifices Himself. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:19: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” Since the law requires righteousness, no man of himself can become righteous, but Christ can embrace men with God’s attributes. Jesus can give to us His character; thus, the righteousness of the law can be fulfilled in the believer. God can be just, “the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). Thus, Jesus revealed the way to God. Since the law is truth, Christ revealed that mercy and His law were insolubly joined together, that one cannot exist without the other. This is why our text states, “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”

This brings us to the most important truth for those living in this end time. It is here that we discover Satan’s final deception. Since the cross reveals such unquestionable love of Divinity, Satan now declares that Christ’s love had destroyed the law. Let’s think this through. If it had been possible for God to alter or to change His law, Christ need not have died. So, Satan in this end time has decided to use the love of God to immortalize transgression. Since Jesus’ love was so great that He died for mankind, Satan now uses God’s mercy as the means to do away with the requirements of the law. So today we need only to love God and not obey Him. This is the final deception of Satan in this end time.

Satan is working through the fallen Protestant churches and the Papacy to lead men to disobey one precept of God’s law, knowing full well that God has stated, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Thus, in our world today most all have swallowed Satan’s lie, hook, line, and sinker, which is his masterly deception in keeping Sunday holy instead of the seventh day Sabbath. And by doing this they are making it possible for Satan to be worshiped as the God of this world.

I am sorry to say that this deception is gaining ground in the Seventh-day Adventist church. Never before has there been so much love-preaching. Never has there been so little preaching of obedience. The result is very obvious. Since God loves you so much, you do not have to obey Him anymore; you may sin until Jesus comes. The results are very evident. Two separate classes are being developed within God’s true church: those who love Jesus so much that they would rather die than sin, and, on the other hand are those who only want to hear of love and no obedience, believing that God’s mercy is so great that they can continue to sin and still be saved.

Beloved, Jesus is soon coming and will vindicate His law with the seven last plagues while at the same time He will deliver those who keep the commandments of God. Sin and sinners will be punished both root and branch – Satan the root, and those who accept his last deception, the branches. God’s word will be fulfilled of Satan and his followers. “I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire” (Ezekiel 28:16, last part). “Thou shalt be a terror, and never shall be any more” (Ezekiel 27:36). “The wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be” (Psalm 37:10). They shall be as though they had not been.

To those individuals who chose to believe Satan’s final deception that God’s love is so great that He will save them even in their sins will discover that they have actually cut themselves off from the peace of eternal life, for as Proverbs 8:36 states, “All they that hate Me love death.” The glory of God’s love will destroy them.

Let us never forget that at the beginning of the great controversy one third of the angels in heaven were deceived. The unfallen worlds did not comprehend what you and I have discovered in this study. If Satan and his angels had been destroyed by God the moment they had rebelled, the universe would never have known the results of sin and they may also have produced the deadly roots of rebellion, but this will not be so when this controversy ends, for God’s character will be fully vindicated. Every created intelligence of heaven and on earth will fully understand the character of God and they will know His precepts are perfect and immutable. Every created being will delight to do God’s will, for in their heart God’s love has been fully understood. Love has not destroyed His law but established His law. Peace, perfect peace will eternally reign, for mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

“And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise.

“ ‘And every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever’ (Revelation 5:13).

“The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.” The Great Controversy, 678.

For more than fifty years, Lawrence Nelson served the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a church pastor, evangelist, and then in Conference, Union, and General Conference leadership. When God laid upon him the responsibility to “tell it like it is” to alert the people how the church was leading them into the worldwide ecumenical movement, he was forbidden to preach in any church within the Oregon Conference. Elder Nelson passed to his rest on April 18, 2012.

Full and Final Display

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It is an awesome thought that if you do not resist, the angels of God will see to it that you are saved. Ellen White wrote, “Under God, the angels are all-powerful.” The Signs of the Times, January 17, 1900.

“Angelic agencies are standing firm, determined that he [Satan] shall not obtain the victory. They would recover every soul in our world who is under Satan’s banner if these poor souls would not so eagerly seek to keep out of and away from their merciful ministrations and rescuing power. Their deep and earnest love for the souls for whom Christ has died is beyond measurement. They would make these deceived souls intelligent in regard to how they might arm themselves and break the spell which Satan has cast upon them.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 922.

Angels have been commissioned to rescue every single person in our world who does not resist. “Christ designs that heaven’s order, heaven’s plan of government, heaven’s divine harmony, shall be represented in His church on earth. Thus in His people He is glorified. Through them the Sun of Righteousness will shine in undimmed luster to the world. Christ has given to His church ample facilities, that He may receive a large revenue of glory from His redeemed, purchased possession. He has bestowed upon His people capabilities and blessings that they may represent His own sufficiency. The church, endowed with the righteousness of Christ, is His depositary, in which the riches of His mercy, His grace, and His love, are to appear in full and final display.” The Desire of Ages, 680.

A full display of the mercy of Christ means that its manifestation is complete. The church could display a fuller manifestation of His mercy, grace and love. This is going to be the experience of God’s church when heaven’s plan of government and heaven’s harmony are developed and it is necessary now to show the world the character of God before the return of Jesus.

At no other time in eternity will this display of mercy be necessary, for heavenly intelligences are not in need of mercy or grace. They do not need to learn of the gospel of Christ and His saving grace because they have never sinned. Throughout eternal ages there will never again be another display of the mercy of God. Before sin entered the world everything was perfect and angels had no concept of mercy because there was no need. Grace is another attribute of the character of God that was not understood until sin entered the world. But when sin entered and the plan of salvation was instituted, the universe began to see that mercy was an integral part of God’s character.

The psalmist says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne” (Psalm 89:14). Righteousness is doing right. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of God’s throne. The devil knew that and made the claim that God could not be both just and merciful. He said that you can be merciful, and you can be just, but you cannot be both. Incidentally, Ellen White says there was no finite intelligence who could answer that challenge or charge. That same accusation that Satan had brought against the Lord for thousands of years was finally answered at the cross where it was demonstrated beyond doubt that God can be both just and merciful and forgive sins.

The cross demonstrated that God is a God of justice, and as David said, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face” (Psalm 89:14). A just price was paid for the sins of the world. Angels who had heard Satan’s unjust accusations for thousands of years saw at the cross mercy and justice demonstrated and were convinced without question of Satan’s error and lies which ultimately led to the crucifixion of his Creator.

Psalm 85:10 KJV says, “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” So, “According to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).

It is stated explicitly in the second commandment that God is merciful. He shows “mercy to thousands” (Exodus 20:6). God is merciful and He tells those who love Him to also be merciful. In fact, Micah 6:8 says, “What does the Lord require of you but to do justly [do what is right], to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Those are the three things God requires. James 2:13 says, “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Paul said “… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We are all in need of great mercy, therefore we must show mercy to others.

Mercy is an attribute of character shown when a child is not punished for every infraction he commits against a command. It may be just and right to punish every time a child does wrong, but if you exercise mercy sometimes, especially for minor infractions, the child is more likely to overcome that problem, using the mistake as a learning experience. Parents need to understand that if a child is never shown mercy and all he understands is justice, that child will grow up to be a hard-hearted man or woman.

Mercy is one of the characteristics of God of which the church is to make a full display to the whole world. It will be complete, “full and final,” because those characteristics will never need to be demonstrated again. Mercy has been demonstrated millions of times in the past, but as we approach the end, there will be a full, that is, a complete, and final display of God’s mercy.

“The church, endowed with the righteousness of Christ, is His depository, in which the riches of His mercy, His grace, and His love, are to appear in full and final display.” The Desire of Ages, 680. [Emphasis added.]

Grace is another attribute of the character of God that was not understood until sin entered the world. Notice what Paul says about it in Ephesians 1:7: “We have … the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” It is through His grace that we receive forgiveness of sins.

He wrote in Ephesians 2:8, “By grace you have been saved through faith.” And he says in Ephesians 4:7, that “To each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” James says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

There is a good reason that Hebrews 4:14–16 is a favorite text to Seventh-day Adventists. It says, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

It is through grace that we receive forgiveness of sins, but it is also through grace that we receive help. Paul said in Romans 1:5 that we receive grace for the “obedience to the faith.” God does not only forgive our sins through the grace of Christ, but through the grace of Christ, we receive help to do what is right, help to be obedient to the faith.

Zechariah 12:10 says, “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”

The church in the very last days of earth’s history is going to receive the Spirit of grace. Today we have the opportunity while time lasts to show grace and mercy to people who are in various kinds of trouble. Once sin has been eradicated there will be no more need for either.

Jesus said in Luke 6:27 and 28 to love our enemies, a concept that is completely alien from most religions. Jesus told His disciples the night before He left, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another … . By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for one another” (John 13:34, 35). To do that is an external sign that you are a Christian. Paul said the love of God is “poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5).

Paul also told us in Romans 12:9 that we were to have love without hypocrisy. Love is the first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. He said in 1 Corinthians 13 that no matter what else you have, if you do not have love, you do not have anything, and you cannot really gain anything in your spiritual life. Remember, there is going to be a full and final demonstration of the love of Christ by the church before Jesus comes and you can be part of it.

The love of Christ was a love for people who were undeserving and unappreciative. His love went out to people who never reciprocated that love. In heaven, the angels love each other, but the love that goes out is not unrequited. They are loved in return. Sadly, there are many times in this world when you have love for somebody with no response. Or maybe it is even worse than that. Maybe you love them, and they hate you, but you can keep loving the person who hated you.

When Jesus was nailed to the cross, He said to His Father in Luke 23:34: “ ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ ” Angels watching the scene knew that God was love, but they had never seen a love like this before. This love for your enemies, love for the people who do not return your love or maybe even hate you in return—this is the type of love that is going to have a full and a final display in God’s church.

Some people have become quite indignant at this message, claiming that this condition refers to the church triumphant but at present we are in the church militant. However, the church representing Christ on earth before He returns will be endowed with His righteousness living in harmony with heaven’s plan of government in which the riches of His mercy, His grace, and His love, are to appear in full and final display.

As I studied the statement in The Desire of Ages, 680, it talked about His mercy, grace and love as full, as complete, and as final. After this final display, it will not be necessary again. The whole world and the whole universe are going to see this display. The full and final external display of the mercy, of the grace, and of the love of Christ by the church to the world, before Jesus comes, will be what the world and the whole universe can see. But before that can happen, something has to happen internally to the people who are to make that display.

The Bible tells us that there is an internal work in people’s character that has to take place before they can display God’s character. Let’s take a look at a couple of Scriptures about this.

Isaiah said, “ ‘The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,’ says the Lord. ‘As for Me,’ says the Lord, ‘this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,’ says the Lord, ‘from this time and forevermore’ ” (Isaiah 59:20, 21).

“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth [in the last days], and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Isaiah 60:1–3).

Isaiah here is referring to the full and final display of the mercy, and grace, and love of God that will occur among God’s people just before the second coming.

Peter also talks about this. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9, 10).

The church must be endowed with the righteousness of Christ.

An endowment is something that you are given. It is not something earned. The church is endowed with the righteousness of Christ. It says, “The church, endowed with the righteousness of Christ, is His depositary, in which the riches of His mercy, His grace, and His love, are to appear in full and final display.” The Desire of Ages, 680.

They must have purity.

The church is going to have purity and the church is going to have perfection. “Christ looks upon His people in their purity and perfection, as the reward of His humiliation, and the supplement of His glory—Christ, the great Center, from whom radiates all glory.” Ibid.

They must have moral perfection of character—character perfection.

God has a training program in which Jesus Christ is performing some experiments. Inspiration says, “God has in training a people chosen, elect, precious. They were once the children of disobedience, disloyal to God. But now ‘Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy’ (1 Peter 2:9, 10).” The General Conference Daily Bulletin. February 27, 1893, 409.

These people that God has in training and on whom Jesus is performing divine experiments are in a divine laboratory in this world. “The Lord Jesus is making experiments on human hearts through the exhibition of His mercy and abundant grace.” Ibid. It is impossible to make a display of the mercy and grace of God until you have received it yourself.

“The Lord Jesus is making experiments on human hearts through the exhibition of His mercy and abundant grace. He is effecting transformations so amazing that Satan with all his triumphant boasting, with all his confederacy of evil united against God and the laws of his government, stands viewing them as a fortress impregnable to his sophistries and delusions. [Oh to be part of that experiment!] They are to him [the devil] an incomprehensible mystery. The angels of God, seraphim and cherubim, the powers commissioned to co-operate with human agencies, look on with astonishment and joy, that fallen men, once children of wrath, are through the training of Christ developing characters after the divine similitude, to be sons and daughters of God, to act an important part in the occupations and pleasures of heaven.” Ibid.

We can be part of those divine experiments designed to transform our characters after the divine similitude and be a reflection of His own character.

This condition in the church is what has been predicted to happen before Jesus returns. However, before that display can be made, there is an internal work that must be done on the people who are going to make that display. The question is, do you want to be part of these divine experiments?

“To His church, Christ has given ample facilities, that He may receive a large revenue of glory from His redeemed, purchased possession. The church, being endowed with the righteousness of Christ, is His depositary, in which the wealth of His mercy, His love, His grace, is to appear in full and final display. The declaration in His intercessory prayer, that the Father’s love is as great towards us as toward Himself, the only begotten Son, and that they shall be with Him where He is, forever one with Christ and the Father, is a marvel to the heavenly host, and it is their great joy. The gift of His Holy Spirit, rich, full, and abundant, is to His church as an encompassing wall of fire, which the powers of hell shall not prevail against it.” Ibid.

We are in training.

The Lord is performing experiments on us and we are to receive the Holy Spirit, rich, full, and abundant, which will be as a wall of fire which all the forces of hell cannot overcome. “In their untainted purity and spotless perfection Christ looks upon His people as the reward of all His suffering, His humiliation, and His love, and the supplement of His glory—Christ the great center from which radiates all glory. ‘Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb’ (Revelation 19:9).” Ibid.

Jesus wants to perform a divine experiment on you. He wants to pour His mercy, His grace, His love into your heart so that you will become a reflection of His own character so that He can use you to make a full, and complete, and final display of His mercy, grace, and love in this world before He comes. He wants to give you the gift of His Holy Spirit, rich, full, and abundant, as an encompassing wall of fire against which the powers of hell shall not prevail.

The devil has been saying for thousands of years that this is not possible and many people in the church today have bought into this lie. However, this is what the Lord says He is going to do and if we refuse His invitation to be part of this experiment, He will choose somebody else. There will be people who are willing to cooperate.

It would be wonderful if each of us could be involved in that full and final display. Today decide to be willing to yield yourself to Him, allowing Him to perform that divine experiment in your life. Do not murmur or complain when troubles and trials and things happen that you do not understand, but trust that God is working something out for your good.

Pray that God’s love will transform us in character so that we can be people whose names are written in heaven as having spotless purity and character perfection, not for ourselves, but for the glory and honor of our Redeemer.

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

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

Editorial – Harvest Time

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One of the saddest texts in all the Bible is Jeremiah 8:20: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Do not let any preacher or religious teacher rob you of the inheritance of eternal life that Jesus died on the cross to provide for you by persuading you that you do not need to keep God’s law or that you can be saved without keeping it. The forgiveness that Jesus provided on the cross of Calvary is for sins that you have committed in the past (Romans 3:25, 26; Romans 6:18–23), not so that you can continue to sin in the future. Every person who receives the Holy Spirit will quit sinning. (See Romans 8:1–14.) The standard for the judgment that every person in this world is to face is the law of God. (See James 2:8–12.) God’s children in the last days will be obedient to His law (Revelation 12:17; 14:12; 22:14) and those who claim to be Christians and yet break God’s law will not be accepted by Jesus in the judgment. (See Matthew 7:21–23.) Don’t let the religious delusions of this age rob you of eternal life.

“All the inhabitants of earth are soon to meet the great Lawgiver over His broken law. There are many, many in the popular churches who know little of the real meaning of the message for this time. I appeal to them not to disregard the fulfilling of the signs of the times, which say so plainly that the end is near. O how many who have not sought their soul’s salvation, will soon make the bitter lamentation, ‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved!’

“When will men learn that God is God, not man, and that He does not change? Every calamity, every death, is a witness to the power of evil and to the truth of the living God. The word of God is life, and it will abide forever. Through all eternity it will stand fast. How can man, knowing what God is and what He has done, choose Satan’s way instead of God’s way? There is only one path to Paradise restored—the path of obedience.” The Signs of the Times, January 25, 1910.