Issue: 2020 February

Inspiration – Effectual Prayer

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Many prayers are offered without faith. A set form of words is used, but there is no real importunity. These prayers are doubtful, hesitating; they bring no relief to those who offer them, and no comfort or hope to others. The form of prayer is used, but the spirit is wanting, showing that the petitioner does not feel his need, and is not hungering and thirsting after righteousness. These long, cold prayers are untimely and wearisome; they are too much like preaching the Lord a sermon.

Learn to pray short, and right to the point, asking for just what you need. Learn to pray aloud where only God can hear you. Do not offer make-believe prayers, but earnest, feeling petitions, expressing the hunger of the soul for the Bread of Life. If we prayed more in secret, we should be able to pray more intelligently in public. These doubtful, hesitating prayers would cease. And when engaged with our brethren in public worship, we could add to the interest of the meeting; for we should bring with us some of the atmosphere of heaven, and our worship would be a reality, and not a mere form. Those about us can soon tell whether we are in a habit of praying or not. If the soul is not drawn out in prayer in the closet, and while engaged in the business of the day, the lack will be manifest in the prayer-meeting. The public prayers will be dry and formal, consisting of repetitions and customary phrases, and they will bring darkness rather than light into the meeting.

The life of the soul depends upon habitual communion with God. Its wants are made known, and the heart is open to receive fresh blessings. Gratitude flows from unfeigned lips; and the refreshing that is received from Jesus is manifested in words, in deeds of active benevolence, and in public devotion. There is love to Jesus in the heart; and where love exists, it will not be repressed, but will express itself. Secret prayer sustains the inner life. The heart that loves God will desire to commune with Him, and will lean on Him in holy confidence.

Let us learn to pray intelligently, expressing our requests with clearness and precision. Let us put away the listless, sluggish habit into which we have fallen, and pray as though we meant it. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16, last part). Faith takes a firm hold of the promises of God, and urges her petitions with fervor; but when the life of the soul stagnates, the outward devotions become formal and powerless.

Jesus is our Saviour to-day. He is pleading for us in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, and He will forgive our sins. It makes all the difference in the world with us spiritually whether we rely upon God without doubt, as upon a sure foundation, or whether we are seeking to find some righteousness in ourselves before we come to Him. Look away from self to the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. It is a sin to doubt. The least unbelief, if cherished, involves the soul in guilt, and brings great darkness and discouragement. It is saying that the Lord is false, that He will not do as He has promised; and He is greatly dishonored.

Some have cherished doubts, discontent, and a disposition to be on the wrong side, until they are in an atmosphere of doubt, and seem to think it praise-worthy to be on the side of the doubting. But when the believing ones shall receive the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls, the doubting ones, who have sowed unbelief, will reap that which they have sown, and an undesirable harvest it will be.

Some obtain answers to prayer, a little freedom, and they become elated. They do not increase in faith, do not grow in strength and courage, but they depend on feeling. If they happen to feel well, they think they are in favor with God. How many stumble here! how many are overcome! Feeling is no criterion for any of us. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). We are to examine our character in God’s mirror, His holy law, to detect our errors and imperfections, and then to remove them by the precious blood of Christ.

We may commit the keeping of our souls to God as unto a faithful Creator, not because we are sinless, but because Jesus died to save just such erring, faulty creatures as we are. We may rest upon God, not because of our own merit, but because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. We must look away from self to the spotless Lamb of God, who did no sin; and by looking to Him in faith we shall become like Him.

There are rich promises for us in the word of God. It is no narrow, limited provision that has been made for us. The plan of salvation is ample. We are not obliged to trust in the evidences that we had a year or a month ago, but we may have the assurance to-day that Jesus lives, and is making intercession for us. We cannot do good to those around us while our own souls are destitute of spiritual life.

Our brethren do not wrestle all night in prayer as many godly men before us have done. They sit up bent over tables, writing lessons, or preparing articles to be read by thousands; they arrange facts in shape to convince the mind in regard to doctrine. All these things are essential; but how much God can do for us in sending light and power to convict hearts in the prayer of faith! The empty seats in our prayer-meetings testify that Christians do not realize the claims of God upon them; they do not realize their duty to make these meetings interesting and successful. They go over a monotonous, wearisome round, and return home unrefreshed, unblessed.

If we would refresh others, we must ourselves drink of the Fountain that never becomes dry. It is our privilege to become acquainted with the Source of our strength; to have hold of the arm of God. If we would have spiritual life and energy, we must commune with God. We can speak to Him of our real wants; and our earnest petitions will show that we realize our needs, and will do what we can to answer our own prayers. We must obey the injunction of Paul, “Arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14).

Luther was a man of prayer. He worked and prayed as though something must be done, and that at once, and it was done. His prayers were followed up by venturing something on the promises of God; and through divine aid he was enabled to shake the vast power of Rome, so that in every country the foundation of the papacy trembled.

The Spirit of God co-operates with the humble worker who abides in Christ and communes with Him. Pray when you are faint-hearted. When you are desponding, close the lips firmly to men; keep all the darkness within, lest you shadow the path of another; but tell it to Jesus. Ask for humility, wisdom, courage, increase of faith, that you may see light in His light, and rejoice in His love. Only believe, and you shall surely see the salvation of God.

Morning Talks, To the Ministers at the General Conference, Ellen G. White, November 1883, 15–18.

The Burnt Offering

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The whole burnt offering had its origin at the gate of the garden of Eden (Genesis 4:4; 8:20) and extended to the cross; and it will never lose its significance as long as mankind is subject to temptation and sin. The entire sacrifice was laid upon the altar and burned (Leviticus 1:2–9) typifying not only a surrender of sin, but a consecration of the entire life to the service of God.

Wherever the people of God sojourned during the patriarchal age, rude altars of stone were erected, upon which to offer their whole burnt offerings (Genesis 12:7, 8; 13:4, 18; 35:3). After the long period of Egyptian bondage, Israel was so prone to idolatry that the Lord had the brazen altar built in the court of the tabernacle, and instead of burnt-offerings being offered anywhere by the father of the household, they were brought to the sanctuary and offered by the priests of divine appointment (Deuteronomy 12:5, 6). There were special occasions when burnt offerings were offered in other places than the sanctuary, as the sacrifice offered by David on the threshing-floor of Ornan (2 Samuel 24:18–25) and the memorable sacrifice offered by Elijah upon Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:31–38).

The accounts of the burnt-offerings in the Bible are a history of wonderful victories when individuals drew near to God by putting away their sins and surrendering their lives and all they possessed to the service of the Lord. Abraham’s great test of faith was a burnt-offering upon Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:2–13). Gideon’s wonderful victories dated from the whole burnt offerings offered before the Lord when he, by those offerings, showed he surrendered all to the Lord to be consumed on the altar as the Lord directed (Judges 6:21–28).

The whole burnt offering was a type of the full consecration that must come into every life that God can use to His glory. Paul urged the fulfilling of the antitype in the following words: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). The offering of the most costly animal was only an abomination to the Lord unless it was accompanied by the surrender of the heart and life of the one who offered it (Isaiah 1:10, 11; Amos 5:22).

This principle was beautifully illustrated in the Saviour’s passing by as of little value the large gifts of the rich who offered only for display, and stating that in the valuation of heaven the two mites which the poor widow gave with a heart full of love, were of more value than all the wealth given for vain display (Mark 12:41–44). The Lord regards the gifts and offerings made by His people to carry forward His work on the earth as “an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God,” and He pledges to supply all their needs (Philippians 4:16–19). “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).

The whole burnt offering was offered as an atonement for sin (Leviticus 9:7). The individual making the offering laid his hands on the head of the animal, confessing his sins (Leviticus 1:4; Numbers 8:12); and then, if it was from the flock or the herd, with his own hands he took its life. If the burnt offering was a bird, the priest killed the offering. The blood was sprinkled round about upon the brazen altar, in type of the cleansing blood of Christ, and then the offering was burned upon the altar.

Every morning and evening a lamb was offered at the sanctuary as a whole burnt offering (Exodus 29:38–42). Each Sabbath day four lambs were offered, two in the morning and two in the evening (Numbers 28:9,10). These sacrifices typified a re-consecration of the whole congregation each morning and evening to the service of God.

Since the shadow has met the substance, it would be hollow mockery to offer burnt offerings morning and evening now; but the type had lost none of its significance, and contains lessons for us; for “to love Him [God] with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33).

The heart filled with love to God and our fellow-men is an offering always acceptable to God. In order to keep the heart in this condition, it must be filled with the life-giving word of God. The Lord regards a “knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).The individual who will sacrifice selfish interests and pleasures sufficiently to take time morning and evening to study God’s word, will experience that love in the heart which always has been and ever will be far more acceptable to God than “whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

The Cross and Its Shadow, 132–134, Stephen N. Haskell, The Bible Training School, 1914.

The Sure Word of Prophecy

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“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1–6

Although the birth of Jesus was not an obvious fulfillment of prophecy to the Jews (and still isn’t), those walking in the Light that streamed so brilliantly from heaven indeed recognized it as fulfillment of prophecy. Strangely, though, even His faithful disciples did not realize that His crucifixion was also prophecy fulfilled. After the resurrection, however, there was no doubt in the minds of Christ’s followers that His birth, crucifixion, and resurrection had been clearly foretold by the Old Testament prophets.

When the prophecy of Joel was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, did the Jewish leaders recognize what was happening? Clearly not, for we are told, “The priests and rulers were greatly enraged at this wonderful manifestation.” The Acts of the Apostles, 40.

So clearly, they did not recognize the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as a fulfillment of prophecy.

“In answer to the accusation of the priests Peter showed that this demonstration was in direct fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel, wherein he foretold that such power would come upon men to fit them for a special work.” Ibid., 41.

Are there prophecies being fulfilled in our day, this very day, that are not being acknowledged as fulfillment of prophecy? Certainly there are—most not recognized by the world and some not recognized even by Adventists.

“There are in the world today many who close their eyes to the evidences that Christ has given to warn men of His coming. They seek to quiet all apprehension, while at the same time the signs of the end are rapidly fulfilling, and the world is hastening to the time when the Son of man shall be revealed in the clouds of heaven. Paul teaches that it is sinful to be indifferent to the signs which are to precede the second coming of Christ. Those guilty of this neglect he calls children of the night and of darkness. He encourages the vigilant and watchful with these words: ‘But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.’ ” Ibid., 260. [Emphasis supplied.]

Let’s look briefly at some of the events that are occurring around the world right now that perhaps only the children of light recognize as fulfillment of prophecy.

Wars and rumors of war…

What is sometimes termed “saber rattling” is occurring with greater and greater frequency. Think of the situations in Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, the tension between India and Pakistan, between Turkey and Syria, or between the US and China or between the US and Iran. The list goes on.

Famines…

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that about 815 million people of the 7.6 billion people in the world, or more than 10%, are suffering from chronic undernourishment.

The FAO estimates that as many as 25,000 people lose their lives every day as a result of hunger. That adds up to roughly 9.1 million people who die of starvation each year.

Pestilences…

The 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa was the largest Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered in 1976. The outbreak started in Guinea and then moved across land borders to Sierra Leone and Liberia. The current 2018-2019 outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is highly complex, with insecurity adversely affecting public health response activities.

AIDS, MRSA, Legionnaire’s disease, and other pestilences are so common today that we no longer grow alarmed when we hear of occurrences.

Fifty years ago, entire city school systems had at most one medical professional on staff, since chronic illness was relatively unknown among school-age children. Today, it is not uncommon to have a registered health-care professional at every elementary educational facility because of the general degeneration in the health of humankind and the pervasiveness of chronic illnesses among the youth.

Earthquakes in various places

“Scientists analyzed the historical record of earthquakes greater than 8.0 in magnitude and concluded that the global frequency of large earthquakes is no higher today than it has been in the past. Results of the study were published on January 17, 2012, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.”

https://earthsky.org/earth/are-large-earthquakes-increasing-in-frequency

Further reading reveals that the frequency has increased from 1.0 to 1.2 per year, which is noted in the cited article as not statistically significant. It should be noted, however, that a 20% increase is indeed significant. Just ask the folks in Alpine, Texas, Hutchinson, Kansas, or Perry, Oklahoma, where earthquakes have recently occurred, with no precedents.

“Magnitude 2 and smaller earthquakes occur several hundred times a day worldwide.

Major earthquakes, greater than magnitude 7, happen more than once per month.

‘Great earthquakes,’ magnitude 8 and higher, occur about once a year.” Ibid.

What are some other prophetic signs of the times that Scripture mentions, some that even those who might claim to be children of light fail to recognize as fulfillment of prophecy?

“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, the earth will grow old like a garment, and those who dwell in it will die in like manner; but My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not be abolished” (Isaiah 51:6).

Psalm 102:25, 26 states, “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; yes, they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed.”

These texts provide a rather reassuring declaration of the current state of things: “They will perish … they will grow old like a garment”; and a declaration also of the hope we maintain in an earth made new: “You will change them, and they will be changed.”

Paul quotes this passage from Psalm 102 in Hebrews 1:10–12—approximately seven centuries after Isaiah wrote them. So clearly, he understood the prophetic implications of this passage.

Most people who are in their sixth or seventh decade of life and who might be feeling what Inspiration terms “the infirmities of age” can attest to the fact that “growing old” does not happen overnight. The evidences of aging creep up little by little until one finds that aches, pains, and stiffness are not just infrequent visitors but have become permanent residents. But as to the earth’s growing old like a garment, we query: Is there evidence of that terrestrial aging now? Most would assert that there definitely is.

Before we look at some of these, however, let’s make sure that we understand the difference between a theory and a fact.

According to the dictionary, a theory is “a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural and subject to experimentation.” One example given is “Darwin’s theory of evolution.” Unfortunately, this theory has been accepted as fact by much of the scientific community. Synonyms for “theory” include hypothesis, conjecture, supposition, speculation.

A fact, on the other hand, is “a truth known by actual experience or observation; something known to be true.” Examples: Fire is hot; water is wet; ice is cold.

Let’s look at some actual, empirical facts that indicate that the earth is indeed growing old. These are not theories that cannot be proven, such as evolution. These are empirically determined facts. Unfortunately, many of these facts are clouded by the theory that the earth is billions of years old. We need to be careful not to let that erroneous and unprovable theory cause us to disregard provable scientific findings.

  1. Increase in carbon dioxide in atmosphere

Ancient air bubbles trapped in ice enable us to step back in time and see what Earth’s atmosphere and climate were like in the distant past. They tell us that levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere today are higher than they have been at any time in the past. [The author’s give the time estimate at 400,000 years, based on the unproven theory of uniformitarianism.] During ice ages, CO2 levels were around 200 parts per million (ppm), and during the warmer interglacial periods, they hovered around 280 ppm. In 2013, CO2 levels surpassed 400 ppm for the first time in recorded history. This recent relentless rise in CO2 shows a remarkably constant relationship with fossil-fuel burning, and can be well accounted for based on the simple premise that about 60 percent of fossil-fuel emissions stay in the air. (See https://climate.nasa.gov/climate_resources/24/graphic-the-relentless-rise-of-carbon-dioxide/.) Different studies quote vastly different time periods, a fact which clouds the empirical findings of these studies.

  1. The effects that changes in the nature of the ocean have on aquatic life

Warming oceans are losing oxygen. Oxygen levels in some tropical regions have dropped by a startling 40 percent in the last 50 years, some recent studies reveal. Levels have dropped more subtly elsewhere, with an average loss of 2 percent globally. www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-ocean-is-running-out-of-breath-scientists-warn/

  1. Sea level rise

Since at least the start of the 20th century, the average global sea level has been rising. Between 1900 and 2016, the sea level rose by more than 6 inches. More precise data gathered from satellite radar measurements reveal an accelerating rise of 3.0 inches from 1993 to 2017, which is a trend of roughly 12 inches per century. This acceleration is due mostly to global warming, which is driving thermal expansion of seawater and the melting of land-based ice sheets and glaciers. www.globalchange.gov/browse/indicators/global-sea-level-rise

  1. Ecosystems are changing drastically due to invasive plant and animal species

An invasive species is a species that is not native to a specific location (an introduced species), and that has a tendency to spread to a degree believed to cause damage to the environment, human economy, or human health.

Notable examples of invasive plant species include the kudzu vine, Andean pampas grass, and yellow starthistle. Animal examples include the New Zealand mud snail, feral pigs, European rabbits, grey squirrels, domestic cats, carp, zebra mussels, Japanese beetles, boa constrictors in Florida, iguanas throughout the southeast and into Arizona, and ferrets.

Invasion of long-established ecosystems by organisms from distant bio-regions has accelerated massively in recent decades, hastened by international trade. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasive_species.)

The beautifully balanced ecosystems that Divine wisdom established when the earth was created have been royally imbalanced as a result of the sinful nature of man, inherited from our fallen forebears.

When we see these signs of the time, there is no need to be despondent and discouraged that earth’s ecosystems are getting out of kilter and signs of an aging planet are becoming more and more prevalent. After all, that’s what the Bible predicts. Instead, let us rejoice and recognize that the return of our Lord and Saviour is drawing ever closer.

May it be said of us, as it was said of Paul, “The foundation of his faith was the sure word of prophecy.” May God enlighten us so that we can recognize prophecy being fulfilled on a daily basis.

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.

Synagogue of Satan

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“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: “I know your works. … I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” ’ ” Revelation 2:8, 9

Although Jesus did not give any reproof or rebuke to the church at Smyrna, that did not mean they were without problems. They endured persecution and suffering.

Ellen White gave strong and pointed counsel to our medical workers and ministers that when people are suffering, it is not the time to talk to them about their doctrinal errors. We are to follow Jesus’ example of providing encouragement to the church at Smyrna who needed to hear about the love of Jesus and to surrender all to Him and abide in His loving arms. Those who are suffering are not in a position mentally to be able to think through or figure out the 2300 days for the first time or some other doctrine though it may be very important. Much wisdom is needed when counseling those who are suffering.

Many of those whom Jesus met were indeed suffering physically. They were also mixed up theologically and did not understand what the kingdom of heaven was about or understand the work of the Messiah, so He simply healed them.

To the church in Smyrna, Jesus said, “I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9).

Paul gives us an understanding of what Jesus meant when he said to the Galatians, “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7). In verse 29, he said, “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

If you are of faith, you are Christ’s and an heir according to the promise. Christians are spiritual Jews and when Jesus says to the church of Smyrna that these people say that they are Jews and are not, He is also referring to Christians. It is possible to think you are a Christian yet be part of the synagogue of Satan—professing to be part of God’s church, but in reality are part of Satan’s church, furthering his cause.

For this reason, we speak about the professed church and the true church. All who are part of the true church are also part of the professed church because you can’t be part of the true church if you make no profession. Paul said, “… with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).

Jesus said, “Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). You have to make a confession to be part of the true church. There is no such thing as a person who is part of the church who doesn’t make a profession. But everybody who makes a profession is not necessarily a part of the true church. Some make big claims of being followers of Jesus but in reality, Satan is their leader.

That there is a distinction between the professed church and the true church is a clear teaching of the Spirit of Prophecy. Everyone who belongs to the true church is also part of the professed church. However, not everyone who claims membership in the professed church is a member of the true church. The situation in the church at Smyrna is used to illustrate this dichotomy.

Throughout the Spirit of Prophecy, the expression “professed people of God” is used a hundred and fifty-five times, according to a search of the CD of the writings of E. G. White. The expression “His professed people” is used a hundred and eleven times. The expression “God’s professed people” is used a hundred and ten times. Ellen White even uses the expression “professed church,” and contrasts it with the true church on occasion. Here’s an example:

In The Signs of the Times, November 1, 1899, she says, “Through the agency of Romanism, Satan took the world captive. The professed church of God was swept into the ranks of this delusion, and for more than a thousand years the people of God [the true church] suffered under the dragon’s ire.” The true church here in this statement is the people of God. The professed church persecuted the true church for over a thousand years.

Within the church at Smyrna were these two groups. To human vision, often the synagogue of Satan appeared to be more holy and spiritual than the true church. We wonder how that can be. The synagogue of Satan considered themselves better Christians with a more elevated form of Christianity than the true church.

History identifies the characteristics of the synagogue of Satan. “Christ speaks of the church over which Satan presides as the synagogue of Satan. Its members are the children of disobedience. They are those who choose to sin, who labor to make void the holy law of God.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 958.

There was a group of people like this in the Smyrna Church in the first century. Understanding the origin and destiny of the synagogue of Satan in the church of Smyrna is the secret to understanding how Christianity got from where it was in A.D. 80 or 90 to where we are today.

What is Hellenism?

Hellenism is the culture, philosophy, and religion of the Greeks that became dominant in the near east after the conquests of Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C. The name comes from Hellen, a Greek goddess, and the name Hellenist is a designation for the Greeks. Hellenistic philosophy was the product of the great pagan reformation that occurred in the 7th and 6th centuries B.C. This culture, philosophy, and religion spread throughout the near east.

What does Hellenistic philosophy have to do with Christianity?

The answer is “everything.” Christians in the first century combined Hellenistic philosophy or religion with Christianity. This hybrid was called Gnostic Christianity. Gnosticism was a collection of teachings that essentially proclaimed the basic principles of paganism, Hellenistic religion, under the name of Christianity. Although there were dozens of Gnostic sects, the principle doctrines believed by most Gnostics included the following:

Man has a divine immortal soul. That was derived from Plato. The New Testament contradicts that belief and in fact contradicts all Gnostic doctrines.

The Gnostics believe that this divine immortal soul originated in the heavens and is destined to return to heaven after death.

Most Gnostic Christians passionately and totally rejected the Old Testament and Hebrew religion, believing it to be the religion of the old covenant based on materialistic animal sacrifices.

They considered the material world to be evil.

The Gnostics saw themselves as a reformation, not of Judaism, but of the New Testament church itself and promoted their teachings within the church. They called themselves Christians and promoted their teachings within the church as an advanced, more elevated revelation of Christianity.

The focus was on the spiritual alone and not the material world. They relied especially on the writings of Paul because of his emphasis on inner spirituality. An example of that is found in the book of Ephesians where Paul talks about being filled with might by the Holy Spirit in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16–19). Their doctrines depended heavily on these texts.

The theory of progressive revelation was believed, saying this was a second, more advanced revelation of the Christian faith. They thought there was nothing intrinsically good or evil. Everything depended on the situation, especially its relation to materialism, because they believed that the material world was evil. Today we call that “situation ethics.” Given the right situation, almost any act could be justified.

Gnosticism developed several major strands, going in different directions. One strand would go into libertinism. If the material world had no value, then what you did didn’t really matter that much because you were concentrating on the heavens and on the spiritual. The Old Testament had no value. Simply receive the Holy Spirit and concentrate on your spiritual life and all these problems will be over. Bondage to sinful habits would be lost and disappear automatically.

Subjective morality was preached. Some rejected marriage and advocated celibacy. Many Gnostics, not all, were antinomian. Antinomianism means against the law. This belief needs to be explained because the Gnostics preached against sin, and they had powerful preachers. Not only did they preach against sin, but they also preached in favor of the highest moral standards. At the same time, they essentially licensed sin by removing the penalty. Gnosticism taught that God would never punish someone spiritual—and they maintained that all are spiritual.

Gnosticism targeted and infiltrated the Roman church in the second and third centuries. In the history of Christianity, one topic—the Sabbath—more than any other, has become the centerpiece of the controversy over Hebrew religion. It was the Gnostics that pioneered the conversion from Sabbath keeping to Sunday keeping. They said Sunday, which they called the eighth day, was symbolic. Sunday worship, they said, symbolized for Gnostic Christians their rejection of the material world, the rejection of the Creator God. They said the God of the Old Testament who gave the law and the Sabbath symbolizes the creation of the material world, and they did not like that.

The Gnostics wanted something that was spiritual. Hellenism emphasized the spiritual and de-emphasized anything material. The Sabbath promotes both physical and spiritual rest, but Hellenistic rest is exclusively spiritual, non-material.

In the early centuries after Christ, just as today, the distinction between the material and the spiritual was presented as a primary justification for discarding the Sabbath.

The Sabbath, because of its attachment to Creation, was considered materialistic, and therefore inferior, and spiritually dangerous. Both Gnosticism and Hellenistic Christianity in general understood the eighth day to signify breaking away from Hebrew religion and the Old Testament. They said the material world was the first creation and that the Sabbath celebrates the first creation of the material world. As a rebuttal to that assertion, the apostle Paul says, that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things are passed away, and everything is become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So, according to the Gnostics, we need some way to celebrate the new creation. The second creation is only beginning and it can only be honored by celebrating its beginning, and when did it begin? On resurrection Sunday.

Here are a couple of other points. If you have studied the Old Testament you will know that the Passover always occurred on the full moon. The Jewish year had lunar months, and the Passover was on the 14th day of the 1st month, always occurring at full moon.

Gnostics said that because the Passover always occurs at full moon, the entire 24-hour day is lighted. The evening portion was lighted with the brightness of the full moon, and the morning portion with the sun. They said it is prophetic that someday Easter would replace the Passover. Easter, like Sunday, is supposed to be purely spiritual and therefore points to the time after the end of the material creation when there will be only light and no darkness. There will be a day, a 24-hour period, with all light and no darkness and they argued that Sunday is a natural fulfillment of the Sabbath.

They also claimed that they were not abolishing the Sabbath but fulfilling its spiritual intent. They condemned the Sabbath by accusing Sabbath keepers of excessive idleness, asserting that every day is the Lord’s day. So the spiritual rest was described as an on-going spiritual state, not associated with any particular day.

This is not just ancient history. What is described here is rampant over the world today. Eighth day theology is not just some historical phenomenon. Hellenistic Christian churches today, both Catholic and Protestant, openly preach veneration of Sunday as the eighth day.

An example of this erroneous doctrine is the apostolic letter released by pope John Paul II in 1998, “Dies Domini,” on keeping the Lord’s day holy. In it, the pope echoes many of these same ancient arguments, including the contention that Sunday marks a new spiritual creation for Christians. He says that Sunday is the true Christian fulfillment of creation rest because it honors the spiritual creation, echoing the teachings of the Gnostics of the first century.

When it comes to eight-day symbolism, the pope confirms its importance in the theology of the early Roman church and describes it as much loved by the Catholic church fathers. He said that Sunday is not only the first day, it is also the eighth day, in a unique and transcendent position which evokes not only the beginning of time, but also its end in the age to come, linking this belief directly with the first century Gnostics.

The letter says, “Sunday symbolizes the truly singular day which will follow the present time, the day without end, which will know neither evening nor morning.”

And then, “Sunday is the ceaseless foretelling of life without end, which renews the hope of Christians.” Just as in Gnostic theology, Pope John Paul II saw the eighth day as a symbol of the age that exists outside the present material world when there will be no alternation of day and night, in which we will know, as he says, neither evening nor morning.

Here is the issue. Is it the will of God that the Sabbath be observed in Christian worship as it was in the Ephesian church in the first century, and as it was by all the apostles? Or is it the divine will that the true Sabbath be replaced by a pagan, Hellenistic symbol in practice?

It matters not what any man or group of men say. If you believe that there is a God in heaven, the real question is, What is the divine will? The real issue is what is the will of God.

This synagogue of Satan was right within the Smyrna Church. Though Jesus did not reprove them, it does not mean they did not have major problems. The Gnostic Christians in Smyrna made the persecution of the true church much more severe. They saw no problem with participating in the pagan religious customs of the day that the apostolic Christians would never do, causing millions of the faithful to be killed for refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods. All that was required was to take a piece of incense and throw it on the fire, and say, “Kaiser es kurios” and they would be free. Those who refused were taken off to one side and killed.

The Gnostic Christians compromised. It did not bother them to participate in the pagan festivals, maintaining that this is just the material world and therefore it doesn’t even matter, for we are spiritual. By participating in the festivals they escaped much of the persecution that fell upon the primitive church. For them, it was one of those issues of outward conduct that has no effect upon inward spirituality.

Imagine how hard it would have been to be a Sabbath keeping Christian and stand for principle when half the church members claiming to believe the same, saw no need to make a stand and caved in to the powers that be. The result was greater persecution.

We must all stand strong as did Daniel and the three worthies when confronted with matters of conscience. Each person must be in control of their own conscience and not be controlled by the community of faith, the church, or the government.

This has been a controversy between the professed church and the true church for thousands of years. Around A.D. 800, Charlemagne made a decree that all who stubbornly refuse “Christian” baptism shall be put to death.

Nor are Protestants guiltless. Around 1600 the Groniter Edict was issued that said henceforth no religion other than the reformed [Presbyterian] shall be permitted in their city. He who attends any meeting of the papists or the Anabaptists shall be fined.

The Groniter Edict became very popular in Europe and many cities copied it. In the city of Deventer, in 1620, it was made into a law as follows: “The magistrates of the city of Deventer instruct all citizens and residents of their city that no Mennonites, etc., shall hold any secret or public assembly, where any preaching, marriage, or any other exercise of religion is practiced, under whatever pretense, under pain of perpetual banishment, any person found at such a place or in such an assembly shall forfeit his upper garment plus twenty-five florens. The second offense, his upper garment plus fifty florins. The third offense shall be followed by arbitrary punishment. He who lets his house be used for such a gathering, shall forfeit one hundred florins. The second offense two hundred florins. The third time, perpetual banishment.”

That was in the Netherlands. In the Low Countries, there were repeated attempts made to squelch the Catholics, the Anabaptists and anyone who wasn’t Presbyterian. An attempt was made to exterminate the papists and papal priests.

In modern times, an authority on Calvinism who has studied in detail this history, which we have remarked on briefly in this article, has stated as his conclusion: “Every religious cultist that gets tied up with coercion must of necessity become corrupt.”

Don’t think it won’t happen to the Adventists. If you get involved in coercion, your church will become corrupt. The Gnostics in the Smyrna Church evidently cooperated with the pagans, making the persecution of the primitive, or apostolic Christians even worse.

This did not escape the notice of Jesus, who knew all about it. “ ‘I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison. … Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. … He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.’ ”

Ever since the days of the church of Smyrna, the professed church, whether you are talking about the Catholic church, or the Protestant churches, or various Adventist churches, are a mixture of two groups. One group consists of those who love God and keep His commandments as far as they understand them. The other group Jesus called the synagogue of Satan, even though they claimed to have a more elevated and advanced system of Christianity.

Friends, billions have been deceived by religion. You must not listen to any preacher who emphasizes the importance of a relationship with Jesus while at the same time claiming obedience to His word is not necessary. Those people don’t even know Jesus, and He doesn’t know them. It was that group who caused persecution to increase in the Smyrna church.

Ellen White makes a statement in the Signs of the Times, April 22, 1889, in which she says,

“It is not the true church of God that makes war with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

The true church of God does not take the people who love God and keep His commandments to court and try to put them in prison.

Commenting on Luke 9:54–56, Ellen White says,

“There can be no more conclusive evidence that we possess the spirit of Satan than the disposition to hurt and destroy those who do not appreciate our work, or who act contrary to our ideas.” The Desire of Ages, 487.

The Samaritans showed no hospitality to James and John because Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. The “sons of thunder” were furious and asked Jesus if they could call down fire from heaven on them like Elijah did. But they were shocked when they saw the pain on Jesus’ face and even more shocked when they heard the rebuke that came from His lips. He said to them that they did not know what spirit they were of. They had the spirit of Satan while believing they were with the Lord.

We are studying Christ’s message to His church and we are living in the end time. As we approach the end of the world, the true church will be persecuted by the synagogue of Satan. At the end of the world, there will be only two sides—the true church, the persecuted, and the synagogue of Satan, their fellow church members. The synagogue of Satan has almost always professed to be the true church, but it is not.

The message of Jesus to His end time church today is, “I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. … Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. … He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:9–11).

The message to the church of Smyrna is a message that needs to be known in the coming crisis.

Before probation closes, Ellen White has told us there will be many who will be martyred, but Jesus said do not be afraid of anything that you suffer because He has promised to be with you. Paul says we do not need to be afraid of what man is going to do to us because the One who stands with us is more powerful than man.

Remember the communication Jesus gave to the suffering church so that we may be comforted by His presence in every situation. Nothing is impossible for God. He can get us through any situation.

(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 – Character Perfection

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Some people have said that nobody is perfect, but that is not correct. Jesus is perfect, and you and I are to become as He is.

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.  And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (1 John 3:2, 3).

When the Lord returns He is coming back to receive a church—“That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27).

“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).

“The longest journey is performed by taking one step at a time. A succession of steps brings us to the end of the road. The longest chain is composed of separate links. If one of these links is faulty, the chain is worthless. Thus it is with character. A well-balanced character is formed by single acts well performed. One defect, cultivated instead of being overcome, makes the man imperfect, and closes against him the gate of the Holy City. He who enters heaven must have a character that is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Naught that defileth can ever enter there. In all the redeemed host not one defect will be seen.” The Youth’s Instructor, January 17, 1901.

When has a person reached perfection? “When self is merged in Christ, love springs forth spontaneously. The completeness of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly from within—when the sunshine of heaven fills the heart and is revealed in the countenance.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 384.

“Love to man is the earthward manifestation of the love of God. It was to implant this love, to make us children of one family, that the King of glory became one with us. And when His parting words are fulfilled, ‘Love one another, as I have loved you’ (John 15:12); when we love the world as He has loved it, then for us His mission is accomplished. We are fitted for heaven; for we have heaven in our hearts.” The Desire of Ages, 641.