Issue: 2012 June

Inspiration – Camp Meeting Address

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God will test the fidelity of His people. Many of the mistakes that are made by the professed servants of God are in consequence of their self-love, their desire for approval, their thirst for popularity. Blinded in this manner, they do not realize that they are elements of darkness rather than of light. “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” [II Corinthians 6:17, 18]. These are the conditions upon which we may be acknowledged as the sons of God—separation from the world, and renunciation of those things which delude, and fascinate, and ensnare.

The apostle Paul declares that it is impossible for the children of God to unite with worldlings: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” [verse 14]. This does not refer to marriage alone; any intimate relation of confidence and copartnership with those who have no love for God or the truth is a snare.

The apostle continues: “For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said: I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” [verses 14–16]. In consideration of these facts, he exclaims: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate” [verse 17]. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

If we comply with the conditions, the Lord will fulfill to us His promises. But there is a work for us to do which we should in no wise neglect. In the strength of Jesus we can perform it aright. We may press ever onward and upward, constantly growing in grace and in a knowledge of the truth.

The children of the light and of the day are not to gather about them the shades of night and darkness which encompass the workers of iniquity. On the contrary, they are to stand faithfully at their post of duty as light bearers, gathering light from God to shed upon those in darkness. The Lord requires His people to maintain their integrity, touching not—that is, imitating not—the practices of the ungodly.

Christians will be in this world “an holy nation, a peculiar people,” showing forth the praises of Him who hath called them “out of darkness into His marvelous light” [I Peter 2:9]. This light is not to grow dim, but to shine brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. Christ’s standard-bearers are never to be off duty. They have a vigilant foe who is waiting and watching to take the fort. Some of Christ’s professed watchmen have invited the enemy into their stronghold, have mingled with them, and in their efforts to please have broken down the distinction between the children of God and the children of Satan.

The Lord never designed that our college should imitate other institutions of learning. The religious element should be the controlling power. If unbelievers choose this influence, it is well; if those who are in darkness choose to the light, it is as God would have it. But to relax our vigilance, and let the worldly element take the lead in order to secure students, is contrary to the will of God. The strength of our college is in keeping the religious element in the ascendancy. When teachers or professors shall sacrifice religious principle to please a worldly, amusement-loving class, they should be considered unfaithful to their trust and should be discharged.

The thrilling truth that has been sounding in our ears for many years, “The Lord is at hand; be ye also ready,” is no less the truth today than when we first heard the message. The dearest interests of the church and people of God, and the destiny of an impenitent and ungodly world, for time and for eternity, are here involved. We are all judgment bound. “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain [unto the coming of the Lord] shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” I Thessalonians 4:16, 17. Christ will then be revealed from heaven, “taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel” [II Thessalonians 1:8].

These momentous events are nigh at hand, yet many who profess to believe the truth are asleep. They will surely be numbered with the unfaithful servant who saith in his heart, “My Lord delayeth His coming” [Matthew 24:48] if they remain in their present position of friendship with the world. It is only to those who are waiting in hope and faith that Christ will appear, without sin unto salvation. Many have the theory of the truth who know not the power of godliness. If the word of God dwelt in the heart, it would control the life. Faith, purity, and conformity to the will of God would testify to its sanctifying power.

Testimonies, vol. 5, 14, 15.

Satan’s Strongholds

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“There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of God shall clear the way by removing every hindrance, so that the Lord can pour out his Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent congregation. If Satan had his way, there would never be another awakening, great or small, to the end of time. But we are not ignorant of his devices. It is possible to resist his power. When the way is prepared for the Spirit of God, the blessing will come. Satan can no more hinder a shower of blessing from descending upon God’s people than he can close the windows of heaven that rain cannot come upon the earth. Wicked men and devils cannot hinder the work of God, or shut out his presence from the assemblies of his people, if they will, with subdued, contrite hearts, confess and put away their sins, and in faith claim his promises.” The Review and Herald, March 22, 1887.

What are those hindrances? It is impossible to clear them away if we do not know what they are and Satan will work overtime to make sure we don’t understand what it is that separates us from God, preventing us from receiving the Holy Spirit.

There is much talk about receiving the latter rain. Crucial to receiving it is first to have unity, but what hinders this?

“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” II Corinthians 10:4, 5.

The hindrances are not worldly weapons; we cannot produce them ourselves, but they are strong in God and able to pull down strongholds.

The strongholds or hindrances that have to be removed are issues with the mind, thoughts, and reasonings, all of which must be brought into captivity to Christ. This is a battle of the mind.

The word imagination can also be translated as reasonings or arguments. So the imaginations of verse 5 are arguments or reasonings that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

When Adam and Eve sinned, the robe of light in which God had surrounded them, their robe of righteousness, was lost. They knew they were naked; they had lost the power and presence of God, resulting in a different relationship to God and with each other, and they made fig leaf garments to cover themselves.

Proverbs 18:10 NKJV tells us that, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” That was the protection that Adam and Eve had in their innocence before they fell. In their nakedness, our first parents experienced a new emotion—fear. Sin had separated them from their protection; they felt the need to protect themselves, so they hid from God. In our sinful condition we invent weapons or fortifications of our own to protect ourselves. Today these are called defense mechanisms.

The definition of a defense mechanism is any of various, usually unconscious mental processes, including denial, projection, rationalization that protect the ego from shame, anxiety, conflict, loss of self-esteem, or other unacceptable feelings or thoughts. The purpose of these defense mechanisms is to protect ourselves from mainly negative things with which we have to deal as a result of sin. We protect our egos—our pride that is at the very root.

Ellen White puts it this way: we “have many things to learn, and much to unlearn.” The Signs of the Times, August 27, 1894. We usually apply that to doctrinal things, but we have many other things to unlearn, such as the way we think and the way we deal with situations. It comes so naturally to defend ourselves, but we have to learn to think and deal with situations the way God would have us deal with them.

The base defense mechanism is denial. All other mechanisms come under that umbrella. Denial is unwilling to acknowledge an external reality that is apparent to others. For example, an alcoholic who has been in and out of jail for DUIs (driving under the influence) but refuses to acknowledge that he/she has a problem.

Repression and Suppression

There are two specific types of denial. One is repression, and the other is suppression. Repression is an unconscious action. It could be caused by a traumatic situation that the mind just puts into the subconscious without making a conscious decision. Suppression consciously makes a decision to put it aside. Sometimes we may procrastinate and think, “I can’t deal with this right now; I’ll just put it back in the corner of my mind.” That suppression builds up walls.

It is the devil’s plan to build up walled fortifications around people’s hearts and minds, and he starts very early in life.

If you are young and have God-fearing parents to confide in, you should be very thankful, because this world is a dark and wicked place. If you have the light of the knowledge of God and you understand that God loves you, you are very blessed, because many people in this world do not know that.

Growing up, I did not have that knowledge, and I went through very traumatic experiences where I had to deal with things on my own with no earthly person in whom to confide. My conception of God was not somebody to whom I could turn. So I dealt with things by repression or suppression. As an adult I have had to pray about this many times, because an individual cannot deal with something they cannot even recall. In dealing with things that have been repressed, Divine help is required, for they are subconscious.

Proverbs 30:12 deals with the issue of denial, which is basically just a self-deception. “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” They are in denial; they are deceived.

Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees, illustrates this deception: “If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered Him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?” John 8:31–33. Now this was blatant denial. At the time of their denial, the children of Israel were in bondage to the Romans, yet they declared that they had “never been in bondage to any man.”

Compensation

Another area of denial is compensation. This is unbalanced thinking, when a person focuses on their strengths to compensate for their weaknesses. Within religion this usually focuses on externals.

Matthew 23:23, 24 reads, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.”

Like the Pharisees, we also find it easier to deal with external things, to make sure we dress the right way, say the right thing and do all the things we are supposed to do to the exclusion of dealing with the weightier matters of the law that deal with the heart. God had given the Jews health laws that they were not to eat anything unclean, so they would strain the water to make sure that not even a gnat would fall into the water—dealing with the outward forms, yet they swallowed a camel—the heart issues. They were self-deceived.

Instruction is given to man how to consider himself: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3.

Projection

Projection is to project our own character traits, our own negative aspects or feelings or whatever it may be onto someone else.

Genesis 50:14, 15 give some examples of this, speaking about Joseph and his brothers: “And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father. And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.” Joseph had not given them any indication or any reason to think that way by his actions, but they projected their own fears onto Joseph.

This reaction is very common today. Often a jealous, accusing spouse turns out to be the unfaithful one. As we think, we judge other people. If we are unfaithful in our minds, then it is easy to project that onto other people, which is exactly what Joseph’s brothers did to him.

Jesus said, “Why do ye not understand My speech? even because ye cannot hear My word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:43, 44.

Jesus knew the thoughts of the Pharisees and what they were planning to do—plotting to kill Him. So, being convicted, they defended themselves by projecting their own evil thoughts back on to Christ. “Then answered the Jews, and said unto Him, Say we not well that Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?” Verse 48.

Rationalization

Rationalization is explaining away or making excuses for sin. An example of this is recorded in I Samuel 15:1–3: “Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over His people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.”

God told Saul to go and destroy the Amalekites, not only the people but everything, animals included; he was not to spare anything. Saul did not follow the commands of the Lord. “And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.” Verses 18–21.

When Saul was found out, he made an excuse, justifying his action. “Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” Verse 22.

When we are tempted to do something or not to do something bad, and begin to rationalize in our mind, we are parlaying with the devil who has a thousand excuses and a thousand reasons that he can put into our minds to justify our wrong action. The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. Our only safety is to stand on the word of God and not to rationalize wrongdoing.

Abraham was afraid that Abimelech, the king of Gerar, would think his wife, who was beautiful, would kill him to take her for his own wife. In his fear he rationalized what to do; after all, “she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.” Geneses 20:12. Abraham lied to protect himself, but to do that he had to rationalize; she was his sister, but she was also his wife. He would just not mention the part about her being his wife and only tell that she was his sister. A half-truth is still a lie.

Displacement

Displacement means to transfer our affections from one thing to another after being hurt. An example of this could happen to a wife who is in an abusive marriage, so she takes her affections from her husband, placing them on the children, or some work, or something else. It is just another way of denying something that you don’t really want to deal with and putting it somewhere else. It deflects the pain or deflects the responsibility.

Samson reacted this way when, after being away for a time, returned to get his wife and found out that her father had given his wife to his companion. “But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in. … And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.” Judges 15:1, 3–5.

Samson, in order to deal with pain, took his aggression and focused it on something that was not even really related. The Philistines now suffer because of the pain that was caused by somebody else. How often do we do the same: take things out on somebody else or focus the pain, or whatever it is, on something else. This reaction could be in either a positive or a negative way, but the result is the same—displacing the emotion.

Sublimation

Sublimation is finding a new outlet to escape from reality such as a hobby or entertainment. It’s just a way of escape. Today, the devil has made sure we have plenty of ways to divert our minds and our attention. Jonah did this when God told him to go to Ninevah. He did not want to do it, so he went in the other direction. He found an escape from what God wanted him to do. (See Jonah 1:3.)

Fantasy

Fantasy is creating a new reality in your mind. When we do not want to deal with the negative things that are going on, we create a new scenario and live in a fantasy world. The devil again has many things to help us to do that with television, fiction, and all kinds of different things that feed our fantasies. He has made it so easy to live in an altered state of reality, in a different world. Fantasy is very powerful, as it engages the use of our imagination.

We should all be familiar with Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The only way we can do that is by fortifying our minds with the truth of God’s word. God has given us an imagination to grasp hold of His word and to dwell upon those things, meditating on them. But if we are not doing that, we do not have anything upon which to draw.

“It is the special work of Satan in these last days to take possession of the minds of youth, to corrupt the thoughts and inflame the passions; for he knows that by so doing he can lead to impure actions, and thus all the noble faculties of the mind will become debased, and he can control them to suit his own purposes.” Child Guidance, 440.

“All are free moral agents. And as such they must bring their thoughts to run in the right channel. … The first work for those who would reform, is to purify the imagination.” An Appeal to Mothers, 29.

“Our meditations should be such as will elevate the mind.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 136.

Blame

Instead of admitting wrong, blame is switched to another. This reaction is one of the oldest and began in the Garden of Eden.

“And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. And He said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” They knew they were guilty, and God just asked them a question. He had not accused them of anything, but the man felt the need to defend himself. “And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” Genesis 3:9–12. Blame is immediately switched onto Eve and indirectly onto God, because He was the one Who made the woman. It is so easy to switch the blame and divert it to somebody else so that you don’t have to take responsibility for your own actions.

When the Lord asked the woman what she had done, in self-defense, she laid the blame on the serpent.

Advantageous Comparisons

Advantageous comparison is basically comparing ourselves with others to excuse our own wrongs; for example, saying, “They do it also!” rather than taking responsibility for what we do. The apostle Paul knew it is not wise to compare ourselves among ourselves. “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” II Corinthians 10:12.

By beholding we become changed, so whatever we behold is what we become. If we behold somebody else, comparing ourselves to them to build ourselves up, we are not looking at the positive aspects of their character, and we will be changed into the same thing.

“By beholding Christ, we would be changed into His likeness. But we shall never grow in grace by beholding the faults and mistakes and defects of someone else. Instead, we will become spiritually dwarfed and enfeebled. Let us keep looking to Christ, thinking of what He has done for us and of what He has promised to do. Thus we shall be changed into His likeness. This is true religion.” The Paulson Collection of Ellen G. White Letters, 318.

Our sinful nature desperately wants to look to others to find a way to rid itself of its nagging, guilty heart. The devil encourages many ways to accomplish that, as long as we don’t go to Christ.

Diffusion of Responsibility

Basically, diffusion of responsibility is the thought that everybody does it so it must be OK. History has proven over and over that the majority is not always right.

Jesus told the parable about a man who sowed seed in his field. He said, “Let both [the wheat and the tares] grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn.” Matthew 13:30. But notice, it is the tares that are bound in bundles together. The devil is very successful at using that group-think or group-mentality to bind people together.

We need to make sure that we examine our own selves to see if we are using any of these defense mechanisms. As we consider these strongholds, it is easy to see how this would create dissention and confusion in the church. Our weapons against the strongholds are not carnal but spiritual. If we continue to use carnal weapons in the church, it will only create dissension. Every obstacle has to be removed, because only when there is unity in the church will the Holy Spirit be poured out.

Breaking Down the Strongholds

It is very simple to break down the strongholds. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31, 32.

It is the truth revealed in God’s word that exposes the obstacles, these strongholds, the truth as it is in Jesus, His grace, and His power that He gives to us to overcome these things and set us free. Satan’s strongholds are built and guarded in deception. As long as we are deceived, he has us and tries to keep us in that condition. His deceptions are designed to separate and isolate us from our true stronghold, which is Christ. That is why we must study God’s word.

Our primary offensive weapon is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It works first through recognizing the obstacles by reading the Word and then claiming God’s promises, applying them by faith to see the strongholds crumble.

“ ‘All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works’ [II Timothy 3:16, 17]. God has provided abundant means for successful warfare against the evil that is in the world. The Bible is the armory where we may equip for the struggle. Our loins must be girt about with truth. Our breastplate must be righteousness. The shield of faith must be in our hand, the helmet of salvation on our brow; and with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, we are to cut our way through the obstructions and entanglements of sin.” The Acts of the Apostles, 502.

The first thing needed is to identify the strongholds in ourselves so we can begin to deal with them according to God’s word, His grace and His power. The divine diagnosis to the church of Laodiceans for this condition is found in Revelation 3:15: “I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest , I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

Here is a church that is really in denial of its own condition, and now God is going to give them a prescription to heal it. He says, “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” Verse 18.

The first thing needed is the eyesalve, the anointing to see and understand the heart issues with which we are dealing. “No man can of himself understand his errors. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?’ Jeremiah 17:9. … In one way only can a true knowledge of self be obtained. We must behold Christ. It is ignorance of Him that makes men so uplifted in their own righteousness. When we contemplate His purity and excellence, we shall see our own weakness and poverty and defects as they really are. We shall see ourselves lost and hopeless, clad in garments of self-righteousness, like every other sinner. We shall see that if we are ever saved, it will not be through our own goodness, but through God’s infinite grace.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159.

Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39. As we study God’s word, with the Holy Spirit opening our minds, and we behold Christ in our imagination, we will see both others and ourselves in a different light.

Next needed is gold tried in the fire. Faith that works by love is needed to overcome the obstacles.

“It is the will of God that each professing Christian shall perfect a character after the divine similitude. By studying the character of Christ revealed in the Bible, by practicing His virtues, the believer will be changed into the same likeness of goodness and mercy. Christ’s work of self-denial and sacrifice brought into the daily life will develop the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. There are many who wish to evade the cross-bearing part, but the Lord speaks to all when He says, ‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’ Matthew 16:24.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 249.

Again, we have to look to Christ, but we also have to take up our cross. As we follow Him and exercise His virtues, we will receive and develop that faith that works by love and purifies the soul, dealing with the issues that arise in a Biblical way, and not according to the flesh.

Then we have to put on the white raiment that the “shame of thy nakedness not appear (Revelation 3;18).” That is the righteousness of Christ which covers our sins. Once we break free from protecting ourselves, the Lord does not leave us vulnerable but steps in with His own protection. “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7. By faith we can trust in Him through every circumstance. However uncomfortable the situation in which we find ourselves, we can run to Him for shelter.

The Lord is our stronghold. “We need to educate the soul to lay hold, and hold fast the rich promises of Christ. The Lord Jesus knows that it is not possible for us to resist the many temptations of Satan, only as we shall have divine power given us from God. He well knows that in our own human strength we should surely fail. Therefore every provision has been made, that in every emergency and trial we shall flee to the stronghold. … We have the word of promise from lips that will not lie. … We must individually cherish the faith that we receive of Him, the things He hath promised.” Our Father Cares, 99.

We all crave the latter rain, but are we ready to receive it? Is our church ready to receive it? Let us arm ourselves with the spiritual weapons to fight the devil and be ready for Jesus’ return. This is my prayer.

Jim Stoeckert is a Bible worker for Steps to Life. 

To Be Like Jesus

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This article is to show how we can obtain or learn gentleness and meekness and what these two divine graces will do to the believer. Last but by no means least, it will address the point, What does it mean to learn of Jesus?

To provide a good foundation for this message, so that a correct understanding can be gained, look at this statement found in Testimonies, vol. 2, 74: “We are not all organized alike, and many have not been educated aright. Their education has been deficient. Some have had a quick temper transmitted to them, and their education in childhood has not taught them self-control. With this fiery temper, envy and jealousy are frequently united. Others are faulty in other respects. Some are dishonest in deal, overreaching in trade. Others are arbitrary in their families, loving to rule. Their lives are far from being correct. Their education was all wrong. They were not told the sin of yielding to the control of these evil traits; therefore sin does not appear to them so exceedingly sinful. Others, whose education has not been so faulty, who have had better training, have developed a much less objectionable character. The Christian life of all is very much affected for good or for evil by their previous education.”

This statement reflects the fact that most, if not all of us, as human beings are victims of poor attitudes, short or ill tempers and impatience. We somehow were not born possessing the graces of gentleness and meekness. Still, even at this present moment, many of us who are professed Christians know but very little of what it means to be gentle and meek. God would have us climb up to another round on the ladder in order that we may become Christlike.

The Definition of Gentleness and Meekness

Gentleness means genteel behavior (and genteel means polite—easy and graceful in manners and behavior); softness of manners; mildness of temper; sweetness of disposition; meekness; kindness; tenderness.

Meekness means softness of temper; mildness; gentleness; forbearance under injuries and provocation; humility; submission to divine will, without murmuring or peevishness. Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828 Edition, Foundation for American Christian Education, San Francisco, California, 1989.

You will note that gentleness and meekness are synonymous. But there is a slight variation. In the New Testament, meekness (Greek – prautes and the adjective praus) refers to an inward attitude, whereas gentleness (Greek – epiekes, from epi-, “upon” and eikos, “likely,” denotes “seemly, fitting”) is expressed rather in outward action. Notwithstanding their slight variation, they can be and are used interchangeably, for they basically carry the same meaning.

Someone once said that, “Meekness is a grace which Jesus alone inculcated, and which no ancient philosopher seems to have understood or recommended.”

Meekness is part of the fruit of Christlike character produced only by the Spirit (Galatians 5:23).

The high place accorded to meekness in the list of human virtues is due to the example and teaching of Jesus Christ. Pagan writers paid greater respect to the self-confident man.

Sir Thomas Browne [1600s English author] once said, “Patient meekness takes injuries like pills, not chewing, but swallowing them down, laconically (using few words) suffering and silently passing them over, while angered pride makes a noise … every scratch.”

That is why Jesus is our perfect example of meekness and gentleness!

The English poet Richard Hooker (1554–1600) concluded, “There will come a time when three words, uttered with charity and meekness, shall receive a far more blessed reward than three thousand volumes written with disdainful sharpness of wit.” Tyron Edwards; C. N. Catrevas, The New Dictionary of Thoughts, Standard Book Company, New York, 1955, 400.

According to James Hamilton, English Clergyman (1814–1867), “Meekness is love at school, at the school of Christ. It is the disciple learning to know, and fear, and distrust himself, and learning of him who is meek and lowly in heart, and so finding rest to his soul.” Ibid.

“Meekness cannot well be counterfeited. It is not insensibility, or unmanliness, or servility; it does not cringe, or whine. It is benevolence imitating Christ in patience, forbearance, and quietness. It feels keenly, but not malignantly; it abounds in good will, and bears all things.” Ibid., 401. This was said by American Clergyman, William Swan Plumer (1802–1880).

It would do us well to pay strict attention to the words and counsel of American Lawyer John Foster (1831–1917), when he commented, “Meekness is imperfect if it be not both active and passive, leading us to subdue our own passions and resentments, as well as to bear patiently the passions and resentments of others.” Ibid.

“Meekness is the inward adorning, which God estimates as of great price.” The Sanctified Life, 16.

David proclaims, “Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation: and Thy gentleness hath made me great.” II Samuel 22:36.

Again he makes the same proclamation with a little more meaning in Psalm 18:35: “Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation: and Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great.”

David shows what God’s grace is and what it does for him as well as every sinner. The word that David used for gentleness is the Hebrew word anawah, literally meaning humility. This characteristic found its supreme expression in the incarnation and death on the cross. “The King of glory stooped low to take humanity.” The Desire of Ages, 43. Man never climbs higher and nearer to God than when he stoops in humility. This is true greatness.

A sinner can be great in God’s sight only when he/she acknowledges the humility or humiliation of Christ by accepting Him as Lord and Saviour, and as a result of such action exemplifies in his/her life the gentleness/meekness and humility of Christ that makes salvation possible. So the Psalmist declares, “For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation.” Psalm 149:4.

To those who patiently submit to His chastisement, God will ultimately “adorn” or “beautify” with His salvation. It is not because we are naturally meek or gentle, but He will beautify us because we humbly accept a life of meekness, gentleness, and humility like that of Jesus Christ—following in His footsteps! Consequently, the words of Jesus and David will be fulfilled in the experience of all such persons, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5.

“But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Psalm 37:11. “The meekness and lowliness of Christ is the Christian’s power. It is indeed more precious than all things which genius can create or wealth can buy. Of all things that are sought, cherished, and cultivated, there is nothing so valuable in the sight of God as a pure heart, a disposition imbued with thankfulness and peace.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 559.

“Meekness is a precious grace, willing to suffer silently, willing to endure trials. Meekness is patient and labors to be happy under all circumstances. Meekness is always thankful and makes its own songs of happiness, making melody in the heart to God. Meekness will suffer disappointment and wrong, and will not retaliate. Meekness is not to be silent and sulky. A morose temper is the opposite of meekness; for this only wounds and gives pain to others, and takes no pleasure to itself.” Ibid., vol. 3, 335.

“A schoolgirl, when asked for a definition of meekness, said, ‘Meek people are those who give soft answers to rough questions.’ Christ says, ‘Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.’ They will be fit subjects for the kingdom of heaven, for they are willing to be taught.” Welfare Ministry, 153.

“Patience and gentleness under wrong were not characteristics prized by the heathen or by the Jews. The statement made by Moses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that he was the meekest man upon the earth, would not have been regarded by the people of his time as a commendation; it would rather have excited pity or contempt. But Jesus places meekness among the first qualifications for His kingdom. In His own life and character the divine beauty of this precious grace is revealed (emphasis supplied).” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 14.

Jesus Christ was and is the perfect example of gentleness and meekness

Second Corinthians 10:1 states, “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you.”

(1) He humbled Himself – “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5–8.

“Through all the lowly experiences of life He consented to pass, walking among the children of men, not as a king, to demand homage, but as one whose mission it was to serve others. There was in His manner no taint of bigotry, no cold austerity. The world’s Redeemer had a greater than angelic nature, yet united with His divine majesty were meekness and humility that attracted all to Himself.

“Jesus emptied Himself, and in all that He did, self did not appear. He subordinated all things to the will of His Father. When His mission on earth was about to close, He could say, ‘I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.’ John 17:4. And He bids us, ‘Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.’ ‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself’ (Matthew 11:29; 16:24).” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 14.

(2) The Pattern Man – “Jesus, the precious Saviour, the pattern man, was firm as a rock where truth and duty were concerned. And His life was a perfect illustration of true courtesy. Kindness and gentleness gave fragrance to His character. He had ever a kind look and a word of comfort and consolation for the needy and oppressed.” My Life Today, 242.

(3) Unassuming manners – “Humility and meekness characterized His life. And it was because of His lowly walk and unassuming manners, which were in such marked contrast to their own, that the Pharisees would not accept Him.” The Sanctified Life, 14.

(4) He was courteous – “What Christ was on this earth, the Christian worker should strive to be. He is our example, not only in His spotless purity, but in His patience, gentleness, and winsomeness of disposition. His life is an illustration of true courtesy.” Gospel Workers, 121.

“The Bible enjoins courtesy, and it presents many illustrations of the unselfish spirit, the gentle grace, the winsome temper, that characterize true politeness. These are but reflections of the character of Christ.” Education, 241, 242.

How to obtain or learn gentleness and meekness

(1) By trials – “Few are willing to follow the Saviour’s example of meekness and humility. Many ask the Lord to humble them, but are unwilling to submit to the needful discipline. When the test comes, when trials or even annoyances occur, the heart rebels, and the tongue utters words that are like poisoned arrows or blasting hail.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 176.

(2) Through the Holy Spirit – “Where the Spirit of God is, there is meekness, patience, gentleness, and longsuffering; there is a tenderness of soul, a mildness which savors of Christ. But these fruits are not manifested by the unconverted.” This Day With God, 291.

(3) Learn of Christ – “ ‘Ye shall find rest’ [Matthew 11:29]. How? By living experience—because Christ’s yoke is a yoke of patience and gentleness and long-suffering. Those who learn His meekness and lowliness learn also how to love one another as He has loved them. They reach the place where they refuse to criticize and condemn others. They learn that there is committed to them a work that no one else can do for them—the work of learning of Christ.” The Upward Look, 359. “Not a soul of us is safe unless we learn of Christ daily, His meekness and lowliness.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, 40.

(4) In the school of Christ – “Real refinement of thought and manner is better learned in the school of the divine Teacher than by any observance of set rules. His love pervading the heart gives to the character those refining touches that fashion it in the semblance of His own. This education imparts a heaven-born dignity and sense of propriety. It gives a sweetness of disposition and a gentleness of manner that can never be equaled by the superficial polish of fashionable society.” Education, 241. “But spiritual success comes only to those who have learned meekness and lowliness in the school of Christ.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 397.

(5) It takes time – “The precious graces of the Holy Spirit are not developed in a moment. Courage, fortitude, meekness, faith, unwavering trust in God’s power to save, are acquired by the experience of years. By a life of holy endeavor and firm adherence to the right the children of God are to seal their destiny.” The Ministry of Healing, 454.

(6) Through God’s providence – “God’s providence is the school in which we are to learn the meekness and lowliness of Jesus. The Lord is ever setting before us, not the way we would choose, which seems easier and pleasanter to us, but the true aims of life. It rests with us to co-operate with the agencies which Heaven employs in the work of conforming our characters to the divine model. None can neglect or defer this work but at the most fearful peril to their souls.” The Great Controversy, 623.

(7) By possessing the humility of Jesus – “The difficulties we have to encounter may be very much lessened by that meekness which hides itself in Christ. If we possess the humility of our Master, we shall rise above the slights, the rebuffs, the annoyances, to which we are daily exposed, and they will cease to cast a gloom over the spirit. The highest evidence of nobility in a Christian is self-control. He who under abuse or cruelty fails to maintain a calm and trustful spirit robs God of His right to reveal in him His own perfection of character. Lowliness of heart is the strength that gives victory to the followers of Christ; it is the token of their connection with the courts above.” The Desire of Ages, 301.

(8) Having the knowledge of Christ – “ ‘Learn of Me,’ says Jesus; ‘for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest’ [Matthew 11:29]. We are to enter the school of Christ, to learn from Him meekness and lowliness. Redemption is that process by which the soul is trained for heaven. This training means a knowledge of Christ. It means emancipation from ideas, habits, and practices that have been gained in the school of the prince of darkness. The soul must be delivered from all that is opposed to loyalty to God.” The Desire of Ages, 330.

(9) By wearing Christ’s yoke – “Meekness is a precious, Christian attribute. The meekness and lowliness of Christ are only learned by wearing Christ’s yoke. … That yoke signifies entire submission.

“The heavenly universe looks upon an absence of meekness and lowliness of heart. The self-exaltation, the feeling of swelling importance, makes the human agent so large in his own estimation that he feels that he has no need of a Saviour, no need to wear Christ’s yoke. But the invitation to each soul is, ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls’ (Matthew 11:29).” In Heavenly Places, 236.

(10) By the surrender of the will – “The submission which Christ demands, the self-surrender of the will which admits truth in its sanctifying power, which trembles at the word of the Lord, are brought about by the work of the Holy Spirit. There must be a transformation of the entire being, heart, soul, and character. … Only at the altar of sacrifice, and from the hand of God, can the selfish, grasping man receive the celestial torch which reveals his own incompetence and leads him to submit to Christ’s yoke, to learn His meekness and lowliness.

“As learners we need to meet with God at the appointed place. Then Christ puts us under the guidance of the Spirit, who leads us into all truth, placing our self-importance in submission to Christ. He takes the things of Christ as they fall from His lips and conveys them with living power to the obedient soul. Thus we may take a perfect impress of the Author of truth.” Ibid.

The effect of meekness and gentleness on the believers

(1) The disposition becomes meek – “The most precious fruit of sanctification is the grace of meekness. When this grace presides in the soul the disposition is molded by its influence. There is a continual waiting upon God and a submission of the will to His.” My Life Today, 253.

(2) The understanding is enlightened – “The understanding grasps every divine truth, and the will bows to every divine precept, without doubting or murmuring.” Ibid.

(3) Softens the heart – “True meekness softens and subdues the heart and gives the mind a fitness for the engrafted word.” Ibid.

(4) Believers become obedient – “It brings the thoughts into obedience to Jesus Christ.” Ibid.

(5) Opens the heart – “It opens the heart to the word of God, as Lydia’s was opened.” Ibid.

(6) We become learners – “It places us with Mary, as learners at the feet of Jesus. ‘The meek will He guide in judgment, and the meek will He teach His way’ [Psalm 25:9].” Ibid.

(7) We will not be boasters – “The language of the meek is never that of boasting. Like the child Samuel, they pray, ‘Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth’ (1 Samuel 3:9).” The Sanctified Life, 15.

(8) We possess the Holy Spirit – “Meekness in the school of Christ is one of the marked fruits of the Spirit.” Ibid.

(9) We are sanctified – “It is a grace wrought by the Holy Spirit as a sanctifier, and enables its possessor at all times to control a rash and impetuous temper.” Ibid.

(10) Controls unhappy temper – “When the grace of meekness is cherished by those who are naturally sour or hasty in disposition, they will put forth the most earnest efforts to subdue their unhappy temper.” Ibid.

(11) Develop self-control – “Every day they will gain self-control, until that which is unlovely and unlike Jesus is conquered.” Ibid.

(12) Become like Divine Pattern – “They become assimilated to the Divine Pattern, until they can obey the inspired injunction, ‘Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath’ (James 1:19).” Ibid. 15, 16.

(13) Makes the home happy – “The meekness of Christ, manifested in the home, will make the inmates happy; it provokes no quarrel, gives back no angry answer, but soothes the irritated temper, and diffuses a gentleness that is felt by all within its charmed circle. Wherever cherished, it makes the families of earth a part of the one great family above.” Sons and Daughters of God, 82.

(14) Converting power – “In doing with meekness and humility our appointed service, we are to reveal the converting power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Then we become the Lord’s agencies to do His work.” Reflecting Christ, 130.

(15) Bring about unity – “Those who are truly converted will press together in Christian unity. Let there be no division in the church of God, no unwise authority exercised over those who accept the truth. The meekness of Christ is to appear in all that is said and done.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 147.

(16) Transforms whole life – “You have been invited to learn of Christ, who is meek and lowly of heart. Precious lesson! If well learned, it will transform the whole life.” Ibid., vol. 2, 188.

(17) Make us peculiar – “Among the peculiarities which should distinguish God’s people from the world in these last days, is their humility and meekness.” Ibid., vol. 4, 226.

(18) We behold Christ – “He who beholds Christ in His self-denial, His lowliness of heart, will be constrained to say, as did Daniel, when he beheld One like the sons of men, ‘My comeliness was turned in me into corruption.’ Daniel 10:8. The independence and self-supremacy in which we glory are seen in their true vileness as tokens of servitude to Satan. Human nature is ever struggling for expression, ready for contest; but he who learns of Christ is emptied of self, of pride, of love of supremacy, and there is silence in the soul. Self is yielded to the disposal of the Holy Spirit. Then we are not anxious to have the highest place. We have no ambition to crowd and elbow ourselves into notice; but we feel that our highest place is at the feet of our Saviour. We look to Jesus, waiting for His hand to lead, listening for His voice to guide. The apostle Paul had this experience, and he said, ‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.’ Galatians 2:20.

“When we receive Christ as an abiding guest in the soul, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 15.

Are you enjoying that peace that comes by wearing Christ’s yoke? What is it that destroys that peace that Christ longs to give?

“It is the love of self that destroys our peace. While self is all alive, we stand ready continually to guard it from mortification and insult; but when we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall not take neglects or slights to heart. We shall be deaf to reproach and blind to scorn and insult.” Ibid., 16.

What it means to learn of Jesus

(1) Not to retaliate – “When unkind, discouraging words are spoken to you, do not retaliate. Do not reply unless you can return a pleasant answer. Say to yourself, ‘I will not disappoint my Saviour.’ The Christian woman is a gentlewoman. On her lips is ever the law of kindness. She utters no hasty words. To speak gentle words when you are irritated will bring sunshine into your hearts and make your path more smooth.” Welfare Ministry, 153.

(2) Gives evidence that Christ dwells within – “By manifesting meekness under provocation and growing away from low earthliness you give evidence that you have an indwelling Saviour, and every thought, word, and deed attracts men to Jesus rather than to self.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 597.

(3) Represent the character of Christ – “There are many who have given themselves to Christ, yet who see no opportunity of doing a large work or making great sacrifices in His service. These may find comfort in the thought that it is not necessarily the martyr’s self-surrender which is most acceptable to God; it may not be the missionary who has daily faced danger and death that stands highest in heaven’s records. The Christian who is such in his private life, in the daily surrender of self, in sincerity of purpose and purity of thought, in meekness under provocation, in faith and piety, in fidelity in that which is least, the one who in the home life represents the character of Christ—such a one may in the sight of God be more precious than even the world-renowned missionary or martyr.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 403.

(4) Be teachable and obedient – “To be one with Christ in God is the privilege of every soul. But in order to be this, we must be meek and lowly, teachable and obedient. Shall we not be of that number who make a business of securing by earnest prayer and faithful practice the faith that works by love and purifies the soul?” This Day With God, 150.

In conclusion:

“The first and chief ingredient in this meekness is an inward calmness and tranquility of mind. This shows itself in an outward, affable, courteous, kind, and friendly behavior to men. The meek man is slow to anger. He is prudent and moderate in his passion, tempering it with a spirit of calmness and moderation. He lets go his anger as soon as he can in reason, at least he suffers it not to settle into a fixed hatred or lasting resentment, but is ready to embrace all overtures of reconciliation. Meekness is always joined with humility, resignation, contentment, cheerfulness, courtesy, gratitude, moderation, peaceableness, kindness, patience, forgiveness of injuries, charity, and all other social and good-natured virtues.” Thomas H. Leale, The Preacher’s Homiletic Commentary, vol. 21, Logos Research Systems, Inc., Bellingham, Washington, 78, 79.

The questions that each one of us needs to answer are, Am I truly a meek, gentle and humble Christian? or Am I proud and self-sufficient?

Be reminded of the word of the Lord “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:6. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, … meekness.” Galatians 5:22, 23.

Today, Jesus our loving Saviour once again extends His invitation of mercy to each of us “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30.

Will you without hesitation answer His call today?

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-882-3900.

The Characteristics of the Remnant

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The remnant spoken of in the Bible is the last group of people living on the earth that God claims as His own. A remnant is exactly the same as the first piece; just so, God’s remnant, His last church, must have the same characteristics as His first church.

To be part of God’s remnant means far more than just making a profession of keeping the commandments and believing the Spirit of Prophecy. It is represented by a sanctified life and character. Those who make up the remnant will be faithful, as was their spiritual father, Abraham, and be part of God’s people, not just by profession and baptism by water but in heart and character by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Those consisting of the remnant are part of His flock, listening to His voice and following wherever He leads. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice” (John 10:27). They are part of the wheat harvest. In other words, they bring forth spiritual fruit in their lives. They have a vital connection with the True Vine and have become a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. They are faithful, love God and keep His commandments from their hearts, obtaining residence in the city of refuge and being saved from the second death. They become part of God’s fortress which He holds control of in this evil world.

Ellen White wrote,

“I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors.” Early Writings, 124.

Those imbibing new errors include many of the different Adventist groups after 1844. She continues, “I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness.” Ibid., 124, 125.

History repeats itself and the same will happen as in the days of John the Baptist when there was a shaking, a purging, a separating of the tares from the wheat and almost the whole Jewish church was shaken out, but their church organization still carried right on.

To be shaken out means to be shaken out of the truth. According to prophecy, something very similar to this is going to happen in Adventism before the end. “Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God. Those who refused to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. But there will be no time then to do it.” Ibid., 71.

“To the marriage supper of the Lamb will come many who have not on the wedding garment—the robe [Christ] purchased for them with His lifeblood. From lips that never make a mistake come the words, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?’ (Matthew 22:12). Those [thus] addressed are speechless. They know that words would be useless. The truth, with its sanctifying power, has not been brought into the soul, and the tongue that once spoke so readily of the truth is now silent. The words are then spoken, ‘Take them out of My presence. They are not worthy to taste of My supper’ (cf. Luke 14:24).

“As they are separated from the loyal ones, Christ looks upon them with deep sorrow. They occupied high positions of trust in God’s work, but they have not the life insurance policy that would have entitled them to eternal life. From the quivering lips of Christ come the mournful words of regret, ‘I loved them; I gave My life for them; but they persisted in rejecting My pleadings, and continued in sin.’ ” The Upward Look, 301.

Now is the time to ask, Am I joined to Christ and one with Him in spirit, learning to think, feel, talk, and act like my Saviour? If you are really joined to Christ, you are one spirit with Him. If you are not one spirit with Him, you are not His at all.

Have you asked yourself these questions: Do I have His word abiding in me, and do I have that vital connection with the True Vine? Do I really love God and keep His commandments from the heart and love my neighbor as myself? Am I faithful enough for God to depend on me to do His bidding and refrain from those things He says not to do? Have I entered into God’s covenant and put away all known sin?

As we approach the end times, the issues of contention will be the same as when the Waldenses had to answer to the Inquisition and the Protestant reformers had to answer to the courts of their time. God’s people will also need to know and be able to explain their beliefs in the courts one day.

Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” And they said, “Well, some say you are John the Baptist, some say that you are Jeremiah, Elijah, or one of the prophets.” And then He said, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter right away came up with an answer because he had believed ever since he met Jesus that He was the Messiah: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then said something interesting to Peter. In the Greek Bible it says, “I say to you that you are Petros,” Latin for Peter. The Greek translation is the masculine word Petras. In other languages, every word has either a masculine, feminine or neuter gender with most words being masculine or feminine. Jesus said, “I say to you that you are Petros [like a stone], and on this Petra [a large boulder] I will build My church.” (See Matthew 16:13–18.)

The apostles understood what Jesus was talking about. Peter told us the identity of the Rock upon which the church is built in I Peter 2:4–10. Paul was every bit as clear as this in Ephesians 2:20: “It is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” The Rock upon which the church is built is Jesus Christ.

Jesus told them, “Whoever falls on this Rock will be all broken up, but on whomsoever it will fall, he will be crushed to powder.” Matthew 21:44. He spoke of Himself as the Rock. Peter spoke of Him as the Rock. And Jesus said to Peter, “You’re a stone, but on this Rock I’m going to build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against her.” Matthew 15:18. It is in verse 19 where the trouble really comes, because it says, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The authority given here is tremendous. It has to do not only with this life but also eternal life.

One of the reasons this text of scripture has been so difficult for many to understand is because we have not paid careful enough attention to whom and what is the church. This authority was here given to Peter, but later it was given to the whole church. In solving church difficulties, Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20. That is His church. Ellen White confirms that in The Upward Look, 315, “Where Christ is even among the humble few, this is Christ’s church, for the presence of the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute a church.” And in that context He says, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Verse 19. This authority is given not just to Peter, but it is given to the church.

Jesus, speaking to His disciples, said, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven, and if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” John 20:23. That is unbelievable authority. Jesus, speaking to the leaders of the Christian church, said, “If you forgive somebody’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain somebody’s sins, they are retained.” It was these scriptures that were used by the bishops of Rome obtaining authority over the entire then known world during the Dark Ages. They claimed to have received this apostolic authority from Peter and could send dissenters to either heaven or hell.

The accused heretics were dressed in robes and had miters painted with demons, snakes, and devils. They were put to torture or burned at the stake and consigned to hell where they were told they would burn forever.

The people were kept in ignorance, and before the printing presses were invented, there were very few copies of the Bible in existence for a time. Because of this, the church could twist the meaning and context of this authority and bring kings and nations and entire continents under their control. Protestants were continually challenged with the authority of the church that claimed to be the successor of the apostle Peter with the keys to the kingdom of heaven. All who did not submit to the authority of the church would go to hell. Those who did not believe it were killed, resulting in most of Europe eventually submitting to the church.

We read that there are three prerequisites before receiving that authority. “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’ ” John 20:22. Only those who are filled with the Holy Spirit have divine authority in the church.

All must be taught by God. Jesus said to Peter, “Flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father in heaven.” Matthew 16:17.

Instructions are given in Matthew 18:15 on how to deal with a disagreement or when wronged by another member of the church. Gospel order must be followed before you can have authority.

Millions of people have been enslaved or killed because of a misunderstanding of who has apostolic authority. Recent pronouncements by the papacy reveal that this theory is not dead. It is still proclaimed that Protestants cannot give eternal life because only the Catholic Church has authority on the basis of these scriptures and the way they are understood.

The apostles understood the meaning of how to bind and loose. When the gospel was preached, some people accepted it in repentance and were loosed from the chains of guilt and from the power of their sins and bound by an indissolvable union to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. In that way they were both bound and loosed.

Paul spoke very clearly about those refusing to accept the gospel. (See Acts 13:40–50; 28.) He said, “You decided yourself that you are not worthy of eternal life, and we are going to the Gentiles.” These people ended up bound to both the guilt and the power of their sins and were held in slavery.

Jesus said, in John 8:34, that the one who commits sin is a slave of sin. The word dulos means bondservant, slave. When the gospel is preached, everybody who hears it will be bound and loosed. Some will be bound to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, and they will be loosed from their sins, from the guilt and power of sins. Those who reject will be bound to their sins and receive the mark of the beast and be loosed from any certain hope of eternal life.

“The power of binding and loosing was, moreover, given to the Church, and not to any individual man, or body of men. Ministers exercise, he argued, their office for the Church, and in the name of the Church; and without the Church’s consent and approval, expressed or implied, they have no power of loosing or binding anyone. Much less, he maintained, was this power of excommunication secular; it was simply a power of doing, by the Church and for the Church, the necessary work of purging out notorious offenders from the body of the faithful.” Reverand James Aitken Wylie, LLD, History of Protestantism, Volume Second, ch 4, “Conference at Upsaler,” 1808-1890, Cassell& Company, Limited: London.

The Catholic Church claims that only those seated in continuous succession from the apostle Peter have apostolic authority. “This principle bears with equal weight upon a question that has long agitated the Christian world—the question of apostolic succession. Descent from Abraham was proved, not by name and lineage, but by likeness of character. So the apostolic succession rests not upon the transmission of ecclesiastical authority, but upon spiritual relationship. A life actuated by the apostles’ spirit, the belief and teaching of the truth they taught, this is the true evidence of apostolic succession. This is what constitutes men the successors of the first teachers of the gospel.” The Desire of Ages, 467.

The question of apostolic succession has agitated the minds in the Christian world for hundreds of years. And even today, if you read Roman Catholic literature, they can show you a diagram showing that the Catholic Church history goes all the way back to Jesus Christ, but the Protestant church only goes back to the sixteenth century, or the Adventist church only goes back to the nineteenth century.

So who is the true church and who are Abraham’s seed? Jesus acknowledged that the Jews were Abraham’s seed according to the flesh, but denied that they were Abraham’s spiritual children. To that they strongly objected, saying, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you want to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth. … You do the works of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We have one Father, we’re not born of fornication; we have one Father: even God.” And Jesus said to them, “If God was your Father, you would love Me, because I proceeded forth and came from God; neither did I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Why can’t you understand what I’m saying? Because you are of your father the devil.” John 8:37–44.

It was to the leaders of the Jewish church of God’s chosen people that Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil.” It is impossible to be a member of the church that God has called out, His chosen special ones, if you are a son of the devil.

In the Day of Judgment, profession must be backed up by character. The remnant people at the end of time will keep the commandments of God. The new theology says, “Just try to do it; do the best you can.” The Bible does not say that. It says, “They keep the commandments.” Only those who have received the Holy Spirit can keep the commandments; without the Spirit it is impossible.

Apostolic succession means the people who are successors of the apostles, those who teach and preach the same things that the apostles taught and have the same character that they demonstrated. A mere profession is worthless.

“From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church [of God] on earth.” The Acts of the Apostles, 11.

Nowhere in the Spirit of Prophecy does Ellen White say the church is both the faithful and the unfaithful. You may get your name on the church books and are professedly part of the church, but if you are not joined to Christ with one Spirit, you are not part of Him. (See Romans 8:9.)

Jesus called the Jews, who only made a profession, children of the devil. It is the character of a person that reveals to whom they belong. There are so many preachers, both in self-supporting work and in the conferences, publishing articles that say you just have to believe the truth and you are part of the remnant. But the Bible teaches that the remnant will be of a character in keeping with the commandments of God. Salvation is an inheritance, and it is a gift, but it is conditional on obedience to God.

The Waldenses understood this, as did the reformers who stood true to God and His commandments as they suffered terrible persecution. They knew that the church of that time had no power to commit them to either heaven or hell. The authority of the Bible is above the authority of the church. (See James 1:18.)

The reformers and the Waldenses had a correct understanding of who and what the church was. They believed that the true church consisted of only those who were righteous, just and holy. But today, people have decided that the church consists of both the faithful and the unfaithful, trying to prove this by the parable of the wheat and the tares. Incidentally, the Catholics do the same and have done so with their church for hundreds of years. Throughout the Spirit of Prophecy the word church is used to refer to all who make a profession of Christianity, all the Christian churches, and sometimes in regard to certain denominations, including the Adventist denomination. Sometimes it refers to the Catholic Church, and at other times it refers to the true church. Often these quotations are used out of context causing confusion, just as many other churches become confused about the law in the Bible, which refers to different things.

The common false conception of who the church is has caused Adventists to be confused about who make up the remnant. It is not whether your names are on the church books, but whether you have fully submitted and allowed the Holy Spirit to work in your life, making you a new creation.

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” Zephaniah 3:13. This is the description of those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb—the true remnant.

(Bible texts quoted are literal translation.)

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

Editorial – Primitive Godliness

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Notwithstanding the widespread declension of faith and piety, there are true followers of Christ in these churches. Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming. The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world.” The Great Controversy, 464.

If you are not going to be deceived by the “false primitive godliness” by which most Christians will be, thinking that the whole world has been converted (see Selected Messages, Book 3, 427, 428), then we must know what primitive godliness is to be able to tell the difference between the true and the counterfeit.

What is primitive godliness?

Concerning the early Christians, Ellen White wrote, “The early Christians were indeed a peculiar people. Their blameless deportment and unswerving faith were a continual reproof that disturbed the sinner’s peace. Though few in numbers, without wealth, position, or honorary titles, they were a terror to evildoers wherever their character and doctrines were known. … It was for the same reason that the Jews rejected and crucified the Saviour—because the purity and holiness of His character was a constant rebuke to their selfishness and corruption. From the days of Christ until now His faithful disciples have excited the hatred and opposition of those who love and follow the ways of sin.” Ibid., 46.

Notice that primitive godliness involved (1) blameless deportment, (2) unswerving faith, (3) their doctrines were a terror to evildoers, (4) they had the same qualities of character that made Jesus a hated person—purity and holiness of character. God’s people in the great closing work of the gospel will have the same characteristics. Are you praying and striving for this every day? This can only be achieved by dying to self and allowing Jesus to have full control.