Issue: 2015 May

Inspiration – Silent working of the Holy Spirit

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The Christian’s life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit.

Nicodemus was still perplexed, and Jesus used the wind to illustrate His meaning: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

The wind is heard among the branches of the trees, rustling the leaves and flowers; yet it is invisible, and no man knows whence it comes or whither it goes. So with the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. It can no more be explained than can the movements of the wind. A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or to trace all the circumstances in the process of conversion; but this does not prove him to be unconverted. By an agency as unseen as the wind, Christ is constantly working upon the heart. Little by little, perhaps unconsciously to the receiver, impressions are made that tend to draw the soul to Christ. These may be received through meditating upon Him, through reading the Scriptures, or through hearing the word from the living preacher. Suddenly, as the Spirit comes with more direct appeal, the soul gladly surrenders itself to Jesus. By many this is called sudden conversion; but it is the result of long wooing by the Spirit of God—a patient, protracted process.

While the wind is itself invisible, it produces effects that are seen and felt. So the work of the Spirit upon the soul will reveal itself in every act of him who has felt its saving power. When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven. No one sees the hand that lifts the burden, or beholds the light descend from the courts above. The blessing comes when, by faith, the soul surrenders itself to God. …

It is impossible for finite minds to comprehend the work of redemption. Its mystery exceeds human knowledge; yet he who passes from death to life realizes that it is a divine reality. The beginning of redemption we may know here through a personal experience. Its results reach through the eternal ages.

Evidence of Divine Aid

If you have a sense of need in your soul, if you hunger and thirst after righteousness, this is an evidence that Christ has wrought upon your heart in order that He may be sought unto to do for you, through the endowment of the Holy Spirit, those things which it is impossible for you to do for yourself.

Messages to Young People, 157-158.

Current Events – Mother Church Woos Back Its Daughters

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On October 31, 1517, the priest and scholar Martin Luther approached the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany and nailed a piece of paper to it containing the 95 revolutionary opinions that would begin the Protestant Reformation.

In his theses, Luther condemned the excesses and corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, especially the papal practice of asking payment—called “indulgences”—for the forgiveness of sins. At the time, a Dominican priest named Johann Tetzel, commissioned by the Archbishop of Mainz and Pope Leo X, was in the midst of a major fundraising campaign in Germany to finance the renovation of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The term “Protestant” first appeared in 1529, when Charles V revoked a provision that allowed the ruler of each German state to choose whether they would enforce the Edict of Worms. A number of princes and other supporters of Luther issued a protest, declaring that their allegiance to God trumped their allegiance to the emperor. They became known to their opponents as Protestants; gradually this name came to apply to all who believed the Church should be reformed, even those outside Germany.

On the 500th anniversary of Luther’s protest, Catholics and Lutherans plan to celebrate together. Both sides have agreed to set aside centuries of hostility and prejudice. This will be the first centenary celebration in the age of ecumenism, globalization and the secularization of Western societies.

In Geneva, 2013, the Vatican and the Lutheran World Federation released a joint document, “From Conflict to Communion,” that said there is little purpose in dredging up centuries-old conflicts. In the document, the two churches recognize that the celebration requires a new approach, focusing on a reciprocal admission of guilt and on highlighting the progress made by Lutheran-Catholic dialogue over the past fifty years. The report said, “The awareness is dawning on Lutherans and Catholics that the struggle of the 16th century is over. The reasons for mutually condemning each other’s faith have fallen by the wayside.”

Re-examining the history of the Reformation and the split it created, the document states that Luther “had no intention of establishing a new church, but was a part of a broad and many-faceted desire for reform. The fact that the struggle for this truth in the 16th century led to the loss of unity in Western Christendom belongs to the dark pages of church history. In 2017, we must confess openly that we have been guilty before Christ of damaging the unity of the church.”

During the decades since the Catholic Church’s Second Vatican Council (1962-65), Lutherans and Catholics have sought theological common ground and after much ecumenical dialogue have “come to acknowledge that more unites than divides them,” says the document.

The rise of Pentecostal and charismatic movements over the past century “have put forward new emphases that have made many of the old confessional controversies seem obsolete,” it added.

www.history.com/this-day-in-history/martin-luther-posts-95-theses

www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/17/500th-reformation-anniversary-catholics-lutherans-to-mark-split-together_n_3454146.html

“In the book of Revelation the prophet describes the scenes of the Gospel age, and he sees in heaven the ark of the testimony. There the holy law of God shines in holy dignity, just as when God wrote it with His own finger on tables of stone. John describes the work that will be done in the last days, when the Protestant churches form a confederacy with the Catholic power, and work against the law of God and against those who keep His commandments.” The Signs of the Times, March 12, 1896.

“With rapid steps we are approaching this period [when the whole Protestant world will be brought under the banner of Rome].” Ibid., March 22, 1910.

Keys to the Storehouse – Broken Peace

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Broken peace is non-existent in heaven and heavenly peace is available to all and can begin right now. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” [Emphasis added.] Romans 14:17. It is sin that destroys peace. God desires all to be happy, peaceful and obedient. The Bible tells of a woman who had heavenly peace that changed the intent of a heart bent on retaliation.

“The piety of Abigail, like the fragrance of a flower, breathed out all unconsciously in face and word and action. The Spirit of the Son of God was abiding in her soul. Her speech, seasoned with grace, and full of kindness and peace, shed a heavenly influence. Better impulses came to David, and he trembled as he thought what might have been the consequences of his rash purpose. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God’ (Matthew 5:9).

“Would that there were many more like this woman of Israel, who would

  • soothe the irritated feelings,
  • prevent rash impulses, and
  • quell great evils by words of calm and well-directed wisdom.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 667.

Does the peace that will soothe the irritated feelings and prevent rash impulses, or quell great evils by calm words flow from your mouth? Have you consecrated your heart and your life to the Lord or is your peace broken?

“A consecrated Christian life is ever shedding light and comfort and peace. It is characterized by purity, tact, simplicity, and usefulness. It is controlled by that unselfish love that sanctifies the influence. It is full of Christ, and leaves a track of light wherever its possessor may go. Abigail was a wise reprover and counselor. David’s passion died away under the power of her influence and reasoning. He was convinced that he had taken an unwise course and had lost control of his own spirit.” See I Samuel 25:32–35.] Ibid.

“Christ is ‘the Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6), and it is His mission to restore to earth and heaven the peace that sin has broken. … Whoever consents to renounce sin and open his heart to the love of Christ, becomes a partaker of this heavenly peace.

“There is no other ground of peace than this. The grace of Christ received into the heart, subdues enmity; it allays strife and fills the soul with love. He who is at peace with God and his fellow men cannot be made miserable. … The heart that is in harmony with God is a partaker of the peace of heaven and will diffuse its blessed influence on all around. The spirit of peace will rest like dew upon hearts weary and troubled with worldly strife.

“Christ’s followers are sent to the world with the message of peace. Whoever, by the quiet, unconscious influence of a holy life, shall reveal the love of Christ; whoever, by word or deed, shall lead another to renounce sin and yield his heart to God, is a peacemaker. …

“The spirit of peace is evidence of their connection with heaven. The sweet savor of Christ surrounds them. The fragrance of the life, the loveliness of the character, reveal to the world the fact that they are children of God. Men take knowledge of them that they have been with Jesus.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 27, 28.

Father: I do renounce sin, which breaks peace. I choose to partake of Your heavenly peace which will subdue enmity and strife. Fill me with Your peace and let it be diffused to all around so their hearts may also walk in heavenly places. Give me this peace so others around me will not be made miserable. Amen.

True Education Series – False, Then True Education

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“And he [David] took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.” I Samuel 17:40

“Now, as never before, we need to understand the true science of education. If we fail to understand this, we shall never have a place in the kingdom of God. ‘This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent’ (John 17:3).” Christian Educator, August 1, 1897.

True Education is a series of articles on the true science of education. In March, 2015, we shared about God’s lesson books—nature, Scriptures, experiences of life, and useful work. In April, we covered the five main doctrines, lessons that we need to learn from the lesson books—the sanctuary, the Spirit of Prophecy, the seventh-day Sabbath, the state of the dead, and the second coming of Christ. These are the five smooth stones that we need in the conflict with the enemy.

In this article, I will share some of my personal experiences in education along with some related thoughts from Inspiration, with the hope and prayer that it may be helpful in your life.

My parents were practical, talented, hard working, and committed to each other and their family. We attended the Methodist church, but my dad made it plain that worldly success was his priority for us. He was not as spiritual as my mother. I was the second of five boys. We stayed very busy with all the different sports, working, attending public school, television, music, movies, and similar activities.

My dad believed that a high quality education in the public school system was the key to success. He had been raised on a farm, obtained a college education in engineering, married a beautiful lady from his class, obtained a stable, well-paying job, and was busy raising his five sons.

Until the age of five I was a happy healthy boy, greatly loved by my beautiful, stay-at-home mother. At that time I was put in school. Here are some of the reasons why this should not be done and why I had some of the problems that developed.

“Many children have been ruined for life by urging the intellect and neglecting to strengthen the physical powers. Many have died in childhood because of the course pursued by injudicious parents and schoolteachers in forcing their young intellects, by flattery or fear, when they were too young to see the inside of a schoolroom. Their minds have been taxed with lessons when they should not have been called out, but kept back until the physical constitution was strong enough to endure mental effort. Small children should be left as free as lambs to run out of doors, to be free and happy, and should be allowed the most favorable opportunities to lay the foundation for sound constitutions.

“Parents should be the only teachers of their children until they have reached eight or ten years of age. As fast as their minds can comprehend it, the parents should open before them God’s great book of nature. The mother should have less love for the artificial in her house and in the preparation of her dress for display, and should find time to cultivate, in herself and in her children, a love for the beautiful buds and opening flowers. By calling the attention of her children to their different colors and variety of forms, she can make them acquainted with God, Who made all the beautiful things which attract and delight them. She can lead their minds up to their Creator and awaken in their young hearts a love for their heavenly Father, Who has manifested so great love for them. Parents can associate God with all His created works. The only schoolroom for children from eight to ten years of age should be in the open air amid the opening flowers and nature’s beautiful scenery. And their only textbook should be the treasures of nature. These lessons, imprinted upon the minds of young children amid the pleasant, attractive scenes of nature, will not be soon forgotten.

“In order for children and youth to have health, cheerfulness, vivacity, and well-developed muscles and brains, they should be much in the open air and have well-regulated employment and amusement. Children and youth who are kept at school and confined to books, cannot have sound physical constitutions. The exercise of the brain in study, without corresponding physical exercise, has a tendency to attract the blood to the brain, and the circulation of the blood through the system becomes unbalanced. The brain has too much blood and the extremities too little. There should be rules regulating their studies to certain hours, and then a portion of their time should be spent in physical labor. And if their habits of eating, dressing, and sleeping are in accordance with physical law, they can obtain an education without sacrificing physical and mental health.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 137. [Emphasis added.]

Because of the lack of understanding and practice in these vital principles, my physical, mental, and moral health began to decline after age five. Along with the stress of school, my diet consisted of all kinds of flesh meats, too many sweets, caffeinated soft drinks, and many other unhealthful things. At about the age eight, I had two major head injuries that resulted in terrible migraine headaches, up to once or twice a week. Then, while working with my older brother delivering newspapers early in the morning, we began to smoke cigarettes when I was about age nine.

This was just the beginning of my woes. Once again, following in the footsteps of my older brother and friends, I began drinking alcohol at age 15.

Alonzo T. Jones wrote a book published in 1903 entitled The Place of the Bible in Education. This book is available on the Ellen White CD–ROM under “Words of the Adventist Pioneers.” In the first chapter he wrote about the three great educational centers in Christ’s time. The mother of them all was at Athens. He shares in this book about the origin and basics of the Greek style of education. Following is a summary:

“It is proper to inquire, What did Greek education accomplish for the Greeks, both directly and ultimately?

“It can never be denied that mentally Greek education carried the Greeks to the highest point that has ever been attained in this world in education that was only human. The Greek language was developed by the Greek mind to the point wherein it excelled all other human language in its capacity and facility of expressing nice distinctions of thought. Of this it has been well said that ‘It traces with ease distinctions so subtle as to be lost in every other language. It draws lines where all other instruments of the reason only make blots.

“In art, whether in sculpture or in architecture, the Greek education developed a standard that has never in the world been equaled. In physical culture, the development of the human form, also, Greek education attained the highest point that has ever been reached by any nation.

“All this, Greek education undeniably did for the Greeks. But what did it do for them morally? Mental attainments that developed the fullest of all human languages, the most consummate skill in art, and the completest symmetry of the human form—what did these attainments develop as to character? Everybody knows that the results in this respect could not be truly set down in this book, without endangering its seizure by the police; and making the author liable to prosecution for circulating obscene literature.” The Place of the Bible in Education, 49. [Emphasis added.]

If this is the reality of a Greek style of education, does it change the results just to add the words “Christian” or “Seventh-day Adventist” to the school name, or to include a Bible class in the curriculum?

The following statement will shed light on this vital question:

“None are further from the kingdom of heaven than self-righteous formalists, filled with pride at their own attainments, while they are wholly destitute of the spirit of Christ; while envy, jealousy, or love of praise and popularity controls them. They belong to the same class that John addressed as a generation of vipers, children of the wicked one. Such persons are among us, unseen, unsuspected. They serve the cause of Satan more effectively than the vilest profligate; for the latter does not disguise his true character; he appears what he is.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 226.

I attended college at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where I had a front-row seat in a school described by Brother Jones. There, I made progress in the so-called “higher education,” where we got “higher” on drugs and the corresponding lifestyle than anything else. It was widespread on campus.

During my junior year I met the young lady of my dreams and we married the next summer. We were very immature and it was the last thing in the world that we needed at that time. This added to my long list of challenges.

We graduated the next year with majors in fine arts. She was an art teacher and I was a free-lance photographer. We lived in a log cabin on the coast of Lake Huron. Outwardly, we were a picture of success, but inwardly, in reality, we were both a real mess and many things were getting worse.

After all I had been through, my health was rapidly declining. My lungs hurt constantly from smoking different things that I could not give up; my lymph nodes were swollen; I had many headaches and other physical problems as well. My mental and moral condition were no better. I was greatly confused because of the bad habits and false education, along with the guilt from all my bad choices. The only solution that I knew was to try to numb the pain with all the tools that I could find, which only made it worse.

Then, one day while standing in front of our garage, a profound thought came into my mind—“There must be something better in life than all this.” I determined to shake off the fetters that bound me and find the answer. I am not recommending what I did next, but these are the facts.

I told my wife that I was leaving to find the “something better in life” that had come into my mind. I set a date, put my affairs in order and took off. I didn’t divorce my wife; I just separated for the time being.

That was in Alpena, Michigan. A few months later I ended up in North Miami Beach, Florida. While there, my car broke down, I ran out of money, and my so-called friends would have nothing to do with me. The only thing I had left was a phone number, given to me by my mother for a minister from a church that they attended before I was born.

I called him, and he came, picked me up and took me to his home. He gave me a good example of ministry. He didn’t preach to me, but rather asked questions, let me share my thoughts, became my friend, and helped me with my needs. I stayed there until I had found a job at a professional photography studio and a place to live. But my addictions were still there, along with my sick body.

This was a time when darkrooms, enlargers, and different techniques for making high quality professional photographs were used. I worked in a darkroom by myself. It was a fitting scene for that time in my life, as a close friend who was about twenty-two years old had just been diagnosed with cancer. She took the standard chemo and radiation treatments, lost her hair, and shortly thereafter was buried. Her lifestyle, for many years, was similar to mine, and I feared the same consequences.

The Lord knew that I needed to be totally separated from the influence of all my family and friends so that He could get my attention.

Then one day, as usual, I was thinking that I had cancer and would soon be dead like my friend. Until then, whenever anyone tried to share Jesus with me, I refused to listen. When God’s spirit was reproving me of sin I would always make excuses and try to justify myself. But that day was different. When God’s still small voice spoke to my mind, I simply agreed with Him that I was wrong and that He was right. There were no more excuses, no more attempts at justifying myself. I admitted that I really deserved to die. As soon as I agreed with that conviction, I realized that I deserved to be hung up on a cross. But in my mind’s eye, I saw Jesus there, dying in my place. I knew that I was forgiven through His great sacrifice, and experienced a tremendous relief from the burden of guilt and pain that I had carried for so many years. I was so thankful that I told the Lord that I was finished serving Satan and wanted to live for Him. I freely confessed my bad choices and the pain that I had caused Him and other people. New thoughts began coming into my mind. Before this, there was darkness, condemnation, guilt and confusion. Now I had hope, forgiveness, light, truth, and answers to many questions. I was beginning to see in the light of the cross.

Then I understood what the “something better” was that the Lord had put in my mind about six months before, and it was time to return to Michigan and share the good news with my wife—the solution for a better life. So I put things in order in Florida and headed north.

When I neared home, I called and invited her to take a walk on the beach. After visiting for a time, I shared my experience with the Lord and apologized for the grief and pain that I had caused in her life. I told her of my commitment to live a better life and asked her to join me. She said that she would think about it, and let me know the next morning.

When I returned, she told me the sad news—she wanted a divorce.

Some aspects of “something better” are not what we would naturally choose, but we can trust the Lord with the results as we follow Him. It was time to pick up the pieces and move on.

I decided to go to Raleigh, North Carolina, where my parents lived at that time. Since they attended the Methodist Church, I joined them there. I also worked in commercial photography for a time, but had too many conflicts with my conscience in that field. Since I always enjoyed building things, and I loved Jesus so much, I decided to go to work as a carpenter’s helper as a new start in life.

Eventually, I became dissatisfied with the level of commitment to Bible principles in the Methodist church. I enjoyed the fellowship, teaching a Sunday school class and participating in the youth group, but two topics—baptism and the law of God—especially troubled my mind. I was also convicted that I needed to work with Christians in my occupation.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” II Corinthians 6:14.

So I began praying earnestly about those things. One evening, there was an ad in the newspaper for a “conscientious carpenter.” I called the number, and to my knowledge, it was the first Seventh-day Adventist that I had ever spoken to. I was hired and began working with these young Adventists at age twenty-six.

Because we were behind schedule, the foreman asked if I could work on Sunday. I replied that I didn’t work on Sunday because it was the Lord’s Day. After a time, I asked him about working on Saturday. He said that he couldn’t do that. I asked, “Why not?” He replied, “It’s the Lord’s Day.” That gave me some homework to do.

For the next five months I went back and forth between the two groups, searching for answers from the Bible. That fall, after attending part of an evangelistic campaign, I decided to be baptized and join the Seventh-day Adventist church. That was over thirty-eight years ago.

One of my greatest challenges has been how to understand and relate to the Seventh-day Adventist leadership who have had such great light and privileges, and yet believe and live as they do. Studying the history of the church from 1844 onward has helped tremendously and the Lord continues to provide the answers. Following are a few of them.

“Satan is … constantly pressing in the spurious—to lead away from the truth. The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish’ (Proverbs 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God’s remnant people in the true testimony.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 48.

One of Satan’s most effective ways of unsettling God’s remnant people in the true testimony is to divorce mercy from truth and justice.

“God’s love has been expressed in His justice no less than in His mercy. Justice is the foundation of His throne, and the fruit of His love. It had been Satan’s purpose to divorce mercy from truth and justice. He sought to prove that the righteousness of God’s law is an enemy to peace. But Christ shows that in God’s plan they are indissolubly joined together; the one cannot exist without the other. ‘Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other’ (Psalm 85:10).

“By His life and His death, Christ proved that God’s justice did not destroy His mercy, but that sin could be forgiven, and that the law is righteous, and can be perfectly obeyed. Satan’s charges were refuted. God had given man unmistakable evidence of His love.” The Desire of Ages, 762.

“Satan deceives many with the plausible theory that God’s love for His people is so great that He will excuse sin in them; he represents that while the threatenings of God’s word are to serve a certain purpose in His moral government, they are never to be literally fulfilled. But in all His dealings with his creatures God has maintained the principles of righteousness by revealing sin in its true character—by demonstrating that its sure result is misery and death. The unconditional pardon of sin never has been, and never will be. Such pardon would show the abandonment of the principles of righteousness, which are the very foundation of the government of God. It would fill the unfallen universe with consternation. God has faithfully pointed out the results of sin, and if these warnings were not true, how could we be sure that His promises would be fulfilled? That so-called benevolence which would set aside justice is not benevolence but weakness.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 522.

For an excellent coverage of this vital topic, I recommend the book, What Wondrous Love, by David H. Thiele, TEACH Services, Inc. (April 2, 2014).

One of the best descriptions of the church today is found in The Great Controversy.

“When God sends to men warnings so important that they are represented as proclaimed by holy angels flying in the midst of heaven, He requires every person endowed with reasoning powers to heed the message. The fearful judgments denounced against the worship of the beast and his image (Revelation 14:9-11), should lead all to a diligent study of the prophecies to learn what the mark of the beast is, and how they are to avoid receiving it. But the masses of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth and are turned unto fables. The apostle Paul declared, looking down to the last days: ‘The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine’ (11 Timothy 4:3). That time has fully come. The multitudes do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart; and Satan supplies the deceptions which they love.

“But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘Thus saith the Lord’ in its support.

“Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of God. He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to professors of theology, as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for themselves. Then, by controlling the minds of these leaders, he can influence the multitudes according to his will.” The Great Controversy, 594, 595. [Emphasis added.]

May the Lord help each one of us to be found on His side of the controversy.

“Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6, 7.

Lynn Alan Humes became a Christian in 1974 at 24 years of age, and a Seventh-day Adventist two years later. Since then he has worked in many parts of the United States, doing canvassing, restaurant work, teaching, preaching, writing, building, agriculture, and whatever needs to be done. He and his wife, Lorraine (Butler) Humes, care for her father, Dr. Maurice Butler, and are involved with many aspects of Gospel Medical Missionary work, building and agriculture in rural Tennessee. He may be contacted by email at: optimalife@gmail.com.

What Does God Require?

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Jesus said that if we don’t become converted and become as children, we shall not see the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3). What does God require of us?

We find in the Bible, One who was able to fulfill all that was written concerning the Messiah in the first advent. In Matthew 5:17, 18, Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Jesus said He came to fulfill the law, to fill up its righteousness, to live in perfect accord or perfect conformity with that which was written concerning Him. Many of the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ time were attempting to fulfill the law and the prophets, but in their own strength.

A Jewish rabbi was the first to count and document that there are 613 commandments in the Old Testament. These consist of at least 34 different categories of commandments dealing with family, civil laws, ceremonies, business, and different realms of life. One commandment was to not strike a father or a mother; another one was to not curse either of them. To honor both your mother and your father is vital to both the family and also society.

There were commandments dealing with clothing. One of the commandments of the Old Testament in the Torah was that a man should not wear women’s clothing and a woman was not to wear men’s clothing. Consider how society is turning nowadays with men and women becoming so confused as to who they are. It would be foolish to think that clothing has nothing to do with affecting the mind. Each generation and culture has some kind of a bearing upon what a man should wear and what a woman should wear. Nevertheless, principles have been laid down in the Bible.

Within the list of 613 commandments were guidelines for selling and redeeming slaves. The list goes on. Jesus summarized the law and the prophets in Matthew 7:12 when He said, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Whatever you want someone to do to you, you should do to others. It sounds simple, but the problem, of course, is that the carnal heart gets in the way because it is prone to selfishness. Its reaction is more or less that whatsoever men do to me, I’m going to do to them, whether I’ve been robbed, or cheated, lied to, or despised. Christ says, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”

Throughout the ministry of Jesus the devil continually attempted to get Him to trip up and fail in His mission to accomplish the plan that He and His Father had devised before this world was created. Satan often used with great success the religious leaders and those who were educated. One day a lawyer appeared to Jesus with the question: “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” Matthew 22:36. The Pharisees were so stuck on all the dos and don’ts in their attempt to be so particular and righteous, but Christ simply answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Verses 37–40.

All of the 613 commandments, rules and regulations plus many more that the Pharisees added, can be summed up in loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your attention, with all your focus, and loving your neighbor as you would yourself.

There are many within the Christian world that use this very passage in Matthew to say that the Old Testament has been done away with, even the Ten Commandment laws. They say that all we have to do is love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. We do not need to worry about the Old Testament with its ten commandments because Jesus gave us only two.

Interestingly, these two commandments were also in the Old Testament. “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deuteronomy 6:5. Jesus answered the lawyer’s question directly from the Old Testament.

We are not to think Jesus taught that the moral law no longer applied just because He said, “This is the first commandment; love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” What He did teach is that the whole law, including the 613 different commandments as well as the ten given on Mount Sinai are summed up in these two. The Bible says that love is the fulfilling of the law and if we should learn this vital principle, the love of God, then as Paul says, we walk according to the Spirit, against which there is no condemnation.

In Leviticus 19:18, the Bible says, “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.” We see again that Jesus quoted from the Old Testament. The exhortation is for us to love the Lord our God, to put Him first because He is supreme, and then to love our neighbour as ourselves.

“The principles of the ten commandments existed before the fall, and were of a character suited to the condition of a holy order of beings. After the fall, the principles of those precepts were not changed, but additional precepts were given to meet man in his fallen state.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 295. The Bible teaches that the law of God is eternal. It was in existence before the creation of man. God’s throne is everlasting. He who has a throne has a government and all governments have laws.

God always wanted to keep it simple, but man’s fall into sin made it necessary to be more explicit with instructions that covered every aspect of life. He saw that the natural heart cannot love and man’s heart would become cold and unloving. It was in mercy that He spelled out how to love Him and how to love our fellow man.

Today, God still wants to keep it simple. “Every soul must daily seek the Lord with full purpose of heart, morning, noon, and night, and let the mind dwell upon the word of God, to understand His requirements.

“The one all-important matter is to serve the Lord with full purpose of heart, and seek to become the Lord’s, heart and mind.” This Day With God, 128.

God is to be the supreme ruler in our lives. Every idol must be cast out of our hearts. The love for money, or for materialistic things, or the love for power, or fame, or whatever else it may be, must be dethroned. We must love God supremely. Only then is it possible to love our neighbor as ourselves. There are many who say they have a very good relationship with God, but for some reason they are as far apart from their neighbor as the east is from the west. Could it be an indication that their relationship with God is lacking?

In Micah 6:8 we are told: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” This means to do what is right, and to give what is due to others. Knowing what is just and right involves being honest; it involves integrity, faithfulness and fairness. These are the characteristics that God expects us to have in our lives and to display them in our relationships with others. The wise man said, “To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” Proverbs 21:3.

Employers or leaders are to be given respect, but at the same time they ought to do what is just and fair and equal for those over whom they govern. This also applies to households where parents are to be just and fair to their children. In return the children should honor and respect their parents. “Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.” Colossians 4:1.

The Bible is full of instruction and words of encouragement to enlighten us as to what we should do when treated unfairly. Paul said, “Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.” I Corinthians 6:7, 8. Again, he counsels on this point when he said: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.” Romans 12:19. There may well be times when you are treated unfairly, but it is not for you to seek vengeance and repay. Leave it with the Lord who will work out all things according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and He shall save thee.” Proverbs 20:22.

There is much inequality in this world and many people are mistreated or wronged and treated with unfairness or injustice and much patience is needed. In time, God will work it all out; He says to wait on His judgment; vengeance is His.

God has promised to give wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5) for particular situations. Remember, nobody has been treated with more unfairness than Jesus. Peters said, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.” I Peter 2:21–23.

When Jesus was mistreated, spat upon, mocked, ridiculed, and tempted in every point, He never once retaliated, but committed Himself into the hands of His Father, leaving us an example.

God requires of us to do what is just, to have fairness, to be faithful in our dealings with one another, to be honest and to act always with integrity. These are the characteristics that instilled in His people will last forever. Just as He demonstrates toward us, He also wants us to love mercy. Loving mercy means to execute kindness, compassion, forbearance, and forgiveness. Jesus gives a blessing to those who love mercy. “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain [or receive] mercy.” Matthew 5:7.

We can read an account of this in the parable that Jesus gave in Matthew 18:23–35. There was a certain servant who owed his master 10,000 talents. That amount has been estimated to be worth a year’s revenue of the entire economy of Palestine at the time. In other words, it was a debt that was huge and impossible for the man to repay. He came to his master and asked for more time so he could pay it back. Unwilling to do so, the master commanded that he be sold, along with his children and all that he had until the debt could be paid off.

He pled with his master to be patient with him so he could repay the debt. The Bible says that the master was moved with compassion and forgave him all the debt; yet this same servant went out and found someone who owed him a pence, which is estimated to be worth less than a penny. When his servant requested that he be patient with him to repay his debt, the forgiven servant showed no mercy and had him put into jail with all that he had until the debt could be repaid. When other servants heard what had been done to his fellow servant they were sorry and went and told the master all that had happened.

The forgiven man was called back into the presence of his master who said to him, “O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.” Matthew 18:32–34.

We all have a great debt to God, one that is impossible to repay. Yet we fail to love mercy and to show compassion to someone who may be in debt to us, someone who may owe us, someone who needs our compassion, someone who needs our forgiveness. Notice what the Bible says in Matthew 6:14, 15: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Here we read that for us to be forgiven, it is vital that we have a forgiving attitude and a forgiving spirit toward those who may have offended us in any way. If we lack compassion and forgiveness, we also will not receive mercy on the day of reckoning.

In the book Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 113, 114, it says, “He who is unforgiving cuts off the very channel through which alone he can receive mercy from God. We should not think that unless those who have injured us confess the wrong we are justified in withholding from them our forgiveness. It is their part, no doubt, to humble their hearts by repentance and confession; but we are to have a spirit of compassion toward those who have trespassed against us, whether or not they confess their faults.”

“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matthew 7:2. We are forgiven as we forgive. We are shown mercy as we show mercy. But not only are we to do justice and love mercy, we ought to walk humbly with God. That walk involves lowliness, humility, meekness, and gentleness, which are the characteristics of God.

Another blessing for those who walk humbly and exhibit meekness is found in Matthew 5:5. The Bible says, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” I remember first learning this as a new Christian. It impressed me so much because it was an attribute that I lacked. I was not meek and I was not humble. In fact, even though I did not have much, I was still proud. All who are not under the control of the Holy Spirit but under the spirit of Satan exhibit pride in some form. Jesus says that the meek are going to be the ones who will live forever. Often times people mistake meekness for weakness. However, the truth is just the opposite. It takes much spiritual strength to manifest meekness when being taunted or mocked.

The apostle Paul said, “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” I Corinthians 8:1, last part. Often knowledge causes people to become prideful and self sufficient, but Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3.

Jesus told another parable when He was invited to a dinner at a Pharisee’s house. Noticing how the men were taking the best places, He told His disciples that when they are invited to a function not to sit in the best place because someone more important might also be invited and they will be asked to give up their place and be relegated to the lowest place. Instead, He said, choose the least until invited to a more exalted position. (See Luke 14:7–10.) This action could save you from much embarrassment. It is not for man to exalt himself above his brethren. “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 14:11.

In I Peter 5:5 we are told that we all must be clothed with humility. It says, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

There are three requirements the Lord has for man: “to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 NKJV. To simplify it even further Jesus tells us in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

Jesus demonstrated His love for mankind when He voluntarily left the admiration of heavenly beings and the riches that He had in heaven and became a poor man. He gave it all up; He sacrificed heaven for sinful man. He loved us by spending entire nights in prayer for us and He calls us to love others as He loved us. How often are we spending time in prayer for one another? What are we willing to sacrifice for one another? Christ says, “Love one another as I have loved you.”

The Bible says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. It is that type of love, self-sacrificing love, that God wants us to have. Not only did Jesus love us enough to lay down His life but He “ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25) who love Him. If it were not for the fact that Christ is still living, still mediating and interceding for us as High Priest, we would not exist today. It is only by the grace of God that we are here and it is only by the grace of God that we are sustained. One sin would have blotted us out forever, but we have a High Priest. “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire” (Zechariah 3:2, last part)? Jesus wants to remove our filthy garments of sin and clothe us with a change of raiment, His robe of righteousness (verses 3, 4).

The Bible says that in his generation, Moses was the meekest man on earth. The Israelites were on the borders of Canaan when they began to complain to God. They were tired of being in the wilderness because they said there was no water and no food that they liked. They were tired of the manna that God rained to sustain them. Their complaints displeased the Lord and He sent fiery serpents among them that bit many of them, causing them to die. They cried out to the Lord in repentance asking Moses to pray for them. In his mediatorial role as a priest in his time, Moses prayed for his people. God said to him, “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” Numbers 21:8. That same exhortation is for us today. John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” John 1:36. We must look to Jesus, Who is the only solution to this world’s problems and our only Way to salvation. Only as we are clothed with His righteousness, only as we possess His Spirit and are possessed of Him can we keep His commandments, can we love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with Him.

Remember, the Jews had all these commandments and tried to do them in their own strength. The science they failed to understand was to simply surrender their hearts and love God and love their neighbors.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:14, 15. The question remains, Do we truly believe? Have we truly committed our lives to Jesus? Are we looking to Him who was lifted up on the cross and are we prepared to receive the healing that we need?

Jesus said, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” John 12:32. Look to Him. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” Revelation 5:12.

Bible texts are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Demario Carter is currently working as a Bible worker for Steps to Life. 

Choices

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When the Jews chose to release Barabbas instead of Jesus, it was actually a more deceptive situation than most people know. There are a number of Greek manuscripts that record that Barabbas’ first name was Jesus. His name was Jesus Barabbas. In Aramaic the word bar means son and abba means father. So Barabbas means the son of the father. In the judgment hall when Pilate asked the people which prisoner to release—Jesus the son of the father, or Jesus the Nazarene, the Christ, they chose Barabbas, Jesus Barabbas, to be released to them and that Jesus be crucified.

Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, was concerned that they would easily be deceived. He said, “I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” II Corinthians 11:3.

He then explained how that would happen. “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached [one], or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received [two], or a different gospel which you have not accepted [three]—you may well put up with it.” Verse 4. If you receive another Jesus, a different spirit or a different gospel you will be corrupted.

This is not only history but this is going to happen again and this time it will not only affect the Jews; the whole world will be deceived.

Many people do not understand the primitive meaning of the word anti-christ. Anti-christ comes from two Greek words, anti and christos. The common thought is that the anti-christ is somebody who is against Christ. The average Christian thinks the anti-christ will be some communist dictator or atheist that will arise in Jerusalem and lead some apostate Jews against the Christian religion.

It is true that the Greek word anti did develop into the meaning of something that was against, but the primitive or original meaning of the Greek word anti is someone who stands in the place of somebody else. So an anti-christ is somebody that stands in the place of Christ and not an atheist. He not only stands in the place of Christ, but people will believe he is the real Christ. However, this imposter is another Jesus.

Recorded in II Thessalonians 2, Paul warned the church about the anti-christ that was to come in the latter days. He told them about the great falling away, the great apostasy that is going to come in the future. He told them about the man of sin that, “… opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Verse 4. The anti-christ sits as God, as a divine personage in the temple of God.

The New Testament talks about the fact that God has a temple in heaven. But the word temple, when talking about the anti-christ sitting in the temple of God, does not refer to God’s temple in heaven. Heaven is not the only place where God has a temple. In I Corinthians 3:16, 17, Paul says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

A temple is a dwelling place for a deity. God’s temple is the house where God dwells. Paul said to the Gentiles who had become part of the Christian church, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a habitation [dwelling place] of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19–22.

Paul told the Ephesian Christians that they also were becoming part of this temple, a dwelling place or habitation for God, in the Spirit. In verse 21 he called it “growing into a holy temple in the Lord.” The Christian church is a temple for God in this world. In II Thessalonians 2:4 it says that the man of sin “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” This is an anti-christ. It is not really God.

What does it mean to sit as God, in the temple of God? Since the 4th century, John Chrisoster, one of the church fathers, taught, “We don’t know who the anti-christ is or exactly when the anti-christ is going to arise, but,” he says, “we know one thing. We know that the anti-christ is going to arise in the church.” How did he know that? Because the Bible says that “he would sit as God in the temple of God.” If the anti-christ sits as God in the temple of God, he must sit as God in the church.

God Alone Receives Worship

In Revelation 22:8, 9, it says, “Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’ ”

Notice, an angel from heaven would not allow John to worship him. He stated that you worship God, not an angel. God alone has the right to be worshiped. Angels do not have that right, but the anti-christ is described as sitting as God in the temple of God and he receives worship.

God Alone Forgives Sins

Another thing that God has a right to do that we do not is to forgive sin. When a paralytic lying on a bed was brought to Jesus, He said, “ ‘Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.’ And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, ‘This man blasphemes!’ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven to you” or to say, “Arise and walk”? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’—then He said to the paralytic, ‘Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ ” Matthew 9:2–6.

When Jesus forgave sins He was accused of blasphemy. Luke 5:21 states: “Who has power to forgive sins, except God alone?” literal translation. But the anti-christ claims power to forgive sins. None of the apostles ever claimed the power to forgive sins. Instead, they taught people to look to God for forgiveness. The anti-christ, being a man, claims to be God.

In John 10:31–33, it says, “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, ‘Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of these works do you stone Me?’ The Jews answered Him, saying, ‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make yourself God.’ ”

For a man to make himself God is blasphemy. For a man to claim to forgive sins is blasphemy, and for a man to receive worship is blasphemy. The anti-christ does all three of those things and the people who will worship him and bow down to him at the end of the world believing that this is the Christ. It will appear that the whole world is converted, but they will be worshiping another Jesus. They will be deceived just as were the Jews. They accepted a different Jesus. Soon we are going to face a situation where millions of Christians are going to believe that they have had a revival and reformation and that they have received the Holy Spirit. However, it will be a different gospel and a different spirit—another Jesus.

A Different Gospel

Referring to the anti-christ, Paul says, “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.” II Thessalonians 2:9–11. The definite article, “the” is in the original text. It is not any lie, it is the lie.

The lie is the same lie that the devil told Eve in the Garden of Eden. He offered another gospel, the lie that you can be saved in your sins. You do not have to overcome your sins to be saved. You just need to keep them confessed. Many Adventists believe the lie and there are people in other churches that believe the teaching that you can be saved in your sins if you just keep them confessed. For this reason Roman Catholics are scared to not go to confession. They believe they must not die with unconfessed sins. Many Adventists have been taught the very same thing and have the same fear.

To confess sins is the first step but it is not enough; overcoming faults must follow the confession. To confess sins without turning away from them is to believe in a different gospel. The Jews were able to choose Barabbas because they had believed a different gospel and received a different spirit, which caused them to accept another Jesus. They were looking for a Messiah who would give them victory over the Romans. When Jesus made it plain that He had come to give them victory over their sins and not the Romans, they rejected Him. If the Lord does not give you victory over your sins, He cannot give you eternal life.

Ellen White goes into some detail about why the Jews rejected Jesus: “But when Jesus announced, ‘This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears’ (Luke 4:21), they were suddenly recalled to think of themselves, and of the claims of Him Who had been addressing them. They, Israelites, children of Abraham, had been represented as in bondage. They had been addressed as prisoners to be delivered from the power of evil; as in darkness, and needing the light of truth. Their pride was offended, and their fears were roused. The words of Jesus indicated that His work for them was to be altogether different from what they desired. …

“Who is this Jesus? they questioned. He who had claimed for Himself the glory of the Messiah was the son of a carpenter, and had worked at His trade with His father Joseph. …

“What a contrast between His teaching in regard to the new kingdom and that which they had heard from their elder! Jesus had said nothing of delivering them from the Romans. …

“As they opened the door to doubt, their hearts became so much the harder for having been momentarily softened. Satan was determined that blind eyes should not that day be opened, nor souls bound in slavery be set at liberty. With intense energy he worked to fasten them in unbelief. They made no account of the sign already given, when they had been stirred by the conviction that it was their Redeemer who addressed them. …

“But Jesus now gave them an evidence of His divinity by revealing their secret thoughts. ‘He said unto them, Doubtless ye will say unto Me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in Thine own country. And He said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country. But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman, the Syrian’ (Luke 4:23–27 RV).” The Desire of Ages, 237, 238.

Think through the meaning of what Jesus said to them. The widow in Zarephath, a heathen, was more worthy to entertain the prophet in her home than any of the widows in Israel. There was a similar occurrence in Elisha’s time. Naaman, the Syrian, was the only leper healed by Elisha. That meant that the heathen were on a higher level in God’s eyes than were the Jews, although they were God’s chosen people.

“Our standing before God depends, not upon the amount of light we have received, but upon the use we make of what we have. Thus even the heathen who choose the right as far as they can distinguish it are in a more favorable condition than are those who have had great light, and profess to serve God, but who disregard the light, and by their daily life contradict their profession.” Ibid., 238.

This was too much for the Jews to bear. When Jesus had said these things the Jews got so angry that they took him out of town and were going to throw Him headlong over a cliff. If the angel had not intervened, He would have been killed right there.

Toward the end of Jesus’ ministry He again visited Nazareth. “Unbelief, having once been cherished, continued to control the men of Nazareth. So it controlled the Sanhedrin and the nation. With priests and people, the first rejection of the demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s power was the beginning of the end.” Ibid., 241.

That is a very scary statement. Human beings are creatures of habit. To reject an impression of the Holy Spirit once makes it easier to reject it the second time. After rejecting it a second time, it will be even easier a third time.

“Their rejection of the Spirit culminated in the cross of Calvary, in the destruction of their city, in the scattering of the nation to the winds of heaven. …

“The lessons of Christ revealed their deficiencies of character, and demanded repentance. If they accepted His teachings, their practices must be changed, and their cherished hopes relinquished.” Ibid.

Are you willing to change, to leave something behind that is highly cherished, in order to have eternal life?

“In order to be honored by Heaven, they must sacrifice the honor of men. If they obeyed the words of this new rabbi, they must go contrary to the opinions of the great thinkers and teachers of the time.

“Truth was unpopular in Christ’s day. It is unpopular in our day. …

“The Jewish leaders were filled with spiritual pride. Their desire for the glorification of self manifested itself even in the service of the sanctuary. They loved the highest seats in the synagogue. They loved greetings in the market places, and were gratified with the sound of their titles on the lips of men. As real piety declined, they became more jealous for their traditions and ceremonies. …

“They did not appreciate the fact that real greatness can dispense with outward show.” Ibid., 242.

In summary: “It was not simply the absence of outward glory in His life that led the Jews to reject Jesus. He was the embodiment of purity, and they were impure. He dwelt among men an example of spotless integrity. His blameless life flashed light upon their hearts. His sincerity revealed their insincerity. It made manifest the hollowness of their pretentious piety, and discovered iniquity to them in its odious character. Such a light was unwelcome.” Ibid., 243.

“If Christ had called attention to the Pharisees, and had extolled their learning and piety, they would have hailed Him with joy. But when He spoke of the kingdom of heaven as a dispensation of mercy for all mankind, He was presenting a phase of religion they would not tolerate.” Ibid.

The number of parallels between the first and second advents of Christ discerned through a study of the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy is astounding. Ellen White said that the Lord told her many times that the experience of the Jews before the first coming of Christ would be the experience of God’s people before His second coming. The Desire of Ages is not just a book about something that happened 2,000 years ago. In every chapter you can see similarities between the events of Christ’s day and events of today. Many do not realize what is going on right in front of their eyes.

The chapter “The Crisis in Galilee” describes the rejection of Christ by the people in Galilee. “All who received Him would partake of His nature, and be conformed to His character. This involved the relinquishment of their cherished ambitions. It required the complete surrender of themselves to Jesus. They were called to become self-sacrificing, meek and lowly in heart. They must walk in the narrow path traveled by the Man of Calvary, if they would share in the gift of life and the glory of heaven.

“The test was too great. …

“Jesus told them plainly, ‘There are some of you that believe not;’ adding, ‘Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of My Father’ (John 6:65). He wished them to understand that if they were not drawn to Him it was because their hearts were not open to the Holy Spirit. …

“As those disaffected disciples turned away from Christ, a different spirit took control of them.” Ibid., 391, 392.

I Never Knew You

In the last days when this different spirit takes control of the churches, they will believe that they have received the Holy Spirit. They will think that they are all following the Lord, but they will have a different spirit and be following anti-christ. When the real Jesus comes, they will argue with Him. Jesus predicted that “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. These people are not the atheists. They claim to be Christians and they call Jesus Lord. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ” Verse 22. They know they are saved; they had the Spirit; they prophesied and even worked miracles in His name, but they had a different spirit. “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ” Verse 23.

The majority of Christians will receive a different Jesus and think they are having a great revival. They will think they have received the Holy Spirit because they will have the power to prophesy and work miracles. The Bible says that the devil can work miracles, that he is going to work many of them in the last days, and that it is by means of these miracles that he will gather the whole world together. Atheists and infidels alike who have evidence of one or more of these miracles will accept whatever they are told without Biblical evidence.

I was sent an account concerning a physician who evidently was an agnostic. After a supposed near-death experience, he now believes everything that he has been taught, whereas before he had no belief in God or in His word. Now he thinks he believes the Bible, but has been taught through a different person’s vision rather than from God’s word. Consequently, he has become totally mixed up. That is just a foretaste of what is coming in the future for millions of people all over the world if they do not study God’s word and know truth for themselves. People without any previous belief at all will appear to have the greatest revival and many will be deceived into accepting another Jesus.

Ellen White wrote: “I saw our people in great distress, weeping, and praying, pleading the sure promises of God, while the wicked were all around us, mocking us, and threatening to destroy us. They ridiculed our feebleness, they mocked at the smallness of our numbers, and taunted us with words calculated to cut deep. They charged us with taking an independent position from all the rest of the world. They had cut off our resources so that we could not buy nor sell, and referred to our abject poverty and stricken condition. They could not see how we could live without the world; we were dependent upon the world, and we must concede to the customs, practices, and laws of the world, or go out of it. If we were the only people in the world whom the Lord favored the appearances were awfully against us. They declared that they had the truth, that miracles were among them, that angels from heaven talked with them, and walked with them, that great power, and signs and wonders were performed among them, and this was the Temporal Millennium, which they had been expecting so long. The whole world was converted and in harmony with the Sunday law, and this little feeble people stood out in defiance of the laws of the land, and the laws of God, and claimed to be the only ones right on the earth.” Maranatha, 209.

Catholics, Protestants and most professed Seventh-day Adventists are all going to have the same experience and think it is a marvelous revival and reformation under a spurious spirit that results in spiritualism.

Jesus said, “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine [the teaching], whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority.” John 7:17. This is a marvelous promise for those living in such deceptive times that will only get worse.

People are deceived when they do not receive the love of the truth. In accepting a different gospel and being unwilling to give up their sins, they accept a different Jesus. The false spirit allows you to hold on to sin and promotes a false gospel. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin. He is the agent ordained to purify the soul and clean up the life and prepare the body temple for the indwelling of Christ.

We must know God’s will and recognize His voice. Any voice that speaks contrary to God’s word is a deceiver. Know the truth, and the truth will set you free from sin and ultimately from this world, to be able to spend eternity with the One Who loves us and died to deliver us and redeem us for Himself.

(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 of Free Seventh-day Adventists in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Editorial – Destiny

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It is widely believed in the Christian world today that a person is saved by making a profession of faith. This profession of faith is either confirmed or denied by a change in lifestyle.

How is it with you? Over and over Jesus emphasized in His parables the truth that character determines destiny. Read about the Good Samaritan, the parables about the talents and the unjust steward.

“In the time of harvest ye shall ‘return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not’ (Malachi 3:18). Christ Himself will decide who are worthy to dwell with the family of heaven. He will judge every man according to his words and his works. Profession is as nothing in the scale. It is character that decides destiny.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 74.

“Christ lifts the veil from the future and bids all to behold that it is character, not position, which decides man’s destiny.” Ibid.,123.

“Actions repeated form habits, habits form character, and by the character our destiny for time and for eternity is decided.” Ibid., 356.

“Angels from the heavenly courts stand by all who do God’s service in ministering to their fellow men. And you have the co-operation of Christ Himself. He is the Restorer, and as you work under His supervision, you will see great results.

“Upon your faithfulness in this work not only the well-being of others but your own eternal destiny depends. Christ is seeking to uplift all who will be lifted to companionship with Himself, that we may be one with Him as He is one with the Father. He permits us to come in contact with suffering and calamity in order to call us out of our selfishness; He seeks to develop in us the attributes of His character–compassion, tenderness, and love. By accepting this work of ministry we place ourselves in His school, to be fitted for the courts of God. By rejecting it, we reject His instruction, and choose eternal separation from His presence.” Ibid., 388, 389.

One of these days, we will all meet up with the consequences of the character we have developed. “Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man’s destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy’s offer to guilty men.” The Great Controversy, 491.