Issue: 2022 November

The Lamb: Invisible Things, Clearly Seen

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“So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; we will show forth Your praise to all generations.”

Psalm 79:13

In the Bible, we find sheep used in many ways, both literally and spiritually. Jesus is called the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). In the sanctuary system, a perfect lamb, one without blemish—representing Jesus’ future sacrifice for mankind—was brought as a sacrifice for the confession of sin. God’s people are called His sheep. And in the parable of the ninety and nine, Jesus the Shepherd went out in search of the one lost sheep to bring it safely again to the fold.

Sheep are thought to be timid, passive, and unintelligent. On the contrary, research shows that they are complex, individualistic, and social. They are even capable of problem solving and have an IQ similar to that of cattle and pigs. They display intelligence in their ability to self-heal when sick. Additionally, they have excellent memories and display emotions.

Newborn sheep are called lambs—a ram if male, a ewe if female. Mating typically takes place in the fall with births occurring from March to May, but can begin as early as February. Both ewes and rams can mate as early as 7-9 months after birth. Ewes are pregnant for approximately five months with the ewe’s major growth occurring in the last month of pregnancy. First-time mother ewes often have a single lamb, whereas a seasoned ewe may have one to three lambs.

Birthing the lambs is also known as lambing. The typical birth weight of a lamb is between 5-12 pounds. At full-growth, a sheep can grow to approximately four feet in length and weigh 99-350 pounds. If the sheep remains healthy, it can have a lifespan of 10-12 years.

A normal lambing event occurs without any difficulty or intervention. Difficult births are often caused because a lamb is not in the right position for birthing, entanglement in the umbilical cord, the ewe’s pelvic area is small, or her cervix has not properly dilated. Size and weight of both lamb and ewe, disease, and stress can also result in difficult births. In these cases, human intervention may be required to prevent the death of the lamb, the ewe or both.

Once the lamb has been born, the ewe begins the bonding process by licking it dry. With multiple lambs, the ewe will often clean them in the order of birth. The ewe also bonds through the sense of smell which allows her to recognize her lamb(s) by amniotic fluid, diet, and organic compounds in the wool. This bond also contributes to the ewe’s ability to recognize her own lambs by their bleat (baaa) if they wander off.

By observing the lifecycle of sheep, we can more clearly see the effects and results of sin. When we consider the creation of this world up until Adam and Eve sinned, we can appreciate the natural order of how God intended the world and those who live in it to function and live. Before sin there was only the manifestation of God’s power and love. But even today, though marred by sin, all of nature still bears witness to His invisible divine attributes—eternal power and love.

Praise God for eyes to see! May we all look forward to experiencing nature in the new heaven and new earth with our precious Lord and Saviour.

“Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:3

When one takes the time to enjoy the splendor, beauty, and intricate creations in nature, it is difficult to imagine that one cannot see that it is all by intelligent design. There are no “big bang theories” or “beautiful little accidents.” The Lord, our Creator and Sustainer of life, created all things to testify of His love and to supply our every need.

Sources: christiantoday.com.au/news/sheep-are-pretty-dumb; onekindplanet.org/animal/sheep; sheep101.info/lambing

Testimony – Something Lost, Then Returned

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All my life I have been surrounded by music. My mother had a beautiful soprano voice and sang every Sabbath at church in one capacity or another. My brother sang and although I haven’t heard him sing for a long time, what I remember was a voice with a soft, mellow depth.

I inherited my voice and never really had to work at singing. It seemed that I just opened my mouth and the sound came out, strong and clear. Like my mother, I was a soprano and started singing up front in church when I was about nine years old. I have sung in groups, choirs, and as a soloist for almost my whole life.

At one point, near the end of my school years in academy, I considered auditioning to sing with The Heritage Singers. But later, at another point, I auditioned, not with The Heritage Singers, but with a worldly agent in hopes of succeeding in the music industry. Music was an incredibly large part of my life and I had people everywhere I went who commented on and complimented me regarding my voice. I don’t believe that I became a “diva,” but I will confess that it became more and more difficult not to want to pursue fame and fortune in the music industry in the midst of all this praise.

But one day I developed a cough. It got worse and I went to the doctor to see what it could be. He made his diagnosis and prescribed some medicine that stopped the cough and for several years things went well.

And then the cough returned only worse, much worse. My first doctor had retired, so I went to my new doctor and asked for an increased dose of my medicine. He doubted the original diagnosis and ran a battery of tests and procedures. It was something else, something that had done its work in silence and without detection, something bad that left my lungs permanently damaged.

To make a very long story short, during the process of making the new diagnosis, a surgical procedure paralyzed my left vocal cord; and that ended my singing, at least at the time. For three months I could barely talk above a whisper or if I did, the sound sometimes came out like the honk of a goose or a high-pitched, silly sound.

My mother prayed for me, and she got all her friends to pray for me, and one morning, three months later, my voice was back; not a whispery or silly-sounding voice, just me. However, I could no longer sing the really high notes I had reached before, nor did I have the breath to “raise the roof off the church” as described by one pastor from many years ago.

I don’t think I sing well or sound very good anymore, but I made a covenant with God. Singing was a talent He had given to me and He had, for a short time, taken away, likely to save my life, more spiritually than physically. I committed to use what He had given back to me in His service, singing when needed or asked, if He would make whatever came out of my mouth to bring glory to Him and not to me. I asked Him to send angels to sing with me so that it would always be a blessing to those who heard. I continue to faithfully fulfill that commitment, because He faithfully provides the angels.

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:4, 5

Keys to the Storehouse – Obedience Brings Thanksgiving

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“I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” Psalm 9:1

“We should ever remember that thanksgiving is the fruit of true, willing obedience. The Lord is the object of our worship, and to praise His holy name shows respect for His efficiency. God says, ‘Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me.’ …

“The absence of praise and thanksgiving pleases the enemy of God. The line of demarcation between those who utter the holy name of God in blasphemy, and those who praise Him with heart and with voice, is clear and distinct. He who is truly converted will glorify God as he beholds the wonderful things of His creation, the brightness of the sun, moon, and stars, the changing beauty of the heavens. To him all nature will declare God’s mighty power. He will be led to give glory to His holy name. …

“ ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.’ …

“What greater encouragement and assurance than this could the Lord give His loyal, commandment-keeping people? Have we not every reason for changing our attitude toward God? Is it not our duty to show the world that we appreciate the love of Christ? … He has done for His chosen people that which should inspire every heart with praise and thanksgiving; and it grieves Him that so little praise is offered. He desires to have a stronger expression of praise from His people, showing that they know they have reason for manifesting joy and gladness. …

“We are to glorify God by keeping His commandments. Christ said: ‘If ye love Me, keep My commandments.’ …

“… Christ is with His children, enlightening their minds and leading them to call upon Him. As they do this, He hears their prayers and purifies their hearts. They see Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They do not walk in accordance with the ways of the world. They ask God for Christ’s sake to help them, and they receive the help they ask for. …

“Christ has declared that the cross which makes the line of demarcation between His people and the world so distinct is not a cross of discouragement, but a cross of salvation. Love for the Saviour will lead us to acknowledge this. God has given human beings all that ministers to their happiness, and in return He asks them to lay their gifts and offerings on His altar. Shall we disregard this requirement? Shall we fail of offering God praise and thanksgiving in word and deed?” The Review and Herald, November 20, 1900

Dear Lord, for all the things that You have given to us, we ask that You also will bestow the strength and grace needed to be faithful commandment keepers, seeking always to do Your will. May we sing praises to You for Your marvelous works in this world and in our lives, now and throughout eternity.

Story – Ever Faithful

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Many years ago we were given a young cat named Davie. He was fluffy and light as a feather. Before he came to us, he had been an indoor/outdoor cat. I am sure he was a little disoriented with a new owner, who kept him inside; so he hid under our futon for a few weeks.

Little by little he would spend more time out from under the futon, becoming friendlier every day. And then I was gifted! He chose me as his human, and stuck to me like glue. Everywhere I was, there was Davie. He could be asleep on the couch next to me and if I moved, he woke up and followed me. Such devotion.

As the years went by, one day I noticed that he was sitting a lot and seemed to have trouble walking, dragging his back leg. Not deterred, he still followed me everywhere. We took him to the vet and were told that he had very high blood sugar. But after several visits, Davie was regulated on the right dose of insulin for his diabetes. It took about two months before his legs totally recovered.

Not long after this recovery, I noticed he was getting a cataract. After researching this, we finally realized we had to accept there was nothing we could do to remedy his situation. Davie seemed unfazed by his failing eyesight. Soon, however, a cataract began to cloud his other eye, but even with this very limited vision, he would follow me wherever I went.

With both eyes now clouded over for the most part, and the view of his world little more than shadows and faint light, it is very curious to us how he still walks around and continues to find his way up and down the basement steps, and that he knows where his water, food bowl, and cat box are—as if his sight was not affected at all.

Ever faithful, always by my side, no matter what his limitations appear to be, Davie is just a wonder of love, that’s all. I keep wondering how he can do this. I can only reason he knows my voice, he remembers the floor plan in our small house, and he depends now more on his hearing than his eyesight.

If Davie can do all these things with such serious limitations, how much closer—hour by hour and day by day—should we follow our Saviour regardless of our challenges in this corrupt world? We must always remember that Jesus will be by our side no matter what. He never fails us.

Through Davie’s unfailing devotion, he has taught me to be continually faithful to Jesus, to follow Him as He leads me. And in following Him, I am stepping away from the continual temptations and frightful evils so prevalent in this world, and moving ever closer to my heavenly home.

The words from this old hymn are brought to my mind, “And the things of earth will grow strangely dim (like Davie’s eyesight), in the light of His glory and grace.”

We can be assured that if we remain faithful, with our focus firmly fixed on Jesus, we will not fail.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Saviour, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24, 25

Health Nugget – Proper Diet

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“The only hope of better things is in the education of the people in right principles.”

The Ministry of Healing, 127

God laid out in the garden of Eden the best diet for man, revealing basic principles that we can all implement. The fine tuning is up to each one. God’s diet is meant to nourish the human beings He created. The foods we eat provide the calories and nutrients required to live well, to have energy, and live healthy all the days of our lives.

“Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. These foods, prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful and nourishing. They impart a strength, a power of endurance, and a vigor of intellect that are not afforded by a more complex and stimulating diet.

“In order to maintain health, a sufficient supply of good, nourishing food is needed.” Counsels for the Church, 222

Taste is important, and while much of today’s food tastes good, it is killing us. On the other hand, some food may not taste very good, but has all the nutrients necessary for a strong body. We need to marry good taste and good nutrition. When we give our bodies the proper fuel to operate, we are better able to follow that message laid out in the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy to be in alignment with God’s will for our lives.

“Those foods should be chosen that best supply the elements needed for building up the body. In making this choice, appetite is not a safe guide. Through wrong habits of eating, the appetite has become perverted. Often it demands food that impairs health and causes weakness instead of strength. We cannot be guided safely by the customs of society. The disease and suffering that everywhere prevail are largely due to popular errors regarding diet.

“In order to know what are the best foods, we must study God’s original plan for our diet. He who created human beings and understands their needs appointed Adam his food.” The Ministry of Health and Healing, 166

In Genesis 1:29, God said to Adam and Eve, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” Seed includes all the grains: rice, millet, quinoa, kamut, oats, amaranth, wheat; and legumes. In addition, are chickpeas, lima beans, black-eyed peas and cannelloni beans, and seeds such as the sunflower seed, pumpkin seed, sesame seed, flax seed, chia seed; and many nuts, although not typically thought of as seeds: almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts. “Upon leaving Eden to gain his livelihood by tilling the earth under the curse of sin, man received permission to eat also ‘the herb of the field [vegetables].’ Genesis 3:18.” Counsels for the Church, 222

“He [God] causes the grass to grow for the cattle; and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth.” Psalm 104:14

An herb is a plant or a plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities. Every herb affects different parts of the body and there is an herb for all of its different aspects and functions. Herbs work with the needs of the body. They come in and say to the body: Where would you like me? Where can I help you?

Herbs, fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables were given for meat and work with the body’s inherent ability to heal itself.

There are three essential food groups:

Fiber – All the foods mentioned above, as well as fruits and vegetables, are high in fiber.

Protein – 50% of the membrane around every cell is protein. Protein is the building block of the body. The body cannot heal without protein. The body cannot build without protein; protein is an essential nutrient. Vegetarian protein is a very clean burning fuel compared to animal protein which is not a clean burning fuel, and was not in the garden of Eden as there was no death. All foods mentioned above are high in protein.

Fat – Nuts and seeds particularly, as well as avocadoes, olives, olive and coconut oils, are excellent sources of the fat our body needs to function properly. Fifty percent of the membrane around every cell in the body is fat.

There must be a balance of these three essential nutrients incorporated into our daily diet.

The same blood that pulses through the body pulses through the brain. Thus our food absolutely affects our mind. “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.” 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17. This takes us to a whole other level where the Bible says that our body is actually the temple of God.

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20. We are not our own. When we love God and want to please Him and want to live according to His ways, we will take better care of our bodies. The human body is designed to give glory to God because He owns it, and this means putting into our bodies food according to His design.

We have no right to hurt this body, and when we do hurt it, we are the ones who suffer. It is not pleasant living in a body that doesn’t work, and unfortunately, so many people are in that condition. One of the beauties of our health message is that we can live in a body that will serve us well, with a clear mind to more easily discern spiritual things.

God gives us an abundant variety of foods in a beautiful rainbow of color. Food is not only for necessity but for delight, richly to enjoy. How careful we should be that, as we live upon His bounty, we live to His glory. He who provided for Adam provides still for the creatures within His care. He satisfies the desire of every living being.

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them. For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with gooness.” Psalm 107:8, 9

The message that God brings us is simple—to delight in what you eat and to eat what God has intended you to eat. When you eat what is right and good for you, this will not only impact your physical body, but also your mental, emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmBhtr-oEx8&t=23s/ https://guardian.ng/features/principles-of-nutrition-genesis-1-29-diet

The Calvinist Reformation

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We know that thanks to the Reformation, Christianity changed irreversibly and thus also man’s religious and spiritual understanding of God.

Sola Scriptura

Thanks to the Reformation, the Bible as God’s word gained its due authority as the only rule of Christian faith and practice of Christianity.

Sola Gratia

It was the Reformation that showed us that the way to man’s salvation was not through religious rituals, sacraments, or works, but only through the grace of God revealed in Christ Jesus.

Sola Fide

God’s grace alone is the basis for a sinner’s justification, and that only through faith.

Solus Christus

In reading the Bible, the Christian reformers discovered the hidden truth that it is not the Catholic church and its saints who mediate our salvation, but that Jesus Christ alone, being both God and man, is the only One who can reconcile us with God and thus save us.

Relationship with Jesus

Freedom and forgiveness is in Christ. For free. All I need is to come to Christ and entrust my life to Him. It is very personal, but this is Christianity. Thanks to the Reformation, we understand that Christianity is inherently a personal confession. Christianity based on the Bible must always be an individual, personal relationship with God. Since we are the subject of God’s grace, we have incredible value as individuals. The Reformation therefore also restored individual human dignity.

The Impact on the World

It is worth noting that the Reformation also had an equally significant impact in the political, socio-economic, and civilizational dimensions. If philosophers influence the world, it seems that it is all the more true of religious ideas and especially of the Reformation. In this sense we can say that the Reformation became the antithesis of the previous world order, leading to an irreversible change in the world. From this point on, we can observe the development of two distinct models of societies in the Western world—the Roman civilization model and the Protestant civilization model. Living in one of these societies, belonging to one or the other circle of civilization, it can be difficult to see on how many levels these social models differ in their assumptions. This is all the more difficult since both these models belong to the broader Euro-Atlantic civilization.

Corruption

Transparency International has published the Corruption Perceptions Index 2021, which measures the level of perceived corruption in the public sector in 180 countries. Research conducted since 1995 has consistently shown the regularity that countries that were directly or indirectly influenced by the Reformation are the least susceptible to corruption. The same cannot be said of Catholic countries, which show greater susceptibility to corruption. A patient going to a doctor in Denmark or Switzerland is unlikely to think about giving the doctor a bribe, while in countries low on the Corruption Perceptions Index it is much more likely.

Human Dignity and Worth

One of the characteristics of Protestant religiosity is the social valuing of the individual and the primacy of the individual over the collective. This approach to the individual is something that distinguishes the West from all other civilizations and cultures. In the rest of the world, the collective is always more important than the individual. Whether we are talking about Russia (especially in the context of Russia’s bandit attack on Ukraine), China, or Muslim countries, where the value of a single human life is practically none.

The Social Thought of Calvinism

The driving force behind the Reformation’s efforts to change social relations was the Reformed theology, whose founder was John Calvin. It is John Calvin more than Martin Luther whom we recognize as the real father of modern civilization. This may sound paradoxical, but it is the Reformers, as men full of passion for God and the gospel, who became the founders of the modern world more than the atheistic philosophers of the Enlightenment. Nevertheless, it is fair to say that Reformed theology was written by people who were not free from their sinful nature. Therefore, one can find tendencies in Calvinism that are anti-liberal. As John Witte accurately notes, Calvinism became the leading force in the drafting of many important constitutional acts, which gradually expanded the Western system of human rights in the modern era.

Law, Democracy, Freedom

John Calvin transformed the church by combining three principles: the rule of law, democracy, and spiritual freedom.

The Rule of Law

Calvin drafted laws that defined the church’s teaching and rules of discipline, the rights and duties of officials and believers. These were intended to protect the church from interference from the outside as well as from within. In addition, the introduction of new laws was accompanied by public discussion.

Democracy

Calvin ended the hierarchical church based on the feudal power of the clergy. Church officials were to be elected by the congregation, and delegates to church synods were appointed by their members.

Freedom

Every believer should be free to join or leave a church, to practice his or her faith without compulsion, to assemble, or to act freely in matters of faith left to the judgment of the individual. This meant mutual respect for each other’s freedom.

Calvin’s brilliant integration of these three principles allowed the church to achieve a constant balance between law and liberty, structure and spirit, order and innovation, doctrine and the sphere of freedom in faith.

Political Practice

The adoption of these principles became possible in those countries influenced by the reformed theology. The theories and practice of the first Calvinist congregations would in fact become the foundation for liberal political ideas such as individualism, egalitarianism, and democratism, which together will form republicanism—seeing the state as a common good for all inhabitants. For example, in Switzerland, if you park your car at the wrong place, the helpful citizens, aware of the rules they have worked out and the institutions they have created, will call to the police to make you understand the common good of all inhabitants.

Human Rights

It is evident that society has also been irreversibly changed by the Reformation because man’s view of others and of himself has changed. The history of human rights did not begin in the minds of the secularized eighteenth-century philosophers of the Enlightenment. The foundations of human rights owe much to the bearded Calvinist thinkers. Human rights, grounded in and derived from the decalogue, were respected in early Protestantism before it became fashionable in the Age of Enlightenment and liberalism.

The biblical formulas of rights spread and continued to be spread among all factions of the Reformation.

Catholic and Protestant Approaches to Human Rights

It is not hard to guess that the approach to human rights in Catholicism is different than in Protestantism. This can also be seen in the approach to political liberalism. Human rights are its component. Liberalism is derived from the ideas of the Calvinist Reformation. The different attitude of the Roman church towards human rights and liberal values is not dictated only by the natural historical opposition to the Reformation. It is, of course, about the very nature of Catholicism, which by definition rejects liberal ideas such as individualism, egalitarianism, and democratism because the Roman church is inherently collectivist, hierarchical, and undemocratic.

Separation of Church and State

Freedom of conscience, pluralism of beliefs, religious tolerance—these values are principles of the separation of church and state and are the fundamental political principles of political liberalism. This meant that the traditional Catholic teaching on the primacy of the church over the secular order was finally overthrown, at least in those countries that embraced the Reformation. Hence, the critical attitude of the Catholic church towards liberalism, described as the “civilization of death,” is not surprising.

The Image of the Beast

The papacy does not change. Wherever the Roman church has the upper hand and the constitution does not guarantee the separation of church and state, as in some Latin countries, there is also persecution of Christian minorities. In this context, it is extremely sad that in the United States, the Protestant religious right is striving to tear down the wall separating the sphere of religion from the state. Where there is no separation of church and state, there is always persecution of those who think differently. The book of Revelation calls the system the image of the beast (Revelation. 13:14, 15). By allusions to the medieval order of things, where power was at the service of the church, the clergy manipulated the majority, and minorities were oppressed.

Capitalist Economy = Protestant Economy?

What about the economy? Was this sphere of society also transformed by the ideas of the Reformation? The answer is a firm yes. Ideas are contagious and can spread very quickly, changing reality.

Coca-Cola is just a drink, but thanks to the idea of freedom it contains (due to marketing) it is much more than that. How did the Reformation influence the economic system in Europe and the United States? What ideas of the Reformation led to the birth of capitalism? The answer was given by a famous German sociologist Max Weber in his work entitled “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.” Weber does not claim that Protestantism created modern capitalism, but it was Protestantism that created the conditions for the transformation of economic relations in Europe. Protestantism gave birth to these new ideas:

  1. Free labor (as opposed to slavery)
  2. Saving and investing
  3. Activity and entrepreneurship
  4. Work as a vocation

Consequently, countries that were influenced by Protestantism rank today as the world’s richest and most developed.

The Evolution of the Spirit of Capitalism

Since Weber’s time, the spirit of capitalism has evolved and the ascetic ethic has been replaced by unbridled consumerism. However, the changes in capitalism are as natural as the fact that the church, according to Calvin’s desire, was to be a constantly reforming church, per the thesis: Ecclesia Reformata et Semper Reformanda. In the context of the transformation of the economy by Protestantism, one can see a measurable difference between the countries of Roman civilization and the countries of Protestant civilization—check the rankings of the richest countries in the world! Yes, capitalism has its flaws, especially when it is reduced to the mechanisms of an economic system without Protestant ethics or any ethics at all. Nevertheless, it is within capitalist economies with a balanced social policy where it’s possible for the standard of living to rise for all.

The Counter-Reformation and the Plans of the Papacy

It should come as no surprise that the Catholic church, with its program of the Counter-Reformation, seeks the removal of all that the world owes to the Reformation. This includes the social and economic system that emerged in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. Just as the Reformation is not over and is still ongoing, the Counter-Reformation is also ongoing.

During a speech in Asuncion, Paraguay, the pope called on world leaders to change the global economic order. Pope Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI, in his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, wrote: “There is an urgent need for a true world political authority—already spoken of by my predecessor, Blessed John XXIII—to govern the world economy. The integral development of nations and cooperation require the establishment of a higher-level international order based on the principle of subsidiarity to manage globalization.”

Gratitude and Hope

We owe much to the Protestant Reformation. And we owe it all to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The heritage of the Reformation is still alive in the minds and hearts of men and women, in their religious and social lives. As long as the ideas of the Reformation are alive in their bearers, we can be sure that the system foretold in Revelation will not arise.

References:

1  www.transparency.org/cpi/2021, accessibility: 22.02.2012

2  T. Zieliński, http://protestantyzm.media.pl/1-2.php, accessibility: 23.06.2012

3  J. Witte, The Reformation of Rights: Law, Religion and Human Rights in Early Modern Calvinism, p. 3.

4  Ibidem, pp. 5–7.

5  Ibidem, p. 33.

6  P. Łyżwa, Ideologia, doktryny i ruch współczesnego liberalizmu, pp. 86, 87.

7  J. Dunkel, Apokalipsa, p. 104.

8  P. Pullella, D. Desantis, www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-latam-paraguay-idUSKCN0PL0Q420150712, accessibility: 22.02.2022

9  www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate.html, accessibility: 14.03.2022

Marcin Watras lives in Katowice, Poland. He is a Bible student, especially knowledgeable in the Protestant Reformation.

Gaining Primitive Godliness

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“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.”

Ephesians 4:11–15

When Jesus left this world, He gave spiritual gifts to His church. The New Testament enumerates in three places what these gifts of the Holy Spirit were. One is the text above in Ephesians 4, and the other two are found in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. Ephesians 4:13, gives the reason why He gave these gifts to the church, “… till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

Continuing in Ephesians 4:15, it says, “speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.” “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25–27. This is Christian perfection. So, when Jesus comes again, will there be a church that has reached Christian perfection?

We are living in the last days, and now is the time for the church to prepare to be presented to Jesus without blemish. Each of us must be striving to reach this Christian perfection if we want to be part of God’s final church. Isaiah says, “And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 4:3. Pastor W. D. Frazee expressed the same idea when he said, “There are some people who will be cleaned out because they won’t get cleaned up.” God will have a perfected church.

So let’s ask ourselves a question. Does Christian perfection occur in the blink of an eye or is it a process that takes time? If you are fighting the fight of faith, then you know it takes time. Every one of us has sinful habits that must be overcome. It takes prayer and struggle to gain control and overcome them.

Striving for Christian perfection is not to be put off to some far distant time with the expectation of being made perfect at the last minute, all the while continuing to sin and committing the same sinful acts over and over. This is unrealistic thinking, and anyone who studies the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, and with much prayer struggles to overcome sinful habits knows it.

As we come closer to the end of this world, we should be seeking the Lord more and prayerfully asking for this perfection of character. People all over the world, even in Adventism, say it can’t be done; Christian perfection is impossible. However, Inspiration tells us that regardless of what the world says, there will be a perfected people and they will receive the truth and take it to the world.

“Those who strive lawfully will have complete victory at last, but there is too much striving that is not done in the Spirit of Christ. We should strive to obtain the victory over every unholy passion of the soul, over every spiritual weakness, over every defect of character.” The Signs of the Times, April 14, 1890

“[E]ach one [must] strive with all his might to keep the victory over self and over every besetment, every wrong word and action.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 8, 224

We can see how this happens in this statement from The Great Controversy, 464: “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments [the seven last plagues] 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.”

Religious history records that over the last 2,000 years there have been some very godly people in the world as well as periods of revival and reformation. Probably the greatest reformation in the last 1,500 years occurred in the 1830s and 1840s, but what is coming will be greater than anything 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.” Ibid.

God is building an army and we need to work as hard as we can right now to be a part of it to increase its ranks. This army is to take the three angels’ messages to the whole world, but to be part of that army, we must have primitive godliness given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s look closely at what primitive godliness is. Before Jesus came the first time, the Pharisees believed that if they perfectly kept the law, they would reach this higher level of godliness and then the Messiah would come. They decided that they needed to help the people by creating new rules. In fact, they created books full of rules. These rules were very specific in how the ten commandments were to be kept. For example, you couldn’t spit on a plant on the Sabbath because you would be watering it. You’ve read in the Bible about a Sabbath day’s journey. That simply meant that on Sabbath you could only walk so far and if you went farther, you would be breaking the fourth commandment.

But Jesus said of their rules, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20. They were working their way toward godliness but doing so in a manner in which it would be impossible to keep God’s law.

So here was the problem. “He [Jesus] answered and said to them, ‘Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?’ ” Matthew 15:3. In the process of making their rules, those very rules became more important to them than the ten commandments, causing the people to transgress them—the very thing they were trying not to do. How do you end up doing the exact opposite of what you intended? Could we end up doing it again?

The problem for the Jews was that they were keeping all these man-made rules and regulations, but neglecting to keep the most basic rule of all. Jesus said that the whole law hangs on two principles—to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind—the first four commandments—and to love your neighbor as yourself—the last six.

So what is primitive godliness and how do we get it? The word godliness means Godlikeness. What is it like to be like God? Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 18, says, “Righteousness is holiness, likeness to God.” So righteousness is the same as holiness, and holiness is likeness to God. It is conformity to the law of God, for “all Thy commandments are righteousness,” and “love is the fulfilling of the law.” Psalm 119:172; Romans 13:10. The apostle John also tells us that “God is love.” 1 John 4:16. So, righteousness is love. When we love God, we will keep His commandments. In keeping His commandments, we become righteous and holy. We will have a godly nature.

Under the old covenant, the law was written on tables of stone. But under the new covenant, God said, “ ‘This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, … I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.’ ” Hebrews 10:16. This suggests something more than just going to church on Sabbath, not telling a lie, or using bad language. Having the law of God written in your heart means that it becomes a part of you. A miraculous change occurs within you. Yes, you still go to church, and you don’t lie or use bad language, but now the law is no longer a list of dos and don’ts that get checked off on a daily or weekly basis. It becomes as natural to obey the law as it is to take a breath or blink an eye.

Jesus explained in the Sermon on the Mount that what is in the heart determines whether I am truly keeping the law. He said, “ ‘You have heard that it was said of those of old, “You shall not murder,” … but I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause is in danger of the judgment. He that says to his brother, “Raca!” is in danger of the counsel. But whoever says, “You fool!” is in danger of hell fire.’ ” Matthew 5:21, 22

It isn’t enough that I don’t kill someone. My heart must have no hatred or anger toward my brother. John states the same in 1 John 3:15, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

It took the crucifixion of Christ before the disciples understood this. For over three years, Jesus had taught them by word and action, what it meant to be Godlike. They did not truly understand how to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind, nor how to love others as God loves them. After His death, they all realized what true love was, and that they themselves lacked the inward change necessary to be like Jesus. It is at this point that Mrs. White says they had never loved Him more.

Jesus had promised the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to them. “The Spirit came upon the waiting, praying disciples with a fullness that reached every heart. The Infinite One revealed Himself in power to His church [those in the upper room]. It was as if for ages this influence had been held in restraint, and now heaven rejoiced in being able to pour out upon the church the riches of the Spirit’s grace. And under the influence of the Spirit, words of penitence and confession mingled with songs of praise for sins forgiven. Words of thanksgiving and of prophecy were heard. All heaven bent low to behold and to adore the wisdom of matchless, incomprehensible love.” The Acts of the Apostles, 38

All together in the upper room, in one accord, God’s church waited for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He brought penitence and confession, unity and incomprehensible love. They now understood the governing principles of God’s law. They loved God with all their being and would spend the remainder of their lives doing His will. This is primitive godliness.

“Lost in wonder, the apostles exclaimed, ‘Herein is love.’ They grasped the imparted gift. And what followed? The sword of the Spirit, newly edged with power and bathed in the lightnings of heaven, cut its way through unbelief. Thousands were converted in a day.” Ibid., 39

Unbelief was a problem that continues to this day. The Spirit of Prophecy tells us that men’s hearts today are harder than they have ever been. Without the Holy Spirit, do you think we will ever be able to convert anyone?

“What was the result of the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost? The glad tidings of a risen Saviour were carried to the uttermost parts of the inhabited world. As the disciples proclaimed the message of redeeming grace, hearts yielded to the power of this message. The church beheld converts flocking to her from all directions. Backsliders were reconverted. Sinners united with believers in seeking the pearl of great price. Some who had been the bitterest opponents of the gospel became its champions. The prophecy was fulfilled, ‘He that is feeble … shall be as David; and the house of David … as the angel of the Lord.’ Zechariah 12:8.” Ibid., 48

Mrs. White predicts in Testimonies, Vol. 5 that this prophecy will be fulfilled again—that the feeble will be like David and the strong will be like the angel of the Lord.

When the church is full of the Holy Spirit, when each member is filled with primitive godliness and there is unity and harmony among God’s people, the Lord will work in a way that we have never seen before. Far beyond keeping the letter of the law, we can only be a part of this work if we are filled with the righteousness that comes from loving God supremely and obeying His law. “Every Christian saw in his brother a revelation of divine love and benevolence.” The Acts of the Apostles, 48. Friend, this will happen again, more powerfully than ever before.

“One interest prevailed; one subject of emulation swallowed up all others. The ambition of the believers was to reveal the likeness of Christ’s character and to labor for the enlargement of His kingdom.” Ibid.

The believers had two purposes after the Day of Pentecost: to be like Christ and to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. As powerful as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was at Pentecost, a day is coming when the latter rain will fall and by its power, God’s work will be finished.

When the latter rain falls, it will be just a short time until we will see Jesus in the clouds of heaven. Are you eager to see Jesus come, or are you afraid to see Him?

If we are afraid for Jesus to come, then we are not ready for Him to come. We fear to see His face because we realize that there is something in our character, the way we think, or talk, or act, that must change. We want whatever makes us fearful of His coming to be removed. We cannot be taken to heaven with sin-blighted characters. But He can take our character imperfections away and help us overcome.

We must be overcomers of sin in our lives if we want to receive the latter rain, but we can only receive a perfect character by cooperating with the Holy Spirit. Sadly, Mrs. White says that the latter rain can be falling on people all around and yet we may not realize it. Our best friend in church could be receiving the latter rain and if we ourselves are not ready to receive it, we wouldn’t even know it is falling.

There is one important aspect of the outpouring of the former rain at Pentecost that is not discussed much in Adventist circles today. Acts 2:1 says, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” The Holy Spirit brings unity, but on the Day of Pentecost unity existed among those gathered in the upper room before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This wasn’t an ecumenical kind of unity, nor the kind where people just don’t talk about their differences, or the kind that covers up sin. Surrendered and united to God, in that upper room, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon each soul and they were made new, bringing a greater unity to this group that would become God’s church.

Friend, we need to pray. We need to have unity in our local church and our families, in our ministries and institutions, and we need to have unity around the world before we can have the power of the Holy Spirit. God will not give His Holy Spirit to us until we have been tested and God knows that He can trust us. We must pray, prepare, and perservere. We must overcome by the grace of God. We must ask the Lord to help us come into a spirit of unity and harmony.

It will take work, but God is equal to the task. He has promised that we are able to do everything He asks by His power and grace, if we trust in Him. He wouldn’t have asked us to do these things were it not His purpose to provide the way. All we must do is cooperate, surrender.

We must have victory in our lives if we want to receive the latter rain. We must love God with all our heart, soul, and mind—to have primitive godliness. The motive for our obedience must be because we love the Lord and our fellow men. We cannot have strife and hatred for each other. We must pray that the Lord will bring us to that condition of unity that we must have so that the Holy Spirit can be poured out and miracles can happen.

[Emphasis supplied.]

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

The Temptations of Christ

by

What was the first thing that Christ had to endure after He was baptized by John the Baptist?

The more you think about that question, the harder it is to answer.

From a purely human perspective, you might think it was pride. Consider how your ego would have been affected if you heard God say that He was well pleased with you. Might you not feel some degree of pride?

Well, we know that pride is one of the seven deadly sins, and in Christ there was no sin. Thus we can know that He felt no hint of pride when God spoke of being pleased with His Son.

“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ ” Matthew 3:16, 17

Then what is the very next thing that happened?

Matthew 4:1 says, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”

This very same Spirit that had anointed Him after His baptism led him into the wilderness. Why? Scripture answers: “To be tempted by the devil.”

It is unlikely that the temptations that Christ experienced in the desert immediately following His baptism were the first temptations that He had experienced in His life. After all, Satan was after Him from the very day of His birth. However, these wilderness temptations were likely the most serious and difficult temptations that He had ever experienced up to that point in His life, exceeded only by the agony He experienced in the garden of Gethsemane and the events that followed, up to and including the crucifixion.

The three temptations of Christ are recorded in detail in chapter 4 of both the gospels of Matthew and Luke and briefly referenced in the first chapter of Mark.

Quoting from Matthew, we read, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread [lust of the flesh].’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” ’ Matthew 4:1–11

“Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge over you,” and, “in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone [presumption; pride of life].” ’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” ’

“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me [lust of the eyes].’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” ’ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.”

Others might interpret these temptations differently. However, it is clear that Satan knew the kinds of temptations with which he had had the greatest success in leading men astray.

The book Confrontation provides an incredible analysis of the wilderness temptations of Christ. In the foreword of the book, the trustees of the Ellen G. White estate explain its origin:

“Ellen G. White at different times wrote of the temptation and fall of man, the plan of redemption, and of the victory of Christ in the wilderness of temptation. In 1874 and 1875 in a series of 13 articles published in the The Review and Herald, she treated these topics in depth. …

“These articles, with some paragraphs added by the author, were later republished in a 96-page pamphlet and became the second of eight pamphlets to make up the Redemption series published in 1878. The other seven present materials published simultaneously in Spirit of Prophecy volumes two and three, later replaced by Ellen White’s masterpiece, The Desire of Ages.

“Number two of the Redemption series, written quite apart from the others, in its fullness in the treatment of temptation makes a unique contribution to Ellen G. White materials currently available.” Confrontation, 5

It is this second pamphlet that has become the book Confrontation. The first paragraph of this enlightening book states this: “After the baptism of Jesus in Jordan He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. When He had come up out of the water, He bowed upon Jordan’s banks and pleaded with the great Eternal for strength to endure the conflict with the fallen foe. The opening of the heavens and the descent of the excellent glory attested His divine character. The voice from the Father declared the close relation of Christ to His Infinite Majesty: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ The mission of Christ was soon to begin. But He must first withdraw from the busy scenes of life to a desolate wilderness for the express purpose of bearing the threefold test of temptation in behalf of those He had come to redeem.” Op. cit., 9

That threefold test consisted, as John stated in his first epistle, of “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” 1 John 2:16

Why was this the first thing He had to experience before He began His ministry? What did each of these tests have in common?

Let’s look back at the garden of Eden. Again we will quote from Confrontation.

“The Lord placed man upon probation, that he might form a character of steadfast integrity for his own happiness and for the glory of his Creator. …

“The first moral lesson given to Adam was that of self-denial. The reins of self-government were placed in his hands.”

What does that mean: “The reins of self-government were placed in his hands”?

God gave man the privilege of determining his own destiny. Man was not to be a robot, blindly carrying out the will of his Creator. Rather he was given, as Inspiration puts it, “the reins of self-government.”

“Judgment, reason, and conscience were to bear sway.” Op. cit., 12

It was God’s intention that man was to develop a divine character by exercising judgment and reason, guided by a pure conscience—one not “seared with a hot iron.”

Unfortunately, judgment, reason, and conscience did not bear sway, and man fell.

“Sin drove man from paradise; and sin was the cause of the removal of paradise from the earth. In consequence of transgression of God’s law, Adam lost paradise.” Op. cit., 15

But, praise God, He has provided a way for man to regain paradise. It is a two-fold process.

“In obedience to the Father’s law, and through faith in the atoning blood of His Son, paradise may be regained. ‘Repentance toward God,’ because His law has been transgressed, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, as man’s only Redeemer, will be acceptable with God. Notwithstanding man’s sinfulness, the merits of God’s dear Son in his behalf will avail with the Father.” Op. cit.

How were the merits of God’s dear Son, Jesus Christ, established?

“The Majesty of heaven … would bear man’s guilt. He would take the wrath of His Father upon Himself, which otherwise would have fallen upon man because of his disobedience.”

“Christ consented to leave His honor, His kingly authority, His glory with the Father, and humble Himself to humanity, and engage in contest with the mighty prince of darkness in order to redeem man.” Op. cit., 17

“He would overcome on man’s account, and conquer the tempter, that, through His obedience, His purity of character and steadfast integrity, His righteousness might be imputed to man, that, through His name, man might overcome the foe on his own account.” Op. cit., 18

“He would overcome on man’s account … .” What, exactly, was it that Christ had to overcome?

“Every temptation that seems so afflicting to man in his daily life, so difficult to resist and overcome, was brought to bear upon the Son of God in as much greater degree as His excellence of character was superior to that of fallen man.” Op. cit., 31

How and when were these every temptations brought to bear upon Christ?

Let’s examine a few verses from Psalm 22. Bible scholars have concluded that much of this psalm consists of Christ’s thoughts while He was being crucified.

My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?

Why are You so far from helping Me,

And from the words of My groaning?

O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;

And in the night season, and am not silent.

 

But You are holy,

Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

Our fathers trusted in You;

They trusted, and You delivered them.

They cried to You, and were delivered;

They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

 

But I am a worm, and no man;

A reproach of men, and despised of the people.

All those who see Me ridicule Me;

They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

“He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;

Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

 

I am poured out like water,

And all My bones are out of joint;

My heart is like wax;

It has melted within Me.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

And My tongue clings to My jaws;

You have brought Me to the dust of death.

 

For dogs have surrounded Me;

The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.

They pierced My hands and My feet;

I can count all My bones.

They look and stare at Me.

They divide My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.

Psalm 22, 1–8, 14–18

Now let’s turn to Matthew’s account of this event.

“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?’ ” Matthew 27:45, 46

The darkness that occurred from noon till 3:00 PM may well be symbolic of the light of heaven being withdrawn not only from the earth, but also from the Saviour of mankind—the reason for His question, “Why have you forsaken Me?”

We know that in the counsels of heaven, an agreement had been made, referenced in Zechariah 6:13. “Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

Some, but interestingly, not all, of the details of this counsel of peace are provided in this passage from Patriarchs and Prophets, 63

“The Son of God, heaven’s glorious Commander, was touched with pity for the fallen race. His heart was moved with infinite compassion as the woes of the lost world rose up before Him. But divine love had conceived a plan whereby man might be redeemed. The broken law of God demanded the life of the sinner. In all the universe there was but One who could, in behalf of man, satisfy its claims. Since the divine law is as sacred as God Himself, only one equal with God could make atonement for its transgression. None but Christ could redeem fallen man from the curse of the law and bring him again into harmony with heaven. Christ would take upon Himself the guilt and shame of sin—sin so offensive to a holy God that it must separate the Father and His Son. Christ would reach to the depths of misery to rescue the ruined race.

“Before the Father He pleaded in the sinner’s behalf, while the host of heaven awaited the result with an intensity of interest that words cannot express. Long continued was that mysterious communing—‘the counsel of peace’ (Zechariah 6:13) for the fallen sons of men. The plan of salvation had been laid before the creation of the earth; for Christ is ‘the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’ (Revelation 13:8); yet it was a struggle, even with the King of the universe, to yield up His Son to die for the guilty race.” Op. cit.

It is written here that “The plan of salvation had been laid before the creation of the earth.” Returning to Confrontation, Sister White writes about Satan’s success in causing the fall of a multitude of the angels. She states that the fallen angels “failed to endure the test brought to bear upon them, and they fell. Adam was then created in the image of God and placed upon probation. … If the holy pair should be obedient, the race would, after a time, be made equal to the angels.” Op. cit., 18

Here we have reference to the laying of the plan of salvation before the creation of the earth. Inspiration also gives us a glimpse of the extent of that plan—but, again, not all of the details.

The Father and the Son agreed, that the Son would pay the penalty if man should fall, but it was an agonizing struggle even for the King of the universe to yield up His Son to die for the guilty race.

Is it possible that Christ took comfort in knowing that if He was going to have to die for man, He was going to be resurrected afterwards? That might be a logical conclusion, now that we know all of the story. However, Inspiration tells us: “The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.” The Desire of Ages, 753

It was here that Christ experienced the guilt of every sin that man has ever committed. Imagine the Son of God hanging on the cross and being so overwhelmed with the sinfulness of sin that His heart—anticipating eternal separation from His Father—breaks, and He utters His last words, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” and breathes His last.

At the beginning of this article, the question was asked, What did the three temptations of Christ have in common? We have discussed why these temptations were necessary, but have not directly addressed the question of their common bond.

That common bond is a reaction, a character trait, that Christ not only manifested in response to each of the three temptations, but one that He manifested throughout His life. And it is a character trait that every follower of Christ must master to perfection. Only faith in the promises in God’s word and dependence on the cleansing blood of Christ will avail in the perfection of this essential character trait.

This trait was manifested by the widow who put her two mites, “all her living,” into the church treasury. It was manifested in the daily life of John the Baptist, who “was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.” It was manifested by Matthew, who left the lucrative table of the tax collector. It was manifested by Mary, who broke the alabaster box and anointed Christ with its expensive contents. It is to be manifested in the life of every follower of Christ.

Mrs. White explains it so clearly: “In this life we must meet fiery trials and make costly sacrifices, but the peace of Christ is the reward. There has been so little self-denial, so little suffering for Christ’s sake, that the cross is almost entirely forgotten. We must be partakers with Christ of His sufferings if we would sit down in triumph with Him on His throne. So long as we choose the easy path of self-indulgence, and are frightened at self-denial, our faith will never become firm, and we cannot know the peace of Jesus, nor the joy that comes through conscious victory.” Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G. White, 190, 191

Clearly, self-denial is the key. Think about the temptations of Christ and the opportunity each had of relieving Him of the trial that lay before Him. He denied Himself, as alluded to in 1 John 2:16 of “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,” the ultimate examples of self-denial, to be our perfect example in overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Through His self-denial, “He obtained for the fallen sons and daughters of Adam that strength which it is impossible for them to gain for themselves, that in His name they might overcome the temptations of Satan” (Confrontation, 45)—the ultimate source of every temptation that any man or woman ever faces.

Paul clearly understood the source of our strength to overcome Satan’s temptations when he wrote, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

May the Lord help us as we strive to manifest the self-denial of Christ in our daily lives as we successfully resist Satan’s temptations, through faith in the grace that Christ so freely and abundantly imparts, so that we may reside with Him in eternal glory. [Emphasis supplied.]

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