Issue: 2012 September

Q&A -Meaning of “will draw all men unto Me”?

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Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” John 12:32. What is the meaning of the phrase “will draw all men unto Me”?

“If I be lifted up from the earth” refers to the death of Christ upon the cross. By this act of self-sacrifice, not only was the redemption of man, the forgiveness of his sins made possible, but the love of God was manifested to the universe in a fuller and more complete way than it had ever been revealed before. (It will take all eternity to understand the love of God.) By Christ’s sacrifice, the accusations of Satan against the government of God and the character of God are refuted and Satan is cast out not only physically, but all sympathy for him from angels or men will finally be cast out by means of this sacrifice. Angels, as well as men, are drawn to the Redeemer.

It was prophesied in the Old Testament that unto the Messiah the people would be gathered (Genesis 49:2). This prophecy in Genesis applies with special force to the elect—to God’s true and faithful children. Jesus said, “Every one who is of the truth hears my voice.” John 18:37. But this prophecy will have a universal fulfillment at the end of the millennium. The cross will be presented. (See The Great Controversy, 666, 667). “With all the facts of the great controversy in view, the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with one accord declare: ‘Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints’ [Revelation 15:3].

“Before the universe has been clearly presented the great sacrifice made by the Father and the Son in man’s behalf.” The Great Controversy (1888), 671.

Keys to the Storehouse – Trouble Him now, Don’t Lose God’s Favor

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There was a time when the church failed to maintain her favor with God. What a terrible thought! These were people like you and me, and it will happen again. Read the following:

“They [the martyrs] imitated the noble bearing of Christ when before His murderers, and many were convinced of the truth by witnessing their constancy, and the glory of God which rested upon them. Satan decided that he must come in a milder form. He had corrupted the doctrines of the Bible; and traditions which were to ruin millions were taking deep root. He restrained his hate, and decided not to urge on his subjects to such bitter persecution; but lead on the church to contend, not for the faith once delivered to the saints, but, for various traditions. As he led on the church to receive favors and honors of the world, under the false pretense of benefiting them, she began to lose favor with God. Gradually the church lost her power, as she shunned to declare the straight truths which shut out the lovers of pleasure and friends of the world.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, 125, 126.

It is the studied plan of the devil to encourage us to contend for traditions and honors while neglecting to live up to the straight truth and lose the favor of God. Follow the Word!

“The church is not the separate and peculiar people she was when the fires of persecution were kindled against her. How is the gold become dim? How is the most fine gold changed? I saw that if the church had always retained her holy and peculiar character, the power of the Holy Spirit which was imparted to the disciples would be with her.” Ibid.

Stand! Don’t let your gold standard grow dim. Satan is very willing to have you think that you are a Christian—he is not at all troubled as he sees you grow dim. He loves it!

“I [Ellen White] saw that a very large company professed the name of Christ, but God does not recognize them as His. He has no pleasure in them. Satan seemed to assume a religious character, and was very willing that the people should think they were Christians. He was very willing that they should believe in Jesus, His crucifixion, and His resurrection. Satan and his angels fully believed all this themselves, and trembled. But if this faith does not provoke to good works, and lead those who profess it to imitate the self-denying life of Christ, he is not disturbed; for they merely assume the Christian name, while their hearts are still carnal; and he can use them in his service better than if they made no profession. Under the name of Christian they hide their deformity. They pass along with their unsanctified natures, and their evil passions unsubdued.” Ibid., 126, 127.

Be on your guard. Take your deformities to Jesus right now. Don’t continue to lose favor with God. Begin right now to trouble the devil by allowing the Holy Spirit to polish your character so your gold shines! Satan sits quietly waiting for your demise, so put on the armor of God and go forward! This life is all you have to live for Jesus and defeat the devil. Just do it now! You are not promised another minute. (All emphasis supplied.)

Heavenly Father: Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation. Replace my deformities with the righteousness of Christ, and let that gold shine so bright that it will blind the devil. Please restore me unto Thy favor, and by Thy grace I will stand for righteousness and truth. Amen.

Inspiration – Proffered Mercy?

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The tears of Christ on the mount of Olivet, when He was being escorted with triumph and hosannas into Jerusalem just prior to His crucifixion were wrung from a broken heart because His love was spurned, and His mercy despised. He saw just before Him, in His coming crucifixion, the consummation of the guilt of Jerusalem. Before Him was the sheep gate through which for centuries the victims for sacrifice had been conducted. It was soon to open for the great Antitype, who should be taken by wicked hands and slain for the sins of the world. It rent the heart of Christ to pronounce the doom of the city of His love. His body swayed like a cedar before the tempest. He then uttered in a voice broken by grief, “Oh that thou hadst known, even thou, in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace.” He hesitated, must the irrevocable sentence be pronounced. “But now they are hid from thine eyes” [Luke 19:42].

This sentence of the Saviour and His tears were not alone for Jerusalem that lay before Him, its temple flashing in the sunlight, but for those in all time who slight the proffered mercies of Christ, reject present privileges, the voice of admonition and warning, and continue in disobedience to God. Present unbelief and impenitence are welding the fetters which bind souls in the bondage of doubt and despair. The temple of the soul is desecrated by sin, as the courts of the temple at Jerusalem was desecrated by unholy traffic and confusion. The heart of rebellious man is open to robbers, and has become a den of thieves. He who was purchased at the infinite price of the agony and death of the Son of God becomes like the blighted fig-tree, withered to its very roots under the righteous vengeance of a rejected God.

We are not responsible for the sin of the Jews in rejecting Christ, but the solemn period of our responsibility is when light, truth and warnings come directly to us. Christ said to Philip, “Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip” [John 14:9]? It is not the servants of Christ, the bearers of His message whom we reject; but the Master who delegated them to act for Him, and sound His warning. Jesus Christ has been a long time with us in mercies and warnings, and yet we have not known Him. Christ says, Ye will not come unto Me that ye might have life. When entreaties, tears, and patient efforts are in vain, the terrible doom pronounced over Jerusalem must be pronounced over the sinner.

While mercy lingers, the golden opportunity still remains to repent and be saved through Christ. Has the temple of the soul been desecrated by unholy shrines? While the sun of righteousness still lingers, loath to remove His rays from those who have slighted His blessings, there is still time to repent, and make your peace with God. Christ calls the sinner, In this, thy day, seek those things which will make for your peace both in this life, and the life beyond the grave. He invites you who are stricken with sin to come with your burdens, and He will relieve you. He will cleanse you from the defilement of sin, and give you moral fitness for His kingdom. Despite your indifference or scorn He urges you to accept His love and mercy.

The Signs of the Times, August 15, 1878.

Parables of the Investigative Judgment

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There is a need for God’s people to understand the relationship of the investigative judgment and the wedding banquet. Many people are aware of the warning given in Malachi 3:1–3 regarding the work of the purification of God’s people and the removal of sin, but there is a deeper meaning, which needs to be understood.

“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:1–3, KJV.

Another important reference in the Bible about the investigative judgment that is very informative of this important event and the wedding banquet is recorded in Matthew 22:1–14:

“Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.’

“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.” Verses 1–7.

This much of the parable refers to the Jewish nation prior to the first advent and up to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

“Thus the Jewish people sealed their rejection of God’s mercy. The result was foretold by Christ in the parable. The king ‘sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.’ The judgment pronounced came upon the Jews in the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the nation.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 308, 309.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Matthew 22:8–10.

With this information we see that verses 8–10 represent the Christian church from the first advent to the close of probation.

In verse 11 the king comes in to begin the investigative judgment. The remainder of the parable (verses 12–14) is a description of what happens to those who do not make the appropriate preparation to attend the wedding banquet.

The Spirit of Prophecy provides an interesting introduction to this parable. It is found in Christ’s Object Lessons, on page 307.

“In this parable, as in that of the great supper, are illustrated the gospel invitation, its rejection by the Jewish people, and the call of mercy to the Gentiles. But on the part of those who reject the invitation, this parable brings to view a deeper insult and a more dreadful punishment. The call to the feast is a king’s invitation. It proceeds from one who is vested with power to command. It confers high honor.”

In the book, The Great Controversy, we are given the following explanation of this parable:

“In the parable of Matthew 22 the same figure of the marriage is introduced, and the investigative judgment is clearly represented as taking place before the marriage. Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests, to see if all are attired in the wedding garment, the spotless robe of character washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. Matthew 22:11; Revelation 7:14. [Emphasis supplied.] He who is found wanting is cast out, but all who upon examination are seen to have the wedding garment on are accepted of God and accounted worthy of a share in His kingdom and a seat upon His throne. This work of examination of character, of determining who are prepared for the kingdom of God, is that of the investigative judgment, the closing of work in the sanctuary above.” The Great Controversy, 428.

Many do not realize their spiritual need. This is why we need to understand these parables because they refer to each one of us in these last days. The following is a statement about the man who came in without a wedding garment:

“The man who came to the feast without a wedding garment represents the condition of many in our world today. They profess to be Christians, and lay claim to the blessings and privileges of the gospel; yet they feel no need of a transformation of character. They have never felt true repentance for sin. They do not realize their need of Christ or exercise faith in Him. They have not overcome their hereditary or cultivated tendencies to wrongdoing. Yet they think that they are good enough in themselves, and they rest upon their own merits instead of trusting in Christ. Hearers of the word, they come to the banquet, but they have not put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 315.

There will be many who will be speechless because they never overcame their hereditary or cultivated tendencies to wrongdoing. We may wonder why the man was speechless. Here is a brief statement about his condition:

“In the parable, when the king inquired, ‘How camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment’ [Matthew 22:12]? the man was speechless. So it will be in the great judgment day. Men may now excuse their defects of character, but in that day they will offer no excuse.” Ibid., 317.

The judgment day in this statement refers to the execution phase of the judgment following the millennium.

Solemn will be the day of final decision. In prophetic vision, the apostle John describes it: “I saw a great white throne, and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Revelation 20:11, 12, KJV.

“Sad will be the retrospect in that day when men stand face to face with eternity. The whole life will present itself just as it has been. The world’s pleasures, riches, and honors will not then seem so important. Men will then see that the righteousness they despised is alone of value. They will see that they have fashioned their characters under the deceptive allurements of Satan. The garments they have chosen are the badge of their allegiance to the first great apostate. Then they will see the results of their choice. They will have a knowledge of what it means to transgress the commandments of God.” Ibid., 318, 319.

The Spirit of Prophecy is very clear that this work of purification of God’s people is to be completed during the time of the investigative judgment.

“Christ had come, not to the earth, as they expected, but, as foreshadowed in the type, to the most holy place of the temple of God in heaven. He is represented by the prophet Daniel as coming at this time to the Ancient of Days: ‘I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came’—not to the earth, but—‘to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.’ Daniel 7:13.

“This coming is foretold also by the prophet Malachi: ‘The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.’ Malachi 3:1. The coming of the Lord to His temple was sudden, unexpected, to His people. They were not looking for Him there. They expected Him to come to earth, ‘in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel.’ II Thessalonians 1:8.

“But the people were not yet ready to meet their Lord. There was still a work of preparation to be accomplished for them.” The Great Controversy, 424.

There is an interesting explanation about this preparation in The Great Controversy, 425.

“Another message of warning and instruction was to be given to the church.

“Says the prophet: ‘Who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.’ Malachi 3:2, 3.” Ibid., 423.

Let us consider a second parable about the investigative judgment. It is the parable describing the two classes of servants in Matthew 24:45–51.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” Verses 45–47.

Revelation 3:21 says: “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

“But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.” Matthew 24:48, 49. Not literally drunk, but drunk with false teachings, with ecumenical compromise of truth, such as teaching that the atonement was completed at the cross.

“The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Verses 50, 51.

A description of these unfaithful servants is found in the following statements.

“The Lord has a controversy with His professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week.” The Review and Herald, March 18, 1884.

The rejection of the seventh day Sabbath is a sign that these people have also rejected the ministry of Christ and His blood of atonement in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary of the new covenant in heaven.

“As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbathkeepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them.” The Great Controversy, 608.

Then the Spirit of Prophecy says that this church represented by these two classes of servants is the same church that is represented by the ten virgins.

“Here is brought to view the church living in the last days, the same that is pointed out in the close of chapter 24. In this parable their experience is illustrated by the incidents of an Eastern marriage.” Ibid., 393.

“The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 also illustrates the experience of the Adventist people. In Matthew 24, in answer to the question of His disciples concerning the sign of His coming and of the end of the world, Christ had pointed out some of the most important events in the history of the world and of the church from His first to His second advent; namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, the great tribulation of the church under the pagan and papal persecutions, the darkening of the sun and moon, and the falling of the stars. After this He spoke of His coming in His kingdom, and related the parable describing the two classes of servants who look for His appearing.” Ibid.

The Spirit of Prophecy has a considerable amount of information on this parable. This parable, Matthew 25:1–13, is a description of the church during the time the investigative judgment is in session. Matthew 25:1–7 is as follows:

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” Verses 1–5.

The phrase “they all became drowsy and fell asleep” refers to the churches’ experience before October 22, 1844. Also, “to sleep” in this context is a symbol meaning that the individual or church is not awake to the truth. During the period just before 1844 the whole church was asleep on the knowledge of the new covenant sanctuary in heaven and the ministry of Jesus in that sanctuary. No one on earth knew about the Bible truth concerning this sanctuary. They all were asleep.

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ ” Verse 6.

“The coming of Christ, as announced by the first angel’s message, was understood to be represented by the coming of the bridegroom. The widespread reformation under the proclamation of His soon coming, answered to the going forth of the virgins [Matthew 25:1]. In this parable, as in that of Matthew 24, two classes are represented. All had taken their lamps, the Bible, and by its light had gone forth to meet the Bridegroom. But while ‘they that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them,’ ‘the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps’ [verses 3, 4]. The latter class [the wise virgins] had received the grace of God, the regenerating, enlightening power of the Holy Spirit, which renders His word a lamp to the feet and a light to the path [Psalm 119:105]. In the fear of God they had studied the Scriptures to learn the truth, and had earnestly sought for purity of heart and life. These had a personal experience, a faith in God and in His word, which could not be overthrown by disappointment and delay. Others ‘took their lamps, and took no oil with them.’ They had moved from impulse. Their fears had been excited by the solemn message, but they had depended upon the faith of their brethren, satisfied with the flickering light of good emotions, without a thorough understanding of the truth or a genuine work of grace in the heart. These had gone forth to meet the Lord, full of hope in the prospect of immediate reward; but they were not prepared for delay and disappointment. When trials came, their faith failed, and their lights burned dim.” The Great Controversy, 393, 394.

The passing of time referred to in this statement was the time they expected the Lord to come in the spring of 1844. The believers were disappointed when the Lord did not come at that time and there resulted a seeming delay.

“In this time of uncertainty, the interest of the superficial and halfhearted soon began to waver, and their efforts to relax; but those whose faith was based on a personal knowledge of the Bible had a rock beneath their feet, which the waves of disappointment could not wash away. ‘They all slumbered and slept’ [Matthew 25:5], one class in unconcern and abandonment of their faith, the other class patiently waiting till clearer light should be given.” Ibid., 394.

A further explanation of this event is found as follows:

“ ‘While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.’ Matthew 25:5–7. In the summer of 1844, midway between the time when it had been first thought that the 2300 days would end, and the autumn of the same year, to which it was afterward found that they extended, the message was proclaimed in the very words of Scripture: ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!’ ” Ibid., 398.

Ellen White has more to say of this event as follows:

“In the parable of Matthew 25 the time of waiting and slumber is followed by the coming of the bridegroom. This was in accordance with the arguments just presented, both from prophecy and from the types. They carried strong conviction of their truthfulness; and the ‘midnight cry’ [Matthew 25:6] was heralded by thousands of believers.

“Like a tidal wave the movement swept over the land.” Ibid., 400. This message sparked a renewed interest in the study of the Word.

“At the call, ‘The Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him,’ the waiting ones ‘arose and trimmed their lamps’ [Matthew 25:6, 7]; they studied the word of God with an intensity of interest before unknown.” Ibid., 402.

“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.” Verse 7.

The following describes three separate texts as talking about the same event: “The coming of Christ as our high priest to the most holy place, for the cleansing of the sanctuary, brought to view in Daniel 8:14; the coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of Days, as presented in Daniel 7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi [Malachi 3:1–3], are descriptions of the same event; and this is also represented by the coming of the bridegroom to the marriage, described by Christ in the parable of the ten virgins, of Matthew 25.

“In the summer and autumn of 1844 the proclamation, ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh,’ was given. The two classes represented by the wise and foolish virgins were then developed—one class who looked with joy to the Lord’s appearing, and who had been diligently preparing to meet Him; another class that, influenced by fear and acting from impulse, had been satisfied with a theory of the truth, but were destitute of the grace of God. In the parable, when the bridegroom came, ‘they that were ready went in with him to the marriage’ [Matthew 25:10].” The Great Controversy, 426.

Notice the order of events in the following statement:

“The coming of the bridegroom, here brought to view, takes place before the marriage. The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His kingdom. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the kingdom, is called ‘the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ Said the angel to John: ‘Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ ‘He carried me away in the spirit,’ says the prophet, ‘and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.’ Revelation 21:9, 10. … Christ, as stated by the prophet Daniel, will receive from the Ancient of Days in heaven, ‘dominion, and glory, and a kingdom;’ He will receive the New Jerusalem, the capital of His kingdom, ‘prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.’ ” Daniel 7:14; Revelation 21:2. “Having received the kingdom, He will come in His glory, as King of kings and Lord of lords, for the redemption of His people, who are to ‘sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,’ at His table in His kingdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 22:30), to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb … .”

“The proclamation, ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh,’ in the summer of 1844, led thousands to expect the immediate advent of the Lord. At the appointed time the Bridegroom came, not to the earth, as the people expected, but to the Ancient of Days in heaven, to the marriage, the reception of His kingdom. ‘They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut’ [Matthew 25:10]. They were not to be present in person at the marriage; for it takes place in heaven, while they are upon the earth. The followers of Christ are to ‘wait for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding.’ Luke 12:36. But they are to understand His work, and to follow Him by faith as He goes in before God. It is in this sense that they are said to go in to the marriage.” Ibid., 426, 427.

This next statement makes very clear what knowledge it was that separated the wise virgins from the foolish virgins.

“In the parable it was those that had oil in their vessels with their lamps that went in to the marriage. Those who, with a knowledge of the truth from the Scriptures, had also the Spirit and grace of God, and who, in the night of their bitter trial, had patiently waited, searching the Bible for clearer light—these saw the truth concerning the sanctuary in heaven and the Saviour’s change in ministration, and by faith they followed Him in His work in the sanctuary above. And all who through the testimony of the Scriptures accept the same truths, following Christ by faith as He enters in before God to perform the last work of mediation, and at its close to receive His kingdom—all these are represented as going in to the marriage.” Ibid., 427, 428.

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

Maurice Hoppe is Director of the Steps to Life Training Programs and a member of the Steps to Life Board. The Training Program for Ministers and Church Leaders is a correspondence course that prepares individuals to serve as a pastor or Bible worker. Preparing for the Final Conflict is a correspondence course for the laity. Both of these courses teach present truth that will be an anchor for the soul during the storm of opposition and persecution just ahead. He and his wife also have a correspondence course offered through Revelation Ministry. He can be contacted at: mauricehoppe@stepstolife.org.

Counterfeit Godliness

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This world is full of counterfeits. It seems for everything, from industry to churches, someone has made a counterfeit and endeavors to present their product as the real thing. So, beware of counterfeit faith. Because of a desire for truth, we often listen to presentations on many topics to clarify different issues, but be careful.

About two days before the Passover during which He was crucified, Jesus was up on the Mount of Olives with His disciples. They asked Him a question regarding the time of His coming and what would be the signs. When Jesus answered them He mentioned nothing of the signs but said, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Matthew 24:4. In other words, Jesus warned them that there will be many counterfeits at the end time, and unless you know the truth, you will be deceived.

“From the very beginning of the great controversy in heaven it has been Satan’s purpose to overthrow the law of God. It was to accomplish this that he entered upon his rebellion against the Creator, and though he was cast out of heaven he has continued the same warfare upon the earth. To deceive men, and thus lead them to transgress God’s law, is the object which he has steadfastly pursued. …

“So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true, that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested.” The Great Controversy, 582, 593.

Let us use this method to test the very first deception to man. It is written, “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:16, 17. Adam and Eve were not ignorant of the fallen angel from heaven. Angels had instructed them and warned them about Satan. They knew that the devil did not have free reign in the Garden but was restricted to one place. They had been given freedom to eat of the fruit of the trees with the only exception being the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was forbidden fruit for them.

Anyone who knows anything of the Bible knows the story of Genesis 3. One day Eve strayed away from Adam and came close to the tree. “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea.” Verse 1. This was a very light greeting. Australians might say, “Hi there!” Americans might say, “How are you doing?” “Yea!” Satan carefully drew Eve in to create a conversation with her, to catch her off guard and manipulate her thinking. “Hello there!” “Hath God said … .” He punched the point in right there, and then he put his twist on everything. In fact, he put the question in such a way that it needed a response and forced Eve, in a sense, to communicate with him. He knew very well that she was not supposed to be there, but he quickly occupied her, putting thoughts into her mind. “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said … .” Verses 1–3. Had she maintained what “God hath said,” she would have had no problem.

This point needs to be clearly understood. The devil is the only one who promises eternal life in disobedience. The devil says you can believe God, but you can also disobey Him and still be saved. It is the devil’s philosophy that he has promoted from the beginning. His sole objective is to overthrow the law of God, which will lead you to transgress it. If you forget the counterfeit in the beginning, your whole theology will be jeopardized.

The serpent spoke to Eve’s curiosity, for she had never heard a serpent in the garden speak. That was the beginning of the deception. She thought the serpent was so smart. He captivated her thinking to reach all of her senses. He reached her sense of sight, hearing and touch. Now to convince her to taste, and he would win! Her thoughts were manipulated to bypass her intellectual reasoning, the power of the will to make decisions. She should have stayed with, “God said.” The serpent changed her thinking and then hit her with the punch line, “If you eat it, you will be like God.” The devil had reached her emotions. Me, like God? She stopped considering the word of God, “You shall surely die.” Overtaken by emotion, she lost her reasoning and finally she ate. From there you know what happened. That is why we are still here. Please understand, the devil is the only one who promises eternal life in disobedience.

Ellen G. White, in The Signs of the Times, May 28, 1894, says, “Before the last developments of the work of apostasy there will be a confusion of faith. There will not be clear and definite ideas concerning the mystery of God. One truth after another will be corrupted.” Every wind of doctrine will blow.

When a young lady who works at a bank, was asked if she knew how to detect a counterfeit bill, she answered that there is only one secret. Study the genuine and when you know what that looks like, every counterfeit bill that comes to the bank stands out as fake. That’s a good principle.

If you look at James 2:17 in any way other than how it is translated in the King James Version, perhaps it may impress you differently. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Moving the two words being alone to its right setting, a stronger statement is made. “Even so faith being alone, if it hath not works, is dead.”

The belief prevailing in many churches today is that all you have to do is have faith alone. Faith is the channel, but faith alone is eternal death. There is no salvation in faith alone. James makes that very clear.

Once we know the truth, we can more easily recognize the error. Our works are the fruit of our faith. Obedience is the fruit of faith. We must make sure that we know the truth so we will detect the counterfeit when it comes. Faith without obedience is not faith. These two cannot be separated. Anyone who says they have faith in God—and who truly has that faith—will always be willing to obey Him.

No assurance of salvation is promised to anyone,—whether a pastor, a theologian, or lay person—who professes to have faith but refuses to obey God. Salvation can only be received by obedience. Thus faith without the works is eternal death.

The story of Joseph while working in Potiphar’s home illustrates this. While Potiphar was away, his wife tempted Joseph. Satan dearly wanted Joseph to fall by removing from him what up to this point had been unfailing obedience. However, to sustain his justification, he had to run away from the temptation and not transgress the law of God. There was no doubt that Joseph believed in God, but had he not resisted the proposition of Potipher’s wife, his faith would have been dead faith. He had to add works to his faith. In this instance, the works was to flee from the temptation.

“Obedience is the fruit of faith.” Steps to Christ, 461. Scripture and Spirit of Prophecy are in harmony with one another, as both were inspired by the same Spirit. “John did not teach that salvation was to be earned by obedience; but that obedience was the fruit of faith and love.” The Acts of the Apostles, 563. Ellen White says it over and over again that obedience, or works, is the fruit of faith, the fruit of love. In other words, loving obedience has to come first before salvation is assured.

Ellen White states that, “Genuine faith will be manifested in good works; for good works are the fruits of faith. … It is by continual surrender of the will, by continual obedience, that the blessing of justification is retained.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 397. Joseph fled temptation so that “the blessing of justification” was “retained.”

In order to resist temptation, we need to be faithful to obey God. It does not happen once only, as “once saved, always saved.” It is a continual effort. The counterfeit that I want you to take note of is this:

  • Belief No. 1 – Obedience is the fruit of faith. (TRUE)
  • Belief No. 2 – Obedience is the fruit of salvation. (FALSE)

You must be able to detect the counterfeit when it comes. When somebody says to you that obedience is the fruit of salvation, or works is the fruit of salvation, immediately, if you are familiar with the true, you can detect the counterfeit, for obedience or works is not the fruit of salvation.

“The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been—just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents—perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness.” Steps to Christ, 62. Therefore, if obedience is a condition, then obedience has to precede or come before salvation is assured. Obedience cannot come after salvation. Obedience is the fruit of faith; obedience is not the fruit of salvation.

There are several evil effects of the teaching that with faith only, you are saved, and that obedience is the fruit of salvation.

  • This counterfeit belief teaches that the law has been done away at the cross and we just have to have faith. We stand up against those who preach this. But when teachings like this come to us, we don’t recognize it to be true.
  • The evil effect of this belief is that it teaches that one is saved in sin instead of from sin. The effect is that sin can be excused, and that is why we find sin prevailing in church today. The rate of divorce in the church right now is almost the same as the rate outside in the world. That’s why many of the churches now see no problem with having homosexual priests or officers in the church. The standard of truth is lowered.
  • This teaching immortalizes sin. In other words, you can continue to sin and still merit salvation.
  • This teaching declares that anyone who professes to believe in Christ will be saved the moment he or she says, “I believe in Jesus Christ.” There is no self-denial. There is no obedience. This teaching apparently declares that the devil is justified and can be taken back to heaven. James 2:19 states that the devil believes in God. So if we continue to teach that once we have faith, we’re saved, we must accept that the devil and his angels will also be saved. We contradict ourselves if we say otherwise.

“As we approach the close of time, as the people of God stand upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, Satan will, as of old, redouble his efforts to prevent them from entering the goodly land.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 457. He’s doing it right now. As the devil doubles up his efforts, we also need two or three times more of the Spirit of God.

In Revelation 2:1, it says, “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.” And verse 6 says, “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” God is saying, “You, in the church of Ephesus, you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans. I also hate it.”

Revelation 2:12 says, “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith He which hath the sharp sword with two edges.” The angel spoke to the church in Pergamos, and verse 15 says, “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.” There are some that are still believing in the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. This same doctrine of the Nicolaitans is now largely taught, that the gospel of Christ has made the law of God of no effect. The law is done away and that by believing we are released from the necessity of being doers of the word. This is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned.

The doctrine of the Nicolaitans is the doctrine of faith only and this has done away with the law of God. In the book of Revelation, right at the end time, God says that He hates this doctrine.

“I [Ellen White] was attending a meeting, and a large congregation were present. In my dream you were presenting the subject of faith and the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith. You repeated several times that works amounted to nothing, that there were no conditions [in other words, salvation was unconditional]. The matter was presented in that light that I knew minds would be confused, and would not receive the correct impression in reference to faith and works, and I decided to write to you. You state this matter too strongly. There are conditions to our receiving justification and sanctification, and the righteousness of Christ. I know your meaning, but you leave a wrong impression upon many minds. While good works will not save even one soul, yet it is impossible for even one soul to be saved without good works.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 377.

“John did not teach that salvation was to be earned by obedience; but that obedience was the fruit of faith and love. ‘Ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins,’ he said, ‘and in Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.’ I John 3:5, 6. If we abide in Christ, if the love of God dwells in the heart, our feelings, our thoughts, our actions, will be in harmony with the will of God. The sanctified heart is in harmony with the precepts of God’s law.” The Acts of the Apostles, 563.

“We do not earn salvation by our obedience, for salvation is the free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is the fruit of faith. ‘Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not’ (I John 3:5, 6). Here is the true test. If we abide in Christ, if the love of God dwells in us, our feelings, our thoughts, our purposes, our actions, will be in harmony with the will of God as expressed in the precepts of His holy law. ‘Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous’ (verse 7). Righteousness is defined by the standard of God’s holy law, as expressed in the ten precepts given on Sinai.” Reflecting Christ, 274.

If I have a glass that contains 99 percent water and 1 percent of poison, the whole glass is poisoned. Truth and error mixed together is no more truth. It is a counterfeit. Today you will hear truth mixed with error prevailing everywhere—not only in America, but worldwide. It is a counterfeit, nonetheless. Faith alone is a counterfeit and is not justification by faith, as appealing as it may sound.

“The desire for an easy religion that requires no striving, no self-denial, no divorce from the follies of the world, has made the doctrine of faith, and faith only, a popular doctrine; but what saith the word of God? Says the apostle James: ‘What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? … Wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? … Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.’ James 2:14–24.” The Great Controversy, 472. The two go together and cannot be separated.

The Jewish people in the time of Christ did not have faith. They did not believe in Christ and had no faith in Him, their religion was one of works alone. Today, we have the opposite extreme of faith alone. We have gone from one extreme to another, entirely missing the truth. Our religion must be balanced but so many theologians attack works. Works are good, if they are wrought through the channel of faith and love to God. It is not a heresy, and it is not Pharisaical. (See James 2:14–24.)

“There are grand truths, long hidden under the rubbish of error, that are to be revealed to the people. The doctrine of justification by faith has been lost sight of by many who have professed to believe the third angel’s message. The Holiness people have gone to great extremes on this point. With great zeal they have taught, ‘Only believe in Christ, and be saved; but away with the law of God.’ This is not the teaching of the word of God. There is no foundation for such a faith. This is not precious gem of truth that God has given to His people for this time. This doctrine misleads honest souls.” The Review and Herald, August 13, 1889.

“As the storm approaches [talking about the time that is coming], a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition.” The Great Controversy, 608.

If as a church we continue to believe in faith only, the result will be that a large class will abandon the truth when the storm comes. They will become the enemies of those who have recognized the counterfeit.

In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” I’ve heard a lot of people say, “As long as I accept Jesus Christ, I’m okay.” No one can accept Jesus Christ without truth, because He is the truth; He is the way. So when we accept Jesus Christ, we must accept His way, too. We must accept His conditions.

A few years back when my two girls were very small, they were getting ready to go to school, so when school started, I took time off from work in the morning and I held their hands because the buses were running on the road along with cars, and it was pretty unsafe for them to cross on their own. And they were little and they were going for the first time to school so I wanted to train them.

So I held their hands and I stood on the side of the road and I said, “Take note of what I’m going to say. I want you to look to the left and to the right; look to the left, and look to the right.” Now they don’t have a crossing guard on the road where I come from. You have to find your own way across the road. So I told them to look to the left and look to the right. When it is clear, you can go.

I continued to give them instructions and told them that if you do cross without looking to the right or to the left you will surely die. As I said it, I was crying. You see, the command was full of love. I didn’t give that command to kill them; I wanted to save their lives.

Holding their hands I made everything clear and took them across. I said, “Good bye,” and they left. For three days during that first week, we went through the same routine. Look to the left, look to the right; if you don’t look, you will surely die. And just because I said, “You will surely die,” somebody may say that I am mean. No, I said it because I love them, I don’t want them to die.

And when God said to Adam and Eve, “the day you eat thereof, you will surely die,” He had never intended to kill them. He was just telling them the consequence of eating from that tree: they would die. They would kill themselves. It was because of God’s love for them that He gave them such a dire warning. He did not want them to die. How sad that people can’t see that and as a result, misrepresent God! They see the command as a set of rules. They can’t see God’s loving protection in the command.

When we say we have faith in Jesus Christ, when we love Him, we recognize that obedience to the law of God is not something that is burdensome. Instead, we see the grace of God in providing boundaries for our protection, not wanting that any should die.

We see the love of God and His grace in sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross of Calvary. That very act of obedience unto death affirms the fact that obedience is a condition to eternal life. When we truly love God we will have faith in Him and obey Him. Salvation then will be assured.

Metusela Albert was a guest speaker at Steps to Life camp meeting in 2007. Any comments may be sent by email at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Whosoever…

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For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

There are many reasons why this text is often referred to as the most precious promise in the entire Bible. Many sermons have centered on the wonderful opportunity that this text offers and the wonderful insight into salvation that it provides.

For most Christians, this verse is the first one committed to memory, usually at a very young age. Many explanations have been provided by many learned people on exactly what this unfathomable gift encompasses and what is involved in believing.

The mystery of this gift, the incarnation of our Saviour, will undoubtedly remain just that—a mystery—until we cross the Jordan, and even then, it will remain an object of study throughout eternity.

One aspect of this verse, however, that is opened for us fairly clearly through mining the word of God is what is involved in believing. Unfortunately, many broad road Christians use the simplest definition of believe to claim assured salvation, while failing to understand the true meaning of this word as Christ used it. They fail to recall (or willingly overlook) the text in which James uses the exact same Greek word when he states in James 2:19 that, “The devils also believe, and tremble.” Thus it is clear that the Holy Spirit impressed upon James that simply believing as it is commonly understood is not sufficient for salvation.

However, the aspect of this text that this article will dwell on is the all-inclusive word that occurs in front of believe: whosoever. There is no greater delight that springs up in the human heart than when the realization occurs that “whosoever” includes “me.”

This word that contains such unrestricted hope for the true believer occurs in the New Testament over one hundred times. However, not only does it offer unrestricted hope, but it also carries dire warnings of condemnation. A study of its use and application reveals to the searcher for truth both the mercy and the justice of an all-wise and loving God.

An exhaustive analysis of its several Greek forms is beyond the scope of this article, though it does make for a very rewarding personal study. Here, however, we will concentrate on one single occurrence and the events that led up to that use.

The instance that this article will focus on occurred following a series of interesting events in Jesus’ life, as recorded in Matthew 21, an intriguing record of several days in Christ’s life just prior to His crucifixion.

Inspiration tells us that, “The events which preceded His great sacrifice must be such as to call attention to the sacrifice itself.” The Desire of Ages, 571.

Matthew 21 is a fascinating chapter. It begins with Christ’s entry into Jerusalem—a fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9. His entry created such a commotion that the bystanders asked what was going on. Who is this who is causing such an uproar? They were told, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.” Verse 11, NKJV.

“The events connected with this triumphal ride would be the talk of every tongue, and would bring Jesus before every mind.” The Desire of Ages, 571.

While the Jewish leaders were engaged in contentious conversation with the Roman authorities, trying to get them to restrain the tumult raised by Jesus’ entry, Jesus went unnoticed into the temple, where all was relatively quiet, as the worshipers had been drawn outside by the activity surrounding His arrival and had become distracted by the contention between the temple authorities and the Roman soldiers. He subsequently withdrew quietly from the temple with His disciples, returning to Bethany.

The following day, as He headed back to the temple, He passed a fig orchard. Finding a tree fully leafed out, He searched it for figs, but found that it contained no fruit, just as He had found the Jewish nation barren of spiritual fruit.

Inspiration tells us that there were four qualities—four fruits—that He had hoped to find among His people when He came to dwell among them—four qualities that His true followers will and indeed must manifest when He returns to gather them to the kingdom: self-sacrifice [“Put off the old man with his deeds …” Colossians 3:9], compassion [“Do unto others …” Luke 6:31], zeal for God [“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” II Timothy 4:2], and a deep yearning of soul for the salvation of their fellow men [“Go ye therefore and teach …” Matthew 28:19]. (See The Desire of Ages, 583.)

The utter lack of those qualities was symbolized by the barren fig tree. Christ’s cursing of the tree “showed what the Jewish people would be when the grace of God was removed from them. Refusing to impart blessing, they would no longer receive it.” Ibid.

Then Jesus moved on to the temple, where the second cleansing occurred, during which Jesus quoted scripture to show the priests that they were fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies in making God’s house, the temple, a den of thieves.

Recognizing that Jesus was a true prophet, as the multitudes had proclaimed as He entered the city, the blind and the lame came to Him seeking healing. As they were healed, they could not contain their gratitude. Scripture says that the children proclaimed, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” Matthew 21:15. Why was it the children who bore the testimony?

In the story of the blind man who was healed on the Sabbath, his parents along with their son were disfellowshiped because they professed faith in Jesus as the Messiah. In fact, the church had issued a warning that any who professed faith in Jesus as the Messiah would be disfellowshiped. Therefore none of the adults were willing to speak what they knew in their hearts to be the truth. Thus it was that the children sang out.

“As the children sang in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna; Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord’ (Mark 11:9), so in these last days children’s voices will be raised to give the last message of warning to a perishing world. When heavenly intelligences see that men are no longer permitted to present the truth, the Spirit of God will come upon the children, and they will do a work in the proclamation of the truth which the older workers cannot do because their way will be hedged up.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 176.

Following this event that was so joyous to those blessed and healed by Christ—but that was such a consternation to the Jewish religious leaders—there occurred a confrontation between the latter group and Jesus, during which was fulfilled Christ’s statement spoken in an earlier confrontation with the same group: “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:37.

After being baffled in their efforts to obtain from Jesus a statement on the source of His authority (Matthew 21:23–27), Jesus spoke the parable of the two sons, one who promised his father that he would go work in the father’s vineyard but did not, and the other who said that he wouldn’t, but ultimately did. When the Pharisees and scribes correctly answered that the latter son was the one who did the will of the father, they realized that they had brought condemnation upon themselves in their answer. Christ drove home the point by telling them, “The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31.

Christ followed this parable with another that further clarified the condition of the Jewish leaders. In the parable of the householder and the tenants, Christ made crystal clear the fate of those who failed to recognize Him as the Messiah. And once again, they pronounced their own condemnation: “They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” Verse 41.

Then comes one of Christ’s clearest statements on the fate of the Jewish nation.

“Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” Verses 42–44.

Here Christ states the fate of those who fail to accept Christ as the only “name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

We have two choices, and whosoever makes the wise choice shall be broken—broken from the chain of sin and misery that so besets this world (Romans 3); broken from the bondage of captivity from which Christ came to free His children (Isaiah 49:25); broken from the hold that Satan has on those who fail to avail themselves of the grace of Christ (John 8:36).

“Do not entertain the thought that because you have made mistakes, because your life has been darkened by errors, your Heavenly Father does not love you and will not hear you when you pray. He says, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.’ ‘The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.’ [John 6:37; James 5:11.] His heart of love is touched by our sorrows, and even by our utterance of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear; for He holds up worlds, He rules over the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. None have fallen so low, none are so vile, that they can not find deliverance in Christ. The demoniacs of Gadara, in the place of prayer could utter only the words of Satan; but yet the heart’s unspoken appeal was heard. No cry from a soul in need is unheeded.

“The ear of the Lord is open to the cry of every suppliant. Even before the prayer is offered or the yearning desire of the soul made known, the Spirit of God goes forth to meet it. Never has there been a genuine desire, never a tear shed in contrition of soul, but grace from Christ has gone forth to meet the grace working upon the human heart.” The Signs of the Times, June 18, 1902.

“Whosoever believeth … .” Those who claim this promise—so dear to the seeker of salvation, so all-encompassing, so full of hope—must accept with it a responsibility to sink the shaft deeply into the word of God to ensure a full comprehension of what believing in Jesus Christ truly means, and to understand the commitment required to truly believe.

“Whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them … .” Matthew 7:24

“Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men … .” Matthew 10:32

“Whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven … .” Matthew 12:50

“Whosoever will save his life … .” Matthew 16:25

“Whosoever will be great among you … .” Matthew 20:26

“Whosoever will be chief among you … .” Matthew 20:27

“Whosoever shall do the will of God … .” Mark 3:35

“Whosoever will come after Me … .” Mark 8:34

“Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4

“Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17

“Whosoever believeth … .” John 3:16

John Pearson is the office manager and a board member of Steps to Life. After retiring as chief financial officer for the Grand Canyon Association, Grand Canyon, Arizona, he moved to Wichita, Kansas, to join the Steps team. He may be contacted by email at: johnpearson@stepstolife.org.

Desire

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The word desire is a big one and determines whether a person will be saved or lost. In Genesis 3, one of the saddest chapters in the entire Bible, it is used twice. The chapter begins with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They could still be there except for the event that happened later in the chapter. While lingering around the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the devil, speaking through a serpent, acted the part of a salesman intent on selling Eve his product—sin. She fell for his seductive trick, and since that day he has been successful in recruiting millions of other salesmen throughout the world to seduce the masses and sell his product.

A good salesman knows there are just a few steps needed in securing a sale. First is to get the attention of the prospective customer. If they refuse to listen, then you are just wasting your time talking, but once you have their attention, they have to be convinced that they need the product. People very rarely buy something just because they need it. Need is not enough. After they are convinced that they need it, the third step in securing the sale is getting them to want it. If they desire it enough, they will buy it. Then, persuading them to take action on their desire is easy. There are many books on salesmanship describing these steps.

This was the tactic used by the devil to arouse in Eve a desire for his product. Sin in its raw form is not desirable, so to be successful in selling it, the devil had to disguise it by lying. The devil is the father of lies. He succeeded in creating in Eve such a desire for his product that she was willing to disobey God to get it.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6.

There are gigantic industries in the world today whose purpose is to get you to desire something enough so that you will be willing to disobey God to get it. It is the goal of the devil to destroy the Kingdom of Christ and bring grief to the heart of God by destroying His creation. He knows that if he can present sin in an attractive way and awaken the desire for it, he has his victim in his snare and another soul will be lost. The method he uses is tried and successful—he is a super salesman. The product sold is never named sin, only the good points are emphasized and always the consequences are withheld.

Think this through. Because sin is a product with deadly side effects that will bring death, pain, suffering, and all kinds of trouble in a person’s life, in order to sell it, you have to figure out some way to sugar-coat it to disguise the truth.

In II Thessalonians 2:8–12, Paul says, “Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 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 [that you can be saved in sin], that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

The two reasons these people are condemned is that they do not believe the truth and have pleasure in unrighteousness. What is unrighteousness? I John 5:17 says, “All unrighteousness is sin.” Simply said, people enjoy the pleasure of sin.

Eve very quickly lost the desire for what she was promised by the serpent when she saw the sad result of her choice. “To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you.” Genesis 3:16. Immediately the freedom she experienced in her paradise home was lost. Her desire now was going to be controlled by her husband. She lost what she had by listening to the devil’s sales pitch and by allowing him to arouse in her a desire for something that God had forbidden. The devil continues today, successfully in a multitude of ways, to awaken a desire in individuals for something that God has said is bad, in order to secure their destruction.

The Creator knows His creatures. The Bible teaches that God knows your every desire. David said, “Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You.” Psalm 38:9.

Knowing each person intimately and the desire of every heart, God has the ability to gratify these desires. But you may ask, If God knows about my desires, why does He withhold them? I’ll give you six reasons.

Wrong Choices –

A person’s desire cannot be satisfied if that desire is wrong and they want an evil thing. That was Eve’s experience.

“The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away. The desire of the wicked shall perish.” Psalm 112:10. People desire evil things, and therefore their desires are not satisfied. Actually, one of the most awful things that could happen to a person is if God fulfilled their desire. But God knows what awful things would happen to you if He did give you your desires, so in mercy He withholds what you want. (See James 4:1–4.)

Controllers –

For some it is their desire to always be first. “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35.

This desire first manifests itself in the family and in the church when somebody wants to be in control. To those who want to be first, Jesus said that desire would not be gratified and they would be last. The devil wanted to control the angels, and it caused his expulsion from heaven. A study on the life of Jesus reveals that He who was in fact first, having all authority and power, gave it all up to demonstrate to us how we should live not wanting to control other people.

No one desiring to control another will be in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said to His disciples, “You just have one Lord.” If we have only one Lord, what are we? Oh, somebody says, “I’m an elder in the church. I’m a deacon in the church. I’m a pastor. I’m an evangelist.” If you are a Christian, you are a servant, first of the Lord and then a servant of other people.

There are certain texts in the Bible that are often made prominent and others near them that are left out. One such example is Ephesians 5:22, 23. It says, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church.” For some reason, when people read that, they never read verse 21, because it is telling you that every one of us is to be in submission to others around us. Somehow we forget that one!

Talking to the elders, Peter said, “Nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; … Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ ” I Peter 5:3, 5.

Bondage to Traditions –

Some people are not satisfied, because they desire to be in bondage to human traditions and regulations.

“But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?” Galatians 4:9. These people desire to be in bondage! In Colossians 2:20–22, Paul again addresses the very same subject: “Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?”

This constitutes a large percentage of the world that wants to be controlled by the doctrines and the commandments of men, which are never satisfied. Being in subjection to tradition brings a bondage from which you can never get free or be satisfied. These people work constantly their whole life to get salvation and are never satisfied, because they are under bondage to human laws and traditions and the regulations of man. If you’ve died with Christ, you’ve been set free, so don’t bring yourself back into bondage.

Covetousness –

Another reason that some desires are not satisfied can be found right within the Ten Commandments that were repeated by Moses just before the children of Israel entered into the land of Canaan. The tenth commandment says, “You shall not covet” [Exodus 20:17], or it could be translated, “You shall not desire.” The word covet means to desire something you don’t have. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” Deuteronomy 5:21.

Here God mentions seven things that we are not to desire, and all of them have to do with something that belongs to somebody else. The devil knows human nature and is in the full-time business of getting people to want somebody else besides their own spouse, somebody else’s wife, somebody else’s husband or things belonging to others. Many people think that unless you actually go and physically commit adultery you are innocent, but the commandment says do not covet.

Long before an action takes place the heart covets—wanting somebody or something that does not belong to him or her but belongs to someone else. This is so important that God put it in as the tenth commandment. Covetousness is at the root of every sin that is committed—wanting something that God does not want you to have. That is exactly what happened to Eve, also to King David and to Judas. The devil is a master in his art of deception.

This is a huge problem in Christendom today and in the churches. Ellen White wrote about this: “How many, even in the ranks of Sabbathkeepers, are forming unsanctified connections. Men who have wives and women who have husbands are showing affection and giving undue attention to each other [persons of the opposite sex].

“The heart that loves Jesus will not desire the unlawful affections of another.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 381. Now that is an interesting statement. I read that statement over and over and over. If I desire the unlawful affections of another, it means that I don’t love Jesus.

“The woman who receives the least manifestation of affection from a man who is the husband of another woman, shows herself to be in need of repentance and conversion. And the man who allows his wife to occupy the second place in his affections is dishonoring himself and his God. This thing is one of the signs of the last days. … Christ will take charge of the affections of those who love and honor God, causing them to center upon proper objects.” Ibid., vol. 10, 185, 186.

I need to tell you something. You and I do not have the power or the ability to control our own affections. We do not have the ability to control our thoughts, or our affections, or our passions. One only has that power. “Christ will take charge of the affections of those who love and honor God causing them to center upon proper objects.” Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, 200. That is a promise you can claim. He, Christ, can control your affections so they don’t go out on improper objects. Desire has everything to do with whether you will be saved or lost.

Patience –

Matthew 13:17 is a sad verse. It says, “Assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” These prophets and righteous men had a desire that was not satisfied in their lifetime. Because of sin, even righteous desires often cannot be gratified until a later time. In the resurrection these faithful ones will see how the plan of salvation unfolded while they slept. Only then will they see the Messiah and His ministry and be delighted.

Desires Granted –

If you belong to Jesus Christ, every righteous desire that you have will be gratified.

“Then the Pharisees and the Sadducees came, and testing Him [some translations say desired Him] asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.” Matthew 16:1. His reply was that their request, or their desire was not going to be granted (verses 2–4). What was their problem? Unbelief! There are some people that God wants to do wonderful things for, but He cannot do it because of their unbelief.

Jesus cannot honor unbelief. He cannot answer the prayers of a person who doesn’t believe. One example of this is found in Matthew 13:55–58. Jesus could not do many mighty things in Nazareth because of their unbelief.

Some people’s desires are not gratified because of their unbelief. What you need is to say, “Lord, I’m choosing to trust You. This is what I want, and I’m choosing to trust You that everything that I want, that is a righteous desire, You’re going to give it to me; maybe not now, but You’re going to give it to me.” God gives people what they want. “He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him.” Psalm 145:19. But look at what it says in verse 16: “You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

That can be a very scary text if you demand of God something that in His wisdom He wants to withhold. He could give it to you with dire results! In the wilderness, God had put the children of Israel on a vegetarian diet. They bitterly complained about it and wanted flesh food to eat. They wanted it so bad that they were weeping, because they didn’t have any meat to eat. So God gave them their desire, and they were not deprived of their craving (Psalm 78:29). God gave them what they wanted, and many of them died as a result of eating it. Be careful what you want; you are going to get it!

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4. You might have some desires in your heart that the Lord is going to give you in heaven that He can’t give you right now. Have you ever known people that prayed that the Lord would make them wealthy? I’ve seen the Lord answer those kinds of prayers. The more you see the Lord answer those kinds of prayers, the more scared you are, because Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24. Many people lose their Christianity once they become wealthy. Be careful what you pray for.

Those who are saved will be far wealthier than any could hope to be; maybe not in this life but in the world to come. Peter said to the lame man, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Acts 3:6.

It would always be wise to say, “Lord, this is what I want, but I want what You want.” Remember how Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane? He said, “This is what I want, but not what I will (want), but what You will (want)” (Luke 22:42, literal translation). The word will can also be translated want.

God’s Will –

God says, “I desire [want] mercy and not sacrifice.” Hosea 6:6. The man with leprosy came to Jesus and said, “If You want to, You can make me clean.” Jesus reached forth His hand and touched him, and said, “I want to.” (See Mark 1:40, 41.) God wants to have mercy and heal you from the leprosy of sin.

God wants you to become a partaker of His holiness. In His mercy He disciplines and chastens for our profit that we might be made “partakers of His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10). Often the only way that can be achieved is by going through the trials and struggles that we don’t like. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

“And they shall call them The Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, a City Not Forsaken.” Isaiah 62:12.

Repentance –

Jesus said that there’s more gladness and rejoicing in heaven over one person that repents than over 99 people who don’t need repentance. (See Zephaniah 3:17; Luke 15:17.) God wants you to repent so that you can become holy. (See Acts 17:30.)

Righteousness –

“For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.” Isaiah 5:7. God wants righteousness. He wants you to do what is right.

Compassion –

God wants you to help Him take care of His other children. (See Matthew 25:40–45.) Jesus will ask, Did you feed the hungry? Did you clothe the naked? Did you invite people that had no place to stay to your house? Did you visit the sick? Did you visit those in prison? Did you care about God’s other children? Ellen White, in The Desire of Ages, 825, describes the wrath of God and of the Lamb towards those who do nothing about those who are lost, using the illustration of how parents would feel if their son or their daughter was lost in a snowstorm and you, seeing it, did nothing to save that child.

What the Devil Wants

Jesus told Peter, “Satan has desired you, that he may sift you as wheat.” Luke 22:31, literal translation. Satan wants you too. Peter says, “The devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” I Peter 5:8. His only happiness is destroying souls that Jesus died for in order to bring grief to the heart of God. He is such a skillful tempter that without God intervening, not one of us would escape his deceptions. Pray, “Lord, please intervene in my life. I know I’ll never escape unless You work a miracle in my life.”

Your only safety is to implicitly follow divine instructions because the devil is on your track.

What Do You Want?

A careful self-examination of the desires of your heart defines whether you are saved or lost. We are not to judge each other, but we can judge ourselves by determining our desire. The Bible records the desire of many of the Bible characters.

  • David said, “I want to know God.” Psalm 73:25
  • Job said, “I want to reason with God. I want to have him explain my situation; I can’t figure it out.” Job 13
  • The righteous want only what is good. Proverbs 11:23

People say, “I want Jesus to come.” But be ready, for the Bible says of the people who are not ready for His return, “Woe to you who desire the Day of the Lord!” Amos 5:18.

Spiritual Perfection

In Hebrews 6, Paul discusses that desire for the believers to reach spiritual perfection.

Wisdom and Understanding

This is worth more than anything to be desired. (See Proverbs 3:15; 8:11.) Seek it, desire it, and crave for wisdom and understanding. This is not as the world understands wisdom and understanding, but the wisdom that can only be acquired by studying the Word.

The Desire of all Nations

Jesus! Jesus came to this world in order that He might make a way clear so that His children could be taken to a better country. The Bible says in Hebrews 11 that all the saints who lived in past ages considered that they were just pilgrims and strangers on the earth desiring a better country. So God isn’t ashamed to be called their God. He’s going to take them to a better land where He has prepared for them a city.

What do you desire today? Are you looking at what others have, or are you seeking a better land? Remember, Jesus said that if we commit our lives to Him, He will take charge of all our affections.

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

Editorial – Unity

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Recently I was in a large group of people who were assembled at the local courthouse. A Baptist minister was talking to a friend just behind me, and although I wished to have some quiet time to read while I was waiting, his voice was too loud for me not to hear the conversation. He mentioned how Protestants have a habit of splitting up. Being a Baptist minister, he would no doubt be well acquainted with this, for there are many different kinds of Baptist believers. When I lived in Texas, a Baptist neighbor of mine, who did not like any of the Baptist churches in his area, started his own local Baptist church a few miles away.

The Roman Catholic Church has made large capital of this fact, and in their literature, the almost innumerable sects and splinter groups of Protestantism are compared in an unfavorable light with the “one and only” Roman Catholic Church.

Ellen White also has some pointed things to say about this in her writings, giving the major reason.

“The unity for which Christ prayed does not exist. Instead of one Lord, one faith, one baptism, there are numberless conflicting creeds and theories. Religious faith appears so confused and discordant that the world know not what to believe as truth. God is not in all this; it is the work of man—the work of Satan.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 233.

As we draw near the end of time, these numberless conflicting creeds and theories will increase.

“Satanic delusions and deceptions will increase as we near the end of earth’s history.” The Signs of the Times, June 4, 1894.

But in the midst of all the divisions that we presently see, and which will increase in both the world and among the professed followers of Jesus Christ, there will be developed a group of people who (1) do not participate in the surrounding apostasy and refuse to be a part of any group that is in open sin and at the same time (2) come into the perfect unity with one another that Jesus prayed for in John 17.

Every Christian who wants to be a part of this final remnant who will be ready to greet the Lord Jesus in peace and purity at His coming (Ephesians 5:25–27) should remember the divine warning: “It is impossible for you to unite with those who are corrupt, and still remain pure.” The Review and Herald, January 2, 1900.

But it is not enough to fulfill only the first condition; we must also fulfill the second. With the divisions that have been present in all Protestant groups for hundreds of years it may seem impossible, but we will see how it will happen in future editorials.