atonement

Letters to the Churches, The Heavenly Ministration of Christ

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“Letters have been coming in to me, affirming that Christ could not have had the same nature as man, for if He had, He would have fallen under similar temptations. If He did not have man’s nature, He could not be our example. If He was not a partaker of our nature, He could not have been tempted, as man has been. If it were not possible for Him to yield to temptation, He could not be our helper. It was a solemn reality that Christ came to fight the battles as man, in man’s behalf. His temptation and victory tell us that humanity must copy the Pattern; man must become a partaker of the divine nature.” Review and Herald, February 18, 1890.

We were appalled to learn that in some way these evangelical clergymen have had enough influence over our leaders to cause the Voice of Prophecy and Signs of the Times to trim their sails to “avoid charges that have been brought against them by evangelicals.” This is terrifying news. These organs are instruments of God, and it is unbelievable that the leaders should permit any outside influence to affect them. In this great sin against the denomination has been committed that can be blotted out only by deep repentance of the guilty parties, or in lieu of this, that the men concerned, quietly resign from holy office.

Our members are largely unaware of the conditions existing, and every effort is being made to keep them in ignorance. Orders have been issued to keep everything secret, and it will be noted that even at the late General Conference session (1958), no report was given of our leaders’ trafficking with the evangelicals and making alliances with them. Our officials are playing with fire, and the resulting conflagration will fulfill the prediction that the coming Omega “will be of a most startling nature.”

Seven times, I have asked for a hearing, and I have been promised one, but only on condition that I meet privately with certain men and that no record be given me of the proceedings. I have asked for a public hearing, or if it is to be a private one, that a tape recording be made, and that I be given a copy. This has been denied me. As I cannot have such a hearing, I am writing of these messages which contain, and will contain what I would have said at such a hearing. Can the reader surmise the reason why the officers do not want the hearing I ask?

I am a Seventh-day Adventist, and I love this message that I have preached for so long. I grieve deeply as I see the foundation pillars being destroyed, the blessed truths that have made us what we are, abandoned.

According to the minutes of the Board of Trustees at the White Estate, it was on the first day of May, 1957, when two men, members of the committee which had been appointed to write the book which came to be known as Questions on Doctrine, were invited by the board to meet with them to discuss a question that had received some consideration at a meeting the previous January. It concerned statements made by Mrs. White in regard to the atonement now in progress in the sanctuary above. This conception did not agree with the conclusions reached by the leaders of the denomination in counsel with the evangelicals.

At these conferences with the evangelicals, they objected to our teaching on the Investigative Judgment which Dr. Barnhouse characterized as “the most colossal, psychological, face-saving phenomenon in religious history.”

Dr. Barnhouse reported that he and Mr. Martin heard the Adventist leaders say flatly, that they repudiated all such extremes. This they said in no uncertain terms. Some of their earlier teachers taught that Jesus’ atoning work was not completed on Calvary, but instead that He had been carrying on a second ministerial work since 1844. The Adventist leaders also stated that they did not believe this teaching.

About the time when the two men first visited the vault, a series of articles appeared in the Ministry, which claimed to be “the Adventist understanding of atonement, confirmed and illuminated and clarified by the Spirit of Prophecy.” In the February issue, 1957, the statement occurs that the “sacrificial act on the cross (is) a complete, perfect and final atonement for man’s sin.” This pronouncement is in harmony with the belief of our leaders as Dr. Barnhouse quoted them. It is also in harmony with a statement signed by a chief officer in a personal letter: “You cannot, Brother Andreasen, take away from us this precious teaching that Jesus made a complete and all-sufficient atoning sacrifice from the cross. . . . This we shall ever hold fast, and continue to proclaim it, even as our dear venerated forefathers in the faith.

It would interesting if the writer would produce proof of his assertion. The truth is that our forefathers believed and proclaimed no such thing. They did not believe that the work on the cross was complete and all sufficient. They did believe that a ransom was there paid, and that this was all-sufficient; but the final atonement awaited Christ’s entrance into the most holy in 1844. This the Adventists have always taught and believed, and this is the old and established doctrine, which our venerated forefathers believed and proclaimed. They could not teach that the atonement on the cross was final, complete and all sufficient, and yet believe that another atonement, also final, occurred in 1844. Such would be absurd and meaningless. Paying the penalty for our sins was, indeed, a vital and necessary part of God’s plan for our salvation, but it was by no means all. It was, as it were, placing in the bank of heaven, a sum sufficient and in every way adequate for any contingency, and which could be drawn on by and for each individual as needed. This payment was “the precious blood of Christ, as of the lamb, without blemish and without spot.” I Peter 1:19. In his death on the cross, Jesus “paid it all;” but the precious treasure becomes efficacious for us only as Christ draws upon it for us, and this must await the coming into the world of each individual; hence, the atonement must continue as long as people are born. Hear this:

“There is an inexhaustible fund of perfect obedience accruing from His obedience. How is it, that such an infinite treasure is not appropriated? In heaven, the merits of Christ, His self-denial and self-sacrifice, are treasured up as incense, to be offered up with the prayers of His people.” General Conference Bulletin, vol. 3, 101, 102, Fourth Quarter, 1899.

Note the phrases: “inexhaustible fund,” “infinite treasure,” “merits of Christ.” This fund was deposited at the cross, but not “used up” there. It is “treasured up” and offered up with the prayers of God’s people. And especially since 1844 is this fund drawn on heavily as God’s people advance to holiness; but it is not exhausted, there is sufficient and to spare. Here again, “He, who through His own atonement, provided for them an infinite fund of moral power, will not fail to employ this power in their behalf. He will impute to them His own righteousness. . . . There is an inexhaustible fund of perfect obedience accruing from His obedience. . . as sincere, humble prayers are sent to the throne of God, Christ mingles with them the merits of His own life of perfect obedience. Our prayers are made fragrant by this incense. Christ has pledged Himself to intercede in our behalf and the Father always hears His Son.” Ibid.

When we pray, this very year of 1959, Christ intercedes for us and mingles with our prayers “the merits of His own life of perfect obedience. Our prayers are made fragrant by this incense . . . and the Father always hears His Son.”

Contrast this with the statement in Questions on Doctrine, 381: “(Jesus) appeared in the presence of God for us. . . . But it was not with the hope of attaining something for us at that time or at some future time. No! He had already obtained it for us on the cross.” [Emphasis his.] Note the picture: Christ appears in the presence of God for us. He pleads, but He gets nothing. For 1800 years He pleads, and gets nothing. Does He not know that He already has it? Will no one inform Him that it is useless to plead? He Himself has “no hope” of getting anything now or at any future time, and yet He pleads, and keeps on pleading? What a sight for the angels! And this is representative of Adventist teaching! This is the book that has the approval of Adventist leaders and is sent out to the world to show what we believe. May God forgive us.

Thank God this is not Adventist doctrine! Hear this from Sister White, as quoted above: “Christ has pledged Himself to intercede in our behalf and the Father always hears His Son.” This is Christianity and the other is not!

Shall we remain silent under such conditions? Asks Sister White.

“For the past 50 years every phase of heresy has been brought to bear upon us . . . especially concerning the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. . . . Do you wonder that when I see the beginning of a work that would remove some of the pillars of our faith, I have something to say? I must obey the command, ‘Meet it.’” Series B, No. 2, 58.

Again: “The enemy of souls that has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church would be discarded. The fundamental truths that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. . . . Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement.” Ibid., 54, 55.

“Shall we keep silent for fear of hurting their feelings? . . . Shall we keep silent for fear of injuring their influence while souls are being beguiled?. . . My message is: No longer consent to listen without protest to the perversion of truth.” [Emphasis ours.] Ibid., 9, 15.

Ellen White makes definite pronouncements in regard to the atoning work of Christ now in progress in the heavenly sanctuary. For example, “At the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844, Christ entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to perform the closing work of atonement, preparatory to His coming.” The Great Controversy, 422. “Christ had only completed one part of His work as our Intercessor to enter upon another portion of the work, and He still pleaded His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners.” Ibid., 429. At “the opening of the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary in 1844, (as) Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement, they saw that He was now officiating before the ark of God, pleading His blood in behalf of sinners.” Ibid., 433.

“Christ is represented as continually standing at the altar, momentarily offering up the sacrifice for the sins of the world. . . . A Mediator is essential because of the continual commission of sin. . . . Jesus presents the oblation offered for every offense and every shortcoming of the sinner.” Manuscript 50, 1900.

These statements are definite. It was at the end of the 2300 days, in 1844, that Christ entered the most holy “to perform the closing work of the atonement.” He had ONLY COMPLETED ONE PART OF HIS WORK as our Intercessor” in the first apartment. Now He “enters upon another portion of the work.” He pleads “His blood before the Father.” He is “continually standing at the altar.” This is necessary “because of the continual commission of sin.” “Jesus presents the oblation for every offense and every shortcoming of the sinner.” This argues a continuing, present atonement. He offers up “momentarily.” “Jesus presents the oblation offered for every offense.” “He ever liveth to make intercession for them..” Hebrews 7:25.

It is presumed that when the two men stated that they had “become acutely aware of E. G. White statements which indicated that the atoning work of Christ is now in progress in the sanctuary,” that they had read the quotations here given and perhaps others. In view of this knowledge, what did they suggest should be done? Would they change their former erroneous opinions and harmonize with the plain words of the Spirit of Prophecy? No, on the contrary, they “suggested to the trustees that some footnotes or Appendix notes might appear in certain of the E. G. White books clarifying very largely on the words of Ellen White, our understanding of the various phases of the atoning work of Christ.” Minutes 1483.

The claim which Questions on Doctrine makes, that she means what she does not say, effectively destroys the force of all she has every written. If we have to consult an inspired interpreter from Washington before knowing what she means, we might better discard the Testimonies altogether. May God save His people. [Months later when the vote was taken by the White Estate Board, the request mentioned above was not granted.]

The men who visited the vault on May 1, stated clearly that they had discovered that Mrs. White taught plainly “that the atoning work of Christ is now in progress in the heavenly sanctuary.” On the other hand, the Ministry of February, 1957, stated the very opposite. It said that the “sacrificial act on the cross (is) a complete, perfect and final atonement for men’s sins.” Questions on Doctrine attempts to reconcile these opposing views by stating that whether one “hears an Adventist say, or reads in Adventist literature—even in the writings of Ellen G. White—that Christ is making atonement now, it should be understood that we mean simply that Christ is now making application,” etc., 354, 355. It is clear that if the atonement on the cross was final, there cannot be a later atonement also final. When we therefore, for one hundred years, have preached that the day of atonement began in 1844, we were wrong. It ended 1800 years before. The hundreds of books we have published; the more than a million copies of Bible Readings we have sold; the millions of handbills we have distributed saying that it was “court week in heaven,” were all false doctrine; the Bible instruction we have given the children and the young ministry and which they have imbibed as Bible truth, is a fable. Uriah Smith, Loughborough, Andrews, Andross, Watson, Daniells, Branson, Johnson, Lacey, Spicer, Haskell, Gilbert, and a host of others stand convicted of having taught false doctrine; and the whole denomination whose chief contribution to Christianity is the sanctuary doctrine and Christ’s ministry, must now confess that we were all wrong, and that we have no message to the world for these last days. In other words, we are a deceived and deceiving people. The fact that we may have been honest does not alter the fact that we have given a false message. Take away from us the sanctuary question, the Investigative Judgment, the message of the 2300 days, Christ’s work in the most holy, and we have no right to exist as a denominated people, as God’s messengers to a doomed world. If the Spirit of Prophecy has led us astray these many years, let us throw it away.

But no! Halt! God has not led us astray. We have not told cunningly devised fables. We have a message that will stand the test and confound the undermining theories that are finding their way in among us. In this instance, it is not the people that have gone astray except as they have followed the leaders. It is time that there be a turn-about.

It is now more than four years ago that the apostasy began to be plainly evident. Since that time there has been a deliberate attempt to weaken the faith in the Spirit of Prophecy, as it is clear that as long as the people revere the gift among us, they cannot be led far astray. The time for action has come. The time to open up the dark corners has arrived. There must no longer by any secret agreements, no compact with other denominations who hate the law and the Sabbath, who ridicule our most holy faith. We must no longer hobnob with enemies of the truth, no more promise that we will not proselytize. We must not tolerate leadership which condones tampering with the writings entrusted to us, and stigmatizes us as belonging to the lunatic fringe, those who dare disagree with them. We must no longer remain silent. To they tents, Oh Israel!

Ready for His Appearing

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Even though, in the Millerite movement of 1844, there was a spirit of love that we have never seen since, Ellen White said that they were not yet ready for the Lord to come. They had unreserved consecration. They had received the Holy Spirit and were born-again Christians. They were ready to die and to come up again in the first resurrection. They sought the Saviour’s approval every day and they were serving Jesus with an undivided heart. They were without question the saints of God in their generation. They were perfect in the same sense that Noah and the other Bible characters were described in the Bible as being perfect. Yet, they were not ready for Christ’s return.

To answer the question, “What was it they lacked and needed to be ready?” we need to first study the atonement. Even though the investigative judgment and the atonement take place at the same time in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, they are not the same thing. Ellen White wrote, “Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies [in 1844] and there appears in the presence of God to engage in the last acts of His ministration in behalf of man—to perform the work of investigative judgment and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.” The Great Controversy, 480.

In 1977 an Anglican clergyman by the name of Geoffrey Paxton wrote a book called The Shaking of Adventism. In his book he states that we are in a life and death struggle as to the nature of the gospel. A friend of mine said, “Laodicea has been a long time in a life and death struggle as to the nature of the gospel and she has lost.” The reason he said that is because of what we have in recent years published in our official writings concerning the atonement.

The atonement is an exceedingly important subject. Ellen White wrote in 1906: “The sanctuary question is the foundation of our faith.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 4, 248. She also said, “We are in the great day of atonement, and the sacred work of Christ for the people of God that is going on at the present time in the heavenly sanctuary should be our constant study.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 520.

The word atonement has more than one meaning in Inspired writings and the failure to distinguish between the different ways this word is used is one of the reasons for the confusion of voices in Adventism today about this subject. The three meanings of the word atonement I have found in the Inspired writings are as follows:

  1. A sacrifice, or an attainment of a penalty, or reparation, or compensation, or payment of a debt, or paying a price, or giving a ransom.

If you are a Christian, then you know that Jesus accomplished all of these things on the cross. When we use the word atonement in that sense we understand that Jesus made a full, complete and perfect atonement on the cross. So the first meaning of atonement is connected with the cross and the death of Jesus.

Several statements about this are as follows:

“Christ made a full and complete sacrifice, a sacrifice sufficient to save every son and daughter of Adam who should show repentance toward God for having transgressed His law, and manifest faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 664.

“On the cross of Christ, the Saviour made an atonement for the fallen race.” The Signs of the Times, December 17, 1902.

“He planted the cross between heaven and earth, and when the Father beheld the sacrifice of His Son, He bowed before it in recognition of its perfection. ‘It is enough,’ He said. ‘The atonement is complete.’ ” The Review and Herald, September 24, 1901.

“Type met antitype in the death of Christ, the Lamb slain for the sins of the world. Our great High Priest has made the only sacrifice that is of any value in our salvation. When He offered Himself on the cross, a perfect atonement was made for the sins of the people.” Lift Him Up, 319.

That is the first meaning of atonement: a sacrifice, a ransom to pay a debt and Jesus fully paid the debt on the cross of Calvary.

However, in Inspired writings, that is not the only meaning or the main meaning of the word atonement.

  1. A second meaning of the word atonement: mainly to receive forgiveness of sins. Very clearly in Bible and Spirit of Prophecy writings, atonement refers to receiving forgiveness of sins or pardon. In Leviticus 4:27–31: “If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally by doing something against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done and is guilty, or if his sin which he has sinned comes to his knowledge, then he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has sinned. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering. Then the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour all the remaining blood at the base of the altar. He shall remove all its fat, as fat is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offering; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma to the Lord. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.”

Notice that once the sacrifice has been made, a priest is involved who, with the blood or flesh of the sacrifice, makes an atonement for you and then you are forgiven. However, before this forgiveness could be given there was an important step. “And it shall be, when he is guilty in any of these matters, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing.” Leviticus 5:5.

A person had to make specific confession, and then it says, “He shall offer the second as a burnt offering according to the prescribed manner. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed, and it shall be forgiven him.” Leviticus 5:10.

Over and over again the Bible says that the priest will make atonement, and when the priest makes atonement you will be pardoned or forgiven. Once forgiven there is no more guilt. Many people in our world suffer various damaging sicknesses as a result of their guilt. It was not God’s will for the Israelites to wait until the end of the year. The people could come any day to confess their sins and receive atonement, but they had to have the services of a priest in order to have forgiveness.

  1. A more profound meaning of the word atonement, a third meaning, is found in Leviticus 16:29, 30. “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.”

This was not the same atonement that they received during the year. On this Day of Atonement they would be cleansed and their sins would be removed and they would no longer be sinners.

“In the typical system, which was a shadow of the sacrifice and priesthood of Christ, the cleansing of the sanctuary was the last service performed by the high priest in the yearly round of ministration. It was the closing work of the atonement—a removal or putting away of sin from Israel. It prefigured the closing work in the ministration of our High Priest in heaven, in the removal or blotting out of the sins of His people, which are registered in the heavenly records.” The Great Controversy, 352.

Ellen White wrote in 1846: “I believe the Sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days is the New Jerusalem Temple, of which Christ is a minister. The Lord shew me in vision, more than one year ago, that Brother Crosier had the true light, on the cleansing of the Sanctuary.” A Word to the Little Flock, 12.

In 1846 the other churches were saying to Crosier that the atonement was all done at the cross. He says, “But again, they say that the atonement was made and finished on Calvary, when the Lamb of God expired. So men have taught us, and so the churches and world believe; but it is none the more true or sacred on that account, if unsupported by Divine authority. Perhaps few or none who hold that opinion have ever tested the foundation on which it rests.” The Law of Moses, 41.

All of the Adventist pioneers understood the same thing. James White described it in about 1872 or 1874. He said concerning Jesus, “He dwelt among men full of grace and truth, lived our example, died our sacrifice, was raised for our justification, ascended on high to be our only Mediator in the sanctuary in Heaven where, with His own blood, He makes atonement for our sins, which atonement so far from being made on the cross, which was but the offering of the sacrifice, is the very last portion of His work as priest, according to the example of the Levitical priesthood.” Fundamental Principles of Seventh-day Adventists, 4. Crosier, James White and all of the Adventist pioneers believed this.

In 1889 it was written this way: “Christ was raised for our justification and ascended on high to be our only mediator in the sanctuary in heaven where, through the merits of His shed blood He procures pardon and forgiveness.” It sounds just about the same but is not quite the same.” Adventist Year Book of Statistics, 1889, 147.

In 1894 we describe it like this: “Where, through the atoning merits of His shed blood He secures pardon and forgiveness.” Fundamental Principles of Seventh-day Adventists, 147. This does not sound too bad but it is not the same—we had changed it.

In the 1931 Seventh-day Adventist Year Book the definition was really changed. In fact neither the word atonement nor anything like it ever appears. It states: “He died for our sins on the cross, was raised from the dead, and ascended to the Father where He ever lives to make intercession for us.” Intercession does have to do with the investigative judgment but the intercession is not the atonement. Atonement is not even mentioned.

All four of these statements were unofficial, but the General Conference Committee in 1950 passed a resolution that no change be made in the 1931 statement except by the General Conference in session when adequate notice of such intention had been published. So to summarize this was how it was changed:

  1. In 1872 we said, With His own blood He makes atonement.
  2. In 1889 we said, Through the merit of His blood He secures pardon.
  3. In 1894 we said, Through the atoning merits of His blood He secures pardon.
  4. In 1931 we said, He ever lives to make intersession for us.

Things got worse. In 1957 a book was published called Questions on Doctrines, and on page 354 it stated: “When, therefore, one hears an Adventist say, or reads in Adventist literature—even in the writings of Ellen G. White—that Christ is making atonement now, it should be understood that we mean simply that Christ is now making application of the benefits of His sacrificial atonement He made on the cross.”

According to that, Christ is not even making atonement for us up in heaven anymore. It was all done at the cross and He is just applying benefits. This is a 180 degree turn from where our pioneers stood. Adventists were called a cult and one reason was because the other churches said that the atonement was all over at the cross and our pioneers said “No, it was not.” The atonement has not been completed yet. It is being conducted in the sanctuary in heaven right now. Some of our leaders thought we ought to make peace with these people; so they tried to state our beliefs in a way that would be acceptable to them.

The following is what appeared in Ministry Magazine, in February, 1957. You need to know before you read this statement that this is a lie. It said, “The sacrificial act on the cross is a complete and final atonement for man’s sin.” That is a lie!

What does God say about this? “The ministration of the priest throughout the year in the first apartment of the sanctuary, ‘within the veil’ (Hebrews 6:19) which formed the door and separated the holy place from the outer court, represents the work of ministration upon which Christ entered at His ascension. It was the work of the priest in the daily ministration to present before God the blood of the sin offering, also the incense which ascended with the prayers of Israel. So did Christ plead His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners, and present before Him also, with the precious fragrance of His own righteousness, the prayers of penitent believers. Such was the work of ministration in the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven.” The Great Controversy, 420, 421.

“For eighteen centuries this work of ministration continued in the first apartment of the sanctuary. The blood of Christ, pleaded in behalf of penitent believers, secured their pardon and acceptance with the Father, yet their sins still remained upon the books of record. As in the typical service there was a work of atonement at the close of the year, so before Christ’s work for the redemption of men is completed there is a work of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary. This is the service which began when the 2300 days ended.” Ibid., 421. (Emphasis added.)

Notice, the atonement involves not just applying benefits for something that was done 2000 years ago. It involves a continuing work of atonement, which is going on at this time to remove sin from God’s people.

Another statement on this: “As anciently the sins of the people were by faith placed upon the sin offering and through its blood transferred, in figure, to the earthly sanctuary, so in the new covenant the sins of the repentant are by faith placed upon Christ and transferred, in fact, to the heavenly sanctuary. And as the typical cleansing of the earthly was accomplished by the removal of the sins by which it had been polluted, so the actual cleansing of the heavenly is to be accomplished by the removal, or blotting out, of the sins which are there recorded.” Ibid., 421, 422. [Emphasis added.]

Why is it so important that we understand sanctuary truths? There is a story about an argument in which two young men got into about whether or not they needed to keep the Sabbath. One argued that it didn’t matter, but the other one said, “If you are right and I am wrong, it doesn’t matter because I will be able to go to heaven anyway. But if I am right and you are wrong you won’t be going to heaven.”

Some people say that it does not matter what we are studying here. Well, if we are wrong, it doesn’t matter. We will be able to go to heaven anyway. If the Adventist pioneers were right, the people who have rejected this teaching are not going to make it because this teaching involves understanding how you can be ready for Jesus to come. This is the reason that the people in 1844 were not ready for Jesus to come. They were ready to die and to be raised in the first resurrection but they were not ready to be translated. Why? Because they had not received the atonement. If they were not ready to be translated because they had not received the atonement, will you be ready to be translated if you have not received the atonement?

There are three meanings to the atonement. It is described sometimes in the Spirit of Prophecy for the ransom that is paid—which Jesus paid on the cross. It is used other times to describe forgiveness of sins, the work of the daily or the first apartment of the sanctuary. It is also used to describe the work of the Day of Atonement when you are cleansed from all of your sins. Many times Ellen White and the pioneers used the atonement in the context of the removal of sins.

We are told that the sanctuary was the very center of Christ’s work on behalf of men and it concerns every soul living upon the earth. (The Great Controversy, 488.) It is in the sanctuary in heaven where the cases of all people are going to be decided.

The investigative judgment will determine whether you will be part of the atonement in which your sins are removed or blotted out.

In Revelation 3:17, last part, in the message to the Laodicean church, Jesus revealed to us our real problem: “You do not know that you are wretched.” The Bible tells us what makes a person wretched. In Romans 7:24, it says, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Paul recognizes that he is wretched and wants to be delivered from that state. He has sin within that he has never overcome. He is in bondage to it. Read the whole chapter of Romans 7 that describes the problem with Laodicea—you do not know that you are wretched. You think that everything is okay. However, you can never meet the Lord in peace and go to heaven while in a wretched condition.

Ellen White wrote, “The sanctuary question is the foundation of our faith.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 4, 248. We are in the great Day of Atonement. This should be our constant study.

The final atonement removes your sins from you. When the final atonement is over, those who receive of that atonement are no longer forgiven sinners anymore—they are no longer sinners. This final atonement removes sin from every person who is saved. The final atonement is made for the dead first and finally for the living.

The problem today is that God’s professed people are not at all ready to receive the final atonement. Let’s suppose that it is time for the final atonement, but I have a sin in my life that I don’t want to overcome. Will it do any good for Jesus to remove all my sins if I sin again the next day? In order to be ready to receive the final atonement, a person has to have quit sinning. This is described in the Old as well as in the New Testament.

You will want the following Scripture fulfilled in your life. “Behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving [inscription] thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.” Zechariah 3:9 KJV. That is the final atonement. Your sins will be taken away and blotted out. You will no longer be a sinner.

The plan of salvation involves a complete restoration from everything that has been ruined and lost by sin. It will not be complete for you until your sins are removed.

Ellen Write wrote about the fact of our self-deception. Many are being preached into heaven. You cannot live for the devil all of your life and then the last two minutes of your life ask the Lord to save you. That is not how the plan of salvation works. It did not even work that way for the thief on the cross. The thief on the cross was sanctified before he died. Ellen White said, “What is it that constitutes the wretchedness, the nakedness, of those who feel rich and increased with goods? It is the want of the righteousness of Christ. In their own righteousness they are represented as clothed with filthy rags, and yet in this condition they flatter themselves that they are clothed upon with Christ’s righteousness. …” Our High Calling, 349. Could any deception be greater than this?

Do not deceive yourself. In order to be ready for the final atonement, you must be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. God is preparing a people today that will be translated. Those people have to be ready and willing to have all of their sins removed.

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

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

Introduction to the Atonement

by

During the late 1830s and early 1840s there were many hundreds of ministers who united in preaching the first angel’s message of Revelation 14:6 and 7. In fact, some have claimed there might have been as many as 2,000. The message was preached in Great Britain, Europe, and America, as well as other countries and mission stations worldwide. The leading proponent of the doctrine of the imminent second advent in America was a farmer by the name of William Miller, who later received a license from the Baptist church to preach. So great was the interest that was aroused by this teaching that every mission station around the world heard the news. In some countries there was the greatest religious interest that had ever been seen since the reformation in the 16th century.

What They Believed

In Daniel 8:14 it says, “And he said to me, ‘For two thousand and three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.’ ”

William Miller was a keen student of Bible prophecy for some years, and he understood from Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel the fourth chapter that in a symbolic Bible time prophecy, a prophetic day equaled a literal year. With this understanding he began searching for the start of the time period, for once he knew that, he would also know when it ended.

Studying Daniel 8 and 9, he found that Daniel 9 was an explanation by an angel from heaven to Daniel the prophet concerning the vision he had of the 2300 days and that 490 days were cut off from that time period. He searched for the date of when the decree went forward to allow God’s people to restore and build Jerusalem and determined that the decree went out in 457 B.C.

Research by the best Bible scholars and historians have actually verified and established the date that William Miller came up with.

If you know the starting date for the 2300 days, you can determine the time when it would end. However, the initial calculation did not take account of the fact that there was no zero years. In going from 1 B.C. to A.D. 1, you only progress one year; so you need to add a year in any time calculation that spans that period of time. In their initial calculations, they did not take this into account; so it was first thought that the 2300 year prophecy ended in 1843. Later they figured out that it actually ended in 1844.

It was widely believed at that time by Christians of all different faiths that the sanctuary was the earth. If that were the case and the sanctuary was to be cleansed, they assumed that that would mean that at the end of the 2300 days, Christ would come to cleanse the world with fire. Many people were convinced and gave up everything in order to be a part of the reformation movement which was going through all the churches immediately prior to that time.

One of the prominent preachers of the judgment hour message—was a young minister of the Congregational church by the name of Charles Fitch. He designed a figure based on the description in Daniel 2 that could be taken apart, as well as the 1843 chart. He joined the second advent movement twice. He was one of the first ministers to take a public stand on Miller’s side, believing that Miller’s interpretation of Bible prophecy was correct. A short time later when he saw that he would not only have to endure opposition but that he would be deprived of his fashionable church in Boston, he backed away. Not too long after this when he moved to another parish in New Jersey, he had a true conversion experience when he discovered Jesus Christ for himself as his true and personal Saviour. When that happened, he gladly sacrificed his congregation in order to bring the good news about the return of Jesus and His righteousness to many other congregations.

Charles Fitch had six children, four of whom had died. As you can imagine, this gave him a heightened longing for the second coming of Christ. Not long before October 22, 1844 on a chilly day, Charles Fitch baptized three successive groups of converts outdoors. After the first group had been baptized and they were coming out of the water a second group arrived who also wanted to be baptized. Instead of going home to change out of his cold clothes he went back down and baptized them. As the second group were coming out of the water a third group came and down he went again into the cold water so they could be baptized. There were many people being baptized in those days. According to the records I have seen, James White was supposed to have preached and converted about 1000 people in the last six weeks before October 22, 1844. There were many who believed the judgment was at hand and they wanted to be ready for Jesus to come.

Apparently, as a result of the overexposure, shortly afterward, Charles Fitch became ill and on Monday, October 14, 1844, he died. The Millerite paper called The Midnight Cry reported on his death as follows: “His widow and fatherless children are now at Cleveland confidently expecting the coming of our Lord, to gather the scattered members of our family, in a few days. Sister Fitch is smiling and happy.”

They really expected to be reunited in eight days. You can imagine what would have happened on October 21. The two surviving children would be asking their mother, “When are we going to see Daddy again? Will it be tomorrow?” “Yes, dears” the mother would have said. “When Jesus comes back, He will wake up Daddy and your sleeping brothers and sisters and then we will be a whole happy family again forever.” But on Tuesday night, October 22, those two children would be sobbing to their weeping mother and saying, “Why didn’t Daddy come back today?” There were many other families in a similar situation on October 22. There were mothers and fathers who had lost children who were expecting to see, not only Jesus, but to be reunited with their children again. There were people who had lost their parents to consumption, tuberculosis, or some other common disease of those days that were expecting to see Jesus and be united with their families again on that day. But, Jesus did not return on October 22 and that day went down in history as the great disappointment.

One of the advent believers by the name of Hiram Edson wrote about it later. He said: “We confidently expected to see Jesus and all the holy angels with Him. And that His voice would call up Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the ancient worthies, and our near and dear friends which had been torn from us by death. Our expectations were raised high, and thus we looked for our coming Lord until the clock tolled twelve at midnight.” But as the clock chimed the hour, their hearts sank. Nothing could be heard except the doleful rhythm of the clock. They knew then that the day had passed and their disappointment became a certainty. Said Edson: “Our fondest hopes and expectations were blasted and such a spirit of weeping came over us as I never experienced before. We wept and wept till the day dawned.”

Edson had invited others to his house on October 22 to meet the Lord. He said good-bye to the people that refused the invitation, expecting never to see them again. In the wee hours of the morning as they were weeping, Edson began to think about his experience as an Adventist expecting the eminent return of his Lord. He thought of the peace and joy that he had had. He thought of the different people he had won to Christ and he believed that the Lord had been leading them. He then had doubts come into his mind. Was there no heaven? Was there no eternal life? Was there no New Jerusalem? Was everything about the Christian religion just a mirage? A battle raged in his mind.

Around the dawn of the day, some of the people slipped back to their desolate homes. But of those that were left, finally Hiram Edson said, “Let’s go out to the barn.” So they followed him out to the barn and went into an empty granary, closed the door and prayed. He said that they kept praying until they had the assurance that God was going to answer their prayer and He was going to explain to them what had gone wrong. Why hadn’t Jesus come? And when they had the assurance that God was going to answer their prayer and that He was in some way going to explain to them what had happened, they got up, opened the door, went back into the house and ate breakfast.

Shortly after breakfast Hiram Edson said to one of his friends that was with him, “Let’s go and visit some of the people we have won to Christ and some neighbors to encourage them.” The other friend agreed and they went. But they did not go by way of the road because the Millerites, or Adventists, were held in derision on October 23, 1844. They took a shortcut and went through a corn field. Edson said he was about midway across the corn field when, all of a sudden, as he looked up, it seemed to him that the heavens opened before him and that he saw Jesus Christ as his High Priest going into the most holy place of the sanctuary in heaven. His mind was impressed that yesterday, October 22, 1844, was not the day that Jesus would leave the sanctuary and come to this earth, but it was the day when He would go into the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, because He still had a work to do there for His people. Many things went across his mind in just a few seconds. He thought about Revelation 10 and he saw that there was an exact prophecy of the experience of the Adventist people. Meanwhile his companion was walking on across the field and after awhile he noticed that nobody was with him. He had also been absorbed in his own thoughts. He looked back and saw Hiram Edson some distance back, and called to him to ask why he was waiting so long. Hiram Edson answered, “The Lord has just answered our prayer.” That moment has truthfully been spoken of as the birth moment of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, of the second advent movement.

Later, Hiram Edson and a few friends got together and began to diligently search the prophecies again. They found out what the Bible teaches about the sanctuary. They found what the Bible teaches about the investigative judgment, as James White called it. The outgrowth was that the second advent movement was born again and became the Seventh-day Adventist church.

Adventists believe that we have far more light today than did those in 1844. We do have far more spiritual light than they did at that time. Ellen White had not yet received her first vision. However, as I have studied the beginning of the second advent movement, I have become strongly convicted that in some ways we are far behind where they were in our spiritual experience, and if we are ever going to surpass them in our spiritual experience, we are going to have to first reach the level that they had attained.

Ellen White talked about the experience these people had as they were expecting the Lord to come in 1844. She said, “I remember when we were looking for the Saviour to come in 1844, how great was the anxiety of each to know that his own heart was right before God. When we met together, the question would be asked by one and another, ‘Brethren, have you seen anything in me that is not right? I know that we are often blind to our own faults, and if you have seen anything wrong in me, I want you to tell me.’ Sometimes errors would be pointed out, and we would all bow before God and seek forgiveness. If any variance or alienation existed, we felt that we could not separate until all were in harmony. Sometimes brethren who had difficulty would be seen going away together to some secret place to plead with God, and they would return with their hearts knit together in love. The sweet spirit of peace was in our assemblies, and the glory of God was around us. The faces of the believers shone with the light of heaven.” Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, 213.

I was born into a Seventh-day Adventist family. I have attended a Seventh-day Adventist church since babyhood. Unless I was sick in bed, I have always been in a Seventh-day Adventist church somewhere every Sabbath. I have never seen what I just described. I have never seen anything like that in my lifetime. We lost what they had in 1844 and have never recovered it. We are going to have to recover it if we are going to be ready for the Lord to come.

I want to be right with my God. I want to be right with my fellow men. If you see anything in me that is not right, please tell me, I want to know. Ellen White wrote, “If any variance or alienation existed, we felt that we could not separate until all were in harmony.” Ibid.

I have never seen anything like that in Adventism in all of my life. She also said, “… brethren who had difficulty would be seen going away together to some secret place to plead with God, and they would return with their hearts knit together in love.” Ibid. I have never seen this love between the brethren.

We have much more theological information than these pioneers had; we understand many things about theology that they did not understand, but they had something that has been lost that we have never yet recovered. If we had what they had, we would not see Adventist churches and institutions splitting up all over the world.

Here is another statement Ellen White wrote about their experiences:

“With diligent searching of heart and humble confessions we came prayerfully up to the time of expectation. Every morning we felt that it was our first work to secure the evidence that our lives were right before God. Our interest for one another increased; we prayed much with and for one another. We assembled in the orchards and groves to commune with God and to offer up our petitions to Him, feeling more fully in His presence when surrounded by His natural works. The joys of salvation were more necessary to us than our food and drink. If clouds obscured our minds, we dared not rest or sleep till they were swept away by the consciousness of our acceptance with the Lord.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 55.

Ellen White also says in The Great Controversy, 401: “Of all the great religious movements since the days of the apostles, none have been more free from human imperfection and the wiles of Satan than was that of the autumn of 1844. Even now, after the lapse of many years, all who shared in that movement and who have stood firm upon the platform of truth still feel the holy influence of that blessed work and bear witness that it was of God.”

“Like showers of rain upon the thirsty earth, the Spirit of grace descended upon the earnest seekers. Those who expected soon to stand face to face with their Redeemer felt a solemn joy that was unutterable. The softening, subduing power of the Holy Spirit melted the heart as His blessing was bestowed in rich measure upon the faithful, believing ones.” Ibid., 402.

Do you want to be ready for Jesus to come? Are you getting ready for Jesus to come? Notice what Ellen White says about these people. In The Great Controversy, 424, she says, “But the people were not yet ready to meet their Lord. There was still a work of preparation to be accomplished for them.”

Is that work of preparation taking place in your life? Remember, we cannot surpass the experience that they had until we get up to the experience they had. They had an experience of brotherly love. They had an experience in Christian unity and harmony and working together that I have never seen anywhere in Adventism during my lifetime. But it is going to happen again. Notice what it says in The Great Controversy, 464: “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times.”

There is going to be a revival of primitive godliness that will go even beyond what they had in 1844. But we are not up to that yet. There will be a revival of primitive godliness that has not been seen since the time of the apostles. When Jesus returns there is going to be a group of people that are described by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:25–27 KJV: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

The church is going to triumph before Jesus returns. If you and I do not develop the primitive godliness that we just read about in The Great Controversy, 464; if we do not develop the character that is described in Ephesians 5:25–27, we may make any claim we want, such as that we are just part of the church militant, as though that gives us an excuse to maintain our character deficiencies and deformities and think that we are going to be saved some way.

God never gives us instruction that is not needed. He never gives us a warning that we do not need. He never tells us something that is not absolutely the truth. One of the things that we should all be convinced of, if we have studied Bible history and spiritual history since the time when the Bible was written, is that God never tells a lie. God always says exactly the truth.

When Jesus was with His disciples, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me” (John 13:21). When He said that to His disciples, they were in perplexity and they began to look at each other. They began to say, “Lord is it I?” They said that because they had been with Jesus long enough to find out that anything that Jesus said turned out to be exactly the truth.

God will have a church that is spotless and without blemish. The devil says this will never happen and does his best to prevent it. Many people today do not believe it possible and also say, “Well, I am not perfect and you are not perfect and nobody will ever be perfect in this world.” It may appear impossible, but the apostle Paul said that the Lord was going to cleanse His church. Jesus cleansed the temple two times when He was here, once at the beginning of His ministry and once at the close. In the same way, in the final period of earth’s history, the Lord will cleanse His people at the beginning and again at the end. In 1844, the Lord did cleanse His people. This was the first cleansing of the temple, or God’s church in this world. Before October 22, 1844, there were between 50,000 and 100,000 people in the United States alone that said they were expecting the Lord to come. But after the great disappointment there were few who hung on to their faith like Hiram Edson, who turned to the Lord pleading for God to show where they went wrong—to show them the truth.

Just as the church was cleansed once at the beginning of the second advent movement, the church will be cleansed at the end. Are we in that cleansing now? After the church was cleansed in 1844, instead of there being 50,000 to 100,000, there were only a few dozen people left. There is coming a time when God will have a cleansed and purified church that is without spot or wrinkle or any type of blemish (Ephesians 5:27)—the people will be holy. There is no question about that because God said it will happen. The question to ask yourself is, “When God does cleanse and purify His church, will I still be part of it?”

Sometimes I feel like quaking when people claim with great self-confidence, “we are the remnant church.” I do not argue about that statement, but the word remnant refers to what is left at the end and we are not quite there yet. There are many people who are part of the church today who will not endure to the end. Only those who submit to the cleansing and purifying process will be able to stand at the end of the period of the investigative judgment. The course chosen now, day-by-day, enduring daily tests, will determine how we are going to come out in the great crisis that we are all facing.

I would suggest that we take time each day to pray and ask the Lord to reveal those character traits that need to be removed. Ask for the eye salve to be able to see the flaws and wrinkles that need to be straightened out so that we will be ready for Jesus to come.

Pray to experience the brotherly love that the Adventist pioneers had who were part of the Philadelphia church. They had something that we must regain if we are going to be ready for Jesus to come. There will be some who will regain this experience. This question is, “Will I be one of them?”

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

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

The Sanctuary Made Simple – Chapter 7

by Lawrence M. Nelson

The Sanctuary Made Simple bookChapter Seven – Christ The Answer

As we have pointed out in our study, once a year, the earthly sanctuary was to be cleansed. The day on which this event took place was called the Day of Atonement. It was a great and solemn day for the children of Israel. It was particularly holy also, for no one was permitted to do any work on this day. It was the keystone of the sacrificial system. Any man, woman, or child who did not make the needed preparation in afflicting his soul, making sure that his every sin had been taken into the sanctuary and separated from him, was to be cut off from the people of Israel. We read of this in Leviticus 23:29, “For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.” And so the Day of Atonement was a solemn occasion, for everyone had to examine himself to make sure that every sin in his life had been carried within the sanctuary.

In a short review, let us quickly enumerate once more the steps by which sin was separated from the sinner, and carried into the sanctuary. You remember, first the sinner must experience true contrition and repentance, represented by bringing a specified animal for sacrifice to the door of the tabernacle. There, he placed his hands upon its head, and confessed his sin, thus transferring his sin to the lamb. Then, with his own hand, he had to take a knife and slay the victim, for the innocent victim must die for his sins. Next, the priest would bring a bowl and take of the blood from the Iamb, which now in type carried the sin, which he then brought within the sanctuary, and sprinkled it upon the veil. In this way, the man’s sin was forgiven, and transferred into the sanctuary. You can readily see that during the year, with a great number of people, that there was an enormous accumulation of sin within the tabernacle. But once a year, God purposed that these sins would be removed from the sanctuary by a cleansing process. In our last study, we learned that the priest would take the blood of the sin offering, and enter within the most holy, and there sprinkle the blood upon the mercy seat. Thus signifying that the terms of the broken law had been satisfied. Then, symbolically, he would gather the sins and take them out of the sanctuary, and place them all upon the head of the scapegoat, which would be led away from the camp of Israel into the wilderness to die. In this manner, the sanctuary was cleansed on the great Day of Atonement.

We have discovered that the Lord Jesus Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary’s most holy place within the veil in October 1844, to conduct a final atonement process in the heavenly sanctuary since that date. This has been taking place for over 150 years now, and this work, I believe, will soon be finished. Any individual who has not made sure that every sin is confessed and forgiven will be separated forever from God when the final act of atonement is made; for Jesus will stand up and declare, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and He that is filthy, let him be filthy still, and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” Revelation 22:11. Our only hope is in Jesus Christ’s power to enable a sinner to overcome sin. Thus Christ is the only answer to the sin problem.

But, today Satan is spreading abroad a new philosophy which is completely contrary to the sanctuary services and its teaching. He is leading men to think that their sin will be winked at by God, or will not be discovered before Jesus comes. ln Numbers 32:23, we are admonished with words that would be well to ponder, “Behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.”

Some years ago, a traveling newspaper correspondent observed a man carrying an old cane with some peculiar carvings on it. He thought very little of it, until two months later he was in the same vicinity and learned that an elderly man and his wife had been beaten to death. No one seemed to know why the murders had been committed, for the elderly couple had been loved by all. This man and his wife had been beaten to death with some kind of a stick. The correspondent went to the authorities, and gave them a description of the man he had seen with a strange looking cane. Six months later, the police found the man and brought him to justice. The judge was seated, the jury chosen, but the man had an alibi for every indictment. It seemed that the court couldn’t prove a thing against him. The judge was actually beginning to believe that maybe they had the wrong man, and the jury felt likewise. Until, the door of the courtroom opened and the newspaper correspondent walked down the aisle, in his hand he carried the blood-stained cane that he had found in the woods near the victim’s home. When the man who was accused of this brutal slaying saw the cane, his face suddenly turned white, and he began to tremble. Then everyone in the courtroom knew that he was guilty . . . be sure your sin will find you out!

There are many today who think that they can give a reasonable answer as to why they don’t surrender their sins to Jesus, and ask Him to plead their case before God. These individuals are also able to convince their pastors that they are pretty good and they are headed for the kingdom. But, God knows! And there are wives who deceive their husbands, leading them to think that they have been true to their marriage vows; but God knows! And there are some sons and daughters who convince their parents that they are just about perfect; but God knows! Some even have the ability to convince themselves that they are quite religious, and somehow will be saved when Jesus comes; but God knows! The Lord declares, “Shall not God search this out? For he knoweth the secrets of the heart.” Psalm 44:21.

Let’s bring this closer home to us as individuals. Imagine with me that there is a certain young man who has a wife and two children. This young man–we’ll call him Jim–is a good looking fellow; he has an excellent job and is a fine citizen. He pays his taxes, is well thought of in the community, he may even go to church. But, all the time he is under the conviction that he should come to Jesus and confess his sins, so he can be cleansed with His blood. However, Jim never gets around to doing what he knows he ought to do. Why? Well, maybe it is the Sabbath. He knows that the Bible teaches that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord his God. He knows that it’s a part of the divine law and he should keep it. But, there is a problem, maybe it just isn’t convenient to honor God’s day. Maybe he is having a struggle over returning tithe to God. He knows that ten percent of his income belongs to the Lord. Jim has so many blessings, a beautiful wife and two little girls, a car, a lovely home, but he also wants many other things. He feels he just can’t afford to pay tithe; or so he thinks. Maybe he has a problem with some secret bad habit, like smoking, or having an occasional drink with the boys after work. He doesn’t think anybody knows about this, but you see, God knows! Or it could be the love of some pleasure that in his heart he knows is contrary to God, but he just can’t seem to give it up. Perhaps the real issue in his mind is that he has never been baptized. He knows what God’s word says in John 3:5, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” But he has continued to put it off. The issue here is–a young man with sin in his life.

Now, let us suppose that one day something happens that Jim didn’t plan on. He might have been thinking deeply about his work, and without looking, he starts across the street. Suddenly he is hit by a car, and his life is instantly snuffed out! The funeral is held in the church which is filled to capacity with many of his friends. The pastor, thinking that Jim was ready for the kingdom, presents a wonderful eulogy; but what do you think? Can God accept this young man? Can Jim, now dead, do anything to correct his faulty, sinful record left on the books of heaven? What does God say about our condition when we are dead? For “the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they anymore a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. . . . Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10.

The word of God has made it very clear that since Jim is dead he cannot do anything to correct his past mistakes. He’s dead, he’s buried; but is this the end? Oh, no! We read in God’s word that this man must now be judged. In the book of Hebrews 9:27, are these words: “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

Now we have arrived at the crucial issue having to do with the judgment and the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary.

In the autumn of 1844, when Jesus Christ stepped in before the throne of God within the most holy place the judgment proceedings began. There are no words in the Bible that are more striking than those describing this judgment scene. “I beheld till the thrones were cast down (placed) and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:9, 10.

Consider what happened when this great court of God convened in heaven in the year 1844. The first case would be that of Abel, who had been murdered by his brother Cain, for he was the first man to die in this world. Abel was a sinner, for–“all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Yet, he believed in the Savior, and did as God had required. He took a Iamb and confessed his sins over it transferring them to the Iamb, and then with his own hand, he slew the sacrifice. When the books were opened, in which were recorded the sins of Abel, Jesus Christ was standing before God, pleading for Abel. “I have covered his sins with my blood. I want him to live in heaven with us.” God looks at Jesus, and then speaks those wonderful words: “Retain his name in the Book of Life.”

Next case, . . .we don’t know whose name came up next, but eventually Cain died and let us suppose that his name came up next. Was Cain a religious man? You would hardly think so, since the Bible says he murdered his brother. But, look a little closer. You will find that indeed he was quite a religious man. Cain thought himself righteous and came to God with a thank offering. Only he made no confession of sin. Instead of bringing a lamb for a sacrifice for his sins, he decided that he would go out to his garden and dig up some vegetables for his sacrifice. He built an altar, and placed the fruit of his labor upon the altar as an offering. Then he knelt down and prayed, asking God to accept his offering. But, God would not accept this substitute for sin. No one can ever earn salvation by his self righteousness. Remember the words of Hebrews 9:22, “Without the shedding of blood is no remission.” Cain presumed upon God’s mercy and grace. He did not bring a sacrificial lamb, representing Christ. And God will never accept a counterfeit. Since God would not accept his counterfeit sacrifice Cain became so angry that he killed his brother, Abel. All this is recorded in the books of heaven. As the books were opened and the record was revealed, could Jesus stand up as Cain’s advocate? As far as we know, He could not. There is nothing in the Bible to indicate that Cain ever accepted Jesus. He did not obey the requirements of Christ as outlined in the sacrificial system of the sanctuary. Can you imagine the sorrow of Jesus as God says, “Put Cain’s name in the book of death.”

And so, the judgment goes on for all people who ever lived on this earth. Everyone is judged according to the records in the books of heaven. Each individual is accepted or rejected as determined by the answer to one question: Has the blood of Christ covered his/her sins?

Now let’s go back to the funeral of this young man, Jim, who was killed by an automobile. A person may live a fairly good life, but not obey God in his daily living. What happens to him in the judgment? Did Christ do everything for Jim that he might be saved? Watch Jesus as He points to the nail prints in His hands, and to the wound in His side, and then says, ‘Father, I gave my life for that young man. Father, I died on Calvary, what more could I have done for him? But, he would not obey; he would not accept my sacrifice as provided. Therefore, I cannot cover his sins with my blood.” Slowly, but surely God says, “Put his name in the book of death.”

Am I making this too real? The sanctuary services are simple to understand. Friend, this is exactly what is going on in the heavenly sanctuary today. The cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven is real!

“Soon, none know how soon, the judgment will pass to the living.” Great Controversy, 1888 Edition, pg. 490.

lt makes us think seriously, doesn’t it? Are we ready for our names to come up before God?

There is more to the story of Jim’s experience even though his name was blotted out of the book of life. This is not the end for Jim as we shall see.

When Jesus comes the second time a resurrection will take place. “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” I Thessalonians 4:16, 17. In this first resurrection, when Jesus returns to this earth, Jim will not come forth from his grave. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will be raised in the first resurrection.

Now, what about Jim’s family? Let’s say that as time went on, his wife and daughters lived faithfully; keeping the commandments of God, making sure every sin was confessed and covered by the blood of Jesus until the day they, too, went into the grave. When Jesus comes in the clouds with ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands of angels, He looks upon the graves of His sleeping saints and calls for the righteous to come forth. This mother and daughters will come out of their graves clothed in immortality. No doubt, Jim’s wife will look around for her husband, and the girls will be looking for dad. When they see that his grave beside theirs has not been opened, tears fill their eyes, but God says that He shall wipe away all tears. Then with overwhelming joy they are lifted up by the angels to meet the Lord in the air and taken to heaven where they will spend the next one thousand years. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6.

But, what about Jim–where is he–what will happen to him? Regarding the second resurrection, Revelation 20:5 says, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” At the end of the thousand years, Jesus is going to come back to this earth the third time with all His living saints, and He will also bring with him that great city, the New Jerusalem. As Jesus descends to the earth, the second resurrection of the dead takes place. It is the resurrection of the wicked. The Bible speaks of them as the sands of the seashore, or humanly speaking, they are without number! These still have the same spirit of rebellion and resistance to God’s requirements as they had while living on the earth.

Picture with me, Jim, as he comes forth in this final resurrection. He looks around, and sees the city of God, the New Jerusalem. He is troubled, and says, “That’s strange, this isn’t like what I used to read in my Bible.” and then, he sees the wicked of all ages milling around, what a sight! Something is wrong. Then he remembers that he did not obey God, and follow Christ in the way of salvation as taught in the sanctuary service. He did not repent and confess his sins. He did not transfer his sins to Jesus and accept His death for his sins. He did not allow Christ to take his sins into the sanctuary, and separate those sins from his sinful heart.

Therefore, Christ was unable to be his advocate before God. Christ would have gladly covered his sins with His blood and blotted them out. So the scripture is finally fulfilled, “Be sure your sins will find you out,” as fire comes down from God out of heaven, and devours Jim with his unforgiven sins.

But this need never happen to you or me–not when Christ has provided such a wonderful way of escape. Remember, there is no one in this world who has gone too far in the depths of sin but Jesus can forgive and save. Isaiah tell us, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18. There is hope for every one of us. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25.

Yes! Jesus is the answer. He alone can save us. In His righteousness He can present your case before the Father, and He can pronounce you as one who has never sinned. This may sound too good to be real, but it is true. Do not hesitate–come boldly to Jesus. The Savior will make an atonement for you and be your personal Advocate. Remember, Christ is the answer to all your sins and to all your needs.

End

The Sanctuary Made Simple – Chapter 5

by Lawrence M. Nelson

The Sanctuary Made Simple bookChapter Five – Christ The Atonement

Let us mention again that one of the most fundamental factors of the Christian life is conversion. Every professed Christian needs to experience the peace of mind that conversion brings. This is indeed the longing of the heart. Repentance and conversion is urged by Peter as a prerequisite to the blotting out of sins. The blotting out of sins is another very important factor in the plan of salvation.

The basis of this study is found in Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out”–when? “When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” We realize that man can never be fully satisfied and have unquestioned peace of mind until he knows that every known sin has been confessed, forsaken, and forgiven. Then he can look forward to that day when the record of his sins will be permanently blotted out by the finger of God. When is that time? “When the times of refreshing shall come.”

This time has been defined by inspiration as the time of the judgment, the latter rain, and the sealing. The refreshing is poured out from the sanctuary above. This is why we must carefully study what takes place within the sanctuary, concerning the sins which have been brought in by virtue of Christ’s blood and His work of substitution. Hebrews 9:6, 7 tells us, “Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always in to the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people.”

Who ministered in the first apartment? The priest. How often? Every day. Who went into the most holy place? Only the High Priest. How often? Only once a year. And what did he take with him? He took blood–the atoning blood. You see, the path into the sanctuary is a blood-stained path, and inside there is more blood–on the horns of the brazen altar, on the golden altar, and there is blood on the Mercy Seat. The blood always represents the sacrifice of Christ. This is beautifully brought out in The Great Controversy, page 416,

“His (Christ’s) intercession is that of a pierced side, the marred feet plead for fallen man, whose redemption was purchased at such infinite cost. The earthly sanctuary had to be purified, or cleansed by the blood of animals. But what about the heavenly sanctuary? The book of Hebrews states that the heavenly things must be purified with a “better sacrifice”. This refers, of course, to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the shedding of His blood. Again in The Great Controversy, pages 417, 418

“The cleansing, both in the typical and in real service, must be accomplished with blood: In the former, with the blood of animals; in the later, with the blood of Christ. Paul states, as the reason why this cleansing must be performed with blood, is that without shedding of blood is no remission.

What is remission? Ellen White continues,

“Remission, or putting away of sin, is the work to be accomplished.”

We read in Hebrews 9:23, 24, “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us.

Those last, beautiful words–to appear in the presence of God for us–are wonderful. This Scripture is telling us that Jesus was not just loaned to us for a few years some two thousand years ago. Jesus was given to us as a gift–even forever! When He returned to heaven, He did so as our elder brother, to personally represent us to His Father. As Christ entered heaven, He carried the sins of the world by the virtue of His blood into the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary.

For 1,810 years the Lord represented His people there in the first apartment, as the typical priest in the sanctuary of old went into the sanctuary every day. But now note a change. Once a year the high priest went into the second apartment. Just so, Christ entered into the second apartment once in the year 1844. Now I hope you are following carefully. I’m asking a question–how often did the high priest go into the second apartment? Only once a year. Will Jesus Christ do this every year? No, absolutely not! Why not? Because He does this only once, in the times of the end. And He will continue to minister in this apartment until His work is completed. Notice the words in Hebrews 9:26, “But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” You know that expression, “the end of the world”, refers to the very last days before Christ comes a second time. And so the question–what is His purpose in entering the most holy apartment at the time of the end? The Scriptures says, “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” Now that’s a very strong term, to put away. This term is used in the Bible to describe a man who divorces his wife. Such a man is said “to put away” his wife. So you see, Jesus is in the business of divorcing sin from His people in this end-time; in fact, there is no other solution for this troubled world. No peace conferences will ever permanently succeed, and no new world order of the United Nations will be able to get rid of the sin problem. This problem will ever remain until it is finally solved in the sanctuary by the eradication of the sin that is now taking place in the end time.

Since 1844, what has been happening in the second apartment within the heavenly sanctuary? Our great High Priest has been performing the work of the investigative judgment, making an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.

In the Great Controversy, page 422, we read:

“At the termination of the 2300 days in 1844, Christ then entered the most holy place to perform the closing work of atonement preparatory to His coming.

“This is the service which began when the 2300 days ended. At that time, as foretold by Daniel the prophet, our High Priest entered the most holy, to perform the last division of His solemn work-to cleanse the sanctuary.” (ibid.) page 421).

Also in Testimonies, Vol. 5, page 520, are these challenging words,

“The sacred work of Christ for the people of God that is going on at the present time in the heavenly sanctuary should be our constant study.”

From these references we can see there was a big difference between what went on in the two apartments. In the first apartment the sins of the penitent were transferred into the sanctuary by the substitute. But in the second apartment, the blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat, in order to erase or blot out the sin. This is what took place during the annual Day of Atonement. Turn to Leviticus 16:5. There we will discover what the ancient priest did in the most holy place on this Day of Atonement. ‘And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering” Now notice, two goats were brought to the priest, and lots were cast to see which one would represent the Lord’s goat, and which one would represent the scapegoat. “And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.” Leviticus 16:8, 9.

You will notice that the Lord’s goat was killed for a sin offering, and verse fifteen tells us what was done with the blood of that offering. It says, “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil”, you will see he is carrying it into the most holy place. And what is the priest to do with it? “And sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat”. So, the blood of the Lord’s goat was taken into the sanctuary, into the most holy, and sprinkled upon the mercy seat in the second apartment. This now provided full and final atonement. But that’s not all that happened. Verses twenty and twenty-one, ‘And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness.

I like the way Ellen White writes about this in the book, Patriarchs and Prophets, page 356,

“On the Day of Atonement, the high priest, having taken an offering for the congregation, went into the most holy place with the blood and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat, above the tables of the law. Thus the claims of the law, which demanded the life of the sinner, were satisfied. Then, in his character of mediator, the priest took the sins upon himself and, leaving the sanctuary, he bore with him the burden of Israel’s guilt. At the door of the tabernacle, he laid his hands upon the head of the scapegoat . . . And as the goat bearing these sins was sent away, they were with him, regarded as forever separated from the people. Such was the service performed “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” Hebrews 8:5.

The scapegoat represents Satan, so, in the final act taking place on the Day of Atonement, the scapegoat, or Satan, is led into the desert–led there to die.

After the 1,000 years, in the fires of the second death, Satan will receive punishment. He will suffer not only for his own sins, but also for the sins of all the redeemed saints that were placed upon his head in the closing act of the final atonement. We are told that he will suffer longer than any other created being.

May I picture this for you? We are watching a man, leading a scapegoat away from the sanctuary. Why is he leading him away? Because the scapegoat has upon it the confessed and forsaken sins of God’s people. Who placed them on the scapegoat? The high priest. Where did the priest get these sins? It is interesting to note that he carried a portion of the sins in his own body; because, according to the instructions, sometimes he was to eat part of the burnt sacrificial offering. The other sins he carried from the holy place of the sanctuary. Do you remember how the sins came to be in there? Yes, they were put there by means of the blood that was carried into the sanctuary by the priest. These were the sins that the sinner had confessed over the head of the substitute. Thus, transferring his sins to the substitute, and the lamb or animal was slain by the sinner. So now we can see that there are two steps that must be taken in separating sin from the sinner. First, the sin must be transferred from the sinner into the first apartment of the sanctuary, and in the second step there is a work to be done in getting those sins out of the sanctuary.

Here is a very simple illustration of the separation process. Every city has a laundry and on Monday, you will usually find people bringing their dirty clothes to the laundry. For what purpose? To get their clothes cleaned. This is what a laundry is for, isn’t that right? The clothes go in soiled, and they come out clean. Paul uses this same figure of speech in Ephesians 5, beginning with verse twenty-five. He says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Why? That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should he holy and without blemish.”

The sanctuary furnishes us a complete laundry service for the church, enabling the people of God to be cleansed so they can welcome the return of the Lord without fear. The church members are to be waiting for His return–fully washed and clean. But God can only wash and cleanse us from the sins that we have turned over to Him. It must be our first business to be sure that our sin-soiled garments get into the hands of our great High Priest to be cleansed in the sanctuary, so that they are not left in our mind’s dirty laundry hamper.

How do we give our sin-soiled garments to Christ to be cleansed? Verily, it is by repenting, giving up our sins, and by asking our merciful High Priest to take them all away. We must go in faith to Calvary and behold Jesus, shedding His blood for us. Then, by faith, we must follow our resurrected Savior as He transfers our sins through the efficacy of His blood to the heavenly sanctuary. Yet, there is more! On the final Day of Atonement, Christ will, as He “sprinkles” His blood on the mercy seat, blot out every trace of even the record of our sins! In this last act He will carry them from the sanctuary, and place them upon the scapegoat–Satan.

Here comes a big question. Why is it that when we confess our sins, they are not blotted out immediately? Let me picture it in this way: Pretend I am holding a chalkboard, and on this chalkboard I write the word SIN. Can you see it in your mind? This word represents the sin of a man who has come to the Lord Jesus to be forgiven. What does Jesus Christ do? The Lord wants the man never to see the sin again, so He takes the sin into the sanctuary and sprinkles His blood over it. If you could look into the record of heaven now, you would find that this sin is indeed covered with the precious blood of Jesus. The man is forgiven, and is pardoned. To illustrate this, suppose I take a handkerchief and hold it over the word SIN. Now you can’t see the word. Why? Because it is covered with the handkerchief, SIN is still there. So, there is something further that must be done; the word SIN must be erased or blotted out. Now imagine that I take the same handkerchief and erase SIN from the blackboard. You can’t see it anymore. In Psalm 32:1 notice two words which have a distinct connection, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Friend, when our sins are forgiven, they are covered. But, remember Acts 3:19, 20, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out”, When? “when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.” This tells us that before Jesus comes again, He is going to “blot out” the sins that have been covered–provided, of course, that you and I have met the conditions.

The experience of Jacob illustrates for us the necessity of meeting the conditions of salvation. Patriarchs and Prophets, page 202,

“Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, God could not have heard his prayer and mercifully preserved his life.”

The next words are for us:

“So, in the time of trouble, lf the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance. But while they have a deep sense of’ their unworthiness, they will have no concealed wrongs to reveal. (Why?) Their sins will have been blotted out by the atoning blood of Christ, and they cannot bring them into remembrance.”

This makes me feel like shouting–Praise God!

We need to be aware of the enemy’s tactics,

“Satan leads many to believe that God will overlook their unfaithfulness in the minor affairs of life; but the Lord shows in His dealing with Jacob that He can in no wise sanction or tolerate evil. All who endeavor to excuse or conceal their sins, and permit them to remain on the books of heaven, unconfessed and unforgiven, will be overcome by Satan.” (Ibid)

Again we ask why are sins not blotted out immediately when confessed? Again, I must illustrate.

Some years ago, the Adventist message came to the hearts of a father and mother. Being impressed by the Holy Spirit that it was the truth, they accepted the message. But this father had been a heavy user of tobacco. He had chewed tobacco since he was a little boy; in fact, when he was only nine years old, he used to take it out of his daddy’s pocket; so the habit had a powerful hold upon him. However, when he accepted the gospel, he put away his tobacco. But, again and again, the pull of that old habit would come upon him. His wife used to tell how he would take the plug of tobacco out of his pocket and throw it into the cornfield–just as far as he could–and with renewed determination, start the day aright. Nevertheless, sometimes right after dinner, his wife would look out of the window and see him in the cornfield, walking up and down the rows. Now what do you think he was looking for? You guessed it; he was looking for that plug of tobacco. But thank God, the day finally came when he threw the tobacco away forever, and for the next sixty years the man had complete victory over that habit, Thank God, dear friend–there is power in the blood of the Lamb.

That reminds me of one of those old hymns we used to sing–I’m glad it has reappeared in our Church Hymnal–“Would you be free from your burden of sin? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood; Would you o’er evil a victory win? There’s wonderful power in the blood.” You see, God didn’t hide that plug of tobacco, although He could have done it. No–the man had to make his own decision and gain the victory through the power of God.

We can see from the references we have read, that God does not blot out our sins forever–the moment we ask forgiveness; for He knows the struggles of man, and the power of sin. He respects your power of choice, which means that if sometime later on you might want the sin back, God will not interfere. This is explained in, Patriarchs amid Prophets, page 357,

“The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement; so in the type the blood of’ the sin offering removed the sin from the penitent, but it rested in the sanctuary until the Day of Atonement. In the great day of final award, the dead are to be “judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their work. Revelation 20:12. Then by virtue of the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, the sins of all the truly penitent will be blotted from the books of heaven. Thus the sanctuary will be freed or cleansed from the records of sin.”

Don’t you just want to praise God for what is happening in heaven’s sanctuary today and for the time of final atonement?

Not long ago a mother came to a minister with tears in her eyes, asking him to pray for her son. Between her broken sobs, she told of how her boy had lived a life of sin, and eventually, was put in the penitentiary as a criminal. Let me ask you, whom do you think suffered the most, the boy in the prison cell, or the mother, alone in her home? In her heartbreak, she cried out to the minister, “Oh pastor, pray for my boy.” She couldn’t think about anything else, her boy was all that she was living for.

I must tell you that Jesus Christ is now in the heavenly sanctuary for the purpose of taking sin out of your life. Why? Because He bore our sins in His body on the cross, and continues to bear our sins until the completion of the final atonement when He places them upon Satan. It is thus that Christ will continue to experience pain until our sins are eradicated, forever separated from us for an eternity. When we really comprehend how the Lord suffers for our sins, surely, we will want to do something about it. Was there a way to heal that mother’s hurt as she wept for her son who was in the penitentiary? Of course, there is a way.. Suppose her son would sit down in his cell and write a letter to his mother and say, “I’ve seen the terrible things that I have done; I have not only broken the law, but I have broken your heart. I have asked God to forgive me, and now my dear mother, I am asking you to forgive me. By the grace of God, I am going to walk straight from now on.” What do you suppose would happen to that mother? Would the pain in the heart stop? You better believe it would. Her tears of sorrow would be changed to tears of boundless joy.

Listen friend, it is written that there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. Just now, as you behold your great High Priest standing at the mercy seat in the sanctuary above, holding up His wounded hands before the Father pleading for you; remember, there is pain deep in His heart because of your sins; but by accepting Jesus as your personal Savior, you may bring joy to your Lord. He will not only cover your sins, but in these last hours just before probation closes, He will blot them all out. It is only through Christ that the bands of sin can be broken. It is only through Christ’s work in the sanctuary above, with our cooperation, that sin can be separated from the sinner for an eternity.

Chapter 6 ⇒