Reproduction

Reproduction has been part of God’s plan from the beginning (Genesis 1:28; 9:1).

Jesus said to His disciples, “ ‘By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit. … I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.’ ” John 15:8, 16

Jesus speaks here of the spiritual reproduction of the divine character in other human beings. When I am connected with Christ, then His life will flow through me to those around me, and His character will then be reproduced in others. It is the privilege of every Christian to be a coworker with Jesus in this work. (See John 15.)

“Tell the people of Him who is ‘the Chiefest among ten thousand,’ and the One ‘altogether lovely.’ The Song of Solomon 5:10, 16. Words alone cannot tell it. Let it be reflected in the character and manifested in the life. Christ is sitting for His portrait in every disciple. Everyone God has predestinated to be ‘conformed to the image of His Son.’ Romans 8:29. In everyone, Christ’s long-suffering love, His holiness, meekness, mercy, and truth are to be manifested to the world. …

“The Saviour longs to manifest His grace and stamp His character on the whole world. It is His purchased possession, and He desires to make men free, and pure, and holy. Though Satan works to hinder this purpose, yet through the blood shed for the world there are triumphs to be achieved that will bring glory to God and the Lamb. Christ will not be satisfied till the victory is complete, and ‘He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.’ Isaiah 53:11. All the nations of the earth shall hear the gospel of His grace. Not all will receive His grace; but ‘a seed shall serve Him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.’ Psalm 22:30.” The Desire of Ages, 826–828

“Christ is seeking to reproduce Himself in the hearts of men; and He does this through those who believe in Him. The object of the Christian life is fruit bearing—the reproduction of Christ’s character in the believer, that it may be reproduced in others.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 67

Bible Study – God’s Character Revealed Through Jesus

January 2 – 8, 2022

Key Text

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son.” Hebrews 1:1, 2,
first part

Study Help: Steps to Christ, 85–91; That I May Know Him, 288, 289

Introduction

“Christ came to the world to reveal the character of the Father, and to redeem the fallen race.” The Review and Herald, January 7, 1890

Sunday

1 THE LAW OF GOD

1.a. What is revealed about God’s character as represented in His moral law? Psalm 119:142; Romans 7:12

 Note: “Christ came to this world to live the law and represent the character of God, that the delusions which Satan had brought upon the world might be dispelled.” The Signs of the Times, February 24, 1898.

1.b. What was Jesus’ attitude in regard to the ten commandments? Isaiah 42:21; John 15:10; Psalm 40:8

Note: “The claim that Christ by His death abolished His Father’s law is without foundation. Had it been possible for the law to be changed or set aside, then Christ need not have died to save man from the penalty of sin.” The Great Controversy, 466

“Though Christ did away with their multitudinous exactions, He explicitly declared that not one jot or tittle of the law should ever fail. He had come to exalt the law, to magnify the law and make it honorable.” The Review and Herald, April 30, 1895

Monday

2 GOD WITH US

2.a. Who was Christ before His incarnation and what was His position? John 1:1–4; Philippians 2:6

 Note: “Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God. … In speaking of His pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. …

“Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore. The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by Him as His right.” The Faith I Live By, 46

“There are light and glory in the truth that Christ was one with the Father before the foundation of the world was laid. This is the light shining in a dark place, making it resplendent with divine, original glory.” The Review and Herald, April 5, 1906

2.b. What constituted a miraculous sign about the incarnation of Jesus? Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:34, 35

 Note: “The more we think about Christ’s becoming a babe here on earth, the more wonderful it appears. How can it be that the helpless babe in Bethlehem’s manger is still the divine Son of God? Though we cannot understand it, we can believe that He who made the worlds, for our sakes became a helpless babe. Though higher than any of the angels, though as great as the Father on the throne of heaven, He became one with us. In Him God and man became one, and it is in this fact that we find the hope of our fallen race. Looking upon Christ in the flesh, we look upon God in humanity, and see in Him the brightness of divine glory, the express image of God the Father.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 128

“He [Jesus Christ] was ‘the image of God,’ the image of His greatness and majesty, ‘the outshining of His glory.’ It was to manifest this glory that He came to our world. To this sin-darkened earth He came to reveal the light of God’s love—to be ‘God with us.’ Therefore it was prophesied of Him, ‘His name shall be called Immanuel.’ ” The Desire of Ages, 19

Tuesday

3 SPEAKING THROUGH PROPHETS AND APOSTLES

3.a. Who spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai and gave him the ten commandments written on two tables of stone? Acts 7:38; 1 Corinthians 10:4

 Note: “It was Christ who spoke the law from Sinai. It was Christ who gave the law to Moses, engraven on tables of stone.” The Review and Herald, September 27, 1881

“Christ was not only the leader of the Hebrews in the wilderness—the Angel in whom was the name of Jehovah, and who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, went before the host—but it was He who gave the law to Israel. Amid the awful glory of Sinai, Christ declared in the hearing of all the people the ten precepts of His Father’s law. … It was Christ that spoke to His people through the prophets.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 366

“Through patriarchs and prophets He [Christ] revealed His truth to His people. Christ was the teacher of His ancient people as verily as He was when He came to the world clothed in the garments of humanity. Hiding His glory in human form, He often appeared to His people and talked with them ‘face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.’ He, their invisible leader, was enshrouded in the pillar of fire and of cloud, and spoke to His people through Moses.” Lift Him Up, 314

3.b. When Jesus was on earth, what did He affirm about His real identity? John 8:58; 13:13

Note: “The teaching of Christ in the gospel is in perfect harmony with the teaching of Christ through the prophets in the Old Testament. The prophets spoke through the messengers of Christ in the Old Testament as much as the apostles voiced His messages in the New Testament, and there is no contradiction between their teachings.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 345

“It was by His word that Jesus healed disease and cast out demons; by His word He stilled the sea, and raised the dead; and the people bore witness that His word was with power. He spoke the word of God, as He had spoken through all the prophets and teachers of the Old Testament. The whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ, and the Saviour desired to fix the faith of His followers on the word.” The Desire of Ages, 390

Wednesday

4 CALLED TO BE WITNESSES

4.a. Just before His ascension, what did Jesus request from the disciples? Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4. What must we realize about the Holy Spirit?

Note: “A determined, vigilant leader was in command of the agencies of evil, and the followers of Christ could resist and overcome the powers of darkness only through the help that God could give them. But through the power of the Holy Spirit they [the disciples] were to be successful witnesses of Christ to the uttermost parts of the earth. Beginning at Jerusalem, they were to widen the scene of their operations until all nations should hear the sound of the gospel.” The Review and Herald, November 6, 1894

“Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His church, and the promise belongs to us as much as to the first disciples. But like every other promise, it is given on conditions. There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord’s promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit. They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies. We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us.” The Desire of Ages, 672 [Author’s italics.]

4.b. What is involved in the gospel commission and how far does it extend? Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8

Note: “The Saviour’s commission to the disciples included all the believers. It includes all believers in Christ to the end of time. It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister. … All who receive the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men. For this work the church was established, and all who take upon themselves its sacred vows are thereby pledged to be coworkers with Christ.” The Desire of Ages, 822

“Christ urges again and again upon His disciples the obligation to make known the gospel to the world. When within one step of the throne of God, He opened their understanding that they might know the Scriptures, repeating again the old commandment to go forth and preach the message of salvation.” The Review and Herald, November 6, 1894

Thursday

5 THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

5.a. According to the promise of Jesus, what event took place ten days after His ascension, and what was the result? Acts 2:1–4, 16–18, 41

 Note: “That the disciples of Christ might be prepared for the great work which they were to do, Jesus had instructed them to tarry in Jerusalem until they should be endowed with power from on high. On the day of Pentecost, as they were assembled together, and with one accord were seeking for the fulfillment of His promise, the Spirit of God descended, and the hearts of those who believed were filled with the Holy Ghost. The most signal evidence of the power of God was manifested, and thousands were converted in a day.” The Signs of the Times, June 9, 1890

5.b. In these last days of earth’s history, what promise is given us, and what will be its result? Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 3:19

Note: “As the ‘former rain’ was given, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the opening of the gospel, to cause the upspringing of the precious seed, so the ‘latter rain’ will be given at its close for the ripening of the harvest. … The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close.” The Great Controversy, 611, 612

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    What relationship exists between Christ and the law?

2    What miracle can we not now fully understand?

3    How does Christ communicate with His people?

4    What is our great duty as Christians?

5    What will help us in the fulfillment of our commission?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Editorial – Laboring to Give Birth

“Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale” (Jeremiah 30:6)?

“Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. … She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne” (Revelation 12:2, 5).

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).

“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel… .  To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:21-23, 27, 28).

All four of these diverse passages of scripture are talking about the same subject. Before anyone can be taken out of this world to live forever in heaven, all their sins must be forgiven and blotted out. And by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, a new heart and life must also be created within, their character a reflection of the character of Jesus Christ. Have you been born again?

“The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. As the Son of man was perfect in His life, so His followers are to be perfect in their life. … He bids us by faith in Him attain to the glory of the character of God.” The Faith I Live By, 44.

“A well-balanced character is formed by single acts well performed. One defect, cultivated instead of being overcome, makes the man imperfect, and closes against him the gate of the Holy City. … In all the redeemed host not one defect will be seen.” The Youth’s Instructor, January 17, 1901.

Bible Study – Developing a Christlike Character

Let This Mind Be in You

May 30 – June 5, 2021

Key Text

“Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

Study Help: Maranatha, 229; Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 641–651.

Introduction

“As through Jesus we enter into rest, heaven begins here.” The Desire of Ages, 331.

Sunday

1 PROPER AND IMPROPER USE OF THE IMAGINATION

1.a. Where did Jesus gather examples to illustrate truth? Matthew 13:9–13, 16.

Note: “Through the imagination He [Christ] reached the heart. His illustrations were taken from the things of daily life, and although they were simple, they had in them a wonderful depth of meaning. The birds of the air, the lilies of the field, the seed, the shepherd and the sheep—with these objects Christ illustrated immortal truth; and ever afterward, when His hearers chanced to see these things of nature, they recalled His words. Christ’s illustrations constantly repeated His lessons.” The Desire of Ages, 254.

1.b. How does Paul counsel us to use our imagination? Philippians 4:8.

 Note: “Christ withheld no truths essential to our salvation. Those things that are revealed are for us and our children, but we are not to allow our imagination to frame doctrines concerning things not revealed.” Medical Ministry, 100.

“Through Christ you may and should be happy and should acquire habits of self-control. Even your thoughts must be brought into subjection to the will of God and your feelings under the control of reason and religion. Your imagination was not given you to be allowed to run riot and have its own way without any effort at restraint or discipline. If the thoughts are wrong the feelings will be wrong, and the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character. When you decide that as Christians you are not required to restrain your thoughts and feelings you are brought under the influence of evil angels and invite their presence and their control. If you yield to your impressions and allow your thoughts to run in a channel of suspicion, doubt, and repining, you will be among the most unhappy of mortals, and your lives will prove a failure.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 310.

1.c. How did the wrong use of the imagination prepare the world to be destroyed in Noah’s day? Genesis 6:5.

Monday

2 HABITS

2.a. What is the natural, moral tendency of human nature? Jeremiah 13:23; Romans 7:14–24.

Note: “One neglect, often repeated, forms habit. One wrong act prepares the way for another. That act, repeated, forms habit. Bad habits are more easily formed than good ones, and are given up with more difficulty. It takes far less time and pains to spoil the disposition of a child than it does to imprint upon the tablets of the soul principles and habits of righteousness. It is only by constantly watching and counterworking the wrong that we can hope to make the disposition right. The Lord will be with you, mothers, as you try to form right habits in your children. But you must begin the training process early, or your future work will be very difficult.” The Review and Herald, December 5, 1899.

 2.b. What is essential in the formation of correct habits? Matthew 7:24, 25.

Note: “The word of God abounds in general principles for the formation of correct habits of living, and the testimonies, general and personal, have been calculated to call their attention more especially to these principles.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 323.

“Once formed, habit is like an iron net. You may struggle desperately against it, but it will not break. Your only safe course is to build for time and for eternity.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 596.

Tuesday

3 RELATING TO OTHERS

3.a. What is our moral obligation to our fellow men? Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:8; Matthew 24:12; 2 Timothy 3:1–5.

Note: “The reason there are so many hardhearted men and women in our world is that true affection has been regarded as weakness and has been discouraged and repressed. The better part of the nature of persons of this class was perverted and dwarfed in childhood, and unless rays of divine light can melt away their coldness and hardhearted selfishness, the happiness of such is buried forever. If we would have tender hearts, such as Jesus had when He was upon the earth, and sanctified sympathy, such as the angels have for sinful mortals, we must cultivate the sympathies of childhood, which are simplicity itself.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 539.

3.b.      What does Bible prophecy predict about social problems in the last days in regard to human relations? Matthew 24:12; 2 Timothy 3:1–8.

Note: “In our association with one another we are to remember that all have not the same talents or the same disposition. The workers differ in plans and ideas. Varied gifts, combined, are necessary for the success of the work. Let us remember that some can fill certain positions more successfully than others. The worker who has been given tact and ability that fit him for the accomplishment of some special line of work should not blame others for not being able to do that which he, perhaps, can do readily. Are there not things that his fellow workers can do far more successfully than he?” Evangelism, 103.

Wednesday

4 KEEPING ETERNITY IN VIEW

4.a.       What character quality destroys peace? Isaiah 48:22 (cf. Isaiah 57:21).

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

4.b. How does the company we keep affect our character? Proverbs 13:20; 28:7; 29:3, 24.

Note: “It has been truly said, ‘Show me your company, and I will show you your character.’ The youth fail to realize how sensibly both their character and their reputation are affected by their choice of associates. One seeks the company of those whose tastes and habits and practices are congenial. He who prefers the society of the ignorant and vicious to that of the wise and good shows that his own character is defective. His tastes and habits may at first be altogether dissimilar to the tastes and habits of those whose company he seeks; but as he mingles with this class, his thoughts and feelings change; he sacrifices right principles and insensibly yet unavoidably sinks to the level of his companions. As a stream always partakes of the property of the soil through which it runs, so the principles and habits of youth invariably become tinctured with the character of the company in which they mingle.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 221.

“God wants us to help one another by a manifestation of sympathy and unselfish love. There are those who have inherited peculiar tempers and dispositions. They may be hard to deal with; but are we faultless? They are not to be discouraged. Their errors are not to be made common property. Christ pities and helps those who err in judgment. He has suffered death for every man, and because of this He has a touching and profound interest in every man.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 222.

Thursday

5 HAPPINESS

5.a. How does Ezekiel describe the new birth or conversion experience? Ezekiel 36:26, 27. What practice brings happiness to man? Matthew 7:12.

Note: “[Matthew 7:12 quoted.] The Saviour taught this principle to make mankind happy, not unhappy; for in no other way can happiness come. God desires men and women to live the higher life. He gives them the boon of life, not to enable them merely to gain wealth, but to improve their higher powers by doing the work He has entrusted to mankind—the work of searching out and relieving the necessities of their fellowmen. Man should work not for his own selfish interest but for the interest of every one about him, blessing others by his influence and kindly deeds. This purpose of God is exemplified in Christ’s life.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 645.

5.b.      What protection and watchcare has Jesus promised to His followers? Proverbs 18:24; John 14:18; Revelation 7:15–17, last part; Hebrews 13:5, last part.

Note: “This is Jesus, the life of every grace, the life of every promise, the life of every ordinance, the life of every blessing. Jesus is the substance, the glory and fragrance, the very life itself. [John 8:12 quoted.] Then the royal path cast up [for] the ransomed to walk in is not discouraging darkness. Our pilgrimage would indeed be lonely and painful were it not for Jesus. … Then let us gather every registered promise. Let us repeat them by day and meditate upon them in the night season, and be happy.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 244.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    How can a person’s imagination be brought under proper control?

2    How is Godly character formed or developed?

3    How does a person’s social life affect his character?

4    What do you think will happen to people who are difficult to get along with when Jesus comes?

5    What are the secrets of true happiness?

Copyright 1995 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study Guides – Developing the Mind

Let This Mind Be in You

April 25 – May 1, 2021

Key Text

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Study Help: Education, 13–19; Our High Calling, 119.

Introduction

“To deal with minds is the nicest work in which men ever engaged.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 269.

Sunday

1 ADVANCEMENT ONLY THROUGH CONFLICT AND FINDING PEACE

1.a. What is the “science of Christianity?” Joel 2:1, first part.

 Note: “No other science is equal to that which develops in the life of the student the character of God. Those who become followers of Christ find that new motives of action are supplied, new thoughts arise, and new actions must result. But they can make advancement only through conflict; for there is an enemy who ever contends against them, presenting temptations to cause the soul to doubt and sin. There are hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil that must be overcome. Appetite and passion must be brought under the control of the Holy Spirit. There is no end to the warfare this side of eternity. But while there are constant battles to fight, there are also precious victories to gain; and the triumph over self and sin is of more value than the mind can estimate.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 20.

1.b. How should one present himself to God? 2 Timothy 2:15.

 Note: “The science of a pure, wholesome, consistent Christian life is obtained by studying the word of the Lord. This is the highest education that any earthly being can obtain.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, 11.

“Upon the right improvement of our time depends our success in acquiring knowledge and mental culture. The cultivation of the intellect need not be prevented by poverty, humble origin, or unfavorable surroundings. … A resolute purpose, persistent industry, and careful economy of time, will enable men to acquire knowledge and mental discipline which will qualify them for almost any position of influence and usefulness.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 343, 344.

Monday

2 FINDING PEACE

2.a. How can a person be delivered from a source of unrest and obtain peace of mind? Romans 5:1; Philippians 4:7.

Note: “The religion of Christ, so far from being the cause of insanity, is one of its most effectual remedies; for it is a potent soother of the nerves.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 444.

“When temptations assail you, when care, perplexity, and darkness seem to surround your soul, look to the place where you last saw the light. Rest in Christ’s love and under His protecting care. … Entering into communion with the Saviour, we enter the region of peace.” The Ministry of Healing, 250.

2.b. How can one be relieved of the burdens of anxiety and anxious thoughts? Matthew 11:28–30.

Note: “When men go forth to their daily toil, as when they engage in prayer; when they lie down at night, and when they rise in the morning; when the rich man feasts in his palace, or when the poor man gathers his children about the scanty board, each is tenderly watched by the heavenly Father. No tears are shed that God does not notice. There is no smile that He does not mark.

“If we would but fully believe this, all undue anxieties would be dismissed. Our lives would not be so filled with disappointment as now; for everything, whether great or small, would be left in the hands of God, who is not perplexed by the multiplicity of cares, or overwhelmed by their weight. We should then enjoy a rest of soul to which many have long been strangers.” Steps to Christ, 86.

Tuesday

3 SIN AND ITS EFFECTS

3.a. What does sin do to our minds, the home of our characters, and how can it be eliminated from our lives? Psalms 51:1–4; 32:5.

Note: “Let none flatter themselves that sins cherished for a time can easily be given up by and by. This is not so. Every sin cherished weakens the character and strengthens habit; and physical, mental, and moral depravity is the result. You may repent of the wrong you have done, and set your feet in right paths; but the mold of your mind and your familiarity with evil will make it difficult for you to distinguish between right and wrong. Through the wrong habits formed, Satan will assail you again and again.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 281.

“Sin not only shuts us away from God, but destroys in the human soul both the desire and the capacity for knowing Him. All this work of evil it is Christ’s mission to undo. The faculties of the soul, paralyzed by sin, the darkened mind, the perverted will, He has power to invigorate and to restore. He opens to us the riches of the universe, and by Him the power to discern and to appropriate these treasures is imparted.” Education, 28, 29.

3.b. How does temptation begin? James 1:6, 13, 14.

Note: “The promises of God are not for us to claim rashly, to protect us while we rush on recklessly into danger, violating the laws of nature, or disregarding prudence and the judgment God has given us to use. This would not be genuine faith but presumption.” Our High Calling, 93.

“The beginning of yielding to temptation is in the sin of permitting the mind to waver, to be inconsistent in your trust in God. The wicked one is ever watching for a chance to misrepresent God, and to attract the mind to that which is forbidden. If he can, he will fasten the mind upon the things of the world. He will endeavor to excite the emotions, to arouse the passions, to fasten the affections on that which is not for your good; but it is for you to hold every emotion and passion under control, in calm subjection to reason and conscience. Then Satan loses his power to control the mind.” Ibid., 87.

Wednesday

4 HEALING MINDS AND BODIES

4.a. How does Satan seek to take control of the mind? 1 Peter 5:8.

 Note: “Satan’s work is to discourage the soul. Christ’s work is to inspire the heart with faith and hope. Satan seeks to unsettle our confidence. He tells us that our hopes are built upon false premises rather than upon the sure, immutable word of Him who cannot lie.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, 32.

“When the character is lacking in purity, when sin has become a part of the character, it has a bewitching power that is equal to the intoxicating glass of liquor. The power of self-control and reason is overborne by practices that defile the whole being; and if these sinful practices are continued, the brain is enfeebled and diseased, and loses its balance.” Maranatha, 229.

“We have found in our experience that if Satan cannot keep souls bound in the ice of indifference, he will try to push them into the fire of fanaticism.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 644.

4.b. How are minds strengthened and healed? Matthew 9:2–7, 20–22.

Note: “Talk courage to the people; lift them up to God in prayer. Many who have been overcome by temptation are humiliated by their failures, and they feel that it is in vain for them to approach unto God; but this thought is of the enemy’s suggestion. When they have sinned, and feel that they cannot pray, tell them that it is then the time to pray. Ashamed they may be, and deeply humbled; but as they confess their sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness.” The Ministry of Healing, 181, 182.

Thursday

5 TRUE DEVELOPMENT

5.a. How can a person be encouraged to gain the strength of an overcomer? Hebrews 11:32–40.

Note: “All minds are not naturally constituted alike. We have varied minds; some are strong upon certain points and very weak upon others. These deficiencies, so apparent, need not and should not exist. If those who possess them would strengthen the weak points in their character by cultivation and exercise they would become strong.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 33.

“All the powers of the mind should be called into use and developed in order for men and women to have well-balanced minds.” Ibid., 152, 153.

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    How can one obtain the best education in the world?

2    What should you do when stressed out and anxiety-laden?

3    What does sin do to your mind?

4    What is the prescription needed to cure a sinful mind?

5    How do feelings relate to mental weakness and how might a person gain strength in this area?

Copyright 1995 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

The Heavenly Character

John, in writing about the New Jerusalem from his lonely exile on the Island of Patmos, said that “There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27). The word defiled in the Greek language means profane, unclean, dirty, unwashed, sometimes translated common; in other words, taking something that is holy and making it for everyday use. We know from this text that there is a requirement for entering the Holy City and a careful study of this text will reveal that requirement.

In a very simple way, Ellen White writes of the one requirement to have eternal life: “No unlikeness to Christ will be permitted in the holy city.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 171.

We can see by the strong language used in Revelation 21:27 that there are no exceptions to this. In English, a double negative is not used, but in the Greek language when you want to emphasize something that is not going to happen, a double negative is used, which means it will in no case happen; it will absolutely not happen. There it is; that is all you need to know. There are many other statements along the same line. The prerequisite or requirement needed to be in heaven is to have a Christlike character.

“God can only be honored when we who profess to believe in Him are conformed to His image. We are to represent to the world the beauty of holiness, and we shall never enter the gates of the city of God until we perfect a Christlike character. If we, with trust in God, strive for sanctification, we shall receive it. Then as witnesses for Christ, we are to make known what the grace of God has wrought in us.” The Upward Look, 99.

If all who are saved have a Christlike character, then we need to find out what it is like and aim to be like Him. Salvation has never been something you can earn; it is something that those who are like Christ receive as a free gift. The door will be wide open for them to enter through the pearly gate. Jesus has already paid the price for them to enter and all they have to do is follow Him.

When we start to study this subject, we begin to understand what Jesus said to the people while He was here on earth. He would say, “Follow Me.” Just before He left the earth the disciples said to Him, “Show us the Father.” But Jesus said, “Have I been so long with you and you don’t know who I am? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father.” They said to Him, “Show us the way to heaven. We don’t know how to get there.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (See John 14.)

Continuing in Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 171: “The process of gaining perfection of character is to be carried on in this life, that we may be prepared for the future immortal life. It is God’s purpose that His church on earth shall reach perfection.”

I have discovered during my years in ministry that there are many people who think it impossible for them to be perfect. They defend their belief using the parable of the wheat and the tares, but remember, part of that parable indicates that all the tares will be burned up. This statement says that God has a purpose for His church and His purpose is that His church is to reach perfection. To the human eye this seems impossible, but when God purposes something, He can make it happen. The devil is determined that it will not happen, and he is busy working in every family and every church to keep this from happening.

“It is essential that His [God’s] directions be strictly obeyed. The members are to help and strengthen one another. No self-exaltation or accusing or harshness are to be shown in our dealings with one another. We must purify our souls through love and obedience to the truth. … We must act like saints toward one another, preparing ourselves, drilling ourselves, to be without fault in character, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” Ibid.

Every defect of character will be overcome. There are many places in the New Testament that we could read that would confirm this need. We could read from almost any one of the apostles, or from James, Peter or Paul (see Ephesians 5; Philippians 1; 1 Corinthians 1), and in the book of Revelation; in fact, all the authors of the New Testament say the same.

“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things [2 Peter 3:10–13], be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless [without blemish]” (verse 14). There is only one prerequisite to having the gift of eternal life given to you and that is to have a Christlike character.

In the magazine The Southern Watchman, April 16, 1903, Ellen White made this statement: “It is not money or lands or position, but the possession of a Christlike character, that will open to us the gates of Paradise. It is not dignity, it is not intellectual attainments, that will win for us the crown of immortality. Only the meek and lowly ones, who have made God their efficiency, will receive this gift.”

Jesus said, “Follow Me.” We must walk as He walked (1 John 2:6). The people who are ready for His return will be like Him (1 John 3:1, 2). “Nothing should divert the mind from the main object in life, which is to have Christ in the soul, melting and subduing the heart.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 278.

To become like Jesus, surely that ought to be our main goal in life and to be ready when He comes.

Two big questions are then raised.

1  What does it mean to be Christlike?

2  How do I become Christlike?

Simply knowing what it is to be Christlike will not do any good unless that knowledge is used to change the person. The devil knows well what Christlikeness is, but it does him no good because he has chosen the different path. Consider these 13 main points about what is involved in acquiring a Christlike character.

 

  1. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden [weighted down], and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle [meek, humble] and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy [kind] and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).

Being gentle and lowly in heart was one of the main reasons Jesus was rejected and crucified. This characteristic is not a natural tendency. In fact, most people are just the opposite. However, if you surrender your heart and your life to Jesus and begin to learn from Him, copy Him, the Holy Spirit will work a change inside so that your nature will become gentle.

In the book of Numbers is recorded that Moses was the meekest of all men who lived on the earth. We know that did not happen when he was in Egypt; it happened during the 40 years while he was herding sheep. You would not generally send a person who had the equivalent of a Ph.D, a doctor’s degree, been trained as a military general, someone who was in line to rule a kingdom, out to herd sheep, but that’s exactly what God did to Moses because He had something more to teach him.

Maybe some terrible experience you may be going through in your life is just plain unexplainable. You may wonder how so many bad things could happen to one person. I can’t explain, but I know one thing, if out of all the trouble you may be going through you end up becoming gentle and lowly in heart, it will be worth it because you will then be fit to live in the presence of holy beings. In heaven, gentleness will be the trait of all. This is hard to imagine, a place without anybody who is rough, coarse, overbearing, proud, or haughty. We must examine ourselves to see if we would be a good fit there!

 

  1. Many people around us are gloomy and despondent, who in the midst of this gloominess eventually get to complaining. In The Adventist Home, 431, Ellen White wrote, “Do you ever see me gloomy, desponding, complaining? I have a faith which forbids this. It is a misconception of the true ideal of Christian character and Christian service that leads to these conclusions. It is the want of genuine religion that produces gloom, despondency, and sadness. Earnest Christians seek to imitate Jesus, for to be Christians is to be Christlike. It will be really essential to have correct conceptions of Christ’s life, Christ’s habits, that His principles may be reproduced in us who would be Christlike.”

Oh friend, do you know of any time when Jesus was gloomy? There wasn’t any time. When Jesus went to the cross, He went not only willingly, but without a murmuring thought, in order to save mankind.

We read in the book of Numbers how the children of Israel continually fell into complaining and despondency. In most English translations it says the people became impatient. In the Hebrew language it talks about their temper and says it got short. In their discouragement they accused Moses of promising them a good land of vineyards, olive orchards and fig trees, but just led them out into a desert. Who was leading them? Was Moses really the one leading them?

 

  1. In John 15:10, Jesus said, “I have kept My Father’s commandments.” If we become Christlike, we will be obedient to God’s commandments.

 

  1. Jesus was always courteous (Luke 7). Can we say the same? The Bible says that the man that never says anything offensive with his tongue is perfect (James 3:2). In heaven, everyone will always be courteous – the angels and the saved.

 

  1. In John the 13th and 14th chapters, Jesus told His disciples to love others the way that He loved them. It’s unfortunate that men at times bang their wives over the head with their words, claiming Ephesians 5 where Paul says the wife is to submit to her husband. But look at the context of that statement. It says that the husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church (verse 25). This text is hard on men. I’ve read that text and said, Lord, that’s impossible. I’ll never be able to love any human being the way Christ loved the church. How can this ever be? Christ loved the church so much that He eagerly pressed His way toward Jerusalem in 31 A.D. so that He could be crucified for it. He was eager to do that without one murmuring thought.

A husband who struggles with his wife should go to the Lord and ask that He work a miracle in his heart so that he could love his wife just as Christ loves the church and see if anything happens.

 

  1. Jesus was pure. It says in 1 John 3:3, “Everyone who has this hope [of eternal life] in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” Purity is a subject that needs careful study because we live in a world that is impure and the worldly ideal of purity is far from the ideal of Christian purity.

Some believe you can think whatever you want as long as you don’t do it. However, purity involves the mind, heart, and feelings.

 

  1. A favorite characteristic of Jesus to meditate on is His mercy. When you begin to recognize your own great need of mercy you become compassionate to others and treat them with more mercy. The person who is not merciful is not going to receive mercy. (See Matthew 6; James 2:13.) Mercy forgives somebody when they have made a mistake. What if they make more than one? The disciples wanted to be sure they got liberal on this so Peter said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times” (Matthew 18:21)? Then Jesus said, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (verse 22). That is mercy.

 

  1. Jesus could endure contradiction without becoming angry or upset or impatient. “To be a Christian is to be Christlike, to possess humility and a meek and quiet spirit that will bear contradiction without being enraged or becoming insane.” Testimonies, vol, 2. 573.

 

  1. Jesus had a pitying tenderness for sinners. How do you feel about sinners, especially when they have done something against you? Forget about the sinners that have done something against somebody else. How do you feel about the sinners that have done something against you? There are so many instances in the scriptures where Jesus had a tender pity for them. Remember the woman brought to Him who had been taken in adultery. After Jesus arranged to have her accusers leave, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you” (John 8:10)? She expected to be stoned. “She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more’ ” (verse 11).

Jesus had tender pity for people who were caught in the bondage of sin. Sin is like a net or a spider’s web. When an insect gets caught in there, a battle goes on. While the insect is trying to get out, the spider waits until it gets weak enough and then comes in for the kill. Sin is like that. There are people all around us that are caught in the spider web of sin and unless Divine power sets them free, they will never get free. Our condemnation will never help them. We need to have tender pity for those who are caught in the web of sin, praying that the Lord will set them free.

 

  1. Jesus had a spirit of forgiveness. When He was nailed to the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing” (Luke 23:34). The verb used in the Greek New Testament in this verse has a continuous meaning. It wasn’t just something that He thought for a moment; it was something that was going through His mind. In fact, some scholars believe that this is something that He said over and over again. It’s recorded only once in the Scripture.

 

  1. Jesus was self-denying and self-sacrificing. Repeating it many times to His disciples, He said, “If any man will come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24 KJV). In Luke 9:23, the word “daily” is added. “Take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Nobody will be in the kingdom of heaven that has not learned the lesson of self-sacrifice and self-denial. That is an integral part of the character of Christ.

 

  1. Jesus was kind, so kind that the children loved to climb up and sit in His lap. Children don’t usually like to climb up and sit in the lap of a person who is unkind; they are afraid of them.

 

  1. If we are Christlike, we will have unity among us. “Christ in one worker will acknowledge Christ in a brother worker. Those who are exacting, who are faultfinding, who think evil of others, are advancing the work of the enemy, tearing down that which God would have built up. All these discordant elements represent the powers of darkness, and show that Christ, the hope of glory, is not found within.” Testimonies to Southern Africa, 26, 27.

Those who are exacting, faultfinding, and think evil of others are doing the work of the enemy and demonstrate that Christ is not formed within their hearts. This one touches us all.

This evil surmising of others is going on all over the world and it is not Christlike. Pray that the Lord will help us overcome the temptation to think and speak evil of others. Ask that the Holy Spirit will help you to determine to become Christlike. We can never do it unless God works a miracle. But the Bible says that the God we serve is faithful and that He will do it; He will sanctify us totally (1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24). Do you want that miracle to happen in your life?

“He who has given his life to God in ministry to His children is linked with Him who has all the resources of the universe at His command. His life is bound up by the golden chain of the immutable promises with the life of God. The Lord will not fail him in the hour of suffering and need. ‘My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:19). And in the hour of final need the merciful shall find refuge in the mercy of the compassionate Saviour and shall be received into everlasting habitations.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 24.

God’s promise to complete the work He began in us are “leaves from that tree which is ‘for the healing of the nations’ (Revelation 22:2). Received, assimilated, they are to be the strength of the character, the inspiration and sustenance of the life.” The Ministry of Healing, 122.

We need that promised complete change of character. Determine to make whatever sacrifice you need to make to be Christlike. Ask the Lord to help you to have each one of these characteristics.

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

Keys to the Storehouse – Spotted Garment

Are you bringing your offering/repentance to the door of the Most Holy Place so the spots on your garments may be removed?

“Day by day the repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle and,

  • placing his hand upon the victim’s head, confessed his sins,
  • thus in figure transferring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice.
  • The animal was then slain. ‘Without shedding of blood’ (Hebrews 9:22), says the apostle [Paul], there is no remission of sin. ‘The life of the flesh is in the blood’ (Leviticus 17:11). The broken law of God demanded the life of the transgressor.
  • The blood, representing the forfeited life of the sinner, whose guilt the victim bore, was carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil, behind which was the ark containing the law that the sinner had transgressed.
  • By this ceremony the sin was, through the blood, transferred in figure to the sanctuary. In some cases the blood was not taken into the holy place; but the flesh was then to be eaten by the priest, as Moses directed the sons of Aaron, saying: ‘God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation’ (Leviticus 10:17). Both ceremonies alike symbolized the transfer of the sin from the penitent to the sanctuary.

“Such was the work that went on, day by day, throughout the year.” The Great Controversy, 418.

When we bow down before the Lord, confessing our sins, day by day, we are giving them to Jesus, the Lamb of God. Our sins, the broken law of God, demand our life, but Jesus took our sins upon Himself and died for each one of us. We are transferring our sins to the Lamb of God as was done in the Old Testament sanctuary.

Now we go directly to Jesus in the Most Holy Place and confess our sins. But we must not continue to sin and confess, sin and confess. We must turn away from sin. We are told to “Keep your garments unspotted from the world. Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. Temptations may be all around you, but you are not compelled to enter into them. You may obtain strength from Christ to stand unsullied amid the pollutions of this corrupt age.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 50.

It is time to stand, day by day, for right and turn away from the wrong. Probation will be closing sooner than we think. It is time to “keep our garments unspotted from the world.”

Our Father: You have asked us to keep our garments unspotted from the world. Give us the courage to stand amidst the world and not gather any spots. Time is too short to allow spots upon our garments and it would be terrible if probation were to close and the spots were not removed. Please keep us alert that we may not lose out on eternal life. Amen.

Inspiration – Our Mighty Helper

It is our privilege to say with Paul, “I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20.) And yet how many are making laborious work of walking in the narrow way of holiness. To many the peace and rest of this blessed way seems no nearer today than it did years in the past. They look afar off for that which is nigh; they make intricate that which Jesus made very plain. He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The plan of salvation has been plainly revealed in the word of God, but the wisdom of the world has been sought too much, and the wisdom of Christ’s righteousness too little. And souls that might have rested in the love of Jesus, have been doubting, and troubled about many things.

You must trust Jesus for yourselves, appropriate the promises of God to yourselves, or how can you teach others to have humble, holy confidence in Him? You feel that you have neglected duties, that you have not prayed as you should. You seem at a distance from God, and think that He has withdrawn from you; but it is you who have separated from Him. He is waiting for you to return. He will accept the contrite heart. He has assured us that He is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than parents are to give good gifts to their children. We are polluted with sin; but it is possible for us to be healed from its leprosy. We are to look to the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

The important future is before us; and to meet its trials and temptations, and to perform its duties, will require great faith, energy, and perseverance. But we may triumph gloriously. Not one waiting, watching, praying, believing soul will be ensnared by the devices of the enemy. All heaven is interested in our welfare, and awaits our demand upon its wisdom and strength. If any of us are not saved, it will be because we have chosen the service of Christ’s great adversary and the companionship of those who are his followers.

The Lord is willing to do great things for us. We shall not gain the victory through numbers, but through the full surrender of the soul to Jesus. We are to go forward in His strength, trusting in the mighty God of Israel.

You should never be surprised, you should never be without your armor on. Be prepared for any emergency, for any call of duty. Act promptly. God would have you minute men. Many times workers are too precise, too calculating. While they are getting ready to do a great work, the opportunity for doing a good work passes unimproved. The worker moves on as though the whole burden rested upon himself, a poor, finite man, when Jesus is ready to carry him and his burden too. Brethren, trust self less, and Jesus more. He is willing to save the souls for whom we labor. Because He lives to intercede for us, we shall see of His great power. He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). Jesus wants us to ask for help; He wants us to cast our helpless souls on Him; and He will give us according to our faith.

People who are self-sufficient, and feel that so much depends upon themselves, give Jesus no room to work, and but little credit when He does work. They trust in their own ability, forgetting the words of Christ, “Without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). The man that is self-righteous, and wise in his own eyes—rich and increased in goods, having need of nothing—cannot ask in faith, and receive, because he trusts in himself, and feels no lack. His works testify that he labors out of Christ. It is those who feel themselves sinful before God, poor and helpless, that Jesus loves to help; for they will appreciate His aid. They have a longing desire to do the Master’s work, and, knowing that the power is not of themselves, they take hold of the mighty arm of God, and by faith claim His promises.

God is not pleased when His servants remain weak, wanting in courage, in faith, in hope, in love, and consequently inefficient laborers in His cause. God has given men reasoning powers, not to remain inactive or to be perverted to earthly and sordid pursuits, but that these powers may be developed to the utmost, and used in His service, to advance the interests of His kingdom.

A high standard of purity and nobility of character is set before the Christian, and he can attain to this excellence only through the aid of Christ. But many suffer grief, pain, and disappointment, because they are unwilling to fill the humble place which God’s providence assigns them, where they will remain unnoticed and unknown. They love the supremacy, and their anxiety leads them to work against their brethren, fearing that others will be preferred above themselves. Envy, malice, jealousy, and distrust are cherished, and Jesus cannot dwell where these traits are entertained. He invites those who are ambitious of preferment to come to Him, and at the foot of the cross of Calvary learn His meekness and lowliness of heart. If any are qualified for high positions of trust, the Lord will lay the burden, not on them, but on those who have tested them, and can understandingly urge them forward.

The followers of Christ should not praise and flatter one another; for Satan will do a plenty of this work, and if persons have a high opinion of their own ability, it will prevent them from learning in the school of Christ. Let none censure and condemn others; for in doing this they are co-laborers with him who is the accuser of the brethren, who would steal from their hearts every particle of love for one another. Christians will not seek to tear one another down in order to build up self, but all will endeavor to strengthen and encourage one another.

We should make it our daily care to cultivate sympathy and affection for one another. This is the fruit that grows on the Christian tree; it does not produce the briers and thorns of hatred and strife. The harsh, unsympathetic words we sometimes hear spoken, and the hardheartedness we see manifested, are wholly satanic, and this spirit must be supplanted by the spirit of Christ. Jesus bids us, “Love one another, as I have loved you. … By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34, 35). He is our mighty Helper; and if He abides in our hearts, we shall manifest His spirit. We shall love one another; we cannot help it; for He is love.

Gospel Workers, 456–460.

How to Be Among the 144,000, Part I

In this article, I want to look at how we can be among the 144,000. This is a very important topic for us to study because inspiration has told us that we should “strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand.” Review and Herald, March 9, 1905. Learning how we can be among this special group requires more than simply learning facts, we must ask for the Holy Spirit’s blessing on us if we are to truly grasp these vital truths.

I first want to consider these questions: Is there anything that we can do to be among the 144,000? What makes the 144,000 ready so that they can be translated when Jesus comes? (Only two people in all of earth’s six-thousand-year history have ever been translated. Our God in His wonderful mercy offers us a gift that even Jesus did not have, because He loved us so much that He died in our place. What a privilege to be living in this day and age.)

We will next search for answers to these questions: Are the characters of the 144,000 a gift from God or must their characters be developed? Does it come at a certain time, called the Sealing? Could this type of character development have happened before 1844, or is it reserved for a special group right at the end?

I would like to propose the idea (and we will study what the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy have to say about it) that the 144,000 go through a unique experience that no one else has gone through except Jesus. The character that they develop, however, is the character that God has wanted every Christian to develop throughout all of earth’s history. It is a character that all should have developed and that many did develop. The character of the 144,000 is not supposed to be unique.

In Hebrews 7, Paul wrote about Christ our High Priest. He said: “Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him since He ever lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25. It has always been Christ’s ministry to save to the uttermost (there is nothing beyond the uttermost) all who come to God through Him. God has ever wanted His people to develop a pure character. John wrote: “And every one who has this hope in him purifies himself just as He [Jesus] is pure.” 1 John 3:3.

It is impossible to be more pure than Jesus, and God wants everyone to have a purity that is like the purity of Jesus. That is good news! We can develop pure characters through Jesus Christ.

Why is it so important for us to understand this? Sister White gives us the answer: “Those who would be saints in heaven must first be saints upon the earth; for when we leave this earth, we shall take our character with us, and this will be simply taking with us some of the elements of heaven imparted to us through the righteousness of Christ.” The Review and Herald, August 19, 1890.

Is it only the 144,000 who take their characters with them to heaven? No, all “who would be saints in heaven must first be saints on earth.” The process of developing a pure character is not something that we are to wait to do for some time in the future. It is something that we are to engage in today, by the power that God has given us.

Power to Develop Christ-like Characters

What is this power? Can it help us to develop perfect characters like Christ’s? Or did Jesus have some special powers above and beyond what is available to us? The Desire of Ages, 664 says: “Jesus revealed no qualities and exercised no powers that man may not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which all His followers may possess.”

All the power that was available to Christ is available to each and every one of us, in order that we might develop pure characters like His. Every one since Adam, who has grown to maturity, could have developed that character. God has given us the privilege and ability today to develop that character, just as He did the people in all ages.

I believe there is a special work that is to be done after 1844. I believe with all my heart in the sealing. But there is a danger in any theology that teaches that there are some special powers for the development of character to be given in the future. This type of theology is a temptation to many to wait until “that time” for the character to be developed.

We have the only power today that will ever be given to us for character development. And this short life is the only day we will ever have for this work. Character cannot be given to someone—it must be developed. Character comes because of the free gift of God’s power that is given to us day by day, but it is something that must be developed. It is the work of a lifetime.

The 144,000 will go through a unique experience similar to what Christ endured in the Garden of Gethsemane. But Jesus’ character was developed before He came to the Garden of Gethesemane or He would never have been able to go through that experience.

Anyone who is waiting for some time in the future for their character to be developed, so that they can go through the time of trouble, will be sadly disappointed. It will never happen. They will be unprepared and they will not receive the latter rain, for it only falls on those who have purified their souls “from every defilement.” (Evangelism, 702.)

Three Theological Views

There are three views of theology that affect how we prepare for Jesus’ Second Coming. All three of these views are found in Christendom as well as in the Adventist Church.

The first major theological belief is that Jesus came in Adam’s unfallen nature. Those who believe this generally tend to say that Jesus was born with a different nature than we have, so therefore, we cannot overcome. And, since we cannot overcome, we do not have to overcome. We can just go on enjoying our life of sin, and as long as we believe in Jesus, we will be saved. But the Bible refutes these falsehoods. It says that only those who overcome as Jesus overcame will sit with Him on His throne. (See Revelation 3:21.)

There are many sincere people who believe each of these theologies. But sincerity does not change the effects of one’s belief. For many years people sincerely smoked cigarettes thinking that it was going to clear up their bronchitis. (It was prescribed for them by the doctors back at the turn of the century.) But their belief did not change the fact that many of them developed lung cancer. They may not have been held accountable, but it affected their life on earth. What we believe affects our salvation, and that is the reason why God would have us study and learn what is truth.

There is another group of people who also believe that Jesus came down in a human nature far different than we have. But they believe that although Jesus’ nature was different than ours, we must still live a life like He lived. They do not wish to throw out the verses in the Bible or the statements in the Spirit of Prophecy that say we must overcome, so they teach that we must live a life like Jesus, but that we have to be given the same unfallen nature that Jesus had in order to do this. This is called the Holy Flesh doctrine. It comes in many forms and species, but the essence of this doctrine is that God must come down and do the overcoming for us, because we cannot overcome anything in our fallen nature. It goes like this: as long as we “get out of the driver’s seat” and allow God to be the driver, and we do not get back in, God will drive us all the way through the pearly gates. As long as we spend some time with God every day, He will take care of the rest and He will overcome the sins in us, just the same as He did for Jesus who never really had any temptations!

I have talked to many Adventist preachers and others who believe this and they say, “Jesus was tempted in all points like we are, but He was never tempted to sin.” Now that sounds strange to some of us, but they say: “You see, we will never be tempted to sin once we have the true conversion experience. Jesus’ only temptation was to try to get back into the driver’s seat and drive the vehicle Himself instead of letting His Father drive it for Him. He was never tempted to be proud or selfish.”

This theology, like the first, makes salvation a very easy path. In fact, some would say that it is easy to be saved and difficult to be lost. This is nothing but a lie of the devil. There is nothing in the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy to support such a false teaching. Every one can be saved, just like Jesus was saved, but it is not an easy path. Inspiration tells us: “The gaining of eternal life is no easy thing. By living faith we are to keep on reaching forward, ascending the ladder round by round, seeing and taking the necessary steps; and yet we must understand that not one holy thought, not one unselfish act, can be originated in self . . . All warfare is useless unless Christ’s power is combined with human effort.” The Review and Herald, November 11, 1890.

God’s inspired word is clear that it is a combination of Christ’s power and human effort that is the secret of successful Christian living. Either without the other is useless. Any theology that teaches human works without the power of God is an incomplete theology. It cannot save. And any theology that teaches the power of God to save souls without the cooperative effort of the individual, is also an incomplete theology. Jesus came down to unite humanity with divinity. With this combination of divine power and human effort, all victory is possible. (See Counsels on Diets and Foods, 153.)

We have looked at two theologies; both are “easy” theologies. One teaches that we do not have to overcome because we can continue to sin. The other asserts that we do not have to overcome because Jesus will do it all for us.

There is a third theology and it is not as popular because it is not so easy. This theology teaches that Jesus came down in our sinful, fallen nature. In that nature, He had to crucify the lusts of the flesh day by day. With that nature, He developed a character without a taint of sin. While Christ was not “a man with the propensities of sin” He did feel “all the strength of unholy passions and perverted appetites within His nature.” SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 112; Confrontation, 36. Yet, as He combined His human effort with the power of the Father, He gained the victory so that not even by a thought did He yield to the power of sin. He developed a perfect character within a fallen nature. That is the gospel. And it is the example that can be followed by everyone who is willing to be in subjection to God, as He was, and to follow the bloodstained path that He trod. We had no choice but to be born with a fallen nature, but by following His example we can overcome just as He overcame.

We can develop the same perfect character that Jesus had, but we will never look at ourselves as perfect because as we look at ourselves, we will see only that sinful fallen nature that has to be crucified day by day. The closer we come to the Lord, the worse we will appear in our own sight. And if anybody asks us about our righteousness, we will say, “I do not have any. I have to crucify my will every day. The only righteousness I have is Christ living within me.”

continued…

Habits are Forever

Have you ever wondered what makes a person who he is? When Jesus comes, our bodies will be changed when the mortal body, that we now have, puts on immortality. (See 1 Corinthians 13 and 15.) But we will still be the same people, even though our appearances will have changed. Do you know why? It is because what makes us who we are is our character, and this character is formed by our habits.

When Jesus comes, I am sure that we will not recognize some people. Imagine someone who was very old, and who was deformed because of an accident. When you meet them, all the scars will be gone and they will appear young and healthier than they ever were during their life on this earth. You probably would not recognize them by their appearance, but you will know them because they will have the same habits and personality as they had when you knew them in this world.

Job knew that he would be the same person when He met His God. While he lay suffering from boils all over his body, he looked forward to the great day when he would meet his Maker. He said about this, “Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me.” Job 19:27. Job’s body was so sick and wounded that he may not have been recognizable to his friends, but when Jesus comes, he will not have any boils, he will have a completely new, healthy body. Yet, he will still be the same person. He will have the same thoughts, the same emotions and the same habits that he had in this life.

“We shall be individually, for time and eternity, what our habits make us.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 452. Now that can be a very wonderful thought if our habits are good, or it can be a rather discouraging thought if our habits are not good. Thank the Lord that our habits can change, because every one of us has some habits that we would like to change. However, changing our habits is not an easy thing to do. Jeremiah wrote, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.” Jeremiah 13:23. Day by day, as we form habits, they become more and more firmly established and some day,when we are sealed, they will never be able to be changed. Either we will be sealed with good habits or we will be sealed with bad habits.

However, there is no need to become disheartened. The Lord can help us do what looks impossible to us, and would be impossible for us if we had only our own strength. Later, in this article, we will study how the Lord can help us do the seemingly impossible, but first I would like to look at one other aspect of habits that we need to study carefully.

What We Might Have Become

Did you know that there are not only bad habits, which will keep us out of Heaven if they are not overcome, but also good habits which we need to cultivate. But there are some habits that may not be such that they would keep us out of heaven, but they could greatly affect us throughout eternity. For years, I struggled with what it means when it describes these habits in Christ’s Object Lessons, 363. Consider it with me carefully, and we will see if we can better understand it. “For all that we might become through the right use of our talents God holds us responsible. We shall be judged according to what we ought to have done, but did not accomplish because we did not use our powers to glorify God. Even if we do not lose our souls, we shall realize in eternity the result of our unused talents. For all the knowledge and ability that we might have gained and did not, there will be an eternal loss.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 363.

I read and re-read that passage, and wondered, How could that be? How could it be through the billions and billions of years of eternity that there would be an eternal loss because I did not develop some talent here on earth? If I do not learn to play the piano well here, I will have a million years to practice up there. What difference does it make? If I do not learn to speak correctly here, I will have a million years to learn there. All that really matters is that I make it there. Right?” And yet, this statement startled me. I thought, “What in the world does this mean? Could I get to heaven and yet not have all that I could have and have to endure some eternal loss?”

I also pondered over what Paul says about this in 1 Corinthians 3:11–15: “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, hay, wood or straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work, which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet as through fire.”

Paul is here talking about people who will be saved in heaven, but they will be saved with a loss. Jesus taught in the parable of the talents that the one who had the most talents was given another one. Could it be that those who develop their talents in this life will receive more talents in heaven? That seems to be indicated in Mathew 10 and Matthew 25. But it goes even beyond that. We take our characters with us to heaven. Those characters that are firmly established on earth will be the characters that will last throughout eternity.

Why is it that those who do poorly in grade school continue to do poorly in high school and college? Is it simply because they do not have the knowledge to make it? No, it is because the habits they developed in grade school go on with them to high school and the habits they had in high school go on with them to college.

Young people go to college and think, “I have not done well in the past, but now I will turn over a new leaf.” I tried to do this, and it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I had to seek the Lord’s help, and I thank Him that He brought me through.

Some young people come to college with such poor habits that they flunk. (That is like those who will not make it to heaven at all.) Others have not developed the best habits, but at least they make it through college by plodding along. And although they never really develop their abilities to the utmost, they at least still graduate. And yet, throughout their lives, they carry a loss because they did not learn all that they could have.

There is one more group of college students. These are the ones who have learned to utilize their time, learned to concentrate, developed their memory and learned how to listen during their early school years, and they carry these skills into their college-years. They are blessed throughout life. This is the way it will be in heaven. Some will not make it at all because they have developed such bad habits. But others, who have not developed specific bad habits, but have not developed all the talents God has given them, when they get to heaven they will carry the loss throughout eternity.

Habits Seldom Changed

When is the easiest time for habits to be developed? Sister White counseled parents in Child Guidance: “What the child sees and hears is drawing deep lines upon the tender mind, which no after circumstance in life can entirely efface. The intellect is now taking shape, and the affections receiving direction and strength. Repeated acts in a given course become habits. These may be modified by severe training, in after life, but they are seldom changed.” Child Guidance, 199–200.

You know by your own experience that this is true. Very few people ever change the habits they develop in their youth. These habits are retained throughout life, usually with little modification. However, God’s prophet did not leave us without hope. Although these bad habits are “seldom changed,” it is not impossible to change them if we allow God’s spirit to work in our hearts.

Yet it is true that the older one gets, the harder it is to change. But we cannot let this be an excuse. Hard or not, now is the time to make the needed changes. If a person is fifty years old they may say, “I am too old to change now. If I were fifteen years old, I could have done it. But I guess I will just have to wait until I get to heaven to change my habits.” That will not happen!

If it is hard to change after fifty years, how hard do you think it will be to change after five hundred or five thousand years? Now is the time to change our characters. Someone says, “Oh, heaven is not like that. Whatever we have been like here, if we simply make it, somehow we will immediately be little saints when we get to heaven.”

Lucifer found a way to become discontented, rebellious and jealous. It all happened in heaven, which shows that it can go on there. That is why God has to make sure that our characters are developed here so that we will be safe to be saved in heaven. Our characters will not be changed after we arrive in heaven. The personality that we have here is the personality that we will have there. Job said, “When God comes, I will see Him for myself. It will be me, not someone else.” It will be our characters that we take to heaven—if we get there, by God’s grace.

Character Fit for Heaven

The following are several quotations from the pen of inspiration on this subject. Here we can see exactly what God’s expectations are for us. “We are here to form perfect characters for heaven.” Review and Herald, July 13. 1886.

“An important work is before us. We are to obtain a moral fitness for heaven.” Review and Herald, July 6, 1886. That is what this life is all about. Just like college is to prepare us intellectually to carry on a business or a profession, so this life is the fitting up place for heaven.

“Those who would be saints in heaven, must first be saints upon the earth; for when we leave this earth, we shall take our characters with us.” Review and Herald, August 19, 1890. Whatever you want to be like in heaven, that is what you must be like here.

Heaven will be a happy place for everyone that gets there, because no one will get there that has not learned to be happy. In Signs of the Times, November 14, 1892, we read: “Let no unkind words fall from the lips of those who compose the home circle. Make the atmosphere fragrant with tender thoughtfulness of others. Only those will enter heaven who in probationary time have formed a character that breathed a heavenly influence. The saint in heaven must first be a saint upon the earth. The habits of speech, the character of our actions, put a mold upon us; and that which we cultivate in our association with others in this life, goes down into the grave with us, and will be unchanged when we shall come up from the grave. Many are deceiving themselves by thinking that the character will be transformed at the coming of Christ; but there will be no conversion of heart at His appearing. Our defects of character must here be repented of, and through the grace of Christ we must overcome them while probation shall last. This is the place for fitting up for the family above.”

“How long a time are you designing to take to prepare to be introduced into the society of heavenly angels in glory. In the state which you and your family are in at present, all heaven would be marred should you be introduced therein. The work for you must be done here. This earth is the fitting up place. You have not one moment to lose. All is harmony, peace, and love in heaven. No discord, no strife, no censoring, no unloving words, no clouded brows, no jars there; and no one will be introduced there who possesses any of these elements so destructive to peace and happiness. Study to be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come that you may lay hold on everlasting life.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 705–706.

“What can be done for you? Do you design to wait until Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven Will He make you all over new when He comes? Oh, no, this will not be done then. The fitting up must be done here. All the hewing and squaring must take place here upon earth in the hours of probation. You must be fitted up here; the last blow must be given here.” Ellen White, The Progressive Years, 95.

The longer one waits to begin the overcoming process, the more difficult it becomes. But thank the Lord that no one is so old and so entrenched in habits that God cannot change him or her if they really want to change. God has promised extra grace—grace sufficient for every need.

This extra measure of grace is given to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the angels, and their help is available in this life only. We have not been promised these extra gifts in heaven, for it is here in this life that the grace is needed. Without this added grace, we are in the situation that Paul described in Romans 7: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do.” Romans 7:18, 19.

Paul realized that without help, he could do nothing at all about his evil tendencies. So what did he do? Did he just sit back and say, “Well, God, you will just have to accept me as I am because I cannot change. I know that you will take care of perfecting my character when I get to heaven.” No, he cried, “Oh wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7: 24, 25. He realized that alone he could do nothing, and that he could not take his sinful character to heaven. So, he looked to Christ as his hope.

Overcoming With the Spirit

Paul explained more about this hope in Romans 8: “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3, 4.

Paul had some habits of the flesh that he wanted to overcome, but could not in his own strength. Have you ever been convicted about something that needed to be changed in your life, but you have tried and found you cannot change? That is where Paul was. Some have been convicted about smoking. They have tried and tried and they just cannot break it. They are slaves to this wicked habit. Other people are impatient. They do not want to be nor do they mean to be patient. But they try hard and they are still impatient. It is seemingly impossible to overcome the habit. Some are afflicted with habits of laziness. They do not have enough get-up-and-go to even read their Bibles or the Spirit of Prophecy. There are still others who have developed habits of lust over years and years. They are constantly thinking thoughts of lust and they cannot break free from them. And the list of evil habits that we have goes on and on: gluttony, fretfulness, worrying, daydreaming, envying, etc.

We want to overcome but we cannot, just as it was with Paul. What is our only hope? Paul tells us: “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13.

There has to be a new birth in each of our lives. There must be a crucifying of the old life and a resurrection to a new life. Jesus came down to make this possible. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say unto you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.

It takes the crucifixion, death and burial of the old life, and a resurrection to a new life of holiness. Is that possible? Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. This is not just an empty phrase. It is a promise, and it is guaranteed by the infinite power of the God of the universe.

Replacing the Old with the New

We must put off our acquired habits that do not reflect the sunshine of obedience and the trust of heaven. Yet we must not just give up our bad habits; we must also develop good habits. The Christian life is not just a matter of “Don’t do this or don’t do that.” It also involves developing what is good.

It is not good enough to simply overcome fretfulness. We must then go on to cultivate cheerfulness. It is not good enough to just overcome lust. We must then learn to develop the true, holy and sanctified love that God wants each one of us to have. It is not good enough to just overcome worrying; we must develop a faith that will carry us through every trial and every perplexity. It is not good enough to just overcome grumbling. We must develop an attitude of praise and thanksgiving that, as Paul said, is thankful in every situation.

The parable in Luke 11:24–26 is about a man who had an unclean spirit. (That means he had bad habits that he could not overcome. And these were such bad habits that the devil actually took over his life in some of these areas.) The Lord came and cast out the demon and set this man free. The demon then went out from this man, it says in verse 24, and went “through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none.” So then this demon said, “I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man was worse than the first. “You cannot have an empty life forever. Sooner or later that vacuum will be filled with something. If it is not filled with what is good, it will be filled with what is evil. Today is the only day that God has given us to develop habits that will make us the kind of people that will be happy in heaven throughout eternity.

When Jesus comes there will be two classes of people: those who have changed and those who have remained the same. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Again recall the statement that we looked at in the beginning, from Testimonies, vol. 4, 452. “We shall be individually for time and for eternity what our habits make us.” Stop and think about the habits that you have formed throughout your life. What habits do you have that must be overcome, that will keep you from entering heaven? What talents have you neglected developing? Do you want to suffer an eternal loss because you did not gain all the knowledge or ability you might have?

Let us fix our minds on the goal to be won, and press toward the mark. Now is the probationary time that we have been allotted. Do not despair, my dear friend, our Savior and all the host of heaven are near to help you in this work. No one is too weak or too sinful to be saved if they will fully surrender themselves to God. This is my prayer for each of you.