death

Bible Study Guides – Life and Death

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June 12, 2011 – June 18, 2011

Key Text

“As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.” Proverbs 11:19.

Study Helps: The Great Controversy, 544–562; Counsels on Health, 627–630.

Introduction

“It is a solemn thing to die, but a far more solemn thing to live.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 466.

1 LIFE TO ITS FULLEST

  • What does God identify as the key to abundant life? Proverbs 4:10–13, 20–22. How do faith and obedience promote our physical well-being? Proverbs 14:30; 19:23.

Note: “Godliness does not conflict with the laws of health, but is in harmony with them. Had men ever been obedient to the law of Ten Commandments, had they carried out in their lives the principles of these ten precepts, the curse of disease that now floods the world would not be.” Counsels on Health, 627.

  • Why does serving God actually make our life easier? Proverbs 13:14, 15; 14:27. What condition results from rebellion against His wisdom? Proverbs 8:32–36; 11:19.

Note: “God is the fountain of life; and when one chooses the service of sin, he separates from God, and thus cuts himself off from life. He is ‘alienated from the life of God.’ Christ says, ‘All they that hate Me love death.’ Ephesians 4:18; Proverbs 8:36. God gives them existence for a time that they may develop their character and reveal their principles. This accomplished, they receive the results of their own choice. By a life of rebellion, Satan and all who unite with him place themselves so out of harmony with God that His very presence is to them a consuming fire. The glory of Him who is love will destroy them.” The Desire of Ages, 764.

2 AVOIDING SELF-DECEPTION

  • How does Solomon summarize the major issues of life and death? Ecclesiastes 8:5–13.
  • Even if we do not actively commit sin, how may we still be guilty before God?

Note: “In the great Judgment day, those who have not worked for Christ, who have drifted along thinking of themselves, caring for themselves, will be placed by the Judge of the whole earth with those who did evil. They receive the same condemnation.” The Desire of Ages, 641.

  • What basic sign of humility before God and man can help to protect us from being deceived? Proverbs 28:13.

Note: “It is a close test upon the courage of men and women to be brought to face their own sins and to frankly acknowledge them. To say, ‘That mistake must be charged to my account,’ requires a strength of inward principle that the world possesses in but a limited degree. But he who has the courage to say this in sincerity gains a decided victory over self and effectually closes the door against the enemy.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 336, 337.

“[Proverbs 28:13 quoted.] If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed. Therefore he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. But Jesus pleads in their behalf His wounded hands, His bruised body; and He declares to all who would follow Him: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’ 11 Corinthians 12:9. ‘Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.’ Matthew 11:29, 30. Let none, then, regard their defects as incurable. God will give faith and grace to overcome them.” The Great Controversy, 489.

3 UNDERSTANDING DEATH

  • What must we know about the solemnity of death—both of ourselves and others? Hebrews 9:27; Proverbs 24:11, 12.

Note: “Among the manifold lessons that we may learn from Solomon’s life, none are more plainly taught than the power of influence for good or for ill. However contracted may be one’s sphere, he exerts an influence. That our influence should be a savor of death unto death, is a fearful thought, yet this is possible. One soul misled—forfeiting eternal bliss—who can estimate the loss! And yet one rash act, one thoughtless word, on our part, may exert so deep an influence on the life of another that it will prove the ruin of his soul! One blemish on the character may turn many away from Christ.” The Review and Herald, February 15, 1906.

  • How are we warned against a major form of deception, especially in the last days? Colossians 2:8, 18, 19.

Note: “I was directed to this scripture as especially applying to modern spiritualism. [Colossians 2:8 quoted.] Thousands … have been spoiled through the philosophy of phrenology and animal magnetism, and have been driven into infidelity. If the mind commences to run in this channel, it is almost sure to lose its balance and be controlled by a demon. ‘Vain deceit’ fills the minds of poor mortals. They think there is such power in themselves to accomplish great works that they realize no necessity of a higher power. Their principles and faith are ‘after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.’ Jesus has not taught them this philosophy. Nothing of the kind can be found in His teachings. He did not direct the minds of poor mortals to themselves, to a power which they possessed. He was ever directing their minds to God, the Creator of the universe, as the source of their strength and wisdom. Special warning is given in verse 18. [Colossians 2:18 quoted.]” Testimonies, vol. 1, 297.

4 A PERIL IN THE LAST DAYS

  • What has God declared through Solomon regarding the state of the dead? Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6.

Note: “The teachers of spiritualism come in a pleasing, bewitching manner to deceive you, and if you listen to their fables you are beguiled by the enemy of righteousness and will surely lose your reward. When once the fascinating influence of the archdeceiver overcomes you, you are poisoned, and its deadly influence adulterates and destroys your faith in Christ’s being the Son of God, and you cease to rely on the merits of His blood. Those deceived by this philosophy are beguiled of their reward through the deceptions of Satan. They rely upon their own merits, exercise voluntary humility, are even willing to make sacrifices, and debase themselves, and yield their minds to the belief of supreme nonsense, receiving the most absurd ideas through those whom they believe to be their dead friends. Satan has so blinded their eyes and perverted their judgment that they perceive not the evil; and they follow out the instructions purporting to be from their dead friends now angels in a higher sphere.

“Satan has chosen a most certain, fascinating delusion, one that is calculated to take hold of the sympathies of those who have laid their loved ones in the grave. Evil angels assume the form of these loved ones and relate incidents connected with their lives and perform acts which their friends performed while living. In this way they deceive and lead the relatives of the dead to believe that their deceased friends are angels hovering about them and communing with them. These they regard with a certain idolatry, and what they may say has greater influence over them than the word of God. These evil angels, who assume to be dead friends, will either utterly reject God’s word as idle tales, or, if it suit their purpose best, will select the vital portions which testify of Christ and point out the way to heaven, and change the plain statements of the word of God to suit their own corrupt nature and ruin souls. With due attention to the word of God, all may be convinced if they will of this soul-destroying delusion … [Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6 quoted].” Testimonies, vol. 1, 297, 298.

5 SOLEMN BUT NOT DREADFUL

  • How can we avoid destruction? Proverbs 21:15, 16.

Note: “We cannot wait until the judgment before we consent to deny self and to lift the cross. We cannot then form characters for heaven. It is here in this life that we must take sides with the humble, self-denying Redeemer. It is here that we must overcome envy, strife, selfishness, love of money, and love of the world. It is here that we must enter the school of Christ, and learn of the Master the precious lessons of meekness and lowliness of mind. And here it must be our aim and earnest effort to be loyal and true to the God of heaven by obeying all of His commandments and thus be fitting up for the mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for all who love God.” The Upward Look, 192.

  • What are some ways to promote true health and happiness in life? Proverbs 3:13–19; I Timothy 4:8.

Note: “There are many amusements that excite the mind, but depression is sure to follow. Other modes of recreation are innocent and healthful; but useful labor that affords physical exercise will often have a more beneficial influence upon the mind, while at the same time it will strengthen the muscles, improve the circulation, and prove a powerful agent in the recovery of health.” Counsels on Health, 627.

“When the mind is free and happy from a sense of duty well done and the satisfaction of giving happiness to others, the cheering, uplifting influence brings new life to the whole being.” The Ministry of Healing, 257.

Review and Thought Questions

1 Name some temporal benefits gained from serving God.

2 What common form of self-deception may be plaguing us?

3 How do many underestimate the solemnity of death?

4 Why is it important to know the doctrine of the state of the dead?

5 How does abundant life involve bearing the cross?

Copyright © 2002 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Inspiration – What was Secured by the Death of Christ?

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It became Him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in the redemption of the world to save sinners by the blood of the Lamb. The great sacrifice of the Son of God was neither too great nor too small to accomplish the work. In the wisdom of God it was complete; and the atonement made testifies to every son and daughter of Adam the immutability of God’s law. The value of the law of Jehovah is to be estimated by the immense price that was paid in the death of the Son of God to maintain its sacredness.

The law of God is a transcript of his character; it portrays the nature of God. As in Christ we behold the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person, so also in the law the attributes of the Father are unfolded. Although the law is unchangeable, his having provided a means of salvation for the law-breaker does not in the least detract from the dignity of the character of God, since the penalty of man’s transgression was borne by a divine Substitute. The Father himself suffered with the Son; for “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” [II Corinthians 5:19]. Man, with his human, finite judgment, cannot safely question the wisdom of God. Hence it is unbecoming for him to criticise [sic] the plan of salvation. Before the theme of redemption, let man lay his wisdom in the dust, and accept the plans of Him whose wisdom is infinite.

God grants men a probation in this world, that their principles may become firmly established in the right, thus precluding the possibility of sin in the future life, and so assuring the happiness and security of all. Through the atonement of the Son of God alone could power be given to man to establish him in righteousness, and make him a fit subject for heaven. The blood of Christ is the eternal antidote for sin. The offensive character of sin is seen in what it cost the Son of God in humiliation, in suffering and death. All the worlds behold in him a living testimony to the malignity of sin, for in his divine form he bears the marks of the curse. He is in the midst of the throne as a Lamb that hath been slain. The redeemed will ever be vividly impressed with the hateful character of sin, as they behold Him who died for their transgressions. The preciousness of the Offering will be more fully realized as the blood-washed throng more fully comprehend how God has made a new and living way for the salvation of men, through the union of the human and the divine in Christ.

The death of Christ upon the cross made sure the destruction of him who has the power of death, who was the originator of sin. When Satan is destroyed, there will be none to tempt to evil; the atonement will never need to be repeated; and there will be no danger of another rebellion in the universe of God. That which alone can effectually restrain from sin in this world of darkness, will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. Fallen men could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ? The angels ascribe honor and glory to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God. It is through the efficacy of the cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the cross they would be no more secure against evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan. Angelic perfection failed in heaven. Human perfection failed in Eden, the paradise of bliss. All who wish for security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God. The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Our only hope is perfect trust in the blood of Him who can save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him (Hebrews 7:25). The death of Christ on the cross of Calvary is our only hope in this world, and it will be our theme in the world to come. Oh, we do not comprehend the value of the atonement! If we did, we would talk more about it. The gift of God in his beloved Son was the expression of an incomprehensible love. It was the utmost that God could do to preserve the honor of his law, and still save the transgressor. Why should man not study the theme of redemption? It is the greatest subject that can engage the human mind. If men would contemplate the love of Christ, displayed in the cross, their faith would be strengthened to appropriate the merits of his shed blood, and they would be cleansed and saved from sin. There are many who will be lost, because they depend on legal religion, or mere repentance for sin. But repentance for sin alone cannot work the salvation of any soul. Man cannot be saved by his own works. Without Christ it is impossible for him to render perfect obedience to the law of God; and heaven can never be gained by an imperfect obedience; for this would place all heaven in jeopardy, and make possible a second rebellion.

God saves man through the blood of Christ alone, and man’s belief in, and allegiance to, Christ is salvation. It is no marvel to angels that the infinite sacrifice made by the Son of God was ample enough to bring salvation to a fallen race, but that this atoning sacrifice should have been made is a wonder to the universe. It is a mystery which angels desire to look into. The angels are amazed at the indifference and coldness manifested by those for whom so great a salvation has been provided. They look with grief and holy indignation upon those who do not seek to appreciate the unspeakable gift of God. Instead of offering adoration to God, finite men think themselves capable, without divine unction, of determining what is worthy of praise or blame in their fellow-men. But to be glorified by man is no glory. We should learn to value the praise of man at what it is worth. The Lord says, “Them that honor me I will honor” [I Samuel 2:30]. Let every breath of praise, every word of exaltation, flow to him who is worthy, flow to Jesus, the Prince of life, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Elevate the cross of Christ. Elevate the Mediator. Lift up Jesus. In him is everything noble. Contemplate God in Christ. He is surrounded with angels, cherubim and seraphim continually behold him. Angelic voices day and night cry before him: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to comecome. … Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” “Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all nations shall come and worship before thee” [Revelation 4:8, 11; 5:12; 15:3, 4]. But although God only is holy and worthy to be praised, human tongues are perverted to praise and glorify man rather than God.

The greatest gift that God could bestow upon men was bestowed in the gift of his beloved Son. … There was nothing held in reserve. No second probation will ever be provided. If the unspeakable gift of God does not lead man to repentance, there is nothing that ever will move his heart. There is no power held in reserve to act upon his mind, and arouse his sensibilities. The whole character of God was revealed in his Son, the whole range of the possibilities of heaven is displayed for the acceptance of man in the Son of the Infinite One. The way for man’s return to God and heaven has no barriers. The matchless depths of the Saviour’s love have been demonstrated; and if this manifestation of God’s love for the children of men does not prevail to draw men to himself, there is nothing that ever will.

Those who will be saved in the kingdom of God will be those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14). The image of Christ will be perfected in every soul who accepts the gift of his grace, and those who are perfected through his grace, will stand before God equal in elevation, in power and purity, to the angels, and will be honored with them before the eternal throne. The angels of heaven will love those whom Christ has loved, and has bought with his own precious blood.

The attention of all the inhabitants of all worlds will be directed to the cross of Christ, around which will cluster the exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The imagination becomes exhausted in its stretch to comprehend the wonderful work of redemption. The plan of salvation is too high to be fully reached by human thought. It is too grand to be fully embraced by finite comprehension. The apostle says, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” [I Corinthians 2:9]. Can we wonder that Heaven is amazed because men act as though the gift of God were valueless? What will be the eternal loss of those who reject so great a salvation, offered freely through the merits of God’s only-begotten and well-beloved Son!

The Signs of the Times, December 30, 1889.

The Assurance of the Resurrection

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The age in which we live is one of unbelief. There is a saying that a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still. There are many people who do not believe that there will ever be a resurrection; however, the Bible evidence is overwhelming.

Paul says, “If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. … We are found false witnesses of God; … For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. … Every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.” I Corinthians 15:13–20, 23.

Paul cites evidence here that because Christ has already risen, it proves the fact that God can raise people from the dead, and there will also be a resurrection of Christ’s children when He returns.

Christ being raised from the dead is one of the most indisputable facts in history because of the many witnesses. About twenty to twenty-five years after the resurrection, Paul said, “He was seen above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present [time], but some are fallen asleep [some have died].” Verse 6.

To establish what is true or false in a courtroom, witnesses are called to testify. In this instance there were over five hundred witnesses, some of whom were still alive and could verify that they had visited with Jesus after He rose.

The Scriptures record that He appeared to different individuals ten times after His resurrection.

  • He appeared first of all to Peter, that is, Cephas. I Corinthians 15:5
  • He appeared to Mary Magdalene. See Mark 16:9
  • He appeared to two disciples as they were walking to Emmaus. See Luke 24:13–15
  • He appeared to all eleven of the apostles the same day. See John 20:19; Luke 24:33–36
  • He appeared to more than five hundred at one time. 1 Corinthians 15:6
  • He appeared to James. I Corinthians 15:7
  • He appeared to the eleven apostles again, one week later. John 20:26
  • He appeared to seven of the apostles while they were fishing. John 21:1
  • His disciples saw Him ascend into heaven. Acts 1:9
  • He appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus. I Corinthians 15:8

Evidence – Neither the Jews nor the Romans could produce His body. The Jews claimed that He was never raised from the dead, but dead people don’t walk away. So what happened to the body of Jesus? Nobody could produce a body.

Evidence – At the time of His burial, the tomb was sealed by a Roman seal. Anyone who broke that Roman seal would be in defiance of the Roman government, subject to prosecution, and at the very least, put in prison. But there was no prosecution. Jesus’ disciples were accused of stealing the body, but there was never a prosecution, because the evidence would show that there was not a body to be found.

Evidence – One hundred Roman soldiers who were commissioned to guard the tomb did not all fall asleep at the same time and sleep so soundly that the disciples could come and roll the stone away and steal the body. The penalty for a soldier to sleep while on guard was death, but it is recorded that all one hundred soldiers were so sound asleep that they did not wake while the stone was being rolled away. It just defies all reason.

Evidence – Before the crucifixion, when Jesus was arrested, the disciples were all so afraid that they ran away. Were they suddenly not afraid anymore to steal His body? In Acts 5:29–32 it says, “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” NKJV

The cowardice of the disciples was transformed into an unspeakable boldness. The change in the apostles is one of the strongest evidences for the resurrection. Before the resurrection, they were a group of eleven men who were scared to death and hiding out, but the power of the resurrection empowered them. When brought into courts, they boldly spoke truth, saying, “You are the ones who killed the Lord, but now He is at the right hand of the Father in heaven.”

Evidence – By A.D. 100, it is estimated that between five and ten percent of the people in the Roman Empire were Christians even though paganism attempted over and over again to destroy Christianity. This was because of the evidence of the resurrection of Christ. Because Christ had been raised, the Christians had the assurance that they also would be raised at His Second Coming if they died beforehand.

There are many Bible facts about the resurrection.

The dead will come from definite localities. “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” Isaiah 26:19. The people who dwell in dust are those who are in their graves. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice.” John 5:28. They will come out from their graves.

But what about the people who are not buried in graves? Some people have died and have been buried in the sea. “The sea gave up the dead which were in it.” Revelation 20:13. There is not a place that will not give up the dead on that day when they are called—the old English word is quickened. That means that they will be made alive again.

The resurrection is one of the prominent doctrines in the Bible. The first two books of the Bible that were written were the book of Genesis and the book of Job. It is clear in the book of Job that the ancient followers of the true God understood the resurrection. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” Job 19:25, 26. Job understood that he would see God and have a new body.

David had the same hope. He wrote, “As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake with Thy likeness.” Psalm 17:15.

The New Testament is full of texts about this, since Christ had already risen. “Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.” II Corinthians 4:14.

“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I might win Christ, And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” Philippians 3:8–11.

“But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed [paid back] at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:13, 14.

Jesus says there is an exact record being kept of your life. Those who have dedicated their lives to serving others, especially helping others who are unfortunate and in distressing circumstances, will be paid back at the resurrection of the just.

By and by, there will be a big payment for the just. This is encouraging news while living in a world where it seems there is more than enough sorrow to go around. We all do not go through the same trials, and one of the saddest things to deal with is the loss of a child. Some very dear friends of ours lost all of their five children from smoke inhalation when their house caught on fire. They believe in the resurrection and look forward to the hope they have in raising their children in a perfect environment when they get to heaven.

“Thus saith the Lord, A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Thus saith the Lord, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.” Jeremiah 31:15–17.

This event will be fulfilled when Jesus comes back. The apostles constantly wrote about the Second Coming of Christ. They knew that when Jesus returns, the dead will be raised and reunited with their loved ones.

Before the ascension, Jesus promised His disciples that, “In My Father’s house are many mansions [permanent dwellings] … I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2, 3.

In the book of Ezekiel, the resurrection is described in symbolic language. “Then He said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall you know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it.” Ezekiel 37:11–14.

The resurrection is a wonderful subject. It thrills us to think about it and gives us hope, because we all have had friends and loved ones who have died. However, Jesus made it very clear, and we need to remember, that not everybody who is raised will be raised to eternal life.

“The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice.” John 5:28. But notice what Jesus says in verse 29: “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

The Bible is very clear in both the Old and New Testaments that not everybody raised will be raised to eternal life. The Jews believed this. While on trial and speaking about the Jews, Paul said, “And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” Acts 24:15.

Daniel expressed, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2. Revelation 20 points out specifically that there will be two resurrections one thousand years apart and calls those who have a part in the first resurrection “blessed and holy” (verse 6).

The first resurrection is a resurrection unto eternal life, never having to suffer the second death. But “the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished” (verse 5). At the end of the thousand years a second resurrection will take place. “Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,” and there will be people “to deceive” once more (verses 7, 8). The number of these people are as the sand of the sea. “I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Verses 12–15.

The most important question of all is how to have assurance of being part of the first resurrection. The person who has a part of the first resurrection is described with two words. They are blessed and they are holy (Revelation 20:6).

A powerful text on that very same subject is Hebrews 12:14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Those who are raised in the first resurrection must be holy persons.

The next question is, If I have to be holy, what does that mean? Some people say, “O, that’s what God is like.” Well, Jesus said that if you have seen Me, you have “seen the Father” (John 14:9). In Hebrews 7:26, Jesus is described as holy, so if you study the life of Jesus, you will find the meaning of holiness.

“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12. In the context of this text, Paul is specifically referring to the Ten Commandments. Quoting the tenth commandment, he says, “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy.” This is not complicated; a holy person’s life will be in harmony with the Ten Commandments. The thoughts, feelings, words and actions of a holy person will be in harmony with the Ten Commandments, because the law is holy and an unholy person is one whose life is not in harmony with the Ten Commandments. It is so simple that a child can easily understand.

How can you have assurance that you will be in the first resurrection if you should die before Jesus comes? “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” II Peter 3:14. “Without spot” is an analogy, or a description, using the symbolism of clothing. When clothes become soiled, they are washed to remove the spots and then ironed to remove the wrinkles. So the Bible uses this analogy. Paul says, “… that He might present her [the church] to Himself a glorious church, not having spot [unstained] or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27, NKJV). The church that Christ presents to His Father is without spot or wrinkle; it has been made clean.

It is God’s purpose to remove every spot and every wrinkle so we need to pray that God will send His Holy Spirit to reveal them and give us the power to overcome. I can’t explain how this happens. All I know is that the Bible says it, and it is so.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6. It is the Lord who is going to finish the work that He has started in your life.

James says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers [various] temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2–4. God will have a people who will be perfect and entire when Jesus comes. They will be holy, with no spots, no wrinkles, and no blemishes. To get to that point, there will be many various temptations to overcome, but “count it all joy.”

Time is running out, and unlike Enoch, God will not have three hundred years to accomplish His work. He has to speed up the process. A holy character is perfected through the process of trials and temptations.

If you want to be perfect, if you want to be ready for Jesus to come, the Spirit of Prophecy needs to be confirmed in your life. “As the testimony of Christ [that is the Spirit of Prophecy] was confirmed in you: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 1:6, 8. The people who are going to be blameless will have been confirmed in the Spirit of Prophecy.

God will have a perfect people. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” II Timothy 3:16, 17. This is the key to Protestant thinking and one of the main texts in the New Testament upon which we base our belief. It would be wise to study it carefully to get its full impact and power.

We want to be sure we acknowledge the truth gently and tactfully. It is not unkind to acknowledge the truth. For hundreds of years the Roman Catholic Church has claimed that to reach spiritual perfection, the Scriptures are not enough. They have claimed that in addition to the Scriptures, oral traditions, the sacraments of the church, and various religious exercises are needed in order to have spiritual perfection. The most famous group within the Catholic Church that has perfected spiritual exercises is the Jesuit order. They are actually called spiritual exercises, and after taking them, a person is supposed to be on a higher spiritual level than anybody else in the world.

Some of the people who have taken these spiritual exercises have committed the most violent and awful crimes of anybody who has ever lived. As Protestants, we do not believe that Catholic teaching and do not believe that a minister or a church organization or any Christian organization or group can add something to the Bible in order to become spiritually perfect.

Paul draws attention to what is inspired of God—the Scriptures. The purpose of the Scriptures is that the man of God may be perfect. That is the basis of Protestant teaching.

The Bible is like a cup that is clear full of water. It has everything necessary to arrive at spiritual perfection. If anything is added to it, it will spill over and something will be taken away from it.

You cannot add to the Bible. The wise man said, “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it.” Ecclesiastes 3:14. In other words, nothing can be added to it nor can anything be taken from it. When God has given us His book, the book is complete.

There are some people who believe that it is impossible to overcome and that you are going to go through your whole life sinning, but as long as you just confess your sins every day, you will be saved. It is true that confessed sins will be forgiven. But you cannot go through life living like the devil, just confessing your sins, and be in the first resurrection. The Bible, the New Testament, does not teach that.

“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly [without being intoxicated], righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Titus 2:12. This is “the grace of God that bringeth salvation” (verse 11). And the grace that brings salvation teaches us that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. To be in the first resurrection, we must live like this in the present world.

Ellen White wrote to a married man who was in real trouble in his family: “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 censuring, 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.

The resurrection is the most exciting subject in the world, if you are ready. If you want to be ready, you need to live soberly, righteously and godly now. You need to be preparing. You need to be praying. The Bible says that we need to pray for each other so we will be healed and so that we will be ready.

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

Pen of Inspiration – The Love of God, A Constraining Motive

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There always have been, and always will be to the end of time, two classes on the earth—the believers in Jesus and those who reject Him. The truth will be a savour of life unto life to those who believe. However wicked, abominable, and corrupt he may be, the sinner will be purified by faith in Him, made clean by the doing of His word. But the same truth will be to the unbeliever a savour of death unto death.

Argument will fail to convince the sinner of his responsibility to God. Learning and talent will fail to convince the soul. But the presentation of the love of God has a convincing power above that of argument, debate, or eloquence. The love of Christ, as expressed in self-denial, self-sacrifice, and death, as He bowed low under the sins of humanity, touches the sympathies and melts the stubborn heart. The fact that the Son of God, innocent and pure, suffered for sin; that the guiltless bore the punishment of the guilty, the just endured the penalty for the unjust, breaks the heart; and as Jesus is lifted up, conviction strikes to the soul, and the love that prompted the bestowal of the infinite gift of Christ, constrains the repenting one to surrender all to God. The seed of gospel truth has been dropped into his heart; and he beholds a love that is without a parallel, pledging a personal Saviour, and with Him every needed blessing. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things” [Romans 8:32]?

Those who receive Christ are melted and subdued by the manifestation of His love in His humiliation, suffering, and death in their behalf. They behold Him as their substitute and surety, as pledging Himself to accomplish their full salvation through a plan that is consistent with the justice of God, and which vindicates the honour of His law. But there are some who are stirred with strong emotion as they view the humiliation of Jesus, who shrink from following in His footsteps when they understand that they must be sharers in His humiliation and suffering. When Jesus asks the surrender of self without reserve, when He asks compliance with His government, and that they shall walk in humble obedience and implicit trust, their nature rebels. “No,” says the proud heart; “we want to keep our independence.” But this is the very thing that Jesus wants you to have. It was that you might be freed from the slavery of sin that He died on Calvary’s cross. He died that through faith in Him, you might be free indeed, and stand fast in the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Contemplate the sufferings of your Redeemer, and you will find that a check will be put upon sin. Every sin that is committed is a re-enacting of Christ’s humiliation, a re-opening of His wounds. Those who refuse to look upon Jesus lifted up upon the cross, who will not deny the inclination of their perverse hearts, who will not give up what they term their independence, their freedom to serve the author of sin as they please, will find their hearts filled with bitterness against those who accept Jesus as a personal Saviour. To them Christians will seem their enemies and injurers, and the gospel a sword.

Paul writes, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” [Galatians 6:14]. There is a mutual suffering here presented on the part of the Christian and the world. The world sees no charm in Jesus, and the Christian sees in Him matchless charms, and expresses his love, saying, “Thy gentleness hath made me great” [1 Samuel 22:36]. Christians realize the blessing that comes upon those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they are filled. The blessing comes upon those who desire entire conformity to the will of God, who desire to know Christ and to reflect His image. Through the merits of Jesus Christ, they realize that nothing is reserved in the heart of God for them but the fountain of the water of life—tender mercy, loving-kindness, infinite compassion. Jesus changes place with the sinner who believes, and the Father loves the followers of Christ, even as He loves His Son. He who receives the truth, has his heart filled with peace and joy as he contemplates Jesus.

But how different is the case of him who refuses to receive the salvation purchased at infinite cost. He refuses to look upon the humiliation and love of Jesus. He plainly says, “I will not have this man to reign over me.” To all who take this attitude, Jesus says, “I came not to send peace, but a sword” [Matthew 10:34]. Families must be divided, in order that all who call upon the name of the Lord may be saved. All who refuse His infinite love, will find Christianity a sword, a disturber of their peace. The light of Christ will cut away the darkness that covers their evil doings; and their corruption, their fraud, their cruelty will be exposed. Christianity unmasks the hypocrisies of Satan, and it is this unmasking of his designs that stirs his bitter hatred against Christ and His followers.

Satan has woven his spell even over the professed church of Christ, and many who claim to believe in Christ seem to be in the stupor of death. But the Lord has not left them to slumber on; He has sent them a message to arouse them from their carnal security. A part of these professors arouse and repent, and do their first works; but those who take comfort in their legal religion, in their form of godliness that is devoid of the power, feel that they have been personally rebuked and injured by the repentance of those who have aroused and returned unto the Lord. Instead of humbling their hearts and confessing their backsliding, they resist and oppose the message the Lord has sent. They oppose their finite wisdom against the wisdom of the Infinite. They allow their prejudices and passions to hold sway; they work on Satan’s side of the question. Thus the advocates of truth are brought into an unexpected conflict, and they are forced to bear witness to the truth, and to resist the hostility and hatred of those who would make the truth of God of none effect. Thus dissension comes in like a sword to divide believers and unbelievers.

The Bible Echo, March 26, 1894.

Do Not Sleep as Do Others

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One of the first letters written by the apostle Paul and recorded in the New Testament gives a straightforward explanation concerning the state of the dead, and when Christians will be reunited with their loved ones who have died in Christ, yet many Christians still consider this a mystery.

While Paul was in Corinth ministering in evangelism, to provide himself with an income, he made tents in the evenings with his companions, Aquila and Priscilla. He was comforted by the arrival of two of his working companions, Silas and Timothy, who had come from Thessalonica with news of the newly formed church. Paul learned that there were people in this church who had fallen into mistaken ideas concerning those who had died after their conversion. They held the belief that they would all live to see the second coming of Christ and were perplexed when some of their friends had died, making it impossible for them to behold Christ coming in the clouds of heaven.

In addition, some of the people, who believed that Jesus’ coming would be soon, quit their employment to devote all of their time to being ready. This prompted the apostle Paul to write some very straight things to those who had stopped working. He said, “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” II Thessalonians 3:10. This biblical counsel is still unpopular today amongst those who resign themselves to idleness, waiting for what will happen in the future.

Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica explained the true condition of a person in death. He said, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” I Thessalonians 4:13. The sleep here mentioned was death. He then said, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” Verse 14.

“Those who sleep in Jesus” are those who believe the Christian faith but die before Jesus comes again. Paul continued, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.” Verse 15. The people who received this letter were greatly comforted when they understood that the righteous dead would rise from their graves to a holy, happy, immortal life and be reunited with their loved ones when Jesus returns.

The Thessalonians had eagerly grasped the idea that Jesus was coming to change the faithful who were alive and take them with Him, but they had forgotten what Paul had taught them about those who died. When they buried their friends, they remembered that all of their ancestors had been buried, and with anguish they looked on the face of their dead loved ones, not realizing that, because they were Christians, they had hope of a certain reunion again. What a joy to hear that, “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” Verses 16–18.

It was clear that those who were alive at that time would not go to heaven before those who had fallen asleep, those who were dead in Christ. Notice that three times in this passage, as in the Old Testament where death is referred to as a sleep, Paul also uses this term. The epistle gave great hope and joy to this young church that had accepted the gospel. There were so many new and strange things to learn it is not surprising that they had forgotten some of the things they had been taught. But now, no longer did darkness enshroud the sepulcher of the dead. Their friends, who had fallen asleep in Jesus, would be resurrected from the grave at Jesus’ return and enjoy immortal life in the kingdom of God.

However, this passage talks only about the resurrection to immortal life being given to those who have fallen asleep and died in Christ. Are you in Christ, today? If you are in Christ, then whether you live or die, your eternal future is secure. Are you in Christ? Have you committed your life to Him? Is He your Lord and Saviour? Do you follow Him? Do you obey Him? Are you a Christian in character, or are you just a Christian by profession, not living like the Lord Jesus and following Him in your life?

Just as Christ was raised from the dead, Paul said, He will bring those who die in Christ with Him, to the kingdom of heaven. After this, the apostle Paul reminded them concerning events of the last days. In the very next verse he says, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you [because of previous instruction]. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.” I Thessalonians 5:1–4.

There are many prophecies clearly pointing out the end time and when the last days will begin, but Paul warns that there will be many who will be caught unaware. He said we are not of the night, nor of the darkness. “Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober.” Verses 6–8.

The Greek word translated sober means to not partake of any intoxicating drink. There are professed Christians today who see no wrong in drinking in moderation, but the Bible does not teach that. The New Testament does not teach that. Both Paul and Peter were very clear that a Christian preparing for the second coming of Christ would not use intoxicating drink. You cannot be both sober and intoxicated. Anyone who is partially intoxicated is not really sober. The sober Christians are watching what is taking place in the world and preparing for the future. Are you seeking to purify your life? Remember, the Bible says that, “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” I John 3:3. Are you purifying your life? Are you doing all in your power for the cause of God in the world?

It is predicted that the Christian who lives in the last days is going to have severe trials. Jesus, in Matthew 24 and Luke 17 and 21, said that perilous times will come. What shall we do because we are living in a world full of trials? Notice what Paul says: “We urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.” I Thessalonians 5:12–15.

Many practical instructions were given at the close of Paul’s letter. “Pray without ceasing.” Verse 17. Always be in an attitude of prayer. He said, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” Verses 18–22.

It is time to follow those injunctions. It is time to abstain from every form of evil, be sober and watchful, for you do not want to be among those who are drunk in the night and not watching and be overtaken suddenly by an overwhelming surprise when it will be too late to be saved.

When Jesus comes again, you will either already be saved, or you will be lost. That is why Paul said to the Corinthians, “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” II Corinthians 6:2. Now is the time to make a decision that will result in having eternal life. It is the decision to commit your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and choose to follow Him in obedience. If you commit your life to Him, you will receive the Holy Spirit that will transform your life. This letter brought wonderful comfort, hope, joy and excitement to the Thessalonian church, as it still does today to all who believe.

Paul said, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” I Thessalonians 4:16, 17.

The “we” mentioned here refers to the people in the church who are alive when Jesus comes and who are ready to meet Him. Some of the people interpreted it to mean that Paul included himself as one of those who would live until Jesus came, which resulted in the necessity to write them another letter. In fact, there were some who quit working, saying, “The Lord’s going to come so soon, that we are not going to work.” Paul wrote very specifically about this to Timothy and said, “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” I Timothy 5:8.

Paul had to address the whole issue of the second coming, and even today some Christians are mixed up on this. Some people say, “The apostles expected the Lord to come in their day in the first century.” No, they did not.

In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul sought to correct the misapprehensions they had because of what he had said in his first letter about when the Day of the Lord would come. When would Jesus Christ come again and when would the believers be reunited with their dead loved ones? When would they leave this world and go to heaven?

The apostle Paul begins his letter by commending them for their faith: “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.” II Thessalonians 1:3–10.

But then he goes on to talk to them about the coming of this day, the Day of the Lord that He has just described, when they would receive rest from all care and perplexities in this world. All persecutions of the Christians would be at an end. Those who died in Christ would be resurrected and taken with the living to heaven. They would be given immortality as you read in I Corinthians 15 or I Thessalonians 4. But then they were thinking it was going to happen very, very soon.

Paul says next: “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come [or was at hand]. Let no one deceive you by any means.” II Thessalonians 2:1–3. Back in those days it was common to send forged letters in the names of important people, so Paul said, “If anybody tells, gives you a letter and says it’s from me; if anybody tells you that I said this, please know it’s not so. Don’t let anybody convince you that the Day of the Lord is just about here.” This is a very emphatic warning. He tells them to be careful. Don’t allow yourselves to be troubled or even think that the Day of the Lord is at hand, because it’s not going to happen right away.

He then says, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” Verse 3.

Now this man of sin, of course, is the antichrist. It says in verse 4, concerning him: “Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God (that is the church), showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?”

So, Paul says, “I have already instructed you. Remember what I instructed you about this.” Verse 5. The coming of Christ is not going to occur until after a great apostasy transpires in the Christian church and the antichrist is revealed. The word antichrist does not just mean somebody who is against Christ; it means somebody who stands in the place of Christ. The antichrist is going to arise in the church first. “And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time [that is, the antichrist]. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way, and then the lawless one [the antichrist] will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” Verses 6–8. That is a very interesting verse.

Some people believe that the antichrist is going to appear after the Lord comes. But this verse teaches us that when the Lord comes, the antichrist will already be here and will be destroyed when He comes. Study this passage in your Bible. The Bible then says, “The coming of the lawless one [that is the antichrist] is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders [there will be miracles], and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Verses 9, 10.

These texts tell us that if you do not love the truth, you are going to be deceived.

God will never force anyone to believe or accept or follow the truth. God’s government allows freedom of choice. And He will never give you such overwhelming evidence that you will be forced to believe it against your will, but there is sufficient information, if you are willing to look at the weight of evidence. However, be warned that if you do not love the truth, you will be deceived.

How will it happen? “For this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie [the idea that a person can be saved in sin], that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Verses 11, 12.

The reason people do not believe the truth is stated here in this verse, because they are having “pleasure in unrighteousness.” All unrighteousness is sin (I John 5:17). Sin is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4). To have pleasure in unrighteousness means to have pleasure in sin or in breaking God’s law. This pleasure is temporary and will cost them their souls and eternal life.

If that is the situation in which you find yourself, won’t you repent so that you will have eternal life and not meet the destiny of those who delight in unrighteousness? Do not sleep as do others.

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

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

Questions and Answers – Attending Sabbath Funerals

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In Life Sketches of Ellen G. White (1915), 252, Sister White describes the death and burial of her husband, James.

“The next morning he [James] seemed slightly to revive, but about noon he had a chill, which left him unconscious. At 5 P.M., Sabbath, August 6, 1881, he quietly breathed his life away, without a struggle or a groan.

“The shock of my husband’s death—so sudden, so unexpected—fell upon me with crushing weight. In my feeble condition I had summoned strength to remain at his bedside to the last; but when I saw his eyes closed in death, exhausted nature gave way, and I was completely prostrated. For some time I seemed balancing between life and death. The vital flame burned so low that a breath might extinguish it. At night my pulse would grow feeble, and my breathing fainter and fainter till it seemed about to cease. Only by the blessing of God and the unremitting care and watchfulness of physician and attendants was my life preserved.

“Though I had not risen from my sick-bed after my husband’s death, I was borne to the Tabernacle on the following Sabbath to attend his funeral. [Emphasis added.] At the close of the sermon I felt it a duty to testify to the value of the Christian’s hope in the hour of sorrow and bereavement. As I arose, strength was given me, and I spoke about ten minutes, exalting the mercy and love of God in the presence of that crowded assembly. At the close of the services I followed my husband to Oak Hill Cemetery, where he was laid to rest until the morning of the resurrection.

“My physical strength had been prostrated by the blow, yet the power of divine grace sustained me in my great bereavement. When I saw my husband breathe his last, I felt that Jesus was more precious to me than He ever had been in any previous hour of my life. When I stood by my first-born, and closed his eyes in death, I could say, ‘The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord’ [Job 1:21]. And I felt then that I had a comforter in Jesus. And when my latest born was torn from my arms, and I could no longer see its little head upon the pillow by my side, then I could say, ‘The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ And when he upon whose large affections I had leaned, with whom I had labored for thirty-five years, was taken away, I could lay my hands upon his eyes, and say, ‘I commit my treasure to Thee until the morning of the resurrection.’ ”

Though this experience is not advocating for Sabbath funerals, it is clearly seen that it is not wrong. You will notice that there was a whole week for the preparations to be made for the burial before the actual funeral service and the body interred.

Often in Western culture, family and friends bury or cremate the dead in a private service, and then later hold a memorial service, which is often held on Sabbath so many are able to attend.

The Two Adams

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Most people at some time in their life have thought to themselves, “This isn’t fair,” or “I don’t deserve this.” I remember having this conversation in my mind. In reality I was questioning God and saying, “Why am I here? I didn’t choose to be here. I didn’t ask to be born. I didn’t choose to come into this world, and yet, here I am.”

The Bible describes only two destinies—heaven or hell. When younger, I thought I understood which way I was headed, but no matter what I did, it was like swimming upstream against the current. As much as I would struggle and fight to try to do what I knew was right, it seemed as if I was continually going deeper and deeper into sin. It was in this frame of mind that I began questioning God, asking, “Why am I here?”

In Deuteronomy 30:19 it says, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”

Ever since sin entered into the universe, every created being has had to make a decision to ultimately choose life or death. It began in heaven when Lucifer rebelled against the government of God, resulting in all the angels having to choose to whom they would give their allegiance. When God created man, the devil charged Him with being an arbitrary ruler, not allowing His created beings the freedom of choice.

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7.

Adam was created perfect when he was put in his garden home and given every advantage to know God. Immortality was not given to him at that time. His character had to be tested to see if he would remain faithful to God. It was no fault of God that sin entered into the universe, although He is generally blamed for its results.

“It certainly was not God’s purpose that man should be sinful. He made Adam pure and noble, with no tendency to evil. He placed him in Eden, where he had every inducement to remain loyal and obedient. The law was placed around him as a safeguard.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1084.

Everything he could have needed was provided for him, and the test God gave him was made as small as possible. After a time, had Adam been faithful, he would have been set apart and set outside of Satan’s temptations.

“God had power to hold Adam back from touching the forbidden fruit; but had He done this, Satan would have been sustained in his charge against God’s arbitrary rule. Man would not have been a free moral agent, but a mere machine.” Ibid.

God wants man to be free, and only in Him is there true freedom. Satan, however, has a different agenda; his “freedom” leads man into bondage.

“In what consisted the strength of the assault made upon Adam, which caused his fall? It was not his indwelling sin; for God made Adam after His own character, pure and upright. There were no corrupt principles in the first Adam, no corrupt propensities or tendencies to evil. Adam was as faultless as the angels before God’s throne.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, 8.

God not only created Adam in His own image, perfect without a taint of sin with no inclinations to sin, but He provided him everything he needed. The temptation was as small as possible, yet we know the story of what happened.

“And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Genesis 3:2–6.

Adam and Eve failed the simple test of loyalty that would assure them eternal security. Now the innocence they had before they fell, “they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25), was gone. Instead, “the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” Genesis 3:7. When they sinned, they lost the robe of light, the robe of innocence. (See Christ’s Object Lessons, 311.)

They were no longer innocently naked, and their best effort to cover themselves was to sew together fig leaves. The results of Adam’s sin have affected the whole human race.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:12. The decision Adam made affects each one of us through the inheritance we received from him. No other man was created separate to Adam. We are all part of that original creation and Adam could pass on to his posterity no higher character than what he possessed.

“When Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, they were innocent and sinless, in perfect harmony with God. Enmity had no natural existence in their hearts. But when they transgressed, their nature was no longer sinless. They became evil, for they had placed themselves on the side of the fallen foe, doing the very things that God specified they should not do. Had there been no interference on the part of God, fallen humans would have formed a firm alliance with Satan against heaven.” Christ Triumphant, 28.

“The transgression of God’s law brought woe and death in its train. Through disobedience man’s powers were perverted, and selfishness took the place of love. His nature became so weakened that it was impossible for him to resist the power of evil; and the tempter saw being fulfilled his purpose to thwart the divine plan of man’s creation and fill the earth with misery and desolation. Men had chosen a ruler who chained them to his car as captives.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 33.

“Eve fell under the temptation, and Adam accepted the forbidden fruit from his wife’s hand. He fell under the smallest test that the Lord could devise to prove his obedience, and the floodgates of woe were opened upon our world. He was furnished with a holy nature, sinless, pure, undefiled; but he fell because he listened to the suggestions of the enemy; and his posterity became depraved.” Christ Triumphant, 246.

Depraved—wicked, corrupt, destitute of holiness or good principles. That is the result of Adam’s sin which has been passed on to us. Why did he fall? It was because he didn’t believe God could replace Eve. She had been given to him by God and he loved her so much that he thought he could not live without her; therefore he determined to share her fate.

In contrast, Abraham is called the father of the faithful. Considering the test Abraham endured, it is easy to see why he is referred to in this way.

Where Adam’s test was the simplest that God could give him, Abraham’s test was the most severe, yet in reality it was the same test. God had given Abraham a son in his old age, whom he loved dearly. Then God said, “I want you to sacrifice him” (Genesis 22:2). The father of the faithful passed the test that Adam had failed.

The Condition of the Human Heart

“The heart is deceitful above all things [incurable], and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

“I am carnal, sold under sin.” Romans 7:14. This is the heritage we have been given from Adam, our first parent. As his offspring, born under sin, we are born in bondage. Paul said that there is none righteous (Romans 3:10) and that in our flesh nothing good dwells (Romans 7:18).

Looking at it from the most basic aspect of things, our natural state is to be filled with all unrighteousness (Romans 1:29).

“Nothing but His righteousness can entitle us to one of the blessings of the covenant of grace. We have long desired and tried to obtain these blessings but have not received them because we have cherished the idea that we could do something to make ourselves worthy of them. We have not looked away from ourselves, believing that Jesus is a living Saviour. We must not think that our own grace and merits will save us; the grace of Christ is our only hope of salvation. …

“There are conscientious souls that trust partly to God and partly to themselves. They do not look to God, to be kept by His power, but depend upon watchfulness against temptation and the performance of certain duties for acceptance with Him. There are no victories in this kind of faith. Such persons toil to no purpose; their souls are in continual bondage, and they find no rest until their burdens are laid at the feet of Jesus.” Counsels for the Church, 47, 49.

“For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members warring against the law in my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:14–24.

In this passage, Paul says he delights in the law of God after the inward man and he wants to do what is right, but how to perform it he is unable to find. This shows you that willpower is not enough, the reason being that it is sin that dwells in him. Sin is the transgression of the law. Jesus made a more specific application for sin being within the mind. He said that a bad tree cannot bare good fruit and a good tree cannot bare bad fruit. Either the tree is good and the fruit is good, or the tree is bad and the fruit is bad (Matthew 7:17–19).

We are told that there is a law, that when I would do good, evil was present. In Romans 8:2 it says, “The law of sin and death.” There are judicial laws and there are natural laws. Judicial law is implemented when a punishment is given relative to the crime. The consequence of violating the natural law is built into the law. It’s not an arbitrary thing but is a natural course of events.

When God’s law is violated, the natural result is death because we separate ourselves from God. It is not God that arbitrarily says, “If you sin, I’m going to kill you.” It does not say that. The law says that if you sin, you transgress the law and will die as a natural consequence. If you were to violate the law of gravity, which says, “whatever goes up must come down” and jump off a building and get killed, it is not God that killed you. Dying was the result of jumping off the building. It is the same with God’s law—defy it and the natural consequence is death.

Paul says in Romans 7 that there is a law in his members that when he would do good, evil was present with him. Compare this with the illustration of the law of gravity. You can jump up and even get off the ground for a little while, but there is no way to get around the law of gravity which forces you to come right back down.

You could climb up in a tree or climb to the top of a mountain or even get higher, but still the law of gravity exists. Many Christians try to do the impossible by good works. As far as being under the law of sin and death, there’s nothing we can do that can get us out from under it.

However, there is another set of laws, and if you come into harmony with those laws, you can actually defy the law of gravity, because you are under a different law. It is called the law of aerodynamics. While in harmony with those laws, the law of gravity has no claim on you.

In Romans 8:1–4, Paul says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

In order to be free from the law of sin and death, we have to come under a different law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. So, now there are two laws—the law of sin and death and the law of the Spirit of life.

Man has two choices—life or death. Being under one is to be freed from the other. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24.

There is no middle ground and you are either going to be under one master or the other. So the decision to be made is, Which one will you be under?

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of Him that was to come.” Romans 5:12–14.

Adam is the figure of Him that was to come. “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” I Corinthians 15:45–47.

Adam was a figure of Christ. He stood at the head of the human race and in him the whole human race existed. Christ stands at the head of a new creation, a new race of people, those who are saved. What Adam did affected all of us. What Christ did, and still does, encompasses all of us.

In John 3:5, 6, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Here we have the flesh, Adam and the inheritance he gave us, and we have the Spirit and the inheritance that we have in Christ—two opposing sides.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:5–12.

We either live in the flesh or in the Spirit. Romans 5:15–18 says, “(But not as the offence [contrasting the two Adams], so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift, for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

The words free gift recurs through those verses. When I began to understand this, I thought that God had to deal with lots of things that were unfair. We were not there when Adam chose to sin and could not cast our votes. But we were also not there when Christ lived a righteous life. God knew that it wasn’t really fair for us to be born into this world and sold under sin, so He offered His own Son as a free gift making the way of salvation as easy as possible for us. He sent Jesus into the same world where we live, in the same body with the same struggles, that through His righteousness we can be set free from sin.

“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32. Think about that for a moment. What an awesome God to give us such a gift!

“And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” Revelation 21:6.

Paul sums up the whole thing, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Romans 5:19.

Here we have two Adams—two realities, the law of sin and death and the law of the Spirit of life. We have righteousness and unrighteousness—two inheritances and two choices—life or death. When Adam was created, he did not have to choose life for that was already his. By his sin he chose death.

We inherit the sentence of death for all have sinned, but through the sacrifice Jesus made we can choose life. “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23. This seems too good to be true. It doesn’t really seem possible that God is willing to freely give you His righteousness, but it is the truth.

Practical Application

How do we receive Christ and this new life? “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” I John 5:11, 12.

“It is the spirit that quickeneth [make alive]; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” John 6:63. We receive Christ by faith as we receive His word. And His word is a living Word. The Bible says that every word of God is God-breathed.

When God breathed into Adam, He breathed into him life, just as He breathes life into His word. “The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and re-creates the soul in the image of God.

“The life thus imparted is in like manner sustained. ‘By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4) shall man live.

“The mind, the soul, is built up by that upon which it feeds; and it rests with us to determine upon what it shall be fed.” Education, 126.

In every command and every promise of the word of God is the power, the very life of God by which the command may be fulfilled and the promise realized. He who by faith receives the Word is receiving the life and character of God. So God has given us through Christ the opportunity to choose life.

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” II Peter 1:2–4. (Emphasis supplied.)

It is through God’s promises, through His word that we receive by faith the divine nature. When we believe the promise, though we may not realize it at the time, we have the assurance that God will fulfill His promise to us. It is my prayer, not only for myself but for each one of us, that we will have this as a reality in our lives, to be in Christ, partakers of the divine nature, and be set free from the law of sin and death.

Jim Stoeckert is currently working as a Bible worker for Steps to Life. 

Customs of Bible Times – Death in Eastern Lands

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The attitude of the people of the East toward death, and their behavior at such times, is so strikingly different from the attitude and behavior in the West that the Bible student will do well to study such customs.

The Death Wail

As soon as a death has taken place in the East, a wail is raised that announces to all the neighborhood what has happened. This is a sign for the relatives to begin demonstrating their sorrow. This death wail is referred to in connection with the first-born of Egypt, “And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead” (Exodus 12:30).

Such a death-wail heard in an Eastern desert has been thus described as, “a sharp, shrill, ear-piercing shriek.” This shriek is followed by prolonged wails. When this is heard, everybody knows a death has occurred.

Lamentation

From the time the death wail is heard, until the burial takes place, relatives and friends continue their lamentation. The prophet Micah compares it to the cry of wild beasts or birds: “I will make a wailing like the jackals, and a lamentation like the ostriches” (Micah 1:8, ARV). Such lamentation was in the house of Jairus when Jesus entered it: “And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly” (Mark 5:38).

The Hebrew prophets mention professional mourners, who were called in at the time of sorrow to express mourning for the dead. “Call for the mourning women, that they may come; … and let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us” (Jeremiah 9:17, 18). Another reference is to “such as are skillful of lamentation” (Amos 5:16). The presence of such a group of mourners hired for the occasion seems out of place to the Occidental (European) mind; but certainly such professional wailers are no more lacking in helpfulness to the Easterner than are non-religious professional singers at a Western funeral service.

Expressions of Sorrow and Comfort

Since people from the East are so very demonstrative and emotional, it is difficult for those not acquainted with their customs to appreciate their method of expressing their sorrow, and their attempts to be comforted. In times of grief and sorrow, sackcloth is worn, and they often rend their garments in order to let people know how deep is their grief (II Samuel 3:31). The beating of the breast is another method of expressing sorrow (Luke 23:48). Tears flow freely at such times and are considered to be a definite means of bringing comfort to sorrowing hearts (John 11:33).

Preparation of the Body for Burial

In Syria the custom has prevailed of wrapping the dead. Usually the face is covered with a napkin, and then the hands and feet are bound round with linen cloth. The body is then put upon a bier, with a pole at each corner, and thus carried on the shoulders of men to the tomb for burial. The description of Lazarus, when Jesus called him forth from the tomb, indicates that the same custom was practiced in those days: “Out came the dead man, his feet and hands tied with wrappings, and his face tied up with a handkerchief” (John 11:44). Also we know that the body of Jesus was thus wrapped by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus: “Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury” (John 19:40). Embalming spices were used when they could be afforded.

Eastern Funerals

Today there are thousands of rock-cut tombs scattered over the land of Palestine, to bring to mind past decades. Such tombs were made by the wealthy. Not being able to afford these, the poorer folks buried their dead in graves. Some of these tombs had many chambers in them. They were closed by a rolling-stone which ran down an inclined plane in front of the mouth of the sepulcher. In the vicinity of ancient Gadara (Luke 8:27), there are many rock-hewn tombs today, bringing to mind the experience of Jesus when he met the demoniac who lived in the tombs.

Often the dead were buried in graves dug in the earth, as in the case of Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, who was buried under an oak at Bethel (Genesis 35:8). Natural caves were sometimes utilized, as in the case of the cave of Machpelah, where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob were placed (Genesis 49:31; 50:13). When they could afford to do so, families had a sepulcher. Gideon was buried in the sepulcher of Joash his father (Judges 8:32). Only prophets and kings were buried within the limits of a city, as Samuel, who was buried in his house at Ramah (I Samuel 25:1), and David, who was buried in the city of David (I Kings 2:10). A graveyard for poorer people was located outside Jerusalem (II Kings 23:6).

In Bible times it was quite customary for the sorrowing ones to fast up to the time of burial. Then, following the funeral they would be offered bread and wine as a comforting refreshment. Such was called a mourning feast, which had as its real purpose the comforting of the mourners. The prophet Jeremiah refers to this custom: “Neither shall men break bread for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother” (Jeremiah 16:7, ARV). This mourning feast brought to an end the period of deepest sorrow and strict fasting.

Biblical Expression of Eastern Mourning

The Psalmists, Prophets, and Apostles often make use of expressions referring to Eastern mourning. Some of these cannot be appreciated by the Occidental, unless the highly emotional character of the Easterner is understood, and also his fondness for figurative language. The Psalmist says: “Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law” (Psalm 119:136). The prophet exclaims, “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” (Jeremiah 9:1.) And it was to Easterners that Paul said, “Weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15). It will pay the Bible student dividends if he will read the Word with the Eastern point of view.

Fred H. Wight, Manners and Customs of Bible Lands, The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 1953, 142–146.

Death and Sunset

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I once listened to a certain preacher who, when speaking of death, said substantially: “Though the Bible represents that man really dies, as in the expression ‘Abraham is dead’ (John 8:52), yet we are to no more take the statement literally than we are the oft-repeated declarations about the sun’s rising and setting. It, as a matter of fact, does not really rise and set, but only appears to. So man does not really die; the Bible only speaks of appearances when it says, ‘Man dieth’ (Job 14:19). We only appear to die as the sun appears to set. We also hear people continually talking about sunrise and sunset, and we talk about it, and so do astronomers even, who know better; yet we all speak of merely what seems to be, and not of reality.”

  1. The Bible does not set out to teach astronomy. If it did, it certainly would not teach that the sun rises and sets when it does not. It is not a text-book of natural science. Man is its subject, and not the sun, moon, and stars. It tells of his creation—how he came to be, of the place he occupies in creation, of his capabilities and powers, of his nature, of his condition in death, and of his ultimate destiny. It instructs in regard to all this, because it is this that lies in the field of its design, and we must take what we find as a rigid reality. This is not the place for “appearances,” but for realities. The Bible as a revelation has to do with man, and its declarations are to be taken as they stand, without any gloss. The preacher’s idea was that only the body died, the man himself living right on as before; so when the Bible says, “Abraham is dead,” “Moses my servant is dead,” “Your fathers did eat manna, and are dead” (John 8:52; Joshua 1:2; John 6:58), and the like, it means that only their bodies died, but their souls did not.
  1. We can but regard this as a piece of thorough, theological quackery, the smallest and most shameful kind of trifling with sacred things. It is taking the whole question for granted. How does he know that only the body dies, and the soul or spirit does not? Not from anything the Bible says, but simply because he thinks so, and is going to have it so anyway, if he does have to ride rough-shod over Scripture, reason, and common sense. The Bible tells us that “man dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?” In Heaven? No. In hell? No. “Man lieth down, and riseth not; till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep” (Job 14:10–12); the same man “that liveth,” “dieth,” and “lieth down” in death, not the body of man as distinguished from the intelligence, but The difference is he is dead. “Devout men carried Stephen to his burial” (Acts 8:2). Stephen was dead, and they went and buried him. Some say a man cannot be buried, but his body can be. The real man goes into another state of existence; but the Bible tells us that the first Christian martyr was buried—somewhat of a difference.
  1. The Bible informs us that “the dead know not anything” (Ecclesiastes 9:5); that their love and hatred and envy is now perished (verse 6); that “they are extinct” (Isaiah 43:17); that those that have been long dead are in darkness (Psalm 143:3; Lamentation 3:6); that in the day of death the “thoughts perish” (Psalm 146:4); that “the dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence” (Psalm 115:17); and that the dead in Christ shall come forth from their graves when the Lord comes to judgment (1 Thessalonians 4:14–16). Then no part of man remains alive from death to the resurrection. In order for man to live again, he must die (Job 14:14; Revelation 20:5). So when the Bible says “Abraham died” (Genesis 25:8), we believe it wholly, not in part.
  1. Men say that the sun rises and sets, yet they know that really it does not. So we say men die, but we know they do not really. Now do we know as precisely that men do not literally die as we know that the sun does not literally rise? No. Science demonstrates that the sun, as related to the earth, is stationary. Every school boy knows that. But does science demonstrate that a part of man remains alive after a part of him dies? No. On the contrary, facts strongly indicate that consciousness is destroyed in death. Men can demonstrate that the sun does not rise and set, but they cannot show that a man is alive when he is dead. [All emphasis author’s.]

The Review and Herald, May 3, 1881.

Editorial – Be Not Deceived!

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A great delusion is coming upon the world that will deceive the whole world except for a remnant (II Thessalonians 2:8–12; Revelation 12:9, 17; 16:13, 14), and you will not be able to believe what you see and hear.

Recently, I was sent a review of a book that has recently been written, claiming to prove consciousness after death and that our souls are immortal. Like a multitude of other books, this one is based on the near death experience of a neurosurgeon who was formerly a skeptic but now thinks that he believes in God. He claims, in his book, that God told him (while he was in this near death state) that (1) evil was present in all the other universes, and (2) evil is necessary. Both of these statements directly contradict the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. Those acquainted with the teachings of witchcraft and demons are aware that these have been satanic teachings for a long time. The “god” that spoke to the physician was not the God of the Bible, Who cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18; Numbers 23:19), never contradicts Himself and is consistent in all His manifestations.

The Bible says that (1) only God has immortality (I Timothy 6:15, 16) and the soul that sins will die (Ezekiel 18:4); (2) souls do not burn forever in hell, but are destroyed (Matthew 10:28); (3) eternal fire does not burn forever, but is fire that is eternal in its results or consequences (Jude 7); (4) although there was a time when there was evil in heaven, it has been cast out and is restricted to this earth. When this earth is cleansed by fire in the last day, there will not ever again be any evil in the entire universe. Evil is not necessary (II Peter 3:10–13; Revelation 12:7–12; 21:7, 8, 27; 22:14, 15; Nahum 1:9; James 1:13–17; Proverbs 10:22).

There are two supernatural forces seeking to control the minds of men, the God of the Bible and His arch-enemy called the devil and Satan. So who was it masquerading as God to this physician in his near death state? The Lord has given men a rule by which to detect error: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20.