Jesus

Worthy of Imitating

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A great need today is a body of churches that refuse to compromise and allow misconduct and wrong activities to flourish. The purpose of the church is to be a place where its members can grow “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:13. Its goal is that each individual member be a temple, bringing honor and glory to God.

Today, people need a good role model to follow, and those in the church should have certain characteristics or qualities that would attract others to worship and to be a part of that church. We will look at some of the characteristics that should be reflected in the church worthy of worshipping in and being part of.

In I Thessalonians 1:6–10 it says, “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

In this passage the Apostle Paul describes a congregation, a group of people putting into practice the instructions found in the Word of God. The members, ordering their lives according to God’s principles have been seen and witnessed by other people around. By their lives they set a good example demonstrating just what can be done when God is in control, providing direction and inspiration to others.

The Christian church has been very blessed with many role models found in both the Old and the New Testament.

We should ask ourselves the question, Whose path are we following? The path we follow influences others to follow that same path. If we are following Christ, our behavior, our conduct, the way we do business will witness for the Lord and others will follow that type of example. The Scriptures are very specific about the characteristics, or qualities of the role models we should follow. For instance, Moses, Elijah and Joshua in the Old Testament, all of these men represented God in all of their words and actions, becoming worthy role models and their influence touched many people’s lives.

If we do not learn to imitate Christ and to develop His character, His mind, His concepts, personality and have His qualities, another influence will overwhelm us to form characters where Christ will not even be in the picture. This is happening in the world today because the type of lifestyle many are living today only reflects the world. The majority are not willing to leave their comfort zone and move on to greater and higher things for the honor and glory of God. They are not willing to make the extra sacrifice and move away from the world’s approval because it is too uncomfortable to make that move.

Christ left His royal position, His home, His authority, everything to come here to this earth to receive rejection, insult and even physical abuse so that people could see the character of His Father represented. But the Lord left it all because He loved us. He left it all in the hope that He would find faith before He went to His Father, and when He comes back again He will find faith.

What type of reputation are you projecting right now around your community? Is it worthy of being imitated by others? Jesus told the Pharisees to their faces that they were hypocrites. He told them that they were so concerned about the outside that on the inside they were worse than anybody else. See Matthew 23:26.

Jesus said, “I will select people whom I can use who are willing to give me their lives, who are desiring to follow Me, and will allow Me to teach them how to be the people that I can use. I will be their God and this people that follow me will be My people.”

The Jews were chosen to be God’s special instruments to reflect God’s character but they went so far that they crucified the very One who could save them. However, the most astonishing and most powerful fact is that Jesus was not forced to be crucified. He was willing to give Himself voluntarily for all of the human race because He loved us.

Are you willing to leave your comfort zone for the honor and glory of God? The Lord promises that whatever you lose or give up here on this earth for My name’s sake, I will repay you. If you lose your life, I will give to you a new life. God gives us the assurance that if we will surrender all to the Lord now, to become a dwelling place for Jesus and the Holy Spirit, our future life is sure.

Paul says, “Ye were ensamples to all that believe.” I Thessalonians 1:7. We have the privilege of becoming Christlike examples to all around us. We can become role models for others, leading them to follow Jesus. Only when Christ is dwelling in us, when He is alive in our hearts, can we be the right examples and the role models that will influence others in the right way.

Paul says, “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.” I Thessalonians 1:6. Whether in times of turmoil or in times of trouble, you will have joy in your heart because you are asking God for your body to be a dwelling place, a temple of the Holy Spirit. When trouble comes, with joy you say, “Lord, come into my life. I know that I am in the middle of trouble, but even now, in the middle of all this turmoil, I am determined to honor and give glory to You, and to be your child and to reflect your character.” Hard times are the most difficult times to reflect God’s character because it requires a sacrifice. It requires obedience and requires faith in God. How much faith do you have for the Lord today?

We read in II Thessalonians 2:14, “Which He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul here is saying to us that we need to follow our Lord Jesus Christ and to reflect His character.

The Corinthian church was a new church that was raised which came out from the middle of idol worship. They were baby Christians who fell in love with Jesus and they were reflecting that obedience, loyalty, and the faith of Jesus to all around them. As babies begin with milk, the apostle Paul says that the baby Christians should also drink the milk of the Word but when the Christian is mature, he should eat solid food. If you feed solid food to a baby Christian he will often choke, so there is great need of having a good understanding of what food is appropriate at all times so as not to discourage the baby Christian.

There are many people out of the church right now because they have choked. This often happens because the church is not being properly fed according to God’s principles. We have the responsibility to preach the present truth, not to compromise.

A church of believers worthy of imitating is a church teaching and practicing the truth and has a balance in church activities. Our God is a very organized and orderly God so His church is also properly organized and orderly waiting for His return.

Paul was very tactful in saying, “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.” I Corinthians 4:14. Often, new Christians can become extremists, or even go back to idol worship. The danger is always there so there is a need to stay faithful together and continue to grow together spiritually. Never fall into the delusion that you know it all and do not need to hear anything else. That is dangerous ground. When a person has confidence in himself/herself, he/she starts drifting and often does not even know it. We need to constantly stay connected, by way of communion with our Lord Jesus Christ, and to stay in unity for the honor and glory of God.

Paul commanded the Philippians to follow the examples of others. Philippians 3:17 says, “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.” In other words, follow the examples of those who are worthy and don’t follow the examples of those who are not worthy. Be wise. Paul said to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God will, through the church that is worthy to imitate, direct you, teach you and show you the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. The true church of God is going to have trials. Trials are the method that God uses to make the church (His people) ready for the kingdom of heaven. If you are going through hard times and difficult moments you need to say, “Praise the Lord; He is working on me. He is making me worthy to inherit the kingdom of heaven.”

Daily consecration is necessary that He will work in and through us to reach out for His honor and glory. God can only work through consecrated people. When there is sin in the camp, God cannot work with the church. That is why the Lord told Joshua when Achan was in the camp, “I’m going to withdraw Myself from you because there is sin among you.” See Joshua 7:11, 12. On another occasion, the Lord says, “Joshua, tell the people to consecrate themselves today and tomorrow I will do wonders for them.” See Joshua 3:5.

If there is consecration today for the Lord, tomorrow, the Lord will do wonders for His people. We need to ask ourselves, “Lord, is there something in my life that is blocking the light from shining out in this community, or around the neighborhood where I live, or in my home? What do I have in my heart that is causing this place to be no longer a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit of God? Show me and give me your power to remove it, Lord. I want you to be the One to occupy this body, this temple that will give you honor and glory every day of my life.” When you truly consecrate your life to God, people will say, “I see something in this sister and this brother that I am really impressed to follow. I really want to know why I never see this person angry or cursing, or losing his temper. What is it that is making him happy all the time?”

Surrender to the Lord and let Him be your guide and then the whole church will be effective. Why? Then the church will grow because the image of Christ will be reflected in the countenance of each one in the church.

When Moses came down from the mountain after spending time with God, the children of Israel could not look at His face because it was so bright. He had been with God. The more time we spend together with the Lord, the more powerful, stronger and the more cleansed we will be, making the church more effective.

Today, we are in need of churches that will not compromise, but that will raise the standard of truth and bring honor and glory to God.

With Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master, we will be able to work together, understanding each other, loving each other, treating each other with respect and dignity and love. Our goal is to imitate Christ every step of the way; then the church will be firm, built on the rock. It will have one foundation, one purpose and one goal—to spread the Gospel to the world and to be ready when Jesus comes.

Do you want to go home? Let each person work together with his brother. We need to receive the Holy Spirit. The disciples were not ready to receive the Holy Spirit until they came together in unity. Only then were they baptized with the Holy Spirit. Our great need also is unity and the Holy Spirit.

What example are you being today? Make a commitment for the Lord today to make those necessary changes in your life so you will bring honor and glory to the Lord every day of your life and have the honor of being a role model worthy of imitation for others to follow.

Pastor Domingo Nunez is Director of Outreach Ministry for Steps to Life. He may be contacted by email at: domingonunez@stepstolife, or by telephone at: (316) 788-5559.

Questions and Answers: Is it because we cannot see the Lord that we Seem to Follow Satan?

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We cannot physically see either the Lord or Satan at this time; but we can see the fruits of each. Jesus tells us, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:20.

Satan has usurped, or seized, the temporary leadership of this world through Adam’s fall. We are born into this world with the propensity, or natural inclination, to follow Satan, the god of this world. And “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” II Corinthians 4:4.

For this reason, we need to be in the School of Christ so that we may be able to identify the path we are on and to identify, by our own fruits, whom we are following.

We are told in Revelation 3:18 to “anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see” spiritual things. To anoint means to consecrate by applying oil—the oil is the Holy Spirit. When we apply that oil, we can have the power of clear discernment between good and evil.

“Let the heavenly eyesalve be applied to the eyes of your understanding that you may distinguish between truth and error. Search the Word; and when you find a ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ take your stand.” My Life Today, 73.

“Our only safety is to be shielded by the grace of God every moment, and not put out our own spiritual eyesight so that we will call evil, good, and good, evil. Without hesitation or argument we must close and guard the avenues of the soul against evil.” The Adventist Home, 403.

The god of this earth has blinded many eyes, and that is why many cannot see and they follow Satan. We need to ask God daily for that eyesalve that will give us spiritual discernment to see where the devil is deceiving us and for the grace to turn away from following Satan. Make your choice today to sit in heavenly places with the God of Heaven.

In I Kings 18:21 Elijah said, “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.” When you have spiritual discernment, you will want to choose the God of heaven and not the god of this earth. You will no longer halt between two opinions.

When the eyes have been enlightened with spiritual eyesight, we will no longer follow Satan.

If you have a Bible question you wish to have answered, please write to Steps to Life or e-mail it to:
landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Editorial – The Rock

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“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice. … Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you. … Their rock is not like our Rock.” Deuteronomy 32:4, 18, 31.

Jesus is called the chief cornerstone of the church and the foundation of which nobody can lay another (Ephesians 2:19–22; I Corinthians 3:11). But, because of the confusion that has been in existence for over a thousand years on this point, we will allow the Anabaptists from the 16th century explain Matthew 16:18:

“They misinterpret the word petra, as though thereby was meant the apostle Peter; but this is a great and palpable error. For the Lord there plainly distinguishes between the name Petros (Peter) and the word petra (rock); saying immediately before, ‘Thou art Peter’ [Petros], but afterwards, ‘and upon this rock [petra]; … I will build my church;’ so that the Lord does not promise there, to build His church upon Peter [Petros], but upon the rock [petra]; which he plainly mentions.” Martyrs Mirror, 47. The word petros is a masculine word whereas the word petra is a feminine word—they are completely different words with different meanings.

There is also confusion over the word Cephas in John 1:42 which some say signifies a foundation stone. This word is a derivative of the Hebrew word Keph but the Hebrew words for foundation stone are Sela or Zur (see Deuteronomy 32:13). “Thus Peter is indeed called a stone in holy Scripture, yet not a foundation stone, but only such a one as is generally built upon a foundation. Christ is properly the foundation stone, as Peter Himself declares, when he calls Christ the living stone (I Peter 2:4); … whereupon he adduces the words of the prophet Isaiah, saying, ‘Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him (that is build upon him through faith) shall not be confounded.” ’ I Peter 2:6 from Isaiah 28:16. Therefore he admonishes the believers to build themselves, as living stones, to a spiritual house, upon the foundation which is laid—Christ.” Ibid.

“Christ is referred to as the cornerstone upon which the apostles and prophets are built (Ephesians 2:19–22). It is not inconsistent with this, that the twelve apostles, of whom Peter was one, are called twelve foundation stones in Revelation 21:14. For, even if it were admitted that by the words, city of God in this place there is to be understood the church of God here on earth, this would only prove that Peter, as well as the other apostles, was one of the twelve foundation stones of the church of Christ; which by no means confirms the proposed objection, that Peter alone is the foundation stone, or foundation, of the church.”

“Thus Christ is the ground, bottom, or foundation of His church; the apostles, through their doctrine, are the foundation stones; and the church is the building erected upon these foundation stones and the foundation.” Ibid.

The Room

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In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in The Room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author and subject in alphabetical order, but these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read, People I Have Liked. I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.

And then, without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn’t match.

A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named Friends was next to one marked Friends I Have Betrayed.

The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird: Books I Have Read, Lies I Have Told, Comfort I Have Given, Jokes I Have Laughed At. Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: Things I’ve Yelled at My Brothers. Others I could not laugh at: Things I Have Done In My Anger, Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.” I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.

I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my many years to write each of these thousand or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked Songs I Have Listened To, I realized that the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly and yet after two or three yards, I hadn’t found the end of the file. I shut it, ashamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked Lustful Thoughts, I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.

An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: “No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!” In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn’t matter now; I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore, People with whom I Have Shared the Gospel. The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep—sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.

But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus! I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn’t bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worse boxes. Why did He have to read every one?

Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn’t anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things, but He didn’t say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.

“No!” I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was “No, No,” as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn’t be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so bright, so dark, so alive! The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.

He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, “It is finished.”

I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

What is on your cards—what cards are you writing?

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.

Acceptance with God

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I recently received a call from the man whom the Lord had used 15 years ago to open my eyes to the truth of the gospel. During our conversation, he asked me if I knew whether or not I had been accepted by God. I had to stop and think a bit, for that thought had never occurred to me.

As I pondered, Satan filled my mind with thoughts of my sinfulness, and I truly wondered if I had been accepted as the purchase of God or not.

My friend then directed me to an article in the book, Christ Our Righteousness, by E. J. Waggoner, one of the pioneers of Seventh-day Adventism. Thus began my search for more of the treasure hidden in the word of God.

During my search, I thought about those times when I had seen people accept Satan’s lie that only if we are good enough can we expect the Lord to accept us. I thought of one instance in which a faithful member of the church was involved in an automobile accident. She had been ill and was taking prescription medication that adversely affected her mental activity. Unwisely, she decided to run an errand in her car, during which she drifted across the center line on the road and collided head-on with two bicyclists, who suffered serious injuries. As a result of this accident, the woman completely lost her faith. She maintained that if God really loved her, if He had really accepted her, He would not have let such a thing happen.

When adversity occurs in our lives, we have two choices. We can murmur and complain, accusing God of not loving us, or we can look for His loving hand moving within the circumstances that seem so adverse to us. Often, we are prone to question our relationship with God and are tempted to think that God doesn’t love us. If He did, why would He have let this happen?

I would assert that either because of adverse events occurring in their lives or because they don’t think they are “good enough,” there are probably thousands who have been professed Christians for years who are still doubting their acceptance with God. Indeed, many people hesitate to make a start to serve the Lord because they fear that God will not accept them.

For those who ask “Has God accepted me?” or, “Will God receive me if and when I come to Him?” I would answer with a question, as Christ often did when questioned by His doubters: Will you accept, or receive, that which you have bought?

In this electronic age, it is common to do a lot of shopping over the Internet, and the minute that the “complete transaction” button is clicked, we begin looking forward to receiving and accepting that which we have bought. And when it finally arrives, we accept it. There is no room for question. We bought it. It’s ours. We accept it without question.

The fact that we bought the goods and paid money for them is sufficient proof, not only that we are willing, but that we are anxious to receive whatever it is that we have purchased. If we did not want it, we would not have bought it in the first place. Moreover, the more we paid, the more anxious we are to receive it. If the price we paid was great and we had almost given our life to earn it, then there can be no question but that we will accept the purchase when it is delivered to us. Our only concern is that the goods might be lost in transit.

Now let us apply this simple, natural illustration to the case of the sinner coming to Christ. In the first place, we know that He has indeed bought us.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” I Corinthians 6:19, 20.

We have indeed been bought, but what price was paid? The price that was paid for us was Christ’s own blood—His very life. This is a truth that virtually all of the New Testament writers confirmed.

In Acts 20:28, we read in Paul’s statement to the Ephesians whom he had called to Miletus, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.”

And in I Peter 1:18, 19, Peter wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Paul stated this truth a bit differently in Titus 2:14, where he wrote that Christ “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity.”

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul mentioned again that Christ “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” Galatians 1:4.

Did He buy only those who profess Christ, or just those who have proven themselves worthy? According to His own words, He bought the whole world of sinners. In His conversation with Nicodemus, He said, as recorded in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” Jesus also said in John 6:51, “The bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” In this fascinating chapter, by the way, we see how the entire independent movement, except for twelve individuals, abandoned their Saviour and returned to the structure. Although they were accepted by Christ, they chose to reject His acceptance and continue down the road of error and falsehood where the organized church was leading them (verses 59–66). [Emphasis supplied.]

In Romans 5:6, 8, Paul makes it clear that Christ died for the ungodly while we were yet sinners. There is no need to think that we have to prove ourselves “worthy” to be among those for whom Christ paid an infinite price.

And the price paid was indeed infinite, was it not? All heaven was poured out to save us. Therefore we can know—not just believe, but know—that He very much desires that which He bought. He has His heart set on obtaining it, and He will not be satisfied without it.

In Hebrews 12:2, we are told that Jesus’ mind was on “the joy that was set before Him,” which gave Him all the strength that was necessary to endure the cross. So focused was He on that joy that the shame that He knew He was to endure was not even worthy of His consideration.

Long before Christ’s first advent, the Holy Spirit inspired the Old Testament writers to testify of the Saviour’s willingness to accept His purchase. In Isaiah 53:11, we read that “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.”

The remainder of that verse tells us why we don’t need to be burdened by sin any longer: “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” Christ Himself accepts us as His and in so doing, He accepts the guilt of our sins as well. [Emphasis supplied.]

You may think, as I once did, “But I am not worthy.” That means that you are not worth the price paid and therefore you fear to come to Christ lest He will repudiate the purchase. You might be justified in that thinking if the bargain was not sealed and the price was not already paid. However, consider this: if He refused to accept you on the grounds that you are not worth the price, He would not only lose you but also the price paid. In your own experience, even though the goods for which you have paid might not be worth what you gave for them, you yourself would not be so foolish as to throw them away. You would rather get some return for your money than get nothing. You would prefer to sell them in a garage sale for pennies on the dollar rather than to toss them out.

In addition, we really do not need to worry about the question of worth. When Christ was on earth “checking out” His purchase, He “needed not that any should testify of man; for He knew what was in man.” John 2:25. He made the purchase with His eyes open, and He knew the exact value of that which He bought. He is not at all disappointed when we come to Him and He finds that we are worthless. We do not need to worry over the question of worth. If He, with His perfect knowledge, was satisfied to make the bargain and seal the deal, we should be the last ones to worry about the details of worthiness.

The most wonderful reason of all that we should not question our worth in the transaction is that He bought us for the very reason that we are not worthy. His omniscient eye saw in us great possibilities and He bought us, not for what we were then and are now worth, but for what He could make of us. He says in Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake.” We have no righteousness; therefore He bought us, “that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” II Corinthians 5:21. And in Colossians 2:9, 10, Paul states, “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” [Emphasis supplied.]

In Ephesians, Paul gives a fairly succinct version of this whole process of redemption.

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” [emphasis supplied]. Ephesians 2:1–7.

Earlier in Ephesians, Paul noted that we are to be “to the praise of the glory of His grace.” Ephesians 1:6. This we could not be if we were originally worth all He paid for us. There would in that case be no glory to Him in the transaction. He could not, in the ages to come, show in us the riches of His grace. But, when He takes us, worth nothing, and at the last presents us faultless before the throne, it will be to His everlasting glory. And then there will not be any to credit worthiness to themselves. Throughout eternity, the sanctified hosts will unite in saying to Christ: “Thou art worthy … for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests … Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” Revelation 5:9, 10, 12.

Surely, all doubt as to acceptance with God ought to be set at rest. But … but it is not. The evil heart of unbelief still suggests doubt. Some are prone to say, “I believe all this, but … .” Please, stop right there; if we believed, we would not say “but.” When people add “but” to the statement that they believe, they really mean “I believe, but I don’t believe.”

Some persist, “Perhaps you are right, but hear me out. What I was going to say is, I believe the Scripture statements that have been quoted, but the Bible says that if we are children of God we shall have the witness of the Spirit and will have the witness in ourselves, and I don’t feel any such witness; therefore I can’t believe that I am Christ’s. I believe His word, but I don’t have the witness.” Let’s relieve that difficulty in believing by digging deeper into God’s word.

As to our being Christ’s, we can settle that ourselves. We have seen what He gave for us. Now the question is, Have we delivered ourselves to Him? If we have, we may be absolutely sure that He has accepted us. If we are not His, it is solely because we have refused to deliver to Him that which He has bought. We are, in effect, defrauding Him. He says, “All day long I have stretched forth My hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” Romans 10:21. Paul here refers to Isaiah 65:2: “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts.”

Christ begs us to give Him that which He has bought and paid for, yet we refuse and charge Him with not being willing to receive us. But if from the heart we have yielded ourselves to Him to be His children, we may be assured that He has received us.

Now, as to our believing His words, yet doubting if He accepts us because we don’t feel the witness in our hearts, I still insist that we don’t believe. If we did, we would have the witness. Listen to His word in I John 5:10: “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.” To believe the Son is simply to believe His word and the record concerning Him.

“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.” We can’t have the witness until we believe, and as soon as we believe, we have the witness. How is that? Because our belief in God’s word IS the witness! God says so: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1. Our belief is the substance of that for which we so earnestly hope and the evidence of our witness.

If we should hear God say with an audible voice that we are His child, we would consider that sufficient witness. Well, when God speaks in His word, it is the same as though He spoke with an audible voice, and our faith is the evidence that we hear and believe.

This is such important a matter that it is worth careful consideration. Let’s read a little more of the record in God’s word. First, in Galatians 3:26, we read that we are “all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” This is a positive confirmation concerning our belief in the witness. Our faith makes us children of God. But how do we obtain this faith? “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17.

From my personal experience, I can testify that when I read God’s word aloud, it oftentimes becomes more firmly implanted in my mind than when I read silently. Have you ever read a paragraph silently without concentrating on it, only to discover when you’ve finished that you have no idea what you just read? By reading aloud, I am forced to concentrate more carefully on what I’m reading, and my mind doesn’t wander. I hear the Word as well as read it. I absorb it through my eyes and my ears.

As we read God’s word, how do we obtain faith in it? Just by believing and knowing that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). We would certainly not call God a liar to His face, but isn’t that just what we are doing when we don’t believe His word? All we have to do to believe is simply to believe!

Have you ever had an experience in your life when you had to force yourself to act on what you knew to be true, even though it seemed initially not to be what you should do? I certainly have—and more than once.

One very windy day I was walking with my dog through the forest. As I was walking, I was going over my Scripture cards, reading them aloud to try to get them to stick in my memory. Usually my dog would run around sniffing all the wonderful smells on the forest floor. After a while, I realized that my dog was nowhere to be seen. I called and called, but with the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, my voice didn’t carry very far, and my dog couldn’t hear me.

I began to ponder how I could break the news to my grandson, who had given me the dog, that it had become lost in the forest. Then it suddenly dawned on me that not only was my dog lost, but so was I! I had not paid any attention to where I had been walking and did not recognize anything around me.

My intuition told me that the road and my car should be just over the next ridge. So I climbed the hill and looked down the other side, expecting to see just that. But, there was nothing but more forest. So I dropped down the hill and climbed up the next ridge. Again, nothing but forest ahead.

Then it dawned on me that when I left my car, the sun was coming from behind me. Therefore to get back to my car, I needed to change my direction of travel, completely contrary to my intuition, and walk facing the sun. After doing that, I reached the road in about ten minutes. I walked up the road about a quarter of a mile and there by my car was my dog, patiently waiting for me.

All I had to do to get where I wanted to go was to believe and act on what I knew to be the truth, even though it seemed contrary to my intuition.

Paul alludes to this depth of faith in Romans 10:8–11: “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”

All this is in harmony with the record given throughout Paul’s writings. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God; And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:16, 17.

This Spirit which witnesses with our spirit is the Comforter that Jesus promised in John 14:16. And we know that Its witness is true, for It is the “Spirit of truth.” Verse 17.

How does It bear witness? It bears witness by bringing to remembrance the Word which has been recorded. It inspired those words, and, therefore, when It brings them to our remembrance, it is the same as though It were speaking them directly to us.

We can confirm that from Scripture. In II Peter 1:21: “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” And in I Corinthians 2:13, Paul tells us that he speaks the things that the Holy Ghost teaches.

The Spirit presents to our minds the record that we know is true, for God cannot lie. We can bid Satan and his evil intentions to be gone, because we believe the record in God’s word that we are His children, fully accepted in Him through Christ and His atoning sacrifice.

Then the glorious truth breaks more fully upon the soul. The repetition of the words makes it a reality to us. He is our Father. We are His children. What absolute joy that thought gives us! So we see that the witness which we have in ourselves is not a simple impression or an emotion. God does not ask us to trust so unreliable a witness as our feelings. He who trusts his own heart is a fool, the Scripture says in Proverbs 28:26. But the witness that we are to trust is the unchangeable word of God, and this witness we may have through the Spirit in our own hearts. “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.” II Corinthians 9:15.

This assurance does not mean that we can relax in our diligence and settle down contentedly, as though we had gained perfection. We must remember that Christ accepts us not for our sake, but for His own sake—not because we are perfect, but that in Him we may go on to perfection. He blesses us not because we have been so good that we have deserved a blessing, but in order that in the strength of the blessing we may turn away from our iniquities (Acts 3:26).

In John 1:12, we are told, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power [emphasis supplied] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

To everyone that believes in Christ, the power—the right—the privilege—is given to become the sons of God, to be accepted in the Beloved. It is by the “exceeding great and precious promises” of God through Christ that we are made “partakers of the Divine nature.” II Peter 1:4.

John Pearson is part of the Steps to Life team. He can be contacted by email at: johnpearson@stepstolife.org.

Editorial – The Higher Standard

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In the world there are standards in every area of life. In the church, there are also standards relevant to our religious life—standards of conduct, standards of speech, and standards relating to even our thoughts (see the Sermon on the Mount—Matthew 5). The Ten Commandments were pointed out by Jesus in His sermon as the standard, not only of our conduct and speech, but even our thoughts. In this editorial, I want to point out the highest standard for the Christian.

“There is no higher standard than the life of Christ.” Medical Ministry, 160. The Ten Commandments are the standard, and when we hear them we are hearing the standard of character that God has for all of His children. But when we look at the life of Christ, we actually see what the standard is when lived out in the life of a person. The life of Christ provides for us not only the precept, but an actual perfect example of what a person is like when living out the principles of the commandments. Since seeing is a more powerful teaching device than hearing, and since the mind will accept what is seen over what is heard, the life of Christ provides a perfect standard and the highest standard for which we are to strive.

This is what the Lord wants to do in our lives: “God has called His people to glory and virtue, and these will be manifest in the lives of all who are truly connected with Him. Having become partakers of the heavenly gift, they are to go on unto perfection, being ‘kept by the power of God through faith.’ 1 Peter 1:5. It is the glory of God to give His virtue to His children. He desires to see men and women reaching the highest standard; and when by faith they lay hold of the power of Christ, when they plead His unfailing promises, and claim them as their own, when with an importunity that will not be denied they seek for the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be made complete in Him.” The Acts of the Apostles, 530.

The devil claims that this cannot be done, but the Lord predicts that it will happen in every one of His children: “It has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him.” 1 John 3:2. NKJV This is the experience to which God is calling you. It will happen in your life as you cooperate with the divine agencies sent to this world for your salvation.

Keys to the Storehouse – I Would Never Deny My Lord, or Would I?

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Over the years the devil has fooled many, including me. Even today, by our words or our actions we may be denying our Lord. How the devil would rejoice and love to keep this knowledge hidden from us and keep us in darkness. If we have not sorrowed over or confessed these actions, we will be just where the adversary wants us. This is not the time to sleep, but to watch.

Those losing spiritual consciousness are no longer alert to the lurking danger. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” I Peter 5:8. He is seeking whom he may destroy spiritually.

While sleeping and not watching, it is so easy to be lulled into thinking that there is nothing to be sorry for or to confess. What a deception! You are being devoured! There are many ways in which the Lord is denied, instead giving glory to the devil.

“We may deny Him in our words, by speaking evil of others, by foolish talking, jesting and joking, by idle or unkind words, or by prevaricating, speaking contrary to truth. In our words we may confess that Christ is not in us. In our character we may deny Him by loving our ease, by shunning the duties and burdens of life which someone must bear if we do not, and by loving sinful pleasure. We may also deny Christ by pride of dress and conformity to the world, or by uncourteous behavior. We may deny Him by loving our own opinions and by seeking to maintain and justify self. We may also deny Him in allowing the mind to run in the channel of lovesick sentimentalism and to brood over our supposed hard lot and trials.”

“… The conversation and the deportment should be a real and visible expression of grace and truth within. If the heart is sanctified, submissive, and humble, the fruits will be seen outwardly and will be a most effectual confession of Christ.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 331, 332.

“A spirit contrary to the spirit of Christ would deny Him, whatever the profession. Men may deny Christ by evilspeaking, by foolish talking, by words that are untruthful or unkind. They may deny Him by shunning life’s burdens, by the pursuit of sinful pleasure. They may deny Him by conforming to the world, by uncourteous behavior, by the love of their own opinions, by justifying self, by cherishing doubt, borrowing trouble, and dwelling in darkness. In all these ways they declare that Christ is not in them.” The Desire of Ages, 357.

Awake! Ponder the path of your feet moment by moment. Have you denied Him today in thoughts, words or actions? Be honest with yourself; confess those neglects so the devil does not win.

Today is the day of salvation. Go to the Lord, fall on your knees and tell Him your heart’s sorrow for denying Him and ask Him for forgiveness. Give not victory to the devil and lose your eternal life. Jesus is waiting in the Most Holy Place of the Sanctuary in heaven to hear from you today. Tomorrow has not come, and then it may be too late, as it may not come.

Heavenly Father, My heart is filled with much sorrow right now. I now know I have been denying You in thoughts, words and actions. Please forgive me. I praise You for showing me these things. Keep me alert to the dangers in my path that I may not lose eternal life. Amen.

Avoiding Satan’s Shadow

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It must be well understood by those who have chosen to follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth that they need to be sober and vigilant, because our adversary the devil, walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (See Revelation 14:4; I Peter 5:8.) Satan spares no effort in attempting to throw his hellish shadow across the path of those hungering and thirsting for the truth.

In Satan’s efforts to destroy Jesus, he came to Him as an angel of light when He was at his weakest, after 40 days of fasting in the desert. Throughout His life, Satan had sought tirelessly to destroy the King of the universe. Since he was unsuccessful, he is now sparing no effort to destroy His loyal subjects, unrelentlessly casting his shadow across their paths on a daily basis.

Tempting us when we are the weakest is a common method of operation for the enemy of souls. It was when Moses was at his weakest—after nearly 40 years of putting up with the murmuring and complaining Israelites—that his faith failed and he succumbed to Satan’s temptation by over-reaching in fulfilling the Lord’s instructions. (See Numbers 20.)

Elijah’s faith failed when he fled from Jezebel’s threats after facing the false prophets of Baal. He, that same day, had manifested the strength of heaven when he slayed 450 prophets at the Brook Kishon, but in the moment of weakness that followed, Satan instilled in Elijah an ungodly fear of the hateful wife of the weak monarch. (See I Kings 19.)

Although it was when Christ was at His weakest after fasting 40 days that Satan came at Him in marked contrast to prior temptations, Christ was able, by relying on the word of God, to resist Satan’s efforts to destroy not only Himself but the plan of salvation as well.

In each of the synoptic gospels, two short verses introduce the beginning of the earthly chapter of the great controversy between Christ and Satan.

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.” Matthew 4:1, 2.

“And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.” Mark 1:12, 13.

“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.” Luke 4:1, 2.

John does not mention Christ’s temptations in his gospel, but he makes an allusion to them in his first epistle. In it, he gives us a very succinct statement of the avenues Satan used to try to dissuade Christ from the path of truth, righteousness, and faithfulness.

In I John 3:8, John states, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

Here we see clearly and succinctly what Christ accomplished in His earthly efforts for the salvation of mankind—the destruction of the works of Satan. Those efforts were begun immediately after His baptism when He was led—or driven, as Mark says—into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Earlier in that same epistle, John had enumerated the specific temptations Satan had hurled at Jesus. It is those same temptations that he dangles before us today, in thousands of different forms. He has studied the character of mankind for 6,000 years and has tailored his temptations to entice each one of us according to our weakest points.

John lists, in I John 2:16, the specific points on which Satan tempted Christ and the very points on which Satan tempts us, time after time: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

A careful study of Christ’s three temptations will reveal that it was these very avenues—lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—that Satan used to tempt Christ when He was at His weakest.

When strength fails and the will-power is weak and faith ceases to cling to God, then those who have stood long and valiantly for the right are overcome. When they are at their weakest physically, mentally, and spiritually, Satan makes his most severe efforts to overcome them.

Humans will fall when any one of these faculties—physical, mental, or spiritual—has been stretched to the limit. Christ experienced a lessening of all three, yet He withstood all the attempts by Satan to destroy the plan of salvation.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the three temptations of Christ in hopes that we can learn from the example set before us, so that by the grace of God, we can prevail when Satan comes in like a flood to dissuade us from the path of truth and righteousness.

“With the terrible weight of the sins of the world upon Him, Christ withstood the test upon appetite [lust of the flesh], upon the love of the world [lust of the eyes], and upon that love of display [pride of life] which leads to presumption. These were the temptations that overcame Adam and Eve, and that so readily overcome us.” The Desire of Ages, 116, 117.

  1. Lust of the flesh – physical – Turn these stones into bread.

How did Satan tempt Christ through lust of the flesh? We are told clearly in Matthew 4:3: “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

In the very first temptation that Satan brought before Christ, he used the exact same avenue that he had used so successfully to lead our first mother astray. There was, however, a significant difference in the circumstances of the two events: Eve was not hungry. Christ had fasted for 40 days. “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.” Verse 2.

“He did not realize any sense of hunger until the forty days of His fast were ended.

“The vision passed away, and then, with strong craving, Christ’s human nature called for food.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 9. He was definitely hungry!

Satan was successful not only in reaching Eve through appetite, but he also succeeded in leading Esau astray through the same avenue. Esau was willing to trade his birthright for a bowl of soup. In that moment of hunger, satisfying his appetite meant more to him than salvation. He yielded willingly to the lust of his flesh. The results of that decision stayed with him and his descendants throughout history.

I used to think that somewhere near the end of time, just before the Second Coming, Satan or one of his agents would come to me with a plate of chicken-fried steak or a quart of ice cream—after I had observed a strict vegan diet for decades—saying, “John, you’re near to death from starvation. God loves you too much to let you suffer and die. Take this. Eat it.” Consider the possibility that—some time before the Second Advent—not only will Satan seek to have the Sabbath lightly regarded, but he may also attempt to demerit the value of adhering to the tenets of health reform. “Eat anything you want to.” Could he quote a Scripture to support that assertion, just as he quoted Scripture to try to entice Christ? Indeed he could … several, in fact.

“If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.” I Corinthians 10:27.

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.” Colossians 2:16.

How would you counter such an argument with a thus saith the Lord? If you cannot do that now, it would be wise to determine how you would meet such a test before it comes to you.

Often, seemingly intelligent individuals will maintain that the “counsel” we have been given in the Spirit of Prophecy—whether it is in regard to diet, exercise, Sabbath-observance, or some other point—is “only” counsel and that we are free to take it or leave it. While that is indeed true, if for no other reason than that we have been given a free will, the word of God tells us specifically, in Proverbs 1:25: “But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof.” This is not a commendation, for in verse 23, it was commanded, “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”

How much more simple could the Lord have stated it? If we accept the counsel we are given and “turn” when reproved, the Lord will “pour out” His spirit upon us. Why would anyone choose to fail to act on such a promise? Claiming the promises of God without complying with the conditions for its fulfillment is presumption.

Well, as the Lord has slowly and wisely and lovingly removed the scales from my eyes, I have come to realize that the battle, specifically with appetite but, in general, with obedience, is a daily issue right here and right now. Lust of the flesh applies to appetite as well as to the lower passions of the natural heart.

Inspired writings contain some revealing statements regarding the natural heart.

“The propensities that control the natural heart must be subdued by the grace of Christ before fallen man is fitted to enter heaven and enjoy the society of the pure, holy angels.” The Acts of the Apostles, 273.

“The tendencies of the natural heart are downward.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 587.

In I Corinthians 2:14, Paul also speaks of the difficulty that the natural man has in receiving the Spirit of God. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Thayer’s Greek Definitions provides a revealing definition of natural: “the sensuous nature with its subjection to appetite and passion.”

Truly the natural heart willingly yields—and by its very nature longs to yield—to the lusts of the flesh!

  1. Lust of the eyes – mental – Satan showed Christ all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them.

“Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:8, 9.

“Placing Jesus upon a high mountain, Satan caused the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, to pass in panoramic view before Him. The sunlight lay on templed cities, marble palaces, fertile fields, and fruit-laden vineyards. The traces of evil were hidden. The eyes of Jesus, so lately greeted by gloom and desolation, now gazed upon a scene of unsurpassed loveliness and prosperity. Then the tempter’s voice was heard: ‘All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be Thine’ [Luke 4:6, 7].” The Desire of Ages, 129.

How did Jesus refute Satan’s temptation? “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10.

Let’s take a deeper look at the command, “Him only shalt thou serve.”

In I Samuel 7:3, we read, “And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

What does it mean to be delivered out of the hands of the Philistines?

There are two possible interpretations to this deliverance. Certainly at the time Samuel said it, it meant that if the children of Israel would turn from their idolatry, God would physically deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. But when we mine God’s word as searching for buried treasure, we can find a deeper meaning that is applicable to us today.

We learn in Strong’s Concordance by tracing the word Philistines down through several layers of word derivatives that it comes from a primitive root meaning to roll (in dust): – roll (wallow) in self.

When we apply that knowledge to man’s creation—“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground …” Genesis 2:7—we gain greater insight as to what it means to us to be delivered from the hand of the Philistines.

When we choose to serve God and Him only, He will deliver us from the “hand of the Philistines.” He delivers us from ourselves, freeing us from self and all the worldly entanglements that we have gotten ourselves into before we allowed God to crucify the old man and experience that new birth that we must have before we can enter the kingdom of heaven.

The story of Achan provides us with an example of lust of the eyes and its disastrous results. Achan was overcome when he spied the “goodly Babylonish garment.”

“When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them [I delighted in them; I lusted after them], and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.” Joshua 7:21.

Verse 25 gives the result of Achan’s yielding to lust of the eyes. “And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.”

David is another example of someone who fell into sin because of lust of the eyes. The beginning of that story is in II Samuel 11:2–4.

“And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.”

How can one recover from a sin such as David’s? Psalm 51—one of the most uplifting of them all—reveals that to us. David’s repentance was from the depths of his heart.

“Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to thy lovingkindness:
According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions:
And my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in thy sight:
That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,
And be clear when thou judgest.” (Verses 1–4.)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God;
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence;
And take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
And uphold me with thy free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;
And sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
Thou God of my salvation:
And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.” (Verses 10–14.)

We have evidence from several different places in Scripture that God honored this heart-cry.

“… yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes.” I Kings 14:8.

Clearly, God kept His promise given in Psalm 103:12. He removed David’s sins “as far as the east is from the west.”

Repeatedly, after this incident, throughout the remainder of the Old Testament, God refers to David as His servant. But take note that neither Cain nor Saul nor any other unrepentant sinner ever receives a similar commendation.

Lust of the eyes nearly always turns into lust of the flesh. In fact, according to Genesis 6:1–3, that was a contributing factor in God’s determination to destroy the world by a flood.

“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:1–3.

Lust of the eyes led to lust of the flesh in David’s situation. It did the same in the children of Israel just before they crossed the Jordan. Read about that in Numbers 25 and in Patriarchs and Prophets, chapter 41, “Apostasy at the Jordan.” This story contains a critical warning for us today.

“We want to understand the time in which we live. We do not half understand it. We do not half take it in. My heart trembles in me when I think of what a foe we have to meet, and how poorly we are prepared to meet him. The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ.” The Review and Herald, February 18, 1890.

What happened to the children of ancient Israel just before they entered the promised land is given to us as a warning against one of the most successful techniques that Satan has ever used to lead man astray or that he ever will use to tempt God’s children just before the second coming of Christ.

  1. Pride of life – spiritual – Throw yourself from this pinnacle of the temple … try to kill yourself, try to take your life, thereby destroying your soul and any chance for the salvation of the human race. The angels will protect you.

“The vision passed away.” Christ was having a spiritual experience. “He [Satan] resolved to appear as one of the angels of light that had appeared to Christ in His vision.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 9.

Once again we can turn to David for an example of yielding to the pride of life.

“And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?” I Chronicles 21:1–3.

Joab was attempting to make David realize that he had no reason to number his troops other than because of pride—to fulfill his desire to know how powerful he was. He was tempted to rely on his own arm of flesh rather than on the divine arm of God.

David was convicted of his sin. “And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.” Verse 8.

As we continue reading from verse 9, we see what happened. The next morning a message was brought to David by the prophet Gad.

“And the Lord spake unto Gad, David’s seer, saying, Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee either three years’ famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.” Verses 9–13.

“The land was smitten with pestilence, which destroyed seventy thousand in Israel. The scourge had not yet entered the capital, when ‘David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.’ The king pleaded with God in behalf of Israel: ‘Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray Thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father’s house; but not on Thy people, that they should be plagued’ [I Chronicles 21:16, 17].” Patriarchs and Prophets, 748.

David realized immediately the error of his ways and turned to God with confession and repentance. God mercifully forgave David and regarded him as His faithful servant. We can expect the same enduring mercy to be manifested toward us by our loving Father when we confess and repent as did David.

We have clear statements of God’s forgiveness of David in Ezekiel 34:22–24. “Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.”

This was written sometime between 595 and 573 B.C., approximately 400 years after David’s rule as king of Israel. Clearly, God had answered David’s prayer of repentance!

There is another lesson in this temptation of Christ of which we should be aware, dealing with presumption. How important is it to distinguish between faith and temptation? We are told in Inspired writings that presumption is Satan’s counterfeit of faith.

“If he [Satan] can cause us to place ourselves unnecessarily in the way of temptation, he knows that the victory is his.” The Desire of Ages, 126.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, which is why Satan endeavors so tirelessly to make us cross the line from faith into presumption.

Inspired writings give us many different examples of presumption and provide a rich source of study for those who desire to sink the shaft deeply to mine the word of God.

Let us remember that through Christ we are more than conquerors, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39.

(Emphasis supplied throughout.)

John Pearson is part of the Steps to Life team. He can be contacted by email at: johnpearson@stepstolife.org.

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.