Jesus

Editorial – The Facts

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  1. Jesus of Nazareth was a real historical person who preached, healed and taught in Judea and Galilee in the early part of the first century A.D.
  2. He was opposed by the religious leaders of His day, resulting in His being arrested, condemned and crucified by the Roman government under Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea. Secular historians from the first century A.D. corroborate this.
  3. He arose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion and made at least ten appearances in public and private after His resurrection.
  4. He ascended to heaven 40 days later (Acts 1:3), but first He had, by the Holy Spirit, given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen (Acts 1:2).

The orders were to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19, 20.

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’ ” Mark 16:15.

“[Then] He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.’ ” Luke 24:45–47.

“Go to all nations, He bade them. Go to the farthest part of the habitable globe, but know that My presence will be there. Labor in faith and confidence, for the time will never come when I will forsake you.

“The Saviour’s commission to the disciples included all the believers. It includes all believers in Christ to the end of time. It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister. All to whom the heavenly inspiration has come are put in trust with the gospel. All who receive the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men. For this work the church was established, and all who take upon themselves its sacred vows are thereby pledged to be co-workers with Christ. …

“Whatever one’s calling in life, his first interest should be to win souls for Christ. He may not be able to speak to congregations, but he can work for individuals.” The Desire of Ages, 822.

If you have been baptized as a Christian, are you fulfilling your commission from Jesus Christ?

[Bible texts quoted are New King James Version translation.]

Bible Study Guides – God’s Supreme Plan

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April 7, 2013 – April 13, 2013

Key Text

“If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.” Job 33:23, 24.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 52–62; The Story of Redemption, 42–50.

Introduction

“It is the glory of the gospel that it is founded on the principles of restoring in the fallen race the divine image.” The Review and Herald, May 2, 1912.

1 CHRIST, THE EXPRESS IMAGE

  • How does God the Father address His Son? Hebrews 1:8–10. What distinctions characterize the Son of God? Colossians 2:9.

Note: “In the work of creation, Christ was with God. He was one with God, equal with Him, the brightness of His glory, the express image of His person, the representative of the Father.” The Signs of the Times, February 13, 1893.

“Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity. God over all, blessed forevermore.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1126.

  • How does the Son of God summarize His relationship with the Father? John 10:30. What should we then realize as we seek to worship God?

Note: “In Christ is gathered all the glory of the Father. In Him is all the fullness of the Godhead.” The Signs of the Times, November 24, 1898.

“Our ministers must be very careful not to enter into controversy in regard to the personality of God. This is a subject that they are not to touch. It is a mystery, and the enemy will surely lead astray those who enter into it.” Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, 343.

2 THE COUNSEL OF PEACE

  • What was to be the crowning act of God’s entire creation? Genesis 1:26; Psalm 100:3. In view of the crisis that had occurred in heaven, what did the Father and Son consider?

Note: “The Father consulted His Son in regard to at once carrying out their purpose to make man to inhabit the earth. He would place man upon probation to test his loyalty before he could be rendered eternally secure. If he endured the test wherewith God saw fit to prove him, he should eventually be equal with the angels.” The Story of Redemption, 19.

  • How did the Father and Son plan to redeem humanity in case they would fall prey to the archrebel? Zechariah 6:13, last part; Job 33:27–30.

Note: “The great plan of redemption was laid before the foundation of the world. And Christ, our Substitute and Surety, did not stand alone in the wondrous undertaking of the ransom of man. In the plan to save a lost world, the counsel was between them both; the covenant of peace was between the Father and the Son. ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16). The Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, would become a servant. The only-begotten Son, in whom the Father delighted, was given for the ransom of a fallen race. …

“The Father gave Himself to the world in the gift of His Son. It was the love of the Father for fallen man that devised in union with the Son the plan of redemption. And in this great gift the character of God is exemplified to all who shall receive the world’s Redeemer by faith, as a God of holiness and a God of love. In the crucifixion of His dear Son upon the cross of Calvary, He gives to all the sons and daughters of Adam an expression of His justice and His love. This offering made manifest the immutability of the holiness of His law. In the cross of Calvary justice and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

“The Lord God omnipotent is the God of His people. He is also a tender, loving Father, ready to hear their prayers; for God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. God sent forth His Son to be the propitiation for them through faith in His atoning blood.” The Signs of the Times, December 23, 1897.

3 THE CREATION OF THE HUMAN RACE

  • What distinguishes humanity from all God’s other creatures? Genesis 1:27.

Note: “Created to be ‘the image and glory of God’ (1 Corinthians 11:7), Adam and Eve had received endowments not unworthy of their high destiny. Graceful and symmetrical in form, regular and beautiful in feature, their countenances glowing with the tint of health and the light of joy and hope, they bore in outward resemblance the likeness of their Maker. Nor was this likeness manifest in the physical nature only. Every faculty of mind and soul reflected the Creator’s glory. Endowed with high mental and spiritual gifts, Adam and Eve were made but ‘little lower than the angels’ (Hebrews 2:7), that they might not only discern the wonders of the visible universe, but comprehend moral responsibilities and obligations.” Education, 20.

  • What should we realize about the high calling of humanity? Psalm 8:3–9.

Note: “The same unseen Hand that guides the planets in their courses, and upholds the worlds by His power, has made provision for man formed in His image, that he may be little less than the angels of God while in the performance of his duties on earth.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 415, 416.

  • Describe the Edenic scene of Adam’s early existence. Genesis 1:31; 2:8, 15.

Note: “Adam was surrounded with everything his heart could wish. Every want was supplied. There was no sin, and no signs of decay in glorious Eden. Angels of God conversed freely and lovingly with the holy pair. The happy songsters caroled forth their free, joyous songs of praise to their Creator. The peaceful beasts in happy innocence played about Adam and Eve, obedient to their word. Adam was in the perfection of manhood, the noblest of the Creator’s work. He was in the image of God, but a little lower than the angels.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 268.

4 TRAGEDY STRIKES

  • How and why did God test Adam’s fidelity? Genesis 2:9, 16, 17.

Note: “God created man in His own image, after His likeness, free from sin, and with organs well developed. The earth was to be populated with intelligent beings who were only a little lower than the angels. But God would first prove the holy pair, and test their obedience; for He would not have a world filled with beings who would disregard His laws.” The Signs of the Times, January 23, 1879.

  • What warnings should we heed from observing the way Adam failed the test? Genesis 3:1–13.

Note: “The very fact that Adam’s trial was small, made his sin exceeding great. God tested him in that which was least, to prove him; and with the prohibition He stated that the punishment consequent upon his disobedience would be death. If Adam could not bear this smallest of tests to prove his loyalty, he surely could not have endured a stronger trial had he been taken into closer relationship with God, to bear higher responsibilities. He evidenced that God could not trust him; should he be exposed to Satan’s more determined attacks, he would signally fail. …

“Adam did the worst thing he could do under the circumstances. In doing that which God had expressly forbidden he set his will against the will of God, thus waging war with His requirements. The pen of inspiration has with accuracy traced the history of our first parents’ sin and fall, that all generations may be warned not to follow Adam’s example, in the slightest disregard of God’s requirements. Had the test been in regard to larger matters, men might have excused the sin of disobedience in what they call smaller things. But God made the test with Adam upon things that are least, to show man that the slightest disobedience to His requirements is sin in every sense of the word. God, the Governor of the universe, has made all things subject to law; things apparently insignificant, and things of the greatest magnitude, are all governed by laws adapted to their natures. Nothing that God has made has been forgotten or left to blind chance. To man, as being endowed with reasoning powers and conscience, God’s moral law is given to control his actions. Man is not compelled to obey. He may defy God’s law, as did Adam, and take the fearful consequences; or by living in harmony with that law he may reap the rewards of obedience.” The Signs of the Times, January 23, 1879.

5 HEAVEN TO THE RESCUE

  • How did the angels exemplify unselfish love? John 15:13. What was to be their privilege? Romans 15:1.

Note: “The angels prostrated themselves at the feet of their Commander and offered to become a sacrifice for man. But an angel’s life could not pay the debt; only He who created man had power to redeem him. Yet the angels were to have a part to act in the plan of redemption. Christ was to be made ‘a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death’ (Hebrews 2:9). As He should take human nature upon Him, His strength would not be equal to theirs, and they were to minister to Him, to strengthen and soothe Him under His sufferings. They were also to be ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who should be heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14). They would guard the subjects of grace from the power of evil angels and from the darkness constantly thrown around them by Satan.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 64, 65.

  • In the words addressed to the serpent, what hope did God offer to the fallen pair? Genesis 3:14, 15; Romans 16:20.

Note: “The Godhead was stirred with pity for the race, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gave Themselves to the working out of the plan of redemption.” The Review and Herald, May 2, 1912.

“Christ would take upon Himself the guilt and shame of sin—sin so offensive to a holy God that it must separate the Father and His Son. Christ would reach to the depths of misery to rescue the ruined race.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 63.

“Adam marveled at the goodness of God in providing such a ransom for the sinner.” The Signs of the Times, February 20, 1893.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What are the heavenly credentials of the Son of God?

2 What was the “counsel of peace”?

3 Why was Adam tested? Why is each of us tested?

4 Explain why the test in Paradise was relatively small. Why are our daily tests small as well?

5 Can we be inspired by the response of all Heaven to this crisis?

© 2007 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Inspiration – Angels in Amazement!

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Angels are amazed that men regard so lightly and indifferently the vital truths which mean so much to the sinner, and continue willing subjects under the captivity of Satan and sin, when so much has been endured in the divine person of the Son of God. O that we may cultivate habits of contemplation of the self-denial and self-sacrifice of the life of Christ, until we shall have a deep sense of the aggravating character of sin, and hate it as the vile thing it is.

Let the mind awaken to gratitude that through Christ Jesus, the Father is faithful to fulfill the promise to forgive all sin. His mercy and His love are forever an assurance as we look upon Christ uplifted upon the cross of Calvary. Will we individually rise to the appreciation as far as we have capacity to comprehend the truth, that God Jehovah loves and forgives us if we believe in and love Jesus?

O what a glorious truth! God is waiting to forgive all who come unto Him with repentance. Preach it. Lift up Jesus high that the people may behold Him. …

The Jews saw in the sacrificial offerings the symbol of Christ whose blood was shed for the salvation of the world. All these offerings were to typify Christ and to rivet the great truth in their hearts that the blood of Jesus Christ alone cleanseth from all sin, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Some wonder why God desired so many sacrifices and appointed the offering of so many bleeding victims in the Jewish economy.

Every dying victim was a type of Christ, which lesson was impressed on mind and heart in the most solemn, sacred ceremony, and explained definitely by the priests. Sacrifices were explicitly planned by God Himself to teach this great and momentous truth, that through the blood of Christ alone there is forgiveness of sins.

This grand and saving truth is oft repeated in the hearing of believers and unbelievers, and yet it is with amazement that angels behold the indifference of men to whom these truths mean so much. How little is evidenced that the church feels the force of the wonderful plan of redemption. How few make this truth, that only through faith in the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ there is forgiveness of the sins that cling to human beings like the foul leprosy, a living reality.

What depths of thought should this awaken in every mind! He needed no suffering to atone for Himself. His was a depth of suffering proportionate to the dignity of His person and His sinless, exalted character.

Selected Messages, Book 1, 106, 107.

Inspiration – Christ Our Only Hope

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Before the foundations of the world were laid, Christ, the Only Begotten of God, pledged Himself to become the Redeemer of the human race, should Adam sin. Adam fell, and He who was partaker of the Father’s glory before the world was, laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown, and stepped down from His high authority to become a Babe in Bethlehem, that by passing over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell, He might redeem fallen human beings. He subjected Himself to all the temptations that the enemy brings against men and women; and all the assaults of Satan could not make Him swerve from His loyalty to the Father. By living a sinless life He testified that every son and daughter of Adam can resist the temptations of the one who first brought sin into the world.

Christ brought men and women power to overcome. He came to this world in human form, to live a man amongst men. He assumed the liabilities of human nature, to be proved and tried. In His humanity He was a partaker of the divine nature. In His incarnation He gained in a new sense the title of the Son of God. Said the angel to Mary, “The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). While the Son of a human being, He became the Son of God in a new sense. Thus He stood in our world–the Son of God, yet allied by birth to the human race.

Christ came in human form to show the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds and of the fallen world that ample provision has been made to enable human beings to live in loyalty to their Creator. He endured the temptations that Satan was permitted to bring against Him, and resisted all his assaults. He was sorely afflicted, and hard beset, but God did not leave Him without recognition. When He was baptized of John in Jordan, as He came up out of the water, the Spirit of God, like a dove of burnished gold, descended upon Him, and a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). It was directly after this announcement that Christ was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Mark says: “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” (Mark 1:12, 13). “And in those days He did eat nothing” (Luke 4:2).

Meeting Temptation

When Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted, He was led by the Spirit of God. He did not invite temptation. He went to the wilderness to be alone, to contemplate His mission and work. By fasting and prayer He was to brace Himself for the bloodstained path He was to travel. How should He begin His work of freeing the captives held in torment by the destroyer? During His long fast, the whole plan of His work as man’s deliverer was laid out before Him.

When Jesus entered the wilderness He was shut in by the Father’s glory. Absorbed in communion with God, He was lifted above human weakness. But the glory departed, and He was left to battle with temptation. It was pressing upon Him every moment. His human nature shrank from the conflict that awaited Him. For forty days He fasted and prayed. Weak and emaciated from hunger, worn and haggard with mental agony, “His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men” (Isaiah 52:14). Now was Satan’s opportunity. Now he supposed that he could overcome Christ.

There came to the Saviour, as if in answer to His prayers, one in the guise of an angel of light, and this was the message that he bore: “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (Matthew 4:3).

Jesus met Satan with the words, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). In every temptation the weapon of His warfare was the word of God. Satan demanded of Christ a miracle as a sign of His divinity. But that which is greater than all miracles, a firm reliance upon a “Thus saith the Lord” was a sign that could not be controverted. So long as Christ held to this position, the tempter could gain no advantage.

A familiarity with the word of God is our only hope. Those who diligently search the Scriptures will not accept Satan’s delusions as the truth of God. No one need be overcome by the speculations presented by the enemy of God and of Christ. We are not to speculate regarding points upon which the Word of God is silent. All that is necessary for our salvation is given in the Word of God. Day by day we are to make the Bible the man of our counsel.

From all eternity Christ was united with the Father, and when He took upon Himself human nature, He was still one with God. He is the link that unites God with humanity. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same” (Hebrews 2:14). Only through Him can we become children of God. To all who believe on Him, He gives power to become the sons of God. Thus the heart becomes the temple of the living God. It is because Christ took human nature that men and women become partakers of the divine nature. He brings life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Selected Messages, Book 1, 226–228.

Born Loser: Woman at the Well

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I want to share some thoughts about a lady who I call “the born loser,” and I want to introduce the subject by pointing out that Jesus sometimes did not give the same answer to what was essentially the same question. We are going to look at three situations in which three different persons asked Him the same question, “Who are you?” and He gave a different answer to each one; which is interesting to think about, is it not?

The first one is where Jesus has been brought to trial for His life. Before Pilate really wanted to be out of bed, they have come clamoring to have him condemn Jesus. Pilate is not in a good mood. He is not interested in what is going on except that there is a certain routine that must be gone through. He asks Jesus an indifferent question and he gets an indifferent answer. “Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, ‘Art thou the King of the Jews?’ And Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou sayest.’ ” Matthew 27:11. “Are you the King of the Jews? So what, let’s get it over with.” An indifferent question and an indifferent answer.

Pilate gradually becomes convicted by his conscience that Jesus was an innocent man. Pilot did not really want to be involved in condemning an innocent man. He seized upon an opportunity to pass the problem on to somebody else. He sent Jesus to Herod because He had learned that Jesus was from Galilee and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee. “And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.” Luke 23:6–8. Herod, at first, was alarmed and thought it was John the Baptist whom he had beheaded coming back to life, but gradually that fear faded away. As Jesus comes before him he simply wants to satisfy his curiosity. “Then he [that is Herod] questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.” Verse 9. Jesus had only a few words for the governor Pilate, but He had no words at all for Herod. This is what I would call the idly curious question and the stony, stern answer.

Pilate asked his indifferent question and he got an indifferent answer. When the priests and elders began shouting their accusations, Jesus had not a single word for them. Neither had He a single word for Herod. All of which says a great deal about their condition, does it not?

Who Are You?

John, chapter 4, finds somebody else asking Jesus, “Who are you?” This is the woman at Jacob’s well. Jesus was resting. The disciples have gone into the village of Samaria to buy food. While Jesus is sitting at the well, the woman of Samaria comes to get water. He asks her for a drink which surprises her very greatly. A Jew would not do that because the Samaritans were an anathema to the Jews.

This deep animosity goes way back in history to the time when Solomon died and Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, took the kingdom. Finally Jeroboam took ten of the tribes to the North and rebelled against the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah in the South. Israel was in what we call, Samaria. A separate capital was set up for Samaria under the leadership of Israel. Israel’s kings, most of them, were very wicked kings. The tensions grew and the gulf widened. When the Babylonians came and took captives, there were a few people in Samaria who were not taken captive. These people left, gradually united their thinking, lives, and cultures with the pagans who lived around them. By the time the great captivity was over 70 years later, when Ezra and Nehemiah came back to rebuild the temple, these Samaritans were probably less than half Jewish in their religion and probably more than half pagan. They worshipped idols and other things forbidden by the law of God. They volunteered to help build the temple, but their idolatrous attitudes caused the Jews to refuse them that permission. So tension and bitterness between Jew and Samaritan remained through the ages. Beyond buying or selling, the Jews would have nothing to do with a Samaritan.

I Divorce Thee! , I Divorce Thee!,  I Divorce Thee!

The conversation that takes place between Jesus and this Samaritan woman is interesting and revealing. “Jesus saith unto her, ‘Go, call thy husband, and come hither.’ The woman answered and said, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said unto her, ‘Thou hast well said, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.’ ” John 4:16–18. Some have an idea that she was having a wonderful time flitting around gaily from husband to husband. I am afraid that is not very realistic. There was certainly nothing happy about this woman’s situation.

In that culture, in that time, in that place, what would cause five men to have enough feeling toward this woman to propose marriage to her, establish her as the queen of the home, and then change their mind and drive her away from the home? I think the reason would be because she had no children. That was an unforgivable fault in that culture, because a man’s lineage must be preserved, his name must be preserved, there must be children born. She was having a wretched time, a miserable time. She had been established as the queen of a home, the exalted position of a Hebrew wife, and then dethroned five times. I spoke on this subject once in a church and afterward a lady going out the door said, “You surprised me, Elder Larson. I thought she was a prostitute.” I said, “Well, I’m not an authority on the subject, but so far as I know, they don’t marry their customers. They just move on.” Five times she had to stand before the elders and listen to her husband pronounce those words of doom, “I divorce thee. I divorce thee. I divorce thee.” You say that three times and you are divorced.

What could she do? Go down to the dime store and get a job? There was no dime store. If there had been, they would not have hired a woman. Go down to some office in town and get a job in an office? There were no offices in town. And if there were, they would not hire a woman. Women did not get office jobs until the earliest part of the last century.

“I Want to Talk to You”

Now I am interested in the fact that Jesus, who has very little time for Pilate, the governor of the Jews, He who wasted not a single word on Herod, when this lady came along said, “Hey, come on, sit down, let’s talk. I want to talk to you.” He had plenty of time for her. Desire of Ages, 184, says, “The King of heaven came to this outcast soul.” And He did her a tremendous amount of good. He caused her life to turn completely around. She was, of course, living in sin. She was breaking the rules. Her sense of personhood was gone, her sense of self-worth was gone, she was just a piece of wasted, worthless, useless, human garbage, cast out on the garbage dump of humanity. And Jesus, King of heaven, who brushed Pilate off with a quick answer and who just scorned Herod, this same Jesus said to her, “Hey, let’s talk. I want to talk to you.” This was an altogether different experience for her.

Jesus Says to the Woman “I am He”

You may be wondering, did this woman ask Jesus who He was? Oh yes, look at John 4:25, 26; “The woman saith unto him, ‘I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.’ Jesus saith unto the woman, ‘I that speak unto thee am He.’ ” He took her words as a question. He answered her question. It was implied. Oriental courtesy is not too direct. Oriental people think that we are horribly discourteous and direct in the way that we speak to each other. They go carefully around in devious ways in what they say one to another. “Jesus saith unto her, ‘I that speak unto thee am He.’ ” In the Greek it is a linear verb, like a line, showing continuous action. “I that am continually speaking to thee am He.” So He had been speaking to her for a long time by the Holy Spirit. “I continually speak to thee.” When are you going to start listening to Me? That is when things are going to be different. I like the way Jesus handled this and the way He handles every case of human need.

I do not know how old she was; probably not too young, not too old. Men were still attracted to her. But in any case, she was so messed up, she was so worthless, she was so wasted, she was useless, and it did not matter what happened to her. People come to that situation in different ways.

God Heals Hearts

We held evangelistic meetings in the state of New Jersey way down on the coast at a little place called Cape May Court House. That was the name of the town. The only place we could find to hold our meetings was a firemen’s hall in which bingo games were held on other nights of the week than when we were there. Part of the arrangement was that when we left after our weekend services, we had to set the place back in order for the bingo games. I thought it was interesting to watch a Seventh-day Adventist pastor carefully going around and setting up a room for a bingo game. I had never seen that before.

We had quite an interest there, for a little town. One gentleman who came, we learned, was the city engineer. It took us a little while to get acquainted with him because he would leave during the closing song. So we went to his home and visited him. We found that he was very interested in what he was hearing. We learned also that some while before, less than a year before, he had found it necessary to go out to the front of his house and pick the body of his wife up from the street, where she had been hit and killed by a car. He said later, “Life was over for me. It was finished.” And he began to drink heavily. Different persons in town who knew him talked to us, hoping we could do something for him. He was just drinking himself to death.

The meetings made a difference. He came all the way through. He had decided that if these two ministers have come once, they will probably come again, so I better be prepared. He went downtown and bought two very expensive bottles of brandy to serve to us when we came again. When we explained that we did not use brandy, he was very surprised. He had been an engineer in the navy, and he said he had seen lots of chaplains drinking brandy in the navy. We had to explain that Adventists were kind of different on some of these things and he accepted that. I do not know what he did with the brandy, but he did not offer it to us anymore. His interest grew, and he identified himself with the message, and he began to say, “Hey, life is beginning all over for me again.” He was beginning to get a different look on his face.

Because of the exceptional interest that we had in this small town, we decided to extend the meetings one week longer than the normal length of the series. And to put in something special, we sent for Barbara Morton to come and sing for us every night. She came, and when we picked her up at the airport and listened to her talk, we learned that things were going a little bit hard for her. Her daughters had gone from home. She was alone, so she had put all of her furniture in storage, and she was just living in a station wagon, going from church to church to present concerts.

Empty People

For the first meeting she sang a beautiful series of songs. But our engineer did not show up. I went to see him the next day because I wanted to know what was wrong. It seemed that when he was a child he had been neighbor to the home where Madam Schumann Heink lived. She was a terrific opera singer of her time. Well, he listened to her practice and vocalize, and he did not appreciate lady singers at all after hearing Madam Schumann Heink practice. He thought that Barbara Morton was probably going to be something like Madam Schumann Heink, and he was not going to expose himself to that. We told him, “Well, you are making a mistake, man, you better come down and listen to her and see her.” So he did. The next night he was there and you should have seen what happened. This naval engineer went down like a mast in a high wind. They just took to each other automatically. Some things can happen really fast at times, and this week was one of those times.

We came to the last Sabbath. We had a baptism on Sabbath and a church dinner afterwards, honoring the newly baptized people. We got over to the school building where they were having the dinner set up, and everything was ready, but for some reason Barbara was not there. We looked around and our engineer was not there either. I finally went back from the dinner hall to the church and sure enough there were Barbara and Russell having a conversation about some subject. So I told them dinner was ready. She went to get her purse and as he walked out the door with me he said, “You know Ralph, that woman is lonely.” I said to myself, “Well, she’s lonely, huh?” I took a plate from another table and put it down by Barbara’s plate for Russell. You know that worked fine. She did not show any signs of loneliness through the whole dinner.

After dinner, it had been arranged that she would go to the old folks’ home in town and sing for the people there. Russell, our engineer, volunteered to take her to the old folks’ home, but in spite of the fact that he was the city engineer, he lost his way and could not find it and wound up down at the beach somehow. So they spent their whole afternoon at the beach and barely got back in time for the meeting that night. To make a long story short, they finally were united in marriage, and lived very happily as long as the Lord gave them life. They have both gone to their rest now.

God’s Delicate Work

Life can be just used up. Life can have no more future to it. Life can just appear like it is pointless, worthless, wasted, useless, and then it can start all over again. When? When we start listening to Jesus Christ. “When are you going to start listening to Me?” That is what He keeps saying over and over again. And that is the question we all need to take very seriously. I think most of us here, could tell a similar story. There are many times when we are in that condition. Everybody is an evidence of how God works with a single individual, bringing them through this life situation and that life situation, step by step, little by little, until finally that moment, when the decision is made, and life begins all over again.

The woman at the well was a born loser. But her life tells a marvelous story. Her life was hopelessly messed up. Then the woman met Jesus and her life began all over again. She was changed into something wonderful and new. Do not turn away from these outcasts with misunderstanding; do not turn away from them because you do not think there is much there. There is a lot there. This story tells of the Lord Jesus Christ as One who moves very close, doing exquisitely delicate work as He deals with human hearts. Bringing us to the place where we recognize that we can have a wonderful, wonderful life in Him.

The End

Birth of the King Jesus

by

From Wichita, Kansas to Kongsberg, Norway, and around the world, the colorful sights and delightful sounds of Christmas once again pervade the earth. Many Christians observe Christmas as a commemoration of the birth of Jesus in lowly Bethlehem. Though in all probability it is not His birthday, let us use this time of Christian awareness to review the events surrounding that glorious occasion.

“When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son” for whom it was proclaimed that, “of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.” He was to sit “upon the throne of David, and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.” “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.” Galatians 4:4; Isaiah 9:7, 6.

Thus, according to Scripture, when Jesus was “born,” He was to sit upon the “throne of David” and to establish the kingdom in justice and peace. Though the chosen nation should suffer economic chaos, theological apostasy and political corruption, its members were sure it would ultimately recover, for the Messiah would once again bring justice and peace, prosperity and dominion to God’s people.

Was not “the government” to be “upon His shoulder”? And does the government not refer to the leaders and authorities of the nation? Thus the people confidently looked to their leaders to proclaim the Messiah King.

While the world of Israel thus looked expectantly toward Jerusalem for the birth announcement of their Saviour and King, a newborn babe lay sleeping on the beaten-down straw, under strips of linen, in a Bethlehem barn. He was a normal-looking infant, born of peasant stock. He was the Messiah, the Creator of the universe. The future of Israel’s prosperity and existence lay huddled beside Him.

Telling the News

Angels, bursting with eagerness to tell the good news, flew from house to house, synagogue to synagogue, throughout the length and breadth of Judea, searching for receptive hearts, to announce the birth of this newborn Son. They searched. Where were the 7,000 faithful of Elijah’s day? Though Elijah had not known their whereabouts, these angels had known every name and address. But now they searched in vain! Yet the people of Israel were zealous Sabbathkeepers. They sent their children to the rabbinical schools and daily studied the Scriptures. And most of all, they were of the lineage of Abraham, loyal Jews, as demonstrated by their loyalty to their human leaders.

In one classroom an angel lingers as a scholar lectures his students. “It is nearly time for the Messiah to come,” he says. The angel starts forward with breathtaking joy—has he found a worthy group? He readies to lighten the room and share the good news, but the teacher continues:

“Be aware, however, that the historic beliefs, based upon simple Bible statements, must today be balanced with modern scholasticism. Rabbi Benikel, for example, in his recent dissertation of the linguistic origins of Daniel, which has received the endorsement of Rabbi Honohan, points out several exegetical problems with the theory of the Babylonian origin of Daniel. He asserts that portions of Daniel were written during the early Maccabean period and that the Messiah prophecy was an attempt to strengthen the support of Judas Maccabeus in his resistance to the Antiochan occupation of Judea. The Sanhedrin Council has yet to decide on this theory, but Rabbi Benikel, understandably, has not wanted to submit it to their jurisprudence until he has more support in the council.”

The angel folds his wings and turns to leave. The professor drones on—Rabbi El-Sevens has also shown problems with the year-day theory. This theory, he says, developed as a result of Israel’s disappointment when the Messiah did not come when expected shortly after Cyrus’ decree . . . But the angel has gone. The rejection of the Messiah had already begun.

Thus it was that “angels came . . . unseen to Jerusalem, to the appointed expositors of the Sacred Oracles, and the ministers of God’s house . . . Yet Jerusalem was not preparing to welcome her Redeemer. With amazement the heavenly messengers beheld the indifference of the people whom God had called to communicate to the world the light of sacred truth . . . They rehearsed their meaningless prayers, and performed the rites of worship to be seen by men, but in their strife for riches and worldly honor they were not prepared for the revelation of the Messiah.” The Desire of Ages, 43, 44.

Searching in Vain?

The angel returns from his search to the hayloft headquarters of Bethlehem: “I’ve searched the classrooms of Judea,” he reports. “The teachers are expounding the Scriptures, but they are very proud and degree-oriented. ‘They love . . . to be called . . . Rabbi.’ (Matthew 23:6–7) The students’ minds are ‘crowded with material that . . . [is] worthless’ and they are so busy with their biblical studies that they have no time for ‘quiet hours to spend with God.’ Thus they do ‘not hear His voice speaking to the heart.’ The Desire of Ages, 69. They have elevated human philosophy above simple faith and have ‘set human teaching above God’s word.’ Christ’s Object Lessons, 304. They pray before every class, but there is no real desire for divine enlightenment. I am sad to report that I have not been able to find a single classroom of Judea within which I could give the glad tidings of Jesus’ birth. Even if I had told them, unless it was endorsed by the Sanhedrin and came through the official channels, they would not have believed it.”

“That’s the kind of reports we’re getting from all over,” was the answer from the coordinating angel. “It is pretty bleak. If we could even find some in individual dwellings with whom we could share the good news, but the angels visiting the homes report that the people have ‘respected the priests and rabbis for their intelligence and apparent piety’ for so long, that ‘in all religious matters they [have] yielded implicit obedience to their authority.’ ” The Desire of Ages, 611. They have almost made their human leaders infallible.

“We have found two persons, however, named Simeon and Anna, who are ‘just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel’ and filled with the Holy Spirit. See Luke 2:29, 36. Of course, they are so old that few will listen. What’s more, Anna is a prophetess, and you know how the testimony of the Spirit has been received of late. Completely made of none effect by many, I fear.

“Another detachment of angels have found some philosophers in Persia who are sincere seekers for truth. They have the writings of Balaam. Possibly we can reach them through their belief in astrology. Balaam said, ‘A Star shall come out of Jacob’ (Numbers 24:17); now, if we make a visible star arise over Bethlehem . . .”

Shepherds or Theologians

But the commander was interrupted by the entrance of another angel who appears radiant with joy—”I’ve found some who believe!” he announces. “There are some shepherds herding their sheep right outside this very city,” he says, “who are praying and meditating on the Scripture and are expecting the Christ to come!”

“But who will listen to shepherds?” asks one of the angels standing nearby. “They have no degrees, no preaching license, no literary or oratorical skills, no friends in the synagogue, no influence at all—if they preach this gospel it will turn many away!”

“But God is no respecter of persons” responds the angel. “They are worthy and I must tell them.”

“We’re all coming,” responds the commander. “You are the only one who has had success tonight—we’re joining you!”

That night the lowly shepherds became the best and only true theologians of Israel. They did not know four or five variant possibilities of prophetic interpretations; they could not quote rabbinical sources; they did not even know the dictionary definition of exegesis, but they knew the truth. True theology is the process of humbly arriving at truth, not the process of proudly elucidating human speculation.

Those who do not understand or believe in God’s holy Sabbath are not theologians. They may be sincere, but they are not theologians. The most common and illiterate person who understands and keeps the Sabbath is a greater theologian then the wisest scholar who is ignorant of such a basic, plain truth of the Bible. Those who do not understand the closing events of earth’s history as delineated in Daniel, the Revelation, and The Great Controversy, are not theologians. Those who do not understand the power of Christ to deliver from sin, of the plain and simple gospel story of who Jesus was—”the seed of David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3)—are not theologians. Those who have known and rejected God’s voice through the Spirit of Prophecy may be applauded for their great speculative skills, but their wisdom is no greater than was that of the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ day—they are not theologians. And if the church, or individuals, permit themselves to be educated by these broken cisterns, they will be deceived and rejected by God as were the Jews in Jesus’ day.

As in Jesus’ day, “There are men among us in responsible positions who hold that the opinions of a few conceited philosophers, so called, are more to be trusted than the truths of the Bible, or the testimonies of the Holy Spirit. Such a faith as that of Paul, Peter, or John is considered old-fashioned and insufferable at the present day . . . God has shown me that these men are . . . to prove a scourge to our people. They are wise above what is written. This unbelief of the very truths of God’s Word because human judgment cannot comprehend the mysteries of His work is found . . . in most of our schools and comes into the lessons of the nurseries.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 79.

Who Can We Trust?

Few so-called scholars are true theologians, and few theologians are recognized scholars. Jesus said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.” Matthew 11:25.

As with ancient Israel at Christ’s first coming, so with modern Israel “in the last solemn work” before His Second Coming—”few great men will be engaged.” They “have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent . . . [and] did not keep pace with the light . . . God will work a work in our day that but few anticipate. He will raise up and exalt among us those [like the shepherds] who are taught rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the outward training of scientific institutions . . . God will manifest that He is not dependent on learned, self-important mortals.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 80, 82.

In Jesus’ day the people had been led to believe that God’s work depended upon the priests and rabbis, as “we have been inclined to think that where there are no faithful ministers there can be no true Christian, but this is not the case. God has promised that where the shepherds are not true He will take charge of the flock Himself. God has never made the flock wholly dependent upon human instrumentalities.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 80.

The Jewish people could not fathom the Lord ever forsaking them. Their leaders had emphasized the texts that spoke of their eternal heritage to the exclusion of texts that spoke of the conditions of prosperity. This led to a false sense of security in the system. They forgot that God has not made Himself dependent upon any man, nation or church. Anyone, such as John the Baptist, who said, “God can raise up children to Himself from these stones,” was thought of as a schismatic and separationist. The question they asked both John and Jesus was, “By what authority do you do these things?”—What rabbi, priest, or synagogue has endorsed you?

The Path to Rejection

The rejection of Jesus and the destruction of a nation followed a very simple path: 1) The leaders became political with only an outward appearance of piety in order to retain the people’s confidence and support. 2) The educational system elevated the human above the divine. 3) The people were taught that all questions of administration or policy must be submitted to ecclesiastical authority and that only those under such authority could preach, write or teach. 4) The people were taught that the chosen nation would continue to be blessed regardless of what it did. 5) The people were led to believe that the work of the Lord consisted totally of the political system then in control of the nation. God was not recognized as the Head of His church as stated in Ephesians 1:22–23. The Lord Himself was obliged to go through the “proper channels” of the church. No one could ever hope to be the Messiah without the Sanhedrin’s recognition.

Following the anointing of Jesus at His baptism, the Father gave proof after proof of Jesus’ Messiahship. But the one proof He was lacking was the official approval of the church—or at least what the people thought was the church.

Of course, Jesus was the church. He was the government. For “where Christ is, even among the humble few, this is Christ’s church, for the presence of the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute a church.” The Upward Look, 315.

No human council or organization, either today, in Martin Luther’s day, or in Jesus’ day can either establish or annul a church body by mere human fiat. The true church in Jesus’ day was not the temple in Jerusalem, but the believers that surrounded Jesus. This has constituted the church “in every age.” This is the church that “the gates of hell have not been able to prevail against,” and “is the one object upon which God bestows in a special sense His supreme regard.” Acts of the Apostles, 11, 12. But to even suggest such a thing in Jesus’ day would have been considered divisive, insubordinate and apostate. Thus the leaders were able to take a whole nation with them to ruin in their rejection of the humble King of Israel. The leaders were too proud, entrenched and educated to follow Jesus or to submit to His authority, and the people cast their lot with the priests.

Accepting the Proof

Witness one of the most dramatic of Jesus’ healings. The man was born blind, the result, supposedly, of a curse from the parents’ or grandparents’ sins. But Jesus made clay, packed it upon his eyes, and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam.

The man came seeing and rejoicing. Though he had never seen Jesus, he knew that He was the Messiah, and acknowledged Him so before the priests. The priests knew this man. They knew he had been blind from birth. They had tried to suggest in previous healings of Jesus, that it was by sleight of hand, but they could not deny this miracle. Neither could they accept the One who performed it, for it was done by Jesus, who was not under their authority or jurisdiction. To acknowledge Him would mean to humble themselves. It could possibly lead to the whole moral and economic collapse of their system. Tithes and offerings would probably start flowing to Jesus. Their own authority would be limited. If they should yield their authority here, what would prevent any and every other upstart from beginning his own ministry? What would preserve the “purity” of the church? To their way of thinking, the whole prosperity of a nation depended upon their handling of this case in such a way as to deprive Jesus of His glory and yet retain the confidence of the people. It would require the utmost skill in administrative tact and crisis management.

“So they . . . called the man who was blind, and said to him, ‘Give God the glory! We know that this Man [Jesus] is a sinner.’ ” But the healed man would not relinquish his faith in Jesus. “Then they reviled him and said, ‘You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.’ ” John 9:24, 28.

As one last attempt to break through the stubborn resistance of the Jews, Jesus raised a man to life who had been dead for four days. The priests knew that they could not refute this miracle. In their hearts they knew that He was divine. But to acknowledge Him now would destroy their whole social, economic and political system. And to their way of thinking, it would therefore destroy God’s church. That, as “faithful stewards,” they could not allow. Thus Caiaphas said, “It is [more] expedient for us that one man should die for the people, . . . [than] that the whole nation should perish.” John 11:50.

Corruption and political maneuvering they could permit; but someone calling for repentance, someone speaking without their authority, they could not tolerate. When the decision came to choose between Barabbas or Christ, they unanimously, save for Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, demanded Barabbas, and the multitudes followed suit.

Following in Their Footsteps

“At the time of the first advent of Christ to our world, the men who composed the Sanhedrin exercised their authority in controlling men according to their will,” and the people blindly accepted their dominion. Testimonies to Ministers, 301. In their acceptance of human authority they rejected God’s. And though the true church of Israel never fell, the human machinery that the people thought was the church did.

“The sin of ancient Israel was in disregarding the express will of God and following their own way according to the leadings of unsanctified hearts. Modern Israel are fast following in their footsteps and the displeasure of the Lord is as surely resting upon them.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 94.
“The religion of many among us will be the religion of apostate Israel, because they love their own way, and forsake the way of the Lord . . . I know that a work must be done for the people, or many will not be prepared to receive the light of the angel sent down from heaven to lighten the whole earth with His glory.” Testimonies to Ministers, 468–469.

When the earth was lightened with the glory of the angels at Jesus’ first coming, few were ready to receive it—only the humblest were lightened by their glory. Just so, another angel is to lighten the earth before Jesus’ Second Coming. Again, only the humblest will receive His glory. The church, purified, is going through. But not everything that purports to be the church today is going to triumph with it. Only the pure and holy are going to triumph. Nothing that in any way bespeaks corruption or political maneuvering will survive.

“The Lord Jesus will always have a chosen people to serve Him. When the Jewish people rejected Christ, the Prince of life, He took from them the kingdom of God and gave it unto the Gentiles. God will continue to work on this principle with every branch of His work. When a church proves unfaithful to the work of the Lord, whatever their position may be, however high and sacred their calling, the Lord can no longer work with them. Others are then chosen to bear important responsibilities.” The Upward Look, 131.

“Let a church become proud and boastful, not depending on God, not exalting His power, and that church will surely be left by the Lord, to be brought down to the ground.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 127.

Throughout the land it is Christmas time again. Though the origins of Christmas preceded the Christian Era, let us review the meaning of the Bethlehem scene. While all eyes were fastened upon Jerusalem for the official birth announcement of their Saviour and King, a newborn babe lay sleeping on beaten-down straw, under strips of linen, in a Bethlehem barn. While the church went on with its forms and ceremonies and Sabbath rituals, the lowly shepherds were bowing beside His cradle. They were the true theologians of Israel, but none would accept their inspired announcement. There in that cradle of Bethlehem lay the government of Israel. The prosperity of a nation, a church, a people, lay huddled beside Him. Though many rejected Him, God’s true church accepted Him. That church still lives!

The End

Stay Close to Jesus

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At the beginning of John 6, we observe one of the two great banquets that bounded the last year of Jesus’ life on earth. One was the feeding of the five thousand on the shores of Galilee, and the other was the Lord’s Supper. At each banquet, Jesus was the host; at each banquet, there was a great disappointment; and at each banquet, Jesus gave one of the greatest of His appeals.

About three and a half miles up around the northwestern boundary of the Sea of Galilee was the village of Bethsaida. Bethsaida, the place where Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were born, literally means “the house of fishing” or “the place of fishing.” It was a fishing village. They had moved, however, to Capernaum and were making it their fishing headquarters at the time of our story.

The disciples had just returned from the first missionary journey that Jesus had sent them on, and they needed some quiet time and unhurried conversation with Him. They had had some wonderful experiences and a few disappointing ones. Some mistakes had been made along the way that Jesus needed to discuss with them. More importantly, on their way back to Capernaum, they had heard about the death of John the Baptist; this was very disconcerting to the twelve apostles and they were having a hard time putting all of it together.

“After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.” John 6:1. Across the sea from Capernaum, on the eastern side, there is a lovely, green slope. It is the Passover season—springtime;—everything is beautiful.

Travelers moving southward toward Jerusalem for the Passover, as well as many of the nearby villagers, had heard the wondrous stories about the miracles of Jesus; and they sought to follow Jesus and His disciples. Some gathered into the boats that could be found and followed them out across the sea, while others, after waiting long enough to make sure where the boat was heading, walking around the shore to meet it.

The day that was intended to be a day of counseling turned out to be a day of ministry, a long, long day of ministry, with the people far from their homes. The problem of good eventually arose, and you remember that beautiful story of the feeding of the 5,000. This event created great excitement. There were more than 5,000 persons gathered, the biggest crowd to follow Jesus that the disciples had every seen; and they were awe-stricken. It seemed to them that the great momentous hour must be moving in on then when Jesus would take the kingdom, assert His power, and declare Himself to be the rightful ruler of Israel. The crowd kept talking about making Him king, and the disciples were doing nothing to discourage them because it was sweet music to their ears.

Jesus knew the damage that would result; so, to the bitter disappointment of the disciples, near the close of the day, He sent them back to Capernaum in the boat, something they certainly did not want to do, while He withdrew to the mountain to escape from the crowd.

The next morning, as Jesus and the disciples were back in Capernaum in the synagogue and Jesus was teaching, there was a most unusual dialogue between Jesus and the people. As we look at this dialogue, we cannot help but wonder what is going on. Jesus does not seem to be in His usual diplomatic, tactful frame of mind. With each exchange of thoughts, we can see the tension building. The dialogue begins innocuously enough with the foolish question, “When did You come here?” as if there could be any doubt.

In response, Jesus looks at them for a long moment and says, “You are looking for bread, aren’t you?” (See John 6:26.)

My, what a beginning! The disciples look on in astonishment. Not knowing exactly what else to say, the people ask, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” John 6:28.

Jesus answers, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him [Me] whom He hath sent.” Blunt, straight, and direct, “This is the work of God, that you believe on Me.” Well, this sort of makes them gasp. Then in verses 30 and 31 they pick up on the idea of bread, thinking that this will give them a way to reason with Him and get His thoughts going in the way that they want them to go.

They said, “Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

They were attributing the gift of the manna to Moses, but Jesus said, “Moses gave you not that bread. My Father gave you that bread, and My Father is giving you this bread. Believe on Me.” (See John 6:31, 32.)

Oh, my, where is all of that tact, all of that diplomacy? But the people continue, “Lord, evermore, give us this bread.” Verse 34. They are still hoping to bend the conversation in the way of their own interest and their own desires.

Jesus answers saying, “I am the bread.” Then in verse 35, He says, “I am the bread of life.” The Jews began to murmur, “Is not He from Nazareth? What is this business about Him coming down?” (See verses 33, 42.)

Then Jesus introduces a new symbolism which is even stronger than the first, “Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, ‘Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him. . . . I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread, which came down from heaven.’” Jesus will not back off the slightest bit. “If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever.” Now He makes it even stronger, “And the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:43, 44, 48–51.

Then the murmur becomes striving and arguing, and the people begin to get angry. “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat.” Verse 52.

But Jesus still will not back up. He just pushes it even more strongly. “Then Jesus said unto them, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”’” I know of no way that you could express it more strongly than that. “For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me. This is that bread which came down from heaven.” Verses 53–58. The record says that at that point, a lot of them, the great majority of that huge crowd, turned their backs and walked away to follow Jesus no more.

Did not Jesus know what would be the result of that uncompromising attitude on His part? Why did He lose that crowd? He had all of these people coming to church. Why did He do what He did? “When Jesus presented the testing truth that caused so many of His disciples to turn back, He knew what would be the result of His words.” The Desire of Ages, 394. He knew what He was doing. He did it deliberately. “But Jesus brought about this crisis while by His personal presence He could still strengthen the faith of His true followers.” Ibid.

Between those two sentences, the messenger of God tells us that Jesus knew that twelve months ahead of Him was the last Passover and He knew exactly what was going to happen at that Passover. Jesus knew that if this great crowd of unconverted and half-converted people was part of the group of His followers all the way until the crucifixion and then they all left, as they would certainly do, they might even drag the disciples with them. He deliberately used this confrontational style to separate the chaff from the wheat at a time when He would still be there to help the disciples to cope with that discouragement.

Jesus was not impressed with crowds, really, as human beings are. It is so easy for us to think that when we get a lot of people coming to church by any means whatsoever, we are doing a great work for God; but that is not necessarily so. If the people are coming for the bread, that is wonderful. If they are coming for spiritual junk food, that is something else; and the two do not merge well together.

The gospel causes institutions to come into being, and there are always those who look at those institutions and see opportunities for material and financial gain. This has always been and will always be a problem in the church, so Jesus had to deal with that. But most of all, as I just said, He had to let His disciples figure it all out while He was still alive to help them. He had to confront the unconverted as if He was drawing a line and saying, “All right, now is the time for you to decide. Do you really want the gospel of the kingdom or do you want the gospel of this world? You have to decide now.” Given that choice, most of them said, “We will take the world.”

As the disciples, in anguish of heart, watched that great crowd turn their backs on Jesus, that crowd whom they thought would surely usher Him into Jerusalem, He was there and was able to take them aside and explain all of these things to them. Whereas, if He had let that crowd stay right up until the very end, the disciples probably would have been carried away by discouragement; and He, being in the grave, in the tomb, would not have been able to help them. Ellen White has an interesting comment on this. She picks up Matthew 3:12 with the words of John the Baptist, “’Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner.’ This was one of the times of purging. By the words of truth, the chaff was being separated from the wheat.” The Desire of Ages. 392.

Chaff . . . wheat . . . fan . . . purging . . . Oh, yes; you remember now, do you not? “But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that His fan is in His hand and He will thoroughly purge His floor. . . . Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 80, 81.

I was recently in the library in Loma Linda looking through some Ministry magazines for the years 1956 and 1957. I came across an article that caught my attention, “We Are Now One Million Strong.” That was in 1957. Now you could say, “We are five million strong.” What does that mean to our Lord? Not much, unless we are here for the real spiritual bread. Our Lord is not impressed by numbers but is looking at intentions, and that is far different.

The second banquet that brought disappointment and rejection is recorded in John 13. The disciples were disappointed because Jesus would not become king at the first banquet, and they were disappointed that He would not defend Himself at the second. These two banquets were the occasions for the two great appeals; but when you look at them, the language is so similar that you could almost call them one and the same appeal. Jesus was looking at the dangers ahead.

If you take John 6 and read all of the way through and then go on to chapter 7, the very first verse says that the Jews tried to find some way to kill Jesus; and they did not stop. They kept on trying during the following twelve months. Jesus knew that those last twelve months were going to be very, very dangerous.

You remember in John 11 when Lazarus died and Jesus said, “Let us go to Bethany”?

The disciples asked, “Do you not know that the Jews are trying to kill You? Are You going to go back and put Yourself right into their hands, put Yourself right in their power?”

Jesus’ answer was, “Yes.”

Then the disciples said with resignation, “Well, we will go and die with You.”

As Jesus was looking at trouble ahead, please notice His words. He does not say, “There is trouble ahead; therefore, make sure that you have your church history straight,” although church history is very important. He did not even say, “There is trouble ahead; make sure that you have your theology straight,” even though theology is very important. What did He say? He said, “There is trouble ahead. There is danger ahead. Stay close to Me. Stay close.”

Now the language back in John 6 says, “You must eat My flesh and drink My blood.” At the last supper, Jesus breaks the bread, passes it, and says, “This is My body which is given for you. Eat all of it.” He passes out the wine and says, “This is My blood which is shed for you. Drink it.” (See Matthew 26:27.) What was He saying to them? “To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ is to receive Him as a personal Saviour, believing that He forgives our sins and that we are complete in Him. It is by beholding His love, by dwelling upon it, by drinking it in, that we are to become partakers of His nature. What food is to the body, Christ must be to the soul. Food cannot benefit us unless we eat it, unless it becomes a part of our being. So Christ is of no value to us if we do not know Him as a personal Saviour. A theoretical knowledge will do us no good. We must feed upon Him; receive Him into the heart, so that His life becomes our life. His love, His grace, must be assimilated.

“So fully was Jesus surrendered to the will of God that the Father alone appeared in His life. Although tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world untainted by the evil that surrounded Him. Thus we also are to overcome as Christ overcame.” The Desire of Ages, 389. This is what it means to eat His flesh and drink His blood. It is an appeal for intimacy, an appeal for intimacy in the strongest language.

Stay close to Jesus in prayer. If you have been praying five minutes a day, how about making it ten? Stay close to Him in feasting upon His Word. In the same chapter, Ellen White writes, “The life of God, that gives life to the world, is in His Word.” Ibid., 320. If you have been reading the Bible ten minutes a day, how about making it twenty minutes? Stay close to His counsels in that precious treasure of the Spirit of Prophecy. Do no try to solve your problem by going off by yourself. We do not deny the problems, but the solution is not to withdraw. Stay close to Him in prayer; stay close to His Word in study; stay close to His counsels, cherishing and studying them; and stay close to His people. Jesus says to us, as He said to His disciples, “There is trouble ahead. There is danger ahead. Stay close to Me. Stay close.

Offices of Christ – part 3

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Our Lord has three grand offices assigned Him in the Scriptures in the work of human redemption. When He was upon our earth at His first advent, He was that prophet of whom Moses spake in Deuteronomy 18:15–19. (See also Acts 3:22–26.) When He ascended up to heaven, He became a great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. (See Psalm 110; Hebrews 8:1–6.) But when He comes again, He is in possession of His kingly authority, as promised in the second psalm. It is by virtue of this office of King that He judges mankind. (See Matthew 25:34–40.) The transition from our Lord’s priesthood to His kingly office precedes His Second Advent. (See Luke 19:11, 12, 15.) It takes place when His Father sits in judgment, as described in Daniel 7:9–14.

The nature of the words addressed by the Father to the Son when He crowns Him King shows that coronation to be at the close of His priestly office. (See Psalm 2:6–9.) It is manifest that the giving of the heathen to the Son by the Father is not for their salvation but for their destruction. It could not, therefore, take place at the ascension of Christ when He entered upon His priesthood but must be when the work of that priesthood is finished. Daniel has placed the coronation of Christ at the Father’s judgment-seat, and to this fact the words of the second psalm perfectly agree. The priesthood of Christ is closed when the scepter of iron is placed in His hands; for when the wicked are given into the hands of Christ to be destroyed, it is plain that there is no further salvation for sinners. The coronation, which is described in Daniel 7:9–14, is simply the transition from the priesthood of Christ to His Kingly office.

It is plain that our Lord’s priesthood is brought to a conclusion at the time when the Ancient of Days sits in judgment. We need Him as Priest to confess our names at that tribunal and to show from the record of our past lives that w have perfected the work of overcoming so that our sins may, by the decision of the Father, be blotted out and our names retained in the book of life. But when the people of God have thus passed the decision of the investigative judgment, their probation is closed forever and their names, being found in the Book of Life when all that have failed to overcome are stricken therefrom, they are prepared for the standing up of Michael to deliver His people and to destroy all others with the scepter of His justice.

The priesthood of Christ continues till His enemies are given Him to be destroyed.

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion; rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning; Thou hast the dew of Thy youth. The LORD that sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The LORD at Thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, He shall fill the places with the dead bodies; He shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way; therefore shall He lift up the head.” Psalm 110:1–7.

Closing Christ’s Intercession

These words are addressed by God the Father to Christ when He enters upon His priestly office and are equivalent to saying that in due time He should have His enemies given Him to destroy, viz., at the close of His work of intercession. For this reason it is that Paul represents Him as sitting at the Father’s right hand, in a state of expectancy. (See Hebrews 10:13.) But the words of the second psalm, bidding Him ask for the heathen, to destroy them, cannot be uttered till He finished His work of intercession. It appears that our Lord announces the close of His intercession by saying, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which if filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11. In response to this declaration of the Intercessor, announcing to His Father the close of His work, the Father bids the Son ask of Him the heathen that He may devote them to utter destruction. And in fulfillment of the Son’s request, the Father crowns Him King as described in Daniel 7:9–14, as He sits in judgment and commits the judgment into His hands.

Christ, as our High Priest, or Intercessor, sits at the right hand of the Father’s throne, i.e., He occupies the place of honor in the presence of One greater, till He is Himself crowned King when He takes His own throne.

The position of the Saviour as High Priest cannot be one invariable, fixed posture of sitting. Indeed, although Mark says (see Mark 16:19), concerning our Lord, that “He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God,” yet it is said of Stephen that “he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55, 56. The fact that Stephen saw our Lord standing at His Father’s right hand and that after this Jesus did personally appear to Saul to constitute him a witness of His resurrection, which, in order to be an apostle, he must be, is not inconsistent with the mandate of the Father, “Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.”

The Hebrew word yahshav, rendered sit in Psalm 110:1, is used an immense number of times in the Old Testament and is, in a very large proportion of these cases, rendered dwell. Thus, “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain.” Genesis 13:12. (See also Genesis 45:10; 1 Samuel 27:7.) But it is to be observed that Abraham, Lot, Jacob, and David, the persons spoken of in the texts, who dwelled, or, as rendered in Psalms 110:1, who sat in the places named, were not, during the time in which they acted thus, immovably fixed to those several places but were capable of going and returning during the very time in question. And the Greek word kathizo, used in the New Testament for Christ’s act of sitting at the Father’s right hand, though more generally used in the sense of sitting, is also used precisely like yahshav, in the texts above.

Christ’s Work More than that of an Intercessor

When our Lord went away, it was not simply that He should act as Intercessor for His people; He also had another work to do. He says: “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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. We cannot doubt that this work is wrought under our Lord’s personal inspection, and it is performed during the period that He is at the Father’s right hand.

The expression, “right hand,” is especially worthy of attention. In defining the Hebrew word yahmeen, i.e., right hand, Gesenius says: “To sit on the right hand of the king, as the highest place of honor, e.g., spoken of the queen (1 Kings 2:19; Psalm 14:9); of one beloved of the king and vicegerent of the kingdom. Psalm 110:1.”

When our Lord spoke of going away to intercede for His people, He said: “I go unto the Father, for My Father is greater than I.” John 14:28. In fulfilling His office of Intercessor, or High Priest, He has assigned to Him the highest place of honor in the presence of a greater; for He sits on the right hand of His Father’s throne. He is not, however, to sustain this relation always. It lasts while He pleads for sinful man. When it ceases, the impenitent are to be made His footstool and the dominion, and glory, and kingdom being given Him, He sits down upon His own throne. (See Revelation 3:21.) This gift of the heathen to Christ is when the Father sits in judgment, as we have seen from Daniel 7:9–14. We can well understand that at this tribunal, the question is determined as to who has overcome; and that, being settled, all the others are given to Christ to be broken with His iron scepter. The determination of the cases of the righteous in showing that they are worthy to have their sins blotted out is the final work of our Lord as High Priest. When this is accomplished, His priesthood is closed forever; and He assumes His kingly throne to judge His enemies and to deliver and reward His saints.

The Beginning of Christ’s Work as King

The Saviour, being crowned King at the close of His priestly office, begins the exercise of His Kingly power by delivering His people and by bringing to trial, pronouncing judgment upon, and executing His enemies.

The one hundred and tenth psalm, though it speaks very distinctly of the priesthood of Christ, enters even more largely into the exercise of His kingly office. It very clearly reveals the fact that our Lord acts as Judge by virtue of His kingly authority. Thus verse 1 assigns to Him, as Priest, the place of honor at His Father’s right hand, limiting His priesthood, however, by an event which changes His office from Priest to King. Verse 2 states the very act of making Christ King makes His enemies His footstool. Thus it says: “The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion; rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.” The first clause of this verse is parallel to Psalm 2:6, “Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.” The heavenly Zion (see Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1) is the place of Christ’s coronation. The last clause is the very words of the Father to the Son when He crowns Him King. This is sufficiently obvious from our common English version. But it is made still more evident from the French translation of David Martin in which the two clauses are connected by the words, “in saying.” Thus: “The Lord shall transmit out of Zion the scepter of Thy strength, in saying: Rule in the midst of Thy enemies.”

Our Lord being thus inducted into His Kingly office and proceeding to the exercise of His power against His enemies, the next verse states the sympathy of His people with this work: “Thy people shall be willing in the days of Thy power; in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of youth.” Instead of “the day of Thy power,” Martin’s French Bible reads, “The day that Thou shalt assemble Thy army in holy pomp.” This is the time when the Son of man descends in power and great glory, and the armies of Heaven, i.e., all the holy angels, attend and surround Him. (See Matthew 24:30, 31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18; Revelation 19:11–21.) The people of God are to unite with Christ in His rule over the nations of wicked men. (See Revelation 2:26, 27; Psalm 2:6–9.) The morning of this verse must be the morning of the day which it mentions. One of the earliest events of that day is the resurrection of the just, when, like their Lord, they are born from the dead to life immortal. (See Revelation 20:4–6; Luke 20:35, 36; Colossians 1:18; Hosea 13:13, 14; 1 Corinthians 15:42–44, 51–54.)

The fourth verse of Psalm 110 confirms with an oath the priesthood of Christ. His prophetic office is the subject of solemn promise. (See Deuteronomy 18:15–18.)

The Limitations of Christ’s Priestly Office

His priesthood is established by an oath. (See psalm 110:4.) His kingly office is the subject of a fixed decree. (See Psalm 2:6, 7.) But the forever of His priesthood, as expressed by this verse, is limited by the fact that at a certain point of time, He is to cease to plead for sinful men and they are to be made His footstool.

It is important to observe that there are in this psalm two Lords, the Father and the Son. One in the original is called Jehovah; the other is called Adonai. The word LORD in small capitals is used for Jehovah. But the Lord at His right hand (verse 1) is Adonai, the Son. So we read of the Son in verse 5: “The Lord at Thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath.” This will evidently be in the battle of the great day of God Almighty. (See Revelation 6:15–17; 19:11–21; Isaiah 24:21–23.)

Our Lord does not thus destroy His enemies by virtue of His kingly office until He has first judged them, for one of the first acts of His kingly power is to proceed to the judgment of His enemies. He represents Himself as judging by reason of His kingly office. (See Matthew 25:34, 40.) It is in the exercise of this power that He judges His enemies. So Psalm 110:6 reads thus: “He shall judge among the heathen; He shall fill the places with the dead bodies; He shall wound the heads over many countries.” This is the work in the day of His power, and to this work His people shall consent. (See verse 3.) This is indeed the great day of His wrath, and none shall be able to stand except those whose sins are blotted out. The wicked kings of the earth shall fall before Him when He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

Human probation closes with the priesthood of Christ. Those who are found in their sins after our Lord has taken His kingly power must be destroyed as His enemies. His priesthood terminates when He has obtained the acquittal of His people and secured the blotting out of their sins at the tribunal of His Father. Then and there He is crowned King; and from that coronation scene, He comes as King to our earth to deliver all who at that examination of the books are accounted worthy to have part in the world to come and in the resurrection of the just. (See Daniel 7:9, 10; 12:1; Luke 20:35, 36; 21:36.)

The righteous dead are “accounted worthy” of a part in the resurrection to immortal life before they are raised from among the dead. (See Luke 20:35, 36; Philippians 3:11; 1 Corinthians 15:52; Revelation 20:4–6.) They awake with the likeness of Christ. (See Psalm 17:15.) We may be certain, therefore, that the investigation and decision of their cases is an accomplished fact prior to their resurrection; for that event is declarative of their final justification in the judgment.

But Like 21:36 uses the same expression both in Greek and in English respecting those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord that Luke 20:35, 36 uses respecting those who are asleep. As the latter, before the resurrection, are “accounted worthy” to be made like the angels, so the former are “accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” The things that shall come to pass before the deliverance of the saints are the events of the time of trouble such as never was. (See Daniel 12:1.) And those who are accounted worthy to escape these things are also worthy to stand before the Son of man at His appearing.

This act of accounting worthy does, therefore, relate to their eternal salvation and is performed before they enter that great time of trouble at which they are to be delivered; for that does not commence until the standing up of Michael, which is but another term for the coronation of Christ, or the beginning of His reign upon His own throne. But Michael, or Christ, does not take His throne till He has finished His work as Priest at the tribunal of His Father. It is at that tribunal that the righteous dead are accounted worthy of the resurrection to immortality and the righteous living are accounted worthy to escape the anguish of the time of trouble and to stand before the Son of man. Those only can be accounted worthy of this whose record in the book of God’s remembrance shows them to have been perfect overcomers.

The Saviour, while yet High Priest, confesses the names of such before His Father and the holy angels and secures the blotting out of their sins. Those who shall be raised to immortality and those who shall escape the things coming upon the earth and stand before the Son of man are severally counted worthy of this before the priesthood of Christ is closed. We cannot, therefore, doubt that with both these classes the investigation and decision of the judgment is passed before the Saviour takes the throne of His glory and begins the destruction of His enemies.

The righteous dead come first in the order of the Investigative Judgment; and while their cases are being examined and decided, probation continues to the living.

Probation Continues

It is certainly most natural that the cases of the righteous dead should be the first to come up in the Investigative Judgment, for their names stand first in the book of God’s remembrance. Reason would therefore teach us that these cases must earliest come into account before God. But we are not left simply to the reasonableness of this order of events. We have direct proof in the messages of Revelation 14:6–14 that probation to the living continues after the judgment hour has actually arrived:

The First Angel ushers in the hour of God’s judgment by a solemn announcement to all of the inhabitants of the earth that it has actually commenced. But the Second and Third Angels, who unite with this proclamation, deliver their messages in the judgment hour itself; and they address themselves to men still in probation. We have already learned that God the Father sits in judgment, as described in Daniel 7, before the advent of our Lord to this earth. And in Revelation 14, the fact that the hour of God’s judgment has come is announced to the inhabitants of the earth by a mighty proclamation. The judgment scene of Daniel 7 is closed by the coronation of Christ; and the judgment hour of Revelation 14 is followed by our Lord being seen upon the white cloud with a crown upon His head, a proof that His priesthood has then given place to His kingly office. Each of these pertains to the closing events of this dispensation. There can be, therefore, no doubt that the hour of God’s judgment announced in Revelation 14 is the time when God the Father sits in judgment, as described in Daniel 7:9–14.

Editorial – “We shall be like Him” I John 3:2

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Are you like Jesus? If you are to become like Jesus you must know what He is like. This is one reason that we should study the life of Jesus every day. In a letter to her son and daughter-in-law, Edson and Emma White, in 1874, Ellen White gave a detailed description of Jesus’ character. She said:

  • He was patient, meek and had lowliness of mind.
  • He was at variance and at war with the whole ungodly world, yet He did not give way to passion and violence manifested in words and actions, although receiving shameful abuse in return for good works.
  • He was rejected and despitefully treated, yet He retaliated not.
  • He possessed self-control, dignity, and majesty.
  • He suffered with calmness and when abused returned only compassion, pity, and love.
  • Christ never murmured, never uttered discontent, displeasure, or resentment.
  • He was never disheartened, discouraged, ruffled, or fretted.
  • He was patient, calm, and self-possessed under the most exciting and trying circumstances.
  • All His works were performed with a quiet dignity and ease, whatever commotion was around Him.
  • Applause did not elate Him. He feared not the threats of His enemies.
  • He moved amid the world of excitement, of violence and crime, as the sun moves above the clouds.
  • Human passions and commotions and trials were beneath Him. He sailed like the sun above them all.
  • Yet He was not indifferent to the woes of men. His heart was ever touched with the sufferings and necessities of His brethren, as though He Himself was the one afflicted.
  • He had a calm inward joy, a peace which was serene. His will was ever swallowed up in the will of His Father.

Bible Study Guides – Secret of Strength

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March 23, 2014 – March 29, 2014

Key Text

“He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25.

Study Help: The Signs of the Times, July 7, 1890; Faith and Works, 105–109.

Introduction

“The name of Jesus gives me access to the Father. His ear, His heart, is open to my faintest pleading, and He supplies my deepest necessities.” Faith and Works, 106.

1 THE SCRIPTURES

  • Of Whom do the Scriptures testify and what effect will that have on our future? John 5:39. What should be our prayer? Philippians 2:5.

Note: “In the Word the Saviour is revealed in all His beauty and loveliness. Every soul will find comfort and consolation in the Bible, which is full of promises concerning what God will do for the one who comes into right relation to Him. Especially will the sick be comforted by hearing the Word; for in giving the Scriptures God has given to mankind a leaf from the tree of life, which is for the healing of the nations. How can anyone who reads the Scriptures or who has heard them read, lose his interest in heavenly things, and find pleasure in amusements and enchantments of the world?” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1135.

“All who see their own ignorance and sin, will have some appreciation of the great work of redemption, through which man is chosen as the object of God’s patience and loving-kindness. As man sees the sinfulness of his nature in the light of the law, he will realize his great need of a Saviour. We all need to search the Scriptures, that we may become acquainted with the conditions of salvation, by which reconciliation may be brought about between man and God. Man must find the path that leads back to the Father’s house, and every step away from transgression is a step toward Paradise. Every step in repentance, contrition, obedience, and faith, is a step toward the Father. True faith in Christ will lead to obedience to the requirements of God.” The Signs of the Times, July 7, 1890.

  • What has Jesus become for us? Hebrews 7:22.

Note: “The sinner will find no saving quality in law; he must look to the surety and substitute, for it is the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin. The repenting prodigal is taken into fellowship with God, and he becomes one with Christ, as Christ is one with the Father. The obedient children of God recognize the law as a divine law, the sacrifice on Calvary as a divine sacrifice, and the Holy Spirit as their divine sanctifier. All the claims of the law are met in Jesus. In Him we have a perfect foundation for our faith. The Son of God did not die that man might always remain a transgressor; for Christ is not a minister of sin. He died that by that act man might no longer remain a rebel against God’s law. He died to point men to the way of faith and obedience, that they might see to the end of that which is abolished. When sinners have a view of the plan of salvation, there is no more disposition to cavil concerning the law; for the way of truth and light is open to their understanding.” The Signs of the Times, July 14, 1890.

2 DECEPTION

  • How do we deceive ourselves? I John 1:8.

Note: “There are many who say, ‘We are holy, we are sinless.’ By their words they give the impression that they think themselves as good as Jesus, and some have even dared to assert that they were Christ; but even to entertain such thoughts as these is blasphemy. Not to see the marked contrast between ourselves and Jesus is not to know ourselves, and to be ignorant of our Lord.” The Signs of the Times, July 21, 1890.

  • Why did Jesus die? Matthew 1:21.

Note: “Jesus died to save His people from their sins, and redemption in Christ means to cease the transgression of the law of God, and to be free from every sin; no heart that is stirred with enmity against the law of God, is in harmony with Christ, who suffered on Calvary, to vindicate and exalt the law before the universe.” The Signs of the Times, July 21, 1890.

3 TREE OF LIFE PRIVILEGES

  • What are we to do to have the right to the tree of life? Revelation 22:14.

Note: “Those who make bold assumptions of holiness give proof in this that they do not see themselves in the light of the law; they are not spiritually enlightened, and they do not loathe every species of selfishness and pride. From their sin-stained lips fall the contradictory utterances: ‘I am holy, I am sinless. Jesus teaches me that if I keep the law I am fallen from grace. The law is a yoke of bondage.’ … We should study the word of God carefully, that we may come to right decisions, and act accordingly; for then we shall obey the Word and be in harmony with God’s holy law.” The Signs of the Times, July 21, 1890.

  • Are we saved by works? Ephesians 2:8, 9.

Note: “While we are to be in harmony with God’s law, we are not saved by the works of the law, yet we cannot be saved without obedience. The law is the standard by which character is measured. But we cannot possibly keep the commandments of God without the regenerating grace of Christ. Jesus alone can cleanse us from all sin. He does not save us by law, neither will He save us in disobedience to law.” The Signs of the Times, July 21, 1890.

4 CARNAL MIND

  • What kind of mind are we to have to receive life and peace? What does the carnal mind bring? Romans 8:1, 3–9.

Note: “Self-righteousness is the danger of this age; it separates the soul from Christ. Those who trust to their own righteousness cannot understand how salvation comes through Christ. They call sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. They have no appreciation of the evil of transgression, no understanding of the terror of the law; for they do not respect God’s moral standard. The reason there are so many spurious conversions in these days, is that there is so low an appreciation of the law of God.” The Signs of the Times, July 1, 1890.

  • What kind of standard has been erected?

Note: “Instead of God’s standard of righteousness, men have erected a standard of their own by which to measure character. They see through a glass darkly, and present false ideas of sanctification to the people, thus encouraging egotism, pride, and self-righteousness. The doctrine of sanctification advocated by many is full of deception, because it is flattering to the natural heart; but the kindest thing that can be preached to the sinner is the truth of the binding claims of the law of God.” The Signs of the Times, July 21, 1890.

  • What must go hand in hand?

Note: “Faith and works must go hand in hand; for faith without works is dead, being alone. The prophet declares a truth by which we may test all doctrine. He says, ‘To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them’ (Isaiah 8:20). Although error abounds in the world, there is no reason why men need remain in deception. The truth is plain, and when it is contrasted with error, its character may be discerned. All the subjects of God’s grace may understand what is required of them. By faith we may conform our lives to the standard of righteousness, because we can appropriate to ourselves the righteousness of Christ. In the word of God the honest seeker for truth will find the rule for genuine sanctification.” The Signs of the Times, July 21, 1890.

5 THE PROVISION

  • Why did God give Jesus to the world? John 3:16.

Note: “This message is for the world, for ‘whosoever’ means that any and all who comply with the condition may share the blessing. All who look unto Jesus, believing in Him as their personal Saviour, shall ‘not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16). Every provision has been made that we may have the everlasting reward.

“Christ is our Sacrifice, our Substitute, our Surety, our divine intercessor; He is made unto us righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” Faith and Works, 105.

  • What is the Source of our strength or sufficiency? II Corinthians 3:5, 6.

Note: “Paul realized that his sufficiency was not in himself, but in the presence of the Holy Spirit, whose gracious influence filled his heart, bringing every thought into subjection to Christ. He spoke of himself as ‘always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body’ (11 Corinthians 4:10). In the apostle’s teachings Christ was the central figure. ‘I live,’ he declared, ‘yet not I, but Christ liveth in me’ (Galatians 2:20). Self was hidden; Christ was revealed and exalted.” The Acts of the Apostles, 251.

  • If the Lord lives in our heart to do the work, of Whom do we make our boast? Psalm 34:2.

Note: “He [the true Christian] realizes that an infinite sacrifice has been made for him, and that his life is of inestimable value through the merits of Jesus’ blood, intercession, and righteousness. But while he comprehends the exalted privileges of the sons of God, his soul is filled with humility. There is no boasting of holiness from the lips of those who walk in the shadow of Calvary’s cross. They feel that it was their sin which caused the agony that broke the heart of the Son of God. … Those who live nearest to Jesus feel most deeply their own unworthiness, and their only hope is in the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Like Moses, they have had a view of the awful majesty of holiness and they see their own insufficiency in contrast with the purity and exalted loveliness of Jesus.” That I May Know Him, 125.

  • What does Paul say of boasting? Galatians 6:14.

Note: “Through the cross we learn that the heavenly Father loves us with a love that is infinite. Can we wonder that Paul exclaimed, ‘God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Galatians 6:14)? It is our privilege also to glory in the cross, our privilege to give ourselves wholly to Him who gave Himself for us. Then, with the light that streams from Calvary shining in our faces, we may go forth to reveal this light to those in darkness.” The Acts of the Apostles, 210.

Studies compiled by Judy Hallingstad. Judy is part of the LandMarks team and can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.