redemption

Separation and Redemption

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Separation Brings Unity

We hear a lot about unity today, but I want to look at separation. You will see that separation and redemption brings unity. It is an amazing thing.

Throughout the Word of God, the Bible declares there is no redemption without separation. None! In Genesis 12:1, we find Abraham being called out by God from Ur of the Chaldees to go to the Promised Land. In Exodus 20:1, 2, we find these words: “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

In Matthew 1:21, we have the familiar text of Scripture where Gabriel said, “Thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.”

Jesus came into this world to separate His people from sin. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18.

Redemption Demands Separation

There is no redemption without separation. The final call of God to His people will be, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins.” Revelation 18:4. From Genesis to Revelation there is a thread that runs through all that God says to His people, and this thread is separation, separation!

God illustrates this separation to which He calls His people by calling them “…a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9.

Jesus illustrates the work of separation as calling His people out of darkness into light. He separates us from the darkness into the light. There are three truths revealed in this text that we want to look at.

  1. He separates us from darkness. He brings us out of the darkness of sin and error and confusion into the light of truth.
  2. He separates us to show forth His praises. The marginal reference for praises in the King James Version says virtues. God wants to separate us from the darkness of this world and bring us into the light of His truth, so we can show forth His virtues, His goodness to a world that does not have any idea what kind of God we serve.
  3. Separation comes by God! He is the only One who can separate us from the darkness and bring us into the light. All our efforts, no matter how good they might be, will leave us short and still in the darkness without God. God is the only One! He has the power to bring us out of the darkness into the light. There is no redemption without separation.

A Foreign Word

When you look in Webster’s Dictionary under the word separation, you find these singular definitions: “Divide, sever, disunite, isolate, alone.” Separation seems to denote a lot of negatives, and I would suggest to you, that before sin entered this universe the word separation was a foreign word in the language of heaven.

Scripture tells us what heaven was like before sin entered. Everything was in harmony: “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” Isaiah 32:17. That is heaven.

Let us look at those words, “the work of righteousness”,—they infer an outward work. We know that righteousness means right doing, doing what is right. In heaven, before sin began, everyone was doing the work of righteousness. They were doing what was right, at the right time, for the right reason.

The foundation for all of God’s righteousness is found in Psalm 119:172, which says, “All Thy commandments are righteousness.” The foundation of all of God’s righteousness, the righteousness of heaven before sin entered, is His Law, His commandments. Every being in heaven, in the vast universe of God’s creation, was in harmony with God’s Law.

It is a wonderful thing to be in harmony with God’s Law. You can see the world from a different perspective if you are in harmony with the Law. All heaven was in harmony with God’s Law, and it brought forth the fruit of righteousness.

The effect of the work of righteousness, and outward revelation of harmony with God’s Law, was quietness. No sound of murmuring or complaining was heard in the courts above, before sin began. Why? Because everyone who was in harmony with God’s Law of righteousness, had quietness within their hearts. They were at peace with God, their Creator, and they were at peace with one another. There was no murmuring; there was no complaining heard.

The effect of righteousness is quietness and assurance. Righteousness brings assurance to your heart. Assurance of what? Assurance that the Creator God loves you as a personal being and that He is no respecter of persons. He loves you the same as He loves me.

Before sin there was an assurance brought forth by this work of righteousness that was in harmony with God’s Law, a personal assurance that all was well. There was no sound of envy. There was no sound of jealousy. There was no striving to be number one. Why? Because the work of righteousness brings not only quietness, but it also brings assurance that you are accepted. Righteousness, God’s righteousness, produced a harmony in heaven before sin entered.

The Sound of Separation

“So long as all created beings acknowledged the allegiance of love, there was perfect harmony throughout the universe of God. It was the joy of the heavenly host to fulfill the purpose of their Creator. They delighted in reflecting His glory and showing forth His praise. And while love to God was supreme, love for one another was confiding and unselfish. There was no note of discord to mar the celestial harmonies.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 35.

And then the next word says, “But!” “But a change came over this happy state.” Ibid. And you and I know all about that change. The word separation was introduced when sin was originated in the mind of a created being. And the word separation brought a sound that was totally foreign to the universe of God.

The sound of separation began with a created being. What was this sound that was so different from anything heaven had ever heard up to that point? “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” Ezekiel 28:15.

When you look up the Hebrew definition of the word iniquity, interestingly enough you will find that it means unrighteousness was found in thee. So from the sound of righteousness that was in perfect harmony with God’s Law, now we had another sound, and that was the sound of unrighteousness.

The Sound of Unrighteousness

What does God call this sound of unrighteousness that now was becoming more prevalent in the kingdom of God? “All unrighteousness is sin.” 1 John 5:17. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law: for sin is the transgression of the [God’s] Law.” 1 John 3:4.

So this new sound, the sound of unrighteousness, came into being as a result of choosing to be out of harmony with God’s Law. And to show you how foolish sin is, let me use an example.

There is not one of us who would jump out of a plane with a parachute and half way down cut the parachute away. No, because we respect the physical Law of gravity too much to do that. God wants to help us see that He has this marvelous Law that is filled with His love. Romans 13:10 tells us, “Love is the fulfilling of the Law.” God has filled His Law full with His love. It is for our good.

So now we have this sound of unrighteousness reverberating through the universe. It started with one created being. Separation from God’s Law brings a new sound, the sound of unrighteousness. Isaiah 59:2 tells us of the ultimate separation that takes place as a result of imbibing this new sound. “But your iniquities [What are iniquities? They are unrighteousness. What is unrighteousness? It is sin. What is sin? It is the transgression of God’s Law. It is separating ourselves from God’s Law. Now what do they do?] have separated between you and your God.” That is what takes place when we choose to imbibe the sound of unrighteousness, to listen to unrighteousness and to practice unrighteousness, which is transgressing God’s Law. We have chosen to separate ourselves from the God who created us.

Separation from Sin Reunites Us to God

Now, if separation from God’s Law, or His righteousness, separates us from God, then separation from sin will reunite us to God. Do you see that? The gospel is simple. The only thing that will reunite us to God is separation from sin. And what is sin? Sin is the transgressing of God’s Law. It is our separation from God’s Law.

Matthew 1:21 tells us that Jesus came into this world to save us from sin, from our sins. He came into this world to separate us from sin. If He came to separate us from sin, which is the transgression of God’s Law, then He came to bring us back into harmony with God’s Law!

He is calling us out of the darkness of error, the darkness of unbelief, the darkness of falsehood into the bright light of His truth—if we will receive it, if we will respond. He has the power to separate us from the darkness unto the light. He is the only Being in the entire universe who can separate us, whether we are young or old, from the darkness of sin into the bright light of His righteousness.

Separated from the Darkness into His Light

What is the power that Jesus only can give us, which will help us to be separated from our sins, separated from the darkness into His light? We find our answer in Romans 1:16, 17. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.”

The power is in His righteousness! The power that we can access is Christ’s righteousness! If we are willing to receive it, it is user friendly.

If the power is in His righteousness, that means that righteousness is also embodied in His Law. “All Thy commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172.

Three Requirements for Power

There are three things necessary for us to access, or to receive and reveal this righteousness, three things in which God is asking us to cooperate with Him so that we might receive His righteousness. In receiving His righteousness, we receive His power, power that will enable us to separate ourselves from the darkness of sin into the light of His truth.

Faith: First is a marvelous promise, but there are tremendous conditions attached. “But without faith it is impossible.” Hebrews 11:6. We can go no further without faith. If we choose to not have faith, it is impossible to be separated from the darkness and to be brought into the light.

God cannot do anything unless we have faith. Faith in what? Faith in His Word. That is the only thing in which God is asking you to have faith. What He has said, He wants us to believe. But if we do not have faith, it is impossible to be separated from sin. Notice the kind of faith that God wants us to have. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Ibid.

Do you have that kind of faith? Can you have that kind of faith? Yes, if you base it on the Word of God, but if you are trying to have that kind of faith based on your feelings or based on your own works, you will fail. It is impossible.

We can have that kind of faith if we simply come to God’s Word, believe what God says, and go no further. Let us stop adding and subtracting. Let us believe what God has said and believe that God means what He says.

That is what He wants from us—to believe that He is and to believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently, consistently, constantly seek Him, believing that He will reward us according to the promise. Faith is number one, but we see that it has to be a certain kind of faith.

It is the kind of faith that God asks for, not the kind of faith that you and I try to exercise in and of ourselves, apart from Him, having good feelings and occasionally being on a religious high. No, God wants us to be consistent, constant, diligent and faithful. Can we be? Yes, if we are basing it all on His Word, His promises, with nothing added, nothing subtracted.

Obedience (or Works): Second, there is another condition, if we are going to access the righteousness of Jesus. This righteousness of Jesus is the power that is going to enable us to separate ourselves from all sin. Here is the condition: “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” James 2:20–22.

So, we need two things; we need faith and works. Now let us consider Hebrews 11:8. Abraham was mentioned as an illustration of someone who had faith with works. Notice what those works were:

“By faith Abraham, [So we know that Abraham had faith, but what are the works?] When he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed.” Do you see any works there? Obedience! God is looking for obedience as the fruit of our faith.

The third necessary item we need to access the righteousness of God, to give us the power to separate from sin, is a motivating influence.

Love: Faith and obedience need a motor. They need a motive, and this is it: “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” Galatians 5:6.

There it is. That is the motivating influence. It is the greatest influence that we need to move us to choose to exercise the kind of faith that we saw in Hebrews 11:6 and to work the works that we saw in James 2. We need the motive of love, and there is only one Being who can give us that love. It is the same One who gives us His righteousness—Jesus.

Jesus wants us to have a faith that works by love. How do we get that? Well, in 1 John 4:19, John says, “We love Him, because He first loved us.”

We will never love God until we believe that God loves us. You can have good desires; you can have good intentions; you can have religion. But until you personally believe that God loves you, you will never love Him supremely to the degree that you will have a faith that works and allows Him to separate you from sin and from darkness.

The Price of Redemption

What has Jesus paid to give us an opportunity to choose to be separated from sin? We are going to go right to the heart of the issue. Jesus had been ministering for three and a half years to a people who did not want to be separated from their sins, to a people who had chosen to love darkness rather than light, to a people who would rather hear the sound of unrighteousness than the sound of heaven and its righteousness. For three and a half years Jesus had been separated from every human being, to a great degree, by misunderstanding.

They did not understand Him. Jesus experienced an emotional separation that we can never fully understand. It was part of the price, coming into a world that loved darkness rather than light. And now He is in a garden. “And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it be possible,…’”

Was it possible? Oh, yes, it was possible. It was possible, but it would have meant that it would have been impossible for you and for me. Yes, for Jesus it was possible to get up off that ground and go back to heaven. But He would leave us in an impossible situation, because without Him, we would never be separated from sin. Never!

“…let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will but as Thou wilt.’” Matthew 26:39.

Not My Will, Thine be Done

That is the genuine motive of every true, born-again Christian. “Not as I will but as Thou wilt.” Every temptation, every trial that we go through in life, as professed Christians, should be met with, “Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

His humanity is struggling here. “He went a short distance from them, and fell prostrate upon the ground. He felt that by sin He was being separated from the Father.” The gulf between them appeared so broad, so black, so deep, that He shuddered before it.” The Story of Jesus, 102.

Remember that we are talking about separation and redemption. You and I cannot separate the two. There is no redemption without separation. We are seeing the greatest illustration of that in this quote. We cannot fully understand these inspired statements. We cannot fully understand, because we have no idea of the tremendous intimacy that existed between the Father and the Son, and the tremendous love that They have for one another. We can only measure what Jesus went through by understanding the intimacy between the Two.

“Again Christ went away, and prayed that if it were possible this cup might pass from Him. His soul was filled with an overpowering fear of separation from God in consequence of sin. Satan told Him that if He became the Substitute and Surety for a sinful world, He would nevermore be one with God, but would be under his control.” Signs of the Times, June 3, 1897.

The Ultimate Consequence—Separation

This was the strongest, almost overmastering temptation that came to Jesus while on this earth. If there were any being in the universe of God who would best understand the intimacy between the Father and the Son, it would be the being who stood next to Christ in the courts of heaven. His name was Lucifer, Light Bearer. Now he is Satan, the adversary.

The ultimate consequence for Jesus was paying the price to give us an opportunity to be separated from the darkness unto the light. “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.” Matthew 27:45, 46.

For three hours His cross was clothed in darkness. Three hours during which we have no idea what was transpiring in the heart of Jesus, other than what we have read.

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Verse 46.

The separation had taken place. What He feared was now apparently a reality. Do we understand the price Jesus paid? Oh, He wants to help us understand. He wants to help us see clearly so we will be willing to accept His righteousness and allow Him to separate us from all the darkness, from all the sin in this world. Then we can show forth His praises and His virtues.

“But now with the terrible weight of guilt [that] He bears, He cannot see the Father’s reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt. Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that their separation was to be eternal.” The Desire of Ages, 753.

Restoring Harmony

It cost so much to give us an opportunity to separate from sin. We will never understand it. “Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race.” Ibid.

He does not want us to experience what He experienced for us.

“It was the sense of sin bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.” Ibid.

Separation cost a tremendous price. It cost the Father and the Son everything to give us the opportunity to be separated from the darkness into the light, from our sins into His righteousness, from being out of harmony with God’s Law to being brought back into harmony with heaven’s ways.

It cost everything. Jesus was willing to give everything. Oh, how ashamed we should be when we are hesitant to give Him our sins. All of us have need to grow in faith, in obedience, in love to Him and to allow Him to do the work that He came to do. He came to separate us from our sins.

Now let me ask you a question. How many sins would have brought the separation from the Father upon Jesus? One sin!

What will make us fully His separated people, separated from darkness into the light? “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.” Hebrews 12:2. What a wonderful text, inspired by God’s Spirit for those of us who are choosing to cooperate, to be separated from our sins unto His righteousness!

What does it say? “Looking unto Jesus.” He is the only One in all the universe of God, who can help us become separated from the darkness into the light. But we must look to Him. We must have our focus on Him, not upon each other, not upon another man.

Finishing the Good Work

“Looking unto Jesus who is the Author.” What does that mean? He is our beginning; He is the One who is going to author your character, if you allow Him to do that. He wants to finish what He begins, and He will, if we submit. Do you see that in all the works that God has made? Ah, that is a part of His character. Jesus wants to finish the work that He has begun in your heart. If you have never allowed Jesus to begin the work in you, He is inviting you to give Him your approval to begin that work today.

In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’”

You see, it is not enough to merely look at Jesus. We must follow Him. We will only follow Him if we believe His Word, which He has given us. So when we read His Word and we read the promises, we choose to believe and we choose to act. We have a faith that is motivated by a love that is going to bring forth the fruit of obedience.

God is going to have a separated people, separated from sin in their hearts. That is His people. We can come out physically from apostasy, but unless we have allowed Jesus to come in and separate us from sin, we have not fully come out and been separated from the darkness. Looking unto Jesus and following Him will make us fully His separated people.

Oh, brothers and sisters, let us not allow the separation of Calvary to have been in vain for us! Let us, with renewed faith and determination, choose to not only look to Jesus, but also to follow Him, allowing Him to separate us from all our sins and bring us into harmony with the sound of heaven, even His righteousness! What do you say? “For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

Bible Study Guides – A Plan With a Purpose

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January 28, 2007 – February 3, 2007

Key Text

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10.

Study Help: “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 926, 927; Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 149–152.

Introduction

“Through the goodness and mercy of Christ the sinner is to be restored to the divine favor. God in Christ is daily beseeching men to be reconciled to God. With outstretched arms He is ready to receive and welcome not only the sinner but the prodigal. His dying love, manifested on Calvary, is the sinner’s assurance of acceptance, peace, and love.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 178, 179.

1 For what purpose does the gospel call come to us? Mark 2:17, last part.

note: “The Majesty of heaven, the only-begotten Son of the true and living God, opened the way for you to come to Him, by giving His life as a sacrifice on Calvary’s cross. But while He suffered all this for you, He is too pure, He is too just, to behold iniquity. But even this need not keep you away from Him; for He says, ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ [Mark 2:17.] Let perishing souls come to Him just as they are, without one plea, and plead the atoning blood of Christ, and they will find acceptance with God, who dwelleth in glory between the cherubim above the mercy seat. The blood of Jesus is a never-failing passport, by which all your petitions may find access to the throne of God.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 251, 252.

2 What does salvation through Christ mean for us, here and now? Matthew 1:21; Revelation 1:5, last part.

note: “God has spoken, and He means that man shall obey. He does not inquire if it is convenient for him to do so. The Lord of life and glory did not consult His convenience or pleasure when He left His station of high command to become a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, accepting ignominy and death in order to deliver man from the consequence of his disobedience. Jesus died, not to save man in his sins, but from his sins. Man is to leave the error of his ways, to follow the example of Christ, to take up his cross and follow Him, denying self, and obeying God at any cost.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 250, 251.

3 What does God offer us, and on what condition, as a first step in our restoration? Isaiah 55:7; Luke 24:47.

note: “Through faith, the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a child of sin and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject of Christ Jesus, not because of an inherent goodness, but because Christ receives him as His child by adoption. The sinner receives the forgiveness of his sins, because these sins are borne by his Substitute and Surety.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1070.

4 Besides forgiving us, what else does God do in behalf of our salvation? 1 John 1:9. What aim is put before us, and what is our responsibility? Philippians 3:12–14; John 5:14; 8:11.

note: “Abstain from all evil. Common sins, however insignificant they may be regarded, will impair your moral sense, and extinguish the inward impression of the Spirit of God. The character of the thoughts leaves its imprint upon the soul, and all low conversation pollutes the mind. All evil works ruin to those who commit it. God may and will forgive the repenting sinner, but though forgiven, the soul is marred; the power of the elevated thought possible to the unimpaired mind is destroyed. Through all time the soul bears the scars. Then let us seek for that faith which works by love and purifies the heart, that we may represent the character of Christ to the world.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 195.

“It is by following in the path of obedience in simple faith that the character obtains perfection.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1137.

5 What did Paul say about the deliverance that Christ operates in us when we accept Him? Hebrews 2:15; Colossians 1:13. Sadly, how do some people cooperate with Satan rather than with Christ?

note: “Satan will move upon minds that have been indulged, upon men who have always had their own way, and anything presented to them in counsel or reproof to change their objectionable traits of character, is considered fault-finding, binding them, restraining them, that they cannot have liberty to act themselves. The Lord in great mercy has sent messages of warning to them, but they would not listen to reproof. Like the enemy who rebelled in heaven, they did not like to hear; they do not correct the wrong they have done, but become accusers, declaring themselves misused and unappreciated.

“Now is the time of trial, of test, of proving. Those who like Saul, will persist in having their own way, will suffer as he did, loss of honor, and finally the loss of the soul.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1163, 1164.

6 How does Christ make us free from the penalty of the law, under which we are condemned? Romans 6:14–18; 1 Thessalonians 1:10. What should we learn from the experience of the apostle Paul?

note: “The apostle Paul, in relating his experience, presents an important truth concerning the work to be wrought in conversion. He says, ‘I was alive without the law once,’—he felt no condemnation; ‘but when the commandment came,’ when the law of God was urged upon his conscience, ‘sin revived, and I died.’ [Romans 7:9.] Then he saw himself a sinner, condemned by the divine law. Mark, it was Paul, and not the law, that died.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 297.

7 How does faith in the gospel relate to the law of God? Romans 3:31. What warning are we given against transgressing God’s law? Romans 2:23–27; 8:7; 1 Timothy 1:9, 10.

note: “The law of God is the mirror to show man the defects in his character. But it is not pleasant to those who take pleasure in unrighteousness to see their moral deformity. They do not prize this faithful mirror, because it reveals to them their sins. Therefore, instead of instituting a war against their carnal minds, they war against the true and faithful mirror, given them by Jehovah for the very purpose that they may not be deceived, but that they may have revealed to them the defects in their character.” Review and Herald, March 8, 1870.

8 What do we lose through sin? Romans 3:23. What is to be restored in us through the gospel? 11 Corinthians 3:18. How? 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

note: “God is clothed with power; He is able to take those who are dead in trespasses and sins, and by the operation of the Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead, transform the human character, bringing back to the soul the lost image of God. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are changed from being rebels against the law of God into obedient servants and subjects of His kingdom. They are born again, regenerated, sanctified through the truth.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 332.

9 On what condition and for what purpose has God given us “the spirit of adoption”? Romans 8:14–17. What must reveal that we are adopted as God’s children? 11 Corinthians 6:16–18; 11 Peter 1:4.

note: “Let every one who desires to be a partaker of the divine nature, appreciate the fact that he must escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. There must be a constant, earnest struggling of the soul against the evil imaginings of the mind. There must be a steadfast resistance of temptation to sin in thought or act. The soul must be kept from every stain, through faith in Him who is able to keep you from falling. We should meditate upon the Scriptures, thinking soberly and candidly upon the things that pertain to our eternal salvation.” Review and Herald, June 12, 1888.

10 How are we enabled to resist the clamoring of our own carnal nature? Colossians 1:10, 11; Ephesians 3:16, 20.

note: “Man cannot transform himself by the exercise of his will. He possesses no power by which this change can be effected. The leaven—something wholly from without—must be put into the meal before the desired change can be wrought in it. So the grace of God must be received by the sinner before he can be fitted for the kingdom of glory. All the culture and education which the world can give will fail of making a degraded child of sin a child of heaven. The renewing energy must come from God. The change can be made only by the Holy Spirit. All who would be saved, high or low, rich or poor, must submit to the working of this power.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 96, 97.

Building Character

“Christ, the Word, the revelation of God,—the manifestation of His character, His law, His love, His life,—is the only foundation upon which we can build a character that will endure.

“We build on Christ by obeying His word. It is not he who merely enjoys righteousness, that is righteous, but he who does righteousness. Holiness is not rapture; it is the result of surrendering all to God; it is doing the will of our heavenly Father. When the children of Israel were encamped on the borders of the Promised Land, it was not enough for them to have a knowledge of Canaan, or to sing the songs of Canaan. This alone would not bring them into possession of the vineyards and olive groves of the goodly land. They could make it theirs in truth only by occupation, by complying with the conditions, by exercising living faith in God, by appropriating His promises to themselves, while they obeyed His instruction.

“Religion consists in doing the words of Christ; not doing to earn God’s favor, but because, all undeserving, we have received the gift of His love. Christ places the salvation of man, not upon profession merely, but upon faith that is made manifest in works of righteousness. Doing, not saying merely, is expected of the followers of Christ. It is through action that character is built. ‘As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.’ Romans 8:14. Not those whose hearts are touched by the Spirit, not those who now and then yield to its power, but they that are led by the Spirit, are the sons of God.

“Do you desire to become a follower of Christ, yet know not how to begin? Are you in darkness and know not how to find the light? Follow the light you have. Set your heart to obey what you do know of the word of God. His power, His very life, dwells in His word. As you receive the word in faith, it will give you power to obey. As you give heed to the light you have, greater light will come. You are building on God’s word, and your character will be builded after the similitude of the character of Christ.

“Christ, the true foundation, is a living stone; His life is imparted to all that are built upon Him. ‘Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.’ ‘Each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord.’ 1 Peter 2:5, R.V.; Ephesians 2:21, R.V. The stones became one with the foundation; for a common life dwells in all. That building no tempest can overthrow; for—‘That which shares the life of God, With Him surviveth all.’

“But every building erected on other foundation than God’s word will fall. He who, like the Jews in Christ’s day, builds on the foundation of human ideas and opinions, of forms and ceremonies of man’s invention, or on any works that he can do independently of the grace of Christ, is erecting his structure of character upon the shifting sand. The fierce tempests of temptation will sweep away the sandy foundation and leave his house a wreck on the shores of time.

“ ‘Therefore thus saith the Lord God, . . . Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.’ Isaiah 28:16, 17.

“But today mercy pleads with the sinner. ‘As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?’ Ezekiel 33:11. The voice that speaks to the impenitent today is the voice of Him who in heart anguish exclaimed as He beheld the city of His love: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her own brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.’ Luke 13:34, 35, R.V. In Jerusalem, Jesus beheld a symbol of the world that had rejected and despised His grace. He was weeping, O stubborn heart, for you! Even when Jesus’ tears were shed upon the mount, Jerusalem might yet have repented, and escaped her doom. For a little space the Gift of heaven still waited her acceptance. So, O heart, to you Christ is still speaking in accents of love: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.’ ‘Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.’ Revelation 3:20; 11 Corinthians 6:2.

“You who are resting your hope on self are building on the sand. But it is not yet too late to escape the impending ruin. Before the tempest breaks, flee to the sure foundation. ‘Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, of sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.’ ‘Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.’ ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.’ ‘Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.’ Isaiah 28:16, R.V.; 45:22; 41:10; 45:17.” Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 149–152.

Reprinted with permission, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke Virginia, 2003.

Bible Study Guides – Looking for Christ

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July 22, 2007 – July 28, 2007

Key Text

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28.

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 5, 98−105.

Introduction

“Did those who profess to be looking for Christ but realize how near is the end of all work for the salvation of souls, they would sacrifice their possessions as freely as did the members of the early church. ‘The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own. . . . As many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet.’ [Acts 4:32, 34, 35.] Those who had money or possessions freely sacrificed them to the existing emergency. The believers had one common interest—the success of the mission intrusted [sic] to them. Their love for Christ was far greater than their love for money. They acted out their faith, and by their works testified that they accounted the souls of men of more worth than any earthly treasure. Have we not even greater reason to sacrifice than they had? Have we not far less time than they in which to accomplish our work?” Review and Herald, December 6, 1887.

1 When did Peter say the restoration of all things would take place? Acts 3:20, 21. Who does he say has spoken of this time? Verse 21, last part.

note: “When the Saviour was about to be separated from His disciples, He comforted them in their sorrow with the assurance that He would come again: ‘Let not your heart be troubled. . . . In My Father’s house are many mansions. . . . 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.’ John 14:1−3. ‘The Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him.’ ‘Then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations.’ Matthew 25:31, 32.

“The angels who lingered upon Olivet after Christ’s ascension repeated to the disciples the promise of His return: ‘This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.’ Acts 1:11. And the apostle Paul, speaking by the Spirit of Inspiration, testified: ‘The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God.’ 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Says the prophet of Patmos: ‘Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him.’ Revelation 1:7. [Emphasis in original.]

“About His coming cluster the glories of that ‘restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.’ Acts 3:21. Then the long-continued rule of evil shall be broken.” The Great Controversy, 301.

2 What promise was made to Abraham? Genesis 17:7, 8. Who are heirs of this promise made to Abraham? Hebrews 11:9.

note: “There was given to Abraham the promise, especially dear to the people of that age, of a numerous posterity and of national greatness: ‘I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.’ [Genesis 12:2.] And to this was added the assurance, precious above every other to the inheritor of faith, that of his line the Redeemer of the world should come: ‘In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.’ [Verse 3.]” Patriarchs and Prophets, 125.

3 Did Isaac and Jacob receive the promise while they were living? Hebrews 11:9−13. For what did they look? Verses 10, 16.

note: “It is recorded of the holy men of old that God was not ashamed to be called their God. The reason assigned is that instead of coveting earthly possessions or seeking happiness in worldly plans or aspirations they placed their all upon the altar of God and made disposition of it to build up His kingdom. They lived only for God’s glory and declared plainly that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth, seeking a better country, that is, an heavenly. Their conduct proclaimed their faith. God could entrust to them His truth and could leave the world to receive from them a knowledge of His will.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 188.

4 To what time did Job look for final deliverance? Job 19:25−27.

note: “One of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the Bible is that of Christ’s second coming to complete the great work of redemption. . . . The patriarch Job in the night of his affliction exclaimed with unshaken trust: ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: . . . in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.’ Job 19:25−27.” The Great Controversy, 299.

5 What was revealed to Balaam when he was seeking to prophesy against Israel? Numbers 24:17, 19.

note: “All the world should wonder at the marvelous work of God in behalf of His people—that a man [Balaam] determined to pursue a sinful course should be so controlled by divine power as to utter, instead of imprecations, the richest and most precious promises, in the language of sublime and impassioned poetry. . . .

“Balaam uttered a most beautiful and sublime prophecy of the world’s Redeemer and the final destruction of the enemies of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 449, 451.

6 What does the Psalmist say about the coming of the Lord? Psalm 50:3−6; 97:3−6; 37:10, 11, 29.

note: “Mercy and truth are promised to the humble and penitent, but judgments are prepared for the sinful and rebellious. ‘Justice and judgment are the habitation of Thy throne.’ [Psalm 89:14.] A wicked and adulterous people will not escape the wrath of God and the punishment they have justly earned. Man has fallen; and it will be the work of a lifetime, be it longer or shorter, to recover from that fall, and regain, through Christ, the image of the divine, which he lost by sin and continued transgression. God requires a thorough transformation of soul, body, and spirit in order to regain the estate lost through Adam. The Lord mercifully sends rays of light to show man his true condition. If he will not walk in the light he manifests a pleasure in darkness. He will not come to the light lest his deeds shall be reproved.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 448, 449.

“The psalmist had in mind the . . . final restoration of man’s original inheritance when he declared, ‘The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.’ Psalm 37:29.

“This hope of redemption through the advent of the Son of God as Saviour and King, has never become extinct in the hearts of men.” Prophets and Kings, 682.

7 What warning is given by Zephaniah? Zephaniah 2:3. Why were they commanded to seek the Lord? Verses 1, 2.

note: “We are near the close of time. I [Ellen White] have been shown that the retributive judgments of God are already in the land. The Lord has given us warning of the events about to take place. Light is shining from His word; yet darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people. ‘When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them; . . . and they shall not escape.’ [1 Thessalonians 5:3.]

“It is our duty to inquire the cause of this terrible darkness, that we may shun the course by which men have brought upon themselves so great delusion. God has given the world an opportunity to learn and to obey His will. He has given them, in His word, the light of truth; He has sent them warning, counsel, and admonition; but few will obey His voice. Like the Jewish nation, the majority, even of professed Christians, pride themselves on their superior advantages, but make no returns to God for these great blessings. In infinite mercy a last warning message has been sent to the world, announcing that Christ is at the door and calling attention to God’s broken law. But as the antediluvians rejected with scorn the warning of Noah, so will the pleasure lovers of today reject the message of God’s faithful servants. The world pursues its unvarying round, absorbed as ever in its business and its pleasures, while the wrath of God is about to be visited on the transgressors of His law.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 99, 100.

8 What did Jesus say His people should do after they saw certain signs in the heavens? Luke 21:28.

note: “The attention of the people should be called to the momentous event which is so near at hand. The signs of the times should be kept fresh before their minds. The prophetic visions of Daniel and John foretell a period of moral darkness and declension; but at the time of the end, the time in which we are now living, the vision was to speak and not lie. When the signs predicted begin to come to pass, the waiting, watching ones are bidden to look up and lift up their heads and rejoice because their redemption draweth nigh.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 9, 10.

9 What does Paul say of the coming of the Lord? Hebrews 9:28.

note: “The very best preparation we can have for his second coming, is to rest with firm faith, with trust and unshaken confidence, in the great salvation brought to us at his first advent. We must believe that Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. Is he your personal Saviour? Are you, because the love of Jesus is abiding in your heart, saved from making mistakes and errors? Is the love of Christ a living, active agent in your soul, correcting, reforming, refining you, and purifying you from your wrong practices? There is need of cultivating every grace that Jesus, through his suffering and death, has brought within your reach. You are to manifest the grace that has been so richly provided for you, in the small as well as in the large concerns of life.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 7, 1893.

10 What admonition did Jesus leave for His people? Mark 13:35−37.

note: “Jesus has left us this warning: ‘Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.’ [Mark 13:35, 36.] The church of God is required to fulfill her night watch, however perilous, whether long or short. Sorrow is no excuse for her to be less watchful. Tribulation should not lead to carelessness, but to double vigilance. Christ has directed the church by His own example to the Source of their strength in times of need, distress, and peril. The attitude of watching is to designate the church as God’s people indeed. By this sign the waiting ones are distinguished from the world and show that they are pilgrims and strangers upon the earth.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 205.

11 What effect should this theme have on all believers? 1 Thessalonians 4:18.

note: “We know that as trials press closer and closer, the hope grows stronger. The beams of the Sun of Righteousness shall shine into your heart with their healing power. Look beyond the clouds to the brightness, even the light of the Sun of Righteousness. Thank God that in the tempest of trial the anchor holds. We have an ever-living, ever-prevailing Intercessor, who is pleading our individual cases before the Father. The joys of an eternal reward have been purchased at an infinite cost.

“May the Lord comfort and strengthen and bless you is my [Ellen White] daily prayer. Oh, when we see the King in His beauty, what a day of gladness that will be. We will rest in the rich promises of God. He will never fail us, but be to us a present help in every time of need.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 249, 250.

12 How can we comfort one another? Hebrews 10:25.

note: “If there is ever one time above another when men need to preserve their connection with God, it is when they are called to bear special responsibility. It is not safe for us, when going into battle, to cast away our weapons. It is then that we need to be equipped with the whole armor of God. Every piece is essential.

“Never entertain the thought that you can be Christians and yet withdraw within yourselves. Each one is a part of the great web of humanity, and the nature and quality of your experience will be largely determined by the experiences of those with whom you associate. Jesus says: ‘Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst.’ Matthew 18:20. Then let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhort one another; and so much the more, as we see the day approaching.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 190.

Bible Study Guides – Divine Power in Redemption

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June 29, 2008 – July 5, 2008

Key Text

“Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord [there is] mercy, and with him [is] plenteous redemption.” Psalm 130:7.

Study Help: Lift Him Up, 152.

Introduction

“In the courts above, Christ is pleading for His church—pleading for those for whom He has paid the redemption price of His blood. Centuries, ages, can never lessen the efficacy of His atoning sacrifice.” The Acts of the Apostles, 552, 553.

1 Who was involved in the plan of redemption? II Corinthians 13:14; Isaiah 48:16.

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. In order fully to carry out this plan, it was decided that Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, should give Himself an offering for sin. What line can measure the depth of this love? God would make it impossible for man to say that He could have done more. With Christ He gave all the resources of heaven, that nothing might be wanting in the plan for man’s uplifting.” Counsels on Health, 222.

2 When was this plan established? Romans 16:25.

Note: “The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of ‘the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal.’ Romans 16:25, R. V. It was an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foundation of God’s throne. From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency.” The Desire of Ages, 22.

3 With what words did John and Paul explain the incarnation of Christ? John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:16.

Note: “The incarnation of Christ is the mystery of all mysteries.

“Christ was one with the Father, yet … He was willing to step down from the exaltation of one who was equal with God.

“That He might accomplish His purpose of love for the fallen race, He became bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh.

“How wide is the contrast between the divinity of Christ and the helpless infant in Bethlehem’s manger! How can we span the distance between the mighty God and a helpless child? And yet the Creator of worlds, He in whom was the fullness of the Godhead bodily, was manifest in the helpless babe in the manger. Far higher than any of the angels, equal with the Father in dignity and glory, and yet wearing the garb of humanity! Divinity and humanity were mysteriously combined, and man and God became one.

“It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man’s nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.” The Faith I Live By, 48.

4 When was the prophecy of the incarnation fulfilled? Hebrews 10:5–7; Galatians 4:4.

Note: “[Over] two thousand years ago, a voice of mysterious import was heard in heaven, from the throne of God, ‘Lo, I come.’ ‘Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me. … Lo, I come (in the volume of the Book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will, O God.’ Hebrews 10:5–7. In these words is announced the fulfillment of the purpose that had been hidden from eternal ages. Christ was about to visit our world, and to become incarnate. He says, ‘A body hast Thou prepared Me.’ Had He appeared with the glory that was His with the Father before the world was, we could not have endured the light of His presence.” The Desire of Ages, 23.

5 What are the main purposes of Christ’s incarnation? Matthew 18:11; John 17:4, 26.

Note: “The plan of redemption had a yet broader and deeper purpose than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that Christ came to the earth; it was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world might regard the law of God as it should be regarded; but it was to vindicate the character of God before the universe. To this result of His great sacrifice—its influence upon the intelligences of other worlds, as well as upon man—the Saviour looked forward when just before His crucifixion He said: ‘Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.’ John 12:31, 32. The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man would not only make heaven accessible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and His Son in their dealing with the rebellion of Satan. It would establish the perpetuity of the law of God and would reveal the nature and the results of sin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 68, 69.

6 What did Christ declare at the end of His earthly mission? John 17:4–6.

Note: “In the intercessory prayer of Jesus with His Father, He claimed that He had fulfilled the conditions which made it obligatory upon the Father to fulfill His part of the contract made in heaven, with regard to fallen man. He prayed: ‘I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. [That is, He had wrought out a righteous character on earth as an example for men to follow.] And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.’ [John 17:4, 5.] In this prayer He further goes on to state what is comprehended by the work which He has accomplished, and which has given Him all those who believe on His name. He values this recompense so highly that He forgets the anguish it has cost Him to redeem fallen man. He declares Himself glorified in those who believe on Him. The church, in His name, is to carry to glorious perfection the work which He has commenced; and when that church shall be finally ransomed in the Paradise of God, He will look upon the travail of His soul and be satisfied. Through all eternity the ransomed host will be His chief glory.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 260, 261. [Comment in brackets is in the original.]

7 How does Paul define the gospel? Romans 1:16, 17.

Note: “Christ should be uplifted by those whom He has redeemed by dying on the cross a death of shame. He who has felt the power of the grace of Christ has a story to tell. He seeks to put in operation methods of work which will diffuse the gospel of Christ. Humanity, drawing its efficiency from the great source of wisdom, is made the instrumentality, the working agency, through which the gospel exercises its transforming power on mind and heart.” Lift Him Up, 230.

8 What did the angel reveal to Joseph about Christ’s mission? Matthew 1:21.

Note: “God is as powerful to save from sin today as He was in the times of the patriarchs, of David, and of the prophets and apostles. The multitude of cases recorded in sacred history where God has delivered His people from their own iniquities should make the Christian of this time eager to receive divine instruction and zealous to perfect a character that will bear the close inspection of the judgment.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 15.

“We are all sinful, and of ourselves are unable to do the words of Christ. But God has made provision whereby the condemned sinner may be freed from spot and stain. ‘If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous’; ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ [I John 2:1; 1:9.] But while Christ saves the sinner, He does not do away with the law which condemns the sinner. It is the work of redemption to exalt that law, and Christ’s great sacrifice was made in order that man might be a doer of that law. The law shows us our sins, as a mirror shows us that our face is not clean. The mirror has no power to cleanse the face; that is not its office. So it is with the law. It points out our defects, and condemns us, but it has no power to save us. We must come to Christ for pardon. He will take our guilt upon His own soul, and will justify us before God. And not only will He free us from sin, but He will give us power to render obedience to God’s will.” The Signs of the Times, September 24, 1896.

9 What is amply provided through the plan of redemption? Matthew 11:28–30; Hebrew 7:25.

Note: “We are to enter the school of Christ, to learn from Him meekness and lowliness. Redemption is that process by which the soul is trained for heaven. This training means a knowledge of Christ. It means emancipation from ideas, habits, and practices that have been gained in the school of the prince of darkness. The soul must be delivered from all that is opposed to loyalty to God.” The Desire of Ages, 330.

10 On which main condition can we have complete redemption? Jeremiah 29:12, 13.

Note: “In the heart of Christ, where reigned perfect harmony with God, there was perfect peace. He was never elated by applause, nor dejected by censure or disappointment. Amid the greatest opposition and the most cruel treatment, He was still of good courage. But many who profess to be His followers have an anxious, troubled heart, because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do not make a complete surrender to Him; for they shrink from the consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they do make this surrender, they cannot find peace.” The Desire of Ages, 330.

Additional Reading

“In the work of redemption there is no compulsion. No external force is employed. Under the influence of the Spirit of God, man is left free to choose whom he will serve. In the change that takes place when the soul surrenders to Christ, there is the highest sense of freedom. The expulsion of sin is the act of the soul itself. True, we have no power to free ourselves from Satan’s control; but when we desire to be set free from sin, and in our great need cry out for a power out of and above ourselves, the powers of the soul are imbued with the divine energy of the Holy Spirit, and they obey the dictates of the will in fulfilling the will of God.” The Desire of Ages, 466.

“We can understand the value of the human soul only as we realize the greatness of the sacrifice made for its redemption. The word of God declares that we are not our own, that we are bought with a price. It is at an immense cost that we have been placed upon vantage ground, where we can find liberty from the bondage of sin wrought by the fall in Eden. Adam’s sin plunged the race into hopeless misery; but by the sacrifice of the Son of God, a second probation was granted to man. In the plan of redemption a way of escape is provided for all who will avail themselves of it. God knew that it was impossible for man to overcome in his own strength, and he has provided help for him. How thankful we should be that a way is open for us, by which we can have access to the Father; that the gates are left ajar, so that beams of light from the glory within may shine upon those who will receive them!

“Christ began the work of redemption just where the ruin began. His first test was on the same point where Adam failed. It was through temptations addressed to the appetite that Satan had overcome a large proportion of the human race, and his success had made him feel that the control of this fallen planet was in his hands. But in Christ he found one who was able to resist him, and he left the field of battle a conquered foe. Jesus says, He ‘hath nothing in me.’ John 14:30. His victory is an assurance that we too may come off victors in our conflicts with the enemy. But it is not our heavenly Father’s purpose to save us without an effort on our part to co-operate with Christ. We must act our part, and divine power, uniting with our effort, will bring victory.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 15, 16.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guide – Abraham’s Inheritance

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June 17 – 23

Key Text

“For he [Abraham] looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10).

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 1, 346–353; The Faith I Live By, 304.

Introduction

“We are only pilgrims and strangers in this world. We are seeking the city which Abraham looked for, whose builder and maker is God.” In Heavenly Places, 112.

Sunday

 1 A PROMISE OF INHERITANCE

  •  What inheritance did God promise to Abraham and his seed? Genesis 17:7, 8; 1 Chronicles 16:15–18; Romans 4:13.

Note: “The gift to Abraham and his seed included not merely the land of Canaan, but the whole earth. … And the Bible plainly teaches that the promises made to Abraham are to be fulfilled through Christ.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 170.

  • Of what was the earthly promised land of Canaan a symbol? Hebrews 11:8–10, 13–16; Revelation 21:1–3.

Note: “The voice of God was heard, bidding him [Abraham] not to expect immediate possession of the Promised Land, and pointing forward to the sufferings of his posterity before their establishment in Canaan. The plan of redemption was here opened to him, in the death of Christ, the great sacrifice, and His coming in glory. Abraham saw also the earth restored to its Eden beauty, to be given him for an everlasting possession, as the final and complete fulfillment of the promise.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 137.

Monday

 2 HEIRS OF THE KINGDOM

  •  Who is the only true heir of the kingdom of promise? Matthew 21:33–39; Galatians 3:16; Hebrews 1:1, 2.

Note: “Christ was the Father’s ‘appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.’ He was the ‘brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person.’ And He upheld ‘all things by the word of His power’ (Hebrews 1:2, 3). He possessed divine excellency and greatness. It pleased the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell. And Christ ‘thought it not robbery to be equal with God’ (Philippians 2:6). Yet Jesus exchanged a throne of light and glory which He had with His Father, counting it not a thing to be desired to be equal with God, while man was lost in sin and misery. He came from heaven to earth, clothed His divinity with humanity, and bore the curse as surety for the fallen race. He was not compelled to do this; but He chose to bear the results of man’s transgression that man might escape eternal death.” The Signs of the Times, February 20, 1893.

  • How can we become heirs with Christ in sharing His inheritance? Romans 4:13–17; Galatians 3:26–29.

Note: “Only those who have appreciated the grace of Christ, which has made them heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus, will rise from the grave bearing the image of their Redeemer.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 259.

“The fulfillment of the promise that we shall be joint-heirs with Christ rests upon our willingness to deny self.” The Upward Look, 235.

  • As we declare our faith in Jesus Christ in whom all the promises of God are made, what does He call us? Romans 8:14–17; Galatians 4:4–7.

Note: “The treasures of eternity have been committed to the keeping of Jesus Christ, to give to whomsoever He will; but how sad it is that so many quickly lose sight of the precious grace that is proffered unto them through faith in Him. He will impart the heavenly treasures to those who will believe in Him, look to Him, and abide in Him.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 138.

Tuesday

 3 AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM

  •  As sons and daughters of God, through faith, what type of kingdom is promised to us? Daniel 2:44; 7:27; 2 Peter 1:11.

 Note: “The Lord’s purposes for His people have ever been the same. He desires to bestow on the children of men the riches of an eternal inheritance. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. When those who choose to become obedient subjects of the Most High are finally saved in the kingdom of glory, God’s purpose for mankind will have been fulfilled.” The Review and Herald, December 26, 1907.

  • How long will believers enjoy this everlasting kingdom? Titus 3:7; 1 John 5:11–13.

Note: “This life is a training school, where we are to be transformed, refined, and made meet for the society of saints in the kingdom of God, with whom we expect to associate throughout the ages of eternity.” The Bible Echo, July 29, 1895.

  • How do we know that God wants everyone to share in this inheritance? 2 Peter 3:9; Ezekiel 18:32; John 3:16.

Note: “The Lord wills not that any soul should perish. His mercies are without number, and He will not leave His purchased possession that He has given His own life to ransom to become the sport of Satan’s temptations. All Heaven is given to all those who believe in Jesus Christ as their present personal Saviour.” The Upward Look, 150.

“The Light of the world is shining upon us that we might absorb the divine rays and let this light shine upon others in good works that many souls shall be led to glorify our Father which is in heaven. He is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, and it grieves the heart of Jesus that so many refuse the offers of His mercy and matchless love.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 2, 237, 238.

Wednesday

 4 HOLDING OUR CONFIDENCE

  •  What are we admonished to hold on to? Hebrews 3:14; 10:23, 35, 36; Revelation 3:11.

Note: “Decisions may be made in a moment that fix one’s condition forever. … But remember, it would take the work of a lifetime to recover what a moment of yielding to temptation and thoughtlessness throws away. …

“Those who win heaven will put forth their noblest efforts and will labor with all long-suffering, that they may reap the fruit of toil. There is a hand that will open wide the gates of Paradise to those who have stood the test of temptation and kept a good conscience by giving up the world, its honors, its applause, for the love of Christ, thus confessing Him before men and waiting with all patience for Him to confess them before His Father and the holy angels.” My Life Today, 322.

  • Explain how the majority of Abraham’s literal children will be denied an inheritance. Numbers 13:25–33; 14:1; Hebrews 3:18, 19; Jude 5.

Note: “For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord’s professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years.” Evangelism, 696.

  • What should be the number one priority in our life? Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31–34; Colossians 3:1, 2.

Note: “Look away from this world to the eternal. Put forth your most earnest endeavors to obtain those things upon which God places value, and which Christ gave His precious life that you might secure. His sacrifice has thrown open wide to you the gates of heavenly commerce. Lay up your treasure beside the throne of God, by doing with His entrusted capital the work that He desires done in the winning of souls to a knowledge of the truth.” Counsels on Stewardship, 225, 226.

Thursday

 5  GOD’S ONE UNITED KINGDOM

  •  How many of Abraham’s children will be with him, praising God as he enters into his inheritance? Hebrews 11:39, 40; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; Isaiah 66:23.

Note: “We need not despair when we see that others have struggled through discouragements like our own, have fallen into temptations even as we have done, and yet have recovered their ground and been blessed of God. The words of inspiration comfort and cheer the erring soul. Although the patriarchs and apostles were subject to human frailties, yet through faith they obtained a good report, fought their battles in the strength of the Lord, and conquered gloriously. Thus may we trust in the virtue of the atoning sacrifice and be overcomers in the name of Jesus.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 15.

  • What will every saved believer do when beholding Jesus Christ face to face as Saviour? Philippians 2:9–11; Revelation 7:9, 10. What will Jesus then do? 1 Corinthians 15:24–28.

Note: “All [the redeemed] unite in praising Him [the Lamb] who died that human beings might have the life that measures with the life of God. The conflict is over. Tribulation and strife are at an end. Songs of victory fill all heaven as the ransomed ones take up the joyful strain, Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and lives again, a triumphant conqueror.” The Acts of the Apostles, 602.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1     What type of land was Abraham looking for?

2     How only can we be partakers of Abraham’s inheritance?

3     What is God’s desire for everyone in this world?

4     How can we hold our confidence steadfast to the end?

5     What types of songs will the redeemed sing together in the heavenly choir?

Value in the Gift

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A person who has an open wound or sore will usually prepare a poultice or ointment to treat it so it will heal. If an ointment was made up, but never placed upon the sore, what would happen? That preparation would be of absolutely no benefit and would do nothing for the sore until it was applied. This is also true in matters pertaining to our spiritual life. We can read all about Jesus; we can even believe that He is—the devils believe also— but if we do not “put on” our Lord Jesus Christ, what difference is there between us and the world?

What is the value you place on Jesus? Have you applied what you know of Him to your life, or are there other things of more value to you that come first, taking more time in your life over and above Jesus? “Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” Romans 2:4. That word “despisest” means to dis-esteem or consider worthless or of no value. What value is Jesus to you?

God has given to us a treasure in the gift of Jesus which few value as they should. We need to understand what Jesus is to us, so that we may apply Him to our lives personally and be like Him.

God tells us what Jesus is to us when we apply Him to our lives: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” I Corinthians 1:30. To understand what Paul is really meaning here we need to break this verse down.

The very first attribute that God has made Jesus Christ to be for us is wisdom. We are told that “fools despise wisdom.” Proverbs 1:7. Remember the word despise means to consider worthless or of no value. Society is full of worldly wisdom, rejecting the wisdom of Jesus. Each of us may think we have wisdom, but it does not show us our spiritual condition. Worldly wisdom causes envying and strife in hearts (James 3:14–16). It is not of a heavenly source because it does not show us that these worldly character traits are wrong. The devil wants us to have this worldly wisdom because it reflects his character and seems to look good, because the majority of the world carry this kind of wisdom. The devil also wants us to be ignorant of our spiritual condition, but God has made His Son Jesus to be our wisdom so we do not need to be ignorant. This world is in great need of Jesus, the source of wisdom.

When you put on the Lord Jesus Christ as your wisdom, Proverbs 3:13 says, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom.” Read Proverbs 3:13–18 to understand what a blessing wisdom is.

God gave Jesus to us to be our wisdom, so we need to “put on” Jesus Christ and receive that wisdom, which is from above, which “is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17.

With this heavenly wisdom, we are able to discern our sin and the resultant danger. Our true spiritual condition can be hid from us no longer as the cloud of ignorance is removed. The stupendous value of the gift of wisdom is beyond our deepest thoughts.

Proverbs 2:10–13 says, “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness.”

Praise God for the gift of wisdom. Will you right now apply this gift to your life, or will you “despise” the gift and continue to be ignorant, giving glory to the god of this world, the devil?

As this wonderful gift of wisdom is applied to our lives we become aware of our unrighteous state and that there is nothing we can do about it; there is no way to cover our unrighteous life. Look again at I Corinthians 1:30 and see what God has provided us. God has made Jesus also to be our righteousness.

We are alerted through wisdom to the danger we are in, and realizing that our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), we feel sad and repent of our unrighteousness. As we apply and accept Christ to be our righteousness, our past sins are forgiven and the ugliness and unrighteousness is covered.

As our guilt from past sins, or unrighteousness, is covered, there needs to be a change in heart so we do not continue in the sins that have been covered. To accomplish that, the next attribute that God has made Jesus to be for us is sanctification.

As we apply Jesus to our lives, we no longer need to yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but we can yield our members as instruments of righteousness unto God, as we are now alive from the dead (Romans 6:13).

We now have the wisdom to make an intelligent choice between good and evil. We have Christ’s righteousness which covers our past sins, and the gift of sanctification to make us clean from our sinful state as wisdom directs our path through God’s Word and we walk in His paths. The Holy Spirit works in our hearts, as our knowledge increases, to transform our hearts in such a way that Christ’s righteousness flows forth in our lives, no longer revealing our own filthy rags.

“Sanctification is not an instantaneous but a progressive work, as obedience is continuous. Just as long as Satan urges his temptations upon us, the battle for self-conquest will have to be fought over and over again; but by obedience, the truth will sanctify the soul. Those who are loyal to the truth will, through the merits of Christ, overcome all weakness of character that has led them to be molded by every varying circumstance of life.” Faith and Works, 85.

Thus far, Christ has been made unto us wisdom which covers and heals our ignorance. He has been made unto us righteousness which covers our past life, and He has been made unto us sanctification, in which we are cleansed moment by moment. And last of all God has made Jesus to be our redemption.

“What is redemption? It is that process by which the soul is trained for heaven, and it requires something higher, something more divine than the mere knowledge of books. This training means knowledge of Christ; it means emancipation from ideas, from habits and practices that have been gained in the school of the Prince of Darkness. The soul must be delivered from habits and practices which are opposed to loyalty to God. In this life we are to learn submission to the Divine will, or we shall not be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven. True religion enables a man to overcome stubbornness, pride, selfishness, worldly ambition, questioning, and unbelief. There is grace and strength in Christ to enable us to rise above the alluring, infatuating temptations of Satan and lead us to the Cross of Calvary that we may become active, devoted, loyal workers for the cause of truth.” (Australasian) Union Conference Record, July 12, 1899.

Jesus Christ is all that is necessary to our souls. Without Jesus you and I would be in the clutches of the god of this world in a most miserable life with no future. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us!” I John 3:1.

“It is the grand, great work of redemption. It is Christ, made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 80.

“We are individually to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. To each one of us He must become wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” Colporteur Ministry, 49.

Along with these most precious attributes, God has also provided us armor to put on. Ephesians 6:13 says, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” [Emphasis supplied.] Who is this armor? It is Jesus. Are you beginning to realize the value of the gift God has given to us in giving us Jesus? Look at the armor:

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.” Ephesians 6:14. [Emphasis supplied.] Who is the Truth? John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Who is our righteousness? I Corinthinans 1:30. Look through Ephesians 6:13–17. You will see Jesus in every piece of the armor, and this armor came from our Heavenly Father. (Read John 3:16.)

So, Jesus is not only made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, but He is also the armor which God has given to us. We must put it on for it to protect us from the wiles of the Devil. We must put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now you can know for sure in your own hearts that Jesus Christ is the solid Rock in your life.

“Let us, under all circumstances, preserve our confidence in Christ. He is to be everything to us—the first, the last, the best in everything. Then let us educate our tongues to speak forth His praise, not only when we feel gladness and joy, but at all times.” Sons and Daughers of God, 328.

“Jesus is all in all, and without him we can do nothing. Without Christ, spiritual life would be impossible.” The Review and Herald, December 4, 1894.

“Shall we not now tune our hearts to praise God from whom all blessings flow?” The Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, April 1, 1889.

Judy Hallingstad is part of our LandMarks team. She can be contacted by email at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Bible Study Guides – Christ our Redeemer

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March 28, 2010 – April 3, 2010

Key Text

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

Study Helps: The Desire of Ages, 68–74.

Introduction:

“The more we behold Christ, talk of His merits, and tell of His power, the more fully we shall reflect His image in our own characters and the less we shall submit our minds and affections to the paralyzing influences of the world. The more our minds dwell upon Jesus, the less they will be enveloped in the fog of doubt, and the more easily shall we lay all our trials, all our burdens, upon the Burden Bearer.” In Heavenly Places, 127.

1 Who was Christ? Romans 1:3, 4; John 3:16; Matthew 8:29.

Note: “Jesus was the Commander of heaven, one equal with God, and yet he condescended to lay aside his kingly crown, his royal robe, and clothed his divinity with humanity. The incarnation of Christ in human flesh is a mystery. He could have come to earth as one with a remarkable appearance, unlike the sons of men. His countenance could have shone with glory, and his form could have been of remarkable grace. He could have presented such an appearance as to charm the beholder; but this was not according to the plan devised in the courts of God. He was to bear the characteristics of the human family, and the Jewish race. In all respects the Son of God was to wear the same features as did other human beings. He was not to have such beauty of person as would make him singular among men. He was to manifest no wonderful charms by which to attract attention to himself. He came as a representative of the human family before heaven and earth. He was to stand as man’s substitute and surety. He was to live the life of humanity in such a way as to contradict the assertion that Satan had made that humanity was his everlasting possession, and that God himself could not take man out of his adversary’s hands.” The Signs of the Times, July 30, 1896.

2 How did the Old Testament writers prophecy His birth? Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Genesis 22:18.

Note: “Mary, the mother of Jesus, pondered the far-reaching prophecy of Simeon. As she looked upon the child in her arms, and recalled what the shepherds of Bethlehem had said, she was full of grateful joy and bright hope.

“Simeon’s words called to her mind the prophecy of Isaiah. She knew that of Jesus were spoken these wonderful words:

“ ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’

“ ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.’ Isaiah 9:2, 6.” The Story of Jesus, 20.

“Plain and specific prophecies had been given regarding the appearance of the Promised One. To Adam was given an assurance of the coming of the Redeemer. The sentence pronounced on Satan, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel’ (Genesis 3:15), was to our first parents a promise of the redemption to be wrought out through Christ.

“To Abraham was given the promise that of his line the Saviour of the world should come: ‘In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.’ ‘He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.’ Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16.” The Acts of the Apostles, 222.

3 Did the Jewish people at the time of Christ’s birth know about the Old Testament prophecies? Matthew 2:1–8.

Note: “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.” Matthew 2:3–8.

4 Why did God send His Son to this earth? I Thessalonians 5:9, 10; II Timothy 2:10; Hebrews 9:28.

Note: “Had silver and gold been sufficient to purchase the salvation of men, how easily might it have been accomplished by Him who says, ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine.’ Haggai 2:8. But only by the precious blood of the Son of God could the transgressor be redeemed. The plan of salvation was laid in sacrifice. The apostle Paul wrote, ‘Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.’ II Corinthians 8:9. Christ gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity. And as the crowning blessing of salvation, ‘the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Romans 6:23.” The Acts of the Apostles, 519.

5 What was our salvation to save us from? Matthew 1:21; Ephesians 1:7; Acts 4:12.

Note: “For every soul struggling to rise from a life of sin to a life of purity, the great element of power abides in the only ‘name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved’ [Acts 4:12]. ‘If any man thirst,’ for restful hope, for deliverance from sinful propensities, Christ says, ‘let him come unto Me, and drink’ [John 7:37]. The only remedy for vice is the grace and power of Christ.” Counsels on Health, 440.

6 How far did the Son of God go to redeem man? Philippians 2:6–8; Isaiah 53:3–5.

Note: “Point after point Paul lingered over, in order that those who should read his epistle might fully comprehend the wonderful condescension of the Saviour in their behalf. Presenting Christ as He was when equal with God and with Him receiving the homage of the angels, the apostle traced His course until He had reached the lowest depths of humiliation. Paul was convinced that if they could be brought to comprehend the amazing sacrifice made by the Majesty of heaven, all selfishness would be banished from their lives. He showed how the Son of God had laid aside His glory, voluntarily subjecting Himself to the conditions of human nature, and then had humbled Himself as a servant, becoming obedient unto death, ‘even the death of the cross’ (Philippians 2:8), that He might lift fallen man from degradation to hope and joy and heaven.” The Acts of Apostles, 333.

7 What did Jesus claim to be when He was on earth? John 14:6.

Note: “There are not many ways to heaven. Each one may not choose his own way. Christ says, ‘I am the way … no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me’ [John 14:6]. Since the first gospel sermon was preached, when in Eden it was declared that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, Christ had been uplifted as the way, the truth, and the life. He was the way when Adam lived, when Abel presented to God the blood of the slain lamb, representing the blood of the Redeemer. Christ was the way by which patriarchs and prophets were saved. He is the way by which alone we can have access to God.” The Desire of Ages, 663.

8 What kind of a life did Jesus live while He was on earth? Acts 10:38.

Note: “The unselfish labor of Christians in the past should be to us an object lesson and an inspiration. The members of God’s church are to be zealous of good works, separating from worldly ambition and walking in the footsteps of Him who went about doing good. With hearts filled with sympathy and compassion, they are to minister to those in need of help, bringing to sinners a knowledge of the Saviour’s love. Such work calls for laborious effort, but it brings a rich reward. Those who engage in it with sincerity of purpose will see souls won to the Saviour, for the influence that attends the practical carrying out of the divine commission is irresistible.” The Acts of the Apostles, 109, 110.

9 How did Jesus pay the price for our sins? Luke 23:33; Matthew 27:35.

Note: “Those who think of the result of hastening or hindering the gospel think of it in relation to themselves and to the world. Few think of its relation to God. Few give thought to the suffering that sin has caused our Creator. All heaven suffered in Christ’s agony; but that suffering did not begin or end with His manifestation in humanity. The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that, from its very inception, sin has brought to the heart of God. Every departure from the right, every deed of cruelty, every failure of humanity to reach His ideal, brings grief to Him. When there came upon Israel the calamities that were the sure result of separation from God—subjugation by their enemies, cruelty, and death—it is said that ‘His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.’ ‘In all their affliction He was afflicted … and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.’ Judges 10:16; Isaiah 63:9.” Education, 263.

10 What caused Jesus to be put on the cross? I Corinthians 15:3; Hebrews 9:28; Isaiah 53:5.

Note: “The Lord desires us to appreciate the great plan of redemption, to realize our high privilege as the children of God, and to walk before Him in obedience, with grateful thanksgiving. He desires us to serve Him in newness of life, with gladness every day. He longs to see gratitude welling up in our hearts because our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, because we may cast all our care upon Him who cares for us. He bids us rejoice because we are the heritage of the Lord, because the righteousness of Christ is the white robe of His saints, because we have the blessed hope of the soon coming of our Saviour.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 299.

“Love for lost souls brought Christ to Calvary’s cross. Love for souls will lead us to self-denial and sacrifice, for the saving of that which is lost. And as Christ’s followers give back to the Lord His own, they are accumulating treasure which will be theirs when they hear the words: ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,’ ‘who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ Matthew 25:21; Hebrews 12:2. The joy of seeing souls eternally saved will be the reward of all who follow in the steps of the Redeemer.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 59.

Additional Reading

“In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken. Through the eternal ages He is linked with us. … ‘Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given …’ (Isaiah 9:6). God has adopted human nature in the person of His Son, and has carried the same into the highest heaven. It is the ‘Son of man’ who shares the throne of the universe. … In Christ the family of earth and the family of heaven are bound together. Christ glorified is our brother. Heaven is enshrined in humanity, and humanity is enfolded in the bosom of Infinite Love.” God’s Amazing Grace, 79.

This quarter’s lessons were prepared by Ruth Grosboll prior to her passing in January, 2010.

Experiencing God’s plan in the Sanctuary Message

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The sanctuary message is so deep and so broad that it would take a lifetime to study it. As you walk through the sanctuary you behold Jesus Christ. The sanctuary in heaven is the very sensor of Christ’s work in behalf of men. It concerns every living soul upon the earth. It opens to view the plan of redemption, bringing us down to the very close of time revealing the triumphant issue of the contest between righteousness and sin. It is of the utmost importance that all should thoroughly investigate these subjects and be able to give the hope that is in them. The subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of 1844. It opened to view a complete system of truths connected and harmonious, showing that God’s hand had directed the great Advent Movement, revealing present duty as it brought to light the position of His people.

We all need to keep the subject of the sanctuary in mind. Why? God forbid that the clatter of words coming from human lips should lessen the belief of our people in the truth that there is a sanctuary in heaven, and that the pattern of this sanctuary was once built on this earth. God desires His people to become familiar with this pattern, keeping ever before their minds the heavenly sanctuary where God is all in all.

We live in a time where so many things bombard us, even in our churches. The sanctuary is not preached much. Before I came into the church, I was a Catholic studying to be a Mormon. I did not have much understanding of the Adventist faith, only studying for four days before being baptized. The sanctuary doctrine was particularly hard to understand. The Bible said there was a sanctuary and I was told about the 2300 days and how everything ended in 1844 but not too many people knew anything more than that. They could tell me that there was a building up in heaven and that was all. I knew I had to study more if I wanted to know the truth.

Eventually I met some people who confused me a little and one of my pastors in his message said that the sanctuary did not exist and not to believe that anymore. I thought he was a good pastor and kind of believed him. Another lay person said I needed to believe it and to read the Book, because the truth is there and that is just what I did. I do not know everything, but I do know there is a High Priest ministering in heaven and Jesus is interceding for me and for you right now and there is a sanctuary in heaven.

“In the future, deception of every kind is to arise, and we want solid ground for our feet. We want solid pillars for the building. Not one pin is to be removed from that which the Lord has established. The enemy will bring in false theories, such as the doctrine that there is no sanctuary. This is one of the points on which there will be a departing from the faith. Where shall we find safety unless it be in the truths that the Lord has been giving for the last fifty years?” The Review and Herald, May 25, 1905.

In 1905 the Ballinger controversy was going on and one of his teachings some still hold today. He believed in universal justification which means that everybody was saved at the cross. Ellen White tried to counsel him and told him to be careful, as he was taking a pin away from the sanctuary. If everyone is justified, there is no need for a high priest.

“Satan is striving continually to bring in fanciful suppositions in regard to the sanctuary, degrading the wonderful representations of God and the ministry of Christ for our salvation into something that suits the carnal mind. He removes its presiding power from the hearts of believers, and supplies its place with fantastic theories invented to make void the truths of the atonement, and destroy our confidence in the doctrines which we have held sacred since the third angel’s message was first given. Thus he would rob us of our faith in the very message that has made us a separate people, and has given character and power to our work.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 53, 54.

It is not merely being a vegetarian or keeping the Sabbath that made Seventh-day Adventists a special people, because there are vegetarians and Sabbatarians not of our faith. It is the understanding of Jesus’ work of salvation in the sanctuary, and there are no Sunday keepers who I know of who believe in this truth.

“The intercession of Christ in man’s behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was his death upon the cross.” The Great Controversy, (1888), 489.

Salvation does not end at the cross but continues on into heaven. The cross is the power, but it does not finish there. Jesus is trying to lead us back to the Father. We cannot, in our own righteousness, stand in His presence until Jesus washes us and we are a new people in the way we look, talk and think. If our mind is not in unity with His mind, we would want to shrink away from the presence of the One who knows all and reads our mind. The graciousness of Jesus is to bring us back to the Father because He only knows what is acceptable in His sight.

“The intercession of Christ in man’s behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was his death upon the cross. By his death he began that work which, after his resurrection, he ascended to complete in Heaven. We must by faith enter within the veil, ‘whither the forerunner is for us entered’ [Hebrews 6:20].” Ibid.

There is both an intellectual and also a practical faith. Just because I know that there is a heavenly sanctuary is not enough to save me. By faith I have to enter into that experience.

“There the light from the cross of Calvary is reflected. There we may gain a clearer insight into the mysteries of redemption. The salvation of man is accomplished at an infinite expense to Heaven; the sacrifice made is equal to the broadest demands of the broken law of God. Jesus has opened the way to the Father’s throne, and through his mediation the sincere desire of all who come to him in faith may be presented before God.” Ibid.

In the next passage, Satan is talking—these are his words: “Through those that have a form of godliness but know not the power, we can gain many who would otherwise do us harm. Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God will be our most effective helpers. [Remember, this is Satan talking, and he wants us.] Those of this class who are apt and intelligent will serve as decoys [something that is false—Satan has decoys] to draw others into our snares. Many will not fear their influence, because they profess the same faith [within the church]. We will thus lead them to conclude that the requirements of Christ are less strict than they once believed, and that by conformity to the world they would exert a greater influence with worldlings. Thus they will separate from Christ; then they will have no strength to resist our power, and erelong they will be ready to ridicule their former zeal and devotion.

“Until the great decisive blow shall be struck, our efforts against commandment keepers must be untiring. We must be present at all their gatherings. In their large meetings especially our cause will suffer much, and we must exercise great vigilance, and employ all our seductive arts to prevent souls from hearing the truth and becoming impressed by it.

“I will have upon the ground, as my agents, men holding false doctrines mingled with just enough truth to deceive souls. I will also have unbelieving ones present who will express doubts in regard to the Lord’s messages of warning to His church. Should the people read and believe these admonitions, we could have little hope of overcoming them. But if we can divert their attention from these warnings, they will remain ignorant of our power and cunning, and we shall secure them in our ranks at last. God will not permit His words to be slighted with impunity. If we can keep souls deceived for a time, God’s mercy will be withdrawn, and He will give them up to our full control.

“We must cause distraction and division. We must destroy their anxiety for their own souls, and lead them to criticize, to judge, and to accuse and condemn one another, and to cherish selfishness and enmity. For these sins, God banished us from His presence; and all who follow our example will meet a similar fate.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 474, 475.

Satan knows he is a defeated foe so he attempts to bring everybody else down with him by putting his decoys into the church, and many people are giving up their faith.

At one time while visiting with a minister he told me that The Great Controversy is 19th century theology, that it was not good for today but only good for their time and that the two beast powers were no longer the papacy and the United States because the United States does not act like a beast and the papacy is too quiet. Satan has fooled him.

“From the creation and fall of man to the present time, there has been a continual unfolding of the plan of God for the redemption, through Christ, of the fallen race. The tabernacle and temple of God on earth were patterned after the original in heaven. Around the sanctuary and its solemn services mystically gathered the grand truths which were to be developed through succeeding generations.” The Faith I Live By, 194.

“The great plan of redemption, as revealed in the closing work of these last days, should receive close examination.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 575.

We need to work in harmony with what God is teaching us through the sanctuary. “By study, contemplation, and prayer God’s people will be elevated above common, earthly thoughts and feelings, and will be brought into harmony with Christ and His great work of cleansing the sanctuary above from the sins of the people. Their faith will go with Him into the sanctuary, and the worshipers on earth will be carefully reviewing their lives and comparing their characters with the great standard of righteousness. They will see their own defects; they will also see that they must have the aid of the Spirit of God if they would become qualified for the great and solemn work for this time which is laid upon God’s ambassadors.” Ibid.

Exodus 25:8, 9 says, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” God wants to dwell with us. Moses had to make everything after the pattern he saw in the mountain.

In Acts 7:44 it says, “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.” “The holy places made with hands were to be ‘figures of the true,’ ‘patterns of things in the heavens’ (Hebrews 9:24, 23)—a miniature representation of the heavenly temple where Christ, our great High Priest, after offering His life as a sacrifice, was to minister in the sinner’s behalf. God presented before Moses in the mount a view of the heavenly sanctuary, and commanded him to make all things according to the pattern shown him. All these directions were carefully recorded by Moses, who communicated them to the leaders of the people.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 343.

The earthly sanctuary was a symbol or a shadow of the heavenly. When you look at a shadow of yourself, you see an outline because you cannot see everything else. The message that God is portraying is that the sanctuary is so deep that even Moses did not have complete understanding.

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

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building.” Hebrews 9:11.

When everything was made for the earthly sanctuary, the priest went into the Most Holy Place, then to the Holy Place and then to the courtyard to dedicate it to the service of God. Then the priest went into the Holy Place for his daily work. Because of a misunderstanding through the translations of the Book of Hebrews some people think He went into the Most Holy Place. Many times when the Bible says Holy Place, it really means Holy places—plural. When Jesus’ ministry on earth was completed here on earth, He went to heaven, right into His Father’s presence. When His Father said that His sacrifice was accepted, He came back to His disciples and told them. When He went into heaven He took some first fruits and He went to a coronation, a dedication, of the sanctuary. He opened it; it says He anointed it and then He started his Holy Place ministration.

In Hebrews 8:1–5 it says, “Now of the things which we have spoken that is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.” Jesus could not be a priest here on earth because he was of the wrong tribe. He was from the tribe of Judah.

I believe that the sanctuary is a miniature crossing of the promise land. The children of Israel were supposed to go from Egypt, across the Red Sea to Sinai and then to the promised land. This is a symbol of the last days. God has brought us out of Egypt, out from all of our idols. He has baptized us, or brought us through the water, brings us to the law and now He wants to take us in. What is the problem? We do not believe there is a sanctuary. The Word says, “Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.” Exodus 15:17.

God wants to bring us into the sanctuary because that is where God dwells—in the sanctuary. He wants to draw us right in and say, “Well Done;” but many do not believe.

“Many of the Israelites regarded the sacrificial service as having in itself virtue to set them free from sin. God desired to teach them that it had no more value than that serpent of brass. It was to lead their minds to the Saviour.” The Desire of Ages, 174, 175. The understanding of the sanctuary service is to lead us to the Saviour. Teaching the sanctuary message without introducing Jesus is of no value at all.

In A.D. 70 when the temple was destroyed, all the Jews could do was run and say, “the temple, the temple.” The temple in itself was powerless to do anything for them because Jesus was not there. “Whether for the healing of their wounds or the pardon of their sins, they could do nothing for themselves but show their faith in the Gift of God. They were to look and live.” Ibid. Just like that serpent of brass that was erected in the wilderness, those who looked up in faith to Jesus, whom it represented, were healed.

I grew up in the Catholic church; my godmother was a nun and she would tell me to pray to the rosary beads and they would help me. I would pray, but it did not help. Then she gave me this little statue of a black saint from Africa and told me to put him in my car and wherever I would go he would help me. When I got into an accident, where was he? I knocked him off my dash in frustration because he was no help. Then my godmother gave me some water that came from Italy and told me to put it on me and I would become smart. All of those things were just symbols and idols and useless.

We need to examine ourselves to see if our lives are leading others to Jesus or just uplifting ourselves. In Psalm 29:9 it says, “In his temple doth every one speak of his glory.” His glory is His character. Everything reveals His glory.

“And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” Ezekiel 37:28. Most people in the world do not know anything about the sanctuary. I had an opportunity to work with a Baptist minister. One time he was reading the book, The Ministry of Healing, and he liked the book and he said that whatever spirit is in that book it is in the Bible. He asked about the author because he had never heard of Ellen White or Seventh-day Adventists. He was so interested that he went down to the book store and bought the whole three-volume set of the Spirit of Prophecy and started reading the books.

The first book he opened to read was The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 7A, Revelation chapter 13, where it talks about apostate Protestantism, and he was a Sunday keeper. He then started crying, recognizing that he was part of apostate Protestantism. He said that if he went back to his church and started preaching from these books, they would fire him. I assured him that if he was fired, Jesus would take him in. I challenged him to accept the message, and he said he was going to take the books back to his church and read them before making a decision. I have not heard from him since.

The understanding of the workings of the sanctuary is a blessing to God’s people. We are the ones privileged to have that light and are teaching it to others. The sanctuary is basically the plan of redemption.

“The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christ’s work in behalf of men. It concerns every soul living upon the earth. It opens to view the plan of redemption, bringing us down to the very close of time and revealing the triumphant issue of the contest between righteousness and sin. It is of the utmost importance that all should thoroughly investigate these subjects and be able to give an answer to everyone that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them.” The Great Controversy, 488.

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Hebrews 4:2.

We know that God loves us because He tells us, “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3. God is drawing us. “For the love of Christ constraineth us.” II Corinthians 5:14. “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

In John 3:14, 15 it says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Jesus draws His people. He is pursuing you and He knows what you have been through and has the power to save you. When He takes your mess from your hands, He takes it into the sanctuary where He can cleanse you and make you into a new creature.

I John 4:8–10 tells us: “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Propitiation is another word for mercy seat and Jesus is our Mercy Seat.

God loves us so much that He sent His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not die but have everlasting life (John 3:16), and it is by leading us through the sanctuary service that He restores our relationship with Him.

Brad Neeley is Administrative Assistant of M.E.E.T. Ministry. He is a master gardener, lecturer and Bible instructor with over ten years in Christian ministry. He is married to S. Lynn Neeley, they have one daughter, Christiana.