will

Facing the Crisis With a Surrendered Will

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Let me begin with a true story told by Pastor Kenneth Oster, the Seventh-day Adventist in charge of mission work in Ethiopia during the time when the Communists invaded and overthrew the government. They were determined to destroy Christianity. Elder Oster tells how the native pastor of the church in Addis Ababa was faced with tremendous problems as he tried to shepherd his flock.

Arrested for Christ

Little did he realize the hatred of the Communist invaders toward Christianity and their determination to crush every person’s belief in God. One day as the pastor prepared to visit his members, he heard a loud knock. As he opened the door he faced two Soviet police who commanded him to go with them to the KGB Headquarters. When they reached the building, he was locked in a room for some four hours.

Then a KGB officer, together with a medical doctor who carried a small bag and was leading a dog, entered the room. The doctor opened the bag and took out a Bible. Then he asked the pastor, “Do you believe this to be God’s Book?”

The pastor answered, “I surely do.”

Then he was commanded to read the sixteenth chapter of Mark out loud. When he got to verse 9, which reads, “Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week…” the doctor said, “Stop!” He then asked the pastor, “Do you really believe that Jesus, who was crucified, who died and was buried, was resurrected and is alive today?”

The pastor answered, “Most assuredly, I do.”

Then he was commanded to read on. When he reached verses 17 and 18, which read, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them.…”

“Stop,” cried the doctor. “Do you actually believe what you just read?”

“Yes, I do,” he replied.

Test of Faith

Then the doctor opened the bag again and took out a small vial. Calling the dog to him, he sprinkled several drops of the fluid from the bottle on the dog’s tongue. Then he opened the door and told the dog to get out, but before the dog reached the door, it fell over dead. Now the doctor turned to the pastor and continued: “Tell me, do you actually believe that your God can save you from this deadly poison that I just gave the dog?”

“Yes,” the pastor replied, “if God wills.”

Now the doctor took a teaspoon and filled it to the brim and commanded the pastor to open his mouth. He thrust the spoon filled with the deadly poison into the pastor’s mouth, and he and the KGB officer watched to see the pastor die immediately.

Victory in Jesus

Five seconds passed. Ten seconds, and then the doctor took out his watch. One minute. Two minutes. Five minutes. In amazement the doctor turned to the KGB officer, took out his Communist membership card, tore it to bits and said, “I no longer believe in Communism. I now believe in Jesus Christ.” Oh, what a victory in the power of Christ! What a God we serve!

I have been reading a new book entitled, Seven Conditions for Receiving the Latter Rain. The author, has graciously granted me permission to share some of the information with you.

Let us begin with a most important question. What is God’s will for us? Both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy teach that it is possible, by God’s grace, to be totally committed, spirit-filled Christians, so we may overcome sin completely in this life.

What a glorious design! God’s will for us is that we sin not. Reading in 1 John 2:1 we are told, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Only those Christians who receive wholeheartedly the straight testimony of Jesus contained in Revelation 3:14-22 and overcome every besetting sin, reflecting the image of Jesus fully, will receive the Latter Rain.

The Counsel of the True Witness

“Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the Latter Rain, and thus be fitted for translation.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 187. Did you notice the counsel of the True Witness? First: Come up to every point. Second: Stand every test. Third: Overcome every sin, be the price what it may.

Of course, this is not all the straight testimony and the counsel of the True Witness. We need to remember there is also the gold of faith and love, the white raiment, or the robe of Christ’s righteous character, and the eye salve, which is the spiritual discernment of the Holy Spirit. The straight testimony calls sin by its right name and appeals to God’s people to repent and to forsake all sin and to come up to the standard.

As we strive to attain such an achievement, let us ever keep in mind that victory over sin is to come first. Then the gifts of the Spirit and the outpouring of the Latter Rain come after. This matter has been made very plain in Inspiration.

“I was shown that if God’s people make no efforts on their part, but wait for the refreshing to come upon them and remove their wrongs and correct their errors; if they depend upon that to cleanse them from filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and fit them to engage in the Loud Cry of the Third Angel, they will be found wanting. The refreshing or power of God comes only on those who have prepared themselves for it by doing the work which God bids them, namely, cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Ibid., vol. 1, 619.

The Secret to Attaining Holiness

Did you catch the meaning that we are to perfect holiness? Please do not be alarmed. You may be surprised to discover there is a secret to attaining holiness. Such a victory comes by the continual surrender of the will to Christ. Such surrender of the will is a continual deepening of self-denying; a surrender today is not adequate for tomorrow. The surrender of the soul to God must go deeper and deeper until we come to the point that, like Christ, we will say, “Not my will, but Thine, be done,” (See Luke 22:42.) even to the point of death.

Often we will have to fall upon our knees in despair saying, “Father, help my unbelief and make me willing.” Christ, our Example, knew the meaning of total surrender. Many of God’s children, who love the Lord, have not learned the lesson of continual deepening surrender. It is to be renewed day by day. They will discover that they do not know victory.

“Some who come to God by repentance and confession, and even believe that their sins are forgiven, still fail of claiming, as they should, the promises of God. They do not see that Jesus is an ever-present Saviour; and they are not ready to commit the keeping of their souls to Him, relying upon Him to perfect the work of grace begun in their hearts. While they think they are committing themselves to God, there is a great deal of self-dependence. There are conscientious souls that trust partly to God, and partly to themselves. They do not look to God, to be kept by His power, but depend upon watchfulness against temptation, and the performance of certain duties for acceptance with Him. There are no victories in this kind of faith. Such persons toil to no purpose; their souls are in continual bondage, and they find no rest until their burdens are laid at the feet of Jesus.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 353. [Emphasis added.]

Believing Satan’s Lie

Today God is raising up a remnant that keeps the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. (See Revelation 14:12.) But have we succumbed to the deceptions of the adversary? Do we, like the great majority of the professed Christians today, believe Satan’s lie that we cannot overcome? Beware, beware, it is being preached from some of our pulpits today. It is the father of lies who says that we cannot overcome.

For, beloved, we can overcome, and we can overcome entirely through the merits of Him “…who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. God has the power to give us victory. “Exact obedience is required, and those who say that it is not possible to live a perfect life throw upon God the imputation of injustice and untruth.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 369.

If we believe that we cannot overcome, we are then echoing the voice of the adversary. Christianity is to be a life of overcoming. To many the thought of victory is as a rope of sand, intellectually accepted but never experienced. If we do not believe in victory and have never seen a clear demonstration of God’s power to save, then, I am sorry to say, we will not be able to receive the Latter Rain.

False Theology

Some of God’s people believe that at Christ’s Second Coming He will miraculously give us the victory over sin. As I prepared this article, a pastor of one of our large nearby churches preached that God would change our characters when He comes so that we would never sin again. Beloved, this is a false belief! This is a lie! The miracle of victory over sin is for today, and every day, that we might be a spectacle both to men and to angels.

“Satan is also watching his chances to lead astray. He will present attractions that will lead our minds from God. But shall we not watch his devices, and be constantly seeking the aid of God to keep us from Satan’s allurements? … We must not lay off the armor for one moment. You will hear the cry, ‘Only believe.’ Satan believed and trembled. We must have a faith that works by love and purifies the heart. The idea prevails that Christ has done all for us, and that we can go on transgressing the commandments and will not be held accountable for it. This is the greatest deception that the enemy ever devised. We must take our position that we will not violate the commandments at any cost, and be in that spiritual condition that we can educate others in spiritual things.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, 97.

Restored to Eden’s Perfection in This Lifetime

Such counsel helps us to see our tremendous need. “The work of overcoming is to be the study of every soul who enters the kingdom of God.” Review and Herald, August 1, 1893. God will never be satisfied with anything short of perfection. Man was created perfect in the beginning, and God’s plan of redemption is designed to restore His children to that original perfection where they will once again reflect His image.

This restoration, which begins with the new birth, is a purifying, refining process that God can accomplish only when He has the confidence and the cooperation of the individual. It is possible to stop sinning, but not without suffering and dying to self, which is the sinful nature. If we really long to be rid of every trace of sin, we should welcome suffering if it is the necessary discipline God must use to set us free and make us perfect in Christ.

“Let the recording angels write the history of the holy struggles and conflicts of the people of God; let them record their prayers and tears; but let not God be dishonored by the declaration from human lips, ‘I am sinless; I am holy.’ Sanctified lips will never give utterance to such presumptuous words.” Acts of the Apostles, 561, 562.

Growing in Grace Through Trial

So, beloved, never should we forget that God’s way is the best. The trusting Christian does not look upon suffering and sorrow with an attitude of self-pity or resentment. He faces life’s conflicts as God-given opportunities to grow in grace. I am not suggesting here that the Christian perfection may be attained merely through sorrow and suffering, but because we came into the world with the fallen sinful nature, the process by which we are restored to an intimate fellowship with God requires the death of our very nature.

We must never forget that a sinful nature cannot cease sinning; consequently, God’s provision for victory over sin is a transformation of our nature. In order to possess the divine nature, we are required to crucify the flesh, and believe me, this is a more serious and painful process than many of us realize. We need to recognize that trials are one of God’s means in the perfection of our characters.

These trials are also for God’s glory, that He may show to others the power of the gospel as we respond to these trials with the same meekness and strength of Jesus. Remember the Ethiopian pastor who had such a faith experience with Christ that he believed in witnessing for God even when forced to drink deadly poison? He remembered that God promised: It will not hurt you.

“Conflicts and trials are the very means ordained or suffered of God to perfect the Christian character unto eternal life.” 1888 Materials, vol. 2, 489. If we would be ready for any test that God may send our way, we must prepare for victory by shutting every door of temptation.

By Beholding, We Become

“It is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual nature that by beholding we become changed. The mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell. It becomes assimilated to that which it is accustomed to love and reverence. Man will never rise higher than his standard of purity or goodness or truth. If self is his loftiest ideal, he will never attain to anything more exalted. Rather, he will constantly sink lower and lower. The grace of God alone has power to exalt man. Left to himself, his course must inevitably be downward.” The Great Controversy, 555. [Emphasis added.]

So you can see, it is an impossibility to live the life of an overcomer while we participate in watching, reading or listening to that which is contrary to the Word and to the principles of God. Far too many Christians have a double standard and are considered by God to be double minded. For complete victory, we must rise up to a newness of life. Once we have done this, then a work for us is as follows.

We are to seek after God, setting our minds upon themes of heavenly origin and not only our thoughts, but also our lives, are to be taken up with God and with the work that He has for us to do. The admonition for God’s people is that we are to experience victory over sin. How? By beholding “…the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29.

Continued Effort with Christ’s Power Brings Victory

Here are the facts: Continued effort, combined with Christ’s power, is the means of our victory. Let me try to make this clear. Inspiration declares that he who truly and fully abides in Christ does not sin. “‘Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.” 1 John 3:6. Again, “‘Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not.’ Here is the true test.” Steps to Christ, 61.

Keep in mind that the words “sinneth not” have to do with a complete victory over sin. “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” 1 John 5:18.

Now notice carefully, “The Son of God came to our world in human form to show man that divinity and humanity combined can obtain the victory over sin…. ‘Whosoever abideth in Him, sinneth not; whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him.’… God calls for complete consecration, and anything short of this He will not accept.” Signs of the Times, February 1, 1899.

Such an experience will make us perfect in Christ. The word perfect means complete, whole, accomplished, finished, sound, upright or undefiled. “…that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:17.

“The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought. The yielding of self, surrendering all to the will of God and being clothed with humility, possessing that love that is pure, peaceable, and easy to be entreated, full of gentleness and good fruits, is not an easy attainment. And yet it is his privilege and his duty to be a perfect overcomer here.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 106, 107.

This means that we are to form characters free from sin. Note, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin…. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” Romans 6:6, 12.

“Brothers and sisters, we need the reformation that all who are redeemed must have, through the cleansing of mind and heart from every taint of sin…. We are to form characters free from sin—characters made righteous in and by the grace of Christ…. Our hearts are to be cleansed from all impurity in the blood shed to take away sin.” Counsels on Health, 633, 634.

It is Better to Die than to Sin

This requires a personal decision. “It is better to die than to sin.…” Testimonies, vol. 4, 495. We must grow spiritually until we continually have the determination to cease to sin. Does not God’s Word declare, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1, 2.

“As we behold Christ, pierced for our sins, we shall see that we cannot break the law of God and remain in His favor; we shall feel that as sinners we must lay hold of the merits of Christ and cease to sin.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 312.

Why No Latter Rain?

Now let me ask you a question, beloved. Why has the Latter Rain not fallen yet? The reason is because we, the remnant people, are not ready. We have not totally surrendered ourselves and forsaken all sin. “When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 69.

When will we, as a people, come to the place where we will believe the clear, explicit Bible and Spirit of Prophecy teaching concerning perfection and overcoming? When will we put aside our unbelief and lack of faith? When will we lay aside our half-hearted dedication and go all the way with God? How much longer is God going to wait for His people to become the victorious people so that He can pour out the Latter Rain?

We need to pray about this; for such a glorious day for God’s people will happen very, very soon and then, and only then, will we receive the Latter Rain and arise to give the Loud Cry and finish the work. We must not take these things lightly but repent with all of our hearts and seek most earnestly for the complete unbroken victory over sin, which it is our privilege to have.

True Christian Love

Soon, very soon, there will be a victorious people spreading the Loud Cry to every country of the world. Are you going to be one of them? I hope so. The Latter Rain will be poured out only upon a victorious people. Now I trust that you have made the decision to be victorious over sin by surrendering your will to divinity. The next step to be reached is to become a loving person, for God is love.

The English word “love” is altogether inadequate to express the depth and meaning expressed by the Greek word agape. Agape is true Christian love, which is not merely an emotional experience that comes to us unbidden and unsought; it is a deliberate principle of the mind and a conquest and achievement of the will. It may be described as a love bringing into play the higher powers of the mind and intelligence.

It is this kind of love that the Christian is to exercise, even toward his enemies. That is, the Christian is to treat his enemies with proper respect. We are therefore bidden to love our enemies, and why? So that we should be like God. And what is the typical action of God that is cited? God sends His rain on the just and the unjust and on the evil and on the good.

That is to say, no matter what a man is like, God seeks nothing but his highest good. Agape is the spirit that says, “No matter what any man does to me, I will never seek to harm him. I will never set out for revenge. I will always seek nothing but his highest good.” Now to make such a commitment it will take man’s all to achieve such Christian love. It takes not only his heart, it takes his mind and his will as well.

Today we are living in an age when the real meaning of love is no longer understood. The type of love that much of the human race displays is an emotional love based on selfishness. But true love is seen in good works. “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21.

True Love is a Living, Working Power

This is the only true test of character in doing the will of God, that we give the best evidence that we love God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. The oft-repeated words of love for God are of no value unless that love is made manifest in the life practice. Love for God is not a mere sentiment. It is a living, working power.

“The man who does the will of his Father who is in heaven shows to the world that he loves God. The fruit of his love is seen in good works.” Signs of the Times, May 19, 1898. So the real meaning of love is a faith that works and is seen in the fruits of a Christian life. God demonstrates such love for us. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

God’s great love for the world is beyond our comprehension. His love for us is so great that He gave His only Son for our redemption. Such a love is unsurpassed. Love unexampled, unfathomable, immeasurable. The beloved disciple John tells us not to love the world. (See 1 John 2:15.) But he does tell us, in this same chapter, to “walk, even as He walked.” Verse 6.

If we follow closely His example, we, too, must love the people of this present evil world love them to such an extent and in such a way as to give ourselves for them as He did. It was an unlovable people whom Christ loved so much. They are no more lovable today than they were when Christ gave Himself for them.

Who has not walked down skid row of any major city and witnessed the drunkard and the derelict? Who has not seen these wrecks of humanity, degraded by drugs and drinking to a level below the brute, with a complete loss of all moral and physical control? These wretched souls sit or lie in their own filth. The stench of alcohol and excrement poison the atmosphere about them.

Loving the Unlovely?

Love them? Did you say, love them? We naturally feel repelled by them and want to turn from them in disgust. Yet, we thank God mainly that we are not like other men, while at the same time we are void of the love that gives a helping hand. The unlovely and the unlovable qualities of the world show up in many ways. It is found in religious belief, denominational affiliation, cultural differences, family background and national disparity. We join the national tendency to dislike those who are separate from us.

Christ was not unaware of the unlovely characteristics of the world into which He sent His disciples. He expressly had these conditions in mind when He commanded His followers, “Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” Luke 10:3. Our mission, then, is to love with agape love. As God loves us, we must love mankind.

To love the unlovable, though, will take a miracle, and only God can work that miracle in us. There must be an entire renunciation of self. Only Christ can accomplish this work for us with our consent.

“Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159.

We must understand that God uses love to expel sin from the heart. According to the Scriptures, faith works by love to purify the soul. It is the love of Christ that constrains and moves the Christian to a life of self-denial, righteousness and obedience to God’s law.

Ellen White explains this so beautifully. “Love is power. Intellectual and moral strength are involved in this principle, and cannot be separated from it…. Love cannot live without action, and every act increases, strengthens, and extends it. Love will gain the victory….” Testimonies, vol. 2, 135.

“There can be no perfection of Christian character without that faith that works by love, and purifies the soul.” Review and Herald, October 18, 1898. Now this faith helps us to walk in love, for it is love and love alone, finding satisfaction in God, that satisfies the heart’s hunger and prevents all coveting. Love is really not a rule but a motive. Love does not tell the Christian what to do but how to do it.

Love must go to the Law of God to learn the divine will. Love is a principle. We are to become imitators of God as beloved children. That is to say, we are to walk in love just as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. The source of Christian love is the Holy Spirit. As His control and transforming action increases in the life, the more clearly is the fruit of love discerned. The implanting of a loving attitude toward God and man, by the indwelling of the spirit, is related to the believer’s hungering and thirsting to know God.

Ingredients Within the Spectrum of Love

“Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him.…” The Desire of Ages, 22. The spectrum of love has many ingredients. As we look at the Bible, you will see this demonstrated.

Patience. “…let patience have her perfect work.” James 1:4.

Kindness to godliness, brotherly kindness, generosity: “…It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35.

Humility, “…charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” 1 Corinthians 13:4.

Courtesy: “doth not behave itself unseemingly.…” 1 Corinthians 13:5.

Unselfishness: “…love thy neighbor as thyself.…” Leviticus 19:18.

Good temper: “…is not easily provoked.…” 1 Corinthians 13:5.

Guilelessness: “…thinketh no evil.” 1 Corinthians 13:5.

Sincerity: “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” 1 Corinthians 13:6.

“The divine love emanating from Christ never destroys human love, but includes it. By it human love is refined and purified, elevated and ennobled. Human love can never bear its precious fruit until it is united with the divine nature and trained to grow heavenward.” The Adventist Home, 99. How beautiful! The power of the gospel is the cross and the power of the cross is love. Herein is found another key to victory as it is written, “…love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:10. So you can see that God is ready to test our love for Him by the way we treat one another.

Take notice. “When the Latter Rain is poured out, the church will be clothed with power for its work; but the church as a whole will never receive this until its members shall put away from them, envy, evil-surmisings, and evil-speaking. Those who cherish these sins know not the blessed experience of love; they are not awake to the fact that the Lord is testing and proving their love for him by the attitude they assume toward one another. Christ says to us, ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another….’ When this commandment is obeyed, envy, evil–speaking, evil–surmising, and evil– thinking will not be indulged; they will have no part in the formation of character.” Review and Herald, October 6, 1896.

Such an experience will make the remnant people a loving people filled with brotherly love and in full unity and harmony. “The Spirit can never be poured out while variance and bitterness toward one another are cherished by the members of the church. Envy, jealousy, evil surmising,[sic] and evilspeaking [sic] are of Satan, and they effectually bar the way against the Holy Spirit’s working.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 42. (Emphasis added.)

Let us praise God that His remnant will be a surrendered and a loving people. To love with Christ’s love means to manifest unselfishness at all times and in all places by kind words and pleasant looks. These cost those who give them absolutely nothing, but they leave behind a fragrance that surrounds the soul. Their effect can never be estimated. Not only are they a blessing to the receiver but to the giver, for they react upon him. Genuine love is a precious attribute of heavenly origin which increases in fragrance in proportion as it is dispensed to others.

Surrender, Part II

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When we are only committed to the cause, we are still in charge, for the most part, but we can still rebel. When we are surrendered, we cannot be rebels. When we surrender, we give up our authority, and we come under the authority of Another.

So, why do we not surrender? Fear could be one reason, but another reason is that we just plain do not know how. Commitment without surrender is what most people have been trying to do for the last 6,000 years, and this is why we are still here. It does not work any better now than it did the first time it was tried. It is insane to keep trying it, but we do just the same, perhaps because we do not know anything else to do. God, however, wants us to know another way—the only way that works.

The only way that works is so simple that we often miss the real meaning. It just does not sink in, but we cannot afford to miss it. Before we study it, though, we need to first consider how the mind works in the area of temptation.

The Bible presents, a number of times, the battle between the flesh and the spirit. Through the Spirit of Prophecy, we are told a lot about the higher powers and the lower powers of the mind. Think of your brain as being divided into sections.

Higher Powers

The higher powers are located where science calls the frontal lobe of the brain. That is where the Holy Spirit speaks to us. Romans 8:16 talks about how the Holy Spirit testifies to our spirits: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” This is referring to the frontal lobe of the brain where, Ellen White states, rests the higher powers. The Bible would call it the spirit. The higher powers contain the intellect, the reason, and the conscience.

The higher powers take in information and store it in the intellect. Then the reason takes that information and cogitates from cause to effect, based on your intellect or what you know. If you do such and such, what will or will not happen; if you do not do such and such, what will or will not happen?

You know what the conscience does. If you do not think or act according to reason and intellect, your conscience makes you feel bad. It is a warning signal. It makes you feel guilty. It pricks you.

Lower Powers

The lower powers would originate in the lower part of the brain, in what could be called the animal instinct part of the brain. It tells your heart to beat and your lungs to breathe without your thinking about those things. The lower powers are what the Bible calls the flesh.

The flesh contains the appetite, the passions, and the desires. God placed these things in you. In and of themselves they are not bad, but they are to be kept under the control of the higher powers. When Adam and Eve fell, the lower powers began to reign over the higher powers, and they have been in control ever since.

The appetite says, If it tastes good, eat it. The passions say, If it feels good, do it. Desire says, If you want it, get it. Satan knows how to work this system. Every temptation he sends to you enters through that channel—either through appetite, passion, or desire.

Galatians 5:16, 17 says, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” It does not say that you will not have the lust of the flesh; it says that you will not fulfil the lust of the flesh. It is not a sin to be tempted, but it is a sin to yield to the temptation. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

The Will

These two things are contrary to each other, so when temptation enters, the flesh votes one way and the spirit votes the other. They never agree, because they are contrary one to another. In order for temptation to pass, then, we need to have a third representative—the will. The will is the governing power in the nature of man.

I heard Stephen Vincent Wallace, several years ago, explain it this way: “This is the land of Me, and in the land of Me, the capital city is Mind. In the capital city of Mind is the House of Representatives, and there are three that sit in that House of Representatives. There is a representative from the kingdom of darkness (that would be the flesh). There is a representative from the Kingdom of Light (that would be the Spirit). Then there is our representative, the will.” For anything to pass, you must have a two-thirds majority, so the will decides if you are going to listen to the higher powers or whether you are going to listen to the lower powers. That is what makes the final decision.

This is why God gave us the health message and why the health message is so important. It is not just so we can be healthy, but it is to keep the frontal lobe of the brain clear. Things like drugs, alcohol, rock music, television, caffeine, and nicotine tend to numb the frontal lobe. When the frontal lobe is numb and it is supposed to be putting out an argument for righteousness, what kind of argument is it going to give? Not a very good one! The will may then listen to the lower powers.

The Will’s Authority

There are other verses in the Bible that speak of this, such as Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Romans 13:14 says, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof].”

We are not to make any provision for it, so unless your will is surrendered to Christ and is under the authority of God, it is not going to have authority over the lower powers. This is why it is so important to surrender the will.

You need to understand that this is not talking about willpower. That is what the world uses, and most of God’s people have tried using their willpower for the last 6,000 years, and it has not worked. It might work with sins that are not that appealing to you, but if you encounter sins that really appeal to you, ones known as besetting sins, then you really do not have any willpower. Willpower is not what is meant, but the right exercise of the will. We need to surrender our wills to God.

In Luke 17:20, 21, some people talked to Christ about the location of the kingdom of God. He told them, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” In Part I of this study, the word kingdom was identified as coming from two words, king and dominion. Dominion is where one king has complete and total control and authority. Your heart is to be that place, that dominion, on this earth for God. Your heart is to be like a branch office of the kingdom in heaven. In the kingdom of heaven, one King has complete and total control and authority, and He is to have that same dominion in our hearts.

When you pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6) and repeat the words, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,” do you ever stop and think about what you are asking? You are asking that God’s kingdom come; His will be done here, on earth, in you, as it is in heaven.

It is of the utmost importance that you learn to surrender your will to God. You need to stop using the old willpower, grit your teeth, struggle and strain method, and start using the surrender method. When you do this, you will find that exercising your will with the higher powers of your brain will not be nearly as difficult. This does not mean you will have smooth sailing, but it will be a whole lot easier than the other willpower method.

You can read about the willpower method and how it works in Romans 7. That is the method of which Paul is speaking in this passage. You can just feel the frustration as he is describing it, because it does not work.

Born to Win

Christ had to deal with this problem too. He had a fallen nature with which to contend. (See The Desire of Ages, 112.) I personally believe that He was born with the equivalent of a born-again nature, and that is how He could win. This is the same nature we can have, and this is why we can win too.

When you are born again, you are born to win. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.” 1 John 5:4. Like Christ, you can have victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil, but to have it, it is essential that you learn to surrender everything to God, just as Christ did. You must learn to yield your will. If you do not, you are either going to get discouraged and give up or you are going to stay committed but not submitted and end up in the foolish virgin camp (Matthew 25:1–13) or the Matthew 7:21–23 camp: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Or you may end up in the 1 Corinthians 13:3 camp: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

Reprobate

If you are not careful, you will learn to ignore the Holy Spirit’s promptings and pleadings. Romans 1:28 tells us that God gives such people over to a reprobate mind. “And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”

The dictionary definition of a reprobate is “a thoroughly bad person.” I made up my own definition of a reprobate mind. You most likely will not find this in one of the more scholarly, theological resources, but it works for me, and I hope it helps you. To me, a reprobate mind means, “to have the brain in your head upside down.” In other words, letting the lower powers control the higher powers. So when God gives you up to a reprobate mind, He leaves you to being controlled by those lower powers. They will never be under the control of the higher powers. Your will will never be surrendered.

The best example of surrender and dependence, of course, is Christ. Just in the Book of John there are at least 30 verses where He says that everything He had and everything He did was totally surrendered to His Father. His will, His work, His words, His doctrine, His mission, and His decisions all came from the Father. They were all surrendered. Christ did nothing of Himself. “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” John 5:30. How could He do that? Was it because He was committed only? It was because He was totally dependent and surrendered to the Father. When you are willing to be to Jesus what Jesus was to the Father, then Jesus will be to you what the Father was to Him.

Like Jesus

Philippians 2:5–11 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

In other words, have the same attitude Jesus had. He made Himself of no reputation; He emptied Himself; He laid down His privileges; He took the form of a servant; He humbled Himself. You and I are to have the same attitude.

Verses 10 and 11 tell us that everyone in the whole universe, fallen and unfallen, will bow down and “confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” They will confess Jesus’ lordship and His right to reign, His sovereign authority, and His right to have sovereign authority. The whole universe, fallen and unfallen, is going to acknowledge this.

Prayer Life

How did Jesus keep His will surrendered to the Father? Oh, the secret seems to be in His prayer life. He spent time every day, before He did anything else, surrendering His will to the Father. Sometimes He spent all night in prayer. The best example of this is the night He spent in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Matthew 26:36–46; Mark 14:32–42.) Three times He had to yield His will to the Father. It was a struggle, even to the point of sweating blood. Nevertheless, He was able to do it, and you can follow His example.

Impossible on Your Own

The following statements are some of the clearest on the surrender of the will and of the heart. I hope they will be helpful to you.

“It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. ‘Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.’ ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.’ Job 14:4; Romans 8:7.” Steps to Christ, 18.

What an interesting statement! This is the part where I think a lot of people get confused and why they use that old method of willpower, which has been tried for 6,000 years. The next statement explains it. It says, “Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.” Ibid.

“The Saviour said, ‘Except a man be born from above,’ unless he shall receive a new heart, new desires, purposes, and motives, leading to a new life, ‘he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ John 3:3, margin.” Ibid.

The word see means to “perceive with understanding experientially.” You know, when you have your own little kingdom going where you call your own shots and do your own thing, where you are in total and complete control and authority, you not only cannot see the kingdom of God, but you do not even want to know about it.

Ellen White continues, “The idea that it is necessary only to develop the good that exists in man by nature, is a fatal deception. . . .

“It is not enough to perceive the loving-kindness of God, to see the benevolence, the fatherly tenderness, of His character. It is not enough to discern the wisdom and justice of His law, to see that it is founded upon the eternal principle of love. Paul the apostle saw all this when he exclaimed, ‘I consent unto the law that it is good.’ ‘The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.’ But he added, in the bitterness of his soul-anguish and despair, ‘I am carnal, sold under sin.’ Romans 7:16, 12, 14. He [Paul] longed for the purity, the righteousness, to which in himself he was powerless to attain, and cried out, ‘O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?’ Romans 7:24, margin. Such is the cry that has gone up from burdened hearts in all lands and in all ages.” Ibid., 18, 19.

Have you ever longed for that for which Paul longed—that purity and righteousness? Have you figured out yet, as he did, that you are powerless to obtain it? The only way to receive it is to surrender your will to God. The quicker you figure it out, the better off you will be. “To all, there is but one answer, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ John 1:29.” Ibid., 19.

To be continued . . .

Steve Currey is a Bible worker for Steps to Life. He may be contacted by e-mail at: stevecurrey@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Surrender, Part III

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From Steps to Christ, 47, we read: “Many are inquiring, ‘How am I to make the surrender of myself to God?’ You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin.” This is the condition we are in! Mrs. White continues, “Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. . . . What you need to understand is the true force of the will. [Now, again, this is not talking about willpower.] . . . Everything depends on the right action of the will.”

What is the right action of the will? This is what we want to know. We do know it is not willpower.

“The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. . . .

“Desires for goodness and holiness are right as far as they go; but if you stop here, they will avail nothing. Many will be lost while hoping and desiring to be Christians. They do not come to the point of yielding the will to God. They do not now choose to be Christians.” Ibid., 47, 48.

We keep seeing that we need to yield the will, but we have not found out how. We are going to find out how shortly. Continuing on with this quote, it says,

“Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in your life. By yielding up your will to Christ, you ally yourself with the power that is above all principalities and powers. You will have strength from above to hold you steadfast, and thus through constant surrender to God you will be enabled to live the new life, even the life of faith.” Ibid., 48.

This is a good promise, but we still do not know how to do it.

Take My Heart

The next Spirit of Prophecy quote is based on the story of two worshippers, as recorded in Luke 18:9–14. You remember that the Pharisee said, “Well, I am glad I am not like that character,” referring to the publican. But the publican beat on his chest and said, “Lord be merciful to me a sinner.” Mrs. White says, “The prayer of the publican was heard because it showed dependence reaching forth to lay hold upon Omnipotence. Self to the publican appeared nothing but shame. Thus it must be seen by all who seek God. By faith—faith that renounces all self-trust—the needy suppliant is to lay hold upon infinite power.

“No outward observances can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty himself of self.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159.

How to Surrender

Is this not a real problem? You have to be emptied of self, but it says that no man can do it. Now we are going to find out how to surrender.

“We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work.” Ibid. What does consent mean? It means, “to give permission.” If you go into the hospital for surgery, you give the doctor permission to cut your body. You sign a consent form.

Then, she tells us exactly how to give that permission; she even gives us the words to say: “Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul.” Ibid.

In other words, you need to tell the Lord, “I want You to take my heart, my will. I cannot give you my heart, but I am giving You permission to come in and take it. Take my heart and purify it. Bring it into harmony with Your will. Then, after You clean it up for me, do not just give it back to me, because I will just mess it up again. You will have to keep it for me too.”

First Thing

When you decide to surrender your heart, your will, to God, you need to do so verbally, first thing in the morning. Now, you can do it all day long. You can send up silent prayers every time you run into a temptation or a problem or see anything that needs correcting. You can just tell Him, “Take my will, right now.” You can do that silently, but at least once a day, in the morning, you need to say it verbally, out loud, so the whole on-looking universe can hear you give God that permission. There are rules to the great controversy, and one of the rules is that supernatural powers cannot intervene in human affairs without being given permission. You need to give permission. This prayer is a legal contract between you and God, and the whole universe needs to hear and see it happen.

Step by Step

“It is not only at the beginning of the Christian life that this renunciation of self is to be made. At every advance step heavenward it is to be renewed. All our good works are dependent on a power outside of ourselves. Therefore there needs to be a continual reaching out of the heart after God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the soul before Him. Only by constant renunciation of self and dependence on Christ can we walk safely.” Ibid., 159, 160.

“All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. . . . Sin will become hateful to us.” The Desire of Ages, 668.

Is this not what you want?

Satan’s Control Broken

“There were many in Christ’s day, as there are today, over whom the control of Satan for the time seemed broken; through the grace of God they were set free from the evil spirits that had held dominion over the soul. They rejoiced in the love of God; but, like the stony-ground hearers of the parable, they did not abide in His love. They did not surrender themselves to God daily. . . .

“When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world.” Ibid., 323, 324.

Job is a good example of this. The representatives from the different worlds came together for a council meeting. When God called the roll and said, “Earth,” Satan answered, “Here.” He had taken dominion of the world when Adam and Eve sinned. “And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” Job 1:7, 8.

“Have you considered My servant Job?” God asked. “He is down there walking around in your kingdom, in your territory, but he is not one of your subjects. He is one of Mine. You do not have any authority in his heart; he is surrendered to Me.” This is the way you and I are to be. Job was a branch office of the kingdom of heaven.

Working Together

When God shows you something in your life that needs to be corrected, do not argue with Him. Do not rebel against Him. Do not ignore Him. Do not start using your willpower or using your human strength. Give Him your will. Surrender it to Him, so He can change it. After you have surrendered, then use it. That is when you make an effort, and God supplies His power, and right where the two come together is a point of victory—His power and your effort combined. You need to surrender your will and learn to cooperate with Him. You need to learn how to work with Him.

Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” The good news is that you can be loyal and faithful to God, just as was Job. The good news of the kingdom is the kingdom of God within you, where Christ has complete and total control and authority. This needs to be preached in all the world, so people can decide in which kingdom they want to be.

If it is your desire to be part of God’s kingdom and quit trying to stand with one foot in Satan’s kingdom and the other foot in God’s kingdom, ask Him to help you to surrender your will totally and completely to Him today.

How to Have Life, Part II

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If we do not have a connection to Christ, we are not Christians, no matter what our profession may be. We may, by our acts, appear to be moral, but we will not be righteous, because there is only one place to obtain righteousness. We must ask Him for the desire and the life. Our great need is not for more rules and more works and more religion, but more of Him. This is what we really need, but the desire is not natural. We need to be under the control of the Holy Spirit.

“We must be daily controlled by the Spirit of God or we are controlled by Satan.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 102. There are only two options, and every morning, when we get out of bed, we decide which one is going to control us. We do need to be under the control of the Spirit, and that comes through surrender. But to be controlled by the Spirit does not mean to be replaced by Him. When the evil spirits take over, they take over. They want to totally possess us, but the Holy Spirit does not want to possess us. He wants to empower us. The Holy Spirit works in cooperation with our faculties. He does not force; He empowers.

If we ask Him, He will teach us to love the things He loves and to hate the things He hates. When the Holy Spirit is in control, we will have total freedom—real, genuine freedom. Then we will have the power and the ability and the desire to do what is right. We will even have the right motives. Egotism will no longer be the motive, as in the worldly systems. We will be free indeed, and then the mind and the heart and the life will all be alive in Christ. Without this experience, truth is only a theory to fight about at best, and at worst, it makes us angry, and we rebel against it, calling people who obey it fanatics. If it goes far enough, we kill them, because it makes us feel guilty. That is what happened between Cain and Abel, and that is what happened with the Jewish leaders in Christ’s day. We do not like people making us feel guilty.

Nothing but the influence of Christ through the Holy Spirit can change us. We must have the original union that God gave to man. “Satan will constantly present allurements to induce us to break this tie—to choose to separate ourselves from Christ. Here is where we need to watch, to strive, to pray, that nothing may entice us to choose another master; for we are always free to do this.” Steps to Christ, 72.

Keeping the Union

Do you ever wonder how to keep that union? “Unceasing prayer is the unbroken union of the soul with God, so that life from God flows into our life; and from our life, purity and holiness flow back to God.” Ibid., 98.

Ellen White also wrote: “We may keep so near to God that in every unexpected trial our thoughts will turn to Him as naturally as the flower turns to the sun.” Ibid., 99, 100. How I would like to have that experience! Would you? When unexpected trials come, our hearts would automatically turn to God like the flowers do to the sun!

Being Born Again

Now, let us get down to brass tacks. How are we born again? In other words, what must we do to be saved? Well, that depends! How the process works depends on our mental stage when the invitation comes. Let us look at two different men who asked this same question.

“And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” Mark 10:17–22.

Now, look at Acts 16:25–34, and see this question asked again by another man. “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”

Two Men—Two Answers

Two men asked the same question. It appears that they were given two different answers. Why did not Jesus give the same answer as Paul? For the young Jew, Jesus gave a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to eternal life, and, unfortunately, it proved to be just that for him. But for the Gentile jailer, Paul gave a very simple answer. Why not the same answer? Did Paul’s response make salvation easy, while Christ’s answer made it difficult, if not almost impossible? Is salvation not freely offered to all? Matthew 11:28 invites, “Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden.” Is the gospel that we claim as simple as that?

Unfortunately, it is not always that simple. To get someone to make a right response—to surrender and trust God totally, placing themselves wholly on His side, depending on Him completely—can be very difficult. It depends very much upon where he or she is at in his or her mind, when the invitation is given. Notice that the invitation comes every day with every temptation, but the response depends on their state of mind when the invitation comes. If they are at a place where they are in dire straits, spiritually bankrupt, the invitation and response could be simple. They may readily put their whole weight on Christ and depend totally on Him. He can then help them.

But if they are at the place where they may just need a little push to get into the kingdom, as the rich young ruler, then things get a lot more complicated. The answer then depends upon their understanding of their condition and what their true need is.

How Are We?

Are we basically good, just in need of a little bit of development? Or can we, like Paul, say, “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing”? Romans 7:18. Do we just need a little push, or do we, like Paul, have no good thing in us? Are we totally bankrupt, or are we proud of all the knowledge we have of the truth? That certainly can be a problem for historic Seventh-day Adventists; since we study more than the average person, we tend to have more knowledge, and it is easy to get proud of that.

A statement in the Review and Herald, July 23, 1889, says, “The message to the Laodicean church is applicable to our condition. How plainly is pictured the position of those who think they have all the truth, who take pride in their knowledge of the word of God, while its sanctifying power has not been felt in their lives. The fervor of the love of God is wanting in their hearts, but it is this very fervor of love that makes God’s people the light of the world.”

The Jewish people in Christ’s day were very proud of the fact that the oracles of God had been committed to them. They thought that they were quite righteous. If we are a people that have a lot of good in us that just needs a little bit of developing, I fear for us. If we are in that condition, we are in trouble. We have some hard lessons to learn. Those lessons were the purpose of John the Baptist’s message.

John the Baptist’s Message

Ellen White, commenting on John the Baptist’s message, wrote, “The message that God had given him [John the Baptist] to bear was designed to startle them [God’s people] from their lethargy, and cause them to tremble because of their great wickedness. Before the seed of the gospel could find lodgment, the soil of the heart must be broken up. Before they would seek healing from Jesus, they must be awakened to their danger from the wounds of sin.

“God does not send messengers to flatter the sinner. He delivers no message of peace to lull the unsanctified into fatal security.” The Desire of Ages, 103, 104.

Ask Not—Receive Not

That was the purpose of John the Baptist’s message—to arouse God’s people out of that lethargic condition, to help them to realize their true need. Today, we are in need of that same thing, but we do not even realize we have that need. We cannot come up with it on our own.

James 4:2 says that we have not because we ask not. Perhaps the reason we do not ask is because we either do not think we need to or we do not realize our need. We even need to ask God to show us our need. I have been asking Him to show me my need without having to go though some terrible experience in order to see it. That is one way we can learn of our need—to go through something terrible where God really gets our attention. I am certain there is an easier way to learn.

Did you ever struggle with a besetting sin? Most historic Seventh-day Adventists are not open sinners. Most of the sins with which we deal are in our thoughts—thoughts of lust, coveting, impatience, pride and anger. Do you ever cry out to God and say, “If You do not fix me, I am never going to get fixed”? That is a prayer that works well. It is amazing what God will do, when you cry out like that. Tell Him that you know that if He does not save you, you will be lost. Pray, “Lord, save me, or I will perish.” (See Our High Calling, 131.) We are told that as long as we pray that in sincerity, we will never be lost. Do you pray that? Do you cry out to God like that? If not, what will it take to get you to that point?

Remember, God had to strike Paul with blindness to get his attention. Peter was a good man, but he had to deny his Lord before God could get his attention. What will you have to go through?

Just a Little Shove

“And one of the Pharisees [Simon] desired him [Christ] that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that [Jesus] sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind [him] weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe [them] with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed [them] with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw [it], he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman [this is] that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that [he], to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped [them] with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” Luke 7:36–50.

Simon had a problem. He owed 500 pence, but he thought he only owed 50 pence. He thought everyone else owed 500, but not him. He thought that surely he was not as low as the prostitute. He definitely knew that for a fact. On the other hand, Mary had what we all need. She saw herself, like Paul, the chief of sinners. She did not have a pride problem. She knew that she had sinned much and had been forgiven much. But Simon had only sinned a little bit in his mind, and he had only been forgiven a little bit. All the others needed a lot of help, he thought, but in his mind, he only needed that little bit of a shove to get into the kingdom.

Are you like Simon, or are you like Mary? What is your attitude? What are your thoughts of your condition? Do you only need that little shove?

Lord, Help Us

Many men and women whom God has used powerfully over the years have had to learn some really hard lessons in the last few years, because they did not know their true conditions. I have had to say to God, “You know the evil thoughts in my mind. I know some of them, but You know them all. Reveal them to me, when I can handle them.”

God does not show us all of our problems at once, or it would kill us. We would die of guilt. “The path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18. It is like the sun coming up in the east. It comes up gradually, and our eyes adjust to it; it does not flip instantly on at high noon. That is the way God reveals things to us.

As He reveals our sins to us, we should ask Him to make those sins revolting to us, to give us an absolute hatred for them. Ask for the enmity that He promised in Genesis 3:15. We should ask Him to teach us to love the things He loves and to hate the things He hates. We should plead with Him that He will not allow us to ruin our reputations and our influences and bring shame to Him and His work or to cause others to stumble. We should pray that, as He helps us, we will not get puffed up or forget that He has given us victories; we have done nothing in our own power. Let us plead with Him to keep us humble and dependent on Him always.

“Let us not forget that as activity increases, and we become successful in doing the work that must be accomplished, there is danger of our trusting in human plans and methods. There will be a tendency to pray less, and to have less faith. We shall be in danger of losing our sense of dependence upon God, who alone can make our work succeed; but although this is the tendency, let no one think that the human instrument is to do less. No, he is not to do less, but to do more by accepting the heavenly gift, the Holy Spirit.” Review and Herald, July 4, 1893.

Christ’s will, His work, His teachings, His doctrines, His decisions were all from His Father. He did nothing of Himself. He stayed connected continually to His Father. Do we stay connected? Do we realize the need to stay connected?

Sift as Wheat

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:31, 32. When Peter was sifted, he found that he was unconverted. He, fortunately, was given a second chance. There is coming a day when Satan is going to sift every one of us, and there will not be a second chance, because probation is going to close.

God has been protecting us in our weaknesses for years, but one of these days He is going to have to back off and let Satan sift us. We know that we are going to be sifted, but we should learn from Peter’s mistake, because if we repeat it in the time in which we are living, there may not be another chance to get it right.

Surrender

We have to trust and obey and cooperate with God. There is a battle to fight to enter into God’s kingdom. Are we converted? Are we converted from dependence on ourselves? Is our dependence on God? Are we surrendered?

“Many are inquiring, ‘How am I to make the surrender of myself to God?’ You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair. What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart; you cannot, of yourself, give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13.) Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.

“Desires for goodness and holiness are right as far as they go; but if you stop here, they will avail nothing. Many will be lost while hoping and desiring to be Christians. They do not come to the point of yielding the will to God. They do not now choose to be Christians.” Steps to Christ, 47, 48.

Many of us do not come to that point. We do not now choose to be Christians.

Exercise of Will

“Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in your life.” Ibid., 48. What is the next logical question we ought to ask? What does it mean, “the right exercise of the will”?

Mrs. White explains, “By yielding up your will to Christ, you ally yourself with the power that is above all principalities and powers.” Ibid.

I used to read that statement, and I heard it used in lots of different sermons. People would quote it a lot and say, “Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in your life.” And I would read, “You will be in constant peril until you understand the true force of the will.” Messages to Young People, 151. And, “Everything depends on the right action of the will.” The Ministry of Healing, 176. The thought that came to my mind was that I need to get my will directed in the right direction!

Getting our wills turned in the right direction is possible only as we yield them to Christ. We must ask Him to take our wills and make them in harmony with His. We cannot grit our teeth and try to twist our wills into shape; God will do the work. That is the only way it will happen. “You will have strength from above to hold you steadfast, and thus through constant surrender to God you will be enabled to live the new life, even the life of faith.” Steps to Christ, 48.

Are you converted from self-dependence to dependence upon God? If not, what will it take? I urge you to pray about it. On the authority of truth, I can guarantee you that if you ask Him, He will answer your prayer.

Righteousness by Faith

We need righteousness by faith to be able to stand in the last days. “What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself. When men see their own nothingness, they are pre-pared to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 20, 117. It could be stated just the opposite. If we do not see our own nothingness, we are not pre-pared to receive Christ’s righteousness.

Do you want to see your own nothingness, so you can be clothed with the righteousness of Christ? If that is your desire, ask God right now to reveal to you your nothingness, and ask Him to take away your dependence on self and give you total dependence on Him.

Steve Currey is a Bible worker for Steps to Life. He may be contacted by e-mail at: stevecurrey@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Food for Life – Will Power

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“The power of the will! The tempted one needs to understand the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man,—the power of decision, of choice. Everything depends upon the right action of the will. Desires for goodness and purity are right, so far as they go; but if we stop here, they avail nothing. Many will go down to ruin while hoping and desiring to overcome their evil propensities. They do not yield the will to God. They do not choose to serve Him.

“God has given us the power of choice; it is ours to exercise. We can not change our hearts, we can not control our thoughts, our impulses, our affections. We can not make ourselves pure, fit for God’s service. But we can choose to serve God, we can give Him our will; then He will work in us to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus our whole nature will be brought under the control of Christ.

“Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in the life. By yielding up the will to Christ we ally ourselves with divine power. We receive strength from above to hold us steadfast. A pure and noble life, a life of victory over appetite and lust, is possible to everyone who will unite his weak, wavering human will to the omnipotent, unwavering will of God.

“Those who are struggling against the power of appetite should be instructed in the principles of healthful living. They should be shown that violation of the laws of health, by creating diseased conditions and unnatural cravings, lays the foundation for the liquor habit. Only by living in obedience to the principles of health can they hope to be freed from the unnatural stimulants. While they depend upon divine strength to break the bonds of appetite, they are to co-operate with God by obedience to His laws, both moral and physical.” Ministry of Healing, 176, 177.

“The power of the will is not valued as it should be. Let the will be kept awake and rightly directed, and it will impart energy to the whole being, and will be a wonderful aid in the maintenance of health. It is a power also in dealing with disease. Exercised in the right direction, it would control the imagination, and be a potent means of resisting and overcoming disease of both mind and body. By the exercise of the will power in placing themselves in right relation to life, patients can do much to co-operate with the physician’s efforts for their recovery. There are thousands who can recover health if they will. The Lord does not want them to be sick. He desires them to be well and happy, and they should make up their minds to be well. Often invalids can resist disease simply by refusing to yield to ailments and settle down in a state of inactivity. Rising above their aches and pains, let them engage in useful employment suited to their strength. By such employment and the free use of air and sunlight, many an emaciated invalid might recover health and strength.” Counsels on Health, 94.

“If Christians will keep the body in subjection, and bring all their appetites and passions under the control of enlightened conscience, feeling it a duty that they owe to God and to their neighbors to obey the laws which govern health and life, they will have the blessing of physical and mental vigor. They will have moral power to engage in the warfare against Satan; and in the name of Him who conquered appetite in their behalf, they may be more than conquerors on their own account. This warfare is open to all who will engage in it.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 65.

“The will is the governing power in the nature of man, bringing all the other faculties under its sway. The will is not the taste or the inclination, but it is the deciding power, which works in the children of men unto obedience to God, or unto disobedience.” Child Guidance, 209.

August Recipe:

Blueberry Ice Cream

2 cups Water

1 cup Cashews

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Bananas

1 cup Crust pineapple

1 cup Date pieces

1/2 tsp. Sea salt

Whiz until thoroughly blended, then add:

1 Box Frozen Blueberries.

Continue blending until smooth. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze. When ready to serve, place cubes in Champion Juicer with Solid plate in place. Enjoy delicious, smooth, and healthful ice cream!

Christianity-Not like Other Philosophies

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To be a true Christian means to completely disown self, giving up the will to God with the understanding that by complete subordination of our will to Jesus we become agents of salvation to our fellow men. This indeed fulfills the true object of our creation and existence namely, to bless humanity and to glorify God.

Robert Bruce Thurber, in his book Personal Power for the New Age, (Signs of the Times Publishing Association), 27, 28 seeks to clarify on being a Christian. He writes, “Being a Christian is not like being a Buddhist, or a Mohammedan, or an atheist, or a Liberal, or a Democrat, or an evolutionist or an osteopath. These are all systems of belief in religion, politics, science or healing. Christianity in its true sense is also a system of belief, but it is more: it is a system of release. It frees.

“All these others are professions which more or less influence men’s lives. Christianity is somewhat of a profession, but very much of a possession. Not that a man possess it, but it possesses a man. It is not a pose before men. It is a rest in Christ. But it rests in him that it may awake to power.”

He continues by affirming, “Christianity is not a ‘comparative religion.’ That is, it is not a religion among other religions, all of which have their strong and weak elements; so that if a person would get all the good, he must pick from each and combine. No, Christianity is all good, or it couldn’t be Christianity. Its very existence depends on the assertion that it is all good.”

What makes all the difference in Christianity? It is Christ and His matchless, perfect life, which makes all the difference! Jesus stated emphatically while here on this earth, “And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.” John 8:29.

Elements of Christianity

Jesus had just finished dealing with the Jews and the woman caught in adultery, then, He proclaimed Himself the light of the world and established His relationship with His father; this of course the Pharisees and Jewish people debated. It is out of this background that Jesus reveals another significant component concerning what it really means to be a Christian. These are His words to the Jews: “And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.” John 8:29.

Notice in this verse three important elements namely:

  • He that sent Me is with Me
  • The Father hath not left Me alone
  • For I do always those things that please Him

This doctrine that Jesus presented to the Jewish people establishes the totality of what it really means to be a Christian, a follower of Him. It shows clearly the fact that our Saviour is not asking any one of us to do something or be something that He has not modeled. Within these words of our Lord is embedded the secret of living the godly, holy life. Jesus strongly emphasized the reason for His sinless life and the reality of its constancy. Let us examine these three important elements stated by Christ in John’s gospel.

First element of Jesus’ statement on being a Christian

Our Saviour stated, “He that sent Me is with Me.” What does this mean and what is the message that Christ was seeking to convey? Jesus could confidently attest to the fact that the Father who sent Him is with Him, that from the moment of the sending up to the present moment the Father did not leave Him. The presence of God with the believer is significant in that it means the presence of power.

King David in his psalm of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance recorded, “For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God? God is my strength and power: and He maketh my way perfect.” II Samuel 22:32, 33. David’s use of the word power in relation to God means that this God is whatever he needs Him to be to him. Jesus acknowledges this fact in His model prayer, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” Matthew 6:13. In Mark’s gospel chapter 9 verse 1 our Lord taught that the kingdom of God comes with power: “And He said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.”

Now, this word power that is spoken of in Matthew and Mark is the Greek word dunamis which means miraculous power, power that is outside the realm of human ability, power that human beings do not possess. Power that can work the impossible; like, change a hardened sinner into a loving Christian; like, change a fully confirmed homosexual into a straight, happy, holy saint. It is power that can change a drunkard into a sober follower of Christ; power that can root out any and every addiction, hereditary or cultivated which sin may have produced. This is the truth wrapped up in the words of Jesus, “He that sent Me is with Me.” That’s why the apostle Paul states, “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” I Corinthians 4:20.

We are told from the pen of inspiration, “Man needs power outside of, and beyond, himself to restore him to the likeness of God, and to enable him to do the work of God; but this does not make the human agency unessential. Humanity lays hold upon divine power. Christ dwells in the heart by faith; and, through co-operation with the divine, the power of man becomes efficient for good.” The Signs of the Times, April 6, 1904.

Christ clearly taught that divine power is available to Him to perform whatever the One who sends Him requires of Him, and that same power will be given to all those who accept Him as Master. John in his gospel states, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12.

While on earth He gave this power to His followers, as recorded in Luke 10:19: “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Notice that the word power to tread on serpents and scorpions is the Greek word exousia, which means authority or delegated influence. In the Scriptures, people who are obdurate [stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing] are likened to serpents and scorpions. God told the prophet Ezekiel, “And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.” Ezekiel 2:6.

John the Baptist also proclaimed, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Matthew 3:7.

The Christian who is conscious of the presence of God with him or her will not and cannot be affected by the ungodly attitudes of those who regard not God. They will not allow their Christian influence to be tarnished or weakened because of the unchristlike attributes of those who desire to make of none effect their Christian witness. They will ever remember that because God’s presence is with them, He is able to keep them from falling, and to present them faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy (Jude 1:24), for His presence means power.

Going back to Luke 10:19, the second part of the text says, “… and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” The word power in this statement is the Greek word dunamis, which Satan has, but the authority or power that the Christian has by virtue of the presence of God with him or her makes it impossible for Satan to defeat him or her. So the reason why Satan could not overthrow Christ is as He stated, “… the Father hath not left Me alone.” John 8:29.

Second element of Jesus’ statement on being a Christian.

In coming to this earth, the Father was with Him. He came to this world on the Father’s mission. John 5:19 and 30 tell us that, “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. … I can of Mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me.” While on this earth Christ did not abandon His Father or His mission, for if this was done He would have separated Himself from His Father’s presence and therefore would have been overcome by the Devil. So, because He did not disregard His Father throughout His sojourn here, He could confidently say, “the Father hath not left Me alone.”

We cease being Christians when we stop following Christ. It’s good to begin with the Lord but it’s better to continue with Him, for it is only then that we are assured of His constant presence with us and it is only then that we have power over the enemy! The servant of the Lord made this statement: “We cannot for one moment separate ourselves from Christ with safety. We may have His presence to attend us at every step, but only by observing the conditions which He has Himself laid down.” The Review and Herald, May 3, 1881.

Here is another counsel that we need to think seriously about if we are going to remain Christians in the truest sense of the word: “If by associating with worldlings for pleasure, by conforming to worldly practices, by uniting our interests with unbelievers, we place our feet in the path of temptation and sin, how can we expect God to keep us from falling?

“Keep yourselves away from the corrupting influences of the world. Do not go unbidden to places where the forces of the enemy are strongly entrenched.

“Do not go where you will be tempted and led astray. But if you have a message for unbelievers, and if you live so near to God that you can speak to them a word in season, you can do a work that will help them and will honor God.” Messages to Young People, 81, 82.

Many professed Christians wonder why they are not advancing in the Christian life, why they keep on being overcome by the enemy. Well, the answer is simple; they have not made a wholehearted commitment to God. Yes, they started with Him, but somewhere along the journey they abandon Christ in order to satisfy self. Remember, it will be impossible to continue with God and for God to continue with us if we allow self to take over at some point in our Christian journey. We will utterly fail and fall under the power of the devil so long as we are separated from the presence of God. From the pen of inspiration we are reminded: “In giving ourselves to God, we must necessarily give up all that would separate us from Him. Hence the Saviour says, ‘Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple’ (Luke 14:33). Whatever shall draw away the heart from God must be given up. Mammon is the idol of many. The love of money, the desire for wealth, is the golden chain that binds them to Satan. Reputation and worldly honor are worshiped by another class. The life of selfish ease and freedom from responsibility is the idol of others. But these slavish bands must be broken. We cannot be half the Lord’s and half the world’s. We are not God’s children unless we are such entirely.” Steps to Christ, 44.

Ellen White explains in The Review and Herald article dated June 28, 1887, that when we separate ourselves from God we automatically place ourselves on the side of the enemy. This means we stop working for God and are working for the devil. It means we cease receiving power from God, but power from the devil. It means we are no longer Christians but children of the devil. It is self evident then that by our own experiences, the majority of us who profess to be Christians are only Christians in name, having a form of godliness but denying the power (II Timothy 3:5). For many Christians, they have never experienced the power of God working in their lives, bringing about changes that will allow them to reflect the attributes of Christ in a most significant way to the degree that the lives of others will be totally transformed to the glory of God.

We need to answer the question as to why Jesus was successful in His righteous journey here on earth. Why is it that He did not sin? Is it a planned thing between Him and His Father that, no matter what, He would not sin? What made our Saviour defeat the devil and win the victory for us?

Third element of Jesus’ statement on being a Christian

This leads us to our third and final element as stated by Jesus in John 8:29, “And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.”

The question, Who am I? cannot be answered by man outside of Christ. From within our sinful state we are tempted to believe that our true self is the self apart from God. Such a life only distorts and warps our identity. Therefore man puts total stock in himself. Self is his chief interest and center of reference. His basic loyalty is to himself. The higher the position he occupies, the more important his status, the greater the desire for recognition, the more he exaggerates his own importance. This exaggerated importance attached to self is wholly contrary to our Lord and His chosen role as servant.

So the truth is, it will be impossible to please Jesus if we do not first deny or disown self completely and surrender totally our will to Him. Christ taught that the Father was with Him and that the Father did not leave Him alone because Jesus always did those things that were pleasing to Him. I, for my part, choose to do likewise. So, where we are concerned, for Christ to be with us always, giving us overcoming power to melt away every weight and the sins which doth so easily beset us (Hebrews 12:1) enabling us to be true Christians, we then must resolve in our minds that we will please Him.

The word please which Christ used in John 8:29 is the Greek word arestos meaning agreeable, hence Jesus was always in total agreement with His Father, and this was so throughout His life here on earth setting us an example. The prophet Amos asked the question, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3. The answer is obvious! We will never be able to agree with God and His program as long as self is in control. Listen to what the servant of the Lord has to say about that:

“Half-hearted Christians obscure the glory of God, misinterpret piety, and cause men to receive false ideas as to what constitutes vital godliness. Others think that they, also, can be Christians and yet consult their own tastes and make provision for the flesh, if these false-hearted professors can do so. On many a professed Christian’s banner the motto is written, ‘You can serve God and please self—you can serve God and mammon.’ ” The Review and Herald, August 19, 1890.

Also, in The Review and Herald article dated June 11, 1901, we are further counseled, “If we constantly receive grace from God, we shall be vessels unto honor, sanctified and meet for the Master’s use. Daily receiving blessings, we shall daily impart blessings to those around us. But in order to be successful in this work, we must deny self. We cannot at the same time please self and serve Christ. We are not to follow our own inclinations, but look to Jesus, waiting to receive orders from our Captain.”

Here is one final statement that will make the matter clear to our minds: “Those who live to please and gratify self are dishonoring the Lord. He cannot work through them, for they would misrepresent Him before those who are ignorant of the truth.” Notebook Leaflets from the Elmshaven Library, vol. 1, 13.

So, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. The apostle Paul sums it up wonderfully, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:8. May we remember that the whole adventure of living the Christian life is a continual challenge to die to self and live for Christ. This problem is not solved by human wisdom, but by the power of God. Nothing but a miracle can free us from self-centeredness. But God is used to working miracles of this kind.

I encourage us all; let us accept the challenge of every day allowing Christ to live His life in and through us. Our personal failure, the discouragement resulting from self-will and pride, this sensitiveness that is always getting hurt—face it with Christ. Life with Christ provides us with a margin of power greater than the self-life. Paul wrote, “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” I Thessalonians 4:1. Knowing “For even Christ pleased not Himself; but, as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached Thee fell on Me.” Romans 15:3.

The words of the song, “Yes Lord Yes” (www.hymnlyrics.org), sums up what I believe God wanted to convey to us in this message:

Yes, Lord, yes, to Your will and to Your way.
Yes, Lord, yes, I will trust You and obey.
When Your Spirit speaks to me,
With my whole heart I’ll agree,
And my answer will be, yes Lord, yes!

May it be said of us as was said of faithful Enoch, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Hebrews 11:5. Thus I say to all of us, being a Christian means in the truest sense pleasing God, always agreeing fully and completely with Jesus!

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-882-3900.

Bible Study Guides – Except They Be Agreed

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January 5, 2014 – January 11, 2014

Key Text

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” I Peter 1:2.

Study Help: The Upward Look, 379; “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114.

Introduction

“If we are of one mind with God, our will will be swallowed up in God’s will and we shall follow wherever God leads the way. As a loving child places his hand in that of his father, and walks with him in perfect trust whether it is dark or bright, so the sons and daughters of God are to walk with Jesus through joy or sorrow.” That I May Know Him, 250.

1 BEING FITTED

  • What was God’s original purpose for man? Ephesians 1:4.
  • How is it possible to reach that standard? John 1:12; Hebrews 7:25.

Note: “There could be no such thing as one not prepared for heaven entering heaven. There is no such thing as a human being sanctified and fitted for the heavenly kingdom not having an election to that kingdom. God elects those who have been working on the plan of addition. The explanation is given in the first chapter of Second Peter. For every human being, Christ has paid the election price. No one need be lost. All have been redeemed. To those who receive Christ as a personal Saviour will be given power to become the sons and daughters of God. An eternal life insurance policy has been provided for all.

“Whom God elects, Christ redeems. The Saviour has paid the redemption price for every soul. We are not our own; for we are bought with a price. From the Redeemer, who from the foundation of the world has chosen us, we receive the insurance policy that entitles us to eternal life.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 944.

2 PREDESTINATED

  • Through Whom do we gain our inheritance? Ephesians 1:5, 11.

Note: “In the council of heaven, provision was made that men, though transgressors, should not perish in their disobedience, but, through faith in Christ as their substitute and surety, might become the elect of God predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. God wills that all men should be saved; for ample provision has been made, in giving His only-begotten Son to pay man’s ransom. Those who perish will perish because they refuse to be adopted as children of God through Christ Jesus.” The Signs of the Times, January 2, 1893.

  • How is the salvation of God’s chosen ones secured? I Peter 1:2.

Note: “The Father sets His love upon His elect people who live in the midst of men. These are the people whom Christ has redeemed by the price of His own blood; and because they respond to the drawing of Christ, through the sovereign mercy of God, they are elected to be saved as His obedient children. Upon them is manifested the free grace of God, the love wherewith He hath loved them. Everyone who will humble himself as a little child, who will receive and obey the word of God with a child’s simplicity, will be among the elect of God.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114.

3 CONDITIONS

  • For what are we to diligently strive? II Peter 1:10.

Note: “Here is the condition of the only saving election in the word of God. We are to become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to add grace to grace, and the promise is, ‘If ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (II Peter 1:10, 11).” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114.

“If we comply with the conditions the Lord has made, we shall secure our election to salvation. Perfect obedience to His commandments is the evidence that we love God, and are not hardened in sin.

“There are in the church those who are not made any better by their connection with it. They themselves break the terms of their election. Obedience to the commandments of God gives us a right to the privileges of His church.” Ibid., 1079.

  • Is salvation unconditional? II Peter 2:15–20.

Note: “There is no such thing in the word of God as unconditional election—once in grace, always in grace. In the second chapter of Second Peter the subject is made plain and distinct. After a history of some who followed an evil course, the explanation is given: [II Peter 2:15–20 quoted.] Here is a class of whom the apostle warns, ‘For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them’ (II Peter 2:21).” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114.

4 ONCE SAVED – ALWAYS SAVED?

  • How does Ezekiel describe the events leading to salvation? Ezekiel 18:21; 33:13.

Note: “There is truth to be received if souls are saved. The keeping of the commandments of God is life eternal to the receiver. But the Scriptures make it plain that those who once knew the way of life and rejoiced in the truth are in danger of falling through apostasy, and being lost. Therefore there is need of a decided, daily conversion to God.

“All who seek to sustain the doctrine of election, once in grace, always in grace, do this against a plain, ‘Thus saith the Lord’ [Ezekiel 18:21; 33:13 quoted].

“Those who have been truly converted have been buried with Christ in the likeness of His death, and raised from the watery grave in the likeness of His resurrection, to walk in newness of life. By faithful obedience to the truth they are to make their calling and election sure.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114, 1115.

  • What are the two agencies at work in the plan of salvation? II Thessalonians 2:13.

Note: “In this text the two agencies in the work of salvation are revealed—the divine influence, and the strong, living faith of those who follow Christ. It is through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth that we become laborers together with God. Christ waits for the co-operation of His church. He does not design to add a new element of efficiency to His word; He has done His great work in giving His inspiration to the word. The blood of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the divine word, are ours. The object of all this provision of heaven is before us—the salvation of the souls for whom Christ died; and it depends upon us to lay hold on the promises God has given, and become laborers together with Him. Divine and human agencies must co-operate in the work.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students, 22.

  • Who did Jesus say would hear His voice? John 18:37.

Note: “Here are the conditions upon which every soul will be elected to eternal life. Your obedience to God’s commandments will prove your right to an inheritance with the saints in light. God has elected a certain excellence of character; and every one who, through the grace of Christ, shall reach the standard of His requirement, will have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of glory. All who would reach this standard of character, will have to employ the means that God has provided to this end. If you would inherit the rest that remaineth for the children of God, you must become a co-laborer with God. You are elected to wear the yoke of Christ—to bear His burden, to lift His cross. You are to be diligent ‘to make your calling and election sure’ (11 Peter 1:10). Search the Scriptures, and you will see that not a son or a daughter of Adam is elected to be saved in disobedience to God’s law. The world makes void the law of God; but Christians are chosen to sanctification through obedience to the truth. They are elected to bear the cross, if they would wear the crown.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 125, 126.

5 SWALLOWED UP IN GOD’S WILL

  • What is increased to those who have gained precious faith? II Peter 1:1, 2.
  • To those who do not agree in their faith, what question is asked? Amos 3:3.

Note: “If we are of one mind with God, our will will be swallowed up in God’s will and we shall follow wherever God leads the way. As a loving child places his hand in that of his father, and walks with him in perfect trust whether it is dark or bright, so the sons and daughters of God are to walk with Jesus through joy or sorrow.

“The soul that loves God loves to draw strength from Him by constant communion with Him. When it becomes the habit of the soul to converse with God, the power of the evil one is broken, for Satan cannot abide near the soul that draws nigh unto God. If Christ is your companion, you will not cherish vain and impure thoughts; you will not indulge in trifling words that will grieve Him who has come to be the sanctifier of your soul.

“Those who are sanctified through the truth are living recommendations of its power, and representatives of their risen Lord. The religion of Christ will refine the taste, sanctify the judgment, elevate, purify, and ennoble the soul, making the Christian more and more fit for the society of the heavenly angels.” That I May Know Him, 250.

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

Lord’s Prayer Series – His Will on Earth

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Christians believe that someday God is going to set up a kingdom, an everlasting kingdom of righteousness in this world and that war and violence and evil of all kinds will be abolished forever. But the question is, “What would be the requirement for a person to become a citizen of such a kingdom?”

The third petition of the Lord’s Prayer is “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This is the climax of the first division of the Lord’s Prayer, that part which looks toward God and heaven and has to do with things divine. Each petition follows in its proper order. First we recognize the God of heaven as our Father. We ask then that His name, that is, His character, might be hallowed in us, which is accomplished when His kingdom is established in our hearts. That is why the next petition is, “Your kingdom come.” When His kingdom is established in our hearts and He reigns as King in our lives, then we will be doing His will. The evidence of God’s rulership over the dominion of our souls is our complete submission to His will. This petition is inseparably connected with the one that immediately precedes it. Praying for the coming of the kingdom of heaven implies a willingness to submit to the will of the King. Before we can enter the kingdom of heaven in its final and glorious phase, the principles of the kingdom must enter our hearts and have dominion over our souls.

When this desire is our experience, every provision is made for the fulfillment of the divine will. Our obedience to the will of the King, to the laws that govern His kingdom, is the evidence that you and I are citizens of the kingdom of heaven. The coming of the kingdom of grace into our hearts transfers our citizenship to the kingdom of heaven. But right now, we are still living in a revolted world where God’s will is almost universally disregarded. Earnest prayer is needed to be able to completely submit to the sovereignty of the King of heaven. Perhaps there is no petition that we need to make more often than this because we find this petition difficult to be fulfilled in our lives.

In this world we have a hard time learning the lesson of complete surrender to the will of God—a very severe discipline for many people. The purpose of the gospel is to give us victory over the spirit of rebellion that reigns in this world and governs the human race. Rebels cannot enter the kingdom of God and the kingdom of God cannot enter them. The kingdom and dominion were lost by Adam and Eve by disobedience, and only the obedient will be allowed to enter paradise restored.

When people presume upon God’s mercy while knowingly transgressing His law, they are actually trifling with their eternal destiny. It doesn’t matter what my profession of good works might be; if I am not doing the will of my Father in heaven, if I am not obedient to Him, I will have no right to be a citizen of His kingdom. Jesus made this exceedingly plain in the very same Sermon on the Mount where the Lord’s Prayer is recorded in Matthew 5. At the end of the sermon, Jesus made the following, astounding statement that many people still today have not paid attention to.

He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me at that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ” Matthew 7:21–23.

In the Day of Judgment these people have an argument with the Lord. It is recorded in both the Old and New Testaments how dangerous it is to have an argument with the Lord. How can we think that we know more about anything than the Lord knows? How can we think that we know what is right and that He is wrong? How can we think that He is deceived and we know better? And yet, so often, that is the way human beings act now and will act on Judgment Day. Those referred to here are not atheists or infidels. They are not agnostics or people who do not claim to be Christians. Rather they are people who do claim to be Christians because they call Jesus Lord.

They believe they should be saved. They have prophesied in His name. They had the Holy Spirit and even cast out demons in His name. They knew they had the Holy Spirit because of the miracles and wonders they had performed. What could possibly have gone wrong?

But Jesus says, “I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” They are not loyal subjects of His kingdom because they do not keep the laws of His kingdom. They break the commandments; they are lawless and are practicing lawlessness. The Bible says that in the last days the idea that you can break God’s law and practice lawlessness and still be saved is going to be the great deception that will take the whole world captive. You can read that prophecy in II Thessalonians 2:1–12.

In the very heart of the prayer is the petition or request, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” There is no such thing as really being a true Christian without seeking with all your heart to do the will of God. After Jesus’ declaration in Matthew 7:21–23, He followed with a story about the two builders, one who built his house upon the sand while the other built his house upon the rock (verses 24–27). He said that if a person hears these sayings of Mine and doesn’t do them, he will be like the man who built his house on the sand, and when the storm and the flood came, it was all swept away. But the one who hears these sayings of Mine and does them, he’ll be like a man who built his house on the rock and when the flood came, the wind came, and the rain came, the house did not fall because it was established on a rock.

We must consider how the house of our character is being built day by day. Is it being built in harmony with the instruction that Jesus has given in the gospels or are we building on sand? Jesus said if you hear truth and do nothing about it, your character is being built on sand and it will not stand the storm that is coming that will examine and test every man’s work to see what it is like.

What Jesus was in this rebellious world, His disciples are also to be. Jesus lived in this world for more than thirty years in human flesh, and the Bible says in Hebrews 4 that He was tempted in all points just like we are and yet was without sin. His submission to the will of His heavenly Father was so complete that His heavenly citizenship was never cancelled or even questioned or interfered with in the slightest degree. He fulfilled the divine will while He was on earth just as He had when He was in heaven before He came to earth.

The change in environment did not alter His relation to the law or the government of God. The character and the conduct of Christ while He was on earth remained unchanged during His entire earthly pilgrimage. In John 6:38 Jesus gives the reason for His coming to this earth. He said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

Jesus said in John 5:30: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” In other words, the purpose of His life and what governed His every action was not to please Himself but to do the will of the Father.

He had no other reason for being in this world, and in fulfilling this purpose Jesus was preeminently successful. Notice what He says to His Father just before He was betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4.

All the efforts of Satan to turn Him from His purpose had been thwarted. He finally said just before He died upon the cross, “It is finished.” He had perfectly performed the will of the Father. Every day of His life He fulfilled the will of His Father. Every day of His life and in His prayers at night, He sought and received directions for the following day.

Jesus is our example. He came to this world from heaven to show us the way from death to life, to show us the way out of darkness into light, to deliver us from the dominion of evil to the sovereignty of righteousness. And because of the completeness of the provision that He made for us, no earthly circumstance can excuse you or me from the same kind of submission to the will of our heavenly Father. For such obedience Jesus asks us to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jesus never asks us to do something that is impossible. It might be impossible on our own, but it is never impossible with His help. All of His commands, all of His promises will be fulfilled in us if we accept them by faith and cooperate with the heavenly agencies. Complete provision has been made so that God’s will can be done on earth just as it is in heaven. In fact, the time is coming when the Lord’s Prayer is going to be answered. God’s will is to be perfectly done here on this earth.

The time is coming when there will be no more war, or violence, or evil of any kind in this world.

How can the kingdom of God be established in this world so that war could be a thing of the past? The petition is, “Your will … as it is in heaven.” How is God’s will performed in heaven? Notice what the Bible says in Psalm 103:19: “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.”

Notice that the angels, the beings in heaven, perform God’s word. They execute His will perfectly. The sovereignty of God is the sovereignty of law and order. His will is defined by His law. Actually when you think about it, the will of any king or government is made known to the citizens of that nation by the laws that have been enacted. There can be no kingdom without law.

The kingdom of grace, therefore, spoken of in the Bible, must also be ruled by His law. Some people are confused upon this point. They think that somehow grace abolishes the law or does away with the law. But the gospel does not abolish or alter any principle of the law. In fact, not in the least particular is the authority of the law broken down by the gospel. Jesus was very emphatic about this. He says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.” Matthew 5:17. Jesus knew that people would get confused by the devil’s lies that grace abolishes law. Jesus said, “Don’t even think that.” Jesus came to establish the kingdom of grace by His death on the cross of Calvary to pay the price of our sins. But He says, “I didn’t come to destroy the law or the prophets.” Notice how He talks about it in Luke 16:17: “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.” A tittle is not a whole letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is just a part of a letter.

Remember Who is saying this. It is Jesus, the One Who not only created all things, as you can read in Colossians 1 verse 16, but He upholds all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). The sun, the moon, our world, our solar system, the innumerable heavenly bodies that spin in countless cycles and circles through space are all held in place by the word of His power. This person, the One Who does that, says that it would be easier for the heaven and earth to pass away than for part of a letter of the law to fail.

The more you think about it, the more intense that statement appears to be. He says that He would destroy the universe before He would allow even a part of a letter of His law to be done away (Luke 16:17). Read it a number of times and you will begin to be awestruck by what Jesus is saying and the extreme value that He places on His law. The modern teaching that grace supplants the law and that faith is a substitute for practice is a fallacy.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31. Notice, faith does not do away with the law; grace does not do away with the law; it establishes the law. This is a most emphatic denial of the idea that the exercise of faith would make void the demands and authority of God’s law. Not only that, but the apostle Paul says that through faith the law is established. In other words, it is through faith that the binding claims of the law are made certain or established. It is the purpose of the gospel to set up the kingdom of heaven in us and with it, the law of the kingdom expressing the will of the King.

The Bible defines sin as the transgression or violation of God’s law, or lawlessness (I John 3:4). The mission of the gospel is to take away sin so that we may come under grace, the unmerited favor of God. Paul drives home this question in Romans 6:1 with a very strong statement. He says, “Shall we continue in sin (continue transgressing the law) that grace might abound?”

Then he answers the question, “Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” In the light of such a clear statement in Romans 6:1, 2, how can anyone say that the gift of grace takes away the necessity of the law? The very work of the kingdom of grace is to establish the law of the kingdom of heaven in our heart. In II Corinthians 3:3, the apostle Paul explains how that under the old covenant, the law was written in tables of stone, but under the new covenant, “It is written not with ink in tables of stone; it is written by the Holy Spirit in the fleshly tables of the heart.” Literal translation.

In Hebrews 8:10, quoting from the prophet Jeremiah, Paul says that “under the new covenant the law is written in our heart by the Holy Spirit.” Literal translation. Let it never be forgotten, that we cannot be saved by law without grace any more than we can be saved by grace without law.

In this petition we are asking that our obedience shall measure up to the obedience of the unfallen beings in the heavenly universe. Your will be done “on earth as it is in heaven.”

This prayer is not just a prayer for the future; it is a prayer to be fulfilled in your life, now, right here in this evil, sinful world that is in rebellion against the God of heaven. It is in this world, in this environment of sin and evil that we ask for God’s name to be hallowed. It is here that we ask for His kingdom to be established. And it is right here in this world that we petition in the Lord’s Prayer and ask for His will to be done.

This prayer is going to be answered. The question is, “Is it going to be answered in your life?” Will His will be done in your life, “on earth as it is in heaven”?

Bible texts are from NKJV unless otherwise noted.

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

Lord’s Prayer Series – Crosses Into Crowns

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What is the single most decisive factor in determining your eternal destiny? Some people believe that it is belonging to a church or religious organization where you have a membership. Others believe that it is the theology or philosophy that you adhere to or espouse. The question could be asked, Could you go to the right church and still end up being lost?

As human beings we often excuse ourselves from perfect obedience to God’s will because we live in such an evil age and are surrounded by sin. But notice what the apostle Paul wrote to the early Christians in Philippi, the city in which he himself had been met with abuse. He writes, “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 2:15.

He recognized that theirs was a Godless generation but still admonished the believers to be blameless and without fault and to shine. The Lord’s Prayer asks that, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

One must consider how God’s will is performed in heaven. His will is obeyed with perfection, with constancy, in fullness, with joy and thankfulness. All the unfallen worlds are loyal and obedient. This planet is the only world in the whole universe that is in rebellion against God’s law.

The purpose of the gospel is to conquer the one fallen world. To ensure its success God sent His Son who offered His life to pay the price of our sin and bring the world back into harmony with heaven. When the gospel has completed its mission and God’s eternal purpose has been fully carried out, Jesus prayer for “God’s will on earth” will be answered. At that time the entire world will be in complete submission to His will. There will be no more war or violence, no more sickness and no more pain or death because sin will be no more. The earth will no longer be in isolation, quarantined because of the disease of sin but in harmony with the heavenly universe that is governed by God’s moral law.

When we look up at the heavens at night and see the heavenly bodies they appear to be still because of the great distance from earth, but when astronomers study them taking accurate measurements they see that they are moving at very great speeds. This planet circles the sun making one revolution every year. After each revolution the earth loses 1/10,000th of a second of time. The precision with which the heavenly bodies follow their prescribed course through space is mind blowing.

The strict obedience of the heavenly bodies to the laws that govern them is no greater than that obedience of the celestial beings that inhabit those other worlds. This same perfect standard of obedience is what we ask for ourselves when we pray that His will be done on earth.

Angels of heaven perfectly obey the Father’s will considering it their greatest pleasure. The service they perform is not performed as drudgery or as legality but in love for their Creator.

Love for God makes their allegiance and obedience a joy. Jesus desired that same relationship for His disciples. He taught them to pray that their obedience might be of the same high order. Unless obedience is prompted by love it is not recognized or accepted by God. Paul said that it is the love of Christ that constrains us to do His will and keeps us from doing evil.

On the night Jesus was betrayed He said to His disciples, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15. If you do not love Him it will be impossible to keep them. Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. … If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” Verses 21, 23, 24. To keep God’s commandments is a response of loving Him. There are many who profess to love Him, but without the response of obedience their love is not real. The motive that underlies each action determines the value of obedience.

God holds in high esteem the service of love and when this is lacking, no matter how much form of godliness we may have or how many rituals or ceremonies we perform, they are all worthless. John said, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” I John 5:2, 3.

Loyalty to God should be a delight. It is never a burden or a sacrifice to help or to serve a person that we love. That is why the apostle Paul said, “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:10. So many misunderstand that verse thinking that if they love there is no need to keep the law but love fulfills the law when those who love God obey Him.

We keep the first four commandments as an expression of our love to God. We do not serve other Gods, worship idols, or swear, or break His Holy day. The last six demonstrate how I conduct myself with my fellow man if I love him. If I love my parents I will not dishonor them and if I love my neighbor I will not lie to him, steal from him, run off with his wife or kill him. The love that I have for God and my neighbor is seen in my response to them as reflected in the law. That is why love is the “fulfilling of the law.”

God has promised to write His law in our hearts. “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Hebrews 8:10. This is the new covenant.

Some people think that because they are not Jews they are not part of Israel but if you are not a part of spiritual Israel you will never be in the kingdom of heaven. Paul says, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26–29.

According to the apostle Paul, all Christians are of Abrahams’s seed and are part of spiritual Israel. Paul told the Corinthian church that the law was not to be written just on tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart. That is what made Jesus different than other people. The principles of God’s law of love within His heart motivated all of His actions.

In Psalm 40:7, 8 is a divine prophecy concerning the Messiah. It says, “Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of Me. I delight to do Your will, O My God, and Your law is within My heart.’ ”

Jesus did not do God’s will because He had to. He said, “I delight to do Your will.” Why? “Because Your law is written in My heart.” That is the essence of righteousness by faith. The prophet Isaiah said, “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, you people in whose heart is My law.” Isaiah 51:7.

These people know righteousness because the law is written in their heart. This is the new covenant promise that brings salvation from sin and they find that obeying Him is no longer drudgery but a joy. God’s commandments are no longer seen as a list of don’ts written on cold stone but a set of guidelines that when followed are a joy, protection from a life of misery and sin and become something in which to delight.

Conversion is all about receiving a new spirit; the things you once loved you now hate and the things you once hated you now love.

The experience enjoyed in heaven where God’s will is done with rejoicing and pleasure is the experience that is available through the new covenant. “Thy will be done” is like the gospel itself. It has a negative meaning to those who refuse to accept it and is positive to those who have a desire for something better than this present world has to offer.

Many people recognize that it would be a most wonderful thing if God’s will was done right now. So why is it so difficult? By nature, man is self-willed and stubborn. The Bible describes us as being obstinate, stiff-necked, with a brow like brass and a neck like an iron sinew (Isaiah 48:4). It seems as if it is almost impossible to change us from our mindset and turn us from our course. Whether it is right or wrong we obstinately and stubbornly carry out our own will and want to do as we please.

After receiving some manufactured goods that needed to be assembled, a man once told me that directions had come with the package but he said, “I did it my way.”

That is the experience of the majority of people. Regardless of the consequences we want to stubbornly carry out our own will and do as we please. The will of man is invariably opposed to God and his own salvation causing a Spiritual warfare to be fought. The greatest battle encountered is the warfare against self and the surrender of the will. It is the human will that is the most decisive factor that will either open or shut to us the gate to the kingdom of God, the kingdom of glory. It may be called the hinge on which the gate of destiny depends.

God created man as a free moral agent with the power of choice. It is the greatest gift given to man and the choices he makes will determine his eternal destiny. Multitudes, while hoping and desiring to be saved, never come to the place of surrendering their will to God and will be lost because of it. The Lord will never force the will of any man for love cannot be forced; it must be given freely.

Some Christians hope that God will somehow work out His will for them without any cooperation on their part but that is a futile hope. The doctrine of predestination or foreordination is often an excuse for human indifference and indolence. Our will must come into harmony with God’s will and our lives must come into conformity with His character and in this work we have an important part to act. In Revelation 22:17, it says, “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires [or whoever wills, or whoever wants to], let him take the water of life freely.”

That is an essential part of the gospel invitation, “… whosoever will.” The benefits of the gospel, the issue of the conflict with sin, whether you will be saved or lost depends completely on the action of your will. God will never violate your choice. By refusing to surrender to God, you will be outside salvation, outside the city of God and outside the domain of His will. Jesus said, “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.” John 7:17.

Have you surrendered your will to God? Can you say with sincerity, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 literal translation. The devil would trick you into believing that God is a demanding tyrant but that is a lie. His will is that none would perish but that all would come to His saving grace.

The way to the kingdom of heaven is to surrender your will to His will and He will turn your crosses into crowns and the curses in your life into blessings. He wants to lead you out of darkness and bring you into light so that He can take you from death to an everlasting life of joy and happiness. The choice is yours!

Bible texts are from NKJV unless otherwise noted.

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

Lord’s Prayer Series – Whose Way, Yours or Mine?

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Whether a person is two or seventy-two, it is not uncommon to hear him or her say, when talking about receiving instructions, “I want to do it my way.” But there is a time when that is dangerous. In fact, it could be fatal.

The third petition of the Lord’s Prayer, as recorded in Matthew 6:10 KJV is, “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” This petition is the climax of the first division of the Lord’s Prayer, the part that looks away from the earth, toward God and heaven, and has to do with things divine.

Each petition follows in a proper order. First of all there is a salutation. The God of heaven is recognized as “our Father” and then we ask that His name be hallowed in our lives. His name represents His character. When we ask that His character be hallowed in our own lives, it can only be accomplished when He is made the king of our lives.

The next petition is “Your kingdom come.” The evidence of God’s rulership over the dominion of our souls is complete submission to His will. The third petition is “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This petition is not separable from the one that immediately precedes it. To pray for the coming of the kingdom of God implies a willingness to submit to the will of the King. Before we can enter the kingdom of heaven in its final and glorious phase, the principles of the kingdom of heaven must have dominion over our souls.

The Gospel’s Provision

By the gospel every provision has been made available to fulfill the divine will. The evidence of citizenship in any kingdom is obedience to the will of the king and the laws that govern that kingdom. The coming of the kingdom of grace into our hearts transfers our citizenship to heaven. Since we are still living in a world that is in rebellion against the government of heaven, we are living in a world where God’s will is almost universally disregarded. Therefore, it is necessary to pray most earnestly for a complete submission to the sovereignty of the King of heaven as the evidence of our heavenly citizenship. Perhaps there is no petition that needs to be repeated more often than, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

In heaven, the will of God is absolutely supreme and is never violated. Those desiring citizenship of that kingdom must first learn the lesson of complete surrender to that will. This is severe discipline for human beings who live in a rebellious world. Therefore, this is one of the hardest lessons to learn.

The purpose of the gospel is to give victory over the spirit of rebellion that rules the human race today. Rebels cannot enter the kingdom of heaven nor can the kingdom of God enter them. The kingdom and the dominion of Paradise were lost through disobedience (see Genesis 3). It is only the obedient that will be permitted to enter Paradise restored. The person who insists that they will make their own decisions and live the way they choose will never enter the kingdom of heaven where the will of God is supreme.

Several thousand years ago Lucifer, the leading angel of heaven, violated God’s will. He chose to rebel against God’s government. He wanted to become like God and believed he would be a superior ruler. The record of his rebellion and how it started is recorded in Isaiah chapter 14, in Ezekiel 28, and in Revelation 12. “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:7–9.

The person who presumes on God’s mercy while knowingly transgressing His law is trifling with his or her eternal destiny. It matters not what profession he may have or how many good works he might do. He will never have a passport to heaven while living in disobedience to God’s will.

Jesus made this very plain when He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ” Matthew 7:21–23. His statement was then driven home in verses 24–27 by a parable of the two builders. He said that the one who heard His words and did not do them would be like a person who built his house on the sand. When the storm came with the flood, his house was demolished.

Many times Jesus emphasized that those who are not obedient to the will of His Father cannot be His disciples. What Jesus was in this rebellious world is what His disciples are to be. Jesus spent over 30 years in this world as a man. “[He] was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 KJV. He fulfilled the divine will on earth, just as He had in heaven before He came to earth. The change He experienced in environment did not alter His relationship at all to the law or to the government of God.

The character and conduct of Christ remained unchanged during His earthly pilgrimage. Speaking once about the purpose of His advent, Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him Who sent Me.” John 6:38.

His chief ambition, the first object He sought to accomplish, was to do His Father’s will. Again, He said, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30.

To do His Father’s will was Jesus’ reason for living, the reason He was born. This was His life. Coming to the end of His mission, just a few minutes before He entered the Garden of Gethsemane and went to His final trial and crucifixion, He prayed to His Father, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4.

The Father gave His Son a mission to perform in this world and Jesus declared that He had performed that mission. In fact, His very last words before He died on the cross were, “It is finished” (John 9:30). My mission is finished; I have fulfilled Your will in the earth.

Jesus Our Example

Jesus came to this world to show us the way from death to life, from darkness to light and to show us the way out of the dominion of evil into the sovereignty of righteousness. Because of the completeness of the provision that Jesus Christ has made for every one, there is no earthly circumstance that can excuse us from the same kind of submission to the will of the heavenly Father as Jesus Himself performed. For such obedience Jesus taught us to pray.

Remember, Jesus never asks us to do that which is impossible. All of His commands we will find to be promises and enablings. He has made full provision and will enable us to do what we are commanded if we accept the command with faith and choose to follow.

The sovereignty of God, as does any earthly sovereignty, involves law and order. Today, many people cringe from that idea and it seems that they would rather have anarchy or some kind of disorder, failing to realize that there could never be happiness, joy, or peace in this world without it. Heaven is a place to be desired because it is a place of peace.

God’s Will Defined

The will of any king or government is established by law and is made known to the citizens of that country by the laws that have been enacted to govern the kingdom. Since there can be no kingdom without law, the kingdom of grace must also have a rule of law. God’s will is defined by His law—the Decalogue. The gospel does not in any way alter or abolish the Decalogue or lessen its authority.

Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle [the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet, or even a part of a letter of the alphabet] will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17–19.

Jesus made a more emphatic statement about the law in the gospel of Luke. He said, “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 16:17. Considering Who said this, the Creator Who made all things in heaven and earth and upholds all things by the word of His power (see John 1:1–4; Hebrews 1:1–3; Colossians 1:16), it would be difficult to use stronger language than He used.

Consider the starry heavens at night with the millions of heavenly bodies traveling through space at such tremendous speed and what keeps them on their course. Jesus Christ is the One that holds all things together by the word of His power. It was He, Who upholds all things Who made the statement that He would destroy the whole of creation and start again before He would change even part of a letter of His law. (See Luke 16:17.)

The modern teaching is that grace in some way supplants the law and we have no more need to be concerned about it. The idea that faith is a substitute for practice is a fallacy. Notice what the apostle Paul said about it: “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31.

This is a most emphatic denial of the idea that the exercise of faith makes void the demands and authority of the law of God. Furthermore, Paul affirms that it is through faith that the binding claims of the law are established. It is the purpose of the gospel to set up the kingdom of heaven in our hearts and with it the law of the kingdom expressing the will of the king.

Sin, according to the Bible, is the transgression or breaking of God’s law (1 John 3:4). The mission of the gospel is to take away sin so that we might be under His grace, the unmerited favor of God. But Paul again drives this question home with another question: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” Romans 6:1, 2.

Notice what Paul is saying here. He says, Shall we continue breaking God’s law so that grace may abound and we can just keep asking for forgiveness—sin more and more and get more and more forgiveness? Certainly not! He goes on to explain in the rest of Romans 6 how we should live. He concludes, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body.” Verse 12. In light of such clear Bible statements as these, how can anyone say that the gift of grace takes away the necessity of God’s law? Actually, the very work of grace in the heart is to establish therein the law of the kingdom of heaven and to reflect obedience to that law in the life so that God’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.

When we are born again, we are brought into a new covenant relationship with the heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit writes the precepts of the law, not on stone, as in the old covenant, but on the fleshly tables of the heart (see II Corinthians 3).

When the law is written in the heart we will do by nature the things in the law. One man once wrote, “The moral law, written on perishable tables of stone and confirmed by the thunders of Sinai is now written on the imperishable tables of the heart and confirmed by the thunders of Calvary. … Therefore, no subject of the government of Christ dare continue in sin that grace may abound. Grace thunders against sin as loudly, or even more loudly, than does law. … Let it never be forgotten that, while we can not be saved by law without grace, no more can we be saved by grace without law. While we cannot be saved by morality without Christianity, no more can we be saved by Christianity without morality.”

How is it then that grace thunders against sin even more loudly than it thunders from Sinai? This is because Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). The reason that Jesus had to go to Calvary was because neither the law nor the penalty for breaking the law could be changed. Because of sin, the penalty had to be paid. You and I could pay it, but the penalty, if we pay it, is death (Romans 6:23). If we pay our own penalty we will die and never wake up.

But Jesus went to Calvary to pay the penalty for sin so that all who believe on Him could be forgiven of their sins and live, so that the sinner could receive grace and be forgiven. Even though we have sinned, Jesus died so that our hearts could be changed and be brought into harmony with God’s will again. The people that go to the kingdom of heaven will be people who keep God’s law, who do His will, just as it is done in heaven. They will have learned that to “do it my way” leads to death. They accept the gift of salvation paid for them on Calvary’s cross and willingly submit to the will of the Father, praying that His will be done on this earth as it is in heaven.

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

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