| Original Documents |
| Home | Addtopics | Submenu |
|
| The Perfecting of the Saints L.C. Naden |
Introduction Surveying Christianity, our friends and neighbors, fellow church members, may show that many deny the possibility of perfection because of the experiences and feeling of the person they look at in the mirror and the failures of others they see around them. But "perfection" is a biblical doctrine; it does not depend on what theologians or others around us say, like, "I am only human." - "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven."- "Nobody is perfect." - "Nobody can be perfect in this world." Because of its perceived implications people feel resentment by the mere mentioning of this topic. They may say, "What and who do you think you are, Mr. Perfect?" Saying this, implies that perfection is unattainable, even unbiblical. Why, just recently while attending a graduation ceremony, the minister of a major Protestant church, admonishing the youth to pray for forgiveness, then apologetically added, `but I don't mean perfection,' thus leaving the people to assume what there may be between not sinning and heaven. They will be confused. Without teaching the righteousness of Christ, they will assume it is ok to sin right up to the moment when Christ appears again in the clouds. Therefore, the Second Coming is not a very strong teaching among them and they dress accordingly. So, before we do a Berean study on this topic we ought to remind ourselves that a statement like, `No one has ever been perfect,' is that a true statement? Well, the Bible clearly states that Job was perfect, Job 1:8-11. Oh, they say, who knows what that means from so long ago. - In other words, they insinuate that God's Word can not be trusted, and that is where the problem lies. Such talking down on the topic of perfection is enmity to God, it is of Satanic origin since it denies and defies perfection. Christians do not set out to be perfect, none of them thinks of him/herself as perfect. It is God who declares such as perfect. So read on the discourse and see for yourselves. "Walk before Me, and be thou perfect(     `tamim')."
Genesis 17:1.[2]
Read on for the exciting Christian message - but be on your guard at the end! It is our privilege and responsibility to plan and pray for the perfection of the saints. The church has always been interested in the spiritual development of its members. Those who read our church papers and attend our church councils and convocations must be impressed with the fact that our church leaders are no less anxious about our spiritual welfare than were the pioneers of the Advent Movement. Regularly we hear the call for reformation and revival within our ranks. Frequently, earnest and sincere appeals are made to us to prepare to meet our God. The second coming of Jesus is nigh at hand. Countless signs declare that there is little time left in which to make our calling and election sure. The investigative judgment that has been in session since the year 1844 will soon close and the destiny of the living will be declared in the decree of Revelation 22:11:
In view of the fact that God's Word declares that it is the aim of our blessed Lord and Redeemer to present to Himself "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" Ephesians 5:27, we ask, How is this attained? Can one develop progressively to the full standard of the perfection of Christ during one's lifetime, or must we wait for this to be accomplished through the process of the judgment? In the year of the great Minneapolis Conference God's messenger to the remnant wrote:
Further, It is evident that the saints will be perfect, but they will be perfect in Christ. This is the perfection that the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy admonish us to seek. We should seek to become perfect in Christ.[30]
In the book `Steps to Christ,', where the subject of righteousness by faith is presented both simply and convincingly, we read:
Christ's righteousnes imputed to the repentant sinner gives him a standing of perfection before God, but "More than this, Christ changes the heart. He abides in your heart by faith. You are to maintain this connection with Christ by faith and the continual surrender of your will to Him; and so long as you do this, He will work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure, Phil. 2:13. So you may say, `The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.' Galatians 2:20." [55] This is righteousness imparted. Righteousness imputed, we are told, is our title to heaven. Righteousness imparted is the way our fitness is attained.
The great message that came to this church both during the Minneapolis Conference in 1888 and through the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy since, might be summed up briefly as follows: We will never reach the kingdom of heaven without Christ's righteousness. Righteousness imputed for our justification; righteousness imparted for our sanctification, and a crown of righteousness at the second advent for our glorification. It is spelled out clearly for us as follows:
What do we learn from the foregoing?
At the second advent the saints will perfectly reflect the image of their Lord in mind, soul and body, for the first time. This is done, you will note, when the last lingering traces of the curse of sin are removed. This great change takes place, we are told, not in the setting of the investigative judgment, but rather at the second advent. "At the voice of God" we read, "they were glorified." Here at last we will reach a state of sinless perfection. Until the second advent we may have only a standing of perfection in Christ Jesus our Lord. As we move forward to the goal of sinless perfection,
The Seventh-day-Adventist Church has always believed that no man's case is finally closed until his probation has closed and beyond that the lives of those his deeds affected. Probation closes for all either by death or decree. The Spirit of Prophecy reveals that when the investigative judgment commenced in 1844 it began with the case of those who first lived upon the earth and continued with the cases of each successive generation and that it will close with the living.[90] Seeing that another book declares that the final atonement is made for the righteous dead as well as the righteous living, it is right and proper that we should ask the question, Does God change the characters of the saints in the judgment? If the judgment means the perfecting of the characters of the saints, then we would ask, How and in what manner are the souls and minds and hearts of the dead saints perfected in the judgment? The answer is simple. The minds and souls and hearts of men are not perfected in the judgment at all.[92] How could that be? Do dead men have minds and souls and hearts? Some contend that this character change will be given posthumously to the saints upon resurrection, but there will be no posthumous awards for the dead. In respect to their characters, men will come up from the grave as they went down. All the way through the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy writings we are urged to make ready for eternity today. We are counseled that "it is the righteousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that through faith is imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Saviour." [100] We are admonished, "No longer are the members of the church to remain unconcerned in regard to the formation of right characters. Placing themselves under the moulding influence of the Holy Spirit, they are to form characters that are a reflection of the divine character." [110]
So you see we are not to put emphasis on some future work to be done for us in the setting of the judgment. We have no divine authority for urging, with great threats of being lost, any message of some special transformation of character to be done for us in the future. The message that we are to believe with firmness, practice with intense devotion, and preach with great earnestness, is the message of righteousness by faith in Christ, and this without emphasis on any idea of a special work to be done for the sinner at a future time. Rather, its message was one of a mighty work that Christ could and would do for the people then. In 1892, about four years after the Minneapolis Conference, the servant of the Lord said,
We repeat again, there is no character change awaiting the saints in the judgment. The messenger to the remnant declares, "Death brings dissolution to the body, but makes no change in the character. The coming of Christ does not change our characters; it only fixes them forever beyond all change." [160] God has given the Holy Spirit not to make a character change in the judgment but to transform sinners during this gospel age.
It will be seen from these words that we do not have to wait until the judgment before Christ impresses His own character upon His church. Now the next question that one might rightly ask at this juncture is, "If characters are not changed in the judgment, what does the judgment achieve?" The answer is that the heavenly tribunal reviews the lives of all men, and if during this review our characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, our sins will be blotted out and we will be accounted worthy of eternal life.[180] If our characters are found to be out of harmony with the law of God our names will be stricken from the Book of Life. We note also the following statement on this point: "This work of examination of character, of determining who are prepared for the kingdom of God, is that of the investigative judgment, the closing of work in the sanctuary above." [190] We repeat again, the judgment does not change characters, but simply reveals whether or not through the work of the Holy Spirit our characters have been brought into harmony with the law of God. That is why we read: It must be clear from what we have noted to this point that character changing and cleansing must be done before one enters the judgment, otherwise it will never be done at all. [202] Are men's souls and minds and hearts cleansed simultaneously with the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary? No! The cleansing of the soul temple and the cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven are not a simultaneous experience. The judgment and the cleansing of the sanctuary of Daniel 8:14 clearly take place in heaven, but the cleansing of the soul temple of the heart and mind takes place on earth in the human life through the work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth experience and then through the work of sanctification. Out of the disappointment of 1844 came the message to the believers everywhere, "The sanctuary to be cleansed is in heaven." As one studies carefully chapter 28 of the Great Controversy, the purpose of the investigative judgments is clearly stated in its second paragraph.
We do not have to read far to discover that lives are reviewed by the things written in the books of record.[220] "In the form of men, angels are often in the assemblies of the righteous; and they visit the assemblies of the wicked, as they went to Sodom, to make a record of their deeds, to determine whether they have passed the boundary of God's forbearance."[230] Not once in this chapter do we find a reference to a soul cleansing that takes place simultaneously with the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. [As a reminder, see here and other places under `soul temple' for further clarification.] The Spirit of Prophecy does speak in other places of a cleansing of the soul temple, but when God speaks of the cleansing of the soul temple, He is not talking about the cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven, and when He speaks of the cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven, He is not talking about the cleansing of the soul temple. They are separate and distinct both in time and place. The cleansing of the soul temple must come first through the provisions of the gospel, for when probation closes for us either by death or decree those provisions are no more effective. Whatever our standing may be before God at that moment when our probation closes, so it will remain! So if our soul temples are not cleansed before the cleansing of the sanctuary takes place, then it will be for ever too late. It is this side of the judgment, while probation lingers, that Christ can and will take care of our sins and short-comings through the experience of justification and sanctification. It is this side of our judgment that He can and will cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. If when our names come up for review our lives are found hid in Christ and we have no sins remaining upon the books of record unconfessed and unforgiven, we will then have the record of our sins removed from the sanctuary in heaven. Note again, first there must come the cleansing of the soul temple, then the judgment, and finally the cleansing of the sanctuary. The sequence applies to all, dead or alive. It is on this side of the judgment that our sins are forgiven. On the other side of the judgment the sins charged to Christ's account upon confession are blotted out. Today He strips us of our filthy garments through the provisions of the gospel and clothes us with the robe of His own righteousness. On the other side of the judgment He cleanses the records of sin from the heavenly sanctuary for ever. So long as we are doing our best to please God and are trusting in His saving power we may wear the robe of Christ's righteousness. If we grow careless we lose that covering and can only regain it by repentance and confession of our sins. So long as we have treasured up in our hearts the Word of God, we are able to meet and conquer the one who would keep us out of the kingdom. We are assured that "When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service, and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit."[240] Perhaps the words of Leviticus come to your mind - words recorded in connection with the day of atonement. What does it mean where it says: "To cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord"? (Lev. 16:30) As you study the sanctuary service in Leviticus you will note that confessed sins, and only confessed sins, were taken responsibility for in the sanctuary. Those were the sins that were placed "before the Lord." The sins were figuratively carried into the sanctuary in the blood and were then positionally before the Lord. "And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord." Lev. 4:6. Now it was the record of these sins before the Lord positionally that was dealt with on the day of atonement.[250] So we repeat again, it is the record of the sins, positionally before the Lord - not sins in our lives or minds, but the record of these confessed sins before the Lord that is cleansed at the close of the judgment. This is what is meant by Leviticus 16:30:
This applies to the dead as well as to the living. In the gospel sense we are cleansed from sin the moment we confess sin. This is what we read in the gospel of John: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. ... If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness." (1. John 1:7-9.) But in the setting of the sanctuary the sins that we have confessed, which have been transferred to the sanctuary and charged to Christ's account, and which are positionally before the Lord - the record of these sins is obliterated as the final act of the investigative judgment. Now it is important to note just when these sins before the Lord are blotted out. We read:
What is this we read here? No blotting out of sin from the sanctuary until after the judgment. Yes. Then, we ask, what happens next? We read:
The conclusion of the judgment is announced in the decree of Revelation 22:11, and then mankind enters upon the time of trouble connected with the outpouring of the seven last plagues, culminating in the second coming of Christ. Finally, no review of these important matters would be complete without a reference to the judgment of the living. Living as we do in the last days, and believing as we do that probation for the human race must soon close, we ask the question, When will the judgment of the living take place? As to the date no one knows. But we do know that it coincides with the close of probation. [275] This we read also here:
It is clear from the above then that the pioneers believed that judgment for the living is determined at the close of probation. In a sense, since 1844 the lives of all the living have been under constant review. That is why we read:
Could we ascend to heaven and review the records now of the living, we could tell at a glance whether or not they have a standing of perfection before God. The foregoing proves that the pioneers believed and taught that probation closes for all the living at the same moment and then the determination of the judgment in respect to them is proclaimed in the decree of Revelation 22:11. With all cases being made up hour by hour, it is very easy to understand how this is accomplished. Please not these statements:
Check out this next statement:
And this quote:
This, we believe, provides no difficulty for God. The decree of Revelation 22:11, "He that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still" is not only a divine fiat but is also a promise and an assurance to God's elect. We read in the Book of Job of a conversation that took place between God and Satan over this man reckoned to be perfect in the sight of God. We read in Job:
Verse 12.
It will be clear from the above that God had a fence around Job in response to his loyalty and devotion, and when it was removed Satan was able to tempt him to the extreme. We thank God for the assurance that during the plagues He will give His angels charge over us. The wicked, we are told, will have no protection from Satan.
While we know that the time of trouble will be severe and will test our faith to the limit, we are assured that He will give His angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways. (Psalm 91:11.) The ways of the people of God in that day will be ways of holiness and righteousness, and the decree of Jesus, "Let the holy be holy still; and let the righteous be righteous still.", will have special meaning for God's people in that trying hour. We can be assured that the angels which excel in strength, and the Holy Spirit, will keep us from falling in that great testing time. Just as Christ could have sinned and did not while He was on earth, so the saints, after probation closes, could sin but will not (for they are not yet righteous by nature). We believe that with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in copious showers of the latter rain, God's people, as the wheat in the natural harvest, will ripen and develop spiritually. In fact the people who see Jesus come will be, in the words of Scripture, "men wondered at." But this spiritual maturity does not come as a result of the processes of the judgment. It comes through the mighty operation of God's Spirit upon our hearts. Let us give glory to the Third Person of the Godhead whose ministry in our lives can do for us what He did for the believers at Pentecost, when their souls thrilled with the conscious presence of their ascended Lord. This is the experience the church needs, and it comes through the glorious ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Now that we have established the fact that the root of sin will not be eradicated from our natures until the second advent, naturally the question arises, How can I live a life of victory if I have a sinful nature? The Bible answers
The born-again Christian does not receive a sinless nature at the time of the new birth, rather he is united with a person who can be his life - and that person is Christ. He is that believer's life. (John 11:25; 14:6.) Through a living connection with Him - by the power of the Holy Spirit - we can be partakers of His divine nature. Separation from the Lord means spiritual death. (Ephesians 2:1.) We do not become partakers of the divine nature simply by joining a church or following some religious ceremony. It is not imagination or reformation or education, it is regeneration - that is, the production of a new creature in Jesus our Lord. (2. Corinthians 5:17.)
Then what happens when we are born again? At our invitation, Christ Himself enters our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Revelation 3:20; Ephesians 3:17.) So long as we will to do His good pleasure; so long as we keep the heart's door open. He will dwell within as a result of our faith. While Christ is in control of our lives we can have unceasing victory.
While Christ resides in our hearts every temptation can be successfully resisted. (1.Cor. 10:13.)
These are but a few of the "exceeding great and precious promises" (2.Peter 1:4) about which Peter wrote. If a Christian is overcome by Satan, the simple explanation is this: the Saviour has been denied His rightful position of supremacy in the heart. His dethronement is the sole cause of failure. Ellen White reminds us that "He who determines to enter the spiritual kingdom will find that all the powers and passions of an unregenerate nature, backed by the forces of the kingdom of darkness, are arrayed against him."[360] The struggle that goes on in every new-born soul is graphically depicted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:14-25. Then in the eighth chapter of Romans, Paul directs us to the source of our victory. He writes, "The law never succeeded in producing righteousness - the failure was always the weakness of human nature. But God has met this by sending His own Son Jesus Christ to live in that human nature which causes the trouble .... So that we are able to meet the law's requirements, so long as we are living no longer by the dictates of our sinful nature, but in obedience to the promptings of the Spirit." Romans 8:2-4, Phillips.
Many young Christians become discouraged when they are bothered by sinful desires. What they sometimes fail to realize is that a born-again Christian now has two natures! Prior to his rebirth he was a natural man, an unregenerated child of Adam, with only a sinful nature, but after he gives his heart to the Lord, he becomes a spiritual man, with a spiritual nature. (1.Cor. 2:15.) But the spiritual man still has within him the roots (tendencies) of sin which he has to keep under control. This means a daily battle. In the words of the Apostle Paul,
Then Paul continues: "The Spirit, however, produces in human life fruits such as these: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, fidelity, adaptability and self-control - and no law exists against any of them." Gal. 5:22,23, Phillips. Those who belong to Christ have surrendered their lives, their natures, to His control. In this way the evil propensity that exists in each one of us (and which will not be eradicated until the second advent of our Lord) can be kept under control. The Scripture refers to our sinful nature in a number of ways:
In Romans 6:6 --- "our old man" We should recognize that the "flesh" in this setting does not mean the substance (meat) of our physical bodies. Rather does it mean our fallen sinful nature. Because of it even the born-again Christian can backslide and fall into incredible sinfulness, as we have all observed or experienced. Then how can we keep the old sinful nature in subjection and daily be led by the Spirit? The Apostle answers:
When we are tempted, we must say, No! I will not do this thing; I am dead to it. A dead man cannot respond to sinful inducements no matter how alluring. Two girls who had just given their hearts to the Lord were invited to go to the theater with their friends. But they had lost the desire for such entertainment and their reply was most unusual: `Thank you for thinking of us, but we died to that a week ago.' Not only are we to reckon, or regard, or consider ourselves "dead to sin," but also "alive unto God." "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me," said the great Apostle Paul. In this thrilling new-birth experience we have placed ourselves under "new management," with the result that we are now partakers of the divine nature. When the devil knocks at the door of our hearts with his seductive suggestions, there is no response. The old friend who used to welcome him has passed away. Day by day, as we live, we keep saying "No" to the devil and "Yes" to Christ. This matter of looking upon ourselves as dead to sin is not a final crisis on the day of our conversion or baptism - far from it. It is a continuing process. It is a continuous dying to sin and self, and a moment by moment living for Christ. We can never this side of the second advent get beyond the need of abiding in Christ and partaking of His divine nature. The Word of God declares that two may put ten thousand to flight (Deut. 32:30). How true! Those two are the believer and the Lord. We should make it clear, however, that this idea of considering oneself dead to sin is not only a mental exercise, it means surrendering one's life to the power of God's Spirit. If our will is not yielded, then all will be futile. What was the difference between Saul of Tarsus and the Apostle Paul? Just this -- Saul surrendered his whole being to Christ -- Saul died. A new man came to life. His name was Paul. This new creature allowed Christ to make all the decisions of his life. This great champion of faith tells us that at the time of our baptism we rise to walk in newness of life with our blessed Lord and Redeemer. This means we possess a new mind, a new heart, new desires, new ambitions, new pursuits, new joys, a new peace, and a new power to give us victory every moment of every day. In fact in this new relationship all things become new (2.Cor. 5:17), and, praise God, the flesh is then denied its dominion because we have put off the "the old man" with his deeds. We cannot be too deeply conscious of our entire dependence on the merits, and work, and power of Christ. The apostle declares:
In other words, the work that Christ performs in our hearts continually, must be maintained until the second advent. "The apostle wants his converts to remember that God is the author of their salvation. ... The Lord is a perfect workman. He completes every work to which He sets His hand, if only the human material permits him to do so. Furthermore, the product of such workmanship will be perfect. And He does not weary of well-doing. ... The work of perfecting will continue until Christ comes to receive His own. Nothing short of a continuous, spiritual growth can prepare one to welcome Christ when He comes the second time."[370] It is this moulding influence of Christ on our lives that creates a beautiful character, which, we are informed will be the only treasure we can take to the future life.[380] What is a character? I like Gordon Watt's definition:
What inspiration says concerning Christian Perfection and how it is attained. The natural man is habitually guilty of sin.
`He is dead in trespasses and sins,' Ephesians 2:1.
`The born again man is not habitually guilty of sin.' 1.John 3:9 (original Greek).[390] The born-again man does not sin presumptuously. - Psalm 19:13.
Through justification - that is, righteousness imputed - he holds a title to heaven.
As he grows in grace day by day he is prepared to meet His Lord whenever He might come. At the second advent, he is glorified, he receives a crown of righteousness, the root of sin will then be totally and finally eradicated from his nature and he will then become eternally sinless. "The man who is `perfect' in the sight of God is the man who has reached the degree of development that Heaven expects of him at any given time." [410] "The only perfection we may have this side of the kingdom is perfection in Christ, which we are admonished to seek." [420] The perfection we enjoy in Christ now is a standing of perfection; it is relative. We are accounted righteous in Christ. [430] This is the only sense in which a believer is perfect at the present time. (Hebrews 10:14.) He has a perfect standing before God in Christ Jesus. He is positionally perfect! We must remember, however, that this side of the kingdom we have to contend with a carnal nature, sometimes referred to as the flesh. The blood of Christ in its eternal efficacy maintains the believer's standing before God and cleanses him from all unrighteousness (1.John 1:7), but the flesh cannot be cleansed, it must be crucified. The blood justifies the sinner before God so long as probation lasts (Romans 3:24), but the believer needs to die daily to the things of the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are exhorted to reckon ourselves dead to sin. If the "old man" is annihilated at conversion there would be no need to exercise such reckoning faith. Cease to exercise faith and it will be quickly discovered that the flesh is present and very much alive. In other words the root of indwelling sin is still there, but it must not be allowed to reign. (Romans 6:12.) So long as we live in these bodies we will need to starve the carnal nature and feed the spiritual nature that we might grow in grace. When Jesus returns we will be glorified and made eternally sinless. We reach a state of perfection and sinlessness only at the second advent. "We cannot say, I am sinless, until this vile body is changed and fashioned like unto His glorious body." [440] "When the conflict of life is ended, when the armour is laid off at the feet of Jesus, when the saints of God are glorified, then, and then only, will it be safe to claim that we are saved and sinless." [450] We do not appear in the beauty of the Lord our God, in mind and soul and body until the second advent of Jesus.[460] To those who may be inclined to think this change to sinlessness comes through a special work done for us through the judgment: We should remember that there can be no character changes with respect to the dead. [470] Today the Spirit of God enables us to overcome sin; makes the heart pure, enables the believer to become a partaker of the divine nature; enables us to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil; and impresses the character of Christ upon His church. [480] This work must be done before we enter the judgment or it will not be done at all. Remember, the judgment determines who are ready -- who are prepared for the kingdom of God. [490] We must get ready to meet the great issues of the judgment now.[500] The record of sin that is cleansed in the judgment is that which is positionally before the Lord in the sanctuary. (Leviticus 4:6.) [510] Unless sins are sent beforehand to the sanctuary to judgment (1.Tim. 5:24) Christ will not accept responsibility for them in the final atonement in the sanctuary. Cleansing in the gospel sense takes place at conversion through the experience of justification and continues in the experience of sanctification. (Matth. 1:21; 1.John 1:7-9.) Blotting out of sins and cleansing in the sanctuary setting takes place after probation closes. [520]
"God The judgment determinations for the living are declared in heaven at the close of probation. (Rev. 22:11.)
Except for those who have already grieved away the Holy Spirit, probation closes for all the living at the same moment. (Rev. 22:11)[550] The saints are kept from falling during the time of trouble through the ministry of angels and the power of the Holy Spirit. They will keep us in the ways of righteousness and holiness through the great testing time. (Psalm 91)[560] It is not that the believer is not able to sin but that through these divine agencies he is able not to sin. This side of the kingdom sanctified people will never declare they are sinless. [570] This is not a matter of modesty but of truthfulness.
Thank God, a character change can take place now and we can progress in perfection in Christ. Some day soon the root of sin will be totally and finally eradicated from our natures at the second advent of our Lord and we will become righteous by nature. |
[002] Other Hebrew forms for `perfect' or `perfection' are: (1) tam, (2) tom, (3) makcloth, (4) shalem, (5) taklith, (6) binah, (7) gemar, (8) kalil. In Greek we have: (1) teleios, (2) katartismos, (3) telesphore [010] John 8:7. The entire quote reads, "We need to be refined, cleansed from all earthliness, till we reflect the image of our Saviour, and become "partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." Then we shall delight to do the will of God, and Christ can own us before the Father and before the holy angels as those who abide in him, and he will not be ashamed to call us brethren. But we shall not boast of our holiness. As we have clearer views of Christ's spotless and infinite purity, we shall feel as did Daniel, when he beheld the glory of the Lord, and said, "My comeliness was turned in me into corruption." We cannot say, "I am sinless," till this vile body is changed and fashioned like unto His glorious body. But if we constantly seek to follow Jesus, the blessed hope is ours of standing before the throne of God without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; complete in Christ, robed in his righteousness and perfection." [E.G. White, Signs of the Times, March 23, 1888, par. 13.] No doubt, quoting only that one sentence may mislead the reader. [020] 2T, p. 549.; What does being perfect mean? "No man, woman, or youth can attain to Christian perfection and neglect the study of the word of God. By carefully and closely searching His word we shall obey the injunction of Christ, 'Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.' This search enables the student to closely observe the divine Model, for they testify of Christ. The Pattern must be inspected often and closely in order to imitate it. As one becomes acquainted with the history of the Redeemer, he discovers in himself defects of character; his unlikeness to Christ is so great that he sees he cannot be a follower without a very great change in his life. Still he studies, with a desire to be like his great Exemplar; he catches the looks, the spirit, of his beloved Master; by beholding he becomes changed. 'Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.' It is not in looking away from Him, and in losing sight of Him, that we imitate the life of Jesus; but in dwelling upon and talking of Him, and seeking to refine the taste and elevate the character; seeking to approach through earnest, persevering effort, through faith and love, the perfect Pattern. The attention being fixed upon Christ, His image, pure and spotless, becomes enshrined in the heart as 'the chief among ten thousand and the one altogether lovely.' Even unconsciously we imitate that with which we are familiar. By having a knowledge of Christ, His words, His habits, His lessons of instruction, and by borrowing the virtues of the character which we have so closely studied, we become imbued with the spirit of the Master which we have so much admired." [`Review & Herald,' November 28, 1878.] [29b] Answers on the question about `predestination.' We find the Greek word for `predestination' only six times in the Bible, 5 times it is used by Paul. In general we may say, if a person accepts Christ and remains true to His faith from then on, his salvation is assured. If we can call that predestination is another question, it may border on it. The more important understanding is that the "foreknowledge" of God comes before "predestination", Romans 8:28-30. If God already knows what will happen when someone believes by faith, then salvation is not just an arbitrary choice directed by God. Hence, the more "saved" we are, the more "lost" we'll feel. Columbus traveling on the Nina, had a vague "foreknowledge" that `India' was on the other side of the great sea looking from Spain or Portugal since the earth was round like an orange. The inevitable outcome of his mission was, that it was eventually `predestined' to succeed. But it could succeed only because faith in the orange shape of the earth gave Columbus enough 'foreknowledge'. If he would have traveled haphazardly instead straight north, India would not have been found in his days. - Historically John Calvin believed that God arbitrarily created some individuals to be saved and some to be lost, but that is an extreme view. Calvinists maintain that such predetermination, or predestination, is unalterable and is in no way dependent on man's choice. This, of course, contradicts Bible statements that God is not partial, "For there is no respect of persons with God." Romans 2:11, that He will save all who call on Him, "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:12,13, and that He judges each according to his life and works, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ: that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that ha has done, whether it be good or evil." 2.Cor. 5:10. Basically `predestinate' means `to mark off beforehand.' The Apostle Paul wrote, "... Our Lord Jesus Christ ... has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." Eph. 1:3,4. When we chose to be a follower of Jesus Christ in baptism, we are to imitate His life, love God and our fellow man, i.e. keep His Commandments. Paul is saying we were chosen before creation. But he also writes that sin entered and estranged us from God. Those who say, `once saved, always saved', are not according to scripture which teaches a sovereign God, a God who gave us a free will and forces no one but lets man choose who he will serve. God wants to restore this world, save us through His Son, to the state it was designed to be when the reign of sin is over. That is the glorious time all faithful Christians wait for. [030] John 14:30, Satan could find no fault with Jesus, our example. Rev. 12:12. GC p. 623.; See also Eph. 4:23,24; 1 Jh. 2:6; 3:3,7.
[040] 2SM p. 32. [050] 1 John 2:3,6. 1 Peter 2:21. Steps to Christ, `Test of Discipleship', par. 17, p. 62. [055] Galatians 2:20. SC p. 62,63. [060] Matthew 22:1-14. John 15:10. 1.John 5:14. COL p. 312. "All that have put on the robe of Christ's righteousness will stand before Him as chosen and faithful and true. Satan has no power to pluck them out of the hand of Christ. Not one soul that in penitence and faith has claimed His protection will Christ permit to pass under the enemy's power, Isa. 27:5." 5T 471; [070] 1 Chronicles 16:29b; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 15:52. GC p. 645. [080] Job 42:6; Isaiah 6:3,5; 2 Cor. 12:2-4; Eph. 3:8; GC p. 471.; AA 564,565. [090] Exodus 32:33; Ezekiel 18:24; Isaiah 43:25; Rev. 3:5; Matth. 10:32,33; See GC p. 483,484.
[092] What is the gospel coming straight out of Babylon via the Second Vatican Council which took place in the 1960's and which has been adopted by the Celebration movement? It teaches a false justification, salvation in sin. You will be sinning until the Second Coming of Christ. It is a gospel without the power. If you continue in sin after accepting the gospel, which is the power of God, if you accept a false gospel, a false justification, you have no power of God. Satan also has power. Do you know what Satan's power is? His power is through his lies; it is the power of bondage. For example, Satan demonstrated his power with great effect in Eden, and we are still affected by that same power today. Today he says that we cannot keep God's Commandments. If you believe this lie, you will not obey God's Law. - Objectives from the Second Vatican Council included: 1) Let there be a custom application (use) of the word Celebration. 2) Let there be a custom of revival in Celebration worship in which the people will be involved directly with both verbal and physical participation. 3) Let there be a custom of Celebration worship dialogue between the pastor and the people. 4) Let us use as much variety in worship as is possible. 5) Let music, while they worship there, be the most effective. 6) Lessen the difference between the Eucharist and the Lord's Supper. Teach people that the Eucharist and the Lord's Supper are the foundation of Christian unity, friendship, and Celebration of the Lord's Day (meaning Sunday). 7) Do all your best to encourage observation of Sunday, including rest from work. - The Three Angels' Messages proclaim that the hour of God's judgment has come. This is the pre-Advent investigative judgment, which began in 1844. The Celebration movement does not warn the people about this. However, if the subject is mentioned, they simply say, "Do not be scared of the judgment. If you believe in Jesus, do not worry about it." - Music! What is a good way of recognizing infiltration of churches by the Celebration gospel? It is the music they sing and play. Have you ever stopped to consider what is lacking in these Celebration ditties? As I heard someone put it, "In the typical, contemporary 'praise and worship songs' there are no expressions of confession, petition, or submission, just praise." Pioneering Seventh-day Adventists sang many hymns containing their message; hymns with several stanzas. They did so because they believed God had called them to proclaim a message even in their singing. [100] Rev. 19:8; Eph. 5:27; COL p. 310. [110] Psalm 15; Matth. 18:15-17; 5:23,24; 8T p. 86. [120] Luke 10:27. 1SM p. 394,395. [135] Hebrews 2:1-4; 1SM p. 190,191. [140] James 1:27; Rev. 7:14; 5T p. 215,216.; In essence the word the "world" means in this context the universe, the earth, humankind, our realm of existence, and the way of life opposed to God. Eventually a Christian must overcome the world in its negative aspects, for the world is in rebellion against God; it is a passing phenomena, it is of a transitional nature. That is why political solutions can never be the ultimate solution, not in a world that is passing away and we along with it. - So, if the world is passing away, `How can we survive?' We can by doing the will of God. Let us not get too comfortable in the world, but aim for our eternal goal. [150] Col. 3:3; 1SM, `To have lamps trimmed and burning,' p. 190. [170] Romans 12:2; John 13:31-38; 14-17; DA p. 671. [180] See also #90; GC p. 483. [190] Matth. 22:11; Rev. 7:14; GC p. 428. [200] Daniel 9:24; 1 John 1:9; 1SM p. 396. [202] The truth of the gospel shows men who trust in the world, in politics, might of weapons, will not achieve anything of lasting value for man. Why? Because political faith cannot destroy death itself! Only the faith of Jesus could do that! [210] Daniel 7:9-14, a solemn event; GC p. 479. [230] Genesis 18:20,21; GC p. 631,632. [250] Quote: "... only those who had come before God with confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the sin offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the Day of Atonement. So in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God." [GC p. 480.] [260] "Since the dead are to be judged out of the things written in the books, ..."; GC 485. [270] Acts 3:19,20; GC p. 485. [0275] The word `probation' is well known from the court system and in schools. A misbehaving person, if they improve their ways, can experience probation. This way, testing if wayward persons truly changed their ways, benefits the whole community. In the realm of faith and God, probation is also applicable. Even Protestants and Catholics believe in probation, they just avoid using the word, calling it by different names. Churches may teach God's system of salvation. Their members, too, can decide for or against God during an "open" period for the gospel call. Other groups may have a lower expectation for what can happen in fallen man and thus expect the attainment of only a significantly lower behavioral threshold. They might lay their emphasis on a moment of decision in intellectual assent to the idea that they are a sinner and Jesus is God come in human flesh who lived and died and rose again. Such assent may be viewed as the making of a binding and irrevocable contract with God. Differences in expectation aside, the root idea is the same. [290] Malachi 3:5,16,17; 1 Cor. 3:13; 7BC, `A daily inventory,' p. 987. [310] Scripture #300; MH p. 454. [320] GC p. 491. Luke 12:33,39. [325] Another disturbing change seems to have occurred in Seventh day Adventism. We hardly hear the word `perfection' anymore in our church services and yet, Ellen White uses it freely. We need to study for the truth about these issues.
[350] Romans 7:18; Gal. 6:14; Phil. 3:12; AA p. 561,562. Paul refers in Rom. 7:18 to what our real problem is. It is the innermost part of the trouble. The innermost part of the trouble, the iniquity, the sin, the wrong, the evil, is not in the world or even in the church; the innermost part of the trouble is in the heart of each person. That is where the real trouble is. [360] Luke 13:24; 2 Cor. 10:5; MB, p. 141,142. [370] SDA BC on Phil. 1:6. Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke and Charles R. Erdman in their commentary have nothing to say about the word `perfect.' It is as if they regard this phrase as just an expression by Paul, may be an expression a bit overblown. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown provide the following scriptures without comment: Ps. 37:24; 89:33; 138:8; Jh. 10:28,29; Rom. 8:29,35-39; 11:1,2; Heb. 6:17-19; Jas. 1:17; Jude 24. [380] Matthew 25:13-30. COL, p. 332. [390] Question: Since the only thing we will be able to take to heaven is our character, are our habits our character? Answer: No. The habits stabilize our character. EGW wrote: "It is not through one act that the character is formed, but by a repetition of acts that habits are established and character confirmed. To have a Christlike character (a quality of the soul revealing itself by our conduct) it is necessary to act in a Christlike way. Christians will exhibit a holy temper, and their actions and impulses will be prompted by the Holy Spirit." {ST, Aug 6, 1912.} {2MCP 552.3} That is why we can have a right character from day one of our walk with God before we ever developed new habits. Because we can have right thoughts and feelings from day one, and every day, as we have victory over our old man of sin, we develop new habits because our old habits are not changed at conversion, they are changed at the coming of Christ. While the old habits are still there, we do not have to follow them anymore, because now we have power to go against them and develop new habits. That is why, today, we can be right with God as long as our heart is fully surrendered and we are allowing Christ to work in our spirit. Therefore, we do not have to be discouraged. God is able to save us. [400] `The Faith I Live By,' p. 249.
[430] Steps to Christ, p. 62. The context is this: "Since we are sinful, unholy, we cannot perfectly obey the holy law. We have no righteousness of our own with which to meet the claims of the law of God. But Christ has made a way of escape for us. He lived on earth amid trials and temptations such as we have to meet. He lived a sinless life. He died for us, and now He offers to take our sins and give us His righteousness. If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned.
[440] Signs of the Times, March 23, 1888. The context is this: "Satan will be constantly seeking to belittle our conception or our privileges and responsibilities. He would have us regard the work of Christ as a commonplace work, and do it listlessly and negligently. He would keep us indifferent to the exalted and sacred positions to be attained in Christian life and character; but we must bruise him under our feet. We must establish an unyielding enmity between our souls and our foe; but we must open our hearts to the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. We want Satan's darkness to be shut out, and the light of Heaven to flow in. We want to become so sensitive to holy influences, that the lightest whisper of Jesus will move our souls, till he is in us, and we in him, living by the faith of the Son of God.
[450] Signs of the Times, May 16, 1895. The context is this: "Those who presume to think that the law of God has been done away, and that it no longer exists, have set up an imperfect standard of their own. Measuring themselves by their own finite standard, they pronounce themselves pure and perfect. Satan has just such a standard, by which he declares that he is righteous; but these false standards cannot compare with God's unerring standard of righteousness. No one who has an appreciation of the verity of the law of God will claim an exalted character for himself. Our true position, and the only one in which there is any safety, is that of repentance and confession of sins before God. Feeling that we are sinners, we shall have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, who alone is able to pardon transgression, and impute unto us righteousness. When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, then the sins of the repentant soul who received the grace of Christ and has overcome through the blood of the Lamb, will be removed from the records of heaven, and will be placed upon Satan, the scapegoat, the originator of sin, and be remembered no more against him forever. The sins of the overcomers will be blotted out of the books of record, but their names will be retained on the book of life. The True Witness says, "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." When the conflict of life is ended, when the armor is laid off at the feet of Jesus, when the saints of God are glorified, then and then only will it be safe to claim that we are saved and sinless. True sanctification will not lead any human being to pronounce himself holy, sinless, and perfect. Let the Lord proclaim the truth of your character.
[520] GC p. 485. The context is this: "The work of the investigative judgment and the blotting out of sins is to be accomplished before the second advent of the Lord. Since the dead are to be judged out of the things written in the books, it is impossible that the sins of men should be blotted out until after the judgment at which their cases are to be investigated. But the apostle Peter distinctly states that the sins of believers will be blotted out "when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ." Acts 3:19, 20. When the investigative judgment closes, Christ will come, and His reward will be with Him to give to every man as his work shall be. [540] Uriah Smith, R&H, Nov. 24, 1874. Appeared in denominational Yearbooks up to the year 1914. [550] 2T p. 191.; MH p. 454.; GC p. 491. [560] 5T p. 475.; GC p. 614,631.
[580] AA p. 561. To be fair we quote the setting in which it was written:
|
|
A false representation of salvation! Please be sure to read why below! 
|
The following is basically a longer comment by Margaret Davis, a long time Bible teacher, on why the diagram illustration is false. Many people thought of a salvation based on that image. It is our opinion at CIAS that it is not quite like the illustration indicates, as we shall find out by the following series of quotations and comments. Jesus Accepts Our Intentions "When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service, and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit. But He will not accept those who claim to have faith in Him, and yet are disloyal to His Father's commandment. We hear a great deal about faith, but we need to hear a great deal more about works. Many are deceiving their own souls by living an easygoing, accommodating, crossless religion. But Jesus says, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." {The Signs of the Times, June 16, 1890.} {1SM 382.2}
Comment by M. Davis: The Signs and 1SM articles end with "follow me". However, that may be misleading the reader by not presenting the whole surrounding paragraphs, the setting, in which this one quoted paragraph was given. After all, Signs articles can be edited and `Selected Messages' are just that, selected. The selectors were not inspired. They can make mistakes. Caution: Misleading - lets read the whole statement. On the View that Jesus Makes Up for Our Deficiency "There is no excuse for sin or for indolence. Jesus has led the way, and He wishes us to follow in His steps. He has suffered, He has sacrificed as none of us can, that He might bring salvation within our reach. We need not be discouraged. Jesus came to our world to bring divine power to man, that through His grace, we might be transformed into His likeness. " {FW 49.4. Emph. ours.} "When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service, and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit. But He will not accept those who claim to have faith in Him and yet are disloyal to His Father's commandment. We hear a great deal about faith, but we need to hear a great deal more about works. Many are deceiving their own souls by living an easy-going, accommodating, crossless religion." {FW 50.1. Emph. ours}
Comment by M. Davis: Reading that first quoted paragraph only, The one that starts with `When it is ...', as a summation of the illustration, says in effect, you could do your own thing and live in your sins and still feel you were covered by the righteousness of Christ. The author of the illustration wrote, `While we maintain a proper relationship to God, Christ's righteousness makes up for our shortcomings.' "But Jesus says, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). {FW 50.2}
Comment by M. Davis: What did He bring to make up for our deficiencies? He gives us divine power - power to overcome sin to make up for our deficiency. We give God our willpower. We abide in Him every minute in the day. We can never let loose, never allow sin to be master over our senses. We make a contract with our eyes, ears, nose, not to do the sinful thing, Ps. 101:3. Just like in a marriage, both partners do not quit gradually after being married to look at other man or woman , they started quitting to do that long before they got married. So too in our faith walk. [But see here on habits.] No one can force us to sin, only indifference, slackness, our indulgence of self brings it about. That we must master from day one in the walk of faith. We are married to God. Of ourselves we can do nothing, but God's power is this ..... "Christ loves His church. He will give all needed help to those who call upon Him for strength for the development of Christ like character. But His love is not weakness. He will not serve with their sins, nor give them prosperity while they continue to follow a wrong course of action. Only through faithful repentance will their sins be forgiven; for God will not cover evil with the robe of His righteousness, Eph. 5:27. He will honor faithful service. He will abundantly bless those who reveal to their fellow-men His justice, mercy, and love. Let those who are engaged in His service walk before Him in true humility, following faithfully in His footsteps, cherishing the holy principles which will live through the eternal ages. Let them in word and action show that they obey the laws which are obeyed in heaven." {ST, November 13, 1901 par. 7} "The halo of glory, which God had given holy Adam, covering him as a garment, departed from him after his transgression. The light of God's glory could not cover disobedience and sin. In the place of health and plenitude of blessings, poverty, sickness, and suffering of every type were to be the portion of the children of Adam." "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all ..." (Col. 3:17) "... to the glory of God." 1.Cor. 10:31.[We examined these partially quoted scriptures to make sure they do not fight what we are saying in their entire context.] {1SM 270.1} "I must speak the truth to all. Those who have accepted the light from God's Word are never, never to leave an impression upon human minds that God will serve with their sins. His Word defines sin as the transgression of the law." [Eph. 4:12,13] {Manuscript 16, 1901.} {1SM 115.2}
Comment by M. Davis: God cannot abide in the heart and serve his righteousness to you while you are sinning. He must bring you back to repentance and cleansing. "Jesus stands in the holy of holies, now to appear in the presence of God for us. There He ceases not to present His people moment by moment, complete in Himself. But because we are thus represented before the Father, we are not to imagine that we are to presume upon His mercy, and become careless, indifferent, and self-indulgent. Christ is not the minister of sin. We are complete in Him, accepted in the Beloved, only as we abide in Him by faith." (ST July 4, 1892). {7BC 933.9}
Comment by M. Davis: That should not discourage anyone, because He is going to watch out for us and bring us back if we would only let him. He will even send you guardian angels to protect you from death until you come back to him. "But while God can be just, and yet justify the sinner through the merits of Christ, no man can cover his soul with the garments of Christ's righteousness while practicing known sins, or neglecting known duties. God requires the entire surrender of the heart, before justification can take place; and in order for man to retain justification, there must be continual obedience, through active, living faith that works by love and purifies the soul." {1SM 366.1} "In order for man to be justified by faith, faith must reach a point where it will control the affections and impulses of the heart; and it is by obedience that faith itself is made perfect." {1SM 366.2} "Righteousness is obedience to the law. The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner's account. Christ's righteousness is accepted in place of man's failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness; and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace, from light to a greater light. He can say with rejoicing, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:5-7) {1SM 367.1} "The righteousness of Christ is not a cloak to cover unconfessed and unforsaken sin; it is a principle of life that transforms the character and controls the conduct. Holiness is wholeness for God; it is the entire surrender of heart and life to the indwelling of the principles of heaven." {DA 555.6}
Comment by M. Davis: Christ in you is the only hope of glory, and Christ cannot abide in you if there is known sin. (Christ and Satan cannot dwell in the same heart.) Our faith is based on the Word of God. We have that faith and belief, because it is written. The shedding upon us of `His regeneration and renewing abundantly' is not so much in quantity, pound for pound, as it is in immediacy throughout a given day. Don't wait till nightfall to fall at the foot of the cross and pray. Such prayers can be long or brief, they can be uttered anywhere you are, either by kneeling, if you are alone, or in your thoughts, if you are in a meeting - no delay necessary.
"Do not forget that the most dangerous snares which Satan has prepared for the church will come through its own members who do not love God supremely or their neighbor as themselves. Satan is continually striving to wedge himself in between brethren. He seeks to gain control of those who claim to believe the truth, but who are unconverted; and when he can influence these, through their own carnal nature, to unite with him in trying to thwart the purposes of God, then he is exultant." {5T 477.1} Read 2.Pet. 2:1.
Comment by M. Davis: It may be that the destroyers are already training under the hand of Satan and only wait the departure of a few more standard-bearers to take their places, and with the voice of the false prophet cry, "Peace, peace," when the Lord hath not spoken peace.Comment by CIAS: Who is the false prophet??? It is apostate Protestantism. Graeme Bradford's message, in the end, seems to indulge that of the false prophet. And we know, with the false prophet destroyers among us will agree. That message comes through today stronger than ever before. In years past it was bad enough, based on that false diagram, but today it is: `Jesus saves you.' No conditions at all. `Jesus saves you - he saved you 2000 years ago.' Comment by M. Davis: They say, do not make it so hard to be saved. You were already crucified 2000 years ago. Just believe it. "Every phase of fanaticism and erroneous theories, claiming to be the truth, will be brought in among the remnant people of God." - "These will fill minds with erroneous sentiments which have no part in the truth for this time. Any man who supposes that in the strength of his own devised resolutions, in his intellectual might united with science or supposed knowledge, he can start a work which will conquer the world, will find himself lying among the ruins of his own speculations, and will plainly understand why he is there." . . . {2SM 14.2} "In order to sustain erroneous doctrines or unchristian practices, some will seize upon passages of Scripture separated from the context, perhaps quoting half of a single verse as proving their point, when the remaining portion would show the meaning to be quite the opposite." [`With the cunning of the serpent they entrench themselves behind disconnected utterances construed to suit their carnal desires. Thus do many willfully pervert the word of God. Others, who have an active imagination, seize upon the figures and symbols of Holy Writ, interpret them to suit their fancy, with little regard to the testimony of Scripture as its own interpreter, and then they present their vagaries as the teachings of the Bible.'] {GC 521.1}
Comment by M. Davis: There is a teaching that the 144,000 only will have a pure character. So people are told, strife to be among the 144,000 but if you do not make it, do not worry, because the others will be saved without this pure character. "We may not be living when Christ shall come in power and great glory, for all are subject to death at any time, but if we are righteous, in harmony with the law of God, we shall respond to the voice that will call the people of God from their graves, and shall come forth to receive immortality. It is only the blessed and holy who will be ready for the first resurrection; for when Christ comes, he will not change the character." [`The change that will take place will be that change spoken of by Paul when he says: "We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." The word of God declares that we must be found blameless, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, Eph. 5:27. Now we are to learn obedience, submission to the divine will, that God may work in us to will and to do of his good-pleasure, and that we may work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. But our own efforts are of no avail to atone for sin or to renew the heart. Only the blood of Christ can atone for us; his grace alone can create in us a clean heart, and enable us to obey God's law. In him is our only hope.'] {ST, February 9, 1891 par. 1} "The Lord reproves and corrects the people who profess to keep His law. He points out their sins and lays open their iniquity because He wishes to separate all sin and wickedness from them, that they may perfect holiness in His fear and be prepared to die in the Lord or to be translated to heaven. . . . " {Mar 53.1} "God rebukes, reproves, and corrects them, that they may be refined, sanctified, elevated, and finally exalted to His own throne." [VOL. 2, PP. 452, 453 (1870).] {5T 662.1} "God will accept nothing but purity and holiness; one spot, one wrinkle, one defect in the character, will forever debar them from heaven, with all its glories and treasures." {Mar 53.2} "All have sufficient light to see their sins and errors, if they desired to do so, and earnestly wished to put them away, and to perfect holiness in the fear of Lord. God is too pure to behold iniquity. A sin is just as grievous in his sight in one case as in another. No exception will be made by an impartial God. If individuals pass over and cover up their sins, they will not be prospered of God. They cannot advance in the divine life, but will become darker and darker until the light of heaven will be entirely withdrawn." {RH, May 5, 1885 par. 7}
Comment by M. Davis: Secret sins are known sins. They are known to the person whose secret they are. They are not unconscious sins. When Jesus comes he will make atonement for all sins of ignorance, things, that you didn't know. But known sins must be confessed before him and let go. God is very careful in the way he deals with his people. He is very loving and very kind, but he cannot save us in sins. (CIAS: We do not float or just drift into heaven. Followers of Christ have a high calling. Salvation is co-operation of man with God. While God's part is large and ours small, God will not do His part if we do not do ours, 1.Cor. 3:9; Hebr. 1:14; Phil. 2:16; Luke 14:23; 2.Cor. 10:5.) "I pray to God that this may be the experience of each one of us, and that in the great day of God we all may be glorified together."--MS 49, 1909. {6BIO 197.4} |
Bible Topics
Main Menu
Submenu
|
, (4) epitele