Diabolical Deception

Many argued that belief in God would wane with the progress of modernity, becoming merely a memory. Since the Enlightenment in Europe, there was a strong conviction, especially among philosophers and sociologists, that the demise of religion in the face of modernity was inevitable.

Today, in the 21st century, religion is exploding with remarkable strength in areas around the world, particularly on the streets of European cities, both metaphorically and literally. It is impossible not to notice that the rise of faith in a globalized world will have a powerful impact on the shape of politics, economics, and religion itself in the present age. It is inevitable.

However, it is not just about the revival of religion per se. We are witnessing various mutations and hybrids of religiosity. This is evident in the fusion of faith with magic, science with parapsychology, philosophy with astrology, Christianity with Eastern religions—it’s the New Age, a form of contemporary spirituality that is a manifestation of occultism. The foundation of spirituality, in turn, is the belief in the immortality of the human soul. From the Catholic Church (the heir to pagan mysteries and cults) through mass culture, and ending with Protestantism, it is clear that occultism has dominated our religious and socio-cultural reality.

The Sanctity of Life

It is worth noting that the Bible, when it comes to matters of life and death, focuses with incredible passion on life. According to the Bible, death is considered an evil, and its surroundings, such as human corpses, as well as menstrual blood or mourning bread, pose a threat to life and its sanctity. The prevalent belief among people in spiritualism—that is, the belief in the spirits of the deceased and the possibility of establishing contact with them by the living—is practically absent in the Bible. When it is mentioned, it is strongly condemned. This is because the faith in Yahweh is irreconcilable with the belief in the spirits of the deceased; the Hebrew faith is fundamentally intolerant of any forms of ancestor worship. God is the Living God and is for the living.1 Indeed, the Hebrews never developed a cult of the dead, categorically rejecting all forms of ancestor worship as well as cults related to fertility. Any contact with the so-called “afterlife” was strictly forbidden under the threat of the death penalty.

Spiritualism in the Catholic Church

The situation looks quite different in Roman Catholicism. I remember being surprised, despite the awareness that the Catholic Church is considered apostate according to the Bible, at how profound this apostasy is. Certainly, there are many sincere individuals in the Catholic Church who believe in Jesus Christ, but they should be especially aware of the true nature of Catholicism. Catholicism involves the veneration of saints, their relics (such as the head, a piece of a hand, dried blood, bones, hair, nails), masses for the dead, and the Holy Mass, which involves the offering of—as they believe it—the real body and blood of Jesus Christ, constituting an obvious heresy. The Bible clearly states, “… when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God” and “For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:12, 14 ESV

It is worth noting that a Catholic mass cannot take place unless the altar has been consecrated, meaning it must contain a fragment of a dead body—a relic of a saint.2 In the Constitution of the Second Vatican Council, this is unequivocal: “… there exists a real communion between the living and the dead, which finds specific expression in the exchange of spiritual goods.”3 If you think about it more deeply, you will come to a rather frightening conclusion: Roman Catholicism is a real, mysterious cult of the dead. From the Catholic perspective, after death, a person as an immortal soul joins the world of spirits, a world divided into hell, purgatory, and heaven.

Catholic Hell

The lie of the theory of the immortality of the soul has become the basis of the Catholic doctrine of hell and purgatory. The image of eternal torment for sinners in hell is quite popular among Catholics and most Protestants. It is complete nonsense that cannot be reconciled with the character of a merciful and just God. The Catholic dogma of hell and its Protestant versions are perhaps among the most repulsive teachings that fallen Christianity can present to the world. What purpose would eternal, hellish torment serve, or even eternal separation from God, when such punishment cannot change the fate of the suffering individual? If there were such a hell, God would be a perverse sadist.

Indeed, Jesus stated that hell is a real place where sinners will end up at the end of the world (Matthew 13:40, 49). According to the Apocalypse, on the day of judgment, the surface of the earth will become a lake of fire—hell, where all sinners, including Satan and his angels, will be destroyed for eternity. What if the term “for eternity” is used in the Bible in the Apocalypse? This should also be explained through the Bible. In the book of Jude, we read that Sodom and Gomorrah serve as an example of eternal fire’s punishment (Jude 7). The “eternal fire” that consumed these cities has long since gone out. Therefore, the word eternal does not refer to the duration of the fire, but to its eternal consequences. The Bible presents only two options: eternal life with God for the saved or eternal death for the condemned, who will ultimately be annihilated in the lake of fire.

Purgatory—or how to buy salvation

The Catholic cult of the dead would be incomplete without the doctrine of purgatory. The doctrine of purgatory is not found anywhere in the Bible, but the idea of purgatory was inspired by demons and well-developed in pagan religions. According to Catholic doctrine, purgatory is a place where the souls of the dead suffer, atoning for unforgiven sins. Souls in purgatory can be redeemed by the living who offer sacrifices for the deceased, such as purchasing a so-called Holy Mass for the soul in purgatory. The living can also make offerings for the dead, such as prayer, indulgences, or other religious rituals.4 It is evident that the doctrine of purgatory is a demonic teaching, a fiction, a grand lie that the Catholic Church uses to enrich itself, capitalizing on the fear of its believers who never have certainty of salvation and do not believe in the certainty of the salvation of their loved ones. If salvation can be achieved through suffering in purgatory and the offering of sacrifices, then purgatory invalidates, cancels, mocks, and blasphemes the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which is entirely sufficient to save every sinner who, repenting of their sins, accepts the salvation offered freely by Jesus, as clearly stated in the Bible: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The freedom from fear is good news because indeed, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Catholic Heaven

Based on the belief in the immortal soul, if a person, after death, goes to heaven as a reward:

  • Why the resurrection?
  • Why the second coming of Jesus Christ if the saved are already in heaven?
  • Why the final judgment if people have already gone to hell, purgatory, or heaven immediately after death?
  • Why the sacrifice of the Son of God on Golgotha, who died to give people eternal life, if humans possess immortality inherently?

Mass culture shapes reality

German sociologist Max Weber—a classic in sociology at the turn of the 19th century—was deeply convinced of the ongoing rationalization in Western culture, associated with the process of the “disenchantment of the world.” The world becomes increasingly explainable and less mystical. It is a process of moving away from a magical view of reality. In the culture of the Western world, we can indeed observe such a process, which has accelerated significantly since the time of the Reformation and the Enlightenment.  Paradoxically, today we can observe something exactly the opposite. It is a process of enchanting reality through the invasion of occultism into popular and mass culture. Occultism and its forms, such as spiritualism, are now commonplace for the average consumer of culture, more like fast food. Occultism is no longer something mysterious reserved for the initiated but a widely accessible form of entertainment served by popular music, cinema, or streaming platforms such as Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, or Disney+. Mass culture, through its content, influences the way its audience thinks about the surrounding reality, thus affecting their language, beliefs, and value system. The language used, in turn, influences the perception of reality. And the cycle repeats.

Mechanisms of cultural industry

Theodor W. Adorno—a German philosopher, sociologist, psychologist, musicologist and composer in the early to mid 1900s—presented an interesting observation on how the mechanisms of the cultural industry work. He believed that popular culture imposes its products on the masses, who are unaware of this fact. According to the researcher, popular culture promotes emptiness, banality, and conformity, and its ideology is false and manipulative. Human masses are entirely defenseless in the face of these products of the cultural industry.5 If Adorno is right, the average consumer of occult media content becomes an easy prey for Satan.

What is Netflix serving today?

Saturated with occult and spiritual symbolism, the latest season of the popular series Stranger Things, created by the Duffer Brothers, is being advertised as even more brutal and terrifying. The series Brand New Cherry Flavor promotes the occult teachings of the Ordo Templi Orientis. The protagonist is an ambitious director seeking revenge on an unscrupulous producer by utilizing supernatural powers. The main themes of the series include witchcraft and cannibalism. Another series is Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in which the protagonist sells her soul to the devil. The main themes of this series are cannibalism and pedophilia. The next item on Netflix’s menu is The Order, shamelessly promoting Satanism. These are just a few productions inspired by demonic forces on an unprecedented scale, as it is now a global, mass phenomenon, and these series are incredibly popular. It seems we have reached a point in history where Satan’s deception of the world through various forms of occultism is complete.

New Age—doors wide open to another dimension

A lot has been written about New Age ideology from a Christian perspective. Therefore, just a brief definition is in order. New Age ideology is a contemporary form of spiritualism, a syncretic hybrid combining occult practices, magic, parapsychology, science, philosophy, Gnosticism, Eastern religions, shamanism, and astrology.

The cornerstone of New Age ideology is Satan’s lie from the garden of Eden. The serpent, serving as a medium through which Satan speaks, says: “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4, 5

The New Age movement proclaims the same message as Satan’s original lie: You will certainly not die; you will attain enlightenment—your eyes will be opened, you will be like God, deciding for yourself what is good and what is evil. A person engaging in any practice popular in the New Age movement stands at the threshold of widely open doors to another dimension filled with beings who hate and despise humanity. One might say that New Age doesn’t concern us Christians. So what’s the problem then?

New Age Church

The problem is that the “ideas and practices of the New Age movement reflect those propagated by the new charismatics.”6 The charismatic movement is a global religious movement that includes around 700 million charismatic Christians today—Protestants, Roman Catholics, Orthodox, and Messianic Jews—who have experienced the so-called “baptism in the Holy Spirit.” It is the most dynamically-growing segment of Christianity. How is it possible that such different Christian churches with mutually-exclusive belief systems are united by one “spirit,” one movement, one revival? It is only possible because what binds all these charismatic Christians together is occultism—supra-rational and supernatural phenomena attributed to the Holy Spirit. The phenomena present in the charismatic movement are not the work of the Holy Spirit but of the satanic spirit introducing a false “gospel of unity” based on “shared spirit experience” above the teachings of the word of God. Its aim is to create a “spiritual unity” that connects all Christians, essentially embracing and unifying people of all denominations and religions under one “syncretic spirit.”7

Beliefs and practices of charismatic churches

If we examine the teachings of leaders in some parts of the charismatic movement, they proclaim the same as leaders in the New Age movement:

  1. Higher consciousness—the belief that people are “enlightened” through meditation, mystical experiences, revelations, visions, and speaking in tongues.
  2. Guidance by higher intelligences—angels, extraterrestrial beings, spirits of the deceased—and the belief that they can bring hidden knowledge to people.
  3. Spiritual revelations aimed at renewing the world and uniting people.
  4. Media—every individual can become a spiritual medium or prophet to receive messages from God.
  5. Techniques leading to altered states of consciousness that subject the mind to the influence of higher intelligence—visualization, meditation, self-hypnosis, mantra, speaking in tongues, chanting the same phrases in a loop.
  6. Golden age of the Earth—preparing the world with its political and religious structures to welcome “Christ,” who will rule on Earth.8

During charismatic services in some churches, there are manifestations that cannot be explained by the work of the Holy Spirit. People imitating monkeys or chickens, barking like dogs, falling into convulsions on the ground, and bursting into uncontrollable laughter are just a few examples. Just turn on YouTube to see similarities between charismatic phenomena and the practices of Hindu gurus. For instance, when a guru touches the forehead of their followers, they may fall to the ground, laugh, shake, or experience ecstatic revelations. A similar power was wielded over his patients by the French physician Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815), the father of modern hypnosis and spiritualism. It is not a coincidence that such behaviors are typically the result of involvement in occultism and, at the same time, symptoms of possession, especially when spiritual manifestations are accompanied by convulsions, seizures, screams, uncoordinated movements, and the imitation of animals.9

Unity in diversity

Ellen G. White predicted with remarkable accuracy over 100 years ago this improbable religious syncretism, which is a characteristic sign of the contemporary era, in the final times:

“The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. As spiritualism more closely imitates the nominal Christianity of the day, it has greater power to deceive and ensnare. Satan himself is converted, after the modern order of things. He will appear in the character of an angel of light. Through the agency of spiritualism, miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits will profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power.”

References:

  1. Scherer, Filozofia śmierci od Anaksymandra do Adorno, tłum. W. Szymona, published by WAM, Kraków 2008, p. 109
  2. ordo.pallotyni.pl/index.php/dokumenty-o-liturgii/wprowadzenia-do-ksiag-liturgicznych/318-obrzedy-poswiecenia-kosciola-i-oltarza, accessibility: 09.10.2023
  3. Pastoral note of the Episcopal Conference of Emilia-Romagna, document published in a book: P.J. Śliwiński, A. Zwoliński, H. Cisowski, A. Regiewicz, Kościół a spirytyzm, published by M, Kraków 2001, pp. 247–272
  4. katechizm.opoka.org.pl/rkkkI-2-3.htm, accessibility: 13.11.2023
  5. Łagosz, Ezoteryka a popkultura — przenikanie symboliki ezoterycznej do strefy kultury masowej (zarys problematyki), publisher Ośrodek Badawczy Facta Ficta 2018, p. 222
  6. Michael G. Moriarty, The New Charismatics, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan 1992, pp. 270, 271
  7. poslaniecsadu.pl/wydalismy,2.html, accessibility: 14.11.2023
  8. Dunkel, Apokalipsa, Orion plus 2001, pp. 134, 135
  9. Ibiden, p. 135
  10. G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 588

Marcin Watras lives in Katowice, Poland. He is interested in the philosophy of religion and trends in society. He works for the European Union.

Saved by Grace

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

The subject of salvation by grace is very special to me. I have preached many times on the subject, and it was the subject of the first sermon I preached after the deaths of my brother Marshall and his family. I hope to continue preaching about it in this world as long as the Lord gives me the breath to do so, and then, after Jesus comes, I want to go all over the universe and tell everyone about the grace that Jesus manifested to save us.

Why We Need Grace

Grace is especially necessary for people who are in the middle of difficult trials, or are suffering because of bereavement, sickness, sorrow, or some other kind of distress. Paul had a problem—he called it a thorn in the flesh—and “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.” Sometimes when we are in trouble, we think that the Lord should just make that trouble go away. But God’s method is not always to take the trouble away. His answer to us might be the same as it was to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9, first part. Instead of making the trouble go away, God provides what is necessary for us to make our way through it.

Was Paul bitter because of the Lord’s response? Not at all. Listen to his praise of God’s will: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Verses 9, last part, 10

Consider this: your heart is broken, your body in pain, your mind overwhelmed, and you think that you cannot bear any more; you recognize your weakness, but instead of asking the Lord to remove all the troubles, you simply turn everything over to Him, and trust that in His strength you will be made strong to bear the burdens of this life. Imagine the peace! Imagine the security of knowing that He is always with you, and that whatever you need, His grace will supply it.

“We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15, 16

God made Adam and Eve physically and mentally perfect for each other as husband and wife. Their temperaments were perfectly matched each with the other, so they did not need grace. This was the only perfect marriage ever in this world, because when sin came in, that perfect marriage was immediately destroyed. They were still married, but as soon as they sinned, they began to find fault with each other.

Eve blamed the serpent, Adam blamed Eve, and then they both blamed God. After all, He had made the serpent that deceived Eve, and He also had made Eve, the one for whom Adam’s love was so great that he had chosen her fate over obedience to God.

Listen to what they said: “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” Genesis 3:12. “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Verse 13, last part. Both justified their actions by blaming each other, a snake, and God.

From the time man was removed from the garden, he has indulged the spirit of self-justification and blaming others, and that is why we need grace. “The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies; it was indulged by our first parents as soon as they yielded to the influence of Satan, and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Instead of humbly confessing their sins, they try to shield themselves by casting the blame upon others, upon circumstances, upon God—making even His blessing an occasion of murmuring against Him.” Patriarch and Prophets, 58

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us to the adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. … That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” Ephesians 1:3–6, 10, 11

The Effects of Grace

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Verse 7

Forgiveness is one of the most wonderful words in the English language. It is wonderful because we all have committed so many sins for which we need to be forgiven. Without forgiveness, a man is lost. I am so glad that when I go to the throne of grace, God never says, “Well, sorry, I’m all out of grace today, come back next month.”

Paul says that forgiveness for our sins is given according to the riches of His grace, and it is a bank that will never run out of currency. So, the first aspect of grace is that, when it comes into the human heart and life, guilt is gone. How wonderful! To men and women who have committed all manner of sin, God is saying that it doesn’t matter what they have done, or how bad they have been, if they come to the throne of grace, there is forgiveness.

The devil’s plan will lead man to blame someone else and justify his actions; grace leads you to forgive one another. Now here is how you can tell if you have received the spirit of grace in your heart. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14, 15

When the human race followed the way of sin, God loved them so much that He made a way, through the blood of His Son, so that forgiveness would be available for all their sins. When we receive the spirit of grace in our hearts, rather than condemning our fellow man, we will forgive him.

Christ exhibited this grace while nailed to the cross. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34. They hammered the nails through His hands and feet, they had been and continued mocking and cursing Him, they pressed a crown of thorns deep into the flesh of His head, and still His only response was “Father, forgive them.” This is grace.

A love so strong that no matter how horrible a person may be, Jesus would have died just for him. He then was willing to forgive him and give him a heart filled with grace so that he might show the love of God by forgiving others. When the spirit of grace is able to break through the barriers of the cold, human heart, it will change the character. Forgiveness is the first effect of grace.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” Titus 2:11, 12. If you have received the grace of God in your life, you will deny the ungodly things of this world and live a righteous and godly life. This is the second effect of grace on the human heart.

Some years ago, when I was teaching at Southwestern Adventist College, I was walking home. A car stopped and the driver asked, “Do you want a ride?” I said, “Yes, I’ll take a ride.”

I got into the car and looked at him, but I didn’t recognize him at all. He was smoking, so I thought he was just a local resident of the Cleburne, Texas, area.

He looked at me and said, “You are John Grosboll, aren’t you?”

I looked at him and said, “Yes. Who are you?”

He said, “I went to school with you at Campion Academy.”

I thought, Who is this? In the course of the conversation, I discovered that he had turned away from the gospel and he told me he had no interest in hearing anything I had to say about it, so I didn’t talk much, I just listened to what he said.

“I believe that you can do whatever you want to do and then, when Jesus comes, all in a flash, everything’s going to change.”

Paul is very clear about what it means to receive grace. If you have received grace, you will be living a righteous and godly life right now, not waiting for some miraculous change in the future.

Somehow the devil has convinced people to think that they can live like the devil in this world, and still be miraculously saved right at the end. But, friends, the gospel holds no such assurance for that kind of salvation. None whatsoever. There is not one text in the Bible to support it.

The Source of Grace

We have seen two effects of grace on the human heart, but what is the source of this marvelous grace? “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:16, 17. Jesus is the source of grace, and to receive grace in your life, you need to spend time with Jesus.

“It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His Spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.” The Desire of Ages, 83

The word of God is a living book. From it we can learn how to strengthen our faith, to understand grace, and to clearly see that Jesus Christ is the source of grace. And this grace that Jesus offers changes people’s lives.

Friends, I know that there are worldly things that often cause minor emergencies that can interfere with our plans to start the day with devotion and Bible study. But if we want the grace of God to come into our lives, we must do our very best to make these the top priorities in our day, not only for ourselves, but for our family members as well.

The Cost of Grace

Grace is the most expensive thing in the world, and you will never be anything more than a superficial Christian unless you realize the cost of grace. “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem.” Zechariah 12:10, 11, first part

Notice, these people are receiving grace from the Lord, but what affect is it having on them? They are mourning because they recognize that their sinfulness has killed the Son of God. To have grace in your life, God’s Son had to die for you.

God’s Grace is Sufficient

I was about 20 and already preaching when I was asked to preach in a small church on the eastern slope in Colorado. The rest of my family went up into the mountains for the weekend, and after church and a potluck lunch, I drove the good part of two hours to join them. My family had attended church in that area, and a visiting minister from out of state had come to spend Sabbath afternoon with them. After I arrived, we all headed out for a hike in the mountains.

We first drove as far as you could go, and then at the end of the road, we left the car and started walking up the trail. It was an engaging time as we took in the trees and flowers all along the trail, and we soon fell into conversation. As I said, I was still young and hadn’t studied nearly as much Spirit of Prophecy or even the Bible as I have today. In preparation for my sermon for that morning, I had read some statements that really got me thinking. For instance:

“No tears are shed that God does not notice.” Steps to Christ, 86

“Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt, not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Father’s heart.” The Desire of Ages, 356

“He knows our difficulties, He understands our distresses. Not a sigh is heard, nor a throb of anguish felt, but the pang vibrates in the heart of Christ.” The Signs of the Times, August 1, 1900

With these statements in mind, I said to this minister, “It must be terrible to be God if that’s the case because if He sees everything, and if it hurts Him all the time, He would be hurting constantly all the time.” He nodded and said, “Yes. One of the greatest statements that Ellen White ever wrote is on this subject.” And this is what he shared.

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

We will never understand what it means to be a Christian if we do not understand the cost of grace. It gives us hope and security for the future. Grace is expensive.

A Terrible Price

Many years ago, when the United States was still a young nation, a young man left his wife and son and headed to California to strike it rich in the California gold rush. He wanted to get rich and build a beautiful home for his family. But as often happens, it took longer than he expected.

However, he was ultimately successful, and the time came when he sent for his wife and son to come to him. In those days, you traveled by stagecoach. The terrain was rough and dangerous. A study of United States history will show that many people died in their efforts to reach California and Oregon.

Not wanting his wife and son to be in a dangerous situation, and because he could afford to do it, the man chose to have them come in what he felt would be the safest way, by ship. This was before the Panama Canal had been built, so ships sailed from New York, around the tip of South America, and sailed north up the California coast to San Francisco.

The mother and son boarded the ship and sailed for California. But on the way there, as they were sailing around the tip of South America, they encountered a violent storm, so violent that the ship was wrecked.

They tried to save everyone, but there wasn’t enough room in the lifeboats. The mother looked over the railing and saw that there was only one seat left. She quickly picked up her son and put him in the lifeboat. As the boy looked up into his mother’s face for the last time, she said to him, “Son, when you get to California, tell your father that your mother died for you.”

Friends, just as this young mother sacrificed her life to save her son, so Jesus sacrificed His life to save you and me. Grace is expensive, but Jesus’ love for His children has made it possible for you to have a heart filled with grace, to be forgiven, and made righteous. Don’t let His sacrifice for you be in vain.

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

Heaven Bound

“And He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: they need no lamp nor light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. Then He said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. ‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’ ”

Revelation 22:1–7

The study of the saints’ trip to heaven, considering the anticipated wonders of heaven, is enjoyable for us all. However, we also must spend time considering the judgments of God that are to fall upon the lost. All of the wicked have made their decision in the great controversy, and the time has arrived in which the judgments of God are with man as well as with angels. “ ‘A noise will come to the ends of the earth—for the Lord has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the Lord.” Jeremiah 25:31

“For six thousand years, the great controversy has been in progress; the Son of God and His heavenly messengers have been in conflict with the power of the evil one, to warn, enlighten, and save the children of men. Now all have made their decisions; the wicked have fully united with Satan in his warfare against God. The time has come for God to vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law. Now the controversy is not alone with Satan, but with men.” The Great Controversy, 656

This is the time when those with the slaughtering weapons will go forth, and their work of destruction will begin with those who have been the spiritual guardians of the people. “The mark of deliverance has been set upon those ‘that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done.’ Now the angel of death goes forth, represented in Ezekiel’s vision by the men with the slaughtering weapons, to whom the command is given: ‘Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.’ Says the prophet: ‘They began at the ancient men which were before the house.’ Ezekiel 9:1–6. The work of destruction begins among those who have professed to be the spiritual guardians of the people. The false watchmen are the first to fall. There are none to pity or to spare. Men, women, maidens, and little children perish together.” Ibid.

It is of interest to note that it is by the strife of men and the wrath of God that the wicked are slain.

“For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood, and will no more cover her slain.” Isaiah 26:21

“And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongue shall dissolve in their mouth. It shall come to pass in that day, that a great panic from the Lord will be among them. Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor, and raise his hand against his neighbor’s hand.” Zechariah 14:12, 13

Commenting on these two scriptures, the Spirit of Prophecy states, “In the mad strife of their own fierce passions, and by the awful outpouring of God’s unmingled wrath, fall the wicked inhabitants of the earth—priests, rulers, and people, rich and poor, high and low. ‘And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried.’ Jeremiah 25:33.” The Great Controversy, 657

“At the coming of Christ the wicked are blotted from the face of the whole earth—consumed with the spirit of His mouth, and destroyed by the brightness of His glory.” The Faith I Live By, 353

Since the wicked have identified themselves with sin, they will die in the destruction of sin. “To sin, wherever found, our ‘God is a consuming fire.’ Hebrews 12:29. In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them.” The Desire of Ages, 107

And how is this accomplished? The wicked are slain by His glory. “The glory of His countenance, which to the righteous is life, will be to the wicked a consuming fire. Because of love rejected, grace despised, the sinner will be destroyed.” Ibid., 600

This death by God is an act of mercy. “Could those whose hearts are filled with hatred of God, of truth and holiness, mingle with the heavenly throng and join their songs of praise? Could they endure the glory of God and the Lamb? No, no; years of probation were granted them, that they might form characters for heaven; but they have never trained the mind to love purity; they have never learned the language of heaven, and now it is too late. A life of rebellion against God has unfitted them for heaven. Its purity, holiness, and peace would be torture to them; the glory of God would be a consuming fire. They would long to flee from that holy place. They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them. The destiny of the wicked is fixed by their own choice. Their exclusion from heaven is voluntary with themselves, and just and merciful on the part of God.” The Great Controversy, 542, 543

“God destroys no one. The sinner destroys himself by his own impenitence.” Testimonies, Vol.  5, 120

Thus, the wicked are responsible for their own death.

“Christ takes His people to the city of God, and the earth is emptied of its inhabitants. …

“The whole earth appears like a desolate wilderness. The ruins of cities and villages destroyed by the earthquake, uprooted trees, ragged rocks thrown out by the sea or torn out of the earth itself, are scattered over its surface, while vast caverns mark the spot where the mountains have been rent from their foundations.” The Great Controversy, 657

“Here is to be the home of Satan with his evil angels for a thousand years.” Early Writings, 290

It is at this time that the sins of the people are placed upon the scapegoat.

Justice demands that Satan bear the penalty for all the sins which he caused God’s people to commit. “When Christ, by virtue of His own blood, removes the sins of His people from the heavenly sanctuary at the close of His ministration, He will place them upon Satan, who, in the execution of the judgment, must bear the final penalty.” The Great Controversy, 422

“And as the scapegoat was sent away into a land not inhabited, so Satan will be banished to the desolate earth, an uninhabited and dreary wilderness.” Ibid., 658

“… Satan, bearing the guilt of all the sins which he has caused God’s people to commit, will be for a thousand years confined to the earth, which will then be desolate, without inhabitant, and he will at last suffer the full penalty of sin in the fires that shall destroy all the wicked.” Ibid., 485, 486

“The revelator foretells the banishment of Satan and the condition of chaos and desolation to which the earth is to be reduced, and he declares that this condition will exist for a thousand years. After presenting the scenes of the Lord’s second coming and the destruction of the wicked, the prophecy continues: ‘I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.’ Revelation 20:1–3.” Ibid., 658

Turning our attention to what takes place as the saints of God meet the Lord in the sky, Mrs. White writes, “There stands the risen host. The last thought was of death and its pangs. The last thoughts they had were of the grave and the tomb, but now they proclaim, ‘O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ …

“Here they stand and the finishing touch of immortality is put upon them and they go up to meet their Lord in the air.” Sons and Daughters of God, 359

As the saints ascend to the holy city, consider what takes place. “Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the city of God.

“On each side of the cloudy chariot are wings, and beneath it are living wheels; and as the chariot rolls upward, the wheels cry, ‘Holy,’ and the wings, as they move, cry, ‘Holy,’ and the retinue of angels cry, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.’ And the redeemed shout, ‘Alleluia!’ as the chariot moves onward toward the New Jerusalem.” The Great Controversy, 645

“How glorious it will be to see Him and be welcomed as His redeemed ones! Long have we waited, but our hope is not to grow dim. If we can but see the King in His beauty we shall be forever blessed. I feel as if I must cry aloud: ‘Homeward bound!’ ” Testimonies, Vol. 8, 253

Oh friend, what a journey this will be for it will take seven days. “We entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass.” Early Writings, 16

“Before entering the city of God, the Saviour bestows upon His followers the emblems of victory and invests them with the insignia of their royal state. The glittering ranks are drawn up in the form of a hollow square about their King, whose form rises in majesty high above saint and angel, whose countenance beams upon them full of benignant love. Throughout the unnumbered host of the redeemed every glance is fixed upon Him, every eye beholds His glory whose ‘visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.’ Upon the heads of the overcomers, Jesus with His own right hand places the crown of glory. For each there is a crown, bearing his own ‘new name’ (Revelation 2:17), and the inscription, ‘Holiness to the Lord.’ In every hand are placed the victor’s palm and the shining harp. Then, as the commanding angels strike the note, every hand sweeps the harp strings with skillful touch, awaking sweet music in rich, melodious strains. Rapture unutterable thrills every heart, and each voice is raised in grateful praise: ‘Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.’ Revelation 1:5, 6.” The Great Controversy, 645, 646

What a glorious sight that will be!

As the saints receive their crown, a very touching event takes place, for many will thank their mothers. “The day of God will reveal how much the world owes to godly mothers. …

“When the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened; when the ‘well done’ of the great Judge is pronounced, and the crown of immortal glory is placed upon the brow of the victor, many will raise their crowns in sight of the assembled universe, and pointing to their mother say: ‘She made me all I am through the grace of God. Her instruction, her prayers, have been blessed to my eternal salvation.’ ” Maranatha, 308

Can you imagine the joy of parents? “With joy unutterable, parents see the crown, the robe, the harp, given to their children. The days of hope and fear are ended. The seed sown with tears and prayers may have seemed to be sown in vain, but their harvest is reaped with joy at last. Their children have been redeemed.” Ibid.

Isn’t that thrilling to consider?

Then our loving Saviour, having led the entire company across the sea of glass to the holy city, “raised His mighty, glorious arm, laid hold of the pearly gate, swung it back on its glittering hinges, and said to us, ‘You have washed your robes in My blood, stood stiffly for My truth, enter in.’ ” Early Writings, 17

“ ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ ” Matthew 25:34

But let us not forget for a moment the joy that will be found in the heart of Christ. “Within the city there was everything to feast the eye. Rich glory they beheld everywhere. Then Jesus looked upon His redeemed saints; their countenances were radiant with glory; and as He fixed His loving eyes upon them, He said, with His rich, musical voice, ‘I behold the travail of My soul, and am satisfied. This rich glory is yours to enjoy eternally. Your sorrows are ended. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.’ I saw the redeemed host bow and cast their glittering crowns at the feet of Jesus, and then, as His lovely hand raised them up, they touched their golden harps and filled all heaven with their rich music and songs to the Lamb.” Early Writings, 288, 289

And now the time has come. Adam is to again meet Him with whom he once walked and talked in his innocence. Try to catch the celestial excitement. “As the ransomed ones are welcomed to the city of God, there rings out upon the air an exultant cry of adoration. The two Adams are about to meet. The Son of God is standing with outstretched arms to receive the father of our race—the being whom He created, who sinned against his Maker, and for whose sin the marks of the crucifixion are borne upon the Saviour’s form. As Adam discerns the prints of the cruel nails, he does not fall upon the bosom of his Lord, but in humiliation casts himself at His feet, crying: ‘Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain!’ Tenderly the Saviour lifts him up and bids him look once more upon the Eden home from which he has so long been exiled.” The Great Controversy, 647

Gazing upon its beauty, Adam views once again the very same Eden in which he and Eve had worshiped and praised God before sin entered the earth. “Transported with joy, he [Adam] beholds the trees that were once his delight—the very trees whose fruit he himself had gathered in the days of his innocence and joy. He sees the vines that his own hands have trained, the very flowers that he once loved to care for. His mind grasps the reality of the scene; he comprehends that this is indeed Eden restored, more lovely now than when he was banished from it. The Saviour leads him to the tree of life and plucks the glorious fruit and bids him eat. He looks about him and beholds a multitude of his family redeemed, standing in the paradise of God. Then he casts his glittering crown at the feet of Jesus and, falling upon His breast, embraces the Redeemer. He touches the golden harp, and the vaults of heaven echo the triumphant song: ‘Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and lives again!’ The family of Adam take up the strain and cast their crowns at the Saviour’s feet as they bow before Him in adoration.” Ibid., 648

Try to envision the feelings of the redeemed as they behold the tree of life and the throne of God, and the moment when the saved will actually eat of the tree of life.

And now, we see the 144,000 standing on the crystal sea before the throne. These are they who:

have gotten the victory over the beast, his image, and his mark;

were translated from among the living at the second advent and are, therefore, the firstfruits;

came out of great tribulation, for they have passed through the time of trouble;

went through Jacob’s trouble;

stood without an intercessor after the close of probation;

and were without fault before God.

“With the Lamb upon Mount Zion, ‘having the harps of God,’ they stand, the hundred and forty and four thousand that were redeemed from among men; and there is heard, as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of a great thunder, ‘the voice of harpers harping with their harps.’ And they sing ‘a new song’ before the throne, a song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand. It is the song of Moses and the Lamb—a song of deliverance. None but the hundred and forty-four thousand can learn that song; for it is the song of their experience—an experience such as no other company have ever had. … ‘These are they which came out of great tribulation’ … . But they have been delivered, for they have ‘washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’ ” Ibid., 648, 649

When considering heaven’s blessings, it is difficult to contain our yearnings for we long to experience the joy of such salvation. “Henceforth they are to be ever with the Lord. They stand before the throne clad in richer robes than the most honored of the earth have ever worn. They are crowned with diadems more glorious than were ever placed upon the brow of earthly monarchs. The days of pain and weeping are forever ended. The King of glory has wiped the tears from all faces; every cause of grief has been removed.” Ibid., 650

Our understanding of the plan of salvation will forever enlarge with the coming of eternal ages for we shall be ever learning more and more about the tremendous price God paid to save us. “In this life we can only begin to understand the wonderful theme of redemption. … The plan of redemption will not be fully understood, even when the ransomed see as they are seen and know as they are known; but through the eternal ages new truth will continually unfold to the wondering and delighted mind. Though the griefs and pains and temptations of earth are ended and the cause removed, the people of God will ever have a distinct, intelligent knowledge of what their salvation has cost.” Ibid., 651

“Language is altogether too feeble to attempt a description of heaven. As the scene rises before me, I am lost in amazement. Carried away with the surpassing splendor and excellent glory, I lay down the pen, and exclaim, ‘Oh, what love! what wondrous love!’ The most exalted language fails to describe the glory of heaven or the matchless depths of a Saviour’s love.” Maranatha, 319

For more than fifty years, Pastor Lawrence Nelson served the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a pastor, evangelist, and then in Conference, Union, and General Conference leadership. When God laid upon him the responsibility to “tell it like it is” to alert the people how the church was leading them into the worldwide ecumenical movement, he was forbidden to preach in any church within the Oregon Conference. Though nothing could be found in his preaching that was contrary to the doctrines of the church, he was considered divisive. As a result, Keep the Faith Audio Tape Ministry was born. Pastor Nelson passed to his rest on April 18, 2012.

Are You Serious About Being Saved?

When I was around twenty years old, as I studied The Great Controversy between Christ and His Angels and Satan and His Angels, I realized that when I reach heaven, I will be associating with those who on this earth had developed a perfect character.

I thought hard about this because I didn’t yet have a perfect character, and I was not sure that I knew anyone else who did.

As I continued to study, I discovered that those who do not have a perfect character will not be in heaven. Jesus spoke of this condition to His disciples when He said, “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” Matthew 25:29

It would be no exaggeration to say that I was in a state of alarm when I realized this. I had been baptized for ten years. I was looked upon as a good person. I was studying to be a minister, but I knew that my character had serious defects.

What Must I do?

So, what can be done to remove the terrible defects in our characters to make us fit for heaven?

“Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 331

If you decide that you cannot overcome your defects of character, then you will not be in heaven. This failure is perhaps one of the main reasons that a great majority of Adventists will fail of gaining entry to the kingdom of glory.

“In concluding this narrative, I would say that we are living in a most solemn time. In the last vision given me, I was shown the startling fact that but a small portion of those who now profess the truth will be sanctified by it and be saved. Many will get above the simplicity of the work. They will conform to the world, cherish idols, and become spiritually dead. The humble, self-sacrificing followers of Jesus will pass on to perfection, leaving behind the indifferent and lovers of the world.” Testimonies, Vol. 1, 608, 609

Did you notice that Mrs. White said in vision that only a small portion of those who now profess the truth will be saved? It is my intention, by the grace of God, to be a member of that number, and I pray it is your intention, too.

God does not tell us to do things and then leave us to struggle on our own. “All His biddings are enablings.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 333. Jesus said, “Without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5, last part. He also said, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48. How can He tell us to be perfect, unless He intends to give us the power to do it?

Writing to a husband who had some very serious character defects, Mrs. White said, “When tempted to murmur, censure, and indulge in fretfulness, wounding those around you, and in so doing wounding your own soul, oh! let the deep, earnest, anxious inquiry come from your soul, Shall I stand without fault before the throne of God? Only the faultless will be there.

“None will be translated to heaven while their hearts are filled with the rubbish of earth. Every defect in the moral character must first be remedied, every stain removed by the cleansing blood of Christ, and all the unlovely, unlovable traits of character overcome.” Testimonies, Vol. 1, 705

Friend, we all have unlovely, unlovable, unChristlike traits of character. All these traits must be overcome if we are to go to heaven.

“In the state which you and your family are in at present, all heaven would be marred should you be introduced therein. The work for you must be done here. This earth is the fitting-up place. You have not one moment to lose.” Ibid., 706

There is no infinite amount of time to overcome these things, no second chances when the end of all things comes. For that reason, we have no time to lose. We must get down to it, putting all our commitment and determination into overcoming all the ugly defects that mar our characters.

“All is harmony, peace, and love in heaven. No discord, no strife, no censoring, no unloving words, no clouded brow, no jars there; and no one will be introduced there who possesses any of these elements so destructive to peace and happiness.” Ibid.

Oh, friend, how serious are you about being saved? Enough to ask the Lord to help you learn the lessons He seeks to daily teach us? God knows our characters and exactly what must be overcome if we are going to be in heaven. If we surrender, heart, soul, and body, everything to Him, if we seek to do His will, and to learn His lessons, even when they involve trials that we don’t like, then God will help us every step of the way. He is preparing a people for heaven, and He will not allow any soul to fail if they will commit to work with Him in perfecting their character.

God told Abraham, “ ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless [perfect].’ ” Genesis 17:1, last part

In 1 Corinthians 1:4–8, Paul speaks to the church in Corinth about being blameless when Jesus comes. In his letter to the Ephesians, he describes the condition of the church when Jesus comes the second time as, “not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:27

Peter counsels the church to “be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:14, last part

The work of seeking perfection of character is as important as it gets. “Our first work is to become perfect in His sight, by living faith claiming His promise of forgiveness.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, 49

Perfection of character is to be our first work. Every soul must aim for it.

“Success in any line demands a definite aim. He who would achieve true success in life must keep steadily in view the aim worthy of his endeavor.” Mind, Character, and Personality, Vol. 1, 341

If a person lacks steadfastness in their commitment to develop perfection of character, they will not overcome the defects in their character. When they set their course and ask the Lord to help them, they will be astonished at the defects He will reveal to them, and He will show them what they must do to be changed.

Without a perfect character, we will not enter through the pearly gates for we will be unable to endure the presence of God. Mrs. White tells us that when Jesus comes, the wicked will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming, just as the Roman guard, who did not have perfect characters, fell powerless to the ground at Jesus’ resurrection.

“No unlikeness to Christ will be permitted in the holy city.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 15, 171. If the Lord were to take anyone to heaven with a defective character, heaven would be spoiled. In fact, the same rebellion we have down here in this world eventually would occur again, and the Bible says that affliction is not going to rise up the second time.

“Will God take to heaven, and into His own glorious presence, those who are living in open violation of one of the plainest precepts of the decalogue? No, no. It can never be that He will take those who are living in rebellion to His holy law to heaven, among pure angels who delight to do His will, and obey the laws of His righteous government, for there would be a second rebellion in heaven. The indignation of heaven is aroused at man’s open and daring rebellion against God’s holy law.” The Review and Herald, September 16, 1862

This inspired statement shows us just how important it is that we aim for perfection of character, making it our first work here and now. For no one who still harbors sin will enter heaven.

“ ‘For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, ‘That will leave them neither root nor branch.’ ” Malachi 4:1

What is Perfection of Character?

The simplest definition of perfection of character is to be like Jesus Christ. However, it is impossible to be like Him, if we do not know Him. So the best way to know Him is to study His life.

Inspiration describes the characteristics of the person who has a perfect character in a number of passages. We’ll look at just a few of these.

A person with a perfect character

  1. Is always patient.
  2. Is pure in heart.
  3. Always has self-control.
  4. Does not exalt self.
  5. Is kind, tender-hearted, and refined.
  6. Will have the meekness of Christ.
  7. Is not half-hearted.
  8. Will manifest constant obedience to Jesus Christ.
  9. Will never be discourteous.
  10. Will have gentleness and forbearance, and his character will be manifest in his countenance.

The problem for us is that we do not have these characteristics. We must go to God and ask Him to help us, by His grace and power, to remedy the defects in our character. Praise God, He never tells us to do something without making it possible to do it. He stands behind every promise that He has made, and we can be assured that He will uphold them.

How is My Character Perfected?

We have found that having a perfect character is essential for we cannot go to heaven without it. We have determined what a perfect character looks like. Now we come to the most important part—how to obtain a perfect character.

For our characters to be made perfect, God must work a miracle in our lives. This miracle is available to every person in the world, but not all people are interested in, or serious about, being saved. They are happy with an easy religion that does not require obedience, sacrifice, or change of any kind.

I must be serious about being saved if I want to go to heaven. Time is running out and that makes the necessity of a perfected character a very scary proposition, because I have so much that needs to be changed. But regardless of how impossible it may look from a human standpoint, I can trust that all things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26).

So, what am I to do to become perfect? First, I must understand that it is through Jesus Christ alone that my defects are remedied and my character is made perfect.

Most people, even many Adventists, believe that your character has to do with your words and actions, and that is true. But have you ever considered that your words and actions are, in fact, an outward expression of what is already in your mind (Luke 6:45)? If we want our actions and words to be changed, then our minds and hearts must be changed first.

Let’s look at what we need to do to have a perfected character.

  1. Ephesians 4:1–6 tells me that I come to perfection of character through certain spiritual gifts that God has put in the church. Through these gifts, the church will come into harmony and unity, and into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ.
  2. I must receive Jesus into my heart as the Lord of my life, and I must believe that Jesus can, by His grace, take a person like me and make my character perfect.
  3. Perfection of character is a step-by-step process. It does not happen with a snap of the fingers and now I am perfect.

“There must be a lifelong, persevering, untiring effort, a fighting of the good fight of faith. The struggle is lifelong and the victory is certain.” The 1888 Ellen G. White Materials, 938

  1. I must be learning daily about Jesus.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

  1. I must be involved in the work God is doing in the world. I cannot be just a spectator.

“Place your entire dependence on the One who is able to keep the souls committed to His trust, able to imbue them with His Spirit, able to fill them with unselfish love for one another, thus enabling them to bear witness that He has sent His Son into the world to save sinners. …

“God’s servants have one common work. Their aim is to convert people to the pure truth of the word of God.” The Upward Look, 85

  1. I will have trials, disappointments, and tribulation. I must be willing to fight against my defects of character and overcome them. Only God can give me the victory, but I must be willing to fight.

“The Christian life is a life of constant conflict. It is a battle and a march. Every act of obedience, every deed of self-denial, every trial bravely endured, every temptation resisted, every victory gained, is a step forward in the march to eternal triumph.” Ye Shall Receive Power, 358

“All who enter heaven will do so as conquerors. You will have battles to fight; you will have difficulties to meet that can only be overcome by strong, determined resistance.” The Signs of the Times, May 5, 1887

“Under the Lord’s guidance, every sphere of action, every position in life, every disappointment, becomes the means of the development of Christian experience.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 7, 149

  1. I must strive for perfection of character.

“Strive, for the grasp of Satan is upon you; and if you do not wrench yourselves from Him, you will be palsied and ruined. … Strive, for there is a crown to be won. Strive, for if you win not the crown, you lose everything in this life and in the future life. Strive, but let it be in the strength of your risen Saviour.” The Review and Herald, August 21, 1888

  1. I must daily study the word of God, pray, and do good.

“The business of every Christian is to study the character of Christ.” That I May Know Him, 182

“By studying the life of Christ let the workers learn how He lived and worked. Let them strive each day to live His life.” Testimonies, Vol. 6, 416

“Jesus gave us a perfect pattern. Let us study it carefully, and as we study and pray, we shall come into close connection with heaven. Shall we not try harder to be like Jesus? Shall we not pray more? Shall we not make more earnest efforts for others?” The Review and Herald, March 16, 1886

  1. I must seek daily to remove the blemishes from my character. If my thoughts, words, actions, or feelings are unChristlike, then there is a blemish in my character that must be removed.

“Those who expect one day to stand before the throne of the God of gods and Lord of kings, … should seek daily to remove the blemishes in character that lead to sin, and bring into their lives the perfection of character that all must reveal who have a part in the kingdom of heaven.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 29, 1907

  1. I am to exercise mercy toward my fellow man.

“The exercise of mercy in our daily relations with one another is one of the most effective means of attaining perfection of character, for only those who walk with Christ can be truly merciful.” In Heavenly Places, 290

  1. Only through Christ alone can I achieve perfection of character.

“If you have an earnest desire to answer the claims that God has upon you, if your desire is to be connected with God, and to reach the highest round of the ladder of progress in the divine life, then, when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. But it is your own efforts, through the grace of Christ, that will bring you perfection of character.” The Signs of the Times, May 5, 1887

“Jesus is the perfect pattern … . He kept His Father’s statutes, precepts, and laws. He was continually seeking counsel of God, and was obedient to His will.

“It is the duty and privilege of every child to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.” Sons and Daughters of God, 128

  1. I must have a regard for the laws of nature.

“Perfection of character cannot be attained when the laws of nature are disregarded; for this is transgression of the law of God.” Our High Calling, 266

  1. I can attain perfection of character because it is attainable by everyone who strives for it.

“The word of God is full of consolation. It presents before us great possibilities and advantages, which all should appreciate. By a faithful improvement of these blessings we may rise to the highest standard of Christian excellence. The gospel influences those who receive it to attain to perfection. They are inspired with faith and hope, and become Christlike in character.” The Review and Herald, February 19, 1901

  1. I must be willing to be obedient to the truth.

“God requires perfection of character from His children. He demands that His law be remembered and meditated upon, that unswerving obedience be rendered to its requirements.” The Signs of the Times, March 4, 1897

“We can never attain perfection of character if we do not hear the voice of God and obey His counsel.” The Youth’s Instructor, January 13, 1898

  1. I will follow Peter’s ladder to perfection.

“For this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. … Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.” 2 Peter 1:5–7, 10

  1. I must repent and forsake my sins.

“ ‘While it is called today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.’ [Hebrews 3:15]. It may be you will never hear the invitation again. A mere answer in the affirmative is not sufficient. We are to repent and forsake every sin, and work the works of righteousness.” The General Conference Bulletin, October 1, 1899 [Author’s emphasis.]

  1. I must practice self-denial and self-sacrifice.

“Seek to deny yourself; be holy; let your mind dwell upon heaven, and let your conversation be there also.” Sons and Daughters of God, 89

“Human nature is ever struggling for expression, ready for contest; but he who learns of Christ is emptied of self, of pride, of love of supremacy, and there is silence in the soul. Self is yielded to the disposal of the Holy Spirit.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 15

“There is a world to be warned. To us has been entrusted this work. At any cost we must practice the truth. We are to stand as self-sacrificing minutemen, willing to suffer the loss of life itself, if need be, in the service of God.” The Review and Herald, January 31, 1907

  1. I must be willing to work hard.

“Perfection of character is a lifelong work, unattainable by those who are not willing to strive for it in God’s appointed way, by slow and toilsome steps.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, 500

  1. I must place every thought in subjection to Christ.

“Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

  1. I must encourage unity in the church.

“Perfection of character means perfection in unity. ‘That they all may be one,’ Christ said, ‘as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee’ (John 17:21).” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 11, 179

“It is the unity of Christ’s followers that convinces the world that God has indeed sent His Son to die for sinners, to make them partakers of His perfection, changing the sinful heart, and forming the character after the divine likeness.” The Review and Herald, July 21, 1903

  1. I must constantly resist evil and cooperate with divinity.

“You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.” Hebrews 12:4

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

  1. I must stop criticizing.

“The one who criticizes another gives evidence that he is the very one who needs to criticize himself. Pray God to show you what you must remove from yourselves in order that you may see the kingdom of God.” Our High Calling, 233

  1. I must not only be beholding Jesus, I must talk of His love.

“Let us talk faith, talk courage. Let our lips utter the praise of the Lord. Behold Him, behold Him who is the Light of the world. Talk of His love, tell of His wonderful works.” The Upward Look, 289

  1. I must engage in hard, stern battles with self.

“A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits and grace of Christ. God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 331

“This knowledge [the knowledge of God] is the foundation of all true education and of all true service. It is the only real safeguard against temptation; and it is this alone that can make one like God in character. …

“None need fail of attaining, in his sphere, to perfection of Christian character. By the sacrifice of Christ, provision has been made for the believer to receive all things that pertain to life and godliness. God calls upon us to reach the standard of perfection and places before us the example of Christ’s character. In His humanity, perfected by a life of constant resistance of evil, the Saviour showed that through cooperation with Divinity, human beings may in this life attain to perfection of character. This is God’s assurance to us that we, too, may obtain complete victory.” The Acts of the Apostles, 530, 531

[Emphasis supplied.]

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

Testimony – Only What is Done for Christ

When I was a teenager, one of my friends would say so dramatically, “We are so desperate, and there’s so little time.” And then, she would laugh as if it was the biggest joke.

Friends, it is no joke anymore. We are so desperate for Jesus to come, and our time to prepare to meet Him is passing quickly away. Maybe we will live to see Him come, but we also could die before then. We must remain faithful if we are to reach our heavenly home. Every moment counts, complacency is not an option. We must get ready and stay ready every day.

When I was about ten years old, I remember one Sabbath after church, I looked at some of the oldest members, one man in particular who seemed older to me, and as I looked at him I wondered, “Will Jesus come before he dies?” Now I think to myself, will He come before I die? Our world is in constant upheaval and chaos—not the kind of chaos that has come and gone as in previous decades—but the kind of chaos that is now snowballing at an ever-accelerating pace. And as the Bible tells us, it will not get better as we draw closer to His return. The unmistakable signs of Jesus, soon coming, are everywhere. I have spoken to strangers about the world situation, and so many have come right out and said, “It’s because Jesus is coming.”

It is not important if we go to our graves before He comes and are resurrected later. To be ready is of the utmost importance.

“It is a solemn thing to die, but a far more solemn thing to live. Every thought and word and deed of our lives will meet us again. What we make of ourselves in [this] probationary time, that we must remain to all eternity. 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.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, 466

I recently passed an old gravesite. The verse on the headstone really spoke to me.

“Behold my friends, as you pass by. As you are now, so once was I.

As I am now, you soon may be. Prepare for death and follow me.”

What a powerful witness. This person reminds us that death may be inevitable, but if we follow Jesus, our heavenly home, where death cannot enter, awaits.

How beautiful, I thought. The headstone only had a name, as if to the writer it didn’t matter when they were born, how long they stayed, or when they died. Rather what mattered was only how they had lived; and soon they would awake in Jesus. This dear soul left to all who passed by what mattered most. How much more important to us, as we yet live, to tell everyone we meet that Jesus is coming soon. Get ready.

In these times of fear and rapidly changing world events, it is now, as never before, that people are most receptive to the gospel of Christ. Never be discouraged by those who are not interested, because for every one of those, there are thousands who long to know. Who can know how many people have passed this gravesite and been encouraged to think about their own destiny. This person died, but their testimony lives on. On that glorious morning, as they are awakened by the voice of their King, it will be as if no time has passed. Centuries may have come and gone, but it will be like a moment in time. How wonderful! Knowing this truth—if I am ready, I cannot fear death.

I remember as a child we had a little plaque on the wall that read:

Only one life will soon be past.

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

It doesn’t matter who you may meet in daily life, tell them about the love of God and how they can be saved. Initiate a chat with someone in the grocery store, or the parking lot, or just anywhere God lays on your heart to speak to the person before you. Be bold and trust God to give you the words to speak. We may never know what can become of that experience. Plant the seed in simple words, and let God do the rest in that person’s life.

“The good seed may for a time lie unnoticed in a cold, selfish worldly heart, giving no evidence that it has taken root; but afterward, as the Spirit of God breathes on the soul, the hidden seed springs up … In our life work we know not which shall prosper, this or that. This is not a question for us to settle. We are to do our work, and leave the results with God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 65

I long to see every person I have witnessed to in heaven on that great day. Oh, what a day that will be—not for a moment in time, but for all eternity.

Invitation Rejected

“But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, ‘When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.’ … And after some days … [Felix] sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’ 

Acts 24:22–25

 “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe. Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’ 

Acts 26:27, 28

Go away, until I am ready. You almost convinced me. Truth is, repentance does not happen according to our time table or our convenience or whim. Repentance is a response to an invitation extended by the Holy Spirit. It is an offer of His power to unite with our desire to change. If the invitation is accepted, the Holy Spirit performs a miraculous work in the life, changing the desires, inclinations, thoughts and actions.

But an invitation rejected leaves a person in darkness, “tossed to and fro and carried by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.” Ephesians 4:14. Felix and Agrippa were given the invitation of the Holy Spirit, and both turned away and were forever lost.

“God now calls upon you to repent, to be zealous in the work. Your eternal happiness will be determined by the course you now pursue. Can you reject the invitations of mercy now offered? Can you choose your own way? Will you cherish pride and vanity, and lose your soul at last? The word of God plainly tells us that few will be saved, and that the greater number of those, even, who are called will prove themselves unworthy of everlasting life. They will have no part in heaven, but will have their portion with Satan, and experience the second death.” Testimonies, Vol. 2, 293, 294

“… ‘A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, “Come, for all things are now ready.” But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.” And another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.” Still another said, “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.”  ’ ” Luke 14:16–20

His friends, those of position and wealth, were not interested in accepting the gracious invitation of the master to participate in the “great supper” he had prepared for them. They chose instead to tend to their own business first. Excuse after excuse is given, until in anger, the master instructs his servant, “ ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind. … Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.’ ” Verses 21, 23

And then he makes this terrible declaration, “ ‘For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ” Verse 24

“They had rejected the invitation, and none of them were to be invited again. In rejecting Christ, the Jews were hardening their hearts, and giving themselves into the power of Satan so that it would be impossible for them to accept His grace. So it is now. If the love of God is not appreciated and does not become an abiding principle to soften and subdue the soul, we are utterly lost. The Lord can give no greater manifestation of His love than He has given. If the love of Jesus does not subdue the heart, there are no means by which we can be reached.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 236, 237

We see the same illustration in Matthew 22:1–14 in the parable of the marriage of the king’s son. The marriage was arranged, the wedding feast prepared, the servants sent out with the invitation, but the Bible says that they were not willing to come. He extended the invitation again, but this, too, was rejected and even more, the king’s servants were beaten and killed. In his anger, he sent an army and destroyed those who had rejected this gracious invitation.

He then said, “ ‘Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

‘But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’ ” Verses 9–14

This parable shows us that the invitation was given, but rejected by those who did not feel the need to accept it. These are the characteristics of the Laodicean church as found in Revelation 3:17, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked … .”

Consequently, the invitation is given to those who recognized the need to accept. However, this parable also shows that there is necessary preparation that must be done in order to be able to attend the wedding feast. The wedding garment represents Christ’s robe of righteousness (Matthew 22:12). We must choose daily to become more and more like Christ, and in giving up our “filthy rags,” we are to accept His pure, white robe.

“When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah.

“The guests at the marriage feast were inspected by the king. Only those were accepted who had obeyed his requirements and put on the wedding garment. So it is with the guests at the gospel feast. All must pass the scrutiny of the great King, and only those are received who have put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness.

“Righteousness is right doing, and it is by their deeds that all will be judged. Our characters are revealed by what we do. The works show whether the faith is genuine.

“It is not enough for us to believe that Jesus is not an impostor, and that the religion of the Bible is no cunningly devised fable. We may believe that the name of Jesus is the only name under heaven whereby man may be saved, and yet we may not through faith make Him our personal Saviour. It is not enough to believe the theory of truth. It is not enough to make a profession of faith in Christ and have our names registered on the church roll. ‘He that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.’ ‘Hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments.’ 1 John 3:24; 2:3. This is the genuine evidence of conversion. Whatever our profession, it amounts to nothing unless Christ is revealed in works of righteousness. …

“He who becomes a partaker of the divine nature will be in harmony with God’s great standard of righteousness, His holy law. This is the rule by which God measures the actions of men. This will be the test of character in the judgment.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 312–314

Friend, have you received the invitation of the Holy Spirit? What has been your response?

“I’m busy today, come again later.”

“I have other plans, let me get back to You.”

“It’s just not a good time for me. There are so many things I want to do or try. I’ll be ready later.”

Perhaps the saddest and one of the most well-known rejections is the story of Judas. He was a selfish, willful, young man with the greatest opportunity. In the physical presence of the Messiah, Judas was ministered to as any other disciple. Jesus’ heart of love yearned for Judas to accept the invitation to repent, but we know that this was not the outcome in Judas’ life.

“The disciples knew nothing of the purpose of Judas. Jesus alone could read his secret. Yet He did not expose him. Jesus hungered for his soul. … His heart was crying, How can I give thee up? The constraining power of that love was felt by Judas. When the Saviour’s hands were bathing those soiled feet, and wiping them with the towel, the heart of Judas thrilled through and through with the impulse then and there to confess his sin. But he would not humble himself. He hardened his heart against repentance; and the old impulses, for the moment put aside, again controlled him [Almost he accepted the invitation]. Judas was now offended at Christ’s act in washing the feet of His disciples. If Jesus could so humble Himself, he thought, He could not be Israel’s king. All hope of worldly honor in a temporal kingdom was destroyed. Judas was satisfied that there was nothing to be gained by following Christ. … He was possessed by a demon, and he resolved to complete the work he had agreed to do in betraying his Lord.

“Judas the betrayer was present at the sacramental service. He received from Jesus the emblems of His broken body and His spilled blood. He heard the words, ‘This do in remembrance of Me.’ And sitting there in the very presence of the Lamb of God, the betrayer brooded upon his own dark purposes, and cherished his sullen, revengeful thoughts.

“At the Passover supper Jesus proved His divinity by revealing the traitor’s purpose. He tenderly included Judas in the ministry to the disciples. But the last appeal of love was unheeded. Then the case of Judas was decided, and the feet that Jesus had washed went forth to the betrayer’s work.

Until this step was taken, Judas had not passed beyond the possibility of repentance. But when he left the presence of his Lord and his fellow disciples, the final decision had been made. He had passed the boundary line.

“How many today are, like Judas, betraying their Lord?” Conflict and Courage, 319

The invitation given to Judas was rejected.

The invitations illustrated in both the parable of the wedding garment and great supper were offered first to the Jewish nation, but after repeated rejection, they were finally given to the Gentiles. These invitations are treated the same, the same excuses given to refuse the invitation in every age. I cannot follow Christ because it would interfere with my business interests or social relations. Following the commandments of God would put me out of harmony with my neighbors, friends, and relatives.

“They make light of the message, but the Master of the feast regards their flimsy excuses as contempt of His invitation of mercy. These apologies which men offer for refusing the invitation to the heavenly supper will appear again in their true character in the day of God. The rich feast of God’s grace has been provided at infinite cost, and an invitation to that feast confers special honor upon the human race. Those who accept the invitation are authorized and commissioned of God to extend it to every creature. … Shall we not accept the invitation to the gospel feast, feed upon Christ, and thus have everlasting life?” The Review and Herald, March 3, 1896

Sadly, it is possible, as Christians, to believe that we have accepted God’s invitation of grace, that we are doing all the right things, that we are His children, that only Jesus saves; but too often, while believing, we have failed to have the personal relationship with Him that will make us like Him in character, replacing our filthy rags with His robe of righteous eternal life.

What is your answer? Invitation accepted? [Emphasis supplied.]

Look Up, Your Redemption is Nigh!

“That no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

Revelation 13:17

How this scripture will be fulfilled has been debated for many years. There are even some who question if it is possible at all, but Bible prophecy assures us that it will happen. It was unimaginable that these things could occur in the United States, let alone throughout the world. But recent events have shone a whole new light on how this scripture will be fulfilled.

Over recent decades, we have watched as our monetary system has gone from cash to credit. Life has become conveniently easy by the introduction of the credit and debit cards. You now can withdraw money from your account almost anywhere in the United States and in most other countries in the world. There is no need to carry cash if you have one of these cards guaranteed by Visa or Mastercard. I admit that I enjoy this convenience myself.

The problem is not having and using the cards per se, rather it is what we do not see behind the scenes. It allows the control and transfers of monies on a digital level by the Treasury Department and banking industries. This is convenient, providing ready cash when you need it. But what happens when a bank or country takes away a person’s access to their own money? We now see clearly that the overreach of this system can seize and control an individual’s rightful wealth.

Recently, the United States and other countries have waged a financial war on Russia because of their aggression against Ukraine. Russia has committed horrible atrocities against a fellow nation which sparked outrage throughout a large part of the world. In retaliation for this aggression, many nations have placed sanctions on Russia to keep them from being able to “buy or sell” products and using the banking system to support their war effort. Although, many wealthy oligarchs and their families have had their bank accounts seized, these sanctions are hurting the Russian people more than the Russian government that started this war.

When we read about the second beast power (Protestant America) in Revelation 13 wielding the power of the first beast power (papacy—Roman Catholic church) to enact laws and decrees and set up an image of the first beast, it is worth noting that it goes far beyond just the spiritual aspect of the “mark of the beast.” The Roman church has been involved in monetary businesses and other commerce, as well as spiritual doctrine and decrees, for millennia. We read in Revelation 18 that at her end, the merchants of the world will mourn her destruction because of this commercial sector connection they have with her.

“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.” Revelation 18:11–13

As sanctions are laid upon Russia, it shows the power of countries or entities to subvert the livelihood of nations and peoples, to bend them to their will, and to coerce them to abide by worldwide edicts. For example, there are several nations that are still doing business with Russia. The United States has been actively “coercing” them to stop on threat of being hit with sanctions themselves. Since the banking industry is now mainly digital, whole bank accounts can be suspended or even seized and utilized for other purposes. Using these same methods, you can see how the beast powers can leverage this power to seize our accounts in the future if we do not adhere to their doctrines.

As we see prophecies of the last days unfold, the two beast powers will work hand in hand to create policies that will not allow people to buy or sell unless they adhere to these policies or doctrines. These same doctrines are moving the world closer and closer to more authoritarian forms of government. Even in the United States, we see more authoritarianism being used through executive orders and proxy wars. The president can start a military action these days even without the authorization from Congress, which used to be illegal, but in the last 50 years it has become more of a norm than an outlier. The most interesting part is that most Americans have no idea what all this is leading to and do not comprehend the end result of all these actions! Even the truth is subject to one’s own interpretation.

The truth of God’s commandments has become subordinate to the events of the day. We have become wrapped up in wars, disasters, famines, and politics. Everything Satan can think of to captivate our minds, he has pushed out into the news on radio, TV, social media, and newspapers. He has captured the spare time of the average person through movies, sports, and television shows. From the air waves and print, our minds and time are filled with commentaries about the policies of government and the atrocities of war, the latest movie, or the sport of the season, but Jesus is scarcely on our lips. Not to say that things happening around us should be ignored, yet applying these things to our spiritual life would be more important. As we see these events happening, it should drive us to a deep sense of urgency for those around us and those in the world who do not know the truth of the results of the policies of the two beasts.

“The people of the world are so engrossed in temporal affairs that eternal realities seem of subordinate importance to them. They cannot distinguish truth from error. In spirit and in practice they are repeating the history of the Jews, and in these last days the chosen of God who keep His commandments will be objects of contempt, both to those in high position and those in the common walks of life. ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ ” The Signs of the Times, June 11, 1894

Eventually, we will see these policies culminate into massive persecution. “And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” Revelation 13:14, 15. Many people will be persecuted and killed because they will not adhere to one of the following: the mark of the beast, which is Sunday worship; the name of the beast, which is not only the Roman Catholic church, but all of secularism; or the number of his name, which not only identifies the pope of the Catholic church as the leader of the beast power, but is the number of mankind in its carnal and secular condition.

We know the mark of the beast is the great conflict between obedience to the law of God, specifically the Sabbath commandment, or disobedience, following the doctrines of Satan which state that everyone can rule his or her own life and passions. The first beast of Revelation 13 received its power from the dragon. “So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’ ” Revelation 13:4. Those who will follow the beast and its image [likeness] will be worshiping the dragon, who is Satan (Revelation 12:9). These deceived people will believe they are following God! It is our duty to reach out and warn them of this impending danger that will be so deceptive even the people of God could be deceived if they are not watching and praying for deliverance. “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:24

Addressing the idea of being saved by grace and not under the law, Paul clearly states, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” Romans 6:15, 16. And again, he reminds us that we must become slaves to God, “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” Verse 22. We are slaves or servants to whom we obey. It is through obedience we show our allegiance, whether to righteousness which leads to eternal life, or to unrighteousness which leads to eternal damnation.

The religious arm of the beast power will push Sunday sacredness and the idea that salvation is available to all simply by believing in Jesus. They will state that there is no way that a man can overcome sin, so they claim that just resting on the merits of Jesus is enough for salvation, and there is no need to strive for holiness. Speaking of faith and salvation, James reminds us, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:19, 20. As we read in Revelation 18:13, the beast and its image are involved in the “souls of men.” Revelation 17:5 states, “Babylon the great, [is] the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” Since the majority of the Protestant world has taken Rome’s doctrine of Sunday as a new sabbath and are deceived into believing that the dead are all either in heaven or in eternal burning hellfire, and that our dead loved ones can visit them and are watching them, they have joined with the false doctrines of Rome. They have “fornicated” with her and “drank her wine.” (See also Revelation 17:2; 18:3.)

They have been convinced of her “righteousness” through their desire to become rich with her trade goods and global economy. On the individual level, Babylon (the first beast of Revelation 13, who is the papacy) has seduced the world with her rituals and grandeur. She puts on a spectacle that bedazzles and bewitches the mind and drives the heart to believe in her lies and deception. Because the people of the world desire to have freedom from all responsibility to God, they now can live life in error and still have confidence in their false god, the church of Rome, to save them from hellfire. What a delusion! It is true when Paul wrote, “And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12

While the religious arm of the beast power is working on men’s souls, the secular arm will be working on men’s pocketbooks. It will lay down economic policies that will entice the world to follow the beasts and their agenda. They will blend religious and secular decrees to keep men from “buying or selling” unless they adhere to the policies they lay out. This is already happening to a degree today. Recently I saw an interview with Daleep Singh, national security advisor for the Biden white house and the designer of the new sanctions that were laid out on Russia. He stated that they could virtually cripple any economy using the new digital world of banking and commerce.  He said he turned to the “currency trade” where “the dollar is still the operating system.” The Biden Official Who Pierced Putin’s “Sanction-Proof” Economy — The New Yorker, March 25, 2022. It was quite a striking interview.

As we see the events of earth’s history come to a close, Jesus is still commanding His four angels to hold back the strife of total destruction. He is urging upon the hearts of men, women, and children to look at His goodness and what He has to offer—peace, love, satisfaction of life, happiness, and eventually eternal life. This is in stark contrast to the life that the adversary offers—greed, selfishness, strife, and unhappiness, eventually leading to death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Even though there will be strife in the world, Jesus offers us a lighter “yoke” or burden to carry. He promises that if we will give our lives to Him, obey His commandments through the power of the Holy Spirit, love one another as He loves us, that He will work a miracle in our hearts and purge all sinfulness that may abide in it. He will replace it with His laws and secure it with His Spirit that we might be ready to meet Him in the clouds on His return. His way is narrow and straight, but much easier to navigate than the ways of sin. His way brings a calmness in the midst of the storm of life. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6, 7

Michael C. Wells is the director of Anointing Oil Ministries.

Separation ‘til the End

The keynote of the New Testament is that the same Jesus who lived, died on the cross, rose from the grave, and ascended to heaven, is returning to this world again. Jesus said that we would not know the exact time, but He did tell us how we could know it is near. Bible prophecy tells us that it is near. We are called Adventists because we believe that the second coming of Christ is imminent.

Bible prophecy also tells us that before Jesus comes, God will bring terrible, destructive judgments upon this world. These judgments are so terrible that they are beyond the power of our minds to comprehend.

Inspiration says of God’s people just prior to the coming judgments, “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times.” The Great Controversy, 464

Ellen White isn’t talking about fanaticism. Many people are confused about the difference between primitive godliness and fanaticism.

Godliness is a longing for God, a desire to glorify Him and to please Him. “Godliness is the fruit of Christian character. … We must have a close and intimate connection with heaven, if we bear the grace of godliness.” Peter’s Counsel to Parents, 19

“Supreme love for God and unselfish love for our neighbor—this is the foundation of true godliness.” The Signs of the Times, May 22, 1901

Unfortunately, many people believe that godliness is just doing certain things and checking them off the list—went to church, check; paid tithe, check; gave clothes to Dorcas, check; and so on. Some believe godliness is determined according to their understanding of Scripture.

Fanaticism on the other hand, goes beyond what God has actually said. Strange ideas and works that are attributed to the Holy Spirit come into the church. A person may be zealous about their beliefs, but their ideas can become extreme and obsessive, and can border on a kind of madness. The fanatic displays very strict standards and little tolerance for any idea or opinion that is contrary to what they believe.

Most of the world considers those who keep all the commandments of God, including the Sabbath, to be fanatics. But Mrs. White isn’t talking about godliness or fanaticism according to worldly standards. She is writing about primitive godliness, something that has not been seen since apostolic times. There is only one way that this primitive godliness can again be seen in God’s people.

“The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children.” The Great Controversy, 464

Worldly churches think that when God’s Spirit is poured out, everyone will join together and acceptance and tolerance, love and unity will reign. But will that be true? No. In fact, there will be far more disunity than we see now or have ever seen. Why? Because the spirit that has fallen on these churches will not be God’s Spirit. Once the Spirit and power of God is poured out upon His children, Mrs. White says, “At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word.” Ibid.

The “many” will include both ministers and laity. So, those who receive the Spirit of God, His children, will separate themselves from these unsanctified churches.

“The great controversy between good and evil will increase in intensity to the very close of time. In all ages the wrath of Satan has been manifested against the church of Christ; and God has bestowed His grace and Spirit upon His people to strengthen them to stand against the power of the evil one. When the apostles of Christ were to bear His gospel to the world and to record it for all future ages, they were especially endowed with the enlightenment of the Spirit.

“But as the church approaches her final deliverance, Satan is to work with greater power. He comes down ‘having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time’ (Revelation 12:12). … For six thousand years that mastermind that once was highest among the angels of God has been wholly bent to the work of deception and ruin. And all the depths of satanic skill and subtlety acquired, all the cruelty developed, during these struggles of the ages, will be brought to bear against God’s people in the final conflict.

“And in this time of peril the followers of Christ are to bear to the world the warning of the Lord’s second advent; and a people are to be prepared to stand before Him at His coming, ‘without spot, and blameless’ (2 Peter 3:14).” To Be Like Jesus, 349

How are we to have strength to meet the devil’s subtle and most terrible assaults? Unless we have received the Holy Spirit, we will be unable to stand against him. While people don’t really like to hear it, the truth is that separation has been the result every time, for the last 2,000 years, when God has poured out His Spirit on His people. And without His Spirit, we will not make it through what lies ahead of us.

We read in the Bible that Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted him to give to him when he, Elijah, was taken away. Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit that guided Elijah. The Bible records this account because today, and on through the end of time, judgements are coming, and to face them, we must first have received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and ultimately the outpouring of the latter rain that will generate a revival of primitive godliness.

Most Seventh-day Adventists will miss this revival of primitive godliness. (See Testimonies, Vol. 1, 608, 609; Ibid., Vol. 5, 136.) So, we each must ask ourselves, “How can I make certain that I will be part of this last revival, this final manifestation of God’s mercy? How can I be sure that I won’t be left out and not know what’s happening?”

“In the great final conflict, Satan will employ the same policy, manifest the same spirit, and work for the same end as in all preceding ages. That which has been, will be, except that the coming struggle will be marked with a terrible intensity such as the world has never witnessed. Satan’s deceptions will be more subtle, his assaults more determined. If it were possible, he would lead astray the elect. Mark 13:22, R.V.” The Great Controversy, xi (Introduction)

Everything from the past is meant to help us understand the coming events of the future. In the first century, after the Day of Pentecost, there was a separation of Christ’s followers from the Jewish establishment. The Jews clung to their belief that they were still God’s chosen people, but Inspiration says of them, “While claiming to observe rigidly the precepts of God’s law, they were transgressing all its principles.” Ibid., 27. They claimed to be God’s people, but while claiming to keep the law, they transgressed every principle of it. The very people who claimed that they were rigidly, exactly, keeping all of God’s commandments crucified the Son of God. Even a child can understand that in doing so they broke the sixth commandment that says, “You shall not murder.”

“There is no union between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness, and there can be no union between their followers.” Ibid., 45

We don’t like to hear that, either, because we really just want everyone to get along. But in context, this shows that there can be no union between those who follow the devil and those who follow Christ. Those who received the Spirit and power of God were called Christians because by that power and grace, they became Christlike. This brought about a separation between these true Christians and those who merely claimed the name, but did not have the Spirit.

“After a long and severe conflict, the faithful few decided to dissolve all union with the apostate church if she still refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry. They saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of God. They dared not tolerate errors fatal to their own souls, and set an example which would imperil the faith of their children and children’s children. To secure peace and unity they were ready to make any concession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle. If unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and righteousness, then let there be difference, and even war.” Ibid.

Every true Christian is a participant in the war between good and evil, between lawfulness and lawlessness. This war encompasses the entire world. Separation of good from evil is the result of the reception of the Holy Spirit. Speaking of the Christians of old, Ellen White makes this shocking statement: “Well would it be for the church and the world if the principles that actuated those steadfast souls were revived in the hearts of God’s professed people.” Ibid., 46

These early Christians that had the Spirit and power of God with their doctrines “were a terror to evildoers.” Ibid.

Unless the doctrines and beliefs we espouse are a terror to evildoers, then we do not have the same religion espoused by the apostles and the early Christians. This type of religion brought persecution to Christians throughout history because evildoers cannot tolerate their teachings. But when false doctrines and teachings began to work their way into the Christian church, separation occurred. “Almost imperceptibly the customs of heathenism found their way into the Christian church.” Ibid., 49

Many years ago, I obtained a copy of a secular book on ancient history titled Survey of the Ancient World, by James Henry Breasted. The book described a heathen festival observed by ancient civilizations all over the world on December 25. The winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, falls on December 21 or 22. From that point on, the days start getting longer, adding a few more minutes of sunlight every day. To the different heathen cultures, December 25 was the birthday of the sun god—Tammuz, Nimrod, Nimbus—and they worshiped him at the time of the winter solstice.

So, if it is true that December 25 is simply the birthday of a pagan sun god, then why do Christians today celebrate Christmas, December 25, as Christ’s birthday? This is a deception of the devil. There came a time when Christianity and paganism were combined, and the Christians took December 25 as the birthday of Christ. But anyone who has studied ancient history knows that Christ was not born on December 25, and faithful Christians should not celebrate it as such.

This is just one example. We could look through the yearly religious calendar observed by the majority of Christianity today and clearly see that the observance of almost every special religious celebration is not from the Bible, but derived from paganism and incorporated into Christianity. “Sin was disguised in a garb of sanctity.” Ibid., 55

We have seen that there was a separation of God’s church from the Jewish nation after Jesus’ crucifixion. God’s people continued to separate from churches that accepted the mixing of paganism and Christianity. In the sixth century, another separation occurred. “Those who adhered to the ancient faith now withdrew.” Ibid., 64

They fled to the Alps in Northern Italy and to the Piedmont valleys. Because of persecution, God’s people had to separate from the rest of the Christian world and go into hiding.

“When error in one garb has been detected, Satan only masks it in a different disguise, and multitudes receive it as eagerly as at the first.” Ibid., 285

People, then and now, take evil and disguise it in a garb of sanctity, making it look righteous, when all the while it is not. “The very beginning of the great apostasy was in seeking to supplement the authority of God by that of the church.” Ibid., 289, 290

The same situation developed in the 16th century. Martin Luther began to preach the Biblical principle of justification by faith. Did this unify the Christians of his time? No. John Wesley began to preach the New Testament principle that in order to be ready for the Lord to come, Christians would need to reach a certain spiritual condition. Did that message bring unity? No. Mrs. White writes regarding the Puritans: “When first constrained [forced] to separate from the English Church, the Puritans had joined themselves together by a solemn covenant, as the Lord’s free people, ‘to walk together in all His ways made known or to be made known to them.’ Here was the true spirit of reform, the vital principle of Protestantism.” Ibid., 291

Throughout history, when Christianity accepted worldly principle into its midst, separation was always the result.

“The union of the church with the state, be the degree ever so slight, while it may appear to bring the world nearer to the church, does in reality but bring the church nearer to the world. …

“[T]hose … so highly favored in receiving the blessings of the Reformation, failed to press forward in the path of reform.” Ibid., 297

The reformation stopped.

“When the Saviour pointed out to His followers the signs of His return, He foretold the state of backsliding that would exist just prior to His second advent.” Ibid., 309

Bible prophecy says that there will be backsliding and that it will continue unless we receive the Holy Spirit.

“To prepare a people to stand in the day of God, a great work of reform was to be accomplished. …

“This warning is brought to view in Revelation 14. Here is a threefold message represented as proclaimed by heavenly beings and immediately followed by the coming of the Son of man to reap ‘the harvest of the earth.’ ” Ibid., 311

What happened at Jesus’ first coming will be repeated as He prepares to come the second time. “The Jews [God’s chosen people] were building monuments for the slain prophets of God, while by their deference to the great men of earth they were paying homage to the servants of Satan.” Ibid., 313. It was because of this, that when Jesus came, they did not know Him.

Would you be surprised to know that if the Holy Spirit was to be poured out on God’s people today, the great majority wouldn’t know it? They might know something was happening, but it would be of no benefit to them. On the Day of Pentecost, the Jews said that the disciples and those upon whom the Holy Spirit fell were simply drunk (Acts 2). Referencing this same condition when Christ came the first time, Ellen White said, “Oh, what a lesson is this wonderful story of Bethlehem! How it rebukes our unbelief, our pride, and a self-sufficiency. How it warns us to beware, lest by our criminal indifference we also fail to discern the signs of the times, and therefore know not the day of our visitation.” Ibid., 315

When the Holy Spirit is poured out, when revival comes, there is always a separation because there are two different types of people—Christians who truly have the Spirit and those claiming to be Christians, but lacking the Spirit. “Unless the church will … accept every ray of light, performing every duty which may be revealed, religion will inevitably degenerate into the observance of forms, and the spirit of vital godliness will disappear. This truth has been repeatedly illustrated in the history of the church.” Ibid., 316

“When the professed people of God are uniting with the world, living as they live, and joining with them in forbidden pleasures; when the luxury of the world becomes the luxury of the church; when the marriage bells are chiming, and all are looking forward to many years of worldly prosperity—then, suddenly as the lightning flashes from the heavens, will come the end of their bright visions and delusive hopes.” Ibid., 338, 339

Oh, friend, we are living in a time when an overwhelming tide of worldly conformity has come in among God’s professed people. Paganism slowly came into the church in the disciples’ time, but God poured out His Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and the result was a separation of the righteous from the unrighteous. God is waiting to pour out His Holy Spirit on us and bring about another separation today.

“Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the result of rejecting the threefold warning of Revelation 14:6–12, the church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel, and the people of God still in Babylon will be called upon to separate from her communion. This message of separation is the last that will ever be given to the world.” Ibid., 390

There is no message to be given to the world that will bring unity or acceptance or help people to get along. “Conformity to worldly customs converts the church to the world; it never converts the world to Christ.” Ibid., 509

The devil is very active. “He is now preparing for his last campaign against the church. … Though hidden from sight, he is working with all diligence to control the minds of the worshipers. Like a skillful general he lays his plans beforehand.” Ibid., 510, 518

His entire plan is to deceive you in such a way as to keep you occupied—pleasure loving, appetite [passion], presumption, love of the world—he doesn’t care how he does it. His purpose is to keep you from being ready for the future until it is too late to get ready.

Satan does all this because he hates Christ. He is the one who caused Christ to be crucified. He hates Christ and because Christ loves you and me, he hates us, too. He cares very little for us except to see us lost and to hurt Christ. Jesus’ whole desire in this world is to save. He would save everyone if every man, woman, and child would simply choose to accept His Spirit. But Satan only wants to see you dead. God draws us to Himself by love, but Satan uses every weapon in his enormous arsenal of sin to keep us separated from God. He knows full well the infinite value God has placed upon each one of us, so he causes us as much pain, hardship, and suffering as he can, to hurt the heart of Christ.

The devil will be successful with most people. “Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time.” Ibid., 561. Today, spiritualism is everywhere. In magazines, on the television and the internet, and people don’t even recognize it for what it is. Only by the Holy Spirit living in our hearts will we be able to escape this and the many other deceptions that Satan is preparing to spread across this world. This is a matter of eternal life or death. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “ ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ ” John 3:5

In Paul’s day, new believers were commonly asked if they had received the Holy Spirit. It might seem like an impolite question, but if I asked you that question, could you answer yes? It is important to know if you can answer positively, because if you can’t, then you have no assurance of eternal life.

“As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position, and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side.” The Great Controversy, 608

It is astonishing the number of times the subject of revival and the resulting separation is found in the book The Great Controversy. Many might wonder if the book ever talks about unity. It does, primarily in the last part of the book, but it speaks of a false unity, not the kind of unity we would want to be a part of.

“The ministration in the temple continued; sacrifices were offered upon its polluted altars, and daily the divine blessing was invoked upon a people guilty of the blood of God’s dear Son, and seeking to slay His ministers and apostles. So when the irrevocable decision of the sanctuary has been pronounced and the destiny of the world has been forever fixed, the inhabitants of the earth will know it not. The forms of religion will be continued by a people from whom the Spirit of God has been finally withdrawn; and the satanic zeal with which the prince of evil will inspire them for the accomplishment of his malignant designs, will bear the semblance of zeal for God.” Ibid., 615

“In the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and heaven the final coronation of the Son of God takes place. …

“As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of God.” Ibid., 666. It is at this point that the wicked will be able to see just where they went wrong.

People really believe that they will be different than the Jews 2,000 years ago or the church during Martin Luther’s day. But sadly, they are deceiving themselves. History repeatedly proves that without the Holy Spirit, they will disregard the message of the third angel and in the end, be lost.

Do you have the Holy Spirit in your life? Are you ready for what lies ahead? Are you willing to be separate from the world, even if it is found in your own church, loved ones, or friends? Only the Holy Spirit can make you ready for what the faithful and obedient children of God will face in the very near future. We must pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and then be ready for a separation.

[Emphasis supplied.]

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

The Heavenly Citizen

Heaven is a real place. Heaven is a good place. The Bible says, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man [into your imagination] the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9. Heaven is an indescribable place.

Heaven will be a school. We are going to graduate from the school of Christ down here and then go on to a higher school in which the Lord Himself will be our teacher. The central location of this future school is the New Jerusalem.

Revelation 21 tells us heaven is a place where there is no more death or suffering or pain, no more sorrow or crying. There all tears will be wiped away. There will be no more funerals, and we will never again have to visit a hospital. We are told in Isaiah 60:21 that in heaven everyone will be righteous, and will inherit the land forever. Revelation 21:3 tells us that God Himself will be with us and will live with us. Revelation 22:4 says we will see His face. Revelation 22:1, 2 tell us that there is a river of water in this city called the river of life. On this river there is a tree of life with two trunks—one on each side of the river—coming together at the top as one tree, and it bears fruit every month.

First Corinthians 13 says that we will know as we are known and that we will again see the people we knew who died in Christ. God has a wonderful reunion planned for His children in heaven.

In heaven we will once again live the Eden life, the life in garden and field. “They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.” Isaiah 65:21. Heaven is a place where we will build homes and plant vineyards.

Paul says that in heaven God will do for us exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think, and forever God’s gifts will be given to His children. What we are in character and holy service here and now is a sure foreshadowing of what we shall be in heaven.

Speaking to the Christians of the Philippian church, Paul says, “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20. As a baptized member of the body of Christ, your name is written down in the book of life. You are a citizen of heaven and heaven is your future home.

Heaven has a very large population, the great majority of which are angels. Angels all have very important jobs. Most of them, as guardian angels, look after each and every person in the world. It doesn’t matter how much trouble and trial Satan and his host of evil angels may bring into our lives, our guardian angels are always there to protect and help. God will even dispatch an army of angels if that is what is needed to help us at any time. “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” Psalm 34:7.

Since the day we were born, our guardian angels have been by our sides and they will remain there even after death. Mrs. White tells us that our guardian angel will mark our resting places and protect them until Jesus comes. What loving care God has for His children! “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:10–12

Angels are not the only citizens of heaven actually in heaven today. Enoch, Elijah, Moses and those who were resurrected when Jesus rose from the grave (Mathew 27:52, 53) are all in heaven right now. And, of course, God is there (Ecclesiastes 5:2) and Jesus, too. Remember what Jesus told His troubled disciples before He left, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions [permanent dwellings]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1–3. That has been the Christian’s hope ever since Jesus left. Jesus is coming back and when He does, He will take all of His children to heaven where they will live with Him.

Paul was talking about this in Hebrews 12:22, 24, first part, when he said, “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, … to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.” If you have been baptized, your citizenship is in heaven right now, and if you are saved, then one day you will become a physical inhabitant of heaven.

Let’s look at the characteristics of the heavenly citizen:

  1. As heavenly citizens, we will associate every day with angels, so it is important that we be like them in character. “Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.” Psalm 103:20. Angels obey God’s word. They listen to what God says and they do what He says to do. So if we are to be fellow citizens with angels, we will obey God’s word and do whatever He says to do. In heaven, God’s will is always done. Since the expulsion of Satan and his angels, not one angel in heaven ever says, “I don’t think I want to do what the Lord wants me to do today.” So if we are to be citizens of heaven and live with the angels, we, too, must have a character that will always do God’s will.

Many scriptures in the Bible—James 1:22–25, Romans 15:18, Romans 1:5, 1 Peter 1:13–15, Isaiah 1:19 are a few—tell us that we must have this kind of character as we are living here today, if we expect to be ready to live in heaven. People all over the world question what God says. It all started in the Garden of Eden and has continued for 6,000 years. But in heaven, no one questions what God says. The only ones who ever did were cast out.

  1. If we want to be fellow citizens with the angels of God in heaven, we must make a public confession of Jesus Christ and become His disciples in this world. “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32, 33. “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:38. “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8, 9. We cannot keep our love for God and obedience to His law a secret. We cannot keep from the world what He has done for us and is waiting to do for them. We accomplish this, in part, by being baptized. Jesus said in Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

But there is more. In The Desire of Ages, 357, Ellen White lists 13 ways in which people deny Jesus Christ in their lives. This number is significant because 13 is the number of rebellion in the Bible. Reading this will be like a punch in the stomach because we will realize just how many times we have actually denied Christ without even knowing it. All 13 of these actions must be overcome and removed from our lives. We must confess all 13 and be forgiven if we have any expectation of being in the kingdom of heaven.

“He who would confess Christ must have Christ abiding in him. He cannot communicate that which he has not received. The disciples might speak fluently on doctrines, they might repeat the words of Christ Himself; but unless they possessed Christlike meekness and love, they were not confessing Him. A spirit contrary to the spirit of Christ would deny Him, whatever the profession. Men may deny Christ by evilspeaking, by foolish talking, by words that are untruthful or unkind. They may deny Him by shunning life’s burdens, by the pursuit of sinful pleasure. They may deny Him by conforming to the world, by uncourteous behavior, by the love of their own opinions, by justifying self, by cherishing doubt, borrowing trouble, and dwelling in darkness. In all these ways they declare that Christ is not in them. And ‘whosoever shall deny Me before men,’ He says, ‘him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.’ ”

My dear friends, I’ve never read that paragraph but that I say, “Lord, help me. I want to be transformed in character so that Christ can confess me before the angels of heaven so that I can be taken to be a fellow citizen of the angels.”

  1. We must be holy if we are to be citizens of heaven. “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.” Matthew 25:31. “Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ ” 1Peter 1:13–16. Paul says in Hebrews 12:14, “Pursue … holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” We must become holy for God has chosen us “before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Ephesians 1:4

Holiness involves body, mind, and spirit, your soul, everything. In 2 Corinthians 7:1 Paul says, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.” “God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” 1 Thessalonians 4:7. Quoting Leviticus, 1 Peter 1:16 says, “Be holy, for I am holy.” But how can anyone as wretched as we human beings are, become holy?

God allows trials and troubles to come to His children and in this way, they become partakers of His holiness. “You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:4–11.

Most people feel that the process of being made holy is too hard. They’d rather just be taken to heaven the way they are and changed when they get there. But God wants us to be in heaven and He knows the only way we can be is if we become partakers of His holiness. Only in this way will we ever be able to understand what holiness really is. Our troubles will differ from person to person, but the Lord is there to provide the help necessary to become overcomers.

A holy person will always be in harmony with and obedient to God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 7:12 that God’s law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. If the law is holy and we are holy people, then we will be in harmony with the law.

  1. If we are going to be a citizen of heaven, we must have the Enoch experience. “No unpleasant words are spoken in heaven. There no unkind thoughts are cherished; envy, evil surmising, hatred, and strife find no place there. Perfect harmony pervades the heavenly courts.

“Well does Satan know what heaven is, and what the influence of the angels is. His work is to bring into every family the cruel elements of self-will, harshness, selfishness. Thus he seeks to destroy the happiness of the family. He knows that the spirit governing in the home will be brought into the church.” The Upward Look, 163. Not one unpleasant word, throughout all eternity, will be spoken in heaven. To be ready to live forever in a place where nothing unpleasant is spoken, do you think we should be preparing how we speak now in our homes, at work, in church? The here and now is our practice ground where we learn either how to go to heaven or how to go to hell. How we act, what we say, how we think when no one is watching will tell the whole universe what our real character is like.

  1. In heaven everyone seeks the happiness of those around them. “In heaven none will think of self, nor seek their own pleasure; but all, from pure, genuine love, will seek the happiness of the heavenly beings around them. If we wish to enjoy heavenly society in the earth made new, we must be governed by heavenly principles here.” Counsels for the Church, 80

“Everything in heaven is noble and elevated. All seek the interest and happiness of others. No one devotes himself to looking out and caring for self. It is the chief joy of all holy beings to witness the joy and happiness of those around them.” Heaven, 143

“Angels are ever engaged in working for the happiness of others. This is their joy. That which selfish hearts would regard as humiliating service, ministering to those who are wretched and in every way inferior in character and rank, is the work of sinless angels. The spirit of Christ’s self-sacrificing love is the spirit that pervades heaven and is the very essence of its bliss. This is the spirit that Christ’s followers will possess.” Steps to Christ, 77

The spirit of self-sacrificing love—the spirit of Jesus—will be the essence of heaven. It was this spirit of self-sacrifice that led Jesus to say, “I cannot stay here. I cannot enjoy myself as the Majesty of heaven, as Ruler of the universe while My children are lost.” So He laid it all down and left it behind to become a man so that He could show us how to live, and then He sacrificed His life so that the penalty for sin was paid and we would have a way to become citizens of heaven.

We must study the life of Christ daily if we are to learn how to obtain this self-sacrificing spirit. And make no mistake, we must learn it and possess it if we are to share the home of the redeemed.

  1. In heaven everyone will keep the Sabbath. “ ‘It shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the Lord.” Isaiah 66:23.

Every citizen of heaven will come together on God’s Sabbath day and worship Him who made heaven and earth, and who gave His life for us. As Seventh-day Adventists, every single part of our worship service is derived from Bible study so that we can know what God expects when we gather to worship Him. We sing as part of our worship service because the angels sing praises to God in heaven. If we are seeking to be citizens of heaven we, too, must be singing praises from the heart to our God. We must come with thanksgiving when we worship for all the things He has done for us and given to us—the very roof over our head, the food on the table, our job, our family. When was the last time you really took the time to thank Him for everything He has done?

Here on earth, we ask the Holy Spirit to come and speak to us, to lead and guide us in the way we must go if we are to be citizens of heaven. We say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” (1 Samuel 3:9), and if our hearts have been made holy, if we have the character of angels, if we have removed from our lives anything, everything, that would keep us from confessing Christ, then the Holy Spirit will speak to us.

But think of it, once we are in heaven, we will be able to hear for ourselves, directly from God Himself, what He has to say to us. We will be able to sit at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to tell us again the story of our redemption. The redeemed will never come to a worship service without being blessed. God loves to bless His people, and He wants to make us fellow citizens with the angels. He is trying to get us ready.

Here in this world when something good happens a man might say, “I’m in heaven.” This is a descriptive response to a delightful or blissful feeling that comes to him, but does not indicate that he has gone to a physical place.

In fact, once Satan, sinners, and sin have all been wiped away in this world and God has established His kingdom once and for all time on the purified new earth, earth will become heaven because heaven is where God is. It is a place where all is new and fresh, with an atmosphere that is glorious and perfect, where all the citizens of heaven, angel and saint alike, will raise their voices in eternal praise and thanksgiving to God. And the best thing we can know is that we can have heaven here, because we can have Jesus in our hearts while we look forward to living forever in this heavenly place with Him.

[Emphasis supplied.]

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

The Plan of Redemption

The angels of heaven were deeply interested in the work of creation as it progressed from day to day. When the first week of earthly time was finished and the completed beauty of the new world was seen, “The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted with joy.” Job 38:7

But all was changed after the Fall. Man had broken his allegiance to his Creator. The earth and the human family had fallen into the hands of Satan and the rebel host, which had been so recently driven from heaven. Angel songs of joy were hushed, and sorrow filled heaven.

The results of the sin of Adam and Eve could not be mistaken or overlooked. Through the fall, man lost dominion over the earth, which had been given him at creation. This dominion was usurped by Satan and the earth and its inhabitants were lost to the loyal universe of God. Satan had secured a kingdom for himself, and unless it were redeemed through the infinite mercy of God, and wrested from the usurper, he would retain it forever.

The heart of the Son of God was touched with pity for fallen man. He knew the malignity which had taken possession of Satan and his rebel host. He knew the woe and suffering that would be the lot of the human race. He knew the depths of sorrow and degradation which the power of evil would bring upon the human family.

But by infinite love a plan had been devised by which man should be redeemed and the lost earth returned to its place in the moral universe of God.

Man had broken the command of God, and stood convicted as a sinner. There was but one penalty for sin—“The wages of sin is death.”

There was but One in all the universe who could satisfy the claims of the law, and rescue the race from its impending doom. The Son of God, who was equal with His Father, the Author of the law, would take upon Himself the guilt of the world, and pay the penalty of death in man’s behalf.

The immutability of every precept of God’s law is emphasized by this dire necessity of the sacrifice of Christ. Could that law have been changed, the Son of God need not have died, for then man might have been saved without such an infinite sacrifice.

David has said, “Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name.” Psalm 138:2. Speaking to Israel of Christ, Jehovah said, “My name is in Him.” Exodus 23:21. Christ alone bears the name of God.

The name of great earthly families is guarded jealously. The name and reputation of the family of God may not be lightly reproached. Yet the name of Christ, the only begotten Son of God, was secondary when compared with the “word,” or law, of the Almighty. Christ was to be subjected to a life of sorrow, suffering, and humiliation, and to a death of shame, that God’s law might stand vindicated before the entire universe.

Gladly would angels have undertaken the work of atonement, but the death of any created being could not satisfy the claims of the law in behalf of fallen man. The angels themselves are amenable to the law, and, with man, would suffer its penalties should they break it. Hence their lives could not atone for sin.

“And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” Zechariah 6:13. Christ pleaded with the Father in behalf of the sinner. Between Them the whole plan came in review. Great consequences were involved in the decision. If undertaken, Christ in person would be separated from His Father during His lifetime on earth. He would be a “man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” Isaiah 53:3

On earth Jesus would own no possessions; and while here, He said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” Matthew 8:20. He must suffer the displeasure of Jehovah for sin as the sinner must suffer it. And He must die the most ignominious death of the most hardened criminal.

Even this was not all. Do we realize that as a man Christ assumed all the conditions of a man? With the surroundings and tendencies of a man, He must live the holy life of God. Otherwise He could not be the Saviour of the fallen race, or even a fit example for humanity to imitate.

In becoming a man, Christ took upon Himself the awful liability of eternal loss as other men must take it. Day by day He was “in all points tempted like as we are.” Hebrews 4:15. If there was no danger of failure and loss, there could be no temptation, for He would be beyond it.

The very temptation He met and so successfully resisted gave Him experience in the life of man, and prepared Him to “succor them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:18. Paul says, “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered.” Hebrews 5:8

The heavenly “counsel of peace” resulted in favor of man, and full provision was made for the salvation of the race. “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. What wonderful love! Truly, the love of God “passeth understanding.”

Christ did not come to earth in His own divine strength. He left this when He came as a babe in the manger. But, guarded and guided by power from on high, as every human being can be guarded and guided, He lived a life of simple purity such as no other being has lived upon earth, and thus became our perfect example.

God was with His Son in every act of His earthly life, and in His ministry below Jesus represented the Father to the world. Paul, explaining His mission, says, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” 2 Corinthians 5:19. Man had become “alienated from the life of God” through sin, and the mission of Christ was to bring him back to a reconciliation with his Creator.

After Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, the Lord met them, and made known to them the consequences of their sin. And to the serpent He said, “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15

Naturally there is no enmity between Satan and fallen man. Both “have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Naturally their interests go hand in hand. Any effort to draw away from the rule of sin and Satan is contrary to the natural order, and ever results in conflict with the powers of darkness; but the Lord said He would “put enmity” between Satan and the sinner. Hence every desire of man to draw away from evil and toward God, is miraculously put there by the Holy Spirit of God. It is embraced in the plan of salvation as proclaimed in Eden at the fall.

Early in their fallen state man was informed of the plan of redemption. In it was the promise of the Messiah. The promised Seed of the woman (Christ) should bruise the head of the serpent (Satan). Although Christ would be cruelly wounded by Satan, yet the conflict would finally result in the overthrow of the devil, the loss to him of his usurped dominion, his death, and with it the final destruction of all evil.

When Satan heard the words spoken to the serpent in the garden, he knew that a plan for the salvation of man had been formed in heaven, and that it included the final doom of himself and his followers in sin.

“Yet as the plan of salvation was more fully unfolded, Satan rejoiced with his angels that, having caused man’s fall, he could bring down the Son of God from His exalted position. He declared that his plans had thus far been successful upon the earth, and that when Christ should take upon Himself human nature, He also might be overcome, and thus the redemption of the fallen race might be prevented.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 66

Although Satan had failed in his warfare in heaven, he felt sure that he could overcome Christ when He should come to earth as a man, bearing the infirmities of humanity. To this end he bent all his energies of evil and cunning, developed through four thousand years of experience.

But through power from heaven, secured through earnest prayer, the Saviour withstood every attack of the enemy, and when the cry went up from the cross, “It is finished,” Satan realized that he was vanquished, and that his doom was sealed. The Son of God had overcome all the power of Satan and his host. The sacrifice was complete, and a remnant will at last come forth “more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” Romans 8:37

After our first parents were driven from Eden, they were more fully instructed in the plan of salvation by the angels. With sorrow and remorse they learned of the suffering and death that were to come to the Son of God because of their sin. They bowed in contrition and adoration at the evidence of such wonderful love. Humanity would yet be redeemed from the hand of the enemy. The Eden home which they had lost would someday be restored to the family of Adam.

Until Christ should come as an offering for sin, the lives of innocent animals must be taken and their blood shed as a type of the blood of Christ which was to be spilled for the sins of the world. With every sacrifice made by them, the fact that Christ must die for their sins was brought vividly to their remembrance. Every lamb offered in sacrifice pointed to “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8

“To Adam, the offering of the first sacrifice was a most painful ceremony. His hand must be raised to take life, which only God could give. It was the first time he had ever witnessed death, and he knew that had he been obedient to God, there would have been no death of man or beast. As he slew the innocent victim, he trembled at the thought that his sin must shed the blood of the spotless Lamb of God. This scene gave him a deeper and more vivid sense of the greatness of his transgression, which nothing but the death of God’s dear Son could expiate. And he marveled at the infinite goodness that would give such a ransom to save the guilty. A star of hope illumined the dark and terrible future and relieved it of its utter destruction.

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

“From the first the great controversy had been upon the law of God. Satan had sought to prove that God was unjust, that His law was faulty, and that the good of the universe required it to be changed. In attacking the law he aimed to overthrow the authority of its Author. In the controversy it was to be shown whether the divine statutes were defective and subject to change, or perfect and immutable. …

“It was the marvel of all the universe that Christ should humble Himself to save fallen man. That He who had passed from star to star, from world to world, superintending all, by His providence supplying the needs of every order of being in His vast creation—that He should consent to leave His glory and take upon Himself human nature, was a mystery which the sinless intelligences of other worlds desired to understand. When Christ came to our world in the form of humanity, all were intensely interested in following Him as He traversed, step by step, the blood-stained path from the manger to Calvary. Heaven marked the insult and mockery that He received, and knew that it was at Satan’s instigation. They marked the work of counter agencies going forward; Satan constantly pressing darkness, sorrow, and suffering upon the race, and Christ counteracting it. They watched the battle between light and darkness as it waxed stronger. And as Christ in His expiring agony upon the cross cried out, ‘It is finished!’ a shout of triumph rung through every world, and through heaven itself. The great contest that had been so long in progress in this world was now decided, and Christ was conqueror. His death had answered the question whether the Father and the Son had sufficient love for man to exercise self-denial and a spirit of sacrifice. Satan had revealed his true character as a liar and a murderer. It was seen that the very same spirit with which he had ruled the children of men who were under his power, he would have manifested if permitted to control the intelligences of heaven. With one voice the loyal universe united in extolling the divine administration.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 68–70

“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second Man is the Lord from heaven.” 1 Corinthians 15:47

Through the sin of the “first man,” Adam, the dominion of the earth was lost to the race. Through Christ, “the second man, … the Lord from heaven,” the dominion will be restored. Says the prophet, “O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto Thee shall it come, even the first dominion.” Micah 4:8

And Paul tells us of the “redemption of the purchased possession.” Ephesians 1:14. Yes, the possession has been purchased at an infinite cost. And when the great work of redemption is finished, “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” Daniel 7:27

Truly, the plan of salvation, which to Paul was “the mystery of godliness,” is beyond our comprehension. “Who can know the depths of that love which ‘passeth knowledge’? Through endless ages, immortal minds, seeking to comprehend the mysteries of that incomprehensible love, will wonder and adore.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 64

Past, Present, and Future, James Edson White, ©1909, 28–37.

[All scripture taken from the King James Version.]