Are You Serious about Being Saved? Part 1

While reading The Great Controversy, at 19 or 20 years of age, I noticed that the people who will be in heaven would have developed perfect characters while on this earth. I knew then that I did not have a perfect character, and, today, I am not sure if I know anyone who has a perfect character.

As I continued my study, I discovered that those of us who do not have perfect characters are not going to heaven. Upon this discovery, the same thought came to mind as came to the disciples, when Jesus said to them, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24. And they said, Well, Lord, who then can be saved? Is there anyone who is going to be saved? (Verse 25.)

When I discovered that people who do not have perfect characters are not going to heaven, I do not think it would be exaggerating to say that I was in a state of alarm. 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. If you realize, also, that your character has serious defects, then what you and I want to know is what can be done about it.

Ellen White wrote: “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. So, if you come to the conclusion that you cannot overcome your defects of character, and you cannot remedy your defects of character, what will happen? You will not be in heaven. This, perhaps, is one of the main reasons why the great majority of Seventh-day Adventists will not be in heaven.

A Small Portion

“I [Ellen White] 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. She goes on to say that, in ancient Israel, only two of those above the age of 20 years who left Egypt reached the Promised Land.

Did you notice that but a small portion of those who now profess the truth will be saved? Is this not startling? She says, “the humble, self-sacrificing followers of Jesus will pass on to perfection, leaving behind the indifferent and lovers of the world.” So there will be some people who are going to pass on to perfection. By the grace of God, it is my full intention to be one of those people. How about you?

God Will Enable

Remember that all of God’s biddings are enablings. God does not tell us to do something that we cannot do. Jesus said, “Without me you cannot do anything.” John 15:5. God does not tell us to do something that we cannot do with His help. Jesus said, “Therefore you be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48.

Mrs. White, writing to a husband who had some very serious character defects, 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.” Ibid., 705. Where are the rest going to be? Well, they are not going to 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.” Ibid.

Do you have any unlovely or unlovable traits of character? Do you have any unchristlike traits of character? Those things must be overcome, if you 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.

No Time to Lose

I used to wonder what Ellen White meant when she wrote to individuals the words, “You have not one moment to lose.” But, you see, our time is limited. We do not have an infinite amount of time in which to overcome the things that we need to overcome. Since we do not have an infinite amount of time to overcome these things, she wrote to many, as she did this man, You do not have any time to lose; you better get busy.

She continued, in her writing to this man, “All is harmony, peace, and love in heaven. No discord, no strife, no censuring, no unloving words, no clouded brows, no jars there; and no one will be introduced there who possesses any of these elements so destructive to peace and happiness.” Ibid. How serious are you about being saved and having eternal life? Are you serious enough to say to the Lord, “Help me to learn the lesson that you are trying to teach me today”?

God knows exactly what defects are in our characters that we must overcome every day, if we are going to heaven. The Lord knows everything about this. Surrender your heart, your life, everything to Him, and say, “Lord, help me to do Your will; help me to learn the lesson You have for me today.” Every day God is going to give you a lesson. These lessons involve trials that we do not like. At times, people wonder why they are going through certain experiences. Oh, friend, God is trying to get us ready to live with Him for eternity.

Bible Supports Also

In studying this subject, we have read several statements from the writings of Ellen White. Someone may think that I am basing this study on her writings alone. No, I am just presenting these statements because they are so clear and plain and simple enough for a child to understand—not because it is not in the Bible. This subject is found all through the Bible; however, because of lack of space, we will look primarily at the New Testament.

In Genesis 17:1, God told Abraham, “I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”

The apostle Paul talks about this same subject when he first addresses the Corinthian church. He admonishes them to be blameless when Jesus comes: “Be blameless in the day of Christ.” (See 1 Corinthi-ans 1:4–8.) In Ephesians 5:25–27, the apostle Paul remarks about the condition of the church when Jesus returns again, and he says that the church is going to be holy. It is going to be without a spot, without a wrinkle, and without any blemish; that is, without any defect.

All the apostles spoke on this subject. The apostle Peter, when counseling the church, talked to them about being found blameless and without spot when Jesus returns. (See 11 Peter 3:14–17.)

Our First Work

The work of seeking perfection of character is so important that Ellen White wrote, “Our first work is to become perfect in His sight, by living faith claiming His promise of forgiveness.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 49. [Emphasis supplied.] This is how important it is!

We have been told that every soul should aim for perfection of character. “Success in any line demands a definite aim.” Review and Herald, May 16, 1912. This is why Mrs. White says, in the book Christ’s Object Lessons, 331, that if you have come to the conclusion that you cannot overcome your defects of character, that they cannot be remedied, “You will certainly fail of everlasting life.” You will not overcome your defects of character if you are not aiming to do so. This is why it is so important to take aim, and say, “Lord, help me.” If you start taking aim and praying about this, you will be astonished at what the Lord will reveal to you. He will start revealing to you what your defects are and what you need to do differently.

Ellen White wrote that if we do not develop a perfect character, we will not endure the presence of the Lord. “How earnestly should we strive to perfect a character that will enable us to stand before the Son of God! Only those who are clothed in the garments of his righteousness will be able to endure the glory of his presence when he shall appear with ‘power and great glory.’ [Matthew 24:30.]” Review and Herald, July 9, 1908.

Perfect in Character

In fact, when Jesus comes, the wicked are going to be destroyed by the brightness of His coming. She says that they are going to fall just like the Roman guards fell. “Opportunity is now given you to improve and become perfect this side of the Judgment. You must obtain a moral fitness here to meet your God. You should be right, just right, if you wish to obtain an entrance in through the gates of the holy city of God. Should your probation close today and you be brought just as you are this moment to the gate of the city, and it should open before you, and the rays of light that emanate from the throne of God should beam forth upon you, could you endure it? Could you bear it, in your sins and in your iniquity and imperfection? Could you enjoy that sacred and divine light? Not for a moment. You would drop as powerless as the Roman guard, who watched around the sepulcher of Jesus Christ, when the angels there descended to resurrect the Son of God. As that light fell upon the Roman guard, they became as dead men. They fell to the earth. They could not endure the light from Heaven, which was reflected from one mighty angel.” Ibid., April 12, 1870. We cannot endure to be in the presence of God if we are not perfect in character. Only those who are perfect in character can see God.

No one without perfection of character will enter the pearly gates. “No unlikeness to Christ will be permitted in the holy city.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 171. Why? because one person taken to heaven with even a single defect of character would spoil heaven. “God will accept nothing but purity and holiness; one spot, one wrinkle, one defect in the character, will forever debar them from heaven, with all its glories and treasures.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 453.

Eventually, the same rebellion we have here on this world would pop up again, if a defect were allowed to enter heaven. The Bible says that affliction is not going to rise up the second time. (Nahum 1:9.) How glad we should be for that! Why is it not going to rise up the second time? Because God is not going to take anyone up there who has an unchristlike character. It would spoil heaven.

What Is It?

So, what is it? You can see how important it is. We cannot be saved unless we have a perfect character. If we come to the conclusion that we cannot remedy the defects in our character, it is for certain that we will lose eternal life. What is perfection of character?

If we were to state in the fewest possible words what perfection of character is, it is to be like Jesus Christ. This is one of the reasons we all need to be studying the life of Christ, so we understand what He is like and how we can imitate Him.

Aspects of a Perfect Character

We, because of our feeble minds, need some descriptions to help us understand the distinguishing traits of a person who has a perfect character. A search through the writings of Ellen White reveals a number of characteristics.

Number 1: The person with a perfect character is always patient. They never, ever lose patience. Jesus was never impatient, not even once. He did not even lose patience with Caiaphas or Herod or Pilate. He did not lose patience with the Roman soldiers who abused Him and tortured Him. He never lost patience.

Number 2: A person with a perfect character is pure in his heart. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8. Purity is a huge subject. The people of the world think that pure or impure only refers to whether or not somebody commits adultery with their body. But the purity Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount has to do with what is going on in your mind, not just what is going on with your body. What is going on in your mind?

Ellen White wrote to a young lady who had fallen in love with a man. But this man already had a wife. “I have been considering your case in connection with L, and I have no other counsel to give than I have given. I consider that you have no moral right to marry L; he has no moral right to marry you. He left his wife after giving her great provocation. He left her whom he had vowed before God to love and cherish while both should live. Before ever she obtained her divorce, when she was his lawful wife, he left her for three years, and then left her in heart, and expressed his love to you. The matter has been negotiated largely between you and a married man while he was legally bound to the wife he married, who has had two children by him. . . .

“I am astonished that you should for a moment give thought to such a thing, and place your affections on a married man who had left his wife and children under such circumstances. . . . You have both broken the law even in thinking that you might unite in marriage. You should have repelled the thought at its first suggestion.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 340, 341. Mrs. White was telling this young lady that by marrying this man she would be committing adultery, but she had already broken God’s Law in her thinking. Now, that is not complicated. (See Romans 7.)

We need to study the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy and make the decision that we are going to be pure no matter what the cost. There might be a cost for some people in being pure, but if we are really serious about being saved, we are going to ask the Lord to help us, by His grace, to become pure and remain pure, no matter what the cost.

Number 3: A person who is perfect in character always possesses self-control; they always have a calm spirit. Jesus did. Read the story of His life. The Desire of Ages describes His trial, and all the commotion surrounding it, yet He maintained a spirit of calmness and self-control, because He had a perfect character.

Number 4: A person who has a perfect character never manifests any kind of self-exaltation. They do not engage in accusations of other people; they are never harsh. Now, do not misunderstand. A person with a perfect character does acknowledge when there is something wrong. They do not deny it and hide it.

Number 5: A person with a perfect character is a person who is kind, who is refined, and who is tender-hearted.

Number 6: A person who has a perfect character has the meekness of Christ. The word meek means two things. If you study the etymology of that word, you will find that it means “to be humble” and “to be gentle.” Jesus said, “Come to Me. I am humble and gentle. You will find rest.” (See Matthew 11:28–30.)

Number 7: A person who has a perfect character is not half-hearted. If you want to make a study of this, you will find that this was Ephraim’s sin, and if you study Revelation 7, you will see that the tribe of Ephraim will not be among the 144,000. If this poses a problem for you, then you need to pray about it. You cannot go to heaven if you are half-hearted, even if everyone thinks that you are a good Christian.

Number 8: A person who has a perfect character will manifest constant obedience to Jesus Christ. They will always obey.

Number 9: This is a hard one. We already know that Jesus was humble and gentle, but Ellen White, speaking of Jesus’ perfection of character, says, “He never spoke a discourteous word.” Review and Herald, March 18, 1902. We must overcome this temptation, because no one in heaven is ever discourteous.

Number 10: A person who has a perfect character will have gentleness, forbearance, and longsuffering. His character will be manifest in his countenance.

All of those characteristics sound wonderful. The problem is, we do not have them all. We need to pray that the Lord will help us, by His grace and by His power, to remedy the defects in our characters. Remember, God never tells us to do something that we cannot do with His help. God stands behind every promise He has made. He is going to have a perfect people.

To be continued . . .

[Bible texts quoted are literal translation.]

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