Things are happening right now that Seventh-day Adventists have pondered and thought about for decades. Now the wheels are turning at a rapid pace, bringing those things into fruition that, before, we could only see in seed form.
When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden, He had great expectations for them, but a fracturing took place because of sin. The character development of that noble creature whom God had created was changed from that point forward. I believe that it was God’s purpose that the plan of salvation occur in a shorter period of time. God never wanted pain and suffering and sorrow to go on the way that it has over these long centuries.
The words of Jeremiah ring true, nonetheless, when he says that the human heart is desperately wicked and who can know it. (See Jeremiah 17:9.) God made grace available in such abundance that if man would have responded to the call of God, this whole thing could have been shortened.
Blindness Covers the Land
There is a blindness that has taken over the whole world. It is not a physical blindness; it is a psychological blindness. We do not want to see what truth is all about. As a result, we turn to fables. This is exactly what has brought us to the point where we are today. The extreme blindness that the devil has perpetrated upon human beings causes them to do such heinous acts as happened at the World Trade Center in New York and at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001.
Where does that leave us? How do we fit into the whole scheme of what is transpiring? We can become aroused to the physical state of things that have been transpiring—we can become aroused spiritually. These occurrences are not necessarily designed by God to create within us a patriotic fervor, although that is not to be condemned.
Jesus Calls Us
More than anything else, God wants to redeem man—bringing him out of the carnage that he himself has created. God has a plan for that.
We realize that there is not going to be a golden millenium on this earth, but at the same time we long for the kingdom of heaven. In reading the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, a message keeps coming through over and over again. That message is God saying to us, I want you to respond to the offers that I have made to help you.
In Christ’s Object Lessons is the message of the restoration of character that was fractured because of sin: “God requires perfection of His children. His law is a transcript of His own character, and it is the standard of all character. This infinite standard is presented to all that there may be no mistake in regard to the kind of people whom God will have to compose His kingdom. The life of Christ on earth was a perfect expression of God’s law, and when those who claim to be children of God become Christlike in character, they will be obedient to God’s commandments. Then the Lord can trust them to be of the number who shall compose the family of heaven. Clothed in the glorious apparel of Christ’s righteousness, they have a place at the King’s feast. They have a right to join the blood-washed throng.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 315. [Emphasis supplied.]
God cannot take us to heaven while we have an unrestored, fractured character. This is the reason why God, through the Holy Spirit, inspired the apostle Peter to pen the words that we have been studying now for several months—the ladder, or restoration of the fractured character.
We all realize that the time of the end is upon us. So what is the crucial message that needs to be shared for this hour that will help us the most?
“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness.” 11 Peter 1:3–6.
How is Your Foundation?
If the terrorists had been climbing this ladder, we never would have experienced what happened on September 11. Godliness leads us to god-likeness. Up to this point we have discovered that Peter has been laying the groundwork for Christian character development.
In the construction of a home there is need for laying a proper foundation—concrete, block, bricks—so that the home can rest on something that is solid and firm. We do not pay too much attention to the foundation once it is laid. We give more attention to the building itself. When you drive down any street in a city, you begin to look at the countryside, at the buildings that are there. You do not look to see the foundation; you notice the building itself. The foundation is very important, but once it has been laid, it is finished. There is no need to consider it again, until it becomes apparent that the foundation is becoming weak or is starting to disintegrate entirely. Then attention needs to be given it again. This is the point we have reached on this rung of the ladder.
Godliness, is part of the structure that is visible in the life. Godliness is not the foundation. Godliness is built on the items that have gone before.
The word used by Peter comes from the combination of two Greek words, eu which means well, and sebomai which means to revere or worship. Putting these two words together we end up with a definition that means piety, which is characterized by a godward attitude, doing that which is well pleasing to God.
Ellen White talks a lot about piety—the right kind of piety and a false kind of piety. The piety to which Peter refers is characterized by a godward attitude, which is well pleasing to God. There are two types of godliness spoken of in the Bible. One is called a form of godliness and the other is true godliness.
Heart Rescue
True godliness and false godliness are at direct odds with one another. This theme is outlined in The Great Controversy—Satan, who is the counterfeit of godliness, having only a form, which he uses to snare unsuspecting souls, and Christ, who is the very essence of godliness, which leads to eternal life.
The apostle Paul talks about this, and in this context he is talking about the inward workings of the heart. We are looking at heart rescue. “This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” 11 Timothy 3:1–4.
Having a Form of Godliness
Paul goes on to outline the prevailing sins of the time and finally says that all of this can be done in a setting where there is “a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” Verse 5. Along with all those who are in obvious disobedience to the things of God, Paul says, there will be those who appear to be god-like from the outside, yet who are involved in wrong things. It is outward godliness only. They have a form of godliness, but they will not have the power.
In other words, they believe in Jesus Christ, as a person. They believe that He is the Saviour; they believe that He is God in the flesh, but they will deny the power, which means that they will not be obedient, because power gives obedience. You can believe all you want to believe and still be lost because there is no power. Power is that which gives strength for obedience. What happens as a result of having a form of godliness but no power? You become a hypocrite.
A hypocrite is a person who recognizes the claims of God on his life, but accepts them only on pretense. They know better and could have victory if they would appeal to Christ for help, but they want to keep their pet sins and still have the benefits of church fellowship.
Paul says to Timothy, “Do not have anything to do with these folk who are of a hypocritical nature, turn away from them.” Those are hard words, are they not? Where do you suppose we would be in our whole setting of Christianity if even just that counsel had been followed?
There are likely many who would become offended and walk away, but the church would be stronger because of it. The Christian walk is not an easy walk. Jesus warned that it is a narrow way. (See Matthew 7:14.) It is uphill; it is rugged, and it is a struggle all the way. But when you reach the top of the mountain, you can look over into the Promised Land and swing across on the cord of faith. (See Testimonies, vol. 2, 594–597.)
Pet Sins
The person who has only a form of godliness is often consciously and deliberately a hypocrite. He maps out the road to heaven; he knows it well. He has studied the signposts, and he knows the course of the highway. He can talk about the promises, but he has his little pet sins snuggly tucked in a corner of his heart, and he is not willing to part with them. A form of godliness but no power.
Even individuals in leadership positions may have pet sins they are trying to overcome. I heard a preacher say one time, from a Seventh-day Adventist pulpit, that he had his cherished sins written in the front leaf of his Bible in a foreign language shorthand, so if someone picked up his Bible and looked through it, nobody but himself would probably be able to read them.
If we have a cherished pet sin, there is a way to get rid of that sin. We need to confess it, ask the Lord to take it away from us—not only the sin but also the taste and the desire for it. If we are operating by faith, the Lord has promised to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Timothy must have had a special problem with people who were professing but not living the example, because Paul wrote to him twice about such problems. He says, “Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” 1 Timothy 6:1–5.
What Are We Doing Here?
We, as Seventh-day Adventists, have probably not followed that counsel as closely as we should. Sometimes we have been involved in disputings and evil surmisings and doting about questions and strife of words, railings and what have you, calling it godliness. That is not godliness according to the Bible. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Verses 6–10.
The Lord knows that we have need of material things in order to maintain life, but it is when we lose sight of the reason we are here that the problem develops. Abraham, who was the father of the faithful, was a very rich person, but everything was held in its proper perspective. All too many are constantly reaching for more material things but are never satisfied and, of course, that is where the problem lies.
This was the problem with Judas. Judas had a form of godliness but no power. Mrs. White says, “Judas professed to be a disciple of Christ, but he possessed only a form of godliness. He was not insensible to the beauty of the character of Christ; and often, as he listened to the Saviour’s words, conviction came to him, but he would not humble his heart or confess his sins.” Acts of the Apostles, 557, 558.
If Judas had a Bible, he could have had his sins written in the front cover, maybe in Arabic shorthand so nobody else would be able to read them. “By resisting the divine influence he dishonored the Master whom he professed to love. . . . The practice of the truths that Christ taught was at variance with his desires and purposes, and he could not bring himself to yield his ideas in order to receive wisdom from heaven. Instead of walking in the light, he chose to walk in darkness. Evil desires, covetousness, revengeful passions, dark and sullen thoughts, were cherished until Satan gained full control of him.” Ibid.
Wanting the Best of Both Worlds
Judas was blessed with opportunity. He walked and talked with Jesus face to face. He saw Jesus perform miracles, yet he had only a form of godliness, a form that had no power to prevent Satan from gaining control. All the while Judas was in the presence of power, he coveted the riches of this world, thinking that it would gain him godliness. Just a form, wearing a mask—being a hypocrite—believing one thing and consciously doing something else and believing that the two were compatible.
It is sad to say that there are many people today who are living just like Judas. They want the best of both worlds. They know just enough about Christ to come to church week by week, but never enough for them to have the corresponding works that give evidence and testimony that there is power in their lives. They are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth that will change them completely.
Many Christians, even Seventh-day Adventist Christians, think that if they hear the latest message, the up-to-date events, somehow that will change their character and they will be saved in the kingdom of heaven. But they do not climb the ladder that is necessary for them to climb.
Ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. We have that somewhat as our history, as the legacy of Seventh-day Adventists, because we have capitalized on last day events to the neglect of character development. Is it wrong to know about last day events? Not at all, but we also need to know what God requires of us in terms of character development.
Stripping Away the Mask
All those things that are contrary to the character development that God has outlined for us in His word need to be eliminated from our lives. Those things that are to be cut away we are responsible for choosing to cut away. We cannot serve two masters. We learn to love one and hate the other. (See Matthew 6:24.) This was spoken by Jesus 2,000 years ago, tested by tens of thousands over the years, proven to be true, and yet the nature of the human heart prompts each generation to question, to try, to test, causing multitudes to lose their souls just like Judas did.
We need to ask ourselves when are we ever going to learn to let God, through the power of His Holy Spirit, strip away the mask of hypocrisy and clean up our act so that the testimony of God can be seen in the lives of His disciples? That is what God is waiting for. He does not want lip service; He wants the real thing.
Judas’ form of godliness is contrasted with true godliness as expressed in the life of the apostle John. Both were disciples of Jesus. Both started out from the same city. John was called one of the Sons of Thunder. Judas and John both had problems. We all have problems. The question is how are we going to deal with our problems? Are we going to become like Judas and have dark and sullen thoughts relative to the problem, or are we going to allow the very presence and power of God to help us to overcome those problems? Judas and John, a Son of Thunder, oh, what different roads they took.
“In the life of the disciple John true sanctification is exemplified. During the years of his close association with Christ, he was often warned and cautioned by the Saviour; and these reproofs he accepted.” The Acts of the Apostles, 557. What about Judas? When warnings and reproofs would come, he would get dark and sullen. That was the problem.
Yielded to His Will for Us
John was just the opposite. He was grateful to the Lord. “As the character of the Divine One was manifested to him, John saw his own deficiencies, and was humbled by the revelation. Day by day, in contrast with his own violent spirit, he beheld the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus, and heard His lessons of humility and patience. Day by day his heart was drawn out to Christ, until he lost sight of self in love for his Master. The power and tenderness, the majesty and meekness, the strength and patience, that he saw in the daily life of the Son of God, filled his soul with admiration.” Ibid.
Have you noticed some of the same character traits that we have been studying in the ladder are coming up in the Spirit of Prophecy as Mrs. White outlines these things over and over again? “He yielded his resentful, ambitious temper to the molding power of Christ, and divine love wrought in him a transformation of character.” Ibid. She goes on to say that John and Judas are representatives of those who profess to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Both these disciples had the same opportunities to study and follow the divine Pattern. Both were closely associated with Jesus and were privileged to listen to His teaching.” Ibid., 558. Both of them had serious character defects, but they also both had access to the same divine grace that could transform their characters to become like His. While John was learning, in humility, about Jesus, Judas was a hearer only, not a doer of the word. He had a form of godliness, but no power. John was daily dying to self, overcoming sin, being sanctified by the truth, developing true godliness and Judas was “resisting the transforming power of grace and indulging [in] selfish desires.” Ibid. Eventually he was brought into bondage, totally and completely, to the devil.
Lord, Is It I?
At the last supper Jesus sat with His 12 disciples, and the pronouncement was made: “One of you is going to betray me.” They all turned around and began to look at one another and ask the question, “Is it I?” Do you know something? John even asked a question—He questioned, “Lord, who is it?” (See John 13:21–25; Matthew 26:20–25.) John had come to a point in his experience with the Lord Jesus Christ that he knew what his relationship was to Jesus. The others apparently did not. If there is anything that true godliness teaches, it is that we can only realize true contentment as we reach out to our Lord and let Him be to us all that is necessary for our life on this earth. We need to have the faith with which He will provide us. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us [whom Jesus called Sons of Thunder, sons of violence], that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1–3.
This is the last testimony from a man who started out as a Son of Thunder, who had undergone a transformation and who now understands that he has become a son of God. I do not know of anything that could inspire someone to greater fidelity than to have the consciousness of who you are become aware to you, to realize and to understand to the fullest extent what you have become, a child of God.
This is the appeal of Scripture. Over and over again it appeals to the hearts of men. Although John never mentions the word godliness in his writings, he certainly understood the principle that produces it—beholding. As Paul puts it, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” Hebrews 12:2.