Editorial – Laboring to Give Birth

“Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale” (Jeremiah 30:6)?

“Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. … She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne” (Revelation 12:2, 5).

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).

“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel… .  To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:21-23, 27, 28).

All four of these diverse passages of scripture are talking about the same subject. Before anyone can be taken out of this world to live forever in heaven, all their sins must be forgiven and blotted out. And by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, a new heart and life must also be created within, their character a reflection of the character of Jesus Christ. Have you been born again?

“The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. As the Son of man was perfect in His life, so His followers are to be perfect in their life. … He bids us by faith in Him attain to the glory of the character of God.” The Faith I Live By, 44.

“A well-balanced character is formed by single acts well performed. One defect, cultivated instead of being overcome, makes the man imperfect, and closes against him the gate of the Holy City. … In all the redeemed host not one defect will be seen.” The Youth’s Instructor, January 17, 1901.

Inspiration – Practical Christianity

What is needed today is practical Christianity, not merely for a day or a year, but for a lifetime. The man who professes to be a Christian, and yet reveals in his life no practical godliness, is denying Christ. Opposite his name in the books of heaven are written the words, Unfaithful steward.

How is the world to be enlightened, save by the lives of Christ’s followers? You profess to believe in Christ, to be a follower of His. Do you do His works? Can the world see plainly that you have been with Jesus, and learned of Him? How are unbelievers to know that you belong to Christ if you show no zeal in His service, but instead cherish worldly ambition and follow worldly plans? …

There are many whose lives are but a pretense of godliness. They are a law unto themselves, and they always will be, unless the grace of Christ subdues their hearts. They lift up their souls unto vanity, and God has no use for them in His service.

Our sanctification is God’s object in all his dealing with us. He has chosen us from eternity that we might be holy. Christ gave Himself for our redemption, that through faith in His power to save from sin, we might be made complete in Him. …

As Christians we have pledged ourselves to fulfil the responsibilities resting on us, and to show to the world that we have a close connection with God. Thus, through the good words and works of His disciples, Christ is to be represented and honored.

God expects of us perfect obedience to His law. This law is the echo of His voice, saying to us, Holier, yea, holier still. Desire after the fulness of the grace of Christ, yea, long – hunger and thirst – after righteousness. The promise is, “Ye shall be filled” (Luke 6:21). Let your heart be filled with a longing for this righteousness, the work of which God’s word declares to be peace, and its effect quietness and assurance forever.

God has plainly stated that He expects us to be perfect, and because He expects this, He has made provision for us to be partakers of the divine nature. Only thus can we gain success in striving for eternal life. The power is given by Christ. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12).

God’s people are to reflect to the world the bright rays of His glory. But in order for them to do this, they must stand where these rays can fall on them. They must co-operate with God. The heart must be cleansed of all that leads to wrong. The word of God must be read and studied with an earnest desire to gain from it spiritual power. The bread of heaven must be eaten and assimilated, becoming part of the life. Thus we gain eternal life. Thus is answered the prayer of Christ, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth” (John 17:17).

This is the will of God, even your sanctification. Is it your will that your desires and inclinations shall be brought into harmony with the divine mind? The Review and Herald, January 28, 1904.

The Heavenly Character

John, in writing about the New Jerusalem from his lonely exile on the Island of Patmos, said that “There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27). The word defiled in the Greek language means profane, unclean, dirty, unwashed, sometimes translated common; in other words, taking something that is holy and making it for everyday use. We know from this text that there is a requirement for entering the Holy City and a careful study of this text will reveal that requirement.

In a very simple way, Ellen White writes of the one requirement to have eternal life: “No unlikeness to Christ will be permitted in the holy city.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 171.

We can see by the strong language used in Revelation 21:27 that there are no exceptions to this. In English, a double negative is not used, but in the Greek language when you want to emphasize something that is not going to happen, a double negative is used, which means it will in no case happen; it will absolutely not happen. There it is; that is all you need to know. There are many other statements along the same line. The prerequisite or requirement needed to be in heaven is to have a Christlike character.

“God can only be honored when we who profess to believe in Him are conformed to His image. We are to represent to the world the beauty of holiness, and we shall never enter the gates of the city of God until we perfect a Christlike character. If we, with trust in God, strive for sanctification, we shall receive it. Then as witnesses for Christ, we are to make known what the grace of God has wrought in us.” The Upward Look, 99.

If all who are saved have a Christlike character, then we need to find out what it is like and aim to be like Him. Salvation has never been something you can earn; it is something that those who are like Christ receive as a free gift. The door will be wide open for them to enter through the pearly gate. Jesus has already paid the price for them to enter and all they have to do is follow Him.

When we start to study this subject, we begin to understand what Jesus said to the people while He was here on earth. He would say, “Follow Me.” Just before He left the earth the disciples said to Him, “Show us the Father.” But Jesus said, “Have I been so long with you and you don’t know who I am? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father.” They said to Him, “Show us the way to heaven. We don’t know how to get there.” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (See John 14.)

Continuing in Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 171: “The process of gaining perfection of character is to be carried on in this life, that we may be prepared for the future immortal life. It is God’s purpose that His church on earth shall reach perfection.”

I have discovered during my years in ministry that there are many people who think it impossible for them to be perfect. They defend their belief using the parable of the wheat and the tares, but remember, part of that parable indicates that all the tares will be burned up. This statement says that God has a purpose for His church and His purpose is that His church is to reach perfection. To the human eye this seems impossible, but when God purposes something, He can make it happen. The devil is determined that it will not happen, and he is busy working in every family and every church to keep this from happening.

“It is essential that His [God’s] directions be strictly obeyed. The members are to help and strengthen one another. No self-exaltation or accusing or harshness are to be shown in our dealings with one another. We must purify our souls through love and obedience to the truth. … We must act like saints toward one another, preparing ourselves, drilling ourselves, to be without fault in character, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” Ibid.

Every defect of character will be overcome. There are many places in the New Testament that we could read that would confirm this need. We could read from almost any one of the apostles, or from James, Peter or Paul (see Ephesians 5; Philippians 1; 1 Corinthians 1), and in the book of Revelation; in fact, all the authors of the New Testament say the same.

“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things [2 Peter 3:10–13], be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless [without blemish]” (verse 14). There is only one prerequisite to having the gift of eternal life given to you and that is to have a Christlike character.

In the magazine The Southern Watchman, April 16, 1903, Ellen White made this statement: “It is not money or lands or position, but the possession of a Christlike character, that will open to us the gates of Paradise. It is not dignity, it is not intellectual attainments, that will win for us the crown of immortality. Only the meek and lowly ones, who have made God their efficiency, will receive this gift.”

Jesus said, “Follow Me.” We must walk as He walked (1 John 2:6). The people who are ready for His return will be like Him (1 John 3:1, 2). “Nothing should divert the mind from the main object in life, which is to have Christ in the soul, melting and subduing the heart.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 278.

To become like Jesus, surely that ought to be our main goal in life and to be ready when He comes.

Two big questions are then raised.

1  What does it mean to be Christlike?

2  How do I become Christlike?

Simply knowing what it is to be Christlike will not do any good unless that knowledge is used to change the person. The devil knows well what Christlikeness is, but it does him no good because he has chosen the different path. Consider these 13 main points about what is involved in acquiring a Christlike character.

 

  1. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden [weighted down], and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle [meek, humble] and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy [kind] and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).

Being gentle and lowly in heart was one of the main reasons Jesus was rejected and crucified. This characteristic is not a natural tendency. In fact, most people are just the opposite. However, if you surrender your heart and your life to Jesus and begin to learn from Him, copy Him, the Holy Spirit will work a change inside so that your nature will become gentle.

In the book of Numbers is recorded that Moses was the meekest of all men who lived on the earth. We know that did not happen when he was in Egypt; it happened during the 40 years while he was herding sheep. You would not generally send a person who had the equivalent of a Ph.D, a doctor’s degree, been trained as a military general, someone who was in line to rule a kingdom, out to herd sheep, but that’s exactly what God did to Moses because He had something more to teach him.

Maybe some terrible experience you may be going through in your life is just plain unexplainable. You may wonder how so many bad things could happen to one person. I can’t explain, but I know one thing, if out of all the trouble you may be going through you end up becoming gentle and lowly in heart, it will be worth it because you will then be fit to live in the presence of holy beings. In heaven, gentleness will be the trait of all. This is hard to imagine, a place without anybody who is rough, coarse, overbearing, proud, or haughty. We must examine ourselves to see if we would be a good fit there!

 

  1. Many people around us are gloomy and despondent, who in the midst of this gloominess eventually get to complaining. In The Adventist Home, 431, Ellen White wrote, “Do you ever see me gloomy, desponding, complaining? I have a faith which forbids this. It is a misconception of the true ideal of Christian character and Christian service that leads to these conclusions. It is the want of genuine religion that produces gloom, despondency, and sadness. Earnest Christians seek to imitate Jesus, for to be Christians is to be Christlike. It will be really essential to have correct conceptions of Christ’s life, Christ’s habits, that His principles may be reproduced in us who would be Christlike.”

Oh friend, do you know of any time when Jesus was gloomy? There wasn’t any time. When Jesus went to the cross, He went not only willingly, but without a murmuring thought, in order to save mankind.

We read in the book of Numbers how the children of Israel continually fell into complaining and despondency. In most English translations it says the people became impatient. In the Hebrew language it talks about their temper and says it got short. In their discouragement they accused Moses of promising them a good land of vineyards, olive orchards and fig trees, but just led them out into a desert. Who was leading them? Was Moses really the one leading them?

 

  1. In John 15:10, Jesus said, “I have kept My Father’s commandments.” If we become Christlike, we will be obedient to God’s commandments.

 

  1. Jesus was always courteous (Luke 7). Can we say the same? The Bible says that the man that never says anything offensive with his tongue is perfect (James 3:2). In heaven, everyone will always be courteous – the angels and the saved.

 

  1. In John the 13th and 14th chapters, Jesus told His disciples to love others the way that He loved them. It’s unfortunate that men at times bang their wives over the head with their words, claiming Ephesians 5 where Paul says the wife is to submit to her husband. But look at the context of that statement. It says that the husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church (verse 25). This text is hard on men. I’ve read that text and said, Lord, that’s impossible. I’ll never be able to love any human being the way Christ loved the church. How can this ever be? Christ loved the church so much that He eagerly pressed His way toward Jerusalem in 31 A.D. so that He could be crucified for it. He was eager to do that without one murmuring thought.

A husband who struggles with his wife should go to the Lord and ask that He work a miracle in his heart so that he could love his wife just as Christ loves the church and see if anything happens.

 

  1. Jesus was pure. It says in 1 John 3:3, “Everyone who has this hope [of eternal life] in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” Purity is a subject that needs careful study because we live in a world that is impure and the worldly ideal of purity is far from the ideal of Christian purity.

Some believe you can think whatever you want as long as you don’t do it. However, purity involves the mind, heart, and feelings.

 

  1. A favorite characteristic of Jesus to meditate on is His mercy. When you begin to recognize your own great need of mercy you become compassionate to others and treat them with more mercy. The person who is not merciful is not going to receive mercy. (See Matthew 6; James 2:13.) Mercy forgives somebody when they have made a mistake. What if they make more than one? The disciples wanted to be sure they got liberal on this so Peter said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times” (Matthew 18:21)? Then Jesus said, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (verse 22). That is mercy.

 

  1. Jesus could endure contradiction without becoming angry or upset or impatient. “To be a Christian is to be Christlike, to possess humility and a meek and quiet spirit that will bear contradiction without being enraged or becoming insane.” Testimonies, vol, 2. 573.

 

  1. Jesus had a pitying tenderness for sinners. How do you feel about sinners, especially when they have done something against you? Forget about the sinners that have done something against somebody else. How do you feel about the sinners that have done something against you? There are so many instances in the scriptures where Jesus had a tender pity for them. Remember the woman brought to Him who had been taken in adultery. After Jesus arranged to have her accusers leave, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you” (John 8:10)? She expected to be stoned. “She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more’ ” (verse 11).

Jesus had tender pity for people who were caught in the bondage of sin. Sin is like a net or a spider’s web. When an insect gets caught in there, a battle goes on. While the insect is trying to get out, the spider waits until it gets weak enough and then comes in for the kill. Sin is like that. There are people all around us that are caught in the spider web of sin and unless Divine power sets them free, they will never get free. Our condemnation will never help them. We need to have tender pity for those who are caught in the web of sin, praying that the Lord will set them free.

 

  1. Jesus had a spirit of forgiveness. When He was nailed to the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing” (Luke 23:34). The verb used in the Greek New Testament in this verse has a continuous meaning. It wasn’t just something that He thought for a moment; it was something that was going through His mind. In fact, some scholars believe that this is something that He said over and over again. It’s recorded only once in the Scripture.

 

  1. Jesus was self-denying and self-sacrificing. Repeating it many times to His disciples, He said, “If any man will come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24 KJV). In Luke 9:23, the word “daily” is added. “Take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Nobody will be in the kingdom of heaven that has not learned the lesson of self-sacrifice and self-denial. That is an integral part of the character of Christ.

 

  1. Jesus was kind, so kind that the children loved to climb up and sit in His lap. Children don’t usually like to climb up and sit in the lap of a person who is unkind; they are afraid of them.

 

  1. If we are Christlike, we will have unity among us. “Christ in one worker will acknowledge Christ in a brother worker. Those who are exacting, who are faultfinding, who think evil of others, are advancing the work of the enemy, tearing down that which God would have built up. All these discordant elements represent the powers of darkness, and show that Christ, the hope of glory, is not found within.” Testimonies to Southern Africa, 26, 27.

Those who are exacting, faultfinding, and think evil of others are doing the work of the enemy and demonstrate that Christ is not formed within their hearts. This one touches us all.

This evil surmising of others is going on all over the world and it is not Christlike. Pray that the Lord will help us overcome the temptation to think and speak evil of others. Ask that the Holy Spirit will help you to determine to become Christlike. We can never do it unless God works a miracle. But the Bible says that the God we serve is faithful and that He will do it; He will sanctify us totally (1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24). Do you want that miracle to happen in your life?

“He who has given his life to God in ministry to His children is linked with Him who has all the resources of the universe at His command. His life is bound up by the golden chain of the immutable promises with the life of God. The Lord will not fail him in the hour of suffering and need. ‘My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:19). And in the hour of final need the merciful shall find refuge in the mercy of the compassionate Saviour and shall be received into everlasting habitations.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 24.

God’s promise to complete the work He began in us are “leaves from that tree which is ‘for the healing of the nations’ (Revelation 22:2). Received, assimilated, they are to be the strength of the character, the inspiration and sustenance of the life.” The Ministry of Healing, 122.

We need that promised complete change of character. Determine to make whatever sacrifice you need to make to be Christlike. Ask the Lord to help you to have each one of these characteristics.

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

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

Keys to the Storehouse – Sly Change

Satan does not like it when you reflect the character of Jesus. He is out to corrupt your character without you realizing what he is doing—on the sly. Why do you think you have all of those little temptations? That is part of the brainwashing of the devil. Those temptations may seem “little” to you, but look at the damage they cause when you fall.

“Every act of transgression reacts upon the sinner, works in him a change of character, and makes it more easy for him to transgress again.” The Faith I Live By, 84.

Understand that is just what the devil wants—he wants you to change your Christlike character to reflect his character. Look around and see how many are reflecting the devil by representing his character!

1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we have the mind of Christ. The devil does not like that. He did not like it when Jesus walked this earth and he could not turn Him from right. Are you an easy prey? Can he turn our minds, little by little, from doing well and to thinking like he does? He sure can!

Wow, watch out! Satan is sneaky—he has caught me off my guard several times! We are God’s by creation and redemption.

“God would have us realize that He has a right to mind, soul, body, and spirit—to all that we possess. We are His by creation and by redemption. As our Creator, He claims our entire service. As our Redeemer, He has a claim of love as well as of right—of love without a parallel. This claim we should realize every moment of our existence.” The Review and Herald, November 24, 1896.

Remember, the devil has done nothing for us but cause heartache and trouble. We want the heavenly universe to rejoice over us. “The inhabitants of unfallen worlds and of the heavenly universe are watching with an intense interest the conflict between good and evil. They rejoice as Satan’s subtleties, one after another, are discerned and met with ‘It is written,’ as Christ met them in His conflict with the wily foe. Every victory gained is a gem in the crown of life. In the day of victory all the universe of heaven triumphs. The harps of the angels send forth the most precious music, accompanying the melody of the voice.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1088.

I want evidence of many victories in my crown—how about you?

Father: I want the unfallen worlds to rejoice as they see me gain the victory over these little temptations with a “thus saith the Lord.” I want to join them when Jesus returns. I choose to give to You my entire service and not to serve the devil—even in the little things. I do not want that sneaky devil to catch me off guard. Bless me Father that I may be faithful to You. Amen.

Cleansing the Camp

There are people who do not believe in corporate accountability, or corporate responsibility, or corporate sin; and they believe it is all individual and not corporate. A book that investigates the beliefs of William Miller, called Then Shall the Sanctuary be Cleansed, was written in 1958 by Don Short but not published until 1991 investigates the beliefs of William Miller.

Don Short said, “The first proof we have as respects Christ’s Second Coming to time is Daniel 8:14, ‘Unto two thousand three hundred days, then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.’ By days we are to understand years. Sanctuary we understand the church. Cleansed we may reasonably suppose means complete redemption from sin, both soul and body.” He then makes the comments, “We should note especially that by sanctuary we understand the church. This is uniquely important in understanding the final atonement, a work for God’s people, the church, the New Jerusalem.” Op. cit., 14.

Short continues on page 20 stating, “The daily ministration was different from the yearly made on the 10th day of the 7th month, in making the former [the daily] the priest went into the holy place. But for the later he went into the holy of holies. The former was for the individual cases. The later was for the entire nation, the corporate body.”

This is something the Seventh-day Adventists have taught since the 19th century. Ellen White addressed this issue very clearly and at some length in a letter she wrote to the general conference president and also to S. N. Haskell in 1886. The entire letter was reproduced in Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, starting on page 318. In this letter, she refers to the term corporate body as a group of people that are organized into a church, either local or worldwide.

In paragraph 1 she wrote, “For weeks I have not been able to sleep after half past 3 o’clock. My mind is deeply exercised in regard to our condition as a people. We ought to be far in advance of any other people on the earth because we have greater light and greater knowledge of the truth, which lays us under increased accountability to advance that light and not only profess to believe the truth but to practice it. When we do practice the truth we are then following Jesus, who is the light of the world; and if we as a people are not constantly elevating, becoming more and more spiritually minded, we are becoming like the Pharisees—self-righteous—while we do not the will of God.”

If we are not advancing we are doing just the opposite, going backward. She wrote, “Ministering angels are waiting about the throne to instantly obey the mandate of Jesus Christ to answer every prayer offered in earnest living faith.” Ibid., 318, 319. It is wonderfully comforting to know that heaven is watching and waiting to answer earnest prayers.

However, there is such a thing as corporate responsibility and the possibility of corporate rejection. Giving an example of this she wrote, “I think of His [Jesus] great sorrow as He wept over Jerusalem, exclaiming, ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not’ (Luke 13:34)! God forbid that these words shall apply to those who have great light and blessings. In the rejecting of Jerusalem it was because great privileges were abused, which brought the denunciation upon all who lightly regarded the great opportunities and precious light that were entrusted to their keeping.” Ibid, 319.

There was no group of people prior to that time that had had a greater revelation of divine truth than the Jews had when Jesus was on earth.

Jesus says in Luke 12:48, “… to whom much is given, much is required” (literal translation). With light and knowledge comes responsibility and accountability. She continued, “Privileges do not commend us to God, but they commend God to us. No people are saved because they have great light and special advantages, for these high and heavenly favors only increase their responsibility.

“The more and increased light God has given makes the receiver more responsible. It does not place the receiver in any safer position unless the privileges are wisely improved, prized, and used to advance God’s glory. Christ said,  ‘Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes’ (Matthew 11:21).” Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, 319.

It was bad for Chorazin and Bethsaida but even worse for Capernaum. Capernaum was known as Jesus’ own city where He probably did more than in any other city. Notice what He said about Capernaum in Matthew 11:23, 24: “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

In commenting on this Ellen White wrote, “When Jerusalem was divorced from God it was because of her sins.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, 319. Peter talks about this principle when he said, “For if God did not spare the angels … and did not spare the ancient world … then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly … and reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment” (2 Peter 2:4, 5, 9).

Jerusalem was divorced from God because of her sins. “She fell from an exalted height that Tyre and Sidon had never reached. And when an angel falls, he becomes a fiend. The depth of our ruin is measured by the exalted light to which God has raised us in His great goodness and unspeakable mercy. Oh, what privileges are granted to us as a people! And if God spared not His people that He loved, because they refused to walk in the light, how can He spare the people whom He has blessed with the light of heaven in having opened to them the most exalted truth ever entrusted to mortal man to give to the world?” Ibid.

God has given the Seventh-day Adventist church more light than any previous group of people since the beginning of the world. However, there is a problem.

“We are far from being the people God would have us to be, because we do not elevate the soul and refine the character in harmony with the wonderful unfolding of God’s truth and His purposes. ‘Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people’ (Proverbs 14:34). Sin is a disorganizer. Wherever it is cherished—in the individual heart, in the household, in the church—there is disorder, strife, variance, enmity, envy, jealousy, because the enemy of man and of God has the controlling power over the mind. But let the truth be loved and brought into the life, as well as advocated, and that man or woman will hate sin and will be a living representative of Jesus Christ to the world.” Ibid., 320.

On the day of judgment, “The people claiming to believe the truth will not be condemned because they had not the light, but because they had great light and did not bring their hearts to the test of God’s great moral standard of righteousness.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 377.

Remember, this letter was written in 1886 to the general conference president, making an appeal to all the Adventist people. The 1888 General Conference was held just before a major Sunday law crisis in the United States. It appears, as I study history, that because the church failed to accept the message of righteousness by faith in 1888, everything in God’s plan for finishing His work was put on hold.

“Let the churches who claim to believe the truth, who are advocating the law of God, keep that law and depart from all iniquity. Let the individual members of the church resist the temptations to practice evils and indulge in sin. Let the church commence the work of purification before God by repentance, humiliation, deep heart searching, for we are in the antitypical day of atonement—solemn hour fraught with eternal results.” Ibid., 378.

Repentance results in a change of heart. The basic meaning of the Greek word means to change your mind. What do you change your mind about? You change your mind about sin. The unconverted person loves sin. If you love sin, you hate the law of God. And if you hate the law of God, you really hate God Himself. Paul refers to this in Romans 8. He says that the carnal man, the unconverted man, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. He is at enmity with the law. So, how do you begin the work of purification? This begins with repentance, which means, instead of loving our sins, we are sorry enough to quit them.

The root of the sin problem is pride and selfishness. To be purified means to become humble in heart with deep heart searching.

The next instruction is for ministers to be “clean vessels.” Isaiah 52:11 says, “Touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord.” The same instruction is given in the New Testament: for “… each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor” (1 Thessalonians 4:4).

Clean vessels will then be able to sound a note of warning. “Let the men standing as watchmen and as shepherds of the flock proclaim the solemn truth, sound the notes of warning to all people, nations and tongues.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, 321.

God never forsakes people either individually or corporately until they first forsake Him. “The neglect to bring purity and truth into practice will grieve the Spirit of God and weaken them because God is not in their midst to bless. Internal corruption will bring the denunciations of God upon this people as it did upon Jerusalem. Oh, let pleading voices, let earnest prayer be heard, that those who preach to others shall not themselves be castaways. My brethren, we know not what is before us, and our only safety is in following the Light of the world. God will work with us and for us if the sins which brought His wrath upon the old world, upon Sodom and Gomorrah and upon ancient Jerusalem, do not become our crime.” Ibid., 321, 322.

A very sobering thought is that, “The least transgression of God’s law brings guilt upon the transgressor, and without earnest repentance and forsaking of sin he will surely become an apostate.” Ibid., 322.

This letter that Ellen White wrote to the general conference president was in response to their inquiry about what they should do. They were concerned about the pressure being brought to bear on Seventh-day Adventists to sanctify Sunday. Some Seventh-day Adventists had been put in chain gangs in the southern United States at this time.

She wrote: “I can speak in the fear of God, it is right we should use every power we can to avert the pressure that is being brought to bear upon our people. I know that were our people spiritualized by the truth the greatest love would be maintained.

“[We are] not to provoke those who have accepted this spurious sabbath, an institution of the Papacy, in the place of God’s holy Sabbath. Their not having the Bible arguments in their favor makes them all the more angry and determined to supply the place of arguments that are wanting in the word of God, by the power of their might. The force of persecution follows the steps of the dragon. Therefore great care should be exercised to give no provocation. And again let us as a people, as far as possible, cleanse the camp of moral defilement and aggravating sins. When sin is making its march upon the people who claim to be elevating the moral standard of righteousness, how can we expect God to turn His power in our behalf and save us as a people that did righteousness?” Ibid., 322.

Notice, she says “as a people,” a corporate body. She is not referring to individuals here, but a camp. There was a need to cleanse the camp.

I have tried to think this through, in as unbiased a way as possible, what would be involved in cleansing the whole Adventist camp?

Here are a few things that would have to happen.

1    Past wrongs must be repented of, confessed to the appropriate parties, if they are still alive, and then, restitution must be made as far as possible to have genuine revival and reformation. The first thing the Holy Spirit does is to convict of sin.

2    Forsake the wrongs that have been perpetrated.

3    Forsake all hierarchical church organization and seek to get back to New Testament church order. Hierarchical church organization is patterned after the kingly power, manifested by the papacy, and what Israel wanted in the days of Samuel, and to which the Seventh-day Adventist church returned in 1903.

After Israel accepted kingly power they were never able to get back to a pure theocracy.

4    Cease the infighting among God’s professed people.

5    Recognize that in 1904 God authorized the self-supporting work and that these self-supporting workers were authorized to eat the showbread.

The corporate structure of Adventism has either fought or attempted to control self-supporting work ever since it began. Either position is apostasy. Every hand, mind, and heart is needed to finish God’s work.

Ellen White wrote, “All the policy in the world cannot save us from a terrible sifting, and all the efforts made with high authorities will not lift from us the scourging of God, just because sin is cherished. If as a people we do not keep ourselves in the faith and not only advocate with pen and voice the commandments of God, but keep them every one, not violating a single precept knowingly, then weakness and ruin will come upon us.” Ibid., 323.

Many claim to be commandment keepers, but if they are not actually kept, ruin is going to come upon us. “It is a work that we must attend to in every one of our churches.” Ibid.

God is looking for a clean, pure people ready for the return of Jesus Christ. She says, “All the struggles [of those in the southern United States at that time] to carry our appeals to the highest authorities in our land, however earnest and strong and eloquent may be the pleas in our favor, will not bring about that which we desire unless the Lord works by His Holy Spirit in the heart of those who claim to believe the truth. … we shall fail unless the Lord pleads in our behalf. God will be honored among His people. They must be pure; they must be divested of self … But as a people we need the beauty of righteousness, holiness, and truth. The most harmonious theory will not save us.” Ibid., 323, 324.

“There are many doctrines current in our world. There is many a religion current that numbers its thousands and tens of thousands, but there is but one that bears the superscription and the stamp of God.” Ibid., 324.

Here she speaks of the Seventh-day Adventist religion and then about what is going to happen.

“We are to be ready and waiting for the orders of God. Nations will be stirred to their very center. Support will be withdrawn from those who proclaim God’s only standard of righteousness, the only sure test of character.” Ibid.

Those are the people who are proclaiming the law of God as still valid. She says, “And all who will not bow to the decrees of the national councils and obey the national laws to exalt the sabbath instituted by the man of sin to the disregard of God’s holy day, will feel, not the oppressive power of popery alone, but of the Protestant world, the image of the beast.” Ibid.

And when this Sunday law crisis comes, that is going to be a time when more than ever before, we will see the devil work his miracles. They are going to be so powerful to deceive that it will appear that Adventism has disappeared from the face of the earth.

“Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.” Ibid.

When this happens, who are the only people who will be left? “None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths.” Ibid., 324, 325.

Though it does matter what church or organization you belong to, the most important thing of all is to learn how to overcome sin by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. Those who learn this are the only ones that will be left. I want to be among those that are left.

“We must be divested of our self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ.

“The remnant that purify their souls by obeying the truth gather strength from the trying process, exhibiting the beauty of holiness amid the surrounding apostasy. …

“That which God required of Adam before his fall was perfect obedience to His law. God requires now what He required of Adam, perfect obedience, righteousness without a flaw, without shortcoming in His sight. God help us to render to Him all His law requires.” Ibid., 325.

God does not want any to be discouraged when reading His requirements. Remember that whoever wants to do His will He gives His power to accomplish it. If God cannot help me to do what He has told me to do, then He would be a liar. His throne is staked on His promise that if you choose to trust Him, He will enable you to do His will. It is the devil that keeps telling you that you cannot do it.

The answer is to be connected. If you have ever tried to raise grapes, there is an external connection which connects the branch to the vine. But there also has to be an internal connection. You cannot see the internal connection, but the living sap; the living current flows from the vine into the branch. It is invisible, but you can see the results, because the branch will be supple and not brittle. It will be alive and put forth leaves.

That is the living connection. The external connection is belonging to a church—being a church member with your name on the books, but that is not enough. What is needed is a living connection with Jesus Christ. He will come into your life and you will receive power from Him to do His will. That is what it means to have salvation. The result is no more struggling among us regarding who is going to be first.

The first struggle began in heaven with Satan who wanted to be like the Most High. The quest for being the best or first has been a huge problem ever since. Anybody who knows anything about church history knows that this has been a huge problem. Study the history of the Roman Catholic church. Study the history of the Adventist church.

“There is no struggling there [heaven] to be first, to have the supremacy; all will love their neighbor as themselves.” Ibid., 326, 327.

So, there is a great crisis coming. “The great issue so near at hand will weed out those whom God has not appointed, and He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain.” Ibid., 327.

We must know from God’s word where we stand, whether we are going to heaven. Those who will enter through those pearly gates will be people who do not lie or commit abomination, or do that which is unlawful. They are not transgressors of God’s law. Transgression must become a thing of the past in our lives.

Remember, when something seems to be whispering in your mind that says it is impossible, it is the devil attempting to cause discouragement. You may fall many times, but get back up and look to Jesus, who is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

If you come to Jesus, He will pick you up and He will give you strength and power. He will put His life into your life through His Holy Spirit and that is what will give you spiritual life and give you the ability to live a Christian life.

Friend, things are often not what they seem in the religious world. Many may appear outwardly to be getting ready for heaven but it is what is happening inside that counts.

God does not see things the way we see them. In heaven, there will be those whom we didn’t expect to be there and many will be missing whom we thought for sure should be. The Lord told Samuel that he looked on the outside. God does not look on the outside. He looks at what is going on in the heart.

We are so near the end of time. We need to pray for each other. We need to pray for our leaders. We need to pray for our fellow church members. We need to pray that the heart work that needs to happen will happen because we each must have that living connection with Jesus if we are going to be saved and be in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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

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

In Fashion With God, The Outward Adorning

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Is it possible that these verses could refer to dress? “Many today have veils upon their faces. These veils are sympathy with the customs and practices of the world, which hide from them the glory of the Lord. God desires us to keep our eyes fixed upon Him, that we may lose sight of the things of this world.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 146.

“As soon as any have a desire to imitate the fashions of the world, that they do not immediately subdue, just so soon God ceases to acknowledge them as His children. They are the children of the world and of darkness.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 137.

“If I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10.

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15.

“To many the dress reform is too simple and humbling to be adopted. They cannot lift the cross. God works by simple means to separate and distinguish His children from the world.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 523, 524.

“The dress reform is treated by some with great indifference and by others with contempt, because there is a cross attached to it. For this cross I thank God. It is just what we need to distinguish and separate God’s commandment keeping people from the world. The dress reform answers to us as did the ribbon of blue to ancient Israel.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 171.

“It is never difficult to do what we love to do; but to take a course directly against our inclinations, is lifting a cross.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 94.

“If we pass along without receiving censure or frowns from the world we may be alarmed, for it is our conformity to the world which makes us so much like them that there is nothing to arouse their envy or malice; there is no collision of spirits. The world despises the cross. ‘For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.’ 1 Corinthians 1:18.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 525.

“It is the duty of every child of God to inquire: ‘Wherein am I separate from the world?’ Let us suffer a little inconvenience, and be on the safe side. What crosses do God’s people bear? They mingle with the world, partake of their spirit, dress, talk, and act like them.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 278.

“Everyone must now search the Bible for himself upon his knees before God, with the humble, teachable heart of a child, if he would know what the Lord requires of him.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 214.

“The sin of ancient Israel was in disregarding the expressed will of God and following their own way according to the leadings of unsanctified hearts. Modern Israel are fast following in their footsteps, and the displeasure of the Lord is as surely resting upon them.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 94.

“Self denial in dress is a part of our Christian duty. To dress plainly, and abstain from display of jewelry and ornaments of every kind is in keeping with our faith.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 366.

“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God a great price.” 1 Peter 3:3, 4. “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, and or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” 1 Timothy 2:9, 10.

“If all our sisters would adopt a simple, unadorned dress of modest length, the uniformity thus established would be pleasing to God.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 640.

“There is an increasing tendency to have women in their dress and appearance as near like the other sex as possible, and to fashion their dress very much like that of men, but God pronounces it abomination.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 457.

“I saw that God’s order has been reversed, and his special directions disregarded, by those who adopt the American costume. I was referred to Deuteronomy 22:5: ‘The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither a shall man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God . . . It is immodest apparel, wholly unfitted for the modest, humble followers of Christ.” Ibid.

“It is always right to be neat and to be clad appropriately in a manner becoming to your age and station in life.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 142.

“Christians should not take pains to make themselves a gazing stock by dressing differently from the world. But if, when following out their convictions of duty in respect to dressing modestly and healthfully, they find themselves out of fashion, they should not change their dress to be like the world; but they should manifest a noble independence and moral courage to be right, if all the world differ from them. If the world introduces a modest, convenient, and healthful mode of dress, which is in accordance with the Bible, it will not change our relation to God or to the world to adopt such a style of dress.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 458, 459.

“Correct taste is not to be despised or condemned. Our faith, if carried out, will lead us to be so plain in dress and zealous of good works that we shall be marked as peculiar. But when we lose taste for order and neatness in dress, we virtually leave the truth; for the truth never degrades but elevates.” Child Guidance, 419, 420.

“My sisters, your dress is telling either in favor of Christ and the sacred truth or in favor of the world. Which is it?” Child Guidance, 420.

The End