THE LORD
OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The
question, then, is, How may the righteousness that is necessary in order that
one may enter that city, be obtained? To answer this question is the great work
of the Gospel. Let us first have an object lesson on justification, or the
imparting of righteousness. The fact may help us to a better understanding of
the theory. The example is given in Luke 18:9-14, in these words:—
"And
He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were
righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the
one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus
with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give
tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not
lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God
be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house
justified rather than the other; for everyone that exalteth himself shall be
abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
This was
given to show how we may not, and how we may, attain to righteousness. The
Pharisees are not extinct; there are many in these days who expect to gain
righteousness by their own good deeds. They trust in themselves that they are
righteous. They do not always so openly boast of their goodness, but they show
in other ways that [58] they are trusting to their own righteousness.
Perhaps the spirit of the Pharisee—the spirit which would recount to God one's
own good deeds as a reason for favor—is found as frequently as anywhere else
among those professed Christians who feel the most bowed down on account of
their sins. They know that they have sinned, and they feel condemned. They
mourn over their sinful state, and deplore their weakness. Their testimonies
never rise above this level. Often they refrain for very shame from speaking in
the social meeting, and often they do not dare approach God in prayer. After
having sinned to a greater degree than usual, they refrain from prayer for some
time, until the vivid sense of their failure has passed away, or until they
imagine that they have made up for it by special good behavior. Of what is this
a manifestation?— Of that Pharisaic spirit that would flaunt its own
righteousness in the face of God; that will not come before Him unless it can
lean on the false prop of its own fancied goodness. They want to be able to say
to the Lord, "See how good I have been for the past few days; you surely
will accept me now.”
But what
is the result?—The man who trusted in his own righteousness had none, while the
man who prayed, in heart-felt contrition, "God be merciful to me, a
sinner," went down to his house a righteous man. Christ says that he went
justified, that is, made righteous.
Notice
that the publican did something more than bewail his sinfulness; he asked for
mercy. What is mercy?—It is unmerited favor. It is the disposition to treat a
man better than he deserves. Now the Word of Inspiration says of God: "As
the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear
Him." Ps. 103:11. That is, the measure by which God treats us better than
we deserve when we humbly come to Him, is the distance between earth and the
highest heaven. And in what respect does He treat us better than we deserve?—In
taking our sins away from us; for the next verse says: "As far as the east
is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." With
this agree the words of the beloved disciple: "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.
For a
further statement of the mercy of God, and of how it is manifested, read Micah
7:18, 19: "Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and
passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not
His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He will
have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast
their sins into the depths of the sea." Let us now read the direct
Scripture statement of how righteousness is bestowed.
The
apostle Paul, having proved that all have
[60] sinned and come short of the
glory of God, so that by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in
his sight, proceeds to say that we are "justified [made righteous] freely
by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set
forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness; that He might be
just, and the justifier of him17 that believeth in Jesus." Rom. 3:24-26
"Being
made righteous freely." How else could it be? Since the best efforts of a
sinful man have not the least effect toward producing righteousness, it is
evident that the only way it can come to him is as a gift. That righteousness
is a gift is plainly stated by Paul in Rom. 5:17: "For if by one man's
offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus
Christ." It is because righteousness is a gift that eternal life, which is
the reward of righteousness, is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christ has
been set forth by God as the One through whom forgiveness of sins is to be
obtained; and this forgiveness consists simply in the declaration of His
righteousness (which is the righteousness of God) for their remission. God,
"who is rich in mercy" (Eph. 2:4), and who delights in it, puts His
own righteousness on the sinner who believes in
[61] Jesus, as a substitute for
his sins. Surely, this is a profitable exchange for the sinner, and it is no
loss to God, for He is infinite in holiness, and the supply can never be
diminished.
The
scripture that we have just been considering (Rom. 3:24-26) is but another
statement of verses 21, 22, following the declaration that by the deeds of the
law there shall no flesh be made righteous. The apostle adds: "But now the
righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law
and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe." God puts His
righteousness upon the believer. He covers him with it, so that his sin no more
appears. Then the forgiven one can exclaim with the prophet:—
"I
will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He
hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the
robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a
bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Isa. 61:10.
But what
about "the righteousness of God without the law"? How does that
accord with the statement that the law is the righteousness of God, and that
outside of its requirements there is no righteousness? There is no
contradiction here. The law is not ignored by this process. Note carefully: Who
gave the law?—Christ. How did He speak it?—"As one having authority,"
even as God. The law sprang from Him the same as from the [62]
Father, and is simply a declaration of the righteousness of His
character. Therefore the righteousness which comes by the faith of Jesus Christ
is the same righteousness that is epitomized in the law; and this is further
proved by the fact that it is "witnessed by the law."
Let the
reader try to picture the scene. Here stands the law as the swift witness
against the sinner. It cannot change, and it will not call a sinner a righteous
man. The convicted sinner tries again and again to obtain righteousness from
the law, but it resists all his advances. It cannot be bribed by any amount of
penance or professedly good deeds. But here stands Christ, "full of
grace" as well as of truth, calling the sinner to Him. At last the sinner,
weary of the vain struggle to get righteousness from the law, listens to the
voice of Christ, and flees to His outstretched arms. Hiding in Christ, he is
covered with His righteousness; and now behold! he has obtained, through faith
in Christ, that for which he has been vainly striving. He has the righteousness
which the law requires, and it is the genuine article, because he obtained it
from the Source of Righteousness; from the very place whence the law came. And
the law witnesses to the genuineness of this righteousness. It says that so
long as the man retains that, it will go into court and defend him against all
accusers. It will witness to the fact that he is a righteous man. With the
righteousness which is "through the faith of Christ, [63]
the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Phil. 3:9), Paul was
sure that he would stand secure in the day of Christ.
There is
in the transaction no ground for finding fault. God is just, and at the same
time the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. In Jesus dwells all the
fullness of the Godhead; He is equal with the Father in every attribute.
Consequently the redemption that is in Him—the ability to buy back lost man—is
infinite. Man's rebellion is against the Son as much as against the Father,
since both are one. Therefore, when Christ "gave Himself for our
sins," it was the King suffering for the rebellious subjects—the One
injured passing by, overlooking, the offense of the offender. No skeptic will
deny that any man has the right and privilege of pardoning any offense
committed against himself; then why cavil when God exercises the same right?
Surely if He wishes to pardon the injury done Himself, He has the right; and
more because He vindicates the integrity of His law, by submitting in His own
Person to the penalty which was due the sinner. "But the innocent suffered
for the guilty." True; but the innocent Sufferer "gave himself"
voluntarily, in order that He might in justice to His government do what His
love prompted, namely, pass by the injury done to Himself as the Ruler of the
universe.
Now read
God's own statement of His own Name—a statement given in the face of one of the
worst cases of contempt ever shown Him:— [
"And
the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the
Name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord,
The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness
and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression
and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty." Ex. 34:5-7.
This is
God's Name; it is the character in which He reveals Himself to man; the light
in which He wishes men to regard Him. But what of the declaration that He
"will by no means clear the guilty"? That is perfectly in keeping
with His long-suffering, abundant goodness, and His passing by the
transgression of His people. It is true that God will by no means clear the
guilty; He could not do that and still be a just God. But He does something
which is far better: He18 removes the guilt, so that the one formerly guilty
does not need to be cleared,—he is justified, and counted as though he never
had sinned.
Let no one
cavil over the expression, "putting on righteousness," as though such
a thing were hypocrisy. Some, with a singular lack of appreciation of the value
of the gift of righteousness, have said that they did not want righteousness
that was "put on," but that they wanted only that righteousness which
comes from the life, thus depreciating the righteousness of God, which is by
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe. We agree with their
idea insofar as it is a protest against hypocrisy, a form of godliness without
the power; [65] but we would have the reader bear this
thought in mind: It makes a vast deal of difference who puts the righteousness
on. If we attempt to put it on ourselves, then we really get on nothing but a
filthy garment, no matter how beautiful it may look to us; but when Christ
clothes us with it, it is not to be despised nor rejected. Mark the expression
in Isaiah: "He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness."19 The
righteousness with which Christ covers us is righteousness that meets the
approval of God; and if God is satisfied with it, surely men ought not to try
to find anything better.
But we
will carry the figure a step further, and that will relieve the matter of all
difficulty. Zech. 3:1-5 furnishes the solution; it reads thus:—
"And
he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and
Satan standing at his right hand to resist Him. And the Lord said unto Satan,
The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke
thee; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with
filthy garments, and stood before the Angel. And He answered and spake unto
those that stood before Him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him.
And unto him He said, Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee,
and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair
miter upon his head. So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him
with garments. And the Angel of the Lord stood by."
Notice in
the above account that the taking away of the filthy garments is the same as
causing the iniquity to pass from the person. And so we [66]
find that when Christ covers us with the robe of His own righteousness,
He does not furnish a cloak for sin, but takes the sin away. And this shows
that the forgiveness of sins is something more than a mere form, something more
than a mere entry in the books of record in heaven, to the effect that the sin
has been canceled. The forgiveness of sins is a reality; it is something
tangible, something that vitally affects the individual. It actually clears him
from guilt; and if he is cleared from guilt, is justified, made righteous, he
has certainly undergone a radical change. He is, indeed, another person. For he
obtained this righteousness for the remission of sins, in Christ. It was
obtained only by putting on Christ. But "if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature." 2 Cor. 5:17. And so the full and free forgiveness of sins
carries with it that wonderful and miraculous change known as the new birth;
for a man cannot become a new creature except by a new birth. This is the same
as having a new, or a clean, heart.
The new
heart is a heart that loves righteousness and hates sin. It is a heart of
willingness to be led into the paths of righteousness. It is such a heart as
the Lord wished Israel to have when He20 said, "O that there were such a
heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always,
that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!" Deut.
5:29. In short, it is a heart free from the love of sin as well as from
the [67]
guilt of sin. But what makes a man sincerely desire the forgiveness of
his sins?—It is simply his hatred of them, and his desire for righteousness,
which hatred and desire have been enkindled by the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit
strives with all men. It comes as a reprover; when its voice of reproof is
regarded, then it at once assumes the office of comforter. The same submissive,
yielding disposition that leads the person to accept the reproof of the Spirit,
will also lead him to follow the teachings of the Spirit, and Paul says that
"as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
Rom. 8:14
Again,
what brings justification, or the forgiveness of sins? It is faith, for Paul
says: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1. The righteousness of God is given unto
and put upon everyone that believeth. Rom. 3:22. But this same exercise of
faith makes the person a child of God; for, says the apostle Paul again,
"Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Gal. 3:26.
The fact
that everyone whose sins are forgiven is at once a child of God, is shown in
Paul's letter to Titus. He first brings to view the wicked condition in which
we once were, and then says (Titus 3:4-7):—
"But
after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour [68]
toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ
our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs
according to the hope of eternal life."
Note that
it is by being justified by His grace that we are made heirs. We have already
learned from Rom. 3:24, 25 that this justification by His21 grace is through
our faith in Christ; but Gal. 3:26 tells us that faith in Christ Jesus makes us
children of God; therefore, we know that whoever has been justified by God's
grace,—has been forgiven,—is a child and an heir of God.
This shows
that there is no ground for the idea that a person must go through a sort of
probation, and attain to a certain degree of holiness, before God will accept
him22 as His child. He receives us just as we are. It is not for our goodness
that He loves us, but because of our need. He receives us, not for the sake of
anything that He sees in us, but for His own sake, and for what He knows that
His Divine power can make of us. It is only when we realize the wonderful
exaltation and holiness of God, and the fact that He comes to us, in our sinful
and degraded condition, to adopt us into His family, that we can appreciate the
force of the apostle's exclamation, "Behold what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John
3:1. Everyone upon whom this honor has been bestowed, will purify himself, even
as He is pure. [
God does
not adopt us as His children because we are good, but in order that He may make
us good. Says Paul: "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love
wherewith he loves us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us [made
us alive] together with Christ (by grace ye are saved), and hath raised us up
together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in
the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His
kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Eph. 2:47. And then he adds:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it
is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them." Verses 8-10. This passage shows
that God loved us while we were yet dead in sins; He gives us His Spirit to
make us alive in Christ, and the same Spirit marks our adoption into the Divine
family; and He thus adopts us that, as new creatures in Christ, we may do the
good works which God has ordained.
Christ And
His Righteousness.
E.J.
Waggoner
(Excerpt)
*******
THE EXERCISE OF
THE WILL -- Part 1 -- There is hardly a professed Christian who cannot recite
John 3:16. This should be equally true as concerns John 5:30. Jesus declared:
I
can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just;
because I seek not mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.
Jesus
Christ in becoming man, placed Himself in exactly the same position we are in.
Of ourselves we do not have the power to do right. Jesus accepted the same
risks as a free moral agent, even as man is a free moral agent. "The
second Adam was a free moral agent, held responsible for His conduct." (1) "He, was a free agent,
placed on probation, as was Adam and as is man." (2) In this state of being, He confesses, "I
can of my own self do nothing." How then did He succeed, when we have
failed and continue to fail?
"As
I hear, I judge" - was the first step in the victory of Jesus.
"Hearing" is a very important word in the New Testament. We are
warned by Paul: Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into
His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the
gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word of hearing did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (3)
Then
in writing to the Romans, Paul stated - "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (4) The Greek word for "hearing" is from the
verb -(Greek word written) (akouo) - I hear. When this verb is prefixed with
the preposition, (Greek word written) (hypo) meaning "under", the
resultant word - (Greek word written) (hypakoe) - means, obedience. (The same
prefix is to be found in our English word - "hypodermic" - meaning,
under the skin. When the word of God "gets under the skin" there is a
reaction.) When I "hear under" the word of God, thus placing myself
under what I hear, obedience follows. There is another form of (akouo) with the
prefixed preposition (hypo) - which means hearing amiss, refusing to hear, and
the resultant word (Greek word written) (parakoe) means disobedience.
The
preposition - (hypo) - which united with, (akouo) I hear, is the basis of the
word meaning, disobedience, also has the force of "motion terminating in
rest at, near, by, or by the side of." In other words, I can hear the word
of God, even letting it come near to my side, and yet I will hear amiss unless
I come
p 2 --
under
that word, or let the word "get under my skin". This was the problem
in 1888, and it has continued to be the problem ever since in the matter of
righteousness by faith. We read: The truth is of no value to any soul
unless it is brought into the inner sanctuary, and sanctifies the soul. Piety
will degenerate, and religion become a shallow sentimentalism, unless the
plowshare of truth is made to go deep into the fallow ground of the
heart. (5)
In
the life of Jesus, He said, "I hear" and what I hear, I weigh;
"I judge." Then He declared that His judgment was just - in other
words, His decision ended in righteousness. Why? Because He did not seek to do
His own will but the will of Him that had sent Him. Herein is the secret of why
Jesus succeeded and we have failed so miserably, so often. It concerns the
WILL! "God has made provision that we may become like Him, and He will accomplish this for all
who do not interpose a perverse will, and thus frustrate His grace." (6)
There
are some very vital statements concerning the will and its exercise to be found
in the Spirit of Prophecy. These we need to note and consider. Take your copy
of the book, Ministry of Healing,
and on page 176 (Trade Edition) read the section entitled, "The Power of
the Will." From these paragraphs, there are three consequential concepts
that need to be emphasized:
1) "Everything depends on the right action of the
will."
2) "we cannot change our hearts . . . we can give Him our
wills."
3) "Through the right exercise of the
will an entire change may
be made in the life."
In
the chapter, "Like Unto Leaven", from Christ's Object Lessons, p. 96, is to be found the
following concerning the limitation of the will:
In all who will submit themselves to the Holy
Spirit a new principle of life is to be implanted; the lost image of God is to
be restored in humanity.
But
man cannot transform himself by the exercise of his will. He possesses no power
by which this change can be effected. ...The grace of God must be received by
the sinner before he can be fitted for the kingdom of glory. ...The renewing
energy must come from God. The change can be made only by the Holy Spirit. All
who would be saved, high or low, rich or poor, must submit to the working of
this power.
Observe
closely - by the mere exercise of the will man cannot transform himself. "The change can be
made only by the Holy
Spirit." This is why we need to dig deeper into the work of the Holy
Spirit in the Latter Rain than we have ever done before. While we can give God our wills, this
act does not bring the change, but only places us where the change can be made
by the Holy Spirit.
p 3 -- A third reference - also from Christ's Object Lessons - reads
as follows: 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. The impossibility lies in your own will. If you
will not, then you cannot overcome. The real difficulty arises from the
corruption of an unsanctified heart, and the unwillingness to submit to the
control of God ... (p. 331)
As
the will of man cooperates with the will of God, it become omnipotent. Whatever
is to be done at His command may be accomplished by His strength. All His
biddings are enablings. (p. 333)
In
the next thought paper, we shall consider the results from the surrender of the
will, and the key to that surrender.
|
(l)
|
Ellen G.
White, The Southern Watchman
(SW), Sept. 29, 1903 (6BC:1074)
|
|
(2)
|
Ellen G.
White, Manuscript 29,
1899
|
|
(3)
|
Hebrews
4:1-2
Heb
4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering
into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb
4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the
word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that
heard it.
|
|
(4)
|
Romans
10:17
Rom 10:17 So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
|
|
(5)
|
Ellen G.
White, Review & Herald,
May 24, 1892
|
|
(6)
|
Ellen G.
White, Thoughts from the Mount
of Blessing, p. 116 (76)
|
A SHADOW OF COMING EVENTS??? -- In the August issue of Ministry, there
appeared an article by Elder R. H. Pierson, entitled, "The Alpha of
Apostasy." In seeking to give authority as to what he says took place at
the time of the "Alpha" apostasy, Pierson states "there are
certain identifying marks ... on which the Spirit of Prophecy, some church
historians, and interested researchers agree." (p. 6) He then proceeds to
list what these marks were. Let us examine some of them.
1. Dr. Kellogg became infected with the
liberal theological thought of his day.
Sister
White wrote - "In the book, Living
Temple there is presented the alpha of deadly heresies." (Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 2,
p. 50) Does this book teach "the liberal theological thought of his
[Kellogg's] day" as Pierson suggests without specific documentation? Or
does this book show the truth of what she wrote concerning the
"Alpha"? Note her words concerning the "mysticism" of the
book - "The track of truth lies close beside the track of error, and both
tracks may seem to be one to minds which are not worked by the Holy Spirit, and
which, therefore, are not quick to discern the difference between truth and
error." (Ibid., p. 52)
p 4 -- If you have the book - Living Temple - compare the
section, "God the Explanation of Nature" (pp. 28-29) with the first
part of the chapter - "God in Nature" as found in the book, Education, and the truth of the
statement concerning the closeness of the tracks of truth and error becomes
very apparent. In public presentations of the "Alpha" apostasy, I
have asked the congregation to close their eyes, and think carefully on what I read.
Afterwards, I asked them which book, I read certain paragraphs from, Living Temple, or Education. The reaction was
rather startling. Check for yourself the following statements. Tell which are
from Education, and which are
from Living Temple:
God is the explanation of nature, - not a
God outside of nature, but in nature, manifesting Himself through and in all
objects, movements, and varied phenomena of the universe.
A
mysterious life pervades all nature, - a life that sustains the unnumbered
worlds throughout immensity; that lives in the insect atom which floats in the
summer breeze; that wings the flight of the swallow, and feeds the young ravens
which cry; that brings the bud to blossom, and the flower to fruit.
The
heart not yet hardened by contact with evil is quick to recognize the Presence
that pervades all created things.
There
is, in all the world about us, an infinite, divine, though invisible Presence,
to which the unenlightened may be blind, but which is ever declaring itself by
its ceaseless, beneficent activity. "The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament showeth His handwork."
Of
these four statements, the ones from Education,
you will find on pages 99, and 100.
Pierson
wrote that Kellogg was infected with the "liberal" theological
thought of his day. Liberal theological thought does not lie close to the track
of fundamental conservative teaching based on the Word. These two concepts are
poles apart! But the concept that Pierson is trying to put across is readily
seen by noting his second proposition:
2. His [Kellogg's] heresy was taught in
the Battle Creek Sanitarium, the Battle
Creek
College, and the medical school.
It
is well known that the center of "liberal" teaching in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church is at Loma Linda - among some of the hospital
staff, and in the medical school. Is Pierson now trying to prepare the ministry
of the church, and through them the laity of a possible breakaway or loss of
Loma Linda to the Church? Is this article by Pierson a "shadow of coming
events"? Pierson is reading back into history present circumstances so he
can have a plausible parallel between the "alpha" apostasy and what
he would have the "omega" understood to be. He states -
"Kellogg's new doctrine appealed to the intellectual elite." But
Pierson does not name them! However, Sister White described the
p 5 -- ones deceived by quoting highest
authority: These words were spoken to me in
the night season. The sentiments in Living
Temple regarding the personality of God have been received even by
men who have had a long experience in the truth. ... That those whom we thought
sound in the faith should have failed to discern the specious, deadly influence
of this science of evil, should alarm us as nothing else has alarmed us.
It
is something that cannot be treated as a small matter that men who have so much
light, and such clear evidence as to the genuineness of the truth we hold,
should become unsettled, and led to accept spiritualistic theories regarding
the personality of God. (Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, P. 37)
As
far as history reveals, it was the warning voice of Sister White, and Sister
White only, which alerted the Church to the deadly danger of the
"Alpha" apostasy, not the brethren in the General Conference. They
were more concerned about the preservation of their control of the Church in
the power struggle between them and Kellogg.
Pierson
gives some other marks of the "Alpha" apostasy:
3. The new doctrine offered differing
theological presuppositions that would have necessitated bypassing Adventism's
message.
4. Basic Adventist theology would have
been changed. This would have undermined the foundations of the Adventist
faith.
On
these points he is correct, although not documented. The servant of the Lord
stated in Special Testimonies,
Series B, No. 2, pp. 54-55: The enemy of souls
has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take
place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in
giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging
in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would
result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant
church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental
principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be
accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new
order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be
introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a
wonderful work. The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the
God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of this new
movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God
being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without
God is worthless.
Herein
lies a very important point! We need not look to the future for a change
p 6 -- in basic Adventist theology. This
is past history - fulfilled during the last two decades! (See Review, May 5, 1977, Editorial, p. 12
& Thought Paper, July, 1977, article, "The Historic Position",
pp. 4-6)
On
my library shelf, I have placed Kellogg's book - Living Temple - which contains "the alpha of deadly
heresies" and on each side of this book two other books - Questions on Doctrine and Movement of Destiny. In the above
quotation one of the marks of the alpha was - "Books of a new order would
be written" so also in the omega. Keep in mind that Pierson himself placed
his imprimatur on the book, Movement
of Destiny. (p. 13). Now he is crying about a coming "omega",
when he has been a party to the "omega" that has already come into
the teachings of Adventism. Further, Pierson was also one of the leaders from
the General Conference who signed the Palmdale Accord which compromised basic
truths of the Adventist Movement. (See Review,
May 27, 1976, pp. 4-7)
But
this is not all. The liberal intelligentsia of the Church have a voice via
their publication - The Spectrum -
which is the voice of the Association of Adventist Forums. This association was
given the blessing of the officers of the General Conference - and this would
include Elder Pierson - at the 1967 Fall Council. All of this has been
documented in the monograph - The
Times of the Gentiles Fulfilled, pp. 23-24, with the significance
of this and other actions of the General Conference leadership in the light of
fulfilled prophecy.
While
we - the Adventist Laymen's Foundation - do not hold with the liberal
intelligence in their position on Creation, and their attitude toward the
Spirit of Prophecy, it is obvious that the positions taken by them are so
evident in their contrast with the historic position of Adventism that under no
circumstances could it be said that what we would consider heretical was a
counterfeit which resembled the true. However, during these past two decades
the leadership in Washington have countenanced teachings contrary to historic
Adventism, and in so doing have sought to project the same as basic Adventism.
The prime example of this type of cover-up is the book, Movement of Destiny, which by its
title purports to be basic truth, but is in reality full of deadly heresies and
misrepresentations. This too, has been documented. When the book, Questions on Doctrine, was questioned,
those who opposed its heresy were told that it was just a matter of semantics -
so closely did the track of error lie beside the track of truth! The laity for
the most part still remains deceived by this projection of error under the guise
of truth. In other words, the curia on the Sligo have already been party to the
omega of apostasy.
One
must keep in mind that what Elder Pierson is really alluding to is a power
struggle on who shall control, and what shall be controlled. Pierson in his
article in the Ministry bemoaned
that in the time of the "alpha", - "the leaders of the new
'movement' determined to take over the leadership of the sanitarium and perhaps
of the church from the men who had been duly elected to bear these
responsibilities." If then, Loma Linda should pass from the control of the
curia on the Sligo, do keep in mind that over these years the majority of the
board of Loma Linda have been composed of men who were "duly
elected."
God
has borne long with His church and His people, but in so doing He has allowed
"a state of things to come" that some of the brethren in Washington
would "fain"
p 7 -- see counteracted, but it is now
"too late." (See 5 Testimonies p
.77). Let not this prophecy be missed: When God
shall work His strange work on the earth, when holy hands bear the ark no
longer, woe will be upon the people. Oh, that thou hadst known, even thou, in
this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! Oh, that our people may, as did Nineveh,
repent with all their might and believe with all their heart, that God may turn
away His fierce anger from them.
(5 Testimonies p
77-78)
And
why will this be? we are told: Here we see that
the church - the Lord's sanctuary - was the first to feel the stroke of the
wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light, and who
had stood as the guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had
betrayed their trust. (5Testimonies p 211)
What
then is the purpose of the "pot calling the kettle black", except to
continue to deceive the laity of the Church, and keep them in blind submission
to the curia on the Sligo.
RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH SIMPLIFIED -- Consider two questions:
1) Can man atone for his sins?
2) Can man cleanse himself from sin?
In other words does he have the power to habitually live the perfect life as
required by God, which means perfect conformity to the will of God as expressed
in the law?
The
answer to both of these questions is an emphatic - NO! How then can his sins be
forgiven him, and he be cleansed from sin? The answer to this question is in a
single verse - I John 1:9. Let us analyze it in the context in which it is
written.
"If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
1) to forgive us our sins, and
2) to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness."
Both
cleansing and forgiveness is based on a single experience - confession. Now
note the context of this verse: - "If we say we have no sin (i.e., we are
not sinful, and do not need cleansing) we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us." I John 1:8. Again - "If we say we have not sinned (i.e.,
we have not committed acts of sin), we make Him a liar [He says, "All have
sinned." Rom. 3:23], and His word is not in us. (I John 1:10.) Thus I John
1:9 is set in the context of our two problems - our past sins, and our sinful
nature - neither of which we
p 8 -- can atone for, nor cope with. We
can only confess - "I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am
no more worthy to be called Thy son." And "I am a sinner in need of
cleansing."
The
first confession most professed Christian believe they have made, or at least
theoretically consented to. But the second confession produces the following
different reactions:
1) I can achieve cleansing
through hard battles with sin, and through the adoption of a specific regimen I
will attain perfection.
2) I can never attain perfection of
character, therefore, I will do the best I can, and the forgiveness experience
will cover till my vile body with its sinful nature is changed at the Second
Advent.
3) The complete crucifixion of
self, so that the Holy Spirit can work unhindered.
The
third reaction - which is the answer to righteousness by faith - is rarely
seen, and seldom experienced, because we constantly interpose a perverse will.
We dare not forget - "Kneeling in faith at the cross, he has reached the highest place to which man can attain." (Acts of the Apostles, p. 210) This
fact, all who have studied the basis of Seventh-day Adventism should have
known. In the sanctuary service, the place where the works of man stopped was
before the altar where he confessed over his sin offering, his sins. And if we
would but stop to restudy the type, we would find that on the Day of Atonement
- the day of cleansing the individual came to the sanctuary, but what part did
he do in his cleansing? "Ye shall afflict your souls." Lev. 23:27.
The word, "afflict", in the Hebrew carries the significance -
"to humble one's self before anyone, to submit to him." (Gesenius)
The
battle, the struggle is not with sin itself - that Jesus has done and overcame
the world - but with self that it might be ever kept on the altar as a
"living sacrifice". "The battle which we have to fight - the
greatest battle that was ever fought by man - is the surrender of self to the will of God, the
yielding of the heart to the sovereignty of love." (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing,
p. 203).
SEP 1977 "Watchman, What of the Night?
" Thought Paper. Adventist Laymen's
Foundation. (Excerpt)
