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One of the central messages of the Gospel is that our Father in Heaven has done something for us that we could never do ourselves. We cannot redeem ourselves, not even with God’s “help.” He does not assist us in working toward salvation. He does not motivate us to become atoned to Him. He does not strengthen us to overcome, although this last idea is so close to the truth that many believe it to be the Good News.
The Scriptures, after all, do say “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil 4:13) It is probably one of the most popularly quoted verse of the Bible. I think, though, that the sentiment expressed in these words has been applied too broadly. That may sound strange; we know that the power of Yahweh is without limit. We know that He desires only good things for His people. How, then, can we say that some promise of His is applied too broadly? It is because this passage is often used by those not yet converted to mean, “I can do all things that I want to do through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
There is a tradition in both warfare and sports that sees participants on both sides of the conflict praying for success, and the winning team attributing that success to God. While our Father is supreme over all things, that doesn’t mean that every event has a direct spiritual significance. Worldlings, engaging in any risky behavior, tend to offer some form of prayer before beginning. This does not mean that they have the kind of faith that the Bible describes; it is not a way of living for them. It does not become righteousness in them. It is used as a kind of supernatural insurance, a “just in case You are listening” kind of thing. Such prayers are neither respectful of Yahweh’s majesty, nor are they going to strengthen such an individual’s faith toward salvation. It is a trap that Satan has laid for them, in fact. If they fail, then they will think that God did not answer their prayers because He does not care about them. If they succeed, then this will reinforce their image of Yahweh has a wish-granter to be summoned in times of trouble and not otherwise.
The prayer of a saint is an unconditional, constant, opening up of the heart to the Lord. It is not based on the success or failure of our desires. It is not offered hastily before some significant event – at least, that is not the primary purpose. Prayers for safety and protection are meaningful, because they reinforce the relationship that already exists between our Father and ourselves. Imagine a human father whose children only call him when they want to borrow money, which they never actually repay. That is how Yahweh the Almighty is treated by many who call upon Him in their day to day lives.
But the true faith is more enduring, more consistent, than an occasional acknowledgement. In fact, it is more than constant guidance. It is a life transformed, a life with no other reality, than that which abides in Christ. It is a life in which we do “all things through Christ,” because all the things we do are those things which please Him, which are in harmony with His will. He does not empower us to do our own will. He enlightens us regarding His own will, and then guides us forward in the doing of it.
So no, God does not help us to be redeemed. He redeems us. The works that we accomplish, the righteousness that we manifest in our words and actions, these are the results of His sacrifice, His labor, His success. All glory goes to the Father and Son; thus Paul describes salvation thus: “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 Yahshua the Messiah our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7)
Even so, it is righteousness by faith. Paul says, “not by works of righteousness which we have done.” Have we done righteousness? The redeemed have. Do we do always those things that please Him? Those who have the testimony of Yahshua do. (John 8:29) Is it promised that we will do great works in our Savior’s name? We are told by Yahshua, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father.” (John 14:12)
So, if the faith comes before the works, and even the righteousness comes before the works, since works do not produce faith, nor do they produce righteousness, why do the works?
We have pointed out verses like, “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” (James 3:11, 12) We use these to show that the saint does righteousness because it is the saint’s nature to do righteousness. A fig tree does not go against its nature by producing olives. A sinner sins, not because he says to himself, “Today, I am going to defy God and continue to reveal my condemnation to the universe.” No, that is the spiritual reality, but it is not why the sinner chooses to sin; it is because his nature demands it of him. In exactly the same way, the saint does not think, “I am rejecting this temptation, because it is my duty as a saint to turn away from this wicked thing.”
Let me be clear, those may be some of the words that pass through the mind of a saint when temptation is being resisted; I am not saying there is a “wrong” way to think of resisting temptation. But, if duty, if obligation, is the only reason that a sin is rejected, that is not true obedience from the heart. There is a deeper level of love that is yet to be experienced, if that is as far as one’s faith has brought him. If a woman flirts with a married man, and his response begins with, “If it wasn’t for the fact that I was married…”
Such a reply makes it sound like what it is, that the obligation is keeping him from doing what he really wants to do. And many treat the Law of Yahweh that way… “I would steal, but the Law says ‘thou shalt not steal.’” “I would really enjoy disobeying my father and mother, but the Law says I have to respect them, so, I guess I have to respect them.” You see, this is a grudging, burdensome kind of obedience, and the Scriptures tell us, “For this is the love of Yahweh, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not grievous.” (1John 5:3) That word means heavy, burdensome, or severe.
I think there is a more complete answer than just to say, “It is our nature.” A man is not, after all, a tree. A fig tree does not have free will, even free will that is surrendered to the will of Yahweh. It is biologically programmed to do what it does. It does not have a choice. Human beings, on the other hand, are always free; in fact, they become more free upon their release from the carnal nature. As I said in last week’s study, sin does not rise again, affliction does not appear a second time, (Nah 1:9) because for the rest of eternity, every free being will always choose righteousness. It is our nature to do righteousness, and we will always choose to follow our nature, never to go against it. This is not contradictory; there is always going to be freedom, and this is what gives our worship and our obedience value. This is the love of Yahweh. This is what the love of Yahweh looks like, to do always those things that are best for ourselves, our fellow men, and all of the creation.
As Seventh-day Adventists, we are to teach the world to obey the Law of Yahweh. As Creation Seventh Day Adventists, we are to teach them why.
We are to show them that this is love, to obey the commandments joyfully, willingly. That verse in John does not mean that if we love Yahweh we will deal with the “burdensomeness” of the commandments. Some SDAs teach the Sabbath this way; if not in these words, then according to this Spirit: “I know it can be difficult to give up a whole day to God, but the Bible says if you love Him, you will do it.”
“If you love Him, you will do it.” There are two ways to read that statement; one is true, the other is false. If we take that to mean, “If you love Him, you will suppress your desires and do it anyway,” that is not the testimony of saving faith. On the other hand, if we take that to mean, “If you love Him, you will desire to do it, and therefore will do it,” that is faith mixed with obedience unto sanctification. Your desire, in harmony with Yahweh’s will, provides a compelling motivation to choose righteousness. I’m not saying that there aren’t some conference or independent SDAs out there that understand this… but they’re sitting in the wrong pews. We need to find our scattered brethren.
Paul says this: “And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom 12:2) So far, this has been a fairly basic message, and it is not going to become a complicated one. Sometimes simple truths, rehearsed constantly, are just the blessings we need. But there is an understanding here that ought to be highlighted for our growth.
How does our obedience “prove” that good, acceptable and perfect will of our Father? What does it matter if we obey or not? Wouldn’t an individual’s obedience just prove that he, individually, is obedient? Wouldn’t another person’s violation of the Law just prove that he, individually, is a sinner? In neither case does it say anything about God, does it?
It depends on the reason why one obeys. If obedience is to avoid destruction, or to gain a reward, that only says something about that person. If it is as an expression of love, it reveals the effects of love and, as the Scriptures tell us, “Yahweh is love.” (1John 4:8) Obedience, when it is an expression of love, will involve a decision, will involve our nature, and will reveal the character of Yahweh to the world, and to the on-looking universe.
I’ll give you a case-in-point. There are a couple ongoing discussions on Facebook about whether or not Seventh-day Adventists should be keeping the Biblical Feasts. And I use the word “Biblical Feasts,” not “Jewish Feasts” for a reason. Creation Seventh Day Adventists, like an increasing number of independent groups, have come to understand that the appointed times described in the Bible have been around from the beginning of the creation. In Genesis 1:14, where it says that the sun, moon and stars were appointed to determine the “seasons,” that word doesn’t mean what it now does in English. It is not talking about summer, winter, spring and fall. These appear for the first time after the global flood of Noah’s day that transformed the very face of the planet. Instead, the word translated as “seasons” there is mo’edim, the very word used in the Old Testament for “feasts.”
In the time of Moses, when the Israelites were rescued from Egypt, Yahweh gave them a number of ordinances, rituals, and sacrificial rites. These were new; before Egypt they did not have a tabernacle. The Scriptures specifically tell us this of its construction: “Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished, and the children of Israel did according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so did they.” (Exo 39:32)
Thus, although there were sacrifices before Moses, (Gen 22:7, Gen 31:54) and although there were mo’edim before Moses, they were tied together at this time of the initiation of what came to be known as the “Jewish Economy,” because the Saviour would come into the world through the Jewish Nation. This system was designed to point forward to Christ, to teach in symbol the birth, death, and resurrection of the Son of Yahweh until the time of His appearing. They were always intended to be temporary. At the cross, at the death of Yahshua, we read, “And, behold, the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.” (Mat 27:51)
The glory had departed the Temple. The presence of Yahweh was no longer with the Jewish nation. Henceforth every soul, Jew or Gentile, was to be saved through acceptance of the sacrifice of Yahshua, and unity with His Body under a new symbol: the Bride. No longer was Christ represented by a separate thing, a lamb, or a goat… instead, by His own very Spirit, He was poured out upon His People, so that WE are the flesh through which Christ walks, and speaks, and teaches, and heals. And yes, at times, the blood of His people has been spilled on the earth because of evil men and evil policies, and that also is the blood of Christ, the only acceptable sacrifice to the Father.
Because of that, we no longer participate in the rituals and ceremonies given to the Nation of Israel. They were originally separate, bound together for a time, and are now separate again in terms of the actions. The symbols are all still correct, all still meaningful, but now we see Yahshua as the fulfillment of all the Jewish Ordinances. We do not offer other sacrifices, because the perfect Sacrifice was once given, and now dwells forever more within us. We do not gather in Jerusalem, because New Jerusalem in Heaven is the capital of the Kingdom of Yahweh. We do not rely on the administration of earthly priests, because Yahshua has become our High Priest. The seventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews is the only place in the entire Bible that speaks of a “change in the Law,” and it is not talking about the Law as a whole, but specifically the priesthood and the system of sacrifices… the specifications given to Moses for the temporary measures regarding priests and sacrifices. That is the only “change” that the Scriptures ever mention regarding any instruction of our Father in Heaven.
There are some who come across statements by Ellen White that describe, correctly, the end of the Old Testament temple rituals. They read her statements that the Jewish Ordinances have passed away, being fulfilled by the cross and, in their ignorance of the Scriptures, they conclude that the Feast Days are also invalidated. One individual has even gone so far as to boldly declare that any Seventh-day Adventists that observe the feast days are “not true SDAs.” While I am continuing to watch and occasionally comment on the conversation in general, I am no longer interacting directly with that individual, because he is using his conclusions on this matter as a “creed,” and judging the orthodoxy of other professed Christians on the basis of that creed. He is, despite protests to the contrary, a papist, a promoter of the spirit of the papacy. It does not make sense to try and influence a mind when we are communicating with a spirit.
In one of my last statements on the matter, a general one to anyone who might be reading the thread, I said that it is better to give a testimony than to argue with a papal spirit. It is better to explain how our obedience to Yahweh’s instructions have blessed us, rather than to say, “Because this verse says it do it, we do it.” Remember, that is not true obedience. If I read a statement in the writings of Ellen White that says we are obligated to do something, and we begin to obey because we don’t want to offend her memory, or because we would be ashamed before other EGW believers if they discovered our neglect, we are not actually following the Son of God whithersoever He goeth.
And I’m not making light of the great gift we have received in the Spirit of Prophecy. These are inspired words, and they are to be respected. But they do not constitute the foundation of our faith, nor do they reveal a perfect understanding of every Biblical principle. The writings of Ellen White do not define the Godhead, so searching her writings for proof of the Trinity, or the Non-Trinity, is time better spent in searching for a clearer understanding of Christ’s character. The writings of Ellen White do not, deliberately do not, tell us how to keep the Commandments of God beyond some guidelines that are easily gathered from the Scriptures themselves. They contain amazing insights into the “mind of Christ,” and ought to be read, studied, for that reason… but much of what the Bible keeps hidden from us remains hidden until the close of human history.
If we wish to win souls to Christ, then we do not need to become expert debaters. We need to give a simple, honest testimony of what our Father and our Savior have done for us. I said, “I keep the feasts because I find them to be a blessing.” If others do not, or cannot, find a blessing in the feasts, I do not judge them to be Christians or not Christians, SDAs or not SDAs. That is not my role. As a member of the 144,000 yes, there may come a day when I may have to turn to a soul that feels guilt for sin and say, “It is too late. The time of testing has passed.” But today is not that day, and it will not be because they didn’t understand the feasts. Perhaps they could have learned something at a feast that led them to true repentance, faith, and a genuine baptism, but it is not the obedience itself that would have saved them. Salvation is not of works, lest any man should boast.
I keep the feasts because I find them to be a blessing. In terms of our choices, as we cooperate with the Will of Yahweh, and as we reveal our nature as “fig trees” that bring forth figs, that is the only motivation that matters.
Why do we keep the Law? As Adventists, we might say, “God, our Father, with all authority, has commanded us to keep the Law under both the Old and New Covenants.” That’s not a false statement, but the statement that does the Eli-Yah work of turning the hearts of the children back to their Heavenly Father is, “We keep the Law because it is a blessing.” Our Father told us He was blessing us with His Law. We read in Deuteronomy 5:29, one of my most quoted verses: “O that there were such an 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!” That it might be well with us, and with our children, forever… that is why He gave us His Law.
Why do we observe Feasts, and New Moons? Again, we might say, “It was commanded, and we find both Old and New Testament saints keeping these appointed times.” True, but the answer that fulfills the ministry of Eli-Yah is this: “Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto Yahweh thy Almighty in the place which Yahweh shall choose, because Yahweh thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.” (Deu 16:15) Promoting obedience to the Law because it is the Law does not encourage righteousness. Faith without works may be dead, but works without love is a stone; it was never alive to begin with.
And do you know, the word “blessed” and the word “happy” are the same word in the language of the New Testament? When Yahshua said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy,” (Mat 5:7) and all the other verses from that sermon, He was saying that they are, and will be, happy, because Yah fulfills their every need, and they have nothing lacking from their contentment.
Why do we seek sanctifying experiences? Yes, because without sanctification, without “holiness,” as the Bible puts it, none shall see Yahweh. (Heb 12:14) But what is the message that brings Israel together? What is the answer that shows the heart of Yahweh? “And Joshua said unto the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow Yahweh will do wonders among you.’” (Jos 3:5) The people of Yahweh are always ready for wonders to be done among us, and we rejoice, not from surprise, but from thanksgiving for the blessings, when they do.
Why do we endure rebuke? Why are we in a congregation, among brethren, who will lovingly encourage us to righteousness, sometimes by pointing out a defect of character, an incident of poor judgment, or an erroneous belief? Is it because we are the “one true Church,” and nowhere else teaches the Victory over Sin according to the best understanding of the Scriptures? I wouldn’t disagree with that, but it is unlikely to win anyone over who doesn’t already believe that about the CSDA Church. Instead, we know Yahweh’s love through His correction, as it is written, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore [because of this!] lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” (Heb 12:11-13)
It is for blessing, for healing, for joy, that we endure rebuke. It seemeth grievous, but it only seemeth that way. The love of Yah, and true obedience to His Word, is not, in truth, grievous.
And one final thing, lest anyone misunderstand… we are not seeking these blessings for selfish reasons. Someone may hear, or read, some of that and say, “Well, if we’re only doing these things because they make us happy, then what virtue is there in that? How is that better than obeying because of obligation?”
Those who have the mind of Christ see themselves in these words of the Savior… I want to read a very commonly quoted verse in the CSDA Church, but then I will go back a couple verses and reveal something that perhaps will give it new depth. To begin, we read: “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Yahshua the Messiah, whom Thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
Okay, we all know that… unity with the Father and Son is life everlasting, and it’s a useful verse to demonstrate the non-Trinitarian nature of the Godhead. But, that isn’t all it is. Let’s read the entire passage starting with verse 1: “These words spake Yahshua, and lifted up His eyes to Heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee. As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Yahshua the Messiah, whom Thou hast sent.’” (John 17:1-3)
It is not just “and this which follows: knowledge of the Father and Son” that is everlasting life. It is also, “And this which I just said is everlasting life, so that they might know thee the only true God, and Yahshua the Messiah, whom Thou hast sent.” All these words are our everlasting life, understanding that the Father glorifies the Son so that the Son may glorify the Father. The Father does not glorify the Son merely for the Son’s pleasure and benefit, but so that the Father may be glorified, and so that others may be blessed with everlasting life. Did you catch that? He says, “As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal…” and it continues.
We have eternal life because the Father has given it to the Son on our behalf, so that He may give it to us, and then that everlasting life consists of knowing the Father and Son. That is how we receive it; that is how we know we have it, but the only reason we can, and do, is because the Father has blessed the Son with that life to give us. In the Son is life un-borrowed, but the life He gives to us IS borrowed. The Son obtains it from the Father, and we obtain it from Him. Paul does not say that we have immortality of ourselves, but rather, “this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1Cor 15:53) We put it on, we are clothed with it, as a garment. It is not our skin; it was not made by our body, it was given to us, and we bear it about, the handiwork of Another.
When we understand the nature of blessings, then we receive everlasting life. The Father blesses the Son, and the Son blesses us, for the Father’s name and glory, and so that we are equipped, as those who have the Spirit of Christ, to share the message of this salvation with others. We are not blessed unto ourselves, and those who seek blessings selfishly… we may read of such as this: “And when Simon [of Samaria] saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.’
“But Peter said unto him, ‘Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of Yahweh. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.’” (Acts 8:18-22)
The blessings we receive do give us joy, do fill us with thanksgiving, but these are not the reasons we seek them. They are a revelation of love, of Yahweh Himself, and may never be kept in a vault, or under a bushel, as a private possession. Because we love the Father, we wish to glorify His name. Because we love our fellow humans, we seek blessings to share with them. When we discover some new truth, do we not desire to share it with others? When we find a new way of describing the love of Yah, do we not tell our friends, even though they may not fully understand the pictures in our minds? Ellen White’s “green ribbon” vision comes to my mind here; it is not the way that I picture my connection to our Father, but I rejoice in its meaning for my sister, and I am glad she wrote it down and shared her blessing with us.
I wish to end, then, with this passage, speaking of the blessings we receive from our Father, the true basis of Christian obedience: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of Yahweh, which is in Christ Yahshua our Lord.” (Rom 8:35-39)
David.