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For the past few weeks, I have been discussing obstacles to practical evangelism. We’ve been talking about potential pitfalls when reaching out to people with the Gospel, because ultimately, this is the very thing we are called to do as a Church in this generation. We can talk about spiritual ideas, and sometimes we do. We can examine Bible verses for deep and sanctifying meaning, and sometimes we do. We can study spiritual warfare, and the mechanics of prayer, and any number of other subjects… but the most important topic we have before us is the way we can most effectively win souls to the Faith of Yahshua. This is what it is all about, helping people to see their spiritual illness, and come to the Great Physician. We are seeking to facilitate repentance from sin, faith in Yahweh’s promises, and baptism into the Church, which completes the “birthing” process of Justification, and begins the “growing” process of Sanctification as we touched on last week.
Over the past few studies, we’ve looked at one obstacle in particular, that being the negative effect of hypocrites, fanatics, and papists on honest truth-seekers. Because people have misused the principles of the Bible in legalistic or aggressive ways, precious souls have become wounded, and when the genuine messenger of Heaven appears they have already been prejudiced against the life-saving truth. And as pervasive as that terrible condition is, which I have described as a “growing fanaticism” in Christianity overall, and Adventism in particular, it isn’t the only one.
Satan has ensured that the evangelist has the most difficult job in creation. We must convince people of a narrow thread of truth in a sea of errors.
In the flesh, by our own merit or wisdom, of course it is impossible to do this. Human intellect is “beat” by generationally advanced and more intelligent minds working against it, because the Enemy is more naturally gifted, and far more experienced, than a human being could ever be. It is always a miracle, an operation of the Spirit, for anyone to love the truth. Some forms of Christianity deny the existence of free will altogether. They say that after Adam’s fall, human nature has become so depraved that it cannot possibly love righteousness; thus, anyone who is converted and saved, it is because Yahweh has chosen that particular soul to receive salvation, and has chosen all the others for destruction.
It is true that humanity has become depraved, corrupted by sin, but this is not the whole story. The very concept of “grace” indicates that it is undeserved. It is not something we can earn or attain; and yet, it is grace that allows us to choose righteousness, even though the flesh into which we are born is evil. The priest Ezra defines grace thus, “And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.” (Ezra 9:8)
This statement was made in particular reference to the window of time given to Israel to rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem, yet its significance goes beyond that, considering that Israel is a symbol of all believers, and the temple was an earthly representation of the Heavenly Temple in which Yahshua ministers salvation to all the redeemed. Israel, though it had gone into captivity, was given the opportunity to rebuild the physical temple on earth. The sinner, through that same grace, is given the opportunity to build, and become, the spiritual temple on earth. “Know ye not that ye are the Temple of Yah, and that the Spirit of Yahweh dwelleth in you?” (1Cor 3:16)
We have been speaking about the divine Covenant, the holy agreement between God and man. The fulfillment of that covenant promise is that we become Yahweh’s own Temple, as we read: “And what agreement hath the Temple of God with idols? For ye are the Temple of the living God; as Yahweh hath said, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’” (2Cor 6:16) Remember, that exchange, that agreement, that we will obey and be His people, and He will redeem and be our God, is the blessing of the Covenant, and because He dwells within us, we are His spiritual Temple.
It is grace that does this, undeserved mercy that allows us to choose, for grace is not limited to only those whom Yahweh fore-ordains. We read, specifically, “For the grace of Yahweh that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Yahshua the Messiah.” (Tit 2:11-13) Here we see righteousness by faith; our response to grace is our trust in the Father and Son – our faith – and the result is the way that we live, and the Adventism of Christianity, the awaiting the Son’s glorious return.
I am emphasizing this part, because it can be encouraging to those who have labored long in the field, and have seen only a meager harvest. There is no lack of grace. There is no lack of opportunity for people to turn to the truth. Every soul to whom we bring the message has as great a chance as accepting the truth as any other. The times are wicked, and few will choose the spirit over the flesh – we know this – but if only one sheep in every ninety-and-nine that we attempt to guide responds, repents, we know that there is rejoicing in Heaven. (Luke 15:7)
The path to walk is narrow, and the Enemy has worked hard to ensure that its entrance is well hidden from view. Now, more than ever, there are a multitude of false or fallen churches, independent ministries, and self-sent messengers, saying, “The real entrance to the path is over here!” Even the most honest of truth-seekers may be led astray, and certainly none of us here followed a straight path from sinner to Creation Seventh-day Adventist. We came by way of various ministries, movements, and detours, and yes, at every step we learned what we needed to move forward, but it is only by Yahweh’s grace that any of us are here.
Now, this sounds like I am contradicting what I said earlier. If grace is the ability to choose, and if free will exists, then how is it that we credit it all to our Father? It is almost like saying we had no part in it, and we were fore-chosen to be saved. But again, that is not the full story. Every book of the Bible either describes or implies a choice that we must make, to respond to grace. A man who is saved from drowning might give all credit to the rope that someone cast into the water, saying, “I am only alive because of that rope,” but if he did not grab it when given the opportunity, recognizing his peril, and seeing the rope as his only chance of salvation, he would have drowned.
The exact balance between free will and divine grace is not ours to understand. We know that we are responsible for our choices, or else there could be no just judgment. We know that we cannot be saved without the infinitely glorious work of the Father and Son, or else there could be no salvation. These two work together perfectly, resulting in grace that brings forth the response of faith, which leads to righteousness as expressed in good works: justification and then sanctification. Beyond this, we are given no formulas or depth of understanding. We praise our Father for inviting us, and we joyfully accept, even as we accept our role as priests, Bible workers and Evangelists, to a dying world.
In that capacity, as those who engage in prayer and labor for the sinner, how shall we explain these things to those who consent to hear us?
We have been looking at examples of just how narrow the path has become.
We have to explain, for example, that even though “the Church” has fallen, every organized religious group that they have ever known is either fallen or has been false from the beginning, Yahweh does have a Church. Accepting that idea requires an incredible amount of trust, a healing from pain and disappointment, as we’ve been seeing in the past few studies, and a supernatural amount of hope. Yahweh provides this. The Faith of Yahshua, if it is as small as even a mustard seed, is sufficient, but it must genuinely be there, and we pray to find those who have not yet bowed their knees to compromise and dejection.
We have to explain, for example, that the faith of Yahshua requires perfect obedience, and yet most of the world misunderstands what “perfection” looks like when experienced in the context of spiritual growth. There are some who believe they must “get ready” for baptism by something they do, some doctrine or trick they find to keep them from sinning, so that their baptism will not be a fraud. They do not understand that the same God who invites them to baptism is inviting them to the reality of the born-again experience, which they obtain, not by closing their fist around a tool, but by opening their hands to receive it. There are some who believe that when they have learned enough, or done some special thing, a light from Heaven will descend upon them, and the Church will recognize that they are converted and ready for baptism.
The Savior said, “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 the Father which hath sent Me.” (John 5:30) This is just what the Church and its members say about judgment. If it were about our own will, we might quickly baptize those whom we liked, or any who expressed a desire for fellowship. As we know, the Conference Church is very invested in its “numbers.” But we are about the testimony. As we hear the Testimony of Yahshua, which is the claiming of victory, and the confident declaration of the Faith of Yahshua, we recognize the convert. We do not go to people and ask, “What is your testimony?” No, what usually happens is that we give them our testimony, and listen for the echo from a kindred spirit.
Someone may hear us speaking of victory over sin, of righteousness by faith, and they may say, “That is also my experience,” or, if it is new to them, they may say, “That sounds amazing. How can I have that very same testimony?” That is how we know that they are choosing to respond to grace with the Faith of Yahshua. That is how we know they are sincere, and if they are not ready for baptism yet, they soon will be.
Those with the Testimony of Yahshua do not need to be pressed for it. We have encountered many over the years who express a superficial agreement with our teachings about overcoming sin. And yet, when we ask them, “Is this your experience? Do you have the same testimony I have?” we do not get the echo. We get theory, we get excuses, or we get protests concerning timing. “We will have it someday, but I am not yet ready to accept it all.” Their eyes are on the flesh, and not the Spirit, or they would not see any barrier between themselves and the gift of the Savior. It does not take more time than a moment to go from the worst of sinners, to the most willing and teachable of saints… young, unlearned, but perfect. This is the good news, the message we bring to the world, though there are many counterfeits and false signals.
We have to explain, for example, that we are “sinners saved by grace,” but no longer active sinners.
We have to explain to those with a history of Adventism that Ellen White’s writings are inspired, but her statements must be viewed in their right time and place, and perhaps her most famous prophecy, of the Sunday Law, was dependent on the worldwide body of SDAs remaining faithful.
We have to explain that although there are many false prophets, the Body of Christ has a gift of prophecy worth heeding.
We have had countless studies about the “paradoxes” of Christianity. That we must be humbled in order to be lifted up, and willing to lose our lives in order to save it. We have shared with visitors, friends, and family members that there are many false churches, and independent ministries, but our Church, which is “independent” from the General Conference of Adventism, and indeed, every earthly authority, is not “independent” from the Head, which is Christ, is therefore the genuine Bride.
It is a difficult work that we do, a narrow path to walk that we present. It is a difficult work to cry, “Balance, balance, balance,” in a world that only knows extremes. No fanaticism will guide anyone to the gates of the City. But people do not want the balanced approach today. They prefer sides, categories, factions. It seems to give them a sense of belonging. “Are you a Trinitarian, or a believer in the One True God?” “Are you a feast-keeper, or do you reject the dissolution of the Jewish Economy?” “Do you believe in faith only, or are works important?” “Do you believe in complete pacifism, or are you willing to fight to the death for a cause?”
These are all polarizing questions, and many of them present a false-choice, with neither being the complete truth. None of these questions, not one of them, is helpful in hearing that echo, in hearing the Testimony of Yahshua spoken back to us when we share our faith. There is an excitement that comes from zealously defending a doctrinal position. There is a kind of carnal joy in saying, “I am right, and you are wrong.” To choose just one example from those questions, we see this tendency quite frequently in the demonization of Trinitarians by some Adventists. They think, “If my enemies are devil worshipers, and I have made them my enemies, then I must be on God’s side. He will surely reward me.”
They may not be consciously thinking this, but the world and its extremes has trained them to think about “us vs. them,” about winners and losers, about “the truth” against “the apostasy.” They see those who oppose them as enemies to be defeated in the battle of debate, rather than people who are suffering, and in need of care. Yes, the doctrines of many are the doctrines of devils. But this does not make those who mistakenly believe them to be devils themselves, or worshippers of devils. There is nobody so hard-hearted as a zealot who thinks he is right, and that everyone who disagrees with him is wrong. He may justify his harsh course by saying that he is responsible for correcting the erring, and speaking the truth in a world of lies, but he is not following the example of Yahshua, who was infinitely tender, gentle, with the deceived, and only spoke cutting words to those who were hypocritical or deliberate in their deceiving of others.
I see people who believe in one doctrine attacking those who believe or understand that doctrine differently, and I wonder if they have ever read the Gospels for its blessings. You may search the Bible for sentences, phrases, and quotations to prove that you are correct in some belief, but that is not really studying the Bible. That is not letting the Father and Son speak to you, and by Their Spirit, mold you into Their own loving, patient, longsuffering, joyful likeness.
Here is some potentially new light for some people. We read, “Then was brought unto Yahshua one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb; and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, ‘Is not this the son of David?’ But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ‘This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.’
“And Yahshua knew their thoughts, and said unto them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?” (Mat 12:22-26)
This statement has often troubled me a little. It was the right response to those Pharisees whose thoughts He knew. It was the right statement to show those particular individuals the fault in their reasoning, but the statement itself “every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” is not always true – at least, not in terms of appearance.
Satan has learned many things over the centuries. We know that here, at the end, his deceptions have become so cunning that even the “very elect” escape him only by divine intervention. (Mat 24:24) It seems to me, with even my limited, mortal, understanding, that the perfect way to deceive someone away from the truth is to provide multiple, conflicting falsehoods. Let devil-worshippers cast out devils. Let false teachers denounce other false teachers. Let ministers fight against ministers, and sinners fight against sinners. Satan may be the embodiment of sin, but he is perfectly happy to be seen as the Enemy, if only those attacking him are also deceiving the seekers of truth.
Paul expresses his desire, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” (Eph 4:14) It is not like there is one true message, and one false one coming against it. No, there is “every wind of doctrine,” blowing in every direction, contradicting itself as well as the truth, because Satan does not at all mind if it appears his house is divided. The Pharisees were not wrong to be suspicious that someone teaching contrary to them was casting out devils. The problem is that they did not recognize the divine character as displayed by Yahshua; that was really their test, not where His authority over demons came from, whether from the Father, or from other devils as a trick.
Remember, shortly after this, we read, “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Yahshua, saying, ‘We adjure you by Yahshua whom Paul preacheth.’ And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Yahshua I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?’ And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” (Acts 19:13-16)
That looks very much like a “house divided” to me, because it was not the Holy Spirit that inspired these “vagabond Jews” to try to cast out devils. Their attempts were inspired by their flesh, by their desire for fame, and that in turn was instigated by their own tempting demons. But Satan was pleased to have it so, at least until the incident became widely known and the demon’s admission that he respected the authority of Yahshua and Paul caused a bit of a revival of faith in Ephesus. (Acts 19:17)
This was two thousand years ago. Imagine how clever the temptations and deceptions have become since that time. Now we have reformers correctly denouncing Trinitarianism, but going too far and turning honest, sincere people away from the truth. Now we have ministers teaching a form of righteousness by faith that is mostly correct, but ignoring the concept of the Covenant, they reject the Third Angel’s Message, and take people further away from repentance, faith and baptism by the Body of Yahshua. Now we have people teaching that violence and murder are wrong, but would dis-fellowship an otherwise faithful believer for agreeing with our Adventist pioneers and modern inspiration that some causes are worth considering the conscientious decision to fight.
Today we have zeal without wisdom championing otherwise correct and spiritually profitable teachings… but without the testimony of Yahshua to seal the soul in righteousness. These are truly the darkest of times.
The path to walk is narrow, not because the works are hard, or the faith is some secret treasure far away. It is narrow because those without the Spirit can never find it, and those with the Spirit, those willing to hear the truth over the many, many lies, are few. But for those with the Spirit, who are willing to understand, who are willing to be made willing to understand, we live in a safe place, an atmosphere of joy, acceptance, and trust. Our work is to reach out to those who need our experience, who need to hear our testimony told with sincerity and joy. Our robes are kept white when they are washed in the blood of the Lamb and our sweat for the labor of others. These are cleansing floods, and do not get the impression from the mention of the “sweat of our labor” that I mean that the “work” of evangelism commends us to God. No, the blood alone, Christ alone, commends us to the Father. But in that covenant relationship, we are kept from temptation, and many trials, when we are occupied in serving others. This is the “cooperation” that the inspired writings describe, not to earn Heaven, or a high standing in the Kingdom, but to “work out,” to manifest, the love within us to others, and so silence the voice of the Tempter as we advance in sanctification. That peace, the peace that comes from service, is a part of Heaven’s joys, and understanding it comes from divine wisdom, which makes it a part of the Keys to The Kingdom, as we have said.
Thus, while I am painting a dark picture here, the saint understands these things only in the context of thanksgiving. Paul would do this at times in some of his letters, pointing to the dangers and challenges that he faced, and the concluding that despite these things, he is content, and in Sabbath peace. (2Cor 4:8-12, Phil 4:10-12)
Remember, it was the Vagabond Jews’ attempts to cast out the demon using carnal motivations that led to the name of Yahshua being glorified in Ephesus. In considering how difficult the task is, how vast the work ahead, we are driven to thanksgiving, because we were saved out of that impossible darkness by our Father’s love for us. How could we not be grateful for that? In considering how difficult evangelism has become, with so many cunning traps and deceptions, we are driven to thanksgiving, because we have the right, balanced, and soul-saving Gospel to share with others. How could we not be grateful for that? In considering the multitude of false churches, of extreme movements, of distracting ministries, we are driven to thanksgiving, because our Father has given us a Family on whom we can depend, of whom we can be proud, and with whom we rest in Sabbath peace. How could we not be grateful for that?
And in our gratitude, how could we not reach out to others, and say, “The life that Yahweh has given me is the best of all lives, and He has a life just as fulfilling and wonderful waiting for you?” That testimony, that invitation, that blessing, is what may awaken the sleepers from their slumber, to push back all that darkness, and all those errors, and give the Holy Spirit its place to do that good work of bringing forth genuine repentance, and of turning the hearts of the children back to their Father in Heaven.
David.
An Enduring Witness
“The Thessalonian believers were true missionaries. Their hearts burned with zeal for their Saviour, who had delivered them from fear of ‘the wrath to come.’ Through the grace of Christ a marvelous transformation had taken place in their lives, and the word of the Lord, as spoken through them, was accompanied with power. Hearts were won by the truths presented, and souls were added to the number of believers.” [Acts of The Apostles, p. 256]
“There have been several conversions from the world. These conversions were the more striking because the individuals had had no religious experience before coming to the college [...] Their parents are not professors of religion, and their faith will be severely tested. But good letters come back, stating that they are lifting their new responsibilities and trying to show their friends that the new faith and doctrine they have received has not made them fanatics or extremists, but well balanced Christians, better in every way than before their conversion, that they possess the principles of pure faith and love to God and their fellow neighbors and manifest them by well-ordered lives and godly conversation.” [Letter 34, 1889]
“I am instructed to say that in the future great watchfulness will be needed. There is to be among God’s people no spiritual stupidity. Evil spirits are actively engaged in seeking to control the minds of human beings. Men are binding up in bundles, ready to be consumed by the fires of the last days. Those who discard Christ and His righteousness will accept the sophistry that is flooding the world. Christians are to be sober and vigilant, steadfastly resisting their adversary the devil, who is going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Men under the influence of evil spirits will work miracles. They will make people sick by casting their spell upon them, and will then remove the spell, leading others to say that those who were sick have been miraculously healed. This Satan has done again and again.” [Letter 259, 1903]