Religion and Politics
now browsing by category
Intolerance Rearing Its Ugly Head
The world is going through unprecedented times that call for wisdom, courage and most importantly righteousness. Unfortunately, in seeking to address the present scourge that the world is experiencing, a growing spirit of intolerance is rearing its ugly head, resulting in actions that are not only unwise but unrighteous.
Let it be understood at the outset that this presentation is not intended to question the science or efficacy of the popular solutions that are being promoted to address the present health challenges that the world is now experiencing. The view that is taken here is that persons should avail themselves of the best advice and solutions that they can access but they should not be forced.
This presentation is also raising two issues: firstly, is it consistent with our moral values, our concepts of liberty of conscience and freedom from slavery to force people to have substances put in their bodies, that they are not fully persuaded of as being in their best interest, with the threat of them losing their livelihoods and being denied normal access to their rights as citizens if they do not submit to such coercion?
Secondly, is the global drive to deny people the freedom to buy or sell unless they submit to receiving specified substances in their bodies possibly linked to an end-time system of enforcement that the Bible has warned against?
Fundamental issue of freedom from slavery
Regarding the first issue, a firm view is taken that if one cannot exercise the right to refuse a substance being put in their body without facing sanction or punishment, then all our vaunted talk about freedom from slavery and liberty of conscience is meaningless. Sam Sharpe and all our ancestors who sacrificed their lives to secure our freedoms would have died in vain. In an age of supposed enlightenment, human rights, and democracy, we would be no better than the evil society that tolerated slavery in the dark distant past. We would be no better than the slave-master who branded his slaves and punished them if they resisted.
Let it be clear, that the position taken here is not against the value of the solution that scientists, health experts and governments are so fully persuaded of. Rather, what is firmly rejected is the notion that it is the only solution. There are persons who have used natural remedies and other healing modalities effectively and they should have a right to do so.
The notion that someone is a threat to society simply because they refuse certain substances being put in their bodies, even though they are not sick, is spurious, evil and sets a framework for persecution of innocent people. Christians who claim to serve a loving God, do their Creator and Saviour great dishonour in accepting such notions.
Further, it is wicked and intolerant to consider a law-abiding citizen who has been paying their taxes faithfully as forfeiting their right to the services of the State simply because they refuse certain substances being put in their bodies. This matter is of fundamental significance.
Sunday law and subtle persecution
This leads me to another related issue. In seeking to address the present scourge, the Government has announced that Sundays are now no-movement days. If the Government had just announced, under normal circumstances, that no work would be allowed on Sundays, many Sabbath-keepers would have protested it as a move towards a certain end-time prophetic fulfilment that the Bible has warned against. However, the announcement of Sundays as no-movement days, in the context of a relaxation of the earlier inclusion of Mondays and Tuesdays, seem to have been met with wide acceptance. But there is no reason why normal work cannot be allowed on Sundays.
Prohibiting normal work on Sundays is a move in the wrong direction as it encourages the populace to break the Sabbath by making the seventh day Sabbath more attractive as a workday preceding the no-movement day. But one might say that it is not the business of Government to concern itself with whether citizens wish to rest or work on the Sabbath. The more fundamental issue, however, that Government ought to concern itself with is the fact that such an arrangement initiates subtle persecution of Sabbath-keepers who are now deprived of the only day that many of them would normally have to do some of their personal business.
Many Sabbath-keepers are at work Mondays to Fridays, they rest on the Sabbath, Saturdays, and would only have Sundays to go to Coronation Market or fulfil other personal necessities. Now they are deprived. This is subtle persecution. The law should allow normal work and movement on both Saturdays and Sundays so that those who wish to work on Saturday and rest on Sunday can do so, and likewise allow those who rest on Saturday and work on Sunday to do so.
The Mark of his Name
My second substantive issue is the mysterious Biblical concept of the Mark of the Beast. Many will immediately say that the present scourge and the global response to it has nothing to do with the Mark of the Beast. And maybe they are right. Let it be understood clearly that it is not being suggested here that a substance being injected in people’s bodies for health reasons is the Mark of the Beast. However, there are some issues.
The concept of the Mark of the beast, a Biblical concept, is well known, even though, many persons will admit that it is a mystery to them as to what that mark is. What is less considered is that the Bible, in speaking of this mysterious mark, mentions not only the Mark of the Beast but also the Name of the Beast and the Number of his Name – “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Rev. 13:17).
The Bible further speaks of the Mark of the Beast as being the Mark of his Name – “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name” (Rev. 14:11).
It should therefore be evident that both the “number of his name” and “the mark of his name” are proxies for the Name of the Beast. Name signifies identity and character, as evident, for example, when God proclaimed His Name to Moses – “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, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Ex. 34:5, 6).
In contrast to God, who is merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, the Beast is the opposite – intolerant, unkind, impatient, wicked, and untruthful. It should therefore be recognized that it is the Name or character of the Beast that is most anti-Christ in nature, and that elicits God’s most stern warning against the Beast and his Image. It is the Name or character of the Beast that ultimately undergirds the system that will prevent persons from being able to buy or sell. God is love (1 John 4:8) and all God’s commandments are summarized as love to God and love to our fellowmen (Matt. 22:36-40). The Beast and his Image represent the opposite.
God warns against worshipping or giving homage to the Beast and his Image in the Third Angel’s Message as follows:
“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Rev.14:9-11).
It is interesting that the warning does not include condemnation of those who receive the Number of his Name. This is understandable because numbers are often hidden in codes and persons might receive the Number in a hidden code without realizing it. In fact, the mention of the number includes a hint that it will not be “in your face”, so to speak – “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” (Rev. 13:18). For those who can exercise wisdom and understanding, they may be able to recognize the number 666 – “Six hundred threescore and six”, though possibly hidden, and thus identify the footprints of the Beast.
The key is to make sure, that even if one takes the Number inadvertently, they do not embrace the Name (or character) of the Beast by becoming intolerant of those who would not have received it, so that they give homage to the Beast, supporting a system whereby innocent people are victimized and prevented from being able to buy or sell. If that happens, one would have already been sucked in, so that receiving the Mark of the Beast (whatever it is) would only be a matter of time.
What is worship?
Finally, what is worship? The Bible warns against worshipping the Beast and his Image. Does worship mean bowing down and saying, “I worship you”? Worship may include that, but it is much more than that. Worship comes from the concept of worth – “worth-ship”. It is about who you trust and obey. The Bible is clear that children of God should be subject to the authority of their respective governments – “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same” (Rom. 13:1-3). From this, it is also evident that governments are expected to act righteously and be a terror to evil and not to the good.
What happens, however, if government acts unrighteously, and demands of its citizens obedience to dictates that conflict with the law of God? The Bible is clear that God comes first. Jesus said, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matt. 22:21). Caesar represented the government of the day. From this it is evident that there are some things that belong to and pertain to Caesar and there are other things that belong to and pertain to God. One such thing that belongs to God is worship and supreme authority.
In this regard, where there is a conflict, the Bible is clear that God is the supreme authority – “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29). Further, Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28).
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matt. 11:15).
For further information, please visit Patience of the Saints at http://thecommandmentsofgodandthefaithofjesus.com/
Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to: [email protected]
Follow on Twitter @JaZerubbabel
Religious Liberty and Church Unity
The most fundamental principle of the New Covenant is religious liberty or freedom of conscience. Under the Old Covenant, God’s Moral Law as contained in the Ten Commandments, along with the Statutes and Judgements that amplified and clarified the finer principles contained in the Law, were administered externally by the Mosaic System. Under the New Covenant, the Law is written, not on tables of stone to be externally administered, but on the tables of people’s hearts, to be self-administered. This is the essence of religious liberty. Regarding the New Covenant, the Bible says:
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.” – Heb. 8:10, 11.
God intended that ancient Israel should have been a “kingdom of priests” (Ex. 19:6) but, while there was external conformity to the commandments in many instances, there was no genuineness of heart. As a result, Jesus repeatedly told the Pharisees that they were hypocrites and pointed them to the spirit of the law by which God would judge their sincerity. Accordingly, the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews pointed out that “finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” (Heb. 8:8). Under the New Covenant, both Jews and Gentiles are reconciled in one body, the Church (Eph. 3:6; 1:22, 23), and within this body, God’s original intention would be fulfilled, so that the Church would be a “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9).
Dark Ages
God’s intention for the Church, however, has been perverted in many instances as church leaders have repeatedly sought to make of the Church another theocracy like ancient Israel in which the priesthood of believers is supplanted and liberty of conscience is suppressed. Starting with the Roman Catholic Church, true believers were persecuted simply because they sought to serve God according to the dictates of their own conscience. They were called heretics, they were tortured, burnt to the stake, had millstones put around their necks and drowned, cast out of society, and had other atrocities committed against them.
Many churches today claim to believe in religious liberty but to them, this liberty only extends to those who embrace their faith and subscribe to their creeds. Differences of views are tolerated only within the bounds of their established creeds or Statements of Beliefs. Dissent is frowned upon and while many do not label those who have different views as “Heretics”, possibly because of the historical baggage of persecution that the label carries, they have modern equivalents such as “Cult” and “Offshoot” that is used for the same purpose of social exclusion and suppression of independent thought. Even some very prominent churches with excellent track record of social responsibility and good citizenship, such as Mormon, Jehovah’s Witnesses and even Seventh-day Adventist, in some circles, must struggle against being labelled as Cults by certain traditional churches, because their views on some religious matters are different.
What is the result? – The same as in the Dark Ages – ignorance and suppression of truth. Free thought in religious matters is discouraged and uniformity is promoted. This situation, as in the days of ancient Israel, makes hypocrites of those who profess things that they often do not understand or lead many to join in ostracizing persons that God has raised up to help in advancing His work. This is the reason that the prophets and messengers of God have been seldom embraced during their lifetimes. The New Covenant was intended to change that.
Popular Error Embraced
God accepts only genuine belief, not mere profession; and He is not fooled. Only the New Covenant principle of liberty of conscience allows truth to thrive. In an atmosphere of intolerance error finds fertile ground. People will embrace popular error and avoid listening to anything that would show them otherwise. Such is the case, even now, where popular Christianity has embraced a concept of God that is not taught in the Bible – that God is three-in-one.
There is nowhere in the Bible that says God is three-in-one or triune. This concept is at best an assumption, yet it is stated in most church creeds as a required belief, even while many of the churches claim sola scriptura – the Bible, and the Bible alone. Where did that belief come from? – From Paganism, and brought into Christianity by Rome through a series of deliberations starting at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. The Jews had no such concept of God but the pagans around them did. The early Apostles had no such concept, but the pagans around them did. The early Adventist pioneers had no such concept but the churches around them did. Two notable Adventist pioneers expressed the view that was generally taken by early Adventists as follows:
“The greatest fault we find in the Reformation is, the Reformers stopped reforming. Had they gone on, and onward, till they had left the last vestige of Papacy behind, such as natural immortality, sprinkling, the trinity, and Sunday-keeping, the church would now be free from her unscriptural errors.” (James White, Review & Herald, Feb. 7, 1856).
“The doctrine of the Trinity was established in the church by the Council of Nicea, A.D. 325. This doctrine destroys the personality of God, and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” (J. N. Andrews, Review & Herald, March 6, 1855).
Today, modern Adventism has moved away from its pioneer roots and embraced the Trinity as its second Statement of Belief. Would this have had anything to do with the struggle it has had over the years to shrug off the “Cult” label that is associated with non-belief in the Trinity? Early Adventist pioneers expressed belief in Father, Son and Holy Ghost but not belief in a Trinity, which says that the Three make up the One God of Scripture. Rather, they believed that the One Supreme Being of Scripture is the Father; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit is Christ’s Representative on earth.
Most Fundamental Truth
The most fundamental truth is the truth about God. The Biblical teaching regarding God is that there is “one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5); “One God and Father of all, who is above all” (Eph. 4:6); “But to us there is but one God, the Father” (1 Cor. 8:6); “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 1:3). Jesus is the Son of God – fully Divine and of the same nature as God, His Father (Heb. 1); He is the Mediator between us and God and is the only way to the Father (John 14:6); He was sent into the world by God, his Father and went back to the Father (John 16:28; 17:8), of whom He said: “If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28). Before Jesus returned, He said “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter” (John 14:6). Regarding the Comforter, Christ said: “when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father” (John 15:26), “he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak” (John 16:13).
The Scriptures speak in clear and unambiguous language that there is one God who is above all, who sent His Son into the world and His Son left and sent the Comforter to represent Him until He returns at His second coming. God is one and not three-in-one. Any confusion and mystery as to the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit are brought about because people are speculating and stretching the Scriptures to accommodate a pagan concept of three-in one that was brought from paganism into Christianity by Roman Catholicism, in a similar way that some persons try to stretch the references in the New Testament regarding the first day of the week, of which there are only eight places that it is mentioned, to teach Sunday-sacredness, which the Bible clearly does not teach.
New Covenant Rejected
How have these unscriptural pagan teachings come to be so widespread among professed Christians who claim to be guided by sola scriptura? The answer is simple – they have rejected the New Covenant principle of liberty of conscience, even while claiming to embrace the New Covenant. Almost without exception, the churches have sought to re-create an Old Covenant theocracy where belief is externally controlled and enforced. Hence, the Devil only needs to have the false doctrines infiltrated among the leaders and eventually it would filter down through every congregation and the entire body would be led astray.
Among the few churches that have been able to maintain some diversity of beliefs are the Baptists. They were persecuted in their early beginnings in seventeenth century England and came to the United States of America. Roger Williams, who was forced out of the Massachusetts colony because he maintained that individuals should be free to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience, fled from Boston and founded the Rhode Island colony on the principles of civil and religious liberty. He established the first Baptist Church in America and Rhode Island became a haven for believers of all faiths, including Sabbath-keepers, the Seventh-day Baptists, who passed on the Sabbath truth to Adventist pioneers who became Seventh-day Adventists. The principle of religious liberty was eventually embraced by the framers of the United States Constitution and is represented as the First Amendment to the Constitution.
But while religious liberty is promoted to protect the Church from imposition by the State, there seems to be no protection of the believer from imposition by the Church. Hence, the truth is not advancing. Even the Baptists, generally are not free from unscriptural errors, because many have embraced the idea of human beings having natural immortality, which is clearly rejected in Scripture – the righteous receive immortality at the Second Coming of Christ (1 Cor. 15:51-54) – the Bible is noticeably clear on that.
True Church and Religious Liberty
There is a concept that is popularly held that the true church of the Bible is a human organization that has a corporate structure like a business establishment and offers membership based on a set of doctrinal beliefs. Is this the Biblical concept of the true church and do such organizations have control over whether an individual can be saved in God’s kingdom? In both instances, the answer is no. The truth is that The Church is much greater than that. The Church is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22, 23), the collective body of all who have the spirit of Christ in them (Rom. 8:9); that which Jesus gave His life for – “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:25-27). The songwriter, Samuel J. Stone, expressed it eloquently:
“The church has one foundation, ‘Tis Jesus Christ her Lord; She is His new creation, By water and the word; From heaven He came and sought her To be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died”. – Samuel J. Stone.
The Bible speaks of differences of administrations but the same Lord – “And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.” (1 Cor. 12:5). Could it be that persons are mistakenly elevating their administration of preference to the level of the one true church, thereby placing in human hands the determination of whether people are saved or lost and hence causing needless divisions among people who are sincerely seeking to do God’s will?
Unity of the faith is the endpoint; spiritual gifts were given to the church to bring God’s people to that point – “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-13). Care must be taken not to pre-emptively declare that what is accepted represents the ultimate of what should be understood or needs to be understood.
Let us not forget that the equivalent of what would be considered church leadership, collectively agreed, and declared that Jesus was in error – and considered it so serious a matter as to request of the authorities that He be killed (John 11:47-50). Repeated warnings have been given that deception would be rife in the last days to the point that, “if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt. 24:24); and he that “killeth you will think that he doeth God service” (John 16:2).
Religious liberty is the most fundamental principle of the New Covenant, yet most churches do not even have it as one of their stated Fundamental Beliefs. The New Covenant provides the basis for religious liberty and is the single greatest provision that facilitates the spread of the truth. The truth needs only to be given a fair opportunity to be heard for it to prevail. The Devil knows this and so his greatest weapon against truth is suppression. Those who suppress the expression of other views may think that they are protecting others from error, but they are doing the cause of truth a disservice and they are acting contrary to the principles of the New Covenant. May the Lord help us to recognize the truth and allow it to flourish on its own and under God’s direction.
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15).
For further information, please visit Patience of the Saints at http://thecommandmentsofgodandthefaithofjesus.com/
Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to: [email protected]
Creeds and Rituals – Does Truth Matter?
An experience recently has led me to ask, “Does truth matter?”. The question seems almost redundant since there is hardly anyone who would deny that truth matters; but claiming to believe something and believing it are two different things. One of the greatest evidences that truth matters to someone is that person’s willingness to act on it. My recent experience has led me to think that one of the reasons people do not seem to act on truth is that it is easier to simply follow creeds and rituals, norms and customs. It is not so much that they do not care about truth or that they are unable to discern between truth and error. They just don’t think about it. It is easier to just drift along with the tide. In church settings, creeds and rituals help to foster that attitude of just going along without giving serious thought, because after all, those matters have been thought out by others already. Right? Is that a good enough basis to just go along? Let’s see.
Here is my experience: I was at an Anglican church at an anniversary church service to commemorate the founding of an institution. The service included a communion ritual. The Leader read certain words and the Congregants were expected to respond by reading the words projected on a screen. To my surprise, the Congregants read without hesitation words indicating that the bread and wine were transformed into the literal body and blood of Christ. It seemed like a Roman Catholic Mass rather than a Protestant Communion.
Transubstantiation and Mysticism
The shock came from my recollection that one of the main issues that ignited John Wycliffe, who is considered the Morning Star of the Reformation, in his opposition to the Church of Rome, was the issue of transubstantiation. One of the significant differences between the Roman Catholic Mass and the Protestant Communion was that the Catholics believed in transubstantiation, whereas the Protestants didn’t. Transubstantiation is the belief that the priests can convert the bread and wine to the literal body and blood of Christ by the pronouncements that they make over those substances. The Protestant belief, originally embraced by Anglicans, was that the bread and wine are only symbols of the body and blood of Christ; they do not become the literal body and blood of Christ. But here, in a supposedly Protestant church, the Roman Catholic belief was being recited effortlessly. What was the reason? The Roman Catholic belief had been incorporated into a Creed and a Ritual.
The case of the bread and wine being transformed into the literal body and blood of Christ illustrates the nature of mysticism. Mysticism takes us away from the realm of reality because it is incompatible with the literal reality that we know. To our real senses, the bread remains bread and the wine remains wine. No chemical test will show any difference before and after the priest makes pronouncements over them. Yet mysticism says a literal transformation would have taken place. It defies logic and common sense. But persons are told, never mind, it’s a mystery. You’ll never be able to understand it from a literal point of view. Creeds and rituals pave the way for mysticism; and mysticism destroys faith that is based on reality.
Mystical Beliefs Rejected
Today, the lure of mysticism has led many to lose faith in the reality of many aspects of Christian faith. The prophet to the remnant church wrote in 1904 that for 50 years every effort was being made to overthrow the faith that was delivered to the movement that God raised up in 1844 – “For the past 50 years every phase of heresy has been brought to bear upon us… Messages of every order and kind have been urged upon Seventh-day Adventists, to take the place of the truth which, point by point, has been sought out by prayer, study, and testified to by the miracle-working power of the Lord.” (Ellen G. White, Special Testimonies, Series B #2, p. 59). Among the mystical beliefs that were rejected by the early pioneers of the remnant church was transubstantiation; and thankfully, the Movement still rejects it as unscriptural. But there are other mystical beliefs that are constantly being urged upon the faithful from Roman Catholicism and apostate Protestantism. Among them are the following:
- The Trinity, which makes God’s love in giving His only begotten Son senseless. If God is three in one – a unity of three coequals in age and power, then one could never be the son of any of the others, except in a sense of role-play or make-believe. The extent of God’s love is manifested in the fact that He gave His only begotten Son – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16); “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32); “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9).
- The death of Christ as an atonement, which makes Christ’s intercession senseless. It is Christ, in His capacity as our High Priest, who intercedes or makes atonement based on the merits or arguments that the sacrifice provides. The sacrifice itself is not the atonement – “And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering…And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering…and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.” (Lev. 4:27-31). But if the sacrifice itself is the atonement, then there is no need for a priest. It was part of the doing of the Little Horn power to remove Christ’s mediation in the heavenly sanctuary on our behalf from the minds of people and cast it to the ground – “Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily [sacrifice] was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down.” (Dan. 8:11). [Note: the word “sacrifice” was supplied by the translators – “ministration” is more appropriate, since Christ was offered only once (Heb. 9:28) – there is no “daily sacrifice” of Christ except in the Roman Catholic mass, which is counterfeit.]
- The righteousness of Christ as a gift that someone simply receives, which makes repentance senseless. Righteousness is a state of character that is formed based on what one believes. One can be declared righteous based on what one believes, since one’s belief is an indication of the state of one’s heart and mind, which determines one’s actions and motives. If you have the righteousness of Christ, it means you are righteous as Christ is, and no action of yours can be regarded as sinful unless Christ is sinful; so, the need to repent does not arise, since Christ is sinless. But the truth is that righteousness is based on believing Christ, which leads us to repent of our sins and practice righteousness. It is not something that someone can just give to you and you have it – “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” (1 John 3:7); “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” (1 John 3:10); “For the grace of God 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” (Titus 2:11, 12); “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1); “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” (Acts 8:22); “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:30).
- Someone living inside of you, which makes the idea of personal accountability senseless. Christ dwelling in you, as opposed to sin dwelling in you, is easily understood as a reference to the mind and character that you have, whether it is Christlike or sinful. But to treat Christ as being inside of us personally makes Him the driver who is responsible for what we do, sin and all. Christ does not take charge of people’s lives and then hold them accountable for what is done in their lives. Everyone must give account of himself before God for all actions that are done in his body as those actions are his, and not someone else’s acting through him – “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matt. 12:36); “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Rom. 14:12); “Who will render to every man according to his deeds” (Rom. 2:6); “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” (Matt. 16:27); “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5).
Bible Foundation of Faith
We are reminded that the faith of the pioneers was firmly laid – “Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid. My husband, Elder Joseph Bates, Father Pierce, Elder Hiram Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, were among those who, after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure… When they came to the point in their study where they said, ‘We can do nothing more,’ the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me, with instruction as to how we were to labor and teach effectively. Thus light was given that helped us to understand the scriptures in regard to Christ, His mission, and His priesthood. A line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God, was made plain to me, and I gave to others the instruction that the Lord had given me.” (Ellen G. White, Selected Messages Vol. 1, p. 206.)
So, does truth matter? Do we simply go to church and repeat creeds and rituals without thinking about the sense of what we are saying or doing? In order to maintain a form of faith, many find it easier to do that. Otherwise, they will give up faith that seems to make no sense. Can one keep faith and still make sense? If it is a faith that is based on mysticism, the answer is no. But a faith that is based on reality will make sense. Biblical faith is based on reality and does make sense. If our faith is going to be strong enough to stand in the last days, we must give up mysticism and be real.
For the early pioneers, the Bible was their only creed. They recognized the need to study the scriptures for themselves and seek to understand. The disappointment of 1844 was still fresh in their minds and so they were mindful of their fallibility. The disappointment might have been a blessing, because they recognized that popular opinion was not always right – it had led to their disappointment, thinking, like others that the earth was the sanctuary; only to realize after the disappointment that the Bible taught no such thing. They recognized that the moment they set up a creed, there would be a tendency for blind submission without intelligent thought and understanding. So, they avoided it.
Once creeds and rituals are established, they tend to perpetuate themselves. Institutions that operate based on creeds and rituals are often impervious to change. One may well ask, what if the Church of Rome had taken stock of itself, when John Wycliffe challenged the doctrine of transubstantiation or Martin Luther questioned the sale of Indulgences, and had simply discontinued those beliefs and practices? Would there have been a need for open protest? Perhaps not. Instead, they condemned the messengers. The result was that Wycliffe, Luther and others were forced to break away. Quite differently, when Rachel Oakes Preston challenged the Adventists about their keeping Sunday rather than the Seventh day Sabbath, Frederick Wheeler, then William Farnsworth and others such as Joseph Bates accepted the Sabbath truth and the Adventists became sabbath-keepers. What was different? One body had relied on creeds and tradition while the other, fresh from a major disappointment, knew that their only safeguard was in studying the scriptures. May the commitment and the example of the pioneers in maintaining the scriptures as their creed still inspire the modern movement.
Today, we have statements of belief. We do not call them creeds; but do we just drift along with them with the view that they have all been worked out already? And are we mindful when subtle changes are made to them? One remembers when the introit for worship was followed by the song “Bless the Lord, Oh my Soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name” until someone came and said, let’s use instead, the invocation, “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost”, then gradually it shifted to an invocation to the Holy Spirit. Has anyone asked whether those invocations are scriptural? Or do people just drift along?
We have been admonished that we should be able to give a reason at all times to anyone who asks about the faith we hold – “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). In order to stand in the last days we must be sealed – “Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads – it is not a seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved – just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come.” (Ellen G. White, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 1161).
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15).
For further information, please visit Patience of the Saints at http://thecommandmentsofgodandthefaithofjesus.com/
Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to: [email protected]
Follow on Twitter @JaZerubbabel
Unity upon a false premise
In unity, there is strength. However, the only unity that will last is that which is built on the truth. From the moment Lucifer rebelled against God in heaven, there has been a constant conflict between truth and error. The conflict was spread to this earth when Lucifer who, by then, had become Satan – the Devil – led Eve to doubt God’s word and through Eve led Adam to disobey God’s explicit instruction. The conflict continues today and will ultimately give rise to a grand unity of Satan, “the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies”, who will be gathered together to make war against Christ and His people (Rev. 19:19; see also Rev. 16:13, 14). The entire world will turn against the true followers of Christ, as Christ said to His disciples, “ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” (Matt. 24:9). But Christ will return and destroy the world confederation and deliver His people (Rev. 19:11-21). Our only safeguard is to know the truth and follow it.
The Basis of the WCC
The following is taken from the official website of the World council of Churches:
“The WCC’s 1948 inaugural assembly declared: “The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which accept our Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour”. Soon this formulation gave rise to questions, and requests for a clearer definition of the Christ-centredness of the churches’ common calling, a more explicit expression of the Trinitarian faith and a specific reference to the holy scriptures. The result was the re-formulation, adopted by the Third Assembly (New Delhi 1961), which still stands:
“a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures, and therefore seek to fulfill together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.””
(https://www.oikoumene.org/en/about-us/self-understanding-vision/basis” retrieved July 21, 2019 – the official website of the World Council of Churches).
The Episcopal Church
The following is taken from the official website of the Episcopal Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers:
“The Episcopal Church is one of the 147 founding churches of the World Council of Churches (1948). The WCC has roots that reach back to the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement and to the conviction, which took hold at several places during the late nineteenth century, that something must be done to heal the divisions which have hampered witness to the Christian faith.
Today there are 349 member churches. They live in very different political, economic, and social conditions. Many of them – Anglican, Orthodox, Baptist, Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, Old Catholic, etc. – have a long history. But member churches also include “younger” Pentecostal bodies, independent churches in Africa, and united churches. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member but it cooperates with the WCC through a Joint Working Group, several programs, and membership in the Commission on Faith and Order, and has delegated observers at major meetings.
Membership is open to any church which is able to accept the WCC “Basis”, provided its signs of ecclesial character meet standards acceptable to two-thirds of the churches already in membership. The “Basis” declares: “The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Savior according to the Scriptures and therefore seek to fulfill together their common calling to the glory of the one God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit”.”
(https://www.edeio.org/world-council-of-churches-wcc.html, retrieved July 21, 2019 – the official website of the Episcopal Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers (EDEIO) website).
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The following is taken from the official website of the world Council of Churches:
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a denomination of conservative evangelical Christians. The church arose out of the eschatological expectations of the middle nineteenth century (epitomized by the Millerite Movement), but was only formally organized in 1863. The Millerites had set October 22, 1844, for the return of Christ. With the failure of this date, the movement fell into disarray. One of the small Adventist groups adopted the Seventh-day Sabbath, reinterpreted the events of 1844, and became, in due course, the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The roots of Adventism, however, go back much further – to the Reformation and the church of the New Testament.
Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as the inspired word of God. In essence, the Bible is their only creed, though they do have a statement of 28 Fundamental Beliefs, which is subject to revision at any General Conference World Session, as new light is received or better language is found, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. These beliefs include the Trinity, believers’ baptism, spiritual gifts, death as an unconscious state until the resurrection, and the New Earth as the home of the redeemed after the millennium. SDAs are creationists and believe that man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work of the Biblical creation week. With the entry of sin, God’s plan of salvation was put into effect. In Christ’s life of perfect obedience to God’s will, his suffering, death and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept the gift of salvation may have eternal life. Since the very beginning, Seventh-day Adventists have been consistent advocates of religious freedom for all, and have taken a lead in its international promotion, including at the UN.
Global mission and evangelism are essential elements of the SDA ethos. The church is intent on sharing the good news of justification, righteousness by faith, salvation through Jesus Christ, and his imminent return. As a result, the SDA Church is probably the most widespread Protestant denomination, with work in over 200 countries. Though cradled in North America, less than 8 percent of her membership today resides there, and there is considerable growth in various parts of the world. Adventists wish to live lives of service to God and humankind. To help achieve this goal the church owns and operates many institutions: over 6,000 schools (from kindergarten to university), 720 hospitals and health-care facilities, publishing houses, and health food factories. Media centres (worldwide satellite TV and radio) have been established in recent decades. Adventists believe in a healthy lifestyle, which includes a good diet (many Adventists are vegetarians) and abstention from harmful drugs, including alcohol and tobacco products. Adventists also promote public health. The church operates the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), which is well-known internationally for its work on behalf of disaster victims and third world development projects.
The SDA church sees herself not as a federation of local or national churches, but as one world church. There is an effective form of representative government. The church’s polity provides for four key organizational levels: 1) the local church, a united body of individual believers, 2) the Conference, a united body of local churches, 3) the Union Conference, the united body of several conferences (a larger territory, often a nation), 4) the General Conference, the worldwide body whose constituent units are the approximately 100 Unions. The General Conference operates through its 13 Divisions (branch offices).
Seventh-day Adventists “recognize those agencies that lift up Christ before men as a part of the divine plan for the evangelization of the world” (General Conference Working Policy, 075). They enter into fellowship with other Christians and practice open communion. They believe that in a certain sense they are a prophetic movement with a time of the end message centering on the “eternal gospel” to give to the world. While they welcome opportunities to dialogue and reach better understanding, they have not formally joined the organized ecumenical movement by becoming members of councils of churches. They do, however, in many cases have observer, consultant, or advisor status. Adventists wish to preserve and protect their unique identity and give life to their God-given evangelistic and service mission.
The office of the general conference is located in Silver Spring, USA. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is comprised of 14 million baptized believers, representing with children a fellowship of some 25 million Adventists.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is not a member of the World Council of Churches.
Websites
(https://www.oikoumene.org/en/church-families/seventh-day-adventist-church, retrieved July 21, 2019 – the official website of the World Council of Churches).
The Catholic church
The following is taken from the official website of the World Council of Churches:
“Catholics believe that the church was founded by Jesus Christ as part of the Father’s plan for the salvation of the world. Christ’s proclamation and inauguration of the kingdom of God led to the gathering of disciples. His death, resurrection and sending of the Holy Spirit definitively established the church, with which he promised to remain until the end of time (cf. Matt. 28:20). Jesus entrusted to this community the mission of preaching the gospel and of “making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).
Because the church is, in God’s hands, a means of bringing about the communion of all those who, with the help of God’s grace, would accept the proclamation of the good news, the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) taught that “the Church is in Christ like a sacrament or as a sign and instrument both of a very closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race”. (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen gentium, paragraph 1). This constitution goes on to affirm that the whole community has an active role to play in proclaiming and handing on God’s word, in worshipping and celebrating the sacraments and in serving the mission Jesus entrusted to it……
According to the Vatican’s Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae of 2005, the Catholic Church numbered 1,085,557,000 persons, or 17.2 percent of the world’s population. Of these, 13.2 percent of Catholics live in Africa, 49.8 percent in North and South America; 10.5 percent in Asia, 25.7 percent in Europe and 0.8 percent in Oceania.
The Catholic Church has never been a member of the World Council of Churches, but is actively participating in the ecumenical movement in different ways. Learn more
Websites
(https://www.oikoumene.org/en/church-families/the-catholic-church, retrieved July21, 2019 – the official website of the World Council of Churches).
The Edict of Thessalonica which defines who is a Catholic Christian
The following is taken from Wikipedia:
“The Edict of Thessalonica (also known as Cunctos populos), issued on 27 February AD 380 by three reigning Roman Emperors…
Theodosius I, Gratian, and Valentinian II on 27 February 380.[1] The edict came after Theodosius had been baptized by the bishop Ascholius of Thessalonica upon suffering a severe illness in Thessalonica.[3]
EMPERORS GRATIAN, VALENTINIAN AND THEODOSIUS AUGUSTI. EDICT TO THE PEOPLE OF CONSTANTINOPLE.
It is our desire that all the various nations which are subject to our Clemency and Moderation, should continue to profess that religion which was delivered to the Romans by the divine Apostle Peter, as it has been preserved by faithful tradition, and which is now professed by the Pontiff Damasus and by Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. According to the apostolic teaching and the doctrine of the Gospel, let us believe in the one deity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, in equal majesty and in a holy Trinity. We authorize the followers of this law to assume the title of Catholic Christians; but as for the others, since, in our judgment they are foolish madmen, we decree that they shall be branded with the ignominious name of heretics, and shall not presume to give to their conventicles the name of churches. They will suffer in the first place the chastisement of the divine condemnation and in the second the punishment of our authority which in accordance with the will of Heaven we shall decide to inflict.
GIVEN IN THESSALONICA ON THE THIRD DAY FROM THE CALENDS OF MARCH, DURING THE FIFTH CONSULATE OF GRATIAN AUGUSTUS AND FIRST OF THEODOSIUS AUGUSTUS[4]
— Codex Theodosianus, xvi.1.2”
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edict_of_Thessalonica, retrieved July 21, 2019).
The Edict of Thessalonica marked the official definition of who the Catholic Church considered a heretic – namely, one who did not believe in the Trinity. This was the basis on which persecution was launched on a widespread basis. It will be observed that as soon as the World Council of Churches adopted as its Basis in 1961, a concept that was in harmony with the definition of Catholic Christian, as defined in the Edict of Thessalonica, within a year, in 1962, the Second Vatican Council was convened, and out of it, the other churches of Christendom were declared to be no longer designated as heretics but rather as separated brethren.
Foundation of Seventh-day Adventist Faith
In 1904, Ellen White writes, “For the past 50 years every phase of heresy has been brought to bear upon us… Messages of every order and kind have been urged upon Seventh-day Adventists, to take the place of the truth which, point by point, has been sought out by prayer, study, and testified to by the miracle-working power of the Lord.” (Special Testimonies, Series B #2, p. 59)
Notice that in 1904, the foundation of faith had been firmly established. “Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid. My husband, Elder Joseph Bates, Father Pierce, Elder Hiram Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, were among those who, after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure… When they came to the point in their study where they said, ‘We can do nothing more,’ the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me, with instruction as to how we were to labor and teach effectively. Thus light was given that helped us to understand the scriptures in regard to Christ, His mission, and His priesthood. A line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God, was made plain to me, and I gave to others the instruction that the Lord had given me.” (1SM 206.4)
At that time the Seventh-day Adventist Church officially had a non-Trinitarian statement of Fundamental Principles as was repeatedly published in the Annual Yearbook of the church. The first Fundamental Principle as was published in the 1889 Yearbook was: “That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things, omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal; infinite in wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth and mercy; unchangeable, and everywhere present by His representative, the Holy Spirit. Ps. 139:7”. They did not elaborate further on the identity of the Holy spirit. The second Fundamental Principle identified Jesus Christ as the Son of God. This was clearly a non-Trinitarian perspective.
The Bible gives further clarification regarding the Holy Spirit, called the Comforter. The Comforter that is sent is a messenger or representative who ministers under Christ’s instructions – “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7); “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13).
Like the angels of God, the Comforter appeared as a flame of fire and enabled miracles to be done – “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them” (Acts 2:2, 3).; “And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” (Heb. 1:7); “The angels of God are ever passing from earth to heaven, and from heaven to earth. The miracles of Christ for the afflicted and suffering were wrought by the power of God through the ministration of the angels. And it is through Christ, by the ministration of His heavenly messengers, that every blessing comes from God to us.” (White, Ellen G., The Desire of Ages, p. 143).
We need to know the difference between the spirit of God that fills us (God’s mind, character and power) and the Comforter who is an agent sent to minister to us. This will serve as an antidote against the alpha of deadly heresies, which promotes the idea that God is personally inside of people and inside other entities – as opposed to being personally in heaven. It will also preserve us against the omega of deadly heresies that destroys the identity of God by making God a unity of three rather than a sovereign being who presides over the universe and sent His only begotten Son into the world to save us.
The angel of Revelation 18 who brings the latter rain outpouring of God’s power does the same type of work that the Comforter came and did in the outpouring of the early rain of God’s power at Pentecost. We are told by revelation to Ellen G. White that “Angels were sent to aid the mighty angel from heaven” in the outpouring of the latter rain (White, Ellen G., The Story of Redemption, p. 399). We may similarly understand that other angels worked in support of the mission that was carried out by the Comforter in the early rain outpouring. We are not expected to worship the angel of Revelation 18; neither are we expected to worship the Comforter. There is no basis in scripture for anyone to place the Comforter or the angel of Revelation 18 as co-equals with the Most High, who sent His only begotten Son into the world. The Bible says there is: “One God and Father of all, who is above all” (Eph. 4:6). This is the person that the Bible refers to as “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Further, we worship Jesus, the Son of God because God, the Father, commands us to worship His Son (John 5:23; Heb. 1:6) – and no one else.
The issue is not whether or not there is a third person and eventually even a fourth, (the angel of Revelation 18). The issue is the status of the third being, and also the fourth. There is one Supreme Being, the Father, who is above all, who has given His Only begotten Son the authority to exercise all His power and has commanded us to honour His Son as we honour Him (John 5:23; 1 Cor. 15:24-28). This authority, He has given to none other.”
The Seventh-day Adventist Church was not fully accepted by the other churches while it stuck to the Biblical definition of God, as was held by its pioneers. Up until 1980, the baptismal vow spoke of God as follows: “I believe in God the Father, in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit”. This was changed to say: “Do you believe there is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three coeternal Persons?” Was something wrong with the first formulation? Certainly not, from a Biblical standpoint. It was generic and did not even deny the Catholic formulation, even though it did not specifically declare it. But the second formulation goes beyond what the Bible says and includes some element of speculation as there is nowhere in the Bible that defines God as three in one. But most specifically, it accords with the Catholic definition as declared in the Edict of Thessalonica and as embraced by the World Council of Churches.
Will we hold to the truth without wavering or will we do otherwise in order to be accepted by the world confederation that will ultimately turn against God’s faithful people? The choice is ours. But all is not lost. In 2005, the Seventh-day Adventist Church adopted an alternative form of the Baptismal vow that has only three statements. This allows the pastor preparing the candidate for baptism to avoid binding the candidate to an unscriptural vow. We must hold fast to the truth especially at this time, as this will be the measure of our loyalty to God. This wholehearted commitment to God, above institutional commitment, is the essence of the new covenant experience (see article “Religious Liberty and the New Covenant” at http://thecommandmentsofgodandthefaithofjesus.com/2018/03/18/religious-liberty-new-covenant/.
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15).
For further information, please visit Patience of the Saints at http://thecommandmentsofgodandthefaithofjesus.com/
Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to: [email protected]
Follow on Twitter @JaZerubbabel
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me”
Christians, Muslims and Jews believe in common that there is one true God. While they all differ in general beliefs, they are all agreed that this one true God is presented in the Old Testament Torah of the Bible. The New Testament continues the same concept of the one true God and speaks even more specifically about who this one true God is. The New Testament equally testifies to the divinity of Christ. How then should we understand the biblical teaching that there is one true God? Is the one true God three persons, two persons or one person? And does it matter? It matters in that a concept of God that is inconsistent with the scriptures is a creation of man – an idol. Would this not be a violation of the first commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3)? Let us see what the Bible says about the one true God. Judge for yourself.
About the one true God, the Bible says the following, starting with the words of Jesus himself:
“These words spake Jesus, 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 Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” – John 17:1-3.
Jesus identified His Father as “the only true God” and himself as the “Son” of that only true God. The question has been answered. If Jesus cannot settle it, then who else can? Is that the only place in scripture that this is said? No! The same thought is expressed elsewhere. In another instance, almost as if anticipating a question as to whether there is someone else to whom the title ‘only true God’ could also apply, the Apostle Paul says:
“As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge” – 1 Cor. 8:4-6.
The Apostle Paul says that “there is none other God but one”, that “there is but one God, the Father” but “there is not in every man that knowledge”. One would hope that Christians are not among those that the Apostle Paul says do not have that knowledge. The Bible is clear when it says that there is “One God and Father of all, who is above all” (Eph. 4:6). He is clearly the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” – 2 Cor. 11:31. There is only one Person who is above Christ and that is His Father. The Father of Christ “appointed” Him “heir of all things” (Heb. 1:2), “anointed” Him (Heb.1:9), “sent” Him “into the world” (John 10:36), “raised him from the dead” (Gal. 1:1) and has “highly exalted him” (Phil. 2:9).
No true revelation will contradict what either Jesus or Paul said.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus himself declares that He is the “only begotten Son” of God (John 3:16). God Himself also spoke from heaven more than once and said that Jesus Christ is His Son (Matt. 3:17; Mark 9:7). The Bible says that Jesus “hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name” than the angels (Heb. 1:4). Jesus is so much better than the angels that God commanded angels to worship Jesus, His Son (Heb. 1:4-6). The Father addresses Jesus as God while indicating at the same time that He is the God of Jesus and the One who “anointed” Him – “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” (Heb. 1:8, 9). This confirms Jesus’ full divinity while showing that even as God (being divine but not the one true God), Jesus is subject to His Father.
Jesus Christ is the Mediator between us and God and there is no other way to God but through Jesus Christ. The Bible says: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” – 1 Tim. 2:5. And Jesus said: “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” – John 14:6. There ought to be no confusion as to who the one true God is and who Jesus is.
Eternity has no break
Of God, the Bible further says that He is:
“the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto” – 1 Tim. 6:15, 16.
According to that scripture, the Father is the only one who “hath immortality”. All who have or will receive eternal life, would have received it from Him. This means that even the life of Jesus was obtained from His Father. Jesus himself said this as follows:
“For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” – John 5:26.
Jesus died and was raised from the dead by His Father (Gal.1:1). The fact that Jesus died means that He has not always existed and is therefore not eternal since eternity has no break.
God has no equal
God declares of Himself: “I am God, and there is none like me” – Isa. 46:9. The Bible reveals God as a majestic being who has no equal in heaven or in earth. Jesus came to earth to reveal Him to us so that we can be reconciled to Him. Various prophets have gotten a glimpse of Him (His form, not His face – Ex. 33:20-23) and described the majesty of His being. Among those are Ezekiel (Eze. 1 and Eze. 10); Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy elders of Israel (Ex. 24:9, 10); Daniel (Dan. 7:9-14); and John (Rev. 4 and Rev. 5). This is the God who says: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” – Ex. 20:3. Therefore we ought not to have a concept of God that places anyone else on equal footing with Him. That would be idolatry. He is the Creator of whom the Bible says there is none else:
“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.” – Isa. 45:18. (See also Isa. 46:5, 9)
The Creator sits on the throne
In heaven, God sits on the throne and is worshipped as the Creator of all things –
“a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Rev. 4:2);
“The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:10, 11).
Jesus is identified separately as the Lamb who died:
“And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rev. 5:7-9).
True God or false Christ?
It is interesting that Jesus told us who the “only true God” is (John 17:1-3), yet people are saying something else, that God is a Trinity or that God is “Jesus only”. Paul told us that even “though there be that are called gods” whether in heaven or in earth, but to us there is but one God (1 Cor. 8:5, 6) and he tells us who He is, yet people prefer to go by their own speculation, saying that God is three-in-one or that the Most High is Jesus Christ himself rather than the Father of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that Jesus died, yet people insist that Jesus is co-eternal with the Father as if Jesus never ceased to live at one point.
Are people worshipping a false Christ that they consider to be “like the Most High” as Lucifer sought to be (Isa. 14:14) as opposed to worshipping the Christ who is the Son of God? Will the true Christ accept from them a designation that belongs only to God, His Father, or will He tell them in that final day that He never knew them, as the Bible says that He will tell many who would have been saying “Lord, Lord” (Matt. 7:22, 23)?
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15).
For further information, please visit http://thecommandmentsofgodandthefaithofjesus.com/
Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to: [email protected]
Follow on Twitter @JaZerubbabel
The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts
In the Bible, the term Holy Spirit may refer to the gifts of the Spirit or it may refer to the representative of Christ who dispenses the spiritual gifts. Christ said that He was going away, and He would send the Comforter, who He calls the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7).
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26).
Quite separate from the representative that Jesus would send in His place, the term Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) is also used to refer to something that Jesus is said to have inside of Him and that He can give us so that we can have it in us in measure.
“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” (John 3:34).
“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness” (Luke 4:1).
“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22).
Holy Spirit Poured Out
As gifts, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers at Pentecost, in fulfilment of a promise that God made through the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28, 29). Peter referred to this promise and its fulfilment in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost:
“But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy” (Acts 2:17, 18);
Jesus says that we should ask the Father for the Holy Spirit:
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13).
Early Rain and Latter Rain
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was like the early rain that gave a kick start to the newly germinated seeds. When the plants are mature, latter rain showers are needed to ripen the crop and prepare them for the harvest. Based on Joel’s prophecy there would be an Early Rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit and in the last days, a Latter Rain outpouring.
“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.” (Joel 2:23).
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.” (Joel 2:28-31).
The Latter Rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit is described as the work of a Mighty Angel who descends from heaven and causes the earth to be lightened with his glory.
“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Rev. 18:1, 2).
The Latter Rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit is given in the last days at a time when Babylon is taken over by demons and evil spirits. This final outpouring of the Holy Spirit will empower God’s true and faithful believers to overcome the Devil as Moses was able to overcome the magicians of Egypt.
Representative of Christ Dispenses Gifts
It is important that we do not confuse the spiritual gifts that we receive in us with the representative of Christ who dispenses the gifts. Whereas the Comforter dispensed the gifts at Pentecost as the Early Rain, the Mighty Angel of Revelation 18 will dispense the gifts in even greater measure as the Latter Rain.
The Comforter is not a third God-being like the Father and the Son. Like the Mighty Angel of Revelation 18, the Comforter was sent on a mission to dispense spiritual gifts and to comfort the disciples. He would not speak of himself but would speak only what he hears.
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13).
If the Comforter who brought the Early Rain was a third God-being, then we have a situation where the Mighty Angel would be dispensing spiritual gifts more extensively in the Latter Rain than the third God-being was allowed to do in the Early Rain. Would that be signalling that the Mighty Angel is more powerful than this third member of the Godhead, or that he is a fourth member? Or rather, is it suggesting that the Comforter, like the Mighty Angel, is not a Divine Being to be worshipped, but rather, a messenger (angel) carrying out a similar mission? The latter suggestion is more consistent with scripture.
The Adventist Pioneers in their Statement of Fundamental Principles published in the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1889 and onward until about 1930 described the Holy Spirit as Christ’s Representative. This is consistent with scripture.
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is not a third God-being to be worshipped; neither is the Holy Spirit a being that takes up residence inside of us. The Spirit of Christ that dwells in us in measure are the spiritual gifts of Divine light, love and power, by which we reflect the character of Christ and are empowered to be His witnesses.
In conclusion, the term Holy Spirit may refer to the spiritual gifts that we receive and that remain in us or it may refer to Christ’s representative (or messenger – angel) who dispenses the gifts to us.
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15).
For further information, please visit http://thecommandmentsofgodandthefaithofjesus.com/
Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to: [email protected]
Follow on Twitter @JaZerubbabel