Righteousness By Faith and the 1888 General Conference
The Sanctuary
Now we are going to look briefly at the sanctuary service to see how all of this relates specifically to us living in the last days. The sanctuary service was given to the Israelites back when they were brought out of bondage from Egypt. I will not take the time to explain every detail of how the service worked, but it will be well for you to do so in order to have a better understanding of the time we are living in.
God has always had a plan to save mankind from sin. It is by the sanctuary that He so beautifully illustrated this plan to us. The sanctuary service shows in panoramic view God's plan to forgive our sins and to eventually welcome us into His kingdom. The different phases of the sanctuary service correlates with the phases taking place here on earth and in heaven.
The sanctuary itself was not just something made up for the ancient Israelites. The sanctuary given to them was a copy and shadow of the heavenly things
Heb. 8:5. Just as there was a sanctuary built on earth, there is one in heaven. After Jesus was raised from the dead, He ascended to heaven to become a Minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
Heb. 8:2. And furthermore, just as there is a a temple in heaven, our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you
. 1 Cor. 6:19. When Jesus came to earth He cleansed the temple in Jerusalem to show us that He came to cleanse the temple of our lives from sin. (John 2:13-25).
So what is the significance of all of this? This is important because the earthly sanctuary shows us what God is doing right now in heaven. From prophecy in Daniel we know that Jesus has entered the last phase of the temple service. This phase is called the atonement. It is by studying this atonement phase that we know what God expects us to do right now.
In the Israelite sanctuary service, when the time for the atonement came, all of the people would gather together. The main purpose of the atonement was to cleanse God's people from all of their sins before the Lord. (Lev. 16:30).
An important key here is that during the time of the atonement, the people were to look deep within themselves and afflict themselves before God. Just as the Israelites were to realize the significance of that day, so are we to realize the significance of our time. We are to look deep within ourselves to see where we stand with God. We are to put away all of our sins and let God lead us by His Spirit. This is what God requires us to do especially in this generation. With our whole hearts and soul we are to earnestly seek Him. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.
Hos 5:15. Those who do not see sin as it really is will not be saved. Only those who recognize the evil in themselves and develop a desire to remove it will be able to last in the end times. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations
Ezek. 36:31. Those living in the last days who do not see evil as it really is and attempt to remove every trace of it from themselves will NOT receive the mark of God.
The mark is placed upon those 'that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done.' Those who belong to this class have been described as distinguished by their soul anguish over the declensions among God's professed people. They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of every kind are in the church. They feel powerless to stop the rushing torrent of iniquity and hence are filled with grief and alarm.Bible Commentary Volume 4 Page 607
This is the solemn truth. Those who are alive to see the end days MUST put away ALL sin from their lives. There can be no compromise. If anyone clings to sin, they will be completely unable to stand for God.
Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.5T 241.2
Just as Christ lived free from sin while here on earth, so are we to follow in His steps, led by His power, to live the same way.
Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Saviour be brought to yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of Himself: 'The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.' John 14:30. Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept His Father's commandments, and there was no sin in Him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.Great Controversy 623
Why is it so important that God's people are clean from sin? When God finishes His work of atonement, there will be no more mercy for the guilty. When His work is done, those who are living on earth will no longer have a mediator to advocate for the forgiveness of their sins. We will not know when this time comes, and even if we did, it is foolishness to think that at the last minute God would automatically purify the character of one who has neglected during his or her life to take advantage of His power! It simply will not happen. Ellen White leaves no room for alternate interpretation:
Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God's people on earth.
Great Controversy 425Satan leads many to believe that God will overlook their unfaithfulness in the minor affairs of life, but the Lord shows in His dealings with Jacob that He will in no wise tolerate evil. All who endeavor to excuse or conceal their sins, and permit them to remain upon the books of heaven, unconfessed and unforgiven, will be overcome by Satan...Those who delay a preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble or at any subsequent time. The case of all such is hopeless.
Great Controversy 620
The Bible is clear about the character of those who will follow Christ in the last days. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart! They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways.
Psalms 119:1-3. Those who follow Christ will do no iniquity. They will not stumble at all. Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.
Psalms 119:165. Those who love Christ will be able to say, I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word.
Psalms 119:101. God's righteous will Abstain from every form of evil.
1 Thess. 5:22. Let the truth be known, God's people are to gain the victory over sin! Indeed, Jesus is waiting for us to do so.
