Gaining victory from all sin through faith in Jesus - Nathan McWilliams
If I were to ask you what happened within our Adventist church in 1888, would you be able to give an answer? Are you aware of the significant events that occurred during that time, or can you only hazily recall the date 1844, and 1888 means nothing to you at all? It is a sad truth that many of us are completely unaware of the special events God put in motion during the 1888 General Conference session of our church.
During this conference, He sent two people, E.J. Waggoner and A.T. Jones, to speak a critical last-day message to His people. This message was designed to call God's followers to get serious about Him, and to prepare themselves for the final events of the end times. Sadly, however, not all of our church accepted this message as God planned, and to this day it has slipped through the cracks, hidden behind a shadow of ignorance and complacency. Satan has been successful in keeping God's church from accepting this message as God intended, and has effectively concealed the message from many Adventists today. It is the goal of this article to show you, a follower of God, how important this message is to you and why you cannot afford to ignore it.
Now is the time to stop wandering around halfheartedly; now is the time to see what God has sent to us in His Word and what He desires for you, me, and all followers in our generation to do.
The righteousness by faith message comes completely from the Bible, however before we get into the message, it is interesting to note Ellen White's comments on it.
In response to this message:
I have had the question asked, What do you think of this light that these men are presenting? Why, I have been presenting it to you for the last forty-five years--the matchless charms of Christ. This is what I have been trying to present before your minds. When Brother Waggoner brought out these ideas in Minneapolis, it was the first clear teaching on this subject from any human lips I had heard, excepting the conversations between myself and my husband. I have said to myself, It is because God has presented it to me in vision that I see it so clearly, and they cannot see it because they have never had it presented to them as I have. And when another presented it, every fiber of my heart said, Amen.5MR 219.1
Ellen White says this message is the beginning of the loud cry:
The time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin-pardoning Redeemer. This is the beginning of the light of the angel whose glory shall fill the whole earth.1SM 362.4
These quotes and others show that Ellen White was a strong supporter of the message of righteousness by faith.
So what exactly happened in 1888? In a sentence, a message was presented about true righteousness by faith and how it relates to God's work for us who are living in the end times. In order to understand it, and why not all of our church accepted it, a brief history is needed.
Prior to the 1888 Conference, our church was still relatively new and many of our leaders had different views on various topics. Unlike today, where for the most part we have a set standard of beliefs that we all agree to, back then can be described as more of a forum atmosphere, where each person was free to publish ideas(and sometimes these views conflicted with each other) and the church as a body would not necessarily denounce or accept any of these views. As a result, there were several honest men who had erroneous standpoints, but because of the open atmosphere many people accepted them.
One of these various views was that Jesus Christ was a created being. Several prominent leaders held the belief that God in some way or fashion created Christ, and in doing so they denounced that Jesus was fully equal in nature and existence as God the Father. It turns out, however, that one of the key components of the 1888 message was that Jesus is NOT a created being and He is fully God in every sense of the word. The conflict between these two views reached new heights even before the 1888 conference. Because many Adventists had cultivated a debateful spirit from defending their beliefs with other denominations, many loved to debate and argue over theological points.
When the 1888 message was presented, some Adventists rejected this message simply because it was not in accordance with their own already accepted views, and thus they were ready to attack the messengers without first studying to see if the message was true. A few were even prepared to attack the positions of Waggoner and Jones before the conference even started. During the preliminary session, which occurred a few days before the General Conference session, a bitter conflict erupted over a smaller technical detail that caused a strong division among the participants. This conflict carried over into the main session and provided much of the fuel for the contempt some had against Waggoner and Jones. It is a sad truth that Satan was even able to ignite opposition and ridicule upon the messengers of the message themselves, apart from the message they were teaching.
In the midst of all of this opposition and controversy, Waggoner and Jones presented the message of righteousness by faith without wavering. Surprised at the animosity and personal antagonism against them that they received, they still taught the message faithfully. In the end, Ellen White described the different groups formed in the conference saying some accepted the message, some rejected it, and some were so confused over the sharp conflict between the two other groups that they did not decide either way. It is a bitter truth that one of the main reasons not everyone accepted the message was because they allowed prideful arrogance, ridicule and argumentative spirits to overtake them instead of the humble and meek spirit of Christ. As we look at the message today, if we do not learn the lessons from our church's past history, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.
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As we get into the topic, I would like to note that what follows is not exactly the message that was presented in 1888. The message itself was not recorded, but we can know its main teachings from the books and ideas that Waggoner and Jones wrote before and after the conference. Also, what is written below is not so much of a focus only on the teachings of 1888, but on the truth of righteousness by faith in general. I have tried to provide a brief summary of my own personal study of the Bible and books dealing with righteousness by faith. Not everything I mention may have been a part exactly of the 1888 message, but all of it is based on the Bible and scripture. My goal here is not to write everything there is to say about this message, because that would take books. Rather, I hope that enough information is presented that you will catch a glimpse of its critical importance and will take it upon yourself to study further.
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One thing must be made clear from the outset. Every one of us born into this earth are born with a sinful nature (having a natural inclination to sin.) No one can hope to do right by their own will. None of us have, or will ever have in this life, the power to overcome a sin with our own strength. Proverbs 20:9 says, Who can say 'I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin'?
No matter how much we try to change ourselves, we cannot do it. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.
Jer. 13:23.
No amount of good works, dedication or efforts to try harder can make this any different. For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before Me, says the Lord God.
Anyone who feels that if they just keep trying, or that if they try harder they can grow the power within themselves to overcome any particular sin is sadly mistaken. Even if you don't see your faults, and you think you are pretty good, this is the conclusion of the matter: For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.
Eccl. 7:20. Whether you realize it or not, whenever you try to overcome a sin by yourself, you are trying to make things right by works. There is no victory in this, and you will always fail.
What about Jesus? When He came to this earth as a human, was He born like us, or was He born with special power to help Him overcome? The Bible is clear: But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law
Gal. 4:4. And just what does born of a woman actually mean? Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity
and to make it more clear: he had to be made like his brothers in every way
. Why did He have to be made like us? that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.
Heb. 2:14,17-18 (NIV). Therefore we see that in all things Christ was made like us, and this was necessary in order for Him to save us from sin. This is why we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses.
Christ can actually empathize with us because He has gone through the same things, in that He was in all points tempted as we are
. Yet do not misunderstand what this means, because even though we all have sinned Christ was yet without sin
. Heb. 4:15.
Make no mistake, when Jesus walked on this earth He was in all points made like us. The difference between our lives and His is that He did not sin. It is not that He wasn't able to, or that He was made so that He could turn off the ability to be tempted when He wanted. In fact, He was affected by genealogy and other things just as we are. However, He did not sin, and He made it clear that there is no excuse you can name or think of as to why you commit any sin that you do. If Jesus had been made in any way to have a power above sin that we cannot have, His sacrifice would have been meaningless and there would be no point in His death.
So we know that there are no works we can do to make ourselves right with God, so what are we to do? There is one answer. We must have faith that Jesus can save us. (Gal. 2:16). Only by putting our trust in God is it possible to have victory over a sin. Only by saying Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me
can we be saved. Ps. 51:10. It should also be our desire that God would wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin
Ps. 51:2.
Now I know you are probably saying that you know all of this, and this is nothing new, right? We know that we can only be saved by faith, and we cannot earn our salvation. We also already know that Jesus was God and He became man and was tempted just as we are. You are probably asking, what's so new about that? After all, isn't this a basic teaching of our church?
Yes, while that is true, there is something that many of us miss in all of the seemingly simplicity of this message.
Now I am going to make a bold and straightforward statement right here. This may seem to you a little harsh, and you may not even agree with me. The reason why I am stating it here and now is because I don't want to ease into it slowly, because in all the easing you may not get the impact of this statement, and if I go step by step through the Bible you may end up agreeing, but missing the importance and significance of what I am about to say. So unconventional as it may be, here it is:
It will always be and has always been God's plan for His people living on earth to stop sinning completely. God has made every provision for His followers to have complete and total victory over every single sin. If God convicts one of His followers to stop any particular sin and that person does not listen, that person is not living in Christ and his or her claim to be a Christian is a lie. Furthermore, God especially requires His people in the end times to gain complete and uncompromising victory, and there will be a point in time, here on earth, when God's true followers will have total victory over every sin. Whether you believe this is true or not, this is reality. Even though you may not see this in your life right now, that does not make this invalid. I am not trying to say that you are a liar or that God does not love you. I am simply saying that God has given you a means to overcome any sin in your life, and there is no excuse for not accepting God's gift and using this means. As harsh as it may sound, if you decide to live in any form of sin, regardless of how big or small, you will not be saved.
We have already established that we are all sinners and that we cannot change ourselves. Any efforts we make will end up in failure. This is also true after we have accepted Christ. Even when we accept Christ as our personal savior, we still do not have the power by our own strength to deny sin. The only way for us to overcome sin is for us to die(in a manner of speaking). I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God
. Gal 2:20. We (the ones who are unable to not sin) must be put to death. And this happens when we accept Christ, And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Gal. 5:24. This death is not halfway, it is complete and all encompassing. This is also not a one time deal, every time we sin our flesh is coming back alive, which is why we must die daily
. 1 Cor. 15:31. With our flesh crucified, The Holy Spirit lives our lives in us. When we give ourselves to Jesus in faith every moment, we do not listen at all to the flesh which is enslaved to sin. Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Gal. 5:16. Do not be deceived. The only way we can be saved is if the Spirit is leading us and the flesh is dead completely. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.
Rom. 8:13.
What we fail to realize is that God came not only to save us from the penalty of sin (which is death), but to save us from committing sins altogether while here on earth. Jesus gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.
Titus 2:14. He came to redeem us from committing sin here on earth, to purify His people. Salvation is not only about getting to heaven. It is also about being free from committing sin while here on earth. Jesus says Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin
. John 8:34. He came so that we can know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32. Being free means that we no longer have to sin, but we can keep the commandments of God. So shall I keep Your law continually, Forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts.
Ps. 119:44-45. True liberty is only found when we keep God's law. This freedom comes from putting ourselves to death. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Romans 6:6-7. Jesus came not to free us from keeping the law, but to free us from our slaveship to sin, which is breaking the law. He offers us life, and when we accept this gift He enables us to keep the law through His power living inside of us. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.
Matt. 19:17. This is done by faith; we must believe God will do it through us.
When we crucify our flesh and live in the Spirit, God gives us a new heart that enables us to keep every one of His commandments. Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
Ezek. 11:19-20. When God gives us a new heart we are clean, not only in the record books but in our very lives. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
Ezek. 36:25-27. This is not just a bookkeeping transaction where God says we are forgiven, but nothing is changed in our lives. When He puts His Spirit in us, He enables us to actually be clean, and to be free from any particular sin. He does this by writing His law into our hearts and minds, so that we can keep them. I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts
Jer. 31:33. It has always been God's intention for us to keep all of His commandments. He never intended for His people to live halfway decent lives, or even almost perfect lives, but to have complete victory from sin. He has given us a way to achieve this victory, and expects us to take full advantage of it.
Because He has given us a path to freedom, He wants us to travel on it. Those who do not make every effort to put away sin will not be saved.Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil.
Isaiah 1:16.Wash your heart from wickedness, that you might be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?
Jer. 4:14.The highway of the upright is to depart from evil.
Proverbs 16:17.
Take God seriously! He doesn't want you to sin. He wants us to listen to Him so much, He even offers to do it for us, Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.
Jer. 3:22. But God cannot force us to listen to Him. We must have faith that He will give us victory from any sin. Truly God is fair when He says there is really nothing more He can do for us short of sheer force. What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it?
Isaiah 5:4.
Ok, so yes we probably all agree that it isn't good to sin. We all know that God hates sin and it is wrong. So yes this is all true,
you may be thinking, and you may feel that all of this so far doesn't change anything significantly for you. Perhaps, but we must go further than the surface.
God has called us to live perfect lives. God has called us to live free from every form of sin. This is not something for the future only, but for now. If we do not aim to have Christ work perfection through us then we are not followers of God.
You may want to shout out, It's impossible for someone to be perfect,
but I ask you, did God free us halfway from sin? Did He give us victory only over certain sins, but accepted the fact that there are some sins He has no power to free us from? Jesus says if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
John 8:36. If you are free from sin, then you are free from all sin! If God has set you free, there is no excuse. There is no reason to think that whatever problem you have is too much to overcome. If God says you are free, who are you to call Him a liar? It should be our prayer to let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, that I may not be ashamed.
Ps. 119:80. We are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." Rom 13:14. We should be able to say "I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word.
Ps. 119:101. Make no mistake. God's standard for us is perfection. but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'
I Peter 1:15-16. Jesus admonishes us, Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Matt. 5:48.
Indeed, those who are living in the last days MUST be perfect, or they will not be able to resist the devil. God declares that His remnant will do no unrighteousness. The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness
Zeph. 3:13. And just in case you are unsure what do no unrighteousness
actually means, God makes it clear, The Lord is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness.
Zeph. 3:5. Just as God does no unrighteousness, so His remnant in the last days will do no unrighteousness. John gives us his testimony on this, Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
1 John 4:17. Just as God is in heaven, so are we to be here in this world. All who have the hope of being saved purifies himself, just as He is pure.
1 John 3:3.
Many people feel that God doesn't require us to be perfect in character completely. These people do well in recognizing that there is no power in us to overcome all sin, but they forget that God has this power, and if we are led by the Spirit by faith, we will be free. Others feel that we should just strive to do the best we can, and God will not hold it against us where we fall short. The problem with this is that by feeling this way we are denying God's power to free us completely from sin. The ones who feel this way in the last days will continue to live in sin, "having a form of godliness but denying its power." 2 Tim. 3:5.
They assert the Lord does not expect so high a standard, and will be satisfied with a mere desire to do right. But the Lord cannot change His standard. To do so would be to change Himself. Rather, He supplies grace for the acquirement of every virtue and the correction of every defect. He asks of every Christian that full advantage be taken of these provisions. He demands no less than perfection. Unless this is attained, the soul will be found without the seal of God when probation closes.Bible Commentary Volume 4 Page 607
You may be thinking, Even if I don't do right all the time, God still knows that in my heart I want to do right.
While it is true that God looks at our hearts and He knows our intentions, do not be mistaken, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 2:17. Ellen White clears away any doubts:
The plan of redemption contemplates our complete recovery from the power of Satan. Christ always separates the contrite soul from sin. He came to destroy the works of the devil, and He has made provision that the Holy Spirit shall be imparted to every repentant soul, to keep him from sinning, The tempter's agency is not to be accounted for an excuse for one wrong act. Satan is jubilant when he hears the professed followers of Christ making excuses for their deformity of character. It is these excuses that lead to sin. There is no excuse for sinning. A holy temper, a Christ-like life, is accessible to every repenting, believing child of God. The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. As the Son of man was perfect in His life, so His followers are to be perfect in their life. Jesus was in all things made like unto His brethren.Desire of Ages 319
To us living in the last days, God crys out for all to hear, Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it, Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.
Isaiah 56:1-2. Let us not shortchange God's power. Just as Jesus used His power to create the world, He uses His power to create a new heart in us and redeems us to keep His law. The same Word that says Let there be light
says go and sin no more
John 8:11.
What are we to do to have this victory? We must believe that it is true. Those who believe that perfection is impossible will never reach it, because it will never be their goal. If it is not their goal, they will make no effort for it, and God cannot force it upon them. God says that the only way to live this life is by faith in Him. The just shall live by faith.
Hab. 2:4. Do not forget that we have no power within ourselves to overcome sin. We must live every daily moment, face every temptation (no matter how small) with a prayer and faith that God will deliver us. Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit
Zech 4:6. It is only done if we crucify our flesh and let the Spirit lead us at every moment. By our faith, God is able to work in us to change our lives. He daily convicts us of what we need to do, and we, led by the Spirit, obey His voice and listen to Him.
In ourselves we are incapable of doing any good thing; but that which we cannot do will be wrought by the power of God in every submissive and believing soul...It is through faith that spiritual life is begotten, and we are enabled to do the works of righteousness.Desire of Ages 88
Whenever you face a temptation, say a prayer to God for help, knowing that He will give it to you.
When we pray for earthly blessings, the answer to our prayer may be delayed, or God may give us something other than we ask, but not so when we ask for deliverance from sin. It is His will to cleanse us from sin, to make us His children, and to enable us to live a holy life.Desire of Ages 270
This is the only way we can win.
Brothers and sisters, do not be deceived, when we have faith in God there is no sin that has any power over us. There is no sin too strong for us to overcome. In Christ,
there was in Him nothing that responded to Satan's sophistry. He did not consent to sin. Not even by a thought did He yield to temptation. So it may be with us. Christ's humanity was united with divinity; He was fitted for the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And He came to make us partakers of the divine nature. So long as we are united to Him by faith, sin has no more dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of faith in us to direct it to lay fast hold upon the divinity of Christ, that we may attain to perfection of character. And how this is accomplished, Christ has shown us. By what means did He overcome in the conflict with Satan? By the word of God. Only by the word could He resist temptation.It is written,He said.Desire of Ages 116
There is an important side to this, however. Faith does not come to us automatically. It must be based on something we know to be true, and this knowledge comes from the Bible. Those who neglect to diligently study their Bibles will not be able to automatically force themselves to believe in time of trouble. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17. Faith comes from what we hear from the word of God. If the word is not hidden in your heart, how can you expect to have the faith in God to overcome sin? Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
Ps. 119:11.
It is by faith in Christ that we are enabled to overcome, and our faith is increased by spending time reading His word. How can you expect God to bring back to remembrance those things that are not even in your mind? Faith does not consist of only mere mental assent; God expects us to put forth every effort to increase our knowledge of Him. (Phil. 2:12-15) It is because of a lack of knowledge of Christ and His power that people will be lost. (Hos. 4:6). Therefore, by doing all that we can to know Christ more, and letting Him lead our lives by faith, we are enabled to overcome every sin the devil would have us stumble over. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith.
1 John 5:4. We can be sure that just as Jesus gave us our faith initially, He will see us through to the end. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith
Heb. 12:2. We can rest assured that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Phil 1:6. What more could we ask for?
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.
This is the significant truth for our time. As God is performing the atonement service in the heavenly temple, we are to work together with Him, and cleanse OUR temples from all sin. Jesus is waiting for His character to be fully expressed in His people on earth. We are to afflict ourselves and let God remove the sin from our lives. Some people feel that the only reason God has yet to return is because of His patience and longsuffering. Do not be mistaken, He cannot come back to a people who are halfway committed and do not take things seriously. He will not come back to a people who feel that just as long as they desire to do right in their hearts, ultimately everything will turn out good. He will wait for His people to wake up and realize they are to be holy as He is holy. Make no mistake, when God says he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still,
He means it! He will come back to a righteous people. God is patient and kind, and slow to anger and great in power,
but He will not at all acquit the wicked.
Nahum 1:3. No man who willfully disregards one principle of the law shall enter the kingdom of heaven.
Desire of Ages 317. God is longing for His people to accept His righteousness. Just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Eph. 5:25-27.
As long as we, God's people, have the Laodicean spirit and feel that we do not need to have perfection of character, we prolong the Lord's return. Satan rejoices when God's people make the claim that it is impossible to be perfect. From his rebellion, Satan has asserted that God's law is unfair, and that no one can keep it. Even though Christ lived a righteous life, He did not intend for it to end there only with Himself. Christ boldly pronounces before the whole universe that His law is just, and that His people can keep it completely. Satan is calling God out to be a fool and a liar, and every time we sin and make excuses for our sin, we embarrass God before all creation. Every time we feel that "no one's perfect," Satan is delighted at our deception and taunts God, happily announcing that even God's own people are unable to keep the law. Satan is ok if we, as an Adventist church, observe the Sabbath faithfully. He is fine with our numerous health reforms, clinics, and missionary work. He accepts that we understand prophecy well, and adhere to the principles taught by the Bible rather than tradition. He knows that as long as we do not believe and strive to have perfection as our goal, his aim is ultimately accomplished and he can boast that even with all of our knowledge we still do not keep God's law completely.
How long will we give evidence to Satan's claims? When will we realize that perfection actually is possible and God is waiting for a people to run the race towards it? Satan has pulled the wool over our eyes, but it does not have to be so. Many people feel that even if perfection were possible, it will take more than a lifetime to achieve that status. This is not true. It will not take more than one lifetime for a person to let God work out complete obedience in their lives, because if it were so than it would be impossible for one to achieve it. Sooner or later, there will be a generation that realizes that perfection is attainable, allows God to perform His work, and the end will come rapidly. Why not let it be this generation? Perhaps more importantly, if it is this generation, will you be a part of it?
There is something that must be mentioned here. Even though perfection of character is possible, we must realize that it is not our flesh that is being perfected(because that has been crucified with Christ), but it is continually God working through us by His Spirit. Do not misunderstand and think that it is possible for us to ever to have the ability within our own selves to not sin. Everything we discussed under the topic of the nature of man holds true. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8. We(the sinful flesh in us) cannot change our spots or wash ourselves clean. Our flesh must be crucified in Christ, and He must lead us in order to put away sin. God does not change the sinner in us to not a sinner anymore, but through the death of the sinner in us, God is able to live through us and become our righteousness. The Lord alone is our righteousness. (Jer. 23:6). It is not our own. It is God who forgives us for our sins, and it is God who works in us daily to deny sin and do His will. It is God all the way, through and through. Paul states that he can have the victory not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith
Phil. 3:9.
We are never to say or act as if we are perfect and better than anyone else. We are to be humble, just as Jesus was humble, realizing that any victory we have is not from our power, but a gift from God. To make the claim and boast that we ourselves are perfect is to cherish pride in ourselves, and to deny that it is God who works in us. Jesus told a parable of two men who went up to the temple to pray. One man, a Pharisee said God I thank you that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even this tax collector
, while the other man beat his chest and cried, God, be merciful to me a sinner!
Luke 18:9-14.
The one who recognized himself as we truly are is the one who went home justified, not the Pharisee. Paul tells us, therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Cor. 10:12. Paul personally could not think of something that he was not doing or something that he was doing wrong, but he does not see this as though he was perfect. He says for I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
1 Cor. 4:4. Paul did not consider himself to be a perfect man; he continually dedicated himself to God and pressed on towards Jesus. (Phil 3:12-13). Sanctification will always be necessary as long as we live in sinful flesh, because as long as our natural selves are sinful in nature we cannot overcome without help from God. No matter what victories we have sustained in the past, we always will need Christ to help us overcome temptation. Ephraim was a tribe of Israel, and it said, Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors they shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.
Hos. 12:8. Sadly, Ephraim is not represented in the 12 tribes of the 144,000.
Pride will certainly lead to a fall. If you ever feel that you are above any temptation, then you cease to have faith in Christ and you will not have the victory. Let us learn from the lesson of Sampson. Because of his success he grew to feel that his strength was his own. When Delilah cut off his hair, Sampson was not stupid. He knew his hair was gone. However, he went out to fight his enemies, expecting to defeat them just as before. He willingly put his faith in his own inherent strength, and God could do nothing for him. Even when we defeat a temptation over and over again, and we feel that the temptation is no longer a problem for us, let us give the praise to God. Even if the temptation seems to have no power over us, let us still depend on God's strength, instead of thinking we can handle it without God interfering. We are to trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding
Pro. 3:5. Those who live in the last days will see their sinful nature and will realize that they have no strength on their own to stand. They will only overcome by continually faith in Jesus.
So now you believe, and that is good. Even the demons believe, and tremble!
James 2:19. It is not enough to just believe this is the truth. This is not just a theological concept that appeals to the mind, but does not change your life in a practical way. Those who believe that God can save them not only from the penalty of sin, but from committing sins as well must change their thoughts and listen to God's instructions.
Now let us go back to the self-professed "bold statement" I made earlier. If God convicts YOU to stop any particular sin and YOU do not listen, YOU are not living in Christ and YOUR claim to be a Christian is a lie. I will say it again. If you do not choose to follow God all the way, you are not of God. You cannot serve two masters. If you do not hate sin enough to do all you can to flee from it then your master is not God. He who sins is a slave a sin. Those who are of God do not ignore Him when He wants to deliver them from any sin, no matter how big, small, or apparent shade of gray it may seem to be enshrouded in. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
1 John 3:9. Those who abide in Christ will not continue to live in sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
1 John 3:6. To those who cling to sin Jesus will say I never knew you; depart from Me
Matthew 7:23. Make a decision right now. Do not be afraid to look at yourself as you really are. Are you willing to put away all music, games, movies, and activities that God tells you to put to death? Are you willing to go even further and deny all relationships, desires, aspirations and character traits that are not of Him? If not, why continue to claim to be His follower? He is not deceived, and there is no benefit to deceiving yourself and others. If you continue to do what you want, that is your choice, but know that those who claim to be Christians but who do not put away all of their sins are living a lie and will not be saved. Those who love God must be willing to give up the world. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him.
1 John 2:15.
Now that you know the truth God requires you do it. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is a sin.
James 4:17. Listen to God as He wants to work in you a complete reflection of His character.
If you believe and trust in God, He will give you the victory. However, you must do more than believe. Jesus says And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
As He says, this freedom only comes if you know the truth. This article(even though longer than what I anticipated) is only a glimpse of what God wants us to know. This is only a beginning point. You must seek out the truth and do all you can to know more. There are many books and other writings that are available. The Bible alone testifies of righteousness by faith all throughout. I have listed some resources at the end to get you started. A lack of knowledge is no excuse. You have ample opportunity to study the righteousness by faith message for yourself.
Right now, tell God that you believe He can give you the victory over sin. If you have any specific conviction, give it to God. Pray to Him in faith to set you free. God will in no way deny a sincere and faith-filled request of that kind.
Freedom from sin is complete freedom. Sin does not only consist of smoking, drinking, murder and thievery. Here is a little personal example of how God can give you the victory over even the small events in your life(and please do not laugh at this example either!)
When I attended Oakwood College I stayed in the dormitory with one of my best friends. I will admit that I often didn't get enough sleep during the week, and during the busiest times of the semester I did not even bother to make an attempt to wake up early on Sabbath morning.
There was one particular Sabbath where my roommate woke up extra early and went to breakfast. He wasn't rude, but He made enough noise to wake me up and I was a little disgruntled by it. When he came back to the room, he went ahead and took a shower and got dressed and ready to leave. Amidst the noise, I could not sleep and I eventually just decided to get up. When I was in the shower my roommate finished getting ready and he left to go to church. I finished my shower and realized that it was late, and I hurried to my room to get dressed. To my dismay, the door to the room was locked and I did not have my key. I was already a little upset with my roommate for making noise and waking me up, so this was enough to make me angry with him. I sat in the hall of our suite wondering how he could lock me out(since because of the layout of the suite we never took our keys when we were still in it). This wasn't the only time I had been locked out, and I was furious. I was thinking of all the things I would say to him when I saw him and I could think of nothing else. God saw me in my anger and told me that it was not of Him. He told me to stop being angry at my roommate, and surprisingly I felt the anger slipping right away. I wanted to be angry however, because I felt I had the right to. I wanted to actually hold on to the anger, because I thought it made me feel better. God again told me to let Him take the anger away, and by His grace I listened to Him and the anger disappeared quickly. God told me instead of thinking how to get even, I should spend my time trying to find a way to get to church on time. I refocused my thoughts, and at that instant I looked out the window and a dean was walking past. I was able to catch him and he opened my door.
While it may seem like a ridiculous story it is true. God is willing to take away sin. It may not always be instant; sometimes you may be dealing with more difficult things in your life, and these may require a continual fighting against them and a persistent pleading with God. Either way, however, God will be faithful to free you. It is only when we hold on to sin that it has dominion over us.
Who knows, if I had never let God remove the angry spirit from me and let Him give me a straight mind, I may have not had the sense to look out of the window and see the dean. God is willing to help us in even the small everyday things of life. He is willing to completely remove every trace of an evil character from our lives. The next time you face temptation, ask God to deliver you. Do not hold on to it when He takes it away. God will be faithful and free you. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
Heb 12:1. Let God lead you in your life and give you the faith to make perfection, here on earth, your goal and reality.
Note: In the article all verses were taken from the New King James Version, and all italics were supplied unless otherwise noted.
There are many great books out there on the subject of righteousness by faith, as well as articles on the Internet. Here are the resources that I found useful. Feel free to send a comment with more suggestions.
Some of these may be hard for you to find, however, they were and are valuable resources to me.
I am sure that you can find this theme in just about any book of the Bible, but here are the ones that were especially noticable during the point of this writing as regards to the righteousness by faith message.
Like I said, every book of the Bible is full of this truth. These are just ones that were marked up the most in my own Bible when going through this.
Finally, it really helps to find a good friend who is knowledgeable in the subject and who doesn't mind helping you tackle some of these issues.