In this issue:
Logical Progression
David Clayton
The movement founded on the truth about God is growing. Sometimes referred to as the “Godhead movement,” the “Truth about God” movement, the “Father and the Son” movement, it has made an impact on Adventism and is even reaching beyond the boundaries of Adventism to Christians of other faiths. People are being led to think about what the Bible really teaches on this subject and the false concepts of God, established by paganized Christendom are falling away. There are presently quite a few thousand believers around the world. In addition to those who are affiliated with the various ministries which focus on the truth about God, there are many, more who remain as church members, but who hold to this biblical teaching.
One of the side effects which has arisen from the fact that so many people have embraced this truth is that there are now all kinds of beliefs associated with it. There are people who believe in, the Wednesday crucifixion theory, people who believe in keeping the feast days, people who believe in using the holy names, in the New Moon Sabbath, in the teaching that God does not kill, etc. In addition to this, there are differing concepts of Righteousness by Faith and this has contributed to fracturing within the movement. All of this is very challenging and perhaps a little distressing to those of us who believe that God’s people should be united – especially when we are in agreement on a truth as vital as the truth about God. In spite of the good intentions of all of us, the problem remains.
For the past eight years, we here at Restoration Ministries have been obsessed with the message of Christ and His Righteousness and all our energies have been aimed at obtaining a proper understanding of this truth and sharing it with others. We have endeavoured to look at the truth about God from the perspective of Christ our Righteousness and it has been a wonderful and eye-opening experience. Everything has changed. Our appreciation of God has grown tremendously and we can truly say that Christ has become “all in all.” The truth about God has become more than simply a doctrine to be debated, it has become the living reality of our experience and it affects our understanding of every truth in the Bible.
Our regular readers know that our discovery of truth has led us to an understanding of the law and its place in God’s plan which has caused concern to some. Adventist defenses have been aroused and there has been fear that we are assaulting “the foundations.” As I have prayed about these things and considered them carefully, I have come to the conclusion that there is one fundamental reason for all these difficulties and it is that there has not been an acceptance of all that is implied in the truth about God.
When I first became a part of the “godhead” movement, I was struck with the fact that for the most part, the truth about the godhead was being presented mainly as a theoretical doctrine. It seemed to me that most of those who presented it were more focused on proving doctrinal points than on exploring what this truth means to us individually, in a practical way, in terms of how it affects our relationship to God and to sin. I suppose this was natural because the movement was still just picking up momentum back in those days and it was natural that at the beginning, people were more interested in proving that they were right, than anything else. But I watched the emphasis change and I saw the focus begin to center on the love manifested by God in giving His Son. This was a wonderful shift in direction and I saw the way it affected how people viewed God and I saw that it did indeed change their relationship with God and Jesus. For the past seventeen years I have watched this emphasis grow and envelop the godhead movement. The results have been great, but unfortunately, it has not succeeded in bringing us to unity in other areas, as evidenced by all the conflicting beliefs which are to be found in the movement.
I am persuaded that there is a vital element which is still missing in our emphasis on the truth about God. We have touched on this element from time to time, but we have not really investigated it thoroughly nor have we accepted its full implications as we have done with the truth of the Father and the Son.
Christ in Us
I am referring to the truth about the holy spirit. I believe that this aspect of the truth about God has not been properly appreciated. When the holy spirit is put in its rightful place, then I am convinced that there will be the unity which we are looking for in the godhead movement. The true unity which Christ brings is the unity of the spirit, no other kind of unity can bring true harmony. Let me make myself clear: I know that we are almost all united in the belief that the holy spirit is the very life of Christ and not another third person in the godhead. To be specific, it is the life of the Father, united with the conquering life of the Son, and coming to us as the very presence and power of both the Father and the Son. We are, with very few exceptions, united in this belief. But I am persuaded that we have not accepted the full implications of what this means and that we have not, for the most part, integrated it into our experience.
As I read through the history of what happened in the SDA church back in 1888, I realize that there are two aspects to truth; there is the theoretical aspect of truth, and then there is the practical impact which this theory has on the life.
Of all the people who were involved in preaching the message of Righteousness in Christ, it seems to me that Alonzo Jones understood the implications of the message most fully. Jones carried the truth that Christ is our Righteousness through to its logical conclusions and when we read some of his booklets such as “This is the Church,” “The Greater Purpose,” “From Babylon to New Jerusalem,” “The Spirit of the Papacy,” “Individuality in Religion,” and others, we see this unusual understanding which Jones gained from the message. This made him a threat and a danger to the SDA denomination and they put him out of the work and out of the church very quickly when they discovered where his doctrines were leading.
The SDA church insists today that it has accepted the message of Christ and His Righteousness, but this demonstrates the fact that knowing the theory of truth is not the same as accepting truth. Jones accepted the truth that Christ was his righteousness, that Christ literally and truly was his life and he accepted the implications for how he lived his life. This made him accept Christ as the only authority in his life in spiritual matters and it changed his relationship to religion and to the church.
The SDA church has never done this, nor allowed its members to do this and in fact, it is impossible for the church to do this, because the message of Christ and His Righteousness is diametrically opposed to the principles underlying every hierarchical religious system, which is exactly what the SDA church is.
Do we believe?
Jesus is our life. Do we believe this? Jesus is the ONLY Mediator between God and us. Do we believe this? Jesus lives inside every person who is a Christian. Do we believe this? Jesus guides, directs and controls us from within if we surrender to Him. Do we believe this? Systems and organizations which teach people to look to men and institutions for direction are inherently in opposition to the principle that Christ is our only Mediator.
Let us consider the issue carefully, do we believe? This is the difference between theory and life. For the past eight years we have been trying to live by the principle of believing this truth that the holy spirit, the very life of Christ has been given to us to be our very life. On the basis of this reality we have concluded:
1. It is Christ who lives in me. The old man is dead.
2. I am in perfect harmony with God, fully acceptable to Him, because I possess Jesus’ life, not my own.
3. I am saved. I am delivered from sin and death, they have no more power over me. To deny this is to deny Christ.
4. I have been given gifts by the holy spirit which are to be used in bringing God’s blessings to the world.
5. Christ is my head. No man or organization is to take that place.
6. Before Jesus came, God governed His people by the written law. After Pentecost, He governs them by the living law, His spirit within.
7. I am under grace, not the law. I am continually directed by the spirit of the living God, not by a set of rules.
It is evident that if this truth of the indwelling Christ were believed and received, then no human organization would be able to keep people in bondage. Each person would know Christ to be His head and would follow Him only. This does not mean that Christian fellowship is not necessary, but it means that one human being would not control and direct another. This is the work of the holy spirit, Christ within, the one Mediator between God and men.
Secondly, it means that if we believe this truth, our battle with sin would be over. We fall into sin because we don’t believe we are free from it. We don’t accept that truth that it is Christ who lives in us, we still struggle with ourselves and in our strength because we don’t believe what we profess. Jesus has no struggle with sin, He has conquered and destroyed it. Our struggle means that His life is not our life.
Delivered from the law
Thirdly, it means that we are delivered from the government of the law. If Christ is my life, if He lives in me, then He produces His own life of love and purity in me. The word of God tells us that the purpose of the law was to bring us to Christ. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. If we have found the end or the goal of the law, if we have found Christ, if we truly believe the gospel, then it cannot be possible for us to be still seeking Christ through the law. To seek Christ is an indication that we have not found Him. If the law was a guide to lead us to Him, then what need do we have of the guide if we already have the reality? If we accept the implications of what it means that Christ lives in me, then immediately all the contentions surrounding the law, such as the observance of feast days, would vanish.
My experience is that as I have seen Christ more and more clearly, many of the issues which I once thought were critical have become meaningless or of minor importance. Jesus is everything, He is all in all. We are complete in Him and need nothing more! It is the lack of Christ which compels us to seek out various methods or practices in our attempts to deal with sin. But faith in Christ has been established by God as the only basis on which His blessings may be accessed. The practices of the works of the law cannot add to what Christ has accomplished and they were only intended to bring us to Christ. Christ has already come and He lives in us. This is all that we need.
Perpetuating Sin
The mindset of many of us is that, if we don’t keep focused on the law, then the consequence will be that we will fall back into sin. We hold to the fallacy that we can only understand sin if we focus on the law. This is such a terrible misconception. The apostle Paul tells us very clearly that focusing on the law will only make us more completely the slaves of sin:
For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (Romans 7:9)
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. (Romans 7:11)
The commandment revives sin, it brings sin to life. This is the consequence which we always find in our lives when our focus is the law. This is the way it should be because the law was not intended to solve the problem of sin, but rather to increase the problem of sin! It was to bring man to a sense of his utter sinfulness so that he would turn to Christ in his need of righteousness. Paul tells us that the law became a part of God’s plan for humanity, in order to make our sinfulness a greater reality to us.
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Romans 5:20)
God introduced the law into His plan for dealing with sinful humanity in order that the offence might abound, or grow greater. Therefore, when we focus on the law, what will always happen is that the offence will always grow greater. We will become more and more captivated by sin. Isn’t this how it is with most of us? We spend all our lives battling with sin, our meetings are full of sermons on how to overcome sin, we are constantly confessing and repenting of our sins, every device is exercised in defeating sin, but the reality is that we never escape its power. Each day finds us just as afflicted by its power as we were the day before. The reason is that we are still under the law! We are still relating to God on the basis of the law! There is no victory in the law and there never will be.
The reality is, the law keeps us measuring ourselves, It keeps us constantly seeing how we come short of the mark, it makes us always see our sins, but the more we focus on sin, the greater will be our subjection to it! By beholding we become changed! This is the terrible, terrible truth. We try so hard to overcome sin and in the process enslave ourselves more and more, because the way of escape is not the way of effort, but the way of faith!
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. (31) But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. (32) Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; (Rom 9:30-32)
The Bible tells us that Jesus made an end of sin, that He put it away forever. The feast of unleavened bread teaches us this lesson. This feast was fulfilled when Jesus lay in the grave on the Sabbath when He was dead. This is what the Bible tells us concerning this work of Christ:
…. but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:26)
For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. (Hebrews 7:19)
The law made nothing perfect. It did not and it cannot, but Jesus can and He did! Notice that this work is in the past tense, He did it already. He put away sin when He sacrificed Himself two thousand years ago. He did not put it away for Himself only, He did it for all humanity:
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
Can we see this wonderful truth? The struggle with sin is in the past. Jesus did it for us and conquered sin completely. Now it is this victorious life which He gives to us. Sin is no longer a problem for God’s people, those who possess the life of Christ, because in this life, sin is in the past tense! The terrible tragedy is that we still struggle to overcome sin! The reason is that we have not accepted the truth of what it means that Christ is our life, that the holy spirit is the very life of Christ and that He Himself lives His own life in us. The reason is that we are fixated on the law and are trying to do again what Christ already did in overcoming sin. Instead of accepting the truth, that we are more than conquerors and that Christ made an end of sin two thousand years ago, we believe the lie that we are still sinners and that our way of overcoming is to pay close attention to the law and to maintain a relationship to the law.
The law is for sinners
As long as we remain focused on the law, the only consequence will be a deeper and deeper relationship with sin. Our lives will grow progressively more defeated.
… The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith … (Galatians 3:11,12)
The law is not of faith, period. Therefore, those who direct and govern their lives by the law are not living by faith. The Just live by faith. Faith means to believe God. We believe God that our bodies are the temples of the living God, we believe Him that Christ lives in us and that in Him we are complete. We lack nothing. In Him we already possess eternal life, we sit in heavenly places, all things are already ours!
The focus on the law always leads to an effort to live up to the requirements of the law. By its very nature the law demands works and effort. It is a system by which we fix our attention on the things we do, rather than what we are. It causes us to continually measure ourselves by the deeds we perform, rather than by the gift of God. But if God alone is true and every man is a liar, then what the law causes us to do is to believe a lie. In Christ, my relationship with the law has come to an end. The law did its work when I was a sinner, but now, in Christ, I no longer need a schoolmaster to bring me to Christ so even though the law is not abolished, for me, it is irrelevant. It only remains because there are still sinners who need it to lead them to Christ.
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; (1 Timothy 1:9-10)
Why is it so hard for us to believe the word of God? The law is not made for a righteous man! How many times does it need to be said? He does not need it and if there had only been righteous people there would not have been any law given. The law of Christ living inside God’s people, producing pure, unselfish love would have been the law governing all men and there would have been no need of any other law. The law is made for sinners, not for righteous people! Don’t we see the implications of this? Therefore, as long as we keep on having a relationship with the law we demonstrate that we are not righteous people and it means that we have rejected Christ as our righteousness. If Christ is our righteousness and we have believed this reality, that He Himself is living in us, then are we sinners, or are we righteous? Is Christ our life, or is the carnal life still our reality? Let us understand that we will live what we believe. “We do not rule our beliefs, our beliefs rule us.”
This is why it is clear that we have not truly accepted the truth about God in a practical way. We have not really accepted that it is Christ Himself living in us. Some of us have accepted the lie that the holy spirit is the words of Christ, others of us have only accepted the theory that the holy spirit is His life, but do not really believe the wonderful truth that Christ Himself is my life, my new life, my victorious life, my sinless life. We do not believe the truth that in Christ our sin-journey has ended and we are more than conquerors in Him.
Beloved, in Christ we have been divorced from the flesh, the old man is dead, we are NEW creatures. We are not sinners anymore! Our sin-journey is over, dare to believe it!
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. (Romans 7:5-6)
Inevitable legalism
If we believe that the law is still our governor and that we still need to maintain a relationship with it, the unavoidable consequence is that we will go from one level of law-keeping to another. Paul says Christ’s Righteousness is, from “faith to faith,” (Rom. 1:17) but under the law we go from “works to works.” The morass of legalism will grow deeper and deeper. It is amazing, but not unexpected to find that among those who are law-oriented, practices are emerging such as the wearing of tassels and long gowns, the blowing of rams horns, the learning of Hebrew words, the growing of long beards, and generally, the adopting of the minute practices of the law. Seventh-day Adventism has kept the door open to such things by focusing on the law, and even keeping a door open to the ceremonial aspects of the law by maintaining things such as tithe-paying and abstinence from unclean meats on the basis of the law. I am not against the practice of avoiding unclean meats or the practice of returning tithe, but not be cause the law says so. We may defend these things on the principle of what is helpful but absolutely not on the basis of the law. If we promote these things on the authority of what the law commands, then what excuse do we have for not doing all the 613 commandments found in the law? Some have seen the logic in this and are busily endeavouring to keep all the works of the law. Others have not yet progressed that far, but have kept the door open by embracing some aspects of the law. There is no way of avoiding the logical progression of going all the way into being under the full system of the law. Finally, this is where it will take us.
The Sabbath Without the Law
One of the major reasons why Adventists have insisted that we need a relationship to the law, is the Sabbath. If it were not for the Sabbath it would be much easier to accept that we do not need the law when we are in Christ. However, the question is always there, “If I did not have the law, how would I know that I should keep the Sabbath? And how will I share the truth about the Sabbath if I don’t emphasize the importance of the law?” All the other commandments come naturally to a person who has Christ living inside. They are all the natural fruit of the spirit, the manifestation of love. Nobody has to tell me not to lie, steal, kill, covet if Christ is in me. The truth is, I have no desire to do these things when I possess His life. The Sabbath, however, is different. If I were not told about the Sabbath, how would I know to keep one day holy above others? How would I know that this day should be the Seventh day? Even if I am born again, I will not know these things by nature, this is something I need to be taught. This is the main reason why Adventists have clung to the law. They see it as necessary in order to maintain the Sabbath. However, the word of God is not contradictory and if we are told that we are no longer under the law, then it must be that we really do not need the law in order to fulfill God’s will.
The truth is, we do not need the law to maintain the Sabbath. The Sabbath was established long before the law was given. Genesis chapter 2 tells us:
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (Genesis 2:2-3)
This is the greatest reason for Sabbath observance. Notice that this is not a statement from the law. This is a statement describing the nature of the week and God’s experience and attitude towards the seventh day. It is a historical record and here is what we learn from it:
1. On the seventh day God rested.
2. Because He rested on it, God did something to the seventh day.
3. God blessed the seventh day.
4. God sanctified the seventh day.
The popular understanding is that God rested on the Seventh day in order to establish the day as a memorial of creation. However, the Bible does not say this. Notice the Bible says that God blessed the seventh day, “because that in it he had rested from all his work.” God blessed the day because He rested on it. The word, because is telling us the reason why God did what He did. Therefore the seventh day is not primarily a memorial of creation, but rather, it is a memorial of God’s rest! In Exodus 31:17 God tells us more:
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (Exodus 31:17)
Notice the startling statement; God rested and was refreshed! That is an amazing statement. How could God be refreshed if He was not tired? What do these words mean? God blessed the Seventh day because He was refreshed on it. Something happened to God on that day and as result He blessed the day. When we understand this the Sabbath takes on a different meaning. It is a memorial of God’s rest. It is a consequence of something that happened to God and when we understand what this is, then we will better understand how to relate to the Sabbath.
On that first Seventh day, God spent the day with His newly created children, Adam and Eve. The spirit of the almighty God was uplifted, filled with a new joy, refreshed, when He observed the happiness which Adam and Eve felt as they looked at His creation. His heart was filled with satisfaction as He held communion with them all day and showed them the wonderful things which He had created for their happiness.
I feel the same incredible happiness when I take my eleven month old grandson for a walk around the yard and show him the papayas, oranges, bananas and guavas. He loves it when I do this. If I say, “let’s go see the paw-paws,” his face lights up and he starts pushing my hand (this is his signal to say, “let’s get going”). Looking at “paw-paws” is dead boring to me, but somehow when I am with my grandson it is a very exciting activity. My heart is filled with “rest,” and I am “refreshed” This helps me to understand what happened to God on that first day after His creation was finished.
Creation took six days to accomplish. In actual fact, the week should have had six days. However, on the Seventh day, something wonderful happened to God and as a result, He decided to add one more day to the week. This day was added for one reason and for one reason only. It was added as an opportunity for God and His children to enter into that same experience which God had enjoyed on that first Seventh day.
So God blessed the Seventh day. This means that He imparted a special benefit to it. He also sanctified the Seventh day. This means that He set it aside for a holy purpose. This was done before there was sin and before the law was given; this was a part of God’s perfect plan for the human race! How then could the Sabbath ever pass away? Men may have ignored it, but the blessing and sanctification remain forever. There is no other purpose for the Seventh day, there is no other reason why it exists as a part of the week. As long as there are seven days to the week there will always be the Sabbath. The Seventh day exists for no other reason.
Let us notice that the observance of the Sabbath was not commanded by God in a sinless world. It was simply an opportunity for fellowship. For Adam and Eve, it was a joy. They looked forward to it like my grandson looks forward to going with me to look at “paw-paws.” No commandment was necessary, all that was needed was that Adam and Eve should be aware of the opportunity presented by the day.
When sin came into the world, things changed. Man was now afraid of God. Fellowship with Him was no longer a joy. For the carnal man, time spent with God is uncomfortable. This is why God had to now command man to keep the Sabbath! The carnal man needs to be ordered to spend time with God or else he will not do it. The law was made for sinners, for carnal people and this is why the rules concerning the Sabbath were so strict. They were addressed to carnal people, not righteous people. The Sabbath commandment is focused on requirements stating, “thou shalt do this and thou shalt not do that.” These stipulations were not there in the beginning because originally the Sabbath was an opportunity for lovers to meet, it was not a duty which needed to be performed. When the law was given, however, it was made a duty, a duty which had to be performed with the threat of death hanging over the transgressor.
Now that we are righteous in Christ, we do not need the Sabbath of the law. We return to the Sabbath of Eden, the joyous fellowship of pure love, unspoiled by demands or prohibitions. The only demand is that which love impels, the only prohibition is that which stands in the way of love. This is the Sabbath of righteousness by faith, a memorial of God’s rest, a sign that we have found this true rest in Christ.
Therefore, we do not need the law in order to keep the Sabbath. In fact the law keeps us locked into keeping the Sabbath as it applies to sinners. It is only as we are delivered from the law into the righteousness of Christ that we can keep the true and the original Sabbath, the true sign of righteousness of faith.
Foundation Principles
David Clayton
Every question in the Great Controversy stems from the issue which Lucifer raised at the very beginning. What is this key issue, was it related to the law? Was the question, “can the law of God be kept?” It cannot be, because heavenly beings had been keeping the law for ages before the controversy began. Every created being had been keeping the law perfectly before Lucifer introduced rebellion. It was not a question as to whether the law could be kept. The question is more fundamental than that.
When we look at Lucifer’s rebellion in heaven and the arguments which arose and when we see the questions which he presented to Adam and Eve, it becomes evident that Lucifer presented the idea that created beings can be good without God. He told Adam and Eve that if they would choose to be independent of God, then they would become just like God themselves. He did not use the word “independent” or invite them to be separated from God. He simply told them that if they ate of the fruit they would become as gods. All of this hinged on their choosing a certain action. But before they took that fruit, first of all, in their minds, they had to make a choice that they did not want God to remain in control of their lives. They believed the lie that somehow, without God, life would be just as good. This is the same argument which Lucifer used in heaven when he persuaded the other angels that they did not need to submit to Christ, and that they would be just as good without Him.
This attitude of Lucifer is implied in his statement, “I will be like the Most High.” It is not reasonable to think that Lucifer plotted to be like God in power, he knew that was an impossibility, but his endeavours were to establish a rival kingdom, based on different principles. The underlying principle of this rival kingdom was the philosophy that created beings could be just as happy, could function just as well, could be just as good, without God.
From this evidence we may conclude that the great question in the controversy is this: Can created beings be good without God ? When this foundational issue is understood, then the door is open for an understanding of every other doctrine in the Bible. What the gospel is, becomes clear, what the church is, becomes evident, the truth of the investigative judgment, the final atonement – all these things fall into place and make sense.
Self-righteousness is the attitude which thinks, “I am able to do good. I can keep the law. All it takes is a little effort and discipline. God says it, and therefore I will do it.” It is the attitude which claims to respect God’s commandments but which does not feel the need for God himself, for there is the feeling that it lies within one’s capacity to keep those commandments. This is simply a manifestation of the issues of the original controversy where Lucifer claimed that he did not need Christ, but he was capable of doing what was right in himself.
The most essential lesson for man to learn is expressed in the following two verses.
…There is none righteous, no, not one: (Rom 3:10)
…there is none good but one , that is, God: …. (Mat 19:17)
This truth is not limited to this planet only, for in Revelation 15:4 we find the heavenly beings singing,
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: (Rev 15:4)
This is a universal fact, and something which it is absolutely necessary that we properly understand. There is nobody good, there is no good being in the entire universe except one, and that one is God. We must include the Son of God also in this statement because He is the express image of His Father and has the same divine life of the one God in Himself.
So then, what is the condition of the angels and the beings on the unfallen worlds? Are they not good? Where do they fit into this picture? In order to harmonize this truth that God alone is good, with the fact that these unfallen beings do not sin, and that they live lives of perfect righteousness, we can come to only one conclusion: The perfection of these beings, their sinless behaviour is not as a result of them being good in themselves, it is as a result of the fact that God lives in them. In other words, the righteous lives which they live is simply a manifestation of the fact that God lives in them. He lives His righteous life in them and so they are good, but not in themselves.
From this, we may conclude that if at any moment any perfect being should choose to live in separation from God, then in that instant, all his goodness would be gone and he would become immediately evil. Lucifer is the perfect example of this.
Creation was designed to be an expression of God. But only God can be God. Creation cannot express God unless God Himself is manifesting Himself in it. In the unintelligent creation, God manifests Himself through His “physical” attributes and power, imparting life, design, beauty, order to every part of His universe by an intimate interaction with it. This is why Paul could say,
“in Him we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)
God’s Dwelling Place
But in His intelligent creation, God’s manifestation is on a higher level. Here He displays His character, His very nature. Yet, since God alone is good, this requires that God’s character and nature should be somehow, infused into each of His intelligent creatures. Only God can be God. Only God can reveal God. (John 1:18)
So God designed that each intelligent being should be a dwelling place for God Himself. A vessel in which God, by His spirit, could dwell and manifest His own character and nature. God would be “all, and in all.” (Col. 3:11). Of course, This was to be with the full cooperation of these intelligent beings, who would happily and willingly submit themselves to God, of their own free will, in a perfect harmonious relationship where they and God would be one, in the sense of them sharing His life and being in perfect union with Him.
This is how the universe was designed to operate and if it had remained like this, there would have been nothing but perfect happiness in every part of it. But it did not remain like this.
Union with God is always revealed in perfect obedience to God. Perhaps the better way to say it, is to say that, union with God is always revealed in a life which is perfectly godly, for it is God Himself who is living that person’s life. (Phil 2:13; Gal. 2:20).
The Great Misconception
The greatest misconception in Christendom and in all false religion, is the idea that doing good is the way to be in harmony with God. But the truth is that nobody can obtain God’s life by doing good. It is the other way around. Being in harmony with God, being in union with God, obtaining God’s life is the only way to do good. A man who finds himself doing wrong, does not need to concern himself about doing good. What he needs to concern himself about is uniting his life to God . It is an eternal truth that, “He that abideth in Him sinneth not.” (1 John 3:6)
Lucifer in the beginning decided that he did not need to be in union with God. This was not the way he phrased it or stated it. He simply determined that he did not want God to rule his life, and that instead, he would be like God. He would become his own ruler, but he still expected to produce all the good which he had been able to produce before, while he was united with God’s spirit. Perhaps he did not fully realize how foolish he was, he did not fully appreciate that without God, he “could do nothing,” (John 15:5). Perhaps he thought that he would just do a few things, a few actions in opposition to God’s will. Maybe he never considered that he had separated himself from God and from all that was good. But this was the effect of it, and the present condition of Lucifer is simply a manifestation of what happens when a person separates from God.
In other words, Lucifer did not insert something called sin into the universe. He did not determine to become wicked. He simply separated himself from the source of goodness and life, and all that remained, without him trying at all, was only wickedness and death.
This was exactly the case with Adam and Eve. They thought they were only choosing a simple action. They were only choosing to eat a little fruit. Why did so much grief and woe result from that simple action, no more significant than plucking a blade of grass? It is not because of the action itself. Actions are nothing in themselves. It is because, before they took that fruit, they first decided that God would not control their lives. They accepted the principle of Satan that self was a better governor than God, that they could be as God, they could be just as good without Him. They probably thought, like many today, that it was simply a matter of which rules they obeyed. They chose to take the fruit, but this did not mean that they would choose to do anything really bad (so they thought). They could easily choose to do the good and avoid the evil. Eating a fruit wasn’t really so bad after all. But the issue was not the action. That was a trivial thing. The really critical issue was the fact that they had made a choice to separate from God. They did not know that when a person separates from God it is impossible for him to do anything good. How can he? By what means? God alone is good!!
So when they separated from God, in that moment, they did not simply change one action, they changed their entire existence. This is why actions are not the most significant thing. They cannot make us good or evil. They cannot make us righteous or wicked. The really critical question is, “what is our relationship to God?”
Satan has stated that man does not need God. He said from the beginning that if man became independent of God, he would become like God. This has been man’s quest ever since, to become like God. It is this goal that lies at the root of all human effort and self will. It is the foundation of all that is false in religion whether in or out of the Christian fold.
This truth must be learned and learned thoroughly. It is at the root of the entire Great Controversy. Man cannot become good. Only God is good. If man is ever to do what is good he must first be united with the only good One. This is his only hope and it is all he ever needs.
When God’s people know this and know it so well that they never forget it and will never attempt any method except that of being in union with God in Christ, then the work of God for this world will be over. For then, and only then, God’s people will perfectly reflect the image of Christ, for in truth, it will only be Christ Himself living His own life in His people. It is the original plan restored just as it was intended at the beginning.
The everlasting gospel
The entire history of planet earth is God’s effort to answer this question conclusively. This is the foundation of every truth in the Bible and all that is important for man to know. Every false religion is inherently opposed to this principle although many try to disguise themselves so that they seem to be in harmony with it. This is the message which the whole world must hear. This question will be finally settled during the time of the last generation on earth. This is why the critical message to fill the earth is the truth that “without me (Christ) ye can do nothing.”
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, (Rev 14:6)
Every false religion teaches its adherents how to obey rules. The only difference between religions is that the rules differ. But it is all a matter of learning to do what is required, in order to be acceptable to God in the hope of one day receiving eternal life.
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; ….. (Isa 64:6)
Only true Christianity understands and lives the truth. What is this truth? The truth is, it is not about rules. It is not about man becoming good. It is not a matter of learning proper behaviour. It is one simple, one single great reality; it is God’s life in the believer through Christ!! Islam cannot provide this, Hinduism knows nothing of this. Only God can provide this. By this means, in one stroke, God makes a person fit for eternal life. He gives him His own righteous life and thus qualifies him for eternity. He does not need to worry about how this person will live, for the life of God is only righteous.
God does not live His life in relation to rules. It is not rules which makes God behave right, it is the fact that He is by nature, only good. This is why when we receive His nature, the Bible says we are no longer “under the law.” There is no longer the need for us to be controlled and directed by the letter of the law, because the living law lives in our hearts; our natures are united to the nature of God.
So then we may come to the conclusion that Righteousness is not obtained by what we do, for righteousness is not a series of actions, it is a Person. “There is none righteous, no not one” and “there is none good but one, that is God.” A person who desires righteousness will never find it by seeking it through his behaviour. Righteousness is found only by uniting with the righteous One, through receiving His very life.
So the Bible tells us that there is a righteousness which is “without the law.” That is, obtaining it has nothing to do with the law.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (Rom 3:21)
This is God’s righteousness, the only true righteousness there is. In order to obtain it, Paul rejected all things, counting them as nothing and suffered the loss of reputation, status, and eventually even his physical life. This is the only thing which really matters. When we come to recognize this, we will cast every false method aside and say with the apostle:
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (Phil 3:8-9)
Christ’s Pre-existence
David Clayton
Strange as it may seem, there are some who
believe that Jesus never existed before He was conceived in the womb of
Mary. In this article we look at some of the biblical evidence which
shows the pre-existence of Christ.
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58)
Jesus is speaking of his existence before Abraham came into existence.
Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent
him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. (Mark
12:6)
This is a parable, but a parable which is intended to teach the truth nevertheless. What it teaches is that God had a Son, before
He sent His Son. If God had no preexistent son, then He could not have
given His Son until He had a Son. But the Bible tells us that Jesus was
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev.13:8).
Furthermore, how do we measure the love of God? It is by the fact that
He gave His Son (John 3:16). But who did He give? According to those
who say Christ had no preexistence, God only gave a human being whom He
created (or begot depending on how you define those words) in Judea 2000
years ago. So what is the meaning of the Bible emphasis on God’s love
as revealed in the gift of Christ? It was simply the sacrifice of a
human being with whom God had no relationship other than the one He
developed while He was here?
But the truth is, God had a Son. He had a Son whom He loved. This son
was not begotten or created simply so that He could die. He had value in
God’s eyes that spanned eternal ages. It was the value placed on a
beloved son, who had been known and loved for eternity, one with whom
the almighty God could hold personal and intimate communion. This is the
person whom God had to give in order to save mankind. There we see
God’s love on display. That love is measured in proportion to the value
of the gift given and only the truth that Jesus is the personal,
preexistent Son of God supports the truth of the love of God and the
value of the gift which He gave.
Michael
In Daniel 10:21, Michael is referred to as, “Michael, your prince.” In Daniel 12:1, he is referred to as “the great prince that standeth for the children of your people.” Notice, he is called:
a. The great prince
a. Your prince
b. The one who stands for the children of your people
Is Michael Christ? Objection has been raised to this idea on the basis that Michael is referred to as “one of the chief princes,” in Daniel 10:13. But look at how this verse is translated in Young’s literal Translation:
And the head of the kingdom of Persia is standing over-against me twenty and one days, and lo, Michael, first of the chief heads, hath come in to help me, and I have remained there near the kings of Persia;
Here we see that this verse is legitimately translated as “the first of the chief heads,” which is a perfect description of Christ, and nobody else.
When Michael is referred to as “your prince,” does it indicate that he is the ruler of the Jews, or of Christians? The term clearly refers to Christians rather than to the Jews, Michael is the one who stands for Christians, for in Daniel 12:1 he is said to be “the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people.” This is an end-time prophecy, and Daniel’s people at the end of time are Christians, those who are the true spiritual Israelites.
So Michael is the one whose personal responsibility is the children of earth. He is the great prince, (the son of God). This is a perfect description of Christ, and of no other.
Furthermore, although the word “prince,” is used several places in the book of Daniel with varying meanings, it refers in a special way to the Messiah (Jesus Christ).
…. he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Dan 8:25)
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (Dan 9:25)
Notice, that Christ is referred to as the “Prince of princes.” In the book of Daniel, there are several princes mentioned, but only two of them are mentioned in a positive light. They are Michael, “the great prince,” and the Messiah, “the prince of princes.” It is reasonable to conclude that Michael and the Messiah are the same person.
Michael stands for the children of earth. Who does the Messiah stand for? The evidence seems very clear. Some object because Michael is said to be an angel, but even when Christ spoke to Moses from the bush, identifying Himself as, “I am that I am,” and “Jehovah,” He is clearly identified as an angel (Acts 7:30,35,38).
The Firstborn
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Col 1:15)
Does this verse indicate that Jesus was the first being born in the universe? The context indicates that this is what it is saying.
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Col 1:16)
“for” all things were created by Christ. This follows from the truth that He was born before all things. If He was not born before all, then He could not have created all. Furthermore, in John 1:3 we are told, “without him was not any thing made that was made.” So in order for us to understand this, then we must understand that He came into being before every single created thing. This is exactly the point being made by the verse which follows:
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Col 1:17)
Those who deny the pre-existence of Christ teach that all things were created “in Christ.” It is a concept almost as difficult to grasp as is the Trinity, and it has as little biblical support. We are told that every place in the Bible where it says that Jesus created all things, or that all things were created “by” Him, it really means that all things were created “in” Him. This is supposed to mean that, when God created all things, He did it with Christ in mind. In other words, as God created the angels, the universe, the stars, the worlds, He was thinking, “someday I will bring forth a human being who will help me to bring all these things together in one.” But this makes little sense because all things were already in perfect union with God when they were created and there was no need for a Messiah when the universe was made. This theory would have us believe that God made the universe with sin in mind.
Since (in this thinking) Christ was not necessary until salvation became necessary, then it means that sin was a necessary part of God’s design for the universe since He created it all “in” this Christ who could only come, if sin came first.
Tomatoes
Lenworth Frankson
Tomatoes, sweet, succulent and delicious come in all different colors, shapes and sizes. Although tomatoes are often closely associated with Italian cuisine, they are originally native to the western side of South America, in the region occupied by Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and the western half of Bolivia. The first type of tomato grown is thought to have more resembled the smaller-sized cherry tomato than the larger varieties that we see today. The word “tomato” may actually originate from the word “ tomatl ”, meaning “the swelling fruit.” It wasn’t until the 1500’s that Spanish explorers and colonizers brought tomato seeds from Mexico back to Spain and introduced this food to European populations.
The tomato is consumed in diverse ways, including raw, as an ingredient in many dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks. It is botanically classified as a fruit although it is considered a vegetable for culinary purpose which has caused some confusion. This fruit however is rich in minerals and something called “lycopene”, which may have beneficial health effects. Lycopene is found in red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, pink grapefruits, watermelons and papayas. It is the compound that is responsible for the red color in these foods. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that may help protect against degenerative diseases. It does this by neutralizing free radicals in the body. Lycopene may also help prevent DNA damage in the cells and help the cells to function better. High levels of lycopene, in the blood and fatty tissues, correlate with reduced risk of cancer, heart disease and macular degeneration (a common, painless eye condition in which the central portion of the retina deteriorates and does not function adequately) . The human body cannot produce lycopene so it must be obtained from food sources.
Health Benefits
The many health benefits of tomatoes can be attributed to their wealth of nutrients and vitamins. They also have dietary fiber and protein, as well as a number of organic compounds like lycopene that contributes to our overall health. Just one serving of red, ripe, raw tomatoes (one cup or 150 grams) is a good source of Vitamins A, C, K, folate and potassium. Tomatoes are naturally low in sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories. They also provide thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, all of which are necessary for good health. In addition to this, one serving of tomatoes gives you 2 grams of fiber, which is 7% of the daily recommended amount. Tomatoes have a relatively high water content, which makes them a filling food. In general eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, offers protection against high blood pressure, high cholesterol, strokes, and heart disease.
Healthy Skin
Tomatoes make your skin look great. Beta-carotene, also found in carrots and sweet potatoes, helps protect skin against sun damage. Tomatoes’ lycopene also makes skin less sensitive to UV light damage, a leading cause of fine lines and wrinkles. There is evidence from British researchers that consuming lycopene-rich tomato paste may protect against sunburn and sun-induced skin ageing. The subjects in the study were found to have 33 percent more protection against sunburn compared to the control group.
Strong Bones
Tomatoes build strong bones. The vitamin K and calcium in tomatoes are both very good for strengthening and repairing bones. Lycopene has been shown to improve bone mass, which is a great way to fight osteoporosis. Researchers have recently found an important connection between lycopene, its antioxidant properties, and bone health. A study was designed in which tomato and other dietary sources of lycopene were removed from the diets of postmenopausal women for a period of 4 weeks, to see what effect lycopene restriction would have on bone health. At the end of 4 weeks, women in the study started to show increased signs of oxidative stress in their bones and unwanted changes in their bone tissue.
Fight Cancer
Tomatoes are a natural cancer fighter. Lycopene can reduce the risk of several cancers, including prostate, cervical, mouth, pharynx, throat, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectal and ovarian cancer. Tomatoes’ antioxidants (vitamins A and C) fight the free radicals which can cause cell damage. One particularly promising area of cancer research focuses on tomato products and prostate cancer protection. The research showed consumers of high amounts of raw tomatoes had an 11 percent reduced risk of prostate cancer, and those with a high intake of cooked tomato products experienced a 19 percent reduced risk. Tomatoes are considered by many to be the single best addition to your diet to protect prostate health.
Blood Sugar
Tomatoes can keep your blood in balance. Tomatoes are a very good source of chromium, which helps to regulate blood sugar. Tomato is a great food option for diabetics as it lowers the blood sugar level. And if you happen to be obese, including tomatoes in your meals would help you to lose weight as well.
Vision
Tomatoes can improve your vision. The vitamin A that tomatoes provide can help to improve vision and reduce the risk of night blindness. Also research shows that consuming tomatoes may help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a serious and irreversible eye condition. Our retinas, the thin nerve-rich tissue located at the back of our eyes, rely on vitamin A to function. Vitamin A plays an important role in the light cycle, the process your retinas use to detect light and send visual information to your brain. Low levels of vitamin A negatively affect our eyes and cause a number of eye disorders that can ultimately lead to blindness. One cup of chopped or sliced tomatoes provides 1,499 international units of vitamin A. This makes up half the daily intake for men and 64 percent for women, according to recommendations set by the Institute of Medicine. Tomatoes also have nutrients known as lutein and zeaxanthin that benefit our eyes. The lutein and zeaxanthin in the lens of our eyes filter the light, removin g blue light rays that would otherwise damage other tissues in your eyes.
Hair
Tomatoes will even make your hair look better. The vitamin A found in tomatoes works to make hair strong and shiny. Some even claim that regular use of tomato paste on the hair can really help to stop the thinning of hair. Tomato paste is also said to acts as a good conditioner for the hair producing a natural shine to the hair. It is important to note also that vitamins like E, B complex and C are essential for healthy hair. Tomato juice, sauce is a great soaking agent for hair that contains hard to remove odors. Apply tomato pulp extracted from fresh tomatoes to your scalp and leave it on for 30 minutes then wash your hair as usual.
Lower Cholesterol
It should come as no surprise that with all the health benefits of tomato, the juice is also helpful in lowering cholesterol. Raw tomato juice is one of the best treatments there is for reducing high cholesterol levels. It contains a great deal of fiber, which breaks down LDL cholesterol in the body. Tomatoes also contain niacin, which has shown positive effects on high cholesterol levels.
Anti-Inflammation
Research shows a daily glass of tomato juice lowers a person’s primary marker for inflammation by nearly a third. Free radicals cause excess production of oxidative stress in the system, which triggers inflammation. This inflammation is linked to a variety of chronic diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. Drinking tomato juice reduces the damage caused by free radicals, reducing inflammation.
Lose Weight
Tomatoes can help you lose weight. If you are on a sensible diet and exercise plan, build lots of tomatoes into your everyday eating. They make a great snack and can be used to “bulk up” salads, casseroles, sandwiches and other meals. Because tomatoes contain lots of water and fiber, they are what Weight Watchers calls a “filling food”: that is one of those foods that fill you up fast without adding a lot of calories or fat.
It is interesting to note that this simple fruit is classified as one of the world’s healthiest fruits. Isn’t it amazing how one simple fruit packs such a powerful punch of nutritional B?
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David Clayton: Editor and Publisher
P. O. Box 23 Knockpatrick
Manchester, Jamaica W.I.
Phone: (876) 603-0821 Or (304) 932-4543
email: david@restorationministry.com
