In this issue:
Cycle of Death
David Clayton
A couple of years ago while I was in Australia, I spent a few days with the Walkom family on their sheep farm in Bannister, New South Wales. While I was there Jessica told me the story of how one day a group of sheep started going round and round a patch of bushes in the front of the yard. Apparently the leading sheep went around the bush and encountered the last sheep in the following group. This sheep of course was now in front of him and this leading sheep started following this last one. Each sheep in the group just simply continued following the one in front and they continued circling that bush for quite a while, going absolutely nowhere, until somebody went and broke it up.
I recently learned of a similar phenomenon called “ant mills” or “ant circles.” One Internet website describes it in this way:
“There’s a price for blindly following those in front of you. Take army ants for instance. These aggressive insects have a dangerous tendency to commit mass suicide just because they’re following the leader. This bizarre phenomenon – in which ants circle around and around until they all drop dead of exhaustion – is called an “ant mill.” More colloquially, it’s often referred to as an “ant death spiral.”
Apparently what happens is that sometimes, for some reason, a column of army ants, marching in a line, circles back on itself. As a result the leading ants begin to follow the ants at the rear. The amazing thing is that these ants simply keep on blindly following the ant in front, going in a circle, until they all drop dead of exhaustion! These ants are blind and have to depend on their sense of smell and touch to navigate, therefore, they cannot see where they are going and depend implicitly on following the scent trail of the ant in front. The case of these ants is a striking illustration of the truth of Jesus’ statement:
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matt 15:14)
As we glance back at the history of God’s work in the world, we see a startling but sometimes depressing pattern. It seems that things never change. Like the silly sheep and the blind ants, God’s professing people keep repeating the foolish mistake of blindly following others in going in meaningless circles. Traveling very far, but ultimately, achieving exactly nothing.
The Law vs Christ
This deadly spiral began in AD 27. The Son of God began His ministry of revealing God and God’s way, to the world. His ideas were revolutionary, He brought fresh revelations of truth such as the world had never thought of, and demonstrated that the very nature of God is pure, unconditional love. Yet, in presenting God in this way, Jesus came up against the traditional teachings of the religious system. The chief difficulty which the Jews had with Him was that His teachings threatened their established understanding of the law of Moses. Jesus cut across all the rules and regulations and got to the simple heart of the matter; what God desired was that we love Him supremely and our neighbors as ourselves. There was nothing else to the law, this is what it all meant. (See Matt. 7:12). He declared that He was fully qualified to teach this truth with absolute authority, because He was God’s own begotten Son.
The result was that the Jews could not tolerate Him and they ended up killing Him. There were two reasons why they did this: First, they rejected Him because He claimed to be the Son of God. Secondly, they were infuriated when it became clear that Jesus was changing the understanding which they had always had concerning the law. They saw this as an attack on the law and therefore on their authority.
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:16-18)
Let us notice what the two great issues were: Jesus was killed because He taught the truth about the godhead and because He put the law in its rightful place. These are actually two sides of one great truth, the truth that Christ is our righteousness. The point is, the law was only a limited expression of God and of His will. Jesus came to be the perfect living representation of God and of His will. His qualification for the job was the fact that He was God’s begotten Son, He was the living word of God. In Jesus, God replaced the system of the law. As Christ Himself put it,
…. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
The Jews rejected Christ because He claimed to be God’s way of salvation. This contradicted their belief that God’s way of salvation was the law. God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son (1 John 5:11), but the Jews clung to the belief that the law was God’s way and so they rejected Christ. He had to be an imposter because, in their words,
…. This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. (John 9:16)
It was the law versus Christ and sadly, among the professing people of God, the law won and Christ lost.
The apostolic Church
Shortly after Jesus went back to heaven, He returned to His church as the Comforter. His spirit was poured out upon His people on the day of Pentecost and this marked the beginning of the greatest period in the history of the Christian Church. Heaven came down to earth and the disciples of Jesus experienced the powers of the world to come (Heb. 6:5). The glory of God rested upon His people and this glory shone through them upon all whom they encountered. Christ filled their every waking thought and their lives were devoted to the task of sharing Him with the world.
Yet, as we look back at the apostolic church, we see that things were not perfect. In the midst of this extraordinary manifestation of the presence and power of God, we find elements of discord and confusion arising among the people of God. We are startled to find that the major issues which arose were the same kinds of issues which the Jews kept pushing at Christ during His ministry. They were issues relating to the law and its observance.
The first major controversy arose when Peter went in to Cornelius at the express direction of the holy spirit. When Peter returned to Jerusalem he was immediately confronted by his Jewish brethren.
And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. (Acts 11:2-3)
Notice what the issue was: Those of the circumcision (those who were bound to the law), accused Peter of breaking the law by eating with non-law keepers, something which was forbidden under the system of the law. We see clearly that many of those in the apostolic church did not recognize that the religion of Jesus Christ was not an addition to the law, but was something which REPLACED the system of the law! Peter only escaped the criticism by showing them clearly that Jesus Himself had directly led Him to share the gospel with these Gentiles. The idea that the Gentiles could be saved came to these brethren as a great revelation and in light of the incontrovertible evidence they accepted it, but it is clear that from the beginning of the church there was a conflict between the simple religion of Christ and the system of the law. The attempt of the Jewish believers to combine Christ and the law was a source of continuing conflict in the church and resulted in much confusion. The conflict surfaces again in Acts chapter 15:
And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. (Acts 15:1-2)
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. (Acts 15:5)
This is pretty amazing! This is many years after Pentecost. How is it possible that circumcision is still being pushed on believers at this time? Notice, it was not just circumcision which was the issue; those promoting it demanded also that the entire law of Moses should be kept! Chief among these misguided Christians, were the believing Pharisees. The same class which had hounded and harassed Jesus when He was here, the same group which had continually criticized Him for His attitude to the law, were now the same ones creating confusion in the apostolic Church by pushing the law on the believers. It was good that many of the Pharisees eventually came to believe in Jesus and joined His church, but unfortunately, their minds were not divorced from the rigid indoctrination which they had received in Judaism and they, more than anybody else were responsible for continuing to push for the idea that Christianity was to be integrated into the system of the law. In fact, their attitude suggested that they put the law first and Christ second.
Again we see that the source of the conflict was the law. The pure simplicity of the religion of Jesus was being distorted by an attempt to impose the law on it. The eventual decision of the Jerusalem council clarified the issue, but did not bring an end to the confusion. The decision as stated by James, was:
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. (Acts 15:19-20)
The law was not to be pushed on the Gentiles. There was no necessity for them to be circumcised or to keep the law of Moses. They were simply asked to avoid four of the gross practices which were common among the Gentiles at that time, but other than that, the demands of the law were not to be imposed on them. This decision applied to the Gentiles, however, the Jewish brethren apparently were to continue their attachment to the law as was suggested in the final statement of James;
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. (Acts 15:21)
In other words, the Jewish believers had the opportunity of attending synagogue and being indoctrinated in the law of Moses, so there was no danger of the Jewish brethren abandoning the law, therefore the fact that Gentile Christians did not keep the law was not a danger to the Jewish identity of the Jewish believers.
We see clearly there was a nationalistic undercurrent in the apostolic church which ultimately was not healthy. The Jewish believers were not able to embrace the pure simplicity of Christ’s religion, because they felt an obligation to maintain a connection with their Jewish heritage, through the observance of the law. Notice how deep-rooted this instinct was: When the question arose as to whether or not the Gentiles should be circumcised, the misunderstanding was so strong that it took much argument and discussion before it was settled. The result is that there were two distinct sets of believers among the early Christians. There were Gentile believers who embraced the religion of Christ in its pure simplicity, without the law, and Jewish believers who practiced a kind of hybrid religion consisting of Christianity mingled with the law. This practice of the law did not enhance the doctrine of Christ, but rather hampered it and diverted the attention from Christ. As Paul put it,
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 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)
Paul
Without question the apostle Paul was the greatest exponent of the gospel that the world has ever known. He was specially chosen by Jesus to be His missionary to the Gentile world. Nobody understood the gospel as well as he did, since he was personally taught by Christ Himself. So certain was he of what he taught that he declared that not even an angel from heaven could contradict the truth which he presented as the gospel (Gal. 1:8). What did Paul teach concerning the law?
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (Gal 3:24-25)
He did not teach that the law was abolished, but his teaching made it clear that the law had fulfilled its purpose and that it was no longer the governing agency in the lives of God’s people. They were no longer under the law, meaning they were no longer under its government or administration. The Jews hated him because of his emphasis and many times they almost killed him because of it.
And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. (Acts 18:12-13)
At one time Peter declared that Paul had written some things “hard to be understood (2 Pet. 3:16).” Did Jesus choose a man to be His special representative who was “hard to be understood?” Interestingly, the Gentiles did not seem to have a problem in understanding Paul, but the Jews apparently did! In other words, Paul was not really hard to be understood, but for someone who was viewing things from the perspective of the law, his teaching was hard to accept. For the Gentiles who were not carrying this baggage, Paul’s gospel was blessedly easy to understand.
Near the end of his life, Paul went up to Jerusalem on what proved to be his final trip. He almost lost his life, and again, not surprisingly, the issue was the law. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, Paul was greeted by the leading brethren in the church.
And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. (Acts 21:19-21)
This is astonishing! These leading brethren inform Paul that these thousands of Jewish believers are ALL zealous of the law! Unbelievable! Furthermore, they have been informed that Paul is teaching Jews to “forsake Moses,” and to not circumcise their children. Their counsel to Paul was this:
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. (Acts 21:23-25)
Paul was to demonstrate that he was a keeper of the law in order to appease the Jews. However, the Gentiles were not to observe these things and only needed to be careful about the four things already specified at the Jerusalem council. This double standard was established so that the Jews could maintain their Jewish identity even though they were Christians, but the results were not good. These attempts to satisfy the prejudice of the Jews did not work. Paul ended up being beaten, nearly to death and was eventually arrested and taken to Rome where he was beheaded a couple of years later.
But the point is, we see that the law continued to be a source of contention among the believers even after Jesus had gone back to heaven.
The Reformation
After the apostolic age, the next great period in the history of the Christian Church was the Reformation. Men such as Martin Luther, Huss and Jerome, Calvin, Zwingli, the Wesley brothers and others initiated a period of great spiritual revival which not only transformed the Christian landscape, but permanently affected the entire world. The motivation which energized this great reformation was a renewed emphasis on Christ and His Righteousness. Luther tells the agonizing story of his long and painful search for righteousness through self-inflicted torture and attempts to carry out the works of the law. While climbing Pilate’s staircase on his knees in the city of Rome one day, he seemed to hear a voice like thunder declaring, “the just shall live by faith!” Horrified he sprang to his feet and hurried away. This statement, “the just shall live by faith,” took root in his mind and became his motto as he went from there to initiate changes which shook the entire world.
But this reformation did not go forward smoothly by any means. The established church of the day opposed it violently. The idea that salvation was a gift, freely and indiscriminately given to all men, irrespective of the law, irrespective of church rules or church allegiance, was rigorously opposed by the established Roman Catholic Church, and later, in England, by the Anglican Church. The human restrictions imposed by the law and church rule were swept aside by the reformation, but many a Christian was martyred including some of the leaders of the reformation as the established church rose up and furiously resisted the message of salvation through faith in Christ. Then, as in the days of Christ and the apostles, the issue really was, the government of Christ versus the government of rules. Again, those who were eager to defend the law were ready to destroy those who lifted up Christ.
Let us notice something interesting: In all the instances which we have looked at thus far, loyalty to the law was the great underlying motive for the hatred against Christ, His teaching and His representatives. This emphasis on the law was always accompanied by an emphasis on the authority of the Church and its leaders. This makes perfect sense. If we live under the reign of the law, then there must necessarily be an enforcing of the law. Those who promote the law demonstrate a mindset which requires that people’s behavior must be monitored and disciplinary measures imposed on transgressors. This is the way of the law and it cannot be avoided. When legal law is promoted, there is always the need for the law to be defined and enforced. In the Old Testament the governmental system of Israel, established by God provided the means for such enforcement. Law breakers were sometimes even stoned to death for their transgression. However, in the Church age such power is not available (although it was available to the Roman Catholic Church and was used by it during the Dark Ages) and so, instead of stoning people to death, the Churches and religious institutions impose their own disciplinary measures and devices to compel people to conform to their ideas of what God and His law require. When they cannot exercise this power, they resort to disfellowshipping, name calling and the smearing of character, stoning with their words and insinuations because they cannot do it literally.
Adventism
Humans never seem to learn. The centuries pass and we keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. In the mid-nineteenth century, a great revival took place in the United States which spread to many parts of the world. This revival was initiated by a Baptist preacher named William Miller who believed that the world would end in 1844. Of course William Miller was wrong, however, several movements grew out of the dregs of that revival, foremost of which was the Seventh-day Adventist movement. Most of us believe that this movement was divinely raised up and directed by God. It developed and grew to the place where it began to have a significant influence in the world. In spite of the many biblical truths which were encapsulated in this movement, there was something fundamentally wrong with the emphasis of this group and 44 years after this movement began, God set out to correct this wrong emphasis. Two young ministers, Elders A.T. Jones and E.J. Waggoner were raised up by God with the express purpose o f putting Christ in His rightful place as the head of His people and at the center of the church’s teaching. In the words of the most widely recognized Adventist pioneer, Ellen White, here was the issue:
For years the church has been looking to man and expecting much from man, but not looking to Jesus, in whom our hopes of eternal life are centered. Therefore God gave to His servants a testimony that presented the truth as it is in Jesus, which is the third angel’s message in clear, distinct lines. {1888 1338.1}
We have been at work on the law until we get as dry as the hills of Gilboa, without dew or rain. Let us trust in the merits of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. May God help us that our eyes may be anointed with eyesalve, that we may see.. {1888 557.2}
Notice the issue again: It was the exaltation of the law at the expense of Christ. The church was a “dry as the hills of Gilboa” because of being “at work on the law.” The result was a heavy reliance on humanity and very little interaction with Christ. In this system, men naturally dominated other men; Church rule, enforced by men was the power which dominated the lives of the people.
“The righteousness of Christ by faith has been ignored by some, for it is contrary to their spirit and their whole life’s experience. Rule, rule, this has been their course of action.” – TM – 363
Once again, Christ was lifted up in the Christian Church and once again, the great opponents of Christ were the law and the leaders of the Church! This was not the age or circumstances where Jones and Waggoner could be stoned like Stephen, beheaded like Paul, or burned like Huss and Jerome, or they would surely have had their lives snuffed out. Nevertheless, those who were law-oriented did what they could to destroy the influence of these men.
“The brethren were moved at this meeting by another spirit, and they knew not that God had sent these young men to bear a special message to them which they treated with ridicule and contempt, and I know that at that time the Spirit of God was insulted.” – Letter S – Manuscript 24
This is not to say that Jones and Waggoner were perfect in everything which they presented. No group of God’s people ever had perfect understanding of all things. Even the apostolic church had many struggles before it was able to work out some of its doctrinal issues, the reformers also had wrong ideas, and so did Jones and Waggoner. However, they were God’s messengers, sent with the purpose of changing the focus and direction of the church. Their mission was to turn eyes from the law, with the necessary dependence on human control and government, to Christ and the control of the spirit. In this, they fulfilled their mission very well and as a result, they were persecuted and eventually both ended up outside of the church which they had tried to reform.
Today, the church likes to say it has accepted the message of Christ our Righteousness and it is true that the Church officially teaches that salvation is by faith in Christ alone, But this only demonstrates the folly of thinking that theories define what we really are. The church today is just as much under the dominion of human control as it ever was during the days of the 1888 conference. It is just as much fixated on rules and the government of the law as it ever was. The truth is that the message of Righteousness in Christ has not been really understood and its implications have not been really accepted by the SDA Church.
“Reformers” of 2014
Finally we come to the end of time, to the year 2014. It is hardly conceivable that the planet has continued to this point in time, but here we are. What are the facts concerning the situation which prevails among God’s professing people today? Most of those who read this newsletter consider ourselves to be “reformers,” Christians who are seeking for something better than the status quo, people who desire to see Christ lifted up and to see the purposes of God accomplished in the world. But the sad truth is that, unbelievably, we find that like the silly sheep and the blind ants, we are continuing the meaningless circling around, going nowhere, repeating the errors of our spiritual ancestors. Why is it that there continues to be such a strong focus on the law? Why is it that rather than elevating Christ it seems that there is an increasing emphasis on the law in the independent movement?
For eight years we here at Restoration Ministries have been preaching Christ as never before. As we have lifted up Christ, the law has been relegated to its rightful place. There is only one way of approach to God, only one means of living righteously and it is not the law. The law is helpful as a means of restraining evil in the carnal person, and this is its chief purpose, but it is not the way of the Christian life. Some are confused about the way Christ lives in the believer and insist that we need rules and precise direction and discipline to ensure order and harmony, but this misconception only demonstrates that men still insist on the need of legality as means of building the kingdom of God. This only demonstrates a refusal to accept the basic principles of the gospel.
Our teaching has been greeted with widely differing reactions. There are those who rejoice at the liberation which they have experienced in finally understanding the freedom and security which are in Christ. As one brother put it,
“The November issue is the best instruction and explanation I have ever seen in print.”
On the other hand there are those who have been infuriated. Just as in the days of Christ, in the time of the Reformation and in 1888, those who are most vigorous in resisting the lifting up of Christ, are those who are regarded as leaders of the people, the “converted Pharisees” of our day. The accusation is that “this man is seeking to destroy the law.” Now we know how Paul felt when he was accused that he was teaching people to reject the law. Now we know why Paul was accused of writing things “hard to be understood.” The same legalistic mindset which created such confusion in the apostolic Church is alive and well today. The tragedy is that these brethren accuse the mainstream SDA Church of rejecting Christ in 1888, while today, they do the same exact thing! They use the phrases associated with Christ and His righteousness, but in essence, they continue to exalt the law at the expense of Christ. They do not understand who Christ is, what God did through and in Him, and what He means to us, today. The truth that Christ is “all and in all,” really has little practical meaning to them.
These misguided brethren expect a change and pray for a change, but they are not willing to change. They blame the endless journey on “God’s will,” rather than our failure to accept Christ. Like the blind ants we continue to go in circles, repeating the mistakes of our forebears, traveling interminably and going absolutely nowhere!
Christ and the law cannot co-exist at the pinnacle, one has to go down in order that the other should be lifted up. Jones and Waggoner did their part in exalting Christ, and as they did, they were cautioned many times that they were speaking too strongly against the law! Their emphasis was right, even though the details needed more careful study. Today, we must maintain the emphasis of Jones and Waggoner while avoiding the mistakes which they made.
When someone has the insight and courage to break away from the pack and to step out of the mould, there are strident warnings, but we at Restoration Ministries will not remain in the circle of sheep navigating around bushes until we drop dead, even though some seem determined that we should take this course. God is helping us, He is opening our understanding, and finally, Jesus is being lifted up again as He ought to be. This is the real issue. Christ, and Him crucified; there is really no other message.
We love, but pity those who feel that their message for the world is the law.
Letters
Your most recent Open Face has arrived and it is, in one word, electrifying: … As usual you are spot-on with your ministry of “Christ in you, the hope of glory” being “All in All” ….
Your newsletter hits the proverbial nail on the head and truly living water is flowing out of your belly to a thirsty, dying world. Like the Bible, you say the same theme over and over again, the new covenant, Christ IN you!
Post it on the billboards! … Stay strong and we pray that He continue to give you the boldness to utter the truth about the mystery of godliness, Christ in you; this is the tidings (good news) that will trouble the King of North.
New Hampshire, USA
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I just want to send you a word of encouragement. I know you are on the front lines in a heated battle for the truth against friend and foe alike. You are taking a beating and I’m sure at times it may wear on you. But this message is pure truth, it is power, and it is the only thing that will deliver us from this body of sin. I think the January issue of Open Face deals with it as straightforward as is possible. Only a divine miracle can break the spell that binds them.
For years I wondered why God so openly displayed Himself in the OT, such as in the pillar of fire and cloud, and I was jealous for that open manifestation in my own life. How many times I pleaded with God to just write His message plainly on the sky, or anything, just so I would know what I was supposed to do. Now I understand that God manifested Himself externally in the OT just as He gave His law externally, and for the same reason, while today I can experience the inward Law and the inward manifestation. That Pillar of fire and cloud lives in me. This means that I am to be the display of that Pillar! I am to be the manifestation of God in the NT! I am to be the glory of the living God!! What a thought! Christ really is our all in all. And while it has been some time since I’ve heard the literal voice of God, I know I will hear it again and will experience the fullness of Christ that my heart craves, though I must confess that I am not fully there yet.
… I pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen you to be a warrior for the truth.
Kentucky
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It has been quite a few months that I could not access the Sabbath morning service and had to worship alone. I accessed the site this morning and just want to say thank you for your sermon “Identity Crisis.”
As always your sermons are simplified that even a child can understand and I believe that the simplification of God’s Holy Word is how He wants it shared in these last days. Simplified, but yet if the Holy Spirit does not make it clear to the heart and mind, it can be misunderstood and can be taken as heresy as was misunderstood by many in your Open Face Issue #93.
I was truly encouraged by Issue #93 and was quite taken aback by the comments of others in Issue #94 ….
… to teach people “righteousness by faith, to teach people “Christ in you” is to teach people to fish. To point people to the law is to give them a fish. So what is the outcome? They will always need you and not Christ.
This giving of a fish is organized religion and the reason the leaders of SDA rejected the “righteousness by faith” message in 1888.
Your critics disagree with each other in principles, but yet they do not criticize each other.. why?.. Because their doctrines have the same basic foundation – “give the people a fish” ..
May the Holy Spirit continue to live in you.
Canada
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I read, reread, and have been ruminating and brooding over the November 2013 and January 2014 issues of Open Face and I think I have come to some conclusions.
First of all, all that you have written is Biblical and true. I admire and appreciate the insight you have shown in writing these wonderful articles. I cannot understand those, … who do not understand what you explained in such an excellent way.
… you did a great service writing these articles in Open Face …I hope that some of the folks who claim to be part of “Historic Adventism” will see the light and open their half-closed or closed eyes and realize the spiritual importance of your articles.
May the Lord bless you and give you courage. The cause of unity of the Godhead movement may not yet be lost.
Tennessee, USA
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Just finished reading your latest issue. What a blessing to know that Christ Jesus, the Son of the Highest, lives in the believer’s body and mind. With our surrender to him, he comes in to live out his very own life in us. That is good news indeed. Thank you all for the insightful work you are doing. I truly believe that God is guiding your understanding as you contemplate and write out these truths.
I recently heard a quote by Watchman Nee that went something like the following paraphrase: “When people come to Jesus they give Him their burden of sin and then take up the burden of holiness, but not only did Jesus die for us, He also wants to live for us.”
I pray that His blessings will continue to be with you all,
Alabama
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I am writing you a small message to let you know that I really admire the stance you have taken to follow your conscience, and to be more interested in following the truth then preserving or saving face. I read a bit of the discussion between you and your fellow brother in the faith and I can relate to much of what you were saying.
I too have some very serious problems with some ways of not only teachings in Adventism, but also in the way of thinking and the arrogance that seems to follow the thinking within it. Too many folks seem to interested in being right for Adventism rather then the truth. I am not a bit surprised that you and Brother Williams do not have your minds for rent. Over the years my thinking has changed. I suppose some for the good , and the rest would be left for someone else to decide I guess, but one thing I do appreciate is someone who is capable of changing their views when their conscience tells them so. Folks who do that have my utmost respect even if I do not always agree.
Kansas
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Thank you for your efforts in producing the Open Face … I wanted to encourage you to continue in what you are doing. I hadn’t looked at the previous issue as I had a lot of things going on when you sent it last year…
When I was printing off the recent edition, I noticed on the front page about the condemnation from some which prompted me to make sure I read the last edition first. You know as I read it, it just made sense to me. It explained a lot to me about my own condition. I’m always feeling not good enough and I know that none of us are but it just made sense. It spoke to my heart.
Then I read your recent edition and the condemnation you are receiving. I feel so sad about it all. I don’t know why people have to be like that attacking others …
I have a very simple faith but I know what I believe and God has been with me through so much … I sometimes question the path and choices I have made but I know that I have given everything to God every day and I have to trust in Him. That is why when I read your Open Face, it just makes sense to me. It resonates with my heart and so I want to encourage you to continue and never become disheartened. Satan is really stirring the pot. He knows his end is near.
God Bless you and your ministry
Queensland, Australia
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As I continue reading your November issue, it is becoming more clear to me why it is that you are concerned about people keeping feast days. To me, your point is clear and correct. However, that doesn’t mean that I can safely reject those who don’t see it that way. It takes time for people to understand. It has taken me over two years to come to an understanding that allows me to move forward. Just as God has been so very patient with me, so we must be very patient with those who don’t yet see some of these things in their true light. That would include ALL of the beliefs that people are bringing into this movement. Instead of being upset that all these things are associated with the movement (after all, it IS God’s movement, not ours), I believe we need to praise God that He is bringing people from ALL walks of life into this truth and trust that He will lead them into even greater truth. So continue preaching the truth and loving the people who come to it, and one day we will see where God will lead them. It will be amazing to behold!
I want to thank you for continuing to send us your newsletter and even your videos for years now and we have never, ever sent you a dime to compensate .… I intend to begin sending you some of my meager tithe and offerings knowing that God will bless and multiply them.
USA
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Take courage brethren and stay on target, and as always, the target is Jesus.
“But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” Gal. 4:29,30
I personally believe that Ellen White is in complete harmony with your position.
Alabama
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I wanted to send you a quick note to let you know that I watched your video on the pagan roots of the Trinity. Raised a son of a Lutheran minister, the discussion on the Trinity has been one that I’ve been avoiding since I first started keeping the Sabbath 18 months ago. I just didn’t get it why people spent so much time talking about the Godhead truth. NOW I get it! I’m watching every video that you have on it and I just wanted to thank you and encourage you that your work has reached another believer. I just don’t want to be wrong and I don’t want to just swallow doctrine like this because it’s what I’ve always known. I thank you for your responses to my messages … I may have many more questions and I look forward to future dialogue! Blessings to you and your family!
USA
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I just wanted to tell you that the newsletter that you emailed to my Dad has allowed me to see the deeper and true meaning of brotherly love. Not to mention the high points of this issue that I have been trying to understand.
I pray that God will continue to use you in a wonderful way and I also want to say thank you for all you have done for me.
Jamaica
—————————————— I understand what you are teaching and I know others do too, so keep sharing what you have been shown and let the ones that don’t understand make their comments. It just shows you where they are at in their belief. …. It will only get worse as we get closer to the end, but we have the promise that He won’t give us more than we can handle.
Blessings to you and yours,
Florida
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The more I see the truth of the Scriptures being revealed, the more I see that man without God is absolutely nothing. All these brethren are bracing themselves to resist it. Truly, the things that are of God can only be spiritually discerned.
Be steadfast, don’t be moved by the wisdom of men, be faithful and true to your calling.
You are always in my prayers.
Jamaica
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We were thoroughly blessed by the latest issue of Open Face. All three articles were heavy with present truth. Thank you for your work of faith and labor of love. These truths are desperately needed in these last days.
Some of our friends who do not get the printed copy are anxiously awaiting the email edition.
Thanks again for your insightful ministry,
Alabama
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I have just finished reading Open Face and what a blessing it has been! My wife and I have been searching answers to these subjects (law and Sabbath) and have come to the conclusion that we were worshiping the day not the Lord of the day. The commandments were also part of our study.
“Logical Progression,” “Sabbath without the law,” “Foundation Principles,” are excellent articles which have helped us in our study.
Though it is confronting for an Adventist, I believe it is an important truth for us to understand.
Australia
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What you have written is definitely worth the time writing and publishing. I have been, and am supporting every word in these articles. You have spoken and written the truth without compromise and I thank God for that.
“Let the TRUTH be told” and I believe this is what you have done. I have read every word in this Open Face news letter and have found only the truth. I commend you for this and support you 100%. My studies on Righteousness by Faith and not by works have led me to believe and support the issues you presented, but you already know this because this is the message that changed my life.
I thank God for your sermons and articles and I know that there are many others who share these thoughts and are blessed by them. May God continue to lead and bless your ministry, especially on the issue of righteousness by faith. Righteousness by the works of the law will never get us into God’s kingdom and allow us to experience the very life of Christ living inside us.
May God open the eyes of the readers of this news letter to see the truth that is presented here,especially the critics and Pharisees. “Let God be true and every man a liar”
Florida
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…. you say that you are standing on the Bible? In reality, you are standing on the opinions of David Clayton, and placing those above Scripture.
…. So how do we harmonize your statement with what the Bible teaches? Do you reject the idea that Ellen White had the gift of prophecy? Or, do you reject the biblical doctrine of inspiration? Or, are you on some sort of ego trip, thinking that David Clayton is smarter than Jesus, and that when Jesus testifies by His Spirit through Ellen White about the Godhead, that you know better than He?
…. Personally, if you are going to be promoting unbelief, …. I don’t see the point in continuing to get your emails, and I would ask that you remove me from your mailing list.
USA
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Oh how I remember the beginning of Christ and His Righteousness! In Adam we didn’t have all the understanding to explain everything perfectly but as The Lord led, look at the Glory we received! When this nonsense happened with brother X I forwarded his email to you and said “can’t he understand English?” How all could not understand that with the Law-giver you need not be governed by the law! The Righteous Lord is our Governor. Even Brother Z called me so concerned because of how hard all were coming out against your comments from the last Open Face. I didn’t even call you because I knew this would just make things even more clear.
Open Face is such a blessing and always has been, period. God is blessing in adversity. Sounds biblical to me. This has led to one of the most clear and blessed articles of all time in Open Face. Right up there with “The broken curse” and “Who needed a sacrifice.”
Pennsylvania
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Thanks for the newsletter. I read it completely within an hour of receiving.
It is really sad to see all that is happening among believers – we have had many experiences ourselves, but I fully believe that somehow God will bring about order and unity in His people.
I give thanks to God for the information in your newsletter, it always makes me look to myself to question if I am in any way cherishing a Christless faith. I pray I am not. But articles like these are wonderful in that they always challenge. I pray God will continue to keep you strong in faith. After I had finished your newsletter I could only finish with an “Amen”.
Our love to all over there and we wish you well in continuing the work.
Australia
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I just wanted to tell you that I love you. My understanding of truth in at least five areas differs from you, but you are still my friend. Even if you choose to leave the movement per se, you are still my friend. My prayers are that you will consider every aspect where we differ and come to realize the truth and make a stand for it. We all must do this, and I believe God is preparing His people to make their final stand for truth prior to the falling of the latter rain. At that time we must all speak the same, so God has an enormous work to do for us all. Let us co-operate with Him.
Australia
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I appreciate so much the clearness in which you presented your position in the last news letter. It is indeed the position of scripture and I am hopeful that it will bring a number of humble responses, and that it will encourage a more intense study of the word of God. Thank You
Tennessee
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What you are saying I believe …. one thing is certain, this message is creating a greater shaking than before. When you start with Adventism (the Sabbath, state of the dead, etc.), then add the truth about God and His Son, then true righteousness by faith apart from the law – each truth causes a shaking; the more truth added to the mix, the smaller the group of believers. It reminds me of that vision by Ellen White: a steep path narrowed as it went higher. As the path went on, more and more followers fell away, until the last believers were hanging by a silver cord.
Kentucky
Campmeeting Notice
Albion, Manchester
April 18-21
This year the Jamaican campmeeting will begin on the afternoon of Friday, April 18 and will end on the morning of Monday, April 21. We have experienced difficulty in obtaining a camp ground and have decided to have the campmeeting at our chapel in Albion. Those who are coming from other areas will be accommodated in the homes of those who live at Albion, unless they choose to stay at a hotel or guest house. This will place a bit of strain on each household and so we have decided to shorten the campmeeting by a day. All who are planning to attend should contact us and inform us as soon as possible so we may make the necessary arrangements for accommodation.
Next year, we do not expect to have this difficulty. We plan to have our own campmeeting site ready by then. It probably will be in a somewhat primitive state, but we hope to have it ready enough to host next year’s campmeeting. Help us to pray that this may be a reality.
In spite of our challenges, expect a great blessing. Our theme is simply, “FREEDOM.” Guest speakers include Lennie Frankson and Ken Corklin.
Call: (304) 932-4543; (876) 6030821; (876) 904-7392
email: info@restorationministry.com
Live Broadcast
You may join us weekly for a live broadcast of our Sabbath services via the internet. Go to the Restoration Ministries website, look for the link on the home page, or go directly to – http://www.livestream.com/restorationbroadcast
We are on EST and services begins at 10:30am.
We are using a free internet service so we have no control over the ads that run during our broadcast.
We are able to have interactions with our viewers through a live chat box, so you can simply register and join in with questions and/or comments during our services. We sometimes experience Internet problems during our broadcast due to fluctuations from our service provider, however, these do not seriously affect the broadcast most of the time. There is nothing that we can do about this problem, but we are praying about it and expecting improvement! In the meantime, we look forward to having you worship with us.
Video Sermons
Many of our video presentations including our recent sermons on Christ and His Righteousness are now posted on YouTube. You may find them by visiting our channel at
Sermons on the godhead and other issues are also available and organized into playlists. Those of you who enjoy music will also find a wide collection of songs presented by the Restoration Ministries choir and other groups. We believe these messages to be of the greatest importance and encourage you to listen if you have an Internet connection.
Exercise: The Preventive Drug EE
Lenworth Frankson
One of the most important factors in optimizing our overall health and preventing chronic disease is exercise. Dr Jordan Metzl, a sports-medicine physician at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery and author of The Exercise Cure: states that research shows exercise to be “ the best preventive drug ” for many common ailments, from psychiatric disorders to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
It truly is unfortunate that many fail to get sufficient exercise. It appears to be getting worse because more people are endangering their health by sitting too much, even while at their jobs. This is definitely something to be alarmed about because compelling evidence actually suggests that even if you exercise regularly, prolonged sitting is itself a risk factor for chronic disease and reduced life span.
This might not be the case in many third world countries but in the United States of America the overall, federal data suggests only about 21 percent of American adults meet the government recommendation to engage in two and a half hours’ worth of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise each week. This is clearly not enough but the facts show that less than a quarter of the American population meets the government recommendations. The remaining 79 percent don’t.
Equal to drugs
Harvard and Stanford University researchers recently compared the effectiveness of exercise versus drug interventions on mortality outcomes for diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. After reviewing 305 randomized controlled trials, which included nearly 339,300 people, they found “no statistically detectable differences” between physical activity and medications for pre-diabetes and heart disease. This is a strong reminder of the power of simple lifestyle changes, as well as the shortcomings of drugs. During exercise, beneficial biochemical changes occur, including adjustments in more than 20 different metabolic processes. Here are a few:
• Muscles that use glucose for contraction and movement get turn while exercising. Tiny tears in the muscles make them grow bigger and stronger as they heal. Gaining more muscle through resistance exercises has many benefits, from losing excess fat to maintaining healthy bone mass and preventing age-related muscle loss as you age. Resistance training can achieve a number of beneficial changes on the molecular, enzymatic, hormonal, and chemical level in your body.
• Lungs. As your muscles call for more oxygen, your breathing rate increases. The higher your maximum capacity of oxygen use, the fitter you are.
• Heart. Your heart rate increases with physical activity to supply more oxygenated blood to your muscles. The fitter you are, the more efficiently your heart can do this, allowing you to work out longer and harder. Your blood pressure will also decrease as a result of new blood vessels forming.
• Brain. The increased blood flow also benefits your brain, allowing it to almost immediately function better. Exercising regularly also promotes the growth of new brain cells, boosting your capacity for memory and learning. A number of neurotransmitters are also triggered, such as endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and glutamate. Some of these are well-known for their role in mood control. Exercise, in fact, is one of the most effective prevention and treatment strategies for depression.
• Joints and Bones. Exercise can place as much as five to six times more of your body weight on joints and bones. Weight-bearing exercise is one of the most effective remedies against osteoporosis, as your bones are very porous and soft, and as you get older, your bones can easily become less dense and hence, more brittle, especially if you are inactive.
Interval Training
High intensity interval training has been around for quite some time and is used by many athletes; however it is not used by most exercise enthusiasts. It includes short bursts of high-intensity activities, but not long-distance running. This, researchers say, is what your body is hard-wired for. Basically, by exercising in short bursts, followed by periods of recovery, you recreate exactly what your body needs for optimum health. Twice-weekly sessions, which require no more than 20 minutes from start to finish, can be of great help. Here is what High Intensity Interval Training promotes:
• Lower your body fat
• Improve your muscle tone
• Boost your energy and libido
• Improve athletic speed and performance
• Naturally increase your body’s production of human growth hormone (HGH). Conventional cardio will not boost your HGH level
Non-Exercise Movement
“Non-exercise movement ” can also be called “ intermittent movement ”. This is an area of physical activity that is gaining a lot of attention. Studies have repeatedly found strong correlations between prolonged sitting inactivity and reduced life expectancy, even if you exercise regularly. Those who spend most of their days sitting behind a desk doing paper work, or looking at the computer, pay attention!
It appears that temporary vigorous exercise simply cannot compensate for the damage incurred by prolonged daily sitting. A recent analysis of 18 studies, found that those who sat for the longest periods of time were twice as likely to have diabetes or heart disease, compared to those who sat the least. Another study also found that total sitting time correlates with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other prevalent chronic health problems, even if you exercise regularly.
To solve this problem simply make sure you move your body more often throughout the day. Simply standing up from a seated position has been found particularly effective at counteracting the ill effects of sitting. One suggestion is to stand up every 15 minutes, stretch and then walk about for a few minutes.
Mind-Blowing Benefits
If you think exercise is all about toned abs and weight loss then think again. Exercise makes you happier and smarter. Maybe you exercise to tone your thighs, build your biceps, or flatten your belly. Maybe you work out to prevent heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. But how about sweating to improve your mind? Here are five ways that exercise can boost your brainpower.
Reverses effects of stress
Speed walking, jogging, running on the treadmill or cross trainer for 30 minutes can blow off tension by increasing levels of “soothing” brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. The fascinating thing is that exercise may actually work on a cellular level to reverse stress’s toll on our aging process, according to a 2010 study from the University of California. The researchers found that stressed-out women who exercised vigorously for an average of 45 minutes over a three-day period had cells that showed fewer signs of aging compared to women who were stressed and inactive. Working out also helps keep us from repeatedly thinking over stressful thoughts by altering blood flow to those areas in the brain involved in triggering stressful thoughts again and again.
Lifts depression
Research suggests that burning off 350 calories three times a week through sustained, sweat-inducing activity can reduce symptoms of depression about as effectively as antidepressants. That may be because exercise appears to stimulate the growth of neurons in certain brain regions damaged by depression. Animal studies also have found out that exercise boosts the production of brain molecules that improve connections between nerve cells, thereby acting as a natural antidepressant.
Improves learning
Exercise increases the level of brain chemicals called, growth factors, which help make new brain cells and establish new connections between brain cells to help us learn. Interestingly a complicated activity like playing tennis challenges your brain even more when you have to think about coordination. Like muscles, you have to stress your brain cells to get them to grow. Complicated activities also improve our capacity to learn by enhancing our attention and concentration skills, according to German researchers who found that high school students scored better on high-attention tasks after doing 10 minutes of a complicated fitness routine compared to 10 minutes of regular activity. (Those who hadn’t exercised at all scored the worst.)
Builds self-esteem
You don’t need to radically change your body shape to get a confidence surge from exercise. Studies suggest that simply seeing fitness improvements, like running a faster mile or lifting more weight than before, can improve your self-esteem and body image.
Euphoric Feeling
“Runner’s high” really does exist if you’re willing to shift into high-intensity mode. It is recommended that you sprint bursts, through interval training. Run, bike, or swim as fast as you can for 30 to 40 seconds and then reduce your speed to a gentle pace for five minutes before sprinting again. Repeat four times for a total of five sprints. “You’ll feel really frisky for the rest of the day.
Keeps the brain fit.
Even mild activity like a leisurely walk can help keep your brain fit and active, fending off memory loss and keeping skills like vocabulary retrieval strong. In a 2011 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine , Canadian researchers analyzed the energy expenditure and cognitive functioning of elderly adults over the course of two to five years. Most of the participants did not work out; their activities revolved around short walks, cooking, gardening, and cleaning. Still, compared with their sedentary peers, the most active participants scored significantly better on tests of cognitive function, and they showed the least amount of cognitive decline. By the end of the study, roughly 90 percent of them could think and remember just as well as they could when the study began.
May keep Alzheimer’s at bay
The Alzheimer’s Research Center claims that exercise is one of the best weapons against the disease. Exercise appears to protect the hippocampus, which governs memory and a kind of navigation in the brain. It is one of the first brain regions to succumb to Alzheimer’s-related damage. A recent study published in the Archives of Neurology suggests that a daily walk or jog could lower the risk of Alzheimer’s or blunt its impact once it has begun. In 2000, Dutch researchers found that inactive men who were genetically prone to Alzheimer’s were four times more likely to develop the disease than those who carried the trait but worked out regularly.
The wonderful thing about exercising is that it’s never too late to get started. No matter how old you are, how unfit you feel, or how long you’ve been inactive, research shows that starting a more active lifestyle now, through consistent, moderate to intense activity, can make you healthier and definitely improve your quality of life, dramatically reducing or eliminating your need of taking any kind of drug.
Open Face is published bi-monthly and is sent free to all who desire to receive it.
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
