FORUM 6
There are times when we feel that these things are beyond our human comprehension. What can be done? These are old stories. Adam committed his sin long ago, and today we still have to face the consequences. If only it hadn't all happened as it did! If Adam had never sinned, we would not be in these straits but in paradise, on an eternally beautiful earth! And there, we would be without fear. And nature? Ever beautiful! The animals? Always kind! The work? Always pleasant. Other people? Also kind. Sickness and death? Unknown. Thieves and murderers? Also unknown--never seen. A bad thought? What is that? I have never had one. God? Do you know Him? Of course; we talk with Him constantly. He loves us very, very much. He really wants the best for us, as we can see. The angels? They love us deeply.
Oh, wow! Everything was spoiled! It's just a dream, a vague recollection. That is all we have left today.
But--is that all? Is it just a fantasy, a memory which will never be anything more than a vague illusion of some past, forgotten dream? Will there never be anything other than an eternal regret for the first sin which spoiled everything? And so, dare I think beyond this? Why not? Could one think for a moment that the beginning could return, that there could be a second paradise--a real one, in its perfect state, without sin, crying, disappointment, illness, or strife? Happiness at last?
Through His life and death, Jesus gave us proof of His love for us, but what does He want from us? Who is He for me personally? Does He love me among the billions of people?
In His great love for us, God does not say, "Through My death, I have paid for you; now show Me your faith in Me by your actions, and you will live." No, never!
His wish is that we discover Him, get to know Him, learn to love Him, and give Him our heart so He can change it and live in us. John 4:23. His purpose is that we may live in Paradise regained in happiness with others who have followed the same path and be with Him forever.
Let us take a practical example. Let's suppose I have been put in charge of a magnificent animal preserve where nature is wonderful and all the animals live in freedom. As a good agent, I want to manage this according to the system given to me so everything functions well. But one day I decide to think and act as I wish, considering myself wiser than the landlord who set everything up and gave me my responsibility. Shortly afterward, an ecological disaster occurs because of my choices. I completely lose control and become incapable of making any decision to correct my wrong decision. So, the landlord dismisses me and steps in to correct the damage done. Being a very good man, he pays for all the problems I caused.
But if I want to get my responsibility back, what should I do? Obviously, I could not imagine being reemployed unless I made the commitment to recognize that I was wrong and to agree never again to make decisions contrary to the established system. With spiritual things, the situation is similar. God wants us, as intelligent beings, to recognize our errors and make the commitment not to repeat them, for in the new world which He will create (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1; Hebrews 13:14), nothing impure will enter. Revelation 21:27. God wants to prepare a dwelling place for us (John 14:1-4), but at the same time He does not want us to disturb any part of what He has created in His kingdom: Love, justice, righteousness, gratitude--all according to His criteria. Do we wish to possess this marvelous kingdom again and obey His requests? If so, let us read on.
To give us this lost paradise again, Jesus paid the price with His own blood. He even makes His merits our own and plants within us a new nature, His divine nature, when we act by faith. Through Him and in Him we not only have access to the Father, but we are also acceptable to the Father. That is justification--salvation from the guilt and punishment of sin, which is death. Romans 6:23. In the place of our feelings of remorse, shame and guilt (Psalm 38:4-9, 18, 19), He gives us the sweet assurance of peace (Romans 5:1, 2) to be able to stand before our Father. Romans 5:8, 9.
"Jesus said, 'Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again.' John 10:17. That is, 'My Father has so loved you that He even loves Me more for giving My life to redeem you. In becoming your Substitute and Surety, by surrendering My life, by taking your liabilities, your transgressions, I am endeared to My Father; for by My sacrifice, God can be just, and yet the Justifier of him who believeth in Jesus.'" --Steps to Christ, p. 14.
"Yet nothing is more plainly taught in the Scriptures. Than Christ 'there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.' Acts 4:12. Man has nothing to present as an atonement, nothing to render to divine justice, on which the law has not a claim. If he were able to obey the law perfectly from this time forward, this could not atone for past transgression." --General Conference Bulletin, March 5, 1895.
But how can one obtain this divine grace? By confidence and faith in this concrete reality. Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9. All you have to do is believe and admit your sins. 1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:5; Isaiah 55:7; Luke 15:20-24.
To understand this truth better, we can take an example from everyday life. A friend comes and tells you: "I really like you very much; and since I have a lot of money, I want to pay off all your debts!"
What would you do? First you would probably ask, "Are you serious?"
He says, "Yes!"
What would you have to do next? Give him all the bills, loans, and promissory notes you hadn't been able to pay--especially the big ones and the ones you were ashamed that you hadn't paid. What would happen if you wanted to hide some of your debts from your friend? You would have to pay them yourself. Spiritually, the debts of sin have to be paid with blood--either yours (because you are guilty) or that of Jesus (who already paid for you). So, it makes no sense to do otherwise, even though it may be embarrassing: Give Jesus your debts, recognize your sins, and ask for forgiveness!
But does that mean that one should now feel free to do whatever he wants?
"Those who are teaching this doctrine today have much to say in regard to faith and the righteousness of Christ; but they pervert the truth, and make it serve the cause of error. They declare that we have only to believe on Jesus Christ, and that faith is all-sufficient; that the righteousness of Christ is to be the sinner's credentials; that this imputed righteousness fulfills the law for us, and that we are under no obligation to obey the law of God. This class claim that Christ came to save sinners, and that He has saved them. 'I am saved,' they will repeat over and over again. But are they saved while transgressing the law of Jehovah? No; for the garments of Christ's righteousness are not a cloak for iniquity. Such teaching is a gross deception, and Christ becomes to these persons a stumbling-block as He did to the Jews--to the Jews because they would not receive Him as their personal Saviour; to these professed believers in Christ, because they separate Christ and the Law, and regard faith as a substitute for obedience. They separate the Father and the Son, the Saviour of the world. Virtually they teach, both by precept and example, that Christ, by His death, saves men in their transgressions." --The Signs of the Times, February 25, 1897.
To put it simply, does the fact that your friend pays your debts for you mean that the goods in the shop cost nothing? No! The same applies to God's law. It is always there. Matthew 5:17, 18; Romans 3:31. The fact that you need this friend to pay for you means that the "goods have a high price." The same is true for sin today. (1) Where sin exists, the law does, too, for "sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4. (2) If we need Christ's sacrifice, it is because the law requires it, "for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.
So, we must not abuse divine grace. If Christ died for us, that does not mean that we are free to commit sins as we wish--or even one--with the excuse that Christ already paid for it!
"Men may talk of freedom, of gospel liberty. They may assert that they are not in bondage to the law. But the influence of a gospel hope will not lead the sinner to look upon the salvation of Christ as a matter of free grace, while he continues to live in transgression of the law of God. When the light of truth dawns upon his mind, and he fully understands the requirements of God, and realizes the extent of his transgressions, he will reform his ways, become loyal to God through the strength obtained from his Saviour, and lead a new and purer life. 'Whosoever abideth in Him,' says John, 'sinneth not; whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.' " --The Signs of the Times, February 25, 1897.
To recognize that one has acted improperly and to ask for forgiveness is one thing, but we must come to the point where we see that sin is incompatible with our love for God and that we must abandon it to be able to enter the new world. It is essential for us to understand the work of sanctification. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication." "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:23.
Yes! God wants us to become holy, for nothing defiled can enter heaven. "The fountain is not cleansed, therefore the streams proceeding from that fountain are not pure. Cleanse the fountain, and the streams will be pure. If the heart is right, your words, your dress, your acts will all be right.… A Christian has victory over his besetments, over his passions. There is a remedy for the sin-sick soul. That remedy is Jesus. Precious Saviour! His grace is sufficient for the weakest; and the strongest mus also have His grace or perish." --Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 158.
| Points for Discussion |
| 1. |
Look up Isaiah 53:3; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 3:23, 24; Romans 4:23, 24, and some of the texts in this article and apply them to one or more of the stages in our development as children of the kingdom of heaven:
a. Salvation from the guilt and punishment of sin--Justification
b. Salvation from the power and slavery of sin--Sanctification
c. Salvation from the nature and presence of sin--Glorification |
| 2. |
This article ends with the illustration of a fountain. Discuss how this illustrates our two most basic problems:
a. Our nature, which is sinful, and
b. The fruit of that nature, which is our sins. |
| 3. |
If the problem of sin came into the world and into us so easily, should not the solution be similarly easy? Is it really difficult to be reconciled to God? How difficult is it to yield to His love moment by moment? |
| 4. |
Thinking of what heaven is like and the opportunities the redeemed will have there, what should we be doing here to prepare for that perfect world? |
| 5. |
God has provided for two things: (1) That we can be part of His kingdom here, and (2) that we can be prepared to enter His kingdom of glory at His coming. List various means He uses to accomplish these and explain, if you can, how each one works. |
