The process of growing up into the stature of
Christ is known as sanctification. A new-born baby is not immediately
full-grown; maturity is reached after many years of development and experience.
So it is with the born-again Christian. The attaining of the image of
Christ’s character is a lifetime process; and heretofore the fullness of
His stature has definitely not been attained by most of God’s people. Perfection
has been reached only in a relative sense. At death, a man has reached the
highest level of which he is capable under his circumstances; God does not
normally take a man before he has attained this level. The imparted
righteousness of Christ is obtained in measure, and not as a unit, in the sense
that Christ makes up for the repentant sinner’s deficiency by His own divine
merit, to whatever extent that sinner is deficient. (1 SM 382)
But in the last generation, God is going to do
a work not heretofore seen. He is going to reassemble [regenerate—more on this
in another manuscript] the members of His body temple and cleanse those temple
members from every defilement. On this antitypical day of atonement, “His Sanctuary” is to be cleansed, and the
glory of the Lord is to arise upon His people. He will impart to them His
righteousness. They will gain the victory over continuing in sin, and their
hearts will be transformed into the image of God. These saints will attain the
full maturity of the re-birth into newness of life. In them divinity and
humanity will be fully united (symbolized by the marriage), as it was in Jesus.
They will attain imparted perfection, and be without fault before God, and
stand before Him as brothers of Jesus and joint-heirs with Christ. They will no
longer need the intercession of Jesus, for God has come to them directly to sup
with them (Rev. 3:20), and to make His habitation in them (Eph. 4:15, 16; cf.
V. 12, 13). In the new Jerusalem there is no temple;
the tabernacle of God is with men. (Rev. 21:3, 22)
This is the ultimate experience we are talking about when we
speak of buying the gold of faith and love tried in the fire Attaining
this experience is a matter of taking advantage of the offer made by the True
Witness.
Rev. 3:18-21 – “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire,
that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and
that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke
and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit
with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father
in His throne.”
To obtain this experience is a privilege, and it is received on
a voluntary basis. We are called and chosen in the refining furnace of
affliction (Matt. 20:16; cf. Isa. 48:9-11); and if we remain faithful (that is,
full of faith) (Rev. 17:14), we will share His throne (Rev. 3:21). If we are
unable to endure the chastening and drink the cup (Matt. 20:20-23), we will be
laid aside in the tomb at whatever stage of perfection we have attained; and
Christ will make up for our deficiency with His own divine merit. (Isa. 57:1;
& 1SM 382)[3]
The cost price which made
the gold of faith and love available for us was the cross of Christ – His
sufferings for sin. He paid that price. He made a complete self sacrifice; He emptied Himself for us. But if we would
share in His glory (that is, obtain His character and become heirs to His
heritage), we too must share in His sufferings and offer the sacrifices of
righteousness. We, too, must surrender all and take up our cross. This is
the price.
Rom. 8:16, 17 – “The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God:
and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if
so be that we suffer with him, that
we may be also glorified together.” (That is, receive the glorious gifts
provided by His sacrifice.” (cf. Matt. 10:38)
Bearing the cross (that
is, sharing His sufferings) involves bearing the persecution of one’s own
household.
The stereoptic
meaning of this passage is simply that those of his own household of faith (the
members of his own [household] and church) will become a man’s foes. And the
central issue of contention will be the personal possession of the spirit of
prophecy [and doctrines held by the SOP as opposed to mainstream Christianity eg. The definition of the Holy Spirit, rb]. It is the sword of the Lord upon His people.
Matt. 10:40, 41 – “He that receiveth you
receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that
receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward;
and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall
receive a righteous man’s reward.”
Many will rise up against the testimony of the
True Witness, as it comes through those who will be endowed with the spirit of
prophecy; and they will not bear the counsel revealed therein, nor will they
accept the servants of God as servants of God but will regard them as deluded
by the devil. It [the Spirit of Prophecy] is the sword of the Lord which
will cause the shaking. Those who have failed to purchase the gold tried in
the fire will not stand the test. “A prophet is not without honor, save in his
own country, and in his own house.” (Matt. 13:57).
Perfection
Through Suffering
Obedience is learned and perfection is
attained through suffering. To prove this, and lest any should murmur against
God for bringing this suffering to bear upon them, Jesus, the Captain of our
salvation, humbled Himself and subjected Himself to this process in order to
become our example, that we might be able to follow through with the painful
process, having the knowledge and assurance that He has gone the road before
and triumphed.
Heb. 5:8-10 – “Though he were a Son, yet
learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made
perfect, he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them
that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedck.” (That is, after His perfection, He became a
priest. He is our example; we too are to attain perfection and priesthood). See
Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6.
Heb. 2:10, 11 – “For it became him, for whom
are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many
sons unto glory, to make the captain of
their salvation perfect through sufferings. For
both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified
is all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”
But the kind of suffering whereby Jesus
learned obedience was not the consequence of His transgression; it was the
consequence of man’s sins. To share the sufferings of Christ means to share in
suffering which we do not deserve.
1 Pet. 2:19 – “For this is thankworthy, if a
man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering
wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your
faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it,
ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. (cf. Rev. 14:12: “Here is
the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and
the faith of Jesus.” The faith of Jesus is the faith which is tried in the
fire, and it is the love of Jesus, also tried in the fire, which enables them
to keep the commandments). For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ
also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that
ye should follow his steps: who did no
sin, neither was guild found in His mouth:”
So we need to be prepared to enter into the
fellowship of His sufferings, for this is the only way we can learn
obedience. If there were any easier way, Christ would have provided it. Only by
death to self, by taking up our cross and following Him, can we rise to the
newness of life without sin. The new heart and the knowledge of God,
promised by the everlasting covenant, come only by the process of sharing His
sufferings.
1 Pet. 4:1, 2 – “Forasmuch then as Christ hath
suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with
the same mind: for he that hath suffered in
the flesh hath ceased from sin; that
he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men,
but to the will of God.
1st Pet. 5:10 – “But the God of all
grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after
that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,
settle you.”
The reason we need to arm ourselves and brace
up to meet this experience is that the experience is a fiery trial.
1st Pet. 4:12-14 – “Beloved, think
it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you (to purify the
gold), as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice,
inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall
be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for
the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you:”
Peter is not here speaking about suffering
which is brought on by our own sins.
1 Pet. 4:15 – “But let none of you suffer as a
murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men’s
matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him
not be ashamed.”
And when we do enter the furnace and suffer
unjustly and unfairly, when our motives and character are grossly misconstrued
(as is the character and motive of Christ, whose sufferings we are sharing), we
should react not with rebellion and self-defense, but by committing ourselves
to Him. This is where we emulate the “faith of Jesus;” for He depended totally
upon the protection of His Father—even in Gethsemane He rebuked Peter for
drawing the sword. And who could testify to this better than Peter!?
1 Pet. 2:23 – “Who, when he was reviled,
reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed
himself to him that judgeth righteously:” This is the faith of Jesus which
we must emulate. (cf. Rev. 14:12)
1 Pet. 4:19 – “Wherefore let them that suffer according
to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing,
as unto a faithful Creator.”
God has called His people to offer the
sacrifices of righteousness and put their total trust in Him. He has called His
people to enter the fiery furnace of affliction in order to bring about their
purification, the cleansing of their soul temples. This is according to His
will. If we commit ourselves to His keeping, we will then become chosen in the
furnace of affliction. (cf. Isa. 48:10) And if we are faithful – that is, if
our faith in His loving-kindness and mercy and justice remain steadfast in the
face of the terrible ordeal, if we can maintain our implicit trust in Him, then
we become “called and chosen and faithful.” (cf. Rev. 17:14) Then we become
counted among those who have the patience of the saints and the faith of Jesus.
God has put forth the call (Rev. 14:6, 7); we
make the choice. And the degree to which we can remain faithful determines our
position. This is the judgment of the living. Let me explain.
The first angel’s message presents the
everlasting gospel and calls God’s people to fear Him and to give glory to Him,
because the hour of His judgment is come. (Rev. 14:6, 7)
The everlasting gospel is the good news of
sins forgiven and the provision for salvation from sin and from its penalty of
eternal death. It is, in fact, the essence of the everlasting covenant. In view
of this marvellous provision, we are called to fear
God and give glory to Him. To fear God does not mean to be afraid of Him;
rather it means to respect and reverence Him for His wonderful gift to man. To
give glory to Him means to give Him credit for what He has done; to acknowledge
Him as a God of love and righteousness.
The
reason for His requesting us to do this is that the hour of His judgment
is come. We have long regarded this judgment to refer to the saints, first and
the dead and then the living. That is, we have taken it to mean our
judgment – that we are being judged by Him. And there is no doubt that
this is what it means. Nevertheless, the meaning of this passage is not
exhausted by this one interpretation; for no human mind can exhaust a single
passage of Scripture. (Education 171).
A few years ago there appeared in the Review
and Herald an article which presented another view, one which I have personally
held for a long time. The righteous nature of the character of the Godhead was
originally challenged by Lucifer, and it has been consistently misrepresented
by him for thousands of years. In the last generation, the true nature of the
character of God is to be vindicated; His righteousness is to be fully
revealed; He is to be justified in the eyes of His universe. The hour of
His judgment (His court trial) is come, the hour when His witnesses are to come
forward and proclaim Him righteous – to give glory to Him. He has long promised
that Jesus came to save His people from their sins; now that promise is to be
fulfilled in the lives of the 144,000. Their temples are to be fully
cleansed. They are to be witnesses at His judgment, proving that His
word is indeed true and that His character is all that He has claimed it to be.
“It is our privilege today to become His final
witnesses. But we can become such only if we submit to the cleansing discipline
of the cup of His sufferings and of His baptism. This discipline is a strange
and fiery trial; but it will yield pure gold. The image of Jesus will be
perfectly reproduced in His people – a testimony to the truthfulness of the
promises of the everlasting gospel and new covenant.
Thus, not only are the living saints judged by
their actual demonstration of victory, but their Lord is also judged and His
righteous character vindicated by the same demonstration.
But the fiery trial will be so strange, so
apparently unreasonable, that God has purposed to send a renewed message of
interpretation to His people in this generation. For many would misunderstand
it and be tempted to accuse God of unfaithfulness to His promise of care and
protection. For the underlying instigator of the persecution is none other than
Satan; God permits him to do it. Satan does it in an effort to break the
faith of God’s people in the righteousness and mercy of their King. And
without an understanding of its purpose, some would lose their faith. But God designs that it should try
their faith, and strengthen it. The fiery trial is a trial that will separate
and differentiate, a sword that will divide. Only those who accept the message for this hour will endure it.
Nevertheless, He does not suffer us to endure
temptation beyond that which we are able to bear, but makes a way of escape. (1
Cor. 10:13) When the fire gets too hot (and hot it will get), we may ask Him to
turn off the heat. Yet, if we are unable to bear the trial patiently, without
murmuring and complaining, then the trial must be brought upon us again. We
must be prepared to drink another draught of the bitter cup until it produces
the desired effect.
Early Writings 46, 47 – “ If we
overcome our trials, and get victory over the temptations of Satan, then we
endure the trial of our faith, which is more precious than gold, and are
stronger and better prepared to meet the next. . . . We must have on the whole
armor of God, and be ready at any moment for a conflict with the powers of
darkness. When temptations and trials rush in upon us, let us go to God, and
agonize with Him in prayer. He will not turn us away empty, but will give us
grace and strength to overcome, and to break the power of the enemy. Oh, that
all could see these things in their true light, and endure hardness as good
soldiers of Jesus! Then would Israel move forward, strong in God, and in
the power of His might.
“God has shown me that He gave His people a
bitter cup to drink, to purify and cleanse them. It is a bitter draught,
and they can make it still more bitter by murmuring,
complaining, and repining. But those who receive it thus must have another
draught, for the first does not have its designed effect upon the heart. And if
the second does not affect the work, then they must have another, and another,
until it does have its designed effect, or they will be left filthy, impure
in heart. I saw that this bitter cup can be sweetened by patience,
endurance, and prayer, and that it will have its designed effect upon
the hearts of those who thus receive it, and God will be honored and
glorified. (cf. First angel’s message, Rev. 14:7). It is no small things to
be a Christian, and to be owned and approved of God
“We must be partakers of Christ’s
sufferings here, if we would share in His glory hereafter. . . .” “. . .
They have the standard of piety altogether too low, and they come far short of
Bible Holiness. Some engage in vain and
unbecoming conversation and others give way to the risings of self.
We must not expect to please ourselves, live
and act like the world, have its pleasures, and enjoy the company of those who
are of the world, and reign with Christ in glory.” [Ibid, EW 47]
Here, then, is the faith and love tried in the
fire. (Rev. 3:18) Only those who have fortified their minds with the truths of
the Bible will be able to accept the fiery trial without losing faith in the
justice, mercy, and love of God. The trial will cause a separation; some will prove
to be gold; others wood, hay, and stubble. Some will see their suffering as an
experimental knowledge of the love of God, who accepted such suffering for
their salvation; others will see only the apparent injustice of a cruel God.
Many will not be able to endure. This is because they have failed to heed the
counsel of the True Witness to buy this gold and to make the preparation for
the marriage and fill their lamps with oil. Unless their faith has been
strengthened by the repeated exercise of trials, they cannot endure the final
fiery test. Only a full, personal, experiential revelation of the
love of God will suffice to motivate and constrain to a total allegiance. And
this revelation comes through sharing the sufferings of Christ. By personal
experience we learn a little of what Jesus endured for our sakes. And in
learning this, we suddenly realize what a wonderful character of love He must
possess, that it would constrain Him to go to such depths of misrepresentation
and persecution and suffering in order to save us. This knowledge, this
realization, bestirs within us a reciprocal love. It wins our allegiance.
When we share His cross in full knowledge of the meaning of that experience,
then He is lifted up in our hearts personally, and we are drawn to Him. (John
12:32) The love of God is born in our hearts. Christ is formed in us. When
this love is strengthened, it impels us to obey every commandment of God.
Christ’s Object
Lessons, 378 – “Belief in the propitiation for sin enables fallen man to
love God with his whole heart, and his neighbor as himself.”
And this love is the fulfilling of the law.
(Rom. 13:10)
But the acquisition of faith and love by
experience is progressive. And as these are progressively tested and the tests
are successfully surmounted, they are strengthened. When the development attains a level
sufficient to demonstrate implicit and total trust in God, and to produce
unwavering and faithful allegiance to His commandments, then the full
delivering of the everlasting covenant is experienced.
Nevertheless, it is a long and trying experience, and it will develop the patience of the saints.
Heb 10:35-38 – “Cast
not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For
ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God,
ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come
will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if
any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in
him.
Heb. 12:1, 2 – “. . .and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith.”
Jas. 1:2-4 – “My brethren, count it all joy
when ye fall into divers temptations (trial); Knowing
this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience
have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Rev. 3:10-12 – “Because thou hast kept the
word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,
which shall come upon all the world, to try them that
dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast,
that no man take they crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the
temple of my God.” Cf. EW 19 – “Only the 144,000 enter this place (the temple
on Mount Zion).”
But this entire procedure cannot be
accomplished without the Spirit of God. All the provisions of the covenant, and
the sacrifice of Christ, can be of no avail without the baptism of the Holy
Ghost.
Rom. 5:3-5 – “. . .but we glory in tribulations
also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and
experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is
shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us., For
when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
The
Baptisms of Jesus [From here through the remainder of this manuscript]
Those who are to attain to an entrance into
the temple on Mount Zion [the 144,000 (EW 19)] and to sharing the throne of
Christ (Rev. 3:21), must not only drink of the cup of which He drank (Matt.
26:39), but they must also be baptized with His baptism. (Matt. 20:21-23) The
Scripture reveals three kinds of baptism by which Jesus was baptized.
All of these apply to those of His followers
who are called and chosen and faithful. (Rev. 17:14)
The first baptism is that of water. Jesus
experienced this at the hand of John. (Matt. 3:13-15) Water baptism is a symbol
that the candidate is taking on a new life and leaving the old behind. In the
case of Jesus it meant that He was no longer to be the carpenter of Nazareth
but the Messiah of Israel.
But water baptism is also an outward symbol
that the candidate is to be anointed by the Holy Ghost and become a partaker of
the divine nature. This is an inward experience which can only be represented
outwardly by a symbol. Water baptism is an outward representation of the
baptism of the Hoy Ghost, which is an inward
experience. This is the second baptism by which Jesus was baptized. The evidence
that Jesus was receiving this anointing was given immediately after His water
baptism by John. (Matt. 3:16)
He promised a similar baptism for His
disciples, which occurred first at Pentecost. (Acts 1:5, 8; 2:1-4, 16-18; cf.
John 1:33) Subsequent converts were also to receive this baptism of the Holy
Ghost after their conversion. (Acts 8:14-17) The anointing and baptism of the
Holy Ghost at this stage was the former rain experience. There is also to be a
latter rain experience. The time for this experience to occur is now.
But Jesus experienced another baptism.
He spoke of this in His answer to James and John. At this time He asked them if
they were able to drink of the cup whereof He would have to drink and be
baptized with the baptism wherewith He would be baptized. (Matt. 20:22)
The cup was the suffering of emotional pain,
of which He would drink the bitterest draught at Gethsemane and the cross.
(Matt. 26:38, 39) James and John – and all others who are His chosen ones, to
be His witnesses – will also taste of this cup. (Matt. 20:23; cf. 1 Pet.
4:1, 12, 13; 2:19-21)
But Jesus here also refers to a difficult and future
baptism wherewith He was yet to be baptized.
Luke 12:50 – “But I have a baptism to be
baptized with; and how am I straitened (pained) till it be
accomplished!”
This baptism was obviously still not
consummated. In the associated verses, He explains the nature of it.
Luke 12:49-53 – “I am come to send fire on
the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to
be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you,
Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five
in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father
shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother
against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law
against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against the
mother-in-law.”
This passage appears to be strangely
contradictory in the light of His promise to bring peace on earth. (Isa. 9:6,
7; Luke 2:14; John 14:27) But the fire which He kindled is the fire of division
and persecution resulting from variance in acceptance of Him as the Messiah.
All who would accept Him and demonstrate that
acceptance by living “godly in Christ Jesus” would suffer persecution. (2 Time.
3:12) They too must be baptized with the baptism of fire. John the Baptist
said:
“Matt. 3:11 – “I indeed baptize you with water
unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I
am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with
fire:[4]
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather
his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable
fire.”
This is clearly a reference to the purging and
shaking of His people, to the purifying and singling out of the sons of Levi,
the 144,000 priests. And it is here called a baptism of fire. It is expressed
again quite plainly in Early Writings,
as follows:
EW 67 – “I saw that those who of late have
embraced the truth would have to know what it is to suffer for Christ’s sake,
that they would have trials to pass through that would be keen and cutting, in
order that they may be purified, and fitted through suffering to
receive the seal of the living God, pass through the time of trouble,
see the King in His beauty, and dwell in the presence of God and of pure, holy
angels.
“As I saw what we must be in order to inherit
glory, and then saw how much Jesus had suffered to obtain for us to rich an
inheritance, I prayed that we might be baptized into Christ’s sufferings,
that we might not shrink at trials, but bear them with patience and joy, knowing
what Jesus had suffered that we through His poverty and sufferings might be
made rich.” [EW 67].
But what is it that brings the fiery trial of
purification upon the saints? It is the same thing which brought the fiery
trial upon Jesus. Not as though He needed the trial for purification. O no! He
was already pure. But He humbled Himself to the ordeal of His sufferings
in order to pave the way for us to endure that trial which is the only means whereby we could
become purified. Had He not gone that road before, we would lose our faith
during those severe experiences and count Him to be an unjust and unmerciful
God. That is why He accepted His cross. It was a revelation of His
love for us. And that is why we will accept our cross; it is a
revelation of the love we bear for Him.
But what was it that brought on His trial? In
doing always the will of His Father, Jesus set Himself at variance with the
leaders of His people; and He brought on division, misunderstanding of His true
motives, and the fires of persecution among His own people and brethren and
relatives. His message, the Word of God, was sharper than any two-edged sword;
and it divided asunder. (cf. Heb. 4:12) It is not with pleasure that God brings
the sword of His mouth upon His people. (cf. Ezek. 21:9-13) The pain which this
brings to Him is His deepest sorrow; and it caused Jesus to publicly weep. Not
often do men weep; and then, seldom in public. Why did He weep?
Luke 19:41-44 – “And when he was come near, he
beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at
least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are
hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies
shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on
every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and they children within
thee; and they shall not leave thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”
At the time Jesus spoke these words, he was
riding into Jerusalem on a colt; and the multitude were rejoicing and praising
God with a loud voice – but some of the Pharisees asked Him to rebuke those
people. Jesus answered that if the disciples wee to hold their peace, the very
stones would cry out. (see v. 28-48) It was at this
point that He wept.
Why did He weep? Because Jerusalem, His chosen
people, would not receive Him; they did not recognize Him. Yet it was not for
His own sake that He wept, but because He knew the sad consequences of
rejection of the only One who could bring salvation to
Jerusalem and save it from destruction. Only the sword of His mouth could bring
the words of eternal life. Yet He knew that this sword would become, to those
who refused its truth, a destroying weapon. (cf. Ezek. 9:1-6)
When He was in the temple, teaching, the chief
priests and elders came to Him asking by what authority He did so. In reply He
challenged them to tell whether the baptism of John was from heaven or of men.
But they dared not answer that question either by “yes” or “no.” Then Jesus
spoke to them two parables, both of which taught that others would receive the
kingdom before they would; publicans and harlots would go in before them. He
spoke of the stone which the builders rejected. (Read Matt. 21:23-46).
As John came in the spirit and power of Elias
as the forerunner of the first advent of Jesus, calling the Jews and Jerusalem
to the baptism of repentance, to prepare them to receive their Messiah and the
baptism of the Holy Ghost in the early rain; even so is someone promised to
come in the spirit and power of Elias as the forerunner of the second Advent,
calling modern Jerusalem to repentance and reformation, in preparation for the
sudden coming of the Holy Ghost to His temple by the baptism of fire in the
latter rain. Jerusalem (God’[s church) will then again have the opportunity of
accepting or rejecting the message which comes by him. Men may again challenge
the authority of the messenger and question his teaching. (TM 475; 4 BC 1184)
Should all Jerusalem choose to reject the
messengers preceding the coming of Christ to His temple in the latter rain,
the Lord would come to smite the earth with a curse. This He clearly disclosed
in the last words of the Old Testament, the last words ever delivered through
His prophets before laying down His eternal heritage to become an everlasting
sacrifice on behalf of man. (Mal. 4:6; Mark 9:12; cf
John 1:21 and Luke 9:30) But that same text verily promises that he who shall
come to restore all things will have a message that will bear its fruit. And
the word of prophecy is certain and sure. Therefore, as in the days of John
many came to repentance, and as in the experience of Jesus all that the Father
gave Him came to Him; even so, today, those who
are called by the Sprit of Truth, and who choose to follow their Master all
the way, will respond and be found faithful. But these must share in the
experience of Jesus and receive of His baptisms – of water, and of the Spirit, and
of fire.
The third baptism of Jesus represents
an immersion in emotional pain and sorrow resulting from the
misunderstanding, the slander, and the persecution, caused
by His speaking forth the plain words of truth to His own people. In
speaking forth His testimony, He must unavoidably make it appear to them
(because of their own blindness and bigotry, not because of the truth) that He
was a false prophet operating under the power of the prince of devils. (Matt.
10:25; 12:24) And their rejection of Him as their Messiah, and of the prophets
who foretold His coming, seared and stung His sensitive soul. Thus also will
the souls of His saints be seared and stung; and they will weep between the
porch and the altar.
Early Writings 64 – “ His life was one of toil, sorrow, and suffering; He then
gave Himself for us. Those who, in Christ’s stead, beseech
souls to be reconciled to God, and who hope to reign with Christ in glory, must
expect to be partakers of His sufferings here. They that sow in tears shall
reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing
precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves
with him.’ Ps. 126:5, 6.”
Remember, it is the counsel called forth by
the testimony of the True Witness to the Laodiceans
which causes the shaking and separating. Not that the words of truth are to
blame, nor the speaking forth of those words; but the hearts of His beloved
people in Jerusalem – His own kindred flesh and blood – are not entirely right
with Him. They have made themselves lukewarm toward Him and spurned the
totality of His love. If they had not done this, they would already even now
have been in the kingdom. But they are not in the kingdom, because they have
not responded wholeheartedly to His appeal, “If ye love me, keep my
commandments.” They do not even acknowledge the extent to which this request
can be fulfilled; nor do they yet recognize His messengers of this truth for
the present hour, whose message would open their understanding, if they would
completely fulfil the conditions for receiving the Holy Spirit, whose
enlightenment would guide them into all the truth for this day of emergency.
Jesus saw His rejection, as expressed in these
words:
Mark 10:33, 34 – “Behold, we go up to
Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and
unto the scribes and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to
the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit
upon him, and shall kill him; and the third day he shall rise again.”
This vision was no doubt in His mind the day
He rode the colt into Jerusalem. It was following this passage that HE spoke to
James and John of His baptism. (See v. 34-40) He expresses it again in Matthew
23:37-39.
This experience will have its parallel in our
day; for the words of Revelation eleven will have a renewed application to the
two witnesses of the old and new covenants (which are the old and new
testaments). These two witnesses will again bear their testimony, which is the
sword of the Lord; and they will take the consequences; namely, the baptism of
fire. Whoso readeth, let him understand.
The temple of God is to be measured – the
living temple which is to become the dwelling place of God by the indwelling of
the Holy Ghost. (cf. Rev. 3:20; Mal. 3:1-3; 1 Cor. 3:16,
cf. 6:19.)
Jesus’ emotional suffering in the baptism of
fire was not caused only by the disappointment of His rejection by the
Pharisees and leaders of His people, but because of His knowing that
such rejection would cause many blind sheep of the flock, who were followers of
their blind leaders, to also reject Him (Matt. 15:12-14) – and that such
rejection would bring upon those people the abomination of desolation. He knew
they would have to suffer the pangs of severe discipline, and that His chosen
ones would have to flee from the sanctuary of Jerusalem and the shelter of
Judea, under most difficult circumstances, when they should see the abomination
of desolation stand in that holy place.
Matt. 23:37-39 – “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou
that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often
would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathered her
chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold your house is left unto
you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see
me henceforth till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the
Lord.”
Matt. 24:14-22 – “When ye therefore shall see
the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the
holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand) Then let them which be in Judea
flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take
any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is
in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe
unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But
pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither
on the Sabbath day: For then shall great tribulation, such as was not since the
beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall
be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”
Here is a prime example of a passage of
Scripture containing a stereoptic meaning – a dual
application. If the time of trouble here mentioned, referred primarily to the
physical destruction of the temple and the flight of the saints from literal
Jerusalem in A.D. 70, then the time of trouble spoken of in connection with the
closing scenes of earth’s history could not be as great; for the passage says
there will never again be such a time of trouble. Yet the Spirit of Prophecy
says the final time of trouble will be unsurpassed. Therefore, these words of
Christ have a deeper meaning than appears on the surface – even as the servant
of the Lord says do all His sayings. (COL 110)
There is also another stereoscopic meaning
here. Babylon is a representation of the fallen churches; but Jerusalem is a
representation of God’s chosen church. Jesus wept over Jerusalem; we have
no record that He wept over Babylon. The servants of God who will bear the
straight testimony of the True Witness will be rejected by members of their own
household, of their own family, and of their own church. They will mourn
not only because of the persecution they must endure, but because they know the
severe consequences which will ensue in the experience of those of their loved
ones and brethren who reject the message. They will be deeply pained to see the
complete misunderstanding, misrepresenting and the reaction on the part of some
of their dear ones and friends, and of their brethren. They will be desolated
to see the pain which their message causes to those friends and loved ones.
Think not that it was an easy thing for Jesus to offend His people. (cf. John
6:61, 66, 67) Then do you wonder at all, now, why I should find it so difficult
to bring you this portion of God’s testimony to you? Ezekiel 21:1-13
will come to pass; but let not Jeremiah 25:34-36 become true of you.
This is the baptism of fire and division and
persecution of which the followers of Jesus will partake when they go all the
way with Him. Will you choose with Jesus and James and John to go this route? Will
you choose to take up your cross and follow Him? Or will you become one of the
persecutors? Brethren, I implore you to heed the counsel to anoint your eyes
with eyesalve, that you may discern what is the truth in this matter.
The Jews blamed Jesus for bringing dissension
into their midst. But He was in fact bringing them the words of eternal life.
His followers today will fare no better; they too will be accused of bringing
in dissension. Satan has brought forth so many counterfeits in the experience of
the Remnant Church that God’s people are now thoroughly conditioned to reject
all innovations. That is why God’s last day messengers will not relish their
task. They do not want to be branded as dissenters and troublemakers. But
impelled by the Holy Ghost and endowed with the courage of Elijah, they will
speak their message; and with a comparable fear they will shun the threatened
retaliation. There will be times when they will cry to God for deliverance,
even day and night. Nevertheless, it was the threat of Jezebel which drove
Elijah to the wilderness, where in his utter defeat and exhaustion he was fed
and strengthened by the angel’s food; and in this strength he was enabled to go
up to the Mountain of God, where he met His Lord and received the communion of
the still small voice. Then he returned to finish his task. (1 Kings 19:15-18)
Let us read again the warning of the True
Witness to us. We are lukewarm. We think we are rich and increased
with goods and have need of nothing. How often we [as a church]
reiterate and publish our great exploits. See the imposing statistics of our
expanding assets. Hear the comforting assurance that we have all the truth
needed to see us through to the kingdom – that there is no new message. I
wonder if our spirit is always right in the sight of God when expressing
these things? If there is no new message, let us note
that the old message says: if we do not repent, He will spew us out of His
mouth! Do you believe it?
But He says we are blind and naked. He is not
talking about physical blindness; He is talking about spiritual blindness. And
when He admonishes us to anoint our eyes with eyesalve,
He is not talking about our physical eyes. We need the anointing of the Holy
Ghost to enlighten our understanding of the old truths in a new way. We need
the latter rain to guide us into all truth. (John 16:13).
Neither is He speaking of physical nakedness.
He means we lack a spiritual covering to protect us in the time of trouble. He
means we do not have the white-linen robe of His righteousness; we
merely think we have it. If we had it, beloved, He would not advise us
to buy it, would He? And if we had it, we would now be in the kingdom, would we
not? There is then something about the meaning of the righteousness of Christ
which we need to understand or apply in a manner not yet accomplished. And this
something will be dealt with in succeeding pages at an appropriate time.
Do you then really believe the testimony of
the True Witness to the Laodicean church? I know you believe. But do you have
an ear to hear what the Spirit of Truth is saying to the church in our time –
the last of the seven churches? (Rev. 3:22) If you do, your mind will be
attuned to understand the solemn words contained in these pages, and you will
recognize the truth of the statements which follow.
A true child of God will have sensitive
feelings akin to those of Jesus. And the hardest kind of persecution such a man
can bear for Jesus’ sake is the misunderstanding of his true position and
motives by the loved ones of his household. This statement is literally true.
Nevertheless, it has also a stereoscopic meaning. For a man’s
household is the household of his faith – those who profess to believe the
teachings of the church to which he belongs. (Gal. 6:10)
These also may become his greatest
persecutors, even while not recognizing their actions as such, and even to
thinking they are doing him and God a great favor.
Such is the baptism of fire awaiting the
saints. It is the sword of the Lord upon His people, which causes the shaking.
It is a personal experience which reveals to them with extreme vividness the
nature of the sufferings which Christ endures in order to prepare the way of
salvation for His sheep to follow. And His sheep will hear His voice as
the still small voice of the Spirit of Truth; and they will follow.
(John 10:22-27)
The sword of the Lord shall first be upon His
people; and it is no easy thing for Him to bring that sword upon them, because
He knows what they must endure and the effect which the sword will have. But
for the joy beyond the cross, He sends the sword. And of His people, it shall
first come upon the principals of the flock. Not until it has done its work
will it become a destroying weapon upon all who reject the final message of the
testimony of Jesus.
When the abomination of desolation is seen to
stand in the holy place in Jerusalem,[5]
it is time for the saints to flee. For then shall be their time of trouble such
as never was. It is at this time that false Christs
and false prophets will arise in abundance. (See Matt. 24:15-25) And there is a
time of trouble before the final close of probation. This time is rapidly
approaching.
Mark 10:29-31 – “Verily, I say unto you, There
is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother,
or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall
receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses and brethren, and sisters, and
mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to
come, eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.”
Matt. 10:28-41 – “And fear not them which kill
the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able
to destroy both soul and body in hell. . . .Fear ye
not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore
shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is
in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before
my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on
earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword. . . .A man’s foes
shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more
than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is
not worthy of me. He that taketh not his cross and followeth
after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he
that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. He
that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that
sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive
a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a
righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.” [Matt. 10:41]
He receives a prophet’s reward in that he
receives the same message as the prophet; and it becomes his own, to keep and
to share.
Matt. 23:34 – ‘Wherefore,
behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye
shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues,
and persecute them from city to city: . . . Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.”
This prophecy has a renewed application in our
generation. And the scourging in the synagogues does not have to be physical;
for God teaches by similitudes. (Hos. 12:10) Brethren, let us open our eyes!
Sister White makes a statement to the effect
that when the messengers of truth see the reactions to their testimony, they
will determine to remain quiet, and thus avoid the unpleasant controversy. But
the power of God comes upon them and they are impelled to speak forth the truth
regardless of consequences. Such behavior appears to be irrational; and these
messengers will be labelled heretics, fanatics, troublers of the people,
deluded servants of Satan, and even mentally disturbed.
A careful reading of the foregoing material
will reveal significant implications to all whose minds are guided by the Holy
Spirit. But to those whose preconceived opinions bar the door to an expanded
understanding, no renewed meaning will appear. Not until we receive the baptism
of the Holy Ghost will we be guided into a personal understanding of all the
truth for this crucial hour; for such is the work of the Spirit of Truth.
In the outpouring of the latter rain, the
Spirit is to prepare the saints for the final conflict with Satan and for their
ultimate meeting with the personal Christ. This experience of receiving the
latter rain is intimately related to the terms and the outworking of the
everlasting covenant. (To be more fully explained later.) For by it the fiery
trial becomes a purifier of silver and of the gold of faith and love; without
it, the dross remains. By it the sword of the Word fortifies and seals; without
it, the sword separates and destroys. When the fiery trial comes upon us, the
true nature of our inmost souls will be laid bare. Then we come to the parting
of the ways.
Let me make one more observation before terminating
this section. All prophecy is for certain sure; it is immutable. But the
precise nature of its application to any particular situation or person is
conditional. It is within the power of your group choice whether and how this
prophecy will apply to you, as a “city” organization; and it is within the
power of your individual choice whether and how this prophecy will apply to you
as an individual citizen in that city. You can determine which conditions shall
prevail, as far as you are concerned.
Nevertheless, you will likely not yet be in a
position to make a rational decision, because major areas of truth have not yet
been covered. Forthcoming sections will bring to light numerous interpretations
which have an important bearing on the experience of the final remnant. An
irrevocable negative decision should not be made until those pages have been
honestly considered and seriously pondered.
***********
(At this point, you may wish to again read
through the entire correspondence and manuscript – slowly, and with deliberate
concentration. It is highly probable that new views will occur to you which you
did not discern during your first exposure. Subsequent sections will add
further insight and enlightenment to these pages.)
***********
MH 478 – “Of all the gifts that heaven can
bestow upon men, fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honor. Not Enoch, who was
translated to heaven, not Elijah, who ascended in a chariot of fire, was
greater or more honored than John the Baptist, who perished alone in the
dungeon.”
Note by Ron: The above manuscript was written
by J. Wilfred Johnson in 1968. It was written for and sent to General
Conference leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist church. They forthrightly rejected
the teaching of Mr. Johnson, who was a college professor and a first elder of
the Canadian Union College church for about 40 years.
I have never read anything that inspired me
more to want to overcome sin and be part of the bride of Jesus Christ.
—rwb
[3] [Note by Ron: Such
individuals will be guests at the wedding of Christ’s bride, the 144,000. It is
the 144,000 who are without fault. All others are guests and if guests they
cannot be the bride, The Great
Controversy, pp. 427.
“Clearly, then, the bride
represents the Holy City, and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom
are a symbol of the church. In the Revelation the people of God are said to be
the guests at the marriage supper. Revelation 19:9. If guests, they
cannot be represented also as the bride.”
"The
people of God, symbolized by a holy woman and her children, were represented as
greatly in the minority. In the last days only a remnant still existed. Of
these John speaks as they 'which keep the commandments of God, and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ." E. G. White, Signs of the Times, Nov.
1, 1899, and Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p.
972.
Isaiah
62, as well, mentions the Sons and daughters of Zion, the bride,
that is married. The “children” are
those who did not mature into the overcoming state of the 144,000 who are
blameless before God, Rev. 14:
Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty [and] four thousand,
having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters,
and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping
with their harps:
Rev 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and
before the four beasts, and the elders: and no
man could learn that song
but the hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand, which were
redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled
with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, [being] the
firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile:
for they are without fault before the throne of God. End note.
[4] The 144,000 will go
through the time of trouble and be baptized with the fire of persecution. rb
[5] I would add “literal Jerusalem,” and modern-day
spiritual Jerusalem, the professing SDA church, while recalling the fact that
Jesus gathered out the faithful from the apostate Jerusalem church as the first
act of His ministry in A.D. 27—Desire of
Ages, 232. The disciples continued that gathering out and they formed home
churches all over Judea for decades before the abomination of desolation first
appeared in A.D. 66, to return in A.D. 70, as the following Bible evidence
portrays: Scripture on Home Churches
Act 16:32 And
they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
Act 16:34 And
when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced,
believing in God with all his house.
Act 16:40 And
they went out of the prison, and entered into [the house of] Lydia: and when
they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Act 18:7 And
he departed thence, and entered into a certain [man's] house, named Justus,
[one] that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
Rom 16:5 Likewise [greet] the church
that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the
firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
1Cr 1:11 For
it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them [which are of the
house] of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
1Cr 16:15 I beseech you, brethren,
(ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and
[that] they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
1Cr 16:19 The
churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord,
with the church that is in their house.