[The
Personal Reminiscence tape was first recorded by J. W. Johnson about 1956
or 1957 on a two hour reel-to-reel audio tape, while on a bed of sickness
at home. This was transcribed to written for about 1990, and was
subsequently reviewed, then briefly edited by Bro. Johnson] J. W. Johnson
(1915-1995).
Taken
from the book: Panorama of Truth,
Vol. II, which is an assembling of the messages by J. W. Johnson, made
by John Wells.
Personal Reflections on Early Experiences
When
I first began this series of tapes, I had no intention of producing a
series. I was merely intending to record a few personal thoughts for future
reference, perhaps to be of value to someone, sometime, who might have
occasion to listen to them. I did not have in mind preparing them for any
specific purpose, but it sees that I’m just getting involved in a more
complicated presentation as I proceed. And it occurs to me that perhaps I
should continue and develop this into a series that will contain a record
of the essential truths which I have seen, I believe, under the influence
of the
Spirit of God, down through the last seventeen years.
In
the light of what has been said on previous tapes, it will be recognized
that these truths are related to the experiences of God’s people in the
closing hours of earth’s history.
It
was while I was still back at the college (Canadian Junior College), when I
first began to receive an understanding of our doctrines, that I asked God
on one occasion why it was that I was obtaining an insight into some of our
teachings which apparently went beyond that understood by our teachers. And
it was at that time that God revealed to me the sweeping truth concerning
the return of His prophet Elijah to deliver the everlasting covenant’ and
it was practically impossible for me to grasp the entire significance of
that statement, when I recognized that He was calling me to fulfil this
prophecy.
It
must still be recognized, not only by myself but by anyone who may become
concerned with the matter, that I as an individual am but a pattern of
electrical, biological, chemical, physical and other forces; that I am but
dust of the ground, and that if I should turn my heart against God, refuse
to become His servant, that this prophecy will not obtain its fulfillment
in my experience.
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God
can create any number of human bodies into which He can implant the person,
and nature, and character, and mind of His prophet Elijah. This again will
not be easily accepted until it is understood in the light of some physical
facts which I can present, and will probably do so later.
You
will notice that on many occasions as I have been speaking, I have made
references in a promissory way to some future topic which we will discuss.
This gives merely an indication of the complexity of the problem of
attempting to present these things in a manner that can be grasped and
comprehended correctly, and fairly easily. I regret in a way that I do not
possess the ability to command English in a manner that can reproduce the
entire impression as a sort of panoramic picture or series of them, as I
saw them.
In
fact, speech is an inadequate tool to do that. At best, we can only present
the various ingredients, and it will remain for the Spirit of God to fulfil
the promise and the word, and guide you into all truth.
I
think I’ll attempt now to present a phase of truth which is very
pertinently related to the basic concept of the regeneration, and the
unifying agency of the Sabbath; and to the general principles of salvation.
It is the concept of creation.
Creation – A Personal Stumbling Block
In
the early days of my teen-age, creation was the great stumbling block in my
Christian experience. I found it impossible to accept a literal, six day
creation in the light of evidences which I saw in the natural world, that
all things appearing on this earth came through a process of growth and
development. And it was not until I reached the College on that memorable
year [1941], that I was privileged to receive an understanding of the
harmony between nature and the biblical account of creation.
I
would like to assure you that they do harmonize, and that the key to the
harmonization gives a new meaning to the Sabbath; and that this new meaning
is the one which is directly related to the sealing among the 144,000, and
the regeneration.
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It
should be evident to any careful observer that creation in the universe of
God normally takes place through the slow and quiet process of evolutionary
growth. That’s how I got here.
A few
years ago I did not exist. I was not in this world – and neither were you.
And through the biological union of two tiny cells, containing marvellous
patterns of development (inherited factors), I grew. The absorption of food
materials by my mother under the influence and control of these inheritance
factors, developed into the structure which is now my body. And through
this body the intricate patterns of mentality developed, and I became a
person. If this pattern of biological material is in any way seriously
interfered with then I cease to exist as a person.
It is
possible to modify various areas and not destroy the identity of my
personality, but when the pattern is seriously interfered with, then my
person becomes seriously modified. I could give a complete study on this
subject, and there again will probably do so in due course of time.
Scientists Err When They Refuse to Accept Genesis
The
various worlds which are in existence out in the universe are evolving through
various natural processes. And some theories have been advanced as to how
worlds might be created, and it is very possible that some of these
theories approach the truth.
But
there is one place where our scientists have blundered. Their observations
may be very nearly correct in many fields. But when they fail to accept the
clear-cut statements of the revealed Word of truth, they will fall into
error. And this they have done – because they have refused to accept the
simple statements in the first chapters of Genesis.
The
world was created in six days. We believe that. But I did not believe it
for a long time. And God finally opened my mind to understand the harmony
that exists between the creation of this world, and that of other worlds,
and I found it possible to believe, because it is the most logical concept
in the light of the facts available. You see, in the days before the
creation of this world, far back in the distant past. Christ, the Son of
God, was the supreme Ruler. But He
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Manifested
the character of God which was self-sacrificing love. And at no time was it
His habit to display himself or to make a clear-cut issue of His great
power. He was humble. He was the Creator, but He performed His works of
creation through the natural processes of His laws, sometimes permitting
His other created beings to share in the work, even as He does today.
For
you see, God permitted me to have a share in the creation of my children,
not only biologically, but in the molding of their very thinking through
our child training program.
And
thus God’s firstborn creature, I mean God’s first created creature other
than His only-begotten Son, was the son of the morning – Lucifer.
You see, the morning is the first part of the day. Lucifer was the first
created being. He was the most exalted; and apparently, Gabriel came next.
And these two were the covering cherubs.
Lucifer
unquestionably had the privilege of sharing in various works of creative
art and other worlds. And as long as he was in harmony with the laws of
God, everything went well. But Lucifer manifested a selfish characteristic,
contrary to the character of Christ –much like our scientists today.
Because he saw that creative works were performed through natural means, he
felt that there was no need for Christ as the master Creator. In fact, if
he had any idea that Christ really was the Creator, he could
never have entertained the thought that he could become equal with God.
The
temptation to become equal with God grew out of the fact that Christ had a
character of self-renunciation and did not display Himself. And thus,
Lucifer felt that he might possibly be able to institute a new system of
government, and laws which would permit him to indulge his selfishness. And
many of the angels favoured his ideas.
There
was only one way that this controversy could be cleared up without risking
allegiance of love. Allegiance to God’s government was purely on the basis
of love. If Christ had destroyed Lucifer and those who sympathized with
him, the rest of His creatures would have served Him because they would
have been afraid of Him. It would have been an allegiance of fear – and
thus the controversy began.
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Demonstration by Creation of a Special World
In
order to demonstrate that Christ was the true Creator, He prepared the
plans for the creation of a special world; one in which He would
demonstrate that He was the true Creator. Not with the idea of showing off,
or making Himself prominent; but with the idea of saving the universe from
destruction under the influence of Satan. Satan was not permitted to enter
the councils concerning the creation of this world, and this
made him all the more antagonistic.
When
Christ was ready, He spoke this world into existence manifesting the
enormous power which God had given Him as the only-begotten Son. There may
be some question as to how long it took Christ to create each day’s work.
There need hardly be any question about that. God labored for six days. It
is not conceivable that He labored for one second on each of those days,
and then rested for 23 hours and 59 minutes and 59 seconds.
Now,
even as He expects us to labor diligently for six days and rest on the
seventh, so He labored on each of those six days. And just how much time of
those six days it took Him to create the various articles is not the
important thing, but unquestionably it took the better part of each of
those days. And just what it appeared like when man came on the scene, I
cannot tell. But I rather suspect that man did not just suddenly appear,
but that he grew in some fashion in a very accelerated
manner.
Creation of This World Was by Acceleration of
Natural Laws
The
creation of this world was accomplished through the use of natural laws.
But they were put to special tests, and the normal course was very much
accelerated. This is perhaps something like what happens when a miraculous
healing occurs. The healing process is greatly accelerated. Other factors,
of course, also enter into it. Christ will never again make such an
accelerate creation – it is not His usual method. This was a special
creation, a unique one, designed to reveal who the true Creator was.
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Then,
lest mankind or the universe should ever forget, He instituted a sign of
allegiance and HE hallowed the seventh day and honored it. And all those
who remember the seventh day and honor it, are thereby recognizing that
they believe in Christ as the true Creator, even though they may not see
any more miraculous creation than did Lucifer before his fall.
A New Slant on the Sabbath
This
puts a new slant on the Sabbath! It is the sign of faith in the natural
processes of God’s creation. It is a sign that we believe, that God created
us, even though we are products of biological forces. We are all different.
We teach our children that God made us. Do we believe it? If we do believe
it, we believe in evolutionistic growth.
When
I use the term “evolutionistic” I am aware that it may be misinterpreted.
I’m not using it in the sense of “theories of creation.” I’m using it in
the sense that variations and progressions occur through the use of natural
law, and in this sense it is evolutionistic.
Mankind,
as a human race, has evolved from the parents of Adam and Eve – they were
not suddenly snapped into existence. They grew and developed. I think you
will understand this sense.
As I
have said, in the light of the reason for this creation and the reason for
its method, it is obvious that such creation will never again occur in this
fashion. If it would, or if it were going to, there would have been no need
for the Sabbath. But now the Sabbath is here, and it will last forever. It
will be a continuous safeguard against the error which Satan made in the
first place. We will always know where creation starts.
How
Will God Create All Flesh Anew?
Adam
was the only one of the human race who was ever created directly from “the
dust of the ground.” We are all created from the dust of the ground, but
indirectly, through a complicated series or set of natural laws. And on the
basis of this, it is perfectly obvious that the resurrection will not occur
as a sudden appearance of bodies popping out of graves in which there were
no bodies to start with. If we want to know how God will create all flesh
anew, we merely have
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to
look to the sample of the resurrection, to the One who represents the
first-born and the firstfruits of this great creation – and that is Jesus.
He is the first-begotten from the dead. There is no place in all the
Scriptures where we have any record of anyone coming to life without coming
into a body which already existed, and which came into the world through
natural birth.
Moses
was raised while his physical body was still in existence and he was raised
into that same physical body. So were all the others who were resurrected
through the miracles of Christ.
Even
Christ Himself, after His death and burial, came forth from the tomb in the
same body. And the tombstone had to be removed before He could get out
because He was a body of flesh and bones. And those who were raised as a
token of the resurrection, at the time that He was raised, (it says that
many that slept in the dust of the earth awoke . . . the earthquake cause
the graves to open, it said) –these were people who had recently died and
the bodies were still in the graves. Otherwise it would have been
unnecessary for the earthquake to break open the tombs. If there had been
no bodies in there, there would have
been no need for an earthquake to break them open. These people could just
have appeared without the graves opening. But it says the graves opened
with the earthquake.
Had
they been people who had lived a long time ago, whose bodies had been
completely decayed, they would not have been recognized as dead saints. If
they had been ancient men like Abraham or Isaac or Jacob, they would have
been named. But now, it is easily seen that they were saints that were
recognized or they would not have been called saints. And if they were
saints who were recognized, they must have been saints who had lived in
that age. If then there is going to be no unique creation in the future, if
all things are going to arise in a manner in which they have during the
past, it becomes clear, that the resurrection must occur in the same manner
that it occurred with Jesus.
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Jesus Grew and Developed From a Tiny Seed
When
Jesus left heaven He laid down His life – that should be clear. When He was
but a seed in the womb of Mary He had no memory, He had no consciousness,
He had no body. He had nothing but an identity written into the inheritance
characteristics of the genes in the little cell. But He grew and He
developed, and as it says in Hebrews 10:17 – “Lo, it is written of
me in the volume of the book; I come. A body hast thou prepared me.” And it
was not until Jesus received the anointing of the Holy Spirit at His
baptism that the regeneration of the person of Christ was as complete as it
was going to be in His human nature.
In
fact, it may be that it was still growing during His lifetime, even after
His anointing. The extent of the return of His memory of former things must
have been limited. If He had remembered all things, it would have been
unnecessary for Him to have received instruction from His Father in the
early morning hours of His devotions. And it would have been unnecessary
for Him to receive instruction from Moses and Elias on the Mount of
Transfiguration concerning His sufferings and death. [cf. DA, Chapter 46].
So it is obvious that He did not have a complete knowledge of His former
Self as He existed in heaven before.
The
former Christ of heaven knew all things. He had an eternal memory which did
not fade. He had all power and all wisdom. Christ here on earth had these
same characteristics in a measure. But we are told in the Spirit of
Prophecy in the book Desire of Ages
that even the miracles which Christ wrought, were wrought by the power of
God through the agency of the angels (DA 143). In other words, it
was the angels who obeyed His commandments, who obeyed His word, who
performed those miracles.
When
Christ existed in heaven above before, He had power over all things.
Precisely what the difference was I am not prepared to analyze. It would
almost appear that Christ originally was able to do anything He wanted to
without the assistance of His created beings. But because of His
self-renouncing love, He took His created beings into fellowship and shared
with them the joys of working in His universe – in creative works and
otherwise. But when He was here on earth, it appears according to this
statement [DA 143.2, that
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Jesus
was dependent upon the co-operation of the angels in order to perform those
miracles.
When Christ Left Heaven, He Left Something
Permanently
This
is a rather significant point, for it indicates that when Christ left His
glory in heaven He left something permanently –that when He took
upon Him human flesh when He enshrouded Himself in a human temple, He set
strict limitations upon His nature and structure. The Divine nature flashed
through the human nature. It could not completely enshroud it – and
there may be reasons for this.
In
the future world, it is evident through the testimony of the word that the
saints will share His inheritance. He has laid it down and left it to be
divided among them; for as He said: “His body was broken for you.” It was
His great eternal body which constituted His inheritance. That was
His heritage. It was through His body that He performed all. He received
all knowledge through His body and He did all His works through His body.
That’s the way we do it, and we’re made in His image.
We
can learn nothing except through the physical senses of our bodies,
and we can do nothing except through the physical muscles of
our bodies. And thus, the new body of Christ will be His saints. And they
will become partakers of the divine body; for they must “eat His flesh and
drink His blood.” And as they do this, they become partakers of that body
which was “broken for them,” “for them to eat,” and the blood “for them to
drink;” that they might have eternal life – the eternal life that Christ
laid down for them. It is a substitution. They receive it only by
substitution – He has shared it with them. And thus, He is the Head
of the body and they are the physical parts of the body, and HE
operates through them. Through them, He receives; and through them, He
gives.
On
the “Temple on Mount Zion,” Jesus leads 144,000 to be its residents – only
they are permitted to enter [EW 19.4]. This Sister White saw in vision,
recorded in Early Writings. Since
the 144,000 are the “living saints” before Christ comes (as she also
saw) [Early Writings, p. 15],
and are translated; it would appear that the apostles, those who were the
foundation of His church, could not be members of this temple. This is
illogical. There are many reasons for believing that the apostles will be
among the 144,000; and in order for them
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[thus]
to be, they must be living on the earth at the time that Christ comes.
Acclimation to Modern Society – A Major Matter to
the Saints
There
is a special resurrection which occurs just before Christ comes. Some may
feel that this is where they would be raised. But if they were to come
forth in their original garb, with their bearded faces and their ancient
language, it would be necessary for a miracle to occur in order to
harmonize them, and to acclimatize them, and orient them in this modern
environment. Some may feel that this is a minor matter.
I
believe it is a major matter. Jesus did not come in that fashion. He came
into this world in the natural way; and that is how the 144,000 will come.
All the overcomers, down through the years of the churches’ history,
including the twelve apostles who were its foundation – these will come
forth through the process of regeneration, the growing up of human bodies
in the normal way. But they will receive the anointing of the Holy Ghost as
Jesus did; and this will bring to them “all truth” which will include the
regeneration of the memory of their former selves.
Let
us think about this just a little bit: Jesus gave the promise to the disciples
back there, that when He had gone (and He said He must go away or the
Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth could not come to
them) – this would indicate that there was some connection between Jesus
and the Spirit of truth which made it impossible for the Spirit of truth to
be delivered to the disciples until Jesus should lay some sacrifice on the
altar.
You
see Jesus became a partaker of the Holy Spirit Himself. But it was not in
His hand to deliver it to the disciples, because He had laid down His
original Spirit, which was the Holy Spirit – His body and blood, as a
sacrifice! And through the covenant, the everlasting covenant with the
Father, it was for the Father to deliver this heritage to His disciples.
And so He said, “He would pray the Father” and the Father would send them
the Spirit. This indicates His faith in the Fathers’ fulfilling of the
covenant. And He promised the disciples that this Spirit of truth “would
guide them into all truth” [John 16:13]. It did not do so in the
early rain.
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An Enormous Truth
Therefore,
the promise was not fulfilled to the disciples in those days. It
remains until the closing hours of earth’s history, and the regeneration of
the apostles, to have the fulfillment of the outpouring of the Spirit of
truth which will bring to them a knowledge of all truth.
It is
the apostles with the 144,--- who will receive the heritage that Christ laid down. And there will be
reproduced in their minds the knowledge of all things. This is
an enormous truth!
It is
only by means of this that the resurrection can take place. There can be no
life, there can be no regeneration of the past, except through the agency
of the Holy Spirit.
And
so, the creation of man in the resurrection will be accomplished through
the process of natural law in the form of regeneration, and through the
union of the divine Spirit, which is the “Marriage of the
Lamb.” Christ Jesus becomes married to His saints. And He compares the
relation between Jesus and the church as the relation between husband and
wife, or the Head of the body and the body – and that is, after the
144,000 have gone through their investigative judgment, their characters
have been proved perfect through the merits of the gospel (power of the
gospel) which enables them to do it, even as the character of Christ had
been proved perfect before His anointing at His baptism.
And
thus their investigative judgment being completed, their character being
proved adequate; it is possible for Jesus then to leave the heavenly
sanctuary. He is no longer needed as an Intercessor, and He then enters
this union which is portrayed as the “Marriage of the Lamb.” And it is then
that the 144,000 take over the priesthood, and they become priests and
kings for 1,000 years. This is another great subject!
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The 144,000 are the Only True Overcomers
The
144,000 are the only true overcomers, the only ones who have reached the
fullness of the stature of Christ, who have availed themselves fully of the
power of the gospel. Many others have accepted Jesus; they are true and
faithful followers of His, but they have not attained unto the stature of
perfection.
God
has set aside 1,000 years for a work of priesthood on the part of the
144,000. A period in which all those who will come forth in the general
resurrection, who have not attained to the fullness of the stature, will
have an opportunity to study the records of all mankind, and specific
records of those who have not entered into the glory of the first
resurrection. And during this time the 144,000 will officiate in the
service of the priesthood; and not until the 1,000 years are finished will
they no longer be needed in this capacity.
For
by the end of the 1,000 years, everyone who has come up in the first
resurrection, and that includes all those who have accepted Jesus as the
King of the universe and as their Saviour – all those who have come up,
will have had an opportunity to grow into the fullness of the stature of
Christ. They would not have come up in the first resurrection if they had
not been faithful in their allegiance to Christ. But some have died before
they have reached perfection. Many have lived an entire lifetime and have
still “not attained.” They are saved by faith – it is a gift of God.
The Danger of Refusing to Acknowledge Jesus as
King & Ruler
Only
those who refuse to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and
the King, the Ruler – only those will not come up in the first
resurrection. For it would be
impossible to operate the government of heaven without the willing
allegiance of its subjects. It is the investigative judgment which proves
whether one is worthy on the merits of his faith to come forth in the first
resurrection. And this judgment occurs before the first resurrection
occurs.
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The
investigative judgment is actually a literal test in human bodies on the
earth since 1844. Characters of people who have lived before are
superimposed on human bodies, even as the character of Christ was
superimposed on the boy Jesus. And these characters regulate the actions of
the individuals through whom they are being tested. And when the test has
manifested itself and is complete, then it is known who shall be
resurrected in the first resurrection, and who shall not.
Guardian Angels Identify With the Thoughts and
Motives
The
guardian angels play an important part in this judgment; for only the
guardian angel has had complete identity with all the thoughts and motives
of the individual’s life. And since the memory of the guardian angel is an
eternal memory (it does not fade, not having been subjected to sin); the
record of every man’s life is kept in the mind of the guardian angel. And
it is the angel who opens the books in the judgment.
And
the book which is opened for any individual, is the mind of the angel. The
angel reveals the truth that has been recorded in his mind. He is the only
one who can reveal it. He is the only one who has the record. And therefore,
the angels have a specific part in the investigative judgment. The angels
also have a specific part in the resurrection. Precisely what part they
play, I am not prepared to expose at this time.
Revelations Concerning the Communion Service
The
communion service – I say, the communion service, is rather revealing
concerning the body and blood of Christ. Jesus indicates that He lays His
body down and breaks it for the disciples “to eat” and He divides the blood
for them “to drink.” And He told them that unless they ate this body and
drank that blood (that’s in the 6th chapter of John), they could
have no eternal life. But if they did eat it, they would have eternal life
and He would raise them up at the last day. He also said that the New
Testament was in His
blood.
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The
New Testament is the everlasting Covenant, which is the
everlasting gospel of salvation, through the sacrifice of Christ. I know
this just sounds like so many words, but it is tangible, if I could just
make it clear the way I can see it. These literal terms are symbolic of
spiritual things. The body and the blood are not literal ones. We do not
become cannibals and eat literal flesh and drink literal blood, which is
forbidden.
This
is a spiritual thing. The body is symbolic of the Word of truth, the
everlasting truth. And that would include the memory of things that have
occurred –those things which have been recorded as fact. The blood is
symbolic of the life, for it says that “the life is in the blood.” You shed
the blood – you shed the life.
And
we recognize through the help of the SOP, that the life of God, the life
and character of God, is His self-denying love. It is the principle of
self-denying love which is the essence of God. It is the Spirit of God.
It is this principle which is symbolized by the blood.
Now
it says the new testament is in His blood, but the new testament is the new
covenant, and this is the gospel. The new covenant then, is tied in with
the blood. But the blood is the emblem of His self-sacrificing love.
Therefore, it is the self-denying love, the principle of self-denying love,
which has its source in the heart of God, and that is the principle of the
everlasting gospel which is to put the law of God in the heart of man.
Now,
we are told that the law of life, for earth and heaven, is self-sacrificing
love. Therefore, it all ties together – The New Testament, the new
covenant, the blood of the communion service, the character of God (which
is love), and the Spirit of God which is love. And those who are born of
God cannot sin. And to born of God means to be born of love. And so love is
tied in with victory over sin.
Now
let’s take a gook square look at it. You’ve had your battles with sin
haven’t you? There have been some things in your life, and you’ve made up
your mind you’re going to get rid of. And so you started in. And, the
harder you tried, the more confused you got. Just about the time when you
thought you’d made the grade – bingo, you went again! You haven’t gained
complete victory over every sin that you have struggled against, have you?
And yet it says that “if you’re born of God, you cannot sin.” You see, to
be born of God means to be born of love. Alright?
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We
know that sin is the transgression of the law. There are ten commandments
in that law. Jesus said A new
commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another. And He said if
you love the Lord your God, and your neighbor as yourself; all the ten
commandments hang on these two, and you’re keeping the law. The law of God
is self-sacrificing love. It is the principle of self-denying love which is
revealed in the ten commandments.
No
one can keep the ten commandments unless he has the principle of
self-denying love in his heart. And so, the new commandment involves the
birth in the heart of man of the motivating power of self-denying love.
This is the only power that is strong enough to enable you or anybody else to
quit sinning.
You Cannot Fit Yourself for Heaven by Just Trying
If
you’re trying to keep the commandments of God so that you can get to
heaven, you won’t make it. You’re trying to do it by works of
righteousness; you’re trying to fit yourself for heaven. But you don’t get
to heaven on the basis of your keeping of the commandments. Let’s remember
that! You get to heaven on the basis of your faith! If you accept Christ as
your Commander and your Saviour; that your ticket. And when you do that, He
accepts the penalty for your transgression. He is the One that takes the
responsibility for your mistakes. He’s the High Priest. He carries the
burdens. He has to fix up the mess of your sin.
And
anytime you sin after you’ve accepted Him and you’ve linked yourself with
Him as a member of His family –anytime you sin and confess your sins, you
are actually causing suffering in His Heart, just like any naught child
does in the heart of a parent when it continues to transgress. And thus,
victory over sin on your part cannot possibly be a selfish motive. If
you’re trying to get rid of sin, because you think that by doing it you’ll
gain your ticket to heaven, that’s a selfish motive and you just can’t do
it. Try it and see!
Love is the Most Powerful Force in the Universe
On
the other hand, if your are filled with love for Jesus because of what He
has done for you, and because the gift of eternal life and the forgiveness
of all your sins (and there may be a lot of them) – if you realize the
value of that gift. And you appreciate it to its fullest extent, you can’t
help but love Him for what He’s done for you. And when you love Him, you
want to do something that pleases Him. And He says: “If you love me, keep my commandments.” And He says: “If a man love me, he will keep my
words.” There’s the motive. It is the love of Christ that “constraineth
us.” You can’t keep them on any other basis.
Love
is the most powerful force in all the universe. It
is the force which initiated the creation of this world and which initiates
all creation. And it is the force which will enable man to overcome His
sin, to quit sinning. If you love a person enough, you’ll do anything for
them. If you love Christ enough, you’ll stop sinning. You’ll stop
transgressing His commandments. But in order to do it, you’ve got to have
that love – and where are you going to get it from? That’s a gift
too.
Not
until you partake of Christ’s sufferings (and that’s a privilege) will you
ever understand what He went through for your sake. He learned obedience
through the things which He suffered; and thus became the “author of
eternal salvation.” And you are going to learn obedience through the things
which you suffer. You don’t have to obey. You’re not forced. But if you are
permitted to partake of His sufferings, then you will discover what He went
through for you – voluntarily! He could have quit at any time. And
when you discover that, you will feel like a heel, to cause Him continued
suffering. And don’t think for one minute that He doesn’t continue to
suffer when you sin.
He
suffered once for the sins of the world. But He still suffers when the sins
of His children are taken upon Him. There is a difference between the sins
of the world and the sins of His people which are confessed, and which He
takes as a substitute – that is, as a priest. And this is the gospel –
believe me, friend, it is the gospel!
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And
this is the gospel which is the “power of God unto salvation.” This is
the gospel which will save a man from his sins. Sin is not
automatically wiped out. Mrs. White tells us plainly that “the expulsion
of sin from the life is an act of the soul itself.” [DA 466]. It is up
to us to get rid of sin. But we can’t do it in our own strength.
Not
until the New Testament, the new covenant, becomes our possession – not
until the Spirit of God’s unselfish love, is born in our hearts through the
experience of learning to know Jesus and what He did for us, (partly
learned through a partaking of His sufferings) – I say, not until then will
we have sufficient strength, sufficient motivation to cease from sin. And
we will voluntarily cease from sin.
Victory Over Sin is the Result of the Right Action
of the Will
Victory
over sin is the result of the will, the right action of the will. We decide
not to sin; and we can make ourselves quit sinning only when we receive the
fullness of the power of the love of God in our hearts. And this is the law
of God which is planted in the heart of flesh, according to the promise of
the new covenant.
The
law of God is the law of love and this love is planted in the heart. And it
is not on tables of stone; and we keep the commandments by reason of the
motive of this love. We do not need the tables of stone. We do not have to
have the law laid down on tables of stone.
As I
illustrated in the family, we lay down the law to children. We are now
grown up. We live according to the “law of liberty.” “All things are lawful
to us, but not expedient.” We live on the basic principle of self-denying
love—service (voluntary service), obedience to the will and wish of our
Creator. This is a wonderful truth. This is the message which
must be delivered to God’s people!
And
when they understand the principle of this love, they will get victory over
sin, if they co-operate.
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The Sabbath Symbolizes Creation Through Natural
Law
And
one more thing before the end of [this side] of this tape; It is the
principle of creation through natural law which the Sabbath was instituted
to symbolize. In this last day, the devil will perform all sorts of
miraculous things as a counterfeit of what God has done in the past. And
the real true method of God’s functioning in this last day is through
natural law, which in the past has been considered to be evolutionistic and
non-godly.
This
is a paradox! The Sabbath is the sign for those who believe in God as their
Creator. And they see how He works through these natural methods, and how
the Spirit of truth reveals all truth to His disciples in this manner; and
how that the creation of the regeneration and the resurrection of the
144,000 occurs in this manner, and they believe that it is of God. It
cannot be counterfeited! No one can counterfeit the restoration of a memory
of a former life. And thus this meaning of the Sabbath becomes a unique
possession of those who are sealed, and none others.
Belief in God as Creator Through His Natural Laws,
Enables the 144,000 to Accept Their Unique Experience as of God
The
literal Sabbath-keeping is but an outward sign. The inner belief in God as
the true Creator through His natural laws is the one which enables the
144,000 to accept their unique experience as of God. And they are sealed
completely when they receive the memory of their former lives.
And when the Apostle Paul will remember in these last days that he lived
with the early church, he will be able to recognize the fulfillment of his
own prophecy – that he would be among those who are living when Christ
comes. [1st Thess 4:15 & 17].
And
John the Revelator will be here and he will remember what the seven
thunders uttered, “and will prophesy again before many nations.” And the
statement of Jesus that He might, “remain till He come,” will be fulfilled.
These are marvellous truths and great mysteries!
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Satan
has used Sunday worship as a sign of the literal resurrection of Jesus. The
counterfeit in this symbol should be obvious in the light of what has been
said.
[The
original reel-to-reel audio Tape was turned over at this point to side “B,”
a transcription of which starts on the next page]. A wealthy friend of Mr. Johnson, by the
name of John Wells, had all of his tapes transcribed into two books
entitled Panorama of Truth, Vol’s
I and II.
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[*Note:
The following side “B” of this audio tape was incorporated by the author
into audio tape/letter #6, now appearing in the written transcriptions.
This other transcript may be found under the sub-title “Small Beginnings”
from pages 203-210, of Volume One of the companion book entitled: “Panorama
of Truth.” Subheading and paragraphing, by the Publishers varies somewhat
between the two transcriptions. The reason for this is that Brother Johnson
briefly edited “Small Beginnings” as found in Volume One, shortly before
his demise].
Who Shall Despise the Day of Small Beginnings
Here
we are again – another side of a tape. It’s been a couple of days now since
I first began talking to you. I’m still not sure who you are. But I’m going
to keep on talking to you now anyway.
I’ve
been thinking a little more about this idea that God’s creative works begin
from very “small beginnings.” It says that, “the kingdom of God is like a
grain of mustard seed,” and that’s one of the tiniest seeds that springs up
and grows into a tree in which the birds have their nests.
A
Mustard Tree
It must
have been quite a set-up in the original plan where Christ was the great
King of the universe, and Lucifer, along with others, thinking that there
was no need for Christ to be the great King. It must have been that Christ
did not make a great show of His authority; and this would certainly line
up with His character. But the interesting thing to me is the manner in
which He went about to demonstrate the principle on which God’s government
rests; and how that, from the tiniest seed in the womb of Mary, the great
God of the Universe grew up. Maybe you never thought of that.
You
know what it says in Isaiah 9:6? It says that this little child, this
little Prince who was born, was to become the One on whose shoulders the
government would rest; and His name would be called Prince of Peace,
Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, and the Everlasting Father.
There
was a time I hadn’t noticed what that text said. But it says that this
little child shall become exalted to receive the name of the everlasting
Father and the mighty God. He would be honored with
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complete
authority in the universe. This is the greatest example of God’s method
of bringing about the creation of His works. Who shall despise the day
of small beginnings?
Now I
would like to bring a few other thought to light. And some of these may be
thought that we haven’t thought about in this particular way before either.
It
says that the antitypical Day of Atonement began in 1844. It was at that
time that our high priest Christ, entered into the Most Holy of the
heavenly sanctuary, and the door to the holy apartment was shut, and “no
man could open it;” and the door to the Most Holy apartment was opened,
and “no man could shut it.” Now there’s a great deal of content in
this. But the work of the high priest in the Most Holy apartment on the Day
of Atonement was instrumental in bringing about the cleansing of the
sanctuary. And you know what the sanctuary had to be cleansed of don’t you?
The sins of the people had been transferred to
the sanctuary through the sacrificial services, and the sanctuary was
contaminated, and it had to be cleansed.
The Saints Comprise the New Tabernacle of God
We
could discuss a number of aspects in connection with this, but I want to
suggest one: The sanctuary is identical with the temple. In the
wilderness, the children of Israel had a portable sanctuary that when they
reached their promised land, the sanctuary was replaced by the temple. But
the services were continued in the temple as they had been in the
sanctuary. The sanctuary, or temple, is the dwelling place of God, the
place where He meets with His people.
We
have already mentioned that the dwelling place of God is, in His saints;
for it says that we are built up an habitation of God. Your bodies
are the temples of the Holy Ghost. Christ is to dwell in His people
through the Holy Ghost.
God’s
church is the body of Christ. This is a great tabernacle or temple, the
place where God meets with His people. He will meet with them in their
hearts. According to the old covenant, the law was in the Most Holy
Apartment and that was where the Shekinah glory hovered above the mercy
seat. In the new covenant, God no longer dwells in a tabernacle made with
hands; but He with His pure character of love, which is the origin of the
law, will dwell in the hearts of His people.
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He
promises to come and make His abode with us. But God cannot dwell in
a defiled temple, a temple in which sin has been recorded. This temple must
be cleansed. The sanctuary must be purified, and the thing that purifies it
is the administration of the blood of the eternal Sacrifice. In the
strictest sense, the tabernacle of God into which He will dwell after the
wedding of the Lamb, is His 144,000 saints. These are the pillars in that
new temple [Rev. 3:10-12]. These all live in the days after probation
closes.
In
what way can it be said that the sins of the people have been transferred
to this tabernacle? This has been accomplished in the same way that they
were transferred to the physical tabernacle of Jesus when He was here on
earth. Jesus never sinned; and ye He bore in His own body the sins of the
world. His body received these sins through the transmission of the
inherited characteristics of the human race.
Before
the days of the fall in the Garden of Eden, Adam had the privilege of
partaking of the fruit of the tree of life. The fruit of this tree made
Adam’s life eternal. The thoughts that were his were permanent. The
memories of experiences which occurred were permanent. There would be no
death in Adam as long as he was partaking of the fruit of the tree of life.
When he established a righteous habit, that habit would remain his
possession forever. But as soon as Adam sinned, he set the pattern for an
unrighteous habit. He set a train of action going in his mind which would
eventually end in destruction of the processes of life – that is, the life
of happiness.
For
with the entrance of sin into Adam’s nature, there could be no result but
pain and suffering. And had God permitted him to continue to eat of the
tree of life, then his physical life would have been preserved, but his
mental and spiritual nature would have been subjected to an eternity of
increasing suffering. This is something similar to the eternal hell-fire
torment which is taught by some Protestant denominations today – a
situation in which a sinner is pictured to be suffering throughout
eternity. This situation would have prevailed had Adam continued to eat of
the tree of life, but now the tree was removed from his reach.
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The 144,000 Will Have in Their Bodies the
Inheritance of Sin
But
the pattern of sin had been fixed in his nature and it could not be erased
except through death. The pattern of sin had been transmitted to the
characteristics of inheritance which would be passed on to his children and
his children’s children. In this way the sins of Adam (the sinful nature
which he had created by his own choice), became a permanent possession of
the human race. And when Jesus was born, the characteristics of this
sinfulness were in His body as they were in every other human body. And
Jesus bore in His body, the sinfulness of mankind.
In
the same way, the 144,000 body temples of the Holy Ghost will have in their
bodies the inheritance of sin. They constitute the sanctuary which will be
the dwelling place of the Holy Ghost. But in their bodies is the record of
sin which has been transferred through the medium of the inheritance
characteristic. It is “in the blood,” as it were. And thus is the significance
of the sprinkling of the blood, and the transference of sin to the
sanctuary.
Now,
it is through the sprinkling of blood that the sanctuary is eventually to
be cleansed. The blood which will cleanse the sanctuary is the same blood
which we spoke about before on another tape, or on the other side of this
one – (I don’t recall). The blood contains the life. And the life of God
and of His son Jesus, is self-renouncing love. This is the great principle
of life and creation. Let us fix that thought firmly in our minds!
It is
through the sprinkling of the spirit of love that sin is removed from the
life. When Jesus, as seen in vision by Mrs. White, was looking down upon
His faithful saints before the hours of probation had closed – when He was looking
down and saw saints not yet sealed, He turned to His Father and pled: “My
blood, Father, my blood, my blood, my blood.” And there was a bright
light left the Father and speeded its way toward the earth. This is the
gift of the Spirit of God’s love which will be bestowed upon God’s people,
which will be sprinkled in their hearts. And this is the Spirit which will
motivate their expulsion of sin from the life.
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It is
not within the power of a man to change his nature. He can create a habit; he
can even destroy a habit with great patience. It is not in his power to
completely change his nature of evil – and this is where the blood comes in
at. With the application of the blood of Jesus – the spiritual blood, it
becomes possible for one who has exercised himself in the ways of God to
implement his decision to cease from sin. He no longer will have to
struggle against sin. His sinful nature will be changed. This is a
miraculous occurrence. It takes place inside, in the man’s very
spiritual heart. It is a change that is not clearly manifest on the outside
by any written form of evidence.
The
only evidence that this miracle transpires is in the sealing effect that it
has upon the life of the individual. He will not be moved. There is no more
temptation for him to sin. He has become victorious over all sin, and the
sinful nature which had been his, has bond. He has been delivered from sin.
All traces of sinfulness are foreign to his nature. This is what it means
when it speaks of the “cleansing of the sanctuary.” And when
this sanctuary is finally cleansed, the work of the High Priest in the
heavenly sanctuary, the most holy apartment which is in a sense symbolic of
this temple not made with hands (this temple of living beings) – when that
work is finally finished, He will leave that sanctuary and He will become
married to His saints.
You
think these things are farfetched? I acknowledge there are areas that are
not explained. There are discrepancies that seem obvious. In the light of
past experience I can unhesitatingly say, that any discrepancies in these
things will sooner or later be explained by an understanding of greater,
and more comprehensive and superseding panorama of truth.
I’d
like to tell you just a little more here: After Adam had been driven from
the Garden, the effects of his eating of the fruit of the tree of life
still clung for many generations after. His life span was almost 1,000
years. But as time went on, the power of that everlasting life principle
depreciated until it eventually reached a place where any decisions made by
a man might become habitual in his own self. But that habit would not be
transmitted to his posterity. And consequently, it would be impossible for
a man to create a sinful nature in himself which could be transmitted to
his posterity. But the sinful nature that Adam created, runs like a thread
right on down through the human race.
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The
only way that sin can be expelled from the life, is for the power of that
fruit of the tree of life to be restored to him. God cannot restore mankind
to the eating of the fruit of the tree of life until man has completely
demonstrated that he will not misuse that power, and re-create sin.
The 144,000 Will Receive Power to Expel Sin From
the Life
And
thus it is, that after the 144,000 have passed through their investigative
judgment just before the close of probation, and have proved beyond all
doubt that their characters will withstand all the temptations of the evil
one, that they are anointed with the power of the Holy Ghost, and gain
partake of that everlasting life principle, which is in the blood of Jesus
Christ. And having partaken of that blood, that New Testament which is in
the new covenant, they receive power to expel sin from the life. They can
neutralize the power of evil. They can create new, righteous habits that
will be everlasting.
I
know this may be difficult for some people to follow. I wish I might be
able to explain it more clearly with more details, but I have not the
present capacity. Perhaps God will raise up other minds which will be able
to clarify these matters more positively. Perhaps He has already raised up
these minds and the messages are available somewhere – but I have not seen
them.
The 144,000 Will Collectively Understand “All
Truth”
Of
one thing I am certain. As God revealed to me many years ago, His Spirit
was promised to His disciples and to His faithful followers. And this
Spirit, which is the Spirit of truth, “will guide them into all truth.” But
the fulfilment of this prophecy was not completed under the outpouring of
the “early rain” – we realize that.
This
prophecy will be fulfilled in our day under the outpouring of the latter
rain. And as these Apostles and all the faithful followers of Christ who
have gained the victory over sin will be present in this our generation,
the prophecy will be fulfilled in them. The 144,000, who are God’s saints
in the last day will collectively be endowed with an understanding of “all truth.”
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A Future Work of Unification Among God’s People
What
one does not see, another one will. And there is to be a work of
unification among these people who are scattered throughout our church and
other churches – there is to be a work of unification. There is to be a
marriage union of Christ Jesus, the Head, to His members of His new bodies
of saints, and they twin shall become one flesh (cf. Eph. 2:20-22; 4:8-16;
& 5:22-32; also see vol. 7a of [The]
SDA Bible Commentary, 985.9 & 986.1 & 2). And the great truth
which will unite the hearts of these dear waiting saints, is the principle
of the Sabbath.
There
is another phase concerning the 1844 date which I would like to think about
for a few minutes. We are told that the resurrection occurs at the last
trump. This is quite specific. We are also told that there are seven
trumpets to sound, and that the seventh trumpet began to sound in 1844 [cf.
Rev. 11:15, 18 & 19 {research also “last trump”}]. This would indicate
that in some way the time for the resurrection to occur began
in 1844.
I would
ask you to hold in abeyance any temptation to regard this thought as
ridiculous until such time as you have had opportunity to consider all the
related aspects. At the outset I will say that the general resurrection has
undoubtedly not yet occurred. But if the seventh trumpet began to sound in
1844, and if the resurrection occurs at the sounding of the seventh trumpet
(and some may questions this), then it is plain that the time for the
resurrection may be due. [cf. Volume
One, p. 81.9 – 82.5].
Let us
look at another phase: We note, in the early writings of Sister White, that
the door to the Holy apartment of the sanctuary was closed in 1844, and
that Jesus moved into the Most Holy to officiate there. It should seem
obvious that if the door to the Holy apartment is closed, the services
associated with that apartment, which consisted of the transferring of sins
to the sanctuary, must be completed. While the service is going on in the
Most Holy, there is no service going on in the Holy. The Day of Atonement
was not designed for the transference of sins to the sanctuary, but for the
cleansing of sins out of the sanctuary.
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The Reproduction of Characters Who Have Gone
Before
If
then, no further sins can be transferred to the sanctuary during the officiating
in the Most Holy, what would become of the sins which would be confessed by
people who are born since 1844?
There
may be some solutions to this of which I am not aware. But there is one
possibility which presents itself to my mind, and that is this: That since
1844, the investigative judgment began, and the investigative judgment is a
judgment of characters which is worked out in actual human bodies living on
this earth. We have mentioned something about this before.
If
that is true, then these who have come to maturity since 1844 are in
reality but reproductions of characters that have gone before, and their
sins have already been taken care of. And at the present time they are
going through their investigative judgment; and the sanctuary is being
cleansed.
It
would be clear then, would it not, that no new sins would be entering the
sanctuary? The work is one of judgment, analysis, and cleansing. It is by
reason of their choices, brought about through the super-imposition of the righteous
character which was developed in their former existence, that their sins
are overcome. (That is not precisely the way I wish to express it.)
What
I mean is: It is through the merits of this character which has been built
up and is now being tested, that they are enabled to make the proper
choices in relation to the temptations which befall them during this “testing
time” since 1844.
This
period is specifically called the “testing time” in the writings of
Sister White. And it is the period of the investigative judgment as we have
already known. This view would tie together the idea of the testing, and
the idea of the investigative judgment. And it would be obvious that the
universe could observe which people living since 1844 would be worthy
of the first resurrection, and which would not.
The
first of the saints down through the eras of the church – that is, those
who have attained to perfection, will come last in the investigative
judgment. And there will be the 144,000*, who will live on after probation,
right on through the second coming of Christ. And they are to be
translated!
*[Consider
1st Timothy 5:24: “Some men’s sins are open beforehand; going
before to judgment, and some men they follow after.”]
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And
so, in a sense, the resurrection began in 1844. The resurrection occurs
according to the natural processes of God’s laws. And these generally
function over a period of time. So we have the restoration of characters
in human bodies, and the testing of the investigative judgment.
The
complete resurrection of all parts of the individuals, including their
bodies, and their consciousness, and their memory of their former life –
the complete unit, will not take place until Jesus comes in the clouds of
heaven. But when this does occur, in the light of the things that we have
said, it should seem clear that the resurrection will come into human
bodies which are living and which are grown up in this world.
There
will not be a mass destruction of all the human bodies that are existing in
the world at that time, and the reappearance of a completely different set
of bodies out of no place. Those who shall come forth from the graves, will
come forth into the bodies of those who are living or who have recently
lived. There are aspects about this resurrection which I do not understand
yet.
But I
am convinced that the doctrines which we have been teaching down through
the years, insofar as we understand them to date, are correct. And any
future understanding of these things, any expansion of understanding, must
build upon the “old foundation.”
I am
assuming that you understand that there are two groups who are saved. There
are those who have gained the victory over all sin, the 144,000, who are
translated. Then there is also a great multitude which no man can number.
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[Space
Reserved in 1994 by J. W. Johnson for Further Comment]
Well,
I’ve been interrupted a number of times in making these tapes. I’m still
lying in bed, gradually recovering. I haven’t attempted to make any flowery
speech. It has been merely a rambling reminiscence of things that
have passed through my consciousness many times during the past years. And
I’m a little weary now. I think I shall leave this for awhile. I don’t know
when I shall continue. I may never have opportunity to complete this
particular set.
But
the truth will be known. God has ways and means of bringing His messages to
His people. And if these things are true, His disciples will learn of them
and understand them. And one day, they will know what is, and what is not
the truth of God. Those things which we have known, the fundamentals of our
message and our doctrines, are true beyond a shadow of doubt.
But
the message to the Laodicean people, which is us, should make us sit up and
take notice, and recognize that we do not know it all! We have been very
boastful over the years. Hardly a week goes by but what we don’t do some
bragging about what we have accomplished as a people. I do not think that
God is pleased with this. “Take heed” He says, “for you think you
have need of nothing,” but you’re in a pretty bad condition. “You’re
miserable, you’re actually poor, you’re blind, and you’re naked.”!
That’s a pretty strong denunciation. We must be in a pretty bad way. Don’t
you think it’s time we got down on our knees and humbled ourselves before
God? Maybe He can do something for us.
This
thing’s been dragging on a long time. We were supposed to have been in the
kingdom by now – and that’s another matter that can be explained. But we’re
not there yet. Oh yes, the work is expanding; so is the work in other
churches. We’re getting the message around the globe – some of it. People
are responding. We’re telling them how that they have to keep the law.
We’re telling them about these different doctrines.
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But,
you know, I’ve worked with people day by day – mixed right with them – got
to know them very well, better than some of our own brethren – people who
make no profession of being servants of God. They don’t make any profession
of understanding the Bible; and they’re good people. They’re Christian
people, if you use that tern in the sense of Christ-like. And they’ve got
more consideration and kindness and love and service in their make-up (some
of them) than many, many brethren that I have mixed with in our church. And
I don’t like the looks of that. It doesn’t speak very well. There’s only
one thing lacking in these folks that I’m talking about who don’t make any
professions; and that is, they don’t understand the meaning of the gospel
of Christ.
They
don’t know God, nor His son Jesus. And how can they know it no one has told
them? But they know how to live in most respects. And ye, there’s only one
way that man can be saved; and that is that he acknowledges the Son of God.
For he must respect this King of the universe before he can fit in
harmoniously in the government of heaven.
We
know these things, and yet our lives aren’t telling the story. We tell it
by mouth. We preach it, and we brag about winning souls – whatever that
means. We get them on the church books as fast as we can. We publish it in
the papers, especially when some important person comes in. And we keep as
quiet as we can about those who go out the back door. We make sure the
radio and the newspapers get the big figures.
Now
I’m not being critical of our church. I’m a member of it. [Remember that
these reminiscences were written about 1955-1956. Ron]. I’m included with
it. But I’m ashamed of some of the things we do. I think we need to change.
I’m not a reformer. I’m not an antagonist. I have identified myself with
this people. I too am a sinner. But let’s get together on this thing,
brother and sister. Let’s do something about this thing, you and I. We need
to. There are reformers all around us who are raising objections to
everything we do. They are picking us to pieces. They find our faults. If
these reformers were so much better than we are, maybe a lot of us would go
to their ranks; but they’re sinners too. We need to all realize it. We need
to quit tearing each other to pieces. Let’s quit tearing each other down.
Let’s not pull each other down in the mud.
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Let’s
get together and all pull in one direction – up! We need to go up. We’ve
lost sight of some of the basic principles of Christianity. We have a
formal religion to far too great an extent. Everything must go according to
the established, organized pattern.
There’s no room for individual thought. There’s no room for
individual work. Not much. We must check in with headquarters. That’s good.
We have to stick together. We have to co-operate and acknowledge those who
are in authority. But maybe those who are in authority sometimes need a
little correction.
I’m
not saying these things to pick faults with either our people or our
leaders. I have a large number of friends, good friends, in this church. I
like these people. They are my brethren and sisters. We have many, many
faithful, capable, devoted leaders in our work. The extent of their work is
limited sometimes by the restrictions and regulations that are placed about
them by the necessity of organization. And perhaps these handicaps have
been serious sometimes. But somehow they have done a good work—they have
served God will. Many souls have been blessed by their ministry. Many have
come to know the truth through their work, and they have helped many a
despondent soul.
We
need organization. But we must be careful not to let organization become so
complicated, and formality so essential, that we have no room for the
Spirit to move. We speak much about the “closing work,” about the movement
and it’s going forward. And what we have, mainly in mind, is numbers. The
more numbers we get the bigger the movement. But the real work, the real
closing work, is the work of the Spirit of God in the heart of the
individual, preparing him to stand before his Maker, pure and holy. This
is the work that you and I should be doing.
It’s
high time now, that we got some things straightened out in our lives. You
still must acknowledge that you are not ready to stand before God without
an Intercessor, and I have no hesitation in acknowledging it, but I am not
afraid of it. If I attempt to prepare myself to meet God because I’m
afraid, I’ll never make it. All those who come to God must fear [respect]
Him but not be afraid of Him.
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The
drawing card to the heart of God is love, not fear. Love and fear are
absolutely opposites says the Scripture. Perfect love casteth out fear.
And the perfect love which Adam had in the garden was promptly destroyed
when he sinned. The first consequence of sin was fear in the heart of man;
and it’s fear, the emotion of fear, lack of security, which is responsible
for the major part if not all the ills of mankind, including his sufferings
and death.
Fear
has filled our hospitals with those who are ill. Fear has made people try
to work out their own salvation. Fear has made many a person keep the
Sabbath outwardly. But preparation to meet God by keeping His commandments
on the basis of being afraid, will not work. We think we have
an understanding of the truth, but the message of the True Witness says
that “we’re blind.”
And
do you know what the last message to this world is going to be? Well, I
don’t need to tell you. You’ve preached it for many years. The last message
to this world is the everlasting gospel. Think about it! It’s the
everlasting gospel, not the doctrines. And you know what the everlasting
gospel is; it’s the power of God unto salvation to all that believe and it
is the message of sins forgiven. That’s what it is! It
reveals the love of God for His people. There’s no fear in that. I’m not
afraid then. I should not be.
And
if I am afraid, it is an indication that I do not have sufficient faith in
my Redeemer, and Satan enters my life through doubt. And the moment I
doubt, I become afraid. But now, if I have perfect confidence in my
Saviour, I will have no fear; for I am clean before God, and God accepts
me. And the matter of getting rid of sin is placed on an entirely different
basis.
I no
longer have to keep the law to be saved. And while I know that all people
who enter the New Jerusalem will be clean people; will be pure people; will
be people who are keeping the law of God and co-operating with Him – while
I know that – I still recognize that I do not have to keep the law.
Those people will be keeping the law not because they have to but because
they want to. And when I get to the place where I want to keep the law for
an unselfish reason and not for a selfish one, then I will be able to keep
it.
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But
if I want to keep the law for my own selfish – to save my own selfish skin
– I can’t keep it. The reason I can’t keep it is that it is based on
self-renouncing love. And while I may keep the commandments outwardly, very
methodically, like the rich young ruler, I still lack something. Keeping
the commandments, means living the life of self-sacrificing love. And this
is the preparation that we need.
We
need the love of Jesus – the love of God in our hearts. And when we are
born of love we will not sin; and we become sons of God. The new birth
experience at conversion, and manifested through the rite of baptism, is
but the beginning. The complete new birth is not accomplished until we are
filled with the love of God, and do not sin.
And
so my motive for trying to keep the law is not to save myself, nor to gain
favor with God, nor position. But my motive now is to keep the law of God
in order to please my Saviour and to spare Him the inconvenience and
suffering that my sin will cause Him, since He has guaranteed to accept the
penalty of my transgression in order that I may have eternal life as a free
gift. This life is mine, and now I keep the law as best I can, not for my
own sake but for His sake.
The Most Important Point on These Tapes
This
is the most important point which I have talked about on these tapes! This
is the Everlasting Gospel which will swell into a loud cry! It will finish
God’s work in the earth, not by bringing in numbers, but by saving a man
from his sins – by cleansing the sanctuary!
Are you
thinking about it? I hope you are. The work of the organized church has its
place. But the final message and the final movement, which will be rapid,
will be accomplished largely by laymen. [cf. 5T 80 & 81]. It will be
the individual members who will finish the work of cleansing their soul
temples from sinning.
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And
it will be the work of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain – the
eternal blood which Jesus relinquished at the cross in dying the
eternal death of the sinner – which Spirit of eternal life returned to
the Father in the Most Holy of the heavenly sanctuary at the time of the
cross, to be administered to each obedient saint at the intercession of
Jesus in the latter rain, [that] is the final delivering of the
eternal life blood of Christ to His “new” eternal body of saints, who now
replace the original body in which he lived from eternity.
He
gave His original body and blood as an eternal sacrifice, for His saints to
eat and drink, whereof they obtain eternal life in themselves! (John 6:53,
54)
I
could say much more, but why should I? I have given you the most important
message. I’ve told you the things that God has made plain to me.
Christ’s Eternal Sacrifice
But
let me elaborate on Christ’ eternal sacrifice:
He
volunteered to die the eternal death of the sinner. And after presenting
His disciples with His final profound lesson at the last Passover supper,
explaining how He must die the eternal death of the sinner, and relinquish
His eternal body and blood for them to eat and drink to obtain the eternal
life which had been His, He went to Gethsemane and surrendered His life
into the custody of His Father;
and thus could die the eternal death of sinful humanity on the cross.
The Everlasting Covenant Delivered!
Herewith
I have delivered the Everlasting Covenant. I have revealed its message –
its power. Much though could be given to it to elaborate upon it, to make
it plainer; but it is all here. And I’m going to close this tape now
because it is just about finished.
Let’s
get down on our knees and ask for the Spirit of God’s love to be shed
abroad in our hearts, and we will be victorious for His sake. Remember,
many of our brightest lights will go out. They will cling to the formality
of our religion, be meticulous in keeping the Sabbath—but they will miss
the bus.
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It
must not happen to you. You are saved by faith, but you keep the law
because you love the Saviour. Please, remember it. Let us worship God, who
created heaven and earth. Amen.
End of
quoting from Panorama of Truth, Vol. 2.
* * *
* * * * * * * * *
[Note:
The foregoing recording, Personal Reminiscence, was first put into written
form during the month of September, 1990. It was transcribed from the
original reel-to-reel audio tape which was recorded by J. W. Johnson in
1957 or 1958. The transcription was reviewed by Bro. Johnson, in 1994, at
which time He did some brief editing, adding several paragraphs,
particularly concerning the sacrifice of Christ.
However,
the inter-locking truths spoken of on this tape had been revealed to Bro.
Johnson in 1941 -1942 in answer to his original prayer for wisdom (about
1933), when he was but seventeen or eighteen years of age].
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~
Note by Ron: The following is from Panorama of
Truth, Vol. 1, on Regeneration of the 144,000:
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286
The Work in the First Apartment
And
now the work in the first apartment began when He (Christ) ascended to
heaven. The saints were called from each of the generations of the eras of
the church’s history, and the promise was given to the overcomers in each
of these. And now we come to the last period – the Day of Atonement since
1844.
On
the Day of Atonement the door to the holy apartment was shut, and the door
to the Most Holy was opened. This would clearly indicate that the work of
the Holy Apartment was completed, and that the transferring of sins to the
sanctuary was finished; and that now the work was one of judgment and
cleansing of sin out of the sanctuary. But if this be true then, how can
the sins of those who are born since 1844, who are born into the Day of
Atonement, be taken care of?
If there is no ministry in the holy apartment, obviously there is a change
in the set-up.
The answer
to this again will only be understood as it is given in detail, and this
has been done, more or less, on preceding tapes, and we will summarize
here: Those who are born since 1844, are born as bodies into which the
potential character and person of one who has lived before 1844 appears. In
other words these men and women today are demonstrating, as Jesus did
before His anointing, the character of one who has lived before. And this
is being done through the agency of the guardian angel who now identifies
himself and operates through, in this particular capacity, the one who is
now living.
The Testing of Predestined Characters
In a
sense, those who live today are predestined characters, even as Jesus was
predestined, for we are now living in the time of the regeneration and the
judgment of the saints. We are living in the time when the characters of
all those who have come to Christ are being proved. They are being tested.
They must prove worthy or
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287
unworthy.
None can be raised from the dead in their final complete and full sense,
until the character has been vindicated in the eyes of the universe; for
those who come in the first resurrection are the righteous; and those who
come in the second resurrection are the wicked. And therefore it must be
determined, before the resurrection is completed, who will come in the
first one. This can only be determined by the investigative judgment; and
the character is to be proved under the circumstances existing in the world
at this time.
The
Bible says that those who are first shall be last; and it is significant
that the overcomers will be the ones who will come forth last, whose
characters will attain to perfection, who will prove their righteousness
through their complete faith and trust in Christ the Saviour, having the
faith of Jesus, and keeping the commandments of God. And these are they who
shall be anointed with the Holy Ghost as Jesus was, and who will come into
a knowledge and understanding of their former existence. They will be
raised from the dead in this, the special resurrection, performed through
regeneration; and they will be translated without seeing death at the
second coming of Jesus.
Now
the Bible says that al must die, and after this the judgment [Heb. 9:27].
If, according to our present limited view, the 144,000 saints who are
translated, appear for the first time in the last generation, they do not
fulfil this passage of Scripture.
If,
on the other hand, these are the characters of those who have lived before,
who are now being tested in the judgment – they have already died. And now
they are being judged; and then they will be translated and completely
fulfil all passages of Scripture in relation to them. You will remember the
apostle Paul speaks of being “with them” who are alive – not with those who
are raised from the death at the second coming [cf. 1st Thess.
4:15-17]. And the apostle John was to “testify again before many peoples
and nations and tongues” [Rev. 10:11], concerning things that were not
revealed in his writings; and that Jesus said of him, “If I will that he
remain till I come, what is that to thee?” [John 21:22].
The Overcomers From Each Era of the Christian
Church
Thus,
in the lives of these, the overcomers from each of the eras of the churches’
history, who are now regenerated in the last generation – I say, in the
lives of these, -- complete victory over sin will be manifest. This will be
done through the element of faith. The
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288
item
by which they are judged is their faith. And their faith will hold no
matter how deeply they fall into sin – and incidentally, Sister White says
that those who have fallen deepest into sin will stand closest to His
throne to praise Him for what He has done. [cf. SC 35 & 36].
And there is no doubt that the 144,000 will stand closest to Him at His
throne, for they, and they alone, enter with Him into the temple on Mount
Zion [cf. EW 19].
They
are a part of the new body structure of Christ of which Jesus is the Head.
They are now the new habitation of God – the dwelling place of God. He says
to the Laodiceans in the promise to them, that if they open the door, He
will come in and sup with them; and they are to be the new habitation. This
is the temple of the Holy Ghost; and God and Christ come to this temple
through the outpouring of the Holy Ghost.
The 144,000 Will Understand and Come for Cleansing
And
so in line with the teaching, which is prevailing [1961] at the present
time to a large extent, that it is now time for us to come to this most
holy apartment of the sanctuary for the final cleansing – I say, in line
with this teaching, there are 144,000 saints living on the earth today, who
are to come through to this experience. And while many will not understand
it – many will not understand it, they are not a part of this temple in
this sense – there will be those who will understand, and who will come and
receive this final cleansing!
We
have explained on the other side of this tape and on other tapes how this
cleansing will be brought about – that it is through the delivering of the
message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the everlasting covenant
attached to it – I say, it is through this message that an understanding of
the final victory over sin and an accomplishment of it, will be made.
The
other technical parts of doctrine concerning the sanctuary and the
regeneration of the saints since 1844, to go through the investigative
judgment and so on – these are not the essential things. There may be
disharmony and discord in an understanding of these. But the essential
thing is the message of the gospel, forgiveness of sins, and the
meaning of the everlasting covenant; and the final victory
over sin, and cleansing of the soul temple. We have not covered
it in complete detail here, but the essential points are available.
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289
The Reception of the Kingdom & The Marriage of
the Lamb
There
is involved in the work of the most holy apartment, the reception of the
kingdom by Jesus, and the marriage of the Lamb. It is doubtful whether this
is too well understood, but undoubtedly, the marriage of the Lamb to His
kingdom refers to His receiving back the authority which, in a sense, He
lost under Satan’s challenge many, many years ago. He is now to be
acknowledged the supreme Ruler of the universe, and this is going to be
done by even the 144,000 saints on the earth. They will champion His cause
here on earth ‘midst the most forbidding of circumstances.
These
are the saints – these are the bride of the Lamb, for it says that His
kingdom is His saints, or His kingdom is in His saints. It is through them
that he obtains His power once more. This is so, because they constitute
the new body temple or structure of the habitation of God. Christ humbled
Himself and gave up His former body and blood (this is true doctrine), and
He came into a human temple which was to become the fullness of the Head of
the new body structure; “for in Him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead
bodily.” [Col. 2:9]. And His saints constitute the rest of the structure.
To these He is married – they become one flesh.
The Saints Receive of the Heritage of the Son of
God
The
saints are to eat the flesh of the Son of God and drink His blood. Of
course this is not literally – this refers to receiving the heritage of His
former body and blood which He broke for them, and which He spilt for them.
And Jesus told His disciples, ere He went to heaven, that “He would not
again partake of this Himself” – He told them this clearly at the last
supper – “until He partook of it with them in the kingdom.” This should be
plain – that as the marriage union takes place between Christ and His
saints, the new structure is brought into one complete unit. It is unified
– it is married – it is fused; and the new governing unit of the universe
is born, so to speak. Christ is in His saints. They are His body. And Jesus
is the Head, and the head operates through the body.
No
sensory experience is available to the mind except as it comes through the
channels of the physical body. No executive operation or muscular activity
of the body is possible except – (or should I put it this way) – no
decision of the mind can be executed, except as it is
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290
executed
through the muscles and glands and the physical structure of the body
temple. This is the new set-up.
Never
again can Jesus Christ be accused of assuming a superior position
arbitrarily, and dictating to His subjects; for all will go through His new
body of 144,000 saints. These are the only ones that enter into the temple
with Jesus; and this is the ruling body.
But
eh saints love their Saviour. They have gone through the deepest
experience. They admire Him. They will not do anything [which would wound
their Lord and Saviour]. They have proved on this world, in this earth
during the last closing conflict, that they will refuse to sin, to
transgress, to injure their Lord under any circumstance.
The Ghost of the Body of Christ Becomes a Part of
the 144,000
It is
not until after this has been proved that the anointing takes place, and
the Holy Ghost – the Ghost of the [Divine Nature Only] body of Christ which
existed before – will become a part of the 144,000 saints. They will be the
temples of the Holy Ghost. He will come to dwell with them. But their
temples will be pure, for He cannot dwell in an impure temple. I wonder if
this is not plain? These are big words. These are big thoughts; but these
are not delusions. These are thoughts which are clearly portrayed in the
Word of God; and those who would come to God for a clearer understanding of
His truth will receive it. This is His promise.
Let
us build, brethren, on a firm foundation. Let us accept the basic doctrines
which we have taught for many years, and let us build on from there. With
the help of the Spirit of God, with humility, a willingness to learn, and a
willingness to obey, God will honor and bless us with a deeper
understanding of His truth.
Something Different about Sins Confessed Since
1844
And
then at the close of the ministration of Christ in the Sanctuary above, as
He is about to leave, He pauses a moment to place upon Satan the
confessed sins of His people since 1844. This would indicate there is
something particularly different about the sins which have been confessed
since 1844, than those which were confessed before 1844. In the light of
what I have said previously, I think it may be understood. The former sins
were transferred to the sanctuary, and there recorded.
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291
The
sins since 1844 are but the manifestation or the continuation of characters
which have been previously formed; and these sins have been taken care of
through the acceptance by faith of Christ, and the transference of the sins
to the sanctuary. And as the saints are judged in the regeneration period
since 1844, these sins no longer need to be transferred to the fist
apartment of the sanctuary. Oh no, they are already there – these sins have
gone before! [“. . . going before to judgement;” 1st Timothy
5:24]. These are but the outworking and continuation of the pattern [of
character] that had been previously set.
The
144,000 – Cleansed and Without Fault
But
in this generation, the character is to be proved victorious over sin. In
the former generation they were overcomers by faith – that is, they
believed in the forgiveness of their sins, and were thus accepted. But had
they continued to live they would have continued to sin. Even Moses, the
champion of the old covenant experience would manifest that.
But
now we’re under the new covenant experience. We’re now under the Day of
Atonement when the sanctuary is to be cleansed, and sin is to be expelled
from the life. This is the demonstration which is to take place in the
lives of the 144,000: that they will gain the victory over their sins and
be cleansed, that their soul temples will be purified, that they will be
without fault before the throne, that they will be able to stand before God
without an intercessor.
Only
after this test has been completed and demonstrated can the marriage union
of Christ be completed, and can they be trusted to form a part of the
governing body of Christ. Should they sin in the future, that sin would be
registered in the head of the body – which is Christ. [cf. R&H
10-16-1894, {volume 3 of the R&H articles, p. 642, column 1.5}]. He will
forever remain the surety for sin; and He will become an eternal sufferer.
But the saints will never sin. Sin will not arise a second time!
Christ staked His Entire Life for His Saints
Christ
has staked His entire life, on the principle of His self-sacrificing love –
that this principle would triumph in the hearts of His saints, that it
would win out in the long run, that it would guarantee that they will never
let Him down. By faith He has placed
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Himself
on trial in such a way, that He can never again be accused of maintaining
His top position arbitrarily. [“The honor of His throne is staked for the
fulfillment of His word unto us.” – COL 148].
The
saints will have no other choice of a Ruler. They recognize their
inefficiencies, their inabilities, their weaknesses. They recognize that
their victories and their strength have all been given to them through the
power of Christ’s love. They will never let Him down! Never again will they
choose to sin; and sin could only arise if they did [so] choose. Because
sin is a choice, they will never [so] choose. The power of self-sacrificing
love in their hearts will constrain them to obedience throughout eternity.
The 144,000 – Why Priests for a Thousand Years?
These
144,000 will be the priests during the thousand years, and during this time
the details of all the lives will be considered. And there will be those
like the thief on the cross who will come up in the first resurrection,
who, had they continued to live in this world, would have continued to sin.
There will be many of these. These all must be educated; these all must
learn.
They
must be dealt with patiently, and for one thousand years they will have
144,000 priests to assist them in their education. And finally, after the
earth has been completely cleansed by fire at the end of the thousand
years, and all those who have come up in the first resurrection have been
grown up into the fullness of the stature of Christ – the new earth will be
established. May God speed the day!
End of
J. Wilfred Johnson’s Treatise.
Addendum
by Ron Beaulieu: The following is supporting evidence for regeneration that
Mr. Johnson never gave. I believe the Lord used this evidence to further
convince me of the beauty of the truth of regeneration of the 144,000 as
the body of Christ. I related this to Gary Zwicke in an Internet group
post.
----- Original Message -----
From:
Ron
Beaulieu
To:
AdventistHotIssues@yahoogroups.com
Sent:
Wednesday, March 11, 2009 3:57 AM
Subject:
Re: [AdventistHotIssues] Special Resurrection
Gary,
All
who have died in the faith of the third angel's message since 1844 are not
the 144,000, because the 144,000 are the final generation, the remnant that
lives in the generation of the second advent.
"The woman is a symbol of the
church, and the remnant of the church represents the Christians of the last generation
of men, living just prior to the second advent. The dragon makes war on these for keeping
the commandments of God, Sabbath and all, and having the testimony of Jesus
Christ, which, according to the inspired definition of chap. xix, 10,
'is the spirit of prophecy.' Here, then, are the causes of the dragon's
warfare upon the remnant. They teach the observance of the ten
commandments, and the revival of the gifts, and acknowledge the gift of
prophecy among them. When the Devil got one foot upon the fourth
commandment, and the other upon the gifts planted in the Christian church
by Jesus Christ, then his satanic majesty was filled with revengeful
delight. But when the remnant, whom God
designs to fit for translation to Heaven without seeing death, 'ask for the old paths, where is
the good way, and walk therein,' then the dragon is wroth, and makes war on
them.
The true spirit of the dragonic
host, which is already being somewhat developed, is vividly described in
Isa. xxx, 8-13, as being manifested just prior to the sudden destruction of
those who hate the pure testimony, and love smooth and deceitful
things." E. G. White, Spiritual Gifts, Vol. III, 26, 27.
- The remnant cannot be ALL CHRISTIANS of
the last generation of men living just prior to the second advent, or
there were be no martyrs, and Ellen White said there will be many
martyrs.
- The remnant fully acknowledge the
ten-commandments and the revival of gifts and the gift of prophecy
among them.
- The remnant are the 144,000, because only
the 144,000 are translated without seeing death.
Personally,
I believe Ellen White will be one of the 144,000 Philadelphians. Here is
how I believe that will work:
7 And to the angel of the
church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that
is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man
shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know thy works:
behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for
thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my
name. 9
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are
Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship
before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 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.
11
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take
thy crown. 12
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more
out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city
of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my
God: and I will write upon him my new name. Rev. 3:7-12.
- The above message
was ALSO given to the original church of Philadelphia, circa the days
of the disciples.
- God told original
Philadelphia, beginning around circa A.D. 30, that they would be kept
from the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world.
- The hour of
temptation that comes upon all the world is the time of trouble and
the great time of trouble.
- Philadelphia is made
pillars (leaders, priests, in the Temple of God on Mt. Zion. Christ is
the High Priest, His bride, the 144,000, are the lesser priests,
according to the Sanctuary on earth wherein there was a high priest
and lesser priests.
- Ellen White says
that only the 144,000 will enter the Temple on Mt. Zion, Early
Writings, p. 19.
- The bride, the
144,000, receive the name NEW JERUSALEM, because they are the
representatives of that city, and if the bride, they cannot be the
guests and vice-versa, Great Controversy, p. 426-7.
- Desire of Ages, 179, says that the
disciples were the bride of Christ, so they must be part of
Philadelphia, the bride that is kept from the hour of temptation.
They must be alive to be translated without seeing death FROM THE
TIME THEY ARE REGENERATED AGAIN FOR THE FINAL GENERATION, AS IS THE
CASE WITH THE FAITHFUL BRIDE FROM EVERY GENERATION.
- If the above is not
true, then the disciples could not be priests (pillars) in the
Temple. They would not be the bride of Christ.
- The message of
Philadelphia has been to every generation. It was to the faithful
SDA's in 1844 and on. How can it apply to them without REGENERATION,
for which reincarnation is Satan's counterfeit? Remember, Satan has
tried to counterfeit every important thing God has done.
- To summarize, the
following things demand that Philadelphia be the bride of all
generations:
1.
She
is made pillars in the Temple.
2.
Only
the 144,000 enter that temple, Early Writings, p. 19.
3.
The
144,000 are translated without seeing death AFTER THEY ARE REGENERATED.
4.
The
144,000 are obviously the bride of Christ from every generation.
5.
Original
Philadelphia, circa A.D. 30 and on, must receive the promise of the message
to Philadelphia. How would they be made pillars of the Temple, when only
the 144,000, go in and they are the final generation translated without
seeing death? (IF REGENERATION IS NOT ONLY TRUE, BUT ENTIRELY NECESSARY IF
ELLEN WHITE IS A TRUE PROPHET AND IF THE MESSAGE TO ORIGINAL PHILADELPHIA
IS TRUE)?
6.
If
Ellen White is a true prophet in saying that only the 144,000 go into the
Temple on Mt. Zion, and that they are the last generation translated
WITHOUT SEEING DEATH, and original Philadelphia is made pillars in that
Temple on Mt. Zion, regeneration is entirely necessary or Ellen White would
be a false prophet. One may make his/her choice. I choose to believe this
scenario which is interpreting all the pertinent evidence so that NOTHING
contradicts.
7.
Certainly,
the disciples of Christ are part of the bride of Christ, DA, 179.
8.
Only
the bride goes into the Temple on Mt. Zion.
9.
The
guests never enter that Temple. The guests at the wedding cannot be the
bride, GC, 427.
10.
The
bride, Zion, is married, and she has sons and daughters, Isa. 62.
11.
The
voice of the bride awakens all ten virgins, Christ's Object Lessons,
406, with the Loud Cry message.
12.
Isaiah
62:11 is the same call (in other words) as is the Midnight Cry Loud Cry
call of Christ's Object Lessons, 406.
13.
Christ
will not have to say to John the beloved: "Sorry John, you were born
in the wrong generation to be my bride!"
14.
If
all of the above is not true, only the Christians of the final generation
could be the bride of Christ. Desire of Ages, 179, would thus be
false in calling the disciples the bride. Thus, Ellen White would be a
false prophet on this count as well.
15.
The
apostate SDA new movement church makes no distinction between the bride of
Christ and the guests at the wedding. It teaches that ALL who are saved are
the bride of Christ. Then all should be able to go into the Temple on Mt.
Zion--all should be made pillars in that Temple, and that is not the case. Early
Writings, p. 19.
16.
If
all saved are the bride of Christ, then how is it that ONLY the voice of
God and the voice of the bride awaken all ten virgins, Christ's Object
Lessons, 405-6? This distinguishes the voice of the bride from the 10
virgin guests the bride awakens. This distinguishes the bride from her sons
and daughters, Isaiah 62. This distinguishes the bride in the following
statement by Ellen White, which accords with Isaiah 62:
"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.
One could say: The holy woman (mother--bride) cannot be the
children, and the children cannot be the holy woman mother--bride. The
woman is the bride and the children are guests at her wedding, GC,
427. If guests, they cannot be the bride and the bride cannot be the
guests.
By the theory of regeneration,
the following statement by Ellen White, is still possible:
Concerning
a conference in 1856
Ellen White declared: "I was shown the company present at the
conference. Said the angel, 'Some food for worms, some subjects of the
seven last plagues, some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be
translated at the coming of Jesus.' "
All who
were alive then are now dead. Does this prediction mean that Mrs. White was
a false prophet? Some have concluded that is does prove her as a false
prophet, but there is much knowledge that surface readers are not aware of,
thus it is foolish to come to careless conclusions that ill reflect on
God’s messengers.
For all of the above reasons, I believe a template of Ellen
White's character and the bride of every generation's character, will be
alive and translated without seeing death at Christ's second Advent. This
way, Satan cannot say that the bride of Christ would have fallen if
she was tempted and tried by his state of the art deceptions at the
end-time. She will receive the ultimate testing and will pass the test. It
is her character that is tested, just as Christ's character was tested in
another body--His humanity body.
Ron
----- Original Message -----
From:
Gary
To:
AdventistHotIssues@yahoogroups.com
Sent:
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 10:20 PM
Subject:
Re: [AdventistHotIssues] Special Resurrection
Thank you Ron. Then it is possible Ellen White could
be one of the ones raised in the special resurrection
Gary
----- Original Message -----
From:
Ron
Beaulieu
To:
AdventistHotIssues@yahoogroups.com
Sent:
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 9:55 PM
Subject:
[AdventistHotIssues] Special Resurrection
Gary,
The other day you asked something about
a special resurrection. I should have given you the following quote:
Special
resurrection "A special resurrection preceded Christ's second advent.
'All who have died in the faith of the third angel's message will arise at
that time. In addition, those who beheld with mockery Christ's crucifixion,
and those who have most violently opposed the people of God, will be
brought forth from their graves to see the fulfillment of the divine
promise and the triumph of truth (see Great Controversy 637 Rev. 1:7). SDA
Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 878.
The above
statement is supported by Ellen White in The Story of Redemption, beginning
on p. 409 and on.
Ron
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