For many years we have been in the church and listened to many sermons, studied many Sabbath school lessons; also, we have seen many signs of the times being fulfilled, and the result of all this should be hat we are reflecting the life of Jesus more fully every day. If we are not, then we have wasted many years in a lukewarm condition. There is only one thing that can keep us away from heaven, and it is sin. Is sin so precious that we want to hold on to it? If not, then the power of God is promised to each one of us to overcome every sin.
We sing in the gospel song, “There is power, power, wonder working power, in the blood, of the Lamb.” For years we have listened to the messages of Christ’s righteousness, which will change sinners into saints. By this message, perfection will be possible one day.
We also know that the end of the world is upon us, and Jesus will come soon. But the people have neglected to read the word of God. The Bible is a forgotten book today. In the Middle Ages the Bible was a forbidden book. But today, every person can have the word of God, often for free. I believe that in this city alone (Toronto), there may be more than a million copies of the Bible. There are crosses on the churches. People have crosses on their necklaces and in their homes, yet they are meaningless symbols, because the One who died on the cross is forgotten.
In early years, children learn in their Sabbath school lessons to love their neighbour as themselves. This is the ideal that Christ presented; it is the ideal that every Christian knows. But, who practices it?
An important part of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 was teaching people how to live in peace with one another. Jesus spoke, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Whosoever is angry with his brother and who shall say “thou fool” to his neighbour is in danger of hell fire. If thy brother hath something against you, leave your gift and first be reconciled with your brother. Resist not evil, turn the other cheek, walk the second mile. Love your enemies, judge not that you be not judged. Forgive your neighbour their trespasses, then your heavenly Father will forgive you. Why behold a mote in your brother’s eye if you have a beam in your own eye. Whatsoever ye would that men would do to you, do ye even so to them.
Is not the Bible language clear? Then from where come jealousy, covetousness and anger? From where come riots and fighting? From where come separations and divorces?
In the King James Version of the Bible, Matthew 24:12 states, “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” The New English Translation states in Matthew 24:12, “Because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold.” Selfishness and lawlessness have killed the love. Even in the Adventist Church it happened. Sister White brought the message to the people. It was a message from the angel of God. “Draw together, draw together, draw together.” Yet, what happened in 1914? Just the opposite. Separation came to the church. What the angel called them to do, the opposite was done—the faithful remnant were disfellowshipped against their own will.
Separation is the only salvation that people understand when unity is not possible. Churches have separated over and over again, and that is why we have almost 4,000 churches today, all teaching something different. People cannot live together with one another in peace. Families are separating, half of all marriages are breaking up.
“The world is becoming a second Sodom. At the same time anarchy is seeking to sweep away all law, not only divine, but human.” –Education, p. 228
The spirit of unrest and riot are in the world today. The same teachings that led to the French Revolution are now involving the whole world. The Spirit of God has steadily been withdrawing from the world. The controlling power of God is leaving the people to the hand of Satan. As our judgment day is nearing, Satan is doing his utmost effort to keep the people of God sleeping. Just a little longer and he knows that their ruin is sure.
The rich young ruler who had kept the commandments of God from his youth up, who had been taught by the Pharisees and Rabbis, came to Jesus with a serious question. “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 18:18. Could it be that we must ask this same question? We may have wasted many years in a lukewarm, formal religion. Jesus answered him, “One thing thou yet lackest.”
What is the one thing that we may be yet lacking? Jesus may answer each one of us in a different way. To the one He may say, “You must overcome your appetite, give up harmful foods and drinks.” To the other, “You must put away your desire for ease and comfort, which is selfishness—self-love.” And then to another, “You must overcome your pride that is so easily offended.” The pride of opinion also must be overcome, and to respect the understanding of others. Put away your, “I am holier than thou” attitude. You must humble yourself as a little child. Also, put away evil speaking, faultfinding, and judging others.
To the one He may say, “You must learn to be more polite and gentle with others.” “If we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tenderhearted and pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 189. But often we carry around with us a bundle of self that we regard as altogether too precious to be given up.
Someone may hear, “Your love is not strong enough. You do not love your neighbour as yourself, and your missionary spirit has been dying out. You have neglected to put out an effort to save your fellow men.”
To the other He may say, “You must pay tithes and offerings or you will be lost and your prayer life is intermittent; you do not pray without ceasing.”
Yet to another He may say, “Your mind is wandering, wrong thoughts fill your mind. Also, you may have neglected your daily Bible reading. And little jealousies have destroyed your happiness. And bitterness in your heart must be put away.”
All these sins can keep us away from heaven. Yet for many Christians the sin of neglected duties is prominent.
Satan, with all his power, with his deceitfulness, with all his temptations, cannot make you commit a sin. Sin is your own act. Your desire to sin makes it possible.
Every sin we do is because of a lack of faith. If you had faith even as a grain of mustard seed, you could eventually overcome all sin. Every sin begins in the mind. When you let your mind dwell on sin, the result is an act of sin. By thinking of sin you take your eyes and mind away from God to Satan.
“In their mouth was found no guile.” “The sin of evilspeaking begins with the cherishing of evil thoughts. Guile includes impurity in all its forms. An impure thought tolerated, an unholy desire cherished, and the soul is contaminated, its integrity compromised. ‘Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.’ If we would not commit sin, we must shun its very beginnings. Every emotion and desire must be held in subjection to reason and conscience. Every unholy thought must be instantly repelled.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 177
So then, let us remember this. If you let your mind dwell on impure, sinful thoughts, you are already a captive of Satan’s, he has you. An act of sin is a result of wrong thoughts. “And GOD saw that the
wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5. The moment you start thinking about sin, selfish thoughts, proud, sensual, jealous thoughts, Satan hypnotizes you.
“Satanic agencies are clothing false theories in an attractive garb, even as Satan in the Garden of Eden concealed his identity from our first parents by speaking through the serpent. These agencies are instilling into human minds that which in reality is deadly error. The hypnotic influence of Satan will rest upon those who turn from the plain word of God to pleasing fables.” –Ibid., vol. 8, p. 294
“In dealing with the science of mind cure, you have been eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which God has forbidden you to touch. It is now high time for you to begin to look to Jesus, and by beholding His character become changed into the divine likeness.
“Cut away from yourselves everything that savors of hypnotism, the science by which satanic agencies work.” –Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 350
When you are under satanic hypnotism, nothing except the power of God can then save you. Because your mind is under Satan’s control, you cannot reason correctly. Satan can hypnotize you the moment you start thinking of sin, like Adam and Eve. The rest of it is not in your control. “The experiences of the past will be repeated. In the future, Satan’s superstitions will assume new forms. Errors will be presented in a pleasing and flattering manner. False theories, clothed with garments of light, will be presented to God’s people. Thus Satan will try to deceive, if possible, the very elect. Most seducing influences will be exerted, minds will be hypnotized.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 293
Satan has hypnotized the world into rioting and hatred. Satan has hypnotized the Christians to believe errors, false teachings. What happens to those who are hypnotized by Satan when they are before the judgment seat of God?
Not one of us has to sin. It is not necessary. The power to overcome is available to each one. Satan has hypnotized people into thinking that sin cannot be overcome, that we must sin. It is part of us. It is our nature.
Brothers and sisters, we in God’s remnant church must show to the world that sin can be overcome, and that there is happiness in obedience. We must show to the professed Christians in the fallen churches that it is possible to love our neighbours as ourselves, and the Ten Commandments can be kept. And also, that there is one church in the world that strives to have perfect love and harmony among its members, where they all are united in one spirit. In this church, one day the power of God will be poured upon its members in the Latter Rain. It will be as a mighty rushing wind passing over them and tongues of fire will rest upon them.
Brothers and sisters, this promise is sure; and before this, we must fulfil the conditions, and then the Latter Rain will come. This has happened once before, 2,000 years ago. And it will be given to the remnant church again. Perhaps sooner than we realize. Amen.
Timo Martin