Prepare to Meet Jesus by KATHLEEN G. PAULSON
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH and Herald nest ble study • wiewhelp prepare church members for Christ's coming. Prepare to Meet Jesus By KATHLEEN G. PAULSON [In her letter that accompanied this article the author stated in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of that the article is the outgrowth of several months of earnest trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the study, which brought her and her husband "a new experience in the Lord." She "felt seriously impressed to send it" to the needful preparation."—Early Writings, p. 71. "The REVIEW. We feel that the challenge to prepare for the end `time of trouble such as never was,' is soon to open of all things is timely. May this article, which draws heavily on the Spirit of Prophecy writings, help awaken every Ad- upon us; and we shall need an experience which we ventist to the need of a closer walk with God.—Editors.] do not now possess, and which many are too indolent to obtain. It is often the case that trouble is greater S THE "great day of the Lord," draws closer the in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of urgent message to the church is Prepare! the crisis before us."—The Great Controversy, p. 622. To the church the servant of the Lord wrote nearly 100 years ago: "God's people are not prepared Brethren and sisters, do we appreciate the fact that for the loud cry of the third angel. They have a God is giving us a little more time before probation work to do for themselves which they should not closes to accomplish the work of soul preparation leave for God to do for them. It is an individual for ourselves and thus be prepared to receive the work; one cannot do it for another."—Testimonies, power of the Holy Spirit to work for others? vol. 1, p. 486. "I know that a work must be done for the people, Many talk of the time of trouble, but are making or many will not be prepared to receive the light of no preparation to go through it. "I saw that many the angel sent down from heaven to lighten the whole were neglecting the preparation so needful and were earth with his glory. Do not think that you will be looking to the time of 'refreshing' and the 'latter rain' found as vessels unto honor in the time of the latter to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live rain, to receive the glory of God, (Turn to page 4) COPYRIGHT 1952 BY THE REVIEW AND HERALD HARRY ANDERSON, ARTIST No. 26 -4: A New and Living Way-2 In ancient times, as today, the new birth and cleansing from sin were obtained by faith in Christ OD'S way is in the sanctuary. His throne is in the sanctu- G ary. His ministry for man is in the sanctuary. How important, therefore, that we study the meaning of the sanctuary service as we seek salvation from sin. The "Lord Our Righteousness," the "one sacrifice for sins for ever," the "one mediator be- tween God and men," our great High Priest, our Intercessor, the "minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tab- ernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man"—this is and ever has been the very heart of the Advent message. Our textbook in the study of the sanc- tuary is the book of Hebrews and the other inspired books of the Bible. The book of Hebrews is a revela- tion of the Lord Jesus Christ. It makes plain that our Creator became our Redeemer. He died that we might live. S. E. BOI-IL ANN, ARTIST He lives! and His intercessory minis- try in our behalf centers in the sanc- once into the holy place, having ob- d eply significant. For ancient Israel tuary. Before the throne our Surety tained eternal redemption for us" t ere were daily sacrifices and a yearly stands. Christ has entered, not into a (Heb. 9:12). crifice on the Day of Atonement. tabernacle or a temple made with hu- "But now once in the end of the B th sacrifices prefigured the sacrifice man hands, but "into heaven itself, world hath he appeared to put away Christ. But wherever or whenever now to appear in the presence of God sin by the sacrifice of himself" (verse C ist ministers in the heavenly sanc- for us." Blessed assurance—there is a 26). ary—in the holy place or in the "new and living way," a way which "So Christ was once offered to bear oly of Holies—it is the "blood of the One who is "the way, the truth, the sins of many" (verse 28). e everlasting covenant," the "one and the life" has "consecrated for us." "By the which will we are sancte 0 ering," that saves and sanctifies His To Jesus we may "draw near with a fied through the offering of the body p ople. All the cleansing power that true heart in full assurance of faith," of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. is ever needed or that will ever be knowing that "when Christ, who is 10:10). g yen for the perfection of man is in our life, shall appear," then we shall "But this man, after he had offered t e "blood of the everlasting cove- "appear with him in glory." one sacrifice for sin for ever, sat down n nt," of the "everlasting gospel." The message of the sanctuary is the on the right hand of God" (verse 12). The closing words of exhortation good news of salvation. It is the gos- "For by one offering he hath per- d benediction of the book of He- pel, the "everlasting gospel." Over fected for ever them that are sancti- b ews are these: "May the God of and over in the book of Hebrews and fied" (verse 14). ace, who brought up from the dead other Bible books this truth is em- "Who needeth not daily . to offer 0 r Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of phasized: "The gospel . by which up sacrifice . : for this he did once, t e sheep, by the blood of the eternal also ye are saved. That Christ died when he offered up himself" (Heb. c venant, make you perfect in all for our sins" (1 Cor. 15:1-3). 7 : 27). g odness so that you may do his "By his own blood he entered in The emphasis on the word "once" is ill, and may he make of us what he 2 REVIEW AND HERALD, June 25, 1964 "C1)9 Wa9, n e•ob, Is in tbe Sanctuar9 By VARNER J. JOHNS would have us be through Jesus ministry for the men who lived before way, he needs the lifting power of di- Christ, to whom be glory for ever and the time of the investigative judg- vine love, the cleansing power of the ever! Amen" (Heb. 13:20, 21, New ment. It denies to men who lived and gospel of grace, the keeping power of English Bible).i Under the new cove- died in bygone days the promise that the Captain of his salvation. Day by nant, God writes His love and His God is "able to keep you from falling, day the character is being formed; law in our hearts. Wherefore, we and to present you faultless before day by day grace is given. When a have "boldness to enter into the holi- the presence of his glory with exceed- soul receives Christ, he receives power est by the blood of Jesus, by a new ing joy." to live the life of Christ. The com- and living way, which he hath conse- It applies the cleansing of the soul mand "Be ye therefore perfect, even crated for us, through the veil, that is temple—which is a present work of as your Father which is in heaven is to say, his flesh" (see Heb. 10:14-22). grace for all men who have ever lived, perfect" is not a meaningless expres- and is effective, if ever, before death sion. "God requires perfection of Perfection and the Gospel and not after death—to a special work His children." Every jot and tittle of Our Lord admonishes us to "rightly of cleansing for the dead and the liv- the Word of God is to be brought divide" the word of truth, for the en- ing as a part of the work of judg- into practice in the lives of His chil- emy of truth and righteousness ever ment. It divides the way of God's dren. seeks to pervert the gospel of our dealing with men and virtually The divine standard of Christian salvation. Truth leavened with even teaches that those who live in the last perfection was for the men of yester- a little error is no longer truth. At days are saved from their sins—all day, as well as for us. That multi- times the deceiver endeavors to con- sins—but that those who lived before tudes attained this perfection in ceal the error with copious quotations this time were saved from some of Christ is evident in that a multitude, from the Bible and the Spirit of their sins but must wait until their held captive in the tomb, were raised Prophecy writings. The most deadly names come up in the judgment to be at the time of Christ's resurrection of all errors is that which changes the saved from all their sins.