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God's Character and the Last Generation

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God's Character and the Last Generation God’s Character and the Last Generation Jiří Moskala and John C. Peckham Editors Publishing Association Nampa, Idaho | Oshawa, Ontario, Canada www.pacicpress.com 1 Great Controversy Issues John C. Peckham od is love. This recognition is central to force would effectively answer the charges G theology as a whole and plays a crucial raised against God’s character and govern- role in the great-controversy motif, which ment. Since the cosmic conflict is a con- is itself a crucial component of Adventist flict about character, it cannot be settled theology.1 Put broadly, the great contro- by force, but only by a demonstration of versy refers to a conflict between God and character that refutes the charges raised Satan regarding the character of God and against God’s character. God’s moral government. Just how God’s This is due, in large part, to the nature character is vindicated over and against of love. In this view, love by its very na- the claims of the devil is an impor tant ture must be freely given; it cannot be matter in Adventist theology. How one compelled or determined.4 Therefore, God approaches and understands this issue has has granted significant (but also limited) far-reaching ramifications for many other freedom of will to creatures, which He areas of theology and practice. Therefore, will not revoke because doing so would be to provide a better understanding of the against the principles of His character and questions and issues that will be addressed government of love.5 This cosmic conflict in the following chapters of this book, this originated when the devil, created by God chapter provides a brief introduction to as a perfect angel, exercised his free will to the great controversy and the issues raised rebel against God, slandering God’s char- relative to God’s character and the last acter in heaven as a means to usurp God’s generation within that context.2 rule, leading some angels to rebel along with him (see Ezekiel 28:12–18; cf. Isaiah The cosmic conflict over God’s character 14:12–14; Revelation 12:4, 7–9).6 Satan then According to the Adventist understand- appeared as a serpent in the Garden of ing of the great controversy, the devil Eden, who questioned and slandered God’s has charged and continues to charge that character (Genesis 3:1–5).7 In doing so, he God is not wholly loving and good and led Eve and Adam into distrusting and dis- that His government and law are not fair.3 obeying God and eating the forbidden fruit, Therefore, this conflict is not one about introducing sin and evil into this world sheer power or brute force. Since God is (verses 6–19). Ever since, all humans, as de- all powerful (omnipotent), no one could scendants of Adam and Eve, have struggled stand against Him were He to exercise His with sin and the devastating consequences power to quell rebellion. Yet no show of of evil. 16 God’s Character and the Last Generation But even in the midst of the Fall, God to address these questions in order to help revealed His plan of redemption—that provide a clearer picture of God’s character Christ would finally defeat the serpent and and the last generation for the benefit of redeem humanity (verse 15). Indeed, God the church. “so loved the world” that He has made a On one hand, many Adventists affirm way for “whoever believes” in Christ to that God provides for Himself the means be saved ( John 3:16). Christ Himself, the and grounds of victory in the great con- Second Person of the Godhead, would be- troversy, by definitively defeating Satan come human, live a life untainted by sin, at the cross. Christ’s work provided suffi- and willingly die on the cross as a perfect cient and effective grounds to refute the sacrifice in the place of sinners ( John 10:18; charges of the enemy and thus fully vindi- Philippians 2:5–8), simultaneously uphold- cate God’s character before the onlooking ing God’s law and definitively demonstrat- universe. In this view, the role of humans ing God’s completely righteous character is a missional role of proclamation and wit- of love (Romans 3:25; 5:8). nessing to the truth of God’s unimpeach- Broadly speaking, this concept of a cos- able character, spreading the good news, mic conflict between God and Satan is by no and reflecting God’s character as a means means unique to Adventist thinking, but it to help people to recognize that God truly is uniquely essential to Adventist theology. is wholly good and loving and thus cause It provides a great deal of the framework them to give themselves unreservedly to within which many doctrines of Adventist Him. While this missional role has real and theology make sense, including, but not significant ramifications in helping people limited to, the doctrine of last things and to recognize God’s love and to choose to the second coming of Christ (eschatology) receive His free gift of salvation, the activ- and the nature of God’s judgment and the ity of humans does not provide any grounds sanctuary doctrine. for the vindication of God’s character or God’s victory in the great controversy. Differing understandings Humans merely proclaim and witness to of the great controversy the vindication of God’s character, helping Although the basic features of the great people to recognize God’s perfect charac- controversy outlined above are generally ter without contributing in any way to ac- accepted among most Adventists, there tually making it true that God’s character are significant departures among some is perfect (cf. Romans 3:4). The essential regarding just how the controversy over point here is that God Himself wins the God’s character is settled and the part that victory in the great controversy, and this humans are to play in this cosmic drama victory is not contingent upon something of the great controversy, in which, as Paul added by mere creatures. Christ effectively puts it, “we have become a spectacle [or refuted Satan’s false charges against God’s theater] to the world, both to angels and to character, law, and moral government by men” (1 Corinthians 4:9).8 This book aims His perfect life and death and has thus Great Controversy Issues 17 defeated the enemy (Revelation 12:10).9 character requires one to believe that it On the other hand, some Adventists must be possible for humans to become affirm what has come to be known as last absolutely sinless prior to glorification— generation theology (LGT). The following that is, prior to the transformation of the chapter will provide a historical and theo- redeemed by Christ at the Second Coming logical overview regarding just what LGT (1 Corinthians 15:52–55). But this raises is. For now, we might minimally define it as significant questions relative to the human the view that there must be a last genera- condition, particularly to the doctrine of tion of humans who become absolutely sin- sin. If sin is thought of only as actions that less and “perfect” in order to provide the are freely chosen, then one might become grounds to vindicate God’s character and sinless by the force of one’s will. If, on the win the great controversy. In this regard, other hand, sin is more than freely chosen generally speaking, LGT affirms that an ad- actions, if it is also a bent disposition of the ditional phase of atonement is necessary, human condition with unchosen propen- beyond the ministry of Christ, in order sities toward evil, then it seems humans to finally defeat Satan. Specifically, there would not be able to perfectly overcome sin must be a final, entirely sinless generation (in this broad sense) by the force of their of humans that, by completely overcoming will because the human will would itself be sin, provides the grounds for the vindica- infected by sin. tion of God’s character, playing a crucial Bound up with these issues relative role in deciding the victor in the great to overcoming sin, many concerns and controversy.10 In this view, then, Satan was confusions arise regarding the conditions not defeated at the cross; some group of and process of salvation. In this regard, humans must become perfectly sinless in whereas many Adventists understand jus- order for Satan to be defeated. tification to be a forensic or legal declara- tion of righteousness, some advocates of Issues and questions pertinent to LGT LGT argue that justification is not merely This approach of LGT raises a number of is- forensic; it also includes the process by sues that have far-reaching theological im- which the believer is made righteous (i.e., plications. For one thing, LGT makes God’s sanctification). victory in the great controversy dependent More disagreement and confusion arise upon the fidelity of mere creatures, thus when it comes to the nature of sanctifica- requiring the view that divine revelation tion, which many Adventists view as the and action are insufficient to win the great process of becoming more and more holy controversy but must be supplemented by or growing in one’s character to love more human action. completely even as God does. In this view, Further, the idea that at least some group whereas justification is a declaration of of humans must be sinlessly “perfect” prior God made in a moment, sanctification is to the Second Coming in order to provide the work of a lifetime, yet both are by faith the grounds for the vindication of God’s and depend upon the primary and prior (or 18 God’s Character and the Last Generation “prevenient”) action of God.
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