September, 1988 Mid-America Union Conference of Seventh-da ventists "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3 NIV Guest Outlook outflow of redeeming love that transforms Relationships the heart . ." OuRook "Forgiveness, reconciliation with God, Official organ of the Mid-America Union Conference of comes to us, not as a reward for our works, Seventh-day Adventists, P.O. Box 6128 (8550 Pioneers And Forgiveness it is not bestowed because of the merit of Blvd.), Lincoln, NE 68506. (402) 486-2550. sinful men, but it is a gift unto us, having in the spotless righteousness of Christ its foun- Editor James L. Fly Editorial Assistant Shirley B. Engel dation for bestowal." Mount of Blessing, Typesetter Cheri D. Winters page 125, 126 Printer Christian Record Braille Foundation Our love relationship with God is deter- mined not only by God's forgiving us, but Change of address: Give your new address with zip code and include your name and old address as it appeared on also by our forgiving our neighbor. Jesus previous issues. (If possible clip your name and address taught His disciples to pray ". Forgive us from an old OUTLOOK.) our debts as we forgive our debtors" (Mat- thew 5:12). The only part of this prayer on Mid-America Union which He commented for emphasis is in verses 14 and 15, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you forgive not men Mid-America Union Directory their trespasses, neither will your Father President J 0. Tompkins Secretary George Timpson W. S. Lee, Sr. forgive your trespasses." Treasurer Duane P. Huey Jesus set the example for us while hang- Assistant Treasurer Arthur Opp Righteousness by faith is a term used to ing on the cross, while still suffering for Adventist Health System describe the gospel of Jesus Christ in sim- those who were guilty of crucifying Him Middle & Eastern J. R. Shawver Church Ministries Ken L. Bushnell plicity and purity. It includes all God in His and who were deriding Him. Jesus prayed Communication, A.S I James L. Fly love does through Jesus our Lord and Sav- "Father, forgive them: For they know not Education Don Keele iour to provide pardon, peace, power, vic- what they do." (Luke 23:34) Associate Education Melvin E. Northrup tory, purity and eternal life as a gift. (John Forgiveness is the basis for unity and the Health, Temperance, Inner City George Timpson 3:16, 17) catalyst of the love relationship between Ministerial & Evangelism God is love (1 John 4:8) and love is the God and man, and man and man. God Coordinator James A. Cress most important principle and motive in the expects us to take the initiative as He did. It Publishing and HHES Hoyet L. Taylor Christian life, forming the foundation of a will bring to each of us peace of mind. We Associate Publishing William Dawes Associate Publishing Lynn Westbrook love relationship between God and man, are happy when we are loving and helping Associate Publishing/HHES Bob Belmont and man and his neighbor (Matthew 22:36- others regardless of their attitude and Religious Liberty D. J. Huenergardt 40) through which this continuity is main- conduct. Trust Services George Woodruff tained. God takes the initiative and this love When this relationship is marred or is not based on the conduct of those loved broken, forgiveness restores it. Forgiveness Local Conference Directory CENTRAL STATES: J. Paul Monk, President; E. F. Carter, Secre- ". while we were yet sinners, Christ died keeps families together, keeps churches tary; Leroy Hampton, Treasurer; 5737 Swope Parkway, Kansas for us." (Romans 5:8) together—it enables people to get along City, MO 64130; Telephone (816) 361-7177. Correspondent, Justification and sanctification are con- with people. Nathaniel Miller tinuous ". He is faithful and just . con- This love relationship is the evidence that DAKOTA CONFERENCE: Don Shelton, President; Marvin Lowman, Secretary; Douglas Hilliard, Treasurer; P.O. Box 520, 217 tinuously cleanses from all unrighteousness we have recieved the righteousness of Christ North Grand, Pierre, SD 57501; Telephone (605) 224-8868. " (1 John 1:9 Amp) personally, and we can say decisively sin- ABC, Star Route 9, Box 170, Bismarck, ND 58501; Telephone Justification and forgiveness prepares us cerely and with conviction, "Jesus was born (701) 258-6531. COI Marvin Lowman for sanctification. "Sanctification is not the for me, lived a sinless life for me, He died for IOWA-MISSOURI: W. D. Wampler, President; Walter Brown, Secretary; G. T. Evans, Treasurer; P.O. Box 65665, 1005 Grand work of a moment, an hour, a day but of a me, He arose for me, He ascended for me, Ave., West Des Moines, to 50265; Telephone (515) 223-1197. lifetime . " Sanctification is the result of He pleads for me, He is coming again for Correspondent, Herb Wrate lifelong obedience. Acts of the Apostles, me, that where He is I will be also—thus K A NSAS-NEBRASKA: Gordon Retzer, President; J. Roger page 560, 561 glorifying and immortalizing this love rela- McQuistan, Secretary; Norman Harvey, Treasurer-, 3440 Urish tionship forever and ever and ever!!" Road, Topeka, KS 66614-4601; Telephone (913) 478-4726. ABC, 4745 Prescott, Lincoln, NE 68506; Telephone (402) 488- Love and Forgiveness Inseparable The wonder of God's amazing love! Let 3395. Correspondent, John Treolo There is something very special about us continuously choose this great salvation MINNESOTA: C. Lee Huff, President; Raymond R. Rouse, forgiveness. "God's forgiveness is not mere- which Jesus so lovingly and graciously Secretary-Treasurer; 7384 Kirkwood Court, Maple Grove, MN ly a judicial act by which He sets us free offers. 55369; Telephone (612) 424-8923. Correspondent, Barbara Huff from condemnation. It is not only forgive- W. S. Lee, Sr., Retired Secretary ROCKY MOUNTAIN: Don C. Schneider, President; Marshall ness for sin, but reclaiming from sin, it is the Mid-America Union Conference Chase, Secretary-Treasurer; 2520 So. Downing, Denver, CO 80210; Telephone (303) 733-3771. Correspondent, Robert MeCumber Outlook On The Cover Vol. 9, No. 9, September, 1988. The Mid-America Adventist OUT- LOOK (ISSN 0887-977X) is published monthly by the Mid- September- Stephanie Torpey, daughter of Dale and JoAnn Torpey of Washington, Iowa, poses in America Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 8550 Pio- neers Blvd., Route 8, Lincoln, NE 68506. Printed at Christian an upstairs bedroom of her parents' Victorian mansion. The rainbows are caused by the morning sun Record Braille Foundation, Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, streaming through a leaded glass window. The Torpeys operate a bed and breakfast in Washington Nebraska. Annual subscription price, $8.00. POSTMASTER: Send called Antiques and Old Lace which the Outlook editor stayed in while covering the story on the address changes to Mid-America Adventist OUTLOOK, P.O. Box Iowa-Missouri Conference's effort to reestablish the church in Washington. (See June, 1988 Outlook). 6128, Lincoln, NE 68506. Photo by J. Fly. 2 OUTLOOK September, 1988 The Message of 1888 and the Caring Church (Topic 3 of 5) The Second Coming And The Caring Church BY GEORGE R. KNIGHT erhaps the major contribution of A. T. message. Thus it opened the way to prepare Sunday-law excitement of the times, PJones and E. J. Waggoner at the 1888 a people for the great Second Coming intimated that the fullness of the latter rain General Conference session was to unite the harvest of Revelation 14:14-20. would be poured out in the 1893 General law and the gospel in the context of the It is impossible to overestimate the Conference session and that Christ would third angel's message of Revelation 14. With importance of Revelation 14 in Adventist soon come. One result was that there was a Jones preaching on the topic of the national history. Beginning in the 1840s with the great deal of eschatological excitement at Sunday bill that was to come before proclamation that "the hour of God's the 1893 meetings. (For a fuller discussion congress in a few weeks and Waggoner judgment" had begun on October 22, 1844, of the great revival of 1893, see From 1888 emphasizing the righteousness of Christ, it Revelation 14 had been central to Adventist to Apostasy, pp. 75-103). was only natural that those two great halves thought. The final link in that threefold As we all know, however, Jesus never of the Seventh-day Adventist message message was explicated by Waggoner in came in 1893, despite the expectations of should be joined together at Minneapolis. connection with Jones at the 1888 General some. In connection with "the failure of Ellen White, in commenting on Conference session. Subsequently, with the 1893," there are several points that should Waggoner's messages on "justification by Ten Commandment law being seen as a be mentioned. First, Ellen White never faith and the righteousness of Christ in "sin detector" (rather than as something to fixated her thought on the failure of the relation to the law," pointed out that this denomination in either 1893 or 1888. was not "new light." Rather, "it was old Second, she noted in other places that the light placed where it should be in the third Spirit was being poured out. In 1908, for angel's message." "What is the burden of example, she wrote that "this is the time of that message?" she asked. "Jesus sees a the latter rain" (It. 230, 1908). people. He says, 'Here is the patience of the Third, and most importantly, in 1888 saints: here are they that keep the Ellen White had penned that Christ could commandments of God, and the faith of have come soon after 1844 if the Millerite Jesus.' " Revelation 14:12.