Vol. 51, No. 1 Your Passport to Heaven \ Don’t Say Cheese! \ Why Thorns & Thistles? Volume 51, Number 1 In this issue Digging Into Doctrine • Your Passport to Heaven The standard is high, yet the power is assured! 4 Good News • Why Thorns & Thistles Obstacles and challenges are often given in love for our benefi t. 7 • Dead Delightfully Doing Their Duty Our life must be cast into the furrow of the world’s need. 10 The Prophetic Word • Expanding Jerusalem’s Border A great divine plan— a tremendous opportunity! 14 Character Builder • Order God’s methodical creation tells us much about His character. 17 Home & Family • Leave Your Baggage at the Gate Offi cial Church Publication of the The door shuts behind you; Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement the smile opens! 21 “The age in which we live calls for reformatory action.” —Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 488. Editor D. Sureshkumar To Your Health! • Don’t Say Cheese! Assistant to the Editor B. Monteiro Unfi t for food—why? 23 Creative Services D. Lee THE REFORMATION HERALD® (ISSN 0482-0843) features articles on Bible doctrine that will enrich the spiritual life of those who seek to know more about God. It is published bimonthly by Meet Today’s Reformers • Why Rebaptism? the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement General Confer- Sometimes there are lost sheep in Israel. ence, P. O. Box 7240, Roanoke, VA 24019-0240, U.S.A. Web: http://www.sdarm.org Are you one? 28 e-mail: [email protected] Printed and distributed by Reformation Herald Publishing As- sociation. Manuscripts, inquiries, address changes, subscrip- • SDARM World News tions, payments, and donations should be mailed to the address 30 below. Periodical postage paid at Roanoke, Virginia 24022. Subscription rates: United States US $14.95 Children’s Corner • Chameleon Christians 32 Foreign (air mail) US $20.00 Single issue US $ 3.50 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Reformation Herald, P. O. Box 7240, ROANOKE, VA 24019. Vol. 51, No. 1; Copyright © 2010 January–February Issue; Illustrations: 123RF on pp. 7, 32; Advent Digital Media on p. 12; Getty Images on pp. 2, 4, 14,18, 20, 27–31; SermonView.com on front cover and pp. 2, 6, 10, 14, 17–21; Dreamstime elsewhere unless specifi ed. Editorial Light-Emitting only a glimmer of light here and there. Our Instructor said: ‘This darkness is Love the result of men’s following their own A spiritual parallel course. They have cherished hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil. They Just as natural bioluminescence is have made questioning and faultfi nd- remarkable because of its light-emit- ing and accusing the chief business of here exists in ting ability, the people of God on this their lives. Their hearts are not right nature an intrigu- sin-darkened planet are uniquely called with God. They have hidden their light ing phenomenon known as to be “the light of the world” (Mat- under a bushel.’ “bioluminescence.” The name thew 5:14). As we will see in this issue “If every soldier of Christ had done is derived from “bios,” meaning of the Reformation Herald, according his duty, if every watchman on the “living,” and “lumen” meaning to Deuteronomy 7:6–8; 10:15, this is walls of Zion had given the trumpet a T“light.” This unusual quality possessed neither due to any innate superiority in certain sound, the world might ere this by light-emitting forms of life exists in them nor partiality on the part of God. have heard the message of warning. But certain fl ora and fauna such as fi refl ies, Rather it is a calling based on a need. the work is years behind. While men glowworms, and foxfi re fungi. In this dark era of earth’s history, while have slept, Satan has stolen a march The need for this extraordinary moral decadence prevails, we are called upon us. “glowing” appears to be much greater to develop holiness of character and “Putting our trust in God, we are to in places where life exists in the midst moral perfection, developed by obedi- move steadily forward, doing His work of darkness. For example, although ence to the Creator’s will and ways. with unselfi shness, in humble depen- the fi refl y lives in areas with a typical “Let us relate ourselves to God in dence upon Him, . remembering day/night ratio, this bioluminescent self-denying, self-sacrifi cing obedience. that it is not because of our worthi- creature only begins to emit light after Faith in Christ always leads to willing, ness that we receive the blessings of sunset. Likewise, the various forms cheerful obedience. There is to be heaven, but because of the worthiness of marine life believed to produce perfect conformity, in thought, word, of Christ, and our acceptance, through some type of bioluminescence usually and deed, to the will of God. Heaven is faith in Him, of God’s abounding consist of species native to the dark- only for those who have purifi ed their grace.”2 est depths of the sea, where very little souls through obedience to the truth.”1 sunlight penetrates. The glimmer of hope in deepest Two maps in vision darkness The servant of the Lord describes an “The last rays of merciful light, the interesting vision of a map of the world. last message of mercy to be given to This map represented God’s vineyard to the world, is a revelation of His char- be cultivated, and all who received light acter of love. The children of God are from heaven were to refl ect it to others. to manifest His glory. In their own life The description is as follows: and character they are to reveal what “I saw jets of light shining from the grace of God has done for them.”3 cities and villages, and from the high Indeed, through the love of Christ places and the low places of the earth. shining in our hearts and radiating out- God’s word was obeyed, and as a result ward, our life can actually “glow in the there were memorials for Him in every dark”! This spiritual bioluminescence city and village. His truth was pro- will radiate to outshine the bleakest claimed throughout the world. midnight. R “Then this map was removed and References another put in its place. On it light was 1 Bible Training School, February 1, 1905. shining from a few places only. The 2 Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 28, 29. rest of the world was in darkness, with 3 Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 415, 416. The Reformation Herald, Vol. 51, No. 1 3 Digging Into Doctrine Your Passport to Heaven Compiled from the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, with comments by Michel-Ange F. Ducheine A passport is a most-needed docu- acter building is the most important work ment to travel to a foreign country. It ever entrusted to human beings; and contains valuable personal information never before was its diligent study so relating to your identity, including your important as now.”2 full name, your age, your nationality, “The work of forming and your photograph. There are differ- ent types of passports. This very idea of having a valid travel document for a voyage is heaven-born: “All the angels that are commissioned to visit the earth hold a golden card, which they present to the angels at the gates of the [Holy City] as they pass in and out.”1 Since we have been invited to take a trip to Heaven, let’s consider the kind of passport we need for that very special odyssey. A most important work The annals of history are full of names of great men and women who have con- [a good tributed immensely to humanity in every character] is the noblest in discipline of art and science. Such men which men can engage.”3 and women have inspired generations Why is such a work so important? after them to dream big and to cherish the Christ expects us to be perfect, even as our desire of doing some great work and thus Father which is in heaven is perfect (Mat- leaving a legacy to humanity. But what is thew 5:48). “God will accept only the most important and noble work we those who are determined to can ever perform? What is the best legacy aim high. He places every we can present to the world? human agent under The Bible thus entreats us “Keep thy obligation to do heart with all diligence; for out of it are his best. Moral the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). “Char- perfection is 4 The Reformation Herald, Vol. 51, No. 1 required of all. Never should we lower overcome. The real diffi culty arises the building is wrong. In our character the standard of righteousness in order from the corruption of an unsanctifi ed building, cracks are often seen. Unless to accommodate inherited or cultivated heart, and an unwillingness to submit these defects are remedied, the house tendencies to wrongdoing. We need to to the control of God.”7 will fall when the tempest of trial beats understand that imperfection of character upon it. is sin. All righteous attributes of character God’s building “God gives us strength, reasoning dwell in God as a perfect, harmonious “You cannot build your character power, time, in order that we may whole, and everyone who receives Christ as a yourself. You must unite with the divine build characters on which He can place personal Saviour is privileged to possess these Builder.