Full Salvation Has Been Given

E. J. Waggoner writes:

It is a full and complete salvation that God has provided; it awaits us as we come into the world; and we do not relieve God of any burden by rejecting it, nor do we add to His labor by accepting it. The Glad Tidings, pg 66.

Yes Christ has paid the price for our total salvation. The scriptures state that Jesus tasted death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9. He has given all of humanity this great gift of salvation...all of us. In another place the apostle writes that Jesus is the savior of all of people. 1 Timothy 4:10.

As Sister White wrote in The Desire of Ages on page 25:

Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His.

Yes salvation full and complete has been given to all people as a gift. Don't throw away this gift, for Christ has paid too much for it, yes it is yours.

Audio 52 - Help From High Priest

Christ is our High Priest. From that position, Christ provides much help especially to one who is in the depths of temptation.

In this audio, Elder Cox, gives an overview of this help that we receive from our Heavenly High Priest.

Christ Was Made

Alonzo Jones writes:

Christ was "made" what, before, He was not in order that the man might be made now and forever what he is not.

Christ was Spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:45. He became flesh in order that humanity, who is flesh, might become spirit. John 3:6; Romans 8:8-10.

Christ, who was altogether of the divine nature, was made partaker of human nature, in order that we who are altogether of the human nature "might be partakers of the divine nature." 2 Peter 1:4.

Christ, who knew no sin, was made to be sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), even the sinfulness of humanity, in order that we, who knew no righteousness, might be made righteous.

Christ was made what he was not before so that we might be made that which we were not before.  Praise God for this transaction!

Victory Through Submission

E. J. Waggoner wrote:

if we are willing to be as submissive to the word as is the inanimate creation, the fruit will be as abundant...We, like grass, are but teh powerless instruments through which God manifests His own power...Our part is to yield to the divine husbandman; His part is to cause the growth and the perfect fruit.

The command has come forth in 2 Peter 3:18 to grow. Grow in grace. Dr. Waggoner tells us that all we but do is submit to that just as the grass submits to the call of God in the beginning to "let the earth bring forth..."

God gives us the power to do God's will. God blesses us with divine strength to obey that Word. If we would simply allow the vine to send its nutrients to us as we abide in that vine that abides in us. (John 15:4) Then we should see victories in our life, but these victories will not be for our own glory, but they shall be to glorify the Master who is actually doing the work through us, we have just submitted to that great power that is at work.

Is All Growth Good?

Dr. Phillip Mills writes about the current infatuation with many of the current-popular church growth approaches. Certainly we can question whether it is God's intention that every church turn into a Mega Church which I sincerely doubt. But what Mills does is question whether we are worrying about the quality of growth as much as simply growing at all costs.

Some have talked about this when speaking about our low-retention rate as well as our proclivity to equate success to putting church hoppers in seats while the total number of adherents to the Second Advent Movement remains the same in the city, but we shuffle folks around. Mills addresses these issues in his helpful way that only a physician could do.

He notes that there are many ways to grow that are not good. For example, there is Girth Growth. This is where our midsection's simply grow out. This is not "fitness but fatness." Could our desire to placate to the whims of the unconverted produce people who simply want what they want rather than desire the transforming power of God? Is it valuable to have a church full of consumers of our religious entertainment? Girth growth happens when we simply want people in the seats at all costs. We don't train them as we should. We don't love them as we should. We don't strengthen them as we should. And we don't expect them to use their gifts for the kingdom as we should. We just are happy with more "behinds in the seats."

Another means of growth, spoken of by Mills, is Forced Growth. This happens when you grow out of balance. This is like when some weightlifters grow their muscle by any means necessary, without doing the other things that are necessary for health. In our religious life, we can do this by ignoring certain fundamentals that we all need to hear as Christians. When we emphasize justification, love, and salvation, but don't also emphasize justice, sanctification, and the necessary works that a Christ produced life will bring.

Another type of growth is Neoplastic Growth. Cancer is a growth. We don't want it, we shouldn't want it, but some growths are cancers. They often grow fast. They take over good tissue and cause great problems. We can have such growth in our churches when we have more and more members who are not producing. We may grow fast, but what good has it done?

Stature growth is another type of growth. This is the true growth that comes when we are true followers of the most high. When we seek to teach the full counsel of God and growth happens. It is important to note, that not all churches will become mega churches, but they can all grow into the measure of Christ. That is our goal.

In the end, we must recognize that all churches are not supposed to become 20K bohemouths. We need to get out of the trap of thinking that the success of our movement is gaged in number of people sitting in front of us. In addition, we need to see our movement as being more than our local congregation and see it as a integral part of the full Advent movement whose mission has always been "The Advent Message To All The World In This Generation." We do have a mission! Next, we need to stop judging our ministers and our people by measures that will simply promote some of these unhealthy kinds of growth.

Audio 51 - Will You Grow Up on Baby Food?

Many Christians spend their lives never getting past the "baby food" period of their experience. They talk like spiritual babes, they argue to live lives like everyone else in the world. They attempt to do the bare minimum in the Christian life. Instead of glorifying God as the ultimate purpose, doing the bare minimum to "get into heaven" is where they spend most of their time. They flock to hear preachers who only preach about what you as a Christian will get.

Baby food is good, but you need something more if you are going to move further in your Christian walk. Elder Cox speaks on this subject in this audio.

Arguments for Conformity

The other day I was reading an internet discussion where a Christian condemned the promiscuous lyrics of a popular musical artist.  The Christian said that the artist was a tool of the devil in the propogation of anti-Christian lyrics and the promotion of a anti-Christian lifestyle in the music.

Interestingly enough the other Christians came to the defense of the artist.  The arguments were as follows.  One said that the particular artist was not the worst offender.  This may or may not be the case, but it doesn't address whether Satan is using the artist as a tool to propogate wickedness.

Another argument was a common one.  They simply attacked the Christian.  How do you know that the artist is singing wickedness unless you are listening to the artist.  Well there is some truth to this attack.  One cannot evaluate what one has not heard and seen.  However, it still doesn't address whether Satan is using the artist as a tool to propagate wickedness, it only addresses whether the original Christian's integrity.

Finally the last defense was something along the lines of "How do you know who is going to hell?  You don't know the artist's heart."  Interesting, especially due to the fact that the original Christian never said anyone was going to hell, only that the artist's music was a propagation tool for Satan.  This is the common attack that "only God knows my heart."  Certainly this is a true sentiment, and ultimately God will decide with all the information about someone's ultimate destiny, but it is absolutely ridiculous to assume that simply because I don't know if someone is going to hell, I can't evaluate whether their public statements (and songs) are in line with my own understanding of truth.

It is interesting how we have reached a point in time where those who  state "a song promoting promiscuity is wrong" are attacked.   Defending the values of the faith is mocked today.  Conforming to the world is the acceptable norm.

If we will stand in that great day, we must have the audacity to speak the truth, and the perserverence to stand even in the midst of attacks from our sister and brother Christians who have bought into the lie that the only sin that is worth condemning today is hypocracy.