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By Ed Barnett

Prayer makes a difference! My grandfather was 50 years old on that long-ago day when he was feeling so terrible. When he could no longer stand the pain, he went to see his doctor who put him in the hospital and ran a battery of tests. When the test results returned, the doctor summoned my grandfather back to his office. The news was not good. “You have bone cancer,” he was told. The doctor gave him six months to live.

There was nothing else to do but to return home to his farm. Grandpa asked his pastor to come and bring the church elders to anoint him. Arrangements were made and grandpa was anointed. My grandfather lived to be 93 years old.

Prayer makes a difference! North American Division Prayer Ministries recently announced a project called HOPE, an acronym for Houses of Prayer Everywhere. The idea is to encourage every church throughout the division to become a House of Prayer. Here in the Rocky Mountain Conference, we have more than 120 churches. What if every one of those churches became a House of Prayer? What a difference it would make in our territory. I believe that prayer makes a difference not only in our private lives, but in the corporate life of the church and in our conference.

Each of our churches would have to puzzle out how they might make their church a House of Prayer. Since there is no formula for a church to make this work, each church would need to literally pray their way through making this dream a reality in their local congregation. The North American Division Prayer Ministries has set up a web page that gives some direction for a local church to become a House of Prayer. Visit www.HOPE-heals.org.

A well-known speaker, writer and educator, Don Jacob- sen, makes a weekly blog contribution for the web site. In his recently-released book, Okay, All Together Now, he presents reasons and simple strategies to help local churches trans- form into Houses of Prayer. He writes, “Only the supernatural, miraculous, unearthly, transformational power from the throne can undo the damage sin has done. And God has declared that that comes down only in response to serious, fervent intercession by His people.”

Prayer makes a difference, and a praying church can be a powerful conduit for change. Let us all rise to the challenge of helping our churches become Houses of Prayer!

–Ed Barnett is RMC president. Email him at:[email protected]

By Ron Price

There are so many wonderful verses in the Bible. I particularly like Ephesians 2:10 which, in the New Living Translation, states that I am God’s masterpiece. So are you, by the way, so I gladly share that status with you. I also appreciate the very first verse I committed to memory as a brand-new Christian. I refer to John 10:10 which tells me that while the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, my Lord Jesus came that I may have life and have it to the full. That calls for a shout of “Hallelujah!” but I’ll settle for an “Amen!”

I could go on and on, as I’m certain you could, in listing favorite verses found in Scripture. Forgive me, please, as I now draw your attention to a verse that will likely never be on anyone’s top 100 favorites list. In the book of James, we read in chapter 4, verse 17: “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (NLT). Ouch, that one hurts.

I believe that verse might explain why so many Christians score high in the area of guilt. Christians with even a meager familiarity with the Bible have a clear sense of right and wrong. Knowing and doing, however, can often be entirely different activities.

I heard somewhere, but have not been able to verify it, that Seventh-day Adventist Christians score higher in guilt than those of other denominations. We Adventists like to say we have the truth, and I personally believe we do have more Scripture to back up our beliefs than other denominations with which I am familiar. Could this knowledge and aware- ness of God’s desires for us, and expectations from us, explain the high incidence of guilt we seem to have?

The apostle Paul knew a thing or two about struggling to do right when faced with temptations to do wrong. Spend some meaningful time reading Romans 7–8. (Chapters 5–8 are my favorite chapters to help explain our right standing with God in Christ.)

In Romans 7, we read of Paul’s agony as he apparently finds himself messing up on a regular basis. He freely admits that while he wants to do good, he does not, and while he does not want to do bad, he frequently does so anyway.

Does this situation sound familiar to you? If so, you will appreciate, as do I, the conclusion of Paul’s gut-and soul-wrenching encounter with God. He cries out in verse 24, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” He goes on to joyfully write in verse 25: “Thank God! The answer is in

Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind, I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” And then he concludes with the universal antidote to guilt for all believers: “So now there is, therefore, no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1 NLT).

Brothers and sisters, that verse tells me that whenever we hear a caustic, derogatory or accusatory voice in our head, it is not coming from God. He loves us and would never berate us, put us down, or try to make us feel worth- less or guilty. The enemy sure would, and he has had much practice in doing so. God will, of course, correct and redirect us when necessary, but never in a harsh and unloving manner. That is just not who He is, nor how He treats His children.

Let me challenge you to always consider “OG” or “NOG.” Whenever you get a thought in your head about something you have done, or not done, and for which you might feel guilty, pause and ask yourself, “Is this of God (OG), or not of God (NOG)?” If the former, repent and claim the promise you’ll find in 1 John 1:9. If the latter, take the thought to the recycle bin of your mind and delete it immediately.

I’m told the mind cannot entertain two thoughts at the same time. So if you are having thoughts of guilt, form the habit of replacing them with thoughts of forgiveness, acceptance, grace, mercy, kindness, and love.

–Ron Price is a member of the RMC executive committee from Farmington, New Mexico. His new book is Play Nice in Your Sandbox at Work. Email him at: [email protected]

By Wayne Morrison

As I opened the email from the editor reminding me of his invitation to write this devotional, I was caught immediately by his picture in the corner of the email.

See, Ray and I had discussed this topic just days earlier in his office. This topic, an issue I had been wrestling with, and sensing a conviction about, had prompted a transformation in my own perspective. Humanity tends to see things through the lens of our experience. Ray’s picture (see above), as he peers through the frame of his own fingers—a photographer’s picture-framing pose—reminded me of how narrow our perspective can get.

In the last few months, I was challenged by my son to sit up and take note of the real issues of prejudice in our communities. I was aware of all the issues in the news, but was not fully considering the stories behind the news bullets.

Tyler called me one day and asked, “Dad, what do you think of what’s happening at Andrews?” I had to admit I hadn’t heard, so he shared a link where I could watch a video from students appealing to the university for a cultural “change.” Within a few days, I watched the response of the administration and staff to the appeal, along with a special chapel featuring the president from Andrews, and both a forum hosted by the Lake Union president, Don Livesay, and a sermon by Dwight Nelson, pastor of Pioneer Memorial Church. (All links provided at the end of this article.) What I experienced as God continued to speak to my heart changed my perspective in a very significant way.

My initial response to the student appeal was not totally positive. I understood the atrocities of the past, but since I didn’t feel prejudice in my own heart, I assumed they were just that: of the past. From my limited view, through the lens of my experience, they were history. I didn’t think I had ever minimized the horrific ways people were treated, but I did believe we had moved beyond this type of racism.

As my eyes and heart were opened, I became painfully aware of the truth: people are experiencing very real, very wrong, bigotry today. People I know and love are experiencing extreme bias and intolerance every day. As I listened to stories, my anger and disappointment continued to grow. I asked myself, “How can people be so cruel?”

When I was finally able to watch Dwight’s sermon, God challenged me. I have lived a life of privilege. I may not be what the world defines as wealthy or successful, but I went to good schools, and it was never a question of whether or not I would go to school. My children have attended Christian schools, and whether they would go to college was never in question. When I apply for a job, I don’t have to worry that my appearance will make me a less desirable candidate. If I am pulled over by a police officer, I don’t experience fear—except that I will have to pay a major fine. I do not fear for my safety, or that I will be misjudged, misunderstood, or even mistreated, because of who I am or how I look.

I don’t even truly understand what that might feel like, as I have never suffered this kind of prejudice. But I heard God calling me to open my eyes, open my heart, and begin to do whatever I can do, right where I am with those in my sphere of influence. I heard Him asking me to make sure I am protecting others’ rights, always broadening the lens of my perspective.

Jesus shows us this over and over in Scripture. He reached beyond the bounds of cultural and historical prejudice to show love. He reached out to show the kind of love that knows no limit, that sees all people as equal, and gives full privileges to all.

In the fourth chapter of John, Jesus is sitting at the well.

(If you don’t know the story, read it!) He reaches across the barriers of society—prejudice, cultural bias, and spiritual discrimination. He asks for water, and we know His request was so much more than a man asking for a drink. He wanted to bring healing to a wounded woman, to mend her broken heart.

He crossed gender barriers in speaking to her. He, a Jew, approached a Samaritan, ignoring the prejudice of race and culture. Jesus touched her where He knew she hurt, where she was most exposed, because He didn’t see a Samaritan. She wasn’t just a woman, but a child of God in need of love, affirmation, and restoration.

Lord, help us to reach across the barriers of our society today, to see the wounded and broken, to become your hands and feet, and to bring healing to a world crippled by our limited view.

God, give us your lens!

–Wayne Morrison is pastor of the Brighton Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Email him at: [email protected]

By Mark Johnson

I used to worship the devil.

I didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t even know I was doing it. In fact, all the time, I thought I was worshipping God.

I was never a Satanist. I never took part in satanic cult rituals or anything like that. I just went to church.

The devil deceived me. I’m still not exactly sure how he did it, but somehow, despite my loving Christian parents and my well-meaning Christian teachers and pastors, I came to believe that God was severe, exacting, revengeful and arbitrary—that He was a stern Judge who was constantly and carefully watching to catch me doing something wrong so He could punish me. And His punishments were very painful.

I was scared to death of the “god” I was worshipping, but I did my best to please and appease him, mainly so I could escape those punishments. Then I learned that I had been worshipping a caricature of the true God. I had been worshipping the devil’s picture of God—a picture that really describes Satan himself. I also learned how and why I had been misled.

Here are several of Ellen White’s statements about Satan: “Satan led men to conceive of God as a being whose chief attribute is stern justice—one who is a severe judge, a harsh, exacting creditor. He pictured the Creator as a being who is watching with jealous eye to discern the errors and mistakes of men, that He may visit judgments upon them” (Steps to Christ, pp. 10–11). “Satan had worked long to efface the true impression of God, and to represent Him as a God having no love. This is Satan’s character. He is destitute of mercy and compassion. Overbearing and revengeful, he delights in the misery that he brings on the human family. With these attributes he attempted to clothe the God of heaven” (Signs of the Times, January 20, 1898). “Satan sought to intercept every ray of light from the throne of God. He sought to cast his shadow across the earth, that men might lose the true views of God’s character. . . . The very attributes that belonged to the character of Satan, the evil one represented as belonging to the character of God” (Signs of the Times, January 20, 1890).

The Bible makes it pretty clear that things in the uni- verse are not the way they were meant to be, nor are they always the way they appear to be. In the opening biblical scenes, we find an enemy who questions God’s motives and methods, and calls Him a liar (Genesis 3:1–5). This being is later found accusing God of playing favorites and of not being able to read His creatures’ motives or judge their characters (Job 1:6–12). This enemy is portrayed as a master of deception and a grand illusionist (Genesis 3:1; Matthew 4). There’s a hint that this person caused so much trouble in heaven that he finally had to be thrown out (Revelation 12:7). The root of this creature’s problem is that he wants for him- self the power, authority, grandeur and worship that only God the Creator deserves (Isaiah 14:12–14; Ezekiel 28:12–19). He is known as Satan, the accuser, the dragon, and the devil.

And somehow, I ended up worshipping him.

We Adventists have a name for this conflict that appeared in God’s family. We call it the “Great Controversy between Christ and Satan.” It’s a legacy belief of Adventists, and it is rather unique to us. (It’s the eighth of our twenty- eight fundamental beliefs.) And yet, it seems that many Adventists, even some of us older ones, don’t really know much about it. Many seem to have accepted the worldview of this—that there are bad and good supernatural persons at war, but the idea that one of God’s creatures challenged His very character and questioned His motives for creating and His methods of governing, is distinctly Adventist. To me, this perspective has literally been a lifesaver, and it has provided rational answers to many of the theological questions with which I’ve struggled throughout my life. It has finally led me to worship the God whom Christ revealed to us instead of the “god” that the devil has been trying to pass off to us.

I have to warn you that the story sounds a lot like a Star Wars movie or a Star Trek plot, but remember which one came first! Its skeleton can be found in the Bible (Genesis 3; Job 1; Zechariah 3; Matthew 4 and the other Gospels; and Revelation 12), but for Adventists, some of the main writings that put meat on the skeleton (sorry for the inappropriate metaphor!) are found in Early Writings, The Story of Redemption, Patriarchs and Prophets, and The Desire of Ages by Ellen White. A couple of non-Adventist sources that speak to the subject, but are not quite “Adventist” are John Milton’s Paradise Lost and some of Henry Melvill’s sermons.

The overarching premises and assumptions on which this belief is built, some of which are found in other “Fundamental Beliefs,” should be familiar to any Adventist. There is one triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three distinct and co-eternal Persons. While all the qualities and powers of God are exhibited in each of these co-eternal Persons, the One we now know as Jesus Christ became God incarnate, first as a divine-angelic being known as Michael, the Archangel, and ultimately as a divine-human being, known as Jesus of Nazareth. In both cases, He was truly divine and truly creature in a way we cannot explain or understand. He was the main Agent in the creation of this world, of humanity, and of other supernatural beings, such as angels.

God’s creatures (angels, humans, and perhaps others) were made in His image, with individuality, the power and freedom to think, to choose and to act. God values this freedom so highly that He even allowed His method of governing and His motives for creating to be examined and challenged by the intelligent persons He created. Lucifer, a created angel, stood at God’s left hand in the heavenly throne room, and Michael, the divine archangel, stood on the right. They were “covering angels” and were messengers for God. But Lucifer became jealous of Michael’s divine prerogatives, and felt that he should also be treated as a divine being. This self-centered desire of Lucifer’s to have the power, authority, and worship that was due only to God finally drove Lucifer to rebel against God and His Son; there was “war in heaven,” and Lucifer and his followers were thrown out.

God then created this earth and us humans, in large part to answer the questions that had been raised by Lucifer. Now called Satan, the Accuser, Lucifer’s ultimate charges were about God’s character. He questioned His motives for creating and His methods of governing. He claimed that God was not a selfless, giving Creator with the best interests of His creatures in mind, but was instead like the God I worshipped in my youth—severe, exacting, revengeful and arbitrary. He argued that God’s creatures had innate powers that were being held back by God, and that rebellion against God (sin) did not lead to death, as God claimed, but would allow His creatures to flourish and become gods in their own right. And they believed him.

So, Christ came to this world.

He “came to represent the Father. We behold in Him the image of the invisible God. He clothed His divinity with humanity, and came to the world that the erroneous ideas Satan had been the means of creating in the minds of men in regard to the character of God, might be removed” (Signs of the Times, January 20, 1890). “[Christ] came to assure men that they need not fear to approach God because of His greatness and majesty. . . . He presented the greatness of the Father’s love, declaring that He had so great a care for His children that even the hairs of their head are numbered. . . . He sympathizes with all the creatures He has made . . .” (Signs of the Times, January 20, 1898).

As His crowning act, He verified the truth that sin leads to death. He took the responsibility on Himself. He was “made to be sin,” and died the death of a sinner. This ultimate demonstration of God’s character was not made for mankind alone. “To the angels and the unfallen worlds the cry, ‘It is finished,’ had a deep significance. It was for them as well as for us that the great work of redemption had been accomplished. . . . Not until the death of Christ was the character of Satan clearly revealed to the angels or to the unfallen worlds. The arch-apostate had so clothed himself with deception that even holy beings had not understood his principles. They had not clearly seen the nature of his rebellion” (Desire of Ages, p. 758).

The conflict has been won. We are now involved in mopping up activities. Jesus longs to return to gather up His friends and take them home. “Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come” (Manuscript 173, 1902).

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

–Mark Johnson is chair of the Boulder Adventist Church’s Vision Board. Email him at: [email protected]

By Nikolaus Satelmajer, DMin, STM

It was cold, windy, and rainy, yet I had gone out of my way to visit this city. Others were also walking in the city center—individuals and groups stopping at various sites and taking pictures. When the rain came, we sought shelter in the church—the church where Martin Luther had often preached. We were in Wittenberg, Germany.

This year is the 500th anniversary of Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses at the castle church (located about 500 yards from the city church) on October 31, 1517. No one, including Luther, imagined the outcome of his act in Wittenberg, a city of some 2,000 inhabitants in 1517. Luther, a monk and a professor of the newly-founded (1502) university in Witten- berg, was asking for a debate by the theologians. The original notice was in Latin, but soon German translations were circulating. He was inviting a few to debate the issues, but to his surprise it seemed as if the whole world soon engaged in the debate.

The 95 Theses addressed several issues, but most inflammatory were Luther’s challenges to the sale of indulgences and to the power of the papacy. In fact, more than half of the theses dealt either with indulgences, the papacy, or a combination of both. The Roman Catholic Church promoted indulgences as a spiritual act, but the reality was different. Johannes Tetzel, a Dominican monk and indulgence seller, was not allowed to enter Wittenberg and sell them, but residents crossed the Elbe River to purchase them. Proceeds from the sales were divided between the papacy (for the building of St. Peter’s Basilica) and the Bishop of Mainz, who needed funds to pay for his position. (Mainz was also the city where Johannes Gutenberg, some 170 years earlier, developed the printing press and printed the Bible.)

Luther became an outlaw, and the papacy and the Roman Catholic Church were challenged as never before. The Holy Roman Empire, facing internal challenges, had to defend itself from the invading Ottomans. Hurled into a cauldron of European troubles, Luther’s very survival was at stake. That was then, but what about today? Does it really matter what happened 500 years ago? Those are some of the questions a group of writers are exploring in a book which Michael Campbell and I are writing and editing with some 25 individuals (scheduled to be released by Pacific Press Publishing in September 2017; Andrews University Semi- nary will hold a symposium October 12–14, 2017). Over the years Luther has received a lot of attention from Adventist writers. Ellen G. White, for example, devotes four chapters— about 12 percent—of The Great Controversy to Luther.

Luther addressed indulgences and the papacy in his document, but I want to focus on a theme that was important to him and that is important to Seventh-day Adventists. In Theses 54 and 55, Luther recognizes the importance of the Word of God and the Gospel. That was a revolutionary idea and Luther, in the coming years, became even more revolutionary by providing the Bible for the common people.

In 1521, Luther appeared before Emperor Charles V in Worms. Because Luther’s supporters were appropriately concerned for his safety, he was secretly taken to the Wart- burg castle. The time he spent there was difficult because he was removed from his friends and could not give guidance to the reforms taking place. In spite of the physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges during his stay at the castle, he translated the New Testament into German. He completed this task within three months—an unbelievable accomplishment.

Why is Luther’s New Testament, first published in September of 1522, important? After all, nearly twenty German translations already existed. There are at least two features that set it apart from the existing translations. He used the Greek text as a basis for his translation. In other words, he used the original language and not Latin which was used by other translators. This was only possible because in 1516, Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus published a Greek New Testament based on the best ancient manuscripts available, and revised it in 1519. Prior to that historic event, translations were from the Latin Bible (Vulgate) that was more than one thousand years old. Language changes over years, but the Vulgate translation had not kept up with the changes and was not easily understood.

The other feature setting Luther’s translation apart was the language he used. He translated into the language used by the people—just as New Testament Greek was the daily language used in Jesus’ time. People understood the message in his translation. In fact, Luther’s translation standardized the language and is a basis for modern High German. Even though the translation is almost 500 years old, I read the facsimile I own with relative ease. (How I wish I had an original copy!)

The translation was a best seller. Some 3,000-5,000 copies were printed and sold out within a few months. In the next twelve years, almost ninety editions were printed. The print run was about 200,000 copies. (If we use the current population of Germany as a reference, it means that 1.6 million copies would have been sold today. Or, if we adjust for the United States population, that would be equivalent to about 6.5 million copies.) People were hungry for the Word of God and Luther fulfilled their need.

Luther made history and others followed him. Soon other translations appeared and the Reformation, started by Luther on October 31, 1517, spread. One translation was prepared for Muslims in the Ottoman Empire, though its distribution was limited. During the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire launched numerous attacks on Europe and its armies made it as far as Vienna, Austria. The Holy Roman Empire had great difficulty repulsing the invaders. Some Europeans, including Luther, in light of the limited military victories, thought it best to try to convert the invaders. These efforts had limited success.

Seventh-day Adventism started with intense Bible study. The Bible was central to Luther and it is central to our faith. If we ignore it, we lose our reason for existence. Without the Bible, there is no Seventh-day Adventist Church.

If Luther were alive today, what would he say to us?

Luther was a man of many words, but I will share a few that I believe reflect his views.

Use a good Bible translation: Choose a good translation, not a paraphrase. A paraphrase is similar to a commentary and can be used as such, but do not assume it is a translation. I wrote an article in the Journal of Adventist Education called “The Joys and Challenges of Choosing a Bible Translation.” You can find a pdf online.

If you are a preacher, preach from the Bible: All too often we search for support in the Bible for our ideas. Preaching is the presentation of the Biblical message.

Make Bible reading a significant part of worship:

I have preached in many churches around the world. I am surprised and disappointed that some churches do not have Scripture reading as part of their worship. Or some read only a verse or two. I follow the practice of having a significant number of verses read—usually a selection from the Old and the New Testaments. People need the Word of God, and for some, the Scripture they hear read in church may be the only Scripture they hear.

If you teach a Sabbath School class, focus on the Bible: I recall a class during which the teacher for the entire time kept repeating, “In my opinion . . .” He clearly valued his opinions, but the class heard very little from the Word of God. The Bible must be central in our teaching.

Choose reading material carefully: When we read material dealing with spiritual themes, we need to ask if the Word of God supports the opinions. The Internet, for example, has an avalanche of opinions, but the Bible does not support many of them. In spiritual matters, the Bible must be central.

If Luther were alive . . . He is not, but the Reformation he started is. And most importantly, the God of the Reformation and God’s Word are alive.

–Nikolaus Satelmajer, DMin, STM, is former associate ministerial secretary and editor of Ministry at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Email him at: [email protected]

By Zdravko Plantak, PhD

When Adventist church pioneers exercised their prophetic voice in the early days, it was not only to chart the timeline and give apocalyptic vision to the world. They dealt with the horrors and injustices of their time and spoke truth to power as they deemed responsible and necessary. It was incredibly courageous for John Loughborough to state plainly that “the United States is the two-horned beast” [1] and to describe its social evils of slavery and injustice to the poor and marginalized as one of the major reasons to portray the country in a beastly and morally apprehensible manner. [2]

Furthermore, Ellen White urged the church community that, “The work of gathering in the needy, the oppressed, the suffering, the destitute, is the very work which every church that believes the truth for this time should long since have been doing. We are to show the tender sympathy of the Samaritan in supplying physical necessities, feeding the hungry, bringing the poor that are cast out to our homes, gathering from God every day grace and strength that will enable us to reach to the very depths of human misery and  help those who cannot possibly help themselves.” [3] And yet again, the church finds itself among the muted crowd and silent observers as the cries of the poor and the immigrants are going heavenward, when millions are losing their basic access to healthcare, when foreigners are discriminated against on the basis of their nationality, culture, and religion, and when gender and racial minorities are being attacked and violated, and the disabled are being made fun of and laughed at. And in this silence, I can almost hear the echo of God’s voice resonating through the ages in the poetry of the prophet Isaiah: “What do you mean . . . by grinding the face of the poor?” (Is. 3:15).

So why are we silent instead of being “prophetic,” as we declare our community to be? When will the “prophetic community” act prophetically, therefore raising our voices for the marginal and being the voice for the voiceless and acting as a power for the powerless? When will the church “speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all the destitute [and] defend the rights of the poor and the needy”? (Prov. 31:8-9).

The soon-to-occur second coming of Jesus is a touch- stone for Seventh-day Adventists. We meticulously study prophetic passages and earnestly urge people to prepare for the Judgment Day. With a touch of smugness, we review the account of God’s judgment in Matthew 24 and 25 and shake our heads about the “goats” that God turns away from the Promised Land. With confidence we conclude, “I won’t be among the rejected.” But will we?

Unfortunately, many will. And it will be those who fail to see Christ in the alien in our land, and the refuge, the hungry and poor. As Edward J. Brady concludes, such Christians are “theologically underdeveloped and ethically insensitive.” [4] They are as ignorant as those who ask, “When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and did not feed you? Lord, when did we see you thirsty and did not offer you a drink?” And their failure to see the needs of the less fortunate affects their relationship with a God who does. “The people of God grow weak as they fail to hear the cry of the poor,” rightly suggests Jim Smith in his book, A Heart for the Poor. “For if we fail to hear that cry, we are failing to understand the nature of God, and consequently we are unable to live in his power.” [5]

“When I touch the body of the poor, I touch the body of Christ,” said Mother Teresa. This was more than a theological statement founded on Christ’s final story in Matthew 24 and 25 as He responded to questions about the timeline for his second coming. These words, suggested Brady, “point to the faith experience of countless Christians across the denominational spectrum who are active in combating hunger. For the Christian, hunger is about the person of Christ, who suffers in the hungry.” [6]

For those of us who truly believe in the cost of Christian discipleship as opposed to the nominalism of faith that is only written on paper, the fear (and accusation) of becoming “underdeveloped theologically and insensitive ethically” is serious and calls for a thorough look at God’s attitudes toward the poor. Many different passages of the Bible address the issue of the responsibility (“response ability” or “ability to respond”) to the poor and the disadvantaged in the world.

Deuteronomy 15 contains important references to the poor. First, in verse 11, we find the passage that Jesus quoted, “There will always be poor in the land.” But in verse 4, we read that because of the resources that God has provided to the world, “there should be no poor among you!”

There is only one way to reconcile these verses: poverty is not God’s will, but there will always be poor people because of human injustice. The continuing existence of poverty is not an excuse for inactivity; rather it is an argument for generosity.

Those of us who desire to be theologically developed and ethically sensitive will notice that the God of Israel emphatically wanted no poor on earth. Jesus addressed this issue in the same breath He described the signs of His second coming and outlined the way His followers would prepare for His return in glory. The true followers of Christ are theologically developed and know that in the smallest of the small and the poorest of the poor they serve Jesus Himself. They are ethically sensitive and humble enough to attempt to share love in practical ways on a one-to-one basis with the prisoner, the stranger, the disadvantaged, and the marginalized.

The challenge of being a true follower of Jesus can be found in St. John Chrysostom’s remark: “What is the use of loading Christ’s table with cups of gold, if He Himself is perishing from hunger?” [7] The bread of life that we par- take of in the Lord’s Supper must have an effect on whether we recognize Christ among those of our worldwide neighbors who are starving to death. In another place, Chrysostom imagines Jesus relating His crucifixion to Matthew 25, “I fasted for you then, and I suffer hunger for you now; I was thirsty when I hung on the cross, and I thirst still in the poor, in both ways to draw you to Myself and make you humane for your own salvation.” [8]

Consider the divine moral outrage described in Deuteronomy 15, and then imagine its magnitude today when 800 million are living in abject poverty and millions of children are dying of starvation, when over 60 million have become refugees as “global forced displacement hits a record high.” [9] God gives us theological provisions to underpin that divine ethical indignation.

God’s desire for the poor and the oppressed to be liberated is the prime concern of the true Sabbatical principle described in Exodus 23:11 and Leviticus 25:10. The extension of weekly Sabbaths to the sabbatical year and the year of jubilee almost exclusively emphasized humanitarian issues. The idea of the land resting (lying “unploughed and unused”) on the seventh year correlated to concern for the poor, the slave, the alien, the marginal, as well as rights which go beyond mere human rights to creation care and sustainable living while the whole earth is in environmental distress.

If one truly observes the Sabbath, one cannot remain satisfied only with one’s own redemption, restoration, and liberation. One must show concern for one’s neighbor and our common earth physically as well as spiritually.

The Sabbath doctrine does not involve only the Sabbath day; it concerns the other six days of the week as well. The atmosphere and the principles of the Sabbath will not only “extend beyond the worship service to the dinner table and the living room” [10] on the seventh day, but they would also become a part of the Sabbath attitude which ought to be practiced throughout the week. The moral Sabbatical concern, which extends from the weekly Sabbaths to Sabbatical years, is to teach us as it was meant to teach the Israelites about the needs of the less fortunate, the poor, the widows and the orphans. [11] In a similar way, Christians should develop a greater “Sabbatical” conscience for the poor, the immigrants, and all those that society marginalizes and shuns, the unfortunate, the unemployed, and the powerless whose basic human rights are denied. As Richard Rice suggests, “The Sabbath speaks against every practice that deprives human beings of their sense of worth and dignity. Oppressive economic and social structures, which make it impossible for people to provide for themselves, contradict the message of the Sabbath. Those who appreciate the meaning of the Sabbath will seek to eliminate such things.” [12]

Sabbath-keeping Christians should be among the first to advance the ideas of justice, equality, and freedom among all people. If they fail to do that, the letter of the law is observed but the spirit of the Sabbath-commandment is totally lost. “The sheep on Jesus’” right in Matthew 25 observed the Sabbatical principle of care and concern and they were rewarded accordingly.

The God of the poor and the Friend of the weak calls us to embody the Sabbatical attitude. While “There will always be poor people in the land” is an anthropological statement of fact due to human injustice and inequality, “There should be no poor among you” is an ethical statement that suggests God’s intent and desire.

God has provided the means to embody this ethical desire of the ages and the theological reasons have been supplied. The question is whether we will choose to be Sabbath-keeping Christians who care as seriously as God does about the world’s poor and marginalized. If we engage fully in this responsibility, we shall be counted as righteous as admonished by Proverbs 29:7: “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.”

–Zdravko Plantak, PhD, is professor of religion and ethics at the School of Religion at Loma Linda University. Email him at: [email protected]

Notes
[1] J. N. Loughborough, “The Two-Horned Beast of Rev. XIII, a Symbol of the United States,” (Review and Herald, 1857): 50. [2] Ibid. See especially Loughborough’s powerful narrative of a slave, Jim, and his master, George, and an analysis of the Protestant Christians holding, acquiring, and justifying slavery through their false “faith-rhetoric” (pages 31–36). [3] Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Volume 6, (1901), 276. [4] Edward J. Brady, “Theological Underdevelopment and Ethical Insensitivity,” in William Byron, The Causes of World Hunger. (Ramsey, NJ: Paulist Press, 1982), 38. [5] Jim Smith, A Heart for the Poor, (Eastbourne: Kingsway, 1988), 31-32. [6] Brady, (1982), 47. [7] Hom. In Matt. 88, 3 (PG 58:778) as cited also in William Byron, ed., The Causes of World Hunger. (Ramsey, NJ: Paulist Press, 1982), 52. [8] Hom. In Matt. 15, 6 (PG 60:547-8) as cited also in Byron, ed., The Causes of World Hunger. (1982), 52. [9] Adrian Edwards, “Global Forced Displacement Hits Record High,” The UN Refugee Agency Report UNHCR Global Trends, (20 June 2016). http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2016/6/5763b65a4/global-forced-displacement-hits-record-high.html (accessed on May 14, 2017). [10] Sakae Kubo, God Meets Man: A Theology of the Sabbath and Second Coming, (Nashville, Tennessee: Southern Publishing Association, 1978), 27. [11] Ex 35:12-33. Gerald Winslow’s footnote 1 in his article “Moment of Eternity” states that “the Sabbath symbolism in the Bible extends far beyond weekly Sabbath . . . every seventh year was specified as a sabbatical year (Lev. 25:1–7). After seven sabbatical years, every fiftieth year, a special Year of the Jubilee was celebrated (Lev. 25:8-12)”. Winslow concludes that, “the more extensive symbolism of holy time as represented in these other “sabbaths” should also be kept in mind.” In Festival of the Sabbath, ed., Roy Branson, (Takoma Park, Maryland: Association of Adventist Forums, 1985), 94. [12] Rice, Reign of God, (Michigan: Andrews University Press, 1985), 370.

By Reinder Bruinsma

Recently I spent a week of vacation with friends. We went to museums and concerts and enjoyed much stunning scenery. But we also talked a lot about doubt. One of these friends had read my recent book about doubt. In fact, his eagerness to discuss this topic with me was the immediate reason why my wife and I had been invited to his home in southern France. In recent months, in particular, I have become even more aware than in the past, through countless reactions from my readers, that many Seventh-day Adventist Christians are beset by serious, even devastating, doubt.

Doubt: What and Why?

In itself, doubt is normal and healthy. We should try not to be too gullible or naive, and a certain degree of skepticism saves us from many mistakes and from embracing all kinds of dubious theories. But there are forms of doubt that can be very troublesome or worse. Some people have never been able to accept the Christian faith. They cannot over- come their doubt about God’s existence and about the reality of the Gospel. Others, who have been longtime Christians, have found it increasingly hard to believe in a supposedly good and loving God when they are looking at the world around them or trying to come to terms with tragedies that have happened in their own lives. Many Seventh-day Adventist Christians have left the church—and many others are dangerously close to the backdoor—because they have strong misgivings about a number of Adventist doctrines and/or the way their church is handling certain current issues.

The first thing to underline is that it is not sinful to have doubts—certainly not in the sense that doubting makes us personally guilty. Throughout history we find examples of great men and women of faith who went through periods of terrible doubt and many a biblical person faced the same experience. Just think of Elijah who thought he was the only person who had remained true to God, and wondered whether everything he had worked for was falling apart. Think of John the Baptist, who sent some of his followers to Jesus because, as he was the prisoner of King Herod, he was no longer sure of his faith in the One whom he had so forcefully proclaimed as the Messiah. And do not forget the apostle Thomas who had been with Jesus as one of his close companions. Before he became a great apostle, he was “doubting Thomas.”

God has not provided us with absolute scientific certainty about everything. Doubt is the other side of faith, and there is always room for doubt. Gary Parker wrote, in the book The Gift of Faith, “If faith never encounters doubt, if truth never struggles with error, if good never battles with evil, how can faith know its own power?” [1] Of all the definitions of “doubt” that I have come across, I like the one by Os Guinness perhaps best: “Doubt is faith being out of focus.” [2] This means that facing doubt is first of all a matter of refocusing our faith.

Facing Our Doubts

How does a Christian deal with her doubt? Many books have been written on this theme and a short article will therefore not solve all the issues. But the first thing I want to say takes the form of an urgent appeal. Whatever your doubts, hang on to your faith in God and do not leave the church! Even when God seems distant and when there are lots of things you do not understand, do not give up on Him, but keep on trying to believe that He does not give up on you! And even though the church may have all kinds of faults, remember that it is important to interact with other people of faith. You may criticize your church; you may at times be angry at it, but although faith is very personal, at the same time it is also a team sport—it is essential to belong to a community of believers.

The second thing I want to stress is that you do not have to understand (or even be interested in) all theological fine print. Millions of people around the world will be in the kingdom, even though they were unable to read or to understand everything the prophet Ezekiel or the apostle Paul said—however important their messages are! And, as far as the Adventist faith is concerned, I am firmly convinced that not everything in our 28 Fundamental Beliefs is equally important. That is, apparently, also the view of many of our church leaders, who enthusiastically participated in last year’s evangelistic outreach in the African country of Rwanda when more than 110,000 new members were welcomed into the church. These new Seventh-day Adventists learned about the basics of their new faith, but most of them will yet have to learn a lot about Adventist doctrines and practices.

Try to focus on what is really “fundamental” for your faith and to distinguish between “the pillars of our faith” (an expression Ellen White often used) and issues that are of a different level of importance. Just to give a few examples: Celebrating the Sabbath as an essential part of our worship of the Creator and our loyalty towards Him is much more essential than deciding whether a duck is a clean or an unclean animal. Living with the hope of Christ’s soon coming and of the resurrection is far more important than having the final words on the meaning of the seven seals or of the seven trumpets in John’s Revelation. Do not get overly concerned if there are some doctrinal issues you are unclear about or that you doubt, as long as you enjoy a living relationship with your Lord and are sure of the basics of the gospel message and of the “pillars” of the Adventist interpretation of the Good News.

And thirdly, unity is important. However, if a church community is to remain a living organism, it must necessarily change over time, and there must always be room for diversity. Unity is not the same as uniformity. Being united in Christ means sharing in the same fundamental desire to worship the Triune God and adhere to a community that wants to share the gospel of God’s grace and their assurance of their salvation through faith with those around them. But belonging to a worldwide church also means that we all bring our different cultures and histories to the table, and that we all contribute to the richness of diversity within the one fold of the great Shepherd.

This diversity presupposes that we give others enough space when they think somewhat differently from how we think, and that we also allow ourselves the space we need for our own opinions, or our doubts, with regard to particular points.

Dealing With Your Doubts

There is no twelve-point recipe for dealing with doubt, but here are some pointers.

Try to read your Bible with an open mind. Do not jump from text to text, but read longer sections, and let the Word of God speak to you. Also try to find books that will help you in the areas of your doubt. And give yourself ample opportunity to think and to pray. Ask the Spirit, who inspired the Bible writers, to clean the lenses through which you read—not just to find confirmation for your own views— and expect the Spirit to assist you in hearing their message as it applies to our times.

It is important to find like-minded people with whom you can talk without being judged. Putting your thoughts into words will often help you to clarify issues for yourself and others may have insights that can be very helpful.

Do not try to solve all your questions and doubts at one and the same time. Focus on some issues and let other topics rest, at least for the time being. I have found this very important in dealing with my own doubts. If I try to face all my questions at one and the same time, I get confused and tend to panic. Temporarily shelving some of my doubts has helped me a great deal. And regularly reminding myself of my own limits helps me to continue to live with some doubts.

The church is the place where believers meet and worship together. It consists of all kinds of people: pleasant, tolerant people and narrow-minded, judgmental people. In most churches, I have found that the majority fall into the first category. You do not have to be blind to the church’s shortcomings, but find your place within the positive, non- judgmental segment of your church and contribute to its spiritual well being. Use your influence for positive change, wherever you can. Speak up when appropriate. But do not give up on it.

Throughout it all, remember that faith is much more than intellectual assent to doctrinal propositions. These have their place, but Seventh-day Adventist believers who struggle with their doubts should always keep in mind that we worship a living God rather than a church or a set of doctrines. A close relationship with the Almighty supersedes all other aspects of our faith!

–Reinder Bruinsma is a theologian, writer and former church administrator. His latest book is titled Facing Doubt: A book for Adventists on the Margins. It provides practical suggestions on how to deal with doubts. Translated to several languages, it is available at www.amazon.com. Email him at: [email protected]