Adventist World May 2024 English

Discontent and the Oft-forgotten Sin

By John Peckham

Have you noticed the widespread spirit of discontent today?

Many desperately seek after that which will finally satisfy their desires, but find the more they acquire, the more they want.

Much of the conflict in this world revolves around people selfishly clinging to or grasping for wealth, position, and power.

Because we are fallen human beings, we are bent toward selfishness, in direct contrast to God’s character of perfect, unselfish love. Sin and selfishness go hand in hand.

In some circles the word “sin” is not heard much anymore. Some prefer not to speak of sin, preferring only positive messages.

The Bible, however, has a great deal to say about sin, including in the Ten Commandments. Among these stands the increasingly neglected tenth commandment against coveting (Ex. 20:17).

Hearing about the sin of coveting is rare these days. In fact, if you asked people on the street what coveting is, I wonder how many today would even know the meaning of the word.

Put simply, the sin of coveting involves selfish, inordinate desire for that which others possess.

Sadly, much around us is designed to cause us to desire in just this way—to feel emptiness and longing for what we do not have, and, sometimes, to desire what belongs to others. From more traditional forms of advertising to the algorithms of social media and more, we are endlessly bombarded with messages signaling our brain to be discontented, unsatisfied, to desire many things we have no need or use for. Paul, in contrast, calls us to be content in whatever state befalls us (Phil. 4:12).

Of course, if we are being honest with ourselves, it does not take clever ad campaigns or social media algorithms to cause us to covet. We are all too good at that ourselves.

In many ways covetousness is the forgotten sin of our day. And, perhaps, that is unsurprising, since it is so closely connected to sin’s origin—when Lucifer fell, turning inward in pride and grasping to be exalted even to God’s throne. In direct contrast to the devil, Jesus did the opposite of grasping for position and power—humbling Himself to become human and die for us (see Phil. 2:5-8).

And in Christ, there is amazingly good news for us.

A primary purpose of Scripture’s emphasis on sin is the promise that we can have victory through Christ and, eventually, through Christ’s work all sin, evil, suffering, and death will be eradicated.

If we place our faith in Christ we will find that our deepest longings, which nothing in this present world can fully satisfy, will be fulfilled forevermore in His coming kingdom. And, even now, we can find contentment and abounding peace in Him (Phil. 4:7).

In the meantime, let us pray for God to change our hearts and help us follow the ultimate example of unselfish love provided by Jesus—the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2), who loved us and gave Himself for us (Eph. 5:2).

14 A New Paradigm

Mark A. Finley

10 Jesus Is My Savior Still

Alan Parker

Cover Photo: jchizhe / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

For Global Youth Day on March 16, Seventhday Adventist young people in Peru shared signs about God’s love on major roads and pedestrian crossings.

Photo: West Central Peru Mission

“The response was great, and we are immensely blessed by our sisters’ support, dedication, and commitment as they respond to God’s call to go and reach the world.”

—Oyuntuya Batsukh, Women’s Ministries director of the Mongolia Mission, about a women’s specific mission trip in March. A group of women from several Adventist congregations in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar traveled about 435 kilometers (270 miles) to Uvurkhangai. There they visited schools and government institutions, offering health assistance and conducting health seminars. Their outreach was not limited to health education, however; they also distributed 140 copies of Ellen G. White’s The Great Controversy.

Loved by God

Church members were asked if they believed that God loved them even when they sinned.

58% Strongly agree 31% Agree 4% Not sure 3% Disagree 4% Strongly disagree

N=145,261

Source: 2022-2023 Global Church Member Survey

Data provided by the General Conference Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research

“In this day and age we tend to care for children without realizing the role they can play in family and social care. This course highlights the importance of children in society. . . . Teaching them first aid techniques enables them to act in situations of choking, seizures, and cardiorespiratory arrest. In addition to saving lives, these guidelines awaken in them an interest in pursuing careers in the health area.”

—José Guataçara, a physician specialist in orthopedics and traumatology, about the first aid training provided to children initiated by Belém Adventist Hospital in Pará, northern Brazil. More than 34 children were awarded a certificate of completion during a special ceremony in March at the health-care institution’s facilities. During the training course, young participants learned essential techniques such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), hemorrhage control, and limb immobilization, which are essential to helping in cases of emergency.

“[The 100 days of prayer] is a strategy to mobilize the whole country in seeking the Lord’s protection and guidance in the delivery of the PNG for Christ and mega health clinic initiatives.”

—Malachi Yani, Papua New Guinea (PNG) Union Mission president, about the initiative that is a part of the preparation for the evangelistic push that started in late April and goes through May. More than 200 preachers from the South Pacific Division are participating in PNG for Christ, which is held across 2,000 sites.

75 Years

In March Your Story Hour radio ministry celebrated their seventy-fifth anniversary. In 1949 Your Story Hour aired their first story on a single radio station called WHFB, which was in Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States. It has turned into a weekly program broadcast on thousands of radio stations around the world. The family-friendly audio dramas tell inspirational stories based on the Bible, historical heroes, missionaries, modern-day miracles, and modern-day adventures that teach biblical values and positive character traits. The ministry originally started as a storytime for children on Saturday afternoons at a local fire department. It eventually became so popular that H.M.S. Richards, founder of the Voice of Prophecy radio ministry, heard about it and recommended to share these stories with more children over radio.

“In this way, we will be able to reach to those who most need it, providing them with resources that will allow them to grow. And people will also be able to [have] access to free dental care wherever they live.”

—Fábio Salles, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Brazil director, about the partnership between the Labor Department and ADRA Brazil, to furnish a health bus. The goal of the initiative is to promote better health and social opportunities for people in need in and around Brasilia. The bus will travel around Brasilia and will help people find employment and also provide free dental care.

More Than 530

The number of teenagers that gathered at Cruzeiro do Sul Adventist Institute (IACS) in Taquara, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, to participate in the training of the Gideon’s 300 project. The goal of the project is to prepare young people to teach Bible studies, strengthening the faith of those adolescents and engaging them in the mission of teaching and preparing a mission-minded generation. Besides the 530 teens at IACS, the event included 120 participants in the city of Passo Fundo.

More Than 300

The number of community members in Detroit, Michigan, United States, that received important medical and dental services. More than 200 volunteers and professionals participated at the Adventist Medical Evangelism Network that was sponsored by the Lake Region and Michigan conferences. A significant hurdle that event organizers faced was finding hundreds of volunteers and medical professionals to pull off the event. Fortunately, several months prior to the one-day clinic, leaders from both conferences hosted a prayer conference that focused on unifying churches, illuminating the challenges of the city and the surrounding community, and ultimately led members to volunteer for the medical clinic.

“God has called us to be intercessors. The Northern Asia-Pacific Division and the Korean Union Conference have been given a tremendous mission: ‘The 10/40 Window Evangelism.’ ”

—Kim Sun Hwan, Adventist Mission director for the Northern AsiaPacific Division, during the 10/40 Global Mission Congress that took place at Sahmyook University church in South Korea. The congress took place March 14-16, and besides featuring various presentations, it also included testimonies from Adventist missionaries that serve in the 10/40 window.

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Photo: South American Division News

Christian Record Services for the Blind Marks 125 Years of Service

In the heart of compassion and dedication, Christian Record Services (CRS) stands tall as it celebrates an incredible milestone—125 years of unwavering commitment to serving individuals worldwide who are blind and visually impaired. Since its inception in 1899, CRS, a ministry of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, has been a beacon of hope, breaking down barriers and providing life-changing services to individuals facing vision challenges.

Founded on the principles of love and Christian values, CRS strives to meet the changing needs of its members, its ministry leaders emphasized. “For more than a century, the organization has been at the forefront of initiatives aimed at empowering individuals who are blind or visually impaired, fostering inclusivity and enabling independence,” they said.

The 125th anniversary is not just a celebration of longevity but a testament to the enduring impact CRS has had and continues to have on the lives of countless individuals.

“The organization’s founder, Austin O. Wilson, dreamed of more Christian braille resources for people like him to learn more about God’s love for them,” CRS president Diane Thurber said from the organization’s headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. “Reaching this monumental milestone demonstrates how his vision was fulfilled with the expanding services and programs offered through the years. We look forward to continued growth and meaningful service.”

As CRS commemorates 125 years of service, leaders said that the ministry stands as a shining example of love, resilience, and the transformative power of dedicated service as it continues to illuminate the path toward a more inclusive, accessible world for the blind and visually impaired community.

ABOUT AUSTIN O. WILSON AND THE WORK OF CRS

In 1899 Austin O. Wilson, a legally blind young man in his early

The ministry has benefited thousands around the world.

20s, was concerned about the lack of Christian reading material available for the blind. He decided to try an experiment. Taking a clothes wringer, he modified it to accommodate two metal plates with a sheet of heavy paper between them. As the plates were squeezed through the wringer, the raised dots on the plates made an impression on the paper, producing one page of a braille magazine he entitled the Christian Record More than 100 years later the Christian Record is still being published, along with eight other periodicals.

Wilson produced 75 copies of the first Christian Record. In the 1920s the Christian Record was being placed in the hands of thousands of blind people around the world.

In 1933 and 1934 Christian Record Services was one of the exhibitors in the Hall of Religion at the World’s Fair, under the theme “A Century of Progress,” in Chicago, Illinois, United States. A year later CRS was again prominently represented in the Hall of Science at America’s Exposition, held in San Diego, California.

In 1950 the first talking books were recorded for Christian Record Services. There are now more than 1,600 talking books available through the Naomi Chapman Turner Library for the Blind.

In 1967 National Camps for Blind Children was established. That first summer, the camp was held in Florida, with 23 youth in attendance. Since then this outreach program has offered nearly 50,000 confidence-building experiences in nature through these special camps.

Christian Record Services and Adventist World

Christian Record Services for the Blind provides resources, services, and activities to thousands each year.

Photo: Christian Record Services for the Blind

Inter-American Division Relaunches Its Adventist Virtual Library

The Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (IAD) launched its newly rebranded Adventist Virtual Library (BiVA) for hundreds of schools and universities throughout its educational system during a live online ceremony held from Alajuela, Costa Rica, on March 4. Dozens of students, teachers, educators, church leaders, and administrators gathered at Central American Adventist University to witness the new interface, brand, and resources available.

IAD’s BiVA, a service tool led by the division’s education department, was first established in 2007. Its goal is to support library resources and enhance a culture of research, study, and reading for students of all ages across the division’s territory.

NEW WEBSITE, DESIGN, AND LOGO

With its new website, new design, new logo, and new navigation tools, BiVA provides access to hundreds of thousands of books, textbooks, encyclopedias, articles, and magazines in all areas of study, educators said.

“This inaugural launch embodies the aspirations of a whole community anxious to embrace the power of education and knowledge,” IAD president Elie Henry said. “Libraries are beacons and wells of knowledge that offer unlimited opportunities so that persons can explore, discover, and grow. May this large space be accessible at any time, be useful, and enrich many lives and communities.”

AN INVALUABLE TOOL

IAD education director Faye Patterson expressed her appreciation to IAD leaders and administrators for bestowing on the church such an invaluable tool.

“In a world that changes at an accelerated rhythm, the ability for continuous learning has turned into an essential ability, turning virtual libraries into fundamental pillars of the educational process,” Patterson said. Thanks to the virtual tool, children and young people in remote places have access to relevant information, she said. “In addition, many schools that lack physical libraries can do research,

Adventist leaders highlight new branding, resources, and tools.

answering a pressing need,” Patterson said.

The extensive virtual library is also an important accreditation requirement for educational institutions at all levels, not only for the Adventist educational system in the Inter-American Division but also for governments in each country represented, she said.

The Inter-American Division includes 42 nations and island territories from Mexico to Colombia and across the Caribbean.

PROGRESS OF THE VIRTUAL LIBRARY

The virtual library has been offering resources since 2007, but it took some work to upgrade its functionality and expand its resources in English, Spanish, and French, said Yanet Cima, assistant education director for the IAD. Cima, who was tasked with directing the Adventist Virtual Library in 2021, said she worked tirelessly with a team of experts, professionals, and volunteers to do the rebranding, find easy-touse modules, expand its encyclopedia resources and textbooks, and manage everything related to new subscriptions to the virtual library.

“It is such a plus to have this virtual library close to our schools, which helps motivate students to read more and dig further in their research investigations,” Cima said.

In 2023 more than 3.3 million pages in BiVA were consulted, Cima reported. Her team expects that that number will increase in 2024. The virtual library features resources in Spanish and English and articles in French, as well as French translation options.

Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division, and Adventist World

The Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists launched its newly rebranded Adventist Virtual Library on March 4.

Photo: BiVA screenshot

Philippines Interfaith Convention Fosters Unity, Community Impact

Pastors from various Christian denominations recently convened at the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines, for PREACH, the Project for Reaching Every Active Clergy at Home.

A total of 56 participants from the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, and Quezon attended the event, themed “Feed My Lamb.” The primary objective was to forge positive relationships with other clergy members and share insights to better serve their congregations by nurturing their faculties, organizers said.

PROPER HEALTH THROUGH DIET

Presentations covered a wide range of areas vital to the life and ministry of pastors, including physical and mental health, music, family, the congregation, and personal spiritual growth. All presenters hailed from the North Philippine Union Conference (NPUC), the main office of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Luzon.

NPCU health ministries director Jadaza Hintay addressed the crucial

topic of maintaining physical health through a proper diet, citing concerning rates of obesity and hypertension among clergy members. Emphasizing the connection between a healthy diet and mental, social, physical, and spiritual well-being, Hintay underscored the importance of a balanced diet.

Following this, NPUC music ministries director Josie-Felda Calera discussed the significance of nurturing the soul with music, describing it as soothing and uplifting, promoting physical and mental well-being. Additionally, Ardie Diaz delved into the necessity of feeding the mind with spiritual sustenance. “What you feed your mind will determine the health of your emotional and spiritual state; it will either eat you up or fill you up. Feeding the mind with God’s truth will keep you strong,” Diaz said.

Data privacy officer Jose Orbe, Jr., outlined three reasons to nourish the church: to reinvigorate, to replenish, and to reproduce. He said, “When we fail to bring the flock to faith in God, they are hungry. They keep eating but remain hungry. They

Adventist-sponsored event strengthens Christian ministries.

keep drinking but remain thirsty. What should we feed them? Christ. How will we feed them? By leading them to faith in Christ. Christ will satisfy them. Christ is enough.”

NPUC ministerial secretary Marvin Diaz wrapped up the session with the topic “Feeding the Minister With a Biblical Diet.” “When the sheep are well fed, milk is good,” Diaz said. He encouraged ministers to prioritize spending time in the study of God’s Word. “True happiness comes only through the Word of God. The Word of God sanctifies us. We must have encounters with the Word of God. The Bible isn’t merely a tool for preaching; it is for the transformation of our lives.”

FEEDBACK AND REFLECTIONS

“Everything here is godly,” said Nestor P. de los Santos, a delegate from Jesus Christ Refiner’s Fire Church. “We can feel the presence of God. We are eager to replicate your good practices, methodologies, and teachings and how you live as Christians.”

Senior pastor Arcangel Santonia, of The Light of the World, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to fellowship with Adventist pastors. “This gathering goes to show that although we are from different organizations, we are united in one Spirit and one God,” he said.

In his closing statements Jasper Flores, president of the South-Central Luzon Conference, extended appreciation to all pastors in attendance. “It’s a great joy to be with our fellow pastors. It is our intention to exchange best practices and learn from each other to enrich our ministries,” Flores said.

Melo Anadem Ong, Southern Asia-Pacific Division, and Adventist World

Group photo of pastors from various Christian denominations who attended an Adventist-sponsored interfaith convention in the Philippines.

Photo: NPUC Communication Department

Mission Focus

Argentina Bikers Do Outreach at

12,500-Foot International Border

Lay-led motorcycle group highlights potential for mission.

Under their motto “Every Ride a Mission,” 18 members of the Adventist Motorcycle Ministry (AMM) in Argentina participated in the tenth Top of the World International Motorcycle Gathering in Uspallata, Mendoza, February 10-11.

The Seventh-day Adventist motorcycle group distributed healthy snacks and inspirational literature as they connected with fellow bikers who made it to the Christ the Redeemer of the Andes monument on the 12,572-foot border pass between Argentina and Chile. “Our goal was to show Jesus in that gathering,” ministry leaders said.

That goal informed everything the group did at the gathering in the Andes Mountains. It included offering a free breakfast to motorcyclists before they rode to the high-altitude pass. “Together with the food, we gave each participant a book. We distributed 3,000 Adventist books,” an AMM member said. The group also offered refreshments and books to the motorcyclists who rode up from

the Chilean side of the mountain.

“We felt like Gideon’s 300 soldiers,” an AMM member said. “There were 18 of us to serve more than 3,000 bikers, but with God’s help, we took care of everyone.”

AMM Argentina members said that a Bible story came to their minds, the multiplication of the loaves and fish by Jesus. “Thanks to [Adventist health food company] Granix, we had cookies to share, but we also distributed plums, peaches, and melons,” the ministry members shared. “Generous donors gave us the fruit for free, which shows how God intervenes when we seek Him with all our hearts.”

AT THE PATHFINDER CAMPOREE

A few days after the mountain initiative, AMM members attended Argentina’s Pathfinder Camporee in nearby Rivadavia, February 14-18. “We were given the opportunity of introducing and sharing the work of AMM there,” ministry members shared.

The gathering that brought together approximately 8,000 Pathfinders from across the country was the epicenter of a moving ceremony, AMM participants said. Ismael, a member of AMM and father of a Pathfinder Club member, decided to give his life to God through baptism. It was a surprise, even to his family.

AMM leaders shared that Ismael’s conversion had begun months earlier. During a 2023 motorcycling

event in Mendoza, AMM Argentina coordinator Néstor Espíndola went to visit Ismael at his home. “It was then that we began to develop a relationship, which led to Bible studies and eventually to Ismael’s decision to be rebaptized after being away from church for some time,” Espíndola said.

Ismael was baptized by Pablo Geronazzo, Argentina Union Conference evangelism director. During the event Geronazzo was also invested as a new member of AMM Argentina.

ABOUT ADVENTIST MOTORCYCLE MINISTRY

The idea for a “ministry on wheels” was born in October 2008 in the minds of Miguel Jesús Domínguez and five Adventist pastors in Florida, United States, who, along with 60 other people, launched the initiative. That group of Hispanics decided that it would not be just a regular motorcycle club but a ministry, to make the kingdom of God known to other motorcyclists and win people for heaven.

Juan Santos Siendo, president of AMM USA at the time, was in charge of the expansion of the ministry, reaching now other countries such as Australia, Canada, Hungary, India, Nepal, Puerto Rico, and some African countries. In South America there are official AMM clubs in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.

Alexis Villar, South American Division, and Adventist World

Adventist Motorcycle Ministry Argentina members participated in the tenth Top of the World International Motorcycle Gathering in Uspallata, Mendoza, February 10-11.

Photo: Adventist Motorcycle Ministry Argentina]

Focus

Jesus Is My Savior Still

BY ALAN PARKER

Idon’t think you can conquer this.” I let the words hang in the air and watched the student’s face carefully to see how he would react. His expression showed incredulity. “You’re saying that I cannot do anything about this?” I paused again and chose my words carefully.

“On your own, you can’t stop. You are helpless, but you’re not hopeless.” I reached back to my bookshelf, pulled out a worn copy of Steps to Christ, by Ellen White, and turned to page 18: “It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them.”1

It may seem strange to tell someone they cannot change. Many people want counseling, a pill, or a strategy. There may be value to these approaches. But what if the problem, at its core, is sin? Something they cannot change. Then the solution requires something more radical and profound. It requires a Savior.

BAD NEWS AND GOOD NEWS

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Romans. It is the most compelling explanation of the gospel that I have found. But it’s surprising how Paul begins his gospel argument. His first three chapters climax in 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

This is Paul’s starting point. We are sinners. We are living in brokenness, alienated from God, others, and ourselves. It is hard for us to accept that the real issue is sin, but knowing our condition enables us to receive the right cure. If my leg were broken, I wouldn’t expect the doctor to tell me to try walking on it. No, the bad news of my broken leg prepares me for the better news that there is a surgeon who can set the bones right and put me on a path of healing.

In their insightful book How People Change, Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp make this comment: “Only when you accept the bad news of the gospel does the good news make any sense. The grace, restoration, reconciliation, forgiveness, mercy, patience, power, healing, and hope of the gospel are for sinners. They are only meaningful to you if you admit that you have the disease and realize that it is terminal.”2

WRONG APPROACHES TO SIN

Once we realize that the real problem is sin, we must accept God’s solution to it. Unfortunately, even Christians deal with sin in inappropriate ways. The first wrong approach to sin is that of apathy. It stems from a sentimental view of God, which sees Him as freely dispensing forgiveness without requiring radical change or obedience. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, author of The Cost of Discipleship, called this “cheap grace.” It’s a “grace” that we offer ourselves and is, therefore, a grace without Jesus.3

A person who doesn’t feel the need for change won’t. They will not experience victory, because they do not feel it is required or even obtainable. This is a false view of the gospel because it sees God as taking care of the sin without having to change the sinner.

Another wrong approach to sin is shame. It’s built on the idea that we should feel ashamed of what we have done when we mess up. The more shame we feel, the more “repentant” we are. Shame is different from guilt: guilt drives us to the Savior;

Photo: Nikko Macaspac

shame drives us from God into our own feelings. In the Garden of Eden, Adam felt shame rather than guilt, and ran from God.

Shame is a particularly ineffective approach to sin because it is a form of self-atonement. “If I can make myself feel bad enough, then it will somehow erase my sin.” This makes us more likely to sin because we can take care of it through our bad feelings. “If I mess up, I’ll feel awful afterward, and then I can get on with my life.”

A final wrong approach to sin is to use strategies that will attempt to control or manage our behaviors. But this too is ineffective. The behavior is simply the fruit of a deeper root. Putting filters on a computer won’t change the desire for pornography. Eventually a determined person will find a way around the filters. The real problem is the heart and its desires (James 1:14, 15). Unless we change our desires, the behaviors will keep reoccurring.

So how do we change the heart? Steps to Christ describes both the problem and the solution. “You cannot atone for your past sins; you cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this for you through Christ.”4

This brings us back to the gospel in the book of Romans.

THE SOLUTION IS GRACE

After Paul tells us that we are all suffering the terrible effects of sin, he identifies the solution. We are “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). The solution to the problem of sin is a Savior.

There are three key phrases in this verse. The first one is “justified freely.” It conjures up the picture of a person standing before a judge who declares they are “not guilty.” This verdict comes readily from God, who, rather than placing the

sinner under just condemnation, sets them free. But how can a guilty person be declared innocent?

The answer is in the following phrase, which states that it happens “by His grace.” Grace refers to God showing favor to people who don’t deserve it. Since our sin is ultimately against God, He is the only one who can forgive it. Although we are guilty, God freely offers His pardon. This, however, is not cheap grace.

Billy Graham gives an illustration of this. He was caught speeding in a Southern town and went to court. The judge determined he was guilty, and the fine was $10, $1 for every mile over the speed limit. It was something that had to be paid. But the judge recognized the famous evangelist, took $10 out of his own wallet to pay the fine, and invited Graham to join him for dinner!5 The grace was free, but it still required payment.

The final phrase in this verse explains that grace happens “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Redemption has to do with liberty bought at a price. If a person was made a slave because of debt, they could be freed by a ransom— someone paying off their obligations. Jesus paid that debt for us.

So how does this help a person struggling with addictive behaviors? Instead of focusing on the sin, we are to focus on the Savior. Jesus has already paid the price. He has already bought our freedom. We are to live in the light of that reality, and then the already purchased freedom becomes ours.

WHY WE NEED A SAVIOR

As we look to Jesus, we discover He offers us three powerful solutions to sin. First, Jesus abolished the penalty for sin. The Bible says the “wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23), and Jesus stepped in and paid that for you.

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col. 2:13, 14).

Second, Jesus dealt a death blow to the reign of sin and its power in your life. Paul states that sin has no “dominion over you” (Rom. 6:14). That doesn’t mean your desires for sin have disappeared. It means that a new power is now operating. The cross showed that Jesus succeeded where Adam failed. Human desires were conquered, and sin was now a defeated enemy.

Jesus is not only our Savior because He died for us, but also because He lives for us, interceding on our behalf. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15, 16, ESV).6 We have victory over sin because Jesus gives us the grace and power we need when tempted.

Third, Jesus came as our Savior so that the presence of sin could be eradicated from the universe. The struggle with sin will not continue forever. Our future peace is secured. Every time we have victory over sin, we participate in that future reality of a perfect universe in which love reigns supremely and selfishness is banished. When we know there is a finish line, we can lean into finishing the race strong.

This is the message of the gospel. The word “gospel” means good news. It is good news that the problem is sin, because then the

solution is a Savior. It’s good news that the penalty of sin is removed for all those who are in Christ by faith. It’s good news that the same power that gave Jesus the victory is the power that is available to you now. It’s good news that Jesus is your Savior in heaven right now, interceding on your behalf. It’s good news that a judgment is coming that will forever remove sin from the universe.

RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH

This brings us to a final point to be made about God’s solution. Change comes through faith. Faith not in yourself, but in your Savior. Faith is not just a belief, but a choice. It is trusting God and yielding your life to Him.

“Christ changes the heart. He abides in your heart by faith. You are to maintain this connection with Christ by faith and the continual surrender of your will to Him; and so long as you do this, He will work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure.”7

(See also Phil. 2:12, 13.)

Righteousness by faith is how God changes us. We don’t depend on cheap grace to remove the demand for obedience. We don’t shame ourselves or use strategies to make change happen. We turn to Jesus. We look to Him. We put our confidence in Him and choose the path of surrender instead of the path of self-reliance.

When I was a boy, I went to the sea for the first time. I could swim, but I wasn’t used to the sea currents. Before I knew it, I was caught in a riptide and was being pulled out to sea. I tried to swim back to the shore, but it was hopeless. Fortunately, a lifeguard saw me and swam to get me. I tried to tell him I would be OK, but he knew better. He told me to stop swimming and to trust him. He lifted me onto his

flotation board with his strong arms and pulled me safely back to shore. Without his help, I would have drowned that day, trusting in my ability to save myself.

Righteousness by faith is trusting in Jesus to save us, and then consciously choosing Him and surrendering to Him daily. This won’t be easy. Some days your sins will gain the victory. Some days you will feel far from God. But on those days, remember that old adage: “Be my feelings what they will, Jesus is my Savior still.” Instead of focusing on yourself, focus on Jesus. Keep your eyes “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).

JESUS IS MY SAVIOR STILL

What happened to that student struggling with an addictive sin? He gave up on trying to fix it himself. That day he surrendered his life to Jesus. There was no quick fix, but the more he looked to Jesus, the more his heart was changed. Instead of trusting his feelings, he put his trust in His Savior. And as his heart changed, his desires changed. He fell in love with Jesus. He learned that no matter what he faced, “Jesus is my Savior still.” And praise God, he found the victory!

1 Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1956), p. 18. (Italics supplied.)

2 Timothy S. Lane and Paul David Tripp, How People Change (Greensboro, N.C.: New Growth Press, 2008), p. 16.

3 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, rev. ed. (New York: Macmillan Pub. Co., 1963; first published, 1937).

4 E. G. White, p. 51. (Italics supplied.)

5 Progress magazine, Dec. 14, 1992.

6 Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

7 E. G. White, pp. 62, 63.

Alan Parker is a professor at Southern Adventist University, where he is also director of the Pierson Institute of Evangelism.

Without his help, I would have drowned that day, trusting in my ability to save myself.

Photo:

This article is based on a sermon at Living Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church on September 13, 2019. Elements of the oral presentation have been retained.—Editors.

John Wesley, the famed Methodist preacher, was almost in despair. He did not have the faith to continue preaching. He was exhausted, and his health was failing. When death stared him in the face, he was fearful and found little comfort in his religion. He confided in a friend that he was ready to give up the ministry. On May 24, 1738, he opened his Bible about 5:00 in the morning and came across these words in 2 Peter 1:4: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” Have you ever noticed that at times of your greatest despair or deepest trial, God leads you to just the right Bible passage you need at that moment to give you encouragement? Hope began to dawn in Wesley’s heart.

A New Paradigm

Strength for lasting change

BY MARK A. FINLEY

That evening he reluctantly attended a meeting at Aldersgate Chapel in London. Someone read from Luther’s well-known Preface to the Epistle to Romans. John Wesley sat in that simple chapel that night in rapt attention. Later he wrote these words in his journal. “About 8:45 p.m. while Luther was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”1

Let us consider what Paul’s Epistle to the Romans teaches about victorious Christian living.

HOW ARE YOU WALKING?

Romans 8:1 tells us, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” The word for condemnation means a judgment against someone, including the penalty following the sentence. What Paul is saying is that in Christ we have been delivered from the old order of bondage, slavery, and condemnation to a new life of pardon, power, and liberty. He then continues by describing two ways of life: life in the flesh and life in the Spirit.

What does Paul mean by the expression “walking in the flesh”? Paul is not using flesh simply in the sense of the body, as in “flesh and blood.” He really means human nature in all its weakness and vulnerability to sin. To live according to the flesh is to live a life dominated by the dictates and desires of sinful human nature instead of a life dominated by the dictates and the love of God. The flesh is the lower side of humanity’s nature. It has to do with the inclinations, passions, drives, and appetites of our carnal, sinful, selfish nature.

By contrast, Paul highlights walking according to the Spirit. Paul says in this passage that at one time the Christian was at the mercy of their own sinful human nature, their own passions and desires, their own appetites and lusts. In that state the law simply became something that moved them to sin, and they went from bad to worse, a defeated and frustrated person. But through the gift of God the unlimited power of the Spirit of God entered their life, and, as a result, they experienced victorious living. They were now free from the domination of sin’s clutches.

AN AMAZING DISCOVERY

Paul goes on to distinguish between two laws in operation: The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2). What is this law of sin and death? The answer is found in Romans 7. Paul understands that the law is holy, just, and good (Rom. 7:12), but there is a real struggle going on in his life. He made up his mind to obey this law of God, but he soon discovered that besides this law outside of him, there was another law inside of him directly contrary to the law outside of him (verse 23). While the law of God outside of him said, “You shall do this good thing and this good thing and this good thing,” the law of heredity or his fallen human nature within him said, “You cannot do the thing you would.”

The law of the fallen nature prevails, and Paul’s attempts to live a righteous life result in total failure. According to Romans 7 he finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into the mire of sin, constrained and dragged down by this law of sin until at last he cries out in Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me out of this body of death?”

It is notable that the pronoun “I” occurs more than 25 times in the 16 verses of Romans 7:9-24, and the Holy Spirit is not found once. In chapter 8 the scene dramatically changes, and the Holy Spirit is mentioned 20 times, while “I” is mentioned only twice.

In Romans 8 Paul reveals an amazing discovery. In addition to the law of God outside of him beckoning him to righteousness and the law of his members or the law of heredity in his fallen nature, there is another law! It is “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:2). This law is about the righteousness you cannot achieve in your own strength by the power of your own will. We cannot achieve the righteousness the law demands on our own because of the weakness of our fallen natures. Hence, Romans 8:3.

There is no problem with the law. As Paul says in Romans 7, it is holy, just, and good. The problem is not with the law. It is with me. Left on my own, I am totally incapable of meeting the law’s demands. I am a debtor to the law I have broken, condemned by my transgressions and held in bondage to my sinful nature. But then Jesus came and met Satan exactly where all humanity has fallen, in the weakness of human flesh.2 Jesus entered the arena of human affairs to fight the battle in common with all humanity. He took our nature to identify with us and came to defeat Satan (see Heb. 2:14-18).

OUR GREATEST NEED

As this saying attributed to Roy Lessin aptly states: “If our greatest need had been information, God

would have sent us an educator.

If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.

If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.

If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.

But our greatest need was freedom from the penalty and power of sin, so God sent us a Savior.”

When we come to the end of our strength, when we fully realize our inability to keep the law of God and in utter helplessness look up to Christ and rely on the Holy Spirit to do for us that which we cannot do for ourselves, and when we surrender every thought, every purpose, every desire, every action, and all of our appetites and passions to His absolute control, the Holy Spirit takes control of our lives and sets us free from the power of sin that dwells in our very natures and brings us into conformity to the will of God (cf. Rom. 8:4).

As long as we war in our own strength, we fight a losing battle. But in Christ, we are more than conquerors (Gal. 5:16, 17). This is one of the reasons it is so difficult to overcome lifestyle habits that we know are destroying us. This is why it is difficult to overcome our passions and appetites. This is why it is so difficult to overcome un-Christlike attitudes. This is why we struggle to be the people we really want to be and do the things we really want to do. If we battle the enemy in our own strength, we will lose every time.

There is no reason we should remain in bondage any longer. When Christ dwells in us, we are set free from the tyranny and domination of our sinful natures. Under the old order, it is impossible to do the will of God. We may know what is right, but we do not have the power to do it. We may desire to do the right thing, but we repeatedly fail because we are too weak to accomplish our desires. We may even want to overcome unhealthful habits and negative attitudes, but keep lapsing back to those old habit patterns again and again.

Romans 8 introduces a whole new paradigm. For Paul the Christian life is no longer one of frustrated defeat. It is no longer one of bondage and domination. The Holy Spirit filling the life of the believer has set us free. Romans 8 is the first place in the entire book of Romans that the Holy Spirit enters the argument, and when He does, there is no further talk of defeat. The warfare between the two natures still goes on, but where the Holy Spirit is in control the old nature is compelled to give way. Living in the power of the Holy Spirit does not mean that we will be free from struggle. It does mean that we have the assurance of victory in our

Victory is ours in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not destined to defeat.

struggles. It does not mean that sanctification is some instantaneous mystical event. It does mean that Christ has provided power through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to overcome every temptation (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13).

Here is the promise of God: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them” (Eze. 36:26).

THE SPIRIT’S POWER

The Spirit is almighty. He can change the stony heart into a heart of flesh; He can break the strongest negative habits like waves crashing into a sand castle; He can make the most difficult things seem easy, and the mightiest objections melt away like snow in the spring; He can break the shackles, unlock prison doors, and throw the gates of triumph wide open; He can fill up every valley, and make every rough place smooth. He has done it often, and He can do it again.

The power of the Holy Spirit is not limited. The power of the Holy Spirit is not for a select few super saints. The power of the Holy Spirit is not a first-century phenomenon for the early church. The Holy Spirit is like the Lord Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still doing wonders and will do them to the very end.

Jesus has triumphed over the principalities and powers of hell. He was victorious so we can be victorious through His Spirit by His strength. What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? Walking in the Spirit is an expression that the apostle Paul used regularly to describe living in the presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is that daily sense that I am His and He is mine. It is that daily hunger to know Him more. It is discovering the joy of daily pouring our hearts out to God.

Several years ago a small village in Africa experienced a powerful Holy Ghost revival. Many in the village were transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lust gave way to purity. Self-indulgence gave way to self-sacrifice.

Thievery gave way to honesty. Anger surrendered to kindness, and greed surrendered to giving.

Each of these African converts reportedly had a place out in the thicket where they would pour out their hearts to God daily. The paths through the high grass to these places of prayer became distinctly marked. When anyone began to decline in their devotions, it became apparent to others. They would then remind that individual by saying, “The grass grows on your path yonder.” Is the grass growing on your path? Walking in the flesh, we will be defeated every time. Walking in the Spirit, living in the light of Christ’s presence, we are more than conquerors. The apostle concludes Romans 8 with these hopeful words in verse 37: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” These are words of hope. They give us courage to face the challenges of life. We are not destined to defeat. Victory is ours in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

To Paul, life was not a weary, defeated waiting; it was a throbbing, vivid expectation. The Christian is involved in the human situation. Within, Christians must battle with their own evil human nature; without, they must live in a world of death and decay. Nonetheless, Christians do not live only in the world; they also live in Christ. They do not see only the world; they look beyond it to the power of Christ and their ultimate destiny in union with Him through all eternity. They do not see only the consequences of humanity’s sin; by faith they live in the power of the Spirit and the Spirit with them is the eternal pledge of life eternal. Therefore, the keynote of the Christian life is always hope and never despair. The Christian waits, not for death, but for life.

1 https://www.umc.org/en/content/holy-spirit-moments-learning-from-wesley-at-aldersgate, accessed Feb. 29, 2024. (Italics supplied.)

2 See Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn.,1898, 1940), pp. 49, 25.

Mark A. Finley is a longtime evangelist and television presenter, a former vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and currently a special assistant to the president of the General Conference.

Photos: Peter Burdon / Vlad Bagacian

A Work of Preparation

God’s special work

Apivotal event in the history of the Advent movement is the Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844, when believers anticipated the Lord’s return and were bitterly disappointed when He did not come. While many gave up hope, a small group clung to God’s Word. They studied and prayed until they found that the key to unlocking the mystery of their great disappointment was in understanding what the Bible teaches about the sanctuary.1

This was such a powerful revelation to the early Advent believers because, as Ellen White explains, “it opened to view a complete system of truth, connected and harmonious, showing that God’s hand had directed the great advent movement and revealing present duty as it brought to light the position and work of His people.”2

As the early Adventists studied, the beauty and harmony of Scripture began to shine brightly into their hearts and minds. They saw the connection of the prophecy in Daniel 8:14, “Unto two thousand

and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” (KJV), with the declaration of the first angel of Revelation 14, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come” (verse 7).

They better understood that “Christ had come, not to the earth as they expected, but, as foreshadowed in the type, to the most holy place of the temple of God in heaven.”3

This event was described by the prophet Daniel: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him” (Dan. 7:13, KJV).

They realized the prophet Malachi was describing the same event when he wrote, “The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts” (Mal. 3:1, KJV).

The coming of the Lord to His temple was sudden and unexpected for His people, because they were not expecting Him to come

there; they were looking for Him to come to the earth!

A WORK OF PREPARATION

Furthermore, they were not yet ready to meet their Lord. We are told that “there was still a work of preparation to be accomplished for them.”4

The passage in Malachi 3:2, 3 clearly explains this work:

“But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” (KJV).

Commenting on this passage in Malachi, the Lord’s messenger wrote:

“Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by

the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in the messages of Revelation 14. When this work shall have been accomplished, the followers of Christ will be ready for His appearing. . . . Then the church which our Lord at His coming is to receive to Himself will be a ‘glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.’ ”5

GOD’S SPECIAL WORK

At first this may seem overwhelming. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that this is God’s special work of purification! He is the one who provides the “spotless robe.” It is His blood that purifies us. It is His grace that empowers us to “be conquerors in the battle with evil.”

God is the only one who can help us be conquerors in the battle with evil—without Him we are hopelessly lost in sin.

During the time of the earthly temple, the Day of Atonement was the most important day of the year. People searched their hearts, confessed their sins, and made sure they were right with God. Since we are now living in the “antitypical day of atonement,”6 this passage reminds us that God is longing to purify our hearts and to prepare us as individuals, and as a church, for His soon return.

TWO SEPARATE EVENTS

While some may believe this passage in Malachi 3 is referring to Christ’s second coming, Ellen White makes it clear that while Malachi does talk about the second coming in some passages, this is not one of them. She writes: “This coming, and the coming of the Lord to His temple, are distinct and separate events.”7

She explains further: “The coming of Christ as our high priest to the most holy place, for the cleansing of the sanctuary, brought to view in Daniel 8:14; the coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of Days, as presented in Daniel 7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi, are descriptions of the same event.”8

Clearly the Bible speaks with one voice as it proclaims the antitypical day of atonement—the time in which we are now living.

THE WEDDING GARMENT

In Matthew 22 Jesus speaks of a wedding feast. In this parable an investigative judgment takes place as the king examines the guests to ensure that all are wearing the wedding garment he graciously provided. This spotless robe of character, represented by the wedding

God is the only one who can help us be conquerors in the battle with evil—without Him we are hopelessly lost in sin.

garment, has been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb, as described in Revelation 7:14.

In the parable the king approaches a guest not wearing a wedding garment and kindly asks, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” (Matt. 22:12). The guest was speechless.

“Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ ” (verse 13).

Friend, are you wearing Christ’s robe of righteousness? Are you allowing Him to wash you in the blood of the Lamb? Now is the time to allow Him to do His special work of purification in our hearts so that we will be ready for His appearing.

1 See “What Adventists Believe About Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary,” bit.ly/Christsministry.

2 Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. 423.

3 Ibid., p. 424.

4 Ibid., pp. 424, 425.

5 Ibid., p. 425.

6 See S. N. Haskell, “Duty of the Congregation on the Day of Atonement,” The Cross and Its Shadow, pp. 220-228, bit.ly/ antitypicaldayofatonement.

7 E. G. White, p. 426.

8 Ibid.

Ted N. C. Wilson is president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. You may follow him on X (formerly Twitter): @pastortedwilson and on Facebook: @Pastor Ted Wilson.

The Pulpit and Ritual Impurity

Reports are coming from some countries that women are not permitted to speak at pulpits in some Seventh-day Adventist churches during the times of their monthly periods. This practice is based on two assumptions. First, it is assumed that the space where a pulpit is located inside a church has holiness like that of the ancient Israelite sanctuary, which had to be protected from physical ritual impurity. Second, it is assumed that the biblical regulations concerning physical ritual impurities still apply today. According to Leviticus 15:19-23 an Israelite woman during her usual healthy monthly period incurred physical ritual impurity that could be transmitted to objects and persons by contact. Some interpret this to mean that the Bible prohibits a modern Adventist woman from standing at the pulpit when she is menstruating.

RESULTS OF THE TWO ASSUMPTIONS

If we were to accept the two assumptions, we should consistently follow all the rest of the biblical purity regulations, right? So, for example, if we apply Numbers 19:14 today, anyone who has been under the same roof as a dead person, including at a funeral, would be impure. There was only one way for an Israelite to be purified from corpse impurity: to be sprinkled with some special water containing ashes of a red(dish) heifer that was sacrificed in a divinely prescribed manner with the participation of an Aaronic priest (Num. 19:1-10, 12, 17-19, 21).1

How many Adventists have been sprinkled with the water of purification containing ashes of a red heifer? None, of course, because that is impossible today. Therefore, all Adventists who have become impure from dead bodies permanently remain impure.

To be consistent, if women are prohibited from speaking in churches during their periods, nobody who has attended a funeral, including a pastor (who likely has attended more funerals than anyone else!), should be allowed to speak either. This is unworkable, and there is a simple reason: we will find that both of these assumptions are myths.

HOLINESS OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH?

Our Christian churches are not sanctuaries the way the ancient Israelite sanctuary was,

which was physically holy because the presence of God, veiled in a visible glory cloud, dwelt there on earth among His people (Ex. 25:8; 40:34-38; Lev. 16:2). Our churches function like synagogues in the time of Jesus, where ordinary people would reverently meet to hear God’s Word read and explained (Luke 4:16-27). Nonpriests were forbidden to enter the Israelite sanctuary or later temple (Num. 3:38; 18:7).

Because our churches are not holy spaces like the Israelite sanctuary, physical ritual impurities cannot affect any part of them. Neither are there any gradations of holiness in our churches as if the platform area is somehow equivalent to the holy place or most holy place of the Israelite sanctuary.

CURRENT APPLICATION OF IMPURITY RULES?

The Old Testament rules about physical ritual impurities teach us about the nature of God in relation to ourselves, but He does not require us to practice them today.2 Such impurities came from human corpses (Num. 19), human genital flows (Lev. 12; 15), and ugly infections in human skin, fabric or leather, or on walls of houses (Lev. 13; 14), as well as from some kinds of animal carcasses (Lev. 11:24-40).3

Their “uncleanness” was not literal dirt, and the contagion from them, defiling other things by contact or proximity, was not physical. Rather, physical ritual impurities symbolically represented the birth-to-death cycle of mortality that has resulted from sin (Gen. 3; Rom. 6:23),4 of which corpses, healthy or diseased genital flows, etc., are heightened symptoms. It is true that nocturnal emissions, sexual intercourse, menstruation, and childbirth are healthy functions of human reproductive systems, but impurities from these teach that every new

child born into our fallen world is mortal, subject to death.

God is the holy, sinless, pure, immortal source of all life, who is not to be associated with death or sin that has caused it. So His rules for limiting physical ritual impurities when possible or remedying them (by washing, waiting until evening, and also sacrifices in serious cases) when necessary had the purpose of teaching His people about Him and about the sin and death that separates them from Him. Christ’s sacrifice, represented by Israelite sacrifices that remedied not only sins (for example, Lev. 4:16:6) but also severe physical ritual impurities (Lev. 12:6-8; 14:10-32; 15:14, 15, 29, 30; Num. 19:1-10), saves us not only from our acts of sin to give us forgiveness, but also from our state of mortality to give us eternal life (John 3:16).5

We can learn a lot by studying the biblical ritual impurity rules that were required for the ancient Israelites, but God does not require us to practice them. Now Christ is ministering as our great high priest in God’s temple in heaven (Heb. 4:1416; 6:19-10:25), which is immune to human impurities. So the system of regulations to protect the earthly temple from impurity is no longer relevant. Most of us are ritually impure according to the rules in the books of Leviticus and Numbers, but this does not matter! Accordingly, the New Testament says nothing about requirements for physical ritual purification for anyone to participate in any church role.

ASSUMPTIONS AS UNBIBLICAL MYTHS

We have found that the two assumptions underlying the practice of banning women from pulpits during their monthly periods are unbiblical myths. Therefore, this practice is unbiblical. More seri-

Our church policies should be formulated in light of the full revelation of Scripture as a whole, rather than by picking and choosing what we happen to notice in the Bible.

ously, holding on to such regulations that were part of the system of ritual “shadows” that pointed forward to Christ’s coming (compare Col. 2:17) misrepresents God by implicitly denying that Christ has really come and has moved His place of ministry to God’s heavenly temple. Our church policies should be formulated in light of the full revelation of Scripture as a whole, rather than by picking and choosing what we happen to notice in the Bible. Concerning women speaking in Adventist churches, they should be welcome to speak anytime, with no inappropriate personal questions asked.

1 On this unique purification offering (“sin offering”) and its significance, including for modern Christians, see Roy E. Gane, Leviticus, Numbers, NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004), pp. 659-667.

2 On biblical laws and guidelines for knowing if or how modern Christians should apply them, see Roy E. Gane, Old Testament Law for Christians: Original Context and Enduring Application (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2017).

3 Physical ritual impurities differ from moral impurities (especially Lev. 18:23, 24, 30; 19:31; Num. 35:33, 34), on which see Jonathan Klawans, Impurity and Sin in Ancient Judaism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000), especially pp. 21-31; Jay Sklar, Sin, Impurity, Sacrifice, Atonement: The Priestly Conceptions (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2005), pp. 139-153.

4 Hyam Maccoby, Ritual and Morality: The Ritual Purity System and Its Place in Judaism (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999), p. 60.

5 On the biblical system of physical ritual impurities, purification rituals, and their significance in relation to God and salvation, see Gane, Leviticus, Numbers, especially pp. 223-230.

Roy E. Gane is a professor of Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern languages at the Seventhday Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University.

In 1977 my sister came home from what was then Avondale College for one long weekend with two Californian friends in tow. We lived on Australia’s most easterly point, Wategos Beach, Byron Bay. Our home offered panoramic views of the bay, coastal plains, and distant peaks of the Border and Nightcap ranges. Towering 27.5 miles distant was Mount Wollumbin, as originally named by the indigenous Bundjalung Nation. Its granite peak resembled a sleeping humpback. In 1770 English explorer James Cook named it Mount Warning.

Our new friends, captivated by the mountain, asked if they could climb it. “Sure!” exclaimed Dad, always up for an adventure. So the seven of us embarked on a scenic Sabbath afternoon drive to Wollumbin National Park. Arriving at the trailhead, we grabbed several trail guides before heading up the 5.5-mile winding path.

Initially we meandered through the rainforest’s Bangalow palms and Moreton Bay fig trees. Soon the trail turned challenging, with hundreds of steep steps, dozens of switchbacks, and several dangerous cliffs. After seemingly endless climbing, we finally exited the dense rainforest onto the mountain’s humpbacked ridgeline. Mount Warning’s final stage is a near-vertical ascent to its 3,800-foot summit.

We crested the mountaintop just in time to experience the setting Sabbath sun, casting long rays of light across the terrain below. After gazing at the view, Dad encouraged us to leave, but our American friends tarried, captivated by the magnificent views encircling the ancient volcano’s caldera. We closed Sabbath as the last rays of sunlight disappeared over the horizon, praying for a safe descent.

PERILS IN THE DARK Energized, we slid down the steep, slippery trail, reaching the gravel path as darkness descended. Hastily we walked along the narrow pathway, but we managed to traverse only two of the trails’ switchbacks before being enveloped by nightfall. The moonless night only emphasized our predicament. As we stumbled along in the disorienting darkness, our minds began swirling with stories of hikers lost for days, sometimes forever, on the mountain. Suddenly I heard Dad’s scream and distant cry for help. He had fallen 10 feet down an embankment, hitting a tree that halted his plunge into oblivion. After we assisted him to safety, prayers of thanks to God arose. My father now used a walking stick to gingerly tap his way along the path. Slowly our group inched down the mountainside, keeping one foot firmly pressed against its edge. What had been a joy two hours earlier was

Discovering the Spirit of Prophecy

The Gift of Light

Are we taking full advantage of it?

now a complete nightmare; we regretted not obeying Mount Warning’s posted trail walking hours. We had left home without a flashlight. Being unprepared for nighttime darkness, we stumbled through the Bangalow palm forest. Here we encountered two lost hikers. Joining efforts, we carefully tore our park maps into thin paper strips and used their lighter to burn them. The flickering flame created enough light to guide our path until we reached the dense rainforest near the mountain’s base. Here, regrettably, our paper supply ran out. Struggling on, we soon became hopelessly lost. With nowhere to turn but prayer, we asked God for help. Literally, after only a moment, 200 yards up the mountainside, a bright beam of light flashed. Hearing lots of happy voices, we knew our prayers had been answered! The Murwillumbah Pathfinder Club appeared and guided us to the parking lot! They were on their way up the mountain to camp and watch the sunrise. Four long harrowing hours later our hike down Mount Warning was over. We praised God for His goodness and mercy by sending an Adventist Pathfinder Club to our rescue!

PRESSING FORWARD

Recounting this story reminds me of a memorable Friday evening worship. My dad read about Ellen Harmon’s first prophetic vision. Surrounded by light, Ellen rose high above the earth, where she witnessed the Advent people traversing the narrow way to heaven. A bright light shone behind them, preventing them from stumbling off the path. If they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was leading them to the Holy City, they were kept safe. But some grew weary, complaining that the city was too far off. They had expected to enter it already. Jesus encouraged them, raising His gloriously bright right arm, lighting the way for the band of Advent travelers. Some foolishly denied this light, however, exclaiming that God was not leading them. For those cynics, the light went out. Blinded by darkness, they stumbled into the abyss below. Sadly, losing their sight of Jesus, they became forever lost to a sinful world.1

In my mind both stories emphasize our need for readiness. My parents exemplified this preparedness. They spent time daily in prayer, studying God’s Word, and reading from the Spirit of Prophecy. At a young age I learned the privilege of prayer and family worship. I personally experienced God’s Word as “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). Remember, “we should be preparing life and character to meet the demands of the times that are upon us.”2 As God’s faithful people, we must always be ready for Jesus to come. As Adventists, do we still believe in the second part of our name? We believe in the Sabbath, but are we living as though Jesus’ coming is imminent? We profess to be Bible-believing Christians, but are we daily studying God’s Word? Are we regularly reading from the Spirit of Prophecy? Or have we fallen into the abyss of our own Laodicean

slumber, lost in the allurements of a sinful world?

We must wake up! We cannot fall into darkness if we make Christ our guide. Jesus says, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12, NIV). This is why, “when the way seems beset with difficulty, and clouded with darkness, we must believe that there is light ahead, and not turn to the right or left, but press forward, notwithstanding all our trials and temptations.”3

God has blessed His church with the gift of prophecy. Ellen White’s writings consistently point to God’s Word as the true source of light. Her books emphasize the importance of obeying Scripture and preparing ourselves and others for Christ’s second coming.4 No one will stumble and fall if they heed the clear warnings—as we should have before climbing Mount Warning. The time to prepare is now! Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Heaven cannot come soon enough! Are you ready?

1 Adapted from Ellen G. White, “My First Vision,” Early Writings (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1882, 1945), pp. 13, 14.

2 Ellen G. White manuscript 99, 1908, in Ellen G. White, Letters and Manuscripts (Silver Spring, Md.: Ellen G. White Estate, 1908), vol. 23, p. 256, retrieved from https://egwwritings.org/book/b14073.

3 Ellen G. White, “Resisting Temptation,” Review and Herald, May 19, 1891.

4 Alberto R. Timm and Dwain N. Esmond, eds., The Gift of Prophecy in Scripture and History (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 2015), retrieved from https://egwwritings.org/book/ b13965.

Darryl Thompson is an associate director of the Ellen G. White Estate in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.

Desiring Their Good

Innovative church planting in Hanover, Germany

Twenty years ago members of a local Adventist church felt called to launch a church planting project. They started reaching out to children and families in Hanover, Germany’s youngest district, through hands-on outdoor education.1 A large climbing tower (the “Life Tower”) soon became a prominent landmark in the neighborhood. Through effective community building the project was recognized as an important voice in the district’s social development.

Life Tower’s ministry is still an ongoing project, but it hasn’t yet produced an Adventist church. Is it a failure?

One of the early founding members of the project puts it this way: “We had our vision, dreams, and goals. Over the years we had to embrace both successes and failures. We had to accept that the people we serve may need something different from our agenda. Should we let them down just because they don’t respond the way we want them to? If we did so, we would reveal that it has never been about them, but us. Instead, we will continue walking the path of Christ.”

And so the project has expanded to include a pastor, a social worker, and many volunteer leaders from two local congregations, other ministry partners, and community members. The Kronsberg Life Tower project has been transformed from an autonomous project bubble into a complex network in which life is pulsating stronger than ever. We are a permanent member in the district’s youth ministry council, often coleading joint venture projects. The Adventist church is being noticed and gaining a good reputation in the city.

CHALLENGES

Every church plant project will face challenges—socially, financially, or even internally. A new entity in a neighborhood is often viewed with suspicion. In secular Germany, projects with a religious background struggle to gain a good reputation. People often assume that community services might be used for proselytizing or, even worse, for brainwashing. We have heard these fears personally.

What if we resist the urge to defend ourselves, and rather focus on our mission while trusting prophetic principles? What if we truly seek the

peace and prosperity of the city we are serving? What if we wholeheartedly pray for the city, because if it prospers, we too will prosper (cf. Jer. 29:7)?

Our neighborhood represents a vastly diverse community—people from very distinct national, cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Wherever possible, we contextualize and preach the “everlasting gospel,” the good news that needs to reach “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6).

The many children and families who join our activities find a safe space without violence and discrimination, where they can participate and grow. Accomplishing this hasn’t always been an easy task, but God has never let us down.

CHRIST’S METHOD

Ellen White offers this wellknown counsel to all engaged in mission: “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs,

and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’ ”2

She describes five steps, of which none should be skipped. If we rush people, our efforts may falter. Sometimes, in our missionary zeal we push toward the final step too soon. What if reaching the final step takes more time than we would like to admit? Will we patiently live out the first steps? If we withdraw from the community, then Christ’s method was not much more than a strategic plan for our success.

OBSTACLES

The Life Tower has become well embedded in the neighborhood and is realizing its potential as one of the most effective agents for youth and family ministries. We have received support from the Hanseatic Conference, the North German Union, the Inter-European Division, and the General Conference, mainly by funding in human resources. Specific investments, such as the restoration of the climbing tower, have been funded by external partners sharing our vision and mission.

One of the biggest obstacles that the project has faced has been the issue of our land lease. In January 2024 we received an email from the city of Hanover, stating: “We

assume that you, too, are interested in transforming the temporary contract into a permanent one.” The phrase “you, too” filled our hearts with joy, as the city administration showed us that we are a trusted partner and wanted in this district. Our impact on and perceived value to the Kronsberg district was evidenced in a new and permanent contract. For our property of 4,200 square meters (more than 45,200 square feet), we pay the rent of 21 euros (about US$23) per month, roughly the equivalent of a meal at a restaurant. Our new contract represents a promising cooperation with mutual support and benefit for us as well as the people we serve.

RENEWED VISION

In 2021 we refined our vision, our core values, and focus areas with support from the Friedensau Institute for Evaluation (FIFE). This process was a one-year collaboration in which all the aspects of our vision were discussed by Adventists, local community members, and cooperation partners to build a foundation that would serve our church and the district.

This new focus has led to the launching of open-air seeker services at Life Tower, as a new way to testify to and explore the ways

in which God’s work in the community has already shown itself. The time seemed to be ripe for us to reconnect with the original church plant focus. And so, in November 2023, we started a collaboration with the Arthur Daniells Institute of Mission (ADIMIS), located at Friedensau Adventist University, to receive coaching. We needed to reexamine our understanding of what it means to “plant a church,” especially in this environment. The Kronsberg Life Tower project may never be transformed into a regular church, but we are open and excited to know that God may use the project to do something even bigger. Perhaps we may see in retrospect that the real story was not a church planting a church, but a church planting a community building project, which itself is giving birth to a new church.

1 The Kronsberg district emerged as a model of modern and economical urban planning. It was part of the “Expo 2000” exhibition in Hanover. The district’s rate of children stands at 30 percent, twice as high as Hanover’s average of 15 percent. Kronsberg is a neighborhood with a disproportionally large number of children and youth from diverse backgrounds.

2 Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1905), p. 143.

Christian Lutsch pastors the Hanover-Süd congregation in Germany and serves as church planter at the Kronsberg Life Tower. Marco Knorr is a social worker serving as codirector of the project.

The Life Tower project in Hanover, Germany, has become a landmark in the community.

Photos: Marco Knorr

Bible Questions Answered

The “Third Day” in Prophecy

QPaul says that Christ was resurrected “on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:4).* Where is that prophecy in the Old Testament?

APaul does not provide the biblical text he used. In fact, in the New Testament discussions of Jesus’ resurrection on the third day, we hardly find an explicit reference to a biblical text. We will summarize the use of the “third day” in the New Testament, as well as some of the answers given to your question, and suggest a possible solution.

“ON THE THIRD DAY”

This phrase is found almost exclusively in the Gospels, primarily on the lips of Jesus. He would “be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights” (Matt. 12:40); He would die and “be raised up on the third day” (Matt.16:21; 17:23; Luke 9:22); “on the third day He will be raised up” (Matt. 20:19); “the third day He will rise” (Luke 18:33; 24:7). The Jewish leaders knew about Jesus’ prediction that “after three days” He would rise again (Matt. 27:63). When Jesus stated, “So it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day” (Luke 24:46), He was declaring that His resurrection on the third day was a fulfillment of prophecy. Clearly the fulfillment on the third day according to the Scriptures was central to His message.

SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

Some have suggested that in 1 Corinthians 15:4 the phrase “according to the Scriptures” applies only to the resurrection and not to “on the third day.” This is possible, but does not explain Luke 24:46. The search for passages has led others to identify Hosea 6:2 as a prediction of the resurrection on the third day (“He will raise us up on the third day”). This is possible, but this

passage is not explicitly associated with Jesus’ resurrection in the New Testament. Jonah 1:17 has also been mentioned, particularly since it is referenced by Jesus in connection to the phrase “on the third day” (Matt. 12:40). Others have noticed that numerous passages in the Old Testament mention important salvific events taking place on the third day (e.g., Gen. 22:4 [free from death on third day]; Ex. 19:16 [a theophany on the third day]; 2 Kings. 20:5, 6 [the king as a type of Christ]; Hosea 6:2). They have concluded that these passages collectively contain a prophecy pointing to Jesus’ resurrection as God’s ultimate salvific event on the third day. This is another good possibility. Finally, there is the suggestion that the offering of the firstfruits on the third day after the offering of the Passover lamb (Lev. 23:11) pointed typologically to the resurrection of Christ on the third day. Unfortunately here the third day is not explicitly mentioned in the passage, although it is clearly implied.

DIFFICULT DECISION

The previous discussion shows that we cannot be dogmatic in selecting a particular passage as the specific prediction of the resurrection of Christ on the third day. I will identify what I consider to be the two best options. The first one is Jonah 1:17. Why? According to Jesus the three-days-experience of Jonah in the realm of death was a sign pointing, as a typological prediction, to His resurrection on the third day (Matt. 12:40). This, combined with the typology of the offering of the firstfruits three days after the Passover sacrifice, representing the resurrection of Jesus after His self-sacrifice on Passover day, provide two solid predictions for the resurrection of Jesus on the third day.

* Bible quotations in this article are from The New American Standard Bible, copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, Th.D., is retired after a career serving as pastor, professor, and theologian.

Health & Wellness

Breaking the Stigma

Navigating menstruation with confidence and care

I am 18 years old and live in a developing country. Often young men demean women over the cycle of monthly menstruation and regard it only as a barrier to possible sexual liaisons. Sometimes we don’t even have clean water to ensure good hygiene. Please share some hope.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Menstruation is an essential monthly physiological process that marks a crucial aspect of a woman’s reproductive health and reflects the amazing, God-designed, and God-entrusted gift of the procreation of humankind. Understanding the intricacies of menstruation is vital not only for promoting women’s well-being but also for dismantling societal stigmas surrounding this natural cycle.

Menarche marks the beginning of the process during early adolescence, and it ceases at menopause in midlife. The menstrual cycle is a complex interplay of hormonal fluctuations orchestrated by the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and ovaries. On average it spans 28 days, divided into distinct phases named menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal. Menstruation itself is the shedding of the uterine lining when fertilization does not occur. This cyclical process involves hormonal shifts, primarily estrogen and progesterone, regulating the growth and release of an egg (ovum) and preparing the uterus to sustain a potential pregnancy.

While menstruation is biologically essential, societies worldwide have perpetuated cultural taboos and stigmas around it. These social constructs contribute to the marginalization and degradation of women, fostering environments of shame and silence. Education plays a pivotal role in the destigmatization of menstruation. Implementing comprehensive sex education programs that include information on menstruation, its physiological basis, and its normalcy can challenge misconceptions and improve understanding.

Engaging in open conversations about menstruation helps dispel myths and increases social support. Normalizing discussions around menstrual periods in schools, workplaces, and households reduces associated stigma. Cultural and religious entities can further promote positive attitudes toward menstruation, dispelling disinformation that perpetuates shame.

Developing countries face limited access to sanitary materials for adolescent girls. This lack of appropriate hygiene during menstruation can lead to health issues and negatively impact a girl’s education through missed days at school. Societies must prioritize initiatives to provide accessible cost-effective and environmentally sustainable

hygiene products such as reusable menstrual cups and cloth pads.

Educational programs in schools should provide information on proper hygiene practices and the use of these sanitary materials. Governments and nongovernmental organizations can collaborate to implement policies and programs that ensure the distribution of free or subsidized menstrual products in schools and communities. Additionally, initiatives promoting the establishment of proper sanitation facilities, including clean and private toilets and availability of clean water, can significantly contribute to maintaining menstrual hygiene. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is proactively working toward these goals.

As a church, Seventh-day Adventists promote health and wholeness for all. Women’s health must not be neglected. Include men and boys in the conversation. Educate through our churches, schools, and health-care institutions. By addressing societal stigmas and providing sanitary materials for adolescents in developing countries, we can foster a society in which menstruation is destigmatized, and every woman and girl can manage their menstrual health with dignity and confidence.

Peter N. Landless, a board-certified nuclear cardiologist, is director of Adventist Health Ministries at the General Conference. Zeno L. Charles-Marcel, a board-certified internist, is an associate director of Adventist Health Ministries at the General Conference.

Mountain Men to the Rescue

T“May I Tell You a Story?”

BY DICK DUERKSEN

he Carolina Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in the United States includes the states of North and South Carolina, both of which are rich in American history and known for their flowers, fruits, and fields of cotton. Many folks, when they think of the Carolinas, see the deep bluegreen Atlantic Ocean bordered by long stretches of warm white sand. Others see hot days on wide roads shaded by trees covered with white magnolia blossoms.

Few remember that the Carolinas reach well into the Great Smoky Mountains, where the weather is often cold and the snow deep.

DRIVING UP THE MOUNTAIN

On a warm Friday in March of 1965, conference president Willard B. Johnson and his wife, Daisy, were preparing for a weekend with church members in the town of Warrensville, way up in the Northern High Country. Knowing that their nice spring weather might turn cold and frosty in the mountains, they packed their car with warm blankets, extra water, and a shovel. “Just in case.”

Mrs. Johnson made sure they had thick coats and gloves. “You never know when it might snow up there,” she reminded Pastor Willard.

Not to worry, he thought as he put the blankets and jackets in the back seat of their car, right beside the briefcase that held his Bible and sermon notes.

One of the best parts of being a conference president is that you get to visit many different churches, share the good news of God’s grace with Christian

friends, and eat delicious local food. Pastor Willard and Daisy were looking forward to this weekend and had even brought some gifts for the members.

Down at their home in Charlotte, North Carolina, the sky was clear, and the thermometers promised a warm weekend. The farther north they drove, however, the colder it became. Clouds quickly covered the sun, and they had to turn on the car’s heater.

Then it began to snow. Not a lot, but enough to make them wish they had left earlier in the afternoon.

They talked about turning around and calling the members to cancel their Sabbath appointment, but decided that God really wanted them to continue on, even in the deepening snow.

It was easy to drive when the snow was melting quickly on the road. It was more difficult when the snow covered the pavement and began to bend the tree branches down toward them.

They prayed together, reminding God that they were on His business and that they needed His protection, asking for God to guide them through the storm and keep them safe.

Before long the snow was more than four inches deep, covering the road and making it hard to see where the road ended and where the deep side ditch began. Both Daisy and Pastor Willard remembered driving this road once before, but that time they had been able to see down into the deep canyon beside the road. Now they imagined slipping off the road and careening down the canyon walls.

They prayed more, with their eyes

Photo: Mikael Norsten

wide open, trying to sit on their seats as lightly as possible.

The storm clouded away all light, and the snow snuffed out all sounds. All they could hear was the hum of the car’s engine and the rapid beating of their hearts.

OFF THE ROAD

There was no other traffic, and Pastor Willard tried very hard to keep the car in the center of the road, but the snow was now so deep that the tires seemed to go where they wanted more than where he guided them. “Where they wanted” was more and more toward the canyon side of the road!

Then the right-side tires caught the edge of the pavement, and the car jumped off toward the deep ditch.

Pastor Willard tried to drive the car forward and backward, hoping to inch it back up onto the pavement. Instead, the car slid farther and farther off the road, down toward disaster. Then the car stopped, stuck in the deep snow.

They prayed again. Aloud again. Together again. Urgently pleading with God to stop the snow, to give the car more power, and to “please send help!”

For many long minutes nothing happened. Then, slowly, the car’s rear window began to show some yellowish light.

“Someone’s coming!” Daisy whispered.

“I think so,” Pastor Willard answered. Then he opened his door and slipped out onto the road.

The light grew brighter as the glowing headlights of a Jeep Wrangler approached, just the kind of vehicle that you would expect to find where the roads were bad and the weather unpredictable. The Jeep pulled up beside them, and two huge mountain men, dressed in jeans, warm hats, and bright plaid logger coats, came over to the Johnsons’ car.

“FOLLOW OUR TRACKS”

Now, you need to know that Pastor Willard was a very large man, standing well over six feet tall and weighing enough to be a formidable football

player. But when the two mountain men met Pastor Willard in the snow, they were so huge that big Pastor Willard looked very small standing beside them.

The mountain men laughed and smiled as they hooked a towing chain up to the pastor’s car.

“Get ready to press on the gas,” one of the men said. “We’ll pull you out of the ditch and back onto the road.”

Pastor Willard followed their directions, and soon the Jeep was pulling the car out of the deep snow and up onto the pavement. In a few moments they had the car back in the middle of the road. Even though the car was still in deep snow, Daisy finally let out the breath she had been holding. The mountain men disconnected the chains, waved, and started to say goodbye.

“Don’t leave yet! I need to pay you for your work,” Pastor Willard said. “You saved our lives!”

“No need to pay us.” They smiled and laughed as they got back into their Jeep. “Helping you was a pleasure for us! Now, just stay in our tracks. You’ll drive more easily when you follow where our tires have gone before you.”

Pastor Willard drove very carefully, following right in the Jeep’s tire tracks. As they went around a large curve, the Jeep drove farther and farther ahead of them, and then disappeared into the snowstorm. Pastor Willard drove on for a long time, his eyes locked onto the Jeep’s tracks that continued in the middle of the road.

Then the tracks disappeared.

At first Pastor Willard was afraid, but relaxed when he saw the dim lights of a town far up ahead.

“It was as if the Jeep had just driven up into the sky,” Pastor Willard told the church members the next morning. “You know,” he added with a wide smile, “we think we know what our angels look like. And we even know what kind of car they drive.”

Publisher

The Adventist World, an international periodical of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The General Conference, Northern Asia-Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists , is the publisher.

Editor/Director of Adventist

Review Ministries

Justin Kim

International Publishing Manager Hong, Myung Kwan

Adventist World Coordinating Committee Yo Han Kim (chair), Tae Seung Kim, Hiroshi Yamaji, Myung Kwan Hong, Seong Jun Byun, Dong Jin Lyu

Associate Editors/Directors in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA Sikhululekile Daco, John Peckham, Greg Scott

Assistant Editors based in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA Enno Müller, Beth Thomas

Editors based in Seoul, Korea Hong, Myung Kwan; Park, Jae Man; Kim, Hyo-Jun

Digital Platforms Director Gabriel Begle

Director of Systems Integration and Innovation

Daniel Bruneau

Operations Manager Merle Poirier

Editorial Assessment Coordinator Marvene Thorpe-Baptiste

Advisor

E. Edward Zinke

Financial Manager

Kimberly Brown

Distribution Coordinator

Sharon Tennyson

Management Board

Yo Han Kim, chair; Justin Kim, secretary; Hong, Myung Kwan; Karnik Doukmetzian; SeongJun Byun; Hiroshi Yamaji; Joel Tompkins; Ray Wahlen; Ex-officio: Paul H. Douglas; Erton Köhler; Ted N. C. Wilson

Art Direction and Design

Mark Cook, Brett Meliti, Ivan Ruiz-Knott /Types & Symbols

To Writers: We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. Address all editorial correspondence to 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, U.S.A. Editorial office fax number: (301) 680-6638

E-mail: worldeditor@gc.adventist.org Web site: www.adventistworld.org

Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible references are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Bible texts credited to NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission.

Adventist World is published monthly and printed simultaneously in Korea, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, Germany, Austria, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States. Vol. 20, No. 5

Dick Duerksen, a pastor and storyteller, lives in Portland, Oregon, United States.

Growing

Fun-filled

An Honorable Choice

In a bustling city where tall buildings towered toward the sky and cars honked endlessly, there lived a young boy named Ethan. Ethan was 10 years old and, like many other boys his age, eager for excitement and adventure.

One bright sunny day, as he walked home from school, Ethan spotted something glinting on the sidewalk. Curious, he bent down and discovered a wallet lying there, its contents spilling out slightly. Ethan’s heart raced with excitement as he picked it up and examined it closely. It was a leather wallet, worn with age but still sturdy, and inside he could see a bundle of cash, some credit cards, and a driver’s license.

For a moment his mind raced with thoughts of what he could do with the money. He imagined all the toys and treats he could buy for himself, the fun he could have without anyone ever knowing where the money came from. But then a small voice

inside him whispered, reminding him of a Bible verse his family had read in their worship the night before: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much” (Luke 16:10, NIV).

Feeling a twinge of guilt at the thought of keeping the wallet for himself, Ethan made a decision. He knew what he had to do, even though it wasn’t the easiest choice to make. With a determined nod he tucked the wallet safely into his backpack and continued on his way home.

As Ethan walked, he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the pit of his stomach. The wallet seemed to weigh heavily on his mind, its presence a constant reminder of the choice he had to make. But despite his temptation to keep it, Ethan knew that doing the right thing was more important than any temporary pleasure the money could bring.

When Ethan arrived home, he immediately told his parents about the wallet he had found. Together they carefully examined its contents and discussed what to do next. Ethan’s parents praised him for his honesty, reminding him that choosing to do what was right, even when it was hard, was always the best course of action.

The next day Ethan and his parents went to the police station to turn in the wallet. As they approached the front desk, Ethan felt a surge of nervousness wash over him. What if the person who had lost the wallet was angry with him for keeping it? What if they accused him of taking the money?

As Ethan handed the wallet over to the officer on duty and explained how he had found it, all of his fears melted away. The officer thanked him for his honesty and assured him that they would do everything they could to return the wallet to its rightful owner.

BY BETH THOMAS

As Ethan walked out of the police station, a sense of peace settled over him. He knew that he had done the right thing, and that was all that mattered. As he reflected on his experience, Ethan couldn’t help thinking of a story he had heard in Sabbath School about a man named Joseph.

Joseph faced many trials and temptations, but he always remained faithful to what was right. Even when he was thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Joseph trusted God’s plan and remained steadfast in his integrity. And in the end his faithfulness was rewarded, and he was given a position of great honor and responsibility.

Just as Joseph had, Ethan had faced a difficult choice, but he had chosen to do what was right, even when it was hard. And he knew that his faithfulness would be rewarded in the end—somehow.

Several days passed, and Ethan began to wonder what

had happened with the wallet. Had the police found the owner?

One evening there was a knock on the front door. Ethan’s mom answered it, spoke to someone for a moment, then called Ethan to come. Curious, he walked around the kitchen corner to see a man standing there, his hat in his hands.

“Are you Ethan?” the man asked.

“Yes, that’s me,” Ethan replied, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement.

The man smiled warmly and extended his hand. “I’m John,” he said. “I’m the one who lost the wallet you found. I can’t thank you enough for returning it to me.”

Ethan’s heart swelled with pride as John explained how much the wallet meant to him. It had belonged to his father and held sentimental value far beyond the money that was inside. John insisted on giving Ethan a reward for his honesty, but Ethan politely declined,

Memory Verse

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”

Memory Verse: Luke 16:10, NIV

Luke 16:10, NIV

knowing that he had already been rewarded in the best possible way—by doing what was right.

As John left, Ethan couldn’t help feeling a sense of satisfaction and contentment. He had faced a difficult choice and had chosen to do what was right, even when it was hard. And in the end his integrity had been rewarded not only with the gratitude of a stranger but also with the knowledge that he had honored God.

From that day on, whenever Ethan faced a temptation or a difficult decision, he remembered the story of Joseph and the lesson it had taught him. He knew that if he stayed firm in his commitment to obey God and trust in His plan, he would always find the strength to do what was right.

Beth Thomas is assistant editor of Adventist World.