"Through heathenism, Satan had for ages turned men away from God; but he won his great triumph in perverting the faith of Israel. By contemplating and worshiping their own conceptions, the heathen had lost a knowledge of God, and had become more and more corrupt. So it was with Israel. The principle that man can save himself by his own works lay at the foundation of every heathen religion; it had now become the principle of the Jewish religion. Satan had implanted this principle. Wherever it is held, men have no barrier against sin." {The Desire of Ages, page 35, paragraph 2}
Why does a Laodicean church have no barrier against sin? Why do some teach that God's people will sin until Jesus comes again? Because excuses are made for sin, many false gospels are circulated, and many are taught that as long as they "believe" that they are saved, when such a belief is not the biblical kind of faith working by love to purify the soul. These deceptions are addressed here, as there is a striking parallel to the Jewish nation as Christ was coming on the scene of history, as the people were in a Laodicean (unconverted) state. They had great light available, but failing to walk in that light, it became darkness. The people trusted to man, and were not looking to the inspired well from which to draw water (the Scriptures). Such is the condition of many Seventh-day Adventists. Jesus weeps and pleads that we would repent, and turn fully to Him. Yet while we cannot save ourselves, we have a part--a small part--and that is that we must choose to behold Jesus in His infinite loveliness of character, and cooperate with the transformation that the Holy Spirit will work in us. This is a work of grace--it is an unmerited gift, something we do not earn, but it will cost us our sin and self-righteousness. What is that transformation the Holy Spirit effects? It is conversion, it is the reception of a new heart and a new mind that is imbued with all of the fruits of the Spirit so that not one is missing such that the converted child of God willingly obeys all the light of His law known at that point of experience. We know this to be true from the Bible, for love is God's character, and Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). As long as each ray of light is cherished, accepted, and practiced as the development of character continues, Jesus' promise remains true: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). This perfection of character, begun at conversion and signified by all of the fruits of the Spirit present in the life, will continue until full maturity, even the sealed experience of the 144,000. But mark this--all truly converted Christians were perfect at their stage of development, even though they did not live in the final scenes of earth's history when the 144,000 are sealed and translated as a corporate witness of Christ's power to fully mature His character in the lives of the most degenerate specimens of humanity. What grace! The universe marvels!!
But as the Jews departed from God, their faith grew dim, and the power of God's love that keeps changing us was kept out of their experience. The remedy to the deplorable condition of sin and self-righteousness is beholding Christ. That is why it would be well to spend a thoughtful hour each day contemplating Jesus' life, especially the closing scenes, tracing His experience from the manger to Calvary. As I have been doing this, I have been so invigorated by His love, and inspired to realize the high calling God has for us in Christ Jesus.
Again the world has reached the fullness of time inasmuch as the sealing is taking place, and Jesus is about to return in power and glory. Let us learn of Him each day that we may receive from Christ fresh grace to impart the heavenly light and inspiration that will help others choose Christ today with a whole-heart surrender! I choose to surrender fully to Christ, how about you?