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Phil Johnson: Is Seventh-Day Adventism a Cult?

Is Seventh-Day Adventism a Cult?

I have transcribed the YouTube video of Phil Johnson, the pastor of an evangelical church. He has exposed the hypocritical nature of Ellen G. White. For example, eating oysters and venison, which went against OT food laws and vegetarianism, practices she often noted were close to godliness.

Here Phil presents the hypocrisy of Ellen G White:

I’m just going to read a short passage from Colossians 2 without comment to start with. I want to revisit the subject of Seventh-Day Adventism this morning, and I’m going to start with Colossians 2:16-23. This is a key biblical text, warning us against any cult or -ism or philosophy of religion that stresses human works things like legal obedience, ceremonies, dietary rules, asceticism, or other works you can perform and supposedly achieve holiness through ritualized self-denial. I’m reading from Colossians 2:16-23:

Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used) according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

I chose that passage because in the plainest possible language it debunks every one of the principles that are distinctive to Seventh-Day Adventism. Adventism is a self-made religion laden with rules about Sabbath observance, diet, and other lifestyle issues. It is based largely on the visions of a silly woman. It’s the embodiment of everything the apostle Paul opposed. One of the classic works on quasi-Christian cult studies is a book titled The Four Major Cults, by Anthony Hoekema. The four cults he deals with are Christian Science, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, and Seventh-day Adventism. It intrigues me that all four groups started in America. All of them began in the nineteenth century, in the wake of the religious fervor and perfectionist teaching that followed Charles Finney from New England across Pennsylvania to Oberlin Ohio. It was an era of significant religious confusion, homebrew doctrines, unchecked error. (Much like the evangelical movement today.) In the words of Scripture, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” so you had both men and women starting their own religions. Most of them had deep roots in the superstitions of freemasonry, spiritism, and other occult beliefs. They blended their superstitions with biblical language. They claimed they had some new light received directly from heaven and people followed them in droves. The four major cults Christian Science, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, and Seventh-day Adventism all were born within a 250 mile radius of each other. The seeds of Seventh-Day Adventism were sown first, with a document published in 1822 by William Miller in upstate New York. (It would be forty years before Seventh-Day Adventism would organize formally, but that document in 1822 was the beginning.) Mormonism came along within a decade, in 1830 also in upstate New York. The first official Seventh-Day Adventist Church was formally established in 1863. Then seven years after that, in 1870, the Jehovah’s Witnesses got their start in Pittsburgh. The Christian Scientists began in Boston around 1879. All four groups grew quickly. For most of the twentieth century, evangelicals universally referred to those four groups as cults. All of them claim to have recovered vital truth lost to the church for centuries. All of them regarded every other denomination as utterly false. And over the years, all of them have made proselytes by feeding on evangelical churches through stealth and deception. They’ll claim they believe the same things we do, or they try to hide who they really are. They hate to be called cults, and they insist they are really benign and biblical. Lately some of them have lobbied for acceptance among the evangelical mainstream. The Seventh-Day Adventists were the first and have been the most successful with that strategy. But now Mormons are doing it to. They insist they don’t deserve to be written off as a cult; they say they are just another denomination like the Methodists or Lutherans. But all of these groups are quasi-Christian, sub-orthodox, and they themselves all claim to be the one true church. So they are properly labeled cults. And I believe Seventh-Day Adventism deserves that label as well. Let’s talk about the distinguishing characteristics of a cult. The word cult itself simply means “a religious sect or community.” But in common usage, especially in evangelical circles, the expression is normally reserved for groups that encourage a kind of obsessive commitment to a very narrow set of doctrines, authoritarian leadership, and their own body of extrabiblical revelation. They are basically closed communities, fully committed to some novel system of doctrine shared by no one else.

We don’t generally categorize Roman Catholicism as a cult (even though it fits nearly all those categories), because the errors of Roman Catholicism did not spring up suddenly or recently; they evolved and compounded over centuries. So the word cult (in the sense we have come to use the term) doesn’t quite fit Roman Catholicism. That doesn’t diminish the significance of Roman Catholic errors (which are perhaps even worse then Seventh-Day Adventism’s errors). But owing to the antiquity of the Catholic system, we don’t generally classify them as a cult. Anyway, prior to the late 1960s, four major groups came to mind when evangelicals talked about “cults.” But starting in the late 1960s, a number of new, smaller (but even more deadly) cults arose. They started making secular news headlines with everything from criminal activities to mass suicides. You had The Children of God, The Branch Davidians, Jim Jones and the Jonestown “People’s Temple” sect, The Worldwide Church of God, The Way International, and lots of lesser-known cults (including one that was started by a group who were excommunicated from Grace Church in the 1990s, calling themselves “A true church”) and another one up the road in Santa Clarita: The Tony Alamo Christian Foundation. Several of the new cults were offshoots of Seventh-Day Adventism including the Branch Davidians, the Worldwide Church of God, a group called “The Shepherd’s Rod,” A group called “The Church of Bible Understanding,” and the Seventh-Day Adventist Reform movement. And, as a point of historical interest, Jehovah’s Witness founder, Charles Taze Russell, started out as an early Adventist. So Seventh-Day Adventism has always been a breeding ground for new and more dangerous cults. There has also been a recent proliferation of religious cults that have nothing to do with Christianity groups like Scientology, Urantia, the Heaven’s Gate cult (a group that committed mass suicide in the 1990s), the Rajneesh cult who took over a town in Oregon in the 1990s, the Hare Krishnas, the church of Satan, and literally dozens more. Wikipedia has a list of 270 new religious movements, and most of them could be classified as cults. There are many more, I’m sure. Last year, when I spoke on the history of Seventh-Day Adventism, I gave this definition of a cult: “A cult is an authoritarian, elitist religious sect who teach that salvation hinges on membership in their group, and yet they depart from one or more essential points in the ancient ecumenical creeds.” Most cults peddle their movement as a recovery of true Christianity, which was lost to the world until they came on the scene. They are now privy to truth that lay hidden in darkness until the light dawned on them. They generally claim that their emergence signals the next phase major in God’s plan for the world.

They are often clever and very subtle, deceitful enough “to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” They confuse Christians, deceive unbelievers, hurt the testimony of the true church, and muddy the gospel message. There are four key characteristics that most of the quasi-Christian cults have in common. These are the things to be wary of when someone comes along, teaching doctrines you are not familiar with. And if you see all four of these characteristics together, you know you are dealing with a cult. First is extrabiblical revelation. All the major cults have some source of authority outside the Bible, and this becomes the lens through which they read and interpret Scripture. Therefore, whether they want to admit it or not, the stuff they append to the Bible governs what they can see in the Bible. For Mormons, it’s The Book of Mormon. For Jehovah’s Witnesses, it’s the Watchtower magazine. For Christian Scientists, it’s a book called Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. (That title, by the way, is a dead giveaway. It acknowledges what all these groups believe: They are convinced that their distinctive religious writings hold the only key that can unlock a true understanding of Scripture. That, of course, is the central tenet of the most ancient of all heresies, gnosticism. Every gnostic claims you cannot understand the Bible on its own terms. You need a key, or a guru, or an enlightened leader of some kind to open the true meaning of Scripture for you. That’s the underlying gnostic principle that drives every cult.) For the Seventh-Day Adventists, the key that unlocks the Bible’s true meaning is the voice of their founding prophetess, Ellen G. White. We talked about her influence when we covered the history of the movement. I’ll have more to say about her this morning. But that’s the first characteristic of a cult: extrabiblical revelation. Here’s a second feature all cults share in common: They believe their sect is the one true church. Each one claims to be the one true expression of genuine Christianity. Of course, the Mormons and Seventh-Day Adventists will fudge on this claim, because they so badly want acceptance in evangelical circles. But built into the DNA of every true cult is a belief that their group alone represents true Christianity, and all other denominations are apostate. A third characteristic of the cults is their superstitious attachment to a self-styled prophet, leader, or novel system of doctrine. People who belong to cults are spiritually in a state of demonic bondage, and that’s obvious because (even when they recognize their leaders are untrustworthy or even guilty of prophesying falsely) they often stay in the cult, constrained by the superstitious fear that if they leave, they might forfeit salvation. And fourth, all these cults preach a different gospel, incompatible with the core gospel truths we find in Scripture.

These cults are not merely in error on some minor point of doctrine or practice: their teaching fatally corrupts the gospel. Most of them mingle grace and works. Others portray Christ as someone other than He truly is. So those are the four key characteristics of all quasi-Christian cults. If you want them in shortened, alliterated form, here they are: extrabiblical revelation, elitism, enslavement, and error. And what I want to do this morning is consider those four characteristics and evaluate whether they truly apply to Seventh-Day Adventism or not. First is:

  1. EXTRABIBLICAL REVELATION. DO THEY CLAIM SOME GNOSTIC-STYLE SECRET THAT THEY HAVE BEEN MADE PRIVY TO?

To answer that question, let’s start with a brief review of Seventh-Day Adventist history. (And if you want a more complete summary, you can listen to that first message I did on Seventh-Day Adventism.) Both the name “adventism” and the roots of the movement come from a widespread belief that flourished in the first half of the 1800s that the second coming of Christ was rapidly drawing near. The word “Adventist” refers to the Second Advent, the return of Christ. An “adventist” is someone who has an obsessive interest in the timing of Christ’s return. That’s never been a healthy fixation. Jesus Himself said, “Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). And one chapter later, in Matthew 24:42, He says, “Stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” Be ready if He delays His coming, and be ready for Him to come sooner than you anticipate. Because no one knows when it will be, and if someone starts giving you a time frame, steer clear. William Miller was a totally self-trained Baptist lay preacher, converted out of gross heresy, deism, without any firm theological grounding. He was obsessed with the second coming and believed he had figured out an exact window of time during which he said Christ would return to earth. Here, in his own words, is how he summarized his teaching: “My principles in brief, are, that Jesus Christ will come again to this earth, cleanse, purify, and take possession of the same, with all the saints, sometime between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844.” He published a document explaining his rationale in 1822, and by the early 1840s, the Millerite movement had expanded into a huge international phenomenon. In one five-month span in 1843, 600,000 copies of Millerite literature were distributed in New York alone. People sold their homes, gave away their possessions, and gave up their livelihoods in order to demonstrate their faith in William Miller’s predictions.

Of course, Christ did not return not in Miller’s lifetime; not even in that century. Miller tried adjusting his dates a time or two, but he himself gave up hope of finding a way to adjust his calculations to keep the expectation alive. He died baffled and disillusioned. He never joined the Seventh-Day Adventists himself. To this day, Adventists refer to Miller’s failed prediction of the second coming as “The Great Disappointment.” That would seem a pretty shaky foundation on which to found a cult a false prophecy that culminated in an disappointment and worldwide embarrassment. But the gullibility of spiritually-blinded minds knows no bounds. The Seventh-Day Adventists simply rebuilt the movement and turned it into a classic cult by justifying William Miller’s mistake with a series of false prophecies issued by a prophetess whose qualifications and character were deeply suspect. Ellen Harmon was twelve years old and an impressionable child when her parents became followers of William Miller in 1840. (She married at age 19, and we know her today by her married name, Ellen G. White.) In 1844, when Adventist expectation was still at its peak, Ellen was a seventeen-year-old. She was subject to fainting spells and already beginning to exhibit an overbearing disposition. When the Great Disappointment made it clear that William Miller’s predictions were wrong, Ellen began to experience visions. These experiences always took place in crowded meeting halls and other public places. She had almost 200 of these seizures. Her son, William C. White, described it this way: “She would fall helpless to the floor, stop breathing, and yet her heart beat, and she would speak.” It was all very melodramatic. William White also wrote this about his mother’s visions: The first one I witnessed as a little boy in the meetinghouse at Roosevelt, New York. Father had given a short talk. Mother had given a short talk. Father prayed; Mother prayed; and as she was praying, I heard that shout, Glory. There is nothing like itCthat musical, deep shout of Glory. She fell backward. My father put his arm under her. In a little while her strength came to her. She stood up in an attitude of one seeing wonderful things in the distance, her face illuminated, sometimes bright and joyous. She would speak with that musical voice, making short comments upon what she was seeing. Then as she saw the darkness in the world, there were sad expressions as she spoke of what she saw. This continued ten or fifteen minutes. Then she caught her breath, breathed deeply several times, and then, after a little season of rest, probably five or ten minutes, during which time Father spoke to the people, she arose and related to the congregation some of the things that had been presented to her.

Ellen White claimed that a supernatural being in the form of a young man guided her through these visions. Adventists today refer to this as “the spirit of Prophecy.” Ellen White refers to the spirit as her “accompanying angel.” That sounds suspiciously like what Scripture refers to as a “familiar spirit.” And given the complexity of her visions and the influence they have had, you do have to wonder if these were demonic visitations either Satan or one of his messengers, disguised “as an angel of light,” as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15. If these visions were not demonic, it was all simply play-acting on her part, because her visions are muddled, ambiguous religious-sounding gibberish completely lacking in the clarity and authority of divine revelation. Anyway, Ellen’s visions became the means of regrouping Adventists after the Great Disappointment. She said the Lord had revealed to her that those who remained faithful and expectant would soon see the Lord in glory and be taken immediately to heaven, but the door of salvation was now permanently closed to those who rejected William Miller’s teaching or lost faith after Miller’s predictions failed. Her prophecies regularly indicated that the Lord’s coming was very near. She said the angel promised her that she would be one of those living who would witness the coming of Christ. But her visions over the next few years kept revising the timing. (She blamed the delays and missed predictions on the unbelief of people who doubted her prophecies.) Ultimately she more or less dropped the subject of when the Lord would return. Of course, it goes without saying that she was dead wrong. She died almost exactly a hundred years ago (July 16, 1915), and the Lord still hasn’t returned, so these were false prophecies all around. By 1847, the Whites had fully embraced Saturday Sabbatarianism. So naturally, as her predictions about the timing of Christ’s return receded from prominence in her predictions, Sabbatarianism became the issue she stressed as most importance. In her mind, this issue, rather than belief in William Miller’s timetables, became the definitive mark of a true believer. A few short years after she declared the door of salvation closed to everyone outside the cult, Mrs. White evidently began to realize that if she held firmly to the claims she made in that prophecy, there would no way to recruit new members. Also, as time passed and babies were born to church members, there was the dilemma of how to get those children past the closed door and into heaven. So Ellen’s prophecies took on a very elastic property. Her visions were subject to frequent revisions and re-interpretations. Ellen herself soon disowned the idea that the door of salvation was permanently closed. I mentioned that her character seems questionable. It wasn’t just the changeable prophecies that cast doubt on her integrity. When we covered the history of the movement, I read a few firsthand accounts of people close to her said who she was a rank hypocrite. She wasn’t completely honest about how much she cheated on her own rules about dress and diet. She’d hide the fact that she didn’t follow the same rules she imposed on her followers. One of her personal assistants left an unintentionally humorous account of how she repeatedly caught Mrs. White sneaking around, eating oysters and other forbidden foods and indulging in several petty acts of unsanctified behavior during a journey to California by train. And it’s clear from what Ellen White wrote about herself that she was a hopeless narcissist with overblown delusions of grandeur. But here’s the thing: The writings of Ellen G. White are nevertheless revered by Seventh-Day Adventists as equal to Scripture in their authority, accuracy, and reliability. Although most Seventh-Day Adventists will try to downplay the stress they place on Ellen White’s writings, they do in fact believe Mrs. White was divinely inspired and her books are revelations superior to every other resource and every other truth claim outside the Bible. And since they read and interpret the Bible through the lens of Mrs. White’s supposedly inspired works, her writings in practice have a higher authority than Scripture. Scripture simply cannot be used to correct Mrs. White’s errors, because Scripture is interpreted by what she wrote. (It’s exactly the same situation you have with Papal infallibility in the Roman Catholic church, the book of Mormon among the Latter-Day Saints, the writings of Mary Baker Eddy in the Christian Science cult, and The Watch Tower magazine for Jehovah’s Witnesses.) If you think I am exaggerating, let me read from an article published in Ministry magazine, October 1981. Since its first issue in 1928, Ministry has been the key periodical written specifically for Seventh-Day Adventist pastors and church leaders. This article was written to confront a trend that peaked some 35 years ago, when some ministers in the denomination were beginning to raise legitimate questions about the reliability of Mrs. White’s writings. The article, written by Ron Graybill, a leading Seventh-Day Adventist historian and apologist, reflects the denomination’s official position with regard to Mrs. White and her works. The article is titled, “Ellen White’s role in doctrine formation,” and it says this: We believe the revelation and inspiration of both the Bible and Ellen White’s writings to be of equal quality. The superintendence of the Holy Spirit was just as careful and thorough in one case as in the other. [Then he adds this:] There is, however, a definite distinction to be made between the normative authority of Scripture and the formative authority of Mrs. White’s writings in our church. Why should a distinction be made? In the first place, Ellen White clearly placed the Bible alone in the category of standard and rule for doctrine. Then there are practical reasons for making the distinction. Only if we refrain from using Ellen White as a normative authority for doctrine can we hope to meet other Christians on a common ground and expect them to see the validity of our doctrines. If you follow his argument, he is saying, quite clearly, that Mrs. White’s writings are equal to Scripture in every sense that would matter. But her writings must nevertheless be kept distinct from Scripture, because that’s the only way “to meet other Christians on a common ground.” In other words, for polemical and apologetical reasons, they can’t afford to let on that they believe Mrs. White to be as authoritative as the Bible, because that would undermine Seventh-Day Adventist attempts to solicit agreement and endorsements from evangelicals. Now I realize it may sound like I’m putting a cynical slant on his argument, but that is clearly what he is implying. If both the Bible and “the revelation and inspiration” of Mrs. White’s writings are indeed “of equal quality”and if you’re willing to be honest and up front about what you believe what would “common ground” have to do with anything? Faithful evangelicals who truly believe in the authority of Scripture don’t downplay our conviction that the Bible is the Word of God in order to find “common ground” with unbelievers. But Seventh-Day Adventists distribute copies of Ellen White’s most famous book, The Great Controversy, the way the Gideons distribute the Bible. Over the years I’ve worked at Grace to You, I’ve received countless copies of that book (and others by Ellen White). They come regularly in the mail from Seventh-Day Adventists who promise that reading it would awaken John MacArthur to a whole new understanding of the truth. It’s a level of veneration Seventh-Day Adventists rarely show for Scripture. So that’s the first characteristic of a cult: extrabiblical revelation. They do base their belief system on a gnostic-style secret that they have been made privy to through the visions of Ellen White. What about characteristic number 2?

  1. ELITISM. DO THEY BELIEVE THEIR SECT IS THE ONE TRUE CHURCH?

Here’s another principle that is built into the very DNA of Seventh-Day Adventism. Bear in mind that Mrs. White’s very first vision, and her first influential prophecy, was that early declaration that the door of salvation was closed to everyone but the Millerites who remained faithful and still believed the prediction even after the Great Disappointment. They were the only ones going to heaven. She claimed she had this vision in December of 1844, just weeks after the Great Disappointment. Here, in her own words, is how she recorded that prophecy. She said: While praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell on me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in the world, but could not find them when a voice said to me, “Look again, and look a little higher.” At this I raised my eyes and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were travelling to the City, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the first end of the path . . . . This light shone all along the path, and gave light for their feet so they might not stumble. And if they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and they said the City was a great way off, and they expected to have entered it before. . . . Others rashly denied the light behind them, and said that it was not God [who] had led them out so far. The light behind them went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and got their eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in the dark and wicked world below. It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again and go to the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected. They fell all the way along the path one after another . . . Almost forty years later, in 1883, when she was forced for pragmatic reasons to revise that doctrine, she admitted, “For a time after the disappointment in 1844, I did hold, in common with the advent body, that the door of mercy was then forever closed to the world. . . . I am still a believer in the shut door theory, but not in the sense in which we at first employed the term or in which it is employed by my opponents.” She explained that the door was closed only to those who had seen the light and rejected it prior to 1944. The door was still open for others, as long as they embraced Mrs. White’s prophecies when that new light was given to them and the Sabbatarian principle (rather than the timing of the Lord’s return) moved to the head of the list. Obviously, the revised version still retains the same element of elitism. According to the new dogma, all those who knowingly refuse the group’s seventh-day sabbatarianism will be sealed in their unbelief by the mark of the beast, and they will be excluded permanently from any possibility of salvation. Modern Seventh-Day Adventists don’t like to emphasize this idea, but it is their official teaching. In the exact words of Mrs. White, “The worshipers of God will be especially distinguished by their regard for the fourth commandment,” but “the worshipers of the beast will be distinguished by their efforts to tear down the Creator’s memorial.” She’s talking about the Sabbath. She was convinced, against all the evidence of the New Testament, that the practice of gathering on the first day of the week was a late revision to the law of God. Sunday worship, she insisted, was imposed on the church by a corrupt papacy. Like most Protestants in that era, she considered the Pope antichrist, so she reasoned that Sunday worship corresponds to the mark of the beast. And for her (and millions of Seventh-Day Adventists) Saturday Sabbatarianism is considered the single most important mark of true faith in Christ. So look at our list: Extrabiblical revelation. Check. Elitism. Check. How about the third characteristic of cults?

  1. ENSLAVEMENT. IS THERE A SUPERSTITIOUS ATTACHMENT TO A SELF-STYLED PROPHET, LEADER, THE GROUP, OR THE DRIVING PRINCIPLE?

The answer to that should be obvious by now. It is virtually impossible to find a credible Seventh-Day Adventist leader who does not give evidence of a slavish devotion to Ellen White, her doctrines, the mythology surrounding her, and even her quirky beliefs. Seventh-Day Adventism has been in flux with internal doctrinal controversies for at least four decades, and a lot of the discussions within the movement have focused on two issues: Sabbatarianism (which is impossible to justify biblically) and the doctrine of justification by faith, which is impossible to reconcile with the legalism that is at the core of virtually every Seventh-Day Adventist doctrinal distinctive. Several well-known Adventist leaders over the past four decades have questioned the received doctrines on these matters. The best-known and most influential voice raising questions about Adventist doctrine is an Australian theologian and former Adventist pastor named Desmond Ford. His concerns have to do with issues that lie at the heart of gospel truth justification by faith, the role of good works, and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. He has especially been a critic of a vital Adventist doctrine known as “investigative judgment.” This teaching claims that Christ is currently examining and judging His people’s works to determine whether they will be justified or not. It’s one of the novelties of Seventh-Day Adventist doctrine that defines the Adventist confession of faith and sets them apart from all other denominations. Mrs. White claimed that although Christ did not return to earth in 1844, what happened was that He moved from the holy place in the heavenly tabernacle into the holy of holies in heaven. And at that point, He began this process known as investigative judgment, reviewing the works of believers with an eye to final judgment. Remember, in those days Ellen White was teaching that the door of salvation was closed to everyone but the Millerites who kept the faith. But they were to be judged according to their works. So Christ was in heaven reviewing the instant replays or whatever, and as soon as He finished this work, He would return to earth. That would be very soon, the Adventists still insisted. Anyway, the doctrine of investigative judgment has at its heart this very heavy emphasis on human works, and it’s impossible to reconcile with the biblical teaching about justification by faith. But ever since Ellen White first introduced this doctrine, it has been considered one of the pillars of Seventh-Day Adventist belief. Desmond Ford questioned it, and in 1980, he was excommunicated from the cult for doubting that doctrine. He has not been formally a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination for more than 35 years. And yet he refuses to let go or even acknowledge some of the group’s most egregious errors. He is still a Saturday Sabbatarian. He still follows a vegetarian lifestyle and many of Ellen White’s odd notions about diet and health. Most of all, he still reveres Ellen White and insists her writings are valuable if not inspired. He still thinks what this manifestly false prophetess wrote is superior to all other works on the Christian religion. It is very hard to cut that tie, once you are ensnared in a group like this. We have a few former Adventists in our church, and all of them will tell you that getting out of the cult is a very frightening and difficult proposition. The elitism that is so prominent in all cults instills a superstitious fear that leaving the group might forever lock a person out of heaven. And in fact, many who leave end up either indifferent or overtly hostile to Christianity in general. In the 1970s, a wealthy Australian Seventh-Day Adventist named Robert Brinsmead was influenced by Desmond Ford and began questioning Seventh-Day Adventist doctrines. For a while, Brinsmead dabbled in Reformed Theology. He published a journal that got worldwide circulation for a few years was quite good. It was called Present Truth, and it featured some hard-to-find writings excerpted from the Puritans and older Reformed authors. The magazine was free. It was well-edited. And I subscribed to it during my college career. (That magazine gave me my first exposure to Puritan works.) Brinsmead also wrote a very fine critiques of Sabbatarianism. But after being out of Adventism for a few years Brinsmead began to derail spiritually. He dabbled in neo-orthodoxy and then moved on to Socinianism, and today, he is an elderly recluse who professes no religion at all. Desmond Ford’s son Luke followed an even more sinister path. At one point, he professed conversion to Judaism. Then he too seemed to abandon faith altogether and became a blogger who reported on trends in the adult industry. An article in Salon magazine called him “The Matt Drudge of porn.” That kind of gross apostasy is the fruit of cultish elitism. A person is totally sold out to a religious group, thinking I have found The One True Church! And when the person discovers what he has been taught is actually based on lies, false prophecies, and unbiblical doctrines, it’s hard to shake off the disillusionment and believe anything with real conviction. When you finally manage to cut that strong tie that binds you to the cult, if you don’t embrace the true Christ with genuine faith and a renewed heart, you will have no anchor whatsoever. On the other hand, even if you get excommunicated like Desmond Ford, assuming you can stave off complete disenchantment with all religion, it’s still hard to let go of the belief system you were so sold out to. That’s a major problem with any cult. But it’s especially difficult to leave a legalistic group like the Seventh-Day Adventists. Legalism is a powerful bondage that is very, very difficult to break. Any of the former Seventh-Day Adventists here will affirm that.

So let’s review: these are the features of practically every cult: extrabiblical revelation, elitism, enslavement to the group and its rules. Seventh-Day Adventism gets bad marks in every one of those categories. What about that fourth characteristic of a cult?

  1. ERROR. DO THEY OFFER A DIFFERENT GOSPEL, A DIFFERENT JESUS, OR SOME OTHER KIND OF HETERODOXY ON A SIMILARLY GRAND SCALE?

Here again, we cannot avoid the conclusion that Seventh-Day Adventism qualifies as a cult. They are not as blatantly heretical as Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses, perhaps and certainly they aren’t as far off track as Christian Science. But the subtlety of the Seventh-Day Adventist error actually makes this cult a more immediate threat in our circle of fellowship. Seventh-Day Adventism is a close parallel to the heresy Paul confronted in his epistle to the Galatians. In the seminar I taught last year on Seventh-Day Adventism last year, I remarked that the Sabbath is to Adventists what circumcision was to the Galatian heretics. The error of the Judaizers in Paul’s time would probably seem trivial to the average evangelical today. They were apparently churchmen who had some kind of affiliation with the fellowship of believers in Jerusalem. They didn’t deny the deity or humanity of Christ. They freely confessed that He was Israel’s Messiah. They believed in the resurrection. They affirmed the necessity of faith, and they no doubt spoke with great passion about divine grace, the forgiveness of sins, and the promise of eternal life. They were advocates of holiness, and they appealed to the Scriptures as authoritative. There was only one significant difference between Paul and these heretics: Paul taught that good works were the fruit of justifying faith; the Judaizers insisted that good works were instrumental in justification. To say it another way, they reversed the order of salvation. They said faith begets works, and faith plus good works beget justification. Scripture says faith alone begets justification, and good works are the fruit of God’s regenerating work. Romans 4:4-5: “to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. [In other words, if you think you can earn sufficient righteousness through your own good works, you will get precisely the wage your works deserve. But ] to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” The word alone in the expression “justification by faith alone” is the hinge on which orthodoxy swings. Virtually every cult and every sub-orthodox religion goes astray doctrinally for precisely this reason: they deny the principle of sola fide the truth that faith is the only instrument of justification. Romans 4:5 again: “To the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” Seventh-Day Adventism teaches a grab-bag full of errors not just Saturday Sabbatarianism. They also deny the doctrine of eternal punishment, which means they write off pretty much everything Jesus ever said about hell. They believe in soul sleep and conditional immortality. (In other words, they teach that the human soul can have no conscious existence apart from the body, and they claim the wicked dead simply cease to exist.) They also deny the security of salvation. I mentioned in that earlier seminar that Mrs. White claimed Satan, not Christ, bears the sins of redeemed people. She also taught a unique kind of perfectionism that in effect saddled Christians with all the baggage of the law and made assurance of heaven impossible. She wrote: Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or to feel that they are saved. This is misleading. Every one should be taught to cherish hope and faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ and know that He accepts us, we are not beyond the reach of temptation. One of the standard texts on Seventh-Day Adventist doctrine is a book by Francis D. Nichol, titled Answers to Objections. He writes, it is not an accurate statement of our position to say that we hold that a person cannot be saved unless he keeps the seventh-day Sabbath. Here is our position: Only those will be saved who, having been redeemed by the grace of Christ, walk in obedience to all the light that God sheds on their way. The clear implication is that our own merits will be weighed to determine whether we are saved or not. It is the same error built into the doctrine of investigative judgment. It flatly contradicts what Scripture teaches. John 5:24: “Truly, truly,I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” Seventh-Day Adventism’s strange mixture of false doctrines, rank legalism, and smug perfectionist statements fatally muddles the gospel. This patently false claim that salvation ultimately hinges on the believer’s own merit is a deliberate denial of the gospel of grace as taught in Scripture. This is precisely what the apostle Paul was speaking about in Galatians 1 when he wrote, “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. . . . If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” That’s Galatians 1:8-9. Now remember that the passage we began with, in Colossians 2, warns about the dangers of people who rely on their own visions, whose teaching is full of regulations saying, “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch,” who would “pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to [the] Sabbath.” It should be obvious that Seventh-Day Adventism is precisely the kind of cultish religion Scripture warns about, and we cannot afford to let down our guard against a false religion like this. Instead, we need to recover our own devotion to the truth, rededicate ourselves to the work of discernment, and, return to our first love, making a clear distinction between “the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” By the way, keeping watch between truth and error is a true work of the Holy Spirit. There’s no honor in trying to minimize the errors of a false religious system that deceives multitudes. Let’s stand for the truth, in the true power of the Holy Spirit even though it’s currently more stylish to compromise. The time will come when our spiritual heirs will be thankful that we tried to be clear and careful in defense of the gospel.

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How False Doctrine Influences Groupthink

The real problem with embracing false doctrine is that once it has influenced you, through your association with a group that promotes it, a spiritual paradigm becomes so ingrained that your awareness is always limited.

However much an individual may try to eliminate their unbiblical distortions and dissolve their conflict with the conscience, some element of subjective distortion and blindness must inevitably remain — at least until God cleanses you from it through the power of His Word, applied by the Spirit of the Lord.

Just as demonic influence affects an individual’s spiritual conscience, it also affects the collective conscience that develops in any human group or society. Any group of human beings—even within a church—can establish a single, undifferentiated consciousness through which each member views the world in precisely the same way. How does this work? Brainwashing begins imperceptibly when others have taught one without serious personal biblical study to affirm a biblical consensus. (Acts 17:11)

However, in any group or society that claims to hold to biblical doctrine, it is possible to assert prevailing views, even if the opinions of a minority of group members may conflict with them. Groups of human beings develop a sense of common identity, shared values, and shared assumptions of what they believe to be accurate. In this respect, they can fall prey to a collective spiritual deception and potential heresy.

The more you hear a lie, the more you’re likely to believe it. This is known as the illusory truth effect. A 1977 study discovered that when you hear something often enough, your brain starts to accept it as true, simply because it sounds familiar.

Apostle Paul warned Timothy and Titus to stand against false doctrine in his pastoral letters.

“…stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.  These promote controversies rather than God’s work, which is by faith.  The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.  They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.” (1 Tim. 1:3-7)

“Some have rejected these [faith and good conscience] and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymanaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:19b-20).

Deacons “must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” (1 Tim. 3:9).

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron” (1 Tim. 4:1-2).

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:15-16).

“If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing.  He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain” (1 Tim. 6:3-5).

“Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim. 6:10b).

“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.  Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you–guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us” (2 Tim. 1:13-14).

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene.  Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:16-18).

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:23-26).

“They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres oppose the truth–men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected” (2 Tim. 3:1-8).

“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it…” (2 Tim. 3:12-14).

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.  For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:2-5).

Elders “must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach–and that for the sake of dishonest gain” (Titus 1:11).

“Rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth” (Titus 1:13-14).

“You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1a).

Example of the integration of false doctrine

Transcript of Phil Johnson’s YouTube on Ellen G. White’s Hypocrisies

 

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Romans 6: Finding Freedom from Sin

Romans 6 addresses the believer’s freedom from sin’s dominion through union with Christ, contrasting life under the Law with life under grace. The New Covenant offers every believer the power of grace in Christ’s work on the cross. It liberates believers from sin’s dominion and empowers holiness. Grace effectively breaks sin’s power.

The gift of amazing grace is central to Romans 6 through 7. It is especially important to remember that Jesus’ death revealed God the Father’s love for us. Central to this love is the power of the Holy Spirit, which brings us to and regenerates our will to gratefully and trustingly abandon our lives unto God’s grace. Believers must fully surrender to the Holy Spirit’s ongoing direction, rejecting legalistic efforts to overcome sin through the Law.

The Law’s purpose is to reveal sin’s power (Romans 7:7–13), but it cannot liberate from sin’s dominion. True freedom comes through identification with Christ’s death and resurrection, which render believers “dead to sin” and “alive to God” (Romans 6:11). Believers must fully surrender to the Holy Spirit’s direction and enter an abiding relationship with Christ. This union with Christ enables a transformative reliance on grace rather than self-effort, avoiding the fatal “error” of legalism.

The New Covenant vs. The Old Covenant

The superiority of the new covenant over the old, contrasting their outcomes:

Life vs. Death: The old covenant (Law) is a “ministry of death” (2 Corinthians 3:7), condemning sinners, while the new covenant imparts spiritual life through the Spirit, emphasizing its superiority over the old (Romans 6:4, 6:13).

Righteousness vs. Condemnation: The Law exposes sin but cannot produce righteousness; grace empowers believers to live righteously (Romans 6:14–18).

Slavery to God vs. Sin: Under grace, believers are liberated from sin’s mastery and become “slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:18–22). Sanctification unto holiness is entirely the effect of Justification by faith in Christ, not its cause. “Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.” (Romans 6:19 NLT)

Salvation rejoices with moral law: Christians are not released by grace from the obligation of observing the moral law. Salvation results in a “miracle of transformation” and inevitably produces practical righteousness. Grace is not a license for sin but a motivation for obedience, as allegorized in Paul’s definition of being married to another spouse once the first is dead — meaning consider yourself dead to the law’s jurisdiction over your soul, now that you are in Christ, you are his cherished bride in a new moral order — the new covenant foundation. I like the way that the New Living Translation puts this truth:

Now, dear brothers and sisters—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living? For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. So, while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries. So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. When our old nature controlled us, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. (Romans 7:1-6 NLT)

To carry the allegory further: You are now protected under Christ’s loving watch-care as your Great “I am” Bridegroom.

Key Comparisons

Law’s Role Reveals sin’s power but cannot save. It brings condemnation, contrasting with grace: the forgiveness of sin.
Grace’s Function Enables surrender to the Spirit, leading to a rejection of legalism for Spirit-led living. Where sin abounded, grace “super abounded.” As per Romans 7, Christ provides for the inevitability of practical righteousness and obedience to His Word as a result of true salvation.
Union with Christ Emphasizes experiential death to sin and the unified life in Christ’s Spirit. Romans 6 focuses on the union in Christ’s resurrection power, the objective doctrinal truth and its practical outworking.
Practical Outcome  God’s grace is comprehensive, abundant, and capable of covering even the greatest sins. Replaces old covenant rituals with new life. Grace breaks sin’s power, and true salvation results in a changed life.

The Transformative Power of the Holy Spirit

Decisive Break with Sin: Romans 6:2 notes, “How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” as a declaration that believers have experienced a definitive break with sin through their union with Christ’s death and resurrection. This is not a process but a completed event with ongoing effects. Believers are no longer under sin’s dominion because their “old man” was crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6).1

Freedom from Sin’s Authority: Sin no longer has authority over believers. Using the analogy of emancipation,  compare this freedom to slaves being declared free from their masters. Although believers may still feel the pull of sin due to old habits, they are no longer obligated to obey it because they have been set free through Christ.

Grace Empowers Transformation: Grace does not merely forgive sins, but he also transforms lives (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18. ). God’s grace gives believers both the desire and the ability to live righteously, making it unthinkable for them to continue living in habitual sin as they did before salvation.

Sin’s Incompatibility with New Life: Continuing in sin is incompatible with the new life in Christ (Romans 6:4). We must reject any notion that grace permits ongoing sinful behaviour, emphasizing that genuine conversion results in a changed relationship with sin and a new identity in Christ.

Grace is the motivation for holiness: Rather than seeing grace as a license to sin, it is the very reason believers should not continue in sin. Believers have “died to sin” and “now live in Christ”; therefore, they cannot continue living in it. (Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 5:14–15)

Responsible Co-operative Sanctification: Justification by Faith in Jesus Christ is intended to progressively produce Sanctification by Faith, making these two concepts inseparable. Justification and sanctification are two essential, interconnected aspects of salvation, with justification as the necessary precursor and ongoing foundation for the sanctification process. (1 Peter 1:2, Romans 12:2. Hebrews 12:14, 1 Corinthians 1:30)

Believers cannot conscionably continue in sin because their union with a Holy Spirit-led life in Christ has decisively broken sin’s power over them, and grace enables them to live transformed lives characterized by righteousness rather than habitual sin.

The Holy Spirit confirms righteous living or convicts when we err and commit sin insofar as we have a healthy operative conscience informed ongoingly by the Word of God. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

We mustn’t compromise with false teachers of doctrine: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared…” (1 Timothy 4:1-2 ESV)

Despising the riches of God’s grace is “the blackest of all sins” (Hebrews 6:6), emphasizing the seriousness of rejecting or misusing God’s gracious offer of salvation and transformation. Grace in Romans 6 is not permission for sin but the powerful means by which believers are freed from sin’s dominion and enabled to live in righteousness.

Relationship between Justification and Sanctification 

Distinct but Inseparable: Justification and sanctification are distinct graces but inseparable in the believer’s experience. Faith is the foundation. Sanctification is by faith alone. Sanctification is not a subjective activity we progress into but an objective declaration we receive by faith. Both justification and sanctification are graces of union with Christ through faith. Sanctification, like justification, is received by faith rather than achieved through works. Faith is not something we do but a gift from God created within us as we hear the promise of Christ.

Sanctification, like justification, is received by faith rather than achieved through works. Sanctification is not a subjective activity we progress into but an objective declaration we receive by faith.  Mixing any legalism with sanctification is a denial of the whole truth. Believers must never hold to any code of law that turns their acts of Christian living into efforts of character instead of fruits of grace. 2

Sanctification is separate from justification, though both are rooted in the believer’s union with Christ. It is progressive in nature—sanctification is an ongoing process throughout the believer’s life, often called “progressive sanctification.” Walking with Christ is a lifelong journey. Sanctification continues until death, when believers receive their glorified bodies and become fully transformed into the likeness of Christ. The process of sanctification is never fully complete before death due to the ongoing presence of sin in the believer’s life. The gradual nature of sanctification is the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in revealing and removing sin in the believer’s life until death. This remains a faith-based process, and while recognizing sanctification as gradual — it is received by faith rather than achieved through works or human effort. Transformation through union with Christ proceeds as that sanctification flows from the believer’s union with Christ, established by faith rather than self-effort or law-keeping.

Dependence on God’s grace conjoins with the believer’s faith rather than on human works or effort.

Order of Salvation: It is essential to maintain the proper order, with justification preceding sanctification. “Never put the cart before the horse,” — justification must come before sanctification. Faith initiates justification. Faith connects us to Christ: Sanctification flows from our union with Christ, which is established by faith. Our faith in Christ is passive as we receive his finished justification. Moreover, that same faith actively embraces the call to holiness that Christ energizes through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Justification is Foundational: Justification is the foundation upon which sanctification is built. Sanctification is impossible without first being justified when you are gifted with the Spirit to lead you into all truth.

Grace-Driven Process: Both justification and sanctification are seen as works of God’s grace. Justification is an instantaneous declaration of righteousness, while sanctification is an ongoing process of growth in holiness. Faith opposes works-based sanctification. Guard against turning sanctification into a work—it remains in the realm of faith, just like justification. Reject the notion of sanctification as a partnership between God and man. Insist emphatically that transformative holiness is Christ’s work alone received by faith via His Spirit. Our good works without such preceding faith are dead, with the danger of living yet under the theological bondage error of remaining in the old covenant law.

Faith looks to Christ, not self. Faith in sanctification means resting in the finished work of Christ rather than focusing on our own efforts or progress. This faith-based approach allows believers to “rest in its already finished work” rather than striving to earn or work their way into sanctification. Faith is the essential means by which believers receive and experience sanctification, emphasizing its dependence on Christ’s work rather than human effort. 3

Motivation for Holiness: The assurance of justification provides the psychological and spiritual motivation for sanctification. Knowing one is accepted by God through Christ’s righteousness frees the believer to pursue holiness out of love and gratitude rather than fear or obligation.

Simultaneous Graces: While maintaining their distinctiveness, justification and sanctification co-occur at the moment of salvation, with sanctification continuing as a lifelong process.

Transformative Power: Justification changes one’s legal status before God and initiates a transformative process (sanctification) in the believer’s life.

1 John MacArthur

2 Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse

3 Ibid

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Three Romans Chapters: 6, 7, and 8

St. Paul’s three chapters in Romans 6–8 emphasize the believer’s union with Christ, the tension between justification and ongoing sanctification, and the transformative power of grace. His analysis integrates forensic justification with the practical reality of spiritual warfare, culminating in the assurance of victory through the Spirit. Below is a verse-by-verse breakdown of his theological framework:

Romans 6: Death to Sin, Life in Christ

This chapter establishes believers’ definitive break with sin through their union with Christ’s death and resurrection. Key elements include:

  • Freedom from sin’s legal dominion: Justification frees believers from sin’s penalty and power. The text “he who has died has been freed from sin” (Rom 6:7) signifies that Christ’s death legally dissolves sin’s claim over the believer, rendering them no longer bound to its consequences.

  • Baptism as a symbolic union: Baptism represents the believer’s identification with Christ’s death (Rom 6:3–4), marking a transfer from Adam’s lineage to Christ’s new creation..

  • Ethical imperative: Freedom from sin is not license for indulgence but a call to “walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4). Grace empowers obedience, rejecting the notion that justification permits licentiousness (Rom 6:15).

Romans 7: The Struggle with Indwelling Sin

This chapter as a spiritual autobiography of the believer’s tension between their justified status and the lingering presence of sin. Key insights:

  • The law’s role: While the law is holy (Rom 7:12), it exposes humanity’s incapacity to achieve righteousness through works. The “wretched man” (Rom 7:24) embodies the Christian’s struggle against the flesh, even after regeneration.

  • Dual service: Believers serve God’s law with their minds but battle the “law of sin” in their flesh (Rom 7:25). This paradox reflects the “simultaneously righteous and sinful” reality.

  • No condemnation in Christ: The chapter’s despair resolves in the doxology of Romans 7:25a—“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ!”—pointing ahead to the assurance of Romans 8:17.

Romans 8: Victory Through the Spirit

This chapter is the climactic resolution of the preceding struggles, centered on the Spirit’s work:

  • No condemnation: The declaration “there is now no condemnation” (Romans 8:1) reaffirms justification’s security, grounding believers in Christ’s finished work rather than their fluctuating spiritual performance.

  • Spirit-led transformation: The Spirit empowers believers to fulfill the law’s righteous requirements (Romans 8:4), replacing the “mindset of the flesh” with life and peace (Romans 8:6).

  • Eschatological hope: The “groaning” of creation (Rom 8:22–23) and the Spirit’s intercession (Rom 8:26–27) assure believers of their future glorification and eternal security in God’s love (Rom 8:38–39).

Theological Synthesis

  • Justification and sanctification: Forensic justification (legal freedom from sin’s penalty) harmonizes with transformative sanctification (ongoing renewal by the Spirit). The believer’s identity in Christ (Rom 6:11) fuels ethical living.

  • Law and grace: The law’s condemnation (Rom 7:7–12) is answered by grace’s dominion (Rom 6:14), which enables obedience without legalism.

  • Union with Christ: The entire passage hinges on the believer’s incorporation into Christ’s death and resurrection, making sanctification a participation in His victory..

Romans chapters 6 to 8 reflect St. Paul’s broader emphasis on grace-driven reformation, where doctrinal truth fuels personal holiness and societal transformation.

Transformation in Romans 6, 7, and 8

Sanctification in Romans 6–8 centers on the inseparable link between justification and sanctification, the believer’s union with Christ, and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. The author Paul emphasizes that sanctification is a definitive reality and an ongoing process, rooted in grace rather than human effort. Below is a synthesis of his approach:

1. Sanctification as a Definitive Break with Sin (Romans 6)

Sanctification begins with the believer’s union with Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom 6:3–5). This union severs the power of sin’s dominion:

  • Freedom from slavery to sin: Justification liberates believers from sin’s penalty, while sanctification breaks its ruling power. The declaration “we died to sin” (Rom 6:2) is not merely positional but establishes a new identity, enabling believers to “walk in newness of life” (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:14–15)

  • Ethical imperative: Sanctification is not optional; grace compels holiness. Paul refutes antinomianism by showing that salvation by grace necessitates a life of obedience (Rom 6:15–16). 1

  • Fourfold responsibility: Most commentators stress the believer’s role in sanctification: knowing their union with Christ, reckoning themselves dead to sin, yielding to God, and obeying His Word (Rom 6:11–19).

2. The Tension of Indwelling Sin (Romans 7)

Romans 7 is a portrayal of the Christian’s ongoing struggle with sin, even after justification:

  • The law’s role: The law exposes sin’s persistence in the flesh (Rom 7:7–12), highlighting the inadequacy of human effort. The “wretched man” (Rom 7:24) exemplifies the tension between the redeemed spirit and the lingering sinful nature as noted by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ book “God the Holy Spirit,” published as Second Edition in 2002 with the first Edition in 1997. 2

  • Dependence on grace: Sanctification cannot be achieved through legalistic striving but through reliance on Christ’s finished work. The cry of despair in Rom 7:24 resolves in gratitude for deliverance through Jesus (Rom 7:25a), pointing to the Spirit’s victory in Romans 8. 3

3. Spirit-Empowered Transformation (Romans 8)

Romans 8 resolves the tension by emphasizing the Holy Spirit’s role in sanctification:

  • No condemnation: The believer’s standing in Christ (Rom 8:1) assures that sanctification flows from justification. The Spirit empowers obedience, fulfilling the law’s requirements (Rom 8:4). 4

  • Progressive renewal: The Spirit renews the mind (Rom 8:5–6), replacing a “fleshly mindset” with life and peace. This transformation is both individual and cosmic, as creation awaits final redemption (Rom 8:19–23).

  • Eschatological hope: The Spirit’s intercession (Rom 8:26–27) and God’s sovereign love (Rom 8:38–39) guarantee the believer’s perseverance, ensuring the completion of sanctification in glorification.

Key Themes in Romans Chapters 6-8

  • Union with Christ: Sanctification is grounded in participation in Christ’s death and resurrection, making holiness inseparable from gospel truth. This reveals the importance of studying true biblical doctrine and avoiding heresy.

  • Grace-driven effort: While sanctification requires active obedience, it is sustained by grace, not self-reliance. The imperative (“do not let sin reign”) flows from the indicative (“you are dead to sin”).

  • Integration of justification and sanctification: To separate them is to distort the gospel. Justification declares righteousness; Sanctification manifests it.

    1. When we believe in Christ, we do not give that glory to another, which is due only to God (Ps. 146:3-5). The confidence we place in the Redeemer is not alienated from God. Our justification is through faith in Christ, as Paul shows at great length in Romans. Yet, in the same epistle he sometimes speaks of that faith by which we are justified as if it were placed in God the Father: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9; 4:24). To believe in Christ as an exalted Saviour is to believe in God, who raised Him from the dead.
      • One thing is sure: our faith, if genuine, must be in exact accordance with the Word of the truth of the gospel. Hence, in Scripture, it is called obedience to the gospel or the “obedience of faith.”  As our study has indicated, faith in the Gospel of God means the Father calls us to His Son Jesus Christ to receive an inheritance of eternal salvation by the work of the Holy Spirit.
      • This exposition aligns with Reformed emphases on monergism and the Spirit’s transformative power, rejecting legalism and license. Monergerism underscores that sanctification is God’s work from start to finish, accomplished through the Word and Spirit and anchored in the believer’s union with Christ.

The Purpose of the Law in a Christian’s life

The perspective on the role of the Law in the believer’s life, as reflected in Romans 6–8, emphasizes its diagnostic purpose, its limitations in sanctification, and its fulfillment through union with Christ and the Spirit’s empowerment. Pauline theology, given to Paul by the revelation of the risen Jesus, integrates Reformed emphases on the Law’s holiness, its inability to justify or sanctify, and its enduring value in exposing sin and directing believers to grace.

1. The Law’s Diagnostic Role: Exposing Sin (Romans 7:7–12)

Paul’s assertion that the Law is “holy, righteous, and good” (Rom 7:12) reveals sin’s nature and human inability to meet God’s standards. Key points:

  • Mirror of sin: The Law acts as a spiritual mirror, exposing the “utter sinfulness of sin” (cf. Rom 7:7; 3:20). For example, the commandment against coveting (Exod 20:17) unveils the heart’s corruption, showing that sin is not merely external but rooted in desires.

  • Conviction without remedy: While the Law diagnoses sin’s presence, it offers no power to overcome it. It leaves humanity “shut up” under its condemnation until faith in Christ arrives (Gal 3:23–24).

2. The Law’s Limitations: Inability to Sanctify (Romans 7:14–25)

The Law, though good, cannot produce holiness in believers:

  • Stimulates rebellion: The Law’s prohibitions paradoxically incite sinful desires (Rom 7:5, 8), highlighting the flesh’s resistance to divine commands.

  • No power to transform: The Law commands righteousness but provides no enablement. Paul’s cry of despair—“Wretched man that I am!” (Rom 7:24)—illustrates the futility of legalistic striving. This aligns this with the believer’s need to rely on grace, not self-effort, for sanctification. 5

The Law’s Fulfillment: Life in the Spirit (Romans 8:1–4)

Romans 8 resolves the tension by showing how the Spirit fulfills the Law’s righteous requirements:

  • Freedom from condemnation: Justification secures believers’ standing (“no condemnation,” Rom 8:1), liberating them from the Law’s curse.

  • Spirit-empowered obedience: The Spirit enables believers to live out the Law’s moral essence (e.g., love, holiness) through inward renewal (Rom 8:4–6).6 This transcends external compliance, fulfilling the Law’s intent (cf. Matt 5:17).

  • Eschatological hope: The Spirit’s work guarantees final victory over sin, assuring believers of their ultimate conformity to Christ (Rom 8:29–30).

Synthesis: The Law’s Role in the Believer’s Life

Three key principles:

  1. Pedagogical function: The Law serves as a “tutor” (Gal 3:24) to drive sinners to Christ by exposing their need for grace.

  2. Moral guide: While believers are not “under the Law” (Rom 6:14), its moral principles reflect God’s character and inform ethical living. The Spirit empowers obedience, fulfilling the Law’s demands.

  3. Anti-legalism: Sanctification flows from union with Christ, not Law-keeping—the believer’s focus shifts from rule-based striving to Spirit-led transformation.

The Law remains strong in its aim of presenting a “holy” standard (Rom 7:12) but finds its telos in Christ, who liberates believers from their condemnation and empowers them to live in the “newness of the Spirit” (Rom 7:6). Thus, the Law’s role is diagnostic, not prescriptive, in progressive sanctification.

Other studies in Romans:

Romans 6: Finding Freedom from Sin

Romans 7: Defines law versus grace.

Romans 8: Defines law versus New Covenant grace.

1. Antinominalism: the view that Christians are released by grace from the obligation of observing the moral law.

2 D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ book “God the Holy Spirit,” published as Second Edition in 2002 with the first Edition in 1997.

3 Bible.org

4 D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

5 Dr. George Grant

6 Desiring God, Dr. John Piper

Uncategorized

Romans 7: Defines law versus grace.

St. Paul’s great chapter of Romans 7 emphasizes the transition from law to grace and the new covenant’s transformative power. His interpretation centers on the believer’s liberation from the law’s condemnation and the empowerment of the Spirit. Below is a structured analysis of his key points, an exegesis supported by Romans 7:

1. The Law’s Role: Revealing Sin, Not Saving

I want to emphasize that the law in the New Covenant remains holy, righteous and good (Romans 7:12), yet powerless to save. It exposes sin’s depth by provoking rebellion (e.g., coveting) and reveals humanity’s inability to fulfill its demands. For example, Paul’s struggle with coveting (Romans 7:7-11) illustrates how the law diagnoses sin but cannot cure it. The law aims to illuminate sin’s corruption, not provide righteousness.

2. The Marriage Analogy: Death to the Law

Paul’s marriage metaphor (Romans 7:1-6) explains believers’ freedom from the law. Just as death ends a marriage, union with Christ’s death releases believers from the law’s authority. Through Christ’s death, believers are freed from the law’s legalism and “married” to Christ, who empowers them to bear spiritual fruit.

“We were once married to sin, but sin died and when it died, sins authority died with it at the cross of Jesus Christ – with the source of sins power(law) now being dead, we who trust in Christ have been set free to marry asecond time (or to another) to Him Who is the one that God sent to setus free through Jesus Christ!” –

3. Grace vs. Legalism: Serving in the Spirit

Contrast the old way of the written code (law) with the new way of the Spirit (grace). Under the law, sin’s power dominates, leading to death (Romans 7:5-6). In Christ, believers are freed to serve God in the Spirit’s power, not through legalistic effort. This aligns with Paul’s declaration that believers are “not under the law but under grace” (Romans 6:14).

4. The New Covenant’s Victory Over Sin

The new covenant fulfills the law’s purpose. While the law exposed sin’s reign (Romans 7:13-25), Christ’s sacrifice delivers believers from sin’s dominion. The Spirit now enables obedience, replacing the law’s condemnation with grace’s empowerment. This mirrors Paul’s cry of deliverance through Christ (Romans 7:24-25).

5. The Believer’s Ongoing Struggle

Paul acknowledges the tension between flesh and Spirit (Romans 7:14-25). Even under grace, believers experience an internal conflict between sinful desires and God’s will. However, this struggle is not a defeat but a reminder of dependence on Christ’s grace for victory. The law’s role here is diagnostic, while grace provides the cure and a path to empower obedience and sanctification.

Conclusion: Romans 7 is not a prescription for legalism but a testament to grace. The law’s inability to save highlights the necessity of Christ’s work, while the new covenant’s Spirit-empowered life fulfills God’s redemptive plan. Next is Romans 8, click here to read.

Key Contrasts: Law vs. Grace

Aspect Law Grace
Reveals sin, condemns (Romans 7:7-11) Saves, empowers (Romans 7:6, 25)
Human effort (Romans 7:18) Holy Spirit (Romans 7:6, 8:4)
Death (Romans 7:10) Life, fruitfulness (Romans 7:6, 8:2)
Uncategorized

All the Promises in the New Testament

Promises in Matthew

Salvation from sin (Matthew 1:21)

Spirit baptism (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Luke 24:49; John 1:33; John 7:37-39; Acts 1:5,8; Acts 2:17-21,38-39; Acts 11:16; Galatians 3:14)

Life by the Word (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4)

Protection by angels (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10-11; Hebrews 1:14)

Soul-winning power (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17)

Kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3,10; Matthew 7:21; Matthew 8:11; Matthew 19:14; Matthew 25:34; Mark 10:14; Luke 6:20; Luke 12:32; Luke 13:29; Luke 18:16; James 2:5)

Comfort (Matthew 5:4; Luke 6:21; II Corinthians 1:4,7; II Corinthians 7:6)

Earth as an inheritance (Matthew 5:5)

Filling of righteousness (Matthew 5:6)

Mercy (Matthew 5:7; Luke 1:50; James 5:11)

A visible God (Matthew 5:8; Revelation 22:4)

Sonship (Matthew 5:9,45; Luke 6:35; John 1:12; Romans 8:14,16; Galatians 3:7-9,26; Hebrews 3:6; I John 3:2,10)

Blessing for persecution (Matthew 5:11)

Great rewards (Matthew 5:12; Matthew 6:4,6,18; Matthew 10:42; Mark 9:41; Luke 6:23,35; Luke 14:14; John 4:36; I Corinthians 3:8-15; I Corinthians 15:58; Ephesians 6:8; Colossians 3:24; Hebrews 10:35; James 1:25)

Greatness (Matthew 5:19; Matthew 18:4; Luke 9:48)

Forgiveness of sins (Matthew 6:14; Matthew 12:31; Matthew 18:35; Mark 11:25-26; Luke 5:24; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:38-39; Acts 26:18; Romans 3:25; Romans 4:7-8; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; I John 1:9; I John 2:12)

Necessities of life (Matthew 6:30,33; Luke 11:9-13; 12:31)

Answers to all prayers (Matthew 7:7-11; Matthew 17:20; Matthew 18:19; Matthew 21:21-22; Mark 9:23; Mark 11:22-24; Luke 11:1-13; Luke 18:1-8; John 14:12-14; John 15:7,16; John 16:23-26; Romans 8:32; Hebrews 11:6; James 1:6; I Peter 3:12; I John 3:20-22; I John 5:14-15)

All good things (Matthew 7:11)

Punishment in hell for rebels (Matthew 7:22-23; Matthew 8:11-12; Matthew 13:41-42,49-50; Matthew 25:41,46; Mark 9:42-48; Luke 3:17; Luke 12:46; I Corinthians 3:17; I Corinthians 6:9-10; James 2:13; II Peter 2:12-13; Revelation 14:9-11; Revelation 20:10-15; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15; cp. Isaiah 66:22-24)

Physical healing (Matthew 8:17; Matthew 9:29; Matthew 13:15; Matthew 17:20; Matthew 21:21-22; Mark 9:23; Mark 11:22-24; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 4:18; John 14:12; Acts 28:27; Romans 8:11; James 5:14-16; I Peter 2:24)

Answers to prayer according to faith (Matthew 9:29; Hebrews 11:6; James 1:5-8)

Degrees of punishment in hell (Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22,24; Matthew 12:41-42; Matthew 23:14)

Inspiration (Matthew 10:19; Luke 12:12)

Final salvation at the end of a life of sowing to the Spirit (Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:23-25; Galatians 6:7-8; I Peter 1:5,9,13)

Second coming of Christ (Matthew 10:23; Matthew 16:27; Matthew 23:39; Matthew 24:27-31; Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 26:54; Mark 13:24-27; Mark 14:62; Luke 21:27-28; Acts 1:11; Acts 3:20-21; Romans 11:26; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; II Thessalonians 2:8-12; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28; Hebrews 10:37)

Exposure of all secrets (Matthew 10:26; Mark 4:22; Luke 12:3; Romans 2:12-16)

Providence of God (Matthew 10:29-31; Luke 12:6,24,28; Romans 8:28-30; I Peter 5:7)

Divine recognition (Matthew 10:32; Luke 12:8; Revelation 2:5)

Divine denial (Matthew 10:33; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Luke 12:9)

Life or death (Matthew 10:39; Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; John 12:25)

Prophet’s reward (Matthew 10:41)

Righteous man’s reward (Matthew 10:41)

Soul rest (Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:9)

Only one unpardonable sin (Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10)

Judgment of minutest details (Matthew 12:36-37; Matthew 15:13; Mark 9:49; Romans 2:16)

Increased or decreased blessings (Matthew 13:12; Matthew 25:29; Mark 4:24-25; Luke 8:18; Luke 19:26)

Conversion upon obedience (Matthew 13:15; Acts 3:19; James 5:19-20)

Exaltation of righteous (Matthew 13:43)

Separation of good and bad (Matthew 13:41-43,49-50)

Building of a church (Matthew 16:18)

A victorious church (Matthew 16:18)

Power to bind and loose (Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18; John 14:12; John 20:23)

Rewards according to works (Matthew 16:27; I Corinthians 3:11-15; II Corinthians 5:10)

Unlimited power (Matthew 17:20; Matthew 18:18; Mark 9:23; Mark 11:22-24; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 10:19; Luke 17:6; Luke 24:49; John 14:12; Acts 1:8)

Reception of Christ (Matthew 18:5; Luke 9:48)

Salvation of the lost (Matthew 18:11; Luke 5:32; John 5:25; John 10:9; Revelation 22:17)

Divine presence now (Matthew 18:20; Matthew 20:23) and hereafter (Revelation 7:15; Revelation 21:3-7)

Material blessings (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; Matthew 21:21-22)

Eternal life (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:29-30; John 3:15-16,36; John 4:14; John 5:24; John 6:27, note: John 6:47,50,58; John 8:51; John 10:27-29; John 20:31; Romans 2:7; Romans 6:22-23; Titus 1:2; I John 2:25; I John 5:11-12)

Exaltation through humility (Matthew 19:30; Matthew 20:16; Matthew 23:12; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14; James 4:10; I Peter 5:6)

A ransom (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; I Timothy 2:6)

No marriages among resurrected people (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:35)

God’s Word unchangeable (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; I Peter 1:25)

Rulership for saints (Matthew 25:21,23; I Corinthians 6:2-3; II Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:10)

Atonement (Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:19-20; John 1:29; Romans 3:25; Romans 5:11; Ephesians 1:7)

Food for the next life (Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:16,18,30; Revelation 2:7,17; Revelation 7:11-17; Revelation 19:7-10)

Promises in Mark

Reaping what is sown (Mark 4:24; Luke 6:38; Galatians 6:7-8)

Persecution (Mark 10:30)

Signs of the gospel (Mark 16:15-20)

Promises in Luke

An eternal kingdom to Christ and His saints (Luke 1:32-33; Luke 12:32; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 22:4-5)

Deliverance from enemies (Luke 1:74)

Peace (Luke 1:79; John 14:27; John 16:33)

Joy (Luke 2:10-11; I Peter 4:13-14)

Universal salvation (Luke 3:6; Acts 10:35; Acts 13:26,47; Acts 15:17; Acts 28:28; Romans 1:16; Romans 10:9-13; Galatians 3:22)

Now is the acceptable time (Luke 4:18-19; II Corinthians 6:2)

Preservation (Luke 9:56; Luke 21:18)

Personal responsibility (Luke 12:48)

Immortality of body (Luke 20:36; Romans 2:7; I Corinthians 15:42-54; II Corinthians 5:1-8)

Wisdom (Luke 21:15; James 1:5)

Rapture of all saints (Luke 21:36; John 14:1-3; John 16:16; I Corinthians 15:23,51-58; Ephesians 5:27; Philippians 3:21; Colossians 3:4; I Thessalonians 3:13; I Thessalonians 4:13-17; I Thessalonians 5:9-10,23; II Thessalonians 2:7; James 5:7; I John 3:2)

Promises in John

Freedom from condemnation (John 3:16-18; Romans 8:1; Hebrews 9:13-15)

A state of no hunger or thirst (John 4:14; John 6:35)

The resurrection of all people (John 5:28-29; John 6:40,44,54; John 14:19; Acts 24:15; I Corinthians 6:14; I Corinthians 15:20-58; II Corinthians 4:14; Revelation 20:11-15)

Assurance (John 6:37; Philippians 1:6; II Timothy 1:12; II Timothy 2:11-13; Hebrews 6:1-20; I Peter 1:5,9,13)

An indwelling Christ (John 6:56-57; John 14:23; Romans 8:10; Colossians 1:27)

Knowledge (John 7:17; John 14:20,26; I Corinthians 1:30; II Corinthians 2:12; II Corinthians 12:8-11)

Light of life (John 8:12)

Freedom (John 8:32,36)

Honor (John 12:26; Romans 2:8-10)

Universal dealing (John 12:32)

Mansions (John 14:1-3)

Greater works (John 14:12)

Love of God (John 14:21)

Manifestation of God (John 14:21)

Abiding Presence (John 14:23; John 15:10; Philippians 4:9)

Purging (John 15:2)

Fruitfulness (John 15:5; II Peter 1:8)

The Holy Spirit in a measure (John 16:7-13; Romans 8:14-16) and in all fullness (Luke 11:13; Luke 24:49; John 7:37-39; John 14:12-18,26; John 15:26; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:16-21,38-39; Acts 5:32)

Guidance (John 16:13-15)

Promises in Acts

Justification (Acts 13:38-39; Romans 2:13; Romans 3:24-28; Romans 4:25; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 8:33; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:24)

Restoration of Israel (Acts 15:16-17; Romans 11:25-29; Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27)

Nearness of God (Acts 17:27; Ephesians 2:13; James 4:8)

Edification (Acts 20:32)

An eternal inheritance (Acts 26:18; I Corinthians 2:9; I Peter 1:4; Revelation 21:7)

Deliverance (Acts 26:18; Romans 8:21)

Promises in Romans

Goodness of God (Romans 2:4; Romans 11:22)

Justice (Romans 2:6,12-16; Romans 8:33; I Corinthians 3:11-15; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 11:31)

Indignation and wrath (Romans 2:8-9)

Glory and honor (Romans 2:10; Romans 8:18)

Impartiality of God (Romans 2:11)

Righteousness (Romans 3:22; Romans 4:5,16,24; Romans 5:19; I Corinthians 1:30)

Salvation by grace through faith, not of works (Romans 3:24-31; Ephesians 2:8-9; II Thessalonians 2:13; Titus 2:11-12)

God for all people (Romans 3:29-30)

Salvation from wrath (Romans 5:9-10)

Victory (Romans 5:17; Romans 8:4,13; Romans 8:37; II Corinthians 2:14; I John 5:4)

Abundant grace (Romans 5:20-21)

Newness of life (Romans 6:5-8)

A spiritual mind (Romans 8:6)

Restoration of creation (Romans 8:21; Ephesians 1:10,12; Revelation 21:3-7; Revelation 22:3)

Divine help (Romans 8:26-27,31,34; Romans 14:4; I Corinthians 10:13)

A short work of God (Romans 9:28)

Salvation of Gentiles (Romans 9:25-26; Romans 11:11-12; Romans 15:21)

Salvation of Israel (Romans 9:27; Romans 11:23-36; Hebrews 8:10-12; Hebrews 10:17)

Boldness (not ashamed of Christ, Romans 9:33; Romans 10:11; I Peter 2:6)

End of law in Christ (Romans 10:4)

Word near all people (Romans 10:8)

Simplicity of salvation (Romans 10:9-10; I Corinthians 15:2; I John 1:9; II Thessalonians 2:13)

Faith (Romans 10:17; I Corinthians 12:9)

Holiness (Romans 11:16; Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 5:27; Colossians 1:22; cp. Hebrews 12:14)

God unchangeable (Romans 11:29)

God’s vengeance (Romans 12:19)

Blessing or cursing (Romans 13:2-3)

Joy, righteousness, and peace in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17)

Coming Messiah to reign (Romans 15:12)

Satan’s defeat (Romans 16:20; cp. Revelation 12:7-12; Revelation 20:1-10)

Promises in I Corinthians

Confirmation (I Corinthians 1:8)

God to be faithful (I Corinthians 1:9; I Corinthians 10:13; I Thessalonians 5:24; II Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23; Hebrews 13:5)

Christ to be our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (I Corinthians 1:30)

Unlimited blessings (I Corinthians 3:21-23; Ephesians 1:3)

Judgeship of saints (I Corinthians 6:2-3)

Help when tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13)

9 spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 12:8-11)

Baptism in one body (I Corinthians 12:13)

Eternal love (I Corinthians 13:8)

Perfection (I Corinthians 13:10; I Peter 5:10)

We shall know as known (I Corinthians 13:12; I Corinthians 15:35-54)

Putting down of rebellion on earth (I Corinthians 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:10; Revelation 21-22)

Destruction of death (I Corinthians 15:26)

Promises in II Corinthians

All promises true (II Corinthians 1:20)

Removal of blindness when the heart turns to God (II Corinthians 3:16)

Liberty (II Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:13)

Transformation (II Corinthians 3:18)

Constant physical degeneration and spiritual renewal (II Corinthians 4:16-17)

New creation work (II Corinthians 5:17-18; Ephesians 4:24; Hebrews 8:10-12)

Divine fellowship (II Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 8:10; James 4:8; I John 1:7; Revelation 3:20)

Divine reception (II Corinthians 6:17)

Divine Fatherhood (II Corinthians 6:18; Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13; Hebrews 12:5-10)

Riches (II Corinthians 8:9)

Bountiful reaping (II Corinthians 9:6)

All sufficiency (II Corinthians 9:8)

Eternal righteousness (II Corinthians 9:9)

Increased righteousness (II Corinthians 9:10)

Enrichment in all things (II Corinthians 9:11)

Spiritual weapons (II Corinthians 10:4-5; Ephesians 6:10-18)

Perfect strength (II Corinthians 12:9)

Life by God’s power (II Corinthians 13:4)

Promises in Galatians

Deliverance from the present evil world (Galatians 1:4)

Abraham’s blessing (Galatians 3:14)

Heirship (Galatians 3:29; Romans 8:17; Titus 3:7)

Adoption as sons (Galatians 4:5-7,31; Ephesians 1:5)

Eternal death for sin (Galatians 5:21)

Promises in Ephesians

Redemption (Ephesians 1:7,14; Colossians 1:14; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 2:9-15; Hebrews 9:11-15)

Restitution of all things (Ephesians 1:10; Acts 3:21; I Corinthians 15:24-28; Revelation 21)

Boldness and access to God (Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 10:19-23)

Heavenly citizenship (Ephesians 2:19; Philippians 3:20)

God’s infinite power (Ephesians 3:20)

Sealing (Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 1:13; John 6:27; Romans 4:11; II Corinthians 1:22)

Sanctification (Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 10:10)

Long life (Ephesians 6:3)

Promises in Philippians and Timothy

Peace shall keep you (Philippians 4:7)

Needs supplied (Philippians 4:19)

God’s will to save all people (I Timothy 2:4; II Peter 3:9; Revelation 22:17)

Profit in godliness (I Timothy 4:8)

Power, love, and a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7)

Honor and usefulness (II Timothy 2:21)

Crown of righteousness (II Timothy 4:8)

Promises in Hebrews

Angel ministers (Hebrews 1:14)

Help in temptation (Hebrews 2:18)

Partaking of Christ (Hebrews 3:14)

A high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 6:20)

Uttermost salvation (Hebrews 7:25)

A better covenant (Hebrews 8:8-12; Hebrews 10:16-17)

A new covenant (Hebrews 8:8-12; Hebrews 10:16-17)

Personal representation (Hebrews 9:24)

Eternal substance (Hebrews 10:34)

Holy City (Hebrews 11:10-16; Hebrews 13:14)

A better thing (Hebrews 11:40)

Disciple (Hebrews 12:6,11; Revelation 3:19)

Jesus to be the same (Hebrews 13:8)

Promises in James

God to be the same (James 1:17)

Liberal answers to prayer (James 1:5-6; Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 21:21-22)

Crown of life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10)

Grace (James 4:6; I Peter 1:13; I Peter 5:5)

Satan to flee when resisted (James 4:7; I Peter 5:8-9)

God to have pity on sufferers (James 5:11)

Promises in I Peter and II Peter

New birth (I Peter 1:23; I John 5:1)

Crown of glory (I Peter 5:4)

All things (II Peter 1:3)

Great promises (II Peter 1:4)

The divine nature (II Peter 1:4)

Escape from the corruption of the world (II Peter 1:4)

Security (II Peter 1:10)

Abundant entrance into the kingdom of God (II Peter 1:11)

New Heaven and New Earth (II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21-22)

Promises in I John and II John

Cleansing from sin (I John 1:7,9)

An advocate with God (I John 2:1-2)

Boldness in judgment (I John 4:17)

Witness of sonship (I John 5:10-11)

Renewed life (I John 5:16; James 5:19-20; Galatians 4:19; Galatians 6:1)

Eternal truth (II John 2)

Both God and Christ (II John 9)

Promises in Revelation

Blessing by reading (Revelation 1:3)

The tree of life (Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:2)

Escape from hell (Revelation 2:11)

A white stone (Revelation 2:17)

A new name (Revelation 2:17)

Power to rule nations (Revelation 2:26-27; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 5:9-10; Revelation 22:4-5)

The morning star (Revelation 2:28)

White robes (Revelation 3:4-5; Revelation 7:9; Revelation 19:8)

Name retained in the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5; cp. Exodus 32:32; Psalm 69:25-28)

A place in God’s temple (Revelation 3:12)

The name of God (Revelation 3:12)

The name of God’s city (Revelation 3:12)

Christ’s new name (Revelation 3:12)

The descent of the Holy City to Earth (Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2,9-10)

Eternal supply (Revelation 7:16)

No more heat (Revelation 7:16)

Divine shepherding (Revelation 7:17)

No more tears (Revelation 7:17; Revelation 21:4)

Defeat of all earthly kingdoms (Revelation 11:15; Revelation 19:11-21; Revelation 20:1-10)

Rest from hard labour (Revelation 14:13)

Works will be manifest (Revelation 14:13)

Kingship and priesthood (Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation 1:5-6; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 22:4-5)

God’s Tabernacle with human beings (Revelation 21:3)

No more death (Revelation 21:4)

No more sorrow (Revelation 21:4)

No more pain (Revelation 21:4)

All things new (Revelation 21:5)

Water of life (Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:17)

Eternal nations to be saved and multiply forever (Revelation 21:24-27; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 22:4-5)

Eternal healing (Revelation 22:2)

No more curse (Revelation 22:3)

A right to the tree of life (Revelation 22:14)

A right to enter the Holy City (Revelation 22:14; cp. Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15)

Plagues of Revelation upon rebels (Revelation 22:18-19)

Names of rebels blotted out of the Book of Life (Revelation 22:19; Revelation 3:5; Exodus 32:32; Psalm 69:25-29)

Rebels lose their right to the Holy City (Revelation 22:19)

Rebels will be denied the blessings of Revelation (Revelation 22:19)

Soon return of Jesus Christ to fulfill all the above promises (Revelation 22:7,12,20; Revelation 3:11)

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The Atonement of Jesus Christ: Biblical Foundations

Here, we will examine one of the Seventh-day Adventists’ primary but the most fundamental and challenged doctrines within and without the SDA establishment: the heretical Investigative Judgment (IJ). This doctrine negatively affects orthodox Christian doctrines: the Atonement, Justification by Faith, Sanctification by Faith, the Ascension, the Intercessory work of Christ our High Priest, the Trinity, and the Eschatological Second Advent.

It has caused many well-educated theologians (one, Desmond Ford,  who held five doctorates) within the SDA church to seek reform of this doctrine, which generally meets with imminent defamation and defrocking.

The leaders of the SDA church defer to their pioneers, one of whom claimed to be a prophetess — the woman Ellen G. White (EGW). Many leaders and members believe she has always and continues to offer a divine complement to Sola Scriptura (scripture alone), to the extent that they have published her entire writings in well-bound volumes: an SDA Commentary and The Clear Word Bible, which include her many untheological visions. Even the retired editor of a pastoral magazine publication referred to EGW as “my guru” on Facebook. This adherence to erroneous biblical proclamation presents a conundrum for the SDA leadership — it could split the church if they admit that she has erred at any point, especially the infamous IJ doctrine.

The number of Ellen G. White books printed by Seventh-day Adventist publishers such as Pacific Press and Review and Herald over the years is not definitively stated. Still, some data provides insight into the scope of her literary impact. EGW has probably published more volumes than all the cultic denominations combined.

  1. Volume of Publications: Ellen G. White authored approximately 100,000 pages of material during her lifetime, including 24 books in circulation at the time of her death, 5,000 periodical articles, and numerous tracts and pamphlets. Posthumous compilations have increased the total number of books in print to more than 130 titles.1  Her writings, such as The Great Controversy and other popular works like Steps to Christ (translated into over 165 languages), have seen tens of millions of copies distributed worldwide. 2

  2. Global Publishing Reach: The Seventh-day Adventist Church operates 62 publishing houses globally, producing literature in over 360 languages. Ellen White’s works have been central to the mission of these institutions. 3 

  3. Revenue Information: While specific financial data tied solely to Ellen White’s books is unavailable, Pacific Press Publishing Association has shown significant profitability. Ellen White’s writings have had a profound impact on Adventist publishing efforts globally, with millions of copies printed and distributed. However, detailed financial earnings attributed to her work are not publicly disclosed.

With this introduction, we declare that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is at the heart of Christian theology. Scripture describes it as conjoining His sacrificial death on the cross and His priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary, as He prepares His church to be with Him for their glorification.

Atonement on the Cross

1 Peter 2:24 emphasizes that Jesus bore humanity’s sins in His body on the cross, fulfilling the Old Testament imagery of a sacrificial lamb (Isaiah 53:12). His death was substitutionary, meaning He died in place of sinners, the innocent for the guilty (Romans 5:6; 1 John 2:2). This act reconciled humanity to God, enabling believers to live for righteousness and experience spiritual healing through salvation.

Leviticus 17:11 highlights the importance of blood in atonement, stating that “the life of a creature is in the blood” and that it is given to make atonement. This foreshadowed Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, whose blood obtained eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).

Atonement in the Most Holy Place

Hebrews 9:11-12 describes Jesus as entering the heavenly Most Holy Place once for all by His precious antitypical blood, securing eternal redemption. This contrasts with the repeated animal sacrifices under the Old Covenant. His priestly work fulfills and surpasses the Day of Atonement rituals outlined in Leviticus 16, where the high priest entered the earthly Most Holy Place to make atonement for the sins of Israel. Jesus’ entry into the heavenly sanctuary signifies a perfect and final act of atonement.

Hebrews 9:23-28 explains that Christ’s sacrifice purifies humanity and the heavenly sanctuary. His death was sufficient to put away sin forever, and He will return not to deal with sin but to bring salvation to those waiting for Him.

Seventh-day Adventists’ Investigative Judgement

The Seventh-day Adventist doctrine of Investigative Judgment teaches that Christ began a second phase of atonement in 1844 when He entered the heavenly Most Holy Place to cleanse the sanctuary. This belief stems from Hiram Edson’s interpretation following the Millerite “Great Disappointment.” According to this view, Jesus’ work in heaven involves examining believers’ lives to determine their eligibility for salvation before His second coming. This completely skews the truth that Jesus Christ is sufficient. Note: William Miller taught that Christ would return on October 22, 1844. He has repented of his folly, whereas Ellen G. White took Hiram Edson’s misinterpretation to the depths of false doctrine.

Rejection by Other Christian Traditions

Orthodox, Reformed, and Evangelical theologians reject this Investigative Judgment doctrine for several reasons:

  1. Biblical Finality of Christ’s Sacrifice:

    • Hebrews 9:12 explicitly states that Jesus entered the Most Holy Place “once for all” by His blood, obtaining eternal redemption. The idea of an ongoing investigative phase undermines the sufficiency and finality of Christ’s atonement as taught in scripture.

  2. Misinterpretation of Prophecy:

    • Other traditions consider Adventist reliance on Daniel 8:14 (“cleansing of the sanctuary”) a misapplication. Reformed theology interprets this passage as referring to historical events involving Antiochus Epiphanes rather than a heavenly judgment beginning in 1844.

  3. Lack of Scriptural Support:

    • Orthodox and Evangelical traditions argue that there is no biblical evidence for a two-phase atonement process or an investigative judgment occurring in heaven. Instead, scripture consistently portrays Christ’s atoning work as completed on the cross (John 19:30) and applied through faith.

  4. Theological Concerns:

    • The Investigative Judgment introduces uncertainty about salvation, which conflicts with doctrines emphasizing assurance through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Reformed theology particularly stresses justification by faith as a completed act rather than contingent on future investigative judgment.

Comparison Table

Aspect Biblical Atonement Investigative Judgment (SDA)
Finality Christ’s sacrifice was “once for all” (Hebrews 9:12) Ongoing investigative process since 1844
Scriptural Basis Rooted in Hebrews, Leviticus, and New Testament Based on an interpretation of Daniel 8:14
Salvation Assurance Assurance through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) Conditional upon judgment outcomes
Historical Development Consistent with early church teachings Developed post-Millerite “Great Disappointment”

 

In summary, while Seventh-day Adventists view Christ’s work in heaven as an investigative phase tied to eschatology, other Christian traditions reject this notion based on scriptural teachings about the sufficiency and finality of Christ’s atonement on the cross and His priestly intercession in heaven.

Recommended

 How False Doctrine Can Influence Groupthink

About Ellen G White

 

1 White Estate

2 ibid

3 Ministry Magazine

 

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John 17: Christ’s High Priestly Prayer

John 17, known as Christ’s High Priestly Prayer, reveals Jesus’ unique intercessory role as mediator between God and believers. This prayer emphasizes Reformed themes of particular redemption, effectual sanctification, and eternal security through Christ’s priestly work. Here’s a Reformed analysis of key verses:

  • : Jesus seeks mutual glorification with the Father through the cross, establishing His authority to grant eternal life to the elect (John 17:1-2). This reflects His mediatorial role as “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

  • : Eternal life consists in knowing the Triune God (John 17:3), emphasizing relational knowledge rather than mere intellectual assent – a key Reformed distinction between saving faith and nominal belief.

  • : Jesus explicitly prays “for those whom you gave me” (John 17:9), underscoring the Reformed doctrine of definite atonement. His priestly work specifically secures salvation for the elect, not merely making salvation possible for all.

  • : The Father’s keeping power (John 17:11-12) ensures the perseverance of saints. Calvin notes this “keeping” involves both protection from apostasy and progressive sanctification.

  • : Sanctification occurs through “thy truth; thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Reformed theology stresses Scripture as the sole infallible means of holiness, opposing mystical or tradition-based sanctification.

  • : Believers are sanctified not for isolation but for Gospel witness (John 17:18-19). Christ’s self-consecration as the highest sacrifice (John 17:19) mirrors the Day of Atonement rituals, fulfilling the Old Covenant’s shadows.

  • : The prayer for unity “as we are one” (John 17:22) refers to Trinitarian harmony, not institutional uniformity. Reformed ecclesiology locates this unity in our shared confession of Christ and Gospel truth.

  • : Unity serves as apologetic evidence that “the world may believe” (John 17:21), showing the missional focus of Christ’s priestly intercession.

  • : The demand “that they may be with me” (John 17:24) reflects Christ’s authority as High Priest to claim His redeemed. Turretin notes this demonstrates the efficacy of His intercession based on merit, not mere request.

  • : “I made known to them your name” (John 17:26) highlights the Reformed emphasis on God’s self-disclosure through Christ, completed in Scripture.

  1. : As our High Priest, Christ “always lives to make intercession” (Hebrews 7:25), applying His finished work to believers daily.

  2. : The prayer fulfills the Old Testament priesthood, with Christ as the final sacrifice and eternal intercessor (Hebrews 9:24-28).

  3. : Believers find comfort knowing Christ’s prayers – unlike human intercession – “has great power as it is working” (James 5:16) with guaranteed efficacy.

This prayer encapsulates the Reformed emphasis on Monergistic salvation: the Father elects, the Son redeems and intercedes, and the Spirit sanctifies – all working inseparably to secure every believer’s eternal inheritance.

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The Promises of Jesus

The following verses are taken from the Gospels. They focus on promises made to those who believe in our Lord Jesus, who died for our sins.

John 3:14-18 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 5:24-25 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”

John 5:28-29 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”

John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

John 6:37 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”

John 6:40 “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:54-57 “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.”

John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

 (NKJV) John 8:51 “I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

John 10:9-10 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:14-16 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”

John 10:27-29 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

John 12:25-26 “The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

John 12:46 “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

John 14:2-4 “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14:12-14 “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

John 14:18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

John 14:19 “Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.”

John 14:20 “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

John 14:21 “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

John 14:23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

John 14:26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:7 “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

John 15:10 “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

John 15:11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”

John 15:26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.”

John 16:12-15 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”

John 16:23-24 “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Matthew 5:3-11 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”

Matthew 5:19 “Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 6:3-4 “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (See also Luke 11:9-10.)

Matthew 7:11 “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Matthew 7:21, 24-25 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”

(NKJV) Matthew 10:32 “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.”

Matthew 10:42 “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

Matthew 11:6 “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 12:49-50 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 18:18-20 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 19:29-30 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

Matthew 21:18-22 Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (See also Mark 11:12-14.)

Matthew 25:34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, Ineeded clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’”

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them [the eleven disciples] and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Luke 6:35 “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

Luke 6:37-38 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke 9:48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest.”

Luke 11:11-13 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

In Luke 21:33 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

Source: NIV Version, unless otherwise noted.
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Bible Study: Ephesians 1

The letter to the church at Ephesus was authored by the apostle Paul.  This study looks at the first chapter of this letter.

As Christians, our greatest blessings are more deeply appreciated when we comprehend that our Father – the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is glorified (Eph1:14) in blessing his children. Most fathers find great joy when their children are around them, united in kindred spirit. I recall taking my four children to a restaurant when they were young during a holiday trip. The restauranteur said to me with great admiration as he sat us around a unique table, “You have a glorious family.” In a way, I understand the Father’s joy as being glorified when his children come to him. As a father looking at my beautiful children, I was glorified in my family via the Spirit of God and the light surrounding us.

Moreover, we are to reciprocally bless, meaning praise the Father for his blessings: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” and “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (Eph 1:3-4 ESV)

Notably, the Father has blessed us “in Christ,” which denotes a necessary vital union with Jesus Christ. The following explanation that the apostle Paul gives emphasizes this vital union that “in Christ” means:

Key points are revealed here:

  1. We were predestined as chosen by the Father in Christ – “in him”
  2. We were chosen long before the world was created – “before the foundation of the world”
  3. Our predestined selection was a sovereign act of love for us with a view that we are his children adopted out of the world’s masses – “in love” by “his will”
  4. Our enablement to rejoin the Father’s family was achieved “through Jesus Christ,” whose act brought legal restitution to the Father when his ransom-death paid for our sin on the cross.
  5. We are viewed as “holy and blameless” in Christ, firstly as we are covered by his redemptive act of atonement on the cross referred to as legally justified (cf. Romans ch. 3, 5) – holiness can only be our ongoing aim – and will always be “not yet fully obtained” as we approach purity via his indwelling Spirit.

Our blessing came to us through Jesus Christ’s redemptive act of dying for our sins on the cross of Calvary as the entrance method God chose to bring us back home. He has blessed us “in Christ,” also noted as “through Jesus” – reiterated for impact as “in the Beloved” and “in him” – “…he has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Eph 1:5-6 ESV).

The blessings we derive are primarily spiritual and cover the broad scope of life now and into eternity, things that only followers of Jesus can understand and appreciate by faith. Paul notes that the Father has blessed his chosen, preordained children who come to him via Jesus by faith with “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places… according to the riches of his grace” (Eph 1: 3, 7). As children, we are restored, and restitution is made to the Father – thus, by grace, we are saved.

We know these are spiritual blessings because, as the Father’s children, we acknowledge that he gives us insight into the gospel of grace in the Word of God to the degree that “he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will.” Moreover, we, the believers, the church, are universally united via the Spirit of Christ “according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:9-10).

Again, I want to draw attention to the “the Father of glory” (Eph1:17) who is at work to “give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (Eph 1:17-19)

Why would the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be so concerned that you have wisdom, a revelation of his knowledge, by having our hearts enlightened? It is so that you, the reader, can know “the hope to which he has called you” and that you understand all of God’s efforts via his Word set forth by reading, pastoral ministry, preaching and prayer to him, available as God the Father’s own possession.

King David, a man of great power and wealth and victory over his enemies, could say prayerfully with praise to the Father: “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139: 13-14 NASV)

Have you ever thought about being a child of God? Let’s go one step further. Have you ever considered that though you come to your father as the one who created you and gave your life? Through Jesus Christ by faith, this life is renewed and restored to unify you and your Father. You are not your own possession! The Father is taking back his rightful fatherly role over you as his child in redeeming you from the corruption of this world (which continually disregards his Creatorship/Fatherhood). The New American Standard Bible puts it this way:

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Eph 1:13, 14)

Takeaway of Chapter 1: You were elected — predestined to be reunited with the Father by faith in his son Jesus Christ. The gospel is a message of truth, bringing you salvation from eternal judgment. By connecting with Christ to God’s family, the Father is taking you back as he created and now His redeemed possession. This offers you unlimited spiritual blessings now and in eternity as you follow Jesus Christ. The Father “gave him as head over all things to the church” (Eph 1: 22), and Jesus continues to lead and guide his faithful followers, showered with eternal blessed insight.