The Measure of His Grace

"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ"

2001 and Jesus Still Hasn't Returned

God gave gifts to His church. He did not leave us orphans; He came to us. Then He departed from us by way of the Cross, ascended on high, leading captivity captive, and giving gifts unto men (Ephesians 4:8). We--as Seventh-day Adventists, those who most especially are to know and have been given the means of knowing--understand plainly by both Bible prophecy (see Daniel 8:13-14) and contemporary prophecy, that Jesus could have returned shortly after 1844.¹ We gather together here in worship this day on a Sabbath morning in January, the year 2001. Two-thousand and one! How shocked the pioneer Adventists might be to realize that over 156 years would pass before Jesus would come.

But here we come up against an important issue. Why hasn't Jesus come yet? Our publications say "There really is no delay, and we shouldn't get uptight about it . . . why are we still here? Ultimately, only God knows. And only God needs to know."² In other words,

• There really is no delay.
• We shouldn't concern ourselves with a non-existent delay.
• Only God knows why we are still here.
• Only God needs to know.

What an answer. In contrast, hear the words of the prophet: "We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel; but for Christ's sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequence of their own wrong course of action." Evangelism, p. 696. What we have tended as a people to do , is to add sin to sin by charging God with the delay. But the most crass liberalism has been published far and wide, to our shame thrown into the very face of God. So whom will we trust--our editors, or our God?

The plainest truth is, that we well know why we are still here. It is not because God hides the reason or enjoys making it mysterious for us. Far from it--He has been most explicit! It is due entirely to our insubordination as a people that we are still here--"the consequence of our own wrong course of action." And our stiff-necked failure to acknowledge it and change our course of action is the reason why we are still here.

Now come back with me to our text today. There we find that Jesus did something when He went to heaven and began to minister for us in the heavenly sanctuary. What was it? Consider Ephesians 4:11-14:

And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.

God gave gifts to His church--gifts for the upbuilding of His people. Among them He placed prophets, evangelists, teachers, and so on. We haven't listened to the Lord's prophet. We haven't let God build us up "unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." We are still here.

Church-Planting, the McDonaldization of Christianity

By the way, do you know that Ephesians 4:12 is now being used to sustain the church-planting program. They are saying that the word translated here "perfecting" is a poor translation, that this really means "equipping" the saints. So they are going about to plant these new congregations with rock and roll worship music, drama, mime, and whatever else the latest fad doubtless is, and they claim they are "equipping" the saints. It is insubordination. If they are so interested in the saints being equipped, they need to look at the list again, and not pass by the fact that He has given prophets to perfect the church, not church-planting experts from Babylon to equip the church with puppet ministries. The Greek word can be translated either way, and "perfecting" is an adequate translation. The word "Equipping" has come to be used in contemporary times rather than "perfecting."

But there is another point here. The idea of "perfecting" does not fit with modern church-planting ideas. A theology that produces holy people does not operate as a cookie-cutter assembly-line. Holiness doesn't come in a Cracker-Jack box. The church-growth industry must produce numerous products (numerous new members on the denominational membership rolls). Church planting is an industry, selling its books, videos, speaking engagements, magazines, really, its whole philosophy. It is the McDonaldization of religion. It has to serve up a softened Christianity or it won't produce its billions. It is fundamentally inharmonizable with faith as presented in the Bible.

Remember, "Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:13-16. There is nothing wrong with true church planting of true Seventh-day Adventist congregations, so as to truly live and give the third angel's message. But such cannot be accomplished with the good-time, rock-and-roll, don't get uptight, be insubordinate Christianity so current.

No, my brothers and sisters. Let me show you a more excellent way (1 Corinthians 12:31).

A More Excellent Way

The more excellent way is to let God perfect His saints. And that means hearing His prophets. Remember, the Scripture says, "Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper." (2 Chronicles 20:20). We may believe His prophets, and that means not only hearing them but doing what they say. Or we may follow some editors and experts, false-prophets in a sense, who show no evidence that they are led of God. By their fruits we will know them.

Let's then take the time that remains to then this morning, and invest it. Let's invest it in hearing and then doing what His prophets say. Perhaps then we will be able to advance "unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." And this new century can be that time when the blessed hope comes to fruition because a people come to fruition. Jesus can come.

The law of God, as presented in the Scriptures, is broad in its requirements. Every principle is holy, just, and good. The law lays men under obligation to God; it reaches to the thoughts and feelings; and it will produce conviction of sin in every one who is sensible of having transgressed its requirements. If the law extended to the outward conduct only, men would not be guilty in their wrong thoughts, desires, and designs. But the law requires that the soul itself be pure and the mind holy, that the thoughts and feelings may be in accordance with the standard of love and righteousness.

In His teachings, Christ showed how far-reaching are the principles of the law spoken from Sinai. He made a living application of that law whose principles remain forever the great standard of righteousness--the standard by which all shall be judged in that great day when the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened. He came to fulfill all righteousness, and, as the head of humanity, to show man that he can do the same work, meeting every specification of the requirements of God. Through the measure of His grace furnished to the human agent, not one need miss heaven. Perfection of character is attainable by every one who strives for it. This is made the very foundation of the new covenant of the gospel. The law of Jehovah is the tree; the gospel is the fragrant blossoms and fruit which it bears.

When the Spirit of God reveals to man the full meaning of the law, a change takes place in his heart. Selected Messages, vol. 1, pp. 211-212.

Consider the power of this counsel. We are here told nothing less than that "not one need miss heaven," and that perfection of character--yes, perfection of character--is attainable by each one of us, and that such "is made the very foundation of the new covenant of the gospel." Walk together with me then through these lines, and let us pause at each Scripture suggesting itself to us through these words.

God's Law Demonstrates the Depth of Our Moral Obligation

That first paragraph has our attention. Let's weigh it together. "The law of God, as presented in the Scriptures, is broad in its requirements. Every principle is holy, just, and good. The law lays men under obligation to God; it reaches to the thoughts and feelings; and it will produce conviction of sin in every one who is sensible of having transgressed its requirements. If the law extended to the outward conduct only, men would not be guilty in their wrong thoughts, desires, and designs." Can you see here that the law is indeed like a tree, sturdy, dependable, deeply rooted. It is broad in its requirements. Every principle it enunciates is truth. It is not just an outward rule, but reaches to the heart and feelings.

Religion is not something you just put on one day a week. You don't hear a click when you walk through the doors of the church, you know, like that clicking sound you hear when you walk through the entrance to many libraries? Your Christianity is part and parcel of your character, and your character--what you are, what you've chosen to be--is closer to you than your shadow. You can't shake it. No matter how far you run, you can never get away from you. So you see why we each must start each morning in our closet with God. Only He can remake us, and how we need His remaking!

We can never remake ourselves apart from Him unless we would trust in our own devices. But He can truly heal us; He can truly save. Recorded in the book of Jeremiah we hear such speaking:

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake Thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise. Jeremiah 17:5-14.

Did you catch the wording there? Look at Jeremiah 17:13: "O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake Thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters." Jeremiah the prophet said that those who departed from the Lord would be ashamed, and that those who departed from "me," Jeremiah--but not Jeremiah as a person but Jeremiah as a prophet--would be condemned because they had forsaken the Lord. If we forsake His prophets, we forsake Him. We become insubordinate. And we reap the consequence of our own actions.

But what a precious promise adheres to us when we turn from reliance upon mere man and return to the Lord. He will hear the cry "Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise." Trusting in our God to save us, there will be changes. There will be wonder and glory. And His kingdom will come.

Light on the Inward Life

Hear what is here said of conviction: "If the law extended to the outward conduct only, men would not be guilty in their wrong thoughts, desires, and designs. But the law requires that the soul itself be pure and the mind holy, that the thoughts and feelings may be in accordance with the standard of love and righteousness." God could have made the law just a shallow barrier, a hollow rule. He could have partitioned righteousness over onto one side and wickedness over on the other. He could have said outwardly we must live this way, but inwardly we can sin always. But He refused to say that.

You see, God wants us to be on the inside as He is on the inside. He is pure, His mind is holy, His thoughts and feelings towards us are thoughts and feelings of love and righteousness. And we were originally made in His image. His original plan was for us to be just as He is inwardly. Men feel restricted because they are not free to sin. But if you wish to be part of a kingdom where men are free of suffering and guilt and death and pain and sorrow, and are free to be pure and holy and righteous and true, there are decisions to be made. The law illuminates what sin is while it also shines light on what righteousness is. Listen, you put a light on outside your front door at night to discourage burglars from coming into view and jimmying the lock to break in. But if one does break in, its not because of the light; its in spite of it. The light just reveals whether a crime is under way or not. The law is like that. It's not bad. "Is the law sin? God forbid," said Paul (Romans 7:7). The law is a great tool for the Holy Spirit, who has to come into a dark place when He enters us, and make progress with the considerable work of repair.

And why does the law require that even our thoughts be pure? "That the thoughts and feelings may be in accordance with the standard of love and righteousness." So you see His goal. It is not to bind us or enslave; it is to free and restore. It is to shine His beauty upon us so that we may see His beauty with vision undimmed, unshadowed, unveiled. He wants us to see the depth of moral value righteousness has and is. He wants us to see what He is. Then we will know we can trust Him and follow Him freely. Then we will never make the wrong choice the devil made, who almost went back, but he felt he had gone too far, that God wouldn't forgive him. I believe that God would have forgiven him, but he let himself become embittered, he let himself cleave unto evil, he let the wound become incurable.

Focus on Jesus, Not Sin?

But her words are still coming. She next says, "In His teachings, Christ showed how far-reaching are the principles of the law spoken from Sinai. He made a living application of that law whose principles remain forever the great standard of righteousness--the standard by which all shall be judged in that great day when the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened. He came to fulfill all righteousness, and, as the head of humanity, to show man that he can do the same work, meeting every specification of the requirements of God." If the law is so bad, so unhelpful, so out of place, then why did Jesus make "a living application" of them? You've heard the conventional wisdom, haven't you, that says, "don't focus on your sins, focus on Jesus; just think about Jesus and your sins will take care of themselves"? And we have to ask, where is the verse for that philosophy? It sounds advanced, it sounds mature. But is it biblical?

Now come on. I can think of no one who has ever suggested that anyone "focus" on their sins. The Bible pleads with us to search ourselves, whether we be in the faith or not. David calls and says, "search me O God, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." No one says to "focus" on your sins. But in the subtle philosophical trap Satan weaves, he says it to us. You know, its like the rhetorical trick he pulled with Eve. What did he say to her? "Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Genesis 3:1). He starts by changing what God said. And he does the same with this idea. God said examine yourselves; Satan changes it over to "focus" on sin. That's how he trapped Eve; he restated what God had said in a distorted way, and she then said what He had said. So the devil restates God's call that we examine ourselves for sin by stretching it too into "focusing on," but then he goes a step farther, and it is ingenious.

After introducing the idea what we should "focus on," He suggests we focus on Jesus. The devil suggests that we focus on Jesus? Oh yes! Absolutely! Sure. See, as long as this "focus" on Jesus is fuzzy, the adversary doesn't mind one bit that we focus on Jesus. And as long as we are unclear about personal sin--as long as our conscience condemns us and the situation is allowed to linger, Satan has it made. Of course we should focus more on Jesus than on sin. Of course. In the devil's philosophy. But not in God's. That's right.

When we choose to sin, it separates us from God. Separated from His forgiveness and from His power, we have not the power to overcome personal inclination towards sin and Satan. Sin is a fantastically important issue. Perhaps this has something to do with why we don't even know what sin is anymore as a church. We have averted our eyes from its blistering heat and let our consciences become confused. We've permitted sin to remain in the camp and now it is all around us. So we say we are focusing on Jesus. And we let sin remain in our lives unchallenged, unexpelled, soon unperceived. And it does its work. And somewhere in the darkness, the devil laughs.

The Law in Living Application

Jesus took no short-cuts. He "made a living application" of that law. And that's just exactly what we--each one of us--must do.

Remember, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. He is the God of the living application of Truth. The purely institutional mind can only make a dead application of truth; but the spiritual mind makes a living application of truth. Jesus, in a world of error, lived out the truth. You cannot sin and live out the truth. You can have sinful flesh and live out the truth. In Jesus' case, and with His mission (to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8), He had to come in sinful flesh. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:2).

See, Jesus made a living application of the law, not in the unfallen flesh of Adam, but in the fallen, sinful flesh of broken humanity. For sin. Because of sin. He didn't do it because it was a challenge, like climbing Mt. Everest. He did it "for sin." He did it to end sin, to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin. To close it down forever. He did it "that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:4). He did it to show us how we can live in the face of the reality of this judgment hour. He knew that we would one day, as a people, know we were living in the time when the heavenly sanctuary is being cleansed. "He made a living application of that law whose principles remain forever the great standard of righteousness--the standard by which all shall be judged in that great day when the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened."

But how does He destroy the works of the devil? Does He do it like some hero in a movie with a gun and a fast car and sheer cleverness and guts? Does He do it all alone? Listen: "He came to fulfill all righteousness, and, as the head of humanity, to show man that he can do the same work, meeting every specification of the requirements of God." He, Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness. His name was called "Emmanuel--God with us." Did He really come to be God--really God with us? Make no mistake; He is the head of humanity; He only is the Savior; He is God and we are not. But make no mistake that He came as the head of humanity "to show man that he can do the same work."

How same? As same as the truth that through Jesus, we may meet "every specification of the requirements of God." Not many. Not some. Not most. "Every specification of the requirements of God." Are you catching sight in some miniature way what the measure of His grace is? You see, I am fully convinced. Fully. When we read those lines in Ephesians four that say . . .

And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.

. . . That God meant it. He really intends that through the so-rich measure of His grace poured out to so-unworthy people as us, that we would "all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."

The Very Foundation of the New Covenant of the Gospel

And I'm on sound ground, because Ellen White thought so too, for she said: "He came to fulfill all righteousness, and, as the head of humanity, to show man that he can do the same work, meeting every specification of the requirements of God. Through the measure of His grace furnished to the human agent, not one need miss heaven. Perfection of character is attainable by every one who strives for it. This is made the very foundation of the new covenant of the gospel."

We can do the same work. We can meet every specification of the requirements of God. He furnishes grace to the human agent, so much so that not one--not one need miss heaven.

See, you can be there too. Not one need miss heaven. Why should you miss heaven for the pleasures of sin for a season. Oh why?!! Don't do it!

And just as "not one" need miss heaven," "perfection of character is attainable by every one who strives for it. You can be there, and not just barely there. You can come in and be embraced by Jesus. He will be smiling when He places the crown of eternal life upon your head. His voice will choke with true appreciation for you when He speaks to you, "well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord." Don't you long to hear those words spoken to you from the lips of Jesus? And all this "is made the very foundation of the new covenant of the gospel." All this--God's law, God's Son in human flesh, the mission of Jesus, His death on the Cross, His ministry for us in heaven, even our striving according to the measure of His grace, the fulfilling of all righteousness in us, the salvation so potent that not one need miss heaven, and even, yes, perfection of character--all this is made the foundation of the new covenant of the gospel. Not "a" foundation, or even "the" foundation, but "the very foundation" of the new covenant of the gospel. Why? Because God's plan does not stop short of our all coming "in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."

And there are those who want to water it all down. Have mercy on them O Lord. Open their eyes that they may see wonderful things out of Your law. For in the end, it all comes together in this precious new covenant. And so, "The law of Jehovah is the tree; the gospel is the fragrant blossoms and fruit which it bears. When the Spirit of God reveals to man the full meaning of the law, a change takes place in his heart." All this, because sin is sought out, His law shines its light on it and corners it, an application of God's grace is made in your life, and like a mushroom cloud going-up, sin is removed from the life. God is glorified.

Conclusion

So in closing, we all can only leave here asking ourselves: do I know the measure of His grace? Am I permitting Him to change my thoughts and feelings over to His moral program? Am I cooperating with God in His making a living application of faith in my life? Am I striving for it? Will I hold on to my sins and miss heaven when not one need miss heaven? Am I letting God perfect my character? Ultimately, am I letting God heal me, and lift me up to the fullness of the stature of what I can be in Christ? With these questions in mind, let us stand and pray:

Our Father in heaven--our morally rich Father in heaven, we bow our heads before you, for we know we are poor. Your Word tells us that Your end-time people will feel they are rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing, but Lord this day in 2001 we see we are in need of so very, very much. Your mercy has been poured out in rich torrents. But we've been squanderers of it. Lord, help to be changed from that. Take us unto You, hold us closely in Thy bosom, and heal us from our sin. Don't let us go O Lord. Don't let us go on and on and on into death. Lord, we need a revival of primitive godliness here. Here in this world, here on this continent, here in this little church. Let's do it Lord. Grant us that we may experience so much more fully the measure of Your grace. We long to come home to You. Change us now Lord. Launch within each of us a longing for personal revival. May we let You work at every place in our lives--hold nothing back. But in return Lord, we pray that the wholeness of Your new covenant would be fulfilled in us now, this year, this 2001 year. We are ashamed of our insubordination, our over-comfortable lukewarmth. Take that away now Lord. Prepare us for the journey home as we have never prepared before. Do not leave us orphans; send Your Holy Spirit among a people who obey You. We ask for this in Jesus' name. Amen.

1. Had Adventists, after the great disappointment in 1844, held fast their faith, and followed on unitedly in the opening providence of God, receiving the message of the third angel and in the power of the Holy Spirit proclaiming it to the world, they would have seen the salvation of God, the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts, the work would have been completed, and Christ would have come ere this to receive His people to their reward.

   But in the period of doubt and uncertainty that followed the disappointment, many of the advent believers yielded their faith. Dissensions and divisions came in. The majority opposed with voice and pen the few who, following in the providence of God, received the Sabbath reform and began to proclaim the third angel's message. Many who should have devoted their time and talents to the one purpose of sounding warning to the world, were absorbed in opposing the Sabbath truth, and in turn, the labor of its advocates was necessarily spent in answering these opponents and defending the truth. Thus the work was hindered, and the world was left in darkness. Had the whole Adventist body united upon the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, how widely different would have been our history!

   It was not the will of God that the coming of Christ should be thus delayed. God did not design that His people, Israel, should wander forty years in the wilderness. He promised to lead them directly to the land of Canaan, and establish them there a holy, healthy, happy people. But those to whom it was first preached, went not in "because of unbelief" (Heb. 3:19). Their hearts were filled with murmuring, rebellion, and hatred, and He could not fulfill His covenant with them.

   For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord's professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years. Selected Messages, vol. 1, pp. 68-69.

2. Roy Adams, "Why are We Still Here?" Adventist Review, Oct. 6, 1994, 38. Emphasis in original.