Adventists usually refer to the continuing war which Satan began long ago in heaven as "the great controversy between Christ and Satan." Sin entered the universe when Lucifer inexplicably became self-centered instead of God-centered. Selfishness is the very essence of sin. And sin is deadly. It contains within it the seeds of self-destruction.
Incredibly, Adam and Eve---though enjoying daily personal fellowship with God---were persuaded by Satan to doubt God's fairness and love. They selfishly chose their own way rather than God's, and the floodgates of sin opened on our world. And sin always leads to death---eternal oblivion.
But God had already planned for just such an emergency. Jesus the Son would come to this earth and become mankind's Substitute. He would reap the result of sin by dying in man's place. Men and women would then have another chance to live forever---as God had originally intended.
Jesus did die for us all---on a horrible cross, surrounded by men and women driven to a frenzy of hate by Satan, the great enemy. But after a Sabbath rest in the tomb, Jesus rose again, forever breaking the power of death for us.
When we accept Christ's life and death in our place, He justifies us---which means that He pardons us fully and accepts us---which means that He pardons us fully and accepts us as if we had never sinned. He also makes us new again (the new birth) and gives us power to live as He lived and love as He loved.
Adventists believe that salvation is on;y by God's grace through faith in Jesus as mankind's substitute. We can add nothing to deserve or earn salvation; it is God;s free gift. Everyone who in faith accepts Jesus as Saviour can rejoice in the full assurance of complete forgiveness and salvation.
We believe too that born-again Christians will give evidence in their lives of this great change. They will daily surrender themselves to the Lord Jesus and allow Him to bring about growth in grace and victory over sin.
- Gen 31-24 John 3:16 Rev. 3:20
- Rom. 5:12 1 Cor. 15:22 John 3:1-15
- Rom. 6:23 Eph. 2:8, 9 Gal 2:16, 20
- Rom. 5:8 John 1:12 Phil. 2:12, 13
Christian Home Part #7
Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.
- Mark 10:14
All the previous lessons in this series are needed. If properly heeded, they will be like a bulwark that will preserve our children from the evils which are flooding the world. We want temperance at our tables. We want houses where the God-given sunlight and the pure air of heaven are welcomed. We want a cheerful, happy influence in our homes. We must cultivate useful habits in our children, and must instruct them in the things of God. It costs something to do all this. It costs prayers and tears, and patient, oft-repeated instruction. We are sometimes put to our wit's end to know what to do; but we can take the children to God in our prayers, pleading that they may be kept from evil, praying, "Now, Lord, do thy work; soften and subdue the hearts of our children." And he will hear us. He hearkens to the prayers of the weeping, careworn mothers. When Christ was on earth, the burdened mothers brought their children to him; they thought that if he would lay his hands upon them, they would have better courage to bring them up as they ought to go. The Saviour knew why these mothers came to him with their little ones, and he rebuked the disciples, who would have kept them away, saying, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God." Mark 10:14. Jesus loves the little ones, and he is watching to see how parents are doing their work.
Iniquity abounds on every hand, and if the children are saved, earnest, persevering effort must be put forth. Christ has said, "I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified." John 17:19. He wanted his disciples to be sanctified, and he made himself their example, that they might follow him. What if fathers and mothers should take this same position, saying, "I want my children to have steadfast principles, and I will give them an example of this in my life"? Let the mother think no sacrifice too great, if made for the salvation of her household. Remember, Jesus gave his life for the purpose of rescuing you and yours from ruin. You will have his sympathy and help in this blessed work, and will be a laborer together with God.
In whatever else we may fail, let us be thorough in the work for our children. If they go forth from the home-training pure and virtuous, if they fill the least and lowest place in God's great plan of good for the world, our life-work can never be called a failure.
