July 4–10

This weekly feature is dedicated to Adventists who are looking for biblical insights into the topics discussed in the Sabbath School lesson quarterly. We post articles which address each lesson as presented in the Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, including biblical commentary on them. We hope you find this material helpful and that you will come to know Jesus and His revelation of Himself in His word in profound biblical ways.

Quarter Three: Making Friends For God

 

Lesson 2: “Winsome Witnesses: The Power of Personal Testimony”

The title of this week’s lesson is chosen well. After all, what good is a “witness” if it is not winsome and attractive to others so that they will listen. The most impressive words used will mean nothing if they are not heard by someone. 

Any attempt to sell a set of doctrines may bring in new members to a belief system, but without the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, more members in the pews are just that—mere numbers. If increasing the numbers is the goal, then that will be enough; but isn’t our goal as followers of Christ to do what He commanded in His last instructions to the disciples in Acts 1:8, “[B]ut you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth”?

As part of those last words, Jesus told them to wait until the Holy Spirit came upon them before being those witnesses; and for us as well, being filled with the Holy Spirit is the only way we can have a true experience of conversion. The Spirit is so much more than just a “force” that communicates with us through our physical brain cells. The Spirit IS God, and at the moment of our faith in God, we are sealed with the indwelling Spirit with the promise he will always be with us. This promise is stated in John 14:16-20:

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 

After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 

Notice that the Spirit will be with us “forever”! This is no conditional relationship that depends on our behavior or that can be withdrawn if our behavior does not measure up, necessitating a renewed conversion. When Jesus says “forever” He means just that. What a wonderful assurance of a permanent relationship!

As far as witnessing goes, the lesson starts out very well by saying:

“It is difficult to argue against personal experience. People may debate your theology or your interpretation of a text or even scoff at religion in general. But when an individual can say, “I once was hopeless but now have hope; I was filled with guilt but now have peace; I was purposeless but now have purpose,” even skeptics are impacted by the power of the gospel.”

That kind of testimonial effect is very true, but thinking of “witnessing” as personal experience points out what may be the reason for the lack of real witnessing on the part of many who claim to know Jesus. If knowing Jesus is merely knowing about Him rather than having a living, growing, dynamic relationship with Him, all that happens is just an attempt to convince others to agree with our doctrine. If all one does is to recount a personal experience, the listener may never hear the gospel that would change his life. Personal testimonies are effective ways to get people to think, but the gospel is the only way for another to be born again.

There are several good examples given in the lesson to illustrate the value of a witness that comes from a relationship with Jesus, but one of them is troubling. In relating the story of the demon-possessed man, the lesson says this about him:

“Jesus saw in him one who longed for something better, and so He miraculously delivered the man from the demons that tormented him.”

Once again, we see the insertion of the idea that it is our longing for God that prompts God to respond with the desired salvation. But that movement, from our desire to God’s response, is exactly backwards and as such, is very un-Biblical.

In our sinful state we are not able to even comprehend that there is something to want. Yes, we can be unhappy with our lot in life and wish for more, but we don’t, and can’t, initiate the encounter with God.

As quoted earlier from John 6, where Jesus promised to never lose one who comes to Him, that promise was followed with the clear, emphatic statement in verse 44:

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

We may have a dim idea that we want more, but we don’t “long” for it so that God has to respond. He initiates the encounter, and we respond to Him. And once we respond, then what happens? Do we simply repent—change our minds—or is it something more that happens? Is it simply a matter of our own will? What does it mean to come to faith in God? 

From the lesson:

“The essence of the gospel is to restore people broken by sin to the wholeness for which Christ has created them.”

Was our problem that we were merely “broken by sin”? Or was it that we were spiritually dead in our sins and needed to be reborn, made alive, by the Spirit as stated in Ephesians 2? 

The gospel is the good news that, because of Jesus death for human sin, His burial, and His resurrection on the third day according to Scripture (1 Cor, 15:3,4), we can be alive in Jesus (Eph. 2:5); we are seated with Him in heaven (Eph. 2:6); we are secure in His hands (John 6:44), and we can be certain that nothing can separate us from Him (John 10:28, 29 and Romans 8:38, 39).

That is the gospel! Yes it does “restore people broken by sin”, and it does restore us to wholeness, but it is so, so much more than that. God doesn’t want to just make “whole people”, and He doesn’t just want to make bad people good; He wants to make dead people live so that they are His forever.

And that is the purpose of having a personal testimony through which we give witness of Jesus’ power—to tell others what God has done for us through Jesus’ death and resurrection so that they can respond to God’s call as well, and be converted.

Before we get to the next section of the lesson, let’s look at the definition of the word “conversion”. Merriam Webster defines conversion as:

1. something converted from one use to another
2. an experience associated with the definite and decisive adoption of a religion

When we are “converted”, in terms of coming to Jesus, we are changed from uselessness (to God) into another use, that of being one with God as His eternal child and living witnesses of He love and grace. We have an entirely new and different “use” or purpose.

Definition #2 describes it from a worldly point of view, that of adopting a religion. As Christians, we know that it is so much more than just a religion—it is a relationship. But we understand the meaning, just from a different viewpoint.

So let’s read from the lesson:

“Is conversion ever a thing of the past alone? Look at Ellen White’s statement about those who thought their past conversion experience is all that matters: 

“As if, if they knew something about religion once, they did not need to be converted daily; but we ought every day, every one of us, to be converted.”—Manuscript Releases, vol. 4, p. 46.

Either she has a different meaning of the word “conversion” or she just doesn’t understand what it means. 

From many things she wrote about losing one’s salvation, it is clear that she uses it to mean a matter of the mind, having a different idea and a change of the mind—not the new birth. But a “change of mind” includes no security—such a conversion can be lost with each and every sin and must be re-obtained again.

In the words of Colleen Tinker: 

“…the intent of “conversion” is NOT (as Adventists say) changing one’s mind. Rather, the Bible speaks not of conversion but of being born again and of passing from death to life. We have to be made spiritually alive! When we are, the Holy Spirit does not leave us, (John 14:16) and He completes the work He begins in us. We also are responsible for acting on the truth He convicts us to embrace.”

I heard a talk once about the things that happen at the moment of our salvation. There are more than 40 things that the Bible says occur at that moment. Here are just a few:

• We are made alive with Him. Col. 2:13
• We are justified—declared as if we had never sinned. Gal. 2:16
• We are glorified. Rom. 8:30
• We are seated in the heavenly places with Jesus. Eph. 2:6

So think about what would have to happen if you could lose your salvation every time you sin:

You would become dead again; you would be declared a sinner again; you would be un-glorified; you would be thrown down out of heaven. Then you would have to redo the process to regain what you lost. No wonder that that distorted concept of salvation causes such hopelessness and lack of joy.

Clearly, conversion—better called the new birth—is a one-time event, and we are truly sealed by God’s Spirit and kept safe in Him. And that is a truth that is worth witnessing to others—what has happened to us can happen to them.

As the lesson puts it:

“Witnessing is simply sharing our story of His amazing grace. It is a testimony of our personal encounter with this God of amazing grace.”

So why all the emphasis on dreams and kingdoms and beasts and fanciful interpretations and warnings about the day to go to church? Could it be that there is no real, personal knowledge of Christ so a religion is presented in its place?

The author seems to understand this when he writes:

“Even if we don’t have as dramatic a story as Paul, we all should be able to tell others about what it means to know Jesus and to be redeemed by His blood.”

And:

“Although it is important at the appropriate time to share the truths of God’s Word, our personal testimony has much more to do with the freedom from guilt, the peace, the mercy, the forgiveness, and the strength, hope, and joy we have found in the gift of eternal life Jesus so freely offers.”

And:

“The essence of the Christian life is a relationship with Jesus that is so rich and full that we long to share it. As important as correct doctrine is, it cannot substitute for a life transformed by grace and changed by love.”

But how can one experience that full, transformed life if we can’t even know for sure that we are saved or are keeping the law well enough to pass the Investigative Judgment? 

How can you share the gospel—the GOOD news—if that news is not good enough to trust? 

How can you really have joy if your position in Christ is so uncertain that you think that, if you sin, you have lost your salvation and have to repent again in order to get it back? Or if you are terrified that there may be one sin in your life that you didn’t remember to specifically “confess”, meaning that you are lost even though you love Jesus?

How much better to take Jesus at His word about everything to do with salvation. It is God who draws us, and we have only to believe—change our mind about needing salvation. 

The Holy Spirit has sealed us, and none of us can unseal what God has sealed. 

Jesus promised in John 10:28, 29 that no one—and that includes us—can remove us from His hand. 

Nothing can separate us from Him (Rom. 8:39).

He makes us stand—stay firm (Jude 1:24; Rom. 14:4; Eph. 6:13).

If you truly believe that He gave you eternal life, you must believe that He can keep you safe for that day (2 Tim. 1:12). †