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.
Lesson 10: “Meekness in the Crucible”
[COLLEEN TINKER]
Problems with this lesson:
- The lesson defines “meekness” in terms of endurance with patience and without resentment but misses the power in meekness.
- The author suggests that God asks us to be meek in order to display to Him and to the “watching universe” how much compassion we have.
- The lesson suggests that churches can be refuges for needy people, thus showing meekness and reflecting God—yet Adventism is not part of the Church.
This lesson reflects the Adventist worldview and explains meekness in terms echoing the great controversy motif. First, the subject of “meekness” cannot be properly understood apart from a God-centric worldview in which God is sovereign, not merely powerful but self-limited.
When we consider the meekness of Moses, for example, or of the Lord Jesus, their meekness is better understood as “strength under control” than as endurance with patience and without resentment. The latter suggests inner control on one’s natural desires, while the former reflects the outside discipline that keeps strength properly directed. An example of this strength under control is a horse with a bit in its mouth and a bridle; someone else is managing the actions of the horse, but he still has all of his strength. Another example of this definition of meekness is a wild animal who has been tamed. It is still possessed of all its power, but the power is controlled and managed through the external discipline of one in authority.
We are unable to produce meekness by example or even by prayer; we must be born again and completely trusting God in order to be meek. Moses, who lived before the Holy Spirit indwelled people, was still meek because, by God’s empowering, he trusted God implicitly and acted on His word. He reflected God’s will to Israel because he put himself UNDER God. His strength was always there; in fact, it even got the best of him when he struck the rock twice. Yet he trusted God and never abandoned His dependence on the One who called him to lead the fledgling nation of slaves whom God chose for His own.
Watching Universe
We are never asked to be meek as a demonstration of our humility and compassion so the watching universe can see. Our meekness is always a response to our triune God for HIS glory. God doesn’t put us on display as examples of morality; He gives us Himself so that HE will be glorified—but there is no “watching universe”.
It’s so interesting that Adventism has the “watching universe” motif so firmly implanted in its worldview when Scripture never hints at such a thing. This idea came not from the Bible but from ancient pagan traditions.
Also, the lesson suggests that Adventist churches can be refuges for the needy, thus demonstrating godly meekness and reflecting God as a refuge—the attitude of David the psalmist.
First, the local church acting as a refuge is not necessarily a demonstration of meekness. Second, Adventism is not part of the biblical church, the true body of Christ. It is not possible for a non-biblical church to be a godly refuge because it is not possible for the people to discern the reality of people’s true needs.
Of course, altruism is always a good thing, but when people need refuge, they need the true gospel in a addition to whatever other helps might be needed. Supplying physical needs is insufficient without the true gospel, yet this idea is part of Adventism’s evangelism strategy. Their “right arm of the gospel”—the health message—leads with addressing felt needs such as blood pressure checks, cooking schools, dental clinics, and so forth. They meet physical needs in order to woo people into Adventism, but without the true gospel, such people are not better off.
The “social gospel” is often a replacement for the gospel, yet Adventism sees meeting the physical needs as part of the gospel. In fact, Adventism does not have the gospel, and the social provisions do not give the people served what they actually need. Instead, they are offered the deception of a false gospel with the benefits of special knowledge—the knowledge of Sabbath and soul sleep and vegetarianism.
All to say, meekness is not defined biblically primarily as suffering without resentment but with patience. To be sure, these qualities will accompany meekness, but they are present because the person displaying them has submitted to a sovereign and merciful Master who teaches that person to use his strength under the control of the Master.
We can’t muster meekness; it can only be a response to trusting our Savior and resting in His finished work—honoring His word as our guide and living for Him. †
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