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.
Week 8: “The Least of These”
This lesson starts out very well. It accurately handles the Word of God and stays true to the word in explaining the practical meaning in the daily lessons entitled Sermon on the Mount, Overcoming Evil With Good, and the Good Samaritan.
But when we come to the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the Bible story is altered so that it won’t contradict a pet belief of Adventism.
In the lesson this story is called a parable so that it can’t really mean that there is consciousness after death.
If you think about it, in all the stories that Jesus called parables, there was never a name given to any of the characters; yet in this one, we have an actual name—Lazarus. That in itself sets it apart from the other stories He told to illustrate truths. Also, Jesus didn’t call this story a parable as He did all the others.
Further, the lesson describes it as “popular afterlife imagery”, just to make sure you see it as unrelated to details about death but just as an illustration.
Jesus, however, never used a lie to illustrate a truth. He never lied.
Further down, in referring to Jesus’ words about end-times, the lesson says:
“In the first part of Matthew 25, the story of the wise and foolish virgins urged the need for preparation for an unexpected or delayed return.”
Without getting into a discussion of the Rapture vs the Second Coming, let’s look at just part of the story.
The “virgins” could not be the bride. For one thing, there are 10 of them, not one. They are the attendants, the friends of the bride, but not the bride. They waited at the house of the bride in anticipation of the coming of her groom.
Also, when some were found to be lacking oil—consistently used in the Bible to represent the Holy Spirit—they were shut out. The Bride cannot be shut out of her own wedding.
We, the Church, the Bride of Christ, are guaranteed that the Holy Spirit is sealed within each one of us. It can’t “run out”, and, as Jesus said in John 14:16, 17, He (the Helper) will be with us always:
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.
Sadly, this parable is often used out of context to “prove” that we can lose our salvation if we aren’t careful to maintain it. The Church, and only the Church, is sealed with the Holy Spirit with a guarantee of salvation. After the Church is gone, those who come to Christ during the Tribulation do not have that guarantee or seal. In essence, they will have to keep themselves saved just as people did before the Church-age.
Friday’s lesson, in the second question:
Why must we be careful to avoid the easy trap of thinking that because we have the “truth” (which we do), nothing else matters?
I think a better question would be this: Why do you think you have “the truth” when much of it twists, changes, denies, and just plain ignores much of the Bible? How can you call it “truth” when it is largely based on the confusing teaching of someone who contradicts the Bible and herself so much that the Church leadership has found it necessary to change things in more recent editions just to hide the embarrassing mistakes?
Instead, look to the Bible. It contains all the truth we ever need and when you take it at its word you don’t have to keep parts of it separate so that there isn’t an internal contradiction. Jesus Himself said, in John 17:17 “Sanctify them in truth, Your word is truth.”
And it is true—all of it, without any contradictions, additions or shading needed. Let go of the non-Biblical commentaries and so-called prophets who claim to speak for God, and trust God through the Holy Spirit to teach you. He promises to lead us into all truth. John 16:13 says: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” †
- October 9–15 - October 7, 2021
- October 2–9 - September 30, 2021
- September 25–October 1 - September 23, 2021
Thanks for the excellent article.
Please help me understand your sentence; “After the Church is gone, those who come to Christ during the Tribulation do not have that guarantee or seal. In essence, they will have to keep themselves saved just as people did before the Church-age.”
Or point me to material I can read further for a full understanding of that concept.
Thank you for your comment. In answer to your question, I would suggest you start with this article:
https://gracethrufaith.com/end-times-prophecy/the-nature-of-post-church-salvation/
I understand the concept but i find it hard to explain it as well as this author did. I trust him as he uses Scripture to show what he means and he takes Scripture at its word, not changing it or adding to it. I agree with him that the Bible says what it means and means what it says.
I would welcome any discussion that may follow after you read the article. And, by the way, that website GraceThruFaith has some wonderful articles and “Ask the Bible Teacher” Q&A.
I have read and re-read the article in GraceThruFaith and this concept that many will “keep themselves saved” bears some minor similarity to EGW’s concept of the saved living without a Mediator in those end times.
“Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator.” GC 425.
I do not see bible support for that.
The Bible does not come out and say in so many words that before and after the church age the holy Spirit is not sealed and guaranteed in those who are saved. So the most we can do is prayerfully read the Bible and see what it does say.
As pointed out in the aritcle I referenced, even David, who was a man after God’s own heart, asked God not to remove His Spirit from him (Davd) after he sinned. Since God’s word is only truth, it is clear from that that there was a definite possibility that the Spirit could be removed.
The article also points out that there is not one verse in the entire New Testament that promises the Holy Spirit will be sealed within the Tribulation believers. Of course, it’s impossible to prove a negative, but something as important as that would surely be put into words somewhere. Just as our sealing by the Holy Spirit is many times promised to the Church.
One other thing that tends to confuse people–including me until I understood this better–is the parable of the 10 virgins (bridesmaids). Many people take it out of context and try to apply it to the Church to prove that if we aren’t careful, we can become lost. But read it carefully and look at the context.
For one thing, it’s talking about the bridesmaids, not the bride. They can’t be the bride as there are 10 of them, not one, and the bride can’t be shut out of her own wedding.
Also, when used symbolically, oil is consistently used to represent the Holy Spirit. There are many New Testament promises that the Holy Spirit will not be taken from us–John 14:16, Eph. 1:13-14, 2 Cor. 1:21-22 among others. So, the only possible conclusion is that that parable is not talking about the Church.
Then, consider the setting, the context, of the parable. As it is placed right in the middle of Jesus’ teaching about the time immediately after the Second Coming, it is clear that that is the time He is referencing. He is talking about those who come to God during the Tribulation and are still alive when He comes again.
As for it sounding a lot like what Ellen White said about having to stand before God without a Mediator, yes it does. And, during the Tribulation, that is apparently the case–but not for the Church, which is what she was threatening.
Clearly, there is some truth in things she wrote, but there is also a lot of error. For instance, the quote you included where she says that Jesus will stop interceeding for us and then, by clear implication, we will have to be perfect and sinless from that tme on in order to be saved.
Just because some of what she says is true in no way makes all that she says true, which presents quite a problem as she herself says that all of what she wrote is of God or all of it is of the devil. She says similar things in numerous places such as:
“There is one straight chain of truth without one heretical sentence in that which I have written”. Selected Messages. bk. 3. p. 52.
And in this letter:
“I have the most precious matter to reproduce and place before the people in testimony form. While I am able to do this work, the people must have these things to revive past history, that they may see that there is one straight chain of truth, without one heretical sentence, in that which I have written. This, I am instructed, is to be a living letter to all in regard to my faith.” {Lt329a-1905.3}
I don’t know your position on her writings, but I would encourage you to put her away for a time, say 6 months, and read just the Bible.
It’s God’s word and we know He can’t lie so all of it is true. John 17:17
Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide and teach you as He promised He would. John 14:26
I hope this answers your questions.