The science of sin

“He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues^H8444 [“exit”] from death.” (Ps. 68:20).

The science of salvation of necessity involves the issues of avoiding sin.

Salvation requires the science to defining sin. Sin must be defined, and the all scripture is profitable for doctrine and instruction in that venture. Therefore, the Bible is the ultimate dictionary of sin’s definitions. The Bible has many definitions of sin beside the three obvious ones. What is sin?

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1Jn. 3:4).

“He that doubteth is damned^G2632 [“judged”] if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23).

“To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (Jas. 4:17).

So we can see immediately that the first three definitions simply come from different perspectives of sin. Let’s learn more from the views of three minds, John, Paul, and James.

John’s definition of sin relates to the breaking the Law of love. To him, sin is the opposite of love. John was big on love. But, in all that he wrote on the subject of love, an undercurrent of Law is heard. Like the deep subterranean water that at certain high spots breaks through the surface of the ground in artesian wells and geysers, likewise, according to John’s understanding, love was based upon the foundation of Law and obedience, love being the expression of that deep, thick, reinforced, durable foundation. Therefore, because sin destroys love, it also works contrary to God’s Law.

Paul’s definition of sin relates to faith. Sin is the opposite of trust. Sin results from not taking God at His word, not believing the King. If we don’t believe God, then who are we believing? We are believing Lucifer. And sin is the foundation of Lucifer’s kingdom. If we aren’t trusting God, who are we trusting? There is only one other final authority —that is His arch enemy.  Paul and John were not far from each others’ definitions because faith and love pair up together like two birds of a feather. But, with Paul, sin is not defined as doing bad things. Doing bad things, committing bad acts and saying bad words and even imagining bad thoughts, all are an automatic, natural result of a deeper problem. And that deeper lack we often overlook, even though it is infinitely essential. That lack “of course” is dependence on God, knowing God. I give quotation marks to “of course” because we all know that! Right? History bears out that that is the world’s most pervasive assumption! All we like sheep have gone astray; we’ve turned everyone to his own way. If we all had dependence on God, then why must the Bible reiterate it again and again? We all know it. But do we know it “in truth” (Isa. 10:20)? If we knew it, then why must our God keep having to run us down to bring us back to it.

“For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.” (Isa. 30:15,16).

Look at the context of those who the Lord taught to stay upon Him “in truth”. It would take a lot of wrestling them to the ground, a lot of pain and suffering of stubbornly willful hearts, a lot of purging from the nation the genuinely determined rebels, before true dependence on God could come to the hearts of those who survived the purge.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.” (Isa. 10:20-23).

Do we really, truly know God? Do we know Him “in truth”? Do I? There are a lot of Christian coins in the church—and many of them are lost and don’t know it. A mighty shaking is coming, as we all know. “Will I survive it?” must be every Christian’s concern in this investigative judgment time. “Many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many…. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:11,13). Is my foot firmly planted on Christ the Rock? Or is my foot slipping? Has idolatry, under its million chameleon disguises, insidiously made many inroads into my heart? Am I afflicting my soul with the high standard? Am I searching my heart for darling sins, per 2 Corinthians 13:5? “Lord, is it I [who is about to betray You]?” (Matt. 26:22). Do I truly know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent? Do I have life eternal? Or, is my heart deceitful above all things and desperately wicked? Do I think I am an Ephesian and Philippian, when I am a Corinthian and a Galatian? “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” (Gal. 6:3). Do I use formulas, even Bible-based formulas to have a nirvana kind of “eternal life” (John 5:39) that never goes any deeper than a rote, hypnotic rendition of words, or have I dared to challenge my nirvana with the Law of God expressed in the tonic Spirit of Prophecy that sets my teeth on edge in order to have a union with a Law loving Jesus who spoke at Sinai and wrote the scriptures for that eternal life “in truth”? There is a lot packed in Paul’s definition of sin.

James’ definition of sin deals with responsibility. He assumes that faith and love are the understood mandate from heaven. So James takes faith and love to the next level. You have faith—prove it. You have love—prove it. Trust, but verify! If you can’t prove it—then you have sin! God won’t answer you prayers because if He did you would consume it upon your lusts! If we could liken Paul and John to Jones and Waggoner (which probably is a huge over simplification!) then we can liken James to Ellen White. Maybe these aren’t perfect comparisons, but there’s something to the apostle James-Ellen White connection.

“There is no evidence of genuine repentance unless it works reformation. If he restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, confess his sins, and love God and his fellow men, the sinner may be sure that he has passed from death unto life.

     When, as erring, sinful beings, we come to Christ and become partakers of His pardoning grace, love springs up in the heart. Every burden is light, for the yoke that Christ imposes is easy. Duty becomes a delight, and sacrifice a pleasure. The path that before seemed shrouded in darkness, becomes bright with beams from the Sun of Righteousness.

     The loveliness of the character of Christ will be seen in His followers. It was His delight to do the will of God. Love to God, zeal for His glory, was the controlling power in our Saviour’s life. Love beautified and ennobled all His actions. Love is of God. The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or produce it. It is found only in the heart where Jesus reigns. ‘We love, because He first loved us.’ 1 John 4:19, R.V. In the heart renewed by divine grace, love is the principle of action. It modifies the character, governs the impulses, controls the passions, subdues enmity, and ennobles the affections. This love, cherished in the soul, sweetens the life and sheds a refining influence on all around.” Steps to Christ, p. 59.

    

Both the apostle James and Ellen G. White ministries and messages were largely Old Testament, old covenant messages/ministries. This situation always happens when the current people of God are in danger of losing the first love for their new covenant responsibilities. Ellen White sounded like James the Just and John the Baptist until 1888. Then she finally started to sound like the apostle Paul spreading before us the new covenant privileges, yet with a John the Baptist tone continuously sounding in the background. But, after 1898 or so, under the guidance of Jesus, she reverted to her original old covenant, reproving language. Why? Because we were not faithful with the 1888 message, its privileges and duties. We were no longer worthy of the Latter Rain. What else could Jesus do, than put us back into Babylon. Once again, we would be “kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed” (Gal. 3:23), “till the seed should come to whom the promise was made” (Gal. 3:19). Back under the Law’s condemnation, which we deserved, and still deserve.

And, Galatians 3:19 “[the law] was given because of transgressions” relates to the terrible implications of Daniel 8:12, as well as Daniel 11:30-32, implications regarding the people of God given over to Satan because of transgression—i.e. idolatry. Everyone who knows the dark history of the apostolic church should fear another loss of first love by their generation, and then a slide into apostasy by their denomination, their congregation, their church click, and even their personal religious experience. Such a fear is only right. It’s only wise. It’s biblical. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2Cor. 13:5). “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” (Rev. 14:7,8).

If we would know the future we need only look at the past.

“And an host [Noah’s ancient Hebrew theocracy, Christianity, Protestantism, (Adventism?)] was given him [Satan and his beast power] against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.” (Dan. 8:12).

“… therefore he [Satan and his beast power] shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” (Dan. 11:30-32).

Thankfully, God has never given them all over the Satan! Thankfully God has always had a loyal remnant! “Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.” (Jer. 31:37). The true apostolic succession has always existed in the beleaguered church in the wilderness, even if only “few, that is, eight souls were saved” (1Pet. 3:20). Though few in the days of Noah, there has ever been a faithful, spiritual lineage of saints since the fall of Adam. And, there always will be. So, there’s still hope for us today!

But, are we Adventists in danger of receiving the mark of the beast? This should have been a valid concern for the apostolic church and the Reformation churches. Why shouldn’t it be a valid concern for the Adventist church today?

“God has children, many of them, in the Protestant churches, and a large number in the Catholic churches, who are more true to obey the light to the very best of their knowledge than a large number among Sabbathkeeping Adventists who do not walk in the light.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 377.

“Who has the heart? With whom are our thoughts? Of whom do we love to converse? Who has our warmest affections and our best energies? If we are Christ’s, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him. All we have and are is consecrated to Him. We long to bear His image, breathe His spirit, do His will, and please Him in all things.

     Those who become new creatures in Christ Jesus will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, ‘love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.’ Galatians 5:22, 23. They will no longer fashion themselves according to the former lusts, but by the faith of the Son of God they will follow in His steps, reflect His character, and purify themselves even as He is pure. The things they once hated they now love, and the things they once loved they hate. The proud and self-assertive become meek and lowly in heart. The vain and supercilious become serious and unobtrusive. The drunken become sober, and the profligate pure. The vain customs and fashions of the world are laid aside. Christians will seek not the ‘outward adorning,’ but ‘the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.’ 1 Peter 3:3, 4.” Steps to Christ, p. 58.

Will we be “the people that do know their God, and do exploits” (Dan. 11:32)? Will we be “they that understand among the people” and “instruct many” (Dan. 11:33), “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20)? Or, will we be among those who place “the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (Matt. 24:15), “the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot” (Dan. 8:13)? If you are reading this, you probably will rank among those who know their God.

But, we must use every tool of true education from Jesus’ testimony through His last day prophet in the Spirit of Prophecy counsels to the Laodicean church. This is of utmost necessity for us all during this intense investigative judgment, a time of strong delusion and thick darkness that are coming upon the world. We must continually place before ourselves the correct definition of sin, in all of its many aspects.

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” (2Tim. 4:2-5).

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2Tim. 3:12-17).