- CROSS OF CHRIST (short)

SCRIPTURE: Gal 3:13

HYMN 1

HYMN 2

INTRODUCTION

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PRAYER

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What is the most important truth in the Bible?

John 8:31–32 (NKJV)

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’.”

It is the truth of the gospel because it is the only truth that is able to set us free from our slavery to sin, condemnation, death and fear.

Do we SDA know the true fully restored gospel, understand it and accept?

Do we believe that as the gospel says salvation is a pure gift from God that can be accepted only through faith?

Are we free from legalism or idea that our good works and keeping commandants contribute to our salvation?

Revelation 3:16-17

Do we know ourselves better than the Word who was God and who became flesh and dwelled among us?

“Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

(v. 17) Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—

and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Why we are naked?

Because we haven’t accepted Christ’s righteousness by faith alone and have been building for years our own righteousness.

We need to be very careful to study this message on our knees, understand and accept the diagnosis, repent, and implement the solution given by Christ.

It is a life and death situation because we are told by the SOP that the rejection of this Christ’s message (the humiliating truth that we are legalists) is to cause shaking among us now!!!

“I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony of the True Witness to the Laodiceans.

Some will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God's people.

(Who will be shaken off, rejected and lost forever?

Those among us who reject or oppose it!)

Revelation 3:16

Knowing the great importance of the message let us look at it again carefully:

“Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

What does lukewarm mean?

What Christian is lukewarm?

In the bible we have 3 types of works that reflect 3 different spiritual temperatures: Works of flesh, works of faith, works of the law.

“COLD” SDA Christian represents works of the flesh (sinning)

HOT Advent represents works of faith (or works of HS in him motivated by agape love)

3. And what does the lukewarm stand for? The “LUKEWARM” stands for what kind of works?

If cold refers to the works of flesh and hot represents works of the faith and Spirit, then what does cold stand for? There is only one option:

Cold represents Works of the law (or legalism)!!!

It is even another prove that the SDA Church is God’s Church!

Are we SDA known as legalists?

Some time ago our Church paid a lot of money for the survey (in the North American division) called the Valuegenesis survey and it was to find out why many young people left our Church.

Let me read for you a quote from the preface to the book “Built Upon the Rock” which summarises the results of that survey:

“The Valuegenesis survey of Adventist youth confirmed that the vast majority of them did not believe that salvation is by faith alone. Almost all thought that they were lost because they were not good enough. The analysis of the findings showed that they learned their legalistic ideas in Adventist homes, churches, and Adventist schools. They were brought up to believe in the formula, 'I must do my best, and Christ will make up the rest’.”

If the Bible condemns legalism, where do we get this idea?

Does the SOP teach that salvation is through faith plus our works?

Quote from the book “Faith and Works”:

“There is not a point that needs to be dwelt upon more earnestly, repeated more frequently, or established more firmly in the minds of all than the impossibility of fallen man meriting anything by his own best good works. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone!” (FW 18,3)

On the basis of Rev 3:16-17 I can say that if I am a lukewarm legalists, I deceive myself if I think that what I do make me better than cold members who produce works of flesh (who sin).

But who is in a better condition, the lukewarm or cold members according to the True Witness?

Does Jesus say He will vomit cold sinners or lukewarm legalists?

He states clearly that He will vomit the lukewarm legalists and not cold sinning members!!!

Why?

Because there is still hope for the cold believers because they know they are wretched, poor, blind and naked but lukewarm legalists don’t know.

And because Jesus says “I did not come to call the lukewarm righteous legalists but cold sinners to repentance!”

Jack Sequeira, STUDY OF HEBREWS (last chapter):

“I learned some tremendous lessons in the mission field. 

“Under the Idi Amin regime in Uganda and during the Marxist revolution in Ethiopia, the members who we thought would turn their backs to the Church the quickest, were the ones who stood for Christ.

I was shocked when some of the members that I thought were liberal and worldly, stood up for Christ and were willing to die. 

But many of those who were regarded as holy and were always active, denied Christ and left the Church or became the enemies of the church.

So I said to myself, 'we should never judge by outward appearance’ because we don’t know the heart of another individual.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, please let us accept the testimony of the True Witness and be humble before God:

2 Chronicles 7:14

“If my people who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways ...

(what is our wicked way?

It is our own way of salvation, salvation by my works or legalism,

then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin (sin of legalism) and heal their land (by outpouring the HS).”

SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF LEGALISM

Revelation 3:18

What is very interesting here is that these three priceless values offered by Christ do not seem to be free. You have to buy them!

Please notice Rev 3:18: “I counsel you to buy....”

The gold tried in the fire, and the white clothes, and the eyesalve — when you look at these things in Scripture, you will discover that they are free gifts of God.

Then why does God say to Laodicea, “You must buy”?

Well, they are free gifts only for sinners, only for those who are “poor in spirit.”

But to people who are self-righteous like the Jews were, it is not free.

The word, “buying” is “exchanging.”

Now, Laodicea or we, do have something that is very valuable to us and it is our own righteousness, our own good deeds.

One of our pastors tried to encourage another pastor to accept the gift of salvation through faith alone and give up on legalism, but he answered, “Are you saying to me that I have to give up 45 years of successful ministry for the Righteousness of Christ?”

You see, the more success you have, the harder it is. And I want to turn to a man who was very successful, because what

The Lord is saying to us, “You must give up your self-righteousness which you think has made you rich, you must give it up, in exchange for My Righteousness.”

THE GOSPEL

As we carefully study the gospel, especially the book of Romans, and other Paul’s epistles, there are 4 key elements of the Gospel preached by Paul:

The sin problem and sinfulness of human kind.

Humanity or incarnation of our Lord.

The very popular in Paul’s writing the in Christ motif which is found almost exclusively in his writings.

The cross or death of the Son of God and followed by His resurrection.

DEFINITION OF SIN

In order to understand and appreciate, the gospel including the cross of Christ, we must make sure we understand the truth about sin and our sinful condition.

Romans 7:17

For most of us the definition of sin for which we are condemned is the transgression of the law. But our sins as transgressions of the law are only fruits of another sin, sin which is in us that is the key reason we are condemned and must die.

Romans 7:17 (NKJV)

“But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”

When Adam and Eve were created by God they were perfectly filled with HS and agape love and it was the presence of HS and agape that generated that glories garment of light they were covered with.

Unfortunately, when they sinned and chose Lucifer’s way of life, HS and agape disappeared and were replaced by invented by Lucifer law of sin selfishness.

And because all of us are multiplication or extension of Adam’s condemned life, we all are born in this world with the same evil law of sin and selfishness in us.

Therefore, as soon as we appear in this world, even before we sin, the law condemns us to eternal death because it can’t allow to live forever anyone contaminated with the matrix of sin and selfishness.

Some claim that we become sinners when we start sinning but if you look at an apple tree when it doesn’t yet produce any apples, does it mean that it is not an apple tree? No, it is an apple tree. Apples don’t make the tree an apple tree. Apples only prove or confirm that it is an apple tree.

The same is in our case. Our sins don’t make us sinners. They only prove or confirm we are sinners by nature.

2 Cor 5:21

It was especially that singular sin we are born with, that Christ “was made” and took in Himself to the cross to save us from it.

“For He (God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin (singular) for us, that we might become the righteousness (singular) of God in Him.”

John 1:29 (NKJV)

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin (singular) of the world!”

Romans 8:3 (NKJV)

“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh”. Since we couldn’t save ourselves by keeping the law because of our flesh, because of our sinful natures and the law of sin that is pulling us toward sin and selfishness all the time! How God saved us? “God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin (singular) in the flesh (in whose flesh? In our corporate flesh Christ took, of course!)”.

Let us keep in mind that to accept and appreciate the gospel as a pure gift we must understand and acknowledge that we are all lost hopeless sinners, unable to save ourselves or even able to contribute to our salvation through any of our good deeds.

DARKNESS - FOREST DANIELKI

Back in Poland, about one year after my baptism, when Poland was still under communism, I was working as a colporteur (or literature evangelists) and I was distributing Bibles and our books, especially Great Controversy, Desire of Ages, and Steps to Christ in Polish mountains.

I was living in the house of an Adventist family in a very small village on the top of the mountain about 1000 m (or 3300 feet) above sea level. In order to get there from the closest village or a bus stop it took me about an hour of walking up the hill through the big pine forest.

And one day, during the winter time, when the sun was setting very early, I was coming from distributing our books, and I forgot to take the flashlight. So, after walking for about 15 minutes, it got so dark that I couldn’t see the path anymore. Although it was winter and snow was everywhere, the thick clouds and tall pine trees made it impossible to see anything even my hand. So for some time I was groping in a complete darkness not knowing where I was going. So I got scared because it was winter, and mountains could be dangerous.

In addition, my Adventist friend told me that some time earlier when he was going at night through the same forest, a devil or something inhuman jumped on him and he was fighting with it. And he was serious. But he was much taller and stronger than me and had highest degree in judo so he could fight, but I felt like an easy pray.

So, every time a pine tree or a bush touched me I felt it was that devil that was about to jump on me and every time it happened I felt like I was about to have a heart attack.

You see, my problem is that initially under stress I first look for human solutions or get overwhelmed by discouragement and feel like God has abandoned me.

But eventually I came to my senses and realised that I was completely and hopelessly lost and that God was able to save me. So, I humbly knelt on the snow and feeling afraid and completely lost I begged the Lord to save me.

And guess what happened after I finished that desperate prayer. Before I started praying, there was a complete darkness, like in a grave. After I finished that short desperate heartfelt prayer and opened my eyes, although I am not sure why I closed them in that darkness. Anyway, as soon as I opened my eyes, I immediately could see the road.

So I got up and said, wow! Thank you Lord! And now I could walked with hope, and after only few minutes of walking I saw a small light from a distance. And when I quickly got closer, I recognised a house in that darkness. And guess what house was it. It was the house of that Adventist family where I was staying.

When I got home, I realised that when I was groping in complete darkness and felt like abandoned by God and discouraged, I was deceived by my negative feelings, because in reality God was loving me, taking care of me, and He was leading me home through that scary depressing darkness because God always keep His promises.

That experience also helped me to understand that without God, without Lord Jesus and His saving grace, I am darkness, wretched, poor naked and blind, and only He can make me light, rich, able to see, and cover my shameful nakedness with His righteousness.

And we all must understand and accept this truth if we want to be saved. If we don’t understand and accept it we are still lost because Christ said He “did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" and salvation through faith alone.

Ephesians “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord”.

HUMANITY OF CHRIST

Having said that, we can understand why we are told that the “humanity of Christ is everything to us ...” and we are to study this subject but we don’t.

If we accept a wrong idea about the humanity of Lord Jesus then also the gospel we accept and proclaim is distorted and deprived of its power.

In addition, we risk a lot because Paul says that,

“if anyone preaches different gospel than the gospel he presented especially in the book of Romans, let him be accursed (anathema) or deprived of eternal life!”

Do you know that before 1960s the SDA Church was basically the only Christian denomination teaching that Christ took our sinful nature? And because of that we were condemned by other protestant and evangelical churches.

At that time Walter Martin the popular evangelical author wrote a book about 4 major christian cults or sects that included Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Science, and SD Adventists. And after writing the book he said he would not remove us from among sects unless we change our position on the humanity of Christ. Because, he said, no Evangelical reliable theologian taught at that time that Christ took our sinful nature.

But in 1962, a British evangelical (non Adventist) scholar by the name Harry Johnson published his doctoral dissertation titled The Humanity of the Savior (Epworth Press) and proved both historically and biblically that what Christ did not assume, He could not redeem:

“The eternal Son of God ... took human nature as it was because of the Fall. Despite this, He lived a perfect, sinless life, and finally redeemed this ‘fallen nature’ through the Cross. This victory is the basis of Atonement.”

Since that time, many leading protestant theologians such as Anders Nygren, Charles Cranfield (editor of The International Critical Commentary), Thomas Torrance, James Dunn, Karl Barth, and many others) accepted the truth that Christ took our sinful nature.

Well, was Walter Martin right including us among Christian cults because we claimed that Christ took our sinful nature?

No! We were the only Christian denomination at that time that was correct.

IN CHRIST MOTIF

CORPORATE SALVATION OF ENTIRE SINFUL HUMANITY IN CHRIST

The in Christ motif, very common in the letters written by apostle Paul, is beautifully expressed in the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, comment to 2 Corinthians 5:14 (NKJV):

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died.” AORIST

Francis Nichol, The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, comment to 2 Corinthians 5:14 (NKJV):

“In taking Adam’s place Christ became the head of the human race, and died on the cross as its representative.

Thus, in a sense, when He died the entire race died with Him. As He represented all men, so His death stood for the death of all. In Him, all men died.

This does not, however, mean universal salvation, for each individual sinner must accept the atonement provided by the Saviour in order to make it effective”

Rom 6:6 ...

2 Cor 5:19 ...

But you may say, we were not alive at that time, so how could we die in and with Christ?

Well, yes, we were not physically alive but our condemned corporate “bios” life and the representative sinful human nature egsisted at that time. Jesus took them, overcame and carried to the cross.

Romans 5:18

“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life (zoe).”

Because of one representative sin of Adam we all inherited the condemned to death bios life, likewise, because of the representative obedience in our corporate flesh and death on the cross of the our corporate condemned bios life in Christ, the free gift of eternal zoe life came to all of us!

Let me give you an example. You remember Usain Bolt

What country did he represent?

Is here anyone who was born in Jamaica?

We ja se? :-)

Did you watch him winning the 100 m races during Olympic games in Beijing or London, or when he broke that incredible 100 m WR in Berlin?

What did you feel when you watched him winning?

You were extremely happy and proud and you had tears in your eyes.

But why?

Because he was your fellow citizen, fellow country man, your representative. Therefore his victory was yours!

I remember when Polish football team in 1978 lost with Argentina during the world cup, I was crying and couldn’t sleep for the whole night.

And when in 1974 Polish football team defeated Argentina, Italy or Brazil, I also cried out of joy and again couldn’t sleep.

Why many of us experience such a powerful feelings and emotions?

In Poland when Polish football team was winning all Polish people were saying “we won”.

Why we said we won?

It wasn't us who physically played the game. It was the football players who did that.

But we were excited and could say we won because they were representing the entire nation. Because their victory was ours!

When Jesus Christ appeared in our sinful ruled by satan world, he took our flesh, He came as our brother in the flesh, our family, our representative. He came to play an extremely dangerous life and death match against satan and his team, sin and death.

And our great Brother in the flesh as the Son of Men perfectly defeated sin in our flesh and then he also experienced the second death on our behalf but overcame it too winning the match two nil. And because he was our representative, He was us, He was humanity, what we all can say. We have the right to say “we won”!

1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV)

“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”

Professor William Warren Prescott (1855–1944), a member of the General Conference Executive Committee for forty-two years.

Prescott was probably the first theologian through whom God restored to us the glorious truth about corporate salvation of the entire sinful human race in Christ preached by apostle Paul (2Cor 5:14,19; Rom 5:18; 1Cor 15:22).

The following quote comes from the most beautiful sermon delivered by Professor Prescott in 1895 in Armadale (“a:madeil”) (Australia). The tent was full when he was preaching and Ellen White was present and was very excited when she was listening. Later on she wrote that Prof Prescott experienced the outpouring of HS and the truth was separated from the error:

"Jesus Christ had exactly the same flesh that we bear, — flesh of sin, flesh in which we sin, flesh, however, in which He did not sin... We were all in Jesus Christ... He was our representative; He became flesh; He became we... All humanity was brought together in Jesus Christ. He suffered on the cross, then, it was the whole family in Jesus Christ that was crucified".

Dahud, Egyptian SDA - Sequeira

SHORT

In 1990 I was invited for a one year-long health training to America and we were also invited by Dr Agatha Thrash to the Uchi Pines institute in Tennessee, where she invited Pastor Jack Sequeira and for 7 days twice a day we could listen to him explaining the gospel on the basis of the book of Romans.

And when he was dealing with the passages of Romans where Paul stated that we all died with Christ, Pastor Sequeira told us that when he was working as a missionary in Ethiopia, he was invited to preach during the week of prayer in an Adventist college.

And one day, after he finished preaching, a senior student from Egypt whose name was Dahoud (Da’ud), asked pastor Sequeira if it was OK for him to join Egyptian army and fight Israel. So, Pastor answered that he shouldn't carry arms and kill others because he died in Christ and was hidden with Christ in God.

But Dahoud said, no I am not dead and will join the army. So, Pastor gave him few Bible verses to prove he died with and in Christ. But since Dahoud disagreed again, pastor Sequeira said, OK David, but remember you are not opposing me but the Word of God.

Unfortunately, soon after that, Dahoud was testing a tractor with his instructor and when they were driving down the hill, the breaks stopped working, and the tractor hit a big tree. Dahoud was take to the hospital and after careful examination was pronounced dead by two physicians.

However, at the same time a group of students from the seminary school were praying for him. And when the nurse came to cover the body of the dead Dahoud she noticed that his eye blinked so she quickly called the doctor and found that Dahoud’s hear was beating again and that he came back to life.

When pastor Sequeira was told that Dahoud was alive, he came to the hospital to visit him after a week or so. And when he came, Dahoud was lying on the bed with his head almost completely covered with bandages except his eyes and mouth.

So, pastor Sequeira said, Hi Dahoud, how are you? And he said he would never forget Dahoud’s answer. When pastor asked, how are you, the same Dahoud who previously refused to accept the truth about his death in Christ, smiled and answered with his week voice “Dahoud is dead. You are talking to a Christian.”

He learned the truth in a very painful way.

Colossians 3:3 (NKJV)

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

2 Timothy 2:11 (NKJV)

“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.”

CROSS OF CHRIST

Now, after understanding the subjects of sin, humanity of Christ, the in Christ motif and difference between condemned bios life and eternal zoe life, we can deal with the most holy subject of the cross and death of our Lord.

If the great apostle Paul was given opportunity to preach here only one sermon, what would he preach about?

1 Corinthians 2:2

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Signs of the Times, December 30, 1889.

“The death of Christ on the cross of Calvary is our only hope in this world, and it will be our theme in the world to come...It is the greatest subject that can engage the human mind.”

WAGES OF SIN

Rom 6:23: “The wages of sin (singular) is death.”

What sin is punished with death?

Any sin, but especially the root of sin, the law of sin, selfishness and death we are born with.

WHICH DEATH IS THE WAGES OF SIN

According to the Word of God, there are two types of death, first one is known as sleep until resurrection and the second one is everlasting death (becoming nothing forever).

Which death is the wages of sin, first or second death?

According to 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

“those who … do not obey the gospel (including unconverted sinners who reject the gospel and all Adventist legalists… ) … shall be punished with everlasting destruction."

WHICH DEATH DID CHRIST SAVE US FROM?

Since the penalty for sin is eternal death, which death Jesus had to go through for us to save us from everlasting death?

Did God save us through Christ’s death from the first death?

Do we Christians die with the first death?

Yes, therefore, Christ didn’t save us from this death!

Do true believers in Christ die with the second or everlasting death?

No.

Why?

The true believers do not die with the everlasting death, which means that Christ himself had to go through the experience of the everlasting death to save them according to the demands of the law (Rom 3:26).

If He didn’t experience eternal death for us, then He can’t save us because we as sinners are condemned to eternal death and there was no way to bypass that sentence.

Rev 20: 6

Which death has no power over believers?

“Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection; over them, the second death has no power”.

Why did John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, write that those who believed in Christ would not die with a second death?

There can be only one answer to this question; sincere Christians will not have to die forever because there was someone who already died with such a death on their behalf.

The first death cannot be the penalty for sin at all, for this death is only a waiting room, an unconscious sleep before the resurrection.

GETHSEMANE

How do we know that Jesus was experiencing the second death for us?

First, He was extremely afraid of something in the garden of Gethsemane.

He was so frightened that He was sweating with blood. This phenomenon is known in medicine as HEMATOHYDROSIS and is caused by extreme fear and stress. For instance, during the WW II here in London, there were some people who were sweating with blood as a result of extreme fear of death when German aeroplanes were bombarding London. Extreme fear is a form of powerful stress causing overproduction of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol which are sources of free radicals that damage the smallest blood vessels - capillaries, causing them to leak blood into sweat glands and leading to sweating with blood.

What was the reason Christ was so afraid that He was sweating with blood?

He felt he was going to experience the wrath of God against the law of sin and countless of our sins He took on our behalf.

But the main factor by far that made Him feel so afraid was that because He was made sin and curse for us He started feeling that horrible separation from the love of His Father that later, on the cross, broke His heart.

Unfortunately, we can’t understand how horrible it was for Christ because we don’t know how wide and long and deep and high was that the everlasting love between Christ and His Father.

CUP (MEANING)

Why in Gethsemane while sweating with blood and praying Jesus was asking His Father to remove the mysterious CUP from him? (Mat 26: 37-39)

In order to answer this question, we must find out what is the meaning of the word "cup":

According to Revelation 14:10 the “cup” is associated with the wrath of God, His indignation, tormenting with fire and brimstone (or hell fire)” clearly referring to eternal death and curse.

Also in Ezekiel 23:32–33 the “cup” refers to “horror” and “desolation”: “Thus says the Lord God: ‘You shall drink of your sister’s cup, … The cup of horror and desolation (isolation).”

The "cup" in the Bible symbolises the wrath of God that is to fall upon unrepentant sinners. This wrath is associated with horror, eternal separation from God, and eternal death in fire.

Death of Christ & the Gospel

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life’” (John 3:14-15, NKJV)

Why serpent is a strange symbol of Christ? Because serpent represents Satan the originator of sin.

Why Christ was presented to the rebellious God’s people under the symbol of Satan?

Because He took the nature he invented and developed including the law of sin and selfishness that was also the cause of the rebellion of God’s people in the wilderness of sin.

And this is exactly what SOP says:

“Sons and Daughters of God” - Page 222: “What a strange symbol of Christ was that likeness of the serpents that stung them. This symbol was lifted on a pole, and they were to look to it, and be healed. So Jesus was made in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom 8:3). He came as the sin-bearer (singular sin bearer)”.

Today we are the rebellious people of God who sin in the wilderness who were also bitten by Satan with his deadly venom of the law of sin and selfishness .

How can we be healed saved?

Not by our works, but only by looking at Jesus hanging on the pole or the cross.

But can we be healed and saved if we look at hanging on the cross Christ with the holy human nature of Adam before the fall?

No!

There is no healing or salvation in such Christ!

It is a catholic Christ, the deadly fruit of the introduced by satan heresy of the immaculate conception of Mary!

Long time ago the serpent introduced the heresy of the immaculate conception of Mary to make Christian believe that she was free from sinful nature and therefore since she conceived not from sinful human husband but from HS and she was holy and free from sinful nature, the Son she gave birth to could have only holy human nature of Adam before he sinned.

SALVATION LEGAL ONLY THROUGH THE CROSS OF CHRIST

Why we can’t save ourselves by our good works and why we can be saved only by accepting Christ’s death?

Rom 3:26

Because God must be “just justifying a sinner”

God had to maintain His justice and His integrity to the law when He justified us, sinners, through faith in Christ. It means that the righteous God had to save us not by bypassing the demands of the law but by fulfilling the demands of the law.

What are the 2 key demands of the law for us to let us live forever?

We must perfectly keep the law for from birth till death (including in our thoughts and desires). If we sin only one time and even if we sin in our thought we are finished.

Since we have already sinned and are born with sin of iniquity dwelling in us we must die forever because the wages of sin is death.

Could any of us meet these two requirements?

No.

So, since we couldn’t save ourselves, God in his mercy worked a wonderful plan of salvation.

How did God save us?

God sent His own Son to our sinful world and saved us through and in Him.

How He did it?

First, God had to qualify Christ to be our saviour. How God qualified Jesus to become our Saviour?

Heb 2:16–18

16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.

17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His BRETHREN, .... to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

In order qualify himself to be our legal saviour Christ had to take nor the nature of angels, not the holy nature Adam had before his sinned, but Christ had to take the nature of Abraham’s decedents and the nature of Christ’s brethren. Who are the brethren of Christ? The brethren are those who believe in Him, like His disciples, like us. What nature do Abraham’s decedents and brethren have?

Sinful nature including the indwelling law of sin.

Ok, so first God in order to save us legally according to the demands of the law He made Christ our Brother in the flesh and our Representative.

So, how God saved us through Christ who became our Brother in the flesh?

We say that Christ perfectly obeyed God’s law instead of us and He took our sins and He died on the cross instead of us and in this way He redeemed us from death.

Do you agree with this?

If you agree, then I have a question for you.

During the great reformation Catholic theologians accused reformers that the gospel they taught was a moral fiction, because no law allows someone righteous to die instead of a criminal. And they quoted texts from the Bible to prove their point:

Ezekiel 18:20

The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for (instead of) the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.

Have you heard about Ted Bundy a notorious killer who killed many women in America in 1970s. When he was condemned to death, his mother asked the judge to let her die instead of her son. Did the judge allow her to die instead of her son? No. Why not? Because no righteous law allows someone innocent to die instead of guilty.

Likewise, how it is possible that we claim God saved us according to the demands of His law by allowing innocent Christ to die instead of us condemned sinners?

Is there any way to defend God’s way of saving sinners and answer to the accusations from Catholic and Muslim scholars?

There was only one way to do this:

1 Cor 15:21-22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Here Paul explains how God can justify sinners while still maintaining His integrity to His law that condemns them to death.

Rom 5:18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

2 Cor 5:14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died (AORIST)

SDA Bible Commentary, comment to 2 Cor 5:14:

“In taking Adam’s place Christ became the head of the human race, and died on the cross as its representative. Thus, in a sense, when He died the entire race died with Him. As He represented all men, so His death stood for the death of all. In Him all men died. This does not, however, mean universal salvation, for each individual sinner must accept the atonement provided by the Saviour in order to make it effective.” (Francis Nichol, The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary)

Why we all had to die in Christ?

We all had to die in Christ because it wasn’t Christ that was condemned to death but we sinners.

And there was only one way to satisfy that demand of the law. We had to die.

How did God do it?

He placed us in Christ and we died in Him!

Rom 7:4 “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another; to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.” Rom 7:6 “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

Romans 6:6 “knowing this, that our old self (man) was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

Did Jesus die for all sinners?

Were all sinners (believers and unbelievers) included in Christ’s death?

2 Cor 5:19 “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them.”

Heb 2:9 (pantes = everything) this gift of salvation needs activation through faith like D3 needs to be activated in kidneys by magnesium to D4.

Will every sinner be saved?

No. Why not?

The gift of salvation for all sinners past present and future has been accomplished 2000 years ago and posted to all sinners. It is available at the heavenly post office for all.

BUT, since it is a GIFT it needs to be collected from the post office by true faith and in this way it is made effective. The gift of salvation which is already sent too all needs to be activated by faith.

The problem is that there are many sinners who needs a head examine because they do not accept this wonderful gift.

Can little babies who died in mother’s womb or after they were born be saved?

Can my little sister Sabina who died after birth be saved?

Well, the Bible doesn’t say anything about it but, if my sister and other babies will resurrect, will they live forever because they never sinned?

No, because they were already infected with the indwelling law of sin and condemned by the law.

Psalm 51:5

"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me."

So, if they will be saved it can be possible only because they and their law of sin were included in Christ when He died on the cross.

How do I know it?

Heb 2:9 says "Christ tasted death" for how many people? “EVERYONE”

Greek text says He tasted (eternal) death not only for all men but "for all things" for "everything".

And that includes babies, animals, plants and all things that were effected by sin.

But please do not spread the news that I said animals and plants will be saved.

What I am saying is that God in Jesus has right and can save whoever and whatever He wishes because in His Son everything was created, because He took our representative sinful nature and thus represented all sinful humanity and because He tasted death for every sinner and all things contaminated with sin according to Heb 2:9.

Ok, so we know that Christ saved us by tasting death for everyone but which death He tasted?

John 3:14, 15

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so (likewise) must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”

“It Is Finished!”

Read John 19:30. What is the crucial message to us in Jesus’ statement, “It is finished”?

What was finished on the cross?

While Jesus was hanging on the cross, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders mocked Him, saying “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him” (Matt. 27:42, NKJV).

Could Christ have come down from the cross and saved Himself?

Yes.

Read John 3:14–18 and Romans 6:23. What do these verses teach that Christ’s death has accomplished for us?

Famous German theologian and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was sentenced to death by hanging and killed by Hitler at the end of World War Two – said:

"When God calls you He calls you to die. First – God calls you to accept your death in Christ which took place 2000 years ago. Second – He calls you to die daily to self through the indwelling power of Holy Spirit. And third – He may also call you to die physically as a martyr when the time comes".

A certain pastor who worked in Africa as a missionary one day asked a group of believers living in a village in Africa:

- What do you think, how many people have died till now in the whole world from the beginning of the world's history?

- O pastor – they answered – you should know. Millions and millions. Who can count them.

- No – said the pastor – you are wrong. All those people only fell asleep. There was only one Person who was truly dying. It is Jesus Christ.

Explain the meaning of complete darkness (see lesson)

The Cosmic Struggle (it refers to the feelings, emotions and faith of Christ when He was dying for us on the cross) Matthew 27:45–46

What does this teach us about what Christ experienced on the cross?

What did Jesus mean by asking God why He had forsaken Him,

and how does this scene help us understand what it means to have “the faith of Jesus”?

Matthew 27:45–46

“Now from the sixth hour (noon time) until the ninth hour (3 am) there was darkness over all the land.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’”

What was the meaning of that complete darkness in the middle of the day?

Ephesians 5:8

When God created Adam and Eve they were sinless, filled with Holy Spirit and God's agape love. As a result, the beautiful light of the indwelling HS and agape penetrated through their bodies and was visible outside of their bodies. They like their bodies were covered with a beautiful garment of light.

And what happened when they believed Lucifer and chose his way of life?

The HS and agape left them and the light disappeared. They become spiritually dead. What happened with the light? It disappeared and they became darkness. They were contaminated with the law of sin and selfishness invented by Lucifer.

We all are the multiplication of their life and therefore we come into this world not as light but as darkness (spiritually dead) and as such we are born condemned to eternal death before we even sin.

What was the meaning of the total darkness that took place when Christ was dying?

Jude 13

“for whom (false leaders) is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” (eternal death)

The Bible Knowledge Commentary: “Apostate leaders will be swallowed up into the blackest darkness forever; eternal judgment is certain for them.”

What does this teach us about what Christ experienced on the cross?

What did Jesus mean by asking God why He had forsaken Him?

Desire of Ages (Chapter 78—Calvary)

“The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man.”

Have you ever experienced pain caused by being rejected by someone you loved more than your life?

If you do you can understand but only a very tiny glimpse of Christ's suffering on the cross.

“The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb...

He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal.”

Have we wondered why a crown of thorns was placed on the Saviour’s head?

Certainly to ridicule him, but maybe it had some deeper meaning?

What do thorns symbolise in the Bible?

When the earth was cursed because of sin, God said to Adam, “thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you.” Genesis 3:18

Heb 6:8

“If it (earth) bears thorns ..., it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.”

The crown of thorns, like the cup, stands for the curse in the Bible.

Many Christians do not see that the Savior tasted eternal death for us, because they look at the cross only through the eyes of Roman soldiers who saw there only a physically suffering man.

However, when we look at Jesus dying on the cross from the Jewish point of view, we can see something that was the reason why Jesus' disciples were never the same again after the cross.

What type of death punishment was used by Jews in order to execute those who were sentenced to death? Many times they tried to kill Christ or Apostle Paul. How they wanted to kill them? They always attempted to stone them. Therefore, the question is, if they always punished those who were sentenced to death with stoning why they cried out to Pilate to crucify Christ?

They wanted Pilate to crucify Christ because they hated Him so much they wanted something much worse than death for Him. They had in mind what Moses wrote in the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy 21:22–23

“If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.”

The Jews hated Christ so much they wanted Him to be hanged on a tree because they wanted Christ to be cursed by God which in their understanding was the same as eternal death.

No wonder then that when Christ’s disciples saw Christ hanging on a tree it was very difficult for them to continue believing in Him because they were Jewish and they remembered that text.

Let me read for you a comment to Deuteronomy 21: 22-23 I have found in the popular Matthew Henry's Commentary:

"Those who in those days saw a man hanging between heaven and earth knew that he was cursed and unworthy not only of heaven, but even of earth."

It is remarkable, and for many even shocking, that according to the Word of God Jesus actually became such curse for us.

Gal 3:13

If someone asked me to choose only one verse from the Bible that is of greatest value for me, for entire humanity, and the universe, without any hesitation I would chose Galatians 3:13.

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, becoming a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree."

Remembering, then, that according to Galatians 3:10, the curse of the law is the second death, we can read Gal 3:13 as follows:

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law (that is, from the second death), becoming a curse for us (sharing in the second death for us), for it is written, Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree."

Thus, the fact that Christ "hung on a tree" becoming a curse for us must mean that, as the representative of all sinful mankind, He Himself passed through the experience of this second, eternal death, which is the curse of the Law.

Thus, "tree," or cross, also means "curse."

This is why Paul wrote in Galatians 6:14:

"God forbid, that I may boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified for me and I for the world."

Here's how Ellen White comments on this passage:

"Christ, the personification of mankind, was to suffer beyond the borders of Jerusalem. He died in a place outside the city, where criminals and murderers were killed. The words are full of meaning: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13)”. (The Life of Jesus, ed. VII, p.588)

The fact that the Son of God became a curse for us means that at some point hanging on the cross (tree) he felt like a sinner dying forever and rejected by God.

It was for this reason, going through unimaginable sufferings, that he cried out to the Father in despair (Matthew 27:46):

"Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani! What does it mean, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

The answer to this question is found in the passage from the Gospel of John that we know well (3:16):

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son."

Although in fact God was very close to His Son at that time and suffered no less than He Himself, He could not make Him feel His presence, for the Lord Jesus had to drink the cup of God's wrath to the end and feel like a sinner dying forever.

God has countless children in the universe whom He loves, but the Son who has always been with Him since eternity had only one. And though He loved Him as much as no one else in the entire universe, He allowed Him to experience unimaginable suffering because of us.

The Scriptures say nothing about how God the Father Himself felt when His Beloved Son asked him why he, whose love had accompanied him from eternity, had now left him. We can only guess that this was as terrible and painful for God as it was for His Son. God the Father undoubtedly suffered with Christ out of love for us and to save us from eternal destruction. This was because they are a perfect unity.

Sister White understood the matter in the same way, as evidenced by what she wrote in her commentary on Mat. 27:45-46:

"The angels suffered with Christ. God Himself was crucified with Him, because Christ was one with the Father."

BLOOD AND WATER

Have we ever wondered why Jesus died much earlier than others who were crucified?

Death by crucifixion usually occurred after three to seven days, approximately 70 to 180 hours. However, Christ died after only six hours.

That's why when Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate to ask for Jesus' body, Pilate was surprised by the unusually quick death. He called the centurion to confirm if it was true:

Mark 15:43-45

"Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph."

The fact that the death of the Savior occurred unnaturally quickly, considering the method of execution, indicates that it was not a result of being nailed to the cross.

We can learn about the true cause of Christ's death based on John 19:32-35:

"So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe."

Why does John make such an effort to assure us that what he wrote is true?

It is evident that blood flowed from Christ's side, but where did the water come from?

Can the explanation of this phenomenon be found in modern medical textbooks?

I did some research in books and found several interesting explanations:

The heart muscle is located in the pericardial sac, which is filled with a small amount of pericardial fluid that resembles water in appearance.

However, experts state that as a result of inflammation of the heart muscle or extreme circulatory failure, there may be an accumulation of pericardial fluid in the pericardial sac.

HEALTH ENCYCLOPEDIA: "However, due to extremely weak blood circulation, there may be an accumulation of non-inflammatory (transudate) fluid in the pericardial sac, which is a consequence of, among other things, circulatory failure" (Mała Encyklopedia Zdrowia, 8th edition, volume II, p. 847).

Such extreme circulatory weakness certainly occurred as a result of the crucifixion of Christ. Circulatory failure caused a significant accumulation of pericardial fluid (water) in Christ's pericardial sac, and when the immense stress resulting from unimaginable sorrow and depression caused the Savior's heart to rupture, blood mixed with a large amount of pericardial fluid resembling water came out of the pericardial sac.

When one of the soldiers then pierced the side of the Savior with a spear, blood and water immediately flowed out, which proves that the death of the Son of God occurred due to a heart rupture.

"The Life of Jesus," p. 612, 7th edition.

"It was not the spear thrust and crucifixion that caused Jesus' death. The cry uttered 'with a loud voice' (Matt. 27:50; Luke 23:46) at the moment of death, as well as the stream of blood and water that flowed from the pierced side, testify that death occurred as a result of heart rupture. This heart ruptured due to spiritual agony, as it was struck by the sins of the world."

Why did the Heart of Christ rupture?

It ruptured because it was struck by my sins!

If I know this and yet Jesus is not the most important Person in my life, it can only be commented on with one word:

SHAME!

And this is how E. White expressed it in the book "Steps to Christ":

"Do you feel that giving everything to Christ is too great a sacrifice? Ask yourself, 'What has Christ given for me?' The Son of God gave everything—His life, His love, and His suffering. Is it possible for us, unworthy of such great love, to withhold our hearts from Him?

When we surrender all, what are we actually surrendering? We give Jesus our hearts, stained with sin, that He may cleanse them with His own blood and save us with His infinite love! And yet, people still think it is difficult to give everything. I am ashamed when I hear this, ashamed even to write about it."

3 QUARKS VANISH WHEN SEPARATED…

I find it very interesting that in the nucleus of every atom, there are three created by God quarks (smallest particles) that make one proton or one neutron. Those three quarks are bound together by a powerful energy called by scientists “the gluon” or “the strong atomic force”. I believe that God created protons and neutrons in this way to show us that like those three quarks bound together by the strong nuclear force make one proton or one neutron, also God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are all bound together by the powerful everlasting Agape love thus making one Triune God.

The three Persons of the Godhead are one because they “permeate” each other (dwell in One Another). For instance, when One of Them suffers, Others feel the same. All three don’t have the beginning of their existence and are perfectly united in thoughts, power and love even though at the same time they are three separate Persons.

According to one physicist, “if quarks are forced into isolation, they decay in a micro-instant, as if they have no way to survive out of the relationship”. What he suggests is that the three quarks forming one proton or one neutron, can exist and survive only when they are together! If separated and forced to be alone they die and cease to exist!

Likewise, the three Persons of the Godhead greatly enjoy their eternal tri-union of love. Being alone would deprive God of the very purpose of His existence – the ability to love and to be loved. Therefore, being aware of this and knowing how great His love is, we can rightly assume that there was never a time when God was alone. He always (from everlasting times) had Someone Else to love and to be loved. This is how I see it and to me, it is another miracle of God and a wonderful truth.

MONIKA TOMASZEWSKA

Long time ago, when I was about 25, I fell in love with a beautiful girl so much that I completely lost my head. She was a member of the same local SDA Church, and for a long time I was hoping that the Lord would have mercy on me. Unfortunately, one day I realised that my dream would never come true, I went through such a horrible distress that I could feel emotional pain and it lasted for the whole night and can’t be compared to any physical pain, and few times in my life I experienced an unbearable physical pain for a long time. But that mental anguish was stronger than that physical and felt it for the entire night.

Thank God I have survived that crush, and later on I even praised God for that experience because it helped me to understand a little better how devastating must had been what Christ when He felt that His greatest love - His Father, stopped loving Him.

Why the suffering Christ went through in Gethsemane and on the cross was incomparably greater than mine?

Because my love toward that girl was very tiny compared with the eternal agape love that existed between Lord Jesus and His Father.

GOLDEN FLOWER

…

Long time ago I heard a true story that took place in Taiwan where according to an old Chinese tradition parents chose a wife for their son.

One day, the parents said to their son, "We have finally found a suitable girl for you. The wedding will take place in three weeks!"

Finally, the wedding day came. A beautifully dressed bride was introduced. According to tradition, her face was covered.

Her name was Golden Flower.

When the wedding ceremony was over and they were alone, he could finally unveil her face. But when he did that, he got very disappointed because her face wasn't pretty at all. So, he got out of the house and refused to live with her.

For a long time his parents tried to convince him that although the girl wasn't beautiful, she was a very humble and wonderful Christian, intelligent and hardworking, and they couldn't find a better wife for him.

Finally, after six months he decided to listen to his parents and returned home. Although he agreed to live with her, he never took her outside or brought any friends home.

After some time, his wife gave birth to a daughter. And when the girl turned twelve, suddenly he started loosing his eyesight. After an examination the doctor said, "You have a very rare eye disease. There is only one way that can save your eyesight. It is a cornea transplant. Unfortunately, the surgery is very expensive, and besides, there is a long waiting list for the cornea donors. So, I'm truly sorry but I have to let you know that you are going to lose your eyesight."

At home, when his wife learned about his eye disease, she said to him, "For a long time, I've been making baskets at night and saved enough money to pay for the surgery. Please take the money and pay for the operation."

"The money is not enough," he replied. "Corneas are needed, and there are too many people waiting for them. Forget about it..."

But to his surprise, just a few weeks later, he received a phone call from the hospital, "We have corneas for you! Please come to the hospital immediately for the surgery!"

After the operation, when the bandages were removed, the doctor said, "Can you see anything?"

"Yes," he replied, "but faintly, some light..."

"That's wonderful! You see the light of the lamp. The surgery was successful! In three weeks, you can go home."

The next day, his daughter came to visit him at the hospital.

"Dad, we're so happy that the operation was successful. Can mom come to the hospital to see you?"

"No," he replied. "I don't want to see her here. Come alone in three weeks."

Three weeks later, his daughter came to take him home. On the way back, he said, "I’ve heard that a man had an accident and before his death he agreed to donate his corneas to me. I have to go to the cemetery to honour that man."

When they returned home and entered the house, he saw his wife carrying a tray from the kitchen. Somewhat embarrassed, he said, "I want to thank you for the money you gave me for the operation..."

When he said that, his wife started crying, and then he realised that it was the first time he thanked her for something.

Suddenly, the daughter broke down in tears and crying uncontrollably said, "Mom, you have to tell him! Tell him the truth! He doesn't know that you gave him your corneas!"

As soon as he heard that shocking truth, he grabbed his wife, turned her around, and looked into her eyes. There were no corneas...

"Why did you do this?!" he asked "Why did you give me your corneas?"

"I did it", she replied softly, "because you are my husband".

Stunned by the mind boggling discovery, he said, "Golden Flower."

For the first time he called her by her name and then he knelt at her feet.

To save us from our wretchedness, spiritual blindness, shameful nakedness and eternal condemnation, the Son of God out of pity and endless love for us was willing to become sin and curse for us, took our shameful nature risking sin and his own eternal condemnation.

He was treated as a worst criminal for us, when he felt being eternally separated for us from his father, his greatest love, he suffered so much that we will never fully understand it even throughout eternity, and he finally died for us out of a broken heart.

Realising how much the Savior risked and suffered for us and how much He was willing to give up, we surrender our lives to Him and express heartfelt gratitude by kneeling at His feet and saying, "Golden Flower" and repeating the prayer of David Livingstone, “My Lord, my king, my everything. Send me wherever you want, just go with me”.

STEPS TO CHRIST, Chapter 5—Consecration:

“The Son of God gave all – life and love and suffering – for our redemption.

And can it be that we, the unworthy objects of so great love, will withhold our hearts from Him?

He became sin for the race! But what do we give up, when we give all? A sin-polluted heart, for Jesus to cleanse by His own blood!

And yet men think it hard to give up all! I am ashamed to hear it, ashamed to write it.”

PRAYER

Dear Father, we are very grateful to You that even though we all became sinful and condemned to eternal damnation through no fault of Your own in Adam, You decided, along with Your Son, to undergo unspeakable sufferings and endure the harshest possible punishment for us in order to save us. And it is true because Your Word says that Your Son became a "curse" for us, and if He did, then You and the Holy Spirit as well, for You are "one."

We thank You for this wonderful gospel message—for the truth that is in Christ, for it reveals the depth of Your incredible love.

However, You yourself know best, dear Father, how much Your adversary hates this truth and how he strives to prevent us from knowing it and realizing its immense and invaluable worth to us. That is why there are so many different theories and claims through which the devil seeks to distance us from the Minneapolis message. That is why even among us there are those who, despite numerous biblical evidences and the utterances of the Spirit of Prophecy, dare to deny this truth, claiming, for example, that we did not die in Christ. Forgive us, Lord, forgive us for still being slow in accepting this most important truth, just as we were over 100 years ago. However, we ask not only for forgiveness but also for You to remove all obstacles so that this wonderful message may finally be properly appreciated and accepted by us, and as a result, the expected outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the return of Your Son and our Savior will take place.

We ask that we exalt Jesus Christ not only as a church but also as the greatest value in each of our personal lives. Because the enemy of the gospel does everything to deprive us of time for Christ...

And often he succeeds. That is why we are ashamed of it. We are ashamed because we know how much we owe Him... We know what the cup He agreed to drink symbolizes. We know what the crown of thorns placed on His holy divine-human head symbolizes. We know why His heart was broken. We know what the "tree" symbolized—the cross on which He hung. The meaning of all three symbols—the cup, the crown of thorns, and the cross—can be summed up in one word, the word "curse." But we also know that, as Adam Mickiewicz wrote, "the sign of the Golgotha cross will not save a man if he does not place the cross on his heart himself." Therefore, we earnestly desire for Jesus to always be the most important to us, to always be those big stones that every day take the first place in the jars of our hearts.

Help us also remember that You cannot save us in sin but from sin, and understand the drama that is happening in heaven right now, that it is because of our sins and indifference that Jesus cannot complete the work of saving humanity and return for His people and that every sin we commit, even if forgiven, leaves a wound in His heart and Your heart.

Therefore, we now open our hearts to our Savior and commit to doing so every day, asking only for Your help, so that we may persevere in this decision. We also ask that we do not confine ourselves to preaching the Gospel in a typical Protestant manner, for although it is a wonderful message, it does not contain the full truth and differs in the matter of Christ's humanity. But we ask that we finally unite in accepting and proclaiming with the power of the Holy Spirit, the message that was given to us over 100 years ago, which allows for an even deeper understanding of this marvellous truth. Therefore, we ask that this truth, which is in Christ, the true and complete gospel, be finally received by us and proven to be Your power in our lives and the lives of those to whom we will proclaim it. We ask for all of this in the name and through the merits of our Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ.

Amen.