Music interlude.
00:00:18.80\00:00:23.60
Shall we gather at the River
00:00:31.33\00:00:37.53
where bright
angel feet have trod
00:00:38.93\00:00:44.00
with its crystal tide for ever
00:00:46.46\00:00:52.83
flowing by the throne of God.
00:00:54.63\00:00:59.06
Yes we'll gather at the River
00:01:02.23\00:01:08.06
the beautiful,
the beautiful river
00:01:09.63\00:01:15.96
gather with the
Saints at the River
00:01:17.60\00:01:23.53
that flows by the throne of God
00:01:25.90\00:01:30.26
ere we reached
the shinning River
00:01:37.30\00:01:43.30
Lay we lay every burden down
00:01:45.53\00:01:50.36
Makes our spirit ever
00:01:52.60\00:01:58.70
like a robe and crown
00:02:00.30\00:02:05.26
yes will gather at the River
00:02:07.40\00:02:13.16
the beautiful,
the beautiful river,
00:02:15.36\00:02:20.46
gather with the
Saints at the River
00:02:22.43\00:02:28.46
that flows by the throne of God.
00:02:28.46\00:02:34.36
Deep River
00:02:41.00\00:02:47.00
my heart is full of joy
00:02:47.00\00:02:54.56
deep River
00:02:54.56\00:03:01.43
I want to
crossover it to campground,
00:03:02.96\00:03:10.13
till we reach the shining river
00:03:13.86\00:03:19.83
my song is overjoyed
00:03:21.00\00:03:25.70
soon our happy hearts for ever
00:03:27.96\00:03:34.10
with the melody of peace
00:03:34.10\00:03:39.00
yes we'll gather at the River
00:03:42.33\00:03:48.26
the beautiful,
the beautiful river
00:03:49.36\00:03:54.36
gather with the
Saints at the River
00:03:56.23\00:04:01.90
that flows by the throne of God,
00:04:03.63\00:04:08.93
that flows by the throne of God.
00:04:13.33\00:04:22.60
Audience: Amen!
00:04:33.60\00:04:36.20
Alright, good evening everyone.
00:04:40.60\00:04:42.20
Tonight's sermon
will be a lengthy one.
00:04:42.20\00:04:45.26
Audience laughing!
00:04:45.26\00:04:47.40
It will be at least 15 minutes.
00:04:49.06\00:04:51.23
Alright, happy Sabbath.
00:04:53.26\00:04:54.86
Audience: happy Sabbath!
00:04:54.86\00:04:56.40
How is your GYC going?
00:04:56.40\00:04:57.56
Audience: great!
00:04:57.56\00:04:59.70
Aww that was, there we go,
unpersuasive is what it was.
00:04:59.70\00:05:04.33
Well I'm having a great GYC.
00:05:04.33\00:05:07.20
I'm having an
experience with Jesus, Amen!
00:05:07.20\00:05:12.23
How many of you
are having the same?
00:05:12.23\00:05:15.00
And experience with Jesus
you know, I just said today in
00:05:15.00\00:05:17.66
my seminar, that one of the
things I most look forward to
00:05:17.66\00:05:21.10
when I come to venues like
this it seeing friends that I
00:05:21.10\00:05:24.30
don't get to see all the
time, and catching up, seeing
00:05:24.30\00:05:27.53
Esther, Ty and my friends.
00:05:27.53\00:05:29.53
I like that. I enjoy it.
00:05:29.53\00:05:30.90
I have purposed in my
heart, before he came to this
00:05:30.90\00:05:34.40
particular GYC that I
wanted this to be more than a
00:05:34.40\00:05:38.26
social interaction.
00:05:38.26\00:05:40.30
I wanted to be a
spiritual interaction. Amen!
00:05:40.30\00:05:43.93
there is nothing wrong
with that incident, there is
00:05:43.93\00:05:46.16
nothing wrong with
wanting to see your friends.
00:05:46.16\00:05:48.33
In fact there is a
great deal right with it.
00:05:48.33\00:05:50.00
Even the Bible says behold
how good and pleasant it is
00:05:50.00\00:05:52.80
for brother, or brothers,
to dwell together in unity.
00:05:52.80\00:05:55.50
That would include
sisters, as well, of course.
00:05:55.50\00:05:57.40
So there is
nothing wrong with that.
00:05:57.40\00:05:59.26
It is a wonderful thing
to have friends, Hebrews 10
00:05:59.26\00:06:02.00
says that we should be meeting
together more and more as
00:06:02.00\00:06:04.30
we see the day of
Christ approaching.
00:06:04.30\00:06:06.10
Even with that, even
with all the glorious social
00:06:06.10\00:06:10.63
fellowship that I am
having, I am still laboring and
00:06:10.63\00:06:15.23
think succeeding to
have this be primarily an
00:06:15.23\00:06:17.80
interaction, a social inter-
action with Jesus and myself.
00:06:17.80\00:06:22.30
Amen! I hope you are
having that same experience.
00:06:22.30\00:06:26.16
It is not just a time
of the meeting friends.
00:06:26.16\00:06:27.96
It is not just a
time of catching up.
00:06:27.96\00:06:29.83
It is a time of
catching up with God.
00:06:29.83\00:06:32.13
I just want to reiterate
again how powerful I think it
00:06:32.13\00:06:37.00
is that we have
this over the New Year.
00:06:37.00\00:06:40.43
I cannot think of a
better place or a better way to
00:06:40.43\00:06:43.33
usher in the New year than
here at GYC with our theme which
00:06:43.33\00:06:48.20
is what? What is our theme?
00:06:48.20\00:06:49.80
Audience: Unashamed!
00:06:49.80\00:06:51.50
Very good, I just
hear these people here.
00:06:51.50\00:06:53.23
Are you awake over
there? What's our theme?
00:06:53.23\00:06:56.60
Audience: Unashamed!
00:06:56.60\00:06:58.63
Very good, they may
have outdone you slightly.
00:06:58.63\00:07:01.30
Well, we are going to be
talking tonight about the
00:07:02.86\00:07:05.46
creative Christ and we are
going to spend just a little
00:07:05.46\00:07:08.60
bit of time in review.
00:07:08.60\00:07:10.33
Before we get into that
review I'm looking forward very
00:07:10.33\00:07:13.76
much to tonight's presentation.
00:07:13.76\00:07:15.76
It is, I think, an important
message and I want you to
00:07:15.76\00:07:19.36
know that this is something,
this message in particular,
00:07:19.36\00:07:22.73
more than last night's
message, and more than tomorrow
00:07:22.73\00:07:24.90
night, it is a message
that is a precarious message in
00:07:24.90\00:07:28.86
the sense that I could
very easily teeter into saying
00:07:28.86\00:07:32.33
something I will later regret.
00:07:32.33\00:07:34.23
Which happens at least every
other sermon, incidentally.
00:07:34.23\00:07:38.76
So I have been praying and
asking God, and asking Jesus,
00:07:38.76\00:07:43.10
let this come out right.
00:07:43.10\00:07:45.20
Help me to walk that
line of biblical fidelity and
00:07:45.20\00:07:50.53
ecclesiastic unity.
00:07:50.53\00:07:53.13
I think by the grace of
God we are going to see that
00:07:53.13\00:07:55.43
tonight, so I want to
begin with the word of prayer
00:07:55.43\00:07:57.40
and then we are going to
get into, what I think, will be
00:07:57.40\00:07:59.90
the most important messages
that I have ever had the
00:07:59.90\00:08:03.86
privilege of preaching.
00:08:03.86\00:08:05.80
So let's pray together.
00:08:05.80\00:08:07.36
Father in heaven
we are here at GYC.
00:08:10.26\00:08:12.50
The New Year is upon us
and Father as we go into the
00:08:14.70\00:08:18.83
New Year we want to claim
the promise of 2 Corinthians
00:08:18.83\00:08:22.46
5:17 that we are new creatures.
00:08:22.46\00:08:25.33
New creatures in the New
Year with a new unashamed
00:08:25.33\00:08:30.50
experience with Jesus.
00:08:30.50\00:08:33.20
Father you have are already
ministered to us, we have been
00:08:33.20\00:08:35.73
in our seminars, we have
learned and You have given us
00:08:35.73\00:08:38.06
a pliable heart.
00:08:38.06\00:08:40.16
You have persuaded us
that we can go higher and still
00:08:40.16\00:08:44.80
higher in our experience.
00:08:44.80\00:08:47.16
We have interacted with
one another, we have had a rich
00:08:47.16\00:08:50.33
social, spiritual experience.
00:08:50.33\00:08:53.66
Father we come now in the
Sabbath hours, and Father the
00:08:53.66\00:09:00.80
Sabbath is
effrontery to modernity.
00:09:00.80\00:09:05.06
The Sabbath flies in the
face of the whole current of
00:09:05.06\00:09:09.86
modern thought, we're
stopping, we're resting,
00:09:09.86\00:09:15.56
we're worshiping.
00:09:15.56\00:09:18.33
Father we are coming
to you as our Creator.
00:09:18.33\00:09:21.63
We come to You as Redeemer.
00:09:21.63\00:09:24.76
We come to You,
not on our Sabbath,
00:09:24.76\00:09:28.40
but on Your Sabbath.
00:09:28.40\00:09:30.43
Please Father,
help us to keep it holy.
00:09:30.43\00:09:33.43
Help us to keep it
holy not just in our hands,
00:09:33.43\00:09:37.03
but in our hearts.
00:09:37.03\00:09:40.60
And Father as we look tonight
to the Creator God, to You and
00:09:40.60\00:09:46.93
Your Son Jesus, may
this be more than a series of
00:09:46.93\00:09:53.20
propositions, tonight may
this interaction with You,
00:09:53.20\00:09:58.43
through Your word,
be a worship experience.
00:09:58.43\00:10:03.23
May we meet with the Creator
and may You meet with us.
00:10:03.23\00:10:09.60
Father it is not enough
for us tonight for You to be
00:10:09.60\00:10:13.23
simply in this room.
00:10:13.23\00:10:14.93
We need You to be in our
hearts, in the person of Your
00:10:14.93\00:10:18.13
Spirit, so please come and
fill us and give us now Your
00:10:18.13\00:10:25.46
word is our
prayer in Jesus name.
00:10:25.46\00:10:29.13
Let all of God's Sabbath
keeping Saints say, Amen!
00:10:29.13\00:10:35.93
Audience: Amen!
00:10:35.93\00:10:37.83
Well I'd like to begin
with a little bit of review.
00:10:40.70\00:10:42.60
We asked the question
last night, what does it mean
00:10:42.60\00:10:47.30
to be unashamed?
00:10:47.30\00:10:49.53
Because the title of our
conference, the motto of our
00:10:49.53\00:10:54.10
conference is,
what was it again?
00:10:54.10\00:10:56.10
Audience: Unashamed!
00:10:56.10\00:10:57.86
Very good, and we asked
the question, what specifically
00:10:57.86\00:11:01.10
does it mean for us as
Seventh-day Adventist Christians
00:11:01.10\00:11:05.26
in these times, to
be unashamed of Christ?
00:11:05.26\00:11:09.46
We mention that the
name, Seventh-day Adventist is
00:11:09.46\00:11:13.66
actually an interesting name.
00:11:13.66\00:11:15.00
It is a bit of a peculiar name.
00:11:15.00\00:11:16.20
It consists of two parts.
00:11:18.03\00:11:19.63
Now their are many church
names that are more readily
00:11:19.63\00:11:23.73
available in
terms of their meaning.
00:11:23.73\00:11:25.83
For example, Church of
Christ, it is not a bad name
00:11:25.83\00:11:29.10
at all, Church of
God, is not a bad name.
00:11:29.10\00:11:33.16
Assemblies of God, not a
bad name and some churches
00:11:33.16\00:11:35.76
are named after their
primary, historical figure.
00:11:35.76\00:11:39.70
You have the Lutheran
Church, the Calvinist, the
00:11:39.70\00:11:44.46
Wesleyan's or the Methodist
and here among all these,
00:11:44.46\00:11:48.96
not that all of them are
this way, but many of these
00:11:48.96\00:11:51.33
names which are decidedly
more normal and perhaps on the
00:11:51.33\00:11:56.00
surface understandable,
we are called, of all things,
00:11:56.00\00:11:59.80
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:11:59.80\00:12:02.76
Now how many of us have
been asked by somebody, oh your
00:12:02.76\00:12:07.16
are Christian? Oh I see
you reading the Bible, perhaps
00:12:07.16\00:12:09.80
on the airplane, and they
say what denomination are you?
00:12:09.80\00:12:13.00
Or what kind of
Christian are you?
00:12:13.00\00:12:15.23
We say we are a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian and have
00:12:15.23\00:12:19.00
had a look of utter, just total.
00:12:19.00\00:12:22.33
Oh, oh Salt Lake City right?
00:12:25.96\00:12:31.13
No! The way I try and
explain Seventh-day Adventism to
00:12:34.23\00:12:40.16
people who don't really
have a clue, is I say, have you
00:12:40.16\00:12:43.53
ever heard of a Methodist?
00:12:43.53\00:12:45.70
Oh yeah, my sister's
husband is a Methodist.
00:12:45.70\00:12:48.63
I say great, I'm basically
a Methodist that goes to
00:12:48.63\00:12:51.36
church on Saturday. Oh!
00:12:51.36\00:12:54.43
Seventh-day Adventist, the
name is made up of two parts.
00:12:57.16\00:13:01.53
There are three central
doctrines contained in this
00:13:01.53\00:13:04.66
name, Seventh-day is an
unambiguous reference to the
00:13:04.66\00:13:08.90
Sabbath, to the what everyone?
00:13:08.90\00:13:10.83
Sabbath, and there are
two, there are more, there are
00:13:10.83\00:13:13.60
two primary doctrines, or
teachings that derive from the
00:13:13.60\00:13:18.30
Sabbath, 1. The redemption
and 2. Creation or salvation.
00:13:18.30\00:13:24.20
Last night we
looked at redemption.
00:13:24.20\00:13:25.83
Last night we learned
that we are unashamed of the
00:13:25.83\00:13:28.96
crucified Christ,
can you say Amen to that?
00:13:28.96\00:13:31.30
Audience: Amen!
00:13:31.30\00:13:32.60
Paul wrote to the Romans
and he said, I am not ashamed
00:13:32.60\00:13:36.13
of the gospel of Christ.
00:13:36.13\00:13:37.76
Remember employing that
rhetorical device like totes,
00:13:37.76\00:13:42.43
deriving an affirmative
from the negation of its
00:13:42.43\00:13:44.70
contrary, sure many of
you were using it just today.
00:13:44.70\00:13:47.33
But in addition to the
redemptive development,
00:13:49.20\00:13:52.13
or the salvific element of
the Sabbath, there is also the
00:13:52.13\00:13:55.03
creative elements.
00:13:55.03\00:13:56.73
So what does it mean for
me, as a Seventh-day Adventist
00:13:56.73\00:13:59.23
Christian, to be
unashamed of Jesus in 2010?
00:13:59.23\00:14:03.60
It not only means that I
am unashamed of the crucified
00:14:03.60\00:14:06.76
Christ, which we talked
about last night, it also means
00:14:06.76\00:14:09.30
I am unashamed of
the creative Christ.
00:14:09.30\00:14:12.46
Of course the second part
of the name Adventist, from
00:14:14.76\00:14:18.26
Latin Adventus,
which means arrival.
00:14:18.26\00:14:21.56
We are anticipating the
arrival of whom, everyone?
00:14:21.56\00:14:25.20
Jesus Christ, so tomorrow
night we will talk about being
00:14:25.20\00:14:27.46
unashamed of the coming Christ.
00:14:27.46\00:14:29.93
The Bible says in Proverbs
22:1, that a good name is to
00:14:29.93\00:14:35.80
be desired more
than great riches.
00:14:35.80\00:14:38.33
I am at least persuaded
that the name Seventh-day
00:14:38.33\00:14:41.53
Adventist is a good name.
00:14:41.53\00:14:43.76
Audience: Amen! Amen!
00:14:43.76\00:14:46.26
Unashamed of
the Creative Christ.
00:14:46.26\00:14:49.16
Are we tempted
to be ashamed here?
00:14:49.16\00:14:53.90
Now I ask that question
last night at the outset,
00:14:53.90\00:14:57.80
are we at times
ashamed to be promoters of
00:14:57.80\00:15:03.50
the crucified Christ?
00:15:03.50\00:15:05.46
There was a silence, the
silence was telling because
00:15:05.46\00:15:08.26
the answer is yes.
00:15:08.26\00:15:10.23
Are we at times tempted
to be ashamed of the creative
00:15:10.23\00:15:16.13
Christ, and the answer is yes.
00:15:16.13\00:15:18.70
Because the entire
current of contemporary thought
00:15:18.70\00:15:23.43
urges us to reconsider
our naive, fundamentalist,
00:15:23.43\00:15:28.60
literalistic understanding
of biblical history.
00:15:28.60\00:15:32.60
In virtually, in fact
you don't even have to say
00:15:34.16\00:15:36.33
virtually, in every
academic discipline we are told
00:15:36.33\00:15:40.13
that our understanding of
history is at odds with what
00:15:40.13\00:15:44.63
really happened.
00:15:44.63\00:15:46.96
It is not just biology,
it's not just anthropology,
00:15:46.96\00:15:50.53
it is not just
geology, it's even theology and
00:15:50.53\00:15:53.90
psychology and every other ology
00:15:53.90\00:15:55.76
you can come up with.
00:15:55.76\00:15:56.80
The whole current of
modern thought, in fact many
00:15:56.80\00:15:59.53
philosophers of science,
and observers of science,
00:15:59.53\00:16:02.53
recognize that perhaps
more than any other idea,
00:16:02.53\00:16:05.63
and there are a lot of
heavyweights in the scientific
00:16:05.63\00:16:07.50
realm, we are talking
about Newtonian physics, and the
00:16:07.50\00:16:10.66
theory of relativity,
the laws of thermodynamics.
00:16:10.66\00:16:13.70
They say that perhaps
more than any other idea in the
00:16:13.70\00:16:16.53
history of science, evolution
has changed the way that
00:16:16.53\00:16:20.06
we view ourselves,
that we view the world,
00:16:20.06\00:16:22.86
and ultimately
the way we view God.
00:16:22.86\00:16:25.46
We are not able to exist
outside of this ubiquitous
00:16:25.46\00:16:32.80
influence of evolutionary
thought and evolutionary
00:16:32.80\00:16:36.46
thinking, and here we
are as a group of naive,
00:16:36.46\00:16:40.46
backwater, literalistic,
fundamentalist and any other
00:16:40.46\00:16:44.46
sort of almost negative
connotation you want to say.
00:16:44.46\00:16:48.53
Here we are keeping the Sabbath
because we have the temerity
00:16:48.53\00:16:54.60
and the audacity to say
that the Bible gives us an
00:16:54.60\00:16:58.46
accurate picture
of Earth's history.
00:16:58.46\00:17:01.50
We do not subscribe,
as Seventh-day Adventist
00:17:03.16\00:17:05.13
Christians, to these
notions of what is called Deep
00:17:05.13\00:17:08.03
Time, millions and
millions and millions,
00:17:08.03\00:17:11.03
multiple even billions of years.
00:17:11.03\00:17:13.23
We believe that the earth
is young, can you say amen
00:17:14.76\00:17:17.40
to that? Audience: Amen!
00:17:17.40\00:17:19.10
Now we do not have
to put a date on it.
00:17:19.10\00:17:20.93
There are people in our
ranks who are very persuasive
00:17:20.93\00:17:24.03
about the 6000 year theory.
00:17:24.03\00:17:26.13
I don't want to
take issue with that.
00:17:26.13\00:17:27.70
There are others that say less
than 10,000, less than 20,000
00:17:27.70\00:17:30.56
but whatever it is, whether
we go with the 6 or the 10
00:17:30.56\00:17:33.50
or some other figure, we
reject out of hand the notion
00:17:33.50\00:17:37.23
of multiplied millions of years.
00:17:37.23\00:17:40.93
Amen! but we need to
understand, and of course we do,
00:17:40.93\00:17:45.06
this puts us decidedly at
odds with the whole current of
00:17:45.06\00:17:49.16
contemporary thought.
00:17:49.16\00:17:51.06
Both academic, and in a
sense, popular thoughts.
00:17:51.06\00:17:54.20
The question that I want
to look at tonight, there are
00:17:55.60\00:17:58.56
many actually, but I want
to take a look at the reasons
00:17:58.56\00:18:02.60
why we affirm creationism
and the historicity, authentic
00:18:02.60\00:18:10.76
historicity of the biblical
perspective of Earth in the
00:18:10.76\00:18:16.46
face of what many would
tell us is scientific fact.
00:18:16.46\00:18:20.33
Open your Bibles with me
to Romans chapter 1, that's
00:18:21.86\00:18:24.60
probably a great place to start.
00:18:24.60\00:18:26.80
It is the passage that we
began with last night and from
00:18:26.80\00:18:31.66
which we derived our
conferences theme and title.
00:18:31.66\00:18:37.16
That theme and
title is what everyone?
00:18:37.16\00:18:40.76
Audience: Unashamed! Unashamed.
00:18:40.76\00:18:43.43
In Romans 1:16 and extending
to verse 21, we find Paul
00:18:45.56\00:18:51.50
announcing his
unashamed-ness of the gospel.
00:18:51.50\00:18:54.56
This raises the question in
Pauline thought, in biblical
00:18:54.56\00:18:58.90
thought, why do we
need a gospel at all?
00:18:58.90\00:19:02.10
Why do we need a salvation
at all, and Paul gives us
00:19:02.10\00:19:06.20
an answer right in the
immediate context of Romans 1.
00:19:06.20\00:19:10.36
The answer is that we
have turned our back on God as
00:19:10.36\00:19:15.03
Creator, not just in
Adam, not just in primordial
00:19:15.03\00:19:20.23
history and back
to our first parents,
00:19:20.23\00:19:22.83
but every one of us, subsequent
to Adam, walk as it were
00:19:22.83\00:19:26.83
in his footsteps and we
have turned our back, to greater
00:19:26.83\00:19:30.00
or lesser degree,
on God as Creator.
00:19:30.00\00:19:33.30
It is in that context that
Paul says we need a gospel,
00:19:33.30\00:19:37.56
we need salvation.
00:19:37.56\00:19:39.80
Let's look at it.
00:19:39.80\00:19:41.53
Romans 1:16, "for I am
not," what's the word everyone?
00:19:41.53\00:19:47.43
"For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ,"
00:19:47.43\00:19:50.76
we talked about that last night,
00:19:50.76\00:19:53.36
why frame it in a negative?
00:19:53.36\00:19:54.90
Paul is setting forth
meticulously his case.
00:19:54.90\00:19:57.70
For, for, for, he is
reasoning, he's alleging,
00:19:57.70\00:20:01.13
he's proving, "for I am
not ashamed of the gospel of"
00:20:01.13\00:20:04.70
"Christ for is the power
of God to salvation for every"
00:20:04.70\00:20:06.83
"one who believes, for the Jews
first and also for the Greek. "
00:20:06.83\00:20:08.96
"For in it the righteousness
of God is revealed"
00:20:08.96\00:20:13.20
"from faith to faith as it
is written that the just shall"
00:20:13.20\00:20:15.23
"live by faith. "
00:20:15.23\00:20:16.73
Verse 18, "for the wrath of
God is revealed from heaven"
00:20:16.73\00:20:20.23
"against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men"
00:20:20.23\00:20:22.73
"who suppress the truth
in their unrighteousness. "
00:20:22.73\00:20:25.33
The Greek here literally
means they hold the truth down.
00:20:25.33\00:20:27.50
The image that has always
come to my mind when I have read
00:20:27.50\00:20:30.40
this passage is, many of
us have been in a swimming
00:20:30.40\00:20:32.53
pool, or a lake and are
swimming and you have a ball,
00:20:32.53\00:20:35.03
or some kind of
flotation device.
00:20:35.03\00:20:36.60
You have to hold them down,
and the more air they have,
00:20:36.60\00:20:40.03
the harder they
are to hold down.
00:20:40.03\00:20:41.66
It is the imagery that
comes to mind here, it literally
00:20:41.66\00:20:44.00
means they suppress the
truth, they hold it down.
00:20:44.00\00:20:46.70
It is not easy to do, to
keep that ball under the water.
00:20:46.70\00:20:49.76
It requires
attention, it requires effort.
00:20:49.76\00:20:52.06
Paul says that the wrath
of God is revealed from heaven
00:20:52.06\00:20:54.70
against ungodliness, not
because people are ignorant.
00:20:54.70\00:20:57.70
In fact, God holds no one
in contempt for ignorance,
00:20:57.70\00:21:00.10
unless it is willful ignorance.
00:21:00.10\00:21:03.00
Can you say Amen?
00:21:03.00\00:21:04.43
So Paul says they suppress
the truth, they hold the
00:21:04.43\00:21:06.76
truth in unrighteousness
and he continues in verse 19.
00:21:06.76\00:21:11.06
"Because what may be known
of God is manifested in them"
00:21:11.06\00:21:14.06
"for God has shown it to them. "
00:21:14.06\00:21:16.13
Paul is laying out very
clinically and methodically his
00:21:16.13\00:21:21.43
case that people are rejecting
a knowledge of God that
00:21:21.43\00:21:24.80
is readily available.
00:21:24.80\00:21:27.16
In fact Paul's theses is
basically that God is ubiquitous
00:21:27.16\00:21:29.53
both internally with the inner
witness of the Spirit, which
00:21:29.53\00:21:33.13
we will talk about in a
bit, and externally in His
00:21:33.13\00:21:35.40
creative works
and that is verse 20.
00:21:35.40\00:21:37.50
"For since the creation
of the world," since the what
00:21:37.50\00:21:43.46
are those words there
everyone? Audience: creation!
00:21:43.46\00:21:45.96
"For since the creation
of the world, his invisible"
00:21:45.96\00:21:48.93
"attributes are very
difficult to see and discern. "
00:21:48.93\00:21:52.93
Now what does your Bibles say?
00:21:52.93\00:21:56.16
Yeah, you're probably your
Bible probably says something
00:21:56.16\00:21:59.06
like clearly seen,
look at the language again.
00:21:59.06\00:22:00.80
"For since the creation
of the world, his invisible"
00:22:00.80\00:22:03.00
"attributes are clearly seen. "
00:22:03.00\00:22:04.86
I want you to listen the
paradoxical language here.
00:22:04.86\00:22:06.70
His invisible
attributes are clearly seen.
00:22:06.70\00:22:10.26
Oh, what does the
word invisible mean?
00:22:10.26\00:22:13.86
Audience: You can't be seen.
00:22:13.86\00:22:16.13
It means can't be seen.
00:22:16.13\00:22:18.20
So let's substitute that,
the things that can't be seen
00:22:18.20\00:22:21.13
about God are clearly seen.
00:22:21.13\00:22:23.90
Well in what sense
are they clearly seen?
00:22:23.90\00:22:26.96
He says, "being understood
by the things that are,"
00:22:26.96\00:22:30.90
what is the word everyone?
"Made, even his eternal power"
00:22:30.90\00:22:34.40
"and Godhead;" look
at how he concludes this.
00:22:34.40\00:22:37.66
"So they are without excuse. "
00:22:37.66\00:22:39.60
He goes on to say professing
themselves be wise, they
00:22:39.60\00:22:41.60
become fools, so right
here in Romans 1 we have a very
00:22:41.60\00:22:44.16
persuasive argumentation
that Paul is setting forth.
00:22:44.16\00:22:48.13
He basically says that
people have access to God.
00:22:48.13\00:22:50.73
People know that He
is there, both from the
00:22:50.73\00:22:53.13
inter-witness of the
Spirit, which he develops later
00:22:53.13\00:22:54.90
in the epistle, and also
from the external evidence of
00:22:54.90\00:22:58.50
God's created works, and
he goes so far as to say that
00:22:58.50\00:23:02.73
the invisible attributes
of God are clearly seen,
00:23:02.73\00:23:06.53
so much so, the evidence
is so persuasive to every,
00:23:06.53\00:23:10.70
man, woman, and
child, that they are without,
00:23:10.70\00:23:12.70
what's the word
everyone? excuse!
00:23:12.70\00:23:15.50
So in Pauline
thought, we need a gospel,
00:23:15.50\00:23:18.13
we need salvation
because we have turned our back
00:23:18.13\00:23:21.46
on the Creator.
Are we clear everyone?
00:23:21.46\00:23:25.63
Unashamed of
the creative Christ.
00:23:27.33\00:23:29.23
Is there temptation today
to be ashamed of the creative
00:23:29.23\00:23:33.00
Christ? The answer is yes.
00:23:33.00\00:23:35.80
Last night I read to you
just a brief section from this
00:23:35.80\00:23:39.23
first volume Romans chapter
1, D Martin Lloyd Jones preached
00:23:39.23\00:23:43.20
in Westminster Chapel on
the book of Romans from 1955
00:23:43.20\00:23:46.90
till 1968, that is to say
that he preached for 13 years,
00:23:46.90\00:23:50.23
virtually every
Friday, on the book of Romans.
00:23:50.23\00:23:53.13
In Romans 1, I want you
to hear what he has to say
00:23:54.63\00:23:57.40
because we sometimes
think oh, we're Seventh-day
00:23:57.40\00:23:59.36
Adventist, we are the
only ones who believe this.
00:23:59.36\00:24:01.53
Beloved, I have good news
for you, there are lots of
00:24:01.53\00:24:04.20
not non-Adventist, but
pre-Adventist who are out in the
00:24:04.20\00:24:09.10
world, faithful men and
women of God who win the time is
00:24:09.10\00:24:13.00
right will come into the
truth and are living up to the
00:24:13.00\00:24:16.30
truth they have been exposed to.
00:24:16.30\00:24:18.30
Can you say
amen? Audience: amen!
00:24:18.30\00:24:20.20
It's absolutely biblical.
00:24:20.20\00:24:21.60
So listen to what
he has to say here.
00:24:21.60\00:24:23.80
He is speaking of salvation
in Romans 1:16, the grace,
00:24:23.80\00:24:28.93
"for I'm not ashamed of
the gospel because it is the"
00:24:28.93\00:24:33.20
"power of God unto salvation. "
00:24:33.20\00:24:35.16
He is speaking just
briefly here to that issue of
00:24:35.16\00:24:37.00
salvation and listen to
what Dr. Lloyd Jones has to say.
00:24:37.00\00:24:40.96
"That then is the way in
which you measure this great"
00:24:40.96\00:24:44.23
"term salvation. You start
with the early chapters of"
00:24:44.23\00:24:49.03
"Genesis. " The early chapters
of what everyone? Genesis!
00:24:49.03\00:24:53.70
Listen to this language,
I love this language here.
00:24:53.70\00:24:55.50
"And that is why you cannot
shed the book of Genesis. "
00:24:55.50\00:24:59.30
You can not, what's the
word? Shed, you know like a dog
00:24:59.30\00:25:03.53
sheds it's hair, or a
snake sheds it's skin.
00:25:03.53\00:25:05.96
He leaves it
behind and moves on.
00:25:05.96\00:25:07.90
Listen to what he says, if
were going to understand what
00:25:07.90\00:25:10.26
Paul is speaking of in
Romans 1:16, when he uses the
00:25:10.26\00:25:13.46
word salvation, he says we
cannot shed, what book was it?
00:25:13.46\00:25:16.96
The book of Genesis,
but he goes a step further.
00:25:16.96\00:25:19.80
There're many modern theologians
today who would say, oh
00:25:19.80\00:25:21.90
yes the book of Genesis, as
long as we are talking about
00:25:21.90\00:25:24.50
Chapter 12 to Chapter 50.
00:25:24.50\00:25:27.13
The latter part of the
book we have no problem there.
00:25:27.13\00:25:29.63
But listen to what he
says, "or even the first three"
00:25:29.63\00:25:32.83
"chapters, if you do you
are immediately detracting"
00:25:32.83\00:25:39.23
"from salvation. "
00:25:39.23\00:25:41.03
You are immediately
detracting from what?
00:25:41.03\00:25:43.60
If you discard
Genesis 1, 2 and 3?
00:25:43.60\00:25:45.30
From salvation, and in
other words "if you believe in"
00:25:45.30\00:25:48.70
"the doctrine and theory
of evolution, which says that"
00:25:48.70\00:25:51.26
"man is a creature that
has evolved out of the animal,"
00:25:51.26\00:25:54.13
"and is still evolving
and has not yet arrived,"
00:25:54.13\00:25:56.63
"well you cannot have a
doctrine of salvation. "
00:25:56.63\00:25:59.40
"You will not know what
Paul is speaking about in his"
00:25:59.40\00:26:01.76
"epistle to the Romans.
In a sense, if the theory of"
00:26:01.76\00:26:05.10
"evolution is true, man
does not need salvation. "
00:26:05.10\00:26:08.56
I'd say he's a pre-Adventist,
in fact I would be
00:26:12.33\00:26:15.70
absolutely thrilled if
everyone who had the name of
00:26:15.70\00:26:18.03
Seventh-day
Adventist believed that.
00:26:18.03\00:26:19.73
This might be just a little
radical and we will get to
00:26:19.73\00:26:23.00
my basic thesis
in just a moment.
00:26:23.00\00:26:25.53
The reality is
beloved, that I feel like I have
00:26:25.53\00:26:30.60
more in common with conservative
Protestants than with
00:26:30.60\00:26:34.60
radically liberal
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:26:34.60\00:26:37.90
Some one is going to say that
is divisive, it is not divisive.
00:26:37.90\00:26:42.36
That is a statement of fact.
00:26:42.36\00:26:44.33
I believe that the Bible is
God's inspired inerrant word and
00:26:44.33\00:26:49.13
if somebody else believes
that I have a great deal in
00:26:49.13\00:26:50.83
common with them.
00:26:50.83\00:26:51.83
We may differ on
articulation, we may differ on
00:26:51.83\00:26:55.10
doctrine, but if
someone denies the inerrancy and
00:26:55.10\00:26:57.96
authenticity and historicity
of Scripture, I don't have
00:26:57.96\00:27:00.40
has much in common with
them, even if they have the
00:27:00.40\00:27:02.76
same name that I have.
00:27:02.76\00:27:04.96
I'm thrilled that Dr.
Lloyd Jones and others say,
00:27:04.96\00:27:09.16
wait a minute, if we throw
out the first 3 chapters of
00:27:09.16\00:27:11.86
Genesis, we have effectively
pulled the rug out from
00:27:11.86\00:27:14.53
underneath salvation.
00:27:14.53\00:27:16.50
Now it is not only
people like Dr. Jones
00:27:16.50\00:27:19.36
that say these things.
00:27:19.36\00:27:20.86
Fortunately,
thankfully and wonderfully some
00:27:20.86\00:27:24.73
of the best and brightest
minds in the Seventh-day
00:27:24.73\00:27:27.06
Adventist church
agree, can you say amen?
00:27:27.06\00:27:30.53
I cannot tell you the courage
and thrill, strength that
00:27:30.53\00:27:35.73
it gives to me to know
that there are godly men and
00:27:35.73\00:27:40.13
women in churches, I'm
talking at the local level.
00:27:40.13\00:27:44.46
Deacons and deaconesses
and elders and pastors and even
00:27:44.46\00:27:50.26
conference Presidents,
union presidents and their
00:27:50.26\00:27:52.00
divisions, at all levels.
00:27:52.00\00:27:53.76
I am thrilled to know
there're people who affirm the
00:27:53.76\00:27:57.36
historic Adventist
position of the historicity of
00:27:57.36\00:28:00.93
Genesis, even the
first 11 chapters.
00:28:00.93\00:28:03.50
Now you might have
heard there is a bit of a
00:28:03.50\00:28:06.40
controversy in the church.
00:28:06.40\00:28:08.23
I'm actually un-persuaded,
I don't think there is a
00:28:08.23\00:28:11.23
controversy,
where's the controversy?
00:28:11.23\00:28:14.70
The Church has never
ever, ever deviated from its
00:28:14.70\00:28:17.40
position on the creation issue.
00:28:17.40\00:28:19.23
In light of this alleged
controversy, there had been
00:28:19.23\00:28:22.30
numerous and repeated
statements by church leaders and
00:28:22.30\00:28:25.36
others, absolutely
un-ambiguously, unequivocally
00:28:25.36\00:28:29.13
affirming exactly what
the church has always believed
00:28:29.13\00:28:33.03
in what the Bible
has always taught.
00:28:33.03\00:28:35.36
So in this magazine that
you might have heard of called
00:28:37.03\00:28:39.80
Adventist World, it's
your official denominational
00:28:39.80\00:28:44.26
publication, July 2009.
00:28:44.26\00:28:47.90
Dr. Angel Rodríguez the
director of the Biblical
00:28:47.90\00:28:51.73
Research Institute, kicking
my books over, is asked a
00:28:51.73\00:28:57.26
question, he has a
column of Bible questions.
00:28:57.26\00:29:00.06
The Bible question is, is
it true that some Adventist
00:29:00.06\00:29:03.20
scientist and theologians
no longer believe that God
00:29:03.20\00:29:06.30
created everything
in six literal days?
00:29:06.30\00:29:08.50
I'm thrilled that
the review had the guts,
00:29:08.50\00:29:11.30
that the Adventist
world had the guts to meet
00:29:11.30\00:29:14.06
this question head-on.
00:29:14.06\00:29:15.20
Here's what he says,
"the short answer is yes,"
00:29:15.20\00:29:18.33
"it's true. "
00:29:18.33\00:29:19.66
Now let me read
you his conclusion.
00:29:19.66\00:29:21.36
"Space does not allow
me," says Dr. Rodriguez,
00:29:21.36\00:29:25.06
head of the
Biblical Research Institute.
00:29:25.06\00:29:28.03
One of the
brightest minds in the church.
00:29:28.03\00:29:31.00
One of our best theologians.
00:29:31.00\00:29:33.40
Not that he is authoritative,
but he is authoritative
00:29:33.40\00:29:35.86
in as much as he speaks
in harmony with Scripture,
00:29:35.86\00:29:38.26
can you say Amen!
00:29:38.26\00:29:39.83
Listen to the clarity
here, and not just the clarity
00:29:39.83\00:29:43.26
but listen to the boldness.
00:29:43.26\00:29:45.30
I have never met Dr. Rodriguez
but I want to personally
00:29:45.30\00:29:47.93
thank him for his statement
here that he put in print.
00:29:47.93\00:29:51.70
"Space does not allow me to
say more about the tragedy,"
00:29:51.70\00:29:55.40
what's the word
everyone? Tragedy!
00:29:55.40\00:29:59.10
"Space does not allow me
to say more about the tragedy"
00:29:59.10\00:30:01.76
"of Adventists who
are evolutionists. "
00:30:01.76\00:30:04.20
You see if I say that I
might get in trouble because
00:30:04.20\00:30:06.96
who am I? I'm a nobody,
but when the head of the
00:30:06.96\00:30:09.40
Biblical Research
Institute says that it carries
00:30:09.40\00:30:11.80
just a little more weight.
00:30:11.80\00:30:13.53
"Space does not allow me
to say more about the tragedy"
00:30:13.53\00:30:16.30
"of Adventist who are
evolutionists, but I do want to"
00:30:16.30\00:30:19.00
"address the concern
expressed in your communication"
00:30:19.00\00:30:21.66
"about what Adventist
parents should do in this"
00:30:21.66\00:30:24.56
"situation. I agree
that having teachers in our"
00:30:24.56\00:30:27.36
"colleges and universities
arguing and supporting the idea"
00:30:27.36\00:30:29.93
"that natural evolution is
the best alternative for the"
00:30:29.93\00:30:32.46
"understanding of
origins is outrageous. "
00:30:32.46\00:30:36.43
Oh, I cannot tell you the
joy that flooded my soul when
00:30:36.43\00:30:40.73
I read that word.
00:30:40.73\00:30:42.43
I was just like, Hallelujah,
circle, underline, star,
00:30:42.43\00:30:46.40
checkmark, a happy face.
00:30:46.40\00:30:49.86
Audience laughing!
00:30:49.86\00:30:51.66
Look at what he says next.
00:30:51.66\00:30:53.16
And this is the point
here, it is not just about what
00:30:53.16\00:30:55.60
David says, it is not
what Chester Clark has said,
00:30:55.60\00:30:57.83
and Amy Sheppard has
said, and Dr. Christina Harris
00:30:57.83\00:31:00.06
has said, and what
Dr. Rodriguez says.
00:31:00.06\00:31:02.83
Listen to what he says here,
"they not only violate the"
00:31:02.83\00:31:05.46
"meaning of the biblical
text," that is what we are
00:31:05.46\00:31:09.40
talking about, "they also
violate the trust the church"
00:31:09.40\00:31:13.30
"has placed in them by
calling them to teach our"
00:31:13.30\00:31:16.66
"young people. " Audience: Amen!
00:31:16.66\00:31:18.93
Can you send
Amen? Audience: Amen!
00:31:18.93\00:31:21.10
Praise the Lord that that
kind of clarity can be printed
00:31:21.10\00:31:24.30
in a denominational publication
and I want to say again,
00:31:24.30\00:31:27.50
praise God for godly men
and women in positions of
00:31:27.50\00:31:30.73
church leadership who are
not being divisive, who are
00:31:30.73\00:31:33.93
not being unkind, who are
not attacking, but they are
00:31:33.93\00:31:36.86
stating what has always
been and by the grace of God
00:31:36.86\00:31:39.83
will always be the position
of the Seventh-day Adventist
00:31:39.83\00:31:42.76
church in relationship
to creation and origins.
00:31:42.76\00:31:46.13
Can you say
Amen! Audience: Amen!
00:31:46.13\00:31:48.30
Now, what would happen
if we decided to become more
00:31:48.30\00:31:53.93
pluralistic in our evaluation?
00:31:53.93\00:31:56.93
What would happen if Dr.
Rodriguez and Dr. Lloyd Jones,
00:31:56.93\00:32:00.90
what would happen if we
tried in the name of unity and
00:32:00.90\00:32:04.80
the name of plurality, and
in the name of the magnanimity,
00:32:04.80\00:32:07.90
what would happen if
we tried to incorporate
00:32:07.90\00:32:11.00
long ages, deep time
evolution into biblical history?
00:32:11.00\00:32:15.16
Now you need to be aware,
if you are not already, that
00:32:15.16\00:32:19.13
most in conservative evangelical
have already done that.
00:32:19.13\00:32:22.96
Men and women that I have
a high degree of respect for
00:32:22.96\00:32:27.06
have already accepted both
biblical history and somehow
00:32:27.06\00:32:31.20
astonishingly have also
accepted long ages evolution.
00:32:31.20\00:32:35.33
I think there is a
fundamental disconnect.
00:32:35.33\00:32:38.36
What would be involved in
trying to incorporate, trying
00:32:38.36\00:32:40.96
to marry these two
anti-thetical notions?
00:32:40.96\00:32:46.76
First of all it would call for
a dramatic reevaluation of at
00:32:46.76\00:32:50.33
least 10 things.
00:32:50.33\00:32:52.26
You just tell me
how you feel about this.
00:32:52.26\00:32:54.00
First of all it will call
for a dramatic re-evaluation of
00:32:54.00\00:32:57.96
the nature of the Bible.
00:32:57.96\00:32:59.70
We would have to re-evaluate
how we understand Scripture.
00:32:59.70\00:33:02.60
Number 2, a dramatic
re-evaluation of the nature
00:33:02.60\00:33:06.30
of God, because He speaks
plainly in language less than
00:33:06.30\00:33:10.36
clear and it raises serious
questions about the nature of
00:33:10.36\00:33:14.06
a God who would create through
the process of predation,
00:33:14.06\00:33:18.20
parasitism and a variety of
other mechanisms only to lead
00:33:18.20\00:33:22.30
up to His idyllic Edenic couple?
00:33:22.30\00:33:25.10
Number 3, it would cause
us to evaluate the nature of
00:33:26.70\00:33:30.40
mankind, are we really made
in the image of God or are we
00:33:30.40\00:33:35.10
as is suggested, a product
of evolutionary processes from
00:33:35.10\00:33:39.73
our a simian brothers?
00:33:39.73\00:33:43.33
Number 4, the nature of the
law and especially the nature
00:33:43.33\00:33:46.70
of the Sabbath command.
00:33:46.70\00:33:48.96
We are here honoring the
Sabbath, worshiping on the
00:33:48.96\00:33:52.36
Sabbath, laboring to keep
holy with both hand and heart
00:33:52.36\00:33:55.83
the Sabbath because we
believe that God created in 6
00:33:55.83\00:33:59.26
literal and rested
on a seventh liberal.
00:33:59.26\00:34:01.50
Can you say
Amen! Audience: Amen!
00:34:01.50\00:34:03.30
Well this will call for dramatic
re-evaluation of both the
00:34:03.30\00:34:06.00
law and the Sabbath if the
Sabbath is in fact some kind of
00:34:06.00\00:34:08.70
memorial of creation.
00:34:08.70\00:34:11.40
Number 5, it would cause us
to re-evaluate the nature of sin
00:34:11.40\00:34:14.80
and death, the Bible
says in the most plainest and
00:34:14.80\00:34:19.13
unambiguous of
language in Romans 6:23.
00:34:19.13\00:34:21.63
This is fundamental to
Pauline's theology which is
00:34:21.63\00:34:23.90
exactly what we just
read in Romans chapter 1.
00:34:23.90\00:34:26.10
You can finish this for me,
a child can understand this,
00:34:26.10\00:34:29.23
"the wages of sin is death".
00:34:29.23\00:34:33.36
Now on the basis of that
simple statement, that simple
00:34:33.36\00:34:35.86
articulation of Scripture,
let me ask you this question.
00:34:35.86\00:34:38.33
What came first, death or sin?
00:34:38.33\00:34:41.23
Biblically speaking what
came first, death or sin?
00:34:41.23\00:34:44.73
Audience: sin. Sin!
00:34:44.73\00:34:46.36
Sin preceded death,
sin gave way to death.
00:34:46.36\00:34:49.00
Now in the evolutionary
scheme, in the evolutionary
00:34:49.00\00:34:53.16
perspective death not only
preceded sin, if in fact Adam
00:34:53.16\00:34:56.96
and Eve are clear down
there at the end of multiplied
00:34:56.96\00:35:00.26
tens of millions of
years of evolutionary process,
00:35:00.26\00:35:03.46
you don't just have death,
you have the death of hundreds
00:35:03.46\00:35:07.40
and thousands, and tens
of thousands, and millions of
00:35:07.40\00:35:11.30
sentient
creatures that God has made.
00:35:11.30\00:35:13.93
So it is not just death,
it is the death of such a
00:35:13.93\00:35:17.13
magnitude that is seriously
calls into question the whole
00:35:17.13\00:35:21.13
nature of salvation.
00:35:21.13\00:35:23.90
It is a little like the
old question, what came first,
00:35:25.20\00:35:26.90
the chicken or the egg?
00:35:26.90\00:35:28.16
Our question is what
came first, sin or death?
00:35:28.16\00:35:30.60
If death preceded sin, the
biblical account appears to be
00:35:30.60\00:35:34.13
inaccurate. Number 6, it
would therefore cause us to
00:35:34.13\00:35:39.20
re-evaluate the
nature of salvation.
00:35:39.20\00:35:41.80
Let me just pause here, I've
got a book here from another
00:35:41.80\00:35:46.80
Evangelical, somebody well-known
perhaps even well known
00:35:46.80\00:35:50.63
to you, but I assure you in
the evangelical world, he is
00:35:50.63\00:35:54.43
extremely well known.
00:35:54.43\00:35:55.76
A young pastor, probably
about my age from Grand Rapids
00:35:55.76\00:36:00.10
Michigan, a man by
the name of Rob Bell.
00:36:00.10\00:36:02.46
Probably some of you have
see his new series it might be
00:36:02.46\00:36:06.26
familiar with them.
00:36:06.26\00:36:07.46
A man in many regards and many
ways I respect his ministry,
00:36:07.46\00:36:11.16
but in his book titled
very provocatively perhaps and
00:36:11.16\00:36:14.80
certainly interestingly,
Velvet Elvis he says this.
00:36:14.80\00:36:17.96
I want you to just
listen to his line of reasoning.
00:36:17.96\00:36:21.06
"He said somebody recently gave
me a videotape of a lecture"
00:36:21.06\00:36:26.60
"given by a man who travels
around speaking about the"
00:36:26.60\00:36:31.60
"creation of the world. At
one point in his lecture he"
00:36:31.60\00:36:36.20
"said, if you deny that God
created the world in 6 literal"
00:36:36.20\00:36:41.20
"days then you are denying that
Jesus ever needed to die on"
00:36:41.20\00:36:46.40
"the cross. " Listen to what
he says, "it is a bizarre leap"
00:36:46.40\00:36:51.56
"of logic to make.
But he was serious. "
00:36:51.56\00:36:55.76
Now isn't this interesting?
00:36:55.76\00:36:58.13
He says, "it is a bizarre leap
of logic to suggest that if"
00:36:58.13\00:37:03.03
"creation is not true, the
biblical mode of creation,"
00:37:03.03\00:37:07.83
"the biblical perspective of
creation, that this would call"
00:37:07.83\00:37:10.00
"into question salvation. "
00:37:10.00\00:37:11.90
He says "that is a bizarre
leap of logic", with all due
00:37:11.90\00:37:14.76
respect to pastor Bell, I
don't think it is either bizarre
00:37:14.76\00:37:17.60
or you leap of logic, I
think it's just logical.
00:37:17.60\00:37:20.73
Audience: Amen!
00:37:20.73\00:37:22.66
How do we justify a Savior
who came to save us from both
00:37:22.66\00:37:27.90
death and that which eventuates
in death, sin if in fact
00:37:27.90\00:37:32.13
the whole interrelationship
and nature of sin and death
00:37:32.13\00:37:36.33
are not as
universally taught in Scripture?
00:37:36.33\00:37:39.90
Now I appreciate that he
differs he disagrees that is why
00:37:41.20\00:37:43.90
he can disagree with me
and I fully respect anyone's
00:37:43.90\00:37:46.86
right to disagree with me,
but the point is if we are going
00:37:46.86\00:37:50.16
to abide by the
principle of Solis Scriptoria,
00:37:50.16\00:37:53.73
what is the phrase everyone?
Solis Scriptoria then we are
00:37:53.73\00:37:58.76
going to have to, he is
going to have to justify his
00:37:58.76\00:38:02.26
statement that this is
somehow a bizarre leap of logic.
00:38:02.26\00:38:05.73
Not only is it not
bizarre, it is not a leap.
00:38:05.73\00:38:08.40
It is perfectly logical.
00:38:08.40\00:38:11.03
In what meaningful sense
is Jesus rescuing from sin and
00:38:11.03\00:38:16.13
death, if death is
part of God's cosmic scheme?
00:38:16.13\00:38:19.50
So in number 6 we would
need to re-evaluate salvation.
00:38:21.10\00:38:24.20
Number 7, we would have to
re-evaluate the words and works
00:38:24.20\00:38:27.80
of Jesus, as we are going
to discover in just a moment,
00:38:27.80\00:38:31.20
Jesus absolutely affirmed
the Genesis creation account
00:38:31.20\00:38:34.50
and the authenticity
of the Mosaic account.
00:38:34.50\00:38:37.50
Number 8, we would have
to redefine the nature of the
00:38:37.50\00:38:41.90
Seventh-day Adventist
church and its mission.
00:38:41.90\00:38:44.56
What after all,
are we doing here?
00:38:44.56\00:38:47.60
Number 9, we would have to
redefine the nature of Ellen
00:38:47.60\00:38:50.93
White's prophetic ministry
since she stated repeatedly
00:38:50.93\00:38:54.23
and unambiguously that
evolutionary deep time is
00:38:54.23\00:38:58.20
totally antithetical
to the biblical record.
00:38:58.20\00:39:02.03
And finally we would have
to evaluate, number 10, the
00:39:02.03\00:39:05.06
nature of Adventism's
unique end-time perspective,
00:39:05.06\00:39:08.03
so I don't know how
this makes you feel.
00:39:08.03\00:39:09.23
Are you ready to re-evaluate
God, the Bible, mankind,
00:39:09.23\00:39:12.10
the law, the Sabbath,
sin, death, salvation,
00:39:12.10\00:39:14.76
the words and works of Jesus,
the Seventh-day Adventist church
00:39:14.76\00:39:17.50
and its mission, Ellen
White's prophetic ministry and
00:39:17.50\00:39:19.73
Adventism's unique
end-time perspective?
00:39:19.73\00:39:22.06
Just to accommodate the
present, pervasive, prospective
00:39:22.06\00:39:28.56
of the day? Evolution!
00:39:28.56\00:39:30.33
That's not a
sacrifice I'm willing to make.
00:39:30.33\00:39:32.56
Audience: Amen!
00:39:32.56\00:39:34.30
I'm thrilled to discover and
to know there are many in our
00:39:37.63\00:39:40.30
ranks of our
administration that agree.
00:39:40.30\00:39:42.20
Here's a marvelous book that
is probably a book you should
00:39:42.20\00:39:46.36
be aware of, titled, Creation,
Evolution, and Theology,
00:39:46.36\00:39:50.33
again by one of our theologians
that teaches there at the
00:39:50.33\00:39:54.30
seminary, Dr.
Fernando Luis Canale.
00:39:54.30\00:39:56.86
I cannot tell you how
much I appreciate this book.
00:39:56.86\00:39:59.46
It is scholarly, it is
difficult to read at times.
00:39:59.46\00:40:01.73
I enjoyed it thoroughly
but you may find it difficult
00:40:01.73\00:40:03.96
to read at times.
00:40:03.96\00:40:06.80
The nature of Dr. Canales
setting forth the radical
00:40:06.80\00:40:12.33
evaluation of Adventism
that would have to take place
00:40:12.33\00:40:17.80
is very clear.
00:40:17.80\00:40:19.73
Let me read to you
a couple statements.
00:40:19.73\00:40:21.30
He says, "eventually
the acceptance of these"
00:40:21.30\00:40:26.10
"evolutionary presuppositions
would lead to the re-formation"
00:40:26.10\00:40:29.76
"of the entire body
of Christian doctrine. "
00:40:29.76\00:40:32.90
In other words we are not
tacking on an idea that is easy
00:40:32.90\00:40:37.23
to harmonize with Scripture.
00:40:37.23\00:40:39.10
He says we will have
to re-evaluate the whole
00:40:39.10\00:40:40.90
corpus of Christian belief.
00:40:40.90\00:40:42.70
He says again, "evolution
theory destroys the biblical"
00:40:42.70\00:40:47.00
"history of salvation as a
redemptive process that moves"
00:40:47.00\00:40:51.30
"creation to new creation. "
00:40:51.30\00:40:53.30
He appears to take the
exact odds of Rob Bell.
00:40:53.30\00:40:56.63
I have respect for Rob Bell
and appreciate him as a human
00:40:56.63\00:40:59.06
being, a minister of the
gospel, however, given the
00:40:59.06\00:41:02.23
opportunity to take Dr.
Fernando Canale or Rob Bell in
00:41:02.23\00:41:05.76
terms of which is logical,
I'm going to take Dr. Canale.
00:41:05.76\00:41:09.86
He is exactly right, the
undermining of creation destroys
00:41:09.86\00:41:13.76
the picture of salvation
from a biblical perspective that
00:41:13.76\00:41:17.63
moves from
creation to new creation.
00:41:17.63\00:41:20.00
He continues, "accommodation
to the theory of evolutionary"
00:41:20.00\00:41:25.43
"history implies rejecting
and replacing the theological"
00:41:25.43\00:41:30.20
"revolution from which Adventism
originated in turn the"
00:41:30.20\00:41:34.13
" the community will lose
the uniqueness that is its"
00:41:34.13\00:41:37.70
"reason for existing. "
He sounds almost prophetic.
00:41:37.70\00:41:41.20
Then finally, "harmonizing
Scripture to evolution then"
00:41:43.13\00:41:46.20
"requires harmonization of the
Adventist theological method"
00:41:46.20\00:41:49.26
to the always changing dictates
of human science and tradition.
00:41:49.26\00:41:53.60
"In turn methodological
changes will require a"
00:41:53.60\00:41:57.00
"reformulation of the entire
corpus of Adventist doctrine. "
00:41:57.00\00:42:00.50
"And eventually the
re-formulation of all
00:42:00.50\00:42:02.80
28 fundamental beliefs. "
00:42:02.80\00:42:05.03
"Before seeking harmonization
between the creation"
00:42:05.03\00:42:07.46
"an evolution metanarratives,
Adventist should seriously think
00:42:07.46\00:42:11.16
"whether they are
willing to give up their reason"
00:42:11.16\00:42:12.83
"for existence. "
00:42:12.83\00:42:15.90
Beloved, are we clear that
this is not simply an addition
00:42:15.90\00:42:20.63
of something that basically
is consistent with Scripture.
00:42:20.63\00:42:25.13
This is a radical reinter-
pretation, re-evaluation of what
00:42:25.13\00:42:29.63
we have always
believed and affirmed.
00:42:29.63\00:42:31.96
Are we clear everyone yes or no?
00:42:31.96\00:42:33.93
Audience: yes!
00:42:33.93\00:42:35.63
There are very, very good
reasons to reject evolutionary
00:42:35.63\00:42:39.33
long ages, let me just
give you a couple of them.
00:42:39.33\00:42:42.83
First of all, what we are
talking about here, that is
00:42:42.83\00:42:46.30
biblical
fidelity, can you say Amen!
00:42:46.30\00:42:49.36
Audience: Amen!
00:42:49.36\00:42:50.93
We regard Genesis 1 through
11 as historical and authentic.
00:42:50.93\00:42:55.63
More significantly still,
Jesus Himself affirms repeatedly
00:42:55.63\00:42:59.76
the historicity and authenticity
of the Mosaic account.
00:42:59.76\00:43:03.50
To put it in very simple
language, Jesus treated Moses
00:43:03.50\00:43:07.40
record of creation as if it
were true and authoritative.
00:43:07.40\00:43:11.93
Are we wiser than Jesus? I
remind you that Jesus is God.
00:43:11.93\00:43:16.40
Jesus said in the plainest
of language, Matthew 19:4, 5
00:43:19.06\00:43:23.90
"that He made
them in the beginning,"
00:43:23.90\00:43:26.16
"made them male and female. "
00:43:26.16\00:43:29.63
Paul writes of the death
that came in as the result of
00:43:29.63\00:43:34.43
Adams transgression and
persisted until the time of
00:43:34.43\00:43:36.46
Moses in Romans 5.
00:43:36.46\00:43:38.40
Evidence after evidence
could be marshaled that the way
00:43:38.40\00:43:41.66
the New Testament writers
understood the old testament was
00:43:41.66\00:43:45.20
in terms of its authenticity,
it's historicity, in other
00:43:45.20\00:43:48.30
words not only is there no
room for these millions and
00:43:48.30\00:43:51.50
billions of years in the
Old Testament's, not one of the
00:43:51.50\00:43:54.66
New Testament writers understood
the Old Testament in the
00:43:54.66\00:43:57.63
way that some of our modern
scholars would like us to.
00:43:57.63\00:44:00.50
I don't know how you feel
about that but I'm going to take
00:44:02.30\00:44:05.06
the inspired perspective
of the New Testament writers,
00:44:05.06\00:44:07.76
and particularly the
perspective of Jesus Himself
00:44:07.76\00:44:10.90
over any scientist and any
theologian that calls for a
00:44:10.90\00:44:15.26
radical reevaluation of how
we understand the Old Testament.
00:44:15.26\00:44:18.50
I'm going to put my
faith in what Jesus said.
00:44:18.50\00:44:21.23
Audience: Amen!
00:44:21.23\00:44:23.40
So reason number 1 that we
rejected it is that we hold to
00:44:23.40\00:44:27.40
Biblical fidelity, now this
phrase is what is referred to as
00:44:27.40\00:44:31.36
Solis Scriptoria.
00:44:31.36\00:44:33.36
There are several battle cries
of the reformation that are
00:44:33.36\00:44:37.43
usually communicated as
Sola Fide, Only by faith.
00:44:37.43\00:44:41.80
Sola gracia, only by grace.
00:44:41.80\00:44:43.60
Sola Dei Gloria,
only to the glory of God.
00:44:43.60\00:44:46.26
As Solis scriptoria, but
the most important of these four
00:44:46.26\00:44:50.56
battle cries of
reformation must certainly be
00:44:50.56\00:44:53.93
Solis scriptoria because
once we have established a
00:44:53.93\00:44:56.96
foundation upon which to
build, then we can progress to
00:44:56.96\00:45:00.60
Sola Fide, Sola gracia,
Sola Dei Gloria, in other words
00:45:00.60\00:45:04.03
that was the root, that was
the bedrock foundation of the
00:45:04.03\00:45:07.53
Protestant Reformation when
the church, the mother church
00:45:07.53\00:45:11.06
would protest and say, but
tradition, but we have always,
00:45:11.06\00:45:14.56
but this is the way we do it.
00:45:14.56\00:45:16.20
Martin Luther and other godly
men would stand and say but
00:45:16.20\00:45:20.36
show me according to Scripture.
00:45:20.36\00:45:23.70
Audience: Amen!
00:45:23.70\00:45:25.43
when are Adventist pioneers
sat down in the 1840s and 50s
00:45:25.43\00:45:30.26
and moving into the early
1860s, they took a radical
00:45:30.26\00:45:33.76
prospectus of Solis scriptoria.
00:45:33.76\00:45:35.86
Dr. Canale calls it a
revolutionary perspective.
00:45:35.86\00:45:39.40
In the book the Great
Controversy we read this I think
00:45:42.00\00:45:45.10
it is one of the clearest
and most persuasive articulation
00:45:45.10\00:45:48.20
of Solis
scriptoria you will ever find.
00:45:48.20\00:45:50.40
Page 595, "but God will
have a people upon the earth to"
00:45:50.40\00:45:55.60
"maintain the Bible
and the Bible only. "
00:45:55.60\00:45:59.20
Maybe you would
like to say that with me.
00:45:59.20\00:46:03.10
Audience joins: The
Bible and the Bible only.
00:46:03.10\00:46:06.93
Perhaps we can say it
with a little more enthusiasm.
00:46:06.93\00:46:09.03
Audience joins: the
Bible and the Bible only.
00:46:09.03\00:46:13.03
She goes on, "as the
standard of all doctrines. "
00:46:13.03\00:46:17.00
Audience: Amen!
00:46:17.00\00:46:18.80
"and the bases of all reforms. "
00:46:18.80\00:46:22.60
There are some clever in our
midst that would call for us to
00:46:22.60\00:46:26.46
adopt the kind of theistic
evolution and then they say that
00:46:26.46\00:46:29.46
Ellen White says we don't have
all the light, that new light
00:46:29.46\00:46:32.43
is to be revealed.
00:46:32.43\00:46:33.80
As if incorporating evolution
into our perspective is
00:46:33.80\00:46:37.46
new light, it is a total
perversion of Scripture, a
00:46:37.46\00:46:40.70
perversion of the writings
of Ellen White, and frankly
00:46:40.70\00:46:43.90
totally
dishonest. Audience: Amen!
00:46:43.90\00:46:47.90
"The opinions of
learned men," that means smart,
00:46:47.90\00:46:51.70
"The opinions of smart men
and the deductions of science"
00:46:51.70\00:46:57.46
we will return to that
in a moment, "the creeds or"
00:46:57.46\00:47:01.40
"decisions of ecclesiastical
counsels as numerous and"
00:47:01.40\00:47:05.43
"disaccorded as the churches
represent the voice of the"
00:47:05.43\00:47:09.36
"majority. Not one, nor all
of these should be regarded"
00:47:09.36\00:47:13.60
"as evidence for or against
any point of religious faith. "
00:47:13.60\00:47:17.80
"Before accepting any
doctrine or precept we should"
00:47:17.80\00:47:22.06
"demand," I wonder if
you know how this ends?
00:47:22.06\00:47:24.00
Does anyone know how this ends?
00:47:24.00\00:47:25.16
Before adopting any precept
of religious faith we should
00:47:25.16\00:47:30.33
demand a, does anyone know?
00:47:30.33\00:47:32.40
Audience: a plain
thus saith the Lord.
00:47:32.40\00:47:37.13
Adventists have always held
to a very radical understanding
00:47:39.26\00:47:43.80
of Solis scriptoria, even the
more radical, the magisterial
00:47:43.80\00:47:48.26
and radical
reformers, it is such a radical,
00:47:48.26\00:47:51.20
and incidentally I believe
one of the reasons we do that
00:47:51.20\00:47:54.53
is God gave us the lesser light
as it were pounded into our
00:47:54.53\00:47:57.83
skulls the importance
of sticking to Scripture.
00:47:57.83\00:48:00.43
Martin Luther used to
say that the great truths of
00:48:00.43\00:48:02.93
righteousness by faith
needed to be pounded into
00:48:02.93\00:48:05.43
the heads of the people.
00:48:05.43\00:48:06.50
Pounded into the heads
of people because they we're
00:48:06.50\00:48:08.53
so liable to forget it.
00:48:08.53\00:48:09.96
Today if anything needs
to be injected continually,
00:48:09.96\00:48:13.60
persuasively, and repeatedly
into our minds is that the
00:48:13.60\00:48:17.26
Bible in the Bible only is
the standard upon which we can,
00:48:17.26\00:48:21.10
listen to the language,
safely proceed into the future.
00:48:21.10\00:48:24.86
So number 1, we absolutely,
totally reject evolutionary
00:48:26.70\00:48:30.53
long ages as in anyway being
incorporated into Adventism
00:48:30.53\00:48:34.36
based on biblical fidelity.
00:48:34.36\00:48:36.10
Number 2, how
about prophetic fidelity?
00:48:36.10\00:48:39.03
Open your Bibles to
Revelation 14 if you would.
00:48:39.03\00:48:42.73
Seventh-day Adventist Bible
interpretation has always been
00:48:45.13\00:48:47.80
driven by the conviction
that Seventh-day Adventism is a
00:48:47.80\00:48:51.13
prophetically foretold movement
with a prophetic message.
00:48:51.13\00:48:54.46
I want you to say that with me.
00:48:54.46\00:48:56.33
A prophetic movement
with a prophetic message.
00:48:56.33\00:48:59.56
Let's say it together.
00:48:59.56\00:49:00.60
Audience joining: a
prophetic movement with a
00:49:00.60\00:49:02.36
prophetic message.
00:49:02.36\00:49:03.73
One more time, a
prophetic movement with
00:49:03.73\00:49:06.63
a prophetic message.
00:49:06.63\00:49:08.13
We have always believed that.
00:49:08.13\00:49:09.66
As historicists we have believed
that this in the scheme of
00:49:09.66\00:49:14.20
time, in the great sweep of
time, beginning in Revelation 10
00:49:14.20\00:49:18.66
which we have always affirmed
actually anticipated the
00:49:18.66\00:49:21.60
Millerite movement.
00:49:21.60\00:49:22.96
I really hope I'm not telling
you something here that you
00:49:22.96\00:49:24.70
do not know, that
would break my heart.
00:49:24.70\00:49:26.53
I think it would
break the heart of God.
00:49:26.53\00:49:28.26
Revelation 10, Revelation 11
is a bit of a side note moving
00:49:30.10\00:49:33.93
into 12, 13 and 14 and we
have always seen this sweep
00:49:33.93\00:49:37.63
moving toward
prophetic movement with a what?
00:49:37.63\00:49:41.06
A prophetic message.
00:49:41.06\00:49:42.80
And we have called that
prophetic message, appropriately
00:49:42.80\00:49:45.60
the three, I wonder if
you could finish that for me?
00:49:45.60\00:49:48.33
The three Angels messages.
00:49:48.33\00:49:50.76
Well right here in the first
of the three angels messages
00:49:50.76\00:49:53.33
we are told the very
first thing that He has the
00:49:53.33\00:49:55.50
everlasting gospel and
after that it says that His call
00:49:55.50\00:49:58.93
is to worship Him
that made... now here is
00:49:58.93\00:50:03.10
something very interesting.
00:50:03.10\00:50:04.70
Scholars of Revelation,
historicizes scholars of
00:50:04.70\00:50:07.90
Revelation, people like John
Paul Lee and others, have very
00:50:07.90\00:50:10.90
clearly communicated, and I
believe demonstrated, that in
00:50:10.90\00:50:14.70
the structure of Revelation,
Revelation 12, 13 and 14 and
00:50:14.70\00:50:18.50
especially 14 is the
climax of the whole book.
00:50:18.50\00:50:22.03
You have what actually they've
called a Chiastic structure
00:50:22.03\00:50:24.60
which basically means, I
will give you the quick version,
00:50:24.60\00:50:27.13
that we moving in from
this direction, chapter 1,
00:50:27.13\00:50:30.40
and we are moving in from
this direction, chapter 22 and
00:50:30.40\00:50:33.93
the great themes of Revelation
converge in the middle,
00:50:33.93\00:50:37.26
and you have the climax,
you have the apex, you have the
00:50:37.26\00:50:40.53
summit of the whole book
in Revelation chapter 14.
00:50:40.53\00:50:43.80
Now it gets even
more amazing still.
00:50:43.80\00:50:45.86
When we get to Revelation 13
and 14 we find repeated calls
00:50:45.86\00:50:50.20
to worship, repeated
calls to what everyone?
00:50:50.20\00:50:53.96
Audience: to worship.
00:50:53.96\00:50:55.20
Perhaps you would like to
join me in Revelation 13:4.
00:50:55.20\00:50:59.80
So they worshiped, the Dragon,
Bible students tell me who
00:50:59.80\00:51:04.33
the Dragon is?
00:51:04.33\00:51:05.80
That serpent of all
called the devil and Satan.
00:51:05.80\00:51:08.60
So they worshiped the devil
he's saying, that is staggering.
00:51:08.60\00:51:10.90
"So they worshiped the dragon
who gave authority to the"
00:51:12.63\00:51:14.76
"beast and they
worshiped the beast. "
00:51:14.76\00:51:16.83
vs. "All that dwell upon
the earth will worship him,"
00:51:16.83\00:51:20.93
that is the beast,
how about verse 12.
00:51:20.93\00:51:24.00
"He exercises all the authority
of the first beast in his"
00:51:24.00\00:51:25.76
"presence and causes the
earth in those that dwell in"
00:51:25.76\00:51:27.50
"it to worship
the first beast. "
00:51:27.50\00:51:29.26
Verse 15, "he was
granted power to give breath
00:51:29.26\00:51:32.16
to the image of the beast,
00:51:32.16\00:51:33.40
"that image of these should
both speak and cause many that"
00:51:33.40\00:51:35.33
"would not worship
the image of the beast. "
00:51:35.33\00:51:37.90
Jump down to chapter
14 and look at verse 9.
00:51:37.90\00:51:40.40
"And the third angel called
them saying with a loud voice"
00:51:40.40\00:51:42.56
what is the word everyone?
"Worshiped the beast. "
00:51:42.56\00:51:44.90
How about verse 11, "and
they smoke of their torment"
00:51:44.90\00:51:46.96
"ascends forever and ever
and they have no rest day or"
00:51:46.96\00:51:48.96
"night for whoever
worships the beast,"
00:51:48.96\00:51:51.00
Seven times, seven times in
Revelation 13 and 14, I remind
00:51:51.00\00:51:57.13
you again that the structure
of Revelation is that it
00:51:57.13\00:52:00.30
is the climax of the book.
00:52:00.30\00:52:01.66
As we arrive at the peak,
as we arrive at the summit,
00:52:01.66\00:52:04.30
we are crawling over to see
with this book is all about.
00:52:04.30\00:52:07.20
What's the word that hits
you right in the face like a
00:52:07.20\00:52:10.06
breath of fresh
air? What is the word?
00:52:10.06\00:52:11.66
Worship, worship, worship,
worship, worship, seven times.
00:52:11.66\00:52:17.13
I think he is
trying to make a point.
00:52:17.13\00:52:18.60
But here's the interesting
thing, right amidst this
00:52:18.60\00:52:22.23
cacophony it calls to worship
the beast and to worship the
00:52:22.23\00:52:27.40
antichrist,
there is a single call.
00:52:27.40\00:52:31.00
There is a what word everyone?
There is a single call.
00:52:31.00\00:52:35.40
Just one, one call
to worship the true God.
00:52:35.40\00:52:40.56
That one call to worship
the true God we just read in
00:52:40.56\00:52:44.56
Revelation 14, and isn't it
fascinating that amongst this
00:52:44.56\00:52:48.20
cacophony of calls to false
worship, there is a single call
00:52:48.20\00:52:51.86
to true worship, and how
are we told to worship God?
00:52:51.86\00:52:55.30
"Worship him that made,"
00:52:55.30\00:52:58.50
now here it gets
even more amazing.
00:52:58.50\00:53:01.20
"Worship him that made the
heaven, the earth, the sea,"
00:53:01.20\00:53:06.63
"and fountains of waters. "
00:53:06.63\00:53:08.33
Keep your finger right
here and we are going to go to
00:53:08.33\00:53:10.93
Exodus 20, so keep your finger
or some kind of ribbon here
00:53:10.93\00:53:16.43
and go with me to Exodus
20 and notice with me the
00:53:16.43\00:53:21.56
linguistic parallels
between the Sabbath command,
00:53:21.56\00:53:25.60
of the 10 Commandments
and the first Angels message
00:53:25.60\00:53:29.56
of Revelation 14.
00:53:29.56\00:53:31.63
Beginning in verse 8, "remember
the Sabbath day to keep it"
00:53:31.63\00:53:33.63
"holy, six days you shall
labor and do all your work, but"
00:53:33.63\00:53:35.46
"the seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord your God. "
00:53:35.46\00:53:38.20
"In it you shall do no work,
you nor your son, nor your"
00:53:38.20\00:53:40.50
"daughter nor your manservant,
nor your maidservant,"
00:53:40.50\00:53:42.60
"nor your cattle nor the
stranger who is within your
00:53:42.60\00:53:44.66
gates," "for in six days the
Lord," what is the word? "Made"
00:53:44.66\00:53:51.43
"the heavens, and the earth,"
very interesting, and the sea. "
00:53:51.43\00:53:58.16
Now watch this, "and
all that is in them is. "
00:53:58.16\00:54:02.40
Now, first of all this
is the Sabbath commandment.
00:54:02.40\00:54:06.46
I hope I do not need to remind
you that this is written on
00:54:06.46\00:54:09.56
tables of stone by the finger
of God and placed in the ark.
00:54:09.56\00:54:12.63
In other words, IT IS IMPORTANT!
00:54:12.63\00:54:14.70
Are we together on that?
00:54:14.70\00:54:17.03
Did God trust Moses to
take an accurate account of the
00:54:17.03\00:54:20.20
things then He
said? Of course He did.
00:54:20.20\00:54:22.83
Moses wrote the first
five books of the Bible.
00:54:22.83\00:54:25.80
He wrote Genesis, he wrote
Exodus, he wrote Leviticus,
00:54:25.80\00:54:27.63
he wrote numbers, he wrote
Deuteronomy, but when it came
00:54:27.63\00:54:29.96
time to write this it is
as if God says, you know what
00:54:29.96\00:54:32.23
Moses you are not qualified.
00:54:32.23\00:54:34.36
If I went in and apply
for a position as a computer
00:54:34.36\00:54:37.70
scientist more like Dr.
Harris, a chemist, I would go in
00:54:37.70\00:54:41.50
and they would say, so
what, you seem like a nice guy,
00:54:41.50\00:54:45.26
we have looked
at your application,
00:54:45.26\00:54:47.23
so what is your experience?
00:54:47.23\00:54:48.53
I don't know anything about
chemistry, I know water is H20.
00:54:48.53\00:54:52.20
They would look at me
like I was just ridiculous.
00:54:52.20\00:54:56.70
They would say you are nice
guy and we like your glasses,
00:54:56.70\00:54:59.03
and your tie, you look great.
00:54:59.03\00:55:00.50
The problem is
you are not qualified.
00:55:00.50\00:55:03.73
You are not what?
Audience: qualified.
00:55:03.73\00:55:06.86
That appears to be
what God is saying here.
00:55:06.86\00:55:08.43
He basically says, Moses
write your heart out, but wait a
00:55:08.43\00:55:12.43
minute, this I
am going to write.
00:55:12.43\00:55:15.00
Go get me two tables of stone.
00:55:15.00\00:55:17.50
Bring them up in the morning
and I will show you My glory.
00:55:17.50\00:55:20.36
I will hide you in the cleft
of the rock, let Me write this.
00:55:20.36\00:55:23.33
Beloved this is written on
tables of stone with the very
00:55:23.33\00:55:26.26
finger of God, can you say Amen!
00:55:26.26\00:55:28.20
Audience: Amen!
00:55:28.20\00:55:29.33
So look at the language
here, four linguistic parallels.
00:55:29.33\00:55:32.23
Now go back to Revelation
14 and notice them here.
00:55:32.23\00:55:36.33
Verse 6, verse 7 rather,
"worship him who made," that is
00:55:36.33\00:55:42.43
the first word, "the
heavens," number 2, "the Earth,"
00:55:42.43\00:55:48.50
number 3, "and
as seas," number 4.
00:55:48.50\00:55:50.56
Basically this is a direct
quotation of the Sabbath command
00:55:50.56\00:55:55.56
and this is widely understood
and confirmed by cutting edge
00:55:55.56\00:56:00.53
New Testament scholarship.
00:56:00.53\00:56:02.30
Let me give it to you very
simply, John is quoting from the
00:56:02.30\00:56:06.16
Sabbath commandment,
are we together on that?
00:56:06.16\00:56:09.60
Now wait a minute, let's
just pause here and take in the
00:56:09.60\00:56:11.83
significance of this.
00:56:11.83\00:56:13.56
Revelation is building from
the front toward the center.
00:56:13.56\00:56:17.26
It is building from
the back toward the center.
00:56:17.26\00:56:19.16
As we arrive at Revelation
12, 13 and 14, we are looking at
00:56:19.16\00:56:23.10
the climax of the ages.
00:56:23.10\00:56:25.00
This is historicist basically
always understood Revelation
00:56:25.00\00:56:28.06
12, 13 and 14 and we
are confronted by this word.
00:56:28.06\00:56:31.13
What is the word everyone?
Worship! Worship, but it is
00:56:31.13\00:56:34.76
always false worship, worship
the beast, worship the image,
00:56:34.76\00:56:37.60
worship the beast and the
image, and amidst this cacophony
00:56:37.60\00:56:40.30
it calls to false worship,
there is a what kind of call,
00:56:40.30\00:56:43.26
do you remember? A single
call to worship the true God.
00:56:43.26\00:56:46.70
In that single call to worship
the true God, I remind you
00:56:46.70\00:56:49.76
just before the second
coming of Jesus, which begins in
00:56:49.76\00:56:52.83
verse 14, John quotes
the Sabbath commandment.
00:56:52.83\00:56:57.00
Surely this is
significant, no! it is more than
00:56:59.33\00:57:02.40
significant, it is absolutely,
totally and completely amazing.
00:57:02.40\00:57:06.10
If ever there was a time
when we should not be objecting
00:57:08.10\00:57:11.36
the Sabbath, not be objecting
the foundation of the Sabbath
00:57:11.36\00:57:15.13
which is a biblical account
of creation, historicity of
00:57:15.13\00:57:18.86
the creation, that time is now.
00:57:18.86\00:57:21.23
This is our finest hour!
00:57:21.23\00:57:25.40