第五章 把可能性误解为责任

为预备进入天家人当改革其生活方式，然而我们到哪里聆听这样的警告呢？耶稣甚至提出我们所看、所听或所说的，都能关系到是去天堂或去地狱；但这样的说法在今天却被认为是律法主义与狂热主义。

他们假定成圣（sanctification）的经验是转移的，消极接受的，正如称义(justification)一样。基督做好一切，而我们只要相信祂的圣洁与公义已经记到我们的帐户上就好了。依照某些人的说法，救赎完全就是基督为了我们的利益而做的工作，对我们自己去做这工作的任何关注就是想要赚取救恩。下列陈述完全推翻了这种错误的假定。

“得救的工夫乃是一种神人合作共同进行的工夫。在上帝与悔改的罪人之间必须有一种合作。要想在品格上培养正确的原则，这乃是必不可少的。人必须认真努力制胜那拦阻他达到完全的障碍。但他的成功完全依赖上帝。人的努力原是不足成事的。若没有神圣的能力援助，就根本无济于事。上帝作工，人也要作工。抗拒试探必须出于人，但人必须从上帝那里取得能力。”——《使徒行传》P482

“许多人从未达到他们可以达到的地步，就是因为等待上帝替他们作成一些工作，但这工作却是上帝已经赐给他们能力去为自己成就的。凡上帝所能用的人，必须在智力和道德方面受最严格的锻炼;上帝必要使神圣的能力与人力合作来帮助他们。”——《先祖与先知》P248

这些话强调了关于战胜罪恶的一个最重要的属灵原则。正是那对上帝大能之应许深信不疑的信心才使人从坏习惯与罪恶里被释放出来。但信心没有行为就是死的。我们在上帝应许的基础上宣称胜利后，必须藉着实行祂的道表明那样的信心。那些已经祈求从烟草中得释放的人，接着就必须行出来如同事已成就一样。他们必须把香烟丢掉，并且克制住从此不让香烟再次回到手上。

根据怀爱伦姐妹的观点，惟有当我们开始竭尽全力对付已经宣称得胜的罪时，才有能力注入我们的生命以抵抗试探。的确，信心唯一真实的证据就是确信而从容的行动，这样的行动否认肉体要胜过上帝应许之大能的可能性。

“主无意要代替我们立志或行事。那本是我们当作之工。一旦我们热切地参与这工作，上帝就赐恩典给我们，催促我们立志行事，但决不是要代替我们自己的努力。我们的心灵应被唤醒与主合作。圣灵在我们里面运行，使我们能做成自己得救的工夫。”——《给传道人的证言》P240

因而，我们实在完全可以说：对于成功，上帝提供了可能性（POSSIBILITY），而我们有的是责任（RESPONSIBILITY）。祂把胜过罪的能力放在我们里面，我们的信心就体现在积极勇敢地运用这能力去抵挡罪。当结出得胜之果时，我们不归功于自己，而是归荣耀给赐拯救的上帝。“感谢上帝，使我们借着我们的主耶稣基督得胜。”（林前15：57）

如果我们只是松懈下来，等着上帝把我们强拉出每一次危险的试探环境，撒旦会不胜雀跃的。成千上万的人自己根本不努力，感觉若在肉身中稍作努力抵抗罪就是在窃取上帝的荣耀。当通过如此被动之举无法取得完全得胜时，他们就得安慰说，上帝已经故意地注定了在圣徒的经验中有些罪会继续保留。

基督复临安息日会的教友被告知确实如此已经到了一个惊人的尺度，竟认为即便是这种存心去犯的罪，也不能取走他们在基督里的安全。这也许是现在弥漫渗透在整个余民教会中最致命的错误教义之一。由于它如此微妙地穿插在许多复临信徒的畅销书中，于是就产生了一种对罪行几乎是许可了的松懈态度。越来越多的人相信这个极恶的谎言，认为罪不会影响他们与基督的关系，于是就变得越来越不在意每况愈下的背离，与世俗越来越妥协并同化。同时，他们却对教会中的“律法主义者”却变得“义愤填膺”，因为“律法主义者”们藉着对那些小事——诸如喝咖啡、安息日出去饭店用餐等持否定态度，使得每个人都罪疚不安。

我们是在谈论正发生在每所教会中的真实的事吗？当然是的。我们当中相当大的一部分人无法理解，为什么另一部分人会因为很小的罪如此忧伤，因为他们已经确信那罪不会使他们与基督分离！

关于这种在撒旦争夺区域的边境线游荡的自以为是，我们有更多内容需要讲述。对任何基督徒而言，停留在有问题的地方就是身处禁区了。上帝要祂的子民尽量远离试探之源，这是有原因的。一些自称为基督徒的人似乎要自找试探来显明他们对上帝保守之能的伟大信心。这种自以为是的行动是毫无得胜的应许的。从罪里得释放不是一项一劳永逸的交易，不是将来永不失败的保证，而是持续地住在基督转移与分赠的功劳里，加上谨慎地闭塞住每一条已知的试探之途。

先知这样写道：

“为要抵抗试探，我们也有当尽的本分。凡不愿落在撒但的诡计中成为他牺牲品的人，就必须慎重地保卫心灵的每一条通道；我们不可读、看或听那足以引起污秽思想的事物。”——《心思，品格与个性》P107

我永远无法忘记在11岁那年把一切都摆在祭坛上献给上帝时，自己本性中的争战。撒旦知道每一个人最大的弱点，他要集合所有邪恶的力量来针对这个弱点进行一场终极对决战。我的软弱就在喜欢阅读激动人心的小说和杂货店的杂志。那是一场强烈的争战，但我最终下了决心！50年过去了，我仍记忆犹新当时是如何把那些连环漫画书和杂志装在我的红色小推车里，推着上了路，穿过大门来到粮仓后面的牧场。在那里我挖了个洞，把过去未重生时所视为宝贝的东西都埋了进去。

就在那一天上帝给了我一次光荣的胜利，胜过了那些挑逗的出版物；但是我还得停止去见夏日图书馆的卡车，每个星期四它都会开到我家隔壁的校园里。我里面深深地知道，如果停下来去看那些迷人的标题，它们最终就会出现在我家的书桌上。

上帝给了我得胜，并指教我如何保持得胜，但祂不能替代我做决定不去见那图书馆的卡车。那是我的责任。我仍然被令人兴奋的历险书和电视节目试探着，倘若我曾给撒旦一点点的优势，他就会再次把我席卷进他的束缚中。这就是为什么在我家里从来没有电视机的原因。上帝已经给了我足够的智慧，认识到能引向罪恶的小事物的危险性。我们该为那能分辨是非的奇妙心思何等感谢上帝啊！在圣灵的感化之下，它可以作出决定以行动抵挡罪。

真实的悔改必然使我们愿意放弃罪中之乐。太多太多的人周旋于肉体和世界，最终越过他们的能力落入了试探之中。相信可以怀里搋火而不被烧着是多么愚蠢的事呀！上帝是不会施行神迹救我们脱离我们为自己制造的危险的。当你的眼目正饱览不道德与不纯洁的事物时，当你混杂在游泳池或海边几近全裸的人群中时，不要祈求有一颗清洁的心。不要制造愚蠢的理由，强辩说你在所有环境中都能控制自己的思想和感情。若没有圣灵控制心思，就断没有人有力量取胜。毋庸质疑，圣灵是永远不会引导眼睛去看煽动刺激的luǒtǐ，或暴力，或罪恶的景象的。祂也不会命令脚步走进电影院或摇滚音乐会！

如果你正祈求上帝救你脱离肉体的软弱，请使你自己也协助回应那样的祷告。受灵感的勉言告诉我们在这点上许多人是如何跌倒的：

“许许多多的人招惹仇敌来试探他们…他们将自己放在易于被引诱陷入网罗的状况中。”——《举目向上看》P25

“我的弟兄啊，你双手合抱胸前，随波逐流落在罪习之中，然后等着上帝施行神迹改变你的品格，强使你成为一个干净圣洁的人。你岂要荒唐地将自己暴露在试探之中，指望上帝强制你的心意与爱好，使你免遭败坏吗？你岂要把毒蛇放入自己怀中，指望上帝对其施加能力使它的毒牙不至害到你吗？你岂要喝下毒药，指望上帝提供解药吗？”——《给传道人的证言》P455

“你怀抱着罪恶，并强化之。你爱它胜于爱真理、纯洁、与公义。你没有抓住神圣的帮助，猛然使自己扭转，远离有害危险的交游遐想。你顺从地将自己献给罪恶，仿佛你毫无道德的自主权一样。当以祷告的心学习上帝的话语，毅然坚定地达到其要求，正如约瑟与但以理一样。抓住上帝已向你应许的帮助。”——同上P452

用“猛然使自己扭转”这个词听起来非常像我们的主所用的。祂谈到为了远离有害的影响要“剜出”眼，“砍下”手来。在我们这个“温软走俏”的时代里，人们都普遍相信上帝是想要我们快乐的，因此祂从来不会叫我们尽这么大的努力去过基督徒生活。在这样的基础上，真理与原则就常常会被个人主观的检验标准所测度——快不快乐，好不好玩，与周围的人相不相投。

这难道不是教会中许多道德问题之根本吗？为什么在基督复临安息日会内的离婚率几乎与大众一样高呢？一个原因就是心思没有击退第一个罪的念头。那最初的吸引必须予以勇敢积极地拒绝。无论它对堕落的本性有着多么大的吸引，属灵的心意都必须对那种吸引力说不。如果窝藏试探，对那另外的人再有第二次、第三次想法，那么火苗就要窜大了。当第三者看起来越来越愉悦人时，丈夫或妻子就显得越来越不合适了。接着很快就是离婚。

几乎所有不合经训的离婚与再婚，在今日都以人的感觉或理由支持着。想搁置这个题目，并阻止对其进一步讨论的一个问题就是：“难道你认为他应该在今后一生中都独居吗？”换句话说，除了容许另一位婚姻伴侣存在，根本没有妥善之法。我们已经用快乐的关系取代了圣经来作为检测正误的标准而毫不自知。渐渐的，圣经中关于服装、饮食、离婚等等严格的训诫，被曲解的更方便于适应习俗与个人喜好了。我们使自己相信，快乐、平安与统一就是基督徒生活的最高目标。虽然这些看起来愉悦人心，但对于衡量真理却不是有效的检验标准。

这一态度已经影响了基督复临安息日会的信息吗？要回答这个问题，就需要纵览一下我们过去几年来的官方出版物。大部分文章倾向于谈论空洞的情感主义的爱和恩典关系，然而其中几乎没有忠诚与顺从的实质内容。我自己搜索到的是非常少的几篇关于基督徒标准的文章，其中一篇警告人关于试图保持高标准的可怕危险。另一篇则隐晦地暗示注意吃、穿、或行为方面的任何努力就是律法主义和属灵的骄傲。这显出对基督徒生活方式的否定比任何肯定都更强烈。

就在昨天，一个从加州打来的电话打断了我的写作。那天是1987年9月28日，电话另一头的人非常兴奋，他是早上5：30打来的，想和我分享一件有趣的事。他并不是复临信徒，但充满感情地说到了他与基督之间深厚的重生关系。

在几天前，这个人在其所在地的所有私立学校做了个调查。其中一个学校禁用化妆品与珠宝，给他留下了非常深刻的印象。虽然他所在的教会赞同适度的装饰，但他自己深深相信这是世俗化做法，是不蒙上帝喜悦的。

在进一步询问后，他发现那所反对化妆品与珠宝的学校是一所复临信徒的学校。既决定在这个问题上要得到更多信息，他就专程花了两个小时去了罗马琳达大学；在那里他通过大学的图书管理员帮忙查找支持我们关于人为装饰品所教导的原始资料。

她给他查阅了据他说是“展望与回顾”的资料（“The Herald and Review”）（译者注：应该是The Review and Herald，“回顾与展望”，也译为“评论与通讯”）。他在那里花了大量时间，仔细搜寻了近30年来的复临信徒评论报刊。他一直找到50年代中期，发现只有两篇文章提到了这个话题；他失望地对我说，那里面几乎没有任何实质内容回答他的问题。

他再一次求助图书管理员还有没有更多的材料，但她已经没有可提供的了。不过，她建议去附近的复临信徒书籍中心去问问有没有乔•克鲁斯（Joe Crews）所著的《色彩艳丽的化妆品与珠宝》一书。他急忙就去了书店买下这本书。他读了两遍，就马上给我打电话分享他的喜悦。他现在的计划是为自己的教会准备一篇论文，言明圣经的证据，呼吁他们抵制化妆品与珠宝。这个人说，“能找到一个有勇气坚持圣经立场的教会，我真是难以形容自己有高兴了。”他向我要了我能寄给他的所有额外的资料，帮助他准备论文。

但愿没有人荒唐地控告说，这个教会正在摆出太多关于标准和复临信徒生活方式的资料，因此就突出了一副律法主义的形象。律法主义可能主已经产生了，但那是因为我们没有提供资料显明我们对耶稣的爱与为祂服务之间的美好关系。昨天我新认识的这位加州的朋友在我们庞大的大学图书馆里搜寻关于基督徒行为的实践细节的资料，几乎一无所获。他却能找到几百册关于信心、转移的义等等神学论著。

事实就是，我们蒙爱的教会中有许多人已经被过分强调的，或歪曲解释的爱、恩典、成圣与泛基督教主义吓倒了。从我们的印刷机构出来的一本畅销书在其封面上大胆地宣称：“我们不是因为自己的好行为而得救，也不因为我们的罪行而被剥夺得救。”

问一问夏娃、亚干、或犹大，罪行是否影响到我们的得救。为什么我们要印出这种危险的谬论呢？这个谎言6000年来一直是撒旦的现货。然而要知道这种观点已经多么稳定地、偷偷地在余民教会中发展壮大了，我们就全都要惊奇了。我们没有适当说明一点点小罪如酵发长的影响力。我们所有的人，传道人与平信徒一样，全都必须回到圣经对罪的理解上来，圣经把罪定义为一种违背上帝律法的行为。我们未能揭露背离上帝明显旨意所有的危险与最终后果。基督复临安息日会教友的离婚率，以及我们的年轻人中几乎有40%不确定淫乱是罪——这些事实都毫无疑问地显明了我们在此立场上的故意忽视。但这个拥有以利亚信息的教会怎么能有这种令人沮丧的内部记录呢？尤其鉴于以利亚的信息是由两个主要部分组成的——团结家人，以及大胆谴责任何形式的罪。很显然，我们在教会里对奸淫与淫乱的定义还不够明确。世人有权力期待末后的真理教会恢复起初纯洁、质朴与道德的伟大原则。然而我们和一些灵意上的巴比伦教会一样，都远离开了那些原则；而他们在道德问题上经常显得比我们更敢说敢言，立场更坚定。

为什么我们在基督徒标准这一领域如此害怕采取坚定的立场呢？岂不是因为我们在拼命地设法改变我们在世人眼中的形象吗？就只因为福音主义者指责我们为律法主义，我们现在就要反应过度，不重视那些将我们分别出来为真正余民的甚好行为吗？当我们进一步分析撒旦历世历代对抗上帝子民所用的黑暗权势时，这就显得非常有可能了。

Chapter 5　CONFUSING POSSIBILITY WITH RESPONSIBILITY

　
　　But where do we hear such warnings about changing one's lifestyle in order to be prepared for heaven? To even suggest, as Jesus did, that what we see, hear or speak could have anything to do with whether we go to heaven or hell is counted today as legalistic and fanatic.

It is assumed that sanctification is an imputed, passive experience just like justification. Christ does it all and we simply believe that His holiness and righteousness have 's been credited to our account. Salvation according to some people consists totally of Christ's work in our behalf, and any concern of our own to do the works of Christ is an attempt to earn salvation. That false premise is demolished by statements such as these:

"The work of gaining salvation is one of copartnership, a joint operation. There is to be cooperation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection. But he is wholly dependent upon God for success. Human effort of itself is not sufficient. Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God." Acts of the Apostles, p. 482.

"Many never attain to the position that they might occupy, because they wait for God to do for them that which He has given them power to do for themselves. All who are fitted for usefulness must be trained by the severest mental and moral discipline, and God will assist them by uniting divine power with human effort." Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 248.

These statements point up a most important spiritual principle about gaining the victory over sin. It is faith in the power-packed promises of God which brings deliverance from bad habits and sins. But faith without works is dead. After claiming the victory on the basis of God's promise, we must demonstrate that faith by acting on His Word. Those who have asked for deliverance from tobacco, must then act as though it is done. They must throw away the cigarettes and refrain from ever taking them into their hands again.

According to Sister White, it is only when we begin to exert all of our effort against the sin over which we have claimed the victory that the power flows into our life to resist the temptation. Indeed the only true evidence of our faith is a confident, deliberate course of action which denies the possibility for the flesh to prevail against the promised power of God.

"The Lord does not propose to perform for us either the willing or the doing. This is our proper work. As soon as we earnestly enter upon the work, God's grace is given to work in us to will and to do, but never as a substitute for our effort. Our souls are to be aroused to cooperate. The Holy Spirit works the human agent, to work out our own salvation." Testimonies to Ministers, pg. 240.

Very simply then, we can say that God provides the POSSIBILITY for victory, but we possess the RESPONSIBILITY for it. He places the power over sin within us and we show our faith by using the power to actively and aggressively resist the sin. When victory F results we do not take credit for it, but glorify God who provided the deliverance. "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." I Corinthians 15:57.

atan would be more than delighted if we simply relaxed and waited for God to extract us from every dangerous circumstance of temptation. Thousands have made no effort of their own, feeling that it would be stealing some honor away from God to put forth any kind t. of resistance in the flesh against sin. When total victory doesn't come through such a passive program, they are i comforted that God has deliberately ordained that some sin remain in the experience of the saints.

n an alarming scale, Seventh-day Adventist Christians have been assured that such sin, though willfully practiced, cannot take away their security in Christ. This is probably one of the most deadly doctrinal errors now permeating the remnant church at all levels. Because it is so subtly woven through many of the popular books of Adventism, it has produced an almost permissive slackness concerning the practice of sin. Believing the enormous lie that sin doesn't affect their relationship with Christ, more have become less and less troubled by increasing lapses into worldly compromise and conformity. At the same time, they become righteously indignant at the "legalists" in the church who put everybody on a guilt trip by their negative attitude toward those little things like drinking coffee and eating out in restaurants on the Sabbath.

Are we talking about real things that are happening in practically every congregation? Of course we are. One large portion of our membership can't understand why the other portion should be so distressed over a small amount of sin, because they have been convinced that it hasn't separated them from Christ!

Much more needs to be said about the presumption of loitering on the fringes of Satan's disputed territory. It is off limits for any Christian to remain where it is questionable. God had a reason for separating His people as far as possible from the sources of temptation. Some professed Christians seem to seek out test situations in which to exhibit their great faith in the keeping power of God. There is no promise of victory in such presumptuous action, Deliverance from sin is not a onetime, forever-settled transaction which guarantees no future failure. It is a continuous abiding in the imputed and imparted merits of Christ plus a deliberate closing up of every recognized route of temptation.

rote the prophet:

We have a work to do to resist temptation. Those who would not fall a prey to Satan's devices must guard well the avenues of the soul; they must avoid reading, seeing or hearing that which will suggest impure thoughts." Mind, Character and Personality, p. 107.

I can never forget the conflict in my own self-nature at the age of eleven when I placed everything on the altar for God. Satan understands the point of greatest weakness in every human being, and upon that point he will rally all his evil resources for a final face-off battle. My weakness was reading exciting novels and drugstore magazines. It was a fierce struggle, but finally the decision was made! Fifty years have not dimmed the memory of how I loaded those comic books and magazines into my little red wagon, and pulled it up the road, through the gate, into the cow pasture behind the barn. There I dug a hole and buried those treasures of my past unregenerate life.

God gave me a glorious victory that day over those tantalizing publications, but I had to stop meeting the summer library truck as it pulled into the school yard next to my house every Thursday. I knew deep down inside of me that if I stood looking at those fascinating titles, they would end up on my desk at home.

God gave me the victory and showed me how to keep it, but He could not make the decision for me not to meet the library truck. That responsibility was mine. I'm still tempted by exciting adventure books and TV programs, and if I ever gave Satan a tiny advantage, he would sweep me back into that slavery again. That's why I have never had television in my home. God has given me enough wisdom to recognize the danger of trifling with something that could lead into sin. How thankful we should be for that wonderful reasoning mind which can, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, make choices to act against sin.

Genuine conversion will make us willing to give up the enjoyment of sin. Too many people play games with the flesh and the world, and end up testing themselves beyond their strength. How foolish it is to believe we can take fire into our bosom without being burned. God will not work miracles to save us from dangers we create for ourselves. Do not pray for a pure mind while you feed your eyes on scenes of immorality and impurity, or while you mingle with the near-nude crowd at the pool or beach. Stop making the silly excuse that you can control your thoughts and emotions under all circumstances. No one has the strength of victory who does not have the Holy Spirit in control of the mind. And it is certain that the Holy Spirit would never send messages for the eyes to look at scenes of provocative nudity, or violence, or sin. Neither would He order the feet to walk into the theater or the rock concert!

If you are praying for God to save you from weaknesses of the flesh, apply yourself also to help answer that prayer. Inspired counsel tells us how many fail in this respect:

So many invite the enemy to tempt them. They place themselves in circumstances where they will be entrapped." Upward Look, pg. 25.

"You, my brethren, fold your hands, and drift into evil practices, and then wait for God to work a miracle to change your characters and compel you to be pure and holy men. Will you expose yourself wantonly to temptation, expecting God to force your mind and inclination that you may not be corrupted? Will you take the viper to your bosom, expecting God to put a spell upon it so it will not poison you with its venomous sting? Will you drink poison, expecting God to provide an antidote?" Testimonies to Ministers, p. 455.

"You cherish the evil; you strengthen it. You love it better than you love truth, purity, righteousness. You do not take hold of divine help, wrenching yourselves from hurtful and dangerous associations. You tamely give yourselves to the working of an evil way, as though you had no free moral agency. Study God's Word prayerfully, meet its demands firmly, resolutely, as did Joseph and Daniel. Lay hold upon the help God has promised you." Ibid. p. 452.

The expression "wrenching yourselves" sounds very much like the words of our Lord. He spoke of "plucking out" the eye and "cutting off' the hand to get away from harmful influences. In our soft-sell age it is popular to believe that God wants us to be happy and, therefore, He would never make it necessary for us to exert such effort in living the Christian life. On this basis, truth and principle are often measured by the subjective test of joy, pleasure, or compatibility with those around us.

Is this not the root of many moral problems in the church? Why are there almost as many divorces in the Seventh-day Adventist Church as among the population at large? One reason is because the mind does not repel the first thought of sin. That initial attraction must be aggressively rejected. No matter how alluring it might be to the fallen nature, the spiritual mind must say no to that appeal. If the temptation is harbored, and that other person gets a second and third thought, the flame begins to grow. Husbands and wives look less and less suitable while the third party appears more and more desirable. Soon there is a divorce.

Almost any unscriptural divorce and remarriage situation is defended today by an appeal to feeling or reason. One question is assumed to lay the matter to rest and preclude any further discussion on the subject: "Do you think he is supposed to live alone for the rest of his life?" In other words, no proper solution would allow for less than another marriage partner. Without realizing it, we have substituted happy relationships instead of the Bible for testing standards of right and wrong. Gradually the strict scriptural admonitions on dress, diet, divorce, etc., have been rationalized in favor of practices more congenial with culture and personal gratification. We have made ourselves believe that happiness, peace, and unity are the highest aims of Christian living. Desirable though they may be, these are not valid tests for measuring truth.

Has this attitude affected the message of the Seventh day Adventist Church? To get an answer to that question, one needs to survey our official publications during the past several years. A large portion of the articles lean toward the more frothy aspects of an emotional love and grace relationship with little solid content about loyalty and obedience. My own search turned up very few discourses on Christian standards, and one of them warned of the terrible danger involved in seeking to ' uphold high standards. Another article darkly hinted of legalism and spiritual pride which attended any efforts to eat, dress or act in a certain way. The negative aspects of a Christian lifestyle came through more forcefully than anything positive.

Just yesterday, I was interrupted in my writing by a phone call from California. The date was September 28, 1987, and the excited man on the other end was calling at 5:30 in the morning. He had a most interesting story to share with me. He was not a Seventh-day Adventist, but spoke feelingly about his deep, born-again relationship with Christ.

A few days earlier, this man had made a survey of all the private schools in his area. He had been greatly' impressed by one of them which forbad the use of cosmetics and jewelry. Even though his own church approved of moderate adornment, the man himself had strong convictions that it was worldly and displeasing to God.Upon further inquiry, he discovered that it was an Adventist school which took the stand against makeup and jewelry. Determined to get more information on the subject, he made the two-hour trip to Loma Linda where he approached the university librarian for help in locating source material in support of our teaching on artificial adornment.

She referred him to the file which he described as "The Herald and Review." There he spent a long time searching back through thirty years of the Adventist Review papers. By the time he reached the mid-fifties, only two articles had been found pertaining to the topic, and he told me in disappointment that they contained almost nothing of any substance to answer his questions.

He appealed once more to the librarian for further material, but she had none to offer. Nevertheless, she did suggest that he go to the nearby Adventist Book Center and ask for the book, Colorful Cosmetics and Jewelry, by Joe Crews. The man hurried to the store and bought the book. He read it through twice and called me immediately to express his delight. His plan now is to prepare a paper for his own church presenting the Bible evidence and appealing for them to take a stand against wearing makeup and jewelry. The man said, "I can't tell you how happy I am to find a church that has the courage to take a stand where the Bible does." He asked for all the additional information I could send him to help in preparing his paper.

Let no one bring the ridiculous charge that this church is putting out too much material on standards and Adventist lifestyle, and thereby projecting a legalistic image. It may be that legalism has resulted BECAUSE we have not provided material showing the beautiful relationship between our love for Jesus and our service for Him. Yesterday my new California friend could find almost nothing in our large university library on specifics of practical Christian behavior. He could have found hundreds of volumes on the theology of faith, imputed righteousness, etc.

The fact is that many in our beloved church have been intimidated either by an over-emphasis, or by a distortion of love, grace, justification and ecumenism. One popular book from our presses boldly proclaimed on its cover: "We are not given salvation because of our good deeds, nor are we deprived of it because of our misdeeds."

Ask Eve, or Achan, or Judas if misdeeds can affect our salvation. Why do we print such dangerous falsehoods? This lie has been Satan's stock in trade for six thousand years. Yet it would amaze all of us to know how steadily and stealthily this concept has gained ground in the remnant church. The leavening power of a little sin has not been properly portrayed. We all, ministers and members alike, need to be brought back to the Bible understanding of sin as an act of transgression against God's law. We have failed to expose the dangers, as well as the ultimate consequences, of acting contrary to God's revealed will. Our dereliction in this area surely is proven beyond question by the divorce rate among Seventh-day Adventists and the fact that nearly forty percent of our young people are not sure that fornication is a sin. How could the church with the Elijah message have such a dismal domestic record, especially considering that the Elijah message consists of two main parts-uniting the family and boldly condemning sin in all its forms? It is patently obvious that we have not defined clearly enough adultery and fornication in our churches. The world has a right to expect the last-day, true church to restore the great original principles of purity, modesty and morality. Yet we are just as far from those principles as some of the churches of spiritual Babylon, and often they seem to speak out and take stronger stands on moral issues than we do.

Why are we so fearful of assuming firm positions in the area of Christian standards? Is it because we are desperately trying to change our image in the eyes of the world? Because the evangelicals have accused us of legalism, are we now overreacting, and downplaying those very good works which have distinguished and identified us as the true remnant? This may appear very likely as we analyze further the potency of Satan's agelong warfare against the people of God.