Good morning and happy Sabbath. I’m looking forward to sharing something very important with you this morning. I’m sure you’ve heard about the Trump campaign slogan “Make America Great Again,” how could you not have. And of course America has been going downhill economically, socially, and morally for a long time, so that’s not a bad slogan and probably one of the main points that won him the presidency. But what about the Three Angels’ Messages? Haven’t they also been going downhill for some time now as well? When you consider how these messages were handled by the church early on and compare that to how they’re being treated today, there’s no doubt in my mind that we should do all we can to “Make The Three Angels’ Messages Great Again.” So I thought it would be a good idea this morning to review how an understanding of the three angels’ messages, and especially the third, came to be, and why they are so important, and why we should do all we can to make sure the world hears these messages loud and clear.

First of all I’d like to say a few things about the third angel’s message and then we’ll get to the other two. As the ministry of Jesus as our High Priest closed in the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844—that would be after the first two messages had done there work—and passed into the most holy, He stood before the ark containing the law of God and sent another mighty angel with a third message to the world, and as this angel descended to the earth in power and majesty, a fearful warning was proclaimed, with the most terrible threatening ever borne to man; that whosoever would receive the mark of the beast should also receive of the seven last plagues before they’re destroyed, only to rise again at the end of the 1000 years to be burned up and finally be as though they had not been.

The third angel’s message was designed, not just for the ungodly world when it was first proclaimed, but also to put God’s people on notice by showing them the hour of temptation and anguish they would soon have to meet. God wanted them to know that they were to be brought into close combat with the beast and his image in these last days, and their only hope of eternal life was to remain steadfast to that message; and friends, nothing has changed in this respect for us today. Even at the cost of their lives, they were to hold fast the truth, and so must we. Because of this coming combat with the beast power is the reason the third angel’s message closes the way it does in Revelation 14:12 when it says “Here is the patience of the saints: (Here is the cheerful endurance of God’s holy people in spite of persecution) here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (when the whole world has chosen to keep the commandments of men and a spurious faith).

As the third angel’s message was proclaimed, that is, the closing words of that message about keeping the commandments, that message was at the same time pointing the way to the heavenly sanctuary where those commandments are contained in the Ark. Everyone who embraces the third angel’s message is directed to the most holy place where Jesus stands before the ark of the covenant making His final atonement for every repentant soul who has violated those commandments, and that would be all of us. And this atonement includes every person who died trusting in Christ without having received the light upon the Sabbath commandment; those who sinned ignorantly by transgressing that part of the law. William Miller comes to mind here, because others will be held responsible for his failure to accept the third angel’s message, we’re told, and like Moses who erred as he was about to enter the Promised Land, so William Miller erred. We’re told also that angels watch the precious dust of this servant of God, and he will come forth at the sound of the last trump. You can read that in Early Writings, page 258.

God is fair friends, and He will not hold someone responsible for that which they did not know, except as they deliberately closed their eyes to it; that William Miller did not do, but the final generation will have no excuse, because they will have ample opportunity to know about the forgotten Sabbath commandment as the great controversy draws to a close. And those of us who already know about these things have a responsibility and an obligation to make known to others what God has revealed to us. In other words, we are to be the voice of the third angel so people have the opportunity to make an intelligent decision about receiving the mark of the beast or the seal of God. It’s an awesome responsibility, but God will help us as we do our part by putting forth some effort in that direction.

Now notice what it says in Revelation 11:19, “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple, or His sanctuary, the ark of his testament.” According to the 2300 year time prophecy of Daniel 8:14, this is when Jesus opened the door of the most holy place in 1844 and entered there, and when that door was opened, those who had gone through the disappointment soon saw something they had never noticed before. The light of the true Sabbath was seen, and the people of God were tested at that time as the children of Israel were tested anciently, to see if they would keep God’s law or not.

After the disappointment when Jesus didn’t come as expected, the disappointed ones saw that the third angle’s message was pointing upward through that open door, showing them the way to the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, and as they by faith entered that place, they found Jesus once again, because they had temporarily lost sight of Him, and hope and joy spring up anew, and it caused them to look back and review the past.

From the time they proclaimed the coming of Jesus and down through their experience to the passing of the time in 1844 they saw their disappointment explained, and oh what joy filled their hearts as they realized what had really taken place. They saw that Jesus never intended to come back to this earth as they expected, but simply moved from one apartment of the heavenly sanctuary to the other. And so, the third angel had lighted up the past, the present, and the future, and they knew that God had indeed led them by His mysterious providence.

And can’t you identify with that or something similar to that in your life? I mean we all go through perplexing times along life’s journey, don’t we? and none of us have 20/20 hindsight. But if we keep studying and praying and asking for direction through our perplexities and don’t get disheartened, God will lead us by His mysterious providence just as surely as He led those who were disappointed in 1844.

In Early Writings, page 255 Ellen says, “It was represented to me that the remnant followed Jesus into the most holy place and beheld the ark and the mercy seat, and were captivated with their glory. Jesus then raised the cover of the ark, and lo! the tables of stone, with the ten commandments written upon them. They trace down the lively oracles, but start back with trembling when they see the fourth commandment among the ten holy precepts, with a brighter light shining upon it than upon the other nine, and a halo of glory all around it. They find nothing there informing them that the Sabbath has been abolished, or changed to the first day of the week. The commandment reads as when spoken by the voice of God in solemn and awful grandeur upon the mount, while the lightnings flashed and the thunders rolled; it is the same as when written with His own finger on the tables of stone: ‘Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.’. . . They see that they have been trampling upon the fourth commandment of the decalogue, and have observed a day handed down by the heathen and papists, instead of the day sanctified by Jehovah. They humble themselves before God and mourn over their past transgressions.”

Can you imagine their shock and surprise as they learn about something that has been right in front of their noses all along, and they totally missed it? This same thing is going to happen again as the great controversy builds to a climax in these last days. When the true Sabbath is brought to the notice of those who have been serving God to the best of their knowledge and ability, they’re going to say, “How did we miss it?” And they will mourn over the fact that they have been trampling upon the fourth commandment without realizing it, and as eleventh hour workers they will join the ranks of those who have been giving the third angel’s message all along, and through the demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit it will become “Great again” as that message is joined by the fourth angel’s message of Revelation 18:1-5, and it will swell to a loud cry. It’s going to happen, friends, and sooner than we may think, and suddenly, and when it does, we better be among those who are repairers of the breach that has been made in the law by the introduction of a pagan and papal holy day.

In Early Writings, page 256 Ellen continues by saying, “I saw the incense in the censer smoke as Jesus offered their confessions and prayers to His Father. And as it ascended, a bright light rested upon Jesus and upon the mercy seat; and the earnest, praying ones, who were troubled because they had discovered themselves to be transgressors of God’s law, were blessed, and their countenances lighted up with hope and joy. They joined in the work of the third angel and raised their voices to proclaim the solemn warning. But few at first received it; yet the faithful continued with energy to proclaim the message. Then I saw many embrace the message of the third angel and unite their voices with those who had first given the warning, and they honored God by observing His sanctified rest day.”

Now, what we just read here is history; it’s what our Advent pioneers experienced, and it’s going to happen again the same way, because the devil has hidden the Sabbath once again in a pile of pagan and papal rubbish, and it awaits discovery once again by those who sincerely desire to serve God with a pure heart, and we need to be a part of their discovery process whenever and wherever possible, because that’s what we’ve been called to do.

Let me read a little more from Early Writings, page 256, because there’s something really important here we need to know. She writes, “Many who embraced the third message had not had an experience in the two former messages. Satan understood this, and his evil eye was upon them to overthrow them; but the third angel was pointing them to the most holy place, and those who had had an experience in the past messages were pointing them the way to the heavenly sanctuary. Many saw the perfect chain of truth in the angels’ messages, and gladly received them in their order (very important), and followed Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who understand and receive them will be kept from being swept away by the many delusions of Satan.”

So, an understanding of the three angels’ messages are pretty important, aren’t they? If we want to be anchored to the truth so we can’t be moved or swept away by the many delusions of Satan, we’ve got to understand and receive the three angels’ messages in their order just as people did in the past, and when that happens, the three angels’ messages will become great again, and as they become great again, they will accomplish a closing work that has heretofore been largely neglected.

Now, there are many statements in the Spirit of Prophecy that give prominence to the third angel’s message over the first and second, because the first two are history and the third is present truth, and will be till human probation closes. However, they are all present truth in this respect, that we must individually receive these messages in their order in order to be sanctified by the truths they contain. No one can jump straight into the Most Holy Place and keep the commandments without first making their way through the outer court and the Holy Place. There’s only one way in, and we have to go in through that one way in order to reach the Ark of the covenant; and Jesus is that one way. Everything about the heavenly sanctuary represents something about the salvation that comes through the life, sacrifice, and priestly ministry of Christ in our behalf.

So you see, there is a reason there are three angels’ messages and three separate divisions in the sanctuary. The three angels’ messages are inseparably linked to the sanctuary, which is the central pillar of our faith, and unless we follow Jesus by faith all the way through the sanctuary and into the Most Holy Place where Jesus ministers in our behalf today, we will not remain anchored or settled into the truth so we can’t be moved. That’s what we just read.

We need the experience that comes from an understanding of how the courtyard and the Holy Place relates to our salvation or we will never complete our journey into the Most Holy Place where the Ten Commandment are kept and power is given to keep them. A lack of understanding about this is why many have come to the conclusion that it’s impossible to keep the Ten Commandments, and it has become evident that “Some power has cut the cable that anchored them to the eternal Rock, and they are drifting (in the open sea) without chart or compass.” {RH July 24, 1888} Friends, if we don’t receive the three angels’ messages in their order, we will not receive the finishing touch of immortality when Jesus comes, that’s how important this is. Without heart obedience to those commandments, which we can’t manufacture on our own and which comes as we make our way through the sanctuary, we will not be able to form a righteous character and keep our garments spotless as we’ve been told to do.

However, let me just say this. Many people have experienced salvation without an understanding of the sanctuary and the three angels’ messages, and I’m one of them, but are we not supposed to study more deeply into the mysteries of God’s word and grow spiritually? Are we not supposed to gain an understanding of how salvation comes to us and how it relates to what we’re studying today and not just experience conversion and say, “oh, isn’’t this wonderful that I’ve been forgiven?” You see, that’s the problem many people have after they’ve been born again. They don’t understand how their salvation has come to them; they don’t understand the science of salvation, and consequently they don’t know how to remain in that saving relationship with Jesus and they end up backsliding into their previous lifestyle, or become duped into thinking that they will be saved in sin. The Holy Spirit must lead us all the way through the sanctuary and into the Most Holy Place and empower us to stay there by faith, which will be made manifest by continual obedience to the Law.

Now, you might be wondering how an understanding of the sanctuary and the three angels’ messages correspond to each other, or how they’re tied together, and that’s a good question, and we’ll go over that just briefly this morning.

First of all we know there are three areas in the sanctuary; the courtyard, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place, and we know there are also three angels’ messages, but how does it all fit together? Well, here’s how. The first angel’s message of Revelation 14:6, 7 has to do with the everlasting gospel to all the world, the beginning of the investigative judgment, and calling people back to the worship of the Creator. In other words, it’s the Good News about the sacrifice of Christ and the forgiveness that comes from accepting Him as our Saviour. Sacrifice and forgiveness are the two points that are brought out in the first division of the sanctuary, because there are only two articles in the courtyard; the altar of sacrifice and the laver. The altar represents not only the sacrifice of Christ in our behalf, but it also represents our own sacrificing of self as an act of love for what Jesus has done for us, and the laver is where forgiveness and cleansing, or the washing away of sin takes place before we can move on to the Holy Place. And so the courtyard and the first angel’s message is the beginning of our walk with the Lord, but there’s more to salvation than just accepting the sacrifice of Christ as our Creator and Redeemer and receiving the forgiveness of sins because judgment is coming. We have to move on to the Holy Place in order to maintain what was begun in the courtyard. Does that make sense?

So, as we move into the Holy Place there are three articles; the lamp stand, the table of show bread, and the altar of incense. The table of show bread to the right represents Jesus, the bread of life, the word of God; the lamp stand to the left represents the light that come as the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual understanding of that word; and the altar of incense in the middle, right before the veil, is where our prayers, mingled with the righteousness of Christ, ascend to the throne of God where the Father and the Son are in the Most Holy Place.

Now, nearly all Christian churches teach that it’s a good thing to study the Bible, to ask for the Holy Spirit, and to pray for ourselves and intercede for others; all the Babylonian churches agree that we should do this, but if we stop there, which they all do, then they are missing the last and most important part of the way through the sanctuary, which contains the complete way of salvation. That’s why, in the second angel’s message there is a call to come out of Babylon or confusion, because it’s only a partial message mingled with error that will leave you guilty of sin and in a vicious cycle of sinning and repenting as you continue to transgress the law in the Most Holy Place. If a person never gains an understanding of the obligation to keep the law in the Most Holy Place, they will not be able to have victory over all sin and be prepared for the coming of the Lord, and that’s the devils goal for every professed Christian.

Psalm 77:13 says, “Thy way oh God, is (where?) in the sanctuary.” It’s the way of salvation friends, but if we don’t make it past the Holy Place, we will be deceived by the devil who’s trying to carry on a work there that was vacated in 1844 when Father and Son moved into the Most Holy Place. Satan’s object is to convince Christians they don’t need to keep the Ten Commandment Law, which is in the Most Holy, to be saved. And so they never learn what it means to have a love of all the truth that they might be saved and instead end up believing a lie, and it just so happens that that lie, in a large part, has to do with only half a gospel and a false day of worship.

Now, a moment ago I mentioned the fact that Satan is now trying to carry on a work in the second apartment of the sanctuary that Jesus has left. He’s not really there literally, but vicariously as he tries to fool people, and if you’re interested you can read all about this in Experience and Views, page 44 where it says that Jesus left the Holy Place and entered the Most Holy, and how Satan has taken the place that Jesus has left in the minds of the people. It’s very interesting, but we don’t have the time to read that this morning. But here’s the bottom line; the devil’s doctrine teaches all we have to do is believe and that obedience to the commandments is unnecessary to salvation, but remember what James 2:19 says, “The devils also believe and tremble”, and that belief is not going to save them, and neither will it save us unless we keep the commandments of God in the Most Holy Place. That’s where the third angel’s message comes in, because it says, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus”, and all those who don’t will receive the mark of the beast, it’s very plain. And make no mistake friends, those that allow themselves to be drawn back into the Holy Place with nominal Adventists and the world, will end up giving in to the pressure to bow to Sunday, the idol sabbath set up by the papacy and apostate Protestantism when it’s enforced by law.

And so, what’s the bottom line? Here it is. Victory can only come as we follow the three angels’ messages “In their order” through the sanctuary,  finishing our course in the Most Holy Place. This is where we need to be when our probation closes, whether at death or when Jesus comes if we are fortunate enough to be alive and translated without seeing death; but either way we need this victory in order to meet Jesus in peace.

In Revelation 16:15 Jesus said, “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments (spotless that is), lest he walk naked (without the righteousness of Christ), and they see his shame.” Unless we are constantly watching, the final events will come upon us suddenly and unawares, just like a thief, and we will lose our souls. And so it’s vitally important to be on our guard every moment.

After the great disappointment in 1844, we’re told in Early Writings, page 256, that there were all kinds of errors that came in to unsettle the faith of the body. It says there that Satan affected the minds of those who had had an experience and once believed in the messages, but when they rejected them they began teaching strange doctrines, and it was all because they pulled up that which anchored them to the truth. Here’s what it says, “Satan exulted in all this; for he knew that those who broke loose from the anchor (the three angels’ messages) he could affect by different errors and drive about with divers winds of doctrine.”

Earlier we read that a correct understanding of the three angels’ messages and receiving them in their order is what will anchor us to the truth. Notice again what the prophet said, “These messages were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who understand and receive them will be kept from being swept away by the many delusions of Satan.”

Friends, just as the rejection of these messages led to confusion and the introduction of many errors 175 years ago, the rejection, and even the neglect of the three angels’ messages, and especially the third, will and has brought in many errors today. Why do you think there are so many errors being promoted by professed Adventists within and without the denomination today? It’s because the main focus of the three angels’ messages have been replaced by many other things, some of which may even be true, but are not the main topic we should be promoting.

Let me remind you of something you probably already know, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded. Testimonies For The Church, volume 9, page 19 says, “In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is shining wonderful light from the word of God. They have been given a work of the most solemn import—the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages. There is no other work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention. The most solemn truths ever entrusted to mortals have been given us to proclaim to the world. The proclamation of these truths is to be our work. The world is to be warned, and God’s people are to be true to the trust committed to them.”

Now, this does not mean that we can’t teach things other than the three angels’ messages; all it means is that we should not allow other things to so control us that we forget why we’re here. When the major portion of our time is spent soaking in other things, we cannot also be giving the three angels’ messages the time and thought and effort they deserve, and before we know it we’ll be on that boat that is floating on the open sea being tossed about by every wind of doctrine.

There are Seventh-day Adventists today that are stuck on one subject and they can’t seem to get off it, and it’s not the three angels’ messages, and most of the time it’s error, if not in substance, it is in focus; why? Because they have pulled up their anchor and have been absorbed with other things, which they think are more important. Things like, are you ready? because I might be hitting on something you’re involved with, and I’ll probably hear about it after this sermon goes out, but here goes.

There are those who teach that the Holy Spirit is not a personal being; is not the third person of the Godhead, and that’s all they can talk about, because they think that is the great truth for these last days. There are those who believe in the 2520 time prophecy, that’s not even a time prophecy, and they travel all over the world spewing out their error and bringing in confusion. There are those who promote the Old Testament feast days, because they think that’s the special truth that’s been forgotten in these last days. There are those who make health reform the main message instead of the right arm of the message, and that’s all they can talk about. Others talk about dress reform, and that seems to be their special message to the world and unfortunately many of them are confused about what the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy teach, and as a result they make themselves a gazing stock to rational beings because they think they need to dress like people did 150 years ago. Some are into a “righteousness by faith” message that leaves you saved in sin, and that’s all they can talk about. Some are reinterpreting the time prophecies that have already met their fulfillment and that’s their present truth. Some major on who the king of the north is and think that’s to be the emphasis at this time when radical Islam has recently come to the forefront. Others make Bible translations their main focus, and without stirring up a hornet’s nest let me just say this; and by the way, I use the King James Bible myself, but you know what, the Baptists are the biggest promoters of the old King James version and they manage to teach all their Babylonian doctrines from it, which brings us to a conclusion. You can read and study the best Bible in the world, but if the same Holy Spirit that inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures doesn’t inspire us when we read and study it, we will come to wrong conclusions. Friends, God has called us to do only one thing, “Make the three angels’ messages great again”, and we are not to become absorbed with anything else.

Now, as most of you know, I myself have preached about many of the things I’ve just mentioned, but it hasn’t been because I think any of them are the present truth we’re supposed to take to the world, but I’ve done it to try to expose error and do what I can to correct these things so people don’t get sidetracked with them. I wish I didn’t have to spend my time doing this, but this is something even our pioneers had to do, and unfortunately I don’t see it coming to an end any time soon. Let other people emphasize what they will, but let us “Make the three angels’ messages great again” and we will see something happen to this movement that should have happened a long time ago.

Let me read you something that hits the nail right on the head. This is from Selected Messages, book 1, page 159, “We are to pray for divine enlightenment, but at the same time we should be careful how we receive everything termed new light. We must beware lest, under cover of searching for new truth, Satan shall divert our minds from Christ and the special truths for this time. (And what are the special truths for this time? The three angels’ messages) I have been shown that it is the device of the enemy to lead minds to dwell upon some obscure or unimportant point, something that is not fully revealed or is not essential to our salvation. This is made the absorbing theme, the ‘present truth,’ when all their investigations and suppositions only serve to make matters more obscure than before, and to confuse the minds of some who ought to be seeking for oneness through sanctification of the truth.”

So, why is this happening to the Advent movement today? It’s because, dear friends, we have forgotten why we’re here, plain and simple. We’ve forgotten that the messages of Revelation 14:6-12 are the messages for this time, and that’s why we need to “Make the three angels’ messages great again.” They used to be great, but the devil has taken control of the movement and has replaced them with his own messages of falsehood and fanaticism to so confuse us that we will not be able to accomplish the work the Lord has given us to do.

So it begs the question we should all ask ourselves, What am I promoting? Where is my main focus? Am I being absorbed with other things? What kind of literature have I been handing out? What or who am I supporting and is their message off on some tangent or is their message right on target where it should be? If we were all proclaiming the three angels’ messages and not being absorbed with other things, I believe we would see a unity among us that has been missing for a very long time. If we would place our focus upon making the three angels’ messages great again, a work would be accomplished that would make angels glad and would bring into the fold of Christ thousands upon thousands who are now wandering in error.

Here’s one more thing about the third angel’s message I’d like you to think about before we close. We’re told that the third angel’s message is a justification by faith message, and we should understand what that means. Back in the day, there were many people inquiring whether or not the third angel’s message was a justification by faith message and in Last Day Events, page 200 Sister White said yes, it is justification by faith in verity. This question had come to the forefront because of the righteousness by faith message brought to the church through the preaching of Elders Waggoner and Jones. And so, as we look at the third angels’ message, where can this justification by faith message be found? Let’s take a quick look at Revelation 14:9-12.

Verse 9 says, “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, (I don’t see justification by faith in this verse, do you? It’s a warning, but no justification by faith message here) Verse 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: (Again, nothing here about justification by faith, just a continuation of the warning) Verse 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. (Again, nothing here except a description of what’s going to happen to those who receive the mark of the beast; a continuation of the warning. So if it’s not in verse 12, it doesn’t exist, because it’s the end of the message. So let’s see if it’s there) Verse 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Is it here in this verse? In verses 9-11 we see reasons for repentance, for incentive to become justified, we see a fearful scene that we don’t want to be a part of, and we see a warning, but we don’t see the elements or an explanation of how to become justified by faith until we get to verse 12, “Here is the patience of (who?) the saints.” Can we be saints without being justified by faith? Absolutely not, but according to verse 12 it’s obvious that God has a people in these last days who fit this description or the Holy Spirit wouldn’t have inspired John to write it.

First of all, what is a saint? By definition a saint is someone who is “holy.” The word “saint” and “holy” are the same word in the Greek. But let me ask you, are you holy? We’re cautioned never to say that, aren’t we? But if we’re not saints, if we’re not holy, then what are we? Unholy! We are sinners if we’re not saints, because we have to be either or, there’s no third option. The Bible teaches that sinners need to repent, and if they don’t repent they’re going to be eternally lost. And so, if we repent and are forgiven, or justified by faith, how can we still be sinners? We can’t! When you think about it, a sinning Christian is an oxymoron. And so, we’ve got to be a saint or be lost.

So how can we make sense of all this? Listen, the only way for us to be holy is for Jesus to live within; or for us to be “in Christ” as the apostle Paul says over and over again. We are to be crucified with Christ, yet we live by allowing Christ to live in us. Can dead people sin? No! And neither will we as long as we die with Him daily and abide in Jesus continually.
Jesus is the only human being who ever lived a holy life 100% of the time, and if we allow Him to, He will live out His perfect life within us, and that’s the only way to be a saint. It’s true, we are not supposed to say “I am Holy”, or “I am sinless”, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be holy and sinless. There’s abundant evidence in the Bible that real Christians don’t sin. Professed Christians may sin, but real Christians don’t. That doesn’t mean we can’t or we won’t, it just means we can’t abide in Christ and sin at the same time.

1 John 3:8 says, “He who sins is of the devil” and verse 9 says as long as God’s seed, which is Christ, remains in us we won’t sin, and verse 10 says this is the way we can tell if we’re children of God or children of the devil. Pretty straight foreword, that’s why 1 John 3 is my favorite chapter in the Bible, and if we are well acquainted with it we won’t be deceived, that’s what John claims in verse 7. Read it for yourself and commit it to memory and you won’t become befuddled in these last days as is the case with so many today.

Also in Matthew 5:48 Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”, and in 1 Peter 1:16 God says, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” So, if God says we should be perfect and holy, can this happen to us or not? It can, and if it does, we certainly won’t brag about it, but if God declares us so, we will certainly be registered that way in the books of heaven.

Let me read you something from The Desire of Ages, page 668 where it says, “All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent (that is, if we give Him permission), He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.”

That’s the definition of a saint if I’ve ever heard it, and we’ve got to have that experience or perish. We’re also told that in our own strength it’s impossible to keep the commandments of God, and yet, verse 12 speaks of a people in these last days that will do just that, and they’ll do it because they have the faith of Jesus, but what is the faith of Jesus? What does it mean in a practical sense?

Let me read to you from Selected Messages, book 3, page 172, “The third angel’s message is the proclamation of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ. The commandments of God have been proclaimed, but the faith of Jesus Christ has not been proclaimed by Seventh-day Adventists as of equal importance, the law and the gospel going hand in hand. I cannot find language to express this subject in its fullness.

“The faith of Jesus. It is talked of, but not understood. What constitutes the faith of Jesus, that belongs to the third angel’s message? Jesus becoming our sin-bearer that He might become our sin-pardoning Saviour. He was treated as we deserve to be treated. He came to our world and took our sins that we might take His righteousness. And faith in the ability of Christ to save us amply and fully and entirely is the faith of Jesus.”

And let me tell you something friends, if Jesus becomes our sin-pardoning Saviour and we take His righteousness, we are saints, we are holy, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done (as it says in Titus 3:5-7), but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” So we have nothing to do with declaring ourselves holy and sinless, do we? No, that’s why we will cast our crowns of life at the feet of Jesus when we get to heaven and acknowledge that all glory goes to Him.

Let me share one more verse of Scripture before we close. Romans 1:7, “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Now I want you to notice an important point here. If you are reading the old King James Bible you’ll notice that the words “to be” are italicized, that means these two little words were added by the translators to help clarify the verse, but in reality it leads the mind in the wrong direction. Most Christians today believe we won’t be saints until we get to heaven, which means we won’t stop sinning until we get to heaven, and that’s probably what the Bible translators believed. But the words “to be” should be left out of the verse and read as follows: “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called saints”, not “to be” at some future time! “To be” saints is not something that takes place when we get to heaven, but we are to be saints now! Today! Because if we are not saints we are sinners, and all sinners will be eternally lost.

Now, we may all have sinful natures, we can’t help that, but just because of that we don’t have to sin. Sin is a choice, and if we’re not crucified with Christ every day we will choose sin, that’s a given. That’s why it’s important for us to understand that Jesus had a sinful human nature, yet He was without sin, and so may it be with us. By the grace of God we can “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” and our life can be a life of continual obedience, and if you don’t believe that, you will never have victory over sin and the consequences will be devastating in the end.

If we “Make the three angels’ messages great again” by experiencing them in our own life, in their order, and share this gospel truth with others along way, let me tell you, it will be like laying up “treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal.” If we don’t allow ourselves to become absorbed with every wind of doctrine blowing around within Adventism and stick with the job we’ve been given to do, we will see a finished work and be ready for the soon coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May this be our experience and our hope as we do what we can to “Make the three angels’ messages great again.”

Sermon Notes in PDF Make the Three Angels Messages Great Again