HopeLives365

Mark Finley: Before the second coming of Christ, God's name will be exalted and honored in the way He's dealt with the problem of evil.

First Thessalonians 5, you're looking at verse 23. "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit," see that's your mental faculties, that's your attitude, "your soul," that's the spiritual faculties, "your body," that's the physical faculties. So, here Paul covers them all. Your spirit, your soul, body, be preserved blameless at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. Praise God.

We come—see, Adventists are different. We don't simply preach, give up meat. We don't simply preach, go out and take exercise. We talk about the holistic life. We talk about comprehensive health. We talk about a message to prepare people for the coming of Jesus—physically, mentally, and spiritually.

A number of years ago, when the five-day plans to stop smoking came out, it was in early 1960s. I was a young preacher in Hartford, Connecticut, and we ran about 20 five-day plans to stop smoking in a four-year period. We'd run about four or five programs a year, and we were thrilled because 84% of our people quit smoking. I was touting those statistics all over the place.

Then the Connecticut Department of Health did a study on our work, and they came to talk to us about it. They said, "You know, we did a study on recidivism." Recidivism is how many people quit and then go back. They said, "Your results are not 84% that you guys are touting; they're about 24%." I was absolutely stunned.

In those years, we were told not to pray in the five-day plan, not to introduce any spiritual principles. I understood right away, as a young preacher, that you can help people overcome habits in their life, and those who are naturally strong-willed may hang on for a while, but the majority of people are not going to do it. Unless you provide people with a faith base where the living Christ enters their life and empowers them, most likely they're going to go back to their previous habits.

That's where Seventh-day Adventists are unique. That's where the three angels' messages speak to this generation. We speak not only of a change of lifestyle habits; we speak of the Christ who's able to empower men and women to live the life that He calls them to live.

So, we look there at Revelation chapter 14. "Fearing God" speaks of your attitude. Again, "giving glory to God" speaks of your actions. "Fearing God" has to do with how we think. "Giving glory to God" has to do with how we act. "Fearing God" has to speak of an inner commitment. "Giving glory to God" speaks of our lifestyle.

First Corinthians 10:31 also says, "Whatever you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God." So Seventh-day Adventists have a unique health message that is part of this three angels' message. "Fear God, give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come."

Now notice what this says. Does it say "the hour of our judgment has come"? In the great controversy between good and evil, God is on trial before the universe. When the clock struck the hour in 1844, the hour of God's judgment came. What does that mean, the hour of God's judgment, and how do we play into this very judgment hour?

The hour of God's judgment is the hour that God is on trial before the whole universe. Before the second coming of Christ, God's name will be exalted and honored in the way He's dealt with the problem of evil. On the cross, Christ's love was manifested in its fullest, largest dimensions.

But how that love plays out in every life—is God fair and is God just in those that are lost and those that are saved? Has God done everything He can to save every human being? According to Daniel 7—take your Bible and turn to Daniel chapter 7—tens of thousands press in around the eternal throne of God.

This intergalactic struggle is coming to an end. This Star Wars controversy will come to an end. This controversy is more thrilling, more captivating than any Hollywood drama. Beings from unfallen worlds press into the sanctuary. Angels press in.

Here you have Daniel looks up and he says, Daniel 7:9, "I watched till thrones were put in place." The throne is a movable throne. Jesus goes from the holy to the most holy place. "And the Ancient of Days was seated. His garment was white as snow, the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, the books were opened."

Now notice the majesty of this. Thousands thousands ministered, ten thousand times ten thousand. Here is an event that captures the attention of the entire universe. Can anything be more important?

Now what? Verse 13: "I was watching in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven. He came to the Ancient of Days." So, here you have movement in the sanctuary. Jesus comes to where the Father is. You see it in the text. He comes to the most holy place there.

"Then to Him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations should serve Him. That His kingdom should not pass away." See, it's a battle for the kingdom. Who is worthy to rule? In the judgment, it is revealed that Jesus Christ is worthy to rule.

In the judgment, Jesus steps forward and says, "Could I have done anything else to save this man? Could I have done anything else to save this woman? Is there anything greater than the cross, anything greater than My love?"

I sent My Holy Spirit to their heart to woo them. Every person born into this world—Ecclesiastes 3:11—has eternity put in their heart. According to John chapter 1, verses 7 to 9, Christ is the light that lights every man born into this world. So, every human being born, the Holy Spirit's in their heart. The Holy Spirit's guiding them to right and truth.

In every life, God is giving people an opportunity to know Him, to serve Him, to love Him. So, in the final judgment, this is what we see: Christ stepping forward before the whole universe. Human beings are so valuable. Human beings are so precious to God. You and I were not created—we were not fashioned on some photocopy machine.

When the genes and chromosomes came together to form the unique biological structure, your personality, God threw away the pattern. There's nobody else like you in the universe. You're not some genetic accident. You're not some anomaly.

In the judgment, when you look at the three angels' messages, they reveal the worth of every human being. They reveal the gospel, Christ died for us. Christ lives for us. They reveal that we were created by God. We'll go to creation shortly. They reveal in the judgment that all the universe pauses over your case.

You are so important, so valuable, all the universe looks in. When your name comes up in judgment, Jesus steps forward and He says, "Could I have done anything else? Could I have done anything else for Mark Finley? All his life, I sent My Spirit to woo him. I sent people to him to share literature and the Word of God. I died on the cross for him. Could I have done anything more?"

The universe says, "No, you could do nothing more. Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive honor, blessing, and power." At the end of the judgment, Jesus will be revealed as perfectly loving, because Lucifer claimed that God was unfair, unjust, He was an authoritative dictator and a wrathful tyrant. That's what Lucifer claimed. And here, it's revealed in the judgment that Christ is fair.

Now, let me tell you why the judgment is good news for you. Take your Bible, look at Daniel chapter 7. If you haven't seen this, it's going to encourage your heart. Daniel 7, verse 21 and 22: "I was watching," Daniel says, "the same horn," that's the little horn power. What is the essence of the little horn power? The essence of the little horn power is humanism. It's self-inflated importance. It is denying the authority of the Word of God.

The issue in the change of the Sabbath is not merely the change of the Sabbath; it's something much more. It is taking the authority of man and exalting it over the authority of God. That's the essence of blasphemy. So blasphemy is when you take the authority of man and you heighten that above the authority of God.

"So I was watching, the same horn was making war with the saints," the little horn power. So the great controversy at its essence is: whose authority do you accept? Whose authority do you accept?

The devil right now is preparing the ground to have Seventh-day Adventists accept the authority of the beast by getting them to—if he can get them to—reject the authority of the Word of God, if he can shape Adventism in some type of cultural, social religion rather than a Bible-believing religion that believes we have a prophetic movement of destiny to prepare a world for the coming of Christ.

Anyway, more on that later. "I was watching, the same horn was making war with the saints and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came." Who's the Ancient of Days? God the Father. "And judgment was made," read the next few phrases with me, "in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom."

Verse 27: "Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High." Wow. "Judgment was made," what does scripture say, everybody? "In favor of the saints of God." The judgment is not against you; it's for you. And Jesus stands in the judgment on your behalf. As my friend George Vandeman used to tell me, "Mark, when I look at myself, there's no way I can be saved. But when I look at Jesus, there's no way I can be lost." Isn't that good news?

Guest (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered, biblical truths of Scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence His life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: The judgment is passed in favor of the saints. When individual names come up in judgment, we become exhibit A's of God's goodness, grace, and His mercy. Those people that turned their back on His love and spurned His grace, that'll be revealed.

Why does the Bible say judgment is based on works? How else is God going to base on judgment? Our faith is so good at works. The faith of Jesus living in our hearts glorifies God through our lives, and that glory is revealed in the judgment.

Now, the judgment reveals God's character of self-sacrificing love in contrast to Satan's selfish ambition. Revelation 14:7 is a divine commentary on Daniel 7, verses 13, 14, 26, and 27. Before a waiting world and a watching universe, God reveals in heaven's eternal judgment that He's done everything, absolutely everything possible to save all humanity. Judgment is passed in favor of the saints.

Now, in the judgment, all wrongs are going to be made right. Righteousness is going to triumph over evil. Just today, I read in the newspaper the story of a man. This man was tried for a crime in Florida that he never committed. There was a murder that took place, and a cab driver was shot in the head. The cab driver ultimately lived.

But this man was tried and spent 10 years in prison for attempted murder and assault. Just yesterday, the courts came forth and the police department of that city came forth and said, "We've found the real killer," because the real killer had come forth after 10 years. When he committed the crime 10 years ago, he admitted it to his close friends. And he said, "I can't live with myself any longer because a man was put in prison, he's been in prison for 10 years."

Has anything ever happened to you that has been unjust? Has anything ever happened to you that is totally unfair? See, one of the issues we deal with in life is this: why at times is life so unfair? Why do catastrophes happen in life that are totally unexplainable? Why do innocent people at times get put in prison? Why do godly people have tragic accidents that take their lives? Why do good people sometimes get—because of prejudice—get made redundant on their jobs? Why does a faithful wife at times have a husband that leaves her for another woman? Why does a godly Christian woman get her face beaten in by some man who comes home—her husband who comes home—drunk and she has a bloody nose?

You ask all those questions—why, why, why? Sometimes in this life, there are not good answers. But in the judgment, every wrong will be set right. In the judgment, for the proportion that we have suffered, in eternity, we'll have that proportion of joy. In the judgment, we will discover that our deepest valleys were the times that God was with us in the closest ways.

God does not promise life will be fair, but what He does promise is that He'll be with us in all of its unfairness. That's what He promises. See, the three angels' messages are tailor-made for this generation. They speak of self-worth in a God that loves us so much that He wants us in heaven with Him, the everlasting gospel. They speak of a purpose much bigger than we are, the preparing of a people for the coming of Jesus.

They speak of not self-centered, myopic, claustrophobic lack of purpose, but they speak of purpose and meaning in fearing God. They speak of the authority of the Bible. They speak of bodies and minds and hearts that are totally united to Christ. The three angels' messages speak of a God that's going to make all things right in an unjust world.

It says, "Fear God, give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him that made heaven, earth, sea, and the fountains of waters." Who's the one that made heaven, earth, sea, and the fountains of waters? Who is that? He's the—what do we call Him? We call Him the Creator.

Now look, here is a message going forth at the time of evolution to worship the Creator. What is the symbol of His creative authority? What is that? It's the Sabbath, right? The Sabbath is His symbol of creative authority. So here is a message calling us back to the Sabbath.

But I want to look at this message in a variety of ways. When the message has "worship the Creator," has the Creator created this planet? If we worship the Creator, are we concerned about the environment? Will we needlessly pollute this planet? So, do Seventh-day Adventists have a message to environmentalists? We say, "Yeah, we're concerned about the environment."

Now, of all that God has created, what is the epitome, the highest essence of His creation? Human beings. So, if I worship Him as Creator, am I going to tear down what He created or build up what He created? Am I going to tear down my body or build it up? Can I say I'm worshiping the Creator while I puff a cigarette in this hand and drink alcohol in this hand, and I destroy the very body He's created?

The essence of worshiping the Creator is giving Him honor and praise through my worship and the way I live. Now let me ask you another thing. If I worship the Creator, will I respect the sanctity of life? Will I respect the unborn? Will I do that? Will I be concerned about issues of the unborn and human life? Will I be concerned about the elderly, who even may be incapacitated and cannot contribute to society?

If I really understand the three angels' message and their significance—if I really do that—will I say that the only human life that has value is human life that can contribute to society? Will that be my attitude? Or will all human life have value? So, if I truly understand what it means to worship the Creator, I care for the environment. I respect the sanctity and the dignity of all human life. I respect my body. I respect other people's bodies.

See, this three angels' message is far broader because it deals with the very issues that are being debated in political circles in our society today. Adventists have a unique message for this generation.

Now, creation is a powerful concept. It leads us back to the one who made us and gives us security and rest in His love and care. John looks up into heaven and says—Revelation 4:11, let's read it together—"You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power." Why? "For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." So every human life exists by what? By God's will. Is that what the text says? For You created all things by Your will.

You aren't some genetic accident. You're not some collection of skin and bone. You exist because of the creation of God.

Now we're going to turn over here to the next section. I want you to look at creation, the impact of creation. See, I'm going to skip over. I would have loved to talk to you about Aristotle. I gotta tell you about Aquinas. And I gotta tell you about—yeah, we're going to look at those three. You're going to let me do that, right?

All right, Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas. This is significant for you. Who's Aristotle? And we're talking about creation. Aristotle's a Greek philosopher, right? He lived about in the 4th century before Christ. Satan prepared for over 2,000 years to destroy the Sabbath. Satan prepared because he knew the prophecies of Revelation.

Aristotle was a scientist and a philosopher. He was the first individual to teach theistic evolution. Aristotle essentially said that God created a primal mass in the sea, and from that, life began to evolve.

Now, what do you know about the union of church and state in AD 321? There was a Roman emperor by the name of—by the name of Constantine. And Constantine united with Roman powers, and in an attempt to unite his empire, they passed the first Sunday law in 321 AD. The authority of the Word was compromised at that time.

Up until that time, this idea of evolution was just kind of out there; it was not formalized at all. But there was a Catholic theologian by the name of Augustine. Guess when he lived. The 4th century. The exact same time that church and state were uniting.

The question is, how do you undermine the Sabbath? You undermine the Sabbath by introducing a concept of quasi-theistic evolution. Theistic evolution is when God—they have the idea God created the first mass but then let things evolve over millions of years. Augustine introduced that to Catholicism in the 4th century at the same time that this church and state are uniting, because the devil wants to undermine this.

Then Thomas Aquinas brings it back into the church in the 13th century in the Reformation. But in every instance that this is brought in, it's to undermine the authority of the Word of God. That's the whole issue here.

Now there are some things about the Sabbath. When you worship on the Sabbath, you are saying all life is sacred. When you worship on the Sabbath, you are coming into oneness with the God that made you. You're acknowledging the authority of God and His creation.

When you worship on the Sabbath, you are resting from your works and accepting Christ's works for your salvation. Follow me closely. Sabbath is a symbol of righteousness by faith. Sunday is a symbol of righteousness by works. Our Protestant friends have it wrong on this one.

How so? When Cain offered his offering of fruits and vegetables, that was an offering of what? Works. Because anytime you substitute human authority for God's word, that is what? Works. Abel did just what God said, and he did it by faith. So when you accept Sabbath, it is a symbol of righteousness by faith—that you are resting from your works in Christ's works. You are not trusting in your works; you're resting in His salvation.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at hopelives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Look out as you drive to church on Sabbath and sense the marvels of God's creation there. On Sabbath, come and rest in His love, rest in freedom from guilt. The Sabbath is a symbol of sanctification as well. That's the three angels' message. It's the symbol of sanctification. How so? If God created the world once and He could create that out of nothing, God can recreate your heart. Right?