The Doctrine of Christ

LESSON SIXTY-TWO The Needed Preparation for the Second Advent

1. The righteous who are living on the earth at the time of the Second Advent will be taken to heaven without seeing death. 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. TDOC 173.3

2. One must have a special experience in order to be ready for translation. Hebrews 11:5, 6. TDOC 173.4

3. The man whose ways please the Lord is one who reveals the life of Christ in his life-a life in perfect harmony the will of God as shown by keeping his commandments. John 8:29; 6:38; 15:10. TDOC 173.5

4. This experience is attained only through the indwelling presence of Christ and the consequent fellowship with him. Galatians 2:20; 1 John 1:1-3, 7. TDOC 173.6

5. Provision is made for this experience of the indwelling presence by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. Isaiah 44:3; Joel 2:23. TDOC 173.7

6. Only those who are ready will go in to the marriage, and after the door is shut it will be too late to make the necessary preparation. Matthew 25:1-13. TDOC 174.1

NOTES

The preparation for translation

“To such communion God is calling us. As was Enoch’s must be their holiness of character who shall be redeemed from among men at the Lord’s second coming.”-Testimonies for the Church 8:331. TDOC 174.2

The needed faith

“The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger, a faith that will not faint, though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time. Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined. His victory is an evidence of the power of importunate prayer. All who will lay hold of God’s promises, as he did,. and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded. Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before Gold, to pray long and earnestly for his blessing, win not obtain it. Wrestling with God-how few know what it is! How few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch. When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.” TDOC 174.3

“Those who exercise but little faith now, are in the greatest danger of falling under the power of satanic delusions and the decree to compel the conscience. And oven if they endure the test, they will be plunged into deeper distress and anguish in the time of trouble, because they have never made it a habit to trust in God. The lessons of faith which they have neglected, they will be forced to learn under a terrible pressure of discouragement.” TDOC 174.4

“We should now acquaint ourselves with God by proving his promises. Angels record every prayer that is earnest and sincere. We should rather dispense with selfish gratifications than neglect communion with God. The deepest poverty, the greatest self-denial, with his approval, is better than riches, boner, ease, and friendship without it. We must take time to pray. If we allow our minds to be absorbed by worldly interests, the Lord may give us time by removing from us out idols of gold, of houses, or of fertile lands.” TDOC 174.5

“The young would not be seduced into sin if they would refuse to enter any path save that upon which they could ask God’s blessing. If the messengers who bear the last solemn warning to the world would pray for the blessing of God, not in a cold, listless, lazy manner, but fervently and in faith, as did Jacob, they would find many places where they could say, ‘I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.’ They would be accounted of Heaven as princes, having power to prevail with God and with men. TDOC 174.6

“The ‘time of trouble such as never was,’ is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess, and which many are too indolent to obtain. It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God. ‘Though Noah, Daniel, and Job’ were in the land, as I live, said the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.’ TDOC 175.1

“Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Savior be brought to yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of himself, ‘The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.’ Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept his Father’s commandments, and there was no sin in him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.” TDOC 175.2

“It is in this life that we are to separate sin from us, through faith in the atoning blood of Christ. Our precious Savior invites us to join ourselves to him, to unite our weakness to his strength, our ignorance to his wisdom, our unworthiness to his merits. God’s providence is the school-in which we are to learn the meekness and lowliness of Jesus. The Lord is ever setting before us, not the way we would choose, which seems easier and pleasanter to us, but the true aims of life. It rests with us to cooperate with the agencies which Heaven employs in the work of conforming our characters to the divine model. None can neglect or defer this work but at the most fearful peril to their souls.”-The Great Controversy, 621-623. TDOC 175.3