” The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity, she will have to do in a terrible crisis, under most discouraging, forbidding, circumstances. The warnings that worldly conformity has silenced or withheld, must be given under the fiercest opposition from enemies of the faith. And at that time the superficial…conservative…class…whose influence has steadily retarded the progress of the work, will renounce the faith, and take their stand with its avowed enemies, toward whom their sympathies have long been tending. These apostates will then manifest the most bitter enmity, doing all in their power to oppress and malign their former brethren, and to excite indignation against them. This day is just before us. The members of the church will individually be tested and proved. They will be placed in circumstances where they will be forced to bear witness for the truth. Many will be called to speak before councils and in courts of justice, perhaps separately and alone. The experience which would have helped them in this emergency they have neglected to obtain, and their souls are burdened with remorse for wasted opportunities and neglected privileges.—Testimonies for the Church 5:463.

While looking at the signs of the times both within and out of the church, where forms of godliness has replaced Christ our Righteousness, let us all depart from religious selfishness, the ability to find fault with the mistakes and wrongs within the Seventh Day Adventist church and the wolves outside of the church, by taking up the gospel and imparting it to others as Jesus said like…sheep among wolves…(Matthew 10: 16) and stop speaking only among ourselves where we are the overwhelming majority, to be like the early church and their leaders among the people in the home field and the wider mission field outside of Jerusalem, where the representatives of Christ were always in the minority both in numbers and the teachings of the gospel.

Yes, The Law and the gospel are to go hand in hand, the preaching of the three angels message is powerless, aimless and not fit for purpose unless Christ and His righteousness is the centre of all that we do in the mission of the church.

Finally Jesus said…When…The Spirit of Truth is come…(we) will be guided into all truth…(we) will be shown things to come (and above all) The Glorification of Christ our Saviour will be paramount…(adapted from John 16: 13 & 14)

We are also told among the writings of E G White that…above all Christians Seventh Day Adventist should be foremost in lifting up Christ to the world…nowhere will we find help for the spiritual life as the study of the life of Christ (don’t take my word, do the research, it is better to be found by you than to be quoted by me)

Question, is Christ and His righteousness at the heart of all our ministries, is church a theme, the central figure of the 3 angel’s messages, are we second to none in bringing Christ before the world, which no other biblical denomination could match in the least, are we looking for the best help in our own spiritual lives by studying, reflecting on Christ our example and only role model, not any of our church leaders, pastors or preachers, and would only follow them if the followed Christ, like Paul expected ? (1 Corinthians 11: 1)

The last word of your brother Alric, this is both a mission statement and unquenchable desire for all who would follow Christ or would call oneself a Christian…

The Time is come and now is that we all should (1) study the life of Christ (2) watch his every move (3) note his every word (4) to see the positive effect he had on others… (while not overlooking those who took offence when none was ever intended)… (5) desiring the same (6) that we all may enter into a relationship with Jesus, second to none (7) that we may live as close to Christ as The Father in heaven knows it is humanly possible.

May we be so personal with Jesus, that we will not keep him to ourselves among ourselves, but will be moved with a longing desire to impart our personal testimony and relationship with Christ with other. Yes, we may be members of the right church, be in good and regular standing, point out the sins of the church and others outside of the church, but if we do not have The Spirit of Christ according to the divine purpose for the Christian life, we do not belong to Christ spiritually or religiously, while we remain within the church continually. (Romans 8: 9) many we have a share in these words of Paul…Christ is all in all (Colossians 3) and finally, in the words of Jesus…If I be lifted up, I will draw all unto me (John 12) yes, all will be drawn as a horse is brought to the water, but not all will drink of the water of life, just as we cannot compel the horse to drink…Be drawn to Christ and drink of the living water, Amen.