April 18, 2024 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Greetings, friends! In this video series we have been going through the amazing book, The Great Controversy. We are now in chapter 27, titled “Modern Revivals,” which outlines true versus false revival in a person’s life. If you are new to this video series, I encourage you to download your own free copy of The Great Controversy at the URL shown at the bottom of the screen.
We read that “Wherever the word of God has been faithfully preached, results have followed that attested its divine origin” (The Great Controversy, p. 461). This, my friends, is because the Bible outlines our need, and provides the solution. But before we can appreciate the value of the solution offered, our first step is to realize that we cannot save ourselves.
When God created human beings, we were in perfect harmony with Him. But after sin entered, that sin separated us from our Creator. However, the plan of redemption seeks to bring us back into harmony with Him.
“The first step in reconciliation to God is the conviction of sin” (The Great Controversy, p. 467). We read in 1 John 3:4 that “Sin is the transgression of the law.” And Romans 3:20 tells us “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” As we look into the mirror of God’s law, it reveals to us our sins, but it does not provide a remedy.
“While it promises life to the obedient, it declares that death is the portion of the transgressor. The gospel of Christ alone can free him from the condemnation or the defilement of sin. He must exercise repentance toward God, whose law has been transgressed; and faith in Christ, his atoning sacrifice” (The Great Controversy, p. 468).
We are promised in 1 John 1:9 that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
This is a complete promise, friends. It starts with confession—which is a very important step in the process. When we confess our sins to God, we acknowledge that we have sinned against Him and are sorry for breaking His holy law. Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
This sorrow for sin contrasts with the sorrow that the world brings. As we read in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
True sorrow for sin is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit. And with true sorrow comes true repentance, which works reformation in a person’s life. This is what the new birth is all about! Through the grace of God, people are changed—hard-hearted people become loving, drunks become sober, dishonest people become honest, the greedy become generous, the proud become humble, those who once lived for the world now live for Christ. This is true repentance. This is true revival.
Sadly, however, it seems that whenever God provides something true and pure and right, Satan has a counterfeit. While true revival uplifts the Bible and brings deep heart searching and humility, false revivals are based on feelings. “There is an emotional excitement, a mingling of the true with the false, that is well adapted to mislead,”(The Great Controversy, p. 464).
She describes these false revivals further: “Popular revivals are too often carried by appeals to the imagination, by exciting the emotions, by gratifying the love for what is new and startling. Converts thus gained have little desire to listen to Bible truth, little interest in the testimony of prophets and apostles. Unless a religious service has something of a sensational character, it has no attractions for them. A message which appeals to unimpassioned reason awakens no response. The plain warnings of God’s word, relating directly to their eternal interests, are unheeded” (The Great Controversy, p. 463).
These false revivals are usually accompanied by music that plays into the heart of emotions, often bypassing the frontal lobe of reason, making it easier to accept a false gospel.
However, we have been told that no one needs to be deceived. “In the light of God’s word it is not difficult to determine the nature of these movements. Wherever men neglect the testimony of the Bible, turning away from those plain, soul-testing truths which require self-denial and renunciation of the world, there we may be sure that God’s blessing is not bestowed” (The Great Controversy, p. 464). Jesus Himself tells us, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16, NKJV).
Although Satan brings in his counterfeits, we know that in the end God’s truth will triumph! We are promised that “Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming” (The Great Controversy, p. 464).
My brothers and sisters, we are living in exciting times! Now is the time to make sure that we are right with the Lord. Now is the time for true confession and repentance. Now is the time to ask the Lord to fulfill His promise in us, found in Ezekiel 36:25-27—“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues, and you will keep My judgements and do them.”
I invite you to pray with me just now.
Father in heaven, we ask that you will take our stony hearts away. Give us living hearts of flesh that will obey and follow you in every respect. Lord, we are so grateful for the Word of God, for the clear ring of truth in the Bible. Bless all those who are studying the Word of God. Bless those who are reading the book. The Great Controversy. We place them in your care as they uncover more truth every day. Send the Holy Spirit to help each one of us to understand completely our role in the final days of Earth’s history, and to truly understand our important relation. Ship with you a saving relationship. We ask all of this in the powerful and mighty name of the one who makes all of this possible. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.