October 12, 2023 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Greetings, friends. As we have been going through the book, The Great Controversy, we have seen how there have been people down through the ages who were faithful to God and His Word. We have read about the Reformers who stood for God’s truth, sometimes at the cost of their lives. Some painstakingly translated the Scriptures into the common languages of the people, making it possible for everyone to read the Bible for themselves. In spite of Satan’s vicious attacks on God’s Word, thousands of people rejoiced in the truth.
Building on that solid foundation, I would like to share a special message with you today. For you see, friends, Satan is relentless in his fury, and the plain words of God continue to be under attack from all sides.
One of the most obvious attacks today is regarding human sexuality, where God’s Word is turned on its head and interpreted the opposite of what is written. Some of the most basic facts given in Scripture are being ignored or twisted, such as Genesis 1:27 and 28: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and . . . said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. . .'”
So, God blessed the newly created couple, and His first instruction to them was to “be fruitful and multiply.” This command, of course, can only be fulfilled between a male and female.
Centuries later, Jesus referred to Creation when He asked, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female? . . . “For this reason,” He said, describing marriage, “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?” (Matt. 19:4,5).
Sadly, there is an attempt today to not only neutralize the biblical view of marriage as between one man and one woman, but to erase the fact that God created only two genders—male and female.
One way this is done is through the power of social media, which actively promotes a very secular culture, not only pushing against the word of God, but creating a culture of shame and cancelling anyone who dares to believe and follow the Bible.
As Seventh-day Adventists, we do not want to shame or cancel anyone. We want to point them to Jesus, who is “the way, the truth, and the life”(John 14:6). Jesus came that we might “have life, and . . . have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). And the way to experience that abundant life is described in God’s Word, including in the area of human sexuality.
“Rejoice with the wife of your youth,” we read in Proverbs 5:18, “let her breasts satisfy you at all times and always be enraptured with her love. For why should you . . . be enraptured by an immoral woman, and be embraced in the arms of a seductress?” (vss. 19, 20).
In the New Testament we read, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4). Who are fornicators and adulterers? They are those who engage in sexual acts outside a monogamous marriage between one man and one woman.
You see friends, God longs for everyone to enjoy an abundant life here and now, as well as in eternity. Aberrations in human sexuality— fornication, adultery, homosexuality, licentiousness, bestiality, and other unbiblical sexual activities are not acceptable to God because they shatter the life He longs to give us, bringing sin and sorrow in their wake.
The Bible is explicit about this particular subject. In Romans 1:24-27 we read, “Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature, rather than the Creator. . . For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.”
However, we should notice this passage not only identifies sexual sins, but gives a long list of sinful behaviors—covetousness, envy, murder, strife, deceit, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful (vss. 29-31), and many more. This reminds us that all sin is abhorrent to God, and that we are all sinners in need of a Savior.
A tremendously hopeful passage is found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, where we find a similar list of sins, followed by a wonderful promise. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
But now comes a verse filled with hope: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (vs. 11).
Praise God, nothing is too hard for Him! “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
When we lean completely on the power and merits of Jesus Christ, change takes place. That’s why drunkards become sober. That’s why selfish people become generous. That’s why drug addicts become clean. That’s why immoral people become standards of morality—because of the supernatural power of God Himself, working in a life. So, if someone says, “Oh, I’m just this way,” they are denying the very power of God that gives us victory.
Here is an amazing promise I would like to share with you from the book, Ministry of Healing: “Those who put their trust in Christ are not to be enslaved by any hereditary or cultivated habit or tendency. Instead of being held in bondage to the lower nature, they are to rule every appetite and passion. God has not left us to battle with evil in our own finite strength. Whatever may be our inherited or cultivated tendencies to wrong, we can overcome through the power that He is ready to impart” (pp. 174, 175).
And when we grasp His amazing power, we become new creatures in Christ. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:17—”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ”—and that’s the key—“he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” We can believe what God promises us in His Word.
My brothers and sisters, now is the time to be proactive in love, in respect, with care, sharing with people what the Bible says; sharing the wonderful truth that Jesus saves us fully and completely when we surrender to Him. It is the most loving message we can give.
Be of good courage. God’s Word will not fail. He is in control, and He will see His Church through. Let us be kind and careful and loving. But it is time to share what the Bible has to say, for Jesus is coming soon.
I invite you to pray with me just now.
Father in Heaven guide us each as we point people to the one who can wonderfully change our lives. The one who can take those who are in sin and in dilemma and frustration and turn their lives around into something beautiful.Following the Biblical principles of God’s Heavenly instructions, Lord, we ask that you will give us power to live pure on adulterated lives, not through our own power, but through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us. Thank you for hearing us in this prayer. Guide us as we follow you and follow your written word. Allowing the word to change our lives through a connection with heaven. Thank you for giving us victory in Jesus. And we ask all of this in the name of our wonderful Lord and Savior, the one who can make us new creatures. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.