What Can Glacier View Teach Us

The Glacier View Sanctuary Review Committee meeting and the events leading up to it (see October, 1980, MINISTRY) have impressed a number of important lessons on my mind. In this editorial I want to share one lesson that stands out in my thinking like the Eiffel Tower stands out in the Paris skyline—the lesson of dependence on God and His Holy Spirit for truth.

This lesson is a difficult one for me to remember and practice. As far back as memory goes, an independent spirit has possessed me. Of course since self-sufficiency quite accurately describes the condition of the whole human race, I suppose this is not too unusual. But in my own experience, when faced with decisions of any kind, I have tended to believe that my brains alone could handle any situation. This attitude penetrated every phase of my life, from religion to money, from amusement to sermons, from people to committees. In fact, I'm afraid that much of my prayer life has consisted of asking God for help, but at the same time suggesting to Him just what kind of help I wanted. Sub consciously. I expected God to concur with my decisions and affix His stamp of approval! In short, I exchanged places with God. I was telling Him what to do, instead of letting Him tell me what to do! Even today I am still plagued with this problem.

Paradoxically, there is an ingredient in this independent spirit that actually qualifies as dependence! The person who tries to be independent of God does so by being self-sufficient. In other words, he depends on himself! He will even depend on other human beings in his effort not to rely on God. He comes to depend on what he (or others) thinks rather than accepting what God thinks. He comes to depend on human scholar ship rather than the knowledge that comes from the Source of all truth. He comes to depend on those honored by certain attainments and qualifications rather than on One who, though generally dishonored by mankind, receives the adoration of sinless beings.

What has this to do with lessons learned at Glacier View? Briefly this. Spiritual truth is not perceived by intellect alone. To depend primarily on one's mental faculties for arriving at truth is both dangerous and misleading. Human research and wisdom do not guarantee correctness. This is not to say that in formation from non-inspired sources is pure error. Far from it! But after man has done his very best in attempting to distinguish truth from error, he still needs additional help.

My heart is heavy as I see a spirit of independence and the wisdom of this world apparently captivating some. In the recent sanctuary discussion, dependence on man's scholarship was often vividly evident. Certain methods of scriptural interpretation were held in high esteem, while others were ridiculed or ignored. The question is: How does God communicate His will to man?

Evidently the church at Corinth faced the same problem, for Paul pleaded in the name of the Lord for a perfect uniting of mind and thought among them. He spoke of quarrels and divisions caused by following such people as himself, Apollos, or Cephas. The only guarantee of unity. Paul counseled, is to follow Jesus. He alone is the only undivided One; He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Paul then proceeds to set forth the folly of trusting in man's wisdom whether Jew or Greek, religious or secular. The Jewish wisdom, developed by professional theologians, actually led to unbelief in God's Word. The Greek system of thought, developed by professional academicians, led to the same dead end of unbelief.

In 1 Corinthians 1:20, Paul quotes Isaiah 19:12: "Where are thy wise men? . . . let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt." Even more powerful language is used in Isaiah 44:25, which speaks of the supremacy of the wisdom of God, "who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense" (N.I.V.).* The words of God to Job are appropriate here: "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" (Job 38:2). "Canst thou by searching find out God?" (chap. 11:7).

Paul emphasizes in 1 Corinthians 2 the inferiority of man's wisdom and the total inability of human reasoning and logic not only to save man but to know the mind of God. He adds a dimension without which truth and spiritual things cannot be arrived at, or the correct interpretation of Scripture formed. The study of commentaries, lexicons, or theological and historical volumes can not of themselves assure one of securing correct knowledge. Spiritual truth is spiritually discerned, and man, independent of the Holy Spirit's guidance, can only end up walking in the path of darkness and error (see 1 Cor. 2:10-15). No man sensed this fact more than the apostle Paul himself. Following his con version, "he trembled lest his teaching should reveal the impress of the human rather than the divine."—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 250.

Fellow ministers, we must be God oriented and not world oriented. By that I mean just what I believe Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 2:6, 7, where he says that he did not speak "the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No. we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began" (N.I.V.). Who were these "rulers of this age"? Verse 8 identifies these as the ones who had crucified Jesus. Thus Paul's references to knowledge and wisdom speak of both religious and secular wisdom, for the Lord was put to death by the decision of both religious and secular leaders. Without the Spirit, Paul says, knowledge and wisdom is incapable of arriving at salvation's truths, and can even reason that the proper course is to destroy the world's Redeemer!

If one tries to arrive at truth without a deep spiritual commitment, pleading for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, his study and research can easily lead to erroneous conclusions. This is what it means to be world oriented. The God-oriented individual knows that his knowledge, training, and abilities are useful only when controlled by the Holy Spirit. I know of nothing more deceptive or unreliable than the human mind. If a hundred per sons are subjected to an intensive course of religious studies over a period of years (regardless of the content of the courses), one can predict with certainty that many, if not the majority, will come out believing what they have been taught. An unalterable law of the mind decrees that it becomes what it feeds on.

It is noteworthy that Jesus, in choosing His first disciples, chose unlearned fishermen who had not been schooled in the traditions and erroneous customs of their times. They were men of native ability, yet humble and teachable, whom He could educate for His work.

Please understand clearly that the purpose of this editorial is not to deny the need for a properly trained clergy. God expects His ministers to grow in knowledge and wisdom as long as life lasts. But it must be a growth that is guided and nurtured by the Holy Spirit.

The Saviour did not despise education, for when controlled by the love of God and devoted to His service, intellectual culture is a blessing. But He passed by the wise men of His time because they were so self-confident that they could not sympathize with suffering humanity and become co-laborers with the Man of Nazareth (see The Desire of Ages, pp. 249, 250). Earthly wisdom and knowledge of itself is totally insufficient!

Library shelves groan under the weight of volumes on every conceivable religious subject. Most claim to have the correct interpretation. But although all are supposedly based on good scholar ship, the widely conflicting views indicate all cannot be truth. To put it plainly, someone is off base. Even if a vast majority agree on a certain position, that position still may be incorrect. How many Jewish theologians and priests in the time of Jesus correctly interpreted the Old Testament Scriptures regarding the coming Messiah? The New Testament writers" use of Old Testament statements makes one thing clearly certain—they did not depend on a single commonly held system of interpretation. Rather they built their system of belief using a variety of hermeneutical methods, but their conclusions, based on Scripture, were safeguarded from error through the influence and direction of the Holy Spirit.

Again I emphasize that truth from the Scriptures is not arrived at by mind alone. It is arrived at by submitting to the Holy Spirit's direction. "Everyone must now search the Bible for himself upon his knees before God, with the humble, teachable heart of a child, if he would know what the Lord requires of him." —Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 214. Jesus said, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:16, 17).

Commenting on this scripture, Ellen White remarks, "The perception and appreciation of truth. He said, depends less upon the mind than upon the heart. Truth must be received into the soul; it claims the homage of the will. If truth could be submitted to the reason alone, pride would be no hindrance in the way of its reception. But it is to be received through the work of grace in the heart: and its reception depends upon the renunciation of every sin that the Spirit of God reveals. Man's advantages for obtaining a knowledge of the truth, how ever great these may be, will prove of no benefit to him unless the heart is open to receive the truth, and there is a conscientious surrender of every habit and practice that is opposed to its principles. To those who thus yield themselves to God, having an honest desire to know and to do His will, the truth is revealed as the power of God for their salvation. These will be able to distinguish between him who speaks for God, and him who speaks merely from himself." —The Desire of Ages, pp. 455, 456. I have been meditating on this single yet profound statement for years and trying to make it my experience. It sums up, 1 think, what this editorial is trying to say.

Lord, give us teachers, give us ministers who will fear to display their so-called wisdom before God's children. Give us men and women who will humbly explain the Word, not with fanciful language, but in the power of the Spirit. Give us leaders who will preach Your Word and know it is truth, not because some renowned scholar says so, but be cause You say so. Give us preachers who will preach with conviction, born not of some philosophical musings, but of the Spirit. Give us leaders who will cease depending upon the sparks of their own kindling, and who, following the pillars of cloud and fire through the desert of confusion and error, will lead Your people to the heavenly Land of Promise. —J.R.S.

Focus on the local church in the eighties

We are now into the eighties, the decade when the local church, the congregation, must come into its own. During this decade the Word must get out of the seminaries, conference offices, and committee rooms and make its way into the pews, into the hearts and the lives of the people who are, in fact, the church.

The eighties must and will see the revitalization of the fellowship, the body of Christ in its basic manifestation where our Lord exists as community. The
eighties will be the consciousness-raising decade when every organization and institution comes to a vital, new understanding of its relationship and responsibility to the congregation and begins to act on the basis of that essential realization. Leaders and administrators on every level will grasp afresh their role as enablers and equippers whose major function is to prepare the members for kingdom-building service. As medicine has come to realize the value of family practice and has raised it to a recognized specialty, so the personal function will once again assume its role as pivotal.

Administrative and departmental ministries will truly become servants to pastoral and people's concerns. Programs, policies, and plans will be shaped to meet the felt needs of the communities of faith they are called upon to serve. We are already beginning to recognize that the so-called higher organizations are no stronger than the churches of which they are constituted and upon which they are founded.

So, my fellow leaders, let us get on with the work of revitalizing the caring cell, the basic unit of Christ's body. During the eighties let every activity, program, organization, and ministry be evaluated on the basis of its contribution to the body. Thus we will "grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love" (Eph. 4:15, 16, R.S.V.).

—C. E. Bradford, Vice-President for the North American Division.