I am not very experienced or polished with this kind of thing, but they requested responses to their video so I made one! Please watch ADVENT MEDIA CONNECT!
If you know these guys, please forward the link to them please! Thank you all!
Hey beloved! I hope everyone is doing well. I wanted to ask for some help. Recently a lot of belly aching has been going on over 'Last Generation Theology'. It often gets brought up in discussions and I realized I need to better understand it so I can speak to it more, so I have been researching it more lately. Below is my attempt to summarize it. Can you all help me in confirming if this executive summary is accurate? Thank you!
Summary:
Last Generation Theology argues that before Christ returns, God will have a final remnant who fully reflect the character of Christ, keep the commandments of God through the faith of Jesus, and demonstrate complete victory over known sin by abiding wholly in Him. In this view, Christ took fallen human nature, overcame in the same flesh humanity must overcome in, and therefore offers not only forgiveness but actual power over sin through His indwelling life. The final generation’s victory is tied to the closing work of the heavenly sanctuary: as Christ completes His final atoning ministry above, His people are correspondingly purified on earth, sealed, and prepared to stand during the close of probation when intercession has ceased. Their obedience does not earn salvation, but it reveals what God’s grace can truly accomplish in fallen humanity, vindicating God’s character, His law, and His government before the universe.
I have been having a growing suspicion these last few weeks that the topic of Righteousness by faith, and what it means, will be, at least in part the message that will influence the greater shaking of our church. I have seen groups of people whipped up into a frenzy and outrage over this topic and Christ all together displaced from the panels where these debates transpire.
On one side, we have those who say, "we just need to believe that we are saved and we are saved, even in our known sins, because the Bible simply says, "And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
The other side says, belief is more than just believing that God will save us in our sins, but rather, true belief claims a grace that will deliver us from our sins. And that transformation of character along these lines is the sign that we have Christ.
Thinking about it, I realized, is it not disbelief that says Christ can save us in our sins but not from our sins? Is it disbelief in Christ to think Sin is somehow more powerful than Christ's potent and perfect atonement?
I started to wonder, is this the very disbelief that will rob so many of their salvation.
Romans 8:3–4 KJV
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Titus 2:14 KJV
“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
Iniquity here is the bent toward sin. Christ redeemed us from that, if it be that we confess them as we are shown them, and believe. But do we believe? Do we believe that sin is condemned in our flesh and that it no longer has dominion over us and that doing known sin is a choice?
Romans 6:14-16.
I read something in the Desire of Ages that seems to indicate that this deception of God saving us in our sins is a prevalent deception for our time(the last days)
The law requires righteousness,—a righteous life, a perfect character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims of God’s holy law. But Christ, coming to the earth as man, lived a holy life, and developed a perfect character. These He offers as a free gift to all who will receive them. His life stands for the life of men. Thus they have remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. More than this, Christ imbues men with the attributes of God. He builds up the human character after the similitude of the divine character, a goodly fabric of spiritual strength and beauty. Thus the very righteousness of the law is fulfilled in the believer in Christ. God can “be
By His life and His death, Christ proved that God’s justice did not destroy His mercy, but that sin could be forgiven, and that the law is righteous, and can be perfectly obeyed. Satan’s charges were refuted. God had given man unmistakable evidence of His love. DA 762.4
Another deception was now to be brought forward. Satan declared that mercy destroyed justice, that the death of Christ abrogated the Father’s law. Had it been possible for the law to be changed or abrogated, then Christ need not have died. But to abrogate the law would be to immortalize transgression, and place the world under Satan’s control. It was because the law was changeless, because man could be saved only through obedience to its precepts, that Jesus was lifted up on the cross. Yet the very means by which Christ established the law Satan represented as destroying it. Here will come the last conflict of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. DA 762.5
This right here.
Yet the very means by which Christ established the law Satan represented as destroying it. Here will come the last conflict of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. DA 762.5
When we present the inspired texts that indicate that God's grace not only has the power to pronounce us clean before God, but that Christ in us can set us at liberty to 'Go. And sin no more.', and some get bent out of shape and angry, and break down into name calling and stop their ears so they cannot hear the texts, we can be sure, we are not contending with the flesh and blood, but rather, the principalities and powers that shape the minds contrary to God's will.
Stay prayerful and vigilant my friends. 99% surrendered is till 100% lost.
2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
Beloved,
Satan is ever ready to steal a march on us in our groggy state. Due to recent posts conflating legalism and the mystery of the Gospel, I wanted to give a breakdown with Scripture for those who are of the right Spirit to receive it. Bless you all!
Legalism says, “I obey so that God will accept me.”
Galatians 2:16 KJV: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ... for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Romans 3:20 KJV: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Ephesians 2:8 to 9 KJV: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Titus 3:5 KJV: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.”
The gospel says, “God accepts me in Christ, and Christ in me produces obedience.”
Ephesians 1:6 KJV: “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
Galatians 2:20 KJV: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”
John 15:5 KJV: “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Philippians 2:13 KJV: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
Legalism says, “My law keeping makes me righteous.”
Philippians 3:9 KJV: “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ.”
Romans 10:3 to 4 KJV: “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
Galatians 3:21 KJV: “for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”
The gospel says, “Christ is my righteousness, and His righteousness is revealed in a transformed life.”
1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”
Jeremiah 23:6 KJV: “And this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
Romans 8:4 KJV: “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
1 John 3:7 KJV: “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.”
Legalism says, “I can overcome sin by effort, discipline, and rule keeping.”
John 15:5 KJV: “for without me ye can do nothing.”
Romans 7:18 KJV: “For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.”
Romans 7:24 KJV: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
Colossians 2:20 to 23 KJV warns against man made ordinances and self imposed religion, saying they have “a shew of wisdom” but are “not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.”
The gospel says, “Without Christ I can do nothing, but through abiding in Him, His Spirit fulfills righteousness in me.”
John 15:4 to 5 KJV: “Abide in me, and I in you... He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Romans 8:2 to 4 KJV: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death... That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Galatians 5:16 KJV: “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image... even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
Hebrews 8:10 KJV: “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.”
Summary
Both the Gospel and legalism concern obedience to God’s law, and this is why many conflate the two. But legalism says, “I will become righteous by my own effort and law keeping.” The Gospel says, “By full surrender, I receive Christ by faith; He saves me, abides in me, and the evidence of that salvation is the law being fulfilled in me, yet not I, but Christ."
"Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." - 1Jn 3:6-10
Revelation 20:12 KJV: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
Revelation 22:12 KJV: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
There is no tension when you understand rightly the flow and you stop doubting the power of God to fulfill His will in us. This is EXACTLY why Paul says:
For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." - Romans 3:3-4
Israel had the oracle, but they exercised unbelief two ways, they did not truly keep the law, and they tried to establish righteousness by their own works instead of receiving it by faith. Thats modern day Adventism for a lot of us. We have the oracles, but we lack the unbelief allow us the liberty of the law. Shall our unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar."
“Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”- Matthew 13:9