“God Waits For His Children To Grow Up” — another look at
the reasons for the apparent delay of the final events in the great controversy over the
character and government of God.
Almost two thousand years have passed since God won His case on Calvary. Satan's lies
and accusations have long ago been met. The freedom of the universe has been eternally
secured. Why, then, does God still tolerate this one rebellious spot in His loyal
universe? He longs to re-create our world and give it to His trusting saints. Why does He
still wait?
When Jesus returns, He will come to a generation of believers who have experienced
Satan's last supreme attempt to deceive and destroy God's loyal children on this planet.
They will have accomplished what one third of the angels failed to do. They will have
refused to be turned against God by Satan's lies. They will have been able to say with
Paul, "If anyone — even an angel from heaven — should bring a different
version of the everlasting Good News, he is wrong, and we will not believe it!"
(Galatians 1) These are not babes in the truth. They are grown-up believers. They meet the
Biblical description of Christian perfection and maturity: they have "their faculties
trained by practice to distinguish good from evil." (Hebrews 5,6) They have not only
the teachable faith of a little child, which still needs much protection, but — like
Job — they can stand alone. Though their faith be severely tested, they will never
let God down.
God is waiting for such firm believers. The last book in the Bible pictures the angels
as mercifully holding back the final winds of strife until the minds of God's children
have been unshakably sealed and settled into the truth.
But what is this truth? Remember the pious beliefs of those who nailed Jesus to the
cross - then hurried home to keep the Sabbath holy! Do we accept Jesus' testimony about
His Father? Are we convinced that God is just as gracious as the Son? Or are we still
"easily swayed by every wind of doctrine"? (Ephesians 4) Do we still need
emergency measures to be reverent and do what is right? Are we the reason why God still
waits?
Bible passages included:
Daniel 12:1, 3. "There will be a time of distress such as has not
happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people —
everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered... Those who are
wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to
righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." (NIV)
1 Timothy 4:1-3. "The Spirit clearly says that in later times
some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such
teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a
hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which
God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the
truth." (NIV)
2 Thessalonians 2:1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10. "Concerning the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ... Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not
come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed... He opposes and
exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, and even sets himself
up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God... And now you know what is holding him
back... For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds
it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way... The coming of the
lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of
counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who
are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." (NIV)
Revelation 7:1-3. "After this I saw four angels standing at the
four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might
blow on earth or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel ascend from the rising
of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four
angels...'Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants
of our God upon their foreheads.'" (RSV)
Ephesians 4:30. "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom
you were sealed for the day of redemption." (NIV)
Ephesians 1:13. "In him you also, who have heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the
promised Holy Spirit." (RSV)
Ephesians 1:17. "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you
may know him better." (NIV)
John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13. "The Holy Spirit...will be your teacher
and will bring to your minds all that I have said to you... When the helper comes, that
is, the Spirit of Truth...he will speak plainly about me. And you yourselves will also
speak plainly about me ... he will guide you into everything that is true." (Phillips)
Ephesians 4:14, 15. "We are no longer to be children, tossed by
the waves and whirled about by every fresh gust of teaching, dupes of crafty rogues and
their deceitful schemes. No, let us speak the truth in love; so shall we fully grow up
into Christ." (NEB)
Hebrews 5:13, 14; 6:1. "Anyone who lives on milk, being still an
infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the
mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity."
(NIV)
1 Corinthians 13:11. "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish
ways." (RSV)
Ephesians 6:11-14. "Put on all the armour which God provides, so
that you may be able to stand firm against the devices of the devil. For our fight is not
against human foes, but against cosmic powers, against the authorities and potentates of
this dark world, against the superhuman forces of evil in the heavens. Therefore, take up
God's armour; then you will be able to stand your ground when things are at their worst,
to complete every task and still to stand. Stand firm, I say. Fasten on the belt of
truth..." (NEB)
©1984 Graham Maxwell
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