The measure of faith

The first qualification of God’s true people is that they be led by His truth as revealed in Scripture. Where is the starting point?

The apostle Paul explains, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

How is it that everyone has a measure of faith? The Lord gave a prophetic promise in the Garden of Eden:

“I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

Who is the seed of the woman?

Physically, every person, because Eve was the mother of us all.

Spiritually, the first application is of Christ Himself (Galatians 3:16).Then it also involves everyone born again through Christ (Galatians 3:29).

We need to cultivate the measure of faith we have been given, not quench it.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1, 2, emphsis supplied).

Others improve it. How?

The Word of God: Doctrine

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

How do we understand? Jesus assured His disciples, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).

Who is the truth?

Jesus explained, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

As we are led into the truth, we are led to Jesus. What else does this involve?

The church of God

The church is the pillar and ground of truth. The apostle affirmed to his son in the faith, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

“Very close and sacred is the relation between Christ and His church—He the bridegroom, and the church the bride; He the head, and the church the body. Connection with Christ, then, involves connection with His church.”1

Remember faith? Where do we improve it?

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:14–17).

Who sends the right preachers? The church. Because of the essential need of faith, God is trying to draw everyone to hear the truth from His preachers in the church.

Jesus also declared, “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16).

“Before ascending to heaven, Christ gave His disciples their commission. He told them that they were to be the executors of the will in which He bequeathed to the world the treasures of eternal life. You have been witnesses of My life of sacrifice in behalf of the world, He said to them. You have seen My labors for Israel. And although My people would not come to Me that they might have life, although priests and rulers have done unto Me as they listed, although they have rejected Me, they shall have still another opportunity of accepting the Son of God. You have seen that all who come to Me confessing their sins, I freely receive. Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. To you, My disciples, I commit this message of mercy. It is to be given to both Jews and Gentiles—to Israel, first, and then to all nations, tongues, and peoples. All who believe are to be gathered into one church.”2

In light of this, it becomes very important that we understand where His church is.

Clearer than the naked eye

We can believe the Gospels because they were eyewitness reports.

The apostle Peter testified, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount” (2 Peter 1:16–18).

But what if we choose not to believe their account? Is there something more credible than human testimony?

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).

To know that the Bible predicted events in history long before they happened, and did so with unerring accuracy, is a more sure affirmation of its divine origin. Not only that, but it gives us confidence that the things it predicts in the future will indeed come to pass.

The past: a confirmation of the future

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

“There is a study of history that is not to be condemned. Sacred history was one of the studies in the schools of the prophets. In the record of His dealings with the nations were traced the footsteps of Jehovah. So today we are to consider the dealings of God with the nations of the earth. We are to see in history the fulfillment of prophecy, to study the workings of Providence in the great reformatory movements, and to understand the progress of events in the marshaling of the nations for the final conflict of the great controversy.”3

The 2300 days

One of the points of the prophecy was to prove the end:

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anointed the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24, emphasis added).

“The history which the great I AM has marked out in His word, uniting link after link in the prophetic chain, from eternity in the past to eternity in the future, tells us where we are today in the procession of the ages, and what may be expected in the time to come. All that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass, until the present time, has been traced on the pages of history, and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be fulfilled in its order.”4

Three angles

When navigating at sea, you look for 3 points of reference (triangulation). In light of this, in examining any church, we must examine it from 3 standpoints:

1. Doctrine

2. History

3. Prophecy

The order of the angles

When we consider the study of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement, which point is usually studied first? Doctrine.

Then history is questioned, for example, “Where did you come from”?

Prophecy is usually not the first one, and sometimes it is not examined at all.

But then questions emerge . . . some old objections:

“No new organization.”

“Reformation within the SDA Church.”

“Sinners will be shaken out.”

“No eighth church.”

All these questions have to do with prophecy.

The importance of prophecy as we study

The Advent Movement is based on prophecy, revolving around the year 1844. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

Likewise, the SDA Reform Movement must also be based on prophecy. “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

The remnant church

If the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement (SDARM) is God’s church, it must be based on prophecy. Seven churches showed God’s church through the ages, and each successive one has been shown throughout other prophecies as well. . . . Otherwise it has no right to exist. (This is the exact argument we hear—and many join and do not understand this point, so hence they are swept away.)

If we understand the doctrinal, historical, and prophetic points of our faith, we will not be swept away.

So, we have three points of reference (triangulation), “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby thy lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:14, 15).

For those who have never thought of studying the remnant from the three angles of doctrine, history, and prophecy, we heartily encourage you to contact one of our Bible workers to get together in person and gain some interesting insights! May the Lord bless your study.