Michigan Conference Ministerial Retreat

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Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Experiencing Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

P. Gerard Damsteegt

1. Experiencing of Righteousness by Faith in Christ

Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be fully acceptable in your sight and give us the Holy Spirit in Jesus' name.

I decided to give a little of my background.

You see I come from the country of the windmills.

And we had a happy family until the age of 10.

My father was an ardent mountaineer until he fell in a ravine, and he was at the age of 10.

So I was with my mother and myself, and then later on we got my children, my sister, and here I grew up as a teenager without a father.

You may pity me, but maybe that was good because I was free to do whatever I wanted.

Don't worry about this guy." And so she also died at the age of 10.

And every year when I visit Holland, I pay my respect to that place.

And of course I have a strong will, and frequently my mother had to succumb and gave me the freedom.

And so I browsed in many, many sources, religions, and at the age of 15 I was an existentialist.

I went to the Amsterdam to the Midnight Concerts that started at 12 and went to 3.

But then the Lord touched me because of 1 book that I found in our book library.

And that book was called Our Day in the Light of Bible Prophecy, W.A.

And I had been taught from home that you challenge everything, and if it is good and true, run with this.

Here I tested the prophecies, and everything happened to be fulfilled.

Yes, at that time I was studying at the School of aeronautics, wanted to be an aeronautical engineer.

And so I didn't have too much time to explore those prophetic pictures, because you know busy with school and whatever you want to do well.

And then I finished that, and then I was drafted into the Royal Dutch Air Force, and there I had more time.

Because in the Air Force and in the army, you waste a lot of time.

You know, fighting and mock battles and those kind of things.

And I always enjoyed discussing things and We had their spiritual formation.

You had to go either to the chaplain of the Catholics or the Protestants.

The Catholics brought dancing and women, and the Protestants had serious discussions.

And I told the chaplain, why doesn't he teach us that we should as Christians not anymore continue in the Air Force?

Because the Bible says, thou shalt not kill.

And so he was really annoyed with some of those things.

Then 1 day there was a special session with all our guys there together and the topic was, what can you do as Christians on Sunday?

Suddenly I recalled, I read in this book about the Sunday law and that Sunday was not biblical and that you can do for Sunday whatever you want.

And So at the end of this discussion, the chaplain asked, is there anyone here in the audience who has anything to contribute?

So I couldn't stop, but jump up and went to the front, and in the next 15-20 minutes, everything what I still could recall of Bible prophecy and Daniel 7 and Revelation whatever was there still I shared.

And so the chaplain said, you know, friends, what this gentleman says, much is true, but we are running out of time, so let's pray.

So my fellow people in the Air Force said, Domstie, we are sick and tired that you continue to harass us and tell us what we need to do, and you are not even a Christian.

You shut up, or you follow what you say to us.

So, at that time, Providence put a card in my hand and it was an invitation from the voice of prophecy to take Bible studies.

So I said I need more ammunition to discuss my fellows and the chaplain and so I wrote on and I took the course.

And so friends, I decided, What am I going to do with the rest of my life?

Shall I go in the aeronautics and make lots of money, travel the world, fly around?

Judgment is already here, and who knows about it?

So I went to Edmund's pastor asking him to give me some more Bible studies and said, how can I now learn this beautiful message?

Yes, yes, we have a school, we have a school.

He says, no, you're not even being baptized.

Oh, I said, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter.

Yes, yes, yes, and so they gave me a briefcase with books.

Says, there are all the people that need to hear the message.

If you are successful in canvassing, the Lord has called you.

So I left the Air Force and there I had my books.

The first week, the first day actually, I sold 8 magazines.

In 1 week, The Lord allowed me to break all the records of canvassing in Holland.

I gave up at existentialism and Adventism brought me the woman of my life.

I dated around, couldn't find anybody until I met her.

And that was the end of my dating experience.

Actually, I got first my doctorate because I got my doctorate, and the reason why I studied my doctorate is because I wanted to become a pastor.

But I read in LNY that the best ministerial talent needs to be an excellent pastor, and then you should teach.

So the General Conference gave me opportunities to go to that university, or go to the Philippines, or whatever.

But I said, this is what the Spirit of Prophecy says.

Oh, Domsic, don't worry about it, you know.

We need to do accreditation, you know, remember all those degrees and whatever.

I said, I'm not interested in accreditation.

And so I became a pastor in Potomac Conference.

2. Power of the Word Brings the Righteousness of Christ

Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be fully acceptable in your sight and worthy as I am, but I can do it through Jesus Christ.

And so this is the second phase of righteousness by faith in the present reality, and called to live by righteousness by faith in Christ.

Do we really believe what we are reading in the Bible?

It is written, man should not live by blood alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

This was in his terrible confrontation with Satan.

Now do we believe that we live by every word?

Now there are many commentaries that explain holy, that holy doesn't mean holy, you know?

And that it means a mature understanding and whatever, but only, and the reason I can understand why those eminent men do this, because they don't know what to do with the word holy.

And they look at themselves and say, you know, I want to be holy, but I'm not holy.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be what holy and without name before him in love Ephesians 1 3 & 4.

Now we have had nice division right meetings and call you know the chosen ones the chosen ones the chosen ones and he will and who will deny that we are not chosen?

See, that is the contents and end result of the chosenness.

You know, this is a favorite text here that we use, especially in our health meetings, and Vicki knows how important that is.

I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, Holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

It doesn't say a living sacrifice, mature.

It is a difference between the world and God.

Ministers, do we really realize the call that the Lord has given to be the shepherds of those churches?

That he might present in the end result to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish, Ephesians 5, 27.

Friends, if you realize this calling, some of us may shake in our shoes.

A new Christian is the elect of God, holy and beloved.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, Colossians 3.12.

See, here is the word holy is a fuller meaning.

It's tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, even in board meetings.

I still remember my first church and my first board meeting.

And there were some issues, and I don't show what the issues were.

And it seems that I didn't walk the way that a strong party wanted.

And so at the end, the party stood up, and they had keys in their hands, and the keys smashed on the table, and they walked out.

Because they loved, they lost tender mercies and kindness and humility.

And you know, some of you have had some of those experiences but you know, it was for me a shock because I had never chaired a board meeting.

Anyway, the Lord has been gracious to me.

An elder is to be holy and self-controlled.

He is hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just holy, self-controlled, Titus 1.8.

Friends, do your elders realize that holy function?

This is a very important part, and you as the spiritual leader of the church are responsible to guide them and to teach them in this dimension.

You know, you may never have thought about it, but this is also your calling, be holy.

As obedient children, not conforming yourself to the former lust as in your ignorance, but as he who calls you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct because it is written, be holy for I am holy.

You know, this is a tremendous calling here.

And privilege, we are now a part of the family of God.

We are redeemed, we are adopted, and therefore, in everything we should do, we will show the righteousness of Jesus, the righteousness of God.

And friends, this is something that is important for us this morning to reflect upon that.

Are we responding to this call of holy living?

Believers to be holy in conduct and godliness.

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of person ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?

And the closer we come to the end, the clearer we see the devastation and fights everywhere and destruction, terrorism.

And the more we see this, you can either react fearfully and afraid and say, okay, you know, what the hell we do?

Let's go to the mountains and discuss and take us away.

You are calm there because you know that your master is in control of those things.

You know, I still remember I had to lecture in the university there in Nigeria, and you know, there were some guerrillas and fighting there.

And I took off for Chicago, and when I was in the air, they showed us the latest reports of what was taking place in Lagos.

And suddenly I heard that all air traffic was stopped.

This is a civil war, no more people in here.

And there I was over the Atlantic, going, you know.

My wife was very concerned and, you know, thought maybe I should come home.

Not the conference, not the university, it was the Lord.

And so I landed in Frankfurt, 2 days no flight, and then the first flight took off.

No problem, God calls me, and if he has still a mission for me, this will be successful.

It was me, a few missionaries, and a few businessmen that tried to rescue their property in Lagos.

And so, I had an enjoyable time, I went down, and then they took us to the university, and every so many miles, there was a patrol with guns, and we had to declare everything.

3. How the First Angel’s Message Prepares for the Second Advent

Heavenly Father, specifically anoint my lips and may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be fully acceptable and endowed with your Holy Spirit.

You know, this object on prophecy and the rise of the Advent movement have been very close to our heart and I have been teaching it over 30 years.

And yet if I hear the rumbling sometimes from the students, then the things that I presented seem to be so foreign or so new, and that they are not familiar in other classes.

I have no idea what the seminary teaches because I only knew from my class what I teach.

And I haven't gotten any professors sitting in and finding out what I teach.

And so I had a tremendous freedom to teach whatever I wanted to teach.

And so here now in regards to the specific preparation for the second advent, There is a message in the Old Testament in the prophecy Malachi about a special cleansing of the church or God's people before he returns.

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me.

And the Lord whom you shall seek shall suddenly come to his temple.

And prophetically, people have associated that with the very end of time.

Some interpreters have associated that with Jesus and coming into the temple, you know, during his ministry.

But we, and specifically those who are involved in apocalyptic prophecy, have associated it with special events.

And they have it also associated with Revelation 10 and 11, where the temple of God is also involved.

But who may abide in the day of his coming?

For he is like a refiner's fire, like a pool of soap.

So yes, Lord comes suddenly to his temple, but who can stand?

And there is then a purification process coming.

And he shall sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, in the context of last event, God's people, and urge them as gold, or purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

And so those people are being prepared, purified, that they will demonstrate in some way the offering of righteousness.

If you want to know righteousness, righteousness by faith, no matter what you look at those people, and they will demonstrate this.

And so here is a special cleansing, and this is what William Miller taught in the early Adventist, but not only him, but other Christians also.

The first angel's message of Revelation 14, verse 6 and 7, announces the hour of his judgment in the 1840s.

Now, remember, this angel's message started with the study of the book of Daniel, and specifically Daniel, chapter 8.

What is this cleansing of the sanctuary there?

And this was seen by William Miller and his followers in regards to the judgment, Christ's coming.

Now it's interesting if you go to the interpretations at that time, every Christian church, every theologian had some kind of thing to say about Daniel 8, 14.

Some felt that the church will be purified from all kind of bad influences, or all Roman Catholic influences.

Others thought, hey, the Islam is being eliminated from Judah, and the Jews go back, and you get God's kingdom being established.

There are many, many different interpretations.

I think I collected about 10 different interpretations what people had.

Because a number of others had, ah, the millennium.

In 1844 or 1840s, the millennium will be established, and whatever.

But we came to the radical conclusion that the earth is, what is it?

And that's going to be cleansed, and of course, obviously, the cleansing of the earth is the final judgment.

But many people didn't make that radical decision, and so we stayed by ourselves there.

The first angel's message says, the hour, not the day, but the hour of his judgment will come.

It's a very important difference, And that will then be proclaimed throughout the world by the Adventist.

And not only the Adventist, but people in Europe had this message.

We sent out publications worldwide, and people studied this.

And of course, what happened in 1844, everyone was disappointed Because none of the explanations hold water.

Of course, we had the most serious disappointment.

People had put their finances into it, have given up the farm, sold everything, and nothing happened.

And so what was then the solution to the great disappointment?

And they discovered a complete system of truth for God's people since 1844.

Now if you don't believe this, Whatever I say now will not make any sense.

Not only the sanctuary, but the whole Bible, you know.

And so, the subject of the sanctuary, you find in great controversy, was the key which unlocked the mystery of the Disappointments of 1844.

It opened to view a complete system of truth, connected and harmonious, what does it do?

Showing that God's hand had directed the great movement, revealing present duty as it brought to light the position and work of his people.

And that is specifically the light in the context of sanctification by righteousness in Jesus Christ.

We discovered now that what took place was in the providence of God.

It was ordained there, and we experienced this.

And it reveals what we should do now, the position and work that was assigned to us by the Lord.

Now, when October 22 comes along, What do we see in our churches?

You know, we don't want to talk about the disappointment.

I wrote an article that many have appreciated.

It says, the blessing of the disappointment.

Because what happens there was 1 of the greatest blessings and only the remnant, a handful of people, discovered this.

You know, about 50 to 100, 000 people were there in 1844.

When 1849 came along, about 100 people were left of this great movement.

And at that time, Ellen White wrote, praise the Lord, in those 5 years, we now discover the truth, and the truth is in Jesus.

And then a new evangelistic thrust developed.

A new light on Christ's final cleansing work in the time of the end.

And so if you don't study the sanctuary, both in the Old and the New Testament, this is, as evangelicals have called it, the Adventist faith-saving device.

They had to find out with some kind of rationale, and here was the faith-saving result.

And that was what Barnhouse and, you know, in the 1850s and Martyr, you know, when they studied Adventism.

He said, yeah, we agree with many of you, but this is an absolute joke.

And of course unfortunately our people didn't have the opportunity to study the prophecies in Barnhouse and Martin.

That may have come to some result, but maybe not because at that conference it was at stake, are we going to be accepted as a church or how we continue to be qualified as a cult?

You know, you have to pity Proulx and Cottrell and, you know, who were working on those things.

How we can rescue us and get us as a Christian church presented.

But the new light that we got did not help.

In fact, the new light when it was studied brought even a greater separation between Adventism and the rest of the Christianity.

Here is Brother Crozier, and he wrote a pamphlet.

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Experiencing Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

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