While reading The Great Controversy, at 19 or 20 years of age, I noticed that the people who will be in heaven would have developed perfect characters while on this earth. I knew then that I did not have a perfect character, and, today, I am not sure if I know anyone who has a perfect character.
As I continued my study, I discovered that those of us who do not have perfect characters are not going to heaven. Upon this discovery, the same thought came to mind as came to the disciples, when Jesus said to them, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Matthew 19:24. And they said, Well, Lord, who then can be saved? Is there anyone who is going to be saved? (Verse 25.)
When I discovered that people who do not have perfect characters are not going to heaven, I do not think it would be exaggerating to say that I was in a state of alarm. I had been baptized for ten years. I was looked upon as a good person. I was studying to be a minister. But I knew that my character had serious defects. If you realize, also, that your character has serious defects, then what you and I want to know is what can be done about it. [10]
Ellen White wrote: "Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life." Christ's Object Lessons, 331. So, if you come to the conclusion that you cannot overcome your defects of character, and you cannot remedy your defects of character, what will happen? You will not be in heaven. This, perhaps, is one of the main reasons why the great majority of Seventh-day Adventists will not be in heaven.
"I [Ellen White] would say that we are living in a most solemn time. In the last vision given me, I was shown the startling fact that but a small portion of those who now profess the truth will be sanctified by it and be saved. Many will get above the simplicity of the work. They will conform to the world, cherish idols, and become spiritually dead. The humble, self-sacrificing followers of Jesus will pass on to perfection, leaving behind the indifferent and lovers of the world." Testimonies, vol. 1, 608, 609. She goes on to say that, in ancient Israel, only two of those above the age of 20 years who left Egypt reached the Promised Land.
Did you notice that but a small portion of those who now profess the truth will be saved? Is this not startling? She says, "the humble, self-sacrificing followers of Jesus will pass on to perfection, leaving behind the indifferent and lovers of the world." So there will be some people who are going to pass on to perfection. By the grace of God, it is my full intention to be one of those people. How about you?
Repentance includes a turning away from sin, the means God uses to lead sinners to repentance must be a true, heart gripping presentation of Christ crucified. Christ's death proves God's great love for man. It is our pledge of salvation. The mighty argument of the cross will convict of sin. The divine love of God for sinners, expressed in the gift of His Son to suffer shame and death that they might be ennobled and endowed with everlasting life, is the study of a lifetime. To remove the cross from the Christian would be like blotting the sun from the sky. The cross brings us near to God, reconciling us to Him. With the relenting compassion of a father's love, Jehovah looks upon the suffering that His Son endured in order to save the race from eternal death, and accepts us in the Beloved. Remember that all of God's biddings are enablings. God does not tell us to do something that we cannot do. Jesus said, "Without me you cannot do anything." John 15:5. God does not tell us to do something that we cannot do with His help. Jesus said, "Therefore you be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48.
Mrs. White, writing to a husband who had some very serious character defects, said: "When tempted to murmur, censure, and indulge in fretfulness, wounding those around you, and in so doing wounding your own soul, oh! let the deep, earnest, anxious inquiry come from your soul, Shall I stand without fault before the throne of God? Only the faultless will be there." Ibid., 705. Where are the rest going to be? Well, they are not going to be there! "None will be translated to heaven while their hearts are filled with the rubbish of earth. Every defect in the moral character must first be remedied, every stain removed by the cleansing blood of Christ, and all the unlovely, unlovable traits of character overcome." Ibid.
Do you have any unlovely or unlovable traits of character? Do you have any unchristlike traits of character? Those things must be overcome, if you are to go to heaven.
"In the state which you and your family are in at present, all heaven would be marred should you be introduced therein. The work for you must be done here. This earth is the fitting-up place. You have not one moment to lose." Ibid., 706.
I used to wonder what Ellen White meant when she wrote to individuals the words, "You have not one moment to lose." But, you see, our time is limited. We do not have an infinite amount of time in which to overcome the things that we need to overcome. Since we do not have an infinite amount of time to overcome these things, she wrote to many, as she did this man, You do not have any time to lose; you better get busy.
She continued, in her writing to this man, "All is harmony, peace, and love in heaven. No discord, no strife, no censuring, no unloving words, no clouded brows, no jars there; and no one will be introduced there who possesses any of these elements so destructive to peace and happiness." Ibid. How serious are you about being saved and having eternal life? Are you serious enough to say to the Lord, "Help me to learn the lesson that you are trying to teach me today?"
God knows exactly what defects are in our characters that we must overcome every day, if we are going to heaven. The Lord knows everything about this. Surrender your heart, your life, everything to Him, and say, "Lord, help me to do Your will; help me to learn the lesson You have for me today." Every day God is going to give you a lesson. These lessons involve trials that we do not like. At times, people wonder why they are going through certain experiences. Oh, friend, God is trying to get us ready to live with Him for eternity.
In studying this subject, we have read several statements from the writings of Ellen White. Someone may think that I am basing this study on her writings alone. No, I am just presenting these statements because they are so clear and plain and simple enough for a child to understand—not because it is not in the Bible. This subject is found all through the Bible; however, because of lack of space, we will look primarily at the New Testament.
In Genesis 17:1, God told Abraham, "I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."
The apostle Paul talks about this same subject when he first addresses the Corinthian church. He admonishes them to be blameless when Jesus comes: "Be blameless in the day of Christ." (See 1 Corinthians 1:4–8.) In Ephesians 5:25–27, the apostle Paul remarks about the condition of the church when Jesus returns again, and he says that the church is going to be holy. It is going to be without a spot, without a wrinkle, and without any blemish; that is, without any defect.
All the apostles spoke on this subject. The apostle Peter, when counseling the church, talked to them about being found blameless and without spot when Jesus returns. (See 2.Peter 3:14–17.)
The work of seeking perfection of character is so important that Ellen White wrote, "Our first work is to become perfect in His sight, by living faith claiming His promise of forgiveness." Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 49. [Emphasis supplied.] This is how important it is!
We have been told that every soul should aim for perfection of character. "Success in any line demands a definite aim." Review and Herald, May 16, 1912. This is why Mrs. White says, in the book Christ's Object Lessons, 331, that if you have come to the conclusion that you cannot overcome your defects of character, that they cannot be remedied, "You will certainly fail of everlasting life." You will not overcome your defects of character if you are not aiming to do so. This is why it is so important to take aim, and say, "Lord, help me." If you start taking aim and praying about this, you will be astonished at what the Lord will reveal to you. He will start revealing to you what your defects are and what you need to do differently.
Ellen White wrote that if we do not develop a perfect character, we will not endure the presence of the Lord. "How earnestly should we strive to perfect a character that will enable us to stand before the Son of God! Only those who are clothed in the garments of his righteousness will be able to endure the glory of his presence when he shall appear with 'power and great glory.' [Matthew 24:30.]" Review and Herald, July 9, 1908.
In fact, when Jesus comes, the wicked are going to be destroyed by the brightness of His coming. She says that they are going to fall just like the Roman guards fell. "Opportunity is now given you to improve and become perfect this side of the Judgment. You must obtain a moral fitness here to meet your God. You should be right, just right, if you wish to obtain an entrance in through the gates of the holy city of God. Should your probation close today and you be brought just as you are this moment to the gate of the city, and it should open before you, and the rays of light that emanate from the throne of God should beam forth upon you, could you endure it? Could you bear it, in your sins and in your iniquity and imperfection? Could you enjoy that sacred and divine light? Not for a moment. You would drop as powerless as the Roman guard, who watched around the sepulcher of Jesus Christ, when the angels there descended to resurrect the Son of God. As that light fell upon the Roman guard, they became as dead men. They fell to the earth. They could not endure the light from Heaven, which was reflected from one mighty angel." Ibid., April 12, 1870. We cannot endure to be in the presence of God if we are not perfect in character. Only those who are perfect in character can see God.
No one without perfection of character will enter the pearly gates. "No unlikeness to Christ will be permitted in the holy city." Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, 171. Why? because one person taken to heaven with even a single defect of character would spoil heaven. "God will accept nothing but purity and holiness; one spot, one wrinkle, one defect in the character, will forever debar them from heaven, with all its glories and treasures." Testimonies, vol. 2, 453.
Eventually, the same rebellion we have here on this world would pop up again, if a defect were allowed to enter heaven. The Bible says that affliction is not going to rise up the second time. (Nahum 1:9.) How glad we should be for that! Why is it not going to rise up the second time? Because God is not going to take anyone up there who has an unchristlike character. It would spoil heaven.
So, what is it? You can see how important it is. We cannot be saved unless we have a perfect character. If we come to the conclusion that we cannot remedy the defects in our character, it is for certain that we will lose eternal life. What is perfection of character?
If we were to state in the fewest possible words what perfection of character is, it is to be like Jesus Christ. This is one of the reasons we all need to be studying the life of Christ, so we understand what He is like and how we can imitate Him.
Aspects of a Perfect Character
We, because of our feeble minds, need some descriptions to help us understand the distinguishing traits of a person who has a perfect character. A search through the writings of Ellen White reveals a number of characteristics.
Number 1: The person with a perfect character is always patient. They never, ever lose patience. Jesus was never impatient, not even once. He did not even lose patience with Caiaphas or Herod or Pilate. He did not lose patience with the Roman soldiers who abused Him and tortured Him. He never lost patience.
Number 2: A person with a perfect character is pure in his heart. Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8. Purity is a huge subject. The people of the world think that pure or impure only refers to whether or not somebody commits adultery with their body. But the purity Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount has to do with what is going on in your mind, not just what is going on with your body. What is going on in your mind?
Ellen White wrote to a young lady who had fallen in love with a man. But this man already had a wife. "I have been considering your case in connection with L, and I have no other counsel to give than I have given. I consider that you have no moral right to marry L; he has no moral right to marry you. He left his wife after giving her great provocation. He left her whom he had vowed before God to love and cherish while both should live. Before ever she obtained her divorce, when she was his lawful wife, he left her for three years, and then left her in heart, and expressed his love to you. The matter has been negotiated largely between you and a married man while he was legally bound to the wife he married, who has had two children by him. . . ."
"I am astonished that you should for a moment give thought to such a thing, and place your affections on a married man who had left his wife and children under such circumstances. . . . You have both broken the law even in thinking that you might unite in marriage. You should have repelled the thought at its first suggestion."
We need to study the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy and make the decision that we are going to be pure no matter what the cost. There might be a cost for some people in being pure, but if we are really serious about being saved, we are going to ask the Lord to help us, by His grace, to become pure and remain pure, no matter what the cost.
Number 3: A person who is perfect in character always possesses self-control; they always have a calm spirit. Jesus did. Read the story of His life. The Desire of Ages describes His trial, and all the commotion surrounding it, yet He maintained a spirit of calmness and self-control, because He had a perfect character.
Number 4: A person who has a perfect character never manifests any kind of self-exaltation. They do not engage in accusations of other people; they are never harsh. Now, do not misunderstand. A person with a perfect character does acknowledge when there is something wrong. They do not deny it and hide it.
Number 5: A person with a perfect character is a person who is kind, who is refined, and who is tender-hearted.
Number 6: A person who has a perfect character has the meekness of Christ. The word meek means two things. If you study the etymology of that word, you will find that it means "to be humble" and "to be gentle." Jesus said, "Come to Me. I am humble and gentle. You will find rest." (See Matthew 11:28–30.)
Number 7: A person who has a perfect character is not half-hearted. If you want to make a study of this, you will find that this was Ephraim's sin [500], and if you study Revelation 7, you will see that the tribe of Ephraim will not be among the 144,000 [510]. If this poses a problem for you, then you need to pray about it. You cannot go to heaven if you are half-hearted, even if everyone thinks that you are a good Christian.
Number 8: A person who has a perfect character will manifest constant obedience to Jesus Christ. They will always obey.
Number 9: This is a hard one. We already know that Jesus was humble and gentle, but Ellen White, speaking of Jesus' perfection of character, says, "He never spoke a discourteous word." Review and Herald, March 18, 1902. We must overcome this temptation, because no one in heaven is ever discourteous.
Number 10: A person who has a perfect character will have gentleness, forbearance, and longsuffering. His character will be manifest in his countenance.
All of those characteristics sound wonderful. The problem is, we do not have them all. We need to pray that the Lord will help us, by His grace and by His power, to remedy the defects in our characters. Remember, God never tells us to do something that we cannot do with His help. God stands behind every promise He has made. He is going to have a perfect people.
Are You Serious about Being Saved?
We have seen how important a perfect character is—we cannot go to heaven without it. We have also reviewed some aspects of the perfect character. Most important of all, though, is what we need to do so that we can become perfect.
Obviously, we cannot become perfect unless God works a miracle in our lives, and the miracle God wants to work in your life and in my life is available to every single person in the world. However, not every single person in the world is serious about being saved.
In most cities of the United States, there are some very large Christian churches. Thousands of people attend these churches every week, but many of these Christians want an easy religion. They want a religion where the Lord will do it all, so they do not have to do anything. These people may reason that we are all going to the same place. I am sorry; we are not all going to the same place. People who believe this lie must not read very much of the Bible. Revelation 19:20, 21 states very plainly: "Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh." We are not all going to the same place; we are going to two different places.
If we want to go to heaven, we have to become serious about being saved. We do not have any time to lose. I know that I do not have any time to lose, because I have so much that needs to be changed. I am praying to the Lord about it day and night. I want you to pray for me, because I need a lot of help, and I will be glad to pray for you too. I have decided that no matter how impossible it might seem from a human standpoint, what God says to do, He will give the power to do.
It is through Christ and through Him alone that anyone can remedy the defects in his or her character and become perfect. We cannot do it unless we have divine help. You see, every person actually lives alone. We may live with lots of other people, but each of us lives alone, because nobody knows what is going on in our minds except God and us. Other people cannot read our minds. It is what is in our minds—our thoughts and our feelings—more than anything else that determines the condition of our characters.
Many people think that an individual's character involves his or her words and actions, and that is true. But your words and your actions are just the result of what is already in your mind—your thoughts and your feelings. If you study the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus spoke about this subject, you will notice that He put the emphasis on what was going on in the mind, not on what was being done or said.
Although it is only through Jesus that we can have perfection of character, there are some things that we must do. God would not give us instruction if it was not important, and God's prophet gives each of these points to us.
Number 11: We are not going to come to perfection of character except through certain spiritual gifts that God has put in the church, especially the gifts of the prophets and apostles. In Ephesians 4:1–16, Paul makes it very clear that it is through these spiritual gifts that the church is going to come into harmony and unity and to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ. That is perfection. There are some things that you and I have to do.
Number 12: We have to receive Jesus into our hearts as the Lord of our lives; then we have to believe. We have to believe that Jesus can take a person like me and, by His grace, make me into a perfect character. If we do not believe this, it will not happen.
Number 13: This one is very comforting to me, because I used to get discouraged about this subject, until I started reading statements in the Spirit of Prophecy concerning it. Mrs. White says that we are not going to come to perfection of character suddenly; it is going to happen step by step. (See Selected Messages, Book 1, 240.) God knows how long you are going to live, and He knows how many steps you need to take. Just ask Him to help you take the next step.
Number 14: If we want to reach perfection of character, we need to be learning daily about Jesus. "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2.Corinthians 3:18. Incidentally, that means being changed from one stage of perfection to the next. Both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy clearly teach that there are stages of perfection.
Number 15: Having a connection with God's work is one of the means by which God purposes to bring you and me to perfection. God has a work that He is doing in the world today. Are you a part of it, or are you a spectator? If you want to reach perfection of character, you must get involved in what God is doing in the world. There are many different ways to be involved, and it is between you and the Lord as to exactly how you get involved. But you cannot just be a spectator, watching other people be involved in God's work, and expect that in some way you are going to come to character perfection.
Number 16: Perfection of character comes only by conflict and battle. "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22. If you are not willing to fight the battle against whatever defects of character you are experiencing, God will not give you the victory. Only God can give you the victory, but He gives the victory only to those who are willing to be in the battle.
Number 17: In God's plan, Ellen White wrote, every disappointment becomes a means to help a person come to perfection of character. (See Manuscript Releases, vol. 7, 149.) None of us like disappointments, but we all have them. We have to be willing to go through these disappointments, because this is part of God's plan to bring us to perfection of character.
Number 18: No one will arrive at perfection of character without striving for it. There are many texts in the Bible about this, but read Philippians 3:8–14 or 1 Corinthians 9:24–27. The expressions the apostle uses in these passages are so strong that some of the most popular Bible translations have watered them down a little bit. But whatever version of the Bible you have, read the texts where Paul talks about struggling and striving and fighting for perfection of character.
Number 19: If we are going to reach perfection of character, it must happen in both our thoughts and our actions. (See Testimonies, vol. 4, 568.) We must be studying the Word of God and praying. We must be meditating (i.e. read, consider, think), and we must be facing our defects of character and praying, "Lord, help me to overcome these." But in addition to our thoughts, there must also be action. Mrs. White says, "Being good and doing good are indispensable to the perfection of character." The Youth's Instructor, October 25, 1900. Do not think that you can reach perfection of character just by having a good devotional life. That is not enough.
Number 20: "Those who expect one day to stand before the throne of the God of gods and Lord of kings, should live each day in such a way that the approval of God can rest upon them. They should seek daily to remove the blemishes in character that lead to sin, and bring into their lives the perfection of character that all must reveal who have a part in the kingdom of heaven." Ibid., October 29, 1907. God does not work unless you and I cooperate. What are blemishes of character? You probably got a good idea when we looked at a few descriptions of the aspects of character perfection. Impatience, for instance, would be a blemish of character. If you have a problem with your tongue or your mind, or if you are not keeping perfectly one of the Ten Commandments, those are blemishes in your character. If in your thoughts, words, actions, or feelings you are unchristlike, there is a blemish in your character.
Number 21: One of the most effective means for obtaining perfection of character is the exercise of mercy toward our fellow men. "What a change would be wrought in our world if men would keep the way of the Lord, giving supreme love and loyalty to God, and manifesting love and respect for their neighbors. Those who would do this would manifest the character of Christ, and would continually exercise justice and mercy toward their fellow-men." Review and Herald, October 1, 1895. The only people that you need to exercise mercy toward are people who are not perfect.
Number 22: "It is your own efforts, through the grace of Christ, that will bring you perfection of character." The Signs of the Times, May 5, 1887. Only through Christ can this happen. Only Christ can do it, but He only does it for people who are putting forth effort in that direction.
Number 23: We are to depend completely on God to bring about perfection of our characters. We are to strive for it, but we are to depend on God to bring it about. Once you begin to depend completely on Him to make it happen, then you are not going to be nervous or scared or frightened or anxious.
Number 24: Ellen White wrote, "Perfection of character cannot be attained when the laws of nature are disregarded; for this is transgression of the law of God." Review and Herald, November 12, 1901. This is something to think through. When the laws of nature are disregarded, we cannot reach perfection of character.
Number 25: Perfection of character is attainable by everyone who will strive for it. God has promised that if you will do your part, He will make it happen.
Number 26: Perfection of character is the result of willing obedience to the truth.
Number 27: There are eight steps, sometimes called Peter's ladder, that will lead you to perfection. (See 2.Peter 1:5-11.) Writing of this, Ellen White said, "This [knowledge] is the third step in the path toward perfection of character." Review and Herald, February 21, 1888.
The rungs on this ladder are
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