FIRST QUARTER 2025
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #11
MARCH 15, 2025
"WHAT MORE COULD I HAVE DONE."

 

Is There More?

Isaiah 5:4 poses a haunting question: “What more could have been done…?" This question echoes through the entire narrative of Scripture, revealing the heart of God—a heart of self-sacrificing love. This question displays a principle that  encompasses every part of His being—morals, decisions and choices, actions, allowances—all of which are operating under the overarching principle of self-sacrificing love. A love that gives with no strings attached. And, if we take the time to really see who He is, we find that He has held nothing back in the pursuit of fallen humanity. He has given all.

But then we have the age old question. If an all powerful God, who knows the end from the beginning, says He is the very embodiment of love…why do we live in a world where heartache, loss, and death are so rampant? I’ve recently had to re-visit this question in my own walk and a new thought came to mind—the helplessness of God.

Have you ever stopped to consider that God experiences the feeling of helplessness? What is it like for One who is self-sacrificing love in all ways, all the time?  What is it that He cannot do because of who He is? Let us take a moment to reflect on the extent of God’s love for this fallen planet, the principles He abides by, and the profound mystery of what a self-sacrificing God will not do because He would rather exist in agony than to violate you.

At the core of God's relationship with humanity lies the principle of free will. In the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 21:33-39), we see how God, like the vineyard owner, has provided every opportunity for humanity to flourish. Yet, despite His patient care and repeated appeals, the response is rebellion and rejection. Even when God sends His Son—an act of unimaginable           self-sacrifice—He is met with violence and rejection again. This parable reveals both the depth of God’s love and the reality that He will not force Himself upon those who refuse Him. He would rather relinquish His very life than to violate our freedom to choose our own path. So in a sense, divinity is rendered helpless. His heart is painfully vulnerable. 

The helplessness God experiences is not one that stems from weakness—either in character, in physical strength or in ability. He is rendered helpless because of His modus operandi. He will never coerce love or loyalty. That would be a direct violation of us and the freedom He has given all of His creation. This voluntary restraint is a profound expression of His character. Romans 3:25-26 emphasizes that through Jesus' sacrifice, God remains both just and the justifier. He does not overlook sin but provides a way for humanity to be reconciled while preserving the moral order of the universe. His helplessness, then, is the cost of His commitment to love and freedom.

God has wrought out salvation for every man, and has given it to him; but the majority spurn it and throw it away. The judgment will reveal the fact that full salvation was given to every man, and that the lost have deliberately thrown away their birthright possession.”—E. J. Waggoner, The Glad Tidings, p. 22, emphasis supplied. 

'God’s love is freely given to all. The opportunity for salvation has been given to all. The right of choice has been preserved. The path to return to God has been made available to all. The power to walk in that noble way has been provided. God even sent His own Son to go before us and light the way. He has shown us the lofty, noble character fallen humanity can attain when united with divinity. Everything has been provided for—how can we fail of obtaining full salvation? 

O that we could all realize the nearness of heaven to earth! When the earthborn children know it not,  they have the angels of light as their companions; for heavenly messengers are sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation. A silent witness guards every soul that lives, seeking to win and draw to Jesus. The angels never leave the tempted one a prey to the enemy who would destroy the souls of men if permitted to do so. As long as there is hope, until they resist the Holy Spirit to their eternal ruin, men are guarded by heavenly intelligences.

O that we who are pilgrims and strangers in this foreign country, seeking a better, even a heavenly, might comprehend Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life! He says, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” 

The path He has marked out is so plain and distinct, that the veriest sinner, loaded with guilt, need not miss his way. Not one trembling seeker need to fail of finding the true path, and of walking in pure and holy light; for Jesus leads the way. The path is so narrow, so holy, that sin cannot be tolerated therein, yet access to the path has been made for all, and not one desponding, doubting, trembling soul, needs to say, “God cares nought for me.” Every soul is precious in His sight; “for God so loved the world,” even in its blackness and disobedience, even with the heavy shadow of sin and Satan upon it, “that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

When Satan was triumphing as the prince of the world, claiming the world as his kingdom, when we were all marred and corrupted with sin, God sent his messenger from heaven, even His only begotten Son, to proclaim to all the inhabitants of the world, I have found a ransom; I have made a way of escape for the perishing. I have your emancipation papers prepared for you, sealed by the Lord of heaven and earth. You may have freedom upon the condition of faith in Him who is able to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by him. 

A ransom has been provided at infinite cost, and it is not because there is any flaw in the title which has been purchased for you that you do not accept it. It is not because the mercy, the grace, the love of the Father and the son is not ample, and has not been freely bestowed, that you do not rejoice in pardoning love, but it is because of your unbelief, because of your choice of the world that you are not comforted by the grace of God. 

It is your love of disobedience, your pleasure in sin, your enjoyment of rebellion that has blunted your perceptions until you fail to discern the things that make for your peace. If you are lost, it will be because you will not come unto Christ that you may have life.

 God waits to bestow the blessing of forgiveness, of pardon for iniquity, of the gift of righteousness upon all who will believe in His love, and accept His salvation. Christ is ready to say to the repenting sinner, “Take away the filthy garments from him. . . . Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment; and I said, “Let them set a fair mitre upon His head. So they set a fair mitre upon His head, and clothed him with garments.” “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, If thou wilt walk in my ways, and wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge mine house, and shalt also keep my courts; and I will give thee places to  walk among these that stand by.” Christ is the connecting link between God and man. The blood of Jesus Christ is the eloquent plea that speaks in behalf of Sinners. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses from all sin.' 

— Ellen G. White, Letters and Manuscripts, Vol. 9, MS 32a, July 30, 1894 (emphasis supplied).

God's way is to win, not to force; to draw, not to drive. It is Satan's way to compel, to coerce, and to destroy.

In the 1893 General Conference Daily Bulletin A. T. Jones captures this contrast very well:

It is satanic to compel people. When Satan can hold persons in his service by the allurements of the world, he holds them in that way. When those allurements fail to hold, then he begins to bring the pressure to bear upon them, and pressure of any kind, to force the will, is satanic. And therefore laws that are made to force the will in things of religion are the very essence of the spirit of Satan. God wins by love, and when love fails to win, he does not use force. I have sometimes stood almost overwhelmed in the presence of this thought. The very God of the universe, who creates all things by his word, who upholds all things by the word of his power, holds himself in abeyance at the command of the human will. And God, whose power is such that by the mere breath of his mouth we should all fail and be destroyed, . . . Nay, more; God, whose power keeps us in life, even though we are rebelling against him whose power sustains us and gives us the very power which we use against him; that very God stands and holds his power in abeyance, waiting the consent of the human will.

God holds out every inducement. His love draws; but when any man says No, and continues to say No, he controls the situation. The time will come, to be sure, when God will manifest his power, and when those who have persisted in rebellion will be destroyed; but during this time of probation God waits on the human will in matters of religion. To compel the conscience is satanic. To win a loyal, loving service is God-like. Now when we go out to carry the message of God for all people in the world, the idea of compulsion should be left out, and the winning power of love should be displayed. And before it can be displayed through the instrument, it must be displayed in the instrument.  (February 13, p. 255). 

God can only win hearts through invitation only and by revealing His heart towards us. The cross is then, therefore, the pinnacle of the principles of love, self-sacrifice, and freedom of choice. There Christ reveals that God voluntarily chose to enter into suffering rather than violate His love for you. He refuses to operate under the principles of force, deception and selfishness—but rather freedom, transparency and selflessness. He chose to risk all to reveal to us an invitation into eternity. But He is helpless in light of our decision—the very thing He so carefully preserves at any cost to Himself.

Let’s bring this home a bit. Have you ever felt the pangs of anguish wring your heart because of the choices of your loved ones? As a parent, have you ever felt helpless as you watch your children grow and make their own choices in life? Have you ever suffered misunderstanding because you refuse to force someone else to care for or understand you? Have you ever been to a wedding where you cannot be happy on such a joyous occasion? As a young woman, I can only imagine what it must be like for my parents. I have the freedom to make my own choices—good or bad. Though they guide, advise, and pray, they choose not force me in any way. They value me. They value my unique individuality. They respect my decisions. They let me be me. Although their wisdom and life experiences gives them ability to see “the end from the beginning” in some sense…they do not force even if they know the end result. 

How then must God feel as He watches us choose our own path in this life and how those choices shape our eternal future? His heart must ache when we turn away—when He knows the way we choose ends in death. How earnestly, sincerely, and faithfully will He then pursue and present to all humanity opportunities to choose the way of life? Imagine the times in your life where your heart has been pierced because of the freewill of another. How much more can the Heart of infinite love experience the pains of an infinite loss?

So why are we still here? Life as it is brings pain and suffering to the hearts of humanity and infinitely more to the heart of God. Why hasn’t He ended it? Why can’t we be done with this mess? The heart of God is in continual pain. Why the delay? Is there something He yet has to do? Has God not yet “done everything” to save us? 

The cross reveals the sobering reality that there is nothing more God could do without overriding our freedom. Every avenue to reach us, to open our eyes to reality, and to redeem humanity has been exhausted.

Now the King of the Universe waits in a swirl of hope, limitless love, inexpressible longing and silent anguish. He waits in the agonizing helplessness of our freedom to choose. 

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:20,21, KJV).

As we consider the profound mystery of God who will not force Himself upon us, we are left with a choice. The door stands open, and He waits. Every provision has been made for our redemption and the invitation is constantly extended to all who will listen. The question is no longer what more God could do—but rather, how will we respond? He stands, waiting while we wallow in the mire of our unbelief. He waits for the song of heaven to pierce our dull ears. He anxiously awaits for us to respond to His heavenly invitation.

Maybe we are more  aware of what goes on around us these days…but I feel a stirring within that Jesus wants to return. Will we hear and heed His call? Will we allow Him to complete the heart work in us that will vindicate His name before the watching universe? May our righteousness be as filthy rags no longer as we accept His as our own. May we let Him into our hearts and walk in the power of His might that we will at last lighten the world with His glory. He who calls us is faithful—everything He has promised, He will do.

 

~Anya Kinsley