SECOND QUARTER 2026
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #4
APRIL 25, 2026
"THE ROLE OF THE BIBLE".

 

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12, NKJV).

In this Insights we wish to set forth the truth as it is in Jesus, and as revealed in His Word, in contrast to the wisdom of this world, which is ignorance. The Word of God alone, when studied under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, brings discernment to the reader, dividing truth from error, and points to Jesus, the revelation of the Word made flesh (John 1:14).

"When Christianity, as such, began in the world, the Word of God was its educational Book. However, there was at that time in the world that which claimed to be education; and not only education, but the only education in any true sense.  . . . . And on this question of education, as in all other things, Christianity and [the] world were at direct opposites."—A.T. Jones, The Bible in Education, p. 9.

Brother Jones continues to describe what the early apostles were up against—"The world had reached the point at which it did not know God. It was 'by wisdom' that the world reached this point. It was 'by wisdom' that the world was caused not to know God. And that wisdom was the world's philosophy, the world's science,—in a word, the world's education. Therefore, Inspiration plainly shows that that which was accepted by the world as education, was itself the means of their not knowing God."—ibid., p. 10.

Our world is not much different today than it was in the days of Paul. In Athens, pointing to an inscription on the altar that read, “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD," Paul boldly proclaimed Jesus as the One, unknown to them, who was Creator and Sustainer of everything from mankind to the starry universe.

The dedication of that altar to the "Unknown God" was truly so-named, for "the basis of the whole theory of Greek education, both in science and philosophy, was 'doubt,'—'a profound and consistent skepticism.' Indeed, the principal idea of that philosophy is expressed in the word 'doubt.' The history of philosophy is but the history of doubt.

"Now, the essential characteristic and quality of doubt is that it definitely causes him who exercises it, not to know. So long as anyone doubts a thing, he cannot know that thing. And not to know, is simply ignorance. Since, therefore, the basis of the great Greek educator's theory of education was 'doubt,'— . . . it follows that Greek education, being founded in doubt, and built up through doubt, was essentially ignorance."—ibid., pp. 15, 16. And it was in ignorance that they worshiped a God they did not know.

In the pages that follow these introductory themes, Brother Jones sets forth the core sentiments of true education: "Therefore there are just two things which are essential to knowing. These two things are truth and faith."—ibid., p. 17.

"Faith is the expecting the word of God to do what it says and the depending upon that word to do what it says.

"As that is Faith and as faith comes by the word of God, it is plain that the word of God, in order to inculcate faith, must teach that the word has in it power to accomplish what itself says.

"And such is precisely the truth of the matter; the word of God does teach just this and nothing else, so that it is truly 'the faithful word'—the word full of faith."—A. T. Jones, Lessons on Faith, p. 3.

The Scriptures are alike unequivocal: 

"Thy Word is truth" (John 17:17).

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:5).

Historically, Seventh-day Adventists were known as people of the Book, but like the Jews, our history reveals that we overlooked a critical aspect of Bible study.

Of the Jews Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:39, 40).

It was not enough for the Jews to search and study the Scriptures unless one object was kept in view: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent" (John 17:3).

The Jews knew the Scriptures, but they missed the whole point of the Old Testament writings which Jesus summarized succinctly: "These are they which testify of Me."

To save Seventh-day Adventists from the same error, "The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure."—Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 91.

Sadly, “By exciting that opposition Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to them. The enemy prevented them from obtaining that efficiency which might have been theirs in carrying the truth to the world, as the apostles proclaimed it after the day of Pentecost. The light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world.”— Ellen G White, Selected Messages, Book One, pp. 234, 235; 1896.

Though 130 years have passed since these words were written, our need for the most precious message of Christ our righteousness remains.

“You will meet with those who will say, ‘You are too much excited over the matter. You are too much in earnest. You should not be reaching for the righteousness of Christ, and making so much of that. You should preach the law.’ As a people we have preached the law until we are as dry as the hills of Gilboa, that had neither dew nor rain. We must preach Christ in the law, and there will be sap and nourishment in the preaching that will be as food to the famishing flock of God. We must not trust in our own merits at all, but in the merits of Jesus of Nazareth.”—Ellen G. White, The Review and Herald, March 11, 1890.

In reflecting on this era, a former General Conference president wrote 100 years ago: "How sad, how deeply regrettable, it is that this message of righteousness in Christ should, at the time of its coming, have met with opposition on the part of earnest, well-meaning men in the cause of God! The message has never been received, nor proclaimed, nor given free course as it should have been in order to convey to the church the measureless blessings that were wrapped within it. The seriousness of exerting such an influence is indicated through the reproofs that were given. These words of reproof and admonition should receive most thoughtful consideration at this time."—Arthur G. Daniells, Christ Our Righteousness, p. 472.

Let us pray that God will rekindle in our hearts a desire to drink deeply from the refreshing fountain of the righteousness of Christ. And may we lay hold of the "living and powerful" promises of God while "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith" (Hebrews 12:2). 

"The prophet Zechariah tells us there will come a day when we, His people— His church—will understand like never before God’s supreme gift to us: 'And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication: and they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn' (Zach 12:10 -12 NKJV)

"I have not yet cried like that for Jesus. But I long for the day when we as a church are brought to our knees in love and gratitude—a gratitude born of understanding our hopeless condition and the incredible gift that was given to us. That day when 'one interest will prevail, one subject will swallow up every other,—Christ our righteousness.'^[1]—Robert Costa, Ministry Magazine, April 2018, p. 24.

—Patti Guthrie

 

^[1]Ellen G. White, Sons and Daughters of God, p. 259.