Preaching "Present Truth"
How can the Remnant speak to this generation? What do we have to share that’s unique?
Two specific ideas have always characterized Seventh-day Adventism. One is the idea of "present truth." The other is the idea of the proclamation of that truth. Yet these distinctive features seem less prominent in our church today. We seem to be hearing less about the church’s unique role as the end-time remnant, with a special mission to the world and a message this world needs to hear if it is going to be ready for the coming of Jesus in power and glory. Are present truth and its preaching outmoded?
Without this emphasis, the message we preach loses much of its bite and power. And we become just one church among many, preaching certain unusual things from the Bible, but why should anyone really care? And what reason do we have to exist as a separate church body? Without present truth, we would be only one more fragment in the broken unity of the body of Christ.
What is Present Truth?
Present truth corresponds to the message of the three angels of Revelation 14. Proclaiming it is the work of the three angels. Present truth is the understanding of the "everlasting gospel" [1] as it focuses on the final apostasy of the age just before the return of Christ. Real preaching must define that apostasy, contrast it with the everlasting gospel, and invite all people to come to Christ the Creator, in preparation for the final judgment and His soon return.
The preaching we are speaking of is not limited to what the pastor or traveling evangelist does. It includes the proclamation of the Word of God by any church member as God gives him opportunity to share the Scriptures with others, whether inside or outside of the church. The three angels of Revelation 14 represent not just the paid clergy, but the united efforts of the remnant movement to give the world the most solemn message ever—how to honor God and worship Him in the very judgment hour, the world's last hour, when it is now or never.
The ultimate danger to individuals, to society and to the church is the danger of meaninglessness. If we lose the system of beliefs and practices by which we make sense out of our existence, we cannot maintain spiritual life and warfare.
On the other hand, if people can understand why bad things befall them, if we can see our problems as a part of a larger long-range good, a broader cosmic purpose, we can overcome them, or at least learn to cope with them and go on to find peace, fulfillment and achievement. Meaning and purpose enable individuals and groups to face ridicule, discouragement, persecution and even death itself.
Reason for Existence
Only as the Adventist Church proclaims this urgent message will it fulfill its own purpose for existence, and only thus will it survive and grow. People are drawn to churches that meet their religious needs, that show the meaning behind the events of this world and of their own lives. Religion functions effectively for a person when it explains:
- The purpose of his existence
- The nature of reality
- The fate of the world
- The character of the beings or forces that determine our destiny
- How he can relate to them [2]
The belief system of Seventh-day Adventists answers those questions convincingly. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, this is the key to its effectiveness and power in bringing meaning and purpose to people's lives. One might ask, Why do we need purpose and meaning in our lives? Both theology and sociology tell us that we are meaning-oriented beings. It is characteristic of people to ask, Why? We sense with the Psalmist that our years should not be simply "a tale that is told" [3], but that life has some ultimate purpose, something sacred that transcends our day-to-day living. We must know that purpose.
Present Truth Gives Meaning
This was the experience of the pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The message of Revelation 14 provided them that meaning and purpose. By contrast, one cannot help but wonder how effective is the proclamation of present truth by many contemporary Seventh-day Adventist ministers.
Some claim that the message is no longer relevant; they seek to change the basics of our faith. However, could it be that the fault lies with our preaching of the religious truth of this church rather than with the truth itself? Inspiration and experience alike testify to the effectiveness of Seventh-day Adventist religious truth. Wherever the message is clearly proclaimed, the ultimate questions people have are answered; their lives are changed.
The central question of life is: Who am I or why do I exist? Related questions are, Where did I come from and what of the future? The concept of a personal Creator God who made man in His own image, giving him the ability to enter into the counsel and wisdom of God makes man unique. Psalm 139:13-16 teaches that God planned for each person's existence even before that person was formed in the womb.
To know, as Ellen White says, that "not more surely is the place prepared for us in the heavenly mansions than is the special place designated on earth where we are to work for God" [4], enables us to transcend the meaninglessness of our sensual and materialistic age and seek for our place in God's plan.
Security in Present Truth
Furthermore, to know the good news that forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the assurance of eternal life are given freely to us in Christ makes us more than adequate to any challenge we might face. We know where we came from, why we are here and where we are going. The Sabbath and the cross work together to guarantee past, present, and future.
The word "failure" is not in our lexicon because the omnipotent God, who not only created us but redeemed us, will never abandon us.
Preaching present truth will answer the ultimate questions concerning our church. Some people focus on all the problems within the church and begin to doubt the promises made to the church. They believe the lies of the devil and give up. But they forget that the dragon is angry with the woman. Rather than being discouraged, we find meaning and purpose in belonging to God's last church. Its message and mission are prophetically identified and endorsed.
Present Truth is Our Work
We recognize that our preeminent work is the proclamation of these special truths that explain the crises of our lives individually and collectively as a church and as a world community. While I do not always understand how God will resolve the problems in the church, I know that this is the last church. Prophecy does not reveal another.
However, in pursuing our work, we will do well to remember that our preaching must always focus on the cross. We must present Christ and His Word as the answer to those questions that are of ultimate concern to today's generation. The purpose of all preaching—doctrinal, prophetic, moral, and ethical—is to lead to Christ.
Christ alone can answer our questions and meet our needs. He alone can truly bring meaning and purpose to our lives. Christianity is Christ: Christ in His preexistence, Christ in His suffering and death, Christ in His resurrection, Christ in His priestly mediation, Christ in His coming again.
Present Truth—Still Needed
Present truth as Seventh-day Adventists have believed and taught it was not and is not wrong or irrelevant. It will always be a stimulating force that awakens and gives life. Christ is the answer to this world's need; preaching Him and His message as found in Revelation 14 is our work.
The theological diversity of our day is making some of us uncertain about our message and task. Uncertainty destroys confidence. A loss of confidence is the most dangerous enemy of preaching. But God's Word is not uncertain; His Word is sure. Our greatest need is not for better methodology or more money. It is a revival of preaching that gives the trumpet that certain sound, the sound of those three angels' messages.
God says, "My word... shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" [5]. No wonder that Paul's directive to Timothy and his church was, "Preach the word" [6]. This is still God's directive for His remnant people, His ministers and His churches today: "Preach the word!"