CANVASSING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
The devil had set an ambushment for me. I entered the room and fell into the company of a group of young Evangelicals who had just completed a Bible study. Now they were going to sport with their Christian visitor. "Seventh-day Adventists put out these books," the leader declared to get the party started. "Do you have the assurance of salvation?" It was quite clear where this discussion was headed. "Yes, I am quite certain of my salvation," I replied confidently. Then came the predictable follow up from any evangelical, "And in your religion, how are you saved?" The leader gloated as he banked on me giving an answer that involved keeping God's commandments but I threw him a curve. "As Seventh- day Adventists, we believe that we are saved by grace ... through faith in it." He retorted, "When were you saved?" I hesitated, thoroughly enjoying the moment, as I glanced around at a every eye in the room staring at me. I was now a spectacle to the universe, a fool for Christ. "You may find this surprising, but I was saved at the exact same time and place as you were." The floor was mine as I addressed the assembly, "I was saved at Calvary's cross as I know all of you were. In fact, if you want to be entirely accurate, every one of us was saved in the Garden of Eden when Adam sinned ... by the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world." [Rev 13:8] The conversation quickly turned to the righteousness of Christ. This group was not in a spirit to purchase our books but I am certain their discussion continued long into the night regarding the beliefs of Adventists, formerly in their eyes, regarded as legalists.When I first started this work, I would often end up in fruitless debates with potential customers. This I knew to be against the counsel of Ellen White, but I seemed powerless to stop it's course. It always seemed to get down to my defending the obligation of commandment keeping. Over the course of time, I realized my own law keeping could not earn one iota of salvation, and neither could my employment in the colporteur work. When I embraced an historical fact that my salvation was lost in Adam, but won in Jesus Christ, it lifted the burden off my back and set me free to finally canvass in righteousness. Paul basically told the Romans in chapter 5:14, that even if they did not sin after the similitude of Adam, they were still dead men, because they had sinned while in the loins of Adam. Even if there were a man working on a perfect performance, he still needed Christ. Because I wasn't lost by works, neither could I be saved by performance. I no longer had to defend commandment keeping, but like David, my greatest joy was in keeping them. My job description shifted, now pointing customers toward the righteousness of Jesus. Discussions of righteousness melted tension in the room and I proceeded in love to canvass the books. I cannot remember the last time I have ended up in a useless debate with a customer.Another truth of righteousness helped me immensely. I used to rely upon my own faith to keep me strong. The trouble was that some mornings, especially Monday mornings, my faith was often as weak as a kitten. I would tremble at the thought of going out to knock on doors and use any excuse not to go. However, a light went on as I was reading the KJV of the Bible. I had not seen it using the newer translations because a vital truth regarding faith has been translated right out of them. Galatians 2:16 pointed out that Paul was no longer living by his own strength but by the faith OF Jesus. I found our basic Adventist proof text of the Three Angels Message echoed Paul's writings. "Here are they that keep the commandments and have the faith OF Jesus." [Rev 14:12] I needed to possess faith in the faith of Jesus. Like an algebra student, I deduced - Christ lives in me, then it is HIS faith which goes to battle, and the good news is that Jesus has never lost a battle. My job was to simply believe it, and like Abraham, I would be counted as righteousness. My canvasses proclaimed this good news. I remember a husband and wife who told me that I must be brief because they were on their way to Bible study. After a few moments the wife said, "Honey, we are learning more here in a few moments than we have during the past month at Bible study, why don't we stay home listen to what he has to say about these books." Parents with children are attentive when I share Romans 7. "Mr. and Mrs. Prospect, imagine your daughter has grown up and suddenly comes to you before her first date. She asks if you have any advice to give. You surprise her by answering, "Sweetheart, remember Romans 7, that the things you are going to want to do ... you will not be able to do ... and the things you don't want to do - that you will do!" She would look at you like you are crazy. Yet, that is what most Christians today believe. Paul called this experience a body of death and pointed to Jesus as the only rescue from it."Another subject that silences the mouths of debaters is that of the Two Covenants. The standard belief that the Old Covenant and the New Covenant were divided by Calvary is easily dismissed. These people actually belive that people living in Old Testament times were saved via a different gospel. But how do you improve upon Abraham who believed God and it "counted unto him for righteousness." I ask how are Enoch, Elijah and Moses in heaven without the New Covenant experience? What of the hall of faith in Hebrews that lists everyone from Abel on down as being righteous? How can you be righteous in any generation without Christ? Customers see the folly of this reasoning and become aware of the snare of living an Old Covenant experience today through legalism and promising God what we are going to do like the Jews at the foot of Sinai. Every believer knew that the spiritual Rock was Christ, just like Moses did. There are times when we must separate our customers from the doctrines of devils, namely the Beastly power of Revelation, the 666 and the Anti-Christ. People will never buy our books if they feel they have heard it all before and believe they have similar books lying unread on their shelves. Even these dynamic subjects can be presented with Christ our righteousness being the centerpiece. Christ's righteousness is destined to swallow up all other subjects and is the Third Angel's message in verity. There comes a time when it is appropriate to introduce customers to the nature of Christ. In Adventist settings this is a taboo subject if there ever was one and can get argumentative and often invites censure. Yet, in an early edition of Bible Readings For the Home Circle, sold when Ellen White was alive, our book presents the nature of Christ without controversy. I have found my customers have no problem whatsoever with this subject. As I talk about the faith of Jesus it becomes perfectly clear that it makes no sense to have the faith of Jesus working in us, if indeed Christ took upon Himself a sinless nature. How can He ask us to live a perfect life if He was unable to do likewise in our same flesh? There is a strange power in presenting Jesus as the Savior who took upon Himself our sinful flesh, yet never sinned, not even by a thought. During these tender moments with customers, Jesus draws close and I cherish these experiences. I think this is what keeps me in this work year after year. Righteousness seems to answer every dilemma. We meet people who have been severely abused and are bitter against God and man. To them, we point to the Saviour who bore these sins in His own body on the tree, cursed as if He committed these sins or had them committed unto Him. He was the serpent hanging on the pole [J 3:14]; He was made sin for us [Gal 3:13]; He became the worm [Ps 22:6]. These Bible studies are powerful and draw all men unto Him. Deep calls out to deep as we talk of Calvary and the Second Death experience. We enter holy ground as we read from the Desire of Ages that Christ could not see past the portals of the tomb. When I worked in Florida, I often heard it said that nobody preaches the cross like a Southern Baptist. My customers soon found out that nobody preaches the cross like a Literature Evangelist, and right in their own homes! People tell me how many nail prints, how much blood was lost, how the beating of His heart came to an end, about the whipping, spitting and beatings - but they cannot tell me about the separation between the Father and His Son. It is my job, to share the writings of the Desire of Ages, how Jesus clung to the earth fearing separation, in fact He begged three times for this not to happen. I read to them these precious lines, "Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden. In these words Christ is speaking to every human being. All are weary, all are weighed down with burdens that only Christ can remove. The heaviest burden we bear is the burden of sin. If we were left to bear this burden it would crush us but the sinless One has taken our place. Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. With His stripes we are healed."
One time I came upon a man whose told me that his wife had gone to prayer meeting and that her closing words to him was that he was lost. I tarried with the gentleman and explained to him that she was wrong, that he was indeed saved, in Christ. I used to tell people that if they accepted Jesus then He would do many things for them. Now, I told him that Christ has already done many wonderful things for him. I explained that if he persisted in unbelief it wasn't going to be easy. Eventually he could achieve being lost but he would have to fight through signs and wonders, prayers and providence, through nature preaching the everlasting gospel to him and ignore the Holy Spirit. He could do it, but it wasn't going to be easy. He became convinced that his salvation was a historical fact, and that all he had to do was accept it. He seemed to appreciate that even the loaf of bread on the counter was stamped with the Cross of Christ.Another time, I came upon a woman whose was truly beside herself. Her priest had told her that because she was living in sin that the church would not bapize her new twin babies. She was nearly wild with despair. I shared with her the good news that her babies were covered by the blood of the Lamb. I explained that Jesus was baptized on behalf of her babies and everyone else who would never have the chance to be baptized. He, who had no sin, was baptized on behalf of the world. I told her that her new focus should be on raising these babies for Jesus. She had a new spring in her step as I left out the door. Burdens are lifted at Calvary is not just a song to these prospective customers of ours.As an LE it is not strange to present these truths and have customers gently weeping during the canvass. This is what separates us from our colporteuring forefathers, the disgruntled monks of the Reformation. This is what has kept me in the literature ministry since 1984 when so many of my brethren have quit in discouragement. Christ's righteousness causes you soldier on. Christ living out His life and faith in your imperfect flesh, all the while bearing your worst of sins. When the cross is lifted up, then the promise is secure, "I will draw all men unto Me." [John 12:32]"When we eat Christ's flesh and drink His blood, the element of eternal life will be found in the ministry. There will not be a fund of stale, oft-repeated ideas. The tame, dull sermonizing will cease. The old truths will be presented, but they will be seen in a new light. There will be a new perception of truth, a clearness and a power that all will discern. Those who have the privilege of sitting under such a ministry will, if susceptible to the Holy Spirit's influence, feel the energizing power of new life. The fire of God's love will be kindled within them. Their perceptive faculties will be quickened to discern the beauty and majesty of truth. The Spirit of Christ will come upon [the LE] and God will work through him upon the minds of others, filling the mind and heart with sweet hope, courage and Bible imagery. All this will be communicated to the youth under his instruction. The springs of heavenly peace and joy, unsealed in the soul of the teacher by the words of inspiration, will become a mighty river of influence to bless all who connect with him. The Bible will not become a tiresome book to the student. It will be as the bread of life, its freshness and beauty will attract and charm the children and youth. It is like the sun shining upon the earth, perpetually imparting brightness and warmth." [COL 130-132] When your canvass has reached this plateau, then, and only then, can you consider yourself a literature evangelist, and you will be so recognized in the courts of heaven. "A seed shall serve Him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this." [Ps 22:30,31] There is no reason why the literature evangelist, full of the righteousness of Jesus, cannot be that seed, and ours be the generation that lightens the whole earth with His glory.For the successful LE, there is only one place on earth where he can feel a surety in his ministry. Spending a thoughtful hour each day contemplating the cross becomes a reality when you canvass in Christ's righteousness. Every canvass under the shadow of Calvary fulfills the promise to draw all men unto Him. Hearts melt at Golgotha, prejudice is swept away, your greatest fears are swallowed up by the power of the Holy Spirit. All heaven awaits the message of Christ's righteousness to be proclaimed in its fullness. This is not the hour for dry bones to be proclaimed, albeit with gusto. There is a light, which is to lighten the entire earth with His glory. It is the last message from the remnant people to a dying world. A call for "My people" to come out of darkness. He is the potter, the literature evangelist is the clay. Let the molding begin which will finish this work.Jan 16/07
"Hi, Glen. I just saw your announcement of your new book. May the Lord bless your work; and may He bless the proclamation of the third angel's message in verity."
Greetings,
Robert J Wieland
RJW1888
The following is an excerpt out of "E.J. Waggoner, by Woodrow W. Whidden II,
published by the Review, 2008
"The major reason the denomination had invited Waggoner to England was to edit the Present Truth magazine. By June of 1893 it announced that it would become a weekly. This provided a more regular publication for the many Adventist colporteurs (called Present Truth agents) to sell copies to their regular customers. Employment was very hard to come by for many of the new Adventist converts in England, and colporteuring not only spread Adventism but provided a regular income for the hardworking personal evangelists. But the economic needs of the dedicated colporteurs were not the only consideration. It was also nearly impossible to mail out copies of Present Truth. The British postal system simply did not feature the liberal policies of the American bulk-mail privileges granted to almost all periodicals. Therefore it was virtulally a distribution necessity to utilize the services of salespeople to spread the Adventist message in Britain. Waggoner reported to Ellen White how the periodical agents would seek to gather interested readers into little companies throughout Greater London. They get people interested in the paper, which they deliver each week, and then as they begin to ask questions, they follow up the interests with Bible readings. We now have four such meetings held in different parts of London.
Song playing: The Righteousness Of Christ by Jennifer Jill
