Stewardship

 Principles of Stewardship

LeRoy E. Froom

Text: “Therefore take no thought, I saying, What shall we eat? or, What I shall we drink? or, Wherewithal I shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom o£ God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:31- 33).

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matt. 22:37, 38).

WHEN Christopher Columbus sailed from the Spanish Port of Palos, he expected his westward course to bring him to the magic coast of India. But God had planned infinitely greater things than Columbus had anticipated. When the keel of the Pinta touched the sands of Salvador, he had discovered something vastly more wonderful than the fabled treasures of the East. He had opened the door to the marvelous American Continent, hidden through ages and generations that it might be the birthplace of spiritual liberty and of this last-day Advent Movement.

Marvelous are the ways of God, and inscruta­ble His providences until He opens them to the ken of man. So it has always been. And thus it proves to be with the unexpected wealth of principles and precepts enfolded in man’s stew­ardship of God’s possessions. Launching into a new study of tithing has opened up, for me at least, a whole new hemisphere of wondrous spir­itual blessings through the all-comprehensive truth of stewardship.

This mighty principle neither begins nor ends xvith money. Tithing is stewardship as far as it goes. But stewardship in its larger aspects is the all-inclusive principle of the whole of life. It is not a theory nor a philosophy, but a working program. It is in verity the Christian law of liv­ing. It forms the Christian appraisal of privi­lege, opportunity, power, and talent. It is neces­sary to an adequate understanding of life, and essential to a true, vital religious experience. It is not simply a matter of mental assent, but is an act of the will and a definite, decisive trans­action touching the whole perimeter of life.

The Christian principle of stewardship can­not be rightly understood or practiced without recognition of the divine Person to whom we are accountable. But when God is acknowl­edged as owner of all a man’s possessions, He Himself will come into a man’s life as coun­selor and lord. Let a person once see this and realize its practical implications, and God be­comes a presence, personal and real, and the man’s entire conception of and relation to life is revolutionized. Life is glorified by the vast-ness of the wondrous relationship. Man be­comes conscious of the high compulsion of loyalty as the motivating force of life. Such a one feels the thrill of actual fellowship with God.

Such a view of life involves proportioning life’s resources to meet life’s obligations. Every aspect of a man’s life is thus to be trained and developed and fitted for service. Our strength, talent, time, and all is laid upon the altar to be administered as a trust from God. Thus the heart of stewardship is partnership with the Divine. It recognizes the fatherhood of the Creator, and finds expression in loving concern for each of His creatures. When life is so re­garded, mere rules of conduct are superseded by the sway of mighty principles, and life can never be the same thereafter.

Stewardship a Trust With Established Terms

We are stewards of our personality—that in­tangible yet intensely real force that operates on other people. We are stewards of life, the whole of it—inside, outside, everything. All is lifted to a new and vastly higher level. Such stewardship involves a man’s attitude toward all the things he controls. It is related to ma­terial things because material things have a definite bearing upon the higher life. Thus we come to sense the spiritual origin, purpose, and meaning of our possessions. Stewardship brings business under the reign of the golden rule in­stead of into the clutches of the rule of gold.

All business for the steward therefore be­comes God’s business. Whether a man be in the ministry, the mission field, in professional or business life, or engaged in manual labor, every calling, if it be God’s call, is a sacred and holy calling. Business for him is then business for God and with God. Christ thus becomes the master craftsman of every trade, the yoke­fellow in life’s responsibilities.

Stewardship shows the true relationship be­ltween a man and his money—that relation be­ing a trust, with the terms already established. Thus the handling of money becomes a great sacrament. As we are stewards of all that passes through our hands, we are under eternal obliga­tion to use all as God wants. While the tithe is the common test of stewardship, the other test is the use a man makes of the principal. This consciousness of divine ownership of all sancti­fies the nine tenths that remain. It puts the check on selfish spending, and injects a whole­some, sacred ideal into this modern riot of ex­travagance.

Thus the tithe emerges as the basis of ac­knowledging the all-comprehensive ownership and sovereignty of God. The principle of tithe inheres in this mutual relationship. The law of the tithe states the provision, but does not give the reason. But it was instituted as a perpetual safeguard lest we fall into thinking that we own the values in our possession.

Tithing More Than Maintaining Church Budgets

Some of us have seemingly had the concep­tion that tithing is little more than an efficient business system for supporting the church. This sweeping principle of stewardship is too often narrowed to a mere financial plan, whereas it is a fundamental provision, underlying the whole meaning of life itself. God has in mind something infinitely larger than church budgets. One may pay tithe and yet be far from the spirit of stewardship. Mere meticulous tithing will never save the soul. It has no personal value unless it is but the outward expression of an in­ward grace.

True tithing is simply the symbol of utter consecration. It involves a new vision of rela­tionships and values. It ushers in a new sense of accountability toward God and a new recog­nition of responsibility toward man. It is simply the first and second “great commandments” in daily operation. The principle of stewardship in its broader sense is essential to all coopera­tion between God and man. That God chose to place His powers and resources under the law of stewardship in creation is one of the most impressive facts in the universe.

It is a tragedy ever to limit the principle of stewardship to a financial system. Nevertheless, the usual reference revolves about receipts, and the amount rolling into the treasury. Such a perversion is an act of violence against a far-reaching provision. It cheapens a great message. For when this great stewardship truth, which has its origin in the mind and will of God, is proclaimed in the setting simply of a tax or revenue, it loses its true force. The primary purpose of tithing in the plan of God is not to raise money, but to build and enrich character.

To become a steward means to accept respon­sibility, and to accept responsibility strengthens character. Money is merely the by-product, but it will be the inevitable by-product. The hour has come when this whole question of tithing should be lifted out of any narrow, mercenary, metallic setting onto the sure foundation prin­ciples of stewardship.

Tithing a Test of Sincerity

I have less and less of a desire to stress the money side as primary, but to place as upper­most God’s paramount purpose of character building, for it possesses character-building power. Then the money part will be sure and steadfast. The foundation of all character is this sense of dependence upon, and responsibility to, God as creator aancl owner of all. God is thus preparing men for eternity through part­nership with Himself in time, and the tithe is the test of a steward’s sincerity. So we may say that the tithe is not so much a law as the tan­gible expression of a foundational principle, which, in turn, rests upon our inescapable re­lationship of creature to Creator. It is incapable of being abrogated as long as this relationship obtains. The principle is simply that of putting God and His kingdom first, as enunciated in the introductory text.

Such a constant, conscious concept of mind or attitude of spirit, dominating the life, conse­crates all acts and attitudes of life from which other things, such as money, naturally and in­evitably flow. It becomes the regulative principle of our existence. Such a consecration is the cor­nerstone of all character transformation. And our individual well-being is the inevitable prod­uct of such relationship. Thus the divine pro­gram of stewardship is a lifelong process of training men through the medium of material things, of which money is most potent. In its financial aspect, stewardship becomes the Chris­tian interpretation of money—its acquisition, handling, and disbursing.

In its tithing phase it is the acknowledgment of God’s ownership, the token of our consecra­tion, the pledge of our allegiance, and the wit­ness of our faith. It is not simply an intelligent act, but an attitude that controls action.

Stewardship is seeking first the kingdom! With many, self, home, business, pleasure, come first. “After all these things do the Gentiles seek.” It is pre-eminently the passion and policy of the world. After time and attention have been given to these things, if anything is left it is given to God. God’s plan is to reverse the order, to change the center of gravity. So it has to do with daily living. It shifts the center of life. That is its object and outcome. When this is done, God guarantees to add “all these things” —our material needs. Therefore tithing is not an isolated act by itself. It connects vitally with every other Christian duty and truth.

Three Underlying, Basic Principles

With this thought in view, let us now attempt to get back of the question of simply paying our tithes, and consider the underlying princi­ples of stewardship, which are three in number; let us get below the surface and see the three­fold, basic groundwork upon which God places this whole obligation of money, and upon that triple foundation build the structure.

The first principle is: God Is the Absolute Owner of All Things. He is absolute, because He has the power to create without restraint, and to possess without dependence. He is owner because He is creator. “By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or pow­ers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Col. 1:16, 17).

If we trace back the title deeds of all estates to the original ownership, we find “in the be­ginning God.” He has never renounced His proprietary rights to the things He has created. Across every title deed executed is written in indelible letters, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (Ps. 24:1). The Most High has never conveyed away His right and title as ab­solute owner. He has allowed many generations to use His possessions, but has never surren­dered His ownership. They are all to be held at the call of the owner. That is the starting point of stewardship. Everything relating to the handling or use of money is to be looked at from that point of view. In civil engineering all measurements are from a base line, which is the ocean level. God’s ownership is the true base line for a proper survey of the whole terri­tory of stewardship.

Second, since God is owner and absolute pro­prietor, We Are His Stewards. Now a steward is a person entrusted with the management of affairs or possessions not his own. He is the guardian of another’s goods, not the owner. He is never to forget this, but administers ac­cording to the desire of the owner. A steward is one who keeps watch and ward. His possessions are delegated possessions. They are comparable to the “pounds” delivered to the stewards in the parable of Luke 19:12, 13, to whom the owner said, “Occupy till I come.” None considered the pounds their own. Even the unfaithful one spoke of “thy pound.” It was not a gift, but a trust. Likewise we are trustees with specified privileges and responsibilities. “To have is to owe, not to own”; hence the appropriateness of the admonition, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2).

Daniel Webster, when asked what was the greatest thought that had ever entered his mind, said significantly, “My accountability to God Almighty.” To appropriate and use wrongly what God has committed in trust to us is no less a sin and crime than for a cashier to ap­propriate trust funds for his own use. And, as in the parable of the pounds, the day of reckoning will come. We can no more escape the claims of stewardship than we can “death and taxes.” Stewards and stewardship go to­gether just like citizens and citizenship. Both spell responsibility. So our stewardship is the second great corollary principle.

Then, third, God’s Ownership and Man’s Stewardship Call for a Definite Acknowl­edgment—that one has acquired and is adminis­tering the property of another. For this God has specified the tithe. It is perilous hypocrisy to talk of God’s sovereign ownership and man’s stewardship, but refuse to make material ac­knowledgment. Mark you, acknowledgment is not the same as recognition of the claim. Recog­nition is a matter of mental acquiescence; ac­knowledgment is discharging the obligation— an act of honor. Nor is this a play upon words. We must acknowledge the sovereignty that we recognize. If we omit this acknowledgment, we commit the sin of presumption.

Tithing an Act of Worship

The true rendering of the tithe is an act of worship. The acknowledgment I bring should signify God’s ownership, and ever be rendered in that worshipful spirit. Cast into God’s treas­ury in the right spirit, the tithe receives the stamp of the mint of heaven. It is not then simply a pious performance of duty. It is the identification of purpose of man with God. It signifies a spiritual partnership and personal fellowship between God and man, and consti­tutes a visible demonstration thereof. So ren­dered, it is an act of loving faith and obedience far beyond any shibboleth of words.

True worship, either as manifested through prayer or through service, cannot be properly rendered without this obedience. When a man turns over his tithe in this spirit, he personally acknowledges the King eternal, immortal, in­visible. Or, to state it differently, the act is not so much a payment of an obligation as the acknowledgment of his obligation, and is much broader.

It is my solemn conviction that one of the greatest needs of the hour, next to the outpour­ing of the Holy Spirit, is for the remnant church to have a new vision of God’s ownership and man’s stewardship, and a new experience in practical acknowledgment of that blessed rela­tionship. The Holy Spirit can work fully only through personalities who have consciously ac­cepted this principle of stewardship into their whole lives. We have nothing we did not re­ceive, and we ourselves are not our own; we “are bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20). The blood of Christ is not only an expiation, it is our purchase price. And every throb of the pulse, every faculty of the nature, and every possession we hold, is but a grant from God. We must stand on the platform with Paul and declare our allegiance to Him “whose I am, and whom I serve” (Acts 27:23).

Such vision and experience is absolutely nec­essary as a protection to the soul against pagan enslavement to the love of money. Money is the most perilous thing, next to the baser, sen­sual nature, with which we have to cope. It is one of the most dangerous forces existent, for the lure of mammon is stronger than the will of man. When in conflict with the will, the latter goes under but for the grace of God. Man is safe from the subtlety of gold only when this sacred relationship of God, man, and money, as implied in stewardship, has full possession of the life.

Some have the mistaken idea that the devil made the world’s money to lure us to disaster. But the devil never made anything of value. God made all things, including all sources of money and wealth, and pronounced them “very good.” It is the rebellion, the perversion, the defiance, of sin that has brought the disaster. Money is a measure of values, representing life, labor, and time. But the way in which a man uses money profoundly affects his character. Many a man’s money stands between his soul and God, and the bars that shut him out of the kingdom may be found to be of silver and of gold.

Money Is Stored Power

Money is a good servant but a bad master. It is stored power. A power for evil when abused, it can be an even greater power and blessing for good. The question is, In which direction shall it be loosed? There is nothing inherently wrong with gold and silver, else they are a re­buke on the Almighty Himself for having placed these precious metals in the earth. Money is the recognized medium of exchange for the fruits of God’s earth and the products of man’s toil. It is a necessary and powerful agent identified with everything we daily handle. Money itself is neutral, or nonmoral, in character.

We speak of money as “tainted” and as “filthy lucre.” Of course it isn’t the money, but the men who are really tainted. While the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, God de­signs that money shall become to His stewards the root of all kinds of good. It is the regenera­tion of men that is needed to assuage the money fever.

The tragedy of the ages is that man, made in the image of God and designed to live forever, should be possessed by the passion for earthly and temporal possessions. Alas, the mists that mantle history are crimsoned with the blood of innumerable hosts slain by the love of money. And it is still monarch, ruling republics, en­slaving empires, dominating hemispheres, and blighting the lives of hosts of even professed Christians.

But it is in accordance with the divine method to rescue the instruments of evil and convert them into the agencies of grace. It is God’s design that stewardship shall take money, the very embodiment of the power of this world, its self-interest, covetousness, and pride, and change it into an instrument for God’s service and glory. Thus used, it can develop and strengthen our love as it calls us to careful and sympathetic consideration of the needs of those about us. It may be one of the choicest means of continuous fellowship with Christ, through constant renewal and surrender of all to Him. It may become evidence of the earnestness with which we walk before Him in self-denial, faith, and love.

Can Any Youth Be A Leader?

 

Can Any Youth Be A Leader?

A Look at Assets of Youth Leadership Development

Karen Henry

Joy Jordan

Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences

University of Florida

This presentation pertains to the issue of youth leadership.  The information, project and programming aspects that we are going to cover in this presentation first came about as a personal interest of mine.

How many of you are familiar with the adolescent leadership development theory of Josephine vanLinden and Carl Fertman?   That is the theory that we will be using as the backbone of this presentation.

For those of you that are not familiar with the theory, vanLinden and Fertman have created the only major youth leadership development theory that we have come across during our searches and research.  The theory is comprehensive covering a number if different levels of leadership within the 13-18 year-old cohort.  Also, it is explicit in its explanation of each of these stages.

We explored and tried to empirically test this theory through a research project.  With the end goal being….how can we evaluate youth and the stage that they are in??

We will cover this material, as well as share some of our own experience with youth leadership and working with adolescents.  Also, we hope to explore: where we can go from here?  What are the practical aspects of this theory as it relates to teen programming?  What are tools and resources that you might be able to use it working with you?

There is a plethora of research pertaining to the concept of leadership.  Leadership can mean different things to different people.  Some examples of how leadership is defined, includes…connoting a releasing of energy, building, freeing, growing; the ability to influence others; the ability to motivate.  Notice the variation in the leadership definitions…the term is very elusive, making it hard for those engaged in structuring programs surrounding it, to decide on a common definition and goals.

There are two primary leadership types:transactional and transformational.

Transactional leadership is thought the be contingent on a transaction between the leaders and the led.  To be a leader under this model means to “do.”  This type of leader is in charge of meetings, tells people what to do, speaks to groups and writes letters and memos.

The second type of leadership is transformational leadership.  Transformational leadership focuses on the process of ‘being” a leader, helping people transform themselves from followers into leaders.

The primary discrepancy between the two is doing leadership tasks versus being a leader.

While working with adolescents in a youth leadership workshop, I asked them to define leadership.  Many of the answers that I received pertained to people that were in power, and not only that, but these individuals were adults.  Notice, the flip chart photo…A president is the first example of a leader that the kids listed.

So, why should we study youth leadership??

The primary reason is that youth are constantly fulfilling leadership roles in communities and organizations.  Think about the number of adolescents that you know are being camp counselors, working in the church nursery, leading clubs and setting on boards of organizations.

However, despite this, we seldom stop to think that the adolescent might not be adequately equipped.  Take some time to think about an experience, where adolescent leaders may not have lived up to the expectation that was placed on them.  What was the reason for that??  Did they have the skills and knowledge to accomplish the task that they were expected to?

Adolescents are in need of certain tools, including, possibly, additional training, guidance and support.many of these youth might not have all the tools that they need to fulfill such roles.

Moreover, there is not a means to asses whether an adolescent is equipped or not and where he/she might need additional training, guidance and support.

As we were planning for this workshop, there was a 4-H leader that related a story to us about the need for youth to be equipped with the right tools…

Josephine vanLinden and Carl Fertman have proposed one of the most explicit youth leadership theories to date.  vanLinden and Fertman believe that leadership is a developmental process and that all youth can progress through the stages if given the appropriate support, experiences and guidance.  There are two main components of vanLinden and Fertman’s theory.  The first is that the theory is composed of stages.  The second aspect of the theory is that these stages encompass five dimensions of leadership development.

Regarding the stages of leadership development…

VanLinden and Fertman believe leadership to be a developmental process, composed of stages that are sequential and fluid.  The proposed three stages of this developmental process: awareness, interaction and mastery.  As youth acquire leadership information and skills, they move from one stage to another.

Within each of these three stages is five dimension of leadership development: leadership information, leader attitude, communication skills, decision-making skills, self-management skills.

Within each of these three stages are the five leadership dimensions we mentioned previously.  As youth develop skills and information pertaining to the five dimensions, they progress from one stage to the next.  Each of these stages are composed of knowledge, skills and behaviors.

Leadership information is the first of the stages.  Leadership information pertain to what adolescent know about leadership and leaders.  Adolescent acquire information about leaders from a variety of sources and it is important that the information is accurate.

Support and adult roles in discriminating information.

Leadership attitude is the second dimension of vanLinden and Fertman’s theory.  Leadership attitude refers to the dispositions, though and feelings that youth have pertaining to identifying themselves as leaders.  Attitudes are being constantly altered as youth acquire new information.

Communication skills is the third dimensions.  Communication skills involve the exchange of thoughts, messages and information in an effective manner.  It is the process of sharing and includes both verbal and nonverbal communication.

Decision-making skills, which composes the fourth dimension, relates to choosing between competing courses of action.  Decision-making and the way that one chooses to make a decision can draw a distinct line between transactional and transformational leaders.  Those in stage on are usually inconsistent between the way that they think and act, while those is stage three make conscious decisions, aware that others are effected and evaluate their decision after it is made.

Self-management relates to how youth react to and deal with stress, as well as where they see their locus of control being.  The ability to regulate stress influences an adolescent’s ability to be a leader.

Now, we are going to do an activity that pertains to the stages of youth leadership.  Each of you were given a post-it note when you can into the classroom this morning.  On these post-it notes is a characteristic of a youth in either stage 1, stage 2 or stage 3 of leadership.  Now, taking into account the different dimensions and skills set, each of you may come up and place your post-it note on the stage that you see that characteristic fitting best under.

Each of these characteristics is representative of one of the three stages.  Is there anything that surprise you about where certain characteristics were placed?  Did you have any trouble identifying the appropriate place for your characteristic?

The first stage of leadership development is awareness.  It is during this stage that youth focus on the initial awareness of their leadership potential and abilities.  Most of these youth do not think of themselves as leaders.  Instead, leaders are those people that have all the right qualities– good looks, money, popularity, intelligence and athletic ability. These youth do not believe that they have leadership qualities within themselves.

Interaction is the second stage of youth leadership.  In this stage, growth is leadership occurs as youth interact with other people and various leadership situations. Youth begin to think that maybe he/she can be a leader– not all of the time, but sometimes.  However, youth in this stage are usually primarily focused on doing leadership tasks– transactional leadership.  Youth in this stage are in need of a tremendous amount of support and guidance as they work to expand their leadership definition.

Mastery is the third stage of leadership development.  Youth in this stage focus on the mastery of specific areas that are of interest to them and a striving towards .  Adolescents in this stage are aware of their strengths and weaknesses as a leader.

Youth in this stage believe that anyone can be a leader.

As explicit as vanLinden and Fertman’s theory is, it has never been empirically tested.  Therefore, we designed a survey instrument with knowledge, skills and behaviors that might be representative of the three stages of the five dimensions of leadership development.  We also wanted to assess the relationship between their stage of development, and their leadership development, locus of control and type of leadership experience.  If we were   to assess whether youth do in fact fall into distinct leadership stages and if they do, we wanted to assess the relationship between their stage of development, and their leadership development, locus of control and type of leadership experience.

Moreover, it was determined that there were different levels of experiences associated with each of the three leadership stages.  Different experiences that young people have coincides with an increase in their competencies in the various dimensions and therefore progression through the three leadership stages.

Application for teen programming…

So what??  Where do we go from here?  Knowing that experience plays a role in helping youth to acquire information and develop skills to progress through the stages, has tremendous implications for youth workers, teen programming and community and youth organizations.

This is especially relevant to:

the experiences that the youth have and the processing of those experiences

the support that the youth receive, especially as it pertains to adults

the role of youth and community organization and the opportunities that the                                    institutions present to youth.

First, it is good to recognize that these experience give youth opportunities to practice leadership skills.  Youth explore the various leadership dimensions and refine their skills in those five areas as they engage in various experiences.

Youth need knowledge about the leadership dimensions.

The youth need to learn about different skills to practice

Youth need opportunities to practice what they have learned

As you saw in the exercise and case studies that you just participated in, adult play a number of varied roles for youth.  Adults serve as mentors for you– the provide the youth with guidance and encouragement.  These adults provide feedback for the youth and help them to learn from their experiences.   An important aspect of this whole process is that of reflection.  The adult help youth to reflect upon and process their experiences.

As well as providing guidance and encouragement, adults also provide resources to youth.  These resources could range from providing youth with specific opportunities and experiences to providing more physical needs such as transportation, office space and the adult’s time.

Adult serve as role models to youth.  They model leadership skills, communication, decision-making and self-management skills.

Encouragement

Planned experiences

Processing experiences/ Reflection

Access and availability of adults

Issues of misguidance

Space/ Independence

Reinforcement/ Role modeling

Youth and community organizations also play a role.  These organization provide youth with opportunities and resources.  Youth are given a place to practice and refine their skills.  These organizations also provide youth with specific resource to help in the refinement of their skills: people to talk to, situations to participate in and adult roles to fill.

vanLinden and Fertman have created an excellent theoretical base for youth leadership development.  This is seen in the developmental framework that the theory follows: the stages that adolescents progress through and the dimensions that define those stages, whether that be knowledge, attitude or behaviors.

Now, coming back to the questions that we asked at the beginning of the workshop…

What are the practical aspects of this theory as it relates to teen programming?

What are tools and resources that you might be able to use it working with you?

We recognized that to progress through the stages that ideally adolescents need: experiences, support and opportunities.  These are provided by adult, thorugh guiding and mentoring, as well as helping adolescent reflect and process.  Adults also serve as role models.

Youth and community organizations also play a role.  This is done via the resources that we provide through our willingness for youth to participate and practice skills in our institutions, the resources that we provide and the “real life” situations.


Seventh-day Adventist 28 fundamental beliefs summary

 Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures.

 

Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as the only source of our beliefs. We consider our movement to be the result of the Protestant conviction Sola Scriptura—the Bible as the only standard of faith and practice for Christians.

 

Over the years, our church has agreed upon key statements that summarize the principal teachings Sev­enth-day Adventist understand from the scriptures. These statements are made collectively by a group of scholars studying and prayerfully searching the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit.

 

Adventists hold 28 fundamental beliefs that can be organized into six doctrines: the doctrines of God, man, salvation, the church, the Christian life and last things. In each teaching, God is the architect, who in wisdom, grace and infinite love, is restoring a relationship with humanity that will last for eternity.

 

 

Bible Study

Seventh-day Adventist Christians would like to see themselves among those called “people of the Book.” It’s simple — we love the Bible! Every week, more than 20 million people around the world meet in Adventist Churches for Bible study. In our church we refer to it as “Sabbath School.” But Seventh-day Adventists are “people of the Book.” They study the Word of God for guidance in their lives.

Online Bible Study resources are available at the HopeTalk.org website. This site includes links to online Bi­ble study courses about a variety of topics, as well as links to sites with Biblical answers to many questions.

 

 

28 Fundamental Beliefs

 

  1. Holy Scriptures

The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history. (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)

 

  1. Trinity

There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)

 

  1. Father

God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gra­cious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father. (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)

 

  1. Son

God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world is judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly man, Jesus the Christ. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a human be­ing, but perfectly exemplified the righteousness and love of God. By His miracles He manifested God’s power and was attested as God’s promised Messiah. He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the dead, and ascended to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again in glory for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all things. (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30; 14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)

 

  1. Holy Spirit

God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ’s life with power. He draws and convicts human beings; and those who respond He renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and the Son to be always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all truth. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts 10:38; 2 Peter 1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-13.)

 

  1. Creation

God is Creator of all things, and has revealed in Scripture the authentic account of His creative activity. In six days the Lord made “the heaven and the earth” and all living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus He established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work. The first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work of Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility to care for it. When the world was finished it was “very good,’’ declaring the glory of God. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Heb. 11:3.)

 

  1. Nature of Man

Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the power and freedom to think and to do. Though cre­ated free beings, each is an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath and all else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon Him and fell from their high position under God. The image of God in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the glory of God, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care for their environment. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen. 2:15.)

 

  1. Great Controversy

All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe. This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God’s adversary, and led into rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)

 

  1. Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ

In Christ’s life of perfect obedience to God’s will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation may better understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator. This perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of God’s law and the graciousness of His character; for it both condemns our sin and provides for our forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory, reconciling and transforming. The resurrection of Christ proclaims God’s triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their final victory over sin and death. It declares the Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow. (John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)

 

  1. Experience of Salvation

In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might be made the righ­teousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example. This faith which receives salvation comes through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of God’s grace. Through Christ we are justified, adopted as God’s sons and daugh­ters, and delivered from the lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God’s law of love in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life. Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment. (2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23, 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb. 8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)

 

  1. Growing in Christ

By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry has broken their power and made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of His love. Now the Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us. Continually committed to Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, we are set free from the burden of our past deeds. No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life. In this new freedom in Jesus, we are called to grow into the likeness of His character, communing with Him daily in prayer, feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on His providence, singing His praises, gathering together for worship, and par­ticipating in the mission of the Church. As we give ourselves in loving service to those around us and in witnessing to His salvation, His constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experi­ence. (Ps 1:1, 2; 23:4; 77:11, 12; Col 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; Luke 10:17-20; Eph 5:19, 20; 6:12-18; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:17, 18; Phil 3:7-14; 1 Thess 5:16-18; Matt 20:25-28; John 20:21; Gal 5:22-25; Rom 8:38, 39; 1 John 4:4; Heb 10:25.)

 

  1. Church

The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruc­tion in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word, and from the Scriptures, which are the written Word. The church is God’s family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the basis of the new cove­nant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. (Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph. 2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18.)

 

  1. Remnant and Its Mission

The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the approach of His second advent. This proclamation is symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14; it coincides with the work of judgment in heaven and results in a work of repentance and reform on earth. Every believer is called to have a personal part in this worldwide witness. (Rev. 12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:10; Jude 3, 14; 1 Peter 1:16-19; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Rev. 21:1-14.)

 

 

  1. Unity in the Body of Christ

The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation. Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source in the oneness of the triune God, who has adopted us as His children. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts 17:26, 27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)

 

  1. Baptism

By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our pur­pose to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received as members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It is by immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Scriptures and acceptance of their teachings. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts 16:30-33; 22:16; 2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)

 

  1. Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. In this experience of communion Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people. As we partake, we joyfully proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again. Preparation for the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. The Master ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing, to express a willingness to serve one another in Christlike humility, and to unite our hearts in love. The communion service is open to all believing Christians. (1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matt. 26:17-30; Rev. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.)

 

 

  1. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries

God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions. Accord­ing to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. Some members are called of God and endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic, apostolic, and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members for service, to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the faith and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God’s var­ied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love. (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:9-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11-16; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)

 

  1. The Gift of Prophecy

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen. G. White. As the Lord’s messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)

 

  1. Law of God

The great principles of God’s law are embodied in the Ten Commandments and exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God’s love, will, and purposes concerning human conduct and relationships and are binding upon all people in every age. These precepts are the basis of God’s covenant with His people and the standard in God’s judgment. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit they point out sin and awaken a sense of need for a Saviour. Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments. This obedience develops Christian character and results in a sense of well-being. It is an evidence of our love for the Lord and our concern for our fellow men. The obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Christ to transform lives, and therefore strengthens Christian witness. (Ex. 20:1-17; Ps. 40:7, 8; Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt. 5:17-20; Heb. 8:8-10; John 15:7-10; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:3, 4; Ps. 19:7-14.)

 

  1. Sabbath

The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God’s kingdom. The Sabbath is God’s perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to eve­ning, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God’s creative and redemptive acts. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:32.)

 

  1. Stewardship

We are God’s stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge God’s ownership by faithful service to Him and our fellow men, and by returning tithes and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness. The steward rejoices in the blessings that come to others as a result of his faithfulness. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt. 23:23; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; Rom. 15:26, 27.)

 

  1. Christian Behavior

We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with the principles of heaven. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things which will produce Christlike purity, health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment should meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beau­ty. While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit. It also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John 2:6; Eph. 5:1-21; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 10:31; Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)

 

  1. Marriage and the Family

Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a lifelong union between a man and a woman in loving companionship. For the Christian a marriage commitment is to God as well as to the spouse, and should be entered into only between partners who share a common faith. Mutual love, honor, respect, and responsibility are the fabric of this relationship, which is to reflect the love, sanctity, closeness, and permanence of the relationship between Christ and His church. Regarding divorce, Jesus taught that the person who divorces a spouse, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery. Although some family relationships may fall short of the ideal, marriage partners who fully commit themselves to each other in Christ may achieve loving unity through the guidance of the Spirit and the nurture of the church. God blesses the family and intends that its members shall assist each other toward complete maturity. Parents are to bring up their children to love and obey the Lord. By their example and their words they are to teach them that Christ is a loving disciplinarian, ever tender and caring, who wants them to become members of His body, the family of God. Increasing family closeness is one of the earmarks of the final gospel message. (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:3-9; John 2:1-11; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:21-33; Matt. 5:31, 32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-4; Deut. 6:5-9; Prov. 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6.)

 

  1. Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary

There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord set up and not man. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross. He was inaugurated as our great High Priest and began His intercessory ministry at the time of His ascension. In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry. It is a work of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things are purified with the perfect sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent. (Heb. 8:1-5; 4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; 1:3; 2:16, 17; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13, 14; 9:24-27; Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6; Lev. 16; Rev. 14:6, 7; 20:12; 14:12; 22:12.)

 

  1. Second Coming of Christ

The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour’s coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ’s coming is imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times. (Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:43, 44; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21; Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)

 

  1. Death and Resurrection

The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people. When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord. The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place a thousand years later. (Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:15, 16; Eccl. 9:5, 6; Ps. 146:3, 4; John 11:11-14; Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; John 5:28, 29; Rev. 20:1-10.)

 

  1. Millennium and the End of Sin

The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ with His saints in heaven between the first and second resurrections. During this time the wicked dead will be judged; the earth will be utterly desolate, without living human inhabitants, but occupied by Satan and his angels. At its close Christ with His saints and the Holy City will descend from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead will then be resurrected, and with Satan and his angels will surround the city; but fire from God will con­sume them and cleanse the earth. The universe will thus be freed of sin and sinners forever. (Rev. 20; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Jer. 4:23-26; Rev. 21:1-5; Mal. 4:1; Eze. 28:18, 19.)

 

  1. New Earth

On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide an eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect envi­ronment for everlasting life, love, joy, and learning in His presence. For here God Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering and death will have passed away. The great controversy will be ended, and sin will be no more. All things, animate and inanimate, will declare that God is love; and He shall reign forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:13; Isa. 35; 65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.)