The Great controversy that the Bible describes is far different than Hollywood's portrayal of a galactic clash of heavenly warriors with their shining swords. The great controversy is over the question of who can best govern the universe—and who presents the best principles by which created intelligences can find hope, health, happiness, and heavenly assurance, while living on a planet still to be sanitized from all the evil for which Satan is responsible.
To say it another way, the great controversy is not a spectator sport. It does not give anyone the luxury of sitting in the bleachers. You and I are actors on the stage of the universe. How we play our part will determine not only our eternal futures but also help significantly in vindicating the integrity of God's order in the universe.
Stephen Hawking, that remarkable Cambridge University mathematician and cosmologist, in his 1988 book A Brief History of Time, wrote that were scientists to discover the long-sought "theory of everything" to explain the varying mechanisms of the universe, "we would truly know the mind of God." Seventh-day Adventists have been given just that—the "theory of everything," that truly introduces us to the "mind of God." We didn't discover it—it was given to us. We call it the Great Controversy Theme, the unified field of clarity as to what is going on in this wonderful universe.
Here we summarize the overall scope of the Great Controversy Theme (GCT):
"The central theme of the Bible, the theme about which every other in the whole book clusters, is the redemption plan, the restoration in the human soul of the image of God. From the first intimation of hope in the sentence pronounced in Eden to that last glorious promise of the Revelation, 'They shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads' (Revelation 22:4), the burden of every book and every passage of the Bible is the unfolding of this wondrous theme,—man's uplifting,—the power of God, 'which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.' (1 Corinthians 15:57). He who grasps this thought has before him an infinite field for study. He has the key that will unlock to him the whole treasure house of God's word."—Education, 125.
"The Bible is its own expositor. Scripture is to be compared with scripture. The student should learn to view the word as a whole, and to see the relation of its parts. He should gain a knowledge of its grand central theme, of God's original purpose for the world, of the rise of the great controversy, and of the work of redemption. He should understand the nature of the two principles that are contending for supremacy, and should learn to trace their working through the records of history and prophecy, to the great consummation. He should see how this controversy enters into every phase of human experience; how in every act of life he himself reveals the one or the other of the two antagonistic motives; and how, whether he will or not, he is even now deciding upon which side of the controversy he will be found."—Ibid, 190.
These are very sobering words, words that must be read often, The GCT is the one theme that fully answers the question: What does God want to accomplish in His Plan of Salvation?
Lucifer (later Satan) was clever and deceitful in charging God as being ultimately self-centered in wanting everything done His way with no "freedom" for independent thinking. Because God didn't grant this new kind of "freedom," Satan pictured God as "severe and unforgiving"—a "being whose chief attribute is stern justice,—one who is a severe judge, a harsh, exacting creditor."
The highest purpose for Jesus to leave heaven and come to earth is to tell the truth about God. In doing so, He shut Satan's mouth, vindicating the eternal fairness, justice, and mercies of God. Watching Calvary, the universe of unfallen beings rejoiced with our Lord's cry, "It is finished"— "Satan was defeated. Not until Christ's death was the character of Satan clearly revealed to the angels or to the unfallen worlds."
But God's plan for our salvation was not, even then, yet complete, either to the unfallen angels or to those on Planet Earth. Even though Satan's disguise was torn away, He "was not destroyed." God knew that more time was needed to get the good news of Calvary our to mankind the world over. If Calvary was total victory for God in the controversy with Satan, God would have declared victory and the millenium would have begun.
But the facts are that "the angels did not even then understand all that was involved in the great controversy. The principles at stake were to be more fully revealed. And for the sake of man, Satan's existence must be continued. Man as well as angels must see the contrast between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness. He must choose whom he will serve."
God, of course, has His plan. Before Jesus ascended He laid out the job description for the Christian Church. John recorded part of our Lord's incredibly moving prayer to his Heavenly Father, wherein Jesus said: "As you have sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world" (17:18; 20:21)
Obviously, this requires a second reading on our knees. Could He possibly mean what He said? What Jesus was sent into this world to do, so He sends us to do! Could it then be that, in some important aspects, the plan of salvation depends on His disciples doing faithfully what He did so faithfully? And if they do not, they would be His followers in name only! And some day such followers will hear those dreadful words, "I never knew you [for what you said you were]" (Matthew 7:23).
When I read this job description, I see God as our Heavenly Franchiser. He has something special to offer everyone who would "buy" from Him. He offers these franchises freely to all who will commit themselves to represent what He stands for—faithfully, clearly, day in and day out.
Jesus has always found some, in every generation and in all lands, who get the point. They discovered that working for the Heavenly Franchise became their life! Nothing was more exciting! These local franchises know that they are not as perfect as their Head Office. But they also know that if they would keep listening to Headquarters, and stay close to company representatives (who are always on their side to help them reach all expectations), their local franchise will increasingly reflect the original Pattern of the Divine Franchiser.
Why did He make "human beings ... a new and distinct order"? Because the human family would become one of His best laboratories for the working out of His "side" of the conflict, as well as an open display of how Satan's principles would work out.
This "new and distinct order" of created intelligences was the "talk" of the universe: "All heaven took a deep and joyful interest in the creation of the world and of man. ... They were made 'in the image of God' and it was the Creator's design that they should populate the earth."
Even further, God had planned that in the development of the human race He would "put it in our power, through co-operation with Him, to bring this scene of misery to an end." That sounds like a lot of responsibility—the capacity to hasten the Advent (or delay it)!
Now, hours before Calvary and only a few weeks before His ascension, Jesus was putting Plan C into action. Plan A failed when Adam and Eve walked out of the Garden. Plan B failed when Israel missed its opportunity to be God's faithful franchise.
And now—the Christian church! Men and women of faith would become His divine franchises throughout the world, building the case that God can be trusted, that He is fair with His laws, that He is merciful beyond words, and that His grace melts our hearts and empowers weak wills so that His will can be done on earth even as it is done by joyful, enthusiastic, compliant angels in heaven (Luke 11:2). "That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel, the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth today."
In plan C we have the same mission and purpose for the church that God had for Adam and Eve and for the Jewish nation: "Through His people Christ is to manifest His character and the principles of His kingdom. ... He desires through His people to answer Satan's charges by showing the results of obedience to right principles."
This connection between God's commission to the church—that the Christian's reflection of His character and principles would be His "witness" to the world, and that the return of Jesus depends on when this "witness" has been faithfully done—is neatly summarized in these words:
"It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy, and truth. ... Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, 'Behold your God.' The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them. The light of the Sun of Righteousness is to shine forth in good works—in words of truth and deeds of holiness."
Let's remind ourselves of reality: If Jesus beat Satan at every turn, if all heaven and unfallen worlds saw Satan unmasked when Jesus died, why isn't the controversy over? If Jesus vindicated the character and government of God, what more is needed in order to end the great controversy? If Jesus settled everything in His life and death, why does God stand by and permit the horrors and sadnesses of the past 2000 years? The answer is: something is still unfinished after the cross.
That is why, after Jesus tore the disguise off Satan on Calvary, Jesus then turned to His emerging church as He set up local franchises to continue doing throughout the world what He did for thirty-three years in a very limited area, east of the Mediterranean Sea.
That's why Ellen White sharpens our focus in emphasizing that "the principles at stake were to be more fully revealed. And for the sake of man, Satan's existence must be continued. Man as well as angels must see the contrast between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness."
In God's infinite wisdom, He put Himself at risk again when He gave to Christians the mission of completing the controversy between Him and Satan. The Christian church is God's Plan C "in the fulfillment of God's great purpose for the human race."
Again, looking at the Big Picture, the Great Controversy Theme explains why no one on earth would know what really happened on the cross unless "disciples" made it known. Would these "disciple" be believed if the "good news" they talked about did not make a difference in their lives, when compared with others who also had strong religious beliefs in their "gods"? Would anyone really have given Paul any attention if he had not been convinced that the crucified Jesus had indeed come from heaven with God's good news—and that it made a difference? (Rom. 1:16, 17)
Again, the Big Picture—God has allowed Himself to be put on trial before the universe. God and the church are both on trial for the same reasons: to prove Satan wrong in all the charges and accusations that he has brought against the character and government of God.
No wonder Ellen White was concerned enough to ask:
"In this crisis, where is the church to be found? Are its members meeting the claims of God? Are they fulfilling His commission, and representing His character to the world? Are they urging upon the attention of their fellowmen the last merciful message of warning?
Now the question: Is it possible that professed followers of Jesus Christ could ever be expected to help vindicate God in the great controversy? Everything we have said so far goes a long way toward answering that question. But let's linger at the implications that the question brings up.
Ezekiel in his day was concerned with this question and its answer. He was a captive with many other Israelites in Babylon; for hundreds of years, they had truly become an embarrassment to their Lord, and He could no longer defend them.
In referring to Plan B, God told Ezekiel how Israel had brought dishonor on His name and failed to fulfill their mission:
"But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that men said to them, 'These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land.' But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel caused to be profaned among the nations to which they came. Therefore ... It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations. ... And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations. ... And the nations will know that I am the Lord ... when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes" (36:20—23)
Our Lord's life and death were one phase of the vindication of God that lies at the heart of the Great Controversy. The second phase of vindicating the name—the character—of God would be lived out through the work of grace in the lives of loyal Christians: "The Savior came to glorify the Father by the demonstration of His love; so the Spirit was to glorify Christ by revealing His grace to the world. The very image of God is to be reproduced in humanity. The honor of God, the honor of Christ, is involved in the perfection of the character of His people."
The character of end-time Christians who "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" reflects the same quality exhibited in the lives of Enoch, Daniel, and all the others in times past who have let God give them new hearts and new spirits, hearts of flesh instead of hearts of stone.
Job's experience has been the template for faithful men and women: "According to his faith, so was it unto Job. 'When He hath tried me,' he said, 'I shall come forth as gold.' Job 23:10. So it came to pass. By his patient endurance he vindicated his own character, and thus the character of Him whose representative he was."
When we understand that the Christian's highest privilege is to join with Jesus in vindicating the character of God throughout the universe, our whole religious direction is turned upside down. Or is that, right side up? Instead of focusing on self-centered reward and need for constant approval, the deepest impulse becomes one of making the vindication of God, defending the goodness of God, supreme. Such is the gratitude of agape love in response to His magnificent love toward us.
Plan C embraces all aspects of the Christian's life. Everything takes on a new color—a new kind of breeze is blowing. A new reason for everything we do becomes clear and motivating. Ellen White's plea echoes throughout her writings:
"If there was ever a people in need of constantly increasing light from heaven, it is the people that, in this time of peril, God has called to be the depositaries of His holy law, and to vindicate His character before the world. Those to whom has been committed a trust so sacred must be spiritualized, elevated, vitalized, by the truths they profess to believe."
Further, "It becomes every child of God to vindicate His character. You can magnify the Lord; you can show the power of sustaining grace."
And further yet, "God will have a people upon the earth who will vindicate His honor by having respect to all of His commandments; and His commandments are not grievous, not a yoke of bondage."
Would any Christian who understands what Jesus did in the Garden and on the Cross want to do any less? Those who understand how much God needs their witness are on the way to fulfilling God's Plan C.
One last question—how will we know when the controversy is over? Adventists have said for more than a century that Jesus could come in "their" day. Do we give them A+ for zeal but F for poor theology? Hardly! Why the seeming delay, similar to the Bridegroom who was late for His wedding (Matthew 25:5)? Why was the wedding delayed? Because His bride [God's professed loyalists] had not "made herself ready" (Revelation 19:17).
The short answer is that God is holding back the seven last plagues, waiting for his last-generation loyalists to be worthly of His seal of approval (Revelation 7:1-4).
Yes, God is waiting to give Latter Rain Power to loyalists who would rightly use His power. They are people God will stamp with His signature, seal with His endorsement, because His people can be trusted—because they have let His Spirit mature their characters.
John describes these last-day loyalists as those "having His Father's name written on their foreheads" (Revelation 14:1). They have "follow[ed] the Lamb [Jesus] wherever He goes ... and in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God" (vss. 4, 5). John, in vision, sees this group before the throne of God and "they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads" (22:4).
Yes, these are the same last-generation loyalists that Peter foresees:
"Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
"Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, There, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless" (2:11-14).
That is the picture of how the question is answered: What does God want to accomplish in His Plan of Salvation?