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“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And
Dear Brother P: I see by your letter that you are in a state of unbelief, questioning whether there is hope in your case. As Christ's ambassador I would say to you: Hope thou in God." He so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Now cannot you take courage from this gracious promise?
Satan may tell you many times that you are a sinner; but you can answer: True, I am a sinner; but Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." Said Jesus: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." And again: I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." Will you not believe these precious words? Will you not receive them into your heart? Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon."
Is not this promise broad and deep and full? Can you ask more? Will you not allow the Lord right here to erect a standard for you against the enemy? Satan is ready to steal away the blessed assurances of God. He desires to take every glimmer of hope and every ray of light from the soul; but you must not permit him to do this. Exercise faith; fight the good fight of faith; wrestle with these doubts; become acquainted with the promises.
When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; . . . he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live."
"Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
When Satan comes in to tempt you to give up all hope, point him to these words. Pray with David: "Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness' sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will He teach sinners in the way. The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way."
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Here are the promises, plain and definite, rich and full; but they are all upon conditions. If you comply with the conditions, can you not trust the Lord to fulfill His word? Let these blessed promises, set in the framework of faith, be placed in memory's halls. Not one of them will fail. All that God hath spoken He will do. "He is faithful that promised."
The work which you have to do on your part is plainly set before you: "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow."
"If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die." The Lord declares: "The children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal." "Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not My way equal? are not your ways unequal?" "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God; and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."
Here the Lord has plainly revealed His will concerning the salvation of the sinner. And the attitude which many assume in expressing doubts and unbelief as to whether the Lord will save them is a reflection upon the character of God. Those who complain of His severity are virtually saying: "The way of the Lord is not equal." But He distinctly throws back the imputation upon the sinner: "'Are not your ways unequal?' Can I pardon your transgressions when you do not repent and turn from your sins?"
The character of God is fully vindicated in the words of Scripture I have placed before you. The Lord will receive the sinner when he repents and forsakes his sins so that God can work with his efforts in seeking perfection of character. The promises are not yea and nay, but if man complies with the conditions, they are, in Christ, "yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us."
The whole purpose in giving His Son for the sins of the world is that man may be saved, not in transgression and unrighteousness, but in forsaking sin, washing his robes of character, and making them white in the blood of the Lamb. He proposes to remove from man the offensive thing that He hates, but man must co-operate with God in the work. Sin must be given up, hated, and the righteousness of Christ must be accepted by faith. Thus will the divine co-operate with the human.
We should beware that we do not give place to doubt and unbelief, and in our attitude of despair complain of God and misrepresent Him to the world. This is placing ourselves on Satan's side of the question. "Poor souls," he says, "I pity you, mourning under sin; but God has no pity. You long for some ray of hope; but God leaves you to perish, and finds satisfaction in your misery." This is a terrible deception. Do not give ear to the tempter, but say: "Jesus has died that I might live. He loves me, and wills not that I should perish. I have a compassionate heavenly Father; and although I have abused His love, though the blessings He has graciously given me have been squandered, I will arise, and go to my Father, and say: 'I have sinned, . . . and am no more worthy to be called Thy son: make me as one of Thy hired servants."' The parable tells you how the wanderer will be received. "When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." Thus the Bible represents God's willingness to receive the repentant, returning sinner.
But even this parable, tender and touching as it is, comes short of expressing the infinite compassion of the heavenly Father. The Lord declares by the prophet: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." While the sinner is yet far from his Father's house, wasting his substance in a strange country, the Father's heart is yearning over him; and every longing awakened in the soul to return to God is but the tender pleading of His Spirit, wooing, entreating, drawing the wanderer to his Father's heart of love.
With the rich promises of the Bible before you, can you still give place to doubt? Can you believe that when the poor sinner longs to return, longs to forsake his sins, the Lord sternly withholds him from coming to His feet in repentance? Away with such thoughts! Nothing can be more dishonoring to God than these ideas. Nothing can hurt your own soul more than to entertain such thoughts of our heavenly Father. Our whole spiritual life will catch a tone of hopelessness from such conceptions of God. They discourage all effort to seek God or to serve Him. We must not think of God only as a judge ready to pronounce sentence against us. He hates sin; but from love to sinners He gave Himself, in the person of Christ, that all who would might be saved and have eternal blessedness in the kingdom of glory.
The Lord Himself declares His character that Satan has malignantly set in a false light. He has revealed Himself as "The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." What stronger or more tender language could have been employed than He has chosen in which to express His love toward us? He declares: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee."
In the plan of redemption, "mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." The all-wise, all-powerful God, He who dwells in light unapproachable, is full of love, of goodness. Therefore give glory to God, ye that are doubting and trembling; for Jesus lives to make intercession for us. Give God the glory for the gift of His dear Son and that He has not died for us in vain.
Brother P, you ask if you have committed the sin which has no forgiveness in this life or in the life to come. I answer: I do not see the slightest evidence that this is the case. What constitutes the sin against the Holy Ghost? It is willfully attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit. For example, suppose that one is a witness of the special work of the Spirit of God. He has convincing evidence that the work is in harmony with the Scriptures, and the Spirit witnesses with his spirit that it is of God. Afterward, however, he falls under temptation; pride, self-sufficiency, or some other evil trait, controls him; and rejecting all the evidence of its divine character, he declares that that which he had before acknowledged to be the power of the Holy Spirit was the power of Satan. It is through the medium of His Spirit that God works upon the human heart; and when men willfully reject the Spirit and declare it to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them. By denying the evidence which God has been pleased to give them, they shut out the light which had been shining in their hearts, and as the result they are left in darkness. Thus the words of Christ are verified: "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" For a time, persons who have committed this sin may appear to be children of God; but when circumstances arise to develop character and show what manner of spirit they are of, it will be found that they are on the enemy's ground, standing under his black banner.
My brother, the Spirit invites you today. Come with your whole heart to Jesus. Repent of your sins, make confession to God, forsake all iniquity, and you may appropriate to yourself all His promises. "Look unto Me, and be ye saved," is His gracious invitation.
The day will come when the awful denunciation of God's wrath will be uttered against all who have persisted in their disloyalty to Him. This will be when God must speak and do terrible things in righteousness against the transgressors of His law. But you need not be among those who will come under the wrath of God. It is now the day of His salvation. The light from the cross of Calvary is now shining forth in clear, bright rays, revealing Jesus, our Sacrifice for sin. As you read the promises which I have set before you, remember they are the expression of unutterable love and pity. The great heart of infinite Love is drawn toward the sinner with boundless compassion. "We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." Yes, only believe that God is your helper. He wants to restore His moral image in man. As you draw nigh to Him with confession and repentance, He will draw nigh to you with mercy and forgiveness. We owe the Lord everything. He is the author of our salvation. As you work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Testimonies for the Church Volume 5, Page 628 – 634)
Notice that we are to take courage from the gracious promises that are given to us in GOD’S Word. Satan may accuse us many times that we are sinners; but we can answer: True, we are sinners; but Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. He says unto us that joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Will we not believe His precious words? Will we not receive them into our hearts?
It is said that we should Seek The Lord while He may be found, to call upon Him while He is near. His Counsel to us is to forsake, abandon, relinquish disown the wicked ways; and the unrighteous ways. We must forsake also the thoughts of unbelief, to return unto The Lord, and He—The Lord will have mercy upon all, who will repent and return unto Him, Who is our God, for He will abundantly pardon, or forgive us. This is a promise that is broad, deep and full?
We must allow The Lord to erect a standard, or set up a banner for us against the enemy; for Satan is ready to steal away The Blessed Assurances of God. Satan desires to take every glimmer of hope and every ray of light from our souls; but we must not permit him to do this. We must exercise faith, to fight the good fight of faith, and those, who have doubts, they must wrestle with their doubts, by becoming acquainted with the promises given of GOD. HE has given to us by HIS Word, an Infallible Assurance, to shine for Him. For the angel that testified to Daniel of the things that would take place, he wrote and said, “…they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).
It is said that, “Many, very many, will be terribly surprised when the Lord shall come suddenly as a thief in the night. Let us watch and pray, lest coming suddenly He find us sleeping. My soul is deeply stirred as I consider how much we ought to do for perishing souls. The prediction of Daniel, "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased" (Dan. 12:4), is to be fulfilled in our giving of the warning message; many are to be enlightened regarding the sure word of prophecy. . . . The salvation of souls should be our first consideration. I am troubled when I see many rejoicing in temporal prosperity, for those who possess worldly treasure seldom seek earnestly to secure the heavenly. They are in danger of falling into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown man in destruction. . . .
“We need a more firm reliance upon a "Thus saith the Lord." If we have this, we shall not trust to feeling, and be ruled by feeling. God asks us to rest in His love. It is our privilege to know the Word of God as a sure and tried guide, an infallible assurance. Let us work on the faith side of the question. Let us believe and trust, and talk faith and hope and courage. Let the praise of God be in our hearts and on our lips oftener than it is. "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me" (Ps. 50:23). Keep the mind stayed upon God, and know the love of Christ as the Word of God reveals it. This Word is life. Talk of Christ; call others to behold Him as your Redeemer.
“It is our privilege to rest in an active, living faith in Christ as the Life-giver. It is our privilege to comprehend with all saints, what is the length and depth and height, and to know the love of God which passeth knowledge, and be filled with all the fullness of God. Let us contemplate Christ as the One in whom all fullness dwells. Beholding Him as our personal Saviour, we shall appreciate the value of His saving grace. We should think about Jesus more than we do. We should let His praise be in our hearts. We should speak of the love that has been so abundantly expressed for us. We certainly have every reason to praise God with heart and soul and voice, saying, I will praise the Lord for His great love wherewith He hath loved me. . . . Lift Him up, the Christ of Calvary; lift Him up, that the world may behold Him. Talk of His goodness, sing of His love, and give Him the grateful thanks of your hearts.--Letter 12, Jan. 23, 1907, to "Brother and Sister Nicola." (The Upward Look, Page 37)
Notice that “The Christ of Calvary” is our Banner, our Standard. He is our “Infallible Assurance” that we might work for Him on the side of faith, rather than for the enemy on the side of unbelief. We must exercise faith by fighting the good fight of faith, to wrestle against those doubts, by becoming acquainted with the promises given of GOD.
For He said, “When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; . . . he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live." “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
When Satan comes to tempt us to give up all hope, we need to look to GOD’S Word of Promise, and those, who will turn from their sins, we need to pray with David, who prayed to GOD and said, “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD. Good and upright [is] the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the LORD [are] mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it [is] great. What man [is] he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way [that] he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD [is] with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant” (Psalms 25:7-14).
Notice what is being revealed to us in these words. Satan tempts us through his many forms of temptations, to cause us to give up The Promise of receiving GOD’S Blessing of Life. But we need to see the real point of the focus of his deception. Satan knows that we are sinners, and he also knows of GOD’S Promise to all, who will repent of their sin, to do that which is lawful and right. If we have repented of our sins, to turn towards GOD and do that which is lawful and right in the sight of GOD, then GOD has promised by HIS Word that we shall surely live and not die. But to keep us from receiving GOD’S Promised Blessing of Life, Satan continues to bring to our minds those things that he used to lead us into sin, to keep us sinning against GOD and HIS Word.
If you have ever tried to break the habit of a known sin, and you have turn away from that sin to do that which is lawful and right, have you ever notice how more intently that sin, or those sins are re-presented, to get you to turn again into sin? Satan is not out to help us to overcome sin; he is more interested in us following our own righteousness, to commit iniquity, to lose the Blessing of GOD’S Promise in HIS Word. For GOD has made it clear that if we turn from our sins, none of our sins that we have committed shall be mentioned unto us. But if the enemy can tempt us to turn again into sin, or to follow our own way, The Promise of GOD is not given to those, who reject GOD’S Way, to still receive HIS Blessings. No. We must turn from them and see them for what they really are, which are the means to break from The Promise of GOD.
Notice that it is not to the proud, or to the self-righteous, but to the meek that GOD will guide in His judgment. It is to the meek that HE will teach HIS Way. All the paths of The LORD are Mercy and Truth, unto such as keep HIS Covenant and HIS Testimonies, rather than breaking from them. It is the most revealing of the focus of the enemy, who has caused the whole world to follow his lead, to break with the keeping of GOD’S Covenant and HIS Testimonies, to bring a result of following our own righteousness, to commit iniquity by not following GOD’S Covenant and HIS Testimonies. For the disciple John was led to reveal the truth of the adversary, that “…the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).
Notice that all, who are working with the adversary in keeping men and women from do that which is Lawful and right, which is to keep GOD’S Covenant--The Commandments of GOD and HIS Testimonies, which is The Spirit of Prophecy, they are in one way, or another leading men and women to committed iniquity, to cause all, who follow the adversary to fail in receiving GOD’S Promise of Life in HIS Word. For GOD’S Promise is to those, who turn from breaking HIS Covenant of Life in HIS Word.
Ellen G. White was led to write and say, “Christ's words are both explicit and comprehensive. "Whosoever"--minister or layman, wise or ignorant--"shall break one of these least commandments"--willfully or presumptuously, as did Adam and Eve--is included in the condemnation. Breaking one of the commandments makes man a commandment-breaker "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." No excuse can avail for him who strictly obeys nine of the precepts of God's law, but ventures to break one because it is for his profit or convenience to do so. God demands implicit obedience to all his requirements.
"And shall teach men so." This is a point worthy of careful consideration. Christ foresaw that men would not only break the commandments of God themselves, but would in a special sense teach others to break them. Every Sabbath-breaker is by his example teaching others to transgress. But some are not content with this. They defend the sin of breaking the fourth commandment, and pervert the word of God to justify the transgressor. Such persons shall be of no esteem in the reign of Heaven,--shall have no part there. But the greatest guilt rests upon the professed watchmen, and they will receive the severest punishment. They are in the highest sense enemies of Christ, as they put on, over corrupt hearts, the livery of Heaven to serve the devil in. They do not hesitate to speak evil of the law, and even make those who do not study the Bible for themselves, believe that the curse of God is upon them if they keep it. All we have to do, say they, is to believe in Christ,--come to Christ. The most fatal delusion of the Christian world in this generation is, that in pouring contempt on the law of God they think they are exalting Christ. What a position! In so doing, they array Christ against Christ. It was Christ who spoke the law from Sinai. It was Christ who gave the law to Moses, engraven on tables of stone. It was his Father's law; and Christ says, "I and my Father are one." The Pharisees held the reverse of the modern-position, but were in just as great an error. They rejected Christ, but exalted the law. And it makes little difference which position we take, so long as we ignore the true one,--that faith in Christ must be accompanied by obedience to the law of God. (The Review and Herald, September 27, 1881 par. 13-15)
As it is revealed, that if the professed watchmen trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. When The LORD shall say unto the Sabbath-breaker, you shalt surely die; if the Sabbath-breaker turns from his sin, to do by His Power that which is lawful and right; that watchman shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he has committed shall be mentioned unto him, because he has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. Yet, there are many, who are defending their sin of breaking the fourth commandment, to pervert the word of God to justify their transgression, by worshipping GOD on the wrong day.
If we are not warning our brothers and sisters of their danger, then we are in the highest sense enemies of Christ, and are working for the adversary, to cause our brothers and sisters to be in contempt of GOD’S Law of Life, that they should think that they are exalting Christ by worshiping Him on the first day of the week, when they are really breaking the very Covenant of Life between GOD and Man. In her writings of those, who are householders, and defend their sin of breaking the fourth commandment, to worship by their own righteousness on the first day of the week, Ellen G. White wrote of “The Parable of the Householder”.
She said, “After Jesus had spoken the parables recorded in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, he ended by inquiring, "Have ye understood all these things?" They said unto Him, "Yea, Lord. Then said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old."
"Things new and old." The Gospel is not merely the New Testament. It is the Old Testament as well as the New. One is not complete without the other. Jesus declared that the truths of the Old Testament are just as valuable as those of the New. Christ was just as much man's Redeemer in the beginning of the world as He is today. No one has ever been saved except by faith in Him. In the Old Testament dispensation, as well as in the New, He was the only one who could speak pardon to the sons and daughters of Adam.
“Christ was the foundation of the whole Jewish economy. But the Jewish nation unduly exalted the forms and maxims which had been handed down from rabbi to rabbi. They taught error instead of truth. Many of the doctrines they cherished were not in the Bible, but were the opinions of men. The Jewish leaders thought themselves to be the most religious people in the world; but Christ said to them, "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God," "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Ye make void the law of God by your traditions.
“This many of the teachers in the churches are doing today. They propagate error by teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. In no way do their lives honor God or the Scriptures. Falsehoods which have been handed down from century to century are taught as the Word of God. If these are questioned, those who advocate them do not say, "Let us search the Word of God, which is the test of all doctrine; let us compare scripture with scripture, for the Word of God is the treasure-house of all knowledge." Instead, they utterly refuse to make unprejudiced investigation.
“Many of those to whom the people look for instruction are not leading their flocks to the pure water of life. If by reading the Word one is awakened to search for truth, if by seeking to know what the Scriptures teach, he shows that he would become a wise householder, he is charged with doing great mischief. He sees the truth, not as the ministers have declared it, but as Christ has presented it in the Old and New Testaments, and as a faithful steward he tells those around him; for he would have them share with him the message of grace. But how is he treated by the religious teachers?--Just as Christ was treated by the Jewish leaders. He is held up to ridicule. The ministers denounce him from the pulpit, declaring that he is causing division in the churches. Eternal interests are at stake, but those who ought to receive the light with rejoicing, fight against the Word of God as dangerous. They do not say to those they think are misled: "Come, let us examine this subject together. If you have received light, give it to us; for we need every ray of light that is shining from the Word of God. Our souls will be imperiled if we entertain and teach error."
“If those who are now advocating error would listen to God speaking in His Word, they would see that they are teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. They would refuse to follow the example of the Jews by reiterating assertions which have not a "Thus saith the Lord" for a foundation. This is the only true course for those to pursue who would teach God's Word. True knowledge will be found by every humble searcher. Men of every rank, learned and unlearned, may understand the Scriptures for themselves. The Eternal Mind has declared the truth, and this truth is of the highest value to those who receive and practise it.
“By Christ's death on the cross, human beings have been raised in the scale of moral value. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Christ looked into the mind of man, and He saw that it was debased and corrupted by sin. He determined to present in the most attractive light the principles of the Gospel, that man might receive and obey them. He desired to refine, purify, ennoble the powers He had given to man, that they might act the part for which they were created. If permitted, the lower passions will obtain the mastery over the whole being. Christ would have these passions subject to the higher powers of the mind.
“Christ presented the cross to His disciples. "If any man will come after Me," He said, "let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." The cross must be lifted by all who receive Christ as their Saviour. God does not forgive sin to encourage us to continue in sin. It is to bring sin to a close, that the divine nature may take possession of the being, and the riches of heaven be poured into mind and heart. God has made every provision that the divine resources may flow freely, and we are to deem no sacrifice too costly in order that the treasures of truth may be given to the world. To fall short of this is a betrayal of sacred trust.
“Those who claim to preach Christ while they declare that the law of God is abrogated, do not preach the truth. Had not God's law been unchangeable, Christ need not have suffered on Calvary. He died that the transgressor of the law might be pardoned, and return to his loyalty. He took human nature upon Himself, and suffered for us, that we might have another trial, that we might be given opportunity to leave the banner of rebellion, and stand under the banner of the Prince of Light. And He declared, "I have kept My Father's commandments." In Him is no sin. "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin." Christ's sacrifice would have converted the world to truth if false teachers had not upheld false doctrines, making it appear a virtue to trample on the law of Jehovah
“God would have His people proclaim to the world the great truths of redemption. He would have them tell of the great sacrifice made to restore the almost obliterated moral image of God. When men partake of the divine nature, they will bring forth from the treasure of the heart things new and old. They will open to those around them the great truths of the Word of God in our world.
“In order to possess the heavenly treasures, man must have a faith in the truth that works by love and purifies the soul. He must search diligently and earnestly, and He must impart to others what He has received. He can not continue to receive heavenly treasure without communicating to those around him. He must not consult his own pleasure or ease. A great responsibility rests on him to give the truth to others, that they also may receive its saving principles, and with heaven-born zeal develop an enlarged comprehension of and appreciation for the heavenly treasure. As a faithful householder he is to bring forth from the Old and New Testaments eternal, unchangeable truth. As he does this, the treasure in his possession will increase.
“When the truth is received into the heart, the habits and customs are conformed to Christ. The learner feels bound to uplift the Saviour. The truth works by love and purifies his soul, and he regards God's commands, not as being abrogated, but as unchangeable truth, given to the world from the beginning. He presents the treasures of God's Word in a fresh and agreeable way, because the truth has taken possession of his mind, his heart, his entire being. (By Mrs. E. G. White, The Signs of The Times, March 1, 1899 par. 1-12)
When we comprehend The Truth of GOD Law of Love, Which also reveals HIS Mercy and Grace, we will turn to HIM, and with David say, “For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it [is] great. What man [is] he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way [that] he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth” (Psalms 25:11-13).
It is said by David, “The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do [his commandments]: his praise endureth for ever” (Psalms 111:10). And by David’s son Solomon, it is said, “The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). “Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:5). “The fear of the LORD [is] the instruction of wisdom; and before honour [is] humility” (Proverbs 15:33. “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD [men] depart from evil” (Proverbs 16:6).
As a preacher of righteousness, Solomon said, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14). And through Isaiah, who testified of The LORD and HIS Word, it is said, “Who [is] among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh [in] darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God” (Isaiah 50:10).
In his testimony of the events of the spread of the gospel, Luke testified of Paul, who said, “Men [and] brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent” (Acts 13:26). It is The Word of The LORD, Who came unto David and said, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye” (Psalms 32:8). And in guiding His servant David, The LORD said by HIS Word, “The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way” (Psalms 37:23).
Notice that those that are instructed in The Way of The LORD, HE shall Guide them by HIS eye; that as good men, they shall delight in HIS Way, “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it [shall be] for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err [therein]” (Isaiah 35:8). As Jesus was speaking of The Way of Truth, He said to Nicodemus, saying, “…every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:20, 21).
As The LORD Guides those, who are instructed in The Way of The LORD, speaking to the Jews, “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him” (John 7:16-18).
Those who will believe in GOD’S Promises, to follow The Way of HIS Word, they will know of the doctrine, which comes from GOD through HIS Word, then they will be like those Jews, who believed on Him; for Jesus said, “…to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31, 32). And like an householder, or an under shepherd, who will co-labor with God to guide the flock of The Lord’s sheep, in The Way of holiness, they like Peter will be sent to “…tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved” (Acts 11:14).
By Carron Lake @ www.thelightoftheword.org
to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ”
(Galatians 3:16)
