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“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep
“Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Psalms 40:7, 8).
"In the councils of heaven it was determined that there must be given to mankind a living exemplification of the law. Having decided to make this great sacrifice, God left nothing obscure, nothing indefinite, in regard to the salvation of the human race. He gave to mankind a standard by which to form character. With an audible voice and in awful grandeur He spoke His law from Mount Sinai. Distinctly He stated what we must do in order to render acceptable obedience to Him and . . . remain loyal to His law. "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. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:37-40).
"So deep was the Lord's interest in the beings He had created, so great His love for the world, that He "gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Christ came to bring moral power to man, to elevate, ennoble, and strengthen him, enabling him to be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. He proved to the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds and to human beings that the law can be kept. While possessing the nature of man, He obeyed the law of God, vindicating God's justice in demanding that it be obeyed. In the judgment His life will be an unanswerable argument in favor of God's law.
"All who possess the faculty of reason may learn the measure of their duty. Christ is our pattern. In humanity He lived a spotless life. He was merciful, compassionate, obedient--full of goodness and truth. By His life of obedience He gave a true representation of the law. By uniting with Christ, fallen, sinful human beings may conform the life to the divine precepts. By keeping the commandments of God, they become laborers together with Him who came to the world to represent the Father by keeping all His commandments." (In Heavenly Places, Page 33)
Notice that there was given to mankind a living exemplification of GOD’S Law. GOD gave to mankind a Standard by which to form character. And That Standard is given to all living beings, to render acceptable obedience to HIM that we might remain loyal to The Law of HIS Character, which is to love The LORD our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind. This is the first and great commandment of GOD. And The Second is like unto The First, to love our neighbor as our self. This Standard is revealed in The Expressed Glory of The Son of GOD. For He declares that He delights to do GOD’S Will, for GOD’S Law was within His Heart. Notice that this Standard is demonstrated by loving our GOD, not just with half a heart, but with all of our heart, soul and mind. And if from our whole heart, soul, and mind, we express love to GOD, we are expressing love from our own heart, soul and mind to HIM, as our NEIGBOR, to love HIM, as we love ourselves. This is why when that kind of love is broken; it is like pulling one’s heart right out of one’s chest, because you are joined as one.
It is written that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1, 2). In these words, we see the oneness of that fellowship of Love between GOD--The Father and HIS Son--The Word, Who expressed The Glory of GOD’S Law of Love by loving GOD, as equally as He loved Himself. For it is written of GOD that, "...unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands" (Hebrews 1:8-10). And from that Anointing of The Father's Law of Love, He is made One also with The Father in Expressing GOD'S Law of Love to all, who would be created by Him. For it is revealed that in Him was Life, and The Life was The Light of men. In receiving GOD’S Word, John testified of The Word of GOD and said, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3).
“The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness” (Psalms 111:7, 8).
“The law of God, being a revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, must forever endure, "as a faithful witness in heaven." Not one command has been annulled; not a jot or tittle has been changed. Says the psalmist: "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." Ps. 119:89. From the first, the great controversy had been upon the law of God. Satan had sought to prove that God was unjust, that His law was faulty, and that the good of the universe required it to be changed. In attacking the law, he aimed to overthrow the authority of its Author. Through Satan's temptations the whole human race have become transgressors of God's law; but by the sacrifice of His Son a way is opened whereby they may return to God. Through the grace of Christ they may be enabled to render obedience to the Father's law. When we trust God fully, when we rely upon the merits of Jesus as a sin-pardoning Saviour, we shall receive all the help that we can desire.” (The Faith I Live By, Page 80)
Notice that it was with a Heart of Love, and with a desire to elevate and ennoble man, not to be as a slave to GOD’S Law of Love, but with The Spirit of Christ in our hearts, we would delight to do GOD’S Will, from within our hearts, to love GOD, as we would desire to love ourselves. It was of GOD’S Heart of Love that HE spoke from The Heart of HIS Son--The Word of GOD, Who proclaimed from Mount Sinai, The Ten Holy Precepts of GOD'S Heart of Love. What He has revealed to man in these Ten Holy Precepts in His Heart, is The Binding Covenant of Life with GOD, which is like a drawing magnet that binds hearts together, to restore and bring healing to mind, body and soul. On the divine side of GOD'S Law, there are four Holy Precepts that are unchangeable, and we express our love to GOD, by being in that One fellowship with GOD by The Power of HIS Word--The Covenant of The Heart of Love between GOD and man. And on the creation side of GOD'S Law, there are six Holy Precepts that are expressed by our love to our neighbor, which is like expressing the first table of The Law of Love to GOD by loving others, as we love ourselves, because we are GOD'S dwelling upon the earth.
But as it was revealed, the great controversy has been upon The Law, Which is more than just the expressed Will of GOD through HIS Son. Satan had sought to prove that GOD was unjust and that HIS Law was faulty, and that the good of the universe required that The Law of GOD be changed. In attacking The Law, Which is The Expressed Will of GOD’S Love from The Heart of HIS Word, Satan was aiming to overthrow The Authority of its Author--GOD and HIS Son--The Word of GOD. And through Satan's temptations, the whole human race became transgressors of GOD’S Covenant Law of Life. We cannot say, we love GOD and yet reject HIS Law, because The Law of GOD is HIS Son--The Word of Life to all created things.
Yet, by the sacrifice of GOD’S Only Begotten Son, a way was opened whereby man might return to GOD. Through the grace of Christ man may render obedience to GOD’S Law. When we trust God fully, when we rely upon the merits of Jesus, as a sin-pardoning Savior, we shall receive all the help that we can desire. For it is said, “All through the pages of sacred history, where the dealings of God with His chosen people are recorded, there are burning traces of the great I AM. . . . In all these revelations of the divine presence, the glory of God was manifested through Christ. Not alone at the Saviour's advent, but through all the ages after the fall and the promise of redemption, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." Christ was the foundation and center of the sacrificial system in both the patriarchal and the Jewish age. Since the sin of our first parents, there has been no direct communication between God and man. The Father has given the world into the hands of Christ, that through His mediatorial work He may redeem man, and vindicate the authority and holiness of the law of God. All the communion between heaven and the fallen race has been through Christ. It was the Son of God that gave to our first parents the promise of redemption. It was He who revealed Himself to the patriarchs. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses understood the gospel. They looked for salvation through man's Substitute and Surety. . . .” (That I Might Know Him, Page 102)
For it is recorded that, “The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate--a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father--one in nature, in character, in purpose--the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6. His "goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2. And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: "The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting. . . . When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him." Proverbs 8:22-30. (Patriarch and Prophets, Page 34, par 1)
When GOD by HIS Word--The Son of GOD made man, HE made man to reflect HIS Image, as it is revealed in HIS Word, Who expressed HIS Heart of Love to man, who was as His neighbor. And when Adam saw his need to have one, who was of his kind, GOD by HIS Word made for him a woman--Eve, who would express to him The Same Law of Love one to each other, as they Loved GOD. But after the adversary led Eve, and then Adam to reject GOD Law of Life, they were led to believe that they could live without The Power of GOD'S Word of Life--HIS Law, to be as GOD. This same deception the adversary has led many in the world to believe by their rejection of GOD'S Law of HIS Word. It is recorded that, “Jesus Christ laid off His royal robe, His kingly crown, and clothed His divinity with humanity, in order to become a substitute and surety for humanity, that dying in humanity He might by his death destroy him who had the power of death. He could not have done this as God, but by coming as man Christ could die. By death He overcame death. The death of Christ bore to the death him who had the power of death, and opened the gates of the tomb for all who receive Him as their personal Saviour. (Lift Him Up, Page 345)
Notice that Christ—The Anointed Word of GOD is The Co-Worker—The Link to the creation of all things. For it is written of Him that, “He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:5-9). Yet, He became like unto His Own creation to save man, who was led to sever the connection to GOD by The Link of Christ—The Word. By becoming one Link among men, Jesus--The Savior, He clothed His divinity with humanity to become The Second Adam, that all who would believe on Him, and follow Him, they would again be restored to the oneness with GOD through The Link of GOD’S Word, Who became flesh to save humanity.
Ellen G. White wrote and said, “…I spoke of the sacrifice made by Christ for us and His bearing the test Adam failed to endure in Eden. He stood in Adam's place. He took humanity, and with divinity and humanity combined He could reach the race with His human arm while His divine arm grasped the Infinite. His name was the link which united man to God and God to man.--Ms. 3, 1873, pp. 3, 5, 6. (Entries in Ellen White's Diary.) (Manuscript Release, Volume 10, Page 65.4) Notice that “while” Christ Jesus is Linked to The Infinite by His divine arm, He is also Linked to the human race by His human arm. He combined His divinity with His humanity to reach man. If men reject Him as their Only Link of Salvation, then there is no other means of escape from the condition of death, because He--Christ--The Word of GOD is The Light and Life of man.
"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). "After Christ was baptized of John in Jordan, He came up out of the water, and bowing upon the banks of the river He prayed with fervency to His heavenly Father for strength to endure the conflict with the prince of darkness in which He was about to engage. The heavens were opened to His prayer, and the light of God's glory, brighter than the sun at noonday, came from the throne of the Eternal, and assuming the form of a dove with the appearance of burnished gold, encircled the Son of God, while the clear voice from the excellent glory was heard in terrible majesty, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
"Here was the assurance to the Son of God that His Father accepted the fallen race through their representative and that He had granted them a second trial. The communication between heaven and earth, between God and man, which had been broken by the fall of Adam, was resumed. He who knew no sin became sin for the race, that His righteousness might be imputed to man. Through the perfection of Christ's character, man was elevated in the scale of moral value with God; and through the merits of Christ, finite man was linked to the Infinite. Thus the gulf which sin had made was bridged by the world's Redeemer.
"But few have a true sense of the great privileges which Christ gained for man by thus opening heaven before him. The Son of God was then the representative of our race; and the special power and glory which the Majesty of heaven conferred upon Him, and His words of approval, are the surest pledge of His love and good will to man. As Christ's intercessions in our behalf were heard, the evidence was given to man that God will accept our prayers in our own behalf through the name of Jesus. The continued, earnest prayer of faith will bring us light and strength to withstand the fiercest assaults of Satan. . . . The life of a living Christian is a life of living prayer. . . . Our great Leader points us to the open heavens as the only source of light and strength." (In Heavenly Places, Page 39)
Notice that if The Word of GOD--The Christ became also a Man among men to save humanity, and it is through Him—Christ Jesus that all are can be linked to GOD, to be restored to Light and Strength, then why would men want to place their trust in someone else, who has nor direct connection GOD, WHO is The SOURCE of all blessings? Having been a link in the connection of the healing of a man, who was impotent, feeble and without strength, Peter, who was filled with The Holy Spirit, said to the rulers and elders of Israel, saying, “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, [even] by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12). It is the enemy, who works to prevent our connection to GOD, and to break any connection with The Only Link--The Man Christ Jesus between GOD and man.
"I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10).
"I know that all who are saved in the kingdom of God will have battles to fight against Satan; and I know that he will work every device to secure you to himself, for through you he could afflict us and weaken our courage and bring a burden of care upon us. But I am glad for every letter that we receive expressing your feelings of determination to press on and fight the good fight of faith. You say you love Jesus and mean to devote your lives to His service. Precious resolution! The more you preserve your Christian integrity to know and understand for yourself the way of life and salvation, the less of the worldly mold will be upon you. The more you know of Jesus, the more you will desire to know, and the more ignorant you will feel that you are in regard to things of eternal interest. We want the right spirit, the teachable spirit, willing to learn in Christ's school the lessons of humility and meekness. "Learn of me," said the heavenly Teacher, "for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:29, 30).
"It is when we seek to carry our own burdens and when we manufacture a yoke for our own necks that the yoke is grievous and the burden becomes heavy. We want Christ's meekness; then little things will not irritate us. We may have zeal in working, but this is not all that we need. We want true Christian sympathy. We want self and our will submerged in the will of Christ. We want an eye single to the glory of God. We want to be continually anxious and working for the honor and glory of God. The soundness of our principles will be tested, and the strength of our loyalty will be proved. I wish all could see as I have seen the sharp, keen, persevering workings of Satan to tempt and to deceive. His vigilance never relaxes. He has ready access to souls because they are not attentive to heed the warnings God has given them.... So many invite the enemy to tempt them. They walk so carelessly that they become an easy prey. They throw wide open the citadel of the soul and invite his entrance, place themselves in circumstances where they will be entrapped. . . . We are to remain just the people God designed we should be, gathering the divine rays of light from the Son of righteousness, and diffusing these rays amid the moral darkness that covers the earth.-- Letter 8a, Jan. 20, 1879, to Edson and Emma White." (The Upward Look, Page 34)
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12.
“It is through faith in Jesus Christ that the truth is accepted in the heart, and the human agent is purified and cleansed. . . . He has an abiding principle in the soul, that enables him to overcome temptation. "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not." 1 John 3:6. God has power to keep the soul that is in Christ who is under temptation. . . . A mere profession of godliness is worthless. It is he that abideth in Christ that is a Christian. . . . Unless the mind of God becomes the mind of men, every effort to purify himself will be useless; for it is impossible to elevate man except through a knowledge of God.
“The question you need to put to yourselves is, "Am I a Christian?" To be a Christian is to be far more than many understand. It means more than simply having your name upon the church records. It means to be joined to Christ. It means to have simple faith, unwavering reliance upon God. It means to have childlike confidence in your heavenly Father through the name and merit of His dear Son. Do you love to keep the commandments of God, because the commandments of God are God's precepts, the transcript of His character, and can no more be altered than can the character of God? Do you respect and love the law of Jehovah? As sons and daughters of God, Christians should strive to reach the high ideal set before them in the gospel. They should be content with nothing less than perfection.
“To those who receive Him He gives power to become the sons of God, that at last God may receive them as His, to dwell with Him throughout eternity. If during this life they are loyal to God, they will at last "see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads." Rev. 22:4. And what is the happiness of heaven but to see God? What greater joy could come to the sinner saved by the grace of Christ than to look upon the face of God and know Him as Father? (The Faith I Live By, Page 130)
“Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). “Those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will feel the ire of the dragon and his hosts. Satan numbers the world as his subjects, he has gained control of the apostate churches; but here is a little company that are resisting his supremacy. If he could blot them from the earth, his triumph would be complete. As he influenced the heathen nations to destroy Israel, so in the near future he will stir up the wicked powers of earth to destroy the people of God. . . . Their only hope is in the mercy of God; their only defense will be prayer.
“The trying experiences that came to God's people in the days of Esther were not peculiar to that age alone. The revelator, looking down the ages to the close of time, has declared, "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." Rev. 12:17. Some who today are living on the earth will see these words fulfilled. The wrath of Satan increases as his time grows short, and his work of deceit and destruction will reach its culmination in the time of trouble.
“Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. God declares that even a mother may forget her child, "yet will I not forget thee." . . . God thinks of His children with the tenderest solicitude and keeps a book of remembrance before Him, that He may never forget the children of His care.” (Maranatha, Page 32)
The Scriptures teach that our Eternal Life is based upon knowing The Only True GOD and Jesus Christ, Whom HE has sent. And although Christ Jesus has made it clear that all The Scriptures speak of Him, Who is invisible to men, but has made Himself known to men by His Spirit, to reveal The Will of GOD in the Old Testament time, and in the fullness of time, by becoming flesh, He declared The NAME and Will of The Father in The New Testament; yet, many deny His Testimony, Which He gave of Himself, to sanctify all, who will receive Him to be one with Him and The Father, WHO sent Him. For He, Who is The Covenant of GOD--The Law of GOD, it is written that, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20). For it is speaking of The Commandments and all of Scripture, Which is given, as The Precepts and Examples of The Word of GOD given to men, to reveal GOD'S Will by HIS Word to men. For HE--The LORD said by HIS Word unto His disciples, saying, "...Blessed [are] the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard [them]" (Luke 10:23, 24).
Just as Christ Jesus veils His Divinity in His Humanity, to call to Himself all, who will believe in GOD by Him, Who is The Only Way to The Father, the adversary works through those, whom he has led to be his subjects, by being members of the apostate churches, which have substituted The Commandments of GOD for the commandments of men, and interpret The Precepts and Examples of The Word of GOD, to be based upon man's understanding of GOD'S Word, rather than trusting in The Only Way to GOD by HIS Living Word.
“Worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (Revelation 14:7). “The duty to worship God is based upon the fact that He is the Creator and that to Him all other beings owe their existence. And wherever, in the Bible, His claim to reverence and worship, above the gods of the heathen, is presented, there is cited the evidence of His creative power. "All the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens" (Ps. 96:5). "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things." "Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it: . . . I am the Lord; and there is none else" (Isa. 40:25, 26; 45:18).
“Says the psalmist: "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves." "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker" (Ps. 100:3; 95:6). And the holy beings who worship God in heaven state, as the reason why their homage is due to Him: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things" (Rev. 4:11).
“In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the Creator; and the prophecy brings to view a class that, as the result of the threefold message, are keeping the commandments of God. One of these commandments points directly to God as the Creator. The fourth precept declares: "The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: . . . for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it" (Ex. 20:10, 11). Concerning the Sabbath, the Lord says, further, that it is "a sign, . . . that ye may know that I am the Lord your God" (Eze. 20:20). And the reason given is: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed" (Ex. 31:17). . . . (Lift Him Up, Page 51)
"I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" Rev. 14:6, 7.
"[The angel of Revelation 14] presents a message that is to be proclaimed to the world just before Christ comes in the clouds of heaven. . . . Just prior to this time, then, the attention of the people is to be called to the down-trodden law of God, which is contained in the ark of the testament. . . . They see that instead of observing the seventh day, the day that God sanctified, and commanded to be observed as the Sabbath, they are keeping the first day of the week. But they honestly desire to do God's will, and they begin to search the Scriptures to find the reason for the change. Failing to find any scriptural authority for the custom, the question arises, Shall we accept a truth that has become unpopular, and obey the commandments of God, or shall we continue with the world, and obey the commandments of men? With open Bibles they weep, and pray, and compare scripture with scripture, until, convinced of the truth, they conscientiously take their stand as keepers of the commandments of God." (Maranatha, Page 170)
"He exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed" (Revelation. 13:12).
"In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends. . . .
"The "image to the beast" represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas. . . . When Sunday observance shall be enforced by law, and the world shall be enlightened concerning the obligation of the true Sabbath, then whoever shall transgress the command of God, to obey a precept which has no higher authority than that of Rome, will thereby honor popery above God. He is paying homage to Rome and to the power which enforces the institution ordained by Rome. He is worshiping the beast and his image. As men then reject the institution which God has declared to be the sign of His authority, and honor in its stead that which Rome has chosen as the token of her supremacy, they will thereby accept the sign of allegiance to Rome--"the mark of the beast." And it is not until the issue is thus plainly set before the people, and they are brought to choose between the commandments of God and the commandments of men, that those who continue in transgression will receive "the mark of the beast.". . .
"In the issue of the contest all Christendom will be divided into two great classes--those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. Although church and state will unite their power to compel "all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond" (Revelation 13:16), to receive "the mark of the beast," yet the people of God will not receive it. The prophet of Patmos beholds "them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God" and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Revelation 15:2, 3.
"Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them" (Luke 21:8). "In this age antichrist will appear as the true Christ, and then the law of God will be fully made void in the nations of our world. Rebellion against God's holy law will be fully ripe. But the true leader of all this rebellion is Satan clothed as an angel of light. Men will be deceived and will exalt him to the place of God, and deify him. But Omnipotence will interpose, and to the apostate churches that unite in the exaltation of Satan, the sentence will go forth, `Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.'"
"Disguised as an angel of light, he [Satan] will walk the earth as a wonder-worker. In beautiful language he will present lofty sentiments. Good words will be spoken by him, and good deeds performed. Christ will be personified, but on one point there will be a marked distinction. Satan will turn the people from the law of God. He will declare that the Sabbath has been changed from the seventh to the first day of the week; and as lord of the first day of the week he will present this spurious sabbath as a test of loyalty to him.
"It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who shall be alive upon the earth when celestial glory and a repetition of the persecutions of the past are blended. They will walk in the light proceeding from the throne of God. By means of the angels there will be constant communication between heaven and earth. And Satan, surrounded by evil angels, and claiming to be God, will work miracles of all kinds, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. God's people will not find their safety in working miracles, for Satan will counterfeit the miracles that will be wrought. God's tried and tested people will find their power in the sign spoken of in Exodus 31:12-18. They are to take their stand on the living word: "It is written." This is the only foundation upon which they can stand securely." (Maranatha, Page 205)
Notice that Christ Jesus has vindicated The Law of GOD, Which reveals The Seventh-day of the week as the day GOD has sanctified and has made Holy by HIS Presence, to be The Day HIS children will keep Holy by HIS Covenant Word of Life. For The Sabbath is part of The Divine side of GOD'S Law, which cannot be altered, or annulled by man. Yet, many are led to disregard the sign of The Sabbath, which has been established from the time of creation, to be GOD'S special sign between HIM and His people. It is not the workings of men to disregard The Law of GOD, but it is the true leader of all rebellion, who clothed himself, as an angel of light, to deceived all nations, to exalt himself to the place of God, which is what the adversary has been working to accomplish all along, to change GOD'S Law of HIS Word of Life.
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" 2 Corinthians 11:14). "Satan is preparing his deceptions that in his last campaign against the people of God, they may not understand that it is he. "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." . . . Satan will go to the extent of his power to harass, tempt, and mislead God's people.
"He who dared to face, and tempt, and taunt our Lord, and who had power to take Him in his arms and carry Him to a pinnacle of the temple, and up into an exceeding high mountain, will exercise his power to a wonderful degree upon the present generation, who are far inferior in wisdom to their Lord, and who are almost wholly ignorant of his subtlety and strength. In a marvelous manner will he affect the bodies of those who are naturally inclined to do his bidding.
"He will come personating Jesus Christ, working mighty miracles; and men will fall down and worship him as Jesus Christ. We shall be commanded to worship this being, whom the world will glorify as Christ. What shall we do?--Tell them that Christ has warned us against just such a foe, who is man's worst enemy, yet who claims to be God; and that when Christ shall make His appearance, it will be with power and great glory, accompanied by ten thousand times ten thousand angels and thousands of thousands; and that when He shall come, we shall know His voice.
"The time is coming when Satan will work miracles right in your sight, claiming that he is Christ; and if your feet are not firmly established upon the truth of God, then you will be led away from your foundation. Satan is determined to keep up the warfare to the end. Coming as an angel of light, claiming to be the Christ, he will deceive the world. But his triumph will be short. No storm or tempest can move those whose feet are planted on the principles of eternal truth. They will be able to stand in this time of almost universal apostasy. (Maranatha, Page 206)
Notice that even in this day, many, who rely upon the wisdom of men, who speak not according to GOD'S Word; they tell these souls to believe in error, rather than The Truth of GOD'S Word. For there are many, who now impersonating Christ, to lead the souls for whom Christ died to be led astray as lost sheep from the fold. They seek not to give glory to GOD and HIS Word, but to become the next leader, to rule over men, to be worshiped by men as a God. And because the people do not understand and comprehend what The Word of GOD has said and has revealed, they are led to believe false doctrines that lead men away from GOD and HIS Word of Life.
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations" (Matthew 25:31, 32). “In His teachings Christ sought to impress men with the certainty of the coming judgment and with its publicity. This is not the judgment of a few individuals, or even of a nation, but of a whole world of human intelligences, of accountable beings. It is to be held in the presence of other worlds, that the love, the integrity, the service, of man for God, may be honored to the highest degree. There will be no lack of glory and honor. . . . The law of God will be revealed in its majesty; and those who have stood in defiant rebellion against its holy precepts will understand that the law that they have discarded and despised . . . is God's standard of character. . . .
“In this speck of a world the heavenly universe will manifest the greatest interest, for Jesus paid an infinite price for the souls of its inhabitants. . . . God designed that the Prince of sufferers in humanity should be judge of the whole world. He who came from the heavenly courts to save man from eternal death; . . . He who submitted to be arraigned before an earthly tribunal, and who suffered the ignominious death of the cross--He alone is to pronounce the sentence of reward or of punishment. He who submitted to the suffering and humiliation of the cross here, in the counsel of God is to have the fullest compensation, and ascend the throne acknowledged by all the heavenly universe as the King of saints. He has undertaken the work of salvation, and shown before unfallen worlds and the heavenly family that the work He has begun He is able to complete. . . . In that day of final punishment and reward both saints and sinners will recognize in Him who was crucified the Judge of all living. . . .
“Probationary time is granted us, opportunities and privileges are given us, to make our calling and election sure. How we should prize this precious time and improve every talent God has given, that we may be faithful stewards over ourselves! Solemn will be the day of final decision! (In Heavenly Places, Page 359)
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10). Christ was a representative before men and before angels, of the character of the God of heaven. He demonstrated the fact that when humanity depends wholly upon God, men may keep God's commandments and live, and His law be as the apple of the eye.
“The example of Christ is authoritative for every son and daughter of Adam. He represented the law of God in His life, giving to men an example of what obedience to every precept will accomplish for human nature. He is our example, and every one who is endowed with reasoning faculties is required to follow in His footsteps; for His life is a perfect pattern to all humanity. Christ is the finished standard of the character to which every one may attain. . . .
“How did the world's Redeemer walk?--Not in a way to please Himself simply, but to glorify God by working the works of God in uplifting fallen man who had been made in the image of God. By precept and example, He taught men the way of righteousness, representing the character of God, and giving to the world a perfect standard of moral excellency in humanity. The two grand precepts of the law are to regulate the conduct of all humanity. This was the lesson that Jesus taught by both precept and example. He said to the people, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and . . . thy neighbour as thyself." The Lord God of heaven requires of human intelligences supreme love and worship.
“Let the human agent compare his life with the life of Christ. . . . Let him imitate the example of Him who lived out the law of Jehovah, who said, "I have kept my Father's commandments." Those who follow Christ will be continually looking into the perfect law of liberty, and through the grace given them by Christ, will fashion the character according to the divine requirements.” (Son and Daughters of God, Page 137) Notice that if The Son of GOD has lived upon the earth, and kept all of The Commandments of His Father, then we who are to be sons and daughters of GOD, are to keep them to be one with Him, as children of GOD, and He would not be proclaiming to men that He has changed GOD'S Law, if He had died to save us from the penalty of breaking The Law of Life.
Notice that Christ was a representative before men and before angels, of the character of The GOD of heaven. It is said also that the commandments of God are God's precepts, the transcript of His character, and can no more be altered than can the character of God..." If The Commandments of GOD was written on Stone to reveal it's Eternal nature, which could not be changed, which is a relection of HIS Character, then all things that were created by GOD through HIS Word did not need to be changed. What Satan has proved is that GOD and HIS Word is not the ones, WHO needed fixing, it is his heart that had worked himself loose from The Fellowship with GOD and HIS Word. And all, who are following him are being led to their destruction by not believing in GOD and HIS Word--The Law of Life.
"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction" (Hosea 13:14). Well might all heaven be astonished at the reception their loved Commander received in the world! . . . He made the world, and yet the world knew Him not. Friends denied Him, forsook Him, and betrayed Him. He was assailed by temptation. Human agony convulsed His divine soul. He was lacerated with cruel scourgings. His hands were pierced with nails, His holy temples were crowned with thorns. . . . It was the working of Satan's machinations that made the life of Christ one dark series of afflictions and sadness; and at last he compassed Christ's death. . . .
"In the act of dying, Christ was destroying him who had the power of death. He carried out the plan, finished the work which from Adam's fall He had covenanted to undertake. By dying for the guilt of a sinful world, He reinstated fallen man, on condition of obedience to God's commandments, in the position from which he had fallen in consequence of disobedience. And when He broke the fetters of the tomb and rose triumphant from the dead He answered the question, "If a man die, shall he live again?" (Job 14:14). Christ made it possible that every child of Adam might, through a life of obedience, overcome sin and rise also from the grave to his heritage of immortality purchased by the blood of Christ.
Our salvation was wrought out by infinite suffering to the Son of God. His divine bosom received the anguish, the agony, the pain that the sinfulness of Adam brought upon the race. The heel of Christ was indeed bruised when His humanity suffered, and grief heavier than that which ever oppressed the beings He had created weighed down His soul as He was engaged in paying the vast debt which man owed to God. The question, "If a man die, shall he live again?" has been answered. . . . God in human form has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. In dying, Christ secured eternal life for all who believe in Him. (In Heavenly Places", Page 44)
By Carron Lake @ www.thelightoftheword.org
his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.”
(Ecclesiastes 12:13)
God's Commandments Are Sure
"The law of God existed before the creation of man or else Adam could not have sinned. After the transgression of Adam the principles of the law were not changed, but were definitely arranged and expressed to meet man in his fallen condition. The angels were governed by it {the law}. Satan fell because he transgressed the principles of God's government. After Adam and Eve were created, God made known to them His law. It was not then written, but was rehearsed to them by Jehovah. In love, with a desire to elevate and ennoble us, God provided for us a standard of obedience. In awful majesty, amid thundering and lightning, He proclaimed from Mount Sinai His ten holy precepts. This law reveals the whole duty of the human family; the first four precepts define our duty to God, and the last six our duty to man.
(What is man’s alternative to GOD’S Provision in HIS Son)
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Christ Jesus Veil His Divinity in His Humanity
"At the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. "The commencement of that time of trouble," here mentioned, does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time the "latter rain," or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.