Does God destroy?
The "God does not destroy" philosophy is a predicted movement in prophecy.
If you were an explorer of truth and for truth where would you suppose it could be found?
In no other place than the very place where Truth (Jesus) is being denied. Where is that place?
This unsanctified attitude against the scriptures takes on various shades in different doctrines but for Laodicean practicing unbelief in that "God does not destroy" it takes on a very clear and very specific identifiable form. This is found in Ezekiel chapter 9.
The Bible says:
Eze 9:1-11—¶ He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;
4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
5 ¶ And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.
8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt THOU destroy all the residue of Israel in THY pouring out of THY fury upon Jerusalem?
9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.
10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.
Zep. 1:12
12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.
To say anything or believe contrary to "a thus saith the Lord God" is criminal of the advocator and perilous to their adherents. It is misrepresenting what the Spirit of Prophecy reveals through the Spirit of Truth. When this fallacious deed is committed by the transgressor the cause of death (executive judgment) is obfuscated and the pleasure of sin (unbelief) in the heart is guaranteed to remain on God's throne, the seat of the will in the unregenerated human heart. The plan of redemption is deformed, and the remedy is despised and neutralized. Sin indeed is a mystery.
Before we get into other corroborating scriptures let's categorically affirm what we just read by consulting the safe guide of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. That is the gift of the Spirit of Prophecy manifested in the ministry of the Lord's messenger, Ellen G. White.
It reads:
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But before I do I want to remind you that we are not taught this from the pulpit for the time being for many undisclosed reasons but it should become apparent that in the book of the Law only
De 29:29—The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do ALL THE WORDS of this law.
And what is God's appointed method of special revelation?
Am 3:7—Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, BUT he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
Once something is revealed God will not and cannot go back on His word. And as a vital matter of consequence, we have no other recourse if we truly desire to continue our sanctifying love relationship with our Redeemer and friend, come what may.
Now we are ready, hear ye Him in the Father's Name what the Spirit of truth sayeth:
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Testimonies FOR the church, Vol. 3 - chapter 27 - The Laodicean Church
The true people of God, who have the spirit of the work of the Lord and the salvation of souls at heart, will ever view sin [[ the transgression of the law ]] in its real, sinful character. They will always be on the side of faithful and plain dealing with sins which easily beset the people of God. Especially in the closing work FOR the church, in the sealing time of the one hundred and forty-four thousand who are to stand without fault before the throne of God, will they feel most deeply the wrongs of God's professed people. This is forcibly set forth by the prophet's illustration of the last work under the figure of the men each having a slaughter weapon in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side. "And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof."
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{3T 266.2}
Who are standing in the counsel of God at this time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of God and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would reprove sin [[ the transgression of the law ]]? Is it those who take their stand against them and sympathize with those who commit wrong? No, indeed! Unless they repent, and leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work and in holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, they will NEVER receive the mark of God's sealing approval. They will fall in the general destruction of the wicked, represented by the work of the five men bearing slaughter weapons. Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those "that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done" in the church. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin [[ the transgression of the law ]], that they are represented as being in agony, even sighing and crying. Read the ninth chapter of Ezekiel.—3T:266.2-267.1
Testimonies FOR the church, Vol. 5 - chapter 24 - The Seal of God
The earnest prayers of this faithful few will not be in vain. When [[ not if ]] the Lord comes forth as an avenger, He will also come as a protector of all those who have preserved the faith in its purity and kept themselves unspotted from the world. It is at this time that God has promised to avenge His own elect which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them. {5T 210.1}
The command is: "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." These sighing, crying ones had been holding forth the words of life; they had reproved, counseled, and entreated. Some who had been dishonoring God repented and humbled their hearts before Him. But the glory of the Lord had departed from Israel; although many still continued the forms of religion, His power and presence were lacking. {5T 210.2}
In the time WHEN His wrath shall go forth in judgments, these humble, devoted followers of Christ will be distinguished from the rest of the world by their soul anguish, which is expressed in lamentation and weeping, reproofs and warnings. While others try to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent, those who have a zeal for God's honor and a love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any. Their righteous souls are vexed day by day with the unholy works and conversation of the unrighteous. They are powerless to stop the rushing torrent of iniquity, and hence they are filled with grief and alarm. They mourn before God to see religion despised in the very homes of those who have had great light. They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of almost every kind are in the church. The Spirit
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of God, which prompts to reproof, is trampled underfoot, while the servants of Satan TRIUMPH. God is dishonored, the truth made of none effect. {5T 210.3}
The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the seal of God. The Lord commissions His messengers, the men with slaughtering weapons in their hands: "Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house." {5T 211.1}
Here we see that the church—the Lord's sanctuary—was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus "Peace and safety" is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together. {5T 211.2}
The abominations for which the faithful ones were sighing and crying were all that could be discerned by finite eyes, but by far the worst sins, those which provoked the jealousy of the pure and holy God, were unrevealed. The great Searcher of hearts knoweth every sin committed in secret by the workers of iniquity. These persons come to feel secure in their deceptions and, because of His long-suffering, say that the Lord
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seeth not, and then act as though He had forsaken the earth. But He will detect their hypocrisy and will open before others those sins which they were so careful to hide. {5T 211.3}
No superiority of rank, dignity, or worldly wisdom, no position in sacred office, will preserve men from sacrificing principle when left to their own deceitful hearts. Those who have been regarded as worthy and righteous prove to be ring-leaders in apostasy and examples in indifference and in the ABUSE of God's mercies [[ sons of Satan {Rom. 6:16; SR:26.2-27.1}? ]]. Their wicked course He will tolerate no longer, and in His wrath He deals with them without mercy. {5T 212.1}
It is with reluctance that the Lord withdraws His presence from those who have been blessed with great light and who have felt the power of the word in ministering to others. They were once His faithful servants, favored with His presence and guidance; but they departed from Him and led others into error, and therefore are brought under the divine displeasure. {5T 212.2}
The day of God's vengeance is just upon us. The seal of God will be placed upon the foreheads of those only who sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land. Those who link in sympathy with the world are eating and drinking with the drunken and will surely be destroyed with the workers of iniquity. "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." {5T 212.3}
Our own course of action will determine whether we shall receive the seal of the living God or be cut down by the destroying weapons.—5T:210.1-212.4
When God was about to smite the first-born of Egypt, He commanded the Israelites to gather their children from among the Egyptians into their own dwellings and strike their door posts with blood, that the destroying angel might see it and pass over their homes. It was the work of parents to gather in their children. This is your work, this is my work, and the work of every mother who believes the truth. The angel is to place a mark upon the forehead of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel will follow, to slay utterly both old and young.—5T:505.2
Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled; yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling; will you hear? Will you receive His message? Will you be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity. Letter 106, 1909, pp. 2, 3, 5, 7. (To "The churches in Oakland and Berkeley," September 26, 1909.) {1MR 260.2}
We may well fear and tremble for the things that shall be in the future.… {1MR 260.3}
We are to bring the truth into all our works; we are to be sanctified through the truth, and show to a world dead in trespasses and sin that we
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are a holy nation, a peculiar people, a chosen generation, zealous of good works. {1MR 260.4}
The death of Christ was accomplished to make us genuine Christians through faith in Him. We carry a message of sacred truth, and through the righteousness of Christ we are to become one in Him, separate from the world, distinguished from it by the features of our faith that make us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. We are Christ's witnesses. By our baptismal vow we are under solemn pledge to witness for Him. Through the merits of Christ, we are to let our light shine forth to the world, that they, by seeing our good works, may glorify our Father which is in heaven. Letter 10, 1907, pp. 2, 3. (To "Members of the Oakland Church," January 18, 1907.)—1MR:260.2-261.1
The Lord reads the heart as an open book. The men who are not connected with God have done many things after the imagination of their own evil hearts. The Lord declares concerning them, "They have turned unto Me their back, and not the face, though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them; yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction." We are amid the perils of the last days, the time will soon come WHEN the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very letter. Study also the tenth chapter which represents the hand of God as at work to bring perfect method and harmonious working into all the operations of his prepared instrumentalities. The eleventh and twelfth chapters also should receive critical, thoughtful attention. Let these prophecies be studied on your knees before God; unless you take up the stumbling-blocks which by your own perverse spirit you have laid in the way of many who have been connected with you, God will turn His face utterly from you and your associates.—1888:1303.1
What need we of any more witnesses after meeting the test of Isa. 8:20?
Isa 8:20—To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
The rest should serve as meeting objections that may arise from distorted passages of scripture.
Ge 2:16 ¶ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Our first parents were not left without a warning of the danger that threatened them. Heavenly messengers opened to them the history of Satan's fall and his plots for their destruction, unfolding more fully the nature of the divine government, which the prince of evil was trying to overthrow. It was by disobedience to the just commands of God that Satan and his host had fallen. How important, then, that Adam and Eve should honor that law by which alone it was possible for order and equity to be maintained. {PP 52.2}
The law of God is as sacred as God Himself. It is a revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, the expression of divine love and wisdom. The harmony of creation depends upon the perfect conformity of all beings, of everything, animate and inanimate, to the law of the Creator. God has ordained laws for the government, not only of living beings, but of all the operations of nature. Everything is under fixed laws, which cannot be disregarded. But while everything in nature is governed by natural laws, man alone, of all that inhabits the earth, is amenable to moral law. To man, the crowning work of creation, God has given power to understand His requirements, to comprehend the justice and beneficence of His law, and its sacred claims upon him; and of man unswerving obedience is required.
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{PP 52.3}
Like the angels, the dwellers in Eden had been placed upon probation; their happy estate could be retained only on condition of fidelity to the Creator's law. They could obey and live, or disobey and perish. God had made them the recipients of rich blessings; but should they disregard His will [[ His LAW ]], He who spared not the angels that sinned, could not spare them; transgression would forfeit His gifts and bring upon them misery and ruin. {PP 53.1}
"Thus in the garden of peace lurked the destroyer, watching for his prey."—53.4
In what way is Satan the destroyer? He taught himself and practiced A WAY that does not lead to eternal life with God. It is the way of the transgressor. A WAY where he may steal all the honour, glory, and power that belongs and is due to the Creator alone. He deceives all fallen men and teaches "the necessity" to Sin and how to transgress in order to come in conflict with the Law. It is forbidden knowledge we were not designed to experience.
In heaven
True, faithful angels, listening, hear the awful threats of Satan, and immediately report to their great commander. Christ tells them that he and the Father are acquainted with the purposes of Satan, and that they are forbearing only to see how many will unite with him to rebel against the government of God. He tells them that every purpose of Satan is understood.—3SG:37.1
It was the highest crime to rebel against the government of God. All Heaven seemed in commotion. The angels were marshaled in companies, each division with a higher commanding angel at their head. Satan was warring against the law of God, because ambitious to exalt himself, and unwilling to submit to the authority of Gods' Son, Heaven's great commander.—1SP:22.1
The loyal angels hasten speedily to the Son of God, and acquaint him with what is taking place among the angels. They find the Father in conference with his beloved Son, to determine the means by which, for the best good of the loyal angels, the assumed authority of Satan could be forever put down. The great God could at once have hurled this arch deceiver from heaven; but this was not his purpose. He would give the rebellious an equal chance to measure strength and might with his own Son and his loyal angels. In this battle [[ Rev. 12:3, 7 ]] every angel would choose his own side, and his character and purposes would be manifested to all. It would not have been safe to suffer any who united with Satan in his rebellion to continue to occupy heaven. They had learned the lesson of genuine rebellion against the unchangeable law of God; and this is incurable. If God had exercised his power to punish this chief rebel, disaffected angels would not have been manifested; hence he took another course; for he would manifest distinctly to all the heavenly host, his justice and his judgement. {ST, January 9, 1879 par. 7}
On earth
"Satan represented to the holy pair that they would be gainers by breaking the law of God."—PP:55.1
"Satan exulted in his success. He had tempted the woman to distrust God's love, to doubt His wisdom, and to transgress His law, and through her he had caused the overthrow of Adam.—PP 57.3
"…The words next addressed to the serpent applied directly to Satan himself, pointing forward to his ultimate defeat and destruction: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."—PP:58.2
Furthermore,
Paradise was lost to Adam and the curse was pronounced upon the earth because of the transgression of the Father's law, and death came because of sin. Adam found by sad experience that it was easier to transgress the commandments of God than to resist and press back the tide of moral wretchedness that was pressing in upon him. Those who lived before the flood were favored in having a knowledge of the law of God communicated to them by Adam who had conversed with God and angels in Eden. He lived among them nearly one thousand years, and by his teachings, example, and humble obedience to all God's requirements, exalted the law of God. He sought to turn his posterity from transgression to a life of obedience and faith in a Saviour to come. {RH, April 29, 1875 par. 5}
The knowledge of the law of God was preserved from Adam to Noah, and from Noah to Abraham and from Abraham to Moses, for the benefit of all who should live upon the earth. The blessings upon the patriarch Abraham for obedience are repeated to Isaac in these words: "And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statues [statutes], and my laws." {RH, April 29, 1875 par. 6}
Enoch first received instruction from Noah [Adam], and he observed the law of God, and served him with singleness of heart. He became so pure in character that the Lord communicated his will to him, and through holy vision revealed the great events connected with Christ's second appearing, and also the wickedness that would prevail just prior to the end. Enoch was a faithful preacher of righteousness, and sought to turn men from the transgression of the law to faithful obedience. He walked with God three hundred years, giving to the world a faithful example in a pure and spotless life, which was in marked contrast with that rebellious and self-willed generation who boasted of their open disregard of God's holy law. His testimony was NOT regarded because men loved sin better than holiness. Enoch was borne by angels to Heaven without seeing death. {RH, April 29, 1875 par. 7}
In the destruction of the inhabitants of the old world by the flood is clearly represented the [fate] of all those who continue to transgress the law of God. Enoch's translation to Heaven represents the commandment-keeping people of God who will be alive upon the earth when Christ shall come the second time, and who will be glorified in the sight of those who hated them because they would keep the commandments of God. These also will be translated to Heaven without seeing death, as Enoch and Elijah were. {RH, April 29, 1875 par. 8}
The great wickedness of the people before the flood had reached unto Heaven. And the Lord made known to Noah that HE would destroy man, whom HE had created, from off the earth by the waters of the flood, because of their continual transgression of his law. Noah warned the people. He believed the word of God, and faithfully preached to that sinful generation, and made every effort to turn them from transgression to obedience. But he was unsuccessful. Only his own family at last received his message. The terrible judgments of God in their destruction should have been sufficient warning to all who should afterward live upon the earth, that God WILL surely punish those who disregard his law. But as the people multiplied upon the earth, men became bold in their transgression of God's law. Idolatry existed and increased to a fearful extent, until the Lord left the hardened transgressors to follow their evil ways, and he chose Abraham from an idolatrous family, and made him the depositary of his law for future generations.—RH, April 29, 1875 par. 5-9
The Bible says
Ge 6:17—And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
Why? Because "The sovereignty of God involves fullness of blessing to all created beings." (PP:33.2.)
"It is seen that all his dealings in the great controversy have been conducted with respect to the eternal good of his people, and the good of all the worlds that he has created."—GC88:670.2
We are going to cut this short in righteousness. Here is the last and final evidence that God does destroy and "if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Lu. 16:31.)
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While transgression of the Law leads to certain death God will perform "His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act" (Isa. 28:21).
[Did you pay special attention to how the LORD doubles down on what is His, four times over in Isa. 28:21?]
God the Father poured His Wrath upon God the Son for all sins via punishment.
"That He might sanctify the people with His own blood," Christ "suffered without the gate." Hebrews 13:12. For transgression of the law of God, Adam and Eve were banished from Eden. Christ, our substitute, was to suffer without the boundaries of Jerusalem. He died outside the gate, where felons and murderers were executed. Full of significance are the words, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being MADE a curse for us.” Galatians 3:13.—DA:741.2
That was real wrath coming from a perfect Being God the Father, directed to “our Substitute”, God the Son, for the transgression of every sin of the world past, present, and future. It was punitive and purposeful for the Salvation of those who would come to choose the gift of God in Jesus Christ.
The wrath of God is real and will come from Him and fall upon the impenitent to be felt.
The observance of the passover possessed a mournful interest to the Son of God. He saw in the slain lamb a symbol of his own death. The people who celebrated this ordinance were instructed to associate the slaying of the lamb with the future death of the Son of God. The blood, marking the door-posts of their houses, was the symbol of the blood of Christ which was to be efficacious for the believing sinner, in cleansing him from sin, and sheltering him from the wrath of God which was to come upon the impenitent and unbelieving world, as the wrath of God fell upon the Egyptians. But none could be benefited by this special provision made by God for the salvation of man unless they should perform the work the Lord left them to do. They had a part to act themselves, and by their acts to manifest their faith in the provision made for their salvation.—2SP:36.1
Be wary of opinions that explain away such basic fundamentals of the SDA faith
Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us FROM the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a fallen world the good news of the Father's mercy and pardoning love. Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father's reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt. {DA 753.1}
Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father's wrath upon Him as man's substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.—DA:753.1, 2
God has given in his Word decisive evidence that HE will punish the transgressors of his law. Those who flatter themselves that he is too merciful to execute justice upon the sinner, have ONLY to look to the cross of Calvary. The death of the spotless Son of God testifies that “the wages of sin is death,” that every violation of God's law must receive its just retribution. Christ the sinless became sin for man. He bore the guilt of transgression, and the hiding of his Father's face, until his heart was broken and his life crushed out. All this sacrifice was made that sinners might be redeemed. In no other way could man be freed from the penalty of sin. And every soul that refuses to become a partaker of the atonement provided at such a cost, must bear, in his own person, the guilt and punishment of transgression.—GC88:540.1
November 10, 1890 Justification by Faith
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By Mrs. E. G. White.
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(Concluded.)
Paul declared, "I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." The apostle recognize the claims of the law, and did not break out against it because it revealed to him his true situation. He acknowledged the likeness which it presented, but he did not say to the law, "Cleanse me, purify me." He turned at once to Calvary. He fell on the Rock Christ Jesus, and was broken. He knew that repentance which needeth not to be repented of. He understood that "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified;" for it is not the province of law to save, but to condemn; not to pardon, but to convict. It cannot to any degree lessen the rigor of its claims. If one requirement could be set aside, the whole law might be abolished; for to change any commandment to save a defaulter would make of none effect the value of the rest. The law cannot save those whom it condemns; it cannot rescue the perishing. There is but one hope for the sinner. Is it in outward ceremonies? in rigorous performance of religious duties? is it in mourning and penance, and in devoting hours to prayer and meditation? in practicing self-denial? in giving to the poor, and in doing deeds of merit?—No, none of these things will work the salvation of the soul. The question is asked, "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?"—No; no man can stand before God in his own merit. Those who are saved will be saved because Jesus has paid the full debt; and man can do nothing, absolutely nothing, to merit salvation. Christ says, "Without me, ye can do nothing." Then whose is the merit?—It all belongs to our Redeemer. All the capabilities of man come alone through Christ, and we may say of our best performances, "All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given to thee." {ST, November 10, 1890 par. 1}
It is the grace of Christ that draws men unto himself, and in him alone is hope and salvation for the sinner. Man is unworthy of any favor from God; but as Christ becomes his righteousness, he may ask and receive, in his name and through his merit, the grace and favor of God. Jesus bore the just penalty of the law, that we might have his grace; but this fact does not mean the subversion of the law. Paul asks, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." The bestowal of the grace of Christ upon the repentant sinner is that he may be brought into perfect harmony with the government of heaven. In the cross, mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. {ST, November 10, 1890 par. 2}
When we look to the cross of Calvary, we see that the highest claims of the law were met in the efficiency of the offering. Hence, Jesus is called "the Lord our righteousness." When we lay hold on the merit of Christ, and are able to say, "The Lord is my Saviour, my righteousness," then we are justified by faith, and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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—ST, November 10, 1890 par. 1-3
We want Christ and His obedience and we want to drink in of the Spirit of God. I want to be like Him. I want to practice His virtues and be a doer of the Word. And what did He say on the Mount? "Think not"--on their startled ears fell the words, their very thoughts unrolled before them-- "think not that I am come to destroy the law of the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). He came to fulfill every specification of the law. "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (v. 18). I want you to take this. It is the word of God. You will hear from the word of men that the law is abolished and that it is not binding upon men. And they act just so. But you cannot afford to work against God. "Ye are laborers together with God" (1 Corinthians 3:9). I would rather be a laborer with God than to be laboring counter to Him. I see in Him matchless charms. {1SAT 246.1}
"But," you say, "the law cannot save anybody." No, we are free through Christ, living in obedience to the law, through the merits and righteousness and virtues of His character. And when we lay hold of Him by living faith, what shall we do? Keep the commandments of God and His law as the apple of your eye. These are the words of inspiration, "Keep them and live." You do not have anyone touch that part of your eye. You know how painful it is. {1SAT 246.2}
Do you want to know just what to do? Say, "I rejoice that I have found out how defective I am, and I am going to overcome sin and be a victor; for He says, " To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" (Revelation
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3:21). Will you overcome as Christ overcame? Shall we have the victory? Jesus Christ is our Saviour. {1SAT 246.3}
We have a great work to do. Not to tell them that there is no law. No law to govern heavenly and human intelligences? Whoever picks that up is in Satan's army and you cannot afford to be there. I beseech you to seek the Lord with all your heart that you may find Him to be precious to your soul. Jesus died that you might have salvation, that you might go on, not linking hands with the world, not that you might know more and more of the world, but that you might know God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. {1SAT 247.1}
The law cannot save you, BUT it is the standard of character, and to represent the character of Jesus Christ you must live the law, for He lived the law in our world. Paul says, "I have taught them from house to house, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (See Acts 20:20, 21.) This is the way. We behold Him for the perfection of His character and then we see the defects in our own character. Do you stand before God and say, "Cleanse us and change us"? You should flee to Jesus Christ and lay hold of the divine merits of the Son of God, and then you are washed from the defilements and stains of sin. There is not a stain in the character because God is enthroned in the heart and Christ does not war against Christ. Christ does not war against the Father. "I and the Father are one." He was in the express image of the Father's person, and we want to express the character of Jesus Christ.—1SAT:246.1-247.2
And the impenitent Laodicean who fails to heed antitypical Elijah's message at present "before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD" (Mal. 4:5) will experience God's wrath at least twice. Once during the purification of the Church at Ezek. 9 which is soon to happen and the other in the Lake of fire.
Here we see that the church—the Lord's sanctuary—was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God's power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus "Peace and safety" is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God's people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together.—5T:211.2
The remedy for unbelief coming from SDA pulpits is to receive God's messenger before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Please review and prove the following evidence.
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