Every Word
John 17:17—Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
~ The word (truth) of God does the sanctifying ~
“Every Word…”
The Jews had faith of a similar character to that of many professed Christians today. They believed the prophecies predicting the advent of Messiah; but their faith was not of that spiritual nature which discerned in the Son of God the Saviour of their expectations. They could not accept the work of God for their time, and they rejected the truth because their faith did not see the relation of the shadow to the substance. They clung tenaciously to the offering of their sacrifices, to the rites of the church and the traditions of the fathers; but they refused the Lamb of God, the great antitype of all the services of the past. They were very zealous for the observance of form, and claimed to trust in Moses and the prophets; but he who had inspired the words of the Scriptures, and whose life was the fulfillment of their prophecies, was a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. He did not meet their ideal of what the coming One should be. They had imagined a Messiah whose power and majesty would gratify the pride of their carnal hearts, and exalt them to a position of supreme power among the nations. When Jesus unfolded to them the character of his kingdom, and what his disciples must possess in order to be elect, and favored of God, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?” – {ST March 30, 1888 Par. 10}
The Saviour was invested with the credentials of Heaven. The word of God sustained his claims. His miracles, his holy character, his power over men and devils, all spoke conviction to the hearts of his hearers; but they refused him. He came in accordance with the prophecies they professed to believe, but he was “despised and rejected of men,” as the prophets had foretold he would be. – {ST March 30, 1888 Par. 11}
The Jews could not give up their dreams of a great Prince who would rule all nations. They could not relinquish their hopes of temporal power and glory to take up with the Man of Sorrows, to follow in his steps of self-denial and purity. They loved darkness rather than light and the errors they loved wrought out their destruction. – {ST March 30, 1888 Par. 12}
There is no need of any soul being deceived. The teaching of priest and rabbi cannot make the word of God of no authority. It is the duty of each man to know what the Scriptures teach and to take his position in harmony with the truth. The Lord has commanded us to “search the Scriptures.” We are instructed to “prove all things,” to “hold fast that which is good.” God has given us an unfailing test to apply to every man’s life and doctrine. Says the prophet, “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” We are not to live by the doctrines of men, not by a fragment, or a perversion of the truth; but by “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”—ST March 30, 1888 Par. 10-13
We read in Great Controversy, page 397: “The spirit of error will lead us from the truth, and the Spirit of God will lead us into truth. But, say you, a man may be in an error, and think he has the truth. What then? We answer, The Spirit and word agree. If a man judges himself by the word of God, and finds a perfect harmony through the whole word, then he must believe he has the truth; but if he finds the spirit by which he is led does not harmonize with the whole tenor of God's law or book, then let him walk carefully, lest he be caught in the snare of the devil.”—1SR:13.2
...We are ready to accept truth, but when the theory is contradicted by the Scriptures, then we must not submit to erroneous conclusions, for, he who believes a lie is an abomination unto God.—2SR:19.2
The Jews had faith of a similar character to that of many professed Christians today. They believed the prophecies predicting the advent of Messiah; but their faith was not of that spiritual nature which discerned in the Son of God the Saviour of their expectations. They could not accept the work of God for their time, and they rejected the truth because their faith did not see the relation of the shadow to the substance. They clung tenaciously to the offering of their sacrifices, to the rites of the church and the traditions of the fathers; but they refused the Lamb of God, the great antitype of all the services of the past. They were very zealous for the observance of form, and claimed to trust in Moses and the prophets; but he who had inspired the words of the Scriptures, and whose life was the fulfillment of their prophecies, was a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. He did not meet their ideal of what the coming One should be. They had imagined a Messiah whose power and majesty would gratify the pride of their carnal hearts, and exalt them to a position of supreme power among the nations. When Jesus unfolded to them the character of his kingdom, and what his disciples must possess in order to be elect, and favored of God, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?” – {ST March 30, 1888 Par. 10}
The Saviour was invested with the credentials of Heaven. The word of God sustained his claims. His miracles, his holy character, his power over men and devils, all spoke conviction to the hearts of his hearers; but they refused him. He came in accordance with the prophecies they professed to believe, but he was “despised and rejected of men,” as the prophets had foretold he would be. – {ST March 30, 1888 Par. 11}
The Jews could not give up their dreams of a great Prince who would rule all nations. They could not relinquish their hopes of temporal power and glory to take up with the Man of Sorrows, to follow in his steps of self-denial and purity. They loved darkness rather than light and the errors they loved wrought out their destruction. – {ST March 30, 1888 Par. 12}
There is no need of any soul being deceived. The teaching of priest and rabbi cannot make the word of God of no authority. It is the duty of each man to know what the Scriptures teach and to take his position in harmony with the truth. The Lord has commanded us to “search the Scriptures.” We are instructed to “prove all things,” to “hold fast that which is good.” God has given us an unfailing test to apply to every man’s life and doctrine. Says the prophet, “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” We are not to live by the doctrines of men, not by a fragment, or a perversion of the truth; but by “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”—ST March 30, 1888 Par. 10-13
We read in Great Controversy, page 397: “The spirit of error will lead us from the truth, and the Spirit of God will lead us into truth. But, say you, a man may be in an error, and think he has the truth. What then? We answer, The Spirit and word agree. If a man judges himself by the word of God, and finds a perfect harmony through the whole word, then he must believe he has the truth; but if he finds the spirit by which he is led does not harmonize with the whole tenor of God's law or book, then let him walk carefully, lest he be caught in the snare of the devil.”—1SR:13.2
...We are ready to accept truth, but when the theory is contradicted by the Scriptures, then we must not submit to erroneous conclusions, for, he who believes a lie is an abomination unto God.—2SR:19.2
The Comforter is promised only as the Spirit of truth. There is no comfort in a lie. The work of the Comforter is to define and maintain the truth; and there should be no worry lest the comfort will not follow. The Holy Spirit first dwells in the heart as the truth, and this He does through the truth. The world, said Christ, can not receive the Spirit of truth, "because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."—ST, May 19, 1898 par. 4
As the Bible is free from error, even so its interpretation under the same Spirit of Inspiration must also be correct.—2SR:13.2
Though truths are revealed through inspired channels, the instrument of iniquity has often mixed them with error. Such iniquitous workers oft times resort to the use of portions of divine revelation, unlawfully using them as an entering wedge to pass on error and thus deceive the simple.—2SR:16.1
We have unseen foes to meet, evil men are agents for the powers of darkness to work through, and without spiritual discernment the soul will be ignorant of Satan's devices, and be ensnared and stumble and fall. He who would overcome must hold fast to Christ. He must not look back, but keep the eye ever upward. Mount up by the Mediator, keeping hold of the Mediator, reaching upward to one line of work after another, making no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. {6BC 1094.3}
There is no such thing as our entering the heavenly portals through indulgence and folly, amusement, selfishness, but only by constant watchfulness and unceasing prayer. Spiritual vigilance on our part individually is the price of safety. Swerve not to Satan's side a single inch, lest he gain advantage over you (Letter 47, 1893).—6BC 1094.3, 4
…If anything is true, it is this one thing. Said Jesus: "When He, the Spirit of Truth, is Come, He will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13.) Christ plainly declares, that we are led into truth, not by wisdom of man but by the Spirit of God. Not into some truth, but in all truth. When God reveals truth, He is able to lead His servants in all truth, and does not allow such instruments to mix His truth with error.…—2SR:12.3
All mankind are therefore to be judged according to the measure of light which God has turned upon their way, and according to their desire to walk in the light. And those who unfortunately have failed to learn of Him and to know the exact truth, will not be condemned for having believed an error while they were in the darkness, but “this is the condemnation,” says the Lord, “that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19—3Tr:121.1
~ If we do not turn from our errors for "…the exact truth…" after God in His wisdom has seen fit and has been gracious to shine light upon them we then do demonstrate to the heavenly tribunal what we prize (self-righteousness) above the Word of God, for God "hast magnified thy word above all thy Name." (Ps. 138:2.) ~
See also: Where do your doctrines come from?
Comments
Post a Comment