[ THE GREAT ADVENT MOVEMENT IN BIBLE PROPHECY - THE CLOSING EVENTS ]
The C.E. (Closing Events) Studies Contents List.
Title: "THE BIBLE ANTICHRIST" (No CE series number)
NO List of Contents, (only headings throughout book, and they are difficult to recognise as chapter titles!)[New Edn.]
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Title: "THE APOCRYPHA" CE 18 [Old Edn.]
Headings throughout booklet: No contents list on page 1.
Pages 1-3 Fourteen Facts Concerning the Apocrypha and The Bible.
Pages 4-14 Thirteen Reasons Why the Apocrypha is Rejected by Protestants.
Page 15 Summary..... What the Apocrypha teaches.
1. Bewitching Art
2. The giving of alms cleanses from sin.
3. That sins are pardoned by prayer.
4. That we should pray for the dead.
5. That the dead can pray.
6. That we should give alms for the sins of the dead.
7. That the wicked have a second chance to be saved.
8. That there is such a place as purgatory.
9. That an angel of God told a falsehood.
10. That a woman fasted all the days of her life except once a week and a few other days in the year.
11. That God gave Simeon the sword to execute vengeance against the men of Shechem.
12. The Immaculate Conception.
13. That we should treat sinners with selfishness and cruelty.
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Title: Waymarks To The Eternal City, vol 3 [No CE number] (98 pages)
Contents:
1. Modern Israel (The Remnant Church) PP.1-24
Comprising.....
A. God's Ideal For His Children. PP.1-6
B. Satan's Plans For The Remnant Church. PP.7-14
C. Satan's Present Work, Warning and Appeal. PP.15-24
2. Deceptions and Delusions of Satan. PP.25-35
3. Satan - Deceiver and Destroyer. PP.36-94
Waymarks - Volumes 1 & 2
Vol 1.
The Miracle of Miracles (Righteousness by Faith)
The Holy Spirit
The Voice of the Holy Spirit (The Testimonies)
Self
Vol 2.
Lost (How People Are Lost)
Sound An Alarm
Saved (How To Be Saved)
Tests of Conversion
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Title: Catholicism Part 2 (Total, 3 Parts) [CE No. 3 of old series. 42 pages]
Part 2 Contents
Roman Catholicism and U.S. Labour Unions
R.C. and U.S. Public School System
R.C. and Public Tax funds for Parochial Schools
R.C. and The U.S. Press, Radio, TV, and Motion Pictures
Roman Catholicism and U.S. Protestantism
Roman Catholicism and The Bible and Tradition
R.C. and The Ten Commandments
R.C. and The Sabbath
Roman Catholicism and Seventh-day Adventists
Roman Catholicism and The Pope
R.C. and The Roman Catholic Priesthood
Roman Catholicism and Mary
R.C. and Spain
R.C. and Colombia
Roman Catholicism and Communism
Roman Catholicism and President Kennedy
R.C. Church and Change: Has She Changed? Is She Changing?
Roman Catholicism and YOU
Title: Catholicism Part 3 (Total, 3 Parts) [CE No. 3 of old series. 39 pages]
Part 3
Contents:
The Rise and Progress of The RC Church Since 1798
The RC Church and The Three-fold Union
The RC Church and The Legal Enforcement of Sunday Observance.
The Roman Catholic Church and Her Fruits.
The Roman Catholic Church and Her Boasts.
Can You Read The Handwriting on the Wall?
Conclusion and Appeal
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Title: The Three-Fold Union - Protestantism.
CE No.4 [Old Edn. 45 pages]
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. The Impending Conflict
3. Bible References Concerning U.S. Protestantism
4. Spirit of Prophecy References Concerning Protestantism.
5. The Decay and Decline of Protestantism - Both Doctrinally and Spiritually.
6. Protestant Aspirations and Efforts Toward Union With Protestants.
7. Protestant Aspirations and Efforts Toward Union With The Roman Catholic Church.
8. The Cohesive Element -- Sunday Observance, Protestant and Catholic Agitation for Sunday Legislation
9. "Ichabod" -- The Glory of The Lord is Departed From Thee."
The Three-Fold Union - Protestantism. CE No.4
[New Edn. 123 pages]
Same contents [except point 8] plus:-
NATIONAL SUNDAY LAW, Present Day Agitation.....
NATIONAL SUNDAY LAW,
The Event and Results (No. 6 of old series)
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Title: The National Sunday Law: Event and Results of...
CE Series, [Old Edn. No. 6, 19 pages]
Contents:
35 Results of the National Sunday Law .....
The Final Crisis.
The True Issue Clarified.
It Brings persecution.
It Mightily shakes and sifts God's people.
It purifies the church.
By it, Protestants join hands with the Papacy.
It culminates the 3-fold union & completes the Fall of Babylon.
Image of the Beast is formed.
The Papacy is worshiped.
It marks the beginning of the Time of Trouble (little Time of Trouble).
The Latter Rain received in greatest abundance.
The Loud Cry given most powerfully.
Earth's greatest revival begins.
It reveals that Satan's counterfeit revival has commenced.
The sign that time of Satan's marvellous working has come.
It is the sign to Sabbath-keepers to leave the large cities
By it U.S. repudiates its Constitution
By it U.S. disconnects fully from righteousness
By it U.S. completely fills cup of iniquity
National Apostasy complete
National Ruin follows
The Sunday Law becomes universal - international
By it, earth's nations fill cup of iniquity
Those who honour Sunday receive Mark of the Beast
Seal of God received by God's followers
The sign of Probation about to Close
7 last plagues about to fall (See C.E.Study 14)
Sunday more strictly enforced
Sabbath-keepers misjudged, falsely accused
Sabbath-keepers blamed for calamities
The decree to disregard Sabbath
THE Death-decree follows
Death-decree is sign to God's people to leave cities & villages.
Death-decree marks beginning of Time of Jacob's Trouble
Some of wicked anticipate death-decree
The saints are delivered (See C.E. Study 14)
The National Sunday Law is a sign (The 35 points listed in brief)
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C.E. Study No. 7, The Loud Cry [Old Edn. 26 Pages]
Contents: (10 points)
The Message of L.C.
The Time of L.C.
The Power of "
The Spirit of "
The Purpose of "
The Results of...
The Reaction to...
The Recipients of...
The Glory of the Loud Cry
The Preparation for the Loud Cry.
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C.E. Study No. 7, The Loud Cry [New Edn. 33 pages]
Contents:
Continuing.....
C.E. Study No. 7, The Loud Cry [New Edn. 33 pages]
Contents:
1. THE MESSAGE OF THE LOUD CRY
A. The 3rd Angel's Message
B. God's Love in Jesus Christ
C. Righteousness by Faith
D. A Revelation of God's Character of Love
E. The Entire Message
2. THE TIME OF THE LOUD CRY
A. It has already begun
B.It will reach its zenith after the National Sunday Law
3. THE POWER OF THE LOUD CRY
A. "Another Angel" - The Fourth Angel
B. "The power of the Holy Spirit"
4. THE SPIRIT OF THE LOUD CRY
A. The spirit of love
B. The spirit of friendliness
C. The spirit of agreeableness
D. The spirit of understanding
5. THE PURPOSE OF THE LOUD CRY
A. To clearly and forcefully set forth the true issue
B. To give the whole world a tremendous revelation of the Character of God in His true followers.
C. To bring everyone to a definite, clear-cut decision
D. To call out of Babylon and save as many as possible
E. To prepare God's true followers for the close of probation, the 7 Last Plagues, the Time of Jacob's Trouble, and the Coming of Christ
F. To give the world one last chance
G. To completely vindicate God's Character
H. To completely reveal Satan's exceedingly wicked character.
I. To completely condemn unrepentant sinners--to leave them without the slightest excuse
6. THE RESULTS OF THE LOUD CRY
A. the results to the world
1. The whole world will be lightened with The Glory of God.
2. Many marvellous miracles will be performed
B. The results to those who give it
1. It will seal them into the message
2. It will prepare them for the Time of Trouble
3. Many will be persecuted to death
4. Persecution unites God's true followers
C. The results to those who receive it
1. There will be a mighty ingathering of souls
2. Many leave the fallen churches and take their stand with God's people.
3. Many are hurried out of the doomed churches as Lot was hurried out of Sodom.
4. Family, Church, and public opinion loses its power. Large numbers will take their stand with God's Commandment-keeping people.
5. All fear of man vanishes. Great boldness takes possession of the honest in heart.
6. The saints are prepared to stand during the 7 Last Plagues.
D. The results to those who refuse it
1. They are enraged
2. They fight against it, persecuting those who are giving it.
3. They reveal clearly their ultimate decision and character.
7. THE REACTION TO THE LOUD CRY
A. In the Church
1. Some will receive and give it
2. Some will reject and resist it
B. In Babylon -- in the world
1. Some will receive and give it
2. Some will reject and resist it
8. THE RECIPIENTS OF THE LOUD CRY. WHO WILL RECEIVE IT?
A. Those who are genuinely converted
B. Those who forsake all evil
C. Those who gain the victory over every besetting sin
D. Those who have a living connection with God
E. Those who have a burden to win souls
F. Those who forsake all criticism and dissension
G. Those who receive the Early Rain
H. Those who are constantly growing in grace
I. Those who come up to every point and stand every test and overcome, be the price what it may.
9. THE GLORY OF THE LOUD CRY
A. The Loud Cry is more that a message
B. The Loud Cry is a Revelation -- a Demonstration
10. THE PREPARATION FOR THE LOUD CRY
1. One must first receive the Early Rain
2. One must also receive the Latter Rain
CONCLUSION
LET US CLAIM THIS GLORIOUS PROMISE
Luke 11: 9-13
LIVING THE VICTORIOUS LIFE
Rev. 21: 7; John 5: 30; John 15: 5
22 Further Scripture Promises
END
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C.E. No. 13 - The 144,000 - [Old Edn. 18 pages]
Contents:
CHARACTER QUALIFICATIONS OF THE 144,000
1. THE IDENTITY OF THE 144,000
2. THE TEN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 144,000
They have a special experience
They gain the victory over (Beast - Image - Mark)
They stand without an intercessor
They see: Famine - Pestilence - Scorching of Sun
They pass through Great Time of Trouble
They endure Time of Jacob's Trouble
They witness resurrection of friends
They are translated from among the living
They are a definite numerical number
They are the first-fruits unto God and the Lamb
THE CHARACTER OF THE 144,000
They "sigh and cry" over the condition of the church
They receive the seal of God
They have a pure religion
They obtain full victory over their words
They are without fault before God
They would rather die than worship the beast or his image
THE TRIAL OF THE 144,000 (GC 649)
THE TRIUMPH OF THE 144,000 (EW 15, 37; GC 648-649)
THE REWARD OF THE 144,000
They stand next to Christ
Only they can sing the Song of Moses and The Lamb
They stand in a perfect square on sea of glass - God's special... exhibit... before entire universe
Only they can enter temple in Heaven
Their names engraved in gold letters on stone in temple of Heaven
They visit other worlds
They follow The Lamb wherever He goes throughout the Universe
SUMMARY (See above reward points)
APPEAL:
OH TO BE AMONG 144,000
Think of what it would be to be among the 144,000!
God is going to use the 144,000, more than any other group, to vindicate His Character before the entire onlooking Universe.
See: 7BC 970
THINK of what it will be! (7 points)
SPIRIT OF PROPHECY REFERENCES TO THE 144,000
MS 26, 1901; 1SM 174; GC 648-649; Rev. 7: 14-17
EW 15; EW 16; EW 19; EW 37; EW 40; 2SM 262; LS 110;
3T 266; R&H March 9, 1905; 7BC 978
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C.E. No. 14, (old edn. 18 pages)
THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES AND THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
Contents:
INTRODUCTION
A. A Great Time of Trouble
B. The Close of Probation
C. Who is Responsible for the 7 Last Plagues
D. The Three Great Clashes in the 7 Last Plagues
1. THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES
2. Plagues 1 to 4 are NOT UNIVERSAL
3. Plagues 5 and 6 ARE UNIVERSAL
4. The Plagues are SUCCESSIVE
5. The Plagues are CUMULATIVE
6. The PERIOD of the Plagues
7. The Purpose of the third plague
8. THE TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE
9. SATAN'S CROWNING, ALMOST OVERMASTERING DECEPTION.
10. SATAN UNITES ALL OF THE NATIONS OF EARTH UNDER ONE HEAD.
11.THE SEVEN PURPOSES OF GOD for the 7 Last Plagues
12. All of the world is divided into just TWO GROUPS
13. GOD'S PART in the battle of Armageddon
14. GOD'S PEOPLE DELIVERED at midnight
15. THE REDEEMED OF ALL AGES JOIN IN A TRIUMPHANT HYMN OF PRAISE.
CLOSING EVENTS STUDY
No. 33
Message Given by Elder Collier at the 1970 General Conference
What caused the sufferings and Death of Jesus?
The Heart of the Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan
The Central Issue of the Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan
The Underlying Motives which led Jesus to Die
An About-Face
Truth is Progressive
Personal Study Encouraged
Conversion – Gradual or Progressive?
Freewill
Satan Strictly Limited
One Hundred Percent
The Omnipotent Human Will
“Perfect” of Matthew 5:48 = Sinless
Eternal Progress
Christian Perfection
Grace
“SINLESS”
Enoch – A Type
PERFECT, Righteous, Holy
In This Life!
Queen Esther (A Parody)
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CLOSING EVENTS STUDY 33 - ELDER GORDON COLLIER
[ Excerpts ]
GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSE IN THE GREAT CONTROVERSY - EXCERPTS
THE CENTRAL ISSUE OF THE GREAT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN CHRIST AND SATAN
NEEDED – A NEW PERSPECTIVE
GEOCENTRIC VS. HELIOCENTRIC
WHY?
WHAT is man? WHY was the human race created? WHAT is the history of this world all about?
“In order to understand what is comprehended in the work of education, we need to consider both 1) The nature of Man, and 2) the Purpose of god in creating him.” – Ed 14.
What sublime purpose did God have in 1) creating this world and the human race, and 2) in quarantining sin to this planet?
WHAT is the one great central issue in the Great controversy between Christ and Satan?
WHY do Seventh-day Adventists believe themselves to be a Movement of Destiny?
WHAT special, decisive responsibility has God assigned to the members of the Remnant Church in Earth’s last generation?
HOW will the entire universe and eternity itself be affected by the outcome of the Great Controversy?
HOW may the reader have a decisive part in God’s great eternal triumph?
OUR GREAT NEED
It is extremely important that every Seventh-day Adventist understand clearly the great issues in the war between Christ and Satan.
“More clearly than we do, We need to understand the issues at stake in the great conflict in which we are engaged.” – MH 451.
“THE TREMENDOUS ISSUES OF ETERNITY”
“THE TREMENDPOUS ISSUES OF ETERNITY demand of us something besides an imaginary religion – a religion of words and forms - . . . COR 80, 81 (1926 ed. 100).
PROMPT AND DECISIVE ACTION REQUIRED NOW!
“There will be crises in this cause. Prompt and decisive action at the right time will gain glorious triumphs, while delay and neglect will result in great failures and positive dishonour to God.” – 3T 498.
UTMOST HASTE NOW IMPERATIVE – DELAY WILL COMPROMISE GOD AND HIS THRONE
“Something great and decisive is to take place, and that right early. If any delay, the character of God and His throne will be compromised.” – THE CRISIS IMMINENT, GCB 1893, p. 73.
ASK YOURSELF
1) Am I, by my unbelief and failure to overcome, compromising God’s throne? 2) Am I prolonging the reign of Satan, sin and suffering? 3) Am I increasing and prolonging the sufferings of Christ? 4) Am I delaying the revival of my church and the finishing of the work, 5) the vindication of God, 6) the second coming of Christ, and 7) the securing of the universe?
THIS WE KNOW
We know that in a sense god is on trial. “The hour of His judgement is come.” – Rev. 14:6, 7This text may also be understood in this sense.
“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That Thou mightiest be justified in thy sayings, and mightiest overcome when thou art judged.” – Rom. 3:4.
“. . . that Thou mightiest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.” – Ps. 51:4 KJV.
“. . . so that Thou mayest be proved right in thy charge and just in passing sentence.” – Ps. 51:4 NEB
p. 22
GRACE
Many Christians believe that GRACE is God’s merciful and gracious treatment of sinners; and this is true. But grace is not only the loving kindness of God toward undeserving sinners; Grace is also the power to OBEY – Power to Overcome – Power to live in harmony with God.
“I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation.” – Rom. 1:16.
The only power that can create or perpetuate true peace is the GRACE of Christ. When this is implanted in the heart, it will cast out the evil passions that cause strife and dissension. – DA 305.
Can it be that God who created . . . the perfect man, the perfect woman, - all things perfect and beautiful – is now satisfied with not-quite-perfect human beings?
Can it be that the God who had the power to create a perfect universe and a perfect (sinless) man and woman, does not have the power to RECREATE man and RESTORE him to his original perfection (sinlessness)?
Two of the purposes of Christ’s coming to Earth were to reveal what God desired – SINLESS PERFECTION – of His people, and to demonstrate that, with the help of divine power, it can be done!
ENCOURAGEMENT
“When a soul receives Christ, he receives power to live the life of Christ.” – COL 304.
“But upon him who looks to Jesus, Satan’s temptations have no power.” – 1SM 224.
“AS we do this (pray and confess our sins) the power of the Spirit will come to us. We need the Pentecostal energy. This will come; for the Lord has promised to send His Spirit as the All-Conquering Power!” 8T 297-298.
”. . . You need never yield to temptation, . . .” – OHC 19.
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” – 1 John 5:4
“None need fail of attaining, in his sphere, to perfection of Christian character. . . . God calls upon us to reach the standard of perfection (sinlessness, faultlessness). . . . In His humanity, perfected by a life of constant resistance to evil, the Saviour showed that through cooperation with divinity, human beings may in this life attain to perfection of character. This is God’s assurance to us that we too may obtain complete victory.” – AA 531.
THE [HUMAN] WILL
“The Holy Spirit takes the will and makes it one with the Divine will.” – Letter 24, 1899.
What it takes – The Surrender of the Will
“By steadily keeping the will on the Lord’s side, every emotion will be brought into captivity to the will of Jesus.” – 5T 514.
So complete will be the transformation of our will, so perfect the union of our will with the will of God that: “Duty becomes a delight and sacrifice a pleasure.” – SC 59.
“But while Satan can solicit, he cannot compel us to sin . . . The Tempter can never compel us to do evil. He cannot control minds unless they are yielded to his control.” – DA 125
Satan’s Objective – Attack the Citadel of the Will
“This will, that forms so important a factor in the character of man, was at the Fall given into the control of Satan; and he has ever since been working in man to will and to do of his own pleasure, but to the utter ruin and misery of man.” – 5T 515
We are admonished to: “. . . break the power of Satan, and to emancipate the will of man.” – OHC 104.
The will is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or choice. Every human being possessed of reason has power to choose the right. In every experience of life, God’s word to us is ‘Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.’ Every one may place his will on the side of the will of God, may choose to obey Him, and by thus linking himself with divine agencies, he may stand where nothing can force him to do evil.
“Pure religion has to do with the will. The will is the governing power in the nature of man, bringing all the other faculties under its sway. The will . . . . is the deciding power, which works in the children of men unto obedience to God, or unto disobedience. . . . If you fight the fight of faith with all your will-power, you will conquer.” – 5T 513.
“But your will must cooperate with God’s will, . . .” – 5T 514. We choose it and God does it!
“CHRISTIANITY means the entire surrender of the will to God.” – ST July 26, 1899.
“. . . You can control the will, and you can make an entire change in your life.” – 5T 514; MYP 152.
DO IT NOW!
I lay aside my own will,
I surrender all,
I CHOOSE to repent,
I CHOOSE to love God with my whole heart,
I CHOOSE to obey God with my whole heart,
I CHOOSE to live without sinning,
I CHOOSE to gain the complete unbroken victory over every besetting sin, or die in the attempt!
“It is for you to yield up your will to the will of Jesus Christ; and as you do this, God will immediately take possession and work in you to will and to do His good pleasure.” – 5T 514.
When we choose it – He does it!
“Holiness is . . . an entire surrender of the will to God.” – AA 51.
p. 174
THERE ARE TWO MAIN FUNCTIONS OR PURPOSES OF GOD’S GRACE
The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy teach that God’s grace is sufficient 1) to give us the complete , unbroken victory over sin, 2) to completely rid us of every bent, bias, inclination, tendency, and propensity to sin, and 3) to transform us completely in this life.
To say that God cannot do these three things for the Christian, is to limit His grace; it is to say that His grace is NOT sufficient for us!
After the close of probation, those who have been fully converted and sealed, will continue to need God’s sustaining grace – grace to maintain their fellowship with God, and grace to maintain their victory over sin.
Although God’s sealed saints do not need His grace to convert them [they already are converted] or for the forgiveness of sins because they are fully converted, fully mature, fully perfected and victorious over sin, yet they continue to need His grace to keep them converted, and to enable them to endure, to persevere, to resist temptation, to maintain their victory over sin – even unto death if necessary.
They are still as dependent upon God after the Close of Probation as they were before the Close of Probation. They are not on their own, and never will – even in heaven. They will never be self-sufficient, autonomous, self-centered Christians; but will, throughout eternity, still operate on the ‘trolley car’ principle – Power only while connected with the one and only Source of Power [God].
The saints will joyfully acknowledge their momentary dependence upon God’s sustaining grace (Keeping Power), and will joyfully, continuously, and eternally surrender all to God.
Throughout eternity the redeemed are fully conscious of, and gladly acknowledge the fact that they are totally dependent upon union with God for 1) Life, 2) Love, 3) Grace (sustaining power), 4) Righteousness, 5) Wisdom, 6) Victory, and 7) Happiness.
Salvation from beginning to end is attributed to God and to God alone!
“We should ever remember that life is short, and if we would attain to that perfection of character which Christ requires of us, every hour of our probation must be wisely improved as a treasure more precious than gold.” – ST May 20, 1913.
“SINLESS”!
Being Then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. – Rom. 6:18
But now being made free from, . . – Rom. 6:22
“Learn of Him how to live the Christlike life – a life free from every taint of sin.” – ST Oct. 7, 1903.
“Christ died to make it possible for you to . . . . cease to sin, . . .” – RH Aug. 28, 1894.
p. 181
ENOCH AND ELIJAH ARE TYPES OF GOD’S PEOPLE IN THE LAST DAYS
ENOCH AND ELIJAH are the correct representatives of what the [human] race might be through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan was greatly disturbed because these noble, holy men were untainted amid the moral pollution surrounding them, perfecting righteous characters, and accounted worthy for translation to heaven.
“As they had stood forth in moral power, in noble uprightness, overcoming Satan’s temptations, he could not bring them under the dominion of death.” – RH March 3, 1874. (Also found in Redemption or the Temptation of Christ In the Wilderness, pp. 23, 24).
What God did for Enoch and Elijah, He is waiting to do for us. God has given us their example and the example of Jesus, first, to prove to us that it can be done, and second, to inspire us to follow their example, so that He will be enabled to do it again in us!
p.189
Jesus came to save us, in this life, from the power and dominion of sin, and to make us more than conquerors through His power! This is not to be a partial, but a complete, deliverance!
p. 197
CONCLUSION
In conclusion: There is to be no character change when Christ comes. The sinful character must be wholly transformed into a righteous character before that time. If it is not done by the time probation closes, it will never be done. It will then be too late. IT IS NOW – IN THIS LIFETIME – BEFORE THE CLOSE OF PROBATION, that we are to prepare. We are not to wait until after the National Sunday Law to be rid of every bent, bias, tendency, inclination, and propensity to sin. How crucial is the present moment for Seventh-day Adventists living today with the full blaze of the accumulated revelation of truth of all ages shining upon them!
p. 209
Today, God’s people stand face to face with another great crisis – the greatest in the history of the world! Soon God’s people will face rejection, disgrace, persecution, another death decree [similar to the one issued by King Ahasuerus [Xerxes] in the book of Esther) Rev. 13:11-17. Will we reason as did Esther of 488 BC [and] nobly risk all for God’s cause?
Our decisions from day to day are shaping our character and preparing us ultimately for ignominious defeat or glorious victory. Those of us who are, little by little, compromising with the world, reasoning like the world, and seeking favour with the world will forsake the cause of God in the coming time of trouble!
Is it compromise and capitulation, or conviction, courage and conquest as with Esther of 488 BC?
Today the church – Your church – is standing in critical need of help. Can god count on you now?
In a Nutshell:
We, like Queen Esther, are a people of destiny,
Working with tremendous sense of destiny,
In an hour of destiny,
With a message of destiny,
For a world whose destiny,
Depends upon us living up to our destiny!
A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY
The destiny of the whole world hangs upon us! We are God’s people with god’s message, for God’s hour! This is what the Great controversy is all about.
THE ISSUE
The Great Controversy is over the Law of God. Satan says it is a bad law, that it is unnecessary, and that it cannot be kept.
God says it is a good law, that it is necessary and that it can be kept!
SATAN’S BATTLE PLAN
Satan is seeking to lead the whole world into hating and disobeying God’s Law by believing that it is a bad law, that it is arbitrary, unnecessary, impossible to keep, or that it eith has been changed [the 4th commandment] or abolished altogether.
GOD’S STRATEGY
God has raised up a people in this last era of Earth’s history (1844 to the end) through whon He is going to vindicate His Law.
HOW WILL THIS BE ACCOMPLISHED?
God is going to vindicate Himself and His Law by means of a people all over the world who will love, honor, and perfectly obey it.
This will completely, decisively, and eternally defeat and vanquish Satan, vindiciate God, win and terminate the great controversy between Christ and Lucifer, and secure the universe against sin’s ever arising again.
THUS IT MAY BE SEEN THAT:
1) Seventh-day Adventists are a people of high destiny;
2) The stakes are higher than the highest human thought can reach;
3) God’s program for winning the Great Controversy and His repudiation is in our hands;
4) The eternal destiny of more than three billion people [the whole world] rests upon us;
5) The termination of sin in the universe;
6) The termination of the suffering of the Father and the Son;
7) The finishing of the work;
8) The end of the world;
9) The Second Coming of Christ;
10) The defeat and destruction of Satan, and
11) The safety and securing of the universe is all dependent upon Seventh-day Adventists!
WHAT A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY RESTS UPON SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS!
THE PROOF
The doctrine of Righteousness by Faith
God’s eternal purpose in the Great controversy between Christ and Lucifer
The nature of Christ and the nature of man, and what happens to it in this life
How the wonderful EXPERIENCE of Righteousness by Faith (the message of 1888) may be experienced and maintained – God’s ten provisions for the complete, unbroken victory over sin.
Last-day events of Earth’s history and how we may prepare for them.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
To God alone be all of the praise forever and ever! Amen!
THE GREAT ADVENT MOVEMENT IN BIBLE PROPHECY
This is a world of destiny! This is a generation of destiny! This is a Movement of destiny! Truly, to be living on this Earth, in this generation, and to be a part of God’s People is sublime!
This is the hour!
To SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS Has been Entrusted the Most Important Truth Ever Given to Man!
“The Destiny of the World hangs in the Balance; but this hardly moves even those who claim to believe THE MOST FAR-REACHING TRUTH EVER GIVEN TO MORTALS.”
The Bible foretells that, with the end of the 2,300-year period of Dan. 8:14, in 1844, the Sanctuary would be cleansed, restored, justified, [and] vindicated. God’s Sanctuary also represents God’s government and character.
Thus, in 1844 and onward to the Close of Probation, Satan and Antichrist would be defeated and God would be vindicated through His People on Earth, which vindication would the kingdom away from Satan and Antichrist and enable Christ and His people to possess it forever.
Hence, it may be seen that Dan. 8:14 pictures a prophetic movement in the Last Days which would enable God to deal the crushing blow to Satan, terminate his reign, and establish His own kingdom and rulership over the Earth! What a mighty conflict we are caught up in! Let us be faithful unto death if necessary!
There is something greater than being a Christian! And that which is greater than being a Christian is being a SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN!
It’s the greatest privilege on Earth to be a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian! I’m glad I belong to this people and to this Movement! I love God so much that I want to be a part of His cause, His people, and His Eternal Future!
For those studious Seventh-Day Adventists who would like a complete list of Bible Prophecies, Parables, and Types which picture a special people (Seventh-Day Adventists) in a special time (the Last Days) with a special message (Rev. 14:6-12) for a world which will completely defeat Satan and vindicate God, the following is given:
Dan. 8:14 – The Cleansing, Restoration, Justification and Vindication of the Heavenly Sanctuary and the Investigative Judgement. GC 423, 424; 479-491.
Dan. 7:9, 10, 13,, 14, 18, 22, 26, 27 - The Investigative judgement – the Triumph of God’s truth and God’s People over Antichrist – Christ and His people possess the kingdom. EW 54-56; GC 479-491; 49-60; 424-432.
Mal. 3:1-3 – The coming of Christ to the Temple for the cleansing and perfecting of His people. GC 424, 425; PK 715, 716.
Matt. 25:1-13 – The coming of the Bridegroom in the parable of the ten virgins. GC 426-428, 480; 7 BC 872, 875, 985, 986; COL 405-421; EW 280, 55; COL 307. (Please see GC 426 connecting the above four texts with the Investigative Judgement and the Cleansing and perfecting of a People for His kingdom).
Heb. 8, 9 and 10:1-3, 14 – The Cleansing of the two Sanctuaries in type and antitype and their significance to God’s people today. GC 417-421.
Rev. 14:6-12; 18:1-4 – The Three Angels’ Messages – God’s last warning message for the world. (The purpose of the Great Controversy and the Third Angel’s message is to perfect a people, who, by their perfection, defeat Satan, vindicate God, and secure the universe.)
Zech. 3:1-8 – Joshua – the High Priest and the angel – the experience of God’s people during the Investigative Judgement. 6T 296; 5T 467-476; 6T 296; GC 485; 4BC 1178; PK 582-592.
Ezek. 9 – The sealing of God’s people – the Investigative Judgement.
Lev. 16:30 – The Antitypical Day of Atonement and its type – the Investigative Judgement. PP 357, 358.
Rev. 7 and 14:1-5 – The final sealing of God’s people in the Last Days.
Acts 3:19 – The sealing of god’s people and the Latter Rain. 6BC 160.
Rev. 10:6, 7 and Col. 1:27 – The mystery of God is finished. AA 476.
Joel 2:23, 25, 28 – The Latter Rain. AA 54, 55; 7BC 984; EW 71.
Isa. 4:2-4 – The Investigative Judgement, the perfecting of God’s people, and the blotting out of sin. GC 485; PK 592; 5T 476.
Isa. 58 – God’s great reformatory movement of the Last Days – the Seventh-day Sabbath restored. Ev 695; 6T 126; ML 224; PK 677, 678.
Rev. 12:17 – God’s Remnant Church of the Last Days. The age-long conflict between Satan and God’s true church. Identification marks of God’s true church. TM 472; PK 587; 1T 223; 2T 105; GC 592.
Rev. 13:12-17 – The United States in Bible Prophecy, the Image to the Beast, and the persecuted Remnant. GC 612, 553, 604, 605, 439-450, 578, 579.
Matt. 22:1-14 – The Parable of the man without a weddi8ng garment – the Investigative Judgement. COL 307-319; 5BC 1097; GC 428.
THE BOOK OF EXODUS – The Exodus Movement – a type of God’s people in the Last Days – many important parallels.
Mal. 4:4-6 – The Elijah message of the Last Days. 4 BC 1134, 1184; PK 716; 3T 62; Te 91.
TYPES – ENOCH, NOAH, ELIJAH, JOHN THE BAPTIST were types of God’s special messengers – The Remnant Church in the last days.
All of the above prophecies, parables, types foretell a special message in the Last Days. The time and that movement has come! A truth whose hour has come is the most powerful thing on Earth!
(See Closing Events Study No. 32 for the writer’s series of sermons on the above 20 very important texts concerning the great Advent Movement in Bible prophecy.)
P. 38
AS A PEOPLE WE NEED TO REAFFIRM OUR IDENTITY WITH THE REMNANT CHURCH OF REVELATION 12:17 and 18:1-4.
God’s People are a called out people!
We are misfits in the world. We have a special life-and-death message for the world.
The destiny of the world hangs on our special message, how we it, and how the world receives it.
Are we giving that message to the world? Is God revealing His character to the world through us?
Are we labouring under a tremendous sense of claim, a tremendous sense of destiny, a tremendous sense of urgency? May God gird us up to do great exploits for Him.
Just as John the Baptist found himself, his message, and his credentials in the Bible, just so do we Seventh-day Adventists find ourselves, our message, and our credentials in the Bible.
We were raised up in fulfilment of Bible Prophecy in order to prepare a people and the world for the second coming of Jesus.
Oh, my dear Brother, Sister in Christ, do we realize the solemnity of the hour in which we live? Do we have that burning conviction deep down in our hearts that we are a part of a great prophetic, worldwide movement of Bible Prophecy? Do we have that all-consuming assurance that we belong to a Movement of Destiny?
This great prophetic movement will not fail, but will soon triumph over all the world in a great burst of glory at the second coming of Christ.
At this special time in Earth’s history, this great special prophetic movement with its special message and revelation, is to gather out a special people from every nation, kindred, tongue and people, and prepare them for the crisis of the ages and the return of Jesus Christ to this Earth! What an honor God has bestowed upon us to put us upon the Earth in this last climactic, sublime hour of Earth’s history, and to call us to vindicate Him before the universe!
May god have mercy upon us and help us to measure up to our glorious eternal destiny!
Behold The Bridegroom Cometh; Go Ye Out To Meet Him!
A PROPHETIC MOVEMENT
Rev. 12:17 and Rev. 14:12 declare that in the last days of Earth’s history, God will have a special people in the world who will love, honor, obey, and reveal His holy law to the world. That special community of saints is the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
WE ARE A PEOPLE OF PROPHECY – A MOVEMENT OF DESTINY!
One church alone is giving this special message to the world; and we are giving it in 192 countries; and in 1000 dialects. God raised up this church for the specific purpose of giving the last warning message – The Three Angels’ Messages (Rev. 14:6-12) – to the world. When this final threefold message is given, Christ will return (verse 14).
The above verses picture a special [people at a special time in the history of the world, with a special message for the world! God has set Seventh-day Adventists in the world to be modern Noahs, modern Elijahs, modern John the Baptists!
It is a thrilling and solemnizing thought that, to Seventh-day Adventists who are in the world in fulfilment of Bible prophecy, have been assigned by heaven the particular responsibility of acting as guardians and revealers of God’s holy law to the world and to the entire universe.
But only a person who has been thoroughly converted and in whose heart (mind) has been written the law (character) of God, can obey and reveal that law to the world. Only a holy people can obey a holy law. Only a people who have the love of God in their hearts can keep or obey His law of love.
A Tremendous Responnsibity!
Upon them (God’s People) rets the responsibility of declaring that the law of God is not changed and never will be changed. R. H. Apr. 16, 1901.
How Accomplished?
God’s remnant people will accomplish this, not simply by telling the world that God’s Law of Ten Commandments is eternal and unchangeable and still in effect as a standard of righteousness and binding upon Christians under grace; but by revealing in their lives the righteousness of that Law. Thus they will demonstrate that the Law is (1) still in effect, and (2) that, by the marvellous grace of God, it can be obeyed.
Thus the world will learn that grace is he method of salvation in no wise abolishes the law as he standard of salvation!
God’s Special purpose For His People
It is the purpose of God to Glorify Himself In His People Before the World. 9T 21.
Christ is sitting for His portrait in every disciple . . . . In every one Christ’s long-suffering love, His holiness, meekness, mercy, and truth are to be manifested to the world. DA 827.
God’s Last Message To The World
The world today is in crying need of a Revelation of Jesus Christ in the person of His saints. RH March 31, 1909.
In Gethsemane the great burden weighing on the heart of Christ is expressed in His prayer “ . . . . that they may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us; . . . . that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in One; . . . . “
Wonderful statement! The unity that exists between Christ and His disciples does not destroy the personality of either. They are one in purposed, in mind, in character, but not in person. It is thus that God and Christ are One. 8T 269.
This is truly a wonderful statement and a wonderful truth! Oh, the glory of Oneness with God!
“The last rays of merciful light, the Last Message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.
The Children of God are to manifest His Glory (Character) COL. 415, 416.
In the preceding inspired statements, it will be seen that God’s special task for his people in Earth’s final generation, is to reveal in their lives the righteous character of God to the World.
As in the days of the Apostles, God wants the world to take notice of His people that “they have been with Jesus” and have learned of Him. (Acts 4:13).
THE CENTRAL ISSUE IN THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
That THE LAW OF GOD is (1)
[ UNDER CONSTRUCTUION ]
p. 57
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THE UNDERLYING MOTIVES WHICH LED JESUS TO DIE
What were the Basic, Underlying Motives which Led Jesus to Die?
Introduction
As we have already noticed in chapter 4, God has an infinitely higher
motivation for the salvation of the human race than His own personal
advantage. We must understand also that the salvation of man was alone
the reason for His death. This is certainly one essential purpose for
the Atonement, but not the only one. The atonement affects not only
sinners upon this planet, but every living creature in the universe,
fallen and unfallen.
What then was it that led Jesus to such humiliation, suffering and
death? (The Reader would do well to read again and mark Education, p.
263. See p. 74 of this Study)
"Why should man not study the theme of Redemption? It is the greatest
subject that can engage the human mind. 5BC 1132.
It is very unfortunate hat, while many Seventh-day Adventists rejoice
in the great truth that Jesus died on the Cross in order to save them
from their sins, yet they give no thought to the other facets of His
marvelous sacrifice of Himself.
In fact, it comes to many as a great surprise that He had any other
purpose for dying on the Cross. Thus far, in his research of the Bible
and of the Spirit of Prophecy, the writer has discovered 24 reasons
which led Jesus to come to this earth, to take our human nature upon
His divine nature, and to suffer and die.
This chapter will consider briefly these 24 basic motives which led
Jesus to come to earth and to die. Undoubtedly there are many more
reasons which we will discover as we continue our research here upon
earth, and as we study into the mysteries of redeeming grace
throughout eternity. All of these reasons interlock and overlap.
Let us look now at the 24 following points which answer the question,
Why Did Jesus Die?
1. Jesus Died Because God Is Love
The first, foremost, and greatest reason Jesus died, is because God is
Love, and Love must give. You can give without loving, but you cannot
love without giving. Love must express itself. God loves sinners so
much that He was even willing to die for them.
"Amazing love, how can it be,
That Thou, my God, Hast died for me?" - Selected
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John
3:16
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent
his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
"Divine love was stirred to its unfathomable depths for the human race."
God willingly gave Heaven's most precious gift for the redemption of
sinners. And Jesus freely gave Himself. Jesus could not consider
heaven a place to be desired while we were lost. He willingly left all
for us. He came all the way down to our level.
He paid the full price. There is absolutely nothing more that God
could wisely do for our salvation. In the gift of Jesus God gave all
heaven. It is impossible that god could wisely give or suffer or
sacrifice more than He has already done and continues to do for us.
2. Jesus Died To Reveal The Character of God
Satan had charged that God was really not a God of love - that god did
not truly love us - but that He was actually harsh, stern, selfish,
and arbitrary. Satan sought to deceive the angels in heaven, beings on
other worlds, and human beings, into believing that God was not love,
but rather that He was unreasonable, unjust, dictatorial, and
tyrannical.
How could God disprove Satan's lie and truly reveal His infinitely
righteous character of love? The first reason in our list for the
death of Jesus is that God is Love.
But this was not sufficient. It was not enough that god loved us; He
wanted us to know that He loved us. He wanted to demonstrate that
love so that we would know what He was like – that He was holy, just and good, kind, loving, unselfish and compassionate – that He did truly love us with an infinite love – with a love which is stronger than death.
It would not do for God to remain in heaven and tell us that He loved us. Sinners would not believe Him. Even though He would speak from heaven, sinners would not believe Him. And so God came to Earth!
Had God sent an angel to die for sinners, Satan would have mocked, “You see! That’s exactly what I’ve been telling you all along! God loves you enough to send someone else to die for you! He doesn’t love you enough to suffer and die for you Himself!”
But no, He did not send someone else; He did not send an angel. He came Himself! God, the Son, came down and took upon Himself our human nature and lived and taught and suffered and died as our sacrifice. Jesus came to reveal the Father to us and to the universe, and by His death revealed Him as a God of infinite love and holiness.
“He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father.” - John 14:9
“Through the Cross we learn that our Heavenly Father loves us with an infinite and everlasting love, and draws us to Him with more than a mother’s yearning sympathy for a wayward child. 5 BC 1133.
In beholding the Cross, the view is extended to God . . . we . . . behold His love for sinners, which is stronger than death. To the world the Cross is the incontrovertible argument that God is truth and light and LOVE. - 5 BC 1133.
The Father gave the Son, not only to come to Earth, but to die! The pale, limp, lifeless form of the Son of God on the Cross was God’s conclusive, incontrovertible, eternal proof that God is LOVE!
Jesus’ death fully revealed the character of God and decisively defeated Satan. Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven.” – Luke 10:18.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation [atoning sacrifice] for our sins. – 1 John 4:9, 10.
God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. – Rom. 5:8.
JESUS DIED TO SAVE SINNERS
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. – 1 Tim. 1:15
And as Moses lifted up the [brazen] serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. – John 3:14-17
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. – 1 John 4:9
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life. - 1 John 5:12
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not se life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. – John 3:36
For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost. – Luke 19:10
Christ died to save sinners. – 1 Tim. 1:15
The Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. – John 10:11 (15, 18)
Even as the Son came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many. - Matt. 20:28.
Could Satan have induced Him [Christ] to commit one sin, the world would have been abandoned to the power of the prince of darkness. ST June 28, 1910.
God knew that the human race was hopelessly lost unless He did something for it. And the only thing that would redeem the sinner was for God to die for him. There was absolutely no other way possible for God to save sinners. This is the Good News of Salvation – Christ died to save sinners! Christ died to save you!
JESUS DIED TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR GOD TO FORGIVE SINNERS
“ . . . and without shedding of blood is no remission.” – Heb. 9:22
“ . . . it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” – Lev. 17:11
“And the blood shall be to you for a token. . . ” – Ex. 12:13
“And when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” – Ex. 12:13
“ . . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:7
Since the Fall the lord wrought out His will in the plan of Redemption, a plan by which He is seeking to restore man to his original perfection. Christ’s death on the Cross had made it possible for God to receive and pardon every repentant soul. – ST June 12, 1901; FILB 76.
Hence we conclude that it would have been impossible for God to pardon sinners if Jesus had not come and died for them. If God had pardoned sinners without the death of His Son, the entire universe would have been imperilled, as this chapter will reveal.
JESUS DIED TO JUSTIFY GOD IN JUSTIFYING SINNERS
God is a Governor
He has a government
That Government has a Law
That Law is the Ten Commandments
Transgression of the Ten Commandments is Sin
Sin is the transgression of the Law – 1 John 3:4
. . . where no Law is, there is no transgression – Rom. 415
. . . sin is not to be imputed when there is no law. Rom. 5:13
. . . I had not known sin, but by the Law. – Rom. 7:7
. . . for by the Law is the knowledge of sin. – Rom. 3:20
The wages [punishment] of sin is death. – Rom. 6:23
Justice demands that the sinner be put to death.
Although God is merciful, He cannot exercise mercy at the expense of His Justice. Justice must not be set aside. God, the great Governor of the universe, must act in such a way as to make mercy compatible with justice. In this way only will He be able to win the confidence of every intelligent being in the universe.
Since the justice of God and Public Justice demand the death of the transgressor
– How can God pardon the Law-breaker and still be just?
– How can He pardon the disobedient citizen of His government and satisfy public justice?
The sinner, a citizen of God’s universal moral government, has broken God’s Law and therefore deserves to die. Justice cries out for the life of the law-breaker. God, being a just Governor, must enforce His Law, and inflict the death penalty upon the Law-breaker, but being a merciful Governor, He wants to pardon the law-breaker and let him go free.
How Can This Be Done?
Justice must not be set aside by mercy. If justice were set aside, God’s government would be in peril. That is, it would not be safe to the moral government of god which fills the entire universe, for Him to exercise mercy in forgiving sinners without exercising justice in seeing that the demands of the Law were met, and the sentence against law-breaker executed.
God, at infinite cost and suffering to Himself, devised a way to make mercy compatible with justice – to make it safe for Him to exercise mercy and to pardon transgressors.
Again, justice demands the life of the law-breaker. Since the sinner has broken the Law, he deserves to die. But god loves the sinner and is merciful and forgiving. He wants to forgive him and to save him from the penalty of the Law which he has broken.
But how can God be just and uphold His Law, and, at the same time, be merciful and inflict the penalty of the Law upon the guilty law-breaker? How can God just and justify the sinner ?
Again, how can God, instead of punishing the law-breaker as His justice demands, pardon him and set him free, as His mercy pleads?
How can this be done? Can Mercy be set aside? Can He abolish or change the Law? Can He abolish or change the penalty of His Law? Can He simply pardon the sinner without thought of the consequences?
Can justice be set aside? No! Justice cannot be set aside! The Law cannot be changed or set aside. Justice must be exercised to the utmost! Justice must be satisfied!
How Can This Be Done?
Only by God taking the penalty upon Himself, or the letting the penalty fall upon a suitable substitute.
The Substitute must be suitable or acceptable
- To God
- To Satan and his evil angels
- To the unfallen angels and the sinless beings on other worlds, and
- To human beings, to sinners, and to the Redeemed
That substitute, suitable in all respects to all parties involved, is God’s own Son who is God, and equal to the Law, even above the Law, which has been broken.
Christ’s death on the Cross makes God’s mercy compatible with His justice.
Because of the sacrifice of Christ God can justly exercise mercy in forgiving and saving repentant sinners.
- His justice is satisfied
- His Mercy is satisfied
- His Law is satisfied
- The offense is dealt with satisfactorily
- The penalty of the Law is executed
- All unfallen intelligent creatures in the universe are satisfied
- Even Satan, evil angels, and sinners are satisfied
And so, Jesus died in order to justify God in justifying sinners – repentant sinners. Through Christ’s sacrificial death, both God’s justice and mercy are exercised to the fullest extent.
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. – Rom. 3:26.
Through this plan the great, the dreadful God can be just, and yet be the justifier of all who believe in Jesus, and who receive Him as their personal Saviour. – 5BC 1133.
The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man would not only make heaven accessible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and His Son in their dealing with the rebellion of Satan. – PP 69.
The death of Christ proclaimed the justice of His Father's law in punishing the transgressor, in that He consented to suffer the penalty of the law Himself in order to save fallen man from its curse. – 2T 201.
The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. – 5BC 1132.
Christ came to this earth to make an atonement for transgression. His atonement was complete in every part. As He hung on the cross, He could say, “It is finished.” The demands of justice were satisfied. The way to the throne of grace was opened for every sinner. - ST July 31, 1901
At the Cross, justice and mercy embrace and kiss each other; both are fully satisfied.
Christ’s death completely satisfies the justice of the Law.
His death completely satisfies the justice of God.
His death completely satisfies public justice (the citizens of His government).
In earthly governments, public justice is satisfied only if the one who is guilty is punished, or something else of its equivalent is done.
Public justice will accept the punishment of a Substitute providing the guilty law-breaker fulfils certain conditions:
He must be truly sorry (repentant) for his offence,
He must freely and fully confess his guilt
He must determine and pledge hence forth to honor, respect, uphold, and obey the law which he has broken.
Since God purposed to forgive or pardon the repentant sinner, the penalty must fall upon the Administrator of the moral government of the universe. Otherwise, the citizens of the universe would lose all respect for the justice of its divine Magistrate.
Jesus Christ is God’s substitute for the guilty repentant sinner. All of the loyal citizens of God’s government are satisfied with the transaction of the Cross and the terms upon which God forgives and saves repentant sinners. Public Justice is satisfied.
4. Christ’s death completely satisfies the justice of God’s enemies.
Unrepentant sinners are silenced. They could ask no greater sacrifice. Satan is shocked, utterly amazed, and silenced. He can demand no greater sacrifice.
Satan had also declared that if God forgave and took sinners to heaven, to be fair and consistent and impartial, He would have to take him and his angels back into heaven.
Christ’s death on the Cross defeats Satan and renders utterly speechless.
The time is coming when at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father [who is Holy ,just and good]. Phil. 2:5-11.
As the bow in the cloud is formed by the union of sunlight and the shower, so the rainbow encircling the throne represents the combined power of mercy and justice. It is not justice alone that is to be maintained; for this would eclipse the glory of the rainbow of promise above the throne; men could only see the penalty of the Law.
Were there no justice, no penalty, there would be no stability to the government of God. It is the mingling of judgement and mercy that makes a salvation complete. Is the blending of the two that leads us, as we view the world’s Redeemer, and he Law of Jehovah to exclaim, “Thy gentleness has made me great.” RH Dec 13, 1892; 5 BC 1133.
The plan of salvation (the death of Jesus) manifests and satisfies the justice of God.
1. In standing by His law
2. In forgiving repentant sinners
3. In exercising mercy
4. In condemning sin
5. In destroying unrepentant sinners
6. In destroying Satan and his angels
7. In all of God’s dealings with all of His creatures in all the universe!
This is one of the important steps of God in securing the universe against a second uprising of sin.
Thus it may be clearly seen that Jesus died in order to reveal the justice of God in condemning and destroying unrepentant sinners and in pardoning and saving repentant sinners.
JESUS DIED TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR GODF TO FORGIVE SINNERS
It is the mingling of judgement (justice) and mercy that makes salvation complete. – 5 BC 1133.
In dying for sinners and in the sinner’s place, Jesus makes it not only just for God to exercise mercy toward law-breakers, He also makes it safe. Because of Jesus’ death, God can safely exercise mercy without peril to His government.
The exercise of mercy is a very delicate and perilous thing for the government [of God]. Often law-breakers are emboldened by mercy. Law-breakers are prone to mistake mercy or leniency for license. God is merciful, but He cannot exercise mercy at the expense of His government.
If God were to exercise mercy and forgive the guilty, convicted law-breaker without recognising that the penalty of the law must be inflicted upon a suitable substitute, the Law would be weakened, dishonoured, broken down, and the citizens would be emboldened to break it with a high hand. This is exactly what happened in the United States (1970). Criminals and would-be criminals have lost their respect for the law because its penalty is not enforced.
Therefore, in order to make it safe for Him to exercise mercy, God must cause the penalty of the broken law to fall upon a suitable substitute. Christ’s death in fulfilling the demands of the Law honoured and upheld the Law and enabled God to exercise mercy in pardoning and forgiving sinners without peril to His Government which fills the universe.
Thus, the death of Christ has made it safe for God to exercise mercy in pardoning repentant sinners.
1. God’s Law is honoured and upheld
2. His government is established
3. Sin receives its just deserts,
4. Justice is fully exercised,
5. Mercy is satisfied,
6. God Himself is vindicated,
7. Satan is unmasked and defeated,
8. Repentant sinners are pardoned, transformed, and saved,
9. Unrepentant sinners are condemned,
10. The great Controversy has been won, and
11. The Universe secured
Consequently, when the great controversy is ended, the universe will not only be a good place in which to live, it will also be a safe and secure place.
JESUS DIED TO HONOR AND UPHOLD HIS LAW
From the first the Great controversy has been upon [over] the Law of God. – ST Nov. 25, 1913.
Satan has deceived most of the Christian world into believing that God’s moral law of Ten Commandments has been changed or abolished.
Roman Catholicism claims to have changed it.
Protestantism claims that it has been nailed to the Cross and abolished.
Satan has also charged that God’s Law is unnecessary, faulty, arbitrary, unreasonable, selfish, and dictatorial.
How could God disprove Satan’s false charges? How could He honor, vindicate, and establish His perfect, holy law of love?
Divine Love found a way! A way which has left Satan dumbfounded, speechless, [and] utterly defeated.
Jesus died in order to satisfy, honor, uphold, establish, and vindicate the law of God’s universal moral government.
God’s law is holy, just and good. It has not been changed and never will be changed. It is unchanging and unchangeable! It must be respected and obeyed. God has declared that its penalty is death to all who disobey it. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23); “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezek. 18:4)
But from the beginning, sinners with a high hand, have dishonoured and broken God’s law. God must stand by His law at all costs to Himself. But He loves sinners and wants to forgive them. Satan has charged that God cannot forgive sinners. He has charged that if should forgive sinners, His law would be proven to be defective and faulty and it would not stand. He has charged that if god took sinners o heaven, he would also, to be consistent, and just, have to take him and his angels back into heaven! What would God do? How could He stand by His law and also forgive sinners for breaking that Law?
Only by executing its penalty upon a suitable Substitute – Upon one of the members of the Godhead! And so, Jesus Christ died under the demands of the Law. He died in order to honor,, uphold and vindicate the Law. The Law had been dishonoured by its violation. The offended Law demanded the execution of the death penalty upon the guilty condemned sinner. If the penalty were to be changed or set aside, then the honor and authority of the Law would be completely destroyed. It would lose its terror and authority and no one would have any respect for it; disobedience and anarchy, fear and unhappiness, suffering and death would be the result.
God has suspended the execution of the sentence upon the sinner for a time – a probationary period. But the Law must be honoured. In order to honor the Law which sinners have dishonoured by disobedience, God executed its death penalty upon His only begotten Son. He has in no way revised or abolished His Law or changed its penalty. Rather, He has executed its penalty upon a Substitute acceptable to all concerned parties.
In laying the penalty upon His Son, He has shown the highest respect and honor for the Law and has shown that He would sooner let His well-beloved Son die than to set the Law aside. Jesus died on the Cross in order to prove that the moral Law of God’s government could not be changed or abolished.
If the eternal moral Law of God could have been changed or abolished, Christ need not have died. The death of Christ on Calvary is the strongest proof possible that God could give that His Law is eternal and unchangeable. By Christ’s death in the sinner’s place, God has shown that His Law cannot be broken with impunity.
Thus, the Law must be honoured and upheld at all costs and it has been honoured and upheld at a fearful cost – the cost of the sufferings and death of the Son of God – and the continuous suffering of the Father and the Son ever since sin first entered.
If the Law had been set aside, there would have been 1. No sin; consequently there would have been 2. No need for an atoning sacrifice, and 3. Jesus need not have died.
Therefore, the death of Jesus honoured and upheld the Law and is the strongest proof possible that it is holy, just, good, eternal, unchangeable, and still binding as a standard upon the citizens of God’s moral government.
“The death of Christ on the cross of Calvary . . . . the atonement . . . . was the utmost that God could do to preserve the honor of His Law, and still save the transgressor.” 5BC 1132.
The death of Christ testifies to the heavenly universe, to the worlds unfallen, and to all the sons and daughters of Adam, that the Law is immutable, and that in the judgement, it will condemn everyone who has persisted in transgression.” - 5ST April 7, 1898.
“The transgression of God’s Law made the death of Christ essential to save man and yet maintain the dignity and honor of the Law.” – FILB 104.
“The death of God's beloved Son on the cross shows the immutability of the law of God. His death magnifies the law and makes it honourable.” - 2T 201.
“If the law could be changed, man might have been saved without the sacrifice of Christ; but the fact that it was necessary for Christ to give His life for the fallen race, proves that the law of God will not release the sinner from its claims upon him.” – PP 70.
Jesus Himself declared that He had not come to destroy the Law but to enforce it. (See Goodspeed’s version). Matthew 5:17-19. Please see Chapter 4, Section 1 for many New Testament texts which declare that the great Ten Commandment moral Law of God is still binding upon Christians under grace as a standard of righteousness.
If the law could have been abolished, there would have been no sin, and hence, no need for Christ to die. Therefore, the death of Jesus on the Cross is the strongest possible proof that God’s Law has not been nailed to the Cross, but that it is eternal and unchangeable.
Jesus came “to magnify the Law and make it honourable.” Isa. 42:21.
He loved it. He honoured it. He obeyed it. He amplified, demonstrated, and revealed it in His life on earth. He taught it to others. He enjoined it upon others. He died in our place, bearing its penalty on transgressors.
Thus, Jesus, our example, by His death, honoured and upheld God’s Law and government.
Christ’s death proved God’s administration and government to be without a flaw.
JESUS DIED TO REVEAL THE INTRINSIC NATURE OF SIN
Satan had declared that sin didn’t really matter at all, that disobedience was a mere trifle and that obedience was wholly unnecessary. He sought to convince the angels that God’s law was unnecessary, that it was arbitrary on the part of God to require a strict obedience on the part of the angels in their exalted sphere, and that transgression of God’s Law, instead of resulting in sin, suffering, evil and death, would result in great good! “You will be exalted; you will enter upon a higher sphere; you will be as gods,” Satan declared.
In short, Satan proclaimed that sin (disobedience to God’s Law) was highly beneficial – that it would result in great enlightenment, advancement, exaltation and happiness.
Great was the confusion caused by Lucifer, son of the morning! The deception was subtle, almost overwhelming! How could God reveal to His angels the true essence, nature, and character of disobedience? How could He prove conclusively that disobedience is sin and that sin is the opposite of love – that it is selfishness, evil, deceiving, degrading, destructive of all f good, life and happiness – that its very nature is evil, hateful, and exceedingly damaging to the entire universe?
There was only one way in which God could conclusively and eternally expose Satan’s true character and reveal the true nature of sin and make the universe eternally secure against such a deception ever arising again.
It would be an extremely costly venture to the Godhead. A terrible risk was involved to the members of the Godhead and to the universe itself. But the Godhead would not spare itself; it would stop at no amount of degradation, humiliation and suffering to do the only thing that was required to secure the happiness and well-being of the angels, all created beings, and the universe itself.
Although He was not at all responsible for sin, one of the members of the Godhead took sin upon Himself and suffered the result of sin in the sinner’s place in order to reveal the true nature of sin.
“He was made to be sin for us” Cor. 5:21) and suffered the consequences of sin that all might behold and see the malignity, the evil, the debauching, devastating nature of sin. That is, Christ was treated as though He were a sinner.
It was sin which took the purest, holiest, kindest, most loving, and unselfish Person who ever lived on earth and crucified Him. Yes, more, it was sin that murdered God! Yes, sin will even murder God who is infinite in love and compassion, kindness and unselfishness. Look, sinner, to the cross, and there behold the true nature of sin and what sin will do!
“The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man . . . . would reveal . . . . the nature sin.” – PP 69.
By His death, Jesus exposed sin for what it really is – Selfishness and rebellion.
“All the worlds behold in Him a living testimony to the malignity of sin, for in His divine form he bears the marks of the curse. He is in the midst of the throne as a Lamb that has been slain . . . “ – ST Dec. 30, 1889.
And so, in the death of his Son, God successfully demonstrated and convinced the universe that sin is exceedingly sinful, hateful, degrading, and destructive, both to the sinner and to the universe.
On the Cross Jesus demonstrated the exceeding wickedness of sin.
- Sin is voluntary wickedness
- Sin is selfishness
- Sin is stubborn rebellion against the Creator and Ruler of the universe.
- Sin would actually kill God; it did it in the person of Christ
- Sin must be exceedingly sinful
Can you look at the Cross and say that sin doesn’t matter; that it is a mere trifle; or hat it is good or beneficial? By suffering the results of sin – in dying – Jesus revealed that sin is exceedingly sinful and destructive.
Oh, you monster, Sin, what hast thou done? Sin answers: I cast a cherub from his holy and exalted position. I planted the seed of rebellion among the angels. I cast a third of the angels out of heaven. I corrupted Adam and Eve and drove them from paradise. I planted horns and thistles, put sweat upon the brow of man, and sowed the seeds of hate in his heart.
Sin would go on to say: I am the author of pride, envy, jealousy, hatred, lies, misery, degradation, woe, disgrace, heart-ache, pain and suffering. I am the cause of all the sickness, suffering and sorrow and misery in the world. I am the originator of death. I put a cemetery in every city, town and village.
I separated Jesus from His Father. I brought Him down from heaven. I drove Him into the Garden of Gethsemane and thrust Him dying to the ground. I lashed him up Calvary’s mountain. I spiked Him to the Cross. I broke His heart and caused Him to cry, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” I spilled His blood out on the ground. I murdered the pure, holy, spotless Son of god and locked Him in the tomb, and I will do the same to you if I possibly can!
JESUS DIED TO REVEAL THE INEVITABLE RESULTS OF SIN
Satan had declared that sin didn’t really matter, that sin was a mere trifle, and that sin did not result in death. He had declared that the transgression of God’s Law, instead of resulting in death, resulted in a higher form of life; “Ye shall not surely die;” “Ye shall be as gods;” “Ye shall enter upon a higher form of life!” (Gen. 3:4,5). So cunning was Satan that nearly half of the angels were deceived into believing his lies! And most of the people on this earth also believe him.
Angels and sinners must be impressed with the fact that sin ultimately and inevitably results in debasement, unhappiness, and death!
“The act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man . . . would reveal the results of sin. “ - PP 69.
“The fact that it was necessary for Christ to give His life for the fallen race, proves that the Law of God will not release the sinner from its claims upon him. It is demonstrated that the wages of sin is death.” – PP 70.
“Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” – James 1:15
Jesus, by dying, revealed the fact that the result, wages, and penalty for sin is death. God has said:
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. – Ezek. 18:4, 20
The wicked shall be turned into hell. - Ps. 9:17
The wages of sin is death. – Rom. 6:23
And Christ’s death proved it!
Thus, Jesus, by dying upon the Cross as one suffering the results of, and paying the penalty for sin, revealed that instead of sin’s resulting in peace, health, happiness, wisdom, advancement, and life, it actually resulted in exactly the opposite – in war, sickness, misery, deception, debasement, and death!
JESUS DIED TO REVEAL GOD’S HATRED FOR SIN
Satan declares that sin – disobedience to God’s law – is good, beneficial, enjoyable, and billions of human beings have been deceived into believing his lie. God must correct this terrible misconception!
How can God meet Satan’s great lie firs perpetrated in heaven, then in the garden of Eden, and now in the world? How can God, once and for all, reveal to the world His evaluation of sin, and convince the world and the entire onlooking universe that sin is something to be hated, avoided, and resisted unto death? Only by his Son’s dying on the cross.
The Cross, then, is God’s public testimony of what He thinks of sin!
“In beholding the Cross the view is extended to God, and His hatred of sin is discerned. But while we behold in the3 cross God’s hatred of sin, we also behold His love for sinners, which is stronger than death.” – 5BC 1133.
And dare you, sinner, go on sinning, sinning as though it doesn’t matter! Is this why Jesus died? Hold your darling sin up before the cross and ask yourself, Is this why Jesus died? Did Jesus die to give me the license to do this great wickedness? Am I to love the sin which destroys me and which God hates and which breaks His heart?
Dear Friend, sin must be exceedingly wicked, vile, sinful, hateful, and damaging:
- To incur the wrath of a God of love
- To deserve and require the death penalty
- To require such a tremendous sacrifice to atone for it
- To crucify the pure, holy, spotless Son 0f God
- To deserve the life of the sinner
- To result in the destruction in the lake of fire of all who cling to it
- To be the cause of all the hatred, crime, war, and natural disasters in the world
- To have broken the heart of god
- To continue to cause the members of the Godhead untold suffering from day to day!
Sin is so wicked and terrible and damaging and hateful that God would rather die than to permit it to continue! And this is exactly what He did in the Person of His Son!
God must, once and for all time, show the world and the universe what He thinks of sin. Christ died as God’s public testimony against sin. Christ died to demonstrate, reveal and express God’s disapproval, abhorrence, hatred and condemnation of sin. Sin is so exceedingly sinful, wicked, malignant, selfish, and deadly in its inherent nature that God must express His hatred and disapproval of it in no uncertain terms! –
- In the strongest possible terms
- In a way that will make a tremendous impression upon the mind and conscience and heart of the sinner
- In a way that will make the ears tingle, and the heart of all who hear to tremble!
The death of Jesus on the Cross shows that God will not, cannot, wink at sin as though it were a mere trifle. By taking the punishment, the wages of sin, which is death, upon Himself, God proved that His judgement upon sin and sinners is just.
Thus, no one, not even Satan, can successfully charge that God’s judgement upon sin and sinners is unfair, unreasonable, or unjust.
And so, the cross reveals the exceeding sinfulness of sin, God’s hatred for sin, and his judgement upon sin! This brings us to our next point.
JESUS DIED TO CONDEMN SIN
Satan sought to justify sin. “It’s too much expect of angels and of human beings – that they never sin. Everybody’s got to sin once in a while!” he declared.
Because of Satan’s subtly, deceptive claims, it became necessary for Jesus to condemn sin – to show that there was absolutely no justification for its existence whatsoever.
In our human nature and by His perfect sinless life, Jesus, who was tempted infinitely more than any angel or human being could ever be tempted, proved conclusively before the entire onlooking universe that:
- There was absolutely no excuse for Lucifer to sin
- There was absolutely no excuse for the angels to sin
- There was absolutely no excuse for Adam and Eve to sin
- There was absolutely no excuse for any human being ever to sin
Jesus, by His very own pure, holy, spotless life, demonstrated that sin is not necessary, that it is selfishness and rebellion.
By perfectly obeying God and His Law in every detail – by not once sinning – Jesus condemned sin forever!
“ . . . God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh condemned sin in the flesh.” – Rom. 8:3.
JESUS DIED TO REVEAL GOD’S JUDGEMENT UPON SIN
But to condemn sin was not enough! God must publically refute Satan’s charges and reveal His judgement upon sin. He must show, in no uncertain terms, that sin is exceedingly hateful and damaging, that He has condemned it forever, and that His judgement upon sin is death!
This He has done, once and for all, by executing its penalty upon His own Son!
The Father permitted his own pure, holy, spotless Son to be hung up on the Cross, above the earth where all could see and tremble at His judgement upon sin!
Thus, the death of Jesus on the cross, is God’s ETERNAL REVELATION OF His judgement upon sin and upon all who cling to it!
Consequently, the death of Jesus reveals not only:
- The intrinsic nature of sin
- The inevitable result of sin, and
- God’s hatred for sin, but also that
- His judgement upon sin is death!
Since sin is so deceptive, malicious, wicked, and destructive, God would have to do whatever was necessary to eradicate it from the universe forever. This brings us to our next point.
JESUS DIED TO DESTROY SIN FOREVER
Sin is just the opposite of love, unselfi8shness, righteousness, happiness, and life.
As long as sin existed, the universe would be filled with unhappiness and death – there would be a blotch, a mar upon God’s wonderful creative works.
The only way for God could eternally eradicate sin from the universe, would be to 1) assume he nature of a created being, 2) perfectly obey His royal law of love and liberty, and 3) take its penalty upon Himself and die as the atoning reconciling sacrifice for sin.
Thus, Jesus, by taking human nature upon Himself, by living a perfect sinless life of uninterrupted obedience to all of God’s commandments, and by His death (He resisted unto blood, He died rather than to sin) Jesus has made it possible for God to destroy sin and to put it away from the universe forever.
The time is coming when God is going to have a clean universe. Every creature in the universe will be living to the glory of God and will be singing His praises.
The book of Revelation gives us a picture of that glorious day.
“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” – Rev. 5:13
Sin and Sinners are no more! The entire universe s clean!
God is able to deal with the sin problem! If there were some place in the universe where there billions and billions of fallen angels and sinners suffering in hellfire for all future time, vcursing and swearing and blaspheming God and sinning, Satan would exultantly charge that God was not able to deal with the sin problem.
How wonderful and beautiful and decisive is God’s plan of salvation! By His sinless life and by His death, Jesus has decisively defeated Satan and sin and has assured their eternal eradication from the universe.
One pulse of harmony, love, peace and righteousness beats throughout the vast universe forever more!
JESUS DIED TO REVEAL THE WORTH OF THE SOUL
Satan has succeeded in deceiving the angels into believing that they were of no account to God. He has succeeded in convincing billions of people in the world that a human being is of little worth – in fact, that he is merely an animal.
Communists are convince that a human being is of no value; it’s the state that is important, the machine of the government, that is of value. Communism is willing to sacrifice billions of lives for the conquest of the world.
Jesus died on the Cross in order to refute Satan’s lie and to reveal the exceeding preciousness of the soul – your soul, my soul, any soul! Jesus’ dying on the Cross is God’s revelation to you and me, to the world, and to the universe, of God’s estimate of the inestimable worth, the exceeding great value, the infinite preciousness of the soul. He would have died for only one!
Are you ever discouraged? Do you sometimes question your worth? Do you ever wonder concerning the value of your soul? Do you really want to know what a single soul is worth to God? Come with me to the foot of the Cross and there behold God’s estimate of the worth of a soul! It is so dear, so precious to God, that He gladly volunteered to die rather than to lose it!
“The costly ransom that was provided reveals the value that God has set upon man.” - ST Oct 8, 1894.
“Our heavenly father has valued us at the price of Jesus.” – ST Jan. 16, 1893.
Discouraged sinner, God loves you! Your soul is precious to God! You who have been tempted to think that your life is of no value; you who have been tempted to think that there is no use going on, no use living any longer; you who are tempted to end it all by taking your own life; I bring you good news!
God loves you! You are precious to God! Your soul is of infinite value to your heavenly Father! God loves you with an infinite love and wants to give meaning and beauty, nobility and greatness to your life!
The cords that were broken, He can make to vibrate once more! God still wants to make of your life the beautiful thing He originally intended it should be! He can change your life completely! He can make of you an entirely new person! He can transform you and enoble you and finally glorify you eternally! He can challenge you and inspire you and thrill you through and through with His wonderful love and power and happiness.
Will you let Him? Your Saviour is standing at your heart’s door quietly knocking, patiently waiting, tenderly beseeching, earnestly pleading with you, to open the door of your heart and let the King of Glory come in!
Listen to His earnest appealing call! “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” – Rev. 3:20.
Do you not hear His tender voice calling to you? Will you not listen to the plaintive voice of God on your doorstep?
Will you respond to His loving invitation? Will you arise and open the door? Will you receive the lover of your soul? Will you let the King of glory come in and give you a new heart, a new lif3 altogether?
JESUS DIED TO RECONCILE SINNERS TO GOD
Satan has succeeded in deceiving one third of the angels and most the people of this world into believing that God is a harsh, stern judge and dictator – a tyrant with a big stick (hell-fire) – who is trying to scare people into being good. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Since God is love, He wants love to be the one and only motivation for sinners to obey Him.
And since God is infinite in love, wisdom and kindness, He is not trying to frighten people repentance; nor is He trying to force them, against their own free will, to obey Him.
God doesn’t want anyone to serve Him from the motives of fear or selfishness. He doesn’t want anyone to right for the wrong reason. Doing right for the wrong reason will never result in liberty, transformation, happiness, or salvation.
Our heavenly Father desires only the willing, glad-hearted obedience of faith and love. All other obedience is self-centered, legalistic, hypocritical, deceptive and self-destructive! But since sinners:
- Misunderstand and distrust God
- Hate God – “They hated me without a cause.” – John 15:25 “ . . . that hate me without a cause.” – Psalms 35:19 and “The haters of the Lord . . . “ – Psalm 81:15
- Have hardened their hearts against God
- Have alienated themselves from God
- Are fighting against God
- Love error and evil, and
- Hate truth and righteousness
How is God to clear Himself and win the confidence and respect of sinners? How is He to win the heart’s affection and loyalty of His lawless creatures?
How is God to dissolve the resentment, hostility, and hatred in the rebellious sinner’s heart, and reconcile him completely and eternally to Himself?
The sinner’s stubborn, selfish, rebellious heart must be subdued, converted, transformed. How is his to be done? This will be the miracle of miracles.
This can be done only by od dying for the sinner and in the sinner’s place! Nothing else could accomplish this great miraculous eternal transformation!
God desired to give such a tremendous revelation and demonstration of His love for sinners that it would enable Him to do the following for the sinner:
Enlighten his mind
Dissolve his hostility and win his confidence
Beget love and gratitude in his soul for God, truth and righteousness
Break his heart with grief over his sins
Lead him to surrender his will – to repent
Transform his character
Immortalize him forever
And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in Earth, or things in heaven. – Col. 1:20
God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. – 2 Cor. 5:19
By the death of Jesus, God intended to so move the sinner’s heart with sympathy, gratitude and love that the Holy Spirit would be able to lead the awakened sinner to repentance and reconciliation to God.
By this incredible revelation of Himself, God intended to beget in the sinner’s heart a hatred for sin and a love for righteousness, purity, and holiness.
Further, by His incredible love, condescension, and suffering God intended to beget within the responding sinner’s heart a tremendous motivating power and incentive to immediately break with his sins, to cast himself upon the mercy of God for forgiveness for the past and power for the present.
Thus, according to the plan of God, the death of Jesus was intended to have a melting subduing, convicting, converting, transforming influence upon the heart of he alienated sinner.
Hard and calloused indeed is the heart that does not respond to such love. It is the love of God that leads to repentance. It is the love of God that wins our hearts. It is the love of God that breaks sin’s infatuation and power. It is the love of God revealed most fully in the death of Jesus which reconciles us completely to God.
Of Himself, Jesus declared: “And I, if I be lifted up . . . . [crucified] will draw all men unto me. – John 12:32
It was the great Scottish preacher, Chalmers, who called the love of god manifested in Christ, “The expulsive power of a new Affection.”
The new affection for god is so much higher, so much more wonderful and satisfying than the old infatuation for sin, that it expels sin, and holds the repentant sinner a willing captive to the incredible love of God. Only the love of God can completely satisfy those longing hearts of ours!
The Bible states great truth when it declares: “We love Him, because He first loved us – 1 John 4:19
The goodness [love] of God leadeth thee to repentance. – Rom. 2:4
And again: The love of Christ constraineth (motivates, controls) us – 2 Cor. 5:14
It is not fear of hell-fire or selfish desires for heaven which leads to repentance and obedience, it is the love of God!
And so, by the death of Jesus on the cross, God accomplishes the conversion and reconciliation of sinners to Himself. This reconciliation restores sinners to their original perfection and brings them back into harmony, oneness and fellowship with God. Thus, by the death of Jesus, the atonement – the AT-ONE-MENT – is accomplished.
This sacrifice was offered for the purpose of restoring man to his original perfection; yea more. It was offered to give him an entire transformation of character, making him more than a conqueror. – SD 242
JESUS DIED TO VINDICATE THE CHARACTER OF GOD
In heaven, Lucifer had misrepresented the character of God. So sly and cunning and subtle was the arch-apostate, that he deceived one-third of the angels into rebelling against their Creator. On Earth, Satan carried forward his deceptive work which he began in heaven. He misrepresented, slandered, falsely accused, and maligned God’s character. Unfortunately, most of the inhabitants of Earth have fallen for Satan’s lie.
So long as this deception continued, the universe could never be a safe and a happy place in which to live. And so, at infinite suffering to the Godhead, one of the members of the godhead came to Earth to 1) Unmask Satan and real his true character, 2) to reveal the character of god, and thereby, 3) defeat Satan, 4) eternally vindicate God, and 5) secure he universe.
One of the purposes of the plan of salvation is the vindication of the character of God before he universe. – 6BC 999.
The universal purpose in redemption includes the vindication of the name and character of God, which have been challenged by Satan and questioned by angels. – 6 BC 1016.
Paul reminds us that the historic Jesus whom they acknowledge as Lord was the Christ of the eternal purpose of God to effect man’s salvation and to vindicate his character. – 6 BC 1016.
But the plan of redemption has yet a broader and deeper purpose than the salvation of man. It was not for this alone that Christ came to the Earth; It was not merely that the inhabitants of this little world might regard the law of God as it should be regarded, but it was to vindicate the character of God before he universe . . . . the act of Christ in dying for the salvation of man would not only make heaven accessible to men, but before all the universe it would justify God and his Son in dealing with the rebellion of Satan – PP 68, 69.
JESUS DIED TO EXPOSE, CONDEMN, CONQUER AND DESTORY SATAN
Being evil, for the good of the universe, Satan and his evil angels must be destroyed. God could have destroyed them when they first sinned, but had He done so,
Some angels would question why,
Many angels would serve Him through fear,
The revelation of the character of God which the universe needed to destroy sin and secure it would not have been given,
The universe would not be secure,
Sin would rise up again and again throughout all eternity.
The only way God could unmask, defeat and destroy Satan and his evil angels was to come to and permit Himself to be crucified by the devil. In this way He would reveal his own true character as well as the true character of Satan. This would justify Him in destroying Satan and his evil; angels.
Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. – 1 John 3:8
The death of Christ upon the cross made sure the destruction f him who has the power of death, who was the originator of sin. When Satan is destroyed, there will be none to tempt to evil; the atonement will never need to be repeated; and there will be no danger of another rebellion in the universe. That which alone can effectively restrain from sin in this world of darkness, will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. – 5 BC 1132.
When Jesus died on the cross, the death-knell of Satan was sounded. Christ’s death assured the destruction of the originator of sin of all his followers.
He [Satan] had dared to hope that Jesus would not take up His life again; but his courage failed him when the Saviour came forth, having paid the full ransom man, thus enabling him to overcome Satan in his own behalf in the name of Christ, the Conqueror. The Archenemy now knew that he must eventually die, and that his kingdom would have an end. – PT Feb. 18, 1886.
JESUS DIED TO FULFILL THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES CONCERNING HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH
We are born to live; Jesus was born to die. He came into this world and took human nature upon Himself in order that He might die. In His life and death Jesus fulfilled 40 centuries of prophecies concerning Himself. He came and died in direct fulfilment of these Old Testament prophecies. His death was only one of many Old Testament prophecies which He fulfilled.
There are 331 direct, specific prophecies concerning the Messiah in the Old Testament. These were all fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth and in no other person.
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. – Luke 24:27
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” – Luke 24:44
But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” – Matt. 26:56
The following is a partial list of Old Testament prophecies concerning Jesus together with their New Testament fulfilment:
- The place of His birth – Bethlehem – Micah 5:2 – Matt. 2:1-6; Jn. 7:42
- The manner of His birth – of a virgin – Isa. 7:14 – Matt. 1:22, 23
- His human generation (Humanity) – Gen. 3:11; Isa 7:14; Isa. 9:6; - Matt. 1:1; Jn. 1:1-3, 10, 14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Lk. 19:10; Phil. 2:7, 8; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb.
- His divine nature (Divinity) – Isa. 7:14 (Immanuel means ‘God with Us’) ; Isa. 9:6 – John 1:3
Five centuries of prophecies fulfilled in one day
p. 105
p. 107
JESUS DIED TO SECURE THE ANGELS AGAINST SIN
So9 subtle and deceptive were the accusations of Lucifer that one third of the angels joined him in his rebellion. The other two thirds were not secure but were also in danger of being deceived into rebelling against God. The only way for them to be secure was for God to expose Satan’s malignant character and reveal His own righteous character, and the only way He could do this was to come to Earth and to die for sinners.
The angels ascribe honor and glory to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God. It is through the efficacy of the cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the cross they are no more secure against evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan.
Angelic perfection failed in heaven. Human perfection failed in Eden, the paradise of bliss. All who wish for security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God.
It is o marvel to angels that the infinite sacrifice made by the Son of God was ample enough to bring salvation to a fallen race, but that this atoning sacrifice should have been made is a wonder to the universe.
It is a mystery that angels desire to look into. The angels are amazed at the indifference and coldness manifested by those for whom so great a sacrifice has been provided. They look with grief and holy indignation upon those who do not seek to appreciate the unspeakable gift of God. ST Dec 30, 1889. See also 5BC 1132
JESUS DIED TO SECURE THE UNIVERSE AGAINST ANOTHER REBELLION
By Lucifer’s rebellion, the entire universe was made insecure. The whole universe was imperilled. The death of Jesus secure it eternally against another uprising of sin.
The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provided an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. . . . – ST Dec. 30, 1889
The fall of man, with all its consequences was not hidden from the Omnipotent. Redemption was not an after thought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam, but an eternal purpose, suffered to be wrought out for our blessing, not only of [for] this atom of a world but for the good of all the worlds that God had created. - ST May 16, 1911.
It was therefore necessary to demonstrate to the inhabitants of heaven and all of the worlds, that God’s government is just, His Law is perfect. – PP 42.
When Christ cried out “It is finished” the unfallen worlds were made secure.
For them the battle was fought and the victory won. Henceforth Satan has no place in the affection of the universe. - RH March 12, 1901.
The arm that raised the human family from the ruin which Satan had brought upon the race through the temptations, is the arm which has preserved the inhabitants of the other worlds from sin. Every world throughout immensity engages the care and support of the Father and the Son; and this care is constantly exercised for the fallen humanity. – RH Jan. 11, 1861
The work of God’s dear Son in undertaking to link the created with the uncreated, the finite with the Infinite in His own divine Person, is a subject that may well employ our thoughts for a lifetime. This work of Christ was o confirm the beings of other worlds in their innocency and loyalty, as well as to save the lost and perishing of this world. He opened a way for the disobedient to return to their allegiance to God, while by the same act He placed a safeguard around those who were already pure, that they might not become polluted.
The death of Christ upon the cross made sure the destruction of him who has the power of death., who was the originator of sin. When Satan is destroyed there will be none to tempt to evil; the atonement will never need to be repeated; and there will be no danger of another rebellion in the universe of God.
That which can effectually restrain from sin in this world of darkness will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. Fallen men could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we then not exalt the cross of Christ? – ST Dec. 30, 1889
Through Christ’s redeeming work the government of God stands justified. The Omnipotent One is made known as the God of love. Satan’s charges are refuted, and his character unveiled. Rebellion can never again arise. Sin can never again enter the universe. Through eternal ages all are secure from apostasy. By Love’s self-sacrifice, the inhabitants of earth and heaven are bound to their Creator in bonds of indissoluble union. – DA 26
Then the extermination of sin will vindicate God’s love and establish His honor before a universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His Law.
Well then might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour’s cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure. Christ Himself fully comprehended the results of the sacrifice made upon Calvary. – DA 764
What do ye imagine against the Lord? He will make an utter end [of sin and suffering]; affliction shall not rise up the second time. – Nahum 1:9
JESUS DIED TO GIVE US AN EXAMPLE AND PATTERN TO FOLLOW
He died to make an atonement and to become a pattern for everyone who would be His disciple. – 5BC 1128
Jesus died not only to make an atonement for us, but to be our pattern. – 5T 17
Christ can to Earth , taking humanity and standing as man’s representative, to show in the controversy with Satan that man, as God created him, connected with the Father and the Son, could obey every divine requirement. - ST June 9, 1898
. . . . [Christ] came to this world to live the Law in humanity, that Satan’s charges that man cannot keep the Law might be demonstrated false. – ST April 7, 1898
Christ’s own life was a constant expression of the Law of God. – ST Oct 29, 1896
God was not content to command us to keep His law; He came to the earth, and in human flesh kept it Himself in the person of His Son. Thus He gave us an example that we should follow Him.
Jesus said, “I have given you an example . . . “ – John 13:15
. . . . Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps – 1 Peter 2:21.
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked – 1 John 2:6.
In His Son, God has placed before man the life he is to live. – ST July 22, 1897.
For the sake of brevity, further evidence is omitted from this section. Please see chapter 4 for many quotations confirming this point.
JESUS DIED TO PROVE THAT THE LAW OF GOD CAN BE PERFECTLY OBEYED
By His life and death, Christ proved that God’s justice did not destroy His mercy, but that sin could be forgiven, and that the Law is righteous and can be perfectly obeyed, Satan’s charges were refuted. God had given man unmistakable evidence of His love. – DA 762
JESUS DIED TO SANCTIFY US
Wherefore Jesus, also that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. – Heb. 13:12
We are won, converted, transformed, sanctified by the truth – the truth about God, the truth that God is love and that He died for our sins.
Sanctify them, through thy truth, Thy word is truth. – John 17:17.
Thus, it is the knowledge of God that brings redemption. It is the knowledge of God, His love, His character, His plan of salvation, that transforms us and saves us.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. – John 8:32.
The truth makes us free from 1) the slavery and tyranny of Satan and sin, 2) error, 3) fear, and 4) death.
And be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind . . . – Rom. 12:2
Our transformation takes place by the renewing of our minds. And what is it that renews the mind? It is the truth about God, the truth that God is love and that He died to save us from our sins. This is the great knowledge which enlightens, enobles, sanctifies, and save us with a great salvation. What a great and wonderful God! God is so good and so great that we want to be a part of his cause, His people, and His eternal future.
JESUS DIED TO SUFFER WHAT THE LOST SINNER WILL ULTIMATELY SUFFER.
But you say, when Jesus was on Earth, He told the people that He would rise again from the grave. Yes, this is true, but when He finally came to the time in His ministry when the sins of the whole world were rolled upon Him, He felt that sin was so terrible that it was eternally separating Him from His Father.
When he came to that time when He was suffering the wages and penalty and punishment for sin; the bright hope which He previously possessed had been removed; He could not see through the portals of the tomb. He though that He was going down to a death from which there would be no resurrection.
When martyrs die, they have the hope of the resurrection, but when Jesus actually faced death, He did not have this assurance. To all practical purposes, Jesus gave up His eternal life for us. This is what forced the blood through his pores in Gethsemane! This is the thing that flung him dying to the garden sod. This is what wrung from His lips that awful forsaken cry, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?” This is what broke His heart on the cross. Yes, this is what took His life.
He paid the full price! He suffered God’s judgement upon sin – eternal rejection, eternal separation, eternal death! It was real! It was terrible! Thank God, the Father did not leave Him in the tomb!
In the book, Desire of Ages, Ellen G White says, “It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones.” – DA 83
Let us contemplate the suffering of Christ in Gethsemane, for it was there that the victory was won and the strength gained, through surrender, through the ordeal of the following eighteen hours which ended with His death.
Let us notice the following heart-breaking descriptions of what He suffered in Gethsemane. (DA 685-694).
In company with His disciples, the Saviour slowly made His way to the garden of Gethsemane. . . . as He neared Gethsemane, He became strangely silent. He had often visited this spot for meditation and prayer, but never with a heart so full of sorrow as upon this night of His last agony . . . . now He seemed to be shut out from the light of God’s sustaining presence.
Now he was numbered with the transgressors. The guilt of fallen humanity He must bear. Upon him who knew no sin must be laid the iniquity of us all. So dreadful does sin appear to him, so great is the weight of the guilt which He must bear, that He is tempted to fear it will shut him out forever from His Father’s love. Feeling how terrible is the wrath of God against transgression, He exclaims, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.”
As they approached the garden, the disciples had marked the change that came over their Master. Never before had they seen Him so utterly [686] sad and silent. As He proceeded, this strange sadness deepened; yet they dared not question Him as to the cause. His form swayed as if He were about to fall. Upon reaching the garden, the disciples looked anxiously for His usual place of retirement, that their Master might rest. Every step that He now took was with labored effort. He groaned aloud, as if suffering under the pressure of a terrible burden. Twice His companions supported Him, or He would have fallen to the earth. – DA 685, 686.
[He] ell prostrate upon the ground. He felt that by sin He was being separated from His Father. The gulf was so broad, so black, so deep, that His spirit shuddered before it. This agony He must not exert His divine power to escape. As man He must suffer the consequences of man's sin. As man He must endure the wrath of God against transgression. . . .
As the substitute and surety for sinful man, Christ was suffering under divine justice. He saw what justice meant. Hitherto He had been as an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himself.
As Christ felt His unity with the Father broken up, He feared that in His human nature He would be unable to endure the coming conflict with the powers of darkness. In the wilderness of temptation the destiny of the human race had been at stake. Christ was then conqueror. Now [687] the tempter had come for the last fearful struggle. For this he had been preparing during the three years of Christ's ministry. Everything was at stake with him. If he failed here, his hope of mastery was lost; the kingdoms of the world would finally become Christ's; he himself would be overthrown and cast out. But if Christ could be overcome, the earth would become Satan's kingdom, and the human race would be forever in his power. With the issues of the conflict before Him, Christ's soul was filled with dread of separation from God. Satan told Him that if He became the surety for a sinful world, the separation would be eternal. He would be identified with Satan's kingdom, and would nevermore be one with God. – DA 686, 687.
The conflict was terrible. Its measure was the guilt of His nation, of His accusers and betrayer, the guilt of a world lying in wickedness. The sins of men weighed heavily upon Christ, and the sense of God's wrath against sin was crushing out His life. . . . The chilling dew of night falls upon His prostrate form, but He heeds it not.
[He] was now suffering superhuman agony, . . . . wrestling with a sorrow that was beyond comprehension. – DA 687, 688.
Again the Son of God was seized with superhuman agony, and fainting and exhausted, He staggered back to the place of His former struggle. His suffering was even greater than before. As the agony of soul came upon Him, "His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." The cypress and palm trees were the silent witnesses of His anguish. From their leafy branches dropped heavy dew upon His stricken form, as if nature wept over its Author wrestling alone with the powers of darkness. – DA 689.
Now had come the hour of the power of darkness. Now His voice was heard on the still evening air, not in tones of triumph, but full of human anguish. . . .
They saw his face marked with the bloody sweat of agony, and they were filled with fear. His anguish of mind they could not understand. “His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.” – Isa. 52:14
Turning away, Jesus sought again His retreat, and fell prostrate, overcome by the horror of a great darkness. The humanity of the Son of God trembled in that trying hour. He prayed not now for His disciples that their faith might not fail, but for His own tempted, agonized soul. The awful moment had come—that moment which was to decide the destiny of the world. The fate of humanity trembled in the balance. Christ might even now refuse to drink the cup apportioned to guilty man. It was not yet too late. He might wipe the bloody sweat from His brow, and leave man to perish in his iniquity. – DA 690.
His decision is made. He will save man at any cost to himself. . . . Having made the decision, He fell dying to the ground from which He had partially risen. . . .
There was silence in heaven. No harp was touched. Could mortals have viewed the amazement of the angelic host as in silent grief they watched the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory from His beloved Son, they would better understand how offensive in His sight is sin. – DA 693.
He had borne that which no human being could ever bear; for He had tasted the sufferings of death for every man. – DA 694
CONCLUSION
In conclusion let us notice the purposes of the death of Jesus in relation to the following: (the numbers at the left indicate the number of the reason or purpose in this chapter)
GOD
- Because God is love
- To reveal the character of God
- To vindicate the character of God
GOD’S GOVERNMENT
- To make it possible for God to forgive sinners
- To justify God in justifying (forgiving) sinners
- To make it safe for God to forgive sinners
GOD’s LAW
- To honor and uphold His Law
- To prove that the Law can be perfectly obeyed
GOD’S ENEMY
17. To expose, condemn, conquer, and destroy Satan
SIN
- To reveal the intrinsic nature of sin
- To reveal the inevitable results of sin
- To reveal God’s hatred for sin
- To condemn sin
- To reveal God’s judgement upon sin
- To destroy sin forever
SINNERS
3. To save sinners
14. To reveal he worth of the soul
15. To reconcile sinners to God
21. To give us an example and pattern to follow
22. To prove that the Law can be perfectly obeyed
23. To sanctify us
24. To suffer what the lost sinner will ultimately suffer
GOD’S BOOK
18. To fulfil the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah
THE ANGELS
19. To secure the angels against sin
THE UNIVERSE
20. To secure the universe
Thus, God’s eternal purpose in the Great Controversy between himself and Satan (The defeat of Satan, the Vindication of Himself, and the securing of the Universe), is accomplished through the two-fold revelation:
- A Revelation of the character of God through Jesus
- A Revelation of the character of God in His people in every age of the world’s history, and especially in Earth’s last generation.
May you, Dear Reader, have a part in God’s great vindication and share in His eternal triumph!
HOW WONDERFUL THE REVELATION OF THE CROSS
“The mystery of the Cross explains all other mysteries” – GC 652.
The attention of all the inhabitants of all the worlds will be directed to the cross of Christ around which will cluster the exceeding eternal weight of glory. – ST Dec. 30, 1889.
The theme of redemption will be the science and song of the angels and of the redeemed throughout eternity!
p. 114
Be Not Faithless, But Believing!
The glorious object of the death of Jesus on the Cross and His life in us day by day is not only a future salvation in heaven, but a present salvation from sin.
Do not suppose for one moment that the holy God who hates sin in the sinner is willing to tolerate it in the Christian!
The Cross of Jesus vanquishes the love and power of sin from our hearts, and saves unto the uttermost. What a magnificent salvation.
The Bible presents Jesus as a Saviour who desires and is able to save us from both the power and the guilt of sin!
We reject one of the most definite and glorious doctrines of the Bible if we say that it is impossible for God to deliver us from sin.
The best news from heaven is that Jesus saves us, not in, but from sin!
The Most Exalted Position To Which Man Can Attain!
“Kneeling at the foot of the Cross, he [the repentant sinner] has reached he highest place to which man can attain.” - 5BC 1133.
on earth
p. 115
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CLOSING EVENTS STUDY NO. 7
THE LOUD CRY
- The Message of the Loud Cry
- The Time of the Loud Cry
- The Power of he Loud Cry
- The Spirit of the Loud Cry
- The Purpose of the Loud Cry
- The Results of the Loud Cry
- The Reaction to the Loud Cry
- The Recipients of the Loud Cry
- The Glory of the Loud Cry
- The Preparation for the Loud Cry
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I will search Jerusalem with candles"
{3T 271-272}
“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.” “The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.” {Zephaniah 1: 12-18}
"God will not be trifled with. It is in the time of conflict that the true colors should be flung to the breeze. It is then that the standard-bearers need to be firm and let their true position be known. It is then that the skill of every true soldier for the right is tested. Shirkers can never wear the laurels of victory. Those who are true and loyal will not conceal the fact, but will put heart and might into the work, and venture their all in the struggle, let the battle turn as it will. God is a sin-hating God. And those who encourage the sinner, saying, It is well with thee, God will curse.
Confessions of sin made at the right time to relieve the people of God will be accepted of Him. But there are those among us who will make confessions, as did Achan, too late to save themselves. God may prove them and give them another trial, for the sake of evidencing to His people that they will not endure one test, one proving of God. They are not in harmony with right. They despise the straight testimony that reaches the heart, and would rejoice to see everyone silenced who gives reproof."
{3T 271-272}
What Satan Can and Cannot Do
From The Sword & Trowel 2003, issue 3 by Dr Peter Masters
What Scripture says about the powers and limitations of Satan and his demons, including whether they can read a person’s thoughts.
With Calvary before Him, the Lord spoke these remarkable words – ‘Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.’ He was referring to His imminent suffering on Calvary’s cross, which would immediately accomplish salvation for His people, and judgement for Satan. From the time of Calvary Satan would be curbed in his power, a defeated enemy, still able to work much wickedness until the final day, but severely limited.
But how exactly was Satan cast out by Christ’s death? We know that Christ’s death saved vast numbers of people from eternal death, and by so doing, saved the human race from becoming extinct. Since the Fall of man in the garden of Eden not one person would live a perfect life, nor anything like it. The entire human race would therefore be condemned, leaving Satan triumphant and victorious. By tempting Adam and Eve he had utterly thwarted the purpose of God in making the human race, and God appeared to have failed in His design. Satan could flaunt himself throughout time as the murderer and conqueror of the human race, and, in a sense, the conqueror of its Creator.
But Christ came as the representative of His people, and in every conceivable way obeyed His Father, even to the death of the cross. And through that perfect obedience culminating in Calvary, His people (and therefore the race) were saved from condemnation. By His righteousness and atonement, a continuing human race was purchased, so that a glorified earth could be thronged by ransomed people. The human race would no longer be a failed concept, and God’s design would be restored and redeemed.
Satan’s apparent triumph was crushed, leaving him susceptible to judgement and curbing. No longer would he be able to keep people from the Truth.
The curbing of Satan’s power after Calvary is clearly revealed in the New Testament. The Saviour spoke, for example, of how ‘with the finger of God’ He cast out devils, to mark that the kingdom had arrived (Luke 11.20). This was judgement language, referring to a limitation of satanic power operating from that time.
Demons themselves knew that Christ would end their liberty, and this is seen in their anguished cries as the Lord cast them out. Possession was common in the time of Christ, but His ministry marked the end of demonic liberty to occupy human souls at will. We are aware that today there are still some reports of New-Testament-style demon possession, but only where people have voluntarily (and strenuously) invited demons into their lives by deep involvement in occult practices. (We disregard the unauthentic claims of demon possession made within the charismatic movement.) Satan via his demons can no longer enter uninvited into human souls to possess them since the work of Christ, this being one aspect of Satan being ‘cast out’.
Another of Satan’s limitations is that he is not allowed to reveal or show himself, being forced to work entirely by secrecy and stealth. He is a vicious enemy to all human souls, but non-appearance is a significant containment of his power. We learn in 2 Thessalonians 2 that Satan must content himself with an appointee, the man of sin, who will appear on his behalf at the end of time, only to be immediately destroyed by the brightness of the coming of Christ.
Satan is now a spiritual vagrant, powerful, yes, with a vast host of fallen angels doing his bidding, but he must tempt us from ‘outside’, and secure our co-operation for everything he wants us to do. He is certainly the prince of this world, but a prince with no palace or rights – a dispossessed and a doomed prince.
This limiting of Satan is also referred to in the book of Revelation, chapters 12 and 20, the last of these telling us that Satan would be bound during the Christian era so that he would not be able to deceive the nations any more by keeping them in total spiritual darkness. All nations would be penetrated by the Gospel of Christ.
We read in Ephesians 4.8 that on Calvary Christ led captivity captive, binding a multitude of captives – the devil and his demons. In Colossians 2.15 we are told that Christ ‘spoiled principalities and powers’, making a show of them openly, and triumphing over them. In other words, He took powers away from them and contained them – terms for the curbing or limiting of the devil and his hosts. However, we repeat that he remains until the last day a dangerous and evil enemy of souls, and for this reason we need to know all we can about his powers and limitations.
In reversal, North Dakota House votes to repeal blue law for Sunday opening
- By John Hageman Forum News Service
- Jan 31, 2017
Top of Form
THE NATIONAL SUNDAY LAW - CLOSING EVENTS STUDY No. 6
". . . OUR COUNTRY SHALL REPUDIATE EVERY PRINCIPLE OF ITS cONSTITUTION AS A PROTESTANT AND REPUBLICAN GOVERNEMENT." - 5 T 451.
Bottom of Form
The North Dakota House voted by the thinnest of margins Tuesday, Jan. 31, to allow retailers to open on Sunday mornings.
The 48-46 vote was a reversal of the House’s decision Monday, when it rejected a repeal of North Dakota’s Sunday closing law. That statute makes it a Class B misdemeanor to operate a business that’s open to the public before noon Sunday, although exceptions exist for restaurants, hotels, hospitals and other businesses.
Rep. Keith Kempenich, R-Bowman, asked the House to reconsider the previous day’s vote. He sided against the repeal Monday, but said he had since changed his mind.
“We should let this be up to individuals,” Kempenich said.
Opponents of the repeal said workers deserve some time away from their jobs. Some cited the need for family time, and others opposed the bill on religious grounds.
Those arguments prevailed Monday, when the repeal came four votes short of passing. It almost suffered the same fate Tuesday, but House Minority Leader Corey Mock, D-Grand Forks, said the final two votes flipped two minutes before the afternoon floor session began.
The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Pamela Anderson, D-Fargo, welcomed legislators’ change of heart.
“Simply put, government shouldn’t tell private businesses when they can and cannot open their doors,” she said in a statement. “Many people have limited time to get their errands and shopping done over the weekend, and allowing retailers to open for business before noon on Sundays is an important step to strengthen North Dakota’s retail sector and overall economy.”
The bill’s passage in the House is one step toward lifting the so-called “blue law” that some lawmakers say is outdated. North Dakota became the last state to allow Sunday shopping in 1991, and last session lawmakers permitted restaurants to start selling alcohol at 11 a.m. instead of noon.
Andy Peterson, president and CEO of the Greater North Dakota Chamber, said he was “cautiously optimistic” the Senate would support the repeal. In committee testimony last week, he called it a matter of “economic freedom.”
Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, agreed.
“I own my business and if I decide to have it open for two more hours on Sunday, that’s my decision as a business owner, not the government’s,” he said on the House floor Tuesday.
Repeal of Sunday store closing law fails in ND Senate
- John Hageman Forum News Service
- Mar 14, 2017
Sen. Judy Lee, R-West Fargo, left, speaks in favor of House Bill 1163, a bill dealing with allowing retail stores to open before noon on Sundays. The bill failed to pass in a 25-22 vote. Listening in back are, from front, Sen. Dick Dever, R-Bismarck, Sen. Gary Lee, R-Casselton, and Sen. Dwight Cook, R-Mandan.
North Dakota senators voted down a bill that would have allowed retailers to open on Sunday mornings.
Current state law makes it a Class B misdemeanor to operate a business that’s open to the public before noon on Sunday, but exceptions exist for restaurants, hotels, hospitals and other businesses. A repeal of most of that law failed in the Senate 22-25 Tuesday.
Proponents of the legislation, which included the Greater North Dakota Chamber, said it was a matter of giving business owners the right to choose when to open their doors. Opponents have argued workers need time to spend with families, with some standing against the repeal on religious grounds.
“We need that day to rejuvenate our mind, our spirit and our body,” said Sen. Robert Erbele, R-Lehr, who cited religious arguments against the bill. “I look at this bill as being nothing more than just selfish consumerism.”
In a wide-ranging speech against the repeal that touched on Christianity, Humanism, last year’s presidential election and the separation of church and state, Sen. Dick Dever, R-Bismarck, argued “the value of Sunday morning is not in the profits that roll through the cash registers,” but rather in the time spent with family and away from the “hustle and the bustle.”
Sen. Jessica Unruh, R-Beulah, pointed to the 39 exceptions to the Sunday sales prohibition in arguing there should be a level playing field for businesses. She said people can choose how to practice their religion.
“This bill isn’t about religious freedom,” Unruh said. “This is about freedom … that allows all businesses to make the decision whether or not to offer their services Sunday morning, not just a select few.”
The repeal, introduced by Rep. Pamela Anderson, D-Fargo, was voted down in the House in late January before being reconsidered and passed by one vote a day later. The bill the Senate considered would have left in place a section of law preventing a retailer from being required to open on Sunday as part of a lease agreement.
Tuesday’s vote came a week after Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton signed a bill allowing liquor stores to open on Sunday, resolving a longstanding debate in that state. North Dakota became the last state to allow Sunday shopping in 1991, and lawmakers last session authorized restaurants to start selling alcohol at 11 a.m. instead of noon on Sundays.