3rd Qtr-2011-LES. 9-"Trust not in Deceptive Words"-The Prophets and Worship

[Wally]

LESSON 9    *August 20 - 26

      
   “Trust Not in Deceptive Words”: The Prophets and Worship           

     
   
   SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week's Study: Isa. 1:11–15, 6:1–8, Isaiah 44, 58:1–10, Jer. 7:1–10, Mic. 6:1–8.

Memory Text:

"And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them.  " (Isaiah 44:7).

         Russian author Ivan Turgenev, in his story Fathers and Sons, put these words in the mouth of a character: “The life of each of us hangs by a thread, an abyss may gape beneath us any minute, and yet we go out of our way to cook up all sorts of trouble for ourselves and to mess up our lives.”—Fathers and Sons (New York, NY: Signet Classics, 2005), p. 131.

Of course, the Lord offers a better way to live. He offer us the opportunity to follow Him, to love Him, to worship Him, and hence spare ourselves many of the problems that we would otherwise bring upon ourselves.

Yet, merely professing to follow the Lord is not what the Christian life is about. This week, we will look at what a few prophets said about those who thought that their “worship” of the true God, in the true temple on the true Sabbath day was all that mattered, regardless of how they lived the rest of the week. As the prophets show, this is a deception, a good way to “cook up all sorts of trouble for ourselves.” 

*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 27.

SUNDAY    August 21

A Thousand Rams?

Unlike every other religion, the religion of the Bible (both Testaments) teaches that salvation is by grace alone. Nothing we do can ever make us good enough to be accepted by God. Our good deeds, however well-intended, however Spirit-inspired, can never bridge the gap that sin has caused between God and humanity. If good works could save us, if good works could atone for sin, if good works could pay our debt before God, if good works could reunite fallen humanity with the Creator, then Jesus never would have had to die for us, and the plan of salvation would be something radically different than what it is.

As it stands, only the death of Jesus credited to us by faith, only the righteousness of Christ, which He wrought out in His life, which is then given to all who truly accept it, can save the sinner. Sin is so bad, so contrary to the basic principles of God’s government, which is based on love and free choice, that nothing less than the death of Christ could solve the problem created by sin.

All that being said, the Bible is clear that what we say, what we do, and what we think all matter, and these thoughts and actions reveal the reality of our experience with God.

With the above in mind, read Micah 6:1–8. What point is the prophet making here, especially in regard to the question of the sacrifices (part of the worship service in Israel), symbolic of the plan of salvation? How can these words be applied to us today? See also Deut. 10:12, 13.

Those who claim to be children of God but who fail to show justice and mercy to their fellow men are acting out the spirit of Satan no matter how piously they may adhere to the forms of worship. On the other hand, those who walk humbly with their God will not neglect the principles of justice and mercy, nor will they scorn the proper forms of worship. God is looking for true worshipers who are willing to demonstrate their love for Him by obedient lives, motivated by humble hearts. What do all the right prayers, all the right styles of worship, and all the right theology mean if the person is nasty, unkind, arrogant, unjust and unmerciful to others?
What do you think is more important: correct theology or correct actions? Can you have your theology right and yet treat others in a poor manner? What hope can you cling to if, perhaps, you see yourself revealed in the above texts? 

MONDAY    August 22

The Call of Isaiah

While Hosea, Amos, and Micah were warning Israel of their imminent danger, Judah seemed to be prospering under the reign of several good kings. King Uzziah (also known as Azariah) was known and respected among the nations for his wise leadership and accomplishments (see 2 Chron. 26:1–15). But, as often happens, his success became his downfall. Humility was replaced by pride and devotion by presumption (see 2 Chron. 26:16–21).

The people of Judah appeared to be prospering spiritually, as well. The temple services were well-attended with a formality of religious fervor. Yet, many of the same evils that afflicted the people of Israel were fast corrupting the kingdom of Judah. It is at this time that the Lord calls Isaiah to His special work.

Read Isaiah 6:1–8. Why do you think Isaiah would respond as He did (vs. 5) upon seeing a vision of the Lord? What important “theological” truth is revealed here? 

Try to imagine Isaiah’s overwhelming reaction to this heavenly revelation of the glory of God. Suddenly, he sees his own sins and the sins of his people stand out in bold relief against the spotless purity and the majestic holiness of Almighty God. No wonder he reacted as he did! It is hard to imagine anyone doing otherwise.

Here we see played out before us a crucial and foundational truth regarding the state of humanity, especially in contrast to the holiness and glory of God. We see an attitude of repentance, of a willingness to acknowledge one’s own sinfulness, one’s own need of grace.

Think for a moment what our worship services would be like were they to elicit in the worshipers a sense that they have been in the presence of our Holy God, which in turn makes them deeply aware of their own sinfulness and need of His saving grace and cleansing power. Imagine if the singing, the liturgy, the prayer, and the preaching worked together in a way to lead us each time to faith, to repentance, to cleansing, and to a willingness to cry out, “Here I am; send me.” That is what worship should be about.

Imagine yourself standing in the physical presence of Jesus. That is, if He were standing in the flesh right before you. What would your reaction be? What would you say? Or do? What about His promise to us in Matthew 28:20? What does that promise mean to us now, on a practical level?

[Wally]

TUESDAY    August 23

No More Vain Oblations

It is easy to forget that so much of the writing of the Old Testament, especially the writings of the prophets, was written as admonitions and warnings to God’s covenant people, to the ones who were His “true church.” Most of these people professed to follow the true God, had a basic understanding of biblical truths (at least much more than their heathen neighbors), and knew the right things to say and do in worship. Yet, as becomes very clear to anyone reading the prophets, all this was nowhere near enough.

Read Isaiah 1:11–15. How are we to understand what the Lord, who instituted all these services, is saying to them?

The answer is found, really, in the few verses that follow (Isa. 1:16–18), which in many ways is similar to what we saw in Sunday’s lesson on Micah. No question, the church is for sinners, and if we had to wait until we were perfect before we could worship the Lord, then none of us would worship Him.

But that is not what the Bible is saying here or what it ever says. It is saying that God is more interested in how we treat others, especially the weak and helpless among us, than He is in all sorts of religious rituals, even the ones He instituted.

Read Isaiah 58:1–10. What is wrong with the fasting described here? How does God say that the people should fast? What point can we take from this for ourselves, whether or not we fast?

Fasting is a form of self-denial of which Jesus had much to say. But some kinds of fasting are nothing but a vain show. It is a symptom of hypocrisy, which covets the privileges of obedience while detesting its responsibilities. Self-denial, motivated by love for God, ministers to those in need. This is the kind of fasting (self-denial) that honors Him; this is the kind of life that leads to the kind of worship that He does not despise, a worship that shows the sinner that, just as he (or she) has been the recipient of grace and undeserved love, so, too, he must dispense grace and undeserved love to others. That is the kind of self-denial that reveals true faith (Luke 9:23), the kind of self-denial that is at the heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
 
WEDNESDAY    August 24

Profitable for Nothing?

South African writer Laurens van der Post once wrote about what he called “the burden of meaninglessness,” this sense some people have that, when it was all said and done, what, if anything, did their lives mean? Sooner or later, they will be dead, and anyone who knew them will be dead, and before long all memory of them will be forever gone, too. In such a scenario, what do our lives mean, what can they mean? How often, and how easy, it can be to get the sense that so much of what we do has no real meaning, no real lasting importance.

With these thoughts in mind, read Isaiah 44. Then, on the lines below, summarize the essence of those verses, particularly as to how they relate to the question of worship and what people worship. 

However much Isaiah was writing for his time and culture and people, look at how relevant the principles are for us today. The Lord, He alone is the Creator, He alone is our Redeemer, He alone can save us, thus He alone is worthy of our worship and our praise. Isaiah mocks those who create idols with their own hands, gods of their own making, and then bow down and worship them—things that are, indeed, “profitable for nothing.”

And yet, as silly and as foolish as all that seems to us, are we not in danger of doing something similar, of dedicating ourselves, our lives, our time, and our energy into things that, in the end, are “profitable for nothing,” that cannot answer the deepest need of our souls now, and that surely cannot redeem us from the grave at the end of time? How crucial that we watch and pray, that as Paul said we examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). Sabbath worship, if done right, can remind us in a special way remind us about why we should worship only the Lord. Worship should be a time that especially reminds us of what is important in life, what truly matters, and what is temporal, and even “profitable for nothing.”

We all know the danger of making idols out of money, power, prestige, and so on. What about the danger of making idols out of things like church, the pastor, our own ministries, or even our own faithfulness or lifestyle or piety? Think this through and bring your answer to class on Sabbath.

[Wally]

THURSDAY    August 25

“This is the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord. . . .”

The southern kingdom of Judah had its spiritual ups and downs, times of reform and times of outright apostasy. Yet so often, even during the worst spiritual times, there was an outward show of piety and worship that was not acceptable to the Lord. How careful we need to be not to fall into the same deception ourselves.

Read Jeremiah 7:1–10. What theme do we see repeated here that we have seen all week? How can we take the principles here and apply them to ourselves in our context today?

Look especially at verse 4. In one sense, the speakers were right. This was the “temple of the Lord,” the place where the Lord’s name was to dwell, the place where the sacrificial system—which God Himself had instituted–was performed, the place where the great truths of sacrifice, salvation, cleansing, and judgment were taught. After all, these were the covenant people. Their God was the true God, and they had more light and more truth, corporately, than their pagan neighbors around them had. None of this can be disputed, and yet, the Lord obviously was not pleased with them or their worship. In fact, He called the sentence, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord”–what? “Deceptive words?” They were deceptive, not because that was not the temple of the Lord but because the people believed that simply by coming to the temple of the Lord and worshiping there that they were safe, they were saved, they were doing all that was required.

With all the light that we have been given, in what way might we as Seventh-day Adventists be in danger of making the same mistake as these people made? Think through possible parallels between them and us and how if we are not careful we could fall into a similar deception. What possible “deceptive words” might we be in danger of trusting in, words that on the surface are true (just as that was, indeed, “the temple of the Lord”) and yet could lead us into making the same kind of presumptuous errors? 

FRIDAY    August 26

Further Study: 
     

Read Ellen G. White, “The Call of Isaiah,” pp. 303–310; “Hezekiah,” pp. 331–339; “Deliverance From Assyria,” pp. 349–366; “Manasseh and Josiah,” pp. 381–391; “Jeremiah,” pp. 407–421, in Prophets and Kings.

“In Isaiah’s day the spiritual understanding of mankind was dark through misapprehension of God. . . .

“In losing sight of the true character of Jehovah, the Israelites were without excuse. Often had God revealed Himself to them as one ‘full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.’ Psalm 86:15.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, pp. 311, 312.

“In the vision that came to Isaiah in the temple court, he was given a clear view of the character of the God of Israel. ‘The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy,’ had appeared before him in great majesty; yet the prophet was made to understand the compassionate nature of his Lord. . . .”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 314. 

Discussion Questions:

        In class, go over your answer to Wednesday’s final question. What are some “good” things that we can make into idols? How do we know when something has become an idol? 

   Dwell more on the issues touched on in Thursday’s lesson. Look at the things that the people were doing, all the time coming to “the temple of the Lord” and worshiping there (see Jer. 7:4), things that were so contrary to the revealed word of God. How can we learn to protect ourselves from falling into the same trap? Why does simple obedience to God’s revealed Word play such an important role in protecting us from all sorts of deception?  ?

   Think about the worship services in your local church. Do you come away with a sense of the awe and majesty of God in contrast to your own sinfulness and need of grace? If not, what could be changed in order to help the church as a whole have, to some degree, the experience that Isaiah had (see Monday’s lesson)? Why is that so important? ?

   How many things do you do in your life that are “profitable for nothing”? How much time do you spend basically “wasting time,” doing things that, in and of themselves, are useless, vain, and basically “profitable for nothing?” How can you learn to make better use of the limited time we all have here in this life?

[Richard Myers]

   SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week's Study: Isa. 1:11–15, 6:1–8, Isaiah 44, 58:1–10, Jer. 7:1–10, Mic. 6:1–8.

Memory Text:

"And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them.  " (Isaiah 44:7).

         Russian author Ivan Turgenev, in his story Fathers and Sons, put these words in the mouth of a character: “The life of each of us hangs by a thread, an abyss may gape beneath us any minute, and yet we go out of our way to cook up all sorts of trouble for ourselves and to mess up our lives.”—Fathers and Sons (New York, NY: Signet Classics, 2005), p. 131.

Of course, the Lord offers a better way to live. He offer us the opportunity to follow Him, to love Him, to worship Him, and hence spare ourselves many of the problems that we would otherwise bring upon ourselves.

Yet, merely professing to follow the Lord is not what the Christian life is about. This week, we will look at what a few prophets said about those who thought that their “worship” of the true God, in the true temple on the true Sabbath day was all that mattered, regardless of how they lived the rest of the week. As the prophets show, this is a deception, a good way to “cook up all sorts of trouble for ourselves.” 

Just go to church and profess to believe!  That is why I ceased going to church when I was 13 years old. I was not a hypocrite. I saw church members going to church on Sunday and then living their lives differently the other six days of the week. This is something that church members and especially parents need to consider. If you want to destroy faith in a child, just act contrary to what you preach. The child will go looking for truth somewhere else. The nations saw the hypocrisy of Israel. They saw here wretchedness. Instead of being His witnesses, they brought reproach upon God and His truth.

As we study this week's lesson, let us consider our experience and its influence on others.

[Richard Myers]

SUNDAY    August 21

A Thousand Rams?

Unlike every other religion, the religion of the Bible (both Testaments) teaches that salvation is by grace alone. Nothing we do can ever make us good enough to be accepted by God. Our good deeds, however well-intended, however Spirit-inspired, can never bridge the gap that sin has caused between God and humanity. If good works could save us, if good works could atone for sin, if good works could pay our debt before God, if good works could reunite fallen humanity with the Creator, then Jesus never would have had to die for us, and the plan of salvation would be something radically different than what it is.

As it stands, only the death of Jesus credited to us by faith, only the righteousness of Christ, which He wrought out in His life, which is then given to all who truly accept it, can save the sinner. Sin is so bad, so contrary to the basic principles of God’s government, which is based on love and free choice, that nothing less than the death of Christ could solve the problem created by sin.

All that being said, the Bible is clear that what we say, what we do, and what we think all matter, and these thoughts and actions reveal the reality of our experience with God.

With the above in mind, read Micah 6:1–8.

6:1   Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. 
  6:2   Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. 
  6:3   O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. 
  6:4   For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 
  6:5   O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD. 
  6:6   Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 
  6:7   Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul? 
  6:8   He hath showed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 

 What point is the prophet making here, especially in regard to the question of the sacrifices (part of the worship service in Israel), symbolic of the plan of salvation? How can these words be applied to us today?

Are we bringing our "sacrifice" thinking IT pleases God when our heart is far from Him?  We are in a very deep discussion in another topic on the nature of man. The important truth that I feel needs to be understood is that we have nothing good to give to God until we give him our sin polluted heart. Then, we can glorify God in our offerings. Until then, they are a stench in His nose. Nothing we do or say before we are converted is not tainted with selfishness. It is our corrupt nature by birth. It is our inheritance from Adam.  We are in great need of a Saviour to save us from ourselves. "O wretched man that I am!"  Deliver me from self!

See also Deut. 10:12, 13.

  10:12   And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 
  10:13   To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? 

Those who claim to be children of God but who fail to show justice and mercy to their fellow men are acting out the spirit of Satan no matter how piously they may adhere to the forms of worship. On the other hand, those who walk humbly with their God will not neglect the principles of justice and mercy, nor will they scorn the proper forms of worship. God is looking for true worshipers who are willing to demonstrate their love for Him by obedient lives, motivated by humble hearts. What do all the right prayers, all the right styles of worship, and all the right theology mean if the person is nasty, unkind, arrogant, unjust and unmerciful to others?

What do you think is more important: correct theology or correct actions? Can you have your theology right and yet treat others in a poor manner? What hope can you cling to if, perhaps, you see yourself revealed in the above texts?

We can cling to the promises of our Saviour who suffered and died for us while we were yet vile sinners. He came to save the sick! He has promised us a new heart. He has promised that even in these vile bodies we may become partakers of His divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world!

[Richard Myers]

MONDAY    August 22

The Call of Isaiah

While Hosea, Amos, and Micah were warning Israel of their imminent danger, Judah seemed to be prospering under the reign of several good kings. King Uzziah (also known as Azariah) was known and respected among the nations for his wise leadership and accomplishments (see 2 Chron. 26:1–15).

 26:1   Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who [was] sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 
  26:2   He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 
  26:3   Sixteen years old [was] Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also [was] Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 
  26:4   And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. 
  26:5   And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. 
  26:6   And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. 
  26:7   And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims. 
  26:8   And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad [even] to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened [himself] exceedingly. 
  26:9   Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning [of the wall], and fortified them. 
  26:10   Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen [also], and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry. 
  26:11   Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, [one] of the king's captains. 
  26:12   The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour [were] two thousand and six hundred. 
  26:13   And under their hand [was] an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 
  26:14   And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings [to cast] stones. 
  26:15   And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. 

But, as often happens, his success became his downfall. Humility was replaced by pride and devotion by presumption (see 2 Chron. 26:16–21).

 26:16   But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to [his] destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 
  26:17   And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, [that were] valiant men: 
  26:18   And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, [It appertaineth] not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither [shall it be] for thine honour from the LORD God. 
  26:19   Then Uzziah was wroth, and [had] a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 
  26:20   And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he [was] leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 
  26:21   And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, [being] a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son [was] over the king's house, judging the people of the land. 

The people of Judah appeared to be prospering spiritually, as well. The temple services were well-attended with a formality of religious fervor. Yet, many of the same evils that afflicted the people of Israel were fast corrupting the kingdom of Judah. It is at this time that the Lord calls Isaiah to His special work.

Read Isaiah 6:1–8.

 6:1   In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 
  6:2   Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 
  6:3   And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory. 
  6:4   And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 
  6:5   Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 
  6:6   Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, [which] he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 
  6:7   And he laid [it] upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 
  6:8   Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here [am] I; send me. 

Why do you think Isaiah would respond as He did (vs. 5) upon seeing a vision of the Lord? What important “theological” truth is revealed here?

Try to imagine Isaiah’s overwhelming reaction to this heavenly revelation of the glory of God. Suddenly, he sees his own sins and the sins of his people stand out in bold relief against the spotless purity and the majestic holiness of Almighty God. No wonder he reacted as he did! It is hard to imagine anyone doing otherwise.

Here we see played out before us a crucial and foundational truth regarding the state of humanity, especially in contrast to the holiness and glory of God. We see an attitude of repentance, of a willingness to acknowledge one’s own sinfulness, one’s own need of grace.

This is impressed upon my mind more and more as I draw closer and closer to God. By nature we are vile. But, we do not see a clear picture  of who we are until we have a clear revelation of who God is. Isaiah saw one and it caused him to see himself as he really was, by nature and by experience. Too many today have not seen God very clearly. Time is spent doing other things when they ought to have been spent beholding our Lord. It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour each day contemplating the life of Christ, especially the closing scenes. As we behold His great sacrifice and His great love, our hearts are drawn to Him more and more. We have a perfect standard to compare our wretched lives by. We can see little good even if we have been truly converted. His righteousness causes us to fall on our faces in shame.

Think for a moment what our worship services would be like were they to elicit in the worshipers a sense that they have been in the presence of our Holy God, which in turn makes them deeply aware of their own sinfulness and need of His saving grace and cleansing power. Imagine if the singing, the liturgy, the prayer, and the preaching worked together in a way to lead us each time to faith, to repentance, to cleansing, and to a willingness to cry out, “Here I am; send me.” That is what worship should be about.

Imagine yourself standing in the physical presence of Jesus. That is, if He were standing in the flesh right before you. What would your reaction be? What would you say? Or do? What about His promise to us in Matthew 28:20?  "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."  What does that promise mean to us now, on a practical level?

[Mimi]

Amen, Richard.

In answer to the questions, if the God of heaven, our sweet Savior, were to stand in the flesh before us, I believe any one of us would lay prostrate to the ground with our faces hidden. As for me, I am quite sure words could not come from my lips. Yes, He is our Friend, our Elder Brother, yet he is God and we are laid bare as naked before Him. Isaiah tells us he realized his condition, seeing who he was in the light of a holy God, to the point that he was “undone.” Completely undone would be my experience.

Each week we gather for worship, we do so not before Him as in the flesh, but in the presence of His Spirit. What a realization that should be.   

[Richard Myers]

It ought to be, but often many do not even think once that the Holy Spirit, God, is really there reading their minds.  By nature, we cannot stand when in the presence and glory of God.  We have little understanding of His glory until we see Him more clearly. He wants us to see Him. Jesus said "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father."  The Word was made flesh.  As we behold Him, we have a standard that reveals how far from His character is ours, by nature.

[Richard Myers]

TUESDAY    August 23

No More Vain Oblations

It is easy to forget that so much of the writing of the Old Testament, especially the writings of the prophets, was written as admonitions and warnings to God’s covenant people, to the ones who were His “true church.” Most of these people professed to follow the true God, had a basic understanding of biblical truths (at least much more than their heathen neighbors), and knew the right things to say and do in worship. Yet, as becomes very clear to anyone reading the prophets, all this was nowhere near enough.

Read Isaiah 1:11–15.

  1:11   To what purpose [is] the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 
  1:12   When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 
  1:13   Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; [it is] iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 
  1:14   Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear [them]. 
  1:15   And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 

How are we to understand what the Lord, who instituted all these services, is saying to them?

The answer is found, really, in the few verses that follow (Isa. 1:16–18), which in many ways is similar to what we saw in Sunday’s lesson on Micah.

  1:16   Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 
  1:17   Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 
  1:18   Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 

No question, the church is for sinners, and if we had to wait until we were perfect before we could worship the Lord, then none of us would worship Him.

But that is not what the Bible is saying here or what it ever says. It is saying that God is more interested in how we treat others, especially the weak and helpless among us, than He is in all sorts of religious rituals, even the ones He instituted.

Read Isaiah 58:1–10.

 58:1   Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 
  58:2   Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. 
  58:3   Wherefore have we fasted, [say they], and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 
  58:4   Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 
  58:5   Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? [is it] to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes [under him]? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? 
  58:6   [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 
  58:7   [Is it] not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 
  58:8   Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. 
  58:9   Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am]. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 
  58:10   And [if] thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noon day: 

What is wrong with the fasting described here? How does God say that the people should fast? What point can we take from this for ourselves, whether or not we fast?

Fasting is a form of self-denial of which Jesus had much to say. But some kinds of fasting are nothing but a vain show. It is a symptom of hypocrisy, which covets the privileges of obedience while detesting its responsibilities. Self-denial, motivated by love for God, ministers to those in need. This is the kind of fasting (self-denial) that honors Him; this is the kind of life that leads to the kind of worship that He does not despise, a worship that shows the sinner that, just as he (or she) has been the recipient of grace and undeserved love, so, too, he must dispense grace and undeserved love to others. That is the kind of self-denial that reveals true faith (Luke 9:23), the kind of self-denial that is at the heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

Profession of faith means nothing to God. He wants our hearts.  If we are truly dead to self, then Christ has possession of the heart. His Spirit is indwelling and we possess the mind of Christ and are partakers of His divine nature. This is the promise first made with Genesis 3:15. It is the new covenant promise that God will write His laws upon our hearts.  As long as self is dead and Christ is alive in us, then our obedience is true. Otherwise it is Phariseeism, a program of works that is a stench in God's nose. He looks upon the heart. There is no reason for us to not have a "new heart". He has promised us a new heart where we then obey out of love for Him and our fellow sinners.  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Ezekiel 36:26, 27. Every one of the fruits of the Spirit are in the life when the Spirit is in the heart.

[colporteur]

SUNDAY    August 21

What do you think is more important: correct theology or correct actions? Can you have your theology right and yet treat others in a poor manner? What hope can you cling to if, perhaps, you see yourself revealed in the above texts?

In my mind it is not either or. It is not a competition anymore than we can ask ...which is more important faith without works or works without faith ? Neither is correct.  Or one might ask, ... which is more important the books of Genesis or the book of Revelation ?

In the truest sense can we have correct theology with out having correct actions ? Maybe, but if we have correct theology yet think we can be mean to people and be saved,... is our theology really correct ?

We may have correct actions but if they are motivated for gain atthe expense of another are they really correct actions? I suppose this depends on whether motivation is included in the "correct" part of it.  In the last drama Satan will use some correct reforms in order to work in the Sunday law.

[Wally]

It's like asking, which is more important, getting married or staying married; being born or staying alive; faith or works?  You can't divorce any of these from each other or play one off against the other.  They are all important.  Correct theology will lead to correct actions.  Correct actions are impossible without correct theology because one will be doing them for the wrong reasons.  The caveat here is that each believer will be behaving according to the light (theology) that they have.  So, in that sense their theology may not be correct in the absolute sense, but they will be perfect in Christ because they have obeyed to the best of their knowledge.

[Richard Myers]

Amen!  God looks upon the heart. He knows the motive of why we do what we do.  In this sense, many have a correct understanding of theology, Moses, but they are prideful and deny the truth they espouse. This is why Moses had to die. He misrepresented God. Understanding the truth does not give an excuse for sin.  Sin reveals a separation from God. We want to glorify God by living the truth, not just by preaching it.  When Christ has possession of the heart, there is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, not one is missing.

[Richard Myers]

 
WEDNESDAY    August 24

Profitable for Nothing?

South African writer Laurens van der Post once wrote about what he called “the burden of meaninglessness,” this sense some people have that, when it was all said and done, what, if anything, did their lives mean? Sooner or later, they will be dead, and anyone who knew them will be dead, and before long all memory of them will be forever gone, too. In such a scenario, what do our lives mean, what can they mean? How often, and how easy, it can be to get the sense that so much of what we do has no real meaning, no real lasting importance.

With these thoughts in mind, read Isaiah 44.

Chapter 44

 44:1   Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: 
 44:2   Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, [which] will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. 
 44:3   For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 
 44:4   And they shall spring up [as] among the grass, as willows by the water courses. 
 44:5   One shall say, I [am] the LORD's; and another shall call [himself] by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe [with] his hand unto the LORD, and surname [himself] by the name of Israel. 
 44:6   Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God. 
 44:7   And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them. 
 44:8   Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any]. 
 44:9   They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. 
 44:10   Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image [that] is profitable for nothing? 
 44:11   Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they [are] of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; [yet] they shall fear, [and] they shall be ashamed together. 
 44:12   The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. 
 44:13   The carpenter stretcheth out [his] rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. 
 44:14   He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish [it]. 
 44:15   Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth [it], and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth [it]; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. 
 44:16   He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth [himself], and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: 
 44:17   And the residue thereof he maketh a god, [even] his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth [it], and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou [art] my god. 
 44:18   They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand. 
 44:19   And none considereth in his heart, neither [is there] knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten [it]: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? 
 44:20   He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, [Is there] not a lie in my right hand? 
 44:21   Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou [art] my servant: I have formed thee; thou [art] my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. 
 44:22   I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. 
 44:23   Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done [it]: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. 
 44:24   Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I [am] the LORD that maketh all [things]; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 
 44:25   That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise [men] backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; 
 44:26   That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: 
 44:27   That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: 
 44:28   That saith of Cyrus, [He is] my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. 
 

It may seem that our lives are meaningless, but it is not true. Cyrus did great things for the Lord and His people.  What is very sad is that many do not know God and what great things He has done for every living creature. He thinks enough of each one of us that He would have allowed His Son to come to this dark wicked world to suffer and die just for one of us. That is enough reason for anyone to understand the great value they have. God loves each one of us as if there was no other. In Isaiah we read that men formed idols to worship, that they were deceived. Amen! Such a deception!! We thank God for His giving us a Bible that we might not be deceived. Yet, so many insist upon reading everything else, but God's Word. It would be  well with our souls if we would read what God has to say and cease drinking from polluted fountains.

Then, on the lines below, summarize the essence of those verses, particularly as to how they relate to the question of worship and what people worship.

However much Isaiah was writing for his time and culture and people, look at how relevant the principles are for us today. The Lord, He alone is the Creator, He alone is our Redeemer, He alone can save us, thus He alone is worthy of our worship and our praise. Isaiah mocks those who create idols with their own hands, gods of their own making, and then bow down and worship them—things that are, indeed, “profitable for nothing.”

And yet, as silly and as foolish as all that seems to us, are we not in danger of doing something similar, of dedicating ourselves, our lives, our time, and our energy into things that, in the end, are “profitable for nothing,” that cannot answer the deepest need of our souls now, and that surely cannot redeem us from the grave at the end of time? How crucial that we watch and pray, that as Paul said we examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). Sabbath worship, if done right, can remind us in a special way remind us about why we should worship only the Lord. Worship should be a time that especially reminds us of what is important in life, what truly matters, and what is temporal, and even “profitable for nothing.”

We all know the danger of making idols out of money, power, prestige, and so on. What about the danger of making idols out of things like church, the pastor, our own ministries, or even our own faithfulness or lifestyle or piety? Think this through and bring your answer to class on Sabbath.

[Richard Myers]

THURSDAY    August 25

“This is the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord. . . .”

The southern kingdom of Judah had its spiritual ups and downs, times of reform and times of outright apostasy. Yet so often, even during the worst spiritual times, there was an outward show of piety and worship that was not acceptable to the Lord. How careful we need to be not to fall into the same deception ourselves.

Read Jeremiah 7:1–10.   


 7:1   The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 
 7:2   Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all [ye of] Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. 
 7:3   Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 
 7:4   Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, [are] these. 
 7:5   For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; 
 7:6   [If] ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 
 7:7   Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. 
 7:8   Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. 
 7:9   Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 
 7:10   And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? 

Jeremiah says that they were deceived. Amen! And they had the nerve to stand in the church after doing all of the abominations. Many in professing Christian churches do the same today.  They have been deceived also. Their teachers have told them they do not have to obey the Word of God, that they have life in their sins.  Oh...not when they murder, but when they do the "little sins".  Such a deception.

What theme do we see repeated here that we have seen all week? How can we take the principles here and apply them to ourselves in our context today?

Look especially at verse 4. In one sense, the speakers were right. This was the “temple of the Lord,” the place where the Lord’s name was to dwell, the place where the sacrificial system—which God Himself had instituted–was performed, the place where the great truths of sacrifice, salvation, cleansing, and judgment were taught. After all, these were the covenant people. Their God was the true God, and they had more light and more truth, corporately, than their pagan neighbors around them had. None of this can be disputed, and yet, the Lord obviously was not pleased with them or their worship. In fact, He called the sentence, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord”–what? “Deceptive words?” They were deceptive, not because that was not the temple of the Lord but because the people believed that simply by coming to the temple of the Lord and worshiping there that they were safe, they were saved, they were doing all that was required.

With all the light that we have been given, in what way might we as Seventh-day Adventists be in danger of making the same mistake as these people made? Think through possible parallels between them and us and how if we are not careful we could fall into a similar deception. What possible “deceptive words” might we be in danger of trusting in, words that on the surface are true (just as that was, indeed, “the temple of the Lord”) and yet could lead us into making the same kind of presumptuous errors? 

[Richard Myers]

FRIDAY    August 26

Further Study:
     

Read Ellen G. White, “The Call of Isaiah,” pp. 303–310; “Hezekiah,” pp. 331–339; “Deliverance From Assyria,” pp. 349–366; “Manasseh and Josiah,” pp. 381–391; “Jeremiah,” pp. 407–421, in Prophets and Kings.

“In Isaiah’s day the spiritual understanding of mankind was dark through misapprehension of God. . . .

“In losing sight of the true character of Jehovah, the Israelites were without excuse. Often had God revealed Himself to them as one ‘full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.’ Psalm 86:15.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, pp. 311, 312.

“In the vision that came to Isaiah in the temple court, he was given a clear view of the character of the God of Israel. ‘The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy,’ had appeared before him in great majesty; yet the prophet was made to understand the compassionate nature of his Lord. . . .”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 314.

Discussion Questions:

        In class, go over your answer to Wednesday’s final question. What are some “good” things that we can make into idols? How do we know when something has become an idol?

   Dwell more on the issues touched on in Thursday’s lesson. Look at the things that the people were doing, all the time coming to “the temple of the Lord” and worshiping there (see Jer. 7:4), things that were so contrary to the revealed word of God. How can we learn to protect ourselves from falling into the same trap? Why does simple obedience to God’s revealed Word play such an important role in protecting us from all sorts of deception? 

This counsel from Jesus would be a good start: "Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."  Matthew 16:6.  The leaven was hypocrisy. We need to be very careful that we do not follow in the footsteps of those who make sin a little thing.

Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. If we walk in the light of God's love, we shall have discernment, but when we disobey, then the Holy Spirit is trying to reach us, but until He does, we cannot really discern spiritual things. But, we think we do.   Like the drunk who thinks he is driving very well.

Think about the worship services in your local church. Do you come away with a sense of the awe and majesty of God in contrast to your own sinfulness and need of grace? If not, what could be changed in order to help the church as a whole have, to some degree, the experience that Isaiah had (see Monday’s lesson)? Why is that so important?

One of the opportunities given to the church to reveal the awe and majesty of God is in the Sabbath School lesson. "The Word was made flesh."  In Scripture as nowhere else do we have the privilege to behold Christ. When we hear His Words, when we behold His great Sacrifice, His character of self renouncing love, we then may know of His majesty.  Do we present Christ and Him crucified when we share in our Sabbath Schools? Do we present Him here online as the One altogether lovely?  I fear we do not enough.  Then let us take every opportunity we have to rightly represent our Saviour with our words and deeds. We each have a voice to use and on the Sabbath, it may be heard in the Sabbath School. Let us present the truth as it is in Jesus, lifting Him up just as high as we can.

How many things do you do in your life that are “profitable for nothing”? How much time do you spend basically “wasting time,” doing things that, in and of themselves, are useless, vain, and basically “profitable for nothing?” How can you learn to make better use of the limited time we all have here in this life?

When we abide in Christ, when we contemplate His great love for us, then it is that we shall want to give honor and glory to Him in all that we do. Talk of His wondrous love, tell others what great things He has done for you.  Every opportunity I have, I call for testimonies from the congregation. These testimonies tell of His great power and love for us. As the Holy Spirit is poured out upon God's church, He will reveal the glory, the awe, and the majesty of our God.

[Mimi]

Amen. Many are given a great infusion of hope and faith by witnessing the testimony of another. If God can work mightily in one life, He can do it in another. A personal testimony is one of the greatest sermons preached among us.

[Naja]

Amen, Sybil!
Our pastor spoke today of our "devotional life."  Not just a prayer, a Bible reading, a study; but a way of life, reflecting all we do as a mirror of the Holy Spirit.  If there is a "check" in our spirit, just don't do it.

[Mimi]

Good morning, Naja. Welcome to The Remnant Online.

[Glen]

...By nature we are vile. But, we do not see a clear picture  of who we are until we have a clear revelation of who God is. Isaiah saw one and it caused him to see himself as he really was, by nature and by experience...We have a perfect standard to compare our wretched lives by. We can see little good even if we have been truly converted. His righteousness causes us to fall on our faces in shame.

Yes, assuredly, humanity is vile by nature; however. we may at any time trust in Jesus, and become immersed, engrossed, concentrated, with the divine life. The more time we spend with Him, the more we discern the degradation and woe of the fallen human nature, and "despising the shame", we moment by moment choose to  "look and live"...Awake...and arise from the dead, and Christ gives (us) light. Ephesians 5:14 This light, revealing and transferring to us the texture of the very life of God, lifts us beyond the "nature and experience" of the fallen nature as we become...partakers of the divine nature, HAVING ESCAPED the corruption that is in the world through lust. OR, disloyalty to God. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:10 The "new creature in Christ" 2 Corinthians 5:17 has an overwhelming desire for more of His Spirit.

...if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 2 Corinthians 3:7-9

The sacred fire which God commanded should be used in the service of the sanctuary, represented God. This fire never went out day or night, and this was to be used in all their service. But "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh Me, and before all the people I will be glorified."--Ms 109, 1899.

Christ is soon to come, and no soul should stand in a position where he will say in word or action, "My Lord delayeth His coming." Christ's true followers will represent Him in character. They turn aside from worldly policy and are being trained for everyday service in the cause of God. In active service they find peace and hope, efficiency and power. They are conscious that they are breathing the breath of heaven, the only atmosphere in which the soul can live. By obedience they are made partakers of the divine nature. The doing of the living principles of the law of God makes them one with Christ. And He has pledged Himself to raise them up at the last day. Because He lives they will live also. He will raise them up as a part of Himself. Manuscript Releases Volume Twenty-one 347.04

"The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been,--just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents,--perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness. If eternal life were granted on any condition short of this, then the  happiness of the whole universe would be imperiled. The way would be open for sin, with all its train of woe and misery, to be immortalized. Advent Review and Sabbath Herald11-11-15.01

It was possible for Adam, before the fall, to form a righteous character by obedience to God's law. But he failed to do this, and because of his sin our natures are fallen, and we cannot make ourselves righteous. Since we are sinful, unholy, we cannot perfectly obey a holy law. We have no righteousness of our own with which to meet the claims of the law of God. But Christ has made a way of escape for us. He lived on earth amid trials and temptations such as we have to meet. He lived a sinless life. He died for us, and now he offers to take our sins and give us his righteousness. If you give yourself to him, and accept him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been, for his sake you are accounted righteous. Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned.  Advent Review and Sabbath Herald11-11-15.02

"More than this, Christ changes the heart. He abides in your heart by faith. You are to maintain this connection with Christ by faith and the continual surrender of your will to him; and so long as you do this, he will work in you to will and to do according to his good pleasure. So you may say, 'The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' So Jesus said to his disciples, 'It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.' Then with Christ working in you, you will manifest the same spirit and do the same works,--works of righteousness, obedience." Steps to Christ 67,68 Advent Review and Sabbath Herald11-11-15.03

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

The newest believer may ...deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Jesus. Looking to Jesus, we may truly live; yet, NOT on the husks of what causes death! (see Numbers 21:8) We too, may consider the joy that is set before us, endure the cross, despise that shame, and one day set down in His very throne with Him!

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

...what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:3, 4

The problem with so many of us, is that we don't leave our vile nature at the foot of the cross; then, henceforth partake of the divine nature. We take our eyes off of Jesus and go back to the vomit of our old life of sin....The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:22We are privileged to believe in Him with the whole heart, and ...follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Revelation 14:4

[Glen]

The problem with so many of us, is that we don't leave our vile nature at the foot of the cross; then, henceforth partake of the divine nature. We take our eyes off of Jesus and go back to the vomit of our old life of sin....The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:22We are privileged to believe in Him with the whole heart, and ...follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Revelation 14:4

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. John 5:30

…if you believe with all your heart, God dwells in the soul, and the soul in God. You represent Jesus. Those who are in positions of trust are on test and trial, to see if they will be wise men in positions of trust, to reveal whether Christ is working in and through them, so that He can represent His character and express Himself in their words and actions toward His heritage, for whom He has given His own precious life. . . . Lift Him Up 148.05

Christ declared that all power in heaven and earth has been given to him, and He gives this power to those who truly believe on Him, to His disciples, that they may go forth to proclaim the message of hope and salvation to a fallen race. He takes His position at the head of humanity, covering humanity with divinity. In Him humanity and divinity are combined, and He can accomplish for the human race all that is necessary to enable them to overcome as He overcame, and sit down with Him in His Father's throne. Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 04-23-01.04

Christ died to purchase salvation for us. He was raised for our justification, and He ever lives to make intercession for us. His life and death bring salvation to every believing child of God. By His death we are reconciled to God; by His life, as it is wrought out in our life, we shall be saved…. The Signs of the Times June 17, 1903

In our work we are to remember the way in which Christ worked. He made the world. He made man. Then He came in person to the world to show its inhabitants how to live sinless lives. Evangelism 385.04

Those who have Jesus abiding in the heart by faith, have actually received the Holy Spirit. The Upward Look 19.02

The obedience that Christ rendered is exactly the obedience that God requires from human beings today. It was the obedience of a son.  He served His Father in willingness and freedom, and with love, because it was the right thing for Him to do. "I delight to do Thy will, O My God," He declared; "yea, Thy law is within My heart." Thus we are to serve God. The Signs of the Times 01-25-99.09

a)   In everything Christ sought first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and

b)   that which he did he commands his followers (us) to do. This example he gave to the human race that they (we) might

c)   in his strength render to God the obedience he requires, and

d) in the end present themselves (ourselves) perfect before his throne. He was one with the Father. His life was a fulfilling of the law, a continual obedience to God's commands. Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 10-02-00.14