Quote from: Richard Myers on February 17, 2017, 08:25:25 AM
The good works we are to look for are not the day that one keeps, nor the food he eats, but the fruits of the Spirit in the life. If one is fully surrendered, he is abiding in Christ and Christ through the Spirit in him. If the Spirit is abiding in him, then the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in the life, not one will be missing. These are the good works Jesus tells us by which we may judge ourselves and others.
No; I did not "misunderstand what (you) said", because you made it clear enough what you meant. As one thinks about it, the context which the sentence reading, "The good works we are to look for are not the day that one keeps..."; "are not", clarifies that you would seem to exclude the 7th Commandment as part of the Law of God, by which to judge anyone. Followed by the words, "...but the fruits of the Spirit in the life. If one is fully surrendered, he is abiding in Christ and Christ through the Spirit in him. If the Spirit is abiding in him, then the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in the life, not one will be missing." -Followed by the words and placing the emphasis that, "These are the good works Jesus tells us by which we may judge ourselves and others." -seems to put all the focus on the fruits of the Spirit, to the exclusion of the Law of God, "by which we may judge ourselves and others", which forms a dichotomy, an oxymoron, that can be misleading.
Certainly, Brother Richard, erring man...cannot judge righteously unless his heart is constantly imbued with the Spirit of God. Lt 34, 1889 (January 4, 1889) par. 12
Man cannot read the heart of man. His judgment is formed from appearances, and these are often deceptive. God reads the intent and purposes of the heart.
The Review and Herald May 14, 1895 paragraph 4
...the Scriptures explicitly say that the Word of God is the standard by which we must test all teaching and experience. The apostle John says, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). And Isaiah declares, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). Love Under Fire, Page 8.5
So; even ministers who may be filled with all the fruit of the Spirit, without one missing, who still preach Sunday sacredness, are, remarkably, yet truly, false prophets(sic):
Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mark 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
1 Corinthians 10;
20 ...the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Have you entirely missed my point that the Sunday-keeper; however "innocently" keeps the wrong day (according to the First Angel's Message), must hear and receive that Message; "...come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing... 2 Cor. 6:17 ? The Remnant will indeed have discernment of that fact (because the Law of God is written in their heart), and they forthwith; (gently John 3:17; 2 Timothy 2:24), bear that message to the faithful and honest Sunday-keeper who will yet receive the whole Gospel of God to mankind, having learned "the way of God more perfectly" Acts 18:26, before Christ returns. It is ONLY those who have the Spirit of God among Sunday-keepers and every other false religion, that will receive the Sabbath when it is preached more fully by the Remnant, during the Loud Cry.
...when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth… John 16:13
Those who worship God in Spirit and in Truth will have every fruit of the Spirit AND keep the whole Law of God: "all truth" includes the 7th Commandment as well as all the fruits of the Spirit (not one law will be missing).
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
God leads His people on, step by step. He brings them up to different points calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is tested and tried a little closer. If the professed people of God find their hearts opposed to this straight work, it should convince them that they have a work to do to overcome, if they would not be spewed out of the mouth of the Lord. Said the angel: “God will bring His work closer and closer to test and prove every one of His people.” Some are willing to receive one point; but when God brings them to another testing point, they shrink from it and stand back, because they find that it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Here they have opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus. They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are not prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length of time to see if they will sacrifice their idols and heed the counsel of the True Witness.... Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation.
God proves His people in this world. This is the fitting-up place to appear in His presence. Here, in this world, in these last days, persons will show what power affects their hearts and controls their actions. If it is the power of divine truth, it will lead to good works. It will elevate the receiver, and make him noblehearted and generous, like His divine Lord. But if evil angels control the heart, it will be seen in various ways. The fruit will be selfishness, covetousness, pride, and evil passions. Lift Him Up 375
I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of “refreshing” and the “latter rain” to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God. Those who ... fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth ... will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building. But there will be ... no Mediator to plead their cause before the Father. Before this time the awfully solemn declaration has gone forth, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”
I saw that none could share the “refreshing” unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence. Maranatha 41
Hebrews 10:
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The doctrine of Christ consists of both the Spirit AND the Letter, of the Law of God. The "love and...good works" experienced by the Believer through sanctification by the Spirit are the harvest in the soul of the work, and will of God. The words, "if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth" include not only violation of any one law of God, but a lack of any one of the fruits of the Spirit of God.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1,2
God's law must be considered first of all, and obeyed in spirit and in letter. If God's word, spoken in awful solemnity from the holy mountain, is lightly regarded, how will the testimonies of his Spirit be received? The Review and Herald September 21, 1876 paragraph 9