Friday November 13
Further Thought: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Professors of religion are not willing to closely examine themselves to see whether they are in the faith, and it is a fearful fact that many are leaning on a false hope. Some lean upon an old experience they had years ago; but when brought down to this heart-searching time, when all should have a daily experience, they have nothing to relate. They seem to think a profession of the truth will save them. When those sins which God hates are subdued, Jesus will come in and sup with you and you with him. You will then draw divine strength from Jesus, and you will grow up in him, and be able with holy triumph to say, Blessed be God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. It would be more pleasing to the Lord if lukewarm professors of religion had never named his name. They are a continual weight to those who would be faithful followers of Jesus. They are a stumbling-block to unbelievers, and evil angels exult over them, and taunt the angels of God with their crooked course. Such are a curse to the cause at home or abroad. They draw nigh to God with their lips, while their heart is far from him.” — Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, p. 227.
Amen! This is a pretty strong rebuke to those in the church who are unconverted. But, the answer to how we can be holy is still not answered, so many are left without hope, at least from our lessons in Sabbath School.
Discussion Questions:
From Mark 7:1-13, we learned that the underlying condition of false worship is a heart problem.
7:1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
7:2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
7:3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
7:4 And [when they come] from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables.
7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.
7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
7:10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
7:11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, [It is] Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; [he shall be free].
7:12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
God does not regard worship with our lips if this worship is not springing forth from our hearts. Why is the gospel and the story of the death of Jesus in our behalf the most powerful way to open up hearts to truly love God?
It is the most powerful way unless the gospel has been perverted, which it has. In God's church today we hear multitudes of gospels without any condemnation of those who do so. Thus we can say what has been said and not make one bit of difference when we do not address the true and the false gospels in the church today. The question remains as to how we can be holy living in fallen evil flesh. Unless we address this and the false gospels with the true gospel, we will not be able to see revival and reformation in the church.
Dwell more on the idea of worshiping God “in spirit and in truth.” Is it possible to do one and not the other, or does true worship demand both? If so, why?
Yes, our hearts need to be right in order to truly worship God, but what does that mean? Do you have to wait until you are totally connected to the Lord, with your life in perfect order, before you can worship? On the other hand, how can worship, true worship, help get your heart in the right place with God?
Can one be holy when not totally connected to God? Absolutely not. "How can worship, true worship, help get your heart in the right place with God" reveals that there is a serious problem here. We are being told that we can worship God when the heart is not right with God, it will help get your heart right with God. This is a contradiction. We cannot worship God, truly worship God unless our hearts are right. Thus, the question remains, how can we get our hearts right so that we can worship God in the beauty of holiness which is the only true worship of God.
Go back and study Tuesday's lesson and see that our lesson on Friday is not in harmony with the truth revealed on Tuesday. God help His church to learn how to come to the point of worshiping Him properly. In other words, in the beauty of holiness. We must be in a converted state to worship God, else we are serving self and Satan. But, this does not mean that God does not love us and is calling us to let Him into our hearts. He stands at the door and knocks seeking entrance. And, in the Laodicean message we read as to how can be converted and manifest the beauty of a pure and holy heart and mind. Buy of Him gold tried in the fire, white raiment, and eye salve which will then empower us to overcome sin as Jesus overcame. He is speaking to His church today, "repent."