Hello brother,
I was fearing that either you were afraid to communicate of maybe were off in a distant land doing evangelism. I am happy to hear from you.
Here, Paul’s letter to the Galatians is very hollow. Yes, we claim to be past the Law and under grace, but, even among the faithful, the Law never had its full impact as it should have. What we must have is the experience of Jesus’ condemnation, and most have never felt the real wrath and force of His testimony, the Spirit of Prophecy. When the Law, as given in its most recent edition through EGW, is studied and wrestled with, and then surrender to God is given from the Holy Spirit, then both Law and our warfare against it bring in faith to the wrestler. And only then is grace very precious and obedience real. He that is forgiven much loveth much, and he that loveth much obeyeth much.
But, sadly, many have never cared about the SOP and give it any attention. If they read it at all, it was only a cursory reading. This is seen in the small effect it has had on the lifestyles of the SDAs in the western world. If the life is no different from the non-SDA peers, if the interest in spiritual things cannot be mustered, then there is no evidence that the Law ever was wrestled with. And if there is no effort to exalt the goodness and personableness of Jesus, beyond just pat phrases, then there is no evidence that grace was ever reach out for and obtained.
In other words, what I keep hearing around me makes me vomit. :( It makes me want to cry. It also alarms me. If the above description of having received Jesus is the criteria for surviving the great shaking, then many, many will be lost. Multitudes are walking in darkness.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m being too strict. But then I read some things from EGW and I hear the same requirements from her. I’m not perfect, not by a long shot. But I see a large section of deceived people who are fully convinced they are saved when they haven’t done the first works.
So, the study of the letter to the Galatians is doing us no good. Last Sabbath I sensed this false hope in grace and tried to explain the broad definition of the Law: i.e. the whole Old and New Testaments, the SOP, even the consequences of our sins. But, all I heard was, “Why are you talking about the Law in our salvation, when salvation is based on grace only?”
I hear from these people no different from what I hear from Baptists and other fallen Protestant denominations. Its a cheap grace. Cheap SDA grace comes as the result of disregarding the SOP, especially in regard to its aspects of spirituality. Only when the soul has been prostrated by the strong, authoritative language of Jesus through EGW and it spends time struggling for the love of God, that grace appears glorious.
This concept comes through again and again in the OT promises of the major and minor prophets. After their captivity they would return with everlasting joy upon their heads--and only after years of captivity. You suffered condemnation for years. I have also. Others I know are still suffering, some soon to come out of the darkness into the glorious light.
Only those who suffer under God’s condemnation will appreciate the grace of God and really love Jesus. “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me.” (Jn. 6:37). This must be the watchword of true RBF. “All that the Father giveth Me [through His Law] shall come to Me [for reconciliation and justification].”
Thus, the utterly essential part that accepting and heeding the Law plays in our salvation. Only after years of wrestling with Him who said He was “this Stone”, and finally coming to Him would He say, “And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” No one else qualifies!!!
God raised up four pagan and brutal empires for 600 years to finally get it through to His people that they were under His condemnation. When life got really bad (because His Law could no longer communicate His anger and disfavor with them) and devil possession was everywhere, did the people finally humble themselves before His prophet when John began preaching. But many still would not listen because they had not felt the pinch of God’s curses. The prostitutes and publicans, the poor and the lepers had felt the pricks of heaven through the misery of life, and they willingly bowed in confession under the condemnation of God. They received the Messiah and “as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.” (Jn. 1:12).
This is what we have to look forward to again. But the curse of God must be confessed to.
“And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against Me, and that also they have walked contrary unto Me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.” (Lev. 26:39-43).
“If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2Chron. 7:14).
“And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.
And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” (Jer. 29:13,14).
Love you brother,
David
I was fearing that either you were afraid to communicate of maybe were off in a distant land doing evangelism. I am happy to hear from you.
Here, Paul’s letter to the Galatians is very hollow. Yes, we claim to be past the Law and under grace, but, even among the faithful, the Law never had its full impact as it should have. What we must have is the experience of Jesus’ condemnation, and most have never felt the real wrath and force of His testimony, the Spirit of Prophecy. When the Law, as given in its most recent edition through EGW, is studied and wrestled with, and then surrender to God is given from the Holy Spirit, then both Law and our warfare against it bring in faith to the wrestler. And only then is grace very precious and obedience real. He that is forgiven much loveth much, and he that loveth much obeyeth much.
But, sadly, many have never cared about the SOP and give it any attention. If they read it at all, it was only a cursory reading. This is seen in the small effect it has had on the lifestyles of the SDAs in the western world. If the life is no different from the non-SDA peers, if the interest in spiritual things cannot be mustered, then there is no evidence that the Law ever was wrestled with. And if there is no effort to exalt the goodness and personableness of Jesus, beyond just pat phrases, then there is no evidence that grace was ever reach out for and obtained.
In other words, what I keep hearing around me makes me vomit. :( It makes me want to cry. It also alarms me. If the above description of having received Jesus is the criteria for surviving the great shaking, then many, many will be lost. Multitudes are walking in darkness.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m being too strict. But then I read some things from EGW and I hear the same requirements from her. I’m not perfect, not by a long shot. But I see a large section of deceived people who are fully convinced they are saved when they haven’t done the first works.
So, the study of the letter to the Galatians is doing us no good. Last Sabbath I sensed this false hope in grace and tried to explain the broad definition of the Law: i.e. the whole Old and New Testaments, the SOP, even the consequences of our sins. But, all I heard was, “Why are you talking about the Law in our salvation, when salvation is based on grace only?”
I hear from these people no different from what I hear from Baptists and other fallen Protestant denominations. Its a cheap grace. Cheap SDA grace comes as the result of disregarding the SOP, especially in regard to its aspects of spirituality. Only when the soul has been prostrated by the strong, authoritative language of Jesus through EGW and it spends time struggling for the love of God, that grace appears glorious.
This concept comes through again and again in the OT promises of the major and minor prophets. After their captivity they would return with everlasting joy upon their heads--and only after years of captivity. You suffered condemnation for years. I have also. Others I know are still suffering, some soon to come out of the darkness into the glorious light.
Only those who suffer under God’s condemnation will appreciate the grace of God and really love Jesus. “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me.” (Jn. 6:37). This must be the watchword of true RBF. “All that the Father giveth Me [through His Law] shall come to Me [for reconciliation and justification].”
Thus, the utterly essential part that accepting and heeding the Law plays in our salvation. Only after years of wrestling with Him who said He was “this Stone”, and finally coming to Him would He say, “And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” No one else qualifies!!!
God raised up four pagan and brutal empires for 600 years to finally get it through to His people that they were under His condemnation. When life got really bad (because His Law could no longer communicate His anger and disfavor with them) and devil possession was everywhere, did the people finally humble themselves before His prophet when John began preaching. But many still would not listen because they had not felt the pinch of God’s curses. The prostitutes and publicans, the poor and the lepers had felt the pricks of heaven through the misery of life, and they willingly bowed in confession under the condemnation of God. They received the Messiah and “as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.” (Jn. 1:12).
This is what we have to look forward to again. But the curse of God must be confessed to.
“And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against Me, and that also they have walked contrary unto Me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.” (Lev. 26:39-43).
“If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2Chron. 7:14).
“And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.
And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” (Jer. 29:13,14).
Love you brother,
David
posted by David | 2:08 PM
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