God’s Law Of Love Perfected In Us, February 28

"If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." 1 John 4:12. RC 73.1 ******************* "The conditions of eternal life, under grace, are just what they were in Eden—perfect righteousness, harmony with God, perfect conformity to the principles of His law. The standard of character presented in the Old Testament is the same that is presented in the New Testament. This standard is not one to which we cannot attain. In every command or injunction that God gives there is a promise, the most positive, underlying the command.God has made provision that we may become like unto Him, and He will accomplish this for all who do not interpose a perverse will and thus frustrate His grace. RC 73.2 ******************* With untold love our God has loved us, and our love awakens toward Him as we comprehend something of the length and breadth and depth and height of this love that passeth knowledge. By the revelation of the attractive loveliness of Christ, by the knowledge of His love expressed to us while we were yet sinners, the stubborn heart is melted and subdued, and the sinner is transformed and becomes a child of heaven. God does not employ compulsory measures; love is the agent which He uses to expel sin from the heart. By it He changes pride into humility, and enmity and unbelief into love and faith.... RC 73.3 ******************* He tells us to be perfect as He is, in the same manner. We are to be centers of light and blessing to our little circle, even as He is to the universe. We have nothing of ourselves, but the light of His love shines upon us, and we are to reflect its brightness. “In His borrowed goodness good,” we may be perfect in our sphere, even as God is perfect in His. RC 73.4 ******************* Jesus said, Be perfect as your Father is perfect. If you are the children of God you are partakers of His nature, and you cannot but be like Him. Every child lives by the life of his father. If you are God’s children, begotten by His Spirit, you live by the life of God. In Christ dwells “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9); and the life of Jesus is made manifest “in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:11). That life in you will produce the same character and manifest the same works as it did in Him. Thus you will be in harmony with every precept of His law; for “the law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul” (Psalm 19:7, margin). Through love “the righteousness of the law” will be “fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”" (Romans 8:4).—Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 76-78. RC 73.5

Genuine Sanctification Involves Obedience, February 28

"For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. Romans 16:19, NKJV. BLJ 67.1 ******************* Adam and Eve dared to transgress the Lord’s requirements, and the terrible result of their sin should be a warning to us not to follow their example of disobedience. Christ prayed for His disciples in these words: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).There is no genuine sanctification except through obedience to the truth. Those who love God with all the heart will love all His commandments also. The sanctified heart is in harmony with the precepts of God’s law; for they are holy, just, and good. BLJ 67.2 ******************* God’s character has not changed.He is the same jealous God today as when He gave His law upon Sinai and wrote it with His own finger on the tables of stone. Those who trample upon God’s holy law may say, “I am sanctified”; but to be indeed sanctified, and to claim sanctification, are two different things. BLJ 67.3 ******************* The New Testament has not changed the law of God. The sacredness of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is as firmly established as the throne of Jehovah.John writes: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth [transgresseth the law] hath not seen him, neither known him” (1 John 3:4-6). BLJ 67.4 ******************* We are authorized to hold in the same estimation as did the beloved disciple those who claim to abide in Christ, to be sanctified, while living in transgression of God’s law. He met with just such a class as we have to meet. He said, “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning” (Verses 7, 8). Here the apostle speaks in plain terms, as he deemed the subject demanded. BLJ 67.5 ******************* The epistles of John breathe a spirit of love. But when he comes in contact with that class who break the law of God and yet claim that they are living without sin, he does not hesitate to warn them of their fearful deception. [First John 1:6-10 quoted.]—The Sanctified Life, 67-69. BLJ 67.6

Our Obedience Enables God to Fulfill Promises, February 26

"Today you have proclaimed the Lord to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice." Deuteronomy 26:17, NKJV. BLJ 65.1 ********************** "Let us be loyal and true to every precept of the law of God. The Lord declares that if we will obey the principles of His law, these principles will be our life... BLJ 65.2 ********************** The precepts of God’s law were not the production of any human mind, nor were they enacted by Moses.They were framed by the One infinite in wisdom, even Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords, and by Him were proclaimed from Sinai amidst scenes of awful grandeur. On obedience to these precepts depended Israel’s prosperity. BLJ 65.3 ********************** “Thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.” God did not give His commandments to us for us to obey when we pleased, and to disregard at our pleasure. They are the laws of His kingdom, and are to be obeyed by His subjects. If His people would obey His law with the whole heart, decided witness would be borne to the world that those whom He has avouched to be His people, His peculiar treasure, do indeed honor Him in all they do. Loyalty to God, unquestioning obedience to His law, would make His people a wonder in the world, because He would be able to fulfill His rich and abundant promises to them, and make them a praise in the earth. They would be a holy people unto Him. BLJ 65.4 ********************** “Now therefore,” God declares, “if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.” How wonderful the largeness of God’s promises! And they are given to all who will hearken to His Word, believing His declarations, and obeying His commands. Obedience to His law is the condition of future and eternal happiness."—The Southern Watchman, February 16, 1904. BLJ 65.5

Christians To Be As Transparent As Sunlight, February 26

"But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. Matthew 5:34-36. RC 71.1 ****************** "Everything we possess comes to us stamped with the cross, bought with the blood that is precious above all estimate, because it is the life of God.Hence there is nothing that we have a right to pledge, as if it were our own, for the fulfillment of our word.... RC 71.2 ****************** Our Saviour did not, however, forbid the use of the judicial oath, in which God is solemnly called to witness that what is said is truth and nothing but the truth. Jesus Himself, at His trial before the Sanhedrin, did not refuse to testify under oath. The high priest said unto Him, “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus answered, “Thou hast said” (Matthew 26:63, 64).... RC 71.3 ****************** If there is anyone who can consistently testify under oath, it is the Christian. He lives constantly as in the presence of God, knowing that every thought is open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do; and when required to do so in a lawful manner, it is right for him to appeal to God as a witness that what he says is the truth, and nothing but the truth.... RC 71.4 ****************** Everything that Christians do should be as transparent as the sunlight. Truth is of God; deception, in every one of its myriad forms, is of Satan.... It is not a light or an easy thing to speak the exact truth. We cannot speak the truth unless we know the truth, and how often preconceived opinions, mental bias, imperfect knowledge, errors of judgment, prevent a right understanding of matters with which we have to do! We cannot speak the truth unless our minds are continually guided by Him who is truth. RC 71.5 ****************** Through the apostle Paul, Christ bids us, “Let your speech be alway with grace” (Colossians 4:6). “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). In the light of these scriptures the words of Christ upon the mount are seen to condemn jesting, trifling, and unchaste conversation. They require that our words should be not only truthful, but pure. RC 71.6 ****************** Those who have learned of Christ will “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (chap.5:11). In speech, as in life, they will be simple, straightforward, and true; for they are preparing for the fellowship of those holy ones in whose mouth “was found no guile” (Revelation 14:5)."—Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 66-69. RC 71.7

God’s Law A Hedge Against Evil, February 24

"[His commandments] stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. Psalm 111:8. RC 69.1 ******************* "He who willfully breaks one commandment, does not, in spirit and truth, keep any of them.“Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). RC 69.2 ******************* It is not the greatness of the act of disobedience that constitutes sin, but the fact of variance from God’s expressed will in the least particular; for this shows that there is yet communion between the soul and sin. The heart is divided in its service. There is a virtual denial of God, a rebellion against the laws of His government. RC 69.3 ******************* Were men free to depart from the Lord’s requirements and to set up a standard of duty for themselves, there would be a variety of standards to suit different minds and the government would be taken out of the Lord’s hands. The will of man would be made supreme, and the high and holy will of God—His purpose of love toward His creatures—would be dishonored, disrespected.RC 69.4 ******************* Whenever men choose their own way, they place themselves in controversy with God. They will have no place in the kingdom of heaven, for they are at war with the very principles of heaven. In disregarding the will of God, they are placing themselves on the side of Satan, the enemy of God and man. Not by one word, not by many words, but by every word that God has spoken, shall man live. We cannot disregard one word, however trifling it may seem to us, and be safe. There is not a commandment of the law that is not for the good and happiness of man, both in this life and in the life to come. RC 69.5 ******************* In obedience to God’s law, man is surrounded as with a hedge and kept from the evil. He who breaks down this divinely erected barrier at one point has destroyed its power to protect him; for he has opened a way by which the enemy can enter to waste and ruin. RC 69.6 ******************* By venturing to disregard the will of God upon one point, our first parents opened the floodgates of woe upon the world. And every individual who follows their example will reap a similar result. The love of God underlies every precept of His law, and he who departs from the commandment is working his own unhappiness and ruin.... RC 69.7 ******************* A legal religion is insufficient to bring the soul into harmony with God.... The only true faith is that which “worketh by love” (Galatians 5:6) to purify the soul. It is as leaven that transforms the character.... Jesus proceeded to show His hearers what it means to keep the commandments of God—that it is a reproduction in themselves of the character of Christ.For in Him, God was daily made manifest before them.—Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 51-55. RC 69.8

God’s Law Is Perfect, February 24

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." Psalm 19:7, 8, NKJV. BLJ 63.1 ******************** "The very same Jesus, who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, led the Hebrew hosts, is our leader. He who gave wise and righteous and good laws to Israel has spoken to us as verily as to them. Our prosperity and happiness depend upon our unwavering obedience to the law of God. Finite wisdom could not improve one precept of that holy law. Not one of those ten precepts can be broken without disloyalty to the God of heaven. To keep every jot and tittle of the law is essential for our own happiness, and for the happiness of all connected with us. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Yet finite creatures will present to the people this holy, just, and good law as a yoke of bondage—a yoke which they cannot bear! It is the transgressor that can see no beauty in the law of God. BLJ 63.2 ******************** "The whole world will be judged by this law. It reaches even to the intents and purposes of the heart, and demands purity in the most secret thoughts, desires, and dispositions. It requires us to love God supremely, and our neighbor as ourselves. Without the exercise of this love, the highest profession of faith is mere hypocrisy. God claims, from every soul of the human family, perfect obedience to His law.“Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” BLJ 63.3 ******************** "The least deviation from that law, by neglect, or willful transgression, is sin, and every sin exposes the sinner to the wrath of God. The unrenewed heart will hate the restrictions of the law of God, and will strive to throw off its holy claims. Our eternal welfare depends upon a proper understanding of the law of God, a deep conviction of its holy character, and a ready obedience to its requirements. Men and women must be convicted of sin before they will feel their need of Christ.... Those who trample under their feet the law of God have rejected the only means to define to the transgressor what sin is.They are doing the work of the great deceiver.—The Signs of the Times, March 3, 1881. BLJ 63.4

Obey God, the Supreme Authority, February 22

"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29, NKJV. BLJ 61.1 ******************** "The principle for which the disciples stood so fearlessly when, in answer to the command not to speak any more in the name of Jesus, they declared, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye,” is the same that the adherents of the gospel struggled to maintain in the days of the Reformation. When in 1529 the German princes assembled at the Diet of Spires, there was presented the emperor’s decree restricting religious liberty, and prohibiting all further dissemination of the reformed doctrines. It seemed that the hope of the world was about to be crushed out. Would the princes accept the decree? Should the light of the gospel be shut out from the multitudes still in darkness? Mighty issues for the world were at stake.Those who had accepted the reformed faith met together, and their unanimous decision was, “Let us reject this decree. In matters of conscience the majority has no power” (Merle d’Aubigné, History of the Reformation, book 13, chap. 5).BLJ 61.2 ******************** This principle we in our day are firmly to maintain. The banner of truth and religious liberty held aloft by the founders of the gospel church and by God’s witnesses during the centuries that have passed since then, has, in this last conflict, been committed to our hands. The responsibility for this great gift rests with those whom God has blessed with a knowledge of His Word. We are to receive this Word as supreme authority. We are to recognize human government as an ordinance of divine appointment, and teach obedience to it as a sacred duty, within its legitimate sphere. But when its claims conflict with the claims of God, we must obey God rather than human beings. God’s Word must be recognized as above all human legislation. A “Thus saith the Lord” is not to be set aside for a “Thus saith the church” or a “Thus saith the state.” The crown of Christ is to be lifted above the diadems of earthly potentates.... BLJ 61.3 ******************** We are not to say or do anything that would unnecessarily close up our way. We are to go forward in Christ’s name, advocating the truths committed to us. If we are forbidden by others to do this work, then we may say, as did the apostles, ... “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard”"(Acts 4:20).—The Acts of the Apostles, 68, 69. BLJ 61.4

The Spirituality Of The Law, February 22

"I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil." Matthew 5:17. RC 67.1 ******************** "It was Christ who, amid thunder and flame, had proclaimed the law upon Mount Sinai. The glory of God, like devouring fire, rested upon its summit, and the mountain quaked at the presence of the Lord. The hosts of Israel, lying prostrate upon the earth, had listened in awe to the sacred precepts of the law.... RC 67.2 ******************** When the law was given, Israel, degraded by the long bondage in Egypt, had need to be impressed with the power and majesty of God; yet He revealed Himself to them no less as a God of love.... RC 67.3 ******************** The law given upon Sinai was the enunciation of the principle of love, a revelation to earth of the law of heaven. It was ordained in the hand of a Mediator—spoken by Him through whose power the hearts of men could be brought into harmony with its principles. God had revealed the purpose of the law when He declared to Israel, “Ye shall be holy men unto me” (Exodus 22:31). RC 67.4 ******************** But Israel had not perceived the spiritual nature of the law, and too often their professed obedience was but an observance of forms and ceremonies, rather than a surrender of the heart to the sovereignty of love. As Jesus in His character and work represented to men the holy, benevolent, and paternal attributes of God, and presented the worthlessness of mere ceremonial obedience, the Jewish leaders did not receive or understand His words.They thought that He dwelt too lightly upon the requirements of the law; and when He set before them the very truths that were the soul of their divinely appointed service, they, looking only at the external, accused Him of seeking to overthrow it. RC 67.5 ******************** The words of Christ, though calmly spoken, were uttered with an earnestness and power that stirred the hearts of the people.... They “were astonished at his teaching: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:28, 29, R.V.). The Pharisees noted the vast difference between their manner of instruction and that of Christ. They saw that the majesty and purity and beauty of the truth, with its deep and gentle influence, was taking firm hold upon many minds. The Saviour’s divine love and tenderness drew the hearts of men to Him.... RC 67.6 ******************** The Saviour said nothing to unsettle faith in the religion and institutions that had been given through Moses; for every ray of divine light that Israel’s great leader communicated to his people was received from Christ. While many are saying in their hearts that He has come to do away with the law, Jesus in unmistakable language reveals His attitude toward the divine statutes.“Think not,” He said, “that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets.”"—Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 45-48. RC 67.7

Disobedience Indicates Rebellion, February 19

"Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19, NRSV. BLJ 58.1 ********************* Any person who willfully breaks one commandment does not, in spirit and truth, keep any of them.“Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). BLJ 58.2 ********************* It is not the greatness of the act of disobedience that constitutes sin, but the fact of variance from God’s expressed will in the least particular; for this shows that there is yet communion between the soul and sin. The heart is divided in its service. There is a virtual denial of God, a rebellion against the laws of His government. BLJ 58.3 ********************* Were men and women free to depart from the Lord’s requirements and to set up a standard of duty for themselves, there would be a variety of standards to suit different minds and the government would be taken out of the Lord’s hands. The will of human beings would be made supreme, and the high and holy will of God—His purpose of love toward His creatures—would be dishonored, disrespected. BLJ 58.4 ********************* Whenever created beings choose their own way, they place themselves in controversy with God. They will have no place in the kingdom of heaven, for they are at war with the very principles of heaven. In disregarding the will of God, they are placing themselves on the side of Satan, the enemy of God and humanity. Not by one word, not by many words, but by every word that God has spoken, shall we live. We cannot disregard one word, however trifling it may seem to us, and be safe. There is not a commandment of the law that is not for the good and happiness of men and women, both in this life and in the life to come. In obedience to God’s law, His children are surrounded as with a hedge and kept from the evil. Those who break down this divinely erected barrier at one point have destroyed its power to protect them; for they have opened a way by which the enemy can enter to waste and ruin. BLJ 58.5 ********************* By venturing to disregard the will of God upon one point, our first parents opened the floodgates of woe upon the world. And every individual who follows their example will reap a similar result. The love of God underlies every precept of His law, and those who depart from the commandment are working their own unhappiness and ruin.—Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 51, 52. BLJ 58.6

The Meaning Of God’s Law, February 19

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." Psalm 19:7. RC 64.1 ************************ The carnal mind is enmity against God, and it rebels against His will....RC 64.2 ************************ "I have been shown what man is without a knowledge of the will of God.... But when the Spirit of God reveals to him the full meaning of the law, what a change takes place in his heart! Like Belshazzar, he reads intelligently the handwriting of the Almighty, and conviction takes possession of his soul. The thunders of God’s word startle him from his lethargy, and he calls for mercy in the name of Jesus. And to that humble plea God always listens with a willing ear. He never turns the penitent away comfortless.... RC 64.3 ************************ If God’s people would recognize His dealings with them and accept His teachings, they would find a straight path for their feet and a light to guide them through darkness and discouragement. David learned wisdom from God’s dealings with him and bowed in humility beneath the chastisement of the Most High.The faithful portrayal of his true state by the prophet Nathan made David acquainted with his own sins and aided him to put them away. He accepted counsel meekly and humiliated himself before God. “The law of the Lord,” he exclaims, “is perfect, converting the soul.” RC 64.4 ************************ Repentant sinners have no cause to despair because they are reminded of their transgressions and warned of their danger. These very efforts in their behalf show how much God loves them and desires to save them.They have only to follow His counsel and do His will, to inherit eternal life.God sets the sins of His erring people before them, that they may behold them in all their enormity under the light of divine truth. It is then their duty to renounce them forever. RC 64.5 ************************ God is as powerful to save from sin today as He was in the times of the patriarchs, of David, and of the prophets and apostles. The multitude of cases recorded in sacred history where God has delivered His people from their own iniquities should make the Christian of this time eager to receive divine instruction and zealous to perfect a character that will bear the close inspection of the judgment.... RC 64.6 ************************ The words of inspiration comfort and cheer the erring soul. Although the patriarchs and apostles were subject to human frailties, yet through faith they obtained a good report, fought their battles in the strength of the Lord, and conquered gloriously. Thus may we trust in the virtue of the atoning sacrifice and be overcomers in the name of Jesus.Humanity is humanity the world over from the time of Adam down to the present generation, and the love of God through all ages is without a parallel.—Testimonies for the Church 4:13-15. RC 64.7

Disease Free Living

God’s Law Important for All Time, February 18

"Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Exodus 19:5, 6, NKJV. BLJ 57.1 *********************** "This covenant [Exodus 19:1-6] is a revelation of God’s goodness. The people had not sought for it. They were not reaching out their hands after God; but He Himself graciously extended His almighty arm, inviting them to link their arm with His, that He might be their defense. He voluntarily chose as His heritage a nation that had just come from Egyptian slavery, a people who must be educated and trained at every step. What an expression of omnipotent goodness and love! ... BLJ 57.2 *********************** Over and over again, the Lord permitted His people to be brought into strait places, that in their deliverance, He might reveal His mercy and His goodness. If they now chose to disbelieve Him, they must doubt the evidence of their own eyes.They had had unmistakable proof that He was a living God, “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6). He had honored Israel in the sight of all the heavenly intelligences. He brought them unto Himself—into covenant relation and communion with Him. BLJ 57.3 *********************** The children of Israel had been three months on their journey from Egypt, and were now camped before Mount Sinai, where in awful grandeur, the Lord spoke His law. He did not manifest Himself in grand buildings made with human hands, the structures of human device. He revealed His glory in a high mountain, a temple of His own creation. The top of Mount Sinai rose above all others, in a range of mountains in the barren desert. This mountain God chose as the place where He would make Himself known to His people. BLJ 57.4 *********************** He appeared to them in awful grandeur, and spoke in audible voice. He there revealed Himself to His people, as He never has at any other time, thereby showing the importance of the law for all ages.God is particular today that we keep His commandments."—Manuscript Releases 1:105, 106. BLJ 57.5

How We May Keep God’s Law, February 18

"His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever." Psalm 111:3. RC 63.1 ************************ "One ray of the glory of God, one gleam of the purity of Christ, penetrating the soul, makes every spot of defilement painfully distinct, and lays bare the deformity and defects of the human character. How can anyone who is brought before the holy standard of God’s law, which makes apparent the evil motives, the unhallowed desires, the infidelity of the heart, the impurity of the lips, and that lays bare the life, make any boast of holiness? His acts of disloyalty in making void the law of God are exposed to his sight, and his spirit is stricken and afflicted under the searching influences of the Spirit of God. He loathes himself as he views the greatness, the majesty, the pure and spotless character of Jesus Christ. RC 63.2 ************************ When the Spirit of Christ stirs the heart with its marvelous awakening power, there is a sense of deficiency in the soul, that leads to contrition of mind, and humiliation of self, rather than to proud boasting of what has been acquired. When Daniel beheld the glory and majesty surrounding the heavenly messenger that was sent unto him, he exclaimed, as he described the wonderful scene, “Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.” RC 63.3 ************************ The soul that is thus touched will never wrap itself about with self-righteousness, or a pretentious garb of holiness; but will hate its selfishness, abhor its self-love, and will seek, through Christ’s righteousness, for that purity of heart which is in harmony with the law of God and the character of Christ. He will then reflect the character of Christ, the hope of glory.It will be the greatest mystery to him that Jesus should have made so great a sacrifice to redeem him. RC 63.4 ************************ He will exclaim, with humble mien and quivering lip, “He loved me. He gave Himself for me. He became poor that I, through His poverty, might be made rich. The Man of Sorrows did not spurn me, but poured out His inexhaustible, redeeming love that my heart might be made clean; and He has brought me back into loyalty and obedience to all His commandments. His condescension, His humiliation, His crucifixion, are the crowning miracles in the marvelous exhibition of the plan of salvation.... All this He has done to make it possible to impart to me His own righteousness, that I may keep the law I have transgressed. For this I adore Him. I will proclaim Him to all sinners.”—The Review and Herald, October 16, 1888. RC 63.5

Thursday Bible Study

The Standard In The Judgment, February 17

"So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." James 2:12. RC 62.1 *********************** "The first angel of Revelation 14calls upon men to “fear God, and give glory to him,” and to worship Him as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. In order to do this, they must obey His law.... Without obedience to His commandments, no worship can be pleasing to God; for “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3). RC 62.2 *********************** Many religious teachers say that Christ, by His death, freed us from the law; but not all take this view....The law of God, from its very nature, is unchangeable. It is a revelation of the will and character of its Author.God is love, and His law is love. Its two great principles are love to God and man. “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” The character of God is righteousness and truth, and such is the nature of His law. The psalmist says, “Thy law is the truth”; “all thy commandments are righteousness.”And the apostle Paul declares, “The law is holy, and the commandments holy, and just, and good.” Such a law, an expression of the mind and will of God, must be as enduring as its Author. RC 62.3 *********************** And this law is the standard by which the lives and characters of men will be tested in the judgment.After pointing out our duty to obey His commandments, Solomon adds: “For God shall bring every work into judgment.” The apostle James admonishes his brethren, “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” RC 62.4 *********************** Jesus will appear in the judgment as the advocate of His people, to plead in their behalf before God. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 9:24; 7:25). RC 62.5 *********************** In the judgment all who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life....Jesus said, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”—The Watchman, October 10, 1905. RC 62.6

Principles That Underlie The Law Of God, February 16

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3. RC 61.1 ************************ "In Christ’s sermon on the mount, light and truth are given, and principles laid down which apply to every condition of life, and to every duty that God requires at our hands.Christ had come to magnify and make honorable the law that He Himself had proclaimed from Mount Sinai to His chosen people during their wilderness wandering.... RC 61.2 ************************ In all His lessons, Christ sought to impress upon the minds and hearts of His hearers the principles which underlie His great standard of righteousness. He taught them that if they would keep God’s commandments, love for God and for their fellow men must be manifested in their daily life. He sought to instill into their hearts the love He felt for humanity. Thus He sowed the seeds of truth, the fruits of which will produce a rich harvest of holiness and beauty of character. The holy influence will not only be far-reaching while time shall last, but its results will be felt throughout eternity. It will sanctify the actions, and have a purifying influence wherever it exists. RC 61.3 ************************ Seated upon the mount, surrounded by His disciples and a large ... gathering, Jesus “opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”These are not murmurers and complainers, but those who are content with their condition and surroundings in life. They do not cherish the feeling that they deserve a better position than that which Providence has assigned them, but manifest a spirit of gratitude for every favor bestowed upon them.Every proud thought and exalted feeling is banished.... RC 61.4 ************************ Those who are truly sanctified have a sense of their own weakness.Feeling their need, they will go for light and grace and strength to Jesus, in whom all fullness dwells, and who alone can supply their wants.Conscious of their own imperfections, they seek to become more like Christ, and to live in accordance with the principles of His holy law. This continual sense of inefficiency will lead to such entire dependence upon God, that His Spirit will be exemplified in them. The treasures of heaven will be opened to supply the wants of every hungering, thirsting soul. All of this character have the assurance of one day beholding the glory of that kingdom which as yet the imagination can only faintly grasp.... RC 61.5 ************************ The standard the Christian is to keep before him is the purity and loveliness of Christ’s character. Day by day he may be putting on new beauties, and reflecting to the world more and still more of the divine image."—The Bible Echo, February 21, 1898. RC 61.6

Sabbath Worship 2/13/2016

Joy in Loving Obedience, February 15

"You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.... You became filled with violence within, and you sinned." Ezekiel 28:15, 16, NKJV. BLJ 54.1 ************************* "So long as all created beings acknowledged the allegiance of love, there was perfect harmony throughout the universe of God. It was the joy of the heavenly host to fulfill the purpose of their Creator.They delighted in reflecting His glory and showing forth His praise. And while love to God was supreme, love for one another was confiding and unselfish. There was no note of discord to mar the celestial harmonies. But a change came over this happy state. BLJ 54.2 ************************* There was one who perverted the freedom that God had granted to His creatures. Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God and was highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven. Lucifer, “son of the morning,” was first of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled. He stood in the presence of the great Creator, and the ceaseless beams of glory enshrouding the eternal God rested upon him.... BLJ 54.3 ************************* Little by little Lucifer came to indulge the desire for self-exaltation....Though all his glory was from God, this mighty angel came to regard it as pertaining to himself. Not content with his position, though honored above the heavenly host, he ventured to covet homage due alone to the Creator. Instead of seeking to make God supreme in the affections and allegiance of all created beings, it was his endeavor to secure their service and loyalty to himself. And coveting the glory with which the infinite Father had invested His Son, this prince of angels aspired to power that was the prerogative of Christ alone.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 35. BLJ 54.4 ************************* The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness. God desires from all His creatures the service of love—service that springs from an appreciation of His character. He takes no pleasure in a forced obedience; and to all He grants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntary service.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 34 BLJ 54.5

God’s Authority Forever Established, February 15

"Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matthew 4:10. RC 60.1 ************************** "Satan sought to make it appear that he was working for the liberty of the universe. He was determined to make his arguments so varied, so deceptive, so insidious, that everyone would be convinced that God’s law was tyrannical. Even while hanging on the cross, assailed by Satan with his fiercest temptations, Christ was victorious.... With His parting breath He exclaimed, “It is finished.” The battle had been won.... The blood of the innocent had been shed for the guilty. By the life that He gave, man was ransomed from eternal death, and the doom of him who had the power of death was sealed. RC 60.2 ************************** Not until the death of Christ was the character of Satan clearly revealed to the angels or to the unfallen worlds. Then the prevarications and accusations of him who had once been an exalted angel were seen in their true light. It was seen that his professedly spotless character was deceptive. His deeply laid scheme to exalt himself to supremacy was fully discerned.His falsehoods were apparent to all.God’s authority was forever established. Truth triumphed over falsehood. RC 60.3 ************************** Not merely in the minds of a few finite creatures in this world, but in the minds of all the inhabitants of the heavenly universe, has the immutability of God’s law been established. Satan’s course against Christ was heralded to every world.When the issue was finally determined, every unfallen being expressed indignation at the rebellion. With one voice they extolled God as righteous, merciful, self-denying, just.... RC 60.4 ************************** The heavenly universe had witnessed the weapons that were chosen by the Prince of life—the words of Scripture, “It is written”; and the weapons used by the prince of the world—falsehood and deception. They had seen the Prince of life deal in straightforward lines of truth, honesty, and integrity, while the prince of the world exercised his power of cunning, artful secrecy, intrigue, enmity, and revenge. They had seen the One who bore the banner of truth sacrifice everything, even His life, to maintain truth, while the one who bore the banner of rebellion continued to strengthen his accusations against the God of truth.RC 60.5 ************************** The heavenly worlds and heaven itself were amazed at God’s long forbearance.... The Lord had demonstrated His wisdom and justice in banishing Satan from heaven.... All the unfallen beings are now united in regarding God’s law as changeless.... His law has been proved faultless. His government is forever secure."—The Signs of the Times, August 27, 1902. RC 60.6

Obedience Brings Peace and Happiness, February 14

"And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Philippians 2:8, NKJV. BLJ 53.1 ************************* "Before us is held out the wonderful possibility of being like Christ—obedient to all the principles of the law of God. But of ourselves we are utterly powerless to attain to this condition. All that is good in human beings comes to them through Christ.The holiness that God’s Word declares we must have before we can be saved is the result of the working of divine grace as we bow in submission to the discipline and restraining influence of the Spirit of truth. BLJ 53.2 ************************* Humanity’s obedience can be made perfect only by the incense of Christ’s righteousness, which fills with divine fragrance every act of true obedience. The part of the Christian is to persevere in overcoming every fault. Constantly he or she is to pray to the Savior to heal the disorders of their diseased souls. They have not the wisdom and strength without which mortals cannot overcome. These belong to the Lord, and He bestows them on those who in humiliation and contrition seek Him for help.... BLJ 53.3 ************************* The reason that many who once knew and loved the Savior are now in darkness, wandering far from Him, is because in self-confidence and self-sufficiency they have followed their own inclinations. They walked not in the way of the Lord—the only way of peace and happiness.By disobedience they cut themselves off from receiving His blessings, when by obedience they might have gone forward in His strength. BLJ 53.4 ************************* The abundant evidence given by God that He desires the salvation of all will be the condemnation of those who refuse the gift of heaven. At the last great day, when all will be rewarded or punished according to their obedience or disobedience, the cross of Calvary will appear plainly before those standing before the Judge of all the earth to receive sentence for eternity. They are made capable of comprehending something of the love that God has expressed for fallen human beings.They see how greatly He has been dishonored by those who have continued in transgression, choosing sides with Satan, and showing contempt for the law of Jehovah.They see that obedience to this law would have brought them life and health, prosperity and eternal good."—The Review and Herald, March 15, 1906. BLJ 53.5

Truth Must Be Practiced In The Life, February 14

"Let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." 1 John 3:7. RC 59.1 ************************** "Those who are looking for the revelation of Christ in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, as King of kings and Lord of lords, in life and character will seek to represent Him to the world. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”They will hate sin and iniquity, even as Christ hated sin. They will keep the commandments of God, as Christ kept His Father’s commandments.They will realize that it is not enough to acquiesce in the doctrines of truth, but that the truth must be applied to the heart, practiced in the life, in order that the followers of Christ may be one with Him, and that men may be as pure in their sphere as God is in His sphere. There have been men in every generation who have claimed to be the sons of God, who paid tithes of mint and anise and cummin, and yet who led a godless life; for they neglected the weightier matters of the law—mercy, justice, and the love of God.... RC 59.2 ************************** The sons of God will not be like the worldling; for the truth received into the heart will be the means of purifying the soul, and transforming the character, and of making its receiver like-minded with God.Unless a man becomes like-minded with God, he is still in his natural depravity. If Christ is in the heart, He will appear in the home, in the workshop, in the marketplace, in the church. The power of the truth will be felt in elevating, ennobling the mind, and softening and subduing the heart, bringing the whole man into harmony with God. He who is transformed by the truth will shed a light upon the world. He that hath the hope of Christ in him will purify himself even as He is pure. The hope of Christ’s appearing is a large hope, a far-reaching hope. It is the hope of seeing the King in His beauty, and of being made like Him.... RC 59.3 ************************** He that abideth in Christ is perfected in the love of God, and his purposes, thoughts, words, and actions are in harmony with the will of God expressed in the commandments of His law. There is nothing in the heart of the man who abides in Christ that is at war with any precept of God’s law. Where the Spirit of Christ is in the heart, the character of Christ will be revealed, and there will be manifested gentleness under provocation, and patience under trial. “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” Righteousness can be defined only by God’s great moral standard, the Ten Commandments.There is no other rule by which to measure character.—The Signs of the Times, June 20, 1895. RC 59.4

God Reveals His Justice And Love, February 13

"Love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:10. RC 58.1 ************************* "After the fall of our first parents, Christ declared that in order to save man from the penalty of sin, He would come to the world to conquer Satan on the enemy’s own battlefield.The controversy that began in heaven was to be continued on the earth. RC 58.2 ************************* In this controversy much was to be involved. Vast interests were at stake. Before the inhabitants of the heavenly universe were to be answered the questions: “Is God’s law imperfect, in need of amendment or abrogation, or is it immutable? Is God’s government in need of change, or is it stable?” RC 58.3 ************************* Before Christ’s first advent, the sin of refusing to conform to God’s law had become widespread. Apparently Satan’s power was growing; his warfare against heaven was becoming more and more determined. A crisis had been reached. With an intense interest God’s movements were watched by the heavenly angels. Would He come forth from His place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity? Would He send fire or flood to destroy them? All heaven waited the bidding of their Commander to pour out the vials of wrath upon a rebellious world. One word from Him, one sign, and the world would have been destroyed. The worlds unfallen would have said, “Amen.Thou art righteous, O God, because Thou hast exterminated rebellion.” RC 58.4 ************************* But “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”God might have sent His Son to condemn, but He sent Him to save.Christ came as a Redeemer. No words can describe the effect of this movement on the heavenly angels.With wonder and admiration they could only exclaim, “Herein is love!”RC 58.5 ************************* Christ entered upon His mission of mercy, and from the manger to the cross was beset by the enemy. Satan contested every inch of ground, exerting his utmost power to overcome Him. Like a tempest temptation after temptation beat upon Him. But the more mercilessly they fell, the more firmly did the Son of God cling to the hand of His Father, and press on in the bloodstained path. RC 58.6 ************************* The severity of the conflict through which Christ passed was proportionate to the vastness of the interests involved in His success or failure.... Satan sought to overthrow Christ, in order that he himself might continue to reign in this world as supreme....The Father, the Son, and Lucifer have been revealed in their true relation to one another. God has given unmistakable evidence of His justice and His love.—The Signs of the Times, August 27, 1902. RC 58.7

DANIEL VISIONS AND DREAMS - NIGHT TWO

Happiness Guarded by God’s Law, February 11

"For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh." Romans 8:3, NKJV. BLJ 50.1 *************************** The happiness of human beings must always be guarded by the law of God. In obedience only can they find true happiness. The law is the hedge which God has placed about His vineyard. By it those who obey are protected from evil. In transgression Adam became a law to himself. By disobedience he was brought under bondage. Thus a discordant element, born of selfishness, entered human beings.Their will and God’s will no longer harmonized. Adam had united with the disloyal forces, and self-will took the field. BLJ 50.2 *************************** By Christ the true standard is presented. He made it possible for humankind to be once more united with God. He came to take the sentence of death for the transgressor. Not one precept of the law could be altered to meet men and women in their fallen condition; therefore Christ gave His life in their behalf, to suffer in their stead the penalty of disobedience. This was the only way in which humanity could be saved, the only way in which it could be demonstrated that it is possible for them to keep the law.Christ came to this earth and stood where Adam stood, overcoming where Adam failed to overcome. He is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.... BLJ 50.3 *************************** Before the foundation of the world, Christ pledged His word that He would give His life as a ransom if men and women turned from their allegiance to God. He revealed His love by humbling Himself, stooping from heaven to work among fallen, disorderly, lawless human beings. Of themselves they could not possibly cope with the enemy. Christ offers Himself and all He has, His glory, His character, to the service of those who return to their loyalty and keep the law of God. This is their only hope.Christ says definitely, I came not to destroy the law. It is a transcript of God’s character, and I came to carry out its every specification. I came to vindicate it by living it in human nature, giving an example of perfect obedience.—The Signs of the Times, June 13, 1900. BLJ 50.4

Christ, the Model of True Obedience, February 10

"Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? Romans 6:16, NKJV.BLJ 49.1 *************************** Adam did not stop to calculate the result of his disobedience....With the aftersight we are privileged to have, we can see what it means to disobey God’s commandments. Adam yielded to temptation, and as we have the matter of sin and its consequences laid so distinctly before us, we can read from cause to effect and see the greatness of the act is not that which constitutes sin; but the disobedience of God’s expressed will, which is a virtual denial of God, refusing the laws of His government. BLJ 49.2 *************************** The happiness of men and women is in their obedience to the laws of God. In their obedience to God’s law they are surrounded as with a hedge and kept from the evil. They cannot be happy and depart from God’s specified requirements, and set up a standard of their own, which they decide they can safely follow. Then there would be a variety of standards to suit the different minds, and the government [would be] taken out of the Lord’s hands and human beings [would] grasp the reins of government. The law of self is erected, the will of humankind is made supreme, and when the high and holy will of God is presented to be obeyed, respected, and honored the human will wants its own way to do its own promptings, and there is a controversy between the human agent and the divine. BLJ 49.3 *************************** The fall of our first parents broke the golden chain of implicit obedience of the human will to the divine. Obedience has no longer been deemed an absolute necessity. The human agents follow their own imaginations, which the Lord said of the inhabitants of the old world were evil and that continually. The Lord Jesus declares, “I have kept my Father’s commandments.” How? As a man. Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. To the accusations of the Jews He stood forth in His pure, virtuous, holy character and challenged them, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” ... BLJ 49.4 *************************** The only-begotten Son of the infinite God has, by His words, His practical example, left us a plain pattern which we are to copy. By His words He has educated us to obey God, and by His own practice He has showed us how we can obey God."—Manuscript Releases 6:337-339. BLJ 49.5

The Law, As A Mirror, Reveals Sin, February 10

"Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." 1 John 2:5. RC 55.1 ************************** "God has a standard of righteousness by which He measures character. This standard is His holy law, which is given to us as a rule of life. We are called upon to comply with its requirements, and when we do this we honor both God and Jesus Christ; for God gave the law, and Christ died to magnify it, and make it honorable. He declares: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” ... “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” RC 55.2 ************************** There are many hearers, but few doers, of the words of Christ. His words may be theoretically accepted, but if they are not stamped upon the soul, and woven into the life, they will have no sanctifying effect upon the character. It is one thing to accept the truth, and another thing to practice it in the daily life. From those who hear only, God’s Word calls for no grateful response. The commandment, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength,” is acknowledged to be just, but its claims are not recognized; its principles are not carried out. RC 55.3 ************************** We are all sinful, and of ourselves are unable to do the words of Christ.But God has made provision whereby the condemned sinner may be freed from spot and stain. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” But while Christ saves the sinner, He does not do away with the law which condemns the sinner....The law shows us our sins, as a mirror shows us that our face is not clean. The mirror has no power to cleanse the face; that is not its office. RC 55.4 ************************** So it is with the law. It points out our defects, and condemns us, but it has no power to save us. We must come to Christ for pardon. He will take our guilt upon His own soul, and will justify us before God. And not only will He free us from sin, but He will give us power to render obedience to God’s will.... RC 55.5 ************************** Today many erect a standard of their own, thinking to gain heaven, even though they neglect to do God’s will. But all such are building upon the sand. They are hearers only....Our salvation cost the life of the Son of God, and God demands of us that we build our characters upon a foundation that will stand the test of the judgment."—The Signs of the Times, September 24, 1896. RC 55.6

Obedience Through Grace, February 9

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8, NKJV. BLJ 48.1 ***************************** "God desires us to reach the standard of perfection made possible for us by the gift of Christ. He calls upon us to make our choice on the right side, to connect with heavenly agencies, to adopt principles that will restore in us the divine image. In His written Word and in the great book of nature He has revealed the principles of life. It is our work to obtain a knowledge of these principles, and by obedience to cooperate with Him in restoring health to the body as well as to the soul. BLJ 48.2 ***************************** Human beings need to learn that the blessings of obedience, in their fullness, can be theirs only as they receive the grace of Christ. It is His grace that gives men and women power to obey the laws of God. It is this that enables them to break the bondage of evil habit. This is the only power that can make them and keep them steadfast in the right path.... BLJ 48.3 ***************************** When the gospel is received in its purity and power, it is a cure for the maladies that originated in sin. The Sun of Righteousness arises, “with healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2).Not all that this world bestows can heal a broken heart, or impart peace of mind, or remove care, or banish disease. Fame, genius, talent—all are powerless to gladden the sorrowful heart or to restore the wasted life.The life of God in the soul is humanity’s only hope. BLJ 48.4 ***************************** The love which Christ diffuses through the whole being is a vitalizing power. Every vital part—the brain, the heart, the nerves—it touches with healing.... It implants in the soul joy that nothing earthly can destroy—joy in the Holy Spirit—health-giving, life-giving joy.... BLJ 48.5 ***************************** Although for ages sin has been strengthening its hold on the human race, although through falsehood and artifice Satan has cast the black shadow of his interpretation upon the Word of God, and has caused men and women to doubt His goodness; yet the Father’s mercy and love have not ceased to flow earthward in rich currents. If human beings would open the windows of the soul heavenward, in appreciation of the divine gifts, a flood of healing virtue would pour in."—The Ministry of Healing, 114-116. BLJ 48.6

How We Magnify The Law, February 9

“Whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:19, N.I.V. RC 54.1 **************************** "What reason have men for thinking that God is not particular whether they obey Him implicitly or take their own course? Adam and Eve lost Eden for one transgression of His command; and how dare we trifle with the law of the Most High, and frame deceitful apologies to our souls? We do this at a terrible peril.We must keep all the law, every jot and tittle; for he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all. Every ray of light must be received and cherished, or we shall become bodies of darkness. The Lord Jesus declares: “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.” We should magnify the precepts of heaven by our words and actions.... RC 54.2 **************************** Before the Flood swept upon the world, God sent a message through Noah to warn the people of the coming deluge. There were those who did not believe the warning; but their unbelief did not stay the showers, nor prevent the waters of the great deep from submerging a scoffing world. And today, while the last message is being heralded to bring God’s servants in harmony with every precept of His law, there will be scoffers and unbelievers; but every soul must stand in his own integrity. As Noah was faithful in warning the antediluvian world, so we must be faithful to the great trust that God has given us. Although there are scoffers ... on every side, we must not shrink from presenting the truth of heaven to this generation.... RC 54.3 **************************** There are those who will be glad to lull you to sleep in your carnal security; but I have a different work.My message is to alarm you, to bid you reform your lives, and cease your rebellion against the God of the universe.... RC 54.4 **************************** Faith in Jesus does not make void the law, but establishes it, and will work the fruits of obedience in our lives.... RC 54.5 **************************** The church that Christ presents before the throne of His glory is without “spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” Do you want to be among those who have washed their robes of character in the blood of the Lamb? then, “cease to do evil; learn to do well”; walk in the commandments and ordinances of your God blameless. You are not to ask whether it suits your convenience to keep the truth of heaven. You are to take up your cross and follow Jesus, cost what it may.You will find that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light."—The Review and Herald, June 22, 1911. RC 54.6

Christ’s Perfect Obedience Can Be Ours, February 8

"For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous." Romans 5:19, NKJV. BLJ 47.1 [Scripture tells] the story so important for every human being to know. On the one hand is presented the disobedience of Adam, with its consequences; on the other, the obedience of Christ. The Garden of Eden was disgraced by Adam’s disobedience; but as by that one transgression many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One, many are made righteous. BLJ 47.2 ****************************** The world has been honored with the presence of one Man who was wholly and entirely obedient—One who not only believed and taught the claims of God’s law, but who lived the law. His whole life was a representation of its holy principles.His obedience was manifested in the awful agony He endured in the Garden of Gethsemane; and through His suffering He has brought pardon to the disobedient. BLJ 47.3 ****************************** When Christ gave to His disciples the conditions of salvation, He said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Self-denial and crosses lie directly in the path of every soul who will follow Jesus. Our advance heavenward will be opposed at every step; for Satan will come in many ways to mislead, to deceive, and to clothe sin with the appearance of good.... BLJ 47.4 ****************************** I would urge you ... carefully to consider the self-denial and self-sacrifice that Christ has endured in your behalf, that you, if you choose, may have that happiness and peace in this life which He alone can give, and an eternity of bliss by and by.Then will you not become missionaries for Christ? Are you not willing to deny self for His sake? to consider how you can do Him service who has done such service for you in redeeming your soul from the power of sin and Satan? When upon earth, Christ said of Himself, “I am among you as he that serveth.” He did not strive to obtain the highest place; for He was meek and lowly in heart. He invites you to learn of Him, to wear His yoke—the yoke of obedience to every precept of Jehovah."—Youth’s Instructor, April 1, 1897. BLJ 47.5

Christ Came To Magnify His Law, February 8

"The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious." Isaiah 42:21, R.S.V. RC 53.1 ************************* "Through the devices of the great apostate, man has been led to separate himself from God, and has yielded to the temptations of the adversary of God and man in committing sin and breaking the law of the Most High. God could not alter one jot or tittle of His holy law to meet man in his fallen condition; for this would reflect discredit upon the wisdom of God in making a law by which to govern heaven and earth.But God could give His only-begotten Son to become man’s substitute and surety, to suffer the penalty that was merited by the transgressor, and to impart to the repentant soul His perfect righteousness. RC 53.2 ************************* Christ became the sinless sacrifice for a guilty race, making men prisoners of hope, so that, through repentance toward God because they had broken His holy law, and through faith in Christ as their substitute, surety, and righteousness, they might be brought back to loyalty to God and to obedience to His holy law.... RC 53.3 ************************* The life and death of Christ in behalf of sinful man were for the purpose of restoring the sinner to God’s favor, through imparting to him the righteousness that would meet the claims of the law, and find acceptance with the Father. But it is ever the purpose of Satan to make void the law of God, and to pervert the true meaning of the plan of salvation. Therefore he has originated the falsehood that the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary’s cross was for the purpose of freeing men from the obligation of keeping the commandments of God. He has foisted upon the world the deception that God has abolished His constitution, thrown away His moral standard, and made void His holy and perfect law. Had He done this, at what terrible expense would it have been to Heaven! RC 53.4 ************************* Instead of proclaiming the abolition of the law, Calvary’s cross proclaims in thunder tones its immutable and eternal character.Could the law have been abolished, and the government of heaven and earth and the unnumbered worlds of God maintained, Christ need not have died. The death of Christ was to forever settle the question of the validity of the law of Jehovah.Having suffered the full penalty for a guilty world, Jesus became the mediator between God and man, to restore the repenting soul to favor with God by giving him grace to keep the law of the Most High. RC 53.5 ************************* Christ came not to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them to the very letter. The atonement of Calvary vindicated the law of God as holy, just, and true, not only before the fallen world, but before heaven and before worlds unfallen."—The Signs of the Times, June 20, 1895. RC 53.6

Obey From Principle February 6

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble." 2 Peter 1:10, NRSV. BLJ 45.1 ****************************** "Eternal life is worth your all, and Jesus has said, “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). He who does nothing, but waits to be compelled by some supernatural agency, will wait on in lethargy and darkness. God has given His Word. God speaks in unmistakable language to your soul.Is not the word of His mouth sufficient to show you your duty, and to urge its fulfillment? BLJ 45.2 ****************************** Those who humbly and prayerfully search the Scriptures, to know and to do God’s will, will not be in doubt of their obligations to God. For “if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine” (John 7:17). If you would know the mystery of godliness, you must follow the plain word of truth—feeling or no feeling, emotion or no emotion. Obedience must be rendered from a sense of principle, and the right must be pursued under all circumstances.This is the character that is elected of God unto salvation. BLJ 45.3 ****************************** The test of a genuine Christian is given in the Word of God. Says Jesus, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.... If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (Verses 21-24). BLJ 45.4 ****************************** Here are the conditions upon which every soul will be elected to eternal life. Your obedience to God’s commandments will prove your right to an inheritance with the saints in light. God has elected a certain excellence of character; and everyone who, through the grace of Christ, shall reach the standard of His requirement will have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of glory."—Christian Education, 117, 118. BLJ 45.5

God’s Law Is The Law Of Love, February 6

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Mark 12:30-31, N.I.V. RC 51.1 **************************** Love, the basis of creation and of redemption, is the basis of true education. This is made plain in the law that God has given as the guide of life.... To love Him, the infinite, the omniscient one, with the whole strength and mind and heart, means the highest development of every power. It means that in the whole being—the body, the mind, as well as the soul—the image of God is to be restored. RC 51.2 **************************** Like the first is the second commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” The law of love calls for the devotion of body, mind, and soul to the service of God and our fellow men. And this service, while making us a blessing to others, brings the greatest blessing to ourselves. Unselfishness underlies all true development.... RC 51.3 **************************** Lucifer in heaven desired to be first in power and authority; he wanted to be God, to have the rulership of heaven; and to this end he won many of the angels to his side. When with his rebel host he was cast out from the courts of God, the work of rebellion and self-seeking was continued on earth.Through the temptation to self-indulgence and ambition, Satan accomplished the fall of our first parents; and from that time to the present the gratification of human ambition and the indulgence of selfish hopes and desires have proved the ruin of mankind. RC 51.4 **************************** Under God, Adam was to stand at the head of the earthly family, to maintain the principles of the heavenly family. This would have brought peace and happiness. But the law that none “liveth to himself” Satan was determined to oppose. He desired to live for self. He sought to make himself a center of influence. It was this that had incited rebellion in heaven, and it was man’s acceptance of this principle that brought sin on earth. When Adam sinned, man broke away from the heaven-ordained center. A demon became the central power in the world.Where God’s throne should have been, Satan placed his throne. The world laid its homage, as a willing offering, at the feet of the enemy. RC 51.5 **************************** The transgression of God’s law brought woe and death in its train.Through disobedience man’s powers were perverted, and selfishness took the place of love. His nature became so weakened that it was impossible for him to resist the power of evil....Men had chosen a ruler who chained them to his car as captives.... Christ came to the world to show them that He had planted for them the tree of life, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations."—The Review and Herald, January 16, 1913. RC 51.6

Sabbath Worship 2/6/16

God never intended for His followers to suffer, that is the reason for the instruction given in His word and His testimonies.

I attended a so called ‘School of the Prophets’ in the late 1970’s, and praise God, I listened and heard a professor say that of all groups in society, Black men are found to have diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, apoplexy, and other diet related health problems, more than any other segment of the population. Intemperance in diet caused all the suffering and woe we humans experience. Christians and worldlings alike, suffer similarly when they follow the same patterns in eating, drinking, and also the same course of treatment after a sickness is diagnosed. There are examples in my own personal family and life, of this very issue. ******* In Gods word, the lesson of how He fed the children of Israel, and also his feeding of Elijah in the wilderness, are two distinct messages for all people living in these last days. Our creator taught by example, and He would know best of all, that the human body, our machinery, would operate at its maximum capacity, on two meals per day. Gods Testimony, noted in Revelations 19:10, also gives instruction for heavy laborers and the vast majority, stating that the two meal plan, per day, is optimum. ******* Diabetes adversely affects all organs and systems of the body. The pancrease has to work any time food is taken. Blood sugar, glucose, must be lowered, insulin is secreted to accomplish this, and this high energy consumption process, lessens the vital force, and can cause the pancrease to fail. Eating between meals, many times per day, is of satan, and will cause needless suffering. Do not drink the wine of Babylon, which comes in many forms. Remnant, have faith in God and Obey His instruction, in all its forms.

God's Law is The Standard Of Character February 3

"Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth." Psalm 119:142. RC 48.1 "Erroneous theories of sanctification ... have a prominent place in the religious movements of the day. These theories are both false in doctrine and dangerous in practical results; and the fact that they are so generally finding favor renders it doubly essential that all have a clear understanding of what the Scriptures teach upon this point.RC 48.2 *************************** True sanctification is a Bible doctrine. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonian church, declares: “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” And he prays: “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly” (1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:23). The Bible clearly teaches what sanctification is and how it is to be attained. The Saviour prayed for His disciples: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). And Paul teaches that believers are to be “sanctified by the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:16). RC 48.3 *************************** What is the work of the Holy Spirit? Jesus told His disciples: “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). And the psalmist says: “Thy law is the truth.” ... And since the law of God is “holy, and just, and good,” a transcript of the divine perfection, it follows that a character formed by obedience to that law will be holy. RC 48.4 *************************** Christ is a perfect example of such a character. He says: “I have kept my Father’s commandments.” “I do always those things that please him” (John 15:10; 8:29). The followers of Christ are to become like Him—by the grace of God to form characters in harmony with the principles of His holy law. This is Bible sanctification. RC 48.5 *************************** This work can be accomplished only through faith in Christ, by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. Paul admonishes believers: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12, 13). The Christian will feel the promptings of sin, but he will maintain a constant warfare against it. Here is where Christ’s help is needed. Human weakness becomes united to divine strength, and faith exclaims: “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). RC 48.6 *************************** The Scriptures plainly show that the work of sanctification is progressive. When in conversion the sinner finds peace with God through the blood of the atonement, the Christian life has but just begun. Now he is to “go on unto perfection”; to grow up “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”—The Great Controversy, 469, 470. RC 4

Revelation Of God’s Will And Character, February 1 Is equal to His Law and Love for mankind!

"The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Romans 7:12. RC 46.1 ********************* "Many religious teachers assert that Christ by His death abolished the law, and men are henceforth free from its requirements. There are some who represent it as a grievous yoke, and in contrast to the bondage of the law they present the liberty to be enjoyed under the gospel. RC 46.2 ********************* But not so did prophets and apostles regard the holy law of God.Said David: “I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts” (Psalm 119:45).The apostle James, who wrote after the death of Christ, refers to the Decalogue as “the royal law” and “the perfect law of liberty” (James 2:8; 1:25). And the revelator, half a century after the crucifixion, pronounces a blessing upon them “that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14).RC 46.3 ********************* The claim that Christ by His death abolished His Father’s law is without foundation. Had it been possible for the law to be changed or set aside, then Christ need not have died to save man from the penalty of sin.The death of Christ, so far from abolishing the law, proves that it is immutable. The Son of God came to “magnify the law, and make it honourable” (Isaiah 42:21).... And concerning Himself He declares: “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). RC 46.4 ********************* The law of God, from its very nature, is unchangeable. It is a revelation of the will and the character of its Author. God is love, and His law is love. Its two great principles are love to God and love to man. “Love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). The character of God is righteousness and truth; such is the nature of His law. Says the psalmist: “Thy law is the truth”; “all thy commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:142, 172).And the apostle Paul declares: “The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12). Such a law, being an expression of the mind and will of God, must be as enduring as its Author. RC 46.5 ********************* It is the work of conversion and sanctification to reconcile men to God by bringing them into accord with the principles of His law. In the beginning, man was created in the image of God. He was in perfect harmony with the nature and the law of God; the principles of righteousness were written upon his heart. But sin alienated him from his Maker. He no longer reflected the divine image.... But “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son,” that man might be reconciled to God. Through the merits of Christ he can be restored to harmony with his Maker."—The Great Controversy, 466, 467. RC 46.6

Sabbath Worship 1/30/2016

Obey God, Just as Jesus Did, February 1

"This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 5:3, NKJV. BLJ 40.1 ************************** "The only-begotten Son of the infinite God has, by His words and in His practical example, left us a plain pattern which we are to copy. By His words He has educated us to obey God, and by His own practice He has showed us how we can obey God.This is the very work He wants every person to do, to obey God intelligently, and by precept and example teach others what they must do in order to be obedient children of God." BLJ 40.2 ************************** "Jesus has helped the whole world to an intelligent knowledge of His divine mission and work. He came to represent the character of the Father to our world; and as we study the life, the words, and works of Christ, we are helped in every way in the education of obedience to God; and as we copy the example He has given us, we are living epistles known and read of all men. We are the living human agencies to represent to the world the character of Christ. Not only did Christ show us how we may become obedient children, but He showed us in His own life and character just how to do those things which are right and acceptable with God, so there is no reason why we should not do those things which are pleasing in His sight." BLJ 40.3 ************************** "We are ever to be thankful that Jesus has proved to us by actual life that we can keep the commandments of God, contradicting Satan’s falsehood that we cannot keep them.The great Teacher came to our world to stand at the head of humanity, to thus elevate and sanctify humanity by His holy obedience to all the requirements of God, showing it is possible to obey all the commandments of God. He has demonstrated that a lifelong obedience is possible. Thus He gives people to the world, as the Father gave the Son, to exemplify in their life the life of Christ." BLJ 40.4 ************************** "Christ redeemed Adam’s disgraceful failure and fall, and was conqueror, thus testifying to all the unfallen worlds and to fallen humanity that through the divine power granted to Him of heaven human beings can keep the commandments of God. Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself for us, endured temptation for us, overcame in our behalf, to show us how we may overcome; by the closest ties He bound up His interest with humanity, and gave positive assurance that we shall not be tempted above that we are able; for with the temptation He will make a way of escape."—The Signs of the Times, April 17, 1893. BLJ 40.5

End Christ's Suffering by Aggressive Evangelism.Pope's Push for Unity In Overdrive.Expect Opposition