Category: Bible Truths

The following is an excerpt from my morning devotion from Living by Faith.

Imagine a bird that has been caught and shut up in a cage.  It longs for freedom, but the cruel bars make that impossible.  Then the door is opened.  The bird sees the opening, but has so often been deceived in its attempts to gain its freedom, that it hesitates.  It hops down and finds that the prison really is open, trembles a moment for very joy at the thought of liberty, then spreads its wings and wheels through the air with such rapture as can only be known by one who has been captive.  “Free indeed!”  As free as a bird.

The words of Jesus, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, ¹⁹ to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18, 19.

The whole import of the text is that Christ came to give freedom in every sense of the word.  It is charged with the idea of liberty to an extent that few realize.  You will be amply repaid for a few minutes of studying it closely, and for many hours of meditating on it later. 

Sin is bondage.  Jesus said, “Verily, Verily I say unto you, every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin.”  John 8:34.  Not only are you in bondage, but you are in prison.  The Apostle Paul says, “The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up into the faith which should afterwards be revealed.”  Galatians 3:22, 23.  The word “concluded” means “shut up together.”  All sinners are in bondage, shup up together in prison, condemned to hard labor. 

The end of sin is death.  James 1:15.  Consequently you are not only shut up in prison, condemned to hard, unprofitable labor, but you have the fear of death continually before you.  It is from this that Christ delivers you.  See Hebrews 2:14, 15.  “For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to loose those that are appointed to death.”  Psalms 102:19, 20.  Christ says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”  John 8:36. 

This is the liberty with which Christ frees the captive of sin.  The Psalmist had that experience and said “Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers, the snare is broken, and we are escaped.” Psalms 124:7.  This is the experience of every one who truly and without reserve accepts Christ. 

It is the truth that gives this freedom; for Christ says, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32.  He is the truth, and His word is truth.  The Psalmist says, “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth.” Psalms 119:142.  “I will walk at liberty, for I seek Thy precepts.” Psalms 119:45.  From the margin, this is literally, “I will walk in a broad place, for I seek Thy precepts. “  This fits with verse 96:  “I have seen and end of all perfection; but Thy commandment is exceeding broad.”  The commandments of God form an exceedingly broad place in which all may walk who seek them.  They are the truth, and it is the truth that gives freedom.

The law of God was, and is, in the heart of Christ.  Psalms 40:8.  Out of the heart are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23); therefore the life of Christ is the law of God.  When you attempt to keep the law in your own strength, you invariably get into bondage, just as surely as though you willfully broke the law.  The only difference is that in the latter case you are a willing slave, while in the former you are an unwilling slave.  In Christ alone the perfect righteousness of the law is found, and therefore His life is “the perfect law of liberty,” into which we are told to continually look.  James 1:25; Hebrews 12:2.  The law that shuts you up to certain death when you are out of Christ, becomes life and liberty to you when you are in Christ. 

The liberty which Christ gives you is the liberty of your soul.  It is liberty from the bondage of sin.  That, and that alone is real religious liberty.  It is not found anywhere but in the religion of Jesus Christ.  When you have that liberty, you are free even in a prison cell.  The slave who has it is infinitely more at liberty than his cruel master, even if the master is a king.  Who is there who does not want liberty that is something more than a name?

And now one more word of encouragement to you if you are the slave of sin and are heartsick because of your bondage, and are discouraged through the failure of your repeated attempts to escape.  Freedom is yours, if you will but take it.  Read again the words of Christ, which are living words today.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”  Isaiah 61:1, 2. 

What is that?  Liberty has already been proclaimed.  Your prison doors are already open, and you only have to believe it, and walk out, continually believing it.  Christ is today proclaiming liberty to you, for He has broken the snare, and loosed the bonds.  Psalms 116:16.  He tells you that He has opened your prison door, so that you may walk at liberty, if you will only walk by faith in Him.  It is faith that opens the door to you when you are shut up in sin.  Believe His word, declare yourself free in His name, and then by humble faith stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made you free.  Then you will know the blessedness of the assurance:

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.”  Isaiah 40:31.

As I view the world today, the Word of God – the Scriptures, the Bible – are pushed further and further away.  Even the current Pope stated that the Bible as written, is no longer relevant.  Is this true? 

For those of us who believe that the Bible contains the inspired words of God, though written so many centuries ago, it is very relevant to our present salvation.  I wrote a blog on March 28, 2021 entitled, “Don’t Be Ashamed of the Bible”.  It would be a good thing to review it. 

The question that I now ask is, “Can We Outgrow the Scriptures?  I found the answer while doing my devotion.  I will share an excerpt with you from the chapter entitled, Present Salvation, found in Living by Faith.  This book is a compiled selection of E. J. Waggoner’s and A. T. Jones’ writings on Faith by Nora Roth. 

Present Salvation

God inhabits eternity so that all time is present with Him, so all His promises and blessings for you are in the present tense.  This makes Him “a very present help in trouble,” for you can only live in the present.  You cannot live one moment in the future.  You expect things in the future, and have hope of things to come, but the present is all that you can ever have, for when the things come that you hope for, they will be present.  The things which you have reason to hope for in the future, will be the continuation of the things which you have now.  All things are in Christ, and His promise is, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”  Matthew 28:20. 

The Apostle Paul blessed God because He “hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 1:3. The promises of God for the future must be present realities to you, if you ever receive any benefit from them.  “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” 2 Corinthians 1:20.  It is by these “exceeding great and precious promises” that you are made “partakers of the Divine nature.”  The glories of the world to come will be but the revealing of that which you have now in the personal presence within you of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The only hope of glory is Christ in you. 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8. The word of God “liveth and abideth forever.”  1 Peter 1:23. You do not have to deal with a dead word, which was spoken so long ago that there is no more force in it, but with a word which has the same life as though it were just spoken. 

Indeed, it is of benefit to you only when you receive it as spoken directly and personally to you.  “When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”  1 Thessalonians 2:13. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable…”  2 Timothy 3:16.   It is all in the present. 

For this reason, you can never outgrow the Scriptures.  There is not a single text in the Bible that has become obsolete.  There is none that the Christian of the longest experience has outgrown, so that he has no need of it.  There is none that can be laid aside.  The text which brings you to the Savior, is the text which is ever needed to keep you there.  And although your mind has expanded, and your spiritual sight has been greatly strengthened the word still has meaning because every word of God is of infinite depth.  So as your mind expands, the word means more to you than it did in the beginning. 

The universe appears much greater to the astronomer than it does to someone who has never looked through a telescope.  You look at the stars with your eyes and they seem very far off.  Then you look at them through a powerful telescope and although you can see so much farther with it, the distance to the stars seems to be very much greater than it did with your limited vision.  So the more you become acquainted with the word of God, the greater it becomes.  The promises of God, which seemed so exceedingly great when they first appeared to you, become much more exceedingly great the more you consider them and apply them. 

The word of God is a light shining in a dark place.  2 Peter 1:19. It is the revelation of Christ, who is the Light of the world, therefore it is a lamp.  Psalms 119:105; Proverbs 6:23. We have heard of the young sailor who was left in charge of the helm, with instructions to hold the ship’s head straight toward a certain star, which was pointed out to him, and who, in a few hours, called the captain and said that he wanted another star to steer by, as he had sailed past the first one given him.  What was the trouble?  He had turned the ship round and was sailing away from the star.  So, it is with those who say that they have outgrown certain portions of the Bible.  The trouble is that they have turned their backs on it. 

What is the Gospel?  “It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.”  Romans 1:16. It is present power applied to your salvation when you have present faith.  From what does the power of God save you?  Jesus is the power of God and it was said of Him, “Thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”  1 Timothy 1:15. The Gospel is the power of God to save you from sin.  But it is present power, for sin is ever present.  Its power is applied only while you are believing.  “The just shall live by faith.”  Romans 1:17. The moment you cease to believe, then you are a sinner, just the same as if you had never believed. Yesterday’s faith will not answer for today, any more than your breathing yesterday will keep you alive today. 

The message of the Lord to you immediately before His coming is, “Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.”  Revelation 3:17. Have you outgrown this text?  No.  The blessing comes to you as you acknowledge the truth of the Lord’s charge; then the Lord will come to you to supply all your needs.  It is when you say, “Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner,” that you go down to your home justified. 

And it is only as you continue to utter that prayer, that you are justified.  “For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”  Luke 18:14. The apostle says: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”  1 Timothy 1:15. Note that he does not say, “Of whom I was chief;” but “of whom I am chief.”  And it was when he acknowledged himself to be the chief of sinners, that the mercy and longsuffering of God was exhibited in him as the chief. 

Some wonder whether a Christian ought to sing these lines in Wesley’s blessed hymn:

                        “Just and holy is Thy name,

                        I am all unrighteousness;

                        Vile and full of sin I am;

                        Thou art full of truth and grace.”

If you think that you have outgrown those lines you are in a pitiable condition, for you are shutting yourself off from the source of righteousness.  “There is none good, but One; that is God.”  Matthew 19:17. Therefore, whatever righteousness is ever exhibited in you must only be the righteousness of God.  It is only when you acknowledge your own sinfulness, that you will lay hold on the righteousness of God that is by faith of Christ.  It is only by the obedience of One that you are made righteous.  Romans 5:19. And that One is Christ. 

End of excerpt.

“In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God…All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.”  John 1:1-3.  “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” John 1:14.  This Word is Jesus Christ.

As clearly outlined above, the word of God stands and will, forever.  We cannot outgrow the inspired words of the Bible.  God cannot lie, Titus 1:2, therefore, when God speaks it is only truth and life. 

“Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable.’’ (Hebrews 11:12)  As God dealt with the one man, so He dealt with the nation. 

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.  Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. (Romans 4:17-18 [KJV])

 As He had led the man from a lowly plane to an exalted position, so He led the nation until they stood a spectacle to the whole world. He chose them not because of their great numbers, but, taking the fewest of men, He wished to show to the world what could be done by the power of love. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)

This small people, however, were intended to lead the world, and lead it in every sense of the word. That they might lead instead of being led, He made them a peculiar people unto Himself, (Deuteronomy 7:6), giving them in the first place just and holy laws.  “Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do [them]; for this [is] your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation [is] a wise and understanding people”. (Deuteronomy 4:5 [KJV])

In his book, “Living Fountains or Broken Cisterns” (LF), E. A. Sutherland states “Men live on various planes.  There are those so constituted physically as to be content with the gratification of physical wants and desires. These can readily be led by men who live on a mental plane; for mind has ever been recognized as superior to matter, so that without knowing it, the physically strong yields to his mental superior. Almost unconscious of his power, the man on the mental plane guides and controls those on the physical plane; he cannot help it. It is a natural law; the one leads, the other follows. Two individuals, one living in one of these spheres and the other in the sphere above, will never contend on account of principle; for the man physically organized finds it natural to follow the dictates of the other. This is, and always has been, the condition of society. Nature herself singles out the leaders. They are born, not made, for leadership. They are the few, it is true; the masses always prefer to be led. But it was not as mere mental leaders that God called Israel. There is above the mental a still higher plane, the ladder to reach which is scaled by very few. As the numbers decrease while passing from the physical to the mental plane, so they decrease yet more in passing from the mental to the spiritual plane.

Man reaches this highest plane of existence only by faith. It requires constant self-denial and continual development. In reality it is living as seeing Him who is invisible. The physical man depends almost entirely on knowledge gained through the senses. The mentally developed depends upon reason. Many combine these two natures, and such individuals are guided by the sense of reason just in proportion as the two natures are developed. Knowledge, as a result of sense perceptions and finite reason capture the majority of mankind. The life of faith, the walking with God, takes in the few.

“So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.
(Romans 10:17 [KJV])

Do you see why God chose a small people? He chose them, as a nation, to be priests or teachers unto Himself. As individuals, and as a nation, Israel was to stand upon the spiritual plane, attaining and maintaining the position by a life of faith. Standing there, it would be in accordance with the natural law for all on the lower planes to yield obedience. As the mental controls the physical without any friction, so the spiritual controls all others. Therefore (for this reason) said the Lord, “I have taught you statutes and judgments. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

PECULIARITY DEPENDED UPON THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

He continues, “Granting it clear that Israel would lead by virtue of the plane of existence upon which they stood, and that this was attained by a life of faith, it is easily seen why there was marked out for the nation, a system of education differing as completely from the systems of the other nations of the world as the spiritual life differs from a purely physical or a strictly mental existence. It made it impossible for any mingling of systems to take place without the utter ruin of the spiritual; for as soon as this came down to the level of either of the others, it ceased to be spiritual, and lost its power to lead”. (LF pp 70-73)

It became abundantly clear that “Teachers determine outcome”. Through Isaiah we read, “O my people, they which lead thee cause [thee] to err, and destroy the way of thy paths”. (Isaiah 3:12 [KJV])

The true teacher is not satisfied with second-rate work. He is not satisfied with directing his students to a standard lower than the highest which it is possible for them to attain. He cannot be content with imparting to them only technical knowledge, with making them merely clever accountants, skillful artisans, successful tradesmen. It is his ambition to inspire them with principles of truth, obedience, honor, integrity, and purity–principles that will make them a positive force for the stability and uplifting of society. He desires them, above all else, to learn life’s great lesson of unselfish service.  {Education (Ed) 29.2} 

     These principles become a living power to shape the character, through the acquaintance of the soul with Christ, through an acceptance of His wisdom as the guide, His power as the strength, of heart and life. This union formed, the student has found the Source of wisdom. He has within his reach the power to realize in himself his noblest ideals. The opportunities of the highest education for life in this world are his. And in the training here gained, he is entering upon that course which embraces eternity.  {Ed 30.1} 

     The great principles of education are unchanged. “They stand fast for ever and ever” (Psalms III:8); for they are the principles of the character of God. To aid the student in comprehending these principles, and in entering into that relation with Christ which will make them a controlling power in the life, should be the teacher’s first effort and his constant aim. The teacher who accepts this aim is in truth a co-worker with Christ, a laborer together with God.  {Ed 30.4}

The system of education established in Eden centered in the family. Adam was “the son of God” (Luke 3:38), and it was from their Father that the children of the Highest received instruction. Theirs, in the truest sense, was a family school.  {Ed 33.1} 

     In the divine plan of education as adapted to man’s condition after the Fall, Christ stands as the representative of the Father, the connecting link between God and man; He is the great teacher of mankind. And He ordained that men and women should be His representatives. The family was the school, and the parents were the teachers.  {Ed 33.2} 

The education centering in the family was that which prevailed in the days of the patriarchs. For the schools thus established, God provided the conditions most favorable for the development of character. The people who were under His direction still pursued the plan of life that He had appointed in the beginning. Those who departed from God built for themselves cities, and, congregating in them, gloried in the splendor, the luxury, and the vice that make the cities of today the world’s pride and its curse. But the men who held fast God’s principles of life dwelt among the fields and hills. They were tillers of the soil and keepers of flocks and herds, and in this free, independent life, with its opportunities for labor and study and meditation, they learned of God and taught their children of His works and ways.  {Ed 33.3} 

RESULT OF MIXTURE IN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS

Should Israel attempt to adopt the education of surrounding nations, that moment her education would become papal in character, for it would then be a combination of the divine with the worldly. If a man-made theocracy, a church and state government, is papal in principle, the divine and the worldly combined in educational systems is no less a papal principle. Israel formed such a combination more than once, but with the results recorded in Psalms 106:34-38: “They mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare’ unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan”. Truth and error never form a compound, although they may be mingled. The union of the two never produces truth, and the end is death. Truth amalgamated with error, as gold with mercury, lies dormant until released.  Israel could not positively forsake her God-given forms of education without relinquishing her place as leader of nations. Destined to be the head and not the tail, she immediately reversed her position when she adopted a mixed system. The education which was outlined for the children of Israel was soulculture, pure and simple. Its object was to develop the soul which is God in man; and Divinity so planned that every true Jew should be a God-man. Education was to develop the spark of divinity bestowed at birth, and it was the privilege of every Jew to have, as did that One Jew, Jesus Christ, who received the Spirit of God, without measure.

“God surrounded Israel with every facility, gave them every privilege, that would make them an honor to His name and a blessing to surrounding nations. If they would walk in the ways of obedience, He promised to make them “high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor.” “All people of the earth,” He said, “shall hear that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.” The nations which shall hear all these statutes shall say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Deuteronomy 26:19; 28:10; Deuteronomy 4:6.  {Ed 40.2}

    “ In the laws committed to Israel, explicit instruction was given concerning education. To Moses at Sinai God had revealed Himself as “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” Exodus 34:6. These principles, embodied in His law, the fathers and mothers in Israel were to teach their children. Moses by divine direction declared to them: “These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronomy 6:6, 7.

Not as a dry theory were these things to be taught. Those who would impart truth must themselves practice its principles. Only by reflecting the character of God in the uprightness, nobility, and unselfishness of their own lives can they impress others.  {Ed 41.1} 

     True education is not the forcing of instruction on an unready and unreceptive mind. The mental powers must be awakened, the interest aroused. For this, God’s method of teaching provided. He who created the mind and ordained its laws, provided for its development in accordance with them. In the home and the sanctuary, through the things of nature and of art, in labor and in festivity, in sacred building and memorial stone, by methods and rites and symbols unnumbered, God gave to Israel lessons illustrating His principles and preserving the memory of His wonderful works. Then, as inquiry was made, the instruction given impressed mind and heart.  {Ed 41.2} 

     In the arrangements for the education of the chosen people it is made manifest that a life centered in God is a life of completeness. Every want He has implanted, He provides to satisfy; every faculty imparted, He seeks to develop.  {Ed 41.3} 

To man, then, if born of the Spirit, is given a spiritual eyesight which pierces infinitude, and enables the soul to commune with the Author of all things. No wonder the realization of such possibilities within himself led the psalmist to exclaim, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” And Paul himself exclaimed, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! . For who hath known the mind of the Lord?” “The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.’’ And ‘‘we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” Hence to us is given the power to commune with Him and to search into the mysteries of the otherwise unfathomable. Dealing with wisdom is education. If it be the wisdom of the world, then it is worldly education; if, on the other hand, it is a search for the wisdom of God, it is Christian Education. Over these two questions the controversy between good and evil is waging. The final triumph of truth will place the advocates of Christian education in the kingdom of God.

 (As it is written, “I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. (Romans 4:17-18 [KJV])

 “And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”. (Galatians 3:29 [KJV])

In presenting “The Unchanging Nature of the Law”, clearly showing that by dying to redeem humanity, Christ has shown that the law is binding on all men and could not be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. It stands to reason, that if the law (Ten Commandments) could be changed or abolished, then Christ need not die.  All He had to do was change it.  Scripture is clear, “All have sinned” and “the wages of sin is death” Romans 3:23 and 6:23.  That law is still waiting to condemn any like Adam who has sinned.

After this I was presented with a youtube video of a polished speaker claiming that the “law” was abolished and showing reasons to accept Sunday. In response I will let J.N. Andrews answer his objections which follow below.   

AN EXAMINATION OF SEVEN REASONS FOR SUNDAY-KEEPING

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16,17. {1889 JNA, ESRS 2.1}

In this text we are assured that every word of the sacred Scriptures was given by the Holy Spirit; that every doctrine which men should believe is therein revealed; that every fault is therein reproved; that every error is corrected by its words of truth; and that perfect instruction in all righteousness is therein given. {1889 JNA, ESRS 2.2}

The design of its Author in providing such a book was, that the man of God might thereby be made perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. This is the treasure which God has given to his church. Nor is this all that he has done. To those who are willing to obey the teachings of his word he has promised the Spirit to guide them into all truth. {1889 JNA, ESRS 2.3}

To men thus situated, Jehovah thus speaks: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21. That is, bring every part of your faith and practice to the test of God’s sure word; ask the Holy Spirit’s aid, that your mind may be delivered from prejudice, and your understanding enlightened in the word of truth. Then, what you find revealed in that word, hold fast; it is of priceless value; but relinquish at once every precept or doctrine not therein recorded, lest you make the doctrines of men of equal weight with the commandments of God. “What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.” {1889 JNA, ESRS 2.4}

As the first day of the week is now almost universally observed in the place of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, we design in this tract to examine the grounds on which this observance rests. Those who are willing to submit their opinion to the test of Scripture and of reason are invited to unite with us in the examination of this subject. For what reason do men prefer the first day of the week to the ancient Sabbath of the Lord? On what authority do men continually violate the day which God sanctified, and commanded mankind to keep holy? Come, now, and let us reason together. Here is the commandment which it is said has been changed: – {1889 JNA, ESRS 3.1}

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11. {1889 JNA, ESRS 3.2}

That this commandment requires men to remember and to keep holy the rest-day of the Creator, which he hallowed at the close of the first week of time, none can deny. We now ask for the authority for the change of this commandment. {1889 JNA, ESRS 4.1}

Papists believe that their church had power to change the fourth commandment; and, on that authority alone, they are perfectly satisfied in observing the first day of the week. {1889 JNA, ESRS 4.2}

Protestants deny the authority of the church or Rome and attempt to vindicate the change of the Sabbath by an appeal to the Bible. This is what we wish them to do. We ask them, therefore, to present a single text in which it is said that God has changed his Sabbath to the first day of the week. The advocates of the change have none to offer. If they cannot present such a text, will they give us one which testifies that God ever blessed and sanctified the first day of the week? Its observers admit that they have none to present. But will they not give us one text in which men are required to keep the first day holy, as a Sabbath unto the Lord? They acknowledge that they have none. How, then, do they dare to exalt the first day of the week above the Sabbath of the Lord, which the commandment requires us to remember, and keep holy? {1889 JNA, ESRS 4.3}

The Bible thoroughly furnishes the man of God unto all good works. Can Sunday-keeping be a very good work when the Bible has never said anything in its favor? Or, if it is a good work, can men be very thoroughly furnished in its defense when God has said nothing in its favor? Instead of being a good work, must it not be a fearful sin against God to thus pervert the fourth commandment, when once the mind has been enlightened on the subject? {1889 JNA, ESRS 4.4}

But there are several reasons urged for the observance of the first day of the week, which we will here notice. {1889 JNA, ESRS 5.1}

FIRST REASON. Redemption is greater than creation; therefore, we ought to keep the day of Christ’s resurrection, instead of the ancient Sabbath of the Lord. {1889 JNA, ESRS 5.2}

Where has God said this? Sunday-keepers are compelled to admit that he never did say it. What right, then, has any man to make such an assertion, and then to base the change of the Sabbath upon it? But suppose that redemption is greater than creation who knows that we ought to keep the first day of the week on that account? God never required men to keep any day as a memorial of redemption. But if it were a duty to observe one day of the week for this reason, most certainly the crucifixion day presents the strongest claims. It is not said that we have redemption through Christ’s resurrection; but it is said that we have redemption through the shedding of his blood. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Revelation 5:9. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:12,15. {1889 JNA, ESRS 5.3}

Then redemption is through the death of the Lord Jesus; consequently, the day on which he shed his precious blood to redeem us, and said, “It is finished,” John 19:30, is the day that should be kept as a memorial of redemption, if any should be observed for that purpose. {1889 JNA, ESRS 6.1}

Nor can it be urged that the resurrection day is the most remarkable day in the history of redemption. It needs but a word to prove that, in this respect, it is far exceeded by the day of the crucifixion. Which is the more remarkable event, the act of Jehovah in giving his beloved and only Son to die for a race of rebels, or the act of the Father in raising that beloved Son from the dead? There is only one answer that can be given: It was not remarkable that God should raise his Son from the dead; but the act of the Father in giving his Son to die for sinners was a spectacle of redeeming love on which the universe might gaze and adore the wondrous love of God to all eternity. Who can wonder that the sun was vailed in darkness, and that all nature trembled at the sight! The crucifixion day, therefore, has far greater claims than the day of the resurrection. God has not enjoined the observance of either; and is it not a fearful act to make void the commandments of God by that wisdom which is folly in his sight? 1 Corinthians 1:19,20. {1889 JNA, ESRS 6.2}

But if we would commemorate redemption, there is no necessity of robbing the Lord’s rest-day of its holiness in order to do it. When truth takes from us our errors, it always has something better to take their place. So, the false memorial of redemption being taken out of the way, the word presents in its stead those which are true. God has provided us with memorials, bearing his own signature; and these we may observe with the blessing of Heaven. Would you commemorate the death of our Lord? You need not keep the day of his crucifixion. The Bible tells you how to do it. {1889 JNA, ESRS 7.1}

“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. {1889 JNA, ESRS 7.2}

Would you commemorate the burial and resurrection of the Saviour? You need not keep the first day of the week. The Lord ordained a very different and far more appropriate memorial. “Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Romans 6:3-5. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12. {1889 JNA, ESRS 8.1}

It is true that the professed church has changed this ordinance to sprinkling, so that this divine memorial of the Lord’s resurrection is destroyed. And that they may add sin to sin, they lay hold of the Lord’s Sabbath and change it to the first day of the week, thus destroying the sacred memorial of the Creator’s rest, that they may have a memorial of Christ’s resurrection! “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” When will the professed church cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Not until the “inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.” Isaiah 24:5,6. {1889 JNA, ESRS 8.2}

SECOND REASON. The disciples met on the day of our Lord’s resurrection to commemorate that event, and the Saviour sanctioned this meeting by uniting with them. John 20:19. {1889 JNA, ESRS 9.1}

If every word of this were truth, it would not prove that the Sabbath of the Lord has been changed. But to show the utter absurdity of this inference, listen to a few facts. The disciples did not then believe that their Lord had been raised from the dead but were assembled for the purpose of eating a common meal, and to seclude themselves from the Jews. The words of Mark and of John make this clear: “He appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue; neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” Mark 16:12-14. John says: “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” John 20:19. {1889 JNA, ESRS 9.2}

It is a fact, therefore, that the disciples were not commemorating the resurrection of the Saviour; it is equally evident that they had not the slightest idea of a change of the Sabbath. At the burial of the Saviour, the women who had followed him to the tomb returned and prepared spices and ointments to embalm him; the Sabbath drew on; they rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment; and when the Sabbath was past, they came to the sepulcher upon the first day of the week to embalm their Lord. Luke 23:55,56; 24:1. They kept the Sabbath, according to the commandment, and resumed their labor on the first day of the week. {1889 JNA, ESRS 9.3}

We looked at the first two reasons. Part two in the next 2 weeks, we will look at reasons three through seven.

Having contemplated the days of Noah, we must ask, how did things get so bad?  Not desiring to retain God in their knowledge, the inhabitants of the earth before the flood soon came to deny His existence. “They adored nature in place of the God of nature. They glorified human genius, worshiped the works of their own hands, and taught their children to bow down to graven images”. {Patriarchs and Prophets (PP) 90.3} 

“Men put God out of their knowledge and worshiped the creatures of their own imagination; and as the result, they became more and more debased. The psalmist describes the effect produced upon the worshiper by the adoration of idols. He says, “They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.” Psalms 115:8. It is a law of the human mind that by beholding we become changed. Man will rise no higher than his conceptions of truth, purity, and holiness. If the mind is never exalted above the level of humanity, if it is not uplifted by faith to contemplate infinite wisdom and love, the man will be constantly sinking lower and lower. The worshipers of false gods clothed their deities with human attributes and passions, and thus their standard of character was degraded to the likeness of sinful humanity. They were defiled in consequence. “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. . . . The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence.” God had given men His commandments as a rule of life, but His law was transgressed, and every conceivable sin was the result. The wickedness of men was open and daring, justice was trampled in the dust, and the cries of the oppressed reached unto heaven.  {PP 91.2}

     Polygamy had been early introduced, contrary to the divine arrangement at the beginning. The Lord gave to Adam one wife, showing His order in that respect. But after the Fall, men chose to follow their own sinful desires; and as the result, crime and wretchedness rapidly increased. Neither the marriage relation nor the rights of property were respected. Whoever coveted the wives or the possessions of his neighbor, took them by force, and men exulted in their deeds of violence. They delighted in destroying the life of animals; and the use of flesh for food rendered them still more cruel and bloodthirsty, until they came to regard human life with astonishing indifference”.  {PP 91.3}

As we were preparing this article, news came that a young man drove over two hours to a Buffalo store and mercilessly gunned down thirteen people with ten dying on the spot.  According to a report, it seemed like it was a random act of violence.  But is it?   “The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun. Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10[KJV])

As it was in the world before the Flood, iniquity will prevail. Following the promptings of their corrupt hearts and the teachings of a deceptive philosophy, men will rebel against authority in earth and in Heaven.    

Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? Yet he filled their houses with good [things]: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. (Job 22:15-18 [KJV])

They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.  What [is] the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? (Job 21:13-15 [KJV])

This is the philosophy that brought the world to its breaking point.  The same philosophy now permeates this world.  Martin Luther saw and understood that danger and gave warning, but to no avail.  Here is Luther. “He wrote thus of the universities: “I fear much that the universities will be found to be great gates leading down to hell, unless they take diligent care to explain the Holy Scriptures, and to engrave them in the hearts of our youth. I advise no one to place his child where the Holy Scriptures are not regarded as the rule of life. Every institution where the Word of God is not diligently studied, must become corrupt.”  {Great Controversy 1888 140.4}

PAGANISM SELF-WORSHIP

Here, Sutherland described what develops when man turns from God.

“As to paganism and its system of education, what was the religion of the pagan world? and what were the ideas it strove to propagate?

 First, it placed above God the study and worship of self. Christ is the “true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

All men have, then, at some time in life, light enough to lead them to truth, for the gospel “reveals a divine anger from heaven upon all wickedness and iniquity of men who pervert the true into the false; because the knowledge of God is clear within themselves, God having revealed it to them; for from the creation of the world His invisible attributes might be discovered from the created facts, — that is, His unseen power and Godhead.

 Consequently, they are inexcusable.”  Men, therefore, who of necessity have light may reject that light, and they then become pagan.

Paul, in the first chapter of his Roman letter, states a universal law, in that when truth is rejected, error takes its place. The quotation is again taken from Fenton’s translation, because the wording, by differing slightly from the authorized version, stimulates thought:  “Because, knowing God, they did not honor Him as a God, or rejoice, but trifled in their augmentations, and darkened their senseless hearts; professing to be philosophers, they played the fool, and transformed the glory of the imperishable God into an image of perishable man, and birds! and beasts! and reptiles! And, therefore, God abandoned them in the lusts of their hearts to filthiness, to dishonor their own bodies to themselves; they having changed the truth of God into falsehood, by honoring and serving the creature contrary to the Creator, who is truly blessed in all ages.”⁴ Having turned from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of man, then bird, and beast, and reptile, we find associated with worship the grossest forms of licentiousness.

This is stated by Paul in the first chapter of Romans. The thought which must be borne in mind is that man turns from God and worships himself. He can conceive of no power higher than his own mind, no form more lofty than his own. His first idol is the human form, male or female. He endows this with human passions, for he knows no heart but his own. By beholding he becomes changed into the same passionate creature; a beast becomes the personification of his deity, and the sacred bull his god. Everything about the worship is gross, and birds, crocodiles, and all sorts of reptiles become objects of worship.  This PROGRESSES TOWARD SELF WORSHIP  Romans 1:18-20, Fenton’s translation.

Living Fountains or Broken Cisterns is Egypt. This, in fact, pictures the final worship in any country which turns from Christ and places faith in man. Pages 94-96.

We are here and repeating the sad history.

In the book of Luke, Christ referenced the days of Noah as a sign of the last days.  “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man”. (Luke 17:26 [KJV]).    What were the characteristics of those days?  Genesis 6 and verse 5 states; “ And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually”.   “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence”. (Genesis 6:11-12 [KJV])

God had given men His commandments as a rule of life, but His law was transgressed, and every conceivable sin was the result. The wickedness of men was open and daring, justice was trampled in the dust, and the cries of the oppressed reached unto heaven. 
{Patriarchs and Prophets (PP) 91.2}

Polygamy had been early introduced, contrary to the divine arrangement at the beginning. The Lord gave to Adam one wife, showing His order in that respect. But after the Fall, men chose to follow their own sinful desires; and as the result, crime and wretchedness rapidly increased. Neither the marriage relation nor the rights of property were respected. Whoever coveted the wives or the possessions of his neighbor, took them by force, and men exulted in their deeds of violence. They delighted in destroying the life of animals; and the use of flesh for food rendered them still more cruel and bloodthirsty, until they came to regard human life with astonishing indifference. 
{PP 91.3} 

It is a law of the human mind that by beholding we become changed. Man will rise no higher than his conceptions of truth, purity, and holiness. If the mind is never exalted above the level of humanity, if it is not uplifted by faith to contemplate infinite wisdom and love, the man will be constantly sinking lower and lower. The worshipers of false gods clothed their deities with human attributes and passions, and thus their standard of character was degraded to the likeness of sinful humanity.

Such was the state of the world then.  In the book of Job the thoughts of the Antediluvian is clearly expressed. 

“Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?  Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?  Yet he filled their houses with good [things]: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me”. (Job 22:15-18 [KJV])

“They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.  Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What [is] the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him”? (Job 21:13-15 [KJV])

Since Christ referenced this, it should be clear that wickedness will increase until most of humanity will be totally absorbed in profound wickedness. God will be totally left out of the thoughts.  While this may seem unlikely, the word of God states what is already fact with the outworking to follow.

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.  And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful”. (Romans 1:21-31[KJV])

What levels of degeneracy will the people of the world reach as they choose to leave God out of their daily life. 

The Apostle continues; 

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away”. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 [KJV])

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:12-13 [KJV])

It was not multitudes or majorities that were on the side of right. The world was arrayed against God’s justice and His laws, and Noah was regarded as a fanatic and a “conspiracy theorist”. Satan, when tempting Eve to disobey God, said to her, “Ye shall not surely die.” Genesis 3:4. Great men, worldly, honored, and wise men, repeated the same. “The threatenings of God,” they said, “are for the purpose of intimidating, and will never be verified. You need not be alarmed. Such an event as the destruction of the world by the God who made it, and the punishment of the beings He has created, will never take place. Be at peace; fear not. Noah is a wild fanatic.” The world made merry at the folly of the deluded old man. Instead of humbling the heart before God, they continued their disobedience and wickedness, the same as though God had not spoken to them through His servant.  {PP 96.1} 

     But Noah stood like a rock amid the tempest. Surrounded by popular contempt and ridicule, he distinguished himself by his holy integrity and unwavering faithfulness. A power attended his words, for it was the voice of God to man through His servant. Connection with God made him strong in the strength of infinite power, while for one hundred and twenty years his solemn voice fell upon the ears of that generation in regard to events, which, so far as human wisdom could judge, were impossible. 
{PP 96.2} 

     The world before the Flood reasoned that for centuries the laws of nature had been fixed. The recurring seasons had come in their order. Heretofore rain had never fallen; the earth had been watered by a mist or dew. The rivers had never yet passed their boundaries, but had borne their waters safely to the sea. Fixed decrees had kept the waters from overflowing their banks. But these reasoners did not recognize the hand of Him who had stayed the waters, saying, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further.”
Job 38:11.  {PP 96.3} 

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men”. (2 Peter 3:3-7 [KJV])

These words speak clearly to us all.  The future has been declared.  What will be your choice?

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let [them] slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard [him]; God also bearing [them] witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will”? (Hebrews 2:1-4 [KJV])

 ^“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9 

^“ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  Romans 10:10

In a recent bible study we looked at what is an “acceptable” confession.  We realized that through the years of our Christian walk, there are things in our lives that are difficult to overcome.  We prayed and asked God to forgive and promised in our heart that we would not do these things again.  Then it seems in an unguarded moment, the same thing that we prayed about and felt that we had given up, raised its ugly head again and we do it again.  We feel that we have failed God and ourselves. Didn’t we pray and ask God to take it away? Some of us settle into the belief that God will understand because this must be our nature, we are just sinners and it cannot be helped.  Once we are saved, we will always be saved, because His grace covers us. 

Paul mentioned this experience in Romans 7:14, 15.  “¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.¹⁵ For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” 

However, Paul also admitted in verses 16 and 17, that this experience occurred because sin stilled dwelled within.  “¹⁶ If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.¹⁷ Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”

Matthew 1:21 states, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

We are saved from our sins, not in our sins.  So then, why this struggle?  God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse as mentioned in 1 John 1:9.  The issue then must be with our confession of our sins. Have we made an “acceptable” confession?

Please follow the following study from an excerpt from the booklet, Acceptable Confession by F.T. Wright:

Every time you as a professing Christian, kneel in prayer, it should be safe enough to say that in that prayer you make a confession of sin and plead forgiveness for that sin, or those sins. Then you arise from your knees taking it fully for granted that God has heard that prayer and your sin is forgiven.

There can be nothing more certain than that He has heard your prayer and forgiven you of your sins, provided you have fully met the simple conditions required for acceptable confession. It is equally certain than that He has not forgiven you if you have failed to fulfill all the conditions, even though you may be completely satisfied that you have been fully pardoned. That may come as a startling statement, but it is simple, solid, Bible truth. Although very few realize it, thousands of professing Christians happily believe their sins are all forgiven, when in fact they are not, and while they think they have been relieved of the full responsibility, they are actually still carrying the whole load themselves. Anybody living in this situation is in fearful peril, because, although he thinks he is safe and secure in the salvation of God, he does not in reality have that security at all. We are warned in the Word of God: Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.”

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In this promise, God plainly offers us two essential blessings: the blessing of pardon and the blessing of cleansing, for the text expressly says: ⁹ He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Is He reluctant to perform this work? Oh, no! On the contrary, He is most anxious to do it. He longs to do it. His whole great heart of love is drawn out with the most inexpressible desire that His people will come to freely and fully receive the gift in overflowing abundance as we read: 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.”

His hands are full of the great blessings that He longs and desires to bestow upon you. But He is bound to act only in righteousness and therefore He can give to us absolutely nothing of what He so much yearns to give if we do not fulfill the simple conditions. The one and only barrier to receiving all that heaven is waiting to bestow is our failure to understand and to comply with the simple conditions laid down in His Word.

The condition required to receive pardon and cleansing is that we confess the sin. The promise is that if we will do that, God will both pardon and cleanse. But there are two types of confession. There is a true confession which fulfills the requirements of righteousness, and there is a so-called confession which is in nowise acceptable to God, and therefore does not open the door for Him to give the blessings He so much desires to give.

How may I know that my confession has been of a character which is acceptable to God and will bring the promised blessings? The answer is right here in the verse itself. We have only to read the verse to see the answer. “If we confess” we will have fulfilled the one condition whereby the way will be open for God to do two wonderful works for us: pardon us and cleanse us. The fulfillment of the one condition is all that is necessary for the fulfillment of both promises because the text does not say:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and then if we do something more, He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

It says that if we will confess, He will forgive and cleanse. When God makes a promise, He means what He says and is faithful and just to do all that He has promised to do. He will never fulfill only a part of His promise, but will always fulfill the whole.

 Once the conditions of acceptable confession have been fulfilled, He will do all that He has promised, which is to both pardon and to cleanse from all the unrighteousness which has been confessed. He will do all or nothing.

It is not only the sin that we should ask for forgiveness, but also Our Sinful Nature.  The evil spirit that we possess within us must also be confessed.  We must confess the known sin and the unknown sin.  We must ask the Lord to take this evil nature that is within us and usher it out of us that we may not even entertain the thought of doing it again.  We must hate sin just as we hate vomit.  Most people ask for forgiveness of the sins that they do, while they fail to realize that what they do is only the result of what they are.  We must confess our sinful nature.  One makes the mistake in not seeing that to ask forgiveness of what he has done without giving up what he is, is useless and will bring him no cleansing from that sin.

It is important that we understand what is meant by “SIN”, because remission or putting away of sin is the work to be accomplished (sanctification).  Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ.”  Galatians 2:20.

Did he really mean that he had died? Yes, he really meant that he actually died.  Did he hang on the cross with Christ? Did his human life cease to exist and did he go down to the grave?  No, he did not mean that, because he was not referring to his flesh and blood body, but to sinful life, the carnal nature, the evil propensity, the character of Satan in him.  That is what had been crucified and taken out of the way. 

If you have not experienced cleansing of soul from the sin itself and yet calmly believe that your confession has been such as to have brought you pardon and the hope of eternal life, you are “leaning upon a false hope.” Unless you are awakened out of this deadly complacency to know what real Christian experience is, you will join with those, who having taught the truth with energy, will weep and wail when they come up to the plagues and then see that they are lost.

How desperately few know what a real Christian experience is. Every single one of us knows how perfectly natural it is for human beings by very nature to do the wrong thing, even after we have become professing children of God and members of the Church.

But do we realize that to become a Christian means to become so cleansed from sin that it is unnatural to do the evil that we once did, and natural to do the right which was so unnatural before? This is the experience which truly acceptable confession will bring.

Beloved, much human effort is required to overcome sin.  Too many people we fear are looking forward to some great work to be done in the future which will free them from the power of sin in this life.  This is a most dangerous position to take for no such great work will be done in the future when the fullness of the cleansing power of the spirit is available Right Now. We have a work to do for ourselves that no one can do for us.  Jesus died for us back on Calvary, but that death will do us no good unless we enter into it ourselves.

Summary:

The Holy Spirit reveals to us that real problem, the really unknown sin, is what we are, and not what we do.  It is essential that this be seen and understood.  We must have faith to believe that the Lord will take away the actual spirit within us and give us a new spirit altogether.  We must give up that sin.  If we hang on to it, the Lord cannot and will not take it.  Now, if you find it hard to surrender that sin, then ask the Lord to give you a willing heart, to make you hate that sin. 

After this study, you can imagine how we felt.  Probably the same as you after reading this. We were all very pensive and with much introspection.  The truth of making an acceptable confession came home to us.  What an experience will be ours in this Christian walk when we make confessions that are acceptable unto the Lord. Amen.

When God made man, he made him that he might enter into and enjoy God’s rest, eternal rest. However, this could only be done by man making a personal choice. Therefore, God placed him on a season of probation, and in this probationary time God prepared for and gave to man the Sabbath of rest. This was the very beginning of eternal rest. This probationary time afforded the man the opportunity to choose and enjoy God’s rest.  In that he failed, the world plunged into unrest. When the mind cannot discern the future, worry normally begins and peace of mind is broken.

When God’s rest was prepared for man at the foundation of the world, it was established in the seventh-day Sabbath. For the seventh day is the Sabbath, the rest of the Lord thy God, and the Sabbath was made for man. (Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 16:22-23; Mark 2:27-28) 

The seventh day therefore, being the Sabbath, which is God’s rest, and which  was made for man at the foundation of the world, remained the only avenue to find rest. 

Scripture makes this clear, for, speaking of Israel, God said: “I have sworn in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, they shall not enter into my rest.” (Hebrews 4:3-5)

That is to say, the works were finished from the foundation of the world. When the works were finished, the rest was prepared; for then “God did rest. . . from all his works.” This rest was prepared in the seventh day; for “God did rest the seventh day from all his works.” But through unbelief the man failed to enter into God’s rest. He did not abide in God’s work, and so he could not enter into God’s rest. Therefore, unbelief brings unrest.

Nothing unsettles the mind of man more than the uncertainty of tomorrow. Nearly all decisions that are made, are made in light of what may happen tomorrow.

The present war in Ukraine is about tomorrow.  While Putin may not see NATO as a present threat, his worry is about the future; hence, he is trying to have tomorrow’s reality today. 
The Lord Jesus Christ addresses this problem in Matthew chapter six.Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.
(Matthew 6:34 [KJV])

Like Putin, many of the failures of God’s people concern tomorrow.

Worry is blind, and cannot discern the future; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us, of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service and honor of God supreme will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their feet.  {Desire of Ages (DA) 330.1} 

If you have given yourself to God, to do His work, you have no need to be anxious for tomorrow. He whose servant you are, knows the end from the beginning. The events of tomorrow, which are hidden from your view, are open to the eyes of Him who is omnipotent.  {Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing (MB) 100.1} 

Christ has given us no promise of help in bearing today the burdens of tomorrow. He has said, “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Corinthians 12:9); but, like the manna given in the wilderness, His grace is bestowed daily, for the day’s need. Like the hosts of Israel in their pilgrim life, we may find morning by morning the bread of heaven for the day’s supply.  {MB 101.1} 
One day alone is ours, and during this day we are to live for God.

 Genesis fifteen showed Abraham’s mind after returning from the battle. “Abraham gladly returned to his tents and his flocks, but his mind was disturbed by harassing thoughts. He had been a man of peace, so far as possible shunning enmity and strife; and with horror he recalled the scene of carnage he had witnessed. But the nations whose forces he had defeated would doubtless renew the invasion of Canaan, and make him the special object of their vengeance. Becoming thus involved in national quarrels, the peaceful quiet of his life would be broken. Furthermore, he had not entered upon the possession of Canaan, nor could he now hope for an heir, to whom the promise might be fulfilled. {Patriarchs and Prophets (PP) 136.2} 
“In a vision of the night the divine Voice was again heard. “Fear not, Abram,” were the words of the Prince of princes; “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” {PP 136.3} His fear for the future caused him to not fully grasp the promise until many years later.

Exodus sixteen shows the same fore-boding. “From Marah the people journeyed to Elim, where they found “twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees.” Here they remained several days before entering the wilderness of Sin. When they had been a month absent from Egypt, they made their first encampment in the wilderness. Their store of provisions had now begun to fail. There was scanty herbage in the wilderness, and their flocks were diminishing. How was food to be supplied for these vast multitudes? Doubts filled their hearts, and again they murmured. Even the rulers and elders of the people joined in complaining against the leaders of God’s appointment: “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”  {PP 292.1} 

They had not as yet suffered from hunger; their present wants were supplied, but they feared for the future. They could not understand how these vast multitudes were to subsist in their travels through the wilderness, and in imagination they saw their children famishing.”  

In 1 Kings 19 we read,
1 “And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do [to me], and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. 3 And when he saw [that], he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which [belongeth] to Judah, and left his servant there.”

God has wrought wonderful works by Elijah, but instead of standing in his lot that day he succumbed to the threat of tomorrow, therefore, he no longer had rest.
One of the greatest blunders seen in the life of God’s people is the experience of David recorded in 1 Samuel 27.
“And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: [there is] nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.” (1 Samuel 27:1 [KJV])

God had repeatedly protected David from Saul’s malice.  After a wonderful victory over Saul (see 1 Samuel 26), David had no reason to come to this conclusion.  He was already anointed king and no power on earth could prevent him from being king. Yet in looking at tomorrow, he fell today.  So will everyone who is inclined to carry tomorrow’s burden today.   

Today we have a world that is troubled, Christ prophesied that “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. “(Luke 21:26 [KJV])

Unrest will be everywhere.  Where then can rest be found?  It will be found where it has always been.
Israel failed to enter into God’s rest, that rest did not fail: it still remains, and waits for men to enter it. Though Israel and the world failed to discern in the seventh day God’s rest, and so missed it, that rest, that Sabbath, of the seventh day did not vanish away; it still, even today, “remaineth,” and waits for man to enter into it. For “seeing. . . that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief; again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; . . . today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God;” (Hebrews 4:5-7 &9)

Will your tomorrow eclipse the rest of today?

There were three small trees growing in the forest and they were talking together. 
The first tree said, “I want to be a treasure chest and carry great treasure.” 
The second tree said, “I am strong and I want to be a great ship, sail the oceans and carry kings.” 
The third tree said, “I want to stay in the forest and grow tall so that when people stop to look at me, they will look up to the sky and think of God.”
As days passed, the rain fell, the sun shone, and the trees grew strong and tall.  One day three woodcutters came into the forest and they came to the trees.  The first woodcutter came to the first tree and liked it, then with one swing of his axe, chopped down the first tree.  The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and realized it was the one he wanted, so he swung his axe and chopped down the tree.  The third tree was scared and prayed that the woodcutter would look at it and think of God.  But the woodcutter did not care which tree he got, so he swung his axe and the third tree was cut down. 
The first tree was not made into a beautiful chest as he desired to carry great treasure, but instead into a trough for feeding animals.  Hay and grain were placed inside of it to feed the animals. 
The second tree was not made into a beautiful strong ship to carry kings, but into a small fishing boat instead. 
The third tree which did not want to leave the forest was placed in a yard with other pieces of lumber and it seemed forgotten.  
Then one cold night as a bright star shone in the sky, fresh hay was placed into the feeding trough and a baby was placed inside.  Then men from the East appeared, saying they followed the bright star that shone in the sky.  They placed gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh before the trough where the baby laid.  Then the first tree knew that his dream had come true because he was holding the greatest treasure on earth, —the baby, Jesus.(See Luke 2:1-14)
As years passed, there was a great storm and the tree that had become the little fishing boat believed that it was going to sink. The men in the boat were very afraid,  but one of the passengers seemed to be not concerned at all as he lay sleeping, until the other men woke him up to tell him that the boat was about to sink.  This passenger stood up and said, “Peace be still” and the winds stopped and the waters were calm.  Then the second tree realized that his dream did come true because he not only carried a king, but he carried the “King of Kings”.
(See Matthew 8:23-27 and Mark 4:35-41)
The third tree had remained in the yard for a long time and thought that it was forgotten until one day it was pulled up and carved into two great pieces.  It was carried through the streets and a shouting mob followed. Then it was shocked when a man was nailed to it.  It was then placed on a hill. Then the third tree realized, after so many years that his dream had come true; because whenever people think of the cross, they remember God.  (John 19:10-22)

“But like the stars in the vast circuit of their appointed path, God’s purposes know no haste and no delay.”  Desire of Ages (DA) 32.1
This was a story that I heard when I was very young but I remembered it.  It made an impression upon me at that time for some reason and I remember going home and writing it down, as much as I could remember, so that I would not forget it. 
Luke 18:6, “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” 
The same is said in Mark 10:14 and Matthew 19:14.
This world will only continue for so long, but Jesus is coming again to take those who are faithful to him, including children, to heaven to live for an eternity. 
Children are never too young to know about Jesus, his life and sacrifice.  The word of God in Deuteronomy 6:7 said, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
As workers for God, our work is to begin with those nearest. It is to begin in our own home. There is no more important missionary field than this. Periodical: Australasian Union Conference Report (AUCR) June 1, 1900, par. 6
God designs that the families of earth shall be a symbol of the family of heaven. Christian homes, established and conducted in accordance with His plan, are among His most effective agencies for the formation of Christian character. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 7
In the home the foundation is laid for the prosperity of the church. The influences that rule in the home life are carried into the church life. Church duties are to begin in the house. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 8
Christ died to save the children, and he is ready to do a great work for them if parents will co-operate with Him by training and educating them according to His instruction. While parents should be firm in requiring respect and obedience, they should make the religion of Christ attractive by their cheerfulness, their Christian courtesy, their tender, compassionate sympathy. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 9
Christ was once a little child. For His sake honour the children. Look upon them as a sacred charge, not to be petted and idolized but to be taught to live pure, noble lives. They are God’s property. He loves them, and He calls upon you to co-operate with Him in teaching them to form perfect characters. The Lord requires perfection from His redeemed family. He expects from us the perfection which Christ revealed in His humanity. Fathers and mothers especially need to understand the best methods of training children that they may co-operate with God. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 10
Submission and surrender to Christ are the most effective lessons that children and youth can learn. The rules which should regulate the lives of parents and children flow from a heart of infinite love, and God’s rich blessing will rest upon those parents who administer His law in their homes, and it will rest upon those children by whom this law is obeyed. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 11
Children should be taught that they are a part of the home firm. They are fed, and clothed, and loved, and cared for, and they should respond to their many mercies by bearing their share of the family burdens, and bringing into the home all the happiness possible. By the law of mutual dependence they are to be taught dependence upon the great Head of the Church. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 12
And God calls upon fathers and mothers to become intelligent in regard to the laws which govern physical life. Children must be taught to make a right use of the things of this life, and to avoid the use of everything that would injure the powers of mind or body. They should be taught that every organ of the body and every faculty of the mind is the gift of a good and wise God, and is to be used to His Glory. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 13
In the home the Saviour is to be uplifted, thought of, talked of. When He dwells in the heart, family worship will not be a form of dry, set phrases. The heart will be imbued with love for Jesus. This love will be expressed in prayer and praise. Words of discouragement and hopelessness will not be spoken. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 14
Let the members of every family bear in mind that they are closely allied to heaven. The Lord has a special interest in the families of His children here below. Angels offer the smoke of the fragrant incense for the praying saints. Then in every family let prayer ascend to heaven both at morning and at the cool sunset hour, in our behalf presenting before God the Saviour’s merits. Morning and evening the heavenly universe takes notice of every praying household. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 15
Let parents teach their little ones the truth as it is in Jesus. The children in their simplicity will repeat to their associates that which they have learned. In Christ’s day the children sang in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” So in these days children’s voices will be raised in giving the last warning to a perishing world. By them God’s message will be made known, and His saving health to all nations. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 16
The children can take a part in medical missionary work. They can do many things to help the sick and suffering, and by their offerings they can aid in carrying forward the work. By the efforts of children and youth many souls will be won to the truth. And the children themselves will be forming characters after Christ’s similitude, in preparation to dwell forever in His presence. AUCR June 1, 1900, par. 17