Sunday, February 17, 2019

Devil Deception Among the People of God.


CHAPTER 21  (The Great Controversy)

The Church and World United

Satan then consulted with his angels, and they there considered what they had gained.  It was true that they had kept some timid souls through fear of death, from embracing the truth; but many, even of the most timid, received the truth, and immediately their fears and timidity left them, and as they witnessed the death of their brethren, and saw their firmness and patience, they knew that God and angels assisted them to endure such sufferings, and they grew bold and fearless.  And when called to yield their own lives, they maintained their faith with such patience and firmness as caused even their murderers to tremble.  Satan and his angels decided that there was a more successful way to destroy souls, and more certain in the end.  They saw that although they caused Christians to suffer, their steadfastness, and the bright hope that cheered them, caused the weakest to grow strong, and that the rack and the flames could not daunt them.  They imitated the noble bearing of Christ when before his murderers, and many were convinced of the truth by witnessing their constancy, and the glory of God which rested upon them.  Satan decided that he must come in a milder form.  He had corrupted the doctrines of the Bible; and traditions which were to ruin millions were taking deep root.  He restrained his hate, and decided not to urge on his subjects to such bitter persecution; but lead on the church to contend, not for the faith once delivered to the saints, but, for various traditions.  As he led on the church to receive favors and honors of the world, under the false pretense of benefiting them, she began to lose favor with God.  Gradually the church lost her power, as she shunned to declare the straight truths which shut out the lovers of pleasure and friends of the world.

 The church is not the separate and peculiar people she was when the fires of persecution were kindled against her.  How is the gold become dim?  How is the most fine gold changed?  I saw that if the church had always retained her holy and peculiar character, the power of the Holy Spirit which was imparted to the disciples would be with her.  The sick would be healed, devils would be rebuked and cast out, and she would be mighty, and a terror to her enemies. 

I saw that a very large company professed the name of Christ, but God does not recognize them as his.  He has no pleasure in them.  Satan seemed to assume a religious character, and was very willing that the people should think they were Christians.  He was very willing that they should believe in Jesus, his crucifixion, and his resurrection.  Satan and his angels fully believed all this themselves, and trembled. But if this faith does not provoke to good works, and lead those who profess it to imitate the self-denying life of Christ, he is not disturbed; for they merely assume the Christian name, while their hearts are still carnal; and he can use them in his service better than if they made no profession. Under the name of Christian they hide their deformity.  They pass along with their unsanctified natures, and their evil passions unsubdued.  This gives occasion for the unbeliever to throw their imperfections in the face of Jesus Christ, to reproach him, and to cause those who do possess pure and undefiled religion to be brought into disrepute.

The ministers preach smooth things to suit carnal professors.  This is just as Satan would have it.  They dare not preach Jesus and the cutting truths of the Bible; for if they should, these carnal professors would not hear them.  Many of them are wealthy and must be retained in the church, although they are no more fit to be there than Satan and his angels.  The religion of Jesus is made to appear popular and honorable in the eyes of the world.  The people are told that those who profess religion will be more honored by the world.  Very widely do such teachings differ from the teachings of Christ.  His doctrine and the world could not be at peace.  Those who followed him had to renounce the world.  These smooth things originated with Satan and his angels.  They formed the plan, and nominal professors have carried it out.  Hypocrites and sinners unite with the church.  Pleasing fables are taught, and readily received.  But if the truth should be preached in its purity, it would soon shut out hypocrites and sinners.  But there is no difference between the professed followers of Christ and the world.  I saw that if the false covering could be torn off from the members of the churches, there would be revealed such iniquity, vileness and corruption, that the most diffident child of God would have no hesitancy in calling them by their right name, children of their father, the Devil; for his works they do.  Jesus and all the heavenly host looked with disgust upon the scene; yet God had a message for the church that was sacred and important.  If received, it would make a thorough reformation in the church, revive the living testimony that would purge out hypocrites and sinners, and bring the church again into favor with God.

See Isaiah 30:8-21; Lamentations 4:1; Titus 1:16; James 2:19; Revelation chap.3

Isa 30:8  Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: 
Isa 30:9  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: 
Isa 30:10  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 
Isa 30:11  Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. 
Isa 30:12  Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: 
Isa 30:13  Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. 
Isa 30:14  And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit. 
Isa 30:15  For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. 
Isa 30:16  But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. 
Isa 30:17  One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. 
The Lord Will Be Gracious
Isa 30:18  And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. 
Isa 30:19  For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. 
Isa 30:20  And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: 
Isa 30:21  And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. 

Lam 4:1  How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. 

Tit 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. 

Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 


Rev 3:1  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 
Rev 3:2  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 
Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 
Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 
Rev 3:5  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. 
Rev 3:6  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 


Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 
Rev 3:8  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 
Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 
Rev 3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 
Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 
Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 
Rev 3:13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

Rev 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 
Rev 3:15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 
Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 
Rev 3:17  Because 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: 
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 
Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 
Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 
Rev 3:22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 



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