Truthfully-
for what else is there but truth as we study to know God - study as-- workman…
2Ti_2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Truthfully
the word of God reveals to us so much. Every person is given an opportunity to
learn the truth- none will be able to proclaim they were denied opportunity-
not a single lost person will be able to say this.
In the
days of Noah every single person had an opportunity to know truth, to find
grace in the eyes of God. You'd think more than just Noah and his family would
have wanted truth, but they didn't. Let's not just imagine the people drinking,
laughing and playing- going on with their normal God-less lives. Let's imagine
there were some people who thought for a moment, a mere more even that maybe
Noah wasn't crazy, maybe he had something they didn't, some insider knowledge.
Perhaps those people had to make a decision to heed that nudging of maybe, and
they shoved that nudging to the side in order to keep on with their lives on an
even keel- at least in the manner of their own familiar chaos of living.
Chaos of
living… we all have that don't we? Chaos interfering with what should be a
peaceful, easy life. Chaos we come to expected that we label- drama, we call
stress, we call life as we know it to be. This chaos of living is in part
Satan's attempt to drag us away from any peace we try to grasp. Satan sweeping
the rug of that peace of God which passes understanding out from under us.
Satan ripping the boots of the gospel of peace right off our feet before we
have a chance to break them in. Satan surrounding us with chaos and telling us
this is life, and it will always be life, that there is not going to be any
other way. Satan allowing us tidbits of his own brand of chaotic peace just
enough that we convince ourselves the we have enough of God's peace to live.
We are
caught up in the chaos of living and as long as this is true then we aren't
going to be fully comprehending the truth. We will keep our eyes fixed on the
chaos and not on the peace beyond the chaotic.
The people
who may have been nudged in Noah's day, yet ignored the nudge were probably a
lot more than we imagine. The people that had the small thought of… maybe Noah
isn't a lunatic, maybe something bad is coming, these people who shushed those
thoughts were plentiful.
While some
shush the Holy Spirit's urgings outright with a finality, others toy with the
urgings for a while as they decide whose urgings to heed. Regardless, every single person will have had
that opportunity to know their Savior in truth, and know His salvation in
reality, to be prepared for His return.
As in
Noah's day (enlightenment from the study below this little bit of babbling of
mine revealed to me) also means something beyond the partying, and carrying on
the chaos of living. For several days
Noah and his family were locked up in the ark with NOTHING happening outside-
NO RAIN, not a drop! During that time
the revelry that was going on outside had to be enormous. Inside Noah and His family waited, covered in
the truth of God's word. Outside- were none accepted the truth- life was going
on as usual, well maybe with a bit more excited chaos caused by the ridiculing
of the ark and Noah's beliefs.
Anti-typical
to that day will be Christ's return… there will be those who will be locked in
with Christ, and those who will be outside of Christ's saving grace. Because the TRUTH tells us, that all cases
will be decided BEFORE our Savior returns.
Probation for all mankind will CLOSE before Christ returns. NO ONE will
be given a second, third, one thousandth chance once probation is over BEFORE
Christ returns. NO ONE will see the seven last plagues and be able to decide
then…. Just as NOT a single person in the days of Noah who felt the first rain
drop hit them- could get in the ark- it was closed to them. Imagine the terror…
never had it rained before and then you feel that first drop of wetness from
the sky, and then another and then another until it is suddenly pouring water
from the sky all around you. The chance
to be on the ark is gone. So too will
the chance to be saved by our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ- will be gone while
people are still living - marrying, drinking, eating, having all sort of fun
and wrapped up in the chaos of living.
God HELP
US TO BE CHRIST'S NOW! RIGHT NOW! Help us fully, and wholly be YOURS long
before probation closes all around us! PLEASE LORD, help us be YOURS, help any
UNBELIEF we may have in us! Save us right now! By the blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ now and forever!!!!!!!
EXCERPT continued---
'There are
differences in the work of the priest in the two holy places of the sanctuary.
The
intercession, or work of the priest in the holy, is general, for the whole
world; and herein is shown the benefit that the whole world receives from the
death of Christ.
Every sin
deserves its punishment, which is death; and without a mediator this would be
the unavoidable and universal consequence.
But
through the pleading of the Saviour, sentence against the evil work is not
speedily executed; Eccl. 8:11;
Ecc
8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,
therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
the sinner
is granted an opportunity to repent; a time of probation is given in which he
may return to God through Christ. In this sense Jesus is the propitiation for
the sins of the whole world. He has prepared a covering beneath which all may
find refuge.
By virtue
of his death for sin, wherein mercy is exalted and justice honored, the
transgressor is spared and invited to accept the blood of Jesus as his
substitute, and be reconciled to God.
And herein
is shown the correctness of the apostle’s declaration that God is the Saviour
of all men; but there is a special salvation to them that believe.
1 Tim.
4:10.
1Ti
4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust
in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that
believe.
The
benefits of probation which all enjoy, are by the blood and intercession of
Christ. And surely these are no slight benefits. Though the sinner may pass
them by unheeding; may
- 151 - J.
H. Waggoner
scorn the
warning voice, and despise the precious blood; the countless multitude of the
redeemed who are all reconciled by these very means, forever attest the value
and fullness of those means so blindly disregarded by the impenitent. On the
other hand, the Atonement, made in the most holy place, is specific and
limited.
By this it
is not to be understood that repentance and reconciliation are not granted in
the day of atonement, as some have inferred. To uphold that view it would be
necessary to show that the penitent would not have been received, according to
the type, on the day of atonement. But that cannot be shown; it was not the
case. The offering on that day was made for all the people; but they only
received the benefit of it who “afflicted their souls,” as the Lord commanded.
“For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he
shall be cut off from among his people.” Lev. 23:29.
The
reception of benefit from the work of the priest was conditional upon that day,
as upon any other day; but upon this day it was complete and final. For
incorrigibility upon this day there was no extension of time. And so it will be
in the antitype.
As Christ
closes his priestly work in Heaven before he comes to earth, and when he comes
he will find both righteous and wicked ones living on the earth, it follows
that the Atonement will be completed and probation ended before he comes.
And thus
it will be, that they who do not “afflict their souls;” who do not repent and
leave their sins while our Advocate is doing that last work, will be cut off
without remedy.
Crying for
mercy after he puts aside his priestly robes will be of no avail. How necessary
that we be fully in harmony with the work of God in his last warning message
(Rev. 14:9-12) in order that that day shall not come upon us as a thief.
Rev
14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any
man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or
in his hand,
Rev
14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is
poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be
tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in
the presence of the Lamb:
Rev
14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and
they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and
whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev
14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
It is a
very solemn thought that the last generation of men, living upon the earth just
before the Lord appears, and up to the hour of his appearing, will remain here,
busied with the things of this world after probation has closed.
The great
majority having turned away from the alarm which has been sounded; having
rejected the warning which has been given by the servants of the Lord, will not
understand the great change which has taken place in the position of the Son of
The
Atonement - 152
God; they
will scoff at the idea of his coming being near, and become bolder in sin as
the restraining influence of God’s Spirit leaves them. Our Saviour has given a
lesson upon this subject which demands the careful consideration of all. He
said: “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man
be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into
the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall
also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24:37-39. In Gen. 6 we learn that
Noah and his family were commanded to enter into the ark seven days before the
flood of waters came. “And the Lord shut him in.” But when Noah was shut in,
all others were shut out. They had neglected the warning too long. They said as
will be said in the last days, “All things continue as they were from the
beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:4. Even after Noah entered into the ark,
and the Lord had closed the door, they saw no change; they were emboldened in
their hardness of heart because the judgment was delayed. Each day confirmed
them in their ideas of their own wisdom, as day after day passed and the flood
did not come. Poor souls! they knew not
that their destiny was sealed; that there was no chance for them to enter the
ark; that they had recklessly passed beyond the offer of mercy. “So shall also
the coming of the Son of man be.” The testimony of Jesus after he was
glorified teaches the same thing. When he is soon to come the second time he
announces: “He that is unjust. let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy,
let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still;
and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my
reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:11, 12.
This
decision is not made when he comes, nor after he comes, but when he is quickly
coming.
This is
further proof that it will be as it was in the days of Noah, and that every
case must be decided before the Son of man is revealed, “taking vengeance on
them that know not God.’
(To be
continued)
(Excerpt
from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:
THE
ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE
(1884)
BY ELDER J. H. WAGGONER
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