The Way Study Blog

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Death to Our Selfish Pride.

Jesus did not put Himself up on any pedestal of any kind, He shunned pedestals. He drew no corrupt attention to Himself. He did not proclaim Himself king and enjoy ordering people about to do His bidding. He stood on no ceremony expecting none to respect Him. He didn't order the respect of people. He didn't order any into prisons, or any to be taken to task for their bad behavior. He did not even condemn those who crucified Him.

Luk 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Father forgive them!

We marvel at such behavior, because we take great offense all the time for the way others treat us. Forgiving those who offend us wrongfully goes against our grain because we suffer from pride of our own life, we suffer placing ourselves in a position to expect no offense, so when it comes we are injured in our pride. Jesus of ALL men had a right to take offense, His innocence was pure in all things and He deserved absolutely no reviling, none! Jesus is our all in all, He is our GOD, He in US should have no pride. Having Christ in us should negate the pride we encourage. Our shame should be in our reacting to our offenders because of our injured pride. Let our pride be wounded until it is dead inside of us and no more there to be injured. Let each prick of our pride serve to remind us it shouldn't exist, and let us seek forgiveness every time we feel that pride rise up taking offense against all the injustices placed upon us. God help us to this end! All by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever! Amen.

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The third of the three forms under which "the world" is embraced and idolatry manifested…

March 12, 1901

“The Keeping of the Commandments. The First Commandment” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 11, p. 168.

“I AM the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2, 3.

The third of the three forms under which “the world” is embraced, and idolatry manifested, is—

“The pride of life.”

The word here used to express the thought of “life” is a form of the Greek word Bios, and signifies not animal life; not the breath of life; not spiritual life; not life itself, the life which comes from God; but “the life which we live; the life led; hence, manner of life, course of life.”

The word used to express the thought of “pride” is alazoneia (“alazoneia”), “the character of an alazon (“alazon”). And an alazon is literally “a wanderer about the country;” hence, literally, “a false pretender, imposter, quack; hence, swaggering, boastful, braggart; and by implication, ostentation, arrogance, pride.” It is the same word that is used in 1 Timothy 3:6: “Being lifted up with pride.”

The closest equivalent English word is “ambition,” which signifies, literally, “a going about, as of a candidate soliciting votes;” again, “the act of going about to solicit or obtain an office or other object of desire;” a “desire for some object that confers distinction;” “desire to distinguish one’s self from other men;” “desirous of obtaining power, superiority, or distinction.”

Another word that corresponds to this “pride of life” and “ambition,” is “self-exaltation,” self-aggrandizement. The Latin word that corresponds to the Greek word used to express “pride of life,” is gloriosus, and expresses the idea of worldly glory.

In the light of these definitions, it is easier to see the real nature of the temptation of Jesus, when “the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” And then all the fires of ambition, of worldly glory, that were ever manifested in human flesh—in Alexander, Napoleon, and all other like—poured like a driving storm upon Jesus, to entice Him to the desire of that which was before Him.

But by the Spirit of God, Jesus knew that none of all that “glory” which He saw was “of the Father,” but all “of the world.” He knew that it was only a false, fleeting glory. He knew that true glory lies not in “the pride of life,” not in ambition, not in self-exaltation; but in self-emptying, self-renunciation. And, therefore, He promptly answered: “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”

As points out in a previous study, the divine account of this temptation reveals the fact that worldly glory, the glory of the kingdoms of this world; the glory of rulership, of overlordship; the glory of position, of office,—all this, or any of it, can be had only by idolatry, only by the worship of “the god of this world.”

Christianity, the true keeping of the commandments of God, is not rulership, but service. The liberty wherewith Christ makes men free, the liberty in which Christians stand fast, is the liberty by love to serve one another; as it is written, and as it has been studied only lately, in the Sabbath-school lessons all over the world: “Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Galatians 5:13, 14. And to love our neighbor as ourselves is to do good to him always, in all things, and by whatsoever means. In “all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”

And when, in this same “pride of life,” this spirit of ambition, the disciples were striving among themselves as to who should be the greatest, or who should be counted the greatest, “Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28.

Thus, all desire for place or for position; all exercise of dominion or of authority in place or position; all national distinctions, all racial distinctions, all aristocratic distinctions, all class distinctions, all place or official distinctions, are only of the pride of life, are not of the Father, but of the world, and are idolatry. They are all vanity, which is only idolatry.

The greatest curse that has ever come upon the earth since the original curse itself, has been, and is, in men, in the world and in the Church occupying places of authority, and exercising authority, who have no true authority. What has been the greatest curse that all history has known among men in the world, as they have existed in nations or organizations? What organization has been the most oppressive, and the most far-reaching in its oppression? Everybody can answer in a moment and in a word—the papacy. And what is the papacy?—It is summed up in a man in place of authority, who has no true authority. It is simply a man, having seized authority over men, and the means of enforcing it, and demanding respect and subjection to that authority, who yet has not authority at all except that which he has seized by unlawful means. And the Scripture description of the papacy is that he “opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” This is the extremity to which men can possibly go in the violation of the First Commandment. And yet it is all simply the desire for place, position, and to exercise authority.

But the papacy has no true authority, because it has no truth. Truth is the only source of authority. He who has the truth has authority. And he who has the most truth has the most authority. This is why it is that Jesus had all authority in heaven and in earth: He had all authority because He had all the truth—He is the Truth itself. “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.” “I am the Way, the Truth.” Those two sentences belong together. Each explains the other.

And yet Jesus had no position: He occupied no place. And that simply expresses the eternal truth that position never gives true authority. And that is simply to say that, in the Church and work of God, position never gives authority to anybody. Authority may qualify a person for a position that he has not. But position never can give to a person authority that he has not without the position. Position entails responsibility, but never gives authority.

Jesus taught “as one having authority.” And that authority was readily recognized by those who heard. This was because the authority was in what He taught. The authority was in the truth that He had. And whosoever in the world has the truth as it is in Jesus, in that he has also authority in heaven and on earth—not to exercise authority, but to speak with authority. “The princes of the Gentiles exercise... authority,” “but it shall not be so among you.” God does give authority; but He gives it in the truth which He gives; and he who receives the truth of God as it is, as it is in Jesus, in that receives authority. The authority which he has is in the truth which he has, in the message which he bears.

Where, then, is the true position of greatness, and the position of true greatness? Here is the answer: “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” The greatest position is that of servant; and the greatest work is that of service. “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” “I am among you as He that serveth.”

In Christ and the way of Christ is the keeping of the First Commandment. In the papacy and in the way of the papacy is the breaking of the First Commandment.

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” “Out of Egypt have I called me son.”

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Self-Gods.

Individuality. God has made each of us unique. Even identical twins have different thoughts from one another, though physically they may the same. We are all unique to ourselves for a purpose. We each have our own path to walk with God. We are not supposed to lust after the things others possess. God has made us unique for a reason and it's for His glory- not our own. You don't like the way you look- you were born with features the world doesn't consider acceptable to their standards, your intelligence doesn't match that of others, your personality is skewed to the norm and you don't quite fit in so that is makes life difficult in many ways, I could go on and on. There are many who do not find life easy in many ways. Many do things to make themselves more acceptable to their peers and colleagues, things that don't come completely natural to themselves, yet they long so much to fit in they try desperately to change who they uniquely are.

If we are to live for GOD'S GLORY and not our own why are we so incredibly caught up in trying to fit in? God is to be our constant beacon, the light to which we look for all aspects of our lives. Is it God who wants us to own the latest style? Is it God who wants us to find favor in the eyes of those around us? Is it God who tells us that we need to be world like, to be liked by the world or more specifically the people in the world? Are we to desire acceptance and lament our inability to get that acceptance? How many young men and women long to attract the attention of potential marriage partners- that true love that is like no other? Is it wrong to desire to be married? It is if it's not going to be a marriage to God's glory. God does not have marriage in mind for all, but the world dictates this is the majority accepted ideal of our lives- marriage, family, jobs, careers, and so on. The world has its plan and when we aren't a part of that plan we mourn our not being on the path to that plan. We feel rejected, we feel sad, depressed, anxious, and more because our lives haven't gone according to how we've perceived they should. We need to ask ourselves though, if the world's ideal path is God's, and if we answer that it is, then we need to read God's word which tells us otherwise. God's path is for us to seek HIS glory, HIS path and allow HIM to lead us. If we can't say that we are living to glorify God in all we do, but rather to satisfy ourselves and our world path ideas, then we need to fall to our knees and seek God FIRST in our lives- not second. We aren't told that we are to have no other gods but ourselves and God, we are told we are to have no other gods but GOD. NO other gods… not even the self-god we can so easily possess and seems to be an innate part of us all. The self-god is Satan's greatest tool and he knows how to use that tool to his pleasing. He knows how to play each and every one of us- building on our self-god- whether it's through pride, or self-hate, self-love or self-degradation… whichever self-god we are in need of on any given day- Satan will urge that upon us just so long as we do not take our minds off ourselves. Satan does not want us to put our minds on GOD, and will stop at nothing to that end.

May God help us to glorify HIM and seek HIM first, and serve Him as our ONLY God and not try to take His place or let any other take His place in our lives. All through the love, the grace, the mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever!!!!!!! Amen!

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March 5, 1901

“The Keeping of the Commandments. The First Commandment” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 10, p. 152

“I AM the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2, 3.

The second of the three forms under which “the world” is embraced, and idolatry manifested, is—

“The lust of the eyes.”

The lust of the eyes can be summed up in one word, vanity; and vanity is simply love of display. Something is put on ourselves, or that which is ours, merely for display, to attract the attention and excite the lust of the eyes of others, and cause them to envy our condition.

Further, on our own part, this idolatry is indulged in our seeing something that somebody else has, and not being content until we have imitated him by obtaining for ourselves a like thing.

That which we see with others may be perfectly proper, and strictly becoming, to them; yet, when imitated by us, it may be altogether improper, and unbecoming in itself, besides our indulging idolatry in the use of it. Because, if our eyes had not seen that particular thing, no thought of our own, and no need of our life, would ever have suggested that we should have it. The only reason of our having it being solely that our eyes saw it in possession of some other one, the possession of it by us is sheer idolatry in the lust of the eyes.

This principle of idolatry is expressed in the one word, the worldly word, “fashion.” The world spends time in inventing particular styles of dress, or whatever else may be a part of the living. The world is expected to follow, and expects to follow, the fashion set by the world.

But we are studying how to serve God. We are studying how to be separate from the world; how to be “not of the world;” how to be completely divorced from the love of the world, or of the things that are in the world. And in this we are studying how to be separated from this lust of the eyes which follows the world, which accepts the dictates of the world, and which itself is “of the world.”

God has made no two persons alike. He has made each person with characteristics which single him out distinctly from all others in the universe. This is for a purpose. We are created for the glory of God; that is, the purpose of our creation is that each one, in the characteristics which make him himself alone, distinct from all others in the universe, shall be a means of making God manifest,—of reflecting a ray of the light of God, in a way that no other can possibly do, that by each one God shall be manifested as not by any other one. And, in order that this shall be so, it is essential that each one shall be joined only to God, and this with all his heart, and all his soul, and all his mind, and all his strength—the whole being.

This principle is expressed in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. When the master took his journey into a far country, and delivered to his servants his goods,—to one five talents, to another two, and to another one, he gave “to every man according to his several [individual; not common to two or more; separate, particular] ability.” And from the master, at His returning and reckoning, each one receives according as he has used the gift of God, according to this “several ability.”

No one is to use, indeed no one can use, this gift of God in imitation of others. To attempt to use it in imitation of others is to separate from God, and put others in His place; it is to have other gods before the Lord; it is idolatry.

There are desires of the flesh which are not lusts of the flesh, in the wrong sense. While we are in this world, it will be necessary for us to eat and to drink—not to make a god of the belly, not for the satisfaction of appetite, not for the lust of the flesh, but for the glory of God. Those who serve God in the keeping of the First Commandment eat and drink that which, in every respect, enables them best to discern what is the will of God, and how best to serve Him according to that will.

While we are in the world, it will be essential to clothe ourselves—not to please the world; not to conform to some silly style that our eyes see, which is altogether of the world, and which we ourselves would never think of if our eyes had not seen it as displayed by the world—not that; but the glory of God.

It is proper, indeed it is essential, to our glorifying God, that we shall dress neatly; that we shall wear as good clothing as we honestly can; that it shall be made to fit us becomingly, that is, that it shall conform strictly to our own individuality; that it shall be a proper expression of our own several selves, as God has made us. But to imitate the dress of others, to put something on ourselves simply because we have seen it on others, to adopt a style for ourselves which we have seen adopted by others,—all this is of the lust of the eyes; all this is not of the Father, but is of the world; it is idolatry.

A long coat is strictly becoming to a long man, but not at all so to a short man. A high collar is entirely proper for a man who has a long neck; but for a man with a short neck to wear a collar so high that it throws up his head as if he were constantly gazing at the moon, is not at all proper. A blue dress, or one of some other color, may be exactly becoming to the one whom you saw wearing it; but it may be the last color in the world that you should wear in a dress.

Now, all this imitating of others, all following of fashion, is but the lust of the eyes, is of the world, and is idolatry.

Ask God what He will have you do. It can never be a proper question with you, as to whether anybody else in the wide universe does it. You are to glorify God, not others.

Study, in the fear of God, your own self as the workmanship of God; and study, in the fear of God, asking Him only what you shall wear, what you shall eat, what you shall drink, what you shall do, that shall most fully glorify Him, that shall most fully represent the talent which He has given you to be used for Him only, according to your “several ability.”

In every way it means much to love God with all the heart and all the soul and all the mind and all the strength. It means much to be not of the world; to love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. Yet that which it means is simply the keeping of the First Commandment.

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” “Here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

He Shall Direct Thy Path.

The realization that ANYTHING that becomes a habit in our lives that must be satisfied is something that is taking the place of God in our heart, is an eye-opener to be sure. Maybe I have it all wrong, or maybe I'm late to the game so to speak, but the following excerpt below has opened my understanding a bit.

By the Holy Spirit may I only see truth.

What habits do we have that must be satisfied? I'm not talking only the things we might consider bad habits, but habits we aren't certain of as well. Can we have good habits that must be satisfied that take the place of God in our hearts? The word good overall means it's acceptable to God, right? Yet, good to one person might simply mean not bad. Yet some good can be bad in excess, right? People can work their jobs to excess in providing for their family and its needs. They might have provided the material things, but denied the emotional and spiritual necessities. We can say they have a great work ethic and are wonderful providers, but are they providing God to their family before all else, or inadvertently teaching that material things come before God? Satan has created very murky waters that we all live in and he wants to get us in any way he can. People may do all good things and live without God first in their lives. People may have exemplary lives, truly amazing lives of self-less serving of others, but without God first in their lives, they could be using their good works as their gods- and Satan is pleased.

What habits in our lives must be satisfied, good and bad? Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, hourly- habits. Take a walk through your life and see if any habits stand out. Can brushing your teeth ever be a bad habit- if it takes the place of God in your life it most certainly can. God first.

Upon waking, God first, then brush your teeth.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

In ALL our ways we must acknowledge GOD, God will direct our paths.

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February 26, 1901

“The Keeping of the Commandments. The First Commandment” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 9, p. 136.

“I AM the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2, 3.

We have seen that, for any one to have this world, or anything that is of this world, is to have another god before the Lord. And this other god is “the god of this world,” the “spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience,” which is Satan.

But Christ came to “bring us to God.” And this is the whole work of the preaching of the gospel; for it is written: “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:17, 18.

Now “the world” is divided into three parts—“the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” And under one or all of these three heads is idolatry manifested. We shall study them one by one as they are written.

First: “the lust of the flesh”—appetite, or intemperance. This is specifically defined as a god; for it is written: “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.” Philippians 3:18, 19.

Temperance is self-control,—not merely the control of one particular part of the man, self-control in one particular thing,—it is the control of self, the very being, the whole man. But this can never be done by the man himself; for the man himself is already subject to the control of “the god of this world,” the evil one. This control was gained by the evil one, in the garden, and through appetite, this very “lust of the flesh.” Since man is thus the subject of “the god of this world,” a slave, “sold under sin,” it is impossible for him of himself to clear himself of that power to which he surrendered himself.

But there is deliverance by the power of God, the true God, the living God, the rightful God of man. God can set free every man, from all the power of “the god of this world;” and it is only thus that any man can ever gain control of himself. It is only thus that any man can attain to true self-control, to true temperance.

The heart of man is the place of the seat of God in things pertaining to the man; for “the kingdom of God is within you.” The kingdom of the heart and life of man belongs to God: it is alone His dominion. Through the deception of man this kingdom has been usurped by “the god of this world.” This was done at the choice of man. At the choice of man, God, the true God, will return to His kingdom, and will take His place upon His throne in that kingdom, and will there rule and reign in righteousness, “even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.” Romans 3:22.

Therefore the whole question of having other gods, or the true God alone, turns simply upon the one question: Who has the heart? Therefore it is written: “Keep thy heart above all keeping; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23, margin.

Since, then, it is only by the power of God that any man can ever truly have control of himself, can be truly master of himself, it follows, inevitably, that the use of anything which has a tendency to take control of the man, to deprive the man of the control of himself; anything the use of which creates a habit which must be satisfied, and demands that it shall be served,—that is the having of another god. The man who has thus surrendered himself, and is thus controlled, is of those whom the scripture describes, “whose god is their belly.”

This principle is expressed in the scripture: “All things are lawful unto me, ... but I will not be brought under the power of any.” 1 Corinthians 6:12. Anything, therefore, which has a tendency to bring man under its power is the indulgence of idolatry: it is to have another god before the Lord.

Now not only the tendency, but the positive effect of all stimulants and narcotics, is to take control of the man who uses them. The only effect of any of these things is to create an appetite for itself,—an appetite that must be served at whatever cost,—and thus to rob the individual of all control of himself. Also it makes him not only a slave to that particular habit, but so weakens him that in other things he can not control himself. And “from tear to hasheesh we have, through hops, alcohol, tobacco, and opium, a sort of graduated scale of intoxicants, which stimulate in small doses, and narcotize in larger. The physiological action of all these agents gradually shades into each other; all producing, or being capable of producing, consecutive paralysis of the various parts of the nervous system”.—Encyclopedia Britannica, Art., “Drunkenness.”

Thus the First Commandment is the basis of all true temperance; and the keeping of that commandment and the faith of Jesus, is the only way to true temperance.

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” “Out of Egypt have I called my Son.”

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Monday, October 11, 2021

Love Not The World.

1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Chris

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February 19, 1901

“The Keeping of the Commandments” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 8, p. 120.

“I AM the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2, 3.

What is it to have other gods before the Lord? Since to truly have Him alone, is to love Him with all the heart, and all the soul, and all the mind, and all the strength, then, plainly enough, it follows that anything by which any part of the heart, any part of the soul, any part of the mind, or any portion of the strength, is turned from God, is devoted to anything other than to God, is, in itself, to have another god than the Lord. And all this is what is forbidden in the First Commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

It is important, therefore, to notice the gods which the Lord points out as the principal ones that it is natural for men to have before the Lord.

One of these, if not the chief one, is “the world.” For it is written: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15. And, “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:14.

The reason of this is that “the world” itself has a god. And “the god of this world” is “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience,” and is, in fact, Satan himself. Friendship of the world, therefore, is of the spirit of the world; it is fellowship with the spirit of Satan. And this is why it “is enmity with God.” Note, the Word does not say that the friendship of the world is at enmity with God, but that it is itself “enmity with God.” And this is because it is of the very spirit of him who is the god of this world.

This is made plain in another text: “The whole world lieth in the evil one.” 1 John 5:19, R.V. It is true, as our King James version renders it, that “the whole world lieth in wickedness,” lieth in evil; but this is so because the whole world lieth in the wicked one, in the evil one. And the thought expressed here in the word “lieth” is “to lie at ease continually.”

Plainly, then, a person who has friendship, and is in fellowship, with that which lies at perfect ease, and is content continually so to lie, in the evil one, is of the same spirit; and that can be only the spirit of the evil one, and, therefore, is of itself “enmity with God.” And one thus so in friendship with the evil one, who is the fixed and continual enemy of God, makes himself thereby “the enemy of God.”

This spirit of enmity is described in another place: “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Romans 8:7. It can not be subject to the law of God, because it is of the very mind and spirit of Satan, who is the decided enemy of God.

But thanks be to God, there is deliverance from this enmity; there is deliverance from this present evil world. For Christ Jesus “is our peace, who hath made both [God and man] one [who had been separated by this enmity], and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity.... for to make in himself of twain [God and man] one new man, so making peace.” Ephesians 2:14, 15.

Therefore, though that enmity can not be subject to the law of God, in Christ every soul can find it completely abolished. Though such a spirit is enmity with God, in Christ every soul can find that spirit completely driven out, and himself made one with God, having not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that he may know not the things of the world, but “the things that are freely given to us of God.” Therefore, for a man to love the world, or to have friendship for the world, is for him to have the world as his god. And that is, in reality, to have the god of this world as his god; it is to do service to the evil one as his god.

And so, when the god of this world, the evil one, had shown to Christ “all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,” and had offered them to Him, Christ could have them only on the condition that He would “fall down and worship” the evil one. And these are the only terms upon which anybody in the world can ever have the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them, or the things of this world and the glory of them. “For, all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Christ’s answer to that whole thought, for himself and all who are His forever, is: “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10.

And when Jesus had taken this stand against all the world, against all that is of the world, against all worldliness, and all the spirit that is of the world, and for God only, “then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.” Verse 11. And so shall it be forever with every one who, in the faith of Christ, takes his stand as did Christ.

Thus utter separation from the world and from all that is of the world—nothing less than this—is the keeping of the First Commandment. “Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.” “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

Deliverance from the world—this is the way to the keeping of the Commandments of God. And Christ “gave himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God.”

Deliverance from sin is deliverance from the world. Deliverance from the world is deliverance from sin. This is the way to the keeping of the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

“I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” And “behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Who would have other gods?

Sunday, October 10, 2021

No Other Gods Before God.

February 12, 1901

“The Keeping of the Commandments” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 78, 7, p. 104.

“I AM the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2, 3.

“Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10.

“The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” Mark 12:29, 30.

When Moses, at the command of the Lord, said to Pharaoh: “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go,” Pharaoh, in rebellion, said: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.” Exodus 5:1, 2.

If, in reverence, Pharaoh had asked, in an honesty iniquity: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?” his question would have been respected by the Lord. For when the Lord first appeared to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, and sent him into Egypt for the deliverance of the people, provision was made for the answer of just such a question. For Moses said to Him: “When I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His name? what shall I say unto them?” Exodus 3:13.

This supposed question, “What is His name?” is only, in different form, Pharaoh’s question,” Who is the Lord?” And, in expectation of the asking of that question, “God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM.” And “thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” Verse 14.

It is true that Pharaoh did not know the Lord. But that, of itself, was not against him; for that is the condition of every man, at first. Pharaoh’s mistake was in exalting himself upon his ignorance, and supposing that he knew enough without God, and in refusing to receive the knowledge of Him. For, equally with any other man in the world, Pharaoh could have received the knowledge of God. For God had sent into Egypt, for all who were there, the revelation of himself: “I AM THAT I AM.”

This expression, “I AM THAT I AM,” is the revelation of God. It reveals Him in His self-existence—“I AM;” and in His character—“I AM THAT I AM”—I AM THAT WHICH I AM—I AM WHAT I AM. “This is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” Exodus 3:15.

In believing in God it is not enough to believe in the self-existent One. He is more than that—He is more than existence: He is character. And in believing in Him it is not enough to believe that He is: we must believe WHAT He is. As it is written, “He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

His name embraces both these thoughts. And His name is not known unless these two thoughts—self-existence and character—are known. As to existence, His name is “I AM;” and as to character, “I am what I am.”

What is He, then, in this which He is? What is His name as to character? This question is answered in full by the Lord himself. He has revealed not only that He is, but He has revealed what He is; and this in order that all men may know Him; may know His name in its fullness, and as it is in truth. For again in its fullness, and as it is in truth. For again He said to Moses: “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee.... And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. Exodus 33:19; 34:5.

And in proclaiming this His name, “the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6, 7.

This is what He is. When He said, “I AM THAT I AM.... This is my name forever,” this is what He said. And when He passed by before Moses and proclaimed this, His name, He only said in more words what He said at the first, “I AM THAT I AM.... This is my name forever.”

The words, “The Lord, The Lord God,” express self-existence, as do the words “I AM.” All the rest of the words of that glorious name express His character, as do the words, “I AM THAT [THAT WHICH, or WHAT] I AM.”

And what a Person is thus revealed!

“Merciful,” full of mercy, which is the disposition to treat persons, even offenders, better than they deserve. The disposition is the very heart’s core of the person. And He is full of the disposition, it is His very nature, to treat all the people of this world, forever, better than they deserve. For this is His name; and His name is but expressive of His nature; for His character is but himself. Then it is himself to treat all people better than they deserve. And He takes pleasure in those who hope in this, His disposition to treat them better than they deserve.

It is man’s natural disposition to treat offenders just as they deserve; to get back at them; to render evil for evil; to “teach them a lesson.” And this disposition is so natural to man, it is so entirely his own, that it is difficult for him to conceive that it is really God’s disposition to treat him better than he deserves. Men think that God wishes to treat them as they deserve. They think of Him as if He were waiting for an opportunity to treat them fully, and in vengeance, as they deserve. Thus they are afraid that He will; and so are afraid of Him.

But such is not God; such is not the God revealed in the Bible. He is merciful—full of the disposition to treat offenders better than they deserve. It is His very nature to do so; and He never can do otherwise; for, in order to do otherwise, He would have to cease to be what He is, and would therefore have to cease to be God.

But that is only one item of His glorious name.

“Gracious;” extending favor to all people, everywhere, and forever. And this is what He is; and He can not be anything else; for He can not cease to be. He is “the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.”

“Long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” And this long-suffering is especially that none shall perish; because He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Accordingly, “the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, and since His long-suffering is salvation, His name, then, is Salvation. This is what He is, and He can not be anything else.

“Keeping mercy for thousands.” And this is not simply thousands of thousands, but thousands of generations; for it is written: “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.” Deuteronomy 7:9.

Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Note that it is not written, “I will forgive;” but, He is “forgiving.” It is not stated even in the form of a promise, as if it were, “I will forgive;” it is stated in the form of a present actuality: He is “forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Note also that this is not merely what He is DOING, but it is what He IS, in His very nature and character. To be everlastingly forgiving is His very essence, and He can not be anything else; for He is God.

“And before whom no man is clear of guilt.” Our common translation of this clause is very poor, in making the Lord say that He “will by no means clear the guilty,” when every thought of the Bible, from the fall of man to the end, is that He DOES clear the guilty; that He longs to save all; for all are guilty. For “what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.... But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:19, 21-23.

The true sense is given in the German translation: “Before whom no man is guiltless.” And the Vulgate (Latin translation) expresses the thought that “no person is innocent by, or of, himself” before God.

This is His name. And it is written, “My people shall know my name.” Isaiah 52:6. And this is known in Christ; for when He came into the world in man’s stead, He said, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren.” Only thus can the name of God be known. To know His name is to know Him. Therefore, only thus can He be known, as it is written: “Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.” Matthew 11:27.

The knowledge of God is obtained only by revelation; and Jesus Christ is the only revelation of God. To know the name of God; to know God as thus revealed; to worship Him according to this revelation; to have Him, and Him alone, as God, loving Him with all the heart, and all the soul, and all the mind, and all the strength,—this, and this alone, is the true keeping of the First Commandment.

But when He is thus known,—known as He is revealed,—whosoever thus knows Him never wishes any other god, and so, delightedly, keeps the First Commandment.

And so, whereas without Christ the First Commandment speaks in the stern voice of reproof and condemnation, yet in Christ it is turned into the blessed and glorious promise fulfilled, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;” “Out of Egypt have I called my son;” “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Saturday, October 9, 2021

Here Are They That Keep the Commandments of God.

(Excerpt)

This is the universal lesson: that no man can serve God, that no man can keep a single one of the Ten Commandments, except he is first delivered, by the power of God, from the darkness of Egypt, from the darkness of the shadow of death, from the realm and bondage of sin.

This is the lesson of the whole Bible. Look, for instance, at Ephesians 2:1-10: how men are dead in trespasses and sins, in the darkness of this world; walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the ruler of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12), the spirit that works in the children of disobedience. But God, who is rich in mercy, has quickened us together with Christ, and has raised us up together with Him, to live and walk with Him. And this He did, not by our works, nor because of our works, but of His own mercy and grace: “for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Thus is the lesson taught, that no man can do good works except he is created unto it by the power of God.

How strongly this lesson is emphasized in the book of Galatians, which is just now the subject of the Sabbath-school studies. What are generally regarded as the practical things of the Christian life are not mentioned until the end of the book—brotherly kindness; bearing one another’s burdens; communicating in all good things; the sowing and the reaping, whether to the flesh or to the Spirit; doing good to all men, especially to the household of faith. These things come only in the few verses of the very last chapter. After men have been delivered from this present evil world, into the glorious liberty of the children of God, and are standing fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,—the liberty by love to serve one another,—filled with the Spirit, so that all the fruits of the Spirit are shining in the life, reflecting the sunshine of righteousness,—only THEN it is that the generally considered practical things of the Christian life are enjoined.

Why is this? It is the same universal, divine lesson, that no man can do good works, no man can possibly do the “practical things of the Christian life,” who has not first the Christian life as a practical thing. And, therefore, it is made perfectly plain that deliverance from the darkness and bondage of sin; the finding of the sonship of God; the ability to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free; the receiving of the fullness of the Spirit of God in the life,—these things are the practical things of Christianity, equally with the others. Indeed, in a sense these are the more practical things; because so certainly must these precede the others that, without these, the other practical things of the Christian life can never be seen at all.

Therefore when, from Mount Sinai, God would speak, with a voice that shook the earth, the practical things of the life of man, He spoke first of all this original practical thing of the life of man—deliverance from the realm and bondage of sin:—

“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Exodus 20:2.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Yet this is not the preamble of only the first commandment, but of the whole law, as if it were as follows:—

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”