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Here is the link to this week's Sabbath School Lesson Study and Discussion Material: Click Here
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Re: Lesson #6 (1st Quarter 2012): God the Lawgiver
[Re: Mountain Man]
#139609
02/09/12 04:48 PM
02/09/12 04:48 PM
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When it is in the heart to obey God, and every effort is made to obey, God sees that as acceptable service while Jesus makes up for our unavoidable deficiencies. True righteousness and holiness are imputed, not duplicated.
What you fail to understand is that perfect harmony with God's law is a state of being, not merely a set of actions performed or avoided.
By God's grace,
Arnold
There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. RH 12/20/1892
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Re: Lesson #6 (1st Quarter 2012): God the Lawgiver
[Re: asygo]
#139611
02/09/12 05:31 PM
02/09/12 05:31 PM
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When it is in the heart to obey God, and every effort is made to obey, God sees that as acceptable service while Jesus makes up for our unavoidable deficiencies. True righteousness and holiness are imputed, not duplicated. What you fail to understand is that perfect harmony with God's law is a state of being, not merely a set of actions performed or avoided. My point precisely. That is, you believe it is impossible to obey the Law of God. But this idea is in direct contradiction to the following: Is he now free to transgress God's law? Says Paul: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" And John declares: "This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous." Romans 3:31; 6:2; 1 John 5:3. In the new birth the heart is brought into harmony with God, as it is brought into accord with His law. When this mighty change has taken place in the sinner, he has passed from death unto life, from sin unto holiness, from transgression and rebellion to obedience and loyalty. The old life of alienation from God has ended; the new life of reconciliation, of faith and love, has begun. Then "the righteousness of the law" will "be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:4. And the language of the soul will be: "O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day." Psalm 119:97. {GC 468.1}
Satan represents God's law of love as a law of selfishness. He declares that it is impossible for us to obey its precepts. The fall of our first parents, with all the woe that has resulted, he charges upon the Creator, leading men to look upon God as the author of sin, and suffering, and death. Jesus was to unveil this deception. As one of us He was to give an example of obedience. For this He took upon Himself our nature, and passed through our experiences. "In all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren." Hebrews 2:17. If we had to bear anything which Jesus did not endure, then upon this point Satan would represent the power of God as insufficient for us. Therefore Jesus was "in all points tempted like as we are." Hebrews 4:15. He endured every trial to which we are subject. And He exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. As man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God. He says, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart." Psalm 40:8. As He went about doing good, and healing all who were afflicted by Satan, He made plain to men the character of God's law and the nature of His service. His life testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God. {DA 24.2} The idea that born-again believers are incapable of obeying the Law of God echoes the accusations of Satan.
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Re: Lesson #6 (1st Quarter 2012): God the Lawgiver
[Re: Mountain Man]
#139656
02/11/12 02:11 AM
02/11/12 02:11 AM
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Yes. But being more acutely aware of my defective traits of character isn't the same thing as acting them out in sinful ways. Do you agree? If not, why not? Of course it's not the same thing. You keep saying that as if anyone here believes otherwise. You are the only one here who ever brings it up. Here are some quotes to show that even true believers are defective: The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature. This is evidence that Satan's delusions have lost their power; that the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you. {SC 64.2}
No deep-seated love for Jesus can dwell in the heart that does not realize its own sinfulness. The soul that is transformed by the grace of Christ will admire His divine character; but if we do not see our own moral deformity, it is unmistakable evidence that we have not had a view of the beauty and excellence of Christ. {SC 65.1}
Do not be discouraged because you see that your character is defective. The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in distinct contrast with his perfect character. Be not discouraged; this is an evidence that Satan's delusions are losing their power, that the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you, and that your indifference and ignorance are passing away. {BEcho, December 1, 1892 par. 5}You have seen all of these before, since I have quoted them to you before. But my question to you now is this: Is it a sin to have an imperfect character?PS - I don't understand how your question relates to my previous post. Please explain. Thank you. I want to better understand what your idea of "righteousness and holiness" is. Your answer to my question above should help. You claim that all born-again believers are righteous and holy when it comes to keeping God's law. That doesn't sit well with what I have read in inspiration. The true follower of Christ will make no boastful claims to holiness. It is by the law of God that the sinner is convicted. He sees his own sinfulness in contrast with the perfect righteousness which it enjoins, and this leads him to humility and repentance. He becomes reconciled to God through the blood of Christ, and as he continues to walk with him he will be gaining a clearer sense of the holiness of God's character and the far-reaching nature of his requirements. He will see more clearly his own defects, and will feel the need of continual repentance, and faith in the blood of Christ. He who bears with him a continual sense of the presence of Christ, cannot indulge self-confidence or self-righteousness. None of the prophets or apostles made proud boasts of holiness. The nearer they came to perfection of character, the less worthy and righteous they viewed themselves. But those who have the least sense of the perfection of Jesus, those whose eyes are least directed to him, are the ones who make the strongest claim to perfection. {RH, October 5, 1886 par. 24}Note the similarity between the last part of that quote and my earlier quotes. Then note that this is talking about one who has been "reconciled to God through the blood of Christ."
By God's grace,
Arnold
There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. RH 12/20/1892
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Re: Lesson #6 (1st Quarter 2012): God the Lawgiver
[Re: asygo]
#139657
02/11/12 02:16 AM
02/11/12 02:16 AM
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The true follower of Christ ... I want to make sure everyone caught who she was describing in that last quote.
Last edited by asygo; 02/11/12 03:32 AM.
By God's grace,
Arnold
There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. RH 12/20/1892
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