Month: March 2023

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 12

SATAN’S ENMITY AGAINST GOD’S LAW OF LOVE

“Before the entrance of evil, there was peace and joy throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with the Creator’s WILL. Love for God was SUPREME, love for one another IMPARTIAL. Christ the Word [John 1:1-3], the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father—one in nature, character, and in purpose,—the ONLY BEING in the whole universe that could enter into all the purposes and counsels of God. By Christ, the Father wrought in the CREATION of all heavenly beings [the angels]. [Col. 1:16 quoted]; and to Christ, EQUALLY to the Father, all HEAVEN gave allegiance.

(NOTE: Biblical unity of spiritual oneness, as modeled in and by the three Persons of the Godhead, is one in nature, character, and purpose. It’s man-made opposite and counterfeit is enforced uniformity with emphasis on external appearance and form, and excludes the freedom and liberty of the individuality of man to make choices based on conviction of conscience where, what, when, and who to obey, venerate, and worship).

 “The Law of love being the FOUNDATION of the government of God, the happiness of all beings DEPENDED upon their perfect accord [and obedience] with its great principles of RIGHTEOUSNESS. God desires from all His creatures the SERVICE OF LOVE, homage that springs from an INTELLIGENT appreciation of His CHARACTER. He takes no pleasure in a FORCED ALLEGIANCE, and to all He grants FREEDOM OF WILL, that they may render Him VOLUNTARY service [beginning with the angels as “ministering spirits”]. 

 “But there was one that CHOSE TO PERVERT THiS FREEDOM. Sin originated with him who, NEXT to Christ, has been most honored of God, and stood HIGHEST in power and glory among the inhabitants of HEAVEN. Before his fall, LUCIFER was FIRST of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled. “Thou wast perfect in thy ways, till INIQUITY was found in Thee.’ [Eze. 28: 12-15, 17 quoted]. 

“Satan might have retained in favor with God, beloved and honored by all the ANGELIC HOST, exercising his noble powers to bless others and glorify His Maker. But, says the prophet, ‘Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness’ [Eze. 28: 12-15, 17]. 

 “Little by little [step after step], Lucifer came to INDULGE a desire for SELF EXALTATION. ‘Thou hast set thine heart AS the heart of God.’ Thou hast said…..I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation [of angels]….I will ascend ABOVE the heights of the clouds [of all the angels]; I will be LIKE THE MOST HIGH’[Eze. 28:6; Isa. 14: 13, 14]. 

 “Instead of seeking to make God supreme in the AFFECTIONS AND ALLEGIANCE of His creatures, it was Lucifer’s endeavor to win their [the angelic host] service and honor to himself. And COVETING the honor which the infinite Father had bestowed upon His Son, this PRINCE OF ANGELS aspired to power which it was the PREROGATIVE of Christ alone to wield.” E. G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 ed., pp. 493-4. 

This was the genesis and source of the “mystery of iniquity” with its “enmity” with Christ, God’s law, and His faithful people throughout all the ages since, till the end of fallen earth’s time! It started in heaven, the home of the angels, but ends on earth the planet home the Creator originally made for man. As fallen, sinful, corrupted man is restored on earth to the original sinless “image and likeness” character to his Creator by the plan of redemption of the gospel, so will be “the new earth,” which is the antitypical “Canaan,”the eternal “Promised Land” of the eternally-redeemed “where sin” and iniquity with its enmity “shall rise no more.”

To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
March 15, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 11

MYSTERY OF SATAN’S ENMITY IN HEAVEN IS IN THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY

“And there was WAR in heaven: Michael and His angels FOUGHT against the dragon: and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out [of heaven] into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Rev. 12: 7-9., 3, 4; cf. Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4, KJV.

Michael is Christ’s title and office as Commander-in-Chief of heaven’s army of angels; hence, “Michael the ArchAngel.

God’s messenger wrote:
“To countless minds, the origin of sin and the reason for its existence are a source of great perplexity. They see the work of evil, with its terrible results of woe and desolation [the curse of sin], and they question how all these can exist under the sovereignty of One who is Infinite in WISDOM, in POWER, and in LOVE.

“Here is a mystery of which, they find no explanation. And in their uncertainty and doubt they are BLINDED TO TRUTHS plainly revealed in God’s word, and ESSENTIAL to salvation [Biblical salvation means deliverance from bondage to Satan and slavery to sin]. 

“There are those who in their  inquiries concerning the EXISTENCE of sin, endeavor to search into that which GOD has never revealed [see Deut. 29:29]; hence they find NO SOLUTION of their difficulties; and such as are actuated by a disposition to DOUBT and CAVIL, seize upon this as an EXCUSE for rejecting the words of the Holy Writ. Others, however, fail of a satisfactory understanding of the great problem of evil from the fact that TRADITION AND MISINTERPRETATION have obscured the teachings of the Bible concerning [1] the character of God [2] the nature of His government, and [3] the principles of His dealing with sin.

“It is IMPOSSIBLE to explain the origin of sin so as to give it a REASON of existence. Yet ENOUGH may be understood concerning both the ORIGIN and the FINAL DISPOSITION of sin [its alpha and omega, beginning and end], to make fully manifest the JUSTICE AND BENEVOLENCE of God in all His DEALINGS with evil. 

“Nothing is more plainly taught in Scriptures that God was in NO WISE RESPONSIBLE for sin; that there was NO ARBITRARY withdrawal of divine grace, NO DEFICIENCY in the divine government, that gave occasion to the uprising of REBELLION [resulting from the pride, envy, jealousy, and enmity of Lucifer towards Christ]. 

“Sin is an INTRUDER, for whose presence no reason can be given. It is MYSTERIOUS, UNEXPLAINABLE; TO EXCUSE IT IS TO DEFEND IT. Could excuse for it be found, or CAUSE be shown for its existence, it would CEASE to be sin. 

“Our ONLY definition of sin is that given in the word of God [not by any religion, church, or denomination]; it is ‘the transgression of the law’[1 John 3:4]; it is the outworking of a PRINCIPLE AT WAR WITH THE GREAT LAW OF LOVE which is the foundation of the divine government.” -E. G. White, The Great Controversy, 1911 ed., pp. 492-3, Pacific Press Publishing Asso. (all emphasis and words in brackets mine).

To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
March 8, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 10

THE UNCEASING ENMITY OF THE WORLD WITH CHRIST, HIS DISCIPLES AND THE GOSPEL

See John 15: 17-25 (KJV or RV) first. Now these (all emphasis and words in brackets mine):

“Ye adulteress 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.” James 3:4. 

“Love not the WORLD, neither the THINGS that are in the world [worldly things]. If any man LOVE the world the love of the FATHER is not in him. 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 of the world. And the WORLD PASSETH AWAY AND THE LUST THEREOF, but he that doeth the WILL of God abideth forever [with Him].” 1 John 2: 15-17, KJV. 

Here is a definitive definition of the gospel as delineated in the comprehensive sanctuary doctrine:
“The gospel is a SYSTEM of practical truths destined to work great changes in human CHARACTER. If it does not work the TRANSFORMATION in life, in habits, and practice, it is NO TRUTH to those who are believers. [Not all believers are truth believers]. Man must be SANCTIFIED through the truth. And said Jesus, ‘Thy WORD is truth’ (John 17: 17). Unless the truth of God shall lift up man out of his DEPRAVITY, his INTEMPERATE AND PROFLIGATE HABITS, and make him reflect the image of God, he is LOST.” (E. G. White, Letter 14, Mar. 13, 1885).

See Matt. 10: 14-41. Thus:
“The Savior bade His disciples not to hope that the WORLD’S ENMITY TO THE GOSPEL would be overcome, and that after a time its OPPOSITION would cease. He said, ‘I CAME NOT TO SEND PEACE BUT A SWORD.’ This creation of strife is NOT THE EFFECT OF THE GOSPEL BUT THE RESULT OF THE OPPOSITION [to it].

“Of all the PERSECUTIONS hardest to bear is variance in the HOME, the ESTRANGEMENT of dearest earthly friends. But Jesus declares, ‘he that loveth FATHER or MOTHER MORE than Me, is NOT WORTHY of Me; and he that loveth SON or DAUGHTER MORE than Me, is not worthy of Me. And he that

taketh not HIS CROSS [of self-denial and self-sacrifice and loving Jesus MORE than his earthly family, dearest friends, and fellow church brethren] and followeth after Me [His life example and teachings], is not worthy of Me.’” (E. G. White, Desire of Ages, p. 357.

To be continued, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
March 1, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 9

THE CARNAL MIND AT ENMITY WITH GOD’S LAW

“For to be carnally-minded is death, but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can be.” Rom. 8: 6, 7, KJV.

Clearly understanding this divine dichotomy and making spiritually-enlightened, consistent and unwavering intelligent choices and decisions will determine both our present condition and eternal destiny—either a vibrant life and inward peace on one hand or guilt, misery, self-inflicted suffering, spiritual and physical decay and even premature death. It is only in this definitive sense that we are “masters of our own destiny.” Note the following [all emphasis and bracketed words mine]:

 “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal. 3:24). In this Scripture the Holy Spirit through the apostle [Paul] is speaking especially of the MORAL law [Decalogue]. The law REVEALS SIN to us, and causes us to feel our NEED of Christ, and to FLEE to Him for pardon and peace BY EXERCISING REPENTANCE TOWARDS GOD AND FAITH TOWARD OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

“An unwillingness to yield up PRECONCEIVED opinions, and to ACCEPT this truth, lay at the foundation of a large share at the OPPOSITION manifested at.....[in 1888] AGAINST the Lord’s message through brethren….. By exciting that OPPOSITION, Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the SPECIAL POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT that God longed to impart to them. The ENEMY prevented them from OBTAINING that efficiency which might have been theirs in carrying the TRUTH TO THE WORLD, as the apostles proclaimed it AFTER the Day of Pentecost! The light that is to ‘lighten the whole earth with its glory’ [the fourth angel of Revelation 18] was RESISTED, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree, KEPT AWAY from the world. 

“The law of Ten Commandments is not to be looked upon as much from the PROHIBITORY side, as from the MERCY side [this is only by the spiritually-minded]. ITS PROHIBITIONS ARE THE SURE GUARANTEE OF HAPPINESS IN OBEDIENCE [exact opposite of a ‘heavy yoke and burdensome’ as taught by antinomians of mainstream Christianity]. 

“As received in Christ, it works in us the PURITY OF CHARACTER that will bring JOY to us through ETERNAL

AGES. By the obedient it is a WALL OF PROTECTION. We behold in it the GOODNESS of God [the true meaning of ‘God is good all the time.’], by revealing IN men the IMMUTABLE PRINCIPLES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, seeks to SHIELD them from the EVILS that result from transgression [sin; iniquity].”- E. G. White, Manuscript Releases, Vol. 1. MR No. 33, pp 133-4, RH Publishing.

To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.