July 27, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
DO CHRISTIANS TODAY UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND LIBERTY?
Maybe not. Because the brothers James and John, two of the first Twelve disciples did not, even after they had the special privilege together with Peter to witness the transfiguration! See Lue 9: 28- 36, 51-56 first.
“James and John, were GREATLY ANNOYED at the insult shown to their Lord. They were filled with INDIGNATION because He had been insulted by the Samaritans whom He was honoring by His presence. They [James & John] had been with Him in the mount of transfiguration, and had seen Him GLORIFIED by God, and honored by Moses and Elijah. This manifest DISHONOR by the Samaritans, should not, THEY THOUGHT, be passed over without marked PUNISHMENT.”
“Coming to Christ, they reported to Him the words of the people, telling Him that they had even refused to give Him a night’s lodging. They thought a GRIEVOUS wrong had been done Him, and seeing Mount Carmel at the distance, where Elijah had SLAIN the false prophets [of apostate Israel under Ahab Jezebel], they said, ‘Wilt Thou that we command FIRE to come down from heaven, and CONSUME them, as Elias [Greek for Elijah] did?’”
“They were surprised to see that Jesus was PAINED by their words, and still more surprised as His REBUKE fell upon their ears, ‘Ye know not what spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy man’s lives, but to save them.’”
“It is NO part of Christ’s mission to COMPEL men to receive Him. It is SATAN, and men actuated with Satan’s spirit, that seeks to compel the conscience. Under a PRETENSE of zeal for righteousness, men who are CONFEDERATE with evil angels bring suffering upon their fellowmen, in order to CONVERT them to their ideas of religion; but Christ is ever showing mercy, ever seeking to WIN by the revealing of His love.”
“He can admit NO RIVAL in the soul, nor accept of PARTIAL service, but He desires ONLY VOLUNTARY service, the WILLING SURRENDER of the heart under the CONSTRAINT OF LOVE.”
“There can no more conclusive evidence that we possess the SPIRiT OF SATAN than the DISPOSITION TO HURT AND DESTROY those who not appreciate our works, or who act contrary to our ideas.”
“Every human being, in body, soul, and spirit, is the PROPERTY of God. Christ died to redeem all. Nothing can be MORE OFFENSIVE TO GOD than for men, through RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY, to bring suffering upon those who are the purchase of the Savior’s blood.” E.G. White, Desire of Ages,pp. 487, 488.
The final form of religious bigotry is revealed in the prophecies of Revelation 13 when the “beast with lamb-like horns will speak like a dragon.” How rapidly that time is coming upon America! NMF