MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
November 2, 2022
EARLIEST PRECURSORS OF COUNTERFEIT FAITH, SACRIFICE, RELIGION, WORSHIP, AND MEANS OF REDEMPTION (Part 6)
“And almost all things are by law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Heb. 9: 22, KJV. (See verses 1-28; cf. Gen. 4: 3, 4; Rom. 3: 23-26; 5: 6-11, etc.).
None of the false assumptions and hope-crushing pretensions and presumptions of the counterintuitive doctrine of “predestination” was (or ever will be) at work at the epilogue of the grand drama of the ages and the history book of the generations of man after the fall in Eden.
Only that the “mystery of iniquity already was at work”—-it’s devastating immediate effects on progeny, biological and spiritual, and the cumulative, downward consequences and visceral manifestations of the “curse of sin,” quickly revealed the all-encompassing, all-pervading forces and true nature of great controversy between Christ and Satan, good versus evil, righteousness versus its opposite and counterfeit, the spiritual mind versus the carnal mind—-so immediately we learn that:
Cain and Abel, the [first] two sons of Adam, [already] DIFFERED WIDELY IN CHARACTER. Abel had a spirit of LOYALTY to God; he saw JUSTICE AND MERCY in the Creator’s dealings with the fallen race [beginning with the banishment of his parents from their Eden home and the curse pronounced upon the serpent, Eve, and the earth itself, and GRATEFULLY accepted the HOPE of redemption.
But Cain cherished FEELINGS of REBELLION, and MURMURED against God because of the CURSE pronounced upon the earth and upon the human race FOR Adam [and Eve’s] sin. Cain permitted his MIND to run on the SAME CHANNEL that led to Satan’s fall [in heaven]—-INDULGING THE DESIRE FOR SELF-EXALTATION, and questioning the DIVINE JUSTICE and authority.
“These brothers were TESTED, as Adam [their father had been tested before them to PROVE whether they would BELIEVE AND OBEY THE [spoken] word of God. They were [equally] acquainted with the PROVISIONS made for the SALVATION of man, and understand the SYSTEM OF OFFERINGS [and sacrifices] which God ordained. They knew that in these [definitively defined and specified] offerings [and sacrifices] they were to EXPRESS FAITH in the Savior whom the offerings TYPIFIED [symbolized; a figure and representation of], and at the same time acknowledge their TOTAL DEPENDENCE on Him for PARDON [forgiveness; justification]; and they knew that by thus CONFORMING TO THE DIVINE PLAN for their redemption, they were giving PROOF of their obedience to the WILL of God.” (E. G. White, Patriarchs & Prophets, Pacific Press, 1890, 1913, p. 73.
[All emphasis and words in brackets, mine].
Remember this: Faith is proved by Obedience: the highest, most sublime form of worship is loving, voluntary, willing, and spontaneous obedience. Therefore, trust and obey, pray without ceasing
and obey unceasingly without murmuring, for even zealous, sincere and “importunate” prayer never every replaces, is a substitute for, or negates known duty as defined in God’s “law and testimony.”
One without the other is incomplete, self-serving, self-justifying, vain, dead, a counterfeit of the Cain-worship brand! Likewise, it is totally unacceptable to the merciful yet just and righteous God!
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.