THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE AND THE FAITH Of JESUS (Part 4)

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
August 31

THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE AND THE FAITH Of JESUS (Part 4)

Focus on the “Faith of Jesus.”

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14: 12, KJV.

Here we will focus on “the faith of Jesus” more definitively, expansively, and wholistically, as in the whole gospel, not merely parts or broken shards of it; or worse, “another gospel” and “another Jesus” which Paul warned against (2 Cor. 11: 3, 4). Thank and praise God for making special provisions for the commandment-keeping remnant saints of the last days (Rev. 14:12) with the “Testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19: 10; cf. 12: 17).

By magnifying (not replacing or rendering secondary) the testing truths of the Bible for these last days (called ‘present truth’), it fortifies the mind and strengthens the faith of those who will stand faithful and true in the rapidly-approaching “hour of temptation, which will come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). In the context of the proclamation of the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14, the “faith of Jesus” is defined as follows (emphasis mine):

“You inquire what the faith of Jesus is. I have seen that the brethren and sisters have NOT understood the faith of Jesus in its TRUE light. They have taught that it is healing of the sick, etc. It is not healing the sick, MERELY, but it is ALL THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS in the New Testament. ‘The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.’ I saw that it was the WHOLE NEW TESTAMENT, which relates to Jesus.” (E. G. White, Letter 4, 1857 (To Bro. Pierce, Dec. 3, 1857), Manuscript Releases, Vol. 5, p. 290, par. 1.

The Faith of Jesus. It is talked of, but not understood. What constitutes the Faith of Jesus, THAT BELONGS TO THE THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE? Jesus becoming our SIN-BEARER that He might become our sin-pardoning Savior. He was treated as WE deserve to be treated. He came to our world and TOOK OUR SINS that we might TAKE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Faith in the ability of Christ to save us AMPLY and FULLY and ENTIRELY [from the power of sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil] is the FAITH OF JESUS.” (Ibid, Vol. 3, 1888 message, p. 117).

See Gen. 4: 1-16. The offering [and worship] of Cain was an offense to God, because it was a Christ-less offering. The burden of our message is NOT ONLY the commandments of God, but the Faith of Jesus. A bright light shines upon our pathway today, and it leads to INCREASED FAITH in Jesus. We must receive EVERY RAY of light, and WALK in it, that it may be NOT our condemnation in the [pre-advent, Investigative) Judgment.

Our duties and our obligations become MORE important as we obtain more DISTINCT views of truth. Light makes MANIFEST and REPROVES the errors that were CONCEALED in darkness; and as light comes, the LIFE and CHARACTER of men MUST CHANGE correspondingly, to be in HARMONY with it. Sins that were ONCE sins of ignorance, because of the BLINDNESS of the mind, can NO MORE BE INDULGE IN without incurring guilt.

As increased light is GIVEN, men must be REFORMED, ELEVATED, and REFINED by it, or they will be MORE PERVERSE and STUBBORN than before the light came.” (Ibid, Gospel Workers, p. 162).

To be continued in next week’s MWM, God willing. NMF