BABYLON THE CULT OF MAN

Transcription

1 BABYLON THE CULT OF MAN

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4 The people were wholly deceived. They were taught that the popes and priests were Christ s representatives, when in fact they were the representatives of Satan, and those who bowed

5 The people were wholly deceived. They were taught that the popes and priests were Christ s representatives, when in fact they were the representatives of Satan, and those who bowed to them worshiped Satan. (Early Writings, p. 214)

6 To secure worldly gains and honors, the church was led to seek the favor and support of the great men of earth; and having thus rejected Christ, she was induced to yield allegiance to the representative of Satan

7 To secure worldly gains and honors, the church was led to seek the favor and support of the great men of earth; and having thus rejected Christ, she was induced to yield allegiance to the representative of Satan the bishop of Rome. (The Great Controversy, p. 50)

8 The archdeceiver had not completed his work. He was resolved to gather the Christian world under his banner and to exercise his power through his vicegerent, the proud pontiff who claimed to be the representative of Christ. (The Great Controversy, p. 53)

9 Man is translated from the Greek word, ἀνθρώπου (anthropon) the genitive, singular, masculine form of anthrōpos.

10 REVELATION 13:18... FOR IT IS MAN S NUMBER,... (The Lexham English Bible)

11 REVELATION 13:18... FOR IT IS MAN S NUMBER,... (The NET Bible)

12 Now, it has been Satan s determined purpose to eclipse the view of Jesus and lead men to look to man, and trust to man, and be educated to expect help from man. For years the church has been looking to man and expecting much from man, but not looking to Jesus, in whom our hopes of eternal life are centered. Therefore God gave to His servants a testimony that presented the truth as it is in Jesus, which is the third angel's message, in clear, distinct lines. (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 93.1)

13 The goodness, mercy, and love of God were proclaimed by Christ to Moses. This was God s character. When men who profess to serve God ignore His parental character and depart from honor and righteousness in dealing with their fellowmen, Satan exults, for he has inspired them with his attributes. They are following in the track of Romanism. (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p )

14 The righteousness of Christ by faith has been ignored by some; for it is contrary to their spirit and their whole life experience. Rule, rule, has been their course of action. (Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p )

15 All sin is selfishness. Satan s first sin was selfishness. He sought to grasp power, to exalt self. A species of insanity led him to seek to supersede God. And the temptation which led Adam to sin, was the false statement of Satan that it was possible for him to attain to something more than he already enjoyed possible for him to be as God Himself. Thus seeds of selfishness were sown in the human heart. (Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, p )

16 There are many represented to me in the church who seem just like drowning men engaged in a desperate struggle to keep their heads above water. They have not in their religious life ever died to self. Self is their idol; they worship at its shrine. (Daughters of God, p. 137)

17 Looking unto Jesus we see that it is the glory of our God to give. I do nothing of Myself, said Christ; the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father. I seek not Mine own glory, but the glory of Him that sent Me. John 8:28; 6:57; 8:50; 7:18. In these words is set forth the great principle which is the law of life for the universe.

18 All things Christ received from God, but He took to give. So in the heavenly courts, in His ministry for all created beings: through the beloved Son, the Father s life flows out to all; through the Son it returns, in praise and joyous service, a tide of love, to the great Source of all. And thus through Christ the circuit of beneficence is complete, representing the character of the great Giver, the law of life. (The Desire of Ages, p. 21.2)

19 The Circuit of Beneficence Father the Father s life Christ

20 The Circuit of Beneficence Father the Father s life Humanity the Father s life Christ

21 The Circuit of Beneficence Father the Father s life Humanity the Father s life Christ in praise and joyous service, [and] a tide of love from all

22 The Circuit of Beneficence Father in praise and joyous service, [and] a tide of love from all the Father s life Humanity the Father s life Christ in praise and joyous service, [and] a tide of love from all

23 (Romans 8:6) For to be carnally (sarkos*) minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. σαρκὸς, genitive or possessive form of σάρξ (sarx)

24 (Romans 8:7) Because the carnal (sarkos*) mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. σαρκὸς, genitive or possessive form of σάρξ (sarx)

25 (Romans 8:8) So then they that are in the flesh (sarki*) cannot please God. σαρκὶ, noun dative form of σάρξ (sarx).

26 (Romans 8:9) But ye are not in the flesh (sarki*), but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. σαρκὶ, noun dative form of σάρξ (sarx).

27 There are many... in the church who... have not... ever died to self. Self is their idol; they worship at its shrine. (Daughters of God, p. 137)

28 Jesus worked to relieve every case of suffering that He saw. He had little money to give, but He often denied Himself of food in order to relieve those who appeared more needy than He. (The Desire of Ages, p. 88)

29 True love is a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that love which is awakened by impulse and which suddenly dies when severely tested. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 137)

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31 I was standing in the parking lot, talking with Richard when a car came down the road and stopped to let somebody out. Richard touched my arm to excuse himself and went immediately to warmly embrace the new arrival. I heard them speaking in Romanian and concluded they were coworkers from the Underground Church in Bucharest. I inquired later to discover the friend he greeted so warmly had been one of his jailers and torturers in Romania who had come to the Lord through Richard s witness in prison. (Merv Knight, Introduction, Tortured for Christ: 50th Anniversary Edition, ebook)

32 Gherla Romania

33 In the prison of Gherla, a Christian named Grecu was sentenced to be beaten to death. The process lasted a few weeks, during which he was beaten very slowly. He would be hit once at the bottom of the feet with a rubber club, and then left. After some minutes he would again be hit, after another few minutes again. He was beaten on the testicles. Then a doctor gave him an injection. He recovered and was given very good food to restore his strength, and then he was beaten again, until he eventually died under this slow, repeated beating. One who led this torture was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, whose name was Reck.

34 During the beatings, Reck said something to Grecu that the Communists often said to Christians, You know, I am God. I have power of life and death over you. The one who is in heaven cannot decide to keep you in life. Everything depends upon me. If I wish, you live. If I wish, you are killed. I am God! So he mocked the Christian.

35 Brother Grecu, in this horrible situation, gave Reck a very interesting answer, which I heard afterward from Reck himself. He said, You don t know what a deep thing you have said. Every caterpillar is in reality a butterfly, if it develops rightly. You have not been created to be a torturer, a man who kills. You have been created to become like God, with the life of the Godhead in your heart. Many who have been persecutors like you, have come to realize like the apostle Paul that it is shameful for a man to commit atrocities, that they can do much better things. So they have become partakers of the divine nature. Jesus said to the Jews of His time, Ye are gods. Believe me, Mr. Reck, your real calling is to be Godlike to have the character of God, not a torturer.

36 At that moment Reck did not pay much attention to the words of his victim, as Saul of Tarsus did not pay attention to the beautiful witness of Stephen being killed in his presence. But those words worked in his heart. And Reck later understood that this was his real calling. (Richard Wurmbrand, Tortured for Christ: 50th Anniversary Edition, ebook)

37 The End