SPARKS OF OUR OWN KINDLING OR TRUTH? PART 1

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Willis Phillips
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1 SPARKS OF OUR OWN KINDLING OR TRUTH? PART 1 1

2 The great God has a law by which to govern his kingdom, and those who trample upon that law will one day find that they are amenable to its statutes. The remedy for transgression is not to be found in declaring that the law is abolished. To abolish the law would be to dishonor it, and to cast contempt upon the Lawgiver. Youth s Instructor, February 7,

3 The only escape for the transgressor of law is found in the Lord Jesus Christ; for through the grace and atonement of the only begotten Son of God, the sinner may be saved and the law vindicated. The men who parade before the world as wonderful specimens of greatness, and at the same time trample down the revealed will of God, robe man with honor, and talk of the perfection of nature. Youth s Instructor, February 7,

4 They paint a very fine picture, but it is an illusion, a flattering deception; for they walk in the sparks of their own kindling. Youth s Instructor, February 7,

5 Many who profess to have great light are walking in sparks of their own kindling. Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p

6 What do you think about teachings of? Some of my friends are reading his book, watching his videos on youtube and I saw they are slowly picking some of his teachings. Letter from Serbia 6

7 1st. They are saying that sin is separation from God, for them our real problem are not sinful deeds or thoughts but that we are separated from God which results in lying, coveting, stealing etc. Letter from Serbia 7

8 They are also saying only sin in New Testament is unbelief because of John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me, I agree its sin if we do not believe, accept Jesus as our Lord and personal Saviour, but for me definition of sin is very simple and found in 1 John 3:4. What do you think? Letter from Serbia 8

9 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3:4 9

10 Now, we want to understand what sin is that it is the transgression of God s law. This is the only definition given in the Scriptures. Faith and Works, p

11 Our only definition of sin is that given in the word of God; it is the transgression of the law; it is the outworking of a principle at war with the great law of love which is the foundation of the divine government. The Great Controversy, p

12 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2 12

13 ... whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:23 13

14 2nd. They claim Jesus was 100% separated from God on the cross and when he cried My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?, it is literal, Father really has forsaken Jesus and Jesus was denied every hope and He did not know that He will resurrect, He thought that separation was to be final and that is on the cross, in that last 3 hours that He did not have Holy Spirit, but only had His Divine Spirit and He did not turn to Himself but stayed on His mission to save fallen men. Letter from Serbia 14

15 They also say that(on the cross) was real temptation for Jesus, that He could not fail on other temptations in life, they say yes, He was tempted like we are but for Him its different, He did not feel that weight of temptation and could not fail on those temptation before the cross, only that last 3 hours on the cross was real temptation for Him. Letter from Serbia 15

16 For me its hard to believe those things, I have looked briefly what Ellen White wrote about Jesus in His last hours and crucifixion, she said it seems like Father left His Son, and that Father was with His Son, and that Father hid His face from the Son. What do you think? Letter from Serbia 16

17 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. Mark 15:33 17

18 In that thick darkness God s presence was hidden. He makes darkness His pavilion, and conceals His glory from human eyes. The Desire of Ages, p

19 Behold the Son of God suffering on the cross for three terrible hours of agony, enduring the penalty of transgression, in order that repentant, believing ones might have eternal life. And in the darkest hour, when the Saviour was enduring the greatest suffering that Satan could bring to torture his humanity, the Father hid from his Son his face of pity, comfort, and love. Youth s Instructor, June 14,

20 Twice, at the baptism and at the transfiguration, the voice of God had been heard proclaiming Christ as his Son. The third time, just before the betrayal, the Father had spoken, witnessing to his Son. But now the voice from heaven was silent. No testimony in the Saviour s favor was heard. Alone he suffered abuse and mockery. Youth s Instructor, June 14,

21 That this redemption might be ours, God withheld not even the sacrifice of Himself. He gave Himself in His Son. The Father suffered with Christ in all His humiliation and agony. Australasian Union Conference Record, June 1, 1900, Art. A 21

22 He suffered as He saw the Son of His love despised and rejected by those whom He came to elevate, ennoble, and save. He saw Him hanging upon the cross, mocked and jeered by the passers-by, and He hid as it were His face from Him. He saw Christ bearing the sin of the world, and dying in the sinner s stead. Australasian Union Conference Record, June 1, 1900, Art. A 22

23 The human heart knows the love of a parent for his child. We know what a mother s love will do and suffer for her beloved one. But never can the heart of man fathom the depths of God s self-sacrifice. Australasian Union Conference Record, June 1, 1900, Art. A 23

24 Christ was the Son of God, equal with the Father; and yet he was abused, ridiculed, scourged, and crucified. There are many who have thought that the Father had no part in the sufferings of the Son; but this is a mistake. The Father suffered with the Son. When the Son of God hung upon Calvary, the darkness gathered like the pall of death about the cross. Signs of the Times, November 25,

25 All nature sympathized with its dying Author. There were thunderings and lightnings, and a mighty earthquake, but the hearts of men were so hardened that they could quarrel at the foot of the cross upon which hung the world s Redeemer, about the dividing of his vesture. Their hearts seemed to be wholly under the control of the powers of darkness. Angels looked upon the scene with sorrow and amazement. Signs of the Times, November 25,

26 As man s substitute and surety, the iniquity of men was laid upon Christ; he was counted a transgressor that he might redeem them from the curse of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon his heart; and the wrath of God, and the terrible manifestation of his displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of his Son with consternation. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour, in this hour of supreme anguish, pierced his heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. Signs of the Times, November 25,

27 Sin, so hateful to his sight, was heaped upon him till he groaned beneath its weight. The despairing agony of the Son of God was so much greater than his physical pain, that the latter was hardly felt by him. The hosts of Heaven veiled their faces from the fearful sight. They heard his despairing cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? they saw the divine Sufferer die beneath the sins of the world. Signs of the Times, November 25,

28 3rd. They claim there was no new birth in the Old Testament, they also say new birth is not the same as conversion. Their proof is that since Christ still didn t put away His life, and Comforter was not yet sent, people who died in the Old Testament believing in Messiah and justified by faith will receive Life of Christ after the resurrection and there is when they will receive new birth. Letter from Serbia 28

29 Honestly, I am not sure about that, what do you think? Somewhere is Ellen White s writings I remember I read that she said new birth is conversion. My friends say after new birth men get new nature, we become partakers of Divine nature, and our old fallen nature is gone, no more there, but we can still commit sin because we don t have enough faith and we have memory of our old life, so according to them our old nature somehow comes back. Its kind of confusing for me, what do you think? Letter from Serbia 29

30 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? John 3:

31 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, And write it in their hearts; And will be their God, And they shall be my people. Jeremiah 31:34 31

32 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19 32

33 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Ezekiel 36:26, 27 33

34 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 34

35 No one can enter the city of God who has not a knowledge of genuine conversion. In true conversion the soul is born again. A new spirit takes possession of the temple of the soul. A new life begins. Christ is revealed in the character. The spirit of a new life works within. Faith passes into knowledge, and the word of God is understood. The branch becomes a living part of the Vine. The Review and Herald, July 30, 1901, Art. A, par

36 As surely as the Lord lives and reigns, the words spoken to Nicodemus are spoken to the men who have been handling sacred responsibilities. God says to them, Ye must be born again. A conversion, represented by a new birth, must take place. Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 10, p. 8 36

37 Barriers were broken down, and seekers after truth from the lands of the heathen were not turned away unsatisfied. Conversions took place, and the church of God on earth was enlarged and prospered. Prophets and Kings, p

38 He... suffered being tempted, suffered in proportion to the perfection of His holiness. But the prince of darkness found nothing in Him; not a single thought or feeling responded to temptation. Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p

39 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4 39

40 The Saviour took upon Himself the infirmities of humanity and lived a sinless life, that men might have no fear that because of the weakness of human nature they could not overcome. Christ came to make us partakers of the divine nature, and His life declares that humanity, combined with divinity, does not commit sin. Medical Ministry, p. 1 40

41 In Christ divinity and humanity were united, and the only way in which man may be an overcomer is through becoming a partaker of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Divinity and humanity are blended in him who has the spirit of Christ. Youth s Instructor, June 30,

42 ...took upon His sinless nature our sinful nature, that He might know how to succor those that are tempted. Medical Ministry, p

43 Great is he that is in you. than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4 43

44 4th. Before we talked how Paul is saying in Romans 2:14,15 about Gentiles who can be saved even if they never heard about Gospel of Christ. Now my friends are starting to doubt if anyone can be saved who did not accept Christ even if they never heard about Him, because they say people must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. What do you think what is Paul talking there in Romans 2? Letter from Serbia 44

45 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another. Romans 2:14, 15 45

46 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, And write it in their hearts; And will be their God, And they shall be my people. Jeremiah 31:33 46

47 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun. Psalm 19:1 4 47

48 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20 48

49 Wherever there is an impulse of love and sympathy, wherever the heart reaches out to bless and uplift others, there is revealed the working of God s Holy Spirit. In the depths of heathenism, men who have had no knowledge of the written law of God, who have never even heard the name of Christ, have been kind to His servants, protecting them at the risk of their own lives. Christ s Objection Lessons, p

50 Their acts show the working of a divine power. The Holy Spirit has implanted the grace of Christ in the heart of the savage, quickening his sympathies contrary to his nature, contrary to his education. The Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world ( John 1:9), is shining in his soul; and this light, if heeded, will guide his feet to the kingdom of God. Christ s Objection Lessons, p

51 Among the heathen are those who worship God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by human instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God. The Desire of Ages, p

52 And that servant, which knew his lord s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12:47, 48 52

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Lesson 9: Understanding the Cross (Part 2)

Lesson 9: Understanding the Cross (Part 2) Intro Matthew 26:36-46 In the previous lesson, we learned what Christ accomplished through His death on the Cross. In this lesson we want to take a closer look