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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ-xbrMecBc

Introduction

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from Heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps.  And they sung as it were a new song before the Throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.’

And there followed another angel, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.’

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation 14:1–12)

The First Angel

“Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

The Biblical Understanding

“For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day, the father to the children shall make known thy truth.” (Isa 38:19)

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen 2:17)

“And you hath He quickened [i.e., made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Eph 2:1)

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” (Col 2:13)

“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Pet 2:24)

Conclusion

The First Angel calls for Victory over Sin.

Those who are in the state of sin, and under the legacy of Adam, are considered spiritually “dead.”  The prophet tells us “death cannot celebrate Thee,” and only “the living” can render acceptable praise to the Almighty.  Therefore, we must be “quickened,” or made alive, by the Son.  We must be “born again” in order to satisfy the requirements of the First Angel’s Message.

The Bible tells us that “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His Seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1 John 3:9)

The Savior says to those whom He heals by His stripes, “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. (1 Cor 15:34)

Living by these words, one who is redeemed awakens from the death of unrighteousness, ceases from sin, and offers true worship to the Creator.  In doing so, the soul is prepared for the judgment of the world.

The Historic Adventist Position Restored

“Not one should be buried with Christ by baptism unless they are critically examined whether they have ceased to sin, whether they have fixed moral principles, whether they know what sin is, whether they have moral defilement which God abhors. Find out by close questioning if these persons are really ceasing to sin, if with David they can say, I hate sin with a perfect hatred.” [Manuscript Releases 6, p. 165]

“To the heart that has become purified, all is changed. Transformation of character is the testimony to the world of an indwelling Christ. The Spirit of God produces a new life in the soul, bringing the thoughts and desires into obedience to the will of Christ; and the inward man is renewed in the image of God. Weak and erring men and women show to the world that the redeeming power of grace can cause the faulty character to develop into symmetry and abundant fruitfulness.” [Prophets and Kings, p. 233]

“When the doctrine we accept kills sin in the heart, purifies the soul from defilement, bears fruit unto holiness, we may know that it is the truth of God. When benevolence, kindness, tenderheartedness, sympathy, are manifest in our lives; when the joy of right doing is in our hearts; when we exalt Christ, and not self, we may know that our faith is of the right order.” [Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, p146]

“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.  No one need say that his case is hopeless, that he cannot live the life of a Christian. Ample provision is made by the death of Christ for every soul.” [Counsels for the Church, p. 334]

“Today you are to have your vessel purified that it may be ready for the heavenly dew, ready for the showers of the latter rain; for the latter rain will come, and the blessing of God will fill every soul that is purified from every defilement.” [God’s Amazing Grace, p. 205]

A Final Word

This is a message of hope, not condemnation.  God’s love for us has provided a Way by which we may escape the legacy of Adam.  In Christ, all are freed from sin and death, but we must accept Him fully, so that none of the old “self” remains to drag us down to destruction.  Even though this is “good news,” those who do not wish to accept the Gospel in its entirety will seek to avoid its blessing.

“Infidels and lovers of sin excuse their crimes by citing the wickedness of men to whom God gave authority in olden times. They argue that since these holy men yielded to temptation and committed sins, it should excite no wonder that they too are guilty of wrong-doing. More than this, they even intimate that they are not so bad, after all, since such illustrious examples of iniquity are placed before them.” [E.G.W, Review and Herald, Jan 22, 1880]

The Second Angel

“Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

The Biblical Understanding

“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.  And they said, ‘Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’

“And the Lord said, ‘Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language, and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound [i.e., confuse] their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.’

“So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. (Gen 11:1, 4, 6 – 9)

“And the beginning of [Nimrod’s] kingdom [Babylon] was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” (Gen 10:10)

“And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.” (2 Kings 24:11)

“Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.” (Zech 2:7)

“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” (James 3:16)

“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Cor 14:33)

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” (Eph 4:14)

Conclusion

The Second Angel calls for Purity of Doctrine.

“Babylon” in the Bible represents a state of confusion, error, and misunderstanding.  Its legacy has come down to us through the ages, resulting in deception and confusion of doctrine. In declaring that Babylon has “fallen,” the Angel repeats the judgment of the prophet from ancient times: “The word that the Lord spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet: Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not.  Say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.” (Jer 50:1, 2)

This is freedom for God’s people from envying and strife, and “every evil work” that leads to separations and divisions [i.e., “variance” and “seditions”] in the Church. (Gal 5:19, 20)

The People of God must have one faith among them, and be fully united… but only under pure, uncorrupted doctrine.  This involves a right understanding of such issues as the 10 Commandments (including the Sabbath), the Biblical teaching about the Godhead, the blessing for our benefit placed on various holy days mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, the literal, 6-day creation of the physical universe, and an undiluted view of the power of the Gospel to save mankind out of its sins.

The Historic Adventist Position Restored

“While it is true that the Lord guides individuals, it is also true that He is leading out a people, not a few separate individuals here and there, one believing this thing, another that. Angels of God are doing the work committed to their trust.” [God’s Amazing Grace, p. 110]

“Many saw the perfect chain of truth in the angels’ messages, and gladly received them in their order, and followed Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who understand and receive them will be kept from being swept away by the many delusions of Satan.” [Early Writings, p. 256]

With regard to one of the more common Babylonian errors of doctrine, the Trinity, SDAs may consider:

“Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will.” [Patriarchs and Prophets, page 36, paragraph 2]

“Christ the Word, the Only Begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,–one in nature, in character, and in purpose,–the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.” [The Great Controversy, page 493, paragraph 1]

“Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself, divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit, as the Omnipresent.” [Manuscript Releases Volume Fourteen, page 23, paragraph 3]

“The Trinitarian understanding of God, now part of our fundamental beliefs, was not generally held by the early Adventists. Even today, a few do not subscribe to it.” [Adventist Review, Jan 6, 1994]

Actually, it was not held by ANY published Adventist Pioneer:

“They who have read our remarks on the death of the Son of God know that we firmly believe in the divinity of Christ; but we cannot accept the idea of a trinity, as it is held by Trinitarians, without giving up our claim on the dignity of the sacrifice made for our redemption. [J. H. Waggoner, 1884, The Atonement In The Light Of Nature And Revelation, pp 164, 165]

“If you can convince me that we are one in this sense, that you are my father, and I your son; and also that I am your father and you are my son, then I can believe in the trinity.” [Joseph Bates, 1868, The Autobiography of Elder Joseph Bates, p 204]

“The mass of Protestants believe with Catholics in the Trinity […] Surely there is between the mother and daughters, a striking family resemblance.” [M. E. Cornell, 1858, Facts For The Times, p 76]

“But respecting this Spirit, the Bible uses expressions which cannot be harmonized with the idea that it is a person like the Father and the Son. Rather it is shown to be a divine influence from them both, the medium which represents their presence and by which they have knowledge and power through all the universe, when not personally present.” [Uriah Smith, Review and Herald, Oct 28, 1890]

“To assert that the sayings of the Son and his apostles are the commandments of the Father, is as wide from the truth as the old trinitarian absurdity that Jesus Christ is the very and eternal God.” [James White, Review and Herald, Aug 5, 1852]

““Here we might mention the Trinity, which does away the personality of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ...” [James White, Review and Herald, Dec 11 1855]

Consider: “You are not definitely clear on the personality of God, which is everything to us as a people. You have virtually destroyed the Lord God Himself.” [E.G.W. to J. H. Kellogg, Letter 300, 1903, with regard to his pantheistic (some say pseudo-trinitarian) views expressed in his book The Living Temple]

This is but a sample of Adventist writings on the subject.

A Final Word

The Trinity is but one example of unscriptural errors that have infiltrated Biblical Adventism.  While it may not be as critical as a faulty view of the Gospel, the overall weight of these Babylonian errors have a gradual, negative effect on the understanding, and the soul is inevitably defiled.

“Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” (Rev 22:14, 15)

The Adventist position on every potential doctrinal error may be explored in detail based on the overall principles presented here.  There is, of course, such a thing as increasing light, however new light can never contradict established Biblical truths.

“As [Jesus] would present old truths in a new light before them, the people would listen as to something they had never before heard of.” [Sermons and Talks, Vol. 2, p. 317]

The Third Angel

“If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

The Biblical Understanding

“These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.” (Dan 7:17)

“Thus he said, ‘The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.’” (Dan 7:23)

“I was at ease, but He hath broken me asunder; He hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for His mark.” (Job 16:12)

“Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.” (Jer 3:3)

“And the Lord said unto him, ‘Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.’” (Ezek 9:4)

“And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, ‘Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.’” (Rev 7:2, 3)

“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new name.” (Rev 3:12)

Conclusion

The Third Angel calls for Unified Resistance to the kingdoms of the world.

The Bible says, “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4) The world and its kingdoms have a “spirit” that is impressed on the “foreheads” of those who worship them.  Those who are “friends” with the world take on its character, its sympathies, and its policies.

Those who resist this corrupting influence, even if it should appear within the Church, are described as they who “sigh and that cry for all the abominations” that are done therein.  These are they who receive the seal of God, the mark of righteousness.  They are a united people, for they all have the same Spirit, presented by the “seal of God” and the “name of God” written in their foreheads.  They are together, united in faith, or else their protest (for they are Protestants) will not be effective.

Those who follow Christ in opposing the Beast and His Image will have received the blessings for which the Son has asked the Father: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21)  It is only in unity that the saints can overcome: “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph 2:21, 22)

Receiving the Holy Spirit, and overcoming the Beast, requires us to be one people, united in doctrine and purpose, and in our understanding of the Beast, its image, and its mark so that we may know to avoid it.

The Historic Adventist Position Restored

“God is leading out a people, not a few separate individuals here and there, one believing this thing, another that. Angels of God are doing the work committed to their trust. The third angel is leading out and purifying a people, and they should move with him unitedly.” [Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, p. 207]  But where are these people being unitedly led by the Third Angel?  Is it modern Adventism?

“When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state, and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of “heresy.” In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends. [Last Day Events, p. 228]

“The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes, for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided.” [Selected Messages 2, p. 81]

“The ‘image to the beast’ represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas.” [The Faith I Live By, p. 286]

“Whenever the church forms any connection with any State or kingdom on the earth, in the very doing of it she rejects God.” [A.T. Jones, Christian Patriotism, p. 33]

“In the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sundaykeeping in the United States would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image.” [The Great Controversy, 1911 edition, pp. 445, 448, 449] NOTE: Later editions changed this!  The original, inspired writing indicated that the Sunday Law would be one way the Mark of The Beast could be enforced; not the only way.  Confirmation:

“An ecclesiastical organization composed of a greater or less number of the different sects of our land, with some degree of coalition also between these bodies and Roman Catholicism, together with the promulgation and enforcement of a general Sunday-sabbath law, would fulfil what the prophecy sets forth in reference to the image and the mark of the beast; and these movements, or their exact equivalent, the prophecy calls for.” [Uriah Smith, Daniel and the Revelation, p. 609]

A Final Word

Adventists have long taught that the Mark of The Beast would be formed by the United States in conjunction with fallen Protestantism.  At that point the united, sanctified people of God would resist this mark, and be persecuted.  At the height of their persecution, the Savior will return to redeem His people.

This is all correct, and Biblical; however, the Adventist understanding has been that the form of the Mark would be a Sunday Law. While the principles have been fulfilled precisely as described, the manifestation has been altered due to a change in the spiritual state of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.  In order to be effective, the Three Angels must be accepted in order; thus, if the first and second angels are NOT being taught within mainstream Adventism, the Third Angel’s message will likewise become obscured.

Seventh-day Adventism, in securing a trademark of its God-given name, has united with the civil authorities to become a persecuting power that has gained for itself a dark history of oppressing and imprisoning those that have taken a stand against its decrees for the sake of conviction and conscience.

This brief overview is not intended to cover every detail of this well-documented change in the spirit of modern Adventism from Christ-like to Dragon-like, but it is encouragement to begin to examine the principles of the Image, and the Mark, and to understand that identifying these things, and making a united stand against them in the name of Christ, is the “great test” of our faith in this generation.

Consider what makes a Church lose its position as the Bride of Christ:  “Virtually Caiaphas was no high priest. He wore the priestly robes, but he had no vital connection with God. He was uncircumcised in heart. With the other priests he instructed the people to choose Barabbas instead of Christ. They cried out for the crucifixion of Christ and, as representatives of the Jewish nation, placed themselves under the Roman jurisdiction, which they despised, by saying, “We have no king but Caesar.” When they said this, they unchurched themselves.” [Manuscript Releases, Vol. 12, p. 388]

Consider, then, where the Three Angels’ Message is truly being taught, and where it has been replaced with error and the spirit and policies of the world rather than love and the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ.

“Then Peter said unto them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.’ And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this untoward generation.’” (Acts 2:38-40)

Last week, our Pastor shared a video with the Church showing a presentation by an individual about the regeneration, and I really felt the need to directly address what I consider to be one of the more damaging mistakes present in the theology being promoted. 

The basic premise of the video that was shared with us is that conversion is not just a human decision.  Many Churches teach that once you become convinced of a need for the Savior, you simply recite a prayer – sincerely, of course – and then you are saved.  Whether or not this has an impact on your behavior, if you were sincere, then you go to Heaven after death, or at the return of Christ.

We have looked at this doctrine before, and of course the Scriptures directly contradict the idea here.  We read, for example, “If we say that we have fellowship with [the Father] and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” (1 John 1:6)  Also, “He that saith, ‘I know Him,’ and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2: 4) Some will reply that an “occasional sin” is not the same as walking in darkness, but John makes no distinction between an occasional sin and a recurring one.  He writes, “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” (1 John 5:18)  That word “keepeth” means “to carefully guard;” as a result of this careful guard, the wicked one does not so much as “touch” us to lead us into sin.

Of course, no matter how much we “guard” ourselves, we have no power OF ourselves to resist temptation; it is Christ in us that overcomes, so there is no chance of failing to guard ourselves properly, or that the keeping of ourselves is somehow insufficient to prevent each and every sin.  The Apostle says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Th 5:22)  Some, as I recall some within Adventism, have used that verse to mean, “Don’t do anything that even looks like evil.”  Yet, some of what is righteous appears evil to the perverse sensibilities of the world, so that cannot be the proper use of those words.

What Paul means by “all appearance” is “every appearing” or every kind, and every form, of sin.  This is not just “good advice,” it is a divinely-inspired instruction, and the next verse tells you the purpose, so that “the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Th 5:23)  Now, when you realize that the “I pray God” is added by the translators, you will see that Paul is not hoping that this will be the result of abstaining from evil; it is the certain result: a blamelessness of the spirit, the soul, and the body as well.

Now, these are things with which we should be well familiar by now.  We utterly reject the Gnostic doctrine that the “soul” can be saved but the body (that is a component of that soul) may persist in sinful activities.  In the video that we saw, the speaker appears to reject this falsehood as well, to agree with what I have explained here, and that is good, inasmuch as it is commentary on the Bible’s clear teaching.

I thought that most of the parables were accurate, explaining (for example) that when someone is “born again” they are a “new creature” in the very same way that a pig – if it could be miraculously changed into a human – is not the same kind of creature as the man that it becomes.  The habits are different.  The desires and appetites are entirely dissimilar, and the man, now capable of higher reasoning, would be disgusted and ashamed by the actions he used to perform.  If one were then to tell the man, “Go back to living in filth and eating garbage,” the man would entirely reject the instruction with his whole being – mind, spirit, and body as well.  This is like the relationship of the convert to his or her previous life of sin.

But where the study fell apart, as they will always do if the presenters do not understand present truth as it was conveyed to the world through Adventism, is in the understanding of exactly what conversion accomplishes.  Without an understanding of the Sabbath, the Sanctuary doctrine, and Yahshua’s ministry of intercession in this spiritual Day of Atonement, and made more difficult if one accepts a Trinitarian notion of the Godhead, one cannot eternally “rest” in the change of heart from stone to flesh, and the Gospel’s power is lost.

One of the passages presented near the end of the study was this one, quite a powerful set of verses: “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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 a 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.  And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Eze 36:24-28)

Now, for all these promises, the people of Yah, more so than the nominal Christians and the world-lings, should say, “Amen.”

Look at these wonderful things that Yah has said He will give to those who are His:  He will give us cleanliness.  He will give us freedom from idolatry.  He will give us a new heart and Spirit.  He will, by that Spirit, cause us to walk in His statutes and judgments… to DO them.  Notice that it is not merely a change in the “inner man,” but the Spirit’s effect on the convert is that they will do the things of Yah, the commandments, statutes, and judgments.  The convert will be “caused” to obey, not by force, not by fear of punishment, but because of love and with full agreement.  Even human-to-human love is “compulsive” in that it causes behavior to be different; most see this as a good and positive thing, and quite contrary to the compulsion that results from threats and penalties.

But this list of promises, and the wording, leads us to that vital difference between those who are “almost there” and those who are “one” with the Father and Son.  It leads us to that question I asked at the beginning.  Our Father says, “Ye shall be clean.”  I ask, to those who read that promise, “When?”

The presenter in the video that was shared with us took great apparent pleasure in these promises.  We will walk in sanctification, we will do the best we are able, we will not “walk in darkness,” and as we continue to walk in Christ, he indicates, these things become true.  As the Savior refines us through spiritual lessons, we become more and more clean, until eventually, some day, we are truly cleansed.

But consider the effect that this kind of thinking has on those who accept it.  As subtle as it is, this teaching makes allowance for sin.  As close to the truth as it is, it introduces error and distance into the relationship between Christ and His people, even using the very words of the Bible, because it does not fully understand the context of Ezekiel’s words, and it puts the “unity” that the convert is to experience somewhere into the future, and to a degree reliant upon the “performance” of the Christian.

No doubt, they would not see things this way. They will say, “It is not about works, or performance, because it is merely accepting more and more of God’s grace, and growing in that way.”  But this does make the receiving of the grace a kind of work.  Specifically, it treats grace as if it were a pitcher of water, which can be poured more and more into a cup, until one day that cup is full.  The Scriptures tell us that this is not the case; we read, “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Eph 4:7)

I am not sure if most people who read that verse really understand its power.  They might interpret it to mean, “Unto every one of us is given grace according to the amount that Christ gives us as a gift.”  In other words, Yahshua decides how much each person is to receive, and gives them the proper amount.  Some Bibles even translate it this way; for example, the NIV says, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

This is totally incorrect.  It says that to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of “the gift of Christ;” that is, the grace that we receive is equal to the gift of Christ that we obtain when we accept Him as Savior.  “Christ’s gift” is not how much grace He decides we are to get; “Christ’s gift” is literally “the gift OF Christ.”  It is Himself, His infinite, endless life.  His gift to us is the un-borrowed, un-created, eternal vitality that will sustain us for endless ages through our connection with Him, and it is to that limitless degree that we have received grace.  We can never receive “more” grace than we receive the moment we become the King’s priest and child.  We will never be more “holy” than the first moment we take a breath as a born-again Christian, just as a mature olive tree is not “more” of an olive tree than a sapling.

It is necessary for us to understand this, completely, for Satan seeks to undermine and deceive even the very elect.

Really, we might give tonight’s study the alternate title of “The Gift of Christ,” because, just like the Faith of Yahshua, we must understand it in a new light. The gift of Yahshua, like the faith of Yahshua, is not just a gift from Him, or faith in Him, but it is the gift of Himself, and the faith that He Himself has and shares with us.

Knowing this, we can allow Yahshua Himself to answer the question of “when” we receive these great blessings.  Looking right at the verses from Ezekiel, though, we can begin by identifying the ones to whom the Almighty is speaking.  From what I quoted, we read, “I will take you from among the heathen,” “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you,” “ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”  “And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Notice that those things are ALL future-tense.  It is not that they become His people, and He becomes their God, and then, sometimes afterwards, they receive the new heart and become clean, obedient, and pure.  The simple fact of the matter is this: The ones to whom Ezekiel’s prophecy was given were not yet Yah’s people.  Consider… if John, for example, tells the Church to “keep yourselves from idols,” where would we need to be in relation to those idols?

Clearly, we would need to be separate from them already, otherwise the instruction would be, “Separate yourselves from idols.”  John’s instruction assumes his audience is already separate from those idols.

Look at the passage from Ezekiel again… it does not assume any such thing.  Yah is not speaking to a people for whom He is already their acknowledged God.  He is not speaking to a people who are already keeping His commandments, who are separate from the heathen, or who have been sprinkled with water.  Israelites or not, these individuals are not yet doing any of these things, or the passage would make no sense.  Again, these things are all future with regard to the audience of that particular passage.

Applied spiritually, to those who have not yet come into the “land” that Yah has prepared for them, it is evident that these promises are future… to those who have not yet received Yahshua as their Savior, and Yahweh as their Heavenly Father. Clearly stated, the passage from Ezekiel applies not to the Christian, but to those out there in the world that are being called.  Now, once they accept the unity offered by the Father and Son, then those promises are no longer future, not even by an instant, but they are the present reality of the born-again Christian.

As I said, we may let the words of Yahshua answer the question of “When?”

We read, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3)

“He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; and ye are clean, but not all [indicating Judas].” (John 13:10)

For those who had become Yahshua’s disciples, those promises were fulfilled.  For those who have become Yahshua’s disciples today, those promises ARE fulfilled… fully filled.  We read them today to know what we have received, and so that our joy may be full.  The true Christian does not say, “I will put away my idols,” he says, “By Yah’s limitless grace, I have put away my idols.”  Then, and only then, does John’s instruction make sense: Keep yourself from those idols that you have already put away.

The New Testament speaks of the Old Testament promises as having been given to Yah’s people, for it is in Christ, who is the mediator of this New Covenant, that these promises have been made manifest.  It is in His life that we are no longer numbered “among the heathen.”  It is in His life that we are brought “unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ,” (1Pet 1:2) which is the water of salvation.  It is in His life that we are clean, and are the people of Yah.  Those who are “not all” clean, those who are still waiting for cleanliness, who believe that they shall have victory “someday” are still betrayers of the Son of Man.  This would be a “hard saying” for them to receive; yet Judas, who was “not all” clean, did not see himself as a villain in the Gospel records. Let all see themselves as they truly are.

Such as these may claim to love Yahshua; indeed, they may betray Him with a kiss… but unless they have accepted His life, the full measure of His grace, they are far from the Commonwealth of Israel, no matter how well-spoken they may be, or how many things other than the heart of the Gospel they get “right.” We have seen examples of such speakers before.

Yahshua says to the sinner, “Be ye clean.  Go and sin no more.”  Many read this and say, “Christ is trying to tell me to cease from sin.”  But they are identifying with the pre-Christian, not the redeemed; one cannot accept this instruction as “present truth” and yet claim to be His disciple already.  No, present truth is what the Savior said to those who had already given up the lives to become His followers, and to such as these He never said, “Tomorrow, I will keep you from sin.  In a week, I will purify you from idols.  After some time, you will become obedient to the commandments I have spoken to you.”

To the saints it is said, not, “I will restore you from sin,” but rather, “I will keep you from falling,” and if we are kept from falling, again, the statement indicates that we are not fallen, and that we are not falling.

The power of Yah’s promises is that they are NOT future, they are NOT “someday.” Not for those who are truly His.  They are ours, now, from the moment of conversion, and we keep perfection with us, even as we walk in the light of Yah’s sanctifying grace.

Now there is more to say on this issue, and what “sanctification” means in this context; but I will continue it next week.  For now, I ask that you meditate on what I have shared with you tonight, for though it is fairly simple, it is a vital and effective tool in knowing the true messengers of the Most High from even those pleasing ones who have, unfortunately, not yet understood the power of the Knowledge of Yah.

What is true Satanism?  Well, like most things that are true, the world has a version that is sufficient to “answer the question,” but not sufficient to truly grasp the heart of the matter.  After all, they do the same thing with Christianity – the religion of truth.  If you were to ask the world, “What is true Christianity?” they might give an answer that it is, “Believing in Jesus as your personal Savior.”  That is certainly true, but it merely scratches the surface.  True Christianity is a death and rebirth, a death to the image of man in the flesh, and a birth to the spiritual man, made in the image of Yahweh.  The Son is the means by which this transformation is accomplished, but it is so much more than merely accepting an opinion or doctrine.

Similarly, if one were to ask the world, “What is true Satanism?” they might say, “It is the worship of the devil,” or some such variation of those words, indicating a respect and desire to copy the fallen angels (by whatsoever names they call themselves).  But again, this falls very far short of the truth, to the degree that the meaning, and the means of identifying it, is fatally absent.

Christianity is not merely the religion about Yahshua the Christ.  It is the religion OF Yahshua.  It is the sharing of the beliefs that He believed, and holding the knowledge that He knew.  It is being of “one mind” with Christ, that we may all be where He is in the judgment and beyond.

Similarly, Satanism is not merely the religion about Satan.  It is the religion OF Satan.  It is the sharing of the beliefs that He believed, and accepting the thoughts and feelings that motivate him.  It is being of “one mind” with the enemy of souls, with the result being that those who accept him also share his fate in the judgment.

You should see, therefore, that the two are very much alike, but opposite of one another.  But what is it that Satan believes?  What is it that he thinks, and that he accepts as true?  Now there are some of us, even here, that need to hear this, because again, if you only accept the world’s definition of this evil religion, you will be lethally unprepared to recognize it.  If you think this is an exaggeration, let me share with you the words that Seventh-day Adventists consider to be words inspired by Heaven:

“Satan will set up his hellish banner right in your homes, and you will be so blinded to the real nature of his deceptions that you reverence it as the banner of Christ.” [Ellen G. White, The 1888 Materials, p. 505] This is a statement that has far-reaching implications, ranging from Church policies and leadership (we might here consider those “Christians” who are in favor of imprisoning those who believe differently from themselves) to individual practices and decisions.

It is, indeed, quite an impressive statement, and one that I am sure Adventists have not always known what to do with.  There is a tendency among Adventists, as I am sure among those of every incomplete religion, to merely ignore and avoid that which they cannot understand or accept, even if they label it as being “true.”

For example, Ellen White made many, many statements about the true nature of “conversion.”  It is a “perfect hatred” of sin, to the degree that the one who has been born again “is really ceasing to sin.”  One must not even be baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist, according to writings that most accept as “true,” until he or she has been “critically examined” to see that known sin is no longer a part of their lives.  But I did not know this as a mainstream Seventh-day Adventist.  I did not know this as a lapsed Seventh-day Adventist or one that returned to the Church in humility after having fallen away.  It was not until I became a Creation Seventh Day Adventist… that I learned what Adventism truly is.

It was not until I found this little “offshoot” that I learned what had been accepted – but never taught! – by the worldwide Adventist Church. And why?  Why is it not taught every week in the sermons?  Why is it not held up as the standard of Christ in every crusade, every evangelism outreach?

It is because the leaders and teachers cannot honestly apply the statement to themselves… therefore how can they ever speak of it to others?  The worldly mind will ignore and avoid that which it cannot accept on a heart-level, and we who are gathered here today know this to be true from our own pasts, and from those whom we encounter on a regular basis that oppose the truth.

It is much the same with Mrs. White’s statement about this sinful banner.  Satan may set up his own banner in our houses, and we would think it is the very religion of Christ.  And we should know, from our study of the Mansions, that our “homes,” as the Scriptures describe them, also include our hearts, our minds and internal “selves.”

One may think he is a Christian, and yet be a Satanist. He may not be bowing to physical images, reading a Satanic bible, or drawing pentagrams, but if he thinks like Satan, and has a character like the fallen one, then he is a Satanist, despite what he outwardly claims.

What is the true Satanism? What did Lucifer believe?  The Scriptures tell us – true Satanism is not a hidden religion, but has been revealed to the Children of Light, that they may take note and be aware.  “For thou [Lucifer] hast said in thine heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.’” (Isa 14:13, 14)

We have seen this passage before, and we have identified “pride” as the great sin of Lucifer, which led to His fall.  But there is a specific kind of pride being manifested in these two verses from Isaiah.  It is not mere pride, saying, “I am great, I am glorious, I am wonderful.”  That is pride in one’s abilities and characteristics, and Satan certainly had that… but if you look at his words, he said, “I will, I will, I will…” five times.  Satan expresses ambition here, a desire to accomplish something based purely on his own desires, based upon his own perceived strengths.

What will happen to the universe if he should do this?  What will become of those who remain faithful to the Throne after he grasps it for himself?  There are no thoughts of others in Satan’s mind, for his beliefs are centered entirely upon the “self.”

Remember true Christianity’s definition…  it is a death to “self.”  True Christianity loses the “self” in the love and light of Christ.  True Satanism is the religion of exalting self, and putting it above the desires and needs of others.  True selfishness, then, as we have identified before, is very simply understood as “self-ism.”  It is, as it is more commonly termed, “selfishness.” That is the true motivation of Satan, and those who think like him are destined to become like him in character and destiny.

It is possible to claim to be a Christian, and yet be a Satanist.  It is possible to accept – on the surface, on paper, in one’s mind – the doctrines of Christianity, and yet maintain a seed of selfishness.  And why is this possible?  Should not the Spirit of Yah cleanse away this core of self?  Yah allows it to exist, and it does exist, because of what I have said… the carnal mind tends to ignore or avoid what it cannot accept.  And our Father will not use force to compel the thoughts of human beings – this is worse, and even more manipulative, than merely controlling their actions.

And this, that the carnal mind avoids what it does not wish to accept, this is true, not only outwardly, but in terms of the thoughts and convictions that the Spirit seeks to inspire in those who claim to be Christ’s.  But let this not be true for anyone here!  Let none of us be, in the words of the Apostle Peter, “willingly ignorant.” (2Pet 3:5)

We say often, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith,” (Cor 13:5) and (last week) that we ought to be the people of prayer and meditation – those who speak to Yah, and allow Him to speak to us.  But how shall we examine ourselves, and what is it that Yah would say to us?  We must study our motives carefully, this is called being “self aware,” to see if there is anything in our words, and actions, and decisions, that places “self” before the needs of others, or the good of their souls.

Since the purpose of the Church of Yahshua is to serve mankind for its everlasting good, a portion of this may be measured by our commitment to the work of the Bride.  Remember the concept that we discussed a few weeks ago, regarding how to avoid taking the Mark of the Beast (i.e., how to avoid thinking like the beast and Satan).  Notice how this is all very connected.  We must follow the three angels’ message as described in Revelation 14… and it begins with accepting the doctrines and beliefs of Christ, including what He says about mercy and judgment.  It proceeds into learning the difference between Jerusalem and Babylon, learning to separate truth from deception.  And finally, it culminates in the covenant of “marriage,” unity with the Bride, and membership among the orderly and organized community of saints.  All that Yah does is perfect and in order, and His very character is a rebuke to those who deny or undervalue the importance of official membership in the Church of Christ.

How we relate ourselves to the Church is one way that we can examine ourselves for a seed of selfishness, for the presence of Satan’s subtle but “hellish banner.”  Where do our needs compare to the work of evangelism, of serving others?  One may say, “But I give my tithes and offerings,” and if so, that is good… but Yah demands all and everything of us.  Ten percent of our income may be claimed as a duty, based on the Scriptural principles, but if a bride told her husband, “You can have ten percent of my time, my affection, my love, and my attention,” what would that husband conclude?

We can be certain that the husband would not feel that the bride loved him very much.  And in the gap that is left, between what such a person is doing, and what such a person ought to be doing, that is where Satan can establish his throne, and set up his banner.

Examine yourselves, the Scriptures say, to see whether you are in the faith.  Examine yourselves, the Spirit of Yah tells us, to see that “self” is truly dead, and that our priorities place our fellow men before ourselves.  I have used the Church as a striking example of this, for that is the means through which Yah best and eternally serves our fellow men.  And it is true in the small things as well as the large.  If we think of “self” as the most important thing, then we speak the words of Satan: “I will, I will, I will.”

I will do what I desire.  I will have what I want.  I will find the means to get my way.  I will decide where to draw the line in my obedience to the Spirit and to my conscience.  I will resist the things that the teachers of truth are trying to show me.

I read somewhere once that, statistically, people with emotional and mental problems use the word “I” far more than those who are of a sound mind when they talk.  If we truly believe that all are created in the image of Yah, and that all are equally deserving of Yahshua’s love, then it is inconsistent with the truth to consider one’s self above others.  Of course, since we ARE ourselves, it is natural (in the flesh in particular) to think of the needs of ourselves first, and therefore the Bible gives us this balancing principle: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” (Phil 2:3)

Do we do this?  The answer ought to be a clear and consistent, “Yes!”  But if it is not, or even if there is hesitation, then let us fall on our knees in prayer, and ask, “Where have I been ignoring the voice of the Spirit?  Where is this gap between duty and reality, in which Satan has been given a place to establish his hellish banner?”  If we are to perfect the character of Christ, then let us not hesitate to make this kind of self-examination, this self-awareness, a living part of our lives.  It is done through, as we discussed last week, prayer and meditation.

Let us seek Yahweh in prayer.  Let us give Him time, and space, and opportunity, to share His thoughts with us.  Truly, those who say, in the judgment, “Mountains, fall on me, and hide me from the face of Yah,” these are the ones who have practiced, within their lives, to hide from Him in their thoughts.

But let us be Christians indeed, not only in word, or even in outward beliefs.  Let us have the banner of Christ alone in our homes.  Let us not say, “I will” in regard to our own desires when placing them above others, but let us say, “I will,” when Yah asks, “Who will stand for me in this last, most wicked generation?”  Let us not be Satanists to any least degree, for the time has come where Yah can no longer turn a blind eye to those who, even in ignorance, give worship to the great Rebel of His courts.  Let there be no seed of “self” within us, so that we may say, as Christ did, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” (John 14:30)

The promises of Yahweh are our strength; therefore, let us claim the promises, of freedom, of strength, of success, of protection from all discouragement.  And as we do this, then let us, for all purposes, and forever, be Creation Seventh Day Adventists in this matter – in this truth, in practice, in beliefs, and in name.

The topic of this study is “Justifying Cain,” and it is an idea, a principle, or a practice, for which Yah’s people need to be watchful.  While the idea here is an eternal one, and certainly one that we have touched on to one extent or another before, as the road of sanctification narrows – and steepens – we have been told to expect the temptations to become more cunning, and more dangerous, even for the elect.

It is our faith, which we declare openly and often, that we who are born again, and born of the Spirit, do not commit sin.  We do not transgress the known requirements of our Father’s will, nor do we knowingly leave our obligations unmet or duties undone.  Nevertheless, the apostles, and later Adventist writers, saw fit to leave warnings for the Churches against transgressions and sin.

This is not a contradiction.  It is a matter of education.  History and our own experiences show that even those who are sincere can do terrible things, and further the plans of the Enemy, because their consciences are untrained, and their principles are not in harmony with the character of Christ.  Even those who have committed to persecuting us in this generation, bringing the Beast of Revelation to bear in seeking to destroy the conviction of the saints, believe that they are a people chosen by Yahweh.  Consider how that came to be.

Those who are seeking to use human laws to accomplish their ecclesiastical purposes inherited a pure (if not perfectly complete) tradition from our pioneers in the faith.  Yet gently, gradually, with no bold signposts, they slipped further and further away from their commitment to righteousness.  Eventually – unawares – they became agents of the very one from whom they believe they are seeking to rescue others.  This is a fearful condition, and its true nature will be the greatest of shocks to those who have been taught that if they stay in the Church, and pay their tithe, and live according to all the light that has been delivered to them by their pastors and preachers, they will be accepted into the Inheritance of the Saints.

The majority are expecting, it seems, to passively be led into Heaven.  Oh, perhaps one day they may have to run into some mountains to escape the Sunday Law… and no doubt the decision would try their convictions should it ever arise, but what about the daily work of preparing the soul for a sinless environment?  What about drawing nearer to Christ daily in character, and putting away all that would be a barrier to His perfection of spirit?  What about being watchful lest, by either actions or agreement, they become the source of the very troubles that they are expecting for some other group?  In some of the better congregations these things may still be said, although that last one in particular would surprise me, but it will have no effect in the long run, if they are also taught what the majority of the nominal churches are learning – to justify Cain.

We all know the story well, that “in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto Yahweh.  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Yahweh had respect unto Abel and to his offering, but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” (Gen 4:3-5)

We also know the reason why this distinction was made, for immediately after sin Yahweh did two things for mankind.  First, He gave them a promise, delivered in the form of a curse to Satan who had used the snake as his agent of temptation, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Gen 3:15)  Humanity would suffer temporarily because of the serpent’s bite, but through humanity would come the permanent destruction of the fallen angel.  Second, Yahweh sealed His covenant with mankind through the slaying of an animal.  We do not know exactly which, but we do know that its skin was used to make a covering for the first couple, who were now aware that they were naked before the universe. (Gen 3:21)  I believe it was a sheep for reasons that I will mention momentarily.

The death of whichever animal provided the “skins” for Adam and Eve was the first physical death.  The Bible actually says very little about this enormous occasion, the first example of death for both humanity and the on looking intelligences, but its significance can be seen in the rite of animal sacrifices that became integral to the worshippers of Yahweh all the way up until that final Old Covenant Passover on which Yahshua the Messiah was sacrificed for the sins of the world.

The very beginning of the very next chapter contains the passage I quoted above.  Cain, who was a tiller of the soil, brought the best of his harvest as a sacrifice to Yahweh, and Abel brought the best of his flock and offered that.  Now, the reason that I believe the first sacrifice was a sheep was because Abel,  whatever other livestock he raised, is specifically called a keeper of sheep in Genesis 4:2, and the tradition seems to have begun of offering sheep at some point before this.

Neither the fruits nor the sheep were specified in any written instructions that we have received in Genesis; nevertheless, Yahweh clearly expected the brothers to know what He required. He said to Cain, who was upset at the rejection of his sacrifice, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” (Gen 4:7)

This is the first mention in the Bible of the word “sin.”  Many things had been declared “good” and some “very good” before, but here we have a mention of something that is decidedly NOT good.  Further, there is the strong indication that these brothers ought to have already been familiar with the requirements, because Yahweh began the conversation by asking, “Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen?” (Gen 4:6)  This is a close parallel to the chapter before, in which He began a conversation with Adam asking, “Where art thou?” and then, “Who told thee that thou wast naked?” and then, “Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” (Gen 3:9-11)

I believe it is true in every case, that when Yah asks a human being a question, that individual already knows the answer that Yah is looking to obtain.  Our Father will ask questions in an attempt to bring realization, and sometimes conviction, as Yahshua also did when faced with challengers.

So, to both Adam and Cain, when Yah asked a question, He was seeking not information for Himself – of course – but to bring to the human’s attention something that ought to have been a driving factor in avoiding a recent, poor decision.

In asking Cain, “Why are you angry?” Yah is indicating that Cain already knows the reasons for his current state of unrest.  He knew the Father’s requirements, and what constituted an “offering.”  Consider this, if you haven’t before… where did Cain get the idea in the first place that the fruit of the ground would be an acceptable offering?

The only Biblical example of offerings before this was the animal that clothed his parents – and presumably others since then to clothe their children – and no mention is made of the elaborate ceremonies that attended Israelite worship under Moses, with first-fruits and wave sheaves.  These things were later added as a means of celebrating the nation’s seasonal harvest in the promised land, (Lev 23:10-14) and as a means of using the feast days to foreshadow the more detailed elements of the Plan of Salvation. (1Cor 15:20, 23)  But none of these applied to the first human settlement, and were used only – so far as we know – for human consumption.

Our Father is merciful, and loving, and kind; He is also precise in His requirements, and clear in His instructions.  His motives are always for our best good, but Satan has ever sought to cast Him as an arbitrary, demanding and selfish god who uses human efforts to satisfy His own desires and needs.  This is why just about every pagan deity is, to one extent or another, exactly as described here.  That is Satan’s conception of what a “god” actually IS.

For Satan, the efforts set forth by Yahweh’s creations have always been the focus. He says, “Look at my beauty, my cleverness, and the things that I can do.”  “For thou hast said in thine heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” (Isa 14:13, 14) Even in rebellion against Yah he said, “Believe in me because of the works I can accomplish.  I will do all these amazing things; therefore, I am worthy of respect and reverence.”

Based on his own character, and his history of tempting mankind, and the fact that Yah reacted to both Adam and Cain in precisely the same way, it becomes clear that the idea behind Cain’s sacrifice came from Satan himself.

It was the best of the work of his hands, this is true… but if Yah had accepted it, He would have done irreversible damage to Cain’s character.  Yes, even in rejecting his sacrifice, our Father was seeking to win Cain to Himself, to counteract the spiritual poison he had digested, allowing him to see Yah as some divine being to be appeased, rather than a wise Teacher seeking to prepare them – even then – for the coming of His Son.

“Why are you angry?”  If Cain has answered honestly, “Because I thought that you were the kind of god who would be pleased by my works, by my efforts,” then there would have been an opportunity for him to be educated about the nature of his deception, (as I began by saying, spiritual education is key) and thus saved.  The debate between faith and works is not something that sprang up recently within the Protestant Churches, or even with Christ vs. the Pharisees during His earthly ministry.   Cain and Abel both did “works,” but the works of Abel were mingled with faith, and thus his were accepted.  Yahweh, who changes not, desires the same things from His children in this last generation as He did from His children in the very first.

The problem is that Satan has become a lot better at teaching men how to justify the sacrifice of Cain.

Sincerity, sentiment, emotion, and innovation have become substitutes for faith, for trust in Yahweh, and for intelligent obedience to His instructions.  Now, none of those things are necessarily bad in themselves – just as nothing that Cain did to grow those crops was bad.  None of the works that Cain accomplished in the tilling of the soil was in any way defective, and I am confident that the best of his fruits were immeasurably better in quality than anything that any of us have ever expected to see.  But, for all their wonderful goodness, they were not suitable as a sacrifice to Yahweh. That was not their purpose.

Sincerity, sentiment, emotion, and certainly innovation have a very real place in the human experience.  Under the right circumstances they teach us the proper way to react to situations, to coexist peacefully with our fellow men, to make art, and music, and to learn through our own experiments.  But none of these things can replace the Law, or the life that comes forth from the faith of Yahshua.  That is not their purpose. They exist to enrich a life lived in faith, but they have no meaning, and only become harmful, in a life that is already out of harmony with Heaven.

Sincerity, sentiment, innovation and emotion have been, in the hands of Satan, the tools behind every false doctrine and deviation from righteousness.  They have led to men choosing their own holy days, making their own religious laws, and imposing their will and convictions upon others… because these things seemed right, or felt right, at the time.  They have, coupled with a lack of the true faith, led to millions being misled into thinking they are serving Yahweh, when in reality they are only presenting Him with the best work of their hands.

Men may build beautiful churches, and construct impressive ceremonies.  They may write books, compose hymns, and present sermons… but if they do not have victory over the sins in their lives, and are not faithfully obeying what has been set before us as saints, they are merely justifying Cain’s sacrifice.  They may, in some cases, do precisely what Yah has instructed them NOT to do; but because they are dazzled by the sweetness of their own fruits, and the firmness of their grains, they cannot imagine that their efforts will be rejected.

“I am doing it for the best interests of God’s Church,” or, “I have to protect the reputation of my religion,” these are justifications of the sacrifice of Cain. “The ends justify the means,” they say.

On a more personal level, the saints must watch their own actions.  Inspiration has told us that there is an angel leading the people of Yahweh.  We are not to move too quickly, nor too slowly, but to unite in harmony with that guiding angel, who is the one that speaks about the Mark of The Beast, warning men in new language about an old, old sin… “Do not justify the sacrifice of Cain.”  Do not make your own laws and works become a substitute for the Law of Yah and the Faith of Yahshua.

Do not erect your own standards of righteousness, and then rejoice when you meet them.  Yah does not respect human standards of right and wrong; He has His own, and has been pleased to share them with us. Every saint must feel it is his or her duty to learn all that may be learned about agape love, and to learn from the examples (both good and bad) that have been set before us.

If we wish to learn what Yah expects from His people, that we may offer the right sacrifices of Abel, we must spend time in prayer, in meditation, in conversation with the brethren, in unity with the Spirit.  Then, and through these means, our consciences will be educated, so that when the serpent comes and says, “Yahweh will surely be pleased with these, the works of thy hands,” we will know the voice that speaks to us, and we will say, “Not so, for I have been given a faith that has endured from the foundation of the world.”

We know the sacrifices that Yah has asked of His people: reasonable service, (Rom 12:1) continuous praise, (Heb 13:15) and that we take up our crosses and follow after His Son. (Luke 9:23)  We know the life of victory that we have been given, and which, through invincible and unwavering faith, we ever maintain.

May Yah, through His Spirit, show us each where we may each grow more Christ-like daily, perfecting the Savior’s character, learning the principles of His Kingdom, and turning resolutely away from all temptations that we may encounter, including the temptation to justify “self” and human efforts separate from faith in Yahweh.  This is how we will advance along the path of sanctification, and avoid offering merely our own works in place of Christ’s perfect work in us – itself the hope of glory.