Faith Demonstrated by Works

Today's Devotion Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Faith Demonstrated by Works

Today's Text Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. James 2:18

The part man has to act in the salvation of the soul is to believe on Jesus Christ as a perfect Redeemer, not for some other man, but for his own self. Manuscript 1a, 1890. Christ imputes His perfection and righteousness to the believing sinner when he does not continue in sin, but turns from transgression to obedience of the commandments. The Review and Herald, May 23, 1899. While God can be just, and yet justify the sinner through the merits of Christ, no man can cover his soul with the garments of Christ's righteousness while practicing known sins, or neglecting known duties. The Review and Herald, November 4, 1890. The apostle James saw that dangers would arise in presenting the subject of justification by faith, and he labored to show that genuine faith cannot exist without corresponding works. The experience of Abraham is presented. “Seest thou,” he says, “how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” James 2:22. Thus genuine faith does a genuine work in the believer. Faith and obedience bring a solid, valuable experience. SDA Bible Commentary 7:936. Faith and works are two oars which we must use equally if we [would] press our way up the stream against the current of unbelief. Welfare Ministry, 316. The so-called faith that does not work by love and purify the soul will not justify any man. “Ye see,” says the apostle, “how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” James 2:24. Abraham believed God. How do we know that he believed? His works testified to the character of his faith, and his faith was accounted to him for righteousness. We need the faith of Abraham in our day, to lighten the darkness that gathers around us, shutting out the sweet sunlight of God's love, and dwarfing spiritual growth. Our faith should be prolific of good works; for faith without works is dead. The Signs of the Times, May 19, 1898. Note: In some areas phrases have been omitted by the compilers for whatever reason. I have restored them as underlined text, that the full intent of the author may be given.

My Thoughts: My friend, no matter how closely we keep the law of God we cannot be saved by our works. "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16). While we are not justified by our works, our works demonstrate whether or not Christ is living within us. The difference is that we do not do good works to be saved, but we do them because Christ is living within us. The heart that is surrendered to Christ is filled with Him. Jesus said "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37, 38). As we are filled with Christ, His love fills us to overflowing and we will share that love with all those whom we come into contact with. My friend, the works that come from our lives as we are surrendered to Him, are good works that will lead others to Him. God bless,

I encourage your comments: wtaitague@gmail.com or directly in the blog (Click Here)

The Only Begotten of the Father - Bill Cave Does the way in which we interpret the Scriptures alter our view of Christ? In this video Bill Cave presents the relationship of the Father and his only-begotten Son as revealed in Scripture. RESOURCES: Archive of Daily Devotions Melodies of Prayer Free Bible & Commentary Bible Study Resources The Truth About God The Final Protest Revelation1412.org

Wednesday: Sanctification the Work of a Lifetime

Proving the Will of God

Today's Devotion Monday, May 27, 2019

Proving the Will of God

Today's Text And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

Christ came to the world to counteract Satan's falsehood that God had made a law which men could not keep. Taking humanity upon Himself, He came to this earth, and by a life of obedience showed that God has not made a law that man cannot keep. He showed that it is possible for man perfectly to obey the law. Those who accept Christ as their Saviour, becoming partakers of His divine nature, are enabled to follow His example, living in obedience to every precept of the law. Through the merits of Christ, man is to show by his obedience that he could be trusted in heaven, that he would not rebel. Manuscript 48, 1893. In all His Godlike deeds, the world's Redeemer declares, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” “This commandment have I received of my Father.” John 5:30; 10:18. All I do is in fulfillment of the counsel and will of My heavenly Father. The history of the daily earthly life of Jesus is the exact record of the fulfillment of the purposes of God toward man. His life and character were the unfolding or representation of the perfection of the character that man may attain by becoming a partaker of the divine nature, and overcoming the world through daily conflicts. The Youth's Instructor, April 23, 1912. The youth need to keep ever before them the course that Christ followed. At every step it was a course of overcoming. Christ did not come to the earth as a king, to rule the nations. He came as a humble man, to be tempted, and to overcome temptation, to follow on, as we must, to know the Lord. In the study of His life we shall learn how much God through Him will do for His children. And we shall learn that, however great our trials may be, they cannot exceed what Christ endured. Messages to Young People, 16. Those who walk even as Christ walked, who are patient, gentle, kind, meek and lowly in heart, those who yoke up with Christ and lift His burdens, who yearn for souls as He yearned for them—these will enter into the joy of their Lord. They will see with Christ the travail of His soul, and be satisfied. Heaven will triumph, for the vacancies made in heaven by the fall of Satan and his angels will be filled by the redeemed of the Lord. SDA Bible Commentary 7:949. Note: In some areas phrases have been omitted by the compilers for whatever reason. I have restored them as underlined text, that the full intent of the author may be given.

My Thoughts: My friend, it is by partaking of the divine nature in Christ Jesus that we are transformed into the image of God. The perfect life that He lived can be our life if we would but yolk up with Him. In this life we are faced with many trials and temptations, but as we yolk up our lives to Jesus, He enables us to overcome. His promise to us is "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). As the Son of God toiled in this world, He was daily tempted to let go of His Fathers hand; to doubt that He was the Son of God and to doubt the love of His Father. Yet through all this He overcame all and was faithful unto death, that we may receive the riches of salvation. As we partake of the divine nature in Christ, we are transformed step by step into His lovely image. My friend, as we accept Christ as our Savior, we are partaking of His divine nature, and as we exercise faith in Him through the various trials that come into our lives, His life is manifested in us. It is by the exercising of our faith in Him, that we receive greater faith and greater strength to overcome the wiles of the evil one. Therefore, when we are persecuted for righteousness sake, we can realize the promise in Matthew 5:12 "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Jesus bid us "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." (Matthew 5:28, 29). Will you not yolk up with Him today? God bless,

I encourage your comments: wtaitague@gmail.com or directly in the blog (Click Here)

The Only Begotten of the Father - Bill Cave Does the way in which we interpret the Scriptures alter our view of Christ? In this video Bill Cave presents the relationship of the Father and his only-begotten Son as revealed in Scripture. RESOURCES: Archive of Daily Devotions Melodies of Prayer Free Bible & Commentary Bible Study Resources The Truth About God The Final Protest Revelation1412.org

Tuesday: Faith Demonstrated by Works

Clothed in His Righteousness

Today's Devotion Friday, May 24, 2019

Clothed in His Righteousness

Today's Text I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10

Only the covering which Christ Himself has provided can make us meet to appear in God's presence. This covering, the robe of His own righteousness, Christ will put upon every repenting, believing soul. “I counsel thee,” He says, “to buy of me ... white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed....” Revelation 3:18. This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6. Everything that we of ourselves can do is defiled by sin. But the Son of God “was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” Sin is defined to be “the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:5, 4. But Christ was obedient to every requirement of the law.... By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God's commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah. Christ's Object Lessons, 311, 312. Those who ... accept of Christ are looked upon by God, not as they are in Adam, but as they are in Jesus Christ, as the sons and daughters of God. Manuscript 32a, 1894. We are not to be anxious about what Christ and God think of us, but about what God thinks of Christ, our Substitute. The General Conference Bulletin, April 23, 1901. Note: In some areas phrases have been omitted by the compilers for whatever reason. I have restored them as underlined text, that the full intent of the author may be given.

My Thoughts: My friend, to put on Christ is to accept Him by faith and submit our wills to His will, that our hearts may be filled with His. Though we struggle with the old man of sin, we have the Spirit of Christ living within us, and as we continue to surrender our lives to Him, He will give us power to resist the temptation to sin. He will gain the victory over sin in our lives. Many think that this battle that wages within our hearts means that Christ is saving us, but in reality we are already saved, for as sure as Christ has gained the victory over sin in the wilderness, so too will He gain the victory over sin in our hearts. This is the promise of God. The reason why so many in the Seventh-day Adventist Church today have not gained the victory over sin is because they have been deceived into accepting a false christ as their savior. They have accepted God the Son in place of the Son of God. This being called God the Son is not truly a son of God, but is only a metaphor that one of the god-beings has assumed for the salvation of man. This goes contrary to the word of God that says "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). In order to give us His Son, the Father had to have a son to give. If the being that we are worshiping is not the true Son of God, then we are worshiping a counterfeit in place of the real. Satan hates the Son of God for the very fact that He is the Son of God, and as such desires to turn the hearts of man away from the Son, for through Him we are connected to the Father. As such he has introduced to the Christian world a counterfeit view of God in the trinity. Of this the Scriptures have foretold saying "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." (1 John 2:22). The reason why the church is in the Laodicean condition today is because it has forsaken Jesus as the Son of God, and has accepted a counterfeit in His place. As such Christ is on the outside seeking to gain entrance into the hearts of His people, saying "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20). My friend our salvation is not based upon our performance, but upon the promise of God to create within us a new heart, saying "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). My prayer for you today is that you will look away from the false god of the trinity unto the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ. God bless,

I encourage your comments: wtaitague@gmail.com or directly in the blog (Click Here)

Who or What is the Holy Spirit? New gods - Nader Mansour New gods is a presentation that addresses the identity of God the Holy Spirit. Nader Mansour shares the biblical foundation as well as other historical examples that shed light on this question. It also deals with the question of "why is it important?". What does the Bible say about new gods? Have you accepted a new god? How many are ignorantly worshiping a new god? You will not want to miss this presentation! Are you an SDA who has fallen for the trinity? You have not fallen too far, there is hope yet! Presented at the Wenatchee 2013 Camp Meeting, USA. RESOURCES: Archive of Daily Devotions Melodies of Prayer Free Bible & Commentary Bible Study Resources The Truth About God The Final Protest Revelation1412.org

Monday: Proving the Will of God