The Knowledge of God
Do you ever wonder at times if you’ll ever be saved? As the realities of God’s greatness and his true aspects of living come up before you, do you see yourself far gone in your past ways of actions and living? Do you ever wonder whether you?re going to make it? This is nothing unusual. Even the disciple’s were under that dilemma.
Matthew 19:25, 26. “When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed saying, who then can be saved” Jesus beheld them and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
The answer that Jesus gives to an over whelming sense is very important to us.
There was such an occasion where it dawned upon the disciples, if God’s ways are like that, then who can be saved? You and I will come frequently face to face with new dimensions of God’s truth. It will make you shrivel with the reality is that it is impossible to be saved with man. This will come across your conscience.
Jesus comes back with the affirmation that with God all things are possible. Jesus qualifies what He means;
John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
With man to be saved is impossible. This is life eternal, this is how you’re going to be saved says Jesus, by the knowledge of God. This is our only hope of salvation, to know God. If this is the only way of our salvation, won’t we come to terms with this and realize what our focus then should be?
I was marking bible lessons through the week and the question was asked, how can you conquer the evil one and be saved, the answer was, “try harder and work hard at it.”
Isn?t that the typical human answer? I’ve got to try hard to be saved, there is a fragment of truth in that. Jesus says strive to enter. No matter how hard you try, you?re not going to improve your prospects. It’s only by the knowledge of God.
Wouldn’t you then make it your first priority, the real purpose of your life to really know God? If that is going to give me eternal life, then I want to know him.
Jeremiah 9:23-24. “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”
If to be saved is impossible with you and me, and the only way is the through the knowledge of God, then this must be my priority.
Jesus said, we are to gain eternal life by knowing God and Jesus Christ. We often try by our own efforts to gain salvation; we pride ourselves in our own accomplishments and give ourselves the glory for the gain. God says this is not what we need to glory in. We must stop trying to pursue this method.
If you want to be saved and glory in anything, glory in the fact that you know God. That is the only glory you should pursue as that is going to bring you eternal life. God promises this.
Ephesians 1:17, 18. “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom in the knowledge of him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.”
We can know what is the hope of our salvation. To know God.
That you may understand God and that you might know him, this is the prayer, this is the object of our life on this sin riddled planet. There is nothing else that can release us from sin and destruction on this earth.
This is the question, is it possible to know God? Doesn’t the Scripture say he is past finding out? Doesn’t Scripture say man can not find God by searching? To know and to understand God is only possible by one avenue. Jesus made it quite clear. No man cometh to the father but by me.
Matthew 11:25 – 27. “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee oh father Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save The Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”
This is the simple answer to the discovery of knowing God. No man knows God the father but Jesus. Jesus knows the father through and through. He is part of him; he knows all the deep things of the father. Did you notice? You need to know God through Jesus Christ. No man knoweth the father but the son, or the son but the father and him to whom the son will reveal him.
How will you get to know God? Only by the revelation of Jesus Christ. If you want to know God, you need to have God revealed to you. This is what I love about Revelation. Some people study Revelation to know prophecy, that is a short understanding of Revelation. If you will study the Revelation, you will discover God as Jesus reveals the father to us.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. You are to have a revelation of the mind of Jesus. What does it say about the Holy Spirit? That we may know the deep things of God.
As we through the spirit are illuminated with God and we come to know him, what will this affect in our life? The big problem is that we see ourselves as we really are. I can never change, I can never be saved because according to the word, I must be holy before he comes, and it will never happen. With man it is impossible, with God all things are possible.
How is it that through knowledge of God we will be saved when in fact you get to know God through the Holy Spirit? What will happen? As you know him?
II Corinthians 3:18. “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.”
What will happen, as you come to know God? We are changed to the same image. You will see his personality, glory, and character. As you look upon it, it?s a law of the mind, that which you behold, you become.
So, that which is impossible, the belief that you’ll never be able to change, becomes possible with God. Because by beholding him, you will change. What do you spend your time looking at? If you don’t spend much time looking at the character of God you’ll never be saved. You can try as hard as you like to keep those commandments; it’s impossible without looking to God. As you keep looking to Jesus and God, what will happen?
“As one becomes acquainted with the history of the Redeemer, he discovers in himself serious defects; his unlikeness to Christ is so great that he sees the necessity for radical changes in his life. Still he studies with a desire to become like his great Exemplar. He catches the looks, the spirit, of his beloved Master. By beholding by “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith,” he becomes changed into the same image. It is not by looking away from him that we imitate the life of Jesus, but by talking of him, by dwelling upon his perfections, by seeking to refine the taste and elevate the character, by trying, through faith and love, and by earnest, persevering effort, to approach the perfect Pattern.” {RH, March 15, 1887 par. 12}
Indeed if you keep looking at God, you’ll see the depraved condition you are in. That’s not all you are to be looking at Him for. You are to keep looking. Many people see the vision and look away, as they don’t like what they are seeing. They say; I see so much depravity, but don’t stop looking, keep on looking. That is the answer to be saved. The reverse will take place as you keep looking. The evil will be burnt out of your life. The good will be established.
We will now seek for the Lord to imprint upon us His mind. So we can worship him in spirit and in truth. For the initial revealing of God in his word, let us cast the eye of our understanding back to the fall of Lucifer. Discover what God really is like. Right back, when sin first arrived in the heart of Lucifer. We remember this bright, perfect angel right next to God. He saw God, right next to the throne as a covering cherub. As we see how sin arose in him. Look at God’s reaction to Lucifer and study it carefully.
“The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. The Son of God shared the Father’s throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both. About the throne gathered the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng–“ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” (Revelation 5:11.), the most exalted angels, as ministers and subjects, rejoicing in the light that fell upon them from the presence of the Deity. 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. The Son of God had wrought the Father’s will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; and to Him, as well as to God, their homage and allegiance were due. Christ was still to exercise divine power, in the creation of the earth and its inhabitants. But in all this He would not seek power or exaltation for Himself contrary to God’s plan, but would exalt the Father’s glory and execute His purposes of beneficence and love. {PP 36.2}
That’s what God revealed to the angels. That Jesus the Son of God was actually God himself. He showed that. Although they saw him as the archangel, he now revealed to them, the eternal self-existent one, encircled once.
So here was Lucifer. He was already confused in himself. Sin had already taken root in his heart and now God in his wonderful love, met with all his hosts, Lucifer among them. As he unveiled the reality of the Son of God before them notice:
“The angels joyfully acknowledged the supremacy of Christ, and prostrating themselves before Him, poured out their love and adoration. Lucifer bowed with them, but in his heart there was a strange, fierce conflict. Truth, justice, and loyalty were struggling against envy and jealousy. The influence of the holy angels seemed for a time to carry him with them. As songs of praise ascended in melodious strains, swelled by thousands of glad voices, the spirit of evil seemed vanquished; unutterable love thrilled his entire being; his soul went out, in harmony with the sinless worshippers, in love to the Father and the Son.” PP page 36.
Can you see God?s mind? He wanted Lucifer to stop in his track and win him to his heart, and he did. Lucifer had already begun a path that was sinful and God could have cut him off like that. But what did he do? He bought him before the angels and touched his heart with the amazing glory of his personality. This is God.
See how patiently God dealt with Lucifer. This enemy, he dealt with him so patiently. We know that the sad reality was that Lucifer hardened his heart again. Under that wonderful glory when he was being carried away by God?s amazing love. What happened with the conflict inside of him?
“But again he was filled with pride in his own glory. His desire for supremacy returned, and envy of Christ was once more indulged. The high honours conferred upon Lucifer were not appreciated as God’s special gift, and therefore, called forth no gratitude to his Creator. He glorified in his brightness and exaltation and aspired to be equal with God.” P&P. Page 36
He went on in his track and managed to take a third of the angels with him after God had done this wonderful work of patient labour for his soul. But then came the point of no return. He was expelled from heaven. Why did God not destroy Satan and prevent this from happening again?
We have to look at God’s character. We have to keep understanding to get to know God. Look at God’s character. Look at God and learn so by beholding we might become changed. Lucifer became his enemy and had to be cast out of heaven. Why didn’t he destroy him?
“God could employ only such means as were consistent with truth and righteousness. Satan could use what God could not–flattery and deceit.” {PP 42.1}
Satan used force and war. God could not do these kinds of things, only Lucifer does that. God permitted him to demonstrate the nature of his claims to show the working out of his proposed changes in the divine law. His own work must condemn him. Notice God?s character. Does God condemn anyone? Man’s own work must condemn him. This is God. If you can understand what God is like, we want to get to know Him very closely and to be changed into the same image.
“Satan had claimed from the first that he was not in rebellion. The whole universe must see the deceiver unmasked.” {GC88 498.2}
Even when it was decided that he could no longer remain in Heaven, infinite wisdom did not destroy Satan. Since the service of love can alone be acceptable to God, the allegiance of his creatures must rest upon a conviction of his justice and benevolence. The inhabitants of Heaven and of other worlds, being unprepared to comprehend the nature or consequences of sin, could not then have seen the justice and mercy of God in the destruction of Satan.” {GC88 498.3}
God had to wait 7000 years of observation for the universe, for them to see and be convicted in their own hearts that the justice of God is here displayed.
“Had he been immediately blotted from existence, they would have served God from fear, rather than from love. The influence of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed, nor would the spirit of rebellion have been utterly eradicated. Evil must be permitted to come to maturity. For the good of the entire universe through ceaseless ages, Satan must more fully develop his principles, that his charges against the divine government might be seen in their true light by all created beings, that the justice and mercy of God and the immutability of his law might forever be placed beyond all question.” {GC88 498.3}
Did you notice there are several factors here for which God could not destroy the devil and prevent the horror of what we see on this earth? 1) Because God could not employ what Satan employs. 2) Neither could he prevent the demonstration of the nature of the claims of Lucifer. He had to expose himself to the universe. He had to condemn himself by his own actions.
The reality of God?s justice and mercy had to be embedded in the mind of the universe so for eternity the same would never arise again. We are looking at God. Look at him in creation with Adam and Eve and God’s wonderful plan. After Lucifer was expelled from heaven, God created this earth as he had planned to do. Then we know how Satan had planned to deceive Adam and Eve. Then we see God in action. Adam and Eve had done this terrible sin. Who comes to visit them? God himself.
Genesis 3:15. “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.”
Here is the display of God’s character. God would use no arbitrary force to halt the development of the affairs of this earth. He uses no intervention in regards to the choices of his created intelligences. God could have put stops to it all. When you look around today, at life you see danger coming and you can see there is a person doing something wrong, put a stop to him, don’t let him do it! Is that our natural response? What is God’s response? He can’t put a stop to anybody. Everybody has a free choice. He will not stop anyone from exercising his or her free choice.
Study carefully the mind of God. The serpent to multiply their seed and the church to multiply her seed. God would not put a stop to any ongoing realities. The woman’s seed and the serpent’s seed would continue. Until a particular point in time where Satan’s thoughts will be totally revealed in contrast to God’s thoughts. The development of Satan’s seed would come to the point that there would be the enmity between the two seeds in Jesus Christ. I would put enmity. Did God arbitrarily put enmity? Jesus throws light on this.
Matthew 10:34. “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
What did Jesus come for? I have not come to send peace. But wasn’t he the prince of peace? Can you understand? I will put enmity. How did he put enmity? By revealing Jesus Christ in his character of God would create enmity inside every heart just as God did it in heaven. Lucifer had the conflict in his heart. How did he do it? By revealing to Lucifer and all the angels his character.
Now Jesus comes to this earth and he does the same again. Everyone who looks at Jesus will be warmly bound to him. That?s the enmity.
BC Vol 1 page 1085. ?What love! What amazing condescension! The King of glory proposed to humble Himself to fallen humanity! He would place His feet in Adam’s steps. He would take man’s fallen nature, and engage to cope with the strong foe who triumphed over Adam. He would overcome Satan, and in thus doing He would open the way for the redemption from the disgrace of Adam’s failure and fall, of all those who would believe on Him.?
How did God create enmity against Satan? By this amazing love that Jesus would be sent to this earth to become the woman?s seed. What amazing condescension.
As this would dawn upon individuals, the line between good and evil would become accentuated. No longer would Adam and Eve continue with their fear against God. Now they would love him. This is the enmity.
Divine Culture for Christians.–Divine culture brings perfection. If in connection with God the work is carried forward, the human agent, through Christ, will day by day gain victory and honor in the battle. Through the grace given he will overcome, and will be placed on vantage ground. In his relation to Christ he will be bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh, one with Christ in a peculiar relationship, because Christ took the humanity of man. He became subject to temptation, endangering as it were, His divine attributes. Christ in a peculiar relationship, because Christ took the humanity of man. He became subject to temptation, endangering as it were, His divine attributes. Satan sought, by the constant and curious devices of his cunning, to make Christ yield to temptation. Man must pass over the ground over which Christ has passed. As Christ overcame every temptation which Satan brought against Him, so man is to overcome. And those who strive earnestly to overcome are brought into a oneness with Christ that the angels in heaven can never know. {7BC 926.5}
Christ took the humanity of man. Here is the atonement again. What does the atonement create? It creates enmity against the evil one.
Doesn’t that melt your heart? How can you hold onto any evil? How can you love it when you let this enmity against evil reveal itself? Jesus and God have such a love to us that he would become one with us and then follow in the steps of Adam and Eve. He would come right up to the time that he experiences all the horror of our lives and come into an intimacy with you and me that not even the angels comprehend. I don’t know what God has got left. This is as far as it can go. God’s character is beyond human comprehension. Here is the enmity and those who embrace this know very well that they become enmity against others. That?s the sword you receive, as you believe this truth. It is anathema to the pride of man!
All your goodness that you can ever claim before God and say here I am, I’m good aren’t I, makes you shrivel. Look at Jesus; here he is in an intimate relationship of your total depravity. There?s nothing you can bring to God, nothing, you then begin to hate Satan and sin. Then you begin to conquer because you?ll be changed into the same image. The same conflict Lucifer had before his eviction will begin to take place in your heart. What was the conflict?
“Lucifer bowed with them, but in his heart there was a strange, fierce conflict. Truth, justice, and loyalty were struggling against envy and jealousy. The influence of the holy angels seemed for a time to carry him with them. As songs of praise ascended in melodious strains, swelled by thousands of glad voices, the spirit of evil seemed vanquished; unutterable love thrilled his entire being; his soul went out, in harmony with the sinless worshippers, in love to the Father and the Son. But again he was filled with pride in his own glory. His desire for supremacy returned, and envy of Christ was once more indulged.” PP page 36.
Can this not happen in our hearts as we behold God in an amazing demonstration of his love? This was Lucifer’s conflict. This is the privilege God brings to Adam and Eve before they sinned, just like Lucifer. In Lucifer’s second chance when the conflict of good and evil took place in his heart, he reverted to the evil. You and I are given a chance that Lucifer had. What do you want to do with it? God will not force anyone of us. Isn’t he wonderful? Don’t you love him? In his effort to help us he could not use Lucifer’s ways. He can only use what he is, love. When you look at him like this, can you see God will hold nothing against you? No matter how sinful you are, God will hold nothing against you if you let your heart open to his wonderful love. Jesus came to bring this about in our heart. To see God, God was revealed by Jesus Christ. As we continue to look at him, can you see, the two lessons conveyed here? As you look at the church experience around you, you would do what God would do. You see people around you that are sinful, won’t you relate to them as God would? As you embrace the mind of Jesus, you will begin to show the people this amazing glory. In the study of God, there is another detail that becomes evident. Here is another characteristic that comes through with this story. God forces no one.
Matthew 13:24-25. “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.”
God?s character is demonstrated by sowing seeds. Seed sowing is God’s only labour with minds. The seed that comes up is his method of reward.
Galatians 6:7 & 8. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
How can you be saved? God sews a seed. With man it is impossible, but God sews a seed. If you receive the seed in your heart, it will germinate and grow and multiply. It depends what you do with the seed or if you permit other things to crowd it out. God builds on the process of seed sowing. If you choose to surrender your heart to the seeds of the evil one, it will multiply the tears.
The teaching of this parable is illustrated in God’s own dealing with men and angels. Satan is a deceiver. When he sinned in heaven, even the loyal angels did not fully discern his character. This was why God did not at once destroy Satan. Had He done so, the holy angels would not have perceived the justice and love of God. A doubt of God’s goodness would have been as evil seed that would yield the bitter fruit of sin and woe. Therefore the author of evil was spared, fully to develop his character. Through long ages God has borne the anguish of beholding the work of evil, He has given the infinite Gift of Calvary, rather than leave any to be deceived by the misrepresentations of the wicked one; for the tares could not be plucked up without danger of uprooting the precious grain. And shall we not be as forbearing toward our fellow men as the Lord of heaven and earth is toward Satan? {COL 72.2}
God’s kingdom is one of seed sowing and seed germination and growing, be patient with that process, this is God’s character, are you getting to know him? The seed of Jesus coming to this earth was the enmity that he placed in every heart overwhelmed by sin so that seed would grow and destroy sin. Those that would receive that seed would grow and become pure wheat. Everyone who rejects it become tares. This has been God’s orchestration from the beginning of sin right through the history of the earth. As you study the prophecies, this is what you will behold. God demonstrates his orchestration of sinful minds and pure minds interacting together. As evil rises up in nations, there is the demo in prophecy. God permits them to have their will. He looks on it with anguish beholding the work of evil.
Why does God not stop this whole thing? People visualize God different to what he is. When they see him, as he really is, this will create eternal life in you, as you will hate sin to such a degree, you’ll never do it again. Those who reject this amazing love turn in their hearts like Lucifer did. They will be the fruit of Lucifer’s creation. The seed will bring forth its true condition.
Matthew 13:40-43. “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
It?s at the harvest time. God has to wait for the harvest. God has to wait for the full growth of everything. For 6000 years he’s waited and he’s going to wait right through to the very end when everything comes to fruit. What will happen to the tares? They will be gathered. Now people think God’s going to destroy everything. Wrong. Final destruction of sin and Satan and his seed will not be done with any change of God’s character.
Psalms 9:16. “The LORD is known [by] the judgment [which] he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion.”
God?s character never changes even in his wrath. This is my favourite representation of God’s character with the destruction at the end. Isn?t that what he said he had to let Lucifer do? Show his true condition?
Psalm 7:11-16. “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry [with the wicked] every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch [which] he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”
Psalm 5:10. “Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.”
Ezekiel 9:10. “And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, [but] I will recompense their way upon their head.”
Ezekiel 7:3,4. “Now [is] the end [come] upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations. And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.”
Proverbs 22:8. “He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.”
God’s character revealed in destruction is in these texts.
“God destroys no man. Everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself. Everyone who stifles the admonitions of conscience is sowing the seeds of unbelief, and these will produce a sure harvest. By rejecting the first warning from God, Pharaoh of old sowed the seeds of obstinacy, and he reaped obstinacy. God did not compel him to disbelieve. The seed of unbelief which he sowed produced a harvest of its kind. Thus his resistance continued, until he looked upon his devastated land, upon the cold, dead form of his first-born, and the first-born of all in his house and of all the families in his kingdom, until the waters of the sea closed over his horses and his chariots and his men of war. His history is a fearful illustration of the truth of the words that “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Gal. 6:7. Did men but realize this, they would be careful what seed they sow.” {COL 84.4}
Isn’t Judas a perfect example of this? Who killed Judas? He killed himself. That was a full fruition of selfishness he continued to indulge. The wicked is snared in the work of their own doing.
We saw that all through the history of the world nations that work against God are destroyed with the wars they initiated. They destroyed themselves. Thus it will be at the very end. The city of Jerusalem was destroyed. The temple is gone. Man has tried to rebuild it but the destruction is discussed in the book Great Controversy.
The disobedient and unthankful have great reason for gratitude for God’s mercy and long-suffering in holding in check the cruel, malignant power of the evil one. But when men pass the limits of divine forbearance, that restraint is removed. God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown. Every ray of light rejected, every warning despised or unheeded, every passion indulged, every transgression of the law of God, is a seed sown which yields its unfailing harvest. The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and enmity of Satan. The destruction of Jerusalem is a fearful and solemn warning to all who are trifling with the offers of divine grace and resisting the pleadings of divine mercy. Never was there given a more decisive testimony to God’s hatred of sin and to the certain punishment that will fall upon the guilty. {GC 36.1}
What you can study in Jerusalem, you can study for the end. God has prevented the passions of man from destroying himself. Where their cup was full he let them destroy themselves. In the meantime as he has done this, the harvest continues to develop until finally the whole world will be destroyed. All God does is orchestrate. Are you getting to know God? Are we observing his character? We know that after a thousand years, God?s words will stand true. If the people who are wicked are given a chance to see the land of the redeemed they will destroy again. They will go for the city of Jerusalem and want to take it. And then there will be the grand finale when they will turn against each other. It will have to be a very carefully orientated destruction. God will have to step in and give just enough punishment according to the decisions of God’s people through the 1000 years. Everyone will receive a just punishment. What is our response to the revelation of God? Right from the beginning he dealt with the same principle of his character and he followed it right through. He dealt with Lucifer that way; he dealt with Adam and Eve the same way.
When finally men choose, he’s given them plenty of opportunity to make the choices of their life. He never interfered with it; he never wants you to interfere with it either. Are we following his character? Do you discover the knowledge of God that if you will behold it, it will change your whole approach to life? You will have eternal life in you because your heart has received the character of God. In the conflict that is created internally, which side of the battle will you emerge? It’s as simple as that. Which side of the battle will you emerge? Will you emerge on the side of Jesus and his army? Which opens its heart to this amazing picture of heaven of God? Or will you resist these amazing characteristics of God’s love and decide you will harden your heart by the deception of sin? Will you unreservedly choose to lose your joy on this planet earth to lose your joy of indulgence in the things of this planet so that you may cling to the life that was ready to give all as Jesus did?
Jesus came not to send peace on earth, but a sword. He turns the hearts of the mother and daughter and father against each other.
Matthew 10:38, 39. “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”
Is this really clear to you? I would like us to mediate this to really understand God, to really know him so that we understand the principle that is contained. So that we will be prepared to do everything that is of God?s character even if I lose the pleasures of this present life. Isn?t that what Jesus did? Isn?t that the character of God? He was prepared to surrender all for us. This is life eternal that you may know God. This must become greater and more profound in our experience so that we can express and hold our fellowship together with one another in the understanding of the character and knowledge of God.
Amen
John Thiel, Australia