Blog Archives
What Is Righteousness By Faith?
By John Thiel, mp3
Scripture reading: Hebrews 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
We want to consider an experience, and it is to be researched not merely as a subject of theory, but as something in which our experience is brought into focus. This experience is described in the words of Apostle Paul:
Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: Read the rest of this entry
2. Sentimentalism
By John Thiel, Removing Delusions and Fallacies Series, mp3
Scripture reading: Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
With the Word of God in hand, we may draw nearer, step by step, in consecrated love to Jesus Christ. Let those who have been deluded give up all their fallacies. The love of Jesus will not endure such rivals. As the Spirit of God becomes better known, the Bible will be received as the only foundation of faith. {20MR 307.5}
It is our purpose to examine the truths by which we can see where we may have been deluded, where we hold notions and fallacies that must be given up. Is this a challenge? Is it difficult to be challenged in reference to our delusions? What is a delusion? The dictionary tells us it is “an illusion, a misbelief, a misconception.” How challenging is it that we have to give them up? If I am deluded somewhere, do I acknowledge that it is a delusion? Do I really believe that I am deluded? No, nobody believes that. I think that what I think is right. When we are under a delusion we believe it to be correct, even though it is a delusion, a misbelief, a misconception. Read the rest of this entry
3. Affection-Motivated Obedience (The Temptations of Jesus from Within)
By John Thiel, Godly Affections That Motivate Series, mp3
Scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
There are many motivating aspects for a Christian to believe and to obey God. When you study prophecy there is something there that gives you a motivation to believe that God is right, as you see prophecy fulfilling. When you study the Bible and you see heaven, it motivates you; you want to be there. When you study the health-giving messages of God’s word you know that you want to be healthy, that you want to do what God says. When you study the Bible and you see the intelligent mind that is behind it, this motivates your intellect; it gives you confidence that you can give yourself to such a mind. There is also a negative motivation: the threat of destruction. This motivates people to run away from destruction and flee to protection. Read the rest of this entry
Eighteen Years of Subservience
By John Thiel, Beholding Christ Series, Part 9, mp3
Luke 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
An Old Story
When we behold Jesus we are looking at the old, old story. We are beholding our Lord and Saviour in the developmental stages of his life. Jesus the son of God descended from his lofty throne with his father into a state of painful unconsciousness to be born ultimately after nine months into a little baby unconscious of his surroundings. How this little baby Jesus gradually awakened to his family to learn and understand what the Jewish family was doing. The mother teaching the child of the things that the very child when still in heaven was conveying to this planet but now had to learn it all over again from mother. From the age of twelve Jesus fully appreciated from then onwards what all the temple worship and sanctuary activities were all about as he beheld and awoke to his true position as the Lamb of God. From the age of twelve he developed further right on through to the age of thirty. We are filled with awe to consider there was such condescension to come to such a level as a little baby from the heavenly courts. We wonder and marvel at the amazing condescension. Read the rest of this entry
Obey Them That Have the Rule Over You
By John Thiel, mp3
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Inspiration shows us that this scripture has a very wide scope of meaning.
Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect which is due to no other person. God Himself, who has placed upon them a responsibility for the souls committed to their charge, has ordained that during the earlier years of life, parents shall stand in the place of God to their children. And he who rejects the rightful authority of his parents is rejecting the authority of God. It also enjoins respect for ministers and rulers and for all others to whom God has delegated authority. {PP 308.2}
This, says the apostle, “is the first commandment with promise.” Ephesians 6:2. To Israel, expecting soon to enter Canaan, it was a pledge to the obedient, of long life in that good land; but it has a wider meaning, including all the Israel of God, and promising eternal life upon the earth when it shall be freed from the curse of sin. {PP 308.3} Read the rest of this entry
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