Blog Archives
Unquestioning Obedience
By John Thiel, mp3
Scripture reading: Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].
God’s word is the force, the power, that brings about obedience to all His laws. It is actually the creative word that produces the fulfilment of those laws in our lives. It was the creative word that brought the world into existence; God spoke and it was done. That is because this planet, in its empty state, was not rejecting God’s word. And for us to receive the benefit of the word, we need to be like that non-resistant clay, that empty space that was there, the water that needed to be brought under control. We need to place ourselves in the same position of absolute resignation. The word abandonment describes this perfectly. We need to be totally abandoned as Jesus was. He was our example. This subject that we have been pursuing is extremely important for us to grasp in the time in which we are living now. We need now to understand how imperative it is that we surrender, because God has to do a very quick work with us. We know that Jesus is coming very soon, and we need to engage in this preparation for the close of probation, which is actually the preparation for the coming of Jesus. Read the rest of this entry
6. An Active, Living Helper
By John Thiel, Preparation for the Close of Probation Conference, Study 6, mp3
We have received much from God’s word to help us understand what this preparation for the close of probation really means. Jesus and the angels and the Father in heaven are active in trying to bring us to this. What we want to do now is to examine more closely the living helpfulness that is found in Jesus Christ, our active, living Helper. We have gained the understanding from the following quote that,
[Jesus] was to stand between the sinner and the penalty of sin; yet few would receive Him as the Son of God. He would leave His high position as the Majesty of heaven, appear upon earth and humble Himself as a man, and by His own experience become acquainted with the sorrows, and temptations which man would have to endure. All this would be necessary in order that He might be able to succor them that should be tempted. {AG 345.2} Read the rest of this entry
5. Reaching for Perfection
By John Thiel, Preparation for the Close of Probation Conference, Study 5, mp3
Probation is a period of time in which we are to be sanctified, rendered holy and without fault before God. Jesus is at work to achieve that. We are to engage and participate with Him in that. That probation time is very, very close to coming to its completion. It is just like in the days of Noah, the people saw the animals coming into the ark; they could see that the door was about to close. For seven days those animals came. Then, after those seven days, if they would have listened and noticed the signs that probation was closing for them, they would have gone in the ark. But no, they were careless about it, they were scoffing. Read the rest of this entry
4. Details of Holiness
By John Thiel, Preparation for the Close of Probation Conference, Study 4, mp3
The close of probation must find us holy. We cannot see God unless we have holiness, unless we are without spot and blameless. What details are contained in this term of holiness? What is holiness? This we need to know if we are going to settle into the truth both intellectually and spiritually so that we cannot be moved. We need to know the intelligent entities that reside in the word that creates holiness in us.
1 Peter 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Read the rest of this entry
3. Let Him Be Holy Still
By John Thiel, Preparation for the Close of Probation Conference, Study 3, mp3
Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Probation has been given to us to become holy. The period of probation is a period of preparation to be fitted for the citizenship of heaven. The time when we will meet God is when a people will be holy.
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
For us to be fitted to see the Lord we must be holy. That is the work of probation, to bring us to that point. Read the rest of this entry
The Close of Probation
By John Thiel, mp3
To deal with the subject of the close of probation for Sabbath keepers, we need to understand correctly the gospel. This is to turn our thoughts to the work of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation and understand the fall of man and know by experience the hopeless condition of a sinner and the power of sin over them.
How we are to be saved from this condition by Jesus Christ who came to save us? What is meant with the salvation of Jesus? Is He able to really save us from sin? The question is asked in Hebrews 7:25 where it says that He is able and we say is it really possible?
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