Discipline of Grace

¹⁰ And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹ And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, ¹² And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. ¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: ¹⁴ And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. ¹⁵ But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: ¹⁶ For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.  Acts 9:10-16

God brought Paul in contact with His church that Paul might learn that the truth is to be communicated through fallen instruments like himself. God was also teaching here the importance of church relation and fellowship. All light and truth are not communicated to one or a group of individuals but to the church and where ever the church is there is the truth of God.  Remember the church is the “ … pillar and ground of truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15  so there must be truth and a knowledge of God in the true church.

What truth more than all others is important that lead Paul to accept his place as a chosen instrument and to suffer a life of suffering for the sake or the Lord Jesus Christ? On the Damascus road his conscience was troubled by the witness of Stephen and the things he had heard about Jesus. He saw a divine dignity under severe pressure which he never knew.  He witnessed a love shown in Stephen and saw a power at work which he longed for. He saw the character of God.  

God was displayed in His servant Stephen and this caused a bitter opposition from the foes of truth. All that live Godly in this present world will suffer persecution. This was the calling of Paul and all the followers of Jesus.

In a special sense those who live in these last days are to reflect the character of God fully and will therefore face the full onslaught of the enemies of God. Are you ready?

The Damascus Road

¹ And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, ² And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way^a, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. ³ And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: ⁴ And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? ⁵ And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. ⁶ And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. ⁷ And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.  Acts 9:1-7

The Apostle Paul was a mighty man for God in His later life but at first he zealously persecuted the infant church of God. You see, his idea was that his religion was the true religion and that the Christians were apostates. Therefore he sought to correct the religious dissenters. 

What was the major contention in the Christian church that caused the row between the Jewish leaders and the Christians?  Jesus Christ the Messiah had declared "⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ⁷ If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. ⁸ Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. ⁹ Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?^"

The Saviour came not only to redeem mankind but also to reveal to His people and the universe the kind of person that God is, and thus win them to faith and trust. He presented a picture of God totally opposite to the one that was popularly held. When this message was presented it lead to his death. The followers of Jesus were found to be just like Him in character and hence their message was opposed by the rulers of the Jews.  

Paul  held the view that the Messiah would come and establish his kingdom by force, uprooting the Romans and setting the Jews in prominence again.  Thus when Jesus came and many went after Him he was strongly opposed to the new development, called the "way."

Based on His picture of God it was alright to imprison and even kill opponents for the "good" of the church. When Jesus was revealed to him on the Demascus Road a radical change had begun in the mind of the apostle. He was blinded by a light and before he could see he must learn anew about our gracious God.

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^a of this way: Gr. of the way

Philip and the Enuch

²⁶ And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. ²⁷ And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, ²⁸ ^† Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. ²⁹ Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. ³⁰ And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? ³¹ And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. ³² ^† The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: ³³ In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. ³⁴ And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. ³⁶ And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? ³⁷ And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. ³⁸ And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. ³⁹ And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

Here we see the powerful illustration of what God will do for those who faithfully read and desire to know His word. God sent Philip and arranged the situation so that the enuch could learn about Jesus Christ the Saviour. But listen to what Philip told him: "Understandest thou what thou readest?"

That call goes out to all who search the word of God. Do you understand what you are reading or are you surface reading? Do you understand and know God, His character, what He plans for you and the universe. That is paramount.

God sent His chosen messenger to give light and truth to His humble servant. He saw Jesus in the scriptures, and there was still more for him to learn and God would guide Him on in the way.

^[1]

 

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^† A Greek word occurs that is not directly translated in the King James Version.
Greek Strongs: 5037

^† A Greek word occurs that is not directly translated in the King James Version.
Greek Strongs: 1161

^[1] The Holy Bible : King James Version. electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. Bellingham WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995, S. Ac 8:26-40

Is God the Executioner?

firstly let a list be made of what some would call counter-statements. In reality they are not and cannot be counter-statements for there is no such thing as a contradiction in God’s Word. Here are some examples of such statements: “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious [holy,  K.J.V. ] in all His works.” “Your testimonies [commandments or laws] which You have commanded, are righteous and very faithful.”  Psalms 145:17; 119:138.

The Lord is righteous and the law is righteous. Therefore God is what the law is. It is the “transcript of His own character,” Christ’s Object Lessons, 315, and that law declares “Thou shalt not kill.” Exodus 20:13. Therefore, if it is not in the law to kill, it is not in the character of God to kill. So, “God destroys no man. Everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 84.“God destroys no one.” Testimonies 5:120.

“God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejecters 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.”

Great Controversy, 36.

“Satan is the destroyer. God cannot bless those who refuse to be faithful stewards. All He can do is to permit Satan to accomplish his destroying work. We see calamities of every kind and in every degree coming upon the earth, and why? The Lord’s restraining power is not exercised. The world has disregarded the word of God. They live as though there were no God. Like the inhabitants of the Noachic world, they refuse to have any thought of God. Wickedness prevails to an alarming extent, and the earth is ripe for the harvest.” Testimonies 6:388, 389.

“This earth has almost reached the place where God will permit the destroyer to work his will upon it.” Testimonies 7:141.

“God keeps a reckoning with the nations. Not a sparrow falls to the ground without His notice. Those who work evil toward their fellow men, saying, How doth God know? will one day be called upon to meet long-deferred vengeance. In this age a more than common contempt is shown to God. Men have reached a point in insolence and disobedience which shows that their cup of iniquity is almost full. Many have well-nigh passed the boundary of mercy. Soon God will show that He is indeed the living God. He will say to the angels, ‘No longer combat Satan in his efforts to destroy. Let him work out his malignity upon the children of disobedience; for the cup of their iniquity is full. They have advanced from one degree of wickedness to another, adding daily to their lawlessness. I will no longer interfere to prevent the destroyer from doing his work.’”

The Review and Herald, September 17, 1901.

When Jesus was asked to destroy the Samaritans who had re- jected Him, He replied to His disciples, “‘You do not know whatmanner of spirit you are of. For the Son of man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’ And they went to another village.” Luke 9:55, 56.

“There can be no more conclusive evidence that we possess the spirit of Satan than the disposition to hurt and destroy those who do not appreciate our work, or who act contrary to our ideas.”

The Desire of Ages, 487.

“Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan’s government. The Lord’s principles are not of this order. His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God’s government is moral, and truth and love are to be the pre-vailing power.” The Desire of Ages, 759.

“The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God’s government; He desires only the service of love; and love cannot be commanded; it cannot be won by force or authority.” The Desire of  Ages,

22.We know that God does nothing that is contrary to the principles of His government. Therefore, He does not use force. “Sickness, suffering, and death are work of an antagonistic power. Satan is the destroyer; God is the restorer.” The Ministry of Healing, 113.

Here is a compilation of statements, emphatic and clear, asserting that God is not an executioner, does not punish, and destroys no one.

 

Love

Love is patient and love in Kind

thank God for His kind of Love.