God’s Dealing With Sin

1. God’s Dealing With Sin The Justice of God’s Love

2. Understanding the principles of God’s Government and the issues involved in the Great Controversy are imperative to the development of character in those who will constitute the Remnant of the Woman’s Seed.

3. This essential knowledge has been masterfully hidden for centuries by the popular Church of the dark ages, and their traditions are handed down to us. We are now in a position to clear the rubbish of error that has been veiling the truth of the nature of God’s government, that it may be vindicated to the world and the on-looking universe.

4. Rome Represents Satan “Satan misrepresented God to the world, as he did to Adam and Eve…”ST 5-16-00 “Rome had misrepresented the character of God and perverted His requirements, and now men rejected both the Bible and its Author.” GC 281

5. Tradition & Misinterpretation “(Men) fail of a satisfactory understanding of the great problem of evil, from the fact that tradition and misinterpretation have obscured the teaching of the Bible concerning the character of God, the nature of His government, and the principles of His dealing with sin.” GC 492

6. How God is Viewed • “Many conceive of the Christian's God as a being whose attribute is stern justice,--one who is a severe judge, a harsh, exacting creditor. The Creator has been pictured as a being who is watching with jealous eye to discern the errors and mistakes of men, that He may visit judgment upon them. In the minds of thousands, love and sympathy and tenderness are associated with the character of Christ, while God is regarded as the law-giver, inflexible, arbitrary, devoid of sympathy for the beings He has made. {BTS, November 1, 1908 par. 1}

7. False Concept of God - Baal Worship “Thousands have a false conception of God and His attributes. They are as verily serving a false god as were the servants of Baal. Are we worshiping the true God as He is revealed in His Word, in Christ, in nature, or are we adoring some philosophical idol enshrined in His place?” FLB 59

8. Christ Defines God’s Government • “Through nature, through types and symbols, through patriarchs and prophets, God had spoken to the world. Lessons must be given to humanity in the language of humanity. The Messenger of the covenant must speak. His voice must be heard in His own temple. Christ must come to utter words which should be clearly and definitely understood. He, the author of truth, must separate truth from the chaff of man's utterance, which had made it of no effect. The principles of God's government and the plan of redemption must be clearly defined. The lessons of the Old Testament must be fully set before men.” {DA 34.1}

9. Christ Defines God’s Government • “Through nature, through types and symbols, through patriarchs and prophets, God had spoken to the world. Lessons must be given to humanity in the language of humanity. The Messenger of the covenant must speak. His voice must be heard in His own temple. Christ must come to utter words which should be clearly and definitely understood. He, the author of truth, must separate truth from the chaff of man's utterance, which had made it of no effect. The principles of God's government and the plan of redemption must be clearly defined. The lessons of the Old Testament must be fully set before men.” {DA 34.1}

10. Christ Defines God’s Government • “Through nature, through types and symbols, through patriarchs and prophets, God had spoken to the world. Lessons must be given to humanity in the language of humanity. The Messenger of the covenant must speak. His voice must be heard in His own temple. Christ must come to utter words which should be clearly and definitely understood. He, the author of truth, must separate truth from the chaff of man's utterance, which had made it of no effect. The principles of God's government and the plan of redemption must be clearly defined. The lessons of the Old Testament must be fully set before men.” {DA 34.1}

11. Only Through Christ • “In the words, "They shall be all taught of God," Jesus referred to the prophecy of Isaiah: "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children." Isa. 54:13. This scripture the Jews appropriated to themselves. It was their boast that God was their teacher. But Jesus showed how vain is this claim; for He said, "Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me." Only through Christ could they receive a knowledge of the Father. Humanity could not endure the vision of His glory. Those who had learned of God had been listening to the voice of His Son, and in Jesus of Nazareth they would recognize Him who through nature and revelation has declared the Father.” {DA 387.5}

12. The Structure of Governments A Government is comprised of a three distinct fundamental functions for the maintenance of order among its citizens. In ancient Monarchical governmental systems, all three of these functions were constituted in one man, the King. The evolution of earthly governments brought a separation of these functions from each other into three distinct bodies - the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive.

13. The Legislature :- a body of persons having the power to legislate. i.e. to make or enact laws or to cause, create ,or bring about by legislation. (Making the Laws)

14. The Judiciary :- a branch of government in which judicial power is vested; of, or relating to a judgment; the function of judging; the administration of justice. (Interpreting the laws)

15. The Executive :- a body designed for or relating to the execution of the laws and the conduct of public affairs. (Executing the laws)

16. The Law Giver (The Legislature) The laws of the governments of men are arbitrary, depending on the choice or discretion of arbitrators, which involves the element of selection by random, sometimes without reason, creating the environment which nurtures despotism and tyranny.

17. The Law Giver (The Legislature) On the other hand, the Law of the Kingdom of God is Absolute, Eternal, Immutable.

18. The Law Giver (The Legislature) “The law of God is the expression of his character. God possesses absolute, invariable, and immutable independence, and his law is without variableness, unalterable, eternal, because it is the transcript of his character. …” ST 3-12-96

19. The Law Giver (The Legislature) God’s law is as eternal as He Himself. God’s law was not made by Him for creatures, it is an expression of His own nature and character. Therefore, God cannot function apart from and above His own law. In order for God to work above His law, He must be beside Himself.

20. The Court of God (The Judiciary) In the court of justice, examination is made of a case and a conclusion or judgment is determined based upon the evidence produced. This is called a Sentence.

21. The Court of God (The Judiciary) A sentence in court is a conclusion given on request or reached after deliberation. It is formally pronounced by a court or judge in a criminal proceeding, and also specifies the punishment to be inflicted upon the convict.

22. The Court of God (The Judiciary) The job of the judiciary therefore is merely to ensure that justice to the law, and to the one charged, is adhered to. It is to determine whether or not the defendant is guilty and if guilty affix the appropriate penalty. If not guilty of criminal charge, justice would therefore demand freedom for the defendant.

23. The Court of God (The Judiciary) In the courts of justice of this world, not only are there unjust arbitrary laws, which clash against just men of God, but there are also dishonest judges who interpret the law according to their debase judgment. Consider the Papal system of justice which is based upon fire and the sword. Luther was brought before the court.

24. The Court of God (The Judiciary) “…To bring their [Papist] arguments in contrast with the doctrines of Luther, which they knew they could not controvert, would prove a losing game to them. Justice and truth were principles which had no place in their system of faith or practice.The arguments which they could use with greatest effect against all opponents were fire and sword.” ST 8-2-83

25. The Court of God (The Judiciary) In the Universal Court of Justice, the Judge Himself, God, is on trial while performing His task of judging. His every sentence must be seen in accordance with absolute righteousness, being transparently clear to the jury - the on-looking universe.

26. The Court of God (The Judiciary) “…Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come…” Rev. 14:7 “…What will be the verdict of the judgment if you go to your farm, to your family, to your earthly affairs, and care not for the message of heaven? …” ST 8-8-92

27. The Court of God (The Judiciary) “The judgment scene will take place in the presence of all the worlds; for in this judgment the government of God will be vindicated, and His law will stand forth as "holy, and just, and good." Then every case will be decided, and sentence will be passed upon all. Sin will not then appear attractive, but will be seen in all its hideous magnitude.” Mar 284

28. The Court of God (The Judiciary) “Like the waters of the Flood the fires of the great day declare God's verdictthat the wicked are incurable. ”GC 543

29. God’s Executive System An execution is a judicial writ empowering an officer to carry out a judgment. It is important to understand that the declaration of judgment is not the execution of judgment. The declaration of judgment states the sentence with its affixed penalty, while the execution of judgment is the carrying out of the sentence by enforcing its penalty.

30. God’s Executive System Under the Divine administration, the guilty person cannot be arbitrarily cleared of the guilt for committing an offense. Every offense to the law must be justly acknowledged and executed to the satisfaction of that law. In declaring His character, His law, to Moses God says,

31. God’s Executive System “…The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering , and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty:…” Exodus 34:6,7

32. God’s Executive System “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”Eze. 18:4

33. God’s Executive System After the investigation of every case in heaven, there will be the declaration of judgment. Following, the executive judgment will commence. This is all pictured in Ezekiel 9.

34. Eze. 9: 2-6 “And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in , and stood beside the brazen altar. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;

35. Eze. 9: 2-6 “And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheadsof the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.”

36. Rev 7:1-4 “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God:

37. Rev 7:1-4 and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”

38. After Sealing Probation is Closed “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.” Rev 22:11

39. The Seal of God “What is the seal of the living God, which is placed in the foreheads of His people? It is a mark which angels, but not human eyes, can read; for the destroying angel must see this mark of redemption.” 4BC 1161

40. After Probation Closed, Wrath is Poured out “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:” Rev 14:10

41. Plagues Mixed With Mercy “The disasters of the past year in America have caused hearts to tremble, and similar disasters have fallen upon other countries. Already sprinklings from the vials of God's wrath have been let fall upon land and sea, affecting the elements of the air. The causes of these unusual conditions are being searched for, but in vain.” 3MR 312

42. Destroying Angels At Work “The destroying angels of God were at work. One touch, and buildings so thoroughly constructed that men regarded them as secure against every danger, quickly became heaps of rubbish…” A Call to Leave the Cities 9 “The destroying angels are today executing their commission. Death will come in all places....” PM 281

43. Restraining Destroying Agencies “Angels are keeping back the destroying agencies; for they have an intense interest for these rebellious sons, and they want to help them to return to the fold in safety and peace, that they may finally be over comers, and be saved, eternally saved with the family of God in heaven.” 7BC 923

44. Withdrawal of God’s Spirit “At this late hour shall the work of saving souls be retarded? Shall but little be done, when the curse of sin has grown to such proportions that already the Spirit of God, insulted, rejected, and abused, is being withdrawn from the earth? Just as fast as God's Spirit is taken away, Satan's cruel work will be done upon land and sea. Judgments by fire and flood will increase in fearfulness; for Satan claims his harvest of souls in the destruction.” YI 6-29-99

45. Satan’s Work in Nature “While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast.” CH 461

46. God’s Longsuffering EndedGC 623,624 “Fearful are the scenes which call forth this exclamation from the heavenly voice. The wrath of Satan increases as his time grows short, and his work of deceit and destruction reaches its culmination in the time of trouble. God's long-suffering has ended. The world has rejected His mercy, despised His love, and trampled upon His law. The wicked have passed the boundary of their probation, and the Lord withdraws His protection, and leaves them to the mercy of the leader they have chosen.

47. God’s Longsuffering EndedGC 623,624 “Satan will have power over those who have yielded themselves to his control, and he will plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.”

48. God’s Longsuffering EndedGC 623,624 “A single angel destroyed all the first-born of the Egyptians and filled the land with mourning. When David offended against God by numbering the people, one angel caused that terrible destruction by which his sin was punished. The same destructive power exercised by holy angels when God commands, will be exercised by evil angels when He permits. There are forces now ready, and only waiting the divine permission, to spread desolation everywhere.”

49. Final Work of Destruction Finally, the slaughter will take place mentioned by Ezekiel. “Ephraim is joined to his idols, leave him alone.” Hosea 4:17

50. Final Work of Destruction “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her…Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come.” Rev 18:8,10