Suffering under oppression and tyranny, the American colonies crafted a declaration of independence from British rule stating "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
T hus, the United States of America was founded upon Protestant principles of liberty and freedom, and recognized these were not granted by the state, but by the Creator God. The government was to recognize these as "unalienable rights."
The Constitution and its Bill of Rights specifically guarantee rights to its citizens. The first amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Thus, any who would call for a religious law that would dictate how or when we are to worship God, would be directly attacking the freedom granted by God and the Constitution of the United States. Our liberty was obtained at great expense. One does not have to be a Christian to appreciate America is the land of liberty. Each citizen must do all in his power to preserve that liberty.
Constitutional Convention
Constitution
Protestant Reformation
Where did these great truths come from? They are Protestant truths that served as the foundation of the Protestant Reformation. There was no freedom of conscience in the Roman Church. Millions were killed in an effort to force compliance with a religion that held her people in bondage to the dictates of church dogma rather than living free in Christ Jesus. The Bible teachings of the Apostle Paul were discovered after many years of darkness. It was understood that man is justified by his faith in Christ, not by his works of penance. Neither works nor money (indulgences) can buy that which is freely given to repentant sinners. The soul must be left free to choose whom it will serve. It is not to be constrained by church dogma and threatened with the rack if non-compliant.
Those who came to America seeking freedom from kings and popes learned they needed to be protected by laws that gave all citizens the right to liberty of conscience, and freedom from religious and political tyranny. They had seen the evil when power is vested in kings and popes, thus they established a system of government where the rights of the individual were protected from majority rule. The founders of America recognized the dangers inherent in a powerful central government, and so wrote the Constitution to provide the greatest protection from it and other powerful institutions.
Losing freedom
It is apparent that Americans are losing their freedoms established by the Constitution. Religious rights are trampled upon, the central government has secured unto itself rights reserved for the states. And, most threatening of all is the papal power which is seeking to reestablish its rule over the world. The Roman pope was invited to stand in the halls of freedom to address the Congress of the United States of America. It was given opportunity to work towards its ultimate goal to "change times and laws" in the United States and then in the world.
photo: Architect of the Capitol
Francis with Roman Catholic cardinals and friends admire a statue of a Roman Catholic priest.
A move to remove the statue failed when Hispanic Catholics in California objected.
Almost 20 years ago Pope John Paul II called for the nations of the world to legislate Sunday laws.[1] He acknowledged it was the Roman Church that influenced the Roman government to legislate the first Sunday law. "Only in the fourth century did the civil law of the Roman Empire recognize the weekly recurrence, determining that on 'the day of the sun' the judges, the people of the cities and the various trade corporations would not work."[1] It was then not known as the Sabbath, but "the day of the sun" because it was a pagan day of worship. The church had incorporated pagan rites into its worship services. Christians were still worshiping on the seventh day Sabbath.
"The distinction of Sunday from the Jewish Sabbath grew ever stronger in the mind of the Church, even though there have been times in history when, because the obligation of Sunday rest was so emphasized, the Lord's Day tended to become more like the Sabbath. Moreover, there have always been groups within Christianity which observe both the Sabbath and Sunday as 'two brother days.'
"When, through the centuries, she has made laws concerning Sunday rest, the Church has had in mind above all the work of servants and workers, certainly not because this work was any less worthy when compared to the spiritual requirements of Sunday observance, but rather because it needed greater regulation to lighten its burden and thus enable everyone to keep the Lord's Day holy. In this matter, my predecessor Pope Leo XIII in his Encyclical Rerum Novarum spoke of Sunday rest as a worker's right which the State must guarantee. In our own historical context there remains the obligation to ensure that everyone can enjoy the freedom, rest and relaxation which human dignity requires, together with the associated religious, family, cultural and interpersonal needs which are difficult to meet if there is no guarantee of at least one day of the week on which people can both rest and celebrate."[1]
In a most clever manner, the Vatican now has purposed to encourage nations to legislate Sunday laws under the guise of protecting the environment and giving the family a day of rest. In this effort will be secured the unity it has been seeking since the "deadly wound" was healed. In a church racked by corruption which included homosexual priests being protected by the church after molesting boys for years, we now see a "humble" Jesuit who has brought into the Roman Church the "oppressed and downtrodden." While not yielding up her supremacy, she is all encompassing. As it has always been, even pagan rites are allowed into her domain. Church traditions have precedence over Bible doctrine.
In America, churches professing to be Protestant are crossing over the abyss and are aligning with their "mother church." Roman Catholicism, which at heart contradicts Protestant principles of Sola Scriptura and justification by faith, changed the day of Worship from the seventh day of the week to the first day. Now, both professing Protestant churches and the Vatican are aiming to make the false Sabbath a legislated day of rest. As with Islam, the Roman Church has no respect for the Constitution of the United States and is openly encouraging duly elected United States Congressmen and the President of the United States to make Sunday the day of rest. We will continue to follow up on this in the near future.
America, world's last great hope for freedom
America was the world's last great hope for freedom. When America speaks as a dragon we may know freedom is lost. But, though we lose our freedom in this world, or have our bodies burned, we have been set free in Christ Jesus. There is still a profession of standing for freedom in America. Its Congress just voted to call the evil perpetrated upon non-Muslims by the Islamic State, genocide. But, even so, the current administration is not rushing to agree. That administration which is working hard to circumvent the Constitution has as its leader a man who in light of his failure to condemn such heinous crimes, attempted to downplay the Muslim slaughter of innocents by saying “humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history. And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.” Yes, it is true. And so it was on the other side also. A god-fearing leader would have condemned both sides for their past history, and would have condemned the Islamic State as they tortured, raped, and murdered men, women, and children who refused to deny Christ and accept Islam.
Satan had 6,000 years to prepare for our day
What we see today is the culmination of cleverly laid plans that if possible would deceive the very elect. But, the elect are walking in the Spirit and looking unto Jesus and reading from His Word. They will not be deceived, for are not looking to man, but to Christ for their wisdom. The last test to come to humanity is something so basic that God has kept it until the very end of this world's history. To whom will we give our allegiance? Will we follow the laws of man or the commandments of God? And, the last test is exactly that, one of the commandments written by God's own hand on tables of stone. Will we keep His commandment or the false commandment enforced by an alliance of church and state?
The fourth commandment is why I walked into a Seventh-day Adventist Church having never heard a church evangelist, not having family in the church, and not knowing anything about the state of the dead, a loving God who does not burn the sinner for eternity, or any other church doctrine. It was only understanding there was nothing in the Bible to undo one of God's ten commandments. Yes, it took some study to set aside the lies about the Sabbath, but it was not that difficult to understand. If I had a consecrated teacher, it would have been rather easy to arrive at the truth sooner. But, the point being is there are many who love God and want to keep His commandments, and they will learn the truth as they pray about why it is Christians are being persecuted for keeping one of God's ten commandments.
Then, if this is so obvious, how can it be that Satan has been so clever with his plan to deceive? There is a difference between those who love God and keep His commandments and those who don't. The professor of faith who is not fully surrendered will be taken snare if he rejects the simple truths about God's holy day. We understand the sun day is a religious matter. It is the belief by most of the Protestant world that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday. But, there is nothing in Scripture to support such a teaching. As we near the end, disasters will be more frequent. The false pastors, unable to meet the truth of the Sabbath commandment from Scripture, will point to the disasters as God's displeasure for the sun day being desecrated. Having understood it is a religious law which will be legislated with the influence of both professing Protestant pastors and Catholic leaders, we have missed the clever plans now being put forth by the pope himself. If we go back to last year, we see he was advocating for restriction on burning fossil fuels in an effort to reverse global warming, now being called "climate change". Why would he take such a strong stand on this issue? At first, it appears to fit with his socialist agenda. But, as last year progressed, it became more apparent Satan had been working on another issue. He set the stage for what is the Vatican's uppermost challenge, to "think to change the times and laws"(Daniel 7:25) in regards to one of God's ten commandments.
"Mother Earth" encyclical
Pope Francis published his "environmental" encyclical June 18, 2015.[2] When we read how he began, we will better see how the stage was set far before he ever became pope. Why did he choose the name "Francis"? He said he chose to be called after St. Francis of Assisi, “the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation,” the same created world “with which we don’t have such a good relationship.”
Francis appears to be an honest man, but however well intentioned, he is marching down the wrong path. If one were to take time to carefully read his entire encyclical, most would be surprised at how much truth is revealed in this very thorough work. I was reminded of a statement most of us will be familiar with: "In the professed Christian world enough is expended for jewels and needlessly expensive dress to feed all the hungry and to clothe the naked." Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, pg 302. One cannot argue with the lifestyle of Jorge Mario Bergoglio either before or after he became pope. Here is a short statement that reveals some of the truth in his encyclical.
"The existence of laws and regulations is insufficient in the long run to curb bad conduct, even when effective means of enforcement are present. If the laws are to bring about significant, long-lasting effects, the majority of the members of society must be adequately motivated to accept them, and personally transformed to respond. Only by cultivating sound virtues will people be able to make a selfless ecological commitment. A person who could afford to spend and consume more but regularly uses less heating and wears warmer clothes, shows the kind of convictions and attitudes which help to protect the environment. There is a nobility in the duty to care for creation through little daily actions, and it is wonderful how education can bring about real changes in lifestyle. Education in environmental responsibility can encourage ways of acting which directly and significantly affect the world around us, such as avoiding the use of plastic and paper, reducing water consumption, separating refuse, cooking only what can reasonably be consumed, showing care for other living beings, using public transport or car-pooling, planting trees, turning off unnecessary lights, or any number of other practices. All of these reflect a generous and worthy creativity which brings out the best in human beings. Reusing something instead of immediately discarding it, when done for the right reasons, can be an act of love which expresses our own dignity."[2]
Francis began his encyclical quoting Francis Assisi. “ 'Praise be to you, my Lord'. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. 'Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.' ” These words were penned long before the hippies began their love affair with "Mother Earth." This is a revelation of the pope and his intense desire to join forces with those who are fighting to protect "Mother Earth." In one very pointed publication, the pope has unified an army which will demand one day a week be set aside as a day of rest wherein "Mother" may rest from the attack by cruel mankind. That day will not be the Sabbath of the Lord, but it will be the sun day. It has been labeled by some as the "Green Sabbath."
Obama statement on encyclical
On the very same day the pope's message was published, the President of the United States immediately responded. "I welcome His Holiness Pope Francis's encyclical, and deeply admire the Pope's decision to make the case - clearly, powerfully, and with the full moral authority of his position - for action on global climate change." [3] This comes as no surprise, it is a plank in the Democrat Party's platform. It is very sad to hear an American president address the pope as "His Holiness" and to give him "full moral authority" when he is but a man even though he is called "Vicar of Christ." This is not a Christian attitude, nor is it in harmony with the Protestant heritage of America.
Protestant America Crossing the Abyss
photo: Architect of the Capitol
The Vatican leader was invited to address Congress by the Republican leader of the House of Representatives and the Democratic Vice President who is the leader of the Senate. Both are Roman Catholics. The pope's address was just what all thought it would be, a statement of Roman Catholic beliefs which were presented to encourage American politicians to follow that path. The statement made regarding religious "fundamentalism" as a danger was a warning.
"We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms. But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners. The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps."[4]
While God is separating the sheep from the goats, the "Vicar of Christ" is demanding no such separation take place. God forbid there would be two groups, saints and sinners. Soon, very soon, those two groups will be forever fixed. Characters will have been formed that none can escape. "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." Revelation 22:11.
"Polarization" is taking place, and we know he will confront it. The long arm of the state will be used in an attempt to stamp out that small group that refuses to join the ecumenical movement. The whole world is being unified before our very eyes. Both conservatives and liberals will join forces in paying homage to the image being created.
Pope Addresses United Nations
On September 25th, 2015, Francis addressed the United Nations assembled in New York on their 70th anniversary. He expressed his hope for action on the subject of "climate change."
"The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the World Summit, which opens today, is an important sign of hope. I am similarly confident that the Paris Conference on Climatic Change will secure fundamental and effective agreements. Solemn commitments, however, are not enough, although they are certainly a necessary step toward solutions. The classic definition of justice which I mentioned earlier contains as one of its essential elements a constant and perpetual will.....Our world demands of all government leaders a will which is effective, practical and constant, concrete steps and immediate measures for preserving and improving the natural environment...." [5]
Paris summit meeting
Both the President of the United States and the pope, the two most powerful men in the world, had been expressing their hopes the Paris Summit on climate change would yield success in reducing the use of fossil fuels. The Paris Summit is the United Nations "Conference of the Parties 21." The intent of the United Nations, the pope, and the president is to bring about change in the world. The subject of "Parties 21" is something which is important to understand, as it pertains to the sovereignty of nations, or more pointedly, the removal of national sovereignty.
The Paris Summit was an attempt at social engineering. It is more than an attempt to reduce the use of fossil fuels. It sought to have the wealthy nations of the world not only pay for their production of carbon dioxide, but to pay for the poorer nations share also. It is income redistribution. As the majority of the nations seek for this change in social relations the pope and president are calling for, there is a clever plan to relax the need for taking from the rich to give to the poor. What if all of the nations of the world were to agree to cease doing business one day a week? This would create a huge reduction in the production of carbon dioxide. Businesses and factories, trains, ships, and trucks would cease burning fossil fuel. There would be no need for the wealthy to subsidize the poor.
Who could object? The great burden to pay for the cost of climate change would be lifted off the backs of the wealthy. The unions would be pleased. Their workers would be assured of one day a week off. Families would be together one day a week. This agreement would allow "Mother Earth" to rest one day a week. There appears to be only one small group who will contest this arrangement to have a "Green Sabbath."
Sunday rest
The urgent need for climate change action is uniting environmentalists with unions workers. The question comes up, which day shall we rest upon? The environmentalists don't care. One day in seven will be fine. But, to close businesses on different days is not workable. So, we have to agree on which day the world will rest. For the world to agree on such a matter, it will need the participation and leadership of the United States. Is this something the Democrats and Republicans can agree on? They are generally opposed to each other on most political issues. Could the two sides agree on having a day of rest, and if so, can they agree on which day? One of the two most powerful men in the world, some would say he is the most powerful, has already made the decision as to which day will be the day of rest. The pope and his predecessors already have proclaimed Sunday as a sacred day. Is it possible America could agree?
In an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, it seems unlikely President Obama would disagree. The base of his party includes labor unions who have been pushing for Sunday laws in Europe for some time. And, on the Republican side, conservatives would be happy to not have to pay for climate change. Also, there is a large Evangelical base in the party that already views Sunday as the Sabbath.
With the United States providing leadership, it would seem the United Nations, the pope, the environmentalists, the labor unions, and the Evangelical Christians will find success in seeking Sunday as the day "Mother Earth" can rest. The whole world will be willing to refrain from work on the sun day. “It’s the alliance between science and religion and policy that’s going to save us,” said Veerabhadran Ramanathan, professor of atmospheric and climate sciences at the University of California, San Diego.[6]
We now see a push for the "Green Sabbath". Just one day a week, let the Earth rest. The idea of resting one day a week is catching on. The global warming people are on to this as THE solution to reduce the use of fossil fuels. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a Center for Collective Intelligence that came up with the idea of resting one day a week to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
"Hitting the climate change targets agreed in Paris is estimated to cost $16.5trn. But, there's hardly any costs to keeping Green Sabbath days to cut carbon emissions!!! It's a solution that will have a profound impact on climate change for little to no capital investment! Once A Week can result in over 15% annual emission reduction per country. Participation by only top carbon dioxide emitting countries will have the largest impact in climate change!"[7]
When the church and the environmentalists agree on one day a week, how hard will it be to select which day? The pope has a ready answer, as do the labor unions, and the Protestant churches in America.
Objections to "forcing" a day of rest
There will be a few who will not accept legislation making Sunday a day of rest. They will fight such an attempt. And, they will be despised by the world. What can be done to quiet this small group that not only object, but insist on not working on the Bible Sabbath? Not being able to refute their Bible doctrine, the pastors from the Sunday churches will point to the disasters taking place at an increasing rate as the result of the desecration of Sunday. It is God's wrath upon an impenitent world. The penalties for breaking the Sunday rest will be increased. And, those who speak against the world's desire to make Sunday special will be persecuted for their beliefs. The laws against hate speech will be strengthened. If one's religion is said to be the cause of resting on the Sunday, that will be a violation of the hate speech law. And, who will side with those who are attempting to swim against the current? None, accept those who are moved by Biblical principle.
Could this battle devolve into physical violence against the little group resisting the sun day laws? That would seem contrary to what we see happening in the world today. There is much concern about violence. And, there is even serious discussion about using speech that may encourage others to violence. Many are pointing fingers at Donald Trump in response to his words which are felt to have encouraged violence. Is this fair? Trump's speech appears to be a concern. “I’m sorry but you’re 100 votes short, even though the next one is 500 votes short, I think you would have problems like you’ve never seen before. I think bad things would happen, I really do. I believe that. I wouldn’t lead it but I think bad things would happen.” [8] He is unhappy, therefore he says "bad things would happen." Because someone disagrees with me, is that an excuse to use physical violence? Someone was punched at one of his rallies. Is it ok to punch someone because you don't like what they said? The one who threw the punch has been charged with a crime.
The holy book of Islam prescribes punishment for those who speak against Muḥammad. This is foreign to America. Islam at its heart does not believe in a separation between church and state. Many Muslims today desire to have laws that dictate how we are to worship God. They would have the state punish those whose speech was unacceptable to their religion. Are there others who have the same beliefs?
We understand there is a limit to free speech when it calls for violence. Islam calling for violence against those who do not agree with their religion is not tolerated in America, or at least it never used to be under the Constitution. And, when we see some politicians which appear to accept physical violence at their campaign rallies we question the legality of such actions. And, we hear a great deal in the media today as a result. Is it legal to use free speech to threaten a punch if one does not like what someone says? Not according to the mainstream media in America, and not according to the law.
Pope threatens violence
Last year, Francis was commenting on the murder of innocents in Paris, how wrong it was. Then he said something that justifies violence in response to what someone says. I am sure some Americans were surprised to hear the "Vicar of Christ" say "If my good friend Dr Gasparri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch,” “It’s normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others.”[9] I don't believe I have heard anyone in the media report this as being similar to the threats being made by Trump. Thus, we get a glimpse of the principles which will soon be used against those who rise up against the false Sabbath Day of rest. Do we think the media will be sympathetic to those who are standing against the whole world?
What are we to do?
We must resist any attempt to make a national Sunday law. There were some who saw the urgency to be at the Capitol Building when the pope came to address the U.S. Congress. What did they see, and what did they hear? Were there cardinals on the ground prior to the pope's address? There were. What were they doing on Capitol Hill?
Are there attempts being made to reach the lawmakers with the truth? What can we do to resist the Sunday laws that are coming?
When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near." Vol 5, Testimonies For the Church, pg 451 (1885).
It is not only the Roman Church that has turned to the state to enforce religious doctrine, we see it today and in the past with Islam where there is no separation of church and state. Islam employs the state to punish dissent from her doctrines. Today in India we see a strong move of the state to punish dissenters from the Hindu religion. In Greece their Constitution gives the state the right to enforce religious doctrine. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Church of England persecuted those of other faiths. Pastors were forced to leave their churches. They and their church members were subjected to fines, imprisonment, torture, and death.
As we near the end of this world's history, we ought to have learned the lesson. But, spiritual things are spiritually discerned. The world is not improving its morality, it is falling lower and lower as Jesus predicted. "As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37. In the days of Noah the world was so evil, God destroyed every living thing except what was in the sea and on the ark. The world is approaching that moral condition today.
As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord's instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head--the papal power--the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate. While he seeks to unite his agents in warring against the truth he will work to divide and scatter its advocates. Jealousy, evil surmising, evilspeaking, are instigated by him to produce discord and dissension. The members of Christ's church have the power to thwart the purpose of the adversary of souls. At such a time as this let them not be found at variance with one another or with any of the Lord's workers. Amidst the general discord let there be one place where harmony and unity exist because the Bible is made the guide of life. Vol 7, Testimonies For the Church, pg 182.
Now is the time to lay up treasure in heaven, and to set our hearts in order, ready for the time of trouble. Those only who have clean hands and a pure heart will stand that trying time. Now is the time for the law of God to be in our minds (foreheads), and written in our hearts. The Lord has shown me the danger of letting our minds be filled with worldly thoughts and cares. I saw that some minds were led away from present truth and a love of the holy Bible, by reading other exciting books; and others were filled with perplexity and care for what they shall eat, drink and wear. I saw some, looking too far off for the coming of the Lord. Time has continued on a few years longer than they expected, therefore they think it may continue a few years more, and in this way their minds are being led from present truth, out after the world. In these things I saw great danger; for if the mind is filled with other things, present truth is shut out, and there is no place in our foreheads for the seal of the living God. This seal is the Sabbath. I saw that the time for Jesus to be in the most holy place was nearly finished, and that time can last but a very little longer; and what leisure time we have should be spent in searching the Bible, which is to judge us in the last day.
My Dear Brethren and Sisters:--Let the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ be in your minds continually, and let them crowd worldly thoughts and cares from the mind. When you lie down, and when you rise up, let them be your meditation. Live, and act wholly in reference to the coming of the Son of Man. The sealing time is very short, and soon will be over. Now is the time to make our calling and election sure, while the four angels are holding the four winds. Broadside2, January 31, 1849.
"The commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ." We are presenting the "testimony of Jesus Christ" and our subject is pointing to one of the commandments of God which is the last test to come to mankind. How about the counsel to let these "be in your minds continually"? What occupies our minds each day? How important is it that our minds be focused on Christ and His Word, continually? Is that possible when we are working? I think so.
Let's look at a couple examples to fortify the counsel in our minds. When Peter was walking on water, why did he fall? Moses' life after he began the exodus from Egypt was one of faithfulness in all the house of the Lord. What went wrong when he struck the Rock, took the glory to himself, and was angry with the people? Both Peter and Moses took their minds off of Christ and allowed "unbelief" to fill their minds. There is no greater sin than unbelief. It is the opposite of faith.
If we are going to help others prepare for what is coming, if we are going to pass the test ourselves, if we are going to run with the chariots, then we had better be running with the "footmen" today. "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?" Jeremiah 12:5. God has promised He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. Each day He measures our trials for us. But, this is a conditional promise based on our having our minds under the control of the Spirit of God. We must be in a converted state in order to resist the smallest temptation. Without Christ we have no power to do any good thing for the right reason.
If we are going to give the three angels message, then we need to be living it. Many today do not understand they are living in the anti-typical Day of Atonement in which they will be judged not only by their deeds, but by their words, thoughts, and motives which are written down in the books of heaven. "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Revelation 20:12. We are saved by grace through our faith, but our works will reveal if we have by faith accepted the grace of Christ into the heart. "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 12:36, 37.
If this is not plain enough to persuade the many who have believed a lie, then read from the "testimony of Jesus." Every man's work passes in review before God and is registered for faithfulness or unfaithfulness. Opposite each name in the books of heaven is entered with terrible exactness every wrong word, every selfish act, every unfulfilled duty, and every secret sin, with every artful dissembling. Heaven-sent warnings or reproofs neglected, wasted moments, unimproved opportunities, the influence exerted for good or for evil, with its far-reaching results, all are chronicled by the recording angel. The law of God is the standard by which the characters and the lives of men will be tested in the judgment. Says the wise man: "Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment." Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14. The apostle James admonishes his brethren: "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." James 2:12. The Great Controversy, pg 482.
Jesus speaks to a Laodicean church today. He says "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Revelation 3:17-19.
If Jesus did not love us, He would not have reproved us and given us the solution to our lost condition. This is a message of hope and love to a people who do not know they are lost and in continual need of Jesus to do any good thing. Is Jesus waiting for us to respond to His message of mercy? No, He is not idly waiting, but He stands at the door of the heart, knocking, wanting entrance. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20. If we do not allow Him in, then we have no power to overcome sin. But, if we heed the counsel of the True Witness, then we will be ready when Jesus comes to take us home. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne." Revelation 3:21.
In 1888 the latter rain began to fall. The righteousness of Christ was proclaimed in God's church. The church was in a Laodicean condition. It had been preaching "the law, the law, the law, until it was as dry as the hills of Gilboa." The message revealed Christ in the law. It revealed the loveliness of Christ and His great love for the sinner. It did not do away with the law in any manner. The law reveals the character of God and the character of those who have made a full surrender to Jesus. When the sinner repents and makes a full surrender of self to Christ, the Holy Spirit takes possession of the heart. This is what Jesus meant when He told Nicodemus he must be born again of the Spirit. This brings about a radical transformation of character. The repentant sinner is a partaker of God's divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Filled with the Spirit, the new born Christian reveals all of the fruits of His Spirit. "When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." Desire of Ages, pg 676.
The leadership of the church rejected the 1888 message. The reason why we are still on this Earth is because we have yet to receive it. Righteousness by faith, is justification by faith. When we understand what it means to be justified by faith, then we will understand the three angels message, for that is the message. Let us open the door to our hearts that Jesus might come in.
Eternity stretches before us. The curtain is about to be lifted. What are we doing, what are we thinking of, that we cling to our selfish love of ease, while all around us souls are perishing? Have our hearts become utterly callous? Can we not see and understand that we have a work to do in behalf of others? My brethren and sisters, are you among those who having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not? Is it in vain that God has given you a knowledge of his will? Is it in vain that he has sent you warning after warning of the nearness of the end? Do you believe the declarations of his Word concerning what is coming upon the world? Do you believe that God's judgments are hanging over the inhabitants of the earth? How, then, can you sit at ease, careless and indifferent?
Every day that passes brings us nearer the end. We are one year nearer the judgment, nearer eternity, than we were at the beginning of 1905. Are we also nearer to God? Are we watching unto prayer? Another year of the time granted us for labor has rolled into eternity. Every day we have been associating with men and women who are judgment-bound. Each day may have been the dividing line for some soul. Each day some one may have made the decision which will determine his future destiny. What has been our influence over these fellow travelers? What effort have we put forth to bring them to Christ? "The Time of the End", Review and Herald - November 23, 1905
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[1] May 31, 1998, ENCYCLICAL LETTER, DES DOMINI Pope John Paul II https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1998/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_05071998_dies-domini.html
[2] June 18, 2015, ENCYCLICAL LETTER, LAUDATO SI’ Pope Francis on CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
[3 ] Statement by the American President on Pope Francis’ Encyclical
I welcome His Holiness Pope Francis's encyclical, and deeply admire the Pope's decision to make the case - clearly, powerfully, and with the full moral authority of his position - for action on global climate change.
As Pope Francis so eloquently stated this morning, we have a profound responsibility to protect our children, and our children's children, from the damaging impacts of climate change. I believe the United States must be a leader in this effort, which is why I am committed to taking bold actions at home and abroad to cut carbon pollution, to increase clean energy and energy efficiency, to build resilience in vulnerable communities, and to encourage responsible stewardship of our natural resources. We must also protect the world's poor, who have done the least to contribute to this looming crisis and stand to lose the most if we fail to avert it.
I look forward to discussing these issues with Pope Francis when he visits the White House in September. And as we prepare for global climate negotiations in Paris this December, it is my hope that all world leaders--and all God's children--will reflect on Pope Francis's call to come together to care for our common home.
[4] September 24, 2015 United States Congress; Pope Francis' Address
http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/francis/papal-visit-2015/media-resources/upload/11-EN-congressional-address.pdf
[5] September 25, 2015 United Nations; Pope Francis' Address https://tribwpix.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/un-general-assembly-address-english.pdf
[7] Massachusetts Institute of Technology http://climatecolab.org/plans/-/plans/contests/2015/harnessing-the-power-of-mit-alumni/c/proposal/1326514
[9] The Independent January 15, 2015 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/charlie-hebdo-pope-francis-says-those-who-ridicule-others-religions-should-expect-a-punch-9980192.html
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