Jesus Taught by Both Words and Example

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Jesus Taught by Both Words and Example

Today's Text: For neither did his brethren believe in him. John 7:5

The Message:      The people saw that the Holy Spirit was resting upon Jesus at the age of twelve. He felt something of the burden of the mission for which He had come to our world....      He understands the temptations of children, for He bore their sorrows and trials. Firm and steadfast was His purpose to do the right; though others tried to lead Him to do evil, yet He never did wrong, and would not turn away in the least from the path of truth and right. He always obeyed His parents, and did every duty that lay in His path.      But His childhood and youth were anything but smooth and joyous. His spotless life aroused the envy and jealousy of His brethren, for they did not believe on Him. They were annoyed because He did not act in all things as they did and would not become one with them in doing evil.-The Youth's Instructor, November 28, 1895.      Because He was so quick to see what was false and what was true, His brethren were greatly annoyed at Him, for they said that whatever the priest taught ought to be considered as sacred as a command of God. But Jesus taught both by His words and by His example that people ought to worship God just as He has directed them to worship Him, and not follow the ceremonies that religious leaders have said ought to be followed....      The priests and the Pharisees also were annoyed because this Child would not accept their human inventions, maxims, and traditions.... Failing to convince Him that He ought to look upon human traditions as sacred, they came to Joseph and Mary and complained that Jesus was taking a wrong course in regard to their customs and traditions. Jesus knew what it was to have His family divided against Him on account of His religious faith. He loved peace; He craved the love and confidence of the members of His family; but He knew what it was to have them withdraw their affection from Him. He suffered rebuke and censure because He took a straightforward course and would not do evil because others did evil, but was true to the commandments of Jehovah....      The scribes, rabbis, and Pharisees could not force Jesus to turn from the Word of God and follow human traditions, but they could influence His brethren in such a way that His life might become a very bitter one. His brethren threatened Him and sought to compel Him to take a wrong course, but He passed on, making the Scriptures His guide.-The Youth's Instructor, December 5, 1895.

Commentary: My friend, as Jesus was growing up, He held fast to the path of righteousness.  He placed a thus sayeth the Lord ahead of a thus sayeth the church of His day.  As Jesus grew He would not let man-made traditions steer Him from the path of righteousness.  Many in the church today pride themselves into thinking that they are like Christ, holding only the Scriptures to lead them, but in fact are like the Scribes and Pharisees of old, placing their man-made traditions ahead of the plain statements of the Word of God. When Jesus came to reveal the Father to the world, He did not reveal to us a trinity, but pointed us to the One true God, calling us to pray "Our Father which art in heaven, Hollowed by thy name."  (Matthew 6:9).  Commending Peter when he declared that He was the Son of the living God, saying "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 16:17), and praying to His Father He said "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3). Throughout His ministry Jesus revealed to us His Father, declaring that He is the only true God and that He was the Son of God.  Yet today the church teaches an altogether different God from the God that Jesus declared when He was on this earth.  It teaches that God is not one being, but actually three beings who are one in spirit, one in nature, and one in purpose.  It teaches that the Son of God is not literally a son, but has only taken upon himself the role of a son that we may understand who God is.  Nowhere in the Scriptures is the trinity defined, only through the traditions of man is it taught. The trinity denies that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and makes God to be a liar.  1 John 2:22 says "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also."  In this way the church has been deceived. The Seventh-day Adventist church is the church of Laodicea spoken of in Revelation 3:14-22 and of the church 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:" (Revelation 3:17).  Their spiritual condition sickens Him and He says "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:16).  They are in this condition because they have accepted a righteousness that is not of Christ, for He counsels them saying in verse 18 "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." The Seventh-day Adventist church has accepted the false god of the trinity, and no longer have the righteousness of Christ, and Jesus is no longer leading the Seventh-day Adventist church, for He is depicted in verse 20 as being on the outside seeking to gain entrance to the church.  It is time for us to stand up for the truth and expose the trinity for what it truly is, a doctrine of the devil disguised as truth to separate the people of God from the only power that can give them victory over sin. My friend, please open your heart to the true Spirit of God that your eyes may be opened to the deception that has been played upon us all.  It is time to awake as from sleep, that we may worship the One true God as revealed to us through His Son Jesus Christ. God bless,

Video of the Week Trinity Salutations - Nader Mansour Does the Trinity ever send salutations? Nader Mansour examines the New Testament evidence in this study to see the understanding of all the NT authors. There's a consistent and persistent pattern that emerges. The Trinity never greets anyone.  This is part 1 of a 2 part study. Presented at the Wellington NZ camp, April 2018