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"Never Man Spake Like This Man"

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

"Never Man Spake Like This Man"
Today's Text:
Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. John 7:45, 46
The Message:

     Christ came to this world just as the Old Testament Scriptures foretold that He would come, but notwithstanding this, He was misapprehended and misjudged. The Pharisees were filled with a frenzy of hatred against Him, because they could see that His teaching had a power and an attractiveness of which their words were utterly devoid. They decided that the only way to cut off His influence was to pass sentence of death upon Him, and therefore they sent officers to take Him. But when these officers came within hearing of His voice, and listened to His gracious words, they were charmed into forgetting their errand....

     "Are ye also deceived?" the elders asked.... Nicodemus saith unto them, "Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?"

     The lesson that Christ had given to Nicodemus had not been in vain. Conviction had fastened upon his mind, and in his heart he had accepted Jesus. Since his interview with the Saviour, he had earnestly searched the Old Testament Scriptures, and he had seen truth placed in the setting of the gospel.

     The question asked by him was wise and would have commended itself to those presiding at the council had they not been deceived by the enemy. But they were so filled with prejudice that no argument in favor of Jesus of Nazareth, however convincing, had any weight with them. The answer that Nicodemus received was "Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look; for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet."

     The priests and rulers had been deceived, as Satan meant them to be, into believing that Christ came out of Galilee. Some who knew that He had been born in Bethlehem kept silent, that the falsehood might not be robbed of its power.

     The facts were plain. There was no dimness of the light. But the work of Christ was interpreted by different ones in accordance with the state of their minds....

     The Prince of Peace came to proclaim truth that was to bring harmony out of confusion. But He who came to bring peace and goodwill started a controversy that ended in His crucifixion.-Manuscript 31, 1889.


Commentary:

My friend, at the time of Christ, the Scribes and Pharisee's hated the teachings' of Jesus because it condemned their traditions, and they could not hold an argument against Him.  They sustained their practices by their traditions, but Jesus made plain the Word of God, and said of their traditions "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:7-9).

Today, the remnant church of God has fallen into the same deception as the Scribes and Pharisee's of old.  By the teaching of the trinity, they have put a man-made tradition in place of the One true God of the Bible.  They support this false doctrine by misinterpreting Scripture and adding to it that which is not supported by it.  The doctrine of the trinity is not explained anywhere in the Bible, nor did Jesus, or the Apostles teach it.  It is a concept of God that is foreign to plain texts of the Bible, such as John 17:3 when Jesus prayed to His Father prayed "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.", and 1 Corinthians 8:6 which says "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."

When this truth is pointed out and the light of truth is shown upon the trinity, the leaders of the church are quick to condemn, censure, and dis-fellow all those who would study this truth for themselves, and share it with others.  They claim church authority over the authority of Scripture, placing their interpretation as superior.  Rightly did Jesus condemn the Jews of old, and He also gives the church of today a distinct warning message saying "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 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 3:15-17).

The spiritual condition of the Laodicean church is sickening to God.  They have accepted a false righteousness over the righteousness of Christ, and as such He warns them to buy of Him white raiment that they may be clothed.  He says this because they do not have the righteousness of Christ.  Additionally, He is depicted as being on the outside seeking to gain entrance.  Through the church's adoption of the man-made doctrine of the trinity they have accepted a false righteousness, and unless they are zealous in their repentance, they will be spewed out of His mouth, meaning that He will no longer accept them as the chosen of God.

My friend, now is the time for us to search the Word of God diligently, that we may know who we are worshiping and to seek out our true condition before Him.

May you search your heart today.

God bless,
Video of the Week

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Matt Dooley of Line of Truth Ministries shares a message that looks at the Scriptures to answer this most important question.  Is Jesus truly the Son of God, or is it only a metaphor or a title.

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