Search the Scriptures to Confirm the Truth

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Search the Scriptures to Confirm the Truth Today's Text: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 The Message:      The Lord will not lead minds now to set aside the truth that the Holy Spirit has moved upon His servants in the past to proclaim. Many will honestly search the Word for light as those in the past have searched it; and they see light in the Word. But they did not pass over the ground, in their experience, when these messages of warning were first proclaimed. Not having had this experience, some do not appreciate the value of the truths that have been to us as waymarks, and that have made us as a peculiar people what we are. They do not make a right application of the Scriptures, and thus they frame theories that are not correct. It is true that they quote an abundance of Scripture, and teach much that is true; but truth is so mixed with error as to lead to wrong conclusions. Yet because they can weave Scripture into their theories, they think they have a straight chain of truth. Many who did not have an experience in the rise of the messages, accept these erroneous theories, and are led into false paths, backward instead of forward. This is the enemy's design.      Satan is working [so] that the history of the Jewish nation may be repeated in the experience of those who claim to believe present truth. The Jews had the Old Testament Scriptures and supposed themselves conversant with them. But they made a woeful mistake. The prophecies that refer to the glorious second appearing of Christ in the clouds of heaven they regarded as referring to His first coming. Because He did not come according to their expectations, they turned away from Him. Satan knew just how to take these men in his net, and deceive and destroy them.      Sacred, eternal truths had been given them in trust for the world. The treasures of the law and the gospel, united as closely as the Father is united with the Son, were to be presented to all the world. The prophet declares, "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God" [Isaiah 62:1-3].      This is that which the Lord had spoken concerning Jerusalem. But when Jesus came to our world just as prophecy had declared He would come, His divinity clothed with humanity, with majesty and lowliness combined, His mission was misunderstood. The delusive hope for a temporal prince led to misapplication of Scripture.      Jesus came as an infant of days, of poor parentage. But there were some who were willing to receive the heavenly Guest. For these the angel messengers veiled their glory, and the heavenly chorus rang over the hills of Bethlehem with hosannas to the newborn King. The humble shepherds believed Him, received Him, and worshiped Him. But the very ones who ought to have been the first to welcome Jesus did not discern Him. He was not the one their ambitious hopes desired. The false path they had entered, they continued to follow to the end. They became unteachable, self-righteous, and self-sufficient, fancying they possessed true light and that they were the only safe instructors of the people.      The very same Satan is at work to undermine the faith of the people of God at this time. There are persons ready to catch up every new idea. The prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation are misinterpreted. These persons do not consider that the truth has been set forth at the appointed time by the very men whom God was leading to do this special work. These men followed on step by step in the very fulfillment of prophecy, and those who have not had a personal experience in this work are to take the Word of God and believe on "their word" who have been led by the Lord in the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels' messages. These messages, received and acted upon, are doing their work to prepare a people to stand in the great day of God. If we search the Scriptures to confirm the truth God has given His servants for the world, we shall be found proclaiming the first, second, and third angels' messages.      It is true that there are prophecies yet to be fulfilled. But very erroneous work has been done again and again, and will continue to be done by those who seek to find new light in the prophecies, and who begin by turning away from the light that God has already given. The messages of Revelation 14 are those by which the world is to be tested; they are the everlasting gospel and are to be sounded everywhere.-Manuscript 32, 1896 (Manuscript Releases 17:12-15). *Note: I have added in the parts that were left out by the compilers for what ever reason, that the true sentiment of the author may be seen.  These parts are underlined. Commentary: My friend, the work that was done just after the great disappointment had a affect upon our church pioneers that could not be shaken by the winds of strife that was to come.  Their experience of anguish and perseverance led them into an experience that could not be shaken.  The truths that were revealed to them at that time was the foundation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.  And while the prophet of God and these pioneers were still alive the church remained undefiled by the false doctrines that plagued the fallen churches of Babylon. But when they were laid to rest, the work of Satan began to make inroads into the church.  Little by little the false doctrine of the trinity made its way into the minds of the people.  Though it was resisted by many, over time it began to be seen as new light from God until it was accepted by the church as one of its fundamental beliefs.  This supposed new light has been steadily corrupting the church and is the source of all of the heretical teachings that have and are coming into the church today.  This supposed new light is not new light but old error.  The trinity is the central foundation of the Roman Catholic Church and from it comes all of its doctrines to include Sunday sacredness. How sad it is today that the once pure church of Philadelphia has become the wretched church of Laodicea.  The truths that were restored have now been removed.  The shaking that is to come to the church to purify it is found in the straight message of the Faithful and True Witness to the church in the Laodicean condition.  This will have an affect upon the people and many will turn from the worship of the false god of the trinity unto the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ. When this happens the true church of God will be purified and made white, ready to proclaim the true three angels message to the world. My friend, the time is soon to be upon us when we will have to make a decision whether to worship the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ, or to the false god of the trinity.  This message will shake the church, and the decisions that are made at that point will be final.  The probation of the church closes before it closes for the rest of the world.  Now is the time to study to show yourself approved of God. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3). God bless, Video of the Week One thing leads to another - David Clayton This is a powerful message outlining of the good news of the gospel and an illuminating breakdown of the mechanics of salvation.