Just Another Book?
Lesson 1
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The Scriptures
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Isaiah 8:20--To the law and to the testimony . . .
John 17:17--thy [the Father’s] word is truth.
2 Timothy 3:16--All scripture is given by . . .
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Psalm 119:11--Thy word have I hid in mine heart . .
.
Psalm 119:16--I will not forget thy word . . .
Psalm 119:38--Stablish thy word unto thy servant . .
.
Psalm 119:42--I trust in thy word.
Psalm 119:49--the word . . . hath caused me to
hope.
Psalm 119:50--thy word hath quickened me.
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Psalm 119:67-- . . . now have I kept thy word.
Psalm 119:74-- . . . I have hoped in thy word.
Psalm 119:81, 114, 147-- . . . I hope(d) in thy word.
Psalm 119:89--Forever . . . thy word is settled in
heaven . . .
Psalm 119:105--Thy word is a lamp unto . . .
Psalm 119:140--Thy word is very pure . . .
Psalm 119:160--Thy word is true from the
beginning . .
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Psalm 119:161-- . . . I stand in awe of thy word.
Psalm 119:162--I rejoice at thy word . . .
Psalm 138:2-- . . . thou has magnified thy word
above all thy name.
Revelation 3:8-- . . . thou hast . . . kept my word .
..
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A Safeguard
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Against the influence of false teachers
Against the delusive power of spirits of
darkness
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By the Holy Scriptures every statement and every
miracle must be tested. (GC, page 593)
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In order to endure the trial before us, we
must understand the will of God as
revealed in his word. We can honor him
only as we have a right conception of his
character, government, and purposes, and
act in accordance with them. ( See GC,
page 593.)
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What is God’s character?
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Love
(1 John 4:8)
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Noel Zia Lee/flickr
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Justice
(Psalm 89:14)
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Scott*/flickr
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Truth
(Deuteronomy 32:4)
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steel wool/flickr
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Mercy, grace, patience,
goodness, forgiveness.
( Exodus 34:5-7)
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How Can We Learn
about God’s Character?
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“The things of nature are an expression of
God’s character; by them we may
understand His love, His power, and His
glory . . .” (Counsels for the Church, p. 74).
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“Christ’s life is a perfect
revelation of God’s character”
(UL, p. 363).
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“The law reveals the attributes of God’s
character, and not a jot or tittle of it could be
changed to meet man in his fallen condition.
God did not change His law, but He sacrificed
Himself, in Christ, for man’s redemption” (DA,
p. 762).
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Adam Fagan/flickr
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Francesco Federico/flickr
kevin harber/flickr
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“From the opening of the great controversy it
has been Satan’s purpose to misrepresent God’s
character and to excite rebellion against His law,
and this work appears to be crowned with
success” (PP, p. 382).
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What is God’s government like?
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“. . . the law of God . . . is the foundation of his
government in heaven and earth” (GW 1892, p.
181).
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NCinDC/flickr
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“. . . the government of God knows
no compromise with evil” (CG, p.
236).
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“The law of love being the foundation
of the government of God . . .” (PP,
p. 33).
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“. . . the principles of righteousness
that are the very foundation of the
government of God. . . .” (CTr, p.
139).
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As the bow in the cloud is
formed by the union of the
sunlight and the shower, so the
rainbow encircling the throne
represents the combined power
of mercy and justice. (AG, p. 70)
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Chris Capell/flickr
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“Lucifer . . . rebelled against the
government of God” (FLB, p. 66).
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“Satan wished to change the government of
God, to fix his own seal to the rules of God’s
kingdom.”
(CTr, p. 208).
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What are God’s purposes?
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“The Word of God . . . presents to us His
purposes, which embrace all the ages of human
history, and which will reach their fulfillment only
in the endless cycles of eternity” (Counsels for
the Church, p. 88).
39
“The apostle [Peter] was well
qualified to speak of the purposes of
God concerning the human race; for
during the earthly ministry of Christ he
had seen and heard much that
pertained to the kingdom of God” (AA,
p. 534)
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The kingdom of God is . . .
is righteousness and peace and joy in the
Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17).
at hand (Mark 1:15).
within you (Luke 17:21).
like a grain of mustard seed (Luke 13:18).
like leaven. (Luke 13:21).
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DennisWilkerson/flickr
Martin Cathrae/flickr
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The purpose of God
is to spread gospel to other nations
can be revealed in visions (AA, p. 233).
has an individual application (see AA, p. 130).
for the individual is that all the [intellectual] faculties be
well developed so that the mind is properly balanced
(CG, p. 332).
is that we constantly grow in grace and in the knowledge
of the truth (CTr, p. 364).
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is that advanced science be taught in our
schools as a preparation for the work that is
to precede the closing scenes of earth’s
history (CE, p. 83).
is to glorify himself in his people (ChS, p.
27).
is to test and prove the [fallen] race and give
them an opportunity to develop character by
bringing them frequently into trying positions
to test their faith and confidence in his love
and power (Con, p. 44).
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Jeremy Wilburn/flickr
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Pictoscribe - Home again/flickr
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is not that poverty should ever leave the
world. The ranks of society were never to be
equalized; for the diversity of conditions
which characterizes our race is one of the
means by which God has designed to prove
and develop character (CH, p. 230).
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Sean Ellis/flickr
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Mercy Ships/flickr
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“None but those who have fortified the mind
with the truths of the Bible will stand through
the last great conflict” (GC, p. 593).
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“We should day by day study the Bible
diligently . . . The Bible should never be
studied without prayer” (GC 599).
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“But God will have a people upon the
earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible
only, as the standard of all doctrines and
the basis of all reforms. The opinions of
learned men, the deductions of science,
the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical
councils, as numerous and discordant as
are the churches which they represent,
the voice of the majority--not one nor all of
these should be regarded as evidence for
or against any point of religious faith.
Before accepting any doctrine or precept,
we should demand a plain ‘Thus saith the
Lord’ in its support”
(GC 595).
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Council of Trent
“Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract
attention to man in the place of God. He leads
the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to
professors of theology, as their guides, instead
of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for
themselves. Then, by controlling the minds of
these leaders, he can influence the multitudes
according to his will” (GC 595).
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John Knox
“The truth and the glory of God are
inseparable; it is impossible for us, with the
Bible within our reach, to honor God by
erroneous opinions” (GC, p. 597)
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“Ignorance will not excuse young or old, nor
release them from the punishment due for the
transgression of God’s law . . .
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“. . . because there is in their hands a faithful
presentation of that law and of its principles
and claims. It is not enough to have good
intentions; it is not enough to do what a man
thinks is right or what the minister tells him is
right. His soul’s salvation is at stake, and he
should search the Scriptures for himself.
However strong may be his convictions,
however confident he may be that the
minister knows what is truth, this is not his
foundation. He has a chart pointing out every
waymark on the heavenward journey, and he
ought not to guess at anything” (GC 598).
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Mercy Ships/flickr
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The law, its principles, and its claims.
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We know what the law is--Exodus 20.
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Jeremy Nixon/flickr
Its principles--
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“As the word of God is meditated upon and
practiced, the whole man will be ennobled. In
righteous and merciful dealing, the hands will
reveal, as a signet, the principles of God’s law.
They will be kept clean from bribes, and from
all that is corrupt and deceptive. They will be
active in works of love and compassion. The
eyes, directed toward a noble purpose, will be
clear and true. The expressive countenance,
the speaking eye, will testify to the blameless
character of him who loves and honors the
word of God. But by the Jews of Christ’s day
all this was undiscerned” (DA, p. 612).
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Anna Wolf/flickr
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nvs+/flickr
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Jen Goellnitz/flickr
Mercy Ships/flickr
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David Goehring/flickr
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Raymond Larose/flickr
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D. Sharon Pruitt/flickr
“Three nights before the Review office burned, I was
in an agony that words cannot describe. I could not
sleep. I walked the room, praying to God to have
mercy upon His people. Then I seemed to be in the
Review office with the men who have the
management of the institution. I was trying to speak to
them and thus to help them. One of authority arose
and said, ‘You say, The temple of the Lord, the temple
of the Lord are we; therefore, we have authority to do
this thing and that thing and the other thing. But the
word of God forbids many of the things that you
propose to do’” (Publishing Ministry, p. 170).
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“The principles of God’s law were presented,
and I heard the question asked, ‘How much
of the law have you obeyed?’ Then the word
was spoken, ‘God will cleanse and purify His
temple in His displeasure.’
In the visions
of the night I saw a sword of fire hung out
over Battle Creek” (PM, pp. 170, 171).
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“In the Saviour’s life the principles of God’s
law--love to God and man--were perfectly
exemplified. Benevolence, unselfish love,
was the life of His soul” (SC, p. 28).
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“Beholding Christ for the purpose of becoming like Him, the
seeker after truth sees the perfection of the principles of God’s
law, and he becomes dissatisfied with everything but
perfection. Hiding his life in the life of Christ, he sees that the
holiness of the divine law is revealed in the character of Christ,
and more and more earnestly he strives to be like Him. A
warfare may be expected at any time, for the tempter sees that
he is losing one of his subjects. A battle must be fought with the
attributes which Satan has been strengthening for his own use.
The human agent sees what he has to contend with--a strange
power opposed to the idea of attaining the perfection that Christ
holds out. But with Christ there is saving power that will gain for
him victory in the conflict. The Saviour will strengthen and help
him as he comes pleading for grace and efficiency (MS 89,
1903)” (6BC 1098.2).
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“The apostle Paul describes the fruit which
the Christian is to bear. He says that it ‘is in
all goodness and righteousness and truth.’
And again, ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance.’ These
precious graces are but the principles of
God’s law carried out in the life” (RH, April 26,
1881, par. 3).
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Its claims--
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“‘Verily I say unto you’--making the assertion
as emphatic as possible--‘Till heaven and
earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no
wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.’
Matthew 5:17, 18. Here He teaches, not
merely what the claims of God’s law had
been, and were then, but that these claims
should hold as long as the heavens and the
earth remain. The law of God is as
immutable as His throne. It will maintain its
claims upon mankind in all ages” (PP, p.
365).
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Heavenly angels prepare the heart to
comprehend God’s word so that . . .
we shall be charmed with its beauty,
admonished by its warnings, and
animated and strengthened by its promises.
(GC, p. 600)
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“But angels are round about those who are
willing to be taught in divine things; and in the
time of great necessity they will bring to their
remembrance the very truths which are
needed. Thus ‘when the enemy shall come in
like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a
standard against him’” (GC, p. 600).
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“But the teachings of Christ must previously
have been stored in the mind in order for the
Spirit of God to bring them to our
remembrance in the time of peril. ‘Thy word
have I hid in mine heart,’ said David, ‘that I
might not sin against Thee.’ Psalm 119:11”
(GC, p. 600).
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“We should now seek a deep and living
experience in the things of God. We have not a
moment to lose. Events of vital importance are
taking place around us; we are on Satan’s
enchanted ground. Sleep not, sentinels of God;
the foe is lurking near, ready at any moment,
should you become lax and drowsy, to spring
upon you and make you his prey” (GC 601).
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“When the testing time shall come, those who have
made God’s word their rule of life will be revealed. In
summer there is no noticeable difference between
evergreens and other trees; but when the blasts of winter
come, the evergreens remain unchanged, while other
trees are stripped of their foliage. So the falsehearted
professor may not now be distinguished from the real
Christian, but the time is just upon us when the difference
will be apparent. Let opposition arise, let bigotry and
intolerance again bear sway, let persecution be kindled,
and the halfhearted and hypocritical will waver and yield
the faith; but the true Christian will stand firm as a rock,
his faith stronger, his hope brighter, than in days of
prosperity” (GC 602).
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Remember, we have a “chart pointing out
every waymark on the heavenward journey,”
and we “ought not to guess at anything” (GC
598).
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oliver hiltbrunner/flickr
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Look for the waymarks as you journey on,
Look for the waymarks, passing one by one;
Down through the ages, past the kingdoms
four-Where are we standing? Look the waymarks
o’er.
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First the Assyrian kingdom ruled the world,
Then Medo-Persia’s banners were unfurled;
And after Greece held universal sway,
Rome seized the scepter--Where are we today?
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Down in the feet of iron and of clay,
Weak and divided, soon to pass away;
What will the next great, glorious drama be?
Christ and his coming, and eternity.
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Look for the waymarks, the great prophetic
waymarks,
Down through the ages, past the kingdoms four.
Look for the waymarks, the great prophetic
waymarks.
The journey’s almost o’er.
F. E. Belden
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