by Mark Howard
This transcript is automatically generated:
Father in heaven I want to thank you for the privilege we have been called into your last name movement the movement that is called to give glory to you in a very special and important time in its history I pray Lord tonight as we open up this topic of the importance of giving glory to you and the development character and the controversy that began over character I pray your Holy Spirit would be present to give us spiritual understanding so that the disabled words that I attempt to use Lord to put this into some kind of clear language would be communicated by your spirit to our hearts and minds in a very clear and forceful way we asked Lord for your blessing as we are entering into the salad ours emancipate us on Jesus name and for his second account every models with you in some way shape or form because I dig into them I I want to anonymous start returning to revelation for out we may as well start Revelation fourteen writer minutes for a refined art artists refined our our our recognition as seven dammit it’s a question of Matthew twenty eight and see the great commission Revelation fourteen is very special to us the Seventh-day Adventists and the I want to look at verse six and in I know this is something that’s familiar to us but with certain Revelation fourteen six the Bible says and I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation tribe tongue and people what did Jesus say in Matthew fourteen one of the signs of his coming was going to be this gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness and then the end will come here’s the gospel everlasting gospel to preach every nation kindred canopy lets all the world writing the prophecy in Matthew twenty four is fulfilled right here in Revelation fourteen we see the fulfillment of this commission being carried out and notice in verse seven saying with a loud voice and here’s inanely proclaiming the gospel I want to understand that as he begins his gospel message we have closed in other words this is the Angels Gospel message somewhere preaching the gospel message again at time we would expect that our gospel message would include what’s included in the cause of being yes it says fear God and give glory to him for the hour on his judgment has come and worship him who made heaven and earth the sea and springs of water question the second native the third angel I want to focus on the first angel and the idea of giving glory to God if we had time I would imagine that what I’m saying here is some preaching to the choir but I’m than assume that I’m not that we were talking about glory the glory of God when we talk about the question all day and seeing good but you know what we can all make a joyful noise to the Lord and in the kingdom my wife always tells me she can’t wait to get advocate should be able to sync my wife admittedly does not sing on key and some people really look forward to the abilities that they may have in the kingdom but and in our literature with me the book of Exodus and I want to look at again tax the that I met him imagine initially are are familiar some things are familiar to you but when you look at them to come into this particular topic somehow references on the lookout but this is a very important sex organ to come back to Exodus thirty three this is this is a passage were Moses asks a question to God that I think that every one of us should make it are throwing and purpose to ask I never asked him this question you should Moses comes to the Lord and it says in verse eighteen he said to God please show me your glory I want to notice God ‘s response then he said I will make all my what goodness pass before you ever proclaim what the name of the Lord before you okay some glory is synonymous with goodness and the name of God what is goodness when we talk about without landlord retirement character retirement character attributes of God we come to the glory of God were talking to the character of God when God is saying in Revelation fourteen fear God and give him glory what God is calling for his people at the end of time who manifests his character in a clear and distinct lines to the world and in in in Exodus Moses has to see God ‘s glory don’t you notice this idea of name to pick up on that a little bit later tomorrow but the name is synonymous as well glory goodness name character praying in Jesus name doesn’t mean taxing the end Jesus the name of Jesus on the end of our selfish prayer for whatever we want in Jesus name amen right Lord please help me to win that lottery or please help me to whatever Jesus name amen it needs to pray in the character of these so this this is what Moses is asking to see God ‘s glory in the Bible telling us that God in return says I’ll show you my goodness I’ll show you my character if you go and add variant into chapter thirty four what happens is it says in chapter thirty four verse one the Lord said to Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first one and I will write on these tablets the words which are on the first tablets which you broke that is the second set of stones that Oregon is going to write his commandments on and tell me ready in the morning or jumping ahead in looking at verse five Minnesota says the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him bears the Moses and proclaim what the name of the Lord in notice when it goes on to say here’s how you proclaim his name and the Lord has before him and proclaimed the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abounding in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin no means clearing the guilty etc. etc. what’s he proclaiming attributes and character attributes of character suggests understanding here that the issue overtime not glorying giving glory to God were talking about the character of God and I want to see something else to go the book of Revelation twelve Revelation chapter twelve Revelation chapter twelve and verse seven the Bible says here in Revelation twelve or seven war broke out in heaven Michael and his angels spot with you the Dragon in the dragon and his angels thought that they did not prevail no as a place found for them in heaven any longer so the great dragon was cast out that serpent of old called to the devil and Satan deceives the whole world to gather something from this passage first of all there are two names introduced here what are the names or two in the singing that you got Michael and they’ve got the Dragon who is the Dragon is it a literal Dragon yes or no how do we know that it’s spelled it right out of the Dragon is a symbolic name for the devil I will expect Michael to be one of the Madonna savanna this is a you and you guys but as you say Jesus is represented by Michael incidentally we can invent that Matthew Henry Bible commentary as Michael was Jesus John Gilman at the cemetery of Michael Jesus evidence did not invent that needed we think Jesus is a created being like some people say we have to believe we believe that he represents Michael which interesting is first of all you have the devil represented by a symbol so you expect Michael to be a symbol for somebody what was the devil ‘s contention with the other thing is that that name Michael is an interesting name is transliterated from the Hebrew son Hebrew in the book of Daniel we find my calling in the Greek and revelation defining Michael is a question and the question is who is my God and I would contend with you tonight that the controversy that were reading about was a controversy over what God is really like a following that was the clear that in the heart of the controversy gone character was being challenged and I believe that the negativity the question in the name of Michael is answered in the person that Michael reversed in other words Jesus is the perfect revelation of that character emergency that as we go on so there is a war in heaven and it was a controversy there began over God ‘s character and women to see that Michael or Jesus is the perfect representation of that character go with me to the book of John the gospel of John Matthew Mark Luke John John one and of course John one we begin in John one one and in the beginning was where the word was with God the Word was God he was beginning with God etc. he named his life and the life is the light of men were going to go to verse four Tina notice what it says in verse fourteen and the Word became one flesh and dwelt among us and we held his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth I want to suggest something with the grace and truth okay I will suggest what when you think of as many after this way when you think of grace what you think or some synonymous terms for grace and mercy is a word that comes right after I went back through when you think of true I’ve never heard somebody say something like that I know that we and then is supposed to be about the truth but we should also be loving and him or something along those lines okay so truth usually been untruthfully thinking about turning in terms of what more about the law or justice or or or something more along those lines Jesus manifested the glory the character of God full of twelve grace and truth justice and mercy racing that as we go on that team as we look at this this controversy so Jesus in Jesus we find a manifestation of the glory of God and hold God ‘s glory in the person of Jesus Jesus came to reveal the character of his father I H a statement as I read his page twenty two it says Lucifer misrepresented God with his own evil characteristics he sought to invest a loving Creator okay so in other words Lucifer wanted to pay up God to be just like he was awarded a talk about how he does that as we go on tonight with us he deceived men sorry for missing the Angels and thus he deceived man what we learned in the deception began by maintaining out God ‘s character in a false light and everything else grew out of that he led them to doubt the word of God into distrust his goodness the earth was dark through Ms. Ray Henson of God a misunderstanding that the gloomy shadows might be lightened that the world might be brought back to God Satan is deceptive power was to be broken this could not be done by force the exercise force is contrary to the principles of God ‘s government he desires only the service of love and love cannot be commanded it cannot be won by force or authority only by love is love awakened to know God is to love this is why it was so important to Jesus John seventeen he sprang to his father son and he asked me recently if that prayer in John seventeen was was made in the Garden of Gethsemane I don’t know but the timing is pretty good for it to reach on seventeen and you read the prayer there in John seventeen the timing of it is pretty close to the timing disseminate but either way that prayer that he prays in John seventeen for his disciples first he prays for his disciples and if is not only for them but for all who will believe on me he prays this prayer and Internet Pharisee begins John seventeen city says this is eternal life that they may know you father and Jesus Christ and you have sent me familiar with that eligible of eligibility that with me from this ties into what we looking at here this evening John seventeen is something to verse four is an interesting burst that follows I want to look at verse three again John seventeen first read this is each of all I is aiming known as idea of knowledge in the Greek and Hebrew is not a casual going I think I know that person I remember someone this is a personal intimate knowledge of somebody and Jesus says it’s that kind of knowledge of who God is this easy journal like that you mean that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ and you have sent Jesus understood how important was that people would know God but let me ask you something are you going to come to know somebody that you perceive as being tyrannical or that you perceive as being unfair or even make any effort to know a person like that yes or no no not to look at the next verse Jesus says I have what glorified you on your I have finished the work which you given me to do with a fascinating again the cross to his unfinished work in a given community of glorified another event manifesting your character why because when they see your character to know God is to love God when they see the character of God I want to know you and to know you is eternal element says in one place that we can just leave people to fix their eyes on the cross of Calvary our work is done because by the holy Christ city can change and were initiated as we go on this this weekend so in the state and again that I’m reading this average three twenty two it says only my love is love awakens to know God is to love him he is a character must be manifested in contrast to the characters say this word only one being in all the universe could do only he knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it known that one was Jesus and that’s what were reading there in John chapter one Jesus came to manifest the glory of God outsourcing in the battle between the two powers here in Revelation Michael who is like God Jesus came to reveal what God is like so we have this controversy now let’s flesh it out a little bit here this controversy over God ‘s character let’s go to the book of Romans four minutes from his chapter one and we’re going to go to verse twenty two Romans wanting in in in this section is talking about the wrath of God be poured out on the wicked and he says in verse twenty two professing to be wise they became fools and notice verse twenty three and change the water they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creeping thing they changed the glory with the glory the character to follow along here in other words mankind I communicate this works lately when we read this we tend to think of I did up up up up we have a misunderstanding of idolatry and idolatrous nations did not ignore the existence of Joe son were ignorant of Jehovah many others were not when the Israelites were worshiping bail because Ahab was on the throne and Jezebel the high priestess of mail the life of the King they still know who Jehovah was when the Israelites danced around the golden calf and a Navy captain he danced around it they said they were to hold these to the Lord and if you’ve read that in your Bible you’ll find it in LRD nice markers well I will argue him us know if that means that’s the proper name of God in other words if you hold on or Yahweh or whatever you want Harvey want to pronounce it there were they had a cat that their idolatrous worship they said was a warship to Jehovah and sometimes we look idolatry we assume that all these simpleminded people they are bowing down to Pisa Waterstone in what sense is that let me make something clear to you idolatrous new that the wood in the stone wasn’t God and to this day religions who worshiped icons and idols say what we don’t believe that God is a representation of God and listen to me carefully the problem with ideology was not as much in the piece of wood or stone RRR precious metal or whatever it was in the fact that they would close the guy that they worship with their own character attributes that were idolatry was more about finding gone it was just like you he likes the music you like he likes to dress the way you like you like to eat what you like to eat what kind of God is a better guy than I deserve I don’t have to change anything on this I’m already perfectly in harmony with them that was the draw of idolatry then in analogy to see it in the book of the Psalms Psalm fifty Psalms fifty is God is speaking to his people here this is an interesting passage Psalm fifty first seventeen on cyber sixteen were in a certain verse sixteen Psalm fifty and verse sixteen the Bible says but to the wicked God says what right have you to declare my statutes or take my what covenant in your mouth suggests that we don’t get confused we read while he’s sleeping to the wicked wicked don’t want to know how you no because evidently these women are taking his covenant and their making like they are serving God but God says what right do you have to do this seeing that you hate why instruction and cast my words behind you when you thought the you can send it with him you have been partaker with adulterers and you give your mouth to evil and your tongue frames deceit and you said and speak against your brother ‘s land area own mother son these things you have done and I kept silent look at the next part verse twenty one you thought that I was just like but I will rebuke you and set them in order before your eyes now consider that he will forget less I care you in pieces in every known to deliver whoever offers praise glorifies me and him who orders his conduct awry I will show the salvation and community service than to see a change life God is saying here this is idolatry this is idolatry as surely as they’ll worship or anything else you want to listen to an interesting statement in the book of Prophets and Kings it says the present age prophets and kings page one seventy seven written in the early nineteen hundreds and in those days Elimite may the state of the present age is one of idolatry as fairly as was that in which you live their lives listen carefully no outward shrine may be visible there may be no image for the eye to rest upon yet thousands are following after the gods of this world after riches fame pleasure and the pleasing fables that permit men to follow the inclinations of the on regenerate hearts multitudes have a wrong conception of God and his attributes what else can we say is this character they listened when it goes on to say me normal is ever wrong conception got infected with an artist truly serving a false God as were the worshipers fail interesting many even of those you claim to be Christians have allied themselves with influences that are unalterably opposed to God and his truth why because they don’t understand God ‘s character they have subscribed to a God that is totally opposed to God against everything other worth it if I worship a God that I like to worship him I give God character attributes that I like that aren’t necessarily what his character attributes are I may be worshiping a false god and Pentagon in my own image all the while I think am worshiping God in honoring and she says in our day and age in her day and age and how much more today there are many who without any visible shrine or any any idol yet players truly worshiping a false goddess worshipers in Vail why because of a wrong concept of God and his character they changed the glory of God into that white corruptible man birds birds beasts and creeping things etc. it’s possible for us to try to fit God inmate got into her image not here’s why this is such an issue the Bible says were to look at this more tomorrow and giving the principal Ellen White words the principle this way by beholding were changed we become change the principal says in Corinthians three eighteen by by beholding which changed into the same image from glory to glory right character it’s comic character we are because we are changed into the image we beholden if we paint God which attributes of character that are not his care earlier if we believe in a God that is in the God of the Bible if we close and he is us any character or characteristics that are really the characteristics of Jesus we can focus on Jesus and talking is only one in will never be changed by beholding let me rephrase that will never be changed for the positive for the better will be changed into something more and more humanistic listen to this statement from the book drop at the Church in prophecy page ninety one men put gone out of their knowledge and they worshiped the creatures of their own imagination and as a result they became more and more debates feeling of God is just like you I mean Rick what height of their rights to it is a law of the human mind that by beholding we become changed man will rise no higher than his conceptions of truth purity and holiness if the mind is never exalted above the level of humanity it is not uplifted by fate to contemplate intimate wisdom and love the man will be constantly sinking lower and lower the worshipers of false gods closed their deities with human attributes and passions and thus their standards of character their standard rather character was degraded to the likeness of sinful humanity I saw it a very fascinating video recently that he sometimes you see things easier to get your sermon and triggered the thought that your that is as plain as a multifaceted high kind of never thought about the performance so for it was on this whole are superhero craze that we have now with the whole alien had my comics releases a separate believers of rigorously to bring them all together in the movie avenger there is at least over here is an beginning this up documentary on superheroes in the document is by little light studios called replacement God and any drawings out how enemies as soon as I heard all the superheroes are the great gods of old but only on their re- creation of the great God there are people that come in and save us from whatever problem we think our problem is that the point is that all clothes just like the VI the Greek gods of old with human characteristics in man will never rise higher looking for a savior in somebody that just like so they changed the glory of God and and we did say yeah you know that’s a terrible thing and in and that’s something that I I sure don’t intend to do but I want to tell you that it it happens more often than we care to think something along the refer you to an exodus from the back there is maybe should go back there Exodus we’re reading about God proclaiming his name I want to draw something out I touched on it already but this one when going to with our our study tonight Exodus thirty four some of the Justine and self it will help to look back here in Texas thirty four Moses asked to see God ‘s glory or his character and God proclaims his glory or his character ‘s name before Moses and I want you to notice what he says again in verse six Exodus thirty four verse six the Lord passed before him and proclaimed the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering in a moment on say merciful and gracious long-suffering abounding in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin by no means clearing the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and fourth generation that part is really uncomfortable and then the first part is great all God ‘s loving these merciful forgiving and then all by the way if you’re a sinner needs to let you out of your getting it on down to the third and fourth generation I want to see something as God himself proclaims his glory was the same thing and in the Commandments in the ten Commandments this idea of to the third and fourth generation that in proclaiming his character God makes it very clear that his character is using a combination of both the attributes of justice and mercy okay rewrite we talk about this Jesus was full of grace and truth I want to listen to the statement now from the book desired ranges if you have not read the chapter and desire may does recently if at all it is finished it is essential reading especially in the stage for everything that it is finished it brings to view more powerfully than any other chap Reverend Rick of Rabbi Ellen White written read by only about the conflict over character and really what’s what’s at stake in the whole controversy and how I says on page seven sixty one a desire of ages in the opening of the great controversy Satan had declared that the law of God could not be obeyed that justice was inconsistent with mercy and that should the law be broken it would be impossible for the center to be pardoned why because you break the law and got punished and you can’t mean just and merciful the same time this was what Lucifer argued this is the point he makes and this is something that we have to head home in order thought it in our heart tonight and get this very clear that it is impossible without defining a for the human mind to reconcile the attribute of justice part of the following condition is picking up not the character activism gone with that of the father of lies in that justice and mercy are incompatible in him than explain apply set out as we go on LMI says that this is how the devil are given the beginning that justice and mercy were incompatible every celebs must meet as punishment or Satan and him not should rename the punishment of sin he would not be a God of truth and justice when men broke the law of God and dividing as well Satan exalted it was proved he declared that the law could not be obeyed man could not be forgiven because he asked for his rebellion had been banished from heaven Satan claimed that the human race must be ever for ever shut out God ‘s favor God could not be Justine urged yet show mercy to the center and we see this idea of God can’t be both just and merciful we see that this view of God shapes the religion of Christ this is why when you come into the religion out the leaders of Christ David Pharisees and the scribes you see the extreme lack of mercy you see the extreme legalism for example the Jews understood that from personal essay they were justly suffering the punishment of God or their sin when Jesus came to heal the sick and they perceived that Jesus was interfering with the just judgment of God I have so much problem with him when Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners or allow a harlot to wash his feet with her hair they saw that as a lies within you can’t deem just and merciful if you’re showing mercy to compromise with sin when a woman was caught in adultery the religious leaders sought to prove that Jesus was opposed to the law by challenging him to command her stony it’s either one or the other you can be just or you can be merciful but you can’t be both envious mindset in the evening influence those closest to Jesus he rumored story of James and John the sons of thunder as they were going to the Samaritan village in the Samaritans because I thought Jesus face was set toward Jerusalem made in one or receive him and what James and John say what you say Lord Suleman called down from heaven I’m just like you like you are referring back to second Kings chapter one can we call down fire like the live event in Jesus and you don’t know what’s not now here’s the thing we read that we I hope the Holy Spirit can help all of us to grasp is that we think right away I mean I daresay everyone was like those guys James and John how how cool is how insensitive the ligament to call down fire from heaven and consume the captains in their fifties twice in second Kings chapter one hundred and two dead people the third captain finally said what man of God please have mercy on me who was it who works through his prophet and called the fire down Paul’s right there in the New Testament that Christ was the rock that followed them Christ is the one who spoke to the profits it was the very same Jesus that was their calling down fire in the Old Testament and James and John Duracell old continent not realizing that it was the very same God that was showing mercy on us Americans call down fire on a has I has met in sentencing what made the difference listen to me carefully we have a tendency to either side with justice or with mercy but aside from aside from divine intervention and a reworking of our minds and characters we can’t reconcile the two but let me make something playing they are reconciled perfectly in the person of God and in the person of Jesus and listen to me Jesus knew that while at times administering justice would be the most merciful thing he could do there also times when showing mercy would be the most ghastly is always a perfect balance of justice and mercy in the character of Christ we find another statement here listen to this and it is averaged a seven sixty two it says no I’m getting on the Internet Internet I went on this for just a moment every act of Christ and let me back up every act of God Old Testament in the was always a perfect blend of justice and mercy whether we see it that way or not because some I sometimes the most merciful thing to do is to carry out strict justice and sometimes the most just thing to do is be merciful have the woman caught in adultery this stiffnecked and and and and rebellious and unrepentant Jesus would have dealt with her different it was easy to see that all the woman caught in adultery all in all neither do I condemn you go and sin no more than enough Pharisees scribes and Pharisees hypocrites and we see this distinction at least weekly jungle on the Gutierrez Pharisee bandwagon never realizing that in our minds we typically somewhere in the back of our minds are perceiving that God had less love and compassion for the Pharisee needed for the woman who could that be true possible the love of God ‘s unconditional to all the love the Pharisees just as much as another woman caught in adultery the difference why the difference in how he treated them because in some cases being just is the most merciful thing you can do and in some cases being merciful is the most testing and justice and mercy are always perfectly blended in the person in the character of God LMI says in the Bible commentary volume seven page nine thirty five Christ’s object was to reconcile the prerogatives of justice and mercy and let each stands separate in its dignity get United his mercy was not a weakness but a terrible power to punish sin because it is yeah power to draw to win the love of humanity absolutely a mind-boggling state chooses mercy was not a weakness but a terrible power understand because it is similar to take it off your discographies I’m like okay Mercy is a little mercy as I now that the first second third to answer I would get it in the general power to punish the because it is no think that way when we think of Mercy but let me make something clear there’s never never and act in the Bible where God carried out justice that wasn’t full of love everything God does is out of love for his creatures just because we don’t totally perceive it doesn’t mean it’s not there Christ’s object was to reconcile those prerogatives to make it clear to Christ Ellen Weiss goes on to say justice is enabled to forget without sacrificing one jot of its exalted holiness God ‘s justice as well as his mercy are attributes of his love and love cannot exist without both justice and mercy only consider the wrath of God permit first Monica look it up James chapter one verse twenty James is the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God was that tell us about the wrath of man it’s not like the wrath of God yes or no if the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God and God ‘s wrath and there’s rather not the same for you following that I want to go to Romans chapter one with me for thinking about in terms of of of justice and love and mercy on should entertain a thought here in Romans chapter one are going to verse eight eighteen are you there Romans one eighteen for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodly and unrighteous man who suppress the truth in unrighteousness finally when what relation he read Esther Howard if you’re followed along as evidence that the wrath of God is revealed against all unrighteous masts and ungodly mass on their with the difference what would be the difference between adding us Rafe revealed against ungodly righteous man is rapidly really getting on the nest and unrighteousness of men one is against the sin was against the sinner make make no mistake your God ‘s wrath is not against the center is against the CNNMoney put it in this setting take a child the child that you have a niece and nephew a brother or sister ten -year-old child innocent ten -year-old child to go into the room one day they’re not in the room and you happen you have to be putting their clothes away or something of the other and the drawer and you find some drugs in the field when you find those drugs in a child’s room a question thinking awareness come from and where do they get these truly a leadership that ABC’s rusty my nephew nineties my son and daughter whenever I how you feel about the drugs and angry if you rat rising up into angry at the drugs of the angry at whoever in the drugs to your child because were still carnal right we can’t we have a hard time separating the symptom the sooner wife while you feel angry and an unique in what way I hate it I hate to break this to you but it’s not it’s not that unique says that this is statistically anymore it should be well I suppose that’s open for discussion at some point I would imagine that anyone of us would be when we found the drugs and that child’s room regardless for the blame would lie we would feel a sense of wrath why don’t you get a destroyer candidate gets it’s what the drugs are good until your child and listen to me carefully the amount of love you have for the child is to be in direct proportion to the amount of anger you feel toward the here anger towards that which is destroying your child is in direct proportion to your love for the child yes and no injury to the child when the rat let me make this playing if God didn’t love us he wouldn’t have anyway against unrighteousness among the armies of men the wrath of God is an expression of his love no less than his mercy is an expression of his the justice of God is no less an expression of the love and his mercy is a Hanover human beings we have a hard time some reconciling and partially because we find ourselves receiving end of that wrath and not because of choices that we may lead to make it very clear in Canada rather than against the sinners against the sin unfortunately there we know that the end of time we used a separate in the sin and when sin is destroyed to be destroyed with it not because God didn’t want to save them but God ‘s wrath is not against the ‘s wrath is against the sin in God ‘s wrath is injured to direct proportion to the love he has for the Senate and desire majors again page seven sixty two is says this guy ‘s love has been expressed in his justice no less than in his mercy justice is the foundation of his throne and the fruit of his love it has been Satan ‘s purpose to give force mercy from truth and justice now can you divorce somebody you’re not married to the same divorce justice and mercy if justice and mercy work in John government they’ve always been united but it’s been Satan ‘s purpose to separate them in and put us on one or the other side and let me make this very plain to you tonight he doesn’t care what side you efficient you can be overhearing the pat yourself on the back like the people second print gives five elect a man sleeps with his father ‘s wife and anyone around the church and earlier loving and receiving in their patting themselves on the back and then you can get in on the other side and you get the people who are criticizing and damning avoiding the stone I wanted he was caught in adultery and hinder their during themselves on because they’re upholding the law got down there which side you can as long as you take one of those sides because neither of those is God ‘s it isn’t Satan ‘s purpose to divorce mercy from truth and justice he sought to prove that the righteousness of God ‘s law is an enemy to these that Christ shows that in God ‘s plan and they are in this volume we join together what exactly indissoluble new medical students when you are going to have something ‘s indissoluble it is me you can break it to you Candy Candy why because justice is an attribute of love just like mercy is not to be locked if you have true love you can’t separate those aspects of luck businesses facets in God ‘s plan they are indissolubly joined together the one cannot exist without the other mercy and truth are met together righteousness and peace of kissed each other Psalm eighty five Tennyson does every discrete seven sixty two and interesting in a common element makes on-the-fly picture of the Prophets page one hundred she says lots of no less than justice demanded that God ‘s judgments should put a check on sin given water swept over the last retreat in the despised God in the black love no less than justice demanded a perfect balance of justice and mercy and in the days of Christ we see the pictures skewed we see that the devil as we read earlier desire Vegas has sought to tell to do to impress man that God couldn’t uphold the claims of the lawn be merciful the same time Justice destroyed mercy but I want to continue on a desire of ages here and bring the final thought and his armadas that same separate is finished page seven sixty two is says another deception was now to be brought forward Satan declared that mercy destroyed justice in the death of Christ abrogated or change the father ‘s law I fear that Jesus died on the cross and get away with the law mercy destroy the law this is what is being said here before the cross they got arthritis taught that justice destroyed mercy but now that he is adaptable he is playing that cardinality get in here well now mercy destroys justice the death of Christ change the father ‘s law had been possible for the law to be changed or abrogated in Christ need not die but to abrogate the law would be to immortalize transgression in place the world under Satan ‘s control it was because the law was changeless as man can be saved only through obedience to its precepts that Jesus was lifted up on the cross yet the very means by which Christ established the law Satan represented as destroying listens in the next sentence here will come the last conflict of the great controversy between Christ here will come the last conflict this fleshes out in other words the mindset now the deception now the last deception is the greatest leaves no room for law then mercy leaves no room for justice and with amazing is what really amazing is all the people in the church is still being our biggest problem is a legalistic seat as the old-school left the old deception are yes those Pharisees in the church that are big problem is not what is done here this is the last deception assuming those who are counting the grace of God as a way out of obedience the soft lashes out for example today we suggest the non- law should still be kept with economies of memory not being what matters is our relationship with Jesus now all these bills and notes were robbing the people in the amount of upper freedom in Jesus they say that we encourage biblical lifestyle standards of health and modesty for example when being legalistic when the ball and bring grace right is either justice or mercy candy well that’s for the devil has argued from the beginning of this is not to say that there are still people in both ideas you I’m an Italian the majority of the Christian world today falls and deception number two here will come the last conflict of the great controversy between Christ and Satan modern grace leaves no room for careful obedience and I were terrible it’s working fine when you go back to Deuteronomy five and six and outer peace he tells people be careful to observe all the things that I’ve shown you be careful to observe them take care make sure you walk in the right path on the careful obedience that’s careful obedience doesn’t fit in an age of great sloppy obedience yes casual obedience but not carefully to say we should worship one that this image of worship is fine to say we should worship on the seventh day after careful for grace -based generation to say we should observe the Sabbath for 24-hour to go to church is great but hey we got a lot to do it’s a busy generation to say we should think that all twenty four hour that’s too careful for grace to say we should give some kind of Auckland in charge that’s great but to say that we need to give an entire ten percent best to care for prerace in fact I remember a woman who is baptizing the church and have some well-meaning Adventist church members who are trying to help her to understand that careful the BBB via the freedom of grace and it would only be too careful in what you viewing her she certainly didn’t want to be legalistic and so she came up with the idea and she communicated this to my brother in the conversation had that instead of returning ten percent for type she decided she would give eighty percent so that she wouldn’t be so careful of a percent was so legalistic and uncertain present was so legalistic and eight percent little more I’m not making this up amen this is how we can handle any given immediate kind of funny example but you know what I’m saying is true that we were careful to careful of the information on whether talking about these particular in our religion money make something very plain Jesus was particular in his religious worship of God and he was not only do list and continental formalism and hypocrisy and I’m not condoning that but just because therefore the list and were very RRR or are superficial in their worship does not take away from the need for carefulness in the obedience of God people obedience has to be sloppier casual mercy must be unconditional to fit into saying things final deception God ‘s love is unconditional God ‘s mercy is not the Bible says he who confesses and forsakes his sins shall have mercy I can’t show mercy the person who is unrepentant he has to show judgment and remember judgment and mercy are always blended but sometimes the most merciful thing to do is to be the acting judgment just like sometimes the most adjusting to do is to act in mercy and God alone knows how to balance the two perfectly entertaining him that we find perfect balance of character and is will look at this weekend it’s only in beholding him an understanding of preview of over to look at tomorrow that everything that is screaming at us today in media is giving us an entirely different character even though it repainted with religious use it’s giving us a character picture that is not a blend of justice and it will ultimately need to our room we will be changed into that image we will not be ready when the test comes this is a lead this this this confusion has led to man actually sitting in judgment on God and it’s interesting I’ve heard it before in Revelation fourteen feared God and give glory to him because they are in his judgment has come and certainly there suggest that that’s carried out where God is judge Jesus sifted judge but this certainly is also an aspect in which he received judgment he is getting judged I guess God is given some sense on the stand as his character is being judged and unfortunately too often even by his own people because we can’t reconcile the issues of justice and mercy and we think ourselves too often more just than God you never dare say it maybe we would take the story of us in the Old Testament writing poor guy he reaches out to steady the ark of the covenant to instruct dad the latest entertainment Weatherly verbalizes not I probably would let us to live I think that’s a little extreme when guide to data as of the poor guy was only trying to do his best studying the art at all this is one of those things and many other examples could be given in the Old Testament God ‘s workings and dealings in the Old Testament and white entire nations have to be destroyed and why is God why do they live in the angry Old Testament God do that and you maybe entertain that idea in all the Old Testament the mean Old Testament God in the loving New Testament God it was fascinating is that we look at Jesus as a loving New Testament God and Mister God the father and sometimes we even are are led to perceive them in the state ‘s whole plan and purpose as at total odds God if it weren’t for Jesus God this is just like that praise God that Jesus is their Jesus is interceding with the father for us but could it be when you think of intercession what is intercession intercession of Jesus first what role as priestly role when you understand the sanctuary system used in the priest and the role of judgment there could be that the intercession is not Jesus trying to win the father over the simply courtroom protocol because there are other parties involved in viewing the judgment as a defense attorney perhaps is not trying to necessarily convince the judge and in this case we know it’s not the case with the father the father and son the counseling pieces between about the Bible says God so loved the world that he gave his son Don was in Christ reconciling the world to himself we don’t have a discrepancy but here’s what’s fascinating when you look at the father and the son and you say well that’s me now this company in God and it has been down to loving God the reality is that the picture we have in the New Testament is probably more of a father than anything Jesus said if you seen me has seen the father but we come to the New Testament were told that the God of the Old Testament with Christ a figure that one out sometimes we look at God ‘s dealings and we sit in judgment upon them and they say what I understand why God in the Old Testament itself unmerciful how do you know he was unmerciful disaster I think I like that I wouldn’t have done that you know what will happen doesn’t not been destroyed God does he really think we now a lot sometimes we look at a situation with it why does God let certain things no one in this world than to tell you something God knows why he lets her know better than you or me and I don’t have all the answers that I have this one whatever God allowed to happen to others whenever God allows to happen in this world whether I can explain it or not is the absolute most merciful thing to do because he’s got mercy and justice and in every act of justice his mercy is perfectly revealed sitting in the plane today coming back on the plane and this poor couple in a CNS associated couple times traveling last week now had a little baby with them on the plane and of course you’re coming down the land and when you’re an adult you know you need to swallow beyond whatever you do to pop their ears when you get the pressure build up anybody have that issue when you fly that poor little baby doesn’t know how to do that is with his mother the other day saying a lot of time and I know that they describe and in the course of England less than a talking stage or in understanding stains that here’s a baby screaming all the baby knows I have this intense pressure in my ears I don’t to get rid of it mother ‘s heart is going out for a child and yet there is no way she can explained to her child why is going through the pain he’s going to fit the only way that they can travel where the traveling mother knows why they’re doing what they’re doing is you the perfect purpose in doing it she is totally colored beyond her to communicate that to the child because the child couldn’t possibly understand the limitations something are many things that God if he could would help us to fully understand his dealings in everything but there are certain things we simply can’t understand so what if he do he manifests his character in numerous in multiple ways the clearest in the person of his son Jesus Christ you came and we beheld his glory to glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth in Christ we see a picture of the father we see the father giving everything he has for the salvation of all humanity and that should be enough for us to say God go you slay me yet I will trust you the controversy in heaven began over the character of God if we get this wrong and all the beholding is not a change essence this we got to be clear on the character of God I might say something got scared is always a perfect blend of justice and mercy were to look at tomorrow morning tomorrow afternoon is how this plays out in our daily lives and getting prepared and fitted for heaven and prepared more than that we get a message to give glory this is in Revelation fourteen I give him glory where to display to the world that same perfect blend of justice and mercy the only way that that’s going to happen forward and talk about tomorrow how it happened so I hope that I hope that you can join us tomorrow I want to share a statement enclosing that I just find fascinating is looking in the father and the sign came across this some years ago and has been one of my favorites in its written my own light found in the book that I may know him page three thirty eight listen to this as have the father had on-site had God the father come to our world and dwelt among us humbling himself veiling his glory that humanity might look upon him the history that we have of the life of Christ would not have been a getting that all you can do God of the Old Testament I can give you nearly got the rascal yonder this is how you may not think that way but this is the guy grew up with in my mind not that somebody taught me this guy but this is the concept I bought into the devils lionesses my concept of God that thing God for Jesus because it wasn’t for Jesus the father doesn’t himself let me that the notice of the father himself loves you this statement by powerful statement had God the father and basically taken the other the place of Christ there would be no difference because the father and son are one in every act of Jesus she says in every lesson that is instruction weird to see and hear and recognize God in sight and hearing in effect is the voice and the movements of the father of the heavenly father has infinite love a love that we can only barely comprehend the infinite love is exercising the saving of all humanity in a blend of justice and mercy to guarantee to the extent that God can guarantee beyond the choice that every human being will be sending this kingdom course the choice rests with us I want to choose to give my all to him about you that your desire let’s pray father in heaven father there is a controversy and we just touched on it tonight we see how the devil has over the ages try to put you in a false light Lord in whatever way that he can and far too often we fall onto one side or another of that argument instead of seeking done to know you and Jesus Christ can you send father pray this weekend we would be reminded of the importance of beholding not some human conception of God by the body holding you in the person of Jesus that we might be changed into the same image a perfect blend of justice and mercy father blesses to this end bless us as we enter upon the Sabbath hours father help us to find spiritual rest in the Sabbath hours with you that would revitalize our star experience draws closer you gives a clearer picture of who you are rehashing previous things in Jesus name and for his sakedd