Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
from the 3ABN Worship Center
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and the Fresno Central Church.
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Truths That
Matter with Stephen Bohr.
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Welcome to Anchors Of Truth.
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We are so happy that we
can be with you tonight.
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Last night's
message was, The Acid Test.
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And that message went into the
Sabbath in a very special way.
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And tonight we are doing the
first part, Pastor Stephen Bohr
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will be, of a message entitled,
The Wiping Out Of The IOU's.
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This is part one and it
is also regarding the Sabbath
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in this series
entitled, Truth That Matters.
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We are very excited to
have Pastor Stephen Bohr with us
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for this series.
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Anchors Of Truth has been
well received by our viewers
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all over the world.
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We have received so many
emails and letters telling us
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that these series that we have
been presenting, one each month,
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have been extremely
encouraging and informative
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in these last days.
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And so we are really happy
that we can have this series,
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and especially that
Pastor Stephen Bohr,
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the Speaker/Director
of Secrets Unsealed
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and also the pastor of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in Fresno
California, as our speaker.
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Before he speaks tonight,
we are going to be privileged
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to listen as Melody Firestone
brings us a beautiful song.
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And Melody, we're so
happy to have you with us.
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Tell me, what are you
going to sing tonight?
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God's Greatest Glory.
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In the beginning of creation
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when the world was formed,
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though God and His splendor
this world He had rendered,
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still the best was yet to come.
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God's greatest glory,
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the world's love story,
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written just for me.
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Jesus is God's
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greatest glory.
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From His birth in a
manger to His death on Calvary,
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He fulfilled the Father's plan.
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Jesus Christ, love's sacrifice,
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giving hope to every man.
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God's greatest glory,
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the world's love story,
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written just for me.
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Jesus is God's
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greatest glory.
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Jesus is God's
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greatest glory.
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Amen, thank you so much, Melody.
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We appreciate that
music and we appreciate you
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as an individual.
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And right now we are
going in just a few moments
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to be joining
Pastor Stephen Bohr.
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And we are so happy that
he is able to join with us
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and to present a series
entitled, Truth That Matters.
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This is part of our
Anchors Of Truth series.
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We usually do all of these
series here in West Frankfort,
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but this summer, we
have gone on the road
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in what C.A. Murray
refers to as Anchors Away.
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We came to you from
Los Angeles California
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with Pastor John Carter.
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Now we are coming to you
tonight here in Thompsonville,
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but also, with the
miracles of technology,
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from Fresno California
with Pastor Stephen Bohr.
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Next month we will be
live coming to you from
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Sacramento California
for Pastor Doug Batchelor.
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So these are three that are
coming to you from California,
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from three ministers who preach
the gospel of Jesus Christ
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in a very clear and
straightforward manner.
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We appreciate that so very much.
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And tonight as the second part
of our series on the Sabbath,
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Wiping Out The IOU's.
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And this is part one of the
series on Wiping Out The IOU's.
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But we hope that you are able to
find some real deep new truths
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concerning God's day of rest.
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I've know Pastor Stephen
Bohr for many many years.
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I have never been disappointed
even once in his ability
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to find beautiful truth.
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May God bless him.
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Let's bow our heads.
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Loving Father in heaven,
we count it a great privilege
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to be gathered
here, to open Your Word,
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to hear Your
voice speaking to us,
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through the many counsels
that You give in that Word.
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But Father, we need the
help of Your Holy Spirit
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because human wisdom
cannot even begin to grasp
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the great things
from Your Holy Word.
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And so we ask, Lord, that
You will enlighten our minds,
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that You will open our hearts,
of not only those who are
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gathered here, but those
who are watching on television.
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We ask Lord, that
You will transform hearts
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and change lives.
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And we thank You
for hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in
Jesus' name, amen.
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Since early in its history,
the Seventh-day Adventist Church
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has taught consistently that
the Sabbath is the seal of God.
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As far as we know, the first
individual to discover this
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from a study of
Scripture was a sea captain
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by the name of Joseph Bates.
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In 1846, he
wrote a small booklet.
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And the name of the booklet is,
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The Seventh Day
Sabbath, A Perpetual Sign.
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In that booklet, he
presented the Biblical arguments
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that show beyond any
doubt, that the Sabbath
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is the seal of the living God.
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Now in the course of time,
in a very short period of time,
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in fact, Ellen G. White
came to agree with Joseph Bates,
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that the Sabbath is indeed
the seal of the living God.
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In fact, unequivocally
and repeatedly, Ellen White,
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in her writings,
states that the Sabbath is
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the seal of the living God.
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And as we begin our study today,
I would like to present several
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of those quotations from
the writings of Ellen White
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where she clearly identifies
the Sabbath as the seal of God.
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I could read many more
statements than the ones
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that I'm bringing here to you.
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Actually, I could probably
read 20 minutes of statements
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from the writings of Ellen
White where she identifies the
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Sabbath as the seal of God.
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But I've chosen just a
few very clear references
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from her writings.
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This first of these is
found in, Signs Of The Times,
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May 13, 1886.
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And this is what she says.
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The Decalogue is
the Ten Commandments.
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Now you'll notice in
this statement that she uses
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two words interchangeably.
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The word "seal"
and the word "sign".
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The next statement
is found in the book,
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Patriarchs And
Prophets, page 307.
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This is one of the five
books of The Conflict Series.
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And in Patriarchs And
Prophets, page 307, once again
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she identifies the
fourth commandment,
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the Sabbath
commandment, as the seal of God.
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This is what she states.
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So she says that the
Sabbath commandment contains
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the seal of God, and
there it is affixed to His law.
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The next statement that I
would like to read comes from
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Signs Of The
Times, November 1, 1899.
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Once again, she's clear that
the seal of God is the Sabbath.
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This is what she writes,
inspired by God's Holy Spirit.
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And now notice she uses
another synonymous word.
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Once again she uses "seal"
and "sign" interchangeably.
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The next statement, we'll read
a couple of more statements,
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Special Testimony
To Battle Creek, 1898.
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On page 6 of this testimony,
she states, once again
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interchangeably
"sign" and "seal".
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There, she identifies
the seal as the observance
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of the seventh-day Sabbath.
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So she says:
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One final statement that I
would like to read comes from,
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Manuscript Releases, volume
4, page 425, where she states:
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So time after time
after time, in her writings,
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she states that the Sabbath is
the seal, or the sign, of God.
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But now we have a problem.
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Ellen White
appears to contradict the
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testimony of Scripture.
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And I emphasize the word
"appears" because she doesn't
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really contradict Scripture.
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You see, there are three
verses in the writings of
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the apostle Paul where
he identifies the seal as
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the Holy Spirit, or he relates
the seal to the Holy Spirit.
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And so some people within the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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and many outside the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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criticize Ellen White.
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And they say, "She said that
the Sabbath was the seal of God,
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when Scripture makes it
very very clear that the seal
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is the Holy Spirit."
00:14:02.26\00:14:03.97
Now is there
really a discrepancy?
00:14:04.17\00:14:06.90
Or upon further scrutiny
and more careful consideration,
00:14:07.30\00:14:12.37
is there no
contradiction between
00:14:12.40\00:14:14.90
Ellen White and Scripture?
00:14:14.93\00:14:16.57
I believe that
there is no contradiction.
00:14:16.60\00:14:18.72
We have to study this
thing carefully and not come to
00:14:18.75\00:14:23.07
hasty quick conclusions.
00:14:23.10\00:14:25.58
Allow me to read the three
statements from the writings
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of the apostle Paul where
he identifies the Holy Spirit
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as the seal, or as the sealer.
00:14:32.98\00:14:35.29
The first is found in Ephesians
chapter 1 and verses 13 and 14.
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Here, the apostle Paul
inspired by God's Spirit, says,
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"In Him," that is in Jesus,
"you also trusted, after you
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heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation;
00:14:54.58\00:14:58.29
in whom also, having believed,"
that is, we believed in Jesus,
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"you were sealed with
the Holy Spirit of promise,
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who is the guarantee of our
inheritance until the redemption
00:15:09.37\00:15:13.22
of the purchased possession,
to the praise of His glory."
00:15:13.25\00:15:16.87
Explicitly, the apostle
Paul says, "You were sealed
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with the Holy
Spirit of Promise."
00:15:21.10\00:15:24.24
So Ellen White says
the seal is the Sabbath,
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the apostle Paul
appears to say that the seal
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is the Holy Spirit.
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The second text from the
writings of the apostle Paul
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is found in Ephesians
chapter 4 and verse 30.
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Ephesians
chapter 4 and verse 30.
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Once again, the apostle
Paul relates the seal of God
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to the Holy Spirit.
00:15:45.18\00:15:46.47
This is what he states.
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"And do not grieve the
Holy Spirit of God, by whom
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you were sealed for
the day of redemption."
00:15:54.84\00:15:58.31
Once again, Holy
Spirit and seal used together.
00:15:58.34\00:16:02.97
The third text from the
writings of the apostle Paul
00:16:03.27\00:16:06.46
is found in 2 Corinthians
chapter 1 and verses 21 and 22.
00:16:06.49\00:16:12.00
2 Corinthians chapter
1 and verses 21 and 22.
00:16:12.03\00:16:16.77
Once again, the apostle
Paul relates the seal to the
00:16:17.34\00:16:22.59
work of the Holy Spirit.
00:16:22.62\00:16:23.99
And this is how it reads.
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"Now He who establishes
us with you in Christ
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and has anointed us is
God, who also has sealed us
00:16:30.37\00:16:37.07
and given us the Spirit in
our hearts as a guarantee."
00:16:37.10\00:16:41.75
Now we have a very important
little clue here in this verse;
00:16:41.78\00:16:45.21
where the seal is placed.
00:16:45.24\00:16:48.65
Let's read it again.
00:16:49.17\00:16:50.63
"Now He who establishes
us with you in Christ
00:16:50.66\00:16:54.55
and has anointed us is
God, who also has sealed us
00:16:54.58\00:16:59.64
and given us the
Spirit..." Where?
00:16:59.67\00:17:02.32
Oh, this is a
critically important detail.
00:17:02.75\00:17:05.41
"...in our
hearts as a guarantee."
00:17:05.44\00:17:08.71
So the apostle Paul is
speaking about the internal work
00:17:08.74\00:17:12.40
of the Holy Spirit
in the human heart.
00:17:12.43\00:17:15.67
That's a very important clue.
00:17:15.70\00:17:17.27
Now how do we resolve
this seeming discrepancy,
00:17:17.94\00:17:22.70
or this apparent discrepancy
between what Ellen White says
00:17:22.73\00:17:27.66
about the seal of God
and what the apostle Paul
00:17:27.69\00:17:30.80
has to say
about the seal of God?
00:17:30.83\00:17:33.19
The fact is, that we're
going to notice that Ellen White
00:17:33.76\00:17:37.36
and the apostle Paul are
emphasizing two different
00:17:37.39\00:17:40.75
sides of the same truth.
00:17:40.78\00:17:43.47
Ellen White is emphasizing
the external visible,
00:17:44.26\00:17:49.20
whereas the apostle Paul
is emphasizing the internal
00:17:49.60\00:17:53.85
invisible work
of the Holy Spirit.
00:17:53.88\00:17:56.04
In other words, they're
not contradicting one another.
00:17:56.35\00:17:59.77
They are
complementing one another.
00:17:59.80\00:18:02.15
They actually are
two sides of one coin.
00:18:02.18\00:18:06.68
Ellen White is emphasizing
the external evidence
00:18:06.71\00:18:10.89
of the internal
work of the Holy Spirit.
00:18:10.92\00:18:12.95
And the apostle Paul is
emphasizing the internal
00:18:12.98\00:18:16.47
work of the Holy
Spirit in the human heart.
00:18:16.50\00:18:19.43
There is no contradiction.
00:18:19.46\00:18:21.54
Now I'd like to
use a biblical example.
00:18:22.10\00:18:24.60
Actually, we're going to
use three biblical examples
00:18:24.63\00:18:27.03
to illustrate this relationship
between the internal
00:18:27.06\00:18:31.13
and the external, so
that we understand it
00:18:31.16\00:18:33.44
a little bit better.
00:18:33.47\00:18:34.63
And the first example
that we're going to use is the
00:18:35.18\00:18:38.55
example of circumcision.
00:18:38.58\00:18:40.75
Now circumcision, of
course, was an external act
00:18:41.86\00:18:46.35
that God
commanded Israel to perform.
00:18:46.38\00:18:51.09
Let's read Leviticus
chapter 12 and verse 3.
00:18:51.36\00:18:55.11
Leviticus
chapter 12 and verse 3.
00:18:55.14\00:18:57.05
You'll notice that the external
act, the physical act of
00:18:57.08\00:19:00.74
circumcision was
commanded by God.
00:19:00.77\00:19:03.89
It says there,
"And on the eighth day
00:19:04.38\00:19:08.34
the flesh of his
foreskin shall be circumcised."
00:19:08.37\00:19:14.33
It doesn't say
that it's optional.
00:19:14.36\00:19:16.34
God is saying that his
flesh shall be circumcised.
00:19:16.74\00:19:21.25
Is that on order?
00:19:21.28\00:19:22.48
It most certainly is an order.
00:19:22.51\00:19:24.55
Is it speaking about the
external act of circumcision?
00:19:24.58\00:19:28.08
It most certainly
is the physical act.
00:19:28.11\00:19:30.48
Now, how important was the
external act of circumcision?
00:19:31.14\00:19:36.17
Genesis chapter 17
and verse 14 tells us
00:19:36.47\00:19:40.13
how important circumcision
was, the external act itself.
00:19:40.16\00:19:44.30
It says there in
Genesis chapter 17 and verse 14,
00:19:44.33\00:19:48.74
"And the uncircumcised male
child, who is not circumcised
00:19:48.77\00:19:55.02
in the flesh of his foreskin..."
00:19:55.05\00:19:56.94
Is this a
physical act, yes or no?
00:19:56.97\00:19:58.57
Absolutely.
00:19:58.60\00:19:59.73
"..in the flesh of his foreskin,
that person shall be..." What?
00:19:59.76\00:20:04.63
"...shall be cut off
from his people; he has
00:20:04.66\00:20:08.36
broken My covenant."
00:20:08.39\00:20:10.50
Was the external act a
matter of life and death?
00:20:10.53\00:20:13.88
Absolutely.
00:20:13.91\00:20:15.17
God says, "If you're not
circumcised physically and
00:20:15.20\00:20:18.40
externally, you will
be cut off from My people
00:20:18.43\00:20:21.25
and you have
broken My covenant."
00:20:21.28\00:20:23.60
This was such a serious
thing, folks, that one time
00:20:23.90\00:20:27.87
Moses was coming
back from Midian to Egypt.
00:20:27.90\00:20:30.58
And on the way, the Bible
says that the Lord met him.
00:20:31.10\00:20:34.32
Now Ellen White clarifies that
God sent an angel to meet him.
00:20:34.72\00:20:38.97
And the Lord, it says in Exodus,
threatened to kill Moses.
00:20:39.00\00:20:45.61
And the reason why He
threatened to kill Moses
00:20:46.11\00:20:48.31
was to emphasize and underline
the extreme importance of a
00:20:48.34\00:20:52.85
ceremony that Moses had
neglected to perform on his son.
00:20:52.88\00:20:56.58
Moses had not circumcised
his son because his wife
00:20:57.64\00:21:01.39
did not want his
son to be circumcised.
00:21:01.42\00:21:03.88
But Moses went back home and he
told his wife what had happened,
00:21:03.91\00:21:07.10
and she herself circumcised
her son when she heard
00:21:07.13\00:21:10.70
what a serious matter this was.
00:21:10.73\00:21:13.86
Now if you want to
read this story, by the way,
00:21:13.89\00:21:16.72
it's found in Exodus chapter
4 and verses 24 through 26.
00:21:16.75\00:21:22.00
So the external
act of circumcision was
00:21:22.03\00:21:25.64
the sign of the covenant.
00:21:25.67\00:21:27.23
It was a very important thing.
00:21:27.26\00:21:29.16
But there was a deeper
meaning to circumcision.
00:21:29.58\00:21:33.39
There was something
internal that needed to exist
00:21:33.79\00:21:36.98
in order for the
external act to have value.
00:21:37.01\00:21:40.74
And in order to
understand this, we must analyze
00:21:41.15\00:21:44.88
the experience of Abraham.
00:21:44.91\00:21:47.14
Go with me to Genesis
chapter 15 and verse 6.
00:21:47.17\00:21:51.28
Genesis chapter 15 and verse 6.
00:21:51.31\00:21:54.40
Here, God comes to
Abraham in a dream and tells
00:21:54.43\00:22:00.02
Abraham that He is going
to have a son in his old age.
00:22:00.05\00:22:04.29
This will be the son
of the promise from whom
00:22:04.32\00:22:06.94
the Seed will come, from
whom the Messiah will come.
00:22:06.97\00:22:10.58
In fact, we know that
Abraham understood this.
00:22:11.60\00:22:14.70
Because the Lord Jesus, in
John chapter 8 and verse 56,
00:22:14.73\00:22:18.54
speaking to the Jews
said, "Your father Abraham
00:22:18.57\00:22:23.00
rejoiced to see My day,
and he saw it and was glad."
00:22:23.03\00:22:28.64
Did Abraham
understand that through him,
00:22:28.94\00:22:31.97
the Messiah was going to come?
00:22:32.00\00:22:33.58
Absolutely.
00:22:33.61\00:22:34.64
Now did Abraham
believe what God told him?
00:22:34.67\00:22:37.62
Absolutely.
00:22:37.65\00:22:39.00
Genesis 15 verse 6 says,
"And he believed in the Lord,
00:22:39.03\00:22:44.43
and He accounted it
to him for..." What?
00:22:44.46\00:22:48.77
"...He accounted it to
him for righteousness."
00:22:48.80\00:22:52.10
How did Abraham
become righteous?
00:22:52.13\00:22:54.50
He became righteous by
an internal act of... What?
00:22:54.53\00:22:58.25
...of faith.
00:22:58.28\00:22:59.40
He believed God.
00:22:59.43\00:23:01.19
And by the way, belief
is something that takes
00:23:01.22\00:23:03.53
place in the heart.
00:23:03.56\00:23:04.71
The New Testament speaks
about believing in the heart.
00:23:04.74\00:23:07.67
In other words, Abraham
believed the Lord in his heart.
00:23:07.70\00:23:11.02
And that was an
internal act of Abraham.
00:23:11.44\00:23:14.71
And the Bible says that at
the moment that he believed,
00:23:14.74\00:23:17.85
it was reckoned to
him as righteousness.
00:23:17.88\00:23:20.78
In other words, God took
the righteousness that the
00:23:20.81\00:23:23.51
Messiah would develop, and He
placed it to Abraham's account.
00:23:23.54\00:23:29.12
And Abraham was looked
upon as if he had never sinned.
00:23:29.15\00:23:34.27
Now by the way, this act
of circumcision took place
00:23:36.27\00:23:39.27
when Abraham was 84 years old.
00:23:39.30\00:23:41.19
Very interesting.
00:23:42.75\00:23:44.11
84 years old.
00:23:44.47\00:23:46.03
Not the act of circumcision, but
actually the believing in God
00:23:46.33\00:23:50.76
and being
accounted to righteousness.
00:23:50.79\00:23:52.46
Now, we come to circumcision in
Genesis chapter 17 and verse 24.
00:23:52.49\00:23:57.84
Now Abraham is 99 years old.
00:23:57.87\00:24:00.57
How many years had passed
since he believed the Lord
00:24:01.47\00:24:04.07
and it was reckoned
to him as righteousness?
00:24:04.10\00:24:06.35
Fifteen years have gone by.
00:24:07.19\00:24:09.19
Abraham had not
been circumcised.
00:24:09.58\00:24:11.49
He believed in the Lord
and it was accounted to him
00:24:11.52\00:24:13.93
as righteousness.
00:24:13.96\00:24:15.78
But now if you read this
text, Genesis 17 verse 24,
00:24:15.81\00:24:20.00
the Lord tells
Abraham to get circumcised.
00:24:20.03\00:24:24.76
Now the apostle Paul
reminisces about this experience
00:24:25.24\00:24:28.81
and explains the meaning of it.
00:24:28.84\00:24:30.81
We need to understand
that Abraham was saved
00:24:30.84\00:24:33.81
when He believed God.
00:24:33.84\00:24:34.95
It was reckoned to
him as righteousness.
00:24:34.98\00:24:37.12
But he was not circumcised
until 15 years later.
00:24:37.15\00:24:40.63
In fact, we're going to notice
that circumcision was the sign
00:24:40.66\00:24:43.67
or the visible announcement
that he had believed the Lord,
00:24:43.70\00:24:47.54
and the Lord had
given him His righteousness.
00:24:47.57\00:24:50.49
Now the apostle Paul explains
the experience of Abraham,
00:24:50.79\00:24:54.98
the theological meaning of it.
00:24:55.01\00:24:57.35
Go with me to Romans
chapter 4 and verses 11 and 12.
00:24:57.38\00:25:02.01
Romans chapter 4
and verses 11 and 12.
00:25:02.04\00:25:05.92
Here, the apostle
Paul is speaking about this
00:25:06.41\00:25:09.22
experience of Abraham believing
in God and then later on
00:25:09.25\00:25:13.42
being circumcised.
00:25:13.45\00:25:14.84
This is what he says,
inspired by God's Spirit.
00:25:14.87\00:25:17.65
"And he received the
sign of circumcision..."
00:25:18.05\00:25:21.59
What was circumcision?
00:25:21.89\00:25:23.29
It was a sign.
00:25:23.79\00:25:25.04
"He received the sign
of circumcision, a seal,"
00:25:25.07\00:25:28.81
interchangeably, "a seal of
the righteousness of the faith
00:25:28.84\00:25:33.51
which he had
while still..." What?
00:25:33.54\00:25:35.94
"...uncircumcised, that he
might be the father of all those
00:25:35.97\00:25:40.13
who believe, though
they are uncircumcised,
00:25:40.16\00:25:43.41
that righteousness might
be imputed to them also,"
00:25:43.44\00:25:46.86
verse 12, "and the father
of circumcision to those who
00:25:46.89\00:25:51.15
not only are of
the circumcision,
00:25:51.18\00:25:53.61
but who also walk in the steps
of the faith which our father
00:25:53.64\00:25:57.77
Abraham had while
still uncircumcised."
00:25:57.80\00:26:01.11
Are you understanding
the apostle Paul's argument?
00:26:01.14\00:26:03.34
He's saying that Abraham was
saved when he was 84 years old,
00:26:03.66\00:26:07.53
when he believed God
and it was accounted to him
00:26:07.56\00:26:09.56
for righteousness.
00:26:09.59\00:26:10.75
But the circumcision
was given as a... What?
00:26:10.78\00:26:14.72
...as the sign or the
visible seal of the experience
00:26:14.75\00:26:19.48
of salvation that had
come to the heart of Abraham.
00:26:19.51\00:26:24.18
And so you have
the internal experience
00:26:24.48\00:26:26.97
and you have the
external rite of circumcision
00:26:27.00\00:26:30.05
as an announcement, a
visible manifestation,
00:26:30.08\00:26:33.19
of that experience.
00:26:33.22\00:26:35.28
Now the Bible tells us
that circumcision was much more
00:26:36.03\00:26:39.23
than just taking the
foreskin from the human body.
00:26:39.26\00:26:43.08
I want you to notice the deeper
dimension of circumcision.
00:26:43.69\00:26:47.13
It wasn't only an external act.
00:26:47.16\00:26:48.79
The external act only
had meaning if you had the
00:26:48.82\00:26:51.49
internal experience.
00:26:51.52\00:26:53.02
Let's read several texts.
00:26:53.05\00:26:54.64
Deuteronomy
chapter 30 and verse 6.
00:26:54.67\00:27:00.96
Here, Moses is speaking
to the children of Israel.
00:27:01.63\00:27:05.62
And he says, inspired by
God's Spirit, the following,
00:27:05.65\00:27:09.17
"And the Lord your God
will circumcise..." What?
00:27:09.20\00:27:12.81
Ah, is that an
internal experience?
00:27:13.47\00:27:15.86
Absolutely.
00:27:15.89\00:27:16.98
"The Lord your God
will circumcise your heart
00:27:17.01\00:27:20.60
and the heart of
your descendants..."
00:27:20.63\00:27:22.91
What does that mean,
"circumcise your heart"?
00:27:22.94\00:27:24.96
He explains. "...to..." What?
00:27:24.99\00:27:26.87
"...to love the Lord
your God with all your heart
00:27:26.90\00:27:29.97
and with all your
soul, that you may live."
00:27:30.00\00:27:33.27
Was there something
internal about circumcision?
00:27:33.77\00:27:36.17
Absolutely.
00:27:36.78\00:27:38.04
The external act of circumcision
without the internal experience
00:27:38.34\00:27:42.20
was valueless.
00:27:42.23\00:27:44.14
Notice Deuteronomy
chapter 10 and verse 16.
00:27:44.44\00:27:49.29
The same idea of circumcision
being an internal experience,
00:27:49.32\00:27:53.59
and the outward
circumcision just as
00:27:53.62\00:27:56.21
the visible manifestation.
00:27:56.24\00:27:57.93
Notice what we find in
Deuteronomy 10 verse 16.
00:27:58.33\00:28:02.16
"Therefore circumcise
the foreskin of your heart,
00:28:02.19\00:28:07.54
and be stiff-necked no longer."
00:28:07.57\00:28:10.64
Being stiff-necked means;
bullheaded, full of yourself.
00:28:10.67\00:28:14.92
In other words, what is
meant by, "circumcise the
00:28:15.23\00:28:19.07
foreskin of your heart?"
00:28:19.10\00:28:20.50
It means that your
selfishness is... What?
00:28:20.53\00:28:22.85
...broken in your heart.
00:28:22.88\00:28:24.87
Now the apostle Paul
also reminisces about his own
00:28:25.39\00:28:28.61
personal experience with
the Lord, how before he was a
00:28:28.64\00:28:32.91
Christian, he boasted about, you
know, being from the tribe of
00:28:32.94\00:28:35.93
Benjamin, circumcised
the eighth day, and so on.
00:28:35.96\00:28:39.26
He says, "All of that, I
discovered, was valueless
00:28:39.84\00:28:42.42
without Jesus Christ."
00:28:42.45\00:28:43.89
Notice what he had to
say about circumcision
00:28:43.92\00:28:45.79
in Philippians 3 verse 3.
00:28:45.82\00:28:47.71
In Philippians 3, he tells
the story of his conversion;
00:28:47.74\00:28:51.58
how he thought before and
how he thought afterwards.
00:28:51.61\00:28:54.85
Philippians 3 verse 3.
00:28:54.88\00:28:56.34
The apostle Paul says,
"For we are the circumcision,
00:28:56.37\00:28:59.82
who..." What?
"...who worship God..."
00:28:59.85\00:29:02.34
Who worship God how?
00:29:02.37\00:29:03.83
"...in the Spirit, rejoice
in Christ Jesus, and have no
00:29:04.29\00:29:08.82
confidence in the flesh."
00:29:08.85\00:29:10.41
In other words, we don't
have confidence in circumcision
00:29:10.44\00:29:12.90
as a saving act.
00:29:12.93\00:29:14.34
He says, "We are the
circumcision, who worship
00:29:14.37\00:29:17.26
God in the Spirit and
rejoice in Christ Jesus,
00:29:17.29\00:29:20.93
and have no
confidence in the flesh."
00:29:20.96\00:29:22.87
Is circumcision deeper
than just the physical act?
00:29:22.90\00:29:25.66
Absolutely.
00:29:25.69\00:29:26.86
Let's notice one more text.
00:29:27.19\00:29:28.89
Romans chapter 2
verses 28 and 29,
00:29:28.92\00:29:31.62
where the apostle Paul
once again is speaking about the
00:29:31.65\00:29:34.87
internal
meaning of circumcision.
00:29:34.90\00:29:37.14
He says there in
Romans 2 verses 28 and 29,
00:29:37.17\00:29:41.46
"For he is not a Jew
who is one outwardly..."
00:29:41.49\00:29:45.95
What identified a Jew?
00:29:48.15\00:29:49.76
Circumcision.
00:29:50.79\00:29:52.00
The apostle Paul is
saying, "For he is not a Jew
00:29:52.30\00:29:54.59
who is one
outwardly, nor is circumcision
00:29:54.62\00:29:58.33
that which is..." What?
00:29:58.36\00:29:59.73
"...outward in the flesh."
00:29:59.76\00:30:01.72
By the way, was it important
to be circumcised in the flesh?
00:30:01.75\00:30:05.78
Did we notice that?
00:30:05.81\00:30:06.95
The apostle Paul is not saying,
"Oh you know that command
00:30:06.98\00:30:10.00
that God gave,
that wasn't important."
00:30:10.03\00:30:11.46
No, no. He's saying that there
has to be something deeper.
00:30:11.49\00:30:13.92
So he says, "For he is not
a Jew who is one outwardly,
00:30:14.20\00:30:17.85
nor is circumcision that
which is outward in the flesh;
00:30:17.88\00:30:21.12
but he is a Jew
who is one..." What?
00:30:21.15\00:30:23.87
"...inwardly."
00:30:24.19\00:30:25.31
See, there you have
the outward and the inward.
00:30:25.34\00:30:27.21
"...he is a Jew
who is one inwardly;
00:30:27.81\00:30:30.34
and circumcision is
that of the..." What?
00:30:30.37\00:30:33.52
"...of the heart..."
00:30:33.55\00:30:34.58
And then he says,
"...in the..." What?
00:30:34.61\00:30:35.93
"...in the
Spirit, not in the letter;
00:30:35.96\00:30:38.74
whose praise is not
from men but from God."
00:30:38.77\00:30:42.61
Does circumcision
have an external dimension,
00:30:43.09\00:30:45.75
physical dimension, visible?
00:30:45.78\00:30:47.26
Absolutely.
00:30:47.29\00:30:48.32
Does it also have an
invisible internal dimension?
00:30:48.35\00:30:51.50
Circumcision?
00:30:51.53\00:30:52.62
Absolutely.
00:30:52.65\00:30:53.68
One thing does
not annul the other.
00:30:53.71\00:30:55.87
They are two sides of one coin.
00:30:55.90\00:30:58.54
Now let me make something
very clear about circumcision.
00:30:58.92\00:31:01.81
Circumcision was
clearly established
00:31:02.21\00:31:05.69
as a Jewish institution.
00:31:05.72\00:31:07.55
It was established
after the entrance of sin.
00:31:09.23\00:31:13.13
Furthermore, the Bible makes
it clear, and that's going to be
00:31:14.44\00:31:17.63
our next point, that
baptism replaced circumcision.
00:31:17.66\00:31:22.04
The New Testament, the
apostle Paul makes that clear
00:31:22.07\00:31:24.40
that circumcision
was replaced by baptism.
00:31:24.43\00:31:28.52
Furthermore, the Jerusalem
council made it explicit
00:31:29.19\00:31:34.63
that people no longer
needed to be circumcised,
00:31:34.66\00:31:38.32
that circumcision
was done away with.
00:31:38.35\00:31:41.11
Reviewing once again,
this is very important.
00:31:41.64\00:31:44.08
Circumcision was
clearly established
00:31:44.11\00:31:46.30
as a Jewish institution.
00:31:46.33\00:31:47.95
It was established after sin.
00:31:47.98\00:31:50.47
It was replaced by baptism,
according to the clear testimony
00:31:50.50\00:31:54.40
of the New Testament.
00:31:54.43\00:31:55.52
And the Jerusalem council
in Acts 15 makes it very clear
00:31:55.55\00:32:00.02
that circumcision no
longer needs to be observed.
00:32:00.05\00:32:04.49
Not so with the Sabbath.
00:32:05.35\00:32:08.03
Now I need to clarify that the
reason I'm using circumcision
00:32:08.66\00:32:12.28
is not to draw a
precise parallel between
00:32:12.31\00:32:16.12
circumcision and the Sabbath.
00:32:16.15\00:32:17.53
I'm using circumcision just
to show that there are rites
00:32:17.93\00:32:21.71
and ceremonies that God gave
that have an internal dimension
00:32:21.74\00:32:25.44
and have an external dimension.
00:32:25.47\00:32:27.51
I'm only using this as
an example so that we can
00:32:27.54\00:32:30.55
then understand how the Sabbath
has an internal meaning and
00:32:30.58\00:32:34.16
has an external meaning.
00:32:34.19\00:32:35.43
Now the Sabbath is different
than circumcision, however,
00:32:35.87\00:32:39.45
in the sense that the
Sabbath was created before sin.
00:32:39.48\00:32:46.11
The Bible makes that clear.
00:32:46.84\00:32:48.21
The Sabbath was
made for all people.
00:32:48.96\00:32:51.80
The Sabbath was made for man.
00:32:51.83\00:32:54.10
And there is no evidence in
the New Testament whatsoever
00:32:54.13\00:32:58.21
that Sunday or something
else replaced the Sabbath
00:32:58.24\00:33:01.80
and that we no longer
have to keep the Sabbath.
00:33:01.83\00:33:03.63
In other words, the Sabbath
is in a different category
00:33:04.36\00:33:07.05
than circumcision.
00:33:07.08\00:33:08.11
The only reason
I'm using circumcision,
00:33:08.14\00:33:10.24
and I will use baptism
and some other rites as well,
00:33:10.27\00:33:13.01
is so that we can see that
there's no conflict between
00:33:13.04\00:33:17.25
the internal and the
external, but they actually
00:33:17.28\00:33:20.84
complement one another.
00:33:20.87\00:33:22.85
Now I mentioned that
according to Scripture,
00:33:22.88\00:33:25.54
baptism takes the
place of circumcision.
00:33:25.57\00:33:29.15
Now let's examine that
concept in Colossians chapter 2
00:33:29.18\00:33:32.89
and verses 11 and 12.
00:33:32.92\00:33:35.01
Here, the apostle
Paul explicitly states
00:33:40.26\00:33:43.17
that circumcision has
been replaced by baptism.
00:33:43.20\00:33:46.62
This is what he says.
00:33:46.92\00:33:48.15
"In Him," that is in Jesus,
"you were also circumcised
00:33:48.18\00:33:52.96
with the
circumcision made..." How?
00:33:53.97\00:33:57.00
Ah, this is not
physical circumcision.
00:33:57.29\00:33:59.96
"...with the circumcision
made without hands..."
00:33:59.99\00:34:03.09
Now what does that mean?
00:34:03.12\00:34:04.27
"...by putting off the body
of the sins of the flesh..."
00:34:04.30\00:34:07.63
So what does the
foreskin represent?
00:34:07.66\00:34:09.94
It represents
the sins of the what?
00:34:09.97\00:34:12.31
"...of the flesh, by the
circumcision of Christ..."
00:34:12.34\00:34:15.38
Now what is the circumcision
of Christ that removes the
00:34:15.41\00:34:18.44
foreskin, spiritually speaking?
00:34:18.47\00:34:20.56
Notice verse 12.
00:34:20.59\00:34:21.72
"...buried with Him in..." What?
00:34:21.75\00:34:24.67
"...in baptism..."
00:34:24.70\00:34:26.13
So what replaces circumcision?
00:34:26.16\00:34:27.86
Baptism.
00:34:27.89\00:34:29.11
"...buried with Him in baptism,
in which you also were raised
00:34:29.14\00:34:33.18
with Him through
faith in the working of God,
00:34:33.21\00:34:35.96
who raised Him from the dead."
00:34:35.99\00:34:38.26
So baptism replaces circumcision
by the clear testimony
00:34:38.29\00:34:44.40
of the New Testament.
00:34:44.43\00:34:45.68
Not so with the
seventh day Sabbath.
00:34:45.71\00:34:48.39
Now let's talk a
little bit about baptism,
00:34:48.42\00:34:52.07
which is a ceremony that now
the Christian church celebrates
00:34:52.10\00:34:55.44
instead of circumcision,
which was done away with.
00:34:55.47\00:34:59.34
Is there an internal
and an external dimension
00:35:00.13\00:35:05.04
to the rite or to
the ceremony of baptism?
00:35:05.07\00:35:08.06
Most certainly, yes.
00:35:08.09\00:35:10.24
Go with me to Mark chapter 16
and we'll read verses 15 and 16.
00:35:10.27\00:35:17.51
And we're going to read it
carefully because this passage
00:35:17.54\00:35:21.08
has the internal as
well as the external.
00:35:21.11\00:35:24.58
Notice Mark chapter
16 and verses 15 and 16.
00:35:24.61\00:35:30.07
This is the great
commission that Jesus gives
00:35:30.10\00:35:32.22
to His disciples.
00:35:32.25\00:35:33.48
"And He said to them,
'Go into all the world
00:35:33.51\00:35:36.64
and preach the
gospel to every creature.'"
00:35:36.67\00:35:39.58
Now listen carefully.
00:35:39.98\00:35:41.32
"He who believes..."
00:35:41.35\00:35:44.00
Is that an internal act?
00:35:44.60\00:35:46.41
The New Testament says
you believe with your heart.
00:35:46.81\00:35:48.94
Abraham believed
God and it was accounted
00:35:48.97\00:35:52.01
to him as righteousness.
00:35:52.04\00:35:53.07
So it says, "He who
believes, it's not necessary
00:35:53.10\00:35:56.68
for them to be baptized."
00:35:56.71\00:35:57.90
Is that what He says?
00:35:58.60\00:35:59.66
No.
00:35:59.69\00:36:00.72
It's not either
or, but both and.
00:36:01.07\00:36:03.76
He says, "He who
believes," that's the internal,
00:36:04.34\00:36:07.35
"and is baptized will
be..." What? "...saved."
00:36:07.38\00:36:11.13
Do you need to be externally
baptized in order to be saved?
00:36:11.16\00:36:14.25
Now that's not
talking about the exceptions
00:36:15.02\00:36:16.74
like the thief on the cross.
00:36:16.77\00:36:17.80
God takes those
things into account.
00:36:17.83\00:36:19.85
You know, some people use that.
00:36:20.28\00:36:21.69
They says, "Well what
about the thief on the cross."
00:36:21.72\00:36:23.93
And I tell them,
"You're not a thief and
00:36:23.96\00:36:25.37
you're not on the cross."
00:36:25.40\00:36:26.56
It's that simple.
Don't use that as an excuse.
00:36:28.23\00:36:30.71
Those are
exceptions to the rule.
00:36:30.81\00:36:32.50
People on their death
bed who can't be baptized.
00:36:32.53\00:36:35.04
God knows and He takes
into account their heart
00:36:35.07\00:36:37.86
because they're
not able to do it.
00:36:37.89\00:36:39.25
But God expects that if we
can do it, we should do it.
00:36:39.28\00:36:42.65
And so it says, "He who believes
and is baptized will be saved;
00:36:42.68\00:36:46.53
but he who does not
believe will be condemned."
00:36:46.56\00:36:50.28
So is there an
external aspect to baptism?
00:36:50.31\00:36:52.66
Yes.
00:36:52.69\00:36:53.72
Is there an
external rite of baptism?
00:36:53.75\00:36:56.40
Do they annul one another?
00:36:56.43\00:36:58.68
Absolutely not.
00:36:58.71\00:36:59.82
The other text that I
want us to notice about baptism
00:36:59.85\00:37:02.87
is found in 1 Peter
chapter 3 and verses 21 and 22.
00:37:02.90\00:37:07.28
Once again, the two dimensions
are presented in this passage
00:37:07.31\00:37:11.46
written by the apostle
Peter under the inspiration
00:37:11.49\00:37:14.03
of the Holy Spirit.
00:37:14.06\00:37:15.14
Here the apostle Peter
says, "There is also an antitype
00:37:20.41\00:37:25.24
which now saves us..."
00:37:25.64\00:37:28.17
So there's something
that saves us, he says.
00:37:28.20\00:37:30.72
What is that?
00:37:30.75\00:37:31.78
"...baptism."
00:37:32.19\00:37:33.55
You say, "What?
Baptism saves us?"
00:37:33.93\00:37:36.38
But there's more to the story.
00:37:36.41\00:37:37.86
It's just not
only the external act.
00:37:37.89\00:37:40.23
Let's continue reading.
00:37:40.63\00:37:41.84
"...baptism, not the removal
of the filth of the flesh..."
00:37:41.87\00:37:46.63
That would be external, right?
00:37:46.66\00:37:47.89
but the answer of a..." What?
00:37:48.87\00:37:51.68
"...of a good conscience..."
00:37:51.71\00:37:53.07
Is that internal?
00:37:53.10\00:37:54.13
"...the answer of a
good conscience toward God,
00:37:54.16\00:37:57.89
through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ."
00:37:57.92\00:38:00.25
So does baptism have
an internal dimension?
00:38:00.64\00:38:03.74
Yes it does.
00:38:03.77\00:38:04.80
Does it also have
an external dimension?
00:38:04.83\00:38:07.70
Absolutely.
00:38:07.73\00:38:08.77
Now I'd like to read you some
statements from the writings
00:38:09.23\00:38:11.72
of Ellen White on
the meaning of baptism.
00:38:11.75\00:38:13.91
She caught this nuance
of internal and external;
00:38:13.94\00:38:17.30
the important of
believing Christ in the heart
00:38:17.33\00:38:20.99
and then being
baptized as an evidence of that,
00:38:21.02\00:38:24.05
as a public
proclamation of that fact.
00:38:24.08\00:38:26.89
Ellen White, in the devotional
book, God's Amazing Grace,
00:38:27.29\00:38:30.92
page 143, had this to say.
00:38:30.95\00:38:34.61
And she's speaking about
the words that the Father spoke
00:38:44.53\00:38:46.83
to Jesus, "This is My beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased."
00:38:46.86\00:38:51.04
What happens at baptism?
00:39:01.71\00:39:03.10
God places His what? Signature.
00:39:03.13\00:39:05.46
So does God place
that as a great big tattoo
00:39:05.49\00:39:07.81
on your forehead?
00:39:07.84\00:39:08.87
Absolutely not.
00:39:08.90\00:39:09.93
Where is the signature?
00:39:09.96\00:39:10.99
The signature is in your heart.
00:39:11.39\00:39:13.06
She says once again:
00:39:13.09\00:39:16.73
Ah, "who truly enter..."
00:39:40.75\00:39:42.93
Are there some who
do not truly enter?
00:39:42.97\00:39:44.86
Absolutely.
00:39:44.89\00:39:46.20
She says, they are present; the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
00:39:46.23\00:39:49.66
See, you receive Christ
into the soul temple first.
00:40:04.65\00:40:07.03
And then you announce it how?
00:40:07.06\00:40:09.38
By baptism.
00:40:09.41\00:40:10.52
She continues saying:
00:40:10.55\00:40:12.03
Now here's another statement.
00:40:21.40\00:40:22.64
Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary, Volume 6, page 1075.
00:40:22.67\00:40:27.16
It's also an
Ellen White statement.
00:40:27.19\00:40:29.28
Listen to what she says.
00:40:29.31\00:40:31.41
Now listen carefully.
00:41:01.83\00:41:03.07
"They have been baptized
but they were buried alive."
00:41:03.10\00:41:07.92
Does that baptism mean
anything, the external act?
00:41:09.80\00:41:13.49
Absolutely not.
00:41:13.52\00:41:15.50
Just like circumcision as
an external act was worthless
00:41:16.06\00:41:19.92
unless it had the corresponding
experience in the human heart.
00:41:19.95\00:41:24.27
She continues saying:
00:41:24.98\00:41:26.01
You say, "You can
come out of the water
00:41:35.63\00:41:37.98
but the rite is meaningless
unless you have truly died
00:41:39.12\00:41:42.96
and resurrected with
Jesus Christ, spiritually.
00:41:42.99\00:41:46.39
Desire Of Ages, page 181.
00:41:46.59\00:41:48.86
This is a powerful statement.
00:41:48.89\00:41:50.52
Desire Of Ages, page 181.
00:41:50.55\00:41:52.94
Ellen White has this
to say about baptism.
00:41:52.97\00:41:56.07
"It is the grace of Christ
that gives life to the soul."
00:41:56.10\00:42:00.72
Where is that happening?
00:42:01.40\00:42:02.66
Inside.
00:42:03.58\00:42:04.91
"It is the grace of Christ
that gives life to the soul."
00:42:04.94\00:42:08.22
Now listen
carefully to what she said.
00:42:08.25\00:42:09.60
Some people think that
Ellen White was a legalist.
00:42:09.63\00:42:11.66
Ellen White was not a legalist.
00:42:11.69\00:42:13.04
Ellen White has
things in proper balance.
00:42:13.94\00:42:16.06
She said, yes the
external is important.
00:42:16.09\00:42:18.33
For example, the way we
worship God is very important.
00:42:18.36\00:42:21.78
Because God has
rules of worship.
00:42:21.81\00:42:24.02
But unless the heart is right
with God, all of the correct
00:42:24.48\00:42:27.89
methodology of
worship is worthless.
00:42:27.92\00:42:30.55
Are you understanding me?
00:42:30.58\00:42:31.68
Now listen to what she says.
00:42:31.71\00:42:32.88
So let me ask you,
what's more important,
00:42:47.79\00:42:49.61
the internal experience
of forming a relationship
00:42:50.76\00:42:54.56
with Christ, or being baptized?
00:42:54.59\00:42:57.37
See, it's not
either or. It's both and.
00:42:59.95\00:43:04.45
One is the visible manifestation
of the internal invisible
00:43:04.83\00:43:09.75
work of the Holy Spirit.
00:43:09.78\00:43:11.28
And so it's not; oh no,
if you have the internal,
00:43:12.27\00:43:14.84
you don't need the external. No.
00:43:14.87\00:43:16.28
Or if you have the external,
you don't need the internal.
00:43:16.31\00:43:18.29
You need the internal
which leads to the external.
00:43:18.32\00:43:21.77
Now allow me to give
you one final example
00:43:22.27\00:43:24.37
before we bring this to a close.
00:43:24.40\00:43:25.85
Today we're only
setting the stage for our
00:43:25.88\00:43:27.97
next study together.
00:43:28.00\00:43:29.43
Today we're not going to
discuss the Sabbath directly.
00:43:29.46\00:43:32.31
We started with Ellen
White statements, but we're not
00:43:32.34\00:43:35.44
dealing with the internal and
external aspects of the Sabbath.
00:43:35.47\00:43:39.92
Tomorrow we'll deal
with that extensively.
00:43:39.96\00:43:43.13
But we're setting
the stage for that.
00:43:43.53\00:43:45.40
We're laying the foundation
so that we can understand
00:43:45.43\00:43:48.01
how Paul says that the
Holy Spirit is the seal
00:43:48.04\00:43:51.36
and Ellen White says
that the Sabbath is the seal.
00:43:51.39\00:43:53.45
There is no contradiction.
00:43:53.48\00:43:55.22
They complement one another.
00:43:55.25\00:43:57.13
Go with me to
Deuteronomy chapter 6
00:43:57.91\00:44:00.37
and verses 6 through 8.
00:44:00.40\00:44:02.29
This will be our final example.
00:44:02.32\00:44:04.11
Deuteronomy chapter 6
and verses 6 through 8.
00:44:04.14\00:44:08.05
Are you aware of the fact
that God told the Israelites
00:44:08.63\00:44:13.41
to make little boxes of leather
and to write Bible verses from
00:44:14.02\00:44:21.81
the five books of Moses on those
little pieces of parchment,
00:44:21.84\00:44:25.70
and to place the
little strips of parchment
00:44:25.73\00:44:29.43
into the little leather box.
00:44:29.46\00:44:32.13
And God told the Israelites
to take those and to bind them
00:44:32.16\00:44:37.56
upon their
foreheads and upon their hand.
00:44:37.59\00:44:40.65
Imagine, imagine these
Jews walking down the street
00:44:42.59\00:44:46.68
with this little leather box
with little pieces of parchment
00:44:47.41\00:44:53.42
written with verses
from the writings of Moses.
00:44:53.45\00:44:56.32
They're walking down, and
they wore it actually on their
00:44:56.35\00:44:58.67
left hand, you know, and they
have on their left hand here
00:44:58.70\00:45:01.45
bound, this little box, this
little leather box, that they
00:45:01.48\00:45:05.51
made small, by the
way, with passages from the
00:45:05.54\00:45:08.97
writings of Moses.
00:45:09.00\00:45:10.25
Did God command them to do that?
00:45:11.64\00:45:13.30
Yes He did.
00:45:13.91\00:45:15.13
But that was suppose
to be an external act
00:45:16.05\00:45:20.81
that had internal meaning.
00:45:20.84\00:45:22.46
In fact, let's notice
that in Deuteronomy chapter 6
00:45:23.20\00:45:26.33
and verses 6 through 8.
00:45:26.36\00:45:27.57
By the way, as
you're looking for that.
00:45:27.60\00:45:29.36
Did God tell the Israelites
to wear on the bottom of their
00:45:29.39\00:45:33.17
garments tassels of blue?
00:45:33.20\00:45:35.30
Do you think that was literal?
00:45:36.15\00:45:37.52
Do you think that
literally God was saying,
00:45:38.15\00:45:39.96
you need to wear tassels
of blue on your garments?
00:45:39.99\00:45:42.43
God was speaking literally.
00:45:42.46\00:45:44.03
But did that have some
spiritual meaning behind it?
00:45:45.19\00:45:49.11
Of course.
00:45:49.15\00:45:50.18
Blue is a representation
of God's holy law.
00:45:50.21\00:45:54.32
And so as they walked,
you know, it was visible
00:45:55.18\00:45:58.62
to all of the
nations as they walked.
00:45:58.65\00:46:01.03
And the nations would
ask, "What does that mean?"
00:46:01.06\00:46:03.38
"Oh, that means that we
keep the law of the Lord."
00:46:03.41\00:46:08.14
Incidentally, that's
where we get the expression
00:46:10.70\00:46:12.82
"true blue" from.
00:46:12.85\00:46:14.72
Have you ever heard the
expression, "true blue"?
00:46:14.75\00:46:17.07
Because God's
commandments are the truth.
00:46:17.10\00:46:19.50
But they came to the conclusion
that there was some merit
00:46:19.81\00:46:23.19
in walking around in a
robe with tassels of blue.
00:46:23.22\00:46:26.29
They totally lost the
meaning, the internal spiritual
00:46:26.32\00:46:29.73
meaning of it.
00:46:29.76\00:46:30.81
By the way, did they do the
same thing with the Sabbath?
00:46:30.84\00:46:32.85
I'll get ahead of
myself a little bit.
00:46:32.88\00:46:34.83
You better believe they did.
00:46:34.86\00:46:36.06
Now let's read this passage.
00:46:36.09\00:46:37.30
"And these words which
I command you today..."
00:46:38.44\00:46:41.16
Listen to the condition now.
00:46:41.98\00:46:43.63
"...shall be in your heart."
00:46:43.66\00:46:47.09
Where do the words go first?
00:46:48.68\00:46:50.25
In the heart.
00:46:51.17\00:46:52.53
Is that the
internal or the external?
00:46:52.56\00:46:54.33
The internal.
00:46:54.96\00:46:56.16
"And these words
which I command you today
00:46:56.19\00:46:58.76
shall be in your heart."
00:46:58.79\00:47:00.36
That's before they're placed
on the forehead or on the hand,
00:47:02.71\00:47:05.21
by the way.
00:47:05.24\00:47:06.27
First of all, where?
00:47:06.46\00:47:08.10
On the heart.
00:47:08.70\00:47:09.89
Verse 7, "You
shall teach them..."
00:47:10.15\00:47:12.76
After they've been
placed on the heart. Right?
00:47:13.42\00:47:15.55
That's the condition.
00:47:15.95\00:47:17.02
"You shall teach them
diligently to your children,
00:47:17.05\00:47:20.08
and shall talk of them..."
00:47:20.38\00:47:22.63
After they're written where?
00:47:23.17\00:47:24.56
After they're
written in the heart.
00:47:25.40\00:47:26.74
"...you shall talk of them
when you sit in your house,
00:47:26.77\00:47:29.95
when you walk by the
way, when you lie down,
00:47:29.98\00:47:33.83
and when you rise up."
00:47:33.86\00:47:35.57
And now notice what he says.
00:47:36.23\00:47:37.82
He's already spoken
about the internal, right?
00:47:38.22\00:47:40.54
And you're suppose to
teach these things and you're
00:47:40.57\00:47:43.35
suppose to talk about
these things to other people.
00:47:43.38\00:47:46.93
Because you had an
experience with the Lord where?
00:47:46.96\00:47:50.75
In your heart.
00:47:50.78\00:47:52.38
And now notice the
external manifestation of this.
00:47:52.41\00:47:56.63
Verse 8, "You shall
bind them as a sign..."
00:47:56.66\00:48:00.35
Isn't that
interesting, that word "sign".
00:48:00.38\00:48:02.38
"You shall bind
them as a sign..."
00:48:03.33\00:48:06.22
A sign of what?
00:48:06.84\00:48:08.20
According to the
context, this is a sign of what?
00:48:09.24\00:48:12.03
A sign that they, what?
00:48:13.29\00:48:15.48
That they have written
the words of the Lord where?
00:48:15.51\00:48:18.36
On their hearts.
00:48:18.79\00:48:19.82
In other words, it's a
visible sign of their internal
00:48:19.85\00:48:22.84
experience with the Lord.
00:48:22.87\00:48:24.35
And so it says, "You
shall bind them as a sign
00:48:24.93\00:48:29.83
on your hand..."
00:48:29.86\00:48:32.10
What do you use your hand for?
00:48:32.72\00:48:34.28
For work.
00:48:35.74\00:48:36.77
You do with your hands. Right?
00:48:36.80\00:48:38.71
In other words, it has
to do with our conduct,
00:48:39.50\00:48:41.53
with our behavior,
because we do with our hands.
00:48:41.56\00:48:44.26
Are you understanding
what this is saying?
00:48:45.94\00:48:47.79
Okay so it says, "You shall bind
them as a sign on your hand,
00:48:48.65\00:48:54.61
and they shall be as..." What?
00:48:54.64\00:48:57.51
"...as frontlets
between your eyes."
00:48:57.54\00:49:01.16
Was God speaking literally?
00:49:03.87\00:49:05.54
Of course He was
speaking literally.
00:49:06.43\00:49:08.12
But why did they need these
little boxes with Scriptures
00:49:08.39\00:49:11.51
in them on their
foreheads when they had the
00:49:11.54\00:49:15.05
internal experience?
00:49:15.08\00:49:16.67
What was more important,
the internal experience
00:49:19.10\00:49:21.18
or the little box?
00:49:21.21\00:49:22.40
Both, as long as the little
box was a manifestation of
00:49:23.12\00:49:27.15
the internal experience.
00:49:27.18\00:49:28.21
Are you with me?
00:49:28.24\00:49:29.28
And so as they walked,
very peculiarly by the way.
00:49:29.58\00:49:32.80
They're walking down the
street and they have this
00:49:33.66\00:49:36.25
little box on their forehead,
00:49:36.28\00:49:37.88
and they have this little
box attached to their left hand.
00:49:38.54\00:49:41.49
And people say,
"That's kind of strange.
00:49:42.54\00:49:45.42
What does that mean?"
00:49:46.14\00:49:47.49
"Ah, let me explain to you."
00:49:48.08\00:49:50.00
A good missionary purpose.
00:49:50.03\00:49:52.09
"Let me explain
to you what it means.
00:49:53.36\00:49:55.16
It means that I am obedient
to all the commands of the Lord
00:49:55.19\00:50:02.04
and I love the
Lord with all my heart.
00:50:02.07\00:50:04.72
And I want His
Word to be in my mind.
00:50:04.75\00:50:07.93
And I want His Word
to influence my actions."
00:50:07.96\00:50:10.92
Are you with me?
00:50:12.55\00:50:13.61
Was the external important?
00:50:14.16\00:50:16.22
Yes, as long as you had what?
00:50:16.25\00:50:19.28
As long as you had the internal.
00:50:19.31\00:50:22.23
And then it says in verse
9, "You shall write them on the
00:50:22.96\00:50:25.88
doorposts of your
house and on your gates."
00:50:25.91\00:50:30.29
Are you understanding
the relationship between the
00:50:31.11\00:50:32.94
internal and the external?
00:50:32.97\00:50:34.34
Both are important.
00:50:34.79\00:50:36.54
Now notice Deuteronomy
chapter 11 and verse 18
00:50:37.43\00:50:40.30
where you have the same
idea expressed all over again.
00:50:40.33\00:50:44.01
Deuteronomy
chapter 11 and verse 18.
00:50:44.04\00:50:47.83
God says to Israel, listen
carefully to what it says.
00:50:48.98\00:50:51.84
I mean, this is so clear.
00:50:51.87\00:50:53.12
Next time, we're going
to talk about the Sabbath.
00:50:54.13\00:50:56.06
Did the
Pharisees keep the Sabbath?
00:50:57.01\00:50:58.53
How did they
ever keep the Sabbath?
00:50:59.42\00:51:01.28
And everybody hated them.
00:51:01.94\00:51:03.79
Because their observance
of the Sabbath did not
00:51:05.32\00:51:07.48
come from the heart.
00:51:07.51\00:51:08.67
It was a legal requirement, but
it didn't come from the heart.
00:51:09.36\00:51:12.97
Is Sabbath observance of
any value if we don't have a
00:51:13.94\00:51:18.07
relationship with
the Lord in the heart,
00:51:18.10\00:51:19.66
if the Holy Spirit has not
done His work in our hearts?
00:51:19.69\00:51:22.05
Absolutely not.
00:51:22.08\00:51:23.39
Now notice what it says there.
00:51:24.24\00:51:25.41
"Therefore you shall lay up
these words of Mine..." Where?
00:51:25.44\00:51:30.59
"...in your heart..."
00:51:30.62\00:51:32.20
And then it amplifies it.
00:51:32.52\00:51:33.71
It says, "...in your..." What?
00:51:33.74\00:51:35.18
"...in your soul..."
00:51:35.21\00:51:36.88
Where is that?
00:51:36.91\00:51:37.96
Outside or inside?
00:51:38.38\00:51:39.60
Inside. In your soul.
00:51:40.24\00:51:42.40
And now notice what he says.
00:51:42.81\00:51:44.16
"...and bind them
as a sign on your hand,
00:51:44.19\00:51:47.78
and they shall be as..." What?
00:51:49.54\00:51:51.74
"...as frontlets
between your eyes."
00:51:51.77\00:51:54.98
By the way, these
are called phylacteries.
00:51:55.01\00:51:57.53
Have you ever
heard of phylacteries?
00:51:59.12\00:52:00.77
That word is used
only once in the Bible.
00:52:01.37\00:52:04.15
In Matthew
chapter 23 and verse 5,
00:52:04.49\00:52:06.52
where Jesus rebukes the
scribes and the Pharisees
00:52:06.93\00:52:11.85
for their phylacteries.
00:52:12.10\00:52:14.25
In fact, let's read that text.
00:52:14.28\00:52:15.89
Matthew chapter 23 and verse 5.
00:52:16.10\00:52:19.10
Matthew chapter 23 and verse 5.
00:52:19.62\00:52:22.67
Jesus is speaking about
the external religion of
00:52:23.83\00:52:26.46
the Pharisees without the
internal work of the Holy Spirit
00:52:26.49\00:52:30.54
in their hearts.
00:52:30.57\00:52:31.88
In other words,
they are legalists.
00:52:31.91\00:52:34.55
Everything they do
is to be seen by men,
00:52:34.58\00:52:38.66
to impress men.
00:52:38.69\00:52:40.50
But they have no
relationship with God.
00:52:40.53\00:52:42.79
Therefore, the
external is worthless.
00:52:42.82\00:52:45.74
Notice what it says there.
00:52:46.38\00:52:48.64
Here Jesus is speaking.
00:52:48.67\00:52:50.36
"But all their
works they do..." Why?
00:52:50.39\00:52:56.08
"...to be seen by men."
00:52:56.11\00:52:59.17
Is that the right motivation?
00:52:59.74\00:53:00.99
When you do things to be seen
by men, is your heart right?
00:53:01.74\00:53:04.70
No, because you're
trying to bring glory to whom?
00:53:05.35\00:53:07.51
You're trying to
bring glory to yourself.
00:53:08.02\00:53:09.67
Are there people who keep
the Sabbath who think that,
00:53:09.70\00:53:12.69
within the
Seventh-day Adventist Church?
00:53:13.32\00:53:14.80
That's one of the reasons
why people in other churches
00:53:14.83\00:53:16.87
don't want anything
to do with the Sabbath
00:53:16.90\00:53:18.38
because of the
way that we keep it.
00:53:18.41\00:53:19.75
It becomes a yoke of bondage.
00:53:21.53\00:53:23.54
It doesn't come from the heart.
00:53:24.03\00:53:25.60
And people come
to hate the Sabbath.
00:53:26.62\00:53:28.59
If we kept the Sabbath the way
the Bible says we're suppose to
00:53:28.62\00:53:30.98
keep the Sabbath,
people would love it.
00:53:31.01\00:53:32.64
If we had that
relationship with Jesus.
00:53:33.58\00:53:35.81
And next time, we're going to
amplify this from the gospels.
00:53:35.84\00:53:38.44
Because Jesus had to
fight against this all the time.
00:53:38.47\00:53:41.94
He had conflict after
conflict after conflict with the
00:53:42.99\00:53:46.44
Pharisees over the Sabbath.
00:53:46.47\00:53:47.84
Most of His conflicts
had to do with the Sabbath.
00:53:47.87\00:53:50.10
And some Christians say
that Jesus broke the Sabbath.
00:53:51.53\00:53:53.74
No He didn't break the Sabbath.
00:53:53.77\00:53:55.21
He broke the Pharisees Sabbath,
00:53:55.24\00:53:57.47
but He did not break
His own Sabbath that He
00:53:58.04\00:54:00.11
made at the beginning.
00:54:00.14\00:54:01.17
That would make
Him a law breaker.
00:54:01.20\00:54:02.84
That would make Him a sinner
and He would need a redeemer.
00:54:02.88\00:54:05.45
Now notice, "But all their
works they do to be seen by men.
00:54:07.28\00:54:11.52
"They make their phylacteries.."
00:54:12.81\00:54:15.21
The little boxes with Scripture
stuck to their foreheads
00:54:15.94\00:54:21.28
and stuck or
attached to their left arm.
00:54:21.31\00:54:24.48
"They make their phylacteries,"
notice, "broad..."
00:54:25.27\00:54:29.84
Can you hear how
they're trying to impress?
00:54:31.56\00:54:33.42
"They make their phylacteries
broad and enlarge the
00:54:33.45\00:54:39.05
borders of their garments."
00:54:39.08\00:54:41.57
That's talking probably
about the tassels at the
00:54:41.60\00:54:44.06
bottom of their
garments, you know.
00:54:44.09\00:54:45.23
And then they walk ceremoniously
down the street, you know,
00:54:45.26\00:54:49.07
with these little
boxes and the border of their
00:54:49.10\00:54:51.50
garments in blue.
00:54:51.53\00:54:52.78
And everybody
looks and says, "Wow."
00:54:52.81\00:54:55.51
All a facade.
00:54:57.66\00:54:58.97
Because it's only the external
without the internal work
00:55:00.36\00:55:04.33
of the Holy Spirit.
00:55:04.36\00:55:05.58
When you go further
in Matthew chapter 23,
00:55:07.27\00:55:10.09
which we're
going to do next time,
00:55:10.12\00:55:11.41
you'll find that Jesus
even called the Pharisees,
00:55:12.10\00:55:14.90
"whited sepulchers".
00:55:14.93\00:55:17.85
He says, "Outside,
you look beautiful."
00:55:18.75\00:55:20.64
You know, I've seen
some amazing grave stones.
00:55:20.67\00:55:24.38
Like the one of C.W. Post
in Battle Creek, Michigan.
00:55:25.08\00:55:28.09
The cereal man.
00:55:28.12\00:55:29.75
Whoa, a mausoleum.
00:55:29.78\00:55:33.11
But what's inside there?
00:55:33.24\00:55:35.08
Bones.
00:55:37.80\00:55:39.37
And of course,
he's already decomposed.
00:55:40.03\00:55:42.36
So what happens if
you took away the facade?
00:55:42.39\00:55:44.70
All you have inside is rot?
00:55:46.11\00:55:48.06
So Jesus says, "You are
like whited sepulchers because
00:55:48.09\00:55:51.54
outside you look
righteous before men,
00:55:51.57\00:55:54.28
but inside you
are full of iniquity."
00:55:54.31\00:55:57.74
And so what's more important?
00:56:00.70\00:56:02.07
The inside or the outside?
00:56:02.78\00:56:04.36
Don't say the inside,
00:56:06.44\00:56:08.14
only the inside.
00:56:09.95\00:56:11.43
If you have the
inside, you have the outside.
00:56:12.93\00:56:15.37
Isn't that right?
00:56:15.40\00:56:16.44
You know, if you
asked a Christian today,
00:56:17.54\00:56:19.11
"Do you really think that you
should be baptized in water?"
00:56:19.14\00:56:21.67
"Oh yes of course, of course."
00:56:22.07\00:56:23.47
"Oh really?
00:56:23.50\00:56:24.53
Isn't it enough just to
love Jesus in your heart?"
00:56:24.99\00:56:27.78
"Oh no no, you've got to
go through the external rite."
00:56:27.81\00:56:30.06
But when it
comes to the Sabbath;
00:56:30.09\00:56:31.16
no, you don't have
to do the external rite.
00:56:31.19\00:56:33.13
Just love Jesus.
00:56:33.61\00:56:34.86