¤ ¤ Ominous music and thunder
00:00:01.36\00:00:05.27
Well good evening and
Happy Sabbath. (audience -Happy
00:00:16.21\00:00:20.32
Sabbath) Not quite yet but we're
right on the border. Good to see
00:00:20.35\00:00:26.09
you here on a Friday evening.
This is session number 21 of 24.
00:00:26.12\00:00:31.73
And the week, for me at least,
has gone by pretty quickly.
00:00:31.76\00:00:35.90
I brought my wife tonight.
You'll have an opportunity of
00:00:35.93\00:00:41.04
meeting her after the meeting.
And it's good to see her here as
00:00:41.07\00:00:47.11
well as all of you. This evening
we are going to study Lesson
00:00:47.14\00:00:51.25
Number 17: What is God's
Eschatological Seal? The word
00:00:51.28\00:00:57.49
eschatological is a theological
term that means what is God's
00:00:57.52\00:01:02.22
end time seal. The word
eschatology means end-time
00:01:02.26\00:01:06.26
events So let's have a word of
prayer and we'll get right into
00:01:06.29\00:01:09.70
our study. Father
in heaven, as we study
00:01:09.73\00:01:11.27
this lesson we ask that your
Holy Spirit will open minds and
00:01:11.30\00:01:15.97
hearts, not only of those who
are here but also all of those
00:01:16.00\00:01:19.61
who are watching the live stream
Bless us in our study, be with
00:01:19.64\00:01:24.31
us through the ministry of your
Spirit. We pray in Jesus' name,
00:01:24.35\00:01:27.78
Amen. Since early
in its history the
00:01:27.82\00:01:32.92
Seventh-day Adventist church
has consistently taught that the
00:01:32.95\00:01:36.62
seal of God is the Sabbath. As
far as we know the first person
00:01:36.66\00:01:43.13
to discover this was Captain
Joseph Bates who in the year
00:01:43.16\00:01:48.70
1846 published a little book and
the name of that little book is
00:01:48.74\00:01:53.14
The Seventh-day Sabbath, a
Perpetual Sign. With the passing
00:01:53.17\00:01:57.78
of time Ellen G. White agreed
with Joseph Bates and embraced
00:01:57.81\00:02:03.28
the Sabbath as the seal of God.
She unequivocally and repeatedly
00:02:03.32\00:02:09.56
identified the Sabbath as the
seal of God. So now I'm going to
00:02:09.59\00:02:14.63
read a few statements from
the Spirit of Prophecy on the
00:02:14.66\00:02:19.13
Sabbath as the seal of God. This
is from Signs of the Times, May
00:02:19.17\00:02:24.74
13, 1886. The Sabbath was placed
in the Decalogue as the seal of
00:02:24.77\00:02:31.28
the living God pointing out the
Law Giver and making known His
00:02:31.31\00:02:36.38
right to rule. It was a sign
between God and His people, a
00:02:36.42\00:02:42.89
test of their loyalty to Him.
Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 307:
00:02:42.92\00:02:49.20
The fourth commandment is the
only one of all the ten in which
00:02:49.23\00:02:53.57
are found both the name and
title of the Lawgiver. It is the
00:02:53.60\00:02:57.74
only one that shows by whose
authority the law was given.
00:02:57.77\00:03:01.24
Thus it contains the seal of God
affixed to His law as evidence
00:03:01.28\00:03:08.88
of its authenticity and binding
force. Three more statements
00:03:08.92\00:03:15.66
where Ellen White clearly states
that the Sabbath is the seal of
00:03:15.69\00:03:19.66
God. Signs of the Times, Nov.
1, The Sabbath of the fourth
00:03:19.69\00:03:26.63
commandment is the seal of the
Living God. It points to God as
00:03:26.67\00:03:30.67
the Creator and is the sign of
His rightful authority over the
00:03:30.71\00:03:35.74
beings He has made. Special
Testimony to Battle Creek, which
00:03:35.78\00:03:40.72
was written in 1898, p. 6:
The sign or seal of God is the
00:03:40.75\00:03:48.59
observance of the seventh day
Sabbath and the Lord's memorial
00:03:48.62\00:03:51.89
of His work of creation. And one
more; Manuscript Releases, vol.4
00:03:51.93\00:03:58.43
p. 425: The truth in regard to
the Sabbath of the Lord is to be
00:03:58.47\00:04:04.41
proclaimed. The seventh day
is to be shown to be the seal of
00:04:04.44\00:04:10.85
the Living God. That's the
very expression that is used in
00:04:10.88\00:04:15.05
Revelation 7, the seal of the
Living God. But now apparently
00:04:15.08\00:04:20.42
we have a conflict between the
Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible
00:04:20.46\00:04:26.80
There appears to be a
contradiction. Because as we
00:04:26.83\00:04:30.90
read the Bible we discover that
the seal or the sealer is the
00:04:30.93\00:04:37.87
Holy Spirit yet Ellen White
states that the seal is the
00:04:37.91\00:04:42.58
Sabbath. Now how do we
explain this seeming or apparent
00:04:42.61\00:04:47.52
discrepancy? Well first of
all let's notice the texts that
00:04:47.55\00:04:52.32
speak about the Holy Spirit as
the seal or the sealer of God.
00:04:52.35\00:04:57.33
Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13
and 14 reads as follows: In Him
00:04:57.36\00:05:04.27
you also trusted, after you
heard the word of truth, the
00:05:04.30\00:05:08.47
gospel of your salvation; in
whom also having believed, you
00:05:08.50\00:05:14.84
were sealed with the Holy Spirit
of promise, who is the guarantee
00:05:14.88\00:05:19.71
of our inheritance until
the redemption of the purchased
00:05:19.75\00:05:23.22
possession, to the
praise of His glory.
00:05:23.25\00:05:26.45
So notice the apostle Paul says
you were sealed with the Holy
00:05:26.49\00:05:31.96
Spirit. So this text says that
the seal is the Holy Spirit.
00:05:31.99\00:05:35.56
Notice Ephesians chapter 4 and
verse 30: And do not grieve the
00:05:35.60\00:05:40.87
Holy Spirit of whom, by whom
you were sealed for the day of
00:05:40.90\00:05:47.88
redemption. So once again,
do not grieve the Holy Spirit of
00:05:47.91\00:05:51.68
God by whom you were sealed
for the day of redemption. Once
00:05:51.71\00:05:56.58
again here the Holy Spirit
is the sealer because it says by
00:05:56.62\00:06:01.26
whom you were sealed. And
then we have one more text,
00:06:01.29\00:06:05.99
2 Corinthians chapter 1
verses 21 and 22: Now He who
00:06:06.03\00:06:10.17
establishes us with you in
Christ and has anointed us is
00:06:10.20\00:06:15.20
God who also has sealed us
and given us the Spirit in our
00:06:15.24\00:06:21.44
hearts as a guarantee. So in
these verses the apostle Paul
00:06:21.48\00:06:25.98
states that the Holy Spirit
is the seal or the sealer. So is
00:06:26.01\00:06:32.75
there really a contradiction
between the Bible and Ellen
00:06:32.79\00:06:36.89
White on the identity of the
seal of God? The fact is as we
00:06:36.93\00:06:43.06
study along we're going to see
that Ellen White and the Bible
00:06:43.10\00:06:47.07
are describing two different
sides of the same thing. The
00:06:47.10\00:06:52.74
Bible is describing the
invisible, internal work of the
00:06:52.77\00:06:56.78
Holy Spirit while Ellen White is
describing the external, visible
00:06:56.81\00:07:02.15
manifestation of that internal
work of the Holy Spirit. Now
00:07:02.18\00:07:07.76
we're going to take some
examples first of how you can
00:07:07.79\00:07:10.23
have the internal seal of
the Holy Spirit and yet it is
00:07:10.26\00:07:13.13
manifested externally by obeying
God. Let's take for example the
00:07:13.16\00:07:20.17
case of circumcision. Did
God command the external act of
00:07:20.20\00:07:24.31
circumcision? Yes or No?
Absolutely. Let's read some
00:07:24.34\00:07:28.88
verses. Leviticus 12 and verse 3
And on the eighth day the flesh
00:07:28.91\00:07:34.85
of his foreskin shall
be circumcised. That is the
00:07:34.88\00:07:40.56
external act. Genesis 17 and
verse 14: And the uncircumcised
00:07:40.59\00:07:47.40
male child, who is not
circumcised in the flesh of his
00:07:47.43\00:07:52.63
foreskin, that person shall be
cut off from his people; he has
00:07:52.67\00:07:58.04
broken My covenant. So did God
expect the people in Israel in
00:07:58.07\00:08:04.15
the Old Testament to be
externally and physically
00:08:04.18\00:08:07.68
circumcised? Absolutely. And
it was so important according to
00:08:07.72\00:08:12.75
Exodus 4:24-26 that when Moses
failed to circumcise his son the
00:08:12.79\00:08:17.29
Bible says that on the way
the Lord, which was through an
00:08:17.33\00:08:23.93
angel met Moses on the way and
threatened to kill him and then
00:08:23.97\00:08:28.34
told him that he needed
to circumcise his son. So
00:08:28.37\00:08:32.11
circumcision, external
circumcision, the external act
00:08:32.14\00:08:36.68
was expected on the part of
God. However, there was an inner
00:08:36.71\00:08:43.08
meaning to circumcision.
In other words, there was an
00:08:43.12\00:08:46.45
internal aspect of circumcision.
And let's notice what the deeper
00:08:46.49\00:08:51.13
meaning is. Genesis chapter
15 and verse 6. At this point
00:08:51.16\00:08:57.23
Abraham is 84 years old. God
promised him a son from his own
00:08:57.27\00:09:03.34
loins. We find that Abraham
trusted God and we are told that
00:09:03.37\00:09:10.21
it was accounted to him for
righteousness. In other words,
00:09:10.25\00:09:14.02
he was justified by faith.
Notice what we find in Genesis
00:09:14.05\00:09:19.95
15 verse 6: And he believe
in the Lord and he counted it to
00:09:19.99\00:09:24.59
him for righteousness.
Now Abraham had not yet been
00:09:24.63\00:09:29.66
circumcised externally. And yet
we find here that he believed
00:09:29.70\00:09:33.37
the Lord and it was accounted
to him for righteousness. Notice
00:09:33.40\00:09:38.21
Genesis 17 and verse 24. At this
point Abraham is 99 years old.
00:09:38.24\00:09:44.05
He was justified by faith but
he had not yet been circumcised.
00:09:44.08\00:09:47.75
So God tells Abraham that he
needs to be circumcised as the
00:09:47.78\00:09:55.06
external sign of the internal
experience. Notice Genesis
00:09:55.09\00:10:01.10
chapter 17 and verse 24. Let's
read that verse, Genesis chapter
00:10:01.13\00:10:06.23
17 and verse 24. It's not
in your syllabus but I think it
00:10:06.27\00:10:13.74
would be a good idea for us to
read that verse. It says there
00:10:13.78\00:10:17.28
in Genesis 17 and verse 24 the
following: Abraham was 99 years
00:10:17.31\00:10:23.99
old when he was circumcised
in the flesh of his foreskin.
00:10:24.02\00:10:29.26
So notice that Abraham was
justified by faith first and
00:10:29.29\00:10:34.20
then circumcision became, we're
going to notice, the sign, the
00:10:34.23\00:10:38.50
external sign that he had been
justified by faith, the visible
00:10:38.53\00:10:43.27
sign that he had been justified
by faith. You see in the days of
00:10:43.30\00:10:47.81
Paul the Jews made external
circumcision the litmus test of
00:10:47.84\00:10:53.15
salvation and to belonging to
God's chosen people. The apostle
00:10:53.18\00:10:59.09
Paul begged to differ. In Romans
chapter 4 verses 9 and 10, which
00:10:59.12\00:11:02.92
you have in the syllabus it says
Does this blessedness, because
00:11:02.96\00:11:07.90
God blessed Abraham when he was
justified, does this blessedness
00:11:07.93\00:11:11.80
of justification then come upon
the circumcised only, that is
00:11:11.83\00:11:17.01
the Jews, or upon the
uncircumcised, that is the
00:11:17.04\00:11:20.58
gentiles also? For we say that
faith was accounted to Abraham
00:11:20.61\00:11:24.91
for righteousness. How then
was it accounted, while he was
00:11:24.95\00:11:29.58
circumcised or uncircumcised?
Not while circumcised but while
00:11:29.62\00:11:35.06
what? Uncircumcised. So was
Abraham justified by faith when
00:11:35.09\00:11:39.46
he had internal faith in God?
When he believed God? Yes. But
00:11:39.49\00:11:45.03
did God later give him a sign,
a visible sign of a circumcision
00:11:45.07\00:11:50.47
of the heart? Absolutely. Notice
Romans chapter 4:11 and 12.
00:11:50.51\00:11:55.24
And here we see, this is the
case of external circumcision.
00:11:55.28\00:12:01.02
He received what? The sign
of circumcision, a seal of the
00:12:01.05\00:12:07.92
righteousness of the faith which
he had while still uncircumcised
00:12:07.96\00:12:11.83
that he might be the father
of all those who believe though
00:12:11.86\00:12:15.90
they are uncircumcised that
righteousness might be imputed
00:12:15.93\00:12:20.07
to them also and the father
of circumcision to those who not
00:12:20.10\00:12:24.54
not only are of the circumcision
but who also walk in the steps
00:12:24.57\00:12:28.11
of the faith which our
father Abraham had while still
00:12:28.14\00:12:32.38
uncircumcised. Are
you catching the point?
00:12:32.41\00:12:35.25
So was Abraham declared
righteous by God because he
00:12:35.28\00:12:39.75
trusted God or he believed
God? Yes, when he was how old?
00:12:39.79\00:12:44.19
Eighty-four. But then
what happened when he was 99.
00:12:44.23\00:12:47.60
God gives him a sign or a seal
a visible sign of the internal
00:12:47.63\00:12:55.04
experience that he had had.
In the Old Testament already
00:12:55.07\00:12:59.41
circumcision contained a deeper
dimension than the external act.
00:12:59.44\00:13:04.21
Notice Deuteronomy chapter
30 and verse 6. See circumcision
00:13:04.25\00:13:09.48
was to be a sign that the heart
had been circumcised, that the
00:13:09.52\00:13:12.72
Holy Spirit had done the work in
the heart. Deuteronomy 30 verse
00:13:12.75\00:13:16.89
6 says: And the Lord your
God will circumcise what? That's
00:13:16.93\00:13:21.13
internal right? Will circumcise
your heart and the heart of your
00:13:21.16\00:13:25.40
descendants, to love the Lord
your God with all your heart and
00:13:25.43\00:13:28.90
with all your soul, that you
may live. Deuteronomy chapter
00:13:28.94\00:13:32.77
10 verses 16 and 17 once
again speaks about the internal
00:13:32.81\00:13:36.71
experience of circumcision. It
says: Therefore circumcise the
00:13:36.75\00:13:41.25
foreskin of your what? Of your
heart and be stiff-necked no
00:13:41.28\00:13:47.22
longer. Philippians 3 verse
3, the apostle Paul reminiscing
00:13:47.26\00:13:50.89
about his experience stated:
For we are the circumcision who
00:13:50.93\00:13:55.50
worship God in the Spirit.
Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have
00:13:55.53\00:14:00.40
no confidence in the flesh. And
Romans 2:28 and 29, there are
00:14:00.44\00:14:06.24
many verses that present
this internal dimension of
00:14:06.27\00:14:10.68
circumcision. We find these
words: For he is not a Jew who
00:14:10.71\00:14:13.58
is one outwardly. How do
you distinguish an outward Jew?
00:14:13.62\00:14:17.19
Because he circumcised, right?
For he is not a Jew who is one
00:14:17.22\00:14:21.46
outwardly nor is circumcision
which is outward in the flesh.
00:14:21.49\00:14:26.26
But he is a Jew who is one
inwardly and circumcision is
00:14:26.29\00:14:31.03
that of the heart in the Spirit
not in the letter whose praise
00:14:31.07\00:14:36.91
is not from men but from
God. Are you following this? So
00:14:36.94\00:14:43.31
circumcision was the external
visible sign of an internal
00:14:43.35\00:14:47.88
experience of justification.
So let's clarify something here.
00:14:47.92\00:14:51.75
God established circumcision as
what kind of institution? As a
00:14:51.79\00:14:57.03
Jewish institution. God
established it when? After sin.
00:14:57.06\00:15:02.63
What replaces circumcision?
We're going to that in a minute.
00:15:02.66\00:15:06.40
Baptism replaces circumcision
and as at the Jerusalem council
00:15:06.43\00:15:12.31
the observance of circumcision
is no longer...what?...is no
00:15:12.34\00:15:16.31
longer required in the
00:15:16.34\00:15:17.91
church. Now let's notice how
baptism replaces circumcision.
00:15:17.95\00:15:22.02
It says in Colossians chapter
2 verses 11 and 12: In Him you
00:15:22.05\00:15:28.02
were also circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands
00:15:28.06\00:15:32.86
by putting off the body of
the sins of the flesh by the
00:15:32.89\00:15:39.10
circumcision of Christ. Now what
is the circumcision of Christ?
00:15:39.13\00:15:40.90
What is the external sign of
the circumcision of Christ? It
00:15:40.94\00:15:45.14
continues saying what? Buried
with Him in baptism. In other
00:15:45.17\00:15:50.51
words, that's the spiritual
foreskin is removed at baptism.
00:15:50.55\00:15:54.48
Buried with Him in baptism in
which you also were raised with
00:15:54.52\00:15:59.09
Him through faith in the working
of God who raised Him from the
00:15:59.12\00:16:03.99
dead. Now the Sabbath is
different than circumcision
00:16:04.03\00:16:10.17
because God established the
Sabbath when? Before sin. So if
00:16:10.20\00:16:16.20
the Sabbath is a sign it's part
of God's original plan. Secondly
00:16:16.24\00:16:19.94
He established it for whom?
He established it for all people
00:16:19.97\00:16:24.61
not for the Jews only. And there
is no indication in any part of
00:16:24.65\00:16:29.05
the Bible that God what?
Replaced it. So now let's notice
00:16:29.08\00:16:34.02
the example of baptism. As we
have seen in the New Testament
00:16:34.06\00:16:40.60
baptism takes the place of
circumcision. Let me ask you, is
00:16:40.63\00:16:44.87
the external act of baptism
necessary and important or is it
00:16:44.90\00:16:51.17
simply enough for a person
to receive Jesus in their heart?
00:16:51.21\00:16:55.24
The New Testament in answer
appears to make the external
00:16:55.28\00:17:00.95
rite of baptism a condition
for salvation. However when we
00:17:00.98\00:17:06.15
carefully read the Bible texts
on baptism, we see that the
00:17:06.19\00:17:09.86
external ceremony though very
important is not sufficient.
00:17:09.89\00:17:14.36
Notice Mark 16 verses 15-17.
He said to them, Go into all the
00:17:14.40\00:17:22.74
world and preach the gospel
to every creature. He who what?
00:17:22.77\00:17:27.24
believes (audience). Is that
an internal experience believing
00:17:27.28\00:17:31.11
in Jesus. It's the same as
Abraham right? He who believes
00:17:31.15\00:17:34.75
and that's it. All you have
to do is believe, right? No! All
00:17:34.78\00:17:38.95
who believes and is what?
Baptized will be saved, but he
00:17:38.99\00:17:45.26
who does not believe will be
condemned. And some people say
00:17:45.29\00:17:47.13
well why doesn't it say he
who does not believe and is not
00:17:47.16\00:17:50.37
baptized will not be saved...
The fact is that if he doesn't
00:17:50.40\00:17:54.37
believe he's not going to get
baptized anyway. Are you with me
00:17:54.40\00:17:57.67
Notice 1 Peter chapter 3 and
verses 21 and 22. There is also
00:17:57.71\00:18:03.51
an antitype which now saves us.
Speaking about the days of Noah
00:18:03.55\00:18:07.92
where Noah and his family went
through the waters. They were
00:18:07.95\00:18:10.32
saved on the other side. There
is also an antitype which now
00:18:10.35\00:18:13.92
saves us. Baptism. Not by
the removal of the filth of the
00:18:13.96\00:18:18.86
flesh, that's external,
right? But the answer of a good
00:18:18.89\00:18:23.37
conscience toward God through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ
00:18:23.40\00:18:25.93
So is the external act
of baptism required by God?
00:18:25.97\00:18:32.34
Yes. But is it necessary to have
a deeper spiritual experience?
00:18:32.37\00:18:38.05
A good conscience toward God.
Absolutely. Notice Ellen White
00:18:38.08\00:18:43.18
understood this. In the Seventh-
day Adventist Bible Commentary
00:18:43.22\00:18:46.65
Vol. 6, p. 1075 Ellen White
wrote: Christ made baptism the
00:18:46.69\00:18:52.79
entrance to His spiritual
kingdom. He made this a
00:18:52.83\00:18:56.16
positive condition with which
all must comply who wish to be
00:18:56.20\00:19:03.27
acknowledged as under the
authority of the Father, the Son
00:19:03.30\00:19:06.54
and the Holy Ghost. Must
we comply by being baptized in
00:19:06.57\00:19:10.85
water? Yes or No? As an external
rite. Certainly. She continues:
00:19:10.88\00:19:15.88
Those who receive the ordinance
of baptism, now listen carefully
00:19:15.92\00:19:20.19
therefore make a what? a public
declaration that they have done
00:19:20.22\00:19:27.60
something. They have what?
Renounced the world and have
00:19:27.63\00:19:30.57
become members of the royal
family, children of the heavenly
00:19:30.60\00:19:34.57
king. So the external rite of
baptism if it's not accompanied
00:19:34.60\00:19:38.04
by renouncing the world and
becoming members of the royal
00:19:38.07\00:19:42.54
family, it's useless. It's just
an external rite. Ellen White
00:19:42.58\00:19:46.72
wrote about the words that
the Father spoke to Jesus at his
00:19:46.75\00:19:50.99
baptism. This is found in God's
Amazing Grace, p. 143: Let those
00:19:51.02\00:19:56.79
who receive the imprint of God
by baptism heed these words that
00:19:56.83\00:20:02.03
is You are my beloved Son
in whom I am well pleased.
00:20:02.06\00:20:06.60
Remembering that upon them the
Lord has placed His what? His
00:20:06.63\00:20:10.84
signature declaring them to
be His sons and daughters. The
00:20:10.87\00:20:14.64
Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost, powers infinite and
00:20:14.68\00:20:18.25
omniscient receive those who
what? Truly enter into covenant
00:20:18.28\00:20:25.85
relation with God. They
are present at every baptism to
00:20:25.89\00:20:28.52
receive the candidates who have
what? Renounced the world and
00:20:28.56\00:20:33.29
have received Christ into the
soul temple. So does there need
00:20:33.33\00:20:38.07
to be an internal experience for
baptism to have any importance
00:20:38.10\00:20:41.90
or meaning? Absolutely. She
continues. These candidates have
00:20:41.94\00:20:44.87
entered into the family of God
and their names are inscribed in
00:20:44.91\00:20:48.78
the Lamb's book of life. Here's
another one. The Seventh-day
00:20:48.81\00:20:52.11
Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol.
6, p. 1075: The new birth is a
00:20:52.15\00:20:59.22
rare experience in this age
of the world. This is the reason
00:20:59.25\00:21:02.12
why there are so many
perplexities in the churches.
00:21:02.16\00:21:05.19
Many, so many who assume the
name of Christ are unsanctified
00:21:05.23\00:21:11.33
and unholy. They have been
baptized, however, they were
00:21:11.37\00:21:16.71
buried alive. Self-did not die
and therefore they did not rise
00:21:16.74\00:21:21.88
to newness of life in Christ.
Is it enough for a person to be
00:21:21.91\00:21:27.18
baptized externally in
water. No! It is a visible
00:21:27.22\00:21:31.25
manifestation, an announcement
that an internal experience has
00:21:31.29\00:21:37.03
taken place through the power of
the Holy Spirit. The Desire of
00:21:37.06\00:21:40.10
Ages, p. 181: It is the grace
of Christ that gives life to the
00:21:40.13\00:21:45.77
soul. Apart from Christ baptism
like any other service is a
00:21:45.80\00:21:50.84
worthless form. So to have the
external without the internal
00:21:50.87\00:21:55.64
she says is a worthless form.
In Child Guidance, p. 499 she
00:21:55.68\00:22:01.48
writes: Baptism does not make
children Christians neither does
00:22:01.52\00:22:06.35
it convert them. It is but a
what? An outward sign showing
00:22:06.39\00:22:11.46
that they are sensible that they
should be children of God by
00:22:11.49\00:22:15.50
acknowledging that they what?
Believe in Jesus Christ as their
00:22:15.53\00:22:21.47
Savior and will henceforth live
for Christ. So can we say the
00:22:21.50\00:22:26.57
same thing about baptism as
circumcision, that circumcision
00:22:26.61\00:22:31.31
was okay as long as it was
a visible announcement of an
00:22:31.35\00:22:34.65
internal experience by the Holy
Spirit. Is baptism meaningful
00:22:34.68\00:22:39.22
when it is an outward visible
manifestation of the inward work
00:22:39.25\00:22:44.13
of the Holy Spirit in the human
heart? Absolutely. Now let's
00:22:44.16\00:22:48.50
take the example of communion.
You know Seventh-day Adventists
00:22:48.53\00:22:53.07
celebrate the communion every
three months, every quarter.
00:22:53.10\00:22:56.30
And we take this little piece of
unleavened bread and we eat this
00:22:56.34\00:22:59.97
little piece of unleavened bread
and we drink a cup of grape
00:23:00.01\00:23:03.91
juice, not fermented. Is that
an external rite? Yeah, it's an
00:23:03.95\00:23:08.58
external ceremony. Is it
important? Yeah, Jesus said that
00:23:08.62\00:23:13.15
we're supposed to do it until He
comes. We're supposed to partake
00:23:13.19\00:23:16.83
of the bread and the grape juice
until He comes. But let me ask
00:23:16.86\00:23:20.46
you, if we celebrate the Lord's
supper without thinking about
00:23:20.50\00:23:24.47
what it means, without having
Christ in our heart, how much
00:23:24.50\00:23:28.70
value does the Lord's supper
have? It has absolutely no value
00:23:28.74\00:23:32.94
whatsoever. Notice this
statement from Desire of Ages,
00:23:32.97\00:23:36.04
pp. 148 and 149. The gift of
Christ to the marriage feast,
00:23:36.08\00:23:40.92
this is when He converted the
water into wine was a symbol.
00:23:40.95\00:23:46.09
The water represented baptism
into His death, the wine the
00:23:46.12\00:23:49.86
shedding of his blood for the
sins of the world. The water to
00:23:49.89\00:23:53.60
fill the jars was brought
by human hands but the word of
00:23:53.63\00:23:56.97
Christ alone could impart to it
life-giving virtue. So with the
00:23:57.00\00:24:02.04
rites which point to the
Savior's death. It is only by
00:24:02.07\00:24:06.74
the power of Christ working
through faith that they have
00:24:06.78\00:24:11.18
efficacy to nourish the soul.
Are you catching the gist of
00:24:11.21\00:24:15.08
what she's saying? In other
words communion is an outward
00:24:15.12\00:24:19.52
ceremony that indicates that
we have accepted Jesus Christ as
00:24:19.55\00:24:23.86
our Savior and Lord in our
hearts. Now that we've done this
00:24:23.89\00:24:28.10
let's apply this to the
observance of the Sabbath.
00:24:28.13\00:24:31.20
Did God command the external
observance of the Sabbath. Must
00:24:31.23\00:24:38.41
we keep the Sabbath from sundown
Friday to sundown on Sabbath
00:24:38.44\00:24:42.51
externally by ceasing to work?
Absolutely. Or is it just enough
00:24:42.54\00:24:48.08
to say I'll rest in Christ.
I have Jesus in my heart. I had
00:24:48.12\00:24:53.59
the rest of Christ inside. Is
that enough. No. Notice Exodus
00:24:53.62\00:24:59.89
20 verses 8-11. Remember the
Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
00:24:59.93\00:25:04.23
Six days you shall labor and do
all your work, but the seventh
00:25:04.27\00:25:08.70
day is the Sabbath of the Lord
your God. In it, you shall do no
00:25:08.74\00:25:13.24
work: you, nor your son,
nor your daughter, nor your male
00:25:13.27\00:25:16.81
servant, nor your female servant
nor your cattle, nor your
00:25:16.85\00:25:19.51
stranger who is within your
gates. For in six days the Lord
00:25:19.55\00:25:24.29
made the heavens and the earth,
the sea, and all that is in them
00:25:24.32\00:25:26.86
and rested the seventh day.
Therefore the Lord blessed the
00:25:26.89\00:25:30.36
Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Does God expect us externally
00:25:30.39\00:25:34.06
to cease from working on the
Sabbath? Yes. Does he expect us
00:25:34.10\00:25:38.73
to work six days? See if we're
resting on the Sabbath but we're
00:25:38.77\00:25:41.57
not working six days we're still
breaking the commandment. So in
00:25:41.60\00:25:45.91
other words God expects us to
keep this commandment externally
00:25:45.94\00:25:48.78
However, let me ask you this.
Is the observance of the Sabbath
00:25:48.81\00:25:54.25
by ceasing to work sufficient?
No. Because it is an external
00:25:54.28\00:26:01.92
sign of an internal experience
that I recognize that God is the
00:26:01.96\00:26:07.00
Creator, that the Lord is my God
Let's take an example of that.
00:26:07.03\00:26:10.60
In the Old Testament, you have
what are called the phylacteries
00:26:10.63\00:26:15.64
These are little pieces of
parchment that at the time of
00:26:15.67\00:26:20.31
Christ the religious leaders put
in little boxes and they pasted
00:26:20.34\00:26:24.08
them to their foreheads and to
their right hand. Why did they
00:26:24.11\00:26:28.65
do that? Because of what
we're going to read now. This is
00:26:28.68\00:26:32.45
Deuteronomy 6:6-8 And these
words which I command you today
00:26:32.49\00:26:36.52
shall be where? See there was an
internal experience first. Shall
00:26:36.56\00:26:41.60
be in your heart. They're in the
heart before you place them on
00:26:41.63\00:26:45.13
your forehead and on your hand
and on your doorposts. So it
00:26:45.17\00:26:49.04
says they shall be in your heart
You shall teach them diligently
00:26:49.07\00:26:52.64
to your children, and shall talk
of them when you sit in your
00:26:52.67\00:26:56.54
house, when you walk by the way,
when you lie down, and when you
00:26:56.58\00:27:00.32
rise up. You shall bind them
as a what? As a sign. And they
00:27:00.35\00:27:06.02
shall be as frontlets between
your eyes. In other words, they
00:27:06.05\00:27:09.92
affect the way you what? The way
you think. You shall write them
00:27:09.96\00:27:13.66
on the doorpost of your house
and on your gates. Let me ask
00:27:13.70\00:27:18.73
you what did the Jews do in
the days of Christ? They thought
00:27:18.77\00:27:22.27
there was great virtue in
pasting these little boxes with
00:27:22.30\00:27:27.38
scriptures on their forehead and
on their hand. And yet in their
00:27:27.41\00:27:30.78
hearts they were corrupt. Let's
read Ellen White's description
00:27:30.81\00:27:34.82
of this in Desire of Ages p. 612
and 613. To make a show of their
00:27:34.85\00:27:41.42
piety was their constant aim.
Nothing was held too sacred to
00:27:41.46\00:27:47.66
serve this end. To Moses God had
said concerning His commandments
00:27:47.70\00:27:50.83
Thou shalt bind them for a sign
upon thine hand and they shall
00:27:50.87\00:27:54.24
be as frontlets between thy eyes
These words have a deep meaning.
00:27:54.27\00:27:59.41
As the word of God is meditated
upon, in other words, that's the
00:27:59.44\00:28:03.98
mind right on the forehead and
practiced, that's the work of
00:28:04.01\00:28:08.88
the hand the whole man will
be ennobled in righteous and
00:28:08.92\00:28:13.62
merciful dealing. The hands
will reveal as a signet the
00:28:13.66\00:28:18.59
principles of God's law. They
will be kept clean from bribes,
00:28:18.63\00:28:22.20
and from all that is corrupt and
deceptive. They will be active
00:28:22.23\00:28:26.30
in works of love and compassion,
the eyes directed toward a noble
00:28:26.33\00:28:30.71
purpose will be clear and true,
the expressive countenance, the
00:28:30.74\00:28:36.31
speaking eye will testify to the
blameless character of him who
00:28:36.34\00:28:40.25
loves and honors the word of God
However, the Jews of Christ's
00:28:40.28\00:28:44.59
day all this was undiscerned.
The command given to Moses was
00:28:44.62\00:28:48.69
construed into a direction that
the precepts of scripture should
00:28:48.72\00:28:53.23
be worn upon the person. They
were accordingly written upon
00:28:53.26\00:28:57.23
strips of parchment and bound
in a conspicuous manner about
00:28:57.27\00:29:01.50
the head and wrist but this did
not cause the law of God to take
00:29:01.54\00:29:05.64
a firmer hold of the mind
and heart. These parchments were
00:29:05.67\00:29:11.01
worn merely as badges to attract
attention. They were thought to
00:29:11.05\00:29:15.62
give the wearers an air of
devotion that would command the
00:29:15.65\00:29:19.79
reverence of the people.
Jesus struck a blow at this vain
00:29:19.82\00:29:23.86
pretense. Are you understanding
this? You know you have the
00:29:23.89\00:29:29.03
external. Was it all right
to place these little boxes of
00:29:29.06\00:29:32.30
parchment on the
00:29:32.33\00:29:33.84
forehead and the hand? Sure.
As long as you had the internal
00:29:33.87\00:29:36.97
relationship with the Lord. As
long as you loved the Lord. But
00:29:37.01\00:29:41.14
just the paste them on your
forehead and on your hand and on
00:29:41.18\00:29:44.31
your doorposts where your
behavior did not reflect it in
00:29:44.35\00:29:48.52
practical life was useless.
Now let's notice the deeper
00:29:48.55\00:29:54.52
dimension of the Sabbath. We've
already noticed that God expects
00:29:54.56\00:29:56.12
us to keep the Sabbath
externally. We're supposed to
00:29:56.16\00:30:00.03
cease for working literally on
the Sabbath. But the Sabbath had
00:30:00.06\00:30:05.63
a deeper meaning. In Exodus 31
verses 12 and 13 we find these
00:30:05.67\00:30:10.91
words: And the Lord God spoke to
Moses saying, Speak also to the
00:30:10.94\00:30:15.44
children of Israel saying:
Surely My Sabbaths you shall
00:30:15.48\00:30:21.75
keep and what is the Sabbath?
For it is a what? a sign between
00:30:21.78\00:30:28.02
Me and you throughout your
generations, that you may know
00:30:28.06\00:30:31.43
that I am the Lord
who sanctifies you.
00:30:31.46\00:30:33.70
In other words, Sabbath
observance was the external sign
00:30:33.73\00:30:38.17
of sanctification, that God had
made their hearts holy. Notice
00:30:38.20\00:30:42.67
Ezekiel chapter 20 verse 12
and verse 20. Moreover, God is
00:30:42.70\00:30:47.44
speaking, I also gave them My
Sabbaths, to be a what? Here it
00:30:47.48\00:30:51.15
is again, external, a sign
00:30:51.18\00:30:53.52
between them and Me, that they
might know that I am the Lord
00:30:53.55\00:30:57.95
who sanctifies them. (V.20),
hallow My Sabbaths, and they
00:30:57.99\00:31:02.19
will be a sign between Me and
you, that you may know that I am
00:31:02.22\00:31:07.10
the Lord your God. So
the external observance of
00:31:07.13\00:31:11.40
the Sabbath did not make Israel
holy, but rather was an external
00:31:11.43\00:31:16.74
sign that God had made them holy
in their hearts. That is to say
00:31:16.77\00:31:20.74
the external observance of the
Sabbath was to reveal that they
00:31:20.78\00:31:25.05
had an internal holy
relationship with the Lord.
00:31:25.08\00:31:28.62
Now the question is who is
it that give us this internal
00:31:28.65\00:31:35.62
relationship with the Lord? Well
let's pursue this. Who writes
00:31:35.66\00:31:41.46
the law in our hearts including
the Sabbath commandment by the
00:31:41.50\00:31:46.23
way? The answer is the Holy
Spirit is the one who writes the
00:31:46.27\00:31:50.81
law in our hearts, not only
nine commandments, but all what?
00:31:50.84\00:31:55.14
But all 10. He wrote them on
tables of stone and He writes
00:31:55.18\00:32:00.28
them where? And He writes them
on the tables of the heart. What
00:32:00.32\00:32:05.35
good is it to have them written
on tables of stone if they're
00:32:05.39\00:32:08.96
not written on the tables of the
heart? Who is it that makes us
00:32:08.99\00:32:13.03
holy? Who is it that gives us
the internal relationship with
00:32:13.06\00:32:17.33
the Lord? It's the Holy Spirit.
So the seal that we receive is
00:32:17.37\00:32:22.27
the of the Holy Spirit in our
hearts. But that is manifested
00:32:22.30\00:32:27.38
externally how? By the
observance of the seventh day
00:32:27.41\00:32:30.91
Sabbath. Notice 2 Thessalonians
chapter 2 and verse 13.
00:32:30.95\00:32:34.42
But we are bound to give thanks
to God always for you. Brethren
00:32:34.45\00:32:39.89
beloved by the Lord because God
from the beginning chose you for
00:32:39.92\00:32:44.49
salvation through what?
Sanctification by the Spirit and
00:32:44.53\00:32:49.00
belief in the truth. So who is
it that sanctifies us, makes us
00:32:49.03\00:32:53.87
holy so that our Sabbath
observance is meaningful and
00:32:53.90\00:32:56.84
accepted in the sight of God?
It is the Holy Spirit. So there
00:32:56.87\00:33:00.58
is an internal seal and there's
an external, visible seal.
00:33:00.61\00:33:04.91
Notice John 17 verse 17:
Sanctify them by your truth,
00:33:04.95\00:33:11.29
your word is truth. Now
who is it that uses the word
00:33:11.32\00:33:16.52
to sanctify God's people. Notice
John 16 verse 13: However, when
00:33:16.56\00:33:24.83
He, the Spirit of truth, has
come He will guide you into all
00:33:24.87\00:33:30.27
truth, for He, will not speak of
His own authority but whatever
00:33:30.31\00:33:33.61
He hears He will speak and
He will tell you things to come.
00:33:33.64\00:33:38.35
Notice Ezekiel 36:26 and
27. Once again the Holy Spirit
00:33:38.38\00:33:43.92
transforms the heart, the Holy
Spirit does an internal work
00:33:43.95\00:33:47.06
and then the external sign of
that that the Holy Spirit is in
00:33:47.09\00:33:52.03
our heart and in our life,
particularly in the end time, is
00:33:52.06\00:33:54.93
is the observance of the seventh
day Sabbath even at the risk of
00:33:54.96\00:33:58.60
losing our life. Notice Ezekiel
36:26, 27: I will give you a new
00:33:58.63\00:34:05.57
what? a new heart and put a
new spirit outside of you. No
00:34:05.61\00:34:09.94
thank you very much, within you
I will take the heart of stone
00:34:09.98\00:34:14.95
out of your flesh and give
you what? a heart of flesh.
00:34:14.98\00:34:19.32
I will put My Spirit within
you. What happens when the
00:34:19.35\00:34:24.16
Spirit is within us? Aw, notice.
Are people going to be obedient
00:34:24.19\00:34:27.56
to the Lord when the Spirit
is inside? Yes, because it says
00:34:27.60\00:34:30.57
and cause you to what? to walk
in my statutes, and you will
00:34:30.60\00:34:36.24
keep My judgments and do them.
Although the wind is invisible
00:34:36.27\00:34:42.68
to human eyes, we can see its
effects. In like manner the work
00:34:42.71\00:34:48.28
of the Holy Spirit in the human
heart is unseen but we can see
00:34:48.32\00:34:52.49
the effects by the observance
of the holy Sabbath. Ellen White
00:34:52.52\00:34:57.36
explained that the Holy Spirit
is the sealing agent. Notice
00:34:57.39\00:35:01.23
these two statements
in Heavenly Places, p. 66:
00:35:01.26\00:35:05.23
Would you impress the seal to
obtain a clear impression upon
00:35:05.27\00:35:10.41
the wax. You do not dash it
on by a violent action, but you
00:35:10.44\00:35:17.11
place the seal carefully and
firmly and press it down until
00:35:17.15\00:35:21.18
the wax receives the
mold. Now comes the comparison.
00:35:21.22\00:35:24.15
Just so the Lord is dealing with
our souls, not now and then, but
00:35:24.19\00:35:31.46
constantly the new light is
implanted. What does implanted
00:35:31.49\00:35:36.93
mean? That's inside, right?
is implanted by the Holy Spirit
00:35:36.97\00:35:40.64
after Christ's likeness. And
in Selected Messages, Vol. 1,
00:35:40.67\00:35:45.97
p. 336 she wrote: As wax takes
the impression of the seal, so
00:35:46.01\00:35:52.75
the soul is to take the
impression of the Spirit of God
00:35:52.78\00:35:56.69
and retain the image of Christ.
So is the external observance of
00:35:56.72\00:36:02.36
the Sabbath indispensable? Yes!
But no one who does not have a
00:36:02.39\00:36:07.50
holy heart can truly keep the
Sabbath externally. Contrary to
00:36:07.53\00:36:13.13
what many detractors believe
Ellen White did not teach that
00:36:13.17\00:36:19.31
Sabbath observance is an end in
itself. Ellen White never wrote
00:36:19.34\00:36:22.34
that the observance of the
Sabbath confers holiness nor did
00:36:22.38\00:36:27.28
she state that keeping the
Sabbath earns us salvation. In
00:36:27.32\00:36:32.25
several statements she explained
that the Sabbath is the outward
00:36:32.29\00:36:36.29
sign of an inward experience
produced by the Holy Spirit.
00:36:36.32\00:36:40.56
By the way in the end, time is
God going to pour out His Holy
00:36:40.60\00:36:45.13
Spirit in latter rain power?
How are God's people going to
00:36:45.17\00:36:49.44
show that they have received the
Holy Spirit in latter rain power
00:36:49.47\00:36:52.11
they're proclaiming the loud cry
They're going to proclaim the
00:36:52.14\00:36:55.08
fall of Babylon and they're
going to proclaim which day is
00:36:55.11\00:36:58.65
the day that we're supposed to
keep. We're supposed to keep the
00:36:58.68\00:37:02.25
Sabbath. Does that mean the
Sabbath externally? Yes. But
00:37:02.28\00:37:05.82
it's because of what?
It's because we've received the
00:37:05.85\00:37:08.82
Spirit and the heart has been
changed or transformed. Notice
00:37:08.86\00:37:13.60
this statement from Patriarchs
and Prophets, p. 307: Pointing
00:37:13.63\00:37:18.13
to God as the maker of
the heavens and the earth, it,
00:37:18.17\00:37:21.50
that is the Sabbath,
distinguishes the true God from
00:37:21.54\00:37:25.21
all false gods. All who keep the
seventh day now comes the key
00:37:25.24\00:37:31.35
word, signify, is that
external? Signify? Signify by
00:37:31.38\00:37:38.85
this act that they
are worshipers of Jehovah.
00:37:38.89\00:37:41.89
Because they're worshiping the
Creator. She continues: That the
00:37:41.92\00:37:49.03
Sabbath is the sign, I added
visible there because that's the
00:37:49.06\00:37:52.03
emphasis is the sign of man's
allegiance to God as long as
00:37:52.07\00:37:59.27
there are any upon the earth
to serve Him. Here's another one
00:37:59.31\00:38:02.04
Great Controversy, p. 605,
there's several keywords here.
00:38:02.08\00:38:05.31
The Sabbath will be the great
test of loyalty. Is that the
00:38:05.35\00:38:09.75
external observance of
the Sabbath? You know I'm not
00:38:09.78\00:38:13.19
willing to die for the Sabbath
but I'm willing to die for the
00:38:13.22\00:38:15.36
Lord of the Sabbath. Are we
talking about keeping externally
00:38:15.39\00:38:21.50
the Sabbath? Yes, absolutely.
It's the test of loyalty, for
00:38:21.53\00:38:26.00
it is the point of truth
especially controverted. When
00:38:26.03\00:38:29.20
the final test shall be brought
to bear upon men then the line
00:38:29.24\00:38:32.67
of distinction will be drawn
between those who serve God and
00:38:32.71\00:38:36.81
those who serve Him not. While
the observance of the false
00:38:36.85\00:38:39.88
Sabbath in compliance with the
law of the state contrary to the
00:38:39.91\00:38:43.12
fourth commandment will be
unavowed. What does the word
00:38:43.15\00:38:48.19
avow mean? It's like an
announcement, right? It will be
00:38:48.22\00:38:52.49
an avowal, or an announcement,
of allegiance to whom?
00:38:52.53\00:38:57.23
to a power that is in opposition
to God. The keeping of the true
00:38:57.27\00:39:02.97
Sabbath in obedience to God's
law is an what? evidence, is
00:39:03.00\00:39:09.54
that external? Evidence? Is
an evidence of loyalty to the
00:39:09.58\00:39:12.31
Creator while one class
accepting the what? The sign of
00:39:12.35\00:39:16.45
submission to earthly
powers, which is keeping Sunday,
00:39:16.48\00:39:19.25
receive the mark of the beast,
the other choosing the what?
00:39:19.29\00:39:23.59
the token, once again notice the
word, the token of allegiance
00:39:23.63\00:39:28.23
to Divine authority receive
the seal of God. So, Ellen White
00:39:28.26\00:39:32.23
speaks of it as avowal, evidence
sign, token. Let me give you an
00:39:32.27\00:39:38.14
example, the analogy of
patriotism. Is patriotism an
00:39:38.17\00:39:43.98
inward attitude? Is it an
abstract concept? Of course,
00:39:44.01\00:39:48.52
it's an abstract concept. It is
something a person feels where?
00:39:48.55\00:39:52.65
In the heart, of course. Pledge
of allegiance to the flag which
00:39:52.69\00:39:58.73
is an external act to the sound
of the Star Spangled Banner
00:39:58.76\00:40:03.30
allows a person to what? To
externalize in visible form his
00:40:03.33\00:40:09.34
patriotism or her patriotism.
Pledging allegiance to the flag
00:40:09.37\00:40:13.64
is the externalization or
the visible sign of patriotism.
00:40:13.68\00:40:18.18
Would it be proper to pledge
allegiance to the United States
00:40:18.21\00:40:22.28
while using a Russian flag? Well
you say who cares about the flag
00:40:22.32\00:40:26.35
as long as you're a red-blooded
American. Does it really make
00:40:26.39\00:40:31.83
any difference? What would you
think of someone who says, I'm
00:40:31.86\00:40:35.86
a red-blooded American. I love
this country and then pledges
00:40:35.90\00:40:39.90
allegiance to the Russian flag
externally? Does the flag that
00:40:39.93\00:40:44.17
we pledge allegiance to make
a difference? It certainly does.
00:40:44.21\00:40:47.31
Ellen White continues writing
and there's several statements
00:40:47.34\00:40:51.51
here: Those who would have the
seal of God in their foreheads
00:40:51.55\00:40:55.58
must keep
00:40:55.62\00:40:56.95
the Sabbath of the
fourth commandment. This is what
00:40:56.99\00:41:00.89
distinguishes them from the
disloyal who have accepted a
00:41:00.92\00:41:04.69
manmade institution in the
place of the true Sabbath. The
00:41:04.73\00:41:08.43
observance of God's rest
day is the what? the mark of
00:41:08.46\00:41:14.04
distinction between him that
serveth God and him that serveth
00:41:14.07\00:41:18.74
Him not. Great Controversy
p. 438: Keeping the Sabbath is a
00:41:18.77\00:41:24.31
what? A sign of loyalty to the
true God. Is that an external
00:41:24.35\00:41:28.62
announcement? It most certainly
is. Selected Messages, Vol. 3,
00:41:28.65\00:41:33.69
p. 256: The Sabbath is a pledge
given by God to man, a sign of
00:41:33.72\00:41:39.36
the relation existing between
the Creator and His created
00:41:39.39\00:41:42.83
beings. By observing the
memorial of the creation of the
00:41:42.86\00:41:46.17
world in six days and the rest
of the Creator on the seventh
00:41:46.20\00:41:49.90
day by keeping the Sabbath holy
according to His directions the
00:41:49.94\00:41:54.91
Israelites were to do what? Were
to declare to the world their
00:41:54.94\00:42:01.75
loyalty to the only true and
living God, the Sovereign of the
00:42:01.78\00:42:05.99
universe. So when the
surrounding nations saw Israel
00:42:06.02\00:42:08.52
suspending work all day Sabbath
they were to say these people
00:42:08.56\00:42:13.56
serve the living God. The
visible sign which would speak
00:42:13.60\00:42:17.50
for them. Here's another one:
Manuscript Releases, Vol. 5,
00:42:17.53\00:42:22.10
p. 86: Let us reverence God's
institution, the Sabbath day.
00:42:22.14\00:42:26.34
For it is a sign of our
relationship to God, the sign by
00:42:26.37\00:42:31.81
which we are, what is the
demonstration? external. We
00:42:31.85\00:42:39.35
are demonstrated as His people.
Once again Manuscript Releases,
00:42:39.39\00:42:44.23
Vol. 11, p. 18: To the obedient
it is a sign of their loyalty to
00:42:44.26\00:42:50.87
God. Manuscript Releases, Vol.
15, p. 32: True observance of
00:42:50.90\00:42:57.04
the Sabbath is the sign of
loyalty to God. And one more:
00:42:57.07\00:43:01.14
Nothing so distinguished
the Jews from the surrounding
00:43:01.18\00:43:04.31
nations and designated them as
true worshipers of the Creator
00:43:04.35\00:43:07.85
as the institution of the
Sabbath. It's observance was a
00:43:07.88\00:43:14.22
continual, what? visible
token of their connection with
00:43:14.26\00:43:20.10
God. Connection with God is
their internal relationship.
00:43:20.13\00:43:22.50
Observance of the Sabbath
is a visible token of their
00:43:22.53\00:43:27.00
connection with God and
separation from other people.
00:43:27.04\00:43:32.11
So is the Sabbath the observance
of the Sabbath a sign of
00:43:32.14\00:43:37.25
a deeper spiritual
00:43:37.28\00:43:38.61
experience created by the
Holy Spirit in the human heart?
00:43:39.08\00:43:42.55
Absolutely. Let's read a
few statements here. The quiet,
00:43:42.58\00:43:46.49
consistent, Godly life is a
living epistle known and read of
00:43:46.52\00:43:51.03
all men. Holiness is not shaped
from where, without, or put on.
00:43:51.06\00:43:59.40
It radiates from where? From
within. If goodness, purity,
00:43:59.43\00:44:04.27
meekness, lowliness
and integrity dwell where?
00:44:04.31\00:44:06.98
in the heart, they will
shine forth, where? in the
00:44:07.01\00:44:11.91
character and such a character
is full of power, not the
00:44:11.95\00:44:17.52
instrument but the great worker
in whose hand the instrument is
00:44:17.55\00:44:20.92
used receive the glory. The
heart filled with the Savior's
00:44:20.96\00:44:24.43
love daily receives grace
to, what? to impart the light
00:44:24.46\00:44:30.07
reveals the redeeming
power of the truth. So an inward
00:44:30.10\00:44:35.47
experience is revealed in the
outward behavior. An inward rest
00:44:35.50\00:44:41.81
in Christ is revealed in
spending the entire Sabbath day
00:44:41.84\00:44:45.01
with Christ. Manuscript Releases
Vol. 10, p. 252: Just as soon as
00:44:45.05\00:44:52.15
the people of God are sealed in
their foreheads. It is not any
00:44:52.19\00:44:55.16
seal or mark that can be seen
but a settling into the truth
00:44:55.19\00:44:59.03
both intellectually and
spiritually so they cannot be
00:44:59.06\00:45:03.37
moved. Just as soon as God's
people are sealed and prepared
00:45:03.40\00:45:06.84
for the shaking, it will come.
Keeping the Sabbath without love
00:45:06.87\00:45:13.07
is worthless and love flows from
the heart. Notice this statement
00:45:13.11\00:45:17.45
Signs of the Time, Feb. 13, 1896
The Sabbath is a test to this
00:45:17.48\00:45:23.79
generation. In obeying the
fourth commandment in what?
00:45:23.82\00:45:28.72
In spirit and truth, men will
obey all the precepts of the
00:45:28.76\00:45:33.66
decalogue. To fulfill this
commandment one must, what?
00:45:33.70\00:45:37.00
In order to keep the Sabbath,
something has to happen in your
00:45:37.07\00:45:39.70
heart. What is it that
needs to happen? To fulfill this
00:45:39.73\00:45:42.40
commandment one must love God
00:45:42.44\00:45:45.01
supremely and exercise love
toward all the creatures that He
00:45:45.04\00:45:50.48
has made. That's the
externalization observance of
00:45:50.51\00:45:54.02
the Sabbath. That's the reason
why in Isaiah chapter 58, God,
00:45:54.05\00:45:57.99
in speaking about the Sabbath
says, Isn't it for you to share
00:45:58.02\00:46:01.02
your clothing with the naked
and to feed those who are hungry
00:46:01.06\00:46:04.09
and to visit those who are
slaves and everything because
00:46:04.13\00:46:07.53
when the Sabbath is kept, it's
kept as a manifestation of love
00:46:07.56\00:46:12.97
for God and love for our fellow
human beings. Review and Herald,
00:46:13.00\00:46:16.40
May 21, 1895: The seal of the
living God will be placed upon
00:46:16.44\00:46:22.01
those only who bear a likeness
to Christ in what? a likeness
00:46:22.04\00:46:26.15
to God in character. And then
she wrote in Testimonies for the
00:46:26.18\00:46:30.52
Church, Vol. 8, p. 117: The
sign or seal of God is what?
00:46:30.55\00:46:38.09
is revealed, so the sign or
seal of God is revealed in the
00:46:38.13\00:46:44.63
observance of the seventh day
Sabbath, the Lord's memorial of
00:46:44.67\00:46:48.70
creation. So now what we want
to do is go back to the times of
00:46:48.74\00:46:54.64
Christ. The best way to
understand the relationship
00:46:54.68\00:46:58.58
between the internal work of
the Holy Spirit and the external
00:46:58.61\00:47:02.18
observance of the Sabbath is
by comparing how Jesus and the
00:47:02.22\00:47:05.89
Pharisees kept the Sabbath.
The problem of the Pharisees was
00:47:05.92\00:47:09.52
that they had the outward
behavior without the internal
00:47:09.56\00:47:14.03
work of the Holy Spirit in the
heart. This type of legalism is
00:47:14.06\00:47:17.93
what the religious leaders
manifested in Christ's day.
00:47:17.97\00:47:20.54
They were fine on the
outside but the outside did not
00:47:20.57\00:47:24.24
harmonize with the inside. Are
there many Adventists that keep
00:47:24.27\00:47:27.08
the Sabbath that don't have the
internal relationship with the
00:47:27.11\00:47:29.24
Lord? Absolutely. Notice Matthew
23:25-28 to see if we can detect
00:47:29.28\00:47:35.42
what the problem was with the
Pharisees in Christ's day, and
00:47:35.45\00:47:38.72
the scribes. They were
the theologians. Woe to you,
00:47:38.75\00:47:42.39
scribes and Pharisees hypocrites
For you cleanse the what?
00:47:42.42\00:47:46.13
the outside of the cup and dish,
but inside they are full of
00:47:46.16\00:47:51.33
extortion and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, first cleanse
00:47:51.37\00:47:54.80
the inside of the cup and dish,
that the outside of them may be
00:47:54.84\00:48:00.91
clean also. Woe to you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! For
00:48:00.94\00:48:04.15
you are like whitewashed tombs
which indeed appear beautiful
00:48:04.18\00:48:07.92
outwardly, but inside are
full of dead men's bones and all
00:48:07.95\00:48:13.62
uncleanness. Even so you
also what? outwardly appear
00:48:13.66\00:48:18.16
righteous to men, but inside
you are full of hypocrisy and
00:48:18.19\00:48:22.76
lawlessness. What
was the problem with the
00:48:22.80\00:48:25.93
Pharisees? They had a type of
schizophrenia (laughter) because
00:48:25.97\00:48:33.44
they had the outside where
it looked perfect but it did not
00:48:33.48\00:48:37.21
come from a heart relationship
with the Lord, they did not have
00:48:37.25\00:48:39.61
the Spirit in the heart. So
let me ask you this. What's more
00:48:39.65\00:48:42.75
important? To have the Spirit in
the heart or to keep the Sabbath
00:48:42.78\00:48:46.02
(voices and laughter) They're
both. You can't have one without
00:48:46.05\00:48:51.59
the other. Now let's notice an
example of this. But before we
00:48:51.63\00:48:57.93
do, let's read the
last paragraph of page 346.
00:48:57.97\00:49:01.30
All the healings of Jesus were
performed on Sabbath and they
00:49:01.34\00:49:06.21
were chronic illnesses. He
didn't do all of the miracles on
00:49:06.24\00:49:09.74
the Sabbath but all of His
miracles done on Sabbath were
00:49:09.78\00:49:13.05
chronic illnesses that
could have waited until sundown.
00:49:13.08\00:49:15.42
Jesus could have waited to heal
these individuals, but He wanted
00:49:15.45\00:49:20.49
to make a point. He wanted to
show that Love is at the heart
00:49:20.52\00:49:23.96
of what? at the heart of the
Sabbath. This is why He stated
00:49:23.99\00:49:28.13
that he desired mercy and not
sacrifice. The healings of Jesus
00:49:28.16\00:49:32.80
on the Sabbath revealed that
He had the Spirit of God where?
00:49:32.83\00:49:36.37
in his heart. Here's an example.
Mark 3 verses 1-7. As He
00:49:36.40\00:49:43.98
entered the synagogue again, And
He entered the synagogue again,
00:49:44.01\00:49:48.25
and a man was there who had a
withered hand. So they watched
00:49:48.28\00:49:53.59
Him closely, whether He would
heal him on the Sabbath, so that
00:49:53.62\00:49:57.19
they might accuse Him. No
problem accusing on Sabbath.
00:49:57.23\00:50:01.56
That's fine according to them.
And he said to the man who had
00:50:01.60\00:50:07.40
the withered hand, Step forward,
He's going to make a point of
00:50:07.44\00:50:10.94
this. I want everybody to see
this is what Jesus is saying.
00:50:10.97\00:50:14.08
Then He said to them, Is it
lawful on the Sabbath to do good
00:50:14.11\00:50:18.85
or to do evil, to save life
or to kill? Why did Jesus say to
00:50:18.88\00:50:24.62
kill. Because we're going to
find that after Jesus performed
00:50:24.65\00:50:27.16
the miracle, they went out an
plotted how they could kill Him.
00:50:27.19\00:50:29.89
But they kept silent. And when
He had looked around at them
00:50:29.92\00:50:36.23
with anger, this is the only
time in the gospels where we
00:50:36.26\00:50:40.30
have the word anger related
to Christ, with anger, that's
00:50:40.34\00:50:43.81
what we call righteous
indignation, being grieved by
00:50:43.84\00:50:47.64
the hardness of their
what? where was the problem? of
00:50:47.68\00:50:50.05
their hearts, He said to
the man, Stretch out your hand.
00:50:50.08\00:50:54.02
And he stretched it out, and his
hand was restored as whole as
00:50:54.05\00:50:59.22
the other. Then the Pharisees
went out and immediately plotted
00:50:59.25\00:51:04.13
with the Herodian's against
Him, how they might destroy Him.
00:51:04.16\00:51:07.16
So there's a serious problem
healing someone on Sabbath but
00:51:07.20\00:51:11.53
it's all right to plot to kill
someone is what they're saying
00:51:11.57\00:51:16.10
Base hypocrisy. Ellen White
described their hypocritical
00:51:16.14\00:51:21.24
Sabbath observance in Desire of
Ages, p. 286: The observance of
00:51:21.28\00:51:26.65
the Sabbath was a mere outward
observance and it was a what?
00:51:26.68\00:51:31.25
a mockery. The Pharisees
meticulously kept the Sabbath
00:51:31.29\00:51:35.36
externally but did not have
the work of the Holy Spirit upon
00:51:35.39\00:51:38.79
the heart. Their observance
of the Sabbath was loveless. A
00:51:38.83\00:51:42.76
person who has the Holy Spirit
in the heart will truly keep the
00:51:42.80\00:51:46.63
Sabbath as Jesus did. Jesus had
the seal of the Holy Spirit and
00:51:46.67\00:51:51.41
His Sabbath observance revealed
it. Ellen White continues
00:51:51.44\00:51:54.98
describing the way in which the
Pharisees observed the Sabbath.
00:51:55.01\00:51:58.41
As the Jews departed from
God and failed to make the
00:51:58.45\00:52:02.75
righteousness of Christ their
own by faith, see this is the
00:52:02.78\00:52:05.69
internal experience,
the Sabbath lost its what?
00:52:05.72\00:52:10.89
its significance or meaning to
them. Satan was seeking to exalt
00:52:10.93\00:52:13.80
himself and to draw men away
from Christ and he worked to
00:52:13.83\00:52:18.10
pervert the Sabbath because
it is the sign of the power of
00:52:18.13\00:52:22.94
Christ. The Jewish leaders
accomplished the will of Satan
00:52:22.97\00:52:26.24
by surrounding God's rest
day with burdensome requirements
00:52:26.27\00:52:30.51
In the days of Christ, the
Sabbath had become so perverted
00:52:30.55\00:52:34.18
that its observance reflected
the character of selfish,
00:52:34.22\00:52:36.95
arbitrary men rather than the
character of the loving heavenly
00:52:36.99\00:52:42.12
Father. The rabbis virtually
represented God as giving laws
00:52:42.16\00:52:46.19
it was impossible for men
to obey. They led the people to
00:52:46.23\00:52:48.66
look upon God as a tyrant and to
think that the observance of the
00:52:48.70\00:52:52.77
Sabbath as He required it made
men hard-hearted and cruel. It
00:52:52.80\00:52:58.37
was the work of Christ to
clear away these misconceptions
00:52:58.41\00:53:01.44
although the rabbis followed Him
with merciless hostility He did
00:53:01.48\00:53:05.65
not even appear to conform
to their requirements but went
00:53:05.68\00:53:10.19
straight forward keeping the
Sabbath according to the law of
00:53:10.22\00:53:13.96
God. She continues on p. 284.
No other institution which was
00:53:13.99\00:53:18.99
committed to the Jews tended so
fully to distinguish them from
00:53:19.03\00:53:24.00
the surrounding nations as did
the Sabbath. God designed that
00:53:24.03\00:53:28.00
that its observance should
designate them, that is to
00:53:28.04\00:53:31.44
announce visibly, as His
worshipers. It was to be a what?
00:53:31.47\00:53:36.04
a token of their separation
from idolatry and their
00:53:36.08\00:53:39.78
connection with the true God.
And now comes a very important
00:53:39.81\00:53:44.02
point. However, in order to
keep the Sabbath holy men must
00:53:44.05\00:53:48.29
be themselves holy. Are you
catching the point? Who is it
00:53:48.32\00:53:53.16
that makes us holy? The Holy
Spirit. In order to keep a holy
00:53:53.19\00:53:57.70
Sabbath the Holy Spirit has to
put within us a holy heart. She
00:53:57.73\00:54:02.70
continues: However in order to
keep the Sabbath holy men must
00:54:02.74\00:54:05.94
themselves be holy. Through
faith, this is the internal
00:54:05.97\00:54:10.08
experience, they must become
partakers of the righteousness
00:54:10.11\00:54:14.88
of Christ. When the command was
given to Israel, Remember the
00:54:14.92\00:54:18.45
Sabbath day to keep it holy, the
Lord said also to them, Ye shall
00:54:18.49\00:54:22.66
be holy men unto me. Only thus
could the Sabbath distinguish
00:54:22.69\00:54:27.93
Israel as the worshipers of God.
But unfortunately from a sign of
00:54:27.96\00:54:33.50
Christ's righteousness in the
life to glorify Him, the Sabbath
00:54:33.54\00:54:38.71
became a sign of their own
righteousness to glorify them.
00:54:38.74\00:54:42.81
It made them intolerant,
mean spirited, judgmental, and
00:54:42.84\00:54:48.25
arrogant. The Sabbath makes
no one holy. It is the sign of
00:54:48.28\00:54:51.79
holiness or sanctification
worked out by the Holy Spirit
00:54:51.82\00:54:55.82
in the heart. Some enemies
of the Sabbath such as Dale
00:54:55.86\00:55:01.40
Ratzlaff teach that Jesus is
our spiritual Sabbath rest and
00:55:01.43\00:55:07.60
therefore God does not require
us to keep the day. After all
00:55:07.64\00:55:11.07
didn't Jesus say, Come unto me
all you who labor and are heavy
00:55:11.11\00:55:16.48
laden and I will give you rest.
However, the question is, does
00:55:16.51\00:55:21.18
resting in Jesus exonerate
us from the need to observe the
00:55:21.22\00:55:25.62
Sabbath as an external
expression of an internal
00:55:25.65\00:55:29.56
experience of rest with Jesus?
Would these same enemies of the
00:55:29.59\00:55:34.23
Sabbath affirm that the
rite of baptism in water is not
00:55:34.26\00:55:37.23
necessary because it is
sufficient to accept Jesus as
00:55:37.27\00:55:40.94
our Savior in our hearts.
Would they say that it is not
00:55:40.97\00:55:44.87
necessary to partake of literal
bread and grape juice in the
00:55:44.91\00:55:48.44
Lord's supper because we already
believe internally what these
00:55:48.48\00:55:51.91
symbols represent? Would anyone
contend that it is unnecessary
00:55:51.95\00:55:56.48
to get married in an official
legal ceremony simply because
00:55:56.52\00:56:00.92
love is already in the heart?
Bottom line: Works are the
00:56:00.96\00:56:05.79
outward manifestation of
faith and faith is the inward
00:56:05.83\00:56:10.07
motivation for works. Are you
understanding this? Now we don't
00:56:10.10\00:56:16.40
have time to get through all of
this. You can read the rest of
00:56:16.44\00:56:21.41
the chapter. You have a subtitle
Some "Sabbath Keepers" Will Be
00:56:21.44\00:56:25.58
Lost. Sabbath Keepers in
quotation marks. The Sabbath
00:56:25.61\00:56:29.22
keepers of the type of the
Pharisees. Those will be lost
00:56:29.25\00:56:32.75
without the internal experience.
What is the final issue in the
00:56:32.79\00:56:37.29
great controversy? This
is p. 351: The final issue is
00:56:37.33\00:56:41.60
what? the seal of God or the
mark of the beast. Let me just
00:56:41.63\00:56:47.90
read one statement in closing
and that is the one that we find
00:56:47.94\00:56:51.37
at the foot of p. 352: They
declared that they had the truth
00:56:51.41\00:56:57.88
This is during the short time
before the close of probation
00:56:57.91\00:57:01.08
and what the protestant world
is saying: They declared that
00:57:01.12\00:57:04.32
they have the truth, that
miracles were among them. That
00:57:04.35\00:57:08.02
angels from heaven talked with
them and walked with them. That
00:57:08.06\00:57:11.46
great power and signs and
wonders were performed among
00:57:11.49\00:57:14.36
them and that this was the
temporal millennium they have
00:57:14.40\00:57:18.57
been expecting so long. The
whole world was converted and in
00:57:18.60\00:57:22.07
harmony with the Sunday law and
this little feeble people stood
00:57:22.10\00:57:26.74
out in defiance of the laws of
the land and the law of God and
00:57:26.78\00:57:31.08
claimed to be the only ones
right on earth. So is God going
00:57:31.11\00:57:36.89
to have a people who will
receive the Holy Spirit, the
00:57:36.92\00:57:40.76
internal experience of the Holy
Spirit and will it be manifested
00:57:40.79\00:57:44.49
in the observance, the external
observance of the Sabbath? Even
00:57:44.53\00:57:49.26
at the risk of losing everything
that they have as well as life
00:57:49.30\00:57:56.94
during the little time of
trouble. Yes. And it's not
00:57:56.97\00:58:00.28
because we love the Sabbath.
It's because we love the Lord of
00:58:00.31\00:58:05.35
the Sabbath.
00:58:05.38\00:58:07.48
¤ ¤
00:58:07.52\00:58:19.29