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It is written… While Jesus conquered Satan in the wilderness with an “it is written…”. He also exposed the Scribes and pharisees by their “It is written…” “nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent. You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.…-John 5:39 He also challenged His own disciples and revealed their still so undiscerning mind. When Jesus confronted the rich man, representing a man that worshipped the god: Mammon. Mammon represent the material, the physical, the earthly, the temporal. Jesus told him that if he wanted to be his disciple, He had to sell his riches and follow Him. This symbolizes those who cling to the outer, physical, literal, earthly god, the shadows rather than the fuller and spiritual. The sin of the Pharisees and scribes, the sin of the leaders of God’s church, in that age. Are God’s people and even the elect still clinging to the god of Mammon? The physical, by overfocusing on the importance of the physical temple, and thus end up worshiping another god, by not receiving the light/truth, which represent receiving Christ continually as light is revealed. As God’s truth is revealed in stages, to test and try every generation. This is why discerning the times in which we are living, is of such great importance. How much different this world is in every particular in these last days of increased curse of sin. Increased genetic corruption, pollution of a magnitude that did not exist thousands of years ago, not even hundred years ago. Electromagnetic radiation, toxic led-lights. The food we eat (even fruit and vegetables) has far less vitamins and minerals than earlier. The soil is not as rich in nutrients and is greatly affected. The air we breathe, which is the best natural medicine you can obtain, is much more polluted today, in these last days of increased corruption in every sense. Increased amount of pests, viruses, bacteria, insects and vermin. So we are both much weaker at birth, the stressors are far worse and numerous, and the natural healing remedies, although still effective, far less potent than earlier.
All of this we must take into consideration if we are going to be able to discern the times, or else we are at great risk of rejecting light, thus rejecting Christ, when truth is delivered in a form and way that we do not expect. Just like he challenged the world and also the people of God 2000 years ago.
We judge and evaluate as if times have not changed, when it has changed dramatically only within the last hundred years. Will we welcome the truth when it arrives? Or will we still be deceived by the seeming truth, the old truths: the traditions and reject the fuller and more complete available truth of today? And thus end up receiving an INCOMPLETE version of Christ. Discerning the times is a lot more comprehensive and advanced than simply reading a text (a prophecy) and comparing it to world events, even if it have value. We speak about receiving truth, which is Christ, daily,¨. But are we? Or are we rejecting Him, like Peter did when the truth suddenly went through some challenges he had not expected and it was too much for His then pride (a character trait of the spirit of the world and Satan).Are we undiscerning because we are too shallow? Or do we war thinking we use an ”it is written”, yet, we do it with an undiscerning mind from a spirit that is not of God, thinking it is. Or are we afraid of being challenged, afraid we will become confused? All of this represent attributes of the spirit of the WORLD and an immature stage in the sanctification. “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly“ 1. Cor 3:1-3 If we truly are in Christ we would discern better the times we are living in, we would not be afraid of being challenged, we would fight with the spirit and standards of Christ and not the world. We would receive and welcome truth when it arrives, and sometimes not in a way we expect. Read 1.Cor 1-3.
And what gives status today, is different from a previous age. What is popular to mock today is different today than in a former age. Time and seasons change, and thus we need to analyze and evaluate the present time so we can better discern the truth and be better equipped to act accordingly. And also to get the message out with the right priorities for this time and right for the place we proclaim it.
“The present can not be judged by the past” EGW.
Even the disciples, representing the true church of God, and those who were closest to Christ and His heart, in that age, expected Him to be become a king that was apparent = obvious, in this world.
But Jesus said “My kingdom is not of this world”- John 18:36.
Christ also told the pharisees that the kingdom of God can not be seen, but that it is within. Read Luke 17:20-22 KJV. He then referred to the spiritual kingdom, which is Christ’s character being formed in His people in the sanctification process. He Himself was a perfect representation God in man, as God incarnated.
Israelites (God’s people) in the desert dying before time versus Moses dying before time.
Why were these Israelites lost, yet Moses saved? It takes some time, with testing, trying and molding and fashioning. Learning to walk with God and learning to recognize His voice and developing spiritual discernment. The sanctification process is also about spiritual demon exorcism = the identification, surrendering and removal of all the character traits that are not in harmony with the spiritual nature of Christ, replacing it with traits that comes from Christ and His spirit. So we can assume that they failed because they died too early to be able to complete the sanctification. Thus they did not gain the victory.
Just about every saint of God will die physically, so it must have been because they died too soon to be able to finish. Yet, we also know that some will gain the victory in a short scope of time: like the thief on the cross. So we are never to judge, but always try to prolong our life, and not try to hurry death by unhealthful living.
To the eye of the Scribes and Pharisee… The Spirit of Babylon, The spirit of the pharisees and scribes, The spirit of Pharaoh. ..who all refused to listen to the voice of God, the holy spirit of God, and continued to stubbornly refuse, despite being showed that they were wrong. Again and again, they kept resisting. They closed their hearts to the full working of the holy spirit by rejecting available light for the time, and as a natural consequence, the mind, to the deeper, more spiritual truths of God. In stead of progressing, they started regressing, spiritually. Although they did not comprehend it. They carried on with their religion, but their religion and relationship to God started to die. This is a warning lesson to everyone. God appeared as more cold and distant in the Old testament, and also in the dark ages, because He had to, due to the time and circumstance, and also to be able to test and try hearts in every stage throughout the history of this earth, and the great controversy of good vs evil. They looked at God through a glass very darkly. Then as new light became available at later generations, if they receive this new light, the deeper, fuller truths about God and Christ, this spiritually “immature” view they had of God and Christ should now be discarded, as they are to receive Him with clearer glasses, a clearer vision.
So, what was formerly accepted by God, may not later be accepted when new light is available to reach and obtain if it is impressed upon the soul, by His spirit. What was accepted before (a more immature truth, or truth mixed with unbiblical doctrines that was later revealed as false by the standard of the word of God), becomes an adulterated, Babylonian version of God and Christ. We are to receive Him, as He shed more light upon His nature and character, in a purer and deeper form.This will not be welcomed to those who hold to a spirit of Pharaoh (representing the world) or the spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees (representing a fallen church).
We are only expected to receive the available light that shines on our paths. Today we live in an age of profound light, which is why God will expect more to those who receive more light. "To him who much is given, much will be required". (Luke 12:48)
Just as the pharisees and scribes rejected Christ at His first coming, because He did not seem as powerful in the way they expected, because their focus at the time was still too worldly, in stead of being lifted towards heaven and the inner, spiritual nature of things. They looked at what was apparent, and judged by the mortal “eye”, the carnal side of their nature. They, who in reality were the unclean, clean on the outside, but far from clean in their hearts, who rejected Christ and the available truth for the time, saw and regarded Christ as the unclean. Born in a manger, laid in a crib used as a tray for animals, not rich, or impressive their worldly occupied hearts. Clean and clothed in beautiful garments, making sure to keep all the rituals and the ceremonial to that of the earthly sanctuary, on the outside, but unclean on the inside because they regarded and judged the pure in heart as the impure. They judged Him as the worldly, the Babylonian or adulterated, when the truth was that it was themselves and their unconverted and unfaithful for the present time, heart. In fact they went further than that and accused Him of being in league with Beelzebub, Satan…Yet, Christ called them the synagogue of Satan. Because their heart belonged to the prince of this world, not the King of heaven. Entire series: "Salvation/ Sanctification"
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