A much asked question is, `Why is there so much suffering?' As we seek for answers we realize that there is something wrong with our world. There is a long shadow that stretches across all the earth and where ever man goes.[5] There is a pain here, a sorrow there, and man's shadow feared by all the creatures.

Dear reader, only the Word of God can give us answers to this age old problem. Only Jesus could do something about it and we read His words where it says, "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:31,32. We notice that the word "men' is in italics. Why? Because it is a supplied word. It is not found in all the Greek text versions. The significance of it is that there are not only men but also unfallen worlds, and Jesus is saying, "I . . . will draw all . . . unto Me." This shows that some have been disturbed, some have been confused, some have not been drawn to Him. But Jesus said, "If I die on the cross, that will settle the great controversy and answer these questions forever. This is the crisis, and the prince of this world will be cast out, and I will draw all unto Me." "This He said, signifying what death He should die." (Jh. 12:33)

This contest between good and evil is taking place inside every individual who ever lived since Adam. We must understand the issues in order to put ourselves on the right side.

Knowledge of what follows will help us to resolutely step forward and defend the Lord's side in the great controversy.
Soon after Adam's expulsion from Eden, as his family tree grew ever larger, men either chose good or they chose evil. A small but important group chose to be true to the Lord.

"And Jared lived after he begat Enoch 800 years . . . And all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.
And Enoch lived 65 years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah 300 years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were 365 years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." Genesis 5:18-24.

We are talking about the major issues fought between heavenly powers and demons in the life of every person who is born into this world.
"When Pharaoh shall say, `Show a miracle. Then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. . . . and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. . . . they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods." Exodus 7:10-13.

The student should learn to see the world as a whole and learn the relationship to one another of its parts.
He should obtain a knowledge of its grand central theme, of God's original purpose for the world, of the rise of the great controversy, and of the work of redemption.
The student should come to understand the nature of the two principles which are contending for supremacy, and should learn to trace their working through the records of history and prophecy to the great consummation.
He should see how this controversy enters into every phase of human experience; how in every act of life he himself reveals the one or the other of the two antagonistic motives; and how, whether he will or not, he is even now deciding upon which side of the controversy he will be found. [8]

Let us begin by reading these insights:

"The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness. God desires from all His creatures the service of love -- service that springs from an appreciation of His character. He takes no pleasure in a forced obedience; and to all He grants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntary service." {P&P, p. 34; Mt. 13:34,35; 25:34; Jh. 17:24; 2.Tim. 2:19.}

So we find that basic principles are here discussed, for they are the foundation of God's government, which have been in effect for all eternity and are in effect today. And please notice, that, yes, we quote Ellen White, but we give also biblical texts where that is taught what she says so you may know it comes from the Bible.

These divine principles have not been abolished or even temporarily set aside. When Christ died on Calvary, the plan of redemption is keyed to these principles.
It is the fundamental truth that God asks us to obey His Laws.
Just as man cannot disobey God's laws found in nature, so man cannot disobey His moral laws found in the Bible without suffering the consequences of disobedience.

Because of the entrance of sin in human history we are all born under its tutelage. But because of the example of Christ's earthly life, His sacrificial death on the Cross and His mediation in the heavenly Sanctuary - right now for you and me - we can by His grace render that voluntary obedience and we thank God for that.

Yet, in order to do it, we must live in moment by moment surrender to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master.
"I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." 1.Cor. 1:4-9.[10]

Part I - The Controversy in Heaven

Satan declared that created beings need not or could not obey God.
Those angels which accepted Satan's lie were expelled with him (Rev. 12:9; Lk. 10:18). On earth that controversy has continued. For thousands of years, men and women have been told that they need not do what God has said.

They do not have to obey His moral law, His physical law, His health laws. That is what we hear in schools, churches and over the airwaves all the time.

Satan states this lie in one or another of six ways according to the temperament or background of the person he is trying to deceive. Here are the lies which Satan basically holds, they are derived after much study of the Bible,

a) There is no God so we need not obey him.

An example of this is, `If there is no God to be obeyed - Western hype saying, "The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil." Zeph. 1:12, false science type of thing . . . they may call it by various names.[13] They may call it eclecticism, `a method or practice of selecting what seems best from various systems, especially in forming religious or philosophical doctrine.' (Webster) The Bible gives only two choices. We need not be confused on this. This world is not our own. We are stewards of God's world. We ought to consider God's goal to restore His creation, Gen. 1:31; Rev. 21:1-5.

They may say, `We do not need a God, just be good.' What they don't say is, whose definition of `good' are they satisfied with. For some people it is `good' to stone a young girl who made a mistake because they have no way that would enable them to deny illicit desires, they have no way to say "No" to temptation. If temptation presents itself, their reaction is to assume automatic indulgence - consequently the necessity for physically removing the temptation itself.

In the Bible this attitude of pretending as if there is no living God (for we know very well that life comes only from life) is demonstrated in the following scripture,

"And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because (you say) there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. . . . So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. . . ." 2.Kings 1:2-17.

We could also refer to Pharaoh as an example as He would not let Israel go for he thought of himself as a god.

b) We do not need to obey what God has commanded.
This is demonstrated in the Bible as follows (Please read the whole in context in the Bible),
"But ... our fathers . . . hearkened not to thy commandments, ... refused to obey . . . hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not." Nehemia 9:16,17; Ex. 32:9; Numb. 14:4.

For example, For those living in some parts of the country they may hear it said, `There is nothing we need to obey except tribal services and such, or local witch doctors. . . Indian major religions, south of Sahara African culture etc.[18]
Yet, right in our own world we hear it being said that we are saved by grace and it would be wrong in trying to obey God's law for it has been done away. . .
So there we have modern Protestantism . . . [20]

c) We cannot obey what God has told us to do.
On this account we read,
"But unto them that are contentious, and do not (or say they cannot) obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath . . ." Romans 2:8.

For example:
(1) No one can obey except the elect and predestined to be saved.[22]
(2) No one has actually obeyed except the hundreds or so saints of the major European and world church.
(3) They say, falsly so, Christ took not our nature - so we cannot obey God for He took a different nature then we have. He took an unfallen nature. So we are locked in to sin throughout all our earthly life.

Then there are these arguments . . .

d) We can obey God's Law in our own strength but in the process we will invent more rules to be obeyed which we consider to be more important.

This type of thinking may be addressed here,
"Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?" Malachi 3:13,14.

Examples: Beliefs of many in Judaism, majority Churches in Christian nations,[25] etc.

e) We can improve on God's laws, so we will change them.

They said, "And he shall ... think to change times and laws." Daniel 7:25.

Example: Sunday keeping . . .

f) We ourselves are God or equal to him, so we can make our own laws.

Such devious thinking can only come from the devil himself and his helpers.

"The serpent (behind which Satan hid) was more subtle ... and said to the woman, ... Has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"

Examples: Genesis 3, Satan's temptation of Eve; Papal claims;

God and His principles do not change. Neither does His Law nor our responsibility to obey that Law.

Let us now examine several additional statements from the `Origin of Evil' chapter in the GC (the book `Great Controversy').

These are statements which help us to survey the great controversy from Lucifer's fall all the way down to the end of sin. Please note, those paragraphs having bold print, those parts are the usual words which best describe the topic. The rest of the paragraph is quoted to show it is within context. Also notice the Bible texts to show what is said is in the Bible.

"The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all created beings depended upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness. God desires from all His creatures the service of love -- homage that springs from an intelligent appreciation of His character. He takes no pleasure in a forced allegiance, and to all He grants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntary service." GC, p. 493. Isa. 57:15; Hab. 3:6; James 1:17; Hebr. 1:3.

Also this statement,

"It is only in obedience to God's law that true happiness can be found. We must submit our will to God if we would have his divine and eternal harmony in our souls." {HS 187.2; Psalm 19:7}

Or this one, When "Satan was jealous of Jesus. He wished to be consulted concerning the formation of man, and because he was not, he was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. He desired to receive the highest honors in heaven next to God." {EW 145.1; Job 1:6-12.}

"The heavenly councils pleaded with Lucifer. The Son of God presented before him the greatness, the goodness, and the justice of the Creator, and the sacred, unchanging nature of his law. God himself had established the order of Heaven; and in departing from it, Lucifer would dishonor his Maker, and bring ruin upon himself. But the warning, given in infinite love and mercy, only aroused a spirit of resistance. Lucifer allowed jealousy of Christ to prevail, and he became the more determined." {GC88 494.2; Eze. 28:6 (Notice the principle); Isa. 14:13,14.}

We learn here, by setting aside His law men are still bringing ruin upon themselves.

The next reference to God's law in this chapter is startling in its application to modern apostate Protestantism and the new theology advocates in our own ranks.

We read,

"Leaving his place in the immediate presence of God, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels. Working with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealing his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God, he endeavored to excite dissatisfaction concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings, intimating that they imposed an unnecessary restraint. Since their natures were holy, he urged that the angels should obey the dictates of their own will. He sought to create sympathy for himself, by representing that God had dealt unjustly with him in bestowing supreme honor upon Christ. He claimed that in aspiring to greater power and honor he was not aiming at self-exaltation, but was seeking to secure liberty for all the inhabitants of Heaven, that by this means they might attain to a higher state of existence." {GC88 495.2; Eze. 28; Isa. 14.}

There are too many today who are thinking or saying parts of the quote out loud.

Lucifer's real purpose was self-exaltation. Men today want to be able to continue indulging in their cherished sins while calling the process Christianity.

According to modern, apostate teachings the death of Christ abolished the need for mankind to obey God's law. It is brazenly taught that men obey the dictates of their own will and that they still will be saved, according to this, their new vocabulary. - To obey God becomes legalism. To do as you please, is grace. - And actually, this turns the truth all around, doesn't it.

Now it is being proclaimed that obedience becomes legalism and Christianity is nothing more than accepted grace.

Dear reader, we are told that the angels in heaven who accepted Lucifer's accusations could not discern the terrible consequences that would result in setting aside the divine Law. Many professed Christians today do not discern it either. They imagine they can go on sinning with impunity. As they say, `Calvary covers it all.'

But before long they will find that they have made a great mistake.

These half converted Christians want an excuse for their sins. So they study the Bible to discover verses that may support their viewpoint while leaving out the larger picture. They device theories which ensure them they will go to heaven, while retaining those sins.

The excuse they offer is similar to the one which Lucifer presented in heaven. "While instilling discontent into the minds of the angels under him, he had artfully made it appear that he was seeking to remove dissatisfaction. When he urged that changes be made in the order and laws of God's government, it was under the pretense that these were necessary in order to preserve harmony in heaven." {GC 497.2; Eze. 28; Isa. 14.}

Dear reader. We must come back to the Word of God. Let us warn our friends and neighbors, everyone, we must obey God by faith in Jesus Christ.

In the `Desire of Ages' we are told, that Satan was not destroyed because the angels did not yet understand all that was involved in the great controversy. The principles at stake would need to be more fully revealed. For the sake of mankind, Satan's existence must continue on. Man must also see the contrast between the prince of darkness and the Prince of light. Man must have time to choose whom they would serve.

"Yet Satan was not then destroyed. The angels did not even then understand all that was involved in the great controversy. The principles at stake were to be more fully revealed. And for the sake of man, Satan's existence must be continued. Man as well as angels must see the contrast between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness. He must choose whom he will serve." {DA 761.3; Rev. 12:10 Satan's disguise was torn away.}

A few pages over in the `Desire of Ages' we are told, that, when the great controversy began, the angels did not understand and had Satan and his hosts been destroyed, heavenly beings would not have realized that this was the inevitable result of sin.

"At the beginning of the great controversy, the angels did not understand this. Had Satan and his host then been left to reap the full result of their sin, they would have perished; but it would not have been apparent to heavenly beings that this was the inevitable result of sin. A doubt of God's goodness would have remained in their minds as evil seed, to produce its deadly fruit of sin and woe." {DA 764.2; Eze. 28:6-19; Ps. 37:10; Obad.16.}

Doubt in God's goodness would have remained in their minds as evil seeds to produce a deadly harvest.

Quoting now,

"But not so when the great controversy shall be ended. Then, the plan of redemption having been completed, the character of God is revealed to all created intelligences. The precepts of His law are seen to be perfect and immutable. Then sin has made manifest its nature, Satan his character. Then the extermination of sin will vindicate God's love and establish His honor before a universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law." {DA 764.3; Revelation chapter 21. Notice verse 7.}

It is obvious that God created our world and all the creatures in it. It is equally obvious that we should obey Him.

Yet the Apostate's tell us that, although the rest of the universe must obey God's laws, planet earth does not need too. They teach that Calvary produced changes in God's government which will remain until Christ's Second Advent.

Dear reader, that is a lie and we explain it at length here.

These self-styled theologians dare to claim that the Law of God is faulty and cannot be kept. Make sure you read this part too to get the meaning of the `faulty' link.

But they really insinuate that God Himself is at fault if He requires His creatures to keep a law which cannot be kept.

The implication is that God is deceptive, since He says in the Bible that obedience is required while He has known from the beginning that it cannot be kept - since He never provided the means by which fallen humanity could obey it.

And at last, God's Word is said to be at fault for it declares that He saved man from sin while actually saving man in sin.

Conclusion: When we accept the error that we need not or cannot implicitly obey God's Word, we declare that God is at fault.

The issues in the great controversy between Christ and Satan are very important. Because man enjoys sin they invent doctrinal errors to excuse their continual enjoyment of those sins.

The fault is not with God or with His law! The fault is with sin loving people who prefer sin accommodating teachings to the plain teachings of the Bible.

Let us read the following in the GC, that God, in His dealings with sin, could only employ righteousness and truth. Here it is,

"In His dealing with sin, God could employ only righteousness and truth. Satan could use what God could not -- flattery and deceit. He had sought to falsify the word of God and had misrepresented His plan of government before the angels, claiming that God was not just in laying laws and rules upon the inhabitants of heaven; that in requiring submission and obedience from His creatures, He was seeking merely the exaltation of Himself. Therefore it must be demonstrated before the inhabitants of heaven, as well as of all the worlds, that God's government was just, His law perfect. Satan had made it appear that he himself was seeking to promote the good of the universe. The true character of the usurper, and his real object, must be understood by all. He must have time to manifest himself by his wicked works." {GC 498.1}

The problem is with man's heart, not with God's character or His Law.

In order to excuse their sins, men are even willing to slander God, and the rules He has made to govern His creatures.

They prefer truths, as they dream up false teachings, which imply that God did wrong in commanding His law to mankind. Their theories suggest that God is unfair in His dealings with man. That He is unjust to impose such laws. That He is well aware that the laws He has commanded cannot possibly be kept. That He plans to burn in hellfire all those who try to obey them.

Many of you have read books like that. We can quote you some but shall not.

Actually since the fall of Adam men in every age have excused themselves to sin. Charging God with their sin, they said, they could not keep His commandments. - This is an insinuation that Satan accused God of in heaven.

But the plea, that I could not keep the commandments, need never be presented to God, for before him stands the Saviour with the marks of the crucifixion upon His body - a living witness that the law can indeed be kept.

It is not that man cannot keep the law, but that they will not.

Really now, in reality, rebellion by Christian apostates in our own time, is only part of the long warfare of Satan against God's law. Satan represents God's law of love as a law of selfishness. He declares that it is impossible for us to obey its precepts.

Sin is a thousand variations on this theme of selfishness. Heeding this theme results in self-destruction. But God's law is holy, just and good (Rom. 7:12). - It is our only safety, our only means of happiness.

In strong contrast, Satan's basic charge upon which all false religions are founded, that man cannot keep God's law, is believed by the majority of the religions in the world, for each of them declares that it is all right to sin. The devil turns everything around, he calls right wrong, and wrong right. He tries to point the sign post to heaven in the opposite direction so that mankind will take the wrong path and go to perdition.

He is determined to eradicate God's law from the minds of created beings. He hates God; he hates His law. To destroy the one, is to destroy the other.

Dear reader, let us stand for the law of God. Let us stand for obedience to the law of God through His grace for that is the only way it can be done.[55]

From the very beginning the basic controversy has been fought over whether God's creatures need to obey Him. We read these words in the GC,

"To the very close of the controversy in heaven the great usurper continued to justify himself. When it was announced that with all his sympathizers he must be expelled from the abodes of bliss, then the rebel leader boldly avowed his contempt for the Creator's law. He reiterated his claim that angels needed no control, but should be left to follow their own will, which would ever guide them right."

Now, here is the last part of that quotation,

"He denounced the divine statutes as a restriction of their liberty and declared that it was his purpose to secure the abolition of law; that, freed from this restraint, the hosts of heaven might enter upon a more exalted, more glorious state of existence." {GC 499.2}

From the beginning it has been the special doctrine of the adversary of God and man that the law of God was faulty and objectionable when in fact man's lawlessness in our days witnesses to the fact that abandoning God's law leads to unspeakable unlawful behavior. Satan has ever represented the royal law of liberty as oppressive and unendurable. He has demoted it as a yoke of bondage. He has declared that it was impossible for man to keep the precepts of Jehovah. This has been, and still is, the work of Satan.

Part 2 - The Controversy on Earth

Satan carried the great controversy over God's law down to our own planet. Cast down to the earth (Jh. 12:31), Satan instilled in the hearts of man his stubborn rebellion against the principles of heaven. Here is a quotation expressing that very thing,

"The same spirit that prompted rebellion in Heaven, still inspires rebellion on earth. Satan has continued with men the same policy which he pursued with the angels. His spirit now reigns in the children of disobedience. Like him they seek to break down the restraints of the law of God, and promise men liberty through transgression of its precepts. Reproof of sin still arouses the spirit of hatred and resistance. When God's messages of warning are brought home to the conscience, Satan leads men to justify themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others in their course of sin. Instead of correcting their errors, they excite indignation against the reprover, as if he were the sole cause of difficulty. From the days of righteous Abel to our own time, such is the spirit which has been displayed toward those who dare to condemn sin." {GC88 500.2; 1. John 3:15.}

When God's warning touches the conscience, Satan leads men to resist to justify themselves, to seek the sympathy of others. To excuse their sin, they turn and attack and reprove her instead of changing their way. They arouse indignation against the one who reproofs them, as if he was the only problem.

We see that today in our own denomination. From the days of Abel to our own time, this is the spirit that has been displayed toward those who dare to condemn sin.

Chapter 1 in `Patriarchs and Prophets' shows how Satan misrepresented God in heaven, so, down here on earth, Satan still misrepresents Him. Declaring that God is severe and tyrannical, Satan encourages man to sin. Then, when they sin he says that it is God's unjust restrictions which caused man's fall and his own rebellion. In order to excuse their own ongoing wickedness, Satan and his followers declare that God and His law and His inspired Word - which contains His commands - are unreliable or not obeyable. [70]

Those who want a reason to justify sin are charmed into accepting such ideas. Their love of sin permits Satan into hypnotizing them into believing a lie. It has been God's plan to justify the sinner - take sin away from his life. Satan's plan is to justify sin and give humanity clever reasons why they should continue indulging it.

We read, how the problems which Satan stirred up in heaven, he charged upon the law and the government of God. He declared that it was the divine administration which was causing the evil. Satan claimed it was his objective to improve the laws of heaven. Satan said that God's law should make allowance for sin.

Can you imagine that?

Therefore it was necessary that Satan was given time to demonstrate the nature of his claims and show the working out of his proposed changes in the law. Satan's own work must condemn him. He claimed from the very first that he was not in rebellion, "Has God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" He is continually sowing doubt in man's mind, as he did in heaven. The whole universe must see him unmasked.

It was necessary for Satan to be given time. So that everyone could clearly see the devastating results of his strange, new theology.

"The discord which his own course had caused in Heaven, Satan charged upon the law and government of God. All evil he declared to be the result of the divine administration. He claimed that it was his own object to improve upon the statutes of Jehovah. Therefore it was necessary that he should demonstrate the nature of his claims, and show the working out of his proposed changes in the divine law. His own work must condemn him. Satan had claimed from the first that he was not in rebellion. The whole universe must see the deceiver unmasked." {GC88 498.2}
"Even when it was decided that he could no longer remain in Heaven, infinite wisdom did not destroy Satan. Since the service of love can alone be acceptable to God, the allegiance of his creatures must rest upon a conviction of his justice and benevolence. The inhabitants of Heaven and of other worlds, being unprepared to comprehend the nature or consequences of sin, could not then have seen the justice and mercy of God in the destruction of Satan. Had he been immediately blotted from existence, they would have served God from fear, rather than from love. The influence of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed, nor would the spirit of rebellion have been utterly eradicated. Evil must be permitted to come to maturity. For the good of the entire universe through ceaseless ages, Satan must more fully develop his principles, that his charges against the divine government might be seen in their true light by all created beings, that the justice and mercy of God and the immutability of his law might forever be placed beyond all question." {GC88 498.3; Ps. 97:1,2; Deut. 32:4.}

Satan's experiment with sin would be a lesson for the universe throughout all coming ages. It will be a perpetual testimony to the nature and terrible results of sin, the effects of Satan's rule upon both, man and angels, which show that it must be the fruit, ever be the fruit of setting aside God's authority. Only then could all the universe know with certainty that the existence of God's government and His law is bound up with the well being of all His creatures. The history of this terrible experiment and rebellion would be an eternal safeguard to all holy intelligences preventing them from being deceived. Never again will they be deceived by sin.[110]

Satan is determined to wrest our world from the hand of God. In order to accomplish that objective he resorts to the same lie he had used to overcome legions of angels in heaven.

But the Father and the Son were determined to save man. - Thank you Father that you were ready for this emergency. - On this earth Satan sought to carry forward the work that he began in heaven. He declared that man could not obey the law of God.

The Son of God, heaven's glorious commander, was touched with pity for the fallen race. He entered into a covenant with God to save man, to vindicate His Father's character as expressed in the law. He came to the earth in the form of man to refute Satan's lie that God had given a law which man could not keep.

Satan hoped to yet proof to the universe that his lies about God's law were true. Satan declared that he would proof to the world, which God had created, and to the heavenly intelligences, that it was an impossibility to keep the law of God.

His plan of action was simple enough. He told men they could not obey God's requirements. But whatever the excuse that man offered, by accepting Satan's lie, they agree with him.

Do you want to agree with the devil?

Do you want to dishonor your Father in heaven? Call Him a liar when He says in His Word that you shall obey Him?

And then Satan taunted the angels and God with the sins of man, declaring that he was right after all. He said, "Doth Job fear God for naught?" (Job 1:9)

Dear reader, Remember that, remember that the next time you are tempted to sin.

The plan of Satan was, by lying and philosophies, to widen the breach that existed between God and man.

He argued, that man could not keep the law of God.

There is another lie he produced. Satan was urging upon man the belief that there was no reward for the righteous or punishment for the wicked, and that it was impossible for man to obey the divine statutes.

Actually, the more man sins, the more Satan gloats over it. Their disloyalty to heaven he uses as ammunition in his campaign to proof that God was indeed unjust and cruel. When Adam sinned, Satan rejoiced.

"Satan, the fallen angel, had declared that no man could keep God's law, and he pointed to the disobedience of Adam as proving the declaration true. But the Son of God placed himself in man's stead, and passed over the ground where Adam fell, and endured temptation stronger than ever was or ever will be brought to bear upon the human race. Jesus resisted the temptations of Satan in the same manner in which every tempted soul may resist the evil one. He referred the tempter to the inspired record and said, "It is written." Christ overcame the temptations as a man, by relying solely upon the word of God; and every man may overcome as Christ overcame." {ST, April 10, 1893 par. 2}

Let us read also this quotation,

"Satan had pointed to Adam's sin as proof that God's law was unjust, and could not be obeyed. In our humanity, Christ was to redeem Adam's failure. But when Adam was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He stood in the strength of perfect manhood, possessing the full vigor of mind and body. He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and was in daily communion with heavenly beings. It was not thus with Jesus when He entered the wilderness to cope with Satan. For four thousand years the race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation." {DA 117.1}

And another,

"Christians are engaged in a warfare. The church militant is not the church triumphant. The followers of Christ, marching toward Zion, must fight at every step. His adversary is the one who once stood in the heavenly courts as the first of the covering cherubs. The beams of glory enshrouding the eternal God, once rested constantly upon him. But, not content with his position, though honored above the heavenly host, he began to covet the glory with which the Father had invested the Son. Lucifer desired to be first in heaven. Thus he introduced sin into the universe. Entering the Garden of Eden after his expulsion from heaven, he succeeded in deceiving our first parents. Ever since he has claimed this world. Declaring that no human-being can keep the law of God's kingdom, he claims all men as his subjects." {ST, June 10, 1903 par. 1}

So here we read the basis for Satan's claim that you are his subject. He wants to put his chains on you friends. His excuse is, if you will but say, `I cannot keep the law of God,' he puts the chains on.

Remember that the next time you are tempted to sin.

The life of Cain is another example. It witnessed to the terrible evils which would result on staying on Satan's side in the great controversy.

Quoting now,

"In sparing the life of the first murderer, God presented before the whole universe a lesson bearing upon the great controversy. The dark history of Cain and his descendants was an illustration of what would have been the result of permitting the sinner to live on forever, to carry out his rebellion against God. The forbearance of God only rendered the wicked more bold and defiant in their iniquity. Fifteen centuries after the sentence pronounced upon Cain, the universe witnessed the fruition of his influence and example, in the crime and pollution that flooded the earth. It was made manifest that the sentence of death pronounced upon the fallen race for the transgression of God's law was both just and merciful. The longer men lived in sin, the more abandoned they became. The divine sentence cutting short a career of unbridled iniquity, and freeing the world from the influence of those who had become hardened in rebellion, was a blessing rather than a curse." {PP 78.2; The principles involved in the events between Cain and Abel led to Noah's Flood.}

And then we have the life of Abel. What a strong contrast to the life of Cain.

The life of Abel testified to the truth that God had provided the means whereby man could obey His law - by his conduct. He honored God. Would you and I today covenant with God to honor Him also?

". . . The holy life of Abel testified against Satan's claim that it is impossible for man to keep God's law. When Cain, moved by the spirit of the wicked one, saw that he could not control Abel, he was so enraged that he destroyed his life. And wherever there are any who will stand in vindication of the righteousness of the law of God, the same spirit will be manifested against them. It is the spirit that through all the ages has set up the stake and kindled the burning pile for the disciples of Christ. But the cruelties heaped upon the follower of Jesus are instigated by Satan and his hosts because they cannot force him to submit to their control. It is the rage of a vanquished foe. Every martyr of Jesus has died a conqueror. Says the prophet, "They overcame him ["that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan"] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Revelation 12:11, 9. {PP 77.1}

Thank God for men like Seth and Abel.

Enoch was another example, that through the grace of Christ man could meet the requirements of heaven.

". . . that through the grace of Christ they may be obedient to all God's commandments, and be clothed with Christ's righteousness. This is the work God requires His servants to do. We are not to follow our own perverse nature, but are to be like little children. We are to lay aside our own will, following implicitly the dictates of God's will. "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." {ST, March 8, 1899 par. 11}

So that Satan's charge, that man could not keep God's law, he would demonstrate that through the man of sin he could so relate himself to God that he would have the mind and the Spirit of God - this holy man Enoch was selected to denounce the wickedness of the world and to give evidence that man can keep the law.

Job's experience is an outstanding one among man. He was willing to stay on God's side no matter how bad things got for him in the great controversy, even though it brought great, personal suffering.

We read, that a long time ago the great controversy was fought over Job.

"Very early in the history of the world is given the life record of one over whom this controversy of Satan's was waged." {Ed 155.1}

Then the sanctuary was given to mankind after the Exodus out of Egypt in the days of Moses. It is another example of the opinions of today. They say, `Oh, that was just a small building over there in the wilderness.' But, actually in the sanctuary, a marvelous plan was laid out for us to be able to understand God's plan for our lives and to see the working out of the great controversy as we tell it right here. The services in its confines represent something special that God has pre-arranged for man. In that small tent we are given a demonstration on what God is like, on the wages of sin and the reward of obedience. The sanctuary service was given by God to explain the principles of the great controversy to the people.

We read accordingly,

"In patriarchal times the sacrificial offerings connected with divine worship constituted a perpetual reminder of the coming of a Saviour, and thus it was with the entire ritual of the sanctuary services throughout Israel's history. In the ministration of the tabernacle, and of the temple that afterward took its place, the people were taught each day, by means of types and shadows, the great truths relative to the advent of Christ as Redeemer, Priest, and King; and once each year their minds were carried forward to the closing events of the great controversy between Christ and Satan, the final purification of the universe from sin and sinners. The sacrifices and offerings of the Mosaic ritual were ever pointing toward a better service, even a heavenly. The earthly sanctuary was `a figure for the time then present,' in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices; its two holy places were `patterns of things in the heavens;' for Christ, our great High Priest, is today `a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.'" Hebrews 9:9, 23; 8:2. {PK 684.3}

And so we realize that through the great mercy and grace of God we can now and for every day of our life declare to all men that we will indeed obey Thee to the end of time.

Israel's willingness to indulge in sin, was another triumph for the devil. Down through earth's history - over and over again - Satan taught man a lie and they are willing to accept it. Satan pointed out that even God's own people could not keep the law which had been entrusted to them to reveal to the world. Satan hoped to establish the claim, put forth when he rebelled in heaven, that the requirements of God were unjust and could not be obeyed. Even Israel, he declared, did not keep the law.

The devil proudly declared that he would bring the entire world under his control, but then God sent His Son.

The devil had made the boast to bring all the world under his banner of rebellion. He repeatedly stated that man could not keep the law of God. Christ came to proof that assertion false.

Over and over and over again we are taught that it was God's plan for us to obey His law.{Gen. 27:8; Ex. 19:5; Dt. 30:20; 1Sam. 12:14; Jer. 7:23; Dan. 7:27; Acts 5:29; Eph. 6:1}

Part 3 - The Controversy and Christ

The life and the death of Christ forever established the unselfishness of God and the immutability of His sacred precept. Christ's life, His death and mediation proof that the law cannot be set aside, but that instead, God and His Son had made the supreme sacrifice to enable mankind to keep the law which Adam broke in Eden. [See also Jh. 12:42ff and similar passages.]

That is why we read,

"We are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." (1Cor. 3:9) God has chosen to bring to perfection nothing in the plan of salvation without the co-operation of the human with the divine. He could save the human race only through his Son, who combined humanity with divinity. In his divine plan of salvation, God gave his only begotten Son that every voice may be silent upon the point that it is not possible for humanity to keep the law of God. In Christ, divinity and humanity bore every test of temptation; in him, humanity is exalted and honored. In Christ, man is privileged to become a partaker of the divine nature." {RH, November 29, 1898 par. 12; Jh. 3:16,17.}

And yet, dear reader, despite such an outpouring of divine love to unite man and the law in one flesh, men still dare to claim that Christ died to destroy not sin, but the law. So let us read what Christ declared Satan suggests to man [150],

"Satan has declared that man cannot keep the law. I will show that his statement is false, that man can keep the law. I have come to remove deception from the minds of men, to make plain that which Satan is trying to make obscure. I have come to establish the law that Satan is seeking to make void, to show how far-reaching are the principles of this law. I have come to strip from it the burdensome exactions with which man has loaded it down. I have come to show its length and breadth, its dignity and nobility. I will open before men the purity and spirituality of God's commandments. Not to introduce a new law have I come, but to establish the law which to all eternity will be the standard of obedience." {18MR 133.3; Mt. 16:11; Mk. 4:12; Lk. 24:45; Acts 28:27}

We thank God for such clear quotations. You know how men try to destroy the value of such statements? They say things like, `We cannot trust the writer.' We cannot trust the writings.'

It is just another device to destroy the importance of obeying the law of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

"God is calling upon all to behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. Christ lifts the guilt of sin from the sinner, standing Himself under the condemnation of the Lawgiver. He came to this world to live the law in humanity, that Satan's charge that man can not keep the law might be demonstrated as false. He kept the law in humanity, and when He was accused falsely by the Pharisees, He turned to them, asking with a voice of authority and power, "Which of you convinceth Me of sin?" He came to reveal to the heavenly universe, to the worlds unfallen, and to sinful men, that every provision has been made by God in behalf of humanity, and that through the imputed righteousness of Christ, all who receive Him by faith can show their loyalty by keeping the law. As the repenting sinner lays hold of Christ as His personal Saviour, he is made a partaker of the divine nature." {ST, April 7, 1898 par. 8}

By His life and death and by His heavenly sanctuary Christ made it possible for all the sons and daughters in Adam to obey God's holy precepts.

Satan declared that human beings could not keep the law. Christ has proved that Satan's claim is false. Christ vindicated the character of God and the veracity of His law.

Quoting,

"By His life and His death, Christ proved that God's justice did not destroy His mercy, but that sin could be forgiven, and that the law is righteous, and can be perfectly obeyed. Satan's charges were refuted. God had given man unmistakable evidence of His love." {DA 762.4}

Throughout His life Christ obeyed the law. He showed, that by faith in Him, we can obey it also.

Along this theme we read,

"Passing down through the centuries, we find that there came a time when God's law must once more be unmistakably revealed as the standard of obedience. Christ came to vindicate the sacred claims of the law. He came to live a life of obedience to its requirements and thus prove the falsity of the charge made by Satan that it is impossible for man to keep the law of God. As a man He met temptation and overcame in the strength given Him from God. As He went about doing good, healing all who were afflicted by Satan, He made plain to men the character of God's law and the nature of His service. His life testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God." {8T 207.3}[210]

In slightly different words, `Christ came to vindicate the law of God by obeying it. In this way He would refute the falsity of Satan's charges that the law cannot be kept. His obedience proofs that we can keep it also.'

At Calvary the entire universe saw what Satan's proposed changes in God's government would result in.

"Now the guilt of Satan stood forth without excuse. He had revealed his true character as a liar and a murderer. It was seen that the very same spirit with which he ruled the children of men, who were under his power, he would have manifested had he been permitted to control the inhabitants of Heaven. He had claimed that the transgression of God's law would bring liberty and exaltation; but it was seen to result in bondage and degradation." {GC88 502.2}

And so, "Satan's lying charges against the divine character and government appeared in their true light." {GC88 502.3}

Christ's perfect obedience fully vindicated His Father's law and it demonstrated that trusting to His strength man can indeed keep it.

Quoting,

"Satan had claimed that it was impossible for man to obey God's commandments; and in our own strength it is true that we cannot obey them. But Christ came in the form of humanity, and by His perfect obedience He proved that humanity and divinity combined can obey every one of God's precepts." {COL 314.4}

Dear reader, we have reason to thank God for that. It guarantees that our future is settled. We need not worry that sin will ever raise its head again.

Christ came to give us moral power to obey an unchangeable law and we thank God for that stability it gives throughout the universe.

"Christ came to give moral power to man; to elevate, ennoble, and strengthen him. He came to prove the falsity of Satan's charge that God had made a law which man could not keep. While possessing man's nature, Christ kept the Ten Commandments [300]. Thus He proved to the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds and to human beings that it is possible for man perfectly to obey the law. He vindicated God's justice in demanding obedience to His law. Those who accept Christ as their Saviour, becoming partakers of the divine nature, are enabled to follow His example of obedience to every divine precept." {ST, May 14, 1902 par. 7}

It was therefore necessary for Christ to take our fallen nature, so that He could be tempted in every point, such as we are tempted.

Let us understand now. This is why the fallen nature issue is so crucial - the `nature of Christ' controversy in our church today.

Christ had to take our nature in order to set an example that we could follow. He was tempted in all points such as we are, yet without sin (Hebr. 4:15), to enable us to overcome in His strength just as He had done. Christ took our nature and overcame, to give us power to overcome in the same nature.

There are literally hundreds of passages which confirm this.

Here are three statements on the nature of Christ. Let us carefully consider them.

"It was necessary that Jesus should take upon Himself our nature in order to proof the falsity of Satan's statements. The apostate cast contempt upon the law of God and declared that it was impossible for man to keep God's commandments which had been pre-ordained in the councils of heaven." {ST, June 18, 1894 par. 5}

"Satan had pointed to Adam's sin as proof that God's law was unjust, and could not be obeyed. In our humanity, Christ was to redeem Adam's failure. But when Adam was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He stood in the strength of perfect manhood, possessing the full vigor of mind and body. He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and was in daily communion with heavenly beings. It was not thus with Jesus when He entered the wilderness to cope with Satan. For four thousand years the race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation." {DA 117.1}

Some claim that it was impossible for Christ to be overcome by temptation. They say that he could not have been placed in Adam's position, could not have gained the victory that Adam failed to gain.

If we had any more sense in more trying conflicts than had Christ than He would not be able to succor us, to help us. But our Saviour took humanity with all its liabilities [400]. He took the nature of man with the possibility of yielding to temptation. We have nothing to bear which He has not endured.

"It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man's nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life." {DA 48.5}

Another passage we can look at is the one in Hebrews chapter 2.

We can be forever thankful what God in Christ has done to save us. We are thankful that Jesus has proved to us by His actual life that man can keep the commandments of God contradicting Satan's falsehood that man cannot keep them. If Satan's claim was true, that would forever rule out that we could be in heaven with Christ where all beings do keep God's law perfectly.

Part 4 - The Controversy and Us Today

On this theme we are told this:

"The universe is looking upon the controversy that is going on upon the earth. At an infinite cost, God has provided for every man an opportunity to know that which will make him wise unto salvation. How eagerly do angels look to see who will avail himself of this opportunity! When a message is presented to God's people, they should not rise up in opposition to it; they should go to the Bible, comparing it with the law and the testimony, and if it does not bear this test, it is not true. God wants our minds to expand. He desires to put His grace upon us. We may have a feast of good things every day, for God can open the whole treasure of heaven to us." {Review and Herald, February 18, 1890. John 1:43-51.} {TM 119.1}

Dear reader, God wants you and I to be saved. He does not want us to be lost. Even the angels in heaven are eagerly looking saying, `Oh, this child of His, will he obey Him?' (Gen. 48:16; Jer. 26:13) They don't want us to be lost. Let us work together with God. Let us work together with Christ and with the angels. (1Ki.19:7) The issues are clear. On which side will every man stand? Will we through His enabling merit seek to vindicate God and His rule for our lives? Or will we cravenly unite with the servants of Satan? Will we unite with the servants of Satan in declaring that for us Christ's death was inadequate, His atonement useless in heaven and is not worth striving for?[420]

That is why we read,

"Those who live the life of a Christian are battling against the devil's lie, -- that man cannot keep God's law. Can we doubt the result of this conflict? God lives, God reigns; and daily He is working His miracles, Matth. 5:45. "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." (Gal. 5:24) Before the universe they show that they are trying to live out the words. `Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, . . . think on these things.'" {ST, July 10, 1901 par. 8; Phil. 4:8}

Quote,

". . . all who break God's commandments are sustaining Satan's claim that the law is unjust, and cannot be obeyed. Thus they second the deceptions of the great adversary, and cast dishonor upon God. They are the children of the wicked one, who was the first rebel against God's law. To admit them into heaven would again bring in the elements of discord and rebellion, and imperil the well-being of the universe. No man who willfully disregards one principle of the law shall enter the kingdom of heaven." {DA 308.4; Rom. 7:12}

From this we may realize that the atonement theme in the writings of Ellen white has a more cosmic scope rather than a point in history. Praise God atonement did not end at the cross. We can look up and have an understanding of what is happening in heaven even today. These profound points helps us to put Ellen White's views on atonement into perspective. She did not just see atonement in one dimension, but had a broader view of this most important concept. It is very clear that in her writings we see a God whose justice is not passive, but active, and this is consistent with his love.[440]

We are now living in the very last days of the great controversy, before Christ returns for His people. Dear reader, will you and I be found to be faithful? Will we be found with those who are loyal to the God of heaven? . . . who in the strength of Christ will put away their sins?

"Satan has cast his shadow athwart the pathway of every human being, in order that he may misrepresent God to the world. He has clothed the character of God with attributes that are satanic, and wholly at variance with the truth. He has pictured him as a being full of revenge, as a lawgiver whose law is beyond the power of man to keep, and he has implanted enmity in the heart of the sinner, so that man unregenerated is in rebellion against God. This is the impression that Satan has made upon the human mind. Those who present the law of God as a transcript of the divine character will blend with their teaching that which belongs with the subject, and will present the love of the Father and the Son. When this is done, the shadow of the evil one will be removed from the hearts of men, and the clear light of Christ's love, illuminating the understanding, will reveal the character of God as of one who is infinite in mercy. Sinners will behold Christ as one able and willing to cleanse from all sin. They will behold God not in his wrath, but in the sunshine of his love. His love will be seen as beyond all human love, and without a parallel." {RH, February 10, 1891 par. 1; Rom. 8:32}

This is an impression which is also pushing on you and me constantly. But really now, will we by continuing in sin, accept Satan's terrible lies that it is impossible for us to overcome sin?

We dare not do it.

We dare not do it. When you hear it run away, with all your family and friends. When you read it, toss the book away. We cannot allow confusion to live in our mind on these issues.

". . . those who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed. Therefore he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. But Jesus pleads in their behalf his wounded hands, his bruised body; and he declares to all who would follow him, "My grace is sufficient for thee." [2 Corinthians 12:9.] "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." [Matthew 11:29, 30.] Let none, then, regard their defects as incurable. God will give faith and grace to overcome them." {GC88 489.2}

Yes, it is dangerous to set aside the divine requirements. Yet professed Christians emboldened by their sins and false teachings are doing it every day. They spend a life time trying to find a reason for excuse to live their own way. Men, today, by employing errors such as `original sin' are repeating the lies of Lucifer. They base their errors on the claims of Augustine and Calvin or his successors - they declare that it is impossible for fallen man to keep God's law, with or without the aid of Christ.

They teach the error that man is hopelessly bound in sin until the Second Advent of Christ. But to voice such sentiments as to declare that the plan of redemption is inferior and Christ's sacrifice inadequate.

Yet, such a thought is blasphemy?

In order to serve their sins man are willing to cast disrepute on the character and the work of God.

We are told that the penalty of the law set upon the one who is equal with God so that man could accept the righteousness of Christ and triumph as the Son of God triumphed . . . over all the power of Satan.

Dear reader, this is what we want.

Ellen White put it in these words, "Lucifer had declared that if the law of God was changeless, and its penalty could not be remitted, every transgressor must be forever debarred from the Creator's favor. He had claimed that the sinful race were placed beyond redemption and were therefore his rightful prey. But the death of Christ was an argument in man's behalf that could not be overthrown. The penalty of the law fell upon Him who was equal with God, and man was free to accept the righteousness of Christ and by a life of penitence and humiliation to triumph, as the Son of God had triumphed, over the power of Satan. Thus God is just and yet the justifier of all who believe in Jesus." {GC 502.3; 2. Cor. 5:19; Isa. 42:21}

This is the way that God could be just - upholding the law - justifying all those who believe in Jesus enough to obey Him. Do you believe in Jesus enough to obey Him?

The truth is that Christ died on the cross because the law cannot be abolished or set aside, even temporarily.

On the next page we read we are told that Christ came to this earth not only to save man, but also magnify the importance of God's law, Isa. 42:21. Indeed, Christ came to vindicate the law for all of the human race. If the law could be set aside then Christ would not have had to die. The death of Christ proofs that the holy law of God cannot be changed.

But there is more.

Not only was the law vindicated, but also the character of the Father and the Son was vindicated as well. It was shown that not only do they have the justice but that they also have the love and the mercy.

Ellen White said it this way,

"But it was not merely to accomplish the redemption of man that Christ came to the earth to suffer and to die. He came to "magnify the law" and to "make it honorable." Not alone that the inhabitants of this world might regard the law as it should be regarded; but it was to demonstrate to all the worlds of the universe that God's law is unchangeable. Could its claims have been set aside, then the Son of God need not have yielded up His life to atone for its transgression. The death of Christ proves it immutable. And the sacrifice to which infinite love impelled the Father and the Son, that sinners might be redeemed, demonstrates to all the universe -- what nothing less than this plan of atonement could have sufficed to do -- that justice and mercy are the foundation of the law and government of God." {GC 503.1; Isa. 42:21}

Dear reader we must thank God for what He did.

Change me Father in heaven, and show you are thankful by obeying Him. He is giving you the power in Christ.

In our own time Christians and worldlings celebrate their excuses for setting aside the law of God. They rejoice that they can sin with apparent impunity, but the clock of probationary time is ticking away. The day is coming when there will be a terrible awakening.

Quote,

"It is Satan's constant effort to misrepresent the character of God, the nature of sin, and the real issues at stake in the great controversy. His sophistry lessens the obligation of the divine law, and gives men license to sin. At the same time he causes them to cherish false conceptions of God, so that they regard him with fear and hate, rather than with love. The cruelty inherent in his own character is attributed to the Creator; it is embodied in systems of religion, and expressed in modes of worship. Thus the minds of men are blinded, and Satan secures them as his agents to war against God. By perverted conceptions of the divine attributes, heathen nations were led to believe human sacrifices necessary to secure the favor of Deity; and horrible cruelties have been perpetrated under the various forms of idolatry. The Romish Church, uniting the forms of paganism and Christianity, and, like paganism, misrepresenting the character of God, has resorted to practices no less cruel and revolting. In the days of Rome's supremacy, there were instruments of torture to compel assent to her doctrines. There was the stake for those who would not concede to her claims. There were massacres on a scale that will never be known until revealed in the Judgment. Dignitaries of the church studied, under Satan their master, to invent means to cause the greatest possible torture, and not end the life of their victim. The infernal process was repeated to the utmost limit of human endurance, until nature gave up the struggle, and the sufferer hailed death as a sweet release." {GC88 568.4; Mt. 23:4; 11:29}

Quote,

"The great controversy between truth and error, between Christ and Satan, is to increase in intensity to the close of this world's history." {GC 143.3; Jh. 15:19-20}

So we ask, where would you and I stand in all of this? The controversy is being fought over the law of God. Therefore, that controversy is really being fought over the character of God.

On the other side of the coin, it is fought over whether it is all right to sin. But sin always brings terrible results. We all know that!

And through Calvary God has proved that sin need not be indulged - and He has provided power by which it may be resisted.

"In the final execution of the judgment it will be seen that no cause for sin exists. When the judge of all the earth shall demand of Satan, `Why hast thou rebelled against me, and robbed me of the subjects of my kingdom?' (2Chr. 32:13,15,21; 1Ki. 11:11,13) The originator of evil can render no excuse. In that day every mouth will be stopped and all the hosts of rebellion will be speechless." {GC 503.2; Mt. 22:11; Hebr. 2:14; Isa. 14:13,14; Eze. 20:8,13; 28:18,19; 1.Peter 5:8; Mal. 4:1}

As the cross of Christ declares the law of God immutable, so it proclaims to all the universe that the wages of sin is death.

Part 5 - The Controversy and the Judgment

The whole world is involved in this great controversy. All of us, and yet so many don't even know the basic issues - obedience to the law of God through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

The day will come when the vail of deception will finally be swept aside and the judgment will sit and the books will be opened and then, standing before the great, white throne men will discover that they tried to destroy the foundation of God's government. They did it through their political systems, they did it in the governments, they did it in the churches. - They will then learn that God's law is also the statute book of the Judgment. {Gen. 26:5; Ps. 89:31,32; Mal. 4:4}

The foolish will acknowledge too late the truth just like the five foolish virgins did before, the wise acknowledge it now and in cooperation with Christ's empowering grace are carefully studying God's inspired Word and obeying it.

The great controversy will wax stronger and stronger and will become more and more determined. Mind will be arrayed against mind. Plans against plans. Principles of heavenly origin against principles of Satan. Truth and its every phase will be in conflict with error and its ever increasing forms, and if it was possible, would deceive the very elect.

"... there has been a weaving in of error, and the use of scriptures out of their natural connection, in order to substantiate fallacies, which would deceive, if possible, the very elect." {TDG 126.3}

From the very beginning of the great controversy in heaven it has been Satan's purpose to overthrow the law of God. It was to accomplish this that he ended up in rebellion against the Creator. And though he has been cast out of heaven upon the earth, he has continued the same warfare, trusting in the arms of man, arms inspired by the cunnings of his wisdom.

In seeking to cast contempt on the divine statutes, Satan has perverted the doctrines of the Bible. This way errors have become incorporated into the faith of thousands who profess to believe in God's Word.

That last, great conflict between truth and error is about the final struggle, the long standing controversy concerning the law of God. Upon this battle we are now entering. A battle between the laws of man and the precepts of Jehovah, between the religion of the Bible and the religion of fable and tradition.

That point deserves serious pondering.

We today, the Advent people, are the called out people in fulfillment of Revelation 12:17 to 14:12.

We are the one's now who have been entrusted with sharing God's law with the world in these last days.

In the executive judgment, after the millennium, the wicked will finally admit the truth and hear the consequences. Then Satan and his followers, the workers of iniquity who love sin more than they love God and His principles - they will be obliterated from the universe.

The whole universe will become witness to the nature and the results of sin. And its utter extermination which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His love and establish His honor before the universe of beings who delight to do His will and in whose heart is His Law. - Never again will sin be manifested says the Word of God. Affliction shall not rise up a second time. The law of God, which Satan has reproached, as the yoke of bondage will be honored by all the universe as the law of liberty.

It tested and proved that creation will never again be turned from allegiance to Him whose character has been fully manifested before them, His fathomless love and infinite wisdom.

Part 6 - The Controversy Ended

And then the End will come. The great controversy will be forever finished. Those who by their obedience, through faith in Christ, have placed themselves on God's side of the controversy, will live forever in the Paradise of Peace. Jesus looks upon them in satisfaction for He sees that to them He did not die in vain. They believed that God meant what He said. He gave them His law and He gave them empowerment through Christ to obey it. They obeyed the one by faith in the other. They fulfilled the terms of the great controversy. By the faith that works by love they became truly clothed in His righteousness. In their life that genuinely fulfilled the specifications of the third angel's message, `Here is the patience of the saints.' `Here are they that keep the commandments of God by the faith of Jesus', Revelation 14:12.

Fulfilled are the specifications of the great controversy. And now, in heaven, they receive the reward for their loyalty to the Creator's government. The great controversy is ended.

The years of eternity, as they roll, will bring riches and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge progresses, so will love, reverence and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus stated before them, the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements of the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed will be filled with emotion and with rapture of joy. And they sleep the harps of gold and ten thousand and ten thousands and when thousands and thousands of voices unite they will swell the mighty chorus of praise. "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Rev. 5:13,14.

"The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love." {GC88 678.3}

[005] Perhaps you have wondered about the doom of nations. Why is Assyria gone? Why Babylon? Why Tyre and the Phoenicians? The poet says it this way,

So what is the answer to the historian's question? The answer is the great "I". "i", "me", "myself". When Lucifer found his "I" growing within him, God saw it instantly, Isaiah 14:13ff. - We ought to remember this: the devil will never come to our door saying, `Good morning everyone. How are ye? I am the devil.' No. He is full of wisdom. He uses a sly approach. He is a "salesman". He creates demand, and he has wares to supply the demand. Wares which are "perfect in his beauty." They satisfy some questions and glitter in the eyes, but they are lies friends. - Many of us do not have all the skills we wished for, but if we have some of God's wisdom, we shall not be deceived by all the skills of hell. We certainly can trace questions to what answers they lead and compare these with what God's word says. We certainly can look at the glitter at home and come to a knowledge how it wraps up our mind and prevents us from learning more of God. We can do something about these things, friends.

[008] These themes will be treated in the remainder of this article. In the writings of Ellen G. White these issues are explained in her `Conflict of the Ages' series of books. This series includes the five volumes entitled: Patriarchs & Prophets; Prophets and Kings; The Desire of Ages; Acts of the Apostles and the Great Controversy. We are using these books because they are Bible based and say things in concise words in a brief way which is easy to understand. {CT 462.1}

[010] On the ongoing controversy about sinlessness we must point out that man does not have sinlessness when Christ comes but he is blameless. 1. Cor. 1:4-9; Eph. 1:4; 2.Peter 3:14. Ellen White says, "We are continually sinning against God, but his mercy still follows us; in love he bears with our perversities, our neglect, our ingratitude, our disobedience." {RH, October 31, 1912 par. 3} We are called to confess and repent of these sins and from then on follow Christ and sin no more. We realize that forgiveness of sin took place on the cross, the daily services in the eastern court of the tabernacle complex in the center of which stood the symbol of the Cross, the altar of burnt offerings. However, the last generation, when Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary comes to a close, then our sins must be blotted out. They are blotted out only once, like they were for Israel only once a year on the Day of Atonement. We must be spotless and blameless before God for His glory is a consuming fire.

[013] To call things going on today `Western hype' is really an understatement. Satan's delusions and bewitching of people is very sophisticated. A major effort was to consolidate powers which were aimed to induce spiritual blindness and powers which would convince and convert people to accept lies designed to get people to believe that God would not destroy Satan because that is against His nature, to spread the lie that Christ would not win the controversy and Satan would rule the whole world. Satan tries to further his cause through the teaching that the dead are not really dead in order to place humanity in the place of God as "eternal" and that calamities are occurring because people are not keeping the day of God's enemy. On these two fronts the great controversy between good and evil rages in increasing proportions the closer the end comes. Jesus Christ taught that the seventh day is holy unto the Creator God, a day which will never change to another while Satan made his day the 1st. Satan uses electronic media to the fullest. Young people are especially being targeted. We find today how the `gods' of entertainment today say things like, `When I'm on stage, that isn't me, that is somebody else. I would never do that myself.' And yet its them all right. They sway people into thinking they can do things and claim that was done by someone else through them - which is called devil possession for "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1.John 1:19b; Rev. 12:12).
The influence of music entertainment is particularly suited to influence people. Spirit possession is not an invention of the devil. Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit which would lead us after His ascension. Holy Spirit possession is of God, 1 Cor. 3:16. In this context the word "possession" looses all its negative aspects, we understand it then as `indwelling'.
But we are also told that Satan can use whatever tools to turn things around, and make them into his tools to influence people. That is why we have to be on guard especially in view of Rev. 12:7-10,12 and 1 Peter 5:8.
Choir master Satan is the most skilled musician. He can influence people through (1) rhythm and (2) by inducing an altered state of consciousness. Music as we have it today in the world, originated way back in African and probably also Indian history. From these countries rhythm spread out reaching all countries because of the dispersion via the slave trade. The arriving slaves tried at all costs to maintain a connection to their heathen culture from which they were removed by force. In time several types of sounds came to the forefront, sounds which these slaves had used to call on the spirits. In Haiti it is called `Voodoo', in Cuba it is `Santeria' and in Brazil it is `Candomble.' In each of these three religions, as in African and Indian religions, specific rhythms are used to call specific gods. This is the purpose of the rituals they performed in which drums and dancing were used to draw people into a state of trance - altered consciuousness. [See Harold Courlander, A Treasury of Afro-American Folklore, 1976 and G. Behague, `Patterns of Candomble Music Performance: an Afro-Brazilian Religious Setting', 1984, p. 231.]
The altered state of consciousness comes about because `Thoughts naturally flit across the mind, and considering an idea generally brings up related thoughts.' Teachers of occult techniques use this means to introduce ideas they want to reach a person, because to concentrate on such stimulations, can alter one's consciousness. The `altered state of consciousness' can occur because of entrainment, rhythms in close proximity merge and will entrain.
Since music includes vibration, different tonalities, how does it work? When playing two tones, i.e. 100 Hz and 106 Hz, a phantom tone of 6 Hz might be heard. Or if a C and a G above it are played at the same time, the C an octave lower might be heard. To combine these three entrainment, `difference tones' and brainwaves registering them, notes could be played producing such `difference tones' of very low or small frequency which register and imbed themselves, although they are inaudible. Brain scientists describing how brainwaves work use Alpha, Beta, Theta and Delta. When frequencies, which are in the same spectrum as brainwaves are employed, entrainment results. This is dangerous because people then give control they only should have themselves, to someone else.
Beta is most often present when a person is doing something at work, especially when it involves mathematics. This is also the state of the brain during critical thinking. When Alpha is predominant, the person is in a relaxed state. During Theta, a person is extremely relaxed. Delta is the sleep condition. It is an extremely low level of brain activity.
King Nebuchadnezzar probably knew the influence of music to induce emotions when he used it to get people to worship his tall image made of gold, Daniel 3. By that he intended to circumvent reasoning power and induce an altered state of mind in his people to accept the worship of the image.
Other nations use these techniques to call the spirits, as for example Tibetan bells or Tin-Ssha's. These have been used in Buddhist meditation practices for a long time. Mantras like, "I am one, I am love, I am peace, I am a source of my experience ... consciousness ... ecstasy ... peace," are used to achieve subliminal programming - like music tapes in Yoga, tone wave generators, CD's, videos, DVD's, etc. Never participate in such activities. We always must guard our mind from `mind altering' influences. We read, "The darkest hour of the church's struggle with the powers of evil is that which immediately precedes the day of her final deliverance. But none who trust in God need fear ..." {PK, 725} Trusting in God means to lead an obedient life. The only way to counteract these wiles of Satan is given us in Isaiah 26:20: "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast."

[018] One can find in Hinduism almost any style or form of religion that has been thought of. In its scope it ranges from animistic to philosophical. It allows for literally millions of gods. For most it consists of formulas recited during sacrifices, spells and incantations to ward off evil and meditation. Socially it is greatly affected by the caste system, inequality between men and women, servants and the rich.
Some animistic tribal religions worship nature in which they perceive everything to be alive and animate. Filled with taboos and spirits, nature was their meditation rather than the Creator.

[020] The Bible teaches that God's people are not on a roller coaster ride when it comes to salvation. We are not right with God and when we sin again, separated from God. We are not suspended between justification and condemnation. Why? Because the righteousness of Christ imputed for us, means that no man can earn salvation by works of his/her own, Christ does it all. - In short, there is no possible way for the atonement—the reconciliation of man to God - to be completed at the cross. According to Scripture, man has been separated from God by sin (Isaiah 59:2). Therefore, the only way we can come back to God is to get rid of sin. But since none can accomplish this in their own strength (John 15:5), Jesus came to earth to provide power whereby we can be saved from our sins (Matthew 1:21). But this salvation cannot be ours unless we want it and show it by dying to sin. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17). "And being made perfect He (Christ) became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9).

[022] Ellen White said that there was no sense in making such a debate over the law in Galatians. It is not that important. But the larger problem is going on for years. The warning as to existence is that many who preach the truth to others are themselves committing iniquity. Many clergy who stand before the people to explain the Scriptures are defiled. Their hearts are corrupt, their hands unclean. These ministers had been living failures in their Christian life, and, in order to excuse their failures, they were advancing the arguments of Calvinism which sprang from that great lie that Christ took the human nature of unfallen Adam.

[25] How to recognize some errors. Some religious teachings have an end time message which leads people to look for false signs and doctrines, emotionalism, false prophets and many such errors. Under a pretense of Christian verbiage they introduce false ideas in a bizarre arrangement. The foremost Bible test for God's true prophets is still found in Isaiah 8:20 and signs to recognize them by are enumerated here. They may point to Leviticus 23:3 as a reason for Sabbath keeping in order to diminish its importance for next the may say, `keep the seven annual Sabbaths [sic] of Lev. 23:2-44.

"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
23:4 These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover." Lev. 23:2-5.

1. - 14th day of the 1st month, v. 5.
   
2. - 15th day of the same month, v. 6.
   
3. - the 1st day, v. 7.
   
4. - 1st day of the 7th month, v. 24.
   
5. - 10th day of the 7th month, v. 27.
   
6. - 9th day of the 7th month, v. 32.
   
7. - 15th day of the 7th month, v. 34.
   
8. - 1st day of the same month, v. 35.
   
9. - 8th day of the same month, v. 36.

Then comes a strict rule of differentiating between the weekly Sabbath of the Lord and these calendric revolving sabbaths in verses 37-38. We read,

"These are the feasts of the Lord (those with fixed days), which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
Beside the sabbaths of the Lord (the weekly Sabbaths from verse 3), and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord." Lev. 23:37-38.

[031] Protestant falling away from Bible faith because of inability to keep their faith in the Creator God because of the rise of the clever lies of evolution, is well documented in the Protestant magazin, `The Biblical World,' published toward the end of the 19th century into the 20th by the University of Chicago Press. Here are some titles, Vol. XXXIII, January-June 1909:

1. How may Christianity Be Defended Today?
   
2. The Child-Mind and Child-Religion
   
3. The Biblical Doctrine of Atonement
   
4. A New Aramaic Inscription of Biblical Interest
   
5. Communion of God in the Bible

[055] The Flying Scroll: The prophet Zechariah (5:1-4) illustrates the function of the Law of God as follows. He describes God's Holy Law as a flying scroll measuring 20 by 10 cubits. It is a play on words for the Ten commandment tablets consisted of two (2x10) slabs of stone on which God wrote His Ten Laws (10) with His own finger. That this scripture talks about both sides of the 10 commandments is indicated by pointing to the 8th commandment, `Thou shalt not steal', and the 3rd commandment, `Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain', which is false swearing. Thus Zechariah references the first tablet of the law having to do with our love of God and the second tablet having to do with loving our fellow men, Mt. 22:36-40; Lk. 10:27. - Next the prophet describes how the scroll of this Law flies over the land, that is the whole world, in order to take up residence in each home where people live who have all broken God's law and no one can prevent it from reaching everyone. For we read, ".. it shall enter into the house of the thief ..", and "into the house of him who sweareth falsely". Then it says that God's law, "shall remain in the midst of the house ...". The intend is to show that, if the occupants of the house do not exercise faith but instead disregard the law, there will come a day when the house and all its occupants will not exist anymore, (1Tim. 1:9). On the other hand, if those who inhabit the house do find a solution to their problem of transgressing God's Law and keep it, when they repent and confess and turn to Christ for salvation from this world of sin, ... then they are free from the curse of sin and free from the deadly consequences of breaking God's Law. In the latter case, the occupants of the house then hardly notice the Law of God laying in the corner, since now it is written in their heart. That means, the man who confesses his guilt and finds forgiveness is not freed from the desires and tendencies of sinful flesh. However, he is freed from being ruled by his flesh and has come under the authority of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says about this, "Mortify your members ..." or as other translators put it, "Put to death .. whatever belongs to your earthly nature ..." (Colossians 3:5; NIV) - - All the sins mentioned in this text are still present in the clamoring of our flesh. They would gain the upper hand again, if we allow our flesh to rule us, instead of faith, thus submitting daily, hour by hour, to the will of God. Since God's people decided to remain true to God, to have Him rule their lives through His Holy Spirit, all these evil sins will be destroyed by their roots and become powerless in our house. Now these sins do not raise their ugly heads anymore in our life and the law does not condemn us. This difference is described in these scriptures:

(1) The rule of the flesh in our life - Romans 7:14-24; and
(2) the rule of God in our life: 1.Corinthians 9:26,27.

"I do not frustrate the grace of God (anymore): for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Galatians 2:21.

[70] This gospel of salvation from sin answers the lingering fundamental question of what it means to say, `Being "in Christ".' It means, without Christ we have nothing except condemnation and death, Eph. 2:1-3. All our hopes, joys und expressions of faith are part of ongoing holy living, being sanctified, waiting patiently to be glorified, Eph. 2:4-7. Therefore, since Christ died for all, being "in Christ" is true for all followers of Christ so that so many fellow believers are likewise "in Christ." Since we are all of Adam (mankind) (Gen. 5:1,2; Acts 17:26; 1.Cor. 15:45), therefore Adam is the father of us all. That is why we know that, like the first Adam's sin affected all, so Christ also represents the whole human race in His work of redemption. That is why the Bible teaches that sin came to us all when Adam sinned, and likewise the whole world was justified and reconciled for what Christ accomplished on the cross, Rom. 5:15-18; 1.Cor. 15:21,22.
Before the fall sin was unknown, however, the divinity had prepared a plan in case it would occur, "... he has chosen us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Eph. 1:4). . . .
Under inspiration, Paul says, that God's planning took place before Adam and Eve were created, while John is saying - and we turn his negative phrasing into positive phrasing, that those whose names are written in the book of life of the lamb which was slain from the foundation of the world, shall worship the Creator and the Lamb, Rev. 13:8. When Christ, the lamb came and that lamb was slain for the sins of the world, the whole world was justified and reconciled so that, what had been a plan in the wisdom of God, became reality (John 3:17; 17:4; 19:30; Rom. 5:5-10,18; Eph. 2:8,9; 2.Cor. 5:19).
The true gospel reality is this, the goodness of God leads people to faith and repentance (Rom. 2:4). It is not our repenting and exercising faith which moves the arm of God to save us - they are the fruit. That means, to have faith does not mean that we allow or permit God to put us "in Christ". Not so, we are but accepting with grateful hearts what God has already accomplished before we were born, for all mankind, "in Christ", 1.Cor. 1:30,31; 2.Cor. 5:18-20; Eph. 1:3,4.
It is this great truth that the entire human race was redeemed, justified and reconciled to God by the death of His Son, Jh. 3:17; 17:4; 19:30; Rom. 5:5-10, 18; Eph. 2:8,9; 2.Cor. 5:19, which constitutes the everlasting gospel.
This is the everlasting gospel in verity.
Today, in response to such a great salvation already accomplished, we can come to the cross in faith, confess and repent and experience (not deserve) the saving grace of God. While Christ died for the sins of the whole world, only those who accept His free gift sacrifice to cover their own sins, will experience the outworking of God's saving plan in their life, John 3:16; Rom. 3:21-28; DA 638; PK 377.
Where is caution necessary? It is necessary that we do not limit being "in Christ" to our experience in our walk of faith only and make that the gospel. Then it becomes only a subjective gospel rather than its application or fruit. What can be the result? Since this, our experience, is an on-going process - until Jesus comes again (Rom. 5:19b; Eph. 2:7) - it turns the gospel into good advice, rather than good news, thus robbing our people of the joy, peace and assurance of salvation.

[110] `Humanities first freedom is religious liberty. It is first, because at the nascence of human history, God gave Adam and Eve the right to choose whether to follow Him. God thereby established a precedent for the human race that remains as alive today as it was all those years ago in the Garden of Eden. - Religious liberty is also the first liberty expressed in the United States Bill of Rights: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." But there is a third reason, this is humanity's "first freedom." There is no more sacred space in the human experience than our search for the ultimate meaning of our existence. Repressing religious liberty is at its heart an attempt to extinguish this core of the human soul.' - James Standish's presentation at the Liberty Banquet, `Frontlines of Freedom', Vol. 51, July 25, 2007, p.4. - Unfortunately many treat these liberties not as they should for they are fragile indeed. Church speakers and News media frequently do not realize that they can speak their mind without worrying about legal consequences, within esthetic limits, because there exist agencies defending religious liberty. When these spokesmen slight religion and use occasions to ridicule faith in God, they work into the hands of those who would take away their right to speak as they do.

[150] Where in the Bible, in Spain they used to call it ignorantly the old monkish book, does it say that Satan says man cannot keep the law? It presents the background to various instances in the Bible. Let us first look at this scripture and we print only one, the others you may read for yourself:
"9:6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
9:8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9:9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil." 1.Kings 9:6-9.
Also consider 2.Chronicles 30:1-7; Numbers 9:4-10; Acts 5:1-10 where a people tried to weasel themselves out of obeying God's commands. Of course also the original account where the snake suggests `did God really say . . .?' to Eve.

[210] Question: How did Christ make plain the character of God's law and the nature of His service when healing the sick?
Answer 1: Christ might have opened to men the deepest truths of science. He might have unlocked mysteries which have required many centuries of toil and study to penetrate. He might have made suggestions in scientific lines that till the close of time would have afforded food for thought and stimulus for invention. But He did not do this. He said nothing to gratify curiosity or to stimulate selfish ambition. He did not deal in abstract theories, but in that which is essential to the development of character, that which will enlarge man's capacity for knowing God, and increase his power to do good. Instead of directing the people to study men's theories about God, His word, or His works, Christ taught them to behold Him as manifested in His works, in His word, and by His providences. He brought their minds in contact with the mind of the Infinite. He unfolded principles that struck at the root of selfishness. {CT 34.2}
Answer 2: By His humanity, Christ touched humanity; by His divinity, He lays hold upon the throne of God. As the Son of man, He gave us an example of obedience; as the Son of God, He gives us power to obey. {DA 25.2}
Answer 3: The church to whom God has intrusted the treasures of truth needs to be converted. If we are blessed, we can bless others; but if we do not receive the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we cannot give forth light to others. There is a sad lack of genuine conversion among us. We do not put forth personal effort that souls may have a true knowledge of what constitutes repentance, faith and remission of sins. Our ministering brethren make a decided failure of doing their work in a manner directed by the Lord. They fail to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. They have not gained an experience through personal communion with God, or a true knowledge of what constitutes Christian character; therefore many are baptized who have no fitness for this sacred ordinance, but who are knit to self and the world. They have not seen Christ or received him by faith. {RH, February 4, 1890 par. 7}

[300] Christ had a divine and human origin at birth. How his divine nature could combine with human chromosomes we cannot really comprehend. We focus here on his human nature which was like ours after the fall.

[400] Christ is our Saviour, as we read in the Bible, He "is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe." 1.Timothy 4:10. Christ being the Saviour of all sorts of men, Jews, non-Jews and even those in far off lands who never heard His name but followed that still small voice.

[420] Our latest story: `Richer than before' - The rich man lived in a gorgeous, spacious villa on the edge of the city. He had everything - a late model limousine, a horse and servants. He was known as a philanthropist who helped the underprivileged, orphaned boys of the city. - The poor man lived in the ruins of a house some distance away. Once, before the war, he had been rich too, and received the praises of the community, but then his fortunes changed and he became poor. Now nobody paid any attention to him. All he had now were his clothes and a satchel with needles and twine to either sell or use for sewing for his daily bread. Many years ago both of these men had been friends, but now they were strangers to each other. The poor man sustained his courage only by the faith which his mother had raised him with. - One day he happened to be at the gate of the villa when it suddenly opened and a servant came out, beckoned him to step aside and the limousine of the rich man came down the driveway to proceed into the city. The poor man was so surprised to see his former friend inside that he dropped his bag. The sudden movement caused the rich man to look at him and in a split second their eyes met. He was shocked. Both went on their way and the poor man got back to the ruin where he lived, while the rich man saw after his accounts and in the evening was received at the club with a spread out stately meal. He had been successful in defeating a competing business. Why? Because of some need? or if he had it not outdone he would go hungry then? No, only because he was the stronger and his money was more effective, i.e. he could apply it in a more destructive way. . . . These thoughts raged in his mind on the way back to the villa. During the night he could not sleep. He thought, someday someone else will come along and he will be stronger than I and then he too will be out on the street like the poor man he saw on the way to town. - During that same night the poor man in the ruined building also could not sleep. He thought of seeing his rich, former friend. A voice seemed to tell him, `Go, he needs you.' `Go right now, he is waiting for you.' The poor man reared up, dressed and headed down the streets to the villa. Upstairs burned a light. He didn't know what to do and stood by the wall of the rich man's property. After long minutes someone came down the path to the gate. He couldn't hardly believe his ears and eyes, it was his former friend. He too had been restless and finally got up to get some fresh air and headed to the front to look down the street. Both men stood there, looking at each other in surprised silence. The poor man winked at him and said, "What does it profit you if you would win the whole world but loose your own soul?" `Friend, look at me. Once I was where you are now. But now, even though I live in a ruined house, I am richer than you, for I have peace in my soul.' - `I see nothing of your riches,' said the other. `You are skinny, you wear baggy clothes and one can see you live on hard times.' `Yes, but I've found God,' said the poor man quietly, `and with Him love. The one who has that, is rich and in need of nothing else. I came to help you, so you can add, instead of your ill gotten gains, the forgiving goodness of the Saviour's saving graces, to belong to Him with all your heart.' - That night both became friends again - for eternity.

[440] As for critics of Ellen White, as to the nature of Christ, we may underscore this, The biggest point to make is that the traditional arguments regarding the nature of Christ had very little, if any, bearing on her understanding of salvation. In fact, as she dealt with the nature of Christ, she dealt with a completely different issue: the fact that the divine and the human could coexist in the same person. Ellen White was generally unconcerned with the debate about the human nature of Christ as evidenced by her lack of a comprehensive treatise on the issue. [She did write, "The humanity of the Son of God is everything to us . . . This should be our study." 1SM, 244] It is also interesting to note that her apparent perspective changed based on the theological issues she was addressing. These seemingly contradictory statements did not constitute flip-flopping in the mold of present-day politicians. Instead, it represented an intentional focus on those aspects of the truth that would speak most directly to the issue at hand. It seems that all of the arguments would cease if people allowed themselves to look at all of her statements on an issue instead of just a few. The reality is that the Bible has little to say about Christ's human nature, and Ellen White has statements that would support either view. Is it possible that the true answer is, "both?" It seems to me that Jesus was enough like us to understand our plight as humans, yet enough different to be called our Savior. As we seek to investigate the "mystery" of God who was man, I'm not sure how well we will truly understand. So, God wants us to be redeemed from our lostness. God goes to great lengths to save us, so much so that the self-righteous are baffled by it. Thus they seek to work to attain salvation. Consequently, we don't have to work to attain salvation, because Jesus has come to liberate us from the depravity of sin. Furthermore, the cross is there as an example of the supreme manifestation of Gods love. The cross speaks of more than mercy, it also speaks of a powerful condemnation of sin by the 'holy love of a holy God.' Salvation is not about what we can do to be saved, rather its all about what God has done for us that we might be saved, because at every point in our salvation process it is God that takes the initiative. Therefore, we can have confidence that we are adopted in the family of God, and this means that we are the recipients of the full status of being sons and daughters of God. Salvation brings about the change from slavery to sin to the newness of life in Christ.