Friday: Further Thought – The Seen and Unseen War
Who among us doesn’t know the reality of the great controversy? We know about this war because we feel it inside us on a daily basis. We live in a broken world, a world cursed with anxiety and pain. A world where a serpent isn’t limited to one tree in the middle of a garden but where the entire garden has been overrun with serpents.
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
A world full of the whispers of temptation that come in all sorts of ways and that so easily ensnare those who are not diligent in faith and in prayer. No wonder Jesus said: “Watch and pray” lest we fall into the many snares that await us. And, of all the snares, perhaps the most dangerous one for the Christian is believing the lie that says, “When you succumb to temptation, you’ve gone too far. There is no God of grace who will welcome you back into His arms.” Who hasn’t at one time or another heard that voice whispering in his or her ears? In one sense, that sentiment is right: when you fall into temptation, even once, you have gone too far to ever get yourself back. That’s exactly why Jesus came, won the victory for us where we all have failed, and then offers His triumph to us. This is what the whole gospel is about, Jesus doing for us in the great controversy what we could never do for ourselves. At the same time, too, though, we have to choose, daily, hourly, moment by moment, to place ourselves on His side, and we do that by obeying His Word and by claiming the promises of victory that He had assured us we can have, the whole time leaning only upon His merits for us as the surety of our salvation.
Discussion Questions:
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"This is what the whole gospel is about, Jesus doing for us in the great controversy what we could never do for ourselves."
Compare the above quote with this definition of the gospel by EG White.
"The gospel is the good news of grace, or favour, by which man may be released from the condemnation of sin, and enabled to render acceptable obedience to the law."
"At the same time, too, though, we have to choose, daily, hourly, moment by moment, to place ourselves on His side, and we do that by obeying His Word and by claiming the promises of victory that He had assured us we can have, the whole time leaning only upon His merits for us as the surety of our salvation."
What if we don't do it "moment by moment" ?
Can't we just lean on His merits?
Hi Jim,
Leaning on His merits will always be shown in practice, i.e. Everyone who JUST lean on Jesus merits will in one way or in another always be influenced and attracted by His transformig love and be compelled to be similar to Him. 2 Cor. 5.14; 2 Cor. 12.10
Hi Jim and all, this is wonderful to have opportunity to fellowship and share God's love and His word with each other. Jesus has saved us by His precious blood and cleanses us from all sin. In His enabling us to render acceptable obedience to His law, we become partakers with Jesus of His grace Phil. 1:7, Heb. 3:14, 2 Pet. 1:4.
It is only Christ who can deliver us from the hands of d devil.He defeated him in heaven n here on earth. Indeed He alone knew his tricts n techniques. He alone has complete power to conquer n consum him, what we as feable n finite men can do is to succumb under His power by coming under the throne of His mercy with a broken heart ask for His spirit to control n lead us as we are matching through the walls of Zion amen
Hello Dr. Kontoh, I can't agree with you more that was so beatifully soken. A majority of human beings do not understand your first sentence ( I'm speaking about people who say they know God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit) about Jesus is the only one who has the ability to deliver us from the hands of the that mean old serpent the devil. Individuals are born in sin and shaped in iniquity so-ooo horrificlly, until they are lost to your first sentence. In order for the heart of the mind to understand, the heart of the mind has to be saturated with the Holy Spirit daily. However, the same goes for the rest of the paragraph. Thank you for words of hope.
Be strong moment by moment... avoid a doubt be of a part of your journey... keep looking on discipleship ... God first.. that's why we are still here to finish our duty as partakers of God's gospel
Do's and Don'ts
Do: Watch and pray
Don't: Believe Satan's lie, "you have gone to far, you have reached the point of no return."
Do: Obey His Word. Another promise of victory. "...When I am weak in human strength, then I am truly strong and powerful in Devine strength." 2Corinthians 12:10
Don't: Cherish self
Do: Depend on Christ righteousnes
Do: Connect yourself with the source of light, Jesus Christ.
Do: Rejoice that you are now one with God, one with Christ, and with the whole family of heaven.
John this sounds like a laundry list to Salvation. There are many comments with all the right words. I ask myself and perhaps others, is my name written there, or will it be? Is my, our life what we choose with the mouth or with the heart?. All the right words. Matt12:34
The one verse that I left out is the one most important to me. Ephesians 2:8
Paul, it all depends on the way you read it. Some read the Bible as a "laundry list to Salvation" - as a check list of requirements to fulfill to enter the Kingdom. Others read it to know Christ, whom to know is life eternal.
It seems to me that John's comment points overwhelmingly to nurturing a relationship with Christ - and without that, we cannot be saved.
Hi John, I would like to thank you for the simple outline for the few of us who are learning to follow Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Do's and Don't are perfect for new members and as well as those who consider them "theological advanced." I found a quote of Martin Luther which I like very much which even people who are young in the faith can adapt to help in this "Seen and the Unseen War: “So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: "I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!”
― Martin Luther
Matt. 1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you (Joseph)shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." Even a little child can follow these: Do's and Don't outline that John blog for us. May God help us to be like little children for they are the ones going to make the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus gone a head to prepare for all His little children in humility and meekness.
The fallen of human race. (creation).We should always remember that we are not the creator.This way we will know where we belong when it come the name God.
I trust my Lord when he is going to prepare our place in heaven. Praise the LORD you are our everything. Satan not a creator, but just a creation, he asked too many questions and ended up disobeying the Creator. After Jesus' preparation in heaven he promised to come back and to take us home.
Sorry Paul you think that way. I had no intention of invoking the response you gave. I do believe the do's take us in the direction of Christ, instead of turning us away from Christ. The don'ts are for our well being. Christ desires us to be will with our heart. It is well, it is well with my soul.
John The point that I was making is that some look at salvation and think in legalistic terms. In order to attain salvation I must do something or not, that will show God I am doing all the right things. We know the merit in doing the right things. Something to do with dirty linen. Of course others including myself, must have a meaningful relationship with Jesus and pray for his leading in all that I think and do.
Sometimes it is good to emphasize "works".
John 5:29
"And [the dead] shall come forth; they that have DONE GOOD, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have DONE EVIL, unto the resurrection of damnation."
We should make it clear, I think, that the determining factor for which resurrection we are part of, is what we have "done".
Titus 3:8
"This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly - that they which have believed in God MIGHT BE CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS. These things are good and profitable unto men."
So shouldn't we be affirming this constantly - that we need to be careful to maintain good works?
There was a time when Ellen White wrote, "we hear a great deal about faith, but we need to hear a great deal more about works".
(1Selected Messages p.382)
Jas 2:21-25 and Rom 2:7 "patient continuance in doing good".
God cannot give us what we can't win and the bible is very clear the battle is not ours but God's let us cast all our problems to Him then we shall be victors
We have to be very careful that we don't make salvation a REWARD for doing the right things and not doing the wrong things. Salvation is a GIFT OF GOD. EPHESIANS 2:8
That verse indicates that grace is a gift , not salvation. Salvation is the most complicated gift to receive by people.
People even have a hard time receiving grace.
That is why Jesus says what he does in Matt 7:14.
The most relevant war/battle is not what is usually discussed here about Jesus & Satan.. it is the following.
How to overcome temptation...
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Cor 10:4 & 5
What one does with the 1000 minutes every day is the challenge & war.
The Battle for the Mind.