The One Project--General

[Green Cochoa]

3 hours ago, Gregory Matthews said:

Very sincere people exist on both sides of this issue.  Unfortunately,  there is a lot of error in what many are saying/posting.

The biggest error is one of omission.  "Jesus" is a wonderful focus, but His death on the Cross is all about one thing: the LAW.  If we defocus the law, we make of no importance His sacrifice--and essentially end up saying we don't need Jesus.  So the "Jesus. All." Maxim that the One Project teaches ironically leaves Jesus out.

A good study that would help people avoid the errors of the One Project movement can be found in the Book of Exodus.  Four times Pharaoh made an offer of compromise to Moses.  Four times Moses rejected the compromise.  He would not budge an inch.  We need to learn from that example.  Moses is a type of Christ (Jesus).  Jesus doesn't muck around with compromise, and neither should we.  On that basis, the One Project has no appeal for me.

[Gregory Matthews]

Green, The One Project is not designed for every person and  it is not designed for every SDA.  It is only designed for a narrow set of people.  That narrow set of people is those who feel a spiritual need to get better aquainted with Jesus.  If that is not where you are, so be it.  It is for you to say whether or not TOP is something that you need.

 

 

[Green Cochoa]

4 minutes ago, Gregory Matthews said:

Green, The One Project is not designed for every person and  it is not designed for every SDA.  It is only designed for a narrow set of people.  That narrow set of people is those who feel a spiritual need to get better aquainted with Jesus.  If that is not where you are, so be it.  It is for you to say whether or not TOP is something that you need.

That's a narrow and marginalizing thing to say.  Whether folks know it or not, everyone needs to get better acquainted with Jesus.  While that is where I would certainly be at, the One Project is a poor choice for anyone wishing to do that.  As Jesus Himself famously said, "there shall arise false christs, and false prophets...Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth…believe it not."  An alert Christian would be a fool to apply this only to physical humans--that would make Satan's deception too easy.  Jesus said he will try to deceive "the very elect."  The elect know not to follow a cult leader--but what about a false reformation movement claiming to have Jesus?

In Bible class in high school, my teacher duly warned our entire class that in the end, a false revival would precede the true one.  It will set people up for the shaking in which many will be shaken out of the ranks.  Mrs. White speaks of these events in solemn tones.  This is no time for Christians to be seeking God through popular movements before they have found Him on their knees in their closets, Bible in hand.  "Only those who have fortified their minds with the truths of the Bible will be able to stand in the last great conflict," she says (quoting from memory).  That conflict is upon us now.

[APL]

 To Moses was revealed the blindness of the Jewish nation. Their continual plea was, "The law! the law! the Father! the Father!" Appealing to the law and to the Father, they rejected their Saviour. "As for this Christ," they said, "we will have nothing to do with Him. Away with Him." The One who came to give them life they put to death.  {10MR 154.1} 

 

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This message of the gospel of His grace was to be given to the church in clear and distinct lines, that the world should no longer say, Seventh-day Adventists talk the law, the law, but do not preach or believe Christ. {14MR 129.1}

 

The efficacy of the blood of Christ was to be represented to the people with freshness and power, that their faith might lay hold on its merits. {14MR 129.2}

 

...

 

Unless he makes it his life business to behold the uplifted Saviour, and by faith accept the merits which it is his privilege to claim, the sinner can no more be saved than Peter could walk upon the water unless he kept his eyes fixed steadily upon Jesus. Now, it has been Satan's determined purpose to eclipse the view of Jesus... {14MR 130.1}

 

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If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit." {14MR 131.2}

 

This is the very work which the Lord designs that the message He has given His servants shall perform in the heart and mind of every human agent. It is the perpetual life of the church to love God supremely, and to love others as they love themselves. There was but little love for God or man, and God gave His messengers just what the people needed. Those who received the message were greatly blessed, for they saw the bright rays of the Sun of Righteousness, and life and hope sprang up in their hearts. They were beholding Christ. "Fear not," is His everlasting assurance; {14MR 132.1}

 

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A question that needs to be asked is what was Christ's mission. 

[Green Cochoa]

Yes, APL, you have pointed out the opposite ditch.  Both ditches are to be avoided.  The One Project falls into the ditch of ignoring the law, while many others may ignore love.  Neither the law nor love can truly exist when separate from each other.  They are inextricably joined together in Jesus' character.  The Cross teaches us plainly that the law is unchangeable and its demands must be met.  Jesus had to die to comply with the law.  In His death, therefore, the discerning Christian can read both law and love.

     Self-righteousness is not true righteousness, and those who cling to it will be left to take the consequences of holding a fatal deception. Many today claim to obey the commandments of God, but they have not the love of God in their hearts to flow forth to others. Christ calls them to unite with Him in His work for the saving of the world, but they content themselves with saying, "I go, sir." They do not go. They do not co-operate with those who are doing God's service. They are idlers. Like the unfaithful son, they make false promises to God. In taking upon themselves the solemn covenant of the church they have pledged themselves to receive and obey the word of God, to give themselves to God's service, but they do not do this. In profession they claim to be sons of God, but in life and character they deny the relationship. They do not surrender the will to God. They are living a lie.  {COL 279.1}  
     The promise of obedience they appear to fulfill when this involves no sacrifice; but when self-denial and self-sacrifice are required, when they see the cross to be lifted, they draw back. Thus the conviction of duty wears away, and known transgression of God's commandments becomes habit. The ear may hear God's word, but the spiritual perceptive powers have departed. The heart is hardened, the conscience seared.  {COL 279.2}  

A question that should be asked is: What is "the cross" in the above passage?

 

[APL]

Well Green, you comment, ' "Jesus" is a wonderful focus, but His death on the Cross is all about one thing: the LAW'  sure sounds like a ditch.  What is the 3rd Angel's message?  Revelation 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 

 

 

[Green Cochoa]

1 hour ago, APL said:

Well Green, you comment, ' "Jesus" is a wonderful focus, but His death on the Cross is all about one thing: the LAW'  sure sounds like a ditch.  What is the 3rd Angel's message?  Revelation 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 

 

 

Mrs. White says: "The brightness of the Father's glory, and the excellence and perfection of His sacred law, are only understood through the atonement made upon Calvary by His dear Son; but even the atonement loses its significance when the law of God is rejected."

She wasn't in the ditch.

Let no one think that he is at liberty to fold his hands and do nothing. That any one can be saved in indolence and inactivity is an utter impossibility. Think of what Christ accomplished during his earthly ministry. How earnest, how untiring, were his efforts! He allowed nothing to turn him aside from the work given him. Are we following in his footsteps? He gave up all to carry out God's plan of mercy for the fallen race. In the fulfillment of the purpose of heaven, he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He had had no communion with sin, had known nothing of it; but he came to this world, and took upon his sinless soul the guilt of sinful man, that sinners might stand justified before God. He grappled with temptation, overcoming in our behalf. The Son of God, pure and unsullied, bore the penalty of transgression, and received the stroke of death that brought deliverance to the race. 
                           (To be concluded)  {RH, January 20, 1903 par. 12}

Many today are hoping to be saved apart from any effort on their own, and therefore say things like "Jesus. All."  They will certainly learn the truth at some point, for many after it is too late.  Yes, Jesus saves us.  No, we cannot save ourselves.  But without our own efforts in cooperation with those of Heaven, we will not be saved.  We must do our part to keep God's law.  Jesus doesn't keep it for us.  His perfect life may cover our past sins, paying our debt to sin, but it will not cover our cherished sins which we refuse to give up now.

[APL]

Funny called my quotes of EGW in the ditch with my prior post.  Why was that?  I agree with you however that Christ saves us from our sins, not in our sins.  It is our sins that cause death, not Christ or God, and this is important to know, for why would you ever trust one who says, love Me, or I'll kill you.  It is the kindness of God that draws us to repentance, Romans 2:4  We need to know Christ as He is,  John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

 

[Gregory Matthews]

I suggest that any who are seriously interested in The One Project, plan to attend the next Gathering, again in San Diego, early next year.

TOP is a growing organization.  With its growth, and the passage of time, changes have taken place in its administration and in its Gatherings.  Yet, it remains with its central focus which is on Jesus Christ.

[Green Cochoa]

2 hours ago, Gregory Matthews said:

I suggest that any who are seriously interested in The One Project, plan to attend the next Gathering, again in San Diego, early next year.

TOP is a growing organization.  With its growth, and the passage of time, changes have taken place in its administration and in its Gatherings.  Yet, it remains with its central focus which is on Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, it does not preach the Third Angel's Message.  The message of the Third Angel is the very message our church is to be preaching at this hour of earth's history.

[Gregory Matthews]

In the process of salvation there are sequential steps.  There are early steps that must be taken prior to the later steps.  This is exactly what the Bible teaches, but some who have been in the faith for some time fail to recognize that others do not have their level of spiritual maturity.

Paul faced this same criticism (in general terms) that is leveled against The One Project.  Writing to the Church at Corinth, Paul said first:  I could not address you as spiritual persons as you were worldly and mere infants.  You were not ready for solid food.  I had to feed you milk.  [See I Corinthians 3:1-3]

Then Paul went on to discuss the spiritual growth process that    should take place.  Paul planted the seed.   But, Apollos cultivated that growing plant and God developed it.  As Paul said, both he and Apollos had the same purpose.  [See 1 Corinthians 3: 6-8]

Paul then goes on to say that he (Paul) laid a foundation and another person erected the walls and the foundation that Paul laid was Jesus Christ.  [See 1 Corinthians 3:10 & 11]

There is a time for preaching the three angels messages.  We are living in that time.  But, the Bible is very clear:  The First and Second Angels Message must be proclaimed prior to the proclaimation of the Third Angels Message.  [In support of this see Revelation 14: 6-12]  Note that the Second Angel is stated to follow t he First and the Third is stated to follow the Second.  We do spiritual harm to people if we give them the Third without the First and the Second.  When we do that we  demonstrate that we do not understand a fundamental Biblical principle of the process of salvation.  That principle is that spiritual  growth is a process of step by step. 

The One  Project has one simple focus:  Make Christ the center of one's life, belief and practice.  It is a process that is centered on two (2) days.  In that very short period of time it can not bring people to  full spiritual maturity.  For anyone to think that it could simply demonstrates that they fail to understand how  spiritual growth takes place.  The One Project exists due to the fact that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has people associated with it who are not centered in their life, belief and practice in Christ.

Green may be correct in his statement that The One Project does not teach some Biblical teachings that are important.  But in making this a criticism, Green either misunderstands the Biblical process of salvation and spiritual growth or he misunderstands The One Project.  Take your choice.  In any case, the Lord has assigned a task to all.  [See I Corinthians 3:5]  As The One Project accomplishes the task given it, it is a fellow worker of God.  [See I Corinthians 3:9]

NOTE:  In my references to Biblical passages, I have not quoted any of them exactly.  I have stated them in my own words.  Please review them in your favorite translation if you want to see the exact Biblical words.

 

 

 

[Gary K]

On 9/3/2016 at 9:01 AM, Gregory Matthews said:

Green, The One Project is not designed for every person and  it is not designed for every SDA.  It is only designed for a narrow set of people.  That narrow set of people is those who feel a spiritual need to get better aquainted with Jesus.  If that is not where you are, so be it.  It is for you to say whether or not TOP is something that you need.

 

 

I don't understand what you are saying.  When did Jesus not say exactly what truth is and somehow hide it from those He worked with?  The woman the Pharisees dragged before Him in trying to trap Him He dismissed, after running off her hypocritical accusers, by telling her to go and sin no more.  He said that multiple times to different people. 

So why would we hide truth to attract people?  Jesus certainly never did anything like that.

[Gregory Matthews]

No one attempts to hide the truth.

Truth is progressive and it musts be laid upon a foundation that is Jesus Christ.

The One Project (TOP) attempts to reach people who feel a need to be better grounded in Christ.

TOP is not intended to teach the so-called 28.  That must come later and after a foundation in Christ.

If you do not  feel a need to be better grounded in Christ, do not attend.

 

 

 

 

[Gregory Matthews]

For  those of you who would like to participate in a One Project Gathering, registration for San Diego is still open.  The Gathering will be held on:

February 25 & 26.

NOTE:  You must preregister to attend.

There is a related meeting that will be held on February 24 and a related meeting on February 27.  But the actual One Project Gathering will take place on the 25th and the 26th.

For more information see:

https://the1project.org/

The One Project sometimes schedules shorter meetings than what I have listed above.  One such shorter meeting will be held in late April in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area of Texas.

 

 

 

[Gary K]

2 hours ago, Gregory Matthews said:

No one attempts to hide the truth.

Truth is progressive and it musts be laid upon a foundation that is Jesus Christ.

The One Project (TOP) attempts to reach people who feel a need to be better grounded in Christ.

TOP is not intended to teach the so-called 28.  That must come later and after a foundation in Christ.

If you do not  feel a need to be better grounded in Christ, do not attend.

 

 

 

 

Where did you come up with the idea that I do not want nor need a deeper relationship with Christ?  It has just been my experience all through my walk with God that going off in a direction that does not lead straight to Him is a dead end and I have to turn around and retrace my steps, often sorrowfully and painfully.  I wouldn't want someone to lead me in a way that doesn't lead me directly to repentance and reformation for I have found those two aspects of my walk with God to be the most productive of change of direction for me for it brings to my mind very forcefully how much I need to stay connected to Jesus and just how many things the devil uses that can and do come between us.  I also would not want to lead anyone else in that way either.  I would not be doing them any favors, to put it mildly.

[Gregory Matthews]

I did not come up with the idea that you do not need a deeper relation with Christ.  It never entered my mind.  My point is simply that some people may not feel a need for what TOP offers.  If anyone is in that place, don't attend.

 

[Gary K]

21 minutes ago, Gregory Matthews said:

I did not come up with the idea that you do not need a deeper relation with Christ.  It never entered my mind.  My point is simply that some people may not feel a need for what TOP offers.  If anyone is in that place, don't attend.

 

Quote

If you do not  feel a need to be better grounded in Christ, do not attend.

 

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

1 hour ago, Gary K said:

Where did you come up with the idea that I do not want nor need a deeper relationship with Christ?  It has just been my experience all through my walk with God that going off in a direction that does not lead straight to Him is a dead end and I have to turn around and retrace my steps, often sorrowfully and painfully.  I wouldn't want someone to lead me in a way that doesn't lead me directly to repentance and reformation for I have found those two aspects of my walk with God to be the most productive of change of direction for me for it brings to my mind very forcefully how much I need to stay connected to Jesus and just how many things the devil uses that can and do come between us.  I also would not want to lead anyone else in that way either.  I would not be doing them any favors, to put it mildly.

Gary, that may have worked well for your walk with Christ, but it may not be the specific way for others to become closer to Christ.  Some need to experience love and acceptance before getting hit with "sorrow and pain" ...  

[Gary K]

14 hours ago, rudywoofs (Pam) said:

Gary, that may have worked well for your walk with Christ, but it may not be the specific way for others to become closer to Christ.  Some need to experience love and acceptance before getting hit with "sorrow and pain" ...  

Hi again rudywoofs,

I seem to have not communicated clearly enough.

The pain and sorrow I was speaking of came from being led down the proverbial garden path by things that sounded really good.  The warm fuzzies were all there.  The talk of love, compassion, and caring was really wonderful, but when push came to shove there was no love, caring and compassion.  There was only coldness and rejection.  It took me me some time to find my way back to Jesus. 

As such I am pretty leary of anything that does not include the entire truth of the gospel.  I would have been much better off had I not gone down the path of the warm fuzzies but instead had gone directly to repentance and reformation.  The pain and sorrow would have been far less. 

[Gerr]

On 9/3/2016 at 0:01 PM, Gregory Matthews said:

Green, The One Project is not designed for every person and  it is not designed for every SDA.  It is only designed for a narrow set of people.  That narrow set of people is those who feel a spiritual need to get better aquainted with Jesus.  If that is not where you are, so be it.  It is for you to say whether or not TOP is something that you need.

 

 

A narrow set of people?  Is that the gospel?

[Gregory Matthews]

Gerry:  TOP has a very narrow focus.  Meeting over a 2-day period, it can not focus on everything.  So, no, it does not focus on every aspect of the gospel.  In San Diego, a few weeks ago, it focused on Christ in the book of Revelation.  But, it did not get into the Biblical book of Romans.