How to attain Christian perfection

[jamesonofthunder]

Though this writing is for all believers in Christ, I will be using both scripture and the inspired words from our last day prophet Mrs. Ellen G White to illustrate what our Father showed me in a vision. Please be courteous in how you respond. Thank you and enjoy.

“Have you followed him in the garden of Gethsemane? Have you seen the bloody sweat bedew the ground?” {RH July 12, 1892, par. 6}

My name is James, a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, a brother in Christ.

The evening of August 12th, 2009, was a perfectly beautiful night here in Elk River MN..

There's this special place next to the lake I live near that I love to go to pray and think on the closing hours of Christ’s life. Over the years I’ve had wonderfully insightful and peaceful experiences there prompting me to go more and more until it was habit, but this was a special night. I felt a peace like no other surround me and the tokens of forgiveness were so strong I couldn’t resist, so I took a deep breath and bowed to pray.

In my meditation that evening I was imagining Jesus coming into the Garden of Eden saying “Adam, where are you”, after Adam had betrayed Him and was hiding. Then I imagined Holy angels leading Adam out of the gate east of Eden because of this sin and show him what he had done to His creator.

The words of scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy help me to envision these things, and I remembered Ellen White wrote; “To Adam were revealed future important events, from his expulsion from Eden, to the Flood, and onward to the first advent of Christ upon the earth.” {SR 48.2} The angels had revealed to him the plan of salvation and encouraged him to participate so he wouldn’t have to die that day, as commanded; “in the day you eat of it you shall surely die”.

“As Adam was slaying the innocent victim" on the first altar erected outside of Eden’s Eastern Gate, "it seemed to him that he was shedding the blood of the Son of God by his own hand…pointing to the great and perfect offering of God's dear Son. There appeared a star of hope to illuminate the dark and terrible future, and relieve it of its utter hopelessness and ruin.” {SR 50.2}

I was next impressed to imagine Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane east of Jerusalem's eastern gate, as He "realized His separation from His Father in consequence of bearing man's sin”, {2T 206.1} another theme my mind had recently been drawn to prior to that night .

The Holy Spirit attested to, and I fully realized at that moment, that the angels that day had led Adam to have a 'Garden of Gethsemane experience' at the first altar outside the Eastern Gate of Eden. It also dawned on my heart that longing sympathy for Adam and his family is why Jesus loved to go, as His custom was, to the Garden of Gethsemane. I had no idea what else there was to learn from these images from scripture, but I could sense the still small voice urging me on in this line of thought, to go further in this mental picture.

In support of the divine inspiration leading to this upcoming vision and subsequent study, recently I found this;

“The garden of Eden with its foul blot of disobedience is to be carefully studied and compared with the garden of Gethsemane where the world’s Redeemer suffered superhuman agony when the sins of the whole world were rolled upon Him.” {Ms 1, 1892}

I had never read that quote before, but felt drawn to these two subjects that night in 2009, as if lured in righteousness to find a deeper comprehension. A year later I found that perfect command by our prophet to prove that it is Gods will that we compare these two events. I can tell you, finding this quote made me so excited.

While envisioning these two premises; Adam outside of Eden’s Eastern Gate and Jesus outside Jerusalem’s Eastern Gate, I was impressed that God wanted me to go further in this image. So I responded by praying, “Please Father, show me more”. Then immediately I had a vision…

I was shown Jesus on His hands and knees in the Garden of Gethsemane, covered in bloody sweat, and simultaneously saw an all Red Heifer super imposed over Him. I was privileged to be shown by our Father that Jesus fulfilled the mysterious Red Heifer sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Every one of the commanded sacrificial offerings such as the Passover lamb, and the Atonement’s ‘goat for the Lord’, has major significance to help us peer into the life and ministry of Christ. What a wonderful experience to be shown a forgotten sacrifice illuminating an added dimension to the complete knowledge of the plan of salvation.

In the vision; Jesus was in a deep ravine, looking up and west towards Jerusalem’s Eastern Gate, in the same proximity of the first altar erected by Adam outside of Eden’s eastern gate. “Large blood drops were forced from his pores moistening the sods of Gethsemane,” {ST, 12/2/1897} and there was no immediate reply from the Father in answer to His prayers. The gates of heaven were closed to Him. He had left the heavenly city’s eastern gate, to cross into the darkness of Hades, the place of the spiritually dead, to save me from my sinful nature. He was taking my part in the second death, with evil angels pressing the guilt of all my sins upon Him, as if resurrected after the thousand years with no help from the Father, Holy Spirit or heavenly angels.

This vision was so perfectly clear. I ran home to go on-line to see everything I could about the Red Heifer in Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy. I knew nothing on this subject except the name, which I had read in passing with no comprehension of its fulfilled meaning.

When I got home, while my computer was warming up, I turned on my TV to what I thought was the Seventh Day Adventist TV channel ‘3 ABN’, but turned out to be another Christian cable station. To my total astonishment, they where talking about the Red Heifer! I had never even heard a sermon about it before and had never put any thought into the significance of this guilt offering/ cleansing ceremony, but all of the sudden I was surrounded by the Red Heifer image. It was so imposing, and so significant.

The program that day was from a Judeo-Christian organization, and although they helped in my knowledge historically, immediately in my heart God showed me they are wrong about their interpretation of the future. The temple does not need to be rebuilt and they do not need to find another Red Heifer, because it’s already been sacrificed in the Garden of Gethsemane.

All I had been groomed for in my walk of faith was coming to a climax, warning and guiding my thoughts, leading me to perfect truth in answer to my prayer of faith.

The scriptures at first glance have very little to say about the Red Heifer; but the Spirit of Prophecy shows where this message is hidden throughout scripture, expounding upon it, having a lot to say about her. This also fits with the ‘present truth’ element of this, most mysterious of all the sacrificial offerings. Combined, there is less than half a page in scattered Scriptures about her, but several chapters dedicated in the Spirit of Prophecy.

“Some may look upon this slaying of the (Red) heifer as a meaningless ceremony, but it was done by the command of God and bears a deep significance that has not lost its application to the present time.” {4T 122.1}

Continued on this blog....

http://redheifersbloodysweat.blogspot.com/2011/12/red-heifer.html

[jamesonofthunder]

This is how to attain perfection, pay close attention please,

"The Lord is coming. The end of all things is at hand. There remains but little time in which to develop character. Our experience, our testimony, our daily conduct, are having an influence either for good or for evil. What shall it be, henceforth? Shall we choose to humble our hearts before God? Those who constantly advance in Christian perfection, from grace to grace, are a mighty, moving force for good in this world.

Often in the silent watches of the night I think of the sufferings of Christ in our behalf. Behold the Redeemer in the Garden of Gethsemane. The thought of being separated from his Father was the burden pressing so heavily upon his soul. He felt as if he might be unable to pass through such an experience. “If it be possible,” he prayed, “let this cup pass from me.” So great was his agony that “his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” It was for the sake of ransoming a lost world that he passed through this agony. {NPUGleaner March 23, 1910, par. 7}

If you want to learn this exercise more clearly please read my blog about Jesus dying the second death in Gethsemane.

http://redheifersbloodysweat.blogspot.com/2011/12/red-heifer.html

[Gerr]

ESV | ‎Ro 3:21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ‎22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ‎23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ‎24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ‎25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

[Robert]

ESV | ‎Ro 3:21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ‎22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ‎23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ‎24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ‎25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

Bingo!!!

[Gibs]

No Time for Vacillation.--

"Purity of life and a character molded after the divine Pattern are not obtained without earnest effort and fixed principles. A vacillating person will not succeed in attaining Christian perfection. Such will be weighed in the balances and found wanting. Like a roaring lion, Satan is seeking for his prey. He tries his wiles upon every unsuspecting youth. . . . Satan tells the young that there is time enough yet, that they may indulge in sin and vice this once and never again; but that one indulgence will poison their whole life. Do not once venture on forbidden ground. In this perilous day of evil, when allurements to vice and corruption are on every hand, let the earnest, heartfelt cry of the young be raised to heaven: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" And may his ears be open and his heart inclined to obey the instruction given in the answer, "By taking heed thereto, according to thy word." {CG 466.2}

All are accountable for their actions while in this world upon probation. All have power to control their actions if they will. If they are weak in virtue and purity of thoughts and acts, they can obtain help from the Friend of the helpless. Jesus is acquainted with all the weaknesses of human nature, and, if entreated, will give strength to overcome the most powerful temptations. All can obtain this strength if they seek for it in humility. {CG 466.3}

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Robert]

You can't win unbelievers over by using scare tactics. Love wins folks over....Ellen White failed to see this....Other times she understood it. Join the new Ellen White. Even EGW grew in wisdom and knowledge. After all, she wasn't infallible.

Here's evidence:

“The Lord loves those little children who try to do right, and he has promised that they shall be in his kingdom. But wicked children God does not love. He will not take them to the beautiful City, for he only admits the good, obedient, and patient children there…. When you feel tempted to speak impatient and fretful, remember the Lord sees you, and will not love you if you do wrong. “ [AY 63, 1860]

“Do not teach your children that God does not love them when they do wrong….Do not terrify your children by telling them of the wrath of God, but rather seek to impress them with his unspeakable love and goodness….” [bible Echo and Signs of the Times, 02-01-1892]

Notice in 1860 she needed to grow a bit....In 1892, she changed her position. Good for her.

You know...we are all children of God, so please do as Ellen White says and don't terrify us with the wrath of God.

Thanks ahead of time,

Robert

[Gibs]

It is love that brings us to Christian perfection for sure. That is the crux of the matter. We must love Him with all our hearts and souls and then we naturlly do all He requires and we are perfected in love. Love is the greatest of the gifts. Love does no wrong toward God or his fellow man.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. "charity is love"

I do find though that Sister White always expressed the love side as well as the warning side from beginning to end. I cannot see any difference.

One from EW,

"I have seen the tender love that God has for His people, and it is very great. I saw angels over the saints with their wings spread about them. Each saint had an attending angel. If the saints wept through discouragement, or were in danger, the angels that ever attended them would fly quickly upward to carry the tidings, and the angels in the city would cease to sing. Then Jesus would commission another angel to descend to encourage, watch over, and try to keep them from going out of the narrow path; but if they did not take heed to the watchful care of these angels, and would not be comforted by them, but continued to go astray, the angels would look sad and weep. They would bear the tidings upward, and all the angels in the city would weep, and then with a loud voice say, "Amen." But if the saints fixed their eyes upon the prize before them and glorified God by praising Him, then the angels would bear the glad tidings to the city, and the angels in the city would touch their golden harps and sing with a loud voice, "Alleluia!" and the heavenly arches would ring with their lovely songs." {EW 39.1}

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[jamesonofthunder]

"The truth which Peter had confessed is the foundation of the believer’s faith. It is that which Christ Himself has declared to be eternal life. But the possession of this knowledge was no ground for self-glorification. Through no wisdom or goodness of his own had it been revealed to Peter. Never can humanity, of itself, attain to a knowledge of the divine. “It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?” Job 11:8. Only the spirit of adoption can reveal to us the deep things of God, which “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man.” “God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9, 10. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him;” and the fact that Peter discerned the glory of Christ was an evidence that he had been “taught of God.” Psalm 25:14; John 6:45. Ah, indeed, “blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee.” {DA 412.3}