See for more themes.
| Q:7 The Steps of Christ Show 'Steps To Christ' is inspired. Chapter 7: The Test of Discipleship Ellen p. 56" �If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.� 2 Corinthians 5:17. A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or trace all the chain of circumstances in the process of conversion; but this does not prove him to be unconverted. Christ said to Nicodemus, �The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.� John 3:8. Like the wind, which is invisible, yet the effects of which are plainly seen and felt, is the Spirit of God in its work upon the human heart. That regenerating power, which no human eye can see, begets a new life in the soul; it creates a new being in the image of God. While the work of the Spirit is silent and imperceptible, its effects are manifest. If the heart has been renewed by the Spirit of God, the life will bear witness to the fact. The breath of salvation from Jesus is recreative through the compassion-centre of the Holy Spirit daily, we are renewed daily to be more and more like Jesus in character. We do this by sowing His words-personified in our minds, speaking them as Jesus did during Creation, and waiting for the Holy Spirit to bring the powers of Jesus as a fearful-flow in the follower of Jesus. Thus we walk by faith, trusting in His Word, and supporting those words in prayer. Thus by our doings of Jesus in us, the love of the Father made known. Yashua 7:1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without. (KJV) The science of salvation now considers the test of discipleship. Are we true followers of Jesus or not? Jesus heals Israel, but their guilt comes back, and Satan comes in and robbers spoil Jesus' healing. Yashua 7:2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. (KJV) They do not consider their heart, but do things by their own doings. Yashua 7:4 They are all adulterers,... 7:8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. (KJV) Some of these poetry images are difficult to fathom, and much study would be required, enquiring of the Holy Spirit for help. Ellen p. 58" It is true that there may be an outward correctness of deportment without the renewing power of Christ. The love of influence and the desire for the esteem of others may produce a well-ordered life. Self-respect may lead us to avoid the appearance of evil. A selfish heart may perform generous actions. By what means, then, shall we determine whose side we are on? Who has the heart? With whom are our thoughts? Of whom do we love to converse? Who has our warmest affections and our best energies? Notice with Ellen White's version of 'Steps to Christ', she refers to the heart also, the human powered effort of the heart, is nothing to GOD. "Self-respect may lead us to avoid the appearance of evil." and "now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face." are saying similar things. The good things we do in our own human powers of self, mean nothing to God. Our heart cannot be mixed (balal) with Baal. Ineresting puns on Hebrew sounds isn't it? Ellen p. 58" If we are Christ�s, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him. All we have a nd are is consecrated to Him. We long to bear His image, breathe His spirit, do His will, and please Him in all things. Yashua 7:4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. Adultery in Hebrew is a heated passion for going to someone else, but you still have regard for your marriage. Fornication is a deeper depravity where you plough your seeds among many partners without no regard to marriage at all. Here Jesus makes a simile of the adultery process to dough heated in a oven under the yeast rising process. Yeast is a simile of sin, that works slowly under the heating of GOD causes missing instead of supporting GOD more and more, we do sinning more and more. God's love often becomes a curse to us, causing us to rise in pride, and pride is a simile of adultery. It is easy to support Jesus once, and get this fearful-flow of Jesus through us, we become happy. But once we are happy we forget Jesus, and gloat more in the miracles, rather than the Person who provides them. Yashua 13:6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. How do we get out of this dilemma? Ellen p. 59" Those who become new creatures in Christ Jesus will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, �love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.� Galatians 5:22, 23. They will no longer fashion themselves according to the former lusts, but by the faith of the Son of God they will follow in His steps, reflect His character, and purify themselves even as He is pure. The things they once hated they now love, and the things they once loved they hate. The proud and self-assertive become meek and lowly in heart. The vain and supercilious become serious and unobtrusive. The drunken become sober, and the profligate pure. The vain customs and fashions of the world are laid aside. Christians will seek not the �outward adorning,� but �the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.� 1 Peter 3:3, 4. Ellen White presents the same problems but uses different words. How do we get out of this dilemma? How does a person become less proud and less self-assertive, becoming more meek and lowly and humble in heart? Ellen p. 59" There is no evidence of genuine repentance unless it works reformation. If he restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, confess his sins, and love God and his fellow men, the sinner may be sure that he has passed from death unto life. When, as erring, sinful beings, we come to Christ and become partakers of His pardoning grace, love springs up in the heart. Every burden is light, for the yoke that Christ imposes is easy. Duty becomes a delight, and sacrifice a pleasure. The path that before seemed shrouded in darkness, becomes bright with beams from the Sun of Righteousness. When you begin supporting Jesus His love changes you, and you walk and follow that love. Than your eyes will see the needs for love, and you sow His Words-personified to demonstrate that love to others. This is what support is. Support is not selfish. Support is a relational word based on community, as Elohiym is community, and highly relational. Ellen p. 60" The loveliness of the character of Christ will be seen in His followers. It was His delight to do the will of God. Love to God, zeal for His glory, was the controlling power in our Saviour�s life. Love beautified and ennobled all His actions. Love is of God. The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or produce it. It is found only in the heart where Jesus reigns. �We love, because He first loved us.� 1 John 4:19..... The greater you support the Collector of Love, the greater will be your experience of love ..... ..... Lu 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.(KJV) Yashua 7:10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this. Sadly the followers of Jesus pretend to follow Him, they are full of pride, they do not return to Jesus nor seek Him. Notice in the two versions of the 'Steps of Christ', both follow the theme of the Test of Discipleship, in constrasting ways. Ellen White writes about the sinner seeking Jesus, while Hosea writes how sinners wander away from Jesus. Ellen p. 60" There are two errors against which the children of God�particularly those who have just come to trust in His grace�especially need to guard. The first, already dwelt upon, is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption. Human powered works mean nothing to GOD because they are not based on relationship. When you support Jesus, which is the Hebrew meaning for faith, the relationship does the teachings of GOD, and this flow of Jesus power in you is extremely valued by GOD. Jesus works in you to the Father's glory, not human powers working in you. Does the reader catch the difference here? Let the Author illustrate this: (1) From Web page source Place both rods into a glass of water, a media affect or process which allows the Holy Spirit who functions as media affecting the light, and the water, to do things to our eyes, which function as Jesus sees us, the medium of our salvation. The process we see is caused by relationship, not by the light alone, or the sinner alone, or the water alone, but by a relationship process. (2) From Web page source 1Jo 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin (chataah) "sin-offering": and there is a sin(chataah) "sin-offering" not unto death.(KJV) How He does this is via the medium of His salvation. This is not caused by light alone, or the sinner alone. But only when the correct relationship of the sinner to Jesus happens. That point is called the focal point in Science, and is the turning point in Scripture:- Lu 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted (shuwb) "turned", strengthen thy brethren. If the sinner continues to walk closer and closer in relationship all missing does eventually stop. We humans need to stop judging people and start seeing through the medium of salvation as Jesus does. (3) From Web page source Here the medium affect of relationship between you and Jesus is explained. This effect is observed looking through a magnifying glass. But again the process cannot be caused by Jesus alone, or you alone, but only when the correct relationship of you and Jesus together happens. Ellen p.60 " If our hearts are renewed in the likeness of God, if the divine love is implanted in the soul, will not the law of God be carried out in the life? When the principle of love is implanted in the heart, when man is renewed after the image of Him that created him, the new-covenant promise is fulfilled, �I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.� Hebrews 10:16. And if the law is written in the heart, will it not shape the life? Obedience�the service and allegiance of love�is the true sign of discipleship. If you support Jesus, and that support causes a flow of Jesus' power through you; than you automatically have true relationship, you also walk in His powers, and thus you automatically walk in His teachings. Ellen p.61 " If we abide in Christ, if the love of God dwells in us, our feelings, our thoughts, our purposes, our actions, will be in harmony with the will of God as expressed in the precepts of His holy law. �Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.� 1 John 3:7. Righteousness is defined by the standard of God�s holy law, as expressed in the ten precepts given on Sinai. That so-called faith in Christ which professes to release men from the obligation of obedience to God, is not faith, but presumption. When does the support you sow come from? From the words-personified by Jesus, from His teachings, and from any "prayer promise of His power". Thus in your walk with Jesus, you support the Father's ten commandments, as well as Jesus commandments, in fact all the doing you do, has to be supported as power from Jesus, so that Jesus works in you, while you support Jesus, Jesus supports you back with His power to do. That is why we are a bride and Jesus our bridegroom, in Hebrew this means, Jesus is our Provider, and we are the Responder. Thus love is given and received, and it is in the power of this love that every thing I do comes from. Ellen p.62 " �By grace are ye saved through faith.� But �faith, if it hath not works, is dead.� Ephesians 2:8; James 2:17. The Scripture says, �Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.... He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk even as He walked.� 1 John 2:3-6. �Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving [62] us an example, that ye should follow His steps.� 1 Peter 2:21. Does Ellen White explain this ? Yes, but she does not change the wording of the fuzzy translation. �By Beauty are ye saved through support.� But �support, if it hath not works, is dead.� Ephesians 2:8; James 2:17. We must walk as Jesus did. Jesus supported His Providers words, walking in His power. We must support our Providers powers walking and doing works that show relationship is alive and happening. Doing human acts of obedience and kindness however pious this might be, is not support. Support requires relationship. Doing kind things on your own is not relationship. Sadly many will miss out on heaven because they did not support Jesus. To humans looking on the outside, followers who support Jesus in relationship do wonders of Jesus in His Name, and these people look similar to those who do wonderful works using their own human powers on their own. They are as Scripture says having a form of godliness but without yoked power (2Ti 3:5 ). Another group can begin supporting Jesus for a while, but fall asleep and thus stop supporting Jesus via the Holy Spirit, thinking they are still followers of Jesus, but have actually let go of that Divine Relationship.(Matthew 25:12) And there can be some who support Satan, thinking they are supporting GOD (Matthew 7:23 ). Ellen p.62 " The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been,�just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents,� perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness. If eternal life were granted on any condition short of this, then the happiness of the whole universe would be imperiled. The way would be open for sin, with all its train of woe and misery, to be immortalized. It was possible for Adam, before the fall, to form a righteous character by obedience to God�s law. But he failed to do this, and because of his sin our natures are fallen and we cannot make ourselves righteous. Notice after Adam did missing, our natures are fallen, they are not sinful. To become sinful one must do sinning. A study of "obedience" would be useful. What does it mean that Adam obeyed GOD and lived happily until they sinned? Sadly the term is used in the New Testament written 14 times in Greek, and with no cross references, the Author cannot find out what this word means. Ro 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made (kathistemi) "ruled" sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made (kathistemi) "ruled" righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin (chataah) "sin-offering" abounded, grace did much more abound: This scripture gives a clue. When Adam did original missing a change of ruler occurred and Satan ruled over our fallen flesh. To help our fallen flesh with "prayer promised powers" there are over 7,000 seeds one can sow, maybe even more, that we can claim through Jesus to help us walk as His did in Divine power, rather than using human power. Jesus supported His Father's words in Scripture and thus did no missing of any kind. Thus as the sin-offering missing increased because of the increase in missing fallen flesh can do, so Jesus abounded more in His beauty to help us overcome. This is what obedience is about the Author feels. If means before the fall, Adam was supporting GOD and walking in the flow of love. There was no such thing as self, no such thing as a master of human power. All these dysfunctional things came into being only when Adam sinned. For more, see over 7,000 teachings as examples of "prayer promises". The Author ponders this theory. When the Light Bearer as a keeper of God's rules and Designed Information inside the DNA of all living creatures, wondered about the trillions of information that is switched off and not expressed. Why is all this information not needed? Are we creatures missing something greater or higher than we currently experience. And so Luther began over a long cause of forward days, came to ponder what would happen if such information was switched on, if He decided to bring such information into being? And so sin began first in Lucifer and thus a war of words began in heaven. When Adam did the first missing in God's special creation, Adam had not known about the universe of sinning Lucifer did. GOD created mankind hoping for an innocent jury to help convict God as just and Satan as unjust. So Satan took special interest in earth and this special race of beings made a little lower than Elohiym, in their image. When Adam first sinned, untold DNA genes of code was opened for the first time, and a flood of natural laws causing chaos wrecked stability more and more. Creation itself began to decay and wear out. Satan may have also fiddled with some DNA code (He spent years reading before) to mess things up and cause man in his fallen flesh to accept the new ruler over him even more. Thus it would take a Divine Solution to undo this world tricked into sin through Satan. Thus our earth became a stage for t he battle between good and evil. The heavenly Father's love was to be judged by all creatures for eternity. Eze 28:18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. Ellen p.63 " He abides in your heart by faith. You are to maintain this connection with Christ by faith and the continual surrender of your will to Him; and so long as you do this, He will work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure . So you may say, �The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.� Galatians 2:20. So Jesus said to His disciples, �It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.� Matthew 10:20. We continue daily in our relationship with Jesus supporting His words, so Jesus supports us back, and in doing this process, you will subdue or surrender your will to Jesus. Than Jesus will work in you, and you will achieve much in His Name. Ellen p.63 " So we have nothing in ourselves of which to boast. We have no ground for self-exaltation. Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and in that wrought by His Spirit working in and through us. Some details in Ellen White are difficult to fathom, especially the imputed and imparted straightness of Jesus. Some hard things are best left alone. Ellen p.63 " The Bible says that �the devils also believe, and tremble;� but this is not faith. James 2:19. Where there is not only a belief in God�s word, but a submission of the will to Him; where the heart is yielded to Him, the affections fixed upon Him, there is faith�faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Here Scripture says the Devils have a system based on support of Satan. There are whole churches who support Satan. Why even the Author knew personally of youth supporting Satan so they could win in a soccer match. They knew that supporting the Holy Spirit would not help them win, so they supported Satan instead. What the SOP is speaking about here, is that supporting Satan is not the true faith of GOD. When you support GOD, there is a flow of fruits from that support, that is different from supporting Satan. Satan also talks via the conscience, and has a spirit of angels that allow you to support Satanic powers, but it is the fruit of your doings that we test the spirits. This is how we know true support. Ellen p.64 " There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, �These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.� 1 John 2:1. Babies grow and are trained slowly. Do not be discouraged. If you fall, stand up again. Fight the good fight of support. Learn to be trained by the teachings. Do things slowly and carefully. Memorize the 'prayer promises of power', and use them everyday, every second of the day, to wal k in Jesus power. Talk less and wait for Jesus to tell you to talk more. Listen for the still small voice of the conscience. Though Satan will not let you go easily, seek the 'prayer promises' instead. Over come as Jesus did. Sowing the Father's words in your mind. Words have power. Not magic power from Harry Potter. But Holy Spirit power from Jesus. Ellen p.64 " Pray more fervently; believe more fully. In other words, pray more often on your feet walking and seeing where you go, support Jesus more fully. Ellen p.65 " The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature. This is evidence that Satan�s delusions have lost their power; that the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you. Train yourself to hear GOD speaking to you. Pray for this. Ro 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness,... Claim this "prayer promise of power" everyday until you hear Jesus speaking to you, and the Holy Spirit speaking to you. Learn the words of Scripture, because Jesus talks often to you with His written words, and sometimes as a friend to a friend. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit training you as "a mother does a child" ready to bring you to Jesus. Watch your Baal master tongue at work, and ask Jesus daily to stop yourself being a master of every talk and action. Learn to give up "self" and do things in Jesus power instead. Write down a few treasured 'prayer promises of power', commit them to memory and sow them daily as you pray on your legs walking and listening to Jesus. At the end of each day thank Jesus for His powers, listen to what you did wrong. Every morning spend time with Jesus, seeking His words in your heart. If you're a baby, do just 20 seconds daily. Soon it will grow to hours of joy. After the training in Jesus, practice prayer promises of power on others, and learn fasting and prayer and humility and overcoming pride. That was a long message in the chapter on Testing our Discipleship in Jesus. The messages of Jesus in his version of 'Steps to Christ' was much shorter and focused more on what we do wrong. The Author finds some poetry pictures difficult to fathom. The next chapter of Steps To Christ, concerns Growing Up into Christ |
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Notice two metal rods. The top one is straight ( a person who declares himself righteous) and made of aluminium, shiny and white looking. The bottom one is bent, or crooked, ( a sinner who knows they are missing God's glory) and made of rusty iron and looks black. 
Notice we have light, as media and shadows as media, and a sinner smoking. Shadows are records of our travelling before GOD. Now what happens to the smoker when he walks towards God, the source of light.
Notice the records of the cigarette smoking goes away, even though the person is still smoking. Now this medium affect is founded upon Jesus. The sinner is still smoking, but Jesus causes a "sin-offering not unto death". 
