ccc" . . . . strong delusion . . .
." — 2 Thessalonians 2:11.
ccc"The Lord had done marvelous things for His
people in the manifesting of His power as the only
true and living God; yet many had been led astray
by the Satanic delusion that God might be
represented by material objects, the works of men's hands.
By the contemplation of these things, their minds
were diverted from God [i.e., please see the next inspired
quote below]. . . .
cccOur dangers are similar to those which
threatened the prosperity of ancient Israel. The
oft-repeated warnings against idolatry addressed to the
Hebrew host, are no less applicable to us. Everything which leads
the affections away from God is an idol, and betrays us
into sin. . . .
cccThe Lord our God is a jealous God. He is just and
holy He will not be trifled with. He reads a deceptive heart.
He abhors a double mind. He hates lukewarmness."
— ST May 19, 1881; or 1ST 227, 228.
ccc"Anything that diverts the mind from
God [i.e., remember above] assumes the form of an idol,
and that is why there is so little power in the
church today." — SD 57.
ccc"All the gods of the people are idols."
— 1 Chronicles 16:26.
ccc"Yet also I lifted up My hand unto them in the
wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had
given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of
all lands; but they despised My Judgments, and walked not in My
statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for their
heart went after their idols [i.e.,
and/or after their gods; and/or after their forbidden things;
and/or after their Satanic delusion that God might be represented
by material objects, the works of men's hands]." —
Ezekiel 20:15-16.
ccc"All the gods of the people are idols."
— 1 Chronicles 16:26.
ccc"Thou shalt have no other gods
before Me." — Exodus 20:3.
ccc"The first commandment is a requirement
in reference to man's worship." — 2SAT
181; or Manuscript 126, 1901.
ccc"The second commandment will be easily
disobeyed if the first is not kept." — ST
July 2, 1894; or 3ST 129:3:3.
ccc
cccTherefore, since the lukewarm church of the
Laodiceans have obviously been led astray by the Satanic delusion
that God might be represented by material objects, the works of
men's hands, and since by the contemplation of these things their
minds have been diverted from God, just as God has warned,--thus
the lukewarm church of the Laodiceans have been led astray and
are leading others astray by idols, and/or by gods, and/or by
forbidden things, and/or by their fraudulently so-called true
representations of God which they idolatrously make to themselves
from material objects; and/or by the Satanic delusion that God
might be represented by material objects, the works of men's
hands. God cannot be represented by material objects; and, as we
also have been plainly warned by His Word, it is a Satanic
delusion to believe that He can be represented in this manner.
Thus, the openly sinning and lukewarm church of the Laodiceans is
readily discerned in that they are misled and are misleading
others into Sabbath-polluting by idolatry and/or into
Sabbath-polluting by accepting the Satanic delusion that God
might be represented by material objects, the works of men's
hands. Thus, as we have seen from God's Word, the lukewarm are
polluting God's Sabbath with idols, and/or with gods, and/or with
forbidden things, and/or with their fraudulently so-called true
representations of God which they idolatrously make to themselves
from material objects, and/or with the Satanic delusion that God
might be represented by material objects, the works of men's
hands. Therefore, as we also have seen from God's first
commandment, no matter how much they may predictably deny it, the
great mass of lukewarm Laodiceans are worshiping gods, and/or are
worshiping idols, and/or are worshiping forbidden things, and/or
are worshipping their fraudulently so-called true representations
of God which they idolatrously make to themselves from material
objects, and/or are worshiping the Satanic delusion that God
might be represented by material objects, the works of men's
hands. Therefore, the openly sinning and lukewarm church of the
Laodiceans are openly transgressing not only God's fourth
commandment in this manner; but, they are also openly
transgressing God's first commandment in this manner, as we have
seen from God's Word; and, therefore, God's second commandment is
also being easily disobeyed and openly disobeyed by the lukewarm
church of the Laodiceans, just as God has plainly warned in His
Word.
cccAs they characteristically and predictably do, will
the openly sinning lukewarm now defend their Satanic delusion
that God might be represented by material objects, the works of
men's hands; because, they falsely claim not to be worshiping
these things? In other words, with the pretense of a misguided
and false concept of worship, or with some other pretense, will
the openly sinning and impenitent lukewarm predictably continue
to defend their Satanic delusion that God might be represented by
material objects, the works of men's hands?--Yes, predictably,
the lost and impenitent lukewarm will ever defend their
acceptance and belief in this Satanic delusion; because, whether
they know it or not, by God's definition the lukewarm are heathen
and are aiding the enemy, Satan, as we shall see below from God's
Word. Be not deceived. As we have already seen, and as God's Word
reveals more to the end of these concluding remarks,--the lost,
openly sinning, openly idolatrous and openly Sabbath-polluting,
impenitent, "disloyal," "great mass" of the
"lukewarm" and/or the Satan-aiding or
"lukewarm," "Laodicean church" even "in
the day of God" will still be trying to defend their Satanic
delusion that God might be represented by material objects, in
that predictably, they will still be "aiding the enemy"
or aiding Satan, even "in the day of God;" and, thus,
tragically, no matter how much they self-inflate, no matter how
much they boastfully profess to be Christians, and no matter how
much they boastfully profess to be Seventh-day Adventists, these
lukewarm, impenitent, open idolaters, and open Sabbath-polluters
will not be gaining "passport" through the gates of
God's "Holy City," just as God has also warned as
follows:
ccc"If ye love Me, keep My
commandments." — John 14:15.
ccc"'Thou shalt have no other gods
before Me,' is the first great command, and upon
this command depends all the rest. This is the substance of
all obedience. Let those who profess to be Christians
remember that profession will not save them.
The life which Christ alone can give is given upon condition of
obedience, an obedience which takes in the whole man,--mind,
heart, soul, and strength. This is true sanctification. 'This do,
and thou shalt live,' is the only genuine definition of
sanctification. . . . .
cccThose who claim to be the children of God,
and yet do not obey His commands, who are hearers but not doers
of the Word, are regarded by the Lord as bankers regard fraudulent
bank-notes. They are not genuine. They claim the
name of Christian, but in reality they are heathen. To
those who do not practise it, the Word of God is a dead letter. Christ
says of such, 'I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because
thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew
thee out of My mouth.' If they realized that they were
sinners, He could plead in their behalf, and the Lord would
arouse them by His Holy Spirit [i.e.,
by His power; and/or by His Latter Rain]. But He can not present
them to the Father; for they are worse than dead
in trespasses and sins. They hear the Word, but make no
application of it to themselves. Instead, they apply the Word to
their neighbors. God can be no power [i.e., no Holy
Spirit; and/or by His Latter Rain] to lukewarm Laodiceans."
— ST August 2, 1899; or 4ST 50.
ccc"We may go to the heathen [i.e., to
include: heathen, worse than dead, fraudulent, lukewarm
Laodiceans, as revealed in the previous inspired quote
immediately above] and say to them that we love the truth and
serve the true God; and they will tell you that
they worship the true and living God." — 1SAT 17;
or Manuscript 5, 1885.
ccc"They may profess to acknowledge Him as
their Redeemer, but they have the same hostility as did the heathen
of old, to that religion which calls for self-denial
and self-sacrifice." — ST September 15,
1881; or 1ST 248:2:2.
ccc"The Word of the Lord came again unto me,
saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God;
Howl ye, Woe worth the day! For the day is near, even the
day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it shall be
the time of the heathen." — Ezekiel 30:1-3.
ccc"The Sabbath is not introduced as a new
institution but as having been founded at creation. It is to be
remembered and observed as the memorial of the Creator's work.
Pointing to God as the Maker of the heavens and the earth,
it distinguishes the true God from all false
gods. . .
ccc. . . . God's claim to reverence and worship,
above the gods of the heathen, is
based upon the fact that He is the Creator, and that to Him all
other beings owe their existence. . . Had the Sabbath
always been sacredly observed, there could never
have been an atheist or an idolater."
— PP 307, 336, written in 1890.
ccc"Thou shalt have no other gods
before Me." — Exodus 20:3.
ccc"All the gods of the people are idols."
— 1 Chronicles 16:26.
ccc"They despised My Judgments, and walked not in
My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for
their heart went after their idols [i.e., and/or
after their gods]." — Ezekiel 20:16.
ccc"The first commandment is a requirement
in reference to man's worship." — 2SAT
181; or Manuscript 126, 1901.
ccc". . . a willing obedience to all
His requirements. This is true worship."
— DA 189, written in 1898.
ccc"The incense of true worship,
which should have been offered to God, has been mingled with the worship
of self. In the place of lifting their thoughts to
God, in the place of learning to know Him better, men deny Him
in their lives. Their attention is taken up with objects
that conceal God from their view." — 9MR 386; or
Letter 143, 1904.
ccc"Self-love, self-worship,
idolatry of self . . . ." — CTBH 74, written in
1890.
ccc"When my sisters [i.e., and when my brothers]
catch a glimpse of what Christ has suffered in their behalf,
that they might become children of God by adoption, they will no
longer be satisfied with worldly pride and self-love.
No longer will they worship self. God will be the
object of their supreme regard.
cccMy heart aches as I am shown how many there
are who make self their idol
[i.e., and/or who make self their god; and/or who make self their
worship]." — 1NL 9, written in 1904.
ccc"Love of self excludes the love of
Christ [i.e., and/or love of self excludes the commandments
of God and His true worship]. Those who live for self are
ranged under the head of the Laodicean church
who are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. The ardor of the
first love has lapsed into a selfish egotism. The love
of Christ in the heart is expressed in the actions.
If love for Christ is dull, the love for those for whom
Christ has died will degenerate. There may be a wonderful
appearance for zeal and ceremonies, but this is the substance
of their self-inflated religion.
Christ represents them as nauseating to His taste. 'Because thou
sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of
nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable,
and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold
tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment,
that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness
do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou
mayest see.' Revelation 3:17-18. . . .
cccOnly those who receive the seal of the living God
will have the passport through the gates of the Holy
City. But there are many who take upon themselves
responsibilities in connection with the work of God who are not
wholehearted believers, and while they remain thus
cannot receive the seal of the living God. They trust in their
own righteousness, which the Lord accounts as
foolishness.
cccThose who would have the seal of God in their
foreheads must keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
This is what distinguishes them from the disloyal, who
have accepted a man-made institution in the place of the true
Sabbath [i.e., please remember: accepting open idolatry or
open Sabbath-polluting with idols, and/or with gods, and/or with
forbidden things, and/or with the Satanic delusion that God might
be represented by material objects, the works of men's hands,--is
also accepting a man-made institution in the place of the true
Sabbath]. The observance of God's rest day is the mark of
distinction between him that serveth God and him
that serveth Him not. . . .
cccMany will not receive the seal of God
because they do not keep His commandments
or bear the fruits of righteousness.
cccThe great mass of professing
Christians will meet with bitter disappointment in
the day of God. They have not
upon their foreheads the seal of the living God. Lukewarm
and halfhearted, they dishonor God far more
than the avowed unbeliever." — 7BC
962:2:2, or Manuscript 61, 1898; 7BC 970:1:2, or Letter 164,
1909; 7BC 970:1:3, or Manuscript 27, 1899; 7BC 970:1:6, or Letter
76, 1900; and 7BC 970:1:7, or Letter 121, 1903.
ccc". . . . aiding the enemy
[i.e., aiding Satan, the god of ancient and modern heathenism] .
. . The term 'lukewarm' is applicable to this class."
— 4T 87, written in 1876.
ccc"Satan gives his power [i.e., his
heathen power; his heathen spirit; his heathen goddess; and/or
his counterfeit latter rain] to those who are aiding
him in his deceptions; therefore those who claim to
have the great power of God can only be
discerned by the great detector, the law of Jehovah. The
Lord tells us if it were possible they would deceive the
very elect. The sheep's clothing seems so real, so
genuine, that the wolf can be discerned only
as we go to God's great moral standard and there find that they
are transgressors [i.e., open transgressors] of the law
of Jehovah." — 6BC 1106:1:2; or RH August 25, 1885.
ccc"God can be no power [i.e., no Holy
Spirit; no Latter Rain] to lukewarm Laodiceans."
— ST August 2, 1899; or 4ST 50:1:4.
ccc"Multitudes will exult that God
is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another
spirit [i.e., and/or of another power; and/or of a
counterfeit latter rain]. Under a religious guise, Satan
will seek to extend his influence over the
Christian world. . . .
ccc. . . . It is only as the law of God
is restored to its rightful position that there can be a revival
of primitive faith and godliness among His professed
people." — 1888 GC 464, 478.
ccc"A revival of true godliness among us is
the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this
should be our first work. . . .
ccc. . . . Are we hoping to see the whole church
revived [i.e., to see the whole church of the Laodiceans
revived]? That time will never come." — RH March
22, 1887; or 2RH 121.
ccc"A revival need be expected only in
answer to prayer. When churches are revived,
it is because some individual seeks earnestly for the
blessing of God. He hungers and thirsts after God, and asks in
faith, and receives accordingly. He goes to work in earnest,
feeling his great dependence upon the Lord, and souls are aroused
to seek for a like blessing, and a season of refreshing falls
upon the hearts of men." — HM November 1, 1890.
ccc"God calls for a revival and a reformation.
The 'regular lines' have not done the work which God desires
to see accomplished. Let revival and reformation
make constant changes. Something has been done in this line, but
let not the work stop here. No! Let every yoke be broken. Let men
awaken to the realization that they have an individual
responsibility." — 14MR 204; or Letter 60, 1901.
cccOur Father in Heaven, may You help those who are
worshiping, devoted to, and proud to be in the openly heathen
church of the Laodiceans; who are only temporarily deceived; who
are startled by what they see going on; who wish to stop being
openly heathen Laodiceans and start being Christians and
Seventh-day Adventists; who are willing to help themselves by
sincerely seeking to pattern their will after Your will; who are
truly humble; and who are always willing to genuinely repent, as
You reveal the need from Your predictably neglected Word. You
know who they are. Therefore, please, strengthen Your true
people, who love You and keep Your commandments; Your true
church; or Your faithful souls. May Your will be done. In Jesus'
name, we pray. Amen.
Pastor Michael O. Hodges
FORERUNNER, self-supporting ministries
Home Church (since 1983)
Pastor Michael O. Hodges
Copyright 2006.
Permission is hereby given to reprint any
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