1. HOW CAN A MAN DENY CHRIST?
Jesus continues: As you confess Me before men, so I will confess you before God and the holy angels. You are to be My witnesses
upon earth, channels through which My grace can flow for the healing of the world. So I will be your representative in heaven. The
Father beholds not your faulty character, but He sees you as clothed in My perfection. I am the medium through which Heaven's
blessings shall come to you. And everyone who confesses Me by sharing My sacrifice for the lost shall be confessed as a sharer in the
glory and joy of the redeemed. {DA 357.1}
He who would confess Christ must have Christ abiding in him. He cannot communicate that which he has not received. The
disciples might speak fluently on doctrines, they might repeat the words of Christ Himself; but unless they possessed Christlike
meekness and love, they were not confessing Him. A spirit contrary to the spirit of Christ would deny Him, whatever the profession.
Men may deny Christ by evilspeaking, by foolish talking, by words that are untruthful or unkind. They may deny Him by shunning
life's burdens, by the pursuit of sinful pleasure. They may deny Him by conforming to the world, by uncourteous behavior, by the love
of their own opinions, by justifying self, by cherishing doubt, borrowing trouble, and dwelling in darkness. In all these ways they
declare that Christ is not in them. And "whosoever shall deny Me before men," He says, "him will I also deny before My Father which
is in heaven." {DA 357.2}
CONFESSION WITHOUT REPENTANCE IS WORTHLESS
Those who occupy responsible positions as guardians of the people are false to their trust if they do not faithfully search out and
reprove sin. Many dare not condemn iniquity, lest they shall thereby sacrifice position or popularity. And by some it is considered
uncharitable to rebuke sin. The servant of God should never allow his own spirit to be mingled with the reproof which he is required
to give; but he is under the most solemn obligation to present the Word of God, without fear or favor. He must call sin by its right
name. Those who by their carelessness or indifference permit God's name to be dishonored by His professed people, are numbered
with the transgressor,-- registered in the record of heaven as partakers in their evil deeds.... {2BC 996.6}
There are many professed Christians whose confessions of sin are similar to that of Achan. They will, in a general way, acknowledge
their unworthiness, but they refuse to confess the sins whose guilt rests upon their conscience, and which have brought the frown of
God upon His people. Thus many conceal sins of selfishness, over-reaching, dishonesty toward God and their neighbor, sins in the
family, and many others which it is proper to confess in public. {2BC 997.1}
Genuine repentance springs from a sense of the offensive character of sin. These general confessions are not the fruit of true
humiliation of soul before God. They leave the sinner with a self-complacent spirit to go on as before, until his conscience becomes
hardened, and warnings that once aroused him produce hardly a feeling of danger and after a time his sinful course appears right. All
too late his sins will find him out, in that day when they shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever. There is a vast
difference between admitting facts after they are proved, and confessing sins known only to ourselves and God (ST May 5, 1881).
{2BC 997.2}
25, 26 (John 3:3-7). THE SIGN OF A NEW HEART.--[Ezekiel 36:26 quoted.]
. . . The youth especially stumble over this phrase, "a new heart." They do not know what it means. They look for a special change to
take place in their feelings. This they term conversion. Over this error thousands have stumbled to ruin, not understanding the
expression, "Ye must be born again." {4BC 1164.8}
Satan leads people to think that because they have felt a rapture of feeling, they are converted. But their experience does not
change. Their actions are the same as before. Their lives show no good fruit. They pray often and long, and are constantly referring to
the feelings they had at such and such a time. But they do not live the new life. They are deceived. Their experience goes no deeper
than feeling. They build upon the sand, and when adverse winds come, their house is swept away. . . . {4BC 1164.9}
When Jesus speaks of the new heart, He means the mind, the life, the whole being. To have a change of heart is to withdraw the
affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives.
What is the sign of a new heart?--a changed life. There is a daily, hourly dying to selfishness and pride (YI Sept. 26, 1901). {4BC
1164.10}
Chap. 41 – POPULAR METHODS OF APPEAL
We see the churches of our day encouraging feasting, gluttony, and dissipation, by the suppers, fairs, dances, and festivals gotten up
for the purpose of gathering means into the church treasury. Here is a method invented by carnal minds to secure means without
sacrificing. {CS 201.1}
LAME AND DISEASED OFFERINGS
Let us stand clear of all these church corruptions, dissipations, and festivals, which have a demoralizing influence upon young and
old. We have no right to throw over them the cloak of sanctity because the means is to be used for church purposes. Such offerings
are lame and diseased, and bear the curse of God. They are the price of souls. The pulpit may defend festivals, dancing, lotteries, fairs,
and luxurious feasts, to obtain means for church purposes; but let us participate in none of these things; for if we do, God's
displeasure will be upon us. We do not propose to appeal to the lust of the appetite or resort to carnal amusements as an inducement
to Christ's professed followers to give of the means which God has entrusted to them. If they do not give willingly, for the love of
Christ, the offering will in no case be acceptable to God. {CS 201.4}
SHOWS AND THEATERS.
--Satan's ruling passion is to pervert the intellect and cause men to long for shows and theatrical performances. {CS 266.3}
But today the proud and disobedient are striving to acquire a great name and great honor from their fellow men by using their God-
given endowments to amuse.--Manuscript 42, 1898. {Ev 267.1}
HURRY PRODUCES TAME DISCOURSES
The reason so many of our ministers preach tame, lifeless discourses is that they allow a variety of things of a worldly nature to take
their time and attention.-- Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 251. (1902) {Ev 180.4}
http://www.4shared.com/u/oBOtWvjC/JESUS_CHRIST_.html?sId=1pJK9gES6IN5Spv1