The Purpose of Christianity

And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [men], as every man had need.

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Acts 2.44

Organized Christianity

[Just in front of our printing office] is a large park of many acres, reserved by the government for military drill. Here day after day, at certain seasons of the year, we see the soldiers training. They are drilled in all the duties of the army, so that in case of war they may be ready at the call of the government to engage in actual service. For hours, soldiers are drilled to disencumber themselves of their knapsacks, and place them quickly in position again upon the person. They are taught how to stack their arms, and how to seize them quickly. They are drilled in making a charge as against the enemy, and are trained in all kinds of maneuvers. Thus the drill goes on, preparing men for any emergency. And should those who are fighting the battle for Prince Immanuel be less earnest and painstaking in their preparation for the spiritual warfare? Those who engage in this great work must take part in the drill. They must educate themselves to obey, before they are fitted to command.


The Church Does Not Fall
Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. We must be divested of our self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ.-- Selected Messages, book 2, pp. 379, 380.


Christ's Commendation to the Merciful
In the providence of God events have been so ordered that the poor are always with us, in order that there may be a constant exercise in the human heart of the attributes of mercy and love. Man is to cultivate the tenderness and compassion of Christ; he is not to separate himself from the sorrowing, the afflicted, the needy, and the distressed.-- Signs of the Times, June 13, 1892.

from Ellen White's writings

Christian Defense

Because of their murmuring against Him, the Lord suffered them to be attacked by their enemies. The Amalekites, a fierce, warlike tribe inhabiting that region, came out against them and smote those who, faint and weary, had fallen into the rear. Moses, knowing that the masses of the people were unprepared for battle, directed Joshua to choose from the different tribes a body of soldiers, and lead them on the morrow against the enemy, while he
Page 299himself would stand on an eminence near by with the rod of God in his hand.

Their assault was wholly unprovoked. It was to manifest their hatred and defiance of God that they sought to destroy His people. The Amalekites had long been high-handed sinners, and their crimes had cried to God for vengeance, yet His mercy had still called them to repentance; but when the men of Amalek fell upon the wearied and defenseless ranks of Israel, they sealed their nation's doom. The care of God is over the weakest of His children. No act of cruelty or oppression toward them is unmarked by Heaven. Over all who love and fear Him, His hand extends as a shield; let men beware that they smite not that hand; for it wields the sword of justice.

To maintain order and discipline among that vast, ignorant, and untrained multitude was indeed a stupendous task. Moses was their recognized leader and magistrate, and not only the general interests and duties of the people, but the controversies that arose among them, were referred to him.

Holy Spirits and Unclean Spirits, Obediance to God

Christians are only to share their spirit with other Christians

They are never to fellowship with indeterminate types of spirits

They are never even really to associate with these types, because of the corrupting influence


Christians are supposed to offer to the general community assistance and opportunity to join.

That is all.

Jesus does not approve of nonsense. The Amish and Hasidic are smart, possibly because of persecution.

Spiritually, the unholy live like rats in a dirty cage, and when they see a christian who lives in the freedom of Christ , they rub themselves on them because of their separateness. They are of course not willing to pay the cost of being Christian.

Groups always harrass outsiders, so this is why the Christian must be persecuted to be true.

If not you know you've missed.

"Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking into the sky?"

It is such a beautiful thing to see majestic angels
Graced with the light of heaven
Shining in excellence
Take their place below one
Who in human form
Is worn and despised
But still above all holy angels
Because he is wholly reflectant of God's glory

Christianity

No home, no honor, no power

The true experience with the Christian's God is a crushing re-adjustment to the higher mind.

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. Also when I cry and shout, he
shutteth out my prayer.
He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me

Lamentations 3

Civilization

Benedict insists that this remembering is hard work needing daily attention and
care.

The Cloister Walk
Kathleen Norris

Unless we are cavemen, there is always some effort required to be social animals. Inadequacies in the system are signs of insufficient management.

Every day it requires an effort for us to be decent.

Persecution

God does not want us playing games or striving for power on earth. He does not want us playing with the oddfairies.
We are supposed to be pure vessels of his power and support each other in a closed Christian community.
This is why he says flee.

Perfection through Suffering

The Lord has a great work to be done, and He will bequeath the most in the future life to those who do the most faithful, willing service in the present life. The Lord chooses His own agents, and each day under different circumstances He gives them a trial in His plan of operation. In each true-hearted endeavor to work out His plan, He chooses His agents not because they are perfect but because, through a connection with Him, they may gain perfection.

Christ's Object Lessons, page 330, paragraph 1
Chapter Title: Talents
Ellen White

Conformity to the World

Conformity to the world and harmony with Christ cannot be maintained. Worldly maxims and worldly practices sap spirituality from heart and life. Conformity to the world means resemblance to the world in meeting the world's standard. . . . No man can serve the world and Jesus Christ at the same time. There is an irreconcilable antagonism, between Christ and the world.

The Faith I Live By, page 117, paragraph 4
Chapter Title: God's Remedy For Sin
Ellen White

The purpose of simplicity and adherence to moderation in attitudes towards others

[At the end of the Puritan age] by some means or other, first the ministers, then the Churches, got on "the down grade," and in some cases, the descent was rapid, and in all, very disastrous. In proportion as the ministers seceded from the old Puritan godliness of life, and the old Calvinistic form of doctrine, they commonly became less earnest and less simple in their preaching, more speculative and less spiritual in the matter of their discourses, and dwelt more on the moral teachings of the New Testament, than on the great central truths of revelation. Natural theology frequently took the place which the great truths of the gospel ought to have held, and the sermons became more and more Christless. Corresponding results in the character and life, first of the preachers and then of the people, were only too plainly apparent.

The Sword and the Trowel
Spurgeon

Battlefield of the Mind

[Unhealthy State of Mind]

Turn your mind away from romantic projects. You mingle with your religion a romantic, lovesick sentimentalism, which does not elevate, but only lowers. It is not yourself alone who is affected; others are injured by your example and influence. . . . Daydreaming and romantic castle building have unfitted you for usefulness. You have lived in an imaginary world; you have been an imaginary martyr and an imaginary Christian.

The Adventist Home, page 52, paragraph 4
Chapter Title: True Love or Infatuation

Light

You have to accept light, and submit your emotions and 'wants' to it.

This is a requirement of God.

Simplicity of Obediance to God

Young men and women spend years and years in acquiring an education which is but wood and stubble, to be consumed in the last great conflagration.


from Chapter Title: A Failure to Study God's Word
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, page 444, paragraph 2

by Ellen G. White

Devil Worshippers

The unseen community is the DEVIL

The physical manifestation of his will

We never worship or pray to the unseen or spiritual

WE worship God only!

Beauty = Death

We must purify darkness.

M. THeresa, Audrey Hepburn, Diana

these women spent their time with the poor.

But it is our development to straighten crooked paths, heal the sick, to strengthen.

We must find beauty in what is not beautiful and contentment in difficult situations. We should not take beauty but give beauty.

We are surrounded by very lazy people who do not want to accept and love the un-beautiful. They refuse to be moderate and they refuse to do the basic work of decency.

Skillful Design

We must also love our feet and enjoy mundane duties.

There must be a recognition that because of life's imperfections we learn to create beauty in all circumstances and situations.

It is not poverty or wealth that brings enjoyment, but the mindset. Those who are content and enjoy even the imperfect will always be full of grace.

Ugly people have other resources than their looks. Poor people as well. This life is about skillful design. We are given a variety of tools and resources and are watched to see what kind of lives we create. We must love the spirit and do our duty despite imperfections.

This is how we become like God, this is our training. Because He must as he creates maintain the wholeness and the beauty of soul. God is still perfect, this little imperfection of sin is also part of the perfection.

Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness

And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

Ezekiel 9.4

The Blood-Bought Family

How Satan gloated on the thought that he should destroy the church, and exalt his darlings to honors in the place of those who loved the Lord.


Referenced below

Daily Deliverance for the Family of God

Sometimes God has suffered the enemy to exact upon us, and the sword has been use with terrible effect. O, there have been dark and gloomy days for the chosen church of Christ! When persecution has cried, "Havoc, and let slip the dogs of war," blood has flowed like water over the land! our enemies have triumphed. the martyr was bound to the stake, or was crucified upon the tree; the pastor was cut off, and the flocks were scattered.

Cruel torture—awful suffering was endured by the saints of God. The elect cried, and said, "O Lord, how long? let it repent thee concerning thy servants." The enemy laughed, and said, "Ah, ah! so would we have it." Zion was under a cloud. Her precious saints, comparable to fine gold, were esteemed as earthen vessels, the work of the hands of the potter, and her princes were trodden down like mire in the streets.

O, my soul! how was it in that sad day, when the enemy came in upon her like a flood, and she could scarcely lift up the standard of the Lord against him?

O God, there was an hour when thou wouldst not hear the cry of thine elect! It seemed as if thine ear was deaf; the plaint of the widow was unheeded; the groans, the agonies, and the cries of martyrs were unnoticed; and thou didst still allow the enemy to vex thy children.

Persecution shook the land, and sent forth its burning lava of cruelty, devastating the fair fields of the church of God. But did the enemy prosper? Did he succeed? Did persecution destroy his church? Did the weapon formed against us prosper? No!

Each time that the church had a wave pass over her she rose out of it, and lifted her fair countenance, fair as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners. She was all the more glorious for it all. Every time her blood was shed each drop became a man, and each man thus converted stood prepared to pour out the vital current from his veins to defend the cause.

Ah! those were times when, instead of the church being diminished and brought low, God did multiply her, and persecution worked for her good instead of causing her evil.

Spurgeon's Sermons www.spurgeon.org

We cannot subject ourselves to spiritual deceptions

Do not be tricked into believing that you have a secular spiritual community

Our community is in heaven
On earth we only have a physical community, and so we must speak.
Do not listen to spiritual conversations, as this is not a Christian way.

Strict Obedience requires reliance on God ONLY

"You have discarded the old nature with its deeds and have put on the new nature." (Col 3:10 NEB)


The devil tries to suggest unholy actions

Regardless of who has joined the devil
We must stand with God

Ignore the incorrect thinking of those who surround you. They are not your source, but Christ. They are fallible beings, and unless in a relationship with God, they are not to be relied on. They do not have the strength on their own to support your STRICT OBEDIANCE to God's will.

Ignore any outward appearances -- people who are rich, attractive, well-connected are as useless as the rest. Do not be distracted by what they seem to be.


As Christians our commission is to obey our convictions as they apply to God in His holiness. At any point in which we see that we might disobey God, we must avoid wrong.

If sorcerers try to communicate with you in their language, Christians are never to respond, let alone learn the language. It will separate us from God.

Our company is Holy and eternal, there is no need to adjust to the transient mob.