Not giving ample attention to the gospel

WalkInAgape · Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2004 1:18 pm Post subject: The Messages of the Three Angels

This is my first time posting, and I do so with a little trepidation, as I presume one's membership is reviewed according to that which is posted.

This is an important truth I have taken note of, having been a part of the church of Revelation 12: 17 for over thirty years:

The First Angel bears the only message that according to Scripture, is brought forth with power:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romand 1: 16), and "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (1Corinthians 1: 17).

The sad truth: generally most forget this, the first portion of Revelation 14: 6, and go straight forward to that which tells us, and those with whom we speak [erroneously so, due to our haste in passing over that first part], that the "everlasting gospel" is: "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (Revelation 14: 7).

Having lived all over the Western world, I have found this is a subject we must looked into, and by all who believe they have a part to play in proclaiming the Three Angels' Messages!

You see, if the first part of the First Angel's Message is trampled upon in haste to get to the second part, then our ". . .having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people", isn't being given any real attention! Have we not be called forth at the end of this world's history, to eventually become a community of glorious overcomers? I believe Father has shown me this inattention to "the everlasting gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation," is the reason even Christian humanity is still walking in sinfulness on planet earth, and those truly righteous are difficult to find, when truly, we should have already finished sharing in the Millennial Supper at the Table Jesus has prepared for us in Heaven!

Our God shows us, all He engenders is systematic: He never just brings forth anything, but there is always a perceptible infrastructure to all He creates, that usually can be discovered with enough prayerful attention given the task. Extrapolating from this truth, then the first part of the First Angel, has been set in that place, to give us an understanding of just how important this "everlasting gospel" must be! It is the first truth that must be understood and acted upon, before we go on to the rest! When the everlasting gospel is misunderstood because ample attention isn't given it, then that power said to accompany it, is lost! Could this be the reason why you and I are still here, over one hundred and fifty years after the Great Awakening of the nineteenth century in America?

My point? Considerable study and expository preaching must be given the first part of the First Angel's Message ["And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," (Rev. 14: 6)], else, although we may fully understand all the rest of those messages, there will be an ominous perception we are unable to finish the work in our day, although the promise of the resurgence of such primative godliness appearing in these days is looked upon, prayed about, and desired unto great spiritual agony with tears! Why have we not yet seen the Latter Rain?

Because we do not put the required weight upon the message of the everlasting gospel, for to us has been given a full understanding that must be preached with ". . .the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; [and the beauty and power of that message is that] which things the angels desire to look into" (1Peter 1: 12), and "then shall the Lord come"!

Dzien Dobry · Seventh-day Adventist Joined: 26 May 2002 Posts: 71

WalkInAgape

Yes, indeed, DD!

I take leave here to call you by your alias in a contraction, and I hope you won't disapprove!

The Fourth Angel adds to the strength of the other Three, and there is a cumulative effect happening by the time we get to the Fourth Angel!

I believe without doubt, that the everlasting gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, preached with all the light given it through Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy, is that message of the True Witness to the Church of Laodicea, and as we receive the wonderful message, we will be energized spiritually to receive the Latter Reign, a greater infilling of the Holy Spirit than was seen in the first century at Pentecost, by Christ's disciples!

Only the everlasting gospel shines a spotlight on Jesus, from Gethsemane to His acceptance of second death, where He gave away forever [so far as He was concerned, being without the Spirit and having the Father's back to Him], His eternal life, so that you and I could take His place living eternally with the Father, learn of Him, even as His child. When the honest heart sees Jesus telling His Father "I want DD and WIL to have my eternal life, and live with you in My place forever" [O how incredible is God's agape], that power is released into the hearer's heart and mind, and the Spirit speaks of the Son's desire to be with His Father, yet at the same time, He could not be with Him, and His appointed task finished too!

When we understand that Jesus' whole life on earth, was a life lived according to Torah [the five books of Moses], and that when He was on that tree, He saw Scripture condemning Him for being there [see Deuteronomy 21: 23: "His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance"], we are able to fathom by the Spirit, a great truth that we may have not ever been able to clearly see, although believers for dozens of years! This is the power of God that is more often than not, missed; not preached; not perceived; therefore, unable to bring forth the power whereby we receive the mind of Christ!

A counterfeit was brought forth by a distinguished Hollywood actor recently, but sadly, that which was shown, only spoke of the malice of Satan, being almost satisfied, by his working through the hands of evil men to bring Christ as much physical suffering as He could stand, but the horrendous battle of that which was unknown to Christ, this feeling of inhaling eternal death, was suffered in the spirit of The Man, and is so ultimately splendid, who can see such selfless love, and not be forever changed?

This is the secret of the cross of Christ, and when beheld by one who is looking to walk according to His word, regardless what the cost, the cross of Christ has the power to separate the sinner from his sin, even while he live under the reign of the great deceiver! The preaching of the cross, with those last few hours highlighted for all to see in minute detail the utter lovliness of the Son of God, alone has the power to bring forth for time and eternity ". . .the manifestation of the sons of God" (Romans 8: 19).