"I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance," said John; "but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Matt. 3:11, R. V., margin. The prophet Isaiah had declared that the Lord would cleanse His people from their iniquities "by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning." The word of the Lord to Israel was, "I will turn My hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin." Isa. 4:4; 1:25. To sin, wherever found, "our God is a consuming fire." Heb. 12:29. In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them. Jacob, after his night of wrestling with the Angel, exclaimed, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." Gen. 32: 30.

Jacob had been guilty of a great sin in his conduct toward Esau; but he had repented. His transgression had been forgiven, and his sin purged; therefore he could endure the revelation of God's presence. But wherever men came before God while willfully cherishing evil, they were destroyed. At the second advent of Christ the wicked shall be consumed "with the Spirit of His mouth," and destroyed "with the brightness of His coming." 2 Thess. 2:8. The light of the glory of God, which imparts life to the righteous, will slay the wicked.

In the time of John the Baptist, Christ was about to appear as the revealer of the character of God. His very presence would make manifest to men their sin. Only as they were willing to be purged from sin could they enter into fellowship with Him. Only the pure in heart could abide in His presence.

Yes, that's my point. The "brightness" of the "light" of His "presence" is what consumes "sin".

At the end of time, sin and sinners are destroyed together. Resurrected sinners are, as it were, collateral damage. "Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them." Sin is destroyed by the "light" and "revelation of God's presence." Only the "pure in heart could abide in His presence."

Is this what you believe? Or, do you think the "brightness" of the "light" of His "presence" is the truth, that it is the truth which causes resurrected sinners to suffer and die?

In the time of John the Baptist, Christ was about to appear as the revealer of the character of God. His very presence would make manifest to men their sin. Only as they were willing to be purged from sin could they enter into fellowship with Him. Only the pure in heart could abide in His presence.

Only the pure in heart could abide in His presence. Why? Because this is a matter of the heart (which, in Scripture, represents the deepest, innermost issues of a man, which involves the mind).

Every time she capitalizes a word, as in the word "Light" quoted above, it refers to a title, especially when it refers to Divine titles. In this case, the title "Light" is referring to Jesus, and it may or may not be a reference to the brightness of His radiant glory. But when the word "light" (lower case) is used, instead of the word "Light" (upper case), it almost always refers to the dazzling brightness of His radiant glory, which outshines the sun.

Can you think of a different word she uses to describe the fact Jesus glows, shines more brightly than our sun?


Here's the context (what you call the very next sentence is actually in the very next paragraph):

DA 107, 108
To sin, wherever found, "our God is a consuming fire." Heb. 12:29. In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them. Jacob, after his night of wrestling with the Angel, exclaimed, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." Gen. 32: 30. Jacob had been guilty of a great sin in his conduct toward Esau; but he had repented. His transgression had been forgiven, and his sin purged; therefore he could endure the revelation of God's presence. But wherever men came before God while willfully cherishing evil, they were destroyed. At the second advent of Christ the wicked shall be consumed "with the Spirit of His mouth," and destroyed "with the brightness of His coming." 2 Thess. 2:8. The light of the glory of God, which imparts life to the righteous, will slay the wicked. {DA 107.4}

Let’s take a closer look at this paragraph. “To sin, wherever found, ‘our God is a consuming fire.’ Heb. 12:29. In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin.” The Holy Spirit is compared to a consuming fire. He consumes sin in penitent sinners. This form of fire obviously does not consume sinful flesh.

The next part reads: “But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them.” This form of fire destroys sin, but it also destroys sinful flesh in the process. Sinners are, in this case, collateral damage.

Moving on to the next section: “Jacob, after his night of wrestling with the Angel, exclaimed, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." Gen. 32: 30. Jacob had been guilty of a great sin in his conduct toward Esau; but he had repented. His transgression had been forgiven, and his sin purged; therefore he could endure the revelation of God's presence.” In this case, the revelation of God’s physical presence, seeing Him face to face, did not destroy sinful flesh.

And then: “But wherever men came before God while willfully cherishing evil, they were destroyed.” In such cases, the revelation of God’s physical presence destroyed sinful flesh. I suppose she has Nadab and Abihu in mind.

Finally: “At the second advent of Christ the wicked shall be consumed ‘with the Spirit of His mouth,’ and destroyed ‘with the brightness of His coming.’ 2 Thess. 2:8. The light of the glory of God, which imparts life to the righteous, will slay the wicked.” Here she compares “the light of the glory of God” to “the brightness of His coming”, which destroys the wicked when Jesus arrives in the clouds of glory. This same bright, divine light source imparts life to the righteous. See my comments below.


You’re right, Tom, she didn’t always capitalize titles. But note the following capitalized titles:

COL 37
Ever since the fall of man, Christ had been the Revealer of truth to the world. {COL 37.1}

PK 499
Their lives were spared because of Daniel's connection with the Revealer of secrets. {PK 499.3}

4BC 1166
He is revealed as the monarch of the universe, about to set up His everlasting kingdom--the Ancient of days, the living God, the Source of all wisdom, the Ruler of the present, the Revealer of the future. {4BC 1166.4}


Actually, Tom, literal light is a source of life and death in many different situations. Too much or too little light is a contributing factor in death. Just the right amount and kind of light is a contributing factor in life. Check out these links:

http://www.astronomynotes.com/light/s3.htm
http://sciencelinks.jp/content/view/33/33/

The light of the glory of God is a form of light that can give life or take life. Of course, it is not the only factor involved. Whether or not a person lives or dies in the presence of divine light depends on the type of flesh they have: sinful flesh cannot withstand the unveiled light of God’s radiant glory., whereas, sinless flesh thrives in it.


Here is the context of the light:


I’m not sure how she could have stated it more clearly, Tom. Paul’s companions saw the light, too. They didn’t understand the voice, but they clearly saw the light. The light was literal light, don’t you agree? It had a physical effect of Paul. It caused blindness, and perhaps lifetime damage (not all agree this was the cause of Paul's "thorn in the flesh").


Jesus created us in such a way that several things are necessary to live eternally: 1) the breath of life, 2) the tree of life, 3) the water of life, and 4) the light of life. It is this form of light that she is referring to in DA 108. It gives life to those who possess sinless flesh and it takes life from those who posses sinful flesh. It is a physical light that has a physical effect and physical things.

TE:Capitalizing a letter isn't what determines if to what or whom a passage refers. The context does.

MM:Every time she capitalizes a word, as in the word "Light" quoted above, it refers to a title, especially when it refers to Divine titles. In this case, the title "Light" is referring to Jesus, and it may or may not be a reference to the brightness of His radiant glory. But when the word "light" (lower case) is used, instead of the word "Light" (upper case), it almost always refers to the dazzling brightness of His radiant glory, which outshines the sun.

Can you think of a different word she uses to describe the fact Jesus glows, shines more brightly than our sun?

Here's the context (what you call the very next sentence is actually in the very next paragraph):

You’re right, Tom, she didn’t always capitalize titles. But note the following capitalized titles:

COL 37
Ever since the fall of man, Christ had been the Revealer of truth to the world. {COL 37.1}

The light of the glory of God is a form of light that can give life or take life. Of course, it is not the only factor involved. Whether or not a person lives or dies in the presence of divine light depends on the type of flesh they have: sinful flesh cannot withstand the unveiled light of God’s radiant glory., whereas, sinless flesh thrives in it.

I’m not sure how she could have stated it more clearly, Tom. Paul’s companions saw the light, too. They didn’t understand the voice, but they clearly saw the light. The light was literal light, don’t you agree? It had a physical effect of Paul. It caused blindness, and perhaps lifetime damage (not all agree this was the cause of Paul's "thorn in the flesh").