What are you disagreeing with? It looks like you wrote (following) the same thing I've been saying.



Of course, "written in the books" could consist of some technology more advanced than books, but the general idea is that the lives of those being considered are somehow being examined by the unfallen beings, right? I don't think we're in any disagreement here.

The point I was making is that the books of heaven simply reflect the reality of the thoughts and motives of those being examined. Nothing that happens in the books changes what happens to those being examined. Any changes in those being examined change the books (The books have to be updated, because the thoughts and motives have changed.)

Well, if that's what you mean then we are in agreement.

Perhaps the misunderstanding arose because of the way I put things in English, since I didn't know how to express it well. I said,

"Strictly speaking, the judgment is the blotting out of sins from the books, although, of course, this will be reflected in the lives of those who are judged."

In Portuguese it would be, "isto estara refletido," not "isto sera refletido," whose meaning would be, roughly, "this will be a reflection of."

That sounds the same (i.e., the English and Portuguese). I think rather than "reflected" maybe "verified" or "testified by," might be a clearer choice because "reflected" carries the idea that it's not the source of origin. So if I say that one's life reflects what's written in the books of heaven, that makes it sound like the source is the books in heaven, when, in reality, the source, of course, is the person himself. So the books in heaven reflect what's in the person.

The reason I'm making a point of this is because there are some who seem to think there's something magical about the books themselves, rather than recognizing this is simply a way of communicating an examination of the lives of those being investigated.

So how would this record keeping work? If someone commits a sinful act, there is a record of it. If the person repents and is cleansed, he's put on the righteousness of Christ in that area (and, by faith in all other areas.) He's victorious if He abides in Christ even if he hasn't been tested in all his weak areas. But, when is his sin blotted out - when he repents, or when he's victorious in that area the next time he's tested, or when he's tested to the point that it's a life and death decision, or at some other time? Waggoner seems to say it's when he's purged. But when is he purged? On repentance, or when he's retested and comes off victorious?

One is purged when on repents. The test demonstrates the truth of what has already happened.

From the SOP:



"Every sin acknowledged before God with a contrite heart, He will remove." When is the sin removed? When one acknowledges one's sin with a contrite heart, which is repentance.

when we no longer have any desire for what we once desired. not only no longer have any desire but abhor what we once loved.

only God will know when that is a permanent condition in us.

thats how i see it.

"When sin has been repented of, confessed, and forsaken, then pardon is written against the sinner's name; but his sins are not blotted out until after the investigative judgment." {ST, May 16, 1895 par. 3}

I agree with that.

Well, how do we harmonize the statement above with Peter's statement that sins are blotted out at the 'times of refreshing?' Isn't the investigative judgment in progress during the 'refreshing'? I'm either misunderstanding Peter's statement or maybe there is some other explanation.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, then the sins of the repentant soul who has received the grace of Christ and has overcome through the blood of the Lamb, will be removed from the records of heaven, and will be placed upon Satan, the scapegoat, the originator of sin, and be remembered no more against him forever. -- Signs of the Times, May 16, 1895. {3SM 355.5}

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." He marks our contrition of soul; and our sins will go beforehand to judgment; and when the times of refreshing shall come, they will be blotted out by the blood of the Lamb, and our names will be retained in the Lamb's book of life. {RH, May 7, 1889 par. 6}

There are two things to note here:

1) that the opening of the books [the judgment of the living] will happen at the times of refreshing, and it is then that sins will be blotted out

2) this will happen during the times of refreshing, but I understand it doesn't have to be at the beginning of this period - it can happen at/near its end.