I recall from the SOP a statement to the effect that in order to do good, one must be good. With this understanding in mind, I don't see how one could perform a good act without God being involved.

Do you think it is possible that both God and Satan could be working through the same individual at the same time?

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

It depends upon what you mean by this. Jesus said we can only have one master. If you're looking at it from this angle, then no. However, we're imperfect, and even if God is our master, we may do things in ignorance, even very bad things, which are not God's will. How would you characterize that?

I would characterize it as that at the moment we do wrong, we are not under the control of God, therefore He is not our master at that moment. We have chosen a different master. This is why we need to renew our allegiance to God so frequently: daily, hourly.



If, as you point out, a man cannot have two masters, then he can have but one at a time, right? Would this be a satisfactory understanding in your mind?

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

We are either all of His and free of sin or we are none of His and full of sin. There is no neutrality. One master at a time. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Rom 8:9)

We are either gathering with Christ or scattering abroad. {RH, March 27, 1888 par. 15}

We are either doing the work of Christ to save souls, or the work of Satan to lead to perdition. {ST, July 15, 1880 par. 2}

"No man can serve two masters." We cannot serve God with a divided heart. {DA 312.3}

When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end. {DA 324.1}

I pointed out that we are imperfect, and, even if God is our master, we may do things in ignorance which are not God's will. You appear to be disagreeing with this, saying that if we do anything wrong, even in ignorance, we are under another master. Is this really what you were wishing to say? That is, if we have God as our master, we will do nothing contrary to God's will, including things done ignorantly?

Please name examples of "very bad things, which are not God's will" that born-again believers do ignorantly nowadays while under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Why does it have to be nowadays? The guy who immediately comes to mind is Luther.

Tom, if you're going to ignore my question, why not cite the heathens:


Luther and the heathens have in common the fact they ignorantly do "very bad things, which are not God's will."

At any rate, please name examples of "very bad things, which are not God's will" that Spirit-filled, born-again believers do ignorantly nowadays while under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Considering Jesus' teaching for a moment, that we should deal our bread to the hungry, visit the sick and imprisoned, and clothe the naked, is God always behind such acts of kindness?

What the world might term "altruistic" and we might think of as "Christian," do these acts always come from above?

Do you think, Tom, that if a heathen did these things, it was, as Mrs. White referred to in Mike's quote above, prompted by the Holy Spirit? Do you think it would always be from God when acts of kindness or mercy such as these are done?

I'm using the word "always" here because I'm hoping to understand the principle of the matter in your mind. Some might accept "situational ethics" where there are no absolutes. Others tend to see things in black and white and for always. It has seemed to me that sometimes you tend toward the latter, considering your view that God does nothing to harm or punish people, but lets Satan work his woes as the natural course of sin. But other times it seems you present both sides as possibilities and I'm not sure I quite understand you correctly.

Do you have a firm stance on this? or do you tend to be more flexible and think that God might be able to execute harsh judgments and/or that the devil might be able to do some good things?

Biblical support for your position would be helpful in understanding it, if you have time to add that.

God bless,

Green Cochoa.