Is that another one? Or can you explain how not choosing to do something is different than not doing it?

When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service and he makes up for the deficiency with his own divine merit; for he is the source of every right impulse. {OW, December 1, 1909 par. 10}

When Jesus chose to withhold light from people in the past did it result in them sinning?

Please name examples of truth that Jesus chooses nowadays to withhold from people.

Does withholding truth and the inevitable sinning result in defective traits of character?

God leads His people on, step by step. {CCh 55.1}

The entrance of God's word is the application of divine truth to the heart, purifying and refining the soul through the agency of the Holy Spirit. The faculties devoted unreservedly to God, under the guidance of the divine Spirit, develop steadily and harmoniously.
Devotion and piety establish so close a relation between Jesus and His disciples that the Christian becomes like Him. Through the power of God, his weak, vacillating character becomes changed to one of strength and steadfastness. He becomes a person of sound principle, clear perception, and reliable, well-balanced judgment.
Having a connection with God, the source of light and understanding, his views, unbiased by his own preconceived opinions, become broader, his discernment more penetrative and farseeing. The knowledge of God, the understanding of His revealed will, as far as human minds can grasp it, will, when received into the character, make efficient men. {CT 37.3}

There can be no life without growth. The plant must either grow or die. As its growth is silent and imperceptible, but continuous, so is the growth of character. At every stage of development our life may be perfect; yet if God's purpose for us is fulfilled, there will be constant advancement. {CG 162.3}

G: I read that verse to mean when we are abiding in Jesus we do not choose to sin. This is not quite the same as we do not sin.

k: Is that another one? Or can you explain how not choosing to do something is different than not doing it?

G: Sure. Not choosing to steal from anyone is different than ignorantly stealing from God because I didn't know about tithing.

7:7 What shall we say then? [is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin [was] dead.
7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
7:10 And the commandment, which [was ordained] to life, I found [to be] unto death.

Mike, I believe Jesus withheld light in the past, not because it would result in them sinning, but in spite of the fact that they were already sinning--because He would have lost them forever had He revealed all at once.

You're a church pastor, right? When you are teaching a new believer, do you "give it to them with both barrels?" In other words, do you make sure they know everything that they ought to know (according to you) right away, immediately if not sooner? You tell them at the funeral that their loved one is not in heaven, but his probation has closed and it will no longer be possible to pray for him or do anything that might lead him to heaven? Do you tell them, before their faith has grasped what God can do for them, that becoming an Adventist means they must pay a tithe of all they have to the church?

What is most important? LOVE. When we love God, obeying Him is a joy. But we won't love Him if we perceive Him to be overly demanding. Truth is powerful medicine--given too much at once, it will kill the patient. Many reject God for perceiving that He demands too much. I just met with such an individual yesterday while standing in line to have my passport inspected. The man was from Germany. He was supposedly Lutheran, but had given up all organized religion as having too many rules. In his case, I don't think he was beyond rescue...unfortunately, I won't likely have contact with him again, or enough to dissuade him from his faulty ideas.

Lies certainly kill. But so can truth. Truth must be applied judiciously, and a little at a time.

Mike, relative to truth that Jesus is withholding nowadays from people, how would I know? If it is being withheld, I am also ignorant of it. Think you that I am a prophet who has been shown something that I am also withholding from others? However, I believe one of these "truths" may involve the details of what is to come in the troubles ahead. New converts might be frightened away to learn things like what their obedience will cost them. At the right time, strength will be given them to endure the trial. Right now, many are unprepared. Is it a sin to be "unprepared" for something yet future? Tell me, is it a sin to be "weak?"

As for withholding truth resulting in defects of character, I do not believe that it does. The defects are already there. They could not possibly be healed by a fuller revelation, or if they could, God would not withhold the cure. The Master Physician knows what the dosage of the Truth medicine needs to be, and this is age- and weight-adjusted (think of faith) to the exact amount the patient is able to tolerate.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

M: Arnold, it is a challenge to agree Jesus withholds truth that results in believers developing sinful traits of character. It also difficult to agree Jesus shed His blood to atone for sins we resist and refuse to commit.

A: Then it is fortunate that I said neither of those things.