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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: Mountain Man]
#171181
01/08/15 08:02 PM
01/08/15 08:02 PM
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SDA Active Member 2020
5500+ Member
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,368
Western, USA
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Lord will do just what He has declared that He would--He will withdraw His blessings from the earth and remove His protecting care from those who are rebelling against His law and teaching and forcing others to do the same. Satan has control of all whom God does not especially guard. He will favor and prosper some in order to further his own designs, and he will bring trouble upon others and lead men to believe that it is God who is afflicting them. {GC 589.2}
Their sufferings are often represented as a punishment visited upon them by the direct decree of God. It is thus that the great deceiver seeks to conceal his own work. By stubborn rejection of divine love and mercy, the Jews had caused the protection of God to be withdrawn from them, and Satan was permitted to rule them according to his will. The horrible cruelties enacted in the destruction of Jerusalem are a demonstration of Satan's vindictive power over those who yield to his control. {GC 35.3}
We cannot know how much we owe to Christ for the peace and protection which we enjoy. It is the restraining power of God that prevents mankind from passing fully under the control of Satan. The disobedient and unthankful have great reason for gratitude for God's mercy and long-suffering in holding in check the cruel, malignant power of the evil one. But when men pass the limits of divine forbearance, that restraint is removed. God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown. Every ray of light rejected, every warning despised or unheeded, every passion indulged, every transgression of the law of God, is a seed sown which yields its unfailing harvest. The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and enmity of Satan. The destruction of Jerusalem is a fearful and solemn warning to all who are trifling with the offers of divine grace and resisting the pleadings of divine mercy. Never was there given a more decisive testimony to God's hatred of sin and to the certain punishment that will fall upon the guilty. {GC 36.1}
Oh, that men might open their minds to know God as he is revealed in his Son! {ST, January 20, 1890}
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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: Mountain Man]
#171192
01/09/15 02:37 PM
01/09/15 02:37 PM
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SDA Active Member 2024
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,499
Midland
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Molecules are the building blocks of everything. Nothing exists or works without them. Not one molecule, however, is self-acting. They would simply cease to exist if Jesus ceased to act. They cannot supply the lack if Jesus chose to act partially. Disease can do what it does because Jesus does what He does. When He permits Satan to wield disease as a weapon Jesus must continue to act. Otherwise it would simply cease to exist. Yes, we understand that Satan cannot act without God permitting him. Did you really think we thought otherwise. But the persistent questions are: Does God cause disease, or does God protect from disease? Did God create disease?
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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: APL]
#171195
01/09/15 03:09 PM
01/09/15 03:09 PM
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OP
SDA Charter Member Active Member 2019
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,256
Southwest USA
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"The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes." In this context she is referring to the attribute of vengeance.
Said the angel, "Their sins and pride have reached unto heaven. Their portion is prepared. Justice and judgment have slumbered long, but will soon awake. Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." The fearful threatenings of the third angel are to be realized, and all the wicked are to drink of the wrath of God. An innumerable host of evil angels are spreading over the whole land and crowding the churches. These agents of Satan look upon the religious bodies with exultation, for the cloak of religion covers the greatest crime and iniquity. {EW 274.1}
God will restrain His anger but little longer. . . It is solemn mockery; Satan exults over it and reproaches Jesus and His angels with such inconsistency, saying, with hellish triumph, "Such are Christ's followers!" {EW 275.1}
Said the angel, "It will be more tolerable for the heathen and for papists in the day of the execution of God's judgment than for such men." . . . God's anger will not cease until He has caused this land of light to drink the dregs of the cup of His fury, until He has rewarded unto Babylon double. Reward her even as she rewarded you, double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double." {EW 275.2} The forbearance of God has been very great--so great that when we consider the continuous insult to His holy commandments, we marvel. The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes. But He will certainly arise to punish the wicked, who so boldly defy the just claims of the Decalogue. {PK 276.2}
There will soon be a sudden change in God's dealings. The world in its perversity is being visited by casualties,--by floods, storms, fires, earthquakes, famines, wars, and bloodshed. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power; yet He will not at all acquit the wicked. "The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet." O that men might understand the patience and longsuffering of God! He is putting under restraint His own attributes. His omnipotent power is under the control of Omnipotence. O that men would understand that God refuses to be wearied out with the world's perversity, and still holds out the hope of forgiveness even to the most undeserving! But His forbearance will not always continue. Who is prepared for the sudden change that will take place in God's dealing with sinful men? Who will be prepared to escape the punishment that will certainly fall upon transgressors? {FE 356.2}
The attributes of God must be made to appear. Of the stability of his government there must be no question. And the Son of God himself proposed to carry forward the work to the end, to gain the victory over the prince of darkness and over all his allies. "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me; for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me." {YI, April 15, 1897 par. 13}
Men are prone to abuse the long-suffering of God, and to presume on His forbearance. But there is a point in human iniquity when it is time for God to interfere; and terrible are the issues. "The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked" (Nahum 1:3). The long-suffering of God is wonderful, because He puts constraint on His own attributes; but punishment is nonetheless certain. Every century of profligacy has treasured up wrath against the day of wrath; and when the time comes, and the iniquity is full, then God will do His strange work. It will be found a terrible thing to have worn out the divine patience; for the wrath of God will fall so signally and strongly that it is presented as being unmixed with mercy; and the very earth will be desolated. It is at the time of the national apostasy, when, acting on the policy of Satan, the rulers of the land will rank themselves on the side of the man of sin--it is then the measure of guilt is full; the national apostasy is the signal for national ruin. {2SM 372.3} Lord will do just what He has declared that He would--He will withdraw His blessings from the earth and remove His protecting care from those who are rebelling against His law and teaching and forcing others to do the same. Satan has control of all whom God does not especially guard. He will favor and prosper some in order to further his own designs, and he will bring trouble upon others and lead men to believe that it is God who is afflicting them. {GC 589.2}
Their sufferings are often represented as a punishment visited upon them by the direct decree of God. It is thus that the great deceiver seeks to conceal his own work. By stubborn rejection of divine love and mercy, the Jews had caused the protection of God to be withdrawn from them, and Satan was permitted to rule them according to his will. The horrible cruelties enacted in the destruction of Jerusalem are a demonstration of Satan's vindictive power over those who yield to his control. {GC 35.3}
We cannot know how much we owe to Christ for the peace and protection which we enjoy. It is the restraining power of God that prevents mankind from passing fully under the control of Satan. The disobedient and unthankful have great reason for gratitude for God's mercy and long-suffering in holding in check the cruel, malignant power of the evil one. But when men pass the limits of divine forbearance, that restraint is removed. God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown. Every ray of light rejected, every warning despised or unheeded, every passion indulged, every transgression of the law of God, is a seed sown which yields its unfailing harvest. The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and enmity of Satan. The destruction of Jerusalem is a fearful and solemn warning to all who are trifling with the offers of divine grace and resisting the pleadings of divine mercy. Never was there given a more decisive testimony to God's hatred of sin and to the certain punishment that will fall upon the guilty. {GC 36.1} APL, please note that the title of this thread is - "The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes." I asked - Which attributes is God restraining? Please explain how the quotes you posted above speak to the point?
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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: Mountain Man]
#171196
01/09/15 03:27 PM
01/09/15 03:27 PM
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OP
SDA Charter Member Active Member 2019
20000+ Member
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,256
Southwest USA
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What do the SOP quotes I listed above say? Read them. Okay. I read them. They didn't say what you believe. 1) Do you believe Jesus permitted Satan to murder the Amorites with great hailstones? 2) And, do you believe Jesus permitted Satan to stay the sun and moon so that the Israelites could finish murdering the Amorites? PS - If I was asked how I think you would answer the two questions above, I would say, "I suspect he would say, Yes, to both questions."
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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: Mountain Man]
#171197
01/09/15 03:41 PM
01/09/15 03:41 PM
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SDA Active Member 2020
5500+ Member
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,368
Western, USA
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Okay. I read them. They didn't say what you believe.
Wrong.
Oh, that men might open their minds to know God as he is revealed in his Son! {ST, January 20, 1890}
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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: kland]
#171198
01/09/15 03:41 PM
01/09/15 03:41 PM
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OP
SDA Charter Member Active Member 2019
20000+ Member
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,256
Southwest USA
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Molecules are the building blocks of everything. Nothing exists or works without them. Not one molecule, however, is self-acting. They would simply cease to exist if Jesus ceased to act. They cannot supply the lack if Jesus chose to act partially. Disease can do what it does because Jesus does what He does. When He permits Satan to wield disease as a weapon Jesus must continue to act. Otherwise it would simply cease to exist. Yes, we understand that Satan cannot act without God permitting him. Did you really think we thought otherwise. But the persistent questions are: Does God cause disease, or does God protect from disease? Did God create disease? Excepting MM says that Jesus causes disease. Ex 4:6 And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand [was] leprous as snow. Ex 9:10 It became a boil breaking forth [with] blains upon man, and upon beast. Ex 12:29 At midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt Num 11:33 The LORD smote the people with a very great plague. Num 12:10 Behold, Miriam [became] leprous, [white] as snow 1 Sam 25:38 The LORD smote Nabal, that he died. 1 Kings 13:3 And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. 2 Kings 5:27 And he went out from his presence a leper [as white] as snow. 2 Kings 15:5 The LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper 2 Chron 21:18 The LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. Acts 5:5 Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost Acts 9:18 Immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales Acts 12:23 The angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms Rev 16:6 They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. Rev 18:6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. Jesus permits Satan to manipulate the forces of nature. Thorns, thistles, mosquitoes, disease, etc is the result. There are times when Jesus uses disease to punish unpardonable sinners or to discipline savable saints. There are times when He permits evil men and evil angels to use disease to hurt innocent women and children. The passages posted above picture Jesus using disease to punish and discipline.
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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: APL]
#171199
01/09/15 03:52 PM
01/09/15 03:52 PM
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OP
SDA Charter Member Active Member 2019
20000+ Member
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,256
Southwest USA
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M: Okay. I read them. They didn't say what you believe.
1) Do you believe Jesus permitted Satan to murder the Amorites with great hailstones?
2) And, do you believe Jesus permitted Satan to stay the sun and moon so that the Israelites could finish murdering the Amorites?
A: Wrong. In response to my questions you quoted the following: "Sickness, suffering, and death are work of an antagonistic power. Satan is the destroyer; God is the restorer. {CH 168.2} Do you expect me to believe your answer to both questions is yes? I am indebted to ask because the quotes you posted do not explain the great hailstones or the staying of the sun and moon.
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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: Mountain Man]
#171200
01/09/15 03:54 PM
01/09/15 03:54 PM
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OP
SDA Charter Member Active Member 2019
20000+ Member
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,256
Southwest USA
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Please explain how the quotes you posted above speak to the point?
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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: Mountain Man]
#171291
01/12/15 03:47 PM
01/12/15 03:47 PM
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SDA Active Member 2024
5500+ Member
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,499
Midland
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Jesus permits Satan to manipulate the forces of nature. Thorns, thistles, mosquitoes, disease, etc is the result. There are times when Jesus uses disease to punish unpardonable sinners or to discipline savable saints. There are times when He permits evil men and evil angels to use disease to hurt innocent women and children. The passages posted above picture Jesus using disease to punish and discipline. Yes, you've said many times that Jesus hurts people with disease. But did Jesus create disease?
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Re: The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over His own attributes.
[Re: Mountain Man]
#171293
01/12/15 06:10 PM
01/12/15 06:10 PM
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OP
SDA Charter Member Active Member 2019
20000+ Member
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,256
Southwest USA
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M: Jesus permits Satan to manipulate the forces of nature. Thorns, thistles, mosquitoes, disease, etc is the result.
K: But did Jesus create disease? Jesus permits Satan to manipulate nature. With His permission Satan tweaked nature to produce disease. Jesus did not create disease. Neither did Satan. Satan cannot create. He can only manipulate what Jesus created within the parameters Jesus permits. Jesus also works to ensure Satan does not exceed His limits. Disease is not self-acting. It does what it does because Jesus does what He does, namely, gives it life and ensures it acts in accordance with divine law. Disease would cease to exist if Jesus ceased to do His part.
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