It is as easy to make an idol of false doctrines and theories as to fashion an idol of wood or stone. By misrepresenting the attributes of God, Satan leads men to conceive of Him in a false character. With many, a philosophical idol is enthroned in the place of Jehovah; while the living God, as He is revealed in His word, in Christ, and in the works of creation, is worshiped by but few.(GC 583)

Also, please resist the temptation to ignore my plea and repeat your assertion that we need to focus on God's character and not on human behavior.

The promise of God is that if we do the one thing—confess our sins—He
will do the two things, forgive and cleanse. This means that, until the
confession is made, He can do neither, but when it is made, He will do
both. If then we have not been cleansed, we know that we have not been
forgiven either. Therefore, the confession has not been acceptable to
God.

The principles of acceptable confession have an application both in the
work of revival and of reformation.

1. The first step in the process is the revealing to us of the unknown
sin. This is the work of the Holy Spirit Who reveals to us in due time
that the real problem, the really unknown sin: it is what we are, and
not what we do. It is essential that this be seen and understood.

2. Next we are to know without a shadow of doubt or uncertainty that the
full and complete provision for the forgiving and the cleansing away of
the very sinfulness itself is available to us in the service of the
sanctuary. We must have the faith to believe that the Lord will take
away the actual evil spirit within us, and give us a new spirit
altogether.

3. Then we must come as did the Israelites of old to the sanctuary.
There we must confess not only what we have done but also what we are.
Not only do we confess it, but we actually hand it over for the Lord to
take, and literally believe that He as literally takes it.

4. We must give that sin up with the most complete willingness. If we
hang on to it with the least hold, then the Lord cannot and will not
take it from us. If we find an unwillingness to surrender it, then ask
the Lord to give you a willing heart—to make you to hate that sin.

5. Having given away the old life and spirit of sin, we must then ask
for and receive into the vacuum a new life in the place of the old,
thanking God as you do this, not that you will receive the gift, but
that you have received it.

6. Go your way knowing that you are no longer the person insofar as that
thing is concerned that you were when you came to make that confession.
The old has passed away and the new is truly there in its place.

7. Have a settled purpose in your mind that you are finished with that
sin, so that when the devil meets you by the way with his temptations,
you can and will refuse to even entertain any thought of yielding to the
sin.

8. Keep the new life robust and fit by constantly feeding on the Word
and watching unto prayer.

9. Finally, if the devil does cause you to fall under his deceptive
power, do not be discouraged. Go at once to be forgiven and cleansed and
continue the onward march to heaven.

Remember that all sin must go beforehand to judgment, and thus be in the
sanctuary and not in us when the final investigation is made.(Anonymous)

1. I gave you the example of someone who says "gee" or "darn" not recognizing that this is a sin.

2. I've pointed out that a person might not recognize an impatient behavior as such, but in his mind view it as something else

3. (of course, this isn't limited to impatience; many sinful behaviors may not be recognized by the one guilty of them as such; impatience can be mistaken for righteous indignation, for example).

4. I've also spoken of those who may have been abused, so that certain memories are very painful, and healing will take some time.

5. There are people who live together without realizing that is sin, or that have multiple wives.

6. Another example I've given to you is that of spiritual pride. Before one becomes a Christian and starts going to church, this isn't even an issue that one may have even ever encountered.

7. Of course, the Sabbath is another example.

8. Also, viewing God's character incorrectly is a type of idolatry.

But I thought we were talking specifically about people who learned from a qualified SDA teacher or pastor how to obey and observe everything Jesus commanded.

Rergarding #2. Does the Holy Spirit wait to reveal whatever sinful impatient behavior you have in mind until they are willing and able to confront, confess, and crucify it?

Also, are you talking about a sinful impatient behavior that offends people around them, that causes them to despise the gospel, that causes them to conclude Christianity is a joke?

If not, then please specify the sinful impatient behavior you have in mind. Thank you.

If I say that I believe what is important is in understanding of God's character, and that this is what the Great Controversy is all about, and that this is what we should be talking about, I'm not understanding why you feel that we should only talk about what you want to talk about, but not talk about what I think is important.

TE: I'm thinking of some behavior you manifest towards your wife while in bed alone with her (not you personally). She's talking to you, and you cut her off because you know what she's going to say. You think you're saving time, but she thinks you're being impatient.

What about this?

MM: But I thought we were talking specifically about people who learned from a qualified SDA teacher or pastor how to obey and observe everything Jesus commanded.

TE: I wasn't. However, even here, as soon as one is presented Christ by the Holy Spirit, and accepts Him as one's personal Savior, then one is saved. Say this comes up before the lessons on coffee or jewelry, or whatever. The fact that these things are presented by a well-qualified SDA teacher or pastor doesn't really matter to our discussion, because it will still be the case that there will be sins of ignorance involved, unless the teacher waited to present Christ until after he had presented everything else, correct?

Why did he cut her off? What was his motive? What was the underlying attitude at the time?

Also, assuming the best (i.e. good motives and intentions, etc), is this type of communication considered a sinful behavior the Holy Spirit is waiting to reveal until he is willing and able to confront, confess, and crucify it?

If I say that I believe what is important is in understanding of God's character, and that this is what the Great Controversy is all about, and that this is what we should be talking about, I'm not understanding why you feel that we should only talk about what you want to talk about, but not talk about what I think is important.

Do mean "saved" as in they experienced the miracle of rebirth?

Do people experience rebirth before they crucify self, before they crucify the sins that stand in the way of rebirth and salvation?