judgment of the living

8/13/2019 Judgment of the Living

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JUDGMENT OF THE LIVINGBEGINS WITH WHO?


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JUDGMENT BEGINS WITH WHO?For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the

house of God : and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall theend [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God ? 1Peter.4:17

For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by myname , and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not beunpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all theinhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts. Jer. 25:29.

Slay utterly old [and] young, both maids, and little children,and women: but come not near any man upon whom [is]the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at

the ancient men which [were] before the house. Ezekiel. 9:6


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As the books of record are opened in the judgment,the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in

review before God. Beginning with those who firstlived upon the earth, our Advocate presents thecases of each successive generation, and closes withthe living. . When any have sins remaining upon thebooks of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, theirnames will be blotted out of the book of life, and therecord of their good deeds will be erased from the

book of Gods remembrance. The Lord declared toMoses: Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him willI blot out of My book. Exodus 32:33. -Great

Controversy, 483:1.


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The investigative judgment began in 1844 with the cases ofthe dead. When does it pass to the cases of the living? Weknow that it will pass to the living before the plagues begin

(TM 446) and the Second Advent occurs (GC 352, 485; COL310). The following statements indicate that theinvestigative judgment will pass to the cases of the livingwhen men begin making their decisions in regard to the

already enacted National Sunday Law: In every case thegreat decision is to be made whether we shall receive themark of the beast or his image, or the seal of the living God.

And now, when we are on the borders of the eternal world,what can be of so much value to us as to be found loyal andtrue to the God of heaven? -6 Testimonies, 130:1-2(5Testimonies, 526:1 is almost identical).


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The judgment does not pass to the livinguntil the national Sunday law is enacted

and the final sealing begins .

Now, when the great work of judgingthe living is about to begin . . In everycase the great decision is to be made

whether we shall receive the mark ofthe beast or his image, or the seal of

the living God . 6 Testimonies, 130:1-2.


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SDA Commentary, vol . 7, p. 976 : "TheLord has shown me clearly that theimage of the beast will be formedbefore probation closes ; for it is to be

the great test for the people of God,by which their eternal destiny will bedecided . . . . This is the test that thepeople of God must have before theyare sealed ."


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CHURCH

MILLITANT

CHURCH

TRIUMPHANTLittle Time of Trouble

Country Living

Growing own Food

DeathDecree Armageddon

The Day Hr.

CHURCH

VICTORIOUS

Trouble ComingUpon the Earth

Trouble ContinuingI also saw that many do not realize what they must be in

order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest inthe sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those whoreceive the seal of the living God and are protected in the

time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus

fully . {Early Writings page 71.1}

"Said the angel, "Deny self; ye must step fast." Some of us have hadtime to get the truth and to advance step by step, and every step wehave taken has given us strength to take the next . But now time is

almost finished, and what we have been years learning, they will haveto learn in a few months. They will also have much to unlearn andmuch to learn again. Those who would not receive the mark of thebeast and his image when the decree goes forth, must have decisionnow to say, Nay, we will not regard the institution of the beast.{EarlyWritings page 67.2}

"Time is almost finished . Do you reflect the lovely image of Jesus asyou should?" Then I was pointed to the earth and saw that therewould have to be a getting ready among those who have of lateembraced the third angel's message. Said the angel, "Get ready, getready, get ready . Ye will have to die a greater death to the world thanye have ever yet died ." I saw that there was a great work to do for

them and but little time in which to do it. EARLY WRITINGS PAG 64


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"Get Ready !" The Sands of time are now nearly run out.When the cases of the righteous dead have all beenconsidered, Judgment will begin on the living. Then your

case and mine will come in review before Jehovah, theAncient of Days. How thankful we can be that Jesus is nowpleading for His people, "not as a petitioner to move theFather to compassion, but as a conqueror who claims the

trophies of His victory." GW 154 . When the Judgment of therighteous living is completed, the blotting out of sin will befinished, the "household of God" will be made up, Eph. 2:19,and Jesus will come to take His children to their eternalhome. John 14:3 . "The great day of the Lord is near, it isnear, and hasteth greatly." Zeph. 1:14. Am I ready? Are youready? "Get ready! Get ready! Get ready!" is Heaven'sappeal to us today. EW 64-67; 119.


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As the church nears the end, this sifting will be more andmore pronounced. The prophet Amos says of it, "I will siftthe house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted ina sieve." Amos 9.9. Ezekiel calls it "a great shaking in the

land of Israel." Eze. 38:19. Nor do these prophecies applyonly to ancient Israel, for referring to our own time, we readthat it is a "mighty shaking," "when everything that can beshaken will be shaken." EW 50; 6 T 352. The shaking has

already begun (EW 50; 4BC. 1161) , and we are now in it (1T429; 6T 332), but erelong it will swell into a purification ofthe church (2SG 284) . The sieve is already moving (1T 100), and the sifting is now taking place (1T 99; 4T 51) . A mightysifting is soon to occur (5T 80).

A GREAT SHAKING!


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The time is not far distant when the test will come to everysoul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Thosewho have step by step yielded to worldly demands and

conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matterto yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, anddeath. The contest is between the commandments of God

and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will beseparated from the dross in the church. True godliness willbe clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it.Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will thengo out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away onthe wind, even from places where we see only floors of richwheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, butare not clothed with Christs righteousness, will appear inthe shame of their own nakedness. -5 Testimonies, 81:1


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The sifting climaxes when the law of God ismade void.

When the law of God is made void the churchwill be sifted by fiery trials, and a largerproportion than we now anticipate, will give

heed to seducing spirits and doctrines ofdevils. -2 Selected Messages, 368:1 .The great issue so near at hand [enforcement

of Sunday laws] will weed out those whomGod has not appointed and He will have apure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the

latter rain. -3 Selected Messages, 385:3.


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JESUS IS PLEADING FOR USJesus does not excuse their sins, but shows their penitenceand faith, and, claiming for them forgiveness, He lifts His

wounded hands before the Father and the holy angels,saying: I know them by name. I have graven them on the

palms of My hands. . Thus will be realized the complete fulfillment of the new- covenant promise: I will forgive their

iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. -GreatControversy, 484:2-485:1.The work of the Investigative judgment and the blottingout of sin is to be accomplished before the second advent ofthe Lord. . Sins that have not been repented of and forsakenwill not be pardoned and blotted out of the books of record,but will stand to witness against the sinner in the day ofGod . -Great Controversy, 485:2, 486:2.


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The law of God is the standard by which thecharacters and the lives of men will be tested in the

judgment. . Every mans work passes in reviewbefore God, and is registered for faithfulness orunfaithfulness. Opposite each name in the books ofheaven is entered, with terrible exactness, every

wrong word, every selfish act, every unfulfilled duty,and every secret sin. . Jesus will appear as theiradvocate, to plead in their behalf before God. .

Wherefore He is able also to save them to theuttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing Heever liveth to make intercession for them. -GreatControversy, 482:2, 1,4.


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All who have truly repented of sin, and by faithclaimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice,

have had pardon entered against their names in thebooks of heaven; as they have become partakers ofthe righteousness of Christ, and their characters are

found to be In harmony with the law of God,---theirsins will be blotted out, and they themselves will beaccounted worthy of eternal life. The Lord declares, .. I, even I, am He that blotteth out thytransgressions . . Said Jesus, He that overcometh,the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I willnot blot out his name out of the book of life. -Great

Controversy, 483:2.


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In the typical service, only those who had come before God withconfession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of thesin-offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in theservice of the day of atonement. So in the great day of final atonementand investigative Judgment, the only cases considered are those of theprofessed people of God . The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and

separate work, and takes place at a later period. Judgment mustbegin at the house of God ; and if it first begin at us, what shall the endbe of them that obey not the gospel? [1 Peter 4:17 .] {GC88 480.1}

The books of record in Heaven, in which the names and the deeds

of men are registered, are to determine the decisions of the Judgment.Says the prophet Daniel, The Judgment was set, and the books wereopened. The Revelator, describing the same scene, adds, Anotherbook was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judgedout of those things which were written in the books, according totheir works. [Revelation 20:12 .] {GC88 480.2}

JUDGMENT BEGINS WITH WHO?


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Investigative Judgment for the Living Soon to Begin I address you who shall have this epistle brought before you,who are leaders, who may termed princes among the

people: "Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord"(Isaiah 52:11). Humble your souls before God. Jesus is in thesanctuary. We are in the great day of atonement, and if theinvestigative judgment has not already commenced for the

living, it will soon begin and to how many are the words ofthe true witness applicable: "I know thy works, that thouhast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, andstrengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die:for I have not found thy works perfect before God.Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, andhold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I willcome on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hourI shall come upon thee" (Rev. 3:1-3). Letter 51, 1886, p. 11


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WE MUST NOW PREPARE FOR THE INVESTIGATIVEJUDGMENT

The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christs work

in behalf of men. It concerns every soul living upon theearth. It opens to view the plan of redemption, bringing usdown to the very close of time, and revealing thetriumphant issue of the contest between righteousness and

sin. . The Intercession of Christ in mans behalf in thesanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation aswas His death upon the cross. (GC, p. 488, par 3) "The subject of the sanctuary and the InvestigativeJudgment should be clearly understood by the people ofGod. All need a knowledge for themselves of the positionand work of their great High Priest," GC 488.

W li i i h d f I h i l


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We are now living in the great day of atonement. In the typicalservice, while the high priest was making the atonement for Israel, allwere required to afflict their souls by repentance of sin and humiliationbefore the Lord, lest they be cut off from among the people. In like

manner, all who would have their names retained in the book of lifeshould now, in the few remaining days of their probation, afflict theirsouls before God by sorrow for sin and true repentance. There must bedeep, faithful searching of heart. . There is earnest warfare before all

who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mastery. Thework of preparation is an individual work. We are not saved in groups.The purity and devotion of one will not offset the want of thesequalities in another. Though all nations are to pass in judgment beforeGod, yet He will examine the case of each Individual with as close andsearching scrutiny as if there were not another being upon the earth.Everyone must be tested and found without spot or wrinkle or any suchthing. Great Controversy, 490:0.


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IN CHRIST YOU CAN OVERCOMEYe are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because

greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John. 4:4).Jesus repeats the promise: To him that overcometh will I grant to sitwith me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down withmy Father in his throne. (Revelation. 3: 21) . John the Beloved assuresthe promise: I write unto you, little children, because your sins areforgiven you for his name's sake. I write unto you, fathers, because yehave known him [that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, youngmen, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you,little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto

you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning.I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and theword of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.(1John. 2:12-14)

Ch i i f h d S h


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Christ is our tower of strength, and Satan can have nopower over the soul that walks with God in humility ofmind. The promise, Let him take hold of My strength, that

he may make peace with Me: and he shall make peace withMe. In Christ there is perfect and complete help for everytempted soul. Dangers beset every path, but the wholeuniverse of heaven is standing on guard, that none may be

tempted above that which he is able to bear. Some havestrong traits of character, that will need to be constantlyrepressed. If kept under the control of the Spirit of God,these traits will be a blessing: but if not, they will prove acurse. . If we will give ourselves unselfishly to the work,never swerving in the least from principle, the Lord willthrow about us the everlasting arms, and will prove amighty helper. If we will look to Jesus as the One in whom

t t H ill f il i g

judgment of the living

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