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Signs of the Times, Book 1 - Ellen G. White

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men ever have or ever can obey. Such sentiments expressed by public<br />

teachers lead men, not only to disregard <strong>the</strong> divine law, but to trample upon<br />

it as an arbitrary requirement which <strong>the</strong>y are justified in rebelling against.<br />

The teachers <strong>of</strong> such pernicious doctrines will not be in an enviable position<br />

when <strong>the</strong>y shall meet <strong>the</strong> great Lawgiver over his broken law.<br />

Wherein would man be happier even in this life if he should have perfect<br />

liberty to break <strong>the</strong> ten precepts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r's law? God, in his great love for<br />

man gave him that law by which to order his conduct, that he should be<br />

restricted to doing those things which would tend, to increase his real<br />

happiness, and that <strong>of</strong> his fellow creatures even in this life. The principles <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> commandments, carried out in <strong>the</strong> daily life ennoble and sanctify <strong>the</strong><br />

heart and mind and give one a moral fitness through Jesus Christ, for <strong>the</strong><br />

society <strong>of</strong> holy angels. Our all wise heavenly Fa<strong>the</strong>r knew what rules were<br />

required to guard man from sin and to regulate his life, leading him to<br />

practice such virtues as would make him a fit subject for heaven.<br />

Christ said, "If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love,<br />

even as I have kept my Fa<strong>the</strong>r's commandments, and abide in his love."<br />

Christ should be our example in all things. He came from <strong>the</strong> realms <strong>of</strong><br />

glory, not to show man a way by which he could be saved in transgression <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> law, by which transgression Adam fell. But he took upon himself human<br />

nature, passed triumphantly over <strong>the</strong> ground where Adam stumbled, and<br />

redeemed that failure by his own perfect obedience <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> law, and resistance<br />

to <strong>the</strong> temptations <strong>of</strong> Satan, which had compassed <strong>the</strong> fall <strong>of</strong> Adam. Christ in<br />

his own life has given us a pro<strong>of</strong> that man can keep <strong>the</strong> law <strong>of</strong> God, and,<br />

through his merits be a final overcomer.<br />

In his sermon on <strong>the</strong> mount Christ said, "Think not that I am come to<br />

destroy <strong>the</strong> law, or <strong>the</strong> prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For<br />

verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in<br />

nowise pass from <strong>the</strong> law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever <strong>the</strong>refore shall<br />

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