JUDGMENT OF THE LIVING

BEGINS WITH WHO?

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 the end [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 my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants 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

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 first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. . When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life, and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of Gods remembrance. The Lord declared to Moses: Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book. Exodus 32:33. -Great Controversy, 483:1.

The investigative judgment began in 1844 with the cases of the dead. When does it pass to the cases of the living? We know that it will pass to the living before the plagues begin (TM 446) and the Second Advent occurs (GC 352, 485; COL 310). The following statements indicate that the investigative judgment will pass to the cases of the living when men begin making their decisions in regard to the already enacted National Sunday Law: In every case the great decision is to be made whether we shall receive the mark 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 and true to the God of heaven? -6 Testimonies, 130:1-2 (5Testimonies, 526:1 is almost identical).

The judgment does not pass to the living until the national Sunday law is enacted and the final sealing begins.

Now, when the great work of judging the living is about to begin . . In every case the great decision is to be made whether we shall receive the mark of the beast or his image, or the seal of the living God.6 Testimonies, 130:1-2.

SDA Commentary, vol . 7, p. 976 : "The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes ; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided . . . . This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed."

Death The Day & Hr. Decree Armageddon

"Said the angel, "Deny self; ye must step fast." Some of us have had time to saw get the truth and . to advance stepthe by step, and every step we I"Time also that many do not what they must be in is almost finished Do you realize reflect lovely image of Jesus as CHURCH CHURCH have taken has given us strength to take the next. But now there time is in CHURCH you should?" Then I was pointed to the earth and saw that Trouble Continuing order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest TRIUMPHANT VICTORIOUS almost finished, and what we have beenthose years who learning, they will have MILLITANT would have to be a getting ready among have of late the sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who to learn in a few months. They will also much to unlearn and Little Time ofhave Trouble embraced the third angel's message. Said the angel, "Get ready, get Trouble Coming receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the much to learn again. Those who not receive the of thethan ready, get ready . Ye will have towould die a greater death tomark the world Country Living the beast and his image when the decree goes forth, must have decision time of ever trouble must reflect the image of Jesus ye Upon have yet Earth died." I saw that there was a great work to do for Growing own Food now to say,but Nay, we will not regard to the institution ofWRITINGS the beast.{Early them and little time in which do it. EARLY PAG 64 fully . {Early Writings page 71.1} Writings page 67.2}

"Get Ready!" The Sands of time are now nearly run out. When the cases of the righteous dead have all been considered, Judgment will begin on the living. Then your case and mine will come in review before Jehovah, the Ancient of Days. How thankful we can be that Jesus is now pleading for His people, "not as a petitioner to move the Father to compassion, but as a conqueror who claims the trophies of His victory." GW 154. When the Judgment of the righteous living is completed, the blotting out of sin will be finished, the "household of God" will be made up, Eph. 2:19, and Jesus will come to take His children to their eternal home. John 14:3. "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly." Zeph. 1:14. Am I ready? Are you ready? "Get ready! Get ready! Get ready!" is Heaven's appeal to us today. EW 64-67; 119.

A GREAT SHAKING!
As the church nears the end, this sifting will be more and more pronounced. The prophet Amos says of it, "I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve." Amos 9.9. Ezekiel calls it "a great shaking in the land of Israel." Eze. 38:19. Nor do these prophecies apply only to ancient Israel, for referring to our own time, we read that it is a "mighty shaking," "when everything that can be shaken will be shaken." EW 50; 6 T 352. The shaking has already begun (EW 50; 4BC. 1161), and we are now in it (1T 429; 6T 332), but erelong it will swell into a purification of the church (2SG 284). The sieve is already moving (1T 100), and the sifting is now taking place (1T 99; 4T 51). A mighty sifting is soon to occur (5T 80).

1844 AD

NATIONAL SUNDAY LAW

CLOSE OF PROBATION

CHURCH MILLITANT CHURCH TRIUPHANT THE WHEAT AND TARES MUST GROW TOGETHER!
JESUS SEPERATES THE WHEAT FROM THE TARES! HARVEST TIME

PREPARATION TIME

Testimonies to Ministers pg.45- 46, Last Days Events Chapter 12, Matt. 13: 24-30

The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject them selves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christs righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness. -5 Testimonies, 81:1

The sifting climaxes when the law of God is made void. When the law of God is made void the church will be sifted by fiery trials, and a larger proportion than we now anticipate, will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. -2 Selected Messages, 368:1. The great issue so near at hand [enforcement of Sunday laws] will weed out those whom God has not appointed and He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain. -3 Selected Messages, 385:3.

JESUS IS PLEADING FOR US Jesus does not excuse their sins, but shows their penitence and 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. -Great Controversy, 484:2-485:1. The work of the Investigative judgment and the blotting out of sin is to be accomplished before the second advent of the Lord. . Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not be pardoned and blotted out of the books of record, but will stand to witness against the sinner in the day of God.-Great Controversy, 485:2, 486:2.

The law of God is the standard by which the characters and the lives of men will be tested in the judgment. . Every mans work passes in review before God, and is registered for faithfulness or unfaithfulness. Opposite each name in the books of heaven is entered, with terrible exactness, every wrong word, every selfish act, every unfulfilled duty, and every secret sin. . Jesus will appear as their advocate, to plead in their behalf before God. . Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. -Great Controversy, 482:2, 1,4.

All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be In harmony with the law of God,---their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life. The Lord declares, . . I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions . . Said Jesus, He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life. -Great Controversy, 483:2.

JUDGMENT BEGINS WITH WHO?

In the typical service, only those who had come before God with confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the sin-offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the day of atonement. So in the great day of final atonement and investigative Judgment, the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and takes place at a later period. Judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be 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 were opened. The Revelator, describing the same scene, adds, Another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. [Revelation 20:12.] {GC88 480.2}

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 the sanctuary. We are in the great day of atonement, and if the investigative judgment has not already commenced for the living, it will soon begin and to how many are the words of the true witness applicable: "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen 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, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I shall come upon thee" (Rev. 3:1-3). Letter 51, 1886, p. 11

WE MUST NOW PREPARE FOR THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT The sanctuary in heaven is the very center of Christs work in behalf of men. It concerns every soul living upon the earth. It opens to view the plan of redemption, bringing us down to the very close of time, and revealing the triumphant issue of the contest between righteousness and sin. . The Intercession of Christ in mans behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon the cross. (GC, p. 488, par 3) "The subject of the sanctuary and the Investigative Judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest," GC 488.

We are now living in the great day of atonement. In the typical service, while the high priest was making the atonement for Israel, all were required to afflict their souls by repentance of sin and humiliation before 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 life should now, in the few remaining days of their probation, afflict their souls before God by sorrow for sin and true repentance. There must be deep, faithful searching of heart. . There is earnest warfare before all who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mastery. The work of preparation is an individual work. We are not saved in groups. The purity and devotion of one will not offset the want of these qualities in another. Though all nations are to pass in judgment before God, yet He will examine the case of each Individual with as close and searching scrutiny as if there were not another being upon the earth. Everyone must be tested and found without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Great Controversy, 490:0.

IN CHRIST YOU CAN OVERCOME

Ye 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 sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation. 3: 21). John the Beloved assures the promise: I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, 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 the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. (1John. 2:12-14)

Christ is our tower of strength, and Satan can have no power over the soul that walks with God in humility of mind. The promise, Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me: and he shall make peace with Me. In Christ there is perfect and complete help for every tempted soul. Dangers beset every path, but the whole universe of heaven is standing on guard, that none may be tempted above that which he is able to bear. Some have strong traits of character, that will need to be constantly repressed. If kept under the control of the Spirit of God, these traits will be a blessing: but if not, they will prove a curse. . If we will give ourselves unselfishly to the work, never swerving in the least from principle, the Lord will throw about us the everlasting arms, and will prove a mighty helper. If we will look to Jesus as the One in whom we may trust, He will never fail us in any emergency.