1872 Fundamental Principles#11—The Law of God

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1872

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That God’s moral requirements are the same upon all men in all dispensations; that these are summarily

contained in the commandments spoken by Jehovah from Sinai, engraven on the tables of stone, and

deposited in the ark, which was in consequence called the “ark of the covenant,” or testament. Num. 10:33;

Heb. 9:4, &c.; that this law is immutable and perpetual, being a transcript of the tables deposited in the ark in the true sanctuary on high, which is also, for the same reason, called the ark of God’s testament; for under the sounding of the seventh trumpet we are told that “the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was

seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” Rev. 11:19.

1931

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That the will of God as it relates to moral conduct is

comprehended in His law of ten commandments; that these are

great moral, unchangeable precepts, binding upon all men,

in every age. Ex. 20:1–17.

2015

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The great principles of God’s law are embodied in the Ten Commandments and

exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God’s love, will, and purposes

concerning human conduct and relationships and are binding upon all

people in every age. These precepts are the basis of God’s covenant with His people and the standard in God’s judgment. . . .

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1. God’s moral requirements are the same for all men.

2. Were spoken at Mt. Sinai, engraven on tables of stone, deposited in the ark

3. Immutable and perpetual

4. A transcript of the original in heaven

1872 1931

1. The Ten Command-ments are God’s will for moral conduct.

2. They are unchange-able and are binding on all men in every age.

2015

1. The great principles of God’s law are embodied in the Ten Commandments.

2. They are binding upon all people in every age.

3. They are the basis of God’s covenant with his people and the standard in his judgment.

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The law of God existed before man was created. The angels were

governed by it. . . . After Adam and Eve were created, God made

known to them His law. It was not then written, but was rehearsed to

them by Jehovah. (SR 145.1)

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After Adam’s sin and fall nothing was taken from the law of God. The

principles of the Ten Commandments existed before the fall and were of a

character suited to the condition of a holy order of beings. After the fall the

principles of those precepts were not changed, but additional precepts were given to meet man in his fallen state.

(SR 145.2)

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1. God’s moral requirements are the same for all men.

2. Were spoken at Mt. Sinai, engraven on tables of stone, deposited in the ark

3. Immutable and perpetual

4. A transcript of the original in heaven

1872 1931

1. The Ten Command-ments are God’s will for moral conduct.

2. They are unchange-able and are binding on all men in every age.

2015

1. The great principles of God’s law are embodied in the Ten Commandments.

2. They are binding upon all people in every age.

3. They are the basis of God’s covenant with his people and the standard in his judgment.

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But the Lord gave me a view of the heavenly sanctuary. The temple of God was opened in heaven, and I was shown the ark

of God covered with the mercy seat. Two angels stood, one at each end of the ark,

with their wings spread over the mercy seat, and their faces turned toward it. . . . Jesus

raised the cover of the ark, and I beheld the tables of stone on which the Ten

Commandments were written. (1T 76)

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Among the righteous still in Jerusalem, to whom had been made plain the divine

purpose, were some who determined to place beyond the reach of ruthless hands

the sacred ark containing the tables of stone on which had been traced the precepts of

the Decalogue. This they did. With mourning and sadness they secreted the ark

in a cave, where it was to be hidden from the people of Israel and Judah because of their sins, and was to be no more restored

to them. (PK 453.2)

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“And He [Christ] gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of communicating with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written by the finger of God.” Nothing

written on those tables could be blotted out. The precious record of the law was placed in the ark of the testament and is still there, safely hidden from the human family. But in God’s appointed time He

will bring forth these tables of stone to be a testimony to all the world against the disregard of

His commandments and against the idolatrous worship of a counterfeit Sabbath (Manuscript 122,

1901). (1BC 1109.2)

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A marvelous change has come over those who have held fast their integrity in the very face of death. . . . Their faces, so lately pale, anxious,

and haggard, are now aglow with wonder, faith, and love. Their voices rise in triumphant song: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present

help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling

thereof.” Psalm 46:1–3. (GC 638.2)

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While these words of holy trust ascend to God, the clouds sweep back, and the starry heavens are seen, unspeakably glorious in

contrast with the black and angry firmament on either side. The glory of the celestial city streams from the gates ajar.

Then there appears against the sky a hand holding two tables of stone folded together.

Says the prophet: “The heavens shall declare His righteousness: for God is judge

Himself.” Psalm 50:6. (GC 639)

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That holy law, God’s righteousness, that amid thunder and flame was proclaimed from Sinai as the guide of life, is now revealed to men as the rule of judgment. The hand opens the tables,

and there are seen the precepts of the Decalogue, traced as with a pen of fire. The words are so plain that all can read them.

Memory is aroused, the darkness of superstition and heresy is swept from every mind, and God’s

ten words, brief, comprehensive, and authoritative, are presented to the view of all the

inhabitants of the earth. (GC 639.1)

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Satan grew bold in his rebellion, and expressed his contempt of the

Creator’s law. This Satan could not bear. He claimed that angels needed

no law but should be left free to follow their own will, which would

ever guide them right; that law was a restriction of their liberty; and that to

abolish law was one great object of his standing as he did. (SR 17, 18)

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We profess to be the depositaries of God’s law; we claim to have greater light and to aim

at a higher standard than any other people upon the earth; therefore we should show greater perfection of character and more

earnest devotion. A most solemn message has been entrusted to those who have received the light of present truth. Our light should

shine forth to brighten the pathway of those who are in darkness. (5T 619.3)

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Prophecy had declared that the Papacy was to “think to

change times and laws.” Daniel 7:25 (SR 328)

times—set times, such as holy times, feast times, or festival times

laws—word is singular and means a body of laws or a set of laws, the law of God

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To afford converts from heathenism a substitute for the worship of idols . . . the adoration of images and relics was gradually introduced into the Christian worship. The decree of a

general council finally established this system of popish idolatry. To complete the sacrilegious

work, Rome presumed to expunge from the law of God the second commandment,

forbidding image worship, and to divide the tenth commandment, in order to preserve the

number. (SR 328.1)

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The spirit of concession to paganism opened the way for a still further

disregard of Heaven’s authority. Satan tampered with the fourth commandment also, and essayed to set aside the ancient Sabbath, the day which God had blessed

and sanctified, and in its stead to exalt the festival observed by the heathen as “the

venerable day of the sun.” (SR 328.2)

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In the first centuries the true Sabbath had been kept by all Christians. They were jealous for the

honor of God, and, believing that His law is immutable, they zealously guarded the sacredness

of its precepts. But with great subtlety Satan worked through his agents to bring about his

object. That the attention of the people might be called to the Sunday, it was made a festival in honor of the resurrection of Christ. Religious

services were held on it; yet it was regarded as a day of recreation, the Sabbath being still sacredly

observed. (SR 328.2)

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Constantine, while still a heathen, issued a decree enjoining the general observance of Sunday as a public festival throughout the Roman Empire. After his conversion

he remained a stanch advocate of Sunday, and his pagan edict was then enforced by him in the interests of his new faith. But the honor shown this day was not as yet

sufficient to prevent Christians from regarding the true Sabbath as the holy of

the Lord. (SR 329)

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Another step must be taken; the false sabbath must be exalted to an equality

with the true. A few years after the issue of Constantine’s decree, the Bishop of Rome conferred on the

Sunday the title of Lord’s day. Thus the people were gradually led to

regard it as possessing a degree of sacredness. Still the original Sabbath

was kept. (SR 329.1)

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The archdeceiver had not completed his work. . . . Vast councils were held,

from time to time, in which the dignitaries of the church were

convened from all the world. In nearly every council the Sabbath which God

had instituted was pressed down a little lower, while the Sunday was

correspondingly exalted. (SR 329.2)

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The great apostate had succeeded in exalting himself “above all that is called

God, or that is worshipped.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4. He had dared to change

the only precept of the divine law that unmistakably points all mankind to the

true and living God. In the fourth commandment God is revealed as the

Creator of the heavens and the earth, and is thereby distinguished from all false

gods. (SR 330.1)

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Protestants now urge that the resurrection of Christ on Sunday

made it the Christian Sabbath. But Scripture evidence is lacking. No such honor was given to the day by Christ

or His apostles. The observance of Sunday as a Christian institution has

its origin in that “mystery of lawlessness” which, even in Paul’s day, had begun its work. (SR 330.2)

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The dragon had given to the beast “his power, and his seat, and great

authority.” Revelation 13:2. And now began the 1260 years of papal

oppression foretold in the prophecies of Daniel and John. (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5–7.)

(SR 330.3)

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In the sixth century the Papacy had become firmly established. Its seat of

power was fixed in the imperial city, and the Bishop of Rome was declared to be

the head over the entire church. Paganism had given place to the Papacy.

(SR 330)

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Christians were forced to choose, either to yield their integrity and accept the papal ceremonies and worship, or to wear away

their lives in dungeon cells, or suffer death by the rack, the fagot, or the headsman’s ax. Now were fulfilled the words of

Jesus, “Ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake.” Luke 21:16, 17. Persecution opened upon the faithful

with greater fury than ever before, and the world became a vast battlefield. For hundreds of years the church of Christ found

refuge in seclusion and obscurity. Thus says the prophet: “The woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place

prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” Revelation 12:6. (SR 330.3)

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538—Papal Rome defeated the Ostrogoths, the last of their enemies, and papal supremacy was established.

1798—General Berthier took the pope captive

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When, in 1797, Pope Pius VI fell grievously ill, Napoleon gave orders that in the event of his death no successor should be elected to

his office, and that the Papacy should be discontinued.

But the Pope recovered. The peace was soon broken; Berthier entered Rome on the 10th February, 1798, and proclaimed a republic. The aged Pontiff refused to violate his oath

by recognizing it, and was hurried from prison to prison in France. . . .

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The time of papal supremacy

Were days of peril; standard bearers were few; serious errors came in

Works atone for sins—pilgrimages, acts of penance, worship of relics, payment of large sums to the church

Man’s natural immortality and consciousness in death, which leads to invocation of saints and the adoration of Mary

Eternal torment for the finally impenitent

Purgatory

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Doctrine of indulgences

Full remission of sins—past, present and future—and release from all pains and penalties incurred if one enlisted in the pontiff’s wars

Payment of money to the church might free one from sin and to release the souls of the deceased friends confined in tormenting flames

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Daniel 7:25—time, times and half a time

Daniel 12:7—time, times and half a time

Revelation 11:2—42 months

Revelation 11:3—1260 days

Revelation 12:6—1260 days

Revelation 12:14—time, times and half a time

Revelation 13:5—forty-two months

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A time is one year—360 days

Times are two years—720 days

Half a time is half a year—180 days

Added together the sum is 1260 year/days (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6)

These verses also teach us that a month in prophecy is equal to 30 days. 42 x 30=1260 day/years.

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All who in that evil day [the great crisis soon to come] would fearlessly serve God

according to the dictates of conscience, will need courage, firmness, and a knowledge of God and His word; for those who are

true to God will be persecuted, their motives will be impugned, their best efforts misinterpreted, and their names cast out as evil. . . . It will require the firmest trust, the most heroic purpose, to hold fast the faith

once delivered to the saints. (AA 431.1)