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The Little Horn, God’s Law, and How You have been Deceived

The Little Horn, God’s Law, and How You have been Deceived

A time tested military strategy is diversion. Create a ruckus in one area, get the enemy focusing on a distraction, and then attack from their blind spot.

Magicians, charlatans, and hucksters rely upon misdirection as the bedrock of their deceptive craft.

They get your attention focused on one action so you don’t notice their true intent and before you know it you are conned into believing they have power, wisdom, or have the best place to invest your money.

Yes, the greatest deceivers throughout history have learned the importance of giving your mind something tangible to embrace, something concrete to find wrong, or some actual danger to guard against. Then, when your mind is focused on the perceived problem, their real attack goes unnoticed. They know that when you believe you have identified the “trick,” figured out the “con,” or uncovered the “deceit” that you will be vulnerable to their real exploit.

Satan, the greatest deceiver in the universe, uses this strategy to near perfection. For years I, like many other Christians, was bamboozled into believing I knew the devil’s lie about God’s law, but I recently discovered I had only identified his misdirection. What about you?  Have you discovered Satan’s actual lie, or are you merely locked onto Satan’s diversion and therefore continue to embrace his real deceit?

Daniel 7:25 predicts that an evil power would arise and try to “change” God’s law.

Protestant Christians have historically understood this change occurred when a religious power changed the 10 Commandment law by removing the second commandment, which prohibited making images, splitting the tenth commandment into two parts (to keep the total number of commandments at ten after deleting number two), and by changing the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.

It is without question that these “changes” to the Decalogue were instituted and the organization that made the changes proudly points to them as proof of its ecclesiastical authority on earth. Any student of church history can quickly document the historical evidence for this “change.” But it was ever only a diversion – Satan’s master misdirection, this open change to the Decalogue. Give the audience something tangible to focus upon, give them some concrete “change” to criticize and argue for or against, like the overt, admitted, and endorsed change in the 10 Commandments, while all along subtlely laying the groundwork of a more significant and egregious change to God’s law without them even realizing it. Diabolically brilliant! This is what the little horn power of Daniel 7 did.

So what is the real change to God’s law, the change Christians almost universally accept as truth? That God’s law is an imposed law put upon His creatures to govern their lives and test their obedience, rather than a natural law, a principle upon which He created life to operate. The little horn power didn’t merely change two commandments; it changed the very nature of the law itself!

So, straight up – Is God’s law imposed or is it natural? Was the law voted on by the Godhead, ratified, and enacted at a specific time in the past, or is it not created, not enacted, but eternally existent, because it is an extension of God’s eternal character of love? Is God’s law like human law, put in place by government and enforced by government? Or is God’s law the natural law upon which the great Creator actually built the universe to operate, like those of health (respiration, diet, rest, etc.)?

It only make sense that when the God who is love created, He constructed, built, and designed everything to operate in harmony with His own nature and character of love, because it is by Him that all things hold together (Col 1:17).  

This is exactly what Inspiration reveals:

  • Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:10 (See also Galatians 5:14, James 2:8, Matt 12:37-40, Pr 12:28, Pr 21:21, Ps 19:7).

And one of the founders of the SDA church saw it the same:

  • In living for self he has rejected that divine love which would have flowed out in mercy to his fellow men. Thus he has rejected life. For God is love, and love is life. Christ’s Object Lessons, pg. 258
  • The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all created beings depended upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness. The Great Controversy, pg. 493
  • But turning from all lesser representations, we behold God in Jesus. Looking unto Jesus we see that it is the glory of our God to give. “I do nothing of Myself,” said Christ; “the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father.” “I seek not Mine own glory,” but the glory of Him that sent Me. John 8:28; 6:57; 8:50; 7:18. In these words is set forth the great principle which is the law of life for the universe. All things Christ received from God, but He took to give. So in the heavenly courts, in His ministry for all created beings: through the beloved Son, the Father’s life flows out to all; through the Son it returns, in praise and joyous service, a tide of love, to the great Source of all. And thus through Christ the circuit of beneficence is complete, representing the character of the great Giver, the law of life.  The Desire of Ages, pg. 21

Inspiration is clear. God’s law is the law of love, and this law is the law upon which life is designed to operate. Break this law and it automatically results in ruin and death, unless the Designer intervenes to heal and restore.

The false system introduced a change in our understanding of God’s law, the idea that God’s government is like earthly governments, that He imposes law like we impose law. This idea undermines the creatorship of God because it removes God’s law as the basis upon which the Creator built His universe and instead makes His law an imposed set of rules He enforces upon His creatures.

We no longer see God as a being of consummate love who gives constantly of Himself for the good of His creation, but instead conceive of Him as a being who uses power to dominate, control and enforce conformity upon His creation.

As such we develop theologies organized around this change in God’s law, and construct solutions based on this lie.

It is by accepting this change to God’s law that the little horn power has infected Christianity with a false gospel and false god concept. This one change in the law has resulted in teaching:

  • God, in order to be just, must impose penalties for sin and therefore must inflict punishment upon sinners
  • In order to avoid punishing sinners God must have a legal penalty paid by someone
  • God sent His Son to pay our legal penalty and punished Him in our place
  • God will be required to exterminate His sinful children in the end if their legal penalty isn’t paid [ i ]

This lie has so perniciously infected Christianity that theologians of all denominations viciously defend it and aggressively promote it. It is this lie that distorts the character of God. It is this lie that obstructs the people of God from lighting the world for Christ’s return. It is this lie that Adventism was called into existence to remove!

One of the founders of the SDA church, understanding the true nature of God’s law, wrote this wisdom to Uriah Smith, editor of the Review & Herald in the 1890’s. But he was confused by long acceptance of the “change” and didn’t know what to do with her insights so he filed it away and it remained in the R&H files until the 1950s when it was published in the 1SM 235.

The law of ten commandments is not to be looked upon as much from the prohibitory side, as from the mercy side. Its prohibitions are the sure guarantee of happiness in obedience. As received in Christ, it works in us the purity of character that will bring joy to us through eternal ages. To the obedient it is a wall of protection. We behold in it the goodness of God, who by revealing to men the immutable principles of righteousness, seeks to shield them from the evils that result from transgression.

We are not to regard God as waiting to punish the sinner for his sin. The sinner brings the punishment upon himself. His own actions start a train of circumstances that bring the sure result. Every act of transgression reacts upon the sinner, works in him a change of character, and makes it more easy for him to transgress again. By choosing to sin, men separate themselves from God, cut themselves off from the channel of blessing, and the sure result is ruin and death. 

The law is an expression of God’s idea. When we receive it in Christ, it becomes our idea. It lifts us above the power of natural desires and tendencies, above temptations that lead to sin. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165)– cause them to stumble.

There is no peace in unrighteousness; the wicked are at war with God. But he who receives the righteousness of the law in Christ is in harmony with heaven. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Psalm 85:10). Letter 96, 1896.  —  Selected Messages vol 1, pp. 234 -235

The law is a principle of righteousness, originating in the mind of God and upon which life is built. Deviations from it do not require God to punish, but result in ruin and death, unless God intervenes to heal (Romans 6:23, James 1:15). Christ was sent to do just that, heal and restore, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17).

But those who have accepted the lie of an imposed law misunderstand the purpose of God’s written law. They fail to see it is a diagnostic tool needed to convict us of our condition and lead us to Christ for healing and instead see it as a concrete proof of an enacted set of rules to which we must adhere (Romans 5:20).

Satan, the diabolical deceiver, by diverting our attention to the concrete change in the Commandments, has blinded our minds to his real attack and has successfully infected Christendom with his twisted and utterly false concept of God’s law. Until we free ourselves of Satan’s imposed law concept we will be unable to take the gospel to the world and prepare the world for Christ’s return. We will be just like the Jews 2000 years ago, who, believing in an imposed law, crucified Christ and wanted Him off the Cross so they could observe the Sabbath. Sabbath keepers, keepers of an “imposed” day, killing their Creator and Savior, such is the result of believing in an imposed law!

If we don’t change our understanding of God’s law, if we insist on promoting an imposed law concept, then we will be like those misguided theologians, keeping the “law” while living in total opposition to the God of love!

I challenge you, reject the little horn’s distortion of God’s law, embrace the truth about God’s law/character of love and take the truth about God to the world!


[ i ] Please do not construe this article to say that if God doesn’t inflict punishment upon sinners then there is no punishment for sin. This article supports the reality that sin results in untold suffering and ultimately death, but argues it is a result of unremedied sin, rather than an infliction by God. This article supports the reality that salvation is only achieved through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ and argues it was not for the purpose of paying a legal penalty, but for more important purposes necessary for salvation.

 

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I wanted to thank you very much for presenting your understanding of God. I’ve always been troubled by this question: Why did Jesus have to die? Since my conversion I understood that The Father & Jesus are one, I did not have issues with that. But was there not any other way to save us than for Jesus to die? I guess I actually had a question about God – if He is so wise, how come He did not find another way? I did not see the real ‘beauty’  in the cross. Only when you explained the picture in the medical context, Jesus providing medicine for my selfishness, have I started to finally ‘see the light’. Thank you so much. Your seminar, “Healing the Mind,” are absolutely marvelous & have shared them with my family and many other people, including colleagues at work. Thanks, thanks, thanks. May God bless you abundantly in your ministry.

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Over the past couple of years God has been expanding my view of Himself and His character. Along my approximately 40-year journey, I have often had questions, but was hesitant to voice these and step outside the traditionally accepted thinking, for fear of admitting that I may in fact be eternally lost. In the recesses of my thinking has been the thought – if one blindly accepts (which is widely regarded as “real faith”) and does not question, is this really ‘truth?’ I often find it challenging to grapple with very theological ‘speak,’ but Dr. Jennings has a real gift of explaining spiritual concepts with clear practical examples. The weekly discussions are growing my Christian experience and slowly changing my view of how to live as a child of God in today’s complex world. Finally the whole Old Testament sanctuary teaching moved in my mind from fantasy to reality!

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The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

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Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

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God lead me to your book “The God-Shaped Brain” while I was searching for another book about the brain and then to your interview about your book on HeartWise Ministries [where] I found out about [Come And Reason Ministries]. I’m now devouring the webcasts of your Bible studies. I have been so greatly blessed and I thank God so much for your courage to speak the Truth in love no matter what. Listening to you contrast the two opposing systems (laws) and digging deep to unearth the hidden treasures in the Bible makes me so incredibly happy and I feel very blessed to be part of your Bible Study Group although I live far away. I am just so excited that there is a group of people that is spreading the Truth about the character of God and it saddens me how few realize what our Father in Heaven is really like.

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I am blown away by the truth that you present. God’s Design Law makes so much sense! You have validated my impression that, if God is love, He would not kill those who don’t want to know him. If God gives us choice, then how can He destroy us if our choice is not to follow him. Thank you for opening my eyes and heart to the pure love of God seen through Jesus. The love I now have for Jesus is deeper and free from condemnation. My heart has been opened to love others as Jesus loves me. May God continue to bless your God-given insight into His word and your ministry. The truth has set me free!

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I can’t even begin to thank you and your ministry enough for introducing me to the Truth about a loving and merciful God! I have my daughter and her in-laws to thank for sharing with me “The God-Shaped Brain” as well as your website. I listen to the Bible study class lessons on my daily walk. May God continue to bless your thirst-quenching ministry!

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I had a lot of pressure, as a pastor’s kid, to conform and be “good.” I was good at being “good.” I thought my life was going along well until it all started falling apart and I could not figure out why! In my search for “why is this happening to me, God?” I came across your book, “Could it be this Simple,” and God started revealing to me the many distortions I held about His character, His principles, and how He has designed His universe to operate. I remember thinking, “Wow, I have had this all backwards.” I was happy and angry all at the same time. Happy to have the light of truth break through the darkness, revealing a wonderful, beautiful way of understanding God and His plan for His children, and angry, because I felt deceived and cheated by the church, my family, and myself!

My heart thrills when I listen to your bible study lessons. Literally I have gone from death to life. It is a journey I look forward to every day, as God reveals areas this distortion affects. Praise GOD! I will ever be grateful to God for this ministry and your cooperation with the Spirit!

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I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

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