Bible
and Spirit of Prophecy Truth on the Subject of Nature
by Laval Picard
The bible truth on the subject of "nature and nature's God" is an extremely important
one for the people of God in these last days of this earth's history.
In the book Education, p.14, Mrs. White refers to it as the knowledge of God.
"In a knowledge of God, all true
knowledge and real development have their source. Wherever we
turn, in the physical, the mental, or the spiritual
realm, this knowledge is revealed. Whatever line
of investigation we pursue, with a sincere purpose to arrive at truth, we are
brought in touch with the unseen, mighty Intelligence that
is working in and through all. The
mind of man is brought into communion with the mind of God,
the finite with the infinite."
We would do well to read these words again and again until the Holy Spirit
impresses the truth of God into our souls. Then we will not let it go easily!
And in the book Selected Messages ,Vol.1, p.293 she
refers to it as the true knowledge of God. "Those who have a true knowledge
of God will not become so infatuated
with the laws of matter or the operations of nature
as to overlook or refuse to acknowledge the
continual working of God in nature."
Instead of seeing that God, through His Spirit, is working in nature, we talk
about the laws of matter or the operations of
mother nature! This way, nature is deified. However, "The laws
of nature are not self-acting. Nature
in her work testifies of the intelligent presence
and active Agency of a Being who moves in all
things according to His will." Ministry of Healing, p.416. This "intelligent
presence and active Agency" is the mind of God, His Spirit.
In Volume 8 of the Testimonies, we read these words: "Those who judge of
God from His handiwork, and not from the suppositions of great men, see
His presence in everything... The real evidence
of a living God is not merely in theory; it is in the conviction that God has
written in our hearts, illuminated and explained by His word. It is in the living power in His
created works, seen by the eye which the Holy Spirit has enlightened." p.325.
This should help us better appreciate why Mrs. White "was called upon to rebuke those who
were presenting the doctrine of an impersonal God pervading all nature." p.293. She was called upon
to rebuke those who presented pantheistic sentiments, who were teaching that
the power we see manifested in nature is a mere impersonal essence. This
impersonal essence, they call it, God! The result is that there is no
personal God, no personal Christ. This teaching sweeps away the whole
Christian economy! Pantheists are actually atheists! They do not believe in a
personal God, a living God, who, by His Spirit, is moving in all things
according to His will. What they do is "deify" nature. Therefore,
to them, nature is God. The universe is God. But "Nature is not God, nor
wast it ever God." 1 S.M.293.
Note by Ron: The Trinity
Doctrine sweeps away the entire Christian economy as well by denying the
sacrifice of the Testator of His Divine Nature Holy Spirit in the heavenly
Sanctuary as part of the Atonement and the Sanctuary message. Without that
sacrifice there would have been no Atonement for it was that sacrifice that
met the prescribed limits of a sacrifice. End note.
Mrs. White often refers to this pantheistic teaching as false science which
was introduced by Satan in the heavenly courts. "False science is one of the agencies
that Satan used in the heavenly courts and it is used by him today. The false asserstions
that he made to the angels, his subtle scientific theories, seduced many of
them from their loyalty... By every device at his command he seeks to prevent men from
obtaining that knowledge of God which is salvation... The path of error often appears to lie close to the path
of truth. It is hardly distinguishable from the path that leads
to holiness and heaven. But the mind enlightened by the Holy Spirit may
discern that it is diverging from the right way. After a while the two are seen
to be widely separated."
Testimonies, Vol.8, p.290,291.
Thus, "God being removed from His position of
sovereignty, they place their dependence upon human power, which, without
God, is worthless." p.292.
No. The living power working in and through all of God's created works is the
mind of God, the unseen, mighty Intelligence that is working in and through
all. "It is
through the immediate Agency of God that every tiny seed breaks through the
earth and springs into life. Every leaf grows, every flower blooms, by the
power of God."
1 S.M.294. "Take your children into the garden and explain to them how
God causes the seed to grow. The
farmer plows his land and sows the seed, but he cannot make the seed grow. He
must depend upon God to do that which no human power can do. The
Lord puts His own Spirit into the seed, causing it to spring into life.
Under His care the germ breaks through the case enclosing
it and springs up to develop and bear fruit." Testimonies,
Vol.8, p.326.
"The fruit is first seen in the bud, and the Lord develops
it in its proper season because it does not resist His working.
So the birds fulfill God's purpose
as they make their long migrations from land to land, guided through
trackless space by the hand of infinite power." p.327.
Now we can better appreciate these words: "Above, beneath, beyond, abides
infinite love working out all things to accomplish the good pleasure of His
goodness." Education, p.134.
"To those who thus acquaint themselves with Christ,
the earth will never more be a lonely and desolate place. It will be their Father's
house filled with the presence of Him who once
dwelt among men." Education,
p.120.
This knowledge, brothers and sisters, is the knowledge of God, even the true knowledge
of God. We do not know Him aright until we discern His presence in all
created things, until we discern that by His Spirit He is continually at work
in and through all. For those who receive this light, "nature is again illuminated." 8 T 325.
His name is, "I AM." Christ is not a Saviour afar off but very
nigh, at hand. "The
Lord is at hand."
Phil.4:5. "The
Lord is that Spirit."
2 Cor.3;17. If the
Lord, "that Spirit," was separated from us even by so much as a
moment of time, we would be instantly crushed under the burden of sin. "The heaviest burden we bear is the
burden of sin. If we were left to bear this burden, it would crush us." D.A.328,329.
There was a time when men knew God but they did not like to retain Him
in their knowledge, so they deified names. Everything known was
a god; and there was a god of the wind, a god of the fire, a god of the
waves, a god in the tree, etc, etc. Every manifestation of power was a
different god. And we have gone on, and the world has gone on, for these
hundreds of years, devising names, putting names in the place of God.
Now, what true education is, instead of giving these all names in the
place of God, and defying them as if the name did the thing, (cohesion,
adhesion, gravity, electricity, magnetism, etc, etc,) it is to put there the
Name that is above every name and worship that, and see the Spirit of God
there, moving in all things according to His will!
Well, it is wonderful to me, every day I live, and the longer I live the more
wonderful it is to me, into how small a space, and how simple a truth, all
the truth is resolved. Whoever comes to the recognition of this fact, and
holds himself to it, has all the truth there is in the universe. God is, and
there is no other. "He
who comes to God must believe that He is." Heb.11:6. That is His name. "I AM." Ex.3:12. God is. Where? He is. Go where you
will in the universe, and there it can be said, He is. His name means "eternal presence". D.A.469.
"Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Where shall I flee from Your presence?" Psalm 139:7.
God is an ever-present God! "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" Jeremiah 23:23,24.
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