The Two Temples
(A Christian Workbook)
Section 2: Chapter 1 – The Foundation: Honesty and Integrity
ie not one
to another,” Paul tells us, “seeing that ye have put off the old man with his
deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the
image of Him that created him.” (Colossians 3:10) The same author tells us, “Let
no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world,
let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” (1 Corinthians 3:18) In many ways,
the most dangerous liar is he who manages to deceive himself, for he may speak
to others with the authority of absolute conviction, and mislead many.
The
Scriptures have a very important lesson for us in the history of two prophets
during the days of the kingdom of Israel. We are told of a prophet that was
sent by Yah to deliver a message to Jeroboam, a king of Northern Israel who had
turned to idolatry, and was leading many into those practices with him. (1
Kings 12:28-33) The prophet was instructed to eat no food and drink no water
during his journey as a symbol of Yahweh’s utter rejection of this land of
newfound idolatry. He carried out his mission well, and pronounced a
swiftly-fulfilled prophecy against the false altar raised by Jeroboam. He was protected
from harm at the hands of the king by the direct intervention of divine
agencies, and he refused the temptation to accept favor from those against whom
he had spoken his warning. (1 Kings 13:1-10)
On the
way home, however, a dramatic and potentially disturbing series of events
occurred. We read, “Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came
and told him all the works that the man of Elohim had done that day in Bethel:
the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their
father. And their father said unto them, ‘What way went he?’ For his sons had
seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
“And he
said unto his sons, ‘Saddle me the ass.’ So they saddled him the ass, and he
rode thereon and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak;
and he said unto him, ‘Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah?’
“And he
said, ‘I am.’
“Then
he said unto him, ‘Come home with me, and eat bread.’
“And he
said, ‘I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee, neither will I eat
bread nor drink water with thee in this place; for it was said to me by the
word of Yahweh, ‘Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again
to go by the way that thou camest.’
“He
said unto him, ‘I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by
the word of Yahweh, saying, ‘Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he
may eat bread and drink water.’ But he lied unto him. So he went back
with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
“And it
came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of Yahweh came unto the
prophet that brought him back; and he cried unto the man of Elohim that came
from Judah, saying, ‘Thus saith Yahweh, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the
mouth of Yahweh, and hast not kept the commandment which Yahweh thy Almighty
commanded thee, but camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the
place, of the which He did say to thee, “Eat no bread, and drink no water,” thy
carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.’
“And it
came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled
for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. And when he
was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in
the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. And,
behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion
standing by the carcase; and they came and told it in the city where the old
prophet dwelt.
“And
when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, ‘It
is the man of Elohim, who was disobedient unto the word of Yah: therefore
Yahweh hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him,
according to the word of Yahweh, which He spake unto him.” (1 Kings 13:11-26)
Like
David beholding the death of Uzza in 2 Samuel 6:6-9, some may be tempted to
question the justice of the Almighty in delivering up to death one who had so
recently been highly favored by Heaven. It would seem that the job security of
a prophet is rather low, yet reading on we understand exactly why such a swift
judgment befell the messenger from Judah. Although the false prophet mourned
the loss of the true one, we are told that, “After this thing Jeroboam returned
not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of
the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the
priests of the high places. And this thing became sin unto the house of
Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.”
(1 Kings 13:33, 34)
But it
was more serious than even this. A short while later the prophet Ahijah
predicted, “Yahweh shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and He
shall root up Israel out of this good land, which He gave to their fathers, and
shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves,
provoking Yahweh to anger. And He shall give Israel up because of the sins of
Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.” (1 Kings 14:15, 16) We know
from the Chronicles of Israel that this is exactly what happened.
Would
Jeroboam have turned from his evil ways had the prophet been true to his message,
and provided a more constant example of faithfulness to the word of Yah? Would
such tragedy have come upon Israel if the false prophet had not set out to
deceive the real servant of Elohim? Perhaps, and perhaps not… but we do know
that because of the messenger’s inconstancy, Jeroboam had a ready excuse to
doubt even the miracles he had witnessed, and an entire nation suffered the
consequences of his actions. Despite Yah’s final, desperate warning through His
unfaithful servant’s death (hence the dramatic and seemingly difficult episode
we have been examining), this fallen king became the measure of iniquity for
all the northern kings who came after him. (1Kings 15:34, 16:26, 22:52; 2Kings
3:3, 10:29, 13:2, etc.) As a more well-known prophet rightly says of corrupt
rulers: if the leaders of a people cause them to err from the path of
righteousness, even “they that are led of them are destroyed.” (Isaiah 9:16)
Jeroboam
had a responsibility to his people, and he failed them. The prophet from Judah
had a responsibility to Yah, to the nation, and to Jeroboam, and he failed
them. The false prophet had a responsibility to the divine messenger, and he
failed him. Because of their lack of integrity and honesty, countless lives and
countless souls were lost who might otherwise have had greater occasion to
receive the knowledge of the truth. Yes, each individual is accountable to the
Almighty for his own decisions, yet we do not exist in a vacuum, and we are
our brothers’ keepers!
To
those who know the truth the Master instructs, “When I say unto the wicked, ‘Thou
shalt surely die,’ and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the
wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in
his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the
wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall
die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, when a righteous
man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a
stumblingblock before him, he shall die; because thou hast not given him
warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done
shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
“Nevertheless
if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not
sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy
soul.” (Ezekiel 3:18-21)
The
common threads in the example from 1 Kings are integrity and honesty. If those
who knew the truth had stood firmly by it, much may have been averted. If those
who knew the truth had spoken truth, the loss may not have been so great. The
reading from 1 Kings is dramatic, not only because it gives several examples
all in one passage, but because the office of those involved was such that the
effects of their failure in this regard could be displayed in a most obvious
fashion. Essentially, the more authority one has, and the higher one’s office,
the greater position one is in to do damage to others. With that power comes
responsibility, and the closer we get to Heaven the more important sanctified
speech and honest hearts become. In Zephaniah 3:9, Yah says of the last days, “then
will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name
of Yahweh, to serve Him with one consent.”
Of
course, we saw from the beginning that lying was of the “old man and his deeds,”
and is not going to be found in one who is “born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of Elohim, which liveth and abideth for
ever.” (1 Peter 1:23) Even so, the Apostles warned those who were of the faith
from falling into the trap of self-deception. We can know if we are walking in
integrity from both self-examination and the fruits that we produce, “For if a
man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in
himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.”
(Galatians 6:3-5) We all have to give an account of ourselves.
Honesty
and integrity are the foundations of the Spirit Temple, “For the word of Yahweh
is right; and all His works are done in truth.” (Psalm 33:4) If the professed
people of Yah do not communicate with each other out of pure hearts, and with
pure speech, the walls crumble, the roof caves in – and the spiritual nation
goes into captivity. “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with
his neighbor: for [or because] we are members one of another.”
(Ephesians 4:25) The first work done on the rebuilding of the Temple after the
exile in Babylon was to lay the foundation. (Ezra 3:10) If the foundation of
truth is not laid in sincerity, no amount of good intentions or spiritual gifts
will make the house great, and “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the
righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3)
This
very teaching is given in another well-known figure from the Scriptures. Paul
writes of the believers’ spiritual armor: “Stand therefore, having your loins
girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your
feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the
shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of
the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of Elohim.” (Ephesians 6:14-17)
Note
well the progression. Before righteousness, before the preparation for
spreading the Gospel, before the sword of the spirit – before even faith… there
must be truth. Truth comes first, a love for the truth and a knowledge of the
truth. It binds the rest of the armor to the believer, and holds it together. “Faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Yah,” (Romans 10:17) but if one
has not heard the true Word of Yah, or received it from one who speaks of it
with honesty, how will that faith be grasped? Truth is the foundation. Truth
spoken to others, and integrity or “truth in the inward parts,” (Psalm 51:6)
are what the Master requires on which to build His House.
The
foundation of Yah’s government is truth; His Son tells us, “I am the way, the
truth, and the life,” (John 14:3) and Paul illuminates our figure by saying, “For
other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Yahshua the Messiah.”
(1 Corinthians 3:11) Christ is, among other things, “the truth,” and thus He is
the foundation – the “chief Cornerstone” of the foundation of the Spirit
Temple. (1 Peter 2:5, 6; Ephesians 2:20) This is exactly why Paul says, “Lie
not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and
have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him
that created him.” (Colossians 3:10) The “new man” is the image of Christ, the
image of truth, to which men are restored by conversion. By becoming Temples of
the Spirit of Truth (John 15:26, 16:13) in their bodies, they lay the
foundation for becoming part of the Spirit Temple.
We
certainly ought to know if we are deceiving others willfully, but by this we
can be sure we are not deceiving ourselves either, and thus walking in
integrity: “He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made
manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:21) We have to be willing to
look at ourselves in the light of Heaven Itself, to stand in the judgment of
the Father and Son, and to bring what we see to light. We can do this with
confidence, remembering that “There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Yahshua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit.” (Romans 8:1) Judgment, as we use the term here, is not condemnation,
but an honest evaluation of ourselves when necessary without shame, without
fear, and without excuse. The Almighty knows us already, therefore we gain
nothing by hiding from Him… but only by being willing to search can we find and
be cured. For individuals, some things may be “personal” regarding other
humans, but nothing need be “secret.” If there is anything within us that
causes us shame, we are in need of healing; we must come to the light, then we
will no longer be able to deceive ourselves.
Understanding
from a previous chapter the importance of the role of viewpoints and
atmospheres, we have to look at ourselves from the viewpoint and atmosphere of
Heaven. While no man is equipped to judge his own overall progress, (1
Corinthians 4:3) we know enough to be able to tell if we are walking in the
truth we currently have. We are told, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the
faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Yahshua the
Messiah is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) In other
words, unless you have no discernment whatsoever, you cannot but know whether
or not Christ is in you; and if He is there, dishonesty cannot abide in His
presence.
In our
words about ourselves, we may show our honesty. If we have accepted the
promises of Heaven we have everlasting life, (John 3:36) peace, (John 14:27)
joy (Luke 6:23) and every good thing from the Father. (Matthew 7:11) Never more
may we say, “I am…” followed by a negative characteristic, for in Christ we are
of light, and not darkness. Due to external factors, we may certainly feel
sadness, anger and pain, but if we speak honestly we will define them as
feelings, as emotions, and not let them define us and our experience in the
Messiah. We may say, “I feel sad,” or “I feel angry,” but the “I ams” are
reserved for the true testimonies: “I am joyful,” “I am at peace.” Any sentence
beginning with “I am,” that can also be sincerely started with, “In Christ
I am...” is the claiming of a promise. This simple thing, if practiced, will
put us beyond the power of many temptations, for as James writes, “Behold, we
put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their
whole body. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.”
(James 3:3, 5) “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that
love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Proverbs 18:21)
Though
much more may be said about the virtue of honesty and being true to one’s self
from the Scriptures, for the sake of brevity we must content ourselves with
looking at the principle and its importance, and leaving the detailed studies
to the individual readers. For the exposition of this principle, no better
place can be found than the words of the inspired Psalmist:
“Yahweh,
who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that
walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his
heart; he that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour,
nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour; In whose eyes a vile person is
contemned [held in contempt, not condemned]; but he honoureth them that
fear Yahweh. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not, he that
putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent: he
that doeth these things shall never be moved.” (Psalm 15:1-5)
One who
“speaketh the truth in his heart” is honest, and has no evil words for others.
One who sticks to his commitments even “to his own hurt, and changeth not,” has
integrity, and he may be used to wonderful effect by the One who has messages
of love, peace, and sometimes warning, to send. If we have asked for, and
received, these gifts of our Father, we may abide in His tabernacle. This does
not mean merely in a spiritual sense, but also that we will be in fellowship
with the others who are joined to that tabernacle, even while here on earth. “And
I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of Elohim
is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and
Elohim Himself shall be with them, and be their Almighty One.” (Revelation
21:3)
While
the ultimate fulfillment of this text is yet future, the Spirit Temple is among
us now, and the fellowship of the saints has already begun. “But ye are come
unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to an innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and Church of
the Firstborn, which are written in Heaven, and to Yah the Judge of all, and to
the spirits of just men made perfect; and to Yahshua the Mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that
of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:22-24) Its foundation is Truth, and its doors are open
wide to receive the earnest seeker.
We may
be confident, if we have truly accepted Yahshua’s promises, that He will hold
us steady on the path of life, and with both humility and boldness we may say, “Hear
the right, O Yahweh, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth
not out of feigned lips. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let
thine eyes behold the things that are equal. Thou hast proved mine heart; thou
hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am
purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by
the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” (Psalm 17:1-4)
If we are all one with Christ, we are both one with each other and separate
from sin. If we are one with Christ, we are at one with truth, and no deception
will be found in us. As the Scripture says of this Remnant people, “And I
looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty
and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads. And
in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the
Throne of Elohim.” (Revelation 14:1, 5)
Quotations:
One of Yah’s main attributes is truth:
“Truthfulness and integrity are attributes of God, and he who possesses these
qualities possesses a power that is invincible.” [My Life Today, page
331]
“The
character of God is righteousness and truth; such is the nature of His law.
Says the psalmist, ‘Thy law is the truth;’ ‘all thy commandments are
righteousness.’” [Sons and Daughters of God, page 41]
“Thousands
have a false conception of God and His attributes. They are as verily serving a
false god as were the servants of Baal. Are we worshiping the true God as He is
revealed in His Word, in Christ, in nature, or are we adoring some
philosophical idol enshrined in His place? God is a God of truth. Justice and
mercy are the attributes of His throne. He is a God of love, of pity and tender
compassion. Thus He is represented in His Son, our Saviour. He is a God of
patience and long-suffering. If such is the being whom we adore and to whose
character we are seeking to assimilate, we are worshiping the true God.” [The
Faith I Live By, page 59]
The
Foundation of Yah’s government is truth:
“Honesty and strict equity are in perfect harmony with all the principles of
truth, in perfect harmony with God’s holy law. Our every act should bear a
reliable testimony to the validity of truth. Yet those who live on this plan
will have a cross to bear.” [Manuscript Releases Volume Thirteen, page
232]
“God
will never, never allow any man to pass through the pearly gates of the City of
God who does not bear the signet of the faithful, His government mark. Every
soul who is saved will cherish pure principles, which proceed from the very
essence of truth. He must fasten himself by golden links to the everlasting
power and love of the God of truth. He must be loyal to the principles of God’s
word, loyal to the everlasting covenant which is a sign between man and his
Maker.” [Medical Ministry, page 123]
“Satan
offered Christ the world and its riches if He would pay homage to the
principles of evil. So Satan presents to us the advantages to be gained by
wrongdoing. He whispers to us, ‘In order to succeed in this world, you must
serve me. Do not be too particular about truth and honesty. Obey my counsel,
and I will give you riches, honor, and happiness.’ In obeying this counsel we
are worshiping Satan instead of God. It will bring us only misery and ruin.” [The
Story of Jesus, page 47]
“Justice,
honor, love, and truth are the attributes of God’s throne. They are the
principles of His government. . . . These are jewels to be sought after and
cherished for time and for eternity.” [Our High Calling, page 80]
Our
Integrity should be seen in every area of our lives:
“The eighth commandment condemns [...] theft and robbery. It demands strict
integrity in the minutest details of the affairs of life. It forbids
overreaching in trade and requires the payment of just debts or wages.” [The
Adventist Home, page 392]
“When
you lose your conscious integrity, your soul becomes a battlefield for Satan;
you have doubts and fears enough to paralyze your energies and drive you to
discouragement.” [Our High Calling, page 94]
“Honesty
should stamp every action of our lives. Heavenly angels examine the work that
is put into our hands; and where there has been a departure from the principles
of truth, “wanting” is written in the records.” [Child Guidance, page
154]
“The
Holy One has presented his law to us as a standard of character. And the Lord
is our judge, as well as our law-giver, and our king. There can be sinless
human agents, who will not swerve from the strictest truth and honesty. Abraham
was God’s representative in his generation. God calls him the father of the
faithful.” [The Gospel Herald, August 1, 1906]
Honesty
and reliability are foundational to our dealings with others:
“A man may not have a pleasant exterior, he may be deficient in many respects,
but if he has a reputation for straightforward honesty, he will be respected.
Stern integrity covers many objectionable traits of character. A man who
steadfastly adheres to truth will win the confidence of all. Not only will his
brethren in the faith trust him, but unbelievers will be constrained to
acknowledge him as a man of honor.” [Mind, Character, and Personality Volume
2, page 437]
“In the
Christian world today fraud is practiced to a fearful extent. God’s
commandment-keeping people should show that they are above all these things.
The dishonest practices which mar the dealing of man with his fellow man should
never be practiced by one who professes to be a believer in present truth.” [This
Day with God, page 337]
“In our
dealings with our fellow men, as well as in our relations with God, we are to
show strict justice and honesty. Every human being is to be estimated according
to the price that Christ has paid for his redemption. Our fellow men are of as
much value as we are, and God calls upon us to treat them as we would be
treated.” [Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, December 1, 1896]
Questions:
1) Do I make the Bible, and the promises of Christ to me, the basis of truth?
2) Do I
give thanks that I have received everlasting life, peace, joy and gentleness
from the Son of Yah?
3) Am I
conscious of the fact that in the things I say about myself I may deny these
promises?
4) Do I
see a difference between the sentences, “I am angry,” and, “I feel angry?”
5) Am I
willing to speak unpleasant truths to others for their own good?
6) Do I
ever do things with the primary purpose of having others think better of me?
7) Have
I ever compromised my convictions in order to make peace with others?
8) Do I
consider myself to be an honest individual?
9) Do
other people agree with that?
10) Do
others feel comfortable entrusting me with information, property, money or
their company?
11) Am
I ever afraid of being asked an embarrassing question?
12) In
what ways do I show others that Yah is a God of truth?
Exercise:
After contemplating and, if possible, discussing with others the above
questions, find a verse or passage of the Bible that gives a promise or an
answer for each.
