第三章 摆脱仇敌

圣经指明了两件完全与上帝为敌的事。应该安定到永远的真理就是：任何形式的休战或妥协都不能使真理的这些仇敌与属天的事物相和谐。“原来体贴肉体的，就是与上帝为仇。”（罗8：7）。“与世俗为友就是与上帝为敌。”（雅4：4）

请不要错过这两个定义之间的奇妙关系。这种敌意一直处于善恶之争的中心。亚当夏娃的不顺从使他们的本性堕落到一个地步，以至他们无法再遵行上帝的律法。保罗强调体贴肉体的是“不服上帝的律法，也是不能服。”（罗8：7）因此罪的主要影响是在人的心中，使人无法再爱属上帝的事物，也无法与之和谐。堕落的心思更倾向于爱属肉体与属世界的事物，过于爱属灵的事物。难怪，体贴肉体的心和世俗都被描述为“仇敌”。它们是密切相关的。撒旦用“世俗”以及其吸引人的事物来攻击亚当所有后代的思想，因为他们堕落的本性使之对这些吸引很容易就上钩。

圣经劝勉我们，“不要爱世界和世界上的事。人若爱世界，爱父的心就不在他里面了。”（约一2：15）。雅各说，“所以凡想要与世俗为友的，就是与上帝为敌了。”（雅4：4）在这里就划出了分界线，以便没有人能误会——我们或者爱上帝，或者爱世界。我们无法两个都爱。爱世界就是与上帝为敌——就是与祂分离。这是两种无法共存的关系，必是这种或者就是那种，（此存彼亡，不可兼得，不能共处）。保罗用以下的方式描写了这一敌对：“因为情欲和圣灵相争，圣灵和情欲相争，这两个是彼此相敌。”（加5：17）

那提拔人类堕落的心意使之转离撒旦奴役的能力，乃是深植于赐下救赎主的应许。上帝对蛇说，“我又要叫你和女人彼此为仇；你的后裔和女人的后裔也彼此为仇。女人的后裔要伤你的头；你要伤他的脚跟。”（创3：15），那时祂就打开了拯救之门。这是人类家庭将拥有另一宽容时期的初次指示。通过基督——女人的后裔，人类可以打破对撒旦的自愿服从，再一次做出顺从上帝的选择。若没有救主来赐下能力，堕落的人类就永远没有希望能感觉到与撒旦为敌。我们当中没有一个人在肉体中有能力选择不犯罪。

我们从亚当继承而来的有罪本性中带着一种违背上帝的倾向。我们对以那样的本性出生没有选择的余地，但是现在通过基督，这位应许的后裔，我们就有了一次选择——是否要继续屈从于本性的软弱。

通过悔改和成圣，我们可以使体贴肉体的心完全变成基督的心。“你们当以基督耶稣的心为心。”（腓2：5）。“但我们是有基督的心了。”（林前2：16）。“基督既在肉身受苦，你们也当将这样的心志作为兵器。”（彼前4：1）

这让我们又看到思想过程的神奇奥秘之处，圣灵正是藉此来感化人，使人转变的。我们常常说到把“心”交给耶稣，然而只有思想已经屈服了我们说的才真有意义。悔改包括意志上决定让圣灵运行，完全掌管大脑所有的功能。此后，通过复杂的神经枢纽输出的信息，都将服从于被圣灵充满的大脑的指令中心。因为只要我们愿意，上帝的能力就将继续运行于我们的神经信息系统，到达身体的每一器官，产生顺从。这就是“有基督的心”所意味的。

怀爱伦写道：

“那通连全身的脑神经乃是唯一能与上天交通的媒介，借以影响人内心深处的生活。”——《证言卷二》 P347

然而即使悔改的心不再属乎肉体，与生俱来堕落的本性却还没有从上帝的子民身上被除掉。这就产生了在情欲与圣灵之间强烈的生死大战。撒旦不断利用堕落人性的软弱，他常常可以成功地侵入人心，夺去人心的中央配电板，以便其可以开始操纵通向身上其余部分的通信线路。因此真正的争战便是控制心意。谁控制了心意，谁也就必能够统管生命的其它领域。

当圣灵坐在理性与选择的宝座上时，撒旦就绝对找不到进来的门路。除非人的心意受了影响做出一个深思熟虑的决定要更换主人，否则基督的心必定作主。有意思的是，基督与撒旦都通过同样的五种生理官感的途径进入人心。身体的五种感官功能在对抗外界的入侵上本身是毫无能力的，因为它们的官能依附于堕落本性的水准。惟有在它们接受了从圣灵防御的大脑所发的命令时，那些入口才有能力向撒旦的试探之能关闭。

现在我们就能更好地理解为什么“体贴肉体”和“世俗”都被定义为与上帝为敌了。撒旦唯一的希望，就是要驱除基督的心意，悔改的心意，并把体贴肉体的心意再次放在人心的宝座上执掌一切。但这只能通过获得那宝贵的主权意志的同意才能做到，这独立自主的意志是上帝放在每一个人的大脑中的。要想诱惑人的意志放他进来，撒旦是受到限制的，只能用他能制造的吸引力，通过身体的官感——就是视觉，听觉，嗅觉，味觉与触觉，来吸引堕落的本性。这就是世俗作为基督之一部分仇敌的入侵之处。圣经用“世俗”这个词来形容每一种外在的、属肉体的影响力，就是魔鬼设计来网罗生灵犯罪的事物。

撒旦尽其歪曲之能事，在这个电子时代制造出了大批难以置信的外来奇异的试探。他知道这些试探必须足够迷人，才可以颠覆人的心意。为了掳掠忠心的基督徒，那些光彩诱人的事物必须聪明地加以包装掩盖，使得罪显得难以反对。撒旦毫无疑虑地使用托辞和欺骗。作为一个高明的心理大师，他善用若隐若现的美丽外表来掩饰丑陋与邪恶。我们的主警告说，连选民都几乎要被这个造假大师和欺诈大师的末日骗局所征服。（太24：24）。上帝的忠仆写道：

“撒但必要试图欺骗，倘若可行，连选民也都要迷惑了。最有诱惑性的势力要被运用；人的心思也必被催眠。”——《证言卷八》P293

她又写道：

“无价值而不能使人满足的享乐在这败坏的世代被认为是头等重要的事。撒旦将他的魔力布散在这些娱乐上，使之蒙蔽了永恒的事物。…在他们看来属世的娱乐要比天国长子的名分更有价值。” ——《举目向上看》P39

预见到撒旦在“试探的时辰”将不遗余力地攻击上帝的余民，一次次的警告已经交织在上帝灵感的劝勉中。我们特别被敦促要警醒提防，绝不允许那些令人混乱之尝试使心中的壁垒有了破口。由于人的心意受造与经由身体的感官进来的外界信息相一致，所以那些通道就必须特别地加以防御保卫。

“撒但在人类心意的品质上作种种的试验，已历数千年之久，所以他知道得异常清楚。借着他阴险的活动，在这些末后的日子，他已使人类的心意与他的心意有了联系，并以他的思想灌输其中；而且他这种工作的进行方式，又是那么的迷人，甚至受他引诱的人，也不知道已被他任意左右了。这大骗子希望迷惑一般男女的思想，致使他们除了他的声音之外，再也不听从别的声音。”——《心思，品格与个性》P698，699

撒旦可以驾轻就熟地欺骗人的心意，而人却觉察不到；深入地想想这些，会对我们大有裨益。通过允许错误的情绪到达大脑，我们就会被撒旦的思想潜移默化，不知不觉地想他所想，认识到这点真令人毛骨悚然！在这潜意识广告和媒体娱乐失控的年代里，基督复临安息日会的教友面临着前所未有的挑战。惟有与属天的媒介合作，人的心意才能保持其天上的样式。

上帝的得胜秘诀总是伴随着与催眠人心的景象、声音、情感分隔开。从夏娃和大卫身上，我们学习到把目光停留在导向罪的事物上是何等危险！像约瑟一样，我们务必常常转身，身体力行地逃离动人心弦之试探的磁场。如果我们允许自己嗅着罪的香气，或盯住罪的美貌，或倾听罪柔和的声音，那么情感就能被制服，意志就瘫痪了。为使悔改之人保持悔改的状态，当蓄意地向已知的罪恶掉头。我们何等感恩！上帝总是开启我们的眼睛，使我们意识到受迷惑的光景。完全的得胜惟独在乎交出自我，放弃世界，并且充满生机与活力地立志行事。

那负责立志行事对抗试探的，乃是人的意志。上帝的每一位子民都可利用舍己和向最迷人之感官吸引说“不”的能力。这就是摩西如何“不肯称为法老女儿之子；宁可…受苦害，也不愿暂时享受罪中之乐。”（来11：24—25）。这就是约瑟之力量的秘密。波提乏的妻子说，“你与我同寝吧！约瑟不从。”（创39：7—8）这话语带着效忠的意志之大能，何其响亮回荡！他们“不肯”！（译者注：“不肯”与“不从”，英文均为同一词“refuse”）。上帝并没有代替他们“不肯”。祂乃是赐给他们拒绝的意愿与力量，但那“不肯”的决定是从他们个人选择之心而发，选择顺从上帝而非自我。上帝已经赐给他们心智，可以用之来思考，选择与拒绝！

那些可怕的属灵试炼，是否与撒旦常用来使人犯罪的方式相似呢？摩西与约瑟确实面临如此无法抵抗的本性与肉体欲望的吸引力，以至我们每读到此几乎都要为他们战栗了。他们经受试探的地点、时间和环境，必是满布着撒旦尽其所能组合起来的强大诱因，打动吸引年轻稚嫩的感情。但是他们不肯！感谢上帝！倘若他们向肉体做出最轻微的让步，他们的意志就会被动摇，而圣经所记载后来发生的事也会大大不同了。一点点罪恶的酵都能逐渐瓦解灵性的堡垒，侵害心灵。

现在来看看另一个年轻人的例子，他也面临和约瑟同样的肉体上的试探，但他并没有转身逃离。参孙开始于享受一切神圣的资源的圣洁的人生。藉着特别的誓约他已分别为圣归于上帝及其子民。但渐渐地，这个拿细耳青年开始向周围非利士人放纵的生活方式屈服了。他渐渐地与以色列的敌人结交，后来竟倾慕他们，特别倾慕于一个狡诈的女人名叫大利拉。藉着随后每一次的妥协，他打破了分别为圣奉献给上帝的条件。最后只剩下唯一一个外在的记号――他那没有剃过的头发，使他记得自己曾被分别出来，为拯救本国之民要做特别之工。这一连串的妥协投降之举不可避免地导致了那悲剧性的一刻，他终于软弱地出卖了其黯淡悲惨一生的最后的秘密。

正如旧约圣经中许多其它的故事一样，这也是为警戒我们这些生活在世界末了的人而写的。参孙教给我们的是，我们无法胜过自己偷偷仰慕的敌人。我们无法与不洁净的混合而仍然保持洁净。我们无法玩弄罪恶与之戏耍而不被其玷污。“他们遭遇这些事，都要作为鉴戒；并且写在经上，正是警戒我们这末世的人。”（林前10：11）

受灵感的使徒所说的“这些事”是指什么呢？以色列人发生了什么事，要作为我们今日的鉴戒与指导呢？请读前面几节经文，你会发现保罗指的是破坏上帝的律法。这几节叙事的经文所用的词语显示了所犯之罪的本质，他们在几乎靠近迦南的边境所犯之罪的结果竟致数千人倒毙。请注意哪些试探的形式在引诱他们远离上帝的事上最是成功的——“行奸淫”，“玩耍”，“贪恋”，“吃喝”。是不是听起来很耳熟呢？所有这些词都与肉体的享受及娱乐有关。他们又吃又喝又贪恋，又“起来玩耍…百姓都赤身露体。”（出32：6，25）（译者注：根据KJV钦定版圣经的出32：25“and when Moses saw that the people were naked…”翻译）

我们若要描绘当今世界媒体娱乐的庸俗化，实在想不出比那些描写以色列的荒唐放荡所用的词语更好的词汇了。当所有其它的恶魔方案都失败了，未能拦阻他们向应许之地前进时，撒旦就亮出最后王牌，用美酒，女人与赤裸来攻击他们。那些心意上未运用对上帝爱之律法不可动摇的信心加以防护的人，就被一场放荡不羁的性放纵扫荡了。

灵感的启示告诉我们，这将是仇敌试图大举摧毁现代以色列人的最后手段。“他用属世的友谊，美色的吸引，藉着寻求享乐，狂欢，宴会或纵饮，引诱人违犯第七条诫命…今日撒但也在引诱基督徒与不敬虔的人结交，使之参加他们的娱乐;这是撒但诱惑他们陷在罪恶之中最有效的方法。”——《先祖与先知》P458

既然我们的大敌能够用宴乐、玩耍与赤裸在西奈山摧毁了以色列的3000人，那么将会有多少基督复临安息日会的教友在刚刚要进入属天的迦南之前，成为这些伎俩的牺牲品呢？我们已经证明了撒旦攻击我们的前沿阵地就是感情与心志。现今他拥有比在巴力毗珥多百万倍的设施，经由心思的通道来摧毁人的道德与灵性。上帝的仆人告诉我们，有两种诡秘设计的行动最能成功引诱上帝的子民陷在罪中——与不敬虔的人联合，以及参加他们的娱乐。

正如古代以色列人是上帝在地上传讲祂的信息的唯一代表一样，现今也只有一班子民享受历代全备的真理，要分享传讲给世人。对于我们能料想到的，来自我们强大的仇敌的攻击方式，我们不必产生错觉。这些攻击方式会直接向人心发动，它们必与昔日成功拦阻以色列人在应许之地以外的办法如出一辄。

撒旦如今比先前更疯狂地企图证明上帝的律法不能遵守。大试炼很快就要结束了。撒旦在其仅存有限的时间里，决心尽其险恶之能事攻击这些仍然相信完全得胜是可能的一小群人。对于那些已经赞成他的人，撒旦对付他们是没有问题的。大部分基督教界和许多基督复临安息日会的教友都相信罪是一种本性，以至此生永远无法胜过它。上帝若要澄清维护祂圣洁的品格，反对撒旦的控告，就必须出示一班得胜所有罪恶的子民。祂的福音正是为完成这一特别的工作而设立的，但是惟有那些相信此工可以成就之人才会在此洁净的工程上与祂合作。那些视圣徒所必需的义为完全转移的义（imputed），却从未真实经历过这义的人，当然就必毫无准备过一种无罪的生活。惟有确实相信过圣洁公义之生活是可能的那些人，才“不为肉体安排，去放纵私欲。”（罗13：14）
现在正是好时候，停下来问问自己是否属于那一小群拥有特权与尊荣的人，可以在全宇宙面前为上帝辩白。你相信基督的福音能够拆毁你生命中所有罪的事工吗？难道祂会只赐给你能力战胜一些罪，却为了某种原因，拒绝让你得胜其它的罪吗？难道祂能居住在容忍哪怕只有一个罪的心灵里吗？我盼望你对这些问题的回答能够消除每一个微小的怀疑，在洁净宇宙之罪这个重大的宇宙实验中，你可以成为其中的一部分。

Chapter 3　GETTING RID OF THE ENMITY

　
　　THE Bible designates two things which are at absolute enmity with God. It should be forever settled that no type of truce or compromise can bring these adversaries of truth into harmony with heavenly things. "The carnal mind is enmity against God." Romans 8:7. "Friendship of the world is enmity with God." James 4:4.

　　Don't miss the amazing relationship between these two definitions. This enmity has always been at the heart of the great controversy. The disobedience of Adam and Eve corrupted their natures to such a degree that they could no longer obey the law of God. Paul stressed that the carnal mind "is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Romans 8:7. So the major effect of sin was on the mind of man. It could no longer love and harmonize with the things of God. That fallen mind was now more drawn to love the flesh and the world than to love spiritual things. No wonder, then, that the carnal mind and the world are both described as the "enmity." They are intimately related. Satan uses the "world" and its attractions to assault the minds of all Adams descendants, because their fallen nature makes them easy targets for such appeals.

　　In the Bible we are admonished, "Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15. James wrote, "Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4. Here the lines are drawn so that no one can misunderstand-either, we love God or we love the world. WE CANNOT DO BOTH! To love the world is to be an enemy of God-to be separated from Him. Here are two relationships which cannot co-exist. It must be one or the other. Paul described the enmity this way: "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and: these are contrary the one to the other." Galatians 5:17.

　　The ability of man's fallen mind to turn back from its captivity to Satan is rooted in the promise of a Redeemer. God opened that door of deliverance when He said to the serpent, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel." Genesis 3:15. This was the first indication that the human family would have another probation. Through Christ, the seed of the woman, man could break with his self-imposed servitude to Satan, and make the decision to obey God once more. Without a Saviour to provide the power, fallen man had no hope of ever feeling enmity against Satan. Not one of us, in the flesh, has the ability to choose not to sin.

　　The sinful nature which we inherited from Adam carries with it a predisposition to disobey God. We have no choice about being born with that nature, but now, through Christ, the promised seed, we do have a choice as to whether we continue yielding to the weaknesses of that nature.

　　Through conversion and sanctification, we may have the carnal mind totally transformed into the mind of Christ. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5. "But we have the mind of Christ." I Corinthians 2:16. "Christ hath suffered for us ... arm yourselves likewise with the same mind." I Peter 4:1.

　　This brings us back to the marvel and mystery of the mental process through which the Holy Spirit is able to effect this change. We often speak of giving the "heart" to Jesus, but we really mean that the mind has been yielded. Conversion involves a decision of the will to allow the Holy Spirit to exercise total control of all brain functions. Henceforth, the messages sent forth through the maze of neural connections will be in obedience to the brain's Spirit-charged command center. For as long as we consent, the power of God will continue to flow through the nerve communication system to every part of the physical organism, producing obedience. This is what it means to have the mind of Christ.

　　Ellen White wrote:

　　"The brain nerves which communicate with the entire system are the only medium through which Heaven can communicate to man and affect his inmost life." Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 347.

　　But even though the converted mind is no longer carnal, the inherent fallen nature is not removed from the child of God. This is what produces the titanic life-or death struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. By exploiting the weaknesses of that fallen nature, Satan's goal has always been to gain access to the mind and wrest away the central switchboard so that he can start manipulating the lines of communication to the rest of the body. So the real struggle is for control of the mind. Whoever rules there will also be able to dominate every other area of life.

　　While the Holy Spirit abides at the seat of reason and choice, Satan can find absolutely no entrance. Unless the will is influenced to make a deliberate decision to change masters, the mind of Christ will prevail. The interesting thing is that both Christ and Satan have access to the mind through the same physical pathways of the five senses. Those sensory faculties are absolutely helpless, in themselves, to offer any defense against outside invasion, because they function on the level of the fallen nature. Only as they receive orders from the Spirit-fortified brain are those ports of entry able to close the door against Satan's intrusive efforts.

　　Now we will be better able to understand why the "carnal mind" and the "world are both defined as enmity against God. Satan's only hope is to get rid of the mind of Christ, the converted mind, and put the carnal mind back in command. But he can do that only by securing the consent of that precious sovereign will which God placed in each brain package. To entice the will to let him come in, Satan is confined to the appeals he can make to the fallen nature through those physical senses-sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Here is where the world enters as a part of the enmity to Christ. The Bible uses the term "world" to describe every external, fleshly influence which the devil has devised to attract the soul into sin.

　　In his perverse wisdom, Satan has produced in this electronic age an unbelievable array of exotic temptations. He knows that they must be alluring enough to overwhelm the mind. In order to capture the will of committed Christians those glittering attractions must be cleverly disguised to make sin appear unobjectionable. Satan has no qualms about using subterfuge and deception. As a master psychologist, he conceals the ugly and evil under a gleaming facade of beauty. Our Lord warned that even the elect would be almost overcome by the last-day delusions of the great counterfeiter and deceiver. (Matthew 24:24.) The servant of God wrote:

　　"Satan will try to deceive, if possible, the very elect. Most seducing influences will be exerted; minds will be hypnotized." Testimonies, Vol. 8, p. 293.

　　Again she wrote:

　　"Cheap unsatisfying pleasures are made all in all in this degenerate age. Satan throws his glamour around these amusements which eclipse eternal things ... worldly pleasure will appear more desirable than the heavenly birthright." Upward Look, p. 39.

　　In anticipation of that "hour of temptation" when Satan will consolidate all his weapons against the remnant, warning after warning has been woven through the inspired counsels of God. Especially are we urged to be on guard against those infatuating attempts to breach the barricades of the mind. Since the mind was made to conform to the messages communicated through the physical senses, those avenues must be especially protected and defended.

　　"For thousands of years Satan has been experimenting upon the properties of the human mind, and he has learned to know it well. By his subtle workings in these last days, he is linking the human mind with his own, imbuing it with his thoughts; and he is doing this work in so deceptive a manner that those who accept his guidance know not that they are being led by him at his will. The great deceiver hopes so to confuse the minds of men and women that none but his voice will be heard." Mind, Character and Personality, p. 698, 699.

　　It would be well for us to think deeply about the deceptive ways in which Satan can manipulate people's minds without them being aware of it. It is frightening to realize that we can be unconsciously influenced to think Satan's thoughts by allowing wrong sentiments to reach the brain. In these days of subliminal advertising and out of-control media entertainment, Seventh-day Adventist Christians have never stood in a more threatened position. It is only by cooperating with heavenly agencies that the mind can retain its heavenly mold.

　　God's secret for victory has always involved a separation from those sights, sounds and sensations which mesmerize the mind. From Eve and David we learn how dangerous it is to linger and look upon that which can lead to sin. Like Joseph, we must often turn and flee physically from the magnet of inviting temptation. The emotions can be overpowered and the will paralyzed if we allow ourselves to smell the aroma of sin, or gaze on the beauty of sin, or listen to the soft sounds of sin. In order for the converted to stay converted, there must be a deliberate withdrawal from the presence of recognized evil. How thankful we can be that God always opens our eyes and makes us aware of the enchanted ground. Total victory is available only through surrender of self, renunciation of the world, and dynamic decision and action.

　　It is the will which is responsible for deciding and acting against temptation. The power to deny self and say NO to the most alluring form of sensual appeal has been made available to every child of God. This is how Moses "refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer ... than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." Hebrews 11:24, 25. This was the secret of Joseph's strength. Potiphar's wife said, "Lie with me. But he refused." Genesis 39:7, 8. How that word rings and resounds with the power of a committed will. They refused! God did not refuse for them. He gave them the desire and the strength to resist, but that refusal sprang from their personal decisive choice to obey God rather than self. God had given them a mind to reason with, to choose with, and to refuse with!

　　Were those horrendous spiritual tests in line with Satan's usual method of trying to make people sin? Indeed Moses and Joseph were confronted with such an overpowering appeal to the natural, carnal appetites that we almost tremble for them as we read the account. The place, time and circumstances of their temptation must have been adorned with all the powerful factors that Satan could put together as an appeal to youthful emotions. But they refused! Thank God! Had they made the slightest concession to the flesh, their wills would have wavered, and the rest of the story would be quite different in the Bible. A little leaven of sin can gradually break down the spiritual barriers and invade the soul.

　　Now consider the example of another young man who faced the same physical temptation that Joseph faced, but he did not turn and flee from it. Samson started out with all the assets of a holy, consecrated life. He had been separated by special vows of devotion to God and his people. Then slowly the Nazarite youth began to incline to the indulgent lifestyle of the neighboring Philistines. Little by little his association with the enemy of Israel led to admiration for them, and especially for one designing ' woman named Delilah. By each succeeding compromise, he breached the conditions of his dedication to God. Finally, only one outward symbol remained to remind him that he had been set apart for a special work of deliverance for his people----his unshorn hair. Inevitably the cascade of capitulation led to that tragic moment when he weakly betrayed the final secret of his miserably desolated life.

　　Like so many other stories in the Old Testament, this one was also written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Samson teaches us that we cannot gain the victory over a foe that we secretly admire. We can't mingle with the impure and remain pure. We can't tease and trifle with sin without being contaminated. "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition." I Corinthians 10:11.

　　What "things" is the inspired apostle referring to? What happened to the Israelites which provides counsel and direction for us today? Read the previous verses and you will discover that Paul is talking about breaking God's law. The very words used in the recital exposes the nature of the transgressions which served so effectively in destroying thousands of them almost on the borders of Canaan. Notice what forms of temptation were the most successful in drawing them away from God-"fornication," "play," "lust," "eat and drink." Does that sound familiar? All those words are associated with physical pleasure and entertainment. They ate and drank and lusted and "rose up to play...and the people were naked." Exodus 32:6, 25.

　　If we tried to describe the vulgarized world of media entertainment today, we could think of no better words than those used in this description of Israel's folly. When all other Satanic programs failed to halt them in their march toward the promised land, the enemy played his trump card, and assailed their senses with wine, women and nakedness. Those whose minds were not fortified with an unwavering faith in God's law of love were swept into an orgy of uninhibited sexual indulgence.

　　Inspiration reveals that this will be a final resort of the enemy in seeking to destroy modern Israel. "By worldly friendships, by the charms of beauty, by pleasure seeking, mirth, feasting, or the wine cup, he tempts to the violation of the seventh commandment.... So now it is by leading the followers of Christ to associate with the ungodly and unite in their amusements that Satan is most successful in alluring them into sin." Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 458.

　　If our great enemy was able to destroy three thousand of the Israelites at Sinai through feasting, playing and nakedness, how many Seventh-day Adventists will fall prey to these devices just before the heavenly Canaan? We have proven that Satan's frontal line of attack is emotional and mental. Today he has a million times more equipment to corrupt the morals and destroy spirituality through the avenues of the mind than he did at Baal-peor. God's servant tells us that two subtleties will be the most successful in alluring God's people into sin-association with the ungodly and uniting in their amusements.

　　Just as Israel of old represented God's only earthly means of communicating His message, so there is only one people today who have the fully restored truths of history to share with the world. We need have no illusions about the type of attacks we can expect from our great enemy. They will be launched against the mind, and they will contain the very same elements which worked so well to keep Israel out of the promised land.

　　Satan is more desperate now than ever before in trying to prove that God's law cannot be obeyed. The great experiment will soon be over. In his limited, remaining time, Satan is determined to throw everything in his arsenal against the little remnant who still believe that total victory is possible. He has no problem with those who already agree with him. Most of the Christian world, and many Seventh-day Adventists, believe that sin is of such a nature that it can never be overcome in this life. If God is able to vindicate and defend His character against the charges of Satan, He will have to produce a people who have overcome all sin. His gospel is designed to accomplish that very work, but only those who believe it can be done will cooperate with Him in such a purifying program. Those who see the required righteousness of the saints as totally imputed and never actually experienced, will certainly make no provision to live without sin. Only those who do believe it possible to live holy righteous lives will "make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." Romans 13:14.

　　Right now would be a good time to pause and ask yourself whether you belong to that little company who will have the privilege and honor of vindicating God before the universe. Do you believe that the gospel of Christ is able to destroy all the works of sin in your life? Will He give you power over some sins, but for some reason, deny you the victory over others? Can He abide in the heart which is tolerant of even one sin? I hope your answers to these questions remove every tiny doubt that you can be a part of this grand cosmic experiment to cleanse the universe of sin.