The work of the investigative judgment and the blotting out of sins is to be accomplished before the second advent of the Lord. Since the dead are to be judged out of the things written in the books, it is impossible that the sins of men should be blotted out until after the judgment at which their cases are to be investigated. But the apostle Peter distinctly states that the sins of believers will be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ. When the investigative judgment closes, Christ will come, and His reward will be with Him to give to every man as his work shall be. In the typical service the high priest, having made the atonement for Israel, came forth and blessed the congregation. So Christ, at the close of His work as mediator, will appear . . . to bless His waiting people with eternal life.The G C, pp. 484, 485.
Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. 1 Timothy 5:24. {FLB 213.1}
The work of the investigative judgment and the blotting out of sins is to be accomplished before the second advent of the Lord. Since the dead are to be judged out of the things written in the books, it is impossible that the sins of men should be blotted out until after the judgment at which their cases are to be investigated ... When the investigative judgment closes, Christ will come, and His reward will be with Him to give to every man as his work shall be. {FLB 213.2}
All are to be judged according to the things written in the books, and to be rewarded as their works have been. This judgment does not take place at death. {FLB 213.3}
In the typical service the high priest, having made the atonement for Israel, came forth and blessed the congregation. So Christ, at the close of His work as mediator, will appear, "without sin unto salvation," to bless His waiting people with eternal life. As the priest, in removing the sins from the sanctuary, confessed them upon the head of the scapegoat, so Christ will place all these sins upon Satan, the originator and instigator of sin. The scapegoat, bearing the sins of Israel, was sent away "unto a land not inhabited;" so Satan, bearing the guilt of all the sins which he has caused God's people to commit, will be for a thousand years confined to the earth, which will then be desolate, without inhabitant, and he will at last suffer the full penalty of sin in the fires that shall destroy all the wicked. {FLB 213.4}
A few, yes, only a few, of the vast number who people the earth will be saved unto life eternal, while the masses who have not perfected their souls in obeying the truth will be appointed to the second death. {FLB 213.5}
While the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God's people upon earth. {FLB 213.6}
And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I willpardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I willpardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
The promises of God to Israel are also for the institutions established today for the glory of His name: "Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is His name; Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning ... this city. Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth ... And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity ... And it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them." "In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness." Jeremiah 33:2-9, 16.
while sins repented of will not be blotted out until the latter rain, they are removed from us
we are pardoned..
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Job 14:17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Isaiah 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Isaiah 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
"while sins repented of will not be blotted out until the latter rain, they are removed from us "
That is an important point. I used that with someone on Youtube a few months ago, telling them that Islam has no method to take care of our sin problem. The man wrote back that their god says he forgives sin, to which I replied "That is the point. What happens after the sin is forgiven? The Qur'an tells of no method to finally erase that sin. Only the blood of God can totally erase that sin." The man seemed surprised at that answer.
The long, black catalogue of our delinquencies is before the eye of the Infinite. The register is complete; none of our offenses are forgotten.But He who listened to the cries of His servant of old, will hear the prayer of faith, and pardon our transgressions. He has promised, and He will fulfill His word.
. . So in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed. . . .
But while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness, they will have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins will have been blotted out by the atoning blood of Christ, and they cannot bring them to remembrance.Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 201, 202.
In 1844 our great High Priest entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to begin the work of the investigative judgment. The cases of the righteous dead have been passing in review before God. When that work shall be completed, judgment is to be pronounced upon the living. How precious, how important are these solemn moments! Each of us has a case pending in the court of heaven. We are individually to be judged according to the deeds done in the body. In the typical service, when the work of atonement was performed by the high priest in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary, the people were required to afflict their souls before God, and confess their sins, that they might be atoned for and blotted out. Will any less be required of us in this antitypical day of atonement, when Christ in the sanctuary above is pleading in behalf of His people, and the final, irrevocable decision is to be pronounced upon every case? {1SM 125.1}
Hi Nb, I assume that the original of the quote I posted is the first item below.
I'm unclear as to what the issue is here.
It seems like one thing that's worth remembering is that the judgment takes place in stages, and is ultimately for the benefit of the universe (second quote below).
If you continue to see an issue here, please let me know.
(1)
In 1844 our great High Priest entered the most holy place of the heavenly Sanctuary, to begin the work of the investigative Judgment. The cases of the righteous dead have been passing in review before God. When that work shall be completed, judgment is to be pronounced upon the living. How precious, how important are these solemn moments! Each of us has a case pending in the court of heaven. We are individually to be judged according to the deeds done in the body. In the typical service, when the work of atonement was performed by the high priest in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary, the people were required to afflict their souls before God, and confess their sins, that they might be atoned for and blotted out. Will any less be required of us in this antitypical day of atonement, when Christ in the Sanctuary above is pleading in behalf of his people, and the final, irrevocable decision is to be pronounced upon every case? {RH, March 22, 1887 par. 9}
(2)
The final judgment is a most solemn, awful event. This must take place before the universe. To the Lord Jesus the Father has committed all judgment. He will declare the reward of loyalty to all who obey the law of Jehovah. God will be honored and His government vindicated and glorified, and that in the presence of the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds. On the largest possible scale will the government of God be vindicated and exalted. It is not the judgment of one individual or of one nation but of the whole world. Oh, what a change will then be made in the understanding of all created beings. Then all will see the value of eternal life. {21MR 349.1}
