Suffering and the Great Controversy - Part 2
In our last newsletter, we looked at God, how He created His intelligent creatures to function, and the mysterious fall/rebellion of Lucifer. Now, we are going to continue where we left off.
God’s Intervention
Every government has laws by which it operates. The order of the kingdom and the safety of its citizens are dependent upon those laws. And God’s kingdom has a law as well—a just and unselfish law which is a reflection of God’s character. The law of God—the Law of Life—is the law that shows what love is and how it operates. And this law is the foundation of God’s government. Safety, harmony, order, and freedom are found within the confines of this law. Outside of it are danger, contention, chaos, and slavery to sin. And the happiness of all God’s creatures is dependent upon their harmony with God’s law of love and freedom.
God desires from all His creatures the service of love that is voluntary. And the allegiance of His creatures must rest upon an appreciation of His loving character. God will never argue, manipulate, coerce, or force. He draws, calls, knocks, informs, educates, reasons, strives with, and demonstrates. But Lucifer could and did use all the methods that God could not use in his attempt to overthrow God’s kingdom.
God and the loyal angels tried to help Lucifer see how he was wrong and what would be the outcome if he continued in the pathway he was on. They tried to show Lucifer that God was not motivated by selfishness, but by the most profound unselfishness. They tried to show Lucifer that God’s law was no imposition upon their rights and freedoms. His law was just and reasonable, and for the protection and good of all.
Lucifer’s Response
But pride prevailed. Lucifer believed he could see through the efforts of this apparently selfless God who was in reality selfish and just trying to protect His own interests. He believed he could see the issues better than the poor, deceived angels who were still duped by God into believing that He had their best interests in mind.
Lucifer’s efforts thus far had been of such a nature that his real intentions and motives were not clear. He made it seem as though he was working for the good of all heaven and that he was not in rebellion against God. He was simply trying to improve the existing system. He claimed to be working for the freedom of all. He claimed to have a better plan than God for the government of heaven. He claimed that God’s law was an unnecessary, arbitrary imposition upon God’s creatures for the purpose of enslaving them to Himself. And he asserted that the freedom that the angels had always enjoyed was at an end, unless a significant change could be made in the government of heaven.
He would talk to other angels about these issues, and when they would express similar thoughts or doubts, he would quote them to others, stating that they were discontent, and he was only seeking to restore harmony. He told them that, being the selfish God that He was, the Father would not long tolerate his attempts to improve heaven. He told them that God would remove him from his exalted position, and if necessary, drive him out of heaven entirely, or destroy him, for God could tolerate no rival to His throne.
The Plea and Final Choice
God did everything consistent with His character to convince Lucifer of his error. He showed him that his disaffection was without a just cause. He showed him what would be the result if he persisted in revolt. God clearly laid before him the consequences of the course he was pursuing, and appealed to him, as only a loving Father could, to repent and return. It was not too late. If he would humble himself, admit that he was wrong, and submit himself to God’s loving leadership and His law of love and freedom, he would be permitted to remain in heaven. But, if he persisted in rebellion, for the sake of the loyal angels, he would be required to leave heaven and finally to be destroyed.
This appeal touched Lucifer. In that moment, he could see that the Father was love. He could see that God’s law was just. He could see that he had been fighting an underhanded war that had no justified foundation. He could see that he was wrong. He could also see that he had not gone too far yet. It was not too late for him to turn back from his downward course. He could still repent. He could still acknowledge before all that he was wrong and the Father was right. He could still submit himself to the Father’s wise and loving leadership.
But, what about the others he had talked to? What about the many, many angels that he had influenced to believe in his perspective? What would they think? What would everyone think of him? Who would ever trust him again if he acknowledged that he was wrong? Would he not be treated with suspicion forevermore? That Fatherly appeal of love tugged on that heart that was so steeped in pride and selfishness. And Lucifer struggled hard with this conviction. What would prevail? Would he persist in pride and selfishness and seeking to have his own way? Or would he give in to such patient and forbearing love and submit himself to the God who bore so long with his rebellion?
After a long struggle with conviction, pride prevailed. He would not embarrass himself like that before those whom he had influenced. He would not admit that he was wrong. Did he not have plenty of evidence that God was selfish, arbitrary, dictatorial, etc.? He would not accept that he was wrong. He rejected the convictions he had recently entertained of God’s justice and his own injustice. God’s mercy and forbearance were misinterpreted as weakness, and Satan believed that he could win. He committed himself to a great controversy with his maker.
At this point, Satan irreparably damaged his conscience. From now on, he could never be recovered from his rebellion. Nothing more could be revealed to him that could convince him to change his mind and his course as his decision had been made in the light of full truth.
Open Conflict
Now, Satan openly and boldly presented his position to his sympathizers. He would no longer submit to God’s invasions of everyone’s rights. He would claim the honor and leadership that should be his and take command of all those loyal to himself. He promised a new and better government to all who would follow him.
He tried to gain the upper hand by falsifying God’s words, by misrepresenting His plan of government, and by making it seem that God was requiring submission and obedience from His creatures from selfish motives.
And, as previously, God could only respond in a manner consistent with His character. God could not accuse, argue, coerce, force, overwhelm, etc. So, how was He to clear His name before the watching universe? He must allow every accusation made by Satan to play out—to be demonstrated—so that the final result would clearly show who was right and who was wrong. As God’s character and motives had been called into question, God could not simply claim that Satan was wrong, and He was right. He must demonstrate before all that Satan was wrong and He was right. Both God’s way and Satan’s way must be allowed to play out, so that the final effects of both could be clearly seen, and all could freely judge for themselves which way was right and which way was wrong, which way they wanted to follow and which way they wanted to avoid.
God allowed Satan to carry forward his work until disaffection turned into active revolt. Still, it was not clear to the watching universe what direction Satan’s plans were heading in. And until his work developed into active revolt, his position could not be seen to be the evil thing that it was. Until his work developed into active revolt, his disaffection would not have been seen to be rebellion. His true character, and the character of his accusations, must be understood by all. Therefore, he must have time to reveal himself through his actions.
True to his cunning, Satan blamed God’s government for all the discord that he was causing in heaven. He claimed that all evil was the result of God’s administration. He would never have to do what he was doing if God’s government had not been flawed. It was his object to improve upon God’s law and government for the good of all.
God permitted him to demonstrate the nature of his claims and how his proposed changes to the government would work out. Oh, the longsuffering love of our Heavenly Father! So patient with one who was so malicious!
In time, Satan’s disaffection did turn into open rebellion. It was then time for a final decision, not for Satan, but for the other angels. Each had been presented with the principles and plans of God’s government and the principles and plans of Satan’s government. Each would be left free to choose which government and leader they would submit to. Each was informed again what the results would be of choosing the government of God or the government of Satan. Each was given the opportunity to publicly demonstrate which side they chose and who they followed. And when everyone’s allegiance was clearly revealed, then, for the sake of the angels who remained faithful to God and His government, the others were expelled from heaven. For only thus could the peace and harmony of heaven be preserved.
The Great Controversy Extended
Even after he was cast out of heaven, Satan was not destroyed. God only accepts the service of love, which is voluntary, and the allegiance of His creatures must rest upon a conviction of His justice and benevolence. The heavenly beings still had no idea of what sin really was and what its nature and consequences were, therefore, they could not have seen the justice of God in destroying the rebels at this time. If the rebels would have been destroyed at this time, others would have served God from fear, and Satan’s influence would not be destroyed. The spirit of rebellion would have continued, and rebellion would have arisen again in heaven.
For the good of the entire universe, Satan must be given time to develop and reveal his principles completely, so that his charges against God’s government might be clearly seen by all contrasted against the working of God’s principles and government. From here, Satan and his followers went to share the principles of his proposed government with other intelligent creatures to see if he could gain a larger following.
To be continued…
Prayer Team
If you would like to be a part of our PRAYER TEAM, please send your name and email address to [email protected] and we will add you to our team. We are grateful for all who have volunteered and are always looking for more prayer warriors.
Group Session Notifications?
We offer group sessions every Monday night from 6:30-8:30pm Central Time. If you would like to be notified/reminded before each group session begins, simply email us at [email protected] and let us know. We will add you to that list. Anyone can join the group sessions during those times at this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87592054012 and prior group sessions can be viewed on our YouTube channel HERE.
Ministry Updates
Join Us for Camp Meeting in September!Join us in the Ozarks on our ministry property, September 20-24, 2023. Our theme is Living Free, and we will be looking at why we find ourselves captive to so many things and how we can truly be free in Christ. We plan on this camp meeting being very practical, with small group sessions and activities to encourage personal application of the Living Free principles. For those who are interested, we will have vegan meals provided. The accommodations on campus will be primitive, but the fellowship and spiritual revival will make up for the lack of comfortable accommodations. There are several RV spots available, as well as a hotel within 15 minutes of our location for those that aren’t interested in tent camping. To register, click on this link and fill out your information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/633764184737. More of your questions will be answered on the registration page under the Q&A section. Please plan on joining us and inviting your friends and family. But register soon, as we can only accommodate a limited number of people on our property.
Campus Updates
We are grateful for some cooperative weather and helpers. Since our last newsletter, we were able to reroof our house (which was leaking), bring in more gravel for the RV sites, get 8 of the 10 RV sites ready, and work on a few more small projects around the campus. We plan to reroof the pavilion this coming month, and it would be nice to be able to complete the gravel for the RV area, but that will require several thousand dollars to complete, which we don’t have at the moment. The Lord knows, and He will provide in His time and way.
Augusta, Georgia
We had a wonderful time in Augusta, Georgia in mid April. The church was very receptive. The people were so friendly and hospitable. And the messages were powerful. The group decided it would be a good thing to start a Law of Life book club to continue growing in their understanding of and experience in taking to give. We are grateful you are now a part of our family.
Bowling Green, Ohio
We also had the privilege of speaking at the Bowling Green State University for the weekend in late April. These meetings were advertised for the community, so we built a broader foundation before introducing God and specifically Christian topics. The people transitioned well. We had a lively group with lots of questions. The Holy Spirit was moving powerfully, and several said it was the most transformative series of meetings they have ever experienced in their lives. The following week, a Law of Life book study started in Bowling Green. Thank you, Bowling Green, for your love, hospitality, and support. We are grateful you are a part of our family too.
Lansdale, Pennsylvania
This last weekend, we were blessed to spend the weekend with the Lansdale SDA Church. In addition to meeting an old classmate, we met a lot of wonderful people we didn’t know before. We had fewer presentations than usual, so we didn’t get to focus on the physical health aspects as much as we usually do, but the mental & spiritual health messages were powerful. We are so grateful for meeting each of you and getting to know you.
Documentary Interview
While we were in Pennsylvania, I participated in an interview for a documentary that is being filmed by Fitzroy Anderson of Midnight Cry Media. The documentary is looking at the impact that pre-existing health conditions had on infections and mortality in the recent pandemic, and argues that we need to focus on being more healthy overall so that we aren’t as susceptible to bad outcomes in epidemics and pandemics. It also focuses on lifestyle interventions and natural remedies that can be helpful for infectious diseases. Of course, I tried to bring out the importance of the mind in relation to susceptibility.
Dinner with the Doctor
Each month our local church has been hosting a Dinner with the Doctor program. I will speak about a particular health topic. My wife comes up with the recipes for the meal. The ladies from church make the food. And the invitees get a free meal and lecture in our church’s fellowship hall. We have enjoyed meeting and starting to develop relationships with new members of the community through this program.
YouTube
Keep your eye out for new videos on our YouTube channel youtube.com/@NewParadigmMinistries We have recently uploaded a 24-part series of the Law of Life which you can find HERE. Of course, all our group sessions can be found on the channel HERE. We have started posting a 5-part Law of Life series in German, posting a new video each Thursday at 5pm German Time. Those will be found HERE. We have also started posting a 7-part Law of Life series in Portuguese which will present a new video each Tuesday at 3pm Central Time. Those will be found HERE. Also, keep an eye out for our new All About Addictions series which will be posted each Friday at 5pm Central Time starting this Friday. We will also start posting a Law of Life series in Serbian on Thursdays beginning in May.
Online Store
We now have our books available on our online store. You can see what is available at https://npmin.org/shop/. We will eventually have our natural products on the ministry store as well. If you would like bulk pricing on books, please email us at [email protected].
Counseling or Health Consultations
If you are struggling with personal, relationship, or health challenges, we are available to counsel with you. Virtual appointments can be scheduled through our website at https://npmin.org/appointments
Upcoming Events
2023
June 16-18
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking for the Amity SDA Church in Amity, Arkansas.
June 28-July 2
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking at the Red River Camp Meeting in Stanton, Kentucky.
July 14-16
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking at the Hot Springs, SDA Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
July 24-30
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking for the Family Camp in Pearland, Texas.
August 2-5
We plan to have a booth at the international ASI convention in Kansas City, so come see us.
August 11-13
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking at the Houston SDA Church in Houston, Missouri.
August 30 – September 2
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking at the MEET Ministry camp meeting in Huntingdon, Tennessee.
September 20-24
Plan to join us in Cabool, Missouri for our first New Paradigm Ministries camp meeting! We will have RV sites available as well as tent camping. There are also some local hotels that can be used for housing.
September 28-30
New Paradigm Ministries plans to join the North American Outpost Centers International leadership retreat in Wildwood, Georgia.
October 13-15
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking for the Orange City/Debary SDA Church in Debary, Florida.
October 26-29
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking in Cuba.
November
Dr. Sandoval plans to be in Brazil promoting the Law of Life book, which has been translated into Portuguese.
2024
March 1-2
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking at the Post Falls Idaho SDA Church.
March 8-10
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking at the SDA Church in Champaigne, Illinois.
April 26-28
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking in St. Louis, Missouri.
May 4-11
Dr. Sandoval will be conducting a mental health seminar at the Hayden Lake SDA Church north of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
June 26-30
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking for the Red River Camp Meeting in Stanton, Kentucky.
July 25-28
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking for the Pathway to Paradise camp meeting in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.
August 18-25
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking for camp meeting in Salem, Pennsylvania.
September 25-29
We will have our 2nd annual New Paradigm Ministries camp meeting at our ministry location in Cabool, Missouri.
October 2-27
Dr. Sandoval will be speaking in New Zealand and Australia.
Donate
If the Lord is laying it upon your heart to support the work of New Paradigm Ministries financially, we would be most appreciative. We still have some work that needs to be done in our campground before the camp meeting next September, including a new roof on our pavilion as well as gravel work on the road. Your tax-deductible donations can be given via check to:
New Paradigm Ministries
14527 Berry Rd.
Cabool, MO 65689
Or you can donate on our website HERE. Also, consider including New Paradigm Ministries in your will or estate planning.