Issue: 2013 December

Bible Study Guides – Single-Hearted Purpose

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January 19, 2014 – January 25, 2014

Key Text

“As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” I Peter 1:15, 16.

Study Help: Christ’s Object Lessons, 100–102.

Introduction

“As long as we continue to keep our eyes fixed upon the Author and Finisher of our faith we shall be safe. But our affections must be placed upon things above, not on things on the earth. By faith we must rise higher and still higher in the attainments of the graces of Christ. By daily contemplating His matchless charms, we must grow more and more into His glorious image. While we thus live in communion with Heaven, Satan will lay his nets for us in vain.” My Life Today, 105.

1 AUTHOR OF OUR FAITH

  • To Whom should we look upon and what should be laid aside as the race of life is run? Hebrews 12:1, 2.

Note: “In the epistle to the Hebrews is pointed out the single-hearted purpose that should characterize the Christian’s race for eternal life: ‘Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith’ (Hebrews 12:1, 2).” The Acts of the Apostles, 312.

2 GREAT PRACTICAL NECESSITY

  • How is faith acquired? Romans 10:17; John 17:17.

Note: “If studied and obeyed, the word of God works in the heart, subduing every unholy attribute. The Holy Spirit comes to convict of sin, and the faith that springs up in the heart works by love to Christ, conforming us in body, soul, and spirit to His own image. Then God can use us to do His will. The power given us works from within outwardly, leading us to communicate to others the truth that has been communicated to us.

“The truths of the word of God meet man’s great practical necessity—the conversion of the soul through faith. These grand principles are not to be thought too pure and holy to be brought into the daily life. They are truths which reach to heaven and compass eternity, yet their vital influence is to be woven into human experience. They are to permeate all the great things and all the little things of life.

“Received into the heart, the leaven of truth will regulate the desires, purify the thoughts, and sweeten the disposition. It quickens the faculties of the mind and the energies of the soul. It enlarges the capacity for feeling, for loving.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 100, 101.

3 RECEIVE STRENGTH

  • What is the result when taking hold of God’s promises? (See Note.)

Note: “The moment you grasp God’s promises by faith and say, I am the lost sheep that Jesus came to save, a new life will take possession of you, and you will receive strength to resist the tempter. But faith to grasp the promises does not come by feeling.

“Take God’s word on trust, saying, He loves me: He gave His life for me; and He will save me.” In Heavenly Places, 116.

  • What does the Lord encourage and what is the result? Psalm 34:8; John 16:24.

Note: “God invites us to prove for ourselves the reality of His Word, the truth of His promises. … His promises will be fulfilled. They have never failed; they never can fail. …

“Our Saviour wants you to keep in close relation to Himself, that He may make you happy.” The Faith I Live By, 123.

  • How are we to participate in this race? Hebrews 12:1; I Corinthians 9:26, 27.

Note: “Have you ever watched a hawk in pursuit of a timid dove? Instinct has taught the dove that in order for the hawk to seize his prey, he must gain a loftier flight than his victim. So she rises higher and still higher into the blue dome of heaven, ever pursued by the hawk, which is seeking to obtain the advantage. But in vain. The dove is safe as long as she allows nothing to stop her in her flight, or draw her earthward; but let her once falter, and take a lower flight, and her watchful enemy will swoop down upon his victim. Again and again have we watched this scene with almost breathless interest, all our sympathies with the little dove. How sad we should have felt to see it fall a victim to the cruel hawk!

“We have before us a warfare—a lifelong conflict with Satan and his seductive temptations. The enemy will use every argument, every deception, to entangle the soul; and in order to win the crown of life, we must put forth earnest, persevering effort. We must not lay off the armor or leave the battlefield until we have gained the victory, and can triumph in our Redeemer.” My Life Today, 105.

“Paul knew that his warfare against evil would not end so long as life should last. Ever he realized the need of putting a strict guard upon himself, that earthly desires might not overcome spiritual zeal. With all his power he continued to strive against natural inclinations. Ever he kept before him the ideal to be attained, and this ideal he strove to reach by willing obedience to the law of God. His words, his practices, his passions—all were brought under the control of the Spirit of God.” God’s Amazing Grace, 273.

4 TRIALS OF OUR FAITH

  • What will be the ending result for the faithful? I Peter 1:7–9.

Note: “The most trying experiences in the Christian’s life may be the most blessed. The special providences of the dark hours may encourage the soul in future attacks of Satan, and equip the servant of God to stand in fiery trials. The trial of your faith is more precious than gold. You must have that abiding confidence in God that is not disturbed by the temptations and arguments of the deceiver. Take the Lord at His word. You must study the promises, and appropriate them as you have need.” Our High Calling, 324.

  • What should be the response to the trials of our faith? I Peter 4:12, 13.

Note: “In the full light of day, and in hearing of the music of other voices, the caged bird will not sing the song that his master seeks to teach him. He learns a snatch of this, a trill of that, but never a separate and entire melody. But the master covers the cage, and places it where the bird will listen to the one song he is to sing. In the dark, he tries and tries again to sing that song until it is learned, and he breaks forth in perfect melody. Then the bird is brought forth, and ever after he can sing that song in the light. Thus God deals with His children. He has a song to teach us, and when we have learned it amid the shadows of affliction we can sing it ever afterward.” The Ministry of Healing, 472.

“Trial is part of the education given in the school of Christ, to purify God’s children from the dross of earthliness. It is because God is leading His children that trying experiences come to them. Trials and obstacles are His chosen methods of discipline, and His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of men knows their weaknesses better than they themselves can know them. He sees that some have qualifications which, if rightly directed, could be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these souls into different positions and varied circumstances, that they may discover the defects that are concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to overcome these defects and to fit themselves for service. Often He permits the fires of affliction to burn, that they may be purified.” The Acts of the Apostles, 524.

5 THE EXPECTATION

  • Who demonstrated more faith than all of those in Israel and what was Jesus’ response? Matthew 8:6–10.

Note: “The centurion’s servant had been stricken with palsy, and lay at the point of death. …

“Jesus immediately set out for the officer’s home … . The news of His coming preceded Him, and the centurion, in his self-distrust, sent Him the message, ‘Lord, trouble not Thyself: for I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof’ (Luke 7:6). But the Saviour kept on His way, and the centurion, venturing at last to approach Him, completed the message, saying, ‘Neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it’ (verses 7, 8). As I represent the power of Rome, and my soldiers recognize my authority as supreme, so dost Thou represent the power of the Infinite God, and all created things obey Thy word. Thou canst command the disease to depart, and it shall obey Thee. Thou canst summon Thy heavenly messengers, and they shall impart healing virtue. Speak but the word, and my servant shall be healed.” The Desire of Ages, 315, 316.

“ ‘When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned Him about, and said unto the people that followed Him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel’ (Luke 7:9). And to the centurion He said, ‘As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.’ And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour (Matthew 8:13).” The Desire of Ages, 316.

ADDITIONAL READING

“The truths of the word of God meet man’s great practical necessity—the conversion of the soul through faith. These grand principles are not to be thought too pure and holy to be brought into the daily life. They are truths which reach to heaven and compass eternity, yet their vital influence is to be woven into human experience. They are to permeate all the great things and all the little things of life.

“How far we come from representing the character of Christ! But we must lay hold of His merits by living faith, and claim Him as our Saviour. He died on Calvary to save us. Each should make it a personal work between God and his own soul, as though there were no one in the world but himself. When we exercise personal faith, our hearts will not be as cold as an iron wedge; we shall be able to realize what is meant by the psalmist when he says, ‘Blessed is he … whose sin is covered’ (Psalm 32:1).” The Faith I Live By, 123.

Studies compiled by Judy Hallingstad. Judy is part of the LandMarks team and can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Bible Study Guides – Faith that Lives

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January 12, 2014 – January 18, 2014

Key Text

“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17.

Study Help: Gospel Workers, 259–263; The Signs of the Times, May 19, 1898.

Introduction

“There is nothing in faith that makes it our saviour. Faith cannot remove our guilt. Christ is the power of God unto salvation to all them that believe. The justification comes through the merits of Jesus Christ. He has paid the price for the sinner’s redemption. Yet it is only through faith in His blood that Jesus can justify the believer.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1071.

1 TWO ARMS

  • In what frame of mind should God be approached? Hebrews 11:6.

Note: “The greatest victories gained for the cause of God are not the result of labored argument, ample facilities, wide influence, or abundance of means; they are gained in the audience chamber with God, when with earnest, agonizing faith men lay hold upon the mighty arm of power.” Gospel Workers, 259.

  • What is necessary to lay hold upon the power of Infinite Love? (See Note.)

Note: “True faith and true prayer—how strong they are! They are as two arms by which the human suppliant lays hold upon the power of Infinite Love. Faith is trusting in God—believing that He loves us, and knows what is for our best good. Thus, instead of our own way, it leads us to choose His way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness. Our lives, ourselves, are already His; faith acknowledges His ownership, and accepts its blessings. Truth, uprightness, purity, are pointed out as secrets of life’s success. It is faith that puts us in possession of these. Every good impulse or aspiration is the gift of God; faith receives from God the life that alone can produce true growth and efficiency.” Gospel Workers, 259.

2 LOOK BEYOND THE PRESENT

  • What is the victory that overcomes the world? I John 5:4.

Note: “It is faith that enables us to look beyond the present, with its burdens and cares, to the great hereafter, where all that now perplexes us shall be made plain. Faith sees Jesus standing as our Mediator at the right hand of God. Faith beholds the mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for those who love Him. Faith sees the robe and crown prepared for the overcomer, and hears the song of the redeemed.

“Perfect faith, the surrender of self to God, simple trust in His pledged word, should be a part of every minister’s experience. Only as a minister has this experience can he make the subject of faith plain to the doubting and distrustful.” Gospel Workers, 260.

  • If faith is not feeling, what is it? Hebrews 11:1.
  • Because faith is not allied to presumption, what should be our prayer? Psalm 19:13, 14.

Note: “Faith is not feeling. … True faith is in no sense allied to presumption. Only he who has true faith is secure against presumption, for presumption is Satan’s counterfeit of faith.

“Faith claims God’s promises and brings forth fruit in obedience. Presumption also claims the promises, but uses them as Satan did, to excuse transgression. Faith would have led our first parents to trust the love of God and to obey His commands. Presumption led them to transgress His law, believing that His great love would save them from the consequences of their sin. It is not faith that claims the favor of Heaven without complying with the conditions on which mercy is to be granted. Genuine faith has its foundation in the promises and provisions of the Scriptures.” Gospel Workers, 260.

3 HEALING TO THE SOUL

  • Through what are we kept by the power of God? I Peter 1:3–5.

Note: “To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul-hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ, which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere intellectual assent to the truth. He who waits for entire knowledge before he will exercise faith, cannot receive blessing from God.” Gospel Workers, 260.

  • Do devils believe? James 2:19.

Note: “It is not enough to believe about Christ; we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. But saving faith is a transaction, by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power.” [Emphasis author’s.] Gospel Workers, 261.

  • From where does faith come? Romans 10:16, 17.

4 TRYING EXPERIENCES

  • How should we respond to trying experiences? I Peter 1:5–9.

Note: “Faith takes God at His word, not asking to understand the meaning of the trying experiences that come. But there are many who have little faith. They are always fearing and borrowing trouble. Every day they are surrounded by the tokens of God’s love, every day they enjoy the bounties of His providence; but they overlook these blessings. And the difficulties they encounter, instead of driving them to God, separate them from Him, by arousing unrest and repining.” Gospel Workers, 261.

  • What does God make available to those who ask? Ephesians 3:20, 16; 1:19.

Note: “Do they well to be thus unbelieving? Jesus is their friend. All heaven is interested in their welfare, and their fear and repining grieve the Holy Spirit. Not because we see or feel that God hears us are we to believe. We are to trust His promises. When we come to Him in faith, we should believe that every petition enters into the heart of Christ. When we have asked for His blessing, we should believe that we receive it, and thank Him that we have it. Then we are to go about our duties, assured that the blessing will be sent when we need it most. When we have learned to do this, we shall know that our prayers are answered.” Gospel Workers, 261.

  • How did Jesus admonish Peter that this is also applicable to us today? Matthew 14:31.

Note: “Often the Christian life is beset with dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before, and bondage and death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, Go forward. Let us obey the command, even though our sight cannot penetrate the darkness. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every uncertainty disappears, and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey. Faith looks beyond the difficulties, and lays hold of the unseen, even Omnipotence, therefore it cannot be baffled. Faith is the clasping of the hand of Christ in every emergency.

“The worker for God needs strong faith. Appearances may seem forbidding; but in the darkest hour there is light beyond. The strength of those who, in faith, love and serve God, will be renewed day by day. The understanding of the Infinite is placed at their service, that in carrying out His purposes they may not err. Let these workers hold the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end, remembering that the light of God’s truth is to shine amid the darkness that enshrouds our world.” Gospel Workers, 262.

5 ALL THE STRENGTH WE NEED

  • What advice is given by the wise man, Solomon? Proverbs 30:5.

Note: “There is to be no despondency in connection with God’s service. The faith of the consecrated worker is to stand every test brought upon it. God is able and willing to bestow upon His servants all the strength they need, and to give them the wisdom that their varied necessities demand. He will more than fulfil the highest expectations of those who put their trust in Him.” Gospel Workers, 262.

  • Who is the only way to the Father and what has He promised? John 14:6; Psalm 72:12.

Note: “Jesus does not call on us to follow Him, and then forsake us. If we surrender our lives to His service, we can never be placed in a position for which God has not made provision. Whatever may be our situation, we have a Guide to direct our way; whatever our perplexities, we have a sure Counselor; whatever our sorrow, bereavement, or loneliness, we have a sympathizing Friend. If in our ignorance we make missteps, Christ does not leave us.” Gospel Workers, 263.

  • What has God promised to those who trust in Him? Isaiah 26:3.

Note: “The arm of Omnipotence is outstretched to lead us onward and still onward. Go forward, the Lord says; I will send you help. It is for My name’s glory that you ask; and you shall receive. Those who are watching for your failure shall yet see My word triumph gloriously. ‘All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive’ (Matthew 21:22).” Gospel Workers, 263.

  • Why was Paul not ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Romans 1:16, 17.

Note: “There is nothing in faith that makes it our saviour. Faith cannot remove our guilt. Christ is the power of God unto salvation to all them that believe. The justification comes through the merits of Jesus Christ. He has paid the price for the sinner’s redemption. Yet it is only through faith in His blood that Jesus can justify the believer.

“The sinner cannot depend upon his own good works as a means of justification. He must come to the point where he will renounce all his sin, and embrace one degree of light after another as it shines upon his pathway. He simply grasps by faith the free and ample provision made in the blood of Christ. He believes the promises of God, which through Christ are made unto him sanctification and righteousness and redemption. And if he follows Jesus, he will walk humbly in the light, rejoicing in the light and diffusing that light to others. Being justified by faith, he carries cheerfulness with him in his obedience in all his life. Peace with God is the result of what Christ is to him. The souls who are in subordination to God, who honor Him, and are doers of His Word, will receive divine enlightenment. In the precious Word of God there is purity and loftiness as well as beauty that, unless assisted by God, the highest powers of man cannot attain to.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1071.

Studies compiled by Judy Hallingstad. Judy is part of the LandMarks team and can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Bible Study Guides – Except They Be Agreed

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January 5, 2014 – January 11, 2014

Key Text

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” I Peter 1:2.

Study Help: The Upward Look, 379; “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114.

Introduction

“If we are of one mind with God, our will will be swallowed up in God’s will and we shall follow wherever God leads the way. As a loving child places his hand in that of his father, and walks with him in perfect trust whether it is dark or bright, so the sons and daughters of God are to walk with Jesus through joy or sorrow.” That I May Know Him, 250.

1 BEING FITTED

  • What was God’s original purpose for man? Ephesians 1:4.
  • How is it possible to reach that standard? John 1:12; Hebrews 7:25.

Note: “There could be no such thing as one not prepared for heaven entering heaven. There is no such thing as a human being sanctified and fitted for the heavenly kingdom not having an election to that kingdom. God elects those who have been working on the plan of addition. The explanation is given in the first chapter of Second Peter. For every human being, Christ has paid the election price. No one need be lost. All have been redeemed. To those who receive Christ as a personal Saviour will be given power to become the sons and daughters of God. An eternal life insurance policy has been provided for all.

“Whom God elects, Christ redeems. The Saviour has paid the redemption price for every soul. We are not our own; for we are bought with a price. From the Redeemer, who from the foundation of the world has chosen us, we receive the insurance policy that entitles us to eternal life.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 944.

2 PREDESTINATED

  • Through Whom do we gain our inheritance? Ephesians 1:5, 11.

Note: “In the council of heaven, provision was made that men, though transgressors, should not perish in their disobedience, but, through faith in Christ as their substitute and surety, might become the elect of God predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. God wills that all men should be saved; for ample provision has been made, in giving His only-begotten Son to pay man’s ransom. Those who perish will perish because they refuse to be adopted as children of God through Christ Jesus.” The Signs of the Times, January 2, 1893.

  • How is the salvation of God’s chosen ones secured? I Peter 1:2.

Note: “The Father sets His love upon His elect people who live in the midst of men. These are the people whom Christ has redeemed by the price of His own blood; and because they respond to the drawing of Christ, through the sovereign mercy of God, they are elected to be saved as His obedient children. Upon them is manifested the free grace of God, the love wherewith He hath loved them. Everyone who will humble himself as a little child, who will receive and obey the word of God with a child’s simplicity, will be among the elect of God.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114.

3 CONDITIONS

  • For what are we to diligently strive? II Peter 1:10.

Note: “Here is the condition of the only saving election in the word of God. We are to become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to add grace to grace, and the promise is, ‘If ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (II Peter 1:10, 11).” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114.

“If we comply with the conditions the Lord has made, we shall secure our election to salvation. Perfect obedience to His commandments is the evidence that we love God, and are not hardened in sin.

“There are in the church those who are not made any better by their connection with it. They themselves break the terms of their election. Obedience to the commandments of God gives us a right to the privileges of His church.” Ibid., 1079.

  • Is salvation unconditional? II Peter 2:15–20.

Note: “There is no such thing in the word of God as unconditional election—once in grace, always in grace. In the second chapter of Second Peter the subject is made plain and distinct. After a history of some who followed an evil course, the explanation is given: [II Peter 2:15–20 quoted.] Here is a class of whom the apostle warns, ‘For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them’ (II Peter 2:21).” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114.

4 ONCE SAVED – ALWAYS SAVED?

  • How does Ezekiel describe the events leading to salvation? Ezekiel 18:21; 33:13.

Note: “There is truth to be received if souls are saved. The keeping of the commandments of God is life eternal to the receiver. But the Scriptures make it plain that those who once knew the way of life and rejoiced in the truth are in danger of falling through apostasy, and being lost. Therefore there is need of a decided, daily conversion to God.

“All who seek to sustain the doctrine of election, once in grace, always in grace, do this against a plain, ‘Thus saith the Lord’ [Ezekiel 18:21; 33:13 quoted].

“Those who have been truly converted have been buried with Christ in the likeness of His death, and raised from the watery grave in the likeness of His resurrection, to walk in newness of life. By faithful obedience to the truth they are to make their calling and election sure.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1114, 1115.

  • What are the two agencies at work in the plan of salvation? II Thessalonians 2:13.

Note: “In this text the two agencies in the work of salvation are revealed—the divine influence, and the strong, living faith of those who follow Christ. It is through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth that we become laborers together with God. Christ waits for the co-operation of His church. He does not design to add a new element of efficiency to His word; He has done His great work in giving His inspiration to the word. The blood of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the divine word, are ours. The object of all this provision of heaven is before us—the salvation of the souls for whom Christ died; and it depends upon us to lay hold on the promises God has given, and become laborers together with Him. Divine and human agencies must co-operate in the work.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students, 22.

  • Who did Jesus say would hear His voice? John 18:37.

Note: “Here are the conditions upon which every soul will be elected to eternal life. Your obedience to God’s commandments will prove your right to an inheritance with the saints in light. God has elected a certain excellence of character; and every one who, through the grace of Christ, shall reach the standard of His requirement, will have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of glory. All who would reach this standard of character, will have to employ the means that God has provided to this end. If you would inherit the rest that remaineth for the children of God, you must become a co-laborer with God. You are elected to wear the yoke of Christ—to bear His burden, to lift His cross. You are to be diligent ‘to make your calling and election sure’ (11 Peter 1:10). Search the Scriptures, and you will see that not a son or a daughter of Adam is elected to be saved in disobedience to God’s law. The world makes void the law of God; but Christians are chosen to sanctification through obedience to the truth. They are elected to bear the cross, if they would wear the crown.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 125, 126.

5 SWALLOWED UP IN GOD’S WILL

  • What is increased to those who have gained precious faith? II Peter 1:1, 2.
  • To those who do not agree in their faith, what question is asked? Amos 3:3.

Note: “If we are of one mind with God, our will will be swallowed up in God’s will and we shall follow wherever God leads the way. As a loving child places his hand in that of his father, and walks with him in perfect trust whether it is dark or bright, so the sons and daughters of God are to walk with Jesus through joy or sorrow.

“The soul that loves God loves to draw strength from Him by constant communion with Him. When it becomes the habit of the soul to converse with God, the power of the evil one is broken, for Satan cannot abide near the soul that draws nigh unto God. If Christ is your companion, you will not cherish vain and impure thoughts; you will not indulge in trifling words that will grieve Him who has come to be the sanctifier of your soul.

“Those who are sanctified through the truth are living recommendations of its power, and representatives of their risen Lord. The religion of Christ will refine the taste, sanctify the judgment, elevate, purify, and ennoble the soul, making the Christian more and more fit for the society of the heavenly angels.” That I May Know Him, 250.

Studies compiled by Judy Hallingstad. Judy is part of the LandMarks team and can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Bible Study Guides – Sanctifying Power of Truth

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December 29, 2013 – January 4, 2014

The Gospel Potential

Key Text

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” Matthew 13:33.

Study Help: Christ’s Object Lessons, 95–102; The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.

Introduction

“None are so vile, none have fallen so low, as to be beyond the working of this power. In all who will submit themselves to the Holy Spirit a new principle of life is to be implanted; the lost image of God is to be restored in humanity.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 96.

1 THE LEAVEN

  • To what did Jesus liken the kingdom of heaven? Matthew 13:33.
  • Leaven is used to symbolize what other things? Were there other meanings used or connected with leaven? Luke 12:1; I Corinthians 5:8.

Note: “Among the Jews leaven was sometimes used as an emblem of sin. At the time of the Passover the people were directed to remove all the leaven from their houses as they were to put away sin from their hearts. … But in the Saviour’s parable, leaven is used to represent the kingdom of heaven. It illustrates the quickening, assimilating power of the grace of God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 95.

  • What is the response of those who receive the truth? II John 1:4.

Note: “When leaven is introduced into meal, it penetrates to every part, till an entire change takes place. So it is with the work of the Holy Spirit upon the human heart. The truth received and believed introduces new rules, new principles of action into the life. A new standard of character is set up—the life of Christ. Those who thus receive the truth depend on Christ, and they receive more and still more strength, and greater and still greater light. Daily they expel from their hearts vanity, selfishness, self-righteousness.” This Day With God, 48.

2 RENEWAL OF MIND AND HEART

  • Once leaven is introduced, what happens? Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:21.
  • What happens when the leaven of truth is introduced into the heart?

Note: “As they receive the spirit of Christ, light shines from them in clear, distinct rays. They have a solemn sense of eternal realities. There is a renewal of the entire mind and heart. As the leaven introduced into the meal leavened the whole, so the leaven of truth, if introduced into the heart, will absorb to itself all the properties of soul, body, and spirit.” This Day With God, 48.

  • What must happen before anybody can see the kingdom of God? John 3:3.

Note: “Transformation of heart means an entire change of the entire man. … This change of heart is unseen; for it is an inward work, and yet, it is seen, because it works outward from within.

“Has the leaven of truth been at work in your heart? Has it absorbed the whole heart, the whole affections by its sanctifying power?

“When our minds are controlled by the Spirit of God, we shall understand the lesson taught by the parable of the leaven. Those who open their hearts to receive the truth will realize that the word of God is the great instrumentality in the transformation of character.

“As the leaven operates on the meal, so the Holy Spirit operates on the human heart, absorbing all its capabilities and powers, bringing soul, body, and spirit into conformity to Christ.” The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.

3 LIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING

  • What is it that gives light and understanding? Psalm 119:130, 105.
  • To what is the Word compared? Hebrews 4:12; John 17:17.

Note: “Christ came to this world to declare the truth, that we might be sanctified by it.” The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.

  • Why is it important to know Who the Word represents? John 1:9–14; John 17:3; John 3:16.

Note: “These words embody everything; and we can not, therefore, place too much importance on them. … Then shall we not awaken to our holy responsibilities, and strive to meet God’s standard of character? If we are one with Christ by faith, we are sons and daughters of God.” The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.

  • What did Jesus say to Peter regarding his conversion? Luke 22:31, 32.

Note: “A profession of faith and the possession of truth in the soul are two different things. The mere knowledge of truth is not enough. We may possess this, but the tenor of our thoughts may not be changed. The heart must be converted and sanctified.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 97.

4 THE REIGN OF DEATH AND SIN

  • What counsel are we given in Romans 6:12–14?

Note: “ ‘What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet’ (Romans 7:7). The Holy Spirit presents the law to the sinner as God’s only standard of character. ‘For I was alive without the law once,’ Paul continues; ‘but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. … I delight in the law of God after the inward man’ (Romans 7:9–12, 22).” The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.

  • Why did death reign? Romans 5:17.
  • What two things are received through Jesus Christ? Romans 5:19.

Note: “By the grace of Christ we are saved. But grace does not abolish the law of God. The law is the transcript of God’s character. It presents His righteousness in contrast with unrighteousness. By the law is the knowledge of sin. The law makes sin appear exceeding sinful. It condemns the transgressor, but it has no power to save and restore him. Its province is not to pardon. Pardon comes through Christ, who lived the law in humanity. Man’s only hope is in the substitute provided by God, who gave His Son, that He might reconcile the world to Himself. ‘He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him’ (II Corinthians 5:21).” The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.

  • Who are those that received no condemnation? Romans 8:1–4.

5 FITTED FOR USEFULNESS

  • What are we to seek first? Matthew 6:33. Once received, how is this expanded? Philippians 2:12, 13.

Note: “Our first work is with our own hearts. The true principles of reform should be practiced. The heart must be converted and sanctified else we have no connection with Christ. While our hearts are divided, we shall never, never be fitted for usefulness in this life or for the future life. As intelligent beings, we need to sit down and think whether we are really seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. The very best thing we can do is to think soberly and candidly whether we desire to put forth the effort necessary to obtain the Christian hope and secure the Christian’s heaven. If through the grace of Christ we decide that we do, the next question is: What is there that I must cut away from my life in order that I shall not stumble?” This Day With God, 48.

  • What does Jesus Christ become for us? I Corinthians 1:30.

Note: “Are you standing on the foundation laid by Christ? Have you faith in Him, who is made unto us ‘wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption’ (1 Corinthians 1:30)? His word is true, and it requires those who believe in Him to be sanctified, soul, body, and spirit. Sanctification is the measure of our completeness. The moment we surrender ourselves to God, believing in Him, we have His righteousness. We realize that we have been redeemed from sin, and we appreciate the sacrifice made to purchase our freedom.” The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.

  • Why is our salvation complete when we accept Jesus Christ? Hebrews 10:10.

Note: “Our salvation is complete, because it is founded on the accomplishment of a plan laid before the foundation of the world. Before Christ came, a ceremonial holiness could be obtained by offering the blood of bulls and of goats; but these sacrifices could not cleanse the conscience. They were but a representation of Christ, the great sacrifice. The substance of all the sacrifices and offerings, He came to this world to do God’s will by offering Himself. He came as the world’s Redeemer, to stand at the head of humanity. The Holy Spirit comes to man through Christ. We are given a decided testimony regarding the value of Christ’s offering. God’s word declares, ‘By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all’ (Hebrews 10:10). It was a whole and entire sacrifice that was made for us.” The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.

  • Why does Peter cou0nsel us to control our thoughts and how is this possible? I Peter 1:13, 18–23.

Note: “This sanctification we must all experience, else we can never gain eternal life. It is obtained by a union with Christ, a union which no power of Satan can break.

“Christ demands undivided heart-service—the entire use of mind, soul, heart, and strength. ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s’ (11 Corinthians 6:19, 20). When we make this surrender, Christ sets our minds at rest, and consecrates our hearts and hands to His service. His wisdom gives us spiritual life, and enables us to manifest love to God and to one another. We reveal His grace in our characters; for we have His life. He presents us spotless before His Father; for we are sanctified through His blood. We are purged from dead works; for Jesus takes possession of the sanctified soul, to renew, sustain, and guide all its impulses, and give vitality to its purposes. Thus we become temples for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.” The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.

Studies compiled by Judy Hallingstad. Judy is part of the LandMarks team and can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Recipe – Mock Tuna Salad

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Who knew mashed up chickpeas could taste just like tuna?

15 oz chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tsp. nutritional yeast

2 whole celery stalks

1 Tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos

2 Tbsp. dill pickle relish

2 Tbsp. vegan mayonnaise

½ tsp. onion flakes

½ tsp. kelp

In a large mixing bowl, mash chickpeas with a fork until coarse and no whole beans are left. Alternatively, pulse beans in a food processor a few times—careful not to puree, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Shred celery with a cheese grater or pulse a few more times in a food processor. Transfer to the mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Add more vegan mayonnaise and/or kelp as necessary or desired.

Food – Eat Right, Live Longer

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Have you wondered if health care is worth it? Concensus of most modern medical men is that you should exercise, keep your weight down, avoid smoking cigarettes.

An increasing number of physicians are recommending against alcohol, high-cholesterol meats and white-flour bread.

These recommendations are based on “the latest medical knowledge” though I can show you the same prescription for health in a book that’s a hundred years old.

Ellen White authored that book. To this day Seventh-day Adventists accept her criteria. Since she has been proved right about so many things, perhaps we should examine what else she said.

The benefits of Ellen White’s teachings are now measurable.

There are 57,000 Adventists living in California. Recently the “dead ones” were “interviewed.”

The State of California, the United States Public Health Service, and the Adventist Church, Pacific Union Conference, analyzed available death certificates of all Adventists who had died over a five-year period.

98.8 percent of all such certificates were traceable. Judging from these records, Seventh-day Adventists have a life expectancy five to six years greater than other Californians.

70 percent fewer Adventists die from all types of cancer, 68 percent fewer from respiratory diseases, 88 percent fewer from TB and 85 percent fewer from pulmonary emphysema.

Among all Adventists there had been only nine cases of cancer of the lung and, further research revealed, each of these had at some time been a smoker.

Adventists have 46 percent less strokes, 60 percent less heart disease.

About 50 percent of Adventists are vegetarians. A new study has been launched by Drs. Richard Walden and Raymond West, of Loma Linda University, to compile comparative health figures for meat-eaters.

Perhaps a by-product of Adventist abstinence from alcohol is the finding that they have only about one-third (35 percent) as many accidents.

It has tended to reaffirm the faith of the faithful to discover that the most advanced scientific findings support what was written and taught by this amazing little lady, Ellen White, more than a hundred years ago.

If future scientific findings continue to support hers, let’s see what tomorrow’s doctors will be prescribing:

Ellen White advised against overeating, also against crash dieting. “I advocate no extremes.”

Whole-wheat bread, not white. Minimal sweets. “Sugar is not good for the stomach.”

She recommends grains, vegetables, fruits—especially apples. “Apples are superior to any fruit.”

She recommends against meat, coffee and tea.

And sorry, “no hot biscuits.”

If some of her recommendations sound extreme, imagine how they all must have sounded in 1863. Yet modern science continues more and more to say, “She was right!”

Paul Harvey News, March 1969.

Children’s Story – The Circling Dove

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Many people consider The Great Controversy as having the most powerful influence. Countless stories tell of the book’s impact on people’s lives.

One unusual story about it comes from the Philippine Islands. Regino Balaois had reached the amazing age of 115—at least that is how old he and his friends believed he was. One day Reuben Balosteros, a young colporteur passing through Laguna Province on the island of Luzon, stopped to sell books in Balaois’s little home village of Famyi. Balaois enjoyed sitting in a chair in front of his home and watching the daily life of the village swirl about him. Seeing the ancient man, the Adventist book salesman approached him and soon sold him a copy of The Great Controversy.

After buying the book, Balaois sat down in a shady spot in his backyard and began to read. Having read for a while, he glanced up and noticed something unusual. A white dove had flown into the garden and had begun to circle over the man’s head. Never, he thought, had he seen a bird act quite like that before.

The next day Balaois went out to read again, and again the dove returned, repeating its strange behavior. There must be, he finally decided, some connection between his reading the book and the coming of the bird. He decided to mention the strange event to his friends. “This must be a good book,” he commented, holding up the copy of the book, “because every time I read it, the white dove returns and flies in circles above me. Do you think it is a sign that God has sent the book to teach us?”

Regino Balaois’s age gave him much respect among the villagers, but his tale about the dove naturally caused some doubt among the people. “You’re getting old and seeing things,” someone commented.

“If that is so,” Balaois replied, “then come over to my house and listen to what the book has to say. Watch for yourselves and see if the dove comes when I start reading the book.”

Impressed with the elderly man’s statement, the villagers decided they would come and see what happened. The next day they met in Regino’s garden and silently waited as he began to read. Suddenly someone pointed to the sky. Instantly all heads swiveled in the same direction. To their astonishment they saw a beautiful white dove fluttering and wheeling over the old man’s head. No one could explain the bird’s actions. They could only agree with Balaois’s idea that the power that sent the dove to the garden must approve of their reading the book.

“We must see what the book teaches,” the people of Famyi agreed among themselves. Daily the neighbors came to Regino’s garden and listened to him or another man read from The Great Controversy.

One day as Regino Balaois sat alone reading the book, the dove appeared again. No one had seen it for a while. Suddenly the bird spoke. “Keep the Sabbath,” it commanded.

Instantly he knew what the creature meant—Saturday, the seventh-day Sabbath. He had read about it in the book. Still surprised by the dove’s latest strange deed, Regino summoned his neighbors and told them what had happened, that he believed that God had commanded through the bird that they keep the Sabbath described in the book.

God had a reason for using the dove. Most of the people of the Philippines are Roman Catholic. They believe in miracles and are greatly impressed when they think they see one. Knowing the impact the dove’s actions would have on the villagers of Famyi, God sent it to begin to break the hold of the Catholic Church on the people’s minds. It was the best way of breaking through their superstitions. The miracle of the dove created an interest in the teachings of The Great Controversy and emphasized their importance. The bird’s command helped them to believe in the Sabbath and to have the courage to obey.

Balaois and his friends did not know of a single group that followed the beliefs found in Mrs. Ellen White’s book. They decided to form a church of their own and call it the Church of the Pure Religion. The little group agreed it was a good idea, but one person pointed out that they needed to be baptized. “But who will do it?” another asked.

After discussing the problem among themselves for a while, they decided that Balaois would baptize the man who had helped him read to the villagers. The neighbor, in turn, would baptize Balaois. Then both would baptize the others. The little church had nineteen members. The next time Reuben Balosteros, the colporteur, passed through the area, he visited the group and called in an ordained minister. The minister organized Balaois and his neighbors into the first Seventh-day Adventist Church in the region.

Another miracle connected with the sale of a copy of The Great Controversy took place near Cordelia, California. An Adventist selling door to door sold an English copy of the book to a Catholic Italian immigrant farmer named Oberti. Although Oberti had learned to speak some English, he could not read the language. Oddly, knowing that he couldn’t read the book, he still accepted the delivered copy and paid for it. Oberti put his book on a shelf in the kitchen of his little cabin and returned to work in his cherry orchard.

After dinner that evening he remembered the book. Deciding to look at the pictures, he took it down from the kitchen shelf and opened it. Turning to the frontispiece, he studied it, then flipped past the title page, the publishers’ preface, the introduction, the table of contents, and the list of illustrations, and finally came to the beginning of chapter one. Forgetting that the book was in English, he read the first page and continued on to the next. Suddenly he realized that he understood the English words. Interested in what Mrs. White had to say, he continued reading until he finished the chapter. He went to the second chapter and before many days finished the entire book. God had given him the ability to read the English language.

The ideas Oberti found in the book remained in his mind, and he accepted the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and joined it. He served as an officer in his local church for many years. In addition, from the day he first started reading The Great Controversy until the end of his life he could read English.

Mrs. White knew the impact her book could have on people. It could reach people who could not be contacted in any other way. The Holy Spirit influenced those who read, convincing them of the truth of what they found. She wrote, “By reading it, some souls will be aroused, and will have courage to unite themselves at once with those who keep the commandments of God.” Colporteur Ministry, 128.

A. Delafield and Gerald Wheeler, Angel Over Her Tent and other stories about Ellen G. White, Review and Herald Publishing Association, Hagerstown, Maryland, 2000, 138–141.

Current Events – The Great Crisis

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In the great crisis soon to pass, the faithful servants who “would fearlessly serve God according to the dictates of conscience, will need courage, firmness, and a knowledge of God and His Word, for those who are true to God will be persecuted, their motives will be impugned, their best efforts misinterpreted, and their names cast out as evil.” Acts of the Apostles, 431.

In more than 40 nations around the world today Christians are being persecuted for their faith. In some of these nations it is illegal to own a Bible, to share your faith in Christ, change your faith or teach your children about Jesus. Those who boldly follow Christ—in spite of government edict or radical opposition—can face harassment, arrest, torture and even death. Yet Christians continue to meet for worship and to witness for Christ, and the church in restricted nations is growing. www.prisoneralert.com, October 31, 2013.

In various parts of the Muslim world, religious minorities are facing a reign of terror. In the Middle East, persecution has become so terrible and widespread some experts are predicting that non-Muslims may be entirely driven from the region known for millennia as the cultural crossroads. The situation facing the religious minorities has become ever more perilous with a shocking series of attacks that have garnered international media attention. Christian minorities of all faith communities are being targeted. So are Baha’is, Mandeans, Yizidis, Zoroastrians, Ahmadiyas, Druze, Jews, and other minorities in such countries. In recent weeks: in Pakistan, the Taliban for the first time bombed a church packed with Sunday worshipers, killing 85; Somalia’s al-Shabaab terrorists crossed into Kenya where they hunted down and shot dead dozens of non-Muslims in a shopping mall; and, in Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood supporters, scapegoating Coptic Christians, went on a rampage against churches and monasteries, destroying 40 of them. In Iran, the entire Baha’i leadership languishes in prison, as does American Christian pastor, Saeed Abidini. And in Iraq, over the past decade, some two-thirds of the ancient Christian community, fifty percent of the Yizidis (an off-shoot of Zoroastrians) and ninety percent of the Mandeans (followers of John the Baptist) have fled after being targeted by terrorists and abandoned by their government. www.christianpost.com/news, September 13, 2013.

“For it is written, He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone (Luke 4:10, 11). …

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (II Corinthians 4:6–9). “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (II Corinthians 4:17, 18).” Early Writings, 28.

Health – Castor Oil Packs

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Conditions that stress or compromise the immune system will very often benefit from castor oil packs. Nowhere is this more obvious than with AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). I have talked with several AIDS patients who have added castor oil packs (usually for one hour a day) to their treatment regimen with very positive results. Within two weeks, it was not uncommon for them to see increases in their WBC (white blood cell) platelet counts, hematocrit readings, and RBC (red blood cell) counts.

“I should mention also that in addition to the castor oil packs most of those I talked to are also drinking a combination of olive oil and lemon juice to further stimulate lymphatic flow and liver activity. It can be made by blending the following:

  • 1 clean whole lemon (pulp, rind, seeds, and all)
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ cups of distilled water
  • 4 rounded tablespoons of frozen orange juice concentrate

“The blended material is then strained through a wire strainer to remove the pulp, which is discarded. The remaining liquid is divided in four equal portions of approximately ¼ cup each and a portion is consumed with each of the three daily meals and before bedtime.

“In addition to stimulating lymphatic flow, the drink increases the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder, which, in turn, enhances one’s ability to digest essential fatty acids through the Peyer’s patches in the small intestine. It is not uncommon for AIDS patients to experience weight gain and a reversal of a long list of complaints often associated with fatty acid deficiencies.” Dr. David G. Williams, Alternatives Newsletter, July 1995.

The olive oil drink, Dr. Williams suggests, may be too sweet for many people due to the orange juice concentrate. I prefer a similar preparation made with: 1 grated beet, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and the juice of 1 lemon (include the peel and seeds if you like).

Castor oil has an impressive anti-microbial activity. Anyone with a congested lymphatic system or liver, whether they have AIDS or not, will benefit by using a castor oil pack.

To use a castor oil pack you will need:

  • Cold pressed castor oil
  • Hot water bottle or heating pad
  • White plastic (garbage bag)
  • Two or three one-foot squares of cotton flannel, wool, or towel

On top of the hot water bottle or heating pad, lay the plastic. Next soak the cloth with castor oil and lay this on top of the plastic. It is a good idea to lay plastic and/or a towel underneath on the bedding. The entire pack is then placed on the abdomen. The body can then be wrapped in a large bath towel. The pack should remain in place for at least an hour. It can be reused a few times, but it needs to be refrigerated. If the person is very toxic, don’t reuse often (use your intuition on this), as the pack draws the toxins out of the body. With each use, add a little more castor oil. Clean up with a little soda water. This treatment feels very comfortable. It will help the patient sleep soundly and wake up feeling rested. It is fine to go to sleep with the pack in use.

If using castor oil packs is too labor intensive, a simpler and very effective method of using castor oil externally is as follows: Before going to bed, warm a small amount of castor oil in a pan. Massage the oil into the abdomen (liver/colon) area and wherever there is pain. Lay a white towel underneath the abdomen area to protect the sheets. On top of the parts of the body where the oil has been applied, place clean, soft, cotton cloths. You may then wrap a towel around the abdomen, and place hot water bottles on the top of the cloths. This is a mild and gentle way to decongest and heal the liver/colon area. Use clean cloths each time. They are easy to wash, as the oil is absorbed by the body.

Uchee Pines Lifestyle Center
30 Uchee Pines Road #75
Seale, Alabama 36875
Tel. 334-855-4764

www.ucheepines.org

More information: Castor oil is primarily an external preparation, as packs placed over swollen glands, cancers, cysts, hard swellings, and other abnormal growths. The oil seems to stimulate the lymphatic system to draw away poisons. Packs are usually placed over the lymph glands near the shoulders, groin, upper back and neck, over the abdomen or liver, or over the kidneys. Castor oil packs have been recommended for arthritis, intestinal impaction, kidney and liver problems, uterine and ovarian issues, and many other complaints.

Q&A – What did Jesus mean when He said in Matthew 11:7, “A reed shaken with the wind?”

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“A reed shaken with the wind” in Bible language means a person blown about by every wind of doctrine. Ephesians 4:14 says, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”

Jesus compared the character of John the Baptist with that of the Rabbis. “The tall reeds that grew beside the Jordan, bending before every breeze, were fitting representatives of the rabbis who had stood as critics and judges of the Baptist’s mission. They were swayed this way and that by the winds of popular opinion. They would not humble themselves to receive the heart-searching message of the Baptist, yet for fear of the people they dared not openly oppose his work. But God’s messenger was of no such craven spirit. The multitudes who were gathered about Christ had been witnesses to the work of John. They had heard his fearless rebuke of sin. To the self-righteous Pharisees, the priestly Sadducees, King Herod and his court, princes and soldiers, publicans and peasants, John had spoken with equal plainness. He was no trembling reed, swayed by the winds of human praise or prejudice. In the prison he was the same in his loyalty to God and his zeal for righteousness as when he preached God’s message in the wilderness. In his faithfulness to principle he was as firm as a rock.” The Desire of Ages, 218.

This is a warning for us that we be not as those reeds.

“Many are changed by every current. They wait to hear what someone else thinks, and his opinion is accepted as altogether true. If they would lean wholly upon God, they would grow strong in His strength; but they do not say to the Lord, I cannot make any decision until I know Thy will. Their natural inclination is to allow another to be conscience for them; and they speak after he has spoken, saying what he says, and acting as he acts. When these persons are placed in circumstances where they must think and act for themselves, they dare not express any decided opinion. Yet often, like Aaron, they have much ability. God pity such weaklings. …

“We must free ourselves from the customs and bondage of society, that when the principles of our faith are at stake, we shall not hesitate to show our colors, even though we are called singular for so doing. Keep the conscience tender, that you may hear the faintest whisper of the voice that spoke as never man spoke. Let all who would wear the yoke of Christ show an inflexible purpose to do right because it is right.” Our High Calling, 341.

“Jesus knew that a reed trembling in the wind was the very opposite of John’s character. John could not be moved by flattery, nor be deceived by prevailing errors. Neither could he be turned aside from the work he came to do, by rewards, or worldly honors. He would preserve his integrity at the expense of his life. Steadfast as a rock stood the prophet of God, faithful to rebuke sin and crime in all their forms, in kings and nobles, as readily as in the unhonored and unknown. He swerved not from duty. Loyal to his God, in noble dignity of moral character, he stood firm as a rock, faithful to principle.” The Review and Herald, March 4, 1873.

Be strong in the Lord and be not blown about by every wind of doctrine or by popular opinion.